Research and Education
http://latino.si.edu/SpainLegacy/Archive/index.html
During the eighty-five year period after the 1763 Treaty of Paris, Great Britain, Spain, France, Native Americans, and the young American republic engaged in a number of conflicts, alliances, and battles on the North American continent. Drawing on primary source materials from the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and numerous other organizations, this delightful exhibit looks at the crucial Spanish contributions to the American cause during the Revolutionary War and the presence and influence of Hispanic culture in Florida, Louisiana, California, and the Southwest. Visitors can begin their exploration through the site by clicking through the five primary sections, which include "War of Independence" and "Spain in the American Imagination". Upon arriving at each section, visitors will be presented with an interactive "wall" of portraits, maps, treaties, and other items of historical ephemera. Additionally, the site also includes an interactive catalogue and a map. Needless to say, the site's materials are also available in Spanish. [KMG]
The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) is a clearinghouse of high-quality materials for educators, students and scientists "working together to improve the quality, quantity, and efficiency of teaching and learning about the Earth system at all levels." First-time visitors will want to look at the "Getting started with DLESE" section, as it provides a bit of background information, along with a guide to searching the library. Visitors can also get a better sense of the site's content by looking at the "Resource of the Day" featured on the homepage. More advanced users can also take advantage of the embedded search engine to look for educational resources by type, grade level, or relevant educational standard. The site is rounded out by a "News" area, which features items that are of interest to the Earth science community. [KMG]
http://www.tcnj.edu/~rgraham/rhetoric/
As a field of study, rhetoric has enjoyed a popular resurgence in at the college level, and when deployed effectively, various rhetorical devices can make any piece of writing much more compelling. Ron Graham has created this site designed to help engineers and "other practical people" with the practice and art of rhetoric. The site includes a summary of basic rhetoric, along with some "Two-Minute Drills", which are designed to help engineers with developing answers to questions like "Are engineers made or born?" and "Define 'reliability'". Visitors can also look over the site's complete contents via an interactive guide which covers everything from abstraction to workplace distractions. [KMG]
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMENA/Resources/EDU_Flagship_Full_ENG.pdf
The World Bank has long been interested in looking at education throughout the world, and this recent report pays close attention to education systems across the Middle East and North Africa. The report was released in February 2008, and offers a comprehensive economic analysis of the impact of education investments in the region. The report notes that while most of the countries in this region have made great strides in recent decades, they will need to place a premium on so-called "soft skills" (such as problem solving) in order to compete in a global economy. Additionally, the report recommends that policy-makers should use incentives, public accountability, curriculum and labor market reforms in order to make the region's economies more dynamic. [KMG]
http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/
Crafting meaningful and articulate lab presentations and correspondence can be difficult for anyone, including engineers and other scientists. This particular set of resources is deigned to teach engineering and science students about creating and writing materials such as resumes, formal laboratory reports, presentation slides, and so on. The guidelines are gathered into several different sections, including "Introduction", "Presentations", "Correspondence", and "Formal Reports". There is material for instructors here as well, and the offerings include pieces on the design of writing assignments, the interactive teaching of writing, and the evaluation of writing assignments. Finally, the site also contains a number of writing exercises on grammar, punctuation, and word usage. [KMG]
http://www.historyofethics.org/
Started in 2005, Studies in the History of Ethics is a peer-reviewed electronic journal and research portal focused on publishing articles and reviews which deal with the history of ethics. First-time visitors can use the homepage to look over more recent works, such as a symposium on the ethics of John Stuart Mill which includes pieces from scholars at the University of Utah and the National University of Singapore. Further down the page, users can also read up on the journal's calls for works to be included in future symposia. Moving on, visitors can click on the "Archives" section to read past pieces published online and they can also use an embedded search engine to look for specific works. The site is rounded out by an RSS feed and contact information for the journal's editors. [KMG]
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/
As one of the world's premier libraries, the Library of Congress has many staff members dedicated to helping members of the general public find the information they need. Along with providing in-person assistance in Washington, D.C., they also maintain this nifty site designed for persons looking for science reference material online. There is not much that isn't included on the site, as visitors can view webcasts on creating a school garden, look over research guides, and learn about "Everyday Mysteries". The "Everyday Mysteries" feature provides answers to questions such as "Who invented electric Christmas lights?" and it can be quite addictive. Visitors should also click on over to the "Science Reference Guides" area. Here they can look at comprehensive research bibliographies on chocolate, astronomy, electric power, and dozens more. With all of this material, visitors may also want to sign up for their RSS feed. [KMG]
Based at the Center for International Studies at MIT, the Security Studies Program is interested in "the integration of technical and political analysis of national and international security problems." Visitors to the site can look over their research agenda, learn about their degree programs, and also look at their interactive calendar. Scholars will definitely want to make their way to the "Program Publications" area. Here they will find the Program's annual report, their research journal, and a monthly newsletter titled "Early Warning". Moving on, visitors should also take a look at some of their working papers, which include "Transforming the Rewards for Military Service" and "The Political Science of Agent Orange". The site is rounded out with a search engine and information about relevant conferences. [KMG]
