Accessibility In Research, Learning, And Teaching
This is a loaded question, and I’m interested in what answers it garners.
I have 14 years of experience in both teaching in and administrative support in departments and programs in languages, literature, and the humanities. Since beginning my PhD, and even going back further to beginning my honors college education, I have tried to take up any opportunity I could to learn more about developing my skills in teaching, research, and publishing.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from presenting at and organizing conferences. (And I’ve enjoyed getting to share some of that advice here, such as on how to find conventions, how to submit to the call for papers, how to give the presentation, even how to pack and travel for the conference.)
And I’m continuing to improve upon syllabi for past and upcoming courses.
I also have valued the experiences I have had to foster more inclusive learning and working environments, including volunteering as a test proxy and notetaker for my university’s office for students with disabilities and completing a safe spaces program to support LGBTQ+ students and coworkers.
But part of that professional development in languages, literature, and the humanities depends on being aware of gaps in my expertise.
It is impossible for me to list every last bit of professional development that is necessary, especially as what is necessary varies: what skills and experiences you already bring to your scholarship, what your personal and professional goals are, what responsibilities are included in your job (and how that varies by discipline, location, and employer expectations), and what we continue to learn that alters how we prioritize the numerous skill-building endeavors we can take on.
Listing everything is impossible. We are fortunate there are so many other people out there who are willing to share how they improve at what needs to be done as a scholar. (This recently shared post on how to organize a literary review is very helpful.) And as I just said, what I prioritized in the past for my professional development is not the same as what I prioritize now, not only because, I hope, I have gotten enough of a handle on some of those skills to put them on the back-burner as I focus on other priorities, but also because, as time goes on, we recognize priorities we should have re-organized to better confront systematic barriers in education and society at large, many I overlooked until confronted by realities I was ignoring.
Therefore, I have two goals for this post.
First, I want to list three areas of professional development that I wish I had pursued earlier.
And second, I want to open this post to any feedback about what professional development you wish you had.
If you are advanced in your career, maybe it’s something you wish you had had in your undergraduate or graduate studies. If you are continuing your education, maybe it’s something you wish was offered right now. Or it could be something offered right now (by your department or program, or through HR at your institution, or available through an academic organization) that you have yet to pursue, or something flat-out missing at your institution.
I’m interested in any feedback received to get a sense of what people teaching, researching, and learning in languages, literature, and the humanities are seeking for their ongoing development in this profession.
Accessibility in Research, Learning, and Teaching
I have worked with colleagues with disabilities, and I have taught students with disabilities. But much of what I have learned as best practices to continue to improve accessibility in my classes has been by taking my own initiative. I cannot remember ever receiving outreach by a department or supervisor about improving upon accessibility in course content or workplace items, such as making texts OCR, adding subtitles to videos, adding alt-text to images, or making sure to describe aloud what appears in any slides I include in a PowerPoint presentation. Outside of my undergraduate experience, where I volunteer for my university’s office for students with disabilities, I cannot remember significant outreach or coordination by the colleges where I have learned, taught, and worked at and their own offices for accessibility and students with disabilities.
Navigating Regional Differences between Institutions
What goes into teaching in one part of the United States differs from another part of the United States, or elsewhere in the world. I know that sounds obvious, but it’s a point I haven’t appreciated enough when navigating differences between teaching in the South Florida, Long Island, New York City, and Western New York communities. Laws protecting union organizing and labor rights vary considerably.
Regions also have different rules regarding minimum requirements for teaching, not just at the college level but should graduate students want to teach K-12 classes while completing their degrees.
(Speaking of which, preparing graduate students for potential adjunct instruction while they are completing their PhDs would also be super: I had to learn the hard way that, upon entering my PhD program without a master’s degree, I had compromised my ability to seek additional teaching opportunities. As I did not have a master’s, I could not be hired for some teaching positions in writing and literature, and unlike other graduate departments, mine did not reward a master’s degree upon completion of the pre-dissertation qualifying exams.)
Furthermore, each region has its own expectations for its teachers, especially when addressing the demographics of its students in terms of their backgrounds, experiences, and post-course goals, such as finishing their degree, transitioning from an associate’s to a bachelor’s degree, and pursuing their personal and professional goals in further education and the workforce.
Teaching as Adjunct and Contingent Faculty
And to wrap this up by circling back to adjunct instruction, I wish during my grad student years that I had pursued more opportunities to attend university legislative meetings and adjunct/contingent faculty support group meetings, as well as engage more with adjunct and contingent faculty, to better understand the substantial changes when leaving graduate student teaching, graduating, and working in adjunct teaching. I think that earlier engagement would have lessened the shock of transitioning into adjunct teaching, including how best to protect time for myself, my office hours, my grading, my research, and my students and my service commitments. All of that also would benefit how much I think I can tackle in a class, in terms of the assignments offered, the time students need to commit to the assignments in class and for homework and that I need to commit to grading and follow-up with students, and designing a class that focuses on a core set of skills without making the course bloated with too much content and too many goals to address.
More Posts from Khalid-albeshri and Others
Key sectors in KSA manufacturing market:
Here’s a concise overview of the key sectors in Saudi Arabia's manufacturing market:
1. Petrochemicals
- Central to Saudi Arabia's manufacturing, leveraging vast oil and gas reserves to produce chemicals like ethylene and polypropylene.
- Major players include SABIC and Saudi Aramco.
2. Pharmaceuticals
- Rapidly expanding with a focus on local production of generics, vaccines, and biotech products.
- Supported by government initiatives to reduce import dependency.
3. Food and Beverage
- Vital for food security and economic growth, focusing on dairy, processed foods, beverages, and halal products.
- Expanding into regional and international markets.
4. Automotive
- Developing sector with a focus on assembling vehicles, manufacturing parts, and electric vehicles (EVs).
- Growing interest from global manufacturers.
5. Construction Materials
- Driven by mega-projects, producing cement, steel, aluminum, and sustainable materials.
- Key to supporting infrastructure development.
6. Metals and Mining
- Emerging sector with significant resources like gold, phosphate, and bauxite.
- Focus on extraction, processing, and downstream industries like aluminum smelting.
7. Textiles and Apparel
- Small but growing, with potential in high-quality textiles and traditional clothing.
- Opportunities in fashion and design.
8. Renewable Energy Equipment
- Focused on producing solar panels, wind turbines, and related components to support renewable energy projects.
- Significant growth potential aligned with sustainability goals.
9. Packaging
- Expanding due to growth in food, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce.
- Innovation in sustainable packaging solutions is on the rise.
10. Defense and Aerospace
- Strategic priority with efforts to localize military equipment production.
- Supported by GAMI, focusing on parts manufacturing and maintenance services.
These sectors highlight Saudi Arabia's drive toward economic diversification, with strong government support and strategic investments fostering growth across the manufacturing industry.
#KhalidAlbeshri #خالدالبشري
The Top 10 Construction Firms Driving Growth in Saudi Arabia The construction sector in Saudi Arabia is experiencing rapid growth, driven largely by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on oil. Here are the top 10 construction firms playing a major role in this transformation: 1. Saudi Binladin Group – Established in 1931, this company has led some of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic projects, such as the Grand Mosque expansion in Mecca and King Abdulaziz International Airport(DTC - درر تمام | Contracting Company)(ControlTap). 2. El-Seif Engineering Contracting Company – Known for its work on high-rise buildings, including the Jeddah Tower, which aims to be the world's tallest structure(DTC - درر تمام | Contracting Company). 3. Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Co. (RTCC) – Involved in significant infrastructure projects such as the Riyadh Metro, RTCC has been instrumental in developing the Kingdom's transportation network( ControlTap). 4. Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. Ltd. – This firm has a diverse portfolio, contributing to major projects like the King Saud University and the Riyadh Metro(DTC - درر تمام | Contracting Company). 5. Almabani General Contractors – Established in 1972, this firm has contributed to the development of King Abdullah Economic City and other key projects(ControlTap). 6. Controltap General Contracting – Specializing in MEP services, this company has been integral to numerous residential and commercial developments(DTC - درر تمام | Contracting Company)(ControlTap). 7. Al Harbi Trading & Contracting Co. Ltd. – Known for its involvement in large government and religious projects, including the Medina Holy Mosque expansion(ControlTap). 8. Alfanar Construction – With expertise in construction and manufacturing, Alfanar has played a significant role in developing industrial and power infrastructure(ControlTap). 9. Golden Obelisk Contracting Co. – Renowned for luxury residential and commercial projects, Golden Obelisk is known for its high-quality standards and timely delivery(ControlTap). 10. Bechtel – A major international player, Bechtel has been involved in key Saudi projects such as the Riyadh Metro and various infrastructure developments(Mordor Intel). These companies are shaping Saudi Arabia's future by contributing to megaprojects across sectors like transportation, residential development, and energy infrastructure, all aligned with Vision 2030.
#KhalidAlbeshri #خالدالبشري
Role of Business Analysts in Testing
Purpose of testing
Software testing is a process of executing a program or system with the intent of finding defects. Testing is a concurrent lifecycle process of engineering, using, and maintaining test ware in order to measure and improve the quality of the software.
In simple words, testing is a process of verifying that the developed software system meets the specified requirements and business needs. Issues/defects identified during testing need to be analyzed, corrected, and retested.
The best practice in testing is to develop test cases as per the V-model given below:
As we can see, test cases can be prepared once requirements have been identified. Testing occurs at multiple levels. Business Analyst gets actively involved most of them. Here is a diagram depicting various types of testing and their focuses:
Role of Business Analysts in Unit Testing
Unit Testing is carried out on a single module or component. The programmers test the component independently to make sure that expected outputs are generated when inputs are provided.
The primary support provided by BA in this aspect of the component testing can be:
Boundary conditions taken care
Business rules incorporated in test cases
Required validations incorporated in component test cases
Provide clarifications on requirements allocated to the component
Role of Business Analysts in Integration Testing
Unlike testing of an independent single component, two or more components are involved in Integration testing. Integration Testing should be performed each time any changes to a component that is likely to impact associated components. Integration testing ensures multiple components and applications can work together. Programmers / independent QA team are responsible for carrying out integration testing.
The primary support provided by BA in this aspect of the component testing can be:
Data transformation rules taken care of
Interfacing rules incorporated in test cases
Provide clarifications on integration requirements allocated to the components
Role of Business Analyst in System Testing
System testing verifies that the system, as a whole, works as per specified requirements. Also called Business Process Testing or as End-to-end testing. System is performed to ensure that all system components run with one another. System testing also ensures that all interfaces work together properly.
Business Analysts are actively involved in System Testing. The following are common activities (not a comprehensive list)
Business process flows are incorporated in the test plan
Non-functional requirements are incorporated in the test plan
Provide clarifications on system requirements
Support Testing team to create system test plans
Review system cases prepared by Testing team
Create and execute the system test cases
Role of Business Analyst in User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
User acceptance testing is conducted by end users to give them the confidence that the system can be rolled out into production.
Business Analysts are actively involved during User Acceptance Testing. The following are common activities (not a comprehensive list)
Support Testing team to create acceptance test plans
Identify users for acceptance testing
Review acceptance test plan with key stakeholders
Support users during acceptance testing
Provide clarifications on system requirements
Obtain sign-off on system acceptance
Role of Business Analyst in Regression Testing
Regression Testing ensures that a change of a particular module does not negatively affect existing modules. Typically, a Regression Testing suite is a subset of system test cases. Business Analyst is generally involved in Regression testing. S(he) may carry out testing of a few critical test cases form the Regression suite to verify critically functionality is functioning.
Summarizing
Though Business Analysts’ primary role is to be the requirements owner in a project, they do play a significant role in software testing. To ensure that the developed system meets the business needs, Business Analysts get involved in assisting test case development, review, execution of part of test cases and support all stakeholders during testing activities.
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Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
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Today, many organizations are struggling to keep pace with the evolution of information technology strategy. Without an infrastructure architect, their business’ IT systems struggle and eventually get disrupted by outside forces. Read further on to learn how to shape the strategic direction and organize IT infrastructure to align with your business vision and goals.
Remind yourself never to forget to grow your business online.
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Pivoting is the “buzz word” that everyone is using today, because there are no cookie cutter solutions out there for entrepreneurs. Business today is not what it was 10-20 years ago, 5 years, or even 1 year ago, the landscape has changed so much and you have to be able to pivot and execute quicker, more efficiently, and most of all more effectively than ever before. There are a ton of opportunities out there, but you have to be nimble and stay on top of what is happening today! Let us know your thoughts!
Cashflow Problems
See on Scoop.it - Key Performance Indicators
Try this site http://cfocentre.com.au/cashflow for more information on Cashflow Problems. It consequently like this to reveal that having some methods to handle Cashflow Problems is one method of making sure that people’s business continues to survive. It is for sure that, regardless of how effective your settlements with suppliers as well as customers are, some poor business practices will certainly always place your cashflow in danger. In the past, poor cashflow administration has actually brought several businesses to a close. Follow us https://indicatorskeyperformance.wordpress.com
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crisis management
this week we learned about crisis management, first we need to understand what a crisis is? well, is an unplanned event that has or may have a significant impact on a company's image and affect operations.
A crisis has different phases:
1. Initial phase (warning phase)
2. acute phase (point of no return)
3. chronic phase (cleaning up the mess)
4. resolution phase (final phase)
5. continuity phase (time to heal the wounds and recover lost ties)
Whenever you are going trough a crisis you must have a management plan and understand that you have to protect in this order:
1. people
2. in the public interest
3. ownership of the company
FOR A GOOD CRISIS MANAGEMENT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THIS STEPS:
Preparation BEFORE the crisis
Create a crisis management team with the following figures:
plant manager, security manager, communications officer, head of industrial relations, executive legal department and CFO.
Establish principles of operation (hope for the bes and plan for the worst)
Have a spokesperson (they must have presence and good looks and hace the ability to speak under pressure and also extensive knowledge of the business)
Create Policy media relation (communicate with key audiences, the first 24 hours are crucial)
In beauty industry has been a lot of crisis, for examplee when a Hair-product company called SheaMoisture posted it latest campaing has a lot of drama around it, why? because they are a mainly African-American oriented company and in their campaign they used three white women and only one black woman. They needed to act fast, so just a couple hours later the posted in their social media an apology message, starting it with, “Wow, okay—so guys, listen, we really f—ed this one up. Please know that our intention was not—and would never be—to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate.”
Even though their apology wasn't right for everybody we should acknowledge that they were brave for accepting their mistake and no blaming others, something that not all companies does -mhm pepsi-. Thats the importance of have an spokesperson, even if its digital they must know how to act fast and speak (or write) underpresure, and that's part of a good crisis management plan
Hope you like it,
see u next week
laura
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PMO "Project Management Office" | Honor’s degree BSc Mech. Eng. | CPEng, CPMOP, CKPIP, PCBA, TOT, CT, SCE, ABET, GSDC, ULI، NSPE, ICSC
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