The New Semester

I'm gearing up for an exciting new semester. I will be teaching six courses at Seneca College, two courses at Centennial College and two courses at Trebas Institute.

Since Trebas starts near the end of September, I will not be in the full swing of 10 courses for the fall until that time. It will be exciting and I am looking forward to it. Last semester, a year from now, I taught nine courses and that went well. I am looking forward to this extra work and the challenge of it.

The courses I will be teaching are two sections of news announcing I, one section of news announcing II, two sections of reading and writing skills, one section of English for academic purposes, global citizenship, beat reporting (where the students will be putting together an online magazine), plus the broadcasting industry and communications I. I'm really looking forward to teaching all of these courses.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GIVES MONEY

More than a million dollars will be shared between schools in Kansas, Florida and New York. The money will be given by the U.S. Department of Education to help character development and citizenship responsibilities in students. This was announced by the U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on Friday.

The grants are called Partnerships in Character Education Program awards that will last up to four years. They are eligible to state and local education agencies to put together character education programs that teach children about civics, citizenship, justice, responsibility and respect for others, as well as for themselves.

Recipients of the grant need to show how they have implemented these core values into teacher training, as well as into classroom instruction.

The program also must involve parents, students and the community as part of the process.

The aim of the project to help students develop positive character, reduce discipline problems and improve academic achievement.

SOURCE: http://webclipper.handsnet.org/2008/06/us-department-o-8.php

Tougher Physical Education Standards in Florida

Florida students will now be required to do 30 minutes of daily exercise according to a bill signed by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Beginning in fall 2009 middle schools will offer daily physical education to sixth to eighth grade classes.

Known as the “Don Davis Physical Education Act” is named after a Jacksonville representative who died from brain cancer.

A similar bill was passed last year, however was not enforced. This bill was created to toughen up the original bill and to make sure that students receive the exercise they need.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jrivPx1NxYHV_1dmSwFCalmI5EdwD9123KHG0

Technology in the Classroom

There is no way to escape it. Technology is making a big splash in education. It will be coming to classroom near you if it is not there already.

Many classrooms are going digital by replacing old chalkboards with electronic podiums that teachers and professors can use, as well as the students when they are doing presentations.

At the click of some buttons, electronic screens can be lowered, projectors can be turned on and PowerPoint presentations of lesson plans can be displayed to the whole class. Many of these electronic podiums also have the capacity to show VCR tapes, DVDs, play audio from the Internet, hook up a laptop and hook up a video camera. Gone are the days of the slide projectors and green, black or white chalkboards that are still in some classrooms.

This technology is making it possible for all kinds of wonderful things to happen in the classroom. Many schools also have a system called Blackboard where it is possible to post previous lesson notes to students, register the grades, create discussion forums, perform podcasts and audio assignments. Things are a lot different for students now a days than they were when many of us who may teach were at school. Things are a lot different than they were for many of us who are paying for our children to go to school.

The advances in technology will not stop. There will be many more in the making as changes are happening all the time. Many people in schools are looking forward to the day when every classroom has access to computers for the students. Some people who teach do not like this idea because computers can sometimes be a disruptive element in the classroom. With the advent of Facebook, MySpace, MSN Messenger and other social networking sites, some students spend more time communicating with their friends online than actually listening to what is going on in class. Somehow a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom will be struck.

Source: http://gminks.edublogs.org/2008/06/13/technology-must-be-transparent/

South African Education Needs More

The Ministry of Education in South Africa is planning to step up efforts to improve the outcomes in education.

Selected schools that have been under-performing in 2007 matrix exams will be targeted.

Plans include having students write more demanding national examination papers.
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The recent meeting held by the Ministry of Education also stressed having all teachers, schools and students more prepared for the exams.

The immediate support that will be given includes all students having textbooks for each subject, as well as preparation for the examination with different types of questions. The students must attend all classes every day for the next five months.

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080602191654878C192447

Sex Education in Developing Countries

Within the past five years, there have been 7,000 to 8,000 babies born to Taiwanese girls between the ages of 15 to 19 years old.

Ministry statistics in Taiwan state that only 153 girls became pregnant. The reality is different. Many people are calling for better sex education in Taiwanese schools to lower the rate of teenage pregnancies.

About one in every 10 Taiwanese girl is getting pregnant. This is four times higher than the rate in South Korea. As a developing country, lowering the teenage pregnancy rate becomes important to ensure the success of the nation.

Discussion around improving the sex education includes educating boys about proper use of condoms, as well as practicing responsibility when it comes to their relationships with girls.

Sex education is more than about passing on knowledge, it also involves passing on values. If young people in Taiwan are not receiving the education they need to know what is appropriate behaviour at their age – the teenage pregnancy rate will continue to climb. The education ministry in Taiwan is making every effort to ensure that future statistics of teenage preganancies will be eradicated down to zero.

Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2008/06/14/2003414679

Rural Australian Education

There are human rights concerns for quality education when it comes to rural Australians.

The number of people who actually go to school and stay in school from rural Australia is far below the national average. The recent federal budget of the country is attempting to address the issue, however much more needs to be done.

Long-term goals have a vision up until 2020 to improve the quality of education for rural Australians. This includes opportunities in community-based early childhood learning, primary and secondary education, vocational education and training, higher education, online learning, professional development and lifelong learning.

Source: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7376

New South Wales Gives Money to Schools

The government of New South Wales is spending a record amount on the education system.

More than $700 million will be spent on upgrading to things such as school buildings.

Another $267 million is being allocated to maintenance.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/01/2261655.htm

Marijuana University

Higher education has a new meaning with a private San Francisco university dedicated to the study of cannabis.

Students learn how to grow, harvest, cook and dispense marijuana to others at Oaksterdam University.

Even though possession of marijuana remains illegal under federal law, the goal of the university is to create students who can own dispensaries in California.
The school is modeled after one in Amsterdam and has recently begun offering classes in Los Angeles.

Some of the classes included at the university are the politics of marijuana, horticulture ad bud tending.

A variety of students have been attending the school, as well from a variety of backgrounds, nationalities and age groups.

Students are also being prepared in what to do if they are caught possessing marijuana by a police officer.

The course is intense and happens over a weekend. The students receive a certificate making it possible for them to work at a marijuana dispensary.
Graduation stands at 200 for now and more than 500 people have enrolled in the university.

One student was diagnosed with depression and took Prozac for many years. This drug Prozac left her feeling nauseous and manic.

Now, she has turned to marijuana and is off anti-depressants. She says her life has improved and she is sleeping better.

The staff at Oaksterdam says that marijuana eases the pain in people and is helpful in everything from multiple sclerosis, cancer and HIV/AIDS.

The university also says that legalizing the drug would boost tax revenue for the state and add legitimacy to a drug that is already widely used.

Human Resources Education

There are many schools that offer education in human resources, although a degree is not always necessary.

Human resources is a booming field and if you are the type of person that enjoys helping other people find work, as well helping your company find the right person for an open position...this may the perfect field for you.

Many people in human resources actually make anywhere between $20,000 CDN to $80,000 CDN a year. This can be an extremely lucrative career choice.

More and more, unlike days of old, companies have a human resources department to deal with the demand of people out there looking for work. The kinds of courses you would take in a human resources program include interpersonal communication, presentation skills, a co-op option depending on if one is available, as well as English courses. The program is demanding and vocational schools, as well as colleges and some universities offer the program.

Many people in human resources find the work extremely rewarding. It is possible to work for staffing agencies that solely concentrate on finding the right people for other companies, working in-house to a company to support their staffing needs, as well as opening up your own business.

Source: http://www.recruiting.com/human_resources_education

HOW DOES STATE FUNDING EFFECT CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS?

Kitsaps's public school districts, schools in Washington, have cut their budgets by hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past seven years. The needs for the schools are still great. State funding pays about 70 percent of the total public school funding is based on a formula from 30 years ago.

School superintendents say that Washington schools should offer:

● preschool
● free, but mandatory, all-day kindergarten for all students
● class sizes of no larger than 19 students from kindergarten to grade two, rather than the 25 children that exist now
● high-quality, ongoing professional development for all teachers
● instructional coaches at every school to help teachers learn strategies to reach all kids
● time in the school day for teachers to meet and go over students' work and brainstorm new strategies
● tutors who reach to students and parents
● more elective courses in high school
● specific, individualized learning plans for all students
● longer school year (200 days at least)
● a full-time counselour and full-time nurse at each school
● adequate office staff at each school to meet the needs of students and parents
● technology that meets today's standards and allows for online learning
● more hands-on learning experiences to help kids find their passions

The Washington public school funding formula is being challenged in the state supreme court.

SCHOOLS RECEIVE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX MONEY TO HELP FUND THEM.

EVERY YEAR THAT CUTS HAVE COME, EDUCATION LEADERS SAY THEY WILL NOT AFFECT THE CLASSROOM.

SOURCE: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jun/21/does-state-education-funding-shortchange-our/

Health Management Education

With the growing need for a managed care system, health care management is becoming a career and an academic discipline of its own.

The University of Phoenix Online now offers 10 degrees in health care management with different areas of focus. Every college will have health care management included in some way.

The University of Phoenix offers bachelor's degrees in health administration, as well as business administration where you can specialize in health administration. There is also a master's degree in health administration and many master's degrees in nursing where you can specialize in health care education. This includes integrative health care and health care management. The University of Phoenix also offers dual master's in nursing and health administration and a PhD in health administration.

There are also degrees in health care information systems management. A degree in health care management can provide a job in hospitals, outpatient clinics, hospice facilities, specialty rehabilitation, therapy clinics, home health care and in the insurance industry.

Business classes would be required for the major. Florida International University offers a master's in health services administration.

Source: http://www.college-pages.com/getting-your-health-care-management-education/139/

Graduation Rates Across the Board

Reports are coming out that the announcements of graduation rates should be standard across the nation.

Washington state has already implemented a standardized reporting method in an effort to reveal who is telling the truth about the rates of graduating students.

To get a clear picture of who is graduating in Washington state or the United States is difficult.

Currently there is not a uniform way to calculate graduation rates throughout the country.

Individual schools view the graduation rates differently. In some cases, for example, students who attend alternative schools or special programs are not counted. The bottom line is these various formulas have been so confusing they cannot be easily explained or understood.

As a result, the taxpayers often feel confused ― even duped.

The U.S. Department of Education is implementing new rules aimed at standardizing graduation rate reporting. This reform is long awaited and needed. Taxpayers need to know how well their schools are doing. Understanding whether students are graduating on time from high school is critical to assessing the success of educators.

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has proposed a plan ― which follows an agreement from the National Governors Association ― that requires states to assign ID numbers to students so they can be tracked when they enter the ninth grade until they graduate or drop out. This will allow students to be tracked when they move to another school district or even another state.


Source: http://www.unionbulletin.com/articles/2008/06/21/opinion/daily_editorial/080622editorial.txt

Education in Developing Countries

UNICEF goes to great efforts to make sure children in places such as Myanmar and China are educated. This makes a difference for emergency situations.

Education is so powerful, it is like a magic wand or like the hand of God. Many children can lead healthier lives because of the education given to authorities to deal with emergency situations and at the end of the day – this saves lives.

In school supported initiatives that UNICEF funds, children are given the basics on how to handle emergency situations and how to seek for help, as well as when to call for it.

This creates a situation where children have the opportunity to take control of their own destiny. As well as potentially save the lives of their parents and their siblings and other family.

Some of things that are taught are good sanitation practices for children. This helps them to avoid any diseases that can be spread through viruses. Children learn how to wash their hands as well as medical doctors do to guard against getting ill from all the germs that tend to exist in schools.

Due to this, one example of the effects of how this education is working effectively is that that whopping cough is down 44 percent. Diseases associated with diarrhea kill about 1.5 million children a year in China and Myanmar. Now, because of UNICEF, there are sanitation facilities provided right on the school grounds to help children live and fewer to die.

Source: http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/06/education_is_a_magic_wand.html

Education Coverage Award

For awards in 2007, the Seattle P-I received 34 of them from the regional Society of Professional Journalists.

Staffers at the newspaper received 14 first place awards. The grand prize for education coverage went to Jessica Blanchard and Casey McNerthney. Their story was about the under-reporting of crime in Seattle schools called “School crimes under wraps.”

The Seattle Times received 53 awards.

Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/365369_spj31.html

Education Blogs and Discussion Forums

Education blogs are showing up everywhere and one has to be careful where they are getting their information from.

There are some education blogs that are not extremely informative and include information from people who do not have any knowledge on the topic. Make sure that if you are consulting with an education blog, it comes from a reliable source.

Many times the best way to do this is to go with suggestions from people that you know. Along with education blogs, there are those education discussion forums that are reputable and those that are not. The Chronicle of Higher Education is one discussion forum that carries a lot of weight in the education sphere and is extremely informative.

What are some of the advantages of being part of an education blog or discussion forum? It gives you the opportunity to dialogue with people who are like-minded. You can meet many people and if you are in a situation of looking for work in academia, this could be a wonderful avenue to increase your social networks.

Another advantage to being part of education blogs and discussion forums is that you receive the opportunity to find out what are some of the “hot” topics people in the field are discussing. This will also help you during interviews if you are in the midst of the academic job hunt.

Even for people who already have work in academia, education blogs and discussion forums can be useful. They can help to keep you up to date on some of things that are being discussed in the field. This could even help to provide lecture material or to promote discussions in your classroom or in your board meetings.

For whatever reason you are using education blogs or discussion forums, if you choose them wisely, you cannot go wrong.


Source: http://www.matthewktabor.com/2008/06/13/the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-education-blogosphere/

Drug Education

Students may soon be tested for brain improving drugs in schools and universities, experts say. Students to boost alertness were using drugs for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, says the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Students may be required to do urine tests before exams, such as what athletes need to do.

Sourced from: http://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox/11a11345f35aaaac

Digital Divide in Education

About 75 per cent of Canadians over the age of 16 were surfing on the Internet last year. This is according to a new Statistics Canada report. Factors such as age, income, education and where you live still contribute to a “digital divide” in Canada.

About 19.2 million Canadians aged 16 and older went online for personal reasons in 2007 the Canadian Internet Use Survey states. This is an increase of 5 percent from 2005 when the last survey was done.

Many of the Internet users searched the web from home, about 94 per cent. At work, 41 per cent said they used it, at school 21 per cent said they used it and about 15 per cent in libraries.

Still, in small towns or in rural areas, the Internet is not being used as much. About 65 per cent of those living in small towns and rural areas are using the web, compared to 76 per cent in urban places.

As well, education levels play a big role in how people are using the Internet. Those Canadians with at least some post-secondary education surfed the net at a rate of 84 per cent. Compare this to about 58 per cent of those who are less educated the report said.


Source: http://post-secondary.blogspot.com/2008/06/statistics-canada-report-reveals.html

Corporation Gives Computers to School

A leading global talent development corporation will be providing computers and computer aided education to more than 2,005 schools in Andra Pradesh in India. The value of this funding is Rs 1728 million.

The corporation, NIIT, will help over 4.2 million children in 2,005 schools in the state of Andhra Pradesh during a five year period. This announcement comes after Maharashtra and Bihar State governments requested that NIIT provide computers and computer aided education to their 900 schools in the next five years.

NIIT is a leader in providing computer education to the state of Andhra Pradesh since 2002. The project will strengthen NIIT's role in School Learning Solutions space. It plays a major role in providing the essentials for computer based education projects in India.

The program consists of setting up hardware, software, connecting accessories for computer systems, computer education and certified instructors for classes of six in government high schools.

The training is designed to help students in the higher studies, as well as to improve their chances in the job market. The computer training will affect academic subjects such as math, science, English and social studies. Special tools to stimulate critical thinking and analytical thinking skills will lead to improved learning by the students.

Source: http://www.ndtvprofit.com/2008/06/14150833/NIIT-to-implement-computer-edu.html

Adult Education Award

Kim Heang Kinsey is the winner of the 22nd annual Literary Achievement Award in Wells-Ogunquit Community School District. She won for an essay called “Charity in Cambodia.”
Kinsey who is born and raised in Cambodia spent her early years in a refugee camp during the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. She returned to live with her family in Cambodia. Her parents enrolled her in school and she has become a life-long learner.

She is currently taking adult education courses. During high school she did some English language instruction.

She is currently living in America with her American husband. She passed the Cambodian national test to become a teacher in 2006.