Evaluating Teacher Quality Under No Child Left Behind
This research brief summarizes the progress that states, districts, and schools have made in implementing the teacher qualification provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Source: RAND Corportion
Available in HTML or PDF (117 KB
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Educator's Reference Complete
This collection of more than 1,100 periodicals and 200 reports is a great resource for any educator -- from the school teacher and administrator to those studying in the field at the collegiate and graduate level. Educator's Reference Complete is the perfect complement for any library that utilizes the ERIC database, because it provides full-text results for nearly half of the journal titles found in ERIC. This database covers multiple levels of education from preschool to college, and every educational specialty -- such as technology, bilingual education, health education, and testing. Educator's Reference Complete also focuses on issues in administration, funding and policy. Find it under "Electronic Resources A-Z" on the Goodwin library page.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Where is IT in Higher Education?
Where Is IT in Higher Education Headed?
Join The Chronicle of Higher Education editors Thursday at noon for the Brown Bag, an online discussion on technology in higher education.
Technology changes at a rapid pace, yet higher education traditionally moves slowly to adopt new ways. How will the growth of technology change the college campus, from the classroom to the backroom? Gartner Inc., a technology-research and information company, publishes an annual report, the "Hype Cycle for Higher Education," that looks ahead to the predicted effects of technology on colleges and universities. The latest report highlights claims that technologies integral to the transformation of higher education in the next 10 years will be global library-digitization projects, personal devices with campus-network access, Internet2, e-learning repositories, quantum computing, and virtual worlds.
Join the discussion
Submit a question
Join The Chronicle of Higher Education editors Thursday at noon for the Brown Bag, an online discussion on technology in higher education.
Technology changes at a rapid pace, yet higher education traditionally moves slowly to adopt new ways. How will the growth of technology change the college campus, from the classroom to the backroom? Gartner Inc., a technology-research and information company, publishes an annual report, the "Hype Cycle for Higher Education," that looks ahead to the predicted effects of technology on colleges and universities. The latest report highlights claims that technologies integral to the transformation of higher education in the next 10 years will be global library-digitization projects, personal devices with campus-network access, Internet2, e-learning repositories, quantum computing, and virtual worlds.
Join the discussion
Submit a question
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Don't Forget the Internet Public Library
Drexel University took the reins of the Internet Public Library at the beginning of this year, and the institution is now starting to put its stamp on the project. Drexel announced this week that it intends to turn the online library — which was created by researchers at the University of Michigan — into “a virtual teaching and learning laboratory for digital reference."Now would be a good time to visit this great resource.
SOSIG: Social Science Information Gateway
SOSIG (pronounced, yes, "sausage") is now known as Intute: social science. No matter what it is called, this is a great place to start if you are looking for resources in the areas of social science, government, politics, or business.
Source: Web Search Pacific
Source: Web Search Pacific
Newly Licensed RNs: Job Retention Study
The September issue of AJN features an article, "Newly Licensed RNs' Characteristics, Work Attitudes, and Intentions to Work" The objective of the study was to understand turnover rates in hospitals. The authors surveyed new RNs in 35 states and DC. More than 41% reported that if they were free to go into any job, they would want another job. Those whosse first professional degree was an associate's degree were more intent on leaving than those whose first professional degree was a bachelor's degree. This is recommended reading for nursing faculty and students.
Source: AJN September 2007, 58-69
Source: AJN September 2007, 58-69
Friday, September 07, 2007
Future Students: Make it in Scrubs
http://www.makeitinscrubs.com/ Youth and young adults interested in working in health care can go here to explore job options, research financial aid possibilities and take a quiz that matches their personalities with careers in the field. They can find details on duties, salaries and educational requirements for more than 100 jobs, and advice about what high school and college courses to take.
Don't Miss Sicko!
Now playing at Cinestudio in Hartford today and tomorrow! For times and directions, go to http://www.cinestudio.org/.
"Sicko may not tilt next year’s elections one way or the other, but Michael Moore’s devastating and hilarious documentary will make it harder to ignore the disasters of our health care system. Returning to the gentler populist humor of Roger & Me, Moore interviews patients and doctors in France and Canada (happy), doctors in the U.S. (less happy) and American patients (very much less happy). But before you think Moore has lost his confrontational edge, he’s hauling a boatload of 9/11 rescue workers off to Cuba, to take advantage of what the administration boasted were the excellent medical facilities for enemy combatants held at Guantánamo Bay. '...generates a feeling of outrage that seems to be reverberating in every theater.'" Andrew Sarris, New York Observer. " (quoted from Cinestudio online calendar)
"Sicko may not tilt next year’s elections one way or the other, but Michael Moore’s devastating and hilarious documentary will make it harder to ignore the disasters of our health care system. Returning to the gentler populist humor of Roger & Me, Moore interviews patients and doctors in France and Canada (happy), doctors in the U.S. (less happy) and American patients (very much less happy). But before you think Moore has lost his confrontational edge, he’s hauling a boatload of 9/11 rescue workers off to Cuba, to take advantage of what the administration boasted were the excellent medical facilities for enemy combatants held at Guantánamo Bay. '...generates a feeling of outrage that seems to be reverberating in every theater.'" Andrew Sarris, New York Observer. " (quoted from Cinestudio online calendar)
National Preparedness Month: Homeland Security
Throughout September there will be activities across the country to promote emergency preparedness. Over 1,300 organizations – national, regional, and local public and private organizations – are supporting emergency preparedness efforts and encouraging all Americans to take action.
You can join the effort by following 3 steps:
• Get a kit.
• Make a plan.
• Be informed.
September 2007 marks the fourth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security. One goal of Homeland Security is to educate the public about how to prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters, mass casualties, biological and chemical threats, radiation emergencies, and terrorist attacks. As part of National Preparedness Month, CDC has launched a new Web site, Emergency Preparedness and You. CDC has teamed up with the American Red Cross to identify and answer common questions about preparing for unexpected events.
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
You can join the effort by following 3 steps:
• Get a kit.
• Make a plan.
• Be informed.
September 2007 marks the fourth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security. One goal of Homeland Security is to educate the public about how to prepare for emergencies, including natural disasters, mass casualties, biological and chemical threats, radiation emergencies, and terrorist attacks. As part of National Preparedness Month, CDC has launched a new Web site, Emergency Preparedness and You. CDC has teamed up with the American Red Cross to identify and answer common questions about preparing for unexpected events.
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
What is ChemSpider?
ChemSpider is a chemistry search engine. It has been built with the intention of aggregating and indexing chemical structures and their associated information into a single searchable repository and making it available to everybody, at no charge. I am told that ChemSpider offers the fastest chemical structure searches available online and delivers them with the flexibility and usability necessary to encourage repeat usage. Try it.
Source: http://www.chemspider.com/
Source: http://www.chemspider.com/
Early Childhood Education: Reading Event
Jumpstart and Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC) invites you to share The Story of Ferdinand with children in your community on Thursday, September 20, 2007.
By taking part in Jumpstart's Read for the Record (http://www.readfortherecord.org/) you will be a part of this nationwide movement connecting children and adults and reinforcing the importance of providing all children with the learning experiences they need in order to be successful.
Source: Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
By taking part in Jumpstart's Read for the Record (http://www.readfortherecord.org/) you will be a part of this nationwide movement connecting children and adults and reinforcing the importance of providing all children with the learning experiences they need in order to be successful.
Source: Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
Challenges of 21st Century Classrooms
Some students are "speaking" the new language of IM while other students are struggling to learn academic English. These earmarks of today's classrooms can give a teacher pause. But two NCTE policies provide insight on how to work with our students in this challenging 21st century environment: the CCCC Position Statement on Teaching, Learning, and Assessing Writing in Digital Environments and NCTE Position Paper on the Role of English Teachers in Educating English Language Learners (ELLs).
Source: National Council of Teachers of English
Source: National Council of Teachers of English
Reading Connects Faculty, Students
College campuses are discovering the possibilities that open up when students, faculty and staff make a point to read the same book. In the process, such "common readings" serve a range of purposes, especially for incoming students who are navigating a big transition.
"When students have more active involvement in school, when they have closer relationships with faculty, they're more likely to persist and more likely to graduate," says Carol Geary Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. "The common readings are a signal to students that this is going to be a very intentional, very engaging first year of college."
In recent years, hundreds of colleges and universities have come to assign common readings for new students to complete over the summer. The readings seldom include classics but instead feature today's hot-selling books on timely topics. Among this year's themes: justice for developing nations, global warming and individuals making a difference in society. Here are a few examples:
College of Holy Cross: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
LaGuardia Community College: An Inconvenient Truth
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: Life of Pi
University of Vermont: Long Way Gone and a screening of "Blood Diamonds."
Meredith College: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Texas State University: The Water Planet: A River Runs Through It
Goucher College: The Death of Vishnu
Source: National Council of Teachers of English from USA Today story
"When students have more active involvement in school, when they have closer relationships with faculty, they're more likely to persist and more likely to graduate," says Carol Geary Schneider, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. "The common readings are a signal to students that this is going to be a very intentional, very engaging first year of college."
In recent years, hundreds of colleges and universities have come to assign common readings for new students to complete over the summer. The readings seldom include classics but instead feature today's hot-selling books on timely topics. Among this year's themes: justice for developing nations, global warming and individuals making a difference in society. Here are a few examples:
College of Holy Cross: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
LaGuardia Community College: An Inconvenient Truth
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: Life of Pi
University of Vermont: Long Way Gone and a screening of "Blood Diamonds."
Meredith College: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Texas State University: The Water Planet: A River Runs Through It
Goucher College: The Death of Vishnu
Source: National Council of Teachers of English from USA Today story
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Homeland Security: Reference Guide
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a new reference guide that outlines existing legal requirements and standards relating to access for people with disabilities. A Reference Guide for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing and Human Services is the first of a series of disability-related guidelines to be produced by FEMA for disaster preparedness and response planners and service providers at all levels.
“Federal law is very clear about accommodating people with disabilities in emergencies and disasters. Everyone involved in emergency management needs to understand and know what their responsibilities are in preparedness, response and recovery operations,” FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said. “This Reference Guide is an important tool for emergency planners, responders and government agencies as they work toward meeting the needs of people affected by emergencies and disasters. FEMA is committed to ensuring that its programs and emergency operations meet the needs of people with disabilities.”
The Reference Guide summarizes equal access requirements for people with disabilities within Disaster Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services functions. The Guide explains how applicable Federal laws relate to government entities and non-government, private sector and religious organizations.
Accommodating People With Disabilities In Disasters: A Reference Guide To Federal Law
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
“Federal law is very clear about accommodating people with disabilities in emergencies and disasters. Everyone involved in emergency management needs to understand and know what their responsibilities are in preparedness, response and recovery operations,” FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said. “This Reference Guide is an important tool for emergency planners, responders and government agencies as they work toward meeting the needs of people affected by emergencies and disasters. FEMA is committed to ensuring that its programs and emergency operations meet the needs of people with disabilities.”
The Reference Guide summarizes equal access requirements for people with disabilities within Disaster Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services functions. The Guide explains how applicable Federal laws relate to government entities and non-government, private sector and religious organizations.
Accommodating People With Disabilities In Disasters: A Reference Guide To Federal Law
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Beloit College Mindset List
Beloit College has released its annual Mindset List -- 70 items that offer a glimpse of the "cultural touchstones" of this year's college freshmen, most of whom were born in 1989, the graduating class of 2011. For them, Nelson Mandela has always been free. They have never rolled down a car window. The expression "off the hook" does not bring images of a telephone. But think of the things they do and use that did not exist in 1989. The Mindset List is not a chronological listing of things that happened in the year that the entering first-year students were born. The effort is to identify a worldview of 18 year-olds in the fall of 2007.
Here is the list for the Class of 2011.
Here is the list for the Class of 2011.
Lens That Distorts
No child Left Behind (NCLB) put schools under the microscope by requiring that they report, annually, the test-score performance of students in grades 3 through 8, and, again, for grade 10. As President Bush said shortly before he signed the bill into law, “We need to know whether a curriculum is working. We need to know whether the teachers, the methodology that teachers use is working. We need to know whether or not people are learning. And if they are, there will be hallelujahs all over the place. But if not, we intend to do something about it.”
Five years later, it has become clear that the microscope NCLB uses to get the information the president said he wanted contains a lens that distorts. Many good schools—both charter schools and inner-city public schools serving the disadvantaged—are not recognized as such, while many poorly performing schools are given a pass. If NCLB is to fulfill its mission, Congress needs to make some major repairs or risk seeing those opposed to all forms of school accountability assume control of the political battleground.
Source: Will NCLB Hit the Wall? (Forum)
Five years later, it has become clear that the microscope NCLB uses to get the information the president said he wanted contains a lens that distorts. Many good schools—both charter schools and inner-city public schools serving the disadvantaged—are not recognized as such, while many poorly performing schools are given a pass. If NCLB is to fulfill its mission, Congress needs to make some major repairs or risk seeing those opposed to all forms of school accountability assume control of the political battleground.
Source: Will NCLB Hit the Wall? (Forum)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Princteon Review Rates Colleges
It is rankings season once again, and on Monday the Princeton Review added its annual "best" and "worst" lists to the fray. Gone this year is its "best overall academics" category, leaving room for a new one: "best career/job-placement services."
The University of Texas at Austin offers its students the best career counseling, according to the test-preparation company's rankings. But it is no longer home to the best parties, having dropped from last year's No. 1 spot on that notorious list to third place, behind West Virginia University and the University of Mississippi.
Princeton Review does not decide who ranks where on its lists; students do. This year 120,000 of them from 366 colleges responded to the company's survey. "It is the opinion of current college students informing college-bound students," said Mr. Franek. "We're simply the messengers." All 62 "best" and "worst" lists are available on the Princeton Review's Web site.
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education August 21 2007
The University of Texas at Austin offers its students the best career counseling, according to the test-preparation company's rankings. But it is no longer home to the best parties, having dropped from last year's No. 1 spot on that notorious list to third place, behind West Virginia University and the University of Mississippi.
Princeton Review does not decide who ranks where on its lists; students do. This year 120,000 of them from 366 colleges responded to the company's survey. "It is the opinion of current college students informing college-bound students," said Mr. Franek. "We're simply the messengers." All 62 "best" and "worst" lists are available on the Princeton Review's Web site.
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education August 21 2007
Art for College Teaching
Art Images for College Teaching (AICT) is a personal, non-profit project of its author, art historian and visual resources curator Allan T. Kohl . AICT is intended primarily to disseminate images of art and architectural works in the public domain on a free-access, free-use basis to all levels of the educational community, as well as to the public at large. The images displayed on this site have been photographed on location by the author, who consents to their use in any application that is both educational and non-commercial in nature. Pictured here is Guanyin (Bodhisattva of Compassion) in posture of "Royal Ease," 12th century from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Problems with High School Math and Science
Results from the ACT test's science section show that a meager 20 percent of those who took general science, biology, and chemistry -- the minimum core courses in science -- were ready for college biology, while 40 percent of those who took physics instead of general science met or surpassed the benchmark.
"These data make it clear that students are not, by and large, learning all the essential skills they need to succeed in college simply by taking the minimum core curriculum in high school," Richard L. Ferguson, chief executive of ACT Inc. and chairman of its board, said during a telephone news conference. "It suggests also that these courses, in most cases, lack the proper level of rigor. Taking the minimum courses should enable most students to be ready for their first year of college, and, unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case, particularly in math and science."
Source: Today's News in the Chronicle of Higher Education August 15
"These data make it clear that students are not, by and large, learning all the essential skills they need to succeed in college simply by taking the minimum core curriculum in high school," Richard L. Ferguson, chief executive of ACT Inc. and chairman of its board, said during a telephone news conference. "It suggests also that these courses, in most cases, lack the proper level of rigor. Taking the minimum courses should enable most students to be ready for their first year of college, and, unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case, particularly in math and science."
Source: Today's News in the Chronicle of Higher Education August 15
Take a closer look at students
"Put this story down for a moment and take a look at the undergraduates around your desk, outside your office, or out on the quad. Do you know what makes them tick? Where and how they study, the ways they spend each hour of the day, the steps they go through when writing their papers? Or are they enigmas?
Perhaps, to get some clues, you've read books about the so-called Net Generation, which brand them all as technophiles, gamers, and multitaskers. Or you might see them as younger versions of yourself during your college years — more plugged in, of course, but essentially the same. You're probably wrong." Read the rest of this article by Scott Carlson in the August 17th Chronicle of Higher Education--available in the library and online (password protected)
Source: " An Anthropologist in the Library" by Scott Carlson
Perhaps, to get some clues, you've read books about the so-called Net Generation, which brand them all as technophiles, gamers, and multitaskers. Or you might see them as younger versions of yourself during your college years — more plugged in, of course, but essentially the same. You're probably wrong." Read the rest of this article by Scott Carlson in the August 17th Chronicle of Higher Education--available in the library and online (password protected)
Source: " An Anthropologist in the Library" by Scott Carlson
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