admin / May 5, 2023

LED Lighting Tax Aspects of Furniture Chains

The 2008 collapse of the U.S. housing market had a particularly damaging effect on the domestic furniture industry. A virtual freeze on new and existing home purchases resulted in a drastic decline in sales for furniture chains who, prior to the collapse, dominated the industry primarily by selling foreign-made furniture. The furniture industry has largely evolved into an import model where huge warehouses store the furniture that is then sold in retail show rooms. Some major brands use large, warehouse-like structures as their retail facilities. As the economy continues to improve, these companies will be able to realize significant energy cost savings and very large EPAct tax deductions by installing LED lighting in their showrooms along with energy-efficient lighting and heaters in their distribution centers.Large store showrooms looking to showcase their furniture can use LED’s for focused lighting, while huge warehouses that hold the furniture before it reaches retail storefronts can realize tremendous operating cost reductions by installing LED’s or other energy-efficient lighting. While each of these building types involves a distinct planning process with different tax implications, LED lighting can drive large tax deductions for all furniture chain facilities.The Section 179D EPAct Tax OpportunitiesPursuant to Energy Policy Act (EPAct) Section 179D, furniture chains making qualifying energy-reducing investments in their new or existing locations can get immediate tax deductions of up to $1.80 per square foot.If the building project doesn’t qualify for the largest EPAct $1.80 per square foot immediate tax deduction, there are tax deductions of up to $0.60 per square foot for the three major building subsystems: lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning), and the building envelope. The building envelope is every item on the building’s exterior perimeter that touches the outside world including roof, walls, insulation, doors, windows and foundation.Alternative Energy Tax Credits and GrantsPursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, there are multiple 30% or 10% tax credits available for a variety of alternative energy measures with varying credit termination dates. For example, the 30% solar tax credit and the 10% geothermal heat pump tax credit expire January 1, 2017.All alternative measures that are eligible for the 30% and 10% tax credits are also eligible for equal cash grants for the three years staring January 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2011.Unique 2011 Opportunity: Enhanced Bonus Tax DepreciationSolar P.V. and geothermal systems are ordinarily eligible for 5-year MACRS depreciation, but building owners who install these systems after September 8, 2010 through December 31, 2011 can take 100% depreciation tax bonus immediately. Even if building owners miss this 2011 window, they can enjoy a 50% tax depreciation bonus on equipment placed in service from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.The Tax Planning Implications for Furniture ChainsShowrooms and EPAct 179DLED lighting is excellent for presenting furniture because it provides a high-powered, focused beam ideally suited for showroom floors. The shopper is naturally drawn to the furniture because of the LED’s spotlighting effect. For this reason, the Ashley Furniture showroom in Boca Raton, Florida has opened one of the first furniture stores seeking LEED certification for its inclusion of, among other things, LED lighting. Since this store is nearly 100,000 sq. ft. large, it will be eligible for up to $60,000 in tax deductions for lighting alone, and potentially greater EPAct deductions for qualifying HVAC equipment and building envelope measures. Indeed, as part of its plan to seek LEED certification, Ashley installed high-performing, low-emitting glass with automatic shades that conserve energy and rooftop solar tubes at its Boca site. A qualified professional can convert Ashley’s required LEED energy model into an EPAct tax model.Warehouse Lighting and EPAct 179DBuilding lighting comprises a large part of furniture warehouse energy use. Most warehouses that have not had a lighting upgrade to energy-efficient lighting in the last 7 or 8 years use earlier generation metal halide or T-12 fluorescent lighting. It is important to realize that effective January 1, 2009, most probe-start metal halide lighting may no longer be manufactured or imported into the United States and, effective July 1, 2010, most T-12 lighting may no longer be manufactured or imported into the United States. This means that warehouses that still have older lighting technology will soon be, or already are, subject to large price increases for replacement lamps and bulbs.This earlier generation T-12 and metal halide lighting is energy-inefficient compared to today’s T-8 and T-5 lighting, and a lighting retrofit can easily cut lighting electricity costs by 40 to 60 percent. In addition to large energy cost reductions from upgrading basic building lighting, most warehouses undergoing lighting retrofits install sensors that completely shut off lighting in portions of the warehouse that are not in use. Previously, many warehouse owners and lighting specialists were reluctant to install sensors because they reduced fluorescent lamp useful life. Today, with improved technology, sensors are available with warranties that protect against reduction in lamp useful life. In the furniture warehouse business, sensors will prove particularly useful because warehouses only need intermittent illumination. Combined with fluorescent, induction or, increasingly, LED lighting, sensors are a vital consideration to any furniture warehouse operator.Warehouse Heating and EPAct 179DNew, improved commercial heating systems can give energy cost savings of 8 percent or more over the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 2001 building code standards. There are multiple heater technologies suitable for the furniture warehouse market, including Cambridge direct fired gas heaters, unit heaters, and infrared (e.g. radiant) heaters. If it can be done, the warehouse heater could mount on an exterior wall to optimize the roof top space for a solar P.V. roof top system.Typical Large Furniture Warehouses Obtain Large Tax DeductionsMany large warehouses have made the investments necessary to get the full $1.80 per square foot EPAct tax deduction. Since the EPAct tax deductions relate to square footage, a 500,000 square foot furniture warehouse can secure a $900,000 EPAct tax deduction.IKEA’s Pioneering Solar ProjectsIKEA uses large integrated warehouse/retail facilities to directly sell furniture. The Swedish company has recently announced that it will install solar P.V. in some of its stores in Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. By taking advantage of its enormous, flat rooftops on its facilities, IKEA will be able to generate enough kilowatt-hours to power its own stores’ lighting and HVAC needs with energy left over to sell to utilities. Further, they are making the ideal use of their solar investment by installing highly energy-efficient geothermal heating systems and LED lighting. Geothermal typically generates large EPAct 179D tax deductions, especially when coupled with LED lighting. As noted above, the geothermal system will also be eligible for a 10% tax credit or grant and very favorable tax deprecation.The New York MarketNew York City has experienced a quicker economic recovery than the rest of the country, and furniture chains are acting now to try to capitalize on the city’s momentum. Cleveland-based Arhaus Furniture; Nadeau Corp., a West Coast-based seller of eclectic furnishings; and discounter Home Goods, a division within TJX, are all newcomers to the NYC scene and each is hoping to take advantage of the heightened demand than has often forced homeowners and renters into the suburbs to shop for their furniture. With the opening of 20,000 to 40,000 square foot retail centers, these companies have the opportunity to use LED lighting, and, in some locations, solar P.V., in their building design to drive down their operating expenses while utilizing large tax incentives.Furniture Warehouse Tax Incentivized Energy-Efficient Design Process Steps 1. Assemble team including warehouse experts for EPAct tax incentives, utility rebates, lighting, heater, building envelope and solar energy.2. See if roof is compatible for solar and heater. Obtain proposals for installations of solar installations and any other needed roof/insulation projects and any other needed roof/insulation projects.3. Obtain lighting design that replaces all inefficient lighting. Compare and contrast costs of fluorescent, induction and LED lighting alternatives.4. Obtain Cambridge heater or alternative heater proposals, taking into account possible roof designs.5. Determine utility rebate based on all proposed separate and joined energy-efficient measures. Efficient lighting will cut electric use. Roof, insulation and heater will cut “therms.”6. Determine tax incentives including EPAct Section 179D tax deduction benefit and solar credit tax deductions. EPAct is based on total project square footage, including mezzanines and pick and pack modules. The 30-percent solar tax credit is based on the total solar material and installation costs.7. Prepare project proposal detailing project costs, energy savings, utility rebates and tax incentives.8. Get project approved by building owner.9. Hire contractors and execute project.10. Have EPAct tax expert prepare model and tax documentation using IRS approved software.11. Process utility rebates.12. Reduce federal and state estimated tax payments to account for expected large EPAct tax deductions and credits.13. Celebrate tax-enhanced energy-efficient warehouse achievementConclusionU.S. furniture industry supply chain structures are ideally situated for LED lighting particularly in showrooms and integrated warehouse show rooms. Since EPAct tax savings relates to square footage, the industry’s large facilities drive large tax deductions. The required warehouses are typically large, flat roof structures that are ideal for solar P.V. Achieving energy reduction enhanced with tax savings will help this very competitive industry accelerate its recovery concurrently with overall economic recovery.

admin / April 13, 2023

Society, Stereotypes, Second Chances: Addicts and The Employment Challenge

Suzie J is a single working mom who has been in recovery for 11 years. She has not had a drink or a drug since 2002. In the past decade not only has she paid off all of her fines for the shoplifting charges she incurred while in the throes of addiction, she has also made individual amends to each of the stores she stole from in keeping with her 12 step program.After two years of clean time and struggling with low paying, physically demanding jobs, Suzie returned to school and pursued post secondary education to increase her opportunities. She was fortunate to land a job in a socially conscious non profit organization that hired her with full knowledge of her past. Suzie stayed with this organization for 6 years, working her way from entry level receptionist to programming director.Without warning, the organization’s funding dried up and it had to close it’s doors. Suzie was given a glowing letter of recommendation to assist in her job search.Suzie has been searching for work ever since… for over a year now. She has landed multitudes of interviews due to her experience and recommendations. She is well spoken and composed at meetings with hiring managers and HR people. Initially her interviews always go well; however, as soon as she replies truthfully as to whether she has a criminal record, the opportunities are swiftly withdrawn.After living a drug free and productive life for 11 years, plus having had a stellar career as programming director, and as a currently active community volunteer, Suzie states, ” It is terribly frustrating and discouraging to be denied jobs that I am actually overqualified for because I shoplifted in 2002 when I was still in the grips of my disease and very desperate “.”I am fortunate that I have already been living in sobriety for so long. I don’t know if I would have made it through all the rejection and disappointments if I was an addict or alcoholic in early sobriety” she adds.”I can see why some people just give up trying to fit in to society… on some days it just seems impossible”Suzie admits that even with her strong recovery program, it is getting harder to tell the truth at interviews, especially when it’s a job she really wants. It becomes a very tough call for her. Although honesty is the mainstay of her recovery from addiction, so is having a job to support her family.Myths and stereotypesOur culture perpetuates fear based stereotypes about addicts and routinely closes doors on people who are genuinely trying to rebuild their lives. This same society that continuously shouts the importance of overcoming drug and alcohol addiction and puts the onus on addicts to become ‘contributing members of society’, regularly denies giving people the opportunity to do just that!A study by the Ontario Human Rights Commission entitled “Minds That Matter” exposes the painful reality of what it is like to be a recovering addict or alcoholic searching for employment in Ontario. One survey shows that between one-third and one-half of people with psycho-social or addiction issues report being turned down for a job for which they were qualified, had experienced dismissal or were forced to resign. Those who do manage to enter the workforce are routinely hired in low-wage, low skill jobs with few prospects for advancement or stability. Quite often menial jobs well beneath the jobseeker’s skill level are taken out of desperation… a tough blow to a hypersensitive self-esteem.Many addicts are subjected to hiring processes that ask questions about people’s medical history for jobs that do not require this knowledge. Many individuals in recovery are also asked if they have ever been arrested and are at a disadvantage immediately.Dr Adi Jaffe, a renown addiction consultant and executive director of Alternatives Behavioral Health and lecturer at UCLA wrote a 2012 article published on CNN health entitled, “5 Damaging Myths about Addiction… “In this article he shared his own challenges in overcoming the stigma attached to being in recovery. Despite the fact that Jaffe had already received a P.H.D., has been clean and sober for more than 10 years, and had already undergone three years of previous drug testing he was still required to finish another 3 years of testing before he could earn his psychology license. This attitude of suspicion, labelling and condemning addicts as ‘unsalvageable’is disturbing and very discouraging to those fighting for a better life.Jaffe states, “Addiction is plagued by myths and misinformation that were created to scare our children away from drugs. But these haven’t succeeded and have actually made it harder for addicts to return to a normal life… “The myth that causes greatest damage to a recovered/recovering person’s chances for employment is the assumption by many non-addicts that active addiction is a lifetime condition, that addicts and alcoholics will always be obsessed with using or drinking.”This simply isn’t true,” Jaffe continues, “and it places a huge emotional and psychological burden on recovered addicts. Addiction is on a spectrum, like depression, and every person is different. While there are plenty of cases where addicts struggle for years to overcome drug addiction, many more cases reveal the opposite- users who manage to put the past behind them and lead normal and productive lives. “Equally destructive is our culture’s deeply ingrained idea that former drug and alcohol abusers are “damaged goods” who are unable to function normally, follow directions or be reliable workers, prompting employers to widely discriminate against addicts in their hiring practices.Freshly out of the darkness of alcoholism or addiction, hope for the future and for a better life is the motivating light that keeps people in recovery. Getting a job is an essential ingredient in successful rehabilitation. Sadly, systemic discrimination and repeated employment rejection often destroys hope and, in some sad cases, can actually drive people back to the familiar world of drugs and alcohol.The Ontario Human Rights Commission states that work, paid or unpaid, is a fundamental part of realizing dignity, self-determination and a person’s full potential in society. In this province there is legislation designed to protect employment seekers from discrimination based on disability, which includes addictions. However, the truth of the matter is that even with legislation in place discrimination remains widespread. If the person has a criminal record due to past actions while under the influence of drugs or alcohol during active addiction, she is usually turned away before even having a chance to prove her ability or explain her circumstances.Experts in treatment and recovery estimate that when a recovering addict is honest about her past, she will still get turned down for a job 75 % of the time, despite the fact that our Human Rights legislation outlaws these practices. These bigoted practices continue to flourish, primarily because few recovering addicts want to fight it, most don’t have the confidence or resources and many are not even aware that they have rights under the code. At the end of the day, most addicts/alcoholics just want to move forward with their lives.Addiction is a complex issue that overrides other factors including qualification for the position. The negative stigma attached to the word ‘addiction’ has an impact on the employer’s attitude because, simply, the employers’ goal is to hire the best person for the job. In the employer’s mind hiring an addict may mean that perhaps more effort has to go into watching and supervising the new employee and in being prepared with a contingency plan… just in case. Adding to the problem is the continued bad press about addicts and alarming relapse statistics, including a recent American survey of people in recovery that found that 46 % had relapsed, and of those, 30% had slipped several times.For people who aren’t familiar with the process of recovery, and who have fallen prey to addict stereotypes portrayed on TV and in the movies, the real or imagined potential cost and counter productive consequences of hiring an employee who may relapse is a very big barrier to overcome. In most cases, if an employer has a choice between hiring an addict or a non addicted individual for the same position, the employer will go for the person who is not addicted.It is a delicate matter. While on the one hand, addicts need to be able to access gainful employment, employers do need to be able to make good hiring decisions for their business.Creating opportunity and productivity togetherHow can the business community and the recovery community work together to create opportunity and productivity for both sides? The answer lies in education and incentives.First of all, employers need to be shown the value in hiring recovering addicts otherwise there will be no reason for them to consider it. The benefits must be presented in a way that would enable hirers to see that there is an entire wealth of skilled, experienced employees in the recovery community, eager and willing to work with a heightened sense of responsible and honesty.Employers and the public in general need a better knowledge of the recovery process. Most importantly is the knowledge that while,on a rare occasion, a worker may relapse, the longer he is in recovery the less likely he is to go back to his former destructive lifestyle. Chances are with the right encouragement and a secure job, he’ll stay in recovery like the thousands of other gainfully employed Canadian addicts who are quietly getting on with their lives and whom are good, reliable, trustworthy workers. Most addicts are genuinely thankful for their job opportunities and willing to work very hard to express their gratitude. Mutual understanding and respect creates a win -win situation.People in recovery and with criminal records must take the time to know their rights. It is imperative to learn what disability-related information a person is required to provide and which questions are unlawful. Job seekers must learn to not be afraid to refuse to answer inappropriate questioning. Many addicts do not know that they do not have to disclose a diagnosis of addiction to an employer and consequently end up shooting themselves in the foot during an interview.Equally as important is education for employers around the criminal records issue. Statistics show that approximately 13 percent of all Canadians have a criminal record. The majority percentage of those record holders are addicts/ alcoholics. Although these are usually minor offences committed during active addiction, they become major obstacles to getting hired.It is common to see someone convicted of something as trivial as stealing a pack of cheese 10 years ago being refused an entry level job in an unrelated environment like a call center. As soon as employers hear the words ‘criminal record’, they often think of major crimes and immediately make a decision not to hire, when in reality most addict crimes are petty crimes of poverty and desperation. In order to break the systemic rejection of people with records, it is important for individuals to stand up to unfair practices.Employers and addicts should know that record of offense is a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code. There are guidelines to help job seekers and employers to understand what can be asked and what falls under the category of discrimination.Finally, an incentive tax break program should be developed that would reward employers who open their doors to former addicts who are have been rehabilitated and are trying to rebuild their lives.Pro active government wage subsidies applicable to hiring rehabilitated addicts would also encourage more businesses to take advantage of the employable resources in this demographic.Quite regularly we hear negative stories of how addicts have broken the law, of how they have fallen asleep on the job or have gotten in major trouble at the workplace. Sadly, we never get to see a front page headline that reads, “recovered lady alcoholic wins employee of the month award at prestigious advertising agency “or former crack cocaine addict puts in overtime to help develop health care strategies for underprivileged kids” but… that IS what thousands of people in recovery do on a daily basis.

admin / April 13, 2023

Auto Content Cash Review and Does Autoblogging Really Work?

I am doing a Auto Content Cash Review and I have been doing eBay Sales for the past 3 years. I am currently a power seller on eBay barely making $1,000 month. Lately I have been blogging for cash and it’s been turning out pretty good for myself and my family and spending 0 hours on eBay now to make 4 times the amount I was making. Yes, your math ads up correctly… that’s total of $4,000 a month for blogging.Yeah, tell me about it, That’s not enough money nowadays to even survive… It’s not enough to pay my apartment rent when especially living in California… It’s also not fun when you have a family and kids to support…Okay You Get The Picture. Keep reading I will tell you how it can be fixed.A lot of people have been making money with WordPress blogs on their website and I have always wondered how are they doing it?How are they keeping up with content? How are they frequently updating their blog with some quality content that shows up on the front page of Google when I search them?I do see the advertisements on the left, right, bottom and top of the sites and that definitely means there is money to be made. So I thought to myself, if they can do it! So can I…People are making money from blogs, word press and auto content cash methods. So I took it upon myself to research more about auto cash content,read about their services, products and what they have to offer. I was shocked to find out that Auto Cash was working for most people.I took in effect to meet owners who were using it, Guess what?They said it does work I was skeptical at first and I was pretty much sadden because I felt like have wasted all this time on eBay to barely make any money to support myself and family from home. Let me tell you the good news!My next step was to buy the au to content cash. But first, I decided to contact the owners and asked them a few questions about internet marketing, SEO and Writing Articles…I asked questions to understand more about Auto cash content…”Do I need get traffic to my site with auto cash content?””Do I have to write my own articles?””Do I always have to write blogs and updates?””Do I have to pay advertising costs to get people to visit my website?”The Answers were all “NO” and this got me all the way excited… Besides finding out how much help they provide on their membership pages which you have full access to when you buy it from them!I love that but… read what happened next…Auto content cash put out the plan for me and it was simple, After buying their product, I had to Plug-in their tools they provided me on their members area, I watched videos on how to setup the auto content plug-ins, Read their blog posts for tips, which is updated sometimes day. They even have videos on Monetization Just like they mention throughout their sales page, which helps you setup your website for making cash right away without eBay and setting up your website for making money in the long runSo really, why did I buy Auto Content Cash? I found out Auto Content Cash Does Work with some reviews it was believable after setting up the first part of my website. I had no background in setting up websites before; I was new to anything else besides eBay and Auto Content Cash worked for me.I also asked the other people if they had any back round with Auto Content Cash in SEO, Traffic, Internet Marketing, Article Writing, Video marketing, Social Marketing or any other type of traffic getting method. They all responded to me with “YES.”They all had “Marketing” back rounds but yet I was still doing it without knowing any type of “Marketing”I mean it’s great that Auto Content Cash works with people who have setup websites before and have done their own “marketing” and for those who don’t know marketing, auto content cash worked for me even with no “marketing” back round.I was a bit skeptical but all and all Auto Content Cash is earned my Review and Reviewing a company like auto content cash who helped myself and my family in easier way to maximize profits, there is no turning back to long hours of hard and competitive sales on eBay.So the answer is “YES” it does work and this is AJ Morgans Auto Content Cash Review.You can read about Auto Content Cash By Clicking this link and make sure you full watch the video and read the entire page before buying… You will see the difference of how auto content cash can work for you…http://seomy.net/blog/2010/04/auto-content-cash-blog-reviews-video/

admin / April 13, 2023

Understanding Beauty

Beauty is a phenomenal concept which is as old as mankind. Yet, it is a concept which is very misunderstood. Different individuals listen to such diverse views of what beauty entails that quite a number end up confused, frustrated and frankly give up. If someone were to walk right up to you and asked you to define beauty; what would you say? Would you start describing a cover model you saw in one of the popular magazines, or colors of the rainbow? Or would you consider a soft melodious piece of music or even a romantic verse from a lover? All these can be defined within the concept of beauty but one thing that is clear, there is no definite definition of beauty. Beauty is something abstract and intangible. It is something about something. This something about something will vary from individual to individual. A popular definition of beauty is that it is a characteristic about something that gives a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. Therefore for beauty to be perceived, it must stimulate the senses to evoke a feeling of joy, pleasure and satisfaction. From this definition, the judge of what’s beautiful is the person who receives or fails to receive the pleasure.How is this sensuous beauty applicable among human beings? What makes one be considered beautiful and attractive? Is a person considered beautiful necessarily attractive? These are complex questions which do not have a direct answer. The way the societies we live in view beauty is influenced by many factors. First of all there are cultural factors. In the past, each culture had distinct criteria upon which they based beauty. There are those cultures that considered plump women to be beautiful. Therefore fattening of maidens before marriage was a common practice. Others considered small feet to be beautiful. These have however changed a lot in modern times. With the advancement of technology and human interaction, the differences in cultural preferences have been minimized and we now almost have a standard way of viewing beauty. This is greatly influenced by the parameters set by top fashion houses. The images they project to the public, form the dress, walking style and physique have increasingly become the trend that the reminder of the World is expected to follow. But is what we see on the Catwalk the true representation of beauty? Thankfully, no. Human beauty is so rich in variety that we can have no set parameters within which to define it. One cannot authoritatively say small is beautiful, blonde is beautiful, slim is beautiful, green eyes are beautiful etc. and condemn other characteristics. There is no standard of beauty and each individual is beautiful in her own way. There may only be prejudices as a result of the society around the individual. It for this reason you would find a man married to a blonde having an affair with a brunette, or a lady of oriental or African descent. They are simply beautiful and the man cannot resist!So, if we are all beautiful, what then is the big deal? Is there any reason to bother or care about how we look? Yes there is! You must certainly take the keenest interest in how you look. We live in a complex and highly socialized world. The image of beauty has become highly commercialized. Non conformity is risking rejection. Studies have shown that what is considered beautiful has a halo effect. A beautiful and attractive person will receive more attention, score higher marks in class, get more assistance, get a better job, be paid more and be trusted more. Coincidentally, people who are considered beautiful are better adjusted, confident and appear more intelligent. Therefore beauty plays a key role in our lives in how we relate with others and in how we choose our mates. It is therefore a responsible thing for us to ensure that we are beautiful. How do we do this? Since we have established that beauty is about evoking feelings of pleasure and satisfaction in other people, we must therefore aim at ensuring that people are pleased with what they see when they look at us. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We must strive to strengthen our strengths and mask our weaknesses. The aim is not to be the most beautiful person around. That is futile in that there is no such most beautiful person. The aim is to ensure we are presentable and acceptable in the society we live in. This will enhance our self confidence and of course our health. In Beauty and Health for Happiness, we will discuss tips on how to enhance our beauty and health. But first we must observe the following fundamental beauty tips.o Accept yourself the way you are and know that you are beautiful in your own unique way. This is the first step in enhancing your beauty and health, making it shine to all around you.o Develop healthy habits. Beauty and health are inseparable. Among the many characteristics contributing to overall beauty is health and youthfulness. You must have a healthy body, healthy skin, eyes, good breath, and healthy teeth etc. It is therefore imperative that you have a well balanced diet, exercise regularly and consult your doctor whenever necessary.o Identify suitable products that you can use to strengthen your strengths and mask your weaknesses. These include moisturizers, creams, perfumes and hair products etc.o Make a plan and start simply.Beauty is a concept that plays a major role in lives and affects how we socialize and compete within the society we live in. There is no correct version of beauty and all of us are beautiful in our own way. Our perceptions of beauty are influenced by the society we live in and the modern commercialization of beauty. You however need not follow what you see in commercials. You can instead make a point of improving how you present yourself to others, and in the process, enhance your beauty and health.

admin / April 13, 2023

What It Means to Be a Modern Online Educator

Traditional college instruction is part of a well-established tradition that has remained fairly unchanged over time. Becoming an instructor in this environment has meant conformity to teaching standards that have also remained fairly unchanged. A college professor is associated with someone who is a subject matter expert, likely to achieve a position with tenure, and have dual roles as an instructor and researcher. It is expected that they will be published authors of scholarly journal articles that have been peer-reviewed and contributed knowledge to their field. While this form of education and instructor still exists, there is another academic institution that has also been established and it is an online college and university.For a modern form of online education you will not likely find any positions that are labeled professor. Most online universities hire adjuncts and many refer to their instructors as facilitators. Some universities expect their instructors to complete annual professional development requirements but rarely does that include publishing peer-reviewed journal articles. What is needed now more than ever is a new category of educator, one who meets the needs of students who participate in this modern form of education. Now is also the time for online universities to embrace this new form of instructors, those who can be called a Modern Educator.From Traditional to Online TeachingThe traditional format for educating students is the lecture-driven class. The instructor delivers information to students and they must demonstrate what they have learned through various assessments. They know that their instructor or professor is an expert in the particular subject area for their class. This method of instruction is the same style that is used in primary education and it is teacher-centered. As technology has brought new possibilities for the field of education a new format developed – online courses and online degrees. At first traditional educators taught these courses but over time that has changed, especially as adjuncts filled a majority of the instructional roles. Now with online degree programs and online schools having been fully established in the education field, a new type of educator was also emerging.Evolution to Modern TeachingWith the growth of online learning came the need for hiring a large volume of instructors. Some online universities have classes that begin weekly and others offer courses starting monthly. Hiring adjuncts was the answer and the majority of jobs teaching undergraduate students have been filled by instructors holding a master’s degree in the subject field they were teaching. Over time the number of instructors qualified to teach online has grown substantially and now many adjunct positions require a doctorate degree. What has contributed to the increased pool of available online instructors is the fluctuation in enrollment numbers, the limited number of full-time online instructor positions, and the increase in degree specializations – especially those related to online teaching. There are also many online schools that offer online teaching specializations and those students who complete their master’s degree are added to the pool. It is estimated that at present there are nearly two million adjunct online instructors teaching online courses.The requirements for teaching online also may include continuing education. Most online universities require some form of annual professional development. Those universities generally offer workshops and training courses as a means of fulfilling this requirement. Publishing scholarly journals can be used to help meet the professional development requirements but most schools do not require it. These modern teachers are also different from a college professor by the manner in which they are allowed to present themselves in the classroom. An online instructor is often called a facilitator and rarely is this position referred to as a professor – although some instructors will refer to themselves as a professor to establish their position in the learning process. Many online universities tell their instructors to use their first name as a means of creating a casual and approachable image – even if the instructor has a doctorate degree.An Example of a Modern EducatorWithin the field of online education there is a significant difference among educator types. There are those with a master’s degree who can teach undergraduate courses and there are those with doctorate degrees who can teach both undergraduate and graduate students. For those schools that offer doctoral degree programs, an expectation for instructors to be published in a manner similar to that of a college professor may still be in place. But there is a need for a new standard. If traditional methods of learning do not apply to online education, then traditional instructor qualifications should also not apply to online educators. Now is the time for a new instructional category, one that is referred to as a Modern Educator.My work as an educator has evolved from traditional college teaching to that of online teaching and now I have become a Modern Educator. Instead of spending months (or possibly longer) trying to become published in a scholarly journal, I publish online articles. Instead of my work being available only to those who have access to and read scholarly journals, I now have an opportunity to reach a broader audience. My work is available as soon as I write and publish it, and more importantly – I understand how to use social media. I am connected to an international basis of educators, universities, and students through the use of social media.Through social media it is possible to share ideas and resources, along with online articles, blog posts, and other intellectual contributions. This also applies to transformation of the publishing process. Instead of waiting to find a publisher and go through the traditional publishing route, I have self-published e-books. This has allowed me to become highly engaged in the field of education and it has redefined what it means to be a college instructor. Becoming a Modern Educator indicates what online instructors should be involved with and online schools developing as a requirement for their professional development.Steps to Becoming a Modern EducatorWhether you have a master’s degree or doctorate degree, if you teach online courses you need professional development. But this should be more than taking a workshop – it needs to involve making an intellectual contribution. In addition, the work of a Modern Educator also needs to be involved in some form of social or professional networking. Here are some steps you can take and strategies you can use to become a Modern Educator.#1. Write a Blog – This provides a platform to share your expertise and summarize your knowledge. As you continue to conduct research for your areas of professional interest and you can include what you have learned through your blog posts. There are numerous free resources that will allow you to create and share your blog, such as Word Press.#2. Write Online Articles – Instead of taking the time required to write and submit articles to scholarly journals, which can always be an option for you, find a resource that allows you to publish online articles. The articles you write, which are based upon your knowledge and experience, will allow you to reach a broader audience, refine your writing skills, and establish yourself as a subject matter expert. I utilize Ezine Articles, which is an article marketing database.#3. Use Social Networking – Every online educator needs to learn how to establish their presence via technology. It only makes sense that if you work in a technology-enabled environment you should also know how to be engaged in online communities. LinkedIn provides a means of professional networking, finding groups that match your interest, and even finding online jobs. Twitter can connect you to an international base of educators, students, and universities – providing a place to share resources.#4. Develop a Website -If you find that you are highly ambitious and want to develop more than a blog you could also build your own website. This would be a place for you to house resources that you have created, which could be shared with educators and students. There are free webhosting services available and others that charge a small fee.#5. Write E-Books – The field of publishing has changed and now authors are taking back control by making their books available in an e-book format. Kindle and Nook devices are the most popular devices. Kobo is another device that is gaining popularity because it can be used on mobile devices such as Blackberry. You will likely need to hire someone to format the book, sign up for an account to distribute your e-book, and once it is ready you can have it available in a relatively short amount of time.Maintaining a Modern Educator StatusA Modern Educator is someone who does more than teach online classes. They are active in the field of education and their chosen subject matter. They know how to teach using technological tools and engage in a virtual community of other educators through social media. The Modern Educator is also conducting research and making intellectual contributions through technological means. The work they publish is done through technologically-enabled resources and made immediately available for their intended audience. They know how to use social media to promote their work and share resources with other educators and students.It is time now for the Modern Educator mentality to become the standard for online learning. Instruction has adapted in format from traditional to online, and so too must the instructor. It is also important that online schools and hiring specialists recognize the new Modern Educator. This is someone who has likely taught for several institutions because of fluctuating enrollments and staff changes; however, what matters most is their ongoing professional development and intellectual contributions. The most desirable candidate for an online teaching position is someone with more than extensive work as an online educator. It is someone who can also utilize technological tools as a means of publishing their work and connecting with other educators. A Modern Educator is the new college professor and the one most prepared for teaching through the use of technology.