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What was discovered in ancient Egypt? Table of Contents What was discovered in ancient Egypt? Famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass announced the discovery of the “lost golden city” near Luxor on Thursday. He said the find was the largest ancient city, known as Aten, ever uncovered in Egypt. It was unearthed within weeks of the excavation starting in September 2020. What were 2 major discoveries from ancient Egypt? Beginning in the 19th century, bombshell discoveries such as the Rosetta Stone and the lavish tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings, as well as the excavation of the Pyramids at Giza, opened the doors to a new understanding of ancient Egypt’s mysteries, fueling an explosion of interest—and tourism. What inventions did Egypt invent? Paper and ink, cosmetics, the toothbrush and toothpaste, even the ancestor of the modern breath mint, were all invented by the Egyptians. What treasures were found in pyramids? The Only Intact Egyptian Pharaohs Tombs Ever Discovered - Gold, Flesh of Egyptian Gods. - Vast Quantities of Gold Hidden Inside Egyptian Tombs. - The Treasures of Tanis: Psusennes I, Amenemope and Shoshenq II. - Return of the Thieves. - The Gold of Tanis, a Find That Brought More Questions Than Answers. Who invented mints? Customised Mints Were Invented in Ancient Egypt That’s where the mints come in! Even if they couldn’t do much about the level of tooth decay, Egyptians could do something about the unpleasant breath that resulted from it. Has anyone been inside the pyramids? The pharaoh’s final resting place was usually within a subterranean burial chamber underneath the pyramid. Although the Great Pyramid has subterranean chambers, they were never completed, and Khufu’s sarcophagus rests in the King’s Chamber, where Napoleon is said to have sojourned, deep inside the Great Pyramid. What did ancient Egypt invent that we use today? What did Egypt invent that we use today? The ancient Egyptians invented toothbrushes, toothpaste, ink, cosmetics, paper and even the very first form of a breath mint. What did ancient Egypt use for medicine? What are some mind-blowing facts about ancient Egypt? 7) Ancient Egyptians believed in more than 2,000 deities! They had gods for everything, from dangers to chores! Each had different responsibilities and needed to be worshipped so that life could be kept in balance. 8) Cats were considered to be a sacred animal by the Ancient Egyptians. What was the purpose of building pyramids in ancient Egypt? 1) Most Ancient Egyptian pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs (rulers of Ancient Egypt) and their families. To date, over 130 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt. 2) The afterlife was incredibly important to the Egyptians. What was paper called in ancient Egypt? Although the invention of writing pre-dated the Egyptians, paper and ink, which we now consider inseparable from the written word, were ancient Egyptian inventions. It was not paper as we know it today, but a precursor called papyrus, named after the grassy reeds that grew along the Nile, from which the material was made.	https://heimduo.org/what-was-discovered-in-ancient-egypt/
hundred feet high. Over the years it lost about ten meters off the top. Another important issue is the time it would take to build one of the pyramids. . Erich Von Daniken"s: If the industrious workers had achieved the extraordinary daily piece rate of ten blocks piled on top of each other, they would have assembled the 2,600,000 stone blocks into the magnificent stone pyramid in about 250,000 days-664 years. The three pyramids at Giza stand on the west bank of the Nile River, outside of Cairo. How the egypt pyramids were built essay The sphinx is a carved out of the living rock. Once the boats crossed, the blocks were taken to the site which already had a few under-ground chambers dug out. If you ever see something that looks like a pyramid, except its smaller than one, and has a flat top, dont mistake it for a pyramid, its a mastabas. tags: Egyptian Pyramids Forms Research Papers 1255 words (3.6 pages) - Pyramids The pyramids of Egypt are the last remaining Wonder of the World. Egypt was striving for a new era to come along with. In the mastabas the kings relatives and servants are buried. Or where the center of the earth is? . The smallest (yet not small at all) was for Pharaoh Menkaure. The oldest pyramid, the Step-Pyramids, grow out of the abilities of two men, King Djoser and Imhotep. These rulers were aware that robbers had taken the treasures from most earlier pyramids. Inscriptions were found on the outside of the pyramids that give an idea of what people worked on them, but the inscriptions were in no absolute detail. This first pyramid was a step pyramid meaning that the sides were not filled to make an even surface. Research Papers 1629 words (4.7 pages) - contents: - introduction - background OF ancient egypt pyramids - THE step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser - THE great pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu - conclusion - bibliography footnotes This essay focuses on two different types of pyramids; the. Research Papers 596 words (1.7 pages) - There is one fundamental, underlying, driving force behind the creation of the ziggurats in Akkadian culture and the pyramids in the Egyptian culture. The next to largest was for Pharaoh Khafre. Pyramids Essay 274 words - 2 pages Pyramids are the tombs for Egyptian pharaohs who have died; pharaohs were Egyptian rulers who had the most power in all of Egypt. The pyramids were built by free citizens, drafted for public work, not by slaves of any sort. We can assume that the Egyptians were trying to symbolize the slanting rays of the sun. The Great Pyramid is about 450 feet tall and covers about 13 acres. In order to build a pyramid huge solid blocks of limestone weighing on average five thousand pounds (2.5 tons) each were cut from quarries using only copper chisels. Words to conclude essay, Health awareness week essay, How to cite an encyclopedia in an essay,	http://pharm-consul-tox.eu/84826-how-the-egypt-pyramids-were-built-essay.html
Ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced civilization for around 3,000 years. It created a culture that it has its own field of study. Monarchs of ancient Egypt widely known as pharaohs. This land of pharaohs is prominent for its bandaged mummies, huge pyramids, and its golden treasures. But there are certain bizarre or mysterious facts about ancient Egypt that you didn’t know. Page Contents - 1 Great Pyramids Were Not Constructed By Slaves - 2 All Pharaohs Didn’t Build Pyramids - 3 They Share Food With The Dead - 4 Not Everyone Is Mummified There - 5 They Did Not Ride Camels - 6 Women Had Equal Rights With Men - 7 Scribes Rarely Wrote in Hieroglyphs - 8 The King Of Egypt Could Be A Women - 9 Egyptian Men Married Their Sisters - 10 Cleopatra May Not Have Been Beautiful Great Pyramids Were Not Constructed By Slaves The famous Greek historian Herodotus believed that the great and amazing pyramids were built by more than 100,000 slaves. There are many modern movies which show the join efforts of women, men and children as well. But the real fact behind the construction of great pyramids is that they were built by the permanent workforce of 5000 people and almost 20,000 temporary workers. They were provided with basic necessities of houses near the location and were also provided with proper food, medical and drinking facilities. All Pharaohs Didn’t Build Pyramids There are many tombs located in Egypt built by almost all the Pharaohs of the middle and old kingdom. These pyramids were marked as great historical monuments, which also depicts the royal and cultural background of the country. But as the years passed the concept or the trend of building pyramids was vanishing from this place. The reason behind this is they thought that the fashion of constructing pyramids is losing its fame. As of today, it is one of the most attracted tourist spot and well known by people around the world. Tombs in Egypt are designed as the eternal home for mummified bodies and it was believed that their spirit is still alive in the mummified bodies. Ancient people also celebrated the reunion day with loved ones in their tomb and they even spent their nights on their tombs for different festivals. All the well-wishers and relatives take the food to the tomb to share it with them. It was their belief that the dead people can eat and even drink which is provided to them on a regular basis. Not Everyone Is Mummified There As per the culture of Egypt, most of the mummies are dried and bandaged. This process of mummifying the bodies is very time consuming and expensive. This culture is mostly followed by wealthy families residing there. According to their belief, all people again live after their death so that their body must be recognizable for the people and that is the reason they have adopted this practice which is quite usual there. It is further covered with some artificial material to provide mummies with maximum protection. They Did Not Ride Camels Camels were not used regularly by Egyptian until the very end of the dynastic age. Later on, for Egyptians, the most convenient means of transport was donkeys as they are considered as beasts of burden and boats. The great river Nile flowed through the center of the Egyptian land which helped many people to substitute boat over camels. This river was linked to quarries and building sites by canals. Many things were imported and exported through boats, wooden barges were used for transportation. They believed that every day above the river, the sun god Ra used to sail across the sky in the solar boat made by the people. Women Had Equal Rights With Men Men and women in Egypt share equivalent social status. They were treated equally in the eyes of the law. This basically meant that women in Egypt can own, earn, sell, buy and inherit property. Egyptian women can be left unprotected by a male guardian and, if divorced or widowed could raise their own children. They were also allowed to deputize on behalf of their husband in case of absenteeism in the matter of business. The wife, was responsible for all internal and domestic matters such as raising children and looking after the household work whereas husbands were responsible for external matters and played a wage-earning role. Scribes Rarely Wrote in Hieroglyphs Hieroglyphs writing is a script consisting which consist of intricate images, it is really beautiful to look at. But it is very time consuming to write in the script. It was mainly reserved for a text to decorate tomb and temples walls. Egyptian scribes routinely used a shorthanded form of hieroglyphic writing. But by the end of the dynastic period, they switched to demotic, which is an even more simplified form of hieratic. The King Of Egypt Could Be A Women Ideally, the king of an empire is the son of the previous king. But unlike this trend in Egypt, this was not always possible, so the coronation ceremony had the power to convert the daughter of the king into an unassailable king. On at least three occasion women took the throne. Out of women rulers, Hatshepsut was considered as a powerful ruler who ruled the Egypt for more than 20 years. In the English language, the phrase ‘queen’ literally means “king’s wife’, which was considered inappropriate for these women. Egyptian Men Married Their Sisters Interbred or incestuous marriages were not very common among the royal families until the end of the dynastic age. Some of the Egypt’s kings married their half-sisters or sisters. These interbred marriages ensured that the queen was well trained to perform her duties good right from their birth. They provide the appropriate husband for them as they might otherwise remain unwed. But however, brother-sister marriages were never compulsory. Cleopatra May Not Have Been Beautiful The last queen of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra VII won the hearts of famous Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. They were the most important men of the Rome. So surely she would have been a beauty. But the coins on which her picture is, represent shows the skills of their makers and it is entirely possible that queen did not want to appear too feminine. Unfortunately, we have no eyewitness description of the queen. However, historians who met the queen says that charm lay in her demeanor and her beautiful voice.	https://mysteriousfacts.com/10-unbelievable-facts-about-egypt/
List of pharaohs - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pharaohs Modern lists of pharaohs are based on historical records, including Ancient Egyptian king lists and later histories, ... Modern lists of pharaohs are based on historical records, including Ancient Egyptian king lists and later histories, ... Pharaoh is the common title of the monarchs of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty (c. .... Depictions of Pharaohs wearing the Atef crown originate from the Old ... Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. The rulers and kings of this world civilization. 2 Sep 2009 ... The Pharaoh in ancient Egypt was the political and religious leader of the people and held the titles 'Lord of the Two Lands&rsquo... Learn about Ancient Egyptian society and the pharaohs. Explore the world of famous pharaohs such as King Menes, King Akhenaten, King Tutankhamen,... The people of Egypt considered the pharaoh to be a half-man, half-god. ... He was the first king of the First Dynasty, the beginning of the Old Kingdom. Egypt was ... 3 Nov 2019 ... Pharaoh, originally, the royal palace in ancient Egypt. The word came to be used metonymically for the Egyptian king under the New Kingdom ... The pharaohs began ruling Egypt in 3000 B.C., when Upper and Lower Egypt were united. During the Old Kingdom (2575-2134 B.C.), they considered ... A chronological list of the rulers and pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and Nubia ... We also rely on the History of Egypt written by Manetho in the third century B.C. A ... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmsz9VhnNzGWT6Fy1UhBkEA Ancient Egypt Greatest Pharaohs 1 1350 to 30 BC History ... This is a brief explanation of a few of the pharaohs during ancient Egypt's Old , Middle, and New Kingdoms. Disclaimer: As much ... The Greatest Pharaohs of Egypt - Documentary. Planet Egypt - Episode 1: Birth of the Empire ( History Documentary) For many decades, archaeological excavations and scientific ... See the History of Egypt from the ancient period to the modern Republic, passing throughout the several dynasties that ruled ... Behold, the Greatest Civilization on Earth. Father of Idealism. 3300 years of complete Pharaonic Egyptian History from 3330 BC to ... In which John covers the long, long history of ancient Egypt, including the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, and even a couple of ... In this video of history documentaries, we present you the Ancient Egypt i.e., the history , culture and traditions of Ancient Egyptian ... The Ancient Egyptian civilization, famous for its pyramids, pharaohs , mummies, and tombs, flourished for thousands of years. History Channel Documentary - Tutankhamun Incredible Story of Egyptian Pharaoh . Check out our new website for more incredible history documentaries: HD and ad-free. http://bit.ly/2O6zUsK Historian, Joann ... A PBS special that previewed the touring exhibition that chronicled more than 3000 years of ancient Egyptian History . Learn about ... "The mysteries of Ancient Egypt has fascinated mankind for thousands of years, but AllTime10s has the answers. From who built ... Click here to watch great FREE Movies & TV: http://filmrise.com Episode 1: The ancient Egyptians are the most enduring ... This video is uploaded by the Egyptian Tourism Authority. Subscribe to our YouTube channel & follow our Social Media Accounts ... We often think that we are completely different from ancient people, but archaeology shows that we are quite wrong. Here is a ... Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating places in the historical record. Their obsession with life after death, their grand ... The pyramids! The Pharaohs ! The mystery of the Sphynx's missing nose! We've got everything you need to know about ancient ... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HomeTeamHistory . Signup for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/u1yP30l6iJh The Great Courses Plus is currently available ... Welcome to Top10Archive! If there's anything that the film “The Mummy” taught us about Ancient Egypt , it's that you don't want to ... https://www.youtube.com/user/PioneerProductionsUK ...Built during a time when Egypt was one of the richest and most powerful ... The discovery of King Scorpion challenged history books that claimed Egyptian civilization arose from foreign invaders. For centuries the Pharaohs managed to shield Egypt from the outside world. But in the second millennia BC, foreign tribes began ... An ambitious Upper Egyptian king named Narmer managed to conquer Lower Egypt and declared himself the first ruler of both ... Egyptian Mythology: The Essential - Ra, Horus,Osiris, Seth, Anubis, Bastet #EgyptianMythology #Mythology #SeeUinHistory ... Check out our Patreon page: patreon.com/teded View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-pharaoh-that-wouldn-t-be ... The time line of Ancient Egypt from the beginnngs of the Old Kingdom to the times of Cleopatra.	http://www.lambdafind.com/tags/history-of-egypt-pharaoh
Stay updated! There are many different sculptures that have been discovered over the years, and each gives us a greater insight into the world of the pharaohs and the gods of ancient Egypt. They are fascinating, extravagant, and beautifully stunning, painting a clearer picture of the history of Egypt.Ancient Egypt & Egyptology The Mystery of How the Egyptian pyramids were built 16.08.2021 There are many theories as to how the pyramids of Giza were constructed. Were they built by ordinary Egyptian civilians, slaves, or was it aliens? The mystery continues today but one thing is clear, they’re a magnificent spectacle that must be seen to be believed!Ancient Egypt & Egyptology The knowledge of the pharaohs – How did they know? 27.07.2021 Have you ever wondered how the pyramids were built and how the Ancient Egyptians were able to treat illness, were expert mathematicians and astronomers? Their great knowledge still remains an fascinating mystery for many of us today. Who taught them these things, where did they get the amazing, mid-blowing knowledge that we can still see with our own eyes today in the Egyptian monuments and tombs?Ancient Egypt & Egyptology Can you make a Pharaoh disappear? 19.01.2021 Forged documents and distorted facts have long manipulated, how we view the course of history. Scientists continue to unmask new examples of historical fiction.	https://www.inside-egypt.com/blog/about-ancient-egypt.html
Pyramids and mummies What are pyramids and mummies? When people in Egypt died, they were mummified – this was a long process of preserving the body, and designing a coffin with painted pictures and writing. When the pharaohs (kings and queens) of Egypt died, they were mummified and buried in large stone pyramids. We can still see these pyramids today. The process of mummifying and burying a body was done to help the person travel successfully through the underworld, which would get them to the afterlife and the god Osiris, who was king of the underworld. Top 10 facts - When people died, they were mummified – this process took a long time, but it prepared them for the afterlife. - The Egyptians believed that there were many gods who oversaw different parts of life on earth and life after death. It was important that someone was able to reach the afterlife and the god Osiris, so mummification was taken very seriously. - During the mummification process, the internal organs were put into containers called canopic jars. - The pharaohs – the kings and queens of Egypt – were thought to be gods themselves. Some were buried in elaborate tombs called pyramids, though some were buried in underground tombs in the Valley of the Kings. - The pyramids at Giza are the biggest that we can see today, but we have found around 80 pyramids from Ancient Egypt. - Pyramids took a long time to build, so work would start on them while the pharaoh was still alive. - The Egyptians used their knowledge of maths to build pyramids that were shaped well and positioned properly. - Inside pyramids, there were different chambers that held things the king would need in the afterlife. - Pyramids also included shafts that pointed upwards, so the pharaoh’s ‘ba’ (soul) could escape. - We learned about how mummies were made, and what Egyptians believed about the afterlife because of discoveries by archaeologists. Timeline - c2600 BCPyramids started to be built - c2550 BCThe Great pyramid of Giza was built - 2555-2450 BCThe pyramids in Giza were built, as well as the sphinx - 1539-1069 BCMummies of pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings - 1473-1458 BCQueen Hatshepsut ruled - 1332-1323 BCKing Tutankhamen ruled - 1279-1213 BCKing Rameses II ruled - 51-30 BCCleopatra VII ruled; she was the last pharaoh - 1799 ADThe Rosetta stone was found - 1922 ADKing Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered Did you know? - Kings and queens in Egypt were called pharaohs. Egyptians believed that pharaohs were gods, and that Horus – the god of the sky (who had a falcon’s head) – gave them power. - When pharaohs died, they would be buried in decorated tombs. These tombs would sometimes be inside a pyramid, which has four sides shaped like triangles. - The largest pyramid in Egypt is the Great Pyramid of Giza, which today is 138.8 metres tall. It might have taken more than 20 years to build! It was a tomb for King Khufu. - Sometimes pharaohs weren’t buried in pyramids. This happened with King Tutankhamen (also called King Tut, for short), who died when he was very young. There wasn’t time to build him a pyramid, so they made a tomb for him in the Valley of the Kings. - Tombs would be covered by a decorated stone called a stela – it had information about the person buried inside. - Some Egyptian gods had animal heads, which would have something to do with the certain kind of power that the god had. For instance, the god Khnum had the head of a ram, because he was a mighty fighter. Horus had a falcon’s head, and was the god of the sky. - The Egyptians invented mummification, which is a process of preserving a body. There was a lot involved in mummifying, and it was all very important because people believed it helped them get to the afterlife. It was also expensive, so only people who could afford it were mummified. - Making a mummy could take 70 days – that’s over two months! - Not just humans were mummified – archeologists have found mummies of animals such as cats, dogs and even bulls and crocodiles too. This was done to please the gods. - The Great Sphinx is a huge stone sculpture near the pyramids in Giza. It has the head of a person with the body of a lion. Archaeologists aren’t sure when it was made, or even why it was made, so the Great Sphinx is a great mystery to us today. Look at the images in the gallery and see if you can spot the following: - A papyrus painting from the Book of the Dead - A diagram of the inside of the Great Pyramid - A map showing the Valley of the Kings and temples to different gods - The inside of a step pyramid - The Bent Pyramid - Red Pyramid - King Tut’s sarcophagus (coffin) - Canopic jars - How the mummified body was placed inside the sarcophagus - A mummy mask Gallery About Pyramids had different looks as the style developed over the centuries. They started as step pyramids, which looked like a staircase with different levels. When Snefru was pharaoh, builders tried to get a smoother shape and made a pyramid that started out at one angle then sloped to another angle at the top, looking a bit bent – this is called the Bent Pyramid. Snefru had another pyramid built that did have smooth, perfectly angled sides – this is called the Red Pyramid. The Great Pyramids were built like that one. The Egyptians believed in many different gods that oversaw different parts of life. The also believed that when people died, they would enter the afterlife. This involved travelling through the underworld to get to Osiris, who was the king of the underworld. Because of this, they thought the body should be in as good condition as possible – they believed that the soul still needed the body in the afterlife. They realised that bodies buried without any covering in the dry, salty sand were better preserved than those buried in closed coffins. From there, they began to drying out bodies before it was buried by using a type of salt called natron. To prepare for the drying stage, the brain would be removed by inserting a hook in the nose, and organs would be taken out of the body and placed in jars. These were called canopic jars, and each one had a different top and a special purpose: - The jar for the intestines had a falcon head, and was called Qebehsenuf. - The jar for the stomach had the head of a desert dog, and was called Duamutef. - The jar for the liver had the head of an ape, and was called Hapy. - The jar for the lungs had a human head, and was called Imsety. It took 40 days to dry out the body using natron. Then, it would be wrapped in lots and lots of linen strips, using resin to hold the strips in place. Sometimes a mummy mask would be placed on the head, over the linen wrappings, and then the mummy would be put inside a wooden coffin, and maybe even a stone one as well (an Egyptian coffin is also called a sarcophagus). The coffin was painted in bright colours, with hieroglyphics on it that were meant to help the person in the afterlife. The underworld could be a dangerous place, with many obstacles that would stop you from reaching Osiris. Because of this, people were buried with specially written spells to help them combat some of these things. Mummies also had amulets – good luck charms – to protect them on their journey. Mummies were buried with scrolls called the Book of the Dead, which explained how to go through the underworld and what spells and chants to use. The Book of the Dead was sometimes written on tomb walls too, and some scrolls had pictures. Scribes would write copies of the Book of the Dead on papyrus. The Egyptians believed that you’d need food, money, tools and even slaves in the afterlife, so many treasures and sculptures were left in tombs. Tomb robbing was common, so sometimes pyramids would be built with false entrances to keep the real entrance hidden. Famous pharaohs: Queen Hatshepsut – She was one of the first female pharaohs, and very successful. She expanded Egypt’s trade network, and had many different buildings constructed. King Khufu – He had the Great Pyramid at Giza built. King Tutankhamen – He wasn’t pharaoh for very long, and died when he was only 18. He is one of the most well-known pharaohs since his tomb was discovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings. King Rameses II – He was a very successful pharaoh; Rameses helped Egypt prosper, and ruled for a long time. Queen Cleopatra VII – She was the last pharaoh, and known for being very beautiful and very smart. She killed herself when she knew the Romans were going to conquer Egypt in 30 BC. Related Videos Just for fun... - Can you get all the steps right to make a mummy? - Build pyramids in Ancient Egypt - Print this out and design your own sarcophagus - Choose the right spells to protect yourself on this journey through the underworld - Make your way through the pyramid, collecting important objects that the king will need in the afterlife - Prepare a pharoah for his tomb with some digital mummy-making - Explore an Egyptian tomb like an archaeologist would - Escape from the mummy's tomb in this online game - Read a National Geographic Kids comic set in the land of the Phaoroahs - Play Find the Pharaoh's Fragment game and solve an Egyptian mystery - Play Plan Your Afterlife, an interactive game (you'll need to select a mummification stylist!) - Prepare a mummy for burial (on your computer) See for yourself - See actual mummies at the British Museum - Watch a video in which Field Museum scientists reveal what is inside a mummy - Enter the Tomb of Perneb and take an interactive guided tour - Explore the Giza Pyramids near Cairo on your computer - Look at some Ancient Egyptian temples rebuilt in 3D - Look inside three Ancient Egyptian mummies - See some of Ancient Egypt’s most remarkably preserved mummies Find out more: - Download this PowerPoint presentation from the British Museum to see how mummies were made - Ancient Egypt - Read a step-by-step guide to making a mummy - National Geographic: Explore the pyramids - Howard Carter finds King Tut’s tomb - What is the Great Sphinx?	https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/pyramids-and-mummies
Nile River – the river along which Ancient Egypt developed. Provided Egypt with protection, water and silt which fertilized the soil. Silt – left behind on the soil after the Nile River flooded made the soil highly fertile for farming. Gift of the Nile – the rich soil left behind after flooding and the prosperous farming that this led to. Irrigation – the process of bringing water to crop fields. Hieroglyphics the Egyptian form of writing. Monarchy – government headed by a king or a queen. Menes – united Upper and Lower Egypt. Papyrus – a plant that was made into paper on which Egyptians wrote. Pharaohs – the rulers of Egypt. Dynasty – a series of rulers from a single family. Old Kingdom – also known as the Age of Pyramids time period where Egypt was ruled by pharaohs who were thought to be gods and when the majority of Egyptian pyramids were built. Middle Kingdom – time period where pharaohs focused on projects that were good for the public transportation was improved, canals were dug for irrigation, etc. At the end of the Middle Kingdom, the Hyksos invaded and took control of Egypt. New Kingdom – time period where Egypt established an empire by invading other lands and taking them over. Hyksos – group who invaded Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. Late Kingdom – period where Egypt suffered many invasions and lost most of its empire. Hatshepsut – first female pharaoh. Akhenaton – tried to convert Egyptians to monotheism from polytheism. Ramses II – known for his building of temples and beautification of Egypt. Pyramids – burial tombs for pharaohs. Lunar Calendar – calendar based on the cycles of the moon. Fertile Crescent – area within the Middle East that today is Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – rivers along which the Fertile Crescent civilizations developed: provided water and irrigation but were also destructive when they flooded. Hammurabi – created the first set of written laws. Babylonians – people who Hammurabi ruled. Hammurabi’s Code – the first known written laws. Hittites – the first people to learn to work with iron. Assyrians – known to be the greatest warriors in the Fertile Crescent. Conquered the Babylonians. Chaldeans – rebuilt Babylon and focused on creating a city of beauty. Nebuchadnezzar – ruler of the Chaldeans who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Persians – created the largest empire in the ancient world. Phoenicians – great sea traders and known for creating the first alphabet. Zoroastiranism – the first religion to focus on the idea of heaven and hell/good vs. evil. Barter – a form of trade in which people exchange goods not money. Hebrews – created the empire of Israel after Moses led them out of Egypt. Eventually they became known as Jews and created the religion of Judaism. This was important because it made them the only monotheistic religious group in ancient times. Mosaic Law – set of laws based on the teaching of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Judaism – monotheistic religion that focused on following the Ten Commandments. Civilization – a complicated form of culture that has to include the growth of cities, specialized workers, writing, advanced technology and complex institutions like religion and government. Specialize – to focus on a single job or task. Artisan – skilled workers who specialized in their field of work like priests, teachers, scribes, etc. Surplus – more than is needed. Cuneiform – the Sumerian form of writing. Bronze – mixture of copper and tin that is strong so weapons and tools became sturdier when they were made of bronze. Institution – long last patterns of organization within a community. City state – a city and all of the land that surrounds it. Ziggurat – three-tiered temple found in Sumeria. Polytheist – to believe in many gods. Empire – to conquer other people and places and rule them. Colony – a place governed/ruled by foreign people. Monotheist – to people in one god. Covenant – a contract or pledge. Prophet – a messenger sent to reveal Gods will. Ethical Monotheism – belief that proper moral conduct involves the worship of only one god. Satrap – a royal governor of part of the Persian empire. Subcontinent – a large region that is part of a continent, but is separated from the rest of the continent in some way. Reincarnation – the belief that the soul is continually reborn. Moksha – the state of perfect peace and understanding in Hinduism. Caste – social class within Hinduism and ancient India. Karma – the idea that a persons behavior in this life determines what caste they will be born into in their next life. Dharma – the set of duties required of each caste in Hinduism. Nirvana – the state of perfect peace and understanding in Buddhism. Ashoka – Indian ruler who spread Buddhism to eastern Asia. Edict – a public order or announcement that has authority. Mandate of Heaven – in ancient China the belief that royal authority comes from the gods. Confucius – Chinese philosopher who urged social harmony and good government through positive relationships. Chin Dynasty -ruled China and built the Great Wall of China to protect China from invasion. Dynastic cycle – a cycle of power and decline for Chinese dynasties. Loess – fertile soil left behind by the flooding of the Huang He River. Oracle bones – animal bones used by ancient Chinese priests to tell the future. Filial piety – respect shown by children to their parents and elders.	https://allinonehighschool.com/ancient-river-civilization-terms/
ancient kings believed that people will enter another world after death, and they will build their own tombs while they are still alive, and tombs are places for themselves to enter another world. In ancient Egypt is no exception. After death, Pharaohs would bury themselves in the tombs they built during their lifetime, and take some objects used during their lifetime as burial objects. These funerary objects are all invaluable, resulting in many tomb robbers coming and stealing countless treasures. In order to rest in peace after death and not be disturbed, every Pharaoh would place a vicious curse in his ancient tomb. However, this did not stop the footsteps of grave robbers. But there is an ancient tomb in ancient Egypt, which has never been visited by grave robbers for thousands of years. Why on earth? Is his curse real? Forced the grave robbers not to attack him. “this tomb was built by me in the cemetery in the West. It is located in a clean and moderate place. If any noble person, any official or anyone takes a stone or brick from this tomb, I will seek justice in front of the great God. I will grasp his neck like a chicken’s neck. I will make all people on earth afraid of the spirit in the West.” This is a passage from the epitaph of a Pharaoh in ancient Egypt, which clearly shows the curse on the tomb robbers. However, human greed often drives people to take risks, and even the most vicious curse can not curb people’s greed for wealth. Therefore, although the pharaohs of ancient Egypt carefully built their own tombs and set up many organs, they still could not escape the fate of being humiliated and restless after death. Almost all the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs were stolen, with the exception of TUT anhmen, the Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty in the New Kingdom era. In 1922, archaeologists opened the mausoleum of Pharaoh Tut anhamen and were surprised to see a complete tomb and many exquisite funerary objects. Among the 100000 exhibits in Cairo Museum, there are more than 7000 cultural relics unearthed from the tomb of Pharaoh Tut anhamen, which has become the treasure of Cairo Museum. however, for the Pharaohs who have long eyes, there is no difference between tomb theft out of self-interest and Archaeology out of public interest. They disturb their sleep as well, and his spell comes to those who enter his mausoleum and contact his Dharma body. All this undoubtedly puts a strange veil on the mysterious ancient Egyptian culture again. the history of Egypt is generally divided into four periods: the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom and the late kingdom. These intermediate periods include the so-called intermediate period, that is, the first intermediate period, the second intermediate period and the third intermediate period. It was not until the last Ptolemaic era that the famous Queen Cleopatra committed suicide, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, and the native Egyptian Dynasty ended. about the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, people are impressed by the magnificent pyramids. It began in the Third Dynasty. A king named zose began to use stone to build his own tomb, creating the pyramid era in Egypt. Zuosu’s tomb is a rectangular 6-step staircase building in the Saqqara area west of today’s Cairo, which is completely built of stone. The size of each layer decreases, like a birthday cake, which is now called a stepped pyramid. Zuo Sai basically laid the main form of the pyramid. It is generally composed of three parts: one is the tomb itself, one is the sleeping temple for sacrificing to the king, and the other is the house and storage room for the priests responsible for sacrificing. Its main purpose is to emphasize the central position of the king, especially his sacred position in the religious system of ancient Egypt. , , and . As the representative of ancient Egyptian culture and the spokesman of pyramid image, the well-known quadrangular conical pyramid is the masterpiece of pharaoh Khufu of the fourth dynasty. Since the fourth dynasty, the construction technology of pyramids has reached a perfect level. The pyramid built by Khufu in Giza is an unprecedented giant structure. The pyramid is 754 feet square at the bottom and 471 feet high. It is built of about 2.3 million stones. Each stone weighs about two and a half tons and can weigh up to 15 tons. The most amazing thing is that its four sides are facing the geographical quadrupole respectively, the maximum error is no more than 5 degrees and 30 minutes, and the four corners are almost completely square. It is still unclear how the ancient Egyptians without modern technology and equipment carried and lifted such huge stones, which makes modern scientists wonder. Huff’s son, Haff, then his father built his pyramid in Giza. Although it is slightly smaller, it also has 708 feet square at the bottom. At the same time, its foundation is higher, so it looks more magnificent than Huff’s pyramid. from the construction of these pyramids, we can see that in the third and fourth dynasties, the king had the highest authority in religion or real society. In the fifth Dynasty, the worship of the Sun God rose, the king’s noble status in the world was relatively reduced, and the magnificent pyramids no longer appeared. Although later Pharaohs still built pyramids as their resting place after their death of , , and , there are nearly 30 such pyramids on the West Bank of the Nile, but they are not as large as those in the Khufu era. Naturally, this is also related to the decline of national strength and the frugality consciousness of latecomers. pyramids, as the form of King’s tombs, continued from the Old Kingdom era to the Middle Kingdom era. Ancient Egypt has the custom of thick burial. There are a large number of funerary objects in each Pharaoh’s tomb, which will inevitably lead to the covet of Luxor emperor Valley in Egypt: the surname in the distance. Therefore, tomb robbing became an ancient occupation in ancient Egypt, By (A1 – the pyramids of the old kingdom were almost stolen from the Middle Kingdom. In the New Kingdom, from the eighteenth to the twenty-first dynasties, the Pharaohs stopped using the form of pyramids and began to look for a more hidden valley as their last resting place. On the one hand, this came from the change of religious ideas, on the other hand, it was also out of prevention Practical consideration of stopping tomb theft. In the Thebes Valley on the West Bank of the Nile, the Pharaohs dug deep caves, built secret catacombs and sent guards to guard them, which was then guarded by future generationsIt’s called “valley of kings”. The orientation of “West” comes from the traditional concept of ancient Egyptians. They come to the conclusion that the West belongs to a place of rest from the sun rising in the East and setting in the west every day. The East Bank of the Nile is a tall temple and the West Bank is the mausoleum of the emperor. Such confrontation between things represents the cycle of life and death. although the mausoleum moved into the valley and tried to keep a low profile, the luxury and extravagance after the death of the emperor did not decrease. The tombs of pharaohs still do their best in luxury. From gorgeous mural decoration to various buried treasures, they still show off their power in the world and their will to enjoy wealth and glory forever after death. Therefore, grave robbers also come in an endless stream. According to the retained documents, the techniques and organization of tomb robbing were very strict at that time. Tomb robbing groups were often the workers who built the king’s mausoleum, so they knew the terrain and the location of the tomb like the back of their hands. Many times, grave robbers do not enter through the door of the tomb, but dig holes in the back of the tomb. If they do not have a precise grasp of the orientation of the tomb chamber, they can’t do it. Moreover, guards are often part of tomb robbers. They cooperate inside and outside and are very easy to succeed. In the existing interrogation materials, a thief said: “we go to the… Area and enter a tomb. We open it and take out an inner coffin, which is covered with gold up to the neck. we peel off the gold with a copper chisel and take it away, and then set it on fire in the tomb.” The discovery of tomb robbers is often the result of internal strife caused by uneven distribution of stolen goods among tomb robbers and the defendant. In the 21st Dynasty, as grave robbers were still rampant, the king ordered the mummies of pharaohs from the 18th dynasty to be placed in a secret small tomb. These experienced Pharaohs were finally able to stop being disturbed and were not rediscovered until the end of the 19th century. Tut anhmen is the Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty in the New Kingdom era. He ascended the throne at the age of 9 in 1336 BC and died at the age of 17 in 1327 BC. He has done little in Egyptian history. On his deathbed, he changed his name to TUT anhamen, which means the living image of an Meng. Because objects engraved with Pharaoh Tut anhman and his queen have been found in other caves, it is generally believed that his tomb has also been stolen. But the Englishman Herbert? Sir Carnarvon and archaeologist Howard? Carter doesn’t think so. After consulting a large amount of data, they selected a site and began to dig in the autumn of 1917. After five years of arduous excavation work, their work finally achieved results: after a large amount of sand and soil were cleared, flat and wide stone steps appeared. Go up along the 16 stone steps to a stone gate with the seal of Pharaoh Tut anhamen. This is undoubtedly the last habitat of Pharaoh Tut anhamen. Unfortunately, since then, shocking tragic events have occurred one after another, and more than 50 people have died. It is believed to be the curse of Pharaoh Tut anhamen. the funerary objects of Pharaoh Tut anhmen are indeed extremely luxurious and dizzying. There are exquisite steles A gold clad shrine; Gold coated wood Inlaid jade_ Color glass s-mirror box, OS; Ebony armchair with s teeth and precious stones; The coffin is made entirely of gold. What is particularly precious is the gorgeous gold mask, which looks like King Tutankhamen. It has a raw face. Its hands are crossed on its chest, holding a scepter in its hand. Its forehead is inlaid with cobra and vulture, which are the totems of Upper Egypt and lower Egypt respectively. The eyebrows and eyes are made of gemstones and colored glass. They are resplendent and beautiful. unfortunately, sir Carnarvon did not see all these exquisite funerary objects. He died in the early morning of April 15, 1923, when they were negotiating with the Egyptian government on the excavation of the Pharaoh’s mausoleum. It is said that when Carnarvon entered the Pharaoh’s mausoleum, he felt stung by something and his left cheek swelled. A few days later, I accidentally cut into a lump while shaving. I got septicemia and died. It is said that Sir Carnarvon had a high fever of more than 40 degrees before his death. He was unconscious all the time. He kept making nonsense such as “ah, King tutianhamen… Oh, forgive me…” and left the world in panic. Even more curious, as like as two peas of a tree, he found a scar on his left cheek, which was exactly the same as that of sir. Then a series of bad luck befell those around Carnarvon, including the nurse who had nursed him, his brother and his widow. Other people who have come into contact with the Pharaoh have also been unfortunate. They are: American archaeologist Messi, British industrialist ur who visited the Pharaoh’s mausoleum, Professor reed, who was the first to untie Tut anhman’s shroud and X-ray the body, and Douglas, who has personally touched the gold mask? Dr. reed… So many accidents make people doubt the Pharaoh’s spell. Carter was lucky to spend his life in peace. He was 65 years old. But the Pharaoh’s curse seems to have fallen on his family, which is said to be a more terrible revenge. Carter’s assistant, Yabo? Max and Richard? Van Er died suddenly one after another. Carter’s daughter, Evelyn, suffered from depression and finally hanged herself. According to incomplete statistics, from April 1923 to 1929, at least 22 people directly or indirectly related to the excavation of the tomb of Pharaoh Tut anhamen died, and at least 35 experts and scholars involved in the archaeological work of the tomb of Pharaoh died unexpectedly or inexplicably. so, is there really a mysterious power? Will the Pharaoh who has died for more than 3000 years really appear? People in the 20th century did not believe in the existence of supernatural forces such as ghost retribution. They put forward various hypotheses for this. One is the bacteria theory, which holds that the Pharaoh’s mausoleum is closed and the air is not circulating. Some bacteria may have been closed for more than 3000 years, and the people entering the Pharaoh’s Mausoleum were infected, which modern medicine knows nothing about; One is fungi. Researchers found a killing fungus under a microscope; One is poisons. It is said that the Pharaohs may have placed poisons in murals and other places in order to protect their tombs; Another is the theory of radioactive material or super energyAccording to the material theory, there may be radioactive substances in the Pharaoh’s mausoleum that killed people. However, none of these hypotheses can satisfactorily explain a series of strange events. It seems that there are endless mysteries in the universe, and there are many secrets in the world that we can’t know for sure.	https://myschistory.com/what-is-the-curse-of-tutianhamen-does-it-really-exist/
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. How old is ancient Egypt? Archaeologists believe Egypt's large pyramids are the work of the Old Kingdom society that rose to prominence in the Nile Valley after 3000 B.C. Historical analysis tells us that the Egyptians built the Giza Pyramids in a span of 85 years between 2589 and 2504 BC. 1 What is the religion of Egyptian? When the Greeks and the Romans conquered Egypt, their religion was influenced by that of Egypt. Ancient pagan beliefs gradually faded and were replaced by monotheistic religions. Today, the majority of the Egyptian population is Muslim, with a small minority of Jews and Christians. 2 What was the name of the ancient Egyptian religion? Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with many deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces of nature. 3 How many gods are in the Egyptian religion? There were over 2,000 names of gods in Ancient Egypt. Some images of Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses show them with a human body and the head of a bird or an animal. Animals were chosen to represent the powers of the god. Bastet was the Goddess of Protection of joy, love, pleasure and pregnant woman. 4 What did the ancient Egypt believe in? That means that they believed in many gods. Some of these gods were Ra, Anubis, Seth, Osiris, Isis, and Horus. Egyptians worshipped these gods with animal sacrifices and with incense and many processions where people carried the image of the god from one place to another. 5 What was the language of the ancient Egypt? Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century AD in the form of Coptic. The national language of modern-day Egypt is Egyptian Arabic, which gradually replaced Coptic as the language of daily life in the centuries after the Muslim conquest of Egypt. Coptic is still used as the liturgical language of the Coptic Church. 6 Why is religion so important to ancient Egypt? Religion was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. Their religion was strongly influenced by tradition, which caused them to resist change. Egyptians did not question the beliefs which had been handed down to them. They did not desire change in their society. 7 What did the ancient Egyptians invent? The Egyptians invented and used many simple machines, such as the ramp and the lever, to aid construction processes. They used rope trusses to stiffen the beam of ships. Egyptian paper, made from papyrus, and pottery were mass-produced and exported throughout the Mediterranean basin. 8 What is the afterlife of ancient Egypt? Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in Egyptian mythology. In Ancient Egyptian religion, when the body died, parts of its soul known as ka (body double) and the ba (personality) would go to the Kingdom of the Dead. 9 What inventions did ancient Egypt make? Egyptians made use of many simple machines and ideas that they invented for large and small projects. - Paper. A section of the Egyptian Book of the Dead written on papyrus. - Written Language. - Makeup. - The Calendar. - The Ox-Drawn Plow. - Black Ink. - Sundial. - Water Clock. 10 What gods did the Egypt worship? Lets' view at the surface to the top 10 worshipped ancient gods of Egyptian Civilization. - AMUN-Ra “The Hidden One” - MUT “The Mother Goddess” - OSIRIS “The King of Living” - ANUBIS “The Divine Embalmer” - RA “The God of Sun & Radiance” - HORUS “God of Vengeance” - THOTH “God of Knowledge and Wisdom” - HATHOR “Goddess of Motherhood” 11 What is the culture like in Egypt? Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations in Africa. For millennia, Egypt maintained a strikingly unique, complex and stable culture that influenced later cultures of Europe. After the Pharaonic era, Egypt itself came under the influence of Hellenism, for a time Christianity and later, Christian culture. 12 Why did the ancient Egyptians call their land Kemet the black land? The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians used this land for growing their crops. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was deposited there every year after the Nile flooded. 13 What is the type of government in ancient Egypt? The government of ancient Egypt was a theocratic monarchy as the king ruled by a mandate from the gods, initially was seen as an intermediary between human beings and the divine, and was supposed to represent the gods' will through the laws passed and policies approved. 14 Why did they build the pyramids? Pyramids. The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes and sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom. There are about eighty pyramids known today from ancient Egypt. 15 Why were cats special in ancient Egypt? The Ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem, the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. The main center for the worship of Bastet was in northern Egypt at the city of Bubastis. 16 Where did the Egyptians of the Old Kingdom bury the pharaohs? The Pyramids of Giza and the Nile Delta were the tombs of choice for pharaohs of Egypt's Old Kingdom. But New Kingdom pharaohs, who wanted to be closer to the source of their dynastic roots in the south, built their crypts in the hills of this barren tract west of Luxor, now called the Valley of the Kings. 17 What is the name of ancient Egyptian writing? Origins of Egyptian Hieroglyphs. The ancient Egyptians believed that writing was invented by the god Thoth and called their hieroglyphic script "mdju netjer" ("words of the gods"). The word hieroglyph comes from the Greek hieros (sacred) plus glypho (inscriptions) and was first used by Clement of Alexandria. 18 How did ancient Egypt worship their gods and goddesses? The ancient Egyptians thought that it was very important to please the gods and goddesses. For that reason, worshipping the deities was a large part of life in ancient Egypt. Some gods and goddesses were worshipped by the pharaoh and priests in large temples. 19 What was the earliest monotheistic religion? Judaism, which is 3,500 years old, is the oldest of the monotheistic religions. Jews believe that God made a covenant (known as the first covenant) with Abraham that he would be the father of a great people if he followed God's instructions. 20 What was the religion of the Sumerians? The religion of the ancient Sumerians has left its mark on the entire middle east. Not only are its temples and ziggurats scattered about the region, but the literature, cosmogony and rituals influenced their neighbors to such an extent that we can see echoes of Sumer in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition today.	https://answersdrive.com/what-is-the-religion-of-ancient-egypt-5105390
Architecture in Ancient Egypt was on an enormous scale. Egytians used stone as it was a more durable material instead of brick or other contructive materials. They used columns to support roofs and post and lintel (flat) roofs. Ancient Egyptians built tombs and temples with colossal dimensions to worship their gods and to enter the afterlife. Tombs evolved along time and became more and more elaborated. - From Neolithic, Egyptians were buried in the desert shallow pits. The body was mummified and the hot sand of the desert preserved the body. The tomb consisted on a pile of rocks with personal objects and gods. - During the early Old Empire nobles and pharaohs had mastaba tombs which had flat- topped roofs, a burial chamber as well as different rooms with treasures and offerings to the Gods. Mastabas were made of bricks. - Step pyramid is a transition from the mastaba to the pyramids. The first step pyramid was built around 2700 BC by architect Imhotep for pharaoh Zoser. IT was made up of six steps and was used as a temple to worship the pharaoh and as tomb. - Pyramids contained internal corridors and many rooms including the funerary chamber. The most famous pyramids are located in the Giza plain. The biggest one known as the Great Pyramid was built for pharaoh Khufu. - During the New Empire pharaohs preferred to be buried in hypogea. Hypogea are tombs carved into the rock which contained a steep corridor, rooms and funerary chamber. The most relevant hypogea is in the Valleys of Kings and Queens where Tutankhamun and queen Nefertari were buried.	https://travellingacrosstime.com/2021/11/07/ancient-egyptian-tombs/
Blood is a body fluid in people and different animals that provides necessary materials including vitamins and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste merchandise faraway from the ones identical cells. In vertebrates, it’s far composed of blood cells suspended in blood plasma. Plasma, which constitutes fifty five% of blood fluid, is mostly water (ninety two% by using extent), and contains proteins, glucose, mineral ions, hormones, carbon dioxide (plasma being the primary medium for excretory product transportation), and blood cells themselves. Albumin is the primary protein in plasma, and it functions to adjust the colloidal osmotic pressure of blood. The blood cells are especially purple blood cells (also referred to as RBCs or erythrocytes), white blood cells (also referred to as WBCs or leukocytes) and platelets (additionally known as thrombocytes). The most ample cells in vertebrate blood are crimson blood cells. These incorporate hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein, which helps oxygen transport by reversibly binding to this respiratory gas and significantly increasing its solubility in blood. In evaluation, carbon dioxide is in the main transported extracellularly as bicarbonate ion transported in plasma. Human Circulatory System The circulatory device, also called the cardiovascular device or the vascular device, is an organ gadget that lets in blood to circulate and transport vitamins (including amino acids and electrolytes), oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, and blood cells to and from the cells inside the body to offer nourishment and assist in preventing illnesses, stabilize temperature and pH, and maintain homeostasis. Heart The muscular organ which is located near the chest slightly towards the left in the thoracic region. It is the very crucial organ of our body which works continuously throughout our life. The human heart is divided into four chambers which are involved in the transportation of oxygenated blood and deoxygenated The upper two chambers are called as atria whereas the lower two chambers are called as ventricles. The human circulatory system is more advanced than that of other animals like fish, reptiles, etc. In the human body, blood circulates through the heart twice. Hence, circulation in human beings is called doule circulation. Layers Of Heart It consists of three layers namely: Myocardium– The myocardium includes heart muscle cells that make up the bulk of heart wall and the middle layer. Epicardium – The outer layer of cells is known as epicardium and the second layer which is membranous surrounds and protects the heart. Endocardium -The endocardium lines the inner wall of the heart. - The Pericardium It is a fiber kind of a covering around the heart and keeps it in place. This is a unique membrane and lubricates the heart in the pericardial space to avoid friction. Pericardium has two exclusive layers: - Visceral layer directly covers the heart. - Parietal layer forms a sac that contains the fluid in the pericardial cavity. 2. The Heart Walls The heart wall consists of three layers: Epicardium – This is the outermost layer of the heart and a thin layer of membrane that protects and lubricates the outer its section. Myocardium – This is a muscular layer and consists of muscle tissue. It contributes to the thickness and responsible for the pumping action. Endocardium – It is the innermost layer that lines within the heart and keeps blood from sticking and prevents the formation of harmful blood clots. 3. Chambers Of Heart The four chambers are as mentioned below: - Left atrium - Right atrium - Left ventricle - Right ventricle Atria are thin, less muscular walls and smaller than ventricles. These are the blood-receiving chambers that are carried to the heart by the large veins. Ventricles are larger and more muscular chambers of pumping and push blood out to the circulation. These are connected to larger arteries that deliver blood for circulation. The right ventricle and right atrium are smaller than left chambers. Their walls consist of fewer muscles compared to left portion and size difference is based on their functions. The blood from the right side flows through the pulmonary circulation while blood from the left chambers is pumped to the complete body. Blood The fluid connective tissue which plays a vital role in circulating food, hormones, water, air and other necessary products to different parts of the body. Blood flows through a specified set of pathways called blood vessels. The organ which is involved in pumping blood to different body parts is the heart. Blood cells, blood plasma, proteins, and salts together constitute the human blood. The composition of blood are: - Plasma, the fluid part of the blood that is composed of 90% of water. - Blood cells, the solid part of blood. There are three types of blood cells. - Red blood cells (RBC) / Erythrocytes: They are mainly involved in transporting oxygen, food, and other substances to various parts of the body. These blood cells also function by, removing the waste from the body. - White blood cells (WBC) / Leukocytes: They are specialized in defense. They fight against foreign particles entering the body. - Platelets /Thrombocytes: Platelets help in clotting of blood at the time of wound or cut. Blood Vessels Blood vessels are the pathways through which the blood travels from one part to different parts of the body. Arteries and veins are two types of blood vessels in the circulatory system of the body. - Arteries are the blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood from the heart to various parts of the body. They are thick, elastic and are divided into a small network of blood vessels called capillaries. - Veins are the blood vessels, a carrier deoxygenated blood towards the heart from various parts of the body for purification. They are thin, elastic and are present closer to the surface of the skin. - Capillaries It allows the switching of chemicals and water between the tissues and blood. They are very thin and tiny. Exchange of blood takes place between blood tissues and capillaries. This function takes place in capillary beds. Connective tissues are also found occasionally. - Sinusoids They are very small vessels located within the bone marrow, liver and spleen. Lymph The human circulatory system consists of another body fluid called lymph. It is also known as tissue fluid. It is a colorless fluid consisting of salts, proteins, water, etc. which transport and circulates digested food and absorbed fat to intercellular spaces in the tissues. Layers of Blood Vessels Both arteries and veins consist of three layers. - Tunica Intima: It is one of the innermost and thinnest layers of arteries and veins. It comprises of endothelial cells. They are in direct contact with the flow of blood. It intern consists of three layers. I.e. Inner Layer, Middle Layer, and Outer Layer. - Tunica Media: It is one of the thickest layers of arteries. Its function is to control the caliber of the vessel. It also consists of connective tissue and polysaccharide substances. - Tunica Adventitia: It controls the caliber of the vessel. It is surrounded by the tunica media. It comprises of collagen and also supported by the lamina.	https://examsdaily.in/blood-and-its-circulation
4. Aortic Valve Aortic valve is the valve that separates the left ventricle with the aorta. Blood pressure changes on both sides of valve caused the valve can be opened and closed. The function of the aortic valve is to prevent blood flowing in the wrong direction. 5. TASK 3.1 Write a report comparing and contrasting the structure and function of the three types of blood vessels. The Structure and Functions of Blood Vessels ARTERIES The walls of arteries contain smooth muscle fibre that contract and relax under the instructions of the sympathetic nervous system. The functions of the arteries are: transport blood away from the heart and transport oxygenated blood only. The operation is performed in the chest cavity on the heart, with the septum and valves being reconstructed or replaced. The cardiovascular system is affected because this determines how well the heart is able to pump blood throughout the body. The surgical pathology of the atrioventricular septal defect repair procedure abnormal anatomy. This defect, which is created during gestation pre-birth, is considered Pathophysiology The present of a patent foramen ovale is required to permit blood flow across the septum into the left atrium, the patent duct arteriosus allows blood to flow to the pulmonary artery into the lungs. VSD allows a modest amount of blood to enter the right ventricle &pulmonary artery. Thus pulmonary blood flow is diminished. (1) This aortic stenosis lead to flow blood out of the heart and this disease is common to adults over 65 years old. The common symptoms of this disease can breathlessness, or chest pain, exercise restriction or collapse. (2) 2. What are the main differences between TAVI and convectional valve replacement techniques? Perfusionists employ artificial blood pumps to propel open-heart surgery patients' blood through their body tissue, replacing the function of the heart while the cardiac surgeon operates. When a patient's blood is continuously removed and returned through plastic tubing to allow The right ventricles only function is to pump blood into pulmonary circulation for the lungs, while the left ventricle pumps blood throughout the whole of the of the body. Describe the structure and function of the different valves within the heart: Tricuspid valve: This is found in-between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Pulmonary valve: This is found in-between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. Mitral valve: This is found in-between the left atrium and the left ventricle. The heart is located at the center of the chest, and is surrounded by the ribcage and protected by the breastbone. The heart’s main function is to keep blood continually circulating throughout the body. Arteries are the vessels that supply the body with oxygen rich blood; on the contrary the vessels that return blood to the heart are called veins. Like any other muscle in the body, the heart depends on a steady supply of oxygen rich blood. The arteries that carry this blood supply to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries. 1. Explain the function of the heart, and the structure of the arteries veins and capillaries The heart is a key muscular organ, and is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. It transports blood to the body’s tissues via the circulatory system; blood provides the body with oxygen, nutrients and also assists in the removal of carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes, hormones are transported throughout the body by plasma. Arteries, arterioles, veins, capillaries and valves, are the blood vessels which are responsible for transporting the blood throughout the body. The cardiac sphincter restrains reflux of flowing back of stomach substance into the esophagus. Food then leaves the stomach this is called chyme and then passed along to the small intestines, this process can take up to 2 to 4 hours. The small intestine is where the majority of digestion is originated. A pyloric sphincter regulates the rate How the cardiovascular system works? Image result for the cardiovascular system heart without labels The cardiovascular system consists of two circuits that blood travels through; pulmonary and systemic. Exercise has an impact on these systems, causing the heart to pump blood faster around the body, which allows you to exercise for longer. Systolic and Diastolic Heart Failure Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood for the body due to a weakened or damaged heart. The heart 's pumping action moves oxygen-rich blood as it travels from the lungs to the left atrium, then on to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body. The left ventricle supplies most of the heart 's pumping power, so it 's larger than the other chambers and essential for normal function. (American Heart Association). In left-sided or left ventricular heart failure, the left side of the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood. PULMONARY OEDEMA Introduction Pulmonary oedema is defined as the build-up of fluid in the lungs usually due to Left ventricular failure and also a result of non-cardiogenic complications (Deepak, 2010). In this essay the three main causes of oedema will be explained, the pathophysiology, the intensity factors and the management in a pre-hospital setting. Causes of Pulmonary Oedema The two main causes of oedema are cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic. Cardiogenic pulmonary oedema is defined as the build-up of fluid in the lungs usually due to Heart failure. The words “venous thromboembolism” is broken apart into two separate words. “Venous”, or having to do with veins, refers to its direct capability of affecting veins, arteries, and other blood vessels. The blood clot will clog up the vein and will require surgery to clear the blockage. The word “thromboembolism” is a term given to the forming of a “thrombus”, the name for the blood clot that forms within the vein. Another term which is used frequently is “thrombosis” which is just another word for the blood clot forming deep inside a blood Heart Valve disease is when you heart valves dont work the way they should. This is part of the cardiovascular system. Your heart valves lie at the exit of each of your four heart chambers and maintain one-way blood flow through your heart. The four heart valves make sure that blood always flows freely in a forward direction and that there is no backward leakage. Blood flows from your right and left atria into your ventricles through the open tricuspid and mitral valves.	https://www.ipl.org/essay/Human-Body-System-Essay-PCYZCP5KRG
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart condition in which the heart’s two small upper chambers flutter instead of beat properly. (One chamber is known as an atrium; both together are known as the atria.) These chambers receive blood from the veins in the body. Normally, the blood is pumped out of the atria into other heart chambers called ventricles. The ventricles then pump the blood, which now contains oxygen, to the rest of the body. Between the two sets of chambers (atria and ventricles) are valves that open and close and direct the flow of blood between the chambers. Problems can arise when abnormal heart rhythms upset the normal exchange of blood between the chambers, and the blood is not completely pumped out of the atria. The blood left in the atria can pool and form a clot. This blood clot can leave the heart, travel to the brain, and cause a stroke. Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of arrhythmia. It affects more than 2 million people each year. The chances of developing atrial fibrillation increase with age. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), or Sudden Cardiac Death, is an arrhythmia of the heart and occurs when the electrical signal that controls the pumping of the heart misfires. The result is ventricular fibrillation, where the lower chambers of the heart begin to quiver and cannot pump blood to the brain. Unfortunately, SCA is a leading cause of death in the United States that kills about 325,000 Americans every year. It is responsible for half of all heart disease deaths and more deaths than AIDS, breast cancer and lung cancer combined.	https://www.peacehealth.org/sacred-heart-riverbend/services/heart-and-vascular/heart-rhythm-services/Pages/diseases
Circulatory System - Frogs vs. Tadpoles. A tadpole lives underwater at all times, so its circulatory system is not unlike the circulatory system of a fish. Unlike a frog, a tadpole has a two chambered heart (there is only one atrium and one ventricle). The blood travels through the body as follows: All the blood in the body moves to the atrium. Crocodilian hearts have four chambers, but unlike mammals they have an extra flap that can close to keep blood from going to the lungs. Researchers believe the blood can be sent to the stomach to aid digestion, which is just a smidge helpful when bones are often on the menu. Dive right in. Many animals decrease their heart rate while diving. Birds have very efficient cardiovascular systems that permit them to meet the metabolic demands of flight (and running, swimming, or diving). The cardiovascular system not only delivers oxygen to body cells (and removes metabolic wastes) but also plays an important role in maintaining a bird's body temperature.The avian circulatory system consists of a heart plus vessels that transport What Does the Heart Do? the heart does not require additional chambers beyond the first two. Fish and other animals with 2-chambered hearts, therefore, have simpler circulatory systems than. In order to breathe underwater, fish have to extract dissolved oxygen from the water. They do this using their gills. Water enters the fish's mouth and then the fish forces water across its gills, past many tiny blood vessels, and out the gill slits. The gills take oxygen from the water and let water whisk away carbon dioxide and ammonia from the blood vessels in the gills . The fossils suggest that it was a craniate, like modern hagfish, and that it may have possessed a pericardial cavity. Modern hagfish possess a heart with 3 chambers: the sinus venosus, a single atrium, and a single ventricle The human heart, like that of all mammals, contains four chambers, but the heart begins development as a long tube that then folds and divides to create the four chambers. Different organisms have. acetylserine described the 3 chambered heart bit fairly well. Essentially there's a single ventricle but two atria. To answer your question about double circulation, in a fish, for instance, the heart is a single pump. Blood enters the atrium from the body, then goes into the ventricle and gets pumped to the gills A)The increase in complexity that has occurred from the two-chambered fish heart to the four-chambered mammal heart. To study these features examine the models of hearts and aortic arches displayed in the lab, the illustrations in your lab and textbook and what you have learned about the dogfish, mudpuppy, cat and rat Bettas have very good eyesight, as evidenced during the fighting and flaring at their owners or their own reflection. They see their surroundings in full color and do not possess eyelids or have the ability to blink like you do. Betta fish are near-sighted and their acute vision only lends its effectiveness up to 12-14 inches away Earthworms have five hearts. Image credit: galitsin/Shutterstock Cockroach . For years, people believed the cockroach had 13 hearts, but these insects actually have just one heart divided into 13 chambers, making it more resilient to failure than the human heart, which has just four chambers the heart and large vessels in 12 large fish were carefully dissected using conventional anatomical techniques. One heart was sectioned serially after fixation in 4% formaldehyde; alternate sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Weigert-Van Gieson stains. Anatomical casts of the heart chambers and gill arches were made by injectin The human heart is one of the most important organs responsible for sustaining life. It is a muscular organ with four chambers. The size of the heart is the size of about a clenched fist. The human heart functions throughout a person's lifespan and is one of the most robust and hardest working muscles in the human body Cardiovascular System of the Grasshopper. Like most insects, grasshoppers have an open circulatory system. The heart of a grasshopper is actually a series of chambers along the aorta that runs the length of a grasshopper's body. These chambers are separated by valves called ostia. The ostial valves ensure the one-way flow of blood In many fish, the circulatory system is a relatively simple loop. The heart consists of two contractile chambers, the atrium and ventricle. In this system, blood from the body enters the heart and is pumped through the gills where it picks up O 2 and releases CO 2. As the blood moves through the body, the oxygen is used up and the blood returns. Like the human heart, the chicken heart has four chambers - a right atrium and ventricle which receives deoxygenated blood from the body and sends it to the lungs and a left atrium and ventricle which receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and sends it to the body. Birds have a much higher metabolic rate than humans Fish Single circulation Low pressure FISH: Circulatory System Question 2a) How many of each type of chamber does the heart of a fish have? 1 atrium and 1 ventricle b) Fish have a single circulation as compared to the double circulation of mammals. Examine the diagram of the path of circulation in a fish (above) and explain what is meant by a. Circulatory system - Circulatory system - The vertebrate circulatory system: All vertebrates have circulatory systems based on a common plan, and so vertebrate systems show much less variety than do those of invertebrates. Although it is impossible to trace the evolution of the circulatory system by using fossils (because blood vessels do not fossilize as do bones and teeth), it is possible to. While there are quite a few differences between the circulatory systems in the human and the frog, the primary difference between the two hearts is the number of chambers; frog hearts have two atria and one ventricle, while human hearts have two atria and two ventricles. The frog's right atrium gets deoxygenated blood out of the vessels that. The fish oil doses taken ranged from 0.84 grams to 4 grams per day. A-fib is a common heart rhythm disorder, or arrhythmia , in which the heart's upper chambers begin to quiver chaotically instead. Scientists have traced the evolution of the four-chambered human heart to a common genetic factor linked to the development of hearts in turtles and other reptiles. The research shows how a. Sharks have a two-chambered heart, with an atrium (also called the auricle) and a ventricle. The heart is an S-shaped tube that is located in the head region of the shark. The blood is pumped by the heart through the afferent branchial arteries (ventral aorta) to capillaries in the gills (where the blood is oxygenated) Evolution of the Heart! The function of the heart is extremely fascinating, but what is also fascinating is how many different shapes it has taken throughout evolution to get us to our human heart of 4 chambers. For my project, I did a clay model of the 4, very, basic steps that the heart has taken over the last 520 million years As shown in Figure 21.4 b, amphibians have a three-chambered heart that has two atria and one ventricle rather than the two-chambered heart of fish. The two atria (superior heart chambers) receive blood from the two different circuits (the lungs and the systems), and then there is some mixing of the blood in the heart's ventricle (inferior. Fish also typically only have one heart within their bodies, unless they have a mutation that causes two to develop—this is rare, however. A fish has a two-chambered heart. The chambers are a single atrium and a ventricle. The atrium receives blood from the veins, and the ventricle pumps blood to the gills for gas exchange, similar to the. Generally, bony fish have a two-chambered heart (one atrium and one ventricle) which makes up 0.2% of their mass (Bettex et al. 2014); however, these are subdivided into a linear series of a total of four different compartments: a SV, atrium, ventricle and conus arteriosus (CA; Holmes, 1975) Amphibians have a three-chambered heart that has two atria and one ventricle rather than the two-chambered heart of fish. The two atria (superior heart chambers) receive blood from the two different circuits (the lungs and the systems), and then there is some mixing of the blood in the heart's ventricle (inferior heart chamber), which reduces. A seal's heart rate can go as low as 10 beats per minute during an extended underwater dive; Mammals have four-chambered hearts, many reptiles have hearts with three chambers and fish have just a two-chambered heart; Giraffes have the highest blood pressure of any mammal, measuring a stratospheric 280/180; A cow's heart is the size of a. In fact, cockroaches have 1 heart with 13 chambers which gives them extra advantages to live. As for humans, there are 4 chambers in our heart. If one chamber fails, there might be a lot of consequences to face. Cockroaches don't have to worry about that since their hearts have 13 chambers . There are over 33,000 varieties of fish in the world. Fish are cold-blooded and they cannot control their own body temperature. They have a good sense of sight, touch, and taste. Fish have spines that are surrounded by cartilage and bone and are 'vertebrate' animals. Fish breathe through their gills that take in the. 1. Octopus/Squid. Thinkstock. These similar creatures are both cephalopods and have three hearts in total, one systematic to go along with two gill hearts that force blood to the gills. 2. The heart of a fish only has 2 chambers — an atrium & and a ventricle. Locate the heart & label it on Figure 5. In the upper part of the body below the lateral line is the swim bladder. This sac has a thin wall and gives the fish buoyancy. Label the swim bladder on Figure 5 Gills are branching organs located on the side of fish heads that have many, many small blood vessels called capillaries. As the fish opens its mouth, water runs over the gills, and blood in the capillaries picks up oxygen that's dissolved in the water. Then the blood moves through the fish's body to deliver the oxygen, just like in humans How many chambers does the fish heart have? The fish heart is a tube made of two consecutive chambers: one atrium and one ventricle. 48. Does the fish heart pump venous or arterial blood? The venous blood from tissues enters the atrium and goes on to the ventricle, which then pumps the blood towards the gills. After oxygenation in the gills. Sea Stars have spikes on their outer covering. They do not have a circulatory system because they do not have a heart or blood that circulates nutrients. Sea Stars have two stomachs while humans only have one. They move very slowly and with the aid of tube feet and their water vascular system that humans do not have ADVERTISEMENTS: In this article we will discuss about Swim-Bladder:- 1. Introduction to Swim-Bladder 2. Development of Swim-Bladder 3. Basic Structure 4. Gas Composition 5. Types 6. Modifications 7. Shape and Size 8. Weberian Ossicles 9. Functions 10. Hydrostatic Organ 11. Adjustable Float 12. Maintains Proper Centre of Gravity 13. Respiration 14. Resonator. Contents: Introduction to [ Crayfish do not have lungs, they use gills to gather oxygen and breath. The gills have a double set of leaf-shaped branches (in gill-chamber) and can be found on both sides of the carapace at the base of each walking leg (pereiopods). The gills can be identified as a fuzzy grey or brown organ While studies have found fish oil omega‐3 supplements to lower risk for heart attack and death from coronary heart disease, some research raises concerns over fish oil's connection to atrial fibrillation (a-fib), With this condition, also known as heart arrhythmia, the heart's upper chambers quiver chaotically instead of contracting effectively People who consume fish regularly, typically a cold-water fish species, have lower rates of atrial fibrillation and abnormal heart rhythms from the bottom heart chamber A normal heart has valves, arteries, and chambers that circulate blood in a cyclical pattern: body to heart, heart to lungs, lungs to heart, and then heart out to the body. When this pattern is thrown off, it can cause the underdeveloped heart to change shape and function less efficiently The two atria have relatively thin walls and function as collection chambers for blood returning to the heart. The ventricles have thicker walls and contract much more strongly than the atria. A cardiac cycle is one complete sequence of pumping, as the heart contracts, and filling, as it relaxes and its chambers fill with blood 1. a) How many chambers are present in a fish heart? Two chambers b) What is the function of the lateral line? It is a system of sense organs which is used to detect movement and vibration in water. It informs the fish about potential dangers or preys Heart (including small holes called ostia through which blood enters heart): Cross-section of body (e.g. of a crayfish) showing circulatory system (red), digestive system (orange), and gills (lavendar-purple): Note: water is moved through gill chamber by modified appendages on each side of head called gill bailers. Water is drawn through. A fish heart, on the other hand, has to pump blood, which is only half as pure, to the body because it doesn't have separate chambers that enable it to clean the blood in one cycle and distribute it in the next. Our sophisticated ticker allows us to process energy more efficiently and, therefore, move further from our energy source. We can do. The number of atria and ventricles diversifies with species, where fish have one of each, while amphibians and many reptiles have two atria and one ventricle, and other reptiles, birds, and mammals (including humans) have two atria and two ventricles. Chambers and vessels of the heart. The pulmonary and systemic circuits are only partially. This syndrome is caused by interstitial duplications encompassing 16p13.11. The size of the rearrangements is variable. The duplications were characterized by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarray and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The underlying mechanism is non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR). The microduplications appear de novo or are inherited from mildly.	https://unsere-szukseged.com/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_General_Biology_(Boundless)/40%3A_The_Circulatory_System/40p98n9d6603zebc4b.1%3A_Overview_of_the_Circulatory_System/40
The cardiovascular system facts mentioned here give us an idea about the structure and functioning of the various components like the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The cardiovascular system is an important part of the body which consists of three components: the heart, blood vessels (capillaries, veins, and arteries), and blood. This system transports oxygen to different parts of the body, and thereby provides nourishment to the various parts of the body. Facts about Cardiovascular System The facts about cardiovascular system are subdivided into three parts: the facts about heart, blood vessels, and blood. Heart The heart is similar to an automatic pump which distributes blood to different parts of the body. ◘ Average weight of the heart in males and females is 300-350 g and 250-300 g respectively. Size of the heart is equal to that of the fist of human hand. ◘ The human heart is covered by a layer called pericardium, which is actually a double-walled sac. ◘ H eart is composed of 3 layers: the endocardium (innermost layer), myocardium (middle layer), and the visceral layer (uppermost layer). ◘ Heart is divided into 4 chambers: these are the ventricles (2 each) and atria (2 each). Out of all these chambers, ventricles discharge the blood while atria receives it from different parts of the body through the veins. Blood Vessels The blood vessels carry blood towards and away from the heart. ◘ There are 3 types of blood vessels: the arteries, veins, and capillaries. Arteries perform the work of taking blood away from the heart while the veins transport it towards the heart. Capillaries are responsible for the exchange of chemicals and water that takes place between the tissues and blood. ◘ Aorta is the largest artery which carries blood away from the heart. This artery is subdivided in to the following branches: subclavian artery, carotid artery, mesenteric arteries, celiac trunk, iliac artery, and renal artery. Blood The blood carries oxygen and nutritive elements towards the body cells. Following are some of the facts regarding blood, which plays an important role in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. ◘ Blood is composed of blood cells, and these cells are suspended in a liquid known as blood plasma. ◘ Out of the total weight of the human body, 7% is that of blood. ◘ An average of 5 liters of blood is present in the body of an adult human being. ◘ The blood cells are of two types: white blood cells (WBCs) and red blood cells (RBCs). The platelets and leukocytes are the other components present in blood apart from the RBCs and WBCs. ◘ Hemoglobin, a protein with iron as its main component, is formed in the RBCs, which actually transports oxygen. ◘ Blood is actually a specialized form of connective tissues and is produced inside the bones. Some Interesting Facts ◘ The heart, which is an important component of the cardiovascular system, beats 72 times in a single minute, and thus produces approximately 2.5 billion beats in the lifetime of a person. ◘ Out of the total volume of blood plasma, 92% is water and only 8% is that of the plasma proteins. ◘ The total length of all the blood vessels in the human body is approximately 60,000 miles. This length of the blood vessels is equivalent to twice the circumference of the earth. Thus, the aforementioned facts provide information regarding the structure and components of the cardiovascular system. Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.	https://bodytomy.com/cardiovascular-system-facts
Organs. Are separate body structures that perform specific functions. They are composed of two or more different tissues. THE HEART The heart is a hollow muscular organ, which receives blood from the venous trunks draining into it and pumps the blood into the arterial system. The cavity of the heart is subdivided into four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. The left atrium and the left ventricle comprise the left heart, also called the arterial heart, because of the type of blood it contains; the right atrium and right ventricle comprise the right or venous heart. The heart is located in the thoracic cavity between the lungs. This area is called the mediastinum. The base of the cone-shaped heart is uppermost, behind the sternum, and the great vessels enter or leave here. The apex (tip) of the heart points downward and is just above the diaphragm to the left of the midline. This is why we may think of the heart as being on the left side, because the strongest beat can be heard or felt here. The importance of the heart has been recognized for centuries. The fact that its rate of beating is affected by the emotions may be responsible for the very frequent references to the heart in song and poetry. However, the vital functions of the heart and its disorders are of more practical importance to us. Figure 1.Human Heart.a) Anterior aspect. (b) Internal anatomy. Location of the Heart and pericardial membranes The human heart is located within the thoracic cavity, medially between the lungs in the space known as the mediastinum. Figure 2 shows the position of the heart within the thoracic cavity. Within the mediastinum, the heart is separated from the other mediastinal structures by a tough membrane known as the pericardium, or pericardial sac, and sits in its own space called the pericardial cavity. The dorsal surface of the heart lies near the bodies of the vertebrae, and its anterior surface sits deep to the sternum and costal cartilages. The great veins, the superior and inferior venae cavae, and the great arteries, the aorta and pulmonary trunk, are attached to the superior surface of the heart, called the base. The base of the heart is located at the level of the third costal cartilage, as seen in Figure 2.The inferior tip of the heart, the apex, lies just to the left of the sternum between the junction of the fourth and fifth ribs near their articulation with the costal cartilages. The right side of the heart is deflected anteriorly, and the left side is deflected posteriorly. It is important to remember the position and orientation of the heart when placing a stethoscope on the chest of a patient and listening for heart sounds, and also when looking at images taken from a midsagittal perspective. The slight deviation of the apex to the left is reflected in a depression in the medial surface of the inferior lobe of the left lung, called the cardiac notch. Figure 2. Position of the Heart in the Thorax Figure 3.Layers of the wall of the heart and the pericardial membranes. Shape and Size of the Heart The shape of the heart is similar to a pinecone, rather broad at the superior surface and tapering to the apex (see Figure 2). A typical heart is approximately the size of an individual fist: 12 cm (5 in) in length, 8 cm (3.5 in) wide, and 6 cm (2.5 in) in thickness. Given the size difference between most members of the sexes, the weight of a female heart is approximately 250–300 grams (9 to 11 ounces), and the weight of a male heart is approximately 300–350 grams (11 to 12 ounces). The heart of a well-trained athlete, especially one specializing in aerobic sports, can be considerably larger than this. Cardiac muscle responds to exercise in a manner similar to that of skeletal muscle. That is, exercise results in the addition of protein myofilaments that increase the size of the individual cells without increasing their numbers, a concept called hypertrophy. Hearts of athletes can pump blood more effectively at lower rates than those of non-athletes. Enlarged hearts are not always a result of exercise; they can result from pathologies, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The cause of an abnormally enlarged heart muscle is unknown, but the condition is often undiagnosed and can cause sudden death in apparently otherwise healthy young people. Chambers of the heart The heart has four chambers. The two at the superior pole (base) of the heart are the right and left atria. They are thin walled receiving chambers for blood returning to the heart by way of the great veins. Most of the mass of each atrium is on the posterior side of the heart, so only a small portion is visible from the anterior aspect. Here, each atrium has a small earlike extension called an auricle6 that slightly increases its volume. The two inferior heart chambers are the right and left ventricles,are the pumps that eject blood into the arteries and keep it flowing around the body. The right ventricle constitutes most of the anterior aspect of the heart, while the left ventricle forms the apex and inferoposterior aspect. The walls of the four chambers of the heart are made of cardiac muscle called the myocardium. The chambers are lined with endocardium, simple squamous epithelium that also covers the valves of the heart and continues into the vessels as their lining (endothelium). The important physical characteristic of the endocardium is not its thinness, but rather its smoothness. This very smooth tissue prevents abnormal blood clotting, because clotting would be initiated by contact of blood with a rough surface. Figure 4.chambers The right atrium Is a thin-walled chamber that receives the blood retuning from the body tissues. This blood, which is low in oxygen, is carried in the veins, the blood vessels leading to the heart from the body tissues. From the right atrium, blood will flow through the right atrioventricular (AV) valve, or tricuspid valve, into the right ventricle. The tricuspid valve is made of three flaps (or cusps) of endocardium reinforced with connective tissue. The general purpose of all valves in the circulatory system is to prevent backflow of blood. The specific purpose of the tricuspid valve is to prevent backflow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium when the right ventricle contracts. As the ventricle contracts, blood is forced behind the three valve flaps, forcing them upward and together to close the valve. The inner surface of the right atrium is smooth except for a small frontal area and for the inner surface of the auricle where the pectinate muscles (musculi pectinati) form a series of small vertical columns. Superiorly the pectinate muscles are continuous with a crest (crista terminalis), to which the sulcus terminalis corresponds on the external surface of the atrium. This sulcus points to the site where the primary sinus venosus is connected with the atrium of the embryo. On the septum separating the right atrium from the left is an oval depression (fossa ovalis), which is bounded superiorly and anteriorly by a raised edge, annulus ovalis (limbus fossae ovalis). This depression is a remnant of the foramen ovale through which the atria communicate during the intrauterine period. The foramen ovale may persist throughout life (in one-third of all cases). On the posterior wall between the orifices of the superior and inferior venae cavae is a small ridge, intervenous tubercle (tuberculum intervenosus) to the back of the superior part of the fossae ovalis. This ridge is thought to direct the flow of blood in the embryo from the superior vena cava into the right atrioventricular orifice. A fold of vena cava inferior (valvula venae cavae inferioris) stretches from the inferior margin of the orifice of the inferior vena cava to the limbus fossae ovalis. This fold is of vital importance for the embryo because it directs blood from the inferior vena cava through the foramen ovale into the left atrium. Below this valve, between the openings of the inferior vena cava and the right atrioventricular orifice, the sinus coronarius cordis, which collects blood from the veins of the heart, drains into the right atrium; moreover, small veins of the heart drain independently into the right atrium. Their small openings (foramina venarum minimarum) are scattered over the surface of the atrial walls. A small endocardial fold (valvula sinus coronarii) is found close to the opening of the venous sinus. In the inferoanterior section of the atrium, the wide right atrioventricular orifice (ostium atrioventriculare dextrum) leads into the cavity of the right ventricle. The left atrium. The left atrium (atrium sinistrum) adjoins posteriorly the descending aorta and the oesophagus. Two pulmonary veins drain into it from each side. The auricle of the left atrium (auricula sinistra) protrudes anteriorly, passing around the left side of the aorta and pulmonary trunk. The auricle contains pectinate muscles. In the inferoanterior section, an oval-shaped, left atrioventricular orifice (ostium atrioventriculare sinistrum) leads into the cavity of the left ventricle. The right ventricle The right ventricle pumps the venous blood received from the right atrium and sends it to the lungs. The wall of the right ventricle is smooth in the region of the conus arteriosus, but elsewhere there are inwardly projecting muscular trabeculae (trabeculae carneae). Between the longitudinal trabeculae lies a series of transverse ridges, as a result of which a network of trabeculae is produced. Blood from the right ventricle enters the pulmonary trunk through an orifice, the ostium trunci pulmonalis, supplied with a valve, the valva trunci pulmonalis, which prevents the return of blood from the pulmonary trunk into the right ventricle during diastole. The valve is composed of three semilunar cusps called the semilunar valvulae. One of them is attached to the anterior third of the circumference of the pulmonary trunk (valvula semilunaris anterior) and the other two to the posterior section of the circumference (valvulae semilunares dextra and sinistra). A small nodule, the nodulus valvulae semilunaris, is found in the middle of the free inner border of each valve; on each side of this nodule there are thin marginal segments of the valve called the lunulae valvulae semilunares. The nodules make the valves close more tightly. When the right ventricle contracts, the tricuspid valve closes and the blood is pumped to the lungs through the pulmonary artery (or trunk). At the junction of this large artery and the right ventricle is the pulmonary semilunar valve (or more simply, pulmonary valve). Its three flaps are forced open when the right ventricle contracts and pumps blood into the pulmonary artery. When the right ventricle relaxes, blood tends to come back, but this fills the valve flaps and closes the pulmonary valve to prevent backflow of blood into the right ventricle. Projecting into the lower part of the right ventricle are columns of myocardium called papillary muscles (see Fig. 4). Strands of fibrous connective tissue, the chordae tendineae, extend from the papillary muscles to the flaps of the tricuspid valve. When the right ventricle contracts, the papillary muscles also contract and pull on the chordae tendineae to prevent inversion of the tricuspid valve. If you have ever had your umbrella blown inside out by a strong wind, you can see what would happen if the flaps of the tricuspid valve were not anchored by the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. The left ventricle The left ventricle als is a chamber of human heart which has the thickest walls of all, pumps, oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. This blood goes through the arteries, the vessels that take blood from the heart to the tissues. The walls of the left ventricle are thicker than those of the right ventricle, which enables the left ventricle to contract more forcefully. The left ventricle pumps blood to the body through the aorta, the largest artery of the body. At the junction of the aorta and the left ventricle is the aortic semilunar valve (or aortic valve) (see Fig. 4). This valve is opened by the force of contraction of the left ventricle, which also closes the mitral valve. The aortic valve closes when the left ventricle relaxes, to prevent backflow of blood from the aorta to the left ventricle. When the mitral (left AV) valve closes, it prevents backflow of blood to the left atrium; the flaps of the mitral valve are also anchored by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. Blood Flow through the Chambers Until the sixteenth century, anatomists thought that blood flowed directly from the right ventricle to the left through invisible pores in the septum. This of course is not true. Blood in the right and left chambers of the heart is kept entirely separate. Figure 5 shows the pathway of the blood as it travels from the right atrium through the body and back to the starting point. The figure is numbered to correspond to the following description. Figure.6The Pathway of Blood Flow Through the Heart. - Approaching from above and below the heart, respectively. Blood in the right atrium flows through the right AV valve into the right ventricle - When the right ventricle contracts, the AV valve closes and blood is forced through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary trunk.This artery ascends from the front of the heart and branches into the right and left pulmonary arteries which lead to the respective lungs. In the lungs, this blood unloads its carbon dioxide and picks up a load of oxygen. - The oxygen-enriched blood returns by way of several veins which converge to form four pulmonary veins by the time they reach the heart. These four empty into the left atrium. - The left ventricle contracts at the same time as the right, and expels this blood through the aortic valve (11) into the ascending aorta. - Blood in the aorta flows to every organ in the body (13), unloading some of its O2, picking up CO2 from the tissues, and returning to the heart via the venae cavae. Arterial Supply The coronary circulation is the most variable aspect of cardiac anatomy. The following description covers only the largest coronary blood vessels, and describes only the pattern seen in about 70% to 85% of persons. Immediately after the aorta leaves the left ventricle, it gives off a right and left coronary artery. The orifices of these two arteries lie deep in the pockets formed by the aortic valve cusps. The left coronary artery (LCA) travels through the coronary sulcus under the left auricle and divides into two branches (fig. 7. The anterior interventricular branch travels down the anterior interventricular sulcus to the apex, rounds the bend, and travels a short distance up the posterior side of the heart. There it anastomoses with (joins) the posterior interventricular branch described shortly. Clinically, it is also called the left anterior descending (LAD) branch. This artery supplies blood to both ventricles and the anterior two-thirds of the interventricular septum. Figure.7.The Coronary Blood Vessels (a) Anterior aspect. (b) Posterior aspect. The right coronary artery (RCA) supplies the right atrium and sinoatrial node (pacemaker), continues along the coronary sulcus under the right auricle, and gives off two branches of its own: - The right marginal branch runs toward the apex of the heart and supplies the lateral aspect of the right atrium and ventricle. - The RCA continues around the right margin of the heart to the posterior side, sends a small branch to the atrioventricular node, then gives off a large posterior interventricular branch. This branch travels down the corresponding sulcus and supplies the posterior walls of both ventricles as well as the posterior portion of the interventricular septum. It ends by anastomosing with the circumflex and anterior interventricular branches of the left coronary artery . The energy demand of the cardiac muscle is so critical that an interruption of the blood supply to any part of the myocardium can cause necrosis within minutes. A fatty deposit or blood clot in a coronary artery can cause a myocardial infarction (MI), the sudden death of a patch of tissue deprived of its blood flow). Most organs receive more arterial blood when the ventricles contract than when they relax, but the opposite is true in the coronary arteries. There are three reasons for this. Contraction of the myocardium compresses the arteries and obstructs blood flow. During ventricular systole (contraction of the ventricles), the aortic valve is forced open and the valve cusps cover the openings to the coronary arteries, blocking blood from flowing into them. During ventricular diastole (relaxation), blood in the aorta briefly surges back toward the heart. It fills the aortic valve cusps and some of it flows into the coronary arteries, like sand filling a shirt pocket and flowing out through a hole in the bottom. In the coronary blood vessels, therefore, diastolic blood flow is greater than systolic blood flow. Membranes, Surface Features, and Walls Membranes The membrane that directly surrounds the heart and defines the pericardial cavity is called the pericardium or pericardial sac. It also surrounds the “roots” of the major vessels, or the areas of closest proximity to the heart. The pericardium, which literally translates as “around the heart,” consists of two distinct sublayers: the sturdy outer fibrous pericardium and the inner serous pericardium. The fibrous pericardium is made of tough, dense connective tissue that protects the heart and maintains its position in the thorax. The more delicate serous pericardium consists of two layers: the parietal pericardium, which is fused to the fibrous pericardium, and an inner visceral pericardium, or epicardium, which is fused to the heart.The Cardiovascular System. The Heart and is part of the heart wall. The pericardial cavity, filled with lubricating serous fluid, lies between the epicardium and the pericardium. In most organs within the body, visceral serous membranes such as the epicardium are microscopic. However, in the case of the heart, it is not a microscopic layer but rather a macroscopic layer, consisting of a simple squamous epithelium called a mesothelium, reinforced with loose, irregular, or areolar connective tissue that attaches to the pericardium. This mesothelium secretes the lubricating serous fluid that fills the pericardial cavity and reduces friction as the heart contracts. Figure 8.The pericardial membrane and the layers of the heart. Surface Features of the Heart Inside the pericardium, the surface features of the heart are visible, including the four chambers. There is a superficial leaflike extension of the atria near the superior surface of the heart, one on each side, called an auricle a name that means “ear like” because its shape resembles the external ear of a human. Auricles are relatively thin-walled structures that can fill with blood and empty into the atria or upper chambers of the heart. Major coronary blood vessels are located in these sulci. The deep coronary sulcus is located between the atria and ventricles. Located between the left and right ventricles are two additional sulci that are not as deep as the coronary sulcus. The anterior interventricular sulcus is visible on the anterior surface of the heart, whereas the posterior interventricular sulcus is visible on the posterior surface of the heart. Structure of the heart walls The walls of the heart are made up of three layers of unequal thickness. These layers are the inner layer, (the endocardium), a middle layer, (the myocardium), and an outer layer, the (epicardium), which is the visceral membrane of the pericardium. The thickness of the cardiac walls consists mainly of the middle layer, the myocardium, made up of muscle tissue. The outer layer, the epicardium, is the visceral lining of the serous pericardium. The inner layer, the endocardium, lines the heart cavities. Although the myocardium, or the muscle tissue of the heart, is cardiac striated, it differs from the skeletal muscles in that it consists not of symplasts, but of a network of contiguous, mononuclear cells joined to form fibres. Two layers are distinguished in the heart musculature: the muscular layers of the atrium and the muscular layers of the ventricles. The fibres of both arise from two fibrous rings (anuli fibrosi) one of which surrounds the right atrioventricular orifice and the other, the left atrioventricular orifice. The fibres of the atrium contract separately from the ventricles. A superficial and a deep muscular layer are distinguished in the atria: the superficial layer consists of circular or transverse fibres, whereas the deep layer is made up of longitudinal fibres arising from the fibrous rings and encircling the atrium like a loop. The large venous trunks draining into the atria are surrounded by circular fibres like sphincters. The fibres of the superficial layer encircle both atria; the deep fibres are separate in each atrium. The musculature of the ventricles is even more complex. Three layers can be distinguished in it. A thin superficial layer is composed of longitudinal fibres which arise from the right fibrous ring and descend obliquely, passing also onto the left ventricle; on the heart apex, they form a whorled mass (vortex cordis), making loops in the depths of the muscle and forming the longitudinal inner layer; the upper ends of the fibres of this layer are attached to the fibrous rings. The fibres of the middle layer, between the longitudinal outer and inner layers, are more or less circular. In contrast to the fibres of, the superficial layer, however, they do not pass from one ventricle to the other but are independent components of each ventricle. The epicardiumIs a serious membrane on the heart surface. It consists mainly of a simple squamous epithelium overlying a thin layer of areolar tissue. In some places, it also includes a thick layer of adipose tissue, whereas in other areas it is fat-free and translucent.The largest branches of the coronary blood vessels travel through the epicardium.A similar layer, the endocardium, lines the interior of the heart chambers. It is a simple squamous endothelium overlying a thin areolar tissue layer; it has no adipose tissue. The endocardium covers the valve surfaces and is continuous with the endothelium of the blood vessels.The epicardium covers the outer surface of the myocardium and is an ordinary serous membrane lined by the mesothelium. The underlying structures can be seen through the transparent epicardium: the middle layer of the heart (myocardium), vessels, nerves, and subepicardial fatty tissue. The latter lies along the coronary and interventricular grooves of the vessels. The endocardium is a very thin smooth layer of cells that resembles squamous epithelium. This membrane lines the interior of the heart. The valves of the heart are formed by reinforced folds of this material. The endocardium forms the lining of the inner surface of the heart cavities. It is made up, in turn, of a layer of connective tissue rich in elastic fibres and smooth muscle cells, a layer of connective tissue over the first layer with an admixture of elastic fibres, and an inner endothelial layer, the presence of which distinguishes the endocardium from the epicardium. In origin, the endocardium corresponds to the vascular wall, while its three layers correspond to the three vascular coats. All the heart valves are folds of the endocardium. The myocardium, the muscle of the heart, is the thickest layer. The heart also has a meshwork of collagenous and elastic fibers that make up the fibrous skeleton. This tissue is especially concentrated in the walls (septa) between the heart chambers, in fibrous rings (annuli fibrosi) around the openings of the heart valves, and in sheets of tissue that interconnect these rings. The fibrous skeleton has multiple functions: - It provides structural support for the heart, especially around the valves and the openings of the great vessels; it holds the valve orifices open and prevents them from being excessively stretched when blood surges through them. - It anchors the myocytes and gives them something to pull against. - As a nonconductor of electricity, it serves as electrical insulation between the atria and the ventricles, so the atria cannot stimulate the ventricles directly. This insulation is important to the timing and coordination of electrical and contractile activity. - Some authorities think (while others disagree) that elastic recoil of the fibrous skeleton may aid in refilling the heart with blood after each beat, like a hollow rubber ball that expands when you relax your grip. Internal Structure of the Heart Recall that the heart’s contraction cycle follows a dual pattern of circulation the pulmonary and systemic circuits because of the pairs of chambers that pump blood into the circulation. In order to develop a more precise understanding of cardiac function, it is first necessary to explore the internal anatomical structures in more detail. Septa of the Heart. The word septum is derived from the Latin for “something that encloses;” in this case, a septum (plural = septa) refers to a wall or partition that divides the heart into chambers. The septa are physical extensions of the myocardium lined with endocardium. Located between the two atria is the interatrial septum. Normally in an adult heart, the interatrial septum bears an oval-shaped depression known as the fossa ovalis, a remnant of an opening in the fetal heart known as the foramen ovale. The foramen ovale allowed blood in the fetal heart to pass directly from the right atrium to the left atrium, allowing some blood to bypass the pulmonary circuit. Within seconds after birth, a flap of tissue known as the septum primum that previously acted as a valve closes the foramen ovale and establishes the typical cardiac circulation pattern. The septum between the atria and ventricles is known as the atrioventricular septum. It is marked by the presence of four openings that allow blood to move from the atria into the ventricles and from the ventricles into the pulmonary trunk and aorta. Located in each of these openings between the atria and ventricles is a valve, a specialized structure that ensures one-way flow of blood. The valves between the atria and ventricles are known generically as atrioventricular valves. The valves at the openings that lead to the pulmonary trunk and aorta are known generically as semilunar valves. The interatrial septum is not visible, since its location is covered by the aorta and pulmonary trunk. Since these openings and valves structurally weaken the atrioventricular septum, the remaining tissue is heavily reinforced with dense connective tissue called the cardiac skeleton, or skeleton of the heart. It includes four rings that surround the openings between the atria and ventricles, and the openings to the pulmonary trunk and aorta, and serve as the point of attachment for the heart valves. The cardiac skeleton also provides an important boundary in the heart electrical conduction system. Between the two ventricles is a second septum known as the interventricular septum. Unlike the interatrial septum, the interventricular septum is normally intact after its formation during fetal development. It is substantially thicker than the interatrial septum, since the ventricles generate far greater pressure when they contract. The heart Valves. The heart consists four valves which are in two pairs: Atrioventricular (AV) valves between atria and ventricles and semilunar valves between ventricles and main arteries. The heart valves are made of tough, rubbery flaps, called cusps, which grow out of the heart wall. Joined to the free ends of the AV valves are a number of cords called chordae tendineae (heart strings) attaching them to muscles in the wall of the ventricle. The heart strings keep the AV flaps pointing in the direction of the blood flow, stopping them being turned “inside out” and forced through into the atria. The semilunar valves do not have heart strings. Blood flowing the wrong way makes the cusps balloon out so that their edges seal tight. Since the ventricles are the pumping chambers, the valves, which are all one way, are located at the entrance and the exit of each ventricle. The entrances valves are the atrioventricular valves, while the exit valves are the semilunar valves. Semilunar means “resembling a half moon. Valve facts As the heart valves slap shut to prevent the backflow of blood, they make a “lub-dub” sound. The “lub” is the AV valves closing, while the “dub” is the sound of the semilunar valves shutting. Atrioventricular valves The tricuspid valve consists of three cusps, while the bicuspid, or mitral, valve has only two cusps. They both stop blood flowing back from ventricles to atria.Atrioventricular (AV) valves AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria when the heart contracts through the following merchanism. - Blood fills the atria. The AV valves are closed. - Pressure in the atria rises, forcing the valves open. The ventricles begin to fill with blood. - As the ventricles become full, the AV valves close. This prevents blood from returning to the atria. Classification of Atrioventricular valves. The right atrioventricular valve also is known as the tricuspid valve, since it has three cusps, or flaps, that open and closes. When this valve is open, blood flows freely from the right atrium into the right ventricle. However, when the right ventricle begins to contract, the valve closes so that blood cannot return to the right atrium; this ensures forward flow into the pulmonary artery. The left atrioventricular valve is the bicuspid valve, but it is usually referred to as the mirtal valve. It has two rather heavy cusps that permit blood to flow freely from the left atrium into the left ventricle. However, the cusps close when the left ventricle begins to contract; this prevents blood from returning to the left atrium and ensures the forward flow of blood into the aorta. Both the tricuspid and mitral valves are attached by means of thin fibrous threads to the wall of the ventricles. The function of these threads, called the chordae tendineae is to keep the valve flaps from flipping up into the atria when the ventricles contract and thus causing a backflow of blood. Semilunar valves The aortic semilunar valve and pulmonary semilunar valve are located at the base of the two large arteries leaving the heart (the aorta and pulmonary artery). Each is crescent-shaped and consists of three cusps. The semilunar valves prevent the backflow of blood into the ventricles through the following mechanisms - The ventricles contract until pressure exceeds that of blood in the aorta and pulmonary artery. - The semilunar valves are forced open and blood flows out of the heart. - The ventricles relax and blood begins to flow backward toward the heart. The cusps of the semilunar valves are filled with blood and they close. Blood is prevented from flowing back into the ventricles. Classification of semilunar valves. The pulmonic (semilunar) valve is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery that leads to the lungs. As soon as the right ventricle has finished emptying itself, the valve closes in order to prevent blood on its way to the lungs from returning to the ventricle. The aortic (semilunar) valve is located between the left ventricle and the aorta. Following contraction of the left ventricle, the aortic valve closes to prevent the flow of blood back from the aorta to the ventricle. Blood Supply to the Myocardium Although blood flows through the heart chambers, only the endocardium comes into contact with it. Therefore, the myocardium must have its own blood vessels to provide oxygen and nourishment and to remove waste products. The arteries that supply blood to the muscle of the heart are called the right and left coronary arteries. These arteries, which are the first branches of the aorta, arise just above the aortic semilunar valve. They receive blood when the heart relaxes. After passing through capillaries in the myocardium, blood drains into the cardiac veins and finally into the coronary (venous) sinus for return to the right atrium. Physiology of the Heart Heart beats To listen to the heart beating, doctors and nurses position a stethoscope between the fifth and sixth ribs on a line leading down from the middle of the left collar bone. This area is directly over the apex of the heart, which moves forward when the heart ventricles contract and strikes the wall of the thorax. This can be felt from the outside of the chest as a heartbeat. Heart’s pumping power The middle layer of the heart’s wall is a thick layer of heart, or cardiac, muscle, known as myocardium (“myo” means muscle). The myocardium consists of three spiral layers of cardiac muscle attached to a framework of dense fibrous tissue that forms the “skeleton” of the heart. The spiral is the best arrangement for squeezing blood out of the heart’s chambers. The thickest heart muscle is in the wall of the left ventricle, which pumps blood all the way to the fingers and toes and back again. The right ventricle only has to pump blood to the lungs, so its walls are less than half as thick as those of the left ventricle. The atrial walls have much less muscle than the ventricle walls and so are quite thin. The left atrial wall is, however, thicker than the right atrial wall. Rings of cardiac muscle around the tricuspid and mitral inlet valves lock them tightly shut when the ventricles pump blood to the body and lungs. Cardiac muscle contains bundles of actin and myosin filaments and contracts in the same way as other body muscles. But it differs from other muscles in the way that nerve signals travel through the fibers and stimulate the muscle to contract. Heart muscle structure Cardiac muscle is different from the other two types of muscle in the body. It has stripes, like skeletal muscle, but works as a coordinated unit, rather than as a group of separate units, as skeletal muscle does. Cardiac muscle cells act together because they are connected by intercalated discs. These electrical connectors allow nerve impulses to travel through the heart without stopping. Automatic heart. Heart muscle responds to the autonomic or involuntary nervous system, as well as to its own internally generated electrical commands. It is not under conscious control, and works automatically, like the smooth muscle that lines the stomach and other internal organs. Muscle facts - The fibrous skeleton of the heart, together with the valves inside the heart, make up about half of the heart’s weight. - The wall of the left ventricle is up to half an inch (1.3 cm) thick in some places. The Work of the Heart A complete heartbeat is called the cardiac cycle. One heartbeat means the contraction (also called systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the atria, followed by the contraction and relaxation of the ventricles. Each cardiac cycle takes about 0.8 seconds to complete if the heart beats at an average of 72 beats per minute. In a normal heartbeat, the two atria contract simultaneously while the two ventricles relax. When the two ventricles contract, both atria relax. During a typical heartbeat, the atria contract for about 10 percent of the time and the ventricles for about 40 percent. The direction of blood flow through the the heart is controlled by the atrioventricular (AV) and semilunar valves. Although the right and left side of the heart are separated from each other, they work together. The blood is squeezed through the chambers by a contraction of heart muscle beginning in the thin-walled upper chambers, the atria, followed by a contraction of the thick muscle of the lower chambers, the ventricles. This active phase is called systole, and in each case it is followed by a resting period known as diastole. The contraction of the walls of the atria is completed at the time the contraction of the ventricles begins. Thus, the resting phase (diastole) begins in the atria at the same time as the contraction (systole) begins in the ventricles. After the ventricles have emptied, both chambers are relaxed for a short period of time as they fill with blood. Then another beat begins with contraction of the ventricles. This sequence of heart relaxation and contraction is called the cardiac cycle. Each cycle takes an average of 0.8 seconds. Cardiac muscle tissue has several unique properties. - Interconnection of the muscle fibers. The fibers are interwoven so the stimulation that causes the contraction of one fiber results in the contraction of the whole group. This plays an important role in the process of conduction and the working of the heart muscle. - Another property of heart muscle is its ability to adjust contraction strength to the amount of blood received. When the heart chamber is filled and the wall stretched (within limits), the contraction is strong. As less blood enters the heart, the contraction becomes weaker. As more blood enters the heart, as occurs during exercise, the muscle contracts, with greater strength so push the larger volume of blood out into the blood vessels. The volume of blood pumped by each ventricle in 1 minute is termed the cardiac output. It is determined by the volume of blood ejected from the ventricle with each beat−the stroke volume−and the number of beats of the heart per minute−the heart rate. The cardiac output averages 5 litres/minute for an adult at rest. Heart Disease Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (about 30% of deaths per annum, averaged across all age groups). The most common form of heart disease is coronary atherosclerosis, often leading to myocardial infarction. However, there are a multitude of other heart diseases. The principal categories of heart disease are congenital defects in cardiac anatomy, myocardial hypertrophy or degeneration, inflammation of the pericardium and heart wall, valvular defects, and cardiac tumors. THE CARDIAC CONDUCTION SYSTEM AND CARDIAC MUSCLE The most obvious physiological fact about the heart is its rhythmicity. It contracts at regular intervals, typically about 75 beats per minute (bpm) in a resting adult. Among invertebrates such as clams, crabs, and insects, each heartbeat is triggered by a pace maker in the nervous system. The vertebrate heartbeat, however, is said to be myogenic because the signal originates within the heart itself. Indeed, we can remove the heart from the body, keep it in aerated saline, and it will beat for hours. Cut the heart into little pieces, and each piece continues its own rhythmic pulsations. Thus it is obviously not dependent on the nervous system for its rhythm. The heart has its own pacemaker and electrical conduction system, and it is to this system that we now turn our attention.Cardiac muscle undergoes aerobic respiration patterns, primarily metabolizing lipids and carbohydrates. Myoglobin, lipids, and glycogen are all stored within the cytoplasm. Cardiac muscle cells undergo twitch-type contractions with long refractory periods followed by brief relaxation periods. The relaxation is essential so the heart can fill with blood for the next cycle. The refractory period is very long to prevent the possibility of tetany, a condition in which muscle remains involuntarily contracted. In the heart, tetany is not compatible with life, since it would prevent the heart from pumping blood. Recall that cardiac muscle shares a few characteristics with both skeletal muscle and smooth muscle, but it has some unique properties of its own. Not the least of these exceptional properties is its ability to initiate an electrical potential at a fixed rate that spreads rapidly from cell to cell to trigger the contractile mechanism. This property is known as autorhythmicity. Neither smooth nor skeletal muscle can do this. Even though cardiac muscle has autorhythmicity, heart rate is modulated by the endocrine and nervous systems. There are two major types of cardiac muscle cells: myocardial contractile cells and myocardial conducting cells. The myocardial contractile cells constitute the bulk (99 percent) of the cells in the atria and ventricles. Contractile cells conduct impulses and are responsible for contractions that pump blood through the body. The myocardial conducting cells (1 percent of the cells) form the conduction system of the heart. Except for Purkinje cells, they are generally much smaller than the contractile cells and have few of the myofibrils or filaments needed for contraction. Their function is similar in many respects to neurons, although they are specialized muscle cells. Myocardial conduction cells initiate and propagate the action potential (the electrical impulse) that travels throughout the heart and triggers the contractions that propel the blood. Structure of Cardiac Muscle Compared to the giant cylinders of skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, are considerably shorter with much smaller diameters. Cardiac muscle also demonstrates striations, the alternating pattern of dark A bands and light I bands attributed to the precise arrangement of the myofilaments and fibrils that are organized in sarcomeres along the length of the cell.These contractile elements are virtually identical to skeletal muscle. T (transverse) tubules penetrate from the surface plasma membrane, the sarcolemma, to the interior of the cell, allowing the electrical impulse to reach the interior. The T tubules are only found at the Z discs, whereas in skeletal muscle, they are found at the junction of the A and I bands. Therefore, there are one-half as many T tubules in cardiac muscle as in skeletal muscle. In addition, the sarcoplasmic reticulum stores few calcium ions, so most of the calcium ions must come from outside the cells. The result is a slower onset of contraction. Mitochondria are plentiful, providing energy for the contractions of the heart. Typically, cardiomyocytes have a single, central nucleus, but two or more nuclei may be found in some cells. Cardiac muscle cells branch freely. A junction between two adjoining cells is marked by a critical structure called an intercalated disc, which helps support the synchronized contraction of the muscle. The sarcolemmas from adjacent cells bind together at the intercalated discs. They consist of desmosomes, specialized linking proteoglycans, tight junctions, and large numbers of gap junctions that allow the passage of ions between the cells and help to synchronize the contraction. Intercellular connective tissue also helps to bind the cells together. The importance of strongly binding these cells together is necessitated by the forces exerted by contraction. The Conduction System Cardiac myocytes (muscle cells) are said to be autorhythmic15 because they depolarize spontaneously at regular time intervals. Some of them lose the ability to contract and become specialized, instead, for generating action potentials. These cells constitute the cardiac conduction system, which controls the route and timing of electrical conduction to ensure that the four chambers are coordinated with each other. Electrical signals arise and travel through the cardiac conduction system in the following order (fig.14): - The sinoatrial (SA) node, a patch of modified myocytes in the right atrium, just under the epicardium near the superior vena cava. This is the pacemaker that initiates each heartbeat and determines the heart rate. Signals from the SA node spread throughout the atria, as shown by the yellow arrows in figure 14. - The atrioventricular (AV) node, located near the right AV valve at the lower end of the interatrial septum. This node acts as an electrical gateway to the ventricles; the fibrous skeleton acts as an insulator to prevent currents from getting to the ventricles by any other route. - The atrioventricular (AV) bundle (bundle of His16), a pathway by which signals leave the AV node. The AV bundle soon forks into right and left bundle branches, which enter the interventricular septum and descend toward the apex. - Fibers, nervelike processes that arise from the lower end of the bundle branches and turn upward to spread throughout the ventricular myocardium. Purkinje fibers distribute the electrical excitation to the myocytes of the ventricles. They form a more elaborate network in the left ventricle than in the right. Although the SA node is the normal pacemaker of the heart, other autorhythmic sites in the heart can fire and stimulate cardiac contraction if the SA node fails to fire first. These other sites usually fire at slower rates than the SA node and therefore do not assume a pacemaker role unless the SA node is diseased.When another site does assume such a role, it is called an ectopic focus. The AV node is the most common ectopic focus, but other areas of myocardium can also take on this role. Ectopic foci usually fire too slowly to sustain life. Cardiac Output Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped by a ventricle in 1 minute. A certain level of cardiac output is needed at all times to transport oxygen to tissues and to remove waste products. During exercise, cardiac output must increase to meet the body’s need for more oxygen. We will return to exercise after first considering resting cardiac output. To calculate cardiac output, we must know the pulse rate and how much blood is pumped per beat. Stroke volume is the term for the amount of blood pumped by a ventricle per beat; an average resting stroke volume is 60 to 80 mL per beat. A simple formula then enables us to determine cardiac output: Notice that the athlete’s resting stroke volume is significantly higher than the average. The athlete’s more efficient heart pumps more blood with each beat and so can maintain a normal resting cardiac output with fewer beats. Now let us see how the heart responds to exercise. Heart rate (pulse) increases during exercise, and so does stroke volume. The increase in stroke volume is the result of Starling’s law of the heart, which states that the more the cardiac muscle fibers are stretched, the more forcefully they contract. During exercise, more blood returns to the heart; this is called venous return. Increased venous return stretches the myocardium of the ventricles, which contract more forcefully and pump more blood, thereby increasing stroke volume. Therefore, during exercise, our formula might be the following: Cardiac output = stroke volume x pulse Cardiac output = 100 mL X 100 bpm Cardiac output = 10,000 mL (10 liters) This exercise cardiac output is twice the resting cardiac output we first calculated, which should not be considered unusual. The cardiac output of a healthy young person may increase up to four times the resting level during strenuous exercise. This difference is the cardiac reserve, the extra volume the heart can pump when necessary. If resting cardiac output is 5 liters and exercise cardiac output is 20 liters, the cardiac reserve is 15 liters. The marathon runner’s cardiac output may increase six times or more compared to the resting level, and cardiac reserve is even greater than for the average young person; this is the result of the marathoner’s extremely efficient heart. Because of Starling’s law, it is almost impossible to overwork a healthy heart. No matter how much the volume of venous return increases, the ventricles simply pump more forcefully and increase the stroke volume and cardiac output. Also related to cardiac output, and another measure of the health of the heart, is the ejection fraction. This is the percent of the blood in a ventricle that is pumped during systole. A ventricle does not empty completely when it contracts, but should pump out 60% to 70% of the blood within it. A lower percentage would indicate that the ventricle is weakening. Cardiac Cycle The period of time that begins with contraction of the atria and ends with ventricular relaxation is known as the cardiac cycle (Figure 15). The period of contraction that the heart undergoes while it pumps blood into circulation is called systole. The period of relaxation that occurs as the chambers fill with blood is called diastole. The electrical event, the wave of depolarization, is the trigger for muscular contraction. The wave of depolarization begins in the right atrium, and the impulse spreads across the superior portions of both atria and then down through the contractile cells. The contractile cells then begin contraction from the superior to the inferior portions of the atria, efficiently pumping blood into the ventricles. Phases of the Cardiac Cycle - At the beginning of the cardiac cycle, both the atria and ventricles are relaxed (diastole). - Blood is flowing into the right atrium from the superior and inferior venae cavae and the coronary sinus. - Blood flows into the left atrium from the four pulmonary veins. - The two atrioventricular valves, the tricuspid and mitral valves, are both open, so blood flows unimpeded from the atria and into the ventricles. Approximately 70–80 percent of ventricular filling occurs by this method. - The two semilunar valves, the pulmonary and aortic valves, are closed, preventing backflow of blood into the right and left ventricles from the pulmonary trunk on the right and the aorta on the left. Atrial Systole and Diastole Contraction of the atria follows depolarization, represented by the P wave of the ECG. As the atrial muscles contract from the superior portion of the atria toward the atrioventricular septum, pressure rises within the atria and blood is pumped into the ventricles through the open atrioventricular (tricuspid, and mitral or bicuspid) valves. At the start of atrial systole, the ventricles are normally filled with approximately 70–80 percent of their capacity due to inflow during diastole. Atrial contraction, also referred to as the “atrial kick,” contributes the remaining 20–30 percent of filling (see Figure 15). Atrial systole lasts approximately 100 ms and ends prior to ventricular systole, as the atrial muscle returns to diastole. Ventricular Systole Ventricular systole (see Figure 15) follows the depolarization of the ventricles and is represented by the QRS complex in the ECG. It may be conveniently divided into two phases, lasting a total of 270 ms. At the end of atrial systole and just prior to atrial contraction, the ventricles contain approximately 130 mL blood in a resting adult in a standing position. This volume is known as the end diastolic volume (EDV) or preload. Initially, as the muscles in the ventricle contract, the pressure of the blood within the chamber rises, but it is not yet high enough to open the semilunar (pulmonary and aortic) valves and be ejected from the heart. However, blood pressure quickly rises above that of the atria that are now relaxed and in diastole. This increase in pressure causes blood to flow back toward the atria, closing the tricuspid and mitral valves. Since blood is not being ejected from the ventricles at this early stage, the volume of blood within the chamber remains constant. Consequently, this initial phase of ventricular systole is known as isovolumic contraction, also called isovolumetric contraction (see Figure 15). In the second phase of ventricular systole, the ventricular ejection phase, the contraction of the ventricular muscle has raised the pressure within the ventricle to the point that it is greater than the pressures in the pulmonary trunk and the aorta. Blood is pumped from the heart, pushing open the pulmonary and aortic semilunar valves. Pressure generated by the left ventricle will be appreciably greater than the pressure generated by the right ventricle, since the existing pressure in the aorta will be so much higher. Nevertheless, both ventricles pump the same amount of blood. This quantity is referred to as stroke volume. Stroke volume will normally be in the range of 70–80 mL. Since ventricular systole began with an EDV of approximately 130 mL of blood, this means that there is still 50–60 mL of blood remaining in the ventricle following contraction. This volume of blood is known as the end systolic volume (ESV). Ventricular Diastole Ventricular relaxation, or diastole, follows repolarization of the ventricles and is represented by the T wave of the ECG. It too is divided into two distinct phases and lasts approximately 430 ms. During the early phase of ventricular diastole, as the ventricular muscle relaxes, pressure on the remaining blood within the ventricle begins to fall. When pressure within the ventricles drops below pressure in both the pulmonary trunk and aorta, blood flows back toward the heart, producing the dicrotic notch (small dip) seen in blood pressure tracings. The semilunar valves close to prevent backflow into the heart. Since the atrioventricular valves remain closed at this point, there is no change in the volume of blood in the ventricle, so the early phase of ventricular diastole is called the isovolumic ventricular relaxation phase, also called isovolumetric ventricular relaxation phase (see Figure 15). In the second phase of ventricular diastole, called late ventricular diastole, as the ventricular muscle relaxes, pressure on the blood within the ventricles drops even further. Eventually, it drops below the pressure in the atria. When this occurs, blood flows from the atria into the ventricles, pushing open the tricuspid and mitral valves. As pressure drops within the ventricles, blood flows from the major veins into the relaxed atria and from there into the ventricles. Both chambers are in diastole, the atrioventricular valves are open, and the semilunar valves remain closed (see Figure 15). The cardiac cycle is complete. Atrioventricular (AV) Node The atrioventricular (AV) node is a second clump of specialized myocardial conductive cells, located in the inferior portion of the right atrium within the atrioventricular septum. The septum prevents the impulse from spreading directly to the ventricles without passing through the AV node. There is a critical pause before the AV node depolarizes and transmits the impulse to the atrioventricular bundle. This delay in transmission is partially attributable to the small diameter of the cells of the node, which slow the impulse. Also, conduction between nodal cells is less efficient than between conducting cells. These factors mean that it takes the impulse approximately 100 ms to pass through the node. This pause is critical to heart function, as it allows the atrial cardiomyocytes to complete their contraction that pumps blood into the ventricles before the impulse is transmitted to the cells of the ventricle itself. With extreme stimulation by the SA node, the AV node can transmit impulses maximally at 220 per minute. This establishes the typical maximum heart rate in a healthy young individual. Damaged hearts or those stimulated by drugs can contract at higher rates, but at these rates, the heart can no longer effectively pump blood. Heart Block. A heart block refers to an interruption in the normal conduction pathway. The nomenclature for these is very straightforward. SA nodal blocks occur within the SA node. AV nodal blocks occur within the AV node. Infra-Hisian blocks involve the bundle of His. Bundle branch blocks occur within either the left or right atrioventricular bundle branches. Pressures and Flow. Fluids, whether gases or liquids, are materials that flow according to pressure gradients that is, they move from regions that are higher in pressure to regions that are lower in pressure. Accordingly, when the heart chambers are relaxed (diastole), blood will flow into the atria from the veins, which are higher in pressure. As blood flows into the atria, the pressure will rise, so the blood will initially move passively from the atria into the ventricles. When the action potential triggers the muscles in the atria to contract (atrial systole), the pressure within the atria rises further, pumping blood into the ventricles. During ventricular systole, pressure rises in the ventricles, pumping blood into the pulmonary trunk from the right ventricle and into the aorta from the left ventricle. Again, as you consider this flow and relate it to the conduction pathway, the elegance of the system should become apparent. Heart Sounds One of the simplest, yet effective, diagnostic techniques applied to assess the state of a patient’s heart is auscultation using a stethoscope. In a normal, healthy heart, there are only two audible heart sounds: S1 and S2. S1 is the sound created by the closing of the atrioventricular valves during ventricular contraction and is normally described as a “lub,” or first heart sound. The second heart sound, S2, is the sound of the closing of the semilunar valves during ventricular diastole and is described as a “dub” . In both cases, as the valves close, the openings within the atrioventricular septum guarded by the valves will become reduced, and blood flow through the opening will become more turbulent until the valves are fully closed. There is a third heart sound, S3, but it is rarely heard in healthy individuals. It may be the sound of blood flowing into the atria, or blood sloshing back and forth in the ventricle, or even tensing of the chordae tendineae. S3 may be heard in youth, some athletes, and pregnant women. If the sound is heard later in life, it may indicate congestive heart failure, warranting further tests. Some cardiologists refer to the collective S1, S2, and S3 sounds as the “Kentucky gallop,” because they mimic those produced by a galloping horse. The fourth heart sound, S4, results from the contraction of the atria pushing blood into a stiff or hypertrophic ventricle, indicating failure of the left ventricle. S4 occurs prior to S1 and the collective sounds S4, S1, and S2 are referred to by some cardiologists as the “Tennessee gallop,” because of their similarity to the sound produced by a galloping horse with a different gait. Correlation Between Heart Rates and Cardiac Output. Initially, physiological conditions that cause HR to increase also trigger an increase in SV. During exercise, the rate of blood returning to the heart increases. However as the HR rises, there is less time spent in diastole and consequently less time for the ventricles to fill with blood. Even though there is less filling time, SV will initially remain high. However, as HR continues to increase, SV gradually decreases due to decreased filling time. CO will initially stabilize as the increasing HR compensates for the decreasing SV, but at very high rates, CO will eventually decrease as increasing rates are no longer able to compensate for the decreasing SV. Consider this phenomenon in a healthy young individual. Initially, as HR increases from resting to approximately 120 bpm, CO will rise. As HR increases from 120 to 160 bpm, CO remains stable, since the increase in rate is offset by decreasing ventricular filling time and, consequently, SV. As HR continues to rise above 160 bpm, CO actually decreases as SV falls faster than HR increases. So although aerobic exercises are critical to maintain the health of the heart, individuals are cautioned to monitor their HR to ensure they stay within the target heart rate range of between 120 and 160 bpm, so CO is maintained. The target HR is loosely defined as the range in which both the heart and lungs receive the maximum benefit from the aerobic workout and is dependent upon age. Cardiovascular Centers Nervous control over HR is centralized within the two paired cardiovascular centers of the medulla oblongata (Figure 16). The cardioaccelerator regions stimulate activity via sympathetic stimulation of the cardioaccelerator nerves, and the cardioinhibitory centers decrease heart activity via parasympathetic stimulation as one component of the vagus nerve, cranial nerve X. During rest, both centers provide slight stimulation to the heart, contributing to autonomic tone. This is a similar concept to tone in skeletal muscles. Normally, vagal stimulation predominates as, left unregulated, the SA node would initiate a sinus rhythm of approximately 100 bpm.Both sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulations flow through a paired complex network of nerve fibers known as the cardiac plexus near the base of the heart. The cardioaccelerator center also sends additional fibers, forming the cardiac nerves via sympathetic ganglia (the cervical ganglia plus superior thoracic ganglia T1–T4) to both the SA and AV nodes, plus additional fibers to the atria and ventricles. The ventricles are more richly innervated by sympathetic fibers than parasympathetic fibers. Sympathetic stimulation causes the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) at the neuromuscular junction of the cardiac nerves. NE shortens the repolarization period, thus speeding the rate of depolarization and contraction, which results in an increase in HR. It opens chemical- or ligand-gated sodium and calcium ion channels, allowing an influx of positively charged ions. NE binds to the beta-1 receptor. Some cardiac medications (for example, beta blockers) work by blocking these receptors, thereby slowing HR and are one possible treatment for hypertension. Overprescription of these drugs may lead to bradycardia and even stoppage of the heart. Input to the Cardiovascular Center The cardiovascular center receives input from a series of visceral receptors with impulses traveling through visceral sensory fibers within the vagus and sympathetic nerves via the cardiac plexus. Among these receptors are various proprioreceptors, baroreceptors, and chemoreceptors, plus stimuli from the limbic system. Collectively, these inputs normally enable the cardiovascular centers to regulate heart function precisely, a process known as cardiac reflexes. Increased physical activity results in increased rates of firing by various proprioreceptors located in muscles, joint capsules, and tendons. Prenatal Development of the Heart The heart is one of the earliest organs to form and begin functioning in the embryo. The first traces of the heart appear in week 3; by 21 to 23 days (usually before the mother is aware that she is pregnant) the heart is already beating; by day 24, it circulates blood throughout the embryo. The critical early development of the heart is reflected by the prominent heart bulge that appears on the anterior surface of the embryo. In week 3, a region of mesoderm at the far anterior end of the embryo condenses into a pair of longitudinal cellular cords. By day 19, these become hollow, parallel endocardial heart tubes (fig. 17a). As the embryo grows and the head region folds, these tubes are pushed closer together, the tissues dividing them break down, and they fuse into a single heart tube (fig. 17b). The heart forms from an embryonic tissue called mesoderm around 18 to 19 days after fertilization. Mesoderm is one of the three primary germ layers that differentiates early in development that collectively gives rise to all subsequent tissues and organs. The heart begins to develop near the head of the embryo in a region known as the cardiogenic area. Following chemical signals called factors from the underlying endoderm (another of the three primary germ layers), the cardiogenic area begins to form two strands called the cardiogenic cords. As the cardiogenic cords develop, a lumen rapidly develops within them. At this point, they are referred to as endocardial tubes. The two tubes migrate together and fuse to form a single primitive heart tube. The primitive heart tube quickly forms five distinct regions. From head to tail, these include the truncus arteriosus, bulbus cordis, primitive ventricle, primitive atrium, and the sinus venosus. Initially, all venous blood flows into the sinus venosus, and contractions propel the blood from tail to head, or from the sinus venosus to the truncus arteriosus. This is a very different pattern from that of an adult. Figure.17.Embryonic Development of the Heart. HEART RATE A healthy adult has a resting heart rate (pulse) of 60 to 80 beats per minute, which is the rate of depolarization of the SA node. (The SA node actually has a slightly faster rate, closer to 100 beats per minute, but is slowed by parasympathetic nerve impulses to what we consider a normal resting rate.) A rate less than 60 (except for athletes) is called bradycardia; a prolonged or consistent rate greater than 100 beats per minute is called tachycardia. A child’s normal heart rate may be as high as 100 beats per minute, that of an infant as high as 120, and that of a near-term fetus as high as 140 beats per minute. These higher rates are not related to age, but rather to size: the smaller the individual, the higher the metabolic rate and the faster the heart rate. Parallels may be found among animals of different sizes; the heart rate of a mouse is about 200 beats per minute and that of an elephant about 30 beats per minute. well-conditioned athletes have low resting pulse rates. Those of basketball players are often around 50 beats per minute, and the pulse of a marathon runner often ranges from 35 to 40 beats per minute. When our skeletal muscles are exercised, they become stronger and more efficient. The same is true for the heart; consistent exercise makes it a more efficient pump, as you will see in the next section. The Conduction System of the Heart The cardiac cycle is regulated by specialized areas in the heart wall that forms the conduction system of the heart. Two of these areas are tissue mass called nodes; the third is a group of fibers called the atrioventricular bundle. The sinoatrial node, which is located I the upper wall of the right atrium an initiates the heart beat, is called the pacemaker. The second node, located in the ineratrial septum at the bottom of the right atrium, is called the atrioventricular node. The atrioventricular bundle, also known as the bundle of His, is located at the top of the interventricular septum; it has branches that extend to all parts of the ventricle walls. Fibers travel first down both sides of the interventricular septum in groups called the right and left bundle branches. Smaller Purkinje fibers then travel in a branching network throughout the myocardium of the ventricles . The order in which the impulses travel is as follows: - The sinoatrial node generates the electric impulse that begins the heart beat. - The excitation wave travels throughout the muscle of each atrium, causing it to contract. - The atrioventricular node is stimulated.The relatively slower conduction through this node allows time for the atria to contract and complete the filling of the ventricles. - The excitation wave travels rapidly through the bundle of His and then throughout the ventricular walls by means of the bundle branches and Purkinje fibers. The entire musculature of the ventricles contracts practically at once. As a safety measure, a region of the conduction system other than the sinoatrial node fails, but it does so at a slower rate. Factors affecting heart rate. - - Body temperature. Higher body temperature results in an increased heart rate; a lower body temperature reduces the heart rate. - Emotions. Excitement, anger, anxiety, and fright, for example, all cause the heart to beat faster. Depression and grief can decrease the heart rate. - Chemicals.Chemicals present in the blood (such as hormones) affect the heart rate, as do chemicals taken as drugs. - Age. Our resting heart rates gradually slow down as we get older. - Gender. Men tend to have lower heart rates than women, with 70–72 beats per minute compared to 78–82 for women. - Activity. Vigorous exercise, for example, increases the heart rate; during periods of relaxation the heart rate slows down. - Physical condition.The resting heart rate of people who exercise tends to be lower than that of the inactive. Blood pressure Stimuli affecting blood pressure in general also affect heart rate. - Heart disease. Various diseases and disorders of the heart can affect heart rate. - The heart rate is also affected by such factors as hormones, ions, and drugs in the blood. Bradycardia is a relatively slow heart rate of less than 60 beats/minute. During rest and sleep, the heart may beat less than 60 beats/minute but usually does not fall below 50 beats/minute. - - Tachycardia refers to a heart rate over 100 beats/minute. - Sinus arrhythmia is a regular variation in heart rate due to changes in the rate and depth of breathing. It is normal phenomenon. - Premature beats, also called extrasystoles are beats that come in before the the expected normal beats. They may occur in normal persons initiated by caffeine, nicotine, or psycologic stresses. They are also common in persons with heart disease. Regualation of the Heart rate. Although the heart generates and maintains its own beat, the rate of contraction can be changed to adapt to different situations. Although the fundamental beat of the heart originates within the heart itself, the heart rate can be influenced by the nervous system and by other factors in the internal environment. These influences allow the heart to meet changing need rapidly. The nervous system can and does bring about necessary changes in heart rate as well as in force of contraction. The medulla of the brain contains the two cardiac centers, the accelerator center and the inhibitory center.These centers send impulses to the heart along autonomic nerves. Figure.18.Nervous regulation of the heart. Venous Drainage Venous drainage refers to the route by which blood leaves an organ. After flowing through capillaries of the heart wall, about 20% of the coronary blood empties directly from multiple small thebesian13 veins into the right ventricle. The other 80% returns to the right atrium by the following route The Pericardium Membrane that encases the heart (peri means around) (cardium relates to heart). The heart is enclosed in a double-walled sac called the pericardium. The outer wall, called the parietal pericardium (pericardial sac), has a tough, superficial fibrous layer of dense irregular connective tissue and a deep, thin serous layer. The serous layer turns inward at the base of the heart and forms the visceral pericardium (epicardium) covering the heart surface . The pericardial sac is anchored by ligaments to the diaphragm below and the sternum anterior to it, and more loosely anchored by fibrous connective tissue to mediastinal tissue dorsal to the heart. Pericardium contracts and relaxes to force blood to move through the circulatory system. The conducting system. An important role in the rhythmic work of the heart and in the coordination of the activity of the musculature of the separate heart chambers is played by the conducting system of the heart. Although the atrial musculature is separated from the ventricular musculature by fibrous rings, the two musculatures are, nevertheless, connected by the conducting system, which is composed of a complex of special cardiac muscles fibres (fibres of Purkinje). The cells of these muscle fibres are poor in myofibrils but rich in sarcoplasm. The following nodes and bundles are distinguished in the conducting system: - The sinoatrial node (nodus sinuatrialis) or Keith-Flack’s sinoatrial bundle is located in an area of the right atrial wall in sulcus terminalis, between the superior vena cava and the right auricle. It is connected with the musculature of the atria and is important for their rhythmic contraction. The atria are, therefore, connected to each other by the sinoatrial bundle and to the ventricles by the atrioventricular bundle. Stimulation from the right atrium is usually conducted from the sinoatrial node to the atrioventricular node. - The atrioventricular bundle (fasciculus atrioventricularis) arises as a thickening of the atrioventricular node, nodus atrioventricularis (the node of Aschoif and Tawara), lying in the wall of the right atrium near the cuspis septalis of the tricuspid valve. The fibres of the node are directly connected with the atrial musculature and continue into the septum between the ventricles as the atrioventricular bundle of His. In the septum between the ventricles, the bundle of His divides into right and left crura (crus dextrum and crus sinistrum), which pass into the walls of the respective ventricles and give off branches under the endocardium in the musculature. The atrioventricular bundle is significant in the work of the heart since it conducts the wave of contraction from the atria to the ventricles that regulates the rhythm of the systole of the atria and ventricles. The sinoatrial and atrioventricular bundles should be considered a neuromuscular complex, which is connected with all parts of the heart and with the central nervous system. Partitions of human Heart. Physicians often refer to the right heart and the left heart. This is because the human heart is really a double pump. The two sides are completely separated from each other by a partition called the septum. The upper part of this partition is called interartrial septum; while the larger the lower portion is called interventricular septum. The septum, like the heart wall, consists largely of myocardium. The vessels of the heart. There are three principal categories of blood vessels—arteries, veins, and capillaries. Arteries are the efferent vessels of the cardiovascular system that is, vessels that carry blood away from the heart. Veins are the afferent vessels—vessels that carry blood back to the heart. Capillaries are microscopic, thin-walled vessels that connect the smallest arteries to the smallest veins. Aside from their general location and direction of blood flow, these three categories of vessels also differ in the histological structure of their walls. The Vessel Wall. The walls of arteries and veins are composed of three layers called tunics. - The tunica interna (tunica intima) lines the inside of the vessel and is exposed to the blood. It consists of a simple squamous epithelium called the endothelium, overlying a basement membrane and a sparse layer of loose connective tissue. The endothelium acts as a selectively permeable barrier to materials entering or leaving the bloodstream; it secretes chemicals that stimulate the muscle of the vessel wall to contract or relax, thus narrowing or widening the vessel; and it normally repels blood cells and platelets so that they flow freely without sticking to the vessel wall. When the endothelium is damaged, however, platelets may adhere to it and form a blood clot; and when the tissue around a vessel is inflamed, the endothelial cells produce cell-adhesion molecules that induce leukocytes to adhere to the surface. This causes leukocytes to congregate in tissues where their defensive actions are needed. - The tunica media, the middle layer, is usually the thickest. It consists of smooth muscle, collagen, and in some cases, elastic tissue. The relative amounts of smooth muscle and elastic tissue vary greatly from one vessel to another and form a basis for classifying vessels as described in the next section. The principal functions of the tunica media are to strengthen the vessels and prevent the blood pressure from rupturing them, and to provide for vasomotion, changes in the diameter of a blood vessel. The widening of a vessel is called vasodilation and a narrowing is called vasoconstriction. - The tunica externa is the outermost layer. It consists of loose connective tissue that often merges with that of neighboring blood vessels, nerves, or other organs. It anchors the vessel and provides passage for small nerves, lymphatic vessels, and smaller blood vessels. Small vessels called the vasa vasorum supply blood to at least the outer half of the wall of a larger vessel. Tissues of the inner half of the wall are thought to be nourished by diffusion from blood in the lumen. Arteries Arteries are sometimes called the resistance vessels of the cardiovascular system because they have a relatively strong, resilient tissue structure that resists the high blood pressure within. Each beat of the ventricles creates a surge of pressure in the arteries as blood is ejected into them. Arteries are constructed to withstand these pressure surges. They are more muscular than veins, so they retain their round shape even when empty, and they appear relatively circular in tissue sections. The arteries of the heart, the right and left coronary arteries (a. coronaria dextra and a. coronaria sinistra) arise from the bulbus aortae below the superior margins of the semilunar valves. As a result, during systole the entrance to the coronary arteries is closed by the valves, while the arteries themselves are compressed by the contracted heart muscles. As a consequence, the supply of blood to the heart diminishes during systole; blood enters the coronary arteries during diastole when the openings of these arteries in the orifice of the aorta are not closed by the semilunar valves. The right coronary artery (a. coronaria dextra) arises from the aorta corresponding to the right semilunar valvule and passes between the aorta and the auricle of the right atrium laterally. From there it curves around the right border of the heart in the coronary sulcus and passes over to its posterior surface. Here it is continuous with the interventricular branch (ramus interventricularis posterior). Along the right margine is located marginal branch. The interventricular branch descends in the posterior interventricular sulcus to the heart apex where it anastomoses with the branch of the left coronary artery. The branches of the right coronary artery vascularize: the right atrium, part of the anterior and the entire posterior wall of the right ventricle, a small area of the posterior wall of the left ventricle, the interatrial septum, the posterior one-third of the interventricular septum, the papillary muscles of the right ventricle, and the posterior papillary muscle of the left ventricle. The left coronary artery (a. coronaria sinistra) arises from the aorta at the left similunar valvule and also lies in the coronary sulcus to the front of the left atrium. Between the pulmonary trunk and the left auricle, it gives off two branches: a thinner, anterior interventricular branch (ramus interventricularis anterior) and a larger, left circumflex branch (ramus circumflexus). The first descends along the anterior interventricular sulcus to the heart apex where it anastomoses with the branch of the right coronary artery. The second is a continuation of the main trunk of the left coronary artery; it curves around the heart from the left side in the coronary sulcus and is also connected with the right coronary artery. As a result, an arterial ring forms along the whole coronary sulcus, which is located in a horizontal plane and from which branches to the heart rise perpendicularly. The ring is a functional adaptation for the collateral circulation of the heart. The branches of the left coronary artery vascularize the left atrium, the entire anterior and the greater part of the posterior left ventricular wall, part of the anterior wall of the right ventricle, the anterior two-thirds of the interventricular septum, and the anterior papillary muscle of the left ventricle. Developmental variants of the coronary arteries may occur, as a result of which the correlations of the blood-supply channels differ. Three forms of blood supply to the heart are distinguished from this standpoint: uniform blood supply, with similar development of both coronary arteries, left-coronary blood supply, and right-coronary blood supply. In addition to the coronary arteries, arteries reach the heart from the bronchial arteries, from the inferior surface of the aortic arch near the arterial ligament. These arteries must be considered during operations on the lungs and oesophagus since injury to them would adversely affect blood supply to the heart. The intraorganic arteries of the heart. According to the four heart chambers, the coronary arteries and their large branches give off arteries to the atria (aa. atriales) and their auricles (aa. auriculares), the ventricles (aa. ventriculares), and the septa between them (aa. septi anterior and septi posterior). On penetrating the thickness of the myocardium, they branch out according to the number, location, and structure of its layers: first in the outer layer, then in the middle layer (in the ventricles), and finally in the inner layer, after which they penetrate the papillary muscles (aa. papillares) and even the atrio-ventricular valves. The intramuscular arteries, in each layer follow the course of the muscle bundles and anastomose in all the layers and sections of the heart. The walls of some of these arteries have a strongly developed layer of smooth muscles, which contract to close the lumen of the vessel completely. The arteries are, therefore, called “closing” arteries. Temporary spasm of these arteries may lead to the cessation of the flow of blood to the given area of the heart muscle and cause myocardial infarction. Some branches pass through muscular fibers that also compress them during ventricular systole (muscular bridge). A case of an accessory coronary artery of the heart arising from the pulmonary trunk has been described. The Division of Ateries. The Arteries as the blood vessels are divided into three categories by size, but of course there is a smooth transition from one category to the next.As follows. - Conducting (elastic or large) arteries are the biggest arteries. The aorta, common carotid and subclavian arteries, pulmonary trunk, and common iliac arteries are examples of conducting arteries. There is a very thin layer of elastic fibers called the internal elastic lamina at the border between the intima and media, but it is sparse and not very visible microscopically. The tunica media consists of 40 to 70 layers of elastic sheets, perforated like slices of Swiss cheese, alternating with thin layers of smooth muscle, collagen, and elastic fibers. In histological sections, the view is dominated by this elastic tissue. There is a thin external elastic lamina at the border between the media and externa. The tunica externa is relatively thick and well supplied with vasa vasorum. Conducting arteries expand during ventricular systole to receive blood, and recoil during diastole. Their expansion takes some of the pressure off the blood so that smaller arteries downstream are subjected to less systolic stress. Their recoil between heartbeats prevents the blood pressure from dropping too low while the heart is relaxing and refilling. These effects lessen the fluctuations in blood pressure that would otherwise occur. Arteries stiffened by atherosclerosis cannot expand and recoil as freely. Consequently, the downstream vessels are subjected to greater stress and are more likely to develop aneurysms and rupture. - Distributing (muscular or medium) arteries are smaller branches that distribute blood to specific organs. You could compare a conducting artery to an interstate highway and distributing arteries to the exit ramps and state highways that serve specific towns. Most arteries that have specific anatomical names are in these first two size classes. The brachial, femoral, renal, and splenic arteries are examples of distributing arteries. Distributing arteries typically have up to 40 layers of smooth muscle constituting about three-quarters of the wall thickness. This smooth muscle is more conspicuous than the elastic tissue in histological specimens of distributing arteries. Both the internal and external elastic laminae, however, are thick and often histologically conspicuous in distributing arteries. Hepatic Portal System. Almost always, when blood leaves a capillary bed it returns directly to the heart. In a portal system, however, blood circulates through a second capillary bed, usually in a second organ, before returning to the heart. Thus, a portal system is a kind of detour in the pathway of venous return that can transport materials directly from one organ to another. The portal system between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary has already been described. The largest portal system in the body is the hepatic portal system, which carries blood from the abdominal organs to the liver. The hepatic portal system includes the veins drains blood from capillaries in the spleen, stomach, pancreas, and intestine. Instead of emptying their blood directly into the inferior vena cava, they deliver it by way of the hepatic portal vein to the liver. The largest tributary of the portal vein is the superior mesenteric vein it is joined by the spleenic vein just under the liver. Other tributaries of the portal circulation are the gastric, pancreatic, and inferior mesenteric veins. The natural pacemaker of the heart is the sinoatrial (SA) node, a specialized group of cardiac muscle cells located in the wall of the right atrium just below the opening of the superior vena cava. The SA node is considered specialized because it has the most rapid rate of contraction, that is, it depolarizes more rapidly than any other part of the myocardium (60 to 80 times per minute). As you may recall, depolarization is the rapid entry of Na ions and the reversal of charges on either side of the cell membrane. The cells of the SA node are more permeable to Na ions than are other cardiac muscle cells. Therefore, they depolarize more rapidly, then contract and initiate each heartbeat. From the SA node, impulses for contraction travel to the atrioventricular (AV) node, located in the lower interatrial septum. The transmission of impulses from the SA node to the AV node and to the rest of the atrial myocardium brings about atrial systole. Nerve Supply to the Heart. Even though the heart has its own pacemaker, it does receive both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, which modify the heart rate and contraction strength. Sympathetic stimulation is able to raise the heart rate to as high as 230 beats/min, while parasympathetic stimulation can slow the heart rate to as low as 20 beats/min or even stop the heart for a few seconds. The sympathetic pathway to the heart originates with neurons in the lower cervical to upper thoracic spinal cord. Efferent fibers from these neurons pass from the spinal cord to the sympathetic chain and travel up the chain to the three cervical ganglia. Cardiac nerves arise from the cervical ganglia (see fig. 16.4) and lead mainly to the ventricular myocardium, where they increase the force of contraction. Some fibers, however, innervate the atria. Sympathetic fibers to the coronary arteries dilate them and increase coronary blood flow during exercise. The parasympathetic pathway to the heart is through the vagus nerves. The right vagus nerve innervates mainly the SA node and the left vagus nerve innervates mainly the AV node, although there is some cross-innervation from each nerve to both nodes. The ventricles receive little or no vagal stimulation. The vagus nerves slow the heartbeat. Without this influence, the SA node would produce an average resting heart rate of about 100 beats/min, but steady background firing of the vagus nerves (vagal tone) normally holds the resting rate down to about 70 to 80 beats/min. The nerves innervating the heart musculature, with its distinctive structure and function, are complex and form numerous plexuses. The whole nervous system of the heart is composed of: 1) arriving nerve trunks; 2) plexuses in the heart itself; and 3) plexuses connected with those of the ganglionic fields. The nerves of the heart are divided according to function into four types (I.P. Pavlov): decelerating, accelerating, diminishing, and intensifying. Morphologically they are part of the vagus nerve and the sympathetic trunk. The sympathetic nerves (mainly the postganglionic fibres) branch off from the upper three cervical and upper five thoracic sympathetic ganglia: n. cardiacus cervicalis superior from the ganglion cervicale superius; n. cardiacus cervicalis medius from the ganglion cervicale medium; n. cardiacus cervicalis inferior from the ganglion cervicale inferius or ganglion cervicothoracicum s. ganglion stellatum, and nn. cardiaci thoraciii from the thoracic ganglia of the sympathetic trunk. When there are four cervical ganglia, a fourth rt. cardiacus cervicalis exists; in individuals with two cervical ganglia, there are only two cervical cardiac nerves. The cardiac branches of the vagus nerve (parasympathetic) arise from its cervical (rami cardiaci superiores) and thoracic (rami cardiaci medii) parts and from n. laryngeus recurrens vagi (rami cardiaci inferiores). The arriving nerves are composed of two groups, superficial and deep. The superficial group adjoins the carotid and subclavian arteries in the superior segment and the aorta and pulmonary trunk in the inferior segment. The deep group, composed mainly of vagal branches, lies on the anterior surface of the lower third of the trachea. These branches come in contact with the lymph nodes in the region of the trachea. If these nodes become enlarged, e.g., in pulmonary tuberculosis, they may compress the vagal branches, which lead to changes in the heart rhythm. Two nerve plexuses form from the sources mentioned: a superficial plexus, plexus cardiacus superficialis, between the arch of the aorta (under it) and the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk; a deep plexus, plexus cardiacus profundus, between the arch of the aorta (behind it) and the bifurcation of the trachea. These plexuses are continuous with the plexus coronarius dexter and the plexus coronarius sinister surrounding the vessels of the same name, as well as with the plexus located between the epicardium and myocardium. The latter plexus gives off intraorganic branches of nerves. Numerous groups of ganglionic cells, nerve ganglia, are contained in the plexuses. Six intracardiac plexuses located under the epicardium are distinguished: two anterior plexuses (the first on the left, the second on the right) descend along the aorta and pulmonary trunk to the ventricles; there are two posterior plexuses, one on the border between the atria (the third) and the other on the posterior wall of the ventricles (the fourth); the fifth plexus is on the anterior wall of the atria and the sixth on the posterior wall of the left atrium. All plexuses are attended by ganglionic fields which occupy, as do the plexuses, a definite territory, although the number of ganglia forming them, their size, and their interrelationship often vary. The ganglionic fields are most highly developed in man. Fetal Circulation. The fetus depends upon the mother for oxygen and nutrients and for the removal of carbon dioxide and other waste products. The site of exchange between fetus and mother is the placenta, which contains fetal and maternal blood vessels that are very close to one another. The blood of the fetus does not mix with the blood of the mother; substances are exchanged by diffusion and active transport mechanisms passes through the ductus venosus to the inferior vena cava, to the right atrium. After birth, when the umbilical cord is cut, the remnants of these fetal vessels constrict and become nonfunctional. The fit and unfit heart. The diagram below shows the comparative amounts of work done by a fit heart and an unfit heart during various activities. The higher the heart rate, the harder the heart is having to work; when the heart rate is low, the heart is being used efficiently. The unfit heart has to work much harder all the time, and so may be under a constant strain. A healthy heart works under a self-imposed maximum pulse rate of about 190 beats per minute, which means that even under severe, unplanned stress it is unlikely to increase its work to a dangerously fast rate. Heart disorders. The following are examples of Heart dissoders. - Angina pectoris Pain or discomfort in the chest.This is heart dissoder is caused by inadequate oxygen supply to the heart, sometimes as a result of narrowed coronary arteries. Angina its often happens during exercise or stress. - Arrhythmia. This is an abnormal heart rate or rhythm caused by a disruption of the heart’s conduction system, which generates and transmits electrical impulses in the heart. It can be caused by coronary artery disease, stress, exertion, or some drugs. - Bradycardia. A slow heart rate—below 60 beats a minute. - Cardiomegaly .Enlargement of the heart. There are a number of causes. - Congenital heart defects. Heart defects in newborn babies including: ventricular septal defect (the wall between two ventricles does not form properly), coarctation of the aorta (the aorta is narrowed), pulmonary stenosis (the pulmonary semilunar valve is narrowed), and tetralogy of Fallot (multiple defects). - Cor pulmonale. Disease of the heart caused by disease of the blood vessels to the lungs or disease of the lungs themselves. - Endocarditis Inflammation of the endocardium (inner heart lining) often resulting from infection by bacteria. - Epicarditis. Inflammation of the epicardium (outer lining of the heart). - Fibrillation. Rapid, irregular contractions of the heart. - Heart block .Electrical impulses in the heart are blocked at points in the conduction system. - Heart failure. The heart pumps less blood than the body needs and so is not capable of supplying the oxygen demands of the tissues. Results in congestion of blood and lack of nutrition to tissues. - Mitral valve prolapse. Improper closure of the mitral valve (the valve between the left atrium and ventricle). Also called floppy valve syndrome. - Myocardial infarction Commonly called heart attack, a condition in which obstruction of blood flowing to the heart muscle results in tissue death. It is most often caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. - Palpitations. Rapid or irregular heartbeat caused by drugs, emotions, or heart disorders. - Pericarditis. Inflammation of the bag (pericardium) that encloses the heart. Too much fluid may be produced in the pericardial space, so that the heart is compressed and unable to fill properly. The two layers of the pericardium become stuck together, restricting the heart’s movement. - Pulmonary atresia A complete blockage between the heart and the main pulmonary artery. - Stokes-Adams syndrome. A sudden attack of unconsciousness accompanying heart block. - Tachycardia. A fast heart rate which is above 100 beats a minute. Tricuspid atresia The heart has no tricuspid valve; the right ventricle is usually small. There is a reduced flow of blood to the lungs. - Valvular stenosis.Narrowing of a heart valve, which causes the heart to work harder to push blood around the body Heart attacks. The term “heart attack” is usually used to describe a sudden blockage in a heart artery. A more accurate term is “myocardial infarction” (MI). If a heart artery is blocked for more than a few minutes, the muscle cells (myocardium) may become permanently damaged. If the amount of muscle damage is small, there will be enough good muscle left for the heart to work again once the heart attack is over. Heart attacks can start at any time of the day or night, when a person is resting or being active. Sometimes, a heart attack can be brought on by unusually energetic activity or by massive stress. People with a family history of heart attacks may be more likely to have a heart attack themselves. People with diabetes are also more likely to have heart problems although the reason for this is not clear.Heart attacks occur more often in men than women and mostly in people over 40. The impacts of Smoking on Heart Medical research has proved that smoking constitutes a grave health risk, with more and more diseases proving to be associated with, or aggravated by, smoking. Women who smoke while pregnant can cause damage to their babies. If a smoker continues to smoke after a heart attack, this doubles their risk of having another heart attack within one year. The risk of having a heart attack starts to reduce as soon as a person gives up smoking, and is half as likely to happen within one year of stopping smoking. Advice on giving up smoking can be obtained from doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, as well as “stop-smoking” help groups. Artery blockage. The most common reason for heart arteries to become blocked is due to a buildup of layers of fatty material (cholesterol) inside the arteries. The walls of these damaged arteries may crack and a blood clot may form on top of the crack. This can suddenly block off the artery completely. Occasionally, the blockage is caused by a spasm of the muscle walls of the coronary arteries. It can also be due to a very fast heart rate, when the heart muscle demands more oxygen than the blood supply can provide. Heart attacks cause severe pain and other symptoms such as sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath. Heart problems. As a humans we are faced by the various Heart problems which led to the decrease of heart rate.The following are some of the Heart problems. - Congenital malformations. Babies can be born with heart problems, sometimes involving a hole in the wall between the chambers of the heart. - Diseases of the valves. These can either be congenital, or the result of disease or infection. - Diseases of the blood vessels. Deposits of fat can be laid down within the walls of the vessels, usually the larger arteries. This is often associated with a raised cholesterol and fat level in the blood. - Coronary artery problems. The heart gains its blood supply by a system of vessels called the coronary artery circulation. Like the other arteries, this may have fatty deposits in the walls; if the deposits completely block the vessel then a heart attack results. The area of the heart muscle supplied by that vessel is starved of oxygen and dies. If this process happens to vessels that supply the brain with blood, then a stroke is the result. There are various factors that make heart attacks more likely. The most important ones to be avoided are cigarette smoking, raised blood pressure, being overweight, lack of exercise, and stress. - Scar from an old heart attack. If a heart attack occurs the scar is permanent, but by avoiding the factors that make heart attacks more likely, the damage can be minimized. - Problems with the heart muscle. The heart is a muscular pump; if the blood pressure is raised, which may happen for a variety of reasons (such as kidney disease), the heart enlarges and the valves may work inefficiently. The increase in pressure within the blood vessels may cause damage to the anatomy of the vessel walls and cause a rupture. The most frequent site for this is within the skull, and a stroke is the result. - Problems with the heart pacemaker. The heart beats in response to small electrical impulses arising in a bundle of nerve fibers at the center of the heart. If this pacemaker is not functioning correctly, disturbances of the rhythm of the heart result. References Bender,L et all(2005).The Facts On File Illustrated Guide to the Human Body: Heart and Circulatory System:The Diagram Group. Globa,L.( 2012).Human Anatomy, Vol III Chisinau. Nega Assefa et all.(2003).Human Anatomy and Physiology.Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative. OpenStax (2016).Anatomy & Physiology, OpenStax Publishers. Saladin,(2004).Human Anatomy.The McGraw−Hill Companies. Scanlon,C.V.& Sanders,T.(2007).Essentials of anatomy and physiology,5th edition. F. A. Davis Company.USA.	http://www.makinij.com/heart/
Anatomy of the Heart As one of the most essential parts of the body, the anatomy of the heart is important to know and understand. The heart is located just behind the sternum, slightly to the left. It’s protected by a tough sac called the pericardium. The heart needs all the protection it can get; it beats an average of 100,000 times a day, pumping about 2,000 gallons worth of blood through the body. The pericardium protects the roots of the major blood vessels. It’s attached to the spinal column and diaphragm with strong ligaments that keep the heart in place and protect it from movement within the chest. At MIBHS, we are well educated in the anatomy of the heart and want to teach others about it as well. By understanding more about the muscle itself, you can further understand the need to keep it healthy. It may even be a quick recap on the education you already have from growing up in science class. If that is the case, it is never a bad time to refresh your knowledge on parts of the body. The Anatomy of the Heart Broken Down The anatomy of the heart is simple once broken into parts. By dividing the heart into its individual sections, it can give patients a greater understanding of the organ itself. This mainly comes down to the walls of the heart, four chambers, and four valves. It may seem impossible to fit that many parts into one organ, but that is part of what makes it such a miraculous part of the body. Walls of the Heart The heart’s walls are made up of three main layers; the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. Each of these walls have its individual role to ensure your heart is functioning correctly. The epicardium is the outermost layer, a membrane that covers and protects the heart, producing lubricating fluid. The myocardium is what is commonly referred to as the heart’s “muscle.” It is the tissue that contracts and relaxes to produce the heartbeat, pushing the blood through the body. The endocardium is a very smooth layer of tissue that lines the interior of the heart and prevents the formation of blood clots. 4 Chambers The heart contains four chambers- the left and right atriums, and the left and right ventricles. The atria make up the upper part of the heart. They are smaller than the ventricles and act as the receiving chamber for blood coming back into the heart, while the ventricles push blood out into the body. There are two circulatory loops attached to the heart. The right loop circulates blood to the lungs, while the left loop pushes oxygenated blood out into the body. 4 Valves Moving blood through the heart requires four strong valves, one between each of the four chambers and in the arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart. The valves control the flow of blood around the heart and ensure the pumping action is efficient. Valves can be replaced surgically using artificial or organic replacements. Taking good care of your heart means enjoying good health throughout your lifetime. The anatomy of the heart is something that is important for anyone to know. You may even learn more than ever before with this simple read. Take a quick trip back to science class and come away with knowledge about your body and the anatomy of the heart. With walls, valves, and chambers, the organ continues to do its job to keep you healthy and happy. Are you looking to learn more about your heart health? MIBHS is here to help. Check out our website or give us a call for more information.	https://heartsurgeryinfo.com/anatomy-of-the-heart/
Your heart, the organ responsible for circulating blood and oxygen to all of your vital organs, is like a machine that is powered by electricity. Unfortunately, sometimes machines break down. When your car battery dies, you need jumper cables and someone to help you jumpstart it. Similarly but more seriously, when a heart stops beating, it must be jump-started with electrical shocks in order to pump again. Defibrillators are the tools that deliver those shocks. Defibrillators can save lives. Below are the most common conditions that necessitate the use of a defibrillator: Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest differs from a heart attack, in which a part of the heart stops beating. During a heart attack, a person can still breathe and perhaps even talk; some amount of blood is still being pumped throughout the body. When SCA occurs, the entire heart stops or is rendered ineffective in pumping a sufficient amount of blood to supply the organs. A person will stop breathing and may turn pale or a blueish hue, losing consciousness and probably fall to the ground. Some victims will experience seizures. Death can occur within minutes without defibrillation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and medical assistance. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition (SCAC), 424,000 people in the U.S. experience sudden cardiac arrest each year, and nine out of ten victims die. The Coalition suggests that someone dies of SCA every two minutes, the small amount of time it may take you to read this article. Approximately two-thirds of SCA deaths occur without any prior knowledge of a heart condition. Ventricular Arrythmias Ventricular arrhythmias are the most common cause for SCA. Your heart is divided into four chambers that pump your blood continually: two upper chambers—the atria, and two lower chambers—the ventricles. Like most machines that have constant moving parts, there is a risk of mistiming and getting "out of sync." Sometimes a mistake in the process is barely noticeable, or if it is, the problem can be resolved on its own or by recalibrating the machine. It is the same with your heart. Arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats, and not all arrythmias are fatal. Many do not affect everyday life, and others are treatable with medication, implantable medical devices such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators, or surgical procedures, all which function as calibration tools. Some arrhythmias originate in the atria and others in the ventricles. The following conditions originate in the ventricles and can be life-threatening: - Ventricular tachycardia—the ventricles are beating too quickly to effectively pump blood - Ventricular fibrillation—in which the ventricles are fibrillating, quivering, or contracting in a rapid chaotic manner and are therefore unable to pump blood Cadriovascular Disease Any patient who has heart disease or has suffered from a previous heart attack has an increased risk of further heart complications that may require the use of defibrillators. Plaque or blockages in the arteries can restrict the amount of blood flow to the heart and impair its ability to function properly. Cardiomyopathy If your heart is enlarged, weak, or damaged from cardiac disease, it may have difficulty pumping blood effectively. Previous heart attacks can damage the muscle tissue (cardiomyopathy) causing it to become thickened or weak and affect the volume of blood the heart is able to eject with each contraction. Cardiomyopathy is often an underlying condition in seemingly healthy athletes who experience cardiac arrest. Congenital Heart Defects Some heart problems are present at birth and they may affect the heart’s rhythm. Some defects cause arrhythmic propensities and thus increase the risk of causing ventricular arrhythmias. Recreational Drug Use The American Heart Association reports that 15,000 people in the U.S. die each year from cocaine use and related incidents. Cocaine affects the central nervous system and causes damage to the heart, putting users at increased risk of SCA. Smoking crack cocaine increases the risk even more. Recreational drug use can result in sudden cardiac death even in first-time users, and makes otherwise healthy young people vulnerable to life-threatening heart rhythms. When cardiac arrest occurs, a drug-use scenario is least likely to include access to defibrillators or sober bystanders who can provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).	http://health.alot.com/wellness/what-conditions-require-defibrillators--5541
How to make cities more livable for people? How to create good, inclusive and accessible public spaces for all? I’m not an urban planner nor an architect. I’m not a sociologist or an anthropologist either. But based on my personal experience, I can tell why public spaces are important in people’s lives. Just close your eyes for a second and think about your favorite public space. What do you like to do over there most? Why do you think you love it there? I like them because they provide green breather spaces in the city and provide a place for recreation, enjoyment and a sense of belonging. However, after hearing from many prominent urban development experts at a recent World Bank-led “Urbanscapes Symposium”, I quickly realized that public spaces are more than this. It was striking to me to see and learn that, for others, public spaces are places where livelihoods are conducted and are essential spaces for social interaction, especially for the poor. In that respect, providing people with new public spaces, where they can feel invited, welcome and safe, can encourage them to spend more time outside and foster interaction among lower income communities. It should come as no surprise, then, that planning standards recommend devoting 15-20 % of land in cities to public open space… Yet most cities are falling short of that goal: in the United States, for instance, 75% of the 100 largest cities do not meet that requirement. So how can we work with cities to help them create a better urban environment and leverage the potential of public spaces? Redefining infrastructure with place-led development: Cities do not exist without people and it is important to shape the city according to their needs. The design of public places should allow all residents to take ownership of them, so they can become a shared asset that the entire community can enjoy. Actions should be taken to create vibrant and healthy cities for all people regardless of age or social, economic, or ethnic background. Putting parks and play areas within short walking distance, opening the streets to people by closing them to cars, and improving safe walking as well as bicycling for people are some of the doable actions that can make a big difference. Integrating Urbanscapes into World Bank projects. In several World Bank projects, interventions at the urban street level were instrumental in improving beneficiaries’ overall quality of life, especially for the urban poor and disadvantaged, while also enhancing livability, improving prosperity, and supporting city transformation. Based on these promising results, we must now explore opportunities to scale up this approach and ensure that more urban projects include a street-level component. Transforming public spaces and streetscapes: I love walking but never thought of its function within the city before. The walking environment in cities and pedestrian priority on the streets are very important for mobility, which in turn provides accessibility to public spaces for all. Fostering economic development through urban places: Not only can urban public spaces make people feel better, safe, and included, but they can also foster economic development. The quality of a place leads to attachment, and the attachment leads to higher growth. How could this happen? Because in addition to being sociable, accessible and comfortable, a good place should also be full of uses and activities, which in turn boost the economic activity over there. Projects like the London Olympic Park or Washington DC’s Anacostia River Waterfront, for instance, brought about economic development to the neighborhoods around them. Measuring and innovating urban spaces: More quantitative data could be used in urban design. And innovation is definitely an area with no limits. Learning about innovative as well as quicker and cheaper design alternatives for public spaces like parklets and Living Innovation Zones (LIZs) in San Francisco was very inspiring in that sense. Over 60 parklets have been installed all around the city since 2010 and they provide amenities like seating, planting, bicycle parking, and art on part of the street next to the sidewalk. Even more interestingly; LIZs, which are temporary installations created in the city, provide not only public spaces for people but also an exhibition and experimentation area for creative projects and innovative technologies. Creating safer and more inclusive public spaces. There are several examples of cities in different parts of the world that successfully transformed from violent, criminal and unsafe environments, into inclusive, safer and more livable places. Public space enhancement projects in Karachi, Medellin and Honduras, whose common point is to include the citizens in the process, showed how such transformation could be possible. Creating public spaces “for and with the people” was the key in all those three examples. And a change towards more inclusive public places brought about a sense of belonging, togetherness and in turn safety to these environments. So, besides being joyful, public spaces could provide much more to their users, especially to the poor. Do you think the public spaces in your neighborhood are well-designed in that sense? And, could each and every citizen of that neighborhood benefit from those amenities?	http://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/print/how-public-spaces-will-help-change-cities-better
Celia Beketa (she/her) is a design researcher who has helped a range of federal government agencies and ministries develop more human-centric services, by bringing the voices of employees, residents, and citizens to the forefront. She is inspired by community-centric, grassroots approaches to creating just and equitable cities, and is a Steering Committee member of both Jane's Walk and the Toronto Public Space Committee. In her spare time, you can find her either in the audience or on the stage of a community theatre production, exploring the backcountry wilderness, or sitting with a book at her favourite local coffee shop. Cara Chellew (she/her) is a public space researcher, writer, and founder of DefensiveTO, a multi-media project that documents defensive/hostile urbanism in Toronto and beyond. She is a graduate of York University's Master of Environmental Studies Program in Planning and her work has been published in Azure, the Canadian Journal of Urban Research, Spacing and the Ontario Planning Journal. Cara has been leading the reboot the Toronto Public Space Committee since 2019 and is the founder of the Defensive Urbanism Research Network. By uncovering exclusive design strategies, Cara hopes to inspire people to create more inclusive public spaces. Thevishka Kanishkan (she/her) is a landscape designer with professional interest and experience in projects occurring at the intersection between accessibility, equity, and ecology. Prior to becoming a landscape designer, Thevishka worked in communications and design in Toronto’s non-profit sector with organizations focused on city-building, urban design policy, and the environment. She holds a BScH in Environmental Biology from Queen’s University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Design Strategy from the Institute without Boundaries at George Brown College, and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the John H. Daniels School of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. Merve Kolcak (she/her) is a future urban planner, currently completing her Master’s of Environmental Studies at York University specializing in Urban and Regional Planning. She is passionate about creating inclusive and safe spaces and communities for everyone, especially for those vulnerable in society. She believes that having a collaborative and interactive community and capacity building in communities to be a powerful tool that allows for a transparent and inclusive decision-making process. In her free time, she likes to explore many of the hikes, trails and parks in the GTA and Ontario at large. Jasmine Mohamed (she/her) is an emerging planner completing a Masters in Environmental Studies and Urban Change (MES) - Planning at York University. She is a lifelong learner that is passionate about transforming cities, with key focus areas in equity, placemaking and transportation. She recently co-authored “Engaging Black People and Power” Publication in collaboration with York University and Jay Pitter Placemaking, providing proven engagement strategies and tools while working in Black communities. A co-editor of Black Futures on Eglinton - Cultural Mapping Study, providing recommendations on the impacts of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. In early 2020, she was selected to be a Canadian Delegate attending the United Nations - Habitat World Urban Forum 10 in Abu Dhabi, a unique international experience exchanging best practices and solutions to urban challenges. Her lived experience as a Black muslim woman has helped her develop keen analytical skills for examining social inequality, power structures, social policy, and how urban spatiality impacts the lives of equity-seeking communities. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for TTCRiders and is an active member of the Black Planners & Urbanist Association (BPUA). Fran Quintero Rawlings (she/her) is a deeply curious innovator passionate about working on projects that improve both the human and design experience. As a systemic designer, researcher and artist she enjoys curating and provoking important conversations around equity, fairness, wellness and gender through curated public installations and events. Fran is a Co-Lead at Method Collective, a foresight and design consultancy that works with organizations, institutions, and individuals to explore the complex interactions between people, technologies, and their environment. In her free time Fran loves to roller skate, read, and create pop up dance parties around the city. Linda Salem (she/her) is a graduate of the University of Toronto, having done a double major in City Studies and Art History. She is passionate about the intersection of cities and the arts. Her interests lie in striving to create simple solutions to complex issues in our city while fighting for equity and amplifying the voices that have always occupied our city. Rachel Singer (she/her) is a policy planner with a background is in urban sustainability and environmental research. She currently works with municipalities and organizations across Ontario researching and developing policies on a range of topics including affordable housing, environmental management plans, and urban/rural connectivity. Rachel loves garage sales, communal gardens, public conservatories, and slow walks down busy streets. She joined the TPSC in 2020 and is geared up to help advocate for public spaces and the communities that use them. Igor Samardzic (he/him) is a disability advocate and urban planner. He is a co-founder of S+G Urban Partners, a social impact firm specializing in urban development. With a background in community development, non-profit management, and evaluation. Igor holds a BA in Urban Studies & Political Science and an MScPl in Urban Planning & Development from the University of Toronto. He has also studied Program Evaluation at Ryerson University and is an avid kayaker and runner. In addition, she is a proponent of realizing participatory planning and design interventions and centring lived experience and community knowledge in activating and improving these groups' quality of life in search of holistic and workable representations of health justice.	https://www.publicspace.ca/steering_committee
What difference can the environment make for people living with neurodiversity? “Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. The word neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of autism spectrum, as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities. The neurodiversity movement emerged during the 1990s, aiming to increase acceptance and inclusion of all people while embracing neurological difference.” (Baumer & Frueh, 2021). This webinar explored elements of places and spaces which embrace and consider difference. Including: - The psychological impacts of neurodiversity - The lived experience of neurodiversity in relation to the urban environment - Architectural responses to achieve inclusivity in design - Planning responses to achieve inclusivity in public spaces. If you’d like more information or would like to chat about the Healthy Happy Places programme we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Rachel Turnbull [email protected] Sign up to the Healthy Happy Places mailing list Watch the event recording Download Useful links and Resources here Presentations from the event can be downloaded below NeurodiverCity – Atefeh Motamedi We are delighted to be joined by Dr Tom Laverick, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Lead for Autism Services, Clarity Psychology Title: Anecdotes from clinical practice; What can they tell us about the environment, sensory processing and its impact on mental health and wellbeing? The talk will offer a clinical perspective for how neurodiversity is understood and consider historical research to introduce the importance of considering hyper and hyposensitivities to sensory stimuli, illustrating these points using stories of lived experience from clinical practice to highlight some of the challenges. The impact on mental health and wellbeing will be discussed, before considering what environmental adaptations may be needed. Steve Maslin, Architect, Principal Inclusive Design Consultant, Atkins, Author of Designing Mind Friendly Environments Title: Neurodiverse friendly design; applying insights, gained from people’s diverse neurological experiences, into design advice. This talk will be brought by an architect and consultant in inclusive design. It will take theory and insights and indicate how they could be applied in a typical working environment to create environments that not only work better for people with accentuated neurological experiences, but potentially for the population as a whole Atefeh Motamedi, Strategic Planner, Atkins, Co-founder of Neurodiversity in Planning Network Title: NeurodiverCity: a Town Planner’s perspective on neuro-inclusive place-making This presentation will introduce Autism and sensory differences and a personal account of the traumatic effects of sensory overload experienced by Autistic individuals in poorly designed environments. It will discuss the need for planning and designing neuro-inclusive environments from both health rights and legal rights viewpoints and will explore a number of ways where planners can make an impact in collaboration with other built environment professionals. Meet our speakers Tom Laverick is a Clinical Psychologist who has extensive experience in working with children, young people and adults in both NHS and independent practice, where he has occupied roles such as Clinical Lead within a specialist NHS autism assessment service. Tom has also worked with adults experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties and he has an ongoing interest with the treatment of PTSD. Tom is the Clinical Lead for the Clarity Autism service, which completes high quality assessments with children and adults. Tom also provides neuro-rehabilitation in relation to neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury. He is also completing further training in Paediatric Neuropsychology at UCL. Tom is passionate about conducting research in his field; supervising ongoing autism based research (e.g., autism and camouflaging / masking) and publishing research findings to advance practice e.g., ‘Epilepsy and Accelerated Long-Term Forgetting’ with Professor Alan Baddeley. Twitter: @TomLaverick1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-laverick-471667121/ Steve Atkins’s discipline lead for Access and Inclusive Design Consultancy and a published author. As a Chartered Architect since 1992, and Consultant Member of the National Register of Access Consultants since 2003, Steve’s specialisms are Inclusive Design and Neurological Needs in the built environment. Steve is also a Senior Fellow at the Schumacher Institute, has served on Design Council and BRE expert panels and has sat on BSI steering groups for Inclusive Design. He is also a conference speaker and lectured at several universities. Steve has worked across a wide range of sectors, including advising several university, local authorities, and transportation clients. In addition to being an architect, Steve’s has his own personal experiences of additional/enabling requirements and has worked in support/enabling capacities with a diverse range of other people with additional requirements, via social services, charities, directly and voluntarily. Twitter: @bud_maz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-maslin-331b5017/ Atefeh Motamedi is a strategic planner at Atkins, and co-founder of Neurodiversity in Planning Network. Atefeh’s own experience as an Autistic individual and her daily difficulties in the built environment motivates her to actively promote place-making for neuro-inclusion. Atefeh is passionate about cognitive urbanism, inclusive planning and design, and equity and accessibility of urban opportunities. Atefeh has a keen interest in sensory design and how it can improve experience and participation in the built environment and life satisfaction as a whole. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atefeh-m-577229112/ Watch the April 2022 event: NeurodiverCity Watch the February 2022 event: Biophilic Design Watch the December 2021 event: Healing Environments Future webinars 19 May 2022: Dementia Friendly Environments – How do we design places that support people living with dementia? 5 July 2022: Bottom Up Urbanism – Tackling wellbeing in the built environment through citizen participation and leadership The Healthy Happy Places programme is delighted to be showcasing perspectives from mental health, architecture and urban planning to explore why the built environment matters when thinking about mental health and wellbeing. The design of buildings and the shaping of public spaces in the places we live, work and play contribute to our lived experiences, how we feel, and have the power to promote or stifle wellbeing and recovery. The Healthy Happy Places programme is funded by the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) and is being delivered as a partnership initiative on behalf of the Integrated Care System for the North East and North Cumbria (ICS NENC) to develop a multi-sector approach for supporting and creating mental health and wellbeing through the built environment.	https://ahsn-nenc.org.uk/event/neurodivercity-neurological-difference-and-inclusion-in-the-designed-environment/
It´s all about housing and about displacement. This is the first impression I have received after arriving in San Francisco. The City of San Francisco and the Bay Area are today the most expensive place to live in the United States. The average rent for a one bedroom apartment is $2,900 per month, and for $600, you may find a shared bedroom in an apartment with six other individuals. I will travel now for four weeks throughout the United States (focusing on San Francisco and Austin) to learn more about integrated approaches for increasing quality of life and to strengthen social cohesion/social equity in growing cities. What methods and initiatives are used in U.S. cities to strengten social cohesion and to improve distressed neighborhoods? How can quality of life be enchanced while also protecting longtime residents from displacement? And how can I take lessons from these initiatives back to my home city of Cologone, Germany? The challenges growing cities are faced today are extremely complex, spanning many policy areas such as affordable housing, transportation, open space, environmental justice, urban design, and many more. Therefore, the "Leipzig Charter on sustainable European cities," a declaration by the Ministers responsible for urban development in the member states of the European Union, calls for a greater use of integrated urban development policy approaches. Integrated urban development is defined as a planning process that gives equal consideration to economic, environmental, social and cultural dimensions of a sustainable city. Furthermore, it includes the involvement of various stakeholders like citizens, the private sector, universities, and different levels of government (Deutscher Städtetag, 2013). Regarding the Leipzig Charter, special attention is paid to deprived/distressed neighborhoods within the context of the city as a whole. The City of San Francisco is characterized by a high population diversity and is famous particularly for its Chinatown, Japantown, and the Mission districts. Nonetheless, a study by PolicyLink determined that by 2040, San Francisco could be the whitest city in the Bay Area, however, reflecting the rapid increase in housing prices that threatens to displace many low-income communities. Therefore, it was not surprising that many of my interviewees declared social equity and making the city equitable and inclusive as one of the most important issues for San Francisco. What can a growing, compact, and already dense city like San Francisco do to handle the growth and to strengthen social equity and to increase quality of life? "We are managing the pain", said one interviewee. Tools that are used include rent control, a density program, and throough mandates that require a minimum percentage of affordable housing units on-site of new developments. Not only people are affected by displacement, but also businesses, and especially smaller ones. The city's "Invest in Neighborhoods Initiative" aims to strengthen and revitalize commercial districts and to increase quality of life in various neighborhood around the city through an integrated planning approach. The interagency initiative, managed and coordinated by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, works with different city departments and nonprofit organizations and provides a baseline service for all 25 commercial districts and specific services for the needs of the neighborhood. This includes actions like neighborhood grants for events or festivals, the support of existing business and new developments, improvement of parklets or open space, neighborhood safety, clean-up, or the support of healthy retail. A central aspect of the initiative is to strengthen the neighborhood in a way the neighborhood is asking for. Often, for example, neighborhoods with concerns about increasing gentrification do not want improvements of physical conditions. The focus in these neighborhoods therefore becomes supporting existing businesses. To meet the needs and wishes of the various neighborhoods the City of San Francisco is working, among others, with a "Job Squad." These city staff are the "eyes and ears"in the neighborhood and bring ideas and wishes back into the city department. The Invest in Neighborhoods Initiative is an remarkable approach that provides many ideas for my work with the City of Cologne. More about my research and some of these ideas in future blog posts. Andrea Jonas, planner for strategic urban development with the city of Cologne, Germany, is currently studying integrated planning approaches in the United States that focus on socially and economically diverse populations. Traveling to Austin and San Francisco, she will eventually integrate some of her findings into a new strategic plan for Cologne. This is the first of several blog posts from Jonas.	http://www.gmfus.org/blog/2015/10/29/improving-quality-life-through-integrated-planning
Человек силен знанием, и книга - базовый ресурс мудрости. И путеводная нить. И вот блестящий образец такого рода работы, что дарит новые необычные сведения и переживания, которые дают несколько иные предствления о мире - "Livable Communities for Aging Populations. Urban Design for Longevity" An innovative look at design solutions for building lifelong neighborhoods Livable Communities for Aging Populations provides architects and designers with critical guidance on urban planning and building design that allows people to age in their own homes and communities. The focus is on lifelong neighborhoods, where healthcare and accessibility needs of residents can be met throughout their entire life cycle. Written by M. Scott Ball, a Duany Plater-Zyberk architect with extensive expertise in designing for an aging society, this important work explores the full range of factors involved in designing for an aging population—from social, economic, and public health policies to land use, business models, and built form. Ball examines in detail a number of case studies of communities that have implemented lifelong solutions, discussing how to apply these best practices to communities large and small, new and existing, urban and rural. Other topics include: How healthcare and disability can be integrated into an urban environment as a lifelong function The need for partnership between healthcare providers, community support services, and real-estate developers How to handle project financing and take advantage of lessons learned in the senior housing industry The role of transportation, access, connectivity, and building diversity in the success of lifelong neighborhoods Architects, urban planners, urban designers, and developers will find Livable Communities for Aging Populations both instructive and inspiring. The book also includes a wealth of pertinent information for public health officials working on policy issues for aging populations. Несомненно, что "Livable Communities for Aging Populations. Urban Design for Longevity" откроет вам новые грани бытия, даст пищу для ума.	http://audme.ru/name/631800-31232257-livablecommunitiesfora.html
INCLUSION is a 3-year European project that aims to address a number of challenges related to the accessibility of public transport in remote urban and rural areas. In a fast-changing transport environment, where individuals’ mobility requirements have become more complex and the role of new forms of transport solutions is increasing, public transport continues to be a key requirement for people with specific needs. In some deprived urban neighbourhoods or remote rural areas across Europe, an efficient and inclusive public transport means greater access to jobs, educational and social opportunities. THE PROJECT The Inclusion project aims to investigate and understand the main characteristics of prioritised areas as well as the relevant factors that influence mobility and accessibility This goal will be reached by identifying the user and social groups most exposed to transport accessibility issues and inequality in the different type of areas and undertaking a comprehensive analysis of their mobility requirements. It will be necessary to understand how ICT tools, service and social innovation can help individuals to cope with accessibility issues and improve or increase inclusivity and transport equity for the concerned user groups. The research will include the identification and the critical assessment of existing innovative, efficient, affordable, inclusive, equitable and economically viable forms of public transport, with a particular focus on the use of ICT applications and on transferability potentials for both the prioritised areas and social groups. The Inclusion project will: - undertake experimental validation of innovative elements and ideas aimed to enhance transport accessibility in selected prioritised areas and transport environments for the concerned vulnerable users. - undertake a quantitative assessment of the impacts and a qualitative process evaluation in selected innovative transport solutions validated in the INCLUSION experimental sites. - investigate, develop and consolidate business concepts and models related to the assessed accessible transport options with the aim of transferring these findings to other European contexts. - disseminate and promote the identified innovations, transferable solutions and recommendations with the aim of fostering the adoption of accessible, inclusive and equitable mobility solutions for European prioritised areas and vulnerable user groups. CONSORTIUM A consolidated research group with a renowned academic and industrial profile: - algoWatt SpA (IT) - MemEx SRL (IT) - Rupprecht Consult – Forschung & Beratung GmbH (DE) - Mosaic Factor SL (ES) - University Court of the University of Aberdeen (UK) - Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (DE) - BusItalia Sita Nord Srl BUSIT (IT) - Centrum Voor Positieve Aanwending Vzw (BE) - The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (UK) - BUSUP Technologies SL (ES) - BKK Centre for Budapest Transport (HU) - European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (FR) - POLIS - Promotion of Operational Links with Integrated Services (BE).	https://algowatt.com/en/portfolio-items/inclusion/?portfolioCats=250
August 22, 2018 The IDRC has recently begun a number of new projects: Designing Inclusive Cities (project website) The IDRC is working with the Sidewalk Toronto team to help create accessibility and inclusion principles. Sidewalk Toronto is a joint effort between Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto to use smart technology and new construction techniques to develop a piece of land on Toronto’s eastern waterfront. The IDRC aims to ensure that the Sidewalk Toronto team considers the wide and diverse range of people’s needs and preferences in the design and development of this piece of land. Different groups and communities are invited to participate in a co-design process it help define and envision an inclusive and accessible city. CISL (funded by the the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs) This project brings inclusive open education tools and knowledge from the FLOE Project to the newly-announced Center on Inclusive Software for Learning (CISL). Led by CAST, CISL will support the development of an open-source software suite, industry guidelines and supporting research to ensure K-12 students get engaging personalized learning through Open Education Resources. Bodies in Translation (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) Bodies in Translation is a research project that creates collaborative partnerships between artists, arts organizations, activists, scholars, and educators. With the Canadian disability arts community, the IDRC is co-designing the project’s Knowledge Platform as well as new technologies to support inclusive artistic creation. Platform Co-op In collaboration with the Platform Co-op movement (https://platform.coop/), the goal of the project is to realize the full aspirations of Platform for Economic Inclusion. Together with Trebor Scholtz, the Platform Co-op Consortium and the New School, the IDRC will be developing a Platform Co-op Development Kit with the support of several foundations. The first implementation will be focused on care: childcare, attendant care and eldercare. “The work that makes all other work possible." The Social Justice Repair Kit (with funding from the Oak Foundation) - http://sojustrepairit.org The goal of this project is to - help youth movements and social justice initiatives to become welcoming environments for youth with learning differences - benefit from the advantages of inclusive design. BIG IDeA (An Enabling Change Project with the Government of Ontario) – www.bigidea.one BIG IDeA (Business Innovation Guide for Inclusion Design and Accessibility) brings together businesses, customers with lived experience of disability and designers to collaboratively advance accessibility innovation in Ontario and create a culture of accessibility and inclusion. We are: - Collecting inclusion barriers and hosting design challenges to create inclusive alternatives - Mapping accessibility of Ontario in our BIG IDeA mapathon - Recognizing accessible businesses through customer reviews, showcases and badges - Providing resources, training and help on inclusion and AODA compliance Get involved, BIG IDeA is for everyone! Our Doors are Open (An Enabling Change Project with the Government of Ontario) - http://opendoors.idrc.ocadu.ca Our Doors Are Open: A Multi-Faith Welcome to Persons with Disabilities will develop good practices for inclusive community engagement by places of worship of all faiths across Ontario, and support them to achieve a culture of inclusion in services and community gatherings. Our Doors are Open will provide: - training-materials and resources,	https://idrc.ocadu.ca/about-the-idrc/idrc-news/520-newest-projects-announced
Joe Geller shares his thoughts on how Stantec’s Urban Places team is bringing an integrated approach to cities and suburbs alike to help them take advantage of the burgeoning urban renaissance. Home » Urban Planning & Design » All Things Urban: Joe Geller talks Stantec’s Urban Places Previous Article Agritecture: Bridging the design gap between city and farm Urban agriculture presents a design challenge, but a multidisciplinary approach offers a solution × SUBSCRIBE to our Urban Places Monthly Newsletter: Trends, Insights, Research Thank you! Error - something went wrong! Other content in this Stream Webinar Alert: Curb Your Enthusiasm: it’s not just about cars anymore Join our Urban Places experts November 14 from 2-3pm EST to explore current mobility innovations and learn about dynamic curbside management Published in Railway Age: Transit Oriented Development – Chicago Effectively leveraging rail infrastructure to create dynamic, walkable, higher-density urban neighborhoods in Chicago Published in Canadian Consulting Engineer: Future City Planning Insights from Stantec contributors into Sidewalk Labs' Toronto Quayside development plan City planning: A guide to equitable planning for your community A meaningful and inclusive planning process creates communities that are truly designed for all residents From the Design Quarterly: 8 ways to design for density and live where the action is Cities that have higher density are inherently more sustainable—and they are generally more livable, too [With Video] 3 surprising things I discovered from hacking 21st-century city challenges A mentor from Stantec’s Idea Hackathon shares her thoughts from a two-day forum on smart city solutions I survived my TEDx talk: Here are 5 tips I learned that can make you a better speaker Urban designer Cynthia Albright questioned her presentation skills in front of a giant audience, but persistence and practice, practice, practice paid off Webinar Recording: Smart Suburbs Saving our Suburbs series: On July 25 an expert panel, led by our David Dixon and Dan Baxter, discussed “future-proofing” that can help suburbs surf the wave of new tech, not drown in it (Part 3 of 3) [With Video] Envisioning the revitalized design of the Old Sacramento urban riverfront Design competition inspires interdisciplinary team to craft a vision to transform an underutilized district into a vibrant community How can we build smart cities of the future? We have the technology and the knowledge to build smart cities for people—it’s time we put them into action From the Design Quarterly: Cities as innovation centers With tech hubs and innovation districts, research universities have the keys to unlocking reinvigorated cities Agritecture: Bridging the design gap between city and farm Urban agriculture presents a design challenge, but a multidisciplinary approach offers a solution Is virtual reality for design worth it? Yes. Here’s why. VR makes communication with key stakeholders easy, increases project efficiency, and provides a valuable marketing tool [With Video] TEDx University of Nevada: The Pearls of Urban Design What are the pearls of design that make some urban places memorable? Urban planner Cynthia Albright explains in her TEDx talk Design Quarterly Issue 05 \| Smart & Livable Cities Articulating a livable vision for city life.	https://ideas.stantec.com/urban-planning-design/all-things-urban-joe-geller-talks-stantec-s-urban-places
Explores how community planners and other actors engage theories of planning procedures and preferred urban forms to guide urban development and social change. Considers how leading scholars in the field have theorized the potential and challenges of planning. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 521 TCMP 525 Property and Capital (5) Focuses on low-income, mixed-income, and affordable housing policies in the U.S. Learn about public and private finance mechanisms for the development and capitalization of these housing products. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 525 TCMP 546 Strategic Influence (5) Provides conceptual framework and practical skills for understanding/analyzing the potential of strategic thinking to inform and engage community, and to assess public will -- exposing students to divergent/convergent thinking; analysis of diverse perspectives of the same issue; and the role of communication in information gathering; community engagement; and social documentation. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 546 TCMP 554 Community Development (5) Examines academic, policy, and practice dimensions of community development; and foregrounds resident-centered sustainable and equitable development strategies. Students gain skills to integrate and synthesize multiple perspectives into coherent, unified vision; as well as specific practices they can employ to make communities better places to live, work, and raise families. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 554 TCMP 557 Urban Spatial Design (5) Introduces students to the social dimensions of place-making through design in a studio style course. Develop a facility for creating and managing community-engaged that lead to publicly informed urban design projects. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 557 TCMP 566 Analyzing Community (5) Asks students to think critically about the way we imagine and construct "community" and "communities" - ideas that are often naturalized and romanticized in social movement literature. Exposes students to feminist, post-structuralist, Foucauldian, and other critical social theories, as well as non-US based examples. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 566 TCMP 571 Legal Urbanism (5) Explores the relationship between law and the city, examining how "law" situates cities and urban residents in the US and shapes behaviors and environments in cities. Considers how legal structures enable or inhibit urban social justice and how they might be used to advance socially just and sustainable urban conditions. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 571 TCMP 572 Planning for Equity (5) Provides an overview of the equity planning tradition in urban affairs and community planning. Introduces participatory process, democratic deliberation, and inclusive management. Emphasizes planning skills for recognizing, empowering, and resourcing groups and individuals with historical, economic, and operational disadvantages in processes of urban development and decision-making. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 572 TCMP 573 Power and Decentralization (5) Presents theoretical frameworks for analyzing political power in collaborative networks. Introduces analytic methods for understanding and anticipating how power operated in decentralized governance, including the ways in which community groups and urban stakeholders can identify key coalitions, political frames, and entry points in processes of urban development and resource allocation. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 573 TCMP 582 Movements and Organizing (5) Introduces students to the role of local organizations in advocating for urban policies and social change. Develops skills to distil and summarize theoretical readings and the competency to gather and analyze data In the context of a process evaluation. Prerequisite: TCMP 546 and TCMP 554. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 582 TCMP 590 Community Planning Practicum I (5) Develop an annotated bibliography, work with an agency or NGO partner to identify a specific need, develop a formal statement of need and project plan including a plan for implementing the project, View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 590 TCMP 591 Community Planning Practicum II (5, max. 10) Work with faculty advisor and community-partner liaison to identify and complete a work product that is useful for the partner and that uses concepts and tools learned in the MA program. Engage in self-assessment of the project and the experience. Prerequisite: TCMP 590. View course details in MyPlan: TCMP 591 TCMP 595 Special Topics in Community Planning (1-15, max. 15) Examines specific issues of interest to the field of community planning, responding to current conditions and initiatives in the local and regional setting. Covers topics and issues in urban spatial planning, civic engagement, economic development, neighborhood empowerment, inclusive management, and sustainable urban development.	http://www.washington.edu/students/crscatt/tcmp.html
Priyanshu is an urban planner and designer at Equitable Cities who specializes in transportation planning, design, data analysis, and visualization. He holds a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Planning from CEPT University, India. His work and research primarily focus on transportation planning and design, land use, spatial analysis, and data analysis and visualization. Moreover, his academic and professional experience in the planning profession has also inculcated the art value of good communication, which is not limited to maps, visuals, and interactive platforms, but also persuasive and engaging storytelling for our communities. 1. What is your favorite YPT-NYC memory? It was fascinating how I joined this group. I had an opportunity to speak with some New York-based transportation professionals during one of the career workshops. After that session, I contacted that person on LinkedIn to ask more questions about transportation planning opportunities. And they recommended that I join this group, and I’ve been a member of the YPT-NYC group for a year now. I am always on the lookout for new opportunities and events within the group. And it was really helpful. It’s wonderful to be a part of this and to be able to share and learn from the other group members. I’m excited to meet some of them in person. 2. If you could snap your fingers and make one change to regional transportation, what would it be? When it comes to planning, there are many things I’d like to change, but having last-mile connectivity would be interesting if I had to specify changes for regional transportation. Create active transportation or bike-share programs that connect our neighborhoods to major transit stations, for example. I believe that the way we plan our cities, particularly in suburban areas (which encompasses the majority of America), has made us overly reliant on automobiles, and that small changes can make a significant difference. Cities and communities will benefit from differences not only in terms of connectivity, but also in terms of economy, environment, and improving public health. 3. What sparked your passion to work in the transportation industry? People spend an ample amount of time of their day on the streets or commuting through various modes to reach their destinations. It is intriguing for me while commuting to observe people and see how people respond to their surroundings.After my undergraduate degree in planning, I spent considerable time living in two metro cities i.e. Mumbai and Bangalore for work. On one of the monsoon days, while heading back home, as I was getting down to my metro station suddenly it started pouring heavily and everyone was rushing towards finding a safe place and tried gathering under a cantilever. Some held their bags on their head to try to escape the rain. I was amazed when I saw that chaos. That day I realized the role of urban professionals in planning and designing cities beyond just the provision of infrastructure to create livable environments where people can stop, pause and play instead of just treating them as spaces they need to pass by to reach their destinations.These encounters reasonably entrenched my interest in planning and design, especially in transport and urban design where I, as an urban planner and designer, can create a better urban environment by working on the most used public spaces and transit systems. 4. What are you working on that you’re most excited by? I don’t know where to begin, but I suppose being a young professional in this fraternity, I got an opportunity to work in a diverse sector and with some really amazing people. To start with now, a lot of my work focuses on transportation equity, planning, and research which is exciting. Previously, I had an opportunity to work with the NYC Ferry team where I was responsible for developing a framework for the database system to facilitate the operation and maintenance of the waterfront development and ferry projects. Before that, I provided technical assistance in the implementation of a micro-mobility project for the City of Newark. So, these two work experiences were really fulfilling because I was involved in the planning throughout the project. But prior to that, I had two years of work experience in the field of planning, design, and research in India, where I worked in different capacities with social entrepreneurs, planning organizations, and research institutions. 5. What career advice would you give to other YPT’ers interested in your career path? I would definitely say build your technical skills, as it will be helpful to brand yourself while giving interviews or working with the team. Don’t limit yourself to your area of interest, especially during the initial years of your career. Find out what opportunities you think are right for you, learn new things, and broaden your skills and knowledge. It will boost your network and help you to identify your area of interest because in the real world things are very different from the academic world. 6. What famous celebrity do you think should be given the opportunity to voice a NYCT Subway Announcement? It would be amazing to hear the announcement in Abel Makkonen Tesfaye’s Voice aka “The Weeknd” or Alicia Keys since her work is strongly associated with New York.	https://yptnyc.org/2022/05/05/member-profile-priyanshu-sharma/
We are a design agency for urban innovation. We create architecture and processes for social cohesion around citizens, businesses, institutions and governments. We work side by side with our clients and partners to gather insights, cultivate new strategies, and redefine how to use design to facilitate innovation and make architecture for a vibrant and livable urban future. We are architects who use our design to connect people and collaborate with others. From nurseries to universities, from hostels to co-work spaces, our designs find innovative ways to share resources, maximize utility, and bring people together.	https://www.acommons.com/about-us
By Edward Kermode, Architectural Assistant at Grimshaw Architects and UD/MH Associate reflects on blue and green space in Fremantle, a suburb of Perth, where he is currently conducting a UD/MH city case study. The correlation between exposure to nature and mental health benefits is arguably one of the more well-supported topics in literature that discuss links between health and the environment. Close proximity to greenery has been demonstrated to lower levels of stress and have positive impact towards users’ wellbeing, with studies have also suggesting that people living near green urban areas can help encourage more physical activity, thereby exerting a positive impact for people suffering with anxiety and depression (Cohen-Cline et. al, 2015). As I pursue my case study of Perth’s urban design in relation to mental health, this post hopes to serve as a snapshot and explore different ways green space is being implemented in one of Perth’s phoenix suburbs, otherwise known as Fremantle. BOTTOM-UP GREEN SOLUTIONS AND PARTICIPATION Fremantle’s newest pocket green-space, developed and built by the local community with council staff The place close to my heart is the City of Fremantle, 22kms south of the Perth CBD in Western Australia. Situated as a port city at the intersection of the Swan River and the Indian Ocean, Fremantle was officially recognised as a leader in sustainability in 2015 when it became the world’s second city to achieve international One Planet Certification, which is an initiative offering a framework to drive sustainable living and green, circular economies. Fremantle’s Strategy 2020 recognises the benefits that green urban environments have towards community cohesion and wellbeing. With an objective to aim that “every resident and worker to have access to public open space within a 400mm walkable catchment”, the Fremantle council have adopted a number of methods and urban design tools to improve better mental health, such as: Not only are these bottom-up methods developing quick, efficient green solutions in the city, but they are also helping foster social connectivity and cohesion within Fremantle’s urban community – an incredibly important factor in benefitting individual mental health. Encouraging volunteering/community participation offers a sense of wholeness and purpose within their home and thus can offer positive well-being effects. The mere act of getting community members out and about in the sun can benefit mental wellbeing through boosting vitamin D supply, regulating the circadian rhythm and improve quality of sleep. By promoting community engagement as a tool to improve and encourage access to green space, Fremantle’s greening strategies have proven to be successful and continue to improve the opportunities that urban design can bring towards mental health in the area. BARRIERS TO GREEN SPACES IN THESE CITIES However, urban design plays a significant role in the level of access urban communities have to green space; factors such as time, money, distance, and transport accessibility can serve as barriers for green space access. Throughout the urban sprawl of major Australian cities, studies have shown socially-disadvantaged areas had a lesser access to green space, and thereby had less opportunities for the mental health benefits that green space provides. Australia. To combat this spatial inequality, cities such as Perth urgently need to implement improved access towards transit-oriented development and encourage more positive attitudes towards higher-density development. Fremantle has a long way to go in integrating affordable and good-quality higher-density developments with the abundance of green space it offers. BLUE HEALTH = MENTAL HEALTH Quasi-public space along Fremantle’s boardwalks, offering areas of social interaction with views over the water. As a port city, Fremantle is fortunate enough to be situated by both the ocean and river. Along the harbour there are restaurants, cafes, breweries and galleries that offer views over the water. This weekend I found myself having a coffee by the beach, sitting on an innovative piece of urban design that had reused Fremantle’s historic train lines. The water’s edge had attracted everyone from all sorts of age groups; kids dashing around in the sand, students along the benches in the sun, or the elderly peacefully strolling along the boardwalk. Intrigued by the success of Fremantle’s public activity as a low-density suburb, I had to further research into how the use of water in urban design can benefit one’s mental health or wellbeing. Dr. Timothy Beatley, professor at University of Virginia and author of “Handbook of Biophilic City Planning and Design”, has discussed a lot about links between the sea, the city and mental health – terming the idea “Blue Urbanism”. It is no surprise that Fremantle, as a major port town, benefits from its adjacency to the Indian Ocean. One of our UD/MH fellows, Jenny Roe, recently wrote for the Biophilic Cities Journal exploring this idea of blue health within the built environment (Roe 2018). Below I am going to briefly reiterate some of the literature Roe has discussed. Studies have found that people living near coastal environments have lower Body Mass Index compared to people living inland (Wood et al. 2016; Witten et al. 2008). This evidence suggests that increasing users’ accessibility to water can improve one's chances of being physically active, which can have a range of benefits including reducing risk of obesity, diabetes, anxiety and depression. Living in marine or coastal areas has further shown people to report greater levels of happiness (MacKerron and Mourato, 2013); improved life satisfaction (Brereton et al. 2008); and better mental wellbeing (Alcock et al. 2015). Access to blue space has also demonstrated its ability to reduce stress and benefit levels of wellbeing. This is supported from research done by Happy City, Street Plans, Space Syntax, and University of Virginia, which measured heart rate variability and self-reports from subjects who took a walk along a downtown waterfront in West Palm Beach (2015). The study found further positive impacts for water accessibility towards social well-being indicators (social trust and sense of belonging). The mixture of people evident during my brief time down by the Fremantle foreshore most certainly supported these results. If you’d like to learn more about how green space accessibility and mental health go hand in hand, there’s a great literature review called Quality Green Space Supporting Health, Wellbeing and Biodiversity: A Literature Review. Written by Davern et al. (2017), the report offers a succinct summary of the factors involved in the design and delivery of green spaces that promote the health and wellbeing for people, with particular reference towards Australia cities. Another helpful report is Cities, Green Space and Mental Wellbeing by Jenny Roe. In terms of a specific focus on blue space, Beatley’s “Blue Urbanism” book and Roe’s feature article in the BCJ report on evidence-based studies that demonstrate how access to water within urban design can create positive mental health benefits. REFERENCES Astell-Burt, T, Feng, X, Mavoa, S, Badland, HM, & Giles-Corti, B 2014, 'Do low-income neighbourhoods have the least green space? A cross-sectional study of Australia's most populous cities', BMC Public Health, vol. 14, p. 292. Available from: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-292. [20 May 2018]. Badland, H, Whitzman, C, Lowe, M, Davern, M, Aye, L, Butterworth, I, Hes, D, & Giles-Corti, B 2014, 'Review: Urban liveability: Emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for indicators to measure the social determinants of health', Social Science & Medicine, vol. 111, pp. 64-73. Available from: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.04.003. [20 May 2018]. Beatley, T 2014, Blue urbanism : exploring connections between cities and oceans, Washington, DC : Island Press, . Brereton, F., Clinch, J.P., Ferreira, S. (2008). Happiness, geography and the environment. Ecol. Econ. 65: 386-396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2007.07.008. Duncan, G, Cohen-Cline, H, Cohen-Cline, H, Duncan, GE, & Turkheimer, E 'Access to green space, physical activity and mental health: a twin study', JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, vol. 69, no. 6, pp. 523-529. Happy City, University of Virginia, Street Plans Collaborative and Space Syntax (2017). Happier by Design. https://thehappycity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/STC-reportfinal-version-v.5.pdf. MacKerron, G., Mourato, S. (2013). Happiness is greater in natural environments. Glob. Environ. Chang. 23: 992–1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.03.010. Roe J (2018). Blue Cities for Better Health. Biophilic Cities Journal. Witten, K., Hiscock, R., Pearce, J., Blakely, T. (2008). Neighbourhood access to open spaces and the physical activity of residents: a national study. Prev. Med. 47: 299–303. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18533242. Wood, S.L., Demougin, P.R., Higgins, S., Husk, K., Wheeler, B.W., White, M. (2016). Exploring the relationship between childhood obesity and proximity to the coast: a rural/ urban perspective. Health Place 40: 129–136. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.05.010. About the Author \| \| Sanity and Urbanity:	https://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/blog/fremantle-integrating-blue-and-green-health-in-urban-design-in-suburban-australia
Certain environments can inhibit learning and stifle enthusiasm, while others enhance learning or stimulate curiosity. Furthermore, in a world where technological change is accelerating we could ask how might architecture connect resource abundant and resource scarce innovation environments? Innovation environments developed out of necessity within urban villages and those developed with high intention and expectation within more institutionalized settings share a framework of opportunity for addressing change through learning and education. This thesis investigates formal and informal learning environments and how architecture can stimulate curiosity, enrich learning, create common ground, and expand access to education. The reason for this thesis exploration is to better understand how architects might design inclusive environments that bring people together to build sustainable infrastructure encouraging innovation and adaptation to change for years to come. The context of this thesis is largely based on Colin McFarlane’s theory that the “city is an assemblage for learning” The socio-spatial perspective in urbanism, considers how built infrastructure and society interact. Through the urban realm, inhabitants learn to negotiate people, space, politics, and resources affecting their daily lives. The city is therefore a dynamic field of emergent possibility. This thesis uses the city as a lens through which the boundaries between informal and formal logics as well as the public and private might be blurred. Through analytical processes I have examined the environmental devices and assemblage of factors that consistently provide conditions through which learning may thrive. These parameters that make a creative space significant can help suggest the design of common ground environments through which innovation is catalyzed.	https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/18146
Michaelangelo, “Mikey”, is a Product Manager on Comcast’s Accessibility Team. The Philly native has a background in web design and development and now works with product teams to ensure Xfinity's offerings are well-designed for customers using assistive technology. Mikey sat down for a quick Q&A about his role at Comcast and what it’s like working on his team. Q: How did you get started in the technology field? As a kid, I collected stuff—everything from stamps to coins, and even vegetable seeds from our family’s garden. Aside from that, I spent far too much time watching TV. The internet replaced television in my teenage years, and that fundamentally changed my life. I went on to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Multimedia & Web Design. I started at Comcast as a contractor in 2014. Working on web experiences on an enterprise scale and being able to work in the city were the two biggest factors for taking the consulting role. Making the move from Web Developer to Accessibility Product Manager was a pivotal moment in my career. In this role, I’m able to lean on my personal strengths, but also incorporate my years of professional experience. Q: What does your typical workday look like? Most days, I have several syncs with my accessibility teammates about our current initiatives and priorities. Throughout the day, I meet with various design, engineering, and product leads to ensure that accessibility is a part of their strategy and process. On a more detailed level, I work with teams on using design and technology to create a quality product for all our customers, including those with disabilities. Q: What is the best part of your job? Every day I get to solve design problems and help others become better problem solvers themselves. My whole job is focused on championing accessibility and being as inclusive as possible for people with disabilities. Connecting disability inclusion with the broader definition of inclusion is something I am very passionate about. Q: What else are you passionate about? I’m very passionate about design, technology, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. I ended up at the intersection of all of these things and so I’m able to take the passion I have for these topics outside of work into my daily life at Comcast. Q: Fun fact about yourself? One of the hobbies I picked up during the pandemic was the collection and propagation of rare houseplants, some of which are visible behind me via video calls!	https://jobs.comcast.com/blog/our-people/meet-mikey-accessibility-product-manager
Drawing on over 30 years of research and photographic documentation of city livability in hundreds of cities, Dr. Crowhurst Lennard is available to give keynote presentations and talks on the following topics related to making cities healthy and livable: True Urbanism: Principles for Healthy, Livable Cities - The essence of the city - The public realm - Squares and marketplaces - Outdoor cafes, farmers markets, community festivals - Appropriate human scale architecture - Mixed-use shop/houses - Compact urban fabric - City of short distances - Balanced transportation planning - Pedestrian networks - Bicycle networks - Traffic calmed streets - Public transportation networks - Regional planning - The DNA of the city - The city as a work of art - Public art - Children and young people Child-Friendly Communities - Guidelines for Child-Friendly Neighborhoods and Cities - How nature affects children's physical and mental health - Child development and the built environment - Children's health and environmental design - Increasing accessibility and autonomy - Making the built environment legible - Making cities socially and physically safe - Children's needs for play and exercise in nature, study of, and caring for nature - How participation in community social life affects children - Environmental solutions for building child-inclusive communities - How the built environment affects children's knowledge, and appreciation of their world - Stimulating curiosity, creativity through the design of the built environment Designing Successful Urban Plazas - The square as a catalyst for community engagement - The public realm, social life and community - Generating civic engagement - Public space design for social life and community - Genius of the European square - Learning from Europe's best squares. - Ten principles for designing successful urban places. - Essential features of successful squares - The square as a market place - The multi-functional square - Mixed use and diversity - Community functions of the public realm - The square as a social learning environment - The square as a representation of the city’s unique identity - Traffic and transportation policies - Squares, parks and squarks Social and Health Impacts of the Built Environment - Physical health and the built environment - Social life, heath and the built environment - The social immune system - Role of community in reducing social problems - Reducing obesity, diabetes, etc through environmental design - Urban design factors in generating community - Impact of the built environment on shyness, social anxiety syndrome - How the built environment can reduce social isolation - Special environmental needs of elders and children - How environmental factors impact depression, bullying - Creating a complete intergenerational community - A Lifetime Community - Healthy built urban fabric - The role of public space design in health and social health To invite Dr. Crowhurst Lennard to speak, please contact her directly at [email protected].	https://www.livablecities.org/consultation/lectures-and-talks
Integration by parts In calculus, and more generally in mathematical analysis, integration by parts is a rule that transforms the integral of products of functions into other (ideally simpler) integrals. The rule can be derived in one line by simply integrating the product rule of differentiation. If u = f(x), v = g(x), and the differentials du = f '(x) dx and dv = g'(x) dx, then integration by parts states that or simply: Contents Rule Suppose f(x) and g(x) are two continuously differentiable functions. The product rule states Integrating both sides gives Rearranging terms From the above one can derive the integration by parts rule, which states that, given an interval with endpoints a and b, with the common notation The rule is shown to be true by using the product rule for derivatives and the fundamental theorem of calculus. Thus In the traditional calculus curriculum, the rule is often stated using indefinite integrals in the form or, if u = f(x), v = g(x) and the differentials du = f ′(x) dx and dv = g′(x) dx, then it is in the form most often seen: This formula can be interpreted to mean that the area under the graph of a function u(v) is the same as the area of the rectangle u v minus the area above the graph. The original integral contains the derivative of g; in order to be able to apply the rule, the antiderivative g must be found, and then the resulting integral ∫g f ′ dx must be evaluated. One can also formulate a discrete analogue for sequences, called summation by parts. An alternative notation has the advantage that the factors of the original expression are identified as f(x) and g(x): This formula is valid whenever f(x) is continuously differentiable and g(x) is continuous. More general formulations of integration by parts exist for the Riemann–Stieltjes integral and Lebesgue–Stieltjes integral. More complicated forms of the rule are also valid: Strategy Integration by parts is a heuristic rather than a purely mechanical process for solving integrals; given a single function to integrate, the typical strategy is to carefully separate it into a product of two functions ƒ(x)g(x) such that the integral produced by the integration by parts formula is easier to evaluate than the original one. The following form is useful in illustrating the best strategy to take: Note that on the right-hand side, ƒ is differentiated and g is integrated; consequently it is useful to choose ƒ as a function that simplifies when differentiated, and/or to choose g as a function that simplifies when integrated. As a simple example, consider: Since the derivative of ln x is 1/x, we make this part of ƒ; since the anti-derivative of 1/x2 is −1/x, we make this part of g. The formula now yields: The remaining integral of −1/x2 can be completed with the power rule and is 1/x. Alternatively, we may choose ƒ and g such that the product simplifies due to cancellation. For example, suppose we wish to integrate: If we choose ƒ(x) = ln(sin x) and g(x) = 1/(cos x)2, then ƒ differentiates to 1/tan x using the chain rule and g integrates to tan x; so the formula gives: The integrand simplifies to 1, so the antiderivative is x. Finding a simplifying combination frequently involves experimentation. In some applications, it may not be necessary to ensure that the integral produced by integration by parts has a simple form; for example, in numerical analysis, it may suffice that it has small magnitude and so contributes only a small error term. Some other special techniques are demonstrated in the examples below. Examples Integrals with powers of x or ex In order to calculate: Let: Then: where C is an arbitrary constant of integration. By repeatedly using integration by parts, integrals such as can be computed in the same fashion: each application of the rule lowers the power of x by one. An unusual example commonly used to examine the workings of integration by parts is Here, integration by parts is performed twice. First let and Then: Now, to evaluate the remaining integral, we use integration by parts again, with: Then: Putting these together, The same integral shows up on both sides of this equation. The integral can simply be added to both sides to get where, again, C (and C' = C/2) is an arbitrary constant of integration. A similar method is used to find the integral of secant cubed. Interchange of the order of integrationMain article: Order of integration (calculus) For an example of the following type of notation see Multiple_integral#Formulae_of_reduction. The above formulation includes the technique of interchange of the order of integration, which is not usually viewed in this manner. Consider the iterated integral: In the order written above, the strip of width dx is integrated first over the y-direction (a strip of width dx in the x direction is integrated with respect to the y variable across the y direction) as shown in the left panel of the figure, which is inconvenient especially when function h(y) is not easily integrated. The integral can be reduced to a single integration by reversing the order of integration as shown in the right panel of the figure. To accomplish this interchange of variables, the strip of width dy is first integrated from the line x = y to the limit x = z, and then the result is integrated from y = a to y = z, resulting in: This result can be seen to be an example of the above formula for integration by parts, repeated below: Substitute: Which gives the result. More examples Two other well-known examples are when integration by parts is applied to a function expressed as a product of 1 and itself. This works if the derivative of the function is known, and the integral of this derivative times x is also known. The first example is ∫ ln(x) dx. We write this as: Let: Then: where, again, C is the constant of integration. The second example is ∫ arctan(x) dx, where arctan(x) is the inverse tangent function. Rewrite this as Now let: Then using a combination of the inverse chain rule method and the natural logarithm integral condition. Here is an example: Liate rule A rule of thumb proposed by Herbert Kasube of Bradley University advises that whichever function comes first in the following list should be u: - L: Logarithmic functions: ln x, logb x, etc. - I: Inverse trigonometric functions: arctan x, arcsec x, etc. - A: Algebraic functions: x2, 3x50, etc. - T: Trigonometric functions: sin x, tan x, etc. - E: Exponential functions: ex, 19x, etc. The function which is to be dv is whichever comes last in the list: functions lower on the list have easier antiderivatives than the functions above them. The rule is sometimes written as "DETAIL" where D stands for dv. To demonstrate the LIATE rule, consider the integral Following the LIATE rule, u = x and dv = cos x dx , hence du = dx and v = sin x , which makes the integral become which equals In general, one tries to choose u and dv such that du is simpler than u and dv is easy to integrate. If instead cos x was chosen as u and x as dv, we would have the integral which, after recursive application of the integration by parts formula, would clearly result in an infinite recursion and lead nowhere. Although a useful rule of thumb, there are exceptions to the LIATE rule. A common alternative is to consider the rules in the "ILATE" order instead. Also, in some cases, polynomial terms need to be split in non-trivial ways. For example, to integrate one would set so that Then Finally, this results in Recursive integration by parts Integration by parts can often be applied recursively on the term to provide the following formula Here, is the first derivative of and is the second derivative. Further, is a notation to describe its nth derivative with respect to the independent variable. Another notation approved in the calculus theory has been adopted: There are n + 1 integrals. Note that the integrand above (uv) differs from the previous equation. The dv factor has been written as v purely for convenience. The above mentioned form is convenient because it can be evaluated by differentiating the first term and integrating the second (with a sign reversal each time), starting out with uv1. It is very useful especially in cases when u(k+1) becomes zero for some k + 1. Hence, the integral evaluation can stop once the u(k) term has been reached. Tabular integration by parts While the aforementioned recursive definition is correct, it is often tedious to remember and implement. A much easier visual representation of this process is often taught to students and is dubbed either "the tabular method", "the Stand and Deliver method", "rapid repeated integration" or "the tic-tac-toe method". This method works best when one of the two functions in the product is a polynomial, that is, after differentiating it several times one obtains zero. It may also be extended to work for functions that will repeat themselves. For example, consider the integral Let u = x3. Begin with this function and list in a column all the subsequent derivatives until zero is reached. Secondly, begin with the function v (in this case cos(x)) and list each integral of v until the size of the column is the same as that of u. The result should appear as follows. Derivatives of u (Column A) Integrals of v (Column B) Now simply pair the 1st entry of column A with the 2nd entry of column B, the 2nd entry of column A with the 3rd entry of column B, etc... with alternating signs (beginning with the positive sign). Do so until further pairing is impossible. The result is the following (notice the alternating signs in each term): Which, with simplification, leads to the result With proper understanding of the tabular method, it can be extended. Consider Derivatives of u (Column A) Integrals of v (Column B) In this case in the last step it is necessary to integrate the product of the two bottom cells obtaining: which leads to and yields the result: Higher dimensions The formula for integration by parts can be extended to functions of several variables. Instead of an interval one needs to integrate over an n-dimensional set. Also, one replaces the derivative with a partial derivative. More specifically, suppose Ω is an open bounded subset of with a piecewise smooth boundary Γ. If u and v are two continuously differentiable functions on the closure of Ω, then the formula for integration by parts is where is the outward unit surface normal to Γ, is its i-th component, and i ranges from 1 to n. We can obtain a more general form of the integration by parts by replacing v in the above formula with vi and summing over i gives the vector formula where v is a vector-valued function with components v1, ..., vn. Setting u equal to the constant function 1 in the above formula gives the divergence theorem. For where , one gets which is the first Green's identity. The regularity requirements of the theorem can be relaxed. For instance, the boundary Γ need only be Lipschitz continuous. In the first formula above, only is necessary (where H1 is a Sobolev space); the other formulas have similarly relaxed requirements. See also - Integration by parts for the Lebesgue–Stieltjes integral - Integration by parts for semimartingales, involving their quadratic covariation. - Integration by substitution Notes - ^ Kasube, Herbert E. (1983). "A Technique for Integration by Parts". The American Mathematical Monthly 90 (3): 210–211. doi:10.2307/2975556. JSTOR 2975556. - ^ Khattri, Sanjay K. (2008). "FOURIER SERIES AND LAPLACE TRANSFORM THROUGH TABULAR INTEGRATION". The Teaching of Mathematics XI (2): 97–103. http://elib.mi.sanu.ac.rs/files/journals/tm/21/tm1125.pdf. - ^ Horowitz, David (1990). "Tabular Integration by Parts". The College Mathematics Journal 21 (4): 307–311. doi:10.2307/2686368. JSTOR 2686368. http://www.maa.org/pubs/Calc_articles/ma035.pdf. References - Evans, Lawrence C. (1998). Partial Differential Equations. Providence, Rhode Island: American Mathematical Society. ISBN 0-8218-0772-2. - Arbogast, Todd; Jerry Bona (2005) (PDF). Methods of Applied Mathematics. http://www.math.utexas.edu/users/arbogast/appMath08.pdf. - Horowitz, David (September 1990). "Tabular Integration by Parts". The College Mathematics Journal 21 (4): 307–311. doi:10.2307/2686368. JSTOR 2686368. External links Categories: - Integration by Parts – From MathWorld - Methods of integration -- section from an online textbook - Tabular Integration by Parts - Tabular Integration by Parts Demonstrated - Integral calculus Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Look at other dictionaries:	https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/101541/Integration_by_parts
This lesson explores the relationship between antiderivatives and indefinite integrals and discusses families of curves. You will also investigate finding antiderivatives graphically and analytically. Defining Indefinite Integrals Recall that an antiderivative of a function f is a function F whose derivative is f, that is, The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus gives another relationship between an antiderivative F and the function f: where F'(x) = f(x). If a is a constant, then -F(a) is a constant and we call it C, and the above can be written as A modified notation, , is used to represent all the antiderivatives of f. The new notation is called an indefinite integral. So, the indefinite integral is defined as where F(x) is any one of the antiderivatives of f(x) and C is an arbitrary constant. Exploring Graphically Suppose you are to find an antiderivative of f(x) = x2. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus says that by varying the value of a, will produce a whole family of antiderivatives, so explore the graph of for a = 0 and see if you can determine an antiderivative of x2. Letting a = 0 will produce one antiderivative of the family of antiderivatives. This antiderivative looks like f(x) = x3. However, graphing Y2 = X^3 together with the antiderivative in Y1 shows they are not quite the same. The antiderivative in the graph is actually . Define Y2 as X^3/3 to provide graphical support that is an antiderivative of f(x) = x2. 20.1.1 Graph an antiderivative of f(x) = x3 and find an equation for one antiderivative. Support your work graphically. Click here for the answer. Checking Indefinite Integrals Analytically Because you can check an indefinite integral by taking the derivative of the result. For example, the fact that can be verified by taking the derivative of the result: The Power Rule for Indefinite Integrals The generalized version for antidifferentiation where is Because the derivative of a constant is 0, the derivative of the result is Illustrating The indefinite integral may be illustrated by graphing the family of curves that are represented by for different values of C. For example, corresponds to . Letting C take the values -240, -200, -160, -120, -80, -40, 0, 40, 80, the family of curves is shown below in a [0, 50,10] x [-50, 100,10] window, where the particular curve associated with C = 0 is the darker curve. Each curve in the family can be obtained by choosing a different value of C and vertically translating the curve corresponding to C = 0.	https://education.ti.com/html/t3_free_courses/calculus84_online/mod20/mod20_lesson1.html
For any function that is continuous on [a, b] and differentiable on (a, b) there exists some c in the interval (a, b) such that the secant joining the endpoints of the interval [a, b] is parallel to the tangent at c. In calculus, the mean value theorem states, roughly, that given an arc of a smooth differentiable (continuous) curve, there is at least one point on that arc at which the derivative (slope) of the curve is equal (parallel) to the "average" derivative of the arc. Briefly, a suitable infinitesimal element of the arc is parallel to the secant chord connecting the endpoints of the arc. The theorem is used to prove theorems that make global conclusions about a function on an interval starting from local hypotheses about derivatives at points of the interval. This theorem can be understood intuitively by applying it to motion: If a car travels one hundred miles in one hour, then its average speed during that time was 100 miles per hour. To get at that average speed, the car either has to go at a constant 100 miles per hour during that whole time, or, if it goes slower at one moment, it has to go faster at another moment as well (and vice versa), in order to still end up with an average of 100 miles per hour. Therefore, the Mean Value Theorem tells us that at some point during the journey, the car must have been traveling at exactly 100 miles per hour; that is, it was traveling at its average speed. The mean value theorem is a generalization of Rolle's theorem, which assumes f(a) = f(b), so that the right-hand side above is zero. exists as a finite number or equals +∞ or −∞. If finite, that limit equals f′(x). An example where this version of the theorem applies is given by the real-valued cube root function mapping x to x1/3, whose derivative tends to infinity at the origin.	http://www.mathguru.com/level3/continuity-and-differentiability-2007101600010918.aspx
Best Practices for Writing and Implementing Teacher Performance Improvement Plans When teachers repeatedly get less-than-effective ratings, it may be time to implement a performance improvement plan, or PIP. In fact, 33 states – including Missouri and Nebraska – require teacher performance improvement plans or performance assistance plans for teachers rated below effective. When is it time to write a teacher performance improvement plan? Well, there’s no magic answer. These types of decisions need careful analysis and context applied. Read our blog on the timing of teacher performance improvement plans, and ask yourself whether it’s appropriate for your circumstances. Writing a teacher performance improvement plan is not a fun activity, but remember the reason it is important: Effective teachers are the most important factor contributing to student achievement. Don’t let performance issues slide; address them head-on. As the instructional leader of your school, you have the amazing responsibility to influence, mold, and improve the teaching practices of an entire faculty. Struggling teachers especially need your feedback and support. In this blog, we share the best practices for writing and implementing a teacher performance improvement plan. Learn More About PIPs Additional information about the PIP process is organized under the Teacher Performance Improvement Plans blog topic. Before implementing a teacher performance improvement plan Before implementing a teacher performance improvement plan (PIP), be sure expectations are clear and that you have given the teacher opportunities to improve – and that you’ve documented the efforts so far. The PIP conversation should not be the first you have had with the teacher about performance. (Although occasionally there are egregious situations that must be documented and corrected immediately.) Long before it is time to discuss a PIP, teachers should be made aware of the expectations concerning instructional practice. Make sure the teacher has a copy of the rubric being used for classroom observations and understands the exact behaviors you are looking for when you’re in the classroom. A great resource to help principals in this effort are the NEE exemplar videos housed in the EdHub library that provide video segments of highly effective teachers in action. Principals should be in classrooms frequently, observing and offering focused feedback throughout the year. Through observation of teachers in the classroom, you will have noted the skills that teachers need to sharpen and the behaviors observed to justify your comments. Classroom observations should always be followed with a face-to-face conversation with the teacher to offer feedback, support, and if necessary resources for improvement. In every feedback conversation, follow the steps in the NEE Guide to Effective Feedback: - Prepare - Present the data - Discuss focus - Make a plan - Follow up For more details, read our blog on the 3 Golden Rules and 5-Step Guide to Giving Effective Feedback. Give teachers the opportunity to implement the plans you discuss during regular feedback conversations, but if improvement is not occurring, it is time to move on to a more formal plan. Plan for the conversation Before you bring the teacher in for a meeting to discuss a teacher performance improvement plan, think about what you want to say and how you will say it. Be straightforward in your approach. Remove nonessential threads, which could create confusion and mask the goal of the conversation. Quickly identify the teaching behavior that is falling short, the evidence you have collected, and then move on to discussing the teacher performance improvement plan. Some administrators actually script the conversation by imagining the teacher’s comments and reactions. You might not predict exactly how the conversation will go, but thinking through what needs to be addressed and giving consideration to the details that accompany these interactions will help you cover all the important points and react appropriately. Also consider where and when you will hold the meeting. Give yourself plenty of time. You might consider holding the meeting at the end of the day when the teacher does not have to return immediately to the classroom. Will you meet in the teacher’s classroom, in your office, or in a neutral location? Each place sends a different message about how serious the conversation is and might affect how open the teacher is to the message. Writing a teacher performance improvement plan NEE provides a template for administrators to utilize when writing a performance improvement plan. We call it a short-term professional growth plan. Depending on the situation, you might write a suggested plan and then discuss it with the teacher, or you might choose to write the plan side by side with the teacher. You decide which approach is appropriate for your style and the situation. However, when possible, it is best to complete this document with input from the teacher. When teachers are able to collaborate on the creation of this document, they are more likely to be invested in the process and more likely to accomplish the goals you set. Complete the first three sections of the document: Set a goal The first step is to develop a SMART goal that will guide the teacher’s work. (SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.) Select just one goal. If there are multiple issues to be addressed, select the most important one to focus on first. You can complete subsequent plans, if necessary, after the completion of the first goal. Be clear on the timeline of the goal. Don’t allow the process to extend too long. List activities and resources List at least three activities or steps that will be completed toward meeting the goal. Keep each step of the plan small and quick so progress can be easily tracked. These steps might include utilizing professional development materials available in EdHub or from another source, observing another teacher’s classroom, or joining a professional learning network. List the evidence List three artifacts or pieces of data that will be collected to document completion of the three activities. This could be the completed EdHub tasks, notes taken during a peer observation, or an attendance certificate from a PD session. After completing the first three sections, you are ready to put the plan into action. As you leave the meeting with the teacher, make sure the teacher feels supported and equipped to accomplish the goal. If the goal is instructional in nature, let them know you will be completing classroom observations to check for progress and holding feedback conferences throughout the plan’s duration. Record your follow-up It’s important that you follow up with the teacher and offer feedback throughout the duration of the teacher performance improvement plan. A feedback loop helps to establish a coaching relationship that supports the teacher in accomplishing their goals. Record the dates of the follow-up observations, the scores from those observations, and the dates of the follow-up conversations. You might choose to write notes about each observation and feedback conference in a separate document that you can add to the PIP. Establishing a frequent feedback cycle keeps the teacher informed on their progress over time. Offer praise for improvement, and offer additional resources if needed along the way. Teacher self-reflection After the completion of the activities and follow-up steps, the teacher will complete a self-reflection to record what was learned, the improvement achieved, and how the changes have been integrated into the teacher’s instructional practice. Record evidence of progress The progress section provides space for the administrator to reflect on the progress that was made toward meeting the goal. Note the data and evidence you have gathered over the course of the plan. Final review The final section allows both the teacher and administrator to record any further comments about professional growth and to sign and date the form. The completed PIP should go in the teacher’s personnel file, and a copy should be made for the teacher. If all of the activities that were included in the PIP are completed, the PIP is considered to be completed after the final review meeting between the teacher and the administrator. If, however, the teacher is unable to complete the activities or does not meet the goal for improvement, the final meeting is used to discuss the reasons the goal were not met and to identify the next steps. Next steps might be another intervention cycle, where the teacher will again attempt to achieve the goal or, if there have been numerous intervention cycles, it might be time for a conversation with your human resources department. Adjust your mindset A teacher performance improvement plan is often thought of as a negative tool because they are sometimes used to begin the path toward nonrenewal of a contract. However, PIPs do not have to be a completely negative experience. PIPs are meant to give struggling teachers the targeted support they need to improve. That means principals share in the responsibility of providing support and resources to help teachers accomplish their goals for improvement. Almost every teacher wants to do well. They want to improve. Give struggling teachers your support and make this a collaborative process. Recognize the teacher’s strengths. When teachers have your support and give input on the creation of the plan, they are more likely to be invested in the process and more likely to accomplish the goals you set together. Also keep in mind that the environment of the school can greatly affect how feedback will be received. If the school climate is positive and focused on improvement, negative feedback will be viewed more objectively. Teachers must feel they can take risks and try new things. When this level of trust is missing, they may feel it is safer to continue to do the wrong thing than to take a chance on change. Although it can take time, building trust in the teacher evaluation process is critical for sustained instructional improvement. For more on teacher performance improvement plans, read When is it Time to Write a Teacher Performance Improvement Plan? Best practices for writing and implementing teacher performance improvement plans via @NEEAdvantageTweet The Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) is a simple yet powerful comprehensive system for educator evaluation that helps educators grow, students learn, and schools improve. Developed by preK-12 practitioners and experts at the University of Missouri, NEE brings together classroom observation, student feedback, teacher curriculum planning, and professional development as measures of effectiveness in a secure online portal designed to promote educator growth and development.	https://neeadvantage.com/blog/best-practices-for-writing-and-implementing-teacher-performance-improvement-plans/
2 IEP Planning Process Beginning at age 14 the IEP should be focused on meeting the student’s postsecondary goals. The IEP is a plan for preparing the student to successfully move from school to post-school education, work and adult living. Transition is a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the student. The purpose of this document is to increase the understanding of exactly “what” must be done, as well as to provide a clear understanding of “how” transition planning can be accomplished through the IEP process. Kansas requires that IEPs for students age 14 and older begin the process of planning for the student to transition from high school to post-school education, work and adult living. By age 16 the IEP is to include a coordinated set of services designed to move students with disabilities successfully from school to post-school settings. The transition IEP process is intended to result in a comprehensive, coordinated plan of activities to be implemented during the term of the IEP. The plan should reflect the IEP team’s response to the student’s postsecondary goals beyond one year and beyond just preparing the student for graduation. 3 Transition Process AGE APPROPRIATE TRANSITION ASSESSMENT: Beginning at age 14, conduct age appropriate transition assessment related to training, education, employment, and , where appropriate, independent living skills. MEASURABLE POSTSECONDARY GOALS: Beginning at age 14, develop postsecondary goals in the areas of education/training, employment, and if appropriate, independent living skills. PRESENT LEVELS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE: Instruction, related services, community, employment , daily living skills, adult living objectives, functional vocational evaluation. COURSES OF STUDY: Beginning at age 14, and reviewed annually, identify the courses of study needed to assist the student in reaching his/her measurable postsecondary goals. TRANSITION SERVICES: Beginning at age 16, or younger if appropriate, identify transition services in the areas of instruction, related services, community experiences, employment, other post-school adult living objectives, and if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation. MEASURABLE ANNUAL IEP GOALS: Develop annual IEP goals which support the student to meet his/her postsecondary goals. SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE: Upon graduation or age 21, provide a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance, and recommendations to assist the student in meeting his/her postsecondary goals. This is a flow chart of the Transition Process. We will cover all areas in the Transition-Focused IEP. 4 Before the IEP Meeting Prior to age 14 conduct an age-appropriate transition assessment related to training/ education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. The assessment will assist in developing the measurable postsecondary goals. The assessment will assist in identifying transition services needed to reach the goals. Transition assessment should be on-going. The purpose of transition assessment is to provide information to develop and write practical, achievable measurable postsecondary goals and assist in the identification of transition services necessary in helping the student reach those goals. The first transition assessment must be conducted prior to the student reaching age 14 and prior to the development of the measurable postsecondary goals and transition services in the students IEP. For each of the postsecondary goal areas addressed in the student’s IEP there are to be age-appropriate transition assessment information provided on the student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences, and interests regarding each postsecondary goal. The assessment information can be documented either in the IEP or in the student’s file. 5 Assist the student and family to determine needs, strengths, preferences and interests related to life after high school. Conduct career awareness exploration activities and a variety of formal and informal assessments. Explore opportunities within general education for the student to participate such as the development of Personal Plans of Study and Kansas Career Clusters. Integrate these processes into the transition planning for the student. Explore opportunities within general education for the student to participate in career exploration and planning such as, the development of a personal plan of study (PPS). The PPS is a process of examining self-interest and aptitudes, setting goals, and laying out a plan that will lead toward those goals that will serve students long after they have left high school. Additionally, many high schools implement the Kansas Career Clusters Model which provides coursework in a variety of career paths. If your school is utilizing the PPS and/or the Kansas Career Clusters, these processes should be integrated into the transition planning for a student with a disability. Prepare the student for participating in the IEP meeting. Support the student in developing self-determination skills. There must be documentation that the student was invited even if it is known he/she cannot attend. Prepare the student for participation in the IEP meeting. Discuss the purpose of the IEP with the student. Work with the student to explore different ways the student can participate in the IEP meeting. Student participation can range from conducting an interview with the student, if he/she will not be attending the meeting, to having the student leading/facilitating the meeting. It is important to begin early to assist the student in developing self-determination skills. The student needs to understand how his/her exceptionality affects the ability to achieve desired post-school outcomes, and should be able to describe the combination of supports that are needed to assist the student in reaching his/her goals. Active student participation in the IEP meeting is an excellent opportunity for the student to practice self-determination skills. If the student does not attend the IEP meeting, use other means to ensure the student’s needs, strengths, interests and preferences are considered. There must be documentation that the student was invited even if it is known the student will be unable to attend. Provide the parents (or adult student) with a 10 day written notice of the IEP meeting. Invite all required team members. Include other team members as determined appropriate by the school or by the parents. For any IEP that will be in effect beginning when the student turns 14, the parents, or adult student, are to be provided a written 10 calendar day notice of the IEP team meeting which: Indicates that a purpose of the meeting is to consider postsecondary goals and transition services; Indicates that the student is invited to the IEP meeting; and Identifies any other agency invited to send a representative to the IEP meeting (with parent consent). The required members of the team include: the parent(s) of the student at least one regular education teacher of the student at least one special education teacher of the student a representative of the school who is qualified to provide or supervise special education services is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum is knowledgeable about the availability of resources an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results the student, if a purpose of the meeting will be the consideration of the postsecondary goals for the student and the transition services needed to assist the student in reaching those goals. You can access a sample IEP Meeting form on the KSDE website. With the consent of the parent invite a representative of a participating agency that is likely to provide or pay for transition services. Use other means to enable the participation of the representative if they are unable to attend the meeting (conf. call, etc). If other agency fails to provide transition services on the IEP, reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies. The IEP team will consider for the current IEP whether this student needs to be linked to post school services, supports, or programs in order to successfully achieve his/her measurable postsecondary goals. To make this determination the IEP team will review the measurable postsecondary goals, present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, the student’s needs, strengths, preferences, and interests. Due to confidentiality requirements, consent must be provided before inviting a representative of an outside agency to attend the IEP meeting. A sample form for obtaining consent is available on the KSDE website. If a participating agency responsible for providing or paying for transition services fails to provide the transition services described in the IEP, the school must reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives set out in the IEP. Enables the student and parents to know what is happening throughout the meeting. Encourages the student and parents to participate in the discussion. The facilitator should also bring other relevant information, such as, graduation requirements, summary of assessments, description of courses available, etc. A sample IEP Meeting Agenda is available on the KSDE website. Beginning with the first IEP to be in effect when the student is age 14. Based on age-appropriate transition assessments in the areas of education/training, employment, and, if appropriate, independent living skills. Must have a goal for education/training, and employment. Only if appropriate, a goal for independent living skills. The postsecondary goals provide the context for all the planning that occurs during the development of the student’s IEP and must be in place by the time the student is 14 years old, and reviewed annually. The appropriate measurable postsecondary goals are based upon age-appropriate transition assessments and reflect the student’s needs, strengths, preferences, and interests—what he or she wants to do. Every student must have an education/training goal and an employment goal. The only goal area that is not always required, due to individual student needs, is the area of independent living skills. The education/training and employment goals may be written as a combination goal that includes each area. 11 Example Measurable postsecondary goals are outcomes that occur after the student has left high school. What a student will do. Education/Training: After graduation, James will attend Kaw Valley’s Technical Institute’s 2 Year Diesel course. Employment: After graduation from Kaw Valley Technical Institute (KVTI), James will be employed as a Diesel Mechanic. Combination Goal: After graduation James will attend KVTI’s 2 year Diesel course and then will be employed as a Diesel Mechanic. Postsecondary goals should be written in results-oriented terms such as “enroll in”, “work”, “live independently” and use descriptors such as “full time” and “part-time” for clarification Terms like “wishes”, “wants”, “plans”, and “desires” do not meet the requirement for measurable. Measurable postsecondary goals are outcomes that occur after the student has left high school. What a student WILL do (enroll in, attend, work) There are more examples on your handout. Focus on the student’s strengths, needs, interests and preferences in relationship to his/her postsecondary goals. Frame PLAAFPs around the areas of transition services: instruction, related services, community experiences, employment, adult living objectives, daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. The development of PLAAFPs are framed around the areas of consideration for transition: instruction, related services, community experiences, employment, or other post-school adult living objectives, daily living skills (when appropriate) and functional vocational evaluation (when appropriate). The PLAAFPs for each area should address where the student is functioning in relation to the student’s postsecondary goal; and the student’s strengths as well as relevant deficits or weaknesses. 13 Courses of Study (Age 14) Courses of study are a multi-year description of coursework to achieve the student’s desired postsecondary goals. The courses of study must identify the specific graduation requirements and elective courses. Other educational experiences: work study, community-based instruction, self-advocacy skills. May change from year to year based on student’s needs, strengths, preferences, interests and measurable postsecondary goals. Courses of study are defined as a multi-year description of coursework to achieve the student’s desired postsecondary goals, from the student’s current year to anticipated exit year. The courses of study should be identified on the student’s IEP as a list of courses to be taken each year rather than a statement of instructional program. This would include required courses for graduation (or completion of program) and specific elective courses that focus on improving the student’s academic and functional achievement and to assist the student in reaching his/her postsecondary goals. The IEP should contain the courses for the current IEP year, and minimally at least one additional year. Ideally, the IEP would contain the proposed coursework until graduation or completion of program. The courses of study are reviewed, and if necessary, revised annually. Each year the IEP team, including the student, reconsiders the student’s postsecondary goals and aligns the courses of study with those desired goals. The decisions regarding the courses of study should relate directly to where the student is currently performing and what he or she wants to do after graduation. The IEP team may take the following steps: i. Explore the Career Clusters programs available in the high school that might be appropriate for the student. ii. Review elective courses available and identify courses of study based on student’s needs, taking into account strengths, preferences and interests which support the goals. iii. Consider other educational experiences: work study, community-based instruction, independent living, and self-determination. iv. Consider whether any prioritization is necessary. 14 Transition Services (Age 16) A coordinated set of activities based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests. Address the following areas: Instruction Related Services Community experiences Employment Adult living objectives If appropriate, daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a student with disabilities, designed within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the student with a disability to facilitate the student’s movement from school to post-school activities. This coordinated set of activities is a broad accounting of what will happen, when it will occur, who is involved and who is responsible. The coordinated set of activities shall be based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests, and shall include the following: instruction; related services; community experiences; the development of employment and/or other post-school adult living objectives; acquisition of daily living skills (if appropriate) and a functional vocational evaluation (if appropriate). The IEP team will build from the PLAAFPs that describe where the student is currently performing in relationship to his postsecondary goal. Based on what the student currently needs: What services, supports or programs will this student need in order to achieve his or her desired postsecondary goals and lead to success as the student leaves high school? Are linkages being made to the needed post-school services, supports or programs before the student leaves the school setting? Does the statement of needed transition services include strategies to ensure students and parents are aware of, and connected to, needed post-school services, programs and supports before the student exits the school system? Needs and Activities Timeline Responsible Agency/Person Provider/Payer Instruction Related Services Community Experiences Employment Adult Living Objectives Daily Living Skills Functional Vocational Evaluation * Example, not required **If Appropriate This example incorporates all of the requirements for a coordinated set of activities to support the student to meet his/her post-school goals. This format is not required. Include academic and functional goals designed to meet the student’s needs to enable the student to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum. Address each of the student’s other educational needs that result from the student’s disability. Must support the student to meet his/her postsecondary goals. For students eligible for the KAMM, develop short-term objectives or benchmarks. The measurable annual goals must support the student to meet his/her postsecondary goals. For students beginning at age 14, measureable annual goals should be framed or considered in the context of the student’s postsecondary goals. The goals should be based on the identified needs in the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). Based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable. Statement of program modifications or supports for school personnel to enable the student to: Advance toward attaining annual goals and postsecondary goals Be involved in and progress in general curriculum and nonacademic activities Be educated and participate with exceptional and nonexceptional students Identify the location, frequency and duration of services. The team must determine what services and supports will be needed so that the student is most likely to achieve the IEP goals the team has set. The team must determine what services will be provided (special education, related services, and supplemental aids and services), where the services will be provided (general education, vocational education, community, etc), and the frequency (hours/day, days/week) and duration (beginning and ending dates) of these services. At least one year before a student reaches 18 years of age, the student’s IEP includes a statement that the student has been informed of rights that will transfer to the student upon reaching age 18. All rights afforded to parents under IDEA transfer to the student at age 18 (unless the student has been determined to be incompetent under state law). When a student with a disability reaches the age of 18 (unless the student has been determined to be incompetent under state law): (a) the student and the parents will be provided any notice required; (b) all other rights afforded to parents under this act transfer to the student; (c) the school shall notify the student and the parents of the transfer of rights; and (d) all rights accorded to parents under this act transfer to the person if incarcerated in an adult or juvenile federal, state or local correctional institution. 19 After the IEP Meeting Services on the IEP will begin within 10 school days after parental consent unless justification for a delay. Regularly assess student progress and report progress toward meeting annual goals to parents as determined in the IEP. Conduct an annual review of the IEP. Provide the instruction, experiences, supports and services outlined in the IEP, assisting the student and family by linking them to any needed post-school adult services, supports or programs. Reconvene the IEP team to plan alternative strategies if the transition services are not provided as planned, or if the student is not making the anticipated progress. Follow up activities should provide sufficient information to determine if the plan is “on track”, or if it is necessary to reconvene the IEP team to address areas where progress is not being made or is not in alignment with the student’s postsecondary goals. At least annually, the IEP team will review the IEP to determine whether the annual goals are being achieved and revise the IEP, as appropriate. The student’s measurable postsecondary goal may change which would impact the courses of study, transition services, annual goals and services. For students whose eligibility ends due to graduation or exceeding the age of eligibility. Summary of academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations The Summary of Performance (SOP) is intended to assist the student in transition from high school to higher education, training and/or employment and successful independent living. The development of the SOP can start as early as possible. It can take the form of a Portfolio or a form of minimum requirements. The Summary of Performance (SOP) is intended to assist the student in transition from high school to higher education, training and/or employment and successful independent living. This information is helpful under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in establishing a student’s eligibility for reasonable accommodations and supports in postsecondary settings. The SOP may be completed during the final year of a student’s high school education. That does not mean that it cannot begin sooner. The use of other methods for completing a SOP is encouraged, such as a portfolio. The portfolio begins early in the student’s high school years and compiles information and data to document the student’s learning experiences, skills, and knowledge. Examples of a Summary of Performance are on the KSDE website. Percent of youth with IEPs aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that are annually updated (as appropriate) and based upon an age appropriate transition assessment transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonably enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition services needs evidence that the student was invited to the IEP Team meeting where transition services are to be discussed evidence that, if appropriate, a representative of any participating agency was invited to the IEP Team meeting with the prior consent of the parent or student who has reached the age of majority. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B)) This is the newly revised I-13 requirements. 22 Resources Kans Trans Website NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist Transition Coalition NCSET Resources for IEP and Transition Planning IEP team meetings: A guide for participation for parents. (English) (Spanish) NICHCY's All about the IEP pages. . There are additional resources listed in your handout. Download ppt "IEP Planning Process Beginning at age 14 the IEP should be focused on meeting the student’s postsecondary goals. The IEP is a plan for preparing the student." August 6, 2009 Using the Indicator 13 Checklist to Support Accurate Data Entry, Engage Staff Development, and Improve Transition Planning Results Presented. MACCRAY Special Education Work-Based Learning Program Helping Students Climb the Ladder of Career Success By: Elyse Hagen, LD/DCD Special Education Teacher. DR. JASON M. NARANJO UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON-BOTHELL & DR. JOHN R. JOHNSON SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTED TO: CA TRANSITION ALLIANCE & THE SECONDARY. We know what we need to do for students what barriers prevent us from doing it? Transition 2011. Agenda The HS IEP Review HS Curriculum/Supports HS Panel Round Table. TRANSITION SUMMER INSTITUTE 2014 INDICATOR 13 BASIC REQUIREMENTS. Improving Secondary Transition Services: Meeting the Requirements of Indicator 13 1-Hour Presentation National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance. Transition-Rich IEPs Jennifer Hill, Project Coordinator, Western Michigan University.	http://slideplayer.com/slide/231633/
Because we are a school of choice, there are several steps toward enrollment at Henderson Bay High School. - Fill out an application (available through the Counseling Offices at Henderson Bay High School, Gig Harbor High School and Peninsula High School) and return it to Henderson Bay High School. The student’s name will be put on a waiting list. This does not guarantee admittance to Henderson Bay High School, but is a necessary first step. - Download application here - Students can enter Henderson Bay High School at the beginning of the year and at the quarter change during the school year. - Special Education students’ needs will be assessed for appropriate placement. - Students’ past attendance and behavior history will be reviewed. - All incoming students are required to complete a drug and alcohol assessment which can be scheduled through the Counseling Office. - Upon completion of the drug and alcohol assessment, student and parent will meet with the Henderson Bay High School Counselor. At that time any treatment recommendations will be addressed and, if necessary, intake for treatment groups must be completed before student is assigned to a core teacher. - Student and parent meet with core teacher and establish timeline for withdrawal from previous school and start date at Henderson Bay High School.	https://psd401.net/hbh/enrollment-process/
Here are a few steps that parents can take to help smooth the transition back to school: 1. Before buying back-to-school clothing, check the school’s dress code to ensure that your child will be in compliance (see the enclosed flyer). 2. If it’s a transition year for your child from middle school to high school or if your child is new to the district, visit the school to familiarize them with the building. 3. Many new high school students are anxious about their ability to master the combination lock on their locker. When you visit the school, have your child practice unlocking their locker. 4. If your child participates in sports, make sure that they have had a recent physical exam (after April 15, 2010), and that the proper forms have been completed and returned to the school. The forms are available on the district’s website. 5. After the “lazy days” of summer, it’s important to re-establish a more structured routine during the week or so before school resumes. Teens typically need 8-10 hours of sleep every day. 6. The beginning of each school year offers students an opportunity for a fresh start. Sit down with your student to set goals for the new school year. 7. Start the first day ready to begin your classwork. You should plan for a total of about 2 ½ hours of homework per week. The key to success is preparation. 8. Be positive and practice courtesy in all situations. Treat others as you would like to be treated. 9. Carefully review all information that is sent home throughout the school year. At the beginning of the school year, complete and return all necessary forms on September 7, 2010. Put school phone numbers and email addresses in a convenient place. 10. Sit down and review the student handbook with your son/daughter. 11. Please contact the school in writing if your son/daughter has any special medical or diet requirements. 12. Finally, don’t be afraid to fill out the form for free and reduced lunch. This confidential information is only used to qualify students and is treated with the utmost respect. This form can either be completed on line at www.greenville.k12.mi.us (online meal application) or you can pick up a form in the high school office.	https://greenville.wzzm13.com/content/gps-back-school-advice
When your child turns 3 years old, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services will end and it will be time to move to another program or setting. Your ECI team will help you make the transition. One choice is to transition to the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (PPCD). This program is for children from 3 through 5 years old. Also see Tips for Planning Smooth Transitions. View an Early Transition Timeline (PDF). Within 3 to 9 months before your child’s third birthday, you and your ECI team (also called the Individualized Family Service Plan team or the IFSP team) will develop a written plan for when your child leaves ECI. In Texas this plan is called “Transition Steps and Transition Services” and it will be part of your child’s IFSP. It will help you get ready for the next program or setting after ECI services end. Also see Understanding the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). If your ECI service coordinator or case manager thinks that your child will probably qualify for special education, she will send a notification to the local school district at least 90 days before your child turns 3. This notification will help the school district get ready for receiving your child when he leaves ECI. The notification will include your child’s name, birthday, home language, your name and contact information, and your ECI service coordinator’s name. If you do not want ECI to send notification to the school district, you can “opt out” by signing a written request that the information not be sent. Your service coordinator will let you know 10 days before the notification will be sent, so you need to act quickly if you want to opt out. If you choose to opt out, the transition process to PPCD stops until you are ready to proceed. You have the right to change your mind. At least 90 days or as much as 9 months before your child turns 3 years old, you and your ECI service coordinator will have a transition conference with a representative of the school district. This person will tell you about the preschool special education services they offer for children with disabilities, how your child will be evaluated to find out if he is eligible for these services, and answer any questions you have. If there is another program or service in your community (other than PPCD) that you are interested in, you will have a community transition conference to meet with a representative of that program. Usually at the transition conference, your school district will begin their referral process. You should receive a referral packet to be completed in order to provide the school information about your child. You will be asked to sign an evaluation consent form. The evaluation begins the process to determine if your child is eligible for special education services. Testing of your child can’t proceed until you sign these forms. The school district will evaluate your child after you sign the consent for evaluation. Also see Special Education: The Referral and Evaluation Process. After your child is evaluated you will attend an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting. At this meeting (or meetings—sometimes it takes more than one) you along with the other members of your ARD committee will determine if your child is eligible for special education services and, if so, develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP). You can invite people such as a family member, friend, and your ECI service coordinator (or case manager) to the first ARD meeting if you want. Sometimes it helps to have someone you know with you at this meeting. Be sure to let the ARD meeting coordinator know who you want to invite to the meeting. Also see The ARD Committee and Your Child's IEP. When your child turns 3 years old ECI services will end and the IEP should be in place based on your child's eligibility. Your child can begin getting PPCD services from the school district in the placement that your ARD committee selected with your signed consent. The ECI to PPCD transition is explained in the ECI parent booklet Beyond ECI (PDF). See the Early Transition Memorandum of Understanding in TEA's website to understand how DARS-ECI and the Texas Education Agency work together to support families and their children in the transition from ECI to PPCD. Project TaCTICS' Getting to Know Your Child (PDF) is a downloadable form you might find helpful for letting a new teacher know about your child. Be sure to include information about your child's favorite and least favorite toys, foods, activities, etc. Download this Transition Checklist to help keep up with each step.	http://www.parentcompanion.org/article/going-from-eci-to-ppcd/services%20and%20transitions
Every student participates in school activities with a goal of being prepared to function at some level of independence as a result of his/her school experience. Although this is no different for students with disabilities, differences do exist as far as what needs to occur before and after graduation if students are to move successfully from high school to post-school activities such as training, employment and independent living. For many students with disabilities the success of this transition from school to adult life depends on teamwork and collaboration between the schools and community resources. As one such resource, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation works closely with the Kentucky Department of Education to assist eligible students with disabilities to identify, plan for, and achieve their vocational goals. Who should be referred for Transition services? Referrals should be made on any student with a disability that might prevent them from training for, getting or keeping a job. Once the referral is made, a qualified rehabilitation counselor will determine if the student is eligible for services. When should the referral be made? Typically a referral is not made until the student is within two years of exiting high school. However, a student can be referred earlier if appropriate. What services can a student expect to receive? Prior to graduation, the eligible student can expect to receive a comprehensive assessment to determine vocational interests, capacities, and abilities, as well as guidance and counseling in determining an appropriate vocational goal and the services necessary to attain that goal. All services that are planned for and provided are individualized, determined jointly by the counselor and the student, and directly related to a specific vocational goal. After graduation, services vary depending upon the student's individual goals and needs, however, the focus remains on acquiring the skills necessary to get a job, job development, job placement, and follow-up. What is available for students with significant disabilities who will not be going on to post-secondary training or the military? The Community Based Work Transition Program is a jointly funded program between the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and a number of school districts in the state. The student considered appropriate for this program will require the unique services of a job trainer in order to obtain and maintain employment. The goal of this program is for each student to be job placed in the most integrated setting prior to graduation, with necessary supports in place to maintain that employment. If you wish to refer a student to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation or would like more information about transition services available through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, contact your local office or call 800-372-7172.	https://kcc.ky.gov/Vocational-Rehabilitation/programservices/Pages/Transition-Services-for-Students.aspx
In general, transition refers to the process of passing from one stage or place to another. It includes getting ready, actually moving, and then settling into the next stage or place. Transitions occur for every student: from elementary school - to middle school - to high school - to post-secondary activities. For students with disabilities, these transitions require thoughtful and deliberate planning. Individualized Educational Programs (IEP) based on each student’s unique needs are developed to meet his/her needs and to prepare for the next stage in his/her school career. The Virginia Department of Education in the State Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia (2010) defines Transition Services as “A coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation. Transition services for students with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or related services, if they are required to assist a student with a disability to benefit from special education” (34 CFR 300.29). Post-Secondary Transition Post-secondary Transition is the process of moving from high school to the world of work, college and/or job training. Planning and preparing for this transition begins when a student is still years away from separating from the school and the process takes on many different forms depending on the interests, skills and needs of the student. Post-Secondary Transition includes more than addressing the academic or educational needs of a student; it also applies to the training, vocational skill development, and independent living skill development required for a person to be an independent, contributing member of society. Transition Plan The Transition Plan is an integral part of the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for each student who has been found eligible for special education and related services under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Transition Plan will be developed and reviewed annually beginning at the age of 14 (or sooner, if appropriate) and will reflect the student’s current goals after completion of high school in the areas of education, employment and independent living. Transition assessments will be used to assist the student in identifying preferences and interests for transition planning and relevant outside agencies will be involved in the IEP process as appropriate. The overall goal of the transition plan is to provide an outline of the steps that need to be taken to provide students with disabilities with school experiences related to the established transition goals and to prepare for the transition from high school to adult life in the community. Transition Activities Transition activities are experiences that support the student’s attainment of post-secondary goals. Transition activities vary and may include, but are not limited to, the following: Self-Determination/Self-Advocacy Skill Development Academic and Career Plan Development Vocational Evaluations & Trainings Diploma Options Counseling Career Awareness / Skill Development Independent Living Skills Development Employment & Continuing Education Exploration IEP Training Resumes, Job Applications & Interviewing Skill Development College Planning Support Internships/Apprenticeships/School to Work Programs Connections to Community Resources/Adult Services Special Education Transition Contacts Please contact your child’s case manager at his/her school or contact Lesley Secrist, Special Education Coordinator / Division Transition Coordinator at 540-473-8263 or [email protected] if you need more information regarding your child’s transition plan. Resources: Tri-State Transition Slide Guide I'm Determined Sample Assessment: Eight Keys to Employability Secondary Transition: Why it is important to plan early? Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services Brochure Outside Agency Links: Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare Blue Ridge Independent Living Center Goodwill Industries of the Valleys DARS/DRS Career/Workforce Exploration Links: Virginia Career View Virginia Workforce Center of Roanoke Virginia Education Wizard Virginia Career and Technical Education Resource Center Other: Social Security Administration Waiver Services Age of Majority/Transfer of Rights The Virginia Department of Education and Botetourt County Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, political affiliation, disability, or gender in its educational programs or activities. No person shall be denied educational opportunities solely because of impairment, which is unrelated to the ability to engage in activities involved in the program for which application has been made.	https://www.bcps.k12.va.us/cms/one.aspx?pageId=834398
What is a Transition Plan? A Transition Plan is the section of the individualized education program (IEP) that outlines transition goals and services for the student. The Transition Plan is based on a high school student's individual needs, strengths, skills, and interested. Transition planning is used to identify and develop goals which need to be accomplished during the current school year to assist the student in meeting his post-high school goals. When should Transition Planning begin? By age 16, a statement of those needs, based upon his transition assessment and future goals, must then be written into his IEP. The annual IEP meetings focus on more specific planing and goal setting for the necessary transition services. Factors to be included are: academic preparation, community experience, development of vocational and independent living objectives, and , if applicable, a functional vocational evaluation. The agreed upon plans must then be documented in the student's IEP. The law also requires that a statement of the student's transition goals and services be included in the transition plan. Schools must report to parents on the student's progress toward meeting his transition goals. The IEP team may begin discussing transition services with the student before he turns 16, if they see fit. Why is Transition Planning important? It isn't enough to simply be aware that teenagers need guidance to transition successfully from high school to the next phase of young adulthood; concrete action steps must be taken to guide and prepare teens for college and/or a career, and for independent living. Without this guidance, students with learning disabilities often fail or flounder in high school and beyond. Please peruse the following resources for more information about transition:	http://www.sheltonpublicschools.org/secondary_transition
Having a clear timeline in mind throughout college will help you adequately prepare for medical school applications. Understanding what steps you should take when will ensure you don’t burnout and that you are ready to submit your application as early as possible. Follow our college premed timeline for medical school applications, which outlines an ideal schedule for freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year. When I look back on my time as a premed student at UCLA, perhaps the most instrumental asset that helped me succeed was the advice and guidance of those ahead of me. Upon further reflection, I realized there was one crucial thing I wish I had discovered sooner: a general timeline of tasks to accomplish prior to applying to med school. When I entered undergrad, I did not have a good sense of this timeline. But when I grasped it about a year later, it made my goals much more attainable. Having a clear vision of what needs to be accomplished allows us to create a stepwise approach to climbing the mountain that is medical school acceptance, rather than trying to reach the summit in a single leap. Keep in mind that this timeline is flexible. It is only a general idea of what should be done when. None of these suggestions are hard and fast rules. It is all a process, and things can certainly be done out of order. Another important point to note is this schedule describes the timeline you might follow if you wanted to go to medical school directly after undergrad. In order to do that, you need to submit your primary application during the spring/summer after your third (junior) year. Careful planning is necessary to prepare for application submission. If you choose the direct route (without taking time off after undergrad), you will aim to gain acceptance during your fourth year of undergrad to begin medical school in the fall after you graduate. The direct path is not mandatory. It is very reasonable, and common, to take time off after undergrad prior to entering medical school. You would then have one additional year to complete the tasks described below. Let’s get to the nitty-gritty of the timeline. Freshman Year — The Transition The biggest thing to focus on early in freshman year is adjusting to college life and making this a smooth transition. At this point, there are no large demands in terms of tasks to accomplish for med school applications. Focus on getting into the swing of college life, both socially and academically. The transition to college can be challenging, so the first big step is making sure you are comfortable with your surroundings. The next goal of freshman year holds true for each year, but it is particularly important early on: get good grades. This may seem obvious, but it can be easily overlooked amidst the distractions that come with the early college experience. Stay as disciplined as possible with your classwork while you enjoy yourself. Develop your study style/strategy, and stick to it. Strive for consistency and discipline in your approach over last-minute cramming. No matter how you accomplish it though, the bottom line is this: the better your grades, the better your chances of getting into medical school. It’s as simple as that. Without a solid GPA, acceptance is still possible, but it becomes increasingly difficult. So, what is good enough? It all depends on the schools you want to apply to. Shoot as high as possible because the higher your GPA, the more competitive you will be as an applicant. Most medical schools strongly suggest having a minimum GPA of 3.0, but you should aim for much higher. Take a look at the statistics of recent matriculated medical school students for averages, but keep in mind that to be a competitive applicant, you need higher than average grades. The last bit of advice to really drive this point home is don’t fall into an early hole with a low GPA. Come in focused and ready; give your best effort early on. It is tough to pull up your GPA after a couple of rough quarters. Starting off on the right foot is invaluable. Pre-Med with Low GPA? Here’s How to Get Accepted to Medical School. Sophomore Year — Research And Clinical Experience Either towards the end of freshman year or at the beginning of sophomore year, your focus should shift to the next two goals: clinical and research experience. Both of these extracurricular activities are essential for med school applications. Get started early! Try to secure a position in both areas at least before the halfway point of second year. The earlier, the better. Now, what specifically you choose to do in either of these arenas does not necessarily matter. What matters most is that you do both for a substantial amount of time so that you can write about them in your applications and discuss them at your interviews. For clinical work, seek a position that will give you some solid clinical exposure, perhaps in a field of interest, so that you can gain an understanding of how the medical system works. Most schools have student groups and programs tailored to this. Or if your school has an affiliated hospital, you can usually approach the hospital volunteer department about available positions. In terms of research, securing this position should be a bit more thoughtful, as research projects can be challenging and time-consuming (but also very rewarding). It ultimately comes down to finding a position so that you have the experience on your application. Again, seek out a field of interest if you have one. There are many kinds of research (i.e., basic science vs. clinical) and it does not matter what you choose to do. What matters is that you work with a mentor who will guide you well during your time in the lab. And perhaps more importantly, this mentor can help you achieve a finished product (perhaps a publication, though this is certainly not necessary for medical school acceptance) as well as provide you with a strong letter of recommendation. Be mindful of the leadership and mentorship you might receive when seeking a research position. Consider the relationships you build throughout your early years of college. This will be invaluable once it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation. Read our full Letters of Recommendation Guide, which includes who to ask, when to ask, how to ask, what to provide, and common mistakes to avoid. Junior Year — The MCAT and Application Submission The summer before junior year, you must tackle perhaps the most daunting beast of the premed experience: the MCAT. It is certainly a difficult test that requires substantial effort and discipline. With that said, it is also a very surmountable hurdle. If you plan to submit the AMCAS application by the summer of your junior year, you will need to complete the MCAT sometime prior to the spring of junior year. We recommend taking the MCAT during the summer between sophomore and junior year. This may seem early, but it is completely feasible. Most students have taken the majority of the premed prerequisites by this point, which helps with preparation for the MCAT. But in reality, the majority of your success on the exam will depend on independent studying outside of your coursework. The timing relative to undergrad coursework is less crucial than one might expect. What is important is that you take the exam during a period when you have significant time to study for it. Another option that many students pursue is to take the MCAT during junior year, which is challenging, but certainly feasible. In either case, your score will be available by the end of junior year, allowing you to apply on time. If you are planning on a gap year or two, the MCAT can be delayed accordingly. Our MCAT Study Guide covers MCAT basics, how the MCAT is scored, 7 MCAT study strategies, MCAT resources, FAQs, and more. The second challenge to tackle during junior year is your medical school application. Applications open around the beginning of May each year, but you cannot submit your application until the end of May or early June. The deadlines for submission vary by school but lie between October and December (which is in the fall of your senior year), but this is not the timeline you should follow. Apply as early as possible in the application cycle; in other words, try your absolute best to submit your application soon after submissions open. The reason for this is most medical schools employ rolling admissions, which means applications are taken and reviewed as they arrive, rather than considering all applications at once after a submission deadline. Thus, the earlier in the season you apply, the earlier you receive secondary applications and the earlier you may be offered an interview. Later in the season, there are fewer interview spots available, which may make it more difficult to obtain one. There is no reason to delay your application and risk this added hindrance to acceptance. Applying as early as possible is paramount. View our timeline, which includes both ideal and possible deadlines. The last consideration during this year is securing the necessary items to submit the application itself: a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and descriptions of your work and activities. Learn How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement (11 Steps). The bottom line is that you will need to start the process during your junior year to allow them to be obtained and completed by the time June rolls around. Get the ball rolling on these by midway through junior year. Senior Year — Secondaries, Interviews, and Acceptance The fourth and final year is when it all comes to fruition! Before the finale, there are a few more key hurdles to clear. Once you have submitted your primary application to AMCAS, AACOMAS, or TMDSAS, you will then receive secondary applications from each school that wants to further evaluate you. These secondaries essentially ask for further information in the form of short answers, brief essays, or, at times, longer essays. It will require a fair amount of effort to plug through all of these secondaries, so plan accordingly. If you sent the primary application in June, secondaries will roll in during the summer. Complete them as soon as possible after they come in, ideally within 2 weeks of receiving them. Quality in your responses is important, but a timely reply is also key, as this will make you eligible for an interview that much sooner. Time is of the essence in this process. Once the secondaries are taken care of, it’s interview time. Sometime early in your fourth year of college, you will need to start preparing for interviews. Early on, you will practice, prepare, and likely perform some mock interviews as well. The interview season can start as early as September and continue until as late as April of the following year, depending on the school. Any time during this period, you may be contacted by schools for an interview, so stay ready. Medical school interviews are generally conducted in person, meaning you must travel to the school’s campus. This is an awesome chance to experience the city and the program, and it’s also a great opportunity to demonstrate your caliber as an applicant. Read our Medical School Interview Guide, which covers common interview questions, preparation advice, what to wear, and mistakes to avoid. The last and sweetest step of the process is acceptance! In October, medical schools begin sending acceptance letters. You may be contacted any time thereafter. You can hold multiple acceptances until mid-May when you must commit to one school. At this point, you get to bask in the tremendous honor of joining the ranks of the medical profession as a future doctor! Enjoy it because you have certainly put in the blood, sweat, and tears to earn this moment. If you do not receive an acceptance, you might be put on a waiting list. See How to Get Off Medical School Waitlists — 7 Strategies for more information. College Premed Timeline: Putting It All Together FRESHMAN YEAR - Adjust to college life - Develop habits and study strategies - Focus on getting good grades SOPHOMORE YEAR - Acquire clinical and research experience - Build strong relationships for letters of recommendation - Create an MCAT schedule (if taking the MCAT in the summer) JUNIOR YEAR - Take the MCAT (summer before or during junior year) - Primary application - Personal statement - Letters of recommendation - Work and activities - Decide which schools you’ll apply to SENIOR YEAR - Secondary applications (summer before or early fall) - Interviews - Follow up with letters of interest or a letter of intent - Admissions decisions Final Thoughts We break down the process even further in our Medical School Application Timeline, which includes deadlines and a complete month-by-month preparation schedule. Understanding the timeline of tasks to accomplish in order to gain acceptance to medical school is key to your success. Getting into medical school is an arduous process. Take it step-by-step. Accomplish your goals one at a time. As much as you can, enjoy the process because in medicine, it really is about the journey, not simply the destination. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Med School Insiders team at any time. We can help with the entire application process, from MCAT tutoring to essay editing to mock interviews to secondary editing.	https://medschoolinsiders.com/pre-med/medical-school-application-timeline/
BPS school registrations are to be completed online. Please call 701-323-4110 or visit 806 N. Washington Door #2 from 7:30am-4pm M-Th Fridays (Fridays the office closes at noon in the summer) Thank you for choosing Bismarck Public Schools! We are excited to have your children join us. IF YOU HAVE NOT LEFT THE DISTRICT TO ATTEND ANOTHER SCHOOL, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RE-REGISTER EVERY YEAR. If you are returning to a BPS school from Bismarck homeschool, please register online using the link. If your school will change with an address change, please fill out an address change form to update your address or visit your powerschool account to request an update online as soon as possible. Please read through steps 1-3 before starting. The Online Registration process should take approximately 20-30 minutes per student. It is recommended to collect the following information prior to beginning the online registration process so you can easily upload it to the appropriate places. Parents also have the option of bringing documents in person to the central office at 806 N. Washington door #2, fax to 701-323-4111 or email to [email protected]. If you are unable to complete the registration all at one time, you can save your progress and return to finish. Per BPS policy, proof of residency is required to attend a Bismarck school. Please submit your registration even if you don't have all your documents at the time of registration. The registration office will contact you. NOTE: Parents are strongly encouraged to register their K-5th grade students as soon as possible to help ensure placement in their neighborhood school. The sooner a student is registered, the higher the probability of them attending their boundary school. Due to capacity limitations at the elementary level, students may be placed in a different school for the current school year. Students will return to their boundary school the following year. Age requirement for Kindergarten entrance is age 5 by July 31st. Documents requested, residential documentation is required to enroll: - Parent identification - Proof of birth of student(s) click here for acceptable documents - Recent Immunization records of student(s) - Primary proof of residence - click here for acceptable & non-acceptable documents - Secondary proof of residence - click here for acceptable & non-acceptable documents - Notarized Residency Affidavits will be needed if you are living with a Bismarck resident and it is not due to financial hardship in addition to the proof of residency in the lessee/owner's name. Students in transition or temporary housing are not required to submit documentation in order to enroll in school as defined in the McKinney-Vento act. Please remember that only the parent that initiates the online registration process can make changes. You will need an email address to access online registration. If you don't have an email click here to create one. 1. find your school: Click here to use your address to find your school with Guide K12 2. Click the applicable link below to start the online registration process: (If possible, have your documents ready to upload before you submit your completed registration.) To register for the school year click here for the current year. any registration submitted for the improper year will not be used Click here for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year (Don't worry if you can't finish it all at once, you can pick up where you left off. You must hit the "Save & Sign out" button located on the top right of the screen in the circular button with your initials on it. This is very important if you plan on using a public computer) 3. Lastly, once you have submitted your online registration and have uploaded all of the necessary documents, your submission will be verified and you WILL NOT need to create an appointment. If you can't upload your documents or have questions, you can email (Please add your student(s) on the subject line) fax 701-323-4111 or call 701-323-4110. If you are registering your student after the start of the school year, please be aware that after registration completion, there may be 2 full school days before an Elementary age student (K-5) will attend classes. For middle and high school students, it can take up to a week after you register your child for classes, as we need to request records from the sending school as well as build a class schedule for your child. 4. Here are some useful tools to print out or request a copy at your school. Kindergarten specific information: Kindergarten important immunization notice Kindergarten school open house list your child's school will contact you with details. Kindergarten readiness brochure Literacy Activities to help your child be ready to read and write K-12 information: What to expect your 1st year with Bismarck Public Schools School supply lists updated every summer How to create a PowerSchool account K-12 Immunization requirements Transportation (Busing) information MyPaymentsPlus (for school meal accounts, activity fees, etc.) How to create a PowerSchool account Johnson O'Malley Eligibility Certification (for Native American students that don't have a tribal ID to upload) Before and/or After School Programs: - BLAST (Centennial, Grimsrud, Liberty, Murphy, Northridge, Prairie Rose, Solheim, and Sunrise) - CREA (MREC) (Lincoln, Miller, Moses, Myhre, Pioneer, and Will-Moore) - YMCA (available to all schools in Bismarck but only provides transportation to and from the schools listed on their website.) - After School Program (Roosevelt & Highland Acres) For more parent information and resources, go to the Parents tab.	https://www.bismarckschools.org/Page/3633
Exiting and Transition from Birth to Three to School Age Services A student who is exiting services from Birth to Three will have a transition meeting with the public school to develop the transition plan to public school services. This meeting will occur between 6 to 3 months prior to the third birthday. The Service Coordinator for Birth to Three will arrange the meeting with Taylor County Schools. The meeting will determine what assessments are needed to be completed to determine eligibility for Preschool Services with the public schools. All transition activities are completed and eligibility and/or services are determined and ready to start on the third birthday. Exiting and Transition from High School Age of Majority In West Virginia, the age of majority is 18. At 18, a child, or minor, legally becomes an adult. With that distinction, rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protected for the parent/guardian on behalf of the child, transfer to the individual. This is referred to as transfer of rights. Like transition, arriving at adulthood is a planning process, even if it culminates in a single moment. Guardianship The majority of students receiving special education services will be ready to assume this responsibility. For some, the nature of their disability restricts their ability to. Families may choose to consider legal guardianship in this instance. It is important to note, though, that this is outside the purview of the District and requires legal guidance. Exiting From Services Students exit services in three ways: by evaluation, by graduation, or by age. Individual service adjustments may be made through annual IEP adjustment, but an evaluation must be performed for a student to exit all services. IEP teams, prior to graduation, determine if a student will benefit from 18-21 transition services through an Alternate Assessment. A student’s services will end services through Taylor County Schools on the last school day of the year in which they turn 21. The student’s graduation date will be defined as the end of services. Graduation It is the goal of Taylor County Public Schools for every student to graduate well-prepared for next steps, regardless of disability. Students receiving special education services may graduate in two ways: Graduating students will be provided with a Summary of Performance. The Summary of Performance is a summary of school achievement and functional performance. It is a tool to support the student’s transition from school to higher education, training, employment and/or adult services. It includes: Exit Surveys and One Year Follow Up Surveys All graduating students with exceptionalities are asked to complete an exit survey indicating what they are planning on during the first year after graduation. One year later the student are asked to complete a one year follow up survey to determine if their transition plans supported their transition to training, work or additional education during one year after high school.	https://taylorcountyboe.net/departments/special_education/exiting_transistion
Help to plan, deliver, and supervise on and off-site activities as part of our residential vacation course team, and strive to ensure that each student has a safe, enjoyable and beneficial experience with us. As part of the role you are expected to support group leaders in the management of students while on and off-site, including overnight house duties. Main Duties • Help to plan, deliver and supervise engaging, fun and appropriate activities for groups of international students, both on and off-site. Activities will include sports, art, drama, and music. Some pre-prepared activity plans and equipment will be provided, but these will need adapting according to the needs and dynamics of particular student groups. Other activities may need to be prepared from scratch, and new ideas to enhance the programme are encouraged. • Communicate regularly and effectively with fellow activity staff and the Management Team. • Lead and oversee full day, off-site excursions to places such as London, Oxford, Cambridge, and elsewhere (using pre-prepared walking tours and activity plans). • Maintain a high quality of on-site activities and that equipment is effectively maintained and any issues or concerns are reported. • Actively promote student welfare and safety at all times. • Ensure all students are properly supervised at all times. • Complete any necessary paperwork required by the role, such as registers, activity plans, and accident forms. • Assist with student supervision during break and mealtimes as directed. • Help to maintain student behaviour, safety, and welfare, and ensure that the students do not breach the rules of the school. • Supervise airport arrivals and departures, as necessary. • Supervise students in the evenings and at mealtimes. • Support the Management Team with the allocated house duty for that day, including wake-up calls, escorting students around the school, supervising students in the residence and “lights-out”. • Be ready to assist at any time with an emergency, or where a student is ill or injured. • Engage with students outside of classes and in assigned activity sessions in a friendly and professional manner. • To be on call overnight in case of an emergency, on a rota basis. • Report all house repairs as required using the appropriate forms. • Have a responsibility for implementing Experio Summer’s policies and procedures, and represent the school to the highest standard. • Update the student activity board on a daily basis. • Ensure that you have the necessary information and paperwork before commencing any activity. For example, ensuring other staff are fully informed and prepared to lead a walking tour, have up-to-date student registers and relevant equipment. • Ensure each student receives a full and thorough induction at the beginning of their stay. • Assist with keeping the premises and company equipment clean, safe, and in good order. Other responsibilities Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified. Staff will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in the job description. Personal Specification • Outgoing and enthusiastic personality. • Excellent spoken English language skills. • Ability to work as part of a team and to use own initiative. • A flexible, cooperative, and responsible attitude. • Previous experience of working with young people at a summer school/residential school programme is desirable. • Local knowledge of Oxford and other cities, such as London and Cambridge is desirable. • Specific skills in areas such as sport, art, music, and drama would be beneficial. • Ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. • Ability to demonstrate respect for equal opportunities and respect for race and diversity. • A first aid qualification is desirable (training will be given). Special working conditions • Full board and accommodation will be provided. • One full day off each week, though will be required to be contactable (on call) in case of emergencies. • All staff will be subject to safeguarding checks including an enhanced DBS disclosure. Safeguarding Experio Summer Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As such, all successful applicants will: be asked to explain any work and/or educational history gaps; undergo an Enhanced DBS Disclosure or overseas equivalent; provide details of 2 referees that can objectively comment on your suitability to work with children; show evidence of entitlement to work in the UK. Our Mission Statement As a summer school organiser, we are committed to providing the highest standards of tuition, coaching, supervision, support and welfare to all our students, group leaders and staff. Our purpose is to create opportunities for young people from all over the world to learn new things, to have new experiences and to make new friends and everlasting memories. Pay Information The rate of pay for a Student Experience Leader is, £445 per week (plus accrued holiday pay). You are required to work such hours as are reasonably required to carry out your role. You are entitled to one day off per week. You may be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week and therefore be required to opt-out of the 48 hour Working Time Regulations. Please get in contact by emailing [email protected] or fill in the online application form below. Register your interest Experio Summer Mission Statement: As a summer school organiser, we are committed to providing the highest standards of tuition, coaching, supervision, support, and welfare to all our students, group leaders, and staff. Our purpose is to create opportunities for young people from all over the world to learn new things, to have new experiences and to make friends and everlasting memories.	https://www.bscsummerschool.com/careers/student-experience-leader/
Difference between revisions of "SSPS:Articulation Procedures" Children in pre-k ESE programs who wish to remain in the current school for kindergarten placement must re-apply for School Choice, if not at zoned school. If a parent indicates that a student may attend a charter school, the T/IEP should still be developed because the T/IEP team remains accountable to develop a T/IEP as long as the student is enrolled in Pasco County Schools. If parents choose not to attend the T/IEP meeting, the team should still meet to develop the T/IEP so the charter school can determine whether it can be implemented. Articulation procedures promote an organized and efficient exchange of information between sending and receiving schools for students in exceptional student education (ESE), whom are articulating to elementary, middle, high schools, and transition settings. The procedures include: assignment of a primary contact person (i.e., designee) for each school, coordination and transfer of documentation, and special considerations. Download the list of 2015 Articulation Designees. Administrators for sending and receiving schools shall select a Designee and send the designee’s name and email address to the Office for Student Support Programs and Services by completing the Articulation Designee Form. All schools will need both receiving and sending designees. Verify the school zone (by addresses) for articulating students with data entry personnel. New schools, school boundaries and program feeder patterns may impact zoning. Complete the Student Articulation Form listing articulating students for each receiving school, including recommendations for course delivery models. In cases where placement at a given school or program may be questionable, a school administrator from the sending school should initiate communication with the receiving school administrator to arrange for classroom observations and/or participation in T/IEP planning. Provide School Nurse Input form if health care needs are identified. Collect, organize, and send working/program folders for each student by the end of the school year to the receiving school designee. For students with assistive technology (AT) needs, develop a plan in collaboration with the receiving school to ensure transfer or ordering of any AT devices or materials. For students with indivdiually designed materials (i.e. picture schedules, social stories, visual communication materials) develop a plan in collaboration with the receiving school to ensure transfer or development of these materials. For students with behavioral concerns, review and revise, if needed, the Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP) in collaboration with the receiving school. Distribute information to the case managers including a copy of the T/IEP, recommended delivery models, and any additional information sent from the sending school. Transitioning between levels can present challenges when ESE service delivery models are structured differently. This is especially evident in the pre-k to kindergarten and 5th grade to 6th grade transitions. School teams are encouraged to create avenues for ongoing dialog between sending and receiving schools so that T/IEPs can reflect the team’s intentions and parents have a clear understanding of why the service model may change. For example, in some cases, the services page may have to reflect two sets of services (e.g. the current year in a self-contained prekindergarten and the following year in a general education kindergarten with ESE supports). If T/IEP teams are not sure of how to proceed, please contact the program supervisor for assistance. While the majority of students stay in feeder pattern groups, new students transferring into the county and student mobility may not provide opportunity for preparation. Teachers and case managers should have well documented data on student academic progress, T/IEP goals, observations, conference summaries, and other relevant information available for any student transferring in or out of county. Receiving schools should consider supports that will need to be in place at the beginning of the next school year. In some cases, resources may have to be adjusted to assist students more frequently at the start of the school year. For example, the support facilitation level may need to be more frequent at the beginning of the school year until the student is acclimated to the new environment and routines. Additionally, receiving schools must ensure that data entry revision forms are completed at the beginning of the school year to reflect changes in time with non-disabled peers or other differences in schedules. Change of Placement Plan forms are typically utilized for considering significant changes in educational environment (e.g., student transitioning from basic education into an ESE class placement or transitioning between ESE class placements e.g. Florida Standards to Access Points settings). T//IEP teams may consider change of placement options at any time during the school year, however, to assist schools in planning for the following school year, T/IEP teams are encouraged to consider change of settings as early as possible. To best coordinate effective communication, the Change of Placement Plan, should be submitted to the proposed ESE class placement by the established due date (see above) for students who wish to be considered for these programs at the beginning of the following school year. The BDI-2 exit assessments must be completed within the established test window (March 2rd through April 30th). The assessment information will be helpful to IEP teams in determining supports needed for kindergarten. For pre-k students who will be entering a general education classroom, the IEP team should set up a transition meeting with the parents/guardians and child's zoned school to ensure the IEP sufficiently captures the student's present level of performance, appropriate goals and level of special education and related services. The intent of this process is that all students leaving pre-k settings have a smooth transition from pre-k to kindergarten. For pre-k students who are recommended for a self-contained setting for kindergarten, supporting data including Teaching Strategies GOLD and the BDI-2 assessment will be important. When scheduling with the receiving schools, be sure that they are scheduled after the BDI-2 assessments are completed. If multiple placements are being considered, the pre-k IEP team should begin holding meetings with potential schools in April to ensure that kindergarten placement decisions have been made prior to the end of the current school year. The transition from pre-k to kindergarten can present additional challenges for students with behavioral needs or the need for high levels of adult supervision and support. These students should be carefully considered by the sending and receiving schools to determine the most appropriate placement. These students may need continued placement in an ESE setting. For students transitioning to an inclusive setting, behavior intervention plans and supervision plans must be reviewed and adapted to the new setting before the start of kindergarten. For students in pre-k ESE programs, it is not a recommended practice to maintain kindergarten-age students in pre-k ESE classroom settings. If the school team feels there are extenuating circumstances to warrannt consideration for an extension in a pre-k ESE classroom, please contact Kelli Boles (ext. 42672 or [email protected]) for procedures. It is important for T/IEP teams to take into consideration the scheduling structure of the receiving school when making recommendations regarding the intensity of services to be provided at the next school level. For example, elementary schools will commonly recommend 60 minutes of speech-language therapy, whereas secondary schools will commonly recommend 50 minutes of therapy. The T/IEP team should consider the student’s progress and whether the service area(s) continue to be a priority educational need. Consider whether a difference of reducing 10 minutes of therapy outweighs the impact on missed core academic instruction. This occurs because students scheduled for 60 minutes would miss instruction from two classes each week, as opposed to missing just one class if scheduled for 50 minutes. In addition to sending student information to the receiving transiton teacher, for students who will be graduating with a special diploma, information regarding appropriate transtion programs shall be provided to students and their parents and arrangements made for a visit and/or meeting. Graduation deferment requires careful coordination between schools. Students may defer graduation to participate in accelerated college credit instruction, industry certification courses that lead to college credit collegiate high school program, courses necessary to satisfy the Scholar designation requirements, or structured work-study, internship, or preapprenticeship program. The TIEP would review the student’s qualifications to participate in the identified program and agree that the student needs this continuation of ESE services to transition to post-school outcomes. In cases where students are considering programs at other high schools or education centers, the TIEP meeting must include representiatives from both the potential receiving school and sending school. A plan including courses to be completed, time student will be on campus, and any additional logistical support should be developed if graduation deferment is recommended. Schools should follow the same articulation procedures for H/HB students that they do for all ESE students, but it is extremely important to do this properly for H/HB students because they may not be visible on campus. Unless a sending school properly notifies the receiving school that the student is articulating, the receiving school may not even be aware that the student is H/HB, and may withdraw them for non-attendance when they do not show up on site in the fall. To ensure that there is no break in services, the student’s current administrator and case manager must work together to collaborate with the receiving school to make sure that the transition is smooth so that the student is set up for success. If the student plans to reenter school because he/she will not continue to meet eligibility for H/HB, or his/her confinement level has changed, a reentry plan should be developed to ensure that the proper accommodations are provided and that all restrictions and limitations have discussed and shared with the new teachers and staff. A Special Needs Transportation Form (MIS #768) should be completed for each student who will need transportation for the upcoming school year. Sending schools must send completed forms to Lisa Witfoth in Transportation. For students requesting School Choice to another public school in the district, proceed with the articulation process as if the student will be attending his/her zoned receiving school, unless the school choice request has been approved. Children in pre-k ESE programs who wish to remain in the current school for kindergarten placement must re-apply for School Choice, if not at zoned school. If a parent indicates that a student may attend a charter school, the T/IEP should still be developed because the T/IEP team remains accountable to develop a T/IEP as long as the student is enrolled in Pasco County Schools. If parents choose not to attend the T/IEP meeting, the team should still meet to develop the T/IEP so the charter school can determine whether it can be implemented. If a parent indicates a student may attend a private school, proceed with the articulation process as if the student will be attending his/her zoned receiving school. The T/IEP team is still accountable to develop a T/IEP as long as the student is enrolled in Pasco County Schools. If the parent wants their child(ren) to receive ESE services whole enrolled at the private school, they must contact Glennda McCallister in the Office for Student Support Programs and Services at 813-794-2609. Once the request is made, a determination will be made for eligibility for services and a service plan will be developed according to district procedures. All formal reevaluations due through October FTE need to be completed prior to the end of this school year and sent to the receiving school as soon as possible. This includes students identified as Developmentally Delayed (DD) who will be turning six years of age. Every effort should be made to complete formal reevaluations before the articulation process begins. Special attention should be provided to students articulating to middle and high school levels who have not been formally reevaluated for several years. All reevaluation paperwork must be placed in the ESE Cumulative folder (red folder) for the receiving school. A separate memo was issued through the Office of Teaching and Learning for students enrolled in the gifted program.	http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/wiki/index.php?title=SSPS:Articulation_Procedures&diff=next&oldid=11278
Read this article as it originally appeared in TAPintoNewark. Newark, NJ—With the return of local control to Newark's school district after more than two decades, the selection of school board members to fill three soon-to-be open seats has been under scrutiny in preparation for the April 17 school board elections. A recently-approved transition plan by the state education commissioner now allows for the Newark school board to move from an advisory capacity to a governing body with full voting power. Thirteen candidates took part in a forum on Tuesday hosted by the Newark Trust for Education, where the candidates got an opportunity to strut their educational know-how before an audience of community members, parents, students and district and charter educators. The forum, held at the Rutgers- Newark Paul Robeson Campus Center, gave the candidates a chance to answer questions culled from a six--student panel on a variety of issues including advocacy, policy and fiscal management. Newark charter and district students collaborated on the questions, with candidates asked to present their vision for the district’s 55,000 students and how that vision will be realized. This year’s school board candidates include Marcus Allen; Denise Cole; Che J.T. Colter; Yambeli Gomez; Khalil Hannah; Dawn Haynes; Robert House; Jameel Ibrahim; Yolanda Johnson; Johnnie Lattner; Omayra Molina; Asia Norton; and Barbara Ann Todish. Three of the candidates will ultimately fill seats to be vacated by outgoing school board members Marques-Aquil Lewis, Dashay Carter and Crystal Fonseca. Newark Trust for Education Executive Director Ronald Chaluisan noted the importance of the first school board election since the state takeover of the district 22 years ago. “We’re at a really exciting time here in Newark, a time when local control has been restored," Chaluisan said. "Your vote is critical, turnout is critical.” Candidates were asked to address a variety of issues including overall school infrastructure, meeting students’ educational and emotional needs, inclusion, school board accountability and transparency, universal enrollment system and school choice. A 15-minute surprise protest by members of New Jersey Communities United interrupted the proceedings at the conclusion of the first round, with the approximately two dozen protestors making their way to the front of the room shouting, “the whole system is corrupt, public schools don’t have enough.” The group handed out flyers demanding the dismantling of Newark Enrolls, an audit of the district’s finances and real estate, transparency and accountability of charter schools and a moratorium on new charter schools. Despite the interruption, Chaluisan noted the protestors’ right to make their voices heard. “That’s what democracy looks like,” Chaluisan said, noting issues of equity, voice and school choice. “There are lots of faces to democracy and that is one of them and we need to make sure that we listen. Forget the theatrics and listen. I will continue to work to bring students into the discussion.” Three more rounds of questions were completed without incident. In September, the state Board of Education voted to initiate the return of local control to the district after more than two decades under full state intervention. The vote came after it was determined that the district had made significant progress and had satisfied the regulatory requirements of QSAC, or Quality Single Accountability Continuum, the state Department of Education's monitoring and district self-evaluation system used for public school districts. Since the return of local control on Feb. 1, the district has been led by Interim Superintendent Robert Gregory, who was appointed by the school board in January. Gregory will be putting forth his candidacy for the position of school superintendent, with the search process to be completed in May and a new superintendent set in place on July 1. The superintendent search committee is headed by a committee of school board members including Kim Gaddy, Leah Owens and Josephine Garcia, along with former Superintendent of Newark Public Schools Marion Bolden, Chancellor of Rutgers University-Newark Nancy Cantor and Victoria Foundation Executive Officer Irene Cooper-Basch, who were jointly selected by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and state Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington. The district has already begun implementing the recently-approved transition, which includes a detailed timeline and set of milestones to guide the district’s transition over a period of two years. Core elements of the transition plan include Governance, Instruction and Program, and Fiscal Management, Operations, Personnel and includes key milestones and safeguards, as well as an Accountability Scorecard, which will be used to track and measure the district’s progress toward implementing the plan and a timetable for activities relating to and leading up to the withdrawal of state intervention. The plan is closely aligned to the recommendations of the Newark Education Success Board (NESB) established jointly by Gov. Chris Christie and Mayor Baraka in 2015 to recommend a path forward to the return of local control. The plan will expire on Jan. 31, 2020, at which time the education commissioner will notify the State Board of Education (SBOE) that the district has successfully met all benchmarks required under the plan.	https://www.newarktrust.org/newark_school_board_candidates_lay_out_vision_for_district_as_local_control_is_restored
New technologies are radically changing what we can know about how people engage with their work and each other. Assessment in many forms generate data from which a broad range of analytics are emerging that offer promise for generating new insights; these insights, in turn, may help organizations gain advantages. Many of these technologies are supported via a venture ecosystem. How are VCs and accelerators evaluating the potential of these technologies and making their decisions? How does venture capitalism (VC) impact the design, validity and usability of these assessments? How does VC inform psychologists’ selection and use of these assessments? What can this tell us about the future focus of people analytics? In the fight of usability vs effectiveness, or science vs belief, who wins? 9:30 Advances & Trends (Part 1) In this presentation, analysis of Video Interview answers and simulation behaviors will be used to describe the way AI methods (e.g., Natural Language Processing, Semantic Analysis, and Emotion Categories) are used to generate competency profiles for job applicants. We will present construct validation evidence of these psychological measures along with criterion validation evidence from a variety of studies. Finally, a discussion of AI and bias will be provided and how algorithmic bias can be mitigated if planned for and monitored. Natural language processing, machine learning and other Artificial Intelligence capabilities are allowing us to understand and integrate data (such as candidate characteristics and skills) in new ways to inform candidates, recruiters and hiring managers. I will highlight how these capabilities are being successfully designed and leveraged to match candidates to jobs. As Social Media (SM) applications have become integrated into the daily life of billions, organizations are exploring how technology enables examination of candidate SM data. To optimize appropriate use of social media within the boundaries of federal regulations, it is imperative that HR practitioners and researchers guide appropriate SM usage in selection. This session will discuss trends and updates from research and practice. 10:15 Break (sponsored by EchoSpan) 10:45 Advances & Trends (Part 2) Eighty percent of all enterprise data are unstructured, with less than 1% analyzed. This session will describe the state-of-the-art, use cases, and challenges of natural language processing (NLP) techniques and discuss how organizations are using NLP as part of assessment processes to uncover insights that were previously hidden using traditional methods. Organizations and users expect all HR technologies to be mobile accessible – including assessment. However, mobile conversions of traditional assessments have resulted in non-equivalent measures and/or longer administration times. This presentation will cover recent noteworthy advances in the evolution of psychometric technology achieved by focusing on user experience and mobile-first design. While the core science underlying effective use of simulations in assessment remains unchanged, technological changes have radically altered simulation design, delivery, and the participant experience. We will address these changes, project trends, and explore the implication of the evolving future of work for how we design and apply simulations. 11:30 Reflections on Advances & Trends Dr. Landers will synthesize the technological and methodological advances for assessing talent and evaluate the state of the research and adoption of advanced assessment methods in assessment programs. He will also review key considerations when determining whether and how to apply new assessment methodologies to assessment programs. 11:45 High Impact Practitioner Talks Organizations that embrace and incorporate rich media into their operational testing practices are transforming the assessment landscape. Suzanne will provide a tour of the most complex, and potentially controversial, applications of rich media as she describes selection programs that use highly immersive simulations that allow the test taker to “interact” with the assessment. Aimed at assessment professionals who are more used to evaluating ‘traditional’ psychometric techniques, this session will present a practitioner’s toolkit: a concise set of methods to evaluate the utility and defensibility of AI-based selection approaches – from the stage of ‘kicking the tires’ through to implementation and post-launch monitoring. 12:15 Lunch 1:15 The Commercialization of Assessments: Managing the Risks This discussion will draw upon the perspectives of both plaintiffs' and defense counsel to explore risks associated with the rapid evolution of assessments for talent acquisition. The diversity of viewpoints will provide a rich appreciation for how to evaluate and manage the challenges associated with implementing innovative assessment technologies. 1:45 Regulations/Principles & Standards Update This session reviews the major changes in the fifth edition of the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures that were stimulated by the recent update to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. As more employers turn to AI-driven algorithmic screens to assess, score, and rank applicants – algorithms have become gatekeepers to economic opportunity. Critical questions remain about how we adapt our laws to apply to rapidly advancing technology and ensure that our employment processes are designed in a responsible way that promotes equal opportunity. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) organizations need to comply with: (i) individual rights; (ii) protecting the privacy of the personal information; and (iii) employing appropriate security measures. Will doing so mean organizations are compliant with other privacy laws? This presentation will focus on data privacy and security in the context of workplace assessments. 2:30 Reflections on Legal & Standards Update Dr. Lundquist will review how selection and assessment programs are being influenced by critically important regulatory and legal changes and summarize the impact of data privacy laws on the future of assessment programs. She will also explore the risks associated with the rapid evolution of assessments for talent acquisition. 2:45 3:15 Speed Benchmarking (Emily Solberg, Jerilyn Hayward, Charles Handler, Daly Vaughn) 4:00 High Impact Practitioner Talk Charles Scherbaum (Baruch) - Using Psychological Assessments to Predict Player Performance in the NFL As documented in the popular book Moneyball (Lewis, 2003), professional sports teams have dramatically shifted to using sports analytics to predict the success of athletes. While teams use a wide range of data to do this, they have not fully exploited standardized psychological assessment in their analytical models. In fact, many have questioned whether psychological assessments are useful for predicting success in the unique context of professional sports. This presentation describes the Player Assessment Test (PAT) which was implemented by the NFL in 2013 for all players attending the NFL Combine from 2013-2019. Results of a multi-year validation study have demonstrated that the PAT significantly correlates with a number of player performance outcomes. This presentation reviews these results and discusses how psychological assessments like the PAT provide critical data that can be used in a variety of college and professional sports to predict performance outcomes as well as more traditional organizational settings. 4:15 Thomas Dimitroff (General Manager, Atlanta Falcons), Dean Stamoulis (Russell Reynolds Associates), Harold Goldstein (The Graduate Center & Baruch College, CUNY Psychology Department) - An NFL General Manager’s View on Assessment and Talent NFL teams have started to place more emphasis on non-physical characteristics when selecting athletes. Thomas Dimitroff, one of the longest tenured General Managers in the NFL, will be interviewed by Drs. Stamoulis & Goldstein to address how the Atlanta Falcons front office approaches player assessment. In addition, implications for the practice of industrial/ organizational psychology will be discussed. 5:00 LEC Committee Chairs Preview Day 2 Social Hour (sponsored by APTMetrics) in Ellington Prefunction 6:00 Networking Dinners (Meet in Ellington Prefunction by 5:45 PM) 7:00 - 8:00 8:00 Welcome, Opening 8:15 Robert Hogan (Hogan Assessment Systems) - Personality Measurement: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Personality drives leadership, and leadership drives organizational effectiveness; ultimately, then, personality determines the fate of organizations. Writers as varied as Max Weber, Sigmund Freud, and Peter Drucker have made the same point. Modern research in personality assessment makes it possible to quantify this truth, an empirical fact with huge practical consequences. Advances in the Science of Assessment Interest in temperament/personality as a predictor of performance has been galvanized by a rapidly growing body of empirical evidence that shows temperament constructs predict performance across a diverse array of civilian and military occupations. The Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System (TAPAS), and its derivative cousin the WorkFORCE® Assessments, represent a new generation of temperament measures that 1) are fake-resistant, 2) utilize computer adaptive technology to measure well across a broad range of trait continua, and 3) are easily customized to meet the needs of many civilian and military organizations. These instruments use a two-alternative forced choice format, with pairs of statements selected from different facets of personality. The statements are constrained to be similar in extremity and social desirability, which reduces faking. Responses are scored with the Multidimensional Pairwise Preference (MDPP) item response theory model, which has been shown to eliminate the problem of ipsativity. Statements are paired adaptively to maximize psychometric information; simulation studies have found that a 50% reduction in test length is possible with no loss of reliability. Facets can be selected from a comprehensive set of 22 facets that underlie the Big Five personality dimensions. Validity studies have found that TAPAS predicts attrition and “will do” aspects of performance. Rapid Response Measurement is a method in which stimuli (e.g., personality adjectives) are presented on screen one at a time and are responded to with a dichotomous response. Reliable measurement takes around 10-20 seconds per construct. Validity and faking resistance evidence will be presented, including correlations with job performance. Over 8,000 participants in a leadership development program reported on the most significant challenges they face as a leader or manager. Using that unstructured text data, demonstrate how structural topic models can be applied to assess the challenges faced by leaders and managers and explore how challenges covary with leader and manager demographics. Neal Schmitt (Michigan State University) - Reflections on Advances in the Science of Assessment Dr. Schmitt will reflect on the scientific findings regarding the efficacy of the new measurement approaches and facilitate discussion on key considerations required when implementing these new approaches within organizational contexts and assessment programs. The purpose of this session is to draw connections between the presentations and demonstrate how talent management professionals and HR leaders can apply these learnings to advance the quality of talent assessment decisions in their organizations. 9:45 High Impact Practitioner Talk What does it mean to have the “right stuff?” High-risk environments, including those experienced in military operations and law enforcement, expose personnel to extremely demanding physical and psychological stressors. This presentation will discuss emerging efforts within these domains to enhance more traditional personnel selection methods leveraging advances in neuroscience and biotechnology. Recently, we’ve seen significant innovation in pre-hire assessments. These new assessments are both exciting and daunting. In this presentation I will share real-world learnings on how to explain gamified assessments to business audiences. I will also provide practical strategies for I/Os looking to implement, or learn about, gamified selection assessments. 10:45* Speed Benchmarking (Emily Solberg, Jerilyn Hayward, Charles Handler) 11:30 Can Assessment Help Us Grow: Linking Assessment to Development 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Can Assessment Help Us Grow? (Part 2) Feedback via formal assessments and other means is a critical element of leader development. This session will focus on how feedback-intensive development programs are designed and implemented to help leaders grow and provide findings about their effectiveness from more than a decade of measuring results. By integrating assessment data with coaching relationships, organizations can draw on the complementary advantages of each to drive individual growth and organizational value. Assessment-infused coaching uniquely blends standardization with personalization, and operational efficiency with participant engagement. This presentation overviews principles and evidence-based recommendations for development-centric assessments applied to coaching practices. 1:30 Facilitated Discussion on Assessment for Development Jose David - Facilitator (Merck) Dr. David will draw together the key themes and insights across the presenters in this section and facilitate a discussion among the presenters on how assessment tools and the data they generate can be used to drive personal and organizational growth. He will also reflect upon strategies to increase the value of developmental assessments for organizations when making talent investment decisions. The purpose of this talk is to draw connections between the presentations and demonstrate how talent management professionals and HR leaders can apply these learnings to advance the quality of talent development decisions in their organizations. 1:45 High Impact Practitioner Talk Matthew Dreyer (Prudential Financial) - The Full (Assessment) Monty: Accelerating Individual and Organizational Development Accelerating Individual and Organizational Development Business simulations foster development by creating rich scenarios to develop new thinking and behaviors. They also provide a unique opportunity to assess participants. Learn how Prudential is leveraging simulation in conjunction with traditional assessment, observation, feedback, and individual and pod coaching to accelerate readiness of participants for higher level roles. 2:00 Paul Sackett (University of Minnesota) - Putting the Pieces Together: Reflections on the Next Chapter of Assessment Progress For this final presentation, Dr. Sackett assumes a discussant role, integrating ideas from the various presentations to offer a perspective on the future of assessment. He will prepare in advance a series of propositions regarding the future of assessment, and then discuss how these propositions mesh with or are challenged by ideas presented at the conference. 2:45 Closing Summary /Departure Debrief with Audience You may register for one or two. AM Session: 8:30am-noon; PM Session: 1:30-5:00pm AI x AI: Let's Talk Assessment Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Technology advances, including artificial intelligence and gaming, are creating new possibilities for more engaging, efficient and predictive assessments. This workshop will focus on innovations for screening, cognitive ability and soft skill assessments as well as applications for interviews. The workshop will go beyond the demos and user experiences to unpack the science and analytics underlying these next generation assessments to help attendees make informed decisions. What do we know, think we know, and know we don't know? Insights from the latest multidisciplinary research on assessment This workshop will highlight research from multiple disciplines relevant to the assessment space. The workshop will provide a brief update on recent research for "Old School Assessment" tools and approaches, as well as dive into the latest research on top assessment trends, such as: OnDemand Video Interviews, Multimedia Simulations, Modularization, Gamification, Mobile, etc., and discuss the impact of research in other disciplines. Besides summarizing what is new, the workshop will identify key gaps in our knowledge and discuss how multidisciplinary research can help broaden our thinking about the future of selection. Validation Meets Innovation: Doing Selection Right in the 2020s! This workshop will explore issues related to job analysis, test development, criterion development, and validation as they apply to new assessment tools (e.g., selection procedures based on artificial intelligence, facial recognition, performance in games) that are emerging in our field. The content of this workshop is designed to refresh practitioners’ skills, expand their knowledge base, and highlight areas in which best practices have not yet been defined and will be grounded in existing legal and professional guidelines. Please note: Lunch is not provided with workshop registration. However, a few informal groups are organizing and workshop participants are encouraged to join in the fun. Please click HERE to sign up. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 440 E. Poe Rd. Ste. 101 Bowling Green, OH 43402 Phone: 419-353-0032 Fax: 419-352-2645 Search Search Page For...	https://www.siop.org/Leading-Edge-Consortium/Program-Agenda
Demystifying FX Noise in Your Financial Statements - Date: - October 20, 2021 at 2 p.m. EDT - Duration: - 60 minutes - Availability: - On Demand Summary With the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar, many corporate finance and accounting professionals are experiencing increased FX gain/loss noise on their balance sheets. This increased volatility is causing a new level of scrutiny from many management teams and forcing treasury practitioners to unpack the drivers of this noise on demand. In this webinar, we will cover the core components that drive FX gain/loss noise on a balance sheet and discuss enhanced controls your organization can put in place to evaluate and manage this volatility. Key takeaways - Receive an update on the current FX landscape and its impact to corporate FX programs - Understand the drivers of FX gain/loss noise on the balance sheet - Learn about controls corporations can implement to improve the accuracy, discipline, and efficiency of a hedging program - Discover how enhanced management reports can assist in providing insightful perspectives on your FX program performance About the speakers Disclaimers Chatham Hedging Advisors, LLC (CHA) is a subsidiary of Chatham Financial Corp. and provides hedge advisory, accounting and execution services related to swap transactions in the United States. CHA is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as a commodity trading advisor and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA); however, neither the CFTC nor the NFA have passed upon the merits of participating in any advisory services offered by CHA. For further information, please visit chathamfinancial.com/legal-notices. Transactions in over-the-counter derivatives (or “swaps”) have significant risks, including, but not limited to, substantial risk of loss. You should consult your own business, legal, tax and accounting advisers with respect to proposed swap transaction and you should refrain from entering into any swap transaction unless you have fully understood the terms and risks of the transaction, including the extent of your potential risk of loss. This material has been prepared by a sales or trading employee or agent of Chatham Hedging Advisors and could be deemed a solicitation for entering into a derivatives transaction. This material is not a research report prepared by Chatham Hedging Advisors. If you are not an experienced user of the derivatives markets, capable of making independent trading decisions, then you should not rely solely on this communication in making trading decisions. All rights reserved.21-0253 Our featured insights Treasury 2022: Opportunities, Priorities, and Trends Join senior treasury and accounting leaders from Moderna, McCormick & Company, and Nissan North America as they share how they’re preparing now for managing financial risk in 2022. Participants will discuss how today's market has shaped corporate hedging and hedge accounting priorities,... - Category - Corporates Automation and Efficiency in Treasury Learn which areas can be optimized through new technology tools and operating workflows. Whether it’s reaching a faster close or creating better integration between different platforms, there are many potential opportunities for treasury management to drive efficiencies. - Category - Corporates Staying Cool Amidst Commodity Volatility Volatility has rapidly engulfed the commodity markets. This challenge has forced participants to make difficult decisions in their hedging programs. A robust strategy with clear objectives should inform your tactics, while leaving flexibility to sharply pivot based on market environment and... - Category - Corporates Pre-issuance Hedging Strategies for Corporates With today’s geopolitical uncertainty and a hawkish Fed stance emerging from the March FOMC meeting, many corporates are concerned about interest rate risk on future debt issuances. Join us as we discuss pre-issuance hedging strategies, including current market dynamics, capital structure... - Category - Corporates Net Investment Hedging Strategies for Today’s Market Treasury teams are increasingly pursuing net investment hedging opportunities to minimize FX risk and interest rate expense across their global footprints. In this webinar, we will discuss why corporates employ this strategy, how they determine the appropriate hedging instruments and trade... - Category - Corporates Semiannual Market Update for Corporations In this installment of Chatham’s semiannual market update webinar series, we will examine current market conditions, economic drivers and indicators, recent communication from the Fed, and potential strategies corporations can employ to manage financial risk in the current environment. - Category - Corporates Chatham's 2022 outlook: Inflation, COVID-19, and capital markets trends Watch Chatham's CEO, Matt Henry, discuss key topics and trends of 2022, including inflation, COVID-19, and the capital markets.	https://www.chathamfinancial.com/insights/webinar-demystifying-fx-noise-in-your-financial-statements-2021-10-20
Search Report Geography Asia-Pacific (91) Europe (150) Latin America (45) Middle East & Africa (23) North America (354) Worldwide (157) Content Type Report (570) Chart (19250) Article (1510) Audio (657) Forecasts (411) Video (385) Interview (114) Performance Metrics (8) Topic Industry Demographics Publication Date All Analysis Charts 570 Results Filter Sort by: Relevance \| Date Report \| JAN 15, 2021 SMS Marketing 2021: How Ecommerce, D2Cs, and Others Are Leveraging This Emerging Consumer Touchpoint SMS marketing has long remained under the radar. But several tailwinds will make sending text messages to customers a common practice in 2021. Report \| JAN 15, 2021 The Payments Ecosystem: The Industry’s Biggest Shifts, Trends, and Evolution—and What the Pandemic’s Impact on Digitization Will Mean for the Payments Landscape The pandemic accelerated payments industry digitization across the entire landscape, as merchants turned to ecommerce to keep doors open, consumers eschewed cash in favor of electronic and contactless payments, and payments technology providers rapidly developed and launched new solutions to keep up. Report \| JAN 14, 2021 The Embedded Finance Explainer: Nonfinancial Companies Are Increasingly Looking To Offer Financial Products via Their Platforms—Here’s How Innovative FIs Can Partner With Them To Capture a $7 Trillion Opportunity Consumers’ growing willingness to get their financial services from non-FI providers is spurring consumer brands to embed financial elements in their products and services. But this new form of finance will mean dramatic changes for incumbent and startup FIs. Report \| JAN 14, 2021 Western Europe Retail Trends 2021: 7 Predictions for the Coming Year Retail ecommerce sales in Western Europe rose by 26.3% in 2020, to €481.54 billion ($539.18 billion). The pandemic is fueling other shifts in the retail landscape, too, such as a greater focus on buying local. Report \| JAN 13, 2021 Global Ecommerce Update 2021: Worldwide Ecommerce Will Approach $5 Trillion This Year Even as total worldwide retail sales declined by 3.0% in 2020, retail ecommerce growth boomed to 27.6%. Ecommerce growth will decelerate substantially in 2021 to 14.3% as brick-and-mortar sales recover. Report \| JAN 12, 2021 AI in Insurance: How 3 Forward-Looking Insurers Are Infusing AI Into Their Front, Middle, and Back Offices to Better Compete with Insurtechs and Meet Changing Customer Expectations Incumbent insurers have accelerated their use of mature AI deployments in the past year to meet changing customer expectations and better compete with insurtechs. They’ll now need to infuse the tech across their business segments to unlock the full potential—including enhanced personalization, cost cutting, and stronger risk management—of AI-driven digital transformation. Report \| JAN 11, 2021 US Programmatic Digital Display Advertising Outlook 2021: Spending and Trends US programmatic display ad spending was up more than 10% in 2020 despite the pandemic-induced recession and will rebound this year as advertisers continue shifting budgets to flexible, measurable media. Report \| JAN 7, 2021 US Social Trends for 2021: eMarketer’s Predictions for the Year Ahead From the growth of TikTok and of social commerce to the challenges of brand safety and the cookieless future, 2021 will be another year of big stories for social media. Report \| JAN 7, 2021 The Buy Now, Pay Later Report: The Economic Fallout of COVID-19 Is Pushing Millions of Consumers Toward Digital Financing—Here’s How Afterpay, Klarna, and Other Upstarts Are Battling Payment Incumbents, and Which Firms Will Come Out on Top in the US Buy now, pay later solutions are quickly gaining adoption as consumers look for new financing options and merchants aim to drive sales. But the industry is still unsettled as a number of firms are battling to lead the space, while card networks and issuers are looking to get involved too. Report \| DEC 31, 2020 Social Media Update Q4 2020: The Social Platforms End the Year Looking More Alike than Ever Before After a tumultuous year, the social platforms will close 2020 on a high note in terms of ad revenues and users—and with features that closely resemble each other. Report \| DEC 23, 2020 US Hispanics in a Time of Pandemic: What’s True and What’s Not in Finances, Acculturation, and Digital Usage Hispanic consumers have endured exceptional financial volatility—mostly bad—during the pandemic. Even in normal times, this population is a moving target, with its diverse components evolving in financial strength, degrees of acculturation, and digital engagement. Report \| DEC 22, 2020 Q4 2020 Digital Video Trends: Programmatic and Political Ad Spending Bolster Connected TV Increased political ad spending contributed to a banner year for connected TV. Report \| DEC 21, 2020 The Digital Health Ecosystem: COVID-19 Turned the US Healthcare system On Its Head—Here's Where Players Across the Ecosystem Stand On Digital Transformation and What Healthcare's New Normal Looks Like Report \| DEC 21, 2020 The US Neobank Competitive Edge Report 2020: How the Top 4 US Neobanks Stack Up on Offering Consumers’ Most Sought-After Mobile Banking Features This inaugural scorecard, weighted based on responses to a primary consumer survey, ranks the four largest US neobanks by user count according to their advanced mobile banking capabilities. The report presents detailed benchmarking data on the availability of 47 mobile features, selected by analysts based on the features’ propensity to help neobanks differentiate themselves from competitors. It is a companion to the 2020 US Mobile Banking Competitive Edge Report, which ranks the 25 largest US financial institutions by assets. Report \| DEC 21, 2020 The Rise of Virtual Business Events: Best Practices for 2021 and a Look at a Hybrid Future Virtual events became mainstream because of the pandemic. But for long-term success, event organizers and sponsors need a new virtual event playbook with best practices across the event life cycle. Read this report for the checklist. Report \| DEC 18, 2020 Future of Retail 2021: 10 Trends that Will Shape the Year Ahead The retail industry is transforming at both physical stores and in digital. This report examines 10 trends that will most shape retail in the year ahead. Report \| DEC 16, 2020 Mobile Advertising Outlook 2021: 10 Predictions for a (Hopefully) Post-Pandemic Year This report describes how the pandemic, operating systems, and a new US president will affect mobile advertising. Report \| DEC 15, 2020 The Buy Button Report: The introduction of SRC will turn the online retail payments industry on its head — here's how payments players can win in the new checkout landscape Report \| DEC 14, 2020 TikTok Users Around the World 2020: eMarketer Forecasts and Other Essential Stats TikTok’s user base will increase substantially in 2020. Despite a ban on the app in India and efforts to restrict it in the US, TikTok will continue to expand in many countries in 2021. Report \| DEC 10, 2020 The Digital Therapeutics Report: The Teladoc-Livongo megamerger put a spotlight on the power of digital therapies—here are the most innovative players racing to catch up as the pandemic vaults the market to reach $56 billion by 2025 Digital therapeutics (DTx) were gaining popularity as tools to help slash the US’ $3 trillion annual spending on chronic disease, and the pandemic has vaulted digital therapies into the spotlight. Now, the Teladoc-Livongo megamerger is heating up competition in the DTx space as players race to capture a slice of a market slated to reach $56 billion by 2025. Report \| DEC 9, 2020 10 Key Digital Trends for 2021: What Marketers Need to Know in the Year Ahead In this year’s “Key Digital Trends” report, we examine changes coming to the digital media and technology landscape in 2021—including legislation, privacy, entertainment, social media, and more—and why they matter to marketers. Report \| DEC 8, 2020 Global Twitter Users 2020: Pandemic Boosts Previously Expected Slow Growth As with other social networks, Twitter’s user base grew unexpectedly this year as pandemic-driven stay-at-home orders drove up social media usage overall. Report \| DEC 8, 2020 Global Snapchat Users 2020: Emerging Markets—India in Particular—Fuel Healthy Worldwide Growth Snapchat will have 347.3 million users this year, up 16.1% year over year. Emerging markets, particularly India, will fuel these gains, while growth in core regions will be more modest. Report \| DEC 8, 2020 Global Facebook Users 2020: The Pandemic Brought Back Momentum in Lagging Regions and Led to Even Higher Growth in Others In 2020, Facebook’s worldwide user base will grow 8.7%, nearly double the rate we had forecast before the global pandemic began. Report \| DEC 8, 2020 Global Social Network Users 2020: All Main Platforms Add Users During the Pandemic The pandemic has fueled greater social media usage worldwide and prompted revisions to our earlier forecasts. We now expect the total number of social network users to rise 8.1% in 2020, to 3.23 billion—equivalent to 80.7% of all internet users. ‹ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...	https://www.emarketer.com/search1/?query=%20&refinementList%5Btype%5D=report&hitsPerPage=25All/Emarketer_2000383.aspx&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 / 3:16 PM / By CBN / Header Image Credit: Bloomberg Changes in the trends of business activities and financial transactions precipitated by COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently led to increase in financial crimes globally. This therefore requires financial institutions to adapt rapidly and keep abreast with emerging risks and other developments while taking proactive steps to address the new and emerging ML/TF risks. This includes investing in robust data mining and artificial intelligence software to monitor transactions and also report suspicious transactions. The Nigerian Financial intelligence Unit (NFIU), as the central repository of suspicious transactions and other financial information, had issued an Advisory based on comprehensive analysis of STRs and other information available to it. The Advisory identified increased financial crimes such as, cybercrimes, frauds, counterfeiting and substandard goods; diversion of public funds and misuse of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Some vulnerabilities and Red flags highlighted in the Advisory are listed below for your information and necessary action, please: Fraud Counterfeiting & Substandard Goods Diversion of Public Funds NGOs You are therefore advised to update Alerts protocol in your AML/CFT monitoring tools, in line with the red flags and emerging trends arising from the COVID-19 related financial crimes.	https://www.proshareng.com/news/FRAUDS%20&%20SCANDALS/CBN-Issues-Advisory-on-COVID-19-Related-Financial-Crimes/53890
United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. In Asia, we operate through our head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as branches and offices. Our history spans more than 80 years. Over this time, we have been guided by our values — Honorable, Enterprising, United and Committed. This means we always strive to do what is right, build for the future, work as one team and pursue long-term success. It is how we work, consistently, be it towards the company, our colleagues or our customers. About the Department The Compliance function is a strategic partner and a trusted business enabler to the Board and senior management. It is our responsibility to ensure that the Group continuously fulfils its regulatory obligations in today’s tight and dynamic regulatory landscape. To do that, we work closely with internal stakeholders to identify and to assess regulatory risks. This collaboration also includes developing practical solutions that integrate regulations into operational requirements as well as actively shaping and promoting stronger compliance culture and literacy in the Bank. Job Responsibilities Complex investigations - Review and investigate complex cases arising from the bank’s various AFC surveillance sources/systems/models and liaise with the relevant stakeholders (e.g., BUs) for necessary follow-up actions – Customise approach for assigned cases, extract relevant data/intelligence from various internal and external sources (e.g., bank systems, commercial databases, etc.), and conduct self-directed analysis – Follow-up with necessary points of contact to identify additional information to investigate cases – Assess the merits of consolidated evidence and formulate initial recommendations (e.g., STR filing, account closure, freezing of funds, exit etc.) – Capture investigative findings in comprehensive, easy-to-digest documents and reports – Consult with Senior Reviewer throughout the investigative process and when required, escalate cases to Senior Reviewer for feedback/guidance - As and when required, support the investigation/resolution/remediation of other cases or alerts which may arise from various internal or external surveillance systems/sources/models - Collate and provide feedback to the Analytics team on the usefulness and effectiveness of Analytical model outputs as a model user and from the perspective of complex investigations - Support regulatory reporting by ensuring all complex investigations are concluded adequately and documented appropriately Intelligence and research - Keep abreast of the latest regulations and trends in AFC and investigative techniques - Support Senior Reviewers in documenting best practices and emerging intelligence on AFC trends and evolution, including emerging AFC/AML typologies in corridors or areas where UOB has a presence Other responsibilities - Support user acceptance testing for AFC models developed/acquired by the bank and provide robust feedback from an end-user perspective to the relevant teams on model performance - Work to identify patterns and behaviours for wider intelligence-led thematic investigations - Identify inefficiencies in current investigative processes and provide feedback to Senior Reviewers to drive operational excellency within complex investigations team - Support the refinement of complex investigative processes based on new typologies/red flags or new business requirements or feedback received from relevant stakeholders such as the business and Group Compliance - Support Senior Reviewers in executing special projects as needed Job Requirements - Minimum 4 years of experience in an anti-financial crime role or in law enforcement, forensic accountancy, compliance, audit, or similar fields where investigative skills and approaches are employed - Demonstrable experience in conducting self-directed analysis and investigative work - Ability to exercise strong analytical and problem-solving skills, considerable intellectual curiosity, judgment and critical thinking in scenarios that are complex and highly sensitive - Ability to work under tight deadlines, make sound/well-reasoned recommendations backed by evidence, and be proactive and self-driven - Ability to work well as part of a large, high-performing team - Proficiency in investigating and assessing complex financial data as well as business structures and transaction flows, including using tools like MS Excel, Power BI, or other financial analysis tools - Deep understanding of the banking industry or segments within it (e.g., wholesale or commercial banking) is a big plus - Diploma/degree in Finance, Business or any related field - Certification as a Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS) or a Diploma in AML with International Compliance Association is a big plus Be a part of UOB Family UOB is an equal opportunity employer. UOB does not discriminate on the basis of a candidate's age, race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions at UOB are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications. If you require any assistance or accommodations to be made for the recruitment process, please inform us when you submit your online application. Apply now and make a difference.	https://careers.uobgroup.com/job/Singapore-Assistant-VP%2C-Complex-Investigations-%28Investigators%29%2C-Group-Compliance-Sing/774775210/
Discover how BMO harnessed the power of games to strengthen their workforce’s financial knowledge and confidence. This session will focus on the importance of financial literacy and demonstrate how BMO leveraged gamification principles to drive employee education in a manner that aligned with the BMO enterprise vision. Following this discussion, you’ll gain an understanding on how to leverage game mechanics in a non-game context; and how to continuously optimize your gamified experience based on user engagement, including how to:	https://3rdannualenterprisegamifica2015.sched.com/event/3kvv/leveraging-gamification-to-drive-employee-financial-confidence-br-b-bmo-financial-group-publicis-b
Job description: We are looking for an outstanding Web and Mobile App Developer to be responsible for the coding, innovative design and layout of our website. You will build our websites from concept all the way to completion from the bottom up, fashioning everything from the home page to site layout and function. Responsibilities Write well designed, testable, efficient code by using best software development practices Create website layout/user interface by using standard HTML/CSS practices Integrate data from various back-end services and databases Gather and refine specifications and requirements based on technical needs Be responsible for maintaining, expanding, and scaling our site Stay plugged into emerging technologies/industry trends and apply them into operations and activities Cooperate with other department to produce the best products Design and build advanced applications for the Android and other platforms Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define, design, and ship new features. Work with outside data sources and API’s Unit-test code for robustness, including edge cases, usability, and general reliability. Work on bug fixing and improving application performance. Continuously discover, evaluate, and implement new technologies to maximize development efficiency. Interactions: Supervision Received: Requires little to no supervision. Plans and carries out work assignments; resolves most conflicts which arise; coordinates work with others as necessary; interprets policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. Keeps Team leader informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, or far-reaching implications Supervisory Duties: No functional supervisory responsibility but is responsible for managing a specific function. Requirements Recent graduate (or working towards a degree) in computer science, information systems or software engineering. Proven working experience in web programming Top-notch programming skills and in-depth knowledge of modern HTML/CSS Solid experience with Content management Systems A solid understanding of how web applications work including security, session management, and best development practices Adequate knowledge of relational database systems, Object Oriented Programming and web application development Hands-on experience with network diagnostics, network analytics tools Basic knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation process Aggressive problem diagnosis and creative problem solving skills Strong organisational skills to juggle multiple tasks within the constraints of timelines and budgets with business acumen Ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced environment, learn rapidly and master diverse web technologies and techniques. Proven working experience in Android development Have published at least one original Android app Experience with Android SDK Experience working with remote data via REST and JSON Experience with third-party libraries and APIs Working knowledge of the general mobile landscape, architectures, trends, and emerging technologies Solid understanding of the full mobile development life cycle. Understands the process of building, debugging and profiling apps A passion for all things mobile development related keeping up on trends, architectures, emerging technologies Self -motivated and disciplined work ethic to meet deadlines and bring the app live Able to work independently without supervision to code and develop the app Benefits and Compensation: Salary Package Negotiable. Method of Application Please email [email protected] with your CV, a link to your LinkedIn profile, and a cover letter explaining why you believe you would be a good fit for the role.	https://www.kenya.newjobvacancies.org/management-administration-jobs/web-and-mobile-app-developer-dotconnectafrica/
Hexa Technologies is looking forward to hire Android Application Developer Intern with knowledge in Android SDK based app development and Object Oriented programming. Candidates should have excellent technical skills. Reponsibilities include: Design and build advanced applications for the Android platform Work with outside data sources and APIs Work on bug fixing and improving application performance Continuously discover, evaluate, and implement new technologies to maximize development efficiency Strong Analytical Skills Knowledge of third-party libraries and APIs Working knowledge of the general mobile landscape, architectures, trends, and emerging technologies. Solid understanding of the full mobile development life cycle.	https://www.mustakbil.com/jobs/job/169167
When it comes to disruptive risks, the majority of them are foreseeable when there is continuous and effective coordination between Board, C-suite, and management. Conventionally, for risk management, Boards rely on information from management to help identify and provide oversight of disruptive or emerging risks with a significant and critical impact on the company’s long term sustainability, strategy, operations, financial performance, and brand reputation. However, in the current business landscape, it becomes critical for Boards to periodically evaluate whether the information provided is sufficient and highlights areas of potential risk. Such an evaluation can include a review of board and committee meetings for a period of several years and a 360-degree review of risk management and information reporting controls, policies and procedures. In this blog post, we will understand the primary obstacles that block the Board’s ability to identify disruptive risks in real-time and antidotes to these vulnerabilities. Primary factors that hinder a Board’s ability to identify disruptive risks in real-time Vulnerabilities that block information flow and require board’s immediate attention can be challenging to detect as it majorly depends on a large number of people across a vast array of business processes and environments. However, there are certainly primary factors that hinder identification of disruptive risks, which are : - Lack of a well defined, centralized sophisticated process for reporting and evaluating enterprise-wide risk. - Inadequate compliance program policies, procedures, resources, expertise. - Extensive usage of historical data that is not adequately futuristic and forward-looking. - Information reported to the board that does not include metrics on risk patterns, trends or escalating risk concerns. - Insufficient real-time coordination and collaboration between legal, compliance, risk, and internal audit departments that leads to “silos” and unclear information-sharing. - Inability to stay up-to-date with the latest regulatory and compliance trends and associated business risks. Now that we know the factors that inhibit identification of disruptive risks at the appropriate time, let us now look at the steps that enhance Risk Evaluation and management, suggested as Adaptive Governance by global Board and Directorship organizations like NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors). Key Steps to enhance the usefulness of Risk – related information Frequent and Periodic board meetings that include information regarding existing and emerging issues and risks, regulatory trends, enterprise-wide risk evaluation of new business initiatives and acquisitions. - Highlighting and emphasizing the paramount need for real-time and accurate risk reporting. - Collaborative and well-co-ordinated Presentations to the board involving various departments like compliance, legal, risk, and internal audit, to ensure effective meetings that reflect multiple and interrelated perspectives. - Ensuring that Boards receive insightful data regarding company culture, management integrity and transparency to report concerns without fear of retaliation. While identifying disruptive risks is challenging, especially due to the fact that much of the information that Boards and directors receive is historic and not forward-looking, directors must ensure they are receiving sufficient information about potential and emerging risks to effectively discharge their duties of risk oversight and ERM processes need to be monitored, tracked and evaluated on a continuous basis for the Organization’s long term sustainability and success. Implementation of Risk and Compliance automation tools like ConfidentG Cyber Risk Governance product suite is an all-inclusive solution to the challenge of continuously changing Compliance and Risk trends. The Agility, Mobility, Security, and Scalability that such cloud-based solutions provider is unmatched and improves overall productivity and efficiency of important Business processes like Risk, Compliance, Audit, and Cyber Governance. Stay tuned for more informative posts on Cyber, Risk and Compliance Governance. Visit us at our Appexchange listing today at https://cglabs.us/cg_products and get confident with your Governance initiatives.	https://confidentgovernance.com/blog/enhancing-board-evaluation-of-risk-management-process-effectiveness-and-oversight-of-disruptive-risks/
From the State Water Resources Control Board: The GAMA program has updated and expanded its online data tools to enhance access to groundwater information. Since 2010, the GAMA Groundwater Information System (GAMA GIS) online interface has integrated and standardized groundwater quality data from various resources as part of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. Data can now be queried based on well depth and well type. In addition, the GAMA GIS now directly accesses a library of geographic information that allows users to spatially compare groundwater quality data to various land and groundwater features, geology, disadvantaged communities, and many other layers. To further its mission, a new data connection tool has been implemented to facilitate data uploads into the GAMA GIS. Data collected and analyzed by the GAMA program is standardized with data from other organizations into the GAMA GIS. This allows users to query data across multiple sources in one location, while providing tools for custom queries. All data is public and available for download. Data download tables have been improved to include standardized data source fields. Data collected and analyzed by the GAMA Program is also available via the state’s open data platform. The GAMA Program Online Tools web page includes a growing list of map-based applications to evaluate specific groundwater issues and trends, including applications to support efforts like the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the Human Right to Water initiative. Enhancements include new tools for analyzing trends in groundwater quality accessed by public drinking water wells, estimates of groundwater quality accessed by domestic wells, and areas of potential groundwater recharge. For example, applications for 1,2,3 trichloropropane (123 TCP), nitrate, and groundwater age/recharge provide an increased understanding of factors that may affect drinking water quality. The new trend tool analyzes statistically relevant trends in 28 inorganic constituents in groundwater dating back to 1974, and allows a user to select long-term, recent, reversing, and seasonal trends graphically, including the magnitude and directions of water quality trends. Feedback is welcome. Please visit the GAMA Program Online Tools web page to access all tools listed above.	https://mavensnotebook.com/2020/03/03/new-data-tools-the-gama-program-has-updated-and-expanded-its-online-data-tools/
Professional Development Resources for Instructional Technologists What Does an Instructional Technologist do? From Learn.org: “An instructional technology specialist facilitates technology use at schools and universities through a variety of interactive methods… An instructional technology specialist helps integrate technologies, such as computers, hardware, and software, into educational settings.” Instructional technologists collaborate with instructors and instructional designers to identify the best uses for technology in instruction, considering many factors, including cost, usability, security, accessibility, and ability to meet the specific learning or teaching goals. Organizations (Information, Networking, and Professional Development Opportunities) - American Educational Research Association (AERA) - Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) - Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) - Association for Talent Development (ATD) – previously known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) - EDUCAUSE - International Society for Educational Technology - International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology (TCLT) - LinkedIn Instructional Technology Group - Society for Applied Learning Technology (SALT) - WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) Resources for Users/Administrators of Specific Learning Management Systems Canvas - Canvas LMS Community (user guides, discussion boards, release notes, special interest groups) - California State University System’s Canvas Common Interest Group Moodle - Moodle.org Community (Topic-based discussion boards) - MoodleDocs (Moodle documentation) Blackboard - Blackboard Community (knowledge sharing, interest groups, provide feedback to Blackboard product management) Brightspace (Desire to Learn) Journals and Newsletters Peer-Reviewed - American Journal of Distance Education - Current Issues in Emerging eLearning (UMass Boston) - Design and Technology Education: An International Journal - Distance Education - IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies - International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education - Issues and Trends in Learning Technologies (University of Arizona) - Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology (Indiana U) - Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning (AECT) Not Peer-Reviewed - EDUCAUSE Review - The Teaching Professor: Using the USA2 Framework to Make Informed Instructional Technology Decisions - Educational Technology Magazine - eLearn Magazine - Internet@Schools - Learning Solutions Magazine - Technology and Learning - THE Journal - EdTech Magazine - Education Technology - Education Technology Magazine - Center for Digital Education - Edutopia - Campus Technology Accessibility Resources The resources below provide information related to accessibility of instructional materials and tools. - CSUN Universal Design Center — Excellent resource for information on making course materials and websites and making purchasing decisions for instructional technology tools - University of Washington Accessible Technology — Excellent resource for information on tools and resources for accessibility - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) - W3C: Web Accessibility Initiative: Introduction to Web Accessibility - Accessibility and privacy statements for learning tools at Indiana University - Accessibility and Privacy Information for Technology Tools (Winona State) - Scorecards to evaluate tools and apps: - Tech Snacks Blog — Evaluation of Web 2.0 Instructional Technology - Information about International Access to Instructional Technology - Inside Higher Ed: China's Limitations on Distance Education - Online Learning Consortium: Blended Course Design for Students in China: Challenges, Problems and Design Solutions - Which countries are restricted from using Canvas?	https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/resources/elearning-professional/instructional-technologist
The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) Unit was established in September 2007 to develop/update programme management system through developing a proper monitoring and review mechanism for enabling ASK to track the progress of the program implementation in a systematic way. The main activities of this unit are: preparing project proposals, monitoring activities of units and providing feedback, liaising with donors, preparing reports, providing logistic support to evaluation exercises whether by internal or external sources, developing formats for programme monitoring, supervising and monitoring the use and performance of a new MIS system for ASK. General objective of the unit: To establish a sound and continuously updated databank that produce quality reports and to monitor progress towards agreed targets, evaluate outcomes and impact and is used to effectively manage and adjust interventions on evidence. Specific objectives: The specific objectives will be to provide the following information to the management regularly for decision-making during programme implementation and full fill the requirements of reports - Building coherent planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems linking Units/Components - Information on current situation - Problem identification and possible solutions (at intervention level) - Information on trends and patterns of programme implementation through the Management Information System - Information on whether the activities on schedule - Periodically evaluate/measure the progress of intervention with respect to specific objective, outcome and output indicators through appropriate data collections processes - Collect, compile and prepare good quality reports. Process PME is responsible for monitoring, reporting and evaluation of whole ASK programmes. Therefore, we work with both the programme people (including PNGOs, and other stakeholders) and management team. PME gives feedback and recommendations to the management, programme people and partners. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are followed for collection of data in the field level. From 2012, PME works in the following way: - Monitoring by own unit staff (with the assistance of concerned unit) - Reporting by own staff and outsourcing for annual report for the organisation - Arrange base-line survey and evaluation: outsourcing but will assist the team - Short assessment of partners/forum by own staff (with the assistance of concerned unit and partners) - M&E training by own staff - MIS by own staff and outsourcing - Maintain regular liaison with Donors (under the Supervision of the ED). Target people ASK management, Executive Committee, donor partners, Partner NGOs, Govt. Institutions etc. Major Activities • Compile & analyse data, and prepare six monthly and annual reports for donors; assist to prepare annual report for the organization; 12 monthly reports; 12 reports for DC office; four reports for NGOAB and four reports for the Executive Committee and presented the reports in the meetings. • Annually develop an operational work plan and revolving work plan. • Develop and prepare new project proposals. • As input to proposal writing, conduct Logical Framework Analyses (LFA) workshops with staff of implementing units. • Monitor activities of ASK units, identify deviations and provide feedback on whether the activities are on track, assist with suggestions about how to compensate. Monitoring feedbacks is given to units as well as management. • Provide feedback on quarterly, six monthly and annual reports written by units. • Provide planning and logistical support for field visits by donors and evaluation teams; coordinate work of consultants and facilitate their access to ASK reports, documents and staff. • Develop M&E system and monitoring tools and formats for different units. • Provide M&E training for partners. • Develop methodology for Baseline Survey and provide technical assistance (e.g. finalization of questionnaire, monitor data collection activates including checking, feedback and suggestions to finalize report) to the external consultants. • Maintain Server (Domain Control and File Server). • Monitor performance of Internet and MIS systems, liaise with external service providers, and inform them about user problems.	http://www.askbd.org/ask/planning-monitoring-evaluation/
. . JOBSEEKER EMPLOYER USER GUIDES JOBSEEKER EMPLOYER . MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCES SOCIAL SECURITY ORGANISATION EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM . FINANCIAL ADVISORY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BENEFITS CALCULATOR (SIP Prihatin) BENEFITS CALCULATOR (SIP) . OCCUPATIONS & SKILLS TAXONOMY LABOR MARKET TRENDS EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK REPORTS & ARTICLES COVID19 EMPLOYER RESPONSE SURVEY . HIRING INCENTIVE PENJANAKERJAYA 2.0 APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME EIS PRIHATIN JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCE WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM 3.0 SPS LINDUNG Covid-19 Employer Response Survey Note: For best experience, consider using desktop computer to view these reports or at least view in landscape mode in your mobile phone. Abstract: This survey is structured based on employers who received aid under the SOCSO Wage Subsidy Program (WSP). We are conducting this survey to assess the efficacy of the program. The feedback from the employers will help us to develop other measures to assist companies suffering from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.	https://www.myfuturejobs.gov.my/covid-19-employer-response-survey/
Welcome to Episode 5 of Building My Legacy In this episode, Lynn Bell, Director of EMBA located in Dallas Texas talks about the changes future leaders face. Corporate social responsibility is continuously being redefined and leaders need the skills to adapt to these new pressures. She shares her learnings from Oxford University in which the economics of mutuality challenge the status quo. She raises the question of how do we, in educational institutions, prepare future leaders? How do we help future leaders build a legacy? So if you want to: - Understand how corporate social responsibility is being redefined - Explore trends that will impact future leaders - Know what shifts that are occurring in corporate valuation - Understand leadership as part of an eco-system - Learn the top CEO concerns, and - Build a legacy, Be prepared for these emerging leadership roles. You must know how new societal trends are impacting organizations and explore the changes needed in graduate education if we are to adequately address these new trends. If you want to learn more about the top CEO concerns today, Tune in now! In this Podcast we will discuss: - The emerging new asset valuation, shifting from being physical asset focused to including assets like networks and information systems as an integral part of the valuation process - Leadership as living within an eco-system; the leader is shaped by the community and all the shareholders and community are shaped by the leader. Increasingly, we will need to map this leadership ecosystem. - The importance of measurable results - The meaning of legacy. Inherent to every legacy is evidence of changed lives. In this episode, Lynn Bell, Director of EMBA located in Dallas, Texas. She is a Cultural Transformation Specialist. Lynn’s corporate experience includes the financial sector, supply chain and logistics management for a large telecommunications company, and consulting areas of leadership development and organizational cultural development. As an executive coach she has also worked internationally with non-profit clients to develop safe, unbiased coaching experiences for their global staffs. Thanks for Tuning In! Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates. And, finally, please take a minute to leave us an honest review and rating on iTunes. They really help us out when it comes to the ranking of the show and I make it a point to read every single one of the reviews we get. Please leave a review right now. Thanks for listening!	https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/ep-5-lynn-bell-planning-for-tomorrows-leaders-the-role-of-social-responsibility-and-education-building-my-legacy-with-lois-sonstegardphd/
The Multi-Year Research Plan, or MYRP, is a research plan that provides contextual information and a breakdown of research activities of the NERP Tropical Ecosystems Hub; describes the research that the Hub will be undertaking between 2011 and 2014; identifies research priorities and l The e-Atlas was established as a MTSRF project to capture and communicate research outcomes. Under the NERP Tropical Ecosystems Hub the e-Atlas will be developed further based on research user feedback to provide the most effective method for capturing, visualising and communicating the Hub’s research outcomes. This project will partner the region’s key stakeholders to review, trial and evaluate the most effective governance systems and planning foundations for regional and landscape scale adaptation to climate change. In particular, within the context of these governance systems and planning arrangements, it will focus on the potential application of emerging ecosystem service markets to secure landscape scale resilience for biodiversity in the face of climate change. The key intent of the Project will be to: This project will fill critical information gaps about the relative importance of key attributes (or ‘values’) associated with the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area to a variety of different stakeholders and about the way in which those ‘values’ might be effected by a range of external influences (e.g. different types of economic development, increases in population, changes in the mix of visitors). The project is focused on naturally regenerating forests (regrowth) and their potential to offer a much needed low cost option to restore critical habitat over large areas. It will assist decisions about how to most efficiently restore biodiversity to degraded rainforest landscapes, by providing new knowledge about the outcomes of lower-cost regrowth (including potential for minimum intervention management). Planning systems, governance structures and institutions that capture the traditional knowledge and associations of Indigenous peoples into biodiversity decision-making and management remain elusive. Key planning initiatives in the Wet Tropics region have advanced the institutional capability to engage Indigenous peoples into biodiversity management, including the Wet Tropics Regional Agreement, the Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan, several Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUA), and the nomination for national heritage listing of the Aboriginal cultural values. This project proposes to provide information and tools to enable scientists and management agencies to predict and limit the impacts of extreme climatic events on Australia’s biodiversity. It aims to determine the exposure, sensitivity and vulnerability of Wet Tropics biodiversity to climatic extremes, and assess contemporary and future impacts. Rainforests are generally thought of as being highly susceptible to damage by fire, and for many Southeast Asian and Amazonian rainforests this is indeed the case. However, Australian rainforests have persisted for millennia in an environment where fire is common, and repeated contractions into refugia and subsequent expansions during glacial cycles (Hilbert et al. 2007) means that extant rainforest taxa have survived frequent exposure to fire. Monitoring is a fundamental component of the management of threatened species and is of particular importance when those species come into direct conflict with humans and their interests. In such circumstances up-to-date information on population status, trends and distribution become key inputs into decision making. In these circumstances, systematic, objective and transparent data is critical to the acceptance of the decision making process. Ten frog species disappeared from the upland rainforests of the Wet Tropics and Eungella during outbreaks of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in the late 1980s and early 1990s, representing 25% of the frogs endemic to the Wet Tropics and all of the Eungella endemics. Five of these species occurred only in the uplands and have been presumed extinct because no individuals have been found despite intensive searches. This represents a significant loss of endemic species diversity, particularly in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.	http://nerptropical.edu.au/research-topic/rainforests?page=15&f%5B0%5D=field_ref_project%3A70
The report lays out the opportunities and challenges for Reputational Risk & Crisis Management Consulting providers focusing on market trends, client spending forecasts, and the provider landscape, and includes profiles of select key firms. According to ALM, “Reputational Risk & Crisis Management Consulting is a term that describes a process, or collection of processes, put in place to remedy and restore stakeholder perceptions and normal business operations following unplanned threats. A crisis normally occurs without prior warning, and therefore it is paramount that such plans are executed swiftly.” Additional Findings - “Deloitte offers numerous proprietary decision-support tools that allow its clients to continuously monitor their risk landscape and stakeholder perceptions, providing leadership not only with early detection of emerging issues, but also the information needed to make informed and effective decisions. In conjunction with this, the firm offers clients strategic advice and actionable recommendations based on the output of these technology solutions.” - “Deloitte’s Risk Advisory practice offers broad and comprehensive services that assist clients in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from crises.” - “With respect to reputation risk, the firm bases its approach on the belief that the most effective way to manage reputation is to embed an awareness of reputation and brand deeply into an company’s culture such that all levels of the organization are consistently working toward supporting, protecting, and advocating it through not only crisis management, but also everyday decisions, activities, and messaging. The firm offers a comprehensive and integrated set of crisis management solutions across its global network that is based on a common approach and methodology, yet is flexible enough to meet a client’s specific needs. Services span the entire crisis lifecycle from risk assessments, crisis preparation planning, simulations/wargaming, and testing to crisis response, communications, and recovery.” - “The firm advocates vigilant monitoring of emerging threats to stay ahead of and prepare for an appropriate response that prevents an issue from evolving into crisis. To this end, the firm offers a proprietary 24/7 data monitoring and risk-sensing solution that tracks a broad universe of internal and external data and uses advanced analytical, pattern recognition, and visualization technologies to alert clients of emerging issues and threats that could harm their companies. Should a crisis event occur, Deloitte can activate rapid response teams anywhere in the world within hours with the appropriate crisis, subject-matter, and sector/industry experience to deliver the client a most effective response.” - “The firm utilizes its program office capabilities to assist clients with managing and prioritizing work streams, information flow, and messaging through all phases of the crisis lifecycle.” - “Deloitte also offers clients LRA by Deloitte, a service that measures stakeholder perception and customer experience across products, locations, and touchpoints, and delivers the results to management via a live dashboard. These results, in turn, can be used by clients to develop and then monitor and assess the effectiveness of crisis initiatives. Post-event, the firm provides a number of services to help clients manage the lingering effects of a crisis, including post-event reviews, financial damage assessments, and claims management.” As used in this press release, “Deloitte” refers only to the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited member firms. Recommendations M&A Governance - To Capture Value through M&A - At the 17th Annual Conference held by ACGA, Vincent Poizat of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu pointed out that corporate governance in the context of M&A –“M&A governance” is a critical issue companies face regarding M&A.	https://www2.deloitte.com/jp/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/deloitte-leader-in-reputational-risk-crisis-management-consulting.html
The Cline Center equips researchers from the social sciences, humanities, and data sciences to address challenges that threaten human flourishing. We also empower decision makers in the public and private sectors to apply this research in ways that promote societal well-being, and train the next generation of students how to conduct data science research for the public good. Several research themes bring alignment to these activities by defining core areas of Cline Center expertise and sustained innovation. Understanding origins, consequences, and the dynamic development of conflict processes involving individuals, groups, and nations. Innovating new and better ways to analyze, visualize, improve, and curate unstructured data at extreme scales. Improving the practice of democratic governance and the prospects for human flourishing around the world. Documenting the changing varieties of social identity around the world and identifying the causes of conflict between religious and ethnic groups. Reducing threats to human flourishing brought about by natural disasters and improving societal resilience to disruptions caused by climate change. Revealing features, patterns, and the dynamic development of news discourses across space and over time.	https://new.clinecenter.illinois.edu/who-we-are/program-areas
Available online: Full textPublished by: WMO ; 2017 Weather-related disasters pose a major threat to society, the environment and the economy. As the vulnerability to weather related hazards increases due to climate change, growing population, urbanization and other factors it is imperative to coordinate weather research targeted towards improving forecasts and warnings at international level. The impacts resulting from the underpinning hydro-meteorological events such as heat waves, droughts, floods, landslides, wind storms, landfalling tropical cyclones or severe convective storms are regional or local in nature. Many of these disasters, however, exhibit global connections and interdependencies, not only from a meteorological perspective, but also from an economic perspective. Considerable progress has been made during the past decades in advancing our knowledge and understanding of high impact weather events, as well as in the development of weather prediction and early warning systems that also take into account societal and economic impacts. These advances resulted in lives being saved, damage avoided and economic impacts averted. The WMO World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) has contributed significantly to this achievement – through THe Observing system Research and Prediction EXperiment (THORPEX) and other activities. However, much more needs doing to focus and accelerate future research advances and to achieve the full potential of products and services.	https://library.wmo.int/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=19855
The progress made in informatics, sensor technology and biometrics allows for a wide range of applications for various reconnaissance, recording and evaluation technologies (referred to as observation technologies in the following). In the field of civil security, the fields of application are ranging from traffic monitoring and accident assistance, securing of major events, monitoring of forest fires, flood hazards and other natural disasters to the fight against crime and terrorism. Accordingly, the dissemination and use of observation technologies by public authorities and institutions has increased significantly in recent years. Moreover, information from social networks and sensor data of increasingly mobile and interconnected telecommunications equipment are increasingly used for risk prevention and information as well as for decision-making in complex deployment scenarios. The use of observation technologies in the field of civil security is the subject of controversial debates both in society and science. On the one hand, observation technologies are considered to have a key function for risk prevention and information as well as for crisis management. They can be of major benefit for the state to fulfil one of its core missions: ensuring civil security. On the other hand, questions with regard to the effectiveness, proportionality and reliability of such measures are raised again and again. Can public observation measures actually help identifying hazardous situations in due time, effectively preventing criminal acts or improving disaster management? How much privacy shall be abandoned for a (supposed) gain in security? Who shall observe whom and why? What happens to the data collected? In the context of ever more powerful observation technologies, the state has to face completely new challenges in finding a balance between society's need for protection and the personal rights and civil liberties of individuals. Within the framework of the project, the objective is to identify and analyze – based on technical possibilities available today, but also with regard to recognizable technical enhancements – the relevant societal issues and challenges resulting from an increasing availability of observation technologies in the field of civil security. The major objective of the project is to provide the factual basis for forming a political opinion with regard to setting the required framework conditions for using these technologies. The societal and political debate on the suitability, necessity and proportionality of observation measures in the field of civil security depends to a high degree on the technology in question as well as on the respective context of its application and use. Thus, in a first exploratory phase of the project, a first assessment of the current status and the perspectives of the scientific-technological developments as well as of the fields of application and (potential) deployment scenarios shall be made. Moreover, the exploratory phase is intended to investigate the relevant German and European research activities in the context of observation technologies in the field of civil security and to discuss the research projects already completed with regard to the results obtained. This is done against the background that in Germany and the EU numerous public research projects – which are comprehensive regarding their content and the financial effort involved – have been launched in recent years and that quite a few new research projects are currently planned. Based on the findings obtained in the exploratory phase, the aim is to identify – in the further course of the project – the fields of application and deployment options of observation technologies in the field of civil security which are subject of controversial debates in society and politics. For the fields of application that will be identified, the ethical, political and legal arguments and issues shall be analyzed and discussed in depth with the objective of identifying needs for political action and of developing corresponding options.	http://www.tab-beim-bundestag.de/en/research/u20900.html
Warning: more... Fetching bibliography... Generate a file for use with external citation management software. Precision medicine research is underway to identify targeted approaches to improving health and preventing disease. However, such endeavors raise significant privacy and confidentiality concerns. The objective of this study was to elucidate the potential benefits and harms associated with precision medicine research through in-depth interviews with a diverse group of thought leaders, including primarily U.S.-based experts and scholars in the areas of ethics, genome research, health law, historically-disadvantaged populations, informatics, and participant-centric perspectives, as well as government officials and human subjects protections leaders. The results suggest the prospect of an array of individual and societal benefits, as well as physical, dignitary, group, economic, psychological, and legal harms. Relative to the way risks and harms are commonly described in consent forms for precision medicine research, the thought leaders we interviewed arguably emphasized a somewhat different set of issues. The return of individual research results, harm to socially-identifiable groups, the value-dependent nature of many benefits and harms, and the risks to the research enterprise itself emerged as important cross-cutting themes. Our findings highlight specific challenges that warrant concentrated care during the design, conduct, dissemination, and translation of precision medicine research and in the development of consent materials and processes. The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. National Center for Biotechnology Information,	https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30475858
Creating an emergency plan is essential for any organization or business. Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are the five steps of emergency management that should be taken into account when creating a plan. Prevention focuses on preventing human hazards, mainly those resulting from possible natural disasters or terrorist attacks (both physical and biological). Preventive measures are designed to provide more permanent protection against disasters; however, not all disasters can be prevented. The risk of loss of life and injury can be limited with good evacuation plans, environmental planning and design standards. For an emergency response plan, also consult the history and incident records of company employees, as well as any other problems that may be a factor during an emergency, such as mental health fragility or complicated and dangerous equipment. Training and exercise plans are the cornerstone of preparedness, focusing on preparedness to respond to incidents and emergencies of all hazards. The first step in developing an emergency response plan is to perform a risk assessment to identify potential emergency scenarios. In the context of your emergency response plan, you should analyze what communications will take place during an emergency and establish who will talk to whom and how they will communicate.Immediate notification of emergency services is essential for any emergency plan. Notification tools, such as email, voice and mass texting, are now common on university campuses and businesses. However, keep in mind that no one will receive the alert notification unless someone initiates the process, not only by calling 911, but also notifying the people responsible for sending the message to do so.Public emergency services include fire departments, which can also provide rescue services, hazardous materials, and emergency medical services. Your emergency program committee must be able to organize, develop and manage a successful plan for emergency management measures.We hope that you never need to put your program into action, but if you do, take some time to review it later to fix any issues that may have occurred. This will help you be even more prepared in the event of another emergency. More information on improving the program can be found here.	https://www.safco-emergencyresponse.com/what-are-the-5-steps-to-an-emergency-plan
<iframe src="" width="" height="" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"> </iframe> - 2020 - Extraordinary governance to avoid extraordinary events - Perceptions of resilience to climate-induced disasters in Mbale municipality in Uganda - Diversity buffers winegrowing regions from climate change losses - Urban Nature - Connecting Cities, Nature and Innovation : Course Guide - Resilience through multicast – An optimization model for multi-hop wireless sensor networks - The development of supply chain risk management over time : revisiting Ericsson - Risks, resilience, and pathways to sustainable aviation : A COVID-19 perspective - Pandemics, transformations and tourism : be careful what you wish for - 2019 - Long-term and regional perspectives on recent change in lacustrine diatom communities in the tropical Andes - Increasing urban resilience through Nature-based Solutions: Governance and Implementation - Developing a national strategy for disaster risk reduction and resilience in Sweden : Recommendations for the implementation of the Sendai Framework Global Target E - Changes in forest bird abundance, community structure and composition following a hurricane in Sweden - User involvement in housing recovery : Cases from Haiyan affected areas in the Philippines - Preventing dementia by preventing stroke : The Berlin Manifesto - Preventing dementia by preventing stroke : The Berlin Manifesto - Building pastoralists’ resilience to shocks for sustainable disaster risk mitigation: Lessons from West Pokot County, Kenya - Redefining energy system flexibility for distributed energy system design - 2018 - Community resilience to natural disasters in the informal settlements in Mwanza City, Tanzania - Resilience Engineering: current status of the research and future challenges - Is resilience a normative concept? - Why do they stay? A study of resilient child protection workers in three European countries - Buddhism and Resilience in Post-tsunami Thailand - Challenges to critical infrastructure resilience in an institutionally fragmented setting - Simulation based assessment of resilience of two large-scale socio-technical IT networks - Understanding climate resilience in Ghanaian cocoa communities – Advancing a biocultural perspective - Empowerment and Private Law : Civil Impetus for Sustainable Development - Social-ecological resilience and geomorphic systems - Urban, pluvial flooding : Blue-green infrastructure as a strategy for resilience - Maintaining scope of action in turbulent times : (workshop 10: A Debate on Economic Sustainability: in the GCC and Elsewhere) - Pursuing climate resilient coffee in Ethiopia – A critical review - History meets palaeoscience : Consilience and collaboration in studying past societal responses to environmental change - A bi-objective formulation for robust defense strategies in multi-commodity networks - From Exclusion to Inclusion—a Stepwise Process : a Qualitative Study of How the Reintegration Process Is Experienced by Young People Previously Living on Streets in the Kagera Region, Tanzania - Stay or go – how topographic complexity influences alpine plant population and community responses to climate change - Is intracranial volume a suitable proxy for brain reserve? Rik Ossenkoppele - 2017 - How to turn an ocean liner: A proposal for voluntary degrowth by redesigning money for sustainability, justice, and resilience - The Second Wave : The Urak Lawoi After the Tsunami in Thailand - Bridging the floods - The role of social learning for resilience building in urban water services - Technical infrastructure networks as socio-technical systems : Addressing infrastructure resilience and societal outage consequences - Social inequality and marginalization in post-disaster recovery : Challenging the consensus?	https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/search/publication?limit=50&q=keywords+exact+%22resilience%22
- What are the roles of individuals, groups, and institutions in furthering better societal continuity and change over time? - What are the influence of groups and institutions on people and events in historical and contemporary settings? Content - Recognize how the decisions of WWI affected WWII - Polarization - Spanish American War - 20th Century Conflicts - Roosevelt Corollary - Big Stick - Open Door - Marshall Plan - Panama Canal - Cold War - Nuclear Proliferation - Movements of oppression (e.g., A.I.M., Holocaust, Japanese Internment, etc.) - Civil War - Apply critical thinking to examine historical theory TIME, CONTINUITY & CHANGE Essential Questions - How have the actions, movements, and priorities of citizens changed this nation in the 20th century? - What are various interpretations of what happened in the past and how are they supported? - Why is the past important to us today? Content - Understand that there is a chronological framework for organizing the 20th century people, events and ideas. - Analyze events, issues, or problems - social, political, economic, scientific/technological, and cultural positions - Analyze the international and domestic events, interest, and philosophies, and interpretation of evidence, which is subject to change - Differentiate between historical interpretation and historical fiction: - 20’s Movement - Equal & Civil Rights - Minority & Women’s Movements - Growth of a “middle class” - Music - Arts - Entertainment - Sports - Heroes Resources - (.e.g., Pottsdam Treaty, Yalta Treaty, Civil Liberties Act, Great Society, Dred Scott v. Sandford, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, development of NAACP) - discussion/repression of civil liberties - recognize that human experience is recorded in different voices representing different perspectives PEOPLE, PLACES & ENVIRONMENT Essential Questions - How do people and physical environment interact? - What are the benefits and problems with peoples’ interaction with the environment? - How do changes in the meaning, use and distribution of resources in this nation and others affect the quality of peoples’ lives? Content - Understand and identify the effect of natural resources on people - Migration - Westward Movement - Urbanization - Emergence of a national identity - Creation of public lands - Environmental movement CULTURAL CONNECTIONS Essential Questions - How does culture change to accommodate different ideas and beliefs? - How is unity developed within and among culture? - How do belief systems such as, religion or political ideals influence other parts of a culture? Content - Identification and recognition of cultural diversity - Original cultures - Immigrants (current and past waves) - Women - Civil Rights Movement GLOBAL ECONOMICS Essential Questions - How has the American economy changed to interact with a more globally connected world? - How do institutions and groups deal with market failures? - How do markets work? Content - Agrarian to post-industrial - Technology - Industrialization - Progressivism - Trust busting - Labor Movement - Labor Practices - Consumerism - Capitalism - Market POWER, AUTHORITY, GOVERNANCE Essential Questions - What is the relationship and obligation of the government and its citizens? - What conflicts exist among fundamental principles and values of constitutional democracy? - What is the proper scope and limits of authority?	https://kpbsd.org/students-parents/course-catalog/courses/american-history-11th-grade/
The meeting "Evaluation of the benefits of regional water cooperation in Central Asia: the benefits for Kazakhstan" In October 14, 2016 held a meeting of the Working Group on the study "Evaluation of the benefits of regional water cooperation in Central Asia: the benefits for Kazakhstan." Earlier, on 20-22nd of June 2016 was held the International Conference "Cooperation on Environment and Sustainable Development in Central Asia" in the framework of the jubilee events dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the creation and CAREC activities in the Central - Asian region. Parallel Session "Water cooperation in Central Asia" was held within the conference. The meeting noted the need to enhance trust and strengthening water cooperation in Central Asia. Following the recommendations, the benefits of CAREC starts the evaluation process on water cooperation in Central Asia and the formation of an expert working group to study the challenge. Participants for the working expert group meeting were nominated by representatives from the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the Ministry of National Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Committee for Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Committee for Water Resources under the Ministry of Agriculture. CAREC is planning to prepare an analytical report, which takes into account the national interests of the CA countries in the field of environmental and water cooperation, which will serve as a tool to assist countries in the development of common positions in international and regional processes (e.g. 2030 SDGs, support for global climate change processes and others), which provide support for regional initiatives and trends, and effective use of resources and capacity of the international financial institutions and processes and bringing them into perspective for the CA needs and requirements. The report will include the identification of the benefits and potential benefits of greater cooperation (except for water distribution) in the water sector, in particular, will serve as a conceptual basis for countries to implement measures that will bring potential benefits to countries and identify areas needed for improvement of cooperation. This evaluation will perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of the benefits for the countries and identify future joint actions for international donors and financial institutions for their effective promotion of CA in improving environmental and water cooperation in the region, which is based on the national priorities of countries. This is the first meeting of the Working Group, which aims to study the current state and prospects of development of water cooperation in Central Asia, national interests and the country's development strategy. Taken technical and other activities to adapt to the existing system of inter-sectoral cooperation in water management issues of the CA countries to identify new areas for urgent joint action to improve water cooperation. Definitions of common contact points, the common position, including the thematic aspects (climate change, drought, floods, and on the prevention of natural disasters, etc.) and to identify new approaches and the potential for overall strengthening of the water cooperation.	https://carececo.org/en/main/news/vstrecha-po-otsenke-vygod-ot-regionalnogo-vodnogo-sotrudnichestva-v-tsa/
Paper convr-2013-43: \| \| Works Users Contributions \| \| Di Mascio D,Pauwels P,De Meyer R Improving the knowledge and management of the historical built environment with BIM and ontologies: the case study of the book tower Abstract: The historical built environment is acknowledged as a valuable material and cultural resource that needs to be preserved. Usually, however, there are difficulties that do not allow to effectively analyze and document it. Difficulties arising from building characteristics (e.g. irregular shape), site characteristics (e.g. particular natural or artificial context) or other exceptional events (e.g. natural disasters) make it impossible to use only traditional theories, tools and techniques. On the contrary, digital technologies give the opportunity to improve and expand the comprehension of complex artifacts. The objective of our research is to elaborate and propose a theoretical and methodological framework to improve the comprehension and management of the historical built environment with digital technologies. The recorded information can be essential to plan and manage a recovery plan and/or a maintenance program taking into consideration also aspects linked to cultural diversity and environmental sustainability. In this paper we will deal mainly with the constructive and relational characteristics of historical buildings. The constructive characteristics point out the constructive system of an artifact (number, type and material of technical elements, etc.), whilst the relational characteristics represent the relations among the internal components of the artifact and other external elements that could be of various kind (persons, places, etc.). To analyze and document these characteristics we used mainly Building Information Management (BIM) software (Revit) and an ontology editor (TopBraid Composer). Revit was used for the digital 3D reconstruction and TopBraid Composer was used to represent and organize the relational characteristics. Both were applied to a case study: the Book Tower in Ghent, Belgium. This is one of the most important historical (20th century) buildings in the city of Ghent. Through the paper we will show the methodology we used, the issues we tackled and possible future developments. Keywords: 3D,BIM,digital reconstruction,historical built environment,information,knowledge organization,ontologies DOI:	http://itc.scix.net/cgi-bin/works/Show?convr-2013-43
As communities begin the process of recovering from the tragedy of a natural disaster, entities operating in those locations, or providing goods and services in them, raise questions about the related financial reporting effects. This narrative provides a reminder of the existing accounting requirements that should be considered when addressing the financial effects of natural disasters, including: - Asset impairments– If an entity determines that the events resulting from a natural disaster have triggered impairment indicators, an impairment test must be performed in accordance with IAS 36 Impairment of Assets for the respective asset(s) and/or cash-generating unit(s). Natural disasters – Financial impact overview - Insurance recoveries – An entity may incur costs to repair a damaged facility or determine that it has a liability to repair an environmental damage in accordance with IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets. IAS 37 does not allow the recognition of contingent assets. Accordingly, an insurance recovery asset can only be recognised if it is determined that the entity has a valid insurance policy that includes cover for the incident and a claim will be settled by the insurer. - Hedge accounting – Prior to the disaster, many transactions may have constituted ‘highly probable’ hedged transactions in cash flow hedges under IFRS 9 (or IAS 39, if applicable). However, purchases and sales that were considered highly probable a few weeks prior to the natural disaster, may no longer be highly probable (in full or partially) or may not be expected to occur at all. Natural disasters – Financial impact overview - Restructuring – As a result of a natural disaster, an entity may decide to sell or abandon certain assets or execute a restructuring plan. A restructuring is a programme that is planned and controlled by management, and materially changes either the scope of a business undertaken by an entity or the manner in which business is conducted. IAS 37 addresses the accounting for costs associated with exit or disposal activities. - Decommissioning obligations – Rather than allowing an entity to build up a provision for the required costs over the life of the facility, IAS 37 requires that the liability is recognised as soon as the obligation arises, which will normally be at commencement of operations. Similarly, IAS 16 requires the initial cost of an item of property, plant and equipment to include an estimate of the amount of the costs to dismantle and remove the item and restore the site on which it is located. - Other considerations: - Future operating losses – Future operating losses and costs do not meet the definition of a liability (because they do not arise from a present obligation resulting of a past event), and therefore are not recognised until incurred. Natural disasters – Financial impact overview - Onerous contracts – A contract is considered onerous when the unavoidable costs of meeting the obligations under the contract exceed the economic benefits expected to be received under it. - Constructive obligations – Additional non-legal obligations may arise as a result of a natural disaster. For example, an entity with no previous environmental obligations may establish a constructive obligation that it will repair environmental damage as a result of the disaster. - Contingent liabilities – A contingent liability is: - A possible obligation that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the control of the entity, or Natural disasters – Financial impact overview - A present obligation that arises from past events, but is not recognised because it is either not probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation, or the amount of the obligation cannot be measured with sufficient reliability.Contingent liabilities are not recognised, but they are disclosed. - Classification in the statement of other comprehensive income – IAS 1 requires that when items of income or expense (a term covering both profit or loss and other comprehensive income) are material, their nature and amount are disclosed separately. - Financial statement disclosure requirements – The financial statement disclosure for entities directly and/or indirectly affected by natural disasters will vary depending on the magnitude of their losses and the availability of information. In many cases, the financial statement disclosure requirements are addressed based on the nature of the loss (e.g., asset impairments, hedging, decommissioning costs) or the timing of the loss (e.g., events after the reporting period). Natural disasters may also trigger a number of regulatory reporting requirements. Entities should consider any applicable local regulatory reporting obligations that may give rise to additional disclosures about the direct and/or indirect effects of a natural disaster.	https://www.faqifrs.com/natural-disasters-financial-impact-overview/
Increased extreme weather events and the challenges brought upon us by climate change will necessitate a new approach to disaster management. Devastating fires in Greece and the recent landslide in Sulawesi demonstrate some of the many challenges we face in dealing with extreme weather events and natural disasters. In response to the devastation wreaked by environmental disasters, it’s easy to overlook the importance of continuing to use sustainable practices in our responses – a possibility which provided background for the creation of the Blueprint for Disaster Management RD&D Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. It may sound like a mouthful, but the Blueprint highlights the importance of thinking about sustainability and development together and the ongoing need to embed the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the way we tackle crises. Our response to disasters can help lay the ground work for preventing further catastrophe by creating better prepared and more resilient communities. In the context of rapid urbanization, population displacement, food insecurity and natural disasters, land administration and geospatial systems have become paramount to a smart sustainable future The Blueprint was launched on 25 September 2018, on the third anniversary of UN SDGs, at the international event ‘A Smart Sustainable Future for All – Enhancing Resilience in a Changing Landscape’ by Professors Abbas Rajabifard and Greg Foliente. The symposium was hosted by the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Spatial Data Infrastructure and Land Administration (CSDILA) and Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety (CDMPS), in co-partnership with the World Bank (Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and the Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice), and supported by a number of national and international organisations. The Symposium brought together an international academic and research community, with key stakeholders from industry and government to discuss themes of smart cities, sustainable development, disaster resilience, geospatial technologies and global policy frameworks. Anna Wellenstein, Director of Strategy and Operations in Global Practice of Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience at the World Bank, delivered the opening keynote speech on the ‘World Bank Vision and Improving Resilience’. Wellenstein outlined a number of key challenges ahead for the achievement of the SDGs. Anna Wellenstein Wellenstein highlighted the prediction that global food production needs to grow by 60% by 2050 to support current population growth. She noted that this growth will be concentrated in urban areas and the world will have added 2 billion urban residents and 1.2 million km2 of new urban area between 1970 and 2030. She argued that “in the context of rapid urbanization, population displacement, food insecurity and natural disasters, land administration and geospatial systems have become paramount to a smart sustainable future”. Yet, despite the importance of these systems, they are often incomplete and out of date in many developing and high disaster risk countries, which limits their capability for disaster response, prevention and mitigation. Mark Crosweller, Head of Australia’s National Resilience Taskforce and Director General of Emergency Management Australia, delivered a keynote titled ‘Resilience and Vulnerability: Two Sides of the Same Coin’. Crosweller warned that the challenges posed by extreme weather events in Australia were now stretching Australia’s ability to manage them. At the same time, he noted that Australia’s population is forecast to exceed 40 million people by 2050, requiring Australia to build an additional 60% of infrastructure nationwide to support an additional population equivalent to the size of Canberra each year. Mark Crossweller Crosweller emphasised that encouraging and supporting social capital, such as knowing one’s neighbours, is essential to saving lives during disasters, Crosweller closed his keynote by asking attendees to think about the social contract between disaster responders and those they seek to protect during disasters given responders’ limited deployment resources and vulnerability to harm. To reflect CSDILA and CDMPS’s current work with the World Bank on ‘Improving Resilience and Resilience Impact of National Land and Geospatial Systems’, attendees were presented with case studies of innovations and challenges experienced by a wide range of countries, including Nigeria, India, Indonesia and China. This encouraged a broader discussion about the current challenges in achieving resilience and the potential solutions. The goal of the World Bank project is to better understand, improve and sustain disaster resilience, in the context of land administration and geospatial data, for different communities around the world. A presentation on ‘Spatially-Enabled Cities of the Future’ from Tan Boon Khai, Chief Executive of Singapore Land Authority, was of particular interest with his discussion of Singapore’s ‘digital twin’. This project, based on geospatial data, aims to build the world’s first ‘Smart Nation’ by harnessing technology in support of disaster resilience to improve the lives of its citizens and build stronger communities. This new ‘virtual Singapore’ can be used to improve measurement and predictions of disasters, which can then be fed into improving disaster management performance. Professor Lisa Gibbs from Melbourne School of Population and Global Health presented a fascinating talk on ‘Simplicity and Complexity in the Social Dynamics of Disaster Recovery – Informing Future Resilience’, which focussed on findings from the Beyond Bushfires report – a study of mental health outcomes following the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. Gibbs detailed the effect of Black Saturday on mental health, with the incidence of mental health disorders increasing by as much as 26% in some communities, three to four years after the catastrophic event. Professor Lisa Gibbs Professor Gibbs stressed the importance of social ties to disaster recovery, as close personal relationships and involvement in community groups and organisations predicted better mental health and personal wellbeing. She noted that individuals’ risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with having more fractured social networks. Professor Gibbs concluded by calling on attendees to consider the role of green spaces in supporting mental health in disaster recovery. Referencing her finding that a strong attachment to the natural environment improves mental health outcomes, resilience and post-traumatic growth, she noted that while this information seemed obvious to rural residents, “as a city girl, I needed to be told!” In bringing together top experts from around the world, ‘A Smart Sustainable Future for All’ pointed towards a future of international dialogue and cooperation vital to managing and responding to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events around the world.	https://ingenium.eng.unimelb.edu.au/2018/10/26/a-look-at-the-highlights-from-a-smart-sustainable-future-for-all-2018-symposium/
Abstract. The rapid rate of water infrastructure development in the Mekong Basin is a cause for concern due to its potential impact on fisheries and downstream natural ecosystems. In this paper, we analyze the historical water levels of the Mekong River and Tonle Sap system by comparing pre- and post-1991 daily observations from six stations along the Mekong mainstream from Chiang Saen (northern Thailand), to Stung Treng (Cambodia), and the Prek Kdam station on the Tonle Sap River. Observed alterations in water level patterns along the Mekong are linked to temporal and spatial trends in water infrastructure development from 1960 to 2010. We argue that variations in historical climatic factors are important, but they are not the main cause of observed changes in key hydrological indicators related to ecosystem productivity. Our analysis shows that the development of mainstream dams in the upper Mekong Basin in the post-1991 period may have resulted in a modest increase of 30-day minimum levels (+17%), but significant increases in fall rates (+42%) and the number of water level fluctuations (+75%) observed in Chiang Saen. This effect diminishes downstream until it becomes negligible at Mukdahan (northeast Thailand), which represents a drainage area of over 50% of the total Mekong Basin. Further downstream at Pakse (southern Laos), alterations to the number of fluctuations and rise rate became strongly significant after 1991. The observed alterations slowly decrease downstream, but modified rise rates, fall rates, and dry season water levels were still quantifiable and significant as far as Prek Kdam. This paper provides the first set of evidence of hydrological alterations in the Mekong beyond the Chinese dam cascade in the upper Mekong. Given the evident alterations at Pakse and downstream, post-1991 changes could also be directly attributed to water infrastructure development in the Chi and Mun basins of Thailand. A reduction of 23 and 11% in the water raising and falling rates respectively at Prek Kdam provides evidence of a diminished Tonle Sap flood pulse in the post-1991 period. Given the observed water level alterations from 1991 to 2010 as a result of water infrastructure development, we can extrapolate that future development in the mainstream and the key transboundary Srepok, Sesan, and Sekong sub-basins will have an even greater effect on the Tonle Sap flood regime, the lower Mekong floodplain, and the delta. How to cite: Cochrane, T. A., Arias, M. E., and Piman, T.: Historical impact of water infrastructure on water levels of the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap system, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4529-4541, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4529-2014, 2014. Natural patterns of water levels in the Mekong are changing as a result of hydropower and irrigation development. Since 1991, significant changes in water level fluctuations and rising and falling rates have occurred along the lower Mekong. The changes were linked to temporal and spatial trends in water infrastructure development and can lead to impacts on ecosystem productivity. Climatic change is also important, but it has not been the main cause of the key water level alternations.	https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/18/4529/2014/
This blog was written by Jane Mann, Director of Education Reform, Cambridge University Press. It was originally published on the Cambridge University Press website. A New Reality for Education? As I write this, my three sons are scattered around my house, stretching our internet connection to its limits, attempting to navigate school work set online but without live expert navigation from their teachers or input from their peers, in isolation from not only their classmates, but also the wider world. This feels very much like a moment whose effects will be felt throughout the rest of their educational lives, and they are far from alone. At Cambridge, we are privileged to be in partnership with governments all around the world, working to support their education systems, so we have had an in-the-room view on much that has been going on. I’ve been particularly struck by the impressive urgency and creativity that has characterised the global education response to the coronavirus pandemic. The challenge posed has been met with innovation and boldness by teachers, parents and education leaders, acting to not only protect learning during quarantine but generate new plans for their students’ futures. However, the extraordinary circumstances forced on learners and teachers by the current coronavirus pandemic pose a problem for those who are used to using evidence and research to inform their response to challenges in education systems. What works in a pandemic? Where should we look for lessons that can guide our reactions and support our decisions? Notwithstanding the valuable insights that have been gathered following the recent Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, there is a lack of robust evidence for what interventions or tools will be effective in ensuring learning can continue, due to both the unusual nature of the current crisis and the inherent difficulty of conducting research in these conditions. There are, however, alternatives to relying on educational research that specifically examines responses to pandemics, lockdowns or quarantine. Education in emergencies (EiE) research is dominated by the study of displacement due to conflict and violence, but also addresses educational need in other conditions of displacement such as forced migration and environmental disaster. Elements of the current crisis resonate with the challenges of education in emergencies: - Students face disruption to their learning environment, their contact with classmates and teachers becomes highly fragmentary (if it is happening at all) and their access to learning materials is at best transformed and at worst removed. - They face breakages in their progression through curricula, with gaps created that can disrupt learning and achievement for the rest of their educational careers. - Assessments are inaccessible or delegitimised, undermining long-term security and expectations about outcomes. - Perhaps most troublingly, students and teachers face uncertainty and stress that can destabilise the emotional consistency and safety that schooling can offer. So, given these consistencies, what are the lessons that can be learned from education in emergencies, and applied to the current crisis? The Challenge of Fragmentation In emergency contexts, an important obstacle to quality learning is maintaining continuity. Displacement often means trauma, chaos and uncertainty for learners and teachers. Access to schooling and resources is disrupted, resulting in an education reduced to fragmented and disjointed moments. Even when the quality of the learning experience can be maintained, the disconnect between past and future opportunities to learn undermines the coherence of curricula. The Learning Passport UNICEF, in partnership with Microsoft and Cambridge, has been developing the Learning Passport, a response to education in emergencies that addresses this key challenge and the needs of vulnerable learners. To inform the project, Cambridge conducted extensive research into what works when delivering education in contexts of displacement. One of our key findings centred on the role education plays in not only providing skills and knowledge that allow young people to flourish, but also the importance it holds in establishing continuity and aspiration for young people. The curriculum frameworks in Maths, Science, Literacy and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) that form the core of the Learning Passport aim to address this need. Each framework provides guidance to help curriculum writers to span the gaps that may occur in learning due to displacement. The tools in the frameworks allow teachers and educators to identify the core content that students need, provide a ‘map’ to guide them back into mainstream curricula, and consequently back into schooling systems. The subject-specific frameworks are supported by an SEL component, built around a mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) approach. We found that although the children and young people UNICEF hope will benefit from the Learning Passport are living through some of the toughest conditions in the world, they consistently describe education as a priority: a review of 16 studies covering 17 different emergencies found that of 8,749 children, 99 per cent saw education as a priority. However, without the necessary support for their emotional wellbeing and mental health, they will struggle to learn. Cambridge’s work on the Learning Passport created an integrated social-emotional learning programme that seeks to address the psychological effects of crisis and trauma, and provide the foundations onto which the broader curricular learning can be built. Exploring digital solutions Another area of our research that generated applicable findings for the current crisis looked at what learning materials could deliver the Learning Passport, and especially the potential use of digital solutions for providing displaced learners with resources. We found a wealth of platforms and technologies out there aimed at getting materials to those in remote, disconnected or otherwise underserved communities, though often these solutions were confronted with the same issues: - lack of necessary infrastructure (including internet connectivity and access to devices, but just as often stable electricity) - student and teacher unfamiliarity with the technology, and - inequalities in access and digital literacy. There are some meeting these challenges head on, such as ‘Kolibri’, Learning Equality’s offline content library, with its innovative ‘seeding’ approach to spreading across devices in Kenya, which previously operated out of the country’s refugee camps. However, these challenges for delivering digital solutions persist, and as was found during the response to the Ebola outbreak in 2015, screen-based delivery of educational resources had limited impact compared to print and especially radio-based initiatives. Now that a greatly expanded cohort of learners must be reached during quarantine, the experience of delivering education in emergencies shows that there are fundamental limitations that currently constrain the effectiveness of digital solutions. Overcoming Disruption Students whose learning has been disrupted have very specific educational needs. We should be looking into how lessons from the development of the Learning Passport – and other work on education in emergencies – might apply to educating children returning following school shutdowns, and to improving the readiness of schools, teachers and education leaders in the future. There are three key areas where I believe there are lessons that our existing knowledge-base around education in emergencies can help us. These will not just help define our responses now, but also enable us to adjust and improve our systems after the pandemic is over, making them more resilient in the face of future crises. Equitable digital learning The first is digital and online solutions. Now that many school systems are operating almost exclusively through remote learning and using online platforms, there is a huge risk that those students who cannot access these technologies literally become invisible. Equitable digital learning means ensuring not only that students have access to the requisite technologies, but also that teachers are supported in using them equitably, and have the ability to adjust their pedagogy in ways that can provide differentiated learning for a potentially unfamiliar medium. Cambridge already provides professional development qualifications in teaching with digital technologies; it is my hope that the expanded need, use and scrutiny of this element of teachers’ skillset can lead to new developments in pedagogy and an increased importance in teacher training. Adaptive systems Secondly, education systems will need to improve their resilience by becoming more adaptive and flexible in the face of increasing environmental crises such as pandemics. Doing so of course covers how we deliver education, for instance through remote or online learning, but also how we structure curricula and organise assessment and progression. In crises, contextualisation to what may be very specific needs are paramount, and can create tensions with expectations of uniform adherence to the curriculum or widespread, high-stakes testing. Education in emergencies research, as informs the Learning Passport curriculum frameworks, suggests where and how accommodation can be made in curricula and assessment to ensure learning continues without sacrificing quality and confidence. The evolving needs of learners Finally, in a global context of what looks likely to be increasingly widespread environmental and conflict-based displacement, the profile and needs of the young people and children our systems will educate will change. In this context, education systems must be able to provide continuity of learning for a student population that will increasingly include students who are displaced or otherwise mobile, and who will possibly unavoidably – receive their education in a fragmentary manner from multiple sources. If the current pandemic indicates, even partially, what may become a ‘new normal’ for education systems around the world, that is a sobering thought. But the solutions for the challenges this will present are already being invented, developed, and tested, as long as we look widely enough for them. The Cambridge team welcomes engagement from readers on this topic via a series of webinars we’ll be hosting with global education leaders on Covid-19 crisis and responses to it. Register your interest here. Alternatively, please email: [email protected].	https://www.ukfiet.org/2020/overcoming-disruption-how-education-systems-can-adapt-to-a-post-covid-world/
Every child deserves access to quality childhood learning but limited classroom resources and lack of trained teachers mean education quality remains low. In understanding this, Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) continues to support communities in PNG to overcome challenges in the education sector. The Balimo Schools project is the latest partnership initiated by KTF and the PNG Sustainable Development Program (SDP) with support from the Western Province Division of Education and Western Sydney University. More than 100 teachers in primary and elementary schools in the Balimo region will undergo a series of workshops on specific learning techniques for children in the Preparatory and Primary levels in the Middle Fly district. The initiative is expected to improve teaching, learning, and access to schooling for children across the Balimo catchment area, a geographical area of approximately 3,000 square kilometers. It will focus on three critical parts of high-quality education; - Teacher Training; - Targeted Coaching; and - Improved resourcing for the schools (including the introduction of classroom TV’s and digitized content). This holistic support will improve the quality of teaching and student learning in remote classrooms. Over the next two-weeks, the 100 plus teachers will undergo professional development workshops alongside on-going coaching and investment of resources. These professional development workshops will focus on adapting teachers’ skills and knowledge towards child-centred and constructive learning in teaching strategies, science, english and mathematics. They will also receive a suite of educational resources tailored to their classrooms, including books from project partners’ Bilum Books, Oxford University Press books, PNG Curriculum materials, and books on literature and culture by Melanesian and Pacific studies expert, Professor Steven Winduo. The Balimo Schools project initially started back in September 2020 which coaches visited teachers on weekly mentoring sessions to ensure the teachers are putting to practice what they have learned. “We are already finding the changes extraordinary. The children are engaged and enthusiastic about learning and teachers are loving applying new techniques in their classrooms,” says KTF CEO, Dr. Genevieve Nelson. “We are grateful to our partner SDP for their thoughtful and practical, long-term commitment to education in Western Province and we are excited to the see the learning put into practice. Added Dr. Nelson. SDP’s Corporate Affairs Manager Juddy Aoae shared similar sentiments and believes this is a very good way to strengthen the education system in Western Province. “Education one of the many reasons why the standard in the province has been poor for many years is due to lack of resourced teachers, both in terms of materials and professionally,” said Aoae. She added the partnerships with KTF and Western Sydney University along with the Western Provincial Education Division and Provincial Administration is now making it possible for teachers to be fully equipped to give quality teaching.	https://emtv.com.pg/improving-teaching-learning-and-access-to-quality-childhood-education-in-western-province/
India has been confronting with serious lack of civic amenities in deep rural interiors which discourages the well qualified teachers to be posted in such locations. Most of the Rural schools are managed by untrained teachers who lack basic motivation to work in such areas. It is difficult for the Government to make trained teachers available in remote locations primarily due to their reluctance to be posted in such disadvantaged areas and weak teachers’ training infrastructure of the country. Though islands of excellences exist, they are confined to few urban pockets catering to limited target groups. Despite the complex and multifaceted nature of the problem, non-availability of sufficient numbers of trained teachers has been a major reason for such a state of affairs (Parveez and Pandey, 2011). Poor quality of teaching has cascading effect on success rates and retention of the students. Quality, Access and Retention continue to remain a cause of concern mostly in remote schools catering to extremely disadvantaged communities (Chaudhary and Garg, 2010). There has been a long felt need to capacitate and empower the teachers at the grassroots which has become more pressing after the enactment of Right to Education (RTE). The challenges are huge as most of the schools needing immediate attention are in geographically isolated settings, linked through poor transport & communication networks and cater to socio-economically disadvantaged communities (Parveez and Pandey, 2013). India desperately needs a strategic framework which can not only compensate for the lack of academic expertise at grassroots but also empower teachers to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. It is an enormous task. However seeing the huge numbers involved, scarce resources and weak training infrastructure, capacity building of teachers cannot be undertaken solely through face to face mode by displacing them from their workplaces thereby making it economically and functionally a non-viable idea. It is estimated that there are around two million untrained teachers, mostly concentrated in geographically inaccessible locations and present a major constraint in enhancing learning outcomes in the country. The satellite communication can effectively bridge this knowledge gap at an affordable cost which is so desperately needed in developing countries (Desai et al, 2009). It is now well realized that satellite connectivity has a potential to accelerate the pursuit for Sustainable Development Goals (Inmarsat, 2016). Post 2015 Developmental Agenda of United Nations have given a renewed thrust on the education (UNESCO, 2014). It is well realized and understood that, this important goal (SDG-4) has direct bearing on almost all the other Sustainable Development Goals which makes it the most important priority for achieving the Post 2015 development agenda (UNICEF, 2013). Past couple of decades has witnessed a surge in such technologies which has created enabling environment to link urban centers to the rural areas. This chapter reviews the suitability of satellite communication for distance education interventions in India. The chapter is organized as follows The part I describes why satellite communication is suitable for educational interventions particularly in developing countries. This part describes special context of developing countries, gives a glimpse of Indian school education and various experimentations which have been done in the field of satellite communication in school education. The Part II reviews Rajiv Gandhi Project for EduSat supported elementary education (RGPEEE) where authors have been involved in Content Generation, Monitoring and Management of the project and highlights its existing status. Part III reviews the new perspectives emerging from RGPEEE. Part IV summarizes and gives recommendations.	https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/new-perspectives-to-bridge-the-gaps-in-school-education-through-satellite-connectivity/185565
According to our discussion and observations, we see that inadequate systems are in place to help victims report their trafficking experiences. Most victims are unaware of where and how they can get assistance. In some cases, we've seen that victims faced discrimination after they returned to their communities. There are also people returning (whom haven't been 'rescued' or returned by authorities) to their homes and who do not even realize they had been victimised. We also think there is not enough prosecution of traffickers. 1. Enforce specific laws that strictly punish traffickers. In particular, those who employ domestic workers and beat them, and those who employ young people for exploitation must be punished, and the communities must be informed on these laws and penalties. This will help prevent others from trafficking children. Traffickers who are in jail must be rehabilitated and educated so that they would not repeat their crimes. 2. Victims need more ways to report the abuses and receive help, and this can be done through mass media campaigns, setting up hotlines at hospitals12 and within communities, and through establishing collaboration systems with local authorities, NGOs and relevant departments. International anti-trafficking hotlines should also be set up and should share the same number (if possible). 3. The decision to return home must be voluntary. For those returning to their communities: • There has to be a family assessment before the victim returns to make sure that it is safe for the victim to come back. • Family should welcome victims without any discrimination. • Encourage victims to participate in activities so that they can regain their sense of value and belonging in the community. • Provide psychological support to the victims. • Provide vocational skills and support according to their needs and find markets for their products. • There has to be a system to monitor and follow up with the victims after their return. Governments must clearly identify which agencies are responsible for this. • If for some reason, the family cannot welcome the victim, the community must find another safe place for him/her. 2 Hotline for hospitals will be used by staff to report to authorities on cases that they discover from among their patients. For those who cannot return to their own communities and families: • Governments in areas where they like to stay must provide job opportunities for them. 1. Establish child protection networks in village, commune, and province under collaboration with local authority and all people in all levels 2. Enforce specific laws that strictly punish traffickers. This will also prevent others from trafficking children. Those who use domestic workers and beat them, those who employ young people for exploitation must be punished, and the communities must be informed on these laws. Traffickers who are in jail must be rehabilitated and educated so that they would not repeat their crimes. 3. Information materials regarding trafficking, identifying victims and how victims could get help must be made available for young people in local languages in the destination and in places of origin. The material must say that "victims are not offenders..." As young people living in this region, we realise that everyone needs to be involved in child protection and prevention of trafficking. Children with no protection are vulnerable to trafficking. We have also learned that society, communities, families and schools are not aware of our rights. Sometimes, even we ourselves are not familiar with those rights because we don't have enough access to information. We do not see enough information posted in places where we might look, and the anti-trafficking materials that we do see we often don't like - nor understand. There are tens of thousands of children living in the countryside who have never seen information or materials on anti-trafficking. In their hometowns, there are no financial or human resources to help them learn how to protect themselves from trafficking. Meanwhile in both the cities and in the countryside, there are thousands of children with no parental care. They are vulnerable to trafficking. 1. Advocacy on child rights and anti-trafficking shouldn't only be targeted at children but also adults. 2. If only we had more financial and human support, we as young people could better deliver information on anti-trafficking to other children. 3. In addition, if we can get more involved in developing advocacy materials on child rights, we'll like those materials better. 4. Parents should learn how to be better parents through schools and other means, including media. 5. A system should be set up to support poor families so that parents can stay united with their children, instead of going away to work. 6. More social resources should be allocated to the most marginalised children and to care for children without parents to make sure that they are properly looked after. 7. Child protection systems should be established to help children in all places, especially where trafficking is a big problem - not only in the cities but also in the rural areas. 8. There should be better awareness raising and information sharing within the community about trafficking, including the real stories of victims (who are willing to speak out) or as told through their friends. Education/information materials on human trafficking must be available at schools, supermarkets, stations, and hospitals, so that all people are aware of the issue. 9. More materials should be translated to local (and minority) languages. 10. Governments in our six countries should organise international activities like MYF more regularly and invite the victims (if they are willing) to tell their stories to us to prevent other children from being trafficked. Since trafficking affects the lives of many children and young people, better solutions to the problem of human trafficking could be found and implemented through direct participation of children and youth. However, there is not enough understanding and support from the government, community and parents regarding children's participation. In general, children do not have enough opportunity to participate and/or they lack the confidence to participate. There are other factors that need to be addressed to make participation fairer for all young people, such as ongoing discrimination between educated and uneducated children, rich and poor children, those from rural areas and urban areas, as well as gender-based discrimination. All of these affect the opportunities available for participation. 1. All children and youth should be given the opportunity to participate in activities without discrimination between the rich and the poor, educated and uneducated, male and female, children and youth, or against victims, the disabled and people of different religions. The government, parents, and international organisations should provide financial and technical support for children's participation. 2. Children and youth should participate in planning, implementing and monitoring of activities against human trafficking. 3. Provide space for children to share their opinions and their experiences on human trafficking and child participation with other children and youth, and also with responsible adults. Provide victims with opportunities to voluntarily share information with other people as a specific part of this participation effort. Trafficking victims, poor children, migrant children, stateless children, working children, and children in remote areas don't have a chance to access education and, therefore, they become vulnerable groups. Girls should also have just as much chance to attend school as boys. Physical abuse and neglect, bullying, as well as discrimination are still problems in schools. These issues can lead to students not wanting to attend school. Quality of education in remote areas is not equal to that in urban areas. We lack teachers in remote areas due to lack of incentives offered to the teachers. There is lack of information on child trafficking and child protection in schools. There are still parents who don't send children to school and, instead, ask them to work to earn money for the families. Therefore, these children also become vulnerable to trafficking. 1. All children must receive formal education and have access to non-formal education to help protect them from being trafficked. 2. Raise awareness of school teachers (and students) on child protection issues, child rights, and trafficking. There should be stricter punishments to prevent teachers (and other students) from abusing children and discriminating against them. 3. Governments need to supply more - and better-quality - teachers in remote areas. They should include increased incentives for urban teachers to work in these remote areas. Meanwhile, governments should encourage and support villagers to become teachers. We should encourage students to go back to their schools and become teachers after graduation. 4. There should be participatory extra-curricular activities to equip children with knowledge and skills on child trafficking and child protection. Sharing experiences from trafficking victims should be done in school. 5. We should help parents understand that sending their children to school can prevent them from being trafficked and can improve their prospects for the future. 6. Governments should build more schools, provide free basic education (including school materials) and, when necessary, provide financial assistance to poor children to ensure that everyone can go to school. 7. Parents and their communities should encourage children to continue their studies and participate in activities regarding child rights, health education, reproductive health, anti-trafficking, etc. Because of reasons such as poverty, lack of job opportunities, lack of protection in schools and within families, or not enough land to farm in order to sustain a living, many people - including children - are migrating without the proper documents, both inside the country and to neighbouring countries. There are either no laws or limited laws that relate to the protection of migrant children. Due to unsafe migration and a lack of information available to young people about the destination, children and youth become very vulnerable. There are language barriers and lack of social support for migrant people working at these destinations, and migrant people in these places are exploited by employers due to lack of documents. 1. The governments of all countries, both at the origin and destination, need to have workable agreements and policies in place to ensure the rights of all migrants (for example, access to legal documents, laws that protect migrants, etc) and to take action immediately in situations of abuse and exploitation. The governments of all countries need to establish an organisation or office which is responsible for providing support to the migrants. 2. There should be no discrimination against migrants. Child protection systems for migrant children must be established in destination areas. 3. Governments and international NGOs should create job opportunities for young people within their own communities/countries so that migration for work does not become their only choice. 4. Set up job information centres in both cities and remote areas to provide information for migrant children and youth (of legal working age) about safe migration and also about available job opportunities. 5. Governments should make efforts to advocate and implement labour laws and get employers to understand them and respect them. 6. Illegal employment agencies should be prohibited, Children and youth without nationality are at higher risk of being trafficked because they have limited access to protection, they often have no access to basic services such as education, health care or legal help, and they have no right to vote. 1. Officially registering all children born in the country as soon as possible to allow them access to all public services. 2. Government agencies must provide special identification for those whose nationality is not recognised and for victims of trafficking who want to remain in the country where they are at present, in order that they can rely on receiving basic public care. 3. The destination countries and countries of origin should have more discussions to achieve an agreement on how to identify the migrants' nationalities. 4. Governments should provide equal access to education and educational certificates to all children, even if their nationalities are in question. i Hotline for hospitals will be used by staff to report to authorities on cases that they discover from among their patients.	https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/other_documents/section1/2007/03/turning-up-the-volume-mekong-youth-raise-their-voices-against-human-trafficking-2007.html
About Rural Communities Afterschool and expanded learning programs are uniquely positioned to support rural communities because the programming can be tailored to the needs of the children and build upon community strengths. Rural afterschool programs face a number of unique out-of-school time challenges, including: - Fewer available private partners—Less businesses, community organizations, foundations, colleges and universities tend to exist. - Limited local tax base—Given rural reliance on a few industries, there is a high degree of “brain drain” out of rural areas. - High transportation costs—The long distances between schools’ program sites and children’s homes, as well as a limited number of transportation providers makes transportation expensive. - Staffing challenges—Due to the difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff and the limited availability of professional development activities, there are generally fewer trained teachers and staff members. - Limited eligibility for funding—Funding streams are often not targeted toward rural areas. When programs are eligible to apply they often do not have the capacity to do so or may not be able to meet all the requirements. Key Information - One-fifth of children in the U.S. attend public schools in rural communities. - 2.5 million children living in rural areas live in deep and persistent poverty. - Over the past several decades, child poverty rates have been higher in rural than in non-rural areas. - Among children living in rural areas, 19 percent live in poverty, compared to 15 percent among non-rural children. - Thirty-one percent of rural grade-school students are eligible for reduced-price or free lunches, as compared to 25 percent of urban grade-schoolers. Strategies to Support Rural Communities - Build coalitions to help with transportation. - Identify possible funding sources as public service organizations, local private foundations, corporations, and individual contributors can all serve as potential funding sources for rural out-of-school time programs. - Increase the number of trained staff members. - Use existing volunteer organizations to recruit staff. - Maximize existing resources, such as local schools and community colleges which can offer space, transportation, tutoring materials and technological expertise and equipment.	http://www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net/content/rural-communities
More human rights for 3,500 children in the rural area of Albania The main acheivements of the three-year project "Promoting Human rights through inclusive education and empowerment of local civil society organizations”, funded by the European Union and implemented by AVSI and SHIS. Children’s rights in Albania has always been a sensitive topic, and yet not tackled as much as needed. The situation of children's rights in Albania, as a country facing severe economic challenges, is considered really weak and insufficient. Many children face a series of risks and rights violations, which negatively affect their well-being and that of their families. Poverty is a growing phenomenon especially since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, ethnic discrimination is reported to be quite common, child trafficking is another major concern, school dropout and the phenomenon of children outside the education system are quite visible. While we need a moment to catch up with all the struggles that children face in Albania, we are amazed to see that every time we put children at the center, hear their needs and make an effort to improve their conditions, a step forward for all children's rights is done. When the project “Promoting human rights through inclusive education and empowering civil society organizations” started, it wasn’t actually a start for AVSI and its partner SHIS who have been working for several years now on human rights, education and inclusiveness of children in Albania. It was the perfect project to continue this work in more remote areas, such as northern Albania regions thanks to the European Union funds. Throughout the whole project implementation there were so many fact and elements noticed on children, youth, parents, teachers and communities. Through activities, such as trainings for teachers, we understood that they need to be trained, they request trainings as a way to help their students. They have the will and the desire to get better on their job, even if they have been working for more than 20 years in this profession. Even if their class doesn’t have much students, they still are eager to learn new techniques, apply them, and feel updated. This project provided a great opportunity to meet parents, to raise awareness on children rights and to underline how important it is to be engaged in an unbreakable partnership ‘parent-teacher-student’. All parents were not only engaged, but they figured out that education for their kids is the most important thing to thrive. It is surprising to see parents and children so ambitious, so hardworking and eager to better themselves in areas where it is difficult to even make a phone call due to lack of service. SHIS conducted a study to evaluate the situation of human rights in the rural areas of the districts of Puka, Malësi e Madhe and Shkodra, in the North of the country where the project was implemented. The study showed lack of infrastructure, lack of trainings for teachers, lack of inclusive entertaining activities for children, no information for parents, yet so positivity and desire to get better. Even in so many difficulties, children love going to school, parents believe that education would bring a better future for their children, and teachers believe that education is what actually marks the beginning of a successful path for children, which is why they take responsibility of their job with students. Even in these remote areas, the municipalities were so collaborative making it easier to draft a Local Development Plan together and to implement it. Civil Society Organizations were also actively engaged in implementing projects that focused on children’s rights and their protection. This project was expanded in different areas and with different targets: children, parents, teachers, community, schools, civil society organizations, municipalities. This is why this project conveys so many positive and noticeable results: - 3,500 children benefited from the intervention through activities both educational and recreational. - 75 teachers and principals were trained on new methods to implement the approach of ‘school as a community center’. - 280 parents were informed and involved in raising-awareness campaigns on children's rights - 25 staff members of Civil Society Organizations were trained to build capacities in project design and management. It is not easy to sum up all the lessons learned and all the achievements of a project that lasted approximately three years. However, on February 11th we brought down the curtains in a conference, that due to the COVID-19 emergency, was held partially online, and only a small group of people were present in a conference room. "The human rights issue - said Anna Difonzo, AVSI desk officer for Albania - is a matter of responsibility rather than a matter of law. The responsibility of adults towards the children. Thanks to the European Union trust on AVSI, SHIS, Women in Development Shkodër and all partners, we experienced an excellent chance for the empowerment and activation of this common responsibility". During this conference, it was nice to hear motivating words from Mrs. Xheni Sinakoli, representative of the European Union Delegation in Albania. Taking in consideration all the challenges this year brought, European Union has been a big help and will continue to help Albania. Mrs. Sinakoli mentioned the satisfaction of seeing such productive and positive results coming out of this project. Mrs. Anila Ferizaj, a representative of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth congratulated for the work done, emphasizing specifically the professionality and willingness to work for inclusiveness, in line with the expectations of the ministry as well. Mr. Alma Tandilli, as a representative of the State Agency for the Protection of Children's Rights was impressed by the positive impact this project had on the areas it was implemented, and was hopeful that human rights and children rights will be of paramount importance in other projects, just as it was for this one. This project has improved the situation in schools, in families and has brought to our attention that together, step by step, we can achieve great things as a society Furthermore, the president of SHIS Mr. Eni Rika brought to our attention the 22 years of experience of this association and its main focus on promoting human dignity above everything else. As the project comes to an end, the motivation to continue working on human rights, on most remote areas and to improve society in Albania will not cease.	https://www.avsi.org/en/news/2021/02/16/more-human-rights-for-3500-children-in-the-rural-area-of-albania/2262/
Here are two essays I have written regarding educational policy and Angola. I would love to hear your feedback. As I study and learn about the issues facing various countries in southern Africa, I will share what I have learned here on the blog and it would be great if a dialogue could occcur. America is wonderful, but it is importatnt to look at what is going on outside of the country and recognize other peoples news, problems and successes as being important as well. Enjoy! 1) The Education System in Angola Angola has established an ambitious education plan. The government of the Republic of Angola in 2002 created a National Action Plan of Education For All (NEPEFA). With this plan, Angola hopes to meet the Millennium Development Goals as established by the United Nations in ensuring basic primary education (grades K-4) to all by the year 2015. According to the Conference of the Ministers of Education of African Member States in 2002, Angola’s education policy is based on the principle that “knowledge is an essential means for the rise of the indexes of the human development and particularly the living conditions of the populations” (UNESCO- 2002). With the adoption of the NEPEFA, the government of Angola hopes to extend education and education related social services to the most vulnerable and underprivileged rural and urban populations in an attempt to reduce the level of absolute poverty in the country. Along with the reduction of poverty, it is hoped that there will be an increase in the national internal manpower, which will result in a stronger economy for Angola allowing it to compete on a global scale with other nations. Currently, Angola is far from meeting their goal of primary education for all. There are many factors that contribute to this. It is important to take into consideration that Angola, as an independent nation is extremely young. Following Angola’s independence, the country faced years of civil war, which left the educational sector in a state of chaotic disarray. Between the years of 1992-1996, it is estimated that more than 1,500 classrooms were destroyed. There was an enormous civilian life toll that was taken as well, many of whom were teachers, professors and other educators. Angola must initially start from ground zero to re-establish and define their educational system and goals. The National Action Plan of Education For All is a first step. The ministry of Education of the Republic of Angola has a long road to tread. They face the enormous challenge of increasing the number of children in primary schools from “an estimated 2.1 million in 2003 to 5 million by 2015 in order to achieve universal primary education while keeping up with the rapid growth of the school-age population. In 2001 UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) showed that only 56% of the children of primary school age attend the first level of basic education (grades 1-4)”. (UNICEF study 2006). The government of Angola recognizes these key problems and is taking into consideration the fact that primary school enrollment has shown great disparities along gender and socio-economic groups. Currently it is estimated that at least one million primary school age children are not attending school, the majority of these being girls. The government of Angola is working to meet their educational goals by 2015, however many factors are working against them. Training teachers is often expensive, therefore, the people that can afford to go to school to learn to become educators amount to a small segment of the population. There is a severe shortage of trained teachers. Those that are trained as teachers rarely can be convinced to teach in the most desperate rural areas and opt for major cities instead, therefore an entire demographic of the populations educational needs are being ignored. In addition, schools tend to lack sufficient sanitation, water may or may not be available to students and the quality may be questionable. Schools tend to be overcrowded and multi-age groups work together without any clear curriculum or guidance. Most schools lack, basic school materials and teaching and learning materials, which significantly affect the quality of education the students are receiving. The challenges that the Angolan government faces are many. Despite these challenges, there has been an increase in primary school enrollment as well as an increase in adults training to become teachers. The question at hand is will this be enough? 2) Education Policy in the United States and Angola: A Comparative Study To my surprise, I have noted many similarities between the education system in Angola and the education system in the United States. There are of course many differences as well that account for the difference between “Developing Nation” and “Developed Nation” however the similarities demonstrate that wherever you are, there is always a segment of the population that receives a substandard education that barely prepares them to function as active and productive members of society. That being said, there is also a privileged segment of a given population that receives a quality education, which will prepare them to contribute to society and make the economic gains necessary for a comfortable existence. Angola is a country that has just emerged from years of civil war and conflict. In that way, the Republic of Angola is fairly new and is still establishing its education system. The government of Angola believes in education for all, and is in the process of establishing an education system that educates all: girls, boys, teen-agers and young adults, but this takes time. Currently, little more than half of the children in Angola receive a primary education. Many schools require that a fee be paid and that eliminates the very poor and majority of the population from gaining access to education. There is also a shortage of qualified teachers as a result of the expense of teacher training. The government of Angola has begun to implement programs to affordably train teachers and this is helping increase the number of trained teachers, however despite these efforts qualified educators are in demand. Furthermore, to exacerbate this problem, teachers who are qualified prefer overwhelmingly to work in urban and populated areas, this has created a huge gap and inconsistencies in education. In the United States, a country that has been independent of colonial rule for over two hundred years, education is free and is mandatory for every individual from the age of five through at least sixteen. In every state, in every city, in every remote rural town, you will find free public schools designed to educate students from Kindergarten to the 12th grade. This is a great advantage and has helped establish and maintain the United States of America as a developed and affluent country. Upon further examination however, there are many gaps and inconsistencies in the American educational system. As in Angola, there is a shortage of qualified teachers. The teacher shortage is not as extreme in the United States, however it is a problem that the government is addressing. Of the certified teachers in the United States, the majority prefer to teach in affluent private schools, affluent suburban public schools or affluent urban public schools. Low-income urban and low income rural areas in the United States are suffering from a lack of qualified teachers, a lack of educational funds, a lack of teaching and learning materials and supplies and a lack of governmental support. In response to these problems, organizations such as Teach For American and Teaching Fellows have made the attempt to recruit young pre-professionals right out of college, to train them to become teachers free of charge. Such individuals attain free masters degrees in exchange for at least two years of service in low performing underprivileged urban and rural areas. Overall, these programs have proved to be successful, but they are still young and the achievement rate as determined by test scores and drop-out rates of students in rural and urban impoverished areas is still quite low in comparison to the national average. Both Angola and the United States of America, have a long road ahead of them in terms of improving their educational policies. Angola of course, considering it’s history and current circumstance has a much greater struggle ahead of it, in order to establish it’s goal of providing basic primary education to all by 2015. Angola however, considering where they are in their development is in a similar place most currently developed countries were in at the onset of their independence or as in the case of Europe during the dark ages. With time, we will get a better sense of where Angola needs to make improvements in their education, because currently they are still establishing a system. Unfortunately as is the case in America, social class, gender and economic status, directly affect the quality of education that an individual will receive and this education directly affects the economic future of an individual.	http://sojournersojourns.com/sojourners-sojourns-travel-and-wellness-blog/education-in-angola
- 2 What are the implications of ICT-enhanced education for educational policy and planning? - 3 What are the infrastructure-related challenges in ICT-enhanced education? - 4 What are the challenges with respect to capacity-building? - 5 Will ICT use be the silver bullet that will rid a developing country of all of its educational problems? Key Challenges in Integrating ICTs in Education Although valuable lessons may be learned from best practices around the world, there is no one formula for determining the optimal level of ICT integration in the educational system. Significant challenges that policymakers and planners, educators, education administrators, and other stakeholders need to consider include educational policy and planning, infrastructure, language and content, capacity building, and financing. What are the implications of ICT-enhanced education for educational policy and planning? Attempts to enhance and reform education through ICTs require clear and specific objectives, guidelines and time-bound targets, the mobilization of required resources, and the political commitment at all levels to see the initiative through. Some essential elements of planning for ICT are listed below. - A rigorous analysis of the present state of the educational system. ICT-based interventions must take into account current institutional practices and arrangements. Specifically, drivers and barriers to ICT use need to be identified, including those related to curriculum and pedagogy, infrastructure, capacity-building, language and content, and financing. - The specification of educational goals at different education and training levels as well as the different modalities of use of ICTs that can best be employed in pursuit of these goals. This requires of the policymaker an understanding of the potentials of different ICTs when applied in different contexts for different purposes, and an awareness of priority education needs and financial and human resource capacity and constraints within the country or locality, as well as best practices around the world and how these practices can be adapted for specific country requirements. - The identification of stakeholders and the harmonizing of efforts across different interest groups. - The piloting of the chosen ICT-based model. Even the best designed models or those that have already been proven to work in other contexts need to be tested on a small scale. Such pilots are essential to identify, and correct, potential glitches in instructional design, implementability, effectiveness, and the like. - The specification of existing sources of financing and the development of strategies for generating financial resources to support ICT use over the long term. A country’s educational technology infrastructure sits on top of the national telecommunications and information infrastructure. Before any ICT-based programme is launched, policymakers and planners must carefully consider the following: - In the first place, are appropriate rooms or buildings available to house the technology? In countries where there are many old school buildings, extensive retrofitting to ensure proper electrical wiring, heating/cooling and ventilation, and safety and security would be needed. - Another basic requirement is the availability of electricity and telephony. In developing countries large areas are still without a reliable supply of electricity and the nearest telephones are miles away. Experience in some countries in Africa point to wireless technologies (such as VSAT or Very Small Aperture Terminal) as possible levers for leapfrogging.. Although this is currently an extremely costly approach, other developing countries with very poor telecommunications infrastructure should study this option. - Policymakers should also look at the ubiquity of different types of ICT in the country in general, and in the educational system (at all levels) in particular. For instance, a basic requirement for computer-based or online learning is access to computers in schools, communities, and households, as well as affordable Internet service. In general, ICT use in education should follow use in society, not lead it. Education programs that use cutting-edge technologies rarely achieve long term success: - It is cheaper, and easier, to introduce a form of technology into education, and keep it working, where education is riding on the back of large-scale developments by governments or the private sector. Television works for education when it follows rather than precedes television for entertainment; computers in schools can be maintained once commercial and private use has expanded to the point where there is an established service industry. What are the challenges with respect to capacity-building? Various competencies must be developed throughout the educational system for ICT integration to be successful. Teachers.Teacher professional development should have five foci: 1) skills with particular applications; 2) integration into existing curricula; 3) curricular changes related to the use of IT (including changes in instructional design); 4) changes in teacher role( 5) underpinning educational theories. Ideally, these should be addressed in pre-service teacher training and built on and enhanced in-service. In some countries, like Singapore, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom, teaching accreditation requirements include training in ICT use. ICTs are swiftly evolving technologies, however, and so even the most ICT fluent teachers need to continuously upgrade their skills and keep abreast of the latest developments and best practices. While the first focus—skills with particular applications—is self-evident, the four other foci are of equal, if not ultimately greater, importance. Research on the use of ICTs in different educational settings over the years invariably identify as a barrier to success the inability of teachers to understand why they should use ICTs and how exactly they can use ICTs to help them teach better. Unfortunately, most teacher professional development in ICTs are heavy on “teaching the tools” and light on “using the tools to teach.” Teacher anxiety over being replaced by technology or losing their authority in the classroom as the learning process becomes more learner-centered—an acknowledged barrier to ICT adoption—can be alleviated only if teachers have a keen understanding and appreciation of their changing role. Education administrators. Leadership plays a key role in ICT integration in education. Many teacher- or student-initiated ICT projects have been undermined by lack of support from above. For ICT integration programs to be effective and sustainable, administrators themselves must be competent in the use of the technology, and they must have a broad understanding of the technical, curricular, administrative, financial, and social dimensions of ICT use in education. Technical support specialists. Whether provided by in-school staff or external service providers, or both, technical support specialists are essential to the continued viability of ICT use in a given school. While the technical support requirements of an institution depend ultimately on what and how technology is deployed and used, general competencies that are required would be in the installation, operation, and maintenance of technical equipment (including software), network administration, and network security. Without on-site technical support, much time and money may be lost due to technical breakdowns. In the Philippines, for example, one of the major obstacles to optimizing computer use in high schools has been the lack of timely technical support. In some extreme cases involving schools in remote areas, disabled computers take months to be repaired since no technician is available in the immediate vicinity and so the computers have to be sent to the nearest city hundreds of kilometers away. Content developers. Content development is a critical area that is too often overlooked. The bulk of existing ICT-based educational material is likely to be in English (see section on language and content below) or of little relevance to education in developing countries (especially at the primary and secondary levels). There is a need to develop original educational content (e.g., radio programs, interactive multimedia learning materials on CD-ROM or DVD, Web-based courses, etc.), adapt existing content, and convert print-based content to digital media. These are tasks for which content development specialists such as instructional designers, scriptwriters, audio and video production specialists, programmers, multimedia course authors, and web-developers are needed. Like technical support specialists, content developers are highly skilled professionals and are not, with the exception of instructional designers, historically employed by primary and secondary schools. Many universities with distance education programs, and those who otherwise make use of ICTs, have dedicated technical support and content development units. What challenges need to be addressed in the areas of language and content? English is the dominant language of the Internet. An estimated 80% of online content is in English.A large proportion of the educational software produced in the world market is in English. For developing countries in the Asia-Pacific where English language proficiency is not high, especially outside metropolitan areas, this represents a serious barrier to maximizing the educational benefits of the World Wide Web. Even in countries where English is a second language (such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and India) it is imperative that teaching and learning materials that match national curriculum requirements and have locally meaningful content, preferably in the local languages, be developed. (See Box 6.) This would ensure that the Web is a genuinely multicultural space and that peoples of different cultures have an equal stake and voice in the global communities of learning and practice online. Particularly vulnerable to exclusion of this sort are isolated, rural populations, cultural minorities, and women in general. Thus attention must be paid to their special needs. One encouraging trend has been the emergence of national and regional school networks, or SchoolNets, that facilitate the sharing of content and information—curriculum guides, teaching and learning resources, telecollaborative project registries, school and teacher directories, training curricula and materials, research and policy papers, technology management guides, and start-up toolkits, among others. Countries like Australia, France, Finland, Japan, Canada, Thailand, Ghana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, to name a few, all have national SchoolNets. The Enlaces programme in Latin America has linked schools from Spanish-speaking countries like Chile, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Peru. In Southeast Asia, efforts are currently underway to pilot SchoolNets in the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, and to link these to existing national SchoolNets to create a region-wide ASEAN SchoolNet. In Web-based learning, technical standardization of content has also become a pressing issue. Standardization allows different applications to share content and learning systems. Specifications in content, structure, and test formats are proposed so that interoperability may exist between different management systems, resulting in some cost-efficiencies. Standards must be general enough to support all kinds of learning systems and content. Worth mentioning are initiatives conducted by the Instructional Management System (IMS), the Advanced Distributed Learning /Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model (ADL/SCORM) initiative, the Aviation Industry Computer Based Training Committee (AICC), and the European ARIADNE project, since some of the standards they have proposed are already being widely applied. The ease by which Web-based educational content can be stored, transmitted, duplicated, and modified has also raised concerns about the protection of intellectual property rights. For instance, are intellectual, property rights violated when lectures broadcast over the television or on the Web incorporate pre-existing materials, or when students record educational broadcast on tape for later viewing? While schools and universities may already have agreements that expressly authorize the use of certain materials for classroom purposes, these agreements may not be broad enough to accommodate telecommunications transmission, videotape recording, or the distribution of course-related materials beyond the classroom setting.. The United Nations International World Intellectual Property Organization is leading international efforts in setting global standards for the protection of intellectual property rights that would not at the same time unduly curtail the accessing and sharing of information. For teachers and students, each of whom are potential publishers of multimedia materials that incorporate the works of others, information and training about the ethical use of intellectual property should be an important component of ICT-based programs. What are the challenges related to financing the cost of ICT use? One of the greatest challenges in ICT use in education is balancing educational goals with economic realities. ICTs in education programs require large capital investments and developing countries need to be prudent in making decisions about what models of ICT use will be introduced and to be conscious of maintaining economies of scale. Ultimately it is an issue of whether the value added of ICT use offsets the cost, relative to the cost of alternatives. Put another way, is ICT-based learning the most effective strategy for achieving the desired educational goals, and if so what is the modality and scale of implementation that can be supported given existing financial, human and other resources? Whyte suggests the following potential sources of money and resources for ICT use programs: 1. Grants 2. Public subsidies 3. Private donations, fund-raising events 4. In-kind support (e.g., equipment, volunteers) 5. Community support (e.g. rent-free building) 6. Membership fees 7. Revenues earned from core business: - Connectivity (phone, fax, Internet, web pages) - Direct computer access to users - Office services (photocopying, scanning, audiovisual aids 8. Revenues earned from ancillary activities: - Business services (word-processing, spreadsheets, budget preparation, printing, reception services) - Educational services (distant education, training courses) - Community services (meeting rooms, social events, local information, remittances from migrant workers) - Telework and consulting - Specialized activities (telemedicine) - Sales (stationery, stamps, refreshments, etc.) Private sector-public sector partnerships to either pilot or fast track ICT-based projects is a strategy that has gained currency among Ministries of Education in developing countries. These partnerships take many forms, including private sector grants with government counterpart contributions, donations of equipment and education-related content by corporations to state-run schools, and the provision of technical assistance for planning, management, and strengthening human resources at the grassroots level. Multilateral organizations and international aid agencies have also driven many of the most significant ICT in education efforts in the developing world. But the financial litmus test of ICT-based programs is survival after donor money has run out. Many ICT-based education programs funded by aid agencies or by corporations could not be sustained because government failed to step in with the necessary financing; nor were the local communities in a position to generate the resources needed to continue these programs.This was the case with some of the Interactive Radio Instruction projects initiated by USAID. Therefore, a two-fold strategy is key: government support and local community mobilization Will ICT use be the silver bullet that will rid a developing country of all of its educational problems? If there is one truism that has emerged in the relatively brief history of ICT use in education, it is this: It is not the technology but how you use it! Put another way: “How you use technology is more important than if you use it at all…[and] unless our thinking about schooling changes along with the continuing expansion of [ICTs] in the classroom then our technology investment will fail to live up to its potential.” Technology then should not drive education; rather, educational goals and needs, and careful economics, must drive technology use. Only in this way can educational institutions in developing countries effectively and equitably address the key needs of the population, to help the population as a whole respond to new challenges and opportunities created by an increasingly global economy. ICTs, therefore, cannot by themselves resolve educational problems in the developing world, as such problems are rooted in well entrenched issues of poverty,social inequality,and uneven development.What ICTs as educational tools can do, if they are used prudently, is enable developing countries to expand access to and raise the quality of education. Prudence requires careful consideration of the interacting issues that underpin ICT use in the school—policy and politics, infrastructure development, human capacity, language and content, culture, equity, cost, and not least, curriculum and pedagogy. Figure 9.	https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ICT_in_Education/Key_Challenges_in_Integrating_ICTs_in_Education
Every child has the right to an education. However, many children do not receive the quality education they deserve – and millions more are not even enrolled in school. Globally, two-thirds of children – 262 million – are in school, yet they will not obtain basic reading proficiency by the time they complete primary school. Going to school does not always result in children learning1. The lack of trained teachers, unconducive learning environments and inadequate learning resources are a challenge to learning for many children in rural areas, especially if they come to school hungry or sick due to lack of food or exhausted from work or the long commute to school. And while school enrolment rates have increased significantly in the last 20 years, 25 million children, more than half of whom are girls, will never set foot in school2. We believe that access to quality education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Your donation will help contribute towards children’s education and provide them hope for a brighter future. 1 UNESCO 2017 2 UNESCO 2016 Key Challenges In Providing Children's Education The road to equal and quality children's education is still paved with many challenges along the way. \| \| Access to Schools Location can keep children from school. Children from rural areas are more than twice as likely to be out of primary school than those from urban areas. \| \| Run-Down Infrastructure Schools in rural areas are often poorly maintained, with poor sanitation facilities. Classrooms are dark and roofs may leak when it rains. \| \| Poor Quality of Education There is a lack of trained teachers in rural areas and inadequate learning material to support students. \| \| Children from the poorest households are almost five times more likely to be out of primary school than those from the richest. Many poor children go to school hungry, sick or exhausted from work or household chores to learn effectively. \| \| Gender Discrimination 129 million girls around the world are out of school. They are at a disadvantage as cultural norms often dictate that they should stay home and help with household chores3. For children in many of these communities, relief efforts from humanitarian organisations like World Vision are their only hopes of getting a proper education. Through your charity donations, better infrastructure can be built and more teaching resources can be allocated to help the children learn better.	https://www.worldvision.org.sg/en/our-needs-impact/education
The Institute for Energy Research and Policies (INSTEPR) is calling on government to fix the numerous challenges affecting the basic education sector to alleviate poverty, especially in remote communities. According to INSTEPR, observations made in its recent weeks’ engagement with teachers and stakeholders in the basic education strata of the education system revealed very disturbing findings. Therefore, the institute finds it important to deviate from its usual reports in the energy sector and look at this all-important subject of basic education in Ghana. Executive Director-INSTEPR, Kwadwo N. Poku, indicated that in 1995 when government introduced the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme, every Ghanaian child of school-going age was assured access to high-quality basic education – but this laudable programme has one fundamental flaw 0 ‘quality of education’. “During the post-independence era, the quality of basic education in Ghana was very high in government schools. Children of the rich and poor all attended government primary schools. The middle-class and civil servants did not have to worry about high school fees, since education at the basic level was very affordable and of high quality. “Today, to send your child to government primary school means you are poor or live in the rural parts of Ghana. Parents must find money to pay exorbitant fees charged by private international schools across the country. The quality of education assured by FCUBE is now a mirage,” he said. Citing a quote from the UNICEF website under challenges in Ghana education, he said: “The school environment is usually not conducive to learning. Classes are overcrowded, water and sanitation facilities are inadequate, and trained teachers and schoolbooks are in short supply. The poor quality of education is reflected in students’ results’.’ In 2019, the Ghana Education Service (GES) introduced a standard-based curriculum at the primary schools, thus from kindergarten to primary six. After the introduction of this new curriculum, a survey report in International Journal of Education and Research volume nine, number three, March 2021, showed that teachers had two main concerns. First is lack of information about the new curriculum: The report stated that a majority of the teachers who are users of the standard-based curriculum would like to have more information about what it entails, what it will do, and what it involves. Second is Resources: Resources are essential for successful implementation of the standard-based curriculum. Interestingly, three years after the introduction of this new curriculum, most primary school across the country have not received text books. The teachers are supposed to teach ICT without books and computers. Some children in rural Ghana are learning about ICT without ever seeing a computer – something that an average family in the city takes for granted. “My question is very simple: is government serious about basic education? Surely the politicians, civil servants and technocrats in the education sector have seen the UNICEF data sheet on Ghana through the MISC-Education Analysis for Global Learning and Equity initiative. “The 2021 data sheet is very disturbing: For Grade three (8-9 years), Reading Skills is seven percent and Numeracy skills 8 percent for children attending government schools. Simple English, only seven percent of all children between age eight and nine attending government school in Ghana can read. This reduces to four percent for Grade two,” he bemoaned. Mr. Poku added that in recent months government has introduced a new initiative called STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, and new STEM schools are to be built. Therefore, INSTEPR will advise government to put this STEM project on hold and address the fundamental problems with existing basic schools in the country, and provide text books for all pupils. “Instead of STEM, government should put more resources into developing early childhood education. Research in multiple countries has shown that 95 percent of children in early education – three to four-year olds – progress as expected for their age in learning and areas of physical and social emotional development. “Donor agencies like USAID hves been helping government produce reading materials for early education, because the USA has seen the benefit of early childhood education,” he emphasised. INSTEPR believes that as a country we cannot continue ignoring basic education, and most importantly neglecting basic school infrastructure at the rural level. Free education is a wonderful policy and we Ghanaians are blessed to have it, but what is the quality of the education that is free? Students are struggling to comprehend secondary school education, especially now that it is less than three years duration. There is a vast disadvantage for government school students because their private school counterparts have a very good basic education. It is obvious that that government has limited resources, but that does not excuse anyone for not making a systematic effort to bring back quality education to government schools. We must invest in the infrastructure, teachers as well as supervision. Parents from all walks of life should be able to take their kids to government primary school to reduce the financial burden on these parents. The current situation is unacceptable, and INSTEPR is calling on government to act now.	https://thebftonline.com/2022/02/22/fix-basic-education-to-alleviate-poverty-instepr/
Get the complete project » - The Complete Research Material is averagely 81 pages long and it is in Ms Word Format, it has 1-5 Chapters. - Major Attributes are Abstract, All Chapters, Figures, Appendix, References. - Study Level: BTech, BSc, BEng, BA, HND, ND or NCE. - Full Access Fee: ₦4,000 CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Background of the Study 1.1 Introduction It is today universally accepted that Education is the fountain and foundation of all wisdom, therefore, the importance of education in any community cannot be overemphasized. Education is the major factor for sustainable development as well as a strong pillar around which every other action revolves. This is because education is the most necessary and effective weapon identified by the world over advancement of human progress and development. For rapid socio – economics and social political development of Nigeria, education or at least the basic one is indispensable (Wales,1996). The biggest obstacle that needs immediate attention in Nigeria and other developing countries is how to reach the unreached. Education wise, how to take education to the door steps of the masses. A lot of researchers found that between 65% to 70% of children do not go to school. From analysis made by stakeholders, it was obvious that the explanations advanced that low enrolment among others was mostly financial. Many parents find it hard to enroll their children in the school and where they do, many of the children do not stay to complete their studies due to financial problem, poverty and low level of awareness on the needs to send children to school. The Universal Primary Education (UPE) Scheme was the first attempt at the national level by government to establish a universal education programme in Nigeria. It was launched in 1976 by President Obasanjo, the then Military Head of State, compared to the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme launched in 1999 (Isyaku, 2000). The objectives of the UPE were more modest and directed by what was perceived to be the needs of the nation at the time it was; To ensure that every Nigerian child from age of six, attended primary school and remained therefore the next six years, under a free education scheme funded by the federal and state government (Obasanjo, 1999). It is of interest to note that the UPE was not a total failure as general opinion tends to portray. This was so because the programme recorded and increased in the number of children in primary school from 6 million in 1977 when it started to `12 million in 1980 (Obasanjo, 1999). The obstacle UPE faced, began from the middle of the 1980s were also acknowledged. The problems faced them were categorized in three broad groups. First, is the population explosion of the 1980s which led to sudden astronomical rise in the number of school age children who could not be accommodated within the existing school structure, this was in turn due to inadequate schools and acute shortage of trained and qualified teachers. Second was the decline in national revenue which militated against the allocation of sufficient funds for the expansion and quality improvement of the scheme. The third and final problem was political instability in the country which caused confusion in terms of what priority should be given to advance education at all levels for UPE to go beyond mere recommitment and for it to represent the actualization of the “expand vision”, all hands must be on deck (of those who lead, the led and those who stand between the leaders and the led) must occupy sincerity, transparency and accountability to implement the UBE programmes. There was a world conference on education held in Jomtien, Thailand in 1991 which was popularly called Education for all (EFA). This conference was sponsored by the effort of some of the world organizations and attracted all the Ministers of Education from all the countries of the world. The outcome of the world conference on education was the recommendation of the concept of ‘Basic Education’ to be adopted by all countries in the bid to reduce dropout and illiteracy rates in every society. The report on the state level policy dialogue on UBE programme organized by Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Primary Education Board states that every citizen of the world enjoys fundamental human right to education. To determine its exact nature and content depends on the context – political, socio – economic, cultural, technological etc of each society. UBE therefore entails the following: - An enlarged view of education to integrate formal and informal possibilities for the development of human potentials. - An attainment that is not confined to orthodox education agencies but which requires the input of other socio – economic development sector. - An affair that is a lot more than the government organization and the entire civil societies. - A strong emphasis on learning, that is, success in acquiring basic skills of literacy numeracy to learn as the most valuable end result of education. “Education for all is the business of all” is the slogan used to summarize what UBE is all about (UBE Digest 2002) to narrow down UBE to the Nigerian situation, one can say that basic education in Nigeria encompasses vertical and horizontal dimension. The vertical dimension is the broad spectrum of formal and informal approaches to education. The horizontal dimension covers the linear vision of education from early childhood care and education of junior secondary school with respect to the scope of programmes, it goes beyond junior secondary school, since the concept of UBE is a life long based venture, as skills acquired are used for further learning according to changes, in individual and national development. The basic aims and specific objective of the UBE as spelt out in the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) implementation guidelines for UBE programme (2000) are: - The provision of free, universal education for every Nigerian child of school age. - Reducing drastically the incidency of dropout from the formal school system through the relevant quality and efficiency. - Catering for young persons who for one reason or the other have had to interrupt their schooling as well as other out of school children/adolescent through appropriate forms of complementary approaches to provision and promotion of basic education ensuring the acquisition of the appropriate levels of literacy, numerically manipulative, communicative and life skill as well as ethical moral and civil values needed for laying a solid foundation for life long learning. There is need to identify the main areas of strategy, in implementing the UBE successfully. The key areas are: a teachers training programme for curriculum defines a building programme designed for the new curriculum. The infrastructure and facilities remain inadequate for coping with the system that is growing at a rapid pace. Lack of teaching and learning resources. The financial crisis left the existing facilities inadequately maintained and has retarded progress in building new facilities. 1.2 Statement of the Problem One of the objectives of education in Nigeria, to which the nation’s philosophy is linked to, is the acquisition skill, abilities and competencies both physical and mental as an equipment for individual to line and contribute to the development of the society (UPE, 2004). Thus after completion of primary school, an individual can choose between continuing with his studies or opt for immediate employment because it is expected that he might have acquired some basic skills that equipped him or her for employment. Nevertheless, the implication of this is that adequate facilities, like, classrooms, libraries, instructional facilities and enough qualified teachers will be provided in all the primary schools. This smooth implementation of the UBE also requires that adequate fund is to be provided for the procurement of facilities and training of personnel. Educational system in Nigeria over the years has faced a lot of problems including lack of needed human and material resources. Inadequacy in this area has lowered educational standard in the country. For successful Implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE), the Education sector must make sure it manages its financial, physical and material resources properly. This study is designed to appraise the Universal Basic Education in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. 1.3 Purpose of the Study The general purpose of the study is to assess the implementation of UBE in Toto Local Government Area specifically, the study aims at. 1. Determining the availability of instructional materials 2. Determining the availability of Infrastructure 3. Determining the number of trained teachers. 1.4 Significance of the Study The study will be beneficial to administrators and policy makers in the planning unit of Nasarawa State Ministry of Education towards professional training of sufficient teachers for sound implementation of universal basic education. The study will also be useful in determining how government will make effort to ensure successful implementation of the UBE programme. The study will be useful to pupils and students as ways of improving the standard of education as determined at primary schools and JSS level so as to give the students, the required skills needed for employment or further studies in their various schools. 1.5 Basic Assumption of the Study This study is based on the following assumptions; i. That respondent to the questionnaire gave honest answers and were not influenced by their professional background, national identification and educational status. ii. It also assumes that the information in the secondary data were accurate and unbiased. iii. The research further assumes that the reader has a fair knowledge of basic national security terminologies. Therefore, only the variables shall be defined and explained. 1.6 Research Questions 1. What are the available instruction materials? 2. How available are the infrastructure? 3. How available are the trained teachers? 1.7 Scope of the Study This research work is restricted to find out the progress of Universal Basic Education in Toto Local Government Area in terms of the Infrastructures, instructional materials and the number of trained teachers 1.8 Limitations In the course of carrying out this study, the limitation confronted with were that of not getting back the questionnaire immediately. Some teachers were very busy as such the questionnaire stayed one to two weeks with them before completion. They complained of too much engagement in their work, that is why they could not fill the questionnaire on time. All these led to the missing of some of the questionnaires and this led to partial effect on the analysis of the result.	https://codemint.net/education/an-assessment-of-the-implementation-of-universal-basic-education-in-toto-local-government-area-of-nassarawa-state/index.html
An underfunded education sector is felt by the remote and most vulnerable in Matabeleland North. Mosi-oa-Tunya, like most government-run schools in Matabeleland North, has no facilities to cater for children with mental and physical challenges. The result has been many pupils dropping out of school or their parents failing to enrol them even at the Early Childhood Development (ECD) level. “The schools should symbolise the concept of inclusiveness,” says Roland Sibanda, Mosi-Oa-Tunya High School head. Sibanda was speaking at the Secretary’ Merit Bell event held at the school in Victoria Falls recently, lamenting the government’s failure to invest in infrastructure for disabled and special needs learners at his school. From the restrooms to classrooms, sports and even teachers, most schools are not providing either of the above. It is the reason why Binga’s Mumuni Siatimbula (10) of Katete Village in Ward 25 under Chief Saba had to drop out of school when she had just begun her ECD journey in Kariyangwe School in 2016. According to her parents, Mumuni was born visually impaired but could speak, walk and interact with others in general. “She was forced to drop out just two weeks into the school because as a special needs child, we were required to walk her to school, which was over seven kilometres,” says the parents. “It was a long-distance, and even her teacher said she was not trained to teach a blind child, and the school also did not have fit stationery (braille) for her.” Mumuni’s aim for taking her to school was to make her interact with her age mates. “Our intention in taking her to school was to expose her to other pupils of her age and to probably get her assistance as we believed that her blindness didn’t mean that she was unable to do her school work and, perhaps, become someone better in the future.” The Siatimbula’s story resonates well with that of Nkayi’s Kwesengulube Primary School dropout learner who was also forced to abort her studies in 2017 after failing to get assistance for her needs. According to her guardian Lawrence Ncube who hails from Mkhanyiso Village under Chief Madliwa, Ethel Mpofu (14), is handicapped and cannot hear properly. “She is an orphan, and our wish is to get her assistance whereby she can join other children even in Bulawayo and be able to enrol in other fields like athletics as she is a good runner and represent the country under the disabled category,” Lawrence, a bartender based in South Africa says. “Right now, she is with my grandfather at home, but I am trying to get her some help through donors so that she gets to be assisted with some hearing aid equipment so that she can, at least, communicate with her other peers and family members.” Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Tumisang Thabela, says the challenges faced by the children forced to drop out of school cannot be blamed on the government. She alleges that parents are hindering their disabled children from enrolling in schools, especially in rural areas. “In the rural areas, one problem you will find is we have to literary go out and search for them, and in some cases, they hide them, but the facilities are available. The major problem is the lack of specialist teachers especially in rural areas where we don’t have as much because we have a very small number of teachers trained to look after them,” she says. She says her ministry is in the process of finalising a policy of inclusive education in addition to the provision of learning gadgets to several disabled learners. “We are saying no child should be excluded because of their difference in whether disability or language so, the most important thing is to identify where these children are.” Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera says apart from poor infrastructure, exorbitant fee structures are also to blame for disabled children failing to enrol. The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe is also of the view that the education system in the country is highly discriminatory because of underfunding from the government.	https://kubatana.net/2021/11/15/disabled-mat-north-children-struggle-to-access-public-education/
Remote education – supporting schools and promoting consistency in Ealing In July 2020, the DfE asked that every school be ready to provide high quality remote education that mirrors in-school education if pupils are required to self-isolate. Get help with remote education GOV.UK Information, guidance and support for teachers and leaders on educating children during the coronavirus outbreak. How to request 4G wireless routers GOV.UK Get laptops and tablets for children who cannot attend school due to coronavirus GOV.UK We recognise that school leaders are currently planning for, and responding to, multiple and varied scenarios in managing staff and pupil absence as the pandemic continues. We want to support our schools in planning provision for each scenario, recognising that both short-term plans and longer-term strategies are needed to ensure parity of access for pupils and development of staff expertise. We also know that schools are at different stages in utilising digital platforms in supporting whole school systems as well as remote learning. We know that some of the communities served by our schools, struggle to access online platforms and many households have limited equipment. With all of this in mind, we encourage all schools to place pupil access to high quality learning materials and interaction with their teachers at the heart of their remote provision, whatever form it takes. We have developed a self-assessment tool to support leaders in evaluating their plans to date. The tool is designed to support development planning throughout 2020 – 2021 and can be adapted as appropriate Remote learning – self-assessment tool In 2020 – 2021, we will mobilise support through our existing ELP networks and clusters to help schools respond to immediate pressures and build capacity for the rest of the year. In Autumn 2020, we will publish examples of strong practice on EGfL and we will signpost schools to training and development opportunities. Our Primary Cluster Leads will contact every school in their cluster to identify needs and convene support sessions for schools before October half-term. - Planning principles - Example policies - School self-assessment checklist - Support for parents - Example plans - Technical support guidance - Safeguarding policies Planning principles - takes account of pupils and parents’ access to online materials - uses a curriculum sequence, and a blended approach that is linked to the school’s curriculum expectations - gives pupils access to high quality remote education resources directed to support individual learning needs - uses selected online tools that will be consistently across the school in order to allow interaction, assessment and feedback and that staff are trained in their use - printed resources, such as textbooks and workbooks, for pupils who do not have suitable online access and clear directions to support pupils and parents - recognises that younger pupils and some pupils with SEND may not be able to access remote education without adult support, and so schools should work with families to support a partnership approach. Most schools will be better able to offer consistent and planned provision following these principles when children are required to self-isolate in whole class/year groups. Where individual children are required to self-isolate and their own class continues to be taught in school, the same level of provision may not be possible. Schools will need to set out expectations so that parents and pupils are clear about the level of provision available in each scenario.	https://www.egfl.org.uk/print/23613
An Assessment of the Ethiopian Primary Education Sector Development Program Lulu, Balcha URI: http://localhost:80/xmlui/handle/123456789/3589 Date: 2010-06 Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to assess the performance of ESOP at primary level and to identify the major challenges and problems that have affected the achievement of the ESOP III at national level. The study employed a descriptive survey method, and involves both primary and secondary sources of data. Recent education statistical data of primary education were used to make the analysis on the progress towards the assessment of EOOP III at primary level. Moreover, primary data through questionnaires and interviews were collected from process owners and experts at MoE and REBs. Moreover development partners were involved in the interview. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted using enrollment ratios, parity index, percentage and mean. The finding of the study revealed that educational access and coverage have shown remarkable improvements over the last five years, between 2004/05 and 2008/09. However, as the net enrolment ratio shows, entry to grade one has been highly dominated by over-aged children, particularly in rural areas. Improvements were also registered in ensuring equity in the provision of primary education, but disparities between boys and girls and urban-rural disparities have been challenges to the achievement of ESOP III at primary level. The capacity and management-related-problems such as lack of technical support to the regions, lack of adequate training for the implementation of ESOP ,High tum-over of implementers, regional, urban/rural and gender disparity, Inefficient utilization of resources, poor quality of education, weak education planning and implementation/management capacity particularly at MoE, inadequacy of basic school facilities, shortage of qualified and experienced teachers in the second cycle of primary education in the rural areas, inefficiency of smooth student flow through the educational ladders of the primary schooling as reflected by low survival and completion rates due to drop-out and repetition problems, low quality of school infrastructure, due to a strong reliance on low-cost constructions, long homeschool distance, lack of school basic facilities and materials, lack of counseling and support for students and the likes were identified as a factor that made schools environmental less child-friendly and discouraged school attendance. The socio-economic and cultural problems: family low income, drought and food shortage, child labor demand, parents' illiteracy, early marriage and the likes also affected the education of children, particularly of girls and rural children. Moreover, less commitment of the political leadership to education has also contributed to the non-achievement of UPE in general and ESOP Iff targets in particular. Thus, ifthese present conditions and challenges persist, the coming ESOP IV has less chance to achieve the goal of UPE by 2015. Emphasis should also be given to increase access and equity by addressing all the inhibiting factors (social, economic and cultural). Moreover, all these could be put to the ground with strong political and leadership commitments. In order to achive the target set during the ESOP the political committeement is vital. The management and the evaluation of the progress of ESOP should be strengthening. The Annual review meeting and joint review mission should be strengthened. Above all the String committee at MoE and REBs should be functional. The implementers should work their daily activities as per ESOP implementation manual. Finally, the study recommended that for ESOP to be achieved those challenges and problems need to be solved. Net intake rates to grade one should approximately reach 100%, and the cohort ever entering grade 1 must be kept in the system to progress through the education ladder to complete the final grade of primary education by avoiding dropout and repetition. Effective strategies designed than the current trend for the emerging regions. Opening mobile schools and Para-boarding schools for meeting the needs of pastoralist and semi-pastoralist students Strengthening the school feeding program for food insecure areas and Providing special support programs that can promote enrolment of girls and the retention in schools Construct more upper primary schools and classrooms in rural areas should be given to the implementers Show full item record Files in this item Name: Balcha Lulu.pdf Size: 23.63Mb Format:	http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3589
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to apply environmentally sustainable work practices. This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work including limited responsibility for the work of others. Work routines meet organisational and compliance requirements for ethical handling and welfare of animals, environmental sustainability, work health and safety, and biosecurity appropriate to the work role. No licencing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication. Pre-requisite Unit Nil. Unit Sector Work (WRK) Elements and Performance Criteria \| \| Element \| \| Performance criteria \| \| Elements describe the essential outcomes. \| \| Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. \| \| 1. Identify current practices in relation to resource usage and sustainability \| \| 1.1 Identify current environmental regulations and associated procedures applying to the workplace 1.2 Identify environmental sustainability policy and procedures applicable to the workplace 1.3 Identify resource usage in the workplace using purchasing and other relevant data 1.4 Access information on impact of resource usage on environmental sustainability 1.5 Conduct a safety hazard analysis and risk assessment \| \| 2. Contribute to the review of workplace environmental sustainability practices \| \| 2.1 Collect information on environmental sustainability and resource efficiency systems relevant to the workplace 2.2 Review current practices and identify potential areas for improvement 2.3 Seek suggestions and ideas from stakeholders to improve the management of the environment and resource efficiency 2.4 Contribute to development of tools or resources to help make improvements in the workplace, using collected information 2.5 Communicate proposed improvements to management \| \| 3. Apply improvement strategies \| \| 3.1 Use appropriate techniques and tools to assist in achieving efficiencies and environmental targets 3.2 Apply life cycle management principles 3.3 Apply strategies to minimise waste and employ recycling, re-use or re-purposing where appropriate 3.4 Apply strategies to minimise environmental risks and impacts \| \| 4. Record and report on work practices \| \| 4.1 Use monitoring and evaluation tools and technology where available 4.2 Record incidents where sustainability policy and procedures have been breached 4.3 Record and report on progress against resource efficiency and environmental targets 4.4 Provide feedback to management on environmental sustainability review and improvement process 4.5 Promote organisational improvement strategies Foundation Skills Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency. Range of Conditions Unit Mapping Information This unit is not equivalent to AHCWRK313A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices. No equivalent unit.	https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/AHCWRK309
The Company’s directors and management are committed to conducting business in an ethical, fair and transparent manner following high standards of corporate governance. The Directors, together with the management team, lead by example. We have a robust corporate governance framework in place, and we are committed to fostering a culture of compliance that values personal and corporate integrity, accountability and continuous improvement. Compliance is monitored and audited continuously, and where necessary, the Directors will act on non-compliances. BEE Evocatus Security Services SA has retained a Level 2 BBBEE rating, with 51% Black-owned shareholding and qualifies accordingly, as per the Amended Codes of Good Practice. The Principles of Evocatus Security’s Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment policy is as follows: - The Company is committed to transformation as defined in the B-BBEE codes of good practice. - All BEE initiatives should be measurable to determine the achievement of objectives of the BEE strategy. Measurability may encompass both quantitative and qualitative factors; - Information relating to BBBEE will be simple, factual and reliable for ease & accuracy of measurement; - No form of fronting will be accepted; Health and Safety Evocatus Security Services SA acknowledges that the Health and Safety of employees, visitors, contractors and members of the public is of paramount importance. The company recognizes that every person has the right to a safe and healthy working environment and that each employee has a prime responsibility to ensure their own and others’ health and safety by observing safe systems of work and reporting potential hazards in their work areas. The Directors are responsible and committed to ensuring compliance with current legislation and associated regulations, standards and codes of practice for Occupational Health and Safety. Management will provide, ensure and maintain: - A safe working environment - Safe systems of work - Information, instruction, training and supervision that is reasonably necessary to ensure that each employee is safe from injury and risks to health - A commitment to consult and co-operate with employees on all matters relating to health and safety in the workplace - A commitment to continually improve our performance through effective safety management. - Ensuring employees and contractors have the relevant skills to perform work-related tasks safely, and that they are aware of their health and safety obligations and rights - Following a consultative, transparent and constructive approach to health and safety interactions with stakeholders. Each employee has an obligation to: - Comply with safe work practices, with the intent of avoiding injury to themselves and others - Take reasonable care of the health and safety of themselves and others - Wear personal protective equipment and clothing where necessary - Comply with any direction given by management for health and safety - Not misuse or interfere with anything provided for health and safety - Report all accidents and incidents on the job immediately - Report all known or observed hazards to their supervisor or manager The Health and Safety policy applies to all employees and business operations of Evocatus Security SA and the general public including those situations where workers are required to work off-site. Risk Management The Company acknowledges its responsibility for risk management and therefore is a central part of the Company’s strategic management. It enables the Company to effectively manage strategic decision-making, service planning and delivery, to safeguard the wellbeing of our customers and stakeholders. Various control systems to regularly identify, evaluate and manage risks have been implemented which identifies, evaluates, monitors and controls potential opportunities and adverse effects that challenge service delivery, compliance, assets, reputation and objectives of the Company. The execution of risk policy is delegated to management and measures, systems and controls implemented provide reasonable assurance that risks are adequately monitored and managed. Quality Management The Quality Management System provides a framework for our business that ensures uniformity and consistency throughout the company and is used to leverage continuous business improvement through monitoring and measurement of our performance. The QMS is based on the framework of ISO 9001 guidelines and related criteria. Continues gap analyses or audits are conducted to determine to what extent the company is meeting ISO 9001 requirements and where the emphasis of our implementation efforts should be. The Gap analysis/audit checklist consists of 7 main categories which include: - Context of the Organization - Leadership - Planning - Support - Operation - Performance Evaluation - Improvement The basis of the Quality Control guidelines and measure applied incorporates policies, procedures and other records that serves as a guide as to how the company delivers products and services and are in accordance with the following: - Internal Quality Audits. - Reviewing of contracts and changes to contracts to ensure Client requirements are defined and adhered to. - Controlled, documented processes and quality standards implemented. - Trained Security Personnel according to SASSETA guidelines. - Regular Client Liaison to ensure contractual obligations and requirements are being met. - Corrective and preventative action according to documented processes. - Service Level Agreement Implementation and Monitoring. Evocatus Management and personnel strives for excellence and continuous improvement and are committed to providing security services of the highest calibre to all its clients. Human Resources Evocatus Security Services SA recognizes that our employees are the key to our success and nothing can be achieved without their engagement. Employee well-being and development is inherent to Evocatus Security’s drive to service excellence. Training and Development The Company continues to offer opportunities to its people to develop their skills and competencies for current and future roles through ongoing legislative and non-legislative training, experience and on-the-job training. Our human resource strategies are aimed at ensuring that all staff is competent in their roles and stringent recruitment, selection and vetting processes contribute to the appointment of the right people in the right positions with the necessary skills set. Performance standards are monitored through continuous performance assessments, coaching and interventions. Employee Relations Since its founding, Evocatus Security has built a culture based on values of trust, mutual respect and dialogue. Evocatus management and employees work closely to create and maintain positive individual and collective relationships and are expected to do so as a core part of their job. Evocatus Security not only upholds the freedom of association of its employees and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining but also ensures that direct and frequent communication is established in the workplace. While dialogue with organised labour is essential, it does not replace the close relationship that our management maintains with all employees. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we encourage two-way dialogue with our employees that goes beyond the traditional aspects of collective bargaining to share knowledge and to jointly find opportunities related to important matters such as Creating Shared Value, health and safety in the workplace and our concern for Service Standards. The Company and employee representatives are expected to make all necessary efforts to develop fair and constructive dialogues, overcome the difficulties that they might encounter, reach sustainable agreements and implement them. Employment Equity The Company commits itself, not only to comply with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act but to consider employment equity as a business strategic objective and continues to strive for a workforce structure that is representative of the country’s demographics, not only at the supervisory level but increasingly within all levels of the management structure. This is being achieved through fair workplace practices, the management of diversity and the creation of a culture where differentiation may only be based on the inherent requirements of a job, staff advancement and training programs. Employee Rewards Attracting new employees and keeping current employees engaged is not only about remuneration and benefits. It is also about the hard-earned value and trust that our name brings to those who work with us; the relationships with our line managers and fellow workers; recognition and experiences enjoyed while working for a diverse and developing company, and possibilities to learn and grow. These are as a whole, the Total Rewards employees receive. Apart from paying employees according to and above prescribed regulatory salaries, the Company also offers the following rewards and incentives to its employees: exceptional performance awards, long service awards, medical aid, provident fund, bonus incentives, subsistence allowances. Employee Well-Being Evocatus Security supports and is committed to the overall health and wellbeing of its employees and to recognize the importance of employee wellness in the workplace has implemented a wellness policy identifying the mechanisms and resources that will be used to promote and encourage wellness among employees. Wellness initiatives include: - Trauma counselling - Flexitime work schedules - Substance abuse policy and testing - The use of protective/safety equipment - Sexual harassment policy and non-discrimination-policy - Wellness days - Covid 19 Policy, testing and vaccination Evocatus Foundation The Evocatus Foundation was set up as an independent Non-profit Company (NPC) that integrates the corporate social investment initiatives of Evocatus Security Services SA (Pty) Ltd. The Foundation channels Corporate Social Investment (CSI) funds to non-profit organisations and institutions working towards the development and empowerment of communities in impoverished areas through our focus areas of education, health, and entrepreneurship.	https://evsa.co.za/corporate-info/
Combining collected onsite measurements in buildings with simulations from calibrated dynamic energy performance models allows enhancing the overall energy efficiency and operation scheme of different energy supply systems in addition to aiding the development and implementation of effective operation management and control strategies. This study presents the overall process of modeling, simulation and energy performance improvement of the NASA Sustainability Base building. The building has multiple onsite renewable energy systems to provide heating, cooling and electricity, including solar PV units, solar thermal collectors, solid oxide full cells and a ground-source heat pump system. A holistic whole building energy model was developed using a software package of Sketchup Pro, OpenStudio and EnergyPlus tools. The detailed model provides an accurate representation of the various building specifications and characteristics including location, orientation, geometry and zones distribution, physical envelope and construction materials, energy generation and supply systems scheme, renewable energy systems onsite, loads and equipment in addition to occupancy patterns. The model was calibrated using actual energy consumption data. The calibrated model serves as a baseline and various energy management and control strategies were implemented and evaluated. Such energy measures include indoor thermal comfort setpoints management, mechanical and natural ventilation control, demand-controlled ventilation, heating and cooling loops control, thermal energy storage management, lighting control and fuel cells waste heat recovery. The different strategies and scenarios were simulated and assessed considering the impact on the building overall energy consumption. Based on the overall assessment and evaluation, suggestions and recommendations are provided to aid the decision-making process in improving the overall building performance. In addition, the building detailed dynamic energy model developed will be used as a basis for building energy performance monitoring and evaluation to ensure a proper operation as a part of the building continuous commissioning framework.	https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/en/publications/dynamic-modeling-simulation-and-energy-performance-improvement-of
AVFALL NORGE (The Norwegian Waste Association) is seeking financial and technical proposals for the final evaluation of the CLOCC project from qualified and experienced programme monitoring and evaluation experts. CLOCC’s goals are to prevent and significantly reduce marine litter and microplastics pollution through improved municipal solid waste collection and controlled management of waste, and increased recycling of suitable materials. To achieve this, CLOCC is creating sustainable and efficient waste management systems by cooperating with local municipalities and organisations to develop sustainable waste management plans, and build capacity in waste management. Currently, CLOCC is engaged in the regencies of Banyuwangi and Bali in Indonesia. CLOCC is funded by Norad, the Norwegian Development Agency. The purpose of the external evaluation is to provide key learning on the theory of change and strategy and extract lessons and best practices from the assessment of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of the project. The project evaluation should utilise qualitative approaches to collect data to ensure in-depth analysis of status on project objective indicators. The assignment’s duration is approximately from as soon as possible to 1 August 2022. The specific objectives include: Extract important lessons and best practices from assessing the relevance of the project strategies and theory of change Draw lessons and best practices from the determination of effectiveness/achievements of the project objectives Analyse organisational and strategic efficiency of the project with the view of drawing best practices and lessons Determine the best practices and lessons learned from the process of managing project risks and sustainability of the project Analyse the scaling potential of the project based on the best practices and lessons from the existing experiences and partnerships Output/Deliverables An inception report; with a clear description of methodology and data collection tools to be used, work plan, budget in USD or NOK, which will be approved by AVFALL NORGE, prior to engaging in field work Initial key findings will be presented on the last day of field work to AVFALL NORGE and the project staff and other relevant stakeholders Objective findings will be presented for review by AVFALL NORGE, and feedback consequently provided to the consultant The consultant is expected to produce the final report in soft copy in PDF and shared with AVFALL NORGE The final evaluation report will be prepared by the consultant and shared with AVFALL NORGE and Norad for final approval Interested companies and individuals that meet the specified criteria in section below should submit their technical and financial proposals accompanied by the following: Company profile giving detailed information of directors and their qualifications and experiences in the field of waste management, capacity building, Project Evaluation and Learning Detailed resumes detailing qualifications and experience of key personnel who are proposed to undertake this task Certified copies of certificates of registration with the relevant authorities Names and contact details of clients for whom relevant works were undertaken; including completion certificates Attach at least three most recent and relevant Evaluation reports and publications done Authority to seek references from clients Letter of interest showing understanding of TOR Copies of registration certificates including valid tax compliance certificate Minimum qualifications The consultants will be required to have: Minimum academic qualification of a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Development studies, programme monitoring and evaluation or related field Extensive experience in evaluating development projects/programmes. Experience in Waste Management will be a strong added advantage Excellent technical capacity in use of appropriate technology to ensure high quality deliverables The consultant must demonstrate excellent skills in documentation and must be a good author of scholarly publications in English He/she should demonstrate the ability to work on tight schedules and travel in all-weather terrain areas Must demonstrate understanding of the context of the assignment The consultant must demonstrate understanding of the assignment Submit your complete application by email to: [email protected] by 22 March 2022.	https://www.cloccglobal.org/post/call-for-consultants-for-final-project-evaluation-of-clean-oceans-through-clean-communities-clocc
In this Part, we outline our expectations of the Ministry's risk management, contract management practices, and evaluation of the effectiveness of professional development initiatives. We then describe our findings and conclusions for each of these areas, and discuss how the Ministry learns from its information. Our expectations 4.2 We expected the Ministry to have: - arrangements for effectively managing risks to the provision of professional development initiatives; - systems for managing and monitoring contractors and ensuring that the provision of professional development initiatives is satisfactory; and - mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development initiatives for teachers and providing feedback on lessons learned to support continuous learning. Summary of our findings 4.3 We identified the following strengths: - the frequency and scale of the Ministry's evaluation of professional development initiatives; and - the Ministry's systems for comparing the delivery of professional development initiatives against the Ministry's contracted expectations. 4.4 We identified the following areas for improvement: - The Ministry does not systematically use the full range of information it collects to actively identify risks, or to identify the wider lessons to be learned from professional development initiatives. - The risks and risk management activities were not fully documented in the contract files that we examined. 4.5 We also identified that, for one large initiative, Extending High Standards Across Schools, the Ministry has proposed developing and implementing an overall evaluation strategy, but this strategy had not been written at the time of our audit. Risk management 4.6 The Ministry invests large amounts of public money in professional development for teachers. To help ensure that its investment results in improved outcomes for students, it is important that the Ministry identifies potential risks that could reduce the effectiveness or efficiency of professional development initiatives and identify, where possible, how the risks might be managed. 4.7 Responding to risks can be complex, given the number of stakeholders involved in providing professional development initiatives for teachers. Nonetheless, the Ministry is responsible for the overall effective provision of those professional development initiatives, and must manage any risks appropriately. 4.8 We looked for evidence of risk identification and communication among relevant stakeholders and for evidence of risk registers, or equivalent documents, detailing the risks to professional development. Managing high-level risks 4.9 Much of the high-level risk identification we saw within the Ministry took place through internal meetings and correspondence. We did not see any high-level risk registers, although the Ministry does have a database of risk indicators for schools. Therefore, it is unclear whether information on high-level risks was shared among, or accessible to, Ministry staff responsible for managing risks associated with individual professional development initiatives or contracts. The Ministry has identified the need for "a more strategic approach to the integration and use of system-level information in strategic decision making".1 4.10 There are several high-level risks that the Ministry or stakeholders in professional development have identified, including: - limited access by some teachers to professional development initiatives because of geographic isolation or financial constraints; - limited capability (skills and knowledge) of providers and teachers to implement an evidence-based approach to professional development and learning; - limited capacity of providers to provide initiatives because of difficulties in attracting suitable staff ; and - schools over-committing to professional development initiatives, or taking up professional development initiatives sufficiently similar to other initiatives that little or no additional value is gained. 4.11 We have also identified the geographic mobility of teachers as a risk because of targeting professional development at a school level. The Ministry believes that it is managing this risk to the extent it can. 4.12 The Ministry has made some recent efforts to better understand and manage risks to professional development initiatives. For example, the Ministry has identified a need for a more flexible approach to centrally-funded teacher professional development programmes, with a balance between centrally-funded priorities and school-identified needs. It supports initiatives to develop teachers with the potential to be school principals. The Ministry also funds its INSTEP initiative to strengthen the capability of teachers to use assessment data to support student learning. In our view, it needs to strengthen and continue those efforts. Limitations of an evidence-based approach 4.13 The Ministry believes that students' outcomes can be improved through effective teaching and that the effectiveness of professional development initiatives can be measured using student achievement information. 4.14 Although an analysis of student achievement information can identify areas in need of improvement, relationships between the professional development received by teachers and students' achievement are complex. The performance of students can be influenced by a range of factors and circumstances. While we support an evidence-based approach, we consider it important that the Ministry recognises any limitations of its evidence-based approach. Contract management Managing contract risks 4.15 Managing individual contract risks is one of the means by which the Ministry can reduce the risks to professional development. The Ministry's risk management policy requires risk analysis and monitoring to be built into all phases of the contracting process, including planning, selection of provider, contract negotiation, contract management and review, and re-negotiation. The Ministry has a comprehensive suite of templates to support staff to do this. 4.16 We saw varying risk assessment practices within the Ministry. For example, when the Ministry was considering an extension and a possible expansion to one professional development initiative, it identified the risks of extending the initiative and possible strategies to mitigate those risks. In contrast, for another initiative, a report on funding applications for that initiative found that none of the applications considered risk. The report recommended that the Ministry issue an application template that includes a section on risks, such as staff turnover, and how the risks will be handled. We support this recommendation. 4.17 When we asked the Ministry for evidence of its risk analysis and monitoring throughout the contracting process, we were told that risks were considered but may not be documented in the contract files. 4.18 We saw limited evidence of risk registers, or other equally specific documentation, recording risks at the contract level. This limits the Ministry's ability to identify and share information about risks among service providers, and within and across particular teacher professional development initiatives. It may also limit the Ministry's ability to effectively manage risks. 4.19 The Ministry's contract management guide describes the reporting of risks as a "critical component of the contracting cycle". Although we do not recommend an inappropriately resource-intensive approach, we expected the Ministry to follow its risk management policy and we expected to see documented evidence of this. For example, we expected to see evidence that the Ministry had identified risks to each project or contract, assessed the likelihood and impact of each risk, and identified strategies to reduce each risk. 4.20 In our view, if risks are documented and managed effectively, important lessons can be learnt throughout the contracting process and shared among contract managers and policy advisers at the Ministry. This can help maintain a knowledge base of lessons learned and can prove to be a valuable resource, especially if there is a high staff turnover at the Ministry or among professional development service providers. 4.21 The Ministry has identified "variable quality of in-service teacher education practice"2 as a risk for professional development. \|Recommendation 5\| \|We recommend that the Ministry of Education document in its contract files the risks to effective professional development for teachers and the associated risk management activities, and actively manage the risks, where possible, for each professional development contract.\| 4.22 In its response to the draft of this report, the Ministry noted that it would be asking its staff responsible for professional development contracts to review the risk management guidelines and templates and their use. The Ministry also noted that it would be training staff and managers to ensure greater compliance with risk management guidelines, and to ensure that risks are identified and actively managed. The Ministry also said that it would like its staff to consider a process for raising concerns about risks, to allow information about risks among service providers or within particular professional development areas to be shared and managed. 4.23 We would consider this recommendation to be implemented if we saw documented evidence of active and considered risk management within the contract files. Monitoring contractor performance 4.24 We looked for systems to reduce the risk of failure by ensuring that the provision of professional development initiatives was satisfactory to the Ministry. We also looked for feedback and review mechanisms to support Ministry staff and enable providers to learn from others' experiences. 4.25 The Ministry has processes in place to match contractor performance with contract expectations. For example, contractual agreements between the Ministry and the professional development providers contain clear guidance on expected outputs, milestone reporting requirements, and expected time frames for the provision of the professional development. 4.26 In our review of contract files, we saw service agreements with clear performance measures and monitoring expectations. For example, most providers are required to submit between three and five milestone reports to the Ministry each year. These reports include expenditure and budget information. We observed some variability in the number of milestone reports required for the initiatives we reviewed. Many of these reports were written but some were oral. The Ministry provides feedback on these reports. Some providers have found oral reporting to be more effective than written reporting and would like to see a change to oral reporting, with summary documents to focus on important and emerging issues. 4.27 We also saw that the Ministry is increasingly focusing on outcomes in its monitoring and its milestone reporting requirements. Changes in student achievement outcomes are becoming more commonly used as indicators. We were told that in 2008 the Ministry will require evidence of a shift in student achievement for the literacy professional development initiatives that it funds. Evaluation of professional development initiatives 4.28 Evaluation is an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of a specific initiative, including, where possible, an assessment of the actual results of the initiative. 4.29 The frequency and scale of the evaluation of Ministry-funded professional development initiatives for teachers is a strength of its work (although we have not benchmarked the Ministry's level of expenditure on evaluation against expenditure on evaluation in other social sectors). Evaluation is essential if the funding and provision of professional development for teachers is to be informed, on an ongoing basis, by the evidence of what is effective and efficient. 4.30 During our fieldwork, we saw examples of evaluations having been planned, commissioned, or carried out for some of the initiatives we looked at. These included the School Support Services initiatives. We also saw evidence that the Ministry had evaluated a number of past teacher professional development initiatives. 4.31 However, for Extending High Standards Across Schools, which is a large initiative, developing and implementing an overall evaluation strategy has been proposed but the strategy has not yet been written. In our view, it is important that this strategy is written, and that the evaluation is carried out. 4.32 The Ministry has identified some limitations on its ability to evaluate the overall effectiveness of professional development provision. Learning from a wide range of information 4.33 The Ministry collects a large amount of risk and other information each year from schools and professional development providers. This can be gathered in formal and informal ways; for example, it may be formally documented in milestone reports, school charters, or planning documents or obtained more informally from the regular interactions of Ministry staff with schools. 4.34 Schools, providers, and the Ministry compile and analyse this information, and compliance costs can be high for all stakeholders. We were told that, in some cases, schools viewed reporting requirements as compliance mechanisms rather than tools for improvement, and that providers have questioned the usefulness of reporting to the Ministry. 4.35 Despite the range of information the Ministry collects from the education sector, we have seen limited evidence that the Ministry uses this information as systematically and consistently as possible to generate collective knowledge across providers and initiatives. For example, the Ministry could make a greater effort to compile information from milestone reports, school charters, and planning documents to actively assess and reduce risks and inform decisions about its investments in the professional development of teachers. \|Recommendation 6\| \|We recommend that the Ministry of Education make better use of the information it collects from all relevant sources (for example, monitoring and reporting information from providers of professional development for teachers, informal and formal school reporting, and schools' planning documents) to identify emerging professional development trends, needs, and issues.\| 4.36 The Ministry has acknowledged that it could make better use of the large amount of information that it collects, but that the costs and benefits of any additional work would need to be considered. 4.37 We would consider the recommendation to be implemented if the Ministry could provide us with examples of issues being combined and compared from the multiple sources of information it has. 1: Ministry of Education (2007), Learning Policy Frameworks Project Plan: Professional Learning and Development Provision.	https://oag.parliament.nz/2008/teachers-development/part4.htm
Project Management Optimization Project Management Optimization is the basis for an organization to grow in project management maturity through enhancing efficiencies. An optimized project management organization understands the demands of their business and ensures that all processes are efficient (lean), effective and consistent. Project Description The objective was to refine the Project Management (PM) process, validate the supporting PM infrastructure, and develop PM talent. This optimization served the client to accelerate their growth, maintain their transformational trajectory, and become more competitive within the Government set-aside & prospectively Prime/Partner vertical. Client The Client is a high-technology electronics company dedicated to the design, development and manufacturing of electromagnetic systems for military air, land, sea and space applications. Challenge The objective of this solution strategy was to improve the project management processes, resulting in a pro-active organization with uniform processes. In order to do so, an effort was necessary to understand the current work flow in the managing of projects and then identify and eliminate the gaps and waste inherent in those processes. As a result, an improved project work flow could be created. Project management operational standards needed to be established to support the new and improved project work flow. In addition, clear roles and responsibilities related to project management needed to be established and documented. Solution AMS senior consultants conducted a formal evaluation (gap analysis) of the current project management organization, processes and procedures. This gap analysis was against current project management best practices and standards. From the gap analysis, the changes necessary were identified and support provided to implement the necessary changes. Critical steps to the solution implementation included: 1. AMS reviewed all existing project management processes and procedures to help establish the current state. 2. In order to determine performance and process gaps as well as developmental needs, interviews of all key stakeholders in the project management process were completed. 3. Based on the above, a recommendations report was developed and issued which included the following: a. Gap analysis – Current State vs Future State b. Recommendations for improvement changes in the following areas: People, Process, Technology, Organization c. Design path forward, including coaching plans 4.Based upon the above recommendations, a Project Execution Plan was created to identify and develop the improvements. The PEP included solutions as follows: a. An organization Project Management Vision was developed, working with the leadership, to ensure a consensus regarding the value, role, scope and responsibilities of the project management organization. b. A Value Stream Map (VSM) of information flow for the current PM processes was created, starting with Request for Proposal through Project Closeout. c. The VSM was analyzed to identify areas of waste, including inefficiencies, multi-tasking, overburdens, unreasonable expectations, inconsistencies, etc. 5. Elimination of the areas of waste was the focus of the PM Optimization implementation consulting that was the next step. As a result, the following new processes were created and implemented: a. A new Project Plan template was created, and all new projects required to utilize this planning approach. b. A more effective cost and schedule control process was established and implemented. c. The monthly Program Review template was revised based upon the audience and their requirements. The new Program Review approach includes more quantitative assessments of the projects. d. A revised project management organization chart was created which included clearly defined roles and responsibilities. e. The nature of technology development projects lends itself very well to implementation of Agile project management techniques. Such techniques, such as daily project stand-up meetings were implemented. Benefits The process changes were implemented over a period of time as the client organization grew to understand the urgency of improving the project management processes. The implementation of improved project planning, cost control processes, and project monitoring and review is providing for better cost, schedule and scope performance.	https://amsconsulting.com/project-briefings/project-management-optimization/
by continuously improving the overall efficiency of management and cooperation structures. Thus, SMIA contributes to the SDG goal 9 “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” and to climate-resilient, sustainable development. The original method applied in 2006 by e-Parc, France, UNEP-IE Paris, and PREMAnet-GIZ drew on the combination of three well established and widely used and cost-effective methods and tools, i.e. PREMA© (www.premanet.net), APELL and Eco-mapping. Since then, the original concept has been profoundly modified, enlarged and enhanced during applications in Tunisia (ReCapZI, CCP-RAC), Indonesia (GIZ-EU), Ghana (GIZ-PREMAnet-CAD), Peru (GIZ) and Mexico (GIZ). SMIA 4.0 version integrates more comprehensively climate change and biodiversity aspects, thus enhancing the resilience perspective (Sustainable Management of Resilient Industrial Areas SMaresIA). A French language version (GedZI – Gestion durable des Zones Industrielles) specifically considering the situation in Tunisa was developed by GIZ ReCapZI. A Spanish version (ProCAIS – Programa de Competitividad de Áreas Industriales a través de la Sustentabilidad) specifically consider the situation in Mexico was developed by GIZ PGAU II. Main features and components SMIA primarily targets managers and managing bodies of industrial areas. Representatives such as managers or directors of local companies can also participate. Sustainable Management of Industrial Areas builds on four dimensions – the organisational, the environmental, the social and cultural, and the economic one. To be considered sustainable an industrial area (IA) should comply with certain criteria. Some examples are listed below: Organisational dimension - Comprehensive and consistent planning of the site / measures before starting construction or implementation; - Promoting forms of participation for interested stakeholders or the public; - Establishing and supporting networks between companies inside the industrial area; - Continuously maintaining, cleaning and improving the industrial area; - Managing disaster risks and ensuring business continuity; - Providing (eco-)efficient and reliable services such as water, energy supply, transport, as well as waste and waste water management. Environmental dimension - Promoting, supporting and ensuring compliance with environmental laws and norms; - Promoting and supporting resource efficiency and symbiosis between industries within the area; - Protecting natural resources and biodiversity. Social and cultural dimension - Fostering improvement of working and living conditions of both workers and surrounding communities; - Establishing a passenger transport system; - Establishing, communicating and implementing a of safety concept; - Promoting occupational health and safety standards and measures; - Promoting gender equity and encouraging the participation of workers and representatives of the civil society; - Strengthening the entrepreneurship spirit. Economic dimension - Establishing and implementing a comprehensive business plan ensuring the economic viability and profitability of the industrial area; - Offering high quality services to companies and their customers. The systemic approach of SMIA - Executing a sustainability diagnosis of the IA identifying the actual performance level (baseline), and improvement potentials - Analysis, development and implementation of measures increasing resilience, resource efficiency, and management performance - Support to the change processes by means of consultancy, coaching and group counselling using a wide range of organisational and personal development tools - Monitoring and documentation of results, e.g. through case studies; - Integration of new practices in working structures and process and the establishment of a continuous improvement approach, which can be the basis for certification The training approach of SMIA Through interactive training sessions which use experiential methods of adult learning, industrial estate managers and company representatives are enabled to effectively implement innovative methods for improving the environmental, organisational, social and economic performance of the IA as well as the individual companies located in that area. Coached Networking Meetings enable managers / management units to overcome obstacles in implementing improvements and to collaborate in finding innovative solutions for the industrial area; e.g. in the fields of waste management, energy efficiency and renewable energy, joint action by companies. Group consultancy methods can be applied in the long-term after, even via virtual channels (E-Learning, Webinars). Mobilisation of companies for the objective of sustainable IA is supported by specific offers to companies, e.g. moderated thematic working groups (e.g. on risk management) is, training tools (e.g. PREMA©) or social events. Personal development of IA managers and company staff if appropriate is supported by case work and coaching, enhancing personal competences in effective communication, cooperation, conflict management and negotiation. Stakeholder Management is improved by application of improved communication and cooperation skills, as well as moderated Round Table Processes where public and private stakeholders come together regularly to clarify challenges, interests and responsibilities, to improve interfaces and cooperate for achieving sustainable solutions for IA problems and opportunities. In general, SMIA is based on a learning by doing approach. Some SMIA tools are useful for effective management of round table, dialogue or stakeholder management processes between Industrial Area managers / managing units and relevant institutions and decision-making bodies Implementation / work steps Acquisition phase - Mobilising a group of 5 – 10 industrial areas to implement SMIA jointly. Training 1 - Sustainability Diagnosis on the ground and SWOT analysis; development of Action Plan 1 with 3 immediate measures (one with economic benefits, one with environmental/resource efficiency benefits, one with low demand on capacity to implement) Training 2 - Evaluation and documentation (case studies) of implemented measures and preparation for additional systematic improvements; - In-depth treatment of selected topics, such as stakeholder management, mobilisation of companies for IA topics, risk prevention and management, resilience-related topics (IA and climate change, biodiversity) - Preparation of a structured round table or dialogue process with relevant stakeholders - Development of innovative services to companies by management units - Action Plan 2 Training 3 - Evaluation and documentation (case studies) of implemented measures and preparation of additional and more complex measures, especially from in-depth treatment of specific topics - Possible: implementation of structured Round Table or Dialogue process with relevant stakeholders - Development and offer of innovative services to companies by management units - Concept for integration of improved practices and behaviour into overall management system - Possible: development of strategy for enhancing capacity of manager / management unit to act as moderator / mediator in social conflicts - Action Plan 3 Training 4 - Evaluation and documentation (case studies) of results - Integration of Concept for maintenance of self-organised improvement process of IA group and support, as well as successful formats, e.g. Round Table or Dialogue processes with companies (internally), stakeholders which constitute the frame conditions for the IA. etc. - Practice of role of moderator / mediator in conflict situations - Long-term Action Plan 4 for a cycle of continuous improvement. - Long-term plan for financial support to SMIA training through existing channels Requirements - The willingness of industrial area managers (company and institutional representatives) to improve their overall management: environmental/ resource management, organisational, social, risk and economic performance. - An active commitment from IA managers and heads. - Well prepared experts and consultants Lessons learnt - GIZ consultants have seen highly positive results of SMIA implementation. - Industrial area stakeholders are expecting positive change in their industrial area. - Relationship between stakeholders is facilitated. This can avoid any delay or dysfunction in industrial area. - Companies managers and workers as IA clients are expecting good services and better quality of life. - IA management must have positive attitude through overall the network of partners. There is somewhere a solution. - Mentoring will help IA directors to reach objectives. - IA’s clients need new services in the industrial area. - SMIA training can help IA managers to make bottom up changes. Output - Improved organisational development: learning culture - Improved reporting at IA level: Self-Monitoring Reports of Companies, Industrial Area Information System, Consolidated Reports on Industrial Area level - Improved communication with relevant stakeholder (institutions) - Reduced risk by improved risk management (industrial and natural) - Strengthen the relations between neighbouring actors, the area and the enterprises - Improve the management/administration of the industrial area and of its resident enterprises - Communication with public partners (stakeholders) using documentation and case studies methodology.	https://www.sia-toolbox.net/solution/sustainable-management-industrial-areas-smia-gedzi-procais
Project LIFE 14 CCA/GR/000389 – AgroClimaWater is implemented with the contribution of the LIFE Programme of the European Union and project beneficiaries. 1. Development and implementation of Water Management Adaptation Strategies at FORs level. 2. Determination and application of agricultural practices that increase water efficiency in the cultivation of perennial crops. 3. Establishment of pilot farms adapted to water scarcity. 4. Building adaptive capacity of farmers and FORs to climate change: information, awareness and training. 5. Informing and raising awareness of competitive water users regarding climate change impacts, on a sub-basin level. 6. Dissemination of the proposed strategies to be implemented by farmers and FORs in the target areas and other areas facing similar climate challenges. 7. Incorporation of the project’s results in the European and national environmental, climate change and agricultural policy and legislation. 1. Good Agricultural Practices at farm scale to enhance water efficiency and adaptability of perennial crops (olives, citrus fruits and peaches) to climate change. 2. Governance actions to be implemented by the FORs in order to achieve equitable and transparent water governance. 3. Floods and droughts action plan to ensure preparation and response to environmental incidents caused by climate change. The voluntary compliance EWS standard of the European Water Partnership provides concrete assistance for water users to become Good Water Stewards in their river basin. It is based on and organized in four Principles that promote: Sustainable Water Abstraction, Good Water Status, High Conservation Value Area protection and Equitable Water Governance. Water users that evaluate and adjust their performance according to the EWS standard will have incorporated all the essential points in their water management strategy for continuous improvement! 1. Reduce water evaporation losses from soil. Practice: mulching. Potential water losses reduction up to 60%. 2. Reduce transpiration water losses. Practices: appropriate summer and winter pruning and weed mowing. Potential water losses reduction up to 30%. 3. Reduce deep percolation water and nutrient losses. Practices: Increase of soil organic matter and fertigation. Potential water and nutrient losses reduction up to 30%. 4. Reduce surface runoffs. Practices: maintenance of natural vegetation in rainy season and introduction of barriers perpendicular to the slope. Potential water losses reduction up to 50% and soil losses reduction up to 90%. 5. Reduce irrigation water consumption. Practices: Irrigation based on meteorological data, application of deficit irrigation and optimization of irrigation system. Potential reduction of irrigation water losses up to 20%. The effectiveness of the cultivation practices on enhancing water use efficiency and trees’ productivity will be evaluated through application on the field and monitoring for a period of three years.	http://www.lifeagroclimawater.eu/

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