Some Useful Information

PROMOTING APPROPRIATE USE OF CONSEQUENCES

PROMOTING APPROPRIATE USE OF CONSEQUENCES

* In classrooms, the most prevalent positive consequences are intrinsic student satisfaction resulting from success, accomplishment, good grades, social approval and recognition.
* Students must be aware of the connection between tasks and grades.
* Frequent use of punishment is associated with poor classroom management and generally should be avoided.
* When used, negative consequences or punishment should be related logically to the misbehavior.
* Milder punishments are often as effective as more intense forms and do not arouse as much negative emotion.
* Misbehavior is less likely to recur if a student makes a commitment to avoid the action and to engage in more desirable alternative behaviors.
* Consistency in the application of consequences is the key factor in classroom management.

GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PRAISE

GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PRAISE

(Applies primarily to praise associated with instruction and student performance) 

Effective Praise	Ineffective Praise
1. Is delivered contingently upon student performance of desirable behaviors or genuine accomplishment	1. Is delivered randomly and indiscriminately without specific attention to genuine accomplishment
2. Specifies the praiseworthy aspects of the student's accomplishments	2. Is general or global, not specifying the success.
3. Is expressed sincerely, showing spontaneity, variety and other non-verbal signs of credibility.	3. Is expressed blandly without feeling or animation, and relying on stock, perfunctory phrases.
4. Is given for genuine effort, progress, or accomplishment which are judged according to standards appropriate to individuals.	4. Is given based on comparisons with others and without regard to the effort expended or significance of the accomplishment of an individual.
5. Provides information to students about their competence or the value of their accomplishments.	5. Provides no meaningful information to the students about their accomplishments.
6. Helps students to better appreciate their thinking, problem-solving and performance.	6. Orients students toward comparing themselves with others.
7. Attributes student success to effort and ability, implying that similar successes can be expected in the future.	7. Attributes student success to ability alone or to external factors such as luck or easy task.
8. Encourages students to appreciate their accomplishments for the effort they expend and their personal gratification.	8. Encourages students to succeed for external reasons -- to please the teacher, win a competition or reward, etc.

The Benefits of Computers in the Classroom for Teachers

The Benefits of Computers in the Classroom for Teachers

Teachers may encounter students who have already acquired computer skills. In fact, some students may have developed computer proficiency beyond their teachers. This can make it easier for the teacher to incorporate computers into the school curriculum. The majority of public and private schools have already begun the transition to using computers in the classroom. Computers offer teachers the unique ability to collaborate with other educators and professionals opening up worlds of understanding to them and their students. There are many networking sites available to instructors that offer teaching plans and project ideas. Sites like Youtube.com can also prove to be useful when demonstrations or examples are needed to further explain concepts being taught

MANAGING STUDENT ACADEMIC WORK

MANAGING STUDENT ACADEMIC WORK

* Effective teacher-led instruction is free of:

- Ambiguous and vague terms
- Unclear sequencing
- Interruptions

* Students must be held accountable for their work.

* The focus is on academic tasks and learning as the central purpose of student effort, rather than on good behavior for its own sake.

MANAGING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

* Address instruction and assignments to challenge academic achievement while continuing to assure individual student success.

* Most inappropriate behavior in classrooms that is not seriously disruptive and can be managed by relatively simple procedures that prevent escalation.

* Effective classroom managers practice skills that minimize misbehavior.

* Monitor students carefully and frequently so that misbehavior is detected early before it involves many students or becomes a serious disruption.

* Act to stop inappropriate behavior so as not to interrupt the instructional activity or to call excessive attention to the student by practicing the following unobstructive strategies:

- Moving close to the offending student or students, making eye contact and giving a nonverbal signal to stop the offensive behavior.

- Calling a student's name or giving a short verbal instruction to stop behavior.

- Redirecting the student to appropriate behavior by stating what the student should be doing; citing the applicable procedure or rule.

Example: "Please, look at the overhead projector and read the first line with me, I need to see everyone's eyes looking here."

- More serious, disruptive behaviors such as fighting, continuous interruption of lessons, possession of drugs and stealing require direct action according to school board rule.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR

SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR

*Teachers should identify expectations for student behavior and communicate those expectations to students periodically.

* Rules and procedures are the most common explicit expectations. A small number of general rules that emphasize appropriate behavior may be helpful. Rules should be posted in the classroom. Compliance with the rules should be monitored constantly.

* Do not develop classroom rules you are unwilling to enforce.

* School-Wide Regulations...particularly safety procedures...should be explained carefully.

* Because desirable student behavior may vary depending on the activity, explicit expectations for the following procedures are helpful in creating a smoothly functioning classroom:

- Beginning and ending the period, including attendance procedures and what students may or may not do during these times.
- Use of materials and equipment such as the pencil sharpener, storage areas, supplies, and special equipment.
- Teacher-Led Instruction
- Seatwork
- How students are to answer questions - for example, no student answer will be recognized unless he raises his hand and is called upon to answer by the teacher.
- Independent group work such as laboratory activities or smaller group projects.

Remember, good discipline is much more likely to occur if the classroom setting and activities are structured or arranged to enhance cooperative behavior

CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT

CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT
While good classroom arrangement is not a guarantee of good behavior, poor planning in this area can create conditions that lead to problems.
	The teacher must be able to observe all students at all times and to monitor work and behavior. The teacher should also be able to see the door from his or her desk.
	Frequently used areas of the room and traffic lanes should be unobstructed and easily accessible.
	Students should be able to see the teacher and presentation area without undue turning or movement.
	Commonly used classroom materials, e.g., books, attendance pads, absence permits, and student reference materials should be readily available.

The Benefits of Computers in the Classroom for Students

The Benefits of Computers in the Classroom for Students

Computers have changed the way society functions. Future generations will need to compete with the growing trends of a technologically-driven society that relies on computers to perform daily tasks. The classroom is a good starting point for people to learn how to use these complex machines. If students learn word processing skills and how to navigate computers and the Internet early on, they will be prepared later in life to utilize computers for more complex assignments. Computers grant access to the Internet, which hosts academic research and offers educational support. Historical records and social organizations are only a click away, providing a wealth of information for studying history and social studies. Students and teachers are now able to communicate with educators and other students anywhere in the world easily and instantly. This new phenomenon opens up opportunities for collaboration that did not previously exist. There are also many resources and communities online that are available to help students develop and improve mathematical and scientific understanding. Even though computers are extremely beneficial to the educational process there are some negative aspects that present themselves. Students have access to greater distractions during research or study time, in the forms of games and social networking websites. There is also the risk of students interacting with potentially dangerous, anonymous individuals. Therefore, it becomes vitally important for teachers and school faculty to monitor computer use to ensure they are being used safely and for the right purposes.

Uses of Computers in Schools

Computers are an integral part of schools now instead of being supplemental features. They can be used in a variety of ways to augment knowledge and application.

Research

·         This is the most common use for students in grades 4 through 12. When students have to write research papers on a specific topic, the computer provides the most easily accessible sources.

Data Entry

·         Basic keyboarding and word processing skills are taught on the computer. Knowledge of these is essential for school, college and career.

Intervention

·         Computers are also being used to help learning disabled students. There are many interactive and tutorial programs online or available as software that help the challenged student with reading, math or other areas of weakness.

Virtual

·         The use of computers has changed the face of distance education. Students can now be logged in at the same time, post assignments, and talk to each other on message boards while working on their college degrees.

Teacher Resource

·         The Internet provides a wealth of resources for teachers like lesson plans, pre-made tests, study guides, worksheets, and other activities that only have to be downloaded and printed. There are also grade book programs and class record-keeping templates that are time-savers.

The History of Mobile Phones From 1973 To 2008

The History of Mobile Phones From 1973 To 2008: The Handsets That Made It ALL Happen

NEWS Richard Goodwin 16:31, 16 Nov 2016

§  FACEBOOK

§  TWITTER

§  GOOGLE+

All the mobile phones that mattered from the first Nokia handset right up to the iPhone 3G

A LOT can happen in 40 years. But when it comes to technology, 40-years is like going back to the days of Moses or the Roman Empire. Case in point: the mobile phone –– and, more recently, the rise of mobile internet communications, social networks and super-fast internet. But what were the phones that made it happen; who were the pioneering brands that made today's handsets possible; and which phone, out of the thousands launched since the 1980s, was the most important? Answer: quite a few.

But first: a history lesson. 

The world’s first mobile phone call was made on April 3, 1973, when Martin Cooper, a senior engineer at Motorola, called a rival telecommunications company and informed them he was speaking via a mobile phone. The phone Cooper used, if you could call it that, weighed a staggering 1.1kg and measured in at 228.6x127x44.4mm. With this prototype device, you got 30 minutes of talk-time and it took around 10 hours to charge. 

In 1983, Motorola released its first commercial mobile phone, known as the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. The handset offered 30 minutes of talk-time, six hours standby, and could store 30 phone numbers. It also cost £2639 ($3995).

In the very early days of the mobile space handsets weren’t designed with consumers in mind. You’d need a couple of thousand pounds to get hold of one, and even then performance wasn’t great. Back then, mobile phones were designed with the likes of Gordon Gecko in mind, businessmen-types that drove big Jags and flew Concord. Not your average Joe.

Mobile Phone FACTS

Here is a selection of facts, courtesy of Fact Slides, about mobile phones that show just how much the world has changed since the early days of mobile communication:

§  In 1983, the first mobile phones went on sale in the U.S. at almost $4,000 each.

§  Over 250 million Nokia 1100 devices were sold, making it the bestselling electrical gadget in history.

§  More People In The World Have Mobile Phones Than Toilets.

§  So many Facebook photos and videos are uploaded via mobile that it takes up 27% of upstream web traffic.

§  The technology behind smartphones relies on up to 250,000 separate patents.

§  The average person unlocks his or her smartphone 110 times each day.

Even at the start of the 1990s this was still the case despite Nokia and NEC entering the fray. Nokia’s first 'handheld' mobile phone, the Mobira Cityman 900, launched in 1989 and weighed just 800g – a huge improvement over 1982’s 9.8kg Mobira Senator model. 

1990 to 1995 represented an upward swerve in design and portability, with mobile devices gradually starting to appear in the hands of average consumers for the first time. By the late-1990s, mobile devices were fast becoming the norm thanks to the following handsets… 

1997 – Nokia 6110

Features:

§  Three games: Memory, Snake, Logic

§  Calculator, clock and calendar

§  Currency converter

§  Works as a pager

§  Profile settings

§  4 colours

1997 – Motorola StarTAC

Inspired by the communicator from Star Trek, this bad boy was the world’s first clamshell handset. Another first for Motorola.

1998 – Nokia 5110

Excellent battery, slim by 1998’s standards, and it also featured Snake. What more could a 90s consumer want?

Features:

§  Dimensions   48 x 132 x 31 mm

§  Battery        900 mAh NiMH

§  Display         47 x 84 B/W

1999 – BlackBerry 850

The BlackBerry 850 was the first handset released under the BlackBerry brand. Ten years later, RIM would be crowned the fastest growing company on the planet. And we all know what happened post-2010.

A BRIEF COMPUTER HISTORY

A BRIEF COMPUTER HISTORY

The computer as we know it today had its beginning with a 19th century English mathematics professor name Charles Babbage.

He designed the Analytical Engine and it was this design that the basic framework of the computers of today are based on.

Generally speaking, computers can be classified into three generations. Each generation lasted for a certain period of time,and each gave us either a new and improved computer or an improvement to the existing computer.

First generation: 1937 – 1946 - In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). In 1943 an electronic computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other developments continued until in 1946 the first general– purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which was used for processing. When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia. Computers of this generation could only perform single task, and they had no operating system.

Second generation: 1947 – 1962 - This generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum tubes which were more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the public; the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International Business Machine (IBM) 650 and 700 series computers made their mark in the computer world. During this generation of computers over 100 computer programming languages were developed, computers had memory and operating systems. Storage media such as tape and disk were in use also were printers for output.


Third generation: 1963 - present - The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third generation of computers. With this invention computers became smaller, more powerful more reliable and they are able to run many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-Dos) was born and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer (PC) for home and office use. Three years later Apple gave us the Macintosh computer with its icon driven interface and the 90s gave us Windows operating system.



As a result of the various improvements to the development of the computer we have seen the computer being used in all areas of life. It is a very useful tool that will continue to experience new development as time passes.

THE PRIMARY INFORMATION OF INDIA

THE PRIMARY INFORMATION OF INDIA

·         Continent: Southern Asia

·         Climate: Varies; northern areas have winter snow, while elsewhere it is generally hot. The rainy season begins in June and lasts four to seven months, depending on location.

School:

·         The school year begins in April in most of north and east India, and in June in most of south and west India.

·         Barely half of children in India finish primary school. Dropout rates are higher for girls; only about 40% of adult women in India can read.

Play:

·         Pachisi (Parcheesi) has been called India's “national game.” Kite flying is also a widespread passion.

·         Hockey, cricket and soccer are very popular. Kabaddi, a complex, fast-paced team contact sport, is now played throughout Asia.

Family:

·         The “joint family” system is a common tradition, in which the families of several brothers (usually) live together.

·         Tens of millions of children in India—more than in any other country—work to help support their families.

Signature foods:

·         Chapati, an unleavened bread that is cooked on a griddle until brown and bubbly, then spread with butter or oil

·         India's famous chutneys—fresh or cooked relishes—are used at almost every meal. Nuts, chilies, fruits, herbs and spices are common chutney ingredients.

Interesting animals:

·         The Indian rhinoceros, a solitary, single-horned animal that spends much of its time wallowing in mud

·         The quick-moving pygmy hog, the world's smallest pig—weighing just 10 pounds

·         Unique holiday: Diwali, the five-day autumn “festival of lights” that illuminates homes and temples throughout India with candles and oil lamps.

·         Did you know? Two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, were founded in India. Today India also has significant populations of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Jains.