No move

Philippe Coutinho has not only been denied his dream move to Barcelona, but could well face years at Liverpool while he runs down his long term contract according to the Mirror.

Thats because the club are not willing to offer him any assurances he will be sold to Barcelona at any price, or indeed any other club next summer or the summer after.

The player himself wants to leave and has made that very clear in the form of a transfer request yet that was of course denied by the club, and he now faces a season of anguish where he has to rebuild his relationship with the fans and vitally, manager Jurgen Klopp.

The last thing Coutinho will want to do is remove himself from the team and see his place lost given it is a World Cup year and hes desperate to represent Brazil in Russia, yet Liverpool have made his position clear.

The option of going on strike may be something a player like Alexis Sanchez is willing to do and Diego Costa has certainly proven thats possible should a club refuse to sell you, yet Liverpool fans will hope Coutinho echoes Luis Suarez.

However, there is one key difference in the situations Suarez knew he had one final year at Liverpool in the Premier League, and that he would be allowed to leave for Barcelona the following summer.

No such assurances have been given to Coutinho and that more than anything else may affect the players form and mental attitude in the months ahead.

Theres no denying a fit Coutinho would be key to Liverpool, especially in the Champions League and in top games in the Premier League, but keeping a player who does not want to be at a club is always a huge risk.

See original here:
Liverpool refuse to confirm to Coutinho he will be allowed to leave next summer - 101 Great Goals

Merrillville's Markus Fielder celebrates with teammate Justin Rhodes after Rhodes' touchdown Friday in Crown Point. Fielder, No. 2, didn't win a game while at Clark and lost his first two at Merrillville before finally feeling the joy of a W.

Valparaiso's Michael Scarsella, left, reacts after intercepting a LaPorte pass on Friday in LaPorte.

Night after night after night, gave after game, Markus Fielder was one of the best football players on the field. But the standout athlete had never won a varsity game.

Fielder played junior varsity as a freshman at Clark, and the Pioneers won just one game. Then, his sophomore and junior years in north Hammond Clark went 0-20, getting pounded in many of those losses. The Pioneers were shut out seven times in two seasons, even though Fielder rushed for 1,000 yards last year.

Then, he moved to Merrillville, one of the Region's most historic and respected programs. And the Pirates lost their first two games to Andrean and Penn. That set up a trip to rival Crown Point for a game that went down to the wire. The Bucs prevailed 34-26, and when they went into their victory formation to run out the clock, one thing happened that was profound.

Tears entered the eyes of Fielder, who had three catches at the wide receiver spot for the Pirates.

"It was unreal," said Fielder, who broke his personal 22-game losing streak. "I've been playing for three years and I always came up short. It meant a lot. I've been working for this since my sophomore year. It made me really happy.

"When it finally set in and we were in our victory formation, all the emotion set it."

Crown Point's Tyler Gomez runs for a touchdown against Merrillville on Friday night in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Eric Mahaffey is brought down by several Merrillville defenders Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Xavier Griffin can't get a handle on a pass Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Ethan Potosky grabs Merrillville's Justin Rhodes during Friday's game in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Markus Fielder celebrates with teammate Justin Rhodes after Rhodes' touchdown Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Anthony Swims intercepts a pass intended for Crown Point's Brett Schoettle on Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Tyler Gomez is brought down by several Merrillville defenders Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Xavier Griffin can't get a handle on a pass Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Eric Mahaffey is brought down Merrillville's Anthony Swims on Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Tyler Gomez runs for a touchdown against Merrillville on Friday night in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Eric Mahaffey is brought down by several Merrillville defenders Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Xavier Griffin can't get a handle on a pass Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Ethan Potosky grabs Merrillville's Justin Rhodes during Friday's game in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Markus Fielder celebrates with teammate Justin Rhodes after Rhodes' touchdown Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Anthony Swims intercepts a pass intended for Crown Point's Brett Schoettle on Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Tyler Gomez is brought down by several Merrillville defenders Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville's Xavier Griffin can't get a handle on a pass Friday in Crown Point.

Crown Point's Eric Mahaffey is brought down Merrillville's Anthony Swims on Friday in Crown Point.

Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said Fielder's teammates knew about his streak and one of the goals against the Bulldogs was to get No. 2 a win. Seiss and the staff were pleased when the players were clapping and shouting for Fielder after the win.

"Markus always has a smile on his face, whether in the hallway, weight room or on the field," Seiss said. "When he came over here he said, 'Coach, I've never won a game.' He worked hard. The kids worked hard and we're happy it finally happened for him.

"There's more to football than wins or losses, but this meant a lot to him and the guys."

So when you finally get a win and drive back to school, what in the world do you do?

"Me and some of the guys went to Hooters," Fielder said. "I got a barbecue chicken sandwich. It was good. Real good."

Andrean quarterback Bobby Finn runs away from an Indianapolis Chatard tackler during the 1997 Class 3A state championship game. The 59ers lost 27-24, but Finn received the IHSAA's mental attitude award. The 1997 team celebrated a 20-year reunion at 5959 Broadway on Friday.

Throwback Friday

Does anyone remember when Andrean was an also-ran in Region football? Solid. Decent. But never playing much past Halloween.

Then, athletic director Frank Podkul brought in Ted Karras Jr. to take over the program in 1996. The entire attitude and belief system changed at 5959 Broadway.

In 1997 Andrean advanced to the Class 3A state championship game for the first time in school history and lost an instant classic to Indianapolis Chatard 27-23. In the game against Chatard, Andrean quarterback Bobby Finn had the greatest play I have ever seen. His 2-point conversion run where he made, seemingly, every Chatard defender miss him twice before crossing the goal line was unreal.

After that game, Andrean got back to Indianapolis five times on Thanksgiving Weekend, winning championships in 2004 and 2013.

Members of Andrean's 1997 Class 3A state finalist football team, with coach Ted Karras Jr., were honored at Friday night's game at Father Vincent Eckert Stadium. These 59ers, now with their kids in tow, were the first Andrean team that advanced to state.

The 20th anniversary of the 1997 team had a reunion at the old haunts Friday night.

Approximately 20 members of this historic team returned home from far off places like Indianapolis, Iowa and even Florida to remember and embrace the past. They hung out with their families in the end zone in the 'Niners home opener.

They shared memories and life updates as little ones ran around playing touch football a few dozen feet away from the varsity game and wives met or became reacquainted.

Players from the classes of 1998 through 2001 enjoyed each other's company. Some tailgated and some attended a postgame gathering, but the highlight for many, some of whom who hadn't touched that field since the semistate win over Fort Wayne Harding, was being presented to the crowd during a halftime roll call and thanked for setting a tone for a program that has won 12 sectionals and two state titles in the ensuing 20 years.

Head coach Ted Karras, Jr., who only recently left coaching after a run of college success that included an NAIA championship at Marian, was the main draw. He had an old Andrean windbreaker and wore a New England Patriots hat. His son plays for the Patriots.

He was delighted to see so many former players and their smiling families.

Finn, the Mental Attitude winner for Class 3A that season, was among others on hand.

The only problem with the celebration was New Prairie's 42-3 win over the 'Niners.

Three Observations

Payback is a Switch

Getting a Pick 6 is always nice. But getting it against your former teammates after a long eligibility fight that ended up in a LaPorte County courthouse, well, that's like a Pick 24.

Lyric McFarrin played quarterback for Chesterton last season but moved in with his mother in Michigan City and the transfer fight began. The IHSAA agreed with Chesterton that the move was for primarily athletic purposes.

A judge, however, gave McFarrin eligibility right before the start of the season.

In Friday's 35-14 win over the Trojans, McFarrin picked a pass and returned 45 yards for a score.

"It meant a lot, from the standpoint of everything me and my family went through to get this opportunity," McFarrin said. "To make something out of it, it felt great. I knew some of them were going to get a little dirty, so I had to make sure I didn't get involved in that and kept my cool."

It feels like the first time

The Boone Grove-Whiting football series was a little like the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight last Saturday. Completely one sided.

The Oilers were 6-0 against the Wolves and had knocked Boone out of the sectionals the last two Octobers.

Then, out of nowhere, Friday night happened.

Truman beat Dewey. Balboa beat Creed. The barbarians slapped Rome. The United States beat Russia. In hockey. Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton.

And now Boone Grove beats Whiting?

Brae'ton Vann had a last-second interception to secure the historic 19-12 win.

"I'm just pumped. Excited," said Vann, whose game-ending 40-yard interception return for a TD sealed it for the Wolves. "I'm just a sophomore, but the coaches believed in me."

Vann also rushed for 153 yards on 24 carries and added two receiving touchdowns.

There is absolutely nothing mini about this Vann.

"We can't really explain how this feels at the moment," Boone Grove coach Dan Kukulski said. "Our whole program and community have bought in, and our defense played phenomenally."

Whiting had just 99 yards rushing. It marked the Oilers' first back-to-back losses since 2010.

Offense has been the hallmark of Jeff Cain's vaunted program on the shore of Lake Michigan, but the boat is taking on water right now.

"We're getting a pretty decent effort defensively, we just have to get it going on the other side," Cain said.

Just what the doctor ordered

Munster coach Leroy Marsh knew the start of this season could be slow. After losing countless standouts to graduation, his young Mustangs entered this season with a road map, compass and confused looks on their faces.

A 33-14 loss to Lake Central and 33-21 loss to Chesterton set up Friday's home game against E.C. Central.

It wasn't quite a "must-win" situation. But close.

The Mustangs hadn't started 0-3 in 20 years.

So the 35-13 win was important for the youngsters looking to turn the corner.

The scores from Friday's prep football action in the Region.

Vince Bravo replaced Will Melby at quarterback and threw for 139 yards and three touchdowns to spark the 'Stangs.

Mistakes and penalties, though, had the game tied at 7-7 late in the third quarter.

We had kept shooting ourselves in the foot in the first half," Marsh said. "In the second half, we went a little more basic, and we threw the ball a little bit to get them out of the box. They had 10 or 11 in the box on every play.

The Valparaiso Vikings raise their helmets and cheer toward their fans following their win over LaPorte on Friday in LaPorte.

Quote of the Night

LAPORTE A buddy of mine told me about this no-named Irish band back in the summer of 1980. He said they were really good.

Many in the Region are kind of scratching their heads about Valparaiso's 3-0 start. The Vikings are giving up 6.67 points a game, which is tied for 15th in the state, along with Hanover Central and Lowell.

But when you look at who Valpo has played -- Penn, Mishawaka, LaPorte -- its defensive numbers are that much more impressive.

Valpo athletic director Herb Hofer summed it up best while standing next to me.

"Our guys play hard," he said. "Every play."

That would be an understatement, sir. But absolutely correct.

LaPorte's Nolan Lorenz, center, runs downfield against the Vikings defense on Friday in LaPorte.

LaPorte's Selah Brooks, bottom, brings down Valparaiso's Reece Crossin, above, on Friday in LaPorte.

LaPorte's Nolan Lorenz, center, runs for the end zone Friday in LaPorte. The play resulted in a Slicers fumble.

Valparaiso's Sam Bernardi, right, reacts after a pass interference committed by LaPorte's Selah Brooks on Friday in LaPorte.

The LaPorte defense brings down Valparaiso's Reece Crossin on a run Friday in LaPorte.

Valparaiso's Jake Leffew, left, prepares to throw a pass Friday in LaPorte.

Valparaiso's Eddie Curry, left, tries to get around a LaPorte tackler Friday in LaPorte.

The LaPorte defense brings Valparaiso's Reece Crossin, center, down on a run Friday in LaPorte.

Valparaiso's Reece Crossin prepares to throw a pass Friday in LaPorte.

Valparaiso's Jesse Harper, right, is cheered on by a teammate after making a catch to solidify a Vikings first down late in the fourth quarter Friday in LaPorte.

Valparaiso's Michael Scarsella, left, reacts after intercepting a LaPorte pass on Friday in LaPorte.

See the article here:
Saturday Morning QB: Merrillville's Fielder gets first career win at CP - nwitimes.com (blog)

Bachelor of Science in Education/Early Childhood Education

The Bachelor of Arts in Education (BSED) with a specialization in Early Childhood Education is an undergraduate degree program preparing candidates for teacher licensure in the field of early childhood (birth to age eight/grade 3). The curriculum is aligned with the Interstate Teaching Assessment and Support Consortium's (InTASC) model core teaching standards and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards. The curriculum includes common core standards, child development and learning, building family and community relations, cultural diversity, assessment to support young children and families, strong content knowledge to build developmentally appropriate and meaningful curriculum and experiences, and professionalism and ethics of educators. Throughout the program, students are required to complete verified field experiences and student teaching.

The Bachelor of Science in Education/Early Childhood is an undergraduate degree program intended to prepare students with no prior teaching experience for initial teacher licensure. The program is designed for students who want to work with children from pre-K through grade 3 or age 8 as a licensed early childhood educator. The program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and student teaching above and beyond program coursework. As licensure requirements may vary by state, it is the students responsibility to ascertain and meet licensure requirements in any state in which the student desires to practice and to contact the applicable state educator licensure agency to verify current requirements to become a licensed teacher. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to work as a teacher with any local, state or federal entity.

The mission of the Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration program is to prepare education professionals who can address the multiple challenges facing higher education in a dynamic global community. The program prepares students to lead innovative, institutional policy changes and improvements within complex educational environments involving multiple stakeholders. The program addresses the diversity of higher education entities including public and private colleges and universities, governmental entities, accrediting and regulatory bodies, and higher education professional associations. The program emphasizes the discovery, integration and application of knowledge about higher education and leadership, promotes a commitment to professional integrity and development, the value of human diversity, innovative practice, and collaboration.

The Master of Arts in Education/Administration and Supervision program prepares candidates for principal licensure. The standards-based program is designed to provide principal candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to be successful school leaders who can apply theory to practice. The program encompasses instructional leadership, organizational management, technology management, and data-driven decision-making. An administrative internship is an integral component of the program, providing candidates with a field-based experience in the various aspects of school administration and supervision.

The Master of Arts in Education/Administration and Supervision is a graduate program intended to prepare candidates for K12 school principal licensure. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelors degree. The program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and an administrative internship above and beyond program coursework. As licensure requirements may vary by state, it is the students responsibility to ascertain and meet licensure requirements in any state in which the student desires to practice and to contact the applicable state educator licensure agency to verify current requirements to become a licensed school principal. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to work as a principal with any local, state or federal entity.

The Master of Arts/Adult Education and Training (MAED/AET) program is designed for individuals interested in working with adult learners in areas such as corporate training, non-profit and community-based organizations, government, postsecondary education, and human services agencies. Learners develop competencies and expertise necessary to align education and training with strategic objectives and human services foundations across an enterprise with culturally diverse populations. Learners expand their knowledge in andragogical theory, instructional design and strategies, assessment of learning, delivering online learning, management and marketing, and technology integration. In addition, learners engage in practice through collaborative learning, social media, and community-based learning. Graduates will be able to serve adult students, colleagues, industries, and communities as expert educators and trainers.

The Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training is a graduate degree program intended for students interested in working with adult learners in an educational or training environment. The MAED/AET does not prepare students for any type of professional certification or state licensure as a teacher. The program is only intended as an advanced degree.

The Master of Arts in Education program with a specialization in Curriculum and Instruction is intended to afford P-12 educators the opportunity to enhance their curriculum, instruction, and leadership repertoire by expanding their knowledge of assessment, instructional strategies, integration of technology, professional development, data-driven decision making, and mentoring and coaching. Educators will develop teacher leadership skills by exploring the latest research, trends, and strategies. Graduates will be able to effectively collaborate with all stakeholders and serve their students, colleagues, and communities as ethical leaders committed to excellence.

The Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction is a graduate degree program intended to provide educators with advanced knowledge and skills in curriculum and instruction. The MAED/CI does not prepare students for any type of professional certification or state licensure as a teacher. The program is only intended as an advanced degree.

The Master of Arts in Education/Elementary Teacher Education (MAED/TED-E) is a graduate degree program preparing candidates for teacher licensure. The guiding philosophy of the MAED/TED-E program is to provide the adult student, who already has a degree in a discipline other than education, with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to become a competent and effective educator. This program focuses on elementary student learning by improving the educator's responsibility for that learning. Student teaching is an integral component of the Teacher Education Program. It provides students with a field-based experience at the appropriate grade and content level. Student teachers work with a cooperating teacher from a school site and with a University of Phoenix faculty advisor. The student teaching experience is designed to emphasize the achievement of state standards leading to certification and to present individuals with growth opportunities that best prepare them to assume the duties of a certified classroom teacher. Throughout the program, students are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verified field experiences, covering a variety of developmental levels. The focus of each observation will relate to specific course content.

The Master of Arts in Education/Elementary Teacher Education is a graduate degree program intended for students with no prior teaching experience for initial teacher licensure. The program is designed for students who want to become elementary school teachers. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelors degree. The program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and student teaching above and beyond program coursework. As licensure requirements may vary by state, it is the students responsibility to ascertain and meet licensure requirements in any state in which the student desires to practice and to contact the applicable state educator licensure agency to verify current requirements to become a licensed teacher. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to work as a teacher with any local, state or federal entity.

The Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Teacher Education (MAED/TED-S 07AZ) is a graduate degree program preparing candidates for teacher licensure. The guiding philosophy of the MAED/TED-S program is to provide the adult student, who already has a degree in a discipline other than education, with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to become a competent and effective educator. This program focuses on secondary student learning by improving the educator's responsibility for that learning.

Student teaching is an integral component of the Teacher Education Program. It provides students with a field-based experience at the appropriate grade and content level. Student teachers work with a cooperating teacher from a school site and with a University of Phoenix faculty advisor. The student teaching experience is designed to emphasize the achievement of state standards leading to certification and to present individuals with growth opportunities that best prepare them to assume the duties of a certified classroom teacher. Throughout the program, students are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verified field experiences, covering a variety of developmental levels. The focus of each observation will relate to specific course content.

The Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Teacher Education is a graduate degree program intended for students with no prior teaching experience for initial teacher licensure. The program is designed for students who want to become secondary school teachers. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelors degree. The program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and student teaching above and beyond program coursework. As licensure requirements may vary by state, it is the students responsibility to ascertain and meet licensure requirements in any state in which the student desires to practice and to contact the applicable state educator licensure agency to verify current requirements to become a licensed teacher. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to work as a teacher with any local, state or federal entity.

The Master of Arts in Education (MAED) with a specialization in Special Education is a graduate degree program preparing candidates for teacher licensure in the field of special education. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelor's degree and wish to gain the pedagogical skills and knowledge that will assist them in becoming effective special education educators. The program's curriculum includes orientation to the exceptional child, foundations and methodologies of mild disabilities, diagnosis and assessment of disabilities, structured English immersion, reading and language arts instruction, inclusion strategies, and collaboration and resource management for the special educator.

Throughout the program, students are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of verified field experiences. The focus of each observation will relate to specific course content. Students' field experiences are designed to prepare them for student teaching. Student teaching is an integral component of the Special Education Program. Student teachers work with a cooperating teacher and with a University of Phoenix faculty advisor during a field-based experience in mild to moderate special education setting. The student teaching experience is designed to emphasize the achievement of state standards leading to certification and to present individuals with growth opportunities that best prepare them to assume the duties of a certified teacher.

The Master of Arts in Education/Special Education is a graduate degree program intended for students with no prior teaching experience for initial teacher licensure. The program is designed for students who want to become special education teachers. Candidates for this program have already earned a bachelors degree. The program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and student teaching above and beyond program coursework. As licensure requirements may vary by state, it is the students responsibility to ascertain and meet licensure requirements in any state in which the student desires to practice and to contact the applicable state educator licensure agency to verify current requirements to become a licensed teacher. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to work as a teacher with any local, state or federal entity.

Read more:
Online Education Degrees - University of Phoenix

ITT Educational Services (NYSE: ESI) and China Online Education Group (NYSE:COE) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, valuation, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.

Risk and Volatility

ITT Educational Services has a beta of 1.96, suggesting that its stock price is 96% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, China Online Education Group has a beta of -0.49, suggesting that its stock price is 149% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

62.7% of ITT Educational Services shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.0% of China Online Education Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.8% of ITT Educational Services shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

ITT Educational Services has higher revenue, but lower earnings than China Online Education Group -. China Online Education Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than ITT Educational Services, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

ITT Educational Services beats China Online Education Group on 7 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About ITT Educational Services

ITT Educational Services, Inc. is a provider of postsecondary degree programs in the United States. The Company offers master, bachelor and associate degree programs to over 45,000 students, and short-term information technology and business learning solutions for career advancers and other professionals. It has approximately 138 campus locations in over 40 states. It offers online programs to students in all over 50 states. It designs its education programs, after consultation with employers and other constituents, to allow graduates prepare for careers in different fields involving their areas of study. It provides career-oriented education programs under the ITT Technical Institute name and the Daniel Webster College (DWC) name. The ITT Technical Institutes offers over 50 education programs in various fields of study across business, drafting and design, electronics technology, criminal justice, information technology (IT), and Breckinridge School of nursing and health sciences.

About China Online Education Group

China Online Education Group is engaged in providing online English language education services to students in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC). The Company operates an online education platform that provides online tutoring programs to students through the Internet. Its platform analyzes teachers teaching aptitudes, feedback and rating from students, as well as background, and recommends suitable teachers to students according to their respective characteristics and learning objectives. The Company develops and tailors its curriculum to its interactive lesson format. The Company offers various courses, which include Classic English and Classic English Junior that are focused on the development of English communication skills. The Company also offers various specialty courses that are focused at situation-based English education and test preparation needs, such as Business English and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Speaking.

Receive News & Ratings for ITT Educational Services Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ITT Educational Services Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Original post:
ITT Educational Services (ESI) and China Online Education Group ... - The Ledger Gazette

Speaking recently during the just-ended BOSETU elective congress, Molao said this is meant to ensure coherent, efficient, seamless, responsive and relevant teacher education system. He added that the number of students choosing to enroll for diploma programmes offered by Colleges of Education has gone down significantly.

This year the total enrolment in all the four colleges is only 874. This is equivalent to just over 80% of the Serowe College of Education capacity alone, he added.

Molao said these are indicators that the demand for these programmes is far below the existing supply hence the ministry has realised that this is not cost effective hence the time has come to transform the colleges to the status of degree-offering institutions.

He also said that one reality that needs to be accepted is that the basic education system has developed to the point where there is need to have the minimum requirement being a first degree.

What is currently happening is that diploma holders have to be taken for further studies to acquire a first degree, he added.

Molao said in an effort to transform tertiary education the ministry is also transforming the Botswana College of Open and Distance Learning (BOCODOL) into an open university. The Botswana Open University Bill according to the minister was approved by Parliament in July and has paved a way for the establishment of the Botswana Open University.

He added that the Botswana Open University will increase access to tertiary education.

There is no doubt that this will provide opportunities for employment creation as well as the maximisation of our human capital. This will be derived from the fact that the Open Education will tap into already existing expertise

in the country. Take advantage of the opportunities availed by the Open University either as students or experts in the different fields that will be offered by the university, he noted.

Molao further indicated that another reform within the tertiary education sector relates to the rationalisation of programmes offered by public institutions. He added that the ministry is concerned with the duplications that are evident in some of the tertiary institutions. He said such duplications in the academic programmes create inefficiencies in the education system.

As a result we have embarked on the rationalisation of academic programmes offered by BIUST, BUAN and UB. The outcome we are targeting is a complementary landscape that enables public institutions to be responsive and efficient in addressing the human resource development needs, he added.

Meanwhile, Professor Roy Du Pre, the European Union University Teacher Development Advisor emphasised the need for the country to move a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. He said currently the country is reliant on minerals and once they deplete there would be no income hence the need to find alternatives, which is knowledge creation.

The world is in economic transition. Knowledge-based economy is reliant on intellectual capacity than on physical input and its creation is central to economic growth and its application. Du Pre added that there is need to invest in ensuring that everyone gets access to technology and that money should be prioritised on improving the knowledge economy.

Let us rethink the way government spends money otherwise knowledge economy would remain unachievable. Stand up and do what you are supposed to do. If knowledge is power then it should empower the weak, he said

Original post:
Colleges of Education to transform into faculty of education - Mmegi Online

ITT Educational Services (NYSE: ESI) and China Online Education Group (NYSE:COE) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

62.7% of ITT Educational Services shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.0% of China Online Education Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.8% of ITT Educational Services shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations for ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Profitability

This table compares ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares ITT Educational Services and China Online Education Group -s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

ITT Educational Services has higher revenue, but lower earnings than China Online Education Group -. China Online Education Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than ITT Educational Services, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility & Risk

ITT Educational Services has a beta of 1.96, suggesting that its share price is 96% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, China Online Education Group has a beta of -0.49, suggesting that its share price is 149% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

ITT Educational Services beats China Online Education Group on 7 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About ITT Educational Services

ITT Educational Services, Inc. is a provider of postsecondary degree programs in the United States. The Company offers master, bachelor and associate degree programs to over 45,000 students, and short-term information technology and business learning solutions for career advancers and other professionals. It has approximately 138 campus locations in over 40 states. It offers online programs to students in all over 50 states. It designs its education programs, after consultation with employers and other constituents, to allow graduates prepare for careers in different fields involving their areas of study. It provides career-oriented education programs under the ITT Technical Institute name and the Daniel Webster College (DWC) name. The ITT Technical Institutes offers over 50 education programs in various fields of study across business, drafting and design, electronics technology, criminal justice, information technology (IT), and Breckinridge School of nursing and health sciences.

About China Online Education Group

China Online Education Group is engaged in providing online English language education services to students in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC). The Company operates an online education platform that provides online tutoring programs to students through the Internet. Its platform analyzes teachers teaching aptitudes, feedback and rating from students, as well as background, and recommends suitable teachers to students according to their respective characteristics and learning objectives. The Company develops and tailors its curriculum to its interactive lesson format. The Company offers various courses, which include Classic English and Classic English Junior that are focused on the development of English communication skills. The Company also offers various specialty courses that are focused at situation-based English education and test preparation needs, such as Business English and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Speaking.

Receive News & Ratings for ITT Educational Services Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ITT Educational Services Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Comparing ITT Educational Services (ESI) & China Online Education Group (COE) - Dispatch Tribunal

Marlaine Black scoffed when her son broached the topic: "Virtual physical education." How could that be a real thing?

"To me it was comical," said Black, a Mount Pleasant resident.

But by the time her son Benjamin had completed the online PE course for high school credit this summer through VirtualSC, a free state-run program, she was sold on the idea.

For a self-motivated student like Benjamin, some argue that a self-paced online course can be just as effective as a traditional gym class.

With more than 2,000 South Carolina students enrolled in the 2015-16 school year, physical education has become one of the most popular courses offered through VirtualSC since the online program began in 2006.

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Students clamored for the course this summer, and some ended up on a waiting list as the S.C. Department of Education employed two full-time teachers and eight adjuncts to teach the class.

Some local school districts, including in Horry and Greenville counties, have begun offering their own online PE courses to meet the growing demand.

Here's how it works: Students read through a textbook and complete quizzes online following the same state academic standards as in a traditional gym class. A certified teacher administers each class of about 65 students and is available to answer questions and give guidance on personal fitness plans. Tuition for all VirtualSC classes is free.

Regular registration for fall courses via VirtualSC has ended. To register for later semesters or to look at course offerings, visit virtualsc.org.

For the physical portion of the course, students fill out weekly activity logs. Their activity can be almost anything they want: Yoga, club sports, school athletics, even walking. The point is to demonstrate consistency and improvement over the course of the class, which students can take either in the fall or spring semester or over the summer.

Students must also find an adult to administer the FitnessGram, a battery of physical fitness tasks, at the beginning and end of the course.

"Students are able to do what they enjoy," said Travis Scott, a PE teacher with VirtualSC who oversees classes from his home office in Loris.

"What Im trying to do is to help students be active for a lifetime, to show them the importance of doing things," he said. "In brick-and-mortar (gym classes), some kids just hated the things we would do, but in the virtual setting, students are given choices."

Scott worked as a PE coach in schools across the state before coming to work at VirtualSC, and he's glad to offer help to students who feel uncomfortable in a traditional gym class. He said a parent recently called to thank him because her daughter now asks to jog with her husband every day.

A screenshot from the VirtualSC Physical Education course.Provided/S.C. Department of Education

South Carolina isn't the only state where virtual PE has gained popularity in the last decade.

In a 2013 graduate thesiscompleted at the University of South Florida, Leslie Michelle Williams acknowledged skepticism about the idea within the teaching profession but found that virtual PE "has been a viable option for some teachers in the U.S. and Canada."

"This is becoming part of the new look of 21st-century physical education," Williams wrote.

In a review of existing research, Williams found that some virtual PE students "prefer not to dress out at school and participate in physical activities around their peers." Other students were high achievers getting their PE requirement out of the way at home to free up time in their school schedule for more Advanced Placement and college-credit courses.

Benjamin Black, a sophomore at Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, said he took PE through VirtualSC to clear up space in his schedule.

He said it allowed him to take Latin and advanced math courses as a freshman at Wando High, and now he's up to speed in the famously competitive environment at Magnet. His chosen physical activity was running, a hobby that he already enjoyed but that he gradually got better at over the course of the summer.

"One drawback was it seemed like I was the only one taking the class," Black said. "I didnt have any interaction with other people who took it. You kind of lose that team spirit of PE."

A handful of students across South Carolina take virtual PE because it's their only option. The newly opened Early College High School in Charleston County, for example, offers students the chance to earn an associate degree while attending classes on the campus of Trident Technical College but there is no gym and no PE teacher, so every student will have to enroll in the VirtualSC PE course to complete their high school diploma requirement.

Horry County's Early College High School has a similar arrangement, although students there have the option of taking PE via the local Horry County Virtual School. Like VirtualSC, the district-run virtual program offers supplemental courses but is not meant to replace a traditional school for students.

"Kids are different now. Some of them have to work to help support themselves in 11th and 12th grade," said Edi Cox, executive director of online learning for Horry County Schools. "Our program has served kids all across the scale. We have students who struggle, at risk, up to students in the Scholars Academy in the top 1 percent in the district."

Reach Paul Bowers at 843-937-5546. Follow him on Twitter @paul_bowers.

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Online physical education: It's a real thing in South Carolina and it's reinventing gym class - Charleston Post Courier

To be made a statue, a woman had to be a naked muse, royalty or the mother of God. Or occasionally, an icon of war, justice or virtue: Boadicea in her chariot in London, the Statue of Liberty in New York, The Motherland Calls in Volgograd.

Still, of 925 public statues in Britain, only 158 are women standing on their own. Of those, 110 are allegorical or mythical, and 29 are of Queen Victoria, according to a study of British public monuments by Caroline Criado-Perez. Just 25 are statues of historical women who are not royalty, she writes, one of whom is a ghost and only there because shes looking for the spirit of her murdered husband.

There are 43 statues of men named John.

In the United States, less than 8 percent of public statues are female. Nine of 411 national parks are dedicated to womens history. Which is why women have been stealthily gathering funds to break through the bronze ceiling and place statues of women in busy public spaces.

A campaign begun in February called Put Her on the Map aims to encourage cities and corporations to put women on the map by naming streets, statues and buildings after influential female figures. In Manchester, England, where Queen Victoria is the sole female figure out of 17 statues, the Womanchester Statue Project has been gathering funds for a statue of the suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst.

Monumental Women is raising money for a statue of suffragists in Central Park in New York. And a new app, The Whole Story, uses augmented reality technology to place female statues in public spaces everywhere from Washington to Milan, Prague and Rome.

Why does this matter? Because history is skewed. Because women have been rendered invisible and irrelevant for centuries. Because when little girls walk past imposing figures on pedestals, they know they represent status and authority, that this person has done or been something worthwhile.

And if women are on those pedestals, they will know women can matter and make history. Or simply that women are history.

One thing I like most about Victorias statues is that she did not pose coquettishly or aim to please the eye. She stood with authority. The primary concern of the woman Leonard Cohen called the mean governess of the huge pink maps was not whether people liked her but whether she liked them.

This monarch, who eschewed corsets and shocked doctors with her frankness about her body, was simply powerful. She loved to surround herself with beauty, most especially her husbands, but she did not give a fig about her own.

Which is lucky, because her sculptors did not flatter her. When, in 1919, the Arts Gazette asked readers to nominate the ugliest statue in London, George Bernard Shaw thought there were several of Victoria that could qualify. He asked what crime Queen Victoria committed that she should be so horribly guyed as she has been through the length and breadth of her dominions.

It was part of her personal quality that she was a tiny woman, and our national passion for telling lies in every public subject has led to her being represented as an overgrown monster. The truth, he said, was that Victoria was a little woman with great decision of manner and a beautiful speaking voice which she used in public extremely well. Instead, All young people now believe that she was a huge heap of a woman.

Heap or not, she could not be ignored. Which surely is the most obvious upside of visibility.

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Why We Should Put Women on Pedestals - New York Times

Sixteen years on from his last novel, Glasgow-based Northern Irish writer Bernard MacLaverty reflects on the events that have shaped his new book, Midwinter Break

There are days when Bernard MacLaverty likes nothing more than to hurl James Joyce and George Bernard Shaw against the radiator at the far end of his study. The author of Cal, Lamb and some of the finest short stories in the English language doesnt throw tattered copies of Ulysses or Pygmalion, nor is the hurling performed in a fit of pique or frustration when the days sentences knot or buckle. No, this is an act of great joy one involving knitted figurines of Irelands greatest men of letters and performed with the enthusiastic participation of his youngest grandson. As each figurine is equipped with a concealed magnet, victory is decided by which author hits the radiator then sticks. So is literary rivalry settled in

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'I left behind the hatred, the bombings and the fear' - The Times

THE BASICS: AN OCTOROON, a 2014 play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Peter Hinton starring AndrSills, Patrick McManus, Ryan Cunningham, Vanessa Sears, et. al. runs throughOctober 14at the Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake.www.shawfest.comor1-800-511-7429. Theater opens hour before curtain, full service cozy bar in the downstairs lounge, great coffee, snacks. Runtime: a little over 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH: In this play within a play, we first meet playwright BJJ (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, get it?) as played by AndrSills, in his underwear, at a makeup table, explaining that he wanted to revive an 1859 melodrama called The Octoroon which takes place on a slave plantation called Terrebone, but he couldnt get any of his white guy friends to play the overtly racist characters, so hes going to do that himself, as he slathers on white face makeup. Sills then takes on the roles of both the kindly George, who has returned from England to inherit a plantation, and also the role of the evil MClosky who has designs on the place and on the innocent Zoe, who is 1/8 black (an octoroon) and who may be a slave (and therefore MCloskys property along with the plantation) or might be free to marry George depending on a plot device. And, along the way, we have white actors applying blackface and redface to play the various roles required. We go back and forth between pre-American Civil War theatrics and post-Obama racial analysis. This is what theater is supposed to be. Thank you Artistic Director Tim Carroll for including AN OCTOROON in the lineup.

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: AN OCTOROON provides the big breakout role for AndrSills, in his third year with The Shaw Festival, having been in last seasons two race oriented plays: Athol Fugards MASTER HAROLDAND THE BOYS as well as Shaws THE ADVENTURES OF THE BLACK GIRL IN SEARCH OF GOD. And Sills is also currently in THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III, also at The Royal George. Hes a busy guy, but never more so than in this production, where, towards the end, he plays George and MClosky simultaneously, wearing a suit that is half one character and half the other.

With his immense talent, and playing the three lead roles of playwright BJJ, George, and MClosky, this could have been all about Sills, but thanks to the Shaws deep pool of talent (including Gillian Gallow, Bonnie Beecher, and Ryan de Souza who provided design, lighting, and music) and a fine ensemble cast, the evening feels balanced but very powerful.

The playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), for whom The Shaw Festival is named, consistently explored themes of imperialism, domination, and economic disadvantage. And we are still dealing with those problems today, if not military imperialism, then cultural imperialism, cultural domination, and systematic economic oppression. So, this play honors the legacy of Shaw, is true to the mission of The Shaw Festival, and is about as current as you can get.

In general, I do not like metatheater where the play is aware of itself as a product of a culture. I think thats our job as audience to see that. But while AN OCTOROON is a play about putting on a play, the writing, the production values, the acting are at such a high level that its not distracting at all.

The Shaw Festival (www.shawfest.com) continues to offer plays into October. While MIDDLETOWN ends onSeptember 10; WILDE TALES and Shaws ANDROCLES AND THE LION run throughOctober 7; and 1837: THE FARMERS REVOLT ends onOctober 8(note that Thanksgiving Day in Canada and Columbus Day in the U.S. are celebrated onMonday, October 9). Looking at the final weekend, DRACULA; 1979 (about Prime Minister Joe Clark); and AN OCTOROON end onOctober 14; while Shaws SAINT JOAN, the musical ME AND MY GIRL; THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III; and DANCING AT LUGHNASA close the Festivals offerings onSunday, October 15, 2017. Also note thatSundayperformances are now an hour early at both1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Rating: Four and half Buffalos

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AN OCTOROON at Shaw: Race in your face in one of the best shows this summer. - Buffalo Rising