University heads back new points system
Posted: August 22, 2012 at 4:16 am
The Irish Times - Wednesday, August 22, 2012
SEN FLYNN, Education Editor
THE LEAVING Cert exam and the CAO points system do not promote positive education values or personal development, university presidents have advised Minister for Education Ruair Quinn.
In a report presented to the Minister yesterday, they argue the selection process for higher education is having disproportionate and undesirable effects on student learning . . . at second level.
The presidents back a new ranking system for Leaving Cert scores, more common entry routes into college, a reduction in Leaving Cert grades and new efforts to incentivise strategically important subjects. However, they stress there is no perfect system and no perfect solution.
A taskforce chaired by NUI president Dr Philip Nolan will examine the proposals and report back before the end of the year.
We do not wish to be prescriptive in regard to the issues to be addressed by the task force, the report says. It backs away from awarding CAO points for absolute scores in the Leaving Cert and focusing on the relative performance in the subject. Essentially, it says, the highest points would be awarded to the students who perform best relative to their peers in the specific subject.
The most obvious way to convert merit ranking into points is to use percentiles, with those in the top 1 per cent getting 100 points, those in the next 1 per cent getting 99 points and so on, with those in the bottom 1 per cent getting one point, the report says.
An advantage of this option is that it is independent of subject workload, marking differences, grade distribution etc. It could therefore be considered a fairer system of rewarding student effort and performance. It could incentivise students to take what are currently regarded as the harder subjects.
Other recommendations are:
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University heads back new points system
5 Tech Tools Making Classrooms Better
Posted: at 4:16 am
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5 Tech Tools Making Classrooms Better
Brad Jackson begins new chapter in coaching career with Huskies
Posted: August 21, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Brad Jackson didn't report to anyone on the basketball court in almost three decades at Western Washington, but on the first day with the Washington Huskies, he double-checked the start of practice with his boss.
"Practice in 25 minutes, right?" he asked coach Lorenzo Romar.
Before walking away, Jackson chuckled and said: "Wouldn't want to be late."
It used to be that workouts began when Jackson arrived.
But now the 60-year-old Division II coaching legend is the rookie on UW's staff, beginning what he calls "a new chapter" in a decorated coaching career.
"There's not any question that it's going to be an adjustment for me," Jackson said. "I don't have any delusions of grandeur. Hopefully I can bring something that's maybe an addition and fits in well."
Monday was a day for changes at Montlake.
The Huskies introduced Jackson at about the same time his predecessor, Raphael Chillious, who spent the past three years at UW, was hired as an assistant at Villanova.
Washington also announced the addition of walk-on sophomore guard Quinn Sterling, a former Mercer Island High standout.
Media members got an up-close view of the new video scoreboard, which was lowered from the Alaska Airlines Arena rafters and suspended inches above the court.
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Brad Jackson begins new chapter in coaching career with Huskies
Bloggers beware of state laws against unlicensed practices
Posted: at 6:17 pm
The following editorial appeared recently in the Los Angeles Times:
The world is awash in diet and weight-loss advice disseminated on the Internet and TV and in books, magazines and Weight Watchers meetings. So Steve Cooksey's website hardly seems out of the ordinary. The food plan helped Cooksey lose 78 pounds and, he says, control his diabetes without medication.
Yet, the North Carolina-based blogger was flagged by a regulatory board in that state for answering readers' specific queries in a Dear Abby-style column and offering life coaching for a fee. North Carolina, like many other states, does not allow anyone to dispense nutritional advice free or for pay without a license. In California, by comparison, a person who wants to call himself a dietitian needs to register as such and receive a credential from a professional board. But anyone is free to be a nutrition counselor, without a license, and offer advice.
Cooksey voluntarily removed the offending parts of his website and then filed a lawsuit, arguing that the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition had infringed his right to free speech. He said he altered the website only because he feared civil or criminal action by the state. Board officials, on the other hand, said they were only following state law.
Cooksey's case will be decided under North Carolina law, and won't have many ramifications outside the state. The issues surrounding it, however, may offer lawmakers some guidance. Smart oversight in this area requires balancing free speech and consumer protection. And resolving that tension means recognizing that there is a difference between casual and commercial advice, and that those who offer themselves as advisors may subject themselves to greater regulation than those who merely describe their own experiences.
In California, as long as Cooksey didn't call himself a registered dietitian a disclaimer on his website states that he is a layperson he could have legally done all the advising that got him in trouble in North Carolina. But with varying state laws and the proliferation of bloggers and chatters providing diet and health counsel, the best advice may be: Advice-seeker, beware.
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Bloggers beware of state laws against unlicensed practices
Nature's One Encourages Healthy Lifestyles, Higher Classroom Performance
Posted: at 6:16 pm
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --WebMD reports that a new research study reveals a link between physical fitness and classroom performance. According to the study, kids who are in better shape score higher on classroom examinations. Nature's One, the leader in organic pediatric nutrition, encourages healthy lifestyles. The company understands that classroom performance is reliant upon many factors, and that physical fitness and nutrition play a key role in the ability of a child to keep up with academic expectations.
The study was presented at the American Psychological Association's annual conference. During the presentation, researchers highlighted the discovery that "the fitter the middle school students were, the better they did on reading and math tests."
To conduct the research, 1,211 students from five different middle schools in Texas were tested. Academic self-concept, socioeconomic status, social support, fitness, body composition, and other factors were considered throughout the study. Sudhish Srikanth, a researcher who worked on this initiative, asserts that cardiorespiratory fitness was the most influential regarding academic performance.
Although previous studies have looked at the link between fitness and academic performance, Srikanth asserts that "this new study also looked at several other potential influences." The hope is that this study will encourage parents and educational professionals to take the importance of physical activity more seriously.
Nature's One understands that overall health, including nutrition and regular exercise, plays a large role in academic success. As such, the organization supports the findings of the study and encourages parents and guardians to increase daily physical activity.
"Nutrition, exercise, and school performance all go hand in hand," states Nature's One CEO Jay Highman. "Quality nutrition, not junk food, is fuel for the body. A well-fueled body performs more efficiently, which increases the quality of any physical activity and success. There are tremendous benefits for children who exercise, for even a short amount of time, each day. But exercise isn't the only variable that impacts a child's performance in the classroom. A child with good overall nutritional health is more likely to perform better at school. Studies show that children who receive quality nutrition and regular exercise will sleep better, have improved memory and concentration, and develop higher self-esteem. These all significantly influence classroom performance."
By considering all of the factors associated with academic excellence, parents and educators can pinpoint new ways to assist students in achieving their goals. Although this study is far from conclusive, it upholds previous findings that underscore the importance of physical fitness in children.
ABOUT:
Nature's One, founded in 1997, is a pioneer in organic pediatric nutrition. Highly regarded for its Baby's Only Organic Formulas, Baby's Only Essentials, PediaSmart Organic Complete Nutrition Beverage, and PediaVance Electrolyte Solution brands, Nature's One has dedicated a decade and a half to developing, researching, and creating the highest quality products in an effort to offer nutritional solutions to parents.
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Nature's One Encourages Healthy Lifestyles, Higher Classroom Performance
Club 24 Health and Fitness makes the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America
Posted: at 6:16 pm
Wallingford. CT, Aug. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Club 24 Health and Fitness is proud to announce their placement on Inc. Magazine's and Inc.com's 2012 Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing companies in America. Club 24 was ranked number 1928 out of 5000 businesses that made the list.
Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 list puts the company among an elite group that over the years has included Microsoft, Timberland, Jamba Juice, Oracle and UnderArmour. Many of today's most successful U.S. companies received their first public recognition when they appeared on the Inc. 5000 list. Inc. describes its list as "the most comprehensive look ever at the entrepreneurial engine driving the U.S. economy." The 2012 Inc. 5000 list measures revenue growth from 2008 through 2011. To qualify, companies must be U.S. based and privately held, for-profit, independent - not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies - as of December 31, 2011, and have had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2008, and $2 million in 2011. More information can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000/.
About Club 24:
Club 24 is a Connecticut based fitness chain specializing in personal training and small group training classes and programs. With a focus on bringing affordable fitness to the masses Club 24 has enhanced the lives of tens of thousands of Connecticut residents. Please direct all inquiries to info@club24gyms.com.
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Club 24 Health and Fitness makes the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America
Euromonitor Global Report Analyses Young Men's Attitudes Toward Health and Wellness
Posted: at 6:16 pm
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire -08/21/12)- Euromonitor International announced the publication of its latest strategic global market research report, Young Men's Attitudes Towards Health, Fitness and Wellbeing: Global Survey Strategic Analysis, examining the attitudes of young men in the 15-29 age brackets toward health and health-related activities. While male consumers are clearly an attractive segment for marketers, health and wellness related products and services are competing with lifestyle pressures including time constraints, an array of unhealthy foods, smoking levels among global youth, and sedentary work cultures. This new global report analyses findings from Euromonitor International's 2011 Annual Study of consumers across eight countries, with special attention to this under 30 segments.
A majority of young men have a positive attitude toward health, placing importance on regular exercise, eating fruit & vegetables, reducing fat, salt and alcohol, drinking plenty of water, keeping stress levels down and not smoking. But the survey analysis also indicates that there is still a gap between how young men perceive health and what they do to achieve their health-related goals.
"The pressures and temptations of modern life contribute greatly to the challenges young men face with making fundamental lifestyle changes. We see it in rising obesity rates and high levels of smoking prevalence. But this also presents opportunities for marketers to educate young male consumers on proper nutrition, weight-loss plans, and available health and wellness products," says Daphne Kasriel, Consumers Editor at Euromonitor International.
"Efforts to further educate young men about healthy eating may also be supported by young men's' love of sports. The rapid expansion of sports nutrition products into mainstream retailing continues to appeal to this demographic and speaks to the larger market for sports-related products and services," adds Kasriel.
The report identifies the following sectors benefitting the most from increased health awareness among young male consumers: better-for-you, naturally healthy & organic foods, mineral waters and functional foods aimed at the young, male segment, as well as sports nutrition, food intolerance products and men's sports apparel.
Key findings from the survey include:
The Annual Study 2011 survey that serves as the basis for this report was conducted on-line in the following eight markets: US, Brazil, the UK, France, Germany, India, China, and Japan. The survey comprises five sections, and other findings are available through Euromonitor's Passport Survey market research database.
For more information about the report please visit:
About Euromonitor International
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Euromonitor Global Report Analyses Young Men's Attitudes Toward Health and Wellness
The new retirement? Working in your 60s
Posted: at 6:16 pm
By Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew | 2012/08/20 17:00:00
Dan Slovitt spent more than four decades working his way up the ranks at The Canadian Press. Retirement beckoned but he was still thirsty.
When youre in a business for 40-some years, you dont just turn the tap off. You have a lot of connections and interests and you want to see those things prosper, Slovitt said.
So, at 58, Slovitt began scaling back to part-time work at the national news agency. He also used his extensive network to get consulting work from other employers. That was almost five years ago, and Slovitt hasnt looked back.
Could I survive without working? Yes. I do it because I want to, the 62-year-old said.
I have time to do some work that I find fulfilling and I have time to do personal things. I can be with my grandchildren and support my wifes activities. It has worked out very well.
More Canadians are leaning toward a retirement plan that doesnt much resemble traditional notions of the Golden Years, a new survey shows.
More than half of Canadians now in their 50s plan to keep working after retiring in their 60s, according to the national online survey, conducted last month for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by Leger Marketing.
Two-thirds say its a way to way to stay socially active, and that they find their work enjoyable and want to remain the workforce to some degree.
But one-third say they would work just for the money.
How to catch up on retirement planning
Posted: at 6:16 pm
8/20/2012 3:18 PM ET
By Samuel Weigley, 24/7 Wall St.
To retire well, you should prepare well in advance. But if you're in your 50s and haven't started planning yet, these steps are the place to start.
Once people reach their 50s, they finally see retirement on the horizon. They start envisioning that time when they can stop going to work and instead spend their days on the golf course, on the beach or with their families. Yet many people have not saved nearly enough for retirement by the time they are 50. A recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, or EBRI, found that 60% of workers born between 1946 and 1964 have less than $100,000 for retirement. In fact, 40% have saved less than $25,000.
24/7 Wall St. interviewed retirement-related experts from brokerage firms, banks, retirement advocacy groups and independent financial advisers. With their help, 24/7 identified the eight actions you should take if you have not prepared to retire.
Financial advisers generally recommend people begin saving for retirement starting in their 20s to take full advantage of compounding interest. Although the financial advisers who spoke to 24/7 Wall St. say it is very hard to give concrete estimates on how much should be allocated toward equities and fixed-income investments, they say it is best to cut risk as one approaches a target retirement age.
Not saving up enough for retirement used to be less of a problem. Workers in previous generations often received pensions from their employers, allowing retirees to know exactly how much money they would get once retired. But employers have increasingly shifted that responsibility onto the employees through 401k and other defined-contribution plans.
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How to catch up on retirement planning
5 Tips for Using Retirement Calculators
Posted: at 6:16 pm
Welcome back to my fourth and final post on retirement calculators. These online tools help you determine how much you'll need to save for retirement. My first post showed the wide range of contribution amounts that several different calculators would suggest for a hypothetical couple, while my second post provided in-depth results about each calculator and identified two of my favorites. The third post offered some thoughts on how best to select and use a retirement calculator that fits your needs.
This final article coaches you on how to answer a few common questions that retirement calculators ask to help estimate how much you should save for retirement.
Tip #1: What rate of return do you expect on your retirement savings?
Some calculators ask for your input about the rate of return you expect to get on your retirement savings and the future rate of inflation, while others make these assumptions for you. The assumed rate of return is a crucial assumption that can significantly impact the answer to the question, "How much you should save?"
Your assumption for the rate of return on your retirement savings should match the method you've used to invest these savings. For a portfolio balanced between stocks and bonds, I'd use no more than a 6 percent annual rate of return, given today's low-interest environment. If you really feel lucky, go ahead and use 7 percent, but I wouldn't go any higher.
These suggested assumptions assume you're using index funds with very low expenses. If you're using mutual funds with expenses well above 0.50 percent (50 basis points), reduce your expected rate of return by the level of investment expenses you're paying. This will increase the amount you need to save, which might cause you to take a hard look at the level of expenses that you're paying (a good thing, in my opinion).
I'd use a rate of inflation that's 2 or 3 percent lower than the expected rate of return on your savings; again, use a 4 percent difference only if you feel real lucky.
If you're invested entirely in bonds, determine the current interest yield on your investments and use that rate; it might be in the 3 to 5 percent range. If you're invested entirely in savings accounts or money market funds, you're earning almost nothing, and a calculator will tell you that you'll need to save a boatload of money. This should also cause you to rethink your investment strategy.
It's definitely worth the effort to try a few different assumptions to see how they affect the results. Eventually, however, you'll need to pick one set of assumptions that you're comfortable with.
Tip #2: When do you expect to retire?
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5 Tips for Using Retirement Calculators