Online Technology Spurs Education Reform, Expansion of Arizona State's 'Global Classroom' to Europe
Posted: June 29, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Newswise Arizona State University, in coordination with Leuphana University in Germany, has launched an educational pilot project which will lay the groundwork for an intensive institutional collaboration in undergraduate education.
Funded by a $900,000 award from the Mercator Foundation, the ASU-Leuphana program will focus on the topic Sustainable Cities: Contradiction of Terms? The program will utilize virtual conferencing using the technology of Vidyo, a revolutionary video conferencing platform, intensive writing assignments and student writing workshops, online exhibits, peer-to-peer mentoring, and in-person international exchange. This global classroom model tests traditional teacher-student roles, advances new, blended approaches to curriculum and teaching, and redefines the rules tying interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences education to place.
"Any good idea or revolution has started in a bar or coffee house, not a lecture hall, said Manfred Laubichler, co-author of the Mercator grant and a Presidents Professor in ASUs School of Life Sciences. This project is basically a way to recreate this in a virtual environment."
Vidyo technology was adopted by ASU for use in classrooms in 2010. These virtual conferencing connections have catalyzed research and science education exchange between ASU, the Smithsonian Institution and local K-12 classrooms, and set the online stage for the project with Leuphana.
A workshop in Germany at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin drew ASU professors Laubichler, Robert Page, Jane Maienschein, James Collins, Richard Creath and Daniel Sarewitz to meet with their German counterparts. These included Yehuda Elkana, President and Rector Emeritus of the Central European University, Sascha Spoun, the president of Leuphana University, and representatives from Stiftung Mercator, who invest in educational projects. Together this collective considered how to transform our traditional approach to education into a new model using virtual technology, and an international and interdisciplinary pedagogy suited for the 21st century.
One of the things that we discussed was how knowledge is socially, geographically, and temporally contextual. That is: that all knowledge has context, said Robert Page, ASU vice provost and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
So we asked, what if as we teach about sustainability, conservation biology, science, humanities and culture, we have students from Europe, South America, China, and the U.S. all talking together? said Page. There would be differing views and the sharing of those views might allow students to develop solutions to challenges that none could have conceived of individually. And so was born the concept of a global classroom.
Starting in January of 2013, undergraduate students from Leuphana University considered the ASU of the EU, ASUs Barrett Honors College, and the Schools of Life Sciences and Sustainability will define and work together on group projects that extend over three semesters. To support the collective effort, students will also pursue individual research activities at their home institutions. The result will be individual edited short papers by each student, and a set of collective exhibits to be published through a digital educational repository that the group is developing. Ben Minteer, an associate professor in environmental ethics and policy, Arnim Wiek, an assistant professor in sustainability, and Charles Kazilek, an assistant dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who develops award-winning internet science education materials, will also contribute to the Mercator program.
In addition, as the next cohort of students enters during the programs second year, the first years cohort will serve as peer mentors to the incoming group. This reinforcing investment from one cohort to the next allows the instructors to teach more and the students to have a more interactive learner-oriented experience.
Graduate students in Germany and with ASUs Center for Biology and Society and with ASUs Global Institute of Sustainability will serve as co-instructors for the Mercator project. At ASU, these will include Sean Cohmer, Guido Caniglia, Katherine MacCord and Julia Damerow, who studies digital history and philosophy of sciences and also works with the Max Planck Institute.
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Online Technology Spurs Education Reform, Expansion of Arizona State's 'Global Classroom' to Europe
CMC Markets Announced 'Best Online Spread Betting Service' and 'Best Online Education' provider at MoneyAM Awards
Posted: at 9:18 pm
LONDON, June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
CMC Markets, one of the leading providers of spread betting and CFD trading, has been named the best online spread betting service and best online education provider at the 2012 MoneyAM Awards.
The aim of the MoneyAM Awards, now in its fourth year, is to recognise the high quality service and innovative products from companies in the online world of finance. The votes consist entirely of reader's votes, making the awards the people's choice. This year, over 7,000 votes were cast from MoneyAM readers.
Brenda Kelly, Senior Market Strategist who leads the education programme at CMC Markets UK said: "This accolade from MoneyAM reflects our continual efforts to provide the best possible technology and education to our clients. We have been awarded 'Best Online Education' from Money AM for the last three years, which is an impressive track record."
She added: "We also encourage traders to learn from each other through our community initiatives such as our monthly Traders' Club. It is not only our aim to offer the very best trading technology but to create a unique trading community for our customers."
Notes to Editors
CMC Markets is a leading global provider of financial spreadbetting, CFD and foreign exchange (FX). Since Peter Cruddas founded CMC Markets in 1989, the company now services more than 80,000 clients worldwide, who placed approximately 30 million trades last year.
With offices in London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Vienna, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Beijing, Auckland, Oslo, Stockholm and Singapore, CMC Markets represents clients in over 70 countries.
CMC Markets UK Plc and CMC Spreadbet Plc (collectively known as CMC Markets) are authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority.
For further information on CMC Markets please visit http://www.cmcmarkets.co.uk
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CMC Markets Announced 'Best Online Spread Betting Service' and 'Best Online Education' provider at MoneyAM Awards
Braves tab former star to coach spikers
Posted: at 9:26 am
Tiffany Molinar thought she had a full plate in life, until she was offered something shed enjoyed before but never tasted at the highest level coaching high school volleyball.
When Justin-Siena athletic director Michael Fisher offered her the position of varsity head coach, Molinar had to not only think about it for a few days, but make a list of the pros and cons.
The cons included the time it would take away from raising her 3-year-old daughter Raine, and doing homework for a full-time class load at Sonoma State, where shes pursuing a bachelors degree in liberal studies. It would also mean she would have to leave a great job as hostess at The French Laundry, one of the top restaurants in the world, in her hometown of Yountville.
But the pros won out for the 2007 Justin-Siena graduate and former Napa County Volleyball Player of the Year.
Fisher announced her hiring last Friday, June 22, in an email.
We are very excited to have Coach Molinar join the Justin-Siena community, he wrote. We are always so proud to have an alumnus return to join our coaching family!
Molinars experience made her Justin-Sienas top choice: two unbeaten Bay Valley Conference campaigns as a setter for Napa Valley College, one season of co-coaching the under-16 Evolve club team with NVC head coach Kelly Van Winden, another season of coaching the Evolve U-14 team, and coaching Justin-Sienas freshmen two years ago and its junior varsity last year.
I already know the girls because Ive coached them for two years, she said. It will be a young team, with no seniors, mostly juniors and sophomores and probably some freshmen, and I felt bad stepping away. I didnt want to leave them hanging. I also enjoy coaching, and this is a great group of girls. I know what its like being their age and playing volleyball, and I know how much I love the game. Its a passion of mine, and I hope to see that through them when I coach.
She also figured she belonged at Justin-Siena as a coach instead of a spectator, watching her boyfriend and daughters father, Blaize Boles, when he returns to assist JV boys basketball head coach Guiles Particelli.
Molinar enjoyed being the first face seen by diners at The French Laundry, where reservations must be made many months in advance. It was a job she said kind of fell into my lap because Boles is a manager at another Yountville restaurant, but one that fit well her high-energy personality and ability to work under high stress.
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Braves tab former star to coach spikers
Doing the reps business specialist for new health and fitness business workshop testimonial – Video
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Doing the reps business specialist for new health and fitness business workshop testimonial - Video
Interview with Kasey Arena (Powercakes) – 2012 Fitness
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Interview with Kasey Arena (Powercakes) - 2012 Fitness
Lose Weight Fast| Weight Loss Authority| Health And Fitness – Video
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The battle gets personal
Posted: at 9:26 am
Video will begin in 5 seconds.
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone".
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone" of returning the company's share price to 87 cents and reverse "the five-year decline in paid circulation and revenue".
In a letter to Mr Corbett, released to this website, Mrs Rinehart said the performance of Fairfax over the past five years had been "distressing for shareholders".
The letter, in the form of an ultimatum, came after the Fairfax board on Wednesday announced it would not be able to give Mrs Rinehart a board seat citing disagreements over editorial independence.
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Open letter ... Gina Rinehart. Photo: Jim Rice
In a statement late today, Fairfax returned fire, disputing her statement that the differences with the board were not about editorial control and calling on Mrs Rinehart to bid for the company if she wants control.
"Contrary to Mrs Rineharts repeated assertions that this isnt about editorial control - it is. It is also about her obtaining control of the company and not paying a premium.
Cutting the loss
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The battle gets personal
Rinehart's Fairfax battle gets personal
Posted: at 9:26 am
Video will begin in 5 seconds.
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone".
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone" of returning the company's share price to 87 cents and reverse "the five-year decline in paid circulation and revenue".
In a letter to Mr Corbett, released to this website, Mrs Rinehart said the performance of Fairfax over the past five years had been "distressing for shareholders".
The letter, in the form of an ultimatum, came after the Fairfax board on Wednesday announced it would not be able to give Mrs Rinehart a board seat citing disagreements over editorial independence.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Open letter ... Gina Rinehart. Photo: Jim Rice
In a statement late today, Fairfax returned fire, disputing her statement that the differences with the board were not about editorial control and calling on Mrs Rinehart to bid for the company if she wants control.
"Contrary to Mrs Rineharts repeated assertions that this isnt about editorial control - it is. It is also about her obtaining control of the company and not paying a premium.
Cutting the loss
Excerpt from:
Rinehart's Fairfax battle gets personal
Battle gets personal
Posted: at 9:26 am
Video will begin in 5 seconds.
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone".
Gina Rinehart, Fairfax Media's largest shareholder, has called on chairman Roger Corbett to agree to a "performance milestone" of returning the company's share price to 87 cents and reverse "the five-year decline in paid circulation and revenue".
In a letter to Mr Corbett, released to this website, Mrs Rinehart said the performance of Fairfax over the past five years had been "distressing for shareholders".
The letter, in the form of an ultimatum, came after the Fairfax board on Wednesday announced it would not be able to give Mrs Rinehart a board seat citing disagreements over editorial independence.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Open letter ... Gina Rinehart. Photo: Jim Rice
In a statement late today, Fairfax returned fire, disputing her statement that the differences with the board were not about editorial control and calling on Mrs Rinehart to bid for the company if she wants control.
"Contrary to Mrs Rineharts repeated assertions that this isnt about editorial control - it is. It is also about her obtaining control of the company and not paying a premium.
Cutting the loss
Read more here:
Battle gets personal
Kino deluxe: Flebbe finds success in Germany with upscale film lounges
Posted: at 9:25 am
-By Andreas Fuchs
The Astor Film Lounge in Berlin
Catching up with one of the countrys most innovative exhibitors six-and-a-half weeks later (www.astor-filmlounge.de), all the stress from the 100-day, 3 million (US$3.82 mil.) overhaul of an abandoned 1950s boulevard-beauty-turned-quad seems to have disappeared. Like our Astor Lounge cinemas in Berlin and Munich before, the Residenz has been a huge success, Flebbe enthuses about the newest of his upscale theatres. I really think it is one of the most beautiful cinemas I have ever built.
Whereas Astor @cinema lounge is located in Munichs famed Hotel Bayrischer Hof, and the next site will revive the former IMAX and CineMagnum screen at Zeilgalerie Frankfurt this July, the Residenz has more in common with the first Astor Film Lounge in Berlin. Both hail back to the time of tradition-defining moviegoing, as Flebbe calls the first cinemas of the post-War period. Back then the emphasis was on creating beautiful dcor and ambiance that enhanced the experience of going out to watch a film.
While redesigning the main Residenz auditorium, from 820 seats at one point to 280 leatherette reclinerscompleted by double armrests, tables with footrests and legroom to sparethe dcor was inspired by Phillippe Starck. We borrowed some of his design ideas, Flebbe acknowledges. Capacity of the upstairs screen, which had been added in 1965 as Intimes Theater, was equally reduced to 150 from 365 and is now illuminated with a colorful LED lighting scheme. Transforming the space of a 1970s mini-box of 70 into a club-room library screen with 35 individual luxury seats covered in red velvet encompassed the addition of wood paneling throughout and 60 linear meters of books (197 feet). The people of Cologne totally dig it because of the very private atmosphere, Flebbe has observed. It is very important for us to have the highest level of fit-out and materials. Citing the additional example that the first Astor Film Lounge in Berlin is under landmark protection, we actually played up all the historic elements there, he says. We dont want our auditoriums to be rectangular boxes, with acoustical elements and all technical-looking. We want to build really beautiful Kinos.
When my contract on the managing board of CinemaxX expired, Flebbe continues, explaining how the idea of film lounging came about, I decided to do something that I would really enjoy doing. Assuring that he has nothing against CinemaxX or any of the other multiplexes, Flebbe qualifies that 20 years ago they certainly did away with the shoeboxes and split auditoriums of the prior era. Multiplexkinos represented a truly new experience. Their large screens, excellent sound, stadium seating and spacious lobbies attracted everyone back to the cinema, not just the younger generation.
Flebbe feels that subsequent market developmentssuch as over-screening, expensive real estate and construction agreements, along with lack of funding, pressure from banks and the likemade investments in upkeep and further innovation scarce. It was all about saving money to make it work, he says of the experience not just at CinemaxX but by pretty much everyone else in the German exhibition industry. Having founded the company and being on its board, I always defended multiplexes and their mass appeal. 1.5 million admissions are a great success for any given theatre, but, with that, an individual guest could not really be the front and center of the operation. Consequently, he opines, the older generation stayed away once again. Going to the multiplex became a very stressful experience, not one to fully enjoy. Kino was dead for them, he summarizes. They preferred the comfort of their homes.
Not surprisingly, those comforts were among the first amenities that Flebbe decided he had to emulate as part of the Astor experience. When developing the concept, I was originally thinking about what I would like it to be like when I go to the movies. It had to be at least as comfortable as in my home where I dont have to look for parking first, where I dont have to wait in line and where I can put up my feet if I want to. My wife may even bring me a beer, he adds with a laugh. When the lease for the Film-Palast in Berlin became available, Flebbe seized the opportunity and redid the single screen to his very liking, launching the Astor Film Lounge in November 2008. Our guests tell us over and over again that, after having experienced the Astor lounge offerings, they wont be going back to the multiplex.
After the uniformed doorman has greeted them upon arrival, guests find a coat check at their disposal. Waiters and waitresses offer them a selection of welcome cocktails served on trays throughout the lobby. From a business standpoint, Flebbe admits, it is not necessarily the smartest idea, because for many people one cocktail is quite enough. But it really creates such a welcoming atmosphere and elevates the experience. People are always very surprised when they come to us for the first time. Further on that note, Astor Film Lounge has brought back the good old-fashioned ushers from yesteryear, who do indeed accompany our guests to their seats, and, yes, with flashlights too, he promises.
During the pre-show of no more than 20 minutes, including short films sometimes, and relatively few ads, guests can order a variety of beer, wine and drinks accompanied by small food items. Antipasti, cheese plates, cold meats and more hearty fare are not intended to replace a proper dinner, he notes, but to make that bottle of wine even more enjoyable. During the afternoons, a visit to the Film Lounge is more like going to the Konditorei bakery and caf. Our guests order from a selection at the display case and have their coffee, cake and delicious Torten brought to their seats inside. Flebbe asserts that Astor does not offer warm and smelly meals and that there is no more seat-side service once the curtain has been lowered in preparation for the movie.
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Kino deluxe: Flebbe finds success in Germany with upscale film lounges