5 Online Tools for Boosting Productivity - Focus

5 Online Tools for Boosting Productivity - Focus We all know that arriving back at your desk to a long list of to-dos can be a daunting task. Luckily there are a number of apps which can help. Here are our top 5 tools to help break up large tasks into manageable to-dos, allowing you to keep track of time and remain happy and healthy, throughout your working week: 1. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR TIME WITH TOGGL When you’re not feeling focused, getting down to a demanding task can feel impossible. In order to ensure you’re not spending disproportionate amounts of time on less important tasks, it’s useful to keep track of the time you spend on each. Tools like Toggl can help you to keep tabs on this, allowing you to categorize projects and then turn on a stop-watch when you begin work on each area. Time-tracking boosts your productivity by giving you a push when you’re procrastinating, or spending too much time on a simple task. When youre tracking for content writing for example, then start swerving towards a completely different task, time-tracking offers you that little ping of guilt to  get you back on track. It will also provide a good understanding of how long each task will take, making your schedule realistic and efficient. 2. SCHEDULE EVERYTHING WITH MEISTERTASK Once you have a better understanding of the kinds of tasks which require time and which can be ticked-off quickly, you can begin to schedule your to-dos. You’ll avoid counter-productive stress by packing-out your timetable too tight, and will be able to organize your work depending on how you work best. This could be by getting the small tasks done first thing, or by cracking on with the largest task at hand. With task management tool,  MeisterTask,  you can use the calendar and due date features to schedule all of your meetings, dates and deadlines in one place. This will make it easier for you and your team to keep track of what needs to be done by when and by who, preventing the usual tangle of online calendars and personal diaries. Designed to be used either individually or preferably within a team, the tool allows designated members to view both their personal and shared tasks, leave comments and attach files, improving cooperation and communication within the team. 3. COLLABORATE WITH GOOGLE DOCS Collaboration has been found to increase creativity, so to boost your productivity look for online tools which enable teamwork with your colleagues, and those located remotely. Tools like Google Docs allow for real-time updates on shared documents as you work, improving communication and reducing time spent following endless email threads and offline versions of documents. Documents are automatically saved as you work, meaning that as long as you have an internet connection, you won’t lose that last hour’s hard work. 4. STAY FIT WITH RUNTASTIC It’s hugely important that you set aside time to relax, exercise and completely switch-off from work. The opportunity to exercise at work has been found to increase productivity, concentration and problem-solving abilities. Exercise has also been found to decrease feelings of anxiety or nerves. As a result, scheduling in time to exercise, or to just take a 30 minute lunchtime walk, can help to increase your output. Try using the Runtastic app to track your runs, remain motivated and stay fit. The exercise will not only boost your productivity that day but will benefit your emotional and physical wellbeing longer term. 5. REMAIN FOCUSED WITH HEADSPACE Studies have found that meditation can actually result in physical changes to the brain, leading to growth within the parts associated with learning, and shrinking in those associated with stress. Mindfulness was similarly found to improve focus, sleep and the ability to listen and feel present â€" all of which are essential for a productive day’s work. A recent randomized controlled trial found that using the Headspace mindfulness app for a short period of time every day for 10 days resulted in an improved mood and fewer symptoms of depression. Headspace offers a free course in 10-minute meditation exercises for beginners and if you find, as the statistics suggest, that it boosts your positivity and ability to focus, you can sign up for a paid account from there. ACCESS REMOTELY For those of us often on the move, our smartphones and tablets have provided a great way to make the most of a spare 30 minutes in transit. Fortunately, all of the above online tools are available as apps for iOS and Android, enabling you to fully utilize those spare minutes. If you have a hectic week ahead, having a structured and organized start on a Monday morning can make all the difference to your productivity levels. So if you’re feeling under pressure, try using these apps for 10 minutes on a Sunday from home, blocking out in a calendar how you plan to spend your week in order to meet your commitments, ensuring you have time reserved for your physical and emotional wellbeing. This will help you to start your week with a clear mind, reassured that you’ll be able to get things done, while remaining positive, healthy and focused. So those are five of our favorite tools for boosting productivity. Let us know yours in the comments below! Discover your productive workflow Get started with MeisterTask Its free! Get started with MeisterTask 5 Online Tools for Boosting Productivity - Focus We all know that arriving back at your desk to a long list of to-dos can be a daunting task. Luckily there are a number of apps which can help. Here are our top 5 tools to help break up large tasks into manageable to-dos, allowing you to keep track of time and remain happy and healthy, throughout your working week: 1. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR TIME WITH TOGGL When you’re not feeling focused, getting down to a demanding task can feel impossible. In order to ensure you’re not spending disproportionate amounts of time on less important tasks, it’s useful to keep track of the time you spend on each. Tools like Toggl can help you to keep tabs on this, allowing you to categorize projects and then turn on a stop-watch when you begin work on each area. Time-tracking boosts your productivity by giving you a push when you’re procrastinating, or spending too much time on a simple task. When youre tracking for content writing for example, then start swerving towards a completely different task, time-tracking offers you that little ping of guilt to  get you back on track. It will also provide a good understanding of how long each task will take, making your schedule realistic and efficient. 2. SCHEDULE EVERYTHING WITH MEISTERTASK Once you have a better understanding of the kinds of tasks which require time and which can be ticked-off quickly, you can begin to schedule your to-dos. You’ll avoid counter-productive stress by packing-out your timetable too tight, and will be able to organize your work depending on how you work best. This could be by getting the small tasks done first thing, or by cracking on with the largest task at hand. With task management tool,  MeisterTask,  you can use the calendar and due date features to schedule all of your meetings, dates and deadlines in one place. This will make it easier for you and your team to keep track of what needs to be done by when and by who, preventing the usual tangle of online calendars and personal diaries. Designed to be used either individually or preferably within a team, the tool allows designated members to view both their personal and shared tasks, leave comments and attach files, improving cooperation and communication within the team. 3. COLLABORATE WITH GOOGLE DOCS Collaboration has been found to increase creativity, so to boost your productivity look for online tools which enable teamwork with your colleagues, and those located remotely. Tools like Google Docs allow for real-time updates on shared documents as you work, improving communication and reducing time spent following endless email threads and offline versions of documents. Documents are automatically saved as you work, meaning that as long as you have an internet connection, you won’t lose that last hour’s hard work. 4. STAY FIT WITH RUNTASTIC It’s hugely important that you set aside time to relax, exercise and completely switch-off from work. The opportunity to exercise at work has been found to increase productivity, concentration and problem-solving abilities. Exercise has also been found to decrease feelings of anxiety or nerves. As a result, scheduling in time to exercise, or to just take a 30 minute lunchtime walk, can help to increase your output. Try using the Runtastic app to track your runs, remain motivated and stay fit. The exercise will not only boost your productivity that day but will benefit your emotional and physical wellbeing longer term. 5. REMAIN FOCUSED WITH HEADSPACE Studies have found that meditation can actually result in physical changes to the brain, leading to growth within the parts associated with learning, and shrinking in those associated with stress. Mindfulness was similarly found to improve focus, sleep and the ability to listen and feel present â€" all of which are essential for a productive day’s work. A recent randomized controlled trial found that using the Headspace mindfulness app for a short period of time every day for 10 days resulted in an improved mood and fewer symptoms of depression. Headspace offers a free course in 10-minute meditation exercises for beginners and if you find, as the statistics suggest, that it boosts your positivity and ability to focus, you can sign up for a paid account from there. ACCESS REMOTELY For those of us often on the move, our smartphones and tablets have provided a great way to make the most of a spare 30 minutes in transit. Fortunately, all of the above online tools are available as apps for iOS and Android, enabling you to fully utilize those spare minutes. If you have a hectic week ahead, having a structured and organized start on a Monday morning can make all the difference to your productivity levels. So if you’re feeling under pressure, try using these apps for 10 minutes on a Sunday from home, blocking out in a calendar how you plan to spend your week in order to meet your commitments, ensuring you have time reserved for your physical and emotional wellbeing. This will help you to start your week with a clear mind, reassured that you’ll be able to get things done, while remaining positive, healthy and focused. So those are five of our favorite tools for boosting productivity. Let us know yours in the comments below! Discover your productive workflow Get started with MeisterTask Its free! Get started with MeisterTask

My Experience At The Classroom - 1702 Words

One of the best things you can do before entering the teaching business is to have experience. Throughout this course I had the chance to work in an actual classroom setting, create my own lessons and teach them to the students in the kindergarten classroom. It was an amazing experience and helped me become more comfortable working with early childhood students. Each lesson was recorded and showed my strengths and weaknesses in being in front of a classroom. The three of my strengths and what went well in my microteachings are; creativity, student engagement, and preparation. The three components that I could work on are; redirecting the students, lesson management and time management. Working in a classroom setting was the best†¦show more content†¦With that in mind I must be aware of creating an open and welcoming classroom and teaching the different perspectives and ideals of many different cultures. On page 98 and 99 of the text there are several questions teachers shoul d ask themselves when teaching diversity. Creating an anti-bias classroom not only involves teaching your students about diversity and different cultures, but making sure you accept and include all students. â€Å"All children should feel included and valued as worthy members of the class and of society,† Eliason, C. et al. Including all children relates to the next component I learned from this course; developmentally appropriate practice. As a teacher, you have to make sure you are teaching concepts and involving students in activities that are appropriate for their developmental level. This means that it is appropriate for the physical capabilities, emotional capabilities, social capabilities and cognitive capabilities. Students reach different developmental levels at different rates, so you cannot solely rely on a student’s age to determine their developmental level. Teachers must â€Å"understand the nature of development and learning as well as the individual na ture and characteristics of each child,† (Eliason, C., Jenkins, L. 2016 p. 9.) During my work in the kindergarten classroom, I wanted to make sure my lessons were appropriate for the students in thatShow MoreRelatedMy Reflection On My Experience In A Classroom1282 Words   |  6 Pages Over the past month in my classroom, I feel as if I have learned and observed an almost overwhelming amount of interactions, situations, etc. It seems that it should not have been possible to learn so much in such a short amount of time. However, I firmly believe that these observations have allowed me to add to my experiences and knowledge regarding my future in this career field. Coming into this internship program, my main goal was to learn how to teach lessons. 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Not to mention, everybodyRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Experience Within Classrooms Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesFieldwork Summary Paper Miele 1 My Experience Within Classrooms As I graduated into Concordia College I was already positive that education was going to be the major I was going to study and pursue a career in. With the motivation of my aunt, whom is a teacher, I always looked up to her. The only aspect I wasn’t sure of was what grade I would want to teach. I have always loved kids, which is why I have always been predicting I would teach within early-childhood grades. Within this course IRead MoreThe Classroom That I Completed My Field Experience Essay1877 Words   |  8 PagesThe classroom that I completed my field experience in was a self-contained ninth through twelfth grade. The class consists of four male students, a teacher, and two paraprofessionals. The students in the classroom have severe behaviors that do not allow them to be successful in a regular classroom. I completed the observation over a period of four days. The first day that I went to observe was in the morning from 8:30 to 9:30. When I arrived, the students were leaving the cafeteria from eatingRead MoreChallenging Inequity: . I Saw A Great Establishment Of1707 Words   |  7 PagesChallenging Inequity: I saw a great establishment of classroom community, ethics and equity during my recent practicum experience with years three and four. The school regulations and policies concerning equity were established in the classroom and reinforced from the very start. These rules and regulations established were visually accessible within the classroom for all students and were reiterated orally throughout the day. Regulations around equity also engendered expectations for/of teachersRead MoreTeaching Diversity And Equitable Classrooms Versus Teacher Activism Essay1155 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween teaching diversity and equitable classrooms versus teacher activism. In this paper, I will be reflecting upon my experiences teaching, learning and unlearning as a teacher candidate. Throughout this course, I learned that educators should engage in critical social action, and these actions can come in many different forms. The school is a place where students can share experiences and knowledge dif ferences. Educators can start by create a classroom environment where these conversations canRead MoreThis Paper Will Be Discussing A Recent Fifteen Hour Field1197 Words   |  5 Pagesbe discussing a recent fifteen hour field experience I participated in which I observed a classroom which included many students of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. I will discuss any prejudices/discriminations I observed in the classroom based on ethnic and cultural diversity. I will also describe how this experience has made me determined to try to create a positive learning environment for students of diversity in the classroom. 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Health Related Fitness And Wellness - 2367 Words

It is my passion to teach, motivate and inspire my students to be physically active and enjoy a healthy life. Health related fitness and lifetime wellness provide the foundation of my elementary physical education (PE) program. Health related fitness and wellness themes are integrated into my daily lessons. I strive to help my students understand and value the importance of physical activity and the impact it has on their personal lives. Anne Flannery, President and CEO of PE4life, states, â€Å"Quality, daily physical education prepares children to take personal responsibility for their own health and wellness and can have a tremendous impact on their overall quality of life.† (Lawler, 2007, p. 113). It is my desire to encourage my†¦show more content†¦I seek to combine today’s best practices and align them with the national physical education standards to inspire and educate my students about the importance of physical activity and lifetime fitness. Whi le the National Standards provide the framework for learning, I must choose which methods and strategies are best utilized to meet the needs of my students. Once these needs are determined, I must choose which instructional tools will best facilitate student learning. One of those teaching tools is technology. Technology is a vital part of teaching and learning in the 21st century. The technology revolution has affected all disciplines and subject areas including physical education. (SHAPE America, 2013). As stated in the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards for Physical Education, â€Å"Accomplished teachers stay in touch with current technology and its applications in the field of physical education. Technology helps accomplished physical educators motivate their students by providing them with exciting learning experiences. Physical education teachers anticipate technological advances that may affect the learning environment. As part of their dedication to p rofessional growth, they incorporate the most appropriate technological resources available to enrich their teaching practice and reinforce student

Urban Renewal Free Essays

What is Urban renewal? Discuss the issues and strategies of urban renewal of a state capital. Urban renewal is a program of land re-development in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. It can be envisaged as the physical and infrastructural changes in land use, built environment or intensity of the use of land or building that could be considered as inevitable outcome of the action from economic, social, political, technical and environmental forces acting upon urban areas at different times of its existence. We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Renewal or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is a program designed to help communities improve and revitalize areas that have deteriorated, are unsafe and/ or show signs of economic or physical conditions that are detrimental to the community as a whole. Urban renewal could be in the form of: -Physical change: Part of land is developed as a multistory building. -Infrastructural change: widening of roads, introduction of metro-rail, etc. -Change in land use: function of building changes, keeping the structure same eg residential to commercial -Change in built form: increase in no. of storeys. Change in environment: congestion on road cleared, trees planted , garbage removed, etc. In the second half of the 20th century, renewal often resulted in the creation of urban sprawl and vast areas of cities being demolished and replaced by freeways and expressways, housing projects, and vacant lots, some of which still remain vacant at the beginning of the 21st century. Urban renewal’s effect on actual revitalization is a subjec t of intense debate. It is seen by proponents as an economic engine, and by opponents as a regressive mechanism for enriching the wealthy at the expense of taxpayers and the poor. It carries a high cost to existing communities, and in many cases resulted in the destruction of vibrant—if run-down —neighborhoods. Urban renewal in its original form has been called a failure by many urban planners and civic leaders, and has since been reformulated with a focus on redevelopment of existing communities. Over time, urban renewal evolved into a policy based less on destruction and more on renovation and investment, and today is an integral part of many local governments, often combined with small and big business incentives. But even in this adapted form, Urban Renewal projects are still widely accused of abuse and corruption. Behind the idea of urban renewal was a belief that if the government removed people from such places and put them in better places, it would improve not only their lives and their self-image, but also their behavior. This idealistic philosophy became common in America by the end of World War I. IMPORTANCE OF URBAN RENEWAL Urban renewal is critical to the success of local communities and the long-term prosperity of citizens living in urban areas. Without urban renewal, there would be no incentive for developers to tackle the challenges associated with redevelopment, and deteriorating downtown areas would be subject to increased crime and safety problems, while continued growth on the fringes of communities would add to the problem of urban sprawl. NEED FOR URBAN RENEWAL – Rise in land value – Expansion of service centers – Change in transportation mode – Latest realization of global energy scenario. BENEFITS OF URBAN RENEWAL Providing matching funds for money from other sources (such as state or federal grants) Funding infrastructure, which brings additional funds to the community through permit fees, system development charges (SDCs), water and sewer hook? up charges, etc. Increasing the value of property next to the urban renewal district. Improving the quality of life through new or renovated parks, roadways, civic and cultural facilities, and expanded economic development OBJECTIVES OF URBAN RENEWAL – To eliminate sub optimal uses To create conditions for efficient and economic use of scarce and costly urban infrastructure. – To improve the efficiency of urban system – To reduce social cost of urban development and arrange for cross financing Urban renewal also took hold in medium sized cities, many of which used urban renewal laws to pay for public housing, new bridges, and new thoroughfares. There was a time when the phrase â€Å"urban renewal† was a popular one. But tod ay it often carries a negative connotation, regardless of the truth, however, urban renewal did a lot to change cities. Chicago’s now demolished Cabrini-Green housing project, one of many urban renewal efforts. Issue: -Cities unfortunately with some exceptions, have not been enabled to look inward and build on their inherent capacities, both financial and technical, and instead are still being seen in many states as ‘wards’ of the State governments. -A major failure of city governance has been our inability to address the needs of the poor – basic services like drinking water supply, sanitation, housing and social services are not available to an increasing share of urban population. The latent creativity and vitality of our cities and the people who live in them must be tapped to facilitate higher economic growth. -Substantially upgrade the delivery of basic and other urban services which are in bad state. -Understand the cost and impact of providing poor basic services in the urban areas, so that efficient services can be planned. -Plan for generating gainful employment op portunities and environmental safeguarding adopting community centered approach. Provide opportunities and funds for capacity building, skill development, vocational training, and flow of micro- credit. -The Development Commission (PDC) uses urban renewal as a tool to help specific areas of the city realize capital projects – parks, streetscape improvements, community centers, and the like that would not happen on their own. A house in Nashville before urban renewal URBAN RENEWAL SCHEMES Components of Urban Renewal: – Urban redevelopment – Urban Rehabilitation – Conservation: – Preservation – Rebuilding – Reuse – Replication Urban renewal funds can be used for . . . Infrastructure (including such basic improvements as curbs and sidewalks, streets, sewers, flood control, and utility relocation and improvement) Public improvements (such as parks and open space, pedestrian and bike trails, landscaping and streetscaping, parking lots and parking structures, transportation improvements, helping to construct public buildings and facilities) In certain cases, redevelopment assistance for housing or commercial uses (such as land acquisition and site preparation or other public improvements) Planning and engineering (such as design, traffic and engineering studies); technical assistance to property owners and developers, and staff support from the renewal agency SITE SELECTION – Should be around or within prime location – Should intervene problem areas – Land should be easily available – Utility plan showing linkages with offsite infrastructure – Landscape proposals SEQUENCE OF PROJECT FORMULATION – Preparation o f survey maps. Types of survey maps are: -Tourism map – 1:100000 – City map – 1:50000 – Police station map : 1:63366 ( 1† to a mile) Revenue survey map : 1:600 (plot size and built up spaces) – Identification of project area and influence area – Conduct field survey to collect socio economic data – Land maps, land holding pattern, building height , building edge etc. – Traffic information – Utility services – Financial status – Scheme/ concept preparation – Land use distribution – Future built form – Circulation plan EXECUTION OF THE SCHEME – Land acquisition – Payment of compensation – Construction of rehabilitation structures – Clearance of site and site development – Removal of under-gound utilities and relaying of utilities – Development of roads and other open areas When the site is ready for construction , it is either leased out to promoters or Development authorities themselves start the construction. The urban renewal of a state capital involves: Working: The basic idea behind urban renewal is simple: future tax revenues pay for revitalization efforts. The City Council, acting on the recommendations of a community based steering committee and PDC, draws a line around an area (the urban renewal boundary) and identifies desirable improvements within that area (the urban renewal plan). The city issues urban renewal bonds to pay for the identified improvements. As property values increase in the area due to new investment, the rise in property tax revenues (called â€Å"tax increment†) is used to pay off the urban renewal bonds. This financing method is called tax-increment financing, and it is the most common method of paying for improvements in an urban renewal area. Kind of projects : Urban renewal funds can be used for a variety of capital investments, such as: Redevelopment projects, such as projects near light rail that combine retail and residential components. Economic development strategies, such as small-business loans or loan programs tied to family-wage jobs. Housing loans and other financial tools for ownership and rental housing which serve a variety of income levels. Streetscape improvements, including new lighting, trees, sidewalks, pedestrian amenities, etc. Transportation enhancements, including light rail, streetcar, intersection improvements, etc. Parks and open spaces. Roots of urban renewal : Urban renewal emerged in the late 1940s as an attempt to revitalize central cities, which were losing population and resources to new post-war suburbs. Until the 1960s, urban renewal was a federal program used to clear large areas of land largely to provide what was then considered to be improved housing conditions for thousands of people. It also funded large projects such as hospitals, highways and civic centers. The funding mechanisms and purposes of urban renewal changed in its early decades, but the term broadly referred to a set of programs and policies meant to counter inner-city disinvestment and reinvigorate declining downtown areas. Criteria : Urban renewal areas must show evidence of some degree of blight, demonstrated by conditions such as poorly constructed buildings, faulty planning, lack of open spaces, deteriorated properties, an incompatible mix of uses and improper utilization of land. -Urban renewal areas, their principles and the specific projects funded by them are conceived in consultation with citizen committees who represent a broad spectrum of community interests. In addition, three public bodies must approve any new urban renewal area: the Portland Development Commission, the Portland Planning Commission, and City Council. -In urban renewal areas, public investment is used to stimulate private investment on a much larger scale. The amount of urban renewal funds invested in any one area is small compared to the private investment that follows. -Urban renewal is primarily used to update and improve an area’s infrastructure — through capital expenditures on transportation improvements and parks for example — and to provide incentives for desired development such as affordable housing, family-wage jobs and building refurbishment. -Urban renewal is designed to benefit all people within the urban renewal area, in surrounding neighborhoods and throughout the city and metropolitan area. -The urban renewal plan, which guides all public spending in the area, is conceived by citizens who are best able to make decisions about how to improve their neighborhood. Urban renewal can be a strong and effective tool to protect long-term affordability in revitalizing neighborhoods by financing the construction of affordable housing. -Urban renewal works to revitalize communities within the existing built en vironment. -Promote livelihood opportunities through skill building and enhancement of entrepreneurship. Enable public private partnership arrangement covering infrastructure development and service delivery. -The realization of the overall programme goal of improving the quality of life for all is possible only through the framework of long term development plan, replacing the narrow project based approach. How to cite Urban Renewal, Essay examples

Urban Renewal Free Essays

What is Urban renewal? Discuss the issues and strategies of urban renewal of a state capital. Urban renewal is a program of land re-development in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. It can be envisaged as the physical and infrastructural changes in land use, built environment or intensity of the use of land or building that could be considered as inevitable outcome of the action from economic, social, political, technical and environmental forces acting upon urban areas at different times of its existence. We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Renewal or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is a program designed to help communities improve and revitalize areas that have deteriorated, are unsafe and/ or show signs of economic or physical conditions that are detrimental to the community as a whole. Urban renewal could be in the form of: -Physical change: Part of land is developed as a multistory building. -Infrastructural change: widening of roads, introduction of metro-rail, etc. -Change in land use: function of building changes, keeping the structure same eg residential to commercial -Change in built form: increase in no. of storeys. Change in environment: congestion on road cleared, trees planted , garbage removed, etc. In the second half of the 20th century, renewal often resulted in the creation of urban sprawl and vast areas of cities being demolished and replaced by freeways and expressways, housing projects, and vacant lots, some of which still remain vacant at the beginning of the 21st century. Urban renewal’s effect on actual revitalization is a subjec t of intense debate. It is seen by proponents as an economic engine, and by opponents as a regressive mechanism for enriching the wealthy at the expense of taxpayers and the poor. It carries a high cost to existing communities, and in many cases resulted in the destruction of vibrant—if run-down —neighborhoods. Urban renewal in its original form has been called a failure by many urban planners and civic leaders, and has since been reformulated with a focus on redevelopment of existing communities. Over time, urban renewal evolved into a policy based less on destruction and more on renovation and investment, and today is an integral part of many local governments, often combined with small and big business incentives. But even in this adapted form, Urban Renewal projects are still widely accused of abuse and corruption. Behind the idea of urban renewal was a belief that if the government removed people from such places and put them in better places, it would improve not only their lives and their self-image, but also their behavior. This idealistic philosophy became common in America by the end of World War I. IMPORTANCE OF URBAN RENEWAL Urban renewal is critical to the success of local communities and the long-term prosperity of citizens living in urban areas. Without urban renewal, there would be no incentive for developers to tackle the challenges associated with redevelopment, and deteriorating downtown areas would be subject to increased crime and safety problems, while continued growth on the fringes of communities would add to the problem of urban sprawl. NEED FOR URBAN RENEWAL – Rise in land value – Expansion of service centers – Change in transportation mode – Latest realization of global energy scenario. BENEFITS OF URBAN RENEWAL Providing matching funds for money from other sources (such as state or federal grants) Funding infrastructure, which brings additional funds to the community through permit fees, system development charges (SDCs), water and sewer hook? up charges, etc. Increasing the value of property next to the urban renewal district. Improving the quality of life through new or renovated parks, roadways, civic and cultural facilities, and expanded economic development OBJECTIVES OF URBAN RENEWAL – To eliminate sub optimal uses To create conditions for efficient and economic use of scarce and costly urban infrastructure. – To improve the efficiency of urban system – To reduce social cost of urban development and arrange for cross financing Urban renewal also took hold in medium sized cities, many of which used urban renewal laws to pay for public housing, new bridges, and new thoroughfares. There was a time when the phrase â€Å"urban renewal† was a popular one. But tod ay it often carries a negative connotation, regardless of the truth, however, urban renewal did a lot to change cities. Chicago’s now demolished Cabrini-Green housing project, one of many urban renewal efforts. Issue: -Cities unfortunately with some exceptions, have not been enabled to look inward and build on their inherent capacities, both financial and technical, and instead are still being seen in many states as ‘wards’ of the State governments. -A major failure of city governance has been our inability to address the needs of the poor – basic services like drinking water supply, sanitation, housing and social services are not available to an increasing share of urban population. The latent creativity and vitality of our cities and the people who live in them must be tapped to facilitate higher economic growth. -Substantially upgrade the delivery of basic and other urban services which are in bad state. -Understand the cost and impact of providing poor basic services in the urban areas, so that efficient services can be planned. -Plan for generating gainful employment op portunities and environmental safeguarding adopting community centered approach. Provide opportunities and funds for capacity building, skill development, vocational training, and flow of micro- credit. -The Development Commission (PDC) uses urban renewal as a tool to help specific areas of the city realize capital projects – parks, streetscape improvements, community centers, and the like that would not happen on their own. A house in Nashville before urban renewal URBAN RENEWAL SCHEMES Components of Urban Renewal: – Urban redevelopment – Urban Rehabilitation – Conservation: – Preservation – Rebuilding – Reuse – Replication Urban renewal funds can be used for . . . Infrastructure (including such basic improvements as curbs and sidewalks, streets, sewers, flood control, and utility relocation and improvement) Public improvements (such as parks and open space, pedestrian and bike trails, landscaping and streetscaping, parking lots and parking structures, transportation improvements, helping to construct public buildings and facilities) In certain cases, redevelopment assistance for housing or commercial uses (such as land acquisition and site preparation or other public improvements) Planning and engineering (such as design, traffic and engineering studies); technical assistance to property owners and developers, and staff support from the renewal agency SITE SELECTION – Should be around or within prime location – Should intervene problem areas – Land should be easily available – Utility plan showing linkages with offsite infrastructure – Landscape proposals SEQUENCE OF PROJECT FORMULATION – Preparation o f survey maps. Types of survey maps are: -Tourism map – 1:100000 – City map – 1:50000 – Police station map : 1:63366 ( 1† to a mile) Revenue survey map : 1:600 (plot size and built up spaces) – Identification of project area and influence area – Conduct field survey to collect socio economic data – Land maps, land holding pattern, building height , building edge etc. – Traffic information – Utility services – Financial status – Scheme/ concept preparation – Land use distribution – Future built form – Circulation plan EXECUTION OF THE SCHEME – Land acquisition – Payment of compensation – Construction of rehabilitation structures – Clearance of site and site development – Removal of under-gound utilities and relaying of utilities – Development of roads and other open areas When the site is ready for construction , it is either leased out to promoters or Development authorities themselves start the construction. The urban renewal of a state capital involves: Working: The basic idea behind urban renewal is simple: future tax revenues pay for revitalization efforts. The City Council, acting on the recommendations of a community based steering committee and PDC, draws a line around an area (the urban renewal boundary) and identifies desirable improvements within that area (the urban renewal plan). The city issues urban renewal bonds to pay for the identified improvements. As property values increase in the area due to new investment, the rise in property tax revenues (called â€Å"tax increment†) is used to pay off the urban renewal bonds. This financing method is called tax-increment financing, and it is the most common method of paying for improvements in an urban renewal area. Kind of projects : Urban renewal funds can be used for a variety of capital investments, such as: Redevelopment projects, such as projects near light rail that combine retail and residential components. Economic development strategies, such as small-business loans or loan programs tied to family-wage jobs. Housing loans and other financial tools for ownership and rental housing which serve a variety of income levels. Streetscape improvements, including new lighting, trees, sidewalks, pedestrian amenities, etc. Transportation enhancements, including light rail, streetcar, intersection improvements, etc. Parks and open spaces. Roots of urban renewal : Urban renewal emerged in the late 1940s as an attempt to revitalize central cities, which were losing population and resources to new post-war suburbs. Until the 1960s, urban renewal was a federal program used to clear large areas of land largely to provide what was then considered to be improved housing conditions for thousands of people. It also funded large projects such as hospitals, highways and civic centers. The funding mechanisms and purposes of urban renewal changed in its early decades, but the term broadly referred to a set of programs and policies meant to counter inner-city disinvestment and reinvigorate declining downtown areas. Criteria : Urban renewal areas must show evidence of some degree of blight, demonstrated by conditions such as poorly constructed buildings, faulty planning, lack of open spaces, deteriorated properties, an incompatible mix of uses and improper utilization of land. -Urban renewal areas, their principles and the specific projects funded by them are conceived in consultation with citizen committees who represent a broad spectrum of community interests. In addition, three public bodies must approve any new urban renewal area: the Portland Development Commission, the Portland Planning Commission, and City Council. -In urban renewal areas, public investment is used to stimulate private investment on a much larger scale. The amount of urban renewal funds invested in any one area is small compared to the private investment that follows. -Urban renewal is primarily used to update and improve an area’s infrastructure — through capital expenditures on transportation improvements and parks for example — and to provide incentives for desired development such as affordable housing, family-wage jobs and building refurbishment. -Urban renewal is designed to benefit all people within the urban renewal area, in surrounding neighborhoods and throughout the city and metropolitan area. -The urban renewal plan, which guides all public spending in the area, is conceived by citizens who are best able to make decisions about how to improve their neighborhood. Urban renewal can be a strong and effective tool to protect long-term affordability in revitalizing neighborhoods by financing the construction of affordable housing. -Urban renewal works to revitalize communities within the existing built en vironment. -Promote livelihood opportunities through skill building and enhancement of entrepreneurship. Enable public private partnership arrangement covering infrastructure development and service delivery. -The realization of the overall programme goal of improving the quality of life for all is possible only through the framework of long term development plan, replacing the narrow project based approach. How to cite Urban Renewal, Essay examples

Project Communication Human Resource Champions

Question: Discuss about the Project Communication for Human Resource Champions. Answer: Introduction: There is a valuable need to have an agenda in every project meeting. Meetings which are done without any proper agenda often lead to chaos and disheveled feathers. An agenda is the best way to communicate to attendees through which the orderly processes involved in the meeting are being conveyed (ACTION, (2013). An agenda is something that makes sure that the meeting does not go out of track and that the customary operations along with special projects are being preceded as per the objective. An agenda helps in preparing for the meeting and scheduling the issues that needs to be discussed. It is sent out in advance in order to give attendees enough time to make available any required updates or suggest any specific issue that needs to be included. Reviewing of the agenda prior to a meeting offers sufficient length of time to attendees to put together documents and relevant reports in accordance to the meetings requirement (Ulrich, 2013). The sole purpose of having an agenda and sending it out in advance is to give attendees the required time to prepare themselves for the meeting (Srikanth et al., 2012). The person in charge of such a meeting can exercise his power and control over the discussion flow and the issues covered. Productivity of the meetings gets enhanced through agendas. It is for the better understanding of the attendees that agendas are prepared through which they know that all the areas listed on the agenda are likely to be discussed and would move at a pace that makes certain all the specified areas are enclosed (Haug, 2013). Agendas clearly state the action items and the responsible people for the same. Agendas play a vital role in zeroing in on areas that requires a decision to be made along with clearing the way for progress. Other components apart from the agenda that is necessary for successful project meetings: Agenda is important, but there are certain other things that need to be considered for successful project meetings. Notice: When a meeting is to be arranged, a notice is send to all the members who are required to attend it. A notice should be circularized under proper authority and it should consist of date, time and place (Hotel, 2013). The purpose of such a meeting should also be included in the notice. Minutes of Meeting: The minutes of the meeting are the recorded discussions which are taken into consideration. It works as an important and useful document to refer back to focus on what actions was taken and when it took place (Morris et al., 2013). The document states the people who were present in the meeting and the actions taken on certain matters and the people responsible for the same. Quorum of Meeting: A quorum can be defined as the minimum number of voting members who needs to be present in a meeting for conducting business in the groups name. A meeting cannot start until and unless there is least number of voting members. Chairperson of meeting: The chairperson for a meeting is a person who is being appointed to look over the proceedings of a meeting, ensuring the attendees are in line with the principle of the meeting. People responsible for creating, maintaining and updating the documentation around project meetings: Business Analyst is the one responsible for developing, maintaining and updating the required documentation around the project meetings. They are the people who are responsible for preparing reports and presenting the higher management with exact analysis. An administrative professional is often being presented with the job of taking the minutes at meetings. His role is to keep details of all the discussions and an action plan of what is to be done and by whom and how it is to be measured. In meetings when a group produces a list of ideas, it is his job to record the same for future reference. Reference: Action, A. I. (2013). Meeting Agenda.circulation,12, 19. Haug, C. (2013). Organizing spaces: Meeting arenas as a social movement infrastructure between organization, network, and institution.Organization Studies,34(5-6), 705-732. Hotel, D. (2013). notice of meeting. Morris, F., Gilliland, S., Townsend, C., Navamar, R., Present, G., Millikin, M. (2013). minutes of meeting. Srikanth, H., Denner, G., Hammer, M. F. M., Murray, S. R. (2012).U.S. Patent No. 8,214,748. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ulrich, D. (2013).Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Harvard Business Press.

Flaws of Contagion Essay Example

Flaws of Contagion Essay In 2011 , the blockbuster, Contagion, was released, featuring several prominent actors. In summary, the movie is the story of a father who loses his wife and son to a completely brand new virus. This new virus, dubbed MOVE-I, originated from a bat in Hong Kong. The bat bit a fruit then dropped it into a pigpen infecting the pig that consumed the fruit with the bats virus. While pig was prepped to be cooked, the chef touched the pigs mouth, getting virus on his hand and shakes the hands of woman, Beth, making her patient zero for MOVE-I . The disease then spread to others who mom In contact with Beth or Beets belongings. After the CDC realized the existence of this virus, they promptly started researching It. After several days of research, clients were able to determine that the virus was 15 to 19 kielbasas In length and containing six to ten genes, typical of a paramours containing genes from bats and pigs, which attach to receptors found on cells In the respiratory and the central nervous system. The virus is seemingly able to be contracted through the respiratory tract, but kills the host by making its way to the brain and causing encephalitis. The vaccine for the virus was developed by first growing the virus in fetal bat cells in culture, propagating and isolating, and finally inoculating rhesus monkeys with attenuated and dead forms of the virus. Out of desperation for working vaccine, after observing one monkey surviving during the vaccination trials, one of the researchers injected herself with the tested vaccine given to the surviving chimp. By doing so, she skipped the entire clinical trials portion of developing vaccines and had the vaccine abstracted to be mass-produced. We will write a custom essay sample on Flaws of Contagion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Flaws of Contagion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Flaws of Contagion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer While this movie was more scientifically accurate then most other movies, there are still several aspects of the movie that seem incorrect. One aspect of the movie that stood out to me as incorrect was what the virus was considered to be. According to one of the researchers, the virus was described to have the physical qualities of a ovoviviparous. This statement itself is already inaccurate since a virus genome should not defer so much between the viruses infects a host. Though there may be a wide range of genomic size across the entire ovoviviparous family, the strain of virus hat Infects a host should not differ as much. In addition, while physically the virus may resemble a ovoviviparous, it seems to have the pathological effects of a ovoviviparous, oblivious, and influenza combined. The virus Is highly contagious (a trait of avariciousness), yet kills the host quickly (common for oblivious), has a short Incubation period (traits of Influenza), and seems to cause encephalitis from entering through the respiratory tract (as seen by Influenza associated encephalitis). It Is extremely unlikely for a virus to exalt pathological effects of three different mammals of viruses at the same time. For a virus to have the traits of three different families viruses, they virus can no longer be considered a paramours. In fact this virus seems to relate more to oblivious because of the high lethality and transmissible of the virus. In addition to the unlikely identity of the virus, the origin of virus seems just as spread to a pig and then to humans, which mimic the transmission route of the Hander virus, which is part of the ovoviviparous family. While the route of transmission seems credible, it is who is infected first that isnt. According to the movie, the first person to be infected is the wife, Beth. However, in reality she would not be the first become infected. If contracting the virus is as simple as touching the pigs mouth, the farmer raising the pigs or the butcher the operators of the slaughterhouse that kills the pig should be infected first. The farmers are dealing with the pigs much more closely and the operators at the slaughterhouse are constantly being exposed to blood and other bodily fluids of the pig and so they should have a bigger change of becoming infected first as opposed to Beth. This is similar to the case of Hander virus, where the farmers were the first ones to become infected. However, if the virus has a high mutation rate, designing a possible vaccine for, it is extremely difficult. For example, designing the yearly flu shots can be somewhat of a guessing game. Scientists look at the global strains of influenza and make a prediction as to which strains will be prevalent the coming winter and then create a vaccine for those strains. Sometimes they are able to predict it well, other time they are not. This vaccine must constantly be updated or changed because the virus itself mutates so past vaccinations are no longer effective. Obtaining the perfect vaccination for highly immutable virus, like in the movie, is nearly impossible. In addition, the researcher would have to test the vaccine that she created more times before even thinking about injecting it in a human. The only basis that the researcher had that the vaccine worked was that one monkey survived with that vaccine. Normally, a vaccine needs to be tested on many more monkeys to see if it is truly viable. In addition, clinical trials are necessary to see how the general populace will react to the vaccination. Just because the vaccine works in animals does not mean that it will work the same in humans. Thus more tests are needed to ensure the quality of the vaccine. Lastly, after the Cutter Laboratories Incident, during which the vaccine made for polio actually caused polio itself, more stringent laws would have passed to require researchers to find the possible side effects of the vaccine. It would be terrible to have a repeat of the Cutter Laboratories incident for a lethal virus like MOVE-I.