MENLO PARK, Calif., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new SRI International report prepared for the U.S. Department of Education provides guidance to educational leaders as they work to implement successful, cost-effective online learning programs for secondary schools.

The report, Understanding the Implications of Online Learning for Educational Productivity, summarizes past research on the cost and outcomes associated with online learning programs in higher education and offers strategies for implementing such programs effectively in K-12 settings.

Educational policymakers and administrators across the country face shrinking budgets and increasing pressure to improve student performance. Many are looking at how online learning programs can benefit their students.

"In preparing this report, we really learned a great deal about the specific benefits that online learning programs are most likely to achieve, and are most ready for testing in rigorous comparative research," said Marianne Bakia, Ph.D., senior policy analyst at SRI International's Center for Technology in Learning and lead author of the report. "In addition, the report provides analytic tools for district and school administrators to evaluate claims about the cost-effectiveness of online learning courses and programs so that they can become knowledgeable consumers of online materials."

The report recommends that educators broaden access to quality online resources and experiences to increase educational opportunities for students in remote locations or in schools or districts with low-enrollment.

To improve the quality of online education, researchers recommend engaging students in active learning using research-based principles and established best practices; personalizing instruction based on students' interests, preferred pace of learning, and performance; and automating routine tasks to allow teachers to focus on complex, interactive activities in the classroom.

The report also suggests that online learning can lower education costs by making better use of teacher and student time, using home or community spaces in addition to traditional school buildings, and through the reuse and large-scale distribution of materials. Although studies have consistently found that online learning programs have reduced costs compared to traditional instruction, the report finds that online learning programs may have higher start-up costs associated with equipment and curriculum development.

The full report can be found at http://ctl.sri.com/news/ImplicationsOnlineLearning2.pdf

This report was prepared for the Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology under Contract number ED-04-CO-0040 Task 0010.

About SRI InternationalSilicon Valley-based SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, performs sponsored R&D for governments, businesses, and foundations. SRI brings its innovations to the market- place through technology licensing, new products, and spin-off ventures. SRI is known for world-changing innovations in computing, health and pharmaceuticals, chemistry and materials, sensing, energy, education, national defense, and more.

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SRI International Releases Report for U.S. Department of Education on Costs and Benefits of Online Learning Programs

LOUISVILLE, KY--(Marketwire -03/20/12)- The Learning House, Inc. (www.learninghouse.com), an online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universities develop and grow high-quality online degree programs and courses, today announced it is offering a free instructional webinar to help institutions learn best practices in building and launching online summer courses. The webinar, "Building a Successful Online Summer Session," will be held Wednesday, March 28, 2012, at noon EDT.

"Online summer courses not only allow students the flexibility to earn credits while still enjoying their summer, but the reduced costs and prospect of accelerated graduation can make these courses incredibly attractive, especially if they are difficult to get into during the school year," said Dave Clinefelter, Chief Academic Officer at The Learning House, Inc. "By offering a summer session online, institutions not only keep students engaged, improving student retention rates, but students can take required courses they need for their degree or electives they are interested in without having to go to elsewhere and transfer credits."

The webinar will feature panelists Sean Butcher, Director of Online Programs at Shorter University; Peter Gochis, Associate Academic Dean at Missouri Valley College; and Denise Peters, Director of eLearning at Highland Community College, who will share their experiences developing online summer sessions, as well as best practices and lessons learned. The presentation will discuss the benefits of making summer courses available online and offer strategic insights into what colleges and universities need to do to launch programs, from course selection and curriculum development to marketing.

During the webinar, participants will:

The webinar is designed to provide actionable information for academic affairs and continuing education professionals, provosts, chancellors, deans and others who are interested in building successful online summer courses. For more information or to register for the free webinar, visit learninghouse.com.

About Learning House, Inc.The Learning House, Inc. is an online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universities develop and grow high-quality online degree programs and courses. Partnering with more than 100 colleges and universities, Learning House offers a business model that enables institutions to efficiently and affordably achieve their online education goals. Learning House provides a comprehensive solution to success, including curriculum development and management, faculty training and professional development, marketing and lead generation, admissions and enrollment management, student retention, 24/7 technical support, learning management systems, and management and consultation.

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Learning House Announces Free Webinar to Help Colleges Develop Successful Online Summer Sessions

My wife recently announced we were going on a wellness plan.

"Does that mean no more Nutty Bars for lunch?" I said.

No. It means we have started taking Pilates classes. Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century with an emphasis on melding mind and body. After doing Pilates for about a month, we've learned about melding muscles we never knew we had.

We are taking classes one night a week at NuFit For You, owned by the amazing Angie Asmann. Angie won the Dancing With The Local Stars competition a year ago, so not only is she smart as a whip and totally in shape, she's also graceful and moves like a cat. So does NuFit instructor Emily Lopez, who can stretch her legs to the ceiling and make the various positions look easy.

Pilates is based around stretching your "core" -- mainly the muscles that attach to your spine.

"The nice thing about Pilates is that it's for any fitness level. You don't have to be in super great shape to start," Angie points out. "It's about making your muscles longer and stronger."

Angie trained the Quincy University men's volleyball team in Pilates last year, and the team didn't have a single injury all season.

The lessons involve different movements of arms, legs, back, stomach and neck. They are done either flat on your back, stomach or on your side.

You are supposed to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, or is that the other way around? Anyway, it ends up being gasping through the nose and mouth after trying to do a Pilates pushup.

There might not be anything more chilling than Emily starting the class by saying, "I learned some new techniques over the weekend." This usually involves something diabolical like "The Clam," which makes the muscles in your thigh quiver like jelly and may mean you will have trouble sitting, standing, living and breathing for the next few days.

The rest is here:

Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, SportsHART: Pilates is great for your core, once you stop gasping for ...

CHICAGOWith some fitness regimens, that first trip to the gym can nearly kill you.

Pilates, with its emphasis on core training and an abundance of moves, works the other way.

"The first time is almost the easiest," says Alycea Ungaro, owner of Real Pilates in New York (real pilatesnyc.com) and author of "Pilates: Body in Motion" (DK Publishing). "It gets harder after that. Once you know what to do, the bar gets higher, the demand gets harder. You see things you're doing wrong and you fix them. You work harder."

Ungaro, who has been teaching Pilates for almost 20 years and opened her first studio in 1996, says Pilates is one of the most adaptable forms of exercise.

"We have exercises for people through every decade of their life or their condition,whether they're triathletes prepping for an event or people recovering from injury or postpartum," she says. "It's a very malleable means of training. You can make it as hard or as easy as you wish."

Ungaro says that the classic Pilates mat routine is known for being effective in changing one's body. But many people find the complex choreography and multiple position changes too difficult to keep up with, she says. So she suggests trying Pilates as a circuit.

"By using just a handful of key moves and reducing them to their most intense positions, Pilates can be both simple and effective."

This six-minute circuit can be repeated three times for a thoroughly challenging 20-minute routine, she says. Take a 30-second rest after each full set.

Read this article:

Unlike training forms, Pilates progresses from easy to hard

Yoga, Pilates, pedicures. They don't sound like the workout routine of a pro-basketball player. But Dwyane Wade, the superstar shooting guard with the Miami Heat, has embraced them.

During last year's lockout, players couldn't get access to NBA team facilities or trainers. "The lockout meant I was working out with a different trainer," said Wade, "and he introduced me to different types of workouts that I didn't even know my body needed, like yoga."

Wade, who turned 30 in January, could be considered old by NBA standards. He said a large part of his preseason training was focused on keeping his body healthy and injury-free through the season. Nevertheless, he has struggled with injuries, including a strained calf and sprained right ankle.

In addition to his time on the court and in the gym, Wade, who stands 6 feet 4 inches and weighs 220 pounds, puts in time on the massage table. "I'm huge on massage work," he said. "I've done more stretching this season than ever before. My therapist's hands get tired from working on me." Since his size-15 feet take a lot of pounding, he also incorporates foot baths, ice baths and regular pedicures into his regimen. "You need to take care of your feet," said Wade. "My feet aren't going to look any prettier from a pedi, but they feel better from the massaging."

The workout

"I have tight hips and I felt I needed to loosen up and be more flexible as I got older," said Wade. He started taking private yoga lessons. "Just basic yogaI wasn't ready for the hot stuff," he said. "Yoga is a totally different way of stretching and really challenging." Mr. Wade says he persuaded his teammate, LeBron James, to join him. "He's stiffer than me," he joked.

James, in turn, persuaded Wade to try machine-based Pilates, which lengthens muscles and strengthens the core muscles. "I really felt the Pilates loosen up my muscles," said Wade. The attention to stretching has paid off during the season. "I recall making a move, and the basketball ended up on my foot and I almost did a split on the ball. Normally, that's a groin pull, but I bounced back."

Wade also started running on the beach this summer. "Running on the sand strengthens your quads and calf muscles," he said. He adds that he used to avoid running because it gave him shin splints, but running barefoot in the sand has helped him avoid that. He does some runs for distance, others for speed. "I try to do a lot of quick sprints where I'm starting and stopping and training myself to push through fatigue," he said.

Wade has also worked on his fast-twitch muscles, which come into play for brief bursts of strength or speed. To do this, his trainer had him work out with elastic bands on his wrists and ankles. He throws a medicine ball, turns, and then catches the ball with his torso facing one way and his arms turning another. "In a game, you never know what is going to come at you. I have to be ready to react quickly."

The diet

See the article here:

Pilates a key workout for Miami basketball star Dwayne Wade

China Daily/Asia News Network Tuesday, Mar 20, 2012

CHINA - More than 60 per cent of Tsinghua University candidates failed to pass basic physical fitness tests last year, Beijing-based Legal Evening News reported Monday.

Among more than 600 students taking part in a series of physical tests during the top university's independent recruitment last year, some 63.5 per cent failed to meet basic health standards, the report said.

The tests covered six parts including height, weight, lung capacity and grip strength.

The results showed most students did not pass the step test, which involves cardiovascular excercise.

Many students give up physical exercises during the third year of senior school to devote time to the college entrance examination, which has lead to their poor heart and lung function, Liu Jingmin, vice director of the Sports Department of Tsinghua University, told the paper.

The university also said results of phisical fitness tests this year are better than last year, based on figures from those who finished the tests on Saturday.

"We have too much homework and little time for exercise," said one of the examinees.

The paper also said male students had a higher failure rate than that of female students.

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60% failed physical at top university

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylmiUImHXMk

19-03-2012 16:55 Working the butt muscles

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Booty Excercise - Video

* Dividend yielding lifts Thai stocks * Indonesia eases on stricter central bank rule * Philippine hovers below all-time high By Viparat Jantraprap BANGKOK, March 20 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Tuesday as investors sought counters with attractive dividend yields, but profit taking capped gains, pulling Thailand's benchmark index back from the 1,200-point level for a second day. Thailand's benchmark SET index ended the day up 0.6 percent, while Singapore and Malaysia gained 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. Indonesia ended marginally lower, and the Philippines fell 0.5 percent afer hitting an all-time high last week. Vietnam stocks rose 0.5 percent. The Thai market was buoyed by solid foreign inflows, but like other Asian markets it succumbed to selling late in the day as U.S. stock futures pointed to a weaker start on Wall Street. The Thai central bank is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 3.00 percent at a meeting on Wednesday, prompting investors to look to higher dividend plays for better returns. "Thailand is actually holding up quite well ... But the market here is a bit stretched, it's difficult to break the 1,200 level," said Andrew Yates, head of international equity sales at broker Asia Plus Securities in Bangkok. Among bright spots, Thailand's top telecoms firm Advanced Info Service Pcl gained 2.3 percent. The stock is yielding close to 5 percent, and the company has said it would pay an interim dividend of 4.26 baht per share. Indonesian auto distributor PT Astra International Tbk fell 0.92 percent, adding to a combined 3.5 percent loss over the past two sessions after Bank Indonesia announced new credit curbs, including restrictions on auto loans. As global growth worries ease, some fund managers are increasingly favouring North Asian markets over Southeast Asia on expectations that companies which are more exposed to international markets will outperform. Many Southeast Asian markets, viewed as being more defensive against a global slowdown due to their domestic-oriented economies, did better than the rest of Asia last year. "This year, it looks more of a North Asian story. If the world looks a better place then all of a sudden the markets that are open to the global growth environment become very attractive," said Hong Kong-based Markus Rosgen, head of Asia Pacific Equity Strategy at Citigroup. Evaluations in some Southeast Asian markets are also looking frothy. Philippine and Malaysian markets are trading at 19.8 and 17.1 times current price-to-earnings respectively, compared with 14.9 for China and 10.3 for Hong Kong. (Additional reporting by Charmian Kok in SINGAPORE; Editing by Kim Coghill) For Asian Companies click; For Asia-Pacific News click; For South East Asia Hot Stock reports, click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS Change on day Market Current Prev Close Pct Move Singapore 3002.73 2990.09 +0.42 Kuala Lumpur 1577.62 1579.88 +0.26 Bangkok 1196.60 1189.50 +0.60 Jakarta 4022.16 4024.73 -0.06 Manila 5102.24 5127.00 -0.48 Ho Chi Minh 440.29 438.07 +0.51 Change on year Market Current End prev yr Pct Move Singapore 3002.73 2646.35 +13.47 Kuala Lumpur 1577.62 1530.73 +3.06 Bangkok 1196.60 1025.32 +16.71 Jakarta 4022.16 3821.99 +5.24 Manila 5102.24 4371.96 +16.70 Ho Chi Minh 440.29 351.55 +25.24

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SE Asia Stocks-Mostly higher, Thailand fails again to hold 1,200

By Maryanne MacLeod maryanne.macleod@macombdaily.com; @maryannemacleod

Theresa May

It was either wine or yoga for Cindy Neville, 47, of Chesterfield Township, when her marriage of 22 years came grinding to a halt 2-1/2 years ago.

At about the same time, yoga teacher Teresa May of Chesterfield Township was opening her first studio, Santosha, located in the Kingston plaza on Gratiot, just south of 22 Mile, also in Chesterfield.

The timing, was ideal for both of them.

"I went to my first class and cried in Savasana," recalled Neville, a tax accountant. "I thought: 'I've finally found my way.'" Savasana, or "corpse pose," is a pose of total relaxation, in which students lie on their backs, toes pointed toward either corner of the mat, palms upward.

As for May, "When I told people I was starting a new business, they couldn't believe it - 'Not in this economy!' they said," recalled May, a former manager for a chiropractic office, who dipped into her 401K to realize her dream.

These days, Neville practices yoga at least three times a week at the studio, and additionally, is also half-way through a 200-hour, teacher training program led by May.

And May? She relocated Santosha to an existing storefront -- double the size of her old studio -- in the same plaza, but slightly farther north. Business has been booming.

The rest is here:

Yoga studio: A new start to pure bliss

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjaCh0d7bg0

18-03-2012 17:03 In this week's tip, Dr. Lisabeth Medlock of Life By Design Coaching talks about the importance of working hard and with passion, while at the same time letting go and being able to roll with the things you cannot control.

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Life Coaching Tip of the Week-March 19, 2012: Work Hard and Play Hard - Video