Tertiary Vocational Education – Bachelors Education With a Difference

Monday, November 26, 2012
Every year thousands of students all over the country complete their schooling, and apply for admissions in colleges and universities for further studies. While the sciences, law, accountancy, banking etc are the popular picks, there is a small but fast growing number who are opting for universities that offer a formal training and education in creative vocational courses like music, dance, dramatics, computers, web designing etc.

The syllabus of these courses is designed with the view to not only provide the theoretical knowledge, but hands-on training and practical know-how in the chosen field; in order to expose the students, and better prepare them for their chosen careers. While the traditional courses follow the semester and examinations system, with practical training and apprenticeship being offered in very few subjects, the creative vocational courses aim at revamping the educational system and pedagogies altogether.

With the growing demand for students who are not just textbook learners or scholars, but are well prepared to meet the dynamic demands of the global workforce in fields like entertainment, IT, travel and tourism, performing arts etc, the need to shift the focus from just the classroom and textbooks has been strongly felt. The teaching methods in vocational courses are very comprehensive and better suited to the creative needs of the students.

·Vocational courses do delve into the history, theory, and a detailing of the concepts, but these are attached too much value. Practicals, projects, training, learning by doing, is the preferred medium of instruction in vocational courses. So while studio work is compulsory in a photography course, most drama classes are organized not in classrooms but in theatres where students are actually exposed to the stage, lighting etc.

·Not only this, but the students are also allowed to choose their specializations, usually from the second or third semester onwards, so the education that they get is not of a general nature, but focuses on the specific skills and training required for their specializations. For instance, a student studying photography can choose to focus on wildlife photography, fashion photography, documentaries etc.

·The teaching staff and faculty in vocational courses are renowned artists and practitioners in their own fields, rather than just being educationists. They work best to understand the needs of the students and the courses and the right methodology to impart the kind of education to their students that will best help them to meet the demands of the job market. Guest lectures by people who have worked successfully in their respective fields are also common, to not only inspire students with their own success stories but to also offer them advice and answer questions and queries that they may have related to their chosen courses.

·Apprenticeship or a training period is a mandatory credit in vocational courses. Working under the guidance of a professional person helps students in ways that no education imparted in any classroom can equal. Dealing with day-to-day occurrences, learning by watching, and taking small but important responsibilities as trainees, helps students prepare themselves for when they would independently start working.

·Examinations are conducted in vocational courses as well, but the written theory exams are not considered indicators of the students progress, but practical performances, projects, actual music recitals, clothes designed by students themselves, short-films made independently and other practical ways of gauging a students progress are given more importance.

Is Online Education Cheaper Than Traditional On-Campus Education?

Saturday, November 24, 2012
Along with the widespread advantages of online education, wouldn’t that be an additional bonus if the tuition was cheaper as well? Contrary to popular belief, tuition fees for online education are not cheaper than your traditional brick and mortar college or university education. Current information that boasts cheaper online education can be misleading.

There are a lot of “what ifs” when it comes to education costs. Tuition will certainly be more expensive if you attend a private school as opposed to a public school. But you will not find any great cost savings by attending school online instead of on-campus. The courses you choose, whether online or on-campus, will generally cost you a specified amount per credit. Depending on the amount of credits your degree or certificate needs, will decide the total cost of your tuition.

If you do happen to come across an unbelievable deal for achieving your degree online, then beware. The validity of the degree may be as unbelievable as the price. Diploma Mills will take your money in exchange for a fake degree. They are a huge business and make lots of money off of the unsuspecting student. A sure sign of a Diploma Mill is if you see “Achieve your Bachelor’s Degree for $425” or “Get Your Degree in as little as 27 Days” –Beware! If what the online school is offering seems too good to be true – it probably is.

So, despite its convenience and flexibility, online education offers no cost advantage on your tuition. But wait, you can still save money. Having the ability to engage in your education from the comforts of your own home has many cost savings benefits attached to it. You could save hundreds or thousands of dollars alone in:

Auto Expenses – first off, there isn’t the extra expense of gas and we are all aware (and sensitive) towards our rising gasoline prices. Depending on how far you would typically have to drive to university, this could be a substantial savings. Parking on campus can also do a good job at keeping your wallets empty over the course of a semester. And there are always other accompanying costs which come with owning a vehicle.

Room and Board – If the college or university offering your program is too far away that you can’t commute, then online education can save you a huge chunk of cash on not having to pay for food and lodging close to the campus. Costs for room and board alone can sometimes add up to more than the tuition fees.

There are still other minor cost savings benefits that are recognized from taking your courses online. But the real benefit is that, if it wasn’t for online education, some people wouldn’t have the ability to pursue a post secondary education at all. Many are working or have families and they cannot attend school during the day. For others, online education can be the source of “hard to find” course that they need. The benefits are many.

The costs of developing, implementing and delivering distance education courses can be substantial. Online Institutions have not passed these costs onto the students as one would think. We are actually fortunate that the cost of online education isn’t higher than on-campus tuitions.

Difference Between Online Education Vs. Traditional Education

Thursday, November 22, 2012
These days, the internet has grown into a veritable wealth of information for college seekers. Everything from applying for financial aid to taking a course can be accomplished online. Now, a student can even obtain online degrees from one of many schools offering online education as a viable alternative to a traditional classroom education. How different are these two methods of teaching, and do either prove better for the student? There’s an abundance of information regarding online education, and distance education is becoming increasingly popular for students everywhere.

First and foremost, there are some obvious benefits in obtaining online degrees. For example, juggling a job, school and a home can be very difficult as far as commuting to the classroom every day. With online education, you eliminate the need to attend classes, and instead access your coursework from an internet website. This presents an obvious benefit to the overworked college student because his commute is basically slashed in half. What’s more, many distance education programs allow students to complete the coursework any time during the day, while still adhering to overall deadlines. This allows for flexibility that a traditional classroom setting can ordinarily not provide.

However, is an online education truly comparable to the type of education a student would receive in an actual classroom? Many professionals in the field say yes, and certainly students seeking online degrees can confirm this response. Not only does online learning provide a stimulating environment for students, but it promotes even interaction among every student because everyone has a say in classroom discussions. What’s more, online education programs allow each student to learn with the methods that work best for them. Plus, many employers respect online degrees as much as a traditional college degree, so there’s really no difference in the amount of education or respect a student will receive when attending an online college.

While traditional colleges will never be eliminated, there’s definitely been an increase in the amount of students attending online colleges in recent years. Many people choose to follow the online education route for the diversity of material they can find, or because the teachers are more approachable via the internet than they would be in a classroom setting. Students definitely need discipline and self-motivation to succeed in obtaining online degrees, but there’s still the same level of help and support from teachers and students online that there would be in a classroom. What’s more, internet college students are learning skills that will be beneficial to them in the workforce and beyond because of the way technology is evolving today.

Online degrees are becoming an increasingly popular way to obtain a college education and many students are turning to online education because of the quality of material, convenience and the level of flexibility inherent in distance education programs. Because there’s no distinct differences between an online education and a traditional education, students are assured they are receiving the same kind of education that they would in a brick and mortar setting. There are definite benefits to online degree programs, and students with discipline and motivation can and will succeed greatly in online education programs.

Study National Security Studies and Global Security Studies at a Security College

Monday, November 5, 2012
The domestic terrorist threat is valid and manifests itself in two ways: criminal networks and the radicalization of U.S. citizens. History suggests that both possibilities can, and indeed, have occurred.

In the U.S. criminal networks have gained strength. Most major U.S. cities have street gangs that represent vast groups of people devoted to the gang’s cause. These individuals may have a similar psychological make-up as the terrorist. Many have come from dysfunctional families, have achieved a low education, and are poor. Although not nearly as bleak as countries in the Third World, gangs in the U.S. are lacking in opportunity. The psychosocial make-up of street gangs in the U.S. may make them vulnerable to aligning with terrorist groups who may offer them money and weapons to fund their gang wars in exchange for carrying out terrorist attacks in the U.S.

There is a similar vulnerability with more organized crime. Though many in the U.S. media and film romanticize the organized crime lifestyle, the reality of such organizations is much different. They tend to be psychopathic organizations not interested in abiding by the law and whose aim is to maximize profit. Such a group may be vulnerable to being bought by terrorist organizations and sent on terrorist attacks.

There is also the threat of radicalization. There are many U.S. Muslims who have been mischaracterized because of their ethnic background. In addition to governmental initiatives that some may perceive to “target” Muslims it is possible that some U.S. citizens have projected their larger fears of radical Islam on Muslim Americans and as a result treated them in hostile or disrespectful ways. Those conditions can very likely foster resentment towards the government and a sympathetic attitude toward terrorist organizations.

Additionally, there are likely many Americans whose psychosocial ineffectiveness has led them towards a negative identity. Those who are more pathological may be vulnerable to seeking the negative terrorist identity. Thus, in addition to Muslim Americans being radicalized there is the possibility that non-Muslim Americans can be radicalized.

This security threat requires involved citizens to take part in protecting their homeland from attacks. People can learn more about such threats by taking national security studies or by being involved in global security studies. This kind of curriculum can be found at a security college and can be completed online.

The fact that this curriculum and an accredited security college can be found online is important. It allows the student to conveniently access serious information taught by former and current military and government agency workers. As such, the national security studies will be taught by people who know the field and who have experience in global security studies.

It is very possible that security colleges will be at the forefront of the fight against terrorism at home. They allow citizens who are in the strategic security field, or those who are not, access to national security studies and global security studies. Earning a degree in this area can lead to career advancement in the strategic security field or landing employment in private or government security.

Continuing Education For Insurance Professionals and Adult Learners

With online courses becoming more and more popular we wanted to touch on some basic tips students should consider when starting an online class. Being prepared could be what sets you apart from the other students in your cohort. Some of the things we mention could seem like common sense, but none the less, a very important part of being successful in an online course.

Let’s first start with classroom courses. Typically, a student will come to class 1-3 times per week and listen to an instructor give a lecture. Here, the students are able to answer questions, see their teammates, and usually meet after class if they have group work to complete. It is a very hands-on-experience. Most classes entail a lecture with PowerPoint slides followed by a question and answer session. Students enjoy learning this way because of the interaction with the professor and other students. Attendance is usually taken and counted for participation points. So if you do decide to attend a class on campus, make sure you can make all of the classes. Many schools offer night programs so someone working full-time can attend class after work.

One of the biggest motivators of higher education is earning more money. Typically students with the highest level of education earn the most money. They are usually in managerial or director type positions with employees reporting to them. In many programs you will learn about managing others, budgets, and communication skills to help you be successful. An advanced degree can help you get promoted to earn a higher salary or be recruited by another company with a pay raise.

Depending on where you are in your career and your education level you should know what kind of learner you are. Are you a visual learner? Do you need to read something three or four times before you comprehend it? Or, can you hear it once and retain the information? If you need to see something or even write it yourself, you need to allocate extra time if you are in an online class. The good thing is, most online classes consist of videos, articles, podcasts, and papers. So online learning may actually be easier than listening to a live lecture. You are able to rewind the videos and re-read the articles at your convenience. Don’t be scared to ask your professor for additional resources or time if you are struggling in a class. They are there to support your learning.

Another factor to consider is price and how you plan on financing your education. Are you going to put it on a credit card or use financial aid? Does your company offer any type of tuition reimbursement? These are all things to consider when choosing a program. Remember if you are considering financial aid, at the graduate level only student loans are available. So you will have to pay that money back plus interest. Also, if your company offers tuition assistance make sure to check their policy once you complete your degree. Many times they will require you to stay with the company for a certain amount of time (usually 1-2 years) or you will be required to pay your company back.

Continuing Education is Essential to Succeed

There is a rumor going around the education industry that online courses are easier than traditional classroom courses. Some people state they barely put forth an effort and still pass their online classes. There was a stigma about online education created a few years ago which agreed with this exact statement. Schools like University of Phoenix, Kaplan, and Devry were actually frowned upon by certain employers. They didn’t want to recruit graduates from these schools because they were known as “online schools”. Since then, the perception on an online degree has definitely changed. More students are going back to school than ever before, and many of them are doing it online. In this article we are going to discuss some of the major differences between online and on-campus classes and why online courses are not easier.

One of the biggest decisions one will make in their lifetime is where to go to school. Whether you are 18 and graduating high school or 55 and going back for an advanced degree; this is a very important decision. Some factors may be more important than others. Depending on your age, lifestyle, degree you’re seeking, and whether you want to do an online or on campus program there are many things to consider before enrolling in school. You also need to take into consideration the entrance requirements. Of course everyone would like to have a degree from Harvard, but obviously that is not feasible for some. Many weigh their options and build an excel spreadsheet consisting of pros and cons of different schools. This is a good idea if you are researching many schools. The next step is to apply to your top five. If your get accepted to more than one school you have to look back at your spreadsheet and decide what the best choice is. Many students spend months applying to different schools.

Due to the economic conditions over the past five years many adults and young professionals decided it was in their best interest to go back to school. Whether their company was downsizing, their position was being eliminated, or they wanted to make themselves more marketable, going back to school was a priority for them. When the economy is booming, everyone seems to have a job. When everyone has a job, education is on the back burner for most. Education costs a lot of money and takes up a lot of time, especially at the graduate level. So if individuals are comfortable where they are and they are making enough money, they feel they don’t see a need to go back to school.

A few things to consider no matter what school you choose are: accreditation, duration, and price. Make sure the institution you choose is regionally accredited. This is the highest accreditation in the United States. It is similar to any state school or community college. How long is the program you are considering? If it is an undergraduate degree can you finish in less than four years? If it is a master’s degree is it available in a 12, 18, or 24 month format? Finally, price is always a huge factor when looking at different schools. What is the cost per credit hour? What is the overall cost of the program? These are very important questions when deciding on a school. You may be able to get the same type of degree online at a much cheaper price than attending classes on campus.

What Makes One Child a ‘Smarty’ and Another a Perpetual ‘Struggler’?

If your child is having problem coping with math at school, you are not alone! You just have to visit educational forums and blogs and you will be amazed at how parents are desperately trying to find answers.

Parents, with children as old as 18, seek help and guidance. Many are usually verbally bashed and labeled ‘incapable’ and ‘abnormal’ and accused of being unworthy of raising children.

How many parents out there are going through this same experience every-day?

There are millions of untold stories that would make one shudder at the thought of what the future holds for many young adults.

I have seen parents with children unable to cope with math at school. To see their frustration and utter helplessness disturbed me to the extent that I wished I could do something to help them.

I was convinced that regardless of how badly a child performs at school, she can still catch up and do better if she were taught in the right and effective way.

It’s pretty hard for a child to grasp everything that is taught in class.

By the time she gets home she can hardly remember much of what was taught in class. How can this child be expected to do her homework without stress?
She would definitely need help and parents sometimes can’t help as methodologies have changed so fast since they left school.

However, they try to help with whatever they can remember, but is it fair to the child? If this problem is left unattended it can escalate and get a child to lag far behind in her studies.

So how can those children be helped to do better? And how can a student already struggling make any progress? It's a question that has had many fruitless answers.

Teachers try their best but it's a very time consuming and slow process especially if those students have lagged behind a few years due to social or domestic reasons.

They would definitely be able to make some progress but not at the same rate as students in similar situation who have access to more effective methods of learning that can accelerate learning considerably.

If the pressure of learning is eased, students tend to relax and learn better. Unfortunately this cannot be controlled in a classroom environment where peer and performance pressure, added to personal and social dilemmas, can be too much for a student to bear.

It has been a few years since a group of teachers have been researching and experimenting on a method of teaching. They came up with an effective way that allows struggling students to learn and achieve in a relatively short period of time.

Their system is simple enough to motivate slow and struggling students learn math and progress quicker. All they have to do is to go straight to the solution and learn how a question is to be answered.
This layback and tolerant method of learning encourages otherwise unwilling students to look forward to finish their homework and satisfactorily progress in their learning odyssey.

Choose the Best Schools For Quality Education

The major problem in India is low literacy rate. The progress of India depends upon the young getting education. When the literacy rate goes high, the country will proceed in the direction of prosperity. This is why there is a need for schools. When you have good schools, success is inevitable. Hyderabad is not as strong and urbanized as Mumbai and other bigger cities, however, it has got various schools and the residents are striving endlessly to send their little kids to school so that they could study.

However, whether it has the best or average schools is a major question. This is because the country is experiencing a brain drain. Educational institutions are springing up in every nook and corner and parents are sending their children to such institutions with the hope of getting them a good education. Nevertheless, whether they manage to receive an education that is good enough is debatable!

This is because of the teaching staff that is hired by such schools. The teachers who work in such institutions are not qualified enough to take up the responsibility of children. Therefore, there are very few schools in Hyderabad that meets the education standards and provide quality education to the students. However, if you search for them thoroughly, you will find the ones that are worthy of being labeled as good schools.

Here is the list of a few best schools in Hyderabad where you can send your children for quality education:

The Howard/Harvard public school is the first best school that you will find in Hyderabad. This school is currently affiliated with the CBSE board which is the best board in India for providing good education. This school is decades old and offers co-education to its students. This school is situated in the very heart of Hyderabad called Himayatnagar and accommodates numerous students in a comfortable environment. They have various facilities such as library, sports ground, computer and science labs, arts and craft, games and numerous others.

Oakridge International School, another best school is established in the year 2001. However, in the later years, they introduced the XII grade so that the students could continue with their education in this school till XII. After all, the Oakridge International School enrolls 2500 students every year. They provide boarding facilities for students who come from abroad.

Pragnya Montessori School is also one of the best institutions that parents can consider sending their kids. Even though it is a Montessori level school, it manages to provide quality education. The main thing is that it offers unique methods of teaching for toddlers. This is why it has received a third rank in the category of the best schools in Hyderabad. This school is ideal for sending kids aged between 30 months to 12 years. The school education is categorized into elementary and primary levels in which the former is 2.5 till 6 years while the latter continues after 6 till 12 years.

From the above list one can now decide which school to go for when you are living in Hyderabad. If you have a kid ready to be sent to school, check out these schools.

Top Schools For Better Schooling

Ranking of schools is based on merit status. There is a common examining body and then the average points of every school are calculated. The average is calculated by dividing the total points for all the students who sat for the exam with the number of students who did the exam.

Individual grading of the students is conducted using a drafted grading system. Occasionally there are trophies that are awarded to the top performers. These trophies serve as a motivation for the best performers and an encouragement to poor performers to work harder and get it. This competition is however not very healthy as it depicts the purpose of education as competition rather than a way of acquiring useful life skills and knowledge to be used constructively in innovations.

The top school according to the 2012/13 statistics is Gitanjali School which was established back in 1985. It is run by Mrs. Gita Karan, the founder principal who works closely and jointly with three headmistresses and a dedicated teaching staff. The main array of communication is English. The school has a board of directors and a hard working supportive staff. The highly qualified teaching body aims at developing the student’s knowledge, capacity and developing the personality of students. According to the management, the achievements are a combination of effort and unity amongst all the stakeholders. The school is the current pacesetter in education across the country.

The Bharatiya Vidya public school was ranked second. The school was set up way back in 1979.The school has a very efficient library stocked with the latest sets of course work. Teaching is usually done with the aid of audio visual devices. The school also boasts of a good sporting department with many games such as cricket, football, and volleyball with very trained coaches. The school has laboratories for teaching mathematics and science.

The third best school is Little Flower School which was established in early 1953 and has a close affiliation to the Secondary Education Board. The school has a variety of facilities such as a multi-purpose hall, auditorium, a well stocked up library with over 20000 sources of information and a variety of extra-curricular facilities such as ball games and music. The school is undergoing an evolution in teaching practices and strategies in order to keep up with the latest social developments.

The fourth school on the list is St. Ann’s school founded back in 1965 by Sr. Ignatius Loyola with 220 students. Apart from education, this school encourages students to take part in cultural activities as well. This school strives for overall development of students and conducts local and educational trips once in a year.

The last school in the top five categories is NASR School founded in 1965 by Begum Khan. The school has a strong academic structure, community involvement programs and an exclusive faculty on a pleasant campus. The school management strives at attaining the best conducive environment for students and an enabling environment to working staff. The clear definition of their target has helped them to progress in an upward direction and the fraternity has promised that soon it will be ranked among the top two slots.

The ranking of schools is usually a measure of excellence and commitment of all the stakeholders. A quite environment and well stocked library and laboratory are a key factors to school ranking and overall success of the school.

Brainwashing Children – the Astonishing Truth You Need to Know

There are systems in place, from nation levels all the way down to the educational systems, which are controlling the minds of children and disrupting the natural, human thought process that we are all born with.

It might be easy, or comforting to think that talk of brainwashing children, or anyone for that matter, is just fiction being generated by conspiracy theorists. A careful look at the systems we subject our children to bears witness to the fact that mind control is, in fact, very real. And it takes place every, single day with our approval.

It All Starts with Education

Children go to school to learn about reading, writing and arithmetic, or so we are conditioned to believe and accept. The truth is that legitimate education does take place in our schools, but there are mind control tactics that are routinely used as a part of this education.

One of the most ominous signs of this thought conditioning process is reflected in how nations force children to pledge undying allegiance for their countries as a part of the everyday routine. Children, who are too young to even understand the implications of nationalism, are forced through rote memorization and mind control to say these pledges every day.

This routine is nothing more than state sponsored patriotism, being forced on children to make them "better" citizens. If you get some perspective and take an honest look at this process, it is clear that it is one of the most powerful tools used by the state in brainwashing children.

Behavior Modification

Children are taught in school to line up and take up orderly formations that can only be compared to military drills of uniformity. They are also taught that they must raise their hands (forming a physical/mental conditioned response) and get the teacher's approval before they answer or ask any questions. This is an extreme form of mental control that is implemented in tiny doses, day after day, as a child progresses through the educational system.

Techniques, like isolating children who do not behave according to the rules and ridiculing children in front of their peers for bad behavior are more outright signs of mind control that are remarkably similar to techniques used in prisons and in military training. There can be no doubt that a life spent subject to this kind of mind control certainly breaks the will, and conditions the thoughts of children to make them easier to control for their entire lives.

Taking a good, hard look at how the state, through the educational system, begins to implement mind control at a very young age, clearly demonstrates that brainwashing children does take place – right before our very eyes.

It is a difficult truth for many people to accept, but that is because we, too, have been subject to this kind of mind control for our entire lives. However, once you see the light and realize what is going on, you are in a place where you can take action and protect your children from becoming slaves to this kind of thought control.

Aren't you ready to stop this kind of brainwashing from happening to your children?

Four Essential Tips to Prevent Homeschooling Burnout

Homeschooling can have plenty of advantages. It enables parents to be more involved in their children's education and thus direct their learning. Nevertheless, homeschooling kids can pose major challenges to moms. Since moms are often the ones in charge of the children's education and other household responsibilities, such an endeavor requires more time and attention to multiple tasks.

Oftentimes, mothers experience homeschooling burnout. This is a typical reaction of many homeschooling moms because most of them have difficulty coping with the adjustments that must be made when they enroll their children in a homeschooling program. Still, there are ways in which homeschooling burnout and mother overload can be avoided. Here are a few tips that moms can follow:

Learn to Prioritize

Mothers are tasked to be the ones in charge of the household and the well-being of the children. Having kids homeschooled means additional responsibility. With multiple tasks like these, it is necessary for moms to learn how to prioritize. Determine situations that need the most immediate attention. Remember that chores can always wait and the point of homeschooling is that studies can be scheduled during varied times of the day depending on your preference. Unexpected events that can ruin daily schedules may need more attention and importance. Flexibility can be a trait that can surely help mothers from getting stressed out. It is also essential to know that learning for children does not only depend on books. Situations that may arise like caring for a sick relative or going to the grocery can provide meaningful learning. Occasions like the ones mentioned is where children learn values that they can carry throughout life and getting them to understand them is also necessary more than hitting the textbooks.

Organize Schedules

Another effective way of avoiding homeschooling burnout is planning. Organizing daily or weekly schedules so that proper attention can be given to each activity will help. More than this try to stick to the planned schedule if there are no emergencies that needs to be given priority. Effective time management is always the key. Have a time for rest and relaxation as well. Every mother deserves to have a time for herself. Getting the right amount of rest will aid in having replenished strength to do chores and responsibilities.

Be Innovative In Teaching

In many cases, homeschooling moms would always dedicate learning time to hitting the books and lecturing as a teaching style. As the ones in charge of their children's learning, mothers have the option to choose various teaching styles that will prevent the kids from getting bored and themselves from acquiring homeschooling burnout. An option would be to take the children outside or have them do a project. There are a wide array of choices. It is also essential to keep in mind not to overcrowd various activities in a single lesson. Lowering your expectations and selecting one or two ideal activities for every lesson is recommended.

Seek Support

There will be times that the bulk of work for moms can be overwhelming. In such events, mothers can avoid homeschooling burnout by getting the help of dads in teaching their children. Fathers have an equal responsibility for the kids' education and can contribute greatly to their learning. Other than this, moms can seek support from other homeschooling moms for tips and joint learning sessions for their children.

Turning Students on to Mathematics

Mathematics influences virtually everything we do but, unfortunately, many students, parents, and teachers do not connect the mathematics studied in school with the applications and uses of mathematics in everyday life. When we travel to school, pay for groceries, calculate time, follow a recipe, use a computer, play video games or participate in sports we are applying school level mathematics.

Similarly, in the workplace when we draft patterns, build models, operate machinery, calculate costs, analyze data, or plan a series of operations, we are applying mathematics and mathematical thinking.

The problem with teaching and learning mathematics both in the classroom and in a home learning situation is that mathematics is seen, and has been for many years, as difficult and of little value.

Some causes for this are,

a) too many teachers and parents do not have a strong enough knowledge and understanding of mathematics and pedagogy to create the positive learning environment necessary for 21st Century students, and

b) far too many adults claim they were never any good at math at school thus implying that success in life does not require any mathematical ability.

The net result is that many students are switched off math at an early age.

We have to find ways to switch them back on to mathematics otherwise they may leave school lacking the necessary skills to function successfully in the modern world. Students today need a much higher level of mathematical ability than 20 or 30 years ago. It is not sufficient that they know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide, know how to calculate areas and volumes, describe geometrical shapes and objects, calculate mean, median and mode or calculate probabilities. Certainly they have to know these facts but it is imperative that they also understand and are able to apply this knowledge in different ways and in different situations.

Historically mathematics has been taught mainly through rote learning and this continues today. While there is some value for a modicum of rote learning, turning learners on to mathematics requires a variety of teaching strategies including the use of hands on explorations of mathematical ideas, greater use of non routine problems that challenge students and require them to be creative, and an increased understanding of why mathematics is important.

Common sense and research tell us that children like to play, to be engaged, to investigate, and to learn and computers are an excellent tool for motivating students. Computer programs can present high quality mathematics questions combined with colourful graphics that are attractive and captivating for learners. Questions can be presented one at a time, thus avoiding the distraction or intimidation of a whole page of questions, and hints and solutions can be just a “click” away.

By interacting with a computer program students may not be cognizant of the strategies that are being employed to guide their development. They are only conscious of rising to the challenge of successfully solving the non-routine problems in an environment of make believe characters and entertaining graphical situations.

Finding quality math teaching software or good problems can be challenging but worth the effort when one sees the positive learning effects on students.

Current Mainstream Reading Mode

The friend recommended based social recommendation (Social Graphs)

Flipboard for it by analyzing the user in the social network, including friends like Facebook, all social networking sites and Twitter, Sina microblogging microblogging service above information as a source of information, direct crawl behind some of the links renumbered the articles or pictures of the entire organization, and presented to the new layout. SNS is based on friends, family and may have a common interest or common concern of friends, so the correlation of these content will be higher, closer personal interest.

Based personalized recommendation algorithm recommended (Interest Graphs)

Zite for forward / ignored / shield and other behavioral data to calculate the user's preferences by analyzing a collection of different sources / topics / primary screening data on the user's social concerns / news subscription Again screening recommended for users with more relevant information.

The disadvantage of mainstream read mode

SNS and SNS-based source of information not suitable for reading

The fly based on the recommendation of the social network, in addition to the number of friends is not caused by too much information narrower social network information flow as read information source essentially is debatable. Corrosion because many people already SNS platform of this group, like Jean-Marie Le Pen's "rabble" said, "groups of poor reasoning, is anxious to action" personal microblogging integration into the group after the emotional and thoughts will turn to groups of all public direction, easier to impulsive, fickle, credulous, irritable, paranoid, overbearing, emotional, extreme, does not allow the existence of doubt and uncertainty, like low biological state. This has nothing to do with the individual qualities of the constituent groups, this time its decisive role is instinctive and emotional, is an "unconscious" level, rather than rational.

Therefore, in many cases, the information you see is around the particular microblogging staggering SNS big vat, after a lot of information into the implied and amplified the various comments, forwarding, modify, re- forwarding will become mutilated, distorted, rumors become even because of the missing and out of context. Excessive amplification of any power will blur the truth behind, so we need to be more calm, rational and objective information, rather than this source of information can not be guaranteed to be around.

Recommendation algorithm is a panacea?

Or would you say, we have algorithms think that may come in the future based on semantic search, data mining, and intelligent match the Web3.0 completely personalized era, many people are optimistic about it. It is true that the present and future trends are based algorithm recommended, but in the moment, the algorithm is not a panacea. Act as recommended roles such as watercress, most the domestic quality algorithms with known or your friendly neighbors, but not often do not fly watercress guess. The moment, the algorithm also can not completely take on the important task of recommended, after all, the algorithm is dead, often a little accidents will result in severe matching offset. For example, reading applications need to provide individuals with inside "source" or after polymerization to form the customization of information "flow" from the definition of "source", algorithm-based selection process, single and repeat multiple applications "source" so customizable difficulty increases, the run time becomes longer, Once you interested in a little bit of change, occasional interruptions will make the filtering mechanism flaws, because the algorithm is not smart enough to be Identify some exceptions.

Study Skills For Middle School Students; How to Overcome Overwhelm

A few days ago, I was sitting in the waiting room of a local gym, watching my daughter’s gymnastics class through the viewing window. Another mom was seated next to me, watching her son’s class, bouncing a baby on her lap, and cradling a cell phone in her neck as she talked to someone at work.

I instantly recognized that “mom dance!” I’ve done it many times; juggling work, a baby, and another child…all at the same moment.

When she hung up, I struck up a conversation about the balancing act of career and family. We chatted for quite a while, sharing stories and a lot empathy! Naturally, I mentioned that I teach study skills.

Suddenly, another mom slid over next to us. She turned to me, apologized for eavesdropping (we were packed in the waiting area like sardines, so that was inevitable), and explained…

“My son just started sixth grade. It’s his first year in middle school, and he is totally overwhelmed!” She described his greatest challenges were getting organized and managing intense subjects, such as math, English, German, and Science.

“And… homework is killing us!” she continued. “We spend more than two hours a night on homework! It’s brutal!”

Like so many families, his homework has become *her* homework. He simply is not equipped to manage it on his own. It’s only been a few weeks since the school year began, but this routine will quickly pin both of them against each other. They are going to burn out quick!

She was concerned about her endurance. “I thought of taking him to a tutoring center for help, but,” she sighed, “they really can’t help him with German and Science. I never thought about it before, but maybe he needs study skills to get through middle school!”

She’s Right. And, She Is NOT Alone!

She was surprised to learn that their experience was so common. She doesn’t hear other parents complain. She simply assumes the teachers would be tuned in to these challenges if they stretched beyond her and her son.

The problem, however, is that all of the other parents are thinking the same thing… “I’m doing something wrong!” Therefore, they all suffer in silence instead of communicating with teachers.

I also explained that *subject area* tutoring would not solve the problem. At least, not yet.

No Study Skills = Middle School Overwhelm!

For one, he is drowning is transitions! Middle school is a common time for many students to “fall apart,” based on the overwhelming amount of transitions, alone. This young man, like most students, is not used to multiple teachers, bells, and multiple classrooms. He now has to manage expectations, assignments, books, and supplies of several different teachers across several different locations.

He is probably in a mild panic for most of the day. When the bell rings, he darts from class, to his locker, and on to his next class. He’s rushing to get everywhere he needs to be with everything he needs to have. This rushed state of mind, however, actually causes him to lose track of books and assignments. It’s a catch-22.

Secondly, he does not have a system to effectively organize his materials. He has a separate folder and notebook for each class, as his teachers requested. But, that is where the problem originates; too many things to manage across all of those transitions! It’s no wonder why he is overwhelmed.

Finally, he lacks any sort of *strategy* for learning. He does not know how to prime his brain so he can pay attention in class effectively. He does not know how to read textbooks quickly so that he can understand what he reads. He does not know how to shift his brain into high gear learning so he can get through homework faster.

He Needs A Study Skills Plan!

When I explained all of the specific factors contributing to her son’s challenges, she nodded in eager agreement with each one; she recognized every scenario I described!

Her son needs:

A plan that will quickly identify his greatest challenges and provide simple solutions.

Solutions that will not only help him, but take his homework off of his mother’s shoulders. He must be enabled to manage it himself!

Simple supplies to streamline his organization process.

This mother was so relieved to learn that these plans and solutions exist…in the form of study skills! She was relieved to know that she –and her son- were not alone!

Most of all, she finally had hope; knowing that study skills would help him navigate his way through middle school, and propel him successfully into high school and college, too!

Advantages of Curriculum Linked School Trips

Most of us are familiar with what has become a childhood ritual - School trips! That's right, taking children for school trips like amusement parks, farms, factories, nature centers and other outdoor activities contributes some of the key elements in their learning process. Several researches have documented that school field trips to a great extent, contribute to their cognitive skills and environmental concepts. Moreover, children get a positive attitude towards their environmental science and have better perception when it comes to acquisition of knowledge and skill.

Furthermore, field trips can stimulate a natural interest in nature related concepts or give them a bigger picture of what they want to do when they grow up. Although, almost schools indulge in school trips once in a while, most parents and teachers overlook the amazing benefits that come with these school trips and the impact it has on children's education.

Here Are Some Excellent Advantages Of Conducting Curriculum Linked School Trips:

• Reinforcement - taking a child to a trip can help a teacher reinforce what she has been instructing them in class about a subject, and this helps children understand the topic better since they see real examples. Also, it becomes easier for a teacher to reinforce her subjects and instructions on children without taking much effort, as children can see their subjects in real life, which makes it easier for them to understand.

• Engaging – teaches can make these field trips as their mobile classroom since the teacher can keep on teaching students on her subject while they are on the trip, and children on the other hand can enjoy their trip while still take in the effect of studying in a classroom.

• Activities – once you're back from the trip, teachers can encourage students to collect data about their trip, perform quizzes for them to enjoy and do projects based on what they learned on their field trip.

• Curiosity - we all know that children are quite inquisitive in nature and when kids get to visit places which they have never been before, they tend to learn more about the subject which have been taught in class, and explore their questions by themselves.

• Exposure - not all get to visit places they like, and when they get this opportunity through a field trip, they get the exposure that they had never experienced before. This is especially for students who are less fortunate and do not find opportunity to travel with their parents.

•Episodic memories - educational trips can create an everlasting impression on children’s memories, as their episodic memories can retain information for longer period of time. Hence, it is guaranteed that children tend to learn better about a subject from a field trip than what they generally do through textbooks.

• Perspective – another example of how students benefit from educational trips is by absorbing new perspectives of the word. It doesn't matter how big or small the duration of the field trip is, when children come in direct contact with different environment, they develop new perspective on different places, culture and the society.

A place which has recently become extremely popular for such field trips is SEA Life, as it accommodates 1000 different marine species with some of the rarest creatures that have thought to the extent. The entire place is covered with 14 different themes that can mesmerize children and yet give them the most intense marine educative experience.

Enhancing Educational Experience With Field Trips

Schools take students to different educational facilities that help them to get a hands-on learning experience and high interaction level than they usually get in school. Visiting aquariums for example, often have massive display tanks for children who can learn a lot from fishes than what they see in their regular textbooks.

According to a recent study by children's Health Education Center has observed that field trips break the general routine of education and give kids an opportunity to look forward for a trip, spend a day different from their classroom environment, and complete lesson on the subject after the trip is over. This varied learning style helps children to grasp better on a certain subject in the form of auditory, visual or kinetic learning.

Field trips help children develop a new perception about different profession, opportunities and ideas when they travel outside their community, and this brings in a desire to persuade their dreams and become successful. Field trips can also instigate job opportunities that can give them new interest and passion to work with in future.

Here Are Tips For Teachers To Decide The Right Educational Destination:

Curriculum Based Trip -sometimes you have so many choices out there that you often get confused what to choose and what might be the most interesting place for children to visit. However, teachers must remember to choose a place that is an integral part of their curriculum. Research, however, has shown that children tend to learn less when they are taken to field trips that are not linked to their curriculum, and this is exactly the reason why an education trip should be integrated with their textbook. The trip should be a broader demonstration program that makes it most efficient for their learning objectives.

• Demonstration unit - you can turn your field trip to a demonstration unit as each part is independent of the other which makes it as a great model of learning. You can prepare the trip into three parts – preparation of demonstration before you start the journey, the core learning when you are on the journey and lastly, the summary of the whole subject after finishing the trip. This way, children would get a better structure on your demonstration as well as grasp the subject matter with a hands-on learning experience.

• Active demonstration – While you are on your trip, teachers should make sure that children should interact more and engage themselves in activities rather than just absorbing information from guided tours. When children get an opportunity to explore their subject through engaging themselves in interaction or activities, chances are that they would be enjoying as well as learning better on their subject.

• Multiple exposures – field trips should always be an unconventional mode of learning and the best way is to expose your children into natural settings and multiple opportunities. A field trip necessarily does not restrict itself to a particular subject in their textbook, but can also include several other exposures like overcoming fear in public, learning routes and societal norms. The more comfortable a child becomes with its neighborhood locations, the more comfortable they are in concentrating on their core subject.

Sea life is a great experience when it comes to such field trips, as it not only incorporates the amusement of seeing several colorful fishes, but also instills in-depth knowledge on the marine world, its food chain, habitat and conservation. They also have great packages for school trips with exclusive peeks into their workroom areas where children would be able to learn more about sea creatures.

Kids Summer Attractions – Why to Take Your Child to an Educational Trip?

We all know that education is extremely important for our children and we strive hard to provide them the best we can afford. However, formal education is not enough for transforming a child into an intelligent, responsible citizen. He has a lot to learn from seeing, touching, feeling, hearing and smelling the Mother Nature. Contrary to what many parents believe, your child need not have supernatural memory or an IQ equal to Albert Einstein to succeed in life, but good manners, communication skills and common sense can work wonders in a child’s life.

You can see many examples for this in real life. Out of the 40 young achievers under 40, a list published by Fortune Magazine, there were only a few entrepreneurs that can be regarded as highly intelligent in terms of IQ. For arguments sake, we can say that the founders of Google and Facebook are highly intelligent people and possess an above average IQ. Although, these highly intelligent people made it to the top of the list, the other 38 are still normal people and did not possess any extraordinary intelligence.

What Children Need Is Knowledge

Knowledge, especially practical knowledge can work wonders in a child’s life. Our children learn a lot from us parents. They observe and learn how we deal with situations when we are happy or stressed out, how we respond to tensed situations and handle a crisis. A parent’s problem solving skills and reading habits are often passed on to their children because children consider their parents to be role models and they want to follow what their role models do. Although, children have the incredible capability of learning a lot from their parents, we should develop good habits in them from their young age.

Developing reading habits is a very important thing to do but buying a couple of children’s books and pushing them to read it may not work out. Instead, a parent should try to find a cause that will stir up their child to read a book. Our children need to learn about industries, animals, space and technology. The best way to educate your children about these fascinating things in life is taking them to a field trip to the relevant industry. Researchers have agreed that humans do not know about oceans as much as they do about space. Educating your children about marine life has a very important place in their overall wellbeing and educational growth. The best way to teach them about ocean is taking them to a field trip to a good aquarium like Vista Life and buying them some relevant books that will help them with the study.

Vist Sea Life – Birmingham’s Finest Water Life Education Centre

If you are looking for a marine life educational centre where your child can learn, feel and enjoy, Visit Sea Life is the first choice for you. The centre has many interesting programs that will keep your child engaged. There are feeding demonstrations throughout the day and children can learn about the feeding habits of ocean animals and what type of foods they eat. The ocean tank tunnel walkthrough ensures that kids can see hundreds of marine organisms and animals that enjoy themselves in their natural habitat. It goes without saying that a parent concerned about his child’s education will find Visit Sea Life to be the best place to visit.