English Language Learning and Technology Review

It’s all about the Math…Which adds up to the New Wolfram Education Portal & Math in the Movies…

2012-01-28T09:15:00.001+07:00

Wolfram has long been offering educational tools for teachers and students. Its latest is an online tool that offers teachers the ability to easily deliver math concepts to their students. The tool is called Wolfram Education Portal.

Wolfram Education Portal is a free to use online tool that helps teachers with the math courses they are teaching. Mainly the tool focuses on algebra and calculus. Among the many tools offered by the Education Portal, teachers will find an eTextbook, a lesson plan, demonstration tools such as graphs, and widgets such as calculators to solve questions quickly. Soon the site will be offering practice questions with answers.

To get started with the site, you will have to sign up for an account on it and then download its player through which you will be able to use the online tools.

Features

Expose your students to a whole new way of learning and understanding algebra through our dynamic teaching tools and materials. Built by our math education experts, you can trust that the materials cover the topics you need to teach.

Textbook

The text is dynamic with Wolfram|Alpha widgets, Wolfram|Alpha links, and interactive Demonstrations created in Mathematica.

Lesson Plan

The lesson plans are made for teachers to guide a class through the lesson or for the students to read and follow on their own! The interactive elements keep students involved.

Demonstration

These interactive tools help students understand concepts by working hands on. All Demonstrations were created with Mathematica!

Widget

Widgets allow students and teachers alike to cleanly enter queries into Wolfram|Alpha and get back customized results!

Practice—Coming Soon

Perfect math skills with our problem generator that automatically serves up new questions at varying levels of difficulty based on your previous answers.

A user-friendly web service.
Helps teachers teach math courses.
Supports algebra and calculus.
Offers numerous tools such as lesson plans, online textbooks, and widgets.

Check out Wolfram Education Portal @ http://education.wolfram.com

Next is:

Mathematics In Movies: See Movies Clips That Involve Math Concepts – Great for Math Labs

If any movie has a scene that discusses your field of work, you immediately develop an interest in that scene. Appreciating this, a Harvard mathematics professor, Oliver Knill, has developed a website called Mathematics in Movies that shows movie clips that include math discussions.

There are no restrictions on the movie or scene type or the type of mathematics being discussed. The site offers these clips to any visitor who clicks on them. Next to each scene, a description is given and you have the choice to either stream the clip in Flash format or download it as a Quicktime file with the M4V format. The M4V format will help any iOS device owners browsing the site with their device looking for math-involving movie clips.

If you find a clip interesting, you can click on the movie title to be taken to its IMDb page for more information.

Features:

A user-friendly web service.
Offers movie clips that involve math discussions.
Includes all types of clips and math.
IPOD / IPAD ready
Offers clips in Flash and M4V.

Check out Mathematics in Movies Link Here Math / Harvard.EDU

Educational Applications:

Wolfram Education Portal will continue to grow and develop into a good platform for educators to use for math. They should consider joining forces with Khan Academy in the future or at least provide a link to Khan Academic within it’s portal. Check out Wolfram Education Portal @ http://education.wolfram.com

I am always thinking how to engage the learners interest of discovery of math and why math can be cool. I found this site on one of my favorites ‘Make Use Of’ and needed to share it. Check out Mathematics in Movies @ www.math.harvard.edu/~knill/mathmovies/index.html

We have a Math lab at our school that is using experimental teaching techniques and methods to encourage how math and applied engineering is being use everyday. They explore and discover the cool and fun factor of math…

Khan Academy – Free World-class Learner / Educator Resources for Anyone…Anywhere

2012-01-28T08:33:00.001+07:00

A free world-class education for anyone anywhere.

The Khan Academy is an organization on a mission. They are a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education to anyone anywhere.

All of the site's resources are available to anyone. It doesn't matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology. The Khan Academy's materials and resources are available to you completely free of charge.

How it works for students

Students can make use of our extensive video library, practice exercises, and assessments from any computer with access to the web.

Complete custom self-paced learning tool
A dynamic system for getting help
A custom profile, points, and badges to measure progress

Coaches, parents, and teachers

Coaches, parents, and teachers have unprecedented visibility into what their students are learning and doing on the Khan Academy.

Ability to see any student in detail
A real-time class report for all students
Better intelligence for doing targeted interventions

Over 2700 videos

Their library of videos covers K-12 math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even reaches into the humanities with playlists on finance and history. Each video is a digestible chunk, approximately 10 minutes long, and especially purposed for viewing on the computer.

"I teach the way that I wish I was taught. The lectures are coming from me, an actual human being who is fascinated by the world around him."—Sal

A world of exercises, with help along the way

Practice math at your own pace with our adaptive assessment exercises. The learner can start at 1+1 and work your way into calculus or jump right into whatever topic needs some brushing up.

Each problem is randomly generated, so you never run out of practice material. If the learner needs a hint, every single problem can be broken down, step-by-step, with one click. If you need more help, you can always watch a related video.

Your stats, instantly

Every time the learner works on a problem or watch a video, the Khan Academy remembers what you've learned and where you're spending your time. We keep all of this data private but expose powerful statistics to each user and their coaches. The learner can get at-a-glance information about everything you've been learning and whether or not you've been hitting your goals.

The learner can even drill all the way down from a bird's-eye view of your profile into each and every exercise problem that you've ever worked on. The learner will see real, hard data about your increasing mastery of math.

A map of knowledge

The knowledge map shows all of our exercise concepts. You can zoom in and out and pan around all the different exercises, just like on a normal map. You can start working anywhere on the map, and the Khan Academy will suggest the best exercises for you to work on. We'll even remind you when you need a review.

As you zoom out of the knowledge map, you'll find our challenges, which combine the concepts from multiple smaller exercises. Zooming all the way out of the map and completing all of our challenges is a sign of math mastery. They are constantly adding new exercises to be discovered.

Your classroom data...finally

Teachers and coaches can access all of their students' data. the educator can get a summary of class performance as a whole or dive into a particular student's profile to figure out exactly which topics are problematic. The class profile lets coaches glance at their dashboard and quickly figure out how to best spend their time teaching.
We've put a lot of energy into making sure that the Khan Academy empowers teachers by giving them access to the data they should've had for years. the educator will know instantly if a student is struggling in multiplying fractions...or if the student hit a streak and is now far ahead of the class.

Badges worth bragging about

They are full of game mechanics. As soon as you login, you'll start earning badges and points for learning. The more you challenge yourself, the more bragging rights you'll get.

They responded when they heard of students spending hour after hour watching physics videos and 5th graders relentlessly tackling college-level math to earn Khan Academy badges. Some of the smaller badges are very easy, but the most legendary badges might require years of work.

Educational Applications:

I have share many different teacher tools in the past but Khan Academy is one of the most outstanding, world class learner / teacher sites on the web. We use Khan Academy at my school, both in class and in our Math Lab. I highly recommend all teachers review and integrate the videos, and other fantastic classroom tracking / management tools now available at Khan Academy. Go to this link Khan Academy and sign up / bookmark all the great free resources that are available. Tip-of-the-Hat for a truly remarkable e-learning experience that can actually make a difference with learners and educators throughout the world! Thank you goes out to Sal and all the folks at Khan Academy organization!

Worlds best OCW and OER listing…ZaidLearn has done it again!

2012-01-26T09:56:00.001+07:00

Yes, He has done it again! … On his vacation even… Zaid has a very extensive list of compiled and organized University learning related Open Course Ware (OCW) and Open Educational Resources (OER) links that are scattered here and there, into one smashing post.

So please go to his website: ZaidLearn

You will need to bookmark for future references. I have about 75% on his resources but now will include them in my portaportal link sites for references.

Tip-of-the-Hat to you Zaid, and Yes you did it again, you have created an outstanding resource that is just one click away. Great Job my friend and blessings to you and your family for the New Year!

Updates Now and in the …Year of the Dragon !

2012-01-26T09:07:00.001+07:00

My year of the Dragon pledge is to update and maintain my blogs. I have a handle on my new Academic Director position and now can get my groove back to blogging again. Time management is the key and I have been collecting articles to publish that are relative to my PhD studies as well as my educational administrative position.

My first objective will be to change the focus and perspective of the student blog. I will consider the perspective from K-12 to university level. It will be defined as the development of the Language Institute at my school with a more academic service center related topics.

Next, the Teaching English Blog will be updated with many new features and fresh blog rolls as well as other teaching learning resources for the teacher not only teaching in Thailand but abroad. This improvement will co-inside with my school's adaptation of the Common Core State Standards and Singaporean aspects of Science, Math and Chinese curriculums.

Lastly, my medical educational blog will be more focused on cognitive learning / teaching aspects of problem based learning and its applications. I will still provide comprehensive medical school aspects but look for a medical student / teacher framework. I will stay current on my pet projects of MRSA and tropical / Thailand related medical advancements as well of continuous teaching technology software for medical education.

So, I have made my pledge and now will stick to it. For the loyal folks who have stayed with me, Thank You! For the Newbie's… keep an eye on my blogs as you will find that the resources I will provide will just keep getting better!

Children don't give words special power to categorize their world

2012-01-05T07:36:00.000+07:00

ScienceDaily (2011-12-27) -- New research challenges the conventional thinking that young children use language just as adults do to help classify and understand objects in the world around them. In a new study involving 4- to 5-year-old children, researchers found that the labels adults use to classify items -- words like "dog" or "pencil" -- don't have the same ability to influence the thinking of children.

Making “Handy Drives” Obsolete with DropBox

2011-07-07T16:53:00.001+07:00

Dropbox is new feature here on my blog, and for good reason. It’s an incredibly useful app for moving files between computers, or keeping a copy of your most important files in the cloud. However, that isn’t all Dropbox is great for; it is also great for helping students keep their files as mobile as they are. There is a myriad of reasons why every student should have Dropbox in their arsenal of study tools. It's like have a free 2 gig handy drive with you 24/7 anywhere in the world.

1. Switch Between Computers With Ease

One of the primary reasons students need laptops at school is for the sake of portability. However, with Dropbox, you could be stuck with a desktop and still be able to access your work from anywhere. I own a laptop and a notebook, so anytime I’m working on a project or an article, I drop the associated files into my Dropbox, and after it syncs, it’ll be online and ready for me to use on any other computer.

One of the most convenient features of Dropbox is that you can access your files not only from the Dropboxes synced with your account, but also from Dropbox’s websites. That means you can access your files from any computer, even rental laptops at school. You won’t have to remember to bring along an USB stick (Handy drive) ever again.

For even more convenience, you can use a syncing utility like SyncBackSE, and schedule it to run every night, syncing Dropbox with any folder on the computer containing your homework. Then, you can be sure that you’ll always have the most updated version of your essays and notes the next morning or power point presentations for class.

2. Scanned to File:

The best place to keep large files is Dropbox. I have scanned several large files that cannot be e-mailed through the University squirrel mail system of even storage there. But with Dropbox I have the quick link e-mail request to Dropbox and it is just that EZ. Even my wife who is not a technical person loves Dropbox. She is very happy not ‘losing” her handy drive anymore.

3. Be Smarter About Collaborating On Projects

Until now, Google Docs was one of the go-to tools for collaborating on projects. Unfortunately though, you need to have a Gmail account in order to utilize the sharing and editing prowesses of Google Docs to their full potential. Nowadays, that might not be too hefty of a requirement, but it does mean that the adamant Yahoo and Hotmail users are out of luck, unless they wanted a completely new email account.

Luckily for them, Dropbox doesn’t require so extensive a commitment to use its features. Although those who you want to share folders with will have to sign up for an account before they can access the files, the sign up process is quick and relatively painless. If you really don’t want to deal with sign-ups though, each file in the Public folder has a link associated with it that you can share with anyone you’d like.

The best part about Dropbox as a collaborative tool is that two people can edit the same file simultaneously. In that situation, Dropbox saves two distinct copies of the same files, each with a person’s edits to ensure that both edits are preserved. Further, there is no need to have endless email chains back and forth in order to keep each other updated on the latest going-ons of the project. With Dropbox, all that your collaborators need to do is just open up the Dropbox folder, and pull out the most recent version of the file.

Educational Applications:

I have introduced this wonder research tool to all my classmates in batch 9 and 10 at Chulalongkorn University and they love it…at least the techno bunch. I have created shared files in each class and invited my group members to sign up with Dropbox and use my shared folders. I keep e-books, articles and other class project stuff in one handy file in the cloud.

For English language learners Dropbox is universal with Google Translator. Keeping all your assignments and homework in one location except when it comes to the excuse…I left my homework/ handy drive/ computer at home…

I hope I have given my students and fellow teachers a few more (hopefully) compelling reasons to use Dropbox. Personally, Dropbox has made switching between my laptop and notepad a lot less painful than it otherwise would have been. . Perhaps you’ll find it will do the same for you.This is also a very nice feature to use with Firefox and Zotero. I am so happy! So, give it a try at Dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/

SEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program 2011 Announcement for Thailand

2011-07-02T09:34:00.001+07:00

The ASEAN University Network (AUN) in collaboration with Daejeon University (DJU) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade offers Undergraduate Student Exchange Program between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN Nations 2011

Study Subject(s): Information Technology and Social Science Studies

Course Level: Undergraduate

Scholarship Provider: ASEAN University Network (AUN)

Scholarship can be taken at: Republic of Korea and ASEAN Nations

Eligibility: Applicant must be a citizen of ASEAN nations and currently enrolled in College or University.

Undergraduate students majoring in Information Technology (e.g. Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electrics Engineering, Communications Engineering or IT related major) or,

Undergraduate students majoring in Social Science Studies (e.g. Economics, Business, Public Administration, Political Science, International Studies) and Korean Studies

Applicant must has an excellent academic record (Should be in the top 10% of their classes)

Applicant must have a good command of written and spoken English.

Applicant must have a good medical record

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes

Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Republic of Korea and ASEAN Nations

Scholarship Description: Full Scholarships covering tuition fee, room and board, roundtrip ticket, and living allowance, will be offered to 30 students from ASEAN Nations who interested to study in the fields of Social Science and ICT at Daejeon University for the year 2011-2012. The program is developed for international exchange students and classes will be taught in English. Students will be given a chance to attend a 2-month internship program at the leading organizations in Korea, namely United Nations-Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN APCICT), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Korea-ASEAN Center, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Korea Nuclear International Cooperation Foundation (KONICOF), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, etc.

How to Apply: Online and Post

Scholarship Application Deadline: July 10, 2011

ASEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program 2011

The ASEAN University Network (AUN) in collaboration with Daejeon University (DJU) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Korea are now ready to launch the ASEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN Nations 2011

Scholarship Information:

Full Scholarships covering tuition fee, room and board, roundtrip ticket, and living allowance, will be offered to 30 students from ASEAN Nations who interested to study in the fields of Social Science and ICT at Daejeon University for the year 2011-2012. The program is developed for international exchange students and classes will be taught in English.

Students will be given a chance to attend a 2-month internship programme at the leading organizations in Korea, namely United Nations-Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN APCICT), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Korea-ASEAN Center, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Korea Nuclear International Cooperation Foundation (KONICOF), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, etc.

Admission Requirement:

Applicant must be a citizen of ASEAN nations and currently enrolled in College or University.

Undergraduate students majoring in Information Technology (e.g. Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electrics Engineering, Communications Engineering or IT related major) or,

Undergraduate students majoring in Social Science Studies (e.g. Economics, Business, Public Administration, Political Science, International Studies) and Korean Studies

Applicant must has an excellent academic record (Should be in the top 10% of their classes)

Applicant must have a good command of written and spoken English.

Applicant must have a good medical record.

Timeline:

Application Deadline: July 10, 2011

Scholarship Announcement: July 30, 2011

Arrival Date (Fall Semester): September 1, 2011

Scholarship Period: September 2011 - June 2012

How to Apply:

Interested students should contact their International Relations Office for the application package.

Individual applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must submit the completed package and required documents to the AUN Secretariat through the International Relations Office of their University.

Students must send 1 copy of their complete applications to Daejeon University via mail.

Check with your University’s International Relations Office for result of selection process.

For more information and/or application form, please contact the AUN Secretariat at pornpen@aunsec.org

Application Deadline: July 10, 2011

Download the application form: Contact Person

The ASEAN University Network Secretariat :

Ms. Joy Pornpen Khooharungkitcharoen

Rm. 210, Jamjuree 1 Bldg,

Chulalongkorn University

Phayathai, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Tel: +662 215 36410, 2153642 ext.105

Fax: +662 216 8808

Email: pornpen@aunsec.org ,

Website: http://www.aunsec.org

Daejeon University :

Mr. Chang Sun Pyo

Programme Coordinator

Global Center (International Office)

Daejeon University

Room 15409 Hyehwa Culture Center Building

96-3 Yongun-dong, Dong-gu

Daejeon, Republic of Korea 300-716

Tel: +82 42 280 2126

Fax: +82 42 272 8533

Email: pyocs@dju.ac.kr

Website : www.dju.ac.kr

Read more: ASEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program 2011 : College Scholarships, PhD Scholarships, Postdoctoral, Graduate International Scholarships Fellowships

The Problems Dogging Thailand's Education System

2011-06-04T09:38:00.001+07:00

Analysis: As Thais vote, a struggle with education

By Ambika Ahuja

BANGKOK | Mon May 30, 2011 2:46am EDT

(Reuters) - The 14-year-old pupil is known simply as "Number 26" because, with 52 children in the class at his suburban Bangkok school, the teacher can't remember his name.

Overcrowding in classrooms is just one of the problems dogging Thailand's education system, where an inward-looking curriculum emphasizes rote-learning and basic literacy.

Critics say that without an overhaul to bring the system into the 21st century, Thailand will lose out in the race with Asian rivals for foreign investment.

While Taiwan, Singapore, China and India have poured billions of dollars into developing world-class university education, English-language instruction and high-value skills, Thailand has moved little beyond a decades-old system that aims mostly to preserve national identity.

British-born, Oxford-educated Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wants to change that with a 371.5 billion baht ($12 billion) six-year education reform plan that was approved by his cabinet this month, part of a trove of policies intended to pull in votes in a tight July 3 election.

But experts say money is not the problem.

"The mindset is from the nation-building and Cold War period to produce obedient and nationalistic citizens, which does not fit the 21st-century needs," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. "It is hierarchical, top-down, with a systematic lack of critical thinking."

The issue resonates well beyond the classroom, as Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, vies for foreign direct investment in areas beyond basic manufacturing, and as Asian rivals such as Tawain and Singapore develop a generation of innovative global companies.

"It's easier to find young, versatile, highly skilled and English-speaking workers in Singapore, Taiwan and China," said a U.S. chief executive at a major Bangkok-based company who declined to identified.

"Thailand's labor isn't as cheap as it used to be so basic manufacturing jobs are going to start moving away, too."

Thailand is a manufacturing base for automakers such as General Motors Co (GM.N) and a major petrochemical hub, but costs are rising. The average monthly factory wage in 2010 was $263, below China's $303 but above the Philippines at $212, Indonesia at $182, Vietnam at $107 and Cambodia at $101, according to a survey by the Japan External Trade Organization.

TRAILING THE REGION

It is unclear if Abhisit's education plan will boost him in the polls, but the issue cuts to the heart of Thailand's polarizing and sometimes-violent five-year political crisis.

A shoddy education reinforces complaints voiced by poor, rural Thais of political, social and economic injustice -- frustrations that erupted last year into deadly street protests.

Schools in Bangkok are generally more modern than in the rural north and northeast, bastions of the opposition Puea Thai Party led by Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Rural leaders also complain that a Bangkok-designed curriculum glosses over Thailand's unique rural heritage, adding to simmering feelings of disenfranchisement.

Decha Premruedeelert, an adviser to the mayor of Khon Kaen, a city about 500 Km (300 miles) northeast of Bangkok, is experimenting with an alternative: keep the curriculum, but supplement it with workshops attuned to local needs.

But the opposition's record is also patchy. Governments led by Thaksin in 2001-2006 promised public schools more autonomy, but that ran into resistance from the Ministry of Education.

Puea Thai leaders say they will increase spending on school resources, technology and scholarships, but critics say this misses the fundamental issue of how teachers are trained and what is taught.

Thailand is already among the world's top education spenders relative to its size, allocating roughly 20 percent of its annual budget to education, according to the central bank.

The country spent the equivalent of 4 percent of GDP on education in 2009, above Singapore's 3.1 percent, according to the Swiss-based Institute of Management Development (IMD), but Singapore ranks 13th in education performance and Thailand 47th.

Literacy has been consistently high since the 1970s and was 94 percent in 2010.

But while about 71 percent of students go on to secondary school in the country of 67 million people, just 18 percent finish college, according to Direk Patmasiriwat, a researcher at Thailand Development Research Institute, a think tank.

And a Thai college degree is no easy ticket to success. In the 2010 rankings of world universities by Quacquarelli Symonds, a provider of guides to higher education, Thailand's top school, Chulalongkorn University, was ranked 180.

Compare that to the University of Hong Kong's ranking of 23 or National University of Singapore's 31.

One result: Thailand produces a workforce with some of the world's weakest English-language skills. The IMD ranks Thailand 54th of 56 countries globally for English proficiency, the second-lowest in Asia. Singapore was third and Malaysia 28th.

STRUGGLE TO REFORM

Analysts attribute the inability to overhaul education to bureaucratic inertia, a deficit of ideas on how to improve the curriculum and poor teacher recruitment and training.

When an education reform committee proposed English as Thailand's second official language last July to boost its economy and foster a more global outlook, the Education Ministry rejected the idea, saying it could create "misunderstandings" that Thailand had been colonized.

"If you look at history textbooks, it's littered with myths about ancient warriors and old-time enmities with neighboring countries. It's still driven by nationalism without a global perspective on how Thailand fits into the world," said Charnvit Kasetsiri, a historian who has campaigned to improve the social science curriculum.

Back at the Bangkok school, when the bell rang for recess, the 14-year-old boy was told to stay back and read from a text on Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, an historian who died in 1943 and is revered as the father of Thailand's education system. The teacher asked the boy to re-read a passage in which the prince explains how Thai people originated from southern China between Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Looking up from the text, he asked: "How did he find out where our ancestors came from? Did he go there and talk to people in Yunnan and Sichuan?" The teacher brushed it aside, instead telling him to continue reading to improve his speed.

The school declined to allow Reuters to name the pupil.

An incentive system for teachers is also regarded as a problem, placing a greater premium on administrative duties than student performance, and giving little reason -- or training -- to move beyond basic rote-learning teaching methods.

Nearly half of Abhisit's six-year education plan would be spent on developing "a new breed of teachers." But the ministry hasn't explained what they would do differently.

"Those who want to stretch their students' imagination have limited skills, so they stick to how their predecessors taught for generations," Education Minister Chinnavorn Boonyakiat told Reuters. "Teaching innovation requires a different mindset."

Inoirb Regel, a World Bank education specialist, said Thai universities offer narrow fields of study, making it difficult for students to adapt to the global economy.

"The country's GDP has risen disproportionately to wage growth. It is one major cause of discontent," said Somkiat Tangkitvanich, an economist at Thailand Development Research Institute. "That's partly because educational training available does not match skill sets needed to succeed in the more dynamic labor market today."

Educational Opinion:

It takes courage to look at problems openly and honesty. I believe Thailand and the Thai people have that courage to ‘step up’ to the next level of educational reform.

The top down approach has not worked so we need to rethink with a modified bottom to top, transformational approach. Thai culture is hierarchical in social and business aspects even more so with educational institutions. The inflexibility and the continued transactional educational management has brought this problem to light.

I suggest that Thai educational dogma that currently exist do not want REAL change and must Go! I suggest that new (Younger) Thai educational administration must be formed to rethink and retool by enabling others ( younger teachers) to ‘step up’ and rewarded for their efforts before they are lost to good paying private sector jobs.

One suggestion is to empower the teacher-researcher within that learning community in Thailand. Move from teacher centered or even learner centered to ‘learning centered’.

Do not accept the cookie cutter approach of educational management, it just does not work.

Another suggestion is to take into account of Thai social-cultural aspects to be brought forward in a pro-active teaching approach.

Reduce the class over crowding to be reasonable for all stakeholders.

Don’t allow ‘Westerner’ educators pedagogy to influence Thai educational policy.

Take a serious look at, model and adapt some of the Singapore or Hong Kong education / educator models because they are Asian models that work.

Completely change the way Thai teachers achieve credentials of assistant, associate and professor designations.

It is an antiquated,outdated and ineffective way to retain and promote educator-researchers and only pertains to university level. This needs to be adapted to include all levels of teaching K-12, with both Thai and foreign teacher-researchers in which Thailand can set new standards for others around the world to follow.

Change is always hard for teachers, administrators, politicians and all the stakeholders to accept. It is just as hard to accept constructive criticism, address the problems and then move forward once it is been identified.

PIER - Plan, Implement, Evaluate and Reflect are all keys to good education and government. Being flexible, focused and remembering the reason for higher education is to prepare Thai’s to attain work and have a productive life will benefit all stakeholders who vote in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Free 10 GB Of Storage in The Cloud with CX

2011-06-03T15:15:00.001+07:00

CloudExperience: Gives You Free 10 GB Of Storage On The Cloud

About CX: Now You’re Safe In The Cloud!

We realize technology should solve problems and simplify your life. Period!

In today's world, you need a document storage, syncing and organization service that not only provides state of the art back-up and retrieval with security and safety, but is easy to use and integrate across all our computers and devices. That's why we created CX. CX is the safe, secure, easy way to backup, sync, access, and share all your files from any device, from any location. Never lose an important file again. With CX you can have peace of mind knowing that your files are automatically backed up and secured by CX. CX help keeps your important files in perfect sync across multiple devices. Manage your files, photos, calendars and address book in one convenient location.

Forget About Emailing Files To Yourself And Start Using CX Today. Access Your Files Anywhere, Anytime, On Any Device.

Never "forget" a file again
Stop emailing files to yourself
Works with all Major Platforms – Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, and Web Client.

Can't remember which computer a file is in? Lost a contact in your cell phone? Leave your Blackberry in a cab, and, with it, every valuable phone number and contact you have? Had a hard drive malfunction?

Losing your documents, contacts, pictures, presentations, school reports, or home movies is devastating and for businesses it can be an expensive catastrophe.

CX Is An Easy To Use And Safe Document Management And Storage Service That Ties All Your Devices Together And Keeps All Your Digital Stuff At Your Fingertips.

While most systems are set to back up your data at regular intervals, CX keeps your data in-sync in real-time no matter which computers you use most. Your data is always available on any computer at any time — you can even get to your files securely from someone else's computer via our simple, encrypted web interface.

CX Takes The Guesswork Out Of File Organization With A Sophisticated And Effortless Tagging System That Allows You To Connect Files By Tagging Them.

Tagging allows you to use your company's internal jargon or naming system to seamlessly integrate with the CX platform.

Cloud Experience is a website that lets you create online backups of your data. The site offers various paid and one free account; the free account provides the user with 10GB of free data storage. After you create an account on the site you can download its offline applications; there are different versions for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and BlackBerry. These applications quietly synchronize data from your computer or phone to your Cloud Experience online folders. The online interface gives you a clear view of the files you have uploaded along with their upload dates. You can also view a list of recent activity to your account from the online interface.

Watch the video:

CX Platform Features:

A user-friendly web service.
Lets you create online backups of your data.
Offers 10GB of free storage space.
Has desktop applications for Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and BlackBerry.
Keeps a log of your synchronization activity.
Similartools: miMedia, Boxnet, ADrive, Boxstr, AllYouCanUpload and FrostBytez.
Also read related articles:

4 Best Sites To Get 10GB Free Online Backup & Storage
Online Storage Services with Free Account Option

Check out Cloud Experience @ www.cx.com

Other cool websites about: backup, file storage

Similar:

Educational Applications:

This time combined both CX and Make use of, for this very good, feature on FREE Cloud storage platform. I am sure that here in Thailand, teachers do not know about this advance storage. All Thai students with cell phones, note pads, iPods’, iPads’ and others like Samsung Galaxy will become aware for the free sites offering the 10GB cloud storage.

Will CX cost money in the future? They have built a pricing model component, but the focus is on business. I think the individual users may be able to keep the 10GB in the future. I still have Dropbox with only 2GB of storage which I thought was enough. But so much more storage is needed for students with CAD programs.

I keep it all on one handy drive... How much longer will it be before the handy drives are obsolete? CD’s are rarely used right now. Cloud computer storage is the next generation of computing storage. Soon DVD’s maybe replace by Cloud storage platforms like CX. Who knows…NetFlix, UBC and others may be considering Cloud storage as a way to eliminate DVD’s in the future. Future OS will also configure to Cloud platform adaptation.

We are seeing just the tip of the iceberg with android phones OS. I bought a 1TB storage for my one desktop, two laptops and one notepad for backup…All I needed was a Cloud…Yes, Cloud storage platforms are here to stay and will grow exponentially. I suggest that you should sign up for the free 10GB if your and Educator as you want access to all your teaching materials 24/7 from anywhere in the world and on any device…very cool.

Google Docs Best Kept Secret…Google Docs Templates

2011-06-03T14:07:00.001+07:00

Google Docs Templates: Thousands Of Templates To Increase Productivity

Google Docs serves as one of the best alternatives to Microsoft Office and now they are making it even better by offering thousands of templates that users can use to cut down their time and efforts. The templates are uploaded by other users and cover a massive variety of areas including resumes, presentations, invoices, billing documents, budgets and financial models, agreements and contracts, labels, business cards and much more.

You can preview each template and start using it right away. The templates can be browsed by category, languages, template type and even by popularity and rating. You can also rate each template or embed it anywhere on the web. The gallery also lets you view the templates you have used or the ones you have submitted to the gallery.

Features:

Thousands of templates for various Google Docs.
Cover presentations, spreadsheets, forms and even drawings.
Include materials from over a dozen categories.
Rate each template it or embed it elsewhere.
Similar sites: EbookBrowse and Calameo.
Also see our article “3 Websites To Publish & Share Your PDFs Online “.

Visit GoogleDocstemplates @ www.docs.google.com/templates?view=public

Other cool websites about: document, google, templates

Similar:

Educational Applications:

This announcement was from Google but I read it on Make use of RSS email I receive. I will add this link to all my blog sites for teachers and students to get quick access. I really like that I do not have to re-create the wheel eat time I need a classroom management form or document. The Google Docs template has over 100,000 sample forms for FREE… just how cool is that!

I suggest that all educators bookmark this great resources tool. Thai Medical and other disciplines should give this a look, even teacher-researchers. Remember, with Google Translate, you should be able to convert into Thai, if you need to. This is the link to Make Use of here. Here is the link to Google docs here.

Mahidol and Chulalongkorn Universities make it to top 200 rankings in QS World University Rankings

2011-05-05T08:43:00.001+07:00

Mahidol and Chulalongkorn have made it to this year's list of top 200 QS World University Rankings in the field of life sciences.

They were the only Thai institutions that made it to the list, which was released yesterday.

Leading the list were Harvard University, University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology respectively. Few educational institutes in Asia made it to the top 10, with the University of Tokyo securing 20th place.

Mahidol Ranked at 112

Mahidol won 28.4 points for academics, 15 as top employer and 25.9 from citations.

Chulalongkorn ranked 130

Chulalongkorn won 27.2 points on the academic front, 6.7 points as a reputable employer and 19.8 points from citations.

Webster University in Thailand Announces Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships for 2011-2012

2011-04-18T17:07:00.001+07:00

Webster University in Thailand Announces Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships for 2011-2012

April 14, 2011

Scholarship for new incoming graduate and undergraduate student at Webster university, Thailand

Study Subject: program taught at the university

Webster University

Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Scholarship Description: Webster University of Thailand offers merit and need based scholarship programs that provide partial financial assistance to new graduate and undergraduate student. The scholarship is available for only new incoming students of full time and degree Courses.

The applicant should have:
Minimum 2.5 GPA from previous institution or have history of athletic achievement.
Maintain 2.75 Cumulative GPA at Webster Thailand

Scholarship Application Deadline:For Fall 1- 2011 – 1st July 2011, For Fall 2- 2011 – 1st September 2011

Undergraduate or Graduate Studies academic year 2011-2012

Total Scholarships and financial aid worth 5,000,000 Baht

Webster University in Thailand (WUT) recognizes that some academically qualified students who would benefit from study at the University are prevented from enrolling due to limited financial resources. In an effort to assist these new students, WUT offers merit and need based scholarship programs that provide partial financial assistance. The decision process for these awards is competitive. Early application and acceptance is advised to ensure maximum consideration. The number of awards offered each year is limited and subject to program funding. Awardees are restricted to one award, either scholarship or grant. Awards may be renewed subject to normal length of intended degree and the maintenance of satisfactory academic progress conditions.

Types of Scholarships Available For NEW Students

Entrance Scholarships Academic Year 2011 - 2012
Award Conditions:	For new incoming students only (Not for site transfer students from other Webster campuses) Only for full time, and degree seeking applicants ( non-degree and part time are not eligible) Apply during admissions process Minimum 2.5 GPA from previous institution or have history of athletic achievement. Maintain 2.75 Cumulative GPA at Webster Thailand
Number of Awards:	15 awards for UNDG 5 GRAD in academic year 2011 - 2012 UNDG: 50,000 Baht per award GRAD: 25,000 Baht per award The awards are for tuition only. Award is deducted from the student’s tuition bill. No cash is distributed.
Amount per Award:	UNDG: 50,000 Baht per award GRAD: 25,000 Baht per award The awards are for tuition only. Award is deducted from the student’s tuition bill. No cash is distributed. The awards will be given twice in two consecutive terms/ semester: 1. UNDG, 25,000 Baht in the first semester, 25,000 Baht in the second semester No award given in a summer term. If the awardees start in Fall 2 or Spring 2 or Summer, they get 12,500 Baht in Fall 2, Spring 2 or Summer. And plus another 25,000 Baht in the next semester. 2. GRAD, 12,500 Baht in the first term, and another 12,500 Baht in the second term.
Required Documents:	1. WUT Entrance Scholarship application form, completed and signed 2. A one- page essay giving your rationale for the application This essay should include your personal background, specific examples of your volunteer activities, your international experiences or other similarly interesting information. In addition, it should answer these questions: Why are you motivated to study at Webster? Why do you deserve this scholarship over others? 3. Supporting financial documentation such as bank statements, tax returns, etc.

Important Dates for NEW Students

Term	Submission Deadline	Announcement
Summer 2011	Friday, 1st April 2011	Friday, 8th April 2011
Fall 1 2011	Friday, 1st July 2011	Friday, 8th July 2011
Fall 2 2011	Thursday, 1st September 2011	Friday, 9th September 2011
Spring 1 2012	Thursday, 1st December 2011	Friday, 9th December 2011
Spring 2 2012	Wednesday, 1st February 2012	Friday, 10th February 2012

Types of Scholarships Available For CURRENT Students

	Rector Scholarship	Departmental Scholarship	Need Based Financial Aid	Book Scholarship
Amount per award	UNDG: Tuition fee for Fall 11 semester GRAD: Tuition fee for Fall 1 & Fall 2, 2011 (max. 12 credit hours)	30,000 Baht /student	30,000 Baht/ student	5,000 Baht/ student
Number of Awards	2 (1 for UNDG, 1 for GRAD)	5 for both UNDG & GRAD	6 for both UNDG &GRAD	8 for both UNDG &GRAD
Requirements	• Completed at least 2 semesters at WUT (GRAD 1 semester) • Minimum Cum.GPA 3.75 • Full time students only • Demonstrate leadership skills in the university • Significant contribution to the University • No financial hold • Non-renewable	Base award amounts upon excellent to outstanding academic achievement. • Completed at least 2 semesters at WUT (GRAD 1 semester) • Minimum Cum. GPA 3.5. • Full time students only • Demonstrate leadership skills in the university • Significant contribution to the University	Base award amounts upon a family’s demonstrated financial need • Review applicants for satisfactory academic achievement and potential • Applicable to students paying full fees only • Need to work 10 hours per week and willing to rotate jobs	• Completed at least one semester at WUT • Minimum Cum.GPA 2.5 • Full time students only
Documents needed to submit	• Application form • One - page essay of why you deserve this scholarship over others. • Student Activity Information form	• Application form • One – page essay of why you deserve this scholarship over others. • Student Activity Information form	• Application form • Financial documentation such as bank statements, tax returns, etc. • One – page essay of why you deserve this scholarship over others. • A recommendation letter from an individual explaining why the applicant is suitable for the aid.	• Application form • One – page essay of why you deserve this scholarship over others.
	Rector Scholarship	Departmental Scholarship	Need Based Financial Aid	Book Scholarship

Steps for applying for financial aid / scholarships
1. Download the application form

2. Fill in the application and submit to Oom at the registrar’s office by the deadline dates

3. Wait for the announcements on given dates.

NOTE: You can apply for more than one financial aid / scholarships. However you will not get more than one in one semester. University aims to spread these scholarships & aids so that many students benefit from this program.

Award Conditions: Awards are for tuition only. They require full-time, degree-seeking study on the Hua Hin/Cha-am & Bangkok campuses. Awards are deducted from the student’s tuition bill as stipulated in the award contract. No cash is distributed. Awards do not apply to living costs, fees, and other expenses.

Application Deadlines : 6 May 2011
Scholarship & Financial aid Committee meeting: During Summer 2011 term
Scholarships & Financial aid announcements: During Summer 2011 term

Konkuri - The Best World Class Free Tournament Application!

2011-03-28T07:41:00.002+07:00

What is Konkuri?
Konkuri is the smartest web application for league management and publishing. With Konkuri you can create the tournament site, generate round-robin and brackets, schedule date and time of every match, edit results and standings, write the tournament's blog, have users and visitors comments on posts and matches.

How was Konkuri born?
Konkuri was conceived by Koinema, a flexible and ambitious web agency based in Bologna, Italy. The idea came from a personal need: we wanted to organize a tournament among friends and share the results online. It should have been easy in the web 2.0 era, right? Unfortunately, the experience turned into a big disappointment: in fact, all the existing solutions did not match our needs of simplicity and elegance. At the time, we were looking for a new project to develop, so... fill in the blanks ;-) Konkuri web site was launched on-line in September 2009.
What does the name Konkuri mean?
The name comes from Esperanto and it means "to compete", which seems to us a perfect synthesis of our project. First of all, because competition in sports and games means... tournaments! And it is competition that transforms game into insane passion ;-) Second, because the Esperanto philosophy is to create a flexible and universal language, like our application. Indeed, Konkuri's final goal is manage any kind of tournament, any kind of sport or game, everywhere.

Your tournament literally on a silver plate
Konkuri is a web application for tournament and league management. Imagine a basketball league: how do you create the schedule and share the results with the participants? Konkuri is a very simple tool to do so.

For sport organizations, tennis centers, videogamers...
...or just a group of friends. Konkuri will support a huge number of sports and games and a variety of tournament systems (round-robin, brackets, groups + playoffs).

Communicate and archive results effectively
Paper notes or even pdf files are so hard to organize, share and archive. Forget all that. With Konkuri your competitions results will be communicated in real time and archived permanently.

Create the league site with just one click!
Choose a sport, a tournament system and the number of participants. Done.
Creation form

This will bring you directly to the tournament site. Now you're ready to start and enter your data.

Your schedule is ready to roll! But if you want to, you can customize it as you like.
Konkuri generates a nice random schedule for you, to let you start your tournament.
Example of round-robin tournament

Example of elimination brackets

But, in case you want to try some alternatives, you can generate as many random schedules as you want, until you find the ideal combination of fixtures. Or, you can clear the schedule and seed it manually.
Schedule seeding

Konkuri will help you to avoid common mistakes, like putting the same competitor twice in a round or creating twice the same match.
Assisted manual tournament seeding

And, you can also drag and drop rounds to switch them!
Rounds drag and drop

Dates and time
Add game dates and time, to complete your tournament calendar, so that players and spectators are informed about the upcoming matches.
Dates and time editing

Tournament systems
Round-robin
With the round-robin system each contestant meets every other contestant in turn. Click on the "configure tournament" button to select the round-robin type you want:

Single round-robin
Double round-robin
Multiple round-robin (repeat multiple rounds).

Round-robin configuration
The number of participants allowed for the round-robin system is up to 20.
Brackets
Konkuri supports single-elimination brackets (double-elimination is on its way). The number of participants allowed for the bracket system is up to 32.
Brackets
In a knockout tournament, Konkuri allows you to set multiple matches per round. You can select single-leg tie, two-legged ties, or best-of-N matches, where the team winning more matches wins the series. Besides, you can select these options in every single round. For example, you could create a schedule with two-legged ties up to the semi-final and a single-leg tie in the final (like in the UEFA Champions League).
Select the legs number per round
Groups/playoffs
The classic two-stage tournament, like FIFA World Cup.

Group stage: round-robin tournament where the top competitors in each group qualify for the finals;
Final stage: single-elimination brackets.

Accordingly to the number of participants, Konkuri will automatically suggest the optimal group splitting and thenumber of qualifiers for the final phase (i.e. the first 2 from each of 6 heats, plus 4 repechages)..
Group stage configuration
Then you can add or delete groups, customize the participants number for each group, drag and drop participants between groups, and so on.
Moving France to Group D
You can also configure the final stage, designing in advance the brackets seeding. For instance, you can make the winner of group A play against the runner-up of group D, and so on.
Final stage draw
The number of participants allowed for the groups/playoffs system is up to 32.
Manage and share results
Enter the matches results and enjoy the standings update
This is the moment everyone has been waiting for. Click on "add results" and enter the scores. The table or bracket will update automatically.
Edit the results...
...and enjoy!
Results composed of sets
In some sports, like Tennis, the match result will involve sets. Konkuri can handle that very easily. You can choose the number of sets you're more comfortable with. And you can also make the number vary according to the different round. This way, you could create a schedule with one-set matches at the beginning of the tournament and best of three or five-sets ones as you get closer to the final.
Enter sets...
...and the brackets will update
Share the tournament results
Now everybody can see the results updates on the tournament dashboard. You can also publish them on Facebook and Twitter.
Share results on Facebook and Twitter
Tournament info
Publish all the information about your tournament
Go to the Info page, to edit your tournament's information. Like, for instance, your tournament's name, or where the tournament takes place.
Name and city form
Notice that your tournament will have a unique internet address (URL) that you can spread among players, friends and spectators.
Tournament web address
Then, you will have the opportunity to write anything that might be useful to competitors and spectators, like:

Venue
Start/end dates
Description
Rules
Contacts

Tournament info form
Manage competitors
Enter participants names
When you start a tournament, Konkuri will use empty placeholders to create the schedule. Go to the "Competitors" section and enter the real players or teams names. The whole tournament will update automatically.
Competitors form
Invite participants to join the tournament!
Participants who are connected can follow all tournament updates and get special authorizations to write on the dashboard.
invite them by email...
...or select their profile, if they already are on Konkuri
Communicate and talk
Wall posting and commenting
Konkuri offers you a great environment to communicate and talk. It can be used by the administrator to post official announcements about the tournaments or by players and spectators just to comment on matches and results.
The tournament dashboard
Moderation tools
Trash talk in amateur competitions can be so fun! But, in case your tournament goes beyond a small group of friends, you might want to keep the conversation under control.
That's why Konkuri is equipped with moderation tools that let the administrator:

delete any content at any time;
pre-moderate comments before publishing;
block users from writing on the dashboard;
set specific discussion permissions to the different types of users

Get a stream of updates
Get updates from tournaments and players
There are two ways you can get updates in Konkuri:

connect to a tournament as participant;
follow a tournament or a profile;

The follow feature
Your personal home page
Your personal home page will give you a stream of updates with live results, conversations, etc. from all the tournaments and profiles you are following.
Your home page stream
Educational Applications:
Wow! This is a very cool and complete tournament application program. I highly recommend all educators to bookmark and use this program for any of your academic / sport related competitions. I am so impressed with the overall ease of use. For the input fields, you could put your native language and use the English for template. I did not try to use Google translator on the template fields to see if the fields could be converted into Thai or Chinese. I hope in the future, I will be asked to assist in the next ASEAN University Games so I can recommend this tournament application. This will be a very cool addition to my English camp organization and management! In my opinion, the only way it could be better would be to open it up into Google translator for the description/template fields to make it an international program.
This is truly an outstanding integrated tournament management program that I recommend and consider it being one of the best tournament applications in the world! The link is here. http://www.konkuri.com/

Thailand Announcement: Maria Pia Gratton International Award at the University of Illinois

2011-03-27T08:45:00.001+07:00

Announcement: The Maria Pia Gratton International Award at the University of Illinois

The Maria Pia Gratton International Award at the University of Illinois was established by the family and friends of Maria Pia Gratton. Pia passed away on October 31, 1995, at the age of 47. When she came to the United States, Pia had two small children, a degree in math, and little grasp of the English language. Pia enrolled in classes to learn English and computer programming, and with determination she made a home for her family, developed close friendships and began a career in her new country. Those who knew Pia knew her to be a beautiful woman, a caring mother, a loving wife, a dependable co-worker, a true friend, a conscientious student, a patient teacher, and a daring traveler. This award continues Pia's memory with a living tribute to her life.

Who is eligible to apply for the Gratton Award?

This award is intended to enable a female graduate student from outside the United States to have an academic and cultural experience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Preference will be given to a student who has had a limited opportunity to travel outside of her home country.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply:

1) Applicants must either be: a) currently enrolled as graduate students at UIUC with at least one academic year (i.e., two semesters) of graduate school remaining after the conclusion of the academic year in which the student is applying for the Gratton Award; OR b) if not currently enrolled as graduate students at UIUC, applicants must be applying as graduate students at UIUC for the academic year immediately following the year in which the student is applying for the Gratton Award (Note: Applicants who have not yet been admitted to UIUC must follow regular academic admission procedures. For application information, please refer to http://www.oar.uiuc.edu/future/international/indexl.html);

2) Applicants must be international students (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents are not eligible to apply);

3) Applicants must be female (applications from male applicants will not be considered).

What does the Gratton Award include?

The Gratton Award provides a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend totaling $10,000 for the academic year.

Please note that some Colleges and/or programs do not accept tuition waivers. It is the student's responsibility to verify that her program will accept a tuition waiver in lieu of payment.

When is the deadline to apply for the Gratton Award?

The deadline to apply for an award for Academic Year 2011-2012 is April 4, 2011. All applications will be reviewed after the deadline. Decisions will be announced and applicants will be notified via email as soon as possible after the deadline.

What criteria are considered by the selections committee in evaluating Gratton Award applications?

The selections committee will take into account the degree to which applicants share Pia's philosophy of life and desire to improve their multicultural experiences and education. Pia believed that living among various people, studying various cultures, and learning various customs taught her to appreciate and respect the people of this world. For more information about Pia, please refer to: http://www.mariapiagratton.com/

What does the application consist of?

The application consists of three questionnaires and one electronic material submission. The first questionnaire asks for basic information about the applicant, the second questionnaire asks the applicant to respond to an essay prompt, and the third questionnaire asks the applicant to provide detailed financial information about funding sources. The electronic material submission outlines the conditions of applying for the award and requires an electronic signature. Scholarship applicants must complete and submit all of the questionnaires as well as the electronic signature form in the application. Your application will be complete once you see check marks in each of the questionnaire and material boxes.Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Please note:

• When you click "Create App" to begin an application, a message may pop up indicating that you may be charged a $25 fee to begin a new program application. This fee does not apply when creating a scholarship application.

• The application allows you to save material and continue working on it at a future date until the deadline. After the deadline has passed, you will not be able to access the application again. You will have until 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on the date of the deadline to complete your application; at midnight, the application will close.

• Scholarships might be taxable to the recipient. Recipients will be taxed on the scholarship payments, if required.

Link to inclusive Illinois

Questions about applying for the Maria Pia Gratton International Award should be directed to Ms. Jessica Sheets, Study Abroad Scholarship Coordinator, by e-mailing jsheets@illinois.edu.

Link to announcement.

Educational Applications:

If assistance is needed for Thai Graduate Students to fill out applications and other documents in English, please contact Ajaan Rob. Great school!

Firefox 4 Downloaded 5 Million Times in the First 24 Hours

2011-03-23T19:19:00.001+07:00

Firefox 4 Downloaded 5 Million Times in the First 24 Hours

Firefox 4 has been downloaded over 5 million times in under 24 hours since it became available, according to Mozilla’s official download stats page.

Currently, the counter shows 5,755,000 downloads, most of which originated from Europe (2.5 million), followed by North America (1.6 million) and Asia (1 million).

In comparison, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 9 was downloaded 2.35 million times in its first 24 hours of availability.

The final version of Firefox 4 brings full CSS3 and HTML5 support, a redesigned UI, App Tabs, syncing across multiple devices and Panorama, a feature that lets you organize tabs into groups using a drag and drop interface.

[via CNET]

Applying knowledge:

I recommend downloading Firefox 4; in fact I am leaning toward giving up Google chrome because of the overall improvements. Currently, I only use Firefox for research because of Zotero. I will check to see if the new Fox4 will allow the big Z to continue working. I will also inform readers of some very cool internet research add on to make it Super Fox up any research. Enjoy!

Google Docs New Discussion Features

2011-03-21T08:28:00.001+07:00

Google Docs New Discussion Features

Google Docs has had a commenting system for almost a year now. That system is a good one that I will use for commenting on my students' writing hopefully at Chulalongkorn University or Assumption University. In earlier posting, I requested and or suggested that CMU move toward the FREE Google Educational platform and do away with the squirrel mail. As usual, the ITSC and the CMU administrators are slow about ANY improvement with classroom based technology. Chulalongkorn University is the first and only Thai University with the FREE Google Educational Platform. I was amazed on how balanced and advanced the international thinking and research ranking at Chulalongkorn University.

Google announced an enhancement to the Google Docs commenting system. The enhancement is being called "discussions." Discussions will allow document collaborators to have threaded conversations in the margins of a document. By including the @ symbol before a collaborator's name you can reply directly to that person. Another option in discussions is the option to be notified via email of replies to your comments in Google Docs.

Right now discussions in Google Docs is only available for new documents. If you created a document prior to this announcement, it won't have the discussion feature enabled. Watch the video below to learn more about Google Docs discussions.

Educational Applications:

Discussions in Google Docs could be a great tool to use when editing students' writing. Discussions could also be very handy for groups students that are working together to create a document. Students will be able to track each other's changes and comments and reply directly to each other for peer to peer evaluations. I currently use titanpad.com and the MSword documents with editing features of both. To check for plagiarism I use viper. I believe the switch to Google Docs will make this easier overall. Google is becoming the premier educational platform for writing and research as they improve individual products and allow more integration with all of the Google essentials. To review all the “How to” in Google Docs community videos, I suggest subscribe and get up to speed on all the Google docs features…Enjoy! I just wished Zotero would be fully integrated will all integrated features. Yes, I know you can load the Google add on in Firefox and this will allow Zotero to function fully but that means I would not be able to use Google Chrome and its integrated features...I will just have to be patient for Google executives talk with Zotero (if ever).

Earthquake Prediction 2011 Dr. Jim Berkland - Earthquake and Tsunami next for the USA?

2011-03-17T09:23:00.001+07:00

Earthquake Prediction 2011 Jim Berkland - A Major Earthquake in North America Imminent

Look at the evidence that is presented by Geologist Dr. Jim Berkland. Watch the short video and become informed. Becoming aware of the evidence that is presented based on science and past historical events with changes in the magnetic fields and gravity / plate tectonics makes this something we all should consider.

The video is here.

Review of Interactive Maps, Images and Videos of Earthquake & Tsunami in Japan

2011-03-16T09:42:00.001+07:00

All of the news is about the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the northeast coast of Japan. I haven't had a lot of time to gather resources, but here are some of the better ones I've found that are accessible to students.

Review this video clip CNN Student News, which is all about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The ten minute episode provides a jargon-free explanation of the cause of the tsunami, the effects of the earthquake and tsunami, and the concerns regarding Japan's nuclear energy facilities. If you're in need of some viewing and discussion questions to use with the video, CNN Student News offers those here.

Next up, the BBC has a short video featuring seismologist Dr. Roger Musson explaining how the tsunami was triggered.

CNN has a good graphic that shows how long it would take tsunami waves to reach various points in the Pacific ocean click
here.

Both Reuters and CNN have slideshows that are still being updated with new images from the earthquake and tsunami.

CNN among many other places has dramatic video footage of the tsunami here.

Thanks to Ian Chia for sharing the link to this live stream from Yokoso News. The stream is in English.

Boston.com has a set of 43 powerful images of the earthquake, tsunami, and their effects.

The video below from Reuters shows how powerful tsunami waves are.
Larry Ferlazzo has a good list of resources going that you should also check out.

If you are interested in financially supporting relief efforts the Red Cross has set-up a text donation plan, click here to read about other ways to donate.

The New York Times has many features about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Here are three that stand out.

The Crippled Japanese Nuclear Reactors is a set of drawings and animations that depicts how nuclear power plants are constructed and what could cause a meltdown at those facilities.

Map of the Damage From the Japanese Earthquake is an interactive map of sixteen locations in Japan affected by the earthquake. Zoom and click on the icons to see images and read information about each location.

How Shifting Plates Caused the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan is a series of drawings and animations that explain what causes earthquakes and tsunamis.

Fukushima Nuclear Reactor Problem Explained

One of the major concerns in Japan now is nuclear power plant meltdowns. To help us understand what happened at the Fukushima power plant, CNN has posted an animated and narrated explanation of what happened and why. The English is spoken at a slow pace, clear and concise for English Language learners.

Educational Applications

This was provided by many resources and links have been provided. Thank you goes to all the blogs and news service provide this educational material. My continue prayers go out the the Japanese families that are effect by this horrific disaster and the loss of lives. The first domino was the earthquake, follow by Tsunami and the next piece is the nuclear disaster...the last piece of this domino effect will be the financial disaster of Japan that will effect the world. If any people or culture has the strength to come back from all that adversity, it will be the great people of Japan. More updates can be followed on twitter with hash tag #japanearthquake.

Review of Problem Based Learning (PBL) in the English Language Learning Classroom

2011-03-15T11:17:00.001+07:00

Review of Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Learning begins with a problem...

In problem-based learning (PBL), students work together in small groups to solve real-world problems. PBL is an active and iterative process that engages students to identify what they know, and more importantly, what they don't know. Their motivation to solve a problem becomes their motivation to find and apply knowledge. PBL can be combined with lecture to form a hybrid model of teaching, and it can be implemented in virtually all courses and subjects.

Students

Through problem-based learning, students can improve their problem-solving skills, research skills, and social skills. In addition, PBL benefits students in the following ways:

· Increases motivation to learn

· Develops critical thinking, writing, and communication skills

· Enhances retention of information

· Provides a model for lifelong learning

· Demonstrates the power of working cooperatively

Faculty

The primary role of an instructor is to facilitate group process and learning—not to provide easy answers. By relinquishing the control of answers, instructors are able to learn with students, and they often find renewed interest and excitement in teaching. The challenge in teaching a PBL model is creating strong problems that lead students to realize the intended course learning outcomes.

“How can I get my students to think? Is a question asked by many faculties, regardless of their disciplines. Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to “learn to learn,” working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. These problems are used to engage students’ curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter. PBL prepares students to think critically and analytically, and to find and use appropriate learning resources.” Barbara Duch

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an exciting alternative
to traditional classroom learning.

With PBL, your teacher presents you with a problem, not lectures or assignments or exercises.Since you are not handed "content", your learning becomes active in the sense that you discover and work with content that you determine to be necessary to solve the problem.

In PBL, your teacher acts as facilitator and mentor,
rather than a source of "solutions."

Problem based learning will provide you with opportunities to

examine and try out what you know
discover what you need to learn
develop your people skills for achieving higher performance in teams
improve your communications skills
state and defend positions with evidence and sound argument
become more flexible in processing information and meeting obligations
practice skills that you will need after your education

A Summary of Problem-Based Learning:
This is a simplified model; more detailed models are referenced below.

The steps can be repeated and recycled.
Steps two through five may be repeated and reviewed as new information becomes available and redefines the problem.
Step six may occur more than once, especially when teachers place emphasis on going beyond "the first draft."

1. Explore the issues:
Your teacher introduces an "ill-structured" problem to you.
Discuss the problem statement and list its significant parts.
You may feel that you don't know enough to solve the problem but that is the challenge!
You will have to gather information and learn new concepts, principles, or skills as you engage in the problem-solving process.

2. List "What do we know?"
What do you know to solve the problem?
This includes both what you actually know and what strengths and capabilities each team member has.
Consider or note everyone's input, no matter how strange it may appear: it could hold a possibility!

3. Develop, and write out, the problem statement in your own words:
A problem statement should come from your/the group's analysis of what you know, and what you will need to know to solve it. You will need:

· a written statement

· the agreement of your group on the statement

· feedback on this statement from your instructor.
(This may be optional, but is a good idea)

Note: The problem statement is often revisited and edited as new information is discovered,
or "old" information is discarded.

4. List out possible solutions
List them all, then order them from strongest to weakest
Choose the best one, or most likely to succeed

5. List actions to be taken with a timeline

· What do we have to know and do to solve the problem?

· How do we rank these possibilities?

· How do these relate to our list of solutions?
Do we agree?

6. List "What do we need to know?"
Research the knowledge and data that will support your solution
You will need to information to fill in missing gaps.

· Discuss possible resources
Experts, books, web sites, etc.

· Assign and schedule research tasks, especially deadlines

If your research supports your solution,
and if there is general agreement, go to (7). If not, go to (4)

7. Write up your solution with its supporting documentation, and submit it.
You may need to present your findings and/or recommendations to a group or your classmates.
This should include the problem statement, questions, data gathered, analysis of data, and support for solutions or recommendations based on the data analysis: in short, the process and outcome.

Presenting and defending your conclusions:
The goal is to present not only your conclusions,
but the foundation upon which they rest. Prepare to

· State clearly both the problem and your conclusion

· Summarize the process you used, options considered, and difficulties encountered

· Convince, not overpower
Bring others to your side, or to consider without prejudice your supporting documentation and reason

· Help others learn, as you have learned

· If challenged
and you have an answer, present it clearly
and you don't have an answer, acknowledge it and refer it for more consideration

Sharing your findings with teachers and students is an opportunity in demonstrating that you have learned. If you know your subject well, this will be evident. If a challenge arises that you cannot respond to, accept it as an opportunity to be explored. However, take pride in your attention to quality when you present. See also the Guide on presenting projects.

8. Review your performance
This debriefing exercise applies both to individuals and the group.
Take pride in what you have done well; learn from what you have not done well. Thomas Edison took pride in unsuccessful experiments as part of his journey to successful outcomes!

9. Celebrate your work!

Problem solving skills: To be successful, PBL requires problem solving and critical thinking skills.

See our Study Guides on Making decisions/solving problems and Thinking critically, and/or ask your teacher for help in developing collaborative skills.

The role of argument:
Through various stages of this process, you or your group will be expected to come to consensus on how to next proceed. While each member is expected to "argue" his or her viewpoint, the focus should be on the issues and reason, not personalities and emotion. If your group has difficulty, refer to your teacher for assistance as a mediator, and/or see the Guide Cooperative conflict resolution

For more on working in groups, see Learning with others in the main index.

For more on types of arguments, organization, evidence, as well as techniques in problem-based learning, see Dr. Larry D. Spence (Director, Undergraduate Learning Initiatives, Pennsylvania State University) "Problem Based learning: Lead to Learn, Learn to Lead .pdf version | .doc version

Review of Problem-Based Learning and Adult English Language Learners

Julie Mathews-Aydinli
Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) April 2007

(This brief is also available in pdf format.)

Background on Adult Learners

Adult education programs serve learners who are native English speakers and those whose first, or native, language is not English. Native English speakers attend adult basic education (ABE) classes to learn the skills needed to earn high school equivalency certificates or to achieve other goals related to job, family, or further education. English language learners attend English as a second language (ESL) or ABE classes to improve their oral and written skills in English and to achieve goals similar to those of native English speakers.

Audience for This Brief

This brief is written for adult ESL teachers and program administrators, as well as educational researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders who work with adult English language students in ESL classes or in mixed ABE classes (with native English speakers and English language students.

Introduction

Problem-based learning purposefully combines cognitive and metacognitive teaching and learning. It is an approach that has been around since the late 1960s (Neufeld & Barrows, 1974) and engages language students in learning how to learn while they also learn language and content. Roschelle (1999) held that problem-based learning is rooted in John Dewey’s project-based pedagogy of the early 20th century (e.g., Dewey, 1929, 1933, 1938). Within the area of second language learning and teaching, problem-based learning aligns with approaches in which students learn the target language by using it, rather than being presented with and then practicing predetermined language structures. Approaches based on similar principles include task-based learning (Ellis, 2003; Skehan, 1998; Willis, 1996), content-based learning (Garner & Borg, 2005; Rodgers, 2006), and project-based learning (Alan & Stoller, 2005; Lee, 2002; Moss & Van Duzer, 1998). What makes problem-based learning unique is its core focus on learning through solving real, open-ended problems to which there are no fixed solutions (Ertmer, Lehman, Park, Cramer, & Grove, 2003). Students work alone or in groups first to understand a particular problem and then to find possible solutions to it.

This brief describes how problem-based learning aligns with research on second language acquisition, gives guidelines for teachers and administrators on implementing problem-based learning in classes or programs for adults learning English as a second language (ESL), and outlines the benefits and challenges of using a problem-based learning approach with adult English language learners.

The Problem-Based Learning Process

In problem-based learning classrooms, the roles and responsibilities of both teachers and learners are different from those in more traditional types of school-based learning. Generally, in problem-based classrooms, the teacher acts as a coach for or facilitator of activities that students carry out themselves. The teacher does not simply present information or directly control the progression of work. Instead, the teacher provides students with appropriate problems to work on, assists them in identifying and accessing the materials and equipment necessary to solve the problems, gives necessary feedback and support during the problem-solving process, and evaluates students’ participation and products, with the goal of helping them develop their problem-solving as well as their language and literacy skills. These activities are described below.

Four Steps in Implementing Problem-Based Learning
Many works have described the process of problem-based learning from the perspective of students (e.g., Albion & Gibson, 1998; Boud, 1985; Butler, 2003). This process generally includes four main steps, which are illustrated in Figure 1 under “Process for Students”: (1) being introduced to the problem, (2) exploring what they do and do not know about the problem, (3) generating possible solutions to the problem, (4) considering the consequences of each solution and selecting the most viable solution. However, we have had little information about what actions each of these steps require from the teacher. What, for example, can teachers do to help introduce students to the problem and explore what they know and do not know about it? What is the teacher’s role when students are generating possible solutions and choosing among them? What are the teacher’s options after the process is complete? Figure 1 also gives some guidelines to address these questions, developed by the author of this brief. Further details on the teacher’s role as outlined in Figure 1 are then described in the following section, “Considerations for Teachers.”

Figure 1. Student and Teacher Roles in Problem-Based Learning

Considerations for Teachers

The teacher’s role in problem-based learning moves from preteaching through assessing students’ performance throughout the project, and includes the following steps:

· Preteach

· Introduce the Problem and the Language Needed to Work on It

· Group Students and Provide Resources

· Observe and Support

· Follow Up and Assess Progress

Preteach
The teacher’s first responsibility is to teach students about the rationale for and structure of a problem-based approach to language learning. For students who are accustomed to more traditional, teacher-centered classrooms, it is critical that they know they will be given direct, follow-up instruction, but that during the problem-solving phase, the teacher’s role is to observe and support. Students also need to understand that their goal is to work together to solve a problem, but for the activity to benefit their language learning, they must use only English in their groups.

Introduce the Problem and the Language Needed to Work on It
To maximize language learning outcomes, ESL teachers need to prepare adult students for the language demands of the problem-solving activity. Activities to prepare students vary according to their proficiency levels. (See Rhem, 1998, for activities that can be done in small groups.) These may include prereading or prewriting exercises, discussions to link the problem with the students’ knowledge and experiences, or preteaching vocabulary and structures that will be useful in finding solutions to the problem.

For teachers, selecting problems for students to work on may be the most difficult part of problem-based learning. Ideally, problems should

· be related to the students’ lives to increase interest and motivation,

· require students to make decisions and judgments (the problem they work on should be an actual problem, not just an information-gathering task), and

· include a question or set of questions that are open-ended and likely to generate diverse opinions.

Teachers might survey students for their ideas on problems or conflicts that they face, or have faced, in their daily lives or that they are aware of in their community. Below is a problem that students at the high-beginning or above levels might work on. Although it is teacher created, it mirrors the problems many refugees and other adult learners face when they arrive in the United States and need to support their families while learning English.

Possible problem scenario and question
You are a family of four looking for a place to live in (name local city/area). The father has a job at (choose place) and earns (income). The mother has a job at (choose place) and earns (income). You have a 14-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter who need to start school next week. You do not have a car. Where should you live? To make the decision, you will need to consider information about local schools, costs of available housing, public transportation, and shopping locations and prioritize your needs to make the best possible choice.

Group Students and Provide Resources
Teachers should group students carefully to increase their language learning opportunities in a problem-based activity. In a multilevel class, problem-based learning provides an opportunity to have students of different proficiency levels work together. If possible, teachers should group students from different language backgrounds together to guarantee that students communicate in the target language.
Teachers should make available a variety of resources to help students work on the given problem. In the sample problem above, for example, information about local schools can be collected from the schools themselves as well as from Internet sites that rank public schools across the United States (e.g., www.greatschools.net). Classified ads on the Internet and in local newspapers can be searched for housing possibilities. Bus schedules and maps can usually be obtained from transportation agencies or tourist information centers, and local government offices and public libraries are good sources for information—often free—about local services and facilities. When providing students with resources, teachers should make sure the students understand how to use them and how these resources may help in finding a solution to the problem.

Observe and Support
While the students are working in their groups—gathering information, discussing it, considering and choosing the best solution for the problem—the teacher’s role is to observe and support. Specifically, teachers should take notes on the language used, language problems encountered, and individual students’ participation in the activity.

If asked, the teacher may provide linguistic or technical help to a group but should avoid directing the group’s efforts or in any way controlling their activities to solve the problem.

Follow Up and Assess Progress
Teachers need to provide language-appropriate opportunities for students to share the results of their work and follow-up language activities that build on that work. Depending on the proficiency levels of the students, sharing their results could include oral presentations or debates (with intermediate or advanced students), completing simple questionnaires about the process (with intermediate or high beginners), or creating posters that graphically display the steps taken in finding a solution to the problem (with beginners). Follow-up activities should be based on the teacher’s observations and notes taken during the problem-solving process. While students are working to solve the problem, teachers should try to observe whether students are experiencing difficulties with particular grammar points, pronunciation, vocabulary, reading strategies (e.g., skimming for information), or pragmatic structures (e.g., telephone greetings, requesting information, thanking). These difficulties should provide the starting points for supplemental, focused instruction and support. Finally, assessment should be carried out, focusing on two primary areas. Teachers can assess students on the basis of their participation in the activity, and the activity itself can be assessed for effectiveness.

Information for Administrators

Administrators can do a number of things to initiate problem-based learning in their program and ensure that it is successful. They can

· become informed about problem-based learning and consider the options for incorporating it into their program’s curriculum,

· involve teachers in problem-based learning,

· provide training and resources for teachers,

· help teachers find resources for students to use in solving problems, and

· regularly evaluate the work in problem-based learning classrooms.

Determine the Place of Problem-Based Learning in a Program
Administrators need to consider whether problem-based learning should be an overarching approach to teaching throughout the program, or should be treated as an activity to be used when desired or at specific points in instruction. They also need to consider how this approach can be aligned with the program’s content standards.

Involve Teachers in Problem-Based Learning
Administrators can provide opportunities for teachers to engage in problem-based learning themselves. For example, during inservice training workshops, they can present teachers with scenarios of challenges they might face in the classroom (e.g., multilevel classes, frequent rotation of students, lack of resources) and ask them to work on them together. Teachers can be given resources to explore (e.g., the Internet, research articles) and work on addressing the challenges. (See, e.g., www.public.iastate.edu/~nkerli/CI503/learning.html, a Web site that describes various adult ESL student profiles and challenges for teachers to work on.)

Provide Training and Resources for Teachers
In addition to holding workshops for teachers on problem-based learning, administrators might arrange a study circle for them based on a short text about problem-based learning, such as this brief. In the study circle, teachers can read this brief and additional articles about problem-based learning, discuss ways to use it in their classrooms, and select problems they might introduce in their classes. (For information about conducting study circles, see Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, in press; and study circle guides from the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, 2005, 2006.) Two sources of possible problems to use in upper-level classes are TOEFL preparation materials and GED preparation materials, both of which include problem-based writing questions. (See, e.g., Cameron et al., 2002; Educational Testing Service, 2006.) Sources for problems to use with beginning- and intermediate-level students include A Day in the Life of the González Family (Van Duzer & Burt, 1999) and Engaging Immigrant Seniors in Community Service and Employment Programs (Senior Service America & Center for Applied Linguistics, 2006).

Help Teachers Identify Resources
It is extremely important that administrators help teachers identify and locate resources to use for problem-based learning in their classes. If the facilities exist for students to access the Internet, this is a tremendous asset, although administrators should ensure that the teachers themselves are comfortable using available technology. In many cases, local community and government offices can offer useful and free resources. Depending on the focus of the problems used, sources such as local libraries, courthouses, Better Business Bureaus, police departments, fire stations, schools, community centers, local businesses, chambers of commerce, or transportation authorities may be able to provide text resources, guest speakers, or sites to visit—all of which may serve as resources for problem-based learning.

Evaluate Problem-Based Learning
A crucial component of the process is ongoing evaluation. However, regular evaluation should not be interpreted as an assessment of the teachers’ or students’ performances, but rather as a means for checking whether this approach is meeting the students’ needs and is fitting well within the program. Administrators might use the following questions to guide their evaluation of problem-based learning in their programs:

· Are students interacting with each other and sharing information?

· Are they working together in groups rather than relying on teacher guidance?

· Are students speaking English?

· Are all students engaged?

· Is the teacher carefully observing the process and giving students meaningful feedback after the activities have been completed?

· Is the teacher incorporating these observations into subsequent language lessons?

A negative response to any of these questions may indicate that students have not been given adequate information about problem-based learning and its benefits, or that the teachers have not been adequately trained. As part of the evaluation, administrators can also consider surveying teachers and students about their experiences with and reactions to problem-based learning, and take these responses into consideration when deciding whether to revise how the approach is being used in the program.

Benefits and Challenges of Problem-Based Learning in Second Language Acquisition

Benefits
Second language acquisition research and practice have long recognized the value of classroom interactions between learners and other learners, teachers, and texts for promoting language acquisition, particularly when these interactions involve negotiation of meaning. (See Moss & Ross-Feldman, 2003, for a summary of this research.) Such conclusions were reflected in the major shift toward communicative approaches in language teaching that began in earnest in the late 1970s (Brumfit & Johnson, 1979). More recently, some researchers and practitioners have turned to problem-based learning as a way to promote meaningful interaction in the second language classroom. When there is a focus on real-world issues and problems, the interactions that take place have been found to be more meaningful and authentic than interactions produced during activities such as assigned role plays or repetition of dialogues, and the expectation is that such interactions promote second language acquisition (Mackey, 1999; Nakahama, Tyler, & Van Lier, 2001). Since problem-based learning shifts the emphasis on learning activity from teachers to students, it can also help students become more autonomous learners who will transfer the skills learned in the classroom to their lives outside of the classroom (James, 2006). For adult English language learners in particular, carefully chosen problems directly related to their everyday lives can be not only highly motivating but also practical for them to work on.

Challenges
There are some challenges with problem-based learning. One challenge is that students who share a common first language may use that language rather than English when working in groups on the assigned problem. This difficulty can be addressed by placing students of different language backgrounds in the same group. A second concern is that problem-based learning may not be appropriate for beginning- or literacy-level students whose English oral and reading skills are minimal. One way to address this concern is to place students with stronger and weaker language skills in the same group, thus allowing those with weaker skills to hear the language and observe the learning strategies of the stronger students, while giving more proficient students opportunities to engage in interactions and negotiate meaning with their peers. Another way is to preteach challenging vocabulary through reading and discussion. Teachers must carefully consider the problems and activities that students are involved in to ensure that the students with limited language and literacy understand and find solutions to the problems.

Teachers may face a different kind of challenge when they allow students to negotiate meaning and solve the problem among themselves, without teacher intervention. Research at the Lab School in Portland, Oregon, on pair work in ESL classes suggests that when teachers approach students working in pairs, the nature of the students’ interaction changes (summarized in Smith, Harris, & Reder, 2005). Students may stop negotiating, ask the teacher to solve their problem, or start interacting with the teacher about unrelated topics. This change in interaction may keep students from trying out linguistic strategies to solve the problem on their own. Discussing as a class why problem-solving activities are useful for students to carry out without the teacher’s input may help to keep both students and teachers on track.

Conclusion

Problem-based learning has much to offer in adult ESL instruction. As a teaching approach it has both linguistic benefits, as shown in the research on the role of natural, meaning-focused classroom interaction in language learning, and affective benefits in the form of raising student motivation and promoting learner autonomy and transfer of learning beyond the classroom. To achieve these benefits, teachers and administrators must ensure that students understand the principles behind problem-based learning and recognize that they are participating in an effective learning process, even if it is unfamiliar to them. Teachers need support from program administrators, from initial training in how to conduct problem-based learning to help with making resources available to students. Finally, administrators must consider the role that problem-based learning will play in their program. Will it constitute the primary philosophical and pedagogical thrust of the program, or will it serve as an alternative activity for teachers to use in their classrooms? Careful consideration of these issues will increase the likelihood that problem-based learning will be successfully incorporated into an adult ESL program with positive outcomes.

References

Alan, B., & Stoller, F. L. (2005). Maximizing the benefits of project work in foreign language classrooms. English Teaching Forum, 43(4), 10–21.

Albion, P. R. & Gibson, I. W. (1998). Designing multimedia materials using a problem- based learning design. Retrieved February 16, 2007, from www.usq.edu.au/users/albion/papers/ascilite98.html

Boud, D. (1985). Problem-based learning in perspective. In D. Boud (Ed.), Problem-

based learning in education for the professions (pp. 13–18). Sydney, Australia: Higher Education Research Society of Australasia.

Brumfit, C., & Johnson, K. (Eds). (1979). The communicative approach to language teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.

Butler, S. M. (2003). Designing a technology-based science lesson: Student teachers grapple with an authentic problem of practice. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 11(4), 463–481.

Cameron, S., Emmons, J. G., Jackson, L. W., Kay, M. A., Klug, D. K., Mallek, C. M., et al. (2002).The best test preparation for the new GED high school equivalency diploma test. Piscataway, NJ: Research & Educational Association.

Center for Adult English Language Acquisition. (in press). The CAELA guide for adult ESL trainers. Washington, DC: Author.

Dewey, J. (1929). Experience and nature. New York: Dover.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process (Rev. ed.). Boston: D.C. Heath.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier Books.

Educational Testing Service. (2006). TOEFL sample writing topics. Retrieved December 22, 2006, from www.ets.org/Media/Tests/ TOEFL/pdf/989563wt.pdf

Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ertmer, P. A., Lehman, J., Park, S. H., Cramer, J., & Grove, K. (2003). Barriers to teachers’ adoption and use of technology in problem-based learning. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) International Conference, 1761–1766.

Garner, M., & Borg, E. (2005). An ecological perspective on content-based instruction.

Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4(2), 119–134.

James, M. A. (2006). Teaching for transfer in ELT. ELT Journal, 60(2), 151–159.

Lee, I. (2002). Project work made easy in the English classroom. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 59(2), 282–290.

Mackey, A. (1999). Input, interaction, and second language development: An empirical study of question formation in ESL. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(4), 557–587.

Moss, D., & Ross-Feldman, L. (2003). Second language acquisition in adults: From research to practice. Washington, DC: National Center for ESL Literacy Education. Retrieved December 22, 2006, from www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/SLA.html

Moss, D., & Van Duzer, C. (1998). Project-based learning for adult English language learners. Washington, DC: National Center for ESL Literacy Education. Retrieved December 22, 2006, fromwww.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/ProjBase.html

Nakahama, Y., Tyler, A., & Van Lier, L. (2001). Negotiation of meaning in conversational and information gap activities: A comparative discourse analysis. TESOL Quarterly, 35(3), 377–405.

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. (2005). Skills for health care access and navigation. Boston, MA: Author. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from www.ncsall.net/?id=891

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. (2006). Adult student persistence. Boston, MA: Author. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from www.ncsall.net/?id=896

Neufeld, V. R. & Barrows, H. S. (1974). The McMaster philosophy: An approach to medical education. Journal of Medical Education, 49(11):1040–1050.

Rhem, J. (1998). Problem-based learning: An introduction. The National Teaching and Learning Forum, 8(1). Retrieved December 11, 2006, from www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9812/problem-based learning_1.htm

Rodgers, D. M. (2006). Developing content and form: Encouraging evidence from Italian content-based instruction. Modern Language Journal, 90(3), 373–386.

Roschelle, J. (1999). Transitioning to professional practice: A Deweyan view of five analyses of problem-based learning. Discourse Processes: A Multidisicplinary Journal, 27(2), 231–240.

Senior Service America & Center for Applied Linguistics. (2006). Engaging immigrant seniors in community service and employment programs: A guide for providers. Silver Spring, MD, & Washington, DC: Authors. Retrieved May 1, 2007, fromwww.seniorserviceamerica.org/news/cal_guide.html

Skehan, P. (1998). Task-based instruction. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 18, 268–286.

Smith, C., Harris, K., & Reder, S. (2005). Applying research findings to instruction for adult English language learners. Washington, DC: Center for Adult English Language Acquisition. Retrieved December 22, 2006, from www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/research.html

Van Duzer, C., & Burt, M. (1999). A day in the life of the González family. Washington, DC, & McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems.

Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. London: Longman.

Additional Resources

Articles

Abdullah, M. H. (1998). Problem-based learning in language instruction: A constructivist model. Bloomington , IN: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication. Retrieved December 11, 2006, from www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/problem.htm

Esch, C. (1998). Project-based and problem-based: The same or different? San Mateo , CA: San Mateo County Office of Education. Retrieved December 11, 2006, from http://problem-based learningmm.k12.ca.us/problem-based learningGuide/problem-based learning&problem-based learning.htm

Peterson, M. (1997). Skills to enhance problem-based learning. Medical Education Online, 2(3). Retrieved December 21, 2006, from www.Med-Ed-Online.org

The role of the tutor. (n.d.). Problem-based learning at Queen’s. Kingston, Ontario, Canada: Queen’s University. Retrieved December 11, 2006, from http://meds.queensu.ca/medicine/problem-based learning/problem-based learninghome6.htm

Web Sites

Problem Based Learning for English as a Second Language Learners

www.pblforesl.com

Contains useful details on how to set up groups and design problems.

Problem Based Learning (PBL)

http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/pbl/start.htm

Gives an overview of the benefits of problem-based learning.

Problem-Based Learning

http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/problembl/start.htm

Distinguishes between problem-based learning and problem-stimulated learning. Also includes an animated description of the roles taken by students and teachers in a problem-based learning

Educational Applications:

This is an overview of PBL. My interest is utilizing PBL within English language teaching. This teaching approach and methodology can be used with a functional teaching ESL / EFL. Unlike the audio-lingual method routinely being used with my British colleagues, this involves the teacher as a facilitator and learning strategy resource. Problem based learning can be incorporated on every learning level of English. The focus has to be on functional usage within practical applications both inside and especially outside of the classroom. For example, I use this technique routinely within English 310. The course is a simulation of study abroad throughout the entire semester but the students do not leave the country. Each student develops their own “character” within the semester long role play. One more requirement was they could not be from their own country or any country that touches Thailand. The last requirement was that they could not be from a native English speaking country. The course involved learning about the culture of the “character” that they played all semester long and actively problem solve throughout the class. Roommate issues and living abroad problems even going to the Bank or grocery store were among some of the scenarios within the course. The knowledge learned in English, problem solving and learning strategies in general was fantastic. Survey from the students indicated that the English 310 course was the most positive English experience at the university. I enjoyed the role that the teacher took by allowing the students to be creative and extend their English language skills beyond the classroom. I recommend ESL / EFL teachers to consider incorporating PBL within the teaching approach to language teaching. Please review and book the resources that I have listed above…and above all else implement PBL within your language teaching. For additional information in Thai, please go to: http://pbl.wu.ac.th/

Thailand Educator Exchange Program (TTPEP) Announcement

2011-03-15T05:27:00.001+07:00

MARCH 12, 2011

Thailand Educator Exchange Program

POSTED BY CENTER FOR APPLIED SECOND LANGUAGE STUDIES (CASLS) AT 7:04 AM

From http://www.americancouncils.org/program/47/TTPEP

The Thailand Educator Exchange Program is a short-term, mutual exchange opportunity for U.S. and Thailand principals, administrators and teachers that is fully funded by the Bureau of Educational Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State. The program provides a professional development opportunity for U.S. and Thailand educators to work together on issues of mutual interest to their communities, schools and students.

Deadline: March 28, 2011

Educational Seminars: Thailand Educator Exchange Program (TTPEP)

Eligibility:

Be a U.S. citizen
Be a full-time employee in the U.S. with at least three years of experience as a department head of English or Mathematics; a school principal, or assistant principal at the elementary, middle or secondary level.
Host administrative partner in home community and school (home stay) for two weeks
Host a Thai language facilitator (interpreter) in home community and school (hotel) for two weeks
Travel to Thailand, participate in pre-program orientation and complete full two-week program in Thailand

Length:

The Thailand Educator Exchange Program includes the hosting of a Thai partner for approximately two weeks in the Spring. The following Summer, US participants travel to Thailand to attend a pre-program orientation before a two-week exchange with their program partner.

Price:

This program is fully funded through the Bureau of Educational Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State. For U.S. educators, this grant includes international and domestic airfare; meals and/or per diem; a hosting stipend for the U.S. partner school; a shipping stipend; and housing and per diem for a Thai language facilitator.

Deadline: March 28, 2011

Funded By:

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State

Partner Organizations:
The Thailand-United States Educational Foundation and the Thai Ministry of Education

APPLY HERE (TEACHERS)
APPLY HERE (ADMINISTRATORS)

Thai administrators spend three weeks with their U.S. partner during the fall and the U.S. administrators travel to Thailand the following summer. The programs are individualized through collaboration between partners and may focus on educational leadership, strategic planning, professional development for teachers, school and community relations, curriculum development and pedagogy, classroom management, teaching English as a Second Language, volunteerism, and civic responsibility.

Applicants should be creative, self-reliant, flexible and able to maintain excellent relationships with faculty, staff, and students in Thailand. Applicants should have a sincere interest in learning from the experience of others and sharing best practices. Applicants should also be prepared to make presentations about the United States before diverse audiences in Thailand.

MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

Program Resources

· Documents

· News

· Announcements

Learn more about the program at http://www.americancouncils.org/program/47/TTPEP

Lack of Self discipline and obesity in Bangkok school children

2011-03-13T08:18:00.001+07:00

Research article

Self discipline and obesity in Bangkok school children

Chutima Sirikulchayanonta, Wasoontara Ratanopas, Paradee Temcharoen and Suwat Srisorrachatr

BMC Public Health 2011, 11:158doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-158

Published: 10 March 2011

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Childhood obesity has become an important public health problem in Thailand. This study aimed to determine the relationship between self discipline and obesity in Bangkok school children.

Methods

A case control study was conducted. 140 cases (obese children) and 140 controls (normal weight children) were randomly chosen from grades 4-6 students in 4 Bangkok public schools. Questionnaire responses regarding general characteristics and child self-discipline were obtained from children and their parents.

Results

Self discipline in eating habits, money management and time management were reported at significantly lower levels among the obese group (p < 0.05). After controlling all other variables, it was revealed that the ranking of factors associated with obesity by adjusted odds ratio (OR) were low self-discipline in managing expenses (3.1), poor home environment (3.0,), moderate self-discipline in time management (2.9), television viewing time [greater than or equal to] 2 hours/day (2.6), an obese father (2.2), and an obese mother (1.9).

Conclusions

It was recommended that parents and teachers participate in child self-discipline guidance, particularly with regard to eating habits, money management and time management in a supportive environment that both facilitates prevention of obesity and simultaneously develops a child's personal control.

The link to this research is here.

Educational Applications:

One of the negative aspects of western cultures is the all the bakery / coffee shops throughout the kingdom. Next on my list are all the computer cafes which serve snacks while the students play and the lack of parental supervision. I teach with internet resources but for students to stay healthy, outside classroom activities are very important to health and lifelong learning. In Thailand there is a serious lack of coordinated interscholastic sports between schools. In other words, there are no coordinating sporting events with other similar level schools and within the schools in Thailand. The Thai schools are not divided into different sporting divisions and do not have regular sporting calendar in the schools. I remember we had a sport day for the whole school where every level of students’ ability could be tapped individually. Yes, some Thai schools have “Sports Day” but not organized sporting leagues with other schools within their division. Everything seems to be focused on the “freshy” cultural attitude toward bringing school unity or school spirit. The winds of change are coming in Thailand and the “freshy activities” tradition will slowly become extinct and the new “school sports unity” will replace it.

Thailand and ASEAN Game Countries: OFID SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Announcement 2011/12 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

2011-03-07T14:52:00.001+07:00

OFID SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Announcement 2011/12 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS from Thailand and ASEAN Countries

Focus: Must select a subject of study that pertains to OFID’s core mission, such as: economics of development (poverty reduction, energy and sustainable development), environment (desertification), or other related science and technology fields.

OFID (The OPEC Fund for International Development) is pleased to announce that qualified applicants who have obtained or are on the verge of completing their undergraduate degree and who wish to study for a Master's degree are welcome to apply for the OFID Scholarship 2011/2012. The OFID scholarship will be awarded to support one student or candidate for Master’s degree studies. The applicant may be from any developing country, and he/she must first obtain admission to pursue a Master's degree studies in a relevant field of development, in any recognized university/college in the world. Through its scholarship scheme, OFID aims to help highly motivated, highly-driven individuals overcome one of the biggest challenges to their careers – the cost of graduate studies. The winner of the OFID Scholarship Award will receive a scholarship of up to US$100,000. The funds will be spread over a maximum of two years, toward the completion of a Master’s degree, or its equivalent, at an accredited educational institution, starting in the autumn of the academic year 2011/2012.

» Application Guidelines
» Eligibility Criteria
» Disbursement of the Scholarship Fund
» Required documents
» Eligible Countries

Application Guidelines

STEP 1: Ensure that you fulfill the OFID Scholarship Award Eligibility Criteria.

STEP 2: Register within the OFID Scholarship Portal by using your email address. Please note you can log into the portal as many times as required.

STEP 3: Fill out the application form. Make sure to save data each time you update your application. Once you are logged in, if the page remains inactive for more than two hours, your session will time-out and you may lose unsaved data. Do not submit your application until you have completed the entire application process!

STEP 4: Upload necessary documents; CV, two recommendation letters, Bachelor's certificate/transcript, acceptance letter into postgraduate program and essay.

STEP 5: When your application is complete, and all additional documents are uploaded, your application is ready to be submitted. As mentioned previously, once your application is submitted, you can no longer make any changes or upload any more documents.

The application deadline is June 4, 2011. Please do not call or email OFID to see if your application has been received (you will, in any case, receive an automated confirmation) or to inquire about your status. Only the winner will be notified by June 14 via our website at www.ofid.org.

I. Eligibility

Must be between the ages of 23-32 at the time of submitting his/her application.
Must have obtained or be on the verge of completing their undergraduate degree with a Baccalaureate from an accredited college/university, or its equivalent.
Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 rating system, or its equivalent.
Must be matriculated at an accredited university for the upcoming academic year starting August/September 2010, and must maintain full-time status for the duration of the Master's Degree.
Must be a national of a developing country (please see list of eligible countries below)
Must select a subject of study that pertains to OFID’s core mission, such as: economics of development (poverty reduction, energy and sustainable development), environment (desertification), or other related science and technology fields.

PLEASE NOTE: Kindly read ALL of the directions below before proceeding with the application process:

Applicants are responsible for gathering and submitting all necessary information. Applications will be evaluated based on the information provided. Therefore, all questions should be answered as thoroughly as possible. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed on it.
OFID will not consider applications received through a third party.
Please do not call or email OFID to ask if your application has been received, or to inquire about your status.
Please note that only the winner will be notified.
All materials submitted become the property of OFID and will not be returned to the applicant.
Applicants must complete the on-line application.
Within the on-line application, applicants must upload the required documents as listed below in Section III. All materials including the on-line application, recommendations, and other required information must be received no later than June 4, 2011.

II. Disbursement of the Scholarship Fund

The terms and conditions of payment will be determined in coordination with the student upon his/her selection in accordance with the following guidelines:

The tuition fees, including any supplementary examination fees, as may be required by the academic institution, will be paid by OFID directly to the academic institution. Health insurance will be paid in accordance with the institution’s own standard medical scheme.
A monthly allowance to cover living expenses, books and accommodation, will be transferred to the student’s own personal bank account on a quarterly basis.
Prior to the start of his/her first year studies, the student will be paid a relocation grant, equal to two-month allowance. OFID will also pay for travel costs from the nearest airport to the student’s place of residence, to the nearest airport to the chosen place of study. Upon completion of the studies, the student will be paid the cost of one-way air ticket to his/her home country.

III. Required documents

A completed on-line application form.
A scanned copy of the last university degree or certificate.
A scanned letter of acceptance from your chosen educational institution, confirming your admission, subject of study and duration of the Master’s degree program (must not exceed a maximum of two years).
A proof of meeting any prerequisites, including language proficiency.
A short essay – of about 500 words in English – giving reasons for applying for the OFID scholarship, explaining your educational goals, and clearly describing how you will use the experience gained from your Master's degree studies to help in the development of your home country.
Two letters of recommendation from professors and/or lecturers at applicant's present university.
Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Eligible Countries

* In addition to nationals of OFID Member States (Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, GSP Libyan AJ, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela), nationals of the following countries are also eligible:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo DR , Republic of Congo, Cote d'lvoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Asia and the Middle East: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea D P R, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Maldives, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

Latin America and the Caribbean: Antigua Barbuda, Belize, Barbados, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Grenada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Panama, St. Christopher, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Uruguay

Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo

Link to scholarship site is here.

Announcement for Research Position at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

2011-03-04T15:23:00.001+07:00

Announcement for Research Position at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

Posted March 4, 2011

Energy and Environment Partnership Program With the Mekong Region
(EEP Mekong)

Research Associate (20/11)

The EEP Mekong Program requires a Research Associate to carry technical tasks for the program, based in AIT, km 42, Phahonyothin Road, Klong Luang, Thailand.

Study Subject: Energy and Environment

Employer: Asian Institute of Technology

Level: Holding a Masters Degree

Scholarship Description: The Energy and Environment Partnership Program With the Mekong Region (EEP Mekong) aims at supporting wider provision and use of renewable energy and combating climate change. This is done by providing funding for projects, studies, capacity development and information-sharing related to the issues. EEP is a demand-driven program and promotes public-private partnership.

Main Responsibilities:

To assist the Chief Technical Advisor and the Financial Advisor in the following:
Checking the compliance of projects submitted for EEP Mekong support;
Sorting out, compiling and dispatching the 3rd call project proposals to NCUs/NTEs, and to the evaluators;
Preparing factsheets for presentation to the Steering Committee;
Notifying of the successful applicants;
Facilitating the provision of feed-back to non-successful project applicants;
Updating and maintaining the EEP Mekong Database and Website;
Assisting in dissemination and information sharing through website and publications;
Preparing presentations and reports;
Preparing EEP Events, such as the SC meeting (May 19-20) and Finance Forum (June 27);
Collaborating with AIT in activities and functions assigned to AIT.
Performing additional tasks assigned by the CTA and/or the FA.

Profile:

Master degree with knowledge on energy/environment issues
Fluent in written and spoken English
Good communication skills
Ability to work in a multicultural environment
Experience in conducting workshops, trainings, seminars and in writing technical reports and publications
Experience in conducting workshops, trainings, seminars and in writing technical reports and publications

Scholarship Application Deadline: 8 March 2011

Duration:
Sixteen weeks from March 11 to June 30, 2011.

Application:
A letter of motivation and CV should be sent to:
EEP Mekong CTA, AITCC Room 132, or
e-mailed to ludovic_lacrosse@eepmekong.org not later than March 8 at 16:00.

Announcement: Scholarships for Undergraduate in the field of International Business Communication and Business Administration in Hotel Management at Sripatun International College Thailand – 2011

2011-03-03T16:25:00.001+07:00

Sripatum International College

Study Subject:International Business Communication,Business Administration in Hotel Management

Employer: Sripatun International College

Level:Undergraduate

Scholarship Description:Sripatum University, one of the finest private university in Thailand, was established in 1970 by the name “Sripatum College”. This name was given by HRH the Prince Mother. In 1987, the college was promoted to university status by the Ministry of University Affairs, and has since been known as Sripatum University. From then on, the university has expanded to three campuses, Bangkhen and Phayathai Campuses in Bangkok, and the other one in Chonburi province near the country’s Eastern Seaboard. In March 2002, Sripatum University has reached another key milestone for being accredited by the International Standards Organization (ISO 9001:2000).

•Applicants to 4-year programs must hold a M.6 certificate (grade 12) or its equivalent as issued by the Ministry of Education. G.C.E. “O” level not less than “C” in 5 subjects or high school certificate from accredited institution (12 years of schooling).

•Applicants to continuing programs must hold a diploma; higher-vocational level or equivalent, from schools or colleges recognized by the Ministry of Education.

•Clear record of good behavior (police record)

• Good physical health and mental health

• Working knowledge of English and Mathematics

• One or the following test scores - TOEFL or IELTS

Scholarship Application Deadline: 30 May, 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application

http://intl.spu.ac.th/

Chiang Mai University Looking to make the switch to Google Apps?

2011-02-28T09:54:00.001+07:00

Chiang Mai University Looking to make the switch to Google Apps? Here's ten ways Google Apps will benefit your campus

1. Thai Students will love you for it

Schools tell us that when they ask their students what email they'd prefer, they overwhelmingly say Gmail.

"Our students approached us about a year ago, saying that we needed to improve our email and collaboration services. We actually had our student government tell us, 'we want you to implement Google Apps.'" - Wendy Woodward, Director of Technology Support Services, Northwestern University.

2. Free up your Thai IT

Focus your IT on activities that add value instead of worrying about the uptime of your email services.

"Google Apps has allowed us to get out of providing these commodity type services - such as maintaining an email and calendaring system - and focus on the things that we are uniquely equipped to do, like providing more resources to be able to better support teaching, learning and research." - Todd Sutton, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Application Services, UNC Greensboro.

3. Easy to deploy in ANY Language (It’s more international that way)

No software to install, no hardware to buy, just validate your MX records and create your accounts to get started. To integrate with what you already have, we work with open standards, have created a multitude of APIs, can point you to open source solutions for common integrations, and have approved partners with experience deploying Apps in schools. "After struggling for several months to try to implement an alternative web hosted e-mail solution, we eventually turned to Google Apps which we were able to get up and running within a matter of hours" - Jhonny Oliveira, IT Manager, University of Lisbon.

4. Save money!

Outsourcing the maintenance of servers to Google frees up resources that would have been spent on additional licenses and upgrades.

"This helped our IT staff understand that their focus should be on strategic enterprise solutions to help us reach our educational objectives, not just overseeing commodities like email. Had we not gone with the Google solution, we'd be looking at proposing a significant increase in student fees." - Eric Hawley, Utah State University Associate Vice President for Technology.

5. You're not alone

Thousands of Universities are using Google Apps and are happy to talk about it.Talk to other customers on our Google Apps for Education community group or read and watch our customer case studies.

The first Thai University to adopt this platform is Chulalongkorn.

“Lead, follow or get out of my way”…

6. Google protects your schools and students privacy

We take privacy very seriously. Our business is built on our users' trust: trust in our ability to properly secure your data and our commitment to respect the privacy of the information you place in our systems by not giving that information to others or using it inappropriately. More specifically, read our FAQ on privacy, visit our Privacy Center, and review how we've handled challenges to users' privacy in the past.

7. Security as powerful as... well, Google

The security that is provided to Google Apps customers is the same security that we rely on to protect www.google.com. In addition, we run our company on Google Apps

"We're confident that Apps can meet the needs of the most demanding enterprises, because we're one ourselves. Google is a complex, global company in a fast-moving and competitive industry, and everything we do is powered by Apps. To get that kind of adoption here, it means Apps has passed a daunting bar for Enterprise suitability. If it can work for us, surely it can work for you, too." - Ben Fried, CIO and Vice President of Engineering, Google.

8. Innovation in real-time

What better way to prepare your students for the newest technology in the workplace, than by giving it to them as a part of their education?

"The response from the university community has been extremely positive because we are now partnering with cutting-edge technologists who understand that we're trying to provide the latest, most innovative technologies available today." - Roy B. Roberti, Director of Information Technology Planning, Hofstra University.

9. Collaborate globally in academics and research

Google Docs, our word processing application, doesn't just give you access to the same document, it actually allow students to work on the same document at the same time from anywhere in the world.

"Collaborative projects really make for an excellent education experience not only because students bounce ideas off each other and improve each other's writing skills, but also because the process itself teaches them how to work well with others - a valuable skill for everyone." - Richard Ellwood, Technology Coordinator and Digital Arts Teacher, Columbia Secondary School.

10. We've got your back in Thai and English or any language…

Need help? We're here to help you when you need it either through our Help Center, our education customer group, or directly through the phone and email contact information provided in your administrator dashboard.

Educational Applications:

What can I say…I tried to get Chiang Mai University to switch to a Google Educational Platform TO SAVE MONEY and to promote an international university of excellence! I guess the first Thai university to adapt this platform is the leading university in Thailand…Chulalongkorn University. It appears that CU has the innovative, progressive foresight to once again lead and let others follow. CU’s ITC has the English language and Thai Language skills to acknowledge that it is a win-win opportunity to achieve international ranking and success by adapting this FREE educational platform for ALL Thai and International administrators, teachers and students at Chulalongkorn University. I was known to be to forward thinking with my time at Chiang Mai University. It’s…NOT TO LATE for the current administration to adapt this multi-lingual educational platform and not just save money but its focus to be an international research university of excellence…It’s not too late.