Education
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/
Filamentality is a tool offered by SBC (that's right, the phone company) as part of its education program and the Knowledge Network Explorer (KNE) website. The tool is meant to help educators (classroom teachers, trainers, students, or librarians) create Web-based activities. Basically, Filamentality is "a fill-in-the-blank tool that guides you through picking a topic, searching the Web, gathering good Internet links, and turning them into learning activities." The idea is to "combine the 'filament' of the Web with a learner's 'mentality.'" Setting up your own website is free and the process is explained so that you can get started with little or no knowledge of HTML or how the Web works. The Search Filamentality section lets visitors find some websites already created using Filamentality (i.e.: a search for "mathematics" brought up 1396 different websites), as well as related resources offered through the Knowledge Network Explorer. The Activity Formats section provides some suggestions and examples for ways to organize your educational website. [VF]
This is the educational companion website to ASIMO (see MET report August 16, 2002, Humanoid Robot), a robot designed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The ASIMO North American Educational Tour introduces the Honda ASIMO robot to kids across America as a way to encourage students to study robotics and science. Although the online schedule shows no touring after July 11, 2004, they suggest you check back frequently for updates. Meanwhile, the website offers a wealth of information on robotics and the history of ASIMO. The information is provided with brief descriptions as well as interactive diagrams and videos of ASIMO. For a bit more fun, the ASIMO Download Center includes an ASIMO robot screensaver, ASIMO robot wallpaper, and an ASIMO desktop pet. A teacher resource section includes fun facts about ASIMO and robots, a detailed history of ASIMO and suggested activities. [VF]
http://whyfiles.org/shorties/158math_lang/
This interactive article from the Why Files reports on a recent study by Daniela O'Neill, professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, which examined the relationship between language ability and skills in mathematics. The author discusses the findings and points to some interesting directions for further investigation. In particular, "the study suggested that certain narrative skills could predict math skills on a later test, but it did not explain the relationship." The full article on the study is in a journal First Language, which is available only by subscription. [VF]
http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issues.asp
The Education Commission of the States is a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to help state leaders identify, develop and implement public policy for education that addresses current and future needs of a learning society." This section on Education Issues allows visitors to choose a particular issue to explore such as mathematics, or browse the sections on Early Learning Issues, K-12 Issues, and Postsecondary Issues. Each issue page includes a section on What States Are Doing, Selected Research & Readings, and Other Web Sites. In some cases, they include links to related issue areas for further exploration. Visitors are invited to email comments within each issue area. [VF]
http://www.consortium-chicago.org/keymeasures/index.html
Founded in 1990 and based at the University of Chicago, the Consortium on Chicago School Research "aims to conduct research of high technical quality that can inform and assess policy and practice in the Chicago Public Schools." One of the group's goals is enhance the communication between researchers, policy makers and practitioners and to encourage the use of research in policy action. This section of the site reports on the findings from their 2003 survey (released in January 2004) of all Chicago public school teachers and sixth- through 10th-grade students. The survey, which they conduct every two years, asks teachers about classroom instruction, professional development experiences, and working conditions. Students are asked to report on their school experiences, attitudes, and activities. They have grouped the responses and present them in terms of five Essential Supports for Student Learning: School Leadership, Parent and Community Partnerships, Student-Centered Learning Climate, Professional Capacity, and Quality Instructional Program. A final section reports on seven measures from specific survey items that asked teachers and students about computer access, computer usage, and the availability of resources (including human resources) that facilitate the inclusion of technology in the classroom. Also included are graphs that show survey response trends from 1994 to 2003. [VF]
http://www.asme.org/education/precollege/achieve/
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) offers this educational website for teachers. Essentially, they provide free downloadable lesson plans and activities based on what the ASME has selected as the top 10 Great Achievements of 20th Century. The top 10 Great Achievements are: the Automobile, Apollo Moon Landing, Power Generation, Agricultural Mechanization, Airplane, Integrated Circuits, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, CAD Technology, Bioengineering, and Codes / Standards. Each achievement and lesson plan is described briefly, with the full activity description, background information and student handouts available in PDF. [VF]
