What the best education systems are doing right In South Korea and Finland, it’s not about finding the “right” school. Fifty years ago, both South Korea and Finland had terrible education systems. Finland was at risk of becoming the economic stepchild of Europe. The Korean model: Grit and hard, hard, hard work. For millennia, in some parts of Asia, the only way to climb the socioeconomic ladder and find secure work was to take an examination — in which the proctor was a proxy for the emperor, says Marc Tucker, president and CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy. The Koreans have achieved a remarkable feat: the country is 100 percent literate. Among these countries, South Korea stands apart as the most extreme, and arguably, most successful. South Korea women pray for their children’s success in the annual college entrance examination. “I think it is clear there are better and worse way to educate our children,” says Amanda Ripley, author of The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way. Indeed.
The 8 Secrets of Dutch Kids, the Happiest Kids in the World - Finding Dutchland According to Unicef’s most recent Child Well Being in Rich Countries survey, Dutch kids ranked as the happiest kids in the world. Dutch kids led the way in three out of the five categories, namely- material well being, educational well being, and behavior and risks. Unicef Germany isn’t the first research organization to come to this conclusion. Surveys conducted by Britain’s Child Poverty Action Group, the World Health Organization, and Unicef International have all reached unanimous conclusions as to the happy state of Dutch children. Why exactly are Dutch kids the happiest in the world? 1. It shouldn’t be surprising that the happiest kids in the world also have parents who are also among the happiest people in the world. 2. Dutch psychologist and journalist Ellen de Bruin has written a book titled “Dutch Women Don’t Get Depressed” illustrating the phenomenon. Perhaps a main factor why Dutch women don’t get depressed is that they’ve found the perfect work-life balance. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Look-ahead 2015: Fly into the future and other predictions 2 January 2015Last updated at 10:12 ET By Fiona Graham Technology of business reporter, BBC News This is a not uncommon reaction to reading the Technology of business predictions for the coming year The tree might still be up, but I wouldn't advocate finishing off the last of the turkey unless you're keen to have a good reason to call in sick on Monday. Never fear! In the first part, our experts are predicting cyber attacks, ubiquitous drones, spooky smartphones and the continuing rise of wearable technology. Although possibly not all in one day. One of the trends to watch out for in 2015 is that your smartphone will get smarter - possibly so smart that it's almost spooky, in fact. Already, phones are getting better at predicting what information you might need, or what actions you might want it to perform. Tom Standage: Your phone is getting spookily good at predicting what you want to do This is called anticipatory computing or predictive intelligence. What do I mean by that? Google Glass.
The Trouble With Bright Girls Successful women know only too well that in any male-dominated profession, we often find ourselves at a distinct disadvantage. We are routinely underestimated, underutilized, and even underpaid. Studies show that women need to perform at extraordinarily high levels, just to appear moderately competent compared to our male coworkers. But in my experience, smart and talented women rarely realize that one of the toughest hurdles they'll have to overcome to be successful lies within. We judge our own abilities not only more harshly, but fundamentally differently, than men do. Understanding why we do it is the first step to righting a terrible wrong. Chances are good that if you are a successful professional today, you were a pretty bright fifth grade girl. She found that bright girls, when given something to learn that was particularly foreign or complex, were quick to give up--and the higher the girls' IQ, the more likely they were to throw in the towel. Why does this happen?
Scientists Build A Supercomputer From PlayStations To Study Black Holes Government funding for research is becoming increasingly difficult to come by due to ongoing global economic instability, which is why many scientists are forced to look elsewhere to keep their research projects alive. Some are turning to crowdfunding, which is now allowing the UK to explore the moon, whereas others are practicing being thrifty. Dr. Gaurav Khanna is a perfect example of the latter, as he has managed to make an extremely cheap supercomputer using PlayStation 3 (PS3) games consoles. Khanna, a black hole physicist at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, began his budget supercomputer endeavor back in 2007. Gravitational waves decrease in strength as they move away from the source, meaning that by the time they reach Earth they are extremely weak, which is why scientists have struggled to detect them. Supercomputers are useful tools because they can crunch massive numbers and solve calculations that are too big for a single processor. [Via NYT]
Raising a Moral Child Photo What does it take to be a good parent? We know some of the tricks for teaching kids to become high achievers. For example, research suggests that when parents praise effort rather than ability, children develop a stronger work ethic and become more motivated. Yet although some parents live vicariously through their children’s accomplishments, success is not the No. 1 priority for most parents. Despite the significance that it holds in our lives, teaching children to care about others is no simple task. Are some children simply good-natured — or not? Genetic twin studies suggest that anywhere from a quarter to more than half of our propensity to be giving and caring is inherited. By age 2, children experience some moral emotions — feelings triggered by right and wrong. Many parents believe it’s important to compliment the behavior, not the child — that way, the child learns to repeat the behavior. But is that the right approach? Continue reading the main story
Stunning, psychedelic images where art and science collide In his TEDGlobal 2013 talk, Fabian Oefner shares breathtaking images at the nexus of art and science, which beautifully capture unique moments of physical and chemical drama. Formally trained in art and design, Oefner says that he has always been interested in science. Though he can’t pinpoint the exact moment when he became interested in pairing his two loves, he views both pursuits as inextricably linked by a crucial bond: “The most important quality of science or art is curiosity,” Oefner tells TED. On the TED stage, Oefner demonstrates the science at work behind three of his photographs. For an imagination-friendly, explanation-free viewing of Oefner’s work, watch the first 45 seconds of his talk. Morton Bast is TED’s Community Mentor and Editorial Assistant.
10 Common Mistakes Parents Today Make (Me Included) | Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis When I became a mom, I got lots of advice on how to love my child. But not until a few years ago did someone actually point out that loving a child means wanting what's best for them long-term. When my four daughters were young, long-term didn't resonate with me. Back then it was about survival, meeting daily needs and keeping my head above water. Now that my kids are maturing, however, the fog is lifting. These days, I put more thought into long-term. A while back I came across some interesting articles and books that dig into what psychologists today are seeing: a rising number of 20-somethings who are depressed and don't know why. One reason given is that parents today are too quick to swoop in. One article mentions incoming college freshmen known to deans as "teacups" for their fragility in the face of minor problems. Here's psychiatrist Paul Bohn's response, as paraphrased in the piece: Why am I sharing this information? Mistake #10: Worshipping our children. Like Us On Facebook |
How to Study Abroad in Europe Without Breaking The Bank by Robert Montenegro Studying abroad is awesome. Anyone who has the opportunity to do so yet opts not to is really missing out. I personally believe immersing yourself in another culture makes you a better, more empathetic person. It's the whole "seeing the world through other people's eyes" thing. The whole experience is also loads of fun and, depending on how you play your cards, a relatively affordable way to see parts of the world you'd otherwise not be able to visit. Across the pond in the UK, the British Council supports its exchange students in Europe through the Erasmus+ program. My program in Germany was designed so that independent travel around the continent was encouraged. Another thing that should almost go without saying is that your travel accommodations should always be low budget hostels. Take a look at Lacey's full article (linked below) and let us know your thoughts. Read more at The Guardian Photo credit: Andreas Zerndl / Shutterstock
The Rules Making sense of race and privilege By Lawrence Otis Graham ’83 Published in the October 8, 2014, issue Michael Falco/Black Star Lawrence Otis Graham ’83 I knew the day would come, but I didn’t know how it would happen, where I would be, or how I would respond. My wife and I, both African-Americans, constitute one of those Type A couples with Ivy League undergraduate and graduate degrees, who, for many years, believed that if we worked hard and maintained great jobs, we could insulate our children from the blatant manifestations of bigotry that we experienced as children in the 1960s and ’70s. But it happened nevertheless in July, when I was 100 miles away. Family photo: Christine Butler The Graham family at home It was a Tuesday afternoon when my 15-year-old son called from his academic summer program at a leafy New England boarding school and told me that as he was walking across campus, a gray Acura with a broken rear taillight pulled up beside him. But he had heard correctly. Post Comments
Something surprising happens to your body when you freedive Featured image: Photo of freediver Hanli Prinsloo by Annelie Pompe. In 1949, a stocky Italian air force lieutenant named Raimondo Bucher decided to try a potentially deadly stunt off the coast of Capri, Italy. Bucher would sail out to the center of the lake, take a breath and hold it, and free-dive down one hundred feet to the bottom. Scientists warned Bucher that, according to Boyle’s law, the dive would kill him. Boyle’s law, which science had taken as gospel for three centuries, appeared to fall apart underwater. Bucher’s dive resonated with a long line of experiments — most of them very cruel and even monstrous by modern standards — that seemed to indicate that water might have life-lengthening effect on humans and other animals. In 1962, Per Scholander, a Swedish-born researcher working in the United States, gathered a team of volunteers, covered them with electrodes to measure their heart rates, and poked them with needles to draw blood.