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.