QSDA2022 plan - Qlik Sense Data Architect Certification Updated: 2024

Under the new program, a solution provider with a passing grade on a Symantec security test plus an approved vendor-neutral certification can earn one of Symantec's certifications, said Allyson Seelinger, Symantec vice president of enterprise and consumer channels. "This will help us get new partners into the program and help them get certified quickly," she said.

For example, the Symantec Product Specialist (SPS) certification requires a Symantec test plus either the Security++certification from CompTIA or the System Security Certified Practitioner certification from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2.

Symantec overhauled its certification program in response to feedback from partners who expressed "angst" with the growing number of vendor-specific certifications in the security industry, Seelinger said.

Other vendor-neutral certifications that Symantec accepts include the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) from (ISC)2 and certain types of the SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Global Information Assurance Certification.

Cupertino-based Symantec also reduced the number of certification exams to four in broad security areas such as firewall/VPN technologies and intrusion-detection, from 12 mostly product-specific tests.

In addition, the vendor is offering instructor-led training for free to its Enterprise Security and Enterprise Solutions Partners. That training usually costs about $1,000 to $2,000 per class, depending on length.

"With the large number of different certifications available, it's refreshing to see a company like Symantec build its certification process on top of robust, industry-recognized certifications," said Andrew Brinkhorst, a Lexington, Ky.-based independent security consultant and certified Symantec Technology Architect. "Customers will benefit from the more strategic or holistic approach to security that the new certification process will emphasize."

Chris Ellerman, vice president of professional services at Meridian IT Solutions, Schaumburg, Ill., said the company already has many Symantec certifications but agreed that the vendor is making the right moves.

"It makes a lot of sense because it's not just a certification that you understand Symantec products but [also] that you understand Symantec products in relation to security concepts," he said. "The security world is a process, not just a product."

This 10-week plan was designed by the experts at Runner's World for advanced runners who have averaged 35 miles per week or more for at least six months and who want to develop speed over a longer distance. Each week features one or two days of rest and five or six days of running. That includes race-pace runs, speedwork, and long runs, which start at 10 miles and peak at 13 miles. Not the right plan for you? Check out Runner's World's training plans for beginners and intermediate runners.

Plan Overview

Plan Length: 10 Weeks

Weekly Routine: 1-2 days of rest, 5-6 days of running

Weekly Mileage: 30–43 miles

Long Runs: Start at 8 miles, peak at 15 miles

Quality Workouts: Half marathon goal-pace runs (HMP), mile repeats

Ways to Purchase

This plan is available for purchase via the following three methods:

Printable PDF · $9.99
Sometimes the tried-and-true approach of printing out a training plan and sticking it on your fridge works best. download this training plan as a PDF that you can print out or save on your computer, phone, or tablet.

TrainingPeaks · $24.99
A Runner’s World plan on TrainingPeaks means you’ll get daily emails with your next workout to keep you on track; the ability to easily upload workouts from one of more than 80 training devices (or the option to record manually); displays that allow you to quickly see your actual workouts compared to to your planned workouts; nutrition tracking to monitor your diet; support and answers on the message boards; and more.

Calendar Snapshot

Here's a sneak peek at what the plan has in store for you. This is week one:

Monday, Day 1 · Rest or Cross-Train
Welcome to week one of Runner's World's Half Marathon Plan for advanced runners. This 10-week plan is designed to help you finish a half marathon fast, fit, and injury-free. // Each Monday, you'll get a note describing your training for the week ahead. And every day, you'll receive an email reminding you about your workout, plus tips on training, nutrition, and injury prevention. // Each week throughout the program, you'll have three or four short runs, one or two days for rest or cross-training, and one long, slow distance (LSD) run to help you develop the endurance you'll need to cover 13.1 miles. You'll also have the option of cross-training (XT), which will help you build stamina and stave off burnout. You'll practice your goal race pace with workouts that call for miles at half marathon pace (HMP). To get faster, you'll hit the track for mile repeats. // Your training kicks off with a rest day. Mondays are usually reserved for rest so you can recover from the previous week.

Tuesday, Day 2 · 6 Miles Easy
Run at a comfortable pace, easy enough that you can hold a conversation. If you're huffing and puffing, you're going too fast. Don't worry about your speed. Just focus on covering the distance.

Wednesday, Day 3 · 4 Miles Easy
If you want to add miles, do it on an easy day. Don't extend any run by more than one or two miles, or add miles on Saturday (the day before your long run).

Thursday, Day 4 · 6 Miles with 2 Miles at HMP
2 miles easy running
2 miles at half marathon pace
2 miles easy running // Today is your first run with half marathon-pace (HMP) miles. This will help you practice the pace you hope to hit in the race. You'll incorporate goal-pace miles in the weeks ahead so that by the time you get to the starting line of your big event, that pace will feel like your natural rhythm, and you'll have the confidence that you can reach your goals. Warm up with two miles of easy running, then try to settle in to your half marathon pace and hold it for two miles. Cool down with two miles of easy running. // Need help setting a realistic goal pace for the race? Use our training calculator at runnersworld.com/tools.

Friday, Day 5 · 4 Miles Easy
Run at a relaxed pace today, or cross-train on a bike or an elliptical trainer for the same amount of time that you'd run. Just don't go so hard that you're sore tomorrow.

Saturday, Day 6 · Rest or Cross-Train
Ideally, you won't exercise at all on these days. But it's okay to do a no-impact activity like yoga, stretching, or swimming. Whatever you do, just take it easy.

Sunday, Day 7 · 10 Miles LSD
Today is your first long, slow distance (LSD) run. The long run is the backbone of your program. It builds your aerobic base, increases your endurance, boosts confidence, and helps you rehearse some of the gear and fuel strategies you'll need for the race. It also helps you prepare for the psychological challenge of racing for a few hours.

Not the right plan for you? Check out our other training plans. Our experts have designed plans for everything from 5K to the marathon at a variety of skill levels.

Hoping to run your first half marathon but not sure how you’ll manage it? Put any concerns aside, as our 12-week half marathon training plan for beginners will help you to build up to the 13.1-mile distance comfortably and confidently, so you can perform your best on race day. Developed by Runner’s World experts, the plan will see you run three or four day a week and is ideal for those who can already complete a long run of six miles or more.

Why run a half marathon?

The half marathon is a fantastic distance – long enough to be a true challenge, but not so far as to knock you for six in the same way that the marathon distance can.

That said, if you want to complete all 13.1-miles – or 21km – of a half marathon, you’ll need to be serious about your training and bear various other things to consider if you want to get it right on race day. First, you’ll need to slowly and sensibly develop your running endurance without overdoing it and getting

Top half marathon tips

Given everything you need to consider, it's understandable that many beginners may feel a bit daunted by the half marathon – but the payoff outweighs the challenges. ‘Many beginners actually find running a half marathon to be life-changing,’ says Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals. ‘They never imagined they could go that far.’

So, before you get cracking with your training, here are our best half marathon tips to help you prepare for that life-changing journey…

Appreciate the distance

The half marathon distance deserves respect and several months of training. Our half marathon plan for beginners – which you can see below – is 12 weeks long, so it's not something to jump into at a moment's notice if you never run 13.1 miles before. ‘This is one test you can’t cram for,’ says Janet Hamilton, running coach and exercise physiologist. ‘For this distance, you’ve got to put in the work.’

Do easy runs at a slow pace

While it may seem counterintuitive when your goal might be to run as fast as you can, running slowly can in fact be your ticket to improvement. Running hard all the time can lead to burnout, injury and a training plateau, which can damage your motivation as much as your body. ‘From our research, it’s clear that elite athletes train around 80% of the time at what we’d call low intensity, and just 20% of the time training hard,’ says Dr Stephen Seiler of the University of Agder, Norway – one of the world’s foremost exercise physiologists.

Even though you may not be an elite runner, it is a universally accepted running rule that the majority (the 80%) of your runs should be completed at a comfortable, conversational pace, where you finish each run feeling like you could still run a bit more. Only the minority (the 20%) of your runs should be executed at a harder, quicker pace – we’re talking intervals, sprints and fast tempos.

The biggest mistake first-timers make is running too many miles, too fast, too soon. Fast-paced running fatigues the body, which heightens your risk of injury and demands longer recovery periods. ‘If at the end of your run you’re gasping for air, or in pain, then you’re going too fast,’ says Hamilton. Basically, the slower you go on your easy runs, the better. If you run with a friend, use it as an opportunity to have a good chat – talking will naturally moderate your effort to an easy pace!

Hit the hills

Hill running gives you great bang for your buck – even if you’re training for a fast and flat race – as it helps to boost both your leg and lung power. ‘Start by incorporating hills that take 60 seconds to run up,’ says Hamilton. ‘As you train and those 60-second hills become easier – and take less time – you can then challenge yourself with steeper or longer hills.’

Where hill work is indicated on our half marathon training plan below, try to plan hilly routes where you can weave in climbs of different gradients. You can of course just run up and down one hill, but that might get boring quite quickly!

Build endurance with long runs

If you’re preparing to take on your first half marathon, you’ll need to build your endurance with a weekly long run. Our half marathon training plan for beginners steadily guides you from a long run of four miles in week one to a long run of 10 miles in weeks nine and 10, the aim being to familiarise your body with running for extended periods of time. And believe it or not, long runs can help to Excellerate your shorter, faster efforts as well – you’ll be able to complete a few more reps on your hill sessions, for example, or maintain a slightly quicker pace.

Listen to your body

When you push your body to run further or faster than you have done before, you’re likely to get some muscle soreness – particularly in the calves, quads and hamstrings. Expect to take around two days to recover from hard workouts during your half marathon training. If you’re still sore on the third day, rest again. If the soreness persists beyond four or five days, it may be worth checking in with a physio, if you can.

The key thing is to listen to your body. As you become more used to running, you learn to distinguish between stiffness that will ease off and pains that should be rested, as well as moments where you simply feel sluggish or lazy and times where you really need to rest.

Cross-train for variety

As you’ll notice, our half marathon training plan for beginners includes optional cross-training or rest days. This means it’s up to you whether you put your feet up and chill, or get on the bike or hit the local swimming pool for some easy laps instead. Integrating cross-training into your schedule can help to optimise your running gains, work different muscle groups, reduce your injury risk and – quite simply – keep things interesting.

Invest in a good pair of running shoes

It might go without saying, but to successfully run 13.1 miles you’ll need to wear running shoes that are comfortable, supportive and fit your feet properly. We always recommend investing in a decent pair that offers just enough cushioning and push-off to protect your body from impact with the ground, and which keep you going strong mile after mile. We've tested a whole host of running shoes – from beginner-friendly shoes to super-fast road shoes to dependable trail shoes – to help you find something that suits you and the terrain on which you run.

Plan early for race day

It’s not unusual to be panic about race day – it can feel a bit like sitting an exam! But to help quieten the nerves, focus on the minutiae of your race day logistics. This could be checking your travel plans to the start area, making sure your bib is pinned securely to your race top or arranging to meet up with friends once you’ve crossed the finish line. It's also important to remember all the hard work you've put in to get to the start line – and to congratulate yourself on that.

Once the start gun has sounded, try to control the urge to set off too fast. Instead, aim for a negative split, where you gradually quicken in pace and run the first half of the race slower than the second. This conservative pacing strategy will help you to finish feeling strong and in control – starting too fast could make the final few miles feel pretty unpleasant!

---

The training plan

Ready to get going? You can find and follow our 12-week half marathon training plan for beginners below. Good luck!

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:59:00 -0600 en-GB text/html https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/half-marathon/a25887045/beginner-half-marathon-training-schedule/

The proposal by the major cardiovascular societies in the US to form a new board of cardiovascular medicine to manage initial and ongoing certification of cardiologists represents something of a revolution in the field of continuing medical education and assessment of competency. 

Five US cardiovascular societies — the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) — have now joined forces to propose a new professional certification board for cardiovascular medicine, to be known as the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCVM). 

The ABCVM would be independent of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the current organization providing maintenance of certification for cardiologists as well as many other internal medicine subspecialties. The ABIM's maintenance of certification process has been widely criticized for many years and has been described as "needlessly burdensome and expensive." 

The ABCVM is hoping to offer a more appropriate and supportive approach, according to Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, a trustee of the ACC, who has been heading up the working group to develop this plan. 

Kuvin, who is chair of the cardiology at Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York, a l arge academic healthcare system, explained that maintenance of certification has been a syllabu of discussion across the cardiovascular community for many years, and the ACC has a working group focused on the next steps for evaluation of competency, which he chairs.

"The syllabu of evaluation of competence has been on the mind of the ACC for many years and hence a work group was developed to focus on this," Kuvin noted. "A lot of evolution of the concepts and next steps have been drawn out of this working group. And now other cardiovascular societies have joined to show unification across the house of cardiology and that this is indeed the way that the cardiovascular profession should move." 

"Time to Separate from Internal Medicine"

The general concept behind the new cardiology board is to separate cardiology from the ABIM. 

"This is rooted from the concept that cardiology has evolved so much over the last few decades into such a large multidimensional specialty that it really does demarcate itself from internal medicine, and as such, it deserves a separate board governed by cardiologists with collaboration across the entirely of cardiology," Kuvin said. 

Cardiology has had significant growth and expansion of technology, tools, medications, and the approach to patients in many specialities and subspecialties, he added. "We have defined training programs in many different areas within cardiology; we have our own guidelines, our own competency statements, and in many cases, cardiology exists as its own department outside of medicine in many institutions. It's just time to separate cardiology from the umbrella of internal medicine." 

The new cardiology board would be separate from, and not report to, the ABIM; rather, it would report directly to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the only recognized medical certification body in the US. 

What Are the Proposed Changes

Under the present system, managed by the ABIM, clinicians must undergo two stages of certification to be a cardiologist. First, they have to pass the initial certification test in general cardiology, and then exams in one of four subspecialties if they plan to enter one of these, including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, advanced heart failure or adult congenital heart disease. 

Next, clinicians enter the maintenance of certification phase, which can take three different forms: 1) taking another recertification test every 10 years; 2) the collaborative maintenance pathway — a collaboration between ACC and ABIM, which includes evaluation, learning and a certified test each year; or 3) longitudinal knowledge and assessment — in which the program interacts with the clinician on an ongoing basis, sending secured questions regularly. 

All three of these pathways for maintenance of certification involve high stakes questions and a set bar for passing or failing. 

Under the proposed new cardiology board, an initial certification test would still be required after fellowship training, but the maintenance of certification process would be completely restructured, with the new approach taking the form of continuous learning and assessment of competency. 

"This is an iterative process, but we envision with a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine, we will pick up where the ABIM left off," Kuvin notes. "That includes an initial certifying examination for the five areas that already exist under the ABIM system but with the opportunities to expand that to further specialties as well."

He points out that there are several areas in cardiology that are currently not represented by these five areas that warrant some discussion, including multimodality imaging, vascular heart disease, and cardio-oncology. 

"At present, everybody has to pass the general cardiology test and then some may wish to further train and get certified in one of the other four other specific areas. But one syllabu that has been discussed over many years is how do we maintain competency in the areas in which clinicians practice over their lifetime as a cardiologist," Kuvin commented. 

He said the proposed cardiology board would like to adhere to some basic principles that are fundamental to the practice of medicine. 

"We want to make sure that we are practicing medicine so that our patients derive the most benefit from seeing a cardiologist," he said. "We also want to make sure, however, that this is a supportive process, supporting cardiologists to learn what they know and more importantly what they don't know; to identify knowledge gaps in specific area; to help the cardiologist fill those knowledge gaps; to acknowledge those gaps have been filled; and then move on to another area of interest. This will be the focus of this new and improved model of continuous competency."

The proposed new board also says it wants to make sure this is appropriate to the area in which the clinician is practicing.

"To take a closed book certified test every 10 years on the world of cardiology as happens at the current time – or the assessments conducted in the other two pathways – is often meaningless to the cardiologist," Kuvin says. "All three current pathways involve high stakes questions that are often irrelevant to one’s clinical practice." 

Lifelong Learning

"The crux of the changes we are proposing will be away from the focus of passing a test towards a model of helping the individual with their competency, with continuous learning and evaluation of competency to help the clinician fill in their knowledge gaps," he explains.

He described the new approach as "lifelong learning," adding that, instead of it being "a punitive pass/fail environment with no feedback, which causes a lot of discontent among clinicians," it will be a supportive process, where a clinician will be helped in filling their knowledge gaps. 

"I think this would be a welcome change not just for cardiology but across medical specialties," Kuvin said. 

He also pointed out the ABMS itself is considering a continuous competency approach, and the proposed new cardiology board aims to work with the ABMS to make sure that their goals of continuous competency assessment are matched. 

"The world has changed. The ability to access information has changed. It is no longer imperative for a clinician to have every piece of knowledge in their brain, but rather to know how to get knowledge and to incorporate that knowledge into clinical practice," Kuvin noted. "Competency should not involve knowledge alone as in a closed book exam. It is more about understanding the world that we live in, how to synthesize information, where we need to Excellerate knowledge and how to do that." 

Kuvin acknowledged that asking clinicians questions is a very helpful tool to identify their knowledge base and their knowledge gaps. "But we believe the clinician needs to be given resources – that could be a conference, an article, a simulation - to fill that knowledge gap. Then we could ask clinicians some different questions and if they get those right then we have provided a service." 

Tactile skills for cardiologists needing to perform procedures – such as interventionalists or electrophysiologists may be incorporated by simulation in a technology-based scenario.

On how often these assessments would take place, Kuvin said that hadn't been decided for sure. 

"We certainly do not think an assessment every 10 years is appropriate. We envision, instead of an episodic model, it will be rather a lifelong journey of education and competency. This will involve frequent contact and making sure knowledge gaps are being filled. There are criteria being set out by the ABMS that there should be a certain number of touch points with individuals on an annual as well as a 5-year basis to make sure cardiologists are staying within specific guardrails. The exact nature of these is yet to be determined," he said. 

Kuvin added that it was not known yet what sort of hours would be required but added that "this will not be a significant time burden."

What is the Timeframe?

The application to the ABMS for a separate cardiology board is still ongoing and has not yet received formal acceptance. Representatives from the five US cardiovascular societies are in the initial stages of formulating a transition board. 

"The submission to the ABMS will take time for them to review. This could take up to a year or so," Kuvin estimates. 

This is the first time the ABMS has entertained the concept of a new board in many years, he noted. "It will be a paradigm shift for the whole country. I think that cardiology is really at the forefront and in a position where we can actually do this. If cardiovascular medicine is granted a new board, I think this will help change the approach of how physicians are assessed in terms of continuous competency not just in cardiology but across all specialties of medicine."

He added: "We are confident that we can work within the construct of the ABMS guidelines that have been revised to be much more holistic in the approach of continuous competence across the board. This includes thinking beyond rote medical knowledge and thinking about the clinician as a whole and their abilities to communicate, act professionally, work within a complex medical system, utilize medical resources effectively. These all have to be part of continuous competence."

How Much Will This Cost?

Noting that the ABIM has received criticism over the costs of the certification process, Kuvin said they intend to make this "as lean a machine as possible with the focus on reducing the financial [burden] as well as the time burden for cardiologists. It is very important that this is not cumbersome, that it is woven into clinical practice, and that it is not costly." 

But he pointed out that building a new board will have significant costs. 

"We have to think about developing initial board certification examinations as well as changing the paradigm on continuous certification," he said. "This will take some up-front costs, and our society partners have decided that they are willing to provide some start-up funds for this. We anticipate the initial certification will remain somewhat similar in price, but the cost of ongoing continuous competency assessment will be significantly reduced compared to today's models."

Kuvin said the collaboration of the five participating US cardiovascular societies was unprecedented. But he noted that while the transition board is beginning with representatives of these individual societies, it will ultimately be independent from these societies and have its own board of directors. 

He suggested that other societies representing other parts of cardiology are also interested. "Cardiology has recognized how important this is," he said. "Everybody is excited about this."

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:53:00 -0600 en text/html https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/new-cardiology-certification-board-what-s-plan-2023a1000umq

The plan lets HISD begin its school year before the fourth Monday in August, allowing for it to have an extended academic calendar.

HOUSTON — On Thursday night, HISD's appointed Board of Managers unanimously approved a new plan that turns HISD into what's called a District of Innovation.

It was approved with a unanimous vote of eight in favor and none opposed.

The status means the school district will be exempt from certain statutory requirements. It'll also get more flexibility in how the district is run.

One of the exemptions in the plan would allow for a longer school year. The district has proposed starting the 2024 25 school year in mid-August. The plan would also allow the school district to hire teachers who do not hold certifications in order to fill vacancies.

The plan would modify attendance requirements for juniors and seniors who spend the time visiting colleges and universities.

It would also allow for disciplinary actions to be taken at students' home campuses for some offenses. One example would be if a student was caught vaping, he or she would not be automatically sent off to an alternative education program.

It would also create with the district calls "a rigorous teacher appraisal system" that it says would allow the district to retain the most qualified teachers.

"It's been widely adopted across the state of Texas to allow for more flexibility. In this district, it's been considered before. We wanted to provide the district sufficient flexibility," HISD School Board President Audrey Momanaee said after the meeting.

The Houston Federation of Teachers issued a scathing statement in response to the board's approval of the DOI plan, writing, "Approval of this plan is a misuse of the public trust given to people responsible for the education and future of our children."

HFT specifically takes issue with the plan to allow uncertified teachers to instruct students. It also said the proposed teacher evaluation plan will create a punitive and subjective system.

Some people at Thursday's meeting weren't happy about the adoption. It seemed that their biggest concern was that it would lead to more job cuts. We'll have to wait and see what happens next to find out if that proves to be true.

Superintendent Mike Miles was absent from the meeting Thursday, however he did thank the board for approving the plan.

"HISD is a District of Innovation," he said in a news release. "We are making the bold changes required to Excellerate instruction and help students develop the competencies they will need to succeed in the future. Having the DOI designation is long overdue and will allow us to accelerate our work in important ways. I want to thank the School Board for its vote tonight. In addition, I’m grateful to the District Advisory Committee for approving the measure, the DOI Committee for developing a thoughtful plan, and our staff and community for supporting Houston’s kids every day."

We're expecting to hear from him sometime Friday afternoon.

A DOI allows more than 60 exemptions from state laws over school operations. Those exemptions include teacher certification and contracts, teacher benefits, and student discipline provisions.

More than 960 school districts across the state fall under this process.

KHOU 11 on social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 23:00:00 -0600 en-US text/html https://www.khou.com/article/news/education/hisd-district-of-innovation-approval/285-23ce9ea6-6135-480f-b83d-1c5791720c0f