Research and Education
http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/regional/mei/
Founded in 1954, the Middle East Institute of Columbia University has offered a multidisciplinary approach to studying the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the 19th and 20th century. Currently under the direction of Professor Rashid Khalidi, the Institute sponsors a number of conferences and talks each year, and also functions as a clearinghouse for information on the region. Alongside detailed information about various public programs for scholars and the general public, the institute's site also provides some helpful educational materials, such as a Research Projects section. Here visitors can download materials on educational outreach for Muslim sensitivity, and peruse other documents on researching Middle East topics on the Internet. The e-Resources section is also worth a look, as it contains a number of archived lectures on very topical themes, including Iran and Israeli and Palestinian nationalism. [KMG]
It is at times very difficult to get children excited about math, but Math Cats (designed by Wendy Patti, a teacher) is an online archive of fun and informative activities that will help young people learn about a number of math topics, including geometry, arithmetic, and other topics. As one might expect, much of this is achieved by a number of virtual cats who explain various features of the site, and the different math concepts that are explored within. The site is divided up into a number of sections, including one that is particularly well-thought out, MicroWorlds. Here visitors may download a number of interactive projects, such as Coin Flipper (a way to learn about probability) and Multiply It, which allows users to learn about multiplication. The Math Crafts section is also quite ingenious, providing plans for different fun projects, such as the Number City and a Polygon Airport. Finally, visitors may sign up to receive an electronic newsletter and learn about the various accolades that the site has received. [KMG]
http://www.chicagohistory.org/mychicago
It's hard to get a handle on the Second City at times, even for long-time residents, and particularly for young people who may be overwhelmed by the city's history. Assisting with that process of developing historical knowledge and acumen is this new site from the Chicago Historical Society (with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities). Designed for young people ages 6 to 12, the site uses the city flag (and its symbols and design) to facilitate an introduction to the city's past. The Games section is where it all begins, as students can use an interactive flag of the city to learn what its symbols represent, play artefact detective with objects from before and after the Great Fire of 1871, and learn about the World's Fair of 1893 while completing a puzzle. Students and teachers alike can download one of ten activity handouts, along with completing a brief survey about the site and it usefulness. [KMG]
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/weatherproj/index_NEW.html
Created by the Stevens Institute of Technology, the Wonderful World of Weather is a standard-based real time data module for elementary students to explore weather phenomena locally and globally. Teachers can find many fun classroom activities divided into three sections: introductory activities, real time data activities, and language arts activities related to weather. The website features an abundance of links to real time weather data. Students can learn how to have their work published on the website. Users can find additional materials about children's books related to weather, guidelines for data collection, and curriculum standards. [RME] This site is also reviewed in the March 19, 2004 NSDL Physical Sciences Report.
The landscape of higher education (and, in particular, its funding schemes) in Britain is quite complex. And given recent developments it is likely to become even more variegated in the coming years. One way to stay abreast of these important developments is through consulting the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) website, which is the agency responsible for making decisions about how much funding each higher education institution will receive from the United Kingdom's central government. Visitors to the site will want to peruse the six primary sections, which are dedicated to the council's main activities, including research, finance, good practice, widening participation, and learning and teaching. As with many organizations, the publication section is quite strong, as it features literally hundreds of documents (dating back to 1994) that deal with various aspects of higher education throughout Britain, including the financial performance of higher education, best practice models, and information on the research and assessment exercise for British universities and colleges.
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/index.html
The PBS television news program, Frontline, has been applauded over the years for its fine coverage of important national and international topics that demand intensive research and a commitment to investigative journalism. This relatively recent addition to the program, Frontline: World aims "to not only help fill the void in current international news coverage but also to engage the American public in global stories that resonate in their own lives." Each episode of Frontline: World contains two or three short stories, told by an eclectic group of video journalists and reporters who are working in various countries, such as Sierra Leone, Bhutan, and Bolivia. On the site, visitors can watch the programs in their entirety, browsing through a list of programs organized by location, date, place or theme. Visitors can also take part in lively online discussion forums, which are provided as a place for viewers to debate and discuss some of the complex problems and issues raised by these short features. The site also includes an area for educators that features helpful educational materials, and a place where they may sign up to receive email updates about new materials and upcoming programs in the series. [KMG]
Perhaps some users of the Scout Report are thinking to themselves, "I wonder where on the internet I might be able to watch a course on anthropology, listen and watch artists from the Northwest talk about their work, then watch an in-depth conversation with entrepreneurs and business leaders." Well, the waiting is over, as the Seattle Central Community College has created the SCCtv website, broadcasting academic and vocational telecourses over the web 24 hours a day at no charge. Visitors can view these programs at their discretion, browse a calendar of programming (which can also be downloaded for easy reference), and take a brief look at the archived programs. Some of the archived thematic collections are quite nice, including the Entrepreneurs & Innovators area, which features interviews with executives from creative and successful businesses in the Pacific Northwest. Late night web-browsers may also want to take a look at Movie Marvels, where Professor Fred Fridays plays host to a different campy horror movie every Friday at 9 p.m., PST. [KMG]
http://www.rain-tree.com/plants.htm
Hosted by Raintree, the Tropical Plant Database is authored and maintained by Board Certified Naturopath, Ms. Leslie Taylor to provide accurate information about rainforest plants and to help promote rainforest conservation. Including over 300 pages of documentation on rainforest plants and very well-organized, the Tropical Plant Database lists plants by Common name, Botanical name, Ethnic uses, and Action/disorder. The Database File for each plant includes an illustration and information about family, genus, species, common names, plant description, and more. Visitors can link to great illustrations and photos as well as web resources for each plant including Medline Abstracts, W3 TROPICOS Database, Ethnobotany Database, and Phtyochem Database among others. Plant Database File pages include references as well. This site is also reviewed in the March 19, 2004 NSDL Life Sciences Report. [NL]
