Da UnaFinestraSulMondo.
Mason Posner is a professor of Biology at Ashland University in Ohio. He also blogs on A Fish Eye View (though I notice he did not update it in a while). About a year ago, and inspired by some discussions emanating from ScienceOnline'09, he decided to try using blogs in his teaching. He did it last spring. And he is doing it again this spring.
You can check out his Marine Biology Course class blog, where he and the students are all posting in one place.
But also check out his Senior Capstone course in Biology and its class blog - he is the only one blogging there - the students are required to start and run their own blogs.
Now look at the Class Blogroll on the margin - take a look at last year's (2009) student blogs - wonderful writing on all of them, good stuff. But! One of them is already deleted. There are four other blogs that stopped posting around early May of last year, probably at the time the course ended. Only one of the blogs is still running today. Why did they stop?
Now check out this year's blogs - very, very nice stuff: The Difference between Ignorance and Apathy, SexyScience, Thirsty Pandas and Successors of Solomon. Lovely blogs. But will they last past May?
Now, you may remember a similar experiment at Duke - see this and this and especially experiences of Erica Tsai who ran the program. Why did all the Duke student blogs end once the class was over?
There is always a lot of chatter online (see the most recent commentary about a Pew study here, here, here and here) about teens and college students not blogging. No, the kids are not naturally Web-savvy - they also need to learn.
They use Twitter much more than the stats usually show, but mostly keep their profiles private and only talk to each other. They use it instead of texting because it is cheaper and platform-agnostic. Of course, they are all on Facebook (or MySpace, depending on socio-economic status), where they also interact with each other. The artistically inclined may connect with each other on DeviantArt. And yes, there are many who blog (though they may have predominantly chosen a more social blogging platform like LiveJournal).
All of the above are social uses, which is quite age-appropriate. Some of them (certainly not all) will, just like their elders, pick up blogging later, when they find a need to express themselves in long-form writing. Teaching them how to blog is part of their education, or at least should be.
But none of this really applies to the cases I started this post with - these are young people who have been taught how to blog, have done it well, probably got positive feedback for it from the instructor and peers, and obviously have something to say. So, why do they quit?
Is it because they see it as homework? Something that needs to be done for class, and can be stopped once the final grades are in?
Or is it because all the feedback they get comes only from the instructor and classmates? The class is a small community which formally and automatically dissolves the moment the semester is over. If the community is gone, who are you writing for?
Would they continue blogging if they felt they were a part of a larger community and, more importantly, a continuous community, one that has no expiration date? If we all sent them traffic by linking to their posts from our blogs, Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook etc., would they see that kind of feedback as a motivation to keep writing? If we posted comments on their blogs, would they feel like members of a broader community and would gladly continue engaging with it?
The same goes for even younger bloggers. Duke summer program had high schoolers blogging as well. How about Miss Baker's students? Would comments on their posts be felt as intrusive or would they be seen as welcoming to a broader community and motivating to keep writing?
Are one-off events, e.g., attendance at ScienceOnline conferences, sufficient to give students enough momentum to continue long-term?
Thoughts?
Read the comments on this post...
The document will be presented by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, commissioner for research, innovation and science, and Antonio Tajani, commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship, on 3 March.
It is likely to reflect much of the thinking that has gone into the European innovation action plan – which Tajani's services have been working on – while incorporating the views of Geoghegan-Quinn's research directorate.
The electric vehicle must become a reality in Europe, Spain's Industry Minister Miguel Sebastián said on 9 February in San Sebastian (Basque Country, Spain) following the informal meeting of the Competitive Council that focused on the electric vehicle and its role in Europe.
'It is a good day for European industry,' Minister Sebastián told journalists following the first two of three working sessions of the European delegations on the electric vehicle.
The unprecedented crisis that hit Europe recently further underlines the need for European institutions, supported by the Commission, to lead a common strategy on electric vehicles. The electric vehicle offers a win-win situation for all, and in particular for industry, energy, environment and technology.
Europeans must work together to cement this commitment because it 'is a winning hand', Minister Sebastián remarked.
The introduction of the electric vehicle to European industry adds value, will bring new technologies to the forefront and generate state-of-the-art activities. In effect, it would give European exports a major boost, jobs would be created, there would be better fuel efficiency and energy savings, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions would be curbed.
'It is good for people's pockets, good for European income and employment, good for Europe as a whole, and it will be good for the planet from an environmental perspective,' the Spanish official explained.
'From our point of view, EU institutions should lead the introduction of the electric vehicle,' he said, adding that a common strategy should be created by the Commission with extensive feedback given by the EU Member States. Essential to bringing forth this strategy is strong discussion between Europeans that will help them meet the challenges that have emerged in this sector.
Minister Sebastián believes the EU institutions and Member States will support this initiative, with the common strategy to be adopted in mid spring. Germany has already expressed its support for the initiative.
Moreover, citing his French counterpart, Christian Estrosi, Mr Sebastián said the electric vehicle 'is essential' and Europeans must work on 'it together in a coordinated way'.
The sessions brought together government officials with stakeholders and representatives from the information and communication technologies (ICT), automotive and energy sectors.
Speaking to participants at the meeting, Dr Dieter Zetsche, president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) and chief executive of German carmaker Daimler AG, remarked that the entire European automotive industry is crucial for both the regional economy and employment.
This industry provides 2.2 million direct jobs and indirect employment for almost 10 million families, he said.
Essentially, the automotive industry can provide the answers that Europe needs, Dr Zetsche underlined, adding that mobility fuels economic growth and social development.
The bottom line is that coordinated collaboration of everyone involved would help put electric vehicles at the top of the game in Europe and abroad.
Quality validation date:
Van den Brande, a Belgian centre-right politician who yesterday (10 February) finished his mandate as CoR president, believes that structural funds are a showcase for what the EU does best, and should be maintained at their current budget levels.
However, they must be reformed to be more flexible, eschewing a "one-size-fits-all" approach, and more importantly they must be intimately linked to the overall EU 2020 strategy, which will determine the EU's growth and employment blueprint for the coming decade.
Aiden Aizumi almost didn't graduate from high school. Aizumi, now 21, is one of many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people who say they have suffered through school, enduring homophobic taunts and name-calling.
(The full text of this article is available free)
La formazione online per i professionisti del lavoro. Ciclo di sette lezioni tenute dal professor Pietro Ichino
Il Sole 24 ORE presenta La formazione on line per i professionisti del Lavoro: sette video lezioni, ciascuno della durata di due ore, tenute dal Professor Pietro Ichino. Lo scopo del corso è quello di offrire, in riferimento ad alcuni snodi cruciali della materia lavoristica, una chiave di lettura aggiornata dei cambiamenti in atto e delle prospettive, arricchita dal contributo che al discorso giuridico possono dare le altre scienze sociali. l ciclo di lezioni è destinato a Direttori del personale, Responsabili risorse umane, Responsabili relazioni sindacali, Avvocati giuslavoristi, Consulenti del lavoro. I temi affrontati: Hire your best employer! Perché l'Italia è ultima nella graduatoria europea per capacità di intercettare gli investimenti stranieri? Cosa impedisce ai lavoratori italiani di scegliere per sé il meglio dell'imprenditoria mondiale? Centralizzazione e decentramento nel sistema di relazioni industriali Cosa sta "bollendo in pentola" tra Confindustria e sindacati? Il quadro attuale e le prospettive di riforma in tema di rappresentanza sindacale in azienda e di struttura della contrattazione collettiva. La questione del precariato - 1) le cause e i rimedi Miti e realtà del lavoro precario La strategia del Libr/o Bianco del 2001: subordinazione e autonomia prima e dopo la legge Biagi. Due possibili sviluppi diversi: "Statuto dei lavori" e "contratto unico". La questione del precariato - 2) come dare stabilità senza generare esclusione e dualismo Un approccio di law and economics al giustificato motivo oggettivo di licenziamento e di apposizione del termine al contratto. La tecnica del firing cost per una tutela modulata della stabilità applicabile a tutti.Lavoro e non lavoro - 1) il debito contrattuale del lavoratore Tre nozioni che nel tessuto post-industriale richiedono di essere definite meglio: diligenza, scarso rendimento, mobilità professionale.Lavoro e non lavoro - 2) Motivazione, incentivazione e mobbing Le nuove frontiere della responsabilità del datore di lavoro pubblico e privato per la salute psichica dei propri dipendenti. Le tecniche di prevenzione suggerite dalla psichiatria e dalla scuola sistemica.Lavoro e non lavoro - 3) la questione dell'assenteismo abusivo Aziende e amministrazioni pubbliche sono davvero inermi contro le certificazioni compiacenti e chi ne approfitta? Vecchi e nuovi strumenti giuridici disponibili contro la simulazione della malattia. Ciascuna lezione, disponibile fino al 31/12/2008, è accompagnata da slides riassuntive e da documentazione tratta dalla banca dati UnicoLavoroIl ciclo di lezioni è valido ai fini della formazione continua obbligatoria dei Consulenti del lavoro, clicca qui per verificare gli ordini che hanno già aderito.Pietro Ichino, avvocato giuslavorista, dal 1991 è professore ordinario di diritto del lavoro presso l'Università Statale di Milano. E', inoltre, giornalista pubblicista dal 1997 collabora come editorialista con Il Corriere della Sera. E' autore di numerosi saggi, monografie, libri e articoli di diritto del lavoro e sindacale. Il prodotto è disponibile in tre modalità: - monoutenza: prezzo di listino euro 360,00 (IVA inclusa) - 3 utenti: prezzo di listino euro 600,00 (IVA inclusa) - 6 utenti: prezzo di listino euro 960,00 (IVA inclusa) OFFERTA LANCIO - monoutenza: euro 300,00 (IVA inclusa) anziché euro 360,00 - 3 utenti: euro 540,00 (IVA inclusa) anziché euro 600,00, costo a utenza euro 180,00 - 6 utenti: euro 900 (IVA inclusa) anziché euro 960,00, costo a utenza euro 150,00Sei abbonato alla Banca Dati UnicoLavoro? Contatta subito il tua agente di zona per conoscere le offerte a te riservate, in qualità di abbonato, via e-mail: servizioclienti.bdprofessionali@ilsole24ore.com o via fax al numero: (02 o 06) 3022.5450
Figures from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) 2008 dataset reveal that Europeans aged 65 years and over face a higher poverty risk rate (19%), compared to the total average population (17%). Results vary considerably for the 27 EU Member States, with older people facing the highest poverty risk rate in Latvia (51%) and the lowest risk rate in Hungary (4%). These statistics and subsequent conclusions are published in a policy brief prepared by the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (ECSWPR) in Austria.
ECSWPR Director of Research Dr Asghar Zaidi explains in the brief that the 19% figure represents 'about 16 million older people [being] at risk of poverty, approximating one-in-five of all 85 million older people living in EU countries.'
What does and does not constitute poverty, points out Dr Zaidi, is a relative concept. A commonly accepted approach in generating statistics such as these by EU-SILC (and an approach adopted by the European Commission in recent reports) is to use household income as a measurement. Individuals struggling with poverty are defined as those that are living in households where disposable income is below the 60% threshold of the national median income.
'Given the arbitrary nature of the poverty threshold in use, and the fact that having an income below this threshold is just one indication of having a low standard of living, this indicator is referred to as a measure of at-risk-of-poverty,' highlights Dr Zaidi, who authored the publication.
Based on this measurement, 10 of the 27 EU Member States recorded lower-than-average poverty risk rates for older people (16% or less), including the Czech Republic (7%) and Luxembourg (5%). Dr Zaidi explains that the low rate among older people for some of these countries can be partly attributed to 'a mature and generous system of basic pension incomes, and partly due to large redistributive elements in the earnings-related pension benefits, such as those available in the form of guaranteed minimum pensions'.
A total of 9 EU countries registered close-to-average poverty risk rates (18%-23%) and the remaining 8 countries recorded higher-than-average poverty risk rates (greater than 25%). Countries in the latter category include Cyprus (49%), Estonia (39%) and Bulgaria (34%).
The figures indicate that for the majority of EU countries there has been no significant change to the poverty risk rates for older citizens over the last five years. For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, however, the risk rate has increased considerably. Two other exceptions were recorded for Ireland and Portugal, where poverty risk rates had clearly dropped.
The statistics show that the risk of poverty for older European women is on average 6% higher than the rate for older European men (22% and 16% respectively). Except for Spain and the UK, the author notes that all countries with poverty risk rates that are greater than the EU average have noticeably higher poverty risk rates for older women. This is particularly true for older women in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania.
With regard to this issue, Dr Zaidi explains that pension reforms in many countries have resulted in an increase in the statutory retirement age and an improvement in work incentives. These changes, he says, are likely to have 'the positive impact of longer working careers, and improved pension rights, for future generations of older women'. These and other issues will be analysed further in a subsequent policy brief.
Quality validation date:
China's top universities could soon rival Oxford, Cambridge and the Ivy League, the president of Yale University has warned.
(The full text of this article is available free)
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