Huzzaz (26) is about discovery and curation of videos -- it's an easy way to collect, sort, and take notes on your playlists, from both YouTube and Vimeo. If you love gathering videos on themes, you'll find this tool very powerful. Or, have your students curate playlists on choice topics! See an example (27).
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shared by izz aty on 28 Feb 14
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Five-Minute Film Festival: 8 Interactive Video Tools for Engaging Learners | Edutopia - 0 views
www.edutopia.org/...eractive-video-tools-resources
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Similar to Zaption, teacher-founded eduCanon (23) allows you to supplement a chosen video with all manner of add-ons to make it more interactive, from "reflective pauses" to audio clips to multiple-choice questions. You can also track responses with this tool. See an example (24).
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VideoNot.es (20) is an app that allows you to take live time-coded notes on any video, and skip around by clicking on those notes -- and even better, it's integrated with Google Drive so saving and syncing your notes is simple. You have to install it to see this example (21).
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Add Questions and Quizzes to YouTube Videos! (17) (00:45) This one is on the bare bones side, as YouTube has plenty of other features to work on -- but if you need something quick and easy, you can also add questions to your own uploaded YouTube videos with YouTube's Questions Editor (18) (still in beta mode).
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Wanting to string a few videos together and add text and graphics overlays? Metta (15) is the tool for you -- although it had one of the more confusing interfaces on the list. Still, it's unique from the others in that it's creating less of a wrapper than a whole new media experience, a mashup -- for some applications, this could be amazing. See an example (16).
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How to Use Vialogues (10) (04:54) If you'd like to have a discussion around a particular video, Vialogues (11) is a useful way to allow threaded conversations on a clip. You can also add surveys and open-ended questions with this tool, which was developed by the EdLab at Columbia University Teachers College (12). See an example (13).
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TED-Ed Website Tour (7) (03:08) Most educators know TED-Ed (8) publishes amazing animations, but did you know their platform allows users to build lessons by adding questions and notes to any video on YouTube? The elegant interface allows your students to watch and then dig deeper into resources you've provided, via a unique URL that allows you to track their responses. See an example (9).
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With Zaption (4), transform your students from passive watchers to active learners by adding links, multiple-choice questions, polls, discussions, and more to any video to create a "tour" -- or group a few together for a more complex lesson. Check out the tutorials on Zaption's YouTube channel (5); they also offer analytics to see if your tours are engaging. See some examples (6).
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"It's no secret that I am a passionate advocate for using video in the classroom. When used well, videos can help students make connections to people and ideas beyond their usual frame of reference. That's why I've been really excited to see a wave of new (and mostly free or low-cost!) tech tools recently that enable teachers to take favorite clips and make them more valuable for educational use. Whether you use videos to flip your classroom or you just appreciate the power of video to engage kids, maybe one of the tools in my playlist below will help you go deeper in 2014."
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shared by izz aty on 22 Jul 12
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How To Teach Writing: 7 Strategies for Elaboration - 0 views
busyteacher.org/trategies-for-elaboration.html
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shared by izz aty on 10 Aug 12
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The 100 Best Video Sites For Educators | Edudemic - 0 views
edudemic.com/...best-video-sites-for-teachers
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"Bringing multimedia into the classroom is a great way to engage students in learning. Supplementing lessons, opening up new interests, and offering inspiration, online videos make for an incredible teaching tool. In 2010, we covered our favorite 100 video sites for educators, and we've now updated our list for 2012 with more than 100 resources and more than 25 brand new entries. Read on, and you'll be able to check out the very best sources for educational videos on the web."
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shared by izz aty on 24 Nov 11
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Teaching That Sticks: 10 Places to Find and Share Lesson Plans Online - 0 views
teachingthatsticks.blogspot.com/...-to-find-and-share-lesson.html
education lesson plan resources english writing reading speaking listening ideas database teaching learning internet esl reference language learning
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The following is a guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Her previous guest post, 15 Free Resources for Young Readers, was a big hit, so I'm pleased to have her with us again. Finding and sharing lesson plans online can help teachers save time and engage students in new ways. There are several sites that have been set up specifically for this purpose. Here are ten quality lesson plans sites for teachers to try throughout the school year.
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shared by izz aty on 08 Mar 14
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Ken Robinson: How to escape education's death valley | Talk Video | TED - 0 views
www.ted.com/...transcript
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. I have found no evidence that Americans don't get irony. It's one of those cultural myths, like, "The British are reserved." I don't know why people think this. We've invaded every country we've encountered.
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I knew that Americans get irony when I came across that legislation No Child Left Behind. Because whoever thought of that title gets irony, don't they, because -- (Laughter) (Applause) — because it's leaving millions of children behind. Now I can see that's not a very attractive name for legislation: Millions of Children Left Behind. I can see that. What's the plan? Well, we propose to leave millions of children behind, and here's how it's going to work. 2:04 And it's working beautifully. In some parts of the country, 60 percent of kids drop out of high school. In the Native American communities, it's 80 percent of kids. If we halved that number, one estimate is it would create a net gain to the U.S. economy over 10 years of nearly a trillion dollars. From an economic point of view, this is good math, isn't it, that we should do this? It actually costs an enormous amount to mop up the damage from the dropout crisis.
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the difference between the task and achievement senses of verbs. You know, you can be engaged in the activity of something, but not really be achieving it, like dieting. It's a very good example, you know. There he is. He's dieting. Is he losing any weight? Not really. Teaching is a word like that. You can say, "There's Deborah, she's in room 34, she's teaching." But if nobody's learning anything, she may be engaged in the task of teaching but not actually fulfilling it.
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The role of a teacher is to facilitate learning. That's it. And part of the problem is, I think, that the dominant culture of education has come to focus on not teaching and learning, but testing. Now, testing is important. Standardized tests have a place. But they should not be the dominant culture of education. They should be diagnostic. They should help.
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shared by izz aty on 02 Aug 13
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English Banana.com's Big Activity Book - 0 views
www.englishbanana.com/...y-book-english-worksheets.html
english esol worksheets resources language learning reference
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" This is the fourth compilation of worksheets and activities from the popular English Banana.com website. The aim this time is to engage learners from about Level 1 (Intermediate) upwards in active English lessons. This extensive new collection provides a varied and interesting set of resources for practising a range of English language skills, from grammar to reading, and vocabulary building to developing research skills. It's divided into subject areas and there is a comprehensive answer section, which also gives notes for how to use the material. We have included two special sections in this book. The first is a collection of classroom games that have been tried and tested and really work. Some may be familiar while others are totally original. In publishing descriptions of these games and activities we are not in any way laying claim to having invented them. Our only aim is to disseminate ideas that work well at a range of levels and always seem to get a great response from learners. The second special section is for reference and lists rhyming words, using the vowels and diphthongs from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). These pages provide support for learners as they come to identify spelling patterns and match together words with the sounds of English. However you use the book, we hope that you'll enjoy learning English and come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of this fabulous language - which can be so entirely frustrating at times and so difficult to learn! If you enjoy this book why not get online and log onto our website for more original and fun activities for learning English. Best of all, everything on the website is absolutely free! So for access to free printable worksheets, as well as fun online games and quizzes, get your mouse moving in our direction today - click on www.englishbanana.com."
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YouTube: Folk High Schools, Adult Education, and the Philosophy of Nicholaj Grundtvig - 0 views
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""Grundtvig is our man for this time. He's still relevant," says Clay Warren, a professor of communication at George Washington University and author of The School for Life: N.F.S. Grundtvig on the Education for the People. Nikolaj Grundtvig, a 19th century Danish educator and a contemporary of Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard, helped pioneer the folk high school, an adult educational institution that is common in Scandinava. The school does not grant academic degrees but rather fosters intellectual thinking and discussions through community engagement. Warren sat down with Reason's Nick Gillespie to discuss his book, the educational philosophy underpinning Grundtvig's work, as well as Grundtvig's emphasis on individual potential and development. "
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shared by izz aty on 08 Dec 10
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100 Essential Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers | Online Degree - 0 views
www.onlinedegree.net/sential-2-0-tools-for-teachers
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There are new web 2.0 tools appearing every day. Although some of these tools were not originally meant for use in the classroom, they can be extremely effective learning tools for today's technology geared students and their venturesome teachers. Many of these teachers are searching for the latest products and technologies to help them find easier and efficient ways to create productive learning in their students. More and more teachers are using blogs, podcasts and wikis, as another approach to teaching. We have created a list of 100 tools we think will encourage interactivity and engagement, motivate and empower your students, and create differentiation in their learning process.
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20 Online Tools to Make Learning Fun | Once a Teacher…. - 0 views
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shared by izz aty on 11 Jul 11
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TESOL Electronic Village Online - 0 views
evosessions.pbworks.com/...Call-for-Proposals-2012
tesol online collaboration professional development development teach esol language language learning education english technology web2.0 resources
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For five weeks in January-February, participants and ESOL experts can engage in collaborative, online discussion or hands-on virtual workshops of professional and scholarly benefit. These sessions will bring together participants for a longer period of time than is permitted by the four-day convention and will allow a fuller development of ideas than is otherwise possible in convention sessions. Sessions may be on any topic in ESL/EFL and are free and open to all interested parties. Session leaders (moderators), who must be TESOL members, will receive hands-on training in online discussion management and the use of virtual rooms, and they may be asked to help train future session leaders. Moderators need not have previous experience in online teaching. Co-moderation with several people is strongly recommended. Sessions of EVO must be sponsored by an Interest Section, Forum, or other member group of TESOL.
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shared by izz aty on 18 Oct 12
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Evan Hastings: Shadow Puppets for Social Justice - 0 views
evanhastings.blogspot.com/...uppets-for-socail-justice.html
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A collaborative shadow puppet performance dialogue, engaged issues including: racism with low expectations for urban youth, gang pressures and influence in elementary school, and the need for safe clean parks and playgrounds.
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How can we use the arts as a medium for dialogue?Teachers brought stories and dreams illuminating the space between shadows they navigate on a journey for justice.
http://www.researchersworld.com/vol3/Paper_02.pdf - 0 views
www.researchersworld.com/...Paper_02.pdf
language education language education english esol malaysia malaysian education language learning teaching journal student engagement
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School can worsen disabled children's behavioural problems, researchers say - Institute... - 0 views
www.ioe.ac.uk/...104870.html
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disabled children might have fewer behavioural issues in their early years if more schools introduced stringent anti-bullying measures and other support strategies, the researchers conclude.
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The researchers found that disabled children consistently presented more conduct problems than their non-disabled peers between the ages of 3 and 7. However, the conduct of both groups of children followed the same development pattern, improving between 3 and 5 and then slightly worsening at about age 6.
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The long-term benefits of such interventions could be very substantial, the researchers believe, as behavioural difficulties are likely to compound disabled children's problems and reduce their chances of having a happy and successful adult life.
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The researchers compared non-disabled children with infants who had: a developmental delay at age 9 months (in relation to hand-eye coordination, for example, or early communication gestures) a longstanding limiting illness (such as type 1 diabetes or asthma) special educational needs at age 7 (stemming from learning difficulties or impairments such as hearing loss). They were able to analyse assessments of MCS children's behaviour at ages 3, 5 and 7 as parents had been asked about conduct problems, hyperactivity, emotional difficulties and whether their sons and daughters got on with children of the same age. This enabled the researchers not only to record the emergence of any problems but establish whether the behaviour of disabled and non-disabled children had followed the same trajectory. They also took into consideration family background factors known to be associated with child behaviour, such as income poverty, parental discipline and the closeness of the parent-child relationship.
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we should seriously consider the implications of the marked increase in emotional problems for disabled girls, in particular, in terms of future risks such as depression and self-harm."
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At age 3, children with longstanding limiting illnesses and special educational needs were also more likely than non-disabled infants to exhibit the other three negative behaviours that were assessed: difficulties with peers, emotional problems and hyperactivity. But, worryingly, unlike conduct problems, these particular behavioural difficulties became more pronounced among children in these two disability categories between the ages of 3 and 7.
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some early school environments may exacerbate behavioural problems for disabled children in ways that cannot solely be solved by learning support – because the underlying issue is behavioural rather than cognitive," the researchers comment. "Many disabled children find it increasingly difficult to engage with the social world as they pass from toddlers to the mid-primary school age. They also struggle with structured social contexts such as school. We need to gain a better understanding of the effects that schools have if we are to develop environments that do not, in effect, disable children further."
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also recommend that more support is provided for mothers and fathers of children with an impairment or special educational need.
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'Convergence or divergence? A longitudinal analysis of behaviour problems among disabled and non-disabled children aged 3 to 7 in England', by Rebecca Fauth (NCB), Samantha Parsons (IOE) and Lucinda Platt (LSE), is the latest working paper to be published by the IOE's Department of Quantitative Social Science (QSS). It will be available from the QSS website http://www.ioe.ac.uk/research/departments/qss/35445.html from 9am on Friday, October 3.
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shared by izz aty on 29 Sep 14
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Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - 0 views
www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/...autistic-spectrum-disorder-asd
ASD dissertationZ symptoms prevalence UK autism special education UK
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Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term used to describe a number of symptoms and behaviours which affect the way in which a group of people understand and react to the world around them. It's an umbrella term which includes autism, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorders. All of these autistic spectrum disorders have an onset before the age of three
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Recent research by the Learning Disabilities Observatory indicates that around 20-30% of people with learning disabilities have an ASD.
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All children and adults with an ASD will have the following core symptoms in what is known as the ‘triad’ of impairments:
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1. Non-verbal and verbal communication People with an ASD have difficulty in understanding the communication and language of others, and in communicating themselves. Many children are delayed in learning to speak and a small minority do not develop much functional speech. This does not mean they cannot communicate, as they use other methods to communicate their needs. People with an ASD tend to have a literal understanding of language, so the use of metaphors such as ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ should be avoided.
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2. Social understanding and social behaviour People with an ASD have difficulty understanding the social behaviour of others and can behave in socially inappropriate ways. People with an ASD have difficulty empathising with others, and as a result are unable to read social contexts. Children with an ASD often find it hard to play and communicate with other children, because of their difficulties with empathy.
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3. Imagining and thinking/behaving flexibly Children with an ASD find it difficult to engage in imaginative play, so they tend to spend more time in solitary play. Children with an ASD can have an excellent memory concerning toys or activities they are passionate about. People with an ASD tend to have particular interests in specific topics or activities, which they may pursue obsessively. People with an ASD often find change difficult to cope with, and have a preference for routine. They may also struggle to transfer skills to other activities.
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Approximately 1% of the population has an autistic spectrum condition. The prevalence rate of autistic spectrum conditions is higher in men than it is in women (1.8% vs. 0.2%). 60-70% of people who have an autistic spectrum condition will also have a learning disability.
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Autism Fact Sheet: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) - 0 views
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The hallmark feature of ASD is impaired social interaction. As early as infancy, a baby with ASD may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time. A child with ASD may appear to develop normally and then withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.
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Teaching strategies and students' learning approaches by Dr. Lew Tek Yew | Curtin Saraw... - 0 views
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Malaysian Quality Assurance (QA) system in higher education evolved from certain educational legislation and directives that aspire to achieve international recognition and excellence and make Malaysia the educational hub in the Asian region.
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established in 2007 with the overall responsibility for the local accreditation of higher education programmes and qualifications, and for supervising and regulating quality and standards in education providers
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a principle instrument that classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that is agreed nationally and benchmarked with international practices, and which clarifies the academic levels and learning outcomes.
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Curtin Sarawak is committed to developing the abilities, knowledge and skills of its undergraduates so that they are able to apply concepts and understanding of the business disciplines for the benefit of the society and the nation.
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they will assume intellectually demanding positions in industry such as consulting, market research and policy making. These types of work require students to go beyond the rote memorisation skills that characterise surface approaches and develop deeper research and analytical skills.
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Biggs (1987) and Biggs and Moore (1993) have distinguished two common approaches to learning adopted by students. According to the researchers, the deep approach is characterised by a personal commitment to learning and an interest in the subject, and consequently, searches for relationships among materials and interprets knowledge in light of previous knowledge structures and experiences. The deep approach to learning is likely to result in better retention and transfer of knowledge and may lead to quality learning outcomes
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This allows face-to-face class sessions to be used for active engagement and discussions between students in order to develop their critical thinking skills
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Students using the deep approach study longer, perform better, and tend to be more intrinsically motivated than those adopting a surface approach (Mashishi & Rabin, 1999)
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the conventional lecture style approach will thwart students’ ability to learn real world skills. Hence, a combination of the traditional teaching method and a student-centred learning approach will develop relevant skills and knowledge to fulfil the requirement of a dynamic and complex business environment.
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classes where students report adopting a deeper approaches to learning, teaching staff report adopting approaches to teaching that are more oriented towards students, encourage students to construct their own knowledge, involve the students and challenge the students’ conceptions and current ideas through questions, discussions and presentations (Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1999; Trigwell & Prosser, 2004).
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At Curtin Sarawak’s School of Business, we are encouraged to use the ‘flipped classroom’ model of teaching. This method requires students to prepare well before classes commence using the learning materials posted in the online learning platform
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On the other hand, a surface approach to learning is characterised by an intention to acquire only sufficient knowledge to complete the task or pass the subject. Students rely on memorisation and reproduction of material and do not seek further connections, meaning or the implications of what is learned. Therefore, they are unlikely to experience high quality learning outcomes or develop appropriate skills and competencies.
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the School invites prominent industry speakers to share practical industry applications of business theories and concepts with the students.
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to produce critical thinkers, academics need to adopt teaching strategies that challenge the students to think likewise on a regular basis. Conceptual change/student focused approaches to teaching are more likely to lead to student abilities to seek creative and innovative solutions to future issues, problems and situations.
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shared by izz aty on 11 Aug 11
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Lesson Planning with ProCon.org - ProCon.org - 0 views
www.procon.org/view.resource.php
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DAP Malaysia | The proposal to import Mandarin teachers from China - 0 views
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the idea of importing teachers and experts in Mandarin from China is not practical as most of these teachers from China are not fluent in Malay. So how can these teachers from China communicate with the students and teach Mandarin as a 3rd language effectively?
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Besides, since 2007, our government has spent RM12,302,720 to send 409 non-Chinese students to China to learn Mandarin. How much would it cost us to import teachers from China?
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instead of importing teachers in Mandarin from China, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should first tap into the local talent pool. 21% of the primary school students study at SJKC. Among them, 88% are Chinese and 9% are Bumiputra. At the same time, there are around 80,000 students studying at Chinese Independent Schools. All these are the potential candidates for becoming Mandarin teachers in the future.
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reply from Deputy Minister of Education, Datuk Mary Yap in Parliament on October 29, 289 teacher trainees have completed “Kursus Diploma Perguruan Malaysia – Kursus Dalam Cuti” (KDPM-KDC) in June while 495 teacher trainees will complete “Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan” (PISMP) in December. All these graduates are specifically trained to teach Mandarin as 2nd language in our national schools.
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Our Ministry of Education should first increase the intake for teaching Mandarin as 3rd language in PISMP and KDPM-KDC, and engage with Dong Jiao Zong to attract more students from Chinese Independent Schools to enroll. This will be a more expedient and costs effective method to produce 30,000 Mandarin teachers for 10,000 national schools.
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While we support the idea of teaching Mandarin as a 3rd language in all national schools, this should not be done in a hasty manner. A policy that has nationwide impact and huge costs implication should be discussed thoroughly and plan carefully. It should not be announced in UMNO General Assembly and then immediately be implemented a month later. We do not want to see a repeat of mistakes made by Government in PPSMI as the future of our students is at stake.
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shared by izz aty on 09 Sep 14
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Adult ADHD: 50 Tips of Management « Dr Hallowell ADHD and mental and cognitiv... - 0 views
www.drhallowell.com/ult-adhd-50-tips-of-management
health ADHD attention psychology 'mental health' brain society social science science medicine
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the single most powerful treatment for ADHD is understanding ADHD in the first place. Read books. Talk with professionals. Talk with other adults who have ADHD. You’ll be able to design your own treatment to fit your own version of ADHD.
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It is useful for you to have a coach, for some person near you to keep after you, but always with humor. Your coach can help you get organized, stay on task, give you encouragement or remind you to get back to work. Friend, colleague, or therapist (it is possible, but risky for your coach to be your spouse), a coach is someone to stay on you to get things done, exhort you as coaches do, keep tabs on you, and in general be in your corner. A coach can be tremendously helpful in treating ADHD.
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ADHD adults need lots of encouragement. This is in part due to their having many self-doubts that have accumulated over the years. But it goes beyond that. More than the average person, the ADHD adult withers without encouragement and positively lights up like a Christmas tree when given it. They will often work for another person in a way they won’t work for themselves. This is not “bad”, it just is. It should be recognized and taken advantage of.
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it equally if not more important for those around you to understand it–family, job, school, friends. Once they get the concept they will be able to understand you much better and to help you as well.
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Try to get rid of the negativity that may have infested your system if you have lived for years without knowing what you had was ADHD
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Listen to feedback from trusted others. Adults (and children, too) with ADHD are notoriously poor self-observers. They use a lot of what can appear to be denial.
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Give up guilt over high-stimulus-seeking behavior. Understand that you are drawn to high stimuli. Try to choose them wisely, rather than brooding over the “bad” ones.
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Don’t feel chained to conventional careers or conventional ways of coping. Give yourself permission to be yourself. Give up trying to be the person you always thought you should be–the model student or the organized executive, for example–and let yourself be who you are.
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what you have is a neuropsychiatric condition. It is genetically transmitted. It is caused by biology, by how your brain is wired. It is NOT a disease of the will, nor a moral failing. It is NOT caused by a weakness in character, nor by a failure to mature. It’s cure is not to be found in the power of the will, nor in punishment, nor in sacrifice, nor in pain. ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS. Try as they might, many people with ADHD have great trouble accepting the syndrome as being rooted in biology rather than weakness of character.
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External structure. Structure is the hallmark of the non-pharmacological treatment of the ADHD child. It can be equally useful with adults. Tedious to set up, once in place structure works like the walls of the bobsled slide, keeping the speedball sled from careening off the track.
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Make frequent use of: ◦ lists ◦ color-coding ◦ reminders ◦ notes to self ◦ rituals ◦ files
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Color coding. Mentioned above, color-coding deserves emphasis. Many people with ADHD are visually oriented. Take advantage of this by making things memorable with color: files, memoranda, texts, schedules, etc. Virtually anything in the black and white of type can be made more memorable, arresting, and therefore attention-getting with color.
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Now that you have the freedom of adulthood, try to set things up so that you will not constantly be reminded of your limitations.
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Break down large tasks into small ones. Attach deadlines to the small parts. Then, like magic, the large task will get done. This is one of the simplest and most powerful of all structuring devices. Often a large task will feel overwhelming to the person with ADHD. The mere thought of trying to perform the task makes one turn away. On the other hand, if the large task is broken down into small parts, each component may feel quite manageable.
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Prioritize. Avoid procrastination. When things get busy, the adult ADHD person loses perspective: paying an unpaid parking ticket can feel as pressing as putting out the fire that just got started in the wastebasket. Prioritize. Take a deep breath. Put first things first. Procrastination is one of the hallmarks of adult ADHD. You have to really discipline yourself to watch out for it and avoid it.
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Accept fear of things going well. Accept edginess when things are too easy, when there’s no conflict. Don’t gum things up just to make them more stimulating.
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Notice how and where you work best: in a noisy room, on the train, wrapped in three blankets, listening to music, whatever. Children and adults with ADHD can do their best under rather odd conditions. Let yourself work under whatever conditions are best for you.
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it is O.K. to do two things at once: carry on a conversation and knit, or take a shower and do your best thinking, or jog and plan a business meeting. Often people with ADHD need to be doing several things at once in order to get anything done at all.
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Do what you’re good at. Again, if it seems easy, that is O.K. There is no rule that says you can only do what you’re bad at.
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Leave time between engagements to gather your thoughts. Transitions are difficult for ADHD’ers, and mini-breaks can help ease the transition.
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Keep a notepad in your car, by your bed, and in your pocketbook or jacket. You never know when a good idea will hit you, or you’ll want to remember something else.
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Read with a pen in hand, not only for marginal notes or underlining, but for the inevitable cascade of “other” thoughts that will occur to you.
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Recharge your batteries. Related to #30, most adults with ADHD need, on a daily basis, some time to waste without feeling guilty about it. One guilt-free way to conceptualize it is to call it time to recharge your batteries. Take a nap, watch T.V., meditate. Something calm, restful, at ease.
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Many adults with ADHD have an addictive or compulsive personality such that they are always hooked on something. Try to make this something positive.
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Understand mood changes and ways to manage these. Know that your moods will change willy-nilly, independent of what’s going on in the external world. Don’t waste your time ferreting out the reason why or looking for someone to blame. Focus rather on learning to tolerate a bad mood, knowing that it will pass, and learning strategies to make it pass sooner. Changing sets, i.e., getting involved with some new activity (preferably interactive) such as a conversation with a friend or a tennis game or reading a book will often help.
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recognize the following cycle which is very common among adults with ADHD: Something “startles” your psychological system, a change or transition, a disappointment or even a success. The precipitant may be quite trivial. This “startle” is followed by a mini-panic with a sudden loss of perspective, the world being set topsy-turvy. You try to deal with this panic by falling into a mode of obsessing and ruminating over one or another aspect of the situation. This can last for hours, days, even months.
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Plan scenarios to deal with the inevitable blahs. Have a list of friends to call. Have a few videos that always engross you and get your mind off things. Have ready access to exercise. Have a punching bag or pillow handy if there’s extra angry energy. Rehearse a few pep talks you can give yourself, like, “You’ve been here before. These are the ADHD blues. They will soon pass. You are O.K.”
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Expect depression after success. People with ADHD commonly complain of feeling depressed, paradoxically, after a big success. This is because the high stimulus of the chase or the challenge or the preparation is over. The deed is done. Win or lose, the adult with ADHD misses the conflict, the high stimulus, and feels depressed.
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Use “time-outs” as with children. When you are upset or overstimulated, take a time-out. Go away. Calm down.
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Learn how to advocate for yourself. Adults with ADHD are so used to being criticized, they are often unnecessarily defensive in putting their own case forward. Learn to get off the defensive.
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Avoid premature closure of a project, a conflict, a deal, or a conversation. Don’t “cut to the chase” too soon, even though you’re itching to.
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Try to let the successful moment last and be remembered, become sustaining over time. You’ll have to consciously and deliberately train yourself to do this because you’ll just as soon forget.
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Remember that ADHD usually includes a tendency to overfocus or hyperfocus at times. This hyperfocusing can be used constructively or destructively. Be aware of its destructive use: a tendency to obsess or ruminate over some imagined problem without being able to let it go.
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Exercise vigorously and regularly. You should schedule this into your life and stick with it. Exercise is positively one of the best treatments for ADHD. It helps work off excess energy and aggression in a positive way, it allows for noise-reduction within the mind, it stimulates the hormonal and neurochemical system in a most therapeutic way, and it soothes and calms the body. When you add all that to the well-known health benefits of exercise, you can see how important exercise is. Make it something fun so you can stick with it over the long haul, i.e., the rest of your life.
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Learn to joke with yourself and others about your various symptoms, from forgetfulness, to getting lost all the time, to being tactless or impulsive, whatever. If you can be relaxed about it all to have a sense of humor, others will forgive you much more.
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Make a good choice in a significant other. Obviously this is good advice for anyone. But it is striking how the adult with ADHD can thrive or flounder depending on the choice of mate.
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Schedule activities with friends. Adhere to these schedules faithfully. It is crucial for you to keep connected to other people.
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Find and join groups where you are liked, appreciated, understood, enjoyed. Conversely, don’t stay too long where you aren’t understood or appreciated.