voyage through the minds

Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Monday, 12 October 2015

Internet enables people to learn in a network without meeting in physical environments. Blogs, Wikis, Twitter messages and other Web 2.0 media forms bring learners many new learning experiences. Learning networks make it possible for learners to learn together and to show their achievements. Certain monitoring tools are required to monitor the learning activities. However, it is challenging to measure the performance of learning or to tell who make better progresses in learning some soft skills.

eTwinning is a professional development network for European school teachers and has been aimed to promote European teachers' collaboration through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In order to recognize teachers' performance in project cooperation, additional values such as "Quality Label" and "European eTwinning Prizes" are applied to assess teachers' achievements within eTwinning. That additional information may help teachers and management staffs learn about teachers' learning performance or professional development path.

eTWINNING

The eTwinning action is an initiative of the European Commission that aims to encourage European schools to collaborate using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by providing the necessary infrastructure. Therefore, teachers registered in the eTwinning action are enabled to form partnerships and develop collaborative, pedagogical school projects in any subject area with the sole requirements to employ ICT to develop their project and collaborate with teachers from other European countries .The primary workspace for the eTwinningaction, is the eTwinning Portal and it is available in 25 languages. Teachers registered in the eTwinning action, also called eTwinners. This growing and active community enforced the change in the motto of eTwinning from "School partnerships in Europe" to "The community for schools in Europe".

HISTORY

The eTwinning action was launched in January 2005. Its main objectives complied with the decision by the Barcelona European Council in March 2002 to promote school twinning as an opportunity for all students to learn and practice ICT skills and to promote awareness of the multicultural European model of society. More than 13 000 schools were involved in eTwinning within its first year. In early 2009 the eTwinning motto has changed from "School partnerships in Europe" to "The community for schools in Europe". Currently in June 2012, more than 20 000 projects have been developed between two or more schools across Europe, the total number of registered teachers is close to 170 000 and the number of involved schools is more than 90 000.

OPERATION

The main concept behind eTwinning is that schools are paired with another school elsewhere in the Europe and they collaboratively develop a project, also known as eTwinning project. eTwinning encourages and develops ICT skills as the main activities inherently use information technology. Being 'twinned' with a foreign school also encourages cross-cultural exchanges of knowledge, fosters students' intercultural awareness, and improves their communication skills.

eTwinning projects last for any length of time ranging from only a week, to months, up to creating permanent relationships between schools. In contrast with other European programmes, such as the Comenius programme, all communication is held via the internet and therefore there is no need for grants. Along the same lines, face-to-face meetings between partners schools are not required, though they are not prohibited and some schools organise face-to-face meetings. European schoolnet has been granted the role of Central Support Service (CSS) at European level. eTwinning is also supported by a network of National Support Services (NSS).

The aim is for eTwinners to share practice examples, discuss teaching and learning methodologies and find support for professional development.

COLLABORATION AND eTWINNING

School organization Collaboration can take place on several levels:'

• Collaboration between schools

• Schools may have steering committees for monitoring school development measures, among which collaborative working is one method of working.

• Collaboration between teachers

• Exchanges may take place informally, in pedagogical conversations, in lesson or class conferences, during congresses and regional meetings

• Involvement of the social and economical community around the school.

• In order to allow collaborative learning in the classroom and to be able to moderate this process when necessary, it is fundamental that teachers themselves are well-trained and experienced in collaborative learning. Therefore, communication training (e. g. feedback rules) may be useful to help them to start thinking about their behaviour and communication processes and to deepen their confidence in this way of working.

• Team building methods may be carried out by intensive collaborative working days where the school manager and all teachers meet and exchange experiences on pedagogical questions, processes, the use of multimedia as well as basic competencies.

• Changes individual attitudes and behaviours by communicating, respecting and also adapting;

•It is an advantage for the individual learning process: common help and several ideas lead to increased output;

•It has positive social effects by an unproved communication: helps for building teams and to get to know each other better;

•It is important for living and working outside the school, i. e. for the future profession;

•It needs rules in order to function;

•It is more fun than working alone.

THE ROLE OF ICT AND eTWINNING

ICT has been heralded as a tool that will change the face of society, not only educationally but also socially. Education has been caught up in this maelstrom of change with much debate about the positive and negative impact of ICT on the role of the teacher, the learning style of students and the institution of school itself. The integration of ICT into teaching and learning activities has been slowly formulating over many years from the use of tape recorders and language laboratories in language teaching, to the use of television and video material in all subject areas. The last twenty years has witnessed the invasion of computerized technology into all aspects of our lives, from banking to shopping and of course, education. This has led to the notion of Lifelong Learning, where the formal education process is no longer viewed as something that happens only within the solid walls of formal educational institutions. New models of learning environments are emerging: community based learning centres; home based digital TV screen; public information kiosks; WAP mobile information services; wireless education delivered through high speed cable connection to an interactive environment which permit the use of portable devices literally anywhere. These together with the phenomenal growth of the Internet means that teaching and learning tasks are being broadened in ways unimagined twenty, ten or even five years ago. The use of new technology is now seen as a means of encouraging a more personal style of learning in which the student is actively involved in seeking out knowledge and the answers to specific problems.

ICT-use One of the main objectives for eTwinning is to promote the use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. By using email, web-pages, blogs and vlogs, videoconferencing and internet, etc, the students’ and teachers’ ICT skills will be developed and used in a relevant and natural way. So far, European collaborative projects have been carried out by some schools by visiting each other, writing letters and sending photographs. ICT provides an inexhaustible variety of ways to structures and perform a collaborative project with professional and rewarding results that speed up letter writing and the sending of photographs and make face to face visits more rewarding and worthwhile by the ease with which the visit can be planned and extending the contact afterward easily.

CONCLUSION

Collaboration is a key issue in nowadays education. It is important that schools recognize the value of collaboration between teachers inside the school and between teachers of different schools. Engaging in this collaboration between teachers can reflect the potential for possible collaborative work between pupils and schools. ICT is viewed by many as a tool or set of tools that enable communication, but it is argued that ICT is more than just a tool. It is a means of interaction and communication that has never been possible up to this point, in that it enables interaction, construction of knowledge, collaboration and social activity in a way never conceived before. The challenge for independent learning and motivation are increased: ICT makes lessons more vivid and motivates pupils through experimental and active learning. eTwinning can contribute to all of this and provide a ready-made audience for collaboration by means of ICT and ICT tools

REFERENCE

1. Bassey, M. (1999).Case Study Research in Educational Settings. Berkshire: Open University Press. Balanskat, A., Blamire, R. &Kefala, S. (2006). The ICT Impact Report: A review of studies of ICT impact on schools in Europe.

2. Brussels: European Schoolnet. Retrieved from http://insight.eun.org/shared/data/pdf/impact_study.pdf

3. Central Support Service for eTwinning (2006). Learning with eTwinning. Brussels: European Schoolnet.

4.Drent, M. &Meelissen, M. (2008). Which factors obstruct or stimulate teacher educators to use ICT innovatively? Computers & Education, 51, 187-199.

Chemistry Jokes

Two atoms are walking down the street.

Says one atom to the other, "Hey! I think I lost an electron!"

The other says, "Are you sure??"

"Yes, I'm positive!"

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate!

A neutron walks into a restaurant and orders a couple of cokes. As she is about to leave, she asks the waiter how much she owes. The waiter replies, "For you, No Charge!!!"

A sign outside the chemistry hotel reads "Great Day Rates, Even Better NO₃^-'s"

Sometimes people can get carried away with a danger that isn't real! A group is working hard to ban the "potentially dangerous" chemical, dihydrogen monoxide (water) - check out the research on this subject.

A small piece of ice which lived in a test tube fell in love with a Bunsen burner. "Bunsen! my flame! I melt whenever I see you" said the ice. The Bunsen burner replied :"It's just a phase you're going through".

Heisenberg is out for a drive when he's stopped by a traffic cop. The cop says: " Do you know how fast you were going? Heisenberg replies: "No, but I know where I am".

Why did the white bear dissolve in water? Because it was polar.

What do you call a tooth in a glass of water? A one molar solution.

What do dipoles say in passing? "Have you got a moment?"

Why does hamburger have lower energy than steak? Because it's in the ground state.

What do you do with a dead chemists? Barium

What weapon can you make from the elements potassium, nickel and iron? A KNiFe.

What did one titration tell the other? Let's meet at the endpoint.

Why are chemists great for solving problems? They have all the solutions.

Did you hear about the chemist who was reading a book about Helium? He just couldn't put it down.

Why do chemistry professors like to teach about ammonia? Because it's basic material.

What is a cation afraid of? A dogion.

What did the Cowboy Chemist tell his horse? HIO Ag!!!!

How many moles are in a guacamole? Avocado's number.

Why did Carbon marry Hydrogen? They bonded well from the minute they met.

What kind of ghosts haunt chemistry faculties? Methylated spirits.

If H₂0 is water what is H₂0₄? Drinking, bathing, washing, swimming. . .

According to a chemist, why is the world so diverse? Because it's made up of alkynes of people.

What's the difference between Chemistry and cooking? In Chemistry, you should never lick the spoon.

A group of organic molecules were having a party, when a group of robbers broke into the room and stole all of the guest's joules. A tall, strong man, armed with a machine gun came into the room and killed the robbers one by one. The guests were very grateful to this man, and they wanted to know who he was. He replied: My name is BOND, Covalent Bond.

A freshman chemistry student prepared a standard solution and showed it to her professor. The professor gave her a puzzled look, and said: This solution looks a bit WEIRD. Are you sure you used the right set of reagents? The student replied: Absolutely. According to my calculations, this is one NORMAL solution.

Friday, 9 October 2015

Top 10 Indian scientists and their contributions:

1. C V Raman

The great Indian physicist, Dr Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman will never be forgotten for his research in the field of physics, which turned out to be a momentous contribution to the world. The discovery of Raman Effect earned him the prestigious Bharat Ratna Award, in addition to Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

Some other Indian scientists who will always be remembered for their glorious contributions in the field of science and technology are Salim Ali, Harish Chandra, G N Ramachandran and Dr Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar.

2. Homi J Bhabha

Featuring next on this list is the leading atomic scientist, Homi J Bhabha, who was instrumental in the scientific progress of the country by setting up institutes like Bhabha Atomic Research Institute and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. This great physicist was also the first man to hold the position of the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

3. M Visvesvaraya

One of the greatest scientists and engineers of India was M Visvesvaraya, who has played a key role in the building of Krishnarajasagar Dam and introduced the technology of steel doors to prevent wastage of water in dams. His contribution in the field of architecture of modern India fetched him the Bharat Ratna in 1918.

4. APJ Abdul Kalam

APJ Abdul Kalam, also known as the Missile Man of India, is a great visionary and scientist from India, who has also served as the President of the country from 2007 to 2011. He has been noted for his contribution in the field of vehicle technology and ballistic missile.

5. Srinivasa Ramanujan

The next name to feature on the list of top 10 Indian scientists is that of Srinivasa Ramanujan, known as the greatest mathematician of the 20^th century. His contribution in the field of mathematics and geometry has been immense, with research on elliptic function, continued fractions, infinite series and analytical theory of numbers.

6. Dr Raja Ramanna

Dr Raja Ramanna was an outstanding physicist and nuclear scientist, who had worked in close co ordination with Dr Homi Bhabha. He was a multi faceted personality, who was also a scholar, musician and philosophy researcher.

7. Dr Yellapragada Subba Rao

Next on this list comes the name of the famous biochemist called Dr Yellapragada Subba Rao, who has been credited with the discovery of a number of life saving antibiotics. An anti cancer drug manufactured by him many decades ago continues to be used globally for treating the deadly disease.

8. Satyendra Nath Bose

Another well known Indian physic was Satyenra Nath Bose, whose “Bose-Einstein Theory” earned him worldwide fame. He has played an instrumental role in the field of quantum physics and an atomic particle called Boson has been named after him.

9. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

Next among the top 10 Indian scientists is Subrahmanyam Chandrasekhar, who was commended with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983. One of the greatest physicists of the 20^th century, Chandrasekhar has made contributions in the fields of astrophysics and mathematics. One of his most well known works is the Chandrasekhar limit, which deals with Brownian Motion and theory of illumination.

10. Har Gobind Khorana

An Indian American scientist, Har Gobind Khorana was a leading bio chemist, who was honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1968 for his useful research work on synthesis of proteins and interpretation of genetic code.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam- The real Indian The real Teacher

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Former President of India

.

Born: October 15, 1931, Rameswaram

Died: July 27, 2015, Shillong

Full name: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

Parents: Ashiamma Jainulabiddin, Jainulabiddin Marakayar

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J." Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. A career scientist turned reluctant politician, Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering

10 quotes by the scientist, author and former President:

You have to dream before your dreams can come true.
Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident.
Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person.
Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.
We will be remembered only if we give to our younger generation a prosperous and safe India, resulting out of economic prosperity coupled with civilizational heritage.
Those who cannot work with their hearts achieve but a hollow, half-hearted success that breeds bitterness all around.
Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.
Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.
If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.
My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people.

Sl.No	Content	Page No.
1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7. 8.	Introduction eTwinning History Operation The Role Of ICT And eTwinning Collaboration And eTwinning Conclusion Reference	4 5 5 5 6 7 7 8