Research and Education
Based at the University of Delaware, this set of peer-tested and vetted educational resources asks the important question: "How can I get my students to think?" Their educational philosophy places a premium on problem-based learning (PBL), which is an instructional method that asks students to work cooperatively in groups in order to seek solutions to real world problems. First-time visitors can take a look at some sample PBL problems. These sample problems include several group exercises that deal with everything from household wiring to a case study problem in molecular evolution. College instructors will want to definitely visit the "PBL Courses and Syllabi" area, where they can take a look at sample syllabi that draw inspiration from the problem-based learning perspective. Finally, visitors can also browse through the PBL Clearinghouse and look over a list of related educational sites. [KMG]
http://www.maa.org/t_and_l/exchange/ite11/worksheets.htm
The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is creating a series of instructional materials for mathematics teachers, and they are drawing on the expertise of high-quality instructors from across the country. One such teacher is Cindy Wyels, who teaches math at California State University, Channel Islands. She recently created this useful set of materials that will help teachers with the use of worksheets in the classroom. As she remarks in her introduction to these materials, "Worksheets used in class can also help direct students' learning out-of-class." This site contains links to discussion and illustrative examples, and also offers tips on how to focus students' attention in class, delivering content efficiently, and teaching students how to learn from their textbooks. [KMG]
http://nationalacademies.org/evolution/
Science teachers at high schools and colleges will be glad to learn about the wide range of materials on the subject of evolution that are available on this very fine website. The site is maintained by the National Academies, and the resources here are divided into sections that include "Reports", "Statements", "Research Papers on Evolution", and "Academies' Articles". In the "Reports" area, visitors will find a handful of full-length topical reports that deal with evolution in Hawaii and the very popular, "Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science". Moving on, the research papers offered here include scholarly papers on the future of evolution and retrospectives on previous research done in the field of evolution. The site is rounded out by links to other relevant resources, such as the homepage of the National Center for Science Education and a PBS online course that addresses teaching evolution. [KMG]
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=24468&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
How does one stir the pot of creative possibilities, so to speak? It is a daunting challenge, and UNESCO's Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity is interested in exploring "new ways to turn creativity in developing countries into sustainable cultural industries." The Alliance was launched in 2002, and they have recently embarked on a number of public-private partnerships that are designed to encourage job creation in fields such as cinema, music, and publishing. The site is quite user-friendly, and visitors will find a number of tabs on the homepage, such as "Focus on Members", "Projects", "About the Alliance", and "Info Centre". Visitors can dive right into the "Projects" area, where they can learn about recent projects such as the development of a national strategy for the Jamaican music industry and another project on professionalizing the publishing sector in Algeria. The "Info Centre" area is another spot that should be visited, and it features cultural statistics and studies, along with project progress reports and newsletters. [KMG]
More and more organizations are concerned with the future of higher education, and one dedicated to examining this quickly changing area is the European Association for International Education (EAIE). The primary aim of the EAIE is "the stimulation and facilitation of the internationalization of higher education in Europe and around the world." On their homepage, visitors can learn about their annual conference and also read about their latest policy statements and press releases. Most visitors to the site will be interested in the "Publications" area. From the forum articles to their interviews with persons in the field of European higher education, there is a great deal that will be of use to people researching this area, or for those who are looking for comparisons with their own region. The site is rounded out by a membership section and a complete events calendar. [KMG]
http://www.ac.cc.md.us/Department/math.html/fintro.html
The Allegany College of Maryland helped develop an approach to teaching mathematics to students in the health professions that has garnered a number of accolades. With a desire to let others know about their work, they created this site as a clearinghouse of information about their approach, complete several sample lessons, a presentation or two, and some additional links of interest. New visitors may wish to read the brief introduction to the project, and then continue on to view their online presentation. For many educators, the key section of this site will be the "Sample Lessons" area. Here, they will find topical lessons that deal with aspects of mathematics related to the health professions, such as determining exponential curves, systems of equations, and the world of mean, median, and mode. [KMG]
http://path.upmc.edu/cases/dxindex.html
Students in the health sciences learn from case studies, patient histories, and a variety of other means. In recent years, a number of medical schools in the United States have contributed to medical education by placing slide collections, pathology reports, and other related materials online. The University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine is part of this delightful trend, and they have placed a number of case studies culled from their Department of Pathology's files here on this site. Visitors can look over these files by patient history or diagnosis, and all told, there are well over 100 cases offered here. Visitors can read the pathology reports, view selections of related medical images and scans, and also read the final diagnosis report. [KMG]
The Urban Age group was initiated by the Cities Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Deutsche Bank's Alfred Herrhausen Society. The group's principal aim is "to shape the thinking and practice of urban leaders and sustainable urban development." To accomplish this, they have coalesced around four key themes, which include labour market and work places, public life and urban space, mobility and transport, and housing and urban neighborhoods. On their homepage, visitors can learn about the conferences they sponsor, learn more about their partner organizations, and also read about the project team members. For urbanologists and their ilk, the "Publications" section is a place to definitely visit. Here, visitors can read essays on the economic history of cities, perceptions of safety in cities, and how to best govern mega-urban regions. [KMG]
