by Guardian

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Ministers urged to assist hundreds of Syrian students in Britain left without funds and at risk of deportation amid crisis at homeStudents graduating at Bristol University: campaigners says about 670 Syrian students face being removed from UK courses due to lack of funding. Photograph: Panacea Pictures/Alamy/Alamy
The government has been urged to help hundreds of Syrian students in the UK left without money and at risk of deportation amid the crisis in their homeland, which has caused the Syrian embassy in London to grind to a halt and seen sanctions imposed on their country's banks.



 

by Guardian

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Stephen Twigg, MP on Westminster Bridge. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian
The Labour party has come up with a plan to introduce debating societies to schools. Shadow education minister Stephen Twigg floated the idea, along with more PE and the introduction of cadet forces. The party feels that the state sector should copy private school tactics to ensure pupils gain a range of life skills. The Communication Trust argues that too many children are arriving at school unable to express themselves and leaving in a barely improved state, which urgently needs addressing. Still, debating societies? Really? Haven't we done enough to underprivileged youth already?

I'm joking. Well, to a degree. The most high-profile debaters are politicians, prancing about, enunciating their stilted scripted "banter" ("My dear fellow"), in a way that suggests their heyday was back in the fifth-form debating society, thrilling the throng with their zingers and put-downs.



 
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The primary concept behind tests and exams is to measure the candidate’s knowledge and ability to comprehend. The questions differ as some of them measure factual knowledge while some test conceptual skills. Questions may be in varied formats like true or false, multiple choice, short answer, essay or reading comprehension.

Various kinds of questions on the examination require various kinds of responses. There are those which will take some time to figure out, while some are quicker to answer. You might find some kinds of questions more to your liking than others. That’s why it’s necessary to find out the kind of questions you might encounter on the test version you’re taking so that you can practice a lot with that specific kind.

Develop a specific method for each kind of Oklahoma teacher certificationquestion. Do not invest too much time on any one question.

Multiple choice questions and true/false kind questions test your recalling power to knock out irrelevant options. Guessing on the unknown questions can help you at times if there is no negative repercussions. Objective types of questions may be studied with the utilization of flashcards.

Our knowledge and understanding about the topic helps in solving the complex questions like short answers, essays or reading comprehension.

Critical ideas that you know are part of the material, must always be included in the answer even if you are not sure about a particular detail. A method to increase your score on those specific kinds of questions, would be by demonstrating your knowledge on basic topics related to the question.

Lots of Oklahoma teacher certification tests consist of questions which have various value in points assigned to them. In most cases multiple choice questions are worth much less in point value than questions where you have to make use of your own words or questions which are much more complex. It is important to use most of your test time solving questions which carry more point value.

On the date of the examination itself, be sure to scan through the whole test, answering problems which are familiar to you first. After that, go back through the test and figure out the problems that need more effort or those that you’re uncertain about. With this method, you’re sure to maximize the amount of problems you complete within the time allowed.

Study Guides expressly crafted to assist you to study the subject material are among the handiest methods for getting yourself ready for the Oklahoma teacher certification. They often contain practice tests and other sorts of resources which can get you familiar with the way in which the examination will be given.

 
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Michael Cruz is a great example of someone that has fully embraced the benefits of putting technology to use in a classroom setting. For five years, he taught courses at San Jose State University’s College of Business ranging from web marketing to entrepreneurship. He now focuses on technology and productivity.

Name: Michael Cruz
Profession: Teacher
Blog: michaelcruz.com
Twitter: @Michaelcruz Evernote is a great application for educators. It’s usefulness can range from planning a course to delivering a lesson plan to capturing feedback after class. I experimented with using Evernote while I was teaching courses at San Jose State University. It proved to be an excellent classroom companion. Here are some ways to use Evernote to achieve your teaching goals.

As a teacher, my Evernote use falls into three categories:

  • Prior to class
  • During class
  • After class



Prior to class
  • Plan and organize your classes with tags: Using tags is a great way to organize your classes on a week-to-week basis or on a class-by-class basis. For example, if you know that there is certain content that has to be taught during the second week of the school year, then for all related content you can use the tag “week 2″. Once you’ve created this system you can keep adding additional items throughout the year.
  • Standards database: Compile standards of achievements for your particular grade or subject. You can even share them with teachers, parents, administrators and students using Evernote’s sharing features.
  • Professional development: If you use the summer break or vacations to improve your skills or continue your education, keep all your notes, resources, lessons and new ideas learned in Evernote. This also works well for teacher in-services, conferences, workshops and seminars that you attend.
  • Classroom templates: Templates are a great way to save time when grading and assessing your students. If you use templates such as grade sheets or student assessment forms, keep them in Evernote so you have them at your fingertips throughout the year.
  • Prepare for your absence: Use Evernote’s shared notebooks as a way to keep your class up and running even if you aren’t there. Evernote makes it easy to share a notebook with the substitute teacher. Consider sharing lesson plans, worksheets, answer keys and examples of completed work. This can ensure your class keeps moving even if you aren’t there.
During Class
  • Share a notebook with your class: After you create a public notebook,  share the URL with your class. This way anything you add can be viewed by your students (or their parents). Here’s an example of a public notebook that I created for an entrepreneurship class.
  • Whiteboard photos: Taking snapshots of the whiteboard is a favorite use of mine. Take photographs of the whiteboard before the start of the class, and again at the end. This gives you an accurate time stamped snapshot of what you were working on, on any given date. You can title or tag each photo based on the lecture number to make searching for specific photos easier. Also, you can share the photos with students that miss a class, so that they have the day’s notes.
  • Keep handouts handy: Keep all of the handouts, worksheets, templates, study guides and assignments that you frequently use in Evernote, where they are easily searchable and accessible.
After Class
  • Simplify grading: Scan graded tests, including scantrons and add them to Evernote. You can then enter them into your preferred grade-book or spreadsheet when you have time. This is also great if you have a teacher’s assistant. You can share the notebook with them and have them help with the grading process.
  • Keep your extracurriculars in order: If you participate in any committees or coach a team, you can use Evernote to keep track of all the different research, notes and information associated with it. Again, shared notebooks are a great way to keep your committee on the same page and makes for an easy way to share collective knowledge about a project.


To get more productivity tips for teachers you can visit  http://www.michaelcruz.com and sign up for  e-mail list.

Evernote Education Series
  • Evernote at School: The Montclair Kimberley Academy’s 1:1 Program, plus Q&A Webinar
  • How Evernote helped me through college
  • 10 Evernote Tips for School
  • How my students started using Evernote

 
May 2011

19 Expanding Our Horizons: Seventh International Conference on Language Teacher Education Minneapolis Minnesota
20 ‘Open-space Learning’ and Traditions of Thought from beyond the Western Academy Coventry United Kingdom
20 First Year Student Success: Integrating Advising, Teaching, and Learning online
Explore an innovative approach to supportingcollege students during their first year & beyond.Attendees will receive information & tools tocreate a similar integrated model at theirinstitutions. Learn how to help your students succeed.
20 School Response Conference Los Angeles California
This is your chance to beef up your schoolresiliency plan on school violence, prevention,preparedness, response, and recovery.
23 16th International Conference on Education 2011 Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam
23 American Canadian Conference for Academic Disciplines Toronto Canada
23 Teaching Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Health Professions Education Rochester MN
24 School Reform London United Kingdom
24 Art of Being Still - Mindfulness and Young People Dublin Ireland
25 II International Conference on Intercultural Studies S. Mamede Infesta - Porto Portugal
25 International Conference on Learning and Administration in Higher Education Nashville TN
27 ESSIE - ANNUAL ASSEMBLY 2011 “Systemic Innovation of Education” Leuven Belgium
27 2011 Faculty Student Multidiscipline Global Conference Paris France
27 ACAH 2011 - The Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities 2011 Osaka Japan
2nd Annual Interdisciplinary Academic Conferenceheld in Osaka Japan organized by IAFOR and itsglobal partners. Conference themes: 'Ancient andModern' and 'Journeys of Discovery.' CFP DeadlineExtended to April 1
27 EAC 2011 Conference : Editing in the Age of e-Everything Vancouver Canada
27 Connected Pathways- Real Futures for Children Darwin Australia
28 2011 International Conference on EFL Education: Tradition and Innovation Changhua Taiwan
28 FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE Practical Aspects of ELT Istanbul Turkey
29 Second International Conference for Academic Disciplines at Harvard Boston
29 LIHE'11 Europe - Beyond Transmission: innovations in university teaching (5th international symposium) Aghia Marina Greece
Contribute to the writing on the internationalanthology "BEYOND TRANSMISSION: INNOVATIONS INUNIVERSITY TEACHING" to be published by LibriPublishing. Team up with fellow authors for aninspiring and productive symposium in Greece.
30 Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2011 Singapore Singapore
30 Int'l End-of-Academic-Year Multidisciplinary Conference Bad Hofgastein (outside Salzburg) Austria

June 2011

02 SDEA Theatre Arts Conference 2011 Singapore Singapore
02 Sabanci University, School of Languages, 2nd International Conference on Language Education, Eclipsing Expectations Istanbul Turkey
Sabanci University School of Languages invites youonce again to tune in to a 3-day-collaborative-exploration of the challenging and inspiringjourney of learners and educators in the field offoreign/second language education.
03 IABE-2011 Barcelona - Summer Conference Barcelona Spain
03 Pains and Gains: New Trends in ELT, 1st International ELT Conference Nicosia (North) Cyprus
03 Victorian Association of Philosophy in Schools 2011 Conference Melbourne Australia
06 2011 Barcelona European Academic Conference & Mediterranean Conference Cruise Barcelona Spain
Please join us for our 2011 Barcelona EuropeanAcademic Conference, June 6-9, 2011 convening atthe NH Calderon and/or our 2011 MediterraneanConference Cruise on board Royal Caribbean'sLiberty of the Seas.
06 Road to the White House: Faculty Development Seminar for the 2012 Presidential Election Washington DC
This program is designed specifically for thosewho teach courses related to U.S. presidentialcampaigns and elections. Participants will getbehind-the-scenes perspectives from experiencedcampaign professionals, media analysts and others.
06 2011 Asia Pacific LAMS & Learning Design Conference Singapore Singapore
07 Euro-American Conference for Academic Disciplines Aix-en-Provence France
07 QM PhD Law Conference - Pushing Legal Knowledge Boundaries London United Kingdom
09 Efficiency and Responsibility in Education Prague Czech Republic
09 Art and Craft Education Saint-Petersburg Russian Federation
09 2nd International PRISEAL Conference: Publishing and Presenting Research Internationally: Issues for Speakers of English as an Additional Language Sosnowiec / Katowice Poland
09 4th International Conference for Theory and Practice in Education. Society and Education Budapest Hungary
10 Creativity Workshop in New York City New York City New York
Conference dedicated to helping educators from alldisciplines discover and nurture creativity in allsubjects through exercises and lectures in guidedvisualization, creative writing, map making,drawing, storytelling, memoir. Grad creditsConfer
10 The Asian Conference on Language Learning Osaka Japan
International Academic Conference on LanguageLearning and related fields of study. ConferenceTheme: Connecting Theory and PracticeConference Chair: Professor Steve Cornwell, OsakaJogakuin College
10 2011 International Conference on Knowledge and Education Technology (ICKET 2011) Chengdu China
All ICKET 2011 conference papers will be publishedin the IEEE ICCSIT proceedings, which will beincluded in the IEEE Xplore, and indexed by the EiCompendex, ISI Proceeding and other indexing services.
15 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Annual Conference Saskatoon Canada
15 SPDECE 2011- Multidisciplinary symposium on the design and evaluation of digital content for education Ciudad Real-Almagro Spain
15 2nd internacional Seminar Architecture of Difference2 Lisbon Portugal
15 Institutionalizing Restorative Practices: Building Alliances Among Practitioners, Policy-Makers and Scholars Halifax Canada
16 Third Annual Conference on Acceleration in Developmental Education Baltimore Maryland
20 International Conference on Teaching and Learning Education 2011 (ICTLE’11) Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
20 National Charter Schools Conference Atlanta Georgia
21 Controversies in Psychiatric Practice - The 7th International Conference on Psychiatry Jeddah Saudi Arabia
21 IALLT2011 Irvine California
21 First Internacional T3L Conference: Tradumatica, Translation Technologies, Translation & Localization Barcelona Spain
21 Euro-American Conference for Academic Disciplines Prague Czech Republic
21 School Inspections Conference Manchester United Kingdom
22 Call for Submissions - Authenticity to Action: Critical Perspectives on Service User and Carer Involvement in Education for Health and Social Care Preston United Kingdom
24 ADRs:Is the patient voice loud enough? London United Kingdom
24 2011 Faculty Student Multidiscipline Global Conference Roorkee India
26 Creativity Workshop in Crete Chania Greece
Conference dedicated to helping educators from alldisciplines discover and nurture creativity in allsubjects through exercises and lectures in guidedvisualization, creative writing, map making,drawing, storytelling, memoir. Grad creditsConfer
27 Immersive Technologies for Learning: Virtual implementation, real outcomes Middlesbrough United Kingdom
The second international conference on ImmersiveTechnologies for Learning focuses on virtualreality, identity, citizenship, emergingtechnologies, adaptive/intuitive environments,games, grids and apps for education and technologyfutures
27 Saving your organisation from boring eLearning Canberra Australia
28 Engaging Lost Males: Reaching the Neglected Males Who Are Academically in Crisis online
Learn how you can provide a friendly academic climate responsive to cognitive gender differences & utilize the latest empirical research to improve retention of male students. Explore how to maximize the learning strengths of male students.
28 Capita's 5th National Alternative Education Conference London United Kingdom
28 Talking it better: child mental health London United Kingdom
29 Third Annual ACS (Architecture, Culture and Spirituality) Symposium Serenbe (Atlanta) Georgia
30 International Education: Focus on the Learner Auckland New Zealand
30 Effective Learning in the Biosciences: equipping students for the 21st Century Edinburgh United Kingdom
30 SAAHE 2011 Potcheftroom South-Africa

July 2011

03 LGBT/Queer Studies:Toward Trans/national Scholarly and Activist Kinships Madrid Spain
03 Australian Teacher Education Association Annual Conference Melbourne Australia
04 HERDSA 2011: Higher Education on the Edge Gold Coast Australia
04 EDULEARN11 Barcelona Spain
EDULEARN11 is an excellent opportunity to shareyour experiences in the fields of Education andNew Learning Technologies. It will be anInternational Forum to present your projects andinnovations.
05 PALA Namibia Windhoek Namibia
05 ASEAN COOPERATIVE CONFERENCE ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION 2011 Brunei Brunei Darussalam
05 18th International Conference on Learning University of Mauritius Mauritius
05 Westminster Education Forum Keynote Seminar - Accountability in education: governance, Ofsted and league tables London United Kingdom
06 Creativity Workshop in Barcelona Barcelona Spain
Conference dedicated to helping educators from alldisciplines discover and nurture creativity in allsubjects through exercises and lectures in guidedvisualization, creative writing, map making,drawing, storytelling, memoir. Grad creditsConfer
06 Education in a Changing Environment Salford United Kingdom
06 1st Personal Tutoring and Academic Support Conference Cardiff United Kingdom
06 School Admissions Conference Manchester United Kingdom
07 7th International Conference on Education (ICE) 2011 Samos Island Greece
08 Prepared to Care: A conference for school nurses Sunshine Coast Other
10 Confratute Storrs Connecticut
11 4th Annual Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium San Jose California
This symposium, brought to you by Sloan-C andMERLOT, focuses on the technologies that driveonline learning effectiveness, highlightingresearch, applications and best practices ofimportant emerging technological tools.
11 The Sixth International Symposium on Politeness: Corpus Approaches Ankara Turkey
14 Creativity Workshop in Florence Florence Italy
Conference dedicated to helping educators from alldisciplines discover and nurture creativity in allsubjects through exercises and lectures in guidedvisualization, creative writing, map making,drawing, storytelling, memoir. Grad creditsConfer
15 UK Literacy Association International Conference Empowerment Through Literacy: Literacy Shaping Futures. Chester United Kingdom
15 2011 International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (ICIKM 2011) Haikou China
All accepted papers of ICIKM 2011 will bepublished in the ICCEA 2011 conference proceedingby IEEE, and will be included in the IEEE Xplore,and indexed by INSPEC, Thomson ISI (ISTP) and EiCompendex.
15 2011 3rd International Conference on Education Technology and Computer (ICETC 2011) Changchun China
All accepted and registered papers will also bepublished in the conference proceeding by IEEE,which will be included in the IEEE Xplore, andindexed by Ei Compendex and ISTP.
18 The 2011 International Conference on Frontiers in Education: Computer Science and Computer Engineering (FECS'11) Las Vegas Nevada
19 ISPA International School Psychology Conference 2011 Chennai India
23 Twelfth Conference for Teachers of English Yangon Myanmar
24 11th World Harp Congress Vancouver Canada
25 International Forum & Workshop for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Innovations in Teaching and Learning to Meet the Demands of the 21st Cen Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam
26 AATE National Conference Lakeside Reflections Chicago IL
27 The 2011 International Conference of Organizational Innovation Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
29 Vancouver International Conference on the Teaching of Psychology Vancouver Canada

August 2011

03 Assessment for learning in the 21st century - 2011 ACACA Annual Conference Brisbane Australia
03 27th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning Madison WI
06 2011 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting Denver Colorado
17 Shanghai International Conference on Social Science 2011 shanghai China
19 2011 2nd International Conference on Education and Management Technology (ICEMT 2011) Shanghai China
The ICEMT 2011 conference proceeding will bepublished by IACSIT, and all papers will beindexed by the Thomson ISI Proceeding. About 15papers selected from the registered ones will bepublished in IJIMT, ISSN:2010-0248 free of charge.
29 Boys and Technology 2nd National Conference Melbourne Australia
29 Youth unemployment and joblessness: causes, consequences, responses Mexico City Mexico
30 Education for a Global Networked Society Exeter United Kingdom
31 EUROCALL 2011 Nottingham United Kingdom

September 2011

01 Across Languages and Cultures VENICE Italy
03 4th International Online Language Conference (IOLC 2011) Online Malaysia
05 Conference on Teaching Law to Non-Law Students Johannesburg South Africa
08 ERAS Conference 2011 Empowering Educators as Researchers: Exploring Ideas and Enhancing Practices Singapore Singapore
The Educational Research Association of Singapore(ERAS) holds its conferences on a biennial basis.The conference theme for 2011 is EmpoweringEducators as Researchers: Exploring Ideas andEnhancing Practices.
12 SimHealth 2011: Education, Innovation and Research conference Sydney Australia
13 Sustaining the Blue Planet: Global Water Education Conference Bozeman MT
13 Global Challenges for Education: Economics, Environment & Emergency Oxford United Kingdom
14 Creativity and entrepreneurship seeds for social inclusion trainers Riga Latvia
16 2011 5th International Conference on Distance Learning and Education (ICDLE 2011) Singapore Singapore
All registered papers will be published by IACSITwith ISBN number, and included in the Science &Technology Digital Library and indexed by theThomson ISI. Selected papers will be published inthe IJIET, ISSN 2010-3689.
18 International Conference on English Language Teaching DAMAI LAUT, PERAK Malaysia
18 11th Conference Ibero American on Nursing Education Coimbra Portugal
22 The Importance of Learning Professional Foreign Languages for Communication between Cultures CELJE Slovenia
22 Pinter Abroad: Other Stages, Other Rooms Maribor Slovenia
22 Fifth Pan-Pacific Nursing Conference and Seventh Nursing Symposium on Cancer Care Royal Plaza Hotel Hong Kong
26 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Educational Integrity (5APCEI) Perth Australia
28 ICEM&SIIE'2011 Joint Conference Aveiro Portugal
29 Arts and Celebration Langley Canada

October 2011

03 Ireland International Conference on Education Dublin Ireland
03 First International Forum on Academic Teaching: Social Inclusion and Information and Communication Technology Uberlandia Brazil
04 3rd Workshop on Enterprise Systems in Higher Education (ESHE 11) in conjunction with INFORMATIK 2011 Berlin Germany
06 VIII International Seminar -Teacher Training: Reconsidering the Teacher's Role- Barcelona Spain
09 4th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on MEASUREMENT and EVALUATION in EDUCATION - ICMEE PENANG MALAYSIA
10 2011 Las Vegas International Academic Conference Las Vegas Nevada
Please join The Clute Institute for our 2011 LasVegas International Academic Conference, October10-12, 2011 convening at Caesars Palace. We offertracks in: Business & Economics, Education,Engineering Education, and Health Sciences.
12 Second Research Conference on Employer Engagement in Education University of Warwick United Kingdom
13 7th International Symposium on Teaching English at Tertiary Level Hong Kong Hong Kong
14 All Africa School Leaders' Retreat Nairobi Kenya
15 The 19th Annual Korea TESOL International Conference Seoul Korea (South)
17 5th International Malaysian Educational Technology Convention Kuantan Malaysia
18 mLearn 2011 - 10th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning Beijing China
19 Ulearn11 Christchurch New Zealand
19 Academies Conference London United Kingdom
20 Society for Utopian Studies 36th Annual Conference State College Pennsylvania
Theme: Archiving Utopia: Utopia as Archive.Papers, panels, presentations and performances onthe cultural, political, social, architectural,and managerial aspects of the archive as utopianspace. All papers on utopian topics are welcome.
20 International Conference on Mothering, Motherhood and Education with embedded conference: Motherhood Studies: Developing and Disseminating Toronto Canada
20 ICT for Language Learning Florence Italy
The aim of the conference is to promote thesharing of good practice and transnationalcooperation in the field of the application ofInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT)to Language Learning and Teaching.
20 Second International Conference on EUropean Transnational Education Salamanca Spain
25 BETT Middle East Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
27 The Third Asian Conference on Education 2011 Osaka Japan
International Education Conference organized byIAFOR with the University of London(Birkbeck), Waseda University and the SingaporeNational Institute of Education. Conference Theme:Learning and Teaching in a Globalized World.

November 2011

02 National Seminar on Foreign Language Teaching: Towards a Multilingual Generation in a Globalised World Kedah Malaysia
03 Northeast Business & Economics Association 38th Annual Conference. Philadelphia PA
04 South Atlantic Modern Language Association Atlanta Georgia
05 Translation and Memory Workshop Conference Portsmouth United Kingdom
06 The K12 Facilities Summit Weston FL
07 3rd Annual Quality Matters Conference Frederick MD
09 17th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning Lake Buena Vista (Orlando) Florida
The conference program will offer a fullcomplement of presentations that reflect theimplications for the field of specific e-learningexperience and practices. Call for Proposals open;must be submitted by 11:59pm ET on June 6, 2011.
10 The 4th Biennial International Conference on the Teaching & Learning of English in Asia (TLEiA4) Georgetown Malaysia
11 Ubiquitous Learning: An International Conference 11 Berkeley Other
14 3rd International Conference on Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2011) Penang Malaysia
15 4th International Conference on Science and Mathematics Education CoSMEd 2011 Penang Malaysia
17 16th Annual SEDA Conference: Using Technology to Enhance Learning Birmingham United Kingdom
21 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (ICTLHE2011) Malaysia
21 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (ICTLHE2011) Melaka Malaysia
21 The 5th International Seminar Teacher Educator in the Era of World Englishes Salatiga Indonesia
24 Humanities and Social Sciences 2011 (HSS-2011) Lviv Ukraine
26 International Conference on International Comparison of Teacher Quality Kaohsiung Taiwan
Topics covered:1. Primary and secondary level2. Higher education LevelImportant Dates:August 31, 2011 Abstract submissions dueSeptember 30, 2011 Notification of acceptance
27 LIHE'11 Australia - Turning University Teaching into Learning via Simulations and Games Sydney Australia
27 European Conference for Academic Disciplines Gottenheim near Freiburg Germany

December 2011

02 Australasian Business Ethics Network (ABEN) Conference Auckland New Zealand
04 1st International Australasian Conference on Enabling Access to Higher Education Adelaide Australia
05 2nd Annual International Conference on Computer Science Education: Innovation & Technology (CSEIT 2011) Singapore Singapore
06 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (TLHE) 2011 Singapore Singapore
07 Expanding Documentary Conference: Sound, Image, Text Auckland New Zealand
15 2011 TERA International Conference on Education (TICE 2011) Kaohsiung Taiwan

January 2012

02 2012 Orlando International Academic Conference Orlando Florida
Please join The Clute Institute for our 2012Orlando Int. Academic Conference, January 2-4,2012 convening at the Disney Boardwalk Resort inDisney World with tracks in Business & Economics,Education, Engineering Edu., & Health Sciences.
05 10th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education Honolulu Hawaii
10 10th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Humanities Honolulu HI
10 10th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities Honolulu HI
26 3rd International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence Tucson AZ
26 Learning@School12 Hamilton New Zealand

February 2012

19 Mediterranean Conference for Academic Disciplines Gozo Malta

March 2012

07 3rd International Problem-based Learning Symposium 2012 Singapore
13 International Conference for Academic Disciplines Las Vegas Nevada
13 InFashion 2012 mumbai India

April 2012

03 Un-Babel-ing Language: Engendering Global Understandings Mandeville Jamaica
10 The 5th International School Social work Conference Accra International Conference Center, Accra Ghana
The Conference provides opportunity forparticipants, social workers and otherstakeholders to exchange ideas on the noble effortto ensure quality education for all the world'schildren
13 The Empathic Therapy Conference 2012 Syracuse New York State
Exploring the Power of Empathic Relationship!Better approaches to emotionaltrauma and distress in children & adults andcritical psychiatry. For psychiatrists,counselors, therapists, educators, social workers,parents, families! CEUs
22 Canada International Conference on Education (CICE-2012) Toronto Canada

July 2012

08 ISSBD 2012 Edmonton Canada

September 2012

09 2012 SALT International Conference Arau Malaysia
 
This week, Innosight Institute, where I am the executive director of the education practice, released a landmark report, titled The rise of K-12 blended learning: Profiles of Emerging Models, which profiles 40 different operators leading the rise of K-12 blended learning.

Across America a skyrocketing number of K-12 students are getting their education in blended-learning environments. Over 4 million K-12 students took at least one online course in 2010, according to Ambient Insight, and this space is growing now by a five-year compound annual growth rate of 43 percent—much faster than the growth of charter schooling or other K-12 education reforms, for example. And the majority of this growth is occurring in different types of “blended learning.”

The report, by our senior research fellow, Heather Staker, provides clarity as to what this term means, defining it based on the research as “any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace.”

We’re not talking about the end of school then by any means, nor are we talking about eliminating teachers. Parents need schools, students like to be with their friends, and teachers are crucial for learning—and the evidence is that teachers love working in online learning environments, whether they are blended or at a distance.

What we are talking about is the end of the classroom structure that was built to standardize the way students are taught and tested. The opportunity this is creating to remake and improve our education system is unprecedented. For the first time we have a way to create personalized pathways for each student that are affordable.

And as this report reveals, a lot of education leaders are working to do just that, from school districts like New York City and Albuquerque to charter organizations like KIPP and Rocketship Education, which is getting stellar results in its schools in San Jose, Calif.

One of the most interesting schools profiled is Carpe Diem, which both BusinessWeek and U.S. News & World Report have recognized as one of the top high schools in America—and for good reason, as this video about the school attests.

And we’re only scratching the surface of the personalization that is possible. There is a flowering of different models right now, as this report identifies (and should allow people to now better communicate about what they are and are not doing), as operators are trying a variety of different arrangements.

The report also identifies the technologies behind the different school models and who is using what. If anyone had any doubt that there are a lot of choices and options out there for content, for example, then look at the chart on page 161. There is unbelievable fragmentation of this market right now, with K12, Inc. and Apex Learning having the most usage among those schools profiled. Pearson dominates the Student Information System landscape with its PowerSchool product, and Blackboard dominates both the Learning Management System and Gradebook categories, although Pearson is just behind in the latter.

Lastly, the report also has some really important policy recommendations that echo the work of Digital Learning Now, but also reflect the direct voice of the leaders of these programs, as they voice what policies and regulations are holding them back from taking this revolution in learning to the next level to even better serve America’s students.

 
Good Evening.

I am both honored and flattered to have been asked to speak for this wonderful occasion.

I congratulate each of you and your parents.

Your achievements in the realms of Scholarship, Leadership, Community Service, and Character are being honored here tonight by your induction into this prestigious society.


 
Writing speeches for graduation, class assignments, or other purposes consists of a lot more than finding a few inspirational quotes and possibly a funny story or two. The key to writing good speeches lies in using a theme. If you always refer back to this theme, the audience will respond positively and remember your words. This does not mean that inspirational quotes are not important. However, they should be integrated into your speech in a way that makes sense.

 
Curriculum Structure                 
Weekly Topics
  • Orientation & Expectations
  • Developing Goals & Priorities
  • The Importance of Education
  • Showing Respect for Authority
  • Building a Positive Reputation
  • Developing Personal Values
  • Handling Peer Pressure
  • The Importance of Role Models
  • Managing Anger & Aggression
  • Positive Communication Skills
  • Expressing Gratitude to Parents
  • Cultural Competence
  • Citizenship in the Community
  • Making Marriage Last
  • Employability & Workplace Skills
  • Confronting Bullies
  • Becoming a Strong Leader
  • Being a Strong Role Model
  • Character Traits
  • Attitude
  • Preparation
  • Perseverance
  • Respect
  • Honesty
  • Integrity
  • Courage
  • Appreciation
  • Self-Control
  • Empathy
  • Gratitude
  • Tolerance
  • Duty
  • Loyalty
  • Responsibility
  • Compassion
  • Leadership
  • Character
  • Role Models
  • Mattie Stepanek
  • Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger
  • Booker T. Washington
  • Dwight Eisenhower
  • Sherron Watkins
  • Jesse Ventura
  • Amelia Earhart
  • Christopher Reeve
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Helen Keller
  • Bob Hope
  • Arthur Ashe
  • Pat Tillman
  • Nancy Reagan
  • Cal Ripken, Jr.
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Mike Krzyzewski
  • Summary Chapter

  •  
    I had the privilege last weekend to address the GOAL Academy’s graduation ceremony, as well as to spend several hours with many of the school’s committed and passionate staff and board members the day before to talk about the school’s plans and the direction of online learning across the nation.



    The graduation ceremony was a moving one and a reminder of the power of online learning to serve those who are literally not served by the traditional school system. To give a feel for the students that this Colorado public high school serves, of the 176 students graduating, 12 were over 21 years in age, 33 were parents, and a few were serving in the military. Ninety-five of the graduates said they planned to attend a 2-year or 4-year college, and 23 had earned college credit while at the GOAL Academy.



    What follows is a copy of my speech at the graduation ceremony.

    Thank you so much.

    To all of you who are graduating today, you may not have known this when you started at the GOAL Academy, but you stand at the beginning of a revolution in education, and it is an honor and a privilege for me to be a part of this special day in your lives, and I thank the GOAL Academy for making it possible.

    Some of you came to the GOAL Academy because the traditional school didn’t give you the attention that you deserve. You may have been like Liz Ochoa, who is graduating today. She told me, “In a regular high school it’s so hard in a class full of students where everyone is raising hands and asking questions. And I was so shy because I thought my questions were stupid. I didn’t want to look stupid, so I kept my hand down.” Others of you chose to attend the GOAL Academy because you had jobs or circumstances that didn’t leave time for the traditional school day.

    Or some of you may have felt like Audrey Skrivan, from whom you heard earlier and is graduating today. She told me, “Honestly, I hated the traditional school. I learn faster than most kids. I was learning [the material], and they were spending time learning things I already knew. I was getting held back.” And still others of you had dreams of what your life could be, and traditional school got in the way. For many of you, a combination of all of these things is true.

    And this is what is causing this revolution in education. We’re only in the beginning stages of it today, but 10 years from now, over half—50 percent—of all high school courses will be delivered online in some form or fashion. And you will be able to say that you were one of the first. You were at the beginning of this transformation in American education.

    The reason this is happening is that the education system our great nation has today is, quite simply, outdated. It was created in the early 1900s and was built to treat every student in the same way—like employees in a factory.

    But the problem of course is that none of us is the same. We all have different learning needs at different times. We all have different life circumstances. And, as a result, we need an education system that can personalize for those differences, which is what led you to online learning and the GOAL Academy.

    Today, the number of schools, like the GOAL Academy, that make this possible is tiny. Liz Ochoa told me that whoever created the GOAL Academy is a genius. She may be right, but without all of you, it wouldn’t have been possible. You are the resourceful ones who went out and seized this opportunity to direct and own your high school educational experience.

    And you did so because there is one thing that you all do have in common. You have dreams of your own, and you know that a high school degree is important—not for its own sake—but to realize those goals.

    Kyle Spillman, who is graduating today, will use his degree to go to college so he can build his own business in the automotive industry. Audrey will now be able to study public relations in college, so that she can move to New York City or Miami and pursue a modeling career.

    And some of you may have no idea what you want to do, but you know that a high school degree and, for many of you, going on to some form of college, will be the ticket to that better life. And that’s normal. When I was in school, I dreamed of being an astronaut. Then I dreamed of being president of the United States; after all, I grew up in Washington, DC. Soon after I dreamed of being a musician. Incidentally, I did dream of giving a speech at a high school graduation—and, thanks to you, that dream has now come true. But I never imagined that I’d write a book and start a company dedicated to improving and transforming our country’s education system.

    Which brings me back to the revolution that you are all leading. You stand today at the vanguard of the future of education. At most schools, teachers stand in front of their students and tell them that learning has no boundaries, yet there are four walls around their classroom.

    Having attended an online school, you know that schools do not need walls because there are no limits to what you can accomplish. You know that school does not need a bell schedule because time is your friend, not your enemy. You know that teachers can be so much more—in the right setting, teachers like the GOAL Academy’s Mrs. Palmeri, who Liz said was instrumental to her success, can be your coaches, your cheerleaders, your mentors, and yes, your friends.

    And you know that, above all else, you can achieve anything you want. Every time you look at your diploma—when you go home tonight after your celebrations with your families and friends and from here on out—remember that what you’ve learned is not that you can accomplish one thing, but that you can accomplish anything. You may not do it in the traditional or conventional way that everyone says it’s always been done, but that’s because you are an innovator. You know how to chart new paths and make things work. You’ve done it with your high school education, and you’ll do it again. You are an inspiration to me, your teachers, and your families and friends in the audience today who are so proud of you.

    Please join me now and stand and give a round of applause to those in the audience today who have supported you. (applause) Thank you.

    By graduating from the GOAL Academy today, you show all of us—and you show yourself—that no dream you hold and no goal for which you aim—no matter how high—is outside of your reach. After all, you graduated from GOAL.

    Distinguished guests, friends, and families, please join me in saying congratulations to the members of the class of 2011!