City Hall plazas : they're different

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-134).This essay explores the form, goals, and ideals behind city hall plazas by asking the questions: What is the difference between a city hall plaza and any other urban plaza? What are the uses intended by the city in the building of the plaza? and, How are these intentions manifested in the design of the space? The investigation of three cases: Austin City Hall Plaza, Seattle Civic Center, and Boston City Hall Plaza looks to the designs themselves as well as the thoughts of the designers and the reactions in the media to determine the goals behind each city hall plaza and how these goals are reflected in the resulting design. In each case the goal of creating a "civic heart" is paramount. This goal is defined by a plazas ability to (1) refer to tradition, (2) relate to the historic piazza, (3) act as an economic catalyst, (4) create connections between disparate neighborhoods, (5) provide open space for everyday activities as well as ceremonial events, (6) symbolize local government and serve as an icon for the city, (7) be a means toward social reflection, (8) be a repository for collective memory, (9) and serve as a sacred space or a space of protest. In turn, the tools used to attempt to achieve these goals are (1) catering to environmental conditions, (2) the use of hardscape as opposed to softscape, (3) the creation of a forum and the direction of attention, or the focus of the plaza, (4) the size of the plaza, (5) the flexibility inherent in the design, (6) the of edges (or lack thereof), (7) demonstrating an ethic of care, (8) the use of public-private partnerships for the maintenance and programming of the space, (9) the "grain" or degree of integration of the plaza into its surrounding context, (10) the symbolism attempted through the design, (11) and most importantly, the activation of the plaza.(cont.) Finally, the essay ends with a discussion of the efficacy of these tools in achieving the design goals, and attempts to unwrap the deeper meanings behind the goals, and the purpose of the city hall plaza as a phenomena of city form.by Kristen E. Hall.M.C.P

Mapping the Landscape of Asynchronous and Synchronous Online Services in Communication Centers

In response to the growing presence of online learning in higher education, this project explored communication centers’ online synchronous (real time) and asynchronous (submit and respond) advertised services. Using the National Association of Communication Center’s directory, only 21 (20%) of the viable websites mentioned online services. The 21 websites were coded for types of online mediated services offered, the platforms used for services (e.g. Skype, WebX, virtual whiteboard), as well as the types of consulting services provided (e.g. outline feedback, presentation rehearsals, mock interviews). While 11 (52%) of the websites offered some form of synchronous conferencing service and 5 (23%) offered both synchronous and asynchronous services, this research reveals the need for more communication centers to consider and seriously investigate the logistics of offering online services in order to best meet the growing, diverse needs of both online and brick-and-mortar learners.    

Ten ways to get a grip on resident co-production within medical education change

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) is transforming its national approach to postgraduate medical education by transitioning all specialty programs to competency based medical education (CBME) curriculums over a seven-year period. Queen’s University, with special permission from the RCPSC, launched CBME curricula for all incoming residents across its 29 specialty programs in July 2017. Resident engagement, empowerment, and co-production through this transition has been instrumental in successful implementation of CBME at Queen’s University. This article aims to use our own experience at Queen’s in the context of current literature and rooted in change leadership theory, to provide a guide for educators, learners, and institutions on how to leverage the interest and enthusiasm of trainees in the transition to CBME in postgraduate training. The following ten tips provides a model for avoiding the “black ice” type pitfalls that can arise with learner involvement and ensure a smoother transition for other institutions moving forward with CBME implementation

Frequency Domain Functional Near-Infrared Spectrometer (fNIRS) for Crew State Monitoring

A frequency domain functional near-infrared spectrometer (fNIRS) and accompanying software have been developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center as part of the Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP) Technologies for Airplane State Awareness (TASA)SE211 Crew State Monitoring (CSM) Project. The goal of CSM was to develop a suite of instruments to measure the cognitive state of operators while performing operational activities. The fNIRS was one of the instruments intended for the CSM, developed to measure changes in oxygen levels in the brain noninvasively

Engineering Students in a Global World: Lehigh University\u27s Global Citizenship Program

As the world grows smaller and companies become increasingly international, engineering students with a global education will be in high demand. Given the constraints of the typical undergraduate engineering curriculum, it can be extremely challenging for engineering students to participate in activities designed to promote global awareness. Lehigh University’s answer to this challenge is the Global Citizenship Program (GCP), a “backpack” program designed to be accessible to any student on campus. The “backpack” metaphor means that all students should be able to assemble their own particular mix of additional courses and experiences in order to develop a global perspective that deepens their core disciplinary training. The GCP at Lehigh provides focus and structure to engineering students, providing opportunities for study abroad and organizing their humanities and social science electives into a coherent package of curricular and co-curricular experiences that maximizes the educational potential of these few non-engineering opportunities