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Description Please watch this video (10:02) and answer the following questions (1 Point): List at least two reasons why wild oysters have nearly vanished from US coasts?  List at least one method how conservationists have been doing to save oysters? Thank you! https://url.avanan.click/v2/___https://youtu.be/8Ac1TnYXLc8___.YXAzOnZlbnR1cmE6YTpvOjBkOGNjMmE5MjRjNjUwMmRjN2MxOWRiMDY4ZDBhMzU5OjY6OTM4NTplNTRlZTk3M2E2NDliMmZhMjk1MDg5ZjRmZjFiNmM1OWEyOTIyN2IzNGIwMDQyM2ZiZTZmMzM2OGZiMTZlOGE0OnA6VALinks to an external site. 

Description ouchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can't submit it until you have completed the unit’s Challenges. Once you've submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score. We all have financial goals – buying or renting a home, purchasing a car, paying off a loan, or saving up for a vacation. And it can be challenging to figure out exactly how to save toward these goals, given the numerous expenses of daily living. A financial plan helps you identify how you can reach your short-term and long-term goals and leverage planning and organization strategies to make meaningful, incremental progress toward realizing these goals. Your goal for this assignment is to build your productivity skill by creating a plan for reaching a specific financial goal within an identified time frame. You will use productivity strategies to break financial planning into manageable, organized steps. You will use Microsoft Excel to develop a realistic plan aligned to your financial goal – one that considers economic drivers, requirements, and resources. If you need a refresher on spreadsheets like Excel, review the tutorials in Unit 1, Challenge 3 of this course (Links are in Section D). Touchstone 2: Creating a Personal Financial Plan SCENARIO: Imagine that you are in a position where you need to move – this could be because of a change in job, a need to modify your living arrangements, or something else. In addition to searching for different housing, you want to begin saving for a specific financial goal. You will use the Assignment Template (an Excel file) to create a budget that satisfies the scenario. You’ll also answer reflection questions related to your goals. ASSIGNMENT: This assignment has two parts. In part 1, you will create a financial plan based on the scenario described above. You’ll use your productivity skills to organize your plan, and you’ll use your problem solving skills to determine a reasonable rate of savings to reach your goals. Finally, you’ll apply your technology skills to ensure that your budget is balanced, and expenditures (like housing) don’t exceed your employment income. In part 2, you will answer reflection questions about the decisions you made and the skills you leveraged while building your plan. For this assignment, you will: Create a budget for a financial plan using Microsoft Excel, ensuring that the information is organized, accurate, and complete. Identify a personal savings goal and a time frame for reaching it. Explain how your choice of housing will help you achieve your personal savings goal. Align your expenditures to support your goal. Reflect on how creating a step-by-step and organized approach to the assignment helps you adjust the financial priorities in your plan. Download the Excel template below, which further breaks down the steps involved in this assignment. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission. Assignment Template  In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI. A. Assignment Guidelines DIRECTIONS: Refer to the lists below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines. 1. Creating a Financial Plan ? Have you populated the table cells for income, savings, housing, and other expenditures?? Have you selected a rate of savings that is realistic in terms of achieving your financial goal?? Have you verified that the sum of your expenditures (including savings) equals your employment income?? Have you verified that the percent column for the expenditures totals 100%? 2. Reflection Questions ? Have you directly answered each question that was asked?? Have you provided sufficient evidence to support each of your answers?? Have you made clear and logical connections between your conclusions and the data used in the annual budget?? Have you referred to the skills in this course, if required by the prompt? ? Have you included sufficient detail in your answers? B. Rubric Advanced (100%)Proficient (85%)Acceptable (75%)Needs Improvement (50%)Non-Performance (0%) Setting Up the Budget (P1S2-P1S5) (10 points) Enter values in the annual budget for income, housing, and required savings rate based on the chosen savings goal.Annual budget includes income, housing, and a savings rate. The savings rate is calculated correctly based on one of the given financial goals and the chosen time frame. Goal has been described clearly.Annual budget includes income, housing, and a savings rate. The savings rate is calculated correctly based on one of the given financial goals and the chosen time frame. Goal could use more description.Annual budget includes income, housing, and a savings rate but the values do not match what was given. The savings rate is calculated correctly based on the chosen goal and time frame. Goal was described.Annual budget includes information for income and housing, but the values do not match what was given. The savings rate is calculated incorrectly based on the given financial goals, but still usable for the activity.Annual budget is missing information for income and housing, and the savings rate is calculated incorrectly based on the given financial goals. Goal was not described at all. Expenditures and Formulas (P1S6, P1S7) (10 points) Enter all expenditures in the annual budget, use formulas to balance expenditures with income, and use formulas to compute the percentages. All expenditure cells are populated, all formulas were used correctly, income equals expenditure totals, and all the percentages are populated and accurate.Most expenditure cells are populated, formulas were used correctly, income equals expenditure totals, and the percentages are populated and mostly accurate.Most expenditure cells are populated, some formulas were used correctly, income nearly equals expenditure totals, and the percentages are populated and mostly accurate.Some expenditure cells are populated, formulas were used incorrectly, income does not equal expenditure totals, and the percentages are populated but some are inaccurate.Not many expenditure cells are populated, formulas were not used, income does not equal expenditure totals, and the percentages are largely missing. Selecting a Savings Rate (P2Q1) (10 points) Describe why your selected time frame to reach the savings goal is realistic. (75 words or less) Clearly describes why the selected time frame is realistic, tightly aligning the rationale to the original goal and the savings rate. Accurately compares savings to other expenditures.Mostly describes why the selected time frame is realistic, aligning the rationale to the original goal and the savings rate. Compares savings to other expenditures.Mostly describes why the selected time frame is realistic, loosely aligning the rationale to the original goal and the savings rate. Somewhat compares savings to other expenditures.Inaccurately describes why the selected time frame is realistic, loosely aligning the rationale to the original goal and the savings rate. Does not discuss the savings rate or any other annual expenditures.Does not describe why the selected time frame is realistic and does not give any rationale as evidence. Does not discuss the savings rate or any other annual expenditures. Choosing a Housing Option (P2Q2) (5 points) Explain your housing choice in terms of the savings goal, your family situation, desired quality of life, and trade-offs. (75 words or less) CLEARLY EXPLAINS THE HOUSING CHOICE, TIGHTLY ALIGNING THE RATIONALE TO THE SAVINGS GOAL, FAMILY GOALS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. ACCURATELY COMPARES HOUSING COSTS TO OTHER EXPENDITURES.MOSTLY EXPLAINS THE HOUSING CHOICE, ALIGNING THE RATIONALE TO THE SAVINGS GOAL, FAMILY GOALS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. COMPARES HOUSING COSTS TO OTHER EXPENDITURES.MOSTLY EXPLAINS THE HOUSING CHOICE, LOOSELY ALIGNING THE RATIONALE TO THE SAVINGS GOAL, FAMILY GOALS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. COMPARES HOUSING COSTS TO OTHER EXPENDITURES.LOOSELY EXPLAINS THE HOUSING CHOICE, BUT DOES NOT ALIGN THE RATIONALE TO THE SAVINGS GOAL, FAMILY GOALS, OR QUALITY OF LIFE. INACCURATELY COMPARES HOUSING COSTS TO OTHER EXPENDITURES.DOES NOT CLEARLY EXPLAIN THE HOUSING CHOICE AND DOES NOT GIVE ANY RATIONALE AS EVIDENCE. REFERENCES TO THE SAVINGS GOAL, FAMILY GOALS, AND QUALITY OF LIFE ARE INCOHERENT. DOES NOT COMPARE HOUSING COSTS TO OTHER EXPENDITURES. Detailing Expenditures (P2Q3) (5 points) Communicate your process for populating the annual budget with expenditures, and relate the steps you took to reach your selected savings goal. (75 words or less) Clearly describes the iterative process for populating the savings rate and other expenditures based on embedded, accurate formulas.Mostly describes the iterative process for populating the savings rate and other expenditures based on embedded, accurate formulas.Mostly describes the process for populating the savings rate and other expenditures. Leaves out some important technical details.Loosely describes the process for populating the savings rate and other expenditures. Leaves out many important technical details.Describes an invalid process for populating the savings rate and other expenditures. Provides no technical details. Applying Productivity Strategies (P2Q4) (10 points) Compare your finished budget to your original productivity plan, give reasons for taking a step-by-step approach, and relate strategies used back to the course content. (150 words or less) Provides vivid examples of how the finished budget aligns to the original productivity plan and gives strong reasons for taking an iterative approach. References to course content are thorough and on point.Provides vivid examples of how the finished budget aligns to the original productivity plan and gives acceptable reasons for taking an iterative approach. References to course content are acceptable.Provides acceptable examples of how the finished budget aligns to the original productivity plan but gives weak reasons for taking an iterative approach. References to course content need improvement.Provides acceptable examples of how the finished budget aligns to the original productivity plan but gives weak reasons for taking an iterative approach. References to course content are incoherent.Provides weak examples of how the finished budget aligns to the original productivity plan. Gives no supporting evidence for the chosen approach. References to course content are missing. C. Requirements The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded: ABIDE BY THE WORD COUNT LIMITS WHERE APPLICABLE. NO ANSWER SHOULD EXCEED 150 WORDS. Use a readable 11-point font. All writing and data entries must be appropriate for an academic context. Writing must be original and customized for this assignment. Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited. Submission must include your name and the date. Include all the assignment components in a single file. Acceptable file formats include .xls and .xlsx. D. Additional Resources The following resources will be helpful to you as you work on this assignment:

Description This week's nonverbal communication discussions review body language. From a cultural lens, consider how body language during a video conference could be misinterpreted or unintended behavior could be considered distracting. Explain the value of nonverbal communication in a virtual setting.  Explain how nonverbal cues and atmospherics (room environment) can impact effective communication and become a distraction in a virtual setting. Explain how one could properly prepare for a meeting in a virtual setting.  Describe behaviors that could be considered distracting during a meeting.  Describe how to be aware of body language and personal actions during a meeting.  Mention at least one source that supported your ideas in the video

Description When working interculturally, gestures and body language may get misinterpreted. When multiple cultures interact it is important to recognize that gestures or types of nonverbal communication may have different meanings in the various cultures. Therefore participants who engage in a communication process must be aware that difficulties may arise when gestures are being interpreted by members of cultures with different origins or backgrounds.  Explain the value of nonverbal communication in daily communications.  Select two miscommunication issues that may arise during nonverbal communication. Indicate how the issues could be addressed.  Mention at least one source that supported your ideas,

Description This assignment requires that you engage with and learn about a culture that is different from your own. As you do your field experience, you will also support your understanding of the culture through library resources and research. Based on your field experience and library research, how do you understand culture as a system of shared meanings? As a site of contestation? Or as a resource? For this assignment, students are required to write a 1000-word paper that includes the following: 1. A description of the cultural experiences 2. Analysis of the experience using theories and concepts from the course 3. Support for field research through library resources with a minimum of 3 external academic sources 4. Answer the research question through reflections on what you have learned from the experience 

Description Book Review You must choose between: "The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology" or "Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines" The book review must include: 1. What is the problem or issue, why is it important? Give a concise overview of the problem or issue being addressed in the book you have chosen. This overview should be given as the introduction, the reader should be able to walk away and describe the problem and why it matters. Note that when describing the importance of the issue it may be a good place to tie in its intersection with media psychology. Then move to stakeholders, law and policy and finally decisionmakers, if applicable. 2. Keep the PEST factors in mind. Describe what you have learned in your reading and from class lectures, in the book review. Take into account PEST: political, economic, social, and technological factors. All may not always apply but thinking of and addressing the ones that do will help guide your review. 3. Make a policy recommendation. Once you have completed a PEST analysis you should have laid out evidence for what your proposed policy solutions or recommendations are. What are your solutions or recommendations based on your findings? Describe the pros and cons. It is required that you account for different interest groups or stakeholders that would want to get involved on either side of the issue. 4. Give a summary. Lastly, it will be helpful to again keep the PEST factors in mind when summarizing.

Description Please watch this video and answer the following questions: How does the half-moon work? What is syntropic agriculture? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCli0gyNwL0

Description After reading the definitions for "pedagogy" and "andragogy" in this week's content, please discuss your experiences with each. Remember that the way I am using "pedagogy" here is consistent with the way Malcolm Knowles used the term and might be a little different than how others define it. (Warning: you really need to understand the posted readings if you are going to create a successful post in this discussion) In your response to this prompt, be sure to use the specific terminology associated with Malcolm Knowles' theory of andragogy and be sure to use those terms in a way that demonstrates your understanding of them. Here's your discussion topic: You have been a student for quite a long time now. And as such, you have most certainly developed some expertise on what helps to create effective learning. Malcolm Knowles argued that adults learn best under conditions of "andragogy," a model of adult learning, and not so well under conditions of "pedagogy" (as he defined, referring to methods typically used to teach children, not adults). Reflecting on your own experiences, please discuss the following: PART 1: As an adult, describe a situation where you believe you have been treated as a child-like learner, not an adult. What approaches to teaching were used? What were the effects? How did you respond? How did this feel? Please use at least one specific, original example to illustrate your point (and DON'T name names -- just give the example, but since you are probably being critical, please remove any identifying information about the adult educator who you believe used pedagogical methods). PART 2: As an adult, describe a situation where you experienced a more andragogy-like educational model. What approaches to teaching were used? What were the effects? How did you respond? How did this feel? Please use at least one specific, original example to illustrate your point. PART 3 -- FOLLOW-UP: Come back to this forum and engage in some conversation with your classmates. Comment on anything you want, but also make sure that for at least THREE postings you reply with some suggestions on how you believe the original poster's "part 1" response might have been transformed from a pedagogical model to a more andragogical model. You can take up to 4 days after this discussion board closes to continue the discussion. 

Description Students will employ close reading to produce a sample one or more paragraph letter to your site (or a site product) that negatively critiques some issue or problem. This can be an angry or impassioned letter that employs textual analysis. The goal of this letter is to consider and develop your close reading skills for the textual analysis paper and the original research paper. You should thus focus your paper on a specific issue or product and use close reading as a means of identifying and supporting your argument. Please include your argument sentence, which is also in your letter, before the start of you paper and preface it with the term "thesis." Your post should employ correct endnote citations methods. You can consult the Chicago Manual of Style available in the library and the Style Sheet included under Files for more assistance. The professor and students will discuss some of the associated textual analysis posts in class. Please be prepared to discuss your site and analysis.

Description Discussion Questions: Explain what psychological and behavioral factors play a role in 'homegrown' individuals becoming radicalized and conducting terrorist attacks within their own nation. Also, address at least one radicalization model that you feel accurately describes the process by which individuals become extremists.