Archive for the ‘Education 2.0’ Category
March 12th, 2010
Besides the sights, food, and sense of adventure that comes with the appeal of studying abroad, there are other elements to the program that can be beneficial to a student’s future. If you are a student, and money is not the main issue that you consider before studying abroad, perhaps you should think about these other facts about studying abroad that will help broaden and nourish your education. You will notice that each point builds off of another.
#1 Become Cultured
Being cultured does not mean that a person becomes snooty. It is becoming well-versed and knowledgeable with other’s surroundings, becoming aware that there are other cultures and people who live different lives than your own. Being cultured is a form of education because you are learning about other people, which actually make you also learn more about yourself.
#2 Learn Independence
This may actually be the immediate appeal of studying abroad for some people – getting away from authority figures. Depending on whether it is a foreign exchange or a group study abroad program, there are still people who you have to check-in with and answer to. However, being without your ordinary care-givers and learning the rules of another chaperone actually forces you to depend on yourself to deal with the changes around you. You may need to go shopping for yourself, get used to the foreign transportation, and learn to communicate with new people. Adjusting to the different lifestyle and regimen makes you depend on your own ability to mature with an ever-changing life, whether it is in a foreign country or when you eventually go back to your own home soil.
#3 Become a Better Student
Learning independence can greatly improve your study habits, which in effect creates a better student. Although there is much to offer with the surroundings in a foreign country, a study abroad program forces students to study hard. If you believe that you are traveling to a foreign country to slack off, you are under the wrong impression. Study abroad programs keep their students busy with classes and homework. A friend of mine told me that his trip to Spain kept him so busy with his school work that he only had time to sight-see on the weekend. And, having spent the money as well as the effort of getting into the program, students feel more inclined to do a good job, and learn to depend on themselves to get a good grade since there isn’t really anyone else to force you to do your homework except for you. But, with all of your new friends around you studying hard, you can feel inspired to try just as hard as everyone else.
#4 Learn a Second Language
Usually, students who study abroad visit with a country that speaks another language. Although this is not always the case, since students could easily study in England, Ireland, or Scotland where they speak English, if you do go to a country with a different language, you are forced to pick up some of it. Even if you do not become fluent in the language, you will at least learn enough to have broken conversations or get by. Knowing a second language is extremely beneficial in regards to your education since schools want students to learn a second language anyway, and speaking at least two languages is even beneficial to your career since most jobs are impressed with applicants who speak more than one language.
#5 Improves Resume
Learning a second language, earning independence, and become cultured are all parts of studying abroad that impress employers. Everything that you can gain from a study abroad program will help you be a better worker in the future, and employers recognize that. Putting your study abroad program on your resume is a great addition to the skills and education you have earned.
February 11th, 2010
Study, study, study… it’s what students do almost every day of their life. And, if they aren’t studying, then they are worried about when they have to start studying again after their short break. Unfortunately, that is just the way of the student. There are good and bad ways to study though. If you are a student who wants to improve your grades, then there are simple tricks and tips to keep in mind that will not only improve your grades, but possibly make your own studying habits a little simpler on yourself.
Overall, it comes down to planning. Think ahead a little bit and try out these 7 things to help improve your study skills and, ultimately, your grades.
#1 Get Rest
Although this has been gone over many times, it is never said enough – Get enough rest before you go to school. Showing up to school tired means that you are not focused on the material that your teacher is lecturing or on what you are reading. If you are having trouble focusing in class while you yawn every ten minutes or more, chances are that you are not getting enough sleep during the night. If you are still skeptical on the importance of getting sleep, there is an entire blog on Eduify that is dedicated to the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.
#2 Eat Before an Exam, (but don’t drink much)
Food is fuel. When people do not eat properly they become tired, weak, and grumpy. None of those symptoms of hunger are conducive to proper concentration while you try to study or attend class. If you are in class and you stomach is grumbling because you skipped breakfast again, you are going to end up daydreaming about food rather than listen to the lecture. Do yourself a favor and eat something that will tide you over while attending class. However, you may not want to drink anything in excess. The feeling of a full bladder and needing to run to the bathroom in the middle of class can be just as distracting as an empty stomach.
#3 Arrive to Class Early
When students are showing up to class late they are often out of breath or are interrupting the instructor’s lesson. A late entrance not only distracts the students, but it distracts the teacher, which is no way to get on a teacher’s good side. Being late also means that you have missed some material that was first given in the beginning of class, which may leave you a bit frazzled and possibly missing even more information as you ask a fellow student, “What did I miss?” I recommend showing up five or ten minutes early to class, so you have time to take your seat and set up your books without disturbing anyone with your backpack’s zipper or adjustments of your chair. An early student is prepared and in a ready state-of-mind to be taught.
#4 Make Flash Cards
Many students make flash cards when they are preparing for a test. I suggest making flash cards even before your test. Make early preparations for your test. If there is some information that you feel will be difficult to remember, you should put it on a flash card, that way when it is time to take your test, most of your flashcards will already be set for you, which should make you more relaxed than having to prepare cards last minute for your test.
#5 Record Lectures
If you happen to have a teacher who goes over material quickly or does not seem to stay on a topic long enough for you in class, ask the instructor if he or she would mind that you record the lecture. With a copy of the lecture in your pocket, you can later rewind and listen to any important parts that you may have missed jotting down in your notes. Most teachers do allow students to bring a recorder in to class, as long as they are warned ahead of time. It is not ethical to record a person talking who is not aware of it, so be sure to ask your teacher for permission before doing so.
#6 Read the Material after the Lecture
It may seem simple, but there are far too many students who only listen to the teacher lecture over a subject, but never actually read the material in the book. After the lecture, make time to read over the same material your instructor went over. Going over a lesson twice will help solidify the information in your memory better.
#7 Discuss Material with Friends
Although most students do not want to talk about their homework, having a discussion about the material you are studying is a great way to help remember information. If you are reading something confusing or interesting, relay that exact information to a friend or family member. When you force yourself to repeat the material and think about the topics in a conversation, you help yourself remember the information better. Since I had trouble remembering dates in history, I used to spout off facts to my brother with, “Did you know…?” He would usually roll his eyes or ignore me because he didn’t want a history lesson, but I just continued talking at him and it was a lot of help for me to remember the facts easier.
December 29th, 2009
by Julia H. Jackson
Remember back in the day when the only way to get the news was in a newspaper? No? Neither do I. Or when the three main media of journalism were print, television, and radio? That not-so-distant memory has quickly evolved into an entirely new system for international human communication. We are members of a digital generation. So many of us spend most of our days plugged into something: mp3 players, iPhones, laptops, and now even Kindles. The advent of podcasting, or broadcasting via the web in downloadable forms, has reinvented how people get their news, and given us more freedom in choosing what we want, when we want it. Today we bring you 5 Podcasts That Will Make You Smarter, brought to you for free via iTunes or via the producers’ home pages.
5. RadioLab
Ever wonder about the psychology of memory? Or maybe the science of sleep? RadioLab, produced by WYNC’s Jad Abumbrad and Robert Krulwich, dissects such topics as race, mortality, sperm, and space. The producers present each show as a unique soundscape, combining interviews with funny, thoughtful dialogue. Their voices are unique, even in the world of public radio: Abumrad’s work as a composer and Krulwich’s background in broadcast media (ABC, NOVA) influence both the nature and style of show production.
Suggested shows: “Stochasticity,” “War of the Worlds,” “Placebo“
Kurt Andersen’s weekly WYNC radio program has a little something for everyone: film and theater reviews, interviews with writers, musicians, directors, and artists, and profiles of designers and architects. Andersen has featured such talent as animator and director Tim Burton, director Pedro Almodovar, author Barbara Kingsolver, and singer Yoko Ono.
Suggested shows: “Artists and Obama,” “Ben Hong, West Side Story, Sufjan,” “Gay Flag, Hip Hop. Spektor”
New York City’s Symphony Space hosts a weekly reading of short stories, hosted by Isaiah Sheffer. The stories are introduced and read by a number of well-known screen and theater actors, and often share a similar theme. In addition, Selected Shorts has inspired an adult literacy program, All Write!, and hosts the annual Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story writing contest.
Suggested shows: “Confused Couples,” “Indian Country,” “People With Problems,”
The New Yorker’s Fiction Editor Deborah Treisman hosts this monthly podcast, which features a notable writer reading their favorite short story, and a subsequent discussion. This is a great choice for creative writers and literature majors, not only because the featured readers sometimes choose surprising stories, but because the conversation afterward reveals a lot about literary influence and style choices. Previous readers include Junot Diaz, Yiyun Li, Tobias Wolff, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Suggested shows: “Luck of the Draw,” “The Dating Game”
This cult classic has steadily grown in popularity and exposure in the 15 years since it was first created at Chicago’s WBEZ station. Ira Glass and his team of producers curate shows that follow unusual, surprising themes every week, sometimes experimenting with new forms and methods for finding stories. Regular contributors include David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell, and David Rakoff.
Suggested shows: “Testosterone,” “Break-Up,” “This I Used to Believe”
These podcasts represent about 10% of the quality programming available for free online. National Public Radio offers many of its programs online, as does Public Radio International. But podcasting does not need to be sponsored by a major organization; anyone with the proper technology can create, edit, and post podcasts. So what are you waiting for?
September 20th, 2009
We love literature. We love music. But try telling your English teacher that listening to music helps you better understand literature when you’re caught listening to your iPod in class…
Actually, the connection between pop music and classical literature isn’t as far fetched as it seems. Though it may not always be obvious, pop stars do read — at least, they occasionally read. How else would they be able to write such great songs based on literary works? Below, our 5 favorites with links to their music videos and descriptions of the work in question.
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September 17th, 2009
The Simpsons is a show that is rife with literary references. So rife, in fact, that we had difficulty narrowing it down to our five favorites. Like many of you students, we here at Eduify have seen every single Simpsons episode (at least once). We love the show for its incisive and hilarious writing, its endearingly obnoxious characters, and the strange relevance that a little cartoon can have on our actual lives. So, without further ado, here are our 5 favorite Simpsons episodes and educational links to the literary references therein.
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