April, 2010
30
Apr 10
Wii Replacing Physical Education – Good or Bad?
A P.E. class in the UK using Wii Fit.
Schools around the world have started using the best selling Nintendo Wii – an interactive wireless-based video game – to get children involved in “virtual” sport. Given the rising statistics of child obesity and the increasing time many kids spend playing video games, this seems like a great solution. Students get a workout without even stepping away from the television. A school in the UK recently conducted a trial with Wii and a select group of students. They were allowed to play only if they spent a proportion of their physical education lessons outside doing traditional games. A teacher said, “It has been great seeing boys enjoying exercise again - even if it is through a nontraditional medium. Some of the games are quite demanding.”
Not all feedback has been positive. Some schools in Australia, for example, have come under fire for integrating the Wii into the curriculum and allowing children to play virtual tennis, baseball and boxing on Wii consoles. Along with cricket and soccer, parents can opt for their children to play Wii Fit in P.E. class. Many are criticising this move saying that the Wii cannot replace traditional physical activity. Some parents say they would pull their children out of school if computer games were offered as a sport.
Shigeru Miyamoto, the man responsible for creating the Wii, says one his big projects is getting people to use the Nintendo Wii as an educational tool. The console has many applications that are not just related to physical activity. He believes it already has potential for math and geography, and it should have even more in the near future as the Wii upgrades and changes. It is already set to be used in Japan at the elementary level this coming year.
29
Apr 10
Meet Camila Durán
Camila Durán joined Educaedu in October 2009. She came to Buenos Aires from her home town Bogota, Colombia to follow her interest in studying and working abroad. She graduated from Universidad Javeriana in Bogota with a degree in Political Science and is currently studying in Buenos Aires for a Postgraduate Diploma in Political Communications at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. At the same time she is also the Content Manager for the Colombian Educaedu website. Camila is in charge of the Educaedu Blog in Spanish and she also maintains media relations in Colombia, two areas where she can apply her communication skills. Educaedu Colombia was launched in early 2009, so if you fancy studying in Colombia and want to polish your Spanish, you can choose from 5761 programs online.
Camila is always full of energy and spends her free time playing field hockey and soccer, running in marathons and playing ping-pong too! Her enthusiasm has even extended to getting a female soccer team together and participating in the Educaedu running team.
Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption
Favorite novel: Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Favorite extra-curricular activity while at university: Soccer. Camila was a member of her University’s Soccer Team.
28
Apr 10
Language Exams – From TOEFL to HSK
It is a great resume booster to have a section listing the languages you speak and at what level. With global economic and social changes, speaking Spanish, Portuguese and even Chinese can be quite attractive to employers. The question is: How do you know your language level? Is there a standardized way to make it official? The answer is: yes, there is (in most languages). Official language exams are a standardized way to prove how well you speak a language. The exams however, tend to be quite difficult and it is to everyone’s advantage to take a preparatory course. They help you not only fine tune your language skills, but also prepare you for the different formats and sections of each test, which can be a real lifesaver.
Flickr Creative Commons - tvol
The following is a list of different official language exams, a small explanation and an example prep course for each one:
English
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The TOEFL is one of the most widely accepted English-language tests in the world. There is an internet-based test and a paper test.
TOEFL Prep Course in the United States.
- Cambridge ESOL Test
There are 5 levels of this test from the Key English Test (KET) to the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
A test given for universities in the UK and it is also accepted at Universities in Australia and New Zealand as an English language certification. It is also accepted in other countries like Canada.
IELTS Prep Course in Australia.
Spanish
- DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera)
An internationally recognized Spanish test. Many universities in Spanish-speaking countries require this test for entry.
DELE Prep Course in Perú.
French
- DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française)
This is the French equivalent of the DELE. It is also required by French universities for non-native speakers to enroll.
DELF Prep Course in France.
Chinese
- HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi – 汉语水平考试)
This is the only standardized test for non-native Chinese speakers. It is comparable to the English TOEFL exam.
HSK Prep Course in Toronto, Canada.
Russian
- TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language)
This is a standardized test supervised by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
TORFL Prep Course in Russia.
Polish
- Panstwowy Egzamin Certyfikatowy (State Certificate in Polish as a foreign language)
There are three levels and it has the same parts as the TOEFL in English.
PEC Prep Course in Poland.
Japanese
- Nihongo nōryoku shiken (The Japanese Language Proficiency Test – 日本語能力試験)
This exam tests your level of Japanese. It is given twice a year, the first Sunday in July and December.
JLPT Prep Course in Australia.
27
Apr 10
Educaedu Russia – Поздравляю (Congratulations in Russian)
Flickr Creative Commons - neiljs
Educaedu is proud to present our latest addition – Educaedu Russia.
With over 1100 programs and courses from more than 100 different schools, our new website has a wide variety of options for anyone looking to study in Russia. We would like to give a big Поздравляю (congratulations) to Aigul, the Content Manager for Russia, who single handedly organized and created all the content for the website. Thanks also goes out to all the programmers who had to cypher through Cyrillic to get the website up and running.
So you don’t know a lot about Russian culture? Well, it is difficult to make generalizations due to the variety of people living there and the shear size of the country. It stretches over both Europe and Asia and covers an area of 6,595,600 square miles. It is the largest country in the world (by land mass), covering almost twice the territory of the next largest country, Canada. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has officially been known as the Russian Federation. Within its borders, which stretch from Poland in the West all the way over to within several miles of Japan in the East, Russia is home to an astounding variety of people. There are citizens who are ethnically Russian, Tatars, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, Chuvashes, Chechens, and Armenians. There are also many Germans, Azerbaijanis, Inuit, and Uzbeks. What is pretty amazing is that all these people with all these varying backgrounds have one official language – Russian.
We welcome Russia to the Educaedu family and hope that it facilitates the ease in which students can find what they want to study in Russia and abroad.
26
Apr 10
From Sheep to Shawl – Course of the Week
Has anyone ever said to you, “Oh, I like that top. Where did you get it?” How great would it be if instead of saying the store where you bought it, you could respond, “Actually, I made it myself. I sheared a sheep, wove and dyed the wool, and then created this wonderful garment.” You have to admit that it would be really cool. Well now you can, with this From Sheep to Shawl Course at Antioch University New England (AUNE). Not only do you learn how the process works, you also learn the history behind it.
Flickr Creative Commons - Duchamp
The process of turning wool into cloth is an important part of life in many cultures, both historically and in the present day. Participants will experience for themselves every step from sheep to shawl, including carding, spinning, making and using natural dyes, and weaving. Then they will be able to show off their creations and get to respond to all the “where-did-you-get-that?” compliments with “Oh, I made it”.
23
Apr 10
International Day of the Book
In 1926, Spain declared that the 23rd of April would be the International Day of the Book. The day coincides with the celebration of Saint George, as well as the death of both Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare. It is a tradition for men to give roses to women and women to give books to men. The rose symbolizes love, and the book symbolizes culture. In 1995, UNESCO announced that this day would also promote publishing and copyright.
To celebrate today, members of the Educaedu Team recognized their favorite book:
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Ignacio García – Argentina Content Manager Argentina |
| Little Painted Lips, by Manuel Puig
“Puig mixes colloquial language with various literary devices to capture the essence of Argentine society: hypocrisy, snobbery and irony. The author involves you in the miserable lives of the characters, yet you feel comfortable with the circumstances. The paradox challenges you to understand what it is to be Argentine.” |
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Luanna Teofillo – Brazil Content Brazil |
| Adventures of Little Nose, by Monteiro Lobato
“…the Brazilian book that has been most influential in my life. I was introduced to the character Emilia, who is not simply a talking doll, but a modern woman. She is creative, intelligent and very alive when she has to be. My greatest hero!” |
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Daniel Guzmán Burgos – Colombia Database Administrator |
| ¡Que Viva la Música!, by Andrés Caicedo
“It is a journey to hell. Maria del Carmen Huerta discovers that her city goes beyond the limits of her big house in a high class neighborhood. It is the marginal voice of a city very similar to hell and the manifestation of individual radicalism.” |
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Alice Jessup – United States Content Manager United States |
| The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
“The book is about a missionary family living in Africa. The narrator alternates between the perspective of the 5 women and their experiences growing up in the Congo. The tension within the family parallels the political turmoil in Africa in the 1960s.” |
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Kasia Nosal – Poland Content Manager Poland |
| Imperium, de Ryszard Kapuscinski
“The chronicles of travels made by a Polish journalist near the collaspe of the Soviet Union. It is an excellent report of important historical moments. I couldn’t put the book down. “ |
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Diego Vazquez – Argentina Systems Administrator |
| Collected Fictions, by Jorge Luis Borges
“A compilation of stories, with my favorite being “Funes el memorioso.” This particular story is about a man who wants to remember every day of his life. I also recommend “El Aleph”, a great introduction to the work of Borges. Wonderful.” |
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Luciana Araújo – Brazil Content Brazil |
| Jubiabá, by Jorge Amado
“Jubiabá is the story of a boy growing up in a poor neighborhood in Salvador who transforms into the advocate and voice of the working class. It´s powerful and inspiring, yet romantic and sensual.” |
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Jessica Navarro Kobrinsky – Chile Sales Manager Chile |
| Los Húsares Trágicos, by Jorge Inostroza
“The life of the Chilean political leader José Miguel Carrera is told through this beautiful love story, and includes the story of guerrilla leader Manuel Rodgríguez, who was killed at the hands of famous warlords Bernardo O´Higgins and José de San Martín. This book was prohibited by the dictatorship for many years.“ |
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Carly Pocock – Australia Content Manager Australia |
| Snake Cradle, by Roberta Sykes
“It´s an autobiography about the author´s life growing up as an Indigenous Australian during the 1970s. The book is confronting, realistic and is a great insight into the racism that is experienced by an Indigenous person.“ |
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Camila Durán – Colombia Content Manager Colombia |
| “Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel García Márquez
“A love story that despite being framed in a historical period, is timeless. It´s also, its great example of the genius writing of García Marquez. |
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Murphy Scott – United States Project Coordinator |
| Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri
“A great book with different stories of people dealing with the relationship of traditional Indian culture and American culture. I had to translate a chapter of this book in a translation class I once took. I was so intrigued that I decided to read the whole thing. I was blown away. Jhumpa won the Pulitzer Prize for this book.” |
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Aigul Safiullina – Russia Content Manager Russia |
| The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov
“A book to love or hate – full of mistery, magic, social problems and the specifics of human relations – everyone sees what they needs to see in it, there is a piece of philosophy for everyone. A lot of phrases and situations became legendary and so called “sayings”, people always quote them.” |
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Gabriela Borges – Brazil QA Content Department |
| The Girl in the Photograph, by Lygia Fagundes Telles
“One of my favorites from Brazil is “As Meninas” (The Girl in the Photograph) by Lygia Fagundes Telles. And the special edition with the cover by artist Beatriz Milhazes is amazing!” |
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Federico Saenz – Argentina Senior Programer |
| The Invention of Morel, by Adolfo Bioy Casares
“It is the story of a man who, evading justice, escapes to an island said to be infected with a mysterious fatal disease. Struggling to understand why everything seems to repeat, he realizes that all the people he sees there are actually recordings, made with a special machine, invented by Morel“ |
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Luis Neira – Spain Latin American Sales Director |
| Sotileza, by Jose Maria de Pereda
“It is a book that marvelously describes the landscape and culture of the people from the city where I was born and raised.” |
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Jonathan Téllez – México Content Manager Mexico |
| El Fuego de Cada Día, by Octavio Paz
“”El Fuego de cada Día” is a compilation of the best poems by Octavio Paz, who is my favorite writer.“ |
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Daniela Capillé – Brazil QA Content Department |
| The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector
“My favorite book is The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector. It is a book of few pages where no word is lost. Everything, and I mean everything, is important.” |
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Maria Costa – Spain Communications Coordinator |
| La Soledad Era Esto, by Juan José Millás
“The novel tells the story of a woman, Elena Rincon, who after the death of her mother begins a slow metamorphosis, which through loneliness leads her to freedom. It offers a chronicle of life today, showing the attitudes of individuals who have traded militant leftist ideology for credit cards.” |
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22
Apr 10
Educating Helen Keller
Helen Keller signing with Anne Sullivan, her tutor and caretaker.
Helen Keller was a well known American author, political activist and lecturer, but most notably for doing these while being both blind and deaf. You might not know, however, that she was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Helen Keller was born a healthy baby girl with all five senses. It was not until she was 19 months old that she contracted an illness, possibly scarlet fever or meningitis, that left her blind and deaf. By the age of seven, she had over 60 homemade signs to communicate with her family, but she was unable to fully interact with the people around her. It was around this time that Anne Sullivan was asked to help educate Helen. Anne, herself visually impaired, was only 20 years old. With Anne’s help, Helen was able to learn sign language and communicate with the world.
Starting in May, 1888, Keller attended various schools for people with disabilities – the Perkins Institute for the Blind, Wright-Humason School for the Deaf, and Horace Mann School for the Deaf. In 1896, Keller changed to the Cambridge School for Young Ladies before getting admitted to Radcliffe College. Oddly enough, Mark Twain, a great admirer of Helen Keller, introduced her to Henry Huttleston, a rich oil company owner, who paid for her education. In 1904, at the age of 24, Keller graduated from Radcliffe (now part of Havard University), becoming the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
21
Apr 10
Sex Education Is a Hot Topic for Schools
Source: Pennlive.com
Growing up in Australia, I thought sex education at school was just another part of the curiculum. At primary school, when I was about 10, we had an optional sex education night that students could attend with their parents. Then in the last year before high school (at about age 12) we had sex education in the classroom, and I remember the obligatory cartoon-style video about hormones, and how your body starts to change etc. I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that this was common in schools, and an important part of education.
Recently there has been a lot of controversy in the UK and the US about sex education in schools. In the UK, they almost passed legislation to make sex education compulsory in schools when a student reaches the age of 15. The idea was that children would start to learn about relationships from the age of five, and up until the age of 15 parents would have the option to exclude their children based on personal beliefs. This way, all children would have at least one year of sex education when they turned 15, but in the end the law was rejected.
In the US, a district attorney in Wisconsin put out a warning to teachers that if they teach sex education they could face criminal charges. A new law has been passed that means that teachers will educate students on how to use condoms and other contraceptives. This attorney argues that it promotes the sexualisation and sexual assault of children, and that if a teacher knows that a student is engaging in sex, they are contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The issue is still be played out.
In both of these cases, despite the fact that sex education is being made mandatory, parents still have the option to remove their children from the classes if they feel it is not appropriate. And with this in mind, sex is an ever-present part of our world, made even more accessible with advances in technology such as mobile phones and the internet, and education in schools should reflect this.
20
Apr 10
Students Remix Popular Beyonce Song
We just had to post this video of students at Hope Christian School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States singing “Scholar Ladies” being that the original Beyonce song is the office joke, and because these kids are so cute. The new lyrics are actually really catchy and the video was done extremely well. We give them an A + for creativity!!!
For those of you who dont know, the original song is called “Single Ladies” by Beyonce and the hook going something like “if you like it then you should have put a ring on it…”
19
Apr 10
Course of the Week – Peace Studies
Do you want to have a career that makes a difference? Possibly work for an NGO or at the United Nations? We found an academic field that could help you really make a difference in the world – Peace Studies. In Peace Studies, students study issues related to justice, human rights, conflict resolution, security and peace. They examine the causes of war and other forms of violence, ways to resolve conflicts and what is necessary to create peace in the world, including human rights and social justice. The Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa offers a Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Resolution where students can explore this discipline.
There are only three required courses in the program:
- Survey Peace Conflict Studies
- Mediation Skills: UH Basic
- Practicum Internship
With the exception of three required courses, students are free to design their own program with the guidance of faculty advisors. Any what better place to study peace than in Hawaii?
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