ARE YOU A CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHER?

("Teacher's job is not to teach, but to find the ways & circumstances of learning for the students." Here the author focuses on the personality & spiritual characteristics of teacher which can play as a facilitator to children. The author is very hopeful to achieve renaissance in the learning & society.)

Falling in the love of ‘teaching profession' out of the hundreds and thousands of choices is not a joke at all. Those who have loved the same for their lives are great, very great?

Building a generation is not so easy as compared to the job of an engineer to build a structure or a doctor to cure a patient.

Very sensitive role the teacher has to play. Building a generation means to give a shape to the future society what the country and the universe need now. And the better generation is the only panacea of any type of problem that our society faces today. Our society now needs the gentle minds to work peacefully, the lovable hearts to hug everybody & the strong body to protect and serve the country and the world. When this is the only dream that we recommend, then the society pleads for the ‘constructivist teachers' those who aim at "change"-within first, then in the generation as the children are the best link between the society & wisdom. The teacher is a creative learner who sits among the several learners to create a conducive environment in learning. Thus a big change is possible; a renaissance can be with us very soon if the preparedness is with us...

Spirituality is the prime necessity of a teacher. As spirituality is the fire, the teacher purifies himself by going deep in to it and becomes more creative by this. Every meditation charges him with potential energy to feel and to start anything new and positive for the society. Today, teachers are totally attached to their self family which makes them busy to solve their own problem. But when the teacher knows himself as a soul & the whole universe as a big spiritual entity, he realizes his "Dharma" & treats every one as the family member. He thinks for a change, transformation in the society. Unless & until the transformation takes place within him, how can he dream for a transformed generation out of him? That's why Yogi Sri Aurobindo said, "The teacher must be a yogi". Here yogi means a sense controlled man having abundant energy to motivate the children. He must be a sadhaka- a spiritual preceptor. He must have the right living style to inspire the children. A teacher who lacks morality has no good impact upon the children.

Teacher is the source of energy the vibration. The students become charged by him & become more energetic even than the teacher. The spiritual eye of a tacher is so powerful that it touches all the souls in the class. His attachment in the very smile makes the classroom easy going. Just we can think of a spiritual guru when he speaks something the whole people are trapped with the vibration spread by him. When a teacher becomes lovable, spiritual, dynamic within, then all things can be done in a very short time. The main centre of energy is that powerful soul within the teacher. The change within the soul of the teacher is the basis of all creativity & dynamism in the system of learning.

Understanding the child is possible only when the teacher understands himself. If the teacher is busy with so much misunderstanding within him, in his family then how can he spread the value of understanding within the children? A teacher must understand the needs & the problems of the students. He should go to the level of the students to understand their personality & requirements. By understanding their state of mind & psychology only, the teacher can motivate them.

Teacher is the example in front of the children. If the teacher himself is an angry man, has no patience then expecting the values of patience & calmness are fruitless job of him. This thing happens in respect to the parents also because parents are the so called demy God of the child. The young mind of the child grows with the circumstances around him. He sees the culture of the parents, elders & teachers & learns the same from the very childhood. Teacher must be a learner first. He should ask the question to himself in the calm mind about the change he dreams to fulfill.

The teacher must be always innovative to adopt new methods to motivate the learning among the children. He must take up the child centered methods of teaching such as group discussion, seminar, panel discussion, field trip, brain storming, role play, etc. According to Albert Einstein, "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."School will be a right platform to fulfill the goal of education if the relationship between the students & teachers maintained properly. Teacher is the friend, philosopher & guide of the students. A teacher is the best motivator, a sparker and a charger. Students are inspired by their captain i.e. teacher.

All education is there within the learners. Only the work of the teacher is to facilitate, motivate, & inspire so that all qualities from their hidden treasure will be unfolded. All creativity lies within the children. Child posses the divine soul within which lies the source of all potentialities. Due to ignorance of his/her potentialities & abilities a child fears to do something. A teacher is a spiritual guide to enlighten the students' soul. Just like a brother a teacher helps the students in their growth. The teacher is a magnate to attract the iron like children. His personality itself provides ample spirit, huge energy, and immense motivation to the children. Teacher is the sun to radiate his power of motivation to build a world of students with strong characters. Personal involvement of the students in an activity gives inner motivation to them. They feel themselves precious of doing impossible possible.

To err is human. But the good actions must be praised. Every child has some good qualities within him. The role of the teacher is not to criticize him for his mischief but to praise his even single good quality & at the same time to inspire him with giving assurance of potentialities within him. The system of praise the single good quality grows the confidence within the child & he starts feeling himself worthy & valuable. All students are not born for academic education. They have their natural aim & tendencies. A teacher must identify the hobbies & natural abilities within a student so that he can motivate in that area build a nice & successful human being with special qualities.

Smile plays a very important role not only in the boundary of the school but also even in the outside world. Smile is the expression of love. It's the magnate, which pull all towards it. As everybody wants a smile, School should also be the platform of smile. A teacher touches the heart of a student through the magnetic touch of smile. Smile creates confidence & love among the children. The development of the children on the subjects happens only when they start liking & loving the teacher. ‘Unless the children love the teacher, how can they love the subject?' Smiling face of the teacher creates vibration among the children who become fearless to express everything. They ask questions. ‘Freedom automatically happens when smile exists in the classroom'.

Be a friend to the child. Friendship can help you to understand a child more & more. A child expresses his difficulties/problems only to his/her friend; he/she may be his/her mother, father or teacher. Once you exhibit your role as a taskmaster or ringmaster to your child, you spoil everything. The child starts hating you & hiding everything to you. He develops fear to you. That's why some parents & teachers are found to be in the problem that the child is not free & frank to tell his problem. Actually it's not the mistake of the child. It's the fault of the parents, teachers & elders who lack the art of ‘how to be a friend of the child'

A teacher can motivate the children to read more books. This is only possible when the children will find the teacher in reading. Books are the sources of energy & motivation. The teacher should be a regular reader of books & magazine & collect knowledge to inspire the children by telling new things. Teacher can create his own library & inspire the pupils to create small library their own.

By asking creative questions a teacher can create a thinking channel among the students. According to Socrates ‘the classroom is a fighting ground between the teacher & students & the weapons are the questions.'

The teacher himself is the motivation for the students. Through his personality, reading habits, physical culture etc he can show him as the example in the society & before the students because the pupils always like to follow their teacher. Thus a teacher can do a lot through his power of motivation. It is because of his motivation the pupils enjoy & learn in a very friendly environment. A teacher should realize his/her power of motivation & use it properly when & wherever needed. He has to demonstrate the essential values such as optimism, motivation, willingness to learn & teach, truth, non violence, never to think ill to others, creativity leadership, love etc.

Every child is different & unique. They are with many more specialties. The wicked children of your class are having the highest possibilities & multi-dimensional personalities. They become naughty, as they need more work to do, more fields to work & show their personalities. Choose the most naughty children of your class & assign them some works & see how quickest they are! Within fraction of minutes they do the work. The naughty children are the future's best human resources. The teachers & parents have to understand this truth more & more & should try to find out the possibilities & capabilities within them, so that "Every child will be special" in time to come. Children are born already with unlimited potentialities. It is we who either misguide & deform or help to develop them & make them worthy in every field. Every child has immense potentiality within. Teacher's work is to inspire the child in his own pace of creativity & innovation. Then only you can guide him/her to reach at his/her highest level. Recognizing the unique personality of a child & encouraging him is our duty.

The role of a teacher in the changing social scenario is becoming very challenging. The society is becoming more materialistic & values appear to be pushed into the background. There is nothing unusual about it. But the situation would not remain like this for ever. There are enough indications that our country would awaken once again to those eternal values for which this land has stood for many centuries. We are at a transition time during which it is essential that the values are maintained & nurtured. Only an ideal teacher whose life itself is a beacon light of values can lead a society in the right direction.

By: Harekrushna Behera

Tutoring Versus Training

by: Dr. Ken Gibson

Your child has difficulty in third grade math. You send him to a tutor. The tutor works diligently for several weeks with him on his grade-level math concepts and assignments. He goes on to pass the third grade with B's. So far so good. Summer comes and goes. His fourth grade assignments hit, and once again, basic weaknesses prevent him from learning the new concepts. The processing and visualizing skills he needs just aren't there. You could pay for another round of tutoring to help with these assignments as well, but the underlying reason he failed to understand them in the first place goes untouched. It will reemerge...


How do you "train" someone to learn?

Current learning science makes it necessary to look at learning as two distinct parts: Specific academic study and a student's underlying ability to learn. To create the best opportunity for maximum academic progress, the underlying mental skills that lead to easy learning must be as strong and efficient as possible, and this may require specific training. Why? The brain physically changes in response to appropriate training. Its neural pathway efficiency improves in much the same way that muscle cells respond to progressive resistance training by developing added strength. The "untrained" brain that performs slowly and inefficiently (resulting in persistent sub-par learning) can become a fit brain, quick to respond when facing new learning challenges. You can literally train and strengthen your mental skills and have more brainpower!


What is Brain Training?

Brain training (also known as mental or cognitive skills training) is significantly different than tutoring. Common academic study, and special help such as tutoring, both focus on specific academic tasks, and simply ignore the condition of a student's underlying mental skills. In fact, success in general academics or special tutoring is completely dependent on the student's underlying ability to learn. For those who struggle or fail, it is not necessarily his or her study habits or missing academic knowledge that is the problem. Underlying cognitive weakness is often the cause of the difficulty. Until the underlying skills that provide the basic ability to learn are strengthened, tutoring help can only produce temporary progress at best. Struggles WILL reemerge at the very next new challenge, and the next, and the next, until the challenges grow too difficult even with tutoring help, or the student simply gets frustrated and gives up. If this is your child, he or she is at risk of being identified as a failure by these repeated struggles. You risk paying for tutoring each and every year with absolutely no guarantee of future success.

The appropriate mental skills training is different. It provides you and your student the chance to get to the root of the problem and literally rebuild his or her basic ability to read and learn. A struggling student, or one seeking to optimize academic performance, must consider training the mental skills that are the foundation to learning.


Two Different Needs, Two Solutions

As mentioned above, learning can be divided into two elements: the specific academic challenge (such as reading) and the underlying skills needed to perform it well (for example, auditory processing and word attack). A tutor can enhance academic success in a given task if the student has sufficient underlying skills to meet the challenge. If that student struggles due to skill weaknesses, a trainer, not a tutor, is needed. Once you learn to read, you should be able to do it with little thought. But if one of the basic and necessary reading skills (such as sound blending and auditory processing skill) were missing, you'd have difficulty reading well no matter how much tutoring you got. Further assignments in reading theory or even practice reading wouldn't overcome the underlying problem.


Look for Better Testing and Training Options

Intense training exercises focused on specific areas of weakness can quickly strengthen key mental skills, and literally change the way a student learns. But how do you know if training is what your child needs? When looking for effective help, the right testing is also critical. Far too often a student's individual underlying skills are either not identified or are averaged and reported as an IQ score. Even when classified in terms such as "an auditory learner" or "a visual learner" this imprecise identification limits the help a student can receive. On the other hand, testing prior to skills training is designed to single out key skills that impact the learning or reading struggle. It is then possible for a qualified mental skills trainer to enhance cognitive skills such as auditory and visual processing, logic and reasoning, and working memory through direct training. The results are better academic performance almost immediately, and an enhanced ability to learn into the future.

Tutoring can benefit students in certain situations, but for those with underlying cognitive skill weaknesses, cognitive skills training is the answer. So, when you're looking to help your child eliminate persistent struggles in school…think brain training first.

If you believe there is unrealized learning potential in yourself or someone you love, a simple cognitive test could be the key to unlock that potential. At LearningRx, we offer such testing as a wise and affordable first step. LearningRx has 32 locations in 15 states. Please give us a call today. We can answer your questions, and help test and strengthen skills that can lead to that brighter future.

Lowongan Guru Preschool - April 2009

Peach Blossoms Preschool And Kindergarten
National Plus School in West Bekasi, looking for Preschool Teacher with qualification:

Preschool Teacher
(Jawa Barat - Bekasi Barat)

Advertised: 10-3-2009
Closing Date: 8-4-2009

Requirements:

• Female
• Maximum age 35 years old
• Minimum Bachelor (S1) Degree (from English literate would be an advantage)
• Having min 1 year experience teaching in Preschool or Kindergarten
• Fluent in English (both Oral & Written)
• Love children, and willing to work in team

Please send your application by email to:
peachbls14@yahoo.com or bhi_0107@yahoo.com

Teacher, Do You Smile?

Smile plays a very important role not only in the boundary of the school but also even in the outside world. Smile is the expression of love. It's the magnate, which pull all towards it. As every body wants a smile, School should also be the platform of smile. A teacher touches the heart of a student through the magnetic touch of smile. Smile creates confidence & love among the children. The development of the children on the subjects happens only when they start liking & loving the teacher. ‘Unless the children love the teacher, how can they love the subject?' Smiling face of the teacher creates vibration among the children who become fearless to express everything. They ask questions. ‘Freedom automatically happens when smile exists in the classroom'.

The children always try to ape the teacher. They ape the teacher's anger, smile, talking etc. They carefully observe the personality of the teacher & discuss among them. Smile helps in many ways both the teacher & the children. Followings are some of the benefits to count.


1. SMILE PAYS PERFORMANCE

A subject will be popular only when the teacher is popular & lovable. Teacher's smile is the spark of love spreading towards the children, which bind them as magnate with him/her. The smile makes the children fearless & brave in the class to ask every question. With out a question a class is meaningless & helpless & may be termed as poor class. ‘That teacher is fortunate who is attacked by several questions of the children'.


2. SMILE SPREADS LOVE

As it is the truth that ‘the love can change the heart & that is the permanent change within', the teacher should always express the love through his smile. One spark of smile spreads ounce of love, which makes the children & classroom happy & lovable. If the classroom is happy then the children can better study through the happy environment. They can enjoy the study. ‘The study you enjoy is the real study & is unforgettable'.


3. SMILE LEADS TO POPULARITY

Some teachers become arrogant of the popularity of another teacher. But they couldn't understand the secret of this popularity. ‘The moment the teacher smiles, he sprinkles the hope & confidence among the children'. Now they hope the possibility & gain from that teacher. A teacher with happiness is definitely caught by so many disciples.


4. SMILE COMMANDS OVER THE CLASS

Smile is the magic of the teacher to control the class. Smile attracts everybody. Smile has a true impact upon the children. If you want to be a popular leader then smile first. Your first smile will compel every body to smile. ‘Smile is the hidden command where the teacher mesmerizes the children as the magician mesmerizes the audiences'. Smile attaches the attention of the students towards the teacher only as our soul always attach itself to happiness & smile.


5. IMPACT UPON THE CHILDREN

Smile has always a positive impact upon the children. In repercussion the children build only the positive traits among them. The teachers are the real examples in front of the children. The students learn to be happy from the teacher in this way. When the children learn how to smile then all other negative ideas vanishes from them automatically.


6. LIFE BEAUTIFUL

‘Face becomes beautiful, mind becomes beautiful & after all our life becomes beautiful when we smile'. Smile washes out all impurities within. We get happiness & pleasure with a spark of smile because the original status (swarup) of our soul is Anand (happiness). If one smile has the ability to catch the attention of everybody, then why not the teacher smiles? Let's beautify our life & every life of the children through smile.


7. BUILDING CONFIDENCE

Smile is the sign of the personal self-confidence & also building other's confidence. Once the children become comfort with the moderate language & behavior of the teacher they start keeping faith on the teacher. Confidence level in the subject depends on the easy & lucid presentation of the chapter by the teacher. Generally smile makes the chapter so light that every student feels easy.


8. INCREASES FREEDOM

Freedom of the children expands only when the teacher accepts them with love. All creativity & innovation depends on the freedom of the children, they have. ‘The true nature of the soul is freedom. So the children become very happy if they are given freedom to think & express.' These can only happen when the teacher smiles in the class & becomes student-friendly. ‘The fear can in no way solve the problems of the children'.


9. LEARNING BECOMES ENJOYABLE

Learning among the children becomes enjoyable when the teacher's heart & face is full of happiness. Smile spreads the message of love & brotherhood among all. It is better to teach in a smiling face in the class. While teaching We should feel the children not as students but as the Divine souls. Smile makes the subject easy & learning based. Smile makes the brain of both the teacher & children very light. A reserve mind & face creates no magic in the class. The class becomes a boring one for all time.


10. EMOTIONAL EXPANSION

The emotion of both the teacher & children expands with the mere touch of smile. The heart is the center of the emotion. This emotional expansion leads to better understanding of concepts. Positive emotion is created & it leads to creativity & innovation. If positive emotion persisted for a long time, the level of confidence & success increases to the top. Smile opens the closed heart for all. The pupils now fearless to tell every problem & share every thinking with the teachers.

Thus smile plays a pivotal role in the life of both teachers & children. The smile if starts from the school & spread to every house then our country becomes ever happy. If every body starts smiling then the stress & diseases will be zero. If every class of a school is started with a smile, we should not be worried about the result. The day will come the smiling children will express freely & do what ever the school planned to achieve in the near future. Every school should have a motto that is ‘KEEP SMILING' Smile radiates the positive vibration to everybody. If you smile the whole world is bound to smile. There is nothing wrong to say so.

By Mr.Harekrushna Behera,Unchahar
E.Mail- hare_321ku@rediffmail.com)

USA - WIFLE Scholarships Program 2009: Scholarships in Law Enforcement for US Citizen

WIFLE Foundation, Inc. and Women in Federal Law Enforcement, Inc. (both known as WIFLE) are organizations with a goal to achieve gender equity within federal law enforcement through the recruitment, retention and promotion of qualified women in law enforcement, and to develop an information-sharing and support network for all women in law enforcement.

In July 2006 the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics announced that as of September 2004, there were more than 106,000 full time personnel authorized to make arrests and carry firearms in the Federal government. Women represent 16.1% of that workforce. There remains much to be done to achieve gender balance within the federal agencies. It is in the spirit of achieving this goal that WIFLE offers scholarships.

THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Purpose: WIFLE offers several scholarships to talented individuals to meet the demands in the field of law enforcement and to foster the professional development of those engaged in law enforcement. The dollar amount of each scholarship will be $2,500, but can vary based on numerous factors. WIFLE awarded $16,000 in scholarships in 2008. Awards may be renewable on subsequent applications.

Eligibility: WIFLE scholarships are awarded based on a student’s academic potential, achievement, and commitment to serving communities in the field of law enforcement. The scholarship is open to all eligible persons. To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must:

• physically attend and be a full-time student at an accredited four-year college or university; or be currently enrolled full time in a fully accredited community college with the intention of transferring to a four-year degree;
• have completed at least one full academic year of college work at an accredited college or university or community college;
• major in Criminal Justice or a related discipline such as social sciences, public administration, computer science, finance, linguistic arts, chemistry, physics, etc., leading to a four-year degree (Students in graduate and postgraduate programs are also eligible; students pursuing Associate degrees are not eligible, unless as stated above, fully articulate in the application their intention to transfer to a four-year program.);
• have a minimum 3.0 overall grade point average (GPA);
• demonstrate a commitment to the community through a 500-word essay describing their involvement in a community project, and the results or impact of that involvement to the community; OR, if the applicant is currently serving or has served an internship with a law enforcement agency, preferably a federal law enforcement agency, the applicant must provide details including the name of the agency, the dates served and describe the value of the experience and the accomplishment through the internship in a 500-word essay;
• have at least one community leader or member of a community or police official sponsor their application with a written statement of support;
• submit a completed application with the required information, 500-word essay, transcripts, and a recommendation letter from a community leader or police official;
• be a citizen of the United States.
  

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

Information and applications are available through the WIFLE website at www.WIFLE.org and must be received by the Scholarship Coordinator no later than May 1, 2009. Extensions will not be granted. Applications that are incomplete or received after the deadline will not be considered. Letters of recommendation should be mailed with the application, if possible, but must be received by the deadline. Recipients will be notified by May 22, 2009, and awards will be mailed directly to the educational institutions. For answers to specific questions, contact WIFLE by e-mail at WIFLE@comcast.net. Mail all applications to the attention of the Scholarship Coordinator at:

WIFLE
Attention: Scholarship Coordinator
2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 102
PMB-204
Arlington, VA 22201-3324

Online Education Website Selection - Part 2

In my last article, we discussed reviewing online course selection and software when considering selection of an online learning website. While course selection and software are important, there are a number of other areas you should consider when selecting a online learning website.

Free Evaluation

While you may have to register or buy a course, make sure there is a free evaluation period and a no questions asked money back guarantee. Working with the product is the best way to evaluate the site. A free online evaluation allows you to see if the site matches your goals and objectives from your Self-Assessment..

Free Courses

Another way to evaluate online education websites is by taking the free online classes, if they are offered. While the online subjects offered for free may be very basic or not quite what you are interested in, working with the product in real time is the best form of evaluation.

Testimonials

While these should not be your sole source upon which to make a decision, you should review these. What do they say? How many can you find? Who is providing them? Testimonials, while many times are self-serving and are provided by the website you are reviewing, will give you an idea of what individuals like about the site and what they found beneficial. Hopefully, the testimonials will highlight areas you identify in your Self-Assessment..

Reviews

Reviews, especially independent reviews, are very beneficial to your decision. Reviews will confirm the quality of the online learning website and talk about the best features the website offers.

Pricing

Does the site offer individual course pricing? Package Pricing? Bulk pricing? Review the pricing structure to ensure it is flexible enough to address any of your learning needs. Of course you should consider pricing and a budget as part of your self-assessment.

If you pick a site using the criteria discussed above and those from Part I, you will not have to worry about picking a bad online learning site.

Author: Edward F. Todd, Jr. CPCU, ARM, AIC, MBA

NZDS 2010: New Zealand Development Scholarships For Undergraduate and Postgraduate

The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) scheme offers the opportunity to people from selected developing countries to undertake development-related studies in New Zealand. This may include study related to education, health, rural livelihoods, governance, human rights, or economic development, depending on the human resource development training needs of the home government.

New Zealand - Development Scholarships are offered for full-time, tertiary level study at participating New Zealand education institutions.

The NZDS scheme has two categories:

1. New Zealand Development Scholarships – Public category (NZDS-Public)
2. New Zealand Development Scholarships – Open category (NZDS-Open)
   

NEW ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS - PUBLIC CATEGORY (NZDS-PUBLIC)

The NZDS-Public scholarships scheme is a bilateral scheme available to individuals from selected partner countries in:

Southeast Asia:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/public-eligibility.html#asia

and the Pacific:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/public-eligibility.html#pacific

The selection criteria is determined by the partner government and NZAID.

Shortlisted applications, mostly from public sector employees, are endorsed for a scholarship by the partner government. Employees from civil society or private sector organisations may apply for the NZDS-Public in some countries depending on country-specific selection criteria. The levels and fields of study available for study in New Zealand are determined according to the partner country’s human resource development training needs.


Related Links

NZDS-Public country eligibility:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/public-eligibility.html

NZDS-Public application process:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/public-process.html



NEW ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS - OPEN CATEGORY (NZDS-OPEN)

The NZDS-Open scholarships scheme is a non-bilateral scheme available to candidates of some developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. Under the NZDS-Open scheme, candidates independently apply for a scholarship.

NZDS-Open scholarships are generally directed at employees of private sector or civil society sector organisations, including non-governmental organisations. In some countries, public sector employees can also apply for a NZDS-Open scholarship depending on the country or region-specific selection criteria. This criteria also determines the levels and the fields of study under which candidates can apply to study in New Zealand.


Related Links

NZDS-Open country eligibility:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-eligibility.html

NZDS-Open application process | Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-process-asia-latin-america.html

NZDS-Open application process | Cambodia and Lao PDR:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-process-cambodia-lao-pdr.html

NZDS-Open application process | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-process-latin-america.html

NZDS-Open application process | Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-process-pacific.html

NZDS-Open application process | Samoa:
http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds/open-process-samoa.html

More Information:
www.scholarship-online.com

Benefits Of E-Learning; Interactive Education

• Advantages over traditional classroom:

E-learning has more benefits than traditional classroom system. The flexibility and the cost savings are the most vital parts. Travel expenses are reduced henceforth and your precious time is not wasted. By using e-learning software you can produce your own asynchronous training program.

• Self-paced:

Most e-learning programs are scheduled in such way that they can be studied when needed. The "books" have a module-based design which allows the learner to learn more from the site and move along when they require.

• Fast movement:
  

It moves faster and even up to 50 percent faster than traditional courses. This is mainly because of individualized approach helps the learners to skip material they already know, understand, and henceforth move onto new courses.

• Uniformity of Content:

The information delivered will be consistent to all users, therefore possibility for misinterpretations can be easily eliminated.

• Customizable Content:
  

Information is developed while keeping individual users in mind. Courses and programs are made in such way that they deal with individual's strengths and weaknesses.

• Content can be updated quickly:
  

The content, consisting of product and procedural changes can be updated easily to the benefit of the user. This is of great importance in the corporate market.

• The Mission:
  

The mission of corporate e learning is to provide state-of-the-art and cost-effective program that yields motivated, skilled, and loyal knowledge workers.

• No technical obstacle:
  

At present people depend mostly on computers and accessing the technical help like computer and Internet is no issue. Taking technical support
for granted, there is a vast progress of e learning.

• Expense and inconvenience:

The biggest benefit of e learning is the reduction of expense and problem of getting the instructor and students are highly reduced.

• Updating the lessons:

Since elearning is web-based, the instructors can easily update the lessons once they are ready. This is of great benefit for the learners. It has been found that e learning has a greater consistency about 50% to 60% more than the normal courses.

For the students therefore, there is a greater learning impact than the normal courses.

• Interactive online session:

The interactive online environment comprise case studies, discussion groups, project teams, chat rooms, story-telling, demonstrations, role-playing, simulations, streamed videos, online references, personalized coaching and mentoring, e-mail, bulletin boards, tips, tutorials, FAQs, and wizards.

Author: Tyler Moon

Online Education Website Selection - Part 1

There are numerous online education sites who offer hundreds of courses in various disciplines. Unlike Online Universities, you do not have to work towards a degree and can purchase one course or all the courses offered. Some online learning sites offer package deals in a particular topic or discipline. So how do you decide which online learning site to choose? Use the following as a guide for a start and then do a Self-Assessment to make your online education experience as useful as possible.

1. Course Selection

This is the most obvious as you probably have a topic in mind. However, you should be looking towards the future as well. Take a look through the entire online course catalogue. Are there other courses you might be interested in? Are there other related topics to the one you are interested in that would help expand your knowledge? Do the courses offered fit in with your Self-Assessment? You want to be sure you can grow with the site and that the site offers both diversity in online course subjects and depth from beginner to advanced courses and related important subjects that might be worth studying.


2. Software

While this may not initially seem like an important feature, there are a number of basic features that any online education site should offer. The most important is navigation features including but not limited to a detailed Table of Contents and Index. Bookmarking is also important including remembering your last location at logoff. Learning for most people is not just reading through material but involves looking back at other sections and making connections from prior material as you move through the course making good navigation critical.

In the next article we will examine evaluation, pricing and testimonials and how to use each to your best advantage.

Author: Edward F. Todd, Jr.

UK - Middlesex Business School PhD Studentships in the Broad Fields of Business and Management

Middlesex University Business School,
invites applications to start in September - October 2009 for suitably qualified candidates for studentships inthe broad fields of business and management.

The studentships are offered on a full-time basis and include a maintenance award (currently £12,940 pa). In some cases, applicants may be put forward for ESRC awards. The Scholarships are for four years, subject to satisfactory progress.

Applications are open to both EU and overseas candidates. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Business School website for details of research interests in the school. Applications in any field of business and management are welcome.

The Business School has particular strengths in the following areas:

• Global Labour Issues

(please visit the Global Work and Employment Project part of the website http://www.mdx.ac.uk/bs/departments/GWEP/GWEP.asp)

• Human Resource Development
• Finance
• Accounting
• Local and regional economic development
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Economics
• Law, including Human Rights Law
• Law and socio-economics
  

Deadline:

Together with the application form, applicants should submit a full CV andcovering letter with details of two academic referees and an outline oftheir proposed research (two to three) pages including a short bibliography by 20 March 2009 to:

Patricia Babatunde, Research and Business Office, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT.

Interviews will be held 16/17 April 2009.

For application forms and further information see our website:

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/bs/index.asp
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/research/degrees/apply.asp

MBA Graduates Find Excitement

.. Staying-Power In Alternate Career Paths ..

According to CIO, two of the top job requests on its employment Web site desire candidates with a master's degree in business administration (MBA) combined with credentials in either computer science or information technology. And the demand for hybrid professionals certainly doesn't end there. The traditional route to big business, finance, and banking usually ran through MBA programs. Today, MBAs are beginning to rethink their career paths.

The Intrinsic Interdisciplinary Nature of Business
MBA graduates have long been accustomed to leaving graduate school for traditional roles in finance--such as banking or financial planning. In light of today's ever-changing economic and financial landscape, many MBAs are not following tradition. Because business principles apply across industries, many MBAs are eschewing customary career tracks for new challenges in technology, consulting, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit organizations.

MBA programs typically expose graduates to all aspects of business, so graduates can master the "soft skills" that are critical for success across industries, such as client orientation, presentation skills, and communication talents. This diverse training in leadership and resource management is generally needed in all industries, not just finance--which has become paramount in light of the economic slowdown.

For example, information technology workers in particular are considering grad school in order to earn the management acumen that can translate into better career opportunities. In today's economy, specializing in one more than one particular niche may be the best educational path to take.

Some Real Life Examples
The Wall Street Journal cites a Robert W. Baird & Co. investment bank recruiting survey that reveals a 50 percent increase in interest at the M.B.A. level over 2007. Finance and risk management are a couple of the primary industries that benefits from MBAs looking to enter other fields, particularly at the mid- and small-scale organizational level. Other statistics of note include:

• Middle-market M&A investment bank Harris Williams & Co. has seen a 30 to 35 percent increase in applications from MBA students
• Consulting firm Bain & Co. reports applications at the MBA level have increased 10 to 15 percent
• Less than 50 percent of graduates at New York University's Stern School of Business and University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School enter the finance industry
  

While MBAs may willingly enter alternative career paths, many are now veering of the common path out of necessity. Smart candidates can get themselves through a bear market by earning as much wide-ranging experience as possible and then make that experience work for them in a new position.

Mixing Business and Passion
If you are considering enrolling in an MBA program, you may want to consider the following:

• Spend some time priming for your MBA in a job that has some similarities to career tracks of interest
• Focus primarily on the MBA and internship
• After your schooling, enter your industry of choice: learn about successful start-ups and build relationships with other professionals
• After you're established, start a company, capitalizing on prior networks, resources and relationships
  

The bottom line is that as MBAs continue to branch off into uncharted territories, new doors of opportunity and advancement should continue to open. While you may not be able to rush into positions at venture capital firms or Wall Street, positions in consulting, corporate finance, and private equity firms should continue to be available.

Keep in mind that the MBA program is typically demanding in and of itself, and is not the type of curriculum
to enter into lightly. But if you have prior experience in an industry, adding an MBA can be a way to maximize your potential.

Author: Kelli Smith

More information please visit:
www.Edu411.org

The Academic Ranking Of World Universities

An assessment carried out by AllAboutUni.com reveals that Australia has a high density of the World's Top-500 universities compared to other OECD countries. AllAboutUni.com is an independent, global and interactive website where visitors can obtain information about universities (global rankings, student reviews, university news and campus pictures).

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) is produced by the Institute of Higher Education at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Several indicators of academic or research performance are used to establish the ranking, these include highly cited researchers, articles indexed in major citation indices and staff winning Nobel Prizes.

The World’s Top-500 universities (2008) are mainly located in Europe (n=210; 40%), the Americas (n=190; 40%) and the Asian/Pacific region (n=100; 20%). There are 15 universities located in Australia, representing 3% of the World's Top-500 universities and 15% of the universities in the Asian/Pacific region.

The Top-5 universities in Australia are: 1. Australian National University (ranked 59th in the world); 2.University of Melbourne (73rd); 3.University of Sydney (97th); 4. University of Queensland (101-151) and University of Western Australia (101-151). As with many countries, the top university is located in the capital city (Canberra).

In order to make inter-country comparisons, AllAboutUni.com calculates the number of universities in the World’s Top-500 per million inhabitants. The overall number of universities per million inhabitants is 0.4 for OECD, with the highest densities found in small countries in Western Europe (Sweden (1.2), Finland (1.1) and Switzerland (1.0)) and New Zealand (1.2).

The number of universities in the World’s Top-500 universities that are located in Australia is 0.7 per million inhabitants. Other large industrialized countries have the following figures: Australia (0.7), the Netherlands (0.7), United Kingdom (0.7), Canada (0.6), United States (0.5), Germany (0.5), France (0.4), Italy (0.4), Japan (0.2), Spain (0.2) and South Korea (0.2).

At the top of the ARWU ranking, there are three Australian universities in the World’s Top-100 universities. This compares to 54 for the US, eleven for the UK, six for Germany, four each for Canada, Japan and Sweden, and three for Australia, France and Switzerland. All other countries have fewer than three universities in the World’s Top-100 universities.

In conclusion, Australia performs well when its universities are compared to other OECD countries. It has a relatively high density of top universities per million inhabitants and has three universities in the World's Top-100.

Author: John Paget

more informations visit:

www.AllAboutUni.com

Improving Biology Education

Everybody agrees that education is important. Likewise, it has become a commonplace to say that we aren't educating the nation's children as well as we should. Improving education is an exceptionally complex task, but one part of the problem is that we're having trouble as a society defining what a "good education" actually is. This is a particular problem in subjects that are politically and emotionally charged. One of the most acrimonious areas of education is the one that is also nearest to my own heart: biology. Allow me to lay out some thoughts on what a sound education in biology ought to look like, and what the benefits of this might be on both the individual and the societal level.

First, and perhaps most importantly, it is critical that all sciences, including biology, are taught as a process and a way of thinking, rather than a set of facts that are "true" and must be memorized. For example, one of the more startling ideas in biology is that much of the weight of an oak tree has actually been pulled out of thin air. If someone just told me that, and I had no idea where the information came from, I'd think they were a bit loopy at best or trying to sell me a bill of gods at worst. Equipped with an actual understanding of the scientific inquiry that went into this discovery, I not only believe it, but more importantly I understand and remember it as well. Now, replicating even the simplest of the experiments scientists used to unravel the question "How do plants gain weight?" would be difficult in the average classroom and probably not the best use of precious time. But looking into case studies
like this one is a fabulous way to learn about both scientific facts and scientific thinking.

Once we start thinking about biology as a process of acquiring knowledge about living things and biology education as an opportunity to understand that process and hone critical thinking skills at the same time, we will be in a much stronger position to improve science education than we are in now. At that point, we'll be well placed to reliably turn out scientifically literate high school graduates and also to tackle teaching more politically charged aspects of biology education.

Without question, the most politically charged aspect of biology is evolution. It is also among the very most important scientific ideas ever elucidated. If we present evolution in the classroom as "great man, Charles Darwin, discovered evolution, and now we know that people descended from apes without the help of God" we have only ourselves to blame if 65 % of American citizens are creationists . Evolution education might not be quite that bad in most schools, but I'll warrant that it's not too much better. What do we lose if evolution is understood by only a minority of Americans? Well, from an aesthetic point of view, it seems a shame that so many of us don't understand one of the big ideas about how the world works. From a practical perspective, it's just plain scary that most of the farmers who use antibiotics to help their livestock gain weight and most of the patients who don't follow their doctor's instruction when it comes to taking antibiotics don't understand the role they are playing in promoting the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

One frequent complaint I hear from students in high school biology classes is that there is so much memorization. This is more closely linked to the failures of our educational system than you might think at first. True, there is a significant amount of new vocabulary that students must learn if they are going to be able to speak, think, read, and write about new concepts. However, a biology class should never feel like a pile of memorization to slog through. The most important thing we can do to change this is to focus on the how's and why's of biology rather than just the conclusions that biologists have drawn over the years. In this way, students will be making connections and developing big picture concepts rather than just memorizing niggling little facts.

An important result of this type of education is that years after high school is over, a student who actually developed a genuine understanding of biology is far less likely to be the person frivolously abusing antibiotics.

Another way to greatly improve this situation is to eliminate pure survey classes and require students to study one or two areas in much greater depth. One model that I have seen work quite well at the introductory high school level is to have a traditional survey-style class supplemented by two significant research projects. One of the research projects was a hands-on experiment (or series of experiments), much like a traditional science fair project. The other was an in-depth library-based research project, much like a term paper more traditionally seen in history classes. These types of projects are not without costs. Most notably, they are very hard on the teacher. It takes a tremendous amount of time and energy to coordinate a hundred (or usually more) projects, each on a different topic. This is daunting for a teacher even under the best of circumstances and can be impossible in more difficult situations. Nevertheless, the benefits are clear and significant. Not only do these types of projects give students an opportunity to develop a real understanding of scientific thinking, but they also give the students a library of interlinked facts to refer to when they are trying to make sense of the big picture in biology.

For example, a student who chooses to do a research report on handedness and brain asymmetry in humans will undoubtedly learn about neurology, evolution, and epilepsy as well. As an added bonus, if the projects are structured properly, students get much needed practice making visual and oral presentations and writing non-fiction papers. Rather than just throwing up our hands and saying that this type of education is too difficult to organize, we need to structure our schools (and exert peer-pressure on parents) so that this type of higher-level learning becomes feasible.

A good education in biology should be a routine part of the education that every American student receives. We need to structure curriculum and classrooms so that science is taught as a process and method rather than some sort of received truth. This type of science education is an important part of teaching students to have strong critical thinking skills and for ensuring that they have the tools to not simply negotiate the modern world, but also thrive in it.

Author: Jessie Mathisen

How to Remember What You Study

Tomorrow is the big exam. You studied but you are already worried if you will remember all those lists. You worry about what you will say to your family and friends if you fail. Do you feel like you understand the material, but get it all confused at the time of the exam. This is nothing unusual and I have some tips to help you improve your memory for the next big test.

How to remember what you study..

1. Take many short breaks while your study

Study for no more than twenty minuets at a time then take a five minute break. If you are at the library take a walk around and allow your mind to wonder. When you come back ask your self what did I study before I took that break, force your mind to recall the information. If you can not recall the information you need to review what you studied before the break Such short breaks give your brain a rest and help reinforce what you are learning. Do not read anything at all during the breaks. Just let your mind wonder.

2. Talk to your self out loud

Give your self a lecture on the material in your own words. Explain the concepts to your self. Ask your self the questions that may be on the test and then answer them out loud. This kinda of self lecture helps to ingrain the information in your long term memory.

3. Study with classmates

Teaching someone else about the subject is the single best way to understand it yourself. When you study with your classmates your can take turns asking each other questions. Another advantage in studying with others is that they may have picked up something in the lecture that you have missed. These study sessions will also help keep you on track as you will be held accountable by your study mates. You have to be prepared.

4. Get enough sleep

Good sleep is essential for the brain to function properly and to have a good memory. A lack of sleep will interfere with proper memory function. Some studies have shown that memories are consolidated as you sleep. Do not stay up late the night before the test cramming. You would not stay up all night running as hard as you can the the night before a marathon. At least I hope you would not. The night before the test it is imperative to get a good eight hours sleep.

5. Eat properly before the test.

During the exam you don't want to be starving, stuffed, overstimulated or have a headache from caffeine withdraw. It is best to eat a light meal before the exam. Nothing too fatty as that will tend to put you to sleep. The brain only uses carbohydrates for energy so this is not the time for a no-carb diet. As far as caffeine goes it is an addictive drug. If you normally drink a cup of coffee then drink it, but do not go overboard. Being overstimulated can cause you to make stupid mistakes.

6. Learn various memory systems or mnemonics

People have different preferences as to what memory system works best for them. Some people like the method of loci while others prefer the peg system. But almost all students use acronyms at some point. The funnier the acronym the easier it is to remember. These six tips for improving your memory for college exams should help you improve your performance and make the most out of your study time. Good luck on your next exam.

Author: Gene Grzywacz