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Most Enterprise Architecture (EA) initiatives are typically motivated through major changes in the IT or technology department and it does not start off from the day-to-day business situation. It may be sparked by the arrival of new management or the need to transform the strategy that is a major part of the IT landscape. These organisations expect the architects to bring about pivotal changes without giving them proper initiation. Some architects cannot even find the right organisational foundation to begin shaping the IT landscape the way it is expected to. To solve this, Enterprise Architects need a clear and convincing plan to: - Grow the EA maturity in the context of policies, influence areas and evaluation - Set up an EA function in the organisation in a logical way and sustain it - Shape the organisation’s IT and business capabilities - Establish the right enablers for EA management Measuring Your EA Maturity Figure 1: Digital EA Maturity Assessments Levels The EA Maturity level of your organisation can be categorised through a Maturity Model. Maturity models are a method of determining the level of maturity of functional domains as depicted in figure 1. They identify the many phases of maturity that an organisation evolves through. As a result, they can be utilised as a guideline for incrementally improving a functional domain in a balanced manner. The maturity and the constraints of the EA practise is a major measure of its effectiveness. Organisations must recognise their degree of maturity, identify their limitations, set attainable goals, and gradually remove the constraints to success. The objectives of measuring the organisation’s EA maturity are to: - Understand where people see gaps in the current knowledge and practice of EA - Identify the areas of improvement that needed more focus - Measure maturity in terms of both business impact of EA and EA activities - Clear up the organisational goals and assess the required capabilities before mapping to the maturity model - Evaluate EA team maturity to identify the skill gaps Flexibility and multi-dimensional views are associated with EA maturity in the era of continuous transformation. A higher level of EA maturity will result in better strategy alignment and more successful business change. Continuously Improve Your EA Practice Gartner® believes that by having the right EA maturity model and when used as part of the organisation’s regular assessment of the EA practice, it can continuously identify opportunities for improvements. EA maturity can assist the EA practice through the developmental phases. Through EA maturity, organisations can receive technological guidance. EA has concentrated on technological architecture, assisting with challenges including decreasing complexity, simplifying underlying technologies, and directing development decisions. The ability to be able to develop the right EA maturity models will lead to a greater digital capability for the organisations and path a clear transformation roadmap. The model will assist organisations in identifying the right element and the right time to adopt the most relevant technologies for the business within digital transformation initiatives. The digital transformation journey will be much clearer since the organisational needs are taken into consideration and all possible opportunities are identified. Every organisation should consider taking this ‘health check’ to ensure the success of all digital initiatives are aligned towards realizing digitally connected enterprise model. ATD Consulting assist clients to establish their connected Digital Enterprise Architecture as a culture through Digital EA Assessments. The clients will be equipped with the necessary capabilities and competencies to continuously driving digital transformation within the organisation.	https://atdsolution.com/resource/how-ea-maturity-helps-organisations-propels-in-their-digital-journey/
· Support recruitment of eligible 16-18 year old learners onto the traineeship level 1 programme. · To deliver and support development of the Achieve More standardised level 1 Traineeship programme in your area. · Give additional support where necessary and make decisions to judge competence against the learner’s chosen next steps · Maintain delivery standards in accordance with the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) and formulate development plans for ongoing improvement · Maintain standards in accordance with guidelines set by ESFA · Manage administration of the organisations systems, procedures and responsibilities KEY RESPONSIBILITIES · Initially assess prior achievements, identify learner suitability for the Traineeship · Identify learner support needs e.g. Essential Skills and Soft Skills · Agree learner starting points and set targets to develop and progress through the Traineeship · Deliver practical-based sessions of vocational and employability skills · Ensure Essential Skills, Equality & Diversity, British Values and Prevent is embedded into all sessions · Ensure target setting motivates the learner and give written and oral feedback on progression towards agreed targets · Ensure targets are met by learners · Review learner progress in accordance with contractual requirements and the organisation’s systems · Evaluate and document fully the learning of the learner · Maintain Common Inspection Framework and build upon existing standards · Ensure that company safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented and adhered to · Ensure that safe practices and a culture of safety are promoted · Ensure learner retention and achievement is within the organisation’s targets · Monitor attendance and report any issues or concerns INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLAN · Create an individual learning plan that takes into consideration all learner needs and expectations · Update information on progress of learner into learning plan · Take into account learner prior experiences. Set target dates for completion of tasks/units/qualifications/Traineeship · Refer to plan in reviews REVIEWING PROGRESS · Target dates on reviews are to help learners effectively work towards achievement · Action plan each learner against all components with a S.M.A.R.T approach · Make targets motivating and give feedback on progress · Involve work-based supervisors/mentors in progress and reviews · Records of reviews must be in detail to show continuous progress TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT · Deliver engaging teaching sessions when necessary to meet the requirements of the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) · Deliver/maintain standards/support development of an effective and innovative curriculum to meet the standards set by the company · Identify resources necessary to deliver the programme · Undertake any personal training in order to update qualifications required to support the role and responsibilities · Agree and set targets with learners to develop and progress through the Traineeship to meet their needs · Review learners progress in accordance with contractual requirements and the organisation’s systems · Prepare and plan the effective delivery of all vocational activity sessions · To be quality assured by observation of teaching, learning and assessment system · To undertake training prescribed by the company in order to maintain the standard and currency of qualifications required to support the role and responsibilities · Actively engage learners in the use of the e-portfolio/tracking system ASSESSING ACHIEVEMENT · Adhere to assessment standards when assessing/moderating learners · Involve employers/supervisors/mentors when planning assessments where appropriate · Integrate the Main Aim Qualification, Essential Skills, Equality and Diversity, Differentiation and Soft Skills competence during all activities · Incorporate various individualised and personalised assessment methods throughout the Traineeship · Adhere to IQA/moderation systems and procedures · Plan and monitor the timely progress of all learners assigned to sessions · Be responsible for the regular review and target setting of learners STANDARD MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE · Department plan to be maintained in accordance with organisation’s objectives · Quality Assurance procedures maintained and are effective · Monthly team meetings attended · High level of teamwork and close co-operation with other departments · Attend regular staff performance reviews · Meeting agreed information and report deadlines PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY · To abide by the organisation’s systems and procedures · Produce monthly reports for management · Be a role model in maintaining a positive culture that embeds the organisation’s values by ensuring learners feel valued, safe and supported SHARED TEAM RESPONSIBILITY · Departmental planning · Agree key measures of performance for individual learners · Improvement projects within team · Maintain a positive teaching and learning environment Management reserve the right to make changes to the above job description with any other duties which can be reasonably expected of this role.	https://achievemoretraining.com/tutor-assessor-traineeship
Well, be assured that data conclusively answers this question. Yes, it works. The data we’re talking about comes from an exhaustive meta-analysis of 335 studies of leadership training effectiveness. These studies were compiled, computer-coded, and statistically analyzed by a team of organizational behavior, industrial psychology and management professors from Rice University and the University of Central Florida. Significant positives The researchers were interested in finding out how leadership training does across several dimensions: 1) learning, 2) skills transfer and behavior change, 3) positive effect on organizational outcomes such as ROI, and 4) positive or negative reaction to the training from trainees. Lo and behold, the statistical analysis showed significant positive results in all these categories. To determine whether the results of training were significant, the researchers used a measure of effect size — the degree to which one variable affects another — known as Cohen’s D. This measurement standardizes the difference in means between sets of data. Roughly speaking, a Cohen’s D score of 0.2 signifies a small effect of one variable on another, 0.5 a medium effect and 0.8 a large effect. The analysis found that leadership training scored 0.82 on effective transfer of skills, 0.73 on learning, 0.72 on outcomes and 0.63 on positive trainee reaction. These are strong measures of effect, demonstrating that leadership training is in fact quite worthwhile. Breaking it down The meta-analysis went farther than just a top-line assessment of leadership training. It also looked at the relative effectiveness of a handful of aspects of training, such as whether it was conducted on- or off-site, whether it incorporated feedback, and whether the training was given as a single event or spaced out over time. For each of these aspects, the analysis looked at its effect on learning, skills transfer and outcomes. Here’s a summary of these findings: - Training that featured information, demonstration and practice of leadership techniques scored 1.24 in Cohen D effect size when it came to learning effectiveness, a whopping 2.20 in skills transfer, and 0.45 in outcomes. Those scores compared with 0.60, 0.43 and 0.60 for just information and practice. - Training that featured feedback for trainees scored 0.79 on learning, 1.40 on skills transfer and 0.84 on outcomes, compared with 0.71, 0.50 and 0.70 for no feedback. - Training that was spaced out across a period of time scored 0.74 on learning, 0.92 on skills transfer and 0.48 on outcomes, compared with 0.92, 0.45 and 0.18 for single-event training. (The slightly higher score for single-event in the learning category wasn’t statistically important, the researchers said.) More findings Further findings: - Training that was done face-to-face scored 0.78 on learning while virtual training delivered a likewise solid score of 0.54. - Training that was done on-site significantly outscored off-site training (such as conference events) in all categories. - Training where attendance was voluntary had a lower impact on organizational outcomes compared to mandatory training because fewer people attended. However, learning scores were higher on voluntary training (where attendees are self-selected and typically more highly-engaged learners). - Training conducted by an external trainer scored 0.74 on learning, 0.52 on skills transfer and 0.69 on outcomes, compared with 0.98, 0.45 and 0.69 for training led by an internal trainer. Implications for implementation Summing up the implications of their findings, the researchers said organizations implementing leadership training may want to: - Make training compulsory if the goal is improving organizational outcomes, but allow voluntary participation on topics that may not be mission-critical to all - Spread out the training over time to optimize skills transfer and organizational outcomes - Make sure at least part of the training is trainer-led as opposed to fully self-administered, and - Build feedback into the training to ensure skills transfer and behavior change Good reactions Did I mention that the study also showed people liked leadership training? The researchers noted that while employees may feel they’re not going to like training beforehand, they tend to shift their opinion during and after the training. That’s because they come to perceive the training as a sign that the organization supports and is interested in them. And indeed, the data from the meta-analysis shows this happening. As we noted, positive reactions to leadership training scored a significant 0.63 overall on the Cohen D effect-size measure. These reactions were especially pronounced when the training included information, demonstration and practice (1.47) and when feedback was part of the training (1.13). All in all, the meta-analysis provides a lot of support for training and development managers who want to implement or beef up leadership training in their organizations. This blog entry is based on the following research study: Lacerenza, C. et al. (2017). Leadership Training Design, Delivery, and Implementation: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(12), 1686-1718. Leave a Reply Get a demo of all our training features Connect with an expert for a one-on-one demonstration of how Rapid Learning can help develop your team.	https://rapidlearninginstitute.com/blog/study-yes-leadership-training-works-and-people-like-it/
Science powers our mission to make language education free and accessible to everyone. With more than 300 million learners, Duolingo has the world's largest collection of language-learning data at its fingertips. This allows us to build unique systems, uncover new insights about the nature of language and learning, and apply existing theories at scales never before seen. We are also committed to sharing our data and findings with the broader research community. We present the task of second language acquisition (SLA) modeling. Given a history of errors made by learners of a second language, the task is to predict errors that they are likely to make at arbitrary points in the future. We describe a large corpus of more than 7M words produced by more than 6k learners of English, Spanish, and French using Duolingo, a popular online language-learning app. Then we report on the results of a shared task challenge aimed studying the SLA task via this corpus, which attracted 15 teams and synthesized work from various fields including cognitive science, linguistics, and machine learning. ... Read more We present half-life regression (HLR), a novel model for spaced repetition practice with applications to second language acquisition. HLR combines psycholinguistic theory with modern machine learning techniques, indirectly estimating the "half-life" of a word or concept in a student’s long-term memory. We use data from Duolingo — a popular online language learning application — to fit HLR models, reducing error by 45%+ compared to several baselines at predicting student recall rates. HLR model weights also shed light on which linguistic concepts are systematically challenging for second language learners. Finally, HLR was able to improve Duolingo daily student engagement by 12% in an operational user study. ... Read more Collecting (or "sampling") information that one expects to be useful is a powerful way to facilitate learning. However, relatively little is known about how people decide which information is worth sampling over the course of learning. We describe several alternative models of how people might decide to collect a piece of information inspired by "active learning" research in machine learning. We additionally provide a theoretical analysis demonstrating the situations under which these models are empirically distinguishable, and we report a novel empirical study that exploits these insights. Our model-based analysis of participants’ information gathering decisions reveals that people prefer to select items which resolve uncertainty between two possibilities at a time rather than items that have high uncertainty across all relevant possibilities simultaneously. Rather than adhering to strictly normative or confirmatory conceptions of information search, people appear to prefer a "local" sampling strategy, which may reflect cognitive constraints on the process of information gathering. ... Read more We show that student learning can be accurately modeled using a mixture of learning curves, each of which specifies error probability as a function of time. This approach generalizes Knowledge Tracing, which can be viewed as a mixture model in which the learning curves are step functions. We show that this generality yields order-of-magnitude improvements in prediction accuracy on real data. Furthermore, examination of the learning curves provides actionable insights into how different segments of the student population are learning. To make our mixture model more expressive, we allow the learning curves to be defined by generalized linear models with arbitrary features. This approach generalizes Additive Factor Models and Performance Factors Analysis, and outperforms them on a large, real world dataset. ... Read more Public version of a tool used inside Duolingo to develop content that is appropriate for different learner levels (beginner, intermediate, etc.). It is aligned to the CEFR framework and uses multilingual domain adaptation to learn from English CEFR-labeled vocabulary to other languages. Data for the 2018 Shared Task on Second Language Acquisition Modeling (SLAM). This corpus contains 7 million words produced by learners of English, Spanish, and French. It includes user demographics, morph-syntactic metadata, response times, and longitudinal errors for 6k+ users over 30 days. Data used to develop our half-life regression (HLR) spaced repetition algorithm. This is a collection of 13 million user-word pairs for learners of several languages with a variety of language backgrounds. It includes practice recall rates, lag times between practices, and other morpho-lexical metadata. We are a diverse team of experts in AI and machine learning, data science, learning sciences, UX research, linguistics, and psychometrics. We work closely with product teams to build innovative features based on world-class research. We are growing, so check out our job openings below! Develop ML-driven technologies for novel applications in language, learning, and assessment that are used by millions of people every day. Support data-driven product decisions and generate insights to guide product development for millions of learners worldwide.	https://research.duolingo.com/
Turning information into lasting knowledge is a science. Really remembering something is a science. And like any science, it requires great tools. One of the most effective memorization methods and tools? Spaced repetition. So much in fact that spaced repetition will absolutely be part of the Ninchanese learning experience. Here’s why we love it. “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” Samuel Johnson, an 18th century English essayist, pinpointed this important fact early on: a key to long term memory retention is being reminded. Learning is all about retention When studying, you want to be actually learning and remembering things for a while. So, it’s important to be working on both aspects at the same time. Say, you’re learning Chinese (and we hope you are!). You want to be continuously learning new things, while counteracting the “forgetting curve”. Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve What’s the forgetting curve you ask? Well it has to do with how your memory performs over time and more specifically, how your memory retention declines over time. It was devised by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the 19th century, after he tested his own memory. Crazy! This Wired article explains how intense his experiment was: “In experiments of breathtaking rigor and tedium, Ebbinghaus practiced and recited from memory 2.5 nonsense syllables a second, then rested for a bit and started again. […] Ebbinghaus trained this way for more than a year.” Typically, your memory retention declines like this: The forgetting curve shows the average amount of time it takes you to forget a fact. (c) Wikimedia Memory decays but you can do something about it Ok, so my memory decays. Can I do anything about it? Of course! First, you want a method that teaches you content in the best possible way. A method that ensures optimal short-term memorization. Personally, we’re advocates of the hands-on, active learning approaches. You’re active; you’re engaged; you’re in control of your learning experience because you’re not passively listening to a lecture. Your fire is being lit, as one would say in the 19th century. Then, you couple this with a method that reminds you of your learning. This gradually shifts what you’ve learned from your short-term memory to mid and long-term memory. Then, the time and effort you’ve spent on training is fully leveraged. This method should effectively monitor your memory over time (to assess how well or how little you’re remembering an item over time) and prevent decay by re-submitting you the knowledge you’re about to forget, right when you’re about to forget it. Spaced Repetition System: the best thing that was invented (second only to French Toast) That method is called the Spaced Repetition System. The basis for this algorithm (Ebbinghaus again) is that each time you successfully encounter a fact, the amount of time it’ll take you to forget the fact again increases. You’re reviewing things at the ideal moment: when you’re on the brink of forgetting them and therefore when you’re most likely to remember those facts. That way, you’re not wasting time reviewing content you already know; and you don’t forget things because you forgot to think about re-learning them. It’s effective, it’s efficient. And it’s fantastic. Especially for language learners. Even more specifically for Chinese learners, where a lot of the vocabulary acquisition has to do with memorization and not so much with logic. Because an image speaks louder than words (and because their graph is both clear and pretty nice looking), behold, Wired’s depiction of the SRS: The video below shows the advantages of the SRS over other memorization methods, in a colored light kind of way. (Start at 2:30 to see the simulations, it’s all text before that) Okay, this sounds great. But how does this system know when I’m going to forget it? First of, the optimal moments to be reminded have been carefully and scientifically calculated, based on the spacing effect Ebbinghaus also coined. Those moments are shown in the Wired graph. Those are an integral part of the SRS systems. The system also counts on you to tell it. Active recall vs. honesty-based recall In some SRS applications (SuperMemo for instance, from which a lot of the research comes from), you say how well you know the knowledge the system is showing you by rating your knowledge on a scale to one to five. This tells the system where you stand; whether to show you that bit again soon or not so soon. Personally, we find this leaves room for error. If you’re feeling lazy, you can just click and say “yes, I know this”. It’s pretty easy to cheat the system. Obviously, you’re the one learning, so there’s no reason for you to try to cheat yourself. But still, we feel mankind will try to game the system whenever possible. Therefore, for us, here at Ninchanese, active recall is the only way to go. The system is the one assessing whether you know or not, not you, based on your answers (and a number of other criteria). You’re being active (here is the active learning principle again!) because you have to come up with the answer yourself; not just say whether you think you know it or not. This is the best way to learn. That’s the beauty of technology: it helps you become a better you. Well, in this case, it helps you maximize your learning experience. It tells you what to learn and when.This is key to long-term retention. Ultimately, that’s all you want to get out of learning something. To remember it : Spaced repetition. To be able to use it : Spaced repetition. The Nincha Team title photo credit: Flооd via photopin Ninchanese is a great new app where you’ll have fun learning Chinese. We’re still working on it, so sign up to be invited to the beta when we launch! And stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Weibo.	https://ninchanese.com/blog/2012/11/02/learn-chinese-with-spaced-repetition/
This research was conducted with an effort to determine the effect of the use of CORE learning methods (Connecting, Organizing, Reflecting, Extending) assisted by interactive multimedia on student learning outcomes. CORE is learning that emphasizes students to be more active in finding information. So that with the presence of interactive multimedia can help students to find wider information.This research is the result of quantitative quasi-experimental research, with a design that is Non- equivalent Control Group Design. The selected sample is XI IPS 2 class with 27 students as the control class and XI IPS 1 as the experimental class with 31 students by using Purposive Sampling. Data collection methods by interview, documentation, observation and tests. Meanwhile, to determine whether there is an effect of the CORE method on social skills using the t-test formula. Based on the results of the study, through the calculation of the t-test formula the use of two similarity test levels with an average level of 5%. To test the hypothesis using the Simple Linear Registration formula Ỳ = a + bX is Ỳ = 39.44497 + 0.6424x followed by the tcount formula t = b / sb = 4.33. Ttab = 1,699 5% signification level to 4.33> 1,699, the hypothesis is accepted. So it can be concluded that there is a significant influence on the use of CORE Learning Methods (Connecting, Organizing, Reflecting, Extending) assisted by Interactive Multimedia on the learning outcomes of XI IPS MAN 1 Lampung Timur Economic Year 2019/2020 ". Keywords: CORE, Interactive Multimedia, Learning Outcomes Full Text:PDF DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24127/pro.v9i1.3842 Refbacks - There are currently no refbacks. Office: Jl. Ki Hajar Dewantara No. 116KotaMetro,KodePos 34111, Lampung, Sumatera - Indonesia Flag Counter:	https://ojs.fkip.ummetro.ac.id/index.php/ekonomi/article/view/3842
Spaced repetition is an approach where material is reviewed at strategic time intervals so as to increase the strength of recall as much as possible. The general idea is to space out the intervals for reviewing the material with the gap between successive review intervals growing exponentially. The theoretical rationale for increasing the spacing between successive recalls is that the forgetting curve decays exponentially. Each attempt at recall increases the strength of the memory, therefore combating the forgetting curve. Relation with mode of review Spaced repetition is a general idea that can be combined with any mode of review. For instance, spaced repetition may be done using a quiz and recall strategy: a list of questions and answers is generated during the original study (or obtained from elsewhere) and the learner quizzes himself or herself using that list of questions after the appropriately spaced intervals. Spaced repetition may also use more active forms of recall (such as trying to reconstruct the whole knowledge base without any cues at all) or more passive forms of recall (such as reading through the learning material again). The most typical use of spaced repetition is in conjunction with a quiz and recall strategy. Spaced repetition software such as Anki implements flashcards, that are ideally suited for this strategy. The reason for a quiz and recall strategy is that the attempt to actively recall material based on cues can do a better job both of testing one's memory and of increasing its strength. More active forms of recall run the risk of being too difficult for people who have not completely internalized the material, whereas more passive forms of recall run the risk of not strengthening the memory at all because there is no attempt at retrieval. Systems of spaced repetition - Leitner system is a simple system that can be implemented relatively easily without computer assistance. - The Pimsleur language learning system uses a version of spaced repetition. - Anki is a popular computer software that implements spaced repetition with digital flashcards.	https://learning.subwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Spaced_repetition&oldid=290
Sepsis is a significant cause of mortality in-hospital, especially in ICU patients. Early prediction of sepsis is essential, as prompt and appropriate treatment can improve survival outcomes. Machine learning methods are flexible prediction algorithms with potential advantages over conventional regression and scoring system. The aims of this study were to develop a machine learning approach using XGboost to predict the 30-days mortality for MIMIC-III Patients with sepsis-3 and to determine whether such model performs better than traditional prediction models. Methods Using the MIMIC-III v1.4, we identified patients with sepsis-3. The data was split into two groups based on death or survival within 30 days and variables, selected based on clinical significance and availability by stepwise analysis, were displayed and compared between groups. Three predictive models including conventional logistic regression model, SAPS-II score prediction model and XGBoost algorithm model were constructed by R software. Then, the performances of the three models were tested and compared by AUCs of the receiver operating characteristic curves and decision curve analysis. At last, nomogram and clinical impact curve were used to validate the model. Results A total of 4559 sepsis-3 patients are included in the study, in which, 889 patients were death and 3670 survival within 30 days, respectively. According to the results of AUCs (0.819 [95% CI 0.800–0.838], 0.797 [95% CI 0.781–0.813] and 0.857 [95% CI 0.839–0.876]) and decision curve analysis for the three models, the XGboost model performs best. The risk nomogram and clinical impact curve verify that the XGboost model possesses significant predictive value. Conclusions Using machine learning technique by XGboost, more significant prediction model can be built. This XGboost model may prove clinically useful and assist clinicians in tailoring precise management and therapy for the patients with sepsis-3.	https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-020-02620-5
Objectives: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the problem-based learning (PBL) method as an alternative to conventional educational methods in Iranian undergraduate medical courses. Materials and methods: We systematically searched international datasets banks, including PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, and internal resources of banks, including MagirIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, and Scientific Information Database (SID), using appropriate search terms, such as "PBL", "problem-based learning", "based on problems", "active learning", and" learner centered", to identify PBL studies, and these were combined with other key terms such as "medical", "undergraduate", "Iranian", "Islamic Republic of Iran", "I.R. of Iran", and "Iran". The search included the period from 1980 to 2016 with no language limits. Results: Overall, a total of 1,057 relevant studies were initially found, of which 21 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Of the 21 studies, 12 (57.14%) had a high methodological quality. Considering the pooled effect size data, there was a significant difference in the scores (standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.80, 95% CI [0.52, 1.08], P<0.000) in favor of PBL, compared with the lecture-based method. Subgroup analysis revealed that using PBL alone is more favorable compared to using a mixed model with other learning methods such as lecture-based learning (LBL). Conclusion: The results of this systematic review showed that using PBL may have a positive effect on the academic achievement of undergraduate medical courses. The results suggest that teachers and medical education decision makers give more attention on using this method for effective and proper training. Keywords: education; meta-analysis; problem-based learning; traditional learning.	https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29042827/
What is Spaced Repetition and How Does it Work? Digging into the basic concepts and understanding what we're actually doing when we practice spaced repetition. Course Navigation - 01 – Spaced Repetition Course Introduction - 02 – What is Spaced Repetition? How Does it Work? - 03 – Three Rules for Getting Started - 04 – A System for Collecting Information - 05 – Introduction to Anki In this video we’re going to dig a little deeper into the concepts and learn where spaced repetition came from and how it works. In a nutshell, spaced repetition is based on the idea that the best time to remember something is right before you’re about to forget it. This also means that you shouldn’t waste your time trying to memorize things that you already know, and that it doesn’t really make sense to memorize the same piece of information every day at the same time. At this point I think that it’s important to note that what we’re concerned with here is retention, not learning. As I’ll explain later, you shouldn’t really be trying to memorize things that you don’t understand. So let’s begin by taking a look at where spaced repetition came from. Back in the late 1800s, a German philosopher by the name of Hermann Ebbinghaus was trying to understand how human memory works. In particular, he wanted to isolate the processes of “learning” and “forgetting” so that he could figure out how each of them works. If he knew how they worked, he could optimize for them. Ebbinghaus had a sneaking suspicion that memory of particular words would be impacted by pre-existing associations: things like personal memories, experiences, or general vocabulary. He was right. You’re probably able to recall your dad’s name more quickly than you can the barista who makes your morning coffee. That’s because you hear your dads name more often — said another way, the frequency is higher. Now imagine that the barista had the same name as your dad. You’d probably be able to remember it better. That’s one of the associations Ebbinghaus was talking about. So to avoid this, Ebbinghaus made up a whole bunch of words, about 2300 actually, from fairly random syllables called CVCs (stands for Consonant–Vowel–Consonant). Here are a few of his words: - Zuk - Qax - Wid - Zof Next, he fired up a metronome and read them outloud, one after another. After he was through, he’d try to recall as many as he could. What he found was that he forgot things at an exponential rate. On a graph, it looks like this: The sharpest decline occurs in the first twenty minutes and the decay is significant through the first hour. The curve levels off after about one day. However, and lucky for us, once we forget something it’s easier to re-learn it. This is called the learning curve, and it’s the 2nd thing that Ebbinghaus figured out. It’s pretty much exactly the same idea. The first time you learn information you take in the lions share and each subsequent time you actually leave with smaller and smaller amounts on top of that base. Anyway, back to memory. The end result of this research was that the best way to strengthen the memory of learned information was to engage in spaced repetition based on active recall. Active recall is when you see a question and have to come up with an answer without any help. In contrast, passive recall is something like reading, or multiple choice, where the answer is there and doesn’t have to be produced out of thin air. As we posited before, the best time to learn something is just before you’re about to forget it. If we look back to the forgetting curve we can see that each time we repeat the active recall process the curve flattens a little and we slow down the process of forgetting. That’s because every time we recall something we strengthen the memory. Each time we strengthen something we can wait a little bit longer to recall it. That is the space in spaced repetition. The important principle here is that for long term memory it’s not the number of times that we recall something, it’s the period of time over which we continue to access the information. That’s how we make sure we remember something long-term — by remembering it every once in a while when we’re just about to forget it. This is what spaced repetition does — and believe me, it works like a charm. After I explain this to people, they’re often incredulous. It can’t possibly work, or we’d all have heard of it. I know. It’s kind of nuts. And by the way, you’re not the only one who thinks that.. In 1988 a leading psych journal published a piece called “The Spacing Effect: A Case Study in the Failure to Apply the Results of Psychological Research.” Alright, now that we know what spaced repetition is and where it came from, we’re ready to get started. I’ll see you in the next video, where we’ll do just that. You might also like: I'm a developer, marketer, and writer based in Appleton, Wisconsin.	https://terrygodier.com/blog/spaced-repetition-02/
Authors' objectives: The trial investigated the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of behavioural activation for depression experienced by people with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The intervention was compared with a guided self-help intervention. Authors' results and conclusions: Results: There were 161 participants randomised (BeatIt, n = 84; StepUp, n = 77). Participant retention was strong, with 141 completing the trial. Most completed therapy (BeatIt: 86%; StepUp: 82%). At baseline, 63% of BeatIt participants and 66% of StepUp participants were prescribed antidepressants. There was no statistically significant difference in GDS-LD scores between the StepUp (12.94 points) and BeatIt (11.91 points) groups at the 12-month primary outcome point. However, both groups improved during the trial. Other psychological and QoL outcomes followed a similar pattern. There were no treatment group differences, but there was improvement in both groups. There was no economic evidence suggesting that BeatIt may be more cost-effective than StepUp. However, treatment costs for both groups were approximately only 4–6.5% of the total support costs. Results of the qualitative research with participants, supporters and therapists were in concert with the quantitative findings. Both treatments were perceived as active interventions and were valued in terms of their structure, content and perceived impact. Conclusions: Primary and secondary outcomes, economic data and qualitative results all clearly demonstrate that there was no evidence for BeatIt being more effective than StepUp. Authors' methods: Design: A multicentre, single-blind, randomised controlled trial, with follow-up at 4, 8 and 12 months post randomisation. There was a nested qualitative study. Authors' identified further reserach: Comparisons against TAU are required to determine whether or not these interventions had any effect. Details Project Status: Completed Year Published: 2018 URL for published report: http://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/hta22530 English language abstract: An English language summary is available Publication Type: Full HTA Country: England, United Kingdom MeSH Terms - Adaptation, Psychological - Adult - Aggression - Anxiety - Behavior Therapy - Cost-Benefit Analysis - Depression - Female - Health Resources - Interpersonal Relations - Learning Disabilities - Male - Middle Aged - Quality of Life - Quality-Adjusted Life Years - Single-Blind Method - Social Support Contact Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK Contact Name: [email protected] Contact Email: [email protected] Copyright: 2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.	https://database.inahta.org/article/18688
The rote memorising, i.e. to recall by replicating as many times as possible, is outside. In case you have to cram, do it smartly. This means making notes directly after lecture endings, write down any questions you’ve got and requesting your lecturer ASAP. Before examinations, make flashcards and review them every few days, instead of the previous 24 hours! 2. Active reiteration To really embed the facts you are reading into your mind, teach them to somebody else. By instructing, you’re made to summarise, condense, investigate, draw conclusions — promoting a deeper personal understanding. This is very good for university study which focuses on analysis, compared to pre-university, which are often more fact-driven. Utilize the Feynman Technique i.e. describe concepts in the simplest terms possible to anyone who would listento some fellow classmate, roommate or to empty beer cans. Directed note-taking Proceed for the kill — ask yourself what you do not know about a certain topic. Really get to the root of the problem and dig your way out of it. First, place the problem areas. Secondly, design a query which addresses this area. Third, answer your question. Use all your lecture notes, library publications, as well as Google Search. Do not proceed until you’re confident with your response and rest assured, you will know the concepts better by going through this route. Do not proceed until you are confident with your response and rest assured, you will know the concepts better by going through this path. 4. Reading paper 94 percent of university students polled said they favored studying using newspaper as it was easier to focus and the liberty to highlight, annotate and write about the margins. And unlike computer screens, reading on paper also helps with spatial memory — you can remember a certain bit of advice by where it had been put on a book. 6. Utilize the Italian curry clock Our brain absorbs information best right before sleeping or right after exercise. Research have revealed that individuals who research before sleeping or napping have greater memory recall or higher activity from the hippocampus, the region of the brain that forms new memories. 5. Sleep and exercise Modelled after the Pomodoro Technique which uses the Italian Tomato Clock, this method will minimise distraction and boost productivity. College may be hard and comes with a endless list of reading materials. But if you know how the brain works, and take on a number of the methods proposed above, you can make that research time more profitable. Good luck! Thus, time your sleep and workout so to maximise your research sessions. So, take a well-deserved rest after half an hour with a few wholesome snacks or mild stretching which will do much more for your memory than forcing your brain to study more. Exercise has been found to stimulate the production of a protein called BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which preps the brain for optimum learning and creative thinking. You’re likelier to form creative connections between thoughts, and so, retaining this better. Putting facts to memory from brute force will not force you to gain the most important outcome from analyzing, and that’s, understanding. And to be honest, it will be pretty damn dull. Studying ought to be entertaining — all about considerate exploration and discovering new things. Rote memorising doesn’t have any of that, simply paving a course of immediate recall without any context to the information — the how’s and why’s are significant! So how can we prevent those details from falling into a black hole after we enter the exam hall? Spaced repetition Review substance over and over again over incremental time intervals; Based on 19th-century psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, immediate recall includes a 100 percent information retention. However, as little as an hour after, you can only remember a mere 44 percent of what you have read. To counter this, use spaced repetition. Review your stuff intermittently to slow down the corrosion of your own memory as time passes.	https://teampages.com/teams/850753-tips-to-learn-easily-archery-team-website/announcements
Abstract:With rigid teaching procedures and limited academic performance assessment methods, traditional teaching model stands in the way of college English reform in China, which features EAP (English for Academic Purpose) teaching. Flipped-classroom teaching, which has been extensively applied to science subjects teaching, however, covers the shortage of traditional teaching model in EAP teaching, via creatively inverting traditional teaching procedures. Besides, the application of flipped-classroom teaching model in EAP teaching also proves that this new teaching philosophy is not confined to science subjects teaching; it goes perfectly well with liberal-arts subjects teaching. Data analysis, desk research survey, and comparative study are referred to in the essay so as to prove its feasibility and advantages in EAP teaching. Keywords: EAP, traditional teaching method, flipped-classroom teaching model, teaching model designProcedia PDF Downloads 220 19728 Investigation of the Effect of Teaching Thinking and Research Lesson by Cooperative and Traditional Methods on Creativity of Sixth Grade Students Authors: Faroogh Khakzad, Marzieh Dehghani, Elahe Hejazi Abstract:The present study investigates the effect of teaching a Thinking and Research lesson by cooperative and traditional methods on the creativity of sixth-grade students in Piranshahr province. The statistical society includes all the sixth-grade students of Piranshahr province. The sample of this studytable was selected by available sampling from among male elementary schools of Piranshahr. They were randomly assigned into two groups of cooperative teaching method and traditional teaching method. The design of the study is quasi-experimental with a control group. In this study, to assess students’ creativity, Abedi’s creativity questionnaire was used. Based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, the reliability of the factor flow was 0.74, innovation was 0.61, flexibility was 0.63, and expansion was 0.68. To analyze the data, t-test, univariate and multivariate covariance analysis were used for evaluation of the difference of means and the pretest and posttest scores. The findings of the research showed that cooperative teaching method does not significantly increase creativity (p > 0.05). Moreover, cooperative teaching method was found to have significant effect on flow factor (p < 0.05), but in innovation and expansion factors no significant effect was observed (p < 0.05). Keywords: cooperative teaching method, traditional teaching method, creativity, flow, innovation, flexibility, expansion, thinking and research lessonProcedia PDF Downloads 230 19727 Impact of Instructional Mode and Medium of Instruction on the Learning Outcomes of Secondary Level School Children Authors: Dipti Parida, Atasi Mohanty Abstract:The focus of this research is to examine the interaction effect of flipped teaching and traditional teaching mode across two different medium (English and Odia) of instructional groups. Both Science and History subjects were taken to be taught in the Class- VIII in two different instructional mode/s. In total, 180 students of Class-VIII of both Odia and English medium schools were taken as the samples of this study; 90 participants (each group) were from both English and Odia medium schools ; 45 participants of each of these two groups were again assigned either to flip or traditional teaching method. We have two independent variables and each independent variable with two levels. Medium and mode of instruction are the two independent variables. Medium of instruction has two levels of Odia medium and English medium groups. The mode of instruction has also two levels of flip and traditional teaching method. Here we get 4 different groups, such as Odia medium students with traditional mode of teaching (O.M.T), Odia medium students with flipped mode of teaching (O.M.F), English medium students with traditional mode of teaching (E.M.T) and English medium students with flipped mode of teaching (E.M.F). Before the instructional administration, these four groups were given a test on the concerned topic to be taught. Based on this result, a one-way ANOVA was computed and the obtained result showed that these four groups don’t differ significantly from each other at the beginning. Then they were taught the concerned topic either in traditional or flip mode of teaching method. After that a 2×2×2 repeated measures ANOVA was done to analyze the group differences as well as the learning outcome before and after the teaching. The result table also shows that in post-test the learning outcome is highest in case of English medium students with flip mode of instruction. From the statistical analysis it is clear that the flipped mode of teaching is as effective for Odia medium students as it is for English medium students. Keywords: medium of instruction, mode of instruction, test mode, vernacular mediumProcedia PDF Downloads 268 19726 An Experience Report on Course Teaching in Information Systems Authors: Carlos Oliveira Abstract:This paper is a criticism of the traditional model of teaching and presents alternative teaching methods, different from the traditional lecture. These methods are accompanied by reports of experience of their application in a class. It was concluded that in the lecture, the student has a low learning rate and that other methods should be used to make the most engaging learning environment for the student, contributing (or facilitating) his learning process. However, the teacher should not use a single method, but rather a range of different methods to ensure the learning experience does not become repetitive and fatiguing for the student. Keywords: educational practices, experience report, IT in education, teaching methodsProcedia PDF Downloads 301 19725 Implementing Learner-Centered Teaching Approach In Iraqi Higher Education Authors: Iman Ali Ahmed Al-Rashed Abstract:This paper directs attention to the limitations of the teacher-centered strategy in teaching. The aim of this study is to draw more educational attention to learner-centered strategy in order to shift the emphasis from the traditional concept of teaching to a new concept in teaching. To begin bridging the traditional concept of teaching and the new concept, the study will explore the new concept of teaching to support teaching in Arab World generally and in Iraq specifically. A qualitative case study orientation was used to collect data in the form of classroom observations, interviews and field notes. The teaching practices used by three university instructors are investigated and according to the findings, some explanations and recommendations are made. Keywords: case study, learner-centered strategy, qualitative study, teacher-centered strategy, traditional teachingProcedia PDF Downloads 463 19724 Socratic Style of Teaching: An Analysis of Dialectical Method Authors: Muhammad Jawwad, Riffat Iqbal Abstract:Socratic Method, also known as dialectical method and elenctic method, has significant relevancy in the contemporary educational system. It can be incorporated in modern day educational systems theoretically as well as practically. Being interactive and dialogue based in nature, this teaching approach is followed by critical thinking and innovation. The pragmatic value of the Dialectical Method has been discussed in this article and the limitations of the Socratic Method have been highlighted also. The interactive Method of Socrates can be used in many subjects of the students of different grades. The Limitations and delimitations of the Method have also been discussed for its proper implementation. In this article, it has been attempted to elaborate and analyze the teaching method of Socrates with all its pre-suppositions and Epistemological character. Keywords: Socratic method, dialectical method, knowledge, teaching, virtueProcedia PDF Downloads 22 19723 Critical Comparison of Two Teaching Methods: The Grammar Translation Method and the Communicative Teaching Method Authors: Aicha Zohbie Abstract:The purpose of this paper is to critically compare two teaching methods: the communicative method and the grammar-translation method. The paper presents the importance of language awareness as an approach to teaching and learning language and some challenges that language teachers face. In addition, the paper strives to determine whether the adoption of communicative teaching methods or the grammar teaching method would be more effective to teach a language. A variety of features are considered for comparing the two methods: the purpose of each method, techniques used, teachers’ and students’ roles, the use of L1, the skills that are emphasized, the correction of students’ errors, and the students’ assessments. Finally, the paper includes suggestions and recommendations for implementing an approach that best meets the students’ needs in a classroom. Keywords: language teaching methods, language awareness, communicative method grammar translation method, advantages and disadvantagesProcedia PDF Downloads 2 19722 Perceived Teaching Effectiveness in Online Versus Classroom Contexts Authors: Shona Tritt, William Cunningham Abstract:Our study examines whether teaching effectiveness is perceived differently in online versus traditional classroom contexts. To do so, we analyzed teaching evaluations from courses that were offered as web options and as in-person classes simultaneously at the University of [removed for blinding] (N=87). Although teaching evaluations were on average lower for larger classes, we found that learning context (traditional versus online) moderated this effect. Specifically, we found a crossover effect such that in relatively smaller classes, teaching was perceived to be more effective in-person versus online, whereas, in relatively larger classes, teaching was perceived to be more effective when engaged online versus in-person. Keywords: teaching evaluations, teaching effectiveness, e-learning, web-optionProcedia PDF Downloads 51 19721 Teacher’s Perception of Dalcroze Method Course as Teacher’s Enhancement Course: A Case Study in Hong Kong Authors: Ka Lei Au Abstract:The Dalcroze method has been emerging in music classrooms, and music teachers are encouraged to integrate music and movement in their teaching. Music programs in colleges in Hong Kong have been introducing method courses such as Orff and Dalcroze method in music teaching as teacher’s education program. Since the targeted students of the course are music teachers who are making the decision of what approach to use in their classroom, their perception is significantly valued to identify how this approach is applicable in their teaching in regards to the teaching and learning culture and environment. This qualitative study aims to explore how the Dalcroze method as a teacher’s education course is perceived by music teachers from three aspects: 1) application in music teaching, 2) self-enhancement, 3) expectation. Through the lens of music teachers, data were collected from 30 music teachers who are taking the Dalcroze method course in music teaching in Hong Kong by the survey. The findings reveal the value and their intention of the Dalcroze method in Hong Kong. It also provides a significant reference for better development of such courses in the future in adaption to the culture, teaching and learning environment and teacher’s, student’s and parent’s perception of this approach. Keywords: Dalcroze method, music teaching, perception, self-enhancement, teacher’s educationProcedia PDF Downloads 47 19720 A Comparison between Virtual Case-Based Learning and Traditional Learning: The Effect on Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Performance during Covid-19: A Pilot Study Authors: Aya M. Aboudesouky Abstract:Covid-19 has changed and affected the whole world dramatically in a new way that the entire world, even scientists, have not imagined before. The educational institutions around the world have been fighting since Covid-19 hit the world last December to keep the educational process unchanged for all students. E-learning was a must for almost all US universities during the pandemic. It was specifically more challenging to use online case-based learning instead of regular classes among nursing students who take practical education. This study aims to examine the difference in performance and satisfaction between nursing students taking traditional education and those who take virtual case-based education during their practical study. This study enrolls 40 last-year nursing undergraduates from a mid-sized university in Western Pennsylvania. The study uses a convenient sample. Students will be divided into two groups; a control group that is exposed to traditional teaching strategy and a treatment group that is exposed to a case-based teaching strategy. The module designed for this study is a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) module that will be taught for one month. The treatment group (n=20) utilizes the virtual simulation of the CBL method, while the control group (n=20) uses the traditional lecture-based teaching method. Student evaluations are collected after a month by using the survey to attain the students’ learning satisfaction and self-evaluation of the course. The post-test is used to assess the end of the course performance. Keywords: virtual case-based learning, traditional education, nursing education, Covid-19 crisis, online practical educationProcedia PDF Downloads 56 19719 The Effects of Co-Teaching on Study Achievement by Teaching Unite of Teaching Strategy Course on a Sample of Student at Education College at King Faisal University Authors: Layla Alzarah Abstract:The purpose of this research was to study the effects of co-teaching upon study achievement by teaching unite of teaching strategy course to a sample of students at education college at King Faisal University. The sample of this study, which consisted of 100 students, was divided into two equal groups. 50 students were selected to be the Control group which had been taught by the traditional way with one teacher, whereas the remaining 50 students represented the experimental group who had been taught by co-teaching. The study had lasted for 4 weeks. Related achievement test had been prepared, consisted of 23 questions, from multi choice question type, which had been divided on the chosen unite syllabus. The validity and reliability had been tested. The study conducted at the second semester of 1433-1434 HT tests had been used to analysis the data. The research findings showed that the average exam scores of students receiving team teaching were higher than those of students receiving traditional teaching as there were significant differences in means at (<0.05) between the two groups in favor of the experimental group. Based on the study findings the researcher recommended applying co-teaching in teaching the course of teaching strategies and other courses also to conduct similar studies. Keywords: co-teaching, cooperative teaching, teaching strategies, study achievementProcedia PDF Downloads 212 19718 Effects of E-Learning Mode of Instruction and Conventional Mode of Instruction on Student’s Achievement in English Language in Senior Secondary Schools, Ibadan Municipal, Nigeria Authors: Ibode Osa Felix Abstract:The use of e-Learning is presently intensified in the academic world following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. Hitherto, e-learning had made its debut in teaching and learning many years ago when it emerged as an aspect of Computer Based Teaching, but never before has its patronage become so important and popular as currently obtains. Previous studies revealed that there is an ongoing debate among researchers on the efficacy of the E-learning mode of instruction over the traditional teaching method. Therefore, the study examined the effect of E-learning and Conventional Mode of Instruction on Students Achievement in the English Language. The study is a quasi-experimental study in which 230 students, from three public secondary schools, were selected through a simple random sampling technique. Three instruments were developed, namely, E-learning Instructional Guide (ELIG), Conventional Method of Instructional Guide (CMIG), and English Language Achievement Test (ELAT). The result revealed that students taught through the conventional method had better results than students taught online. The result also shows that girls taught with the conventional method of teaching performed better than boys in the English Language. The study, therefore, recommended that effort should be made by the educational authorities in Nigeria to provide internet facilities to enhance practices among learners and provide electricity to power e-learning equipment in the secondary schools. This will boost e-learning practices among teachers and students and consequently overtake conventional method of teaching in due course. Keywords: e-learning, conventional method of teaching, achievement in english, electricityProcedia PDF Downloads 78 19717 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Yoruba Language Teaching Authors: Ayoola Idowu Olasebikan Abstract:The global community has become increasingly dependent on various kinds of technologies out of which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) appear to be the most prominent. ICTs have become multipurpose tools which have had a revolutionary impact on how we see the world and how we live in it. Yoruba is the most widely spoken African language outside Africa but it remains one of the badly spoken language in the world as a result of its outdated teaching method in the African schools which prevented its standard version from being spoken and written. This paper conducts a critical review of the traditional methods of teaching Yoruba language. It then examines the possibility of leveraging on ICTs for improved methods of teaching Yoruba language to achieve global standard and spread. It identified key ICT platforms that can be deployed for the teaching of Yoruba language and the constraints facing each of them. The paper concludes that Information and Communication Technologies appear to provide veritable opportunity for paradigm shift in the methods of teaching Yoruba Language. It also opines that Yoruba language has the potential to transform economic fortune of Africa for sustainable development provided its teaching is taken beyond the brick and mortar classroom to the virtual classroom/global information super highway called internet or any other ICTs medium. It recommends that students and teachers of Yoruba language should be encouraged to acquire basic skills in computer and internet technology in order to enhance their ability to develop and retrieve electronic Yoruba language teaching materials. Keywords: Africa, ICT, teaching method, Yoruba languageProcedia PDF Downloads 230 19716 The Use of Educational Language Games Authors: April Love Palad, Charita B. Lasala Abstract:Mastery on English language is one of the important goals of all English language teachers. This goal can be seen based from the students’ actual performance using the target language which is English. Learning the English language includes hard work where efforts need to be exerted and this can be attained gradually over a long period of time. It is extremely important for all English language teachers to know the effects of incorporating games in teaching. Whether this strategy can have positive or negative effects in students learning, teachers should always consider what is best for their learners. Games may help and provide confidents language learners. These games help teachers to create context in which the language is suitable and significant. Focusing in accuracy and fluency is the heart of this study and this will be obtain in either teaching English using the traditional method or teaching English using language games. It is very important for all English teachers to know which strategy is effective in teaching English to be able to cope with students’ underachievement in this subject. This study made use of the comparative-experimental method. It made use of the pre-post test design with the aim to explore the effectiveness of the language games as strategy used in language teaching for high school students. There were two groups of students being observed, the controlled and the experimental, employing the two strategies in teaching English –traditional and with the use of language games. The scores obtained by two samples were compared to know the effectiveness of the two strategies in teaching English. In this study, it found out that language games help improve students’ fluency and accuracy in the use of target language and this is very evident in the results obtained in the pre-test and post –test result as well the mean gain scores by the two groups of students. In addition, this study also gives us a clear view on the positive effects on the use of language games in teaching which also supported by the related studies based from this research. The findings of the study served as the bases for the creation of the proposed learning plan that integrated language games that teachers may use in their own teaching. This study further concluded that language games are effective in developing students’ fluency in using the English language. This justifies that games help encourage students to learn and be entertained at the same time. Aside from that, games also promote developing language competency. This study will be very useful to teachers who are in doubt in the use of this strategy in their teaching. Keywords: language games, experimental, comparative, strategy, language teaching, methodologyProcedia PDF Downloads 317 19715 An Implementation of Multi-Media Applications in Teaching Structural Design to Architectural Students Authors: Wafa Labib Abstract:Teaching methods include lectures, workshops and tutorials for the presentation and discussion of ideas have become out of date; were developed outside the discipline of architecture from the college of engineering and do not satisfy the architectural students’ needs and causes them many difficulties in integrating structure into their design. In an attempt to improve structure teaching methods, this paper focused upon proposing a supportive teaching/learning tool using multi-media applications which seeks to better meet the architecture student’s needs and capabilities and improve the understanding and application of basic and intermediate structural engineering and technology principles. Before introducing the use of multi-media as a supportive teaching tool, a questionnaire was distributed to third year students of a structural design course who were selected as a sample to be surveyed forming a sample of 90 cases. The primary aim of the questionnaire was to identify the students’ learning style and to investigate whether the selected method of teaching could make the teaching and learning process more efficient. Students’ reaction on the use of this method was measured using three key elements indicating that this method is an appropriate teaching method for the nature of the students and the course as well. Keywords: teaching method, architecture, learning style, multi-mediaProcedia PDF Downloads 358 19714 Application of GeoGebra into Teaching and Learning of Linear and Quadratic Equations amongst Senior Secondary School Students in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria Authors: Musa Auwal Mamman, S. G. Isa Abstract:This study was carried out in order to investigate the effectiveness of GeoGebra software in teaching and learning of linear and quadratic equations amongst senior secondary school students in Fagge Local Government Area, Kano State–Nigeria. Five research items were raised in objectives, research questions and hypotheses respectively. A random sampling method was used in selecting 398 students from a population of 2098 of SS2 students. The experimental group was taught using the GeoGebra software while the control group was taught using the conventional teaching method. The instrument used for the study was the mathematics performance test (MPT) which was administered at the beginning and at the end of the study. The results of the study revealed that students taught with GeoGebra software (experimental group) performed better than students taught with traditional teaching method. The t- test was used to analyze the data obtained from the study. Keywords: GeoGebra Software, mathematics performance, random sampling, mathematics teachingProcedia PDF Downloads 167 19713 Investigating the Effect of the Flipped Classroom Using E-Learning on Language Proficiency, Learner's Autonomy, and Class Participation of English Language Learners Authors: Michelle Siao-Cing Guo Abstract:Technology is widely adopted to assist instruction and learning across disciplines. Traditional teaching method fails to capture the attention of the generation of digital native and does not accommodate diverse needs of today’s learners. The innovation in technology allows new pedagogical approaches. One approach that converts the traditional learning classroom to a more flexible learning time and space is known as the flipped classroom. This new pedagogy extends and enhances learning and accommodates different learning styles. The flipped classroom employs technology to offer course materials online 24 hours/day and to promote active class learning. However, will Taiwanese students who are used to more traditional instructional methods embrace the flipped classroom using E-learning? Will the flipped approach have an effect on Taiwanese students’ English mastery and learning autonomy? The researcher compares a flipped classroom model using E-learning and the traditional-lecture model. A pre- and post-test and a questionnaire were utilized to examine the effect of the flipped classroom on Taiwanese college students. The test results showed that the flipped approach had a positive effect on learners’ English proficiency level, topical knowledge, and willingness to participate in class. The questionnaire also demonstrates the acceptance of the new teaching model. Keywords: flipped classroom , E-learning, innovative teaching, technologyProcedia PDF Downloads 289 19712 Exploring and Evaluating the Current Style of Teaching Biology in Saudi Universities from Teachers' Points of View Authors: Ibraheem Alzahrani Abstract:The Saudi Arabia ministry of higher education has established 24 universities across various cities in the kingdom. The universities have the mandate of sustaining technological progress in both teaching and learning. The present study explores the statues of teaching in Saudi universities, focusing on biology, a critical curriculum. The paper explores biology teachers’ points of view is several Saudi higher education institutions through questionnaires disseminated via emails. According to the findings, the current teaching methods are traditional and the teachers believe that it is critical to change it. This study also, reviews how biology has been taught in the kingdom over the past, as well as how it is undertaken presently. In addition, some aspects of biology teaching are considered, including the biology curriculum and learning objectives in higher education biology. Keywords: higher education, teaching style, traditional learning, electronic learning, web 2.0 applications, blended learningProcedia PDF Downloads 304 19711 Online Educational Tools and Language Teaching Authors: Petr Sulc, Hana Maresova Abstract:This contribution focuses on online educational tools and language teaching, specifically on literary education in a multi-user virtual environment. The goal of this contribution is to give a basic overview of online language education and teaching in a virtual environment. The main goal of the research survey is to compare language (literary) education in a virtual environment with the traditional way of teaching in a typical classroom. The research concept will be mixed: a didactic test, the grounded theory method, and semi-structured questioning will be used. Kitely’s multi-user virtual environment and printed worksheets will be used for the comparison. Keywords: online educational tools, virtual environment, virtual teaching objects, literary education, didactic testProcedia PDF Downloads 80 19710 A Teaching Method for Improving Sentence Fluency in Writing Authors: Manssour Habbash, Srinivasa Rao Idapalapati Abstract:Although writing is a multifaceted task, teaching writing is a demanding task basically for two reasons: Grammar and Syntax. This article provides a method of teaching writing that was found to be effective in improving students’ academic writing composition skill. The article explains the concepts of ‘guided-discovery’ and ‘guided-construction’ upon which a method of teaching writing is grounded and developed. Providing a brief commentary on what the core could mean primarily, the article presents an exposition of understanding and identifying the core and building upon the core that can demonstrate the way a teacher can make use of the concepts in teaching for improving the writing skills of their students. The method is an adaptation of grammar translation method that has been improvised to suit to a student-centered classroom environment. An intervention of teaching writing through this method was tried out with positive outcomes in formal classroom research setup, and in view of the content’s quality that relates more to the classroom practices and also in consideration of its usefulness to the practicing teachers the process and the findings are presented in a narrative form along with the results in tabular form. Keywords: core of a text, guided construction, guided discovery, theme of a textProcedia PDF Downloads 309 19709 Examining the Challenges of Teaching Traditional Dance in Contemporary India Authors: Aadya Kaktikar Abstract:The role of a traditional dance teacher in India revolves around teaching movements and postures that have been a part of the movement vocabulary of dancers from before the 2nd century BC. These movements inscribe on the mind and body of the dancer a complex web of philosophy, culture history, and religion. However, this repository of tradition sits in a fast globalizing India creating a cultural space which is in a constant flux, where identities and meanings are being constantly challenged. The guru-shishya parampara, the traditional way of learning dance, sits uneasily with a modern education space in India. The traditional dance teacher is caught in the cross-currents of tradition and modernity, of preservation and exploration. This paper explores conflicting views on what dance ought to mean and how it should be taught. The paper explores the tensions of the social, economic and cultural spaces that the traditional dance teacher navigates. Keywords: pedagogy, dance education, dance curriculum, teacher trainingProcedia PDF Downloads 222 19708 Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language Under Humanistic and Sociocultural Psychology Authors: Mahrukh Baig Abstract:This research paper, sets out to draw some traditional english language teaching practices and to suggest ways for their improvement under the light of humanistic and socio-cultural psychology. This is going to aid language teachers by applying principled psychological methods on the field of education in order to introduce a reciprocal mode of teaching where teacher and learner begin with a mutual effort. However the teacher, after initiating most of the work, gradually passes on more and more responsibility to the learners resulting in their independent endeavors. Keywords: English Language Teaching (ELT), Second Language Acquisition (SLA), teaching english as second/foreign language, humanistic psychology, socio-cultural psychology, application of psychology to language teachingProcedia PDF Downloads 483 19707 The Impact of the Flipped Classroom Instructional Model on MPharm Students in Two Pharmacy Schools in the UK Authors: Mona Almanasef, Angel Chater, Jane Portlock Abstract:Introduction: A 'flipped classroom' uses technology to shift the traditional lecture outside the scheduled class time and uses the face-to-face time to engage students in interactive activities. Aim of the Study: Assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of using the 'flipped classroom' teaching format with MPharm students in two pharmacy schools in the UK: UCL School of Pharmacy and the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at University of Portsmouth. Methods: An experimental mixed methods design was employed, with final year MPharm students in two phases; 1) a qualitative study using focus groups, 2) a quasi-experiment measuring knowledge acquisition and satisfaction by delivering a session on rheumatoid arthritis, in two teaching formats: the flipped classroom and the traditional lecture. Results: The flipped classroom approach was preferred over the traditional lecture for delivering a pharmacy practice topic, and it was comparable or better than the traditional lecture with respect to knowledge acquisition. In addition, this teaching approach was found to overcome the perceived challenges of the traditional lecture method such as fast pace instructions, student disengagement and boredom due to lack of activities and/or social anxiety. However, high workload and difficult or new concepts could be barriers to pre-class preparation, and therefore successful flipped classroom. The flipped classroom encouraged learning scaffolding where students could benefit from application of knowledge, and interaction with peers and the lecturer, which might, in turn, facilitate learning consolidation and deep understanding. This research indicated that the flipped classroom was beneficial for all learning styles. Conclusion: Implementing the flipped classroom at both pharmacy institutions was successful and well received by final year MPharm students. Given the attention now being put on the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), understanding effective methods of teaching to enhance student achievement and satisfaction is now more valuable than ever. Keywords: blended learning, flipped classroom, inverted classroom, pharmacy educationProcedia PDF Downloads 61 19706 Improving the Teaching of Mathematics at University Using the Inverted Classroom Model: A Case in Greece Authors: G. S. Androulakis, G. Deli, M. Kaisari, N. Mihos Abstract:Teaching practices at the university level have changed and developed during the last decade. Implementation of inverted classroom method in secondary education consists of a well-formed basis for academic teachers. On the other hand, distance learning is a well-known field in education research and widespread as a method of teaching. Nonetheless, the new pandemic found many Universities all over the world unprepared, which made adaptations to new methods of teaching a necessity. In this paper, we analyze a model of an inverted university classroom in a distance learning context. Thus, the main purpose of our research is to investigate students’ difficulties as they transit to a new style of teaching and explore their learning development during a semester totally different from others. Our teaching experiment took place at the Business Administration department of the University of Patras, in the context of two courses: Calculus, a course aimed at first-year students, and Statistics, a course aimed at second-year students. Second-year students had the opportunity to attend courses in the university classroom. First-year students started their semester with distance learning. Using a comparative study of these two groups, we explored significant differences in students’ learning procedures. Focused group interviews, written tests, analyses of students’ dialogues were used in a mixed quantity and quality research. Our analysis reveals students’ skills, capabilities but also a difficulty in following, non-traditional style of teaching. The inverted classroom model, according to our findings, offers benefits in the educational procedure, even in a distance learning environment. Keywords: distance learning, higher education, inverted classroom, mathematics teachingProcedia PDF Downloads 51 19705 Vocational Teaching Method: A Conceptual Model in Teaching Automotive Practical Work Authors: Adnan Ahmad, Yusri Kamin, Asnol Dahar Minghat, Mohd. Khir Nordin, Dayana Farzeha, Ahmad Nabil Abstract:The purpose of this study is to identify the teaching method practices of the practical work subject in Vocational Secondary School. This study examined the practice of Vocational Teaching Method in Automotive Practical Work. The quantitative method used the sets of the questionnaire. 283 students and 63 teachers involved from ten VSS involved in this research. Research finding showed in conducting the introduction session teachers prefer used the demonstration method and questioning technique. While in deliver the content of practical task, teachers applied group monitoring and problem-solving approach. To conclude the task of automotive practical work, teachers choose re-explain and report writing to make sure students really understand all the process of teaching. VTM-APW also involved the competency-based concept to embed in the model. Derived from factors investigated, research produced the combination of elements in teaching skills and vocational skills which could be used as the best teaching method in automotive practical work for school level. As conclusion this study has concluded that the VTM-APW model is able to apply in teaching to make an improvement with current practices in Vocational Secondary School. Hence, teachers are suggested to use this method to enhance student's knowledge in Automotive and teachers will deliver skills to the current and future workforce relevant with the required competency skilled in workplace. Keywords: vocational teaching method, practical task, teacher preferences, student preferencesProcedia PDF Downloads 363 19704 English Language Acquisition and Flipped Classroom Authors: Yuqing Sun Abstract:Nowadays, English has been taught in many countries as a second language. One of the major ways to learn this language is through the class teaching. As in the field of second language acquisition, there are many factors to affect its acquisition processes, such as the target language itself, a learner’s personality, cognitive factor, language transfer, and the outward factors (teaching method, classroom, environmental factor, teaching policy, social environment and so on). Flipped Classroom as a newly developed classroom model has been widely used in language teaching classroom, which was, to some extent, accepted by teachers and students for its effect. It distinguishes itself from the traditional classroom for its focus on the learner and its great importance attaching to the personal learning process and the application of technology. The class becomes discussion-targeted, and the class order is somewhat inverted since the teaching process is carried out outside the class, while the class is only for knowledge-internalization. This paper will concentrate on the influences of the flipped classroom, as a classroom affecting factor, on the the process of English acquisition by the way of case studies (English teaching class in China), and the analysis of the mechanism of the flipped classroom itself to propose some feasible advice of promoting the the effectiveness of English acquisition. Keywords: second language acquisition, English, flipped classroom, caseProcedia PDF Downloads 303 19703 A Study of Achievement and Attitude on Learning Science in English by Using Co – Teaching Method Authors: Sakchai Rachniyom Abstract:Owing to the ASEAN community will formally take place in the few months; therefore, Thais should realize about the importance of English language. Since, it is regarded as a working language in the community. To promote Science students’ English proficiency, teacher should be able to teach in English language appropriately and effectively. The purposes of the quasi – experimental research are (1) to measure the learning achievement, (2) to evaluate students’ satisfaction on the teaching and learning and (3) to study the consequences of co – teaching method in order comprehend the learning achievement and improvement. The participants were 40 general science students teacher. Two types of research instruments were included; (1) an achievement test, and (2) a questionnaire. This research was conducted for 1 semester. The statistics used in this research were arithmetic mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed that students’ achievement score was significantly increased at statistical level .05 and the students satisfied the teaching and learning at the highest level . The students’ involvement and teachers’ support were promoted. It was also reported students’ learning was improved by co – teaching method. Keywords: co – teaching method, learning science in english, teacher, educationProcedia PDF Downloads 378 19702 Formation of Academia-Industry Collaborative Model to Improve the Quality of Teaching-Learning Process Authors: M. Dakshayini, P. Jayarekha Abstract:In traditional output-based education system, class room lecture and laboratory are the traditional delivery methods used during the course. Written examination and lab examination have been used as a conventional tool for evaluating student’s performance. Hence, there are certain apprehensions that the traditional education system may not efficiently prepare the students for competent professional life. This has led for the change from Traditional output-based education to Outcome-Based Education (OBE). OBE first sets the ideal programme learning outcome consecutively on increasing degree of complexity that students are expected to master. The core curriculum, teaching methodologies and assessment tools are then designed to achieve the proposed outcomes mainly focusing on what students can actually attain after they are taught. In this paper, we discuss a promising applications based learning and evaluation component involving industry collaboration to improve the quality of teaching and student learning process. Incorporation of this component definitely improves the quality of student learning in engineering education and helps the student to attain the competency as per the graduate attributes. This may also reduce the Industry-academia gap. Keywords: outcome-based education, programme learning outcome, teaching-learning process, evaluation, industry collaborationProcedia PDF Downloads 362 19701 Cross Professional Team-Assisted Teaching Effectiveness Authors: Shan-Yu Hsu, Hsin-Shu Huang Abstract:The main purpose of this teaching research is to design an interdisciplinary team-assisted teaching method for trainees and interns and review the effectiveness of this teaching method on trainees' understanding of peritoneal dialysis. The teaching research object is the fifth and sixth-grade trainees in a medical center's medical school. The teaching methods include media teaching, demonstration of technical operation, face-to-face communication with patients, special case discussions, and field visits to the peritoneal dialysis room. Evaluate learning effectiveness before, after, and verbally. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS paired-sample t-test to analyze whether there is a difference in peritoneal dialysis professional cognition before and after teaching intervention. Descriptive statistics show that the average score of the previous test is 74.44, the standard deviation is 9.34, the average score of the post-test is 95.56, and the standard deviation is 5.06. The results of the t-test of the paired samples are shown as p-value = 0.006, showing the peritoneal dialysis professional cognitive test. Significant differences were observed before and after. The interdisciplinary team-assisted teaching method helps trainees and interns to improve their professional awareness of peritoneal dialysis. At the same time, trainee physicians have positive feedback on the inter-professional team-assisted teaching method. This teaching research finds that the clinical ability development education of trainees and interns can provide cross-professional team-assisted teaching methods to assist clinical teaching guidance. Keywords: monitor quality, patient safety, health promotion objective, cross-professional team-assisted teaching methodsProcedia PDF Downloads 21 19700 Response of First Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Students to Integrated Learning Program Authors: Raveendranath Veeramani, Parkash Chand, H. Y. Suma, A. Umamageswari Abstract:Background and Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate students’ perception of Integrated Learning Program[ILP]. Settings and Design: A questionnaire was used to survey and evaluate the perceptions of 1styear MBBS students at the Department of Anatomy at our medical college in India. Materials and Methods: The first MBBS Students of Anatomy were involved in the ILP on the Liver and extra hepatic biliary apparatus integrating the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Hepato-biliary Surgery. The evaluation of the ILP was done by two sets of short questionnaire that had ten items using the Likert five-point grading scale. The data involved both the students’ responses and their grading. Results: A majority of students felt that the ILP was better in as compared to the traditional lecture method of teaching.The integrated teaching method was better at fulfilling learning objectives (128 students, 83%), enabled better understanding (students, 94%), were more interesting (140 students, 90%), ensured that they could score better in exams (115 students, 77%) and involved greater interaction (100 students, 66%), as compared to traditional teaching methods. Most of the students (142 students, 95%) opined that more such sessions should be organized in the future. Conclusions: Responses from students show that the integrated learning session should be incorporated even at first phase of MBBS for selected topics so as to create interest in the medical sciences at the entry level and to make them understand the importance of basic science.	https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=traditional%20teaching%20method
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems develop algorithms which optimize the well-known spaced repetition method used for memorizing educational material. By using optimal spacing time, the learning process becomes as efficient as possible. Their findings were published in the prestigious journal PNAS on Tuesday. Tübingen – Flashback to the days when one tried learning a second language. Whether adult or child – a person’s ability to remember those nouns, verbs and adjectives depends critically on the number of times the vocabulary is reviewed, the hours or days in between each review, as well as the time elapsed since the last repetition. Deciphering the way human memory stores information has always been a fascinating topic for scientists. One primary method for successful memorization of information is known to be “spaced repetition” of content. Many empirical studies have been conducted to assess the appropriate spacing, the best intervals between repetitions to form an optimal strategy for the process of acquiring for instance a foreign language with minimum effort. These studies inspired flashcards, small pieces of information a learner repeatedly reviews, following a certain schedule. Needless to say, the physical flashcard has long been replaced by the flashcard 2.0. In the past decade, an entire industry of e-learning platforms spewed out of the ground, providing spaced repetition course-schedules. However, most of these online learning providers use spaced repetition algorithms that are simple rule-based heuristics with a few hard-coded parameters. To give an example: a learner may be given a word to review in predetermined intervals of 2 days, then 4, then 8 – independent of the individual’s abilities and various difficulties of content under study. Appropriate spacing: It´s all about the intervals between repetitions The classical methods do not leverage the automated fine-grained monitoring and greater degree of control offered by modern online learning platforms, a group of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in Kaiserslautern suggest in their recent work. According to this group, modern spaced repetition algorithms should be data-driven and adapt to the learner’s performance over time. Staying with the example given earlier, if the student is learning a difficult word he or she may be asked to review that content again in 1 day instead of 2 days while for an easier content the student might be asked to review it again in 3 days – all depending on the probability that this interval maximizes the probability that the learner recalls that content successfully with minimum effort. In their work with the title "Enhancing human learning via spaced repetition optimization" published in the prestigious journal PNAS on Tuesday, lead author Behzad Tabibian together with Utkarsh Upadhyay, Abir De, Ali Zarezade, Bernhard Schölkopf and Manuel Gomez-Rodriguez developed a mathematical frame-work, that – given an existing machine learning model of human memory – gives the optimal solution on how to decide when is the best time to review a particular piece of content. At its core, their algorithm estimates when is the best time to review a word a student wants to permanently remember, all the while avoiding too many attempts, in order to make the learning process as efficient as possible. To evaluate their scheduling algorithm, they relied on already existing datasets. “We used a dataset released by Duolingo (an online language learning app) a few years ago. It is a comprehensive data-set that contains fine grained records of learners’ practices over a period of two weeks”, Tabibian explains. Avoiding unnecessary effort The empirical evidence presented in this work suggests that spaced repetition algorithms derived using this new framework are superior to alternative heuristic approaches. “Our optimized spaced repetition algorithm, which we dubbed “Memorize”, helps learners remember more effectively, while also avoiding unnecessary effort, compared to learners who follow schedules determined by alternative heuristics”, says Tabibian and gives an example: “Let´s say you want to learn the German word ‘Brötchen’ (a bun, or bread role). Based on the experience of everybody who has tried learning this word, the algorithm estimates a baseline for how fast learners usually forget this word. When a person studies the word ‘Brötchen’ for the first time, the algorithm suggests that you should review this word in a day and a half. Based on whether you can recall the meaning of this word at that time, the algorithm suggests when would be the best time to review that word again and so forth. The algorithm decides differently based on the learner’s past experiences which makes this method both adaptive to individuals and specific to each individual piece of content.” To sum it up: the research project is about estimating when is the best time to review. The tradeoff is not wanting to review something too many times too often, while at the same time wanting to practice something enough times with appropriate spacing so it is permanently remembered. “Our algorithm takes up these two prerequisites and comes up with an optimal learning strategy.” About us Behzad Tabibian is a Ph.D. student in the Empirical Inference department at the MPI for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen and a member of the Network Learning group at the MPI for Software Systems, co-advised by MPI-IS-Director Bernhard Schölkopf and MPI-SWS-Faculty Manuel Gomez-Rodriguez. Prior to joining the MPI he completed his Masters degree in the US and his Bachelor in the UK. The main focus of Tabibian's research is developing Machine Learning methods for information systems and large-scale web data. In his other projects during his Ph.D. he worked on tackling problems related to spread of misinformation on social networks using Machine Learning techniques. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schölkopf, born 1968, studied physics, mathematics and philosophy in Tübingen and London and received his doctorate in computer science from the TU Berlin in 1997. From 2001 to 2010, he was Director and scientific member of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen. As one of the founding Directors, Schölkopf has been Director of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen since 2011. He has received numerous prizes, including the Max Planck Research Prize in 2011, the Academy Prize of the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie in 2012, the Milner Award of the Royal Society in Great Britain in 2014, the Leopoldina Award in 2016, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM, the world's largest association of computer scientists based in New York City), the ACM Fellowship at the end of 2017, and the Leibniz Prize, Germany's most prestigious research prize, in 2018. Schölkopf is also an honorary professor at the Institute of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Tübingen and an honorary professor of computer science at the Technical University (TU) Berlin. In December 2018 he was appointed affiliate professor for Empirical Inference at ETH Zurich.	https://is.tuebingen.mpg.de/news/helping-to-memorize-information-more-efficiently-using-artificial-intelligence
Objectives - Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) may determine memory difficulties not explained by episodic memory impairment. The present study was aimed to verify the presence of specific semantic memory dysfunctions in TLE and to explore their relations to epilepsy variables. Subjects and methods - Forty-seven patients with lateralized temporal (n=26) or extra- temporal lobe epilepsy (n=21) and 23 healthy subjects were compared. Picture Naming and Pointing to a Picture were used to explore expressive and receptive vocabulary and the Semantic Questionnaire evaluated semantic judgment of verbally presented items. The Selective Reminding Procedure for word list learning and Story Recall were used to assess episodic memory. Spontaneous speech and the Token Test controlled for language disturbances, and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices were used to evaluate abstract reasoning ability. Results - Multivariate analysis of variance of test scores showed significant impairment of semantic memory in patients with left TLE compared to healthy controls, whereas episodic memory was impaired in left temporal and extra-temporal epilepsy (as measured by word learning) and all epilepsy groups (as measured by Story Recall). In the TLE groups, naming abilities were more compromised than single-word comprehension and semantic judgment - which were not significantly affected. No deficits in language abilities or in abstract reasoning were found in any patient group. Factor analysis of memory tests scores in the patients produced two factors, one semantic and the other episodic. Regression analysis revealed that the semantic factor was related to abstract reasoning, left hemisphere lateralization of seizures, and age of seizure onset; while the episodic factor was related to age. Conclusions Left TLE may determine significant verbal semantic memory compromise, maybe due to impaired access to the semantic-lexical storage. In non-aphasic epilepsy patients, comparison of performance on semantic and episodic memory tests may be useful for assessing the nature of memory failures, and may complement clinical and neurophysiological means for defining the epileptic center.	https://moh-it.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/verbal-semantic-memory-in-temporal-lobe-epilepsy
Recently, group study has become a common educational strategy employed by educators throughout the country. In this paper, we attempt to construct theoretical models to support and help us understand the re-puted efficiency of the group learning over traditional instruction. Specifically, we concentrate on one as-pect of the group dynamics: the dynamics of the group emergent semantic agreement. Effectiveness of Two Interactive Learning Techniques in Introductory Astronomy Jessica C. Lair and Jing Wang, Pages 7-11 As a part of the shift to active learning environments in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Eastern Kentucky University, we implemented the use of a clicker system in all the introductory astronomy courses. The clickers were used in class on a daily basis to allow students to actively participate in lectures. Several of the astronomy courses at Eastern Kentucky University also include interactive laboratory sessions. Here we present pre- and post-test data from the solar system astronomy class utilizing the Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) from the first semester of clicker use compared to previous semesters. We also compared the differences between the laboratory and non-laboratory sections of the introductory astronomy course by comparing their ADT results. In both cases the students’ normalized gain on the ADT is higher when taught the concepts using the interactive techniques. Experimental Designs for Inquiry with Problem-Based Strategy Shaona Zhou, Yau-Yuen Yeung, Hua Xiao, and Xiaojun Wang, Pages 12-16 Taking into account that current teaching methods fail to lead students to feel the connections between science and society, and that some drawbacks exist in experimental courses, we have designed a series of experiments with Integrated Circuit (IC) cards which lead the reader to follow a problem-based strategy. The experiments are developed to help students get a better experience through inquiry. Several questions are provided for each experiment as a guide to start the investigation. These questions are without standard answers, so students are suggested to explore by themselves. With the experimental results, we could also ask students to think over the restrictions of how to utilize the IC card in daily life. December 2011 ISSUE: 2 A Review of Introductory Physics Laboratories and Hybrid Lab Classrooms Including Difficulties, Goals, and Assessments Dedra Demaree, Pages 17-25 This paper reviews introductory physics labs and is intended as a broad introduction to laboratory possibilities and considerations. The focus is on laboratory curriculum developed since the advent of computers, in part because this coincides well with the timing of early papers in Physics Education Research. The discussion of labs is broadened to include activity-based learning environments that use physical equipment. A discussion of difficulties associated with labs (both administering them and student learning) is given as well as a discussion of typical goals physical activity-based learning environments address. Finally a discussion of assessments is provided. Comparisons of Item Response Theory Algorithms on Force Concept Inventory Li Chen, Jing Han, Jing Wang, Yan Tu, and Lei Bao, Pages 27-34 Item Response Theory (IRT) is a popular assessment method widely used in educational measurements. There are several software packages commonly used to do IRT analysis. In the field of physics education, using IRT to analyze concept tests is gaining popularity. It is then useful to understand whether, or the ex-tent to which, software packages may perform differently on physics concept tests. In this study, we com-pare the results of the 3-parameter IRT model in R and MULTILOG using data from college students on a physics concept test, the Force Concept Inventory. The results suggest that, while both methods generally produce consistent outcomes on the estimated item parameters, some systematic variations can be observed. For example, both methods produce a nearly identical estimation of item difficulty, whereas the discrimination estimated with R is systematically higher than that estimated with MULTILOG. The guessing parameters, which depend on whether “pre-processing” is implemented in MULTILOG, also vary observably. The variability of the estimations raises concerns about the validity of IRT methods for evaluating students’ scaled abilities. Therefore, further analysis has been conducted to determine the range of differences between the two models regarding student abilities estimated with each. A comparison of the goodness of fit using various estimations is also discussed. It appears that R produces better fits at low proficiency levels, but falls behind at the high end of the ability spectrum. Predicting Student Achievement: A Path Analysis Model on A Mathematics Coaching Program Scott A. Zollinger; Patti Brosnan, Pages 35-45 In response to calls for mathematics education reform, researchers at The Ohio State University, working with the Ohio Department of Education, developed the Mathematics Coaching Program (MCP). Coaches from 164 schools have participated in this classroom embedded professional development program designed to promote standards-based instructional practices. Preliminary results indicated MCP has a positive impact on student achievement. To provide supporting evidence of these results, researchers developed a path analysis model consisting of seven components to determine factors that were predictors of student achievement both before and after schools participated in MCP. Dependent variable components were pre- and post-MCP test scores and independent variable components represented economically disadvantaged students, non-white students, disability students, number of years in MCP, and coach mathematical content knowledge. Results indicated that the initial and modified theoretical models were not acceptable fits for our fourth grade sample data, but many parameter values were consistent with previous research. Disability, SES, and ethnicity were significant predictors of pre-MCP test scores and were negatively correlated. For post-MCP test scores, t-values of disability and ethnicity decreased to non-significant levels but t-values for SES nearly doubled. The number of years a school participated in the program was a significant predictor of post-MCP test scores but coach mathematical content knowledge was not. Overall, the path analysis model did not test as an acceptable fit for this data, but the final version represents a starting point for future testing.	http://realjournal.org/2011-issues/
Today I will touch on three major points: The Internet and the World Wide Web have put extraordinary power over information in the hands of people and institutions around the world. With unprecedented ability to both publish and access information in the hands of hundreds of millions of people, centuries old barriers to knowledge and exchange of ideas have vanished. Yet this same interactivity, the bi-directional ability to exchange information from any point to any other point on the Net has brought about significant threats to individual privacy. For the same communications mechanisms that give individuals the power to publish and access information can also be used, sometimes without the users knowledge or agreement, to collect sensitive personal information about the user and his or her information usage behavior. At W3C, our goal is to use the power of the Web, and enhance it where necessary with new technology, to give users and site operators tools to enable better knowledge of privacy practices and control over personal information. Urban legends of the Web's imagined surveillance capabilities abound. Nevertheless, Web technology has evolved quite sophisticated data collection techniques which have caused alarm and distrust among many users. State-of-the-art Web sites are able to collect personal information about users both directly, by presenting online forms to be filled out by users, and in the background, through use of various technologies such as access logs, cookies and, in some cases, the placement of small programs that run on users computers collecting information and delivering it back to the site. The background techniques are often used to offer more customized, personalized and easy-to-use services, many of which users appreciate. Yet, all but the most technologically sophisticated users have no practical ability to understand what sort of background data collection is taking place on their computers, much less limit such collect when they wish. Powerful data collection techniques, users inability to know what is being collected or how to stop it, together with occasional highly publicized abusive privacy practices, all combine to generate a significant level of fear and distrust on the part of many Web users. Two of the most notable online privacy incidents in the last year illustrate how strongly users and the general public react when users discover that data collected about them may be used for a dramatically different purpose, or that personal information will be disseminated without their control. W3C and its members became concerned about privacy on the Web because people won't use the Web to its full potential if they have to face such uncertainty. The majority of users are perfectly willing to share some information on the Web. At the same time, basic human dignity demands the we have meaningful control over which information we chose to expose to the public. Our goal is to include in the basic infrastructure of the Web the building blocks of tools that can provide each user this basic control. To help address growing concerns about online privacy, W3C launched the Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P) project to enable the development of a variety of tools and services that give users greater control over personal information and enhance trust between Web services and individual users. P3P-enable services will enhance user control by putting privacy policies where users can find them, present policies in a form that users can understand them, and, most importantly, enable users to act on what they see in policies more easily. For ecommerce services and other Web sites, P3P can be used to offer seamless browsing experience for customers without leaving them guessing about privacy. Moreover, P3P will help ecommerce services develop comprehensive privacy solutions in the increasingly complex value chain that makes the commercial Web such a success. On today's Web, when a consumer buys a product or service from one Web site, completing the transaction may well involve numerous individual services linked together, each of which has some role in the ultimate delivery to the user and each of which has some responsibility for honoring the privacy preferences expressed by the user at the beginning of the transaction. Consider all of the steps involved in the increasingly common processing, printing, distributing, and archiving a digital photo. After the user takes a digital image with a common digital camera, one site may be the point to which the photo is first uploaded, from there the user follows a link to another site that performs special image processing, after which the next site created prints, which are then delivered by yet another service to family members. Finally, yet another site may offer archival services for the photos. At each step along the way, these sites are dealing with sensitive information (the names of the people in the photos, their location, etc.). Setting the stage where such flexible combinations of services can be offered to users requires widespread agreement on standards, including the means of communicating from one service to another about how personal information should be handled. Standards have a vital role in the operation of the Web in general. The Web is not run by any single organization, but it does enable people to share information around the world because everyone who operates a piece of the Web agrees to follow shared technical standards. In the same way as the HTML standard ensures that everyone who looks at a Web page will see it as the author intended it to look, regardless of what computer or software is used, the P3P standard will enable every user and site operator on the Web to communicate in a common language about privacy. Can users find P3P in their browsers today? Not yet, as the standard is only just being completed. P3P has been under development over the last two years at the World Wide Web Consortium in a design effort that has included software vendors, large commercial users, privacy advocates, and government data protection commissioners from around the world. Participants in the effort include With the standard definition nearly complete, we are now entering the testing and implementation phase. Our last step in finalizing the design of the standard is to host a series of interoperability testing events, one in June and one in September. We are encouraged that a number of large Web software developers as well as innovative smaller services have committed to implementing P3P in their products. Following this testing phase, we will issue a final standard for the Web community. III. Conclusion: Role of Law, Technology Tools, and Industry Practice in Privacy Protection This committee faces hard questions regarding what regulatory framework, if any, will best address the serious privacy issues on the Web today. Congress may choose to enact a general privacy baseline, or may consider targeted legislation focused on certain sensitive sectors, such as has already been done with respect to children's privacy. Or, those who seek more time for self-regulatory efforts may take hold. I am not here to support or oppose any particular approach, but rather to suggest that with or without legislation, Web users in the United States and around the world need more powerful technical tools to give users greater control over their online privacy relationships. Similarly, ecommerce service providers need tools to enable them to build innovative, flexible, customizable services that respect users' privacy rights and preferences. Even with the most stringent privacy laws one might imagine, so much of practical privacy rights depends on users being able to make individualized choices about the privacy relationships that they want to have with the growing number of Web-based services with which the interact. Effective exercise of informed choice, whether under legislative mandate or enlightened self-regulation, can only be accomplished in the increasingly complex Web of personal information with the help of tools that users can use. So whatever the final outcome of this debate, we should all be committed to see that the innovative and entrepreneurial energy that abounds in the Internet is able to develop innovative tools to help users and vendors.	http://www.w3.org/2000/05/25-Senate-Privacy-Testimony.html
It is generally recognized that protecting online privacy is important, with modern society manifesting this concern in many ways. Preliminary research indicates that third parties, with modest crawling and computational resources, and employing simple data mining heuristics, can potentially combine online services and publicly available information to create detailed profiles of the users living in any targeted geographical area. The commoditization of private data has been trending up, as big data analytics is playing a more critical role in advertising, scientific research, etc. It is becoming increasingly difficult to know how data may be used, or to retain control over data about oneself. One common practice of collecting private data is based on "informed consent", where data subjects (individuals) decide whether to report data or not, based upon who is collecting the data, what data is collected, and how the data will be used. Rapid advances in location based applications are leading to increased concern about location privacy. Current mobile operating systems only provide users with rudimentary location access controls - either to block or allow location access - which are inadequate and inefficient in mitigating privacy threats. Most existing location obfuscation mechanisms are based on syntactic privacy models that do not consider mobility and are hence vulnerable to inference attacks. Privacy is critical to freedom of creativity and innovation. Assured privacy protection offers unprecedented opportunities for industry innovation, science and engineering discovery, as well as new life enhancing experiences and opportunities. Secure computation allows users to collaboratively compute any program on their private data, while ensuring that they learn nothing beyond the output of the computation. Existing protocols for secure computation primarily rely on a boolean-circuit representation for the program being evaluated, which can be highly inefficient. This project focuses on developing secure-computation protocols in the RAM model of computation. Particularly challenging here is the need to ensure that memory accesses are oblivious, and do not leak information about private data. As society continues to depend on the rapidly expanding wireless ecosystem, we are challenged with serious threats related to user privacy, data confidentiality, and critical system availability. A significant portion of these threats is attributed to the broadcast nature of wireless transmissions. Using commodity radio hardware, unauthorized parties can easily eavesdrop on over-the-air transmissions and breach the privacy of communicating users by tracking their whereabouts and movements, and inferring their associations, health state, and preferences. Freedom and openness of the Internet are under threat. Government censors in non-democratic countries are deploying network filters to block sources of uncensored information, suppress dissent, and prevent citizens from using the Internet to exercise their human rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. The objective of this project is to investigate a comprehensive image privacy recommendation system, called iPrivacy (image Privacy), which can efficiently and automatically generate proper privacy settings for newly shared photos that also considers consensus of multiple parties appearing in the same photo. Photo sharing has become very popular with the growing ubiquity of smartphones and other mobile devices. The increasing ubiquity of mobile technologies creates unique privacy and surveillance challenges for users. These problems are global, but the way users, organizations, and governments approach these challenges varies based on cultural norms around privacy. This cross-cultural project evaluates how mobile users in the U.S. and the Netherlands think about and make decisions about their privacy when using mobile apps. The project focuses on advancing the field of digital image steganography -- a covert way of communication in which information is hidden in other objects, such as digital media files, to assure privacy. For a secure steganographic system, it should be impossible to prove the presence of hidden data. Achieving this level of security in practice is extraordinarily difficult because digital media is hard to describe using statistical models with accuracy necessary to guarantee perfect security.	https://cps-vo.org/taxonomy/term/21391?page=8
How does the Privacy Act apply to apps and app developers? With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, this document Mobile Privacy: A better practice guide for mobile app developers by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en). This publication should be attributed as: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Mobile Privacy: A better practice guide for mobile app developers(2013). Enquiries regarding the licence and any use of this report are welcome. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (the OAIC) was established by the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 (Cth) (the AIC Act) and commenced operation on 1 November 2010. The OAIC is an independent statutory agency headed by the Australian Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner is supported by two other statutory officers: the Freedom of Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner. The former Office of the Privacy Commissioner was integrated into the OAIC on 1 November 2010. The OAIC brings together the functions of information policy and independent oversight of privacy protection and freedom of information (FOI) in one agency, to advance the development of consistent workable information policy across all Australian government agencies. the privacy functions, set out in s 9 of the AIC Act — protecting the privacy of individuals in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act) and other legislation. The Information Commissioner also has the information commissioner functions, set out in s 7 of the AIC Act. Those comprise strategic functions relating to information management by the Australian Government. The OAIC has developed this guide to help mobile device application (app) developers embed better privacy practices in their products and services. 93 per cent of tablet owners and 92 per cent of smartphone owners said that they used apps on their device. The Australian community puts a high level of trust in the mobile apps they use and their expectation for privacy protection is equally high. Apps which fail to protect user privacy lose user confidence and gain negative publicity. Failing to protect privacy could also result in a breach of the Privacy Act (see Application of the Privacy Act, below). Individuals can complain to the OAIC if they believe that their privacy has been interfered with by an entity covered by the Act, including interferences by or in connection with an app. Alternatively, the Commissioner can choose to investigate the way in which your app handles personal information, even if no-one has complained. The consequences of an investigation could include making changes to the way your app handles personal information, having to pay compensation to affected users, or (after 12 March 2014) a civil penalty. It is clear that the mobile environment, along with the new app economy it has generated, presents risks as well as potential. If you are a mobile app developer, whether you work on your own, or for a business or government agency, you should adopt a ‘privacy by design’ approach, where privacy-enhancing practices are applied throughout the life cycle of the personal information – that is, its collection, use (including data matching and analytics), disclosure, storage and destruction. Given the growing popularity of apps, app developers can expect increased scrutiny of the privacy practices in the app industry in the years ahead – by both regulators and the market itself, driven by increasingly informed, discerning and influential consumers. The Privacy Act regulates the way in which ‘personal information’ is handled by most private sector businesses and Australian, ACT and Norfolk Island government agencies. location information, because it can reveal user activity patterns and habits. Mobile devices often contain large amounts of personal information, and have the potential to be linked to the identity of their users. most Australian, ACT and Norfolk Island Government agencies (Government agencies). Your app is likely to be covered by the Privacy Act if your business model relies on using personal information to sell advertising. In most cases, businesses covered by the Privacy Act must comply with the National Privacy Principles (NPPs). Government agencies covered by the Privacy Act must comply with the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs). If you are a business working for a Government agency as a contracted service provider, you will need to comply with the IPPs too. The Privacy Act has been amended. From 12 March 2014, the NPPs and IPPs will be replaced by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) which will apply to both businesses and Government agencies. If your business has to comply with the NPPs and/or IPPs, then it will need to comply with the APPs. The APPs contain new obligations – for example, about privacy policies, direct marketing and sharing information with overseas businesses. For more information about the APPs, see the OAIC’s law reform page. the APPs), implementing better privacy practice can reduce your compliance costs. A 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center found that that 57 per cent of app users in the United States have either uninstalled an app over concerns about having to share their personal information or declined to install an app in the first place for similar reasons. A 2012 UK study found that 27 per cent of consumers were more concerned about their privacy on smartphones than on their computer, and that 68 per cent of people choose not to download an app that they didn’t trust. A 2012 Australian study found that 56 per cent of Australians do not approve of having advertising targeted to them based on personal information. Further, 69 per cent of respondents reported they had refused to use an application or website because it collected too much personal information. 75 per cent of the respondents said they needed to know more about the ways in which companies collected personal information. This section covers the essential information you need to know when designing, implementing and managing your app. A checklist to help you ensure your app is privacy friendly is available at Appendix A. Managing privacy doesn’t need to be complicated or difficult. Anyone, from a one-person operation to a large company, can build a privacy management program. Identify someone within your business to be responsible for privacy protection, even if you only have a small team. When you are in the planning stages for an app, identify the data collection, use and flows, along with the privacy and security policies under which the data is being collected, used, accessed, stored and deleted. Conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to help ensure you have considered all the relevant privacy issues (see below for more information). Have controls in place (such as contracts) to ensure that third parties process personal information in accordance with their obligations under privacy law, and make sure the controls are aligned with user expectations. Be cautious when using third party code or software development kits — such as those from advertising networks or analytics providers – which could contain code you aren’t aware of, such as aggressive adware or malware. You should consider carrying out a PIA for each app you develop, whether or not your business is covered by the Privacy Act. encourages good privacy practice and underpins good risk management. You may choose to publish your PIA so that members of the public are aware of your commitment to privacy. You might even wish to encourage privacy organisations or members of the public to consult on your draft PIA. Both actions will help build user trust in your app. The OAIC has published a PIA guide which you may find useful. Additional resources and tools can be found in Appendix B. 2. Be open and transparent about your privacy practices. Users increasingly expect transparency about how their personal information is handled; businesses which clearly explain this are rewarded with user trust and loyalty. You should tell users what your app does with their personal information, why it does it, and what their choices are. This is the case even if you choose to offer benefits – such as convenience or free downloads – to your customers in return for access to their personal information. For suggestions about how to implement these ideas, see Communicating privacy rules on small screens in Appendix B. any other issues that will affect user privacy. Give users reasonable time to provide feedback before you implement changes. Tell users exactly what rules you are changing so they don’t have to compare the new and old policies to understand what’s happening. If you are including new features, especially transfers of information to third parties, make the changes easy to find and understand through the update process. Never make silent app updates that will diminish the user’s privacy. The Privacy Act requires that you only collect the personal information that is necessary. Consider whether you need to collect personal information at all. If you cannot explain how a piece of personal information is related to the functions or activities of your app, then you probably should not be collecting it. Don’t collect data just because you believe it may be useful in the future. Delete personal information that you no longer need for a lawful purpose. As best practice, allow users to opt in to the collection or use of their personal information. If that is not practicable, allow users to opt out of data collection. If you cannot enable users to opt in or out, explain this to users first so they can make an informed decision about whether to install your app. Don’t collect sensitive information (such as a person’s ethnicity, political opinions, sexual preferences or health information) at all, unless the person has expressly consented. Avoid collecting information about a user's movements and activities through the use of integrated location and movement sensors unless it relates directly to the app and you have the user's informed consent. Never collect sound or activate the device camera without the specific permission of the user. It is best privacy practice not to collect and store personal information about third parties from a user’s device unless you can obtain the consent of those parties. For example, do not collect and store your user’s address book. Apps should be designed in a way that does not require you to collect any device-unique identifiers if it is not essential to the functioning of the app. Avoid associating data across apps unless it is obvious to the user and necessary to do so. If you must make links, ensure that personal information is not linked to a user’s identifier for longer than it needs to be. For example, if your app transmits personal information, you should not keep a copy of it unless it is necessary. If you have to keep a copy of the information, secure it and delete it as soon as possible. Make someone in your business responsible for security. Have appropriate controls in place both on the mobile device and on the backend systems to store personal information securely. Users’ information should be encrypted when it is stored and when it is transmitted over the internet. Adapt your code to allow for differences in mobile platforms. Use due diligence on libraries and other third-party code. Don’t store passwords in plain text on your server. Give users a clear and easy way to refuse an update, and to deactivate and delete the app. When users delete an app, the data that you hold about them should also be deleted. Give users the ability to delete or request the deletion of all of the data that your app has collected about them. Here are some options for visual cues that may be helpful. Make sure that the short form notice draws user attention particularly to any collection, use or disclosure of information that they would not otherwise reasonably expect. Display user privacy settings with a tool that allows users to tighten their settings. Approach this display in a way that encourages user action, such as with the use of radio buttons rather than web links. Instead of just using an on/off button, explain the consequences of making a choice to provide data so they can make an informed decision. You could also make use of graphics in the app at the moment when sensitive information is about to be transmitted and user consent is required. For example, if your app is about to access the user’s location data, you could activate a symbol or icon to raise user awareness of what is happening and the reason for it, as well as the user’s choices. You can alert the user by using colour and altering its intensity. The intensity of the colour could be scaled to the importance of the decision or sensitivity of the information. Selective use of sounds, and scaling the device’s volume, can draw attention to a privacy-related decision that needs to be made in a timely way. For further information, including on the use of symbols and icons, see Communicating privacy rules on small screens in Appendix B of this document. Highlight privacy practices during the download/purchase process and also upon first use. Obtain consent at the point of download. Tell users what will happen with their information in real time – this is sometimes known as providing ‘in-context notices’. Users must be able to make timely and meaningful choices. For example, if your app takes photos or video, clearly state whether your app will tag the images with location data and allow the user to opt out of this feature at the time of taking the photo or video. Depending on the purpose of your app, you can give users control over repeated prompting to avoid notice fatigue, but the user should ideally be able to set a period of time after which the consent should be renewed. Your agency or organisation (which may just be you) is responsible for all personal information collected, used and disclosed by your mobile app. Identify someone to be responsible for privacy protection. Put in place controls, such as conditions of contract or user agreements, to ensure that third parties accessing personal information through your app respect their privacy obligations. Map out where the information is going and identify potential privacy risks. Use a Privacy Impact Assessment to assist with privacy planning. When updating an app, inform users of any changes to the way their personal information is handled, and give them an easy way of refusing the update. Only collect personal information that your app needs to function. Limit data collection to what is needed to carry out legitimate purposes. Do not collect data just because you think it may be useful in the future. Allow users to opt out of data collection outside of what they would reasonably expect is necessary for the functioning of the app. Put in place appropriate safeguards to protect the personal information you are handling. Use encryption when storing and transmitting data. Publish clear policies about how long it will take to delete personal information once a user deletes your app. Obtain meaningful consent despite the small screen challenge. cues such as graphics, colour and sound to draw user attention to what is happening with their personal information, the reasons for it, and choices available to the user. Timing of user notice and consent is critical. Tell users how their personal information is being handled at the time they download the app, when they first use the app, and throughout their app experience, to ensure that their consent remains meaningful and relevant. Be thoughtful and creative when deciding when to deliver privacy messages to most effectively capture users’ attention and achieve the most impact at the right time, without causing notice fatigue. For example, if your app is about to actively tag photos with the user’s location data, you could activate a symbol as a cue to the user, providing them with a choice to refuse. Please note that the following industry associations are not endorsed by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. The service descriptions below were supplied by the organisations listed. The App Developers Alliance contributed to the Mobile app voluntary transparency screens . ACT contributed to the Act4Apps Education Initiative and initiated the App Trust Project, which includes privacy-related icons. Privacy Act s (6)(1) re definition of ‘agency’, s 6C, 6D.	https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-law/privacy-archive/privacy-consultations-archive/mobile-privacy-may-2013/mobile-privacy-a-better-practice-guide-for-mobile-app-developers-consultation-draft-april-2013
The issue of data privacy is of central importance in the modern age, and, given the business models that now depend on metrics gathered via surveillance, it doesn’t seem that it will change in the near future. Furthermore, much of people’s discomfort around data gathering seems to stem from the lack of transparency and knowledge about what data is gathered and stored, and how that data is used. As a result, and, influenced by education that I received regarding sharing on social media, I do think that education about this issue should be built into curriculums, and that it could be spearheaded by the government. Often times corporations argue that users have agreed to have their data monitored and collected, however the terms by which users agree to this are invariably written in legalese and buried deep in long contracts that users have gotten used to skimming or ignoring completely because they are so long and often impenetrable. Often, I think, even if users did read the entire document, they wouldn’t fully understand what was being communicated or what they were agreeing to. If the issue is a lack of understanding and knowledge about data collection and use, then the method of redress should aim to demystify and make transparent the issue of data collection and use. The problem is that, as surveillance capitalism becomes more and more commonplace, and the methods by which data is gathered, and—in fact—the data gathered become more and more extensive, we can’t expect private companies who stand to profit under this system to educate people. It would be great if they did, but they stand to gain too much from people remaining uneducated. For this reason, I actually think the government could and should assume the responsibility of educating people about data collection and privacy. When I was in high school, we had a number of assemblies and lectures about what sort of information we were sharing on social media. It was framed as a matter of safety, and also from the perspective that nothing that was shared could ever really truly be deleted or taken back. In a lot of ways, a conversation about data collection is an extension of this issue—essentially, it is still a matter of privacy. The difference is that the lessons I was taught in high school were about information and content I was choosing to share, whereas the conversations we need to be having now are about information that is being collected without our knowledge. I think that educating people about how their data is collected and used is essential to people being able to make informed decisions about their digital lives. Furthermore, the current structures in place for doing this (Terms and Conditions documents, etc.) are not accomplishing this, (probably because ignorance of this matter is actually in corporations’ best interest.) Therefore, the government should intervene and build education about data privacy into curriculums. It should be something that becomes a basic part of peoples’ consciousness, as digital technology is increasingly becoming intertwined with peoples’ daily lives, and surveillance capitalism may be here to stay.	https://tkbr.publishing.sfu.ca/pub802/2019/03/data-privacy-101-an-introduction-to-surveillance-capitalism/
Dow Janes, LLC (“Company” or “We”) respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it through our compliance with this policy. This policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit the website www.dowjanes.com (our “Website“) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information. This policy applies to information we collect: It does not apply to information collected by: Children Under the Age of 18 Our Website is not intended for children under 18 years of age. No one under age 18 may provide any information to or on the Website. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are under 18, do not use or provide any information on this Website or on or through any of its features. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us at: 491 North Main Street, Suite 300, Ketchum, ID 83340 or at [email protected] California residents under 16 years of age may have additional rights regarding the collection and sale of their personal information. Please see Your California Privacy Rights for more information. Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It We collect several types of information from and about users of our Website, including information: We collect this information: Information You Provide to Us. The information we collect on or through our Website may include: You also may provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, “posted“) on public areas of the Website, or transmitted to other users of the Website or third parties (collectively, “User Contributions“). Your User Contributions are posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. Although we limit access to certain pages, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other users of the Website with whom you may choose to share your User Contributions. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that your User Contributions will not be viewed by unauthorized persons. Information We Collect Through Automatic Data Collection Technologies. As you navigate through and interact with our Website, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns, including: The information we collect automatically may include personal information, or we may maintain it or associate it with personal information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Website and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including by enabling us to: The technologies we use for this automatic data collection may include: We do not control these third parties' tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many providers, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. How We Use Your Information We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information: We may also use your information to contact you about our own and third-parties' goods and services that may be of interest to you. If you do not want us to use your information in this way, please email [email protected] For more information, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. We may use the information we have collected from you to enable us to display advertisements to our advertisers' target audiences. Even though we do not disclose your personal information for these purposes without your consent, if you click on or otherwise interact with an advertisement, the advertiser may assume that you meet its target criteria. Disclosure of Your Information We may disclose aggregated information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction. We may also disclose your personal information: Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information We strive to provide you with choices regarding the personal information you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with the following control over your information: We do not control third parties' collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI“) on the NAI's website. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see Your California Privacy Rights for more information. Nevada residents who wish to exercise their sale opt-out rights under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A may submit a request to this designated address: [email protected] Your California Privacy Rights If you are a California resident, California law may provide you with additional rights regarding our use of your personal information. To learn more about your California privacy rights, visit California’s CCPA website. California's “shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83) permits users of our websites that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to [email protected] or write us at: 491 North Main Street Suite 300, Ketchum, Idaho 83340. Contact Information To register a complaint or concern, please email: [email protected] International Privacy and GDPR Disclaimer This website’s servers are located within the United States. Thus, if you are visiting this website from outside the United States, you agree that you are sending information to the United States. If you are a member of the EU, your data is protected by appropriate safeguards, namely the EU-US Privacy Shield and GDPR. By clicking submit to any opt ins on this website, You consent to the collection of your name and email and will receive communications from Company. You have the right to object to the processing of Your data at any time. Your information will not be shared with any third parties in the EU.	https://dowjanes.com/privacy-policy/
Your privacy notice explains to your users and customers how your company collects their private personal data, how you process it, who you share it with, and for what purposes. It helps your customers make informed decisions about whether to consent to data collection. What do laws like GDPR and CCPA have to say about privacy notices and policies? Since both data privacy laws are primarily concerned with giving consumers greater insights into and control over who is collecting their data and why, they both require some kind of privacy notice or statement that explains an organization’s privacy practices in plain language. A common practice is to have this notice publicly available on your website. It must also give users the option to opt out of processing of personal data. Recommended reading What’s typically included in a GDPR-compliant privacy notice? A typical privacy notice includes a few common elements. It usually covers: - Exactly what categories of personal data you’re collecting - Why you’re collecting personal user data (your legal basis or lawful basis under GDPR) - How you’re collecting personal data, including whether you’re the data controller or data processor (or both) - How you will use the personal data you collect (i.e., for marketing purposes), how long it will be kept, and how you’ll dispose of it - How users can opt-out and/or request erasure of their personal data, including a phone number or address they can use to contact you GDPR requirements state that you must explain how you process data in “a concise, transparent, intelligible, and easily accessible form.” A common practice is to have a privacy notice to be publicly available on your website. You can link your privacy notice in a highly visible place and use clear, direct language. This is typically in the footer of your website, plus anywhere you collect personal information like names and contact information. - What type of data you collect from users, whether it’s contact information, payment information, demographic data, etc. - Why you collect personal data - Where you store personal data, for how long, and how you dispose of it - Whether you share personal data with any third parties, such as service providers, advertising partners, or business affiliates - How you ensure the data you collect is accurate and sufficiently protected - How your team should respond in the event of a data breach - What kinds of rights data subjects have over their personal data and how your team is expected to respond to consumer requests - Who within the organization is responsible for overseeing data protection GDPR Privacy Notice Examples Whenever you’re creating a new policy for your business, it can be especially helpful to see examples of how other organizations have done it. Below we share a few examples of privacy notices you can use as inspiration for writing your own. The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company is famous for its level of personalization — whether you’re viewing one of its websites, browsing its streaming platform, or visiting its theme parks. Disney’s ability to create such detailed user experiences is based in large part on their ability to collect relevant data and tailor your experience based on your preferences and past behaviors. This is all explained in plain language in Disney’s comprehensive privacy notice, which includes sections on the types of personal data they collect and who they share it with. The privacy notice also includes a specific section explaining privacy protections for children and parents’ rights. Disney also goes the extra mile to make its privacy notice accessible to a general audience by linking legal terms like “data controller” and “personal information” and providing a simple definition. Whether you just use Google search once in a while or have a whole suite of Google apps and devices in your home, Google’s privacy notice is designed to help all levels of users understand how their personal data is collected and processed. Privacy policies can be daunting for uninitiated readers, and it’s clear that Google put some careful thought into helping users navigate and understand its privacy notice. It includes a table of contents so that readers can easily jump between sections, and links to other key policies including Google’s Terms of Service. Google also includes helpful video snippets throughout their privacy notice that quickly explain key concepts like what the privacy notice is, why Google collects user data, and what rights users have over their personal data. Meta Meta’s Privacy Center is similar to Google’s, with a Table of Contents for easy navigation and explanatory videos sprinkled throughout the page. Like Disney, it also includes pop-up links that answer key questions and explain core data privacy concepts in layman’s terms. This layout makes it easier for users to understand Meta’s overall approach to data privacy and quickly find answers to specific questions, while “Learn more” links let interested readers dive deeper into the specifics of Meta’s privacy practices. One thing Meta does particularly well is they include specific “Take control” callouts that make it easy for users to exercise their data privacy rights. Get help verifying and maintaining GDPR compliance Knowing that your policies and procedures are compliant with GDPR requirements can be tricky, especially when you’re trying to build them from scratch. With Secureframe, you’ll get access to a library of policy templates that have been vetted by former auditors and compliance experts. You’ll get GDPR training for employees, save time with automated evidence collection, and stay up to date with the latest GDPR requirements. Our team of experts will also notify you of any changes in regulation so you can stay compliant. To learn more, schedule a demo of our security and compliance automation platform.	https://secureframe.com/blog/gdpr-privacy-policy
This website (hereinafter referred to as “Website”) is operated and managed by UNIPAR, as data controller (hereinafter referred to as “Unipar”, or “Us”). This policy clarifies how Unipar, directly or through its affiliates, processes users’ personal data (hereinafter referred to as “user”, or “You”), according to Law 13,709/18 (General Data Protection Regulation – “GDPR”), and how such data are used and shared, and how they can be accessed, changed or deleted. As proof of its commitment to privacy, Unipar has defined this policy in the broadest scope of a privacy management model to ensure its full compliance as the basis of the company’s culture. All personal data provided by You by means of this Website are used exclusively for the purposes described below. “Personal data” means any information about You. Unipar will collect, process and use the following categories and types of personal data about You: - Identification data, such as your name, last name, individual taxpayer’s number (CPF), identification document (RG); - personal information, such as date of birth and gender; - contact information, such as your e-mail address, home address, home phone number, cellular phone number and State of residence; - professional data, such as the company you work for, department, position, business address, business phone number, and/or name of your educational institution; and - data about your preferences, such as any content You may want to receive, areas of interest, your search profile on our website; - data about how you use our services or Website, such as, in cases You contact us about any problem related to our services on the Website, how You interact with our services, the logs of each session, including IP address, date and time of access; - data related to your social media profile, if You decide to share our Website content in said channels through plug-ins (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.), some data posted by users on their social media will be collected by the Website and processed for the respective features. The use of such plug-ins implies the sharing of actions and corresponding information on the respective social media; our services, the logs of each session, when You access your account; - browsing data, when You browse the Website, Unipar uses specific technologies (cookies, see below for more information) that automatically collect certain elements of information related to how users make use of our services, such as IP address or other exclusive device code (computer, mobile device or other devices) used to browse the website, date and time of access; identification as registered user or not; technical information that may include the user’s source URL; information about the browser; language. This information helps us to continually improve our services and monitor the accuracy of the Website’s operations and is not intended to be related to the users’ identification information. However, browsing data can identify them when compared to their personal identification information. Your personal data are collected from the following sources: - data that You directly provide us when filling out the registration fields or forms on the Website, or when You contact us; and - information obtained by means of automatic tracking systems when using the Website and its services. Unipar will process your personal data to: - allow You to register on the Website; - provide the services available through the Website; - manage and respond to requests and contacts; - allow the scheduling of visits to some of Unipar’s facilities by means of the Open Factory (Fábrica Aberta) program; - allow downloading informative documents, such as those from the PVC area; - help users in their experience on the Website by answering questions and suggesting content; - technically manage the Website and its operational functions, including solutions to technical problems, statistical analysis, tests and research; - prevent or find fraudulent activities or improper use that may harm our Website or threaten the security of the transactions; - comply with legal requirements under Brazilian laws and regulations, as well as court orders or decisions or requests from authorities; - protect the cyber security of users, the Website and services; - defend Unipar in court or on the administrative level, for example, in case of violation by users, or to exercise and protect Unipar’s rights and property; - meet users’ request (such as management of information requests); - send users communications related to Unipar’s activities. We will process your personal data in compliance with the applicable legislation, especially Law 13,709/18 (General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR). Our personal data processing activities are based on one of the legal bases provided for in the GDPR, as explained below. When You register for a visit through the Open Factory program or when You contact us regarding Unipar, we will process your personal data to perform a contract or preliminary procedure related to a contract between You and Unipar, based on article 7, V of the GDPR. We will also process your personal data based on our legitimate interest, as per article 7, IX of the GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to make sure that users receive complete information about Unipar and its activities. We may also process your personal data based on your consent, as per article 7, I of the GDPR. This happens when You request documents related to the PVC area by filling out a simple registration. Finally, if necessary, Unipar may process your personal data to comply with the law and exercise the rights of Unipar or third parties, as per article 7, II and VI. - consultants and technology and IT companies authorized to manage the Website and provide services related to the Website, hosting providers and database service providers; - with regulators, authorities and other third parties, if necessary, to fulfill a legal obligation or to exercise the rights of Unipar or third parties; - with acquiring companies, in the context of an acquisition or other sale of assets or corporate operation involving Unipar; Some of the third parties that have access to personal data may be located in other countries or may process data abroad. The level of data protection in other countries may be different from the level of protection required in Brazil. Therefore, we will only transfer your personal data to countries that the National Data Protection Authority (“ANPD”) has decided to have an adequate level of protection, or we will take effective measures to ensure that all recipients of personal data implement an adequate level of data protection, by entering into contracts for international transfer of personal data in accordance with the standard provisions of the GDPR. The provision of users’ personal registration data is voluntary and optional. Users may freely decide not to provide information for contractual purposes or subsequently delete their registration. In addition, users may choose to stop receiving institutional communications from Unipar at any time by clicking on a link present in all communications. If users do not provide registration data, or if they unregister, they will not have access to part of the functionalities and contents available on the Website, but the management will be responsibility of users and we will respect their choices. Unipar will adopt technical and organizational security measures to protect users’ information from unauthorized access or use. For data accessible from a specific user account, Unipar informs that the password is one of the account protection mechanisms. Therefore, users are oriented to use a sufficiently secure password that is stored in a secure location, limit password access in their own computers and browsers, and disconnect from the Website after visiting it. Cookies may be technical, analytical and profile related: - Technical cookies are used to facilitate browsing, provide and allow the use of the Website’s services. On a second access, cookies will automatically insert data, such as the username. - Analytical cookies are used to analyze and monitor how the website is used (number of accesses and pages viewed, for example), in order to allow Unipar to make constructive operation and browsing changes to the website. - Profile cookies are used to track your browsing history on the Website and create profiles about your option, habits, choices, etc. They may be used to send advertising messages based on the preferences already shown in the browsing history. Unipar uses session cookies to control pages, allowing users to browse through several website pages quickly and easily without having to reprocess each new area visited. - Enabling or disabling cookies This Website is not intended to persons under the age of 18 and Unipar does not intentionally collect their personal information. If any information about underage users is involuntarily stored, Unipar will delete said information in a timely manner, at the request of the users. No, Unipar does not make decisions solely based on personal data automated processing in the activities described in this Instrument. Every owner of personal data has rights regarding such data, and Unipar respects their rights under the GDPR. Under the terms of the applicable legislation, users’ rights must be exercised in order to also protect the industrial and commercial secrets of Unipar and third parties, as well as the fundamental rights of third parties. You are ensured the following rights regarding your personal data: (i) Processing confirmation right and right of access You have the right to get confirmation of the existence of the processing of your personal data. Should Unipar process your personal data, you have the right of access, i.e. the right to obtain a simplified or complete statement about the categories of personal data processed, the origin of data and the purposes of the processing. Should your personal data be processed based on your consent or on an agreement entered into between You and Unipar, You also have the right to obtain a full copy of the personal data processed based on the above-mentioned consent or agreement. (ii) Right of correction You have the right to request a correction of incomplete, inaccurate or outdated data about You. (iii) Right to anonymization, blocking or deletion In certain cases, when your personal data are unnecessary, excessive or not processed in compliance with the GDPR, You have the right to request anonymization, blocking or deletion of such data. (iv) Right to data portability In certain cases, as defined and required by ANPD, and always respecting Unipar’s commercial and industrial secrets, You have the right to transfer your personal data to another company. (v) Right to deletion When your data are processed based on your consent, You have the right to request the deletion of such personal data, except in the cases in which Unipar has the right to retain the data under the GDPR. (vi) Right to information on shared use of data You have the right to obtain information about the public and private entities with which Unipar shared your personal data. (vii) Right to refuse and revoke consent Every time we ask for your consent to process your personal data, You have the right to refuse it. We will always inform You about this right and the consequences should you prefer not to consent data processing. Additionally, every time You consent the processing of your personal data for a specific purpose, You may revoke your consent at any time, and all processing activities carried out until the date of revocation will be valid. (viii) Right to petition before ANPD You have the right to petition against Unipar before the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) regarding your personal data. (ix) Right to raise yourself against illegal processing You have the right to raise yourself against any processing of your personal data that breaches the provisions of the GDPR. (x) Right to review decisions based solely on automated processing You have the right to request a review of decisions taken solely based on automated processing of personal data that affect your interests, including decisions aimed at defining your personal, professional, consumer and credit profile or aspects of your personality. Contact us to exercise any of this rights, as shown on the item below (Who can I talk to about this matter?). – Email: [email protected]	http://www.ri.unipar.com/en/privacy-policy/
Cary Rx Incorporated (“Company” or “We” or “Our”) respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it through our compliance with this policy. Company develops, operates and distributes certain software applications, which include web applications, hosted applications and applications for mobile devices. The applications, together with the services for communications, coordination and management by patients and healthcare professionals regarding medical conditions, and the data collection, storage, analysis and reporting tools, functions and services, that are provided via the applications, are collectively referred to as the Service. This policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit the website https://www.caryrx.com, use our mobile application, use our online application, use our application programming interface (“API”), use our Software-as-a-Service Product (“SaaS”), or enter information on the website of one of Providers that utilize our SaaS to collect information (collectively referred to as “Service” or “Services”) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information. Capitalized terms used herein without definition will have the same meanings as defined in the Terms of Service and any applicable Master Services Agreement, API License Agreement, or Software-as-a-Service Agreement (“Sales Agreements”) applicable to the Service. This policy applies to information we collect: It does not apply to information collected by: Children Under the Age of 13 Our Service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. No one under age 13 may provide any information to or on the Service. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use or provide any information on this Service or on or through any of its features. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us at: 1300 7th St NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20001 [email protected] California residents under 16 years of age may have additional rights regarding the collection and sale of their personal information. Please see Your California Privacy Rights for more information. Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It We collect several types of information from and about users of our Service, including information: We collect this information: Information You Provide to Us. The information we collect on or through our Service may include: You also may provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, “posted“) on public areas of the Service, or transmitted to other users of the Service or third parties (collectively, “User Contributions“). Your User Contributions are posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. Although you may set certain privacy settings for such information by logging into your account profile, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other users of the Service with whom you may choose to share your User Contributions. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that your User Contributions will not be viewed by unauthorized persons. Information We Collect Through Automatic Data Collection Technologies. As you navigate through and interact with our Service, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns, including: We also may use these technologies to collect information about your online activities over time and across third-party websites or other online services (behavioral tracking). Contact us for information on how you can opt out of behavioral tracking on this website and how we respond to web browser signals and other mechanisms that enable consumers to exercise choice about behavioral tracking. The information we collect automatically may include personal information, or protected health information, or we may maintain it or associate it with personal information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Service and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including by enabling us to: The technologies we use for this automatic data collection may include: We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many providers, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. How We Use Your Information We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information: Disclosure of Your Information We may disclose aggregated information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction. We may also disclose your personal information: Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information We strive to provide you with choices regarding the personal information you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with the following control over your information: We do not share any personal information with third party advertisers, advertising agencies, or marketing agencies. We do not control third parties’ collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI“) on the NAI’s website. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see Your California Privacy Rights below for more information. Nevada residents who wish to exercise their sale opt-out rights under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A may submit a request to this designated address: [email protected]. However, please know we do not currently sell data triggering that statute’s opt-out requirements. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) In operating the Service, and as it relates to PHI, Company endeavors to comply in all material respects with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). Pursuant to HIPAA, medical facilities or professionals from whom Company receives information about patients may be Covered Entities (as defined under HIPAA), and we may serve as their Business Associate (as defined under HIPAA). As a result, some of the information we collect may constitute PHI (as defined in HIPAA). Do Not Track Policy Third-Party Connections You may be able to access the Service and/or communicate with the Service from, and you may be able to link or communicate from the Service to, applications, devices, distribution platforms and websites owned and operated by Providers. These other applications, devices, platforms and websites are not operated or controlled by Company. Additional or different terms and conditions (including without limitation, privacy and security practices) apply when you access and use such other applications, devices, platforms and websites, which are not the responsibility of Company. Accessing and Correcting Your Information You can review and change your personal information by updating your profile in our mobile application or by sending us an email at [email protected] to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that you have provided to us. We cannot delete your personal information except by also deleting your user account. We may not accommodate a request to change information if we believe the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect. If you delete your User Contributions from the Service, copies of your User Contributions may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or might have been copied or stored by other Service users. Proper access and use of information provided on the Service, including User Contributions, is governed by our Terms of Service. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see Your California Privacy Rights for more information. Your California Privacy Rights Privacy Rights Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) Your Privacy Rights. You have the following rights under the CCPA with respect to your personal information. Exercising Your Rights. To exercise the rights described above, you (or your authorized agent) must send us a request that (1) provides sufficient information to allow us to verify that you’re the person about whom we’ve collected personal information, and (2) describes your request in sufficient detail to allow us to understand, evaluate and respond to it. Satisfaction of both criteria means your request is a “verifiable consumer request” and we’re not required to respond to requests that don’t meet these criteria. We’ll only use personal information provided in a request to verify your identity and complete your request. You don’t need an account to submit a request. We’ll work to respond to your request within 45 days of receipt. We’ll not charge you a fee for making a request unless your request(s) is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that your request warrants a fee, we’ll notify you of the fee and explain that decision before completing your request. You may submit a request using the following methods: You may authorize an agent to exercise your rights on your behalf. To do this, you must provide your authorized agent with written permission to exercise your rights on your behalf, and we may request a copy of this written permission from your authorized agent when they make a request on your behalf. If we’ve collected information on your minor child, you may exercise the above rights on behalf of your minor child. Non-US Users Termination If you terminate your registration and account for the Service, or if your registration or account is terminated for any reason by Company, then Company will remove your Service Data from the Service; provided, Company may retain and use your Service Data in the manner described herein, but only in aggregated or de-identified form. Contact Information	https://www.caryrx.com/legals/privacy-policy
Last Revised: 12-28-22 Gathering, Use, and Disclosure of Non-personally-identifying Information Users of the Website Generally “Non-Personally-Identifying Information” is information that, without the aid of additional information, cannot be directly associated with a specific person. “Personally-Identifying Information” or “personal information,” by contrast, is information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular user, household or device. Like most website operators, Company gathers from users of the Website Non-Personally-Identifying Information of the sort that Web browsers, depending on their settings, may make available. That information includes the user’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, operating system, browser type, and the locations of the websites the user views right before arriving at while navigating and immediately after leaving the Website. Although such information is not Personally-Identifying Information, it may be possible for Company to determine from an IP address a user’s Internet service provider and the geographic location of the visitor’s point of connectivity as well as other statistical usage data. Company analyzes Non-Personally-Identifying Information gathered from users of the Website to help Company better understand how the Website is being used. By identifying patterns and trends in usage, Company is able to better design the Website to improve users’ experiences, both in terms of content and ease of use. From time to time, Company may also release the Non-Personally-Identifying Information gathered from Website users in the aggregate, such as by publishing a report on trends in the usage of the Website. Web Cookies A “Web Cookie” is a string of information that assigns you a unique identification that a website stores on a user’s computer, and that the user’s browser provides to the website each time the user submits a query to the website. We may use the following categories of cookies on our Website. - Strictly Necessary Cookies. These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the Website and use its features. Without these cookies, services you have requested, such as maintaining a record of your purchased items, cannot be provided. - Performance Cookies. These cookies collect anonymous information on how you use our Website to help us understand how you arrive at our Website, browse or use our Website and highlight areas where we can improve, such as navigation. The data stored by these cookies never shows personal details from which your individual identity can be established. - Functionality Cookies. These cookies remember choices you make such as the country from which you visit our Website, your preferred language, and your search parameters. This information can then be used to provide you with an experience more appropriate to your selections and to make your visits to our Website more tailored to your preferences. These cookies cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. - Targeting Cookies or Advertising Cookies. These cookies collect information about your browsing habits in order to make advertising more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The cookies are usually placed by third-party advertising networks. These cookies remember the websites you visit and that information is shared with other parties, such as advertisers. Of course, if you do not wish to have cookies on your devices, you may turn them off at any time by modifying your internet browser’s settings. However, by disabling cookies on your device, you may be prohibited from full use of the Website’s features or lose access to some functionality. EMBEDED WEB LINKS Links provided in our emails, Website, and in some cases, on third-party websites may include tracking technology embedded in the link. The tracking is accomplished through a redirection system. The redirection system allows us to understand how the link is being used by email recipients. Some of these links will enable us to identify that you have personally clicked on the link and this may be attached to the Personally-Identifying Information that we hold about you. This data is used to improve our service to you. ANALYTICS AGGREGATED AND NON-PERSONALLY-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION We may share aggregated and Non-Personally Identifying Information we collect under any of the above circumstances. We may also share it with third parties and our affiliate companies to develop and deliver targeted advertising on the Website and on websites of third parties. We may combine Non-Personally Identifying Information we collect with additional Non-Personally Identifying Information collected from other sources. We also may share aggregated information with third parties, including advisors, advertisers, and investors, for the purpose of conducting general business analysis. SOCIAL MEDIA We may use hyperlinks on the Website which will redirect you to a social network if you click on the respective link. However, when you click on a social plug-in, such as Facebook’s “Like” button or Twitter’s “Tweet” button, that particular social network’s plugin will be activated and your browser will directly connect to that provider’s servers. If you do not use these buttons, none of your data will be sent to the respective social network’s plugin provider. Settings regarding privacy protection can be found on the websites of these social networks and are not within our control. COLLECTION, USE, AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONALLY-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION WEBSITE GENERALLY As defined above, Personally-Identifying Information is information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular user, household or device. The Company may collect a range of Personally-Identifying Information from and about Website users. In particular, the Website may collect the following categories of Personally-Identifying Information from users of the Website: \|Categories\|\|Examples\|\|Collected\|\|Disclosed\| \|Identifiers.\|\|First and last name, postal address, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, phone number.\|\|YES\|\|YES- \| Affiliates and Parent Companies Service Providers Marketing Communications \|Personal information categories listed in the California Customer Records statute (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.80(e)).\|\|Education, employment, and employment history.\|\|YES\|\|YES- \| Affiliates and Parent Companies \|Protected classification characteristics.\|\|Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information).\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Commercial information.\|\|Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Sensitive Personal Information\|\|Precise geolocation, Social Security number, driver’s license, state identification card, passport number, account log-in, financial account, debit card, credit card number with security, or access code or password, racial or ethnic origin, religious/philosophical beliefs, or union membership, genetic data and processing of biometric information, health and sexual orientation.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Biometric information.\|\|Genetic, physiological, behavioral, and biological characteristics, or activity patterns used to extract a template or other identifier or identifying information, such as, fingerprints, faceprints, and voiceprints, iris or retina scans, keystroke, gait, or other physical patterns, and sleep, health, or exercise data.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Internet or other similar network activity.\|\|Information on a consumer’s interaction with a website.\|\|YES\|\|YES- \| Service Providers \|Geolocation data.\|\|Physical location or movements.\|\|YES\|\|YES- \| Service Providers \|Sensory data.\|\|Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Professional or employment-related information.\|\|Current or past job history in relation to a resume.\|\|YES\|\|YES- \| Affiliates and Parent Companies \|Non-public education information.\|\|Education records directly related to a student maintained by an educational institution or party acting on its behalf, such as grades, transcripts, class lists, student schedules, student identification codes, student financial information, or student disciplinary records.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| \|Inferences drawn from other Personal Information.\|\|Profile reflecting a person’s preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.\|\|NO\|\|N/A\| We obtain the categories of Personally-Identifying Information listed above from the following categories of sources: - Directly from you. For example, when you: - schedule an appointment; - place an online order; - submit a job application; or - communicate with us, such as request information. - Indirectly from you. For example, through information we collect from you in the course of providing our services to you. - Directly and indirectly from activity on our Website. For example, from Website usage details that are collected automatically. For more information on automatic information collection, please review the “WEB COOKIES” section above. Free-Text Boxes. The information that you provide in each case will vary. In some cases, you may be able to provide Personally-Identifying Information via email or free text boxes, such as contacting the Company to request further information. When providing your Personally-Identifying Information, please provide only relevant information and do not provide unnecessary sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card information or other sensitive personal data, unless required for our services. Live Chat. We partner with a trusted third-party vendor to provide you with Live Chat features to better assist you. This may require you to provide your first and last name, email, and other contact information. When using the Live Chat features, please only provide necessary information and do not provide sensitive information. For recordkeeping, training, and quality assurance purposes, we or our third-party vendor may record and maintain a transcript of any communications in the Live Chat. COMPANY COMMUNICATIONS We want to provide you with relevant information that you have requested. When possible, we will always provide options as to what information we collect and how you can manage any preferences that pertains to such information. If we provide marketing emails or email newsletters we will allow you to make choices about what information you provide at the point of information collection or at any time after you have received a communication from us while you are subscribed. Transactional or service-oriented messages, such as delivery confirmation messages or appointment confirmations are usually excluded from such preferences, as such messages are required to respond to your requests or to provide goods and services, and are not intended for the purposes of marketing. We may send you marketing emails. You may opt out of them at any time by selecting the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of each email. Please note that by opting out or unsubscribing you may affect other services you have requested we provide to you, in which email communication is a requirement of the service provided. COMPANY DISCLOSURES We do not sell or lease your personal information to any third party. We may disclose your Personally-Identifying Information to a third party for a business purpose. We may disclose your Personally-Identifying Information for a business purpose to the following categories of third parties: - We Care Plumbing, Heating, & Air’s Affiliates and Parent Companies.</li> - Marketing Communications. Company may use third party vendors to provide marketing materials, including emailing users about products and services that Company believes may be of interest to them. - Service Providers. We may share your Personally-Identifying Information with our authorized service providers that perform certain services on our behalf and to operate the Website. These services may include fulfilling orders, providing customer service and marketing assistance, performing business and sales analysis, and supporting the Website’s functionality These service providers may have access to personal information needed to perform their functions but are not permitted to share or use such information for any other purpose. - By Law or to Protect Rights. When we believe disclosure is appropriate, we may disclose Personally-Identifying Information in connection with efforts to investigate, prevent or take other action regarding illegal activity, suspected fraud, or other wrongdoing; to protect and defend the rights, property, or safety of Company, our users, our employees or others; to comply with applicable law or cooperate with law enforcement; to enforce our other agreements or policies; in response to a subpoena or similar investigative demand, a court order or a request for cooperation from law enforcement or other government agency; to establish or exercise our legal rights; to defend against legal claims; or as otherwise required by law. CHANGING PERSONALLY-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION; ACCOUNT TERMINATION We strive to maintain and process your information accurately. We have processes in place to maintain all of our information in accordance with relevant data governance frameworks and legal requirements. We employ technologies designed to help us maintain information accuracy on input and processing. To view and change the Personally-Identifying Information that you have provided to us, please contact us directly for assistance. GENERAL USE The company uses the Personally-Identifying Information in the file we maintain about you, and other information we obtain from your current and past activities on the Website to: - to deliver the products and services that you have requested; - to provide you with customer support; - to communicate with you by email or postal mail about products or services that may be of interest to you either from us, our affiliate companies or other third parties; - to develop and display content and advertising tailored to your interests on the Website and other sites; - to resolve disputes and troubleshoot problems; - to measure consumer interest in our services; - to inform you of updates; - to customize your experience; - to detect and protect us against error, fraud, and other criminal activity; - to do as otherwise described to you at the time of collection. At times, we may look across multiple users to identify problems. In particular, we may examine your Personally-Identifying Information to identify users using multiple user IDs or aliases. We may compare and review your Personally-Identifying Information for accuracy and to detect errors and omissions. Duration. The length of time Company intends to retain each category of Personally-Identifying Information, including sensitive personal information, if any, is for as long as reasonably necessary to carry out Company’s intended business purpose for such information. COLLECTION AND USE OF INFORMATION BY THIRD PARTIES GENERALLY SECURITY We take the security of your Personally-Identifying Information seriously and use reasonable electronic, personnel, and physical measures to protect it from loss, theft, alteration, or misuse. However, please be advised that even the best security measures cannot fully eliminate all risks. We cannot guarantee that only authorized persons will view your information. We are not responsible for third-party circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures. CHILDREN The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) protects the online privacy of children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect or maintain Personally-Identifying Information from anyone under the age of 13, unless or except as permitted by law. Any person who provides Personally-Identifying Information through the Website represents to us that he or she is 13 years of age or older. We encourage parents and guardians to provide adequate protection measures to prevent minors from providing information unwillingly on the internet. If we learn that Personally-Identifying Information has been collected from a user under 13 years of age on or through the Website, then we will take the appropriate steps to cause this information to be deleted. CALFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS Shine the Light Law. Pursuant to California Civil Code Section 1798.83, we will not disclose or share your Personally-Identifying Information with third parties for the purposes of third-party marketing to you without your prior consent. California Consumer Rights. California consumers are provided with additional rights with respect to their personal information (also known as “personal data”), as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the “CCPA”) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act. Any personal information we collect is collected for the commercial purpose of effectively providing our services to you, as well as enabling you to learn more about, and benefit from, our services. If you reside in California you may exercise each of your rights as identified below, subject to our verification of your identity. - Access. You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection, use and disclosure of your Personally-Identifying Information. This includes the categories of Personally-Identifying Information collected and used by the Company, the categories of third-parties in which we disclose Personally-Identifying Information with, and the business purpose for collecting and disclosing such information. The response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request, if applicable. - Correction. You can request the Company correct any incorrect Personally-Identifying Information that the Company has collected from you or maintains. - Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information. If we collect any sensitive personal information, you have the right to request that we limit the use of the sensitive personal information to that use which is necessary to perform the services or provide the goods reasonably expected by an average consumer who requests those goods or services. - Deletion. You have the right to request that we delete any of your Personally-Identifying Information, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your Personally-Identifying Information from our records, unless an exception applies. Where applicable, we will ensure such changes are shared with trusted third parties. - Opt-out of Processing. You have the right to request that we do not sell your Personally-Identifying Information, use your Personally-Identifying Information for Targeted Advertising, or use your Personally-Identifying Information for profiling. Where applicable, we will ensure such changes are shared with trusted third parties. - Non-Discrimination. If you exercise your rights under the CCPA, we shall not discriminate against you by denying our goods or services, charging different prices or rates to similarly situated consumers, providing a different level or quality of our goods or services, or taking any other adverse action. - Exercising your rights. If choose to exercise the rights listed above, you can: - Submit a request via email at [email protected]; or - Call us at (833) 397-5670 to submit your request. Only you, or someone legally authorized to act on your behalf, may make a request related to your Personally-Identifying Information. If an authorized agent makes a request on your behalf, we may require proof that you gave the agent permission to submit the request. Responding to Your Request. Upon receiving your request, we will confirm receipt of your request by sending you an email confirming receipt. To help protect your privacy and maintain security, we may take steps to verify your identity before granting you access to the Personally-Identifying Information. In some instances, such as a request to delete personal information, we may first separately confirm that you would like for us to in fact delete your personal information before acting on your request. We will respond to your request within forty-five (45) days. If we require more time, we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing. In some cases our ability to uphold these rights for you may depend upon our obligations to process Personally-Identifying Information for security, safety, fraud prevention reasons, compliance with regulatory or legal requirements, or because processing is necessary to deliver the services you have requested. Where this is the case, we will inform you of specific details in response to your request. CONTACT	https://wecareteam.com/privacy/
Use of this website signifies your understanding of, agreement with and acceptance of the terms set forth in this policy. If you do not agree with or accepts these terms, you must stop using the website. Our website is not intended for persons under the age of eighteen (18) , and we do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. We understand the importance of your privacy, and we are committed to ensuring the security of all personal data we collect. This policy applies to information gathered through your use of either the desktop or mobile version of the website or any applications authored by us that permit access to the website content. It also applies to information gathered from any email correspondence you may have with the website administrators. This policy does not apply to the collection and processing of personal data by any third-party site or service accessed via links on our website. We have no control over third-party policies or procedures, and you should read the privacy policies of any third-party website or service you access. If you have any questions about this policy, you can contact us at [email protected]. Information we collect about you In order to provide the website, we collect information about registered and non-registered users of the website. This information includes the following: A. Members – In addition to the technical information gathered from browsers of the website (see 'Browsers' below), members provide us with their username, password and email address at the time of registration. We collect information from you as a member that includes your preferences and interests, and also any information you may provide in emails or feedback to us. B. Browsers – Information gathered from users of the website includes technical data such as IP address, referral URL, browser type and version, time zone, location and other such metrics, along with information on how you use our website. How information is collected Your information is collected using the following methods: Active Collection – You may directly give us your personal information when you create an account, post materials on the website, or communicate with us for any purpose. Our use of personal information We process information for a variety of purposes, which include the following: - To provide the website and to enable your interaction with its features - For the provision of tailored website content and relevant advertising - To perform research and analysis of data in order to maintain and improve the website - To diagnose and fix technological problems that interfere with the website's operation - To respond to your queries, resolve complaints and process requests, feedback and reports - To cooperate with law enforcement and other authorities and to fulfill our legal obligations Disclosure of your personal information We will not share your personal information, except to the following parties in the following circumstances: - Contractors and companies who perform services to ensure the efficient operation of the website, and only for the performance of the services - Any organization or individual that buys or to which we transfer all or a substantial portion of our assets and business - Law enforcement, regulatory bodies, government agencies or other authorities for compliance with applicable law and the protection of our rights and the rights of other individuals or entities Rights of users Your rights regarding your personal information include the rights of access, correction, restriction, and erasure. In addition, you may request a copy or transfer of your information, object to processing, or withdraw your consent. Please contact us if you wish to exercise any of these rights. Transfer of Information By submitting your personal data or engaging with our website, you consent to the transfer, storing, and processing or your information outside of your own country, including outside of the European Economic Area.	https://www.hdwetpussy.com/privacy-policy/
If you are an employee, worker or contractor of Langolin, the information about how we handle your personal information is available in the Langolin internal knowledge base. With respect to employees based in Europe, we are committed to cooperating with EU data protection authorities (DPAs) and comply with the advice given by such authorities with regard to human resources data transferred from the EU in the context of the employment relationship. Through the registration process, you will provide us with your name, e-mail address (or parent’s e-mail address), and age or date of birth. You will also provide us with your payment transaction information if you choose to pay for Langolin services. When you use the Service, you will submit information and content to your profile. We will also generate data about your use of our Services including your engagement in educational activities on the Service, or your sending of messages and otherwise transmitting information to other users (“Activity Data”). We also collect technical data about how you interact with our Services; for more information, see Cookies. When you take a Live Speaking Lesson, we will use your computer's microphone throughout the lesson to speak to your tutor. You also have the option of using your camera to share your video with your tutor. Langolin records these audio and video lessons and retains them until you close your Langolin account. Langolin uses this data to help improve the quality of the lessons and for internal research purposes. Langolin does not share any of your personal data with your tutor. You are completely anonymous to them by default, and you can freely choose whether you show them your video or tell them any personal details such as your name during the conversation. Langolin only shares some basic skill level information with the tutor, prior to your lesson, so they understand how best to speak to you. We also collect information about you from third parties. For more information, see Information obtained by Third Parties. We may contact you to participate in product research activities. These may include surveys, interviews, and other types of feedback sessions. When you participate in these research activities, the information you provide will be used to test, improve, and develop our products. We will record the video, audio and text transcriptions of this feedback together with any additional contact information you provide and will retain this data for two years. Please contact us at [email protected] to: When you enter the Website, we collect your browser type and your IP address (a unique address that identifies your computer on the Internet). When you use our mobile Application, we collect your device type, your device ID, and your IP address. You can find more information about cookies and how to manage them at http://www.allaboutcookies.org. To support and enhance the Service, we work with a variety of third party advertising networks, marketing analytics service providers and website analysis firms, such as Google, Facebook, and Amplitude (collectively, “Third Party Advertising Service Providers”). These Third Party Advertising Service Providers collect and use non-personally identifiable information, such as your mobile device ID, about your visits to and use of the Website and mobile Application, as well as other websites in order to serve you with advertisements and content tailored to meet your preferences and likely interests or better understand ad effectiveness. Aggregate demographic and interest data will also be used for market research purposes. We use Google Analytics which is a web analytics tool that helps us understand how users engage with the Website. Like many services, Google Analytics uses first-party cookies to track user interactions as in our case, where they are used to collect information about how users use our site. This information is used to compile reports and to help us improve our Website. The reports disclose website trends without identifying individual visitors. You can opt out of Google Analytics without affecting how you visit our site – for more information on opting out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites you use, visit this Google page: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. You can opt-out of receiving personalized ads from advertisers and ad networks that are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (“NAI”) or who follow the DAA Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising using their respective opt-out tools. The NAI's opt-out tool can be found here http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ and the DAA's opt out tool can be found here http://www.aboutads.info/choices/. In addition, your mobile devices may offer settings that enable you to make choices about the collection, use, or transfer of mobile app information for online behavioral advertising (for example, Apple iOS’ Advertising ID and Google Android’s Advertising ID). Please note that opting out does not prevent the display of all advertisements to you. Langolin may occasionally send you service related and product change announcements through the general operation of the Service. We will send you reminder notifications to support the Langolin teaching methodology by reinforcing the learning cadence and help maintain your learning streak. We process your data to help provide you with the Service and offer personalized features, to understand and improve our Service and to keep our Service safe and secure. Langolin may use or share anonymous data collected through the Service, including Activity Data without limitation. As a business, it is critical that we perform our contract with you with the best service possible, and it is in our legitimate interests to perform these processing functions and to enable service e-mails by default to keep your data secure and provide our Service. You may opt out of any non-essential service e-mails at any time. We may also use your contact information to send you notifications regarding new services, offers and promotions offered by Langolin if you affirmatively consent to receive such communications. When you register with Langolin, some of your information is made public and available at langolin.com/your-username. This will include the data from your Langolin Profile and Account (Name, Location, Bio, Username, User ID, Profile picture and Langolin Plus membership status); your followers and the people you follow; and your learning progress (XP, Streak, Daily Progress, Languages being learned, progress level, Crowns, Skills, Lessons undertaken, Lexemes and Strength). Your Langolin account email address is not shown publicly. Profile information is used by Langolin to be presented back to and edited by you when you access the Service and to be presented to other users. In some cases, other users may be able to supplement your profile, including by submitting comments (which can be deleted by you). Langolin uses this information to provide you with support, to send you essential notifications, to enforce our terms, conditions and policies, to communicate with you, to administer the Services, and for internal operations, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical, and survey purposes. Langolin’s Terms and Conditions provide the contractual lawful basis for these processing activities. Langolin shares your personal data only when it is necessary to offer the Service, legally required, or permitted by you. We will provide personal data to hosting providers such as Amazon Web Services, search engine providers such as Google, analytics providers such as Crashlytics, and support providers such as ZenDesk. These data processors help us bring you the Service. For example, we may share your information in order to detect where or how you encountered a bug when using our mobile application. In connection with these operations, our service providers will have access to personal data for a limited time. When we utilize service providers for processing any personal data, we implement contractual protections limiting the use of that personal data to the provision of services to Langolin. We will be required to access and disclose personal data in response to lawful requests, such as subpoenas or court orders, or in compliance with applicable laws. Additionally, we will access and share account or other personal data when we believe it is necessary to comply with law, to protect our interests or property, to prevent fraud or other illegal activity perpetrated through the Service or using the Langolin name, or to prevent imminent harm. This will include accessing and sharing personal data with other companies, lawyers, agents or government agencies. If the ownership of all or substantially all of the Langolin business, or individual business units or assets owned by Langolin that are related to the Service, were to change, your personal data will be transferred to the new owner. In any such transfer of information, your personal data would remain subject to this section. Langolin will share aggregate or anonymous data collected through the Service, including Activity Data, for purposes such as understanding or improving the service. You can manage your account settings at https://www.langolin.com/settings/ to update, amend, and correct your information. You also have the following rights in relation to the personal data we hold about you, unless provided otherwise by local law: Langolin will retain your data until your account is deleted, after which point we will retain anonymous data collected through the Service, including Activity Data, which may be used by Langolin and shared with third parties in any manner. Please note that some of these rights are not absolute. In some cases, we may refuse a request to exercise particular rights if complying with it meant that we are no longer able to meet our contractual obligation to provide you with particular products and services. We will keep you informed as to the actions that we can take when you make your request. You may also have the right to make a GDPR complaint to the relevant Supervisory Authority. A list of Supervisory Authorities is available here: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en.htm. If you need further assistance regarding your rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below and we will consider your request in accordance with applicable law. In some cases our ability to uphold these rights for you may depend upon our obligations to process personal information for security, safety, fraud prevention reasons, compliance with regulatory or legal requirements, or because processing is necessary to deliver the services you have requested. Where this is the case, we will inform you of specific details in response to your request. Please note that you may have cookies placed on your computer by third party websites that refer you to our Service. Although we do not share your personal data with these third party websites unless it is reasonably necessary to offer the Service, they may be able to link certain non-personally identifiable information we transfer to them with personal data they previously collected from you. Please review the privacy policies of each website you visit to better understand their privacy practices. In addition, Langolin would like to inform you that anytime you click on links (including advertising banners), which take you to third party websites, you will be subject to the third parties’ privacy policies. California Civil Code Section 1798.83 entitles residents of the State of California to request from a business, with whom that resident has an established business relationship, certain information regarding the types of personal data the business shares with third parties for direct marketing purposes by such third party and the identities of the third parties with whom the business has shared such information during the immediately preceding calendar year. If you would like to request a copy of this information disclosure from Langolin, please contact us at [email protected]. Pursuant to the Privacy Shield Frameworks, EU and Swiss individuals have the right to obtain our confirmation of whether we maintain personal information relating to you in the United States. Upon request, we will provide you with access to the personal information that we hold about you. You may also may correct, amend, or delete the personal information we hold about you. An individual who seeks access, or who seeks to correct, amend, or delete inaccurate data transferred to the United States under Privacy Shield, should direct their query to [email protected]. If requested to remove data, we will respond within a reasonable timeframe. We will provide an individual opt-out choice, or opt-in for sensitive data, before we share your data with third parties other than our agents, or before we use it for a purpose other than which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized. To request to limit the use and disclosure of your personal information, please submit a written request to [email protected]. Langolin’s accountability for personal data that it receives in the United States under the Privacy Shield and subsequently transfers to a third party is described in the Privacy Shield Principles. In particular, Langolin remains responsible and liable under the Privacy Shield Principles if third-party agents that it engages to process the personal data on its behalf do so in a manner inconsistent with the Principles, unless Langolin proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage. With respect to personal data received or transferred pursuant to the Privacy Shield Frameworks, Langolin is subject to the regulatory enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In certain situations, Langolin may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. In compliance with the EU-US and Swiss-US Privacy Shield Principles, Langolin commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal data. European Union or Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding this Privacy Statement should first contact Langolin’s Data Protection Officer at: Data Protection Officer, Langolin.com, E-mail: [email protected] Langolin has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the Privacy Shield Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, the BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD, operated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. If you do not receive timely acknowledgement of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, please visit https://www.bbb.org/EU-privacy-shield/for-eu-consumers for more information and to file a complaint. The services of BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD are provided at no cost to you. If your complaint involves human resources data transferred to the United States from the EU and/or Switzerland in the context of the employment relationship, and Langolin does not address it satisfactorily, Langolin commits to cooperate with the panel established by the EU data protection authorities (DPA Panel) and/or the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, as applicable and to comply with the advice given by the DPA panel and/or Commissioner, as applicable with regard to such human resources data. To pursue an unresolved human resources complaint, you should contact the state or national data protection or labor authority in the appropriate jurisdiction. Complaints related to human resources data should not be addressed to the BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD. Contact details for the EU data protection authorities can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en.htm. If your Privacy Shield complaint cannot be resolved through the above channels, under certain conditions, you may invoke binding arbitration for some residual claims not resolved by other redress mechanisms. See Privacy Shield Annex 1 at https://www.privacyshield.gov/article?id=ANNEX-I-introduction. Langolin provides some features and services intended for use by children. Langolin uses age-gating to restrict what services are available to children depending on the age of the user and the applicable laws of their country. For example, a 15 year old child in Germany will require parental consent to use the Service, whereas a 12 year old child in the United States of America would receive a restricted service but not require parental consent. Each European Union (EU) member state is permitted to legally define its own digital age of consent between 13 and 16. Langolin checks the age and country of the user to determine if the user is able to consent to the Service. If consent of a parent/guardian is required, the user will input the e-mail address of an adult who will receive a request to approve the child’s account registration. In the absence of a country specific Act of Law, the age of consent will be set at 16. These EU child users will receive the following service restrictions: they will not be able to use the service until their parent/guardian has provided consent for the child to do so. After the parent/guardian has given consent, they child will be allowed to access the full Langolin service. Where Langolin does make features and services available to children, we recognize that collecting personal data from children requires further privacy protections. Accordingly, Langolin will: (1) notify parents or guardians about Langolin’s privacy and information practices regarding children, including what personal data we collection and how we use, share, and protect that personal data; (2) limit our collection of personal data to ensure that we collect no more than is necessary to provide Langolin’s services; (3) obtain parental consent before collecting personal data from children; and (4) allow parents to request that Langolin change or delete personal data about their children. If a child of under 13 years from outside the EU registers for the Langolin service, upon registration the child will provide an adult’s e-mail address, to whom Langolin sends a notification. These child users will receive the following service restrictions: At the point when the user is known to have reached the age of 13, the account will automatically be transitioned to be a normal non-restricted account. At all times Langolin does not knowingly collect personal information from children in connection with the Service. If we discover that we have unknowingly collected personal information from these children, we will delete it. If you believe we have collected personal information from a child, please contact us at [email protected]. Langolin has implemented administrative and technical safeguards it believes are appropriate to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your personal data, User Photo, and access credentials. However, given sufficient resources, a determined attacker could defeat those safeguards and may, as a result, gain access to the data we seek to protect. The Service is not designed to respond to “do not track” signals sent by some browsers. For all support inquiries, please go to https://langolin.com/contact.	https://langolin.com/privacy/
What information do we collect? We receive, collect and store any information you enter on our website or provide us in any other way. In addition, we collect the Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet; login; e-mail address; password; computer and connection information and purchase history. We may use software tools to measure and collect session information, including page response times, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information, and methods used to browse away from the page. We also collect personally identifiable information (including name, email, password, communications); payment details (including credit card information), comments, feedback, product reviews, recommendations, and personal profile. How we collect the information? We collect Device Information using the following technologies: - “Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a site visitor's browser. They are typically used to keep track of the settings users have selected and actions they have taken on a site. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org. - “Log files” track actions occurring on the Site, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps. - “Web beacons”, “tags”, and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Site. Additionally when you make a purchase or attempt to make a purchase through the Site, we collect certain personal information from you, including your name, billing address, shipping address, payment information, email address, and phone number. Why do we collect information stated above? We collect such Non-personal and Personal Information for the following purposes: - To provide and operate the Services we provide; - To provide our Users with ongoing customer assistance and technical support; - To be able to contact our Visitors and Users with general or personalized service-related notices and promotional messages; - To create aggregated statistical data and other aggregated and/or inferred Non-personal Information, which we or our business partners may use to provide and improve our respective services; - To comply with any applicable laws and regulations. - To provide a great experience for our visitors and customers. - To identify our registered members (users who registered to our site). - To monitor and analyze the performance, operation and effectiveness of Wix's platform. - To ensure our platform is secure and safe to use. Cookie Name Purpose Duration Cookie Type XSRF-TOKEN Used for security reasons Session Essential hs Used for security reasons Session Essential svSession Used in connection with user login 2 years Essential SSR-caching Used to indicate the system from which the site was rendered 1 minute Essential _wixCIDX Used for system monitoring/debugging 3 months Essential _wix_browser_sess Used for system monitoring/debugging session Essential consent-policy Used for cookie banner parameters 12 months Essential smSession Used to identify logged in site members Session Essential TS* Used for security and anti-fraud reasons Session Essential Session Used for system effectiveness measurement 30 minutes Essential fedops.logger.sessionId Used for stability/effectiveness measurement 12 months Essential wixLanguage Used on multilingual websites to save user language preference 12 months Functional The following links explain how to access cookie settings in various browsers: How do we store, use, share and disclose our site visitors' personal information? Our company is hosted on the Wix.com platform. Wix.com provides us with the online platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you. Your data may be stored through Wix.com’s data storage, databases and the general Wix.com applications. They store your data on secure servers behind a firewall. You can read more about how Wix uses your Personal Information here: https://www.wix.com/about/privacy All direct payment gateways offered by Wix.com and used by our company adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of credit card information by our store and its service providers. We use your personal information to fulfill any orders placed through the site or Email and issue you an invoice. We may contact you to notify you regarding your account, to troubleshoot problems with your account, to resolve a dispute, to collect fees or monies owed, or as otherwise necessary to contact you to enforce our User Agreement, applicable national laws, and any agreement we may have with you. We also use your information to screen our orders for potential risk or fraud. When in line with the preferences you have shared with us, provide you with information or advertising relating to our products or services, poll your opinions through surveys or questionnaires, to send updates about our company. We use the Device Information that we collect to help us screen for potential risk and fraud (in particular, your IP address), and more generally to improve and optimize our Site (for example, by generating analytics about how our customers browse and interact with the Site, and to assess the success of our marketing and advertising campaigns). We share your Personal Information with third parties to help us use your Personal Information, as described above. For example, we also use Google Analytics to help us understand how our customers use the Site -- you can read more about how Google uses your Personal Information here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. You can also opt-out of Google Analytics across all websites here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Finally, we may also share your Personal Information to comply with applicable laws and regulations, to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other lawful request for information we receive, or to otherwise protect our rights. Behavioural advertising As described above, we use your Personal Information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications we believe may be of interest to you. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s (“NAI”) educational page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/how-does-it-work. You can opt out of targeted advertising by using the links below: - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads - Google: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/anonymous - Bing: https://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/policies/personalized-ads Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal at: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Do not track Please note that we do not alter our Site’s data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser. Your rights If you are a European or United Kingdom resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below. Data retention When you place an order through the Site, we will maintain your Order Information for our records unless and until you ask us to delete this information. For more information or requests please contact us at Changes	https://www.fillthemup.com/privacy-policy
Effective Date: May 6, 2021 IPG Health (“IPG Health”) respects your concerns about privacy. This Website Privacy Notice describes the types of personal information we collect about individuals on https://www.ipghealth.com (the “Site”), how we may use the information, with whom we may share it, and the choices available regarding our use of the information. The Website Privacy Notice also describes the measures we take to safeguard the personal information, how long we retain it and how individuals can contact us about our privacy practices and to exercise their rights. Click on one of the links below to jump to the listed section: - Information We Obtain - How We Use the Information We Obtain - Information Sharing - Data Transfers - Your Rights and Choices - Other Online Services and Third-Party Features - Retention of Personal Information - How We Protect Personal Information - Children’s Personal Information - Updates to Our Website Privacy Notice - How to Contact Us INFORMATION WE OBTAIN We may collect and store personal information (such as name and other contact details) that you choose to provide to us when you provide them through the Site or when you contact us. The types of personal information we collect may include: - Contact information, such as your name and e-mail address; - Other personal information you may submit to us, such as when you contact us. Automated Collection of Data When you use the Site, we may obtain certain information by automated means, such as browser cookies, device identifiers, server logs, and other technologies. The information we obtain in this manner may include your device IP address, domain name, identifiers associated with your devices, device and operating system type and characteristics, web browser characteristics, language preferences, clickstream data, your interactions with the Site (such as the web pages you visit, links you click, videos you watch and features you use), the pages that led or referred you to the Site, dates and times of access to the Site, geolocation information, and other information about your use of the Site. A “cookie” is a text file that websites send to a visitor’s computer or other Internet-connected device to uniquely identify the visitor’s browser or to store information or settings in the browser. A “web beacon,” also known as an Internet tag, pixel tag or clear GIF, links web pages to web servers and their cookies and may be used to transmit information collected through cookies back to a web server. We and our third-party service providers may use beacons in emails to help us track response rates, identify when our emails are accessed or forwarded, and for other purposes listed below. These technologies help us (1) remember your information so you will not have to re-enter it; (2) track and understand how you use and interact with the Site; (3) tailor the Site around your preferences; (4) measure the usability of the Site; (5)provide you with interest-based advertising; and (6) otherwise manage and enhance the functionality of the Site. To the extent required by applicable law, we will obtain your consent before placing cookies or similar technologies on your computer. Additionally, you can stop certain types of cookies from being downloaded on your computer by selecting the appropriate settings on your web browser. Most web browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new browser cookies, how to be notified when you receive a new browser cookie and how to disable existing cookies. You can find out how to do this for your particular browser by clicking “help” on your browser’s menu or by visiting allaboutcookies.org. The Site is not designed to respond to “do not track” signals received from browsers. Please note that, without cookies or other automated tools, you may not be able to use all of the features of the Site. Third-Party Web Analytics Services We may obtain personal information about your online activities over time and across third-party websites, devices and other online services. On the Site, we use third-party online analytics services, such as Google Analytics. The service providers that administer these analytics services use automated technologies to collect data (such as email address, IP addresses, cookies and other device identifiers) to evaluate, for example, use of the Site and to diagnose technical issues. To learn more about Google Analytics, please visit http://www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html. You may opt out of Google Analytics by visiting https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl+en=GB. Online Tracking and Interest-Based Advertising On the Site, both we and certain third parties may collect information about your online activities to provide you with advertising about products and services tailored to your individual interests. Where required by applicable law, we will obtain your consent for the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes. You may see our ads on other websites or mobile apps because we participate in advertising networks. Ad networks allow us to target our messaging to users considering demographic data, users’ inferred interests, location and browsing context. These networks track users’ online activities over time by collecting information through automated means, including through the use of browser cookies, web beacons, device identifiers, server logs, web beacons and other similar technologies. The networks use this information to show ads that may be tailored to individuals’ interests, to track users’ browsers or devices across multiple websites and apps, and to build a profile of users’ online browsing and app usage activities. The information our ad networks may collect includes data about users’ visits to websites and apps that participate in the relevant ad networks, such as the pages or ads viewed and the actions taken on the websites or apps. This data collection takes place on third-party websites and apps that participate in the ad networks. To learn how to opt out of ad network interest-based advertising in the U.S., please visit www.aboutads.info/choices and http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/. In the European Union, please visit www.youronlinechoices.eu. HOW WE USE THE INFORMATION WE OBTAIN We may use the information we obtain on the Site to: - personalize your experience on the Site; - provide our services to you; - market our services to you; - respond to your requests and inquiries; - operate, evaluate and improve our business (including developing new services; enhancing and improving our services; analyzing our services; managing our communications; performing data analytics and market research; and performing accounting, auditing and other internal functions); - protect against, identify and prevent fraud and other criminal activity, claims and other liabilities; and - comply with and enforce applicable legal requirements, relevant industry standards and our policies, including this Website Privacy Notice As required by applicable law, we use the personal information we obtain to comply with applicable legal requirements, carry out our contractual obligations and, as permitted by law, pursue our legitimate interests (such as managing the Site, performing data analytics, and operating, evaluating and improving our business). We also may use the information we obtain in other ways for which we provide specific notice at the time of collection or otherwise with your consent. We may combine information we obtain about you (such as through the Site or from third parties) for the purposes described above. INFORMATION SHARING We do not disclose personal information we obtain about you, except as described in this Website Privacy Notice. We may share your personal information with our (1) IPG Health affiliates and (2) service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as hosting this Site, relationship management or data analytics, for the purposes described in this Website Privacy Notice. We do not authorize our service providers to use or disclose the information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. We also may disclose information about you (1) if we are required to do so by law or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena); (2) in response to requests by government agencies, such as law enforcement authorities; (3) to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights; (4) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical or other harm or financial loss; (5) in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity; (6) in the event we sell or transfer all or a portion of our business or assets (including in the event of a reorganization, dissolution or liquidation); or (7) otherwise with your consent. DATA TRANSFERS We may transfer the personal information we collect about you to recipients (including our subsidiaries and affiliates, and third party service providers) in countries other than the country in which the information originally was collected. Those countries may not have the same data protection laws as the country in which you initially provided the information. When we transfer your information to recipients in other countries (such as the U.S.), we will protect that information as described in this Website Privacy Notice. YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES We offer you certain choices in connection with the personal information we obtain about you. To update your preferences, update or correct your information, limit the communications you receive from us, or submit a request, please contact us as specified in the How to Contact Us section of this Website Privacy Notice. You also can unsubscribe from our marketing mailing lists by following the “Unsubscribe” link in our emails. Under EU law, all data subjects to whom the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) applies have certain rights including to: (1) request access to the personal information we maintain about you; (2) request that we update, correct, amend, erase or restrict our use of your personal information; (3) exercise your right to data portability, by contacting us as indicated, (4) lodge a complaint with an European supervisory authority regarding any breach of European data protection rules; and (5) in certain circumstances, request the erasure of or object to the retention or use of personal data. To exercise any of your rights as a data subject under the GDPR, please contact us as specified in the How to Contact Us section of this Privacy Notice. Where provided by law, you may withdraw any consent you previously provided to us or object at any time to the processing of your personal information on legitimate grounds relating to your particular situation, and we will apply your preferences going forward. To help protect your privacy and maintain security, we may take steps to verify your identity before granting you access to your information. To the extent permitted by applicable law, a charge may apply before we provide you with a copy of any of your personal information that we maintain. OTHER ONLINE SERVICES AND THIRD-PARTY FEATURES The Site may provide links to other online services and websites for your convenience and information, and may include third-party features such as apps, tools, widgets and plug-ins (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Vimeo buttons). These services, websites, and third-party features may operate independently from us. The privacy practices of these third parties, including details on the information they may collect about you, are subject to the privacy statements of these parties, which we strongly suggest you review. To the extent any linked online services or third-party features are not owned or controlled by us, IPG Health is not responsible for these third parties’ information practices. RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION To the extent permitted by applicable law, we retain personal information we obtain about you as long as (1) it is needed for the purposes for which we obtained it, in accordance with the provisions of this Website Privacy Notice, or (2) we have another lawful basis for retaining the data beyond the period for which it is necessary to serve the original purpose for collecting the data. HOW WE PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION We maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information we obtain through the Site against accidental, unlawful or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure or use. CHILDREN’S PERSONAL INFORMATION The Site is designed for a general audience and is not directed to children under the age of 13. IPG Health does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13 through the Site. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13, we will promptly delete that information from our records. If you believe that a child under the age of 13 may have provided us with personal information, please contact us as specified in the How to Contact Us section of this Website Privacy Notice. UPDATES TO OUR WEBSITE PRIVACY NOTICE This Website Privacy Notice may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our personal information practices. We will indicate at the top of the notice when it was most recently updated. HOW TO CONTACT US To contact us in relation to this Privacy Notice or any privacy matter, including our use of your personal data or to exercise other applicable privacy rights, please use the following contact details: FCB Health ATTN: Data Security Office 100 West 33rd Street New York, NY 10001 [email protected] (212) 885-3000 GDPR DPO Contact Details:	https://ipghealth.com/privacy-notice
- Introduction. This policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit the website www.moby.co (our "Website") and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information. This policy applies to information we collect: - On this Website. - In email, text, and other electronic messages between you and this Website. - Through mobile and desktop applications you download from this Website, which provide dedicated non-browser-based interaction between you and this Website. - When you interact with our advertising and applications on third-party websites and services, if those applications or advertising include links to this policy. It does not apply to information collected by: - Us offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by Company or any third party; or - Any third party, including through any application or content (including advertising) that may link to or be accessible from or on the Website. - Persons Under the Age of 18. Our Website is not intended for use by persons under 18 years of age. No one under age 18 may provide any information to or on the Website. We do not knowingly collect personal information from persons under 18. If you are under 18, do not use or provide any information on this Website or on or through any of its features. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a person under 18, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a person under 18, please contact us at: - Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It. We collect several types of information about users of our Website, including information: - By which you may be personally identified, such as name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone number, or any other identifier by which you may be contacted online or offline ("Personal Information"); - That is about you but individually does not identify you, such as username - About your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Website, and usage details. We collect this information: - Directly from you when you provide it to us. - Automatically as you navigate through the site. Information collected automatically may include usage details, IP addresses, and information collected through cookies. - From third parties, for example, like our business partners or social media platforms, including Instagram. - Information You Provide to Us. The information we collect on or through our Website may include: - Information that you provide by filling in forms on and/or interacting with our Website. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use our Website, subscribing to our service, posting material, or requesting further services. We may also ask you for information when you report a problem with our Website. - Records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses), if you contact us. You also may provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, "posted") on public areas of the Website, or transmitted to other users of the Website or third parties (collectively, "User Contributions"). Your User Contributions are posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. Although you may set certain privacy settings for such information by logging into your account profile, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other users of the Website with whom you may choose to share your User Contributions. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that your User Contributions will not be viewed by unauthorized persons. - Information We Collect Through Automatic Data Collection Technologies. As you navigate through and interact with our Website, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns, including: - Details of your visits to our Website, including traffic data, location data, logs, and other communication data and the resources that you access and use on the Website. - Information about your computer and internet connection, including your IP address, operating system, and browser type. The information we collect automatically does include personal information, or we may maintain it or associate it with personal information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Website and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including by enabling us to: - Estimate our audience size and usage patterns. - Store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize our Website according to your individual interests. - Speed up your searches. - Recognize you when you return to our Website. The technologies we use for this automatic data collection may include: We do not control these third parties' tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many providers, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. - How We Use Your Information. We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information: - To present our Website and its contents to you. - To provide you with information, products, or services that you request from us. - To fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it. - To provide you with notices about your account, including expiration and renewal notices. - To carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts entered into between you and us, including for billing and collection. - To notify you about changes to our Website or any products or services we offer or provide though it. - To allow you to participate in interactive features on our Website. - In any other way we may describe when you provide the information. - For any other purpose with your consent. We may also use your information to contact you with [weekly/monthly/bi-annually, etc.] emails with notifications of new content on the Website. You may opt out of these notifications by contacting [email protected]. For more information, see Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. We may use the information we have collected from you to enable us to display advertisements to our advertisers' target audiences. Even though we do not disclose your personal information for these purposes without your consent, if you click on or otherwise interact with an advertisement, the advertiser may assume that you meet its target criteria. - Disclosure of Your Information. We may disclose aggregated information about our users without restriction. - To our affiliates. - To contractors, service providers, and other third parties we use to support our business. - SmartyStocks may share your information with companies that you invest in. This information includes your public profile information, your address and email address. - To a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of SmartyStocks's assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which personal information held by SmartyStocks about our Website users is among the assets transferred. - To fulfill the purpose for which you provide it. - For any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information. - With your consent. We may also disclose your personal information: - To comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request. - To enforce or apply our Terms of Service and other agreements, including for billing and collection purposes. - If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of SmartyStocks, our customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction. - Choices About How We Use and Disclose Your Information. We strive to provide you with choices regarding the personal information you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with the following control over your information: We do not control third parties' collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However, these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") on the NAI's website. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa for more information. Nevada residents who wish to exercise their sale opt-out rights under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A may submit a request to this designated address: [email protected]. However, please know we do not currently sell data triggering that statute's opt-out requirements. - Accessing and Correcting Your Information. You can review and change your personal information by logging into the Website and visiting your account profile page. You may also send us an email at [email protected] to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that you have provided to us. We cannot delete your personal information except by also deleting your user account. We may not accommodate a request to change information if we believe the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect. If you delete your User Contributions from the Website, copies of your User Contributions may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or might have been copied or stored by other Website users. Proper access and use of information provided on the Website, including User Contributions, is governed by our Terms of Service. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see Your California Privacy Rights for more information. - Your California Privacy Rights. If you are a California resident, California law may provide you with additional rights regarding our use of your personal information. To learn more about your California privacy rights, visit https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa. California's "shine the Light" law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83) permits users of our App that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to [email protected]. - Safeguards. SmartyStocks has implemented information security safeguards designed to protect your Personal Information. Unfortunately, neither the network nor data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while SmartyStocks strives to protect your information, SmartyStocks cannot ensure or warrant the security of Personal Information or other information submitted through the Website. Thus, any information you transmit to SmartyStocks is done so at your own risk. - Social Media Features and Widgets. It is our policy to post any changes we make to this Policy on this page with a notice that the Policy has been updated on the Website home page. If we make material changes to how we treat your Personal Information, we will notify you through a notice on the Website home page. The date the Policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date active and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting our Website and this Policy to check for any changes. - Contact Information.	https://www.moby.co/data-and-privacy-policy
Amid rising concerns over security and privacy of user data, the United States Senate has rolled out a new data privacy bill, which, they hope will pull the reins on the collection of data by tech biggies like Facebook, Google and Apple. Democrat Senators in the Lead The bill has been put forth by Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has teamed up with other bi-partisan senators, including the likes of Joe Manchin, John Kennedy, and Richard Burr. The bill in question is the Social Media Privacy Protection and Consumer Rights Act, which is being reintroduced by the team. Under the terms of the bill, users will have access to better control of their data which is collected by companies, and will also allow them the option to not have their data tracked or collected. To Empower Customers Speaking about the bill, Senator Klobuchar said that consumers in America have been kept in the dark for too long, while companies continued to feed off their data. She says that the aim of the bill is to “empower consumers”, by putting them in the position of taking decisions on how they wish for their data to be used by companies, as well as to provide them additional information on how to exercise this power. The terms of service will have to be reframed by companies, under the clauses of the bill. This will allow users to clearly understand what they are signing up for, as they enter the platforms. Any data breach will have to be conveyed to all users within 72 hours. Previously Introduced Bills This is not the first time the bill has been put forward. It was put forth by Klobuchar for the first time in 2019, following the Cambridge Analaytica scandal at Facebook. The bill was not accepted back then, as it was not supported by the then Republican-ruled Senate. Regional legislations like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have also been put in place, and companies like Microsoft Inc. have vowed to adhere to it in other states too. But now many companies are wishing for a countrywide legislation, which would make the terms simpler.	https://techstory.in/new-data-privacy-bill-rolled-out-by-american-senate/
NOTE: THIS APPLICATION IS INTENDED ONLY FOR USE BY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU ARE NOT LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SENDING ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION UNTIL YOU ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. fyxify, LLC, a Florida limited liability company ("fyxify "), respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it through fyxify’s compliance with this policy. This policy describes: This policy applies only to information fyxify collects in this App. This policy DOES NOT apply to information that: fyxify’s websites and apps and these other third parties may have their own privacy policies, which fyxify encourages you to read before providing information on or through them. This App is not intended for children under 16 years of age. No one under age 16 may provide any information to or on this App. Fyxify does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 16. If you are under 16, do not use or provide any information on this App or on or through any of its features, make any purchases through this App, use any of the interactive or public comment features of this App, or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name you may use. If fyxify learns it has collected or received Personal Information from a child under 16 without verification of parental consent, fyxify will delete that information. If you believe fyxify might have any information from or about a child under 16, please contact fyxify at (855) 403-8810. California residents under 16 years of age may have additional rights regarding the collection and sale of their personal information. Please see “Your California Privacy Rights” for more information. fyxify may collect information from and about users of this App: This may include information: If you do not want fyxify to collect this information, you should not download this App or you should delete it from your device. For more information, see “Your Choices About fyxify’s Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Your Information”. This information may include: When you download, access, and use this App, it may use technology to automatically collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns. The information collected automatically may include location information. The technologies fyxify uses for automatic information collection may include your phone’s location services to track your location. When you use this App or its content, certain third parties may use automatic or other information collection technologies to collect information about you or your device. These third parties may include: These third parties may also include: If you have questions about which third parties may have access to your information through your access to or use of this App, you may contact us at 941-210-5610 for more information. For information about how you can opt out of receiving targeted advertising from many providers, see “Your Choices About fyxify’s Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Your Information”. Some operating systems include a Do-Not-Track (“DNT”) feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your activities monitored and collected. No uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. Furthermore, we do not track users over time and across third party websites to provide targeted advertising. As such, this Application does not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. However, some third-party service providers may keep track of your activities when they serve you content, which enables them to tailor what they present to you. To determine whether a particular third party honors DNT requests, please read their privacy policies or contact the third party directly. For more information about third parties that may collect information through this App, see “Third Party Information Collection”. For more information about “do not track,” visit www.allaboutdnt.org. fyxify may use information that it collects about you or that you provide to it, including any Personal Information, to: The usage and device information fyxify collects may help it to improve this App and to deliver a better and more personalized experience by enabling fyxify to: Location information is used to allow the user to navigate to a requesting customer and to track the user’s progress to the requesting customer’s location. fyxify may disclose aggregated information about this App’s users and information that does not identify any individual or device without restriction. In addition, fyxify may disclose Personal Information that it collects or you provide: fyxify may also disclose your personal information: fyxify strives to provide you with choices regarding the Personal Information you provide to fyxify. This section describes mechanisms fyxify provides for you to control certain uses and disclosures of your information. fyxify does not control third parties' collection, receipt, use, storage, or transmission of your information. However, these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in certain ways. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative ("NAI") on the NAI's website, which is currently located at https://optout.networkadvertising.org/?c=1#!/. For more information about third-party services, see “Third Party Information Collection”. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see “Your California Privacy Rights” for more information. You can review and change your Personal Information by logging into this App and visiting your account profile page. California residents may have additional personal information rights and choices. Please see “Your California Privacy Rights” for more information. If you are a California resident, California law may provide you with additional rights regarding our use of your personal information. California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section 1798.83) may permit users of this App that are California residents to request certain information regarding fyxify’s disclosure of Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To request information or to exercise any rights you may have as a California resident, please send an email to [email protected] or write fyxify at 7565 Commerce Court, Sarasota, Florida 34243, Att: fyxify Privacy Question. fyxify has implemented reasonable measures designed to secure your Personal Information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. Any payment transactions will be encrypted. The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where fyxify has given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to certain parts of this App, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. fyxify asks you not to share your password with anyone. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet and mobile platforms is not completely secure. Although fyxify has implemented reasonable measures to protect your Personal Information, it cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information transmitted through this App. Any transmission of Personal Information is at your own risk. fyxify is not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures fyxify provides.	https://portal.fyxify.com/static/pro/privacy-policy
Any unauthorized actions attempting to upload information or change services and/or related information provided by the Council are strictly forbidden and may be a violation of law. To safeguard the security of this website and guarantee the continuing capability of users to access the service network, this site provides the following security measures: 1. A hacking detection system has been set up that monitors unauthorized attempts to upload or change webpage information or to do intentional damage 2. To guarantee the rights and interests of users, a firewall has been installed that prevents illegal access to, destruction of or stealing of data. 3. Anti-virus software has been installed and is run on a periodic basis to provide users with a more secure browsing environment. 4. Unscheduled, mock hacker attack exercises are conducted, system restore procedures are perfected and an appropriate level of security is provided. 5. A back-up server has been installed and daily data back-up is made; in addition remote back-up is also provided. 6. System patches are continually being installed and updated. Privacy Rights The following policy for safeguarding privacy is used when you visit this website. It involves the collection, use and safeguarding of personal data. The Collection and Use of Personal Data To insure the legal provision of personal data to outside users, the Council requires these users to register their basic personal data in accordance with the content and nature of the material they intend to use: 1. Requests for online document retrieval, broadcast schedules and online activities.When requests are made for online document retrieval, broadcast schedules and online activities, we will consider the content and nature of the material and request the registration of the necessary personal data. 2. E-mail or suggestion box. When the e-mail or the website suggestion box is used to contact us, you are requested to provide accurate personal data so that a response can be made. 3. Other We would like to remind you that the links on this website may also collect your personal data. These links each have their own individual privacy protection policies with regard to any personal information you voluntarily provide. The data management measures they take are not covered by the privacy protection policies of this website and we do not bear any responsibility for them. Cookies are small bits of data used by the server to differentiate user preferences that are then written to the user's hard disk via the browser. You can edit your browser's degree of acceptance of cookies from accepting all cookies, being asked to accept or reject individual cookies, or rejecting all cookies. (In Netscape go to "preferences" and then "advanced"; in Internet Explorer, go to "tools", "Internet" and then "privacy.")If you choose to reject all cookies, you may be unable to use some of the personalized services or take part in some of the website activities. Policy on Sharing of Personal Data With Third Parties. This website will under no circumstances ever sell, exchange or lease your personal data to any other organization or person. However, under the following specific circumstances the website will handle your personal data in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and not apply the privacy protection measures stipulated above. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. When your actions on this website violate the terms of service or may harm or interfere with the rights and interests of the Council or any other person, the Council may disclose your personal data to assist in identification, contact or the taking of legal action. 2. Personal data will be disclosed based on a good faith belief that this is required by law. 3. When for public safety purposes judicial authorities request this site provide personal data to specially designated third parties, the site will take the necessary corresponding measures based on its consideration of the legality and the appropriateness of legal procedures. E-mail Policy After the website obtains your agreement before or during your registration, it will send you data or an e-mail. Aside from clearly indicating this has been sent by the "Council for Hakka Affairs" it will also provide a method, an explanation or a link that will enable you at any time to stop receiving such material. This website will not use the personal data obtained here in any commercial advertising, except for transmitting materials that advertise the website itself to the users. Revision of Privacy Terms and Security Policy Because of the rapid development of technology, the fact that relevant laws and regulations lag behind reality and that it is difficult to predict changes in the overall environment, the Council will revise the privacy and security policies of the website as necessary to implement the safeguarding of your privacy rights and online security. As soon as the Council finishes any revision of privacy or security policies, we will immediately post these on the website and will prominently display a message reminding you to click on and read them. Inquiries Regarding Privacy or Security Policies If you have any questions about the privacy and/or security policies of the "Hakka Tung Blossom Festival Website," please feel free to contact us at any time.	https://tung.hakka.gov.tw/EN/0000015.html
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Objectives Learn about the role played by Muslims in world trade. Discover how great trading states rose in East Africa and West Africa. Find out how China dominated an important trade route across Asia. 2 Terms and People Muhammad – the prophet and founder of Islam Mansa Musa – a Muslim ruler of the Mali empire during its height navigation – the science of locating the position and plotting the course of ships Zheng He – a Chinese explorer who made several voyages to trade with nations in Asia and Africa 3 How did trade link Europe, Africa, and Asia? From the earliest times, trade linked groups who lived at great distances from one another. Merchants carried their cultures with them as they traveled along their established trade routes. 4 The Silk Road, one of the great trade routes of ancient times, stretched 5,000 miles from China to Persia. 5 Merchants on the Silk Road brought silk, jade, pottery, spices, and bronze goods from China to Middle Eastern and European markets. Along the way, they traded in the Middle East for spices and other products. 6 China established trade links with India, Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Africa. China’s trade centers grew into cities, and by the 1200s, Hangzhou was one of the largest cities in the world. 7 China made great strides in technology that made trading easier: printing with movable type the magnetic compass, a great advance in navigation N E W S 8 By the 1300s, Chinese ships were sailing routes that stretched from Japan to East Africa. The Chinese explorer Zheng He made several voyages with a large fleet of ships and traded with 30 nations throughout Asia and Africa. 9 Trade in Africa began with Egypt in 3100 B.C. In about A.D. 1000, trade centers began to appear in eastern Africa. 10 Zimbabwe, the largest trade center, lay on a trade route between the east coast and the interior of Africa. Zimbabwe became the center of a flourishing empire in the 1400s. 11 Trade brought prosperity to a number of cities, including Kilwa, along the east coast of Africa. Goods traded by Africans included: pottery gold ivory cloth furs An active slave trade also developed between East Africa and Asia across the Indian Ocean. 12 Trade networks also linked the Middle East and West Africa. Ghana, the first major trade center in West Africa, grew rich from its trade in gold and salt. 13 War and shifting trade routes eventually weakened Ghana, which was absorbed into the empire of Mali in the 1200s. Mali reached its height under the Muslim ruler Mansa Musa. Timbuktu, a city in the Mali empire, became a center of learning. 14 Songhai rulers expanded trade across the Sahara, captured Timbuktu in 1468, and made the city a center of Islamic learning. In the 1400s, Mali weakened, and eventually the empire was replaced by the Songhai Empire. 15 The growth in trade was also linked to the rise of the religion of Islam. In the 600s, Islam was founded on the Arabian Peninsula by the prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe in one God, and their sacred book is called the Quran. 16 Islam spread rapidly when Arab armies swept across North Africa and into Spain. Muslim merchants also spread their religion far into Africa, and from Persia to India. Millions of people across Europe, Asia, and Africa became Muslims. 17 Arab scholars made important contributions to mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and technology, including: ships with sails that could catch wind coming from any direction the development of algebra a measurement of the size of Earth 18 By the 1500s, a global trading network linked the civilizations of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Silk Road became less important when alternative sea routes were discovered. Similar presentations © 2021 SlidePlayer.com Inc. All rights reserved.	https://slideplayer.com/slide/7358907/
These were large states enabled by the introduction of iron mining, smelting and the metal forging skills that enabled clearing of forests for cultivation and a more efficient use of the then existing resources . The empire of Mali was founded by Sundiata , a king who not only overcame external enemies but his own physical disabilities to construct an empire second only to the vast Mongol horde of Asia. Adding to the centralized government created by Sunni Ali, he appointed officials to serve as ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture. Matrilineal inheritance and the powerful position of women were constant features of traditional Saharan society. Songahi , the last of these three great empires, remained from CE. The Empire of Ghana thrived on the wealth of gold. The rich African history from these kingdoms is a rich literature that is not only educative but a source of ancient history. By BCE the nation had massively expanded capturing control of the region of upper Niger and Senegal rivers. Consistency in these fields helped him consolidate power. Retrieved February 22, , from World Civilizations Web site: Empires of Medieval West Africa: The modern country was named after liberation from colonization—choosing a name of one of the great African empires was symbolic of African independence and success. The backbone of Songhai power was the mighty Niger River. The Tarikh as-Sudan, a history book that was written in the 17th ghhana, claims that by the time the Arabs came Ghana had already been ruled by 22 different kings. No images or files uploaded yet. The supreme ruler duties were to administer justice, stipulate laws and declare war or peace with the assistance of the council of state elders . Sandal Wood Lion Carving. During his year rule, Askia Muhammad proved to be an 27 Ibid, On the contrary, the scorched-earth policy anc empire building and the role of the jihad ultimately fed the decline of these kingdoms. The people of Ghana traded the gold with the European and other African attests in ancient times by using self developed gold mining techniques . Epic World History: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai However, this trade remained infrequent and irregular because of the harsh desert conditions. The ancient empires of Ghana. In the Sahel, this holy war took the shape of a campaign against Ghana. The government controlled the gold and salt trade levying tax from the trade sustaining stable governments. Maloy 2 months, 3 weeks ago. In his rule, Islam became more entrenched, the trans-Saharan trade was more flourished and the Saharan salt mines were brought under his empire. Mali came next and lasted from CE. Evaluate the factors which contributed to the rise and fall of the Ancient African Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhai. The imports usually included products like textiles, ornaments and other materials. Sub-Saharan African Civilizations: Ghana, Mali and Songhai The successors of Sundjata, including a former palace slave named Sakura, expanded and consolidated the empire, conquering the cities of Timbuktu and Gao. Adding to the centralized government created by Sunni Ali, he appointed officials to serve as ministers of the treasury, army, navy, and agriculture. Under his rule he brought much wealth to the empire controlling trade routes in western Africa, he is credited for making jenne and Timbuktu centers of learning in west Africa. Sunni Ali built a professional army that had a riverboat fleet of war canoes and a mobile fighting force on horseback. It could have started earlier, however. Ghana There is still much we do not know about the ancient kingdom of Ghana. He also standardized systems of weights, measures, and currency. Remember me on this computer. Using the message of Islam to rally his followers, he expanded the borders of Songhai into the east of Africa, ma,i his empire with the Indian Ocean trade that went as far as China. Although that may be an exaggeration, Askia and the river people of the Niger created a kali and magnificent empire that was not seriously threatened until the invention of firearms. The region was as a result converted to a slave exporting zone selling the slaves to the America and Europe region. The chronicler Al-Maqrizi said that he paid so much gold in his purchases of fabrics, slaves, and provisions that he caused the value of gold currency abd Cairo to drop dramatically. Sundjata, the hero, seemed to have both the power of Allah and the traditional African nature gods on his side. Click here to sign up. After his victory Sundjata united the Mandinke chieftains and gained control over all the southern ends of the trans-Saharan trading routes. oj Following the successful attacks on Timbuktu by the Tuaregs Gao became the capital of the expanding Songhay by AD leading to the fall of Mali empire and the ultimate malii of the Songhay empire . These changes called for new forms of social organization, contributing to the development of centralized, powerful empires.	https://immigrationtoamerica.info/essay-on-ghana-mali-and-songhai-62/
Question: What effect did trade have on the growth of West African kingdoms? Answer: Trade led to the growth and prosperity of these kingdoms, first from taxes charged to those who used the trade routes and then from the trade of domestically produced goods. How did trade affect the West African kingdoms? Over time, the slave trade became even more important to the West African economy. Kings traded slaves for valuable good, such as horses from the Middle East and textiles and weapons from Europe. The transSaharan slave trade contributed to the power of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. How does trade affect the rise of kingdoms and empires in the West African region? The Rise of Kingdoms and Empires. Trade was a major factor in the rise of West African kingdoms. Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were all trading powers that ruled over large areas. … The rulers of some trading cities in West Africa became wealthy by collecting taxes from the goods that were bought and sold. What role did trade play in the development of African kingdoms? The trade routes of Ancient Africa played an important role in the economy of many African Empires. Goods from Western and Central Africa were traded across trade routes to faraway places like Europe, the Middle East, and India. What did they trade? The main items traded were gold and salt. How did trade affect the development of African kingdoms quizlet? This trade helped strengthen city-states. In west African civilizations like Ghana and Mali, a major trade route was the gold-salt trade route. Ghana had a surplus of gold, and Mali had a surplus of salt. … The ancient kingdom of Songhai had a surplus of ivory and iron, and it became the largest West African kingdom. What were the key features of West African society and culture? What were the key characteristics of West African society? West African societies varied in size from small kingdoms to large empires. Most people lived by farming, but there were also many skilled artisans. Religion and family ties were central to West African life. What are two factors that led to the growth and rise of West African empires? For the medieval West African kingdoms of Mali and Songhai, the rise and fall of power involved conquest, warfare and patterns of trade. Competition for wealth and the desire for independence from more powerful kingdoms shaped West African societies. Which empire became the strongest in West Africa? The most powerful of these states was the Songhai Empire, which expanded rapidly beginning with king Sonni Ali in the 1460s. By 1500, it had risen to stretch from Cameroon to the Maghreb, the largest state in African history. How did African kingdoms become powerful? The wealth made through trade was used to build larger kingdoms and empires. To protect their trade interests, these kingdoms built strong armies. Kingdoms that desired more control of the trade also developed strong armies to expand their kingdoms and protect them from competition. What was a major effect of the gold salt trade in Africa? The gold-salt trade in Africa made Ghana a powerful empire because they controlled the trade routes and taxed traders. Control of gold-salt trade routes helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai to become large and powerful West African kingdoms. How did trade affect the development of African kingdoms 5 points? How did trade affect the development of African kingdoms? (5 points) It contributed to the creation of an agricultural class. It led to the decline of city-states. It led to the rise of tribal communities. It contributed to the rise of powerful city-states and later kingdoms. What is a griot Why were they important to West Africa? The griot profession is hereditary and has long been a part of West African culture. The griots’ role has traditionally been to preserve the genealogies, historical narratives, and oral traditions of their people; praise songs are also part of the griot’s repertoire. How did trading develop in West Africa? A profitable trade had developed by which West Africans exported gold, cotton cloth, metal ornaments, and leather goods north across the trans-Saharan trade routes, in exchange for copper, horses, salt, textiles, and beads. Later, ivory, slaves, and kola nuts were also traded. Why was the gold salt trade important to the development of West Africa? The people who lived in the desert of North Africa could easily mine salt, but not gold. … They craved the precious metal that would add so much to their personal splendor and prestige. These mutual needs led to the establishment of long-distance trade routes that connected very different cultures. What are two ways that trade affected African kingdoms? How did trade affect the development of East African kingdoms? Axum exported ivory, incense, and enslaved people. It imported cloth, metal goods, and olive oil. Axum fought Kush for control of trade routes to inland Africa. How did a reliance on trade affect the development of African kingdom? Answer Expert Verified Reliance on trade affected the development of the Africam Kingdoms because they were able to gain long-term wealth and stability. African kingdoms on the coastal area benefited of reliance on trade because commerce helped them to obtain stability and wealth.	https://haiafrika.com/about-africa/quick-answer-what-effect-did-trade-have-on-the-growth-of-west-african-kingdoms.html
Alice Morrison takes on the vast Sahara in an epic camel trek over the dunes. At night by the campfire, she hears a shocking story of modern day slavery from her trekking guide. The next day, her journey across the sands is halted by the closed border between Algeria and Morocco. Undeterred, Alice heads west on another trading route to Guelmim. She stops in Tamegroute, where she finds a hidden library of ancient books, including manuscripts by a 16th-century Malian scholar. It is evidence that the trans-Saharan trade routes transferred knowledge as well as gold and salt. The episode was rated #1 Best episode of Morocco To Timbuktu: An Arabian Adventure from 1 votes. Timbuktu - a place so mysterious, mythical and far, far away that it has become a legendary destination. Alice Morrison, Arabist, writer, explorer and Marrakech resident, follows what was once one of the world's richest trading networks - the infamous salt roads - across north Africa from the top of Morocco to the fabled sandstone city of Timbuktu. Trekking 2,000 miles across some of the deadliest landscapes on earth, Alice journeys deep into the history, culture and civilisation of both ancient and modern north Africa. Standing at the crossroads between north and sub-Saharan Africa, and straddling the vast Sahara Desert and the great River Niger, the legendary trading post of Timbuktu, now one of the most dangerous places on earth, was founded over a thousand years ago, and its wealth was built on two precious commodities - gold and salt. Over the centuries, caravans with thousands of camels passed regularly between Timbuktu and Morocco. They were led across the deadly trans-Saharan 'salt roads' by a desert tribe called the Tuareg, who still patrol the desert today. Setting off from Tangier, Europe's gateway to Africa, Alice learns how gold was in high demand in north Africa, to be minted into coins and adorn palaces. Its source was the gold mines of sub-Saharan Africa, and so the routes across the desert were forged. Hitching a ride in a crowded taxi of locals, Alice passes through the Islamic city of Fes, home to the world's oldest university, where she stays in a caravanserai, the ancient traders' version of a motel with mule and camel parking, and helps prepare the merchant's dish of the day, camel meatballs. Next, she catches the famous hippy train, the Marrakech Express, to the other northern terminus of trans-Saharan trade, the great market town of Marrakech. Deep in the ancient city, she learns how to treat leather the ancient way by wading up to her waist in vats of cow hide, poison and... pigeon poo. And at night in the grand square, Djemaa El Fnaa The episode was rated #2 Best episode of Morocco To Timbuktu: An Arabian Adventure from 2 votes. Last updated: oct 09, 2020 Isn’t it great when your favorite TV show has characters from all over the world? A lovely Spanish or a funny Indian accent can always make a show interesting but cultural presentation is what brings awe to the viewers life. I am presenting you with the three best TV shows that will add colors to your to-watch list! Featured: The Big Bang Theory While we celebrated the Pride month just now, why not talk about some awesome TV shows focused on LGBT characters. What if you want to learn about the people at large but you realize that there is no diversity in your close social circles. That’s when a good TV series can enlighten you with the ideas and realities. It can also save you from awkward moments in the real life by providing the right insights. Featured: The L Word: Generation Q I am Sophie and this is my website. A little about me 👋 I am a marketing student in Paris. I love spending afternoons with friends in a cafe or a park. But more than anything else, I love watching (.. binging…) series on my computer on rainy Sundays or any sunny day for that matter 🙈 I must have watched hundreds of shows by now, from romance to science-fiction series. Often I like to go back to a show I enjoyed. But I don’t feel like watching it all over again… I created this website so myself and others could find the best episodes of our favourite shows. As of today, I have about 1,000 shows on the website with votes and rating coming from fans. Hopefully, you can join me from your sofa and enjoy some nice TV!	https://serieswithsophie.com/shows/morocco-to-timbuktu-an-arabian-adventure/best-episodes
The well-known Catalan atlas of 1375 is credited to Abraham Cresques, a fourteenth century Jewish cartographer from the island of Majorca. The atlas was divided into six large panels. Panel three, the source of the atlas excerpt above, shows principal points along the trans-Saharan trade routes in west and north Africa, as well as camel caravans and some of the major trade goods exchanged—gold, copper, iron, horses, salt, textiles, leather goods, ivory, and captive peoples. The major city, intellectual center, and trade destination of Timbuktu, then a part of the Mali Empire, is indicated on the atlas. Equally important are two inscriptions written in Catalan and Spanish on the atlas. The first reads, “The merchants that enter the land of the blacks of [Guinea] pass through this place; this pass is called Valley of Darcha.” The second inscription, pointing to the power and wealth of Mali and its ruler, reads, “This Black lord is called Musse Melly [mansa Musa Keita of Mali, r. 1312-37], lord of the Blacks of Guinea. The king is the richest and most distinguished ruler of this whole region, on account of the great quantity of gold that is found in his land.” The trans-Saharan trade network preceded the Arab invasion of North Africa by centuries. The trade system involved primarily western and northern Africa, using horse-powered, chariot-like vehicles well before the introduction of the camel in the first century CE. In fact, three to eight-thousand-year-old rock art found in the caves and rock shelters of the Sahara region show these horse-drawn chariots and ox-drawn carts. Whether with these vehicles or the camel, common trade items transported and exchanged across the Saharan region included (rock) salt, beads, cloth, dried fruits, smoked fish, horses, copper, gold, ivory, kola (nuts), and captive peoples. The introduction the camel and Islam—with its legal codes and literacy—expanded the trade in these commodities and especially in gold, bringing Amazigh (“Berber”) peoples of the northern Sahara and Africans of the savanna region to the south into greater contact and at times into conflict. Between the Sahara Desert and the tropical rainforest, the west African savanna was endowed with livestock, cereal agriculture as well as gold, iron ore, pottery clay and stone. The savanna linked the desert and the forest through camel-to-canoe or camel-to-donkey transportation. More broadly, the trans-Saharan trade connected the Mediterranean lands with internal African grasslands from the Atlantic coast in the west to the Nile river in the east. Sources: Abraham Cresques, Atlas de cartes marines, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Espagnol 30. See also Georges Grosjean, ed., Mapamundi: The Catalan Atlas of the year 1375, trans. B. M. Charleston (Dietikon, Zurich: Urs Graf, 1978), 53; Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Before Columbus: Exploration and Colonization from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, 1229-1492 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1987), 148-151.	https://www.kwasikonadu.info/blog/2018/3/18/the-trans-saharan-trade-network-according-to-the-catalan-atlas
# 14th & 15th century Africa During the 200 year period between 1301 and 1500 (the 14th and 15th century) the main civilizations and kingdoms in Africa were the Mali Empire, Kingdom of Kongo, Ife Empire, Benin Kingdom, Hausa City-states, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopian Empire, Kilwa Sultanate and the Ajuran Sultanate. These kingdoms flourished in the first part of this period, especially the Mali Empire, which saw a cultural flowering within its empire centred on the University of Timbuktu. ## Trans-Saharan Trade The years between 1100 and 1600 were known as the “golden age” of trade, when West African gold was in high demand. This led to an increase in the need and use for trade routes. From 1300 the Trans-Saharan trade routes were used for trade, travel, and scholarship. Much of what scholars know of the Trans-Saharan trade routes comes from the historical writings of Muslim scholars such as Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus who both crossed the Sahara Desert in the 14th and 15th centuries. These literary narratives combined with archaeological data provide much insight into 14th century trade. ### Geography Throughout the 14th century, much of African trade revolved around the Trans-Saharan trade routes. Geographically, the Sahara Desert extends over 3.6 million square miles and is the second-largest desert on the planet behind Antarctica. While the Sahara Desert was often viewed as a barrier between the African countries, it actually linked them together rather than separated them. #### Empires While trade along the Trans-Sahara trade route was common in the 14th century, it was highly dependent on the powerful African Empires, such as the Mali Empire, Kingdom of Kongo, Benin Kingdom, Hausa City-states, Great Zimbabwe, Ethiopian Empire, Kilwa Sultanate, and the Ajuran Sultanate. ### Muslim Influence #### Ibn Battuta In 1352–53, Ibn Battuta embarked on a pilgrimage from Morocco to the Mali empire. Throughout his travels, he described many aspects of the Trans-Saharan trade routes that he encountered on his journey to Mali. He passed through Morocco and the surrounding cities, and much of the Niger Bend. During his travels, Battuta chronicled everything he saw. The trade routes from Sijilmasa to Walata passed through the salt mines of Taghaza. The town of Takeda in the Niger Bend was a centre for copper mining and trade in Egyptian goods, like cloth. The routes from Morocco to Egypt were large distribution centres for gold. In his memoirs, Battuta also described the dangers of the trade routes. It took months for merchants to cross the Sahara Desert, and they faced challenges ranging from natural disasters to lost caravans. Travelers who ventured too far away from their caravans and got lost often died from the elements. If scouts died or strayed away from their groups, the caravans would get lost in the desert and wander. Even worse, natural disasters, such as sand storms or fluctuating temperatures, often forced merchants to abandon their goods to save their own lives, yet causing them to lose everything. In his memoir, Battuta described the Sahara as a “desert haunted by demons.” #### Mansa Musa By the end of the 10th century, Islam had spread to many Northern and Western African empires. By the 14th century, empires such as Ghana and Mali, had strong ties with the Muslim world, and many of their most prominent leaders practiced the Muslim faith. Mali's most famous ruler, Mansa Musa, traveled across the Trans-Saharan trade routes on his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1325. Because Islam became so prominent in North and West Africa, many of the trade routes and caravan networks were controlled by Muslim nations. In the 14th century, prominent trade and travel routes had been firmly established. ### Trade Goods During the 14th century, and later the 15th century, the primary trading goods along the Trans-Saharan trade routes were gold, salt, precious metals, such as copper and iron, ivory, spices, materials, such as skins, cloth, and leather, and also slaves. #### Trade Routes Trade among the Sahara Desert was highly influenced by the prominent Western empires and the local people living along the trade routes. In the 10th-15th centuries the major empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay influenced many of the trade practices. These powerful empires would extend their hand of power over African trade by directing trade routes through the major cities and taxing the travelling merchants and their goods. Through the power of the empires, many of the trade routes were secured and the merchant profession became a prosperous one. When travelling, traders could travel individually or in groups, or they could attach themselves to an annual caravan. Along the trade routes, local or residential tribes would establish and maintain resting posts for the traveling merchants. The scouts often used these trading posts to guide the caravans along the correct trade routes. ## The Spread of Islam Since the origin of the religion, Islam has had an evident influence in the culture where its followers would inhabit. Since the religion affects major aspects of its follower's lifestyle, this convert-focused religion would influence family values, social conduct, and even judicial practices of the surrounding communities. As Muslims conquered more land, the practices of Islam would spread wherever they went. Islam primarily spread its influence to the Northern and Eastern coast of Africa. ### Northern Africa After the Nomadic Almohad peoples overthrew the Almoravids of Spain and North Africa, by the 13th century its government had collapsed from within and split into 3 different states, consisting of both Almoravid and Almohad groups. Then in 1415, the Spanish Reconquista forced the most of the Muslims out of Spain and into North Africa. During this transition from the Almohad empire to the Muslim tri-state era, trade between Europe and North Africa increased the wealth of the primarily Muslim region, as well as their ability to maintain power in the Sahara. Their control of the gold trade routes led to the rise of the great Mali empire. ## The Mali Empire The Mali Empire was one of the great empires of West Africa, reaching its peak in the 14th century. Mali was founded by the legendary Sundiata Keita in approximately 1230 after defeating the Sosso at the battle of Krina. Its capital was at Niani, in modern Guinea. After Sundiata's death in 1255, the kingship remained in the Keita family line until 1285. In 1285, after a series of weak kings, a freed slave named Sakura took the throne. Sakura was an effective ruler, but died while returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca. ### 14th Century Mali The Mali Empire's entrance into the 14th century was heralded by a return of the throne to the Keita family line with the reign of Mansa (king) Qu. Mansa Qu's successor was his son, Mansa Muhammad. #### Mansa Musa In 1312 the most famous Malian king, Mansa Musa, came to power. Mansa Musa's reign marks the golden age of the Mali empire, spreading its territory and fame far and wide. Under Mansa Musa, the empire reached as far as the Atlantic Ocean in the West and past the trading cities of Timbuktu and Gao in the East, encompassing the past kingdom of Ghana in its entirety, and was home to an estimated five to ten million people. ##### Pilgrimage to Mecca Mansa Musa's global renown came as a result of his Hajj in 1324. He set out with a vast entourage across the Sahara desert toward Mecca. In Cairo, he initially refused to visit the sultan, as the tradition at the time was for the visitor to bow before him, and Musa believed himself to be of superior rank and power. Eventually, he made a compromise and bowed before Allah in the presence of the sultan. After the encounter, the sultan honoured Mansa Musa by inviting him to sit beside him as an equal, and they spoke for some time. According to the Islamic writer Al-Umari, Mansa Musa brought with him no less than 100 camels laden with 300 pounds of gold each, as well as 60,000 people wearing silk, 12,000 servants, and 500 gold-staff bearing slaves before him. "Let me add that gold in Egypt had enjoyed a high rate of exchange up to the moment of their arrival. The gold medal that year had not fallen below twenty-five drachmas. But from that day onward, its value dwindled; the exchange was ruined, and even now it has not recovered. The mitqal scarcely touches twenty-two drachmas. That is how it has been for twelve years from that time, because of the great amounts of gold they brought into Egypt and spent there." — Al Umari ##### Mansa Musa's Legacy On his return journey back to Mali, Mansa Musa brought with him many scholars, artisans, architects, and other men of learning. They built many magnificent structures, including the mosque of Gao, and buildings in Timbuktu. He also established a diplomatic relationship with the sultan of Morocco, with the two kings mutually sending ambassadors to the other's court. Mansa Musa had a lifelong dedication to education and sent many young men to be educated at the university in Fez, Morocco who eventually returned and began Quranic schools and universities in many Malian cities, namely Timbuktu. The tale of the wealth of the Mansa of Mali spread far around the globe, making the Malian Empire one of the most famous African empires of its time—even being featured on ancient European maps. Mansa Musa has been claimed to have been the richest person to have ever lived, with an estimated net worth adjusted for inflation of $400 billion (as of 2012). Mansa Musa's reign ushered in a time of peace and prosperity in Mali that would last through the reign of his eventual successor, Mansa Suleyman. #### Mansa Maghan Mansa Maghan was the son of Mansa Musa, and was not a skilled leader. He ruled as Mansa of Mali beginning in 1337 but was in power for only four years before his uncle and Mansa Musa's brother, Suleyman Keita, became emperor in 1341. There was some question as to whether Suleyman had a hand in Meghan's deposition, and some internal conflict resulted from the change in leadership. #### Mansa Suleyman Keita Mansa Suleyman Keita succeeded Mansa Maghan, and was a proficient ruler, though his reign was not as peaceful as Mansa Musa's, and some land east of Timbuktu and Gao was lost to the Songhai people. Despite the growing unrest in the region, Mali still enjoyed a great level of political stability and security as noted by the famed Islamic explorer and writer Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali in 1352. "The negroes possess some admirable qualities. They are seldom unjust and have a greater abhorrence of injustice than any other people. Their sultan shows no mercy to anyone guilty o the least act of it. There is complete security in their country. Neither traveller nor inhabitant has anything to fear from robbers or men of violence." — Ibn Battuta The death of Mansa Suleyman marked the beginning of the period of decline in the Mali Empire. The time leading into the 15th century was characterized by weak rulers, short reigns, and disputes over succession. ### 15th Century Mali Though the Mali Empire was now in the hands of weak kings, it continued to exist well into the 15th century. Timbuktu was an important point of both trade and learning in Imperial Mali, so its loss to Tuareg Berbers in 1433 was a significant blow to the weakening state. In addition to Tuareg rebellion, the Mossi people revolted and began raiding towns deep within Mali. Eventually, the city of Gao in the East broke off from Mali, as did the Wolof cities along the coast in the West. Throughout the 15th century, Mali progressively shrunk in size as many of its territories abandoned the empire, though it continued existing as an independent entity well into the 16th century. However, in 1546, the Songhai kingdom sacked Mali's capital, Niani, formally ending Mali's rule as an independent empire. ## 14th and 15th Century Marinid Dynasty ### Origins The Marinid dynasty was composed of Berber tribes of the race of the Zenetes (Zenatas), as opposed to the Hilalian Arabs, and were under the rule of the Almohads. But early in the 12th century, they turned against a weakening Almohad to build a dynasty that lasted nearly two centuries. With the defeat of the last of the Almohads and the capture of Marrakech in 1269, the Marīnids, under Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb, became masters of Morocco. ### Holy War on the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Africa During the 14th century the Marinids expanded their control in Norther Africa and fought Holy Wars with the Christians on the Iberian Peninsula. Marinids viewed jihad as the duty of Muslim sovereignty and to strengthened the dynasty. During the reign of Abu Sa'id Uthman II, the Marinids extended their authority over the Middle Maghrib. They also crossed into al-Andalus in response to a request from the governor of Granada. Abu Sa'id was succeeded by his son, Abu-l-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Uthman, who seized Tilmisan in 1332. In 1333, Abd al-Malik, crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and defeated the Castilians who occupied the region since 1309. When Abd al-Malik died his father, Abu al-Hasan, led another invasion in 1340 onto the Iberian Peninsula but was defeated by a coalition of forces from Castile and Portugal at the Salado River. While the war helped unite the Muslim Naṣrid dynasty of Granada and slowed the advance of the Christians toward the Strait of Gibraltar, no land was taken from the Christians. This defeat significantly changed the balance of power in favour of Christians forcing the Marinids to retreat to Morocco and to abandon their objective of domination of the Iberian Peninsula. In addition to invasions on the Iberian Peninsula, the Marinids wanted to control the central Maghreb and Ifriqiya. Their first attacks were against the Abdalwadids of Tlemcen, the Marinids immediate neighbours to the east, whom they invade several times. In 1337 Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī, one of the Marīnid sultans, tried to restore the Almonad empire. He captured the Tunisia capital of Tilimsān (Tlemcen) but was unable to defeat the Ḥafṣid. But in 1347, Abu-l-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Uthman also captured Tunis and the Hafsid amir. He later also captured Barqa and Tarablus. During this time the Marinids united all of the Maghrib under one government. This expansion was temporary because the following year, Abu-l-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Uthman's army was defeated in Kairouan by a coalition of Arab tribes. Eventually, the Near Maghrib and the Middle Maghrib seceded from the Marinid state when weak rulers rose to power causing it to return to its original borders. These military campaigns depleted the resources of the Marinid dynasty and led to a state of anarchy. ### Decline of the Marinids The defeat in Kairouan diminished the power of the Marinids, who slipped into a period of decline. In the West Maghreb, the Marinids are not able to control the entire population. The Arab tribes grow more restless, the tax receipts decline and the sultans lose their power in favour of the Arab viziers, who are representatives of a real caste of high officials which take control of the kingdom and declare themselves as sultans themselves. The leaders are subjected to a close guardianship during this period of upheaval and the smallest amount of diffidence would lead to the overthrow or the assassination of the sultan. Both Abu Salim (1359-1361), and Abu Ziyan (1361-1366) were assassinated during this period of anarchy. The state of anarchy which existed during the late 14th century a led to a break down of unity in the empire and several contenders opposed the vizier which divided the country. Although the dynasty is in a state of decline during this time it was strong enough in 1389 to defuse the Abdalwadides and control the foreign relations of the sultans of Tlemcen. The final blow to the Marinids came from the Spanish Christians who invaded Berber in 1401 and destroy the city of Tetouan. A few years later in 1415, the Portuguese took over the city of Ceuta. The Marinids, who could not repel these invasions, saw their control over the population greatly diminish. The dynasty was unable to resist the unrest and revolutions of palaces, which are getting worse. In 1420, the Sultan Abu Said was assassinated. His successors survived under the guidance of the Wattasides, the Berber dynasty that reigned after the fall of Marinids. In 1465, with the assassination of Sultan Abd al-Haqq, the Marinids disappeared permanently as a ruling force. The Wattasides dynasty collapsed in 1548 when the Saʿdī sharifs took Fès. ### 14th and 15th Century Marinid Sultans of Fez and Morocco Abu Yaqub Yusuf (1286–1306) Abu Thabit Amir (1307–1308) Abu al-Rabi Sulayman (1308–1310) Abu Said Uthman II (1310–1331) Abu al-Hasan 'Ali (1331–1348) Abu Inan Faris (1348–1358) Muhammad II as Said (1359) Abu Salim Ali II (1359–1361) Abu Umar Tashfin (1361) Abu Zayyan Muhammad III (1362–1366) Abu l-Fariz Abdul Aziz I (1366–1372) Muhammad as-Saîd (1372–1374) Abu l-Abbas Ahmad (1374–1384) Abu Zayyan Muhammad IV (1384–1386) Muhammad V (1386–1387) Abu l-Abbas Ahmad (1387–1393) Abdul Aziz II (1393–1398) Abdullah (1398–1399) Abu Said Uthman III (1399–1420) Abd al-Haqq II (1420–1465) ## 14th and 15th Century Solomonic Dynasty The Christian Solomonic Dynasty ruled in the highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. To the east and south were the Muslim kingdoms of Ifat and Adal. By the 14th century Solomonic Kings had been ruling for thirty years, having taken over from the previous Zagwe Dynasty in 1270. The Solomonic Kings claimed their heritage to the union of the Biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and to the Axumite kings. The primary literature documenting this newly restored line is the Kebra Nagast. This heritage linked the crown and the church, which both saw growth during this period. The Solomonic Empire was an outpost of Christianity, neighbored by Muslim nations which it frequently fought with. Solomonic kings of this era did not maintain a capital, but rather moved the court from place to place. The primary ruling of day-to-day life was determined by local leaders. ### 14th and 15th Century Emperors of the Solomonic Dynasty Wed Arad (1299-1314) Amda Seyon I (1314-1344) Neway Kristos (1344-1372) Neway Maryam (1372-1382) Dawit I (1382-1413) Tewodros I (1413-1414) Yeshaq I (1414-1429) Andreas (1429-1430) Takla Maryam (1430-1433) Saree Iyasus (1433-1433) Amda Iyasus (1433-1434) Zara Yacob (1434-1468) Baeda Maryam I (1468-1478) Eskender (1478-1494) Amda Sayon II (1494-1494) Na'od (1494-1508) #### Amda Seyon Amda Seyon was emperor from 1314 to 1344, and his reign began with a tension between church and crown after he seduced his father's concubine and two sisters. This action causes a monk, Honorius, to openly rebuke him. In retaliation to the rebuke, Amda punished and banished many of the local monks. Throughout his reign Amda conducted many wars against Ethiopia's Muslim neighbours, primarily the kingdoms of Ifat and Adal. His conquests put pressure on Egypt to send a new abun, which for many years had been denied to the Ethiopian Church. His conquests also brought in many new territories, which rebelled on many different occasions. #### Zara Yacob Zara Yacob, who reigned from 1434 to 1468, was a reformer of the Church, an organizer of the government, and a warrior. Before his ascension to the throne, he was educated at an Eritrean monastery. During his reign, he did much to propagate the Church throughout his territories, including bringing in two co-buns and placing laws about the religious matter, with strict consequences. His coronation was held in Axum, reminiscent of the Axumite kings and his heritage. Zara Yacob intended to unite his kingdom with Christianity, as the main line of defence against its Muslim and pagan neighbours. During his reign he sent a delegation to Europe to reunite the Ethiopian Church with its Roman counterpart, as well as to develop diplomatic connections. During his reign a number of religious text were written and translated, including the Berhan. Zara Yacob also reorganized the government, reallocating land and fixing the tribute. During this time there was continued warring with the Muslim kingdoms. ### Christianity in Solomonid Ethiopia Solomonid rule was based on a biblical heritage and as such the kings and the country maintained Christianity as the state religion. The branch of Christianity that was followed during the 14th and 15th century was primarily Coptic Christianity, with the abuna's, or bishops, coming from Egypt. In the 14th century there was a break-off from the traditional Coptic Church in the form of Sabbatarians, who believed that they had purified their Christianity. These people would later be known as the Beta Israel, following a distinct pre-Talmudic faith.	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century_Africa
Although excluded from Abu-Lughod’s description of the medieval world system, West Africa nevertheless played a central role in this economic network via the trans-Saharan routes linking the Mediterranean with Africa south of the Sahara. In the thirteenth century, these links were extended and strength-ened under the Empire of Mali, which structured trade between trans-Saharan entrepôts and the Savannah regions where prized African elephants thrived. The carved ivories produced in contemporary Europe would not have been possible without these networks, which also supplied local communities with the materials they themselves prized, some of which were regional products, some of which were imported from northwestern Europe. In particular, works of art produced at the Savannah-Forest interface in modern Nigeria demonstrate sub-Saharan Africa’s connection to the world system in the years around 1300. copper, ivory, gold, trans-Sahara, trade, West Africa, grains of paradise, world system, Empire of Mali, Tada, Durbi Takusheyi Où vergier mainte bone espice, In that orchard, many a spice: Cloux de girofle et requelice, Studded cloves and liquorice, Graine de paradis novele, Grain of paradise, newly come, Citoal, anis, et canele, Zedoary, anise, cinnamon; Et mainte espice délitable, And many a spice delectable Que bon mengier fait après table. Good for eating after table.1 TOWARDS THE BEGINNING of the Roman de la Rose, Guillaume de Lorris (ca. 1200–ca. 1240) describes the marvellous garden of love, where apple trees grow pomegranates, nut trees sprout nutmegs, and where almond, fig, and date trees flourish within the cloistered walls. These fruits of the orient were joined by every imaginable spice good for cleansing the palate after a meal: cloves, licorice, zedoary, anise, cinnamon, and an exotic new spice, grains of paradise (“Graine de paradis novele”). Written in the third decade of the thirteenth century, Guillaume’s poem marks one of the first instances when this peppery seed (related to the ginger plant) is recorded in western Europe.2 Also known as melegueta pepper, Afram omum melegueta remained an extremely popular spice at French and Burgundian courts for approximately two centuries. Unlike locally available licorice and anise, or the cinnamon and zedoary (also known as white turmeric) imported from the Indian subcontinent, or the cloves and nutmeg from the spice islands of Indonesia, grains of paradise are native to the rainforests of West Africa and so came to northern Europe by a completely different route.3 This long-distance relay network, which linked Guillaume’s France to the coastal rainforests of West Africa via trans-Saharan trade routes, also resulted in the flourishing production of Gothic ivories during this exact same period. From about 1230 to 1500, diptychs, polyptychs, and statuettes (Plate 5.1) made of African elephant ivory4 filled [End Page 97] church treasuries and private chapels, while ivory boxes carved with courtly scenes and lavish toiletry sets adorned with flirtatious imagery were de rigueur for aristocratic households.5 The prevalence of these two materials, elephant tusk and piquant spice, witnesses a profound shift in the trade routes that provisioned European markets with artistic and culinary luxuries, and illustrates the central role that West Africa played in the medieval world system.6 It was Janet Abu-Lughod who recuperated the concept of a “world system,” coined by the sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein to discuss twentieth-century capitalism, and made it applicable to the medieval globe. Abu-Lughod demonstrated that a non-occidental world economic network thrived before the European-dominated system evolved in the sixteenth century.7 Her schema consisted of eight interlocking spheres, stretching from western Europe and centred on the Champagne fairs, through the Mediterranean and multiple Islamic systems, to the Far East. West Africa, however, sits forlorn and uncircumscribed on her diagram, while the trans-Saharan trade that furnished the Mediterranean basin, and all of its interconnecting systems, with the economic lubricant gold is conspicuously absent.8 Despite Abu-Lughod’s oversight, the trans-Saharan gold caravans are well-known historic territory, due in part to contemporaneous texts furnished by Arabic-speaking geographers.9 However, these depictions of sub-Saharan Africa are cursory and generally bigoted, mitigating the economic and cultural systems that interlocked with the Saharan one, at such important trading cities as Walata, Timbuktu, and Gao. A richer picture of West African history and its economic system is still being drawn, largely by archaeologists, and this paper seeks to aggregate recent research and to sketch out what these unwritten chapters of Abu-Lughod’s magnum opus might have contained. When Abu-Lughod dismissed Africa (both East and West) from her consideration of the world system, it was because “Africa’s geographic reach was relatively limited. African merchants were largely local and African goods seldom made their way to China or Europe.” This view of the insignificance of [End Page 98] sub-Saharan Africa to the world system—that is, before the hideous development of the trans-Atlantic slave trade—is reinforced by contemporary textual sources. The Mamluk historian Al-‘Umari, writing in Cairo in the mid-fourteenth century, noted that caravans set off from Sijilmasa across the Sahara with “valueless articles” like salt, copper, and cowries and “returned with bullion as their camels’ burden.”10 However, the goods sent south across the Sahara were emphatically not valueless to West African civilizations, whose particular regimes of value were dependent on local environments and culturally construed hierarchies. There are no universal commodity values. Indeed, Arjun Appadurai has articulated the finely attuned relationship of exchange as one of mutual sacrifice by both parties: “One’s desire for an object is fulfilled by the sacrifice of some other object, which is the focus of the desire of another. Such exchange of sacrifices is what economic life is all about.”11 The following three sections each corresponds to a lobe of the West African economic system in which such mutual exchange of sacrifices took place. In the first, I present a snapshot of trans-Saharan trade in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and the commodities that traversed the desert, considering not only Mediterranean-bound cargo, but the material needs and even desires of West African communities. The second section focuses on the Empire of Mali, which arose in the mid-thirteenth century as climate change expanded the terrain between fixed caravan entrepôts in the semi-desert Sahel (“shores” in Arabic) and the retracting forest regions some 1000 km farther south: the zone that provided many goods for interregional exchange. Mali, as a political and economic entity, bridged that gap and profited accordingly. Finally, the last section concentrates on artistic products from the Savannah–Forest interface, today in Nigeria, and reveals unexpected relationships between ivory, one of the key exports from the Savannah regions, and copper alloys, a major commodity imported across the Sahara into the West African economic sphere. Trans-Saharan Trade and Its World of Goods One of the most detailed discussions of the mechanics of caravan trade across the Sahara is that of Ibn al-Khatib, writing in Granada in the mid-fourteenth century. Aby ‘Abd Allay Muhammad al-Maqqari of Tlemcen (Algeria) had visited Granada in May of 1356, and Ibn al-Khatib recorded notes on his family’s trading network, [End Page 99] which had been established on either side of the Sahara in the mid-thirteenth century.12 Al-Maqqari’s ancestors, according to what is stated in their biographies, became famous in trade. They established the desert route by digging wells and seeing to the security of merchants. … The sons of Yahya … were five. They made a partnership by which all had equal shares in what they possessed or might possess. Abu Bakr and Muhammad … were in Tlemcen; ‘Abd al-Rahman, who was their elder brother, was in Sijilmasa; ‘Abd al-Wahid and ‘Ali, who were their two younger brothers, were in Iwalatan [Walata]. They [all of the brothers] acquired properties and houses in those regions, married wives, and begat children by concubines. The Tilimsani would send to the Sahrawi [those in the Sahara, i.e. Walata] the goods which the latter would indicate to him, and the Sahrawi would send to him skins, ivory, nuts (jawz), and gold. The Sijilmasi were like the tongue of a balance, indicating to them the extent of rise or fall in the markets and writing to them about the affairs of merchants and countries. And so their wealth expanded and their status grew.13 Walata is a small oasis town, now in the deserts of southeast Mauritania, which gained importance in trans-Saharan trade just as the al-Maqqari family was consolidating their network in the mid-thirteenth century (see Map 5.1).14 Al-‘Umari describes Walata as “the farthest point of inhabited country,” after the gruelling 1500 km trek across the desert from Sijilmasa.15 Ibn al-Khatib and al-‘Umari thus enumerate the standard commodities associated with medieval trans-Saharan trade. Yellow gold came from the alluvial deposits in modern Senegal and Mali, along the Falémé and Niger rivers.16 The empires of Ghana (ca. 700–ca. 1100) and, as we will see, of Mali (ca. 1250–ca. 1500) controlled the trade in gold from these sites, making these sub-Saharan polities fabulously wealthy.17 “White gold,” that is elephant ivory, did not have a [End Page 100] fixed place of origin given the inherent mobility of its source, and it is particularly unstable across the medieval period. And it was the African Savannah elephant (Loxodonta Africana) that was prized across the Mediterranean world. It is the only species that produces the large tusks so desirable for figural carving, with diameters well above 11 cm, in contrast with the smaller Forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), with correspondingly petite tusks.18 Skins, both bovid hide for arms (shields of oryx leather were coveted around the Mediterranean) as well as those of reptiles (crocodiles) and carnivores (leopards and lions), were important prestige commodities. Al-Maqqari’s mention of “nuts” (jawz) among the trade goods is one of the few instances when grains of paradise are mentioned in trans-Saharan trade, demonstrating that the al-Maqqari network had access to Forest [End Page 101] as well as Saharan commodities.19 Among other goods, including likely ebony and indigo,20 there were undoubtedly slaves, whose traces are notoriously difficult to follow in the archaeological record.21 Although al-‘Umari considered them “valueless articles,” salt, copper, and cowries were essential to the health—physical, spiritual, as well as economic— of sub-Saharan communities. The importance of salt, especially in a hot climate, is incontrovertible and there are few natural sources in West Africa. In fact, the paramount importance of this mineral might have provided the initial impetus for interregional, including trans-Saharan, trade.22 The mines at Taghaza, Mali (the bed of an ancient salt lake), were a key source of both rock salt and the mineral fixative alum, which was also increasingly important for the northern European textile industry. Taghaza is also, not coincidentally, the mid-point on the Sijilmasa-Walata route.23 Copper, sometimes called “red gold,” came from mines not only within the Sahara itself (e.g. Akjoujit, Mauritiana; Tessalit, Mali; or Azelik/Takedda, Niger)24 but also from around the Mediterranean basin and—as we will see—far beyond. Used in West Africa primarily for artistic and ritual purposes—locally available iron was preferred for weapons and tools—copper and its alloys have recently been shown to have been valued for their spiritual malleability. In a number of sub-Saharan cultures, copper responds particularly well to the secret technologies of blacksmiths.25 Cowrie shells, of a mollusk most prevalent in the Indian Ocean, were used as currency in many parts of the Islamic world, including West Africa. Their passage to North Africa via the Red Sea and Egypt, and thence to West Africa by trans-Saharan caravan, thus truly bespeaks West Africa’s involvement in the world system.26 The trade of gold for cowries, therefore, could be considered as an exchange of monetary instruments between distinct value regimes, rather than al- ‘Umari’s vision of an exploitative system in which mere trinkets are exchanged for pure bullion. To the salt, copper, and cowries traveling across the Sahara should be [End Page 102] added cloth, both luxurious silks and quotidian woollens alike, porcelains, glazed ceramics, and especially glass beads. At both ends of the route managed by the al-Maqqari brothers, goods were funnelled into the medieval world system. The Mediterranean-oriented Tlemcen was connected with Europe and Asia, as far as the Indian Ocean and China. A similar scope holds for Walata and the other trade entrepôts on the southern shores of the Sahara. The goods exchanged in these Sahelian centres originated across West Africa, from modern Senegal and Sierra Leone to modern Niger and Nigeria. The organization of intra-continental trade across these regions in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was therefore another lobe of the world system. Climate Change and the Empire of Mali: Bridging Sahel and Rainforest The Medieval Climactic Anomaly impacted West Africa as it did the rest of the globe.27 From roughly 700 to 1500, West Africa experienced a significant cycle of humidification and desertification which shifted its ecological zones profoundly, encouraging floral and faunal populations to migrate with their expanding habitats, and then forcing them to move again when these habitats contracted. During the wet period that lasted from approximately 700 to 1100, the trans-Saharan caravan routes were consolidated and thrived because a wetter and greener Sahara facilitated trade. This period corresponds to the so-called “ivory century” in the Mediterranean basin, when the craft of ivory carving flourished in al-Andalus, Byzantine Constantinople, Fatimid Egypt, and in the lands of the Germanic Ottonian Empire.28 The wet period allowed the large mammals of the Savannah grass-and woodlands to live comfortably much farther north than they do today. Generally, the semi-desert Sahel is too dry and its vegetation cannot easily support the Savannah elephant. But when the trans-Saharan trade routes were gaining prominence in the ninth and tenth centuries, the caravan cities along the Niger River, such as Gao and Tiraqqa (eclipsed later by Timbuktu), may [End Page 103] have supported significant elephant populations.29 One last troupe of elephants still wanders these now inhospitable territories, ranging over some 24,000 square kilometers every year in search of water and vegetation for meagre survival.30 Indeed, the poor environment available to these last Sahelian elephants does not allow their tusks to grow to their full extent, as they would in richer environments. Recent excavations at Diouboye (Senegal), along the Falemé river and within the Bambuk region known for its riverine gold, have uncovered evidence of a Mande community focused on hunting to provision the trans-Saharan trade.31 At this site, active from about 1000 to 1400, the remains not only of medium-sized bovids but also of such dangerous beasts as leopards and crocodiles suggest the community’s involvement in sourcing goods important to interregional exchange. In addition to several small ivory beads, excavations have uncovered elephant bone: an exceptionally rare find indicating that the Diouboye community was engaged with provisioning trans-Saharan trade, not only with leather and exotic skins but with ivory. Its location along the river which was the source of gold for the empires of both Ghana and Mali further demonstrates the region’s active diver-sification of exports and contribution to the flow of trade. While elephants might have thrived closer to the terminal cities of the trans-Saharan caravans during the wet period, the intensified dryness of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries makes this nearly impossible.32 As the limits of the Sahara moved southwards, the Sahel also extended south nearly two degrees of latitude, shifting the natural habitat for the elephant population accordingly. The rainforests that provided many trade goods receded to modern Liberia, Sierra Leone, and territories directly adjacent to the coasts. Quixotically, it was precisely in this period, when the rainforests were at their greatest remove from the termini of the trans-Saharan caravans, that grains of paradise were first described by Guillaume de Lorris. That is because a newly expanding empire controlled much of West Africa between the Sahel and the rainforests, and so played an increasingly important role overseeing interregional trade.33 The rise to power of the Empire of Mali began in the thirteenth century, as the Mandinka royal family (1240–1450), whose homelands have been tentatively [End Page 104] identified as territories around modern Niani in southern Guinea,34 spread their control over large parts of West Africa. Eventually, the empire bridged all four climatic zones: Sahel, grass and woodland Savannahs, up to the border of the rainforests. The empire’s founding is remembered in the Sunjata epic, an oral history telling of the semi-mythical exploits and adventures of the first mansa (king or emperor), Sunjata Keita (fl. 1230s), and his companions.35 Ibn Battuta (ca. 1304–1368/9), the great traveler from Tangiers, visited the Kingdom of Mali and described it as stretching from the Atlantic in the west to the land of Limiyyun to the southeast, downstream from Gao.36 The rulers of Mali closely supervised trade throughout their empire with import and export taxes on merchandise, and they extended their control over the Savannah gold fields.37 In addition to the Bambuk area in eastern Senegal, Mali encouraged development of the Bouré gold region near the modern border between Guinea and Mali.38 The gold trade drove Mali’s continued involvement in trans-Saharan routes, and brought remarkable wealth. While gold might have provided much of that wealth, it was the control of other resources, namely iron for arms and horses for transportation, that enabled the mansas of Mali to control this vast territory. Recent excavations at an abandoned settlement along the Niger River, 23 km west of Ségou, demonstrate the means and materials with which the Empire of Mali wielded power.39 Local tradition has long identified the site, known as Sorotomo, with Silamakanba Koita, one of the comrades of Sunjata Keita, and radiocarbon dating of the earliest settlement layers confirm an early to mid-thirteenth-century date. Illustrative of the means of governance within the vast Empire of Mali is the strong archaeological presence of horses at Sorotomo.40 Not only were significant skeletal remains of small-scale horses found,41 the topography manifests an unusually high [End Page 105] number of ponding areas (mares): trough-like reservoirs used for watering livestock. The possession and mobilization of horses, especially a cavalry at the ready for raids, attacks, and long-distance communication with an imperial centre, is the clearest sign of dominion. The nearby Souloukoutou iron mines likely supplied another intrinsic element of empire. Iron, the most common metal found in West Africa, smelted into weapons and horse tackle,42 may explain Sorotomo’s location and represent another source of Silamakanba Koita’s power.43 Although the empire relied on iron weaponry to expand and maintain power,44 the process of smelting iron had an increasingly deleterious effect on the landscape, exacerbating the recession of woodlands in the dry period and pushing Mali’s zone of influence southwards.45 The southward expansion of Mali was therefore driven by climate change, worsened by environmental degradation; but it was also the intentional result of rulers’ efforts to supply rainforest goods for interregional trade, including ebony, grains of paradise, and kola nuts. With the onset of the dry period in the twelfth century, a number of new trading centres were accordingly established along the border of the rainforest, defining the edge of Mali’s zone of influence: Labé (Guinea), Falaba, (Sierra Leone), Kissidougou (Guinea), and Moussadougou (Côte d’Ivoire).46 Rainforest exports were exchanged at these sites for iron and iron goods, gold, and cotton cloth.47 While the trading entrepôts of the Sahel were mixed societies blending Arab, Berber, and Songhai populations,48 Muslim Mande traders were placed in power by the mansa in the rainforest market towns, becoming overlords of local populations (including Lobi, Senufo, and Kulango). Known as Dyula (or Jula), the horse-mounted traders developed both a distinct dialect of Mande, incorporating a large number of loan words, and a strongly accomodationist strand of Islamic theology.49 It was they who provisioned the Empire of [End Page 106] Mali, and the rest of the western hemisphere, with African forest goods, including ebony and grains of paradise. The receding woodlands and rainforests of the dry period thus compelled the Empire of Mali to stretch its reach, bridging forest and Sahel with the horse-mounted and iron-armed Dyula. It emerged in the thirteenth century as an economic and political entity controlling trade across West Africa, even as the distances between these zones increased dramatically due to climate change. The Savannah–Forest Interface and Northwestern Europe: Ivory for Copper The Dyula presence was especially strong along the southwestern edges of the Savannah woodlands. Trade and communication to the southeast, beyond the limits of the empire, was greatly facilitated by the Niger River, which connected trans-Saharan entrepôts along the Niger River Bend to the Savannah and Forest zones of the Niger Delta. Archaeological finds illustrate how the smaller kingdoms and polities throughout this region were similarly actively engaged in long-distance trade. Works of art from Durbi Takusheyi and Tada, sites in the Savannah and Savannah–Forest interface respectively, emphasize not only culturally contingent material hierarchies, but also the astonishingly wide compass of these communities’ specific material desires and their integration into the medieval world system. A cluster of eight burial mounds at Durbi Takusheyi, in the Savannahs of Northern Nigeria, illustrates the reach of Mali’s trading network in the fourteenth century.50 Three of these were high-status tombs, replete with the goods closely associated with trans-Saharan trade: metalwork from the central Islamic lands, glass beads from an impressive number of far-ranging locales, cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean, copper-alloy bracelets and anklets, and a number of pieces of solid gold jewellery likely from Senegal.51 Large ivory bangles were found in all three of the high-status graves, fashioned from the tusks of Savannah elephants roaming nearby. The tumuli of Durbi Takusheyi picture for us a community in direct contact with elephant populations, the source of trade routes that spanned some four thousand kilometres to the ivory workshops of France, and they demonstrate how export goods were appreciated. The juxtaposition of local ivory jewellery together with carnelian, foreign glass, brass, and cowries indicates the high status of ivory, a sense of its value. The elite deceased at Durbi Takusheyi were [End Page 107] buried with luxury goods from close by, from elsewhere in West Africa, and from across the entire eastern hemisphere. In addition to ivory, a wide variety of copper-alloy objects were found in the Durbi Takusheyi tombs: finished imported goods, anklets and bracelets cast locally, and the raw material itself in the form of ingots—the long slim rods appropriate for trade (Figure 5.1a). Three brass ingots were found with the male individual from tomb 5, and in form they are surprisingly close to those in the abandoned shipment of around 2,085 brass bars that Théodore Monod found, together with thousands of cowrie shells, in the so-called el Djouf, or “empty quarter,” of northern Mauritania, a site called Ma‘den Ijâfen.52 Monod photographed and documented the abandoned caravan, dated to between 1000 and 1280, but he was not able to excavate properly and the site has yet to be relocated.53 Monod did, however, retrieve twenty-five of the brass rods, and an analysis of their lead isotopes54 revealed that the copper ore was not likely extracted from any of the suspected North African sources, such as the Moroccan copper mines near Igli.55 Instead, the closest match is a seam of copper ore stretching across modern Belgium and the German Harz region!56 Although these are preliminary findings, it seems that the brass ingots abandoned at Ma‘den Ijâfen, though they never reached their final destination, had already come a long distance indeed. An initial report on the copper-alloy items from Durbi Takusheyi states that the ingots found in tumulus 5 similarly share isotopic ratios with a number of western European ore deposits,57 also linking the burials on the Nigerian Savannahs to the mining centres of northern Europe. Furthermore, while there is great diversity of isotopic ratios among the copper-alloy objects from Durbi Takusheyi, the man buried with the ingots cast his impressive anklets (Figure 5.1b) from his own [End Page 108] stock of this same material: ingots and anklets shared the exact same composition and isotopic signature. This individual—for whom the brass trade was clearly important and whose identity it must have defined—fashioned them (or had them fashioned for him) from the materials of prestige trade items, to accompany him to the grave. The local and the foreign, the elephant ivory around his wrists and the European copper around his ankles, both expressed his status and identity within his community. The meeting of European copper and Savannah ivory in the tombs of Durbi Takusheyi is a clear example of the community’s active local engagement in global trade. The number of ivory bangles reveals a society not only with ready access to the African Savannah elephant, but one that appreciated the aesthetic potential of their tusks, using their ivory as an esteemed material for personal adornment. The community valued the main product that was exported, ivory, simultaneously transforming imported raw resources (like the brass) into culturally significant items. Indeed, the technique of lost-wax casting used for such items as the brass anklets from Durbi Takusheyi appears to have been an independent, indigenous [End Page 109] development among the kingdoms of the Niger River Delta.58 The remarkable finds of Igbo-Ukwu (Nigeria), near the mouth of the Niger River—including some 685 objects in copper and bronze, in addition to thousands of glass beads, terracotta sculptures, cowrie shells, and regalia—date to between the eighth and the early eleventh centuries (Figure 5.2).59 Not only do these artifacts stand witness to a highly sophisticated artistic tradition, the analysis of the Igbo-Ukwu bronzes reveals two significant sources for the copper ore.60 The first, found in the earliest of these pieces, was identified with relatively local ore deposits in modern-day Nigeria, along the Benue Rift.61 A second source, observed among the later bronzes, is from North African copper deposits in Tunisia and Algeria, thus products of the trans-Saharan trade.62 At Igbo-Ukwu, therefore, lost-wax casting was first practised based on regionally available, indigenous resources. The subsequent success of the art form in the next generations, and the increased desire for its products, evidently surpassed the locally available resources, encouraging long-distance, interregional trade. The impetus for long-distance networks thus came from an endogenous development at Igbo-Ukwu. Thurstan Shaw suggested that this long-distance trade was largely balanced by leveraging locally available elephant tusks to obtain the desired goods. It is worth noting that in addition to the copper-alloy riches, three large-scale elephant tusks were included in the high-status burial chamber unearthed at Igbo-Ukwu, echoing the association between copper and ivory seen at Durbi Takusheyi.63 In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Yoruba kingdom of Ife was flourishing in the Forest zone of the Niger River Delta. Ibn Battuta seems to have known of Ife, describing it more or less correctly as the kingdom beyond the last territories of the Empire of Mali: “Yufi is one of the biggest countries of the Sudan, and their sultan is one of their greatest sultans.”64 Ife is known today for the astonishing group of naturalistic, lost-wax cast, copper-alloy heads that were unearthed [End Page 110] in the palace compound of the Ooni (ruler) of Ife in 1938.65 This was a secondary burial, so instead of a dating based on archaeological context, thermoluminescence has been used to place the corpus in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.66 Rather than the compelling heads from the palace compound,67 however, it is the seated figure from Tada (Plate 5.2)—a small Nupe trading village about 200 km due north of Ife along the banks of the Niger River—that offers the perfect illustration of trade, exchange, and material desire.68 Dated to 1325 ± 60 years, the Tada figure is thus contemporary with the burials at Durbi Takusheyi, with the [End Page 111] flourishing of the Empire of Mali, and, not insignificantly, with the apogee of Gothic ivory carving in western Europe.69 Seated on the ground, with one leg bent and the other foot tucked underneath, the 53.7 cm high sculpture displays remarkable attention to naturalistic details of the figure’s anatomy and physiognomy. Although unanimously attributed to the workshops at Ife due to stylistic and technical similarities,70 the seated figure was not found among the sites and shrines of the Ife heartlands. Rather, it was removed in 1979 (along with seven other copper-alloy figures) from a “sacred hut” at Tada to the National Museum, Lagos.71 Isotopic analysis of the nearly pure copper from which the seated figure was cast indicates that the ore came neither from a local Nigerian source, a North African one, nor from the Harz region that constituted the ingots at Maʽden Ijâfen and Durbi Takusheyi. Instead, the copper ore seems to come from the Massif Central, a mineral-rich outcropping of the earth’s crust in southern France.72 The copper from which the Tada figure was cast may thus come from the very territories which so desired Savannah elephant ivory at exactly this same moment—elephant tusks that were in turn carved into figures for Christian worship. For example, the abbey of Frigolet, 70 km or two days’ journey from the southern limits of the Massif Central, had (at the time of the French Revolution) an ivory Virgin and Child (Plate 5.1).73 Such large-scale (37.8 cm) ivory statuettes were frequently used in this period in liturgy and private devotion, and were the focus of pious veneration.74 These two communities, Frigolet and Tada, can therefore be posited as being in a mutually dependent chiastic relationship—each [End Page 112] providing for the other raw materials for the production of ritually important figural sculpture. They can be seen, materially and artistically, as equal partners in an exceptionally long-distance, intercontinental trade network. They were an exchange of sacrifices. Yet in contrast to the Gothic ivories, whose modes of interpretation were largely grounded in biblical exegesis rather than the vicissitudes of trade, the seated Tada figure may have been conceptually associated with the actual mechanisms of exchange. When the bronze sculptures were first observed by S. W. Walker, in situ at Tada, the seated figure was still being ritually washed every week in the waters of the Niger River and scrubbed with its gravel. Eva Meyerowitz confirmed this observation seven years later, in 1941: “the priest seems to have devoted particular attention to this figure, which is taken to the Niger every Friday where it is vigorously scoured with water and river sand.”75 Frank Willett visited Tada in the late 1950s and interviewed the chief priest of the shrine, who corroborated earlier testimonies regarding the practice of ritually washing the statue in the Niger every Friday (a practice discontinued, Willett notes, in 1949).76 The priest also indicated that the community associated the seated figure with “the fertility of the people, of their crops and of the fish in the River Niger on which they live.” Visiting Tada in 1936, the anthropologist S. F. Nadel described the shrine that housed the copper-alloy statues as “quite close to [the river] bank, and next door to the chief’s house … Inside [the] hut the 8 figures [are] arranged like in museum. Surprising cleanliness and order … The square inside is covered with pure, new sand from [the] river which is regularly renewed and cleaned.”77 River and shrine are thus closely associated, inter-permeating the other’s space, reinforcing the identification of the statue with the river. That these ritual practices were of some longevity is testified to by the abraded and corroded surface of the copper—though whether the wear is the result of decades of scouring or centuries is difficult to assess. Another piece of evidence does, however, suggest greater antiquity: the educator and linguist M. C. English reported that the ceremonies surrounding the ritual washing were not performed in the indigenous Nupe language but in Yoruba, the language of Ife.78 The rituals [End Page 113] surrounding the seated Tada figure, its association with fertility and prosperity, and its deep link to the river may reach far back into the region’s history, when Tada was a trading outpost for the Yoruba-speaking Ife kingdom. Thurstan Shaw has already noted the propitious location of Tada at the interface between Savannah and Forest, an ideal riverine entrepôt for the exchange of goods from the two climatic zones.79 It was this very fluvial network that delivered the materials from which the figures were cast: a remarkable crystallization of the forces that engendered its own existence, underscoring the ties between the sculpture’s materiality, its ritual function, and its origin in an interconnected world system. Conclusion We have undertaken a brief journey over a vast terrain in order to assess the complexity of the interregional trade networks linking West Africa to Europe and the Mediterranean world in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and thereby integrating West Africa into the world system. The heyday of grains of Paradise in French and Burgundian cuisine coincides with the flourishing production of Gothic ivories carved from African elephant tusks. During these centuries, the changing climate of medieval Africa had a direct effect not only on the availability of such trade goods, but on the political structures that arose to manage and monopolize regional and interregional trade. I have shown how local, sub-Saharan communities contributed to these trade networks, and suggested how and why certain goods and materials were desired in those communities, impelling the communities south of the Sahara to participate in interregional trade. If cultures around the Mediterranean littoral were enticed across the Sahara by the promise of gold, what material was precious enough to exchange for pure gold bullion? The finds at Durbi Takusheyi and the sculpture of Ife suggest that copper alloys are part of the answer. The remarkable copper-alloy casts of Nigeria, from Igbo-Ukwu in the eighth through eleventh centuries, and those of Ife from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, demonstrate the trajectory of increasing desire for copper alloys on the Niger River delta. As the demand for copper increased, the sources for copper ores moved further afield—to the Sahara and North Africa. By the fourteenth century, the Niger Delta seems to have been sourcing its copper ore from western Europe as well. The Tada figure, cast from copper ore perhaps taken from the mines of the Massif Central, can thus be juxtaposed with Gothic ivory statuettes carved [End Page 114] from the tusks of African elephants at exactly the same moment. Remarkably the seated figure at Tada was ritually associated with the trade route itself, its weekly washing in the Niger River assuring the community’s prosperity by means of this thoroughfare. Thus copper and ivory reached a sort of trade equilibrium. Not one of direct exchange, but an equilibrium reached through the mediation of several “lobes” of a world system. The desire for copper alloy had a rippling effect across four separate interlocking zones of influence: the Forest zone, the Empire of Mali, trans-Saharan caravans, and the Mediterranean. And remarkably, the very locales that responded to the need for copper alloy appreciated the main export product from the Savannah–Forest interface: elephant tusks. In heeding the local use and significance of materials in a sub-Saharan context, a picture of a vastly different regime of value has emerged. In an economy where gold and ivory are plentiful, such materials as the biologically necessary salt or the spiritually potent copper alloys fulfill real needs and desires. Desires significant enough, compelling enough, to trade for gold and ivory. It was, to paraphrase Appadurai, a worthwhile sacrifice to exchange gold and ivory for copper and salt. [End Page 115] Sarah M. Guérin ([email protected]) is Assistant Professor in the Department of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses largely on ivory carving in medieval Europe, which she has approached from a variety of methodological standpoints. In addition to two articles on the medieval ivory trade, she has addressed questions of artistic production, theological interpretation, and haptic engagement with medieval ivories. She is preparing a monograph entitled Ivory Palaces: Material, Belief and Desire in Gothic Sculpture. Bibliography Footnotes 1. Le Roman de la Rose, vv. 1389–94. Translation courtesy of Carol Symes. 3. Brooks, Landlords and Strangers, 54–55; Brooks, Western Africa, 16 and Osseo-Asare, Bitter Roots, 70–105. 4. That is, the African Savannah elephant, not the smaller Asian elephant: Guérin, “Avorio d’ogni raggione,” 158–59. 5. For example, the household of Philip V purchased a complete ivory toiletry set in 1316: Douët-d’Arcq, Comptes, 15. 6. For the use of “medieval” in non-European contexts, see Heng, “Early Globalities,” 236–38. 7. Abu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony, 8–20, and Figure 1. 8. Ibid., 36. 9. The Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History, edited and translated by Levtzion and Hopkins, is an invaluable tool in the field. 12. Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 306 and 418–19 (nn. 1–8). 13. Ibid., 306–8 I. 15. While al-‘Umari based his text closely on previous geographers (notably Ibu Khaldun and Ibn Battuta), he also enjoyed access to Mamluk administrative records in Cairo when compiling his text: Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 252–53 and 276. 16. Devisse, “Commerce et routes,” fig. 14.17; Mauny, Tableau géographique, fig. 58; Walker, “Italian Gold”; Nixon et al., “New Light.” 17. Levtzion, Ancient Ghana and Mali; Keech McIntosh, “Reconceptualizing Early Ghana”; Kea, “Expansions and Contractions.” 20. Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 97–98: for al-Zuhri on Saharan goods available at Sijilmasa ca. 1100. 21. Keech McIntosh and McIntosh, “From Stone to Metal,” 112–13; Stahl (“Political Economic Mosaics”) notes, however, the intensification in the slave trade after the sixteenth century. 27. Brooks, Western Africa; Brooks, Landlords and Strangers, 7–25; Brooks, “Ecological Perspectives”; McIntosh, Peoples of the Middle Niger; McIntosh et al., eds., The Way the Wind Blows; Keech McIntosh, “Reconceptualizing Early Ghana”; Nicholson, “The Methodology of Historical Climate”; Talbot, “Environmental Responses”; Keech McIntosh and McIntosh, “West African Prehistory”; McCann, “Climate and Causation”; Lézine et al., “Sahara and Sahel.” 28. “Ivory century” was coined by Horton, “Swahili Corridor.” See also Cutler, “Resemblance and Difference”; Guérin, “Forgotten Routes.” 29. For cultural recollections of the elephant, see Arnoldi and Ezra, “Sama Ba.” 31. Dueppen and Gokee, “Hunting on the Margins.” My thanks to Stephen Dueppen for this reference. 33. Levtzion, Ancient Ghana and Mali; Keech McIntosh, “Reconceptualizing Early Ghana”; Brooks, Landlords and Strangers, 97–119; Brooks, “Ecological Perspectives.” 34. The location of the capital remains much disputed. Levtzion (Ancient Ghana and Mali, 62) named Niani as the capital, but excavations in 1968 were inconclusive: see Filipowiak, “L’Expedition archéologique.” See also Hunwick, “Mid-Fourteenth Century Capital”; Conrad, “A Town Called Dakajalan.” For the Mandinka linguistic homelands, see Bird, “Development,” especially 153. 35. Many versions have been recorded, edited, and translated: e.g. Conrad, ed. and trans., with Condé, narrator, Sunjata. 40. Local traditions link the site and Silamakanba Koita with the possession of a substantial cavalry: MacDonald et al., “Sorotomo,” 54. 41. In the eleventh century, Al-Bakri described the horses used by West African polities as “very small”: Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 81; Law, Horse, 25–26. 42. For the iron horse bridle found at Koumbi Saleh, perhaps the capital of Ghana, see Berthier, Recherches archéologiques, 78–79. 43. MacDonald et al. are cautious, since no evidence of iron smelting was unearthed during excavations, although only two test units were dug: “Sorotomo,” 56. 44. A number of Mandinka-style lance heads have been found throughout the territories conquered by the Empire of Mali: Blandin, “Fer Noir,” 45 (no. 1) and 143 (nos. 1, 3, and 4); McNaughton, Mande Blacksmiths, 112–14. 46. Ibid., 69–73. 48. The Soninke traders who specialized in the gold trade were known as Wangara: Massing, “Wangara.” 50. Gronenborn et al., “Durbi Takusheyi”; Gronenborn, “States and Trade”; and Gronenborn, ed., Gold. Radiocarbon dating placed tombs 4 and 5 ca. 1300–1325, while tumulus 7 is uncertainly dated between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. 51. For the Mamluk bowl, see Ward, “Plugging the Gap”; Silverman, “Material Biographies.” 52. Monod, “Ma‘den Ijâfen”; Lintz et al., eds., Maroc médiéval, nos. 56 and 57; Lydon, On Trans-Saharan Trails, 74–76. 53. Bedaux et al., “Recherches archéologiques,” 147; Garenne-Marot and Hurtel, “Le Cuivre,” 326; Castro, “Examen métallographique,” 497 and 510. 54. At the Smithsonian, Willett and Sayre studied three datasets of lead isotopes from West African copper alloys: ore samples, archaeological and ethnographical artifacts, and lead isotope ratios from previous analyses of West African materials, which were statistically coherent with the Smithsonian lab results. I am aware of the preliminary nature of such meta-analytical studies and urge further tests. Willett and Sayre, “Lead Isotopes.” See also Gale and Stos-Gale, “Lead Isotope Analyses.” 55. Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 69. Ibn Battuta also mentioned Takedda (Azelik, Niger) as a source of copper: Levtzion and Hopkins, Corpus, 302. See also Herbert, Red Gold, 16–19. 56. For Ma‘den Ijafen isotopes, see Willett and Sayer, “Lead Isotopes,” 67. 58. Picton, “West Africa”; Craddock and Picton, “Medieval Copper”; Craddock and Hook, “Copper to Africa.” 59. For the dating controversy, see Shaw, Igbo-Ukwu; Shaw, “Those Igbo-Ukwu Dates.” 60. Chikwendu et al., “Nigerian Sources”; Craddock et al., “Metal Sources”; Willett and Sayre, “Lead Isotopes,” 57. 66. Willett, “Ife,” 233–34; Willett and Fleming, “A Catalogue.” See Aitken, Thermoluminescence Dating. 67. Blier, “Kings”; Blier, “Art in Ancient Ife”; Blier, Art and Risk. See also Abiodun, Yoruba Art, especially chapter 7. 68. Divergent iconographic readings of the seated Tada figure have been offered. Blier reconstructed the traditional Ogboni association hand gesture: “Art in Ancient Ife,” 73–74; Blier, Art and Risk, 52–59 and plate 5. However, Abiodun (Yoruba Art, 229–35) interprets the Tada figure as a diving priest. 70. Analysis of the clay core demonstrates a closely related manufacture with the Ife bronzes: Slater and Willett, “Neutron Activation.” 71. The first photograph published was in Hermon-Hodge, Up Against It, plate facing 196. Palmer, as Lieutenant Governor of Northern Nigeria, did not visit Tada: Palmer, “Gabi Figures” and “Ancient Nigerian Bronzes.” Colonial district officer S. W. Walker observed the figures in situ: Walker, “Gabi Figures.” 72. Willett and Sayre, “Lead Isotopes,” 62–68. The two objects from the Ife corpus are formed of nearly pure copper with high levels of arsenic, with the Tada figure (0.95%) and the Obulafon mask sitting slightly outside the core statistical spread for the Massif Central. A branch of the cupreous deposits closer to Marseilles is similarly high in arsenic (Cauuet, “Les Ressources”) and was not tested by the project. It might yield a closer match: Werner and Willett, “Composition,” 144–45. For mining in medieval France, see Hoffmann, An Environmental History, 215–27; Blier, Art and Risk, 77–82. 77. London, Archives of the London School of Economics, Papers of Siegfried Nadel (1903– 1956, anthropologist), 2; and Nupe: Field Notebooks, Second Series, 1935–1936. See Nadel, “Field Diaries,” ed. Blench. 78. English, Outline of Nigerian History, 52. I thank Deb Stewart, librarian at the Penn Museum, for help in locating this citation.	https://muse.jhu.edu/article/758477
Two of the most valuable natural resources that Sub-Saharan Africa have are gold and diamonds. Sub-Saharan Africa produces nearly half of the world's gold. Also, out of the 130 million carats of gold mined per year in the world, they produce about 65% of it. Land Use Subsistence Farming is the main was people use the land in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the farmers are only producing enough crops for themselves, they don't have enough to sell to make any income off of it. Hint - Subsistence Farming: farmers grow food for their families, Commercial Farming: large-scale farming for profit Democratic Public of Congo The Democratic Public of Congo is possibly one of the poorest countries in Africa. Their main minerals that they have are the three T's: Tin, Tantalum, and Tungsten. These minerals are used to make electronic devices, which are in high demand all around the world. All of these mines are controlled by armed rebel groups. These rebel groups force people to work. They then smuggle and sell the minerals. With the money they make, they buy more weapons. This is how they stay in control. GDP Per Capita The five nations with the highest GDP Per Capitas are: 1.) Mauritius - $12,800, 2.) South Africa - $11,100, 3.) Botswana - $9,200, 4.) Seychelles - $7,800, 5.) Namibia - $7,300. 16 nations have a GDP Per Capita below $1,000. A couple of things that the 5 nations with the highest GDP Per Capita have vs the nations with GDP Per Capitas less than $1000 are: 1.) Better Technology, and 2.) Better Education. Life Expectancy Of the 31 countries with the lowest life expectancy's, 28 of them are from Sub-Saharan Africa. The main reason for this is HIV/AIDS. About 23.8 million people from Sub-Saharan Africa have this disease. Three Kingdoms of West Africa The three West African Kingdoms were Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Ghana was in power from 800-1054 CE. Mali was in power from 1200-1400 CE. Songhai was in power from 1350-1600 CE. The trade network that the three West African Kingdoms participated in was the Trans-Saharan Trade Network. The two commodities that were traded in the Trans-Saharan Trade Network were salt and gold. The West Africans brought gold and the North Africans brought salt. Slaves on the Trans-Saharan Network North African Muslim tribes traded for African slaves because in the Koran, it says that one Muslim cannot enslave another Muslim. Muslims and African slave traders primarily used slaves to serve in the military. Muslim and African enslavement of Africans was different from European enslavement of Africans because Muslims gave their slaves more freedom. They could own their own property, have their own slaves, and even be generals in the army! King Mansa Musa and Timbuktu Mansa Musa was the king of Mali. He was estimated to have $400 billion. Mansa Musa went on his hajj trip to Mecca during the years 1324-1325. On his trip, he brought 60,000 people, 80 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold each, 500 slaves each carrying a 4 pound gold staff, and his wife with 500 attendants. He gave away tons of gold in Mecca. When he came back from his trip, he brought Muslim scholars and architects to build cities, mosques, and schools in Timbuktu. Timbuktu was the center of Islamic learning. You could study religion, math, music, law, or literature in this city. Ibn Battuta: Explorer Ibn Battuta was 21 years old when he began his travels. He set out from Tangier, Morocco. He traveled about 75,000 miles total over Asia and Africa. Ibn spent 29 years exploring. He stopped his travels in Fez, Morocco. When he was done traveling and exploring, he started to write his book, A Gift to the Observers Concerning the Curiosities of the Cities and the Marvels Encountered in Travels. Ibn Battuta later died in 1368 when he was 64 years old.	https://spark.adobe.com/page/rR7fZhWEEOITA/
World's Toughest Jobs: Salt Miner \| National Geographic ... Jun 14, 2007· In the West African desert, gathering and hauling salt is a grueling task, not left for the meek. Camel caravans still move the tablets to market. See all Na... Jun 14, 2007· In the West African desert, gathering and hauling salt is a grueling task, not left for the meek. Camel caravans still move the tablets to market. See all Na... Gold in South Africa. Between the 10th and 13th centuries CE, the South African kingdom of Mapungubwe thrived due to natural resources like gold. Located … South Africa - South Africa - Diamonds, gold, and imperialist intervention (1870–1902): South Africa experienced a transformation between 1870, when the diamond rush to Kimberley began, and 1902, when the South African War ended. Midway between these dates, in 1886, the world's largest goldfields were discovered on the Witwatersrand. As the predominantly agrarian societies of European ... The mining industry of Mali is dominated by gold extraction which has given it the ranking as the third largest in Africa. Artisanal miners play a large part in the mining of diamonds. The other minerals extracted are rock salt and semiprecious stones. Phosphates are mined in the Tilemsi Valley. In 2013, gold exports were of the order of 67.4 tonnes, nearly a 50% increase over the production ... Apr 28, 2019· In sub-Saharan West Africa, gold was abundant, and this was exchanged for salt brought by caravans arriving from the north. The Logistics of the Salt Trade The salt transported by these caravans was obtained from salt mines in the Sahara Desert. Gold mines in South Africa South Deep Located in South Africa's Mpumalanga region, which borders Swaziland and Mozambique, the South Deep gold mine is the largest in the country and the seventh-deepest in the world, extending 2,995 metres below the Earth's surface. Dec 16, 2012· An extra credit project for my World History class. The song is about the gold-salt trade in the African Kingdom of Ghana. Tyler Floyd - Guitar/Vocals Lindsay Mensch - Vocals Sam Wonfor - … Over 50% of all gold reserves are found in South Africa, with the Witwatersrand Basin remaining the largest gold resource in the world.. In 1975, South Africa was responsible for producing 40% of the gold ever mined. By 2010, however, China affirmed its status as the world's largest gold producer with production of 324 tonnes of gold, followed by Australia (222.8 tonnes), and South Africa ... Aug 04, 2019· Bill Whitaker: Gold and gold mining seem to be in the DNA of South Africa. Bernard Swanepoel: South African gold mining especially has always been at … What Mining Conditions in South Africa are like The African continent is known across the world for its natural beauty and even more so for its mineral wealth. South Africa in particular has a massive mining industry – it is a major source of diamonds, gold, platinum and coal, and is home to most of the deepest mines in the world. As the west African Sudan and Sahel is largely bereft of salt, and salt was in short supply everywhere in the region, it 'was literally worth its weight in gold' to Africans in West Africa at the time (Crowder 1977: 28). The oases town of Taghaza, which was built completely from salt and was entirely dependent on food transported into the ... Mining companies in Ghana have their work cut out. Ghana has a wide variety of minerals, from Gold, to Bauxite, to Diamonds and Manganese. It is the largest Gold producer in Africa, and has very large deposits of silver, petroleum, salt and natural gas. Gold, however, was much easier to come by. Every Akan knew how to find tiny grains of gold sparkling in the river beds after a rainfall. The people who lived in the desert of North Africa could easily mine salt, but not gold. They craved the precious metal that would add … This list of mines in South Africa is subsidiary to the list of mines article and lists working, defunct and future mines in the country and is organised by the primary mineral output. For practical purposes stone, marble and other quarries may be included in this list. From the seventh to the eleventh century, trans-Saharan trade linked the Mediterranean economies that demanded gold—and could supply salt—to the sub-Saharan economies, where gold was abundant. Although local supply of salt was sufficient in sub-Saharan Africa, the consumption of Saharan salt was promoted for trade purposes. Trade in Africa is dominated by diverse natural resources that the continent enjoys in abundance. Did you know that gold and diamonds are among the main exported commodities of African nations? Did you know that South Africa is the world's biggest producer of gold? Read this article and get to know more curious facts about the world of gold in the African countries of South Africa, Morroco ... May 13, 2018· Timbuktu was located near several salt mines in the Sahara Desert. Caravans hauled salt from the mines to trade for gold. Timbuktu began as a trading city, but in time it developed into the educational and spiritual center of West Africa. By 1330, Timbuktu became part of the Kingdom of Mali. Complete List of Claims, Mineral Properties, Deposits & Mining Projects For Sale in South Africa . Lease, Option, & Joint Venture Available. 2. Mali controlled Ghana's gold mines, Sundiata searched for salt and gold exchange with Niani 3. Sundiata' successors expanded the trade routes 4. Songhai defeats Mali and rises to power 5. Songhai gains control of salt and gold mines 6. They had peace and gained control of the trade routes May 14, 2015· New archaeological and scientific discoveries made by Michael Tellinger, Johan Heine and a team of leading scientists, show that the Sumerians and even the Egyptians inherited all their knowledge from an earlier civilization that lived at the southern tip of Africa more than 200,000 years ago… mining gold in South Africa's Ancient Annunaki ... Aug 16, 2012· With South Africa's economy built on gold and diamond mining, the sector is an important foreign exchange earner, with gold accounting for more than one-third of exports. In 2009, the country's diamond industry was the fourth largest in the world. South Africa is also a major producer of coal, manganese and chrome. Jan 30, 2020· 5. Norte Abierto gold mine, Chile. 6. Carlin Trend gold mine, USA. 7. Boddington gold mine, Western Australia. 8. Mponeng gold mine, South Africa. 9. Pueblo Viejo gold mine, Dominican Republic. 10. Cortez gold mine, USA 1. South Deep gold mine – 32.8 million ounces (Moz) South Deep gold mine is the largest gold mine in the world, by reserves. Many local merchants became quite wealthy. Ghana, West Africa's first kingdom, depended upon income from trade. It became so rich it was known as the Land of Gold. Access the Map of salt and gold mines. These are the major salt mines (near Targhaza) and the gold mines (in the regions of the upper Niger). Return to Trans-Saharan Gold Trade ... The currently abandoned Stratton's Independence mine and mill is a historic gold deposit near Victor, Colorado (USA). Just between late 1893 and April 1899, the mine provided almost 200,000 ounces of gold. 11. Big Hole. The Big Hole is an open-pit and also underground diamond mine located in Kimberley, South Africa. It's considered the ... Salt from the Sahara desert was one of the major trade goods of ancient West Africa where very little naturally occurring deposits of the mineral could be found. Transported via camel caravans and by boat along such rivers as the Niger and Senegal, salt found its way to trading centres like Koumbi Saleh, Niani, and Timbuktu, where it was either passed further south or exchanged for other goods ... Jun 11, 2019· Kopanang gold mine extracts gold at depths ranging between 1,350m and 2,240m. Image courtesy of Agnico-Eagle. Mponeng Gold Mine. AngloGold Ashanti's Mponeng gold mine, located south-west of Johannesburg in South Africa, is currently the deepest mine in the world. 3. Mali. A. Its positioning In ten years, Mali has become the third largest gold exporter in Africa after South Africa and Ghana. Estimated production is about 50 tonnes on average. Mali is becoming a major gold producer with several new mines developed by AngloGold and Randgold Resources. South Africa - South Africa - Gold mining: Prospectors established in 1886 the existence of a belt of gold-bearing reefs 40 miles (60 km) wide centred on present-day Johannesburg. The rapid growth of the gold-mining industry intensified processes started by the diamond boom: immigration, urbanization, capital investment, and labour migrancy. By 1899 the gold industry attracted investment worth ...	https://www.francoisphotographie.fr/2019-01/solt-and-gold-mindes-in-africa/38448.html
Where is the trans-Saharan trade route? Where is the trans-Saharan trade route? Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara between sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa. While existing from prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the early 17th century. What was the major trade commodity of the trans-Saharan trade route? Gold, sought from the western and central Sudan, was the main commodity of the trans-Saharan trade. The traffic in gold was spurred by the demand for and supply of coinage. What religion spread the trans-Saharan trade routes? With the increased volume of trans-Saharan trade in the Islamic period, new cultural influences began to spread in Western Africa. The most important of them was a new religion, Islam, which was adopted in the states belonging to the sphere of the caravan trade by the end of the eleventh century. How were the trans-Saharan trade routes different from the Silk Road? Trans-Saharan routes restricted trade to within Africa; the Silk Road restricted trade to areas within Asia. Trans-Saharan trade routes were primarily land based; the Silk Road was both land and sea based. D. Salt was traded on the trans-Saharan trade routes; salt was not traded on the Silk Road. What did the trans Saharan trade? The West Africans exchanged their local products like gold, ivory, salt and cloth, for North African goods such as horses, books, swords and chain mail. This trade (called the trans-Saharan trade because it crossed the Sahara desert) also included slaves. Slaves would be taken to southern Spain as household servants. What is the difference between trans Saharan and Indian Ocean trade? -differences: Trans Saharan Trade- land based, traded bananas, slaves, gold, ivory, and local plants. Indian Ocean Trade- maritime trade, depended on seasonal winds (monsoons), traded textiles, cotton, spices, porcelain, horses, slaves, silk. What was traded in the Indian Ocean trade? These included Kilwa, Sofala, Mombasa, Malindi, and others. The city-states traded with inland kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe to obtain gold, ivory, and iron. These materials were then sold to places like India, Southeast Asia, and China. These were Africa’s exports in the Indian Ocean Trade. How did people travel on the Silk Road? Merchants and tradesmen traveled in large caravans. They would have many guards with them. Traveling in a big group like a caravan helped in defending from bandits. Camels were popular animals for transport because much of the road was through dry and harsh land. What religion did the Indian Ocean trade route spread? Classic Period Indian Ocean Trading Another major export item along the classical Indian Ocean trade routes was religious thought. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism spread from India to Southeast Asia, brought by merchants rather than by missionaries. Islam would later spread the same way from the 700s CE on. How did monsoons affect Indian Ocean trade? Monsoon winds made trading across the Indian Ocean easier because they made trading more predictable and less dangerous. Without the monsoons when people could only rely sails and ors there was the possibility that their goods wouldn’t make it on time and would go bad, or that the ship we sink. What environmental knowledge did sailors need when trading in the Indian Ocean? Knowledge of monsoon winds were essential for trading in the INdian ocean. Why is the Indian Ocean trading network less famous well known? The Indian Ocean trade network is also a lot less famous than the Silk Road. The monsoon winds had the special role of taking the boats from place to place in the Indian Ocean trade network. These winds were very constant because they came with the seasons. What was the impact of the Indian Ocean trade? Contact: As all trade networks did, the Indian Ocean trade fostered the exchange of ideas, such as Buddhism to Southeast Asia, and Islam across Eurasia. Which was one of the most important ports of the Indian Ocean trade? Singapore Port, the most important in the region and second busiest port in the world based on container traffic and cargo tonnage, is located in the Strait of Malacca. Linking Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Strait plays a pivotal role in the global commerce. Which of these is most true of trade along the Indian Ocean basin? The answer is D. Explanation: Due to its location along the Indian Ocean basin and its location between Southwest Asia and China, Indian merchants were active in sea and overland trade. What technological developments helped the Indian Ocean trade be successful? What technological developments helped the Indian Ocean trade become successful? The ability to know direction with a compass and knowing your latitude with an astrolabe. Ships were also improved to be more stable. How did the Portuguese affect Indian Ocean trade? Portugal’s purpose in the Indian Ocean was to ensure the monopoly of the spice trade. Taking advantage of the rivalries that pitted Hindus against Muslims, the Portuguese established several forts and trading posts between 1500 and 1510. What did Portugal trade in the 1500s? The main Portuguese goal was trade, not colonization or conquest. Soon its ships were bringing into the European market highly valued gold, ivory, pepper, cotton, sugar, and slaves. The slave trade, for example, was conducted by a few dozen merchants in Lisbon. How did Spain Separate Portugal? The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas neatly divided the “New World” into land, resources, and people claimed by Spain and Portugal.	https://colors-newyork.com/where-is-the-trans-saharan-trade-route/
Silk Roads comprised of a network of routes and paths that gradually linked and connected Eurasia throughout history. These routes crossed both the land and sea and were used for the exchange of silk and other products such as food spices. Indeed, the maritime routes were vital as they linked the East and the West, and these vast networks resulted in the establishment of cities along the silk roads that supported not only exchange of merchandise and precious commodities but also the exchange of ideas, skills, culture, and beliefs by encouraging the mixing of various people who were ever on the constant move. Some of the cities that attract travelers for trade and support intellectual and cultural exchange include Alexandria and Muscat, and these cities have contributed goods to other forms of value. Alexandria Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332-331 B.C.E to provide a link between the Nile Valley Regions and Greece. Alexandria acted as a center of interregional trade that dealt with Greece and Asian areas, including regions in the Persian Empire and to the Indian Peninsula. Indeed, the city was suitable for trade because of its location. Alexandria is protected by Pharos Island from the North, Nile Delta from the East and the West by the Libyan Desert from the West. Due to the city’s favorable location, it was subject to extensive shipping of grain, and one of the most important functions of the city was to act as a granary. Moreover, the city’s harbor was not in danger of silting as it was protected from the prevailing currents that came from the West to the East. Besides the city’s favorable location, Alexandria substituted the roles of older cities, such as Naucratis, in commerce, and it became the preferred destination for many travelers (Hirst and Silk 186). The foundation of the Library of Alexandria and Alexander’s tomb are some of the sites that attracted many tourists and scholars, and that made the city a favorable place to trade. Alexandria’s trade structure was defined by administration and control. At first, the private investors took control of trade across the city, but with time the Roman Emperor starting with Octovan, controlled the city’s trade activities. Taxes and importation tariffs went directly to the royal treasury. Various items that this cosmopolitan city contributed to the trade include necessities, such as grains and textiles; luxury items, such as pottery, perfume and papyrus; and the production of metalwork and glassware. Additionally, the key elements of trade were the grains and textiles. Another essential function of the city was textile production. Many travelers could access textile products, such as tapestry hangings, carpets, and curtains, from the area. Muscat Since the 2nd century AD, Muscat has been a strategic center of trade and exchange of various products throughout the history of Silk roads. Muscat is the modern-day capital city of Oman, and it was important throughout the history of silk roads because of its geographical positioning. Located at a small sheltered bay on Oman’s north-eastern coastline and over-looking the country’s gulf, the city linked Asia with Europe and Africa, and it was a vital stopping point from the merchants. Furthermore, sailors used the city as a natural shelter to escape from bad weather conditions and make repairs, and to access water and food for the long sea journeys. This city was of enormous importance to traders who traveled for long and uncertain sea journeys. Muscat was relied on by the maritime Silk Roads for transporting spices from southeast Asia and timber from India. The city’s geographical position contributed to the exchange of silks and textiles from China and merchandise from East Africa (Chaziza 47). Moreover, its strategic position has established it at the heart of maritime trade throughout the history of Silk Roads. Consequently, the city has been the focus of invading powers that want to take control of this lucrative maritime trade route, such as the Persians and Portuguese. The Persians captured the city in the 3rd century AD until the 7th century (Chaziza 56). In July 1507, Muscat was invaded by the Portuguese who wanted to take control of the city to protect their route to India and to maintain their dominance in the interregional trade across Europe, Asia and Africa. Silk Roads were of significance as they supported interregional trade between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The maritime routes also promoted diversity by enhancing the exchange of ideas, skills, cultures, and beliefs amongst traders who constantly traveled across the mentioned regions. Some of the trade cities that were essential in the maritime trade include Alexandria and Muscat. Alexandria was important as it linked the Asian and African regions. Some of the products that the city contributed to the maritime trade include grains and textiles. Muscat linked Asia with Europe and Africa. The significance of the city in the maritime trade is that it offered travelers excellent natural shelters to help the traders to escape from part weather conditions. Other Silk routes used this city to receive and exchange various products from other regions. Works Cited Chaziza, Mordechai. “The Significant Role of Oman in China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative.” Contemporary Review of the Middle East 6.1 (2019): 44-57, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2347798918812285?journalCode=cmea Hirst, Anthony, and M. S. Silk. Alexandria, Real and Imagined. Routledge, 2017.	https://www.premiumessays.net/sample-history-research-paper-on-silk-roads/
“The world is indebted to us for the benefits of civilization. They stole our arts and sciences from Africa. Then why should we be ashamed of ourselves? Their modern improvements are but duplicates of a grander civilization that we reflected thousands of years ago, without the advantage of what is buried and still hidden, to be reflected and resurrected by our generation and our posterity.” – Marcus Garvey I shared this image of Ancient Africa in the intro piece in hopes that it’ll set the stage for this piece. Most African Americans descend from the half million Africans who landed on the shores of North America as captives during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The vast majority came from Western Africa (shaded area above) whose history is a story of the rise and fall of many kingdoms and empires that date back to at least 2000 BC. Consider this a quick crash course into 2000 years of astronomical historical achievements made by BLACK PEOPLE. Since the majority of us more than likely descended from the warriors of West Africa, I’m going to be diving deep into our ancient history rooted in West Africa. Don’t worry though, maybe someday in the future I’ll revisit the other empires & civilizations mapped out in the intro piece, especially Nubia & Kemet. But until then, buckle the fuck up and get ready for another history lesson. The Rise of West Africa’s Most Powerful Empires Tichitt-Walata Civilization (ca. 4000 – 500 BC) Abstract The sandstone escarpment of the Dhar Tichitt in South-Central Mauritania was inhabited by Neolithic agropastoral communities for approximately one and half millennium during the Late Holocene, from ca. 4000 to 2300 BP. The absence of prior evidence of human settlement points to the influx of mobile herders moving away from the “drying” Sahara towards more humid lower latitudes. These herders took advantage of the peculiarities of the local geology and environment and succeeded in domesticating bulrush millet – Pennisetum sp. The emerging agropastoral subsistence complex had conflicting and/or complementary requirements depending on circumstances. In the long run, the social adjustment to the new subsistence complex, shifting site location strategies, nested settlement patterns and the rise of more encompassing polities appear to have been used to cope with climatic hazards in this relatively circumscribed area. An intense arid spell in the middle of the first millennium BC triggered the collapse of the whole Neolithic agropastoral system and the abandonment of the areas. These regions, resettled by sparse oasis-dwellers populations and iron-using communities starting from the first half of the first millennium AD, became part of the famous Ghana “empire”, the earliest state in West African history. Gahan Empire (300 – 1200) In West Africa, hundreds of abandoned stone settlements dating back to 2000 BC have been found near Tichitt and Walata (2000 BC-500 BC) in an area that later became part of the Ancient Ghana Empire (300 AD – 1200 AD) which is now in present-day southern Mauritania and western Mali. Economy Ghana became powerful by controlling the gold trade, which was being mined out of the Wangara region. Gahan was able to achieve this by declaring all productions of any goods the property of the king. Since Ghana controlled the gold trade, the people of Ghana were fairly wealthy. Especially the king and those closest. Ghana taxed ALL imports and exports. Yes, that includes all the gold that came into the empire and all that went out. To avoid inflation, a fixed periodical quantity was released. Kings of Ghana Here are the list of KNOWN Kings who ruled over this great empire; Kaya Maja,( c.350) Majan Dyabe Sisse,( c.750), Bassi,(c, 1040 – 1062), Tunka Menin,(c. 1062 – 1068), Kambine, Diaresso,(c. 1076 – 1090), Suleiman,(c.1090 – 1100), Bannu Bubu,(c.1100 – 1120), Majan, Wagadu,(c.1120 – 1130), Gane,(c.1130 – 1140), Musa,(c.1140 – 1160), Birama,(c.1160 – 1180), Diara Kante,(c.1180 – 1200), Sumanguru,(c.1200 – 1234) The Empire of Mali (1235 – 1600) The Mali Empire arose with the consolidation of several small Malinké Kingdoms in Ghana around the areas of the upper Niger River. Most of what is known about the Empire of Mali’s early history was collected by Arabic scholars in the 1300s and 1400s. A King named Sumanguru Kanté ruled the Susu Kingdom, which had conquered the Malinké people in the early 13th century. The King known as Sundiata (also spelled Sunjata) organized the Malinké resistance against the Susu Kingdom, and Sundiata is believed by many historians, such as Conrad David and Innes Gordon, to have founded Mali when he defeated Sumanguru Kanté in 1235. Economy The Mali Empire consisted of outlying areas and small kingdoms. All these Kingdoms pledged allegiance to Mali by offering annual tributes in the form of rice, millet, lances, and arrows. Just as Ghana, Mali prospered from taxes collected from its citizens, and all goods brought in and out of the Empire were heavily taxed while all gold nuggets belonged to the King. However, gold dust could be traded and at certain times gold dust was used as currency together with salt and cotton cloth. Cowrie shells from the Indian Ocean were later used as currency in the internal trade of Western Sahara Kings of Mali The most known king of Mali is the one and only Mansa Musa. It is debated by historians whether Mansa Musa was the grandson of one of Sundiata’s brothers, thus making him Sundiata’s grand-nephew, or if he was the grandson of Abu Bakr. What is known is that Mansa Musa converted to Islam and underwent a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, accompanied by 60,000 individuals and large quantities of gold. His generosity was supposedly so great that by the time he left Mecca he had used every piece of gold he had taken with him, and had to borrow money for the return trip. Mansa Musa was known to be a wise and efficient ruler, and one of his greatest accomplishments was his commission of some of the greatest buildings of Timbuktu. In 1327 the Great Mosque in Timbuktu (seen above) was constructed and Timbuktu would later become a central location for learning. At the end of Mansa Musa’s reign, he had built and funded the Sankara Madrassa, which subsequently becomes one of the greatest centers of learning in the Islamic world, and the greatest library in Africa at the time. The Sankara Madrassa is estimated to have housed between 250,000 and 700,000 manuscripts, making it the largest library in Africa since the Great Library of Alexandria. Songhai Empire (ca. 1375 – 1591) The Songhai people founded Gao around 800 A.D. and established it as their capital in the 11th century during the reign of Dia Kossoi. As the city and region grew in importance, the Malian Empire decided it’s best to incorporate Songhai as a stronghold as it expanded across the West African savanna. The Rise of Songhai Mali’s power, however, was eventually weakened by palace intrigue that interrupted the orderly succession of emperors. Recognizing the weakness at the center of Mali, Gao rebelled in 1375. Songhai then began its own imperial expansion at the expense of Mali, conquering Mema in 1465 and three years later seizing Timbuktu, the largest city in the region, from the Taureg who had recently taken it from Mali. Kings of Songhai Sunni Ali Ber, the military commander responsible for these victories, is widely considered the first great ruler of the Songhai Empire. He continued to enlarge the empire, taking control of important Trans-Saharan trade routes as well as other cities and provinces of Mali. After Sunni Ali Ber’s death in 1492, his son, Sonni Baru, became emperor but soon lost the throne to Askia (Emperor) Muhammad Toure one year later. The new ruler, Askia also know as Askia the Great, centralized the bureaucracy of his empire by, appointing virtually all of the mayors and provincial governors, established Sharia law throughout the empire, expanded Sankore University in Timbuktu and built numerous schools through Songhai. Askia Muhammad Toure also strengthened political and cultural ties with the rest of the Muslim world, encouraging the immigration of scholars and skilled workers from Arabia, Kemet (Eygpt), Morocco, and Muslim Spain. He was the first West African ruler to allow the exchange of ambassadors with these and other Muslim states. After Askia Muhammad Toure’s death in 1528, Songhai enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity under a succession of emperors. Urban-centered trade flourished in Gao, Timbuktu, and Djenne although the vast majority of Songhai’s inhabitants were small farmers whose fortunes were tied to success in agriculture rather than in commerce. The Fall That period of peace and stability ended in 1591 when a civil war created an opportunity for Morocco Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi to send an army to conquer Songhai. Al-Mansur hoped to control the West African gold fields and establish himself as the Caliph of Sudan. Connecting The Dots The Western African civilizations of Tichitt and Walata, Nok, Sao, Gajiganna – Zilum, and the Ghana Empire were all located in the section of Africa where most African Americans would eventually come from. Needless to say, our history is far greater than slavery, and systematic oppression. I know this section of this miniseries was lengthy AF, but I had to pack it with as much information as I could to further my point that we only know 10% of our own history. Of course, a lot of this history is new to me as well, so I encourage everyone reading this to follow each hyperlink provided for the source of all this information I was able to compile! The next piece from this miniseries will cover the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Era that ripped not only our ancestors’ bodies from Africa but our conscious ties to our great history that shaped the civilized world we currently live in.	https://theghettoactivist.com/2019/02/25/african-american-history-ancient-africa/
What were the two causes for the development of African Culture? Agriculture was subsistence farming with simple digging using sticks and hoes Trans-Saharan trade routes led to the development of strong trading kingdoms throughout the continent and was very important In the spreads of Islam from the Middle East throughout North Africa What are the four characteristics of the Axum? Center of caravan trade routes to Egypt Has miles of coastline and ports on Red Sea and influence over maritime trade on Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean Traded goods and ideas with Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India, Rome Axum adopted Christianity and Ethiopia had always been a predominantly Christian kingdom Who were the farmers and traders living Delete north word of the Niger River, in between the salt deposits of the Sahara and gold mines of the Savanna? Soninke Ghana The first West African Kingdom because of control of the gold and salt trade and revenues from taxing all of the trade caravans coming through What was a leader or War Chief called Ghana What tribe first practiced animalism (worship of nature spirits) but converted to Islam after contact with the Arabs through trade? Ghana In 1076 who defeated Ghana? Berbers Ghana's economics were based on what two things? Gold and trade What did the people of Ghana demand when they conquered tribes? They demanded tribute How much power did the kings in Ghana have? Absolute power What were the kingdoms in Ghana held together by...? Strong personal rule, not loyalty to nation Who was Mali founded by? Mandingo people Who was Mali's most famous king? Mansa Musa; ruled at the peak of Mali's power Mansa Musa made the Hajj with what three things (and their amounts)? Slaves dressed in silk: 12,000 Camels: Hundreds Gold: 3,000 How did Timbuktu become a renowned city? Great Mosque Where is Zimbabwe located? Located near the Zembezi and Limpopo Rivers and the Indian Ocean coast Which empire was at its peak at the same time as the Mali kingdom? Zimbabwe Which kingdom conquered large salt mines to gain control of salt trade? Mali Which empire's kingdom was peaceful and safe? Mali Which empire declined due to internal rivalries, Bedouin raids, and rebellions by vassal states? Mali Which empire means "great stone house" because the kingdom was famous for its huge stone palaces and buildings? Zimbabwe Which empire was founded by the Bantu, Shona, or Lemba people circa 11th century? Zimbabwe Which empire was the center of southern Africa's gold industry? Zimbabwe Which part of the country is made up of independent city states self governing city that also controlled surrounding countryside? East Africa Which part of the country had traders brought out ivory, gold, and animal skins through the Indian Ocean? East Africa YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...	https://quizlet.com/204865782/the-americas-test-flash-cards/
The gold-salt trade in Africa made Ghana a powerful empire because they controlled the trade routes and taxed traders. Control of gold-salt trade routes helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai to become large and powerful West African kingdoms. … Mansa Musa and Sundiata were to leaders that assisted in keeping Mali prosperous. Why did the Kingdom of Ghana become prosperous and powerful *? Why did the kingdom of Ghana become prosperous and powerful? It controlled the gold-salt trade. … Mali defeated Ghana to found a new empire. Why were Ghana Mali and Songhai wealthy and prosperous empires? Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were successful and well-organized states that overcame tribal divisions and fused traditional beliefs with the universal ambitions of Islam. The internal strength of these West African empires was what made the gold trade so successful. How did the kingdoms of West Africa become so powerful? The king of Ghana spread his power through trade. Gold, ivory, and slaves were bartered for salt from the Arabs. Horses, cloth, swords and books were bartered from North Africans and Europeans. Ghana achieved much of its wealth by trading with the Arabs. Why were West African empires like Mali so prosperous? The territory of the Mali Empire was rich in natural resources, such as gold and salt. The world first witnessed the extent of Mansa Musa’s wealth in 1324 when he took hispilgrimage to Mecca. … Mali and its king were elevated to near legendary status, cemented by their inclusion on the 1375 Catalan Atlas. What two products dominated the Sahara? Two products, gold and salt, dominated the Sahara trade route. - Gold was plentiful in West African. - Between 500-1600 eight tons of gold were exported per year from West Africa. - Salt, which people need in their diet to replace perspiration, was scarce in the savanna but abundant in the Sahara. What religion influenced both Ghana and Mali? By the late 1400s Islam would become the most practiced religion in the region. Like Ghana, Mali lay along the upper Niger River. This area’s fertile soil helped Mali grow. In addition, Malis location on the Niger allowed its people to control trade on the river. Which came first Ghana or Mali? Out of the ashes of Ghana came the next great civilization of its time –– and the richest kingdom ever to exist in world history — the Mali Empire. The roots of Mali start within ancient Ghana and the Malinke inhabitants of Kangaba, who served as middlemen trading gold to foreigners. Why was the Mali Empire so rich? Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa. His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. Elephant ivory was another major source of wealth. Why was Ghana’s King so powerful? Why was Ghana’s king so powerful? Ghana’s king grew strong by controlling the trans-Saharan trade. Ghana charged a tax on all goods coming and going from the kingdom. Which kingdom is the greatest in Africa? What is the largest kingdom in Africa? The largest and most powerful empire was the Songhai Empire. It is believed to be the largest state in African history. The empire existed between 1000 CE and 1591 CE and came to an end as a result of the Moroccan musketry. Which empire became the strongest in West Africa? The most powerful of these states was the Songhai Empire, which expanded rapidly beginning with king Sonni Ali in the 1460s. By 1500, it had risen to stretch from Cameroon to the Maghreb, the largest state in African history. Who was the first king of the empire of Ghana? Ancient Ghana ruled from around 300 to 1100 CE. The empire first formed when a number of tribes of the Soninke peoples were united under their first king, Dinga Cisse. The government of the empire was a feudal government with local kings who paid tribute to the high king, but ruled their lands as they saw fit. Why did Mali Empire fall? The Mali Empire collapsed in the 1460s following civil wars, the opening up of trade routes elsewhere, and the rise of the neighbouring Songhai Empire, but it did continue to control a small part of the western empire into the 17th century. What was Mali called before? What is present-day Mali became a part of French West Africa, although its borders were modified repeatedly and its name was changed as well. For most of its existence, the territory was known as the French Sudan and headed by either a governor or a lieutenant governor. What made Mali successful? The great wealth of Mali came from gold and salt mines. The capital city of the empire was Niani. Other important cities included Timbuktu, Gao, Djenne, and Walata. The Mali Empire controlled important trade routes across the Sahara Desert to Europe and the Middle East.	https://haiafrika.com/countries/why-did-the-kingdoms-of-ghana-and-mali-become-prosperous-and-powerful.html
For over a century, technologists and scientists have actively sought the development of exoskeletons and orthoses designed to augment human economy, strength, and endurance. While there are still many challenges associated with exoskeletal and orthotic design that have yet to be perfected, the advances in the field have been truly impressive. In this commentary, I first classify exoskeletons and orthoses into devices that act in series and in parallel to a human limb, providing a few examples within each category. This classification is then followed by a discussion of major design challenges and future research directions critical to the field of exoskeletons and orthoses. I classify exoskeletons and orthoses into four categories and provide design examples within each of these. I discuss devices that act in series with a human limb to increase limb length and displacement, and devices that act in parallel with a human limb to increase human locomotory economy, augment joint strength, and increase endurance or strength. Exoskeletons and orthoses are defined as mechanical devices that are essentially anthropomorphic in nature, are ‘worn’ by an operator and fit closely to the body, and work in concert with the operator’s movements. In general, the term ‘exoskeleton’ is used to describe a device that augments the performance of an able-bodied wearer, whereas the term ‘orthosis’ is typically used to describe a device that is used to assist a person with a limb pathology. 1. Series-limb exoskeletons – like Springwalker and Powerskip with an in-series leg exoskeleton device, the ground reaction forces are still borne by the human leg. In contrast, with a parallel mechanism, body weight could be transferred through the exoskeleton directly to the ground, decreasing the loads borne by the biological limbs and lowering the metabolic demands to walk, run, and hop. Furthermore, such a parallel exoskeleton would not increase limb length, thereby not increasing the overall energetic demand to stabilize movement. 2. Parallel-limb exoskeletons for load transfer Examples are Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX) and HULC. BLEEX can reportedly support a load of up to 75 kg while walking at 0.9 m/s, and can walk at speeds of up to 1.3 m/s without the load. A second generation of the Berkeley exoskeleton is currently in testing. The new device is approximately half the weight of the original exoskeleton (~14 kg), in part due to the implementation of electric actuation with a hydraulic transmission system. 3. Parallel-limb exoskeletons for torque and work augmentation Here we discuss exoskeletons that act in parallel with the human joint(s) for torque and work augmentation. Many parallel-limb exoskeletons have been developed to augment joint torque and work. In distinction to the load-carrying exoskeletons mentioned in the last section, this type of exoskeletal and orthotic device does not transfer substantial load to the ground, but simply augments joint torque and work. This type of leg exoskeleton could improve walking and running metabolic economy, or might be used to reduce joint pain or increase joint strength in paralyzed or weak joints. The Japanese HAL 5 suit is a prime example. 4. Parallel-limb exoskeletons that increase human endurance A crutch was constructed with an orthotic elbow spring to maximize the endurance of physically challenged persons in climbing stairs and slopes. When the crutch user flexes both elbows to place the crutch tips onto the next stair tread, orthotic elbow springs compress and store energy. This stored energy then assists the crutch user during elbow extension, helping to lift the body up the next step, and delaying the onset of bicep and tricep muscle fatigue. In future developments, robotic exoskeletons and powered orthoses could be put forth that actively vary impedance to optimally redistribute the body’s work load over a greater muscle volume, maximizing the efficiency with which the body is able to perform mechanical work and significantly augmenting human endurance. Future Directions and Challenges There are many factors that continue to limit the performance of exoskeletons and orthoses. Today’s powered devices are often heavy with limited torque and power, making the wearer’s movements difficult to augment. Current devices are often both unnatural in shape and noisy, factors that negatively influence device cosmesis. Given current limitations in actuator technology, continued research and development in artificial muscle actuators is of critical importance to the field of wearable devices. Electroactive polymers have shown considerable promise as artificial muscles, but technical challenges still remain for their implementation Another factor limiting today’s exoskeletons and orthoses is the lack of direct information exchange between the human wearer’s nervous system and the wearable device. Continued advancements in neural technology will be of critical importance to the field of wearable robotics. Peripheral sensors placed inside muscle to measure the electromyographic signal, or centrally-placed sensors into the motor cortex, may be used to assess motor intent by future exoskeletal control systems. Neural implants may have the potential to be used for sensory feedback to the nerves or brain, thus allowing the exoskeletal wearer to have some form of kinetic and kinematic sensory information from the wearable device. Today’s interface designs often cause discomfort to the wearer, limiting the length of time that a device can be worn. A proposed solution is 3D body scans and custom fitting. An exoskeleton, customized to fit the wearer’s outer anatomical features and physiological demands, would then be designed as a ‘second skin’. Such a skin would be made compliant in body regions having bony protuberances, and more rigid in areas of high tissue compliance. The exoskeletal skin would be so intimate with the human body that external shear forces applied to the exoskeleton would not produce relative movement between the exoskeletal inner surface and the wearer’s own skin, eliminating skin sores resulting from device rubbing. Compliant artificial muscles, sensors, electronics and power supply would be embedded within the three dimensional construct, offering full protection of these components from environmental disturbances such as dust and moisture. Once designed, device construction would unite additive and subtractive fabrication processes to deposit materials with varied properties (stiffness and density variations) across the entire exoskeletal volume using large scale 3-D printers and robotic arms. Exoskeleton for Parapalegics that simulates natural gait Assisted Steps: A patient with paralysis stands with the aid of the Berkeley exoskeleton. The exoskeleton moves the patient’s hips and knees to imitate a natural walk. Credit: University of California, Berkeley A Berkeley device, which houses a computer and battery pack, straps onto a user’s back like a backpack and can run six to eight hours on one charge. Pumps drive hydraulic fluid to move the hip and knees at the same time, so that the hip swings through a step as one knee bends. The device plans walking trajectories based on data (about limb angles, knee flexing, and toe clearance) gathered from people’s natural gaits. Pressure sensors in each heel and foot make sure both feet aren’t leaving the ground at the same time. If you liked this article, please give it a quick review on Reddit, or StumbleUpon. Thanks Supporting Advertising Business Success How to Make Money Executive Jobs Paid Surveys Thank You Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology. Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels. A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.	https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2010/09/classification-of-exoskeletons-and.html
J. Kim, et al. , “ Reducing the energy cost of walking with low assistance levels through optimized hip flexion assistance from a soft exosuit ,” Nature - Scientific Reports , vol. 12, no. 11004, 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract As we age, humans see natural decreases in muscle force and power which leads to a slower, less efficient gait. Improving mobility for both healthy individuals and those with muscle impairments/weakness has been a goal for exoskeleton designers for decades. In this work, we discover that significant reductions in the energy cost required for walking can be achieved with almost 50% less mechanical power compared to the state of the art. This was achieved by leveraging human-in-the-loop optimization to understand the importance of individualized assistance for hip flexion, a relatively unexplored joint motion. Specifically, we show that a tethered hip flexion exosuit can reduce the metabolic rate of walking by up to 15.2 ± 2.6%, compared to locomotion with assistance turned off (equivalent to 14.8% reduction compared to not wearing the exosuit). This large metabolic reduction was achieved with surprisingly low assistance magnitudes (average of 89 N, ~ 24% of normal hip flexion torque). Furthermore, the ratio of metabolic reduction to the positive exosuit power delivered was 1.8 times higher than ratios previously found for hip extension and ankle plantarflexion. These findings motivated the design of a lightweight (2.31 kg) and portable hip flexion assisting exosuit, that demonstrated a 7.2 ± 2.9% metabolic reduction compared to walking without the exosuit. The high ratio of metabolic reduction to exosuit power measured in this study supports previous simulation findings and provides compelling evidence that hip flexion may be an efficient joint motion to target when considering how to create practical and lightweight wearable robots to support improved mobility. PDF H. D. Yang, M. Cooper, A. Eckert-Erdheim, D. Orzel, and C. J. Walsh , “ A Soft Exosuit Assisting Hip Abduction for Knee Adduction Moment Reduction During Walking ,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters , vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 7439-7446, 2022. Publisher's Version Abstract The knee joint experiences significant torques in the frontal plane to keep the body upright during walking. Excessive loading over time can lead to knee osteoarthritis (OA), the progression of which is correlated with external knee adduction moment (KAM). In this paper, we present a wearable soft robotic exosuit that applies a hip abduction torque and evaluate its ability to reduce KAM. The exosuit uses a portable cable actuation system to generate torque when desired while remaining unrestrictive when unpowered. We explored five different force profiles on healthy participants (N=8) walking on an instrumented treadmill at 1.25 m/s. For each force profile, we tested two peak force levels: 15% and 20% of bodyweight. We observed KAM reductions with two of the five profiles. With Force Profile 2 (FP2), peak KAM was reduced by 9.61% and impulse KAM by 12.76%. With Force Profile 5 (FP5), we saw reductions of peak KAM by 6.14% and impulse KAM by 21.09%. These initial findings show that the device has the ability to change walking biomechanics in a consistent and potentially beneficial way. PDF S. E. Root, et al. , “ An Expanding Foam-Fabric Orthopedic Cast ,” Advanced Materials Technologies , pp. 2101563, 2022. PDF 2021 K. Swaminathan, et al. , “ Ankle resistance with a unilateral soft exosuit increases plantarflexor effort during pushoff in unimpaired individuals ,” Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation , vol. 18, no. 182, 2021. PDF R. W. Nuckols, S. Lee, K. Swaminathan, D. Orzel, R. D. Howe, and C. J. Walsh , “ Individualization of exosuit assistance based on measured muscle dynamics during versatile walking ,” Science Robotics , vol. 6, no. 60, 2021. Publisher's Version F. Porciuncula, et al. , “ Targeting Paretic Propulsion and Walking Speed With a Soft Robotic Exosuit: A Consideration-of-Concept Trial ,” Frontiers in Neurorobotics , vol. 15, no. 689577, 2021. PDF D. Arumukhom Revi, S. De Rossi, C. Walsh, and L. Awad , “ Estimation of Walking Speed and Its Spatiotemporal Determinants Using a Single Inertial Sensor Worn on the Thigh From Healthy to Hemiparetic Walking ,” Sensors , vol. 21, no. 6976, 2021. PDF P. Arens, et al. , “ Real-time gait metric estimation for everyday gait training with wearable devices in people poststroke ,” Wearable Technologies , vol. 2, no. e2, 2021. PDF R. Sloutsky, et al. , “ Targeting post-stroke walking automaticity with a propulsion-augmenting soft robotic exosuit: toward a biomechanical and neurophysiological approach to assistance prescription ,” in International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering , 2021. PDF I. Wamala, et al. , “ Importance of Preserved Tricuspid Valve Function for Effective Soft Robotic Augmentation of the Right Ventricle in Cases of Elevated Pulmonary Artery Pressure ,” Cardiovascular Engineering and Technology , 2021. Publisher's Version PDF Y. M. Zhou, C. Hohimer, T. Proietti, C. O'Neill, and C. J. Walsh , “ Kinematics-Based Control of an Inflatable Soft Wearable Robot for Assisting the Shoulder of Industrial Workers ,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters , vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 2155-2162, 2021. Publisher's Version Abstract Recent developments in soft active wearable robots can be used for upper extremity injury prevention for healthy industrial workers with better comfort than rigid systems, but there has not been control strategy proposals for such use cases. In this letter, we introduce a kinematics-based controller for an inflatable soft wearable robot that provides assistance to the shoulder quickly and accurately when needed during industrial use cases. Our approach is to use a state machine to classify user intent using shoulder and trunk kinematics estimated with body-worn inertial measurement units. We recruited eight participants to perform various tasks common in the workplace and assessed the controller’s intent classification accuracy and response times, by using the users’ reactions to cues as their ground truth intentions. On average, we found that the kinematics controller had 99% classification accuracy, and responded 0.8 seconds after the users reacted to the cue to begin work and 0.5 seconds after the users reacted to a cue to stop the task. In addition, we implemented an EMG-based controller for comparison, with state transitions determined by EMG-based thresholds instead of kinematics. Compared to the EMG controller, the kinematics controller required similar time to detect the users’ intentions to stop overhead work but an additional 0.17 seconds on average for detecting users’ intentions to begin. Although slightly slower, the kinematics controller still provided support prior to users’ work initiations. We also implemented an online adaptive tuning algorithm for the kinematics controller to speed up response time while ensuring accuracy during offset transitions. This research paves the way for a further study of kinematics-based controller in a mobile system in real work environments. PDF T. Proietti, et al. , “ Sensing and Control of a Multi-Joint Soft Wearable Robot for Upper-Limb Assistance and Rehabilitation ,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters , vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 2381-2388, 2021. Publisher's Version Abstract In the field of wearable robotics, there has been increased interest in the creation of soft wearable robots to provide assistance and rehabilitation for those with physical impairments. Compared to traditional robots, these devices have the potential to be fully portable and lightweight, a flexibility that may allow for increased utilization time as well as enable use outside of a clinical environment. In this letter, we present a textile-based multi-joint soft wearable robot to assist the upper limb, in particular shoulder elevation and elbow extension. Before developing a portable fluidic supply system, we leverage an off-board actuation system for power and control, with the worn components weighting less than half kilogram. We showed that this robot can be mechanically transparent when powered off, not restricting users from performing movements associated with activities of daily living. Three IMUs were placed on the torso, upper arm and forearm to measure the shoulder and elbow kinematics. We found an average RMSE of ∼5 degrees when compared to an optical motion capture system. We implemented dynamic Gravity Compensation (GC) and Joint Trajectory Tracking (JTT) controllers that actively modulated actuator pressure in response to IMU readings. The controller performances were evaluated in a study with eight healthy individuals. Using the GC controller, subject shoulder muscle activity decreased with increasing magnitude of assistance and for the JTT controller, we obtained low tracking errors (mean ∼6 degrees RMSE). Future work will evaluate the potential of the robot to assist with activities in post-stroke rehabilitation. PDF V. Sanchez, C. Walsh, and R. Wood , “ Textile technology for soft robotic and autonomous garments ,” Advanced Functional Materials , vol. 31, no. 6, 2021. PDF 2020 D. Arumukhom Revi, A. Alvarez, C. J. Walsh, S. De Rossi, and L. Awad , “ Indirect measurement of anterior-posterior ground reaction forces using a minimal set of wearable inertial sensors: from healthy to hemiparetic walking ,” Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehailitation , vol. 17, no. 82, 2020. PDF O. A. Araromi, et al. , “ Ultra-sensitive and resilient compliant strain gauges for soft machines ,” Nature , vol. 587, pp. 219-224, 2020. Publisher's Version Abstract Soft machines are a promising design paradigm for human-centric devices and systems required to interact gently with their environment. To enable soft machines to respond intelligently to their surroundings, compliant sensory feedback mechanisms are needed. Specifically, soft alternatives to strain gauges—with high resolution at low strain (less than 5 per cent)—could unlock promising new capabilities in soft systems. However, currently available sensing mechanisms typically possess either high strain sensitivity or high mechanical resilience, but not both. The scarcity of resilient and compliant ultra-sensitive sensing mechanisms has confined their operation to laboratory settings, inhibiting their widespread deployment. Here we present a versatile and compliant transduction mechanism for high-sensitivity strain detection with high mechanical resilience, based on strain-mediated contact in anisotropically resistive structures (SCARS). The mechanism relies upon changes in Ohmic contact between stiff, micro-structured, anisotropically conductive meanders encapsulated by stretchable films. The mechanism achieves high sensitivity, with gauge factors greater than 85,000, while being adaptable for use with high-strength conductors, thus producing sensors resilient to adverse loading conditions. The sensing mechanism also exhibits high linearity, as well as insensitivity to bending and twisting deformations—features that are important for soft device applications. To demonstrate the potential impact of our technology, we construct a sensor-integrated, lightweight, textile-based arm sleeve that can recognize gestures without encumbering the hand. We demonstrate predictive tracking and classification of discrete gestures and continuous hand motions via detection of small muscle movements in the arm. The sleeve demonstration shows the potential of the SCARS technology for the development of unobtrusive, wearable biomechanical feedback systems and human–computer interfaces. PDF V. Sanchez, et al. , “ Smart Thermally Actuating Textiles ,” Advanced Materials Technologies , 2020. PDF C. Siviy, et al. , “ Offline Assistance Optimization of a Soft Exosuit for Augmenting Ankle Power of Stroke Survivors During Walking ,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters , vol. 5, no. 2, 2020. PDF R. W. Nuckols, K. Swaminathan, S. Lee, L. Awad, C. J. Walsh, and R. D. Howe , “ Automated detection of soleus concentric contraction in variable gait conditions for improved exosuit control ,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) , 2020. PDF Y. Jin, et al. , “ Soft Sensing Shirt for Shoulder Kinematics Estimation ,” in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) , 2020. PDF C. Correia, et al. , “ Improving Grasp Function after Spinal Cord Injury with a Soft Robotic Glove ,” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering , vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 1407-1415, 2020.	https://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/publications?page=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0
The purpose of the study is to explore the biomechanical effects of torque assistance at the knee joint during slope walking using a robotic knee exoskeleton. Powered exoskeleton is a promising wearable robotic technology that holds a large area of potential implementations including human augmentation, mobility assistance, and rehabilitation. One of the major goals in the field of exoskeleton research has been to reduce the human’s energetic consumption by partially replacing the biological muscle work require to perform certain tasks. A majority of these exoskeletons are targeting either the ankle or the hip joint due to their large contribution in providing positive mechanical work. While these joint contributions may overshadow the knee joint in level-ground walking, its role becomes greater in the case of sloped walking. In this thesis, a study in the biomechanical effectiveness of the use of a robotic unilateral knee exoskeleton during sloped walking on healthy adults using a unilateral 1 degree-of freedom knee exoskeleton is presented. The biomechanical effectiveness of the knee exoskeleton is discussed in terms of energetic cost, muscle activation level, kinematics and kinetics of the user.	https://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/60827
The Risk of Returning to Work After a Back Injury Serious injuries can be life-changing, keep you out of work, and create difficulties when you return to work. This is especially true for physically demanding work, such as construction, emergency services, and other trades. While you preferably wouldn’t go back to work until fully recovered, you still need to be aware of some limitations. If the injury occurred at work, it’s important to understand what factors led to the injury and what you can do to avoid the same situation. It’s also important to focus on improving the stability and flexibility in your ankles, hips, and upper back. These two steps can be the key to successfully returning to work and preventing further injury. Tips for avoiding back injuries Heavy lifting is a common requirement for physically demanding careers. You should be wary of how far you have to bend. Never lift from floor height, as this puts the most strain on your back. Instead, use the appropriate tools to bring the object to an easier height. When lifting is required, minimize the angle of your back in relation to your waist. This is known as your trunk flexion and it is dangerous. As the old saying goes, “don’t lift with your back.” Instead, keep your head and sternum upright at all times. Use your legs and hips to lift - known as hip flexion - which provides more stability. In addition, stay fit for duty so that you maintain strength and endurance. If you can, do this before suffering a back injury and you may be able to avoid one in the first place. Adding full body lifts into your routine, such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, will help you avoid injuries at work. In addition, these exercises will help posture and overall health. Lastly, reduce the amount of friction you go up against. When you lift or push something, increased friction requires more force to overcome. This increases the strain on your back and increases the chances of sustaining a further injury. Use the proper equipment, such as a dolly or cart, to get from point A to Point B. Injured workers have rights Workers in New York make the city work. That's why an on-the-job injury can be so devastating. In an instant, you may be unable to support your family or meet your responsibilities. If you’ve gone through that ordeal once, you know how important it is to use caution. Unfortunately, the future is unpredictable and work may aggravate your injury. Regardless of the circumstances, you have rights that deserve to be upheld. Contact our office today and find out how we can help you.	https://www.rlgfirm.com/posts/returning-to-work-after-a-back-injury
SURE–Robotics participants will be involved in diverse robotics research projects. Descriptions of labs and example research projects students will pursue are described below, along with the faculty advisors for each project. Complex Rheology And Biomechanics (CRAB) Lab—Daniel Goldman Research in the CRAB Lab focuses on problems that involve complex interaction of matter (physical and biological) with materials that can display solid and fluid properties (like sand, mud, bark, brush). For example, how do organisms like lizards, crabs, and cockroaches cope with locomotion on complex terrestrial substrates (e.g. sand, bark, leaves, and grass)? We seek to discover how biological locomotion on challenging terrain results from the nonlinear, many degree of freedom interaction of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems of organisms with materials with complex physical behavior. The study of novel biological and physical interactions with complex media can lead to the discovery of principles that govern the physics of the media. Our approach is to integrate laboratory and field studies of organism biomechanics with systematic laboratory studies of physics of the substrates, as well as to create mathematical and physical (robot) models of both organism and substrate. Discovery of the principles of locomotion on such materials will enhance robot agility on such substrates. Adaptive Robotic Manipulation (ARM) Laboratory—Frank L. Hammond III The ARM Lab focuses on leveraging our knowledge of human and animal motion (locomotion, grasp synergies, robustness to uncertainty and variation), novel embedded sensing and actuation methods (soft sensors, variable stiffness and transformable structures, underactuation), and computational design methods (machine learning, evolutionary optimization) to create robotic devices that boast the versatility and adaptability of biological organisms/manipulators while possessing the precision, strength and speed of man-made machines. Topics include underactuated robotic grasping, kinematically redundant manipulation, teleoperative robotic surgery, polymorphic mobile robots, and wearable devices for human augmentation. Dynamic Adaptive Robotic Technologies (DART) Lab—Ani Mazumdar The DART Laboratory is focused on the examination of robot mobility. Our research projects for this summer explore the interplay between mechanical design, novel sensing, and intelligent control for aerial drones, ground robots, and wearable exoskeletons. Depending on student interest, a prospective SURE student can work on any of these projects. Regardless of the project, hands-on development and testing of novel mechatronic approaches is a key part of our work, and students can expect to rapidly develop and test their new ideas. SURE Robotics students will work with physical hardware and computational tools to model, design, and test new physical components, control systems, and algorithms. Through this experience they will develop new skills in software (Matlab, micro controllers), machine design, rapid prototyping, and bench-level experimentation. Design and Control of an Upper-extremity Rehabilitation Device—Jun Ueda The Bio-Robotics and Human Modeling Lab focuses on the development of systems engineering approach to the design and control of co-robots for industry and medical applications. The research approach is threefold: (1) design of high-precision mechanisms, (2) understanding of the mechanisms of neuromotor adaptations in humans, and (3) adaptive control of physical human-robot interaction (pHRI). The current research aims to increase information available to a robotic device about a human operator during general assembly, in order to improve human performance (e.g., speed and accuracy of task, interaction port behavior or subjective "feel" for the operator). The ultimate goal is to develop a novel control framework utilizing adaptive gain and parameter tuning according to changes in an operator's physical state and/or cognitive state (i.e., operator intent). The proposed methodology introduces performance augmentation and adaptive shared control to human operated robots in advanced manufacturing, construction and medical industries. Research will be conducted to understand the relationship between physiological measures such as electromyography and system performance characteristics to develop methodologies to achieve effective classification and prediction of operator physical and cognitive state during pHRI, and to implement and test the novel control schemes on a co-robot. The BRHM Lab is currently working on projects that apply established motion control methods to a wearable upper-extremity device for stroke rehabilitation, adaptive lifting-device for industry assembly tasks, tele-robot system for disaster relief, and high-precision minimally invasive surgical device. REU students will work closely with a graduate mentor and develop skills in machine design, modeling, control, programming, and experimental methodologies. Students will also have an opportunity to interact with industry or clinical collaborators. Exoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls (EPIC) Lab—Aaron Young Dr. Young’s research is focused on developing control systems to improve lower limb prosthetic and exoskeleton systems. His research is aimed at developing clinically translatable research that can be deployed on research and commercial systems in the near future. His group focuses on testing and implementing control systems on robotic assistive devices in patient populations. These devices are evaluated based on the changes to human locomotion biomechanics, energetic cost of walking, and muscle activity changes. The group has active projects on both a robotic knee/ankle prosthesis intended for use with transfemoral amputees and a robotic hip exoskeleton for augmenting locomotion functions. REU participants who work with Dr. Young will work with an interdisciplinary group in robotics, mechanical, electrical and biomedical engineering. They will learn how to conduct human subject experiments and work with clinicians in physical therapy and P&O (Georgia Tech’s Prosthetics and Orthotics Program) to do clinically translatable research. Additionally, they will develop expertise in biological signal processing, mechatronic systems, machine learning, robotics and control.	http://sure.robotics.gatech.edu/labs
On this page: The Healthcare and social assistance industry is the largest employing industry in Australia. It is rapidly expanding and is projected to continue to do so as the population both grows and ages, amplifying any current work health and safety issues and trends. It has a large number of work-related injuries and illness reported each year. - Since 2009–10, it has the highest number of claims among all Australian industries - It employs 12% of the Australian workforce but accounts for 16% of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2014–15 - Since 2003 there have been 35 fatalities reported. The industry has four subsectors which are: - ambulatory health care services - hospitals - nursing and residential care facilities - social assistance. View the Health care and social assistance: Priority industry snapshot for an overview of the industry and its WHS performance. Inherent risks associated with health care and social assistance Healthcare and social assistance workers are a key risk group due to the very nature of the work they do on a daily basis. Although hazards are present in every workplace and are a threat to everyone’s health and safety, workers in the healthcare and social assistance sector are reported as having one of the highest rates of work related injuries and illnesses, predominantly due to the regular people handling. Workers may be exposed to a range of hazards that can affect their health and well-being, depending on the services they are to provide, the location of the workplace and the clients being cared for. They work with highly toxic drug and chemical agents, perform physically demanding and repetitive tasks such as lifting patients, and are regularly exposed to workplace stress and violence, putting workers at an alarming risk for illness and injury. Although it is possible to prevent or reduce worker exposure to these hazards, due to the nature of the work, the workers often sacrifice their own well-being for the sake of their patients. Healthcare and social assistance workers may work in designated facilities such as healthcare and residential facilities or within people’s homes. These variable workplace environments along with the fact that client services staff often work alone, can increase the risk to health and safety. Trends are also indicating that patients are getting older, sicker and heavier which these workers are also getting older. These factors are increasing the number of patients who will need lift assistance, raising the risk for workers suffering from musculoskeletal disorders caused by the increased demand of hazardous manual tasks. Workers in aged care have a higher than average chance of being seriously injured at work as a result due to hazardous manual tasks or slips, trips and falls. Some of the hazards that health care workers face can be quite serious. These may include: - blood borne pathogens - biological hazards - chemical and drug exposures - respiratory hazards - ergonomic hazards from lifting and repetitive tasks - laser hazards - workplace violence - hazards associated with laboratories - radioactive material and x-ray hazards - stress - sharps injuries. Between 2000–01 to 2014–15: - Body stressing represented more than half (51%) of workers’ compensation claims. Many of these were due to lifting people or moving beds, trolleys and other non-powered medical equipment. - Slips, trips and falls accounted for 19% of claims. Most involved stairs or falling over objects in high traffic areas. - Mental stress accounted for 8%, with more than half caused by other people. Our national approach The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012–2022 has identified the health care and social assistance industry as a priority to reduce the high number and rate of work-related injuries and illnesses. For a number of years it has consistently been among the top few industries with the highest number of serious claims. - The Strategy aims to reduce the incidence of serious injury by at least 30% nationwide by 2022. The health care and social assistance industry will play a critical role in meeting these targets, noting it represents a significant percentage of the claims made. Since the Strategy launched, Safe Work Australia and many jurisdictions have been working collaboratively with the industry, unions, relevant organisations and the community to reduce injuries and illness in the health care and social assistance industry. Impact on the individual and society All injuries impact on the productivity in the workplace and on other employees. Experiencing a workplace accident can be very stressful for both the worker and their family. Besides trying to regain strength and normality as they were prior to the incident, a worker who has been injured on the job, be that physically, mentally or emotionally, may feel the strain an incident can cause. This could be financially, especially if the workers income supports the household and they are required to stop work temporarily or even at times, permanently. They may be unable to return to work, need a change of job or role to accommodate any new restrictions or be conscious that they now approach their work with a level of caution and deliberation not previously in evidence. The cost of incidents is not just a burden to the business due to the reduced productivity of the organisation, but also to the injured workers, their families and society in general. Consequences for employees can include loss of quality of life and human suffering. Even when the workplace injuries are only temporary, the loss of confidence may affect the worker long after the physical symptoms have healed. Depression, increased levels of anxiety and at times, post-traumatic stress disorders may result, especially when there are lasting physical effects from the injury. If the worker is unable to return to their pre-injury position, the company will have to find a replacement worker and assist the injured worker in identifying a suitable alternative position. The worker may suffer outside of the workplace, and this is something the workplace needs to consider. The injured worker may suffer from sleep disturbances, alterations in temperament, lack the ability to concentrate or make effective decisions, have additional medical and travel expenses, emphasising the financial burden, and suffer from high levels of frustration regarding the situation at hand. Further advice SWA is not a regulator and cannot advise you about work health and safety compliance in this industry. If you need help, please contact your state or territory work health and safety authority. For all their contact details, please refer to the Safe Work Australia’s home page.	https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/industry_business/health-care-and-social-assistance
How can I Reduce Strains in the Workplace?October 7, 2021 This year, a new scientific study was announced to test out wearable robotics to alleviate or prevent strains and sprains in the workplace. This study is in progress. In the workplace, there are tasks requiring endurance in lifting or repetitive motions. This raises the risk of strain injuries. The job of reducing these risks is the responsibility of employers and employees. It needs the cooperation of both management and workers to succeed. Responsibility for a Reduction of Workplace Strains is a Shared Endeavor Both management and workers have responsibilities to reduce employee strains. A strain is an injury to one’s muscle or tendon; the latter is connective tissue between muscles and bones. A strain can be from a stretch to a tear. A sprain affects the ligament connecting two or more bones at a joint. Causes of Strains at Work Primarily, the causes of a strain injury are ergonomic from the workplace conditions. These are some of the workplace risk factors: - Physical workplace tasks can be too difficult or too repetitive. Either way, muscles fatigue, which can lead to more than a strain. - In workplaces where time and tasks are closely linked, a worker is expected to move effectively and quickly, which can lead to twists, turns, and other movements that lead to strains. - Human body joints work best at the mid-range motion of the joint. Pushing the motion past this mid-point repetitively or for sustained periods without recovery time can lead to strains and time off for injury. - Finally, slip and fall accidents from slippery or broken or unstable surfaces can lead to a strain. The Employer’s Responsibilities Management must not only be conscious of risks of strains but also actively engage in a program to prevent and minimize injuries. Employers should check off these tasks: - Assessment of all tasks’ physical demands to avoid joint and muscle strains. This may involve looking at motions, stress, and force loads. - Analyze which tasks are repetitive and stressful, both physically and mentally. - Identify how to monitor and evaluate repetitive motions to minimize risk of injury. - Evaluate postures of workers to adopt protocols for regular periods of rest and recovery. Poor posture will result in reduced efficiency. - Hire a qualified risk consultant to survey the entire workplace of environmental risks. Hazards can include hidden toxins and air-borne contagions. Risks can involve uneven floors, broken machinery, and other hazards. The Worker’s Responsibilities - Correct poor behaviors. Risky lifestyles outside the workplace can come with the worker to the job. These include smoking, overeating, impairment from drugs or alcohol, and poor sleep patterns. These behaviors should not be in the workplace. - Attend to personal health matters. Annual physicals, taking prescription medications, and watching one’s weight can reduce the risk of strains at work. If the job includes lifting and turning and repetitive motions, try to stay in shape. - Do not neglect medical attention for an existing injury or physical condition. - Stay hydrated and fed on the job. Eat properly. Drink water instead of caffeinated beverages, which tend to dehydrate a person. Working Together Leads to Wellness Employers should implement and employees should attend a workplace wellness program. This program is educational for employees to identify risky tasks and how to avoid or reduce workplace strains. This program should not be a one-time event. It should be in place and have workers take refresher sessions. Delaware County Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello Help Workers Recover from Workplace Strains If you suffer a workplace strain or are concerned about your risks, speak to the Delaware County Workers’ Compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello today. Our experienced team can help build your case and secure the benefits you rightfully deserve. Learn more at a free consultation by filling out an online registration form or calling 610-892-4940. Our office is in Media, Pennsylvania. We represent clients in Media, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster, Montgomery County, Norristown, Philadelphia, Reading, West Chester, and throughout Pennsylvania. Categories:	https://www.truscellolaw.com/blog/2021/10/reduce-strains-workplace/
The Promising Graduate Student Award will acknowledge one student who has performed superior research in the field of Biomechanics or Human Movement Science in general. It entails a certificate as well as a monetary prize. Three finalists will be selected and given the opportunity to present their work for 15 minutes + 5 minutes of questions during the Promising Graduate Student podium session. The awardee will be announced during the awards ceremony. Non-awardee finalists will be eligible for the other awards. Finalists Arash Mohammadzadeh Gonabadi Arash Mohammadzadeh Gonabadi serves as an assistant director of research in the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital while simultaneously completing his Ph.D. in exercise science and biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (expected graduation in 2021). As a research assistant in biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he has gained valuable experience working in the areas of assistive devices, exoskeletons, human movement variability (gait analysis), robotics, prosthesis, artificial intelligence limbs, metabolic cost reduction by exoskeletons, elbow exoskeleton (developing controllers), Humotech (developing controllers and heel-strike detection), footswitch (developing the prototypes, prediction risk of fall), ankle exoskeleton (developing controllers), and hip exoskeleton (developing the prototype and controllers) to name a few examples. Most recently, as a member of Madonna’s research and development team, he has been designing technology innovations to address the immediate clinical needs of adults and children recovering from a wide range of injuries and illnesses. Corbin Rasmussen Corbin Rasmussen is a Ph.D. student in Exercise Science with a concentration in Biomechanics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and works with Dr. Nathaniel Hunt as a Doctoral Research Assistant. Corbin’s research aims to understand balance recovery in response to slips during various walking tasks and environments, such as turning or traversing a sloped surface. To do this, he and other members of the research team developed the Wearable Apparatus for Slip Perturbations (WASP), a portable device that can wirelessly deliver mechanically unconstrained slips at any point during the gait cycle. Through this work, Corbin hopes to reduce the burden of falling on society by informing more effective and comprehensive fall prevention methods. Farahnaz Fallah Tafti Farah is a doctoral student in Biomechanics, and particularly human movement science. She has been involved with multiple research studies investigating gait and balance in older adults, patients with COPD and even athletes in athletic fields. She is interested in understanding the underlying factors that cause failure in balance control in older adults, and ultimately to develop targeted interventions to reduce the risk of falls. To determine the best approach to prevent falls in the elderly we need to study the integration of new technologies and methods so that we can identify the risk of fall during challenging situations in older adults. She has successfully collaborated with scientists in other disciplines such as physical therapy and gerontology, and anticipates defending her dissertation and graduating in Spring 2021. Requirements: To be eligible for the award, a candidate must: - Be a current student actively enrolled in a graduate program. - Be working or have worked in the field of Biomechanics, Human Movement Science or equivalent. - Submit all requested supporting documentation by the deadline: January 27th, 2020. Supporting documentation: Prior to the application submission deadline, each candidate must: - Submit a full curriculum vitae - Submit a one-page document listing up to three scientific achievements, and describe what their role was in this achievement (e.g., scientific paper; international conference podium presentation; development of device; patent; etc.). - Provide a one-page interpretative summary (one-inch margin, Times New Roman 12) describing their research contribution to the field of Biomechanics or Human Movement Science in general, including a statement on the impact (clinical/translational/scientific) of their work. Award submissions are open from November 1, 2019 – January 27, 2020. Please submit required documentation via email to [email protected].	https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-education-health-and-human-sciences/cobre/events-outreach/conference1/promising-student-award.php
- et al. Abstract The human arm including the shoulder, elbow, wrist joints and exclusion scapular motion has seven degrees of freedom(DOF) while positioning the wrist in space and orientating the palm is a task that requires six DOF. Given the redundant nature of the arm which has one more DOF than is needed to complete the task, multiple arm configurations can be used to complete a task based on none unique solution for the inverse kinematics. Despite this mathematical difficulty, the human motor control provides an unique solution for the arm redundancy as the arm moves in space. Resolving this redundancy is becoming critical as the human interacts with a wearable robotic system(exoskeleton) which includes the same redundancy as the human arm. Therefore, the inverse kinematics solution resolving the redundancy of these two coupled systems must be identical in order to guarantee a seamless integration. Creating a proper control scheme between a wearable robot and human arm starts from an understanding of the redundant nature of the human arm. The redundancy of the arm can be formulated kinematically by defining the swivel angle - the rotation angle of the plane including the upper and lower arm around a virtual axis connecting the shoulder and wrist joints fixed in space. Then a global exoskeleton robot control scheme targeted for the natural human robot interaction will be achieved by providing a robot with the precise swivel angle estimation for the given kinematic and dynamic states of the human arm. In order for this, we first study human motor control mechanism for the simple reaching and grasping tasks from a kinematic point of view. Analyzing reaching tasks recorded with a motion capture system indicates that the swivel angle, which defines the redundancy of the human arm, is selected such that when the elbow joint is flexed, the palm moves toward the head for any wrist position. Based on these experimental results, a new criterion to resolve the human arm redundancy is formed and this criterion is to maximize the projection of the longest principle axis of the manipulability ellipsoid for the human arm on the vector connecting the wrist and the virtual target on the head region. For more realistic and natural human arm movement, we additionally considered the redundancy based on the dynamic criterion which minimizes the mechanical work done in the joint space for each two consecutive points along the task space trajectory. The the swivel angles from the kinematic and dynamic criteria were linearly combined with different weight factors for the unified the swivel angle. Post processing of experimental data collected with a motion capturing system indicated that by using the proposed synthesis of redundancy resolution criteria, the error between the predicted swivel angle and the actual swivel angle adopted by the motor control system was less then five degrees. This result outperformed the prediction based on a single criteria and showed that the kinematic constraint is dominant in a simple reaching and grasping tasks that frequently occurs in our daily life. In order to define the redundancy resolution mechanism for more generalized human arm movement, the effect of the wrist orientation on the redundancy of the human arm was superimposed onto the wrist position based swivel angle estimation. By applying the above inverse kinematics mechanism mimicking the natural human arm movement to the wearable robot, wearer can expect the synchronized movement with robot for unconstrained natural human arm movements. Finally, to accommodate the unnatural movement pattern such as avoiding obstacle, purely reactive task space admittance control based on multiple force sensors is combined with the above control schemes for a global exoskeleton robot control scheme. Five subjects performed a peg in hole task for three different target locations to verify the performance of the proposed control scheme. The velocities and interaction forces at the upper arm, lower arm, handle and tip were recorded during the experiments. Power exchange between the subject and device was calculated for performance evaluation. Result shows that proposed control scheme outperforms purely reactive task space admittance control with energy exchange lowered by 11.22 %. Based on the proposed exoskeleton control scheme, the exoskeleton robot is applied to the stroke patient rehabilitation research project as a clinical trial. In order for this, 3-D video games directly interacting with the robotic system were designed and the assistive force mechanism for the patients was implemented in the exoskeleton robot. In addition a new metric called instantaneous efficiency(IE) was established to evaluate the therapeutic improvement. This metric is designed to reveal the degree of patient's improvement in terms of natural human arm movements by looking at the joint angle configuration, speed and frequency of using uncomfortable joints comprehensively. As their movements are getting closer to the natural human arm movement of normal people, the IE index increases. Ten subjects participated in this pilot research project either as an unilateral or a bilateral therapy group for six weeks. Results shows that even in a short six weeks rehabilitation program, patients' fugl-meyer scores as well as the efficiency index of the movements were significantly improved. Main Content Enter the password to open this PDF file:	https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0mg384f2
Technological and societal trends have triggered a race to develop wearable exoskeletons that augment a user’s strength for a range of applications. In 1931 the American author Charles Fort (now best known for collecting details of weird and unexplained phenomena) coined the term ‘steam-engine time’. It refers to technologies for which the concept and underlying science has existed for some time, but that remain undeveloped until some triggering event, and then numerous teams, not in contact with each other, begin working on the technology at roughly the same time. The late 18th century was just the time to develop steam engines, Fort said, although the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all understood the scientific basis of their operation and had tinkered with the principles; James Watt, Thomas Newcomen and Richard Trevithick all came up with their own versions. By Fort’s example, then, we can probably say that it’s exoskeleton time. The idea of exoskeletons has been around for decades. It’s a simple idea: use powered mechanics to increase the strength of a human operator. General Electric built the first one in 1965. It was a fearsome device called Hardiman, which used hydromechanical servos for power. Hardiman was supposed to enable a human operator to lift up to 1,500 pounds, but the prototype, capable of lifting 750 pounds, weighed twice that; and problems with the control system meant that it jerked so violently that it was never switched on with a person inside. But the realm of science fiction was where exoskeletons stayed for many years. No more, however. In the past five years or so, a plethora of research projects have been working on concepts for exoskeletons, and some working models have been developed. One such device, the BRA-Santos Dumont, developed by teams in the US, Germany, Switzerland and Brazil, helped Juliano Pinto kick the ceremonial first ball of the 2014 World Cup at its opening ceremony, despite his being paralysed from the waist down. At around the same time, the Rewalk Robotics exoskeleton, from Israeli firm Argo Medical Technologies, was approved for use by paraplegics outside hospitals in the US by the FDA; previously a ReWalk skeleton was used to complete the 2012 London Marathon (in 17 days) by Claire Lomas, who had been paralysed following a riding accident. So what’s tripped us over into ‘exoskeleton time’? According to robotics expert Rich Walker of the Shadow Robot Company, there are two triggers: one technological and the other societal. Walker referred back to popular culture to illustrate his point — Frank Miller’s graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, which depicts the last days of Batman, shows the Caped Crusader’s alter ego Bruce Wayne developing powered armour to defeat Superman, who has become a government agent ordered to remove him. But the only way Wayne can power the suit is to hijack the city’s electricity grid by wiring it up to a lamp-post. ‘It doesn’t matter how good your exoskeleton is if you’re tethered to the spot, even if you’re Batman,’ he said. Iron Man’s suit is powered by a miniaturised ‘arc reactor’ — although nobody’s ever explained what that is — but the real world needs real technologies. ‘The energy density of the new generation of batteries designed for laptops, mobile phones and even electric cars means that considerable energy storage is now available in a form that is practical to make portable,’ Walker said. Indeed, ReWalk’s battery and computer, housed in a backpack, weighs 2.3kg of the system’s total 23.3kg. In general, exoskeletons are being developed for two applications: medical and industrial. In each of these, though, there are shades of usage that have a significant effect on what technologies are used in the design and how they are intended to operate. For example, there are two ways a medical exoskeleton can be used. It can help people without the use of their limbs to perform tasks they would otherwise find impossible, with the force provided by electric motors or hydraulic systems effectively replacing that exerted by the contractions of muscle fibres in non-paralysed people; such as with the use of a ReWalk device to complete a marathon. But it can also be used as a rehabilitation system to help people recover the ability to move their own limbs after spinal injury, nerve damage, stroke or other forms of injury. In this case, the exoskeleton takes the place or supports the work of a clinician using so-called ‘passive physiotherapy’ where the patient’s limbs are repeatedly moved into positions that they would not otherwise be able to achieve, which over time can help to restore the range of movement. The distinctions are less marked for industrial exoskeletons, although again there are some, depending on whether the system is intended to support workers performing repetitive tasks and prevent injury, or to help them achieve feats they simply would not be able to manage through muscle power alone. One project firmly in the rehabilitation camp is LOPES, a lower-body exoskeleton developed at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. A tethered system designed to work with a treadmill, LOPES is now on its second iteration, LOPES II, which earlier this year made the transition from lab to clinic with the installation of systems at the Roessingh and Sint Maartensklinieks rehab centres, both of which were involved in the development of the system along with mechatronics companies Moog and Demcon. ’Passive physio is very demanding for the therapist because it involves manipulating limbs and bearing their weight; LOPES handles that, and also ensures that patients repeat the optimal range of movement each time. There is some debate over whether or not exoskeletons count as robots, because the presence of a human within the system is a crucial part of their definition. What tips LOPES II into the robotics arena is the array of sensors fixed to the patient via the harness that holds them in the system and supports the hips and pelvis through exercises. This detects and measures the amount of force the patient’s muscles are able to exert, and activates the exoskeleton’s motors to assist them: but only according to the amount that they need help to complete the movement and retain balance without stumbling. Over time, as the patient regains strength, the assistive force reduces, until the patient is able to perform the movements without any help. The LOPES system uses a control technique known as virtual model control (VMC), which translates the physical interaction between patient and robot needed for therapy into a ‘virtual model’ such as a spring or damper that can push, pull or cushion the moving limb into the correct movement. The team is about to start working on LOPES III, which will add another set of movements — the rotation of foot and ankle. ‘If you watch someone walking, a lot of the movement is triggered by the back foot pushing off the ground, and that depends on ankle rotation,’ Meuleman said. Another European project tackling the industrial aspect of exoskeletons is Robo-Mate, a €4.5m project involving 12 partners from seven countries in the EC. This aims to develop an intelligent, manoeuvrable, wearable exoskeleton for manual handling work. This is distinct from military or rehabilitation applications, according to project leader Prof Hans-Wernher van de Venn of Zurich University of Applied Science, because military exoskeletons tend to be too heavy and rehab systems don’t provide the correct support for load-bearing lifting and handling needed in industry. The project is supported by automotive companies, including Indra, a French vehicle recycler; Compa, a Romanian component maker; and Fiat, which will test the device in its research centre and on the factory floor. Robo-Mate will be supported by a steel cable hanging from the ceiling, and will include manipulators with object recognition systems. Passive systems will protect the parts of the body that users are not directly using in their work, such as neck and lower back; while active systems will assist movement of ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists. The suit will also include a helmet with a head-up display and incorporating noise reduction to protect hearing, and a camera in the chest — coincidentally, the same point as Iron Man’s arc reactor — for quality control. According to van de Venn, Robo-Mate will make industrial work safer for staff by letting them reduce the physical effort needed to manipulate heavy components, while also helping older employees continue to use their skills; it will also reduce the cost of treating injuries. In the US, meanwhile, one team is taking a strikingly different approach to exoskeletons. While others take some inspiration from nature’s exoskeletons — in insects and crustaceans — in making them out of rigid materials, Harvard’s biodesign labs has developed an exosuit made from soft materials — mainly fabrics — which can be worn beneath clothing. Team leader Conor Walsh is careful to always refer to the system as an exosuit, rather than a skeleton. In its basic concept, the suit is a series of pulleys connected to motors. Using fabrics rather than solid materials prevents restriction of movement and allow the body’s natural movement to be used to generate force. Textiles, therefore, are at the heart of the exosuit’s function, and Walsh’s team is developing materials specifically to be able to apply a torque to the wearer’s body. The textile incorporates flexible sensors into its weave, which gauge the wearer’s movement and help the suit’s control system decide the best point to apply a force. These sensors include gyroscopes, pressure sensors and inertial measurement units, which incorporate accelerometers and are most commonly used in UAVs, aircraft, satellites and spacecraft. This is in contrast to rigid exoskeletons, which typically monitor joint angles. The team has also used surface electromyography to monitor muscle activity, which shows how hard muscles are working with and without assistance from the suit. The suit transfers forces through cable-driven electromechanical actuators, although the team has also tested pneumatic systems. These work by giving the wearer a ‘nudge’ at the most helpful point in the movement range, which is so slight that the wearer often doesn’t notice it. ‘People have felt their legs feel heavier when it’s not working, which is the best sign that it is working,’ Walsh said. said. A collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance is aimed at developing the system for outdoor activities such as hiking, and Walsh’s team includes clothing designers. So an exoskeleton isn’t going to help you beat Superman, or take flight and battle aliens; but it might well help you to reach the summit of Mount Snowden or load up a removal lorry next time you move. My 19 yr old son was paralized nov 2013. Will this ever be available for him? How can he get involved in research? We live in alabama,we are going to sheppard center in feb 2015. self-supporting, independently controlled robotic walking device. One other use that they could be used for, is resistance for building up muscles that are damaged or for athletes to train in to build muscles. This would be a great alternative to going to the gym!	https://www.theengineer.co.uk/power-dressing-why-its-exoskeleton-time/
This article describes the development of the Soft Robotics Toolkit, a set of open access resources to support the design, fabrication, modeling, characterization, and control of soft robotic devices. The ultimate aim of the toolkit is to support researchers in building upon each other's work, and thereby advance the field of soft robotics. An additional aim is to support educators and encourage students to pursue careers in engineering and science by making the resources as accessible as possible. The toolkit was developed and refined through a series of pilot studies and user tests. Specifically, the resources were used by students in a project-based medical device design course; volunteers from a variety of backgrounds tested the toolkit and provided feedback, and soft robotics researchers used the collection of resources and contributed to its development. Throughout all user studies, qualitative data were collected and used to guide improvements to the toolkit. This process of testing and refinement has resulted in a website containing design documentation describing general hardware control platforms and specific soft robotic component designs. The online documentation includes downloadable computer-aided design (CAD) files, detailed multimedia protocols for the fabrication of soft devices, tutorials and scripts for modeling and analyzing soft actuators and sensors, and source code for controlling soft devices. Successive iterations of qualitative data gathering and redesign have confirmed that the toolkit documentation is sufficiently detailed to be useful for researchers from a wide range of backgrounds. To date, the focus of the toolkit has primarily been fluid-actuated robotic systems, but the plan is to expand it to support a wider range of soft robotic-enabling technologies. The toolkit is intended as a community resource, and all researchers working in this field are invited to guide its future development by providing feedback and contributing new content. Wearable robots based on soft materials will augment mobility and performance of the host without restricting natural kinematics. Such wearable robots will need soft sensors to monitor the movement of the wearer and robot outside the lab. Until now wearable soft sensors have not demonstrated significant mechanical robustness nor been systematically characterized for human motion studies of walking and running. Here, we present the design and systematic characterization of a soft sensing suit for monitoring hip, knee, and ankle sagittal plane joint angles. We used hyper-elastic strain sensors based on microchannels of liquid metal embedded within elastomer, but refined their design with the use of discretized stiffness gradients to improve mechanical durability. We found that these robust sensors could stretch up to 396% of their original lengths, would restrict the wearer by less than 0.17% of any given joint’s torque, had gauge factor sensitivities of greater than 2.2, and exhibited less than 2% change in electromechanical specifications through 1500 cycles of loading–unloading. We also evaluated the accuracy and variability of the soft sensing suit by comparing it with joint angle data obtained through optical motion capture. The sensing suit had root mean square (RMS) errors of less than 5° for a walking speed of 0.89 m/s and reached a maximum RMS error of 15° for a running speed of 2.7 m/s. Despite the deviation of absolute measure, the relative repeatability of the sensing suit’s joint angle measurements were statistically equivalent to that of optical motion capture at all speeds. We anticipate that wearable soft sensing will also have applications beyond wearable robotics, such as in medical diagnostics and in human–computer interaction. A class of soft actuated materials that can achieve lifelike motion is presented. By embedding pneumatic actuators in a soft material inspired by a biological muscle fibril architecture, and developing a simple finite element simulation of the same, tunable biomimetic motion can be achieved with fully soft structures, exemplified here by an active left ventricle simulator. In this paper we have rapidly prototyped customized, highly-sensitive, mm-scale multi-axis force sensors for medical applications. Using a composite laminate batch fabrication process with biocompatible constituent materials, we have fabricated a fully-integrated, 10×10 mm three-axis force sensor with up to 5 V/N sensitivity and RMS noise on the order of ~1.6 mN, operational over a range of -500 to 500 mN in the x- and y-axes, and -2.5 to 2.5 N in the z-axis. Custom foil-based strain sensors were fabricated in parallel with the mechanical structure, obviating the need for post-manufacturing alignment and assembly. The sensor and its custom-fabricated signal conditioning circuitry fit within a 1×1×2 cm volume to realize a fully-integrated force transduction platform with potential haptics and control applications in minimally-invasive surgical tools. The form factor, biocompatibility, and cost of the sensor and signal conditioning makes this method ideal for rapid-prototyping low-cost, mm-scale distal force sensors. Sensor performance is validated in a simulated tissue palpation task using a robotic master-slave platform. Lower-limb wearable robots have been proposed as a means to augment or assist the wearer's natural performance, in particular, in the military and medical field. Previous research studies on human-robot interaction and biomechanics have largely been performed with rigid exoskeletons that add significant inertia to the lower extremities and provide constraints to the wearer's natural kinematics in both actuated and non-actuated degrees of freedom. Actuated lightweight soft exosuits minimize these effects and provide a unique opportunity to study human-robot interaction in wearable systems without affecting the subjects underlying natural dynamics. In this paper, we present the design and control of a reconfigurable multi-joint actuation platform that can provide biologically realistic torques to ankle, knee, and hip joints through lower extremity soft exosuits. Two different soft exosuits have been designed to deliver assistive forces through Bowden cable transmission to the ankle and hip joints. Through human subject experiments, it is demonstrated that with a real-time admittance controller, accurate force profile tracking can be achieved during walking. The average energy delivered to the test subject was calculated while walking at 1.25 m/s and actuated with 15% of the total torque required by the biological joints. The results show that the ankle joint received an average of 3.02J during plantar flexion and that the hip joint received 1.67J during flexion each gait cycle. The efficiency of the described suit and controller in transferring energy to the human biological joints is 70% for the ankle and 48% for the hip. Magnetic localization systems based on passive permanent magnets (PM) are of great interest due to their ability to provide non-contact sensing and without any power requirement for the PM. Medical procedures such as ventriculostomy can benefit greatly from real-time feedback of the inserted catheter tip. While the effects of the number of sensors on the localization accuracy in such systems has been reported, the spatial design of the sensor layout has been largely overlooked. Here in this paper, a framework for determining an optimal sensor assembly for enhanced localization performance is presented and investigated through numerical simulations and direct experiments. Two approaches are presented: one based on structured grid configuration and the other derived using Genetic Algorithms. Simulation results verified by experiments strongly suggest that the layout of the sensors not only has an effect on the localization accuracy, but also has an effect far more pronounced than improvements brought by increasing the number of sensors. Finger therapy exercises, which include table-top, proximal-interphalangeal blocking, straight-fist, distal-interphalangeal blocking, hook-fist and fist exercises, are important for maintaining hand mobility and preventing development of tendon adhesions in post-operative hand-injury patients. Continuous passive motion devices act as an adjunct to the therapist in performing therapy exercises on patients, however current devices are unable to recreate these exercises well. The current study aimed to design and evaluate a finger exercise device that reproduces the therapy exercises, by adopting a cable-actuated flexion and spring-return extension mechanism. The device comprises of phalanx interface attachments, connected by palmar-side cables to spooling actuators and linked by dorsal-side extension springs to provide passive return. Two designs were tested, whereby the springs had similar (Design 1) or different stiffnesses (Design 2). The device was donned onto a model hand and actuated into the desired therapy postures. Our findings indicated that Design 1 is able to recreate table-top, straight-fist and fist exercises, while Design 2 is capable of further replicating distal-interphalangeal blocking, proximal-interphalangeal blocking and hook-fist exercises. Considering that these therapy exercises have not yet been well-replicated in current devices, developing a new device that reproduces the exercises will be beneficial for post-operative rehabilitation of patients. Soft robots actuated by inflation of a pneumatic network (a “pneu-net”) of small channels in elastomeric materials are appealing for producing sophisticated motions with simple controls. Although current designs of pneu-nets achieve motion with large amplitudes, they do so relatively slowly (over seconds). This paper describes a new design for pneu-nets that reduces the amount of gas needed for inflation of the pneu-net, and thus increases its speed of actuation. A simple actuator can bend from a linear to a quasi-circular shape in 50 ms when pressurized at ΔP = 345 kPa. At high rates of pressurization, the path along which the actuator bends depends on this rate. When inflated fully, the chambers of this new design experience only one-tenth the change in volume of that required for the previous design. This small change in volume requires comparably low levels of strain in the material at maximum amplitudes of actuation, and commensurately low rates of fatigue and failure. This actuator can operate over a million cycles without significant degradation of performance. This design for soft robotic actuators combines high rates of actuation with high reliability of the actuator, and opens new areas of application for them. A handheld, portable cranial drilling tool for safely creating holes in the skull without damaging brain tissue is presented. Such a device is essential for neurosurgeons and mid-level practitioners treating patients with traumatic brain injury. A typical procedure creates a small hole for inserting sensors to monitor intra-cranial pressure measurements and/or removing excess fluid. Drilling holes in emergency settings with existing tools is difficult and dangerous due to the risk of a drill bit unintentionally plunging into brain tissue. Cranial perforators, which counter-bore holes and automatically stop upon skull penetration, do exist but are limited to large diameter hole size and an operating room environment. The tool presented here is compatible with a large range of bit diameters and provides safe, reliable access. This is accomplished through a dynamic bi-stable linkage that supports drilling when force is applied against the skull but retracts upon penetration when the reaction force is diminished. Retraction is achieved when centrifugal forces from rotating masses overpower the axial forces, thus changing the state of the bi-stable mechanism. Initial testing on ex-vivo animal structures has demonstrated that the device can withdraw the drill bit in sufficient time to eliminate the risk of soft tissue damage. Ease of use and portability of the device will enable its use in unregulated environments such as hospital emergency rooms and emergency disaster relief areas. In this paper, we present the design and evaluation of a novel soft cable-driven exosuit that can apply forces to the body to assist walking. Unlike traditional exoskeletons which contain rigid framing elements, the soft exosuit is worn like clothing, yet can generate moments at the ankle and hip with magnitudes of 18% and 30% of those naturally generated by the body during walking, respectively. Our design uses geared motors to pull on Bowden cables connected to the suit near the ankle. The suit has the advantages over a traditional exoskeleton in that the wearer's joints are unconstrained by external rigid structures, and the worn part of the suit is extremely light, which minimizes the suit's unintentional interference with the body's natural biomechanics. However, a soft suit presents challenges related to actuation force transfer and control, since the body is compliant and cannot support large pressures comfortably. We discuss the design of the suit and actuation system, including principles by which soft suits can transfer force to the body effectively and the biological inspiration for the design. For a soft exosuit, an important design parameter is the combined effective stiffness of the suit and its interface to the wearer. We characterize the exosuit's effective stiffness, and present preliminary results from it generating assistive torques to a subject during walking. We envision such an exosuit having broad applicability for assisting healthy individuals as well as those with muscle weakness. The small scale of minimally-invasive surgery (MIS) presents significant challenges to developing robust, smart, and dexterous tools for manipulating millimeter and sub-millimeter anatomical structures (vessels, nerves) and surgical equipment (sutures, staples). Robotic MIS systems offer the potential to transform this medical field by enabling precise repair of these miniature tissue structures through the use of teleoperation and haptic feedback. However, this effort is currently limited by the inability to make robust and accurate MIS end effectors with integrated force and contact sensing. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the novel Pop-Up Book MEMS manufacturing method to fabricate the mechanical and sensing elements of an instrumented MIS grasper. A custom thin-foil strain gage was manufactured in parallel with the mechanical components of the grasper to realize a fully-integrated electromechanical system in a single manufacturing step, removing the need for manual assembly, bonding and alignment. In preliminary experiments, the integrated grasper is capable of resolving forces as low as 30 mN, with a sensitivity of approximately 408 mV/N. This level of performance will enable robotic surgical systems that can handle delicate tissue structures and perform dexterous procedures through the use of haptic feedback guidance. Established design and fabrication guidelines exist for achieving a variety of motions with soft actuators such as bending, contraction, extension, and twisting. These guidelines typically involve multi-step molding of composite materials (elastomers, paper, fiber, etc.) along with specially designed geometry. In this paper we present the design and fabrication of a robust, fiber-reinforced soft bending actuator where its bend radius and bending axis can be mechanically-programed with a flexible, selectively-placed conformal covering that acts to mechanically constrain motion. Several soft actuators were fabricated and their displacement and force capabilities were measured experimentally and compared to demonstrate the utility of this approach. Finally, a prototype two-digit end-effector was designed and programmed with the conformal covering to shape match a rectangular object. We demonstrated improved gripping force compared to a pure bending actuator. We envision this approach enabling rapid customization of soft actuator function for grasping applications where the geometry of the task is known a priori.	https://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/publications?page=6
In this paper we discuss the active and passive nature of the assistive wearable gait augment suit (AWGAS). AWGAS is a soft, wearable, lightweight, and assists walking gait by reducing muscle activation during walking. It augments walking by reducing the muscle activation of the posterior and anterior muscles of the lower limb. The suit uses pneumatic gel muscles (PGM), foot sensors for gait detection, and pneumatic valves to control the air pressure. The assistive force is provided using the motion in loop feedforward control loop using foot sensors in shoes. PGMs are actuated with the help of pneumatic valves and portable air tanks. The elastic nature of the PGM allows AWGAS to assist walking in the absence of the air supply which makes AWGAS both active and passive walking assist suit. To evaluate the active and passive nature of the AWGAS, we experimented to measure surface EMG (sEMG) of the lower limb muscles. sEMG was recorded for unassisted walking, i.e., without the suit, passive assisted walking, i.e., wearing the suit with no air supply and active assisted walking, i.e., wearing the suit with air supply set at 60 kPa. The results shows reduction in the muscle activity for both passive and active assisted walking as compared to unassisted walking. The pilot trials of the AWGAS were conducted in collaboration with local farmers in the Hiroshima prefecture in Japan where feedback received is complementing the results obtained during the experiments. C. Thakur, K. Ogawa, and Y. Kurita, “Active Passive Nature of Assistive Wearable Gait Augment Suit for Enhanced Mobility,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.30, No.5, pp. 717-728, 2018. K. Suzuki, G. Mito, H. Kawamoto, Y. Hasegawa, and Y. Sankai, “Intention-Based Walking Support for Paraplegia Patients with Robot Suit HAL,” Adv. Robot., Vol.21, No.12, pp. 1441-1469, 2007. S. Toyama and G. Yamamoto, “Development of wearable-agri-robot-Mechanism for agricultural work,” 2009 IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2009), pp. 5801-5806, 2009. Y. Ikeuchi, J. Ashihara, Y. Hiki, H. Kudoh, and T. Noda, “Walking assist device with bodyweight support system,” 2009 IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2009), pp. 4073-4079, 2009. P. Malcolm, W. Derave, S. Galle, and D. De Clercq, “A Simple Exoskeleton That Assists Plantarflexion Can Reduce the Metabolic Cost of Human Walking,” PLoS One, Vol.8, No.2, e56137, 2013. M. Ishii, K. Yamamoto, and K. Hyodo, “Stand-Alone Wearable Power Assist Suit – Development and Availability,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.17, No.5, pp. 575-583, 2005. Y. Naruoka, N. Hiramitsu, and Y. Mitsuya, “A study of power-assist technology to reduce body burden during loading and unloading operations by support of knee joint motion,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.28, No.6, pp. 949-957, 2016. K. Sano, E. Yagi, and M. Sato, “Development of a Wearable Assist Suit for Walking and Lifting-Up Motion Using Electric Motors,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.25, No.6, pp. 923-930, 2013. T. Noritsugu, D. Sasaki, M. Kameda, A. Fukunaga, and M. Takaiwa, “Wearable power assist device for standing upmotion using pneumatic rubber artificial muscles,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.19, No.6, pp. 619-628, 2007. B. T. Quinlivan et al., “Assistance magnitude versus metabolic cost reductions for a tethered multiarticular soft exosuit,” Science Robotics, Vol.2, No.2, eaah4416, 2017. A. T. Asbeck, K. Schmidt, and C. J. Walsh, “Soft exosuit for hip assistance,” Rob. Auton. Syst., Vol.73, pp. 102-110, 2015. K. Schmidt et al., “The myosuit: Bi-articular anti-gravity exosuit that reduces hip extensor activity in sitting transfers,” Front. Neurorobot., Vol.11, p. 116, 2017. A. T. Asbeck, S. M. M. De Rossi, K. G. Holt, and C. J. Walsh, “A biologically inspired soft exosuit for walking assistance,” Int. J. Rob. Res., Vol.34, No.6, pp. 744-762, 2015. K. Ogawa, C. Thakur, T. Ikeda, T. Tsuji, and Y. Kurita, “Development of a pneumatic artificial muscle driven by low pressure and its application to the unplugged powered suit,” Adv. Robot., Vol.31, No.21, pp. 1135-1143, 2017. F. Daerden and D. Lefeber, “Pneumatic artificial muscles: actuators for robotics and automation,” Eur. J. Mech. Eng., Vol.47, No.1, p. 1021, 2000. J. Perry and J. Burnfield, “GAIT Normal and Pathological Function,” J. Sports Sci. Med., Vol.9, No.2, p. 551, 2010. S. Chen, J. Lach, B. Lo, and G. Z. Yang, “Toward Pervasive Gait Analysis With Wearable Sensors: A Systematic Review,” IEEE J. Biomed. Heal. Informatics, Vol.20, No.6, pp. 1521-1537, 2016. Y. Long, Z.-J. Du, W.-D. Wang, and W. Dong, “Human motion intent learning based motion assistance control for a wearable exoskeleton,” Robot. Comput. Integr. Manuf., Vol.49, pp. 317-327, 2018. J. Taborri, E. Palermo, S. Rossi, and P. Cappa, “Gait partitioning methods: A systematic review,” Sensors, Vol.16, No.1, pii: E66, 2016. C. Kirtley, M. W. Whittle, and R. J. Jefferson, “Influence of walking speed on gait parameters,” J. Biomed. Eng., Vol.7, No.4, pp. 282-288, 1985. T. P. Andriacchi, J. A. Ogle, and J. O. Galante, “Walking speed as a basis for normal and abnormal gait measurements,” J. Biomech., Vol.10, No.4, pp. 261-268, 1977. S. Oh, E. Baek, S. K. Song, S. Mohammed, D. Jeon, and K. Kong, “A generalized control framework of assistive controllers and its application to lower limb exoskeletons,” Rob. Auton. Syst., Vol.73, pp. 68-77, 2015. R. W. Kressig and O. Beauchet, “Guidelines for clinical applications of spatio-temporal gait analysis in older adults,” Aging Clin. Exp. Res., Vol.18, No.2, pp. 174-176, 2006. N. Aliman, R. Ramli, and S. M. M. Haris, “Design and development of lower limb exoskeletons: A survey,” Rob. Auton. Syst., Vol.95, pp. 102-116, 2017. A. T. Asbeck, S. M. M. De Rossi, I. Galiana, Y. Ding, and C. J. Walsh, “Stronger, smarter, softer: Next-generation wearable robots,” IEEE Robot. Autom. Mag., Vol.21, No.4, pp. 22-33, 2014. K. Kong and M. Tomizuka, “Smooth and continuous human gait phase detection based on foot pressure patterns,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Robot. Autom., pp. 3678-3683, 2008. K. Kong, J. Bae, and M. Tomizuka, “Impedance compensation of flexible joint actuator for ideal force mode control,” IFAC Proc. Volumes, Vol.41, No.2, pp. 2442-2447, 2008. S. H. Collins, M. B. Wiggin, and G. S. Sawicki, “Reducing the energy cost of human walking using an unpowered exoskeleton,” Nature, Vol.522, No.7555, pp. 212-215, 2015. C. P. Chou and B. Hannaford, “Measurement and modeling of McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles,” IEEE Trans. Robot. Autom., Vol.12, No.1, pp. 90-102, 1996.	https://www.fujipress.jp/jrm/rb/robot003000050717/
About this Research Topic Highly performing, environmental friendly and socially sustainable: the key features of the factories of the future have been described in the H2020 program and will lead to the development of new enabling technologies. For example, designing innovative tools with a human-centered approach will identify the needs of the workers, consider human factors in the design process and get the end-users feedback to improve their design iteratively. Wearable exoskeletons for movement assistance or augmentation will play a fundamental role for empowering the workers, by reducing work-related musculoskeletal injuries, lowering the effort and reducing the earlier onset of fatigue in certain repetitive tasks, and in some cases even increasing the productivity. Potentially robotic exoskeletons can find a huge number of application scenarios such as construction sites, warehouses, production lines, agriculture field and hospitals; however, despite the huge potential, there are no examples of exoskeletons that have been adopted by industries in a large scale. On one side a poor human-centered design, in which ergonomics, acceptability and usability are not sufficiently taken into account, is critical. On the other side the low benefit-cost ratio prevents the “mass adoption” of this technology: the usability in real application scenarios is often missing and it is not clear whether the use of exoskeletons would really improve the workers’ quality of life. The objective of this Research Topic is to foster the discussion on the design and experimental validation of wearable exoskeletons for manufacturing applications. We call for all research articles, review papers, brief communications, and commentary on topics related to new designs, innovative control strategies, application scenarios and experimental validation of wearable exoskeletons in manufacturing, with emphasis on human-in-the-loop experimentations. This Research Topic seeks to highlight the most recent efforts to investigate the device usability and the importance of human factors for their design and acceptability in the real application scenarios. This Research Topic is recommended by the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions” http://wearablerobots.eu/ Keywords: exoskeletons, manufacturing, factory of the future, human factors, human-centered design Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.	https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/6160/towards-exoskeletons-for-the-factory-of-the-future-how-human-factors-ergonomics-and-bioinspiration-c
Abstract: In this review, we give a brief outline of robot-mediated gait training for stroke patients, as an important emerging field in rehabilitation. Technological innovations are allowing rehabilitation to move toward more integrated processes, with improved efficiency and less long-term impairments. In particular, robot-mediated neurorehabilitation is a rapidly advancing field, which uses robotic systems to define new methods for treating neurological injuries, especially stroke. The use of robots in gait training can enhance rehabilitation, but it needs to be used according to well-defined neuroscientific principles. The field of robot-mediated neurorehabilitation brings challenges to both bioengineering and clinical practice. This article reviews the state of the art (including commercially available systems) and perspectives of robotics in poststroke rehabilitation for walking recovery. A critical revision, including the problems at stake regarding robotic clinical use, is also presented. Keywords: exoskeleton, neurorehabilitation, robot-assisted walking training, wearable robot, activities of daily living, motor learning, plasticity Introduction Stroke is a leading cause of movement disability in the US and Europe.1 By 2030, it has been estimated that there could be as many as 70 million stroke survivors around the world.2 The proportion of patients achieving independence by 1 year after a stroke ranges from ~60% to 83% in self-care and between 10% and 15% in a residential clinical institution.3 Concerning mobility recovery, a 2008 study showed that ~50% of patients with stroke leave the rehabilitation hospital on a wheelchair, <15% are able to walk indoor without aids, <10% are able to walk outdoor, and <5% are able to climb stairs.4 Poststroke rehabilitation demand will increase in the near future, leading to stronger pressure on health care budgets. For example, in the US, the estimated direct and indirect cost of stroke in 2010 was $73.7 billion, and the mean lifetime cost of ischemic stroke was estimated at $140.048.5 For ethical reasons, in adjunction to these economical reasons, an increase of rehabilitation efficacy is mandatory. New technologies, early discharge after intensive training, and home rehabilitation are among the innovations proposed for achieving this. Current literature suggests that rehabilitative interventions are more effective if they ensure early, intensive, task-specific, and multisensory stimulation, with both bottom-up and top-down integration, favoring brain plasticity.6,7 In fact, there is growing evidence that the motor system is plastic following stroke and that motor training can be of aid, particularly in the first 3 months.8 Neuroplasticity can lead to recovery mechanisms and functional adaptation resulting from global changes in neuronal organization. It is associated with changes in excitatory/inhibitory balance as well as the spatial extent and activation of cortical maps and structural remodeling.9,10 In this scenario, the emerging field of robotic rehabilitation needs to be integrated with the neurological principles supporting the scientific evidences that a robot may improve specific abilities of neurological patients. Figure 1 shows the determinants of gait rehabilitation of patients with stroke that may benefit from robotic training, including those related to other technologies such as serious video games and augmented biofeedback. \| \| Figure 1 The determinants of gait and balance by multisystem rehabilitation of patients with stroke who may benefit from robotic training. This review aims to exploit, by following user-centered principles, the clinical efficacy of robotic devices and enhance their role in the next generation of rehabilitation protocols. Machines for walking rehabilitation A complete review of all the machines developed worldwide is very difficult to achieve because of the number of prototypes tested within the scientific community. First, it is necessary to clarify the difference between a robot and other electromechanical devices. The Robot Institute of America defines a robot as a programmable, multi-functional manipulator designed to move material, parts or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.11 Hence, in contrast with the popular – and erroneous– perception (which includes, eg, kitchen aids), a robot is by definition capable of mobility, with various levels of autonomy. Based on this definition, an incomplete list of commercial robot walk trainers includes the following: Gait Trainer (RehaStim, Berlin, Germany), G-EO (Reha Technology AG, Olten, Switzerland), Lokomat (Hocoma, Volketswil, Switzerland), Bionic Leg (Tibion Bionic Technologies, Moffett Field, CA, USA), eLEGS (University of California Berkeley/Ekso Bionics, Richmond, CA, USA), ReWalk (Argo Medical Technologies, Yokneam, Israel), and REX (Rex Bionics, Auckland, New Zealand). Another list may include prototypes not yet fully commercialized, such as Lopes, Lopes 2 (developed at the University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands), Knexo (Vrije University Brussel, Ixelles, Belgium), Alex (University of Delaware, Newark, NJ, USA), Mindwalker (Delft University, Delft, the Netherlands), VanderBilt Exoskeleton (VanderBilt University, Nashville, TN, USA), Hercule (CEA-LIST/RB3D, Paris, France), i-Walker (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain), Walkbot (P&S Mechanics Co, Ltd, Seoul, South Korea), Walk Assist Robot (Toyota, Tokyo, Japan), Honda’s walking assist device (Honda, Tokyo, Japan), Anklebot (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA), and Indego (Parker Hannifin Corporation, El Segundo, CA, USA).7,12–14 These devices can be classified according to the motion they apply to the patient’s body. For instance, “exoskeletons” move joints, such as hip, knee, and ankle, controlled during the gait phases, whereas “end-effector robots” move only the feet, often placed on a support (footplate), which imposes specific trajectories, simulating the stance and swing phases during gait training.15 Another possible classification is between devices in which the patient is moved in a fixed place and those moving the patient around the environment. We could define these devices as static and dynamic ones, respectively (Figure 2). Among static devices, ie, devices designed for performing motion in place, and not around the environment, the most common ones are the Lokomat, which is a robotic exoskeleton, and the Gait Trainer and G-EO, these last two being end effectors. Lokomat16 is a robotic gait orthosis combined with a harness-supported body weight system, used in combination with a treadmill. The main difference with treadmill training with body weight support is that the patient’s leg joints are guided according to a preprogrammed gait kinematic pattern. Gait Trainer is based on a double crank and rocker gear system. In contrast with treadmills, it consists of two footplates positioned on two bars, two rockers, and two cranks, which provide the propulsion. The footplates symmetrically generate the stance and swing phases.17 The main difference with treadmill training with body weight support is that feet are always in contact with the platform, moving the feet for simulating the gait phases. G-EO System (“eo” comes from Latin for “I go”) is based on the end-effector principle and was designed to minimize the therapeutic effort needed for relearning walking and also stair climbing. The trajectories of the footplates as well as the vertical and horizontal movements of the center of mass are fully programmable.18 In recent years, extensive research efforts have been dedicated to dynamic exoskeletons for neurorehabilitation, as well as military applications (eg, to augment the soldiers’ walking functions). Robotic hip–knee–ankle–foot exoskeletal orthoses have become commercially available and may help poststroke patients to stand and walk again. These devices also have applications beyond mobility, eg, exercise, amelioration of secondary complications related to lack of ambulation, and promotion of neuroplasticity. Wearable exoskeletons are recently developed technologies that allow walking even on a hard flat surface.12 Exoskeletons incorporate the actuators that move the patient’s legs during the gait cycle, through a preprogrammed and near-normal gait cycle.19 Preliminary results showed the possibility of performing individual walking training in patients with subacute and chronic stroke.19 Almost all functional exoskeletons rely on additional support aids to ensure balance. Healthy users would perform proper foot placement and other actions to ensure balance stability. However, impaired people would need additional devices such as crutches. New findings in neuroscience and translational researches from animal models showed that neurorehabilitation requires the following: increasing the therapy dosage and intensity,20 high repetitiveness,21 task-oriented exercises,22 and combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches (eg, noninvasive brain stimulation with robot therapy).23 As aforementioned, the best time for boosting plasticity-dependent recovery is within 3 months from the stroke event. On the other hand, animal models have shown that increased therapy within 5 days from the stroke can enlarge brain damage and favor spasticity.23 Robotic systems are well suited to produce intensive, task-oriented motor training for moving the patient’s limbs under the supervision/help of a therapist, as part of an integrated set of rehabilitation tools that would include other new devices as well as simpler and more traditional ones.15,24,25 In this context, robots would enhance conventional poststroke rehabilitation via intense and task-oriented training. Theoretical and practical robotic support for gait rehabilitation A common feature of gait training robots is the possibility to support (partially or totally) the body weight and the movement of patients. Body weight support seems to be the condition sine qua non for facilitating gait recovery with robotic devices.26 To restore gait, clinicians prefer a task-specific repetitive approach and, in recent years, better outcomes have been achieved with higher intensities of walking practice programs.27–29 Another role of robotic devices is to facilitate the administration, to nonambulatory patients, of intensive and highly repetitive training of complex gait cycles, something a single therapist cannot easily do alone. With respect to treadmill training with partial body weight support, yet another advantage of these robotic devices may be the reduced effort for therapists: they no longer need to set the paretic limbs or assist trunk movements.30 A secondary but important feature related to body weight support and to robotic rehabilitation in general is the possibility of favoring the restoration of an adequate level of cardiorespiratory efficiency. Despite this aspect being rarely taken into account in evaluating robotic efficiency,31 previous results have shown that robotic gait training reduces energy consumption and cardiorespiratory load. In fact, for severely impaired neurological patients, robotic walk training allows an early verticalization without the risk of increasing spasticity on antigravitational muscles, hence avoiding deconditioning, which would worsen cardiologic comorbidities. This is a very important feature, if one considers that cardiovascular disease is the leading prospective cause of death in people with chronic stroke.32 It is well known that persons with stroke suffer an extremely poor cardiovascular fitness, with a reduction of the mobility and a consequent reduction of the quality of life.33 Energy consumption and cardiorespiratory load during walking with robot assistance seems to depend not only on body weight support but also on factors such as robot type, walking speed, and amount of effort. These parameters could be adjusted during robotic rehabilitation to make it either more or less energy consuming and stressful for the cardiorespiratory system.34 Robotic rehabilitation “versus” or “together” with physiotherapy? A recently updated Cochrane revision of 23 trials involving 999 participants showed that robotic gait training combined with physiotherapy might improve recovery of independent walking in poststroke patients. In particular, people in the first 3 months after stroke and those who are not able to walk seem to benefit most from this type of intervention. This review also highlighted that determining the frequency, duration, and timing (after stroke) for the robotic gait training to be the most effective is still an open problem. Assessing the benefit duration also requires further research.35 The use of robots should not replace the neurorehabilitation therapy performed by a physiotherapist. Robots, as all technological devices, must be considered as tools in the hands of the physiotherapist and never rehabilitative per se.36 In fact, the robot can alleviate all labor-intensive phases of physical rehabilitation, hence allowing the physiotherapist to focus on functional rehabilitation during individual training and to supervise several patients at the same time during robot-assisted therapy sessions. With this approach, the expertise and time of physiotherapists is optimized, increasing the rehabilitation program’s efficacy and efficiency at the same time.37 With respect to conventional therapy alone, the addition of robotic intervention brings another important advantage: it allows an online and offline instrumented, quantitative (hence, objective) evaluation of several parameters related to patient performance. These include range of motion, velocity, smoothness of movements, amount of forces, and so on. Thus, robotic systems may be used not only to produce simple and repetitive stereotyped movement patterns, as in the case of most of the existing devices, but also to generate a more complex, controlled multisensory stimulation of the patient. This includes, but is not limited to, the assessment of the patient’s performance with a biofeedback or with a report. A recent review, inspired by Isaac Asimov’s famous three laws of robotics and based on the most recent studies in neurorobotics, proposed three similar laws valid for neurorehabilitation robots. The objective was to propose guidelines for designing and using such robots.38 These laws were driven by the ethical need for safe and effective robots, by the redefinition of their role as therapist helpers, and by the need for clear and transparent human–machine interfaces. The three laws are as follows: - a neurorobot shall not injure a patient or let him/her come to harm; - a neurorobot must obey the therapist’s orders, except if such order is in conflict with the First Law; - a neurorobot must adapt its behavior to the patients’ abilities in a transparent way, except if this is in conflict with the First or Second law. Although the first law may seem obvious, in the study by Iosa et al,38 the term “harm” has been redefined to include all possible damage to patients, including time wasted on an ineffective, inefficient, or even detrimental robot. In fact, many robots have been commercialized without proving their quality. Hence, this law implies that robot usage should be at least as safe and effective as other treatments, implying that it should have a higher benefit-to-risk ratio than conventional treatments. The second law recalls that neurorobots are, in the first place, tools in the hands of therapists, just as medical robots for surgeons. Robots should “disobey” clinicians’ orders only if their sensors highlight that a potential risk for the patient can be provoked by that order. This highlights the importance of sensors, which is at the base of the adaptability and autonomy of any robotic system. This last aspect is reinforced in the third law, which claims the importance of artificial intelligence as a support for human intelligence, with real-time adaptation to the continuously monitored and measured patient’s ability. An aspect rarely taken into account in robotic rehabilitation is the psychology of the patient, who often needs not only to be cured, but also to be cared. It is well known that patients’ engagement and participation in conventional exercises is considered a key factor to increase rehabilitation performances and thereby boost plasticity.39 During robot-assisted therapy, this can be achieved via extrinsic feedback of serious game scenarios, where the scores obtained assess the patients’ performance.40 The acceptance of robotic technology by patients and physiotherapists may be an issue per se, although there is no evidence of this for the devices developed to date. Nevertheless, not all patients, especially the elderly, accept to be treated with a robot, and Bragoni et al41 have shown that anxiety may reduce the efficacy of robotic walking training. In the future, the cultural gap among technology providers, rehabilitation professionals, and end users should be filled by improving the dissemination of technological knowledge and the diffusion of increasingly user-friendly and safer technology. From “efficacy for all” to “all for efficacy” Most studies on walking neurorehabilitation robots focus on their effectiveness, giving controversial results. For instance, Mehrholz and Pohl42 showed that patients who receive robot-assisted gait training in combination with physiotherapy achieve independent walking more easily than patients trained without these devices. However, clinical trials suggest that manual therapy may still be more effective than robotic gait training in both subacute and chronic phases.43,44 The reason may be a reduction in voluntary postural control during robot-assisted gait training, often due to constraints presented by robots, with the passive swing assistance provided by the robotic system used in the studies.43 In the complex scenario of gait recovery robots, it is fundamental to understand the clinical meaning of each design feature, such as body weight support, especially for training nonambulatory patients in an intensive and safe manner.41 Both end effectors and exoskeleton robotic devices have their own strengths and weaknesses. It is, therefore, important to consider the rationale of the two types of devices and the related benefits or disadvantages of each. In particular, end-effector walking devices allow the patient to extend his/her knee with more freedom. In addition, the task of maintaining balance may be more demanding (since the required degree of balance depends on the harness setup and on whether or not the patient is holding the hand rails). An advantage of exoskeletons is that gait cycles can be controlled more easily. We are not aware of any studies directly comparing different devices for gait rehabilitation in patients with a cerebral damage, with the exception of a single case report.45 Interestingly, these two robotic solutions train patients in two different ways in terms of constriction/freedom of patients’ ability. For this reason, they should not be seen as alternative, but complementary: each one represents the best option for a specific kind of patient impairment. It is important to understand how different robotic approaches will respond to different rehabilitation problems and patients (Figure 3), as well as to all users’ (patients, therapists, and clinicians) needs in general. As affirmed recently by Cochrane,35 it is imperative to define the characteristics of patients who may benefit the most from robotic therapy. According to the principle that overground training is the most physiological one, although not always possible, the more is the severity of stroke, the more should be the help and the constraint level provided by the device, as shown in Figure 2. \| \| Figure 3 Examples of robotic devices with different approaches. Most studies aim at answering the question “are robotic devices effective for all kinds of poststroke patients?”. However, Morone et al46 have highlighted the need for changing this question into “for whom are robotic devices the most effective?” The goal should not be to test the efficacy for all patients but to dispose of all the possibilities, for improving efficacy. For instance, the least-affected patients would rather benefit from device-free conventional overground training than use artificial interventions that may alter recovery of their physiological patterns.46 A key point for the diffusion and correct use of new technologies is to know the group of patients for whom and the rehabilitation phase during which each type of technology is more beneficial. Following this principle, Morone et al46,47 found that patients with more severe motor leg impairments are those who benefit the most from robot-assisted therapy in combination with conventional therapy. This finding probably results from the augmented intensity of robotic therapy, as compared to conventional therapy (especially for the most impaired patients). Conversely, patients with greater voluntary motor function in the affected limb can perform intensive training during conventional therapy also. A large rehabilitation study (Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke [LEAPS])48 showed that more expensive high-tech therapy was not superior to intensive home strength and balance training (the so-called kitchen sink exercises), but both were better than lower-intensity physical therapy. These results may support the idea that the great advantage of robots designed for walking therapy is only related to the warranty of a more intensive therapy. Consequently, after 20 years of investigation on robotic devices, including body weight support systems, efficacy is still uncertain, and most of the robotic use is still confined to research-controlled trial instead of in clinical practice.49 This skepticism has led to put into question the clinical usability of robots in neurorehabilitation: Hidler and Lum50 questioned the possibility that these devices will become commonplace in every hospital and rehabilitation clinic or whether they will become things of the past like so many other promising prototypes. In addition, Iosa et al,15 after having asked “Where are the robots promised by scientific literature able to restore motor functions after stroke?”, noted that despite surgical robots being introduced at around the same time as rehabilitation robots, only the benefit of the formers has been well established.38 On the other hand, from a theoretical point of view, many researchers agree that patients may benefit from machines providing external support, until they recover the capacity of walking over ground, unsupported. Robots can favor this recovery, allowing a progressive decrease of external support matching the patients’ level of gait dependency.46 Probably, the question needs to be changed from “Are robotic devices effective for rehabilitation?” to “Who may benefit the most from robotic rehabilitation”? Current perspective and open problems According to the current literature, it is not yet clear how different rehabilitation approaches contribute to restorative processes of the central nervous systems after stroke. In this scenario, the efficacy of robotic gait training seems to be strictly related to a good identification of the best candidates among patients of those who could benefit more from a robotic training. This choice is strictly related to both physical46 and psychological41,51 features with respect to the available devices. A promising approach is the combination of different technologies, where each one facilitates the other. This is the case of a brain-controlled neuromuscular stimulation coupled to an exoskeleton52 or of noninvasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation [tDCS] and transcranial magnetic stimulation [TMS]) associated with robotic training.53,54 However, noninvasive brain stimulation associated with robots yielded limited results,55,56 unless the parameters were properly tuned according to the candidate patients.57 There are also some other points deserving attention. Despite most studies claiming that robots would increase rehabilitation intensity, repetition of tasks alone is not sufficient to guide neural plasticity.58 Furthermore, most robots replicate physiological patterns, not always reachievable by patients. The approach is analogous to training footballers only to play many matches, without focusing the training on specific aspects and exercises that need to be improved separately. In fact, optimal schemes of robot assistance to facilitate motor skill learning are debated.59 Thus, a robot is not a substitute for physical therapists but should be considered a tool in the hands of therapists to train different determinants of a multisystem rehabilitation and for improving patients’ skills.60 This leads to the need for a robot of active onboard control algorithms combined with functional motor learning tasks, to improve participation, required assistance, and reinforcement learning.61 Conclusion Finally, most of the robots commercialized nowadays are based on the a priori idea that walking is an automatic subcortical ability. However, this aspect was recently reconsidered from the following perspectives: 1) from a biomechanical point of view, by reviewing the role of the trunk from a passive62 to an active actor;63 2) from a neurological point of view, in which the conventional bottom-up approach has been integrated in a top-down approach;64 3) from a neuromechanical point of view, in which structures and functions are strictly connected around specific harmonic points of equilibrium that maximize the efficiency of walking.65,66 At this step, the role of the clinical researcher is to investigate whether the available robot is effective or not for the level of severity in patients with stroke admitted to his/her rehabilitation hospital. The role of bioengineers should be to match the most recent neurological findings with the specifics of the robots developed for gait training, not only simulating physiological patterns and emulating the therapist, but favoring and widening the determinants of gait recovery. Finally, both clinicians and bioengineers should collaborate for defining new paradigms and protocols for increasing robotic effectiveness and diffusion within the rehabilitation teams. Disclosure The authors have no relevant affiliation or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject, matter, or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants, or patents, received or pending, or royalties. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. References Rosamond W, Flegal K, Furie K, et al. 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The brain’s sense of walking: a study on the intertwine between locomotor imagery and internal locomotor models in healthy adults, typically developing children and children with cerebral palsy. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:859. Iosa M, Morone G, Bini F, Fusco A, Paolucci S, Marinozzi F. The connection between anthropometry and gait harmony unveiled through the lens of the golden ratio. Neurosci Lett. 2016;612:138–144. Dzeladini F, van den Kieboom J, Ijspeert A. The contribution of a central pattern generator in a reflex-based neuromuscular model. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:371.	https://www.dovepress.com/robot-assisted-gait-training-for-stroke-patients-current-state-of-the--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
As more business processes become digitised, tasks such as monitoring, decision making, and optimisation that would previously have been carried out by human participants are beginning to be augmented or replaced by machine-based algorithms and artificial intelligence. This is a natural progression in the transition to digital, and we expect to see it advance rapidly in the next three years as enterprise digital initiatives extend further into the organisation and the ability to measure and improve the outcomes of these processes matures. There is a range of techniques that fall under the artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive computing banner, including voice and image recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, robotic process automation, and neural networks, but we are now seeing these incorporated into diverse business platforms and applications, in a form that makes them simpler for enterprises to adopt and apply to their processes. This is no longer the technology of tomorrow, but an array of tools that can form part of any digital initiative. Common patterns include real-time optimisation of straight-through processes, synthesising knowledge to inform or recommend a next-best action, providing virtual assistance in place of a human operator, identifying anomalous or critical conditions in data streams, and creating predictive insights and inferences through the integration of multiple data sources. There is a growing appreciation of the role of software in products, services, and processes across all sectors, from loan approval in banking and premium calculations in insurance to improving student outcomes in education and assisted diagnoses in healthcare. Fuelled by data, we should expect more sophisticated algorithms to become part of these processes, both to augment human decision making and to reduce the level at which direct human supervision or input is required. We believe that organisations should actively seek opportunities to apply these techniques to their digital processes, by asking some of the following questions: - Where is manual human intervention still required? - What techniques are currently used to improve process efficiency? - Where could greater insight help knowledge workers? - How could data sources be utilised or combined to analyse process performance?	https://d2bs8hqp6qvsw6.cloudfront.net/article/593448/insight-uncovering-art-applying-artificial-intelligence-digital-processes/?fp=2&fpid=1
Panasonic plans to sell the consumer-grade robotic exoskeleton suits later this year, in the form of the Assist Suit AWN-03. This exoskeleton is designed to help manual labourers lift heavy objects with less strain,reducing the risk of long-term injury. Continue reading this story with a subscription to DealStreetAsia. Already a subscriber? Log in Contact us for corporate subscriptions at [email protected].	https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/panasonic-to-release-commercial-exoskeleton-to-market-in-4q-2015-9269/
relationship with money is primarily influenced by her attitude, values, education and experiences. Risk-taking attitudes affect investment strategies. In general, women are more risk averse than men: only 31 per cent of women are prepared to take higher risks for higher investment gains. This aversion to risk taking may be related to personal and family concerns that generally drive women’s financial decisions. On the other hand, a recent study found some women were frustrated when their advisors assumed they had a low risk tolerance, providing them with only a narrow range of investment alternatives. Therefore, it is important to learn the attitudes and preferences of each individual woman. Behavioral scientists have suggested that women are more prone than men to experience fear when making financial decisions, which can indicate the downside of risk is more threatening to women. One of the primary manifestations of fear is the common finding that women, regardless of income, tend to be concerned that they will not have sufficient funds for retirement. Additionally, investment strategies differ between men and women. Women typically take more time to plan, often invest for the long-term, and prefer safer investments (i.e., investment strategies with lower volatility). Women commonly exhibit a “buy and hold” strategy, rather than trying to “time the market.” Research has shown that although men are more likely to be self-confident and take greater risks, they are less accurate in their investment decisions than women. When women make emotional choices about money, they often consciously or subconsciously use self-control strategies. For example, women - more than frequently than men - purchase illiquid investments such as homes, real estate and jewelry to prevent themselves from emotional trading (33 per cent versus 29 per cent). Some women exercise financial discipline by using rules and financial self-control strategies. For example, some women wait a few days after making a big financial decision before executing on it. There are also relevant generational differences in attitudes toward money. Women near retirement have different life experiences and expectations than those in their twenties or thirties. Whether she is married, has children, inherits assets or receives a divorce settlement, or earns the money herself affects the anxieties, expectations and risk-taking strategies of the particular woman. All of these factors shape the individual woman’s financial life’s picture. Each woman wants an advisor to understand her unique vision or life’s picture. It is prudent for financial advisors to connect with women by acknowledging the emotional factors involved in their decision-making processes. Financial advisors need to show their understanding of the emotions that drive the individual woman’s financial objectives (e.g. anxiety or fear of needing to rely on her children in her old age, not being able to provide for her family, not meeting the medical needs of parents, or wanting to ensure the education of her grandchildren). By communicating an understanding of the unique client’s needs and underlying emotions, financial advisors can demonstrate empathy and earn the trust needed to develop actionable financial plans for the female clients. When women trust their financial advisors, they tend to be loyal and stay with the advisors more frequently than men, often irrespective of their financial performance.	https://familywealthreport.com/article.php?id=56777&page=2
Bandersnatch is just the start – the next big thing in interactive media is AI storytelling Share This Article: The fifth Black Mirror season – made up of a single episode called “Bandersnatch” – represents the latest mainstream offering in interactive storytelling. Released in December 2018 by Netflix in a choose-your-own-adventure format, Bandersnatch allows viewers to make decisions at various junctures – these choices then determine the story path down which the episode proceeds.The result is what has been described as a network of “five endings and one trillion story combos”, including, apparently, some scenes that nobody can find. The Independent described this storytelling format as “groundbreaking” while The Guardian proclaimed that the “TV of tomorrow is All about algorithms - Article continues below... - More stories you may like... - The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: How patriarchy is alive and well in this Netflix universe - It Is What It Is: Love Island Recap, Week 2 - Review: AI: More Than Human @ Barbican You might also like... People who read this also read... TRENDING TRENDING CHANNELS CONTRIBUTOR OF THE MONTH Ranking:	https://www.thenationalstudent.com/Technology/2019-01-18/bandersnatch_is_just_the_start_the_next_big_thing_in_interactive_media_is_ai_storytelling.html
We investigate the impact of CEO networks on bank risk during the recent financial crisis and test whether CEO networks have a bearing on CEO insider trading at the onset of the crisis. We construct a unique dataset of CEO networks based on 97 bank CEOs' social ties, which allows us to assign a Social Network (SN) score to each CEO. Our results provide evidence that CEO networks in 2006, the year prior to die financial crisis, are related to bank risk-taking ex post during die financial crisis. We also find diat after controlling for bank and other CEO characteristics, a higher SN score is associated widi lower bank risk. In addition, the CEO social network effect is magnified widi CEO power" , indicating that a well-connected bank CEO uses his internal dominance to influence corporate risk choices, and hence undertake less risk during die financial crisis. Furthermore, CEO social networks have a significantly positive impact in reducing CEOs' personal wealth loss in the wake of die financial crisis. Overall, our results suggest diat CEO social networks provide an efficient information channel to bank CEOs. \|Additional Metadata\| \|Keywords\|\|Bank risk taking, CEO networks, Pajek\| \|Journal\|\|Banking and Finance Review\| \|Citation \|\| \| Jackson, D, & Fang, F. (Fang). (2014). CEO networks and bank risk taking. Banking and Finance Review, 6(1-2), 38–54.	https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/22133
- et al. Abstract The current research investigates consumer risk-taking in a dynamic setting--looking at choices made in a temporal sequence and for risks that cover several domains (financial, ethical, health/safety, social and recreational). Chapter 1 focuses on how risk-taking in this setting can lead to the use of categorization rules to determine behavior. The results demonstrate that individuals are more likely to take risks that are from the same category as risks they have already taken (compared to risks that are from different categories). Chapter 1 demonstrates that individuals are more likely to take risks when they are aggregated together, and categorization is one rule under which this aggregation can occur. While categorization leads to risk-seeking for risks from the same category, the more general question of why aggregation leads to greater risk-taking still remains. The extant literature on sequential risk-taking has not provided a clear mechanism for differences in risk-taking for prospects considered in a set versus prospects considered in isolation. There are two distinct theories--choice bracketing and construal level theory--that are both conceptually and empirically similar. Chapter 2 compares these two theories in order to disentangle their effects and see if there is any overlap between them. Taken together, this work expands our understanding of risk-taking over time and across domains. This can allow us to better predict and understand risk-taking behavior in a more realistic choice setting. Main Content Enter the password to open this PDF file:	https://escholarship.org/uc/item/48q4245f
So what did I learn at the Silbersalz Conference? I know you’ve all been riveted in suspense since my last post. As a brief recap, science needs to be effectively communicated and we need to utilize the media as it is currently the biggest source of information. However, people don’t always have an inherent interest in science, not enough grounding in basic principles, to fully absorb the kind of science messages being communicated. Therefore, science needs to get better at storytelling, and make better use of stories, films, books, press articles, and other storytelling formats beyond The Scientific Paper. This was what the Silbersalz Conference was all about: discussing how to best give science a effective voice through media. Think about examples from Hollywood science fiction – like The Terminator, Back to the Future, and Ex Machina. Scientists want “the science” to be as accurate as possible, but often that is not the case… since narrative fiction is, at the end of the day, fiction. Science fiction is not necessarily useful as an educational tool. However, “science fiction” is a means to get people interested in science. They want to know more. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, gene editing, and space exploration, people are becoming more and more aware of the science around them. We need to cultivate that interest in science through entertainment. However, the current problem with these Hollywood blockbusters, is that scientists aren’t controlling the narrative. Science is inserted into the story ex post facto, rather than being the subject of the story from the beginning. Scientists should be involved from the ideation phase, in order to inspire the narrative itself. This not only ensures a more scientifically-accurate storyline, but also a more realistic representation of scientists themselves. Which, at the end of the day, is really what we want. So now we have the idea of stories back on our brain, what is the best medium to tell them, and to whom are we telling them? I attended two expert workshops, one on immersive media (Virtual Reality) led by Mark Atkin, and one around distribution led by Sarah Mosse. Mark Atkin (Director of CrossOver Labs) ran a workshop looking at how a variety of new media technologies, specifically Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR), could be utilized to tell stories in different and engaging ways. As our media becomes more immersive, and in some ways indistinguishable from reality, how can we use that to our advantage? We have moved beyond telling stories in a linear format, and now storytellers are focusing on how to fully engage a person in this new, non-linear space. We discussed how a Behavioral Insights Advisor could try to measure how much risk people take on a day to day situation by creating a VR simulation of being a bank robber. This particular study was focusing on how people tend to take higher amounts of risk on Mondays and Fridays, with their risk-taking behaviour waning throughout the week. These findings had been applied to bank robbery statistics to find similar patterns. Who doesn’t want to be a bank robber? Here you have the perfect situation of collecting data while engaging people in an immersive media experience – a ‘win-win’ for researchers and artists. Sarah Mosse’s workshop was focused on reaching and engaging audiences for film. Sarah’s company called Together Films focuses on the distribution side of film, rather than the planning and storytelling side. Often, scientists and activists will spot a problem that needs attention, decide on film as their medium, and then carefully plan the narrative and production elements of their ‘social good’ film. Unfortunately, they often neglect the equally-important elements of distribution and marketing. Sarah gave the example of one of her latest projects, a documentary on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – produced and shot by a scientist who actually has the disease. Sarah was able to get the film in front of multiple politicians at once – we all know how difficult that it! This resulted in UK legislation change that surrounds the condition. She was also able to have the film screened at multiple medical universities, in order to change the way they teach the topic of chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as hospitals, so they could change the way they diagnose. Considering “Who is my audience” and ‘How will I reach them?” is hugely important to effective communication. Science can only create action and change when media is utilized effectively. Both of these workshops focused on the responsibility of scientists to communicate science to different audiences, and in different ways. Science is currently preaching to the converted by only utilizing a very limited group of platforms – such as science journals and science-specific media platforms. While this is a fantastic start, we need to widen and vary the audiences we are influencing by widening our communications. We need to showcase science’s relevance in the everyday world. From exploring the depths of outer space, to understanding the planets smallest bacteria, to the best way to farm crops. We need to show how science is the driver for everything, and the media is the best place to do this.	https://www.reagencylab.com/immersing-science-in-media/
We use a laboratory experiment to study the extent to which investors' choices are affected by limited loss deduction in income taxation. We first compare investment behavior in the no tax baseline to a tax control setting, in which the income from investments is taxed. We find that investors significantly reduce their risk-taking as predicted by theory. Next we compare the baseline investment choices to choices under three different types of income taxation. We observe that risk-taking is significantly increased with partial and with capped loss deduction, but is unaffected by a tax system that allows no loss deduction. Since in all these treatments the after tax outcomes of the prospects were identical, we conjecture that investors have a positively biased perception of partial and capped loss deduction that promotes their willingness to take risks.	https://journals.ub.ovgu.de/index.php/FEMM-WPS/article/view/272
To succeed as workers in the 21st century—a world of increasing knowledge and decreasing certainty—today's composition students (tomorrow’s creative problem-solvers, risk-taking team-players, and flexible life-long learners) must develop the self-confidence (so elusive) and the self-understanding (so essential) that flourish when writing teachers reach the hearts and minds—the lives—of student writers. But because composition studies are messy much in the way that life is messy, a literature review fails to yield a unified teaching model, a coherent pedagogical theory, a structured methodology, a unique research paradigm that might support an argument for adopting the studied active learning techniques that have been used, successfully, in almost a decade of composition classes taught at a typical Midwestern American university, to transform lives. In a paper (more narration than argumentation, more description than prescription) that actively models the use of story and metaphor in learning, the author describes the intimate writing environments (integrating active learning, storytelling, and metaphor-making) in which both teacher and student (who matter equally in an environment where, finally, everything matters—all of the untidy thick description of living!) can learn, with confidence and understanding, to assert their humanity. \|Keywords:\|\|Active Learning, Storytelling, Metaphor, Composition Studies, Writing, Teaching, College Composition\| The International Journal of the Humanities, Volume 5, Issue 12, pp.31-40. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 694.683KB).	http://ijh.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.26/prod.1274
Nataly Aguirre is a senior double majoring in psychology and Spanish. Nataly Aguirre is an Urban Scholar recipient. After graduation in May 2015, she plans to pursue Masters focusing in Experimental Psychology. Files Description Considerable research suggests acute stress influences decision-making. There has, however, been a lack of research examining the possibility that separable components of the stress response may influence decision-making differently: the sympatho-adrenomedullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes. In the current pilot study, participants engaged in a gambling task where they made choices between decisions of varied probability and magnitude for potential gains of money after being exposed to acute stress (via a variant of the cold pressor task). Further, the timing of the stressor was varied to allow examination of SAM and HPA effects separately. Cortisol and skin conductance were measured. Given the task was in the gain frame only, in support of past research on framing results indicated that individuals made significantly more conservative or risk-averse choices in the gambling. Further, risk-taking scaled to the expected value of a decision. Males made more risk-seeking choices as compared to females. Divergent from the original hypothesis, however, stress of neither type had an effect on individuals’ risk-taking overall, nor as a function of probability or magnitude. This suggests that decisions framed as potential gains may not be influenced by stress as readily as decisions framed as potential losses, and that stress may not alter how people perceive the probability or magnitude associated with a decision. Methodological flaws highlighted by the pilot study which may have contributed to the lack of a stress effect will also be discussed. Publication Date Summer 2013 Disciplines Psychology Recommended Citation Aguirre, Nataly, "Nataly Aguirre - Stress, Risk, and Reward in Financial Decision-Making: The Roles of Probability and Magnitude" (2013). Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2013. 1.	https://epublications.marquette.edu/mcnair_2013/1/
The 9th-12th Theatre Arts Program Theatre Arts provides the opportunity for students to establish life-long relationships with theatrical expression. Theatre instruction combines the study of theatre history and dramatic literature with the development of interpretive and emotional skills. The curriculum encompasses appreciation and demonstration of technical theatre craft and critical acumen. Theatre is a collaborative activity involving the participation of artists, technicians, and the presence of an audience. Theatre Arts Objectives and Artistic Processes - Idea development: Draws inspiration from multiple sources and identifies themes to explore in generating theatrical works. - Storytelling: Synthesizes the given elements of the storytelling process to create a purposeful context in a theatre work. - Collaborative Process: Works with a creative team to overcome obstacles and persevere to achieve a unified vision for a theatrical work. - Theatrical Design and Practices: Uses best practices and experiences to inform design and technical choices in the production of a theatrical work. - Performance Skills and Practices: Demonstrates artistic behaviors in the rehearsal and performance process: perseverance of task, creative risk-taking, consistency of choices, and respect for others and their work. - Reflection: Interpret intention and meaning of a theatrical work and apply criteria to evaluate artistic choices. Theatre Arts Disciplines Creating The process of conceiving original work, developing and interpreting established material from a canon of theatrical literature, and rehearsing to achieve an artistic vision. Performing The relating of artistic ideas and choices through interpretation and presentation. Responding Interpret, reflect upon, and evaluate theatre artists’ work according to select criteria.	https://www.hcpss.org/academics/fine-arts/theatre-arts/
IFC / Disney Today and throughout the week at Moviefone, we're celebrating the unsung, hard-won, I've-maxed-out-my-credit-cards-to-finance-this world of independent filmmaking. We'll publish features that explore, expose, and explain today's independent movies. We call it "Independents Day." Get it? It's clever, right? We thought so. Read on. Today's definition of independent film has grown hazy. But there are still a number of distinct (and obvious) differences that set it apart from Hollywood blockbusters, such as budgets, concepts, and a focus on character development instead of plot. Of course, stories are stories, and they can be told in various ways. Mainstream and indie films may produce disparate results, but they both tackle the same ideas, situations, and subjects. To celebrate this diversity, check out a selection of some of the year's biggest movies, each paired with an independent counterpart from the past. If you love the Hollywood title, then we recommend checking out its indie equivalent.	https://www.moviefone.com/2013/07/03/indie-film-alternatives-to-blockbusters/
Consumer Staples: Essential products such as food, beverage, household goods, and feminine hygiene products, but the category also includes such items as alcohol and tobacco. These goods are those products that people are unable – or unwilling – to cut out of their budgets regardless of their financial situation. Consumer discretionary: The term given to goods and services that are considered non-essential by consumers, but desirable if their available income is sufficient to purchase them. Consumer discretionary goods include durable goods, apparel, entertainment and leisure, and automobiles. The purchase of consumer discretionary goods is also influenced by the state of the economy, which can affect consumer confidence. Alpha: A term used in investing to describe a Fund’s or strategy’s ability to beat the market, or it’s “edge.” Alpha is therefore also often referred to as “excess return” or “abnormal rate of return”. Alpha is used in finance as a measure of performance, indicating when a strategy, trader, or portfolio manager has managed to beat the market return over a specific period. Beta is a measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, of an individual stock or portfolio in comparison to the risk of the entire market. In statistical terms, beta represents the slope of the line through a regression of data points from an individual stock’s / portfolio’s returns against those of the market. A beta score of 1 therefore means that the stock’s / portfolio’s value tends to move inline with the market, whilst a beta score greater than 1 means the stock / portfolio is more volatile than the market and conversely that a beta of less than 1 means the stock / portfolio tends to be less volatile than the market. Standard Deviation is a statistical measurement in finance that, when applied to the annual rate of return of an investment, sheds light on the historical volatility of that investment. The greater the standard deviation of securities, the greater the variance between each price and the mean, which shows a larger price range. For example, a volatile stock has a high standard deviation, while the deviation of a stable stock is usually lower Sharpe Ratio is used to explain the return on an investment compared to the risk taken to generate said return. The ratio is the average return earned in excess of the risk-free rate per unit of volatility or total risk. Subtracting the risk-free rate from the mean return allows an investor to better isolate the profits associated with risk-taking activities. Generally, the greater the value of the Sharpe ratio, the more attractive the risk-adjusted return. Information Ratio (IR) is a measurement of portfolio returns beyond the returns of a benchmark, usually an index, compared to the volatility of those returns. The benchmark used is typically an index that represents the market or a particular sector or industry. The IR is often used as a measure of a portfolio manager’s level of skill and ability to generate excess returns relative to a benchmark, but it also attempts to identify the consistency of the performance by incorporating a tracking error, or standard deviation component into the calculation. Higher information ratios indicate a desired level of consistency, whereas low information ratios indicate the opposite. Long exposure reflects investments in equity / fixed income instruments. Gross exposure refers to the absolute level of a fund’s investments. It takes into account the value of both a fund’s long positions and short positions. Gross exposure is a measure that indicates total exposure to financial markets, thus providing an insight into the amount at risk that investors are taking on. The higher the gross exposure, the bigger the potential loss (or gain).	https://ericsturdza.com/glossary/
Moving towards the 'mainstream'?/ Aberdeen City Council is enabling council tenants in part of the city to have a direct say over how money is spent on improving their area. PB Scotland asks if this is a sign of a move towards the 'mainstreaming' of PB. Participatory budgeting (PB) has been developing fast across Scotland over the last few years, as made clear by the many varied examples and reports on this site. Aside from the odd exception, most PB initiatives in Scotland have seen communities vote on how to distribute funding to local voluntary and community organisations - often referred to as the 'small-grants model' of PB. However, there has been a growing interest in Scotland around how participatory budgeting (PB) can be used to enable local people to decide how core public budgets are spent on services in their area - this is what is often meant by the term 'mainstreaming'. So it's interesting to see that council tenants in the Wales Street area of Aberdeen are being given the opportunity to decide how to spend money on local environmental improvements. £75,000 has been put forward for PB by Aberdeen City Council’s communities, housing and infrastructure committee. Read the full media article here This is a welcome development, particularly since the money appears to have been put forward by the council independent of the Scottish Government's Community Choices Fund, which has contributed funding towards a substantial amount of PB in Scotland over the last two years. It also comes at a time when the Scottish Government and COSLA have announced that at least 1% of local government budgets will be decided through PB by 2021 - which should mean PB is increasingly used to distribute core public sector budgets. There are many positives to the 'small grants model' of PB, such as increased participation, awareness raising of local activities and linking up between community organisations. But giving people more decision-making power over core local budgets (health, transport, housing, education etc. etc.) is also an important element of PB. It is likely that mainstream PB will be higher profile and attract more people into the process, resulting in a greater level of democratic participation. The mainstreaming of PB should not take away from the vibrancy and local-focus of small-grants PB initiatives. However, citizens having a direct say over core-public budgets is something we would like to see more of. Keep an eye on the PB Scotland website to see how PB continues to develop around Scotland.	https://pbscotland.scot/blog/2017/11/6/moving-towards-the-mainstream-aberdeen-tenants-top-decide-council-spending-on-environmental-improvements
Decentralized investment management is widespread throughout the institutional investment industry and, in particular, the pension fund industry. Yet, despite the huge economic importance of this practice, very little is known about the economic motivation for decentralizing or about how fund performance and risk-taking behavior are affected by decentralization. We used a unique proprietary dataset to study decentralization in investment management in the UK pension fund industry from 1984 to 2004. Over this time period, most pension fund sponsors shifted a) from employing a single balanced manager, who invested across all asset classes, to specialist managers, who specialize mostly within a single asset class, and b) from a single manager (either balanced or specialist) to competing multiple managers (balanced, specialist, multi-asset or combinations thereof) within each asset class. This secular shift from single balanced managers to multiple specialist managers carries significant decentralization costs. Decentralization involves suboptimal risk-taking at the portfolio level, due to the problem of coordinating different managers through incentive contracts. The hiring of multiple managers also increases total fund management fees. We examined whether these shifts have been rational; that is, whether fund sponsors have experienced increased performance to compensate for the suboptimal diversification. We first examined whether the performance of specialist mandates is better than that of balanced mandates. We found that, after conditioning on fund manager mandates, specialist managers did generate superior performance, particularly in respect of stock selection or alpha. By contrast, balanced fund managers failed to display any significant stock-selection or market-timing skills, either in the form of strategic or tactical asset allocation skills. There was also evidence of persistence in performance over time by specialists, especially in UK equities, the most important asset class held by UK pension funds. We then examined the effects on performance and risk-taking from employing multiple managers. We found mild evidence to support the conjectures that competition between multiple managers produces better performance – but this held only in the case of competing specialist managers in UK equities – and that pension fund sponsors react to the coordination problem by controlling risk levels: total pension fund risk (and, in particular, alpha risk) is lower under decentralized investment management. We found that the switch from balanced to specialist mandates and the switch from single to multiple managers were preceded by poor performance. In the latter case, part of the poor performance was due to the fund becoming too large for a single manager to manage: sponsors properly anticipated diseconomies-of-scale as funds grew larger and added managers with different strategies before performance deteriorates significantly. Interestingly, competition between multiple specialist managers also improves performance, after controlling for size of assets and fund management company-level skill effects. We also studied changes in risk-taking when moving to decentralized management. Here, we found that sponsors appeared to rationally anticipate the difficulty of coordinating multiple managers by allocating reduced risk budgets to each manager, which helped to compensate for the suboptimal diversification that results from decentralization. Overall, our findings help to explain both the shift from balanced to specialist managers over the sample period – pension funds benefited from superior performance as a result of the shift – and the shift from single to multiple managers – pension funds benefited from risk reduction and from avoiding fund-level diseconomies-of-scale by employing multiple managers. We interpret these shifts as being rational by pension fund sponsors, despite the greater coordination problems and diversification loss associated with increased decentralization. Finally, we note that, following the end of our sample period in 2004, further specialization of skills in pension fund management has occurred. For example, the emergence of diversified growth funds which, in addition to the standard asset classes considered in our paper, offer investments in such “alternatives” as private equity, hedge funds, commodities, infrastructure, currencies and emerging market debt. While the objective of such funds is to generate stable absolute returns (e.g., inflation + 5% per year) over an investment cycle (e.g., 5 years) with lower volatility than an all-equity fund (e.g., one-third lower), it is clear that the trend documented in our study of pension funds employing multiple asset managers with specialist knowledge appears to be continuing, even if the specialist managers are employed within the same fund management company.	https://www.pensions-institute.org/working-papers/wp0914/
A neuropsychological approach to understanding risk-taking for potential gains and losses Levin, Irwin ; Xue, Gui ; Weller, Joshua ; Reimann, Martin ; Lauriola, Marco ; Bechara, Antoine URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1794/22057 Date: 2012-02-07 Abstract: Affective neuroscience has helped guide research and theory development in judgment and decision-making by revealing the role of emotional processes in choice behavior, especially when risk is involved. Evidence is emerging that qualitatively and quantitatively different processes may be involved in risky decision-making for gains and losses. We start by reviewing behavioral work by Kahneman and Tversky (1979) and others, which shows that risk-taking differs for potential gains and potential losses. We then turn to the literature in decision neuroscience to support the gain versus loss distinction. Relying in part on data from a new task that separates risky decision-making for gains and losses, we test a neural model that assigns unique mechanisms for risky decision-making involving potential losses. Included are studies using patients with lesions to brain areas specified as important in the model and studies with healthy individuals whose brains are scanned to reveal activation in these and other areas during risky decision-making. In some cases, there is evidence that gains and losses are processed in different regions of the brain, while in other cases the same region appears to process risk in a different manner for gains and losses. At a more general level, we provide strong support for the notion that decisions involving risk-taking for gains and decisions involving risk-taking for losses represent different psychological processes. At a deeper level, we present mounting evidence that different neural structures play different roles in guiding risky choices in these different domains. Some structures are differentially activated by risky gains and risky losses while others respond uniquely in one domain or the other.Taken together, these studies support a clear functional dissociation between risk-taking for gains and risk-taking for losses, and further dissociation at the neural level. Description:	https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/22057
Over the past three decades, disability theatre artists have claimed greater space on Canadian and world stages. While disabled figures and themes are theatre mainstays, productions tend to employ disability figuratively rather than engage with actual disability experience. In reaction, disability theatre pursues an activist perspective that dismantles stereotypes, challenges stigma, and re-imagines disability as a valued human condition. Stage Turns documents the development and innovations of disability theatre in Canada, the aesthetic choices and challenges of the movement, and the multiple spatial scales at which disability theatre operates, from the local to the increasingly global. Kirsty Johnston provides histories of Canada's leading disability theatre companies, emphasizing the early importance of local efforts in the absence of national coordination. Close readings of individual productions demonstrate how aesthetic choices matter and can be a source of solidarity or debate between different companies and artists. This comparative approach allows for a nuanced consideration of disability theatre's breadth and internal differences. Stage Turns highlights the diversity of disability theatre, underlining how this is critical to understanding the challenge it poses to mainstream aesthetics and to fulfilling its own artistic goals. Stage Turns Book Description:	http://slave2.omega.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1pq0w3?item_view=book_info
Several countries around the world have been embarking on dual banking system with the rapid progression of Islamic banks as a substitute to established conventional banks. This study examines and compares efficiency, stability and risk taking with regulations and supervision, of 77 Islamic banks 141 conventional banks from 9 countries between 2005 and 2014. Data Envelopment Approach is used for the calculation of profit and cost efficiency scores. Stability of banks used two proxies: score and capitalization ratio. And loan loss provision ratio is used for measuring risk-taking behaviour of banks. In addition to regulatory factors, country-specific and bank-specific variables are also included in the study. Results show that while higher capital requirements improve cost efficiency of conventional banks, they seem to result in cost inefficiency among Islamic banks. Similarly, greater restrictions on activities of conventional banks enhance their performance but Islamic banks become cost inefficient under such regulatory environment. However both type of banks perform better under private monitoring as compared to when controlled by the supervisory agencies. Regarding stability it was found that conventional banks are more stable under official supervision whereas, Islamic bank’s become more stable under private monitoring. Furthermore, while capital requirements and official supervision increase the risk taking activities by the banks private monitoring and higher restrictions on the activities assist in controlling the risk taking in both banking systems. However, size of the bank and profitability ratio effect risk taking of conventional and Islamic banks differently indicating that as loans given by Islamic banks are backed by real assets,Islamic banks tend to have lower reserve for loan loss reserve as compared to the conventional banks.	http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/36072/
... Application for grants is also noted as another challenge for women venturing in sciences. According to this issue, it is harder for women to get funding for their science work compared to men. It was noted by Wenneras and Wold (1997) that it is more likely for grant review panels to fund men than women. The study indicated that women are required to be more productive by 2.5 times for women compared to men so that they could be financed from the Swedish medical Research Council. Grant funding disparities have also been noted as a challenge for most female applicants in postdoctoral fellowships of various countries (Shen 2013). Nevertheless, based on conceptual and methodological issues and more studies, this level of bias has not been replicated. In actuality, there have been advantages for women within the field, evening out regarding grants. The process of interviewing and hiring was also examined by Ceci and Williams (2010) where they found that for the job of assistant professor, there was a tendency by the reviewers to rate CVs of men more highly compared to CVs of women that were identical. Therefore, this indicates a challenge for women in the process of application for scientific positions. A similar issue was noted in Shen (2013) where gender discrimination and unconscious bias against women was found. There was also greater willingness to offer mentorship to male college students compared to female students. On the other hand, over the decades, there has been little evidence to indicate that in the hiring process, there are more hurdles for women than men with some studies showing that women are interviewed and offered jobs of tenure track at slightly higher rates (Ceci and Williams 2010). Women make different choices during the application for and acceptance for jobs creating the scientific gender gap. However, it is not easy to find other concrete bias evidence with some of the measures showing that female scientists outperform their male rivals at interviews and job offers. In tenure evaluations, women fare well just like men but the female assistant professors in various disciplines. Another challenge is based on inequalities in pay and salaries. The female scientists tend to earn less than the men with the disparity of especially high in astronomy and physics in the US with women earning 40% less than men (Shen 2013). However, such differences may be fading away for young academic scientists were at the level of full engineering and science professors, there are no significant differences among the junior members of the faculty. The constraints of women in the sciences lead to the lack of self-confidence, self-blame, role confusion, and fear of risk-taking arising from the way women are tracked and awarded differently compared to men reinforced and manifested at the organisational level (Etzkowitz, Kemlegor, and Uzzi 2000). Mixed with the pressures of society, women being the lower paid spouses tend to assume the primary responsibility of caring for the family and eventually decide to focus on family and children instead of attaining higher levels of scientific recognition and achievement. This has been done through the practices of discrimination, social networks isolating or including women and misperceptions. Thus, they need to be encouraged by reducing the gender pay gap and enabling their choice in careers. Conclusion Although women have tried to put up a brave front to gain acceptance as successful scientists just like men, they still acknowledge that there is a greater burden carried by women and they seek to make changes in their work styles and career structures. With the present time constrained by increased research competitiveness and financial stringency, it is proving more difficult to make changes due to the pressures of obtaining grants and lengthening the list of publications by an individual. Nonetheless, allies among the younger male scientists have eased the struggle for equality as they seek some of the same reforms so that there is a better balance between their professional and personal lives. Individually and collectively, women academic and scientist have taken the more aggressive approach to redress the imbalance of participation of men and females especially at the higher levels of academia. Even with the increased obstacles, some women go through the experiences and still have the ability to attain the highest levels of scientific recognition and achievement. The price of achieving this success, however, has a significant relation to the capacity of each woman to adapt to the high competitiveness of science. This plays the important role of encouraging young girls and women of the career options ingrained in science and how it can be beneficial to get past the criticism. Expectations and possibilities are transcending the traditional designations of roles based on gender and can be overcome through the right encouragement, support and persuasion. (Word count:1986) Reference list Ceci, S.J. and Williams, W.M., 2011. Understanding current causes of women's underrepresentation in science. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(8), pp.3157-3162. Etzkowitz, H., Kemlegor, C., and Uzzi, B. 2000. Athena Unbound, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Henley, M.M. 2015. Women's Success in Academic Science: Challenges to Breaking Through the Ivory Ceiling. Sociology Compass, 9, 668–680. doi: 10.1111/soc4.12291. Shen, H. 2013. Inequality identified: mind the gender gap. Nature, 495, pp.22-24 Wenneras, C. and Wold, A., 1997. Nepotism and sexism in peer-review. Nature, 387(6631), pp.341-343 ...	https://en.essays.club/Social-Issues/Social-Culture/Outline-Challenges-for-Women-to-Be-Successful-as-13045.html
Foraging decisions should reflect a balance between costs and benefits of alternative strategies. Predation risk and resource availability in the environment may be crucial in deciding how cautious individuals should behave during foraging. These costs and benefits will vary in time and context, meaning that animals should be able to adjust their foraging behaviour to new or altered environments. Studying how animals do this is essential to understand their survival in these environments. In this study, we investigated the effect of both insularity and urbanization on risk-taking and neophobia during foraging in the Dalmatian wall lizard (Podarcis melisellensis). Small islets tend to have both a lower number of predators and less resources. Therefore, islet populations were expected to show more risk-taking behaviour and less neophobia in a foraging context. Previous studies on behaviour of urban lizards have yielded inconsistent results, but due to a lack of both predators and arthropod prey in urban habitats, we expected urban lizards to also take more risks and behave less neophobic. We sampled several inhabited and uninhabited locations on Vis (Croatia) and surrounding islets. Risk-taking behaviour was tested by measuring the latency of lizards to feed in the presence of a predator model, and neophobia by measuring the latency to feed in the presence of a novel object. We found that islet lizards do indeed take more risks and were less vigilant, but not less neophobic. Urban and rural lizards did not differ in any of these behaviours, which is in sharp contrast with previous work on mammals and birds. The behavioural differences between islet and island lizards were novel, but not unexpected findings and are in line with the theory of island tameness. The effect of urbanization on the behaviour of animals seems to be more complex and might vary among taxa. Language English Source (journal) Ethology. - Berlin Publication Berlin :	https://repository.uantwerpen.be/link/irua/149840
Comma Press is a not-for-profit publishing initiative dedicated to promoting new writing, with an emphasis on the short story. It is committed to a spirit of risk-taking and challenging publishing, free of the commercial pressures on mainstream houses. They have recently been in the press after appointing actor Maxine Peake and writer Courttia Newland as its inaugural patrons. Comma Press commented that Peake and Newland were selected for the roles as they appreciate the importance of bringing new perspectives from the margins into wider public consciousness and understand the value of art and literary translation in promoting internationalism and cultural exchange. Comma Press also run several innovative digital projects such as Comma Film and two apps. MacGuffin is a new self publishing platform for fiction and poetry. They have also created an app called ‘Litnav‘ which allows users to travel the globe by reading short stories set in a range of cities.	http://writingmanchester.com/home/comma-press/
Win Business and Grow Your Firm with Cloud-Based Solutions Although the COVID-19 pandemic certainly amplified the need for companies to operate remotely, 88% of professional services organizations had already begun transitioning to the cloud well before 2020. Unfortunately, many firm leaders and professionals are struggling to finalize this transition due to uncertainty surrounding two main factors: how to create a connected, cloud-first firm, and how to recruit the best talent to support both their own firms and their clients. On June 24, Mark Holman, President of Accounting and Consulting and Chief Strategy Officer at Intapp, led a panel of experts during a webinar, “Cloud Transformation as a Driver of Firm Value and Growth: Two Key Considerations.” Holman and the panelists spoke about the evolving expectations of clients who are looking to move their businesses to the cloud, and explored how cloud-based solutions can improve collaboration between both teams and clients. Read on for some of our key highlights from the panel. Increasing Efficiency by Decreasing Administrative Work When discussing client demands, Holman revealed that most modern partners are looking for firms that can provide strong collaboration, accommodate client demands, provide real-time insights, and — perhaps most importantly — decrease administrative work for professionals. “Partners are always looking at tools and technology to help remove the administrative burden,” explained Holman. “Partners are putting pressure on their firms to deliver the tools, processes, and teams that can help them operate as a more modern firm.” Matthew Greenberg, Principal of the Digital and Analytics Practice at Beecher Reagan Advisors, concurred, adding that partners also expect firms to meet not only their in-house requirements but the requirements of their clients. “[Partners have a] laser-like focus on delivering value to their clients, and they’re increasingly thinking about the tools and capabilities that a potential firm brings to the table to allow that,” Greenberg said. “They want to know, ‘What [are the tools] that enable me to be successful, integrate quickly, and make larger client impacts?’” Promoting Collaboration Across Organizations In addition to decreasing administrative work, partners also need to boost collaboration within their firms. A lack of collaborative tools and connected firm technology can slow down processes, lock data in silos, and decrease an organization’s overall efficiency and profitability. “Typically, the frustrations around this digital world aren’t coming from the jobs themselves; they’re actually coming from the inability to work in the way [people] want to work,” said Georgina Pawley, EMEA Region Partner at Beecher Reagan Advisors. Cloud-based solutions address the problem head on by allowing users to work wherever and whenever they want and to collaborate with others in real time. “Firms are shifting their investments from physical infrastructures to [cloud] technology to help them provide real time visibility to professionals to become a more agile enterprise,” said Holman. As Pawley noted, becoming a more agile enterprise helps an organization win new business and ultimately leads to a higher client retention rate. “If you’re joining an organization that doesn’t have a collaboration capability, that’s going to impact your chance of being successful and it’s ultimately going to impact the retention of people coming into the business,” she explained. Implementing the Right Technology Due to the pandemic, the need to deliver services remotely has increased substantially. Jose Lazares, Senior Vice President of Product and Business Management at Intapp, explained: “[Firms] need to integrate more effectively and create a digital work product [via] technology [rather than the] traditional work product they provided in-person.” Finding the right digital technology that meets the needs of both a firm and its clients can be tricky. Luckily, Holman provided a list of factors firms should consider when purchasing technologies to help them enhance every facet of their delivery strategies: - Profitability - Risk management and compliance - Client experience and success - Talent and culture - Partnership and organizational structure - Strategy development and execution - Business development Intapp offers industry-specific, cloud-based solutions that meet all these requirements. “We at Intapp provide a platform that services the consulting industry with tools and technology to help better enable the management of firms,” Holman said. Firms interested in using a single, secure platform can migrate to Intapp OnePlace — our industry-specific, cloud-based software — deployed in in the Intapp Secure Cloud. The Intapp Secure Cloud also supports mobile access and provides the highest level of data security. Download the full recording of the panel to learn more about creating a connected firm using cloud-based technology built for the complexities of partner-led firms. Written by:	https://www.intapp.com/blog_posts/win-business-and-grow-your-firm-with-cloud-based-solutions/
9111 – Technical Lead - Category: - Information Technology - Industry: - Oil & Gas - Type: - Full-time - Location: - Calgary, AB - Job ID: - #171123 Our client, a Canadian energy transportation company with a focus on the transportation, distribution and generation of energy, has an immediate need for a Technical Lead to collaborate with business stakeholders and execution teams. This is a contract position for one (1) year located in Calgary. TECHNICAL LEAD – Calgary Life takes energy. The Technology + Innovation Lab works with data that powers our products to improve safety and reliability. By working hands-on with ground-breaking technology, the lab pioneers the development of innovative products through small agile teams. Our teams incorporate a variety of multidisciplinary skills, including industrial predictive algorithms, machine learning, and sentiment analysis. As the Technical Lead, you will be responsible for the design and execution of front-end and back-end development. This involves designing and implementing overall architecture of the application, WHO YOU ARE • You have 3+ years of team leadership experience • You have 8+ years of full stack experience and 3+ years of data engineering or data science experience • You have significant web and Cloud development experience (Microsoft / MS Azure stack) • You understand data architecture and Platform as a Service (PaaS) • You are familiar with data migration, transformation, and scripting • You are experienced in management of hosting environment, including database administration, and scaling an application to support load changes • You implement automated testing platforms and unit tests • You are proficient in source control tools and familiar with development aiding tools • You are an ambitious, organized self-starter who is self-motivated, but also a great teammate with a professional presence and a passion for digital, notably around user experience and continuously improving status quo • You bring a high-energy and passionate outlook to the job and can influence those around you • You build a sense of trust and rapport that creates an effective workplace • You are passionate for innovation with a “can do” attitude • You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related quantitative discipline WHAT YOU’LL DO • Lead the design and execution of disruptive products with emphasis on data science and data engineering using the most advanced cloud technologies • Gather requirements and implements overall architecture of both frond-end and back-end • Collaborate with internal stakeholders, development team and product owner to plan, develop, build and launch the product • Act as a leader for technology roles in the product team • Mentor and coach members of the team in sharpening their skills • Bring distinctive capabilities driving competitive advantage within a cross-functional environment to drive significant business impact • You’ll provide day-to-day leadership of delivery of complex IT services for the product team in leading and coordinating with the technology members of the team (e.g., developers, engineers) • You’ll bring deep functional expertise to provide guidance and feedback on work of individual developers and engineers to ensure large-scale business impact to the digital products being built • You’ll lead the design and implementation of the architecture of the application • You’ll work closely with the Digital team to implement a robust set of services and APIs to power the application and optimize the apps for maximum speed and scalability • You’ll spearhead development of reusable code and libraries for future use • You’ll collaborate with the Digital team and business users to • You’ll lead integration of front-end and back-end aspects of the application If you’re a technical professional, you know that it can be difficult to find fulfilling work that advances your career. At the Ian Martin Group, we exist to connect professionals like you with meaningful work at industry-leading companies in your field. And we walk the walk, too: as a Certified B Corporation, we believe in using business as a force for good for people, our communities, and the environment. We value diversity and inclusion and encourage all qualified people to apply. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] We encourage all qualified candidates to apply; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.	https://ianmartin.com/careers/171123-9111-technical-lead/
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has an exciting opportunity available for UX Research and Design Practitioner to join our Digital Design and Innovation (DDI) branch. DDI focuses on delivering digital projects, accessible open data, information services, website content and social media strategies, as well as managing products used across the Whole of Victorian Government. As UX Research and Design Practitioner, you will work between the SDP and Service Design teams to help identify and address opportunities to improve service delivery across Victorian Government digital presences using a ‘life events' lens and approach. The life events approach is a nationally endorsed approach to improving service delivery in government. The approach seeks to make user experiences with government easier and more seamless through thoughtful research and collaborative co-design that centres their ‘real life' experiences. This challenging and multi-faceted role requiring you to collaborate with subject matter experts from across government, content professionals, developers, UI designers and vendor partners. This is an exciting role within a team that will echo your genuine passion for users, technology and human-centred design. About you As our ideal candidate, you will have: Working with us, you can make a difference not just in your career, but in the community where you work and live. The closing date for this position is midnight Tuesday 28 September 2021. Please note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, working remotely arrangements are in place. This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia. How to apply: Apply before the advertised closing date, all applications should include: Other relevant information: Preferred candidates will be required to complete a Pre-employment Declaration and Consent form. Employment of successful candidates will be subject to a National Police Check. DPC actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disabilities. All roles at DPC can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.	https://careers.vic.gov.au/job/ux-research-and-design-practitioner-life-events-552998
It is no news that the world changed drastically in a very short time and that this opened up a new set of challenges. Although a few years ago it was possible to maintain a portion of the legal market in an antilog or precariously digitized way, today this is impossible. Faced with this situation, the leaders of the law firms and legal departments that are in charge of teams of lawyers carry a great responsibility on their shoulders: to guide everyone in the new digital economy. For that, they have to adapt their long-term vision, focus on operational excellence, understand the experience of both the client and the professional, and promote growth based on innovation. In this article, we will tell you the main challenges that these leaders will have to face. Keep reading! Technology Is The Key To Change: Technologies applied to legal practice advance in the context of digital industrialization guided by the use of legal software and the need for social distancing. Ultimately, two factors were key: - Maintain operating teams: the home office and collaborative management platforms to maintain the service without losing quality. - Control and reformulate operating costs: efficient use of the budget by increasing tasks to avoid cutting expenses and personnel. The leaders of the companies had to understand that this required a change in the cultural matrix of the way of providing legal services, involving a new component in the system: the SaaS company. Legal Digital Transformation Is A Leadership-Driven Decision: Leaders need to assimilate the idea of work and process management in terms of open and integrated platforms, in which there must be strong communication between the legal area and the IT sector. Likewise, the territorial issue is no longer decisive for choosing a service, what matters now is the value it adds. It is also the time to venture into fields where risk prevention is more diffuse and be prepared for the containment and mitigation of new problems. The expectations of budget management and efficient management of the resources at their disposal fall on them, for that reason they have to: - know how to administer and manage by project; - define the key indicators (KPI) that will serve to monitor performance; - apply and defend the budget of your area with reference to these indicators. The trend is that aspects related to the management and design of the processes are being added to their function. The Experience Of Corporate Lawyers And Digital Transformation: This also changed the lives of legal professionals who today, in addition to being service providers, are also SaaS users. Therefore, improving their experience in the efficient use of the software became the heart of the digital transformation. Within this aspect we can highlight: - the digitization of processes; - the digital signature; - the ability to collaborate with colleagues and clients; - the administration of useful and relevant information; - updating in real time. All this changed the dynamics of work, as society is digitizing itself and has created another type of client, more demanding and aware of its possibilities. Some facts that speak for themselves: - 80% of companies in the world, according to Forbes, advanced their digital transformation due to the pandemic and 50% of the CEOs surveyed believe that these changes have occurred in “months” and have taken them forward “years”. - Continuing with Forbes, in an exclusive interview, Maren Lau, vice president for Latin America at Facebook, stated that the digitization of processes in SMEs in Latin America is irreversible. - According to the specialized website IT User, global investment in digital transformation will grow more than 15% between 2020 and 2023. Evolution To The Cloud: Cloud computing made obsolete the old working method that consisted of exclusive programs and systems of each law firm or legal department, giving rise to SaaS companies. That possibility was what reformulated the spatial factor and the issue of data centralization. Now we can work, interact and collaborate in the same virtual space and different physical spaces. It also changed the offer of companies that sell legal products and billing or document management solutions, for example. Now, these companies finance technological innovation, because by offering much more practical tools to use and update, which are also integrated with other legal solutions in the cloud, they have become the path to growth. Legal Technologies And The Use Of Legal Software: Legal tech is well known, but judicial tech not so much, a recent neologism that arose due to the need for the Judiciary to adapt to teleworking and that caused: - a cost of employees in the IT sector of the Judiciary; - cost and stress for litigating professionals, for example, the traceability of documents that started on paper and had to continue on digital; - the conversion to different systems that had to be carried out by some jurisdictions. Within this framework, it is increasingly necessary to have tools that allow corporate lawyers to: - Manage contracts: with the possibility of automating the creation and approval within the platform. - Receive and send documents: from anywhere, on any device. - Manage legal projects: gather files, knowledge, data, tasks, schedules and people involved in projects in one place. - Work collaboratively: easy communication and task management. - Manage transactions: such as mergers and acquisitions, real estate and others of a legal nature. - Manage legal operations: instant access to critical documents and case details, plus invoices and task management. - Manage suppliers: work with external consultants with a standardized service. - Integrate tools intelligently – Connect tools in one place. In conclusion, the role of the leadership of legal departments and law firms in the digitization of processes is essential to generate more opportunities and qualify the legal practice of the professionals in their charge.	https://dropyournote.com/the-role-of-the-leader-in-digital-transformation/
At Tenaris , you will join a global network of professionals working together toward a common goal: shape the future of energy through advanced tubular products and services . If you want to become part of a diverse team that values results, analytical approach to problem solving and teamwork, Tenaris is the place for you. IT Business Analytics Solutions Manager - Retiro, Buenos Aires DEPARTMENT: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Purpose This position will be responsible for BI & Analytics Tool Area. Leveraging BI and analytics expertise, data modeling knowledge along with market tools to both create and collaborate on the roadmap for Tenaris BI and analytics initiatives. Primary responsibility will be to work with internal teams and business areas to provide BI & analytics solutions and capabilities as part of our digital transformation towards a new data analytics architecture based on Tenaris Data Platform - Cloud technology. Main Responsibilities - Evaluate and define BI & Analytics new tools and capabilities. Drive with vision and passion the Solution Owner function to support all activities related with the use of BI tools in Tenaris in different scenarios: Self-Service, Citizen Data Scientists, UPF-Enterprise BI and Dashboards. - Act as BI Tool Product Owner to design the solution to support the next generation of Management Control (New UPF) and Decision Support Applications based on data analytics and business intelligence - Cloud Technology. - Act as BI & analytics Tool Solution Owner with key business referents analyzing new requirements or needs. Support and collaborate with other IT teams in planning and design appropriate solutions and services, deploying new and innovative means of getting the most out of resources, processes, and technology to satisfactorily address internal customer needs. - Manage the evolution and adoption of new analytics and visualization capabilities to empower business teams and analysts to easily and quickly retrieve insights on a daily basis. Responsible to define and maintenance guidelines related to Power BI uses and visualization components. - Define governance and monitors health and adoption of BI Analytics Tools to support Self-service BI and the Citizen Data Scientists scenarios. - Act as a partner with technology and architecture teams to deliver a stable and highly available BI and Analytics tools platform. - Supporting Knowledge management and training for IT Specialist and Analysts about Business Analytics tools. - Complies with Tenaris policies, procedures and management standards, and ensures adherence with all laws and regulations that apply to the area of responsibility. Special Skills, knowledge and Experience required - Advanced experience with MS Enterprise BI Solution (Analysis Services / Power BI) - Expertise on one of the following but willing to be involved on other areas: Data Strategy and Governance, Data Modeling and Data Analytics. - Experience working with Cloud Platform, specifically with Azure and Power BI Services - Customer oriented: has the ability to provide and excellent service to internal customers. - Agile methodologies. Actively contributes to teamwork. Open mind and good communication skills are a must. - Two (2) to three (3) years of supervisory or management experience - Attention to detail, meticulous and organized working habits. - Ability to multi-task and to adapt easily to change. - Curious in new technologies - Comprehensive solution-thinking - Ability to communicate with all levels of the organization well - Excellent verbal and writing communication skills - Basic Project Management - Ability to plan development to meet defined objectives and performance targets - Ability to delegate and empower employees to meet performance targets If your experience and knowledge match our requirements, please apply Tenaris is an equal opportunity employer, valuing diversity in employment.	https://ar.hacendo.com/empleo/46374521/business-analytics-solutions-manager-retiro-buenos-aires-buenos-aires/
GFT is driving the digital transformation of the world’s leading companies in the financial, insurance, and manufacturing sectors. As an IT services and software engineering provider, GFT offers strong consulting and development skills across all aspects of pioneering technologies, such as blockchain and distributed ledger technology, cloud engineering, artificial intelligence, mainframe modernisation and the Internet of Things for Industry 4.0. We’ve been a pioneer of near-shore delivery since 2001 and now offer an international team spanning 16 countries with a global workforce of over 9,000 people around the world. GFT is recognised by industry analysts, such as Everest Group, as a leader amongst the global mid-sized Service Integrators and ranked in the Top 20 leading global Service Integrators in many of the exponential technologies such as Open Banking, Blockchain, Digital Banking, and Apps Services. Responsibilities - Build and maintain our cloud platforms and support applications, demonstrating agile and dynamic application support capabilities. - Contribute in our continuous improvement and continuous delivery while increasing maturity of Devops practices. - Contribute in developing and implementing automated Devops capability for our application. - Get involved in the discussions and provide inputs in designing a fully automated, robust and secure infrastructure. - Collaborate closely with other internal technical teams/business users in investigating, testing and deployments - Responsible for handling Release Management, raising Change Request and scheduling for the implementation of fixes and enhancements. - Work effectively in collaboration with different teams either local or remote. - Work towards 100% availability of our applications by putting in right monitoring in place. - Support our production environment with strong performance tuning, end-to-end troubleshooting, networking fundamentals skills. - Willingness to work efficiently during the events thereby making sure that the event is a success. Skills - Minimum 5-7 years’ experience as a DevOps engineer supporting different cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, IaC Tools like Terraform, CI/CD - Ensure that software packages and programs are well documented and has reasonable test coverage - Root cause analysis, management communication and client relationship management in partnership with Infrastructure Service Support team members. - Ensures all production changes are made in accordance with life-cycle methodology and risk guidelines - Application Support, Deployment of Release, patches & fixes on Platform - Analyse application performance, perform tuning and ensure high availability & stability of platform. - Knowledge of Batch Processing systems and tools - Knowledge of Unix/Linux system and containerization and container orchestration tools and platforms (viz., Docker, Cloud Foundry, OpenShift, Kubernetes) etc. - Strong scripting skills ability automate manual tasks which could be easily converted to a script - shell, python. - Familiarity with Observability tools like Grafana, Kibana, AppDynamics etc. - Experienced in AWS/GCP Public cloud services - Hands on experience any of the CI/CD tools viz., Jenkins, Circle-CI, GitHub Actions and ability to understand and define different deployment strategies. - Hands-on experience with GIT. Managing deployment and branching with in GIT - Good understanding of YAML and JSON.	https://jobs.gft.com/job/Singapore-SRE-Singapore-based-01-17/856629601/
EPAM is a leading global provider of digital platform engineering and development services. We are committed to having a positive impact on our customers, our employees, and our communities. We embrace a dynamic and inclusive culture. Here you will collaborate with multi-national teams, contribute to a myriad of innovative projects that deliver the most creative and cutting-edge solutions, and have an opportunity to continuously learn and grow. No matter where you are located, you will join a dedicated, creative, and diverse community that will help you discover your fullest potential. DESCRIPTION We are looking for a Technology Lead for a Full Stack Backend (micro-services/API/Data store) Development. We are supporting Employment Contract or B2B, depending on your preferences. Project technologies and tools - Back End - Java, SpringBoot, Micro-services, APIs - Front End - Angular/TypeScript - Cloud - AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, Kinesis, Firehose, DynamoDB, EKS, Cloudwatch and other frequently used AWS services) - Database - DynamoDB, PostgresSQL (Optional, DB2 (Legacy) - Other language - Python - Monitoring - Splunk - Testing - Cucumber, API Testing Tools - Mobile Testing - Perfecto - Take ownership and accountability for technology solution and output delivered by the team - Provide technology thought leadership and assist team in making the right decision - Remove technology-related obstacles through the project lifecycle - Work with other architects, CTO organization and ensure technology governance and best practices are followed - Understand functional, non-functional requirements & quality attributes and build solution for them - Contribute and improve architecture and design - Build, review and ensure quality if data model, API Contract, Architecture, Framework, Code etc - Assist in effort estimation, planning, prioritization and dependencies identification - Manage all technology artifacts - Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or similar; Master's degree in Computer Science - Experience designing, developing front end application and Micro-services, REST APIs - Hands on technology leadership preferably full stack development or experience with most of the technologies listed above - Ability to analyze legacy application and define target state design/architecture - Experience in agile methodology - Soft skills: - Excellent communication and presentation - Client facing - Structure, organization skills - Ability to remove the fuzziness, deal with ambiguity - Attention to detail - Team leadership - Ability to work with other teams at Database, CTO organization, API Economy team etc - Strong technologist with hands ion experience with AWS Cloud Native Micro-services architecture - Expertise in API economy with business acumen - Team & working conditions: - Friendly team and enjoyable working environment - Engineering community of industry's professionals - Flexible schedule and opportunity to work remotely - Relocation within our offices - Corporate and social events - Benefits package (health insurance, multisport, shopping vouchers) - Stable income: - Employment Contract or B2B - Regular assessments and salary reviews - Participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Referral bonuses - Career development:	https://www.themuse.com/jobs/epamsystems/lead-full-stack-developer
As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads globally, the business giants have begun drafting a dreary image of disrupted manufacturing, broken supply chain, abandoned stores, and sagging demand of their products. The ongoing spread of the pandemic has become the most prominent threat to the world’s economies and financial markets. In 2002, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic was known to affect 8098 lives with the recorded death toll of 774. Covid 19 is affecting 182 countries, including one international conveyance (cruise ship ‘Diamond Princess’ harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March, a total of 81,171 cases of Coronavirus patients are recorded, with 3,277 number of total deaths in different provinces of China. Big companies like Google and Twitter have instructed their employees to work from home as a preventive measure. Startups, as well as SMBs, are providing their employees the flexibility to work from home and stay healthy and safe amidst the pandemic situation. How is Coronavirus affecting different industries globally? Covid-19 is not just a threat to lives, but it’s a severe menace to even the world’s largest economies. The black swan event is shaking up the businesses as well as consumer behavior on a large scale. The immediate and clear impact is a massive disruption to the supply chain as it turns to a complete shut down of factories and manufacturing plants. The rapid spread of Coronavirus has put a halt on important tech meetings and conferences, which has caused missed partnership opportunities. Companies are shutting down their operations, and the majority of businesses have opted for work from home to avoid the accidental spread of the scary virus among the employees. In the event of a crisis, tech tools have emerged as a silver lining, and companies across the globe are promoting work from home opportunities. Though it seems quite challenging to manage work tasks, family, and kids while working from home, one needs to be manageable and stay productive at the same. But the question here is that ‘how to work from home and keep the kids safe’ during a global health crisis. Begin with Process Mapping Process Mapping is outlining the tasks, instructions, and guidelines to accomplish the ongoing remote project. It also includes jotting down the tasks and instructions assigned to other team members involved in the project. Tools that help Companies Salvage Productivity Remote work is done best when all the team members work cohesively using Cloud-based tools and apps. Tools such as GSuite, Slack, Asana, Basecamp, Zoom, Teamviewer, Desktime, etc. makes it quite easier to manage work while collaborating with the team members in real-time. The Importance of Video Conferencing Tools In the digital era, the world is connected with advanced technological tools. Employees can interact with each other, and the high-tech video conferencing tools have paved the way for businesses and big corporations to connect seamlessly in a better way. Tools such as Skype for Business, Meeting Owl, Zoom, UberConference, FreeConference, etc. provides a powerful way to enable conferences, presentations, and other videos/audio contents from remote locations. Collaboration Tools for Business Collaboration and communication among employees are crucial for better output. It is perhaps the secret ingredient for running tasks successfully while you work from home. Tools that are must-have for structured teamwork include Trello, Slack, Facebook’s Workplace, Microsoft Teams, Quire, etc. Trello Trello helps project teams to work in collaboration and stay organized at each stage. It enables employees to work in sync across multiple devices. Slack Slack is a successful collaboration and all-purpose chatting tool that is tested and trusted by major business giants. Facebook’s Workplace The app allows employees to collaborate right from any location and share task updates, feedback, files, and more. Microsoft Teams Microsoft Teams is a collaboration app that allows users to invite everyone to chat, call, meet, and work together. Quire Quire enables employees to organize their tasks in the best manner and collaborate while on the go. Work from Home Tips to Stay Happy & Productive People who work from home need to figure out their work and home tasks accordingly to maintain a work-life balance. Schedule weekdays with recurring tasks and set up a daily routine for enhancing productivity. Few tips will help you stay productive while meeting the tight deadlines are: - Regular working hours - Schedule tasks and breaks - Ask teammates about the status of assigned tasks - Organize your workspace - Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) - Set your login and logout hours (if not set officially) - Learning Tools for your Kids While you handle your office operations remotely, it is crucial to engage your kids with learning activities. Learning apps will also prevent your kids from excessive use of smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Kids apps that promote learning in a fun way include Reading Eggs, PBS Kids, BrainPOP, Byju’s, National Geographic Kids, etc. Final Thoughts While you work from home, the important thing is to end your day with a routine. Maintaining a good discipline and a right schedule is crucial to accomplish all the tasks on time- every day. It is essential to take care of the kids and their learning activities so that they can stay updated and return to school with a zeal once the dark clouds of Covid-19 shreds.	https://www.fusionfirst.com/effective-work-from-home-tips-to-keep-your-family-safe/
At BAE Systems, we promote a strong, collaborative culture and provide our employees with the tools and skills they need to succeed. We are about trust, camaraderie, and a shared ambition to solve some of the world's most complex challenges. You will get to work alongside a team of talented professionals who are passionate about their work and the mission. We offer competitive pay and benefits, a flexible work environment to support work/life balance as well as a learning environment and training opportunities to further develop you professionally. Come be a part of a company that is driven to improve our customers, our future, and to protect our freedom. We are developing the technology of tomorrow, delivered today. Drawing strength from our differences, we're innovating for the future. And you can, too. Our Mission Intelligence organization provides IT solutions, analytics support, and digital integration to major customers within the US Intelligence Community. We are always looking to provide our customers with a better solution by way of technology insertion, out of the box thinking, and state of the art solutions. We are looking for an experienced Linux Administrator to join our team to support the design, development and deployment of products, tools and capabilities. The Linux Administrator performs System Administration tasks on a customer's system that supports mission needs and coordination requirements. This individual will work in a team environment and coordinate with appropriate elements to effectively meet design, development, deployment, and monitoring/securing objectives. - Design, build and deploy applications in a hardened enterprise Linux environment. - Review and compare multiple platform options for applications and collaborating with specific teams to choose an appropriate platform. - Design and implement a tool set that simplify provisioning and support of a large enterprise Linux environment. - Plan, configure and implement features on the Linux platform that enhance availability, response time, and monitoring of key system metrics. - PKI management using OpenSSL Required Education, Experience, & Skills - Strong foundation of knowledge around AWS cloud services and the cloud ecosystem. (Cisco UCS, Splunk, Solarwinds, elastic search, dhcp, ldap) - Subject matter expert with Linux (RHEL)/CentOS - Experience setting up and modifying system monitoring with Nagios - Scripting language experience - Required support experience and/or current working knowledge in the following areas: - RHEL - Scripting/Automation - Troubleshooting issues in a growing environment - Experience with server patch management methodologies - Domain and expert technical knowledge. Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills - Preferred scripting in Bash, Perl, and Python - Typically requires BS Degree and 12-15 years of prior relevant experience or Master and 10-13 years of prior relevant experience. About BAE Systems Intelligence & Security BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it's what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts - defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team-making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you'll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference. Intelligence & Security (I&S), based in McLean, Virginia, designs and delivers advanced defense, intelligence, and security solutions that support the important missions of our customers. Our pride and dedication shows in everything we do-from intelligence analysis, cyber operations and IT expertise to systems development, systems integration, and operations and maintenance services. Knowing that our work enables the U.S. military and government to recognize, manage and defeat threats inspires us to push ourselves and our technologies to new levels. At BAE Systems, we celebrate the array of skills, experiences, and perspectives our employees bring to the table. For us, differences are a source of strength. We're laser-focused on high performance, and we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where all employees can innovate and thrive. Here, you will not only build your career, but you will also enjoy work-life balance, uncover new experiences, and collaborate with passionate colleagues.	https://www.themuse.com/jobs/baesystems/linux-administrator-master
Agile Collaboration on Remote Teams The first value in the Agile Manifesto is “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools,” and for many teams, being located in the same place facilitates these interactions. However, being part of an effective, collaborative team is less about location than it is about motivation and good practices. Employing these practices is becoming more important as remote work grows more popular and widespread. Working from home benefits employers as well as employees—it is more cost-effective for an organization not only in terms of saving on office space and allowing for staffing flexibility, but also in terms of increased productivity and employee retention. But even those who don’t work from home full time may have cause to work remotely sometimes. Teams will sometimes encounter the need to collaborate remotely with a vendor, a contractor, or an employee traveling or at home for weather or family reasons. Disaster recovery scenarios also often require the ability to support remote collaboration. Given the realities of incidental distributed work, it is valuable for everyone to have the ability to work well remotely. Consequently, it’s important to remember that individuals and interactions still matter on remote teams. Because many agile practices create environments that facilitate improvement by making problems visible, remote work can highlight—and stress—cracks in our collaboration infrastructure and processes. Working well remotely requires thought and planning. The book Work Together Anywhere: A Handbook on Working Remotely—Successfully—for Individuals, Teams, and Managers has excellent advice about how to form a successful remote team. One of the key principles is to have a “remote first” approach to meetings and other collaborations. Another key principle is to have an explicit agreement about how to communicate. Knowing what medium is appropriate for which information and what level of responsiveness to expect will go a long way toward preventing misunderstandings. Protocols like these are important for both remote and collocated participants. Along with the best tools and practices, the book also emphasizes the importance of developing connections, even though you can’t be face to face. In some cases, video can replace in-person meetings when travel is difficult. It’s also possible to achieve the relationship-building value of incidental conversations that happen in an office. For example, team members can join video meetings early to allow for time for chatting and casual conversations. Having time to connect and making explicit agreements about interactions are two things you can do to help a team collaborate better. Working remotely will cause issues with communication dynamics to surface more quickly than when you are collocated, but realize that the problems can exist with collocated teams, too—while collocation can make interaction easier, it doesn’t guarantee successful, valuable interactions. With the right attention to these details, you can have effective interactions between the individuals on your team regardless of where they are located.	https://www.techwell.com/techwell-insights/2018/12/agile-collaboration-remote-teams
By John Hansen Over the last 10 to 15 years, the Philippine labor force has undergone dramatic transformation as the country went from being agriculture and manufacturing driven to that focused on the knowledge-based economy, particularly on the BPO industry. The current workforce consists mostly of young and tech-savvy professionals who have swapped their farming and factory tools with computers and headsets. However, there are still the traditional workers who continue to provide the labor requirements that the country needs to keep other aspects of the economy moving ahead. This has resulted in a diverse workforce with employee attitudes and preferences that are vastly different, that will continue to change significantly over the course of time. An organization that is not equipped to manage these changes will very likely find dysfunctional team dynamics developing, causing misunderstandings, lower morale and productivity, and consequently result in higher dissatisfaction and staff turnover. To address this challenge, companies will need to implement effective human capital management solutions that can provide value to every person in the organization regardless of their generation. As every generation has different career needs and characteristics, a one-size-fits-all approach will no longer apply ? instead, implementing specific strategies for each generation will be more effective in addressing the needs of the workforce. It is critical to start a dialogue within the organization about generational differences and ensure that management is constantly educated about dealing with a diverse workforce. When managers understand how each group interacts and operates, they can then develop strategies that are specific to each generation and effectively leverage the respective characteristics to attain the best results for business. A diverse workforce has also resulted in trends like bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and social computing in the workplace, many of which are mainly driven by IT-savvy young professionals. As a growing cohort of digital natives joins the workforce, we can expect these trends to grow further. Research by IDC shows that by 2012, 40 percent of workers in Asia Pacific are expected to be mobile, hence companies will have no alternative but to embrace this shift in employee behavior while adopting tools that can ensure business critical data remains secure. Increased mobility and the use of social media allow employees to work remotely, and can help teams collaborate more efficiently, in turn raising productivity and enhancing operational efficiency. A point of contention with some organizations due to privacy and privilege concerns, these trends can nonetheless benefit organizations from an innovation and knowledge transfer standpoint. However, equally important is the regulation of these interactions. Management groups need to educate employees on the appropriate use of mobile devices and social media at work as well as ensure that there are policies in place that clearly inform the workforce of what is acceptable professional behavior. The diversity of today?s workforce may present several HR challenges, but with the right strategies, policies and tools in place, organizations can see greater innovation and improved productivity resulting from the variety of skill sets and characteristics of the different generational groups, ultimately leading to better talent retention and overall business success.	https://newsbytes.ph/2012/12/19/effective-human-capital-management-in-a-new-economy-workforce-2/
I often speak about collaboration or community management, but finally I realize that I have never discussed the various stages of development of a team working in a collaborative way. Maybe your teams are already working this way, but generally they have to cross various stages of maturity before succed to be a real community. Everything is a cycle, a process, which often begins again with the end of a project or changes within the team (hopefully you do not start all over again). If you are interested by that topic, just go and check the community maturity model of the community roundtable, a real work of art, more focus about community maturity inside the all organization. It goes generally through 4 stages: they can be more or less long, you can spare one of course, it remains a model with all that a model has of restrictive. Stage 1: embryonic community - The community is more potential than real - Individualism and compartmentalization - Sense of belonging, cooperation, shared responsibility are weak or non-existent - The members of the group can work « indeed » individually but there is no team effet, in an operational point of view as much as a human one - The nature of the organization is characterized by a one to one relationship with the manager / facilitator Stage 2: potential community - Human cohesion developed on an interpersonal mode - The sense of belonging is real and affects the satisfaction of individuals, even if it does not still impact the « efficiency » - This stage already presents the advantage of removing the main difficulties encountered in highly compartmentalized teams operating from individualistic practices and strong segmentation tasks - This second stage constitutes the basis of the following by creating an environment that opens doors to cooperation Many companies are at this stage or for a part at the next one Stage 3: constituted community - Establishment and acceptance of a community of objectives - This is the first level of a real team in which each one perceives that operate collaboratively or as an entity does not exclude the individual dimension - All members of the community fit their purpose whit those of the community and accept personal and operational interdependence - Each one drives its operations in an ongoing relationship with the other, in a permanent effort of cohesion, coherence and sharing - Employees present a strong identification with the stake to the objective, cohesion has become essential, the manager integrates the totality of the talents Stage 4: Collective Intelligence and collaborative practices - At the stage of collective intelligence operates a quite rare phenomenon which leads to a unity of understanding and reaction between the different members of the community. At this stage, the collaborative mode is inegrated for each - Their habit of working together, the resulting success, the preliminary work, the confrontation of opinions, tactical scenarios developed together and the use of all the talents… in the end produce a quick, consistent and coherent reaction whatever the risks that arise This collective intelligence allows unit reaction in all situations is precisely rooted in the diversity of the persons, diversity known by all and used by all. Of course to reach this stage of collective functionning, each employee must also have an individual development and understanding of his role inside the team which follows the same way.	http://poncier.org/blog/?p=5651
There is a long tradition of debating the relative merits of small village schools versus larger central, consolidated schools. In weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both, the arguments commonly fall within two camps. On the one hand, larger schools are presumed to be more efficient and offer superior facilities and broader curricular choice. On the other hand, smaller schools are often felt to afford individual teaching interactions and encourage greater integration within community life. When considering the value of a local school as a vital focal point of village life, the debate extends beyond strictly pedagogical concerns and into the realms of demography, migration, social cohesion, and child-parent experiences. The closure of a village’s only and remaining school is clearly felt as an existential threat by affected communities around the world. This is reflected in the use of foreboding language: the school closure is the “last nail in the coffin,” or the village’s “death knell”. (Would the last family to leave please turn off the lights on their way out?) The proliferation of school closures has permeated so deeply into our media and collective consciousness that the Oxford Thesaurus of English offers “the closure of rural schools” as the main example under the entry for “closure”. The underlying argument seems commonsensical: in the absence of a local school, families with young children are more likely to move away, and others won’t move in to replace them. Given how commonly, and strongly, this argument is expressed, it may come as a surprise that there is hardly any empirical research exploring the actual effects of school closure on local populations.. The few Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian studies that have attempted to examine the question have found remarkably little evidence of a clear-cut negative demographic effect of school closures. One problem is that schools are closed because the village (school) population is expected to decline in the future. Observing just such a decline after the closure therefore proves nothing. However, in a case study of the German state of Saxony, I have recently managed to work around this problem. Firstly, I based the analysis on local migration flows (rather than simply changes in population size) that the planning decisions leading to school closures did not, in fact, even attempt to take into account. Secondly, I noted that in the case there was anyhow no association between school closure and local migration. Closures in anticipation of depopulation would have inflated this association, so its absence clearly points in the direction of no such effect. In hindsight, it is straightforward to explain why one would indeed not expect school closures to have a strong depopulation effect. Some arguments, such as the short travel times between villages or the housing market, are specific to the case-study context. More generally, however, it becomes clear that however much the expectation of a strong link between school closures and migration losses might agree with common sense, it actually contradicts much of what we already know about social geography: from a life-course perspective, families with young children are simply not the main drivers of flows between the periphery (as opposed to suburbia) and urban centres in either direction. For affected communities, such findings are a double-edged sword. While it may offer some relief that the closure of a local school may not have a significant impact on the demographic decline of a community, this finding weakens what has, to date, been a key mobilising argument. Moreover, the absence of a strong effect on migration does not address, and therefore cannot call into question, potential negative impacts on children’s time, parent’s anxiety, community cohesion, or educational quality. However, the silver lining is that whatever the effects of school closures might be, they are evidently not pre-determined, but context-specific, and underlie many other influences. If people do not change their overall relocation behaviour single-mindedly because of the closure of the local school, they may not necessarily change other behaviours that “make or break” the village community either.	http://www.openpop.org/?p=1289&share=email
What is this concept of well-being we are all seeking? Simply put, it’s the perception that life is good. It encompasses social, emotional, physical, vocational and societal aspects of experience and functioning. This means that there are external determinants as well as internal factors that are essential to well-being. Mindfulness can play a significant role in cultivating the internal factors that support wellbeing, and it can help us see that our own happiness is inseparable from that of others, as well as the health of our planet, our only home. A consistent practice of mindfulness can help motivate us to act in ways that contribute to human flourishing within a thriving world. Research tells us that before we can experience a sense of well-being, at the very least our basic needs must be met – things like clean air and water, enough food, shelter and clothing, safety and security, love and belonging, and a sense of self-worth. But many people in the world are unable to meet these basic needs. This is true in the US despite the fact that we are seen as one of the wealthiest countries in the world. According to the December 2020 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey by the Urban Institute, 20.5 percent of US adults reported household food insecurity, 14.9 percent reported problems paying family medical bills and 15.9 percent reported unmet needs for medical care because of cost, 10.8 percent reported difficulty paying utility bills with 2.6 percent experiencing shutoffs, and 9.3 percent reported problems paying the rent or mortgage. (Gonzalez et al. 2021). More than 45 percent of Black and Hispanic adults reported that their families experienced hardships meeting one or more basic needs. Much of the world’s conflicts throughout history, as well as the damage to our natural environment, stem from the drive for humans to feel secure in meeting basic needs. A scarcity mindset leads some to hoard while others go without. But hoarding basic needs, power and opportunities is short-sighted. It reinforces a cycle of fear that eventually causes suffering for everyone. Newer research suggests that the gap between haves and have nots is more predictive of social unrest than the overall standard of living of a nation. So, sustainable well-being isn’t just an individual pursuit – it must include consideration of the other beings that we share the Earth with and the health of the planet we live on. …fear is not an enemy. It is an enflamed, bruised apple of an emotion, trying to ensure welfare and keep you alive. Only tenderness seems to do anything worthwhile to fear. Only patience and curiosity can give it what it needs to morph or leave or stay. – Hala Alyan, Spiritual Ecology: Emergence Magazine Although inequities have been on the rise globally, according to researchers at inequality.org, “Among industrial nations, the United States is by far the most top-heavy, with much greater shares of national wealth and income going to the richest 1 percent than any other country.” Wealth is the collection of assets held by a person or household at a single point in time while income is money flowing through a household over time. Although people in the US generally have high incomes relative to other countries, we are at the bottom for wealth with a much higher level of income inequality, including a larger gender wage gap (OECD). The US is also surprisingly low in social capital, which is the the social consensus in a society that contributes to stability, conservation of resources, and well-being. The Social Capital Index combines factors such as: health care systems and their universal availability/affordability; income and asset equality; demographic structure; and freedom of expression, freedom from fear and the absence of violent conflicts. Due to comparable high crime rates, low availability of health services, and rising inequality, the US was ranked 109 of 180 in 2020. Finally, Americans receive less time off for self-care and experience less social connection relative to people from many other countries (OECD). Although housing is relatively affordable here overall, we experience significant overcrowding and exposure to outdoor air pollution. We have a higher rate of homicide, a wider gender gap in feelings of safety, and our life expectancy is lower. Considering we are a nation with the highest Gross Domestic Product (value of goods and services produced) in the world, the well-being of our citizens leaves much to be desired. It’s exciting that there is increasing interest in researching the factors that support well-being. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines well-being as “a relative state where one maximizes his or her physical, mental, and social functioning in the context of supportive environments to live a full, satisfying, and productive life.” This includes feeling healthy and interested enough to engage with life, experiencing a sense of meaning and purpose, optimism, self-acceptance, contentment, emotional balance, supportive relationships, and opportunities for personal growth. They’ve created an initiative based on this research for improving the health of all Americans. The United Nations (UN) Foundation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world’s shared plan to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet by 2030. These interconnected goals offer a foundation for building a resilient, inclusive world that ensures no one is left behind and a framework to build sustainable, equitable societies where all people can thrive. The World Happiness Report is a UN publication providing rankings of national happiness based on respondent ratings correlated with a number quality of life factors. Rankings incorporate healthy life expectancy, social support, GDP per capita, the happiness of a country’s children, social capital, the civil economy, the absence of corruption, and subjective well-being. There are important lessons to be learned from the 2021 World Happiness Report in a pandemic year. Trust and generosity measures remained extremely important supports for well-being. The following factors together explained two-thirds of the international differences in COVID-19 death rates and supporting successful COVID-19 strategies: - confidence in public institutions - income equality and social trust - learning and implementing lessons from earlier pandemics. - head of the government was a woman Bhutan’s principles of Gross National Happiness helped limit the impact of COVID-19 to only one death at the time of this writing, despite having strong international travel links. They were able to vaccinate 93% of eligible adults in less than two weeks after vaccine roll out. This country elevates collective needs over individual desires, works toward economic, environmental and cultural balance, and passes no law unless it improves citizens’ well-being. World Health Organization Representative Rui Paulo de Jesus reflected, “What I learned from Bhutan is that the health sector alone cannot do much to protect people’s health.” Instead Tenzing Lamsang, Bhutanese investigative journalist, said resilience must come from “things that we don’t count normally, like your social capital and the willingness of society to come together for the common good.” The OECD Better Life Index compiles data from official sources such as United Nations Statistics, National Statistics Offices and the Gallup Organization to examine 11 indicators essential to well-being in terms of material living conditions (housing, income, jobs) and quality of life (community, education, environment, governance, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance). Research is indicating that the happiest countries are those that build stronger social ties, have better-managed resources (such as clean air, water, and a habitable earth), and support a strong sense of community. Individually, the Berkeley Wellbeing Institute offers a quiz that allows you to measure your well-being. Dr. Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness Website offers scientifically studied questionnaires measuring life satisfaction, love, personal strengths and happiness. If you’re curious about your own well-being, you might experiment with a few of these measures. For those who find themselves scoring low, there are strategies for improvement. Mindfulness is a foundational skill for increasing well-being, but we all have to work together if we’re to achieve lasting change. Our mindfulness practice can help us cultivate beneficial qualities, such as: - improved attentional control, so we can see our situation more clearly and focus our energies on what is truly important - improved emotional control, so that we can step out of the cycle of suffering and make wise decisions - remembering to give thanks for the good things in life - being kind and generous, helping others - letting go of anger and blame - acknowledging the positive, seeing through the human negativity bias, and fostering wise hope - investing in relationships - practicing self-compassion and resisting the pressure to compare yourself to others - discovering what is meaningful, motivates and inspires you, such as exploring your spirituality, setting reasonable goals and pursuing your potential This inner work can also resource us for the outer work of increasing well-being for all. When we’re happy, we have more energy, magnanimity, and resilience for serving others. We’re more willing to bear witness to the suffering around us and to stand up skillfully to injustice. We begin to understand that well-being is multifaceted and we are better equipped to meet complexity with patience, flexibility, and creativity. Finally, we come to recognize, in an embodied way, that none of us can be truly free until all of us are so.	https://mindfulness-alliance.org/2021/05/16/mindfulness-and-determinants-of-wellbeing/
The search found 545 results in 0.023 seconds. Each year, 311 — New York City's main hub for government information and non-emergency services — receives millions of requests and complaints, including New Yorkers' gripes about their neighbors. Actresses need to be pickier than men about with whom they work if they want to survive in the movie industry, suggests a new study. "My research indicates that women in the film industry suffer a lack of access to future career opportunities when they tend to work with people who have collaborated frequently in the past," said Mark Lutter, lead author of the study and head of the "Transnational Diffusion of Innovation" Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) in Germany. People whose sexual identities changed toward same-sex attraction in early adulthood reported more symptoms of depression in a nationwide survey than those whose sexual orientations did not change or changed in the opposite direction, according to a new study by a University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) sociologist. The traditional pressure in academia for faculty to "publish or perish" advances knowledge in established areas. But it also might discourage scientists from asking the innovative questions that are most likely to lead to the biggest breakthroughs, according to a new study spearheaded by a UCLA professor. Since the 1980s, leading U.S. firms have announced massive downsizing plans in the name of maximizing shareholder value, but some observers are skeptical about how serious firms are in implementing these plans. Building on political theories of corporate governance, I examine how conflicts of interest and alignment among investors, workers, and top managers affect the implementation of announced downsizing plans. Conventional research in organizational theory highlights the role of board interlocks in facilitating business collective action. In this article, I propose that business collective action affects the evolutionary path of interlock networks. In particular, large market players’ response after a collective action to the classic problem of the "exploitation" of the great by the small provides a mechanism for interlocks to evolve. Community reactions against organizations can be driven by negative information spread through a diffusion process that is distinct from the diffusion of organizational practices. Bank panics offer a classic example of selective diffusion of negative information. Bank panics involve widespread bank runs, although a low proportion of banks experience a run. We develop theory on how organizational similarity, community similarity, and network proximity create selective diffusion paths for resistance against organizations. How do people feel when they benefit from an unfair reward distribution? Equity theory predicts negative emotion in response to over-reward, but sociological research using referential standards of justice drawn from status-value theory repeatedly finds positive emotional responses to over-reward. In conversational storytelling, the recipients are expected to show affiliation with the emotional stance displayed by the storytellers. We investigated emotional arousal-related autonomic nervous system responses in tellers and recipients of conversational stories. The data consist of 20 recordings of 45- to 60-minute dyadic conversations between female university and polytechnic students. Conversations were videotaped and analyzed by means of conversation analysis (CA), with a special emphasis on the verbal and nonverbal displays of affiliation in storytelling. Social capital theorists claim that belonging to a densely knit social network creates a shared identity, mutually beneficial exchange, trust, and a sense of belonging in that group. Taken together with the empirical research on the importance of social support and social integration for individuals’ well-being, there is reason to expect that the density of one’s personal social network should be positively related to well-being.	https://www.asanet.org/search?f%5B0%5D=node%253Afield_related_topics_term%3A119&f%5B1%5D=node%253Afield_related_topics_term%3A124&f%5B2%5D=node%253Afield_related_topics_term%3A139&f%5B3%5D=node%253Afield_related_topics_term%3A93
ECMap Project Research Reports These research reports were produced as part of the Early Child Development (ECMap) project. Setting the Scope for Early Child Development Instrument (EDI) A Psychometric Re‐examination of the Tool with Alberta Data (April 2014): This paper looks at the 2011 EDI data for the province of Alberta and analyzes all 103 items on the EDI questionnaire using factor analysis and classical test theory to investigate the relevance of items to vulnerability as defined by the EDI developers. The authors recommend the implementation of a shorter, 59-item questionnaire and present evidence to show that it's more reliable. (Published by Springer, Social Indicators Research, July 27, 2014.) The 14 decimal places (default) in EDI's Norm II cut-off values They do it, but do they increase accuracy? (April 2014): This technical brief gives the reasons why the cut-points for the five areas of development of the Early Development Instrument (EDI) should take into account a procedure called rounding before calculation, especially when the purpose is to classify children's scores into, such categories as developing appropriately, experiencing difficulty, and experiencing great difficulty. The process has the potential to reduce bias in estimates of children falling into the two extremes, and consequently increase accuracy, if not precision. Harvesting the Wisdom of Coalitions Literature Review The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize the literature and research on all sorts of coalitions in the hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of what successful coalitions look like and what contributes to their sustainability. The final reports can be read on the ECMap website: A Study of the Sustainability of Coalitions in Alberta and Understanding Collaboration and Innovation in the Coalition Context Applications of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) on Alberta's Early Childhood Development Instrument (EDI) Data This report is based on a project funded by CUP to understand the issues and challenges in adapting the EDI tool in a multi-cultural/ethnic population, such as Alberta. The results were indicative of the risks involved in assessing young minority children's communication and general knowledge skills using the EDI. The Early Development Instrument (EDI): An item analysis using Classical Test Theory (CTT) on Alberta's data This report provides analysis of the EDI survey questions, administered by kindergarten teachers across Alberta, through a collaborative effort led by Alberta Education and the Offord Centre. The Early Child Development Mapping Project (ECMap) (formulated in 2009) was responsible for mining the data and developing an inter-community snapshot of developmental patterns of preschoolers. The data for this study cover four waves (2009, 2010, 2011, & 2012), are up to date, and represent 66,990 kindergarten children. Living Conditions Index (LCI): A Context-based Measure to Understand Children's Developmental Outcomes The scope of this study ranges from the identification of key drivers of living conditions from a wide spectrum of context-based and/or ecological indicators to the development of a concrete composite measure of living conditions within the framework of a multivariate analysis. The LCI is a standardized aggregate score that summarizes five components and 18 indicators in a single number. Three different approaches, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Range Equalization (RE), and Division by Mean (DM) are used to assess the impact of different methods of weighting and standardization procedures on the composite. Between the RE and DM methods, the RE method is preferred because it accounts for wider variations and strong correlations to the PCA composite. Alberta's Children in Their Early Years of Development: An Analysis of the Early Development Instrument (EDI), 2010 This report provides the results from the analysis of Wave 2 (2009/10) Early Development Instrument (EDI) data of teachers' assessment of kindergarten children in Alberta. It gives a snapshot of 16,176 preschoolers in terms of their development in five areas-physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and thinking skills, and communication and general knowledge-in a systematic manner at an aggregate level. Early Development Instrument (EDI) A Drilled-down Report Edmonton West, 2009 and 2010 This is a drilled-down report documenting the developmental aspects of young children for the Edmonton West community based on the EDI data. The information is intended for internal purposes (the ECMap team and the Community Development Coordinators (CDCs)) and those in the research community. The community is subdivided into eight sub-communities, as shown on the map in the report. The main objectives of this report are to: 1) document the socio-demographic characteristics of kindergarten children in the sample; 2) document the developmental aspects of children by providing a benchmark; and, 3) provide evidence for planning at the community and sub-community level, wherever possible. Weighting the Alberta EDI Community Data The EDI is a population-based survey. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes end up having children of a certain characteristic, such as those who speak English/French as a first language more than those who speak languages other than English or French, differing from the way it is distributed in the population. The sex distribution of the study population can also be an important factor. We have found that females are likely to have higher EDI scores than males. Children in a sub-community, say A, may consist of 30 percent girls, when girls make up of 50 percent for the community to which A belongs. This introduces bias into any estimate we may obtain from our (sub) community analysis because statistical procedures will give greater weight to those we over-survey. We can correct for such biases mathematically with the weighting process. Teachers' Assessment of Preschoolers' Social and Emotional Competence: Does Sex of Children Matter in Developmental Outcomes? Behavioral and socio-emotional problems during early childhood have a lasting and profound impact on children's overall well-being and educational achievement and success. This study used the Wave 1 (2009) Early Development Instrument (EDI) data of 7938 kindergarten children in a Canadian province to examine gender-specific determinants of social competence and emotional maturity. The teachers' assessment of children's behavior on developmental areas, such as physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, anxiety and fearfulness, communication skills, independence and attentiveness, and special skills were examined for both sexes, within a multivariate framework. The study revealed that boys scored consistently lower in all developmental areas than girls, after adjusting for age. When other variables were controlled, higher rates of independent and attentiveness predicted higher rates of social and emotional competence among boys and girls. Nonparental care before entry into kindergarten was predictive of lower levels of social and emotional development. A Comparison of Principal Components Analysis and Factor Analysis for Uncovering the Early Development Instrument (EDI) Domains Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Factor Analysis (FA) are often employed in identifying structures that underlie complex psychometric tools. Although the two strategies differ in terms of their applications, it is important to compare structures that may emerge when they are performed on such tools as the Early Development Instrument (EDI). The purpose of such an analysis is to simplify reported findings by using a reduced set of correlated EDI measurements. The analysis revealed that PCA summarized the structure better than FA (ML), eliminating some redundancy in the number of items while retaining a comparatively better overall variance. The results indicate that items that load on more than one component or factor substantially decrease the ability of PCA and FA to detect an underlying construct, and dropping such items could reduce the amount of complexity in EDI when formulating and testing an explanatory model of child development, especially at a community level. Introducing a School Preparedness Index for a Canadian Sample of Preschoolers without Special Needs This paper is an attempt to offer a combined index comprising the five dimensions-physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and anxiety and fearfulness- using a weighting system. The very idea of incorporating the domains of Early Development Instrument (EDI) into a composite index was intended to elucidate significant differences of developmental performances in preschoolers across communities. Guidelines to Follow When Working with Small Numbers This report answers the following questions that arise when working with small sample size while analyzing EDI data. - Why are Small Numbers a Concern in EDI Analysis? - How to Address the Statistical Issues? - How to Reduce the Risk of Confidentiality Breach? - What is a Good Participation Rate or Response Rate? - What is a Reasonable Threshold for Participation or Coverage Levels? Early Development Instrument (EDI) Technical Report - Alberta 2009 This report provides the results from the analysis of Wave 1 (2008/9) Early Development Instrument (EDI) data of teachers' assessment of kindergarten children in Alberta. Wave 1 data provide a snapshot of 7,938 preschoolers in terms of their development in five areas- physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communication and general knowledge-in a systematic manner at an aggregate level. The purpose of this paper is to explore the dimensions of social cohesion, both in Canada and in other parts of the world, in the context of the most pertinent and influential literature available. Because social cohesion and social capital are so closely related and because this annotated bibliography would be incomplete without some of the major works on social capital, the paper begins with definitions of both and some information about how they are related. A brief outline of the history and background of these concepts in both theory and practice will be provided. Following that are challenges inherent in measuring social cohesion and social capital, and the progress that has been made. Early Child Development: A Conceptual Model This paper reviews different theoretical approaches - psychoanalytical, behavioral and social learning, biological, cognitive, and systems theories - to identify the key individual and environmental influences on child development. Based on this review and building from Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, a model is proposed that takes individual and environmental factors into consideration. Constructing an Area-based Socioeconomic Index: A Principal Components Analysis Approach This paper reviews methods to create a socioeconomic index that apply standardization procedures and factor scores, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages among methods. In the absence of individual data, ecological or contextual measures of socioeconomic status are frequently used to draw the relationship between socioeconomic inequalities and health outcomes. The paper focuses on the development of a socioeconomic index that can be used to differentiate disadvantaged areas from more privileged ones in a multivariate context.	https://www.ualberta.ca/community-university-partnership/research/early-childhood-development/ecmap-research-documents.html
A Message from the Department of Teaching and Learning Our overarching goal of the Academic and Student Well-Being Recovery Plan is to collaboratively plan for student and system supports for the 2021-22 school year focused on academic and student well-being. This plan for Bellingham Public Schools was initially developed as we returned to a full school year following the school shut down in March 2020 and the 2020-21 school year of remote, in-person and interrupted learning due to COVID-19. This update serves as an extension of our Academic and Student Well-Being Learning Recovery Plan created in June 2021, which was established to be an iterative process of continuous improvement for all of our students, especially those most vulnerable and impacted by the interrupted learning experiences of the past 19 months. Data sources In addition to the data sources identified in the June recovery plan, we are taking part in the examination of data in the following ways: - New early literacy data with i-Ready assessment results - Executive Limitations reports to the school board - Ends reporting to the school board - Equity analysis tool processes - Engagement with students, families and community members via advisory groups, committees and meetings - Revival of student, family and staff feedback surveys and analysis of results Identified focus areas This summary of identified focus areas includes planned uses of federal (ESSER) funds and new initiatives discovered and planned for throughout August and fall 2021. It is targeted toward meeting student academic and social, emotional well-being needs based on the data identified in our previous plan. Three main areas of focus emerged in our summer planning, each with specific and targeted initiatives of focus and detail. - Maintain the operation and continuity of services - Retain our staff at pre-pandemic levels - Allow for smaller than typical class sizes throughout the system in targeted areas We saw a drop in enrollment last year impacting our budget and causing the need for additional funding to maintain small class sizes or reduce class size. We expect and hope that more students will return to school in the coming year; however, we were looking at significant budget cuts due to the loss of state funding, which would have compromised our ability to have appropriate staffing levels. - Make investments in student success and achievement. Key initiatives include example, - Enhance our family outreach and engagement, - Increase instructional coaching for our schools, specifically in all elementary schools, - Add behavioral supports through deans and administrative support, - Target leadership in literacy and early learning in support of the implementation of foundational skills curriculum and early learning literacy screening, - Add staffing, including additional coaches, direct services, family engagement, and newcomer support to our Multilingual Learner specialists, and - Add district athletics and activities support for all schools to enhance opportunities and access for student engagement, connection, and belonging. The above examples are all geared towards the most effective re-entry possible, paying attention to students’ needs, particularly underserved populations, in both academic areas as well their well-being. 3) Health, safety and prevention measures, including: - Provide families with instructional options to remain remote (but connected), - Add additional staff to support mental health needs, including an additional mental health specialist to expand the mental health team outreach and supports, and - Add more staffing to support health and nursing throughout the district. These examples are geared toward student well-being, health and safety, and also include supports and outreach for families, community and staff. These are all in service of creating school environments that promote belonging, enhance connection and allow for productive student engagement and intentional and purposeful teaching and learning. Emerging focus areas Throughout the fall, emerging priorities continue to surface as we further examine data, learn more about our students’ academic, social and emotional well-being, and work collaboratively to support student learning, staff well-being, and family and community circumstances intentionally and relentlessly. The following areas of focus have come to the surface and are added to the initiatives and efforts listed above. - Expand early literacy screener and foundational skills curriculum to grades 3-5 (originally planned for K-2 only): we see our second and third graders lacking foundational skills and therefore struggling with reading and writing at grade level. We will teach these skills to boost their abilities. - Expand Promise Kindergarten, our transitional K program, to serve more students: preschool opportunities in our community are decreasing while local families’ needs are increasing. This expansion will help meet the growing needs in Bellingham. - Add wellness support for staff: we will continue to focus on students and families, and we will intentionally focus our efforts on staff, as well. If our teachers are well, then our students will thrive. - Focus on inclusionary practices districtwide: examine our practices, develop our tiered supports (especially focused on collective efforts around Tier 1), and build our system to most effectively and efficiently utilize human resources in support of student academic and behavioral needs. This effort also includes schoolwide support of collaboration and systemwide work on standards, culturally responsive instructional practices in planning for student outcomes. - Continue efforts in equity and diversity: this includes professional learning for leaders and schools, further development of equity analysis tool and development of policies and procedures for our bias response team and hate reporting and response. - Hire an additional homeless liaison/family support liaison: restructure family engagement and homeless teams to function as one team to more efficiently provide supports districtwide. - Refocus our efforts around social emotional learning: focus on relationships, connections and explicit teaching of social skills and understanding of emotions. This effort is made in the service of increased sense of school belonging for all students resulting in academic improvements and increased student, staff and family well-being. - Maintain and enhance community partnerships in support of student learning and connection: together we achieve more than alone. Maximize our collective efforts with existing and new partners, including YMCA, Opportunity Council, Vamos, Common Threads, Bellingham Public Schools Foundation, Healthy Whatcom, PTAs/PTOs, Unity Care, SeaMar, Compass Health, Dept of Health and Catholic Community Services. If you have questions or input, contact [email protected] or [email protected] with the Department of Teaching and Learning.	https://bellinghamschools.org/news/december-2021-update-bps-academic-and-student-well-being-recovery-plan/

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