Teachers Training in New Technologies

What are the training opportunities for teachers? What solutions could improve their relationship with IT and ICT?

Is it necessary to force a teacher to use ICT (Information and Communication) if he does not master a minimum? Certainly not! At the time, he will not feel comfortable in his job, can not benefit optimally and will not be inclined to answer any questions from students about these technologies. A huge waste of time should also result if any problem arises, knowing that all is never perfect computer and nobody is immune to a false move or an honest mistake. The teacher must be comfortable in his own way of giving way to remain credible to its students. The solution is therefore the training of teachers in these new technologies.

The training courses organized for teachers

Proper training is essential but would quickly become useless if others do not follow training throughout the career of the teacher. New technologies develop and evolve so quickly, it is preferable that the teacher is always "page" of what the world of ICT can offer in the academic world. Just imagine that today a teacher has been trained to use Windows 3.1 ...

In Wallonia (Belgium), for example, there are many training courses organized, but the problem is the same as for initial training: they are still few and too little depth. Moreover, most of them are primarily in the form of a conference rather than practical training. Moreover, they are rarely required. Therefore free to teachers to enroll or not. Namely they are also often held during school holidays, which really does not motivate most of them ...

It is therefore clear that these continuing education, as proposed earlier today are not expected to trigger the trigger envy among the teacher, disrupting its teaching methodologies through new technologies.

Autonomous or external training

The training courses organized specifically not profitable enough, the teacher is currently brought to form itself to these technologies. If it is already accustomed to them, personal interest, he is a winner down the line. However, if this is not the case, it has an interest in training or external, is trying to get used to these technologies by revealing itself ... but of course it takes time and sometimes the money. We're back on the problems of the real motivation of the teacher in learning about these technologies.

Some possible solutions to address this problem with training ...

First, raise public awareness campaigns and seminars to the adoption of new technologies in language learning, showing what he can do and what it can bring to both teachers but also to students. Practical experiences should be proposed to open the eyes of teachers and show them the benefits of ICT are real.

Then, propose (or impose ...) practical training so that teachers become familiar with computers, gain some confidence and test their own capabilities. Such training should be promoted as genuine aid to teaching and not as restrictive and discouraging. This is certainly the solution that has the greatest influence and fastest results.

It would also be interesting to provide teachers with free materials, online help, tutorials, ... ICT and their actual choices: impose, for example, an e-mail address where they could receive educational information and other ( class schedules, certificates, training proposals, reviews, ...). It is obvious that such information is available online only, exclusively, so they are forced to use these techniques and become familiar.

The contribution of virtual communities

Finally, another idea would be to foster virtual communities of teachers to exchange experiences, ideas and projects while using common tools. An example of this kind of community is seen http://www.enseignons.be/ This is a center for sharing educational resources and an online forum for teachers. It is an opportunity just waiting to grow. However, a criticism can be made: anyone can register (or not teaching), which does not necessarily motivate teachers to talk freely about their business ...

If you're interested, you can find additional information concerning the relationships between teachers and new technologies , as well as the role of technology in our schools .

School system in Germany

Classes in the morning and sports in the afternoon! This statement is a bit synthetic. What are the weaknesses of the model school on the other side of the Rhine?

It is necessary to recall that Germany is a federal state composed of several states. Each Land has its own constitution and is sovereign in matters of culture, organization of police services, municipal law and of course in the field of school education.

In Germany, education is administered by the Länder. The Department of Education at the national level as in France does not exist. Each region is different but still following a national guideline.

Analyze the process of teaching from the very small classes ...

Elementary education

The primary school in Germany is provided by the "Grundschule (basic school) and is compulsory for all children from six years. Education lasts four years with a difference in Berlin and Brandenburg where it lasts six years.

The first mission of the elementary school is to integrate children into society and teach them how to live in community. The goal is not to put children under pressure and in this context, there are no notes during the first two years only oral assessments. Repetition is very rare to not put the child in a situation of failure from an early age.

Teachers have intensive training on pedagogy and on the psychological approach to the child. The emphasis is on new methods of work as the teaching of foreign languages ​​or on group projects. The courses are fairly open to the outside.

Lower secondary education

The organization of the secondary system (12/13 years) is characterized by the division between the choices of students and various educational schools that are different from one Land to another.

Most Länder have "Gesamtschulen" (schools of understanding). If each state has its own schools with very specific names that differ from each other. At this level, schools represent a particular phase of promotion and guidance of the educational path as an adult.

Around the age of 15 years, students entering upper secondary education. The type of school chosen depends on the skills and qualifications obtained at the end of lower secondary education.

Class hours in Germany

In Germany, the school day focuses on a morning compact. Children eat at home after school because there is no canteen.

The 1st and 2nd class (CP and CE1) are four hours per day and the 3rd and 4th grades (CE2 and CM1) have five hours.

These courses are always delivered in the morning from Monday to Friday.

The advantage of this system is that all children have their afternoon to do homework or participate in extracurricular activities like sports, arts activities ... But the problem is that parents organize activities in the afternoon, which is incompatible with working full time.

The number of working women is steadily increasing and the housewife is no longer the dominant model in Germany. This mode of education would require significant resources and infrastructure, such as canteens, child care, summer camps, to accommodate children.

Another problem would also arise. It would appear that the course concentrates on the half-day increase inequalities between children and small children whose parents could afford to fund educational activities in the afternoon.

Found an education system almost identical to Italy. Elementary schools provide, generally 30 hours per week spread over six days. Colleges and high schools, however, for taking classes every morning until 1:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Questioning necessary

The German model is deeply challenged and the government's objective is to develop full-time schools "French".

The low birth rate has also led to promote the school all day. The explanation is simple: In Germany, mothers must care for children in the afternoon. Coupled with the absence of a system of preschool, these time constraints discourage women from having children. Feminists brag so long since the French education system that enables women to combine work and family.

In 2003, the government has implemented a costly program to develop the institutions operating throughout the day. Some schools do not even have a canteen!

Between 2003 and 2006, the quota of students attending school all day has increased from 9.8 to 17.6% and this rate tends to increase.

In summary, the school system must adapt to changing society to give the best to children and to train responsible adults. It is a constant challenge and a challenge for National Education.

Violence among students in schools

A study by the Observatory on school violence showed that 11.7% of students are harassed at school. The ministry is implementing a parade.

Overall, students from ages 8 to 12 feel good about their school. But who said it was a pleasure for all? 11.7% of boys and girls live in a veritable hell on the playground, to the point of having nightmares at night and get going backwards. More than one in 10 students, in fact, suffer all kinds of harassment, abuse, violence, moral, physical and even sexual, even racketeering. This is shown by the study of the International Observatory on Violence in Schools , conducted from late 2009 to end 2010 with 12,326 students in 153 schools and funded by UNICEF .

Noelle, a girl died of harassment
Eric Debarbieux these amazing results presented Tuesday, March 29 at a press conference. What move the Minister of National Education, Luc Chatel, who decided to create a "Scientific Council against discrimination in schools" . Chaired by François Heran, a demographer, former director of the National Institute of Demographic Studies, the Council will rely in particular on the proposals of the Centre of Violence at school.

"According to the study, the phenomena of" victimization "are rather limited since almost nine in ten students (88.9%) report feeling" very well "or" fairly well "at school and more seven in ten say they are "never" abused or "very occasionally", says Agence France-Presse .

"They have always existed, " heads of Turks , wrote France-Soir , a child who, without knowing why, becomes the scapegoat of a group, class. " Europe1 and cite the example of the sad little Christmas, a girl of Haitian descent who died in force harassment. First there was racial abuse, racketeering and then finally chokes in the school yard: "I told him to defend himself," says the mother of Noelle . "Well, she was punished for defending herself and when she complained to her teachers, they answered him:" do not worry, we'll see it later. " A few days before her death she had told the victim of strangulation by another child. "She had a headache. We did not know why. She ended up falling into a coma. "

All kinds of harassment
The first stage of the violence is psychological. A child is a little different, for example, he stutters, is a bit too closed, or too wise during class, or an original or a different culture. This is sometimes enough for him to find marginalized. "Fluffy", "nerd", "rouquemoute" names for birds are not lacking in the playground (...) writes Le Parisien . "We knew qu'enfance does not mean innocence. One could doubt that primary schools are not sanctuaries Care Bears. " Le Figaro proves accurate: "In detail, a little over 16% of children respond to a decked bad name, 25% were abused and 14% have been rejected. "

The second stage, these are the blows delivered during interclass or racketeering between large and small who became his scapegoat. "For physical violence," continues Le Figaro , 17% have already been hit often or very often "tanbdis that" theft and extortion affecting less than 3% of students. "

Followed attacks apparently innocuous but sexual: 20% of students confide they were the subject of voyeurism to the toilet, 14% were forced to undress and 20% forced to kiss another child. Acts whose victims are both boys and girls.



New forms of violence
Dangerous games have emerged in the schoolyard, including the headscarf, this autostrangulation expected to cause strong sensations, or those of the aerosol, salad, silence or vicious circle. Very often it is the scapegoat who are the first victims and sometimes they die, as shown in this survey of TF1 .

Internet also excites the imagination of stalkers. "This phenomenon extends to new technology, says Europe1 : today at 8 years, some students settle their account with Facebook. " This confirms that the blog bigbrowser. Lemonde : "Another cause of depression (Youth) online harassment. (The agency) AP recalls the suicide of this 15 year old girl last year, harassed on Facebook. We also remember the suicide of a young American when his homosexuality was revealed on social networks.

7sur7.be tells his side of the hoax which was pitiful victim a young girl on the Internet: "The friends of a teen class will create a fake profile on Facebook and masculine pose as the lover of the girl. They are going to orchestrate the fake suicide fictional boy, accusing their comrade's death (...) The girl was devastated, decides to contact the family to offer condolences and apologize, but in vain. " After several weeks of guilt, the girl learns the truth: this silly game that destroyed was organized by her best friend.

School dropout, truancy, suicidal tendencies
Eric Debarbieux believes it must act quickly to help child victims of such harassment, "A survey of 50 adolescents who attempted suicide showed that all had experienced harassment at school," he says. "Child psychiatrists who inherit adolescent self-esteem have devastated already sounded the alarm," wrote Le Parisien , in an open letter in January to Luc Chatel. Which mandated the same Debarbieux to suggest avenues for prevention in a report to be presented April 12 and is expected to announce measures at national conference held in early May. "

"The authors discuss the consequences of repeated harassment, says his side Le Figaro : school dropout, truancy, loss of self-image, depressive tendencies and suicidaires.Une strong correlation also exists between the act of abusing his classmates during the years spent in school and that experience problems with the law as an adult. "

However, one should not conclude that these cases of harassment occur more in the peripheral problems: "This is another great teaching of the study, said Eric Debarbieux: there is no more harassment schools classified as "PTA" (educational priority, the more difficulty) than in normal schools. "

How to combat bullying?
"If teachers are alerted and trained harassment tends to decline, confirming in an interview with AFP Jean-Pierre Bellon, co-author of Harassment and bullying among students (1). Early sensitization is necessary "because it is a phenomenon that often arises in elementary school before structuring a teenager," he adds. "

On 26 January, a group composed of the particular child psychiatrist Marcel Rufo, the philosopher Edgar Morin and other intellectuals, anxious to see the development of bullying at school, sent an open letter to ministers of National Education, Health, social cohesion, but also to the Halde and the Children's Ombudsman. "We want to draw your attention to the issue of children harassed at school, abuse at the origin of the phenomena of" whipping boy "or" scapegoat. " We therefore take your instances to identify specific and concrete solutions to protect these kids and the entire educational community, "they write.

Eager to fight against this "school bullying (bullying at school), Minister Luc Chatel, chose the same day as the revelation of the study by UNICEF to announce the establishment of the Scientific Council of the cons discrimination at school. There is probably an emergency.

Tuition and School

Tuition - when school is not sufficient

If the high school level is becoming a burden, often helps only qualified and personalized tutoring.

When tuition is reasonable?
When girls and boys are afraid of drowning in their class and do not dare to talk to the teacher about their weaknesses as they gain deeper technical note values, then it is time to think of the next school tutoring. It has a lot to be observed:

The students are due to stress in a position next to the school also participate in tutoring? Is there perhaps any other commitments, such as the unloved piano lessons that could be compensatory deleted from the weekly schedule? Do the boys and girls enough distraction from learning? Exercise and fresh air are always essential, so that the brain can bring those services. The sports club should not be terminated in favor of tutoring. Of course, should the financial possibilities to be considered: Good Tuition is not usually cheap.

How much is tuition?
Qualified tuition lessons cost, roughly, from 7.50 to 20 € per lesson (45 minutes). Recommended sessions are 60-90 minutes in length, based on age and stamina of the students. Often, the "quantity discounts" to be negotiated. It is important that only one class period of 45 minutes per week usually does not meet the desired purpose.

Individual tuition is more expensive than private lessons in groups. In addition, private tutoring, such as students, in many cases significantly lower than tuition at the Institute. In addition, you can also save frequently when students come to the teacher back home and this is no travel time must be calculated. Students who have no problem learning in unfamiliar surroundings, should take this possibility into account.

Usually it is also worthwhile to carry out any offers of the first school. Many schools offer tutoring, or at least internal homework help, which may already be a first aid. It also saves you money when you speak to students in higher grades. They are technically may not be as competent as a professor or a student with almost a university degree, but their hourly wages are usually more affordable - not to forget that easily develop empathy feelings, as students can empathize more easily with students, they put it in the same situation as the younger ones.

Private tuition or tutoring institute?
Tutoring services often have a far-reaching reputation, they do plenty of advertising and are not difficult to make finding. However, one should look closely at the lessons in each institution is organized: Often the lessons take place in too large groups so that the individual student can not be entrances. Some cram schools organize study groups so that together, even students from different grades and subjects. To what extent parents and students consider this to be credible, it must be checked carefully before a possible application in such a facility.

Private tutoring is usually better to just respond to individual students. In particular, students who require much attention, are better off than in the private lessons in groups. In addition, is also often the opportunity to interact with the teacher into closer contact, it is not the anonymity between parents and teachers, as it sometimes is in tutoring with frequent changes of teachers in the case.

After a careful selection of a good tutor can be said in most cases: the best tuition is worth the price and creates it in the long run to teach the students with better grades and a quality of life.

schools on internet

Spanish business schools for years have been emphasizing in international academic rankings but also are taking over the Net According to a study from CSIC, three centers of our country have been placed this year among the ten most visible in the world.

We are accustomed to the IESE, ESADE Business School and repeated year after year in the header position classifications that measure academic excellence of its MBA programs. Each year there are new rankings of Anglo-Saxon literature, and even Latin America that place year after year among the top business schools in the world. Even some other management centers made in Spain, as EADA, ESIC and ESCP_Europe been placed in some of these prestigious lists. To make matters worse, the Higher Council for Scientific Research of Spain (CSIC) has spent two years developing a global comparative positioning of these centers for training in Internet and Spanish institutions to take notes become bright. In 2009, three have been placed among the top ten business schools portals around the world with greater visibility on the Web

IE Business School has placed its web in the latest biannual report of CSIC as the seventh best positioned in the world. The ranking is led by Isidro Aguillo, is divided into four sections: size, visibility, file and scholar. The Business School is also located among the ten best in the world perhaps the most representative category positioning on the visibility, which measures the number of references to the school website on other pages, ie external links non-payment, also repeated successes IE Business School in the size category, or whatever it is, the number of pages recovered from the four other largest Network: Google, Yahoo, Live Search and Exalead.

"It is virtually a referendum highlights Aguillo Isidro, the coordinator of the CSIC-rating in a survey because it polls to use tens or hundreds of people. But in this classification are measured, for example, external links to other web pages make schools that are hundreds of thousands. So their results are very representative. " Although not measured only the number of links, but also the quality of the website that does this reference, its popularity, its age.
IESE is also situated in January from 20 top-ranked portals and July has remained in 24th place and Esade also appears among the 40 best in the world.

But in the classification of the CSIC have managed to position, in addition, some schools more modest than its idiosyncrasies rarely have the opportunity to excel in traditional academic comparative Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Forbes, Business Week and American Economy .

Pleasant surprises
The portal of the Center for Financial Studies (CEF) appeared in January this year as the business school website with better visibility of the world, ahead of the most mythical of the United States, including Harvard, Stanford or MIT, in the Update last July a leading retained sixth place, behind only three North American centers, one Dutch and one Polish.

In the same vein, the European Business School is one of the centers are not common in international academic rankings, he has done a successful job on the Web The institution, born in Madrid and Salamanca, and then opened up new campus in Oviedo , Valladolid, Murcia and Bolivia, was in the first classification of the CSIC of this year as the tenth site with better visibility in the world.

The CSIC is proposed in this paper enhance the quality content produced in Spain are accessible on the Web "Our goal is to have content specifically Spanish and Spanish on the Internet, because these institutions offer a reliable and a mark of prestige and quality. The list encourages those who have not worked yet this area because they perceive that losing position against its competitors. This is a gun put them in the chest, pull out their shameful to improve, "says Aguillo.

Strategic
The list of Spanish research center is not intended as a comparative measure academic quality of training provided by different business schools. But what seems clear, and agree that the heads of business schools themselves, is that today it is essential to have good positioning on the Internet, which helps attract more and better students and more diverse places. It may be a first point of contact to attract teachers, business partners, future employees and other academic institutions that are importing the successful Spanish model. "If you have a good web political candidates can be questioned whether the school is as good as it looks, why not watch your online presence. This should be one aspect of their strategy, not something specifically different, but together with other school policies, "says the author of the report.

The latest and most innovative 'ranking'
El Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) develops a world ranking of universities, research centers, hospitals and business schools with better positioning on the Internet. The latter list, the top training centers, has been updated four times over two years and will be published biannually. The methodology of work, which was renewed this year, measured, evaluated and scored four issues: size, visibility, file and 'scholar'. The first two are most important for positioning in the network size is the number of pages indexed by search engines, the second the number of references to other web portals making each (hyperlinks or 'links' interests).

Virtual Education

Virtual education: Is it possible?

Are common questions such as virtual education is possible?, Can learn a science, art or craft by internet, is it true the title?

All these questions have something in common: their answer is clearly yes. But why?

Define education. According to the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia is "the process by which multi-transmit knowledge, values, customs and ways of acting."

In making this definition we find that the transmission of knowledge, values, customs, and ways of acting can be transmitted in a manner both classroom and virtual. Surely, then from this point of view, education can not only be one way.

Consider now the actors. In the classroom education is relying primarily on three parties: the teacher transmitting knowledge, the student who receives it and the transmission medium. These, too, are present in virtual education, but this is where the main differences begin to emerge is that in virtual environments can not speak of the traditional teacher and student.

In virtual education, the teacher's role should be reconsidered. The Northern Catholic University Foundation, the first virtual educational institution in Colombia, defines a teacher as a facilitator, as a companion of the process of the student, who in turn must transform the way they learn to become a research-oriented be and self-taught, who is accompanied by his guide (Facilitator) on the subject under study.

Similarly, differences in the means by which the student receives knowledge. Education classroom, the teacher interacts with students in vivo, by explaining a particular topic and then continuing with a series of questions to demonstrate understanding of a subject. Da instantly share very few students, while the virtuality is given the explanation but left the approaches to a longer time period, allowing the student to think much more about themselves and better prepare its response.

This gives the possibility to involve all students in a time period determinado.Es clear, then, that differences exist, but so is that both the face and virtual education are valid means for acquiring knowledge.

Pros Cons of Online Education

The Internet has provided an incredible opportunity for education easy through online programs, but not a real alternative to the traditional academic environment.

There is growing interest in the field of online education, as it has some obvious advantages, but also has some serious disadvantages, which are usually ignored. In fact, online education is an opportunity for some people who have some limitations, but generally can not replace traditional education, in all circumstances.

The advantages of online education 
Flexibility: The first interesting feature of online education is its flexibility. "And very ideal for workers who have limited time for study, and you can easily manage your program.

Cost: With the cost of education is an important issue for most students. Thus, low-cost training online is a great advantage over traditional training.  ( Debate on Universities act )

Accessibility: online training is, in fact, a part of globalization, and offers educational opportunities without geographic boundaries and distance. This represents a real opportunity for everyone to participate in online classes from anywhere in the world. This is a golden opportunity for students from developing countries wishing to study in universities in developed countries.

The disadvantages of online education
Cost: Yes, even if the cost is considered as an advantage to online training, is also a disadvantage for the following reasons:

Most students get a classical education system support the various funds from different sources (eg, scholarships, university, government, etc), but there are only a few sources of online students.
A significant portion of the costs of education are related to the classical student life (housing, for example) and online students can pay some extra charges (which are not part of the study or daily life), and high-speed Internet speed, software, postage, etc.

Campus Life: Another objective of higher education is to live in an academic environment, and this helps students to experience new life in polite society (and education dedicated to the study.) In fact, students do not participate in technique classes, but also actively participate in social activities in the community. Even from the technical point of view of education, informal discussions outside the classroom contribute significantly to improving their ability to solve problems. ( Online Education Guide )

Social Issues: By online education, people need to spend much time on the computer and have less to do with the company (not only academic society, but also the public company).

Controversial issues in an online degree
There are also some controversial opinions about online education. For example, accreditation of academic online degree is an important issue in the subject, and indeed the main obstacle to the development of online education. Contrary to common belief that accreditation is an ongoing problem related to the nature of online education, many problems are due to the fact that online universities are very young. Several older universities have launched the Online Campus can offer according to their accreditation as traditional degrees.

On the other hand, the implementation of an online campus is not difficult and expensive: therefore, many online universities without qualified education systems were established in recent years. In addition, some of them, this is a type of business to make money and not for purposes of education. The existence of examples of this type had a bad reputation in the public sector (as some employers do not accept online degrees.)

The main objective of this paper is to stress that online education is not to replace the classical education, in all circumstances, as traditional universities have some essential services that can not fail in the areas of education. Moreover, some serious limitations of online learning, can not be used for all disciplines.

Ideally, online education is an opportunity for those who need that service, especially to get a degree. If someone wants to learn a discipline or to enjoy all aspects of education, there is an appropriate way. When someone is working, do not have enough time to attend traditional classes, and the need for a degree with a general knowledge of the regulation, then online education can be a perfect solution.