The Mysterious Field of Engineering Systems
One of the nation’s revered technology leaders dispenses anecdotes and wisdom on the slippery subject of engineering systems (or systems engineering). Norm Augustine just can’t get a handle on the discipline: “No one agrees on what it is, or what it does.” After years in industries like Lockheed Martin, Augusti
Lunch with a Laureate: Robert Horvitz
As an undergraduate at MIT, Robert Horvitz did not take a biology course until his senior year. But after only six weeks into his first class with professor Cy Leventhal, he realized this was the field for him. He boldly asked for a recommendation as part of his application to grad school—in biology. “Is it too late?” he
Neural Basis of Drug Addiction
How does someone move from recreational drug use to addiction? Barry Everitt’s group at the University of Cambridge has been trying to break down the stages and neural circuitry of addiction with great precision.
Everitt’s research attempts to operationalize a progression in animals from the voluntary taking o
Personalized Energy
Daniel Nocera is swimming very hard against the current of mainstream energy research. While many scientists are figuring out how to scale up wind, geothermal or biomass systems, Nocera is focusing on “personalized” energy units that can be manufactured, distributed and installed on the cheap. His main concern
Celebrating James Marshall and Humor in Children’s Books
Friends, colleagues and fans unite in loving praise of a children’s author who, though renowned, never got his due. James Marshall was writer/illustrator of the George and Martha and The Cut-Ups book series (he also illustrated Miss Nelson and The Stupids series, among many others). He died at ag
Beyond the Bench: Preparing MIT Students for the Challenges of Global Leadership
MIT produces students who are “deep, entrepreneurial, passionate, diverse and active,” says Phillip Clay, the kind of talented individuals who should play major parts on the world stage. MIT has begun a drive to ensure that its students fulfill their promise. Central to this mission, Richard Samuels says, is
Fundamentals of paper model design
'Fundamentals of Paper Model Design' is a free 2010 ebook by Angel David Guzman. Freely available in PDF format with additional Blender scripts, the 226-page book details how folded paper sculptures can be created using advanced 3D software such as the free open-source Blender suite. The book also gives an overview of other software used to create complex paper models. The book is clearly written and illustrated, and will be of use to a range of professions including contemporary fine artists,
China gateway
China Gateway is a collection of annotated gateways of relevance to undergraduate students and their teachers. Although primarily meant as a study aid for the students of Boston College, China Gateway aims to offer a concise introduction to the manner in which developments in the digital world have aided the study of Chinese culture and society. From the Culture and History section of the main page, users will find links to gateways (themed in sections), covering: geography and maps; language an
Chamber of demonstrations : reconstructing the Jacobean indoor playhouse
The Chamber of Demonstrations website documents a DVD that represents a theatrical experiment in theatre research and teaching. The DVD is the culmination of the research of Martin White, Professor of Theatre at the University of Bristol, which was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and produced with the support of PARIP, an AHRC-funded project on documenting performance as research. In a full-scale candlelit reconstruction of the interior of a Jacobean indoor playhouse, experie
Microeconomic theory III
The website for this course (14.123 Microeconomic Theory III, Spring 2009) has been made available by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Economics as part of the MIT OpenCourseWare project. This course discusses decision theory and topics in game theory including models of individual decision-making under certainty and uncertainty. Topics covered include preference orderings, expected utility, risk, stochastic dominance, supermodularity, monotone comparative statics, b
NGfL Cymru GCaD
NGfL Cymru GCaD is a teaching and learning resource for GCSE students in Wales but the site is also suitable for A-level students. Teaching resources can be browsed by selecting a Key Stage (age range) and then a subject. The site provides a comprehensive guide for students to relevant web resources, including computer skills and best practice for online research. Useful software and other freely available teaching resources are also listed.
Sound Vibration
Sound Vibration Hi, I am a year three Primary education student and am trying to put together a science presentation for sound for a year 1 (Key stage 1). I am particularly interested in research which outlines how to teach this concept to Key stage 1 pupils to improve childrens perception's of how sound is created with particular reference to 'vibrations'. I have looked at the Primary SPACE project (1990) which outlines children's misconceptions of sound. However, as I want to incorporate the
Test Anxiety
Test Anxiety I'm researching into the effects of test anxiety on children in key stage one and two SAT's results. I have found research suggesting that the effect lowers children's test scores but haven't been able to find any research that suggests that test anxiety can help children to perform in their SAT's. I was wondering if you could help?
Mathematics Relevance
I am researching into the views that children hold with regards to the relevance of mathematics outside the classroom. My starting point was a journal article by BSRLM 23(2) 'Children's experience of Mathematics' which I found very helpful, and outlined children's views from not being useful at all to being able to see the relevance outside school. I would like to explore this area further with an emphasis on primary school children, especially Key Stage 2. Can you point me in the right directio
Emotional development Grouping
I am carrying out research for my literature review into the impact of grouping/setting on children's emotional and social development.(KS1/2) The information I have found mainly relates to the impact of ability groups on academic achievement, and one further reference which mentions the impact they have on children's self-esteem (The Social World of Children's Learning; Pollard, 1996). I have also found some general information on the role of the school in the child's social and emotional devel
Evaluation of Increased Flexibility for 14 to 16 Year Olds Programme: The Second Year
The resource is an evaluation report carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills into the second year of the Increased Flexibility Programme (IFP) for 14 to 16 Year Olds. Given the wider availability of vocational and work related learning options for 14-16 year olds since the relaxation of National Curriculum requirements at Key Stage 4, the research offers a valuable insight into the implications of this for young people,
A study of the transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1
The focus of the report is the change that occurs when children move from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1. This resource is presented by the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) and is relevant for early years’ teachers, teacher education students, tutors and families.
Keeping up – Pupils who fall behind in Key Stage 2
This is the first published document from the ‘Making Good Progress’ series from the DfES. The document reports on a small scale research project focussing on 240 pupils in 39 schools who do not make the expected progress in English and Mathematics during key Stage 2. The report contains a chapter on English and a chapter on mathematics, which look at pupil characteristics, obstacles to progress and specific issues arising from the project. The final chapter gives advice on the action sch
KS1/2 Music - Managing Music at KS2
This is a Teachers TV programme about teaching music in Key Stage 2. It follows one class teacher and his year 6 class though the first two lessons from a longer unit related to composing songs.
NALDIC ITTSEAL: Primary geography: working with student teachers in developing strategies for suppor
Geography has been a compulsory part of the primary National Curriculum since its inception in 1989, yet it is one area of the curriculum that teachers often approach with some trepidation (OfSTED 2005). This guidance considers effective and inclusive teaching of geography and provides some practical examples of how student teachers of pupils in Key Stage One might be supported in dealing with issues around English as an Additional Language (EAL) during their geography taught sessions. The conte
