Teaching Transparency - Thinnk this would work in Thailand???

Posted by Richard Crespin

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Riddle me this: What does every successful summiting of Mt. Everest have in common?

Good weather.

“Any day now, 6,000 elementary teachers in Los Angeles will see their names published online, along with data showing how much their students improved on standardized tests. The Los Angeles Times has promised to release the information to help parents measure teacher effectiveness. The database has sparked a national debate on how to evaluate teachers.” (Source: NPR).

Many teachers and their union, the United Teachers of LA, have protested loudly. So many different factors outside the teacher’s control, they say, go into student performance, that it’s unfair to judge teachers in this way.

Welcome to the world the rest of us live in.

In any industry, job, or role, countless different factors outside your control ultimately dictate outcomes. When summiting Everest, you’re largely at the mercy of the weather. When running a company, you’re largely at the mercy of the prevailing economy. But none of that stops us from judging these outcomes. Sure we might “grade on a curve,” cutting a CEO some slack if profits go down in a recession or rescuing trapped climbers if the weather turns bad. But we don’t stop counting profits and losses or give someone credit for summiting Everest when they didn’t, even if the weather was terrible.

My dad spent his life as an educator. He was a teacher, a principal, a superintendent. So I sympathize with the plight of the educator. As someone who spends much of his time developing ranking and evaluation methods, I certainly understand measures have flaws. But that’s not a reason to stop, or never start, measuring.

Accountability begins with transparency. To hold you accountable, people need to know what you’re up to. Teachers, particularly public school teachers, play a fundamental role as public servants educating our children. They are stewards of our future. Their work should undergo serious scrutiny. If we want the future CEOs, politicians, and leaders sitting in classrooms today to grow up to be accountable citizens, then we need teachers to model accountable behavior.

I grew up knowing first hand, how little the average teacher makes, particularly compared to a CEO. I would offer, though, that objective measures are something that highly paid people have in common. Movie stars, athletes, and CEOs all get paid, at least in part, based on clear metrics: wins, losses, dollars, cents.

So, teachers of LA: don’t fear transparency. Not only is it part of your civic duty, it may be the key to a pay raise.

Georgia Hiring 1000 ESL Instructors

Georgia, an emerging democracy in the South Caucasus, has embarked on an ambitious program to staff public schools with 1,000 native English speaking teachers by the end of 2010. As the first state sponsored ESL program in Eastern Europe, this is a top priority for President Mikheil Saakashvili’s government to prepare Georgian youth to take part in the global economy.

The first group of 50 teachers arrived in Georgia on July 30th. The President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, met with the second group of 102 native English on August 15th. “The main requirement is to make Georgian children of 5-16 ages the English language speakers. We will achieve this goal in following 4 years; this will give Georgia opportunity to make next steps for the development in the Post-Soviet area in the future decades,” announced the President at the meeting with the foreign teachers in Batumi, a resort city on the shores of the Black Sea. This program builds upon Georgia’s internationally recognized success in education - in January 2010 Georgia was awarded Vice-Presidency of UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, in conjunction with the Government of Georgia commenced work on this initiative in early 2010 and in May 2010 Footprints Recruiting, a Vancouver, Canada based recruiting company, was contracted to supply teachers for this program. Footprints CEO Ben Glickman traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, and signed a contract with Director Gia Mamulashvili of the Teacher Professional Development Center on May 17th.

“This is a great opportunity for recent graduates to gain valuable teaching experience while waiting for the domestic job market to improve,” Mr. Glickman stated. With the recession, ESL job opportunities have become more competitive in traditional markets such as Korea and Japan. Unlike the EPIK program in Korea, ESL teachers in Georgia are not required to have any teaching experience, or even a university degree or a passport from an English speaking country. Although the monthly stipend – 500 Georgian Lari – is modest by western standards, the benefits of free airfare, free housing, teaching experience, a cross cultural experience and a job far outweigh the small stipend for many applicants. “Georgia rocks. This experience so far has been amazing.” Stated Joanne O’Malley, a teacher from Ireland who arrived in Georgia on August 15th.

Footprints Recruiting Incorporated is the largest independent recruiter of ESL teachers in the world. Footprints works with Ministries of Education in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Georgia as well as private sector companies in countries around the world to staff them with ESL Instructors.

Bangkok - We are seeking an experienced, full-time Business English teacher

URGENTLY REQUIRED!!!

Vervata are a UK and Thailand based company who deliver services and products specifically for the mobile channel. We are looking for people who are not only talented, but are flexible enough to do whatever it takes to delight our customers.

If you are someone who:
- Can Speak ENGLISH
- Cares about customers
- Considers themselves superior to the average
- Loves technology
- Wants to do interesting work
- Accepts continual change
- Looking for a company that encourages creativity and respects its staff

If you believe that you are the best at what you do, are results oriented, and looking for a company that respects it people while continually presenting them new challenges, contact us.

English Teacher

We are seeking an experienced, full-time Business English teacher who will assist our Thai staff with using English in their daily work routine. You will be reviewing English documents create by Thai staff, and be a resource for them to assist in language queries, such as how to phrase emails, pronunciation and so on. Over and above this. You will proactively identify areas for general improvement and create in house informal English courses

You must be proactive and engaging to monitor and improve the level of English in all aspects of our business, and your performance will be judged in the improvement that is made by our staff.

You MUST be a native English Speaker from the USA, UK or Canada.

Please provide a detailed resume, a current photo and desired salary.

We will provide a work permit and benefits.

Please send a personal resume, expected salary and recent photo to:

Vervata Co., Ltd.

539/2 Gypsum Metropolitan Tower ,
9th Fl.,Sri-Ayudhya Rd.
Phayathai , Rajdhavee , Bangkok 10400
Tel: +662 6401162 Fax: +662 6401263

E-mail : careers@vervata.com ;
Website : www.vervata.com

Is Thailand getting more stupid?

Once upon a dream, Thailand's national agenda was to battle with Singapore for regional supremacy in terms of human and economic development.

Once upon a dream we talked of becoming one of the ``Asian Tigers'', roaring with the likes of Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the aforementioned Singapore.

Today the reality is we meow like a little pussy cat, wet and shaking in the cold, fearing that other alley cats like Cambodia and Vietnam will eat us up.

About two million children aged between three and 17 nationwide, or about 11% of the country's school-age population, are not receiving even the basic education, according to the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF).

As well, the number of workers with an education background below primary level stands at 21.6 million people, or 60% of the country's labour-age population.

According to Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, Thailand's scores have dipped over the past decade, and the country now ranks in the bottom third of the 36 countries that participated.

Since 2007, student performances in Thailand's O-Net national exams have fallen steadily in all five core subjects: Thai, maths, science, social studies and English.

If the question is, is Thailand getting more stupid, the answer is no. If the question is, is Thailand getting more stupid relative to other countries, the answer is a resounding yes _ because while others are in a foot race to provide ``the opportunities to pursue happiness'' for their citizens, we just keep crawling on our hands and knees.

Who should we blame for this? Every single Thai person of adult age; anyone over 21 years old. Because if we don't help our sons and daughters, our little brothers, sisters and cousins, then who will?

Every single child in this country is our son and daughter _ that is what it means to be a society.

We need to _ in a nutshell _ pull our collective heads out of the hole in the ground _ after all, we're not a bunch of ostriches. We need to breathe in the reality of our mediocrity and then take the social responsibilities to make that change.

Our society isn't crumbling, we aren't falling apart, but rest assured that the numbers do not lie _ we are getting more and more stupid relative to others. If every one of us does not lend a hand, then rest assured of something else _ all Thailand will ever achieve is
mediocrity.

I have read articles and listened to politicians and bureaucrats talk about education reform. I have interviewed ministers and officials about creative economy.

And this I can tell you; to this day I still have no idea what they were talking about. The problem is: I don't think they do either.

Because the most blatant action I have seen the government take on the issue of education is trying to prevent university students from expressing political ideas and organising political activities that are contrary to the official stance.

Not to mention the usual censorship we all know so well. Censoring ideas and opinions is amputating the mind and dismembering the soul, consequently forcing the young (and the public in general) to become stupid.

I have read and heard the media expound lyrical poetry against government restrictions and censorship, while at the same time the media itself is most adamant in delivering ``appropriate'' content by ``appropriate'' people to the public in upholding ``tradition''.

That is not only self-censorship, it is hypocrisy. It is amputating the mind and dismembering the soul, consequently forcing the young (and the public in general) to become stupid.

The young look up to people in the entertainment industry _ the stars _ as the young naturally would in any society around the world.

But the stars of the Thai entertainment industry by en large are factory products rolled off the assembly line, with internally built censorship mechanisms that give off a high pitched alert if they ever even consider opening their mouth to utter an opinion of their own or say anything of any consequence. Because this might _ heaven forbid _ harm their image and hurt the company's bottom-line.

The young look up to heroes who are just beautiful talking puppets incapable of any thought process, but so vivid in their talentless portrayal of mindless characters on senseless television programming _ because anything creative and intelligent is ultimately deemed inappropriate and dangerous.

Amputating the mind and dismembering the soul, consequently forcing the young (and the public in general) to become stupid.

Every week I teach at a university and last week I asked the students, growing up, what is the question your parents and teachers hate the most? They answered with a resounding ``why''. Adults hate to be asked ``why''. I then asked what happened when you ask ``why''.

The answer was a couple of ``whys'' was tolerable, but too many ``whys'' and they are told to be quiet and are accused of being disruptive and disrespectful. At best, they are told to go and find out the answers themselves.

Not in the spirit of adventure and self-discovery, however. But because the adults are exasperated and clueless, hence they are told to go and find out for themselves without any guidance, without direction or a map. Not even a flashlight.

Does this not amputate the mind and dismember the soul, consequently forcing the young to become stupid?

There you have it _ the government, the media (news and entertainment), the school and the family all comply to keep Thailand dumb.

There are, of course, exceptions to every norm. There are politicians, officials, media people, stars, teachers and parents who do well in nurturing the mind and the soul of the young. But exception to the norm isn't going to keep us from the benign existence of mediocrity.

The children who won the mathematic, robotic and science competitions that we read about in the news should be congratulated and nurtured, and applause to those parents and teachers who have helped them.

The children who have the opportunity to attend top schools and gain education abroad should also be congratulated and nurtured. But these are few and far in between.

The reality is 11% of the school-aged population is not even getting a basic education. The reality is the majority, while getting the basic education, are not getting quality education. The reality is 60% of the country's labour-age population doesn't even have primary level education.

Employers complain about the low skills and creativity levels of the workforce, because the universities have failed in preparing that workforce. University professors complain about the quality of students because secondary school teachers have failed. Secondary school teachers complain because primary school teachers have failed.

Primary school teachers complain because parents have failed. Parents complain because society has failed to assist. Society complains because the government has failed to help.

The government complains because businesses, universities, schools, parents and society refuse to embrace change.

Who's responsible to make and embrace the changes? Everyone. Because if we don't help our sons and daughters, our little brothers, sisters and cousins _ then who will? Every single child in this country is our son and daughter _ that is what it means to be a society.

We can simply start by opening our minds and stop censoring. Open our hearts and let opinions and ideas come out in the open. Nurture the question ``why'' and help the young find out ``why'' _ heaven forbid, in the process we adults might become smarter too.

This is something everyone can do, from parents to teachers to government to the media and to employers. Then there will be those who will say it's too hard. It can't be done in Thailand. Or even that it shouldn't be done.

The idealists change the world. The clueless take up space. The naysayer wastes oxygen.

Thai children are still being denied decent education

EDITORIAL

As other countries progress, our teachers remain disillusioned and our students lag behind their peers

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been touring several American states to raise public awareness about the importance of education. He has said on multiple occasions that education is a civil rights issue. His goal is to ensure that every American child is provided with the opportunity to obtain a quality education. He also notes that the quality of teachers is one of the most significant factors in this goal.

One of the challenges facing US public schools is how to attract qualified graduates to teaching, given the current low remunerative return compared to other professions. Good teachers are unsung heroes in any country, and unless the problems they face are not resolved, the education system will continue to suffer.

The statements by Duncan, a former chief executive officer of Chicago public schools, are true indeed, and should be noted here. Thai education ministers tend to focus on grand projects in their efforts to reform Thai education, with emphasis on infrastructure and procurement of equipment. However, they should really be concentrating on the quality of teachers and ensuring that good teachers are properly rewarded.

There are always good teachers who want to make a difference, but eventually they tend to be discouraged by a system where the majority - who resist change - accuse them of trying to rock the boat. Traditionally, the education departments in most colleges tend to require the lowest examination scores. The result is that students in most of our public schools are stuck in big classrooms with deadwood teachers who hardly receive any training to improve their teaching methods.

The lack of incentive for people to become teachers starts with the failure to instil a sense of desirability to enter the profession. Duncan rightly points out that good teachers should receive praise and commensurate compensation for their work. But this is not the case. Good teachers are barely even recognised.

Due to the low pay for teaching, suitable candidates tend to choose other areas of study such as finance. Those that do end up in schools cannot put all their effort into teaching students in class because they have to earn extra income from tutoring the same students in cram schools.

In fact, the Thai Education Ministry has a massive annual budget, but it is never spent wisely. The large class sizes in public schools are never reduced, and the quality of teachers hardly improves. Not many Thai schools have an effective system to evaluate teachers, and the government is failing to address the issue of making the system more attractive for the best graduates.

While well-off parents can send their children to expensive international schools that offer international-standard curricula, the public schools are still forcing rote learning on students. In short, we are denying our children equitable access to good education.

It's time the government understood that quality education is the most important factor in driving a country forward. A recent Newsweek survey to find the "Best Country in the World" ranked South Korea as the world's second best nation for education after Finland. Singapore ranked fourth after Canada, while Japan came fifth. The magazine said South Korea had made an amazing leap from the 1960s when its national wealth was on a par with Afghanistan. "Today, it's one of the world's richest nations, in large part thanks to its focus on education," the magazine reported.

Unfortunately, the Thai government has so far taken no leadership role in reforming our education system. While US Secretary Duncan gladly took his portfolio because of his passion for improving education standards for American children, the Thai Education Ministry is seen as a third-rate consolation job for politicians. No education minister has demonstrated any significant initiative or determination to prepare the younger generation for a changing world. Our children are not simply lagging behind in terms of academic achievement, but also in social awareness and responsibility. What we have seen so far is the education budget consumed by programmes for building infrastructure and information technology without addressing the issue of how these facilities can teach our children.

It's time for a sea change in the way we educate our children, otherwise this country will never reach its true potential.

Thai government to issue how-to guide for parents aimed at curbing kids gambling on soccer

By Kinan Suchaovanich (CP) –

BANGKOK — The Thai government is publishing a new series of parenting brochures that instructs families how to keep their children from gambling on soccer matches, after kids as young as 7 were found betting on the World Cup.

"The Guide to Watching Football With Your Children and Loved Ones," will be the first in a three-part series to be distributed at schools nationwide in October, Thanakorn Komkris, a co-ordinator at the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, said Monday.

The agency, which is under the Prime Minister's Office, is sponsoring the series that uses cartoon characters to convey that professional soccer can be a fun family event — and one that sometimes requires parent supervision.

"Now that the major football leagues in Thailand and abroad have started, more gambling is expected. This is worrying. We don't want to see more young gamblers," he said.

The new guide will be aimed at children of primary school age and teens and will seek to inform them of the dangers of gambling, while trying to motivate youths with "inspiring stories from world-class football players," Thanakorn said.

"We want them to see the game as a sport that is good for the body and mind, not just entertainment," he said, adding that the series will also include information for parents and encourage them to make it a family activity. "Watching football together can help foster bonds within a family."

Gambling is illegal in Thailand, technically, but it remains a national pastime. Betting is common at sports events, at underground casinos or along the Cambodia border where casinos have flourished in recent years to cater to Thai customers.

"During the World Cup, police found children as young as 7 gambling," Thanakorn said. During the three-week sporting event, police arrested 1,700 illegal gamblers in Bangkok alone and confiscated 3.7 million baht (about $118,000).

A survey conducted by the foundation with Bangkok's Assumption University during the World Cup found 54 per cent of those surveyed gambled on match results. The survey polled 2,541 people between the ages of 12 and 60.

"Thais are fundamentally attracted to gambling. Thais can find ways to gamble on almost anything," Thanakorn said. "We focus on football because it is such a popular and accessible sport. And it's often the entry-point to other kinds of gambling."

First Vietnamese professor awarded Fields Medal

Tuoi Tre

A+ A-

Updated : Fri, August 20, 2010, 8:41 AM (GMT+0700)

Ngo Bao Chau ">

Ngo Bao Chau

Professor Ngo Bao Chau, a young Vietnamese mathematician, has been awarded the 2010 Fields Medal for his proof of the Fundamental Lemma in the theory of automorphic forms, by introducing new algebro-geometric methods.

The exalted award, comparable to the Nobel prize for mathematics, was announced and given to him at the 26th International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), which is taking place in Hyderabad, India from August 19-27.

He is also one of only two young mathematicians to present a report at the congress.

The Fields Medal, the most prestigious global award for mathematical achievement, which is awarded every four years, is traditionally announced and given away at the ICMs. The medal, named after J. Fields, a Canadian mathematician who left a small legacy to fund it, is awarded only to mathematicians under the age of 40.

Chau’s award is a great honour for Vietnam, making it the second nation in Asia after Japan to have citizen awarded the medal.

Ngo Bao Chau, the youngest professor in Vietnam, was born in 1972 in Hanoi and majored in mathematics at Hanoi University of Natural Sciences’ advanced school.

In 1988, Chau won the gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia. In 1989, he won another gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Germany.

After leaving secondary school in Vietnam, he studied at the Paris VI University and then completed his PhD Degree in Orsay under the supervision of Gérard Laumon.

He is currently a Professor at the Science Faculty at Orsay and a member of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton in the US. In September 2010, he will take up a new appointment at the University of Chicago.

Along with Laumon, Chau was awarded the Clay research award in 2004 and in 2007, he was awarded the Sophie Germain prize and the Oberwolfach prize.

In 2009, his evidence proving the Langlands fundamental lemma was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 most outstanding scientific discoveries of 2009.

In the 1960’s and 70’s Robert Langlands formulated various basic unifying principles and conjectures relating automorphic forms on different groups, Galois representations and L-functions. These led to what today is referred to as the Langlands program.

The main tool in establishing some cases of these conjectures is the trace formula and in applying it for the above purposes a central difficulty intervenes: to establish some natural identities in harmonic analysis on local groups as well as ones connected to arithmetic geometric objects.

This problem became known as the Fundamental Lemma. After many advances by a number of researchers in 2004, Laumon and Chau established the Fundamental Lemma for a special family of groups, and recently Chau established the Lemma in general.

Chau’s brilliant proof of this important long standing conjecture is based in part on the introduction of novel geometric objects and techniques into this sophisticated analysis. His achievement, which lies at the crossroads between algebraic geometry, group theory and automorphic forms, is leading to many striking advances in the Langlands program as well as the subjects linked with it.

Brief Biodata

Ngo Bao Chau was born on June 28, 1972, in Hanoi, Vietnam. After secondary school in Vietnam, he moved to France and studied at the Université Paris 6, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris. He completed his PhD Degree in Orsay under the supervision of Gérard Laumon. He is currently Professor in the Faculté des Sciences at Orsay and Member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. In September 2010, he will start his new appointment at the University of Chicago. Jointly with Laumon, Chau was awarded the Clay research award in 2004. In 2007, he was awarded the Sophie Germain prize and the Oberwolfach prize.

Vietnam Ministry Targets 1.7M in Vocational Study in New School Year

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) aims to enroll 1.7 million students in vocational training schools in the 2010-2011 school year.

The country is now home to more than 2,000 vocational training establishments, including 55 vocational training colleges. However, their training quality is a matter of special concern, the Vietnam News Agency said Aug 24, citing the ministry.

In fact, 25% of vocational training graduates fail to meet requirements of FDI firms. The country is in redundancy of unskilled workers, but lack of skilled ones, the MoLISA admitted, noting that training establishments remain less attractive to local students.

Vietnam should pay more attention to improve vocational training quality, as it plays an important role to the country’s FDI attraction, UNDP experts noted. The Southeast Asian country attracted a total pledged foreign direct investment (FDI) of $7.5 billion in the first five months of this year, down 23% from a year earlier.

Vietnam now has 47 million people of working age. It aims to raise its trained manpower rate to 30% in 2010 from 28% in 2009. The unemployment rate in its urban areas is currently at 5.02%, some 0.08% lower than 2006. (Vietnam News Aug 24 p6)

Network of universities set up between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Directors from 42 major universities in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia gathered in Ho Chi Minh City on August 27 to promote cooperation in tertiary education and scientific research.

They agreed to establish a network of universities in the three countries and devise a mechanism of cooperation for the network.

Representatives from 11 universities have signed memorandums of understanding on exchanges of students, lecturers, information and scientific research.

Chairman of the Social and Cultural Committee of the Lao National Assembly, Douangdy Outhachak, said that the network will help Laos develop its economy, trade and services.

He expressed his hope that Vietnamese universities will admit many Lao students and help Lao universities implement human resources training programmes.

The director of Ho Chi Minh City National University, Associate Professor Phan Thanh Binh said the network will lay the groundwork for cooperation among all of the region’s universities.

Cambodia: Women at Work: I am Powerful

By Chandara Tith.

“I am Powerful!” What does it mean? Is it a political action? No, it is a new brand of CARE, a campaign that put the focus on women`s empowerment.

The CARE campaign "I am powerful" portrais women from different contries. Here a Cambodian woman shows that with her vegetable garden she can feed the family. (Photo:CARE Australia)

It really caught my attention. Since the beginning of my internship, I saw it many times, both on the CARE website and in many information leaflets.

Women in Cambodian Society

Have you ever heard about the norm and the belief of Khmer people in the past?

Cambodia in the past believed that girls should not study at a high level because the only future they have will be one as a housewife. They should stay at home, learning how to be a good housewife rather than wasting time by going to school. Like an old Cambodian Proverb said “Girls cannot go far away from the stove.”
But still today, it is a common practice in the family that the elder girl’s labor is needed to work at home to support the household and to take care of the younger siblings from day-to-day.

Even though education is free in Cambodia, families who are too poor prioritize their son for education. Because when all children go to school, families have large expenses for school materials like books and pens and so forth.
Look at my family: I have five siblings, among the three sisters. I am the only son who can study in the university with the financial support of my oldest sister. My sisters did quit their studies in order to earn money for our family and to support their brother to school.

For some women in Cambodia in the past time, their responsibilities seemed to be a double burden. They had to take care of everything in the house and help to earn money to support their family. Most of them had to wake up at dawn to prepare for house work, making food, laundry and some other tasks before they left to the rice field and work till dusk.

Majority-Minority

Women are the majority of garment workers in Cambodia. Most of them come from provinces where they find it hard to get a job. So they move to the capital city Phnom Penh to search for work. The average income of a garment worker is about 50 to 80 U.S dollars per month. But, in the city women have to face higher cost of living. Until now, the discussion between garment workers and the entrepreneurs about increasing salaries is still being on the line.
I don’t want to say that working in the factory is bad, but I think we have to share the working place and position. Women should have more chances to work in a higher position and to earn more money.

Women do not only form the majority of garment workers, they also play a large role in migration. Many migrate to other countries to find work, for example as housekeepers. In several cases, some of them were cheated and forced to work as prostitution. As the newspaper Phnom Penh Post writes: “Last month, [an] employment firm was the target of a raid in which officials discovered 232 women and girls living in a squalid condition.”

Breaking the barrier

It seems however, as though the situation is changing. Most parents understand the importance of education and they let their daughters go to school.
Now, more and more women try to break the barrier. They enroll in schools and work in government offices. Women stand to be strong and change their world.

As you can see I'm the only man - the majority of my colleagues are women. (Photo: Chandara Tith)

My current work in the press office of CARE Germany-Luxemburg is a good example. I am the only man among six colleagues within the office. Sometimes, I felt a bit isolated working with a majority of women. Is it because of CARE is working to empower women?

Now you can see the gap of women`s workforce in Cambodia compared to Germany. Cambodian men still have an image in mind of a woman who has to be a housewife and stay at home, whereas men are the ones to work and to earn money. Women receive less education than men. Therefore fewer women work in a higher position.
The situation has to be changed. Like some people said, women are playing an important role in the society. They are the human force for social movement. A Cambodian proverb says: “No water, no fish” brings to understanding “No women, no Men.”

CARE is working to improve the living conditions for women and help them to strengthen their capacity building and economic development. “I am Powerful” will be a bridge to break gender inequity and gender discrimination. In this context you can also see the video: “I’m a Roma Woman- I’m a European Woman-I’m a Women”.

What do you think women will be in the future? Do you feel you are powerful if you are a woman?

Cambodia gets library for kids

PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) A facility established in the Cambodian capital by residents of Hiroshima to facilitate peaceful exchanges opened a children's library Sunday.
Hidetoshi Ito, general manager of Hiroshima House located in central Phnom Penh, said about 210 illustrated children's books, mostly of Japanese folktales, have been translated into Cambodia's Khmer language since last November by some 38 Cambodian students studying Japanese.

The number of donated books will increase over time to around 500, Ito said.

Among the 100 or so people who attended the opening ceremony were Takashi Hiraoka, a former mayor of Hiroshima, and Katsuhiro Shinohara, a former Japanese ambassador to Cambodia.

Hiraoka, now director general of the Association for Exchange between Hiroshima Citizens and Cambodia, said at the ceremony that Cambodia's future depends on its children and "reading is really important" for them to acquire deep knowledge and contribute to the country's development.

Shinohara, who speaks fluent Khmer, said he was happy to witness the opening of the library, which Cambodian children can use to absorb more knowledge after their regular school hours.

Hiroshima House is located near the Royal Palace in a monastery complex that serves as the headquarters of Cambodia's Theravada Buddhism.

Designed for multifunctional use, including for language teaching and educational exhibitions, the five-story building was constructed bit by bit by Hiroshima volunteers visiting the country between 1995 and 2006, when it was completed.

In addition to providing lodging and various courses for Cambodians, the facility has a museum and a Japanese library.

RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Curve 3G Smartphone in Thailand

Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the new BlackBerry Curve 3G, an exciting addition to the popular BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones. Designed to provide the growing mass of smartphone purchasers with a distinctly powerful, approachable and affordable choice, the BlackBerry Curve 3G supports high-speed 3G (HSDPA) networks around the world and gives users the exceptional communications features they need to accomplish more than ever, when they’re at home, at work and everywhere in-between.

“The BlackBerry Curve 3G is both an accessible and feature-rich smartphone which will be popular with customers in Thailand who highly value communications and productivity tools that help them get ahead of their day. With the ability to connect to Wi-Fi and the 3G networks that are planned to roll-out in Thailand, users can communicate and access information quickly and easily, and thanks to built-in GPS they can even share their location on BBM and social networking sites,” said Gregory Wade, Managing Director, South East Asia, RIM.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone features a comfortable full-QWERTY keyboard for fast, accurate typing, optical trackpad for fluid navigation, as well as dedicated media keys, so music lovers can easily access their tunes while on the go. In addition to built-in GPS and Wi-Fi, the new smartphone also features a camera that can record video and a microSD/SDHC slot that supports up to 32 GB memory cards for media storage. Support for 3G networks makes browsing faster, streaming music smoother, and gives users the ability to talk on the phone while they browse the web or instant message with BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).

The BlackBerry Curve 3G ships with BlackBerry 5 and is BlackBerry 6 ready. BlackBerry 6 is a new operating system for BlackBerry smartphones that retains the trusted features that distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh and engaging experience that is both powerful and easy to use. BlackBerry 6 is expected to be available for the BlackBerry Curve 3G, subject to carrier certifications, in the coming months.

The new BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone (model 9300) is expected to be available in Thailand in September.

For more information about the new BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone visit http://th.blackberry.com/Curve3G.

Thailand's CAT seeks lower purchase price for Hutchison's CDMA network

CAT TELECOM will negotiate with Hong Kong telecom operator Hutchison Telecom soon to bargain for a lower price of the latter's Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 1-x cellular service business in Thailand and the CDMA network in 25 provinces.

CAT chief executive Jirayuth Rungsrithong said the move was in line with the policy of Information and Communications Technology Minister Chuti Krairiksh to lower the price.

In April the Cabinet approved CAT's plan to spend Bt7.5 billion on the deal, of which Bt7.2 billion is for the purchase of Hutchison Telecom business and the CDMA network, while the rest is for costs related to the purchase process. Neither party has yet to sign the deal.

Jirayuth said the deal was agreed in dollar terms at not over US$220 million, about Bt6.9 billion in baht terms at today's exchange rate.

He added that there were many ways to bargain for a lower price.

Jirayuth said that CAT would also ask Hutchison Telecom to upgrade the CDMA network in 25 provinces to the so-called Rev B standard, to provide a higher data transmission speed of 9.2 megabits per second.

CAT wants to quickly merge its own CDMA network in 51 provinces with the separate CDMA network in 25 provinces belonging to Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia, its joint venture with Hutchison Telecom, so it can provide a nationwide service more efficiently.

Hutchison-CAT markets the cellular service in 25 provinces under the Hutch brand, using a CDMA network leased from BFKT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hutchison Telecom.

Jirayuth said he hoped CAT could sign the takeover deal with Hutchison Telecom at the end of this year and the network merger could begin early next year.

In a separate matter, CAT's board last week approved the plan to spend Bt2 billion on installing submarine fibre optic cables in the Gulf of Thailand to provide communications services to a Chevron rig and that of PTT Exploration and Production.

A day in Samut Prakan will give you a chance to catch up on the history of the Royal Thai Navy

Guns, a submarine, torpedoes, a seaplane and a tank are just some of the exhibits at the Naval Museum in Samut Prakan. The museum offers a unique insight into the long and colourful history of the Royal Thai Navy.

On Sukhumvit Road, opposite the sprawling Royal Thai Navy Academy, the museum is a treasure trove of artifacts and memorabilia, from weapons and models of ancient warships to remnants of royal barges.

TMS Matchanu, the last of four submarines commissioned in 1938 by the Royal Thai Navy is one of the highlights of the museum. All that remains today is the conning tower and part of the deck, which are preserved in the museum grounds. The first lighthouse in Thailand, which was used in the Gulf of Thailand is also housed here.

As there is only minimal written information on each exhibit, the museum's curator helps stimulate the imagination of visitors by regaling them with a blend of facts and fiction telling the story of how the Royal Thai Navy has progressed over the last century.

On the day we visited, Phairach Samutrsindh, director of the Naval Museum, gave us the privilege of taking us on a tour of the museum. He started by first highlighting Samut Prakan's crucial role in Thai history. "Did you know that the telegraph was first used in Thailand between Bangkok and Samut Prakan in 1875, during the reign of King Rama V?" Mr Phairach stated, immediately grabbing our attention.

This cable was extended to later include a submarine cable connecting the lighthouse on the Chao Phraya delta. The purpose was to enable the lighthouse to report on shipping arriving and departing the area, keeping a special lookout for intruders.

In 1891, the first telephone service was introduced, connecting the Ministry of Defence in Bangkok with Phra Chulachomklao Fortress in Samut Prakan. The telephone highly improved communication between Bangkok and this strategic fort, enabling instant reports to be sent by naval personnel of hostile foreign activities on the Chao Phraya.

After the short briefing, we proceeded to the main entrance of the museum building. As one steps inside the narrow hallway, there is little indication of what is to come. The first few rooms are dedicated to King Taksin the Great and Prince Chumphon. Exhibits of their personal belongings, such as handwritten manuscripts, a pipe for smoking tobacco and a compass, are interspersed with modern paintings of King Taksin on horseback and old ships sailing on turbulent seas.

On the opposite side of the hall is a display of weaponry that gun enthusiasts will find truly mind-blowing. Exhibits include everything from rifles, handguns and cannon, to shells and edged weapons, some dating back to the Vietnam War. Also on display are a selection of mortars, along with machine-guns and naval shells. Some of the oldest weapons date back to the mid-1930s.

A display of various bayonets also receives a lot of attention from visitors. As photography is allowed, visitors can take photos of themselves with their favourite weapons.

On the ground floor of the adjoining building are exhibits on past naval battles, including torpedoes, the country's first lighthouse and royal barges dating back to the reign of King Rama V. One of the wooden barges boasts an artistically carved royal emblem.

A flight of stairs takes you up to a large room with more static displays of miniature royal barges and oddments from warships dating back to the early Rattanakosin era. The bows of various barges, with small ornamental carved nagas, are also on display. In one corner of the room there are scale models of old ships and displays reminding visitors of past conflicts in which the Thai Navy has been involved _ one such conflict being the Paknam incident with the French, in the late 19th century.

Our last stop on the museum tour was on the top floor, which houses a handful of aircraft models. Alongside these you can see models of state-of- the-art aviation technology. Visitors will find a trip to the Naval Museum not just entertaining, but educational as well.

The Best Places Where Students Can Write For An “Authentic Audience”

I’ve been spending time over this past year reflecting and evaluating on how I can be more effective in teaching writing — both to English Language Learners and my mainstream ninth-grade students. In fact, all the English teachers at our school have been doing the same thing. Our school got a grant that enabled us to contract with the California Writing Project to do ongoing teacher development.

In addition to that work, those of us who teach English Language Development (which is what most others call ESL) classes have been refining our work with the extraordinary The Write Institute curriculum.

I’ve also been thinking more about the idea of students writing for an “authentic audience” — in other words, someone other than me.

In practice, so far that’s meant my ELL’s writing penpal letters (with pen and on paper) to students (who would respond) in another mainstream English class, and that has worked very well for both classes.

In addition, students have enjoyed participating in our International Sister Classes project, but, because of other commitments, I haven’t made that much of a priority this year (I hope to do better next year!). Developing online presentations is great, though time consuming, and then there’s the responsibility of communicating and commenting back-and-forth. Of course, there are a lot of benefits to that kind of relationship, too, which is why I want to re-engage in the fall.

I’ve also been trying to pull together a list of easy online sites where students write more for an “authentic audience” and meet the following criteria:

* The writing required would be short, not lengthy pieces, that could be done in a reasonable amount of time — a few days at a maximum and preferably less.

* The creating and posting process is simple — accessible both to my English Language Learner students and to me.

* Posting the piece does not necessarily require any kind of ongoing commitment for communication — once it’s up, it might be interesting to check-back after awhile to see if there have been any reactions (if the site is set-up for that kind of involvement), but it’s really just a matter of sticking it up there in a place that gets a fair amount of “traffic” and knowing that it’s likely others will read it.

* There seems to be some kind of enforced standards for all the content that’s posted on the site. In other words, when students explore it to see models of what others have written, it’s unlikely they will encounter something that is inappropriate for classroom use.

With that criteria in mind, here are my picks for The Best Places Where Students Can Write For An “Authentic Audience” (not in order of preference):

What Percent lets you state a simple opinion, which people can then vote on by saying they agree or disagree with you. I didn’t see any inappropriate content on the site, so I assume they keep a close eye on it.

Recipe Key lets you drag-and-drop items into a virtual pantry, and then provides recipes of dishes you might be able to prepare with them. More importantly, students can also write for an authentic audience by contributing their own recipes.

Recipe Snap is another similar site with a very scaffolded system for users to write their own recipes.

Yelp is the enormously popular site where people write reviews about everything. Sometimes you’ll see other reviews that might have inappropriate language and haven’t been removed yet, but that problem seems pretty rare.

Town Me is a brand-new “Yelp”-like site where users can write reviews of restaurants, stores, tourist attractions, etc.

Rate It All is another site where users can post reviews about everything. Some advantages that Rate It All, however, has over those other listed sites are that you can post a review without being registered, and you can post it via email, too. That’s a great advantage if school content filters block the review sites themselves. Thanks to TechCrunch for the tip. Their post explains more about how Rate It All works. (Rate It All left this comment on my original post: “ESL educators can submit themselves to our database here: http://www.rateitall.com/promote. By doing so, a unique email address will be generated for them, allowing them to easily solicit feedback and reviews directly from their students.)

Book reviews are great writing opportunities. ELL teacher Jennifer Duarte had some challenges having her students write ones for Amazon (not least of which being you have to buy something before they let you publish a review). Shelfari, though, seems like a very reasonable alternative. Students can create their own virtual bookshelf and write reviews of them.

Library Thing is similar to Shelfari, and is another good place for writing book reviews. Book Army is another review site.

Zunal is a free and easy way for students (and teachers) to create webquests (though they might be more appropriately called Internet Scavenger Hunts). Zunal also acts as the host for the webquest or scavenger hunt after its been created. All “webquests” that are created using their fairly scaffolded system are listed on the site, so there are plenty of examples.

Lunch is another new review/recommendation site somewhat different from Yelp. You can read about it at Read Write Web. It’s still in “private” testing, but I received an invite within seconds.

Writing reviews about places where students traveled or lived is another good writing opportunity. They can leave comments on places at Trip Wolf, Planet Eye, or on Go Planit, three large travel guides on the web. Here are some recent additions to this list that also related to travel:

Travel DK, which lets you easily create your own online travel guides including writing reviews of attractions (Thanks to Diana Dell for the tip).

Discover America, which is a similar travel site that lets you write reviews (obviously, just places in the U.S.).

I’ve posted about Culture Crossing before. It’s a wonderful social studies resource, but I neglected to include that it would be a great opportunity for authentic writing, too. It’s a unique resource for information about different countries. It provides some basic demographics, but it also shares details about communication style, dress, gestures, etc. It’s unlike any other source of information about countries that’s on the web, and accepts user contributions. Certainly, English Language Learners are well-positioned to write about their native countries.

Earth.org is an online travel guide that makes it easy to find information about places around the world and, more importantly, makes it quite easy to add info, too.

Students can pick a painting, or create their own artwork, and then write a story about it at The Art of Storytelling. It’s a site from the Delaware Art Museum that allows you to not only do either one of those activities, but you can also record your story with your computer microphone. Plus, you can read and listen to stories written and spoken by others. It’s extraordinarily simple, and extraordinarily accessible to any level of English Language Learner. No registration is required.

Myths and Legends is a United Kingdom site where students can create slideshows about……myths and legends. It’s pretty neat and easy, and has the added great benefit of letting students record the narration for their story. Teachers have to register, and they’re very open to schools participating from around the world. All the stories that have been created are available for viewing. This application seems to require more writing, and the posted content seems to be more controlled, then a number of other multimedia sites I considered for inclusion in this list.

Scribd also seems to me to be a good place to upload a variety of student writing, especially now since they’ve supposedly removed all pornography from the site. They used to have a great text-to-speech feature, but they’ve eliminated it.

Students can leave a comment on a positive news story at Optimist World. The stories are engaging and relatively accessible to Intermediate English Language Learners. Because of the nature of the site, students are less likely to encounter some of the rude, inappropriate, and incoherent comments that are often left at more traditional news sites. You’re supposed to also be able to contribute stories to the site, but it’s not clear to me how that’s done.

Moment Tracker lists key events in modern history. You pick one, and you’re shown a map that indicates the key event and what happened. On the same map, you see other pins indicating where other people where at that moment. Click on the pins, and you can read where they were and what they were feeling at that moment. You, too, can write about your own experience.

Students both asking and answering questions at the various online Wiki-like sites like Yahoo Answers, WikiAnswers, and Wikianswers (yes, the last two are indeed different sites) are definitely examples of writing for an “authentic audience.” I had considered including students writing in Simple English Wikipedia, but decided that it was just too complicated for English Language Learners (and even me!). These question/answer sites, though, are pretty simple.

Dogo News is a site designed for young people “of fun and inspiring news from all around the world.” It’s written in relatively simple English with short articles, and is accessible to Intermediate English Language Learners. Readers vote on which articles they like, and can leave comments. Because it’s easy to leave comments, and they appear to be moderated, I’m adding the site to this list.

My Hero is a site where students can write about people they view as…heroes. You can register and create a multimedia webpage about your choices, but, even better (at least, in my view), you can go to the Guestbook area and write a short piece that appears immediately (there are automatic filters to screen content, plus it’s manually screened later).

Tikatok a site that is a real find for English Language Learners (and lots of other students). Users can create online books that they write and illustrate (they can also use lots of images available on the site). It has a number of features that really make it stand-out. You can make a book from scratch, or you can use one of their many story frames that contain “prompts” to help the story-writer along. In addition, you can invite others to collaborate online with you to develop the book.

Once the book is done you can email the link to a friend, teacher, or yourself for posting on a blog, website, or online journal and the site is available on Titatok for others to read. You can create the online version for free, but have to pay if you want them to print a hard-copy version.

Tar Heel Reader has two great features: 1) It has 1,000 simple books with audio support for the text immediately accessible to Beginning English Language Learners and 2) It makes it as simple as you can get for students to create their own “talking” books using images from Flickr.

Anybody can read the books on the site. However, in order to have your students create talking books using their “easy as pie” (and free) process, you need to register and have to have a code. They’re rightfully concerned about publishing the code because of spammers. Gary Bishop from the site, though, is happy to provide it to teachers. Just write him at gb@cs.unc.edu and he’ll send it to you.

At the Destinations website, users first write the location of a place they would like to visit, and then a very brief explanation of why they want to go there. Their response is then shown on a map of the area they chose, along with the url address of their place and what they wrote. The website creators send out a “tweet” on Twitter after each time someone responds, and they review each response and consider placing it on their regular front page “rotation.” All this can be done without registering.

Students can make a “top ten” list of anything they want — cars, books, video games — and describe the reasons for their rankings. Two popular sites that encourage user contributions (and make it easy to do so) are Lists Of Bests and The Top Tens.

Where To Be Today is a pretty neat site where users can write an entry about locations or events that would be good places to be…today.

Basically, after a simple registration, you can decide on a local place or event, or one that is at a distant location, and write about it. You can also search Flickr for images that would be appropriate photos, and identify the spot on a map. It’s then available for others who search for the area or type of event you’ve written about.

On Your Own C is a very cool-looking survey application designed to solicit opinions and comments about issues like tobacco, addiction, dress, and other items of particular interest (to teens, I think) — a question about UFO’s is in there, too.

Once you register, you can write a comment, though it doesn’t appear that you can get a url address specific to what you wrote. Even with that limitation, it would clearly be a high-interest site for students to use. They could always write their comments elsewhere (a blog or hard copy) and just copy and past on to “On Your Own C.”

Daytipper is the newest addition to this list.

I’m just going to quote from The Make Use of blog to describe it (it’s worth reading their whole post):

DayTipper is a platform for sharing practical daily life tips. It has more than 7500 published tips submitted by users in various categories (Buying/Selling, Travel, Education, Family, Household etc.) that provide insights to very specific everyday problems such as “How to make a room seem bigger” or “No more smelly feet”.

Student could easily develop and post their own short “tips.”

Nik Peachey has written a post describing an excellent writing activity for English Language Learners — write a story in fifty words. It’s definitely worth a look. Students can write one and post it at the Daily Lit website.

Students can contribute an article to Knol, Google’s answer to Wikipedia. It seems a lot easier technically to contribute to Knol than to Wikipedia.

Opposing Views highlights key questions (political, scientific, etc). It then, in a fairly succinct “bullet” format, has an “expert” share pro and con arguments. Users of the site can also leave their own comments. The language and lay-out of the site is fairly accessible to Intermediate English Language Learners. After reading the arguments, users can easily leave their own comments on the issue.

Survival Strategies is a new interactive feature from The New York Times. People offer brief ideas on how they’re saving money now in the recession. Readers can vote on which ones they think are best. You have to register in order to vote, offer suggestions, or contribute your own.

BBC Memoryshare is a “place to share and explore memories.” The site has a cool-looking timeline where you can access memories that people have written — on just about anything. In addition, and most importantly for this post, you can contribute a memory (after quickly registering at the BBC). Each memory is accessible through the timeline, through a keyword, or through an individual url address.

Newsy is a site that — in short videos — compares how major news events are covered by media throughout the world. You can leave comments if you’re registered. For that reason, I’m also adding it to this list. The speaking is pretty fast and relatively high-level, so it’s probably only accessible to advanced English Language Learners. It does provide a transcript to the audio, but it’s not actually closed-captioned. That doesn’t make it particularly useful to ELL’s. It’s a well done site. I’m probably going to be using it more with my International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge class than with my English Language Learners.

Project Label is a new site that I’m adding to this list. The site provides “social nutrition” labels to corporations based on a number of criteria including safety, nutrition, values, etc. The labels in large part are determined by users on the site who vote on the usefulness and validity of articles on the corporations that other users upload. Students can write their own articles to add, or can leave comments on the articles that others contribute, in addition to voting.

Blippr is a site where users can write reviews of computer applications, games, music, movies and books.

Timelines is a neat tool that lets users contribute towards making “timelines” of historical events with text, photos, and videos. People can then vote on which ones they like best, though everyone’s contributions appear to remain displayed. It’s extremely easy to contribute — much, much easier than to something like Wikipedia.

Share Your Ideas is a neat feature on the California Academy of Science website. Users can easily leave their ideas on how to help the environment, which then appear on sort of a bulletin-board like page. You can read more about the site here.

Words Move Me is a neat site from Sony where users add short book passages that have…moved them. Others can leave comments on the quotes.

Students can write-up simple tutorials on just about anything and submit them to LearnThat.

Twick it is designed to be sort of a version of Wikipedia. The difference is that every entry has to be 140 characters or less. In the future, once there are many entries, it might be a great source of information for English Language Learners. Now, however, it’s an excellent opportunity for students to identify topics, develop their own 140 character answer or description about the topic, and then post it to the site.

The BBC’s “A History Of The World” is a neat interactive timeline display of historical objects with images and commentary. Not only is it an accessible and engaging way to learn more about world history, but after a quick site registration you can contribute your own historical object choice to the collection and write about it.

Fwix pulls together local news stories from local news outlets in hundreds of cities throughout the world. You click on one city, and you get tons of media from the local papers, television, and other sources. It’s obviously a good place for learning about a place. For me, though, it’s particularly appealing for the ability to comment on the stories. Until it gets more popular, it will probably be free of the invective that you usually find in the comments section at the websites of the local news outlets themselves.

The New York Times recently launched Student Opinion “to create a “safe space” on NYTimes.com – and on the Internet overall – for students 13 and older to voice their views on the news.” You can read a much fuller explanation about the feature here.

EducoPark lets you write about a “life lesson” you learned and how you learned it, as well as begin an online discussion on challenges and how to face them. Users can leave comments on these lessons, and vote on which ones were most helpful. I didn’t see anything particularly inappropriate for the classroom in a quick review of the site, and it seemed pretty interesting. I think it might be a good place opportunity for students to share their own “life lessons” and comment on others.

“Word Is” lets users write down their own definitions of what words mean to them and then rate which ones they like best. Some of the definitions can be a bit esoteric, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a place for English Language Learners to study for vocabulary development (though I’m sure they would pick-up some useful info). However, it would be a nice place for students to write their own definitions.

All Voices is a news site that includes news from mainstream sources as well as contributions from registered users. It seems like they do a good job of collecting engaging stories, and the site itself is attractive. The reason I’m posting about it, though, is because I think it’s a good place for ELL’s to leave comments on current events. Unlike the comments section of most major news outlets, from what I can see, those who comment maintain a degree of civility.

At Site Jabber, users can write reviews of websites. It appears to be primarily aimed at online businesses, but there are lots of other websites reviewed, too. Students can write reviews of their favorite online sites, including (but not limited to) the ones we use for English learning.

This list filled with links to sites where students can write on the web and others can read their creations. Some of these links include news sites or others where they can leave comments on news content. Spotery is somewhat similar — users can leave comments on news stories from around the web. It differs, though, in one key way that makes it potentially especially engaging to students — users can add a link to the site to any other article about a topic that they are interested in. Then, they can leave a comment about that news item. Or, a teacher can choose a particular article that he/she wants students to comment on and, in addition to students comments, they can check to see what other people have said, too. Brikut is a similar site.

Explorra is a new travel site that appears to be designed to compete with the many others that allow you to create your own travel itinerary. I’ve posted many of those similar sites at The Best Sites Where Students Can Plan Virtual Trips. I wouldn’t add Explorra to that list, though — the others seem to do a better job at that.

However, Explorra does have one feature I really, really like — the ability for users to create an online guide to anyplace in the world. After sign-up, which only takes a minute, you identify a city, country or state, and then start listing what you think are the most interesting places there. Explorra will search the Web for images of each location, and you can write descriptions.

Music Explained is a new site where you can pick a song and write about what you think it means and how you feel about it. It could be a nice place for students to write about their favorite music and see what others have written, too. The link to student writing could be posted on a student or teacher blog/website. They indicate that there is some monitoring of what people write, but it’s unclear to what extent it is reviewed.

Mappy Friends is an easy place for students to write their reviews and impressions of places they have been — whether it’s cities or towns around the world where they have lived, or parks or attractions in the place where they live.

At Web of Fate, users can write predictions of events and explain their reasons why.

“My Immigration Story” is designed for immigrants to share their story in 200 words or less. It’s specifically designed to:

Let other Americans know how the current generation of immigrants is helping enrich this land of opportunity.

Baby Name Voyager is a fascinating data visualization tool that shows you the popularity of specific names during the last thirteen decades. You just type in a name, and an interactive chart appears seconds later. It’s really pretty interesting. But that’s not really why I’m writing about it. Even better, you click on a name and you’re given information about it, and offered the opportunity to write about it. Now, for students, this is pretty high-interest stuff — learn how popular your name has been over the past 130 years, learn about its historical roots, and write about your personal experience with it as your name. There are some caveats, though. It only shows the most popular 1000 names in a decade, and it appears (though I can’t be sure) to show only names in the United States. It seems to have a fairly large number of Latino names, but there are very few Asian ones. So it’s problematic for teachers in a school like mine (one-third Southeast Asian) to use the site.

Virtual Tourist is a new site that makes it easy for students (and anybody else) to write about places where they have lived or where they have traveled.

Tripline just opened for business, and it’s a great map-making application. You just list the various places you want to go in a journey, or a famous trip that has happened in history or literature, or a class field trip itinerary, and a embeddable map is created showing the trip where you can add written descriptions and photos. You can use your own photos or just search through Flickr. Plus, you can pick a soundtrack to go with it as it automatically plays through the travels.

Here are examples of the ride of Paul Revere and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

It’s super-easy to use, and the only tricky part is that you can’t add photos until after you create your trip and save it. That’s not a big deal, unless you couldn’t figure it out like me and had to contact the site.

I’d love to hear other suggestions.

There are a lot of other kinds of “products” students (videos, timelines, online tests, comic strips, etc.) can create for an “authentic audience”, and I’ll be creating another “The Best…” list sharing them (I’ve done this — The Best Places Where Students Can Create Online Learning/Teaching Objects For An “Authentic Audience”). In addition, I’ll be writing another list describing different ways teachers can connect with others who might be interested in developing “sister class” relationships to create and provide more authentic audiences (in addition to the other learning benefits gained).

As always, feedback is welcome.

If you found this post useful, you might want to look at previous “The Best…” lists and also consider subscribing to this blog for free.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/04/01/the-best-places-where-students-can-write-for-an-authentic-audience/

The Top 10 Online Colleges for Teaching Degrees

(Image Source)

The teaching occupation offers a substantial range of opportunities for professionals within the field. Professional educators can work in a classroom setting teaching students from grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth. Teachers can choose to pursue an area of specialization in a specific subject, in a focused area such as special education or to develop an expertise in a certain aspect of the field. Teachers can work in child care centers, private education centers or in technical schools. Since teachers are required in every region of the country, individuals entering the profession aren’t geographically limited as to where they can set up residence. In addition to the flexible job opportunities, teaching is a field with limitless opportunities for change, enrichment and advancement. Professionals within the teaching field will always have the option to return to school to acquire new, updated or advanced skills which will enhance their abilities and generate new opportunities.

The teaching field, according to the United States Department of Labor, will continue to experience average job growth over the next decade with an increase of 13 percent. Individuals just beginning careers in teaching or those interested in changing careers will find online degree programs helpful in achieving this goal. In order to increase your viability in the teaching field, additional courses, certificates or degree programs may need to be considered. The online programs offer flexible schedule and class options tailored to meet the needs of a busy adult population and a supportive learning environment. The programs conform to the national educational standards for the major and provide current information to students. Completing a degree program to begin a new career in the field or to augment an existing career can be achieved at the convenience of the student with online programs. The pace at which the program is completed can be decided by each individual student by choosing a part time program, full time program or even an accelerated paced program.

Below is a list of the top ranked teaching programs offered through online courses. Each institution is accredited and offers challenging teaching programs with coursework relevant to contemporary issues in teaching and education.

1. Walden University

Walden University is a highly regarded research institution offering a substantial range of degree programs through award winning distance learning courses. Walden University is committed to eradicating the barriers which hinder the efforts of working adults in attaining their educational and career goals. The flexible and convenient online programs offered at Walden University successfully instill an ambition for lifelong learning and an ethical responsibility towards social change producing graduates who become leaders in their fields. Knowledge derived from research is incorporated into the programs to assure students are abreast of the most recent advancements in their area of study. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association and has attained several professional accreditations.

Walden University offers undergraduate, graduate and post graduate degree programs in education. The curriculum provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective in their field, developed collaboratively with industry experts, researchers and educators and based on national standards. The four year 181 credit Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies provides students with training in educational policies, students support services, community programs and various other educational agencies. Students are required to complete 45 credits in general education courses, 60 credits in core areas of study and 70 credits in elective courses permitting students to tailor their program towards their individualized interests and goals. Courses include understanding today’s instructional environments, how people learn, foundations of educational studies, designing curriculum, diversity in education, assessment and evaluation and technology and education. Students work closely with peers and faculty members evaluating strategies and theories in education and to develop new knowledge in the field.

[Click here to get more information about Walden's Online Teaching Degree Programs]

2. Liberty University

Liberty University, founded in 1971, is a private Christian institution which offers both on campus and online degree programs to students around the world. Liberty University boasts 341 full time faculty members, extensive resources available through electronic means and over 140 degree programs of which 40 are offered entirely online. Degree programs include associate, baccalaureate, master, doctoral and specialist. Students enrolled at Liberty University are provided with comprehensive degree programs that incorporate ethical and social responsibility in the curriculum promotes lifelong learning and develops skills in analytical and critical thinking as well as communication. At Liberty University, students are able to apply for life experience credit and transfer credits from other schools. Options are offered to assist with degree completion for those who have already earned credits towards a degree. Liberty University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The 120 credit Bachelor of Science in Education degree programs offered at Liberty University provides students with a rigorous and challenging curriculum. Students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand the various aspects of development, behavior and cognition. The program includes studies in educational theory, contemporary trends and practices in education, interventions, evaluating student needs, differential learning and developing and implementing curriculum. Specialized study in Christian education provides students with the knowledge necessary to work in a Christian education system. Other areas of specialization are also offered in elementary education for prek-6th grades and from 6th-8th. The program requires students to complete a series of general education subjects in liberal art including English, mathematics, science, history and social science. Students must also complete at least 15 credit hours in their area of specialization.

[Click here to get more information about Liberty's Online Teaching Degree Programs]

3. Kaplan University

Kaplan University was founded in 1938 for the purpose of helping students achieve their educational goals through tutoring and test preparation assistance. Today, Kaplan University has evolved into a comprehensive educational provider offering degree programs, certificate programs, continuing education services and a range of programs for students in grades kindergarten through twelve. Kaplan University strives to provide individualized, student focused educational programs tailored to each of their specific goals and needs. With more than 600 locations around the globe and their successful online campus, Kaplan University boasts a student body exceeding one million students every year. Students are provided with access to exceptional support services, extensive educational and career resources and expert faculty instructors.

Kaplan University School of Graduate Education offers several degree options in the field of education for the benefit of their students. Students can pursue a Master of Science degree in education specializing in several areas of the discipline including literacy and language for grades k-6 or 6-12, technology, special needs, mathematics in varying grades, science in varying grades and leadership. The curriculum trains educators to design curriculum based on local and national standards, develop varying approaches to discipline and classroom management and to apply research and theories for the purpose of implementing teaching strategies. Students enrolled in the degree program will participate in discussions and activities which will assist in developing the essential skills necessary to motivate and teach. The degree program requires each student to complete a capstone project utilizing the methodologies taught throughout the program.

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4. Strayer University

Strayer University was established in 1892 to provide working adults with flexible educational opportunities. The highly regarded institution provides affordable, high quality degree programs and expert, industry experienced faculty members committed to the success of their students. The degree programs offer current and relevant curriculum which ensures students are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance their careers. At Strayer University, students can choose to complete their degree programs entirely through online courses or can attend classes at any of the school’s numerous locations across the nation. Employers view applicants with a degree from Strayer in high regard due to the reputation of the institution. Strayer University is accredited by the Middle Sates Commission on Higher Education and has attained approval and licensure in nearly all the states across the country for all of their programs.

Strayer University offers master degree programs in education to their students. The 54 credit Master of Education degree program offers comprehensive training to students involved in various aspects of the field. The curriculum includes studies in the areas of education theories, business skills, education management, administrative issues and educational techniques utilized to teach students with various needs. The skills learned can be immediately applied to any classroom setting. Students aspiring to earn a degree in teaching at Strayer University will have the opportunity to select from concentration options. The online courses are rigorous and challenging and provide students with the knowledge and skills required in the education discipline. Students have the option of choosing courses which are synchronous for the students who prefer a more structured schedule or asynchronous for students who require flexibility. Instructors provide online syllabi, email addresses, phone numbers and online message boards to ensure their accessibility to their student.

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5. Capella University

Capella University was established in 1991 for the purpose of providing working adults with superior educational opportunities better suited to their own needs. Since its inception, Capella University has grown to include 39 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and boasts a student body of more than 37,000 around the globe. The administration and faculty members at the school are experienced in their professions and committed to the success of their students and the institution. Capella University strives to provide high quality degree programs to students seeking to advance their skills and knowledge as well as their careers. The degree programs are innovative and relevant and are regularly updated to ensure students receive the most current training in their fields. Capella University has earned accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition to accreditation, Capella University has earned approval and certifications from several states and various highly regarded organizations.

The School of Education at Capella University offers a range of master and doctoral programs in education. The curriculum for the degree programs incorporate national standards to ensure the degree earned is relevant and respected. The 48 credit programs require students to complete several general core courses in education. The majority of the remaining credits are required in the student’s area of specialization. Areas of study include leadership, learning theory and curriculum development. Graduates of the programs are able to improve the achievement level of students within their classrooms. Students can pursue a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, early childhood education, enrollment management, instructional design for online learning, k-12 studies in education, leadership in educational administration, leadership for higher education, post secondary and adult education, professional studies in education, reading an literacy, special education or training and performance improvement. The doctorate degree programs are offered in most of the same areas of study.

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6. Widener University

Widener University, founded in 1821, began as a military institution and evolved into an institution of higher learning offering more than 150 degree and certificate programs. Widener University is dedicated to providing high quality degree programs steeped in experiential learning and emphasizing the importance of social commitment and ethical professionalism. The traditional college offers a range of accommodating online programs for their population of working adult students contending with busy schedules and daily responsibilities. The curriculum for the degree and certificate programs are challenging and comprehensive and provide a broad foundation of knowledge in all the core areas essential to the professional fields. The student centered, collaborative learning approach supports the achievement and success of each graduate and furthers the university’s goal of enhancing its reputation in the academic and professional realms. Widener University has earned the Presidential Community Service Award for its efforts in volunteering and service learning.

Students are offered the opportunity to select from several degree programs at Widener University through online courses. The Bachelor of Arts degree for Elementary Education is an exceptional program which can lead to licensure. Students can choose to pursue a specialization in the early years (grades k-4) or middle years (grades 4-8). The program includes theoretical study in education, contemporary teaching techniques and analyzes the potential direction of the future in teaching. Students complete foundational courses in professional education and have the opportunity to attain the field experience necessary for program completion. The online degree programs is formatted to allow peer and faculty interaction and facilitates collaborative learning. Students are able to develop a schedule suited to their needs while completing the requirements necessary to attain the degree. Students can choose to complete programs entirely through online courses or to develop a hybrid program which integrates both on campus and online courses.

7. Rasmussen College

Rasmussen College began in 1900 as a business school and has evolved into a comprehensive institution of higher learning offering 70 degree programs to a student body of more than 15,000 individuals. A leading provider of online degree programs, Rasmussen College offers flexible learning options to the busy working adult population who would otherwise be unable to accomplish their goals. Partnerships with other leading institutions of higher learning permit Rasmussen College students to pursue advanced degrees. Rasmussen College strives to equip their graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully attain responsible positions within their fields. Individualized programs and attention ensure each student receives the support and assistance needed. Eight separate start times for various programs and 24/7 technical and educational assistance provide further flexibility and support. Rasmussen College boasts a 98% employment success rate credited to the high esteem with which employers view their degrees.

The regionally accredited degree programs in education offered at Rasmussen College provide graduates with the training and skills required to become leaders in the field of education. Students enrolled in the program are offered the opportunity to develop an area of specialization including early childhood education, special needs, english language learner or child and family studies The curriculum includes cognitive development and social and emotional development to ensure graduates are prepared to meet the needs of their students. Also included are the areas of health and safety, nutrition, implementing curriculum, developing an innovative learning environment and family theories and styles. Students are required to complete a 30 hour per week externship to comply with regulations. Required courses in the major include infant and toddler development, the exceptional child, emerging literacy through children’s literature, observing and promoting development in the early childhood classroom and success strategies.

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8. Ashford University

Ashford University, founded 1918, was established to provide flexible, quality degree programs for the busy working adult population at an affordable rate. The rigorous and innovative programs offered at Ashford University are designed to support students in their academic endeavors while equipping the future graduates with the skills necessary to become leaders in the professional setting. The student centered approach to learning assures the educational success of each individual enrolled at Ashford University. Faculty and staff are available to students for guidance, assistance and advising. The degree programs are routinely reviewed and updated to ensure their relevance and to remain abreast of advances in the field. Each program can be tailored to accommodate the scheduling demands of the working adults’ schedule with some degree programs requiring as little as 9 months for completion. Ashford University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Ashford University offers a number of degree options in the education field. Students can elect to pursue a 64 credits associate or bachelor degree in education and choose an area of specialization. The Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education provides a foundation in the areas of development, special learners, instructional strategy and learning assessment. Courses can be taken one at a time, for five week durations permitting students to concentrate in one subject area while accelerating the time it takes to complete the degree. The online programs are asynchronous, allowing further flexibility. Offered courses include personal dimensions of education, foundations of movement and motor activity, world civilizations, art appreciation, composition and introduction to early childhood education. A range of elective options include the dependence of man on the environment, adult development and life assessment, introduction to sociology and informal logic. Bachelor degree programs are offered in early childhood education, early childhood education administration and education and public policy.

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9. Keiser University

Keiser University is a highly regarded institution by employers and the educational community. The success of their students is the central focus of Keiser University. Keiser University is committed to providing service to their community through various educational programs and to instilling the value of social responsibility within their graduates. At Keiser University, students are provided with a concentrated quality degree program for the most in demand careers which prepares them to become leaders in their profession. Courses are taken one at a time for the duration of four weeks to ensure students are afforded the time and focus necessary to successfully complete each class. The career focused curriculum ensures students are equipped with the knowledge and skills expected within the industry. Both on campus and online degree programs are available to students to accommodate the busy schedules of the working population. Keiser University is accredited by the Commission for Independent Education and has earned accreditation for the majority of the degree programs offered at the institution.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education provides students with a challenging curriculum in the foundational areas of teaching. Students receive training in educational assessment, classroom management, creating curriculum, and developing teaching strategies. Reading and literacy and English to Speakers of Other Languages is also incorporated into the program. Students learn to adapt teaching methods to meet the needs of a diverse student body, to utilize technology in the classroom setting and to monitor the progress of their students. The program requires students to complete 132 credits with 27 credits in core education courses including introduction to education, teaching diverse populations, technology in education, student development and learning principles and social foundations of education. A range of methods courses must be completed to meet the 30 credit requirement. Students are also required to complete an internship to acquire teaching experience in the field.

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10. Penn Foster College

Penn Foster College is committed career college which offers focused programs in a range of in demand career fields. Penn Foster College offers degree programs which can be completed in just fourteen months time. Students can elect to pursue their degree on a part time or full time basis. The college incorporates the most current knowledge and techniques with their degree program curriculum. The degrees awarded by Penn Foster College are respected by the business and professional industries. Life long learning opportunities provide working adults with increased opportunities for career advancement. Additionally, Penn Foster College provides educational and advising support as well as career services and assistance to ensure students successfully obtain employment after graduation. Penn Foster College has earned and maintained accreditation through the Distance Education and Training Council since 1957.

Penn Foster College offers both associate and bachelor degrees in the area of early childhood education. The Associate and Bachelor Degrees in Early Childhood Education. The curriculum provides students with a fundamental understanding of the foundational areas within the field. Students learn teaching theories and methods, educational strategies, developmental aspects of children and skills assessment. Courses include early childhood education, health, safety and nutrition, fundamentals of early childhood education, language and literacy development in young children, orientation to early childhood education, information literacy, child growth and development, essentials of psychology and both art and music appreciation. Students are required to complete 300 hours of experiential learning by teaching in an approved early childhood center where they will apply the theories and methods learned in the classroom.

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