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Deep learning-based methods have achieved remarkable performance for image dehazing. However, previous studies are mostly focused on training models with synthetic hazy images, which incurs performance drop when the models are used for real-world hazy images. We propose a Principled Synthetic-to-real Dehazing (PSD) framework to improve the generalization performance of dehazing. Starting from a dehazing model backbone that is pre-trained on synthetic data, PSD exploits real hazy images to fine-tune the model in an unsupervised fashion. For the fine-tuning, we leverage several well-grounded physical priors and combine them into a prior loss committee. PSD allows for most of the existing dehazing models as its backbone, and the combination of multiple physical priors boosts dehazing significantly. Through extensive experiments, we demonstrate that our PSD framework establishes the new state-of-the-art performance for real-world dehazing, in terms of visual quality assessed by no-reference quality metrics as well as subjective evaluation and downstream task performance indicator.	https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content/CVPR2021/html/Chen_PSD_Principled_Synthetic-to-Real_Dehazing_Guided_by_Physical_Priors_CVPR_2021_paper.html
An Information Supply Chain might contain loops for one of two reasons: - A rework loop resulting from a Quality Assurance pass/fail Action - An iterating loop where the quality of an Information entity is improved until it meets a quality threshold Rework Loop A simple rework loop might look like this: The actual loop is shown in bold. One characteristic of a loop is that it will equalise all values in the loop and therefore a loop will always be contained within a LINQset - a loop can never straddle more than one LINQset. Where the loop is small, as in this case, the impact is minimal. However, where a QA process occurs after many Actions have been conducted and results in a long loop, this can create extremely large LINQsets. Fortunately, this situation is quite rare. But we need to think about what we're wanting to depict in LINQ. We're trying to identify the flow of information from Source to Business Outcome. Rework really doesn't participate in that flow - rework represents Information Waste and we want to identify that more clearly. So best practice for rework activities is not to create a loop but rather to end in a Information Output representing waste. This would look like this: It is now obvious that the 'Fail QA' 'recapture' Action represents Information Waste since it has no value. Note also that the sketch has split up into separate LINQsets - each representing different connectivity. Iterating Loops Iterating loops are slightly more challenging to consider. This is where an Information Asset is gradually improved until it satisfies a quality criteria. A simple version of an iterating loop might look like this: In this case, a loop would be a valid option to depict what's going on and most iterating loops tend to be short loops. At present loops will create inaccuracy in LINQ's Cost Allocation capbility. For that reason, it is necessary to remove the connection from the 'not good enough yet' Information node to the 'Improvement Process' Action node. That results in this depiction: Although not ideal, this depicts cost and value in a satisfactory way. Identifying Loops In a large sketch, it can be challenging to manually identify where loops are occurring. At the Cost Allocation release, the Hints and Warnings Panel now identifies any loops that occur in the Sketch: Clicking on the Loop will select the edges of that Loop: Identify the looping edge (Downward pointing connection arrows are a sure sign of a loop but the arrow can be obscured by the label) and reroute that edge to eliminate the loop using one of the strategies identified above. Over time, we will be developing approaches that will allow loops to be handled accurately in Cost Allocation.	https://support.linq.it/support/solutions/articles/8000065026-how-does-linq-handle-loops-
In a previous life, I worked for a large medical equipment manufacturer and was tasked to lead a team to improve leader development. We developed a Leadership Academy that had a replicable 10-point Organizational Change Management [OCM] model as part of the curricula. I’ve found the OCM model instrumental in positioning new innovative, and even disruptive…or should I say especially disruptive…enterprise initiatives. Embedded Performer Support [EPS] is as innovative and disruptive as they come. After speaking at two on-line webinar and four live events in 2013: • Performer Support Symposium – Boston • mLearnCon – San Jose • DevLearn – Las Vegas -and was invited to • Elliott Masie’s Learning 2013 as a speaker and to sit on a panel of experts for Advanced Performance Support …all of these venues in 2013 and the invitation to speak at the Guild’s Ecosystem 2014 in March validate the business –critical role the new EPS performance discipline will play. But…it will not play until somebody in the organization drinks the EPS Kool-Aid. At all the webinars and conferences I hear consistent agreement that EPS is where L&D organizations need to go, but the questions that regularly surface pose a problem to overcome: “Where do we start?” and “How do we get there?” “Getting there” is a journey, and to circumnavigate obstacles, challenges, resistance, skepticism, and more, a road map to adoption is necessary. I believe the ten-step OCM model described below is a viable approach. I can’t give away my consultancy secrets but I will share the ten points I like to follow. These may not flow in what looks like a linear order as shown here; however, I suggest they are all critical success factors specific to a repeatable OCM model. I will attempt to wrap these ten phases of Change around the EPS discipline. They include: Validation – Is there a problem worth solving with EPS? How painful and visible is it? (See Calibration) Does anybody give a rip? How do we convince business-organization-department-individual that EPS is necessary? What is the business case for EPS in terms of business impact? What is the cost of doing nothing? Calibration – What is the “AS IS” state prior to EPS? Define the business impact at risk. What are the projected tangible business performance indicators of successful adoption of EPS? Are there intangible benefits to include as well? This phase serves as guidelines for measuring evidence of formative business impact from deployment through implementation. Sponsorship – Which leader is willing to commit to adopting EPS as a viable approach to reducing the time-to-impact? Is he/she accessible and visible to the organization and the EPS Change team? Value Proposition Cascade – What is the “localized” value message at every level impacted by the adoption of EPS? Road Map Development – What is the plan to communicate, prepare, inform, equip, sell, train, and support the adoption of EPS? This is not a Point A to Point B roadmap. There are stops along the way; some of which may be iterative in nature. Mobilization – What resources need to be engaged to execute the EPS road map? This means starting small with a pilot project and scaling off the success. What is the timeline of events? Readiness – Integration of internal consulting skills and an agile design and development methodology that embraces a Learning Continuum that address all five moments of need. Is the right technology infrastructure in place and can it scale? What other functions must be at readiness to launch a pilot? Deployment – What are the scope and logistics of the GoLive event for the EPS pilot? Debrief feedback and fine-tune through pilot iterations. Extract impact measurements from EPS pilot results. (See Calibration) Implementation – Replicate pilot roadmap on a larger scale. This is a process of routinization of agile development methods and technology integration into workflows. Extract impact measurements from EPS incremental implementations as you scale. (See Calibration) Sustained Capability – Effectively communicate and celebrate success beginning with pilot deployment. Share user best practices and feedback. Harvest learning from feedback. Integrate into future learning solutions. How long, when, by whom, and how are success metrics captured, formatted and reported? (See Calibration) Like I said earlier, this ten-point OCM model may not manifest in the linear order you see here. Some phases may run concurrently. Others, like Calibration, are touched throughout the Change initiative to provide formative feedback and evaluation to fine-tune subsequent steps and validate successful business impact. As my career evolves I’m finding EPS as a center-piece of significant Change that extend well beyond our current training paradigm. Over my different corporate roles, I’ve learned that without effective Change Management many great ideas die on the vine. When those ideas disrupt current methods and challenges embedded cultures, OCM cannot be overlooked. I’ve recently increased my involvement with Bob Mosher and Conrad Gottfredson in the new Performance Support Community, and in our Forum these questions of “Where do we start?” and “How do we get there?” seem to be popping up more often as the community grows. This community will be an excellent place to learn and share with others who are considering or already pursuing the EPS discipline. I welcome you to join us there and become a part of this growing discipline of EPS.	https://livinginlearning.com/2014/04/01/using-organizational-change-to-integrate-the-eps-discipline/
Prof. Rafiqul Gani (CEO of PSE for SPEED Company, Thailand-Denmark) has given 2-days course (in August 2019) of 4 modules in the topic of Fast, efficient & reliable problem solution through software tools at Department of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea. - Module 1: Property estimation in 4 simple steps (give molecule-mixture data; select/retrieve data-model; estimate properties; verify or fine-tune solution - Module 2: Versatile chemical product design – chemical substitution, single species, blends, formulations (define problem; select design template; solve problem; verify/fine-tune solution). - Module 3: Sustainable process design in 12 hierarchical steps (define problem; generate data; synthesize flowsheet; …; verify sustainable design). - Module 4: Rapid model development (define model objective; create-transform- solve- apply model).	https://www.pseforspeed.com/blog/2019/09/06/pse-for-speed-software/
Re:infer's machine learning models use an architecture called the Transformer, which over the past few years has achieved state of the art results on the majority of common natural language processing (NLP) tasks. The go-to approach has been to take a pre-trained Transformer language model and fine-tune it on the task of interest. More recently, we have been looking into 'prompting'—a promising group of methods which are rising in popularity. These involve directly specifying the task in natural language for the pre-trained language model to interpret and complete. Prompt-based methods have significant potential benefits, so should you use them? This post will: - Illustrate the difference between traditional fine-tuning and prompting. - Explain the details of how some popular prompt-based methods work. - Discuss the pros and cons of prompt-based methods, and provide our recommendation on whether or not to use them. Background Over the past few years, the field of NLP has shifted away from using pre-trained static word embeddings such as word2vec and GloVe towards using large Transformer-based language models, such as BERT and GPT-3. These language models are first pre-trained using unlabelled data, with the aim of being able to encode the semantic meaning of sequences of text (e.g. sentences/documents). The goal of pre-training is to learn representations which will generally be useful for any downstream task. Once pre-trained, the language model is typically fine-tuned (i.e. the pre-trained parameters are further trained) for a downstream task e.g. intent recognition, sentiment classification, named entity recognition, etc. The fine-tuning process requires labelled training data, and the model is fine-tuned separately for each task. Pre-training note Although Transformers operate on sub-word tokens, this post refers to words throughout in order to keep things easier to understand. Transformers work by first encoding each word in a sequence of text as a vector of numbers known as an ‘embedding’. The embedding layer is then followed by a sequence of attention layers, which are used to build the model’s internal representations of the sequence. Finally there is the prediction layer, whose objective function depends on the type of pre-training used. Transformers are pre-trained in an unsupervised manner. This step is most often done using one of two types of training: - Masked language modelling (an example is shown in Figure 1) - Some randomly chosen words are removed from the sequence, and the model is trained to predict those missing words. - Next word prediction (an example is shown in Figure 2) - The model has to predict each word in the sequence, conditioned on those that came before it. Fine-tuning Once the model has been pre-trained, it is fine-tuned for a downstream, supervised task (e.g. intent recognition). This usually involves taking the representation at the final step of a sequence (or the mean of the representations) and passing it through a small feedforward network to make a prediction (see Figure 3 for an example). Most of the time, the parameters of both the pre-trained language model and the feedforward model are updated during the fine-tuning process. Prompt-based learning Suppose we have a pre-trained language model with which we want to perform a downstream task. Instead of using the representations from the language model as inputs to another model for solving the task (as described above), we could directly use its ability to model natural language by feeding it a ‘prompt’ and getting it to fill in the blanks or to complete the sequence (an example is shown in Figure 4). It is also possible to provide examples in the prompt, to show the model how the task should be completed (see Figure 5 for an example). This is known as -shot learning, where refers to the number of examples provided. This means that Figure 4 is an example of zero-shot learning. When using prompts, the model can still be fine-tuned (in the same way as described above) but this is often not necessary, as we will see below. In the remainder of this section, we’ll review some popular prompt-based methods; see this survey paper for more comprehensive coverage. GPT-3 GPT-3 is a large, Transformer-based language model which is trained using the next word prediction objective on a filtered version of the Common Crawl dataset. As well as being famous for generating text sequences of remarkably high quality, GPT-3 is also used to perform supervised tasks in the zero-shot, one-shot, and few-shot (10K100) settings without any fine-tuning. The authors train models of different sizes, the largest having 175 billion parameters. Overall, GPT-3 achieves strong results in the zero-shot and one-shot settings. In the few-shot setting, it sometimes performs better than state-of-the-art models, even though they may be fine-tuned on large labelled datasets. On the vast majority of tasks, the performance of GPT-3 improves both with model size and with the number of examples shown in the prompt. However it also struggles with certain tasks, in particular those that involve comparing multiple sequences of text. These include: - Natural language inference - The model is given two sentences and has to decide if the second entails, contradicts, or is neutral with respect to the first. - Reading comprehension - The model is given a paragraph and has to answer questions about it. The authors hypothesise that this is because GPT-3 is trained for next word prediction, i.e. in a left-to-right (rather than bidirectional) manner. Pattern Exploiting Training For a given task, Pattern Exploiting Training (PET) defines a set of prompts, each with exactly one mask token, which are fed to a language model that was pre-trained with the masked language modelling objective. The PET process works as follows: - Fine-tune a separate language model for each prompt, creating an ensemble of models for the task. - Use this ensemble of fine-tuned models to generate ‘soft’ labels for a set of unlabelled data points, in a manner similar to knowledge distillation. - Use these soft labels to fine-tune a final language model in the manner defined in the fine-tuning section above (i.e. not using prompts). PET has also been extended to work with multiple mask tokens, and works well even when steps 2 and 3 above are skipped (i.e. the ensemble of fine-tuned models from step 1 is directly used as the final model). The authors use ALBERT as the base masked language model and evaluate PET in the 32-shot setting. On most tasks in the SuperGLUE benchmark, it outperforms GPT-3 while only having 0.1% as many parameters. Prompt tuning Unlike the methods we have looked at so far, prompt tuning does not hand-design the prompts which are fed to the model. Instead, it uses additional learnable embeddings which are directly prepended to the sequence at the embedding layer. Effectively, this skips the step of writing the prompts in natural language and instead allows the model to learn the optimal prompt directly at the embedding layer. The prompt tuning approach (shown in Figure 6) is based on the pre-trained T5 language model. This is similar to the original Transformer, which was designed to perform translation. The T5 model has two components: - The encoder maps the input sequence to vector representations using a self-attention mechanism, with the learnable prompt embeddings being inserted at the first layer. - The decoder generates the text to classify the example based on the encoder representations, again using an attention mechanism. The model is fine-tuned on a full labelled dataset for each task, but only the prompt embeddings are updated (the rest of the model, which contains the vast majority of the parameters, is frozen after pre-training). Prompt tuning significantly outperforms few-shot GPT-3, and the largest prompt-tuned model matches the performance of full fine-tuning. Should you use prompt-based methods? Advantages of prompt-based learning From a practical perspective, the biggest advantage of prompt-based methods is that they generally work well with very small amounts of labelled data. For example, with GPT-3 it is possible to achieve state of the art performance on certain tasks with only one labelled example. Although it may be impractical to run a model of GPT-3’s size in a lot of settings, it is possible to outperform GPT-3 in the few-shot setting with a much smaller model by using the PET method. From a modelling perspective, it can be argued that using prompts is a more natural way to leverage pre-trained language models for downstream tasks compared to traditional fine-tuning. This is because when using prompts, we are using the language model to generate the text that solves a task; this is also what it was trained to do in the pre-training procedure. In contrast, traditional fine-tuning (Figure 3) can be considered a less intuitive way to use language models for downstream tasks because it uses a separate model with a completely different objective function compared to the pre-training procedure. Disadvantages of prompt-based learning Although prompt-based methods show a lot of promise in being able to perform well on tasks with very few labelled examples, they also have certain drawbacks. Firstly, language models are prone to ‘hallucination’, i.e. they can generate text which is nonsensical, biased, or offensive. This can make such models unusable in any real-world setting. It is possible to constrain the text generated by language models, but depending on the task it may not always be possible to specify an appropriate set of restrictions while retaining performance. Another drawback with a lot of these methods is that the prompts themselves are hand-designed. Not only is this likely to be suboptimal in terms of performance, but selecting the optimal prompt itself requires labelled validation data. PET circumvents this issue by using an ensemble of prompts, but this then requires fine-tuning a separate language model for each prompt. ‘Soft’ prompt methods (such as prompt tuning) do not require hand-designed prompts, but instead require larger training datasets. Methods like GPT-3 described above, and the recent PaLM model, insert the labelled examples as part of the natural language prompt and don’t fine-tune the language model itself. Although this works very well in the few-shot learning setting, this can be suboptimal when there is a larger set of labelled examples available. This is because only a small number of examples can be inserted into the prompt before a maximum sequence length is reached; this limits the model to only perform few-shot learning. Summary In this post, we have looked at prompt-based methods—these involve directly specifying the task in natural language for a pre-trained language model to interpret and complete. Prompting shows a lot of potential in achieving strong performance with very few labelled training examples. However, these techniques often rely on hand-designed prompts, and can be prone to hallucination, making them unsafe to use in real-world settings. Therefore, although these methods do appear to be promising, there is still a lot of research to be done to make them practical to use. At Re:infer, we are actively researching making prompt methods safe to use, providing precise accuracy estimates and generating structured actionable data. The results of this research are coming soon. If you want to try Re:infer at your company, sign up for a free trial or book a demo.	https://developers.reinfer.io/blog/2022/05/04/prompting
In the aerospace industry, CubeSats have emerged as a low-cost, easily manufacturable solution for space-based optical systems. They offer a unique opportunity to develop a production line approach for a space-based product through the manufacture of a constellation of smaller, more affordable systems. Companies that manufacture CubeSat optical systems need an accurate and reliable method for developing an optical design, opto-mechanically packaging the system, as well as modeling structural and thermal impacts that the system will experience in-orbit. This article series will walk through the high-level development of a CubeSat system by leveraging the Zemax and Ansys software suites. We will illustrate how an integrated software toolset can streamline the design and analysis workflow. By: Jordan Teich & Flurin Herren Article Attachments Introduction For decades, optical systems have been developed for operation in low, medium, and high Earth orbit. For many optical systems, the packaging form factor and the opto-mechanics that stemmed from this form factor were designed on a system-by-system basis. CubeSats are a class of lightweight nanosatellite that can house optical systems for applications ranging from laser communications to earth imaging. They are unique in that they use a standardized size and form factor. For this article series, the paper Optical Design of a Reflecting Telescope for CubeSat1 was used as a reference for developing the CubeSat optical design. In Part 4 of this series, we will cover how to bring FEA data from Ansys Mechanical into STAR and use the data as part of a STOP (Structural, Thermal, Optical Performance) analysis. We will analyze the effect of FEA data on optical performance and derive insights that will be used to revise the nominal CubeSat design. Using the STAR Module for STOP Analysis Structural deformation datasets for the primary and secondary mirrors have now been generated at three temperatures within the operating range of the optics (12C, 15C, and 18C). This deformation data will be directly compared to performance data from the original model in OpticStudio. Before running any FEA, Ansys Mechanical assumes that the opto-mechanics and optics are soaked in a room-temperature environment with no stress applied to the optics. Because of this, we can assume that the original sequential model simulates the performance of the optical system at ambient temperature and pressure. The STAR module can read FEA data directly into the Sequential optical model. Upon doing so, the entire suite of analysis tools can be used to analyze impacts on system performance due to the loads and boundary conditions applied during FEA. We can use the Sequential model to interpret results since the only change made in Non-Sequential was creating a cut-out at the bottom of the primary mirror. In Sequential mode, this cut-out technically does not exist, but due to the nature of sequential ray tracing, rays passing through the bottom of the mirror do not interact optically with the surface. A few steps need to be taken to properly load FEA data into STAR. First the Load FEA Data tool can be used to import the text files. This tool will bring up a window where structural and/or thermal datasets can be loaded and assigned to the corresponding optical surfaces. For this example, structural data for both mirrors at 12C have been loaded into STAR. Figure 1: Loading Data into STAR Once the data is prepared, the FEA data can be fit. Using the Fit Assessment tool, the fit parameters for the data can be adjusted independently for each optical surface until an accurate fit is achieved. Figure 2 displays the default settings for how the structural deformation data was fit to the primary mirror. With this tool, the RMS and PV Fit Error can be viewed, and the Fit Parameters can be adjusted to minimize this error. Figure 2: STAR Fit Assessment By increasing the Grid 1 and Grid 2 fit parameters, the STAR fitting algorithm will consult more neighboring points during the fitting process, resulting in an overall smoother fit. These parameters can be increased for finer sampling until the desired accuracy is achieved. For this design, an acceptable fitting of the data was reached with Grid 1 and Grid 2 set to 3. Figure 3: Primary Mirror Fit Assessment with Correct Settings Figure 4: Secondary Mirror Fit Assessment with Correct Settings We can now analyze the optical performance of the system at all operating temperatures with the structural deformation datasets applied. All structural FEA datasets can be viewed in the Structural Data Summary tool located in the STAR tab. From here, the datasets can be toggled on or off to examine structural deformation effects from any surfaces of interest. Figure 5: Structural Data Tab For the following plots, the 12C FEA dataset was used since it results in the CubeSat having the largest performance difference from nominal. The following Spot Diagram and FFT MTF charts showcase the negative impact on performance when structural deformation data is applied. Figure 6: System Performance at 21C vs 12C With the ability to interchangeably apply FEA data to a Sequential OpticStudio model, impacts on performance can easily be accounted for. By applying specific FEA datasets to the model, further insights can be gained. In Figure 7, only the structural deformation data for the secondary mirror is applied. Applying this data and looking at the FFT MTF plot confirms that degradation in system performance mainly results from the primary mirror for this design. Figure 7: MTF Performance with Secondary Mirror Data While the FFT MTF and Spot Diagram analyses have been highlighted here, any of the analyses available in Sequential mode can be used to examine potential performance impacts. Analyzing how system performance is affected by in-orbit conditions is key to understanding if any iterations should be made to a design before proceeding to manufacturing. Iterating the Optical Design Based on STAR Results From these insights, we’ve learned that the system fails performance specifications within the operating temperature range. At 12C, the system no longer has a diffraction limited spot and the MTF is lowered to below 0.25 at 80 cycles/mm. To move forward with the design, adjustments need to be made to recover performance. One change that can be considered is an adjustment of the image plane’s best focus position. For the nominal system, the position of the detector was determined through an optimization for best focus. This optimization placed the detector 7.018mm behind the primary mirror. However, the nominal model is assumed to be soaked at room temperature, or 21C. Once the CubeSat is put into orbit, the optical design will operate at a slightly cooler temperature of 15C +/- 3C. Per the results from STAR, when the design is placed into operating temperature conditions, the system’s best focus position shifts. With the detector currently positioned at best focus for a condition of 21C, the detector is not optimally positioned for in-orbit temperature conditions. To recover performance, the detector’s best focus position can be changed based on STAR results. This involves defocusing the detector from its best focus position at 21C during the alignment phase on Earth. If defocused properly, the system will self-correct for focus in-orbit when it is soaked in the operating temperature range. In a manufacturing environment, this defocus could be implemented by adjusting the thickness of the detector shim. Another design option could be to add suitable mechanics for a focus adjustment mechanism. Such a focus mechanism could move the detector along the Z-axis to recover performance in orbit. However, this method can lead to more intensive testing and increased cost in manufacturing. For this CubeSat design, we have assumed that adjustment of a camera shim is the only path available for recovering system performance in-orbit. To optimize the detector position for in-orbit conditions, the FEA datasets for all three operating temperatures must first be loaded into OpticStudio via STAR. After an FEA dataset is loaded, a Quick Focus optimization for the Spot Size Radial can be run to adjust the back focal distance such that the image plane is located at best focus. The Quick Focus routine only adjusts the thickness of the surface prior to the image plane, but for this example the detector location will be referenced with respect to the back of the primary mirror. For all three-operating temperatures, the results were as follows: \| \| Operating Temperature \| \| Best Focus Position after Quick Focus (With respect to the back of the primary mirror) \| \| 12C \| \| 6.758mm \| \| 15C \| \| 6.845mm \| \| 18C \| \| 6.932mm This illustrates that the best focus position for the detector behaves linearly with temperature. To achieve best performance on orbit, the detector can be positioned such that it lies 6.845mm behind the primary mirror. This equates to a movement of -0.173mm from the 21C best focus position. To implement this design change, the thickness of Surface 6 can be adjusted. After this adjustment, note how best performance is no longer achieved at 21C before STAR data is applied. Figure 8: Performance Data at 21C (Defocused System) The Sequential design is now being simulated with an intentional defocus at 21C. Surface 6 has a thickness of -0.155mm to place the detector in the correct location for in-orbit focus correction. If we re-apply the FEA data at all three operating temperatures, system performance can be analyzed with this implemented design change. Figure 9: FFT MTF Performance for Updated Design Re-applying the FEA data for all three operating temperatures illustrates that the MTF requirement of 0.25 at 80 cycles/mm can now be obtained in-orbit. Looking at the spot size data showcases that this design change also allows for a diffraction limited spot at each temperature condition. This is one example of how analyzing STAR data with OpticStudio’s sequential analysis tools can aid engineering decisions when iterating on a design. To achieve best performance under operating conditions, another example workflow could be to define a merit function that optimizes specific system parameters while STAR data is applied. While this example specifically utilizes structural deformation datasets, note that thermal datasets can also be applied at the same time. Iterating the Mechanical Design Based on STAR Results Using STAR data, insights can also be gained on the state of the opto-mechanical design under operating conditions. As visible on Figures 3 and 4, the distribution of the deformation magnitude across the primary and secondary mirrors are shown to be in opposite directions from each other (the bottom left of the primary mirror and bottom right of the secondary mirror). To keep the deformation of the two mirrors relative to each other and preserve the balance of the deformation load, a mechanical design improvement was implemented to adjust the mechanical stop surface (mirror surface where the mirror lays on the retainer) onto the other bottom corner of the mirror. By implementing this change, both mirrors can now have a load distribution that goes in same direction relative to each other. This is indicated on the graphic below (Figure 10) with the red marked coordinate system. Figure 10: Primary Mirror Retaining System After implementing this mechanical design change, we can re-run the FEA analysis in Ansys Mechanical and import the new set of FEA data into OpticStudio. After importing the new set of data, we can observe the change in load distribution on the secondary mirror in the Fit Assessment tool. In Figure 11, the load distribution on the secondary mirror now goes in the same direction relative to the primary mirror. Figure 11: FEA Data Fit to Secondary Mirror (Post Mechanical Design Update) Another method for brainstorming improvements to the opto-mechanical design is through investigation of the mesh grid created by Ansys Mechanical. This mesh grid is created before an FEA analysis can be run. In the bottom image of the figure below (Figure 12) one of the metering rods is fully enclosed throughout the whole length of the primary mirror retainer. This could lead to an over-constrained connection of the two components. Figure 12: Ansys Mechanical Deformation Mesh View on Primary Mirror Retainer To solve this, the design was updated such that this metering rod was only fully enclosed by the mirror retainer for a shorter distance. By carving out some of the material on the primary mirror retainer, the hole surrounding the metering rod was adjusted to be the same thickness as the holes for other three metering rods. This update can be observed in Figure 10, where it is indicated with a red arrow. Conclusion By leveraging the Ansys Zemax software suite, we’ve demonstrated how to take a 3U CubeSat optical system and bring it through a few stages of the design process. With this integrated toolset, an optical design can be created with OpticStudio and easily exported to OpticsBuilder for the purpose of creating opto-mechanical structures. The full opto-mechanical design can then be exported from OpticsBuilder to FEA software for running the finite element analysis. And with OpticStudio’s STAR module, it is now effortless to import structural and thermal data from FEA software into OpticStudio for analyzing system performance. While this article series highlighted how the development of a CubeSat system can benefit from the Ansys Zemax workflow, this chain of software can provide engineers a complete workflow for designing other types of space-based products that require STOP analysis. This type of workflow empowers engineers to use their time more effectively during the design process.	https://support.zemax.com/hc/en-us/articles/7419588188563-From-Concept-to-CubeSat-Part-4-Using-the-Ansys-Zemax-Software-Suite-to-Develop-a-CubeSat-System
Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) improves performance and throughput for mission-critical systems by enabling independent scaling of data, query and indexing workloads. Historically scale-out and scale-up have been the scalability model for databases. Both models are useful, and Couchbase and other products take advantage of both models. However, there are unique ways to combine and mix these models in a single cluster to maximize throughput and latencies. With MDS, admins can achieve both the existing homogeneous scalability model and the new independent scalability model. Homogeneous Scaling Model To better understand the new multidimensional scaling model, it is beneficial to take a look at the current homogeneous scaling model. In this model, your applications workload is distributed equally across a cluster made up of the homogeneous set of nodes. Each node that does the core processing takes a similar slice of the work and has the same HW resources. This model is available through MDS and is simple to implement but has a few drawbacks: - Components processing core data operations (inserts, updates, deletes), index maintenance or executing queries compete and interfere with each other. - It is impossible to fine-tune each component because each of them has different demands on hardware resources. While the core data operations can benefit greatly from scale-out with smaller commodity nodes, many low latency queries do not always benefit from wider fan-out. Independent Scaling Model MDS is designed to minimize interference between services. When you separate the competing workloads into independent service and isolate the services in different zones, interference among them is minimized. The figure below demonstrates a deployment topology that can be achieved with MDS. In this topology, each service is deployed to an independent zone within the cluster. Each service zone within a cluster (data, query, and index services) can now scale independently so that the best computational capacity is provided for each of them. In the figure above, the green additions signify the direction of scaling for each service. In this case, query and index services scale up over the fewer sets of powerful nodes and data service scale out with an additional node.	https://docs.couchbase.com/server/5.5/clustersetup/services-mds.html
The success or failure of service level agreements depends on clear language and establishing reasonable expectations and effective metrics. Putting together the right SLA is obviously in the best interests of the both the service provider and the customer, whether it deals with a basic contract between an ISP and a homeowner, or some other service provider not even in the IT sector. There are simple steps to ensure that service level agreements best practices are followed, but beyond those basics it is important to get the legal advice of an attorney who is an expert is the sector whether it be technology law or any other practice, and in the client’s business model to ensure that needs are met and minimize risk. Both the customer and the service provider should take it as their responsibility to ensure that they implement best practices in the SLA during their communication and in the final document, whether it is legally binding or not – as in the case of internal OLAs. First, it is important to clearly state the services to be rendered, in terms of type, frequency, purpose, quality, and timeframe. This language is important as it establishes an understanding of exactly what will be measured by the SLA. Then, explicitly state what metrics will be used to measure that service. For example, a network service provider may be bound to keep the system and all of its nodes available during business hours. In that case, does a computer that boots up and has access to the internet and intra-net signify compliance or are the network’s speed and performance as well as the efficient functioning of remote databases also necessary? Similarly, when outages in service occur, whether the SLA is technology law-based or not, what is an acceptable recovery time? These measurement questions in service level agreements should also discuss the measurement period, how performance will be reported, response channels, and performance percentages. The last components to be discussed in an SLA should be whether or not service level targets will change over time and whether there will be possible credits for the customer based on failures and bonuses to the provider based on exceptional performance levels. These are often the details that set the tone of the final deal, because they fine-tune the exact position each party wants to be in after the initial points of the agreement are hammered out. If both the provider and customer begin negotiations with a clear set of priorities based on these essential elements of service level agreements, and they work in good faith to implement best practices for a mutually beneficial deal, then risk management and legal assistance becomes far less likely, which is the ultimate goal in most cases.	https://www.domyllc.com/blogs/law/service-level-agreements/
The frequency and severity of shallow landslides in New Zealand threatens life and property, both on- and off-site. The physically-based shallow landslide model LAPSUS-LS is tested for its performance in simulating shallow landslide locations induced by a high intensity rain event in a small-scale landscape. Furthermore, the effect of high resolution digital elevation models on the performance was tested. The performance of the model was optimized by calibrating different parameter values. A satisfactory result was achieved with a high resolution (1 m) DEM. Landslides, however, were generally predicted lower on the slope than mapped erosion scars. This discrepancy could be due to i) inaccuracies in the DEM or in other model input data such as soil strength properties; ii) relevant processes for this environmental context that are not included in the model; or iii) the limited validity of the infinite length assumption in the infinite slope stability model embedded in the LAPSUS-LS. The trade-off between a correct prediction of landslides versus stable cells becomes increasingly worse with coarser resolutions; and model performance decreases mainly due to altering slope characteristics. The optimal parameter combinations differ per resolution. In this environmental context the 1 m resolution topography resembles actual topography most closely and landslide locations are better distinguished from stable areas than for coarser resolutions. More gain in model performance could be achieved by adding landslide process complexities and parameter heterogeneity of the catchment. In memoriam of Dr. Nicholas J. Preston (1965–2010) who kindly permitted the use of his Hinenui sediment delivery ratio dataset for this research paper to allow continued research in geomorphology. The digitisation of the Hinenui dataset was funded by the Terrestrial Landscape Change: MARGINS Source-to-Sink New Zealand Programme under contract number C05X0705.	http://oar.icrisat.org/6651/
Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has been touted as the ninth planet in our solar system, though its always been an tenuous title. From the beginning, doubts about whether or not it should be considered a major planet have been in discussion by*astronomers. That status seemed even more in jeopardy with the discovery of Charon, Pluto’s largest moon that could almost be considered a planet in its own right, along with other icy objects near the kuiper belt that seemed to share similar characteristics to Pluto. *Some of those objects are even more massive than the tiny planet. It wasn’t until 2006, however, that it’s grasp on the title of ‘major planet’ was lost. The International Astronomical Union (or IAU) officially sat down in 2006 to discuss what characteristics defined a body so that it could be categorized as a ‘planet’. Before that, there was no specific definition for a ‘planet’. So what is a planet? According to the IAU, a planet is a heavenly object that orbits the sun and is round thanks to its personal force of gravity. That’s not all – a planet also has to ‘dominate’ its own neighborhood. One of the sticking points seems to be the size of Pluto in relation to its moon. Most planets dwarf their moons, but Pluto is only about twice the size of its largest moon. Another definition is that planets keep their neighborhood clean by ‘sweeping up’ debris that enters their orbit. Pluto’s neighborhood has some work to do when it comes to that. This definition is still under scrutiny by many astronomers by those who don’t agree. A proposal that would have sethe bar lower and allowed Pluto to retain its status – but also would have meant reclassifying dozens of other bodies that should be called ‘planets’ under its definition. Despite protests, however, the IAU stands behind its decision to reclassify what was once our smallest planet. Mike Brown, Professor of Planetary Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology states that by keeping the definition so narrow, “Finding a new planet will really mean something.” You can learn more about the decision to officially definite a planet here:	https://www.starbase118.net/2014/what-makes-a-planet/
9 Year Space Mission Will End With Attempt At Best Pluto Photo Next Month Even with advancing technology we have never been able to take a photo of pluto that showed it as anything more than a small white dot. The dwarf planet is around 3 billion miles away and less than two thirds the size of earth’s moon. But now, a NASA spaceship will reach the most important part of its mission and will hopefully give us a never before seen look at Pluto. The ship named New Horizons has been traveling since 2009 and is now on its way towards Pluto at a speed of 23,000 miles per hour. New Horizons is a probe which weighs around half a ton and it will hurtle past Pluto on 14th July taking photos and collecting data from the instruments onboard. NASA hadn’t previously been interested in Pluto, opting instead to send missions to closer and larger planets. It was recently decided that Pluto isn’t even a proper planet at all, but the icy dwarf has interested people since its discovery. Alan Stern, the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission, was a former NASA associate administrator and is now working for the Southwest Research Institute. He has said “This is a moment. People should watch it. They should sit their freakin’ kids down and say, think about this technology. Think about the people who worked on this for 25 years to bring this knowledge. It’s a long way to go to the outer edge, the very edge of the solar system”. Stern’s enthusiasm for the project has been tireless and has undoubtedly inspired interest in the mission. When communicating with New Horizons, technicians have to aim at where they think the craft will be in the future, as even when traveling at the speed of light messages still take around 4.5 hours to reach the spacecraft. During its nine year mission the craft hasn’t been without problems- it has occasionally rebooted its main computer and corrective software has had to be uploaded through space. A big obstacle for New Horizons has been the tens of thousands of icy objects that float beyond Neptune’s orbit in an area called the Kuiper Belt. The outer regions of our solar system have remained unexplored but scientists hope that this mission may help to shed more light on the origins of the solar system. New Horizons’ camera has already been picking up patterns on Pluto’s surface that have baffled scientists. A Pluto mission was first proposed by Stern in 1988 but NASA spent years considering various proposals before it settled with New Horizons in 2001. In 2006, the spacecraft took off using an Atlas V rocket and reached record-breaking velocity. At its closest, New Horizons will be 7,800 miles from Pluto and won’t be able to transmit data while using onboard instruments. This means that there will be suspense from 7.49am on 14th July, when the spacecraft should begin to record data, until 9pm when scientists should receive communication to find out that New Horizons survived the mission. Pluto was first discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 while working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. At the beginning of the century, Percival Lowell had believed that there must be a ninth undiscovered planet which he called Planet X, but it was not discovered in his lifetime. Around 10 years ago, astronomers started to questions Pluto’s status as a planet after it had been discovered that the far reaches of the solar system are inhabited with large icy objects. The International Astronomical Union finally reclassified and downgraded Pluto to a status of dwarf planet. While some agree with the reclassification, others think it’s unimportant as Pluto is still an interesting structure that is worth visiting to find out more about the solar system and possibly its beginning. There are others, such as Stern, who still believe that Pluto has all the attributes of a planet and that the astronomers “don’t know what they’re talking about”. The full data collected by the instruments of New Horizons won’t be fully received until late 2016, when it will be stored by the New Horizons Mission Operations Center before being analysed.	https://geekszine.com/9-year-space-mission-will-end-with-attempt-at-best-pluto-photo-next-month/
It could be said that the studying the solar system is a very important issue because it is the system inside which all creatures live. For this reason, there shall be a study for the smallest planet in the solar system, which is “Pluto”. The word Pluto was derived from the Romans culture. It means the god to which humans go. Romans believed that Pluto is the god of the underworld. Pluto was discovered in 1930 during an exploration of celestial bodies. This planet has been a source of mystery even that the giant space telescope “Hubble” was able to detect very little details about its ice surface. In fact, Pluto is very small, so the human weight will be lighter if he lived on it. If one weighs 70 kg on the Earth, his weight will be 7 kg above the planet of Pluto. Pluto is smaller than the seven moons in the solar present system. this many scientists do not consider it a planet at all. In 1999, a group of scientists considered it a comet or an asteroid. The planet is 2,390 kilometers long and 5914.18 million kilometers away from the sun while its mass is 0.03 meters compared to the mass of the Earth. The year of Pluto is 247.7 compared to the year of the Earth. Pluto’s day is equivalent to 6.4 days on the Earth. While the temperature of Pluto ranges from 239 to 155 ° C. Dwarf Pluto Atmosphere:- The components of the atmosphere of Pluto are methane gas and nitrogen gas. In fact, the atmosphere of Pluto is thin compared to other planets. Pluto is part of a larger belt of small bodies located beyond the orbit of Neptune, called the Kuiper Belt. This region consists of thousands of icy worlds, whose diameter is not more than one thousand kilometers. This belt is the source of comets and space objects in the solar system. Although Pluto was discovered in 1930, information is still few about this remote planet. The only planet in the solar system that has not been visited by any spacecraft until July 2015 is Pluto. It is the smallest planet in the solar system, and a diameter smaller than the diameter Earth’s moon by 108 6 km. It is the farthest planet in the solar system, although Pluto enters the orbit of Neptune path and then moving away again, making scientists believe that Pluto and its moon are just moons of the planet Neptune (Redd, 2016). First Trip to Pluto Dwarf Planet:- The probe New Horizons went off to be the first traveler that goes to the farthest planet in the solar system. This probe was sent from the earth in January 2006 and it was planned to reach to the planet of Pluto in July 2015. In the travel to reach Pluto, New Horizons would complete nine years and a half in the space to reach to the Pluto. Pluto is the ninth planet in the solar system and it is the smallest planet in size. Pluto circles around the sun once every 247.9 Earth’s years at a distance 5880 million km. Pluto has a diameter of 2,360 km, which is roughly two-thirds the size of Earth's moon. For several years, all the information about this planet has been derived from the data of giant telescopes and this information is relatively small. Nevertheless, in 1978, astronomers discovered a relatively large moon orbiting around Pluto in a distance of 19,600 kilometers. This moon is called Charon (Howell, 2018). The Surface of Pluto Dwarf Planet:- In 1988, scientists discovered that Pluto's body was thin and it consists mainly of nitrogen, little methane, and carbon monoxide. In addition, Pluto’s air pressure is less 100 thousand times than the pressure of the Earth. It is believed that Pluto’s surface freezes most of the year when it is away from the sun. In 1994, Hubble Space Telescope found that 85% of the planet's surface consists of ice, showing a colorful contrast between light areas believed to be clean ice and spaces of the dark color that is believed to be unclean ice. Pluto receives one in one thousand of the rays amount received by the Earth from the sun. Therefore, Pluto is a frozen planet, while its density is twice as the density of water. Then, it was found that Pluto has rocks larger than the giant planets in the solar system. This may have been caused by chemical reactions due to the existence of the planet under a colder temperature and a low pressure of the atmosphere. Many astronomers think that Pluto was growing rapidly to be a bigger planet. However, the influence of the gravity of Neptune that is known as Kuiper Belt affected Pluto and stopped the formation of planets there. Kuiper Belt is a ring of materials orbiting around the Sun beyond the planet Neptune, which has millions of glacial and rocky bodies resembling Pluto. Charon's origin, which is the moon of Pluto, is resulted from the accumulation of light materials caused by a collision between Pluto and another large body of Kuiper Belt. Scientists were interested in Pluto and space objects in the Kuiper Belt because they represent the raw material from which the solar system is formed. Scientists objected to Pluto being a planet because it is small and connected to the Kuiper Belt. In additions, Pluto is a glacial dwarf that is clearly different from the rest of the planets in the solar system. Nevertheless, some scientists considered it a planet because it is attractive and has a moon while they have been calling it Planet Pluto for more than 75 years. It is a dark planet and it reveals to be a rock icy ball with an atmosphere of frozen methane and nitrogen. However, it is the highest density of giant gas planets. Pluto is away with about 40 astronomical units (the astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, 150 million km). It orbits it in an orbit unlike other planetary orbits (Choi, 2017). Charon Moon of Pluto Planet:- Charon Moon is larger than Pluto Moon, as it spins in its surrounding on a distance 19.640 km from Pluto. The diameter of Charon is 1.212 km. It is called Charon, which is a legendary name means transmissible for dead bodies through River Acheron in the underworld. Charon has been discovered on 1978. Its size is merely half Pluto-size. They take the behavior of “a twofold planet” like earth and the mood. They are very near to each other, to the extent that their gravitational pull rises ridges “supratidal” on each other. Such ridges works as brakes, which slow both of them in their spins around their axes. They are intertwined as each of them is facing the other. Pluto spins around its axe once in 64 days ground-based. Charon takes the same period of time to complete one spin around Pluto. It is noted that, their spin direction is reversal to the spin of other planets. Pluto is the farthest planet of the solar system from the sun. Within its orbit, sometimes it is 30 astronomical units far from the sun and some other times it is 50 astronomical units far from it. The sun looks like a shining star from above the planet surface. Due to its cold weather, it freezes when the planet moves far from the sun in its spin around it. Therefore, NASA sent the spacecraft Pluto Express on 2001, in order for scientists to study the planet before it freezes. The air pressure above Pluto surface equals 100000/1 of the air pressure on earth. Hubble Telescope took Pluto planet image and its Charon moon together on 1994. The planet was 4.4 km away from earth. The telescope discovered two space objects as clear independent plates. This enabled astronomers from measuring their diameters directly. They found the diameter of Pluto is 2.320 km, and the diameter of its moon Charon is 1.270 km. Some astronomers do not consider Pluto as a real planet, as they classify it as a small among the glacial objects that constitute Kuiper Belt, which lies behind Neptune Planet, and spread in a distance equals 30 to 50 times the distance between earth and the sun. Pluto is far away from the sun with a distance 40 astronomical unit (astronomical unit is the distance between earth and the sun and equals 150 million km). Pluto spins around the sun in 248 earth years. Its orbit is more flattened than all other planets. Therefore, it is near from Neptune when it is in the nearest point from the sun in its orbit. In fact, Pluto is deemed the first planet in terms of distance since 1969 until March 1999. Pluto spins around itself within a period of time equals 604 days of earth days. It has only one moon called “Charon”, which is considered big in comparison with the planet itself. It seems that they are spinning around each other with one face as the case for the earth and its moon. The orbits of Pluto and its moon Charon made them alternately pass in front of each other, as they have been seen from earth between 1985 and 1990, which enabled astronomers from determining their size accurately. Charon moon is 1.200 km, which makes its size close from Pluto planet itself. Thus, scientists call them the twofold planet. Pluto in its orbit around the sun performs the spin in 247.7 earth years, through which it rotates 5.9 billion km. The orbit is not circular but oval, thus it was in some points nearest to the sun from its near to Neptune. There is no opportunity to crash because it avoids the transition of Neptune orbit. In 2002, there are many unexpected changes occurred on the surface of Pluto, because of the occurrence of a rare cosmic phenomenon. When Pluto crossed in front of two stars, their shine is dimmed due to the passing of Pluto between them. This shows that Pluto's thin atmosphere has become more intense in the last 14 years, since the last time the phenomenon was observed. The changes that occur on Pluto will be discovered only after arrival Space probe “Pluto-Capper Express”. It will be launched in 2006 to reach to Pluto 10 years later. (Note:- The project of “Pluto Kuiper Express” was canceled because of its high costs, but it was replaced by project New Horizons that similar to it. Researchers expect Pluto’s atmosphere will completely shrink in 2015. The need for access to Pluto and the performance of various calculations and measurements before the atmosphere collapsed, made the launching and arriving of Space probe “Pluto-Capper Express” very urgent task. The space probe may reach in due course or may delay. The “New Horizons” will travel 4.8 billion kilometers toward Pluto to study the only planet that still unknown in the solar system, especially the icy region of the planet. The speed of the probe is about 58,000 km / h, the journey takes nine years and a half to reach Pluto and the glacial area where the sun does not reach, to photograph Pluto and the large moon orbiting it, then analyze the atmosphere in Pluto. The probe carries the ashes of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, the first astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930 (Britt, 2006). Pluto Dwarf Planet Naming:- Unlike the other planets, the first one who is launched the Pluto was an 11-year-old girl! After discovering the planet, the scientists wanted to name it and proposed several names such as Zeus, Lowell, and Cronax. Some of these names were strongly nominated. However, a girl called Vinnitia Bayer proposed the name eventually. She told it to her grandfather who worked at Oxford University. Her grandfather told Dr. Herbert Hall Turner of Pluto’name and proposed it to his colleges after dissection settled on Pluto. The word "Pluto" used in the Roman language on the god of the underworld, meaning "the unknown thing" and in the languages of East Asia, Chinese and Japanese, meaning "the star of the angel of death." In Hindu beliefs, Guard of Hell (Schindler, 2018). Characteristics of Pluto Dwarf Planet:- The mystery surrounding this planet in all respects until now, most of the information about it to date is the only speculation. However, it could be said that Pluto is the smallest one of planets. It is smaller than seven moons belonging to other planets, cannot be confirmed by its mass, Scientists recently think that the Pluto’s mass is much less than they thought. The atmosphere of Pluto is mostly composed of methane and nitrogen. The temperature of Pluto’s surface is about 234. It is also believed that methane enters the composition of ice on the surface, where color tends to red. Nevertheless, many opinions were contradicting concerning the source of methane. There are beliefs that this Color is due to the presence of carbon complex compounds on its surface and some others say it absorbs ultraviolet radiation frequently led to the emergence of this color. Scientists have noticed that Pluto's density is increasing over time, despite its distance from the sun. Scientists have been confused and predicted thermal shrinkage and death within 10 years. The biggest change on its surface when passed between dark stars in 2001 lead to blocking the light. Scientists have predicted that the planet's atmosphere will collapse and shrink by 2015, but nothing is certain until today (NASA, 2015). Pluto and Kuiper Belt:- Kuiper Belt consists of thousands of celestial bodies. The belt is the main source of comets and asteroids. The asteroids made up of ice and rocks. The first space object was discovered in 1992. In that time, scientists were able to detect 600 space objects. It is believed that there are 100 another space object whose biggest object diameter is 3000 km. However, the planet Pluto has a diameter of 2300 km. Therefore, scientists believe that the source of Pluto is Kuiper belt because of the similarity between its characteristics and the rest of belt’ objects. For Pluto’s deviation from Titius–Bode Law, it could be said that Titius-Bode Law is an engineering consequence demonstrates the distance difference that shall exist between each planet of the solar system planet and the earth in the astronomical units. The validity of this law is proven after discovering the asteroid belts and Uranus Planet. However, this a great deviation in the planet distance from the sun has been discovered. Such deviation affected on the level of its existence in zodiac degree. All planets swim at 9 degrees, but Pluto swims at 18 degrees, on which the asteroids swim not the planets (Amos, 2015). Pluto’s Dismissal from Planets’ Categorization:- - Scientists have agreed to separate Pluto from the rest of the planets completely on August 24, 2006, after they placed a new definition of planets and classified them to classic and dwarf planets, and thus Pluto joined to the group of dwarf planets, scientists explain several reasons for this decision, the most important of which are the following:- 1- Size of Pluto's planet:- Pluto's size is very small if it compares to the rest of the planets, and the size is smaller than the size of our satellite. To be part of the planet group, it must be close in size from Uranus and Neptune to its extreme distance from the sun. 2- Orbit of Pluto:- It is known that the orbits of the planets are like egg-shaped and tend to be more circular, and do not intersect with each other and moves from the right to the left depending on the movement of the sun and its attractiveness, but these conditions are completely incompatible with the planet Pluto which orbit considered elliptical, so that it intersects with the orbit of Neptune planet, as it goes from left to right opposite the direction of the rest of the planets, which some scientists to think that it was a follower of Neptune and then separated at some point. 3- Pluto Features:- The planets of the solar system are divided into two main groups, the rock group including (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) and the gaseous group including (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). As for Pluto, its main component is of ice, so it does not belong to any group of the known planets (Cain, 2012). Conclusion:- To sum up, Pluto is the farthest planet and the brightest celestial body in an area known as the Kuiper Belt, which consists of thousands of rocky iced bodies, including asteroids that have not evolved into planets for reasons which the astronomers still unknown it. The study of these asteroids helps to know how planets form. “New Horizons” will use Jupiter's gravity to gain high speed, which will increase the speed of the probe away from the sun by nearly four kilometers per hour, allowing it to reach the ninth planet by July 2015. Some believe Pluto is a "double planet" with it only moon which known as "Charon", it was discovered in 1978. “New Horizons” will be approaching Pluto and Charon on the same day to draw a detailed map of Pluto's surface features, composition, and climate. Astronomers discovered that Pluto is colder than they thought or imagined, and the planet's temperature was decreased, as the result of interactions between the planet's surface of nitrogen and its thin nitrogen. As it moves away from the sun, nitrogen gas condenses on the planet's surface and freezes, and as the sun approaches, the ice rises form nitrogen gas. Charon is different because it has no atmosphere, so its temperature depends on its geological composition and the reflectivity of light. Pluto is located 30 times farther from the distance between the sun and the earth, and its temperature depends on its proximity or beyond the sun in its oval orbit. While Earth and Venus are naturally affected by global warming, their surface absorbs the energy of the sun they heat, but the opposite occurs on Pluto. Instead of absorbing the sun's energy and heating the planet, the nitrogen ice on its surface turns into gas, cooling.	https://en.fiddni.com/2022/05/pluto-still-planet-solar-system.html
Pluto was discovered on February 18th, 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh of the Lowell Observatory. In the 76 years between its discovery and subsequent reclassification as a dwarf planet, the planet completed under one third of its orbit around the Sun. Photographic evidence of the former ninth planet was first sighted by 24-year-old research assistant Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. Tombaugh’s ashes are aboard the New Horizons spacecraft that passed by Pluto on Tuesday. Astronomer Percival Lowell predicted Pluto’s existence 15 years prior to Tombaugh’s discovery–even charting its approximate location based on the irregularity of Neptune’s orbit, as stated in time.com. - In 2006, Pluto was reclassified from a planet to a dwarf planet. This happened after the IAU formalised the definition of a planet as “A planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.“. - The planet is named for Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld – the Roman alternative for the Greek god Hades. The name was proposed by an eleven year-old schoolgirl from Oxford, England by the name of Venetia Burney. - It takes Pluto 246.04 Earth years to orbit the Sun. - Pluto has five known moons. These are Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra. The latter two moons were known as S/2011 (134340) 1 and S/2012 (134340) 1 before they were officially named. - Pluto is smaller than many moons. When it was first discovered, Pluto’s small size surprised the scientific community who predicted it would be as large as Jupiter. The moons Ganymede, Titan, Callisto, Io, Europa, Triton, and the Earth’s moon are all larger than Pluto. It has 66% of the Moon’s diameter and just 18% of its mass. - Sunlight on Pluto has the same intensity as moonlight on Earth. This is because it located so far from the Sun in the outer solar system – approximately 5,945,900,000 km. - Either Pluto or Eris is the largest dwarf planet. The most accurate measurements currently put Eris at an average diameter of 2,326 km with a 12 km margin of error, compared to a 2,368 km diameter with a 20 km margin of error for Pluto. The atmosphere on Pluto makes it difficult to accurately map its size. - The orbit of Pluto is eccentric and inclined. This means that the orbit takes it anywhere from 4.4 to 7.4 km from the Sun and that periodically Pluto is actually close to the Sun than the eight planet, Neptune. - The first spacecraft will visit Pluto in July 2015. The New Horizons mission, launched in 2006 did a Pluto flyby on July 14th, 2015, on its way to the distant Kuiper Belt after almost a decade of flight. - The term “plutoid” is used to describe objects in the solar system that are rounded and orbit the Sun beyond the orbit of Neptune. There are currently only four recognized plutoids – Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake. Some astronomers believe they are at least 70 more objects that could be plutoids and are awaiting classification. - Pluto and its moon Charon form a binary system. This means that the center of mass of the two objects is outside of Pluto and Pluto moves in small circles while Charon orbits it. - The orbit of Pluto is chaotic and unpredictable. Scientists are able to predict the location of Pluto along its orbit path for the next 10-20 million years – beyond that it is unknown. - It took sunlight over 3 hours to reach the New Horizons mission flying to Pluto. - New Horizons, the first vessel devoted to studying Pluto’s environment, is the size of a grand piano Photo: UniverseToday.com - The New Horizons probe cost $700 million yet, weighing in at 1,000 pounds, is only the size of a grand piano. It completed the nine-year, 3-billion mile journey to Pluto on Tuesday morning, whizzing about 6,000 ft. from the dwarf planet at 31,000 mph, and snapping the closest pictures of Pluto to date as it passed. - Some of the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, are onboard the New Horizons probe that went to Pluto and beyond. - Scientists believe that Pluto is made up of 50–70% rock and 30–50% ice by mass. - Pluto is expected to have a solid rocky core, surrounded by a water ice mantle and a frozen nitrogen surface. - Pluto’s core is predicted to be around 70% of its total diameter. This would put the core at around 1,700 km in diameter (1,000 miles). - Pluto has an atmosphere sometimes. When Pluto is closer to the Sun on its elliptical orbit path the surface ice thaws and forms a thin atmosphere of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide. As it travels away from the Sun this then freezes back into its solid state, according to theplanets.org. - Pluto has a heart shape on its surface Images released on Tuesday by NASA show a heart shape that measures approximately 1,000 miles across. As NASA reports, “much of the heart’s interior appears remarkably featureless–possibly a sign of ongoing geologic processes.” - Scientists discovered the Solar System’s third zone because of Pluto Photo: PlanetForKids.com - While Pluto’s frigid neighbors are responsible for its solar system downfall, they are also what make the New Horizons vision so compelling. - As Jeff Moore at NASA told TIME, “Pluto may be the star witness to the whole third zone of the solar system.” Before the discovery of the Kuiper Belt, the solar system was believed to be comprised of two zones: the inner zone, containing the rocky planets from Mercury to Mars, and the outer zone, containing the gas giants from Jupiter to Neptune. However, Pluto exposed astronomers to our solar system’s third zone, which Moore referred to as a “vast realm of ice worlds.” Pluto is just the tip of the iceberg After New Horizons passes Pluto on Tuesday, it’ll continue traveling the Kuiper Belt, possibly making contact with another, smaller Kuiper Belt object (KBO) in 2018 or 2019. Pluto is just the beginning. \| Facts about Venus: Top interesting Things \| Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Venus is sometimes referred to as the Earth’s sister planet due to their similar size and mass. ... \| Facts about the MOON: Top 12 Interesting Things \| At a distance of 384,400 km from the Earth, the Moon is our closest celestial neighbour and only natural satellite. Like the Earth itself, the ... \| Facts About The Sun: Top 12 Interesting Things \| Think you know everything there is to know about the Sun? Think again. Here are 12 interesting facts about the Sun, collected in no particular ...	https://knowinsiders.com/facts-about-pluto-26678.html
24/10/2019 · Pluto is categorized as a dwarf planet. In 2006, Pluto was categorized with three other objects in the solar system that are about the same small size as Pluto: Ceres, Makemake and Eris. These objects, along with Pluto, are much smaller than the "other" planets. When Pluto was reclassified in 2006 from a planet to a dwarf planet, there was widespread outrage on behalf of the demoted planet. As the textbooks were updated, the internet spawned memes with Pluto going through a range of emotions, from anger to loneliness. Pluto's redefinition as a "dwarf planet" - IAU Resolution 24 August 2006 Nix and Hydra - names chosen for Pluto's moons. Hubble Space Telescope discovers two new moons around Pluto. "New Horizons" mission chosen for flight to Pluto. "New Horizons" and "POSSE" - two missions chosen for feasibility studies. Pluto-Kuiper Express - NASA Flyby. Pluto, considered a planet for more than 75 years, has ceased to exist as we know it. On Thursday, the International Astronomical Union announced Pluto's demise as a planet. What was long considered the ninth planet from the sun has passed on to another realm that of the "dwarf planet.". In January 2006, NASA launched its New Horizons spacecraft. It swung past Jupiter for a gravity boost and scientific studies in February 2007, conducted a six-month-long reconnaissance flyby study of Pluto and its moons in summer 2015, and culminated with Pluto's closest approach on July 14, 2015. Pluto has not been a planet since 2006 but debate about this continues and it’s possible it could change in the future. In early 2017, a NASA team put forward a proposal for a new definition of a planet that, if agreed upon, would mean reclassifying Pluto as a planet. 14/11/2017 · Pluto, once considered the ninth and most distant planet from the sun, is now the largest known dwarf planet in the solar system. It is also one of the largest known members of the Kuiper Belt, a shadowy zone beyond the orbit of Neptune thought to be populated by. Il 7 settembre 2006 l'UAI ha riclassificato Plutone inserendolo nel catalogo del Minor Planet Center con la designazione asteroidale di "134340 Pluto". Questa decisione ha scontentato numerose persone in tutto il mondo e negli Stati Uniti in particolare e varie istituzioni e ci sono state diverse resistenze all'accettare il declassamento di Plutone a pianeta nano . In 2006, the IAU voted to remove Pluto from the list of planets in the Solar System. Instead, Pluto, and other large objects would be classified as Dwarf Planets. Why Pluto is no longer a planet. 01/04/2017 · In addition to Pluto’s reclassification, Dr. Joggy has also proposed that the IAU create a new category of planet called a “hyper-planet.” These hyper-planets, according to Dr. Joggy, are like regular planets but at least two times as awesome. It has also been proposed that Pluto be made an honorary member of this new planetary class. 17/10/2019 · Pluto is the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System, discovered in 1930. It was thought to be the 9 th planet of our system for 75 years until the discovery of Eris and other similar objects that led to its demotion from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. By Tony Long and Doug Cornelius 2006: Pluto, once the ninth planet from the sun, is downgraded to a mere “dwarf planet.” Our solar system loses a favorite kid brother and now has, officially, only eight planets. Pluto was discovered by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh on Feb. 18, 1930. Comparing photographs taken of the \[\].	http://su8008.com/Pluto%20Planet%202006
Pluto is a small, mysterious world, deep in the cold, dark recesses of the distant outer solar system. It was named a planet when it was discovered in 1930, but that designation has been in dispute for some years now. The issue was settled in August of 2006, when the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet. The reclassification is a result of new and better information that, in turn, came from improved technology and observing methods. It's a beautiful example of the scientific process in action. Science is not a static body of facts, but an active process subject to constant revision. Theories are tried and tested. If they fail they are discarded. Old information sometimes turns out to be inadequate. New information can change our understanding of the world (and universe) around us. It helps to remember the history of astronomy is a history of changing worldviews as a result of new and better data. And we want the science process to continue. Refining the classification of solar system objects does not change the nature of Pluto. It is still a small, rock and ice body far away from the Sun. We don't know a lot about Pluto. We want to lessen the mystery and learn more about this distant world. In the process we'll learn more about the rest of the solar system and our history in it. But it's not easy to get there. Distance alone is not the whole problem. Pluto's orbit lies at a 17-degree tilt (figure 1) from that of the eight major planets, making the trip more of a challenge. But just over a year ago, in January 2006, the New Horizons mission to Pluto was launched. And right about now, the largest of the Jovian planets is playing a key role in the flight of New Horizons. On February 28 this year, Jupiter will give the New Horizons spacecraft a big gravitational push (see figure 2), speeding it on its way to a rendezvous with Pluto and its moon, Charon, in 2015. Jupiter will add another 9000 mph to the spacecraft's speed, flinging it out toward its target at 52,000 mph. New Horizons is the fastest spacecraft ever sent into the solar system. You can see where New Horizons is this month by finding Jupiter in the early morning. Look low in the southern dawn sky at about 6:00 a.m. That bright "morning star" in figure 3 is the planet Jupiter. The little space probe, invisibly tiny, is there too. If you look at Jupiter with binoculars, you can see Jupiter's four largest moons as tiny points of light. They are all bigger than Pluto. Now imagine trying to study something the size of those tiny moons but eight times farther away! That gives you an idea of how difficult it is to study objects in the outskirts of the solar system. When New Horizons arrives at its destination in 2015, some of Pluto's mysteries will be solved. As is often the case in science, answering one question leads to the formation of ten new questions. We have a lot of exciting new science to look forward to at Pluto!	https://eu.telescope.com/Articles/Archives/To-Pluto-by-Jove/pc/-1/c/643/sc/714/p/105702.uts
The reclassification of Pluto in 2006 not only decreased the number of planets in our solar system by one but also introduced the new category of dwarf planet. Readers will come to understand what separates a dwarf planet from a planet—or for that matter from any of the other bodies found within the solar system. They’ll learn about Pluto itself, as well as its fellow dwarf planets, Ceres, Makemake, Haumea, and Eris. Full of recent information, this title is sure to inspire an interest in space science among young readers.	https://edustore.eb.com/collections/earth-and-space-science-collection/products/pluto-and-other-dwarf-planets
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket Since its original opening, "Cardboard Rocket" continues to play as one of the most popular shows in digital domes around the world! Embark on an outstanding adventure as two children spend a night touring the solar system alongside their ship's navigator, a talking astronomy book. Produced in 3-dimensional digital animation and a 5.1 soundtrack with spectacular sound effects created at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. In 2007, the narration track was edited to take into account the reclassification of Pluto as a Dwarf Planet. The voices were not re-narrated - we simply made a few key changes to the original soundtrack. We removed all references to Pluto as the "ninth planet" or "smallest planet" or "last planet" but we still call it a "planet." We view Pluto as a new category of planet. Click HERE to view the trailer for this show!	https://museumsw.org/explore/dome-shows/496-secret-of-the-cardboard-rocket
Key Facts & Summary - It was discovered on March 31, 2005, by a team of astronomers at the Palomar Observatory who also discovered the dwarf planet Eris. - Its discovery along with that of Eris and Haumea contributed to Pluto’s reclassification as a planet to a dwarf planet. - It was the fourth dwarf planet to be discovered. This included Pluto who was reclassified. - Makemake has one satellite, a dim lightened moon that was named MK 2. - Makemake is large enough and bright enough to be studied by high-end amateur telescopes. - Makemake is about a fifth as bright as Pluto. It is dimmer than Pluto yet brighter than Eris. - Makemake has a radius of about 444 miles or 715 kilometers, it’s 1/9 the radius of Earth. - Like other dwarf planets, it travels through the Kuiper Belt. - A day on Makemake lasts about 22.5 hours. - Makemake is about 45.8 AU away from the sun and about 53.2 AU away from Earth, however, these values are constantly and rapidly changing, for an accurate and present statistic one can check its location online as Makemake is constantly tracked. - It takes about 7 hours and 22 minutes for Makemake’s light to reach Earth. - It is the second furthest dwarf planet from the Sun and the third-largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System. Makemake Facts and History The discovery of Makemake was publicly announced on July 29, 2005. The astronomer, Michael E. Brown led the team that discovered the object at the Palomar Observatory located in San Diego. For a period of time, when the discovery was made public, Makemake received a provisional designation, 2005 FY9. Before this, however, the discovery team used the codename “Easterbunny” because the dwarf planet was discovered shortly after Easter. In July 2008, in accordance with IAU rules for classical Kuiper belt objects, the dwarf planet was named after a deity. Makemake was the name of the god of humanity and fertility in the myths of the Rapa Nui, the native people of Easter Island. Thus the name was chosen to preserve the object’s connection with Easter. Formation Makemake is luckier than Ceres since it’s located with its other fellow dwarf planets Eris, Pluto and Haumea, in the Kuiper Belt, a region outside of Neptune’s orbit. It is the second-brightest object in the Kuiper Belt with Pluto being the brightest. The Kuiper Belt is a group of objects that orbit in a disc-like zone beyond the orbit of Neptune. This faraway realm is populated with thousands of miniature icy worlds, which formed early in the history of our Solar System about 4.5 billion years ago. Distance, Size and Mass Makemake has a radius of approximately 444 miles or 715 kilometers, it is 1/9 the radius of Earth. It has a diameter of about 1,430 kilometers. It’s like the size of a mustard seed in comparison to a nickel. The distance from the Sun is quite big, about 45.8 AU away and 53.2 AU away from Earth. It is about two-thirds the size of Pluto and about three times the size of the 277-mile-long Grand Canyon, thus making it the 25th largest object in our Solar System. Its mass is estimated to be in the vicinity of 4 x 10²¹ kg or about 4,000,000,000 trillion kg, which is the equivalent of 0.00067 Earths. Orbit and Rotation The orbital period of Makemake is estimated to be around 310 years. Its orbit lies far enough from Neptune to remain stable over the edge of the Solar System. It has a slightly eccentric orbit which ranges from 38.5 AU at perihelion to 52.8 AU at aphelion. The rotation period is estimated to be at 22.83 hours, relatively long for a dwarf planet and about 7.77 Earth hours to complete one sidereal rotation. These statistics suggest that a single day on Makemake is less than 8 hours, while a year lasts about 112.897 days. A reason for this may be attributed to a tidal acceleration from Makemake’s satellite. Another suggestion is that Makemake may have a second undiscovered satellite that would explain its unusually long rotation. Geology and Atmosphere Similar to Pluto, it appears red in the visible spectrum and significantly redder than the surface of Eris. The spectral signature of Makemake’s methane is much stronger than that of Pluto and Eris. The analysis revealed that methane must be present in the form of large grains at least one centimeter in size. Large amounts of ethane, tholins and small amounts of ethylene, acetylene and high-mass alkanes like propane may be present, likely created by photolysis of methane by solar radiation. Tholins may be responsible for the red color of the visible spectrum. Some data claims there is also a low level of nitrogen ice, the relative lack of this may be attributed to some sort of depletion over the age of the Solar System. However, even in low levels the presence of methane ice would turn to a red color if exposed to solar radiation for a period of time. According to the findings of astronomer Javier Licandro and his colleagues, Makemake has a bright surface with an estimated albedo of 0.81, resembling Pluto. The atmosphere of Makemake remained a mystery for a period of time. In 2011 an occultation occurred between it and an 18-th magnitude star, the star had all its light blocked by Makemake. These results concluded that the dwarf planet lacked a substantial atmosphere, contradicting earlier assumptions that its atmosphere was similar to Pluto’s. But this can change, through the presence of methane and possibly nitrogen. It is believed that Makemake could have a transient atmosphere similar to Pluto, when it reaches its closest point in orbit near the sun. With this nearing, nitrogen and other ices would sublimate, forming a tenuous atmosphere composed of nitrogen gas and hydrocarbons. This would also provide an explanation towards the nitrogen depletion, which could have been lost through the process of atmospheric escape. Moons Makemake has one natural moon that was nicknamed MK 2. It was discovered in 2016 by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3. There is however speculation that it could have a second undiscovered satellite, which would explain its unusually long rotation. MK 2 Size and Orbit MK 2 is estimated to be around 175 kilometers in diameter for an assumed albedo of 4%, and around 90 kilometers in radius. Its orbital period is around 12 days. It is estimated that it that its semi-major axis is at least 21.000 kilometers from Makemake. The actual orbit eccentricity is unknown. Brightness and further observations Preliminary examinations suggest that MK2 has a reflectivity similar to that of charcoal, making it an extremely dark object. In fact, this is quite surprising as Makemake is the second brightest known object in the Kuiper belt, while its discovered moon is about 1.300 times fainter. Many things remain to be answered about Makemake and its moon, thus observations continue. Life Habitability The temperature on Makemake is usually around -406 degrees Fahrenheit or – 243 degrees Celsius. Life as we know it cannot exist in such cold places. Future plans for Makemake From recent calculations with the current technology, it is estimated that a flyby mission to Makemake could take aproximatively 16 years with the help of Jupiter’s gravity assist. Based on a launch date of 2024 or 2036, Makemake would by then be approximately 52 AU from the sun when the spacecraft arrives. However, there are no expeditions set for Makemake yet, though its mysteriousness and our lack of information about it, it’s certainly a strong point for a future expedition and ongoing observation. Did you know? - Makemake is approaching its aphelion, it is estimated to happen in 2033. - Makemake is a classical Kuiper belt object, meaning that its orbit lies far enough from Neptune to remain stable over the edge of the Solar System. - Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930, was one step away from also claiming the discovery of Makemake. Makemake was bright enough to be discovered by Clyde, however the dwarf planet was at the moment a few degrees from the ecliptic, this position made it impossible to be seen. - Though it is 53.2 AU away from Earth, its closest approach will happen in 2100 being about 47 AU away. - The public declaration of its discovery was hastened by the fact that another team of astronomers in Spain, declared the discovery of the dwarf planet Haumea, whom the team in San Diego were already tracking. - The discovery of Makemake,Eris and Haumea were responsible for Pluto’s drop in status from a planet to a dwarf planet. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union created the new category of bodies named “dwarf planets”. This also shaped the classifications needed in order for an object to be considered a planet: A planet circles the sun but isn’t orbiting anything else, it must be large enough to be rounded by its own gravity, and it has cleared its neighborhood of orbiting bodies. Bibliography: [1.] MPEC 2009-P26 :Distant Minor Planets (2009 AUG. 17.0 TT)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2009-08-07 [2.] Brown, Mike (2008). "Mike Brown's Planets: What's in a name? (part 2)". California Institute of Technology. [3.] Brown, Mike (2008). "Mike Brown's Planets: Make-make". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2008-07-14 [4.] Robert D. Craig (2004). Handbook of Polynesian Mythology. ABC-CLIO. p. 63. [5.] M.E. Brown (2013). "On the size, shape, and density of dwarf planet Makemake". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 767 (1): L7(5pp). arXiv:1304.1041v1. Bibcode:2013ApJ...767L...7B. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/767/1/L7. [6.] Mike Brown; K. M. Barksume; G. L. Blake; E. L. Schaller; et al. (2007). "Methane and Ethane on the Bright Kuiper Belt Object 2005 FY9" (PDF). The Astronomical Journal. 133 (1): 284–289. Image source:	https://nineplanets.org/makemake/
Much of the remainder is frozen carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia. The nucleus of Halley's Comet is also an extremely dark black. Scientists think that the surface of the comet, and perhaps most other comets, is covered with a black crust of dust and rock that covers most of the ice. Pending are OR10, which is the third largest of the Dwarf Planets yet unnamed. There are currently five Dwarf Planets: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. Links to individual articles about each one are listed below. Recently added articles These objects lie beyond the orbit of Neptune and have orbital inclinations that cut through the plane of our solar system. This is a trait they have in common and one that makes them unique compared to the main planets in our solar system. This suggests they tend to intercede in our lives and in the fundamental workings of our consciousness. You may wish to read that first. However, Orcus' orbital plane's orientation in our solar system is tilted in the opposite direction from Pluto's. Orcus is clearly Pluto's compliment. Due to their complimentary relationship, I present them together to reveal their astrological similarities and differences. Pluto, of course, was discovered in from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona. Makemake was discovered on March 31, also by Mike Brown; et. Haumea is the goddess of childbirth and fertility in Hawaiian mythology. Haumea has two moons, called Hi'iaka discovered on Jan 26, and Namaka discovered Nov 7,both discovered by Mike E. Bouchez, and the Keck Observatory Adaptive Optics teams. Makemake was discovered on March 31,also by Mike Brown. Makemake is the Polynesian name for the creator god of humanity found in the mythology of the South Pacific island of Rapa Nui Easter Island. Eris is larger than Pluto. Eris has and extreme orbital inclination as well as a greater eccentric orbit and is slower moving than Pluto—suggesting it may cut through our consciousness in an even sharper, more intense and dramatic way than Pluto, but in a longer process. Eris's year is equivalent to Earth years, whereas Pluto's is about Eris was responsible for the formation of the new "Dwarf Planet" classification and the reclassification of Pluto and Ceres—which caused quite an commotion in both the astronomical and astrological communities. Quaoar LM60 Quaoar pronounced kwah-whar was the name given to the "creation force" by the Native American Tongva tribe who were the original inhabitants of the Los Angeles basin in Southern California. Names are often taken from the mythology native to the places where they were discovered. Quaoar is about 1, kilometers in diameter—about one-tenth the diameter of Earth, about half the size of Pluto, and larger than the four primary asteroids combined. Quaoar has an orbital period of Varuna - Varuna is the all-knowing creator god in the mythology of India: Varuna upholds cosmic law not man's law and a path of order. Varuna is considered to be the protector of people, keeping them from evil. Varuna was detected on November The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it, either directly or indirectly, including the eight planets and five dwarf planets as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Of the objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest eight are the planets, with the remainder being smaller objects, such as dwarf planets and small Solar. Views of the Solar System presents a vivid multimedia adventure unfolding the splendor of the Sun, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and more. Discover the latest scientific information, or study the history of space exploration, rocketry, early astronauts, space missions, spacecraft through a vast archive of photographs, scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. Bilderberg Membership and Organisational Structure () 1. Advisory Group 2. Steering Group 3. Membership From the Bilderberg 'Information' pamphlet - available free from the Bilderberg Office in Leiden, Netherlands. Objects lying outside the orbit of Neptune are called "Trans-Neptunian Objects" (TNOs). So TNOs include those of the Kuiper Belt as well as those further distant in the Oort Cloud, like Sedna. The nucleus is the solid, central part of a comet, popularly termed a dirty snowball or an icy dirtball.A cometary nucleus is composed of rock, dust, and frozen ph-vs.com heated by the Sun, the gases sublimate and produce an atmosphere surrounding the nucleus known as the ph-vs.com force exerted on the coma by the Sun's radiation pressure and solar wind cause an enormous tail to form, which. What is Mobirise? Mobirise is a free offline app for Windows and Mac to easily create small/medium websites, landing pages, online resumes and portfolios, promo sites for .	https://zejoguwazywymo.ph-vs.com/introduction-to-oort-cloud-3395zu.html
What do you mean, I'm not a planet? \|Socks\| \|This user or group thinks all sockpuppets are not inherently evil.\| \|8/24 - NEVAR FORGET!\| \|This user or group remembers Pluto.\| --The Shoemaker Talk Red Faction 15:21, 21 July 2009 (BST) If this is vandalizing, then whatever. I think it isn't, seeing as I'm supporting Pluto. Either way, no harm is done. A three second delete process, or a good read for some people. Pluto Facts Diameter- 1,485 miles Mass- 12.5 x 1021 kilograms Density- 1,750 kg/m3 Surface Gravity- 0.58 m/s2 Arguments For Pluto The controversy surrounding the planetary designation of Pluto sounds deceptively simple. While Pluto was identified as a planet upon its discovery in 1930, recent refinements in the taxonomy of orbital bodies have raised questions about whether Pluto is "really" a planet, or one of the smaller, more numerous objects beyond Neptune that orbit our Sun. Part of the controversy is essentially semantic: there is no rigid, formal definition of "planet" that either includes or excludes Pluto. The other eight planets are a diverse group, ranging greatly in size, composition, and orbital paths. Size is the primary distinction that sets them apart from the thousands of smaller objects orbiting the Sun, such as asteroids and comets. Pluto, however, is much smaller than the other planets but much larger than the bodies found in the asteroid belts. This fact alone has prompted some scientists to "demote" Pluto as a planet. Size is not the only issue raised by astronomers who want to reevaluate Pluto's planetary status. For example, they point out that Pluto's orbit differs significantly from that of the other planets, and that its composition is more similar to comets than to the other planets. Scientific organizations, such as the International Astronomical Union, however, maintain that Pluto is a major planet, and that such distinctions are arbitrary. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this controversy is what it says about our understanding of the solar system. The image of our solar system consisting of one Sun and nine planets is elegant, easy to picture, and has been a staple of astronomy textbooks for more than 70 years. But as scientists learn more about the smaller bodies that orbit our Sun, and look far beyond Pluto and see a wide population of other orbital bodies, it seems simplistic and naive to view Pluto as the outer boundary of the solar system. If Pluto is re-assigned to the broader category of "Trans-Neptunian Objects," one of the small, solar system bodies orbiting beyond Neptune, it would become a recognizable exemplar of a group of far-off objects made mysterious by their distance from us, but nevertheless a part of our solar system. Pluto, the last major planet of Earth's solar system, has been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Tombaugh was conducting a systematic search for the trans-Neptunian planet that had been predicted by the erroneous calculations of Percival Lowell and William H. Pickering. Some scientists maintain that the only reason Pluto is considered a planet today is because of the long, ongoing and well publicized search for what was then referred to as Planet X. When Pluto was discovered, media publicity fueled by the Lowell Observatory "virtually guaranteed the classification of Pluto as a major planet," according to Michael E. Bakick in The Cambridge Planetary Handbook. However, it is not the public opinion that determines whether a celestial body is a planet or not. That responsibility rests with a scientific body known as the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the world's preeminent society of astronomers. In January of 1999 the IAU issued a press release entitled "The Status of Pluto: A Clarification." In that document the IAU stated, "No proposal to change the status of Pluto as the ninth planet in the solar system has been made by any Division, Commission or Working Group." The IAU stated that one of its working groups had been considering a possible numbering system for a number of smaller objects discovered in the outer solar system "with orbits and possibly other properties similar to those of Pluto." Part of the debate involved assigning Pluto an identification number as part of a "technical catalogue or list of such Trans-Neptunian Objects." However, the press release went on to say that "The Small Bodies Names Committee has, however, decided against assigning any Minor Planet number to Pluto." Notwithstanding that decision, in year 2000 the Rose Center for Earth and Science at New York City's American Museum of Natural History put up an exhibit of the solar system leaving out Pluto. That action received press coverage and re-ignited the controversy. Alan Stern, director of the Southwest Research Institute's space studies department in Boulder, Colorado, criticized the museum's unilateral decision, stating, "They are a minority viewpoint. The astronomical community has settled this issue. There is no issue." Still, the argument continues, occasionally appearing in journal articles and in the popular press. However, for every argument against Pluto's designation as a major planet, there seems to be rational counter arguments for retaining that designation. Scientists who argue against Pluto being a major planet stress Pluto's differences from the other eight planets—the four inner planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, and the four giant planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Supporters of Pluto as a major planet believe such arguments are fallacious because the two groups of planets could, as the Lowell Observatory put it in 1999, "scarcely be more different themselves." For instance, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune have rings. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and Pluto do not. Mercury has an axial tilt of zero degrees and has no atmosphere. Its nearest neighbor, Venus, has a carbon dioxide atmosphere and an axial tilt of 177 degrees. Pluto has an axial tilt between those two extremes—120 degrees. (Earth's tilt is 23 degrees.) A main argument against Pluto being a major planet is its size. Pluto is one-half the size of Mercury, the next smallest planet in our solar system. In fact, Pluto is even smaller than the seven moons in our planetary system. "So what?" is the response of Pluto's defenders. They point out that size is an arbitrary criterion for determining the status of orbiting bodies. Mercury, for instance, is less than one-half the size of Mars, and Mars is only about one-half the size of Earth or Venus. Earth and Venus are only about one-seventh the size of Jupiter. From the standpoint of giant Jupiter, should the midget worlds of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Earth be considered planets? The most commonly accepted definition of a planet, according to University of Arizona educator John A. Stansberry, is that a planet is "a spherical, natural object which orbits a star and does not generate heat by nuclear fusion." For an object in space to maintain a spherical shape it has to be large enough to be pulled into that shape by its own gravity. According to that definition, "Pluto is clearly a planet," concludes Stansberry. Detractors have also pointed out that Pluto's highly eccentric orbit has more in common with comets that originate from the Kuiper Belt than with the other eight planets in our solar system. That's true, reply Pluto's supporters, but just because Pluto has an eccentric orbit doesn't mean that it isn't a planet. Besides, Pluto's elongated orbit is only slightly more "eccentric" than Mercury's. Another argument against Pluto being a planet is that it has an icy composition similar to the comets and other orbital bodies in the Kuiper Belt. Supporters of Pluto's planetary status argue that planets are already categorized into two unlike groups: The inner planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars—which are composed of metals and rock, and the outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—which are, essentially, giant gaseous planets. Why couldn't there be three kinds of planets: terrestrial, giant gas planets, and icy rocks? Pluto may simply be the first planet in a new category.	http://wiki.urbandead.com/index.php/User:Pluto
Pluto was discovered 80 years ago today, and astronomers are still arguing over what it is. The oddball world, downgraded from planet to dwarf planet status in 2006 and then later reclassified, is really out there. Scientists aren't sure exactly what Pluto's made of, how it formed, or why it orbits so oddly compared to the eight primary planets. And there are at least two camps of astronomers when it comes to defining Pluto. Some just think of it as a planet, others call it a dwarf planet or a plutoid. While NASA has a spacecraft en route to Pluto and slated to make close-up images in 2015, the best images of Pluto so far, taken this year by the Hubble Space Telescope, are mere smudges. Pluto's discovery The hunt for Pluto began in 1905 when Percival Lowell (of Martian Canal infamy) hypothesized about the possibility of a Planet X in the outer solar system. Lowell died before Pluto was discovered. Clyde Tombaugh found it on Feb. 18, 1930 in a concerted scan of the sky. Tombaugh compared two photographs taken at the Lowell Observatory and noted the object's movement against the background of stars. Most of Pluto's orbit is out beyond that of Neptune. But the path is oblong, so Pluto spends part of its 248-year orbit – the time it takes to make one circle around the Sun – inside the track of Neptune. Pluto's path is also extremely inclined, by 17.1 degrees, to the main plane of the solar system where the other planets travel. Asteroids also circle the Sun in the solar system's main plane. So do some comets. But many comets, like Pluto, have highly inclined orbits. This similarity, plus Pluto's small size – smaller than Earth's Moon – led to its demotion. Mysterious Pluto Studies in 2003 showed that despite an almost nonexistent atmosphere, Pluto has wind and seasons and appears to have recently gone through a phase of global warming. The leading theory for the formation of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, is a wild one: A nascent Pluto was struck by another Pluto-sized object. Imagine a glancing blow and a lot of cosmic Silly Putty getting stretched and repacked into new spheres with new rotations. Observational evidence for this collision theory remain thin, however. Charon is much bigger than any other moon in relation to the size of its host planet, further muddying Pluto's status. Some astronomers think of the setup as a double planet. - Top 10 Extreme Planet Facts - The Pluto Debate: Planet or Plutoid?	https://www.space.com/7939-pluto-discovered-80-years-big-mystery.html
Discipline: Science Subject: Planets Source List-Taylor-Butler, Christine. Pluto: Dwarf Planet. New York: Childrens Pr; Updated edition, 2008. Print. Pluto has five known moons. They are, Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx. Charon was discovered in 1978. This moon is half the size of pluto! It is so big that somethimes, pluto and charon are referred to as a double planet system. Nix and Hydra were discovered in June, 2005 by Hal weaver and a large team or large team of astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope. They were photographed together. Nix got its name from the Greek goddess of darkness and night of mother of Charon. Hydra appeared to be about 25% brighter than Nix adn 10% larger. Kerberos was discovered in 2011 by astronomers while searching for rings around Pluto. Kerberos is estimated to be the second largest moon of pluto in diameter. Styx was discovered on June 26, 2012 by a team of astronomers using using the HUbble Space Telescope. Pluto was considered a planet from 1930 to 2006. The reason why Pluto was no longer considered a planet was because Eris was discovered and it probably bigger than Pluto. Ever since then, Pluto has become a dwarf planet. If Earth was the size of a door, Pluto would be the size of the head of a pin. However, Pluto is one of the biggest dwarf planets. It has a diameter of 1430 miles and has an estimated temperature of -360 degrees farenheit. Pluto the Dwarf Planet Pluto's Moons Pluto!!!!!!Ashlynn Chen #4 Layers of Pluto Pluto's Moons It was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh on Febuary 18, 1930. It was the ninth planet to be discovered at the Lowell Observatory. Your paragraph here Your paragraph here Your paragraph here Your paragraph here Comparison between Earth and Pluto "Pluto: Overview." Solar System Exploration. NASA, n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.	https://edu.glogster.com/glog/pluto/2dnaxjk8j1s?=glogpedia-source
Marine debris is a recognized global ecological concern. Little is known about the extent of the problem in the Mediterranean Sea regarding litter distribution and its influence on deep rocky habitats. A quantitative assessment of debris present in the deep seafloor (30–300 m depth) was carried out in 26 areas off the coast of three Italian regions in the Tyrrhenian Sea, using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The dominant type of debris (89%) was represented by fishing gears, mainly lines, while plastic objects were recorded only occasionally. Abundant quantities of gears were found on rocky banks in Sicily and Campania (0.09–0.12 debris m2 ), proving intense fishing activity. Fifty-four percent of the recorded debris directly impacted benthic organisms, primarily gorgonians, followed by black corals and sponges. This work provides a first insight on the impact of marine debris in Mediterranean deep ecosystems and a valuable baseline for future comparisons.	http://www.mesophotic.org/publications/647
What are the 7 seas? The seven seas are bodies of water that surround most of the Earth. They typically have names associated with a particular continent, and in many cases, different names for different bodies of water. The 7 Seas is an article discussing the significance and significance of respect for these bodies of water, as well as their history. Introduction about What Are The 7 Seas? The seas are a powerful force that affects the lives of everyone who lives near them. They provide food and water to millions of people, and they play a vital role in our economy. Despite their immense importance, many people don’t know much about the seas. This is unfortunate because the health of the seas is critically important. We need to remember how important the seas are and respect them accordingly. The oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, and they contain more than 97% of the world’s water. The seas hold a vast amount of resources – including oil, gas, and minerals – that we need to survive. People have been living near the seas for centuries. We rely on the sea for food, water, and energy. We need to take care of the seas, or they will take care of us. What are the 7 Seas? What Are The 7 Seas? The seven seas are the oceans that surround the world. They include but are not limited to, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. Each of these oceans has unique resources and habitats that are important for both humans and wildlife. By understanding and respecting these seas, we can help protect these valuable resources and ensure that they are available for future generations. There are many reasons why it is important to respect the seas. Some of these reasons include: 1) The Seas Provide Important Resources For Humans And Wildlife: The seas provide us with food, water, oil, and other resources that are essential for our survival. They also play a role in climate change by absorbing CO2 emissions from human activities. 2) The Seas Are vital For Tourism: The seas play an important role in tourism industry worldwide. They provide a beautiful backdrop for vacation photos and can provide opportunities for adventure sports such as fishing and sailing. 3) The Seas Are Crucial For Protecting Marine Life: The seas are home to many different types of marine life. These animals rely on the sea environment for food, shelter, and protection from predators. neglecting or damaging the sea environment The Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is one of the world’s most important seas. It is home to a vast number of fish and other marine life, as well as numerous ports that are important for trade. - The Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden is another important sea in the Mediterranean region. It is located on the coast of Africa, and it connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Arabian Sea. This gulf is home to many commercial ships and provides a route for shipping goods between different parts of the world. - The Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea is another major sea in the Mediterranean region. It lies between Greece and Italy, and it is home to a large number of islands. Many people visit these islands each year, and they provide a beautiful setting for vacationing. Mountainous Regions One of the most striking features of the Earth’s continents and seas is their immense size. The Pacific Ocean is three times the size of all of Europe, for example, and the Atlantic Ocean is twice the size of all of Asia. This incredible size is due to two factors: the height and density of mountains on Earth. The higher the mountains are, the more water they can hold. And the more water a region has, the bigger it can become. As a result, regions that are surrounded by high mountains can be very large. For example, much of the interior of North America is surrounded by high mountain ranges. This is why much of North America is so large – it has plenty of room to grow. The same thing happens with seas. Seas are formed when water moves from one area to another – for example, when a river flows into an ocean or lake. As long as there’s enough sea floor (which there usually is), sea levels will rise and fall according to how much water is moving in and out of the ocean. This process happens on a global scale, so even areas that are far away from mountains can have seas. For example, much of South America and Africa Coral Reefs and Tropical Marine Ecosystems The world’s oceans are home to a vast array of marine life, including coral reefs and tropical marine ecosystems. Coral reefs are important because they provide homes for a wide variety of sea creatures. These reefs are made up of hard, colorful rocks that grow in layers. The top layer is the healthiest and is where the reef’s coral grows. Coral reefs are often considered a valuable resource because they produce Coral Reef Tourism. Coral Reef Tourism is a growing industry that generates an estimated $32 billion each year. This industry helps to support many jobs in countries such as the Philippines and the Cayman Islands. Tropical marine ecosystems are also important because they play an important role in the global ecosystem. These ecosystems contain many different types of animals, including dolphins, whales, and seabirds. They provide food for other animals, which helps to keep the ecosystem balanced. It is important to respect the seas because they are home to so many different types of animals and plants. By respecting them, we can help to keep this valuable ecosystem healthy The Arctic Ocean, And Polar Regions The Arctic Ocean is the world’s largest ocean, and it covers almost a quarter of the Earth’s surface. The Arctic Ocean is also one of the most important oceans because it plays a major role in regulating our climate. The Arctic Ocean is made up of three different oceans: the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic. The Atlantic Ocean is on the east side of North America, and it connects to the Mediterranean Sea. The Pacific Ocean is on the west side of North America, and it connects to the Indian Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is in between these two oceans. The Arctic Ocean has a lot of ice on it, which makes it very cold. In fact, it’s so cold that you can’t swim in it! The ice on the ocean helps to keep our planet’s temperature stable by reflecting sunlight back out into space. The Polar Regions are areas near the poles. These regions are very cold, and they have a lot of snow. The snow helps to keep these regions warm because it acts like insulation. It’s important to respect the seas because they play a very important role in our planet’s climate. We need to be careful not to mess things up with our pollution The World Oceans The world’s oceans are immense and contain an incredible amount of biodiversity. - The Seas Provide Clean Drinking Water The seas also play a significant role in providing clean drinking water to humanity. - The Seas Are Important For Shipping The seas are also important for shipping, which contributes to the economy and helps to bring goods to consumers around the world.	https://buzztum.com/7-seas-what-are-the-7-seas-and-why-should-you-respect-them/
The Marine Parks main goal is to preserve the species and ecosystems of a representative portion of the St.Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. In addition to this very important mission, the park provides the opportunity for visitors to learn about and appreciate the regions fascinating heritage. This conservation park is unique because of its exclusively marine environment. The park covers an area of more than 1 000 km2, including a representative portion of the northern half of the St.Lawrence Estuary and more than two thirds of the Saguenay Fjord. Parc Canada/J.Beardsell The majestic St. Lawrence Estuary with its diverse banks, cold saltwater and deep troughs abound with a varied and mysterious marine life has long attracted human beings, and continues to do so. While on the surface, the beauty of the Saguenay Fjord is striking, these waters also intrigue us as they reveal glimpses of their depths that have long been thought unfathomable. The meeting point of these two great rivers constitutes the heart of the Marine Park, a heart that beats to the rhythm of the tides and the movement of the dark waters of the fjord and the green waters of the estuary. This confluence is also the site of another exchange, that of humans who, for thousands of years, have benefitted from the resources of this rich environment. Parc Canada/F.Di Domenico Situated within close reach of four tourism regions, the SaguenaySt-Lawrence Marine Park beckons you to come and explore its network of continually evolving discovery locations that offer additional insights into park themes. A stop at one or more of the local cities, towns and islands will provide you with an outdoor recreational opportunity and the chance to visit any of several interpretation centres. In short, youll be part of a maritime, coastal or island experience. Sea kayaking, hiking, scuba diving, fishing, or a lighthouse tour are just a few of the ways you can take full advantage of your visit to the marine park area. Crossroads of life, site of exchanges, wellspring of riches, the Saguenay--St.Lawrence Marine Park : Where the adventure of discovery begins. © Copyright Musée du Fjord 2002.	http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/fjord/english/e_marine_park_e.html
NOVA, a series of programs on PBS (the Public Broadcasting Service) “revolves around a simple premise: the world of science is exciting”! A recent NOVA film series, ‘Ocean Animal Emergency’, highlighted northern elephant seals, other pinniped species and the Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP), a Census of Marine Life project. The six chapter film series featured elephant seal research in addition to segments filmed at The Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito, CA. The film outlined the rehabilitation efforts of The Marine Mammal Center, and a journey to Año Nuevo State Reserve for a close look at a healthy population of elephant seals with the TOPP E Seal Team. To view the video, please visit the NOVA ‘Ocean Animal Emergency’ site. Please note that TOPP is featured in Chapter Three. November Featured Link, courtesy of Whale Trackers Whales of the Mediterranean Sea, a five-part documentary film series, is available online for download and use by students and teachers, with subtitles in six languages, on the Whale Trackers website. Learn about the many types of whales, dolphins and porpoises, many of which are facing declining populations, as well as the current illegal use of driftnets in the Mediterranean fishing industry. One part of the series will explain the importance of marine sanctuaries which aim to save the marine life that inhabit them. The documentaries were produced to raise awareness, address challenges, create opportunities, and offer potential solutions to the problems facing this semi-enclosed sea in one of the most populous regions in the world. All documentaries (which range from 10-17 minutes in length) are accompanied by complimentary education materials, including teacher’s guides, factsheets classroom activities and suggested online resources. October Featured Link, courtesy of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute The Gulf of Maine Research Institute offers an online education page where you can learn all about species native to the Gulf of Maine, including lobsters, whales, and the Atlantic Herring, an extremely important fish in the Gulf. Click on ‘Katahdin to the Sea’ to learn about the many ecosystems in Maine, including estuaries and tidepools (which are often referred to as ‘windows to the sea’). ‘Undersea Landscapes’ explores regions such as the Bay of Fundy where the unique geology of the bay creates extreme tides that cause the water to rise and fall as much as 50 feet each day. And for those that love to read, there are even reviews to help you chose your next ocean-related book! September Featured Link, courtesy of the John G. Shedd Aquarium This month, we encourage you to visit the Shedd Educational Adventures (SEA) site. This site provides a number of unique lesson plans, interactive games, and a wonderful collection of fact sheets called the Explorer’s Guide, all based upon the Aquariums’ Wild Reef exhibit, an expansive exhibit based upon marine life and culture in the Philippines. All of these activities are easily sorted by grade (pre-K-12), topic of interest (reefs, sharks), overarching concepts (ecosystems, conservation), and National Science Education Standards. We especially like that the entire Explorer’s guide is available in both English and Spanish! So even if you can’t make to Chicago to visit the Shedd Aquarium, this site may be the next best thing. August Featured Link, courtesy of The Discovery Channel There are just two days left to enjoy SHARK WEEK 2008 on the Discovery Channel. Every year the Discovery Channel airs a week-long series of television programs dedicated to amazing facts on sharks. Even if you missed the programs aired on television, the Shark Week website offers plenty of videos, blogs, trivia and games to educate all age groups about sharks. You can follow sharks tagged by scientists and learn about their migration routes, or play Shark Runners, a game that allows you to be the researcher, tagging sharks in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. There is an interactive map which shows the current status of shark populations, as well as areas of notable shark discoveries and areas where sharks are unfortunately under attack. If you are feeling a little silly, upload a photo of yourself to add some shark teeth! July Featured Link, courtesy of The Luminous Deep ‘The Luminous Deep’, an amazing animation created by two students from the Duncan of Jordanstone Art College in Dundee, UK, with help from researchers at Aberdeen University’s Oceanlab, shows the organisms and processes associated with a humpback whale fall. During the animation, you will learn how the carcass of a dead whale that sinks to the ocean floor nourishes a large interconnected community of scavengers and predators. Many of the creatures attracted to the whale fall are bioluminescent, meaning they produce glowing lights in the dark abyss. Visit ‘The Luminous Deep’ website to view the trailer, meet the crew that produced the animation, and also meet the crew of marine organisms, such as the Bloodbelly comb jelly, featured in the animation. The full animation can be viewed at the Duncan of Jordanstone Animation Degree Show website. June Featured Link, courtesy of The Ocean Project June 8th marks World Ocean Day. This year’s theme is “helping our climate/helping our ocean”, focusing on global climate change and its relationship to coral reefs. This year’s theme takes advantage of the International Year of the Reef, also occurring in 2008. Visit the Ocean Project website to learn more about World Ocean Day, coral reefs, how climate change affects our ocean and what you can do daily to benefit the health of the ocean. You can also find World Ocean Day events in your area of the United States, or even worldwide, where you can celebrate the ocean and our connection to it. To help raise awareness of the ocean’s importance in our daily lives, sign the online petition to the United Nations and world’s leaders, encouraging them to protect and conserve the ocean in the present and for future generations. May Featured Link, courtesy of Deep Earth Academy The Deep Earth Academy offers ‘Bubba’s Tour’, an interactive tour of the JOIDES Resolution scientific ocean drilling vessel. Take the tour and learn about the vessel, deep sea cores and the scientists and crew that work aboard the vessel. You can even catch a glimpse of the ‘floating laboratories’ where the scientists study the cores to gain more information on the seafloor’s sedimentology, geochemistry and paleontology. Correctly answering challenge questions at each tour stop earns you puzzle pieces, which if correctly assembled, earn you a certificate of achievement! Visit Bubba’s Tour now! April Featured Link, courtesy of the BBC for Children The BBC Children’s website offers a game called ‘Deep Sea Explorer’, where you can pilot a manned underwater vehicle, navigating the deep sea, finding new sea life (which you must film), and avoiding the hydrothermal vents. You can learn more about deep sea organisms such as the angler fish, dumbo octopus and gulper eel. Be sure to watch your air supply and collect the extra air canisters along the way, you certainly don’t want to run out! March Featured Link, courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great ‘Games and Activities’ page that will keep kids ages 4-13 entertained for days. Younger kids can choose from coloring book pages, tic-tac-toe, creating their own tide pools, various paper crafts and sing along songs about sea stars. Older kids can enjoy crossword puzzles, the ‘Shark School of Art, and interactive games that explore kelp beds and ocean realms only reached by submersibles. You can even send an e-card to your friends and family! February Featured Link, courtesy of Census of Marine Life’s Tagging of Pacific Predators Our Census of Marine Life friends at TOPP (Tagging of Pacific Predators) are celebrating “Elephant Seals Homecoming Days”, documenting the migration of female elephant seals from the North Pacific Ocean to the beaches of Año Nuevo State Reserve in Northern California to give birth to their pups. The TOPP website offers information and fun facts about elephant seals, photos of the tagged ‘momma’ seals and their pups, video clips, interviews with the researchers and links to educational materials for teachers. Choose your favorite seals – their names are Myoceen, Mukurma, Isabel, Clara, Cheddar, Coya, Annie, Guadalupe, and Flora – and check out their trading cards for details on when they were born, who (or what) they were named after and how many pups they’ve given birth to! January Featured Link, courtesy of Census of Marine Life’s Education and Outreach Team Our colleagues at the Census of Marine Life Education and Outreach network have embarked on a new educational effort with the creation of their new informative webpage. Take a look at the “Marine Life Discoveries” section of the updated CoML Portal webpage, which describes the important discoveries and species found by CoML scientists, as well as the research being conducted on abundance, distribution, historical populations and predicting future trends. The website also offers an extremely helpful glossary of terms! If you are affiliated with any of our research projects and would like to send us links to educational materials, please contact Melissa Brodeur at mbrodeur [at] OceanLeadership [dot] org. To learn about the current happenings of the U.S. National Committee of the Census of Marine Life, please view the NEWSLETTER.	http://coml.us/education-2/education-link-of-the-month/2008-education-links-of-the-month/
Researchers in the UK are set to study the “anthropause”, a term they have coined to refer to the coronavirus-induced lockdown period and its impact on other species. Background The researchers believe studying this period will provide valuable insights into the relationship between human-wildlife interactions in the 21st century. Details - Researchers have suggested the lockdown period, which is also being referred to as the “Great Pause”, be referred to with a more precise term called “anthropause”. - Researchers mention how the scientific community can use these “extraordinary circumstance” provided by global lockdowns to understand how human activity affects wildlife. - They maintain that as a result of the lockdown, nature appears to have changed, especially in urban environments, since not only are there now more animals, but also some “unexpected visitors.” - There are some animals for whom the lockdown may have made things more challenging. For instance, for various urban-dwelling animals, such as rats, gulls and monkeys who depend on food provided or discarded by humans, the lockdown would have made life more difficult. - As expanding human populations continue to transform their environments at unprecedented rates, studying how human and animal behavior may be linked can help provide insights that may be useful in preserving global biodiversity, maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and predicting global zoonoses and environmental changes. - Since the reduction in human activity during the lockdown on both land and sea has been unparalleled in recent history, the effects have been drastic, sudden, and widespread.	https://currentaffairs.studyiq.com/tags/miscellaneous-6/anthropause
The Conte Research Group Dr. Maureen Conte’s research group conducts multi-disciplinary research on ocean and terrestrial carbon cycle processes using a variety of geochemical and isotopic techniques. The Bermuda Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) is an on-going time-series of sedimentation patterns in the deep Sargasso Sea that spans over thirty years. The OFP time-series anchors our oceanographic research activities and helps to foster our research and educational collaborations across a diverse scientific community. The OFP mooring’s three sediment traps collect a continuous record of particulate flux through the water column. Detailed analyses of the flux composition using a variety of chemical techniques yield valuable insights into the interplay between the ocean’s particle cycle, ocean biology and physics, and climate. Our terrestrial research employs low-level molecular and isotopic techniques to illuminate carbon cycling processes on both ecosystem and continental scales. We are using diagnostic organic compounds (biomarkers) that are emitted as small particles (aerosols) into the atmosphere by terrestrial plants and accumulate in continentally-derived air masses. Using these biomarkers we can evaluate terrestrial biosphere status over large spatial scales and assess seasonal and inter-annual variability in response to environmental paramaters such as rainfall. Our terrestrial research sites have ranged from the tropical rainforest to the arctic tundra, as well as on ocean islands that are downwind of major continental ecosystems. Studies at the ecosystem level are conducted to better quantify linkages between plant ecosystems and the biomarker compounds present in atmospheric aerosols. The Conte research laboratory is located at The Ecosystems Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA.	https://www.mbl.edu/ecosystems/conte/
A biology professor participated in a submarine voyage to research at seafloor ecosystems. While the world is focused on space exploration, Erik Cordes is focused on uncovering the unknown in the deep sea. The biology professor was one of the lead scientists on a recent mission by the ongoing DEEP Sea Exploration to Advance Research on Coral/Canyon/Cold seep Habitats program, or DEEP SEARCH. To build understanding of the ocean floor, the initiative samples and profiles ecosystems’ water columns, which are areas containing high levels of sea organisms. Cordes and the rest of his team found a previously undiscovered coral reef about 160 miles off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina in August. They discovered the reef while surveying the Atlantic Ocean aboard their submarine, Alvin. One of DEEP SEARCH’s founders, the United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, is responsible for leasing offshore regions for oil production and rigging. The goal of DEEP SEARCH is to make sure none of these areas will be exploited, Cordes said.. Alexis Weinnig, a doctoral biology student in Cordes’ on-campus lab, considers DEEP SEARCH a truly unique expedition. Ryan Gasbarro, a doctoral biology student and DEEP SEARCH research associate, was shocked by the size of the reef they explored during the voyage. Cordes said the timing of the mission was critical. In January, President Donald Trump’s administration proposed lifting a moratorium on offshore drilling, the New York Times reported. While DEEP SEARCH is a strictly scientific expedition, oceanic research and development often change based on policies. Cordes has also investigated the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill on the deep ocean. The 2010 oil spill by the Transocean oil company in the Gulf of Mexico is considered the largest marine oil spill ever. Cordes said he hopes DEEP SEARCH can help avoid similar mistakes in the Atlantic Ocean. Cordes added that offshore drilling may compromise the deep ocean’s vital mechanisms, like housing atmospheric carbon deposits, by destroying ecological habitats like the reef found on this expedition. For Weinnig, oceans will need the public’s support to achieve widespread habitat preservation. Climate change, habitat destruction and overfishing accelerate the ocean’s deterioration, and Gasbarro agreed with Weinnig that these ecosystems are often undervalued. While DEEP SEARCH helped advance understanding of the Atlantic, Cordes is optimistic that interest in nautical research could expand with the public’s support. Temple faculty and students worked to provide aid to the Southern shores.	https://temple-news.com/deep-sea-exploration-maps-coral-reefs/
BREMERHAVEN, Germany -- A ten-week expedition to the Lazarev Sea and the eastern part of the Weddell Sea opens this year's Antarctic research season of the German research vessel Polarstern. On the evening of November 28, just some two hours after an official ceremony at the Berlin Museum of Natural History honouring Polarstern's 25th anniversary of service, the research vessel will begin its 24th scientific voyage to the Southern Ocean from Cape Town. The 53 scientists from eight nations aboard Polarstern will focus much of their work on climate-related research as part of the International Polar Year. In addition, Polarstern will also supply the German Neumayer Station during the first leg of the trip, and accompany the freighter â€˜Naja Arctica' which will deliver construction materials for the new research station Neumayer III to the Antarctic. On February 4, 2008, Polarstern is expected to return to Cape Town. "Our research projects will improve the understanding of physical and biological processes associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the Weddell Gyre, both of which play a key role for the earth's climate", explains chief scientist Prof Dr Ulrich Bathmann of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association, referring to the central goal of the expedition. Plankton algae from these two marine currents south of the Atlantic Ocean are absorbing significant amounts of the climate gas carbon dioxide through their growth during the summer. By sinking to the Antarctic deep sea, these algae are subsequently transferring the carbon dioxide to the seafloor, where, in some cases below 4000 meter water depth, they provide food for bottom dwelling organisms. "The efficiency of this biological pump is controlled, for example, by nutrients, by physical dynamics in the ocean surface layer, and by the species of algae involved", says Bathmann. "We have to investigate these complex interactions further, in order to optimise scientific climate predictions." The region covered by Polarstern during this mission extends from 40 to 70 degrees southern latitude, i.e. from the so-called subtropical convergence, a hydrological boundary separating the Antarctic from the Atlantic Ocean, and the Antarctic continent. The scientific studies aboard Polarstern, aside from being highly relevant for climate research, are part of three large international programmes within the International Polar Year framework. The research programme SCACE (Synoptic Circum-Antarctic Climate and Ecosystem Study) explores physical and biological interrelations in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, comparing recently recorded parameters with historical data. "The Antarctic Circumpolar Current measures several hundred kilometres across, surrounding the Antarctic continent and connecting all large oceans", explains Ulrich Bathmann. "This large ocean current transports both heat energy and fresh water, plays a central role in the ocean-wide cycles of dissolved material, and contains a series of distinct ecosystems that may displace each other with changing climate regimes. Plankton algae involved have a high potential for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide", the marine biologist adds about the significance of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current for the functioning of the system Earth. At the same time, Southern Ocean natural systems themselves are extremely sensitive to global changes. Hence, one of the central tasks of the SCACE programme will consist in collecting a unique data set that can serve as a benchmark for comparison with existing data to identify and quantify polar changes. A special role for food webs in the Southern Ocean is played by krill. This group of crustaceans, which may also become interesting for economic purposes, has been relatively well studied in some few regions of the Antarctic, for instance surrounding the Antarctic Peninsula. However, as some of the results revealed, the krill's seasonal survival mechanisms show large regional variation, so extrapolations from local studies to a wider area are hardly possible. For this reason, the research project LAKRIS (Lazarev Sea Krill Study) will be a detailed investigation into the life cycle, distribution and physiology of krill populations in the Lazarev Sea. According to existing information, krill is very abundant in this area. "In this case also, our primary question of interest is the krill's ability to adapt to potential environmental changes", explains Ulrich Bathmann the connection to climate research. The LAKRIS study will complement similar large-scale investigations in other regions of the Antarctic. While the continental shelf regions surrounding Antarctica are relatively well known, the Antarctic deep sea remains practically unexplored. Large areas of the seafloor around Antarctica, however, are deep-sea environments. Led by Prof Dr Angelika Brandt of the Zoological Institute of the University of Hamburg the third expedition project, ANDEEP-SYSTCO, tries to shed light on this unknown world. The acronym envelops an Antarctic deep-sea research programme, exploring various regions of the Southern Ocean at several thousand meters of depth with the primary goal of analysing interactions among atmosphere, water column and seafloor. "Since deep sea research continues to take us to unknown worlds, we are expecting some new and fascinating insights regarding biological diversity in the ocean, perhaps even the discovery of previously unknown species", explains Bathmann. The Polarstern expedition thus is part of two major global research initiatives studying marine biodiversity: the 'Census of Antarctic Marine Life' (CAML), and the 'Census of the Diversity of Abyssal Marine Life' (CeDAMar), both of which are sub-programmes of the so-called â€˜Census of Marine Life'. Before Polarstern will depart from Cape Town on November 28, however, Ulrich Bathmann will take part in the ship's anniversary celebration in Berlin -- not in person, but live on the telephone. "This ship has enabled so many extraordinary scientific insights, that it does deserve to be honoured", says the scientist who attended many expeditions aboard Polarstern. "It's a great pleasure to be able to make a personal contribution." Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of UnderwaterTimes.com, its staff or its advertisers.	https://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=74102053196
Ms Ilissa Ocko, Climate Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in New York gives insights into how Climate Change is currently impacting Africa and what the future holds, at COP 22, Marrakech. Scientists have identified and observed climate change impacts on every continent and in every ocean and referring to the 2014 IPCC AR5 Working Group II report which synthesizes our current knowledge of the climate change impact and details them into three main categories, i.e. a) Physical changes – ice melts and sea water rise, b) Biological impacts – changes to ecosystems and c) Societal impacts – threats to food production and human health and how these impacts are spread globally. Africa is no exception in terms of climate change impacts and contributions with considerable confidence in attribution to climate change as well, with observed impacts in the latter half of the twentieth (20th) century into the twenty-first (21st) century due to lack of rain, rising temperatures, severe flooding and drought and fisheries and livestock loss/reduction due to lack of water and heat stress across the greater five regions of Africa. Future impacts are set to get worse as further climate change is inevitable, which is confirmed in 2014 IPCC AR5 report which indicates that in the future, average and extreme temperatures are set to increase across the entire continent, changes in rainfall and drought are regionally dependent, varying according to locale, the strongest reduction in average rainfall will be in Southern Africa, along with an increased chance of drought and in East Africa an increase in extreme rainfall and reduced chances of drought, with sea level rise expected to impact all the coastlines around Africa. Global climate models are employed to understand what sorts of impacts we may encounter, with a recent study done to ascertain changes in areas suitable for key crops by mid century, showed changes in areas suitable for crops now compared to what would be suitable mid century for the nine (9) agronomic crops which are considered critical for food and security in Africa like banana, common bean, cassava, maize and sorghum, etc. Overall, these types of model simulations are extremely valuable because they provide a lot of information for decision makers in terms of a) understanding what we are working to avoid when we develop plans to reduce emissions of GHG’s, b) learning how to prepare for the future and adapt to regional changes if these projections come to fruition and c) learning where other opportunities lie in order that we can prepare to take advantage of new situations. There is a lot of adaptation experience in Africa that has been significantly growing with various local and national plans and policies that are emerging and even though there are challenges for deployment of these plans, there are strategies in place to address those risks and barriers. Links :	http://dev.motherchannel.com/cop-22-usaid-dr-ilissa-ocko-part-two/
The European Commission has proposed new measures to regulate fishing for deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic. Deep sea ecosystems and the species that live in them are particularly vulnerable to human activities. The new regulation aims to ensure that deep-sea species are fished sustainably, that unwanted by-catches decrease, that the impact on fragile deep-sea habitats decreases and that there is more data on the biology of these species. To this end the Commission proposes a reinforced licensing system and a gradual phase-out of those fishing gears that specifically target deep sea species in a less sustainable manner, namely bottom trawls and bottom-set gillnets. The Commission also envisages specific requirements for the collection of data from deep sea fishing activities. The necessary adjustments to implement these measures may benefit from financial support under EU Funds. Deep sea stocks can be taken as by-catch in many fisheries. However, there are also fishing vessels that specifically target these species. These are the vessels that are most dependent on these resources and they will have a future only if their activity is managed to be sustainable. This implies first the need to put in place a gradual switch to fishing techniques that are more selective, with less impact on the deep sea habitats. The Commission proposes that licenses for fishing deep sea species with bottom trawls and bottom-set gillnets be gradually phased out because it causes more harm to vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems than other fishing methods, and involves high levels of unwanted by-catches (20 to 40 per cent in weight, or more). Other commercial fisheries using bottom trawls will not be affected, because the proposed measures only concern fisheries that target deep-sea fish. Fishermen already cooperate with scientists to know more about largely unknown deep-sea ecosystems. To find ways to test less harmful fishing gear and switch to fishing techniques and strategies that have less impact on those fragile ecosystems, the Commission has decided to finance a study on this topic, in cooperation with companies involved in deep-sea activities. Deep-sea species are caught in deep waters in the Atlantic beyond the main fishing grounds on the continental shelves, in depths up to 4000 metres. Their habitats and ecosystems are largely unknown, but we know that they are home to coral reefs as much as 8,500 years old and ancient species that are still little explored. This is a fragile environment that, once damaged, is unlikely to recover. Highly vulnerable to fishing, deep-sea fish stocks are quick to collapse and slow to recover because they reproduce at low rates. Black scabbard fish and red sea bream are high value deep-sea species, while others as blue ling and grenadiers are of medium value to fishermen. Some deep-sea stocks are seriously depleated, including the orange roughy and deep-water sharks. Other stocks can be fished (blue ling, roundnose grenadier) but this need to be done in an environmentally sound way (for instance avoiding unnecessary by-catches). Deep-sea fisheries in the North-East Atlantic are pursued in EU waters, including the outermost regions of Portugal and Spain, and in international waters governed by conservation measures adopted within the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), in which the EU participates along with the other countries fishing in the area. Deep sea fisheries account for about 1% of fish landed from the North-East Atlantic, but some local fishing communities depend to a certain extent on deep-sea fisheries. The catches – and related jobs - have been declining for years, due to depleted stocks. In the past, this fishery went on largely unregulated, and this clearly impacted negatively on the stocks concerned. In 2003, the EU started imposing limits on the amount of fish that can be taken, on the numbers of vessels authorised, and on the days they can spend at sea (i.e. fishing effort) to fish for those species. The chart shows how fishing effort has declined during the last years.	http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-813_en.htm?locale=en
The Institute of Marine Research (IMR), whose headquarters are in Bergen, Norway, is the country’s primary oceanographic research institution and the 2nd largest in Europe. Its main task is to provide advice to Norwegian authorities on the ecosystems of the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea and the Norwegian coastal zone including fisheries and aquaculture. It is responsible for environmental monitoring of hydrographic properties, chemistry, contaminants, radioactivity, pH, CO2, nutrients and plankton. In addition, it is responsible for monitoring the marine resources including fish, marine mammals and seabirds. It conducts plankton and fish surveys in the North, Norwegian and Barents seas and contributes to the ecosystem-based management of these regions as well as in Norway’s coastal zones. It conducts assessments of marine stocks and is constantly working to improve the survey designs and the assessment methodology. It also has mapped and surveyed several regions of the deep Atlantic including along sections of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as well as in the Nordic seas. IMR also is tasked with conducting scientific research to improve our understanding of variations in the marine ecosystems, particularly in relation to fish stocks. Main tasks attributed under Work Packages: Contribute to: WP 1 Task 1.2, Task 1.4, WP 2 all task, WP 3 task 3.3, WP 4 CS 1+3+6, WP 5 as well as to the TNA and virtual access. Relevant Projects- previous and existing MyOcean and MyOcean II FP7 projects for establishing an operational Marine service for the GMES/COPERNICUS program FP7 EMODNET for making observational data sets available for wider use by the Stakeholders interested FP7 project JERICO for developping infrastructure and datadelivery of European Coastal observatories EuroGOOS/ROOSs activities for collaborative efforts improving the availability of observational data for operational and scientific use LoVe project. Cable based observatory infrastructure. Norwegian funds. Exemplary named further activities of IMR: ECOOP, RECLAIM, EUROCEAN, SeaDataNet, Bridge-IT, Sea-Search, UNCOVER, Argo programme, ICES IOC/IODE International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange, HABES, HABILE, SEFOS, NOWESP, NOMADS, NOMADS2, NOWESP, HABILE, EMTOX and MEECE.	http://www.jerico-ri.eu/partner/imr/
A wave of knowledge from deep in the Bight WITH the biggest waves in the world, the deep waters of the Great Australian Bight can be a forbidding environment for humans. Yet, this is home to more apex predators and iconic species than are found anywhere else in Australian waters, and the regular haunt of a multitude of migratory species who consistently return to feed and breed. From blue whales to sardines, Australian sea lions to little penguins, long-nosed fur seals to flesh-footed shearwaters, the diversity of species and their sheer numbers are mind-boggling. Many of the species found along Australia’s southern coast occur nowhere else in the world. Due to its remoteness, relatively little has been known about the Bight—not just the ecology but the interplay of the currents, the weather and the geology. An ambitious four-year social, environmental and economic study of the region by over 100 scientists has changed all that, giving rise to a quantum leap in knowledge, the discovery of at least 277 species new to science, and the first clear evidence of the presence of oil and gas. Fishing, tourism and, maybe, oil and gas Commercial fishing, aquaculture and recreational fishing are important components of the region’s economy, generating 25 per cent of Australia’s seafood by value. The South Australian Sardine Fishery is the nation’s largest commercial fishery by volume. Southern bluefin tuna are one of Australia’s most valuable fisheries—95 per cent of the catch is from the Bight and almost all of this is exported from Port Lincoln to Japan for the high value sashimi market. Tourism is important too—you can swim with sea lions, cage-dive with great white sharks, or simply stand on the clifftops at the Head of Bight and watch southern right whales calving. Oil and gas exploration has been occurring in the Bight for years and, while the presence of commercially viable reserves has not been confirmed, that could quickly change. Understanding the whole system The $20 million Great Australian Bight Research Program—a collaboration between BP, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide and Flinders University—concluded in September. The program set out to provide a whole-of-system understanding of the environmental, economic and social values to support future management of the region. “The research was very ambitious in breadth and depth,” says Associate Professor Tim Ward, who leads the Marine Ecosystems Science Program at SARDI. “It has produced a quantum shift in our knowledge of how the ecosystem works, we have the first clear evidence of the presence of oil and gas, and overlaying that we have a social and economic baseline, which is really valuable.” A marine census We have new information on the abundance and movement patterns of iconic species such as pygmy blue whales, great white sharks and Australian sea lions, as well as dolphins, fur seals and seabirds. In a region of the Bight that had previously not been surveyed for cetaceans, researchers used underwater microphones to detect different toothed whale species such as deep-diving sperm whales who produce loud clicking sounds while they forage. Aerial surveys of common dolphins provided new data on their abundance, with up to 20,000 dolphins sighted in the eastern Great Australian Bight. The first comprehensive synthesis of data on seals revealed that the Bight contains more than 90 per cent of Australia’s long-nosed fur seals and Australian sea lions. Areas where these species spend a lot of time and where multiple species overlap have also been mapped. What’s the attraction? What makes the Bight such an attractive feeding and breeding ground for so many species? And what is it that keeps their pantry so well stocked? In the eastern Bight, the winds and the ocean currents were found to play a part, bringing an upwelling of nutrient-rich water to the surface in summer. In the central Bight, it appears that biological processes driven by microorganisms, not the upwelling, are enriching the water with nitrogen, which in turn is supporting different types of plankton: “The plankton assemblage is transferring energy quickly through the food web which helps explain the high abundance of pelagic [oceanic] fish in the region,” explains SARDI scientist Dr Paul van Ruth. New species on the sea floor At depths of up to 5000 metres, sampling the sea floor of the Bight is expensive and until now virtually nothing was known about the organisms that live there. The first ever systematic study of sea-floor fauna in the Bight—a shared study with the Great Australian Bight Deepwater Marine Program—shows that biodiversity is high. Amazingly, the combined research found 277 species new to science and almost 1000 species found in the Bight for the first time. According to CSIRO scientist Dr Alan Williams, in terms of sea-floor ecology, the research has “transformed the Bight from one of Australia’s most poorly known deep-sea regions to the best known”. People, jobs and the local economy The research was not confined to the deep waters of the Bight. Sean Pascoe, a marine resource economist with CSIRO, and colleagues from the University of Adelaide, studied the social and economic aspects of the region to understand how local people feel about the prospect of a petroleum industry and to gather important baseline data. It’s mainly a farming region, with a small, sparse and ageing population that is shrinking as young people leave to find work in the cities. Local councillors and business leaders are largely positive about the prospect of a petroleum industry, says Pascoe. “It’s clear that the region doesn’t have the skills required and that most employment will be fly in/fly out. But having more people in the region is seen as a boost to hotels, accommodation, fish-and-chip shops… it’s more the flow-on effects.” The team modelled the regional economy, mapping the location and value of fisheries, aquaculture and recreational fishing. Through the modelling and hypothetical scenarios, they explored the impact of one of the community’s concerns—the risk of an oil spill. “We included market impacts and biophysical impacts to assess which sectors may be affected,” explains Pascoe. “We found that offshore fisheries would be mainly ok but aquaculture would be most at risk.” A safe place to explore risk A rise in shipping levels is one scenario that might result in a collision and oil spill. Researchers from CSIRO and SARDI have integrated the data from the entire research program into two ecosystem models that can be used to explore such scenarios in complementary ways. “Companies doing development often rely on expert opinion to assess risk,” says CSIRO research scientist Dr Beth Fulton. “Modelling can help play that out a bit more and give an indicator of the spread of effects, their magnitude and their geography. A model is like a flight simulator; you can learn as you go.” The ecosystem models are two of many decision-support tools developed over the course of the program to support management of the Bight. Along with the data, these tools are part of the program’s legacy. “Even if oil and gas production doesn’t eventuate,” says Tim Ward, “the Bight is still a valuable area. In that context, this is a really important study—the knowledge we now have, that didn’t exist before, is a strong base for understanding change over time.” 3 comments - Sounds like a great basis for a case for conservation through an extensive national park reserve - We don’t need more oil and gas. The Bight doesn’t need these industries affecting its ecology. There are now real alternatives to oil and gas in renewable energy sources. Oceans can’t continue to absorb CO2 without becoming more acidic. There are huge dead zones in the world’s seas and so it is extremely important to preserve biodiverse areas in as pristine condition as we are able.	https://ecos.csiro.au/great-australian-bight/
Knocking on wood in the deep sea: Sunken logs form diverse and dynamic habitats Food is scarce in the deep sea. Thus, morsels of organic matter sinking to the sea floor can form an important food source for many organisms and lead to the establishment of locally highly productive and diverse communities. Such large food falls can be kelp, wood or whale carcasses, for example. While they might only affect small areas of the sea floor, they occur quite frequently and supply large amounts of carbon at a particular time and place. Make your own food fall As large organic food falls occur sporadically and locally, they are hard to study. Thus, a team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven sank self-made food falls into the deep sea to enable them to study the organisms attracted by those morsels in great detail. “We prepared a number of wood logs, standardised in size and age, took them to the sea and deployed them at cold seep sites in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Norwegian Sea”, explains Petra Pop Ristova, first author of the study. Over a period of three years the logs were repeatedly sampled for their bacterial and larger faunal inhabitants. Subsequently they were retrieved from the sea floor for more detailed analyses in the framework of a joint research project between the Max Planck Society (MPG) and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) called DIWOOD. Constant change “We found that sunken logs are highly dynamic ecosystems”, Pop Ristova says. They are quickly colonised by a diverse community of organisms, starting with wood boring bivalves, which are essential for chewing the wood to small pieces. The wood community is not static but changes continuously. “For example, in the Eastern Mediterranean, different species of wood-boring bivalves succeeded each other, while the number of sipunculids, the so-called peanut worms, continuously increased.” At the same time, the bacterial community changed, with sulphate-reducers and sulphide-oxidisers increasing in proportion. Moreover, the scientists found that organisms nibbling at logs are not the same all over the ocean. “No other study has yet analysed standardised samples from different ocean regions to compare the succession of deep sea life”, says Pop Ristova. “Logs harboured different inhabitants depending on whether we deployed them in the cold Norwegian Sea or in the warm Mediterranean. Whether that is mainly due to the geographic setting or differing temperature, we can not yet resolve.” Chips off the old log The influence of wood falls is not restricted to the logs itself but expands to the surrounding sea floor. For example, sulphide production in the vicinity of the fall increases, accompanied by growing numbers of sulphate-reducers, the scientists report. However, this influence is restricted to a rather small area, extending only a few meters from the log. “This is clearly different from other large organic food falls such as whale carcasses”, says Antje Boetius, senior author of the study and group leader of the HGF-MPG Research Group for Deep Sea Ecology and Technology. “The impact of whale falls was shown to extend far beyond the carcass and last for several decades. Wood cellulose is much harder to degrade than lipids and proteins from a carcass and is carried out only by a few specialised organisms. Also, large mobile predators such as sharks and hagfish are not into wood – and even the wood boring bivalves totally depend on bacteria helping them to use wood as energy source.” From stone to stone, from log to log Nevertheless, the log falls do have a far-reaching impact: they serve as stepping stones for seep biota. Seeps and vents on the deep sea floor can lie hundreds of kilometres apart – a long way for bacteria and larvae of seep inhabitants to travel. “On wood falls, conditions favourable for these organisms develop at a certain stage. Thus, they can serve as a stop-over during dispersal”, says Pop Ristova. Hubs of productivity and biodiversity When large amounts of food become temporarily available in an otherwise food-deprived surrounding, prolific ecosystems develop that attract a highly adapted and opportunistic fauna. They promote the development of an ecosystem with one the highest species richness known from deep-sea habitats. While log falls might be harder to chew than large carcasses, they nevertheless play an important role for the surrounding ecosystem as hubs of biodiversity and as stepping stones for seep biota. Original publication Petra Pop Ristova, Christina Bienhold, Frank Wenzhöfer, Pamela E. Rossel and Antje Boetius: Temporal and spatial variations of bacterial and faunal communities associated with deep-sea wood falls. PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169906 Please direct your queries to Dr. Petra Pop Ristova Phone: +49 421 218 65966 E-Mail: pristova(at)marum.de Prof. Dr. Antje Boetius Phone: +49 421 2028 860 E-Mail: aboetius(at)mpi-bremen.de or the press office Dr. Fanni Aspetsberger Dr. Manfred Schlösser Phone: +49 421 2028 947 E-Mail: presse(at)mpi-bremen.de http://www.mpi-bremen.de http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169906 (Original publication in PLOS ONE Media Contact Alle Nachrichten aus der Kategorie: Life Sciences Articles and reports from the Life Sciences area deal with applied and basic research into modern biology, chemistry and human medicine. Valuable information can be found on a range of life sciences fields including bacteriology, biochemistry, bionics, bioinformatics, biophysics, biotechnology, genetics, geobotany, human biology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, zoology, bioinorganic chemistry, microchemistry and environmental chemistry.	https://www.innovations-report.com/life-sciences/knocking-on-wood-in-the-deep-sea-sunken-logs-form-diverse-and-dynamic-habitats/
Posted on NY Times DOT Earth: 26 Aug 2013 — By Andrew C. Revkin Britain’s Royal Society has published a helpful new collection of papers in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B that provide fresh insights on how the global buildup of carbon dioxide released by human activities could affect ocean ecology. The work adds to a growing body of science pointing to large changes, with some types of marine organisms and ecosystems seemingly able to adjust and even thrive, while others ail. And it’s quite clear that regions already heavily affected by other human activities (coastal pollution, overfishing, etc.) are — no surprise — likely to feel more stress from acidification. The nine new studies in the Royal Society journal provide valuable detail and find a mix of impacts. Experiments transplanting certain worms around a volcanic carbon dioxide vent in the sea floor near Naples show remarkable adaptability in these organisms, both through shifts in metabolism and genetics. A poles-to-tropics assay of sea urchins shows significant impacts on larvae. One study demonstrated that not all shifts in species’ prospects are the result of changing pH. Competition matters. In this analysis, mat-forming algae appeared to thrive in CO2-enriched marine conditions, to the detriment of corals and kelp (an echo of how some forests studies show vines thriving at the expense of trees). A year-long laboratory study of coccolithophores — an important type of phytoplankton — found they remained capable of forming their calcium carbonate skeletons even in warmer, more acidic water. The study, which propagated 700 generations of the diatoms, pointed out the value of longer-duration experiments. Most of the work is accessible only with a subscription but an excellent summary is provided in an overview paper written by the two scientists, Jasmin A. Godbold of University of Southampton and Piero Calosi of Plymouth University, who assembled the package of studies. A link to their overview is below, along with excerpts from university news releases on two of the papers. As Bryan Walsh summarized nicely in Time today, a separate review of existing research on marine animals in acidifying conditions, published on Sunday in Nature Climate Change, found uniformly negative impacts. It’s great to see this emerging body of work given that the oceans, despite occupying two thirds of Earth’s surface and showing signs of substantial change driven by the buildup of carbon dioxide emitted by human activities, have remained a secondary scientific focus. The vast majority of research in recent decades on the carbon dioxide buildup has been focused on the atmospheric impacts of the accumulating greenhouse-gas blanket even though the vast majority of the heated trapped by these gases has gone first into the seas — and the drop in seawater pH driven by CO2 has been a clear signal of substantial environmental change. In 2005, Britain’s Royal Society issued “Ocean acidification due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide,” a helpful report summarizing the state of knowledge at the time. Despite its climate-centric name and mission, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been focusing increasing attention on direct ocean impacts of carbon dioxide, most notably in an excellent 2011 report, “IPCC Workshop on Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biology and Ecosystems.” The workshop summarized the state of understanding, key uncertainties and next research steps on the shifting chemistry of the oceans and the impacts on species and ecosystems, with a focus on ecosystems of particular interest to humans. You’ll see fresh detail, and fresh questions, in the panel’s fifth assessment of climate science, which starts rolling out in late September. Please click here to read the overview of the newly published studies by Godbold and Calosi: “Ocean acidification and climate change: advances in ecology and evolution.” Here’s an excerpt from the San Francisco State University news release on the laboratory experiment with diatoms: A year-long experiment on tiny ocean organisms called coccolithophores suggests that the single-celled algae may still be able to grow their calcified shells even as oceans grow warmer and more acidic in Earth’s near future. The study stands in contrast to earlier studies suggesting that coccolithophores would fail to build strong shells in acidic waters. The world’s oceans are expected to become more acidic as human activities pump increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere.	https://c-can.info/2013/08/26/papers-find-mixed-impacts-on-ocean-species-from-rising-co2/
The central idea behind my work deals with our impermanent state of existence and how this drives humanity as a whole. Throughout life, we create connections between parent and child, human and animal, past and present, to add value to our existence. My artwork portrays this delicate balance between life and death, and how we can draw hope and beauty from it. By acknowledging that our time is limited here on earth, we are motivated to live life to the fullest, and let trivial pursuits subside. By reflecting the tangible things that evoke our memory once we are gone; my work offers a collection of nostalgia. These physical remnants serve as a reminder of how precious life is, and honors all things that pass. Impermanence. let trivial pursuits subside. About the Artist Originally from North Carolina, Kelsey Melville is a visual artist living and working in Seattle, WA. In 2010, she graduated from Appalachian State University, receiving a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramic Sculpture. Working with a variety of materials and processes, the central idea behind her work deals with human emotion, thought, experience and connection. As an avid traveler, Melville gains constant inspiration through the ever changing landscapes of our world. Melville has exhibited her work in galleries throughout the U.S., including; The North Carolina Museum of Art, Delurk Gallery, and Studio 103. Having moved to Seattle in July of 2016, Melville hopes to continue growing her artistic career and make an impact on the vibrant arts community in her new home. Thank you. for the constant support + encouragement.	https://www.kelseymelville.com/philosophy/
Bright, themed painting for the international art week in Israel ,2018. Also was performed the exhibition I Malevich, Shishkin I, I Monet in Grodno 2019. Published in local magazine "Grodno" for the month of April, 2019. The painting shows a donkey, a symbol of perseverance, strength, diligence and perseverance, Eternal companion and helper of the stranger. Characteristics of the artwork - item 20571 \|Originality:\|\|Original\| \|Year of manufacture:\|\|2018\| \|Applied technique:\|\|Acrylic\| \|Medium:\|\|Canvas\| \|Size:\|\|1 x 50 x 40 cm\| \|Framing:\|\|Without framing\| \|Style:\|\|Antique\| \|Genre:\|\|Portrait\| \|Shipping to:\|\|Within the country, Worldwide\| \|Payment method:\|\|Wire Transfer, Credit card, Cash\| \|Delivery method:\|\|Postal service, pickup by yourself\| \|Purchase returns:\|\|No return\| \|Category:\|\|Paintings\| About the artist Я ,художник-любитель, участница и победительница нескольких международных выставок. Посещала студию изо при университете им. Янки Купалы (г. Гродно), студию рисования Юлии и Владимира Региневич (г.Гродно), изо студию Александра Василевича. Посещаю мастер классы и лекции про искусство. Постоянная участница выставок. Exhibitions - 11.03.2019 Frequently asked questions - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the proposal site. - Transmit Your delivery address and click "Send" - The seller sends You a payment information. After receiving the payment, the seller will send the order to Your address with approval to the conditions. - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the artwork page. - Transmit Your proposed item price and Your delivery address, so the artist can determine the delivery price. - The artist makes an individual price proposal, including the delivery price. - Agree to the proposal and order the item.	https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot-gallery/view/maria-banachewicz-tramvaj-zemli-obetovannoj-20571
As a person who has always supported artists and smaller businesses I wanted to do an interview with a blogger, artist and a wonderful girl who always brightens up my day with her art, tweets and blog posts, Her name is Kelly she lives in the South West of England, her artwork has a witchy artist and illustrator style to it (she explains more about what her style of art is below). I have been speaking to Kelly on twitter a while now and her artwork is beautiful and unique. An interview with Kelly//MYFAIRPIXEL Have you always loved art? Yes, for as long as I can remember! I was that kid that was always drawing and telling everyone I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, haha. Even when my parents and teachers were trying to persuade me to aim for a more “academic” career I still had to keep my art classes for my own happiness. I’m glad I stuck by that because now I’m fortunate enough to be able to sell my artwork and be commissioned by wonderful people! Where does your inspiration come from? Oh so many places! There are all the wonderful people in the #cbloggers community who create amazing things, there are also some amazing tattoo artists that I follow on Instagram. Some of my other inspirations include Tarot cards, witchy culture & nature! What is your take on people using your art without your permission? It’s so tricky for me. I’m a very shy and quiet person so I’m not the best at standing up for myself, though I am improving! It has happened a couple of times on Instagram where I will see my artwork on other accounts without proper accreditation, I normally just comment on the post politely but sternly telling them to remove the image and letting them know why it’s wrong. The majority of people I have had to contact have been very apologetic and don’t do it again, so that makes me believe that they may be young and don’t know that it is wrong to do. Thankfully I haven’t had any of my artwork knowingly stolen by another person or company yet, and I sincerely hope that never happens. How important is art in your life? It’s gotten to a point now that I can’t imagine not having art in my life in some form or another. Being able to create my own artwork is the best feeling for me as it makes me proud and calms me down when I’m particularly stressed. I also love viewing and reading about other’s artwork or going to exhibitions and museums. What kind of style do you consider your art to be? Oh, I’m not entirely sure! Since I take inspiration from tattoos, engravings & witchy culture it has kinda become an amalgamation of all those things! Lots of beautiful dark ink, dot work & details! If you could give anyone advice on wanting to get better at art what would it be? The most overused advice in the world: to keep practicing, haha! It honestly is the best way to progress in any art form, the more you practice the better you will become. However, I also think that you need to self-reflect and evaluate your work all the time too! To ask yourself “What do I need to improve?” and “How have I improved since the last piece?”, this will help guide your practice into the direction you want to go and can act as a record for how far you’ve come! What is your favourite piece of artwork? Currently it’s my Lunar Hare illustration! It features a Hare, some bones and lots of geometric shapes & dot work. I was really pleased with how it all flowed together and how creepy but cute the Hare looks, haha! This illustration and a couple of my other favourite ones will be available as prints and on t-shirts soon too which I’m really excited for! Besides art, what are your other hobbies? I play a lot of video games on my computer (I may be slightly addicted to Stardew Valley right now haha!), and I watch a lot of Letsplays on YouTube & streamers on Twitch. I also collect Tarot and Oracle decks which I love to read with! If you could meet any artist who would it be and why? Oh it would definitely be Audra Auclair! She’s an amazing artist based in Canada who create the most beautiful artwork & illustrations on her YouTube channel. Not only do I really enjoy her artwork, I also think she’s a lovely person and we have a lot interests in common. It would be a dream come true to meet her one day! Check out her speedink video of one of her illustrations: Check Kelly out:	https://www.xgardenofedenx.co.uk/2016/03/an-interview-with-kellymyfairpixel.html
Using information to capture a moment from life. Can be taught by the classroom teacher or the arts education teacher or both. Harriet Tubman was a leading figure in the Underground Railroad movement. In this lesson, students are introduced to the “conductor” of the slavery freedom movement through a children’s book -- Harriet and the Promised Land – which was illustrated using the collage-style artwork of Jacob Lawrence. Using historical information from the book, students create original collage artwork about Tubman in the style of Lawrence. Obtain and review book: Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence. Students with vision challenges may need to view artwork on a monitor. 1. Play Experience Jacob Lawrence through Migration Series, a link for which may be found within the Resource Carousel. Skip the introduction, but you can include the sound. What is similar about these pieces of artwork? Why did the artist call this collection of artwork the Migration Series? How did you feel as you viewed this series of artwork? 1. Introduce the artist, Jacob Lawrence, to students by reading Story Painter: The Life of Jacob Lawrence by John Duggleby. 2. Explain that the Underground Railroad is the term given to a “secret migration” of escaped slaves from the south to the north. This is not the migration that Lawrence was depicting in his Migration Series, but it is the subject of some of Lawrence’s artwork. 3. Learn about the Underground Railroad and its “conductor,” Harriet Tubman, through the reading (or select sharing) of Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence. How is the artwork in this book similar to the slide show? What do you think Lawrence was trying to share with his viewers through this series of artwork? What new information did you learn about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad? 4. Explore the artistic style of collage. Explain that collage is an art style. It comes from the word coller, meaning to glue or to stick. In Lawrence’s work (and other collage artists’ work), layers of shapes, color, and other items are layered onto a single surface to create a multi-layered creation. In collage, such as that by Lawrence, there is often a background, middle ground, and foreground. Show a piece of artwork in Harriet and the Promised Land. Is the artwork composed using a vertical or horizontal layout and why? What is in the middle ground? What is in the foreground? How does the artist distinguish between these “grounds”? In what order do you think the artist places items onto the paper? How did he know where to place the items? What colors did Lawrence use? What story was Lawrence trying to tell with this collage illustration? 1. Create a Lawrence-type collage. Ask students to create a scene that depicts an aspect of Harriet Tubman’s life or journey. The scene should depict three or more “facts” about Tubman and her north-south journeys. Students can pull from information gained in the reading of Harriet and the Promised Land or from other Tubman lessons or past knowledge. For example, students may choose to show the North Star that guided her, rivers the slaves journeyed along or waded in, friends that housed the slaves along the way, or some of the dangers they encountered. Sketch a rough draft of the picture you will construct from cut paper. Pay careful attention to the size and placement of each object. Select a piece of construction paper and decide the orientation of your picture (landscape or portrait). Cut the main pieces first and decide on their placement. Cut and paste the background pieces. Experiment with the pieces that will make up the foreground and middle ground. Practice overlapping the pieces to create a sense of space or depth. Change the size and/or placement of the pieces as needed. Glue the middle ground and foreground objects. 1. Create a Jacob Lawrence classroom gallery. Display the artwork in the classroom or hallway. If possible, place Lawrence prints alongside student work. 2. Ask each student to serve as a docent (museum tour guide) and explain his or her artwork to the class on the tour. 3. Use the Assessment Rubric, located within the Resource Carousel, to assess students' performance.	https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-3-4/Harriet_Tubman_Illustrating_History
Andrew “Android” Jones is a U.S. visual artist. His art can be described as Electromineralism with an influence of Pop-Shamanism. He started his career with George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic, he also worked as a concept artist for the Japanese gaming company Nintendo. In my opinion his artwork has a psychedelic tendency infused with sacred geometry. His artwork is on multiple album covers including Beats Antique and Tipper. The uniqueness of his art is astounding and I look forward to his upcoming art projects. Brandon, thank you for reminding me of the artwork of Android Jones! The intense detail really catches my eye. Jones’s style is very similar to the art of CU’s own Derek Carpenter ( https://artofone.org/ ) – who can occasionally be seen in the EC lobby or Pearl Street working on an art piece.	http://www.aesdes.org/2019/01/28/aesthetic-exploration-android-jones/
Category: The artist creates contemporary pop art portraits and paintings. His style uses bold colors and expressionist brushstrokes to create artwork filled with passion and soul. He draws from his influence of his love of art, music and his travels. This is a modern wall art painting on a gallery wrapped canvas of the great Jimi Hendrix by this American artist. This is a very unique piece for your urban modern home wall.	https://www.delta-13.com/products/jimi-hendrix-canvas-oil-painting
Artwork can make a huge difference to the feel of your home, and getting it right is key. Not only is it an aesthetic consideration, but a lot of the time it is also an investment. With hundreds of styles of art available, with all kinds of genre and movements explored, knowing what is right for your home can be tricky – even if you feel yourself drawn to particular pieces. Choosing original art is a very personal decision, but there are also some universal considerations that you can make. Firstly, what type of art are you after – do you want it to be photography, sculpture or painting? If it is the latter, what sort of space are you seeking to fill and will it be able to hang appropriately? Size limitations can have a key influence on what you pick and whether the room can actually accommodate what you’re interested in buying. You need to have some free space around the artwork to allow it to breathe, and ensuring it is not in direct sunlight is also important in helping to maintain the quality of the piece. It is also important to look at the style of your surroundings. If your home is particularly modern and minimalist, a bold and colourful abstract piece such as “Cubist still life with vodka bottle” by Viktor Kaplan would look most appropriate. While in a traditional library space, 19th century still life paintings or “The worn leather chair (Errol’s chair)” by Stephen Rose would be particularly fitting – both in terms of the classic painting style but also the object in the artwork being similar to that found in a study. If you’re looking at purchasing an interior painting, such as “Interior in Overførstegaarden, Denmark” by Adolf Heinrich Hansen, it is important to consider whether the interior being shown within the picture complements the surroundings it will be held in. Are the colours and patterns flowing and cohesive? Is the style similar to that of your own home? Equally important as what the image contains is the background and context that surrounds it. Do you know much about the artist? It is often possible to find extensive biographical information, as shown with all our paintings, and this can play a key part in the value of a piece of artwork. How rare is the piece? Are there any other similar artworks around? How in-demand is the artist? Are they still alive? What are their other artworks valued at? Ultimately, whatever choice you make, it is about finding enjoyment in your chosen artwork – and regardless of anything else, knowing you love what you’ve picked is key. If you think you’ve found the piece for you in Mark Mitchell’s collection of 19th-21st century British & continental fine art or want to ask us more questions about any of our artists, contact us today. This entry was posted in Art Collection, Display. Bookmark the permalink.	https://www.markmitchellpaintings.com/blog/choosing-the-right-artwork-for-your-home/
Canvas/oil, 45х65см. A copy of Picasso's Weeping woman. Cubism,surrealism. Characteristics of the artwork - item 28488 \|Originality:\|\|Reproduction\| \|Year of manufacture:\|\|2020\| \|Applied technique:\|\|Oil\| \|Medium:\|\|Canvas\| \|Size:\|\|45 x 65 cm\| \|Framing:\|\|Without framing\| \|Style:\|\|Cubism\| \|Genre:\|\|Portrait\| \|Shipping to:\|\|Within the country, Worldwide\| \|Payment method:\|\|Wire Transfer, Credit card\| \|Delivery method:\|\|Postal service\| \|Purchase returns:\|\|No return\| \|Category:\|\|Paintings\| About the artist Художник любитель, живу в Украине! Frequently asked questions - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the proposal site. - Transmit Your delivery address and click "Send" - The seller sends You a payment information. After receiving the payment, the seller will send the order to Your address with approval to the conditions. - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the artwork page. - Transmit Your proposed item price and Your delivery address, so the artist can determine the delivery price. - The artist makes an individual price proposal, including the delivery price. - Agree to the proposal and order the item.	https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot-gallery/view/yevhenii-tsyganenko-placusaa-zensina-28488
I was inspired by the artist Malevich, and his picture is a black square, I wanted to express my worldviews and visions on the plane of a square canvas. The painting is painted with acrylics, coated with a protective varnish, signed by the author and has a certificate of authenticity without a frame, a gallery of stretch canvas. Characteristics of the artwork - item 25188 \|Originality:\|\|Original\| \|Year of manufacture:\|\|2019\| \|Applied technique:\|\|Acrylic\| \|Medium:\|\|Canvas\| \|Size:\|\|3 x 100 x 100 cm\| \|Framing:\|\|Without framing\| \|Style:\|\|Abstractionism\| \|Genre:\|\|Animalistic\| \|Shipping to:\|\|Within the country, Worldwide\| \|Payment method:\|\|Wire Transfer, Credit card\| \|Delivery method:\|\|Courier service\| \|Purchase returns:\|\|10 days\| \|Category:\|\|Paintings\| About the artist Живет и работает в Украине. Член Союза фотографов Украины. Занимается фотосъемкой абстрактной, обнаженной женской и мужской натуры. Участвовал в всесоюзных и международных фотоконкурсах и выставок .Имеет две персональные фото выставки в городе Запорожье Украина.Три фото работы представлены в городской художественной галерее в Акимовке Награды: синяя лента FIAP на Международном фотоконкурсе «С любовью к женщинам» (2011); Серебряная медаль 2-го международного салона Нови-Сада.В 2017 году удостоен золотой медали открытого национального фотоконкурса НЮ ART PHOTO 2017 Exhibitions - 08.03.2010 С любовью к Женщине, Запорожский фотоклуб, Запорожье Frequently asked questions - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the proposal site. - Transmit Your delivery address and click "Send" - The seller sends You a payment information. After receiving the payment, the seller will send the order to Your address with approval to the conditions. - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the artwork page. - Transmit Your proposed item price and Your delivery address, so the artist can determine the delivery price. - The artist makes an individual price proposal, including the delivery price. - Agree to the proposal and order the item.	https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot-gallery/view/igor-matviyenko-non-existent-geometry-no1-25188
To make AI art, you take a few billion images, puree them into a fine mathematical slurry, and then assemble new art from the flecks of expression and authorship floating in the mixture. This raises interesting copyright questions! Is AI Art like the first amoeba crawling forth from primordial ooze: something entirely new made from existing molecules? Or is it more like T2: a puddle reforming into essentially the same monster? This post digs into the Andersen v. Stability copyright lawsuit, and explains relevant aspects of copyright law and fair use, and also offers some commentary on the plaintiffs’ litigation strategy. Contents: AI Art Raises Three Big US Copyright Questions AI art generators sample billions of images to train their models. And these training images are often scraped right from the internet. This raises three big copyright questions: (1) Is the AI training input copyright infringement? Is it infringement to copy billions of images from the internet to train your AI? (2) Is the AI art output copyright infringement? Do the images created by the AI infringe the original art used in the training process? (3) Can the author of AI-generated art claim copyright ownership to that work of art? Does the guy who types in “seattle starry night” own the copyright to the resulting image? Andersen v. Stability (complaint here) is a case about the first two questions. There is also a crucial international aspect to this case. The LAION dataset used by Stability was created in Germany by the Machine Vision & Learning research group (CompVis) at LMU Munich. German law seems to explicitly allow copying for the purposes of creating AI training data. (discussed in English here). Did the relevant copying all take place in Germany? Is there a US copyright remedy for plaintiffs here? For now, I’ll assume the copying happened in the US, and use this complaint as an opportunity to discuss US copyright law. The Andersen v. Stability Copyright Complaint Sarah Andersen makes online comics. If you’ve ever been online, you’ve seen her art. Sarah, like many artists, is not happy that her art was used as part of a training data set for an AI art generator. So Sarah filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in federal court on January 13, 2023. The complaint accuses some AI companies (Stability AI, Midjourney, DeviantArt) of copyright infringement for scraping billions of images from the internet (including Sarah’s art) to train AI models. This is a complicated lawsuit. It’s a class action. It makes several types of legal claims. I’m going to focus on the copyright claims. Are Art Generators A 21st-Century Collage Tool? Plaintiffs’ complaint leads with its strongest fact: Stability downloaded or otherwise acquired copies of billions of copyrighted images without permission to create Stable Diffusion”. As you might expect, massive copying tends to be bad for a copyright defendant. Plaintiff builds this fact into its main theme: AI image generators are 21st century collage tools that violate the rights of millions of artists. In general, it is good to have a litigation theme, and the theme should help simplify complex technical and legal issues. However, there are two problems with this theme. Collages are often fair use. For example, both Blanch v. Koons (2nd Cir. 2006) and Carious v. Prince (2nd Cir. 2014) found that many types of collage art (made by humans) is fair use. So one argument the defendants might make in reply is “sure we make collages and that is very much allowed.” The theme also gets the technology wrong, or at least stretches the definition of “collage”. The machine learning model is not really like a collage. Is Copying An Artist’s Style Copyright Infringement? After discussing how copying art to train AI is bad, plaintiff argues that the AI output art is, itself, also bad: (5) These resulting derived images compete in the marketplace with the original images. Until now, when a purchaser seeks a new image “in the style” of a given artist, they must pay to commission or license an original image from that artist. Now, those purchasers can use the artist’s works contained in Stable Diffusion along with the artist’s name to generate new works in the artist’s style without compensating the artist at all. I’m sympathetic to the human artists here. But as a matter of copyright law, I don’t think you need to buy a license to make art in the style of another artist. Prof Ed Lee suggests that a style of art is copyrightable: “Case law does recognize that artistic style can be copyrighted” That is wrong, or perhaps imprecisely worded. A “style” isn’t copyrightable because it isn’t fixed in a tangible medium of expression. On the other hand, if you were to copy both the subject and the style of an artwork, that likely copyright infringement (e.g. draw Mickey Mouse in the style of Disney). But applying an artist’s famous style to a totally new subject may be fine. The question, as always, is whether the new art is “substantially similar” to the original art. An artist’s “style” is one aspect of that larger inquiry. The complaint here suggests that copying just the style of an artist, on its own, is infringement. To me, that seems like a stretch. Is Every AI Artwork A Derivative Work Of The Training Set? The owner of a copyright has the exclusive right to create derivative works. If you create a derivative work that is substantially similar to the original, then you are (probably) infringing. The Andersen complaint argues that anything an AI model spits out is a derivative work: (90) The resulting image is necessarily a derivative work, because it is generated exclusively from a combination of the conditioning data and the latent images, all of which are copies of copyrighted images. It is, in short, a 21st-century collage tool. This strikes me as wrong. Is a collage necessarily a derivative work? I don’t know. But I do know that several courts have looked at collages and found them non-infringing . At a minimum, a collage is not necessarily an infringing derivative work. Some More Difficult Facts For Plaintiffs This admission in paragraph 93 seems important: (93) In general, none of the Stable Diffusion output images provided in response to a particular Text Prompt is likely to be a close match for any speciﬁc image in the training data. This stands to reason: the use of conditioning data to interpolate multiple latent images means that the resulting hybrid image will not look exactly like any of the Training Images that have been copied into those latent images. A big part of copyright infringement is that the copy needs to look pretty similar to the original. If I were litigating a copyright case, I’d try pretty hard not to say “none of the pics here are really a close match”. On the other hand, a good lawyer will address a bad fact head on, and try to frame it in the best light possible. Perhaps that’s the strategy here. [update 1/31/2023] Some researchers suggest that AI diffusion models will output images that are very similar to the original training data. If I were plaintiffs’ counsel, I’d be pasting these image comparisons all over my complaint. Another difficult fact is addressed in paragraph 97: (97) A latent-diffusion system can only copy from latent images that are tagged with those terms. The system struggles with a Text Prompt like “a dog wearing a baseball cap while eating ice cream” because, though there are many photos of dogs, baseball caps, and ice cream among the Training Images, there are unlikely to be any Training Images that combine all three. (98) A human artist could illustrate this combination of items with ease. But a latent-diffusion system cannot because it can never exceed the limitations of its Training Images Part of the complaint here is that AI is stealing human jobs. More specifically, that AI is improperly copying art to make big datasets, and using those datasets to spit out art that previously required paying a human artist to make. Plaintiff is arguing that AI art output is only as good as the input image data in its training set. But at the same time, Plaintiff is contradicting its big theme by admitting that AI is not a good substitute for human art. The complaint shows this image as an example of how bad AI is at drawing “a dog wearing a baseball cap while eating ice cream”. Obviously, I fired up Midjourney and punched in “a dog wearing a baseball cap while eating ice cream”. I immediately got this good boy (12/10): Anyway, the complaint ends this section with a good catchphrase: (100) Though the rapid success of Stable Diffusion has been partly reliant on a great leap forward in computer science, it has been even more reliant on a great leap forward in appropriating copyrighted images. The Defense: Transformative Use Is Fair Use Defendants will likely argue that copying a huge image dataset is “transformative use” and therefore not infringing. For example, google famously copied every book, and then successfully argued this was a “transformative use”. Authors Guild v. Google (2nd Cir. 2015). The court held: Google’s making of a digital copy to provide a search function is a transformative use, which augments public knowledge by making available information about Plaintiffs’ books without providing the public with a substantial substitute for matter protected by the Plaintiffs’ copyright interests in the original works or derivatives of them. The Stability defendants might argue roughly the same thing. They are just making digital copies of billions of images to augment the public knowledge, and not create a substitute for the original artworks. Plaintiffs will argue that AI art generators are absolutely creating substitutes! And Plaintiffs can cite to a handful of recent cases for support: AP v. Meltwater and Fox News v. TVEyes. In both of these cases, the defendants copied plaintiffs news articles (or videos) to create searchable databases. Both courts decided that creating this type of search engine is not a transformative use; it’s a direct substitute for the original news product. That is, people were buying the search engine instead of buying the original news from AP or Fox. The Plaintiffs in our AI case will argue the same thing: these AI art generators are not transformative, they are creating art that is a direct substitute for the original human artist’s work. The “transformative use” issue is the heart of the debate. Professor Mark Lemley recently argued that copying data for use in machine learning data sets is (or at least should be) fair use. However, Lemley notes that the more the AI output tends to substitute for the original art, the weaker the fair use argument becomes. Defendants will also lean on a 1992 case called Sega v. Accolade. In that case, Accolade copied some Sega code to they could build video games compatible with the Sega Genesis. Sega sued, and Accolade argued that it only copied the code as an “intermediate step” to understand the unprotectable “ideas and functional elements” of the code. (Copyright does not protect ideas and facts). The court agreed, and ruled this type of copying was fair use. Copying something as an “intermediate step” to access the unprotectable ideas and functional elements is fair use. Defendants will argue that this is exactly what they are doing: copying billions of images is an intermediate step - running them through a machine learning model to extract the unprotectable ideas. They are only copying a picture of a tree to understand the idea of a tree. Plaintiffs will argue the reverse: that AI models don’t just copy ideas, they copy artistic expression. Plaintiffs have a good argument here, since the output of these models appear to be artistic expression. On balance, I think the AI defendant’s have a slightly stronger argument. Copying art to create an AI training data corpus seems like fair use. But it’s a close call, and there are still a lot of facts and legal issues to hash out. Please tweet questions at me, and I’ll try to update this post to clarify any confusing points. @ericladler. Some links Links that tend to favor Plaintiffs’ (human artist’s) position: Plaintiffs’ summary of the case Artist Sarah Andersen’s tweet on the subject of AI art. Sarah explains why she’s unhappy with AI models copying her art style. Invasive Diffusion: How one unwilling illustrator found herself turned into an AI model, Andy Baio, Nov 2022. Links that tend to favor Defendant’s (AI models) position: Artists file class-action lawsuit against Stability AI. by Andres Guadamuz, January 15, 2023. This is an excellent summary of the complaint, with a focus on the technology issues. Guadamuz thinks the Complaint makes some important mistakes in their description of the machine learning technology. Fair Learning, by Mark Lemley and Bryan Casey, Texas Law Review, 2021. The law professors argue that fair use should be expanded to allow most types of data collection for training machine learning models. Artists Attack AI: Why The New Lawsuit Goes Too Far, by Aaron Moss, Jan 23, 2023. Using AI Artwork to Avoid Copyright Infringement, by Aaron Moss, October 24, 2022. Some more links The scary truth about AI copyright is nobody knows what will happen next, James Vincent for TheVerge, Nov 2022. The Trial of AI: preliminary thoughts on the copyright claims in Sarah Andersen v. Stability AI, Midjourney + DeviantArt by Prof. Ed Lee, 2023. Copyright Infringement in AI-Generated Artworks, by Jessica Gillotte, 2020. A student note discusses several relevant copyright topics.	http://pnwstartuplawyer.com/copyright-infringement-in-ai-art/
A self-portrait. The evening after visiting the exhibition of Frida Kahlo. Frida and the fire in Notre Dame de Paris live. Characteristics of the artwork - item 28234 \|Originality:\|\|Original\| \|Year of manufacture:\|\|2019\| \|Applied technique:\|\|Oil\| \|Medium:\|\|Canvas\| \|Size:\|\|35 x 50 cm\| \|Framing:\|\|Without framing\| \|Style:\|\|Postmodern\| \|Genre:\|\|Portrait\| \|Shipping to:\|\|Worldwide\| \|Payment method:\|\|Wire Transfer, Credit card, Cash\| \|Delivery method:\|\|Postal service, Courier service, pickup by yourself\| \|Purchase returns:\|\|No return\| \|Category:\|\|Paintings\| About the artist Я люблю готику и европейское искусство рубежа XIX-XX веков. Занимаюсь живописью и графикой. Любимый жанр - портрет. Exhibitions - 0.0. Frequently asked questions - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the proposal site. - Transmit Your delivery address and click "Send" - The seller sends You a payment information. After receiving the payment, the seller will send the order to Your address with approval to the conditions. - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the artwork page. - Transmit Your proposed item price and Your delivery address, so the artist can determine the delivery price. - The artist makes an individual price proposal, including the delivery price. - Agree to the proposal and order the item.	https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot-gallery/view/anastasiia-kirillova-moj-vecernij-caj-15-aprela-28234
About The Artist Hi, I'm Samm! As an animal lover and an artist, I combine my two biggest passions to create a vibrant and whimsical style of art. Creating a fun spin-off of the actual likeness of a furry (or scaly, or feathery) friend with a paintbrush, I have developed my own style of painting, and enjoy working on a variety of surfaces included repurposed materials. In addition to creating artwork, I am passionate about fundraising for local animal organizations in our community. A portion of all my art proceeds are donated towards my fundraising efforts, which are charity painting parties I call "Painting with a Pit". Some causes I am most passionate about include animal rescue, wildlife conservation, veganism, and advocating for pit bulls and bully breeds that get a bad rap. You'll often find these themes throughout my art! In addition to being an artist full-time, I assist with monarch butterfly research seasonally throughout the year, teach painting classes, and volunteer with my local animal shelter and rescues. I currently have my art displayed in a variety of shops, restaurants and galleries around Florida. I exhibit and sell my work at several art shows, festivals and markets in addition to selling online on Etsy. My specialty though, is commissioned artwork and custom pet portraits.	https://wehman.wixsite.com/customanimalartwork/samm-wehman
The early years of an artist’s development are often spent hammering out basic foundation skills. These will serve as the core of all that they create. During this time, the artist should not be terribly preoccupied with questions of style, vision, direction, brand, etc. We have to stand before we walk and bypassing the basics rarely does anybody any good in the long term. Of course, it’s the style and vision of other artists which inspired most of us to become artists in the first place, so the temptation to follow in those footsteps (with or without doing the necessary prep work) is always lingering. I feel it’s because of this that artists, developing artists in particular, look for a voice by imitating the voices of others. To what degree this is done varies, but I’m certain we‘ve all done it. In the beginning, we admire the work of our idols and in some way wish to emulate that work, just as they did with their own idols. We strive to accomplish what our heroes have accomplished and to follow their aesthetic footsteps. Now, there is no doubt that much can be learned from our heroes and peers, but at some point every artist must put the imitation aside and find their own path. Otherwise, you become a clone. It is the failure to move past one’s key influences that results in clones, and the clone is always inferior to the original because they are content to imitate rather than risking to innovate. Ultimately, I feel it is the goal of the artist to create what has not been created before. As an illustrator, it is also in your best interest to cultivate a compelling and unique aesthetic which separates you from the herd. These are both tremendously daunting tasks, which is exactly what makes them important. Only the very best will achieve these goals (though if the first is truly achievable is up for debate) though simply attempting them makes us all better. Among the most frequently asked questions of the aspiring visual artist, I would expect to find “how do I develop my style” near the top of the list. The answer I typically give is to not worry about finding your style because once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of drawing, light and shadow, perspective, color, anatomy, and/or any number of other technical skills required, your style has more than likely found you. Style is nothing more than the sum of your intentions and you limitations. You have a vision and execute it to the best of your ability. Once your skill is at a high enough level to yield consistently satisfying results, you will be producing work with a consistent and recognizable style to it. This is because you are always pitting what you want to create against what you are able to create and style is where the two meet. Over time you reinforce your habits and learn to control your weaknesses so that they all cooperate and result in something uniquely “you”. You could also look at style as the specific points in which one’s images depart from “reality“, however I still feel those are the direct result of your intent and shortcomings uniting. Regardless of one’s level of skill, some aspects will forever be outside our control. When young artists wish to jump the line and adopt the style of more experienced artists, they are really only imitating that artist’s shortcomings mingled with creative choices which they may or may not fully understand. In developing our abilities as artists (and in turn our individual style), the side of this which we pay the most attention to is developing skill to limit our flaws. This is fairly academic work and quite left-brained, made up primarily of repetitive practice and study of whatever subjects we are lacking in. It’s tremendously important, but not tremendously exciting. Oh sure, the idea of it might be attractive because of the potential reward, but the execution is long, slow, and trying. The other side of the style coin, however, is our intent. What we mean to do with our skill. This is often made up from the influence of other artists and it is what drives us to improve just as it inspired us to begin. This side is very right-brained. It’s made up of creative thought, problem solving, and a desire to communicate. Any artist of quality must train both of these areas. You need to know how to speak and also have something interesting to say. The artist lacking in technical ability often overestimates the value of their creative ideas. A painter not yet capable of successfully translating those ideas into images can’t advance them or improve them. For this reason, the focus is placed first on developing those technical abilities and this is wise because it’s a long and difficult process. Somewhere along the road, however, one has to begin consciously developing their creative intent as well. When and in what balance I don’t know, but at some point it becomes necessary. As I’ve said, most of us begin with imitation. This is the starting point and I feel it stays with us longer than we realize. It hangs out in the back of our minds so long that we don’t notice it anymore. As our skill muscle grows, we will naturally begin to branch out and begin stirring our intent muscles. We become exposed to new ideas which filter in to our intent. It is totally possible to develop a fairly independent style through natural evolution and progression. Left alone without conscious improvement, however, this can stagnate. I feel this (even more than perceived market demand) is why there is so much sameness in genre illustration. Not amongst those leading the field, but for those trying to break in or struggling to keep up. Left alone, the intent muscle is still focused on creating what has already been created in ways which have already been done time and time again. That said, I do feel that one can and should guide their own style by following the stars of others. One can hardly blame an artist for aping their predecessors. Being the spark that set us in motion, the last thing which I’d suggest is to shut out, suppress, or ignore your influences. They are beacons helping to point you towards your own path. What I propose instead is to begin looking at your influences from a new direction. For most of our lives, we’ve focused our attention on what it was that our idols did which excited and inspired us. Now it’s time to look at where they fall short. This is the opportunity for us to elevate ourselves. This is the way which we will find our vision: that elusive unique aesthetic which we struggle towards. We probably don’t yet know exactly what it is, not really, but deep down we have an inkling and ultimately wish to bring it into the light. An artist may spend their entire life chasing it, trying to realize it and know it. This chase is what I feel drives innovators and exceptional creators forward. I propose this exercise to help in finding your vision: Choose a handful of artists which you feel the most excited and inspired by. The ones who’s general body of work resonates strongest as the pieces you wish you had made. Think about what makes these artists unique and strong. Look at what is similar between them. Remember why you love them. So far this is essentially the same as gathering an influence map, but the next bit is where things can get interesting. Now, one by one, find where your influences are lacking. This is not to say find where they have failed, because you’re not necessarily looking for errors or technical weakness. Rather, find where they have made creative and technical choices which do not quite satisfy you. Think about what you would have rather they had done instead. Where did they go too far? Where did they not go far enough? What is it that is missing? Don’t be afraid to nitpick. Now look at your own work and ask yourself: are you supplying the missing elements? This is not arrogance, but rather a way of using their work as a mirror to compare our own. It also means acknowledging that our goals may not be (and in fact almost certainly are not) identical to those of our heroes. The choices they made were their choices, so we quite likely do not agree with all of them. Looking beyond your admiration and focusing on what could make your favorite art even better to you will help bring your own vision that much closer to the surface. Then, when you are working on your next piece, ask yourself: how well is this satisfying my vision? In what ways can I improve that? As a freelance illustrator, David Palumbo has provided genre themed artwork for everything from book covers and collectible card games, to advertisements and concept design. His work has received multiple honors including several Spectrum medals and a Chesley award and has shown in galleries and exhibitions from New York to Paris.David Palumbo is represented by Richard Solomon Artist's Representative.Clients include: Ace Books, Blizzard Entertainment, Dark Horse Comics, Daw Books, Heavy Metal, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone Italia, Scholastic, Science Fiction Book Club, Simon and Schuster, Scientific American, Tor Books, VH1 and Wizards of the Coast, amongst many others. So good, so important. Well done. My style ran away, still can't find it. Looked everywhere. Really good Dave even the second time. Direction and artistic voice happens to be a topic of discussion in my head as of late. I spoke with a gallery owner recently and he loves my work but asked “Where is it that you want to go with your work?” Your article is great food for thought. This post really means something to me. Developing skills has been really difficult for me the past few months. It's reassuring that this process is grueling for others as well. This is an absolutely fantastic article, and it really inspires. Thank you for sharing this with us! This sounds like a rewarding way of looking at others work. I'm kind of excited to rummage through my favorite Spectrum volumes with this new set of lenses and see what I can find out about myself. Wonderful advice. Wow, Muddy Colors is always informative but this is something I really needed to hear today. This is such a great post and the last paragraph suggestion is especially helpful. Thanks so much, Dave!	http://www.muddycolors.com/2014/06/honing-your-vision-ruminations-on-style-development-and-moving-beyond-your-influences/
The work is written from nature at night walks. Love the courtyard of the Petrograd side! By the way ,it was filming Sherlock Holmes! Characteristics of the artwork - item 31134 \|Originality:\|\|Original\| \|Year of manufacture:\|\|2020\| \|Applied technique:\|\|Oil\| \|Medium:\|\|Canvas\| \|Size:\|\|18 x 3 x 24 cm\| \|Framing:\|\|Without framing\| \|Style:\|\|Expressionist\| \|Genre:\|\|Landscape\| \|Shipping to:\|\|Only around the city, Within the country\| \|Payment method:\|\|Wire Transfer, Credit card, Cash\| \|Delivery method:\|\|Postal service, pickup by yourself\| \|Purchase returns:\|\|No return\| \|Category:\|\|Paintings\| \|Object type:\|\|Design Painting\| About the artist Родилась в Ленинграде. С детства посещала художественную школу 1. Решила стать художником в детстве. В 24 года поступила в художественную академию- осознанно. Первая выставка прошла в " Чайном домике " Летнего сада в 2000 году,потом выставлялась в Манеже на ежегодных выставках современный художников. Выставочную деятельность веду активно. Работы покупают и радуют своего зрителя. Люблю своё дело и горжусь им. Exhibitions - 23.03.2019 , Fossart, Г. Спб, ул.Большая морская, 18 Frequently asked questions - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the proposal site. - Transmit Your delivery address and click "Send" - The seller sends You a payment information. After receiving the payment, the seller will send the order to Your address with approval to the conditions. - Click the button "Contact the artist" on the artwork page. - Transmit Your proposed item price and Your delivery address, so the artist can determine the delivery price. - The artist makes an individual price proposal, including the delivery price. - Agree to the proposal and order the item.	https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot-gallery/view/mariia-kazak-lubimyj-dvorik-31134
ImpressionismImpressionism was an art style that marked the beginning of the Modernism movement and the start of the breaking of traditional conventions of global art. Impressionism's core was about creating an atmosphere quickly and experimenting with the effects of light or exposure to light and movement. Impressionism started and was very popular in Europe, particularly France where the painters Claude Monet and Edgar Degas originated - who are wellknown for there contribution to Impressionism. - 'Impression, Sunrise' - Claude Monet - Intentions were to capture beauty, modern life and light. - Contains typical Monet technique of very loose brushstrokes to form a suggestion of mist and the experimentation of light and making it the subject of the artwork. -Artwork delivered fantastically by the audience and the term 'Impressionism' came from title of the artwork. - 'The Dance Class' - Edgar Degas - One of Degas' most ambitious figural compositions. There is no one focal point and the view point is oblique, which symbolises that the artist was attempting to simply capture a mundane moment and turn it into something beautiful. - Artwork is very personal to the artist - Degas inspired people to capture snatched moments and develop mastery of movement, colour and line. - Period: to Post-ImpressionismPost-Impressionism is the term used to describe the style of art after Manet, a French painter, and the style is very similar however it was more pointedly emphasizing geometric forms and more bold and distorted images that had no real subject matter. Important artists from the Post-Impressionism period were Vincent Van Gogh and Georges Pierre-Seurat. - 'Bathers at Asnières' - Georges Pierre Seurat - Monumental scale, long period of time to create the work, and meticulous detail of the artwork (pointillism) shows how personal it was to Seurat. - Picture was not widely acclaimed until many years after Seurat's death, and was rejected by the gallery he tried to enter it into. - One of the most important artworks of Modernism, shows the invention of pointillism - lots of little dots to create colours being mixed together as your eye is further away. - 'The Starry Night' - Vincent Van Gogh - Van Gogh's most popular piece. Was greatly delivered by worldwide audience and considered his best work. - Artist painted the artwork from memory during the day, and was not as happy with it as the people surrounding him. He felt it lacked individual intention and 'feeling in the lines'. - Depicts the view from his New York apartment window and the magic it created in the atmosphere because of the small, meticulous brushstrokes. - 'The Scream' - Edvard Munch - A very popular and well known artwork and considered an icon of modern art - and a target of many high-profile art thefts. - Depicts a frightful experience of his youth in which he had a vision where the air turned red and an endless scream rang in his ears. -Artwork expresses stress, anxiety and personal tragedies he has experienced. - It is very popular in modern culture and parodied, imitated and copied in art, literature, film, television and other aspects of society. - Period: to FauvismFauvism was a short-lived however very effective art movement lead by French artists Henri Matisse and Andre Derain. These artists further rebelled against the conventions of traditional artworks and used bold colour and harsh brushstrokes to create expressive images that would go down in history. - 'The Green Stripe' - Henri Matisse - Picture of Matisse's wife in which he uses simply colour alone to express the image. - Expresses the rebelling of traditional conventions of art as the green strip acts as an artificial shadow line, dividing the face into a cool and warm side (breakdown of shapes). Colour and brushstrokes both create great artistic drama. - Deliberate crudeness of the painting made it one of the most controversial paintings of the gallery it was on display in. - 'Big Ben' - Andre Derain - Brushstrokes made to distort reality and create an impression of the landscape, but still make it bold and beautiful. - Creates an exciting mood from the bright, contrasting colours and the use of all the space on the canvas - 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon' - Pablo Picasso - Very confronting and bold image of five prostitues in Barcelona with disturbing faces and masculine qualities. - Wellknown artwork and one of Picasso's most popular because of the controversy it caused - first deemed immoral and scandalous. - A lot of effort and time put into the final work. Picasso had hundreds of sketches before his final piece and many influences such as African tribal masks (which are seen on two of the girls) and Iberian sculpture. - Two dimensional and simplified. - Period: to ExpressionismExpressionism was a movement that wanted to develop a style with greater emotional force that effected the audience in a greater way - through emotion. Expressionism began in Germany before the outbreak of WWI and used techniques such as discordant colours and distorted shapes to relate to the intensity of the artist's feelings. Significant artists of this period include Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Edvard Munch. - Period: to CubismPablo Picasso and Georges Braque were the main leaders and founders of the art movement Cubism of the early twentieth century. Cubism effected all aspects of culture and art and was essentially the idea of taking objects or visual pictures, breaking them down and reassembling them to a simplified, abstract geometric form. A lot of influence of the Cubism style came from former Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne who was also known for his planes of colour and small brushstrokes of Cubism. - Period: to FuturismFuturism was an exciting and glorious movement obsessed with the beauty of speed and concets of the future, for example noise, technology, youth and cities. The Futurists explored every medium of art and aimed at eliminating the basic symmetry of traditional culture by using agitated lines and irregular paintings. Prominent Futurist artists include Italians Carlos Carra and Umberto Boccioni. - 'Vioin and Candlestick' - Georges Braque - Fragmentation and flattening of the objects in the painting make the artist feel closer and more aware of the work. - Outcome of Braque's desire to create an illusion in the viewer's mind and allow them to move freely within the painting. - Well received by the audience and influenced artists to take styles such as Cubism even further. - 'The Funeral of the Anarchist Galli' - Carlos Carra - Painting depicts a scene of a funeral of anarchist Angelo Galli, whom was murdered by police. The funeral turned into a forceful, violent protest as the Italian state were afraid of mourning anarchists being let in. - Picture depicts the tension and chaos of the scene, exoressed through the contrasting and bold colours and obvious movement of the bodies. - Image is from particular viewpoint of the ground to capture the motif of black flags swirling in the sky. - 'Unique Forms of Continuity in Space' - Umberto Boccioni - Expression of movement and fluidity - Intention of Boccioni was to portray speed, forceful dynamism and synthetic continuity. This is achieved by the fluid form of the angle of the human form. - Has had influences on modern day society including music and art, and the image of the artwork made it's way onto the Italian 20-cent euro coin. - Period: to DadaDada was a movement that began due to the horrors of WWI and lay the foundations of Surrealism abstract art. Dada created an anti-war and anti-bourgeois community among art, literature, music and other aspects of society, and its leading pioneers in visual arts were Marcel Duchamp and Max Ernst. Dada art is whimsical, colourful, wittily sarcastic and satirical and in some cases silly, and was created to provoke emotion from the audience. - 'Self Portrait as a Soldier' - Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Depicts the artist after his nervous breakdown and subsequent dismisal from the military service. Shows his psychological and physical suffering. - Used dominiative, bold red colours and harsh, visible strokes, whose aggressive impact is further expressed through their contrast on the soldier's blue uniform. - Deliberately raw and shocking. - 'Black Circle' - Kazimir Malevich - Depicts a monumental perfect circle floating on a flat white background - pure abstraction and geometric shapes. - Malevich intended to create new icons of modern art through these kinds of artworks and wanted to free art from the ballast of the objective world. - The work was well received and was displayed in the St. Petersburg exhibition along with 34 of his other abstract works. - Audience identified with it saying it was utterly selfless and anonymous yet distinct. - Period: to SuprematismSuprematism was an art style invented by Russian artist Kazimir Malevich and was one of the earliest forms of abstract art. It focussed on geometric shapes and motifs such as the circle, square, rectangle and cross and block colours. Texture was also an essential quality to this movement, and the art was based upon 'pure artistic feeling'. Another key artist of this period was El Lissitzky. - 'Compostition VII (The Three Graces)' - Theo van Doesburg - Wanted to place the concept of a utopian society into an artwork. - Resulted in an image of irreducible forms that disrupts the usual distance between background and foreground, creating a unified and self-contained work of art in which all elements are independent. - Heavily influenced by the geometric forms created by Piet Mondrian. - Artworks of Doesburg has influenced all parts of modern day society, nameingly furniture and architecture. - 'Fountain' - Marcel Duchamp - Manufactured urinal signed and placed in an exhibition. - Influenced and shocked the world around Duchamp and made people think about what art really was. - Intention of Duchamo was to express that art did not ahve to be aesthetically pleasing or restrained, it was simply about capturing the audience's eye with a new idea or expressing your inner self. - Has influenced modern society as we know it today, creating new ideas everywhere in literature, art, film, television, architecture and more. - Period: to Neo-PlasticismAlso known as De Stijl (Dutch for 'The Style'), Neo-plasticism was a Dutch artistic movement, whose essential artists were Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian. De Stijl's main cultural idea was utopia and spiritual harmony by taking the world and futher abstracting and simplifying it to basic, geometric forms and primary forms - the new plastic art. Neo-plasticism can be found in everyday art such as furniture, architecture and even visual art such as painting. - 'Beat The Whites With The Red Wedge' - El Lissitzky - Lithographic Soviet propoganda poster. - Motif of the red wedge symbolizes the bolsheviks, penetrating and defeating their opponents during the civil war. -Image has been used often in modern day society - simplified and used in posters, music album covers, television shows and logos. - Period: to SurrealismA cultural movement in art and literature, that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious ming and express the imagination as revealed in dreams, free of the conscious control of reason and convention. This style was largely influenced by neurologist Sigmund Freud's theory of the unconscious, and its main artists were Salvador Dalí and René Magritte. These painters were wellknown for their striking and bizarre images which affected many aspects of society. - 'Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow' - Piet Mondrian - Alternative to Mondrian's other pieces as it contains a large block of colour, adding brightness to the image. Demonstrates his focus on simplicity and and deep understanding of contrast and composition. - Works of Mondrian's have impacted parts of society such as architecture, fashion designers and music. - 'The Persistence of Memory' - Salvador Dalí - Salvador Dalí's most recognisable work and frequently referenced in popular culture. - The image contains all of Dalí's ideaologies and motifs - time, decay, unconscious, fear and the unreachable. - Intention of Dalí was to release his unconscious mind to create representations of his dreams, which is the main characteristic of this artwork. - Has inspired many modern artists and been described as a curious blend of reality and fantasy. - 'L'ange Du Foyer' - Max Ernst - Vivid creature in a moment of joyous expression. Bursts of colour and extremely confronting and disturbing image. - Intention to express the motif of a terrifying human creature. - Ernst wanted to have a deep impact on the audience and capture their eye and stem the flow of imagery from his spontaneous unconscious mind. - Juxtaposition and contrast of the colours such as the deep blue, magenta and sickly green express the horror of the creature and feelings inside the artist. - 'Zebra' - Victor Vasarely - Made up entirely of black stripes curved in a way to give a three-dimensional impression of zebras. - The artwork that influenced Vasarely to create more Op Art adn dubbed him the father of the movement. - Artwork impacted artists internationally to create Op Art of larger scales and take it to the next level. - Experimentation of perspective, shadow and light. - Period: to Op ArtAlso known as Optical Art, Op Art is an image which contains a optical illusion and was an idea originated in Germany and most popular during the late 1960's. Many of these pieces of art were black and white and would spin when the image is remaining still or contained and unexpected image hidden in lines or dots. Two prominent artists of this time period were Victor Vasarley - dubbed the father of Op Art - and Bridget Riley - one of the earliest Op Artists. - Period: to Abstract ExpressionismAbstract Expressionism is also considered 'action painting' because of the broad movements and energy that goes into creating the artworks. The most prominents artist of this style were Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. These artists used extremely large canes and energy to express their inner self and used different style such as the 'drip techinque', violent brushstrokes, splattering of paint and fields of colour. - 'No.5' - Jackson Pollock - Painted onto fiberboard with drips of painted, creating a nest like effect and texture. - Clear example of his invention of the drip technique - Intention of Pollock was to grab the audience's attention and drag them into the painting with every inch of the canvas and the small found objets embedded into the paint. - 'Woman III' - Willem De Kooning - One of a series of 6 paintings where the central theme was of a woman. - Extremely confronting with harsh lines and dreary colours, showing the woman not exactly in a feminine light. - Received some criticism and was not allowed in exhibitions for a long while due to strict regulations and what the image depicted. - Went on to become the 2nd most expensive painting of all time and has had much influence on other art movements and artists. - Period: to Pop ArtThe most wellknown artists of Pop Art were Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. It emerged in the mid-1950's and was the most prominent art movement that focussed on challenging the traditional conventions of art and questioning what art really is. It incorporated aspects of popular culture and found objects into its artworks and uses irony, humour, text, captions and much incongruency to express itself. - 'Movement in Squares' - Bridget Riley - The key principle of the artwork is visual disturbance. - Intention of Riley was to express stabilities and instabilities, certainties and uncertainties. - Emotional resonance with Riley. - 'Campbell's Soup Cans' - Andy Warhol - One of the most popular images of the art period and the essence of Pop Art and of Warhol. - Warhol intended to break the conventions of traditional and fine art and including imagery from popular culture. - Grew very large in the United States. - The commercial subject of the artwork initially caused offence to society and was seen as poking fun at art and a direct affrontation of the style of abstract expressionism. - Wanted to express great liking to modern culture. - 'Drowning Girl' - Roy Lichtenstein - Painting is representative of Lichtenstein's affinity for single-frame drama that reduces the viewer's ability to identify with the artwork and that abstracts emotion. - Involves Ben Ray Dots, which is distinctly related to comic books and the style of the artwork. - Highlights cliched melodrama, and therefore is also related to newspapers and magazines. - Artwork was received very well even when Pop Art was receiving criticism, and the artwork was described as a broad and powerful painting. - 'The Son of Man' - René Magritte - Intended as a self portrait. - Magritte quoted that 'Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see', referring to the hovering green apple. - Painting is expressing Magritte's intense feelings. -Is very prominent in popluar culture and motif in many films and television shows.	https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/modernism--19
Naoya Otani is an artist who creates concrete representation using realistic painting techniques. Painting techniques are considered as tools for expression. Still lifes, landscape paintings, and occasionally sculptures are created on a support, and these artwork are born through various means. As a rule of thumb of an artist, he would always take reference from a motif when he’s painting. Therefore, the artist’s unique viewpoints are densely accumulated into his artwork, which cannot be found in media such as photographs. There is no need for a concept or style shared by all his artworks. Themes are decided for and implemented into each individual artwork, making it possible to experience different moods in the different exhibition. In still lifes, which is the artist’s strong suit, textures of motifs were selected from what we can easily find in our daily lives. The impressions given by the artwork are different from what the motif source texture would give, and this allows the artwork to create its own unique space. These spaces are unrealistic, but real spaces exist as an unrecognizable reality through the hands of the artist himself in the mystery-filled still lifes without any falsehood. Before such artwork, viewers cannot look at them as mere depiction and this creates a filter between the viewers and the artist. New possibilities are always being created by the expressions from the manipulated thinking of the viewers. Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing artworks. In the case that you’d like to see actual artworks at the gallery, please contact us in advance.	https://yyartpoint.wixsite.com/ap-china/artist-c
Moral relativism is a philosophical doctrine which claims that moral or ethical theses do not reveal unqualified and complete moral truths (Pojman, 1998). However, it formulates claims comparative to social, historical, and cultural, or individual preferences. Moreover, moral relativism recommends that no particular standard or criterion exists by which to evaluate and analyze the truthfulness of a certain ethical thesis. Relativistic standpoints repeatedly see moral values as valid only within definite cultural limitations or in the framework of personal preferences. An intense relativist stance might imply that assessing the moral or ethical decisions or acts of other individuals or group of individuals does not contain any value, still most relativists bring forward a more inadequate account of the theory. On the other hand, moral relativism is most commonly mistake as correspondence to moral pluralism/value pluralism. Moral pluralism recognizes the co-existence of contrasting and divergent ideas and practices yet it does not entail yielding them the same authority. Moral relativism, quite the opposite, argues that differing moral standpoints do not contain truth-value. At the same time, it suggests that no ideal standard of reference that is available by which to evaluate them (Pojman, 1998). History traces relativist principles and doctrines more than some thousand years ago. The claim by Protagoras that man is the measure of all things marks a premature philosophical antecedent to modern relativism (Pojman, 1998). Furthermore, Herodotus, a Greek historian, viewed that every society looks upon its own belief system and means of performing their functions as the finest, in comparison to that of others. Though different prehistoric philosophers also inquired the concept of a universal and unconditional standard of morality, Herodotus argument on moral relativism remains as the most fundamental idea of moral relativism. Order custom essay Moral Relativism vs. Moral Objectivism with free plagiarism report In the medieval age of moral philosophy, Thomas Aquinas defines moral philosophy as the collection or collections of ideas and claims which, as values and guidelines of action, identify the types of preferred action that are justly intellectual and rational for human persons and society (Pojman, 1998). It is a basically realistic philosophy of values which motivate individuals towards human fulfillment so that better-off state of affairs is mutually represented and practicable by means of the actions that equally evident and put up the superiorities of moral fiber conventionally labeled as virtues. Aquinas argument about moral is not really confined with his prior conceptualization of the idea of virtue – that is acquired through regular practice or by habit. For him, moral law is not a mere product of habituation. As explained above, his idea of moral law is linked with the concept of rationality or reason. A human person regards an action as morally right not because it is habitually observed or performed but because it comes within rational analysis of that individual. In the contemporary period, Ruth Benedict, an anthropologist, opines that morality differs in every society which is evidently framed on the idea of moral relativism (Pojman, 1998). Benedict argues that there is no such thing as moral values but only customs and traditions. She admits that each society has its own customary practices that are justified simply because they are part of the tradition exclusive to that society. For Benedict, morals obtain their values based on how individuals see certain acts and behaviors as beneficial to their society. And such is what she called as the standard of moral goodness. Now, such morally good action is deemed to perform habitually to maintain the advantages brought about by such morally good actions. In effect, being morally good and habitually performance of an action subsist together as the society upholds their own moral law. References: Pojman, L. (1998). Moral Philosophy: A Reader (2nd ed.). Hackett Publishing Company. Did you know that we have over 70,000 essays on 3,000 topics in our database?	https://phdessay.com/moral-relativism-vs-moral-objectivism/
The interests of these individuals as well as the value of their life are viewed as being inherently less important than the interests and lives of the reference group. From a liberal standpoint (and the standpoint of many non-liberals as well), it is important that every individual has the right to equal existence amongst their fellow human beings. Therefore, Altman’s justification for regulation of hate speech appeals to an intrinsically valuable liberal belief. Altman’s prescription not only appeals to the concerns ... ... middle of paper ... ...ing its targets down, therefore people must learn to successfully overcome the feelings that it intends to induce. Like Rauch says, people must not try to eradicate hate speech, rather criticize and try to correct it. Although Infanticide is considered to be morally wrong because it is an act of killing, overall, there are several cases instances where Infanticide would be morally right. Many argue that Infanticide is morally wrong. Infanticide is the act of killing an infant. Killing an infant deprives it of all the experiences and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted the infant’s future. An infant is considered a person. This ideology is formed to prevent ethnocentrism, or the belief that one’s culture is superior to another. Though in theory this sounds plausible, it does little to promote an understanding of different cultures. Since the society makes up the laws that dictates and protects its own people, universal laws of protection may not be applied. Cultural rights are important in that they protect individual cultures against the majority states and communities. (Donnelly 219). They believe that they are not the ones to judge other cultures about what is ethical because morals are learned from people’s societies and are relative. Those who believe in ethical relativism do not view ethics as a universal standard, so they do not form their own opinions about what is immoral or unethical and instead remain neutral to the subject. Cultural and ethical relativists are similar in the fact that they both consider actions of a culture to be due to their society and realize that cultural practices have a reasoning behind How are the people, oppressed by others and by the government, supposed to react? Certainly, they do not enjoy being treated unjustly, however, they should still obey the laws. Is it to the laws of the land that command total submission or to his convictions by which he is convinced that the system is totally unjust? Therefore, how should citizens defend their liberties, without using violence or disobeying the law, if they think it’s unjust? If an individual obeys the law, he would automatically be thought of supporting the unjust system but in case he does not, he would be accused of disobeying the law. Because no matter what you would believe, you would also have to believe that someone else was as equally correct as... ... middle of paper ... ... It leaves one with no answers, just because one lives in a different culture it makes it all right to kill because that is what others do. This is not a valid argument and doesn’t help in any way for people to describe why we are the way we are. Although that might not be the role of philosophy, I would contend that it plays an important part in understanding a theory of how it is we should live our life. Moreover it doesn’t leave us with any truths to the validity of their actions. To have an abortion is unethical to kill a fetus and think it is acceptable through the eyes of society. Evidently, pulling a fetus out with forceps or the suction machine and sticking scissors through the back of the fetus head is unethical. It is a violent act that is harmful to the fetus. In addition, to have the debate whether a fetus is a human or not is unethical, it is a form of life with potential. It is also unethical to terminate a potential life. In many countries abortion is illegal. By aborting these unborn infants, humans are hurting themselves; they are not allowing themselves to meet these new identities and unique personalities. Abortion is very simply wrong. Everyone is raised knowing the difference between right and wrong. Murder is wrong, so why is not abortion?	https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Infanticide-Essay-707111
by Dr Khalid Zaheer The question is again to be viewed from both secular and Islamic standpoints. No worthwhile effort can be undertaken without a strong motivational compulsion. People are motivated by different factors. Material benefits being high on the list of motivators, ethical behaviour is viewed as difficult to be pursued because it is seen to run contrary to the objective of achieving those benefits. However, there are reasons both at the secular as well as religious levels for individuals to behave ethically. At a secular level, there are many who consider virtue to be its own reward. Ethically good behaviour is, in other words, an end in itself. The pleasure of satisfaction one derives is a strong enough motivational reason to continue behaving ethically. Another reason why ethically good behaviour is considered to be desirable is that, in some cases, it is materially rewarding as well. People do tend to patronize those businessmen who are known for their honesty and trustworthiness. The collectivity to which one belongs expects a certain standard behaviour from its members. A behaviour below par is viewed as bringing a bad name to the collectivity. Affiliation to a collectivity is a strong reason why many members of groups find themselves compelled to behave well. These affiliations may be at the level of a family, tribe, club, political party, nation etc. At the religious level, there are two motivating forces — both originating from the same source: belief in Allah. The proper Islamic understanding of belief in Allah entails a behaviour from the believer imbibed in a spirit of yearning to earn the pleasure of the Almighty on the one hand and the earning of a place of success in the eternal life of the Hereafter on the other. The Qur'an emphasizes that the good conduct of the believing Muslim is always inspired by an urge to seek the pleasure of Allah. It is not meant to gain any worldly benefits. That does not necessarily imply that the goal of achieving worldly gains is never acceptable Islamically. However, for an act to qualify as ethical and virtuous, it must be done with the intention of pleasing the Almighty. This intention is not only required to be cultivated in acts traditionally known to be religious but in all others seeking to be qualified as ethical. Any act claimed to be ethical but inspired by a different intention would stand rejected in the eyes of Allah and would, therefore, not be regarded as one worthy of being rewarded by Him. The other important motivating force for the believer is the desire to get rewarded by the Almighty, not in this world but, in the Hereafter. The believer sacrifices some of the temptations of worldly gains coming through unethical practices by pinning his hope on better rewards in the Hereafter. The believer's entire life is dominated by his obsession to gain a place of eternal pleasure and satisfaction in the life to come. Many critics would, however, disapprove the suggestion that life Hereafter is a morally acceptable motivating factor on the grounds that it sounds selfish. To some, acting for any purpose other than the pleasure of Allah is mundane. In the opinion of others, even the ideal of pleasing Allah does not appear particularly impressive. One should be virtuous, in their opinion, only to benefit others. All other objectives that motivate ethical behaviour are below the ideal of true altruism. In response to this objection one can argue that even the purest altruistic behaviour is compelled by an inner desire of the doer to see others getting helped and as a consequence get a feeling of satisfaction. If the doer is unable to get even a feeling of satisfaction on doing an act of virtue, is it possible that he would still keep doing it? If the answer to the question is in the negative, then the motive of getting inner satisfaction and seeking pleasure of Allah should also be considered as selfish objectives. If on the other hand, these are legitimate objectives without which an individual should not be expected to be compelled to do good deeds, then the other non-worldly objectives should also be considered worthy of being acknowledged as acceptable. The motive of getting an abode of peace in the life Hereafter can in no way be described as material, selfish, or mundane. It is, in fact, a motive based on the promise of reward from the Almighty that is going to be offered in a life to commence (or continue) after death. Selfishness is a this-worldly concept, whereas a desire for a reward after life is a that-worldly motive. Why should it be considered as selfish in this life? In actual fact, it all depends on one's understanding as to whether life Hereafter is a reality or not. If in the opinion of an individual it is a reality, to struggle for achieving a place of success in the eternal life would be the most rational behaviour. If however it is only a creation of human desires, in that case indeed it would be foolish to pin one's hopes on it. Thus, it is primarily on the question of one's confidence in the truthfulness of the concept of that life that one's behaviour would depend. One of the arguments to support the idea of Hereafter-based action is that, in the absence of a life after death, morally correct behaviour would seem inconsistent with the general mood of the creation. If there is no encouragement offered anywhere to morally correct behaviour, such behaviour should not be the worry of any one but the most irrational people. On the other hand, if ethically guided behaviour is to find encouragement, only then it should be considered worthy of being followed. Success in the life Hereafter is nothing but a promise of reward by the Creator for the ethically correct behaviour.	https://radioislam.org.za/a/why-should-an-individual-be-ethical/
Rosenstand is alluding to Christina Hoff Sommers commenting on the actions of people performing acts that are recognized typically as morally good in many cultures. Sommers view can be interpreted as unfounded based on the generalization that actions such as mistreating children, tormenting animals, lying, or stealing as wrong. In some cultures, these virtues may be a means for survival or a way for humans in certain situations to get by. In a utopian setting these actions would be unnecessary or excessive but there are instances that can justify the action. Sommers chose to refute this idea because she believes that no matter the circumstance, certain actions are never justifiable as right or acceptable. However, relativism states that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute. Sommers makes valid points, which given the culture I have grown up in; I would agree that the aforementioned actions are morally and ethically unsound. But as the definition of relativism states, the judgement of any given action must be judged according to the context which surrounds it. So to answer whether or not Sommers’ “view is convincing enough to make a relativist change her stripes?”; my answer would be “no.” Sommers’ view takes too many cultural aspects into consideration and has an absolute approach when judging actions. In a more relatable way, Sommers’ views match with virtue ethics as they deal more with the human character and mind. Actions such as lying, stealing, and cheating are issues of character. Our character can be innate or shaped by our environment but there is no absolution in how we turn out. This leaves room for Sommers’ interpretation as it deals with character flaws or attributes. The ethical emphasis is placed on an individual’s character for ethical thinking. Deontology places more of an emphasis on the rules and consequentialism places the emphasis on the consequences. Cultural relativism puts a large majority of the emphasis on the environment or culture a person is exposed to. Rosenstand accepts this theory as it avoids absolution and gives way to why people act the way they do based on their surroundings. Utopian societies would be the easiest way to produce the results Sommers speaks of. With various combinations of situations and lifestyles comes a multitude of possibilities for what can be deemed right or wrong, good or bad. Policies and procedures for a similar task can be misconstrued depending on where they are created. What may be ethically sound in the United States can easily be way off base in another country. Personally I believe relativism is a sound approach to decide how certain actions should be judged. In a given moment decisions will come down to how we are raised and to a certain extent, the innate characteristics of human nature. Get Argumentative Essay Outline Service with StudyAcer . Why Work With StudyAcer Quality Researched Papers We always make sure that writers follow all your instructions precisely. You can choose your academic level: high school, college/university or professional, and we will assign a writer who has a respective degree. Qualified Writers We have hired a team of professional writers experienced in academic and business writing. Most of them are native speakers and PhD holders able to take care of any assignment you need help with. Unlimited Revisions If you think we missed something, send your order for a free revision. You have 10 days to submit the order for review after you have received the final document. You can do this yourself after logging into your personal account. Prompt Delivery All papers are always delivered on time. 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Essays No matter what kind of academic paper you need and how urgent you need it, you are welcome to choose your academic level and the type of your paper at an affordable price. We take care of all your paper needs and give a 24/7 customer care support system. Admissions Admission Essays An admission essay is an essay or other written statement by a candidate, often a potential student enrolling in a college, university, or graduate school. You can be rest assurred that through our service we will write the best admission essay for you. Reviews Editing Support Our academic writers and editors make the necessary changes to your paper so that it is polished. We also format your document by correctly quoting the sources and creating reference lists in the formats APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago / Turabian. Reviews Revision Support If you think your paper could be improved, you can request a review. In this case, your paper will be checked by the writer or assigned to an editor. You can use this option as many times as you see fit. This is free because we want you to be completely satisfied.	https://studyacer.us/desmond-sovernss-response/
I had to whittle your question down. Civilization can be used to represent a broad concept of culture, but there are differences. Civilization can refer to the process and effect of urbanization, industrial development, technological advance and expanding in complexity in all phases of life. Being civil can mean to be polite especially in a formal way. There is also an inference that civilized societies (more technologically advanced, namely Western and European) are more civil (in this sense) and thereby more refined and enlightened than more primitive cultures. However, recent studies in postcolonialism and criticisms of Eurocentric ways of thinking are quick to point out that being civilized (as in industrialized) does imply that their way of life is morally or ethically superior to the more primitive (so-called ‘third world’ or even ‘barbaric’) nations and countries. So, civilization is a nuanced term and depending on who uses it, can refer to enlightened or just technologically progressive. Civilization is a broad term and different cultures or examples of culture could be thought of as subtitles of certain civilizations. For example, during the American Civilization there have been many cultural shifts. Two large social shifts which affected American culture and helped redefine it were WWII and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In this sense, American Civilization is the general progress and history of America and also how that history has helped shape culture. Culture can mean the elite or accepted (by a select group or majority) as the best art and literature. Culture can also mean a broader concept: the attitudes, beliefs, ideologies and actual physical practices of everyday life in a certain group of people. And this group could be called a civilization or a culture. Remember that American culture is the culture of America at a given time or within a particular context or discipline. Examples: American Yuppie Culture of the 1980s or the Indie Rock Culture of Austin, Texas. Similar to being civilized, being cultured initially referred to enlightened people with a particular reference to high art. Over time, high art, the concept of elitist culture, the concepts of civilized and primitive (and Eurocentrism) all began to be challenged and deconstructed. The sense of enlightened thought and refined art still exists, but motivations for valuing art and judging civilizations has become much more ‘culturally’ responsible. You might say that the culture of a certain people at a certain time (and sometimes in certain social groups like democrats or hip-hop artists) represents the beliefs, practices and social interactions of the people of those respective groups. Many cultures make up the totality and history of a civilization. Posted on We’ll help your grades soar Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. - 30,000+ book summaries - 20% study tools discount - Ad-free content - PDF downloads - 300,000+ answers - 5-star customer support Already a member? Log in here.	https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-difference-between-culture-and-civilization-235441
Is "doing a favor" by breaking a fair rule for close others a morally ambiguous form of corruption, while taking bribes is not? Particularism may involve moral conflicts that are increased by holding certain types of virtues, and affected in a specific way by environmental corruption. January 1 2018 – June 30 2021 02 January 2016 - June 2018 Is it morally good to treat different people differently? We are looking for cultural similarities and differences in how acting inconsistently is related to perceptions of different virtues—such as being principled vs. being kind. 03 Jan 2014- Jun 2017 What is the content of Chinese lay concepts of morality? How does acting uncivilized, vs. being harmful or unfair, affect observers moral judgments and emotional reactions? Grant Details: 01 “Filial values and “unhealthy practices:” When is corruption increased by Confucian virtues? The roles of moral conflict and societal transparency” (January 1 2018 – June 30 2021), HK$664,052, funded by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council General Research Fund (RGC / GRF). PI: Emma E. Buchtel. Co-I’s: Yanjun Guan, Xiao-xiao Liu, Hagop Sarkissian. 02 “Chinese Moral Character: What does it mean to be principled in a Confucian culture?” (January 2016 - June 2018), HK$553,840, funded by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council General Research Fund (RGC / GRF). PI: Emma E. Buchtel. 03 “Chinese morality: When propriety is part of the picture, what does morality mean? Testing and extending moral theory to fit lay concepts of a Confucian moral system” (Jan 2014- Jun 2017), HK$731,845, Early Career Scholar grant (RGC). PI: Emma E. Buchtel. Collaborators: Michael H. Bond, Steven M. Shardlow, Yanjie Su, & Yanjun Guan. Related Public Talks Culture, Morality and Connecting Across Differences TEDxEdUHK Dr. Emma Buchtel gave some examples of how perspective-taking can allow you to reap the benefits of cultural difference, and on how to use her research on culture and morality to harness the power of cultural diversity. This talk also called for social mindfulness and an understanding of moral relativism in cultures, and how that should not be a basis of alienation. By seeking out difference and trying to connect and integrate it, research suggests that we can become more creative, opening up more possibilities for new ideas and new ways of expressing yourself. De-Essentializing Bar Graphs: Diversity Within Differences How do you hold in your mind that yes, there ARE important cultural differences-- but, they don't apply to every topic, or every person? Cultural psychologists illustrate and emphasize interesting cultural differences with bar graphs, but we sure hope you don't misunderstand them. Let's take a look at why cultural differences shouldn't make you stereotype individuals: What it means when we say that "Within-culture differences are (almost always) bigger than between-culture differences."	https://www.emmabuchtel.org/morals
What is Moral Relativism? Moral relativism is the philosophical position that morality is relative and that people should try to be good, but only by following their own consciences. Moral relativism can be contrasted with moral objectivism, the common position of many philosophers and religions that there is an objective morality, sometimes set down by God, an objective right and wrong. These two positions have tangled for thousands of years and are a contributing cause to many wars. However, it is arguable that wars and conflicts between conflicting notions of objective morality are more common than wars between objective and subjective moralists. One phrase that partially sums up the philosophy of moral relativism is "live and let live." Sometimes the phrase "moral relativism" is used as a pejorative by moral objectivists and theists. This is often accompanied with the assertion that this relativism implies the complete absence of morality, but moral relativists do commonly believe in a moral code, just not that it is universally applicable. Among theists, moral relativism has a bad reputation, mostly because most religions teach moral objectivism. A prominent exception would be Buddhism. Moral relativism has been around for a long time, with early writings by the Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484 – 420 BC) pointing out that each society has its own moral code and they all regard their own as the best. It should be noted that partial relativism is possible -- someone might believe in a core of objective moral truth, for instance, "killing is wrong," but believe that more nuanced issues, such as how much of one's income to give to charity, are more subjective. Most people, even self-labeled moral objectivists, usually have some area of moral reasoning on which they are not completely certain, and so concede some degree of moral relativism. Others would argue that this is not relinquishing moral objectivism, only admitting imperfect knowledge on what objective morality is. One of the most famous and well-known moral relativist philosophers of the 20th century was Jean-Paul Sartre, who pioneered the philosophy of existentialism, which essentially asserts that mankind is alone in the universe and we have no morality to turn to except that which we create for ourselves. However, not all moral relativists agree with Sartre. Many moral relativists are simply motivated by the avoidance of ethnocentrism -- avoiding assuming that one's own culture is superior to others. They argue that this is essential for world peace, pointing to numerous historical examples when cultures served atrocities on others due to perceived moral inferiority. Readers Also Love Discussion Comments Moral relativism is bad. The "live and let live" attitude is also bad. These two things are the reasons why there is so much evil and suffering in our world today. It's because righteous men, men with good moral character are persuaded to tolerate those with obviously inferior moral views/stances. There is nothing wrong with regarding the morality of one's society as the best. I will give you an example. A Western colonialist went to India. At that time, India had the custom of burning widows. Said colonialist tried to stop it. The Indians protested, saying that such an act was morally justified. I don't remember what the colonialist said in response to this, but he did stop them. And in so doing, he was imposing his brand of morality on another culture. However, I am sure most of you would agree with me that he did the right thing, and that he prevented an untold amount of suffering. Therefore, I just showed two things: 1. Moral absolutism is good; 2. We embrace moral absolutism already. To quote C.S. Lewis, there is an unsaid code of morality and guideline that calls all humans no matter what their cultural, or ethnic background. "Thou shall not murder (not 'kill' as commonly mistranslated)". Moral relativity is critical to the debate between those living in the West and those in the Islamic world. Why? Because those in the Islamic world regularly vaunt themselves as superior morally to those in the West, yet when the flaws of Islam are exposed like the Armenian Genocide or Mohammed’s pedophilia with Aisha at age 9 they quickly work to point fingers at episodes in the West that somehow 'balance' or 'justify' the apparent weakness or flaws in or of Islam as a personal, cultural or political philosophy by which to organize affairs. The Islamic model is above criticism, it seems, and cannot be changed. That is the weakness of Islam and the practice of moral relativity by them to conceal their own failings. @Armas1313: This is a moral theory called moral absolutism. You are stating that certain actions and ways of living are universally right or wrong. In a diversifying world, it will be interesting to see what happens to moral absolutism and what effect it has on the world. @Proxy414: This is an interesting point, because the fact is, a government system and everything about a society relates to its fundamental ways of viewing the world and morality. Ethics are completely fluid, whereas morals were originally meant to be kept solid. @ShadowGenius: Ethical relativism would seem to be redundant, but points to the fact that a code of living is completely different for different people groups, and different ideals can have a greater prominence in various different cultures. This is why democracy doesn't work as well in Eastern cultures as it does in Western ones. Moral relativism is essentially the basis of the modern confusion about the difference between morals and ethics. Morals are meant to be set in stone, literally, in that they are based upon the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments in the Judeo-Christian moral system. Ethics are completely relative and relate to the thoughts of a culture and people's personal feelings about things.	https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-moral-relativism.htm
5 Points to Include in the Quality Audit Checklist for a Manufacturing Company Quality management practices must be a key priority for manufacturing organizations to ensure that best products with no defects or quality issues reach the customers. As an experienced manufacturer, you must have an all-encompassing Quality Management System (QMS) that helps in overseeing various processes and quality aspects to ensure the expectations of customers are met. While a QMS helps you to avoid disasters in your end products, you also need to do periodic internal audits to verify the effectiveness of your QMS. Regardless of how competent your implemented QMS is, a quality audit helps in reassuring its capabilities and avoiding any further quality issues in your products. Following an audit checklist for a manufacturing company is helpful to carry out the internal audits effectively. Auditing is also necessary for manufacturing firms because they face many industrial regulations and need to achieve compliance with them to stay in the industry. The process of auditing can be tiresome, especially if you have vast manufacturing processes, quality control procedures, and complex products. However, you can simplify your audit process by separating the reviewing of products, processes, and quality control procedures. The audit checklist is prepared considering all these separately. Here is a guide to preparing the checklist. 5 Things to Incorporate in the Audit Checklist for Your Manufacturing Company While creating a checklist for your audit process, you should include these items to make sure all crucial aspects for quality assurance are covered. Engineering and Designing Processes The first point of your checklist must include the processes of engineering, conceptualization, and designing of the products. The point should include your capabilities for research, design, and development of products. It hence means reviewing the patents that your firm holds, engineering documents, equipment and tools used in designing, and work instructions that the workers dedicatedly follow to manufacture the products. Your auditors may also review some product samples after they are designed to check whether they encompass the requirements of the customers. Manufacturing Environment, Infrastructure, and Maintenance Processes Another crucial part of the audit must include touring and evaluating your entire manufacturing facility, which includes the infrastructure, production processes, work environment, storage conditions, routine equipment/machinery maintenance processes, and testing or calibration equipment. Even the lights, ventilation, water supply, and hygiene of the manufacturing environment must be checked. Any type of quality issue can arise if there are challenges in the production conditions or there is a substandard manufacturing environment. Therefore, the audit checklist must include a thorough review of all internal production areas and equipment to identify any issues and resolve them. Input Materials and Components The inputs or raw materials have a direct impact on the quality of final manufactured products. Therefore, you should include quality inspection of input materials and components in your audit to prevent any defects or inconsistency in the final products. Quality issues in the inputs can affect your entire line of production. Therefore, it can either cause difficult reworks if the problem gets identified after the products are manufactured, or it can result in the delivery of flawed products to the customers. This part of the audit process may also include checking the suppliers’ control processes. For that, you need to ask for information or documents regarding their quality assurance practices. The information can give you proper insights into their quality checks and quality standards. Hence, if you identify any discrepancies in their processes or nonconformance to your quality guidelines, you can ask the suppliers to rectify them. QMS and Quality Control Procedures A quality audit checklist must include the evaluation of the QMS and quality control procedures supported by it to ensure the production and delivery of flawless products. This part of the checklist is about examining the capability of your manufacturing processes in meeting the customer as well as compliance requirements. The QMS is a broad system that the auditors should check meticulously to ensure its scope and functions are in the context of your manufacturing products. Second, they should also ensure that everything in the QMS is in line with the documented quality policy and objectives of your business. The auditing of quality control procedures is required to identify whether there is any need for improvements in any procedures. Other crucial checks in this point include reviewing the role of the management team in operating the QMS, compliance with ISO 9001 or other such certification, and performance of the quality management personnel. Inspection of the Conditions of Finished Goods The last element of the checklist is about inspection of the finished products, i.e. their condition after they are produced and before they are dispatched for delivery. This part of the audit thus includes identifying any manufacturing defects or quality issues in the products that were overlooked. They must be identified before the packaging process starts. The finished goods inspection can be conducted by an external party for more accurate results. Tests or checking of the finished products mainly include evaluating their appearance, features, function or performance, and packaging conditions. After assuring all these, the auditors must also check the storage conditions to ensure that all finished and packaged products are kept in a safe environment. Key Takeaway! Including all these in the audit checklist for a manufacturing company is very crucial to establish that its quality management program is effective at preventing risks or issues in the processes and products. A comprehensive and precise checklist helps in the thorough evaluation of areas and to remediate any issues as early as possible. A successful quality audit also helps you in preparing for the external audit which is required for achieving a quality certification. It hence acts as the roadmap for your certification success. Need help for the quality audit process of your manufacturing firm? We at Compliancehelp Consulting LLC are a team of quality assurance experts offering certification consultation and internal audit services to businesses of all types. We can assist you in carrying out your audit by preparing an appropriate checklist. Get in touch with our experts today. Liked the blog? Keep following this section for more information or updates on certifications and quality assurance processes.	https://www.quality-assurance.com/blog/5-points-to-include-in-the-quality-audit-checklist-for-a-manufacturing-company.html
Peace of mind is something vital for organizations. Having a clear understanding of the quality of their goods assists can help supply chains become more agile to potential issues with products and allows them to find pain points within production to optimize. Because of this, the introduction of production monitoring can be a valuable asset to achieve this. This article aims to discuss production monitoring and how it can ensure a product’s quality within the supply chain. What is production monitoring? As supply chains grow and processes are eventually outsourced, the supply chain can become fragmented, becoming a challenge for organizations to monitor. Because of this, Production monitoring is used, PM can best be described as the process of closely watching each process in manufacturing. This usually involves third-party agencies tasked with continually inspecting each aspect of a supply chain (for example, a factory) to ensure that goods are up to a quality standard and that deadlines will be met. How do you track manufacturing through production monitoring? Production monitoring begins at the start of production, usually taken into seven distinct sets 1/ Supplier selection Before products begin their production process, choosing the correct supplier is vital in ensuring that the product will be of a certain quality that aligns with your organization’s needs. Because of this, the production monitoring process starts with a factory audit of selected suppliers chosen by the organization. This assesses the production technology, raw material used, and workers’ skillset to forecast if there can be any potential issues in the future. 2/ Product development Once a factory audit has been in place and is acceptable, a sample evaluation is then carried out in the production monitoring process. Allowing for a final confirmation that the manufacturer aligns to the quality needed of the product and will be made to the schedule laid out by the organization. 3/ Production planning (During Production Monitoring (DPM) If the sample is of adequate quality, the products will begin their production. This stage is called During Production Monitoring (DPM), in which several inspections are made to ensure the quality of the goods. Storage status inspections: Ensures storage facilities on-site are in line with the needs of the products to provide either finished products or raw materials are stored safely and securely. Raw material status inspections: Inspections are made of the raw materials, ensuring they are correct for the product’s requirement and there are no issues that will impact the quality of the goods. Incoming quality control inspections (ICQ): ICQ inspections consist of laboratory inspections of raw materials to ensure goods are of the agreed quality. This testing looks at the chemical components of the material for a robust understanding of its makeup. 4/ Initial production Within the initial production stage of the DPM, inspections are carried out to ensure processes are being followed correctly and workforces. These inspections include: Production line inspections: A robust inspection of the production lines ensures best practice is being used and health and safety are correctly implemented. Worker inspection: During a worker inspection, staff members are monitored to ensure they have had adequate training and understand how to construct the goods correctly. Any lack of understanding can be brought to light, and training can be provided to ensure correct practices are being used. These inspections clarify manufacturers’ best practices, giving a clearer understanding of pain points that may cause issues later in the supply chain. These issues can then be amended at a rapid pace. 5/ During production During the apex of production, many goods are at the final stages of being completed. Because of this, it is critical to inspect these goods to ensure that the foundations of the product have been correctly implemented. Semi-finished product inspection: This inspection randomly inspects goods that have not yet finished production, ensuring there are no issues within the production line that may have been missed. 6/ End of production During the final stages of production, finished products may be inspected to ensure they are made to the correct specifications and packaged correctly to the country to which they will be shipped. Ensuring they comply with both ISO2859 and the country’s specific packaging requirements. 7/ Shipping Once goods are created, and the quality is good enough to begin shipping, inspectors will start to supervise the loading of the products per the delivery schedule. Within this final stage of the production monitoring process, inspectors will check the containers’ quality to ensure safety, and no issues can be found. As well as this, inspections are carried out of the goods to ensure no damage to the packaging and paperwork is correct. What’s the difference between inspection and monitoring? There is a key differentiator between production monitoring and inspections. Production monitoring is continually done throughout the entire production process. Because of this, organizations can get a robust understanding of their supply chain and continuously optimize their operations to ensure goods are consistent and of good quality. Inspections, however, are usually a one-time affair. This only allows for a brief insight into the quality of the manufacturing processes. If the quality was to fluctuate, then this could potentially be missed if not monitored closely. Production monitoring can be a valuable asset to any organization’s supply chain, allowing for the continued inspection of goods to ensure quality is upheld in every production stage. This gives clients peace of mind and minimizes the chance of product defects that can slow down production and delivery time and be highly costly. Therefore every organization must consider implementing the assistance of a third-party production monitoring agency to assist in this. About HQTS HQTS has over 25 years of experience in industry-leading quality control for various industries, including Production Monitoring. We provide rigorous testing and ensuring organizations run safely, efficiently and are up-to-date with the latest regulations. To learn more about this, contact us today.	https://www.hqts.com/what-is-production-monitoring-in-quality-control/
- Examples: - All defects/deviations are assigned a defect code. A Defect: Defect is not too obvious to consumer (defect not easily noticed by consumer & consumer perception of product quality not affected) B Defect: Defect may damage brand image (defect is easily noticed by consumer & consumer perception of product quality is slightly affected) C Defect: Defect damages brand image (defect is clearly noticed by consumer & consumer perception of product quality is negatively impacted) D Defect: Defect may seriously damage brand image (defect is the most critical & consumer perception of product quality is seriously impacted); these products are not to be shipped to market - AQL is defined in ISO 2859-1: Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes – Part 1: Sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection. - It is the maximum tolerable process average of % defects observed. - An AQL of 0.65 is set for B and C class defects combined, and an AQL of 0.15 is set for C class defects. - A class defects are regarded for process quality improvement. - D class defects are not tolerated at any level. - Examples of D Class defects: Wrong material Missing products/components E-liquid contamination PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & LAUNCH - Specifications define all recognizable and measurable factors required to manufacture a product. it covers: Material specifications Product specifications Process specifications - Specifications are defined by specification owner and cannot be modified by the manufacturer without appropriate authorisation. - E-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for maintaining the factory specification system, ensuring product is manufactured according to specification and reporting any deviations to the specification owner and R&D QA. PRODUCT MAINTENANCE - All production materials must be inspected before entering the production process to ensure that they meet specification. - Batches of materials and components must be isolated on arrival and not removed from quarantine until compliance has been assured. - Inspection must be carried out according to documented procedures and results per batch retained. - Responsibility for inspection is split according to material: 1. E-liquids are released by R&D QA and do not require detailed quality inspection by the e-cigarette manufacturer. 2. All other components are inspected and released by the e-cigarette manufacturer. General process - E-liquid compounder produces a batch of E-liquid dedicated for QC Group products and sends representative samples to R&D for batch release testing. - R&D QA releases a batch of e-liquid for QC Group product and E-Liquid compounder ships it after receiving the QA release to the E-Cigarette manufacturer. - E-cigarette manufacturer receives the batch, checks for any visual defects or undesirable odors. - If any deviations are noted, the batch should be quarantined and R&D QA contacted with full details for further action. - Shelf life: maximum age of the component or finished good in which it can still be considered suitable for use in production or shipping to market - General rule: materials/finished goods should be used in production or shipped to market as soon as possible after receipt or manufacture. Items exceeding shelf life should not be used in production or shipped to market. - Date of production/receipt should be recorded for material batches and inventory control exercised to ensure first-in/first out (FIFO); the oldest material batches should be used first - Maximum shelf life of components should be as indicated by the supplier. Shelf life of finished goods should be no more than 12 months - Shelf life of sealed e-liquid containers is 12 months from date of manufacture. Once containers are opened, the contents must be used within 30 days. - Adverse storage conditions (heat, light, humidity, mechanical stress) are a prime driver for deterioration of quality - E-liquid must be stored below 25ºC. Opened containers must be resealed as soon as practically possible after opening, and it is not permitted to return decanted e-liquid back into a master container. - Nicotine-free e-liquid must be stored separately from nicotine-containing e-liquid. - All other materials must be stored according to suppliers’ recommendations - Finished product must be stored at 20±5ºC and 60 ± 15% relative humidity PRODUCT MONITORING - Objective To ensure that finished goods meet Product Quality Standards Process - Following production of finished goods samples are taken for inspection - The number of samples required is defined in ISO 2859-1, and is related to batch size and level of sampling (normal, reduced, tightened) - Acceptability/unacceptability of the batch is determined by the number of defects observed during inspection - E-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for physical, electrical, functional and visual testing - Sampling is initiated as normal inspection for the first inspected lot. - Switching to reduced or tightened inspection should be carried out once the criteria given in Section 9 of ISO 2859-1 are met.ISO2859-1 - Reduced inspection can be introduced after multiple inspected lots which would have been accepted at a lower AQL.Reduced - Tightened inspection must be introduced if 2/5 consecutive lots are deemed unacceptable on first inspection. - E-Cigarette manufacturer is requested to provide representative samples of each product manufactured during a production month to R&D QA. - R&D QA will clearly indicate the required products, quantities and shipping address to the E-Cigarette manufacturer. - E-cigarette manufacturer will arrange shipping by the most expeditious means (normally air freight) with all required shipping documentation. - R&D QA will be informed of dispatch and shipment tracking information by E-cigarette manufacture. PROCESS CONTROL - Objective To prepare the manufacturing process for a new production in a controlled manner - Benefits Eliminate potential for wrong material usage, incorrect assembly or product contamination - Process - Remove all materials from previous production from shop floor - Clean machinery as necessary - Check materials for new production according to specification - Prepare work instructions for new production - Setup machinery and production line - Process (continued) - Calibrate measurement equipment - Start production line, perform start-up inspection - Commence full production when required specifications within tolerances are observed - The Manufacturing Quality Plan (MQP) is a detailed document covering the measurement plans and process control guidelines necessary to deliver product conforming to standards - The MQP should be designed and implemented by the E-cigarette manufacturer - IPC-A-610D (level 2) must be incorporated into the MQP and followed during the manufacturing process - MQP must be shared and aligned with R&D QA, and any subsequent changes shared in advance.MQP - Full records of inspections made according to the MQP must be made and retained for 5 years. - QUIP covers the process of Quality Unsure finished product inspection. It is activated when product not conforming to specifications or failing to meet quality criteria is observed. - Benefits - Ensures defective product is not shipped - Clear guideline for effective and efficient decision making - E-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for following guidelines and setting and maintaining factory non-conforming/blocking procedures - Action taken is related to defect level - D Class defects require stopping the production line, taking immediate corrective action and carrying out 100% inspection to the last good check. - For B or C class defects, product should be resampled and rechecked to confirm the issue - B Class: Management verify if defect is consumer-noticeable. If yes, shut down production line, fix problem and sample/inspect case by case back to the last good check. - C class: Shut down production line, fix problem and sample/inspect case by case back to the last good check. - The QUIP event should be recorded and details sent to R&D and QA QUALITY MANAGEMENT - Correct hygiene management is essential to mitigate the risk of foreign matter contamination - E-cigarette manufacturer should: Ensure state-of-the-art sanitation management Implement and maintain a foreign matter control program Maintain documented procedures and inspection records - Examples: Uniform (cap, coat, gloves, mask) Standardised cleaning and inspection Standardised building maintenance Clearly organised workstations with no unnecessary materials - Standard process for dealing with communication expressing dissatisfaction with product quality, and collect, categorise and evaluate complaints from consumers 1. Divided into Routine and Special complaints 2. Routine: product performance, normal visual quality defects 3. Special: Health/legal related complaints - Details of manufacturing-related complaints are communicated to e-cigarette manufacturer for further action - E-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for: Corrective/preventative action for complaints related to manufacturing process Timely reports and feedback to R&D Continuous improvement of manufacturing quality Reimbursement or replacement of defected devices - Serious Quality Incidents cover: Health and safety related risks (actual or potential consumer injury) Corporate risks (product not registered for sale, confidential product shipped) Contamination/Foreign Matter Serious Manufacturing Defects - In case of Serious Quality Incident in market, R&D QA will inform e-cigarette manufacturer for immediate investigation and action - E-cigarette manufacturer is responsible for: Corrective/preventative action as highest priority Report and feedback to R&D QA as soon as it is practically possible Reimbursement or replacement of defected devices to customers - In case E-cigarette manufacturer’s internal investigations indicate the possibility for a Serious Quality Incident, they should proactively inform R&D QA with details and the range of products which may be affected - E-cigarette manufacturer must ensure full traceability of finished product and materials used in their production - Benefits: Supports root cause analysis in case of defects/complaints Enhanced shelf life control Supports product recall process - Material traceability - Manufacturer must take records to track the flow of each material batch from delivery and IMI to finished product batch. - Finished product traceability - Manufacturer must utilise a product date coding schematic which allows traceability back to : Date of manufacture Production date Details of the product date coding schematic must be shared Outline of minimum required level of traceability - Worker competency must be assured to mitigate the risk of quality fluctuations from untrained personnel - E-cigarette manufacturer must: Identify required competencies for each position Ensure a training program is in place and followed Maintain detailed training records for each employee Regularly review training plan based on actual operational status Manage staffing plan according to training evaluation/experience of personnel Competencies required for each process must be defined, and workers must not be engaged in actual production until training has been delivered and its effectiveness assured.	https://fnybb.com/quality-control/
From LCD to OLED to QLED, displays of all kinds are subject to a range of defects introduced either at their component-level or as a result of errors during production. For LCDs and other backlit displays, defects may occur at any position within the many layers that make up the display as a result of anomalies introduced between the layers or manufacturing stress during layer application. For emissive displays like LEDs, OLEDs, and mini- or microLEDs, defects are often inherent at the pixel and subpixel level, where different output luminance at the emitting element may cause variation in brightness and color. Because no production process can guarantee consistency for every single display produced, quality testing for every display on the line is critical. There are three main approaches to visual inspection of illuminated displays in production—whether in line, or at the end of the line for final qualification: 1.Human inspection – Easily handles moderately complex testing requirements. Relatively slow and variable when compared to electronic testing methods. 2.Machine vision-based inspection – Very fast for simple tests. Does not reflect human visual experience for many tests. 3.Imaging colorimeter-based inspection – Somewhere between the preceding two methods in speed. Replicates human eye sensitivity to light with a very high degree of reliability and repeatability. The use of imaging colorimeter systems and associated analytical software to assess display brightness, color uniformity, and contrast—and to identify defects in displays—is well established. A fundamental difference between imaging colorimetry and machine vision is imaging colorimetry’s accuracy in matching human visual perception for light and color uniformity (and non-uniformity). In this article, we will describe how imaging colorimetry can be used in a fully-automated testing system to identify and quantify defects in high-speed, high-volume production environments. We will also cover the test setup and the range of tests that can be performed—spanning simple point defect detection through complex mura detection and evaluation.	https://globalledoled.com/articles_&_papers/how-to-use-imaging-colorimeters-for-automated-visual-inspection-of-displays-in-production/
OBJECTIVE: To ensure quality of Finished Products during strip packing and final packing operation of tablets. SCOPE: This SOP shall be applicable in-process controls during strip packing and final packing operation of tablets. RESPONSIBILITY: In process Quality Assurance Officer / Executive. Strip sealing machine, its hopper and feed frame. Bottle packing room in case tablets are to be packed in bottles. Check the details of Packaging Operation indicated on the display board, adjacent to the packaging line with the Batch details mentioned in BPR and ensure that the Product and Packaging Materials belong to batch to be packed. Ensure that the Bulk Product is released for packing by Quality Control and entries in BMR are completed up to the last operational stage and BPR is up to date with respect to dispensing and receipt of packaging materials etc. Ensure that the packing components on the line are as per Bill of Packaging Materials. Verify the over printing details (having checked by Production Executive) on the specimen of plain aluminum foil, on set of blank strips of one cut , on cartons and shipper label. Attach these specimens after approval in the BPR. If any abnormalities is observed in the over printed detail/ in its legibility on any of the specimen of plain aluminum foil, on set of blank strips and /or on cartons, ask the production operator to correct the same and ensure for the correct, clear and legible overprinting. Verify that production executive has completed all the entries of line clearance in batch packing record. Verify compliance of the all points of line clearance check list and on being satisfied make the entries of line clearance in batch packing record and allow to start packing operation. INPROCESS CHECKS DURING STRIP/BLISTER PACKAGING OPERATIONS. Check the overprinted batch details of the strips, cartons and shippers. Ensure that they match with the details given in the BPR. Ensure that leak test is passed or not. If passed allow to continuing the packing. If fail re-set the machine until the leak test will pass. Ensure that RH, temperature and pressure differential of strip/blister packing room is within specified limit. Inspect the quality of the packing on initial few packs and allow continuing packing on line. Coding details on strips/blisters, unit cartons/catch cover and on shipper etc. Quantity in Cartons, and shippers. Pack inserts like literature etc. and their arrangement. Sealing of strip/blister’s corners and cutting. Any visible defects in strips like cut pockets, Missing pockets, illegible overprinting on carton / shippers/ strips etc. Leak test of 4 strips / blisters (taken from one cut at the machine). Ensure that all the parameters checked are found within specified limit and there is no abnormality observed. Record the observation in BPR at respective column of the table of “packaging line inspection”. Ensure that the set temperature of both sealing rollers is maintained during strip packing and observations of the temperature is recorded by operator in BPR. Ensure that a length of printed foil from each roll and from each joint in a roll is kept as specimen and evidence along with approved specimen in BPR. In case, the packaging material like cartons, leaflets and printed / plain aluminum foil are of one or more than one A.R.No., attach a representative sample of each to the BPR. If any of the tests set fails in leak test, hold the strip packing operation immediately. Withdraw sample from the cartons, packed in between the duration of present and previous leak test and perform leak test again on double of the quantity of the strips. None of the strip should fail in leak test. If repeat leak test fails reject the strips packed in duration under question and ask production executive / officer to keep these strips for recovery of the tablets with proper identification. Withdraw control sample so as to represent start, middle and end of the strip packing from the line. Keep in cartons and transfer these cartons in control sample room. After completion of the packing ensure that stereos of the batch are destroyed and ensures that the details of destruction is recorded in BPR. After completion of the packing operation ensure that extra packing material is segregated and recorded on sheet of the Return of Extra packing Material. Verify the quantity and the A.R. No. of the material remained unused for packing before signing of clearance for return of extra packaging material back to stores. Check and verify the reconciliation of the packaging material and ensure that variance is within limit as specified in BPR. Ensure that the Finished goods transfer note of each product is prepared by the Production Officer / Executive. Check and ensure that the BMR & BPR is complete in all respects and contain duly signed documents up to the stage of transfer. Ensure that any defects reported during In process checks are rectified and corrective action is recorded by Production Officer / Executive. Count the total number of shippers ready for transfer and tally the total quantity with the quantity mentioned on Finished Goods Transfer Note. Ensure that control and / or stability samples (If required) are collected and recorded in BPR.	http://pharmaguidances.com/sampling-intermediates-finished-products/
Worldwide, the average person consumes more than 20 kilogrammes of seafood each and every year, more than double the average per-person consumption back in 19601. This dramatic increase in the average annual consumption of seafood is attributable to consumers’ quest for healthier food products, as well as the development of efficient global supply chains that can deliver fresh and frozen fish and seafood to most of the world’s population. However, the growth in global seafood consumption is matched by increased concerns about the quality and safety of seafood products. This is especially true of seafood from producers in emerging economies, where production practices may not meet the quality and hygienic standards need to ensure seafood safety. To help address these concerns, many seafood producers implement quality control systems based on hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles. When successfully applied and thoroughly monitored, HACCP-based quality systems help to identify and control food safety hazards during production processes. But not all otherwise qualified seafood producers have a verified quality control system in place. And those that do often fail to detect quality system process flaws that compromise the effectiveness of their efforts. As part of their ongoing efforts to ensure the quality and safety of seafood products from supply chain partners, many distributors, exporters and retailers often conduct pre-inspections of raw materials and/or post-production inspections on finished products. This approach to inspection can help to isolate potential quality or hygiene issues before production commences, and minimises the chance of accepting seafood products that fail to meet minimum quality and safety requirements. Unfortunately, this limited approach to inspection can create its own set of problems and consequences. For example, when conducted too early in the process, a preliminary inspection of raw ingredients might detect quality considerations that would have been identified by the producer’s own quality system controls. In this way, a preliminary inspection can easily undermine an effective working partnership by creating a sense of distrust between the parties. Similarly, using post-production inspections as the only mechanism to detect quality and safety issues can result in even more potentially problematic challenges. At a minimum, a finding of quality issues during a post-production inspection can result in the disposal of some or all of a production run, with the producer incurring a significant additional expense to replace the substandard product. And the additional time required to address the underlying quality issue and to produce replacement seafood products can delay order deliveries, thereby impacting the distributor, exporter or retailer. Although pre- and post-production inspections offer several important benefits, a more comprehensive approach to production-related inspections can help provide seafood distributors, exporters and retailers with greater assurances regarding the quality and safety of the products obtained from supply chain partners. Toward this end, many seafood buyers have initiated “inspection during production” (or “DuPro”) programmes to regularly monitor quality and safety throughout the entire production process. This approach can not only reduce the frequency of quality- and safety-related issues, but can also help to identify root causes that can result in a more effective quality control programme for the supplier. Seafood production inspection programmes organised around DuPro principles can be a particularly effective tool in a variety of circumstances, such as with new producers or with producers located in geographic areas linked to a history of quality and safety concerns. DuPro inspection programmes can also be effective in helping to address quality problems with reliable producer partners who have recently experienced quality issues. Finally, DuPro inspection programmes can help to support the adoption of seafood traceability efforts, and to deter the passage of fraudulent seafood products. TÜV SÜD has adopted DuPro inspection principles in its own Initial- and During-Production Inspection programme. This programme consists of two distinct production inspection processes, an initial production inspection (IPI) and a “during production inspection” (DPI). Combine with TÜV SÜD’s other seafood inspection services, such as final random inspections of production, the Initial- and During-Production Inspection programme provides buyers with increase assurance that the seafood products produced by supply chain partners meets their specific requirements regarding quality and safety. In brief, the initial- and during-production inspection programme for seafood consists of the following activities: Upon completing these activities, the TÜV SÜD inspector reviews the preliminary findings with the manufacturer or buyer representative. The inspector also notes any inconsistencies between actual production and the buyer’s requirements. A final inspection report is provided by the next working day following the conclusion of the inspection. Final thoughts In an industry increasingly dependent on complex global supply chains, successful distributors, exporters and retailers of seafood and seafood products required effective policies and procedures to help ensure the quality of their product and to reduce the risk of unsafe seafood reaching consumers. TÜV SÜD’s Initial- and During-Production Inspection programme for seafood represents a comprehensive approach to the inspection of seafood production, and offers important advantages over pre- or post-production inspections alone. Our food safety inspection activities are accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 and are independently audit, assuring clients of our compliance with the highest inspection and auditing standards. Finally, TÜV SÜD’s extensive network of expert food safety inspectors enables us to conduct food safety inspections virtually anywhere in the world. To learn more about TÜV SÜD’s Initial- and During-Production Inspection programme for seafood, as well as our other inspection services, contact us at [email protected].	https://www.tuvsud.com/pl-pl/newsletter/food-and-health-essentials/e-ssentials-3-2017/the-importance-of-continuing-inspections-in-seafood-production
The proposal by Steve Bukowski, a production assistant, is to have 100% inspection of the final product. His proposal, while focusing on the quality aspect of the products, will potentially raise the costs that the company has to pay to rectify the issue. Conducting the inspections will, when done correctly, catch defects of the products in the plant, unfortunately the process cannot account for issues with shipping or for unintended use of the products. The costs of inspections, the resulting interruption of a process or delays caused by inspections, and the manners of testing typically outweigh the benefits of 100% inspection (Stevenson, 2012). Inspections can have a part in the final solution, but due to the issues stated, in my opinion, a complete 100% inspection of the product would burden the company. The last proposal that could be used is by Keith McNally, assistant to the VP of sales. Keith approaches the issue on two fronts, in which he is trying to appease the consumer and gain additional profit for the company. He wants to set up a trade-in program so that if the product is defective it can be returned for a new one. That returned product would then be fixed and resold at a lower price. The staff would not have to be let go and would be used in the off season to make repairs to the defective products. Keith’s proposal doesn’t take into account for the quality of the product. Consumers may be satisfied by getting a new product, but if the product continues to break then it will poorly affect the company’s reputation. The same could be said if a refurbished model breaks after being fixed.	https://www.majortests.com/essay/Study-Submission-610930.html
Quality issues on products manufactured in China do happen and they often impair business profitability, affect brand image on the market and can mean lost sales, product returns and factories stopping production. The most traditional kind of inspection that is performed on exports from China is the Pre-Shipment Inspection before shipment. After production is completed and all merchandise is ready and packed for shipment, inspectors randomly inspect batches of products to check compliance to the specifications and requirements, including cosmetics, function and packaging. It is based on a statistical approach know as AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) and defined during World War II for the US military, that allows to test only a small number of units out of a large batch of products. What is checked during a Pre-Shipment Inspection? Three types of issues can trigger the failure of the inspection, and potentially the refusal of the shipment by the purchaser: 1. Conformity to specs: All the relevant aspects of the product are controlled: quantity, components, assembly, aesthetics, function, size, labeling, packaging, etc. Ideally, the buyer has constituted a document listing all the specifications of the product to inspect, and these specs become the inspector’s checklist. When no such information is provided, the inspector simply collects information for the buyer’s review. 2. Number of visual defects: Based on the sampling plan, the inspector selects a predefined number of products at random. He checks them one by one, and counts the number of defects, which are compared to the AQL limits. 3. On-site tests: Depending on the type of products, certain tests are included in the inspector’s job. For example: a product drop test on 3 samples, from 80cm high on concrete floor (if at least 1 sample breaks or does not function any more, the test is failed). Pre-Shipment Inspection(PSI) will ensure your products are consistent and compliant with all country, industry or otherwise-specified requirements and that no critical major or minor defects appear.	https://www.vicc.com/pre-shipment-inspection-chinapipe-inspectionsteel-sheet-inspection/
Layout Inspection Plan Layout inspection plan is planning process of complete dimensions & functional inspection of the product and manufacturing standard cycle. Layout inspection plan is the planning of the inspection of the product, whereas product mapped, complete product dimensions, manufacturing standard cycle is inspected during the layout inspection as per customer expectation and end application requirements. Generally, it is covered processes of product, work instructions, machinery planning, manpower planning, everything which is effect the product quality. The scope of the layout inspection plan is determined by quality assurance team and as apply to all the functions, and components, assemblies and sub-assemblies, finished products manufactured within the organization including documentation audit and layout designed. it is the perfect inspection that conducted after completion of the final inspection once in quarter or customer requirements, wherein take care of product quality must have maintained as expecting with the product process and mapping. Layout inspection planning can possible monthly, batch wise or customer’s product wise to individual recording and tracking the information of the layout inspection and its planning against actual inspection, non-conformity and concern issues. Layout Inspection Plan - Layout inspection plan for year - Product ID - production name - customer name - Monthly Schedule – Planned / Actual As you can see above field that used for the recording the information of the planning sheet, layout inspection planning sheet or layout inspection plan format is simple monthly product wise planning for the customer’s requirements and quality product. Process Inputs \|Sr. No.\|\|Inputs Description\|\|Source ( From Where )\|\|Review / Acceptance Criteria\| \|01\|\|Component, Part Drawing / Assembly Drawing\|\|Development\|\|Controlled Drawing Revision Status\| \|02\|\|Approved sample\|\|Quality Assurance\|\|Quality Assurance / Customer Approvals\| \|03\|\|Inspection standards\|\|Quality Assurance\|\|Revision Status\| \|04\|\|Inspection, Measuring & Test Equipment\|\|Quality Assurance\|\|Calibration Status\| \|05\|\|Test Samples\|\|Process\|\|Samples as per sampling plan\| \|06\|\|Packed Products\|\|Dispatch\|\|Quality Assurance / Customer Approvals\| \|07\|\|Customer Complaints\|\|Customer\|\|Item Name & Nature of Complaint\| \|08\|\|Lab Test Results\|\|Outside / in house testing Laboratory\|\|Test status\| Process Outputs: \|Sr. No.\|\|Output Description\|\|Internal / External Customer\| \|01\|\|Checked Samples / products\|\|Next stage operation / packing / dispatch\| \|02\|\|Deviation note\|\|Quality Assurance / Customer Approvals\| \|03\|\|Monthly Status of Product\|\|Manager / Management Representative\| \|04\|\|Document Audit report\|\|Production / Customer Approvals\| \|05\|\|Layout inspection report\|\|Production / Customer Approvals\| \|06\|\|Feedback of in process and final inspection\|\|Production / Quality assurance\| Layout inspection – Effectiveness & Efficiency Indicators The layout inspection is similar for first article and its related inspection processes, as well as the inspection processes should be properly monitored and measured to analyze the condition of improvement, the effectiveness and efficiency can be measured and monitored on periodically interval. Generally, effectiveness of layout inspection is measured and monitored through percentage of rejection, percentage of rework, and quality related customer complaints received. All the monitoring and measurement process are conducted by quality assurance team, and responsible for collecting information, measure all data collected from manufacturing site, analysis of information through various method like trend chart, summary report, customer complaint register. In quality management system, the simply quality assurance team is verifying efficiency of inspection process is measured through cost of poor quality, which is conducted, measured and reported commonly on monthly basis, the report is prepared by quality engineers where all the information of cost of poor quality is verified by quality assurance and quality control manager for appropriate actions. Layout inspection plan – Implementation The implement part of the layout inspection is conducted by preparation of layout inspection schedule for all the classifications of finished products being processed in the organization. The inspection team should carryout complete check of finished product at least once in quarter / as per customer requirements (The frequency of inspection are managed as per specified by customers) for complete dimensions and function inspection / testing as described by the customer in their drawings and keep records. During inspection process in case of any deviation observed by quality engineer should forward the head of department for taking necessary corrective measure to avoid future deviation and improve the process. The quality engineer identify deviation are on special characteristics as given in final products control plan, the matter should have discussed with head of department to related information decide immediate corrective actions. EXAMPLES, SAMPLES & FORMATS LAYOUT INSPECTION PLAN IN WORD DOCUMENT DOWNLOAD FREE LAYOUT INSPECTION PLAN IN PDF FORMAT DOWNLOAD FREE LAYOUT INSPECTION PLAN TEMPLATES DOWNLOAD LAYOUT INSPECTION PLAN IN JPEG, PNG FORMAT DOWNLOAD You would also like to read:	http://www.inpaspages.com/layout-inspection-plan/
Responsible for inspecting products at various stages of the production process to maintain quality and reliability of products in accordance with required quality plans. Work with Quality Supervisor/Manager, Shift Supervisor, and other Inspectors as well as manufacturing personnel to maintain quality conformance on all parts. Use various measuring devices to ensure compliance with specifications. Accepts, rejects, or reworks defective or malfunctioning parts. May perform visual, dimensional, mechanical, precision mechanical, functional, or electrical inspection of parts, assemblies, or final product in all stages of the production process (incoming, in-process and final inspection). ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Under general supervision, performs visual, mechanical, dimensional, or functional inspection of raw materials, parts, assemblies, or final product in the production & assembly process. - Performs inspection tasks involving the use of a wide variety of test instruments, precision measuring devices and electronic equipment to ensure compliance of parts and product with established specifications. - Works from written and verbal instructions, procedures, blueprints, diagrams, statistical processes, or other control procedures. Select products for inspection at specified stages in production process and performs visual inspection for variety of defects such as splay, contamination, gross flash, non-fills, short shots, color variation, voids, and grease/oil. Verifies packaging quality and integrity. - Responsible for reviewing device history records (DHR) for completeness and accuracy. - Identifies workmanship and material defects. Determines acceptability and identifies and recommends disposition of defective items in accordance with established procedures, referring only exception cases to the Quality Supervisor. - Perform label verifications. - Record all start up in-process inspection results and maintain ongoing verbal and written communications with other inspectors, packers, operators, molding technicians, and supervisors to ensure product quality. - Maintains required documentation and records. Responsible for process documentation verification (cycle checklists, lot change summary, line clearance, etc.). - Notify appropriate plant employees and request technical support when appropriate. - Performs bar code transactions using Bar Code System. - Conducts, documents, and reports on process audits of assembly/molding processes including cart audits and warehouse audits. - May be asked to handle requests such as process capability studies, first article inspections, protocols, validations, collecting and sorting product sample requests and other special inspections. - Supports all company safety and quality programs and initiatives. - Other responsibilities may be assigned from time to time as needed, based on the evolution of the company and the requirements of the department/position. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE - High School degree or GED certificate and some experience in injection molding, precision metrology, machine shop operations or similar industry/environments - Moderate physical effort involving lifting of boxes. - Must have visual acuity of at least corrected 20/40 near vision with both eyes. May have mild deficiency or better in color vision. - Ability to read and write English and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. - Requires use of simple arithmetic (addition, multiplication, calculate averages), fixed and adjustable measuring instruments, simple use of charts, maintaining and understand records. Accessibility Accommodation If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access https://careers.jabil.com/ site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or by calling 1.727.803.7515 with the nature of your request and contact information. Please do not direct any other general employment related questions to this e-mail or phone number. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this e-mail address and/or phone number.	https://careers.jabil.com/en/jobs/job/j2296942-quality-inspector-12hrs-night-shift/
We have an integrated production line that covers the entire process from board mounting to product assembly of electrical components. The mounting process is arranged in a line with surface mounting (SMT) as the main line, and the assembly process is a U-shaped cell line that combines semi-automatic M/C and manual assembly to reduce waste and losses. 3 Resin molding 4 Mg casting We are mainly engaged in the integrated production of steering lock bodies for 4-wheeled vehicles, from magnesium forming to processing using hot chamber die casting machines, and have 250-350 ton forming machines and robot processing equipment to meet various needs. 5 Final assembly ESL is a functional component that locks and unlocks the steering wheel by electrically controlling the lock plate. As they are important functional products, we manage the traceability of each part used. 6 Quality Verification In addition to the performance inspection, we also use inspection equipment to check the operating noise during operation. In the appearance inspection, we check for scratches and damages, and also check the actual installation parts to guarantee quality.	https://hondalock.co.jp/en/technology/production_line/esl/
Quality Manager: Summary: The Quality Manager is responsible for direction the functions, development, and implementation of quality assurance programs within Homeshield. Working under general supervision, is responsible for quality assurance training, implementation of standards, maintaining Q.A. related statistics, conducting audits and supervising Q.A. personnel. Works closely with customers and suppliers to ensure the reliability of products and conformance to customer requirements. Responsibilities:Works with operations, manufacturing and product engineering, suppliers, and customers to develop quality standards and specifications that can be economically maintained to ensure product acceptability.Directs operator and statistical process control programs to ensure total manufacturing process feasibility.Prepare reports, budget requests, gauge needs, equipment needs, maintenance work orders, employee requisitions, purchase requisitions, and other required information.Act as the primary liaison between customers and Homeshield on quality-related issues.Design, develop and implement a capability analysis plan for all pieces of equipment within the plant.Convert product drawing specifications into meaningful inspection methods. Develop process drawings and specifications as required.Hire, train, evaluate performance, discipline, communicate with and develop subordinates.Provide input on hiring new employees. Assist in interviewing qualified applicants referred by the Human Resources Department.React to operator concerns, involve production supervisors, initiate and follow through problem solving procedures.Prepare written responses to customer quality notifications. Visit customer on a routine basis to resolve quality issues and check on the performances of Homeshield products on the production floor.Supervise tolerance studies and tests to confirm performance criteria.Assure that all blueprints, specifications, procedures and gauges are available, up to date, accurate and being used correctly by auditors and operators.Assure accuracy of quality documentation including hold tags, inspection reports, data collection, supplier inspection reports and test reports.Assign work to employees and establish time schedules that assure timely completion. Establish and coordinate all necessary intra-departmental communicating during and between shifts.Administer divisional training and certification process to ensure each individual within the manufacturing process is qualified for the position that they occupy.Assures that all products and services conform to specified requirements.Perform any and all inspection tasks in emergency, temporary absences, or other appropriate circumstances.	http://www.latpro.com/jobs/3805702.html
Phyllis Blumberg, Ph.D. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia [email protected] Workshop Outcomes • Learn more about learning centered practices • Gain experience with learning centered teaching practices worksheets • Explore utilization strategies • Explore implementation strategies Learning centered teaching • It is an approach to teaching that focuses on student learning • rather than on what the teacher is doing • Changes the focus from what the teacher does to student learning • Learning centered teaching is not one specific teaching method • Many different instructional methods can use a learning centered approach Why implement learning centered teaching • Research shows that learning centered teaching leads to • Increased student engagement with the content • Increased student learning and long term retention • Educators are under increasing pressure to use learning centered teaching Myths about learning centered teaching • Can only be implemented in small classes • Can only be implemented in upper level or graduate classes • Reduces the content covered • Reduces the rigor of the courses • When students engage in active learning the course gets dumped down Blumberg, P., & Everett, J. (2005). Achieving a campus consensus on learning-centered teaching: Process and outcomes. To Improve the Academy, 23, 191-210. Essential concepts about Learning Centered Teaching • Teacher centered and learning centered teaching are not a either/ or situations, but a series of continua • Courses can be at different points along the teacher-learning centered continua • Transitioning to learning centered teaching takes time and effort • Easier and more practical to make incremental steps toward learning centered teaching According to Weimer (2002) there are 5 practices that need to change to achieve learning centered teaching • The functions of content • The role of the teacher • The responsibility for learning • The processes and purposes of evaluation • The balance of power Weimer, M. (2002). Learner-centered teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. The function of content • In addition to building a knowledge base, the content facilitates students to: • Practice using inquiry or ways of thinking in the discipline • Learn to solve real problems • Understand the function of the content, why it is learned • Build discipline-specific learning methodologies • Build an appreciation for value of content The function of content • Content can help students develop a way to learn in this discipline • Content is framed so that students see how it can be applied in the future • Students engage in most of the content to make it their own, students make meaning out of the content The role of the teacher • The teacher creates an environment that: • Fosters students learning • Accommodates different learning styles • Motivates students to accept responsibility for learning The role of the teacher • Explicitly aligns objectives,	https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/32996333/implementing-learning-centered-approaches-in-your-teaching
When we personalize our classes, we give our students some control over their learning. As mentioned in the Data Practices chapter (chapter 7), social studies students vary widely in their abilities to think critically, employ evidence from multiple sources, organize information, read critically and analytically, and use various types of media. Students are on different reading levels, or English may not be their native language. Some have strong skills in writing; others do not. Some know how to lead a group but not how to participate in one. Others might have strong analytical skills but not know how to communicate their ideas in either writing or speaking. Some might need to develop collaborative skills or editing or rewriting skills. Because students vary in essential social studies and historical literacy skills, personalization becomes a way to help students develop their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. It allows students to focus their attention on areas where they can really grow and not spend time doing exercises in areas they have already mastered. It allows students to use their time efficiently for their own growth. It can also help students gain confidence in their ability to communicate in a variety of different media and in their ability to have something to contribute. One of the challenges with personalizing a social studies curriculum is the teacher’s mindset that students must all memorize and repeat back the same information, such as names, dates, places, and events. When teachers can move past this mindset, the advantages of personalizing learning become more apparent. Recognizing the inherent advantages of the social studies curriculum will allow for a more engaging learning environment for students. Here is how Merinda Davis allowed her students to show their knowledge through research and simulation, rather than through memorized facts or tests. Teachers Talk: Model United Nations and Model European Union (3:40) Reflection Questions: What historical skills did these students use in the simulations? How did they show their knowledge? What effect did these activities have on students? Students can be involved in the same or similar activity but be working on different areas of growth. For example, in a unit on the American Revolution students can study key groups and people. They do not all need to research the same group or person to learn the same concepts. Students can work on developing their individual skills as they conduct and record their research. Some students could focus on identifying quality sources, while others focus on using corroborating sources to support their analyses, or contextualizing their evidence. Still others could be honing skills on a multimedia presentation, videos, infographics, or podcasts. Personalization looks a little different for each student, but it can benefit all of them. In this next video, Mark Stevens explains how and why personalization benefits students. Teachers Talk: Benefits of Personalization (4:22) Reflection questions: Which of the benefits that Mr. Stevens mentions means the most to you? How can you create that benefit in your classroom? What do you need to change in your thinking for this to happen? It takes time and a mind shift to figure out how personalization will work for your classroom. Once you have figured out how to manage and effectively use personalization, you will be happily surprised with the results. You will see increased student engagement and learning. One of the great advantages of personalization is that it allows students to participate in different ways as their circumstances allow. It this video Brooke Davies tells how blended learning allowed her to include a student who was unable to attend class. Teachers Talk: Reaching the One (4:22) Reflection Question: How could you use blended teaching to increase the participation of students in your class? Ashley uses personalization to engage students through their choice and input. Teachers Talk: Personalize My Blended Classroom (5:47) Reflection Questions: How does Ashley use student feedback to personalize her classroom? What other methods does she use? Would any of these methods fit your classroom? Understanding what personalization is and what it is not can help you prepare your blended class to be effective. Below are the definitions of differentiation and personalization. Both can be used effectively in a classroom, but they are not the same. Recognizing the differences will help you use both to increase learning. Definitions: Differentiation vs. Personalization Differentiation and personalization are similar but not the same. As you think about the activities and ideas in this chapter, decide if the activity is differentiated or personalized. Both have an important place in classrooms, but personalization with its extra emphasis on student (not teacher) choice tends to foster greater growth in areas such as student ownership and self-regulation. Differentiation: The teacher tailors instructional materials, pacing, and path to address student needs. She makes significant decisions for and about the student. Personalization: Student makes their own decisions about their goals, time, place, pace, and path, giving them increased ownership over their learning. It is helpful to approach personalization and the idea of student control in two different ways: through allowing students to personalize along the dimensions of personalization and through allowing students to personalize the learning objectives, assessments, and activities we use in our teaching. 9.2 Personalization Dimensions in a Social Studies Classroom One way to think about personalization is to examine the ways students can personalize. The five dimensions of personalized learning are guidelines for ways or methods we can apply to allow our students to personalize their learning. These dimensions are goals, time, place, pace, and/or path. Figure 1 Five Dimensions of Personalized Learning In the sections below we will explore each of these dimensions. 9.2.1 Personalizing Goals Goals are a means of making choices specific and purposeful. Facilitating goal setting increases student ownership of their learning, encourages lifelong learning skills and attitudes, and increases motivation and self-regulation abilities. In order for students to personalize their goals, you and they need to understand something of their needs and proficiencies as learners. This is where you can use the data you have gathered from the activities mentioned in the Data Practices chapter. Information from such sources helps you understand where students are in their abilities, skills, and aptitudes. Learning outcomes and standards give focus for where students are expected to be. The difference between where students are and the course outcomes is the place for growth—and goals. Teachers Talk: Discovering They Couldn't Reach Their Goals Together Merinda Davis One year I had three boys who always sat in the back and just sat back and laughed and joked around. On one particular project, the students were going to work in groups, and I gave them the choice of who they wanted to work with. They chose to work together, but as I checked up with them on their deadlines and asked how they were doing on their goals, they were not getting much done. Eventually, partway through the project, they decided, yeah, we're not as successful together as we could be. We like each other, but we don't work well together. They came to that conclusion themselves and ended up doing similar but separate projects. One of them did a prototype for a water filter straw before they were widely available on the market. Another one did the math and created his own water filter. He went and found all the parts and made his own filter. He got really excited because he was like, wow, I actually did this! He felt really accomplished. This kid went from being the kid who just goofed off in the back of the class to actually being a leader in the school. Goals are not goals if they are just aspirations. Writing goals down and tracking them are important processes for achieving them. Here are a few ideas about goal-setting conferences and how they might be used in a social studies classroom. - Teach and discuss the purpose for setting goals. - Help students develop a growth mindset; create a culture of growth. - Introduce a goal-setting process such as SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). - Some teachers meet with a few students a day or week, taking several weeks to met with every student. - Others plan a station or lab rotation, where students are working independently, then pull students out individually for a short consultation. - Use these conferences to review current data and areas of growth. - Invite the student to evaluate where new growth can take place in your content area and make goals for that growth. - Record progress toward previous goals and new goals. Include a chart to help students visualize progress. - Pair and share—place students in pairs (which either you or the students choose). The students share their goals with each other weekly and help their partner revise the goals if necessary. They also report their progress. - Collaboration—Students can keep an online daily or weekly journal in which they reflect on and record their progress toward their goals or struggles they are having. Teachers check in weekly and address individual student needs. - Consistency—Students turn in an online exit ticket daily, reporting that day’s progress, struggles, or need for help. - Tracking—Create charts to record student progress during the year. Teachers Talk: Goal Setting Merinda Davis When I taught Utah studies, we blended it with Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens (Sean Covey, 2014), which included weekly goal setting. Each week they wrote two weekly goals—one academic goal and one personal goal. We would follow up on that goal at the end of the week. We also had daily starter goals, especially when we were doing projects. Each group would set a goal for the day, what they would be able to accomplish that day, or when they would be able to have something finished. Then I held them to their own deadlines. 9.2.2 Personalizing Path When you allow students to personalize their learning path in your classroom, your students are not all doing the same assessments and activities. You may find that you have become a curator of resources and activities that will best help your students. These resources/activities can be compiled in playlists or choice boards, which give the students choice about the order in which they complete the activities or about which activities they choose to do. While this may take time to figure out a system that is appropriate and manageable for your classroom, personalized pathways allow students to take ownership of their learning. This also allows you an opportunity to build positive relationships with your students, thus increasing teacher efficacy, which has the highest impact on student achievement (Hattie, 2017). Teachers Talk: Choosing Media Mark Stevens There are so many ways to give students choices. We just finished studying the Holocaust. I gave the kids all kinds of resources. They could choose a brain pop video or a text-based resource like a Newsela article. And if they chose Newsela, there were four or five different Lexile levels; they could pick the one that works best for them. I also gave them the choice to use one resource or both of them. Or maybe they needed to have the article read to them. Instead of just listening to a machine voice read it to them, sometimes we had the teachers take the text of one of the mid-level Lexile levels and record the audio for them to listen to. The students make the decision that works best for them. Is it all three modes? The audio, the video, and the text? Or is it one or two of them? Teachers Talk: Environmental Entrepreneurship (4:29) Reflection Question: In what ways was this project personalized? 9.2.3 Personalizing Pace Personalizing pace means allowing students to take more or less time to master content, based on their own ways and pace of learning as well as their personal and family life circumstances. It often includes giving students a window of time on due dates for completing activities, assignments, and assessments. Personalizing pace encourages students to manage their time. They know what they need to do and when it needs to be completed, but they also know the other demands on their time (sports, school, play, and family and work obligations) and learn to plan for these situations. While students are still learning how to manage their time, it is important that you provide scaffolding and support. Teachers Talk: A Year of History in One Semester LeNina Wimmer We allow students to progress through the US History content as fast as they want to. We grade on content and cognitive skills. Cognitive skills are 70% of their grade and content is 30%. If students finished their entire content work by the end of first semester and they demonstrated excellent cognitive skills, we let them be done with US history. We had many students finish the year’s content in one semester. They were able to take another semester class, maybe US government or some other elective. Because those students were able to work so well on their own, I was able to spend more time helping students who needed more help in developing skills and learning the content. Flexible pacing helped all of my students. Teachers Talk: Personalizing Pace Brooke Davies Personalization helps me and my students not waste time. I don’t have to have my students do busy work or wait while others catch up. The online format has allowed them to move a little bit more at their own pace because I can give them choice, I can extend it a little bit easier. I can give them opportunities to go deeper if they finish earlier; if they're working slower I can also sometimes see that and assess it faster than if we were doing just like a paper and turning it into me at the end of the class period. I’ve seen engagement increase and greater authenticity in what we're doing. With blending we have this chunk that's all together that hopefully they'll get, and then they can move at their own pace to finish the work. 9.2.4 Personalizing Time In a traditional classroom, students may have a class period to finish an assignment. In a blended classroom, this time can be expanded to include time outside the class. Because activities can be accessible outside of the classroom, students can choose times that work well for them. For example, some students may have a difficult time learning in the morning, when they have class. But because they can access the assignment later in the day, they are able to complete it and do a good job. Time is closely related to pace. Because students are not bound to a specific time to do an assignment, they can increase or decrease their pace according to their own preferences, needs, and abilities. Remember learning doesn’t just happen in the timeframe of your class period, which may not be the optimal time for some students. 9.2.5 Personalizing Place Personalizing place revisits traditional practices about classroom space and where students learn. Because blended courses often include online instruction, students can choose to do activities at home or at school. Remember, your classroom is not the only place where students can learn. In addition, they can access instruction when they have to miss activities because of illness, travel, or extra-curricular activities. Another aspect of place is the configuration of the classroom. Classrooms are often viewed as rows of desks or sometimes desks grouped into tables. But classrooms don’t have to look this way. They can be made more comfortable, inviting, and conducive to the kinds of activities that take place in a blended classroom. Flexible seating allows students to recognize where they learn best. “The students in the classroom need to be comfortable in the place they are learning which will lead to students being more engaged. The students will then be more attentive and will be more likely to participate in discussions that create a more meaningful, impactful learning experience” (Reyes, Brackett, Rivers, White, & Salovey, 2012, p. 700). Teachers Talk: Flexible Place (4:29) Reflection Questions: What advantages did these students receive from learning in a flexible classroom? What is a first step you could take to make your classroom more flexible? Merinda found these same benefits from providing a flexible classroom. Teachers Talk: Flexible Spaces Merinda Davis I tried something last year, and it actually kind of worked. I got swivel chairs, and I made more space in my classroom for students to move around in groups. I put desks along the back wall. The students’ backs were to the front and their faces were to the wall. Each desk had a clipboard, so if they wanted to take notes about what was going on in the front of the classroom, they could turn toward the front with their clipboards. The majority of the time, however, they are working on the computers, and I can see their computer screens facing the front. I also have small groups of tables in the middle of the class for collaborative work or small group instruction. 9.3 Personalizing Activities and Assessments Approaching personalization through the five dimensions is one way of planning to personalize. Another way is to look directly at what you already do in your classroom. Typically teachers plan assessments and activities around learning objectives to make sure they cover the material they are mandated to cover. Finding ways for students to exercise choice in some or all aspects of these activities and assessments is another way to foster personalization in your classroom. 9.3.1 Personalized Assessments What do assessments look like in your classroom: A multiple-choice test? An essay exam? A final paper? A presentation? Do all your students do the same thing? Personalizing assessments means giving students choices in the ways they demonstrate mastery of a learning outcome. Often this means creating a list of ideas that students can choose from, while also allowing them to suggest their own ideas. If your students need to take a multiple-choice test consider using frequent formative assessments, then have a summative performance-based assessment. This allows students to show their learning in different ways especially if they are given a choice for how they achieve the performance-based assessment. The video below shows how one teacher supported personalized assessments in her classroom. Teachers Talk: Developing Skills through WWII and the Cold War (4:06) Reflection Questions: What kinds of skills could LeNina Wimmer have evaluated in her students presentations? What are some ways you can give students choice when you want to evaluate skills and content? The following video shows an example of a personalized assessment. The online space gives students more variety for tools to use as they choose and create the project they want to do. Teachers Talk: The Peace Project (3:41) Reflection Questions: How did Merinda connect history with the students' lives? Why was this project so powerful for them? Link to video referenced in this video: Roman Kent In your Blended Teaching Workbook, create a few ideas of personalized assessments that students can choose from in order to show mastery of the content area you chose earlier. If you haven't already opened and saved your workbook, you can access it here. 9.3.2 Personalized Activities Personalized activities are based on data and goals. Students can choose activities that help them accomplish their goals from playlists and/or choice boards that give them choice in path, pace, time, and place. They may include online interaction as well as online integration of activities that are personalized or differentiated for individual students. Mary Catherine differentiates her assessments and activities to fit the unique needs of her students. Teachers Talk: Differentiating for Struggling Students Mary Catherine Keating I have a large number of ELL learners and IEP students. With blended teaching there’s so much more I can do to help them succeed. For me that has been the greatest benefit of blended teaching. It involves doing really simple things—like giving them the ability to listen to a device read out loud to them. Or modifying a multiple choice quiz. I can easily change a quiz to meet the needs of a student by having only two answers to choose from instead of four or using pictures as answers instead of text. I also have more time to teach these students because I’m not spending time erasing answers or finding pictures in a book. I can give them more things that are appropriate for their learning level. Table 1 contains more ideas for personalizing activities in a social science classroom. Table 1 Personalized Activities \|Personalized Activities\| \|Create a choice board of activities for exploring a concept; person, place, or event, etc.\| \|Corroboration—Introduce comparing and contrasting activities by providing links to several different artistic renderings of a text in different forms: film, poetry, art, music, graphic novel, etc. Students choose two and fill out a compare/contrast chart.\| \|Students create a PSA to teach others about how we can apply lessons from history to our lives today. This can be in any format of the students’ choice.\| \|Students identify and develop a solution to an issue. Then they present their solution to appropriate stakeholders in the format that is most applicable to them.\| In your Blended Teaching Workbook create a few ideas of personalized activities that students can choose from in order to show mastery of the content area you chose earlier. If you haven't already opened and saved your workbook, you can access it here. Personalization is a powerful pedagogical tool. It allows students to grow where they need to grow and in a way that is meaningful to them. It combines all the other competencies of blended learning— online integration, online interaction, and data practices—to create a unique learning experience for each student. Throughout these chapters, you have learned how to use these competencies in a social studies context. Now it is up to you! You are ready for that first small step. Suggested CitationDavis, M. M. (2022). Social science: Personalization. In C. R. Graham, J. Borup, M. Jensen, K. T. Arnesen, & C. R. Short (Eds.). K–12 blended teaching (Vol 2): A guide to practice within the disciplines: Social science edition. https://edtechbooks.org/k12blended_socialscience/ss_pers Previous Version(s) End-of-Chapter Survey: How would you rate the overall quality of this chapter?	https://edtechbooks.org/k12blended_socialscience/ss_pers
“How do you start personalizing instruction in your classroom?” This is the question Whitney Hoffman asked in her post on Edutopia…and here is my response: Hmmm…this one made me dig deeper into the ideas of differentiation, personalized instruction and individualization. While there is certainly some overlap here, I think it behooves us to tease out the ways in which they are different but perhaps more importantly, to consider the lens from which we view these ideas. I started with the National Educational Technology Plan: “Throughout this plan, we use the following definitions: Individualization refers to instruction that is paced to the learning needs of different learners. Learning goals are the same for all students, but students can progress through the material at different speeds according to their learning needs. For example, students might take longer to progress through a given topic, skip topics that cover information they already know, or repeat topics they need more help on. Differentiation refers to instruction that is tailored to the learning preferences of different learners. Learning goals are the same for all students, but the method or approach of instruction varies according to the preferences of each student or what research has found works best for students like them. Personalization refers to instruction that is paced to learning needs, tailored to learning preferences, and tailored to the specific interests of different learners. In an environment that is fully personalized, the learning objectives and content as well as the method and pace may all vary (so personalization encompasses differentiation and individualization).” This shines some light on the differences between individualization, differentiation and personalization but honestly I find myself struggling; struggling because they all tend to focus on the teaching not the learning. All of them still perpetuate a teacher-directed classroom vs a student-centered classroom. In my humble, still growing opinion, we should be talking about personalized learning and the only way for teachers to understand, truly understand, personalized learning in the 21st Century is to be a networked learner because something dramatic and powerful happens when teachers immerse themselves in networked spaces; a vast array of doors are opened… by the learner.	https://fluidconversationscharrod.edublogs.org/2011/11/28/opening-doors/
Join Jason Webb, Syracuse University’s Instructional Analyst, and PlayPosit Co-Founder Sue Germer for an inside look at how their instructional design partnership has led to a powerful HyFlex approach, innovation, and data-driven impact. Presenters Extended Abstract Syracuse University began its partnership with PlayPosit in the Fall of 2019 with the goal of immersing students in flipped, hybrid, and online videos. Since then, Webb and his team have been personalizing the online and asynchronous learning experience with video: learners move at their own pace, instruction is captured in real-time, and learners can watch on their own terms. Unfortunately, though, this creates a disconnect for faculty assigning the content -- are students actually watching the content? Moreover, are students actually understanding the content faculty created? How do you know? This session focuses on reconnecting faculty to learners in the online learning environment through the medium of video-based lessons. Among other questions answered during this session, here are a few: - How do your faculty make their video content-rich? - Interactive? - Pedagogically oriented? - Data-driven? Video is increasingly foundational for the success of online courses. But why are some applications successful while others struggle to engage learners? This session highlights how Syracuse has harnessed the power of PlayPosit’s interactive video platform to make video lessons hyper-engaging while using data to inform future instruction.	https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/olc-accelerate-2020-session-page/?session=9733&kwds=
Welcome to a three-part blog series on the role – and potential – of AI in Human Resources, specifically Learning and Development (L&D). We sat down with Erik Duindam, Head of Engineering for Everwise, who recently published a white paper on AI’s potential for L&D. Erik provides informed and informative thoughts on the direction of AI in learning and development, and we’ve worked to capture his thoughts and share them with you. The next two articles address the role of AI in L&D programs, and facilitating learning experiences with AI. According to Bloomberg, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is likely to be the most disruptive force in technology and HR in the coming decade. It’s also critical to the evolution of learning and development (L&D) in organizations worldwide. AI may still be in its infancy, but basic AI software and tools are already beginning to impact the workplace. Companies are rethinking their organizational charts, hiring practices, training methods and more. What is AI? In the business and technology worlds, AI is an umbrella term for autonomous machines, software and algorithms with learning or problem-solving capabilities. Computers can understand natural language to communicate with humans. They can make predictions based on data. They can analyze physical surroundings to drive a vehicle. They can simulate neural networks of the brain to recognize images or translate text. In short, they can figure things out for themselves. The Importance of AI for HR As AI begins to change every aspect of how a business works, companies must also reevaluate their L&D strategies. AI and smarter software is already being used to offer a more tailored learning journey. Smarter software powers personalization, social interaction and higher content relevance for users. And it gives L&D professionals the tracking and analytics they need to measure program effectiveness across multiple audiences. However, many companies are still training for skills that don’t match their actual or future needs. Why? Because they are not able to collect and interpret valuable data to identify employee skill gaps and drive business outcomes. This is where AI will prove especially useful. A machine can easily analyze and combine data from various sources, such as different learning programs and HIRS systems. “If you can combine all that data and run AI machine learning algorithms over it, then you could draw all kinds of conclusions,” says Erik Duindam, Head of Engineering for Everwise. AI-powered innovations by companies such as IBM are leading the way to solve these problems. IBM can now predict future skill gaps and performance. With this information, organizations can create more effective, self-optimizing learning programs. AI-powered platforms can make employee-specific predictions and recommendations for skill development, future performance and collaborative learning experiences by analyzing various data sources. How AI can predict the future In order to adapt to the changing technologies, organizations are moving away from a traditional hierarchical structure. And L&D departments will have to change how they help those employees learn and grow in their career paths as well. It will be more difficult for management to see what skills need to be developed in a more fluid, cross-functional environment. Obtaining and listening to employee feedback will become even more valuable in the new environment. “To actually understand what people should be learning or what skills are lacking, you are going to have to listen to employee feedback more than was necessary in the past,” says Duindam.“You’re going to have to collect intelligence from all of your employees not just data from systems and managers.” Machine learning, more specifically, deep learning will help with gathering and interpreting the various sources of data. Deep learning is a technical concept based on artificial neural networks that makes computers able to learn automatically without introducing hand-coded rules. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms are widely available via open source software libraries and cloud computing platforms such as IBM Watson, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. That means any company with the right set of data should be able to make AI-powered predictions. “If you can use a lot of data from different sources to identify what the skill gaps are and if you can predict what your skill gaps will be in the future, then you can offer better learning programs,” says Duindam. To learn more, read Erik’s white paper on “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Evolution of Learning & Development.” And look for parts two and three of this AI series in the coming week. Thanks for reading!	https://www.geteverwise.com/human-resources/ai-disruptive-force-will-transform-ld/
All projects should primarily address Science, Technology, Arts or Reading and/or integrate these focus areas into the learning process. Mini Grants can be used to supplement classroom needs relative to projects in the STARS focus areas and can include field experiences. Innovative Learning Grants ask teachers to provide a learning experience that actively engages students, stimulates and motivates students to achieve academic excellence, aligns to academic standards, and can be replicated at other sites. The project must include specific learning objectives and ways of measuring the effectiveness of project activities. The Project Based Learning Grant (PBL) is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage and motivate students to answer a question or solve a problem. These activities generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. PBL is synonymous with learning in depth. A well-designed project exposes students to essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process. The grant requires a commitment on the part of teachers to receive specialized training so they can facilitate projects that meet today’s standards for accountability and teach students the academic content and the 21st century skills they need for life success. The methodology incorporates project management skills valued by today’s global industries (critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, etc.) The project must include specific learning objectives and ways of measuring the effectiveness of project activities.	http://sanjuaneducationfoundation.org/learning-grants/
We’ve arrived at a new economy. Just as the Industrial Revolution fundamentally changed how business was done, the digital transformation is doing the same. But in this new era, an organization’s biggest advantage is not its technology. In fact, contrary to dystopian suggestions that artificial intelligence and machine learning will leave humans out in the cold, the forces shifting today’s business landscape call for an even greater focus on human skills. In this economy, an organization’s most important resource is the expertise of its workforce. And creating modern learning cultures where those skill sets are constantly growing and evolving is the most crucial strategic imperative. Digitization, Automation, Acceleration In our new book The Expertise Economy, my co-author David Blake and I argue that the modern world of business is now in the age of digitization, automation, and acceleration. While the movement of more and more resources onto digital platforms is part of what’s reshaping commerce, these other two trends are just as potent. More rote skills are being automated. So the uniquely human skills today’s technologies can’t take over — including innovation, strong communication, emotional intelligence, listening, and giving constructive feedback — are becoming more important than ever. And these changes are happening at a pace that was unimaginable just a few decades ago. Accelerations in technology and science are outpacing the capacity of humans and society to adapt. “The task confronting every economy, particularly advanced economies, will likely be to retrain and redeploy tens of millions of midcareer, middle-age workers,” a 2018 McKinsey Global Institute report states. And because historically humanity has only experienced these kinds of workforce transitions over decades, if not centuries, we are in uncharted territory. “There are few precedents in which societies have successfully re-trained such large numbers of people,” the report says. The workforce is unprepared. McKinsey found that “sixty-two percent of executives believe they will need to retrain or replace more than a quarter of their workforce between now and 2023 due to advancing automation and digitization.” For upskilling and reskilling, businesses must lead This rapid evolution has triggered forward-thinking organizations to make learning and development a more prominent and even central force in their daily operations. They’re committing to make sure employees not only learn emerging technologies and edge skills, but also develop expertise in soft kills and human interactions, in order to satisfy the requirements of modern learning cultures. This task is so monumental that some corporations are restructuring their internal operations to adapt. Visa, for example, moved its learning function out of HR and into the corporate strategy division. Now, reskilling Visa employees is seen as something much larger than just sending people to compliance training. Tim Munden, chief learning officer at Unilever, is creating a strategy for upskilling and reskilling more than 161,000 employees around the globe — not as part of a separate learning function, but as an integral part of the company’s digital transformation strategy. In an interview for the book, Munden told me he believes that “as organizations become networks—networks of people not just employed by you, but networks of people inside and out of the company—skills are what form the connections of the network. Networks form around what a person can do, and we employ people for what they can do, as well as their purpose in doing it.” Governments can be powerful forces in launching skills initiatives to help train workers of the future, such as through updating what schools teach and emphasize. But it’s up to companies and their top executives to lead the way. This is why AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has made learning new skills a part of what’s expected of all employees. He told the New York Times that people who dedicate less than an ideal 5-10 hours a week to learning “will obsolete themselves with the technology.” This same thinking is also fueling the Data Science 5k initiative from Booz Allen Hamilton and General Assembly, an effort to develop 5,000 new data experts over five years. Workplace learning leaders must keep up The seismic shifts caused by digitization, acceleration, and automation present workplace learning leaders with a daunting challenge. But they also help show the way forward. Just as businesses need to adapt in order to harness the advantages of these phenomena, learning and development organizations within businesses need to harness them as well. It’s time to embrace new digital technologies that make learning accessible, social, and available in bite-sized increments. It’s time to use learning platforms that allow workers to not only add or create their own content, but more importantly to curate existing content so the learning experience keeps up with the accelerated pace of business. And it’s time to embrace automated technologies that enhance the learning experience by personalizing it to each user. Much like Spotify for music or Amazon for products, new learning technologies can recommend personalized learning content to each individual. The platform gets to know what content you like and allows you to dismiss what you don’t. This results in a customized learning experience with relevant content that fits your particular needs. It makes the process of reskilling and upskilling even more enticing. Cultures of continuous learning But any technology can only deliver impact if the organizational culture allows and encourages it. That’s why perhaps the most important response to these trends is for each business to create a culture of continuous learning. As David and I see it, a culture of continuous learning is an environment where learning is part of everyday work, and is more than compliance or required training. It is a culture where employees can learn in their own time and their own way through accessing all types of both formal and informal learning including videos, articles, podcasts, books, and even attending events. And it’s one in which learning becomes something that people love to do and want to do, rather than something they dread. At Bank of America, for example, employees are encouraged to discover their career passions and goals, and they’re empowered to take part in personalized learning and skill building through a career-long learning platform. Executives want their employees to grow and learn, and to be able to move to different opportunities within the company. It takes work to create these cultures, and to build them in a way that maintains the flexibility to keep adapting. But it’s a necessity. A failure to embrace digitization, automation and acceleration can put any company out of business. But a learning culture that recognizes that these trends are the new reality of work can deliver the agility it needs for a successful future.	https://www.speexx.com/speexx-blog/three-trends-making-modern-learning-cultures-a-business-necessity/
It’s a mistake to describe personalized learning as though it were a whole new educational model. To make schools more responsive to students’ needs, focus on the specifics. As a district cabinet member and superintendent, I spent countless hours in planning sessions, retreats, and other meetings where system leaders are supposed to come up with a new strategic vision for their schools. Often, the day would begin with a hands-on small-group activity in which we would be asked to discuss our core values and beliefs about the mission of public education. Typically, the facilitator would tell us to begin by focusing on our students, as in the following instructions (copied verbatim from one such meeting): Please take this chart paper and markers and draw a picture of a child in the center of a circle. Then, think about all of the unique needs the child has. Now, think about all of the people that influence that child’s life and write them down around the child, showing the wide array of people that are involved with children. Where do you fit in? I’ve always cringed when asked to participate in this sort of activity. Partly, that’s because I’m a curmudgeon, and I’ve attended far too many of these retreats to find them surprising or delightful. Mostly, though, I bristle at the idea that veteran school and district leaders have to be told to put students’ needs front and center, as if that were ever in question. I always find myself asking, do we really have to go through the motions of pledging our commitment to banal slogans such as “put children first,” “every child has unique needs,” and “schools should be organized to serve children, not adults”? Can’t we just assume that everybody in the room cares about kids, so that we can focus on the specific adult actions that lead to improved student achievement and well-being? For the same reason, my internal contrarian tends to emerge whenever I read about the education world’s current enthusiasm for “personalized learning.” Recently, any number of education funders, nonprofits, and associations have climbed aboard the personalized learning bandwagon — e.g., the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Gates Foundation, Digital Promise, AASA, and many others. And at first glance it looks compelling enough: Let’s organize adult activities around children’s interests, needs, and strengths; let’s assess them on their progress toward agreed-upon standards and give them the time they need to reach those standards, and let’s use the latest software to make ongoing, real-time adjustments so that each student is learning the right material for them, at the right time. But, and to repeat what has been said by other critics of this movement, I don’t see anything new here but the brand name. Sure, computers have become more sophisticated and “adaptive” to individual students. But the concept of personalization itself is anything but original. Educators in the Progressive tradition have spent decades advocating for schools to be more responsive to children’s individual needs and interests. I bristle at the idea that veteran school and district leaders have to be told to put students’ needs front and center, as if that were ever in question. If there’s anything to be gained by treating personalized learning as a new approach to K-12 education, I don’t see it. But I do see how that label can fool people into thinking they’re onto something new. More important, I worry that this language creates a serious distraction. It invites educators to fight for a position (the idea that children’s individual needs should be met) that nobody opposes, when they ought to be focusing on more urgent questions: Assuming that we all want instruction to be more responsive to students, what should we do with the adults who work in schools? How must they change? Why is this sort of change so hard to accomplish? And what are the most important and useful things we can do to make it happen? I would argue that if the goal is to provide more instruction that taps into students’ individual needs and personal interests, then school and district leaders should focus on doing specific things that might actually move the needle, such as making sure: 1) that teachers know their students well; 2) that they assess student learning carefully; 3) that they provide students with rich and diverse materials in a range of media, and 4) that student and teacher assignments are flexible. Know students well. I once worked with a 5th-grade teacher, Ms. Walker, who created the imaginary town of “Walkerville” in her classroom and spent most of September and October introducing her students to each other and building strong social norms in their new community. I asked her, how could she afford to start the year at such a slow pace, focusing so much attention on classroom relationships while making so little headway on the academic curriculum? As long as she took the time to get know her 5th graders really well at the beginning, she replied, she would have no trouble catching up and teaching at an accelerated pace over the rest of the year. And guess what? She was right. Her students’ achievements were consistently the highest and her kids the happiest in the school. The research is clear: The teacher-student relationship matters. Too often, school leaders create enormous pressure to get through the curriculum and prepare for tests, setting aside any goals for social-emotional learning. But they ought to do the opposite, sending a clear message to teachers that the urge to cover academic material shouldn’t come at the expense of efforts to build community and get to know students’ strengths, needs, interests, backgrounds, fears, hopes, and dreams. Those goals are non-negotiable. Assess students carefully. It never ceases to amaze me that while our schools spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year on standardized tests and districts spend countless hours analyzing testing data, they do precious little to help teachers build their expertise in classroom assessment. Yet, if teachers are to learn about their students’ individual needs, interests, and strengths, then they must know how to create discussion questions, math problems, quizzes, and informal assessments that will generate that information. They must also learn to observe students carefully, take note of what they see, collect and organize that data, and consult it when deciding which supports to provide individual students, which books to recommend for them, which assignments to give them, and on and on. Provide rich and diverse materials. Most elementary and some middle-level classrooms have a leveled library where students can pick a book according to their reading needs and interests. And growing numbers of classrooms feature a bank of computers, where students work on reading or math problems that are, in theory, aligned to their particular needs. But all too often, teachers have confided in me that the books are outdated, the computer programs aren’t as good as advertised, and they don’t have funding to purchase the kinds of varied, high-quality, culturally respectful resources that would allow them to be more responsive to students’ needs and interests. This is a systemic issue more than a problem of classroom practice: District leaders need to make it a priority to invest in such materials, keep them up-to-date, and include teachers in the selection and purchasing process. Allow for flexibility in student and teacher assignments. When I became superintendent in Stamford, Conn., I was struck by how many people wanted their child to go to Westover Magnet Elementary School, so I visited the school and talked to the principal and teachers. As a magnet school, they had a self-selected population, which contributed to their impressive outcomes. However, the real secret of their success was that they constantly grouped and regrouped students according to the students’ needs and the teachers’ strengths. The principal and team leaders knew exactly what was happening with every student, what they needed to work on, and which teacher would be best suited to work with them. The teachers’ practice was public, and they were accountable to each other as a result. That might not be feasible in every school, but the underlying principle is an important one: To be responsive to individual students, schools may have to be flexible about teacher and student assignments and groupings. It may be true that every child has individual interests, passions, strengths, and challenges — but teachers and school and district leaders have always known that. Nobody in K-12 education would reject the idea that every student has unique needs (though many of us do reject the idea that they have distinct “learning styles”). Thus, to advocate something called “personalized learning” is like trying to pick a fight with someone who left the neighborhood a long time ago. It’s just empty posturing. (And it’s particularly ironic to call for personalized learning without confronting the standardized testing regime around which instruction is currently organized.) But if we reframe the issue to focus on the specific things that educators can do to be more responsive to students’ needs, then we might be able to make some progress. And, for that matter, we might be forced to acknowledge the trade-offs that could be involved. For example, by directing teachers to focus more individual attention on each student — or to encourage them to study and learn at their own pace, focusing on topics of their choosing — we might be lending credence to the notion that public education is a private commodity rather than a public good. In the name of personalizing learning, might we exacerbate the achievement gaps that already divide our students, helping the most privileged students to rush further and further ahead? Isn’t there a danger that personalization will only lead to more ranking and sorting in the public schools? Perhaps, then, instead of calling for a massive transformation of our school system based on the idea that learning should be personalized, we should first take some modest steps to help teachers become a little more responsive to the kids in front of them. Citation: Starr, J.S. (2018). Let’s be precise about personalization. Phi Delta Kappan 99 (7), 72-73. 2 comments Amen! Personalized education is not a new concept but few teachers were trained to do what the article proposes; get to know students intimately determine their individual needs and design curriculum that fits. When teachers know their students on a very personal basis, they can then determine the most effective way to teach them. Many years ago, Dr. Madelyn Hunter advocated “Mastery Learning” Personalized teaching/learning is the key to making this happen. Willow Bend Academy in Plano, TX just celebrated its 20th birthday. It has ALWAYS practiced personalized, individually paced learning by pairing up students with teachers who are best qualified to teach them and by being flexible. Our faculty members only have 8 students in a class and do not “specialize” in a given subject, but teach all subjects one-to-one. Obviously, teachers cannot be expert in all subjects, so there is flexibility. If needed, send a student to the “expert” teacher when a particular subject is assigned. And nowadays each student has his own school computer, and gets on with the work alone. This is what has become the NEW method. Teachers don’t teach any more, they facilitate.	http://www.kappanonline.org/starr-personalization-personalized-learning-school-leaders/
Community-Engaged Curricular Programs are designed to encourage and equip students and faculty to integrate civic engagement and social responsibility into their academic work. Our primary focus is the building of partnerships among students, faculty, and community agencies in which all parties serve, learn, and teach. Students who participate in community-engaged learning (CEL) courses at Bates report that their community-engaged experience increases their mastery of course content, their investment in their own learning, and their knowledge of themselves and the wider world. CEL takes place through a variety of venues at the college. It can be found in diverse courses, student research, independent study courses, and senior thesis work. Faculty across all disciplines engage their students in CEL. These courses typically include a combination of community-engaged and classroom work; the co-creation of projects or experiences with off-campus partners; and reflection exercises that help students understand and explore the complexities of the social and ecological conditions their community work engages. Most CEL courses offer students options that encourage them to explore individual interests and make interdisciplinary connections. The Harward Center welcomes conversations with faculty and community partners about ways to integrate community-engaged learning with Bates courses and other types of learning at the college.	https://www.bates.edu/harward/curricular/
- Flexible Learning Environment: One of the hallmarks of a flipped learning classroom is that it provides fluid timelines for student work and comprehension. Teachers should adjust to the pace of their students in class. - Learning Culture: Teachers foster a rich environment that allows students to delve further into topics and provides them with opportunities for self-reflection and hands-on activities. - Intentional Content: Teachers decide ahead of time what direct instruction to pair with in-class activities. Students should feel challenged but able to understand the material on their own, a balance which can take time for the teacher to master. - Professional Educator: Monitoring students during lessons and offering feedback ensures no gaps in student knowledge are being created with the flipped classroom model. Resources to Flip Your Classroom What is a Flipped Classroom? In the traditional style of instruction, teachers present a lesson to students and then assign classwork or homework. The definition of a flipped classroom is the reverse of the traditional method. A flipped classroom consists of students completing direct instruction, such as viewing a lecture online, prior to the in-class discussion of the material. The intent is for students to see the material beforehand, also known as first-exposure learning, so they can learn the concepts at their own pace. By doing so, students are better able to focus on participating in class and receive feedback on their efforts during the lesson — not just after. Teachers that utilize a flipped classroom model are better able to help their students engage in active learning. Students become much more involved during the lesson discussion with the flipped classroom style of instruction by engaging in debates, small group discussions, or in-depth investigations. In essence, a flipped class switches the activities traditionally done in class with those completed after class. The four pillars of the flipped classroom method include the following: The Flipped Classroom Model The roles in a flipped class are what differentiate the approach from most other models. In a flipped classroom, teachers serve more as facilitators, rather than traditional instructors lecturing to students. Educators act as guides, structuring class time and clearing up confusion with the material. Teachers are there simply as a resource to help students master the concepts in class and should be on the lookout for any students that appear to be struggling or falling behind. In a flipped classroom, students take a much more active role in the flipped classroom model than in a traditional classroom. Students develop a familiarity with the material via videos or other instructional materials that are made available outside of the classroom. This pre-work allows them to control their learning more, interact more with other students, and set the pace for discussion in class. By reading case studies for specific ages, teachers can gain a better understanding of how the flipped classroom model can be utilized for their students. For elementary-age students, this case study shows that, while there are challenges with younger students, the flipped classroom can be successful with careful planning and execution. Young students need significant guidance and oversight during class time to ensure they stay on task. Teachers should also consider strategies for enrolling parents to help keep children on track with pre-work at home. In middle school, students start to become more responsible, organized, and independent. However, there must still be solid structure and rules in place to keep students accountable for work that must be done outside of the classroom. High school classrooms is where students can benefit the most from the flipped classroom model of learning. At this age, many students catch on quickly to the inclusive style of learning and active discussion with their peers as well as the teacher. Plus, they will have the opportunity to build skills that will serve them well in college and the working world. Flipped Classrooms: The Pros & Cons Flipped classroom research has shown that, when utilized properly, the method can provide many benefits to students and teachers, as well as school systems. The pros and cons of a flipped classroom for teachers largely depend on students' access to resources, student cooperation, and teacher preparation. The primary benefit of a flipped classroom is enabling students to take charge of their learning process. Students in traditional classrooms must sit quietly during the presentation of the lesson. This can be difficult for students, especially those with attention issues or other special needs. In the flipped classroom model, students take control of the process, thereby improving their soft skills like resilience and communication. Additional pros for a flipped classroom model include more interaction time between students and teachers, better test scores, and less stress for students. Since students have online access to the lesson material, they are able to review it at their own pace as many times as needed to help understand it. Although a flipped classroom has many benefits, there can be drawbacks to the approach. With this style, teachers often utilize items like videos or other Internet-based research for the preparation work. This can be problematic for students who do not have regular Internet access outside of the classroom. Teachers also spend more time preparing than those who run a traditional classroom, at least in the beginning. It can be tricky to figure out the right balance of instruction and in-class activities. Finally, teachers may deal with student engagement issues, such as students who are unwilling to complete the preparation work for class, defeating the purpose of the flipped classroom model. Flipped Classroom Resources Teachers can learn more about the flipped model of classroom instruction by collaborating with colleagues. Trading ideas and successful strategies can help teachers gain a fresh perspective on the approach. Learn more about flipped classrooms with these resources:	https://study.com/teach/flipped-classroom.html
3 Keys to Making Project-Based Learning Work During Distance Learning This challenging time provides an opportunity for students to work on real-world problems they see every day. Amid a pandemic, educators are trying to figure out how to make sure that kids are socially in tune, emotionally intact, and cognitively engaged. Moreover, we’re all attempting to figure out how to do this across a plethora of mediums, including computer screens, video cameras streaming into classrooms, and engaging students face-to-face albeit across shields, masks, and plexiglass. Still, there is an opportunity here to give students a chance to discuss the challenges of their own environment, the barrage of news they face daily, and the core content they need for long-term success. One of the best options to meet these demands is for students to engage in rigorous problem- or project-based learning (PBL)—an approach that ensures students develop high rigor and experience high relevance by solving problems or completing tasks in a remote or face-to-face environment. 3 Shifts to Consider When Designing Your Next Project 1. Focus on challenge: Students need challenging learning experiences and expectations every day. The best way to ensure challenge is to make sure that projects are underpinned with rigor. I define rigor as the equal intensity and integration of defining, relating, and applying core facts and skills in and across multiple situations. PBL is ideal for meeting these requirements because of the way projects are sequenced. Projects begin with an application-based task or question, and then students define and relate core facts and skills to answer the initial question. In this way, students learn how to define and describe, relate, and apply knowledge through a project-based question or task. Checklist for ensuring rigor in PBL: - Provide students with a high level of reading, writing, and talking tasks. When students are reading, writing, and talking, they’re having to think about core content knowledge. Try to avoid cutting, pasting, and scrolling tasks, which are not usually cognitively demanding. - Provide students with a challenging problem or question that involves multiple contexts or situations. When students are shown that the problem or question may occur in multiple situations, they have a higher probability of applying their knowledge. Checklist for remote learning: - Have students preview a challenging question or task before class, and then have them post what they already know and specific questions they have about the question or task. - Start each lesson with a brief review of the challenging question or task, and ask students to post on the chat how the upcoming lesson will support them in answering the question. 2. Focus on clarity: One of the most important factors to help students learn core content, give and receive accurate feedback, and own their own learning is to have a high level of clarity of core content expectations as compared with the context of the problem or task. When students are clear on their own prior knowledge relative to what is being taught, there’s a higher probability that they will focus on their learning, listen to the teacher and peers, and retain new knowledge. Therefore, student clarity of learning is a high leverage strategy for teachers to focus on. Ensuring clarity is extremely hard in the classroom, but there are a few strategies that can be helpful in moving the needle for kids. For more information on this point, check out John Hattie’s Visible Learning, Graham Nuthall’s The Hidden Lives of Learners, and Derek Alexander Muller’s doctoral dissertation, “Designing Effective Multimedia for Physics Education.” Checklist for clarity: - Students use work samples of different quality to build evaluation tools. Provide students with successful examples of meeting your expectations for learning core content, and then ask them to build a rubric that indicates what those samples possess that makes them ideal. - Students use protocols to discuss ways to give feedback using work samples and evaluation tools. Students need to be specifically taught how to give each other feedback. One suggestion is to use protocols such as critical friends and tuning protocols as a structured way to give and receive feedback. It’s also critically important that students use work samples and rubrics when offering feedback, so that those receiving feedback can see concrete examples of expectations and can evaluate current gaps in performance. Checklist for remote learning: - Post work samples on your LMS, and have students work in pairs to rank the work samples, write down their rationale for the work samples, and build a rubric. - Film a breakout room conducting a critical friend or tuning protocol, and ask all students to watch the film and then discuss as a class the purpose for protocols and the strategies the students used to give and receive feedback. 3. Develop a learning culture: Developing a student’s capacity to appraise their current performance relative to core expectations and devise and implement strategies to improve is ranked as one of the most impactful strategies for improving student learning. When students own their own learning, they significantly improve. During PBL, teachers can integrate specific strategies that build a culture of student ownership over time. Checklist for clarity: - Students follow daily routines to ensure that they know the goals of learning, their current performance, and next steps, and share their results in small groups. Daily reflective exercises are critical for students to focus on their learning versus completing tasks. - Change perspectives, scenarios or contexts, and tasks on students, and then discuss those changes with the class. Students need to evaluate different perspectives of a problem and adjust to changes to real-world challenges they are working to address. These can be delivered by sending a letter stating the changes; engaging in protocols such as four corners; changing the rubric; or giving new reading, writing, and talking tasks. Checklist for remote learning: Start students in breakout rooms each day to answer three questions: Where am I going in my learning? Where am I now in my learning? And what’s next in my learning? Send students updates on their problems or projects via email or group chat, and then set up times for group meetings to discuss changes and steps they will take to handle such changes.	https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-keys-making-project-based-learning-work-during-distance-learning
Teaching Practice – Design Questions for the Learning Journey Marzano, in The New Art and Science of Teaching (2017), identifies 10 design questions that can be used by teachers in lesson and unit planning with a focus on student outcomes. He claims that the “specific mental states and processes that should be present in the learner’s mind” (p.5) fall into three containers that he titles Feedback (how the student knows both what s/he is learning and how well they are doing), Content (moving through from domain specific knowledge to applying and integrating that knowledge in new contexts), and Context (feeling valued and engaged as a learner within the class). The design questions align with each of these containers (slightly edited): Feedback - How will I communicate clear learning goals that help students understand the progression of knowledge they are expected to master and where they are along that progression? - How will I design and administer assessments that help students understand how their grades relate to that learning curve? Content - When content is new, how will I design and deliver direct instruction lessons that help students understand what is important and how individual content pieces fit together? - How will students deepen their understanding and develop fluency in skills and processes? - How will I help students generate and defend claims through knowledge application? - Throughout all types of lessons, what strategies will I use to help students continually integrate new knowledge with old knowledge and revise their understanding accordingly? Context - What engagement strategies will I use to help students pay attention, be energized, be intrigues, and be inspired? - What strategies will help students understand and follow rule and procedures? - What strategies will help students feel welcome, accepted, and valued? - What strategies will help typically reluctant students feel valued and comfortable participating fully in class? Marzano points out that the original Art and Science of Teaching (2007) was focused on the teacher. The New Art and Science of Teaching comes from a “perspective of what must occur in students’ minds to learn effectively” (p.8). An article below speaks to the importance of teacher leaders in a Professional Learning Community. The idea that we teach within a community is key to progress for all students in our schools and key to Marzano’s ideas. If we are to change the focus to student outcomes, and thus be thoughtful about the feedback, content, and context that students need, we are also going to be moving from a paradigm of one teacher with one class with one subject / home room all year (i.e. whole group instruction) to a paradigm of small group instruction where teachers become far more interchangeable to meet the needs of different students. Different means here not just differentiation, but maybe more importantly, Marzano’s acknowledgement of the learning journey. Salman Khan shows in an address to MIT that the idea of the learning journey can be actually seen in data arrays. He notes that the current system is “insanity” and that an important metric is the ratio of student to “valuable engaged time”. This is almost impossible to do in large group instruction if that is the prime medium for lesson delivery. He shows pictorially what a group of students looks like Day 6 of a mathematics course with the advanced kids, medium kids, remedial kids. He then goes on to describe, again with data arrays, is that if you let all the students work at their own pace and fill in the gaps of knowledge that they have, again impossible through large group instruction, and really “internalize their knowledge”, there is a constant “flipping of the leadership of who is the best student in the class and you stop making these kinds of judgments”. He looks at his MIT audience and suggests that they are the “fortunate by-product of the snapshot” that categorized them as advanced i.e. they are an accident of date. Maybe your school is not ready in its learning journey to take dramatic steps towards a focus on students and away from whole group learning, toward a focus on all students and away from categorizing students. But many teachers are actually applying this in their own classrooms and teams and home-rooms. Here are a couple of examples: - Scheduling all the math classes together so that students can constantly group and regroup according to their learning journey - Individual teachers taking the Kindergarten centers concept and applying it at higher and higher grade levels i.e. direct instruction for introduction and then guided student autonomy in the journey itself - Classrooms using technology to enhance the ability of the teacher to personalize instruction i.e. technology freeing the teacher up to sit with the student or the small group - Focusing on unit planning rather than lesson planning i.e. move from the bureaucracy of what I am doing on a daily basis, to the learning journey of careful design associated with great flexibility The 10 design questions across feedback, content, and context provide a helpful guide to moving to the concept of the learning journey. Doing that is clearly ideal in a school context where the entire teaching community and the administration are committed to the ideal of success for every child. But even where that is not your reality, you can individually and with like-minded colleagues institute practices that reflect these ideas.	https://www.lausannelearning.com/2018/12/18/teaching-practice-design-questions-for-the-learning-journey/
On August 12, 2020, we hosted our ninth Neuger CO.LAB session, which drew over 30 participants. This week’s topic was navigating covered higher education online classes. We were thrilled to host an expert panel of highly regarded educators and decision-makers from Western Governors University. Western Governors University Panelists - Lauran Hundshamer-Rott, Strategic Partnerships Manager - Kathleen Palmer, Faculty Manager of Teachers College - Sunil Ramlall, Academic Program Chair of College of Business - Christy Seawall, Strategic Partnerships Manager - Beth Stuckey, Lead Nurse Planner of the Professional Nursing Development Program Key Discussion Points Online Learners Seek Flexibility and Are Self-Motivated - Online learners are looking for flexibility in their individuality. They prefer to learn at their own pace that aligns with their background knowledge and experience in the subject. Not every student starts at the same level, and online learning allows faculty to gauge different levels and provide the right services. - Online courses were a standard method of education even before COVID. Individuals looking to achieve a bachelor’s degree or higher while working or providing for family tend to rely on online services because of the ability to structure and schedule their own learning experience. Technology & Adaptability - Young adults are frequently attending online universities because they are preferential to and familiar with new technologies and absorbing information through digital forms. - Adaptability is crucial for making the transition from in-person to online learning as efficient as possible for both students and staff. Accountability & Tracking Engagement - Very important for educators to hold students accountable for staying engaged in course work –we all know how easy it is to be distracted by online content. Providing students with distinct assignments that are applicable to work settings can help avoid distractions. - Track student data with learner care dashboards to analyze progress. Data dashboards can track assignment/testing scores, sign-in rates and time logs for student portals. Always keep student profiles updated in your system. Discussion Questions Q: What makes a great online learning experience? Online universities need to provide ample resources to students to ensure accelerated learning: mentorship programs, virtual office hours, simulated experiential learning and student-to-student interaction. The curriculum must be directly transferable to a real-world setting. In all online learning cases, the goal is to provide a carbon copy of what a student would experience with an in-class setting while allowing for flexibility with learning trajectories and student circumstances. The student is responsible for what they receive from their education experience, but the educators must be mindful of accessibility and accommodate during the current situation. Q: How do you channel hands-on learning processes to an online setting? (i.e. labs, field work, nursing training, etc.) WGU partners with universities and healthcare clinics/organizations to use simulation labs –both in-person and virtual– where students can test their competency and responsiveness in a real-world setting. Additionally, WGU sends lab packages that include all the resources needed to conduct and complete the full assignment from home. Some labs are done through video sharing, which is usually hosted by the educator. WGU also has a career and professional planning program that assists students in connecting with local companies about internships and apprenticeships designed for students. Many of these opportunities are virtual to coincide with the students’ education experience. Q: How can you stitch together multiple learning platforms and technologies to benefit your students? There are a multitude of online platforms online that educators can use to organize assignments and records, which can be overwhelming for both staff and students. WGU is developing a system for students to have a “one sign-in” option for their educators’ platforms. This design saves the students’ profiles of an extensive cybersecurity system that collects all of their information in one. The focus is to provide seamless access to all student resources and erase the need to have multiple passwords, tabs, and accounts. Discussion Links In Summary With the long term effects of COVID still unknown, online learning will play an integral part in our education systems across the U.S. This period has completely redefined our conventional learning methods, and we must remain patient with our educators and students as they respond to it all. Thank you all for attending and contributing to our space.	https://neuger.com/news/neuger-co-lab-recap-higher-education-online-courses/
By Rachelle Dené Poth, As educators, we need to be comfortable with taking more risks in our classrooms. Whether we dive in and try new ideas, bring in new digital tools, or shift to more of a facilitator role, it will promote more student-driven, meaningful learning. With more options available, we will foster student agency, boost engagement and increase student motivation in learning. We need to embrace and model risk-taking as we create opportunities to place students in the lead more and experience purposeful learning fueled by choice. With methods like project-based learning (PBL) and through a variety of traditional and digital tools, we will more authentically engage students with the content, and their role will shift from consumers to creators. Students will appreciate the process of learning and as a result, it will positively impact overall achievement. In my classroom a few years ago, I recognized a lack of true student engagement. While I had offered students choices in the types of projects and tools they could choose from, these options did not promote student-driven learning. Through PBL or using choice boards for example, we can promote more independent learning for students. When students have more autonomy in their learning experiences, they become more motivated and engaged in the learning process. For students to make significant progress, there needs to be sustained engagement. When we started to do PBL and use methods like choice boards and Hyperdocs in my classroom, the process of learning was ongoing and iterative. Student engagement increased and they enjoyed these new experiences. They were tasked with decision-making and as a result, became more curious about what they were learning and focused on the process rather than the end product. Students told me that they looked forward to different opportunities and the peer collaboration that was happening in our classroom. Promoting curiosity in learning is essential for student engagement and motivation. As we move through the school year, at times, student engagement decreases whether as a result of activities and tools that do not promote more choice, exhaustion from testing, busy schedules, other challenges experienced. To better engage students, we need to provide options for them to problem solve, to create, to collaborate and take some risks with learning. As they connect more authentically and meaningfully with what they are learning, it will spark curiosity. Curious students become more invested in the process of learning and their next steps in their learning journey. As we help students shift from consumers to developing as creators and innovators, they will be better equipped with the essential skills to be successful and flexible in the future whether in education or careers. With learning opportunities that are hands-on and in some cases, non-traditional, we will spark that curiosity for learning that leads to sharing their work with others. Engage students in inquiry-based learning and focus on an area of curiosity. With a method like genius hour, students choose what they are going to learn about and then need to set goals for their work. As they design their learning journey, they will build essential SEL skills such as self-awareness and self-management. Ask students what they are interested in learning about. Promote the development of social-awareness, one of the five competencies of SEL by focusing on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As students explore global issues, find out what they are curious about and engage them in some problem-solving and critical thinking by asking them to identify similar challenges in their community. Connect students with the community and focus on place-based learning. Find opportunities to collaborate with local business owners, entrepreneurs and other organizations. Expand beyond the local community and connect students virtually with people who work in an area of students’ interest. Experiences like these give students an opportunity to apply the content they are learning in the real world. Students may even find opportunities for job-shadowing or internships and better understand career options that are available to them and learn about their themselves and their interests too. When we provide opportunities for students to set their pace for learning, to collaborate, to explore topics of interest, they invest more and become more curious for learning and the next steps. For some educators, it can be uncomfortable at first to place more control in students’ hands, but there are many great benefits. Students take the lead more, develop essential SEL skills and skills that will be transferable to multiple areas of work. With more independent learning, we encourage self-monitoring, peer collaboration, decision-making and guide students as they become more confident with taking risks, setting goals and reflecting on their learning journey. Teaching the content is important, but finding ways to spark student curiosity is also important. It is also essential that we help students discover what they are most passionate about. What makes them curious and draws them in to learning and applying and then sharing their learning? We can start by using a hook to pique their interest, experiment with a new teaching method or digital tool, or ask students to brainstorm ideas and plan with us. When they feel valued in the learning environment, it will positively impact learning and foster the development of many essential skills. We must continue to look for innovative and student-driven activities to best prepare them for the future. With more independent, choice-infused earning through methods like PBL, genius hour and place-based learning, students will shift their focus to the process of learning rather than on points or a specific final product. Students will be curious about the next steps in their learning journey and their connection with the content and their learning community will be positively impacted. About the Author: Rachelle Dené Poth is an ed-tech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. Rachelle teaches Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology at Riverview Junior-Senior High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. She is a Consultant and Speaker, owner of ThriveinEDU LLC Consulting. She is an ISTE Certified Educator and currently serves as the past -president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and on the Leadership team of the Mobile Learning Network. At ISTE19, she received the Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. She is also a Buncee Ambassador, Nearpod PioNear, and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert. Rachelle is the author of seven books and is a blogger for Getting Smart, Defined Learning, and NEO LMS. Follow Rachelle on Twitter @Rdene915 and Instagram @Rdene915. Rachelle has a podcast, ThriveinEDU https://anchor.fm/rdene915. Subscribe to the #1 PBL Blog! Receive new articles in the world of Project Based Learning, STEM/STEAM, and College & Career Readiness.	https://blog.definedlearning.com/boosting-student-engagement-curiosity
McDowell Research Salon Series Teachers know their students and classes better than anyone and are in the ideal position to create classroom innovations that can help transform publicly funded public education in Saskatchewan. The McDowell Foundation supports curious teachers in their passion for continuous improvement through funding, research and networking opportunities. The Salon Series conversations are hosted twice annually and are designed to provide teachers with an opportunity to share their research projects with the community. Teachers conduct their own research based on their areas of interest. But it’s not enough to simply gather evidence. The Salon Series is about creating research communities who learn from and support one another. Together, teachers, education partners and community stakeholders create action plans to help sustain and spread success throughout the province. As part of the Salon Series, the researchers develop resources associated with their projects, which can be found on this page, as well as on the McDowell Foundation website. Parent/Guardian Voices: Experiences and Perspectives of Parents of Children with Exceptionalities This roundtable discussion was held on May 15, 2019 in Regina. Lead researcher Krista McMillen discussed her research on successful stories where children with exceptionalities have been included in classroom settings alongside Alaina Harrison from Inclusion Saskatchewan, Trishia Hastings from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, as well as parents of children with exceptionalities Tracy Kosteniuk, Jennifer Walter and Sarah West who shared their real-life experiences. Dreaming Bigger: Personalizing Pace, Place & Time The Dreaming Bigger: Personalizing Pace, Place & Time Salon Series conversation was hosted in North Battleford on Nov. 21 by a team of researchers from John Paul II Collegiate. The community was invited to learn about their research project, which explored how technology and a shift in the teaching approach can help students acquire the credits needed to graduate. A panel of teachers and a former student shared their experiences, including the supports needed in order to successfully implement pace, place and time learning within Saskatchewan schools. Around the Campfire This community roundtable conversation was facilitated by researcher Renée Carrière in Prince Albert on April 24, 2018. Carrière, a teacher from Cumberland House, shared her research about how land-based education programs can help teachers engage with Indigenous students, which, in turn, can help increase student attendance and graduation rates. School-related Anxiety The first Salon Series conversation was held in Moose Jaw on November 22, 2017 and was facilitated by researchers Dr. Jenn de Lugt from the University of Regina’s Faculty of Education and Jenn Chan, a Learning Consultant at Prairie South School Division. The conversation centred on their research into what high school students are saying is causing them the most school-related anxiety. Research shows the top causes identified are tests and exams, followed by social situations and class presentations. To access funding, support teacher-led research or to attend a Salon Series near you, please visit: www.mcdowellfoundation.ca. Want to know if you’re making a difference? Test it, measure it, share it and spread it.	https://www.stf.sk.ca/education-today/mcdowell-research-salon-series
Three NC State College of Education faculty members recently received research grants from the STEM Education Initiative, a North Carolina State University initiative aimed to enhance and support faculty members who teach and conduct research in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This year, the STEM Education Initiative selected 13 projects to receive more than $100,000 in research funding to enhance the teaching and learning of STEM fields at the university. Assistant Professor K.C. Busch will use the STEM Education Initiative support to continue the development of Learning STEM in Informal Contexts; a course offered next semester to engage NC State students in the processes and practices of STEM learning that occurs outside of school. The coursework will focus on collaborative, community-engaged projects that include working with community partners who offer informal learning programs. The projects will encourage and support students to apply what they have learned from course activities about learning theory, research and evaluation. Community partners that have committed to the project include N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, N.C. Museum of Art, N.C. Museum of History, the Museum of Life & Science—Durham, the NCSU Libraries, Gregg Museum of Art & Design, the Citizen Science Association, and N.C. State Farmers Market. Busch aims to develop the course further as a Graduate School certificate. Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Karen Hollebrands will use funding from the STEM Education Initiative to develop engaging tasks in online courses using videos and the latest technology platforms to enable teachers to learn how to implement effective mathematics teaching practices. In the tasks, mathematics teachers will be asked to watch video clips, identify important classroom moments, then describe those moments regarding the pedagogical moves made by the teacher or the features of students’ mathematical thinking. Teachers can then enact, record and share examples from their own practice that illustrate effective teaching practices. The goal of the project is to enhance the experience of online instruction using methods and techniques — like observing models of effective teaching and classroom discussion. Associate Professor Temple Walkowiak will use the STEM Education Initiative funding to provide professional learning experiences through graduate-level coursework to a cohort of practicing elementary teachers to help them become leaders in mathematics teaching and learning — or mathematics specialists — at their respective elementary schools. The coursework will allow the cohort of practicing teachers to develop their mathematical knowledge for teaching in combination with the pedagogical practices necessary to facilitate conceptual understanding of mathematics among elementary-aged children. Additionally, the cohort will develop their roles as teacher-leaders and establish a professional network and community which aligns with research on teacher learning and the benefits of collaboration.	https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2018/12/10/3-nc-state-education-faculty-projects-receive-stem-education-initiative-funding/
The Montessori method is a research-based educational approach that stresses cooperative learning with an integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum. Contrary to the “factory-model” found in many school systems today (students move grade-by-grade through a standardized curriculum like a product through a factory), Montessori schools educate through multiage learning communities based on the natural development of each individual child. They teach in carefully prepared environments created to look more like a home than an institution, and stress a community-based approach to learning. Modern educational research supports the premise that children learn better working collaboratively than working alone. Just as adults work together in local communities and businesses, students in Montessori classrooms discuss and collaborate with colleagues of their own choosing. These periods of discussion, the meeting of minds and sharing of ideas, is fundamental to the production of highly effective and creative academic learning. Students remain in their multiage Montessori classrooms for three years. This approach results in deeper friendships and student-teacher partnerships which span a longer time period than conventional single-age groupings. Students are motivated to learn through collaboration with friends. The familiar peer groupings reinforce the positive results of academic achievement which further propels the child to higher levels of performance. By placing the learning process in a context of highly desired social interaction, Montessori schools best meet the developmental needs of children while fostering and inherent love for learning independent of external motivators like testing and grades. In conventional schools knowledge is defined in learning objectives that allows the use of pre-set methods and materials. These may be realized in a syllabus, a textbook, curriculum guides, or increasingly, online learning modules Response modes for the students are limited, defined by structured classroom discussion, specific assignments, and tests based on content and not discovery Learning activities are divorced from ordinary experience, fragmented into short blocks of time, and framed within narrowly-defined disciplines. Pace of instruction is usually set by group norm or teacher The breadth and depth of information that is accessible in a globalized, technological society no longer makes content relevant Learning takes place by an original and personal process of discovery. Each child’s natural learning styles and preferences are respected and supported Child is able to choose his or her own work, direct their own progress, set own learning pace to internalize information, and seek help from other children and adults when they need it Students are driving more of the decisions in how learning takes place. There are varied pathways to instructional goals. These new routes are intended to be more efficient and avoid barriers to success Our best teachers try to anticipate learners’ preferences and needs, watch the varied learning that is taking place, and measure success towards learning goals in innovative ways. They adjust their subsequent learning designs based on new insights on the interaction of their learners with the more flexible design of learning. Teacher has dominant, active role in classroom activity; child is a passive participant in learning Instruction, both individual and group, conforms to the adult’s teaching style Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning Instruction, both individual and group, personalized to each student’s learning style. Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged Child is guided to concepts by teacher with structured curriculum Emphasis on the individual devalues contribution and collective responsibility Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other Children achieve levels of competence independently and often revel in their mastery by showing others Child usually assigned own chair; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions; group work is prescribed and teacher directed Learning is reinforced externally by rote repetition and rewards/discouragements Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques Child can work where s/he is comfortable, moves around and discuss at will (if not disturbing others); group work is voluntary and negotiable Specially designed, concrete materials constantly engage the children in their own learning, allowing each to learn -- and to understand -- by doing Learning is reinforced internally through the child’s own repetition of an activity and internal feelings of success There are real-world limits to what standardized tests can usefully do. Standardized exams offer few opportunities to display the attributes of higher-order thinking, such as analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creativity. The school experience is increasingly becoming defined by testing and test preparation More attention goes to students just on the verge of passing, and schools don't have capacity to focus on students who are doing really well or really badly Relying solely on scores from one test to determine success or progress in broad areas such as reading or math is likely to lead to incorrect inferences and then to actions that are ineffective or even harmful At a Montessori school each child is taught a system to manage their independent work with a clear sense of purpose and organization. Through observation, reflection, and discussion they receive ongoing feedback, much of which is constructive and positive, building self esteem and the ability to self correct Performance based assessment, portfolios, student designed projects and student led critique are regarded as more authentic for the Montessori curricular goals and methods of instruction Single-age groups create normative pressures on the children and the teacher to expect all the children to possess the same knowledge and skills Students are expected to learn the same things, in the same way, on the same day, at the same time. The wide range of knowledge and skills that exists among children within a single-age group suggests that whole-group instruction, if overused, may not best serve children's learning. Learning approach integrates the independent and autonomous aspects of learning with group study In a multiage classroom, children learn in a continuum; they move from easier to more difficult material and from simple to more complex strategies at their own pace, making continuous progress rather than being promoted once a year or required to wait until the next school year to move forward in the curriculum. The community learning environment fosters individual differences as strengths, and promotes groupings of various abilities. Furthermore, multiage classrooms reinforce leadership through social development. While students learn at individual paces and through unique styles, they experience a deep sense of camaraderie, social maturity and responsibility through their yearly progression in class. Younger students students look to older students as role models, and older students organically develop and refine their leadership skills and academic knowledge as mentors in the classroom. A single subject perspective often has limitations in that it is driven by the norms and framework of a particular discipline without consideration and incorporation of alternative views.	https://www.gms.org/about/gms-difference/
Dozens of crimes are going unreported in Mountain's Edge, according to a man who lives in the community. Joceph Valle has seen crime go up in his neighborhood, but the calls to police don't. "Last week there were five car break-ins and only one person reported it," Valle said. Valle, who started a Mountain's Edge Facebook page, said people are frustrated with police when they don't respond to non-violent crimes. "People don't know they should report the crimes, they feel like it's not enough or they're frustrated with Metro for not doing something about it," Valle said. 13 Action News spoke to its Crime and Safety Expert and retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Randy Sutton who blames the long wait times on a low number of police officers. "The people who are being victimized feel victimized again, but there aren't enough people to respond," Sutton said. When asked if he thinks current crime statistics are accurate, Sutton said they are most likely higher, because of all the unreported crimes. Valle has started a neighborhood watch to make sure police know about the crimes going on in Mountain's Edge. "They'll [police] think that Mountain's Edge is safe because no one's calling. ...They don't have ESP, they don't have a magic crystal ball to say 'hey this neighborhood is in trouble,'" Valle said.	https://www.ktnv.com/news/dozens-of-crimes-going-unreported-in-mountains-edge
Crime rises in Moorpark although city remains among safest in county Despite an increase in overall crime, Moorpark remained one of the safest cities in the Ventura County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction in 2017. According to statistics released by the sheriff's office, 384 violent and property crimes were tallied in the city in 2017. The figure represents an increase of 44 crimes, 13 percent higher than numbers seen in 2016. However, the overall crime rate in Moorpark remained among the lowest in the sheriff's jurisdiction, which includes Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Ojai, Fillmore and the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. Local law enforcement agencies submit the information to the FBI annually under its Uniform Crime Reporting program, which collects data on four property crimes and four violent crimes. Crime nearby: Reported rapes increase in Thousand Oaks, although overall crime level remains static Student protests:Walkout demonstrations planned at local schools in honor of Parkland victims The violent crimes the FBI tracks are homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, while the property crimes are burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, arson and larceny. Larceny is also defined as theft. Moorpark reported an overall crime rate of 10.43 crimes per 1,000 residents last year, higher than the rate of 9.26 reported in 2016. The rate places Moorpark behind only much smaller cities of Fillmore at 9.82 and Ojai at 6.49 and the unincorporated areas of the county at 10.17. Moorpark, with a population of just over 36,800, is more than twice the size of Fillmore and nearly five times as large as Ojai. The increase in crime comes after a year in which reported crimes dipped by nearly 10 percent. With 26 commercial burglaries in 2017, the numbers remained similar to the previous year's 22 incidents. The 2016 figure marked a 59 percent drop from 54 in 2015. Incidents of petty theft have fluctuated dramatically in recent years. Last year, Moorpark had 173 compared to 133 the previous year. Moorpark counted 162 petty thefts in 2015. The increase by 40 incidents in 2017 represents a 30 percent bump up and erases gains from the previous year. "No one likes an increase in crime," said Moorpark Police Chief John Reilly. "I think the numbers kind of leveled out a bit." Additionally, the spike in reported petty thefts may be attributed to additional security measures from businesses as most were incidents of shoplifting from commercial properties like department and clothing stores, according to Reilly. In 2016, stores in Moorpark noticed large losses from shoplifting incidents where the crime was not discovered until well after it had been committed, the chief said. In response, the establishments staffed additional loss prevention officers, Reilly said. As a result, incidents that may have previously gone unreported were documented. Violent crimes also saw an increase of 11 incidents over 2016 with most of the spike coming from aggravated assaults. Moorpark reported 31 aggravated assaults last year, 10 more than 2016. Reilly said a large number of the assaults stemmed from domestic incidents. Despite the uptick, the violent crime rate in Moorpark remained among the lowest in the sheriff's jurisdiction. Last year, Moorpark reported a violent crime rate of 1.49 per 1,000 residents, good for second behind Ojai at 0.53 violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Moorpark led all cities last year with a violent crime rate of 1.01 per 1,000 residents. The city has not reported a homicide since 2005.	https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/2018/03/12/crime-rises-moorpark-although-city-remains-among-safest-county/397345002/
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia. Founded in 1824, the beautiful city now boasts a population of over 60,000 residents as of the most recent census. With a booming economy, a slew of major employers, beautiful weather, and Atlanta only being 20 miles away, it’s an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family. With a major city only 20 miles away, we understand you’ll want to know about the Marietta crime rate. You’ll find information about the safest neighborhoods in Marietta, as well as the dangerous areas of Marietta that you may want to avoid. Nobody wants to move to a wonderful, new abode only to find out they’ve purchased their family’s forever home in a less than desirable part of town, rich with crime! Marietta doesn’t have a high violent crime rate overall and is generally considered to be one of Georgia’s safer cities to live in with several great neighborhoods. Understanding the Marietta Crime Rate – How Crime Rates Are Calculated We want our customers to know where the crime data comes from and how the rates are calculated. Most rates are based on FBI collected and analyzed crime data. The FBI collects the data from all the local law enforcement agencies in the country. From there, analysts break the data down into multiple categories. Non-violent crimes are frequently categorized as property crimes. Please understand that crime rates don’t always accurately depict crime in a city. Rates can vary, change, and evolve annually for a variety of reasons: - Crime rates don’t include all offenses. Only index crimes are included. - Crime rates don’t consider unique factors contributing to crime in the city, the accuracy of the agency’s reporting, or the crime reporting practices in the city. - Many crimes don’t have a uniform definition across cities and states. Reporting of offenses is often left to the subjective opinion of law enforcement. - Crime rates can be misleading, and they are city-wide. The city crime rates you see reported are for the entire city and give no insight into your risk of crime in one neighborhood compared to another. You need to dive deep to compare neighborhood to neighborhood. - Most city and state crime rates are based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. This was phased out in 2021 and replaced with National Incident-Based Reporting Systems, or NIBRS. NIBRS collects data on more crimes, classifies 20 different categories, and differentiates between completed and attempted crimes. All of these are new and you should know the difference between the UCR and NIBRS when you’re looking at Marietta crime rate information and statistics. Because of all these reasons, and likely more, the FBI very publicly discourages using crime rates and statistics to compare cities, metro areas, and states. Crime rates are a useful tool to understand how safe a city is as a whole, but it’s not the sole way you should determine whether or not relocating to, or within, a city is right for you, your family, or your business. While it may be a good starting point, you really need to dig deeper once you’ve settled on a city to move to. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Marietta, GA’s crime rates. What Is the Marietta, GA Crime Rate? The crime rate in Marietta is 3,428 per 100,000 people, which is about 46% higher than the US average of 2,346 crimes per 100,000 people. Over 80% of the crimes reported in Marietta come from neighborhoods that would classify as urban, while the suburbanite housing developments that stretch out all around the city are extremely safe with very little reported crime. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation indicates Marietta crime statistics makes it safer than many of the cities in Georgia as the city tends to be about 15% lower in crime rate than most of the state. Marietta, GA Crime Map & Crime Reports Crime maps are used for assessing crime by neighborhood to see crime hot spots, the type of offenses by neighborhood, and help the general public be aware of the safe areas and the dangerous areas in a given city. You can compare and contrast the public sites like City-Data, Neighborhood Scout, and Crime Grade to get a good idea of what neighborhoods are safest and what are most dangerous. Don’t be afraid to look at local police crime reports either. Reviewing Marietta police reports can offer greater insight into crime in Marietta. Violent Crime in Marietta To some, it would appear that violent crime in Marietta is on the rise. That’s not necessarily true. While crimes committed are certainly on the rise, it’s because the population is on the rise. More people means more crime, there is no way around that. BUT – the Marietta crime rate statistics show the percentage of crime is going down. Where there used to be nearly 10 violent crimes per 1000 people, there are now only 5. Your odds of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Marietta are actually improving favorably with every passing year – you’ll be less likely to experience crime next year than this year and you’re less likely this year than you would have been last year. - Marietta murder rate per 100k people: 7, which is down from nearly 9 the prior year - Marietta total homicides over the past year: 4 - Marietta violent crime per 100k people: 491 These numbers rank 20.5% below the rest of the state! Property Crime in Marietta, GA Not unlike violent crimes, property crime numbers are higher each year but that’s simply because the amount of people living in Marietta continues to grow. The percentage of property crime has stopped increasing, though it remains about 40% higher than the state average. You’re no more likely to experience a property crime now than you were a few years ago and as the local police department continues to grow to meet the demanding needs of a growing community, these numbers will continue to drop. The most common property crimes appear to be vandalism – mostly from kids and young adults. Bad/Dangerous/High Crime Areas of Marietta, GA It won’t surprise you that the worst crime neighborhoods in Marietta all fall within the “downtown” areas. The more centralized, the more crime. The more suburban, the less crime. Nearly all of the middle to upper class neighborhoods are borderline crime free, and the crimes that DO occur in these areas are nearly all property crimes. Marietta Neighborhoods to Avoid Living In - Forest Hills – Also known as Downtown Marietta. Perfect for working in one of the many large companies, banks, hospitals, or retailers during the day. Terrific for shopping trips and great food. Not so good for nightlife. Many of the violent crimes are committed downtown because of altercations after dark. - Stoneoak Pointe – Attached to Downtown Marietta. Stoneoak Pointe is home to some of the city’s lowest income individuals, a number of homeless, and the second least desirable neighborhood to try to lay your head in. - West Oak – Much like Stoneoak Pointe, West Oak is home to low to no income individuals, a shelter, and a number of homeless. Try to avoid the area when alone and avoid it entirely at night. Safest Neighborhoods in Marietta, GA The best neighborhoods to live in are almost all outside the reaches of downtown. The outer reaches of the city are all housing developments of varying cost, but nearly all of them are middle to upper class specific. In these neighborhoods, you can rest easy knowing you, your children, and your property are well protected. Best Marietta Neighborhoods to Live In - - East Spring Lake – A subdivision consisting of 200 homes located on one of the most scenic and dramatic landscapes in metro Atlanta. The neighborhood is designed around three lakes, featuring an eight acre entry lake. Many residents are involved in our active tennis leagues, youth swim team programs, and community social events and there is almost no crime to speak of. - Oak Creek – The estates in Oak Creek are some of the most expensive in the city. Ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000 the estates all come with a good bit of land and many of the areas are gated. It’s rare to hear of anything other than the occasional attempted burglary or property vandalism. - Princeton Lakes – The Lakes are a residential community perfect for the middle class. Check out their website to see all they have to offer, including the safe schools that fall in their area, and the HOA you’d be a part of. Police do a great job patrolling the community and keeping crime down to the minimum. Marietta Safety Tips – How to Avoid Crime in Marietta, GA Having provided services to hundreds of customers in the community, we know there are three separate things every family should do to avoid crime in Marietta: - Get a security system. Most of the homes already come equipped with a security system and all you have to do is transfer ownership or open an account. If you’re building a new home, a security system is key to keep property crime away. - Don’t travel alone downtown, especially at night. While it’s perfectly fine to work in the city and to enjoy the restaurants and clubs, we don’t recommend anybody travel alone, by foot, at night. Stay in your cars, keep them locked, and make sure you have a safe route into your destinations. - Live in the safest Marietta neighborhoods. If you try to live downtown, you’re simply asking to be close to crime. Spend the extra money and the extra time commuting to work and build a nice life for your family in one of the suburbia residential communities. Marietta Police Department We’ve already alluded to the fact that the police department is growing to meet the demands of a booming population; there are 132 sworn officers. Recently, they built their own web page attached to the city website. The department consists of three separate divisions, each have a number of sub-divisions: - Investigations – The Investigative Services Division is responsible for investigating unsolved crimes, and handling long-term investigations related to gangs, narcotics and other organized crimes. - Support Services – The Support Services Division manages administrative functions that support Uniform Patrol and Investigative Services. - Uniform – The Uniform Division is primarily responsible for responding to calls for service and patrolling the community. As the police force is growing, Interim Chief of Police Martin “Marty” Ferrell is overseeing the build and development of the force. He and the team have made it a point to make police logs available on the website. Marietta Police Department \| 240 Lemon St NE, Marietta, GA 30060 \| (770) 794-5300 Marietta, GA Crime Rate FAQ Is Marietta, GA Safe? Marietta, GA is a growing city with plenty of challenges – but it gets safer every single day. Where are the Safest Marietta, GA Neighborhoods? The further you get away from downtown, the safer the city is. Outskirts are filled with wonderful and safe neighborhoods. Where Can I View Marietta, GA Police Reports? Right on the police webpage! At Wirks Moving and Storage, we know how important it is to make sure your family and business are going to be safe in a new neighborhood. We know it’s one thing to safely move your personal belongings and your property, but it’s another thing to make sure they’re going to be safe in their new home. Once you’ve decided where in Marietta is best for you and your family, give us a call at (404) 635-6683! We’ll be happy to help you relocate into your new, safe community. Or, fill out our online form to get a free quote to have Wirks Moving and Storage help you move into your new, safe Marietta, GA neighborhood.	https://wirksmoving.com/blog/marietta-crime-rate/
Share: Safest Stanton Neighborhoods Population 38,719 The crime rate in Stanton is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 21 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Stanton is 1 in 48. Based on FBI crime data, Stanton is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to California, Stanton has a crime rate that is higher than 49% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. How does the crime rate in Stanton compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared Stanton with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether Stanton's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics. The crime data that NeighborhoodScout used for this analysis are the seven offenses from the uniform crime reports, collected by the FBI from 18,000 local law enforcement agencies, and include both violent and property crimes, combined. Now let us turn to take a look at how Stanton does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Stanton. From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Stanton occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Stanton; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 312. This equates to a rate of 3 per one thousand inhabitants. NeighborhoodScout's analysis also reveals that Stanton's rate for property crime is 18 per one thousand population. This makes Stanton a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes. Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in Stanton is one in 57. Importantly, we found that Stanton has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation according to our analysis of FBI crime data. This is compared to communities of all sizes, from the smallest to the largest. In fact, your chance of getting your car stolen if you live in Stanton is one in 279. Stanton Annual Crimes National Median 3.8 My chances of becoming a victim in Stanton 1 in 312 in California 1 in 252 National Median 26.0 in Stanton 1 in 57 in California 1 in 41 National Median 32.8 I want to: Buy a Home in Stanton Sell a Home in Stanton Both Customers Love Us \| Our Agent Screening Process \| FAQs *Not available in all areas. See Terms and Conditions for details. Questions? Call Us Toll Free at 888-250-3200 About Us \| Contact Us \| Solutions \| Legal \| Scout Sitemap Follow: Copyright © 2000-2016 Location Inc®. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc®. The NeighborhoodScout® search engine is covered under US Patents No. 7,043,501 and 7,680,859. Our nationally-comparable school ratings are covered under US Patent No. 8,376,755. Other US patent applications are currently pending. NeighborhoodScout is Powered By Experts in Location-Based Data Contact for Licensing: PRODUCTS: Crime Risk, Home Price Appreciation, Trends & Forecasts, Demographics, Boundaries, and more.	http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/stanton/crime/
Analytics built by: Location, Inc. Raw data sources: 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Date(s) & Update Frequency: Reflects 2018 calendar year; released from FBI in Sept. 2019 (latest available). Updated annually. Where is 2019 data? Methodology: Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations…. Read more With a crime rate of 40 per one thousand residents, Greensboro has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 25. Within North Carolina, more than 88% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Greensboro. How does the crime rate in Greensboro compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared Greensboro with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether Greensboro's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics. Now let us turn to take a look at how Greensboro does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Greensboro. For Greensboro, we found that the violent crime rate is one of the highest in the nation, across communities of all sizes (both large and small). Violent offenses tracked included rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon. According to NeighborhoodScout's analysis of FBI reported crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of one of these crimes in Greensboro is one in 156. Significantly, based on the number of murders reported by the FBI and the number of residents living in the city, NeighborhoodScout's analysis shows that Greensboro experiences one of the higher murder rates in the nation when compared with cities and towns for all sizes of population, from the largest to the smallest. In addition, NeighborhoodScout found that a lot of the crime that takes place in Greensboro is property crime. Property crimes that are tracked for this analysis are burglary, larceny over fifty dollars, motor vehicle theft, and arson. In Greensboro, your chance of becoming a victim of a property crime is one in 30, which is a rate of 34 per one thousand population.	https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nc/greensboro/crime
Analytics built by: Location, Inc. Raw data sources: 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Date(s) & Update Frequency: Reflects 2021 calendar year; released from FBI in Oct. 2022 (latest available). Updated annually. Where is 2022 data? Methodology: Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations…. Read more about Scout's Crime Data The crime rate in Charleston is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 26 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Charleston is 1 in 38. Based on FBI crime data, Charleston is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to South Carolina, Charleston has a crime rate that is higher than 58% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. How does the crime rate in Charleston compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared Charleston with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether Charleston's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics. Now let us turn to take a look at how Charleston does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Charleston. From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Charleston occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Charleston; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 240. This equates to a rate of 4 per one thousand inhabitants. Significantly, based on the number of murders reported by the FBI and the number of residents living in the city, NeighborhoodScout's analysis shows that Charleston experiences one of the higher murder rates in the nation when compared with cities and towns for all sizes of population, from the largest to the smallest. NeighborhoodScout's analysis also reveals that Charleston's rate for property crime is 22 per one thousand population. This makes Charleston a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes. Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in Charleston is one in 46. Importantly, we found that Charleston has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation according to our analysis of FBI crime data. This is compared to communities of all sizes, from the smallest to the largest. In fact, your chance of getting your car stolen if you live in Charleston is one in 311.	https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/charleston/crime
Analytics built by: Location, Inc. Raw data sources: 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Date(s) & Update Frequency: Reflects 2019 calendar year; released from FBI in Sept. 2020 (latest available). Updated annually. Where is 2020 data? Methodology: Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations…. Read more about Scout's Crime Data The crime rate in Clinton is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 19 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Clinton is 1 in 53. Based on FBI crime data, Clinton is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Connecticut, Clinton has a crime rate that is higher than 78% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. How does the crime rate in Clinton compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared Clinton with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether Clinton's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics. Now let us turn to take a look at how Clinton does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Clinton. For Clinton, NeighborhoodScout found that the violent crime rate is well below the national average for all communities of all population sizes. Violent crimes such as assault, rape, murder and armed robbery happen less often in Clinton than in most of America. One's chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime here is one in 1077, which is a violent crime rate of 1 per one thousand inhabitants. NeighborhoodScout's analysis also reveals that Clinton's rate for property crime is 18 per one thousand population. This makes Clinton a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes. Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in Clinton is one in 56.	https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ct/clinton/crime
Analytics built by: Location, Inc. Raw data sources: 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Date(s) & Update Frequency: Reflects 2018 calendar year; released from FBI in Sept. 2019 (latest available). Updated annually. Where is 2019 data? Methodology: Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations…. Read more The crime rate in Edina is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 16 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Edina is 1 in 61. Based on FBI crime data, Edina is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Minnesota, Edina has a crime rate that is higher than 72% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. How does the crime rate in Edina compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared Edina with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether Edina's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics. Now let us turn to take a look at how Edina does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Edina. For Edina, NeighborhoodScout found that the violent crime rate is well below the national average for all communities of all population sizes. Violent crimes such as assault, rape, murder and armed robbery happen less often in Edina than in most of America. One's chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime here is one in 1693, which is a violent crime rate of 1 per one thousand inhabitants. NeighborhoodScout's analysis also reveals that Edina's rate for property crime is 16 per one thousand population. This makes Edina a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes. Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in Edina is one in 63.	https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/mn/edina/crime
Toronto is a relatively safe city when compared to other cities in the world. In 2017, The Economist ranked Toronto as the 24th safest city globally and safer than major cities in North America. In the first quarter of 2021, the crime rate in Canada went down by 20% compared to the first quarter of the previous year. This article discusses the crime rates in Toronto, covering various types of crimes, such as gang-related, violent and homicide. We will also compare the crime rate in Toronto with other renowned cities such as New York and dig deeper into specific Toronto neighbourhoods. Police-Reported Violent Crime Rate in Toronto Violent crime is the use or threat of violence against an individual, including homicide, attempted homicide, assault, harassment, among others. Unfortunately, police-reported data is not always accurate because some victims don’t report violent crimes to authorities. The proportion of violent crime in Toronto varies by sex. According to a 2017 study, males are 70% more likely to be victims of violent crime than females. Also, the vast majority of violent crimes committed in Toronto do not involve firearms or knives. Instead, most police-reported crimes involve physical fights or crude weapons such as clubs, blunt objects, rope/strangulation, burning liquid, or other little-known weapons. Homicide Rates in Toronto Homicide is a crime involving murder, infanticide, and non-negligent manslaughter. As of August 24, 2021, the Toronto Police Service had 15 unsolved homicide cases alone in 2021, and all victims were male. Gang-Related Violent Crimes The criteria for labelling violent crimes as gang-related varies depending on the jurisdiction that has been a subject of debate over the years. Currently, a violent crime is classified as gang-related if the police confirm that the accused is either a member of an organized crime group or street gang. However, victims of gang-related violence may include innocent bystanders, making it difficult to distinguish the connection between the victim and the gang. In Toronto, less than 30% of all homicides are most likely to be gang-related. According to recent studies, more than 90% of gang-related victims were male, and less than 10% were females. In terms of age group, most victims of gang-related violence fall between the age of 18 to 34. Also, individuals accused of being part of an organized crime group involved in violent crimes were most likely to be between 18 to 24 years of age. Gun Violence in Toronto Gun violence or firearm-related violent crime includes crime committed with semi-automatic guns, revolvers, fully automatic firearms, rifles, shotguns, pistols, and other firearm-like weapons. There have been few instances of gun violence in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to the same period last year. Toronto neighbourhoods such as Lawrence Heights, Rexdale, and Jane and Finch are experiencing a decrease in gun violence. There have also been few instances of gun violence in relatively safe neighbourhoods such as Kensington Market, University of Toronto, and Richmond Hill. According to the Toronto Police Analytics, there’s been a 35% decrease in shooting and firearm discharge incidents between 2020 and 2021. Also, the number of people killed by firearms has reduced by 30%. Less than 40% of all homicides in Toronto involved a firearm. Even so, Toronto still has the third-highest rate of firearm-related murders after Edmonton and Winnipeg. Crime Injury Rates in Toronto It is difficult to accurately capture data concerning crime injury rates because of several factors such as: ● Not all victims of violent crime seek medical care. ● Not all medical providers screen for violence. ● Some victims of violent crime do not feel safe disclosing such information. ● Not all assault-related injuries are recorded. ● It is also difficult to identify the connection between perpetrators and victims. More than 70% of all crime-related injuries occurred among males. Similar to the results for all crimes, more than 90% of all firearm-related injuries occurred among males. Concerning age groups, crime injury rates were higher for males between 15 to 24 years. Crime Rates Based on Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Status Canada’s crime rate varies by neighbourhood socioeconomic status. The crime rate is usually measured in terms of: ● Quality of housing ● Quality of education ● Family structures ● Neighbourhood income Toronto neighbourhoods with the lowest income had the highest rates of crimes compared to areas with the lowest material deprivation. This data means that residents living in low-income communities were more likely to experience crime than those living in high-income neighbourhoods. Toronto Crime Rate by Neighborhood The rate of crime and violence varies from one neighbourhood to another in Toronto. Below is a list of neighbourhoods with some of the highest crime rates in Toronto: The Annex Located next to the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, The Annex has one of Toronto’s highest crime property indices. The average crime property rate stands at 23.75 against 1000 properties, while crime against individuals stands at an average rate of 8.16 per 1000 people. The Beaches Located in the east of Queen Street, this neighbourhood has an almost equal crime rate for crime against individuals and property. Both crime rates stand at 7.8 per 1000 people or properties. Moss Park Moss Park neighbourhood has one of the highest Toronto crime rates. The average violent crime rate is 20.81 per 1000 individuals, while property crime stands at 45.94 per 1000 properties. St. James Town St. James Town is one of the low-income neighbourhoods in Toronto. The average crime rate in the area is 10.44 per 1000 people, while property crime stands at 24.97 per 1000 properties. Regent Park Regent Park is located in downtown Toronto. This neighbourhood also has one of the highest crime rates in Canada. The average crime rate in the area is 12.99 per 1000 people, while property crime stands at 22.39 per 1000 properties. How Many Murders in Canada per year? According to Statcan, the number of people killed in Canada per year since 2016 is as follows:	https://vilkhovlaw.ca/toronto-crime-rates/
It was a tough year to follow. Several Las Vegas crime categories saw numbers creep up in 2012 after seeing huge drops in 2011, according to the latest statistics from the FBI. But last year’s numbers were low compared with the past five years of crime data. Overall, violent crimes rose to 11,598, a 7.25 percent increase from 2011. It is unclear whether the record low numbers in 2011 are an anomaly, or if 2012’s increase is indicative of future trends in Las Vegas. Patrick Baldwin, director of the Las Vegas police department’s analytics section, said that the 2012 numbers were “trending in the wrong direction,” but that the numbers were very positive over a five-year span, which he said is a better indicator. It’s difficult to make a judgment from one year’s numbers, although the data is scrutinized, he said. “In my experience, these numbers won’t turn on a dime,” Baldwin said. Violent crimes last year were substantially down compared with the numbers reported in 2010, 2009 and 2008. Violent crimes were down 11 percent last year compared with 2008. Robberies increased by 9.5 percent and aggravated assaults by 7.8 percent from 2011. There were 3,824 robberies and 7,102 assaults last year. Overall property crimes were much higher last year, with a 12 percent increase from 2011. There were 46,427 reported property crimes. Burglaries and thefts also increased. There were 14,220 burglaries last year, a 12 percent increase, and 25,522 thefts, a 16 percent increase. The increase in 2012 also bucks national trends. Violent crimes and property crimes have decreased per 100,000 residents for years. “While the (national) violent crime rate remained virtually unchanged when compared to the 2011 rate, the (national) property crime rate declined 1.6 percent,” the FBI’s summary report said. Despite the local increases, numbers from 2012 were lower in every category than the numbers in 2008. Capt. Chris Jones, who oversees Baldwin’s section, said year-to-year fluctuations are common. “Crime tends to ebb and flow, but as you look at when crime starts to go down or up, remember that having less cops or more cops does have an impact,” he said. “You’re not always going to see immediate results in either direction. … It doesn’t work that way. It takes time.” Plenty of factors contribute to a bump in the crime rate, Baldwin said. The population has been slowly increasing and getting younger. More young people in a population has a correlation with crime. Most criminals are of the younger generation, Baldwin said. The reduction of the prison population in California also has been a factor, he said. And the economy is improving, which means there are more tourists in Las Vegas and more locals going out. Baldwin said there’s a false belief that crime will increase in a bad economy. Police have found that isn’t always the case. “The assumption is that regular people who lost jobs are going to start committing crimes to supplant their lost income, but in actuality that’s exactly opposite of what happens,” he said. “Crimes decrease because of less victimization. Less people are buying new shiny things and are out and about. There’s less people coming here, less people in town.” Murders and rapes in Las Vegas continued to trend down last year. There were 76 murders last year compared with 82 in 2011 and 107 in 2010. There were 596 reported rapes last year, down from 651 in 2011 and 652 in 2010. The rape numbers should remain low this year. Lt. Dan McGrath, who oversees the police department’s sexual assault section, said the numbers in 2013 are tracking closely with the numbers in 2012. Part of his section’s success has been a result of educating the public. For instance, he said, Strip security guards are trained to look for signs of a potential rape, such as a man carrying a drunken woman from a club or pool to his room. For residential areas, detectives use different tactics, such as working with the Rape Crisis Center to educate young women. “Some of these crimes can’t be prevented, but we find that some of them can. And that’s what we’ve tried to do,” McGrath said. Numbers don’t tell the whole story, he said. Rape “is a violent, disturbing crime that affects victims for the rest of their lives, especially the younger juvenile cases. Even though we have to look at numbers as a measure, we try to stay away from that being the only focus,” McGrath said. There are other, more current numbers that Baldwin and his team are tracking. The homicide rate, while at a modern low last year, is on pace to be much higher in 2013. That’s a concern for the department, Baldwin said. And the number of calls the department receives is much higher this year, he said. “If you look at us now, in the last five years we have had low numbers, but that’s from the hard work the agency did in ’03, ’05,” he said. “It’s like building a sports team. You don’t see the benefits right away, and we’re concerned that we’re seeing calls for services going up and increases in homicides. “We’re seeing increases in robberies year-to-date. If you break it down to street-level violence, we are seeing anomalies there that has us concerned.” Baldwin and Jones point to auto thefts, once a major problem in Las Vegas, which has seen numbers drop. There were 22,465 auto thefts in 2005, although that number was nearly cut in half in 2008, which saw 11,402. The hard work of Capt. Robert Duvall, then a lieutenant, helped the department find new ways to stop those crimes, Baldwin said. “We use the (FBI report) as a barometer, but it’s not our main reporting mechanism ... because it’s not very timely,” he said, noting that the numbers are nine months old. “We’re looking ahead.” The trick is finding new methods for stopping trends. Jones said people often take a short-term view of crime numbers. “That’s work we did years back. So as you start to see these trends come up, and they inch up inch by inch, what concerns us is when we get to five years from now. Where are those numbers going to be?” he asked. “It’s going to be indicative of what we’re doing today, or what we’re doing over the next year and a half or two years. That’s where our concern comes in. “If we continue to lose officers, our population continues to increase, now we look five years down the road and we’re going to be having a different conversation.” Contact reporter Mike Blasky at [email protected] or 702-383-0283.	http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/crime-courts/crime-nudges-2012-after-decline-2011
Fighting crime in West End West End residents concerned about an apparent jump in their area’s crime rate should welcome a new policing strategy that will increase the number of officers in that area. A more visible police presence translates into lower visibility for burglars, vandals and other perpetrators of crimes of opportunity. But shifting cops on the beat is only one part of the new “quadrant” policing plan outlined this week by Chief Rory Collins. Another equally important part is aimed at building stronger ties between residents and officers through an additional community relations officer and more engagement with neighborhood watch leaders. Those civilian neighborhood eyes and ears are a crucial part of any policing effort. Concerned citizens don’t simply report crimes or suspicious activity. They become advocates for their neighborhoods in other areas as well. Neighborhood pride is a crime prevention tool, too. Collins’ approach reflects strategies that have proved their effectiveness. For instance, the city of High Point has won praise for a targeted strategy that dramatically reduced crime in a drug-plagued neighborhood there. That community — also coincidentally known as West End — reached the breaking point because of violent street crimes. As recently reported in a special report in the Fayetteville Observer, the turnaround began several years ago when police and community leaders joined forces to put more resources into the area while also engaging residents in the battle. Through the combination of intervention and prevention, crime dropped so substantially the strategy was adopted in other High Point areas. Crime statistics often fluctuate from year to year for a variety of factors, so some caution is advised in discerning trends. While Collins noted that Salisbury’s West End had an increase in crimes such as burglaries, car theft and rape compared to five years ago, other categories including robberies, larceny and aggravated assault showed a decline. For Salisbury as a whole, the crime rate was down. West End isn’t in the grip of a crime crisis, but the increase in some categories — particularly property crimes — has understandably triggered residents’ worries and, now, a police response. Crime is just one part of the West End story. There’s also a renewed commitment among city leaders to revitalize this area — which includes Livingstone College and the VA campus — through the West End Transformation Plan. Fighting crime and fighting poverty go hand in hand. While there’s no magic bullet for either, putting more officers on the street and building more trust with residents will help deter criminals. So will improvements in housing, health care, transportation and employment opportunities.	https://www.salisburypost.com/2014/01/09/fighting-crime-in-west-end/
Alternatively, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient may be obtained in two steps: (1) replace all observations by ranks (columnwise) and (2) compute the Pearson correlation coefficient (eq. 4.7) between the ranked variables. The result is the same as obtained from eq. 5.3. The Spearman r coefficient varies between +1 and -1, just like the Pearson r. Descriptors that are perfectly matched, in terms of ranks, exhibit values r = +1 (direct relationship) or r = -1 (inverse relationship), whereas r = 0 indicates the absence of a monotonic relationship between the two descriptors. (Relationships that are not monotonic, e.g. Fig. 4.4d, can be quantified using polynomial or nonlinear regression, or else contingency coefficients; see Sections 6.2 and 10.3.) Numerical example. A small example (ranked data, Table 5.4) illustrates the equivalence between eq. 5.1 computed on ranks and eq. 5.3. Using eq. 5.1 gives: 12 45x5 The same result is obtained from eq. 5.3: Two or more objects may have the same rank on a given descriptor. This is often the case with descriptors used in ecology, which may have a small number of states or ordered classes. Such observations are said to be tied. Each of them is assigned the average of the ranks which would have been assigned had no ties occurred. If the proportion of tied observations is large, correction factors must be introduced into the sums of squared deviations of eq. 5.2, which become: and n where tj and trk are the numbers of observations in descriptors y and yk which are tied at ranks r, these values being summed over the q sets of tied observations in descriptor j and the s sets in descriptor k. Significance of the Spearman r is usually tested against the null hypothesis H0: r = 0. When n > 10, the test statistic is the same as for Pearson's r (eq. 4.13): H0 is tested by comparing statistic t to the value found in a table of critical values of t, with v = n - 2 degrees of freedom. H0 is rejected when the probability corresponding to t is smaller than a predetermined level of significance (a, for a two-tailed test). The rules for one-tailed and two-tailed tests are the same as for the Pearson r (Section 4.2). When n < 10, which is not often the case in ecology, one must refer to a special table of critical values of the Spearman rank correlation coefficient, found in textbooks of nonparametric statistics. Kendall Kendall's t (tau) is another rank correlation coefficient, which can be used for the corr. coeff. same types of descriptors as Spearman's r. One major advantage of t over Spearman's r is that the former can be generalized to a partial correlation coefficient (below), which is not the case for the latter. While Spearman's r was based on the differences between the ranks of objects on the two descriptors being compared, Kendall's t refers to a somewhat different concept, which is best explained using an example. Numerical example. Kendall's t is calculated on the example of Table 5.4, already used for computing Spearman's r. In Table 5.5, the order of the objects was rearranged so as to obtain increasing ranks on one of the two descriptors (here y^. The Table is used to determine the degree of dependence between the two descriptors. Since the ranks are now in increasing order n s r t Table 5.5 Numerical example. The order of the four objects from Table 5.4 has been rearranged in such a way that the ranks on yj are now in increasing order Objects Ranks of objects on the two descriptors (observation units) yj y2 on yj, it is sufficient to determine how many pairs of ranks are also in increasing order on y2 to obtain a measure of the association between the two descriptors. Considering the object in first rank (i.e. x4), at the top of the right-hand column, the first pair of ranks (2 and 4, belonging to objects x4 and x3) is in increasing order; a score of +1 is assigned to it. The same goes for the second pair (2 and 3, belonging to objects x4 and xj). The third pair of ranks (2 and 1, belonging to objects x4 and x2) is in decreasing order, however, so that it earns a negative score -1. The same operation is repeated for every object in successive ranks along yj, i.e. for the object in second rank (x3): first pair of ranks (4 and 3, belonging to objects x3 and xj), etc. The sum S of scores assigned to each of the n(n - 1)/2 different pairs of ranks is then computed. Kendall's rank correlation coefficient is defined as follows: where S stands for "sum of scores". Kendall's Ta is thus the sum of scores for pairs in increasing and decreasing order, divided by the total number of pairs (n(n - 1)/2). For the example of Tables 5.4 and 5.5, Ta is: Clearly, in the case of perfect agreement between two descriptors, all pairs receive a positive score, so that S = n(n - 1)/2 and thus Ta = +1. When there is complete disagreement, S = -n(n - 1)/2 and thus Ta = -1. When the descriptors are totally unrelated, the positive and negative scores cancel out, so that S as well as Ta are near 0. Equation 5.5 cannot be used for computing t when there are tied observations. This is often the case with ecological semiquantitative descriptors, which may have a small number of states. The Kendall rank correlation is then computed on a contingency table (see Chapter 6) crossing two semiquantitative descriptors. Table 5.6 Numerical example. Contingency table giving the distribution of 80 objects among the states of two semiquantitative descriptors, a and b. Numbers in the table are frequencies f). Was this article helpful?	https://www.ecologycenter.us/numerical-ecology/info-sng.html

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