Author Archive for Erica Nielsen

Education In America After No Child Left Behind: Where Do We Go From Here?

Published by Erica Nielsen on June 5, 2008 in Programs and Research. 0 Comments

Author: Jim Leatherwood

Public schools play a vital role in shaping this nation’s future. As I write this article, we are about to elect a new President. It is probable that a change in administration will result in a new policy effecting education. The direction and quality of this policy will have a lasting effect on our public schools and on our nation as a whole. So where do we go from here?

At this moment, sitting in a classroom somewhere in America is a future Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, and Martha Stewart. Will these students have the necessary tools to rise to the top of their profession or will we become dependent on other countries to provide leadership in this global economy? Education may be the determining factor.

“The economy of the future will be dominated by industries in microelectronics, telecommunications, robotics and biotechnology - not to mention new fields that haven’t even been predicted.” - NEA TODAY, March 2008

The essential focus in education must be to prepare American students for the challenge of the twenty-first century workplace. It is abundantly clear that our drop-out rate is too high and student performance levels are too low. Identifying these problems may be the first step toward a solution but current solutions simply don’t work. Under NCLB, academic testing has become the main focus for education reform. An emphasis on test results has forced educators to direct their energy and resources directly toward teaching to these tests. The irony is that some career-related courses and arts programs that clearly motivate students to stay in school and perform have been weakened, or even eliminated, in the process. The pressure that this type of reform has placed on educators can negate innovation and creativity in the classroom. Current policy hinders the teacher’s ability to inspire students.

Future planning for education must include a focus on changing technology and introduce the student to the necessity of lifelong learning. Programs like Tech-Prep, School-to-Work and Career Academies have successfully introduced these ideas to some high school students but have not gone far enough. No plan is complete without a delivery system that motivates and inspires students to learn. Such a plan must be implemented long before high school and have the potential to impact every student. When students are motivated to learn, test scores will rise. So where do we go from here?

A successful plan for education will include structured partnerships. As described in the book Facing the Future Together, educators should never plan or implement a program in isolation. Through structured partnerships with those who are stakeholders in education (business, industry and other agencies in the community) every program becomes stronger and every student benefits. Business and industry have an enormous stake in student achievement. Where will future customers, clients and skilled employees come from if not from the school system? Partnerships bring us closer as a community to address our common concerns and everyone benefits. Since we all have a stake in the student who exits our school system, the number of potential partners is almost limitless.

A successful school-business partnership is well structured, sustainable and clearly designed to show students the connection between education and the world beyond the school’s walls. This approach brings relevance to learning and helps to keep students motivated and in school. As previously stated, students will perform better in class and score higher on tests if they understand the relevance of subject matter they are expected to learn.

Taking that first step toward building a successful partnership can be a challenge but the result is that everyone wins. As a new administration takes office in Washington D.C. and a new education policy is formulated we have an opportunity to gain some of the ground we have lost in recent years. Facing the future of education together as partners gives us a strong foundation to build upon.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/education-in-america-after-no-child-left-behind-where-do-we-go-from-here-439490.html

About the Author:

Jim Leatherwood is the author of Facing the Future Together: Forming Successful School-Business Partnerships. Website: Successful School Business; E-mail: thebrookepress@aol.com.

Online Education in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

21st Century Learning: Making Technology Relevant in Today’s Classrooms
“21st Century Learning” is currently the hottest catchphrase in education, but what it means has yet to be fully determined. Technology is a part of students’ everyday lives, and substantial advances in technology have profoundly affected the way they learn. As a result, educators are working hard to meet the ever-evolving needs of 21st century learners. Translating the ongoing technological revolution into a learning experience is a fundamental part of that challenge. — T.H.E. Journal

Textbooks face ban under e-learning finance bill
In Arizona, textbooks would have to be eliminated from classrooms that move to a digital curriculum under legislation that would provide a new way for schools to pay for computers necessary for “e-learning.” — Arizona Republic

Research needed to prove benefits of online learning 
In many countries online learning programmes such as the Open University in the United Kingdom have successfully been implemented at higher education level for many years. These programmes have achieved a high standard of education and the virtual learning environment is a standard element in almost all university programmes worldwide. A central concern is the lack of control over the situation and the learning environment. Not all parents are equally equipped to take on such a key role in their child’s education and although the online modules are there to provide adequate teaching, the responsibility of the parent to oversee the child’s learning is central. — Emirates Business 24/7, United Arab Emirates

Teaching Welsh to the world
As part of Adult Learners’ Week, the University of Wales, Lampeter, last week held a series of workshops and study sessions for prospective students. The Welsh department ran Welsh taster sessions and held an afternoon class for more experienced learners, along with an introduction to our e-learning platform www.e-addysg.com. – ic Wales, United Kingdom

Cameroon: ICTs - A Wide Range of Opportunities
It is commonplace today to find young Cameroonians in cyber cafés glued to computer screens hoping to find jobs, business opportunities, marriages, etc. Since the inauguration of the media centre in two Government High Schools in Yaounde in 2000, the government has ensured that many government high schools especially in provincial headquarters have multimedia centres. — AllAfrica.com

IT News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Office Live Workspace Beta Released Internationally
Microsoft this week released an international beta of its Office Live Workspace (OLW) suite of productivity tools. The company also quietly launched an Office Live Update last week that takes on performance issues and brings in some additional functionality when working with Office 2007, XP, and 2003. — Campus Technology

Plagiarism Tool Scans 1 Million Papers
CMS/LMS provider Blackboard reported Monday that its plagiarism detection service, SafeAssign, has now been used to scan more than 1 million student papers. Blackboard debuted SafeAssign about nine months ago. — Campus Technology

Adobe Launches Bundles for Online Learning
Adobe this week launched a new slate of bundles and resources for educators looking to use Acrobat Connect Pro in their online teaching efforts. Adobe just introduced the new version of Acrobat Connect Pro about two weeks ago. — Campus Technology

OLPC Lays Down Plans for XO-2 Laptop
One Laptop per Child (OLPC) this week spelled out plans for a second-generation XO laptop (XO-2), as well as an interim update to the systems. OLPC XO laptops are designed to provide students with low-cost access to technology. OLPC said the target price for the next-generation machines will be $75. — T.H.E. Journal

Check on China: ChinaEdu Corporation
Beijing-based educational services provider ChinaEdu Corporation hopes to play a significant role in continuing the trend toward increased education. ChinaEdu’s primary business is providing online courses and interactive tutoring services, but it also operates private primary and secondary schools, and markets and supports international curriculum programs in the People’s Republic of China. — SmallCapInvestor

Games in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

New Online Video Game Teaches Students Chinese
A professor at Michigan State University has created a free online video game to help students learn Chinese.The multi-player role-playing game, Zon/New Chengo, allows users to choose Mandarin phrases to converse with other characters in the game about exchanging money, buying breakfast, and other activities visitors to China would experience. — Chronicle of Higher Education

NASA: Developers should pay for online game
NASA wants to create a massive multiplayer online (MMO) game but doesn’t want to pay for it. The space agency wants a game-making studio to develop the game, which would be used to teach students about technical and scientific work. However, that company would most likely have to sign a nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement, meaning that there would be no funds exchanged between the space agency and the developer. — FCW.com, VA

Research in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Web worlds learning platform for kids
Virtual worlds can be valuable places where children rehearse what they will do in real life, reveals research. They are also a “powerful and engaging” alternative to more passive pursuits such as watching TV, according to a BBC-sponsored study. The research was done with children using the BBC’s Adventure Rock virtual world, aimed at those aged 6-12. Carried out by Professor David Gauntlett and Lizzie Jackson of the University of Westminster, the research surveyed and interviewed children who were the first to test Adventure Rock. — Zee News, India

Programs in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

NSA and DHS Designate 10 Universities as Centers of Excellence in Security Education
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have designated 10 universities as new National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. The program is intended to reduce vulnerabilities in the national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in cyber security and increasing the number of professionals with security expertise. — Campus Technology

Dubai eGovernment signs agreement to provide eLearning solutions to Noor Islamic Bank
Dubai eGovernment, a pioneering initiative in the region to provide online services, has signed an agreement with Noor Islamic Bank, to provide a full range of eLearning courses to the bank’s employees. The move is part of initiatives by Dubai eGovernment to improve efficiency among business organisations by helping them achieve 100 per cent adoption of eServices. — Al-Bawaba, Jordan

Computer-Assisted Learning for All
Saudi Arabia is set to spend $15 billion on education, primarily to fund existing and new universities in the Kingdom as part of its movement toward giving top priority to the development of higher education. To keep pace with the latest technological developments, the Kingdom is keen on introducing computer assisted learning in all schools to help the management, teachers, students and parents interact with one another on matters relating to teaching and education. — Arab News, Saudi Arabia

Schools in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

American and Brazilian Students Collaborate via Virtual Classrooms
Four universities–two in the United States and two in Brazil–are testing inter-continental distance learning in a program facilitated by technology from Wimba. The U.S.-Brazil Consortium enables global collaboration among teachers and learners at The University of Georgia in Athens, Utah State University in Logan, Universidade Federal do Ceará and Universidade Estadual Paulista, Bauru. — Campus Technology

Michigan Embraces Electronic Transcripts
To reduce paper flow, save money, and serve students better, Michigan State has begun using the services of electronic transcript firm ConnectEdu. Although it will take time, with 46,000 students and 25,000 applicants a year, MSU hopes to eventually see a sizable dent in the paper flow. — T.H.E. Journal

Unified Communications System in Tulsa Powers Virtual Classroom
Tulsa Technology Center, a school district with four campuses that offers career and technology education classes in Oklahoma, will be deploying a Nortel and Microsoft unified communications platform. The district will be using Xeta Technologies, a national provider of converged voice and data communications solutions. The platform is expected to enhance student-teacher communication while reducing school expenses. — T.H.E. Journal

Pueblo SD Rolls Out WiFi for 1:1 Program
Pueblo School District No. 70 in Colorado has deployed a WiFi network across three of its schools to support the district’s 1:1 computing initiative and to support various mobile devices used in the district. The deployment was handled by WiFi developer Xirrus. — T.H.E. Journal

Louisiana and British Kids Share ‘Virtual Sleepover’
Students from a British school were joined for part of their annual reading sleepover by students from two schools in Louisiana. Organized by Renaissance Learning, which publishes Accelerated Reader, the schools were linked together live by video conference. — T.H.E. Journal

Pupils making net gains with online learning
In the U.K., children as young as four are learning lessons online and sharing their schoolwork with a worldwide audience as the technology boom mushrooms across Redbridge. Pupils have been reading books, writing stories and documenting their learning using virtual diaries, videos and audio files known as podcasts, on school internet forums. – Ilford Recorder 24, UK

iQ Academy Arizona Launches Online Middle School
The success of iQ Academy Arizona’s online high school has prompted an expansion of the curriculum to include a complete middle school program for students in grades six through eight. The new curriculum covers core courses such as English and math, as well as a wide variety of electives such as physical education, health, art, music, career explorations and a wide-range of world language courses for everything from Spanish to Chinese. — Earthtimes

Virtual High School offers classes Watertown can’t provide
In Massachusetts, Watertown High School students will have a chance to choose from close to 300 curriculum courses, available to them 24 hours a day with the click of a mouse. Starting in September, a nonprofit organization known as Virtual High School will be offered to 50 students over the course of the school year. — Watertown TAB & Press, MA

Kings Canyon Unified School District to Launch Innovative New Online High School for 2008-2009 School Year 
High school students in the Kings Canyon Unified School District of California will have an innovative option for secondary education starting this August. Dunlap Leadership Academy will offer more than 90 state-certified courses from online learning leader Advanced Academics, Inc., in addition to a Natural Resources/Environmental Science component that will prepare students for entry-level jobs with the U.S. Forest Service. — Earthtimes

Conferences in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Workshop with Dr Dror on brain-friendly elearning
Dr Itiel Dror, the celebrated cognitive and behavioural psychologist, has announced a one-day public workshop for learning professionals. Building elearning with the brain in mind will take place on 17th June in central London. The one-day workshop covers three key areas: how the mind works; ways to design e-learning effectively and the optimal use of technologies in delivering learning materials. — TrainingZone.co.uk

Africa: Elearning in Continent - a Matter of Capacity Development
The largest pan-African event on ICT for Development, Education and Training will take place from May 28 - 30 in Accra, Ghana. — AllAfrica.com

Publishers in the News (May 19-25, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 25, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Los Angeles USD Adopts Technology-Based Math Curriculum
Los Angeles Unified School District announced last week that it’s adopting Pearson’s enVisionMath California for all of its K-5 students. The district has 436 elementary schools and 27 independent elementary charter schools and centers, serving more than 302,000 elementary students. — T.H.E. Journal

Emerald announce African launch of eLearning platform
Emerald Group Publishing have announced the African launch of their new e-learning networking service; Emerald InTouch at the 3rd eLearning Africa Conference and Exhibition held in Accra, Ghana toward the end of the month. — Information World Review, UK

Test Taking Skills

Published by Erica Nielsen on May 18, 2008 in Programs and Research. 0 Comments

Author: Gene Grzywacz

Most students sit down to take a test with only educational material preparation. Hardly ever do students prepare their emotional, psychological or mental being for what is about to occur. Testing is a nerve wracking process and most people believe that because they know the information that they will do fine and there is not need to prepare the psyche. This generally works until the student sits down after studying hard for the exam and everything goes blank, they can not remember any of the information. This happens more than most people think, believe it or not your mind controlled by anxiety can cause you to bomb a test miserably. These are tips and skills that everyone can use, not only those that suffer from severe test anxiety, but anyone that is put in the test taking situation.

Anxiety is the leading cause of trouble on an academic test. It may not only be because the student is worried about the information on the test, but also other life events that can not be turned off because it is test time. Unfortunately our mind works all the time and it is impossible to differentiate between the test and the fight with the girl/boy friend last night. Though students can not completely remove stress and anxiety from their mind for the test they can do what is called clearing the mind. This allows students to focus their attention, therefore perform better on the exam.

Clearing the mind is a process of relaxation and slowing down. The student must concentrate on breathing and the actual test in front of them. Once immersed in the environment and test they will be fine. By taking deep breaths and letting the muscles of the body relax the individual will be able to turn their attention to the task at hand. This works not only for test taking, but with anything where the student needs to turn their attention to something else.

Changing one’s attitude is not always easy to do and many feel that it is merely impossible, but that is not correct. Some claim that they can tell whether the day will be a good one or bad one when they get up in the morning. There may be some truth to this because many psychological research efforts have shown that people can control their moods by their attitudes. That is correct attitudes can control mood! If a person tells themselves that today is lousy and everything about today is lousy, guess what, they are setting themselves up. On the other hand, the person that has a good attitude and believes that today is a positive day that will bring positive experiences; they will likely have a good day. Attitude is very important in the test taking experience; students must have a positive outlook to perform well on a test.

Another important factor in the test taking experience is following the directions and slowing down. It may be fun to be the first person finished with an exam, but it is not always the best thing. Most questions that are marked wrong are products of improper reading or not following the directions. Students read over questions so quickly they may miss a word or add one in some cases, causing them to mark the incorrect answer. This happens often on tests and after the student re-reads the test they find their mistake. By slowing down and reading the instructions, carefully reading each question, it increases the chances of a correct answer. For some students it is a matter of not knowing the correct answer and has nothing to do with the instructions or slowing down. In this case it is best to use logic to answer the question. There are generally at least two of the answers of a multiple choice question that are blatantly wrong. Rule those two out very first and then concentrate on the other two. Using logic to answer the question sometimes will help guess the correct answer. Another trick is to answer the questions in order and not skip around on the test. Sometimes one question will help you resolve another or give a good clue to the correct answer. Plus by skipping around you are likely to leave a question or two unanswered. The mind is a logical piece, likened to a piece of machinery. Never would you see a computer skipping around answering questions haphazardly. Follow the questions one to the next and it allows your mind to stay focused.

Testing is not the favorite topic of most students. However there are ways to make it a little more pleasant. Take the time to study and do not cram the night before. This disorganizes thoughts and information within the mind, which can cause you to perform poorly on the exam. Prepare not only from the class material or study guide, but also take the time to prepare the mind and body. Relax before the exam and make sure that you are ready. Go to the test with a full stomach, clear mind, and positive attitude for a passing grade!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/test-taking-skills-418141.html

About the Author:

Read more from Gene’s website College Success: standardized tests taking tips ,and becoming a nurse.