Technical Education

Guess what? Testing works.
A new study not only finds that taking tests actually helps people learn, but that test-taking works better than other methods often favored by teachers.
The New York Times reports:

The research, published online Thursday in the journal Science, found that students who read a passage, then took a test asking them to recall what they had read, retained about 50 percent more of the information a week later than students who used two other methods.

One of those methods — repeatedly studying the material — is familiar to legions of students who cram before exams. The other — having students draw detailed diagrams documenting what they are learning — is prized by many teachers because it forces students to make connections among facts.

These other methods not only are popular, the researchers reported; they also seem to give students the illusion that they know material better than they do.

The results of this study are considered ground-breaking.
The Purdue study supports findings of a recent spate of research showing learning benefits from testing, including benefits when students get questions wrong. But by Read the full post…

The federal scholarship for single mothers has been set up to motivate mothers to take their studies to make a better life for themselves and their children. The current trend of quitting college to start working is not healthy for the future of a person. Without college diploma the only jobs you can expect to have are those that have no future. You can choose another way with

• grants for single mom.

To apply for the scholarship, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The approval process includes a careful calculation of your income if you stay home with your family, number of dependents and the balance of your monthly income after deducting all spendings. You can choose any area of learning in your application and you should choose carefully, because this choice will impact on your future. You need to consider all demanding fields, and one of them is the medical industry. Read the full post…

Twenty-five years ago Friday, Americans watched with horror as the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its mission, killing all seven members of its crew.

Instead of recoiling from the tragedy, space program supporters, including family members of those who died aboard Challenger, found a unique way to honor those astronauts — through the creation of Challenger Learning Centers that now dot the nation, as they help teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to new generations of students.

The 48th such center is scheduled to open in Louisville, Ky., on Friday’s anniversary of the failed mission. Centers across the country — including two in the Indianapolis metro area — also will hold special programs for students visiting Friday.

“All of us that were alive remember that tragedy,” said Mary Patterson, director of the Brownsburg center. “It was a horrible moment.

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If your college student tells you that she is “course shopping”, you may wonder just what she is doing.  If your student lets you know that he is dropping a course, you may worry that he won’t be taking enough credits.  If your student tells you that she is making an enrollment change, you might wonder what kind of change she is indicating.  If all of this happens in the first two or three weeks of a new semester, it is part of the normal movement that often happens in courses as a new term begins.  It may be helpful, as a college parent, for you to understand the Add/Drop or Enrollment Change period.

 Most colleges have a period at the beginning of each semester during which students can drop courses from their schedule and/or add new courses to their schedule (if space is available) without penalty.  There is no financial cost, and courses dropped will not appear on the student’s transcript; they simply go away.  The length of this period will depend on the policies of the institution, but generally may be anywhere from one to three weeks.  Sometimes students may have a slightly longer period to drop courses than to add courses.  Again, depending on the procedures of the institution, courses may be added or dropped online, or students may need to obtain signatures of instructors and/or their advisor to make a change.

 Many students make changes to their schedules during this period.  It is intended for students to have an opportunity to tweak their schedules to ensure the best and most appropriate schedule possible.  However, the culture surrounding this period may vary at different schools.  At some schools, students are allowed to make changes, but are encouraged to make only necessary or important changes.  They are encouraged to make careful, informed choices initially during the course selection time the previous semester.  At other institutions, this period is actually called a “shopping” period and students are encouraged to visit and sit in on many courses before making their choices.  It is important that your student learn about the expectations at his institution.  If minimal changes are the norm, it is not appropriate for your student to “shop” classes and make many changes.  However, if shopping is expected, your student will want to take advantage of the opportunity.

 As your student approaches and experiences the Add/Drop period, there are a few things that may be helpful for her to keep in mind.  You may want to discuss some of them with your student prior to the beginning of the semester.

• Your student will need to be careful that he does not drop below the minimum number of credits required by his college to be considered a full time student and to be eligible for financial aid.  At the end of the change period, your student will need to be fully enrolled.  Failure to be enrolled in the appropriate number of credits may jeopardize his financial aid, athletic eligibility, or on-campus housing status.
• There are legitimate reasons for changing a class, and your student should keep these in mind and take advantage of the opportunity. Sometimes a student may not have a cl

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After a couple of surprising mid-season departures for disciplinary reasons, both Michigan and St. Cloud must be wondering why they didn’t make those changes sooner. After both teams struggled with incredibly inconsistent play in the first half of the season–both seemed capable of only playing well for one game per weekend–each team has now won four straight conference games since the dismissals.

For Michigan, they pulled off a sweep at home against a pesky Alaska team. The six point weekend gives Michigan pretty firm control of first place in the CCHA race. They now lead Notre Dame by two points, and Miami by six points, with a game in hand–against Michigan State, nonetheless– on each team.

St. Cloud, meanwhile, swept Bemidji State in Bemidji. That’s six straight wins for the Huskies, and chances of that streak continuing look pretty good since they draw a struggling Minnesota State team at home next weekend.

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