Help Students Beat the "Summer Slide"

1. Stay in Touch with Students

It doesn't even have to be on academic terms. Staying in touch with your students can help them in a variety of ways, from learning to continue professional relationships, to offering advice and resources in a pinch, to stabilizing the lives of some students that need it most.

2. Send Them Home With Books and Magazines

On the last day of school, send students home with free books, magazines, or anything you think there might be the slightest chance that they'll read.

If you've got certain students who really, really need to keep their literacy skills fresh -- and if you're worried that they may not accept your gift of free magazines -- create individual bundles for students. Personalize them based on content (automotive or sports car magazines, for example), or form (comic books, short stories, etc.).

You can also invite them back to class after other students have left, or even call home to arrange a pickup or drop-off.

3. Meet Students at Their Local Library

Pick one day a month to meet students at a library that's local to them. Even if you have to pick three or four libraries to get to everyone, if you spend 90 minutes at each, you're still only talking about one afternoon a month. You can use this time to meet with students from last year, or get to know students from next year's class.

What should you do? Literary scavenger hunt. Young authors' meeting. Poetry hour. So many options!

4. Start a Reading Program

Whether it's a contest, a book exchange, or a team-based competition; whether or not it uses points, has prizes, or is just for pride; whether it's physical or digital -- however you do it, create even a very basic program that will make students feel compelled to read during the summer.

Let them know that their reading is valued, and that it matters outside the classroom.

5. Start a Digital Book Club

Speaking of reading programs and book clubs, digital reading is now more accessible than ever thanks to free eBooks, less expensive eReaders, and more powerful smartphones. Even two- or three-year-old smartphones can handle most current reading apps, such as Kindle's reader.

You can create a basic blog or Pinterest page, for example, and curate trending books that your students might like, or interesting free eBooks that they may not otherwise consider. Figure out a way to start a digital conversation about a digital book they can read anywhere, and you're on to something!

6. Encourage Students to Blog

As important as reading is, writing is just as important. While you'd certainly want to limit academic writing in the summer, blogging is incredibly flexible. It can be about any topic using any form with any number of embeddable digital artifacts. It can be about pop culture, music, shopping, friendship, technology, video games -- whatever interests the student.

7. Frame Simple Ongoing Projects

Give students ongoing projects -- blogs to keep up, businesses to run, art portfolios to maintain, stories to write, community projects to be a part of. Anything will work if it keeps them feeling valued and plugged in.

8. Hand-Pick MOOCs

If you want more than reading and writing, there are hundreds of quality eLearning courses from dozens of credible sources to keep students busy. And while you may be concerned with "letting kids be kids" during the summer, most MOOCs that I've seen have, at most, weekly assignments. These could be finished -- or modified to be finished -- in an hour or two per week.

All of this is hardly summer-stifling stuff. If there's anything you can add to this list, please tell us about it in the comments section below.

> https://www.edutopia.org

Digital talent and Taiwan’s economic recovery Taiwanese graduate Katie knows the power of self-belief. As COVID-19 hit towards the end of her time at university, she was worried about the prospects of getting a job and nervous going into her interviews with potential employers. In the end, it wasn’t just her technical skills that helped her get a role with Phillips Taiwan—it was her ability to explain what she offered them, something she’d learned in the Google Digital Garage training program. "There are many topics, but the one I especially remember is about building your confidence — that’s even more important with the need for online interviews during a pandemic,” Katie said.  

Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 was fast and effective, but the economic impact of the pandemic means that many Taiwanese share Katie’s concerns about what comes next. Having provided digital tools to help Taiwan combat the health crisis, we want to do everything we can to support its longer-term recovery.  

Helping job-seekers and businesses

At our Google for Taiwan event today, we spoke about our ambitions for the Digital Talent Exploration Program— a partnership with 104 Job Bank that will give more than 10,000 people the chance to learn digital marketing skills, work toward certification, and then be matched with job opportunities with more than 40 companies.

We also heard from the Taiwanese government on the importance of supporting Taiwanese businesses when they need it most. One way we’re seeking to do this is through programs with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research to help exporters make the most of opportunities in overseas markets. The Taiwan Think Export Report 2.0 provides insights and advice to business owners as they plan for expansion, while Digital Trade Academy is giving hands-on training in how to apply those lessons. For tourism businesses that have been hit especially hard, Google and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications are offering courses on digital tools.
Digital talent and Taiwan’s economic recovery, image #1

The broader theme of Google for Taiwan was building a strong digital economy for the long-term, with partnerships focused on three key areas.

Digital literacy

As well as combating online misinformation, Taiwan is working to ensure people of all ages can use the internet safely and confidently, and think critically about the information they see. Nonprofits the Taiwan FactCheck Center, the Association for the Promotion of Community Universities, Fakenews Cleaner and ECPAT are our partners on three new digital literacy programs aimed at community college students, senior citizens, and schoolchildren and teachers.

Digital learning

When the pandemic hit, Taiwanese schools and students quickly adjusted to remote learning. Students are now back in the classroom, but Taiwan wants to help its teachers continue to improve their ability to use digital tools through programs like the Cloud Innovation Teacher Training Program: an initiative with Junyi Academy and Taipei City to train 600 teachers from 300 schools. Junyi is also working to incorporate Google’s CS First computer science curriculum in Taiwanese primary schools, so kids can grasp the fundamentals of technology as part of their education.

Advancing knowledge

Taiwan has great potential in fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, with a talented generation of Taiwanese developers beginning to come through. To meet their appetite for new skills, we and our partners are developing programs like AI Boot Camp — a joint initiative with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Artificial Intelligence Research Center — the ML Study Jam program, and the Google University Relations Program, which provides university scholarships.

With these new and expanded efforts, we hope to contribute to a strong economic recovery from COVID-19, and continue creating new digital opportunities for all Taiwanese in the years ahead. 

> https://blog.google/around-the-globe/google-asia/digital-talent-and-taiwans-economic-recovery/

A special school for homeless To keep children of local traders off the streets of Johor Baru, Rayhan Ahmad started a ‘school’

JOHOR BARU, Sept 5 — Twenty-seven-year-old Rayhan Ahmad and several of his friends have been holding evening classes for children of traders in Johor Baru’s popular Bazaar Karat since 2017.

“We started out on a volunteer basis... most of these children are considered homeless or have parents who work as traders at Bazaar Karat.

“The idea started as we want to discourage these children from being exposed to unhealthy activities as they will often be seen roaming the streets at night as their parents are busy working, while the homeless kids will be begging for money,” said Rayhan.

Today, classes are conducted upstairs in a pre-war shophouse that is called Sekola Baroka in the city centre.

The former executive assistant at a state government agency decided to quit his job and do this full-time.

The founding member of Sekola Baroka said the first two years teaching the children, mainly aged between three to 12, were not easy.

“The makeshift school attracted a fair amount of children from lower income families as well as traders’ children.

“We taught them the 3Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic) on a fully volunteer basis,” said Rayhan, adding that the friends who assisted him came from varied backgrounds with some being former teachers as well as lecturers.

Rayhan said after two years of operating from the streets, he and his friends finally were offered the first floor of a shophouse located in the middle of Bazaar Karat that operates daily from 7pm to midnight.

He explained that he pays RM2,000 per month for the current premises.

“However, the floor is also shared with a traders’ association office where the rental is split with the school having to pay 75 per cent while the remainder is paid by the association.

“Being the main tenant, we also pay the water and electricity bills. Basically, the school needs about RM2,000 to run our classes for the children,” said Rayhan, adding that some of the monthly commitments were offset through fee payments of between RM30 and RM70 a month by parents.

However, Rayhan made it clear that the school will still accept children of parents who can’t afford the fee.

He said what mattered most was the children’s well-being where they able to be in a much safer environment while learning or picking up a skill.

Rayhan said the school also has skills and crafts workshops where interesting activities such as sewing and also soap-making are held.

He said most of the raw items needed for the projects are donated by business owners nearby.

“Since Sekola Baroka is not a profit-making enterprise, we depend on donations and also grants to help us continue the projects.

“We run a cafe from late mornings to the afternoons as a means to assist in our daily operations,” said Rayhan who added that community-focused urban regeneration organisation Think City Sdn Bhd assisted with grants for the past two years.

“Currently, we have 27 children between the ages of three to 12 years coming to the school,” he said.

Underground mosque in Algeria

This mosque in Algeria was built underground in 1940 when colonial French was demolishing mosques in the area

Coronavirus: Teachers spread virus more than their pupils

Scientist warns over staff-to-staff transmission

Teachers have been warned that theyare spreading Covid-19 after a leading government scientist said they were far more likely to transmit the virus than children.

New  research  from  Public  HealthEngland  revealed  that  two  thirds  ofoutbreaks   arose   from   staff-to-staff transmission, or staff-to-pupil.

In June the number of schools open was between 20,500 and 23,400, withpupil numbers increasing from 475,000 to  1,646,000.  In  June  and  last  month 200 children and staff were affected by the illness. Over the same period 25,470 cases were recorded across England as a whole.

Thirty outbreaks, defined as two or more linked cases in one school, were recorded between the start of June and the  end  of  last  month.  These  represented 0.01 per cent of preschools and primary schools in England.

The figures will encourage those whohave argued that school is a safe placefor children during the pandemic.

Shamez Ladhani, a paediatric infectious  diseases  specialist  at  PHE,  wholed    the    monitoring    of    England’s schools, said: “We need to educate the educators.  There’s  a  clear  need  for  aduty of care outside the school setting,so staff need to protect themselves andin turn other staff and pupils.

“Staff are very good at social distancing   and   infection   control   in   the classroom, but upon leaving the school environment these measures are more likely to be broken, potentially putting themselves   and   their   colleagues at risk.

”Last  night  Boris  Johnson  exhorted parents to send their children back to school  next  week,  declaring  that  a return  to  the  classroom  was  “vitally important” to their life chances.

The  prime  minister  paid  tribute  to staff who had spent time over the summer devising plans to ensure that their schools  were  “Covid-secure”.  He  has previously emphasised the moral duty to reopen schools safely.

Ministers   now   understood   more about the virus, Mr Johnson said, with evolving  guidance  from  medical  and scientific experts. “As the chief medical officer has said, the risk of contracting Covid-19 in school is very small and it is far more damaging for a child’s development and their health and well being to be away from school any longer.

“This is why it’s vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom  to  learn  and  to  be  with  theirfriends.  Nothing  will  have  a  greater effect on the life chances of our children than returning to school.”

In  a  joint  statement,  the  UK’s  chief medical officers said that the evidence “reinforces the need to maintain social distancing  and  good  infection  control inside and outside classroom settings, particularly   between   staff   members and between older children and adults”. The study also found that outbreaks in schools were more likely in areas that had a high rate of cases in the community — raising the chances that shops or restaurants may need to close in such areas to allow schools to remain open.

#thetimesUK

The 5 Great Schools of Ancient Greek Philosophy

Ancient Greek philosophy extends from as far as the seventh century B.C. up until the beginning of the Roman Empire, in the first century A.D. During this period five great philosophical traditions originated: the Platonist, the Aristotelian, the Stoic, the Epicurean, and the Skeptic.

Ancient Greek philosophy distinguishes itself from other early forms of philosophical and theological theorizing for its emphasis on reason as opposed to the senses or the emotions. For example, among the most famous arguments from pure reason we find those against the possibility of motion presented by Zeno.

Early Figures in Greek Philosophy

Socrates, who lived at the end of the fifth century B.C., was Plato’s teacher and a key figure in the rise of Athenian philosophy. Before the time of Socrates and Plato, several figures established themselves as philosophers in small islands and cities across the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Parmenides, Zeno, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Thales all belong to this group. Few of their written works have been preserved to the present day; it was not until Plato's time that ancient Greeks began transmitting philosophical teachings in text. Favorite themes include the principle of reality (e.g., the one or the logos); the good; the life worth being lived; the distinction between appearance and reality; the distinction between philosophical knowledge and layman’s opinion.

Platonism

Plato (427-347 B.C.) is the first of the central figures of ancient philosophy and he is the earliest author whose work we can read in considerable quantities. He has written about nearly all major philosophical issues and is probably most famous for his theory of universals and for his political teachings. In Athens, he established a school – the Academy – at the beginning of the fourth century B.C., which remained open until 83 A.D. The philosophers who chaired the Academy after Plato contributed to the popularity of his name, although they did not always contribute to the development of his ideas. For example, under the direction of Arcesilaus of Pitane, began 272 B.C., the Academy became famous as the center for academic skepticism, the most radical form of skepticism to date. Also for these reasons, the relationship between Plato and the long list of authors who recognized themselves as Platonists throughout the history of philosophy is complex and subtle.

Aristotelianism

Aristotle (384-322B.C.) was a student of Plato and one of the most influential philosophers to date. He gave an essential contribution to the development of logic (especially the theory of syllogism), rhetoric, biology, and – among others – formulated the theories of substance and virtue ethics. In 335 B.C. he founded a school in Athens, the Lyceum, which contributed to disseminate his teachings. Aristotle seems to have written some texts for a broader public, but none of them survived. His works we are reading today were first edited and collected around 100 B.C. They have exercised tremendous influence not only upon the Western tradition but also upon the Indian (e.g. the Nyaya school) and the Arabic (e.g. Averroes) traditions.

Stoicism

Stoicism originated in Athens with Zeno of Citium, around 300B.C. Stoic philosophy is centered on a metaphysical principle that had been already developed, among others, by Heraclitus: that reality is governed by logos and that what happens is necessary. For Stoicism, the goal of human philosophizing is the achievement of a state of absolute tranquility. This is obtained through the progressive education to independence from one’s needs. The stoic philosopher will not fear any bodily or social condition, having trained not to depend on bodily need or any specific passion, commodity, or friendship. This is not to say that the stoic philosopher will not seek pleasure, success, or long-standing relationships: simply that she will not live for them. The influence of Stoicism on the development of Western philosophy is hard to overestimate; among its most devoted sympathizers were the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the economist Hobbes, and the philosopher Descartes.

Epicureanism

Among philosophers’ names, “Epicurus” is probably one of those that is most frequently cited in non-philosophical discourses. Epicurus taught that the life worth being lived is spent seeking pleasure; the question is: which forms of pleasure? Throughout history, Epicureanism has often been misunderstood as a doctrine preaching the indulgence into the most vicious bodily pleasures. On the contrary, Epicurus himself was known for his temperate eating habits, and for his moderation. His exhortations were directed towards the cultivation of friendship as well as any activity which most elevates our spirits, such as music, literature, and art. Epicureanism was also characterized by metaphysical principles; among them, the theses that our world is one out of many possible worlds and that what happens does so by chance. The latter doctrine is developed also in Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura.

Skepticism

Pyrrho of Elis (c. 360-c. 270 B.C.) is the earliest figure in ancient Greek skepticism. on record. He seems to have written no text and to have held common opinion in no consideration, hence attributing no relevance to the most basic and instinctive habits. Probably influenced also by the Buddhist tradition of his time, Pyrrho viewed the suspension of judgment as a means to achieve that freedom of disturbance that alone can lead to happiness. His goal was to keep each human’s life in a state of perpetual inquiry. Indeed, the mark of skepticism is the suspension of judgment. In its most extreme form, known as academic skepticism and first formulated by Arcesilaus of Pitane, there is nothing that should not be doubted, including the very fact that everything can be doubted. The teachings of ancient skeptics exercised a deep influence on a number of major Western philosophers, including Aenesidemus (1st century B.C.), Sextus Empiricus (2nd century A.D.), Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), Renè Descartes, David Hume, George E.
Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein. A contemporary revival of skeptical doubting was initiated by Hilary Putnam in 1981 and later developed into the movie The Matrix (1999.)

#philosophy

>thoughtco.com

How important is a school’s education philosophy?

School fees. Distance from home. Private or public. Religious denomination. As a parent, you would naturally consider all these factors when choosing a school for your child.

But what about a school’s education philosophy?

The common perception is that a school’s philosophy is generic and bears no standing on the desirability of a school — so how important is a school’s education philosophy?

The fact is, it should be one of the first things you consider. Here’s why.

A school’s education philosophy differentiates a school from its competitors

Sure, a school aims to educate its students to achieve their full potential; but how? What principles underlie this education? What qualities do its pupils embody when they graduate? Perhaps like Phillips Exeter Academy in the United States the school’s education is focused on collaboration and community. Or maybe it is similar to Diocesan School for Girls in New Zealand which emphasises empathy, confidence, integrity, curiosity and excellence. Its these underpinning values that differentiate schools form their competitors and that you, as a prospective parent, need to look out for.

A school’s education philosophy gives a school clear strategic direction

This is important to prospective parents for several reasons. A clear strategic direction means that the principal, teachers, support staff and students know what to expect and what is expected of them. As a result of this, all of their efforts are likely to be aligned and therefore more successful in achieving their goals. Without a clear strategic direction, staff may be driven by their own personal philosophies. In this scenario, the school risks becoming a jack of all trades and master of none.

A school’s education philosophy helps make sense of decisions made

If you know what a school’s education philosophy is, you can understand and rationalise certain decisions that are made. For example, why a school chooses to allocate a large budget towards developing their leadership program instead of a new swimming pool. The more a school’s decisions make sense to you, the more confidently you can choose the school.

A school’s education philosophy is a benchmark to assess school effectiveness

Does the school align with its education philosophy? Are efforts made to ensure its philosophy is integrated throughout the entire school? If it doesn’t, this could be an indication of disorganisation, internal discord or simply a lack of care for the direction of the school. A school’s education philosophy is a great way to regularly assess its effectiveness.

Before you select a school for your child, it’s vital that you consider its education philosophy.

Is an online university course right for you?
Online courses give you the flexibility to study while working, and to fit your studies around your life, rather than the other way round. They can help you stay ahead of the game in your profession or to switch career, and can be a chance to access the quality higher education you missed out on first time round. Increasingly, they are an attractive alternative to a traditional campus degree for students at any stage of their lives, offering value and convenience and the same high quality as you would find on campus.

As we live more of our lives than ever online, now could be a good time to think about taking a course specifically designed for flexibility and convenience. But first, you’ll need to consider all your options. So what do you need to know about online learning, and what factors should you take into account?

The quality of the online teaching

Universities have done an impressive job of shifting lectures and classes online at short notice. But emergency response online lectures do not provide the same experience as a course designed and built for online delivery from the ground up.

Universities have differing levels of expertise in designing for high-quality online learning, says Sam Brenton, director of education, innovation and development at the University of London (UoL). He believes that being the world’s oldest provider of degrees through distance and flexible learning gives UoL the edge. “We’ve been doing distance learning since the mid 19th century,” he says. “We’ve always been pioneers, and today we use all our experience to ensure our online courses offer the highest possible quality and value.”

The network your prospective course provider is a part of

Access to expertise makes all the difference – and with Goldsmiths, Birkbeck, University College London (UCL) and 14 other prestigious institutions making up the University of London federation, there’s a deep pool of knowledge for UoL students to dive into. “Our online courses bring the academic excellence of a world-class faculty to students everywhere, regardless of location,” says Brenton.

A range of options

There are many options for online study, from short open courses to large undergraduate programmes and specialist master’s programmes. To figure out which is right for you, you’ll need to examine your experience and motivations, read up about what each option offers and, once you’ve narrowed down your choices, try to speak to people who’ve done the course before you.

The breadth of learning on offer

Everything on a distance learning course is likely to have a global focus. “Almost 50,000 students all over the world study with us, on more than 100 programmes,” says Brenton. So if you want an internationally recognised qualification, and to learn alongside people from all over the globe, then an online course could be the right option for you.

The level of interaction you’ll have with other students

Distance learning does not mean you’re studying in isolation. At UoL, you’ll be part of a global community, learning with and alongside your peers in a rich, immersive environment. “It transcends cultural and national boundaries, as well as distance,” says Brenton. “Our students feel that they are very much part of our learning community.”
Advertisement

The different ways you’ll need to engage with a course

A well-designed distance learning course won’t have you sitting in front of a computer screen, passively watching an online lecture. Instead, you’ll be an active participant and you’ll have to be ready to be engaged. “It’s not just about receiving knowledge, it’s about applying it in practice, getting and giving feedback, working in a peer group,” says Brenton. “When you get that combination right it can be just as immersive as traditional campus-based teaching.”

What sort of support is on offer

Students at UoL are kept on track by having a lot of support. “Our student support evolves all the time – there’s peer support, online clubs and societies, mentoring schemes, online tutors, careers advice, wellbeing and mental health support, and access to real people whose jobs are to help students succeed,” says Brenton. With online courses, tutors can use data to see when a student is struggling, and then offer them help.

Your current experience level

Whatever stage you’re at in your life, and whatever your formal skills, if you’re ready to work hard then an online course could be for you. Many degrees at UoL have flexible entry routes and performance-based admission. For example, if you want to do a computer science degree, have the skills, but don’t have the academic requirements, you can use performance-based admission to gain a place on the course. “Learning is for everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, and we’re here to help people transform their lives,” Brenton says.

Your other commitments

Do you need to fit study around work or caring commitments? If so, distance learning could be a good option. Digital-first courses are designed for people of all ages at any stage in their lives, no matter what their responsibilities. Students can manage their studies to fit in with their own schedule, giving them a choice about how and where to study. “[Distance learning] offers convenience, flexibility and, of course, very good value, without losing out on quality,” says Brenton.

Your tenacity

These courses are not for the faint-hearted – they are academically rigorous and provide a standard of education respected around the world. So students will need to commit, manage their time, work hard and, at the end, will have a world-class qualification to show for it. “The education we offer at a distance is of equal quality to what you’d receive on campus,” says Brenton. “You get access to a top-class faculty. These degrees are every bit as rigorous, since they lead to a UoL degree of the same quality and standards, however you studied.”

>theguardian.com

#edtech #higherlearning #onlinestudies