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About Becta - Becta report shows benefits of Web 2.0 in the classroom - Becta

Becta report recommended that teachers should be encouraged to help learners to develop more sophisticated use of Web 2.0 technology and to give them the skills to navigate this space.

Tags: web2.0, becta about 14 hours ago and saved by8 people -All Annotations (17) -About

more fromnews.becta.org.uk

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ALA | 2007 Teens' Top Ten

Tags: no_tag on 2008-09-18 and saved by2 people -All Annotations (2) -About

more fromwww.ala.org

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Edge: WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? By Jonathan Haidt

Jonathan Haidt argues that Democrat liberals need not only consider their moral Millian ethos of society of harm/care and fairness/reciprocity, but they must also grasp the Durheimian ethos of ingroup/loyalty (involving mechanisms that evolved during the long human history of tribalism), authority/respect (involving ancient primate mechanisms for managing social rank, tempered by the obligation of superiors to protect and provide for subordinates), and purity/sanctity (a relatively new part of the moral mind, related to the evolution of disgust, that makes us see carnality as degrading and renunciation as noble).

Tags: psychology, politics, democrats, republicans on 2008-09-14 and saved by16 people -All Annotations (57) -About

more fromwww.edge.org

we long ago reported that strict parenting and a variety of personal insecurities work together to turn people against liberalism, diversity, and progress
conservatism is a partially heritable personality trait that predisposes some people to be cognitively inflexible, fond of hierarchy, and inordinately afraid of uncertainty, change, and death
"moral clarity"—a simple vision of good and evil that activates deep seated fears in much of the electorate
Elliot Turiel, said that morality refers to "prescriptive judgments of justice, rights, and welfare pertaining to how people ought to relate to each other."
This research led me to two conclusions
First, when gut feelings are present, dispassionate reasoning is rare
This is the first rule of moral psychology: feelings come first and tilt the mental playing field on which reasons and arguments compete. If people want to reach a conclusion, they can usually find a way to do so.
The second conclusion was that the moral domain varies across cultures.
morality is not just about how we treat each other (as most liberals think); it is also about binding groups together, supporting essential institutions, and living in a sanctified and noble way.
Conservative positions on gays, guns, god, and immigration must be understood as means to achieve one kind of morally ordered society.
On Turiel's definition of morality ("justice, rights, and welfare"), Christian and Hindu communities don't look good. They restrict people's rights (especially sexual rights), encourage hierarchy and conformity to gender roles, and make people spend extraordinary amounts of time in prayer and ritual practices that seem to have nothing to do with "real" morality
Here's my alternative definition: morality is any system of interlocking values, practices, institutions, and psychological mechanisms that work together to suppress or regulate selfishness and make social life possible.
suppressing selfishness, two of which are most relevant for understanding what Democrats don't understand about morality.
John Stuart Mill, who wrote (in On Liberty) that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.
extensive research on the moral mechanisms that are presupposed in a Millian society, and there are two
First, people in all cultures are emotionally responsive to suffering and harm, particularly violent harm, and so nearly all cultures have norms or laws to protect individuals and to encourage care for the most vulnerable.
Second, people in all cultures are emotionally responsive to issues of fairness and reciprocity, which often expand into notions of rights and justice.
now imagine society not as an agreement among individuals but as something that emerged organically over time as people found ways of living together
The basic social unit is not the individual, it is the hierarchically structured family, which serves as a model for other institutions.
Emile Durkheim, who warned of the dangers of anomie (normlessness), and wrote, in 1897, that "Man cannot become attached to higher aims and submit to a rule if he sees nothing above him to which he belongs. To free himself from all social pressure is to abandon himself and demoralize him.
two moral foundations that hold up a Millian society (harm/care and fairness/reciprocity
social conservatives do indeed rely upon those two foundations, but they also value virtues related to three additional psychological systems: ingroup/loyalty (involving mechanisms that evolved during the long human history of tribalism), authority/respect (involving ancient primate mechanisms for managing social rank, tempered by the obligation of superiors to protect and provide for subordinates), and purity/sanctity (a relatively new part of the moral mind, related to the evolution of disgust, that makes us see carnality as degrading and renunciation as noble).
Republicans have become the party of the sacred, appropriating not just the issues of God, faith, and religion, but also the sacred symbols of the nation such as the Flag and the military.
Democrats often seem to think of voters as consumers; they rely on polls to choose a set of policy positions that will convince 51% of the electorate to buy
ethnic diversity increases anomie and social isolation by decreasing people's sense of belonging to a shared community. Democrats should think carefully, therefore, about why they celebrate diversity.
There is a long tradition of liberal anti-materialism often linked to a reverence for nature. Environmental and animal welfare issues are easily promoted using the language of harm/care, but such appeals might be more effective when supplemented with hints of purity/sanctity.
The miracle of turning individuals into groups can only be performed by groups that impose costs on cheaters and slackers. You can do this the authoritarian way (with strict rules and harsh penalties) or you can do it using the fairness/reciprocity foundation by stressing personal responsibility and the beneficence of the nation towards those who "work hard and play by the rules."

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Is This The 'End Of American Exceptionalism'? : NPR

Andrew J. Bacevich argues that pragmatic realism has always been the core of American foreign policy.

Tags: foreign relations, US on 2008-09-14 -All Annotations (11) -About

more fromwww.npr.org

For the majority of contemporary Americans, the essence of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness centers on a relentless personal quest to acquire, to consume, to indulge, and to shed whatever constraints might interfere with those endeavors
The ethic of self- gratification has firmly entrenched itself as the defining feature of the American way of life. The point is neither to deplore nor to celebrate this fact, but simply to acknowledge it.
the fact is that Americans are no longer masters of their own fate
saddles us with costly commitments abroad that we are increasingly ill- equipped to sustain while confronting us with dangers to which we have no ready response
To quench their ardor, Americans looked abroad, seeking to extend the reach of U.S. power. The pursuit of "fresh gratifications" expressed itself collectively in an urge to expand, territorially and commercially.
the enterprise launched on July 4, 1776. The hardheaded lawyers, merchants, farmers, and slaveholding plantation owners gathered in Philadelphia
They founded a republic. Their purpose was not to save mankind. It was to ensure that people like themselves enjoyed unencumbered access to the Jeffersonian trinity.
not nearly as frequently as we like to imagine, some of the world's unfortunates managed as a consequence to escape from bondage
Crediting the United States with a "great liberating tradition" distorts the past and obscures the actual motive force behind American politics and U.S. foreign policy
our whole national history has been one of expansion." TR spoke truthfully
one overriding aim: enhancing American influence, wealth, and power

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Rich countries once used gunboats to seize food. Now they use trade deals | Comment is free | The Guardian

The scramble for resources means the wealthy nations have and the poor countries do not

Tags: hunger, sudan, fishing, water on 2008-08-30 -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.guardian.co.uk

Mike Davis tells the story of the famines that sucked the guts out of India in the 1870s
Lord Lytton, oversaw the export to England of a record 6.4m hundredweight of wheat
"the most colossal and expensive meal in world history", between 12 million and 29 million people died
Peter Mandelson
hopes to impose a treaty that will permit Europe to snatch food from the mouths of some of the world's poorest people.
Seventy per cent of the protein eaten by the people of Senegal comes from fish.
One is that, partly as a result of its failure to manage them properly, its own fisheries can no longer meet European demand
The EU has two big fish problems
he other is that its governments won't confront their fishing lobbies and decommission all the surplus boats
Senegal's marine ecosystem has started to go the same way as ours.
In a recent report on this pillage, ActionAid shows that fishing families that once ate three times a day are now eating only once or twice
The government of Senegal knows this, and in 2006 it refused to renew its fishing agreement with the EU.
This is one instance of the food colonialism that is again coming to govern the relations between rich and poor counties
Last week the environmental group WWF published a report on the UK's indirect consumption of water, purchased in the form of food.
Middle Eastern countries, led by Saudi Arabia, are securing their future food supplies by trying to buy land in poorer nations.

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Truthdig - Warren I. Cohen on China’s Charm Offensive

Review of two books: Pan's "Out of Mao's Shadow" and Kurlantzick's "Charm Offensive." Two different perspectives of China in today's world.

Tags: china on 2008-08-20 -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.truthdig.com

The rule of the Chinese Communist Party has been validated.
Contrary to promises made to the Olympic Committee, the Chinese government does not appear to be making a serious effort to demonstrate its respect for human rights.
Two new books— Philip Pan’s “Out of Mao’s Shadow” and Joshua Kurlantzick’s “Charm Offensive”—look at today’s China from very different perspectives.
Pan, one-time Washington Post bureau chief in Beijing, roamed the country collecting tales that provide evidence of the Communist Party’s transgressions, past and present, of its increasing corruption, and of its determination to retain a monopoly on political power
Kurlantzick, also a journalist, focuses on China’s international achievements, its growing influence in Asia and the world. Lamenting the sullying of America’s image in the world, he conjures up a China overtaking the United States in the affections of mankind.
Pan demonstrates again and again that China is run by a Leninist party that remains above the law, that denies its people freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear.
Moreover, Kurlantzick reminds us frequently that the American brand has been tainted by the failure of Americans to live by their principles.

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ThinkeringSpace Library Study

This is one component of the webpage Thinkering Space the focuses on library observations that will inform design criteria for Thinkering Space

Tags: libraries, design on 2008-08-20 -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.id.iit.edu

sought to understand representative libraries within the Chicago
The first, More Than Books, reveals the wide range of library offerings, indicating that they are much more than warehouses of books or media
The second, Constant Change, describes the continued efforts that have been made by the library to meet patrons' expectations and keep up with technology.
The third, Underused Expertise, identifies the broad expert skills of librarians, and the low use of this public resource.
The fourth, Life-long Relevance, highlights the lack of continued interaction of patrons with the library through their different life phases
The fifth, Community Outreach, describes the movement of the library in two opposite directions, towards both masses and niches
The sixth, Sanctioned Initiatives, addresses the impact of high-level initiatives, such as the Early Literacy Program

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Peachpit: Make Presentations That People Will Remember > What Makes Messages Stick?

^ recommended steps for presentations.

Tags: presentations, story on 2008-08-17 -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.peachpit.com

“sticky” ideas have six key principles in common:
simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility,
emotions, and stories
Simplicity
what’s
the key point? What’s the core? Why does (or should) it matter?
Unexpectedness
best way to do that is to pose questions or open holes in people’s
knowledge and then fill those holes. Make the audience aware that they have a gap in their knowledge and then fill that gap
with the answers to the puzzle (or guide them to the answers). Take people on a journey
Use natural speech and give real examples with real things
Concreteness
Credibility
Put it in terms that people can visualize.
Emotions.
you must make them feel something
Images are one way to have audiences
not only understand your point better, but also feel and have a more visceral and emotional connection to your idea.
Stories.
Stories get our attention and are easier to remember than lists of rules

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Peachpit: Make Presentations That People Will Remember > The Process

Tags: no_tag on 2008-08-17 -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.peachpit.com

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Google Sites the Next Sharepoint? Maybe Not....Why Google Apps Could Lose the Enterprise Market - ReadWriteWeb

Tags: no_tag on 2008-08-13 and saved by16 people -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.readwriteweb.com

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The Front-Runner’s Fall

Tags: clinton, obama on 2008-08-13 and saved by7 people -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.theatlantic.com

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Smart Technologies whiteboard software now requires product keys for installation » Moving at the Speed of Creativity

In summary, Wesley states that Smartboard is now requiring installation keys. Previously they had not and it was one reason why folks opted for Smartboard over Promethian. There are rumors that Promethian may not require serial numbers for Promethian downloads, but it does not seem to be the case for the author.
He further goes on to say...

Tags: fryer, smartboard, Promethian on 2008-08-04 and saved by6 people -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.speedofcreativity.org

I’ve noticed some teachers can become quite adamant about the superiority they perceive for either the Smart and Promethean electronic whiteboard. These conversations can be quite similar to the “Mac or PC” arguments which flare up from time time time.
It is still rare, however, to find a teacher with extensive experience using more than one whiteboard platform, however.
Whatever electronic whiteboard platform you think is better (eInstruction is also a big player too, of course) it’s impossible to ignore the HUGE sums of money schools continue to spend on these devices.
Unfortunately, IMHO, electronic whiteboards are not a technology which inherently encourages pedagogic shifts in instructional practices
whiteboards continue to be used in very teacher-directed, didactic learning settings
I’d like to see all our schools proactively plan and implement sustainable one-to-one laptop learning initiatives.
I am quite tired of seeing so many teachers continue to persist in 19th century styles of teaching using 21st century tools.
As Marco Torres says, if teachers are still just asking kids to read pages 1 - 20 and answer questions 1 - 10 from the textbook, but now doing it with a flashy electronic whiteboard instead of a chalkboard or overhead projector, technology dollars have just been WASTED.
Smartboards are fun to use and often represent “low hanging fruit” for school board members as well as administrators who want to find visible ways to show the public “we support technology use in our schools” but at the same time minimize the potentially disruptive impact of those technologies on the traditional teaching and learning paradigm.

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China: Humiliation & the Olympics - The New York Review of Books

Schell reviews the movie Dark Matter and places it into perspective of the complex relationships of China and the West

Tags: china, olympics on 2008-08-03 and saved by3 people -All Annotations (0) -About

more fromwww.nybooks.com

But what gives Dark Matter wider significance is the filmmakers' use of the Iowa incident to explore—indirectly—some important psychological dynamics between China and the West:
China's deeply felt sense of historic injury by foreign nations, and the ways its often thwarted efforts to gain acceptance among leading world powers have exacerbated such sentiments.
But as the director, China-born Chen Shi-Zheng, explained to me recently, he does see the film's protagonist as expressing, in extreme form, "the complexity of the modern-day relationship of Chinese to the outside world."
He feels superior, because of the length and depth of the Chinese civilization from which he comes.
China still lags behind America, he personalizes this reality and feels insecure.
larger question of China's sensitivity to foreign dominance and criticism. Here the film is masterful in illuminating how any suggestion of foreign superiority, or even condescension, toward Chinese may intersect with their own sense of historical victimization and insecurity to create a volatile chemistry.
Lu Xun, almost seventy-five years ago. "We either look up to them as gods or down on them as wild animals."
a new historical narrative to match, arose around the idea of bainian guochi, "100 years of national humiliation."
Treaty of Versailles in 1919, by which the West cravenly gave Germany's concessions in China to Japan, an expression, wuwang guochi, "Never forget our national humiliation," became a common slogan in China.
ideological overseers have never ceased to mine China's putative past sufferings "to serve the political, ideological, rhetorical, and/or emotional needs of the present," as the historian Paul Cohen has put it.
The idea that a nation might restore itself to greatness by emphasizing, even "celebrating," weakness may seem counterintuitive.
In 2001, the National People's Congress even passed a law proclaiming an official "National Humiliation Day."
one of the leading candidates is now September 18, the day in 1931
China's restless search for a more self-confident, less-aggrieved persona has paradoxically been made more complicated by other wounds not directly related to foreign attacks: for much of the past hundred years Chinese themselves have also been engaged in a series of assaults on their own culture and history.
It is therefore perhaps understandable that a more robust sense of cultural and political self-confidence has remained elusive.
But, perhaps because they, too, were products of the Party's propaganda, many of them have turned out every bit as nationalistic, perhaps even more so, than their elders.^[*
Xu Guoqi, author of the timely new book Olympic Dreams: China And Sports, 1895–2008, has noted, "Through their coverage and handling of the Beijing torch relay, the West seemed to remind the Chinese they were still not equal and they were still not good enough."
Now, one is everywhere overwhelmed by new "development," or fazhan, a word that has attained almost sacerdotal overtones in this new China whose leaders have, indeed, sponsored an economic revolution that has transformed their country.
So, like Liu Xing's Ph.D. orals, the games had come to be anticipated as the cathartic act in a long agonizing historical drama in which China would finally fulfill its almost mythic destiny: its quest for fuqiang, "wealth and power."
A nation that obsesses over gold medals is not a self-assured nation.
the political system that the Communist Party has tried to legitimize through sports and other means cannot produce a healthy and strong nation when its citizens have been forced to give up their independence and even personal dignity.
as we foreigners interact with China, we should become more mindful that much dark matter generated by this history still floats around our common universe.