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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Administration/Personnel Evaluation

It is common knowledge that by becoming a teacher your work, dedication, and your ability will somehow be evaluated. Even though every teacher must be evaluated in some form it is hard to decide exactly how to evaluate teachers. Should it be through peer evaluation or by interviews and observations of the administration? There are many ways to evaluate teachers and it is important to create a simple but effective system of evaluation that can be understood not only by principals and superintendents but by parents as well. It is important that we first take a look at exactly what an evaluation does and it “builds a written record for the performance of duties outlined in the job description. They should also be a reaffirmation of the skills and strengths the employee brings to the job, and may include a positive plan for personal improvement.”(National Education Association) This outline is the basis for what most administrators should be looking for when deciding on how to evaluate.

Types of Evaluation
There are two types of evaluation that we as teachers should be concerned about. The first is the formative method of evaluation and the second is the summative form of evaluation.

Formative
Formative evaluation is the method of judging the worth of a program while the program activities are forming or happening. (SIL International, 1999) This definition translates into constant evaluation through out the marking period, semester, or trimester. Its benefits are that through constant evaluation your teachers could possibly have more control over their classroom be more adept to the performance of their students and have better rapport with the administration. The problem with this type of evaluation is that it does not allow for new teachers to be come comfortable with their teaching style and how it works without being judged right in the beginning of their new job.

Summative
Summative evaluation is the method of judging the worth of a program at the end of program activities. The focus is on the outcome. (SIL International, 1999) While using a summative type of evaluation the teacher is allowed a little more time to find out which way the students learn without having to have the pressure of a constant evaluation system on his/her hands judging and marking them right off the bat. It allows for new teachers to become comfortable in their environments without having to be pressured by early and constant evaluations. The downside to this type is that without constant evaluation it allows for bad teachers to be able to still have jobs even though they are under performing. Another downside is that as long as the teacher’s students have good grades at the end of the term the administration cannot tell if he/she is doing a bad job.

How to Evaluate Personnel
There are many types of evaluations that can be used to get a better understanding of how teachers are progressing and if they are doing their job correctly. These include observations, third party evaluations, interviews, and surveys and questionnaires all of these add their own different points on how well a teacher is teaching.

Observations
When talking about observations it is important to realize that the majority of school districts in the U.S. only use observations of 1-3 times a year as their main evaluation process. (England) These observations are usually done by the main administrator and by no one else. This is an out of date technique considering that teaching methods and teaching styles have changed dramatically within the last two decades. With the improvement of technology in the classroom as well as the understanding of different types of learning by students it is important to the school district as a whole to have more then one person do all the evaluating and more then 1-3 times a year. In fact a article found in the National Education Association website by a psychology professor and education researcher James Stigler we see a new innovative way to make observations happen more efficiently and often just by using a new video taping software. “Teachers have videotaped lessons for a long time, but the Lesson Lab software has taken this to a new level. Because the lessons are digitized and time coded, teachers can talk about specific incidents and watch them again without spending time getting to the right place on a tape. The software lets a teacher-observer watch someone else's lesson after school or at home, make notes on specific incidents, and share those notes with other people, either remotely or face-to-face.”(National Education Association)Whether or not this new innovation gets used around the world is not our concern but with this creation we are seeing a more effective way of evaluating teachers and also a new way of allowing more people to become involved in the evaluation system which is a very important aspect that gets pushed to the side to often. While doing the actual observations the observer should be looking for “organizational skills, communication ability, classroom product in the form of student achievement, ability to instigate meaningful and focused work in the classroom, and use of those affective components which reinforce teaching effectiveness.”(Lewy) The observer whether it is a principal or another teacher should also be aware of how the students are responding to the teacher’s style of education and write down constructive criticism or positive enforcement accordingly. I emphasize using observations more then three times a year because by going into the classroom and observing teachers it is easier for the school system as a whole to determine if a teacher is doing their job properly. Also by using more then just the administrator as the main evaluator you allow the opportunity to have more observations of more teachers in a shorter time period as well as a check on the observers that they are not being bias in any way at all.

Interviews
Interviewers “should be counsel from principals and other administrators and parents.”(Boyd) Interviews are the first step of evaluation when becoming a teacher and should be used more then that one time alone. In order to be hired as a teacher in a school district it is important to make a good first impression upon your future employers and we do this by interview. “Interviews can be used and should be used at least twice throughout the year and these should be done by administrators and by parents.”(England) Whether it is an administrator or a parents doing the interview they should have the same questions just in different contexts. While the parent only wants to know about their child the administrator should be concerned with the class as a whole. Interviews can give a inside look on how the teacher feels about their job and if they still have the same enthusiasm as they did when they had the first interview that lead to them getting the job. These inside looks from the parent’s perspective as well as the administrators should be looked at together in deciding not only how the interview went but if the goals and concerns are on track between the school system and the parent community. By evaluating through interviews the school district and parents get a sense of just how the teacher is teaching and if they are making accommodations for special circumstances such as learning disabilities.

Questionnaires and Surveys
Another important form of evaluation is questionnaires and surveys. By using these items we as teachers can keep a constant filing system or record of how our students perceive our teaching methods. Also by using these kinds of records the administration can take a look of how exactly the students feel about the way teachers teach. These surveys and questionnaires can be given out by the teacher to their students as well as by the administrator to the parents. The surveys should be a more detailed approach of how the child’s educational growth has increased or decreased since coming into the teachers class.(Peterson) When using questionnaires towards students the teacher can get back numerous 1st hand accounts of the effectiveness of their own teaching styles. If these surveys are given out consistently through out the school year the teacher can find it easier to have the majority of their students succeed in the classroom. Also by doing this Administrators can look at what the students think of their teachers and make decisions upon a different kind of peer evaluation without causing conflict between teachers and the administration. By keeping conflict between the administration and teachers out of the equation the school district can see a better form of education and cooperation in the school.

Student Performance
When evaluating by performance of the student on tests it becomes easier for the administration as well as the parents to track a child’s progress. The downside to this of course is the fact that some students who are exceptionally smart can have problems on standardized testing. “It is absolutely wrong to use only post-instruction test scores, such as grade level tests or state benchmark test scores, for any kind of teacher evaluation. Because of the wide variability of student responsiveness to teaching, it is essential to adjust observed achievement in students according to information about students prior to the teacher effects of interest.”(Sanders) So even though it is a proper form of evaluation it does not take into account the actual ability for a student to learn. If used properly though together with all the other forms of evaluation it can become a very effective part of the evaluation system. So student performance can be an effective way to evaluate a teacher when used in compilation with other forms of evaluation.

Conclusion
When asking the question how personnel should be evaluated? It is important to remember that evaluation should be looked at as a multi step process in which performance flexibility of the teacher and structure and ability need to be taken into account. If all these measures are not involved in the process the evaluation system as a whole will be inaccurate. So by using questionnaires, surveys, observations, and interviews as well as picking a timely form of evaluation the administration as well as the parents can get an accurate view of how teachers are performing at the amazing task of shaping our youths future.

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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Technology/Pros and Cons

Imagine it is your daughter’s first day of work after her high school graduation. She is working at a local company doing secretarial work to pay her way through college. Her new boss comes in and asks her to type the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting and email it to the staff by noon. When her boss walks away she just sits there wondering how she is going to complete this task in ample amount of time because she has no idea how to use the computer. Is it her fault that she did not learn how to use the computer? Her teachers did not have time to allow her to use the computer much; they had to prepare her for all her SOLs in the spring. At the same time, her school district had limited access to computers. She attended a school that had one computer lab that was rarely used. Her teachers would tell the students that they did not have time to “play” on the computer they had to complete the curriculum.

This is the reality of many high school graduates. They are not prepared with the necessary skills for the workplace. However, the bigger problem is, it is not their fault for some reason they were not taught to use the computer in school. There are many reasons why teachers do not use the computers as a learning resource in their classroom. Some do not favor the use of computers, others do not have the time, and some simply do not have the funding to allow the use of computers as part of their curriculum. Before we can begin discussing the use of technology in the classroom we must understand how it is integrated.

What is technology integration in the classroom?
Many people ask the question: What is technology integration and how is it possible? First, technology integration is not using the computers for twenty minutes one day instead of teaching the history of China. It is using the computers for twenty minutes a day to teach the history of China (Dockstader, 1999). Technology integration is not using computer software for unrelated purposes. According to Dockstrader (1999) technology integration is defined as “using computers effectively and efficiently in the general content areas to allow students to learn how to apply computer skills in meaningful ways” (p. 1). Secondly, technology integration is something that takes time and patience on the behalf of the teachers. This is where many people begin to disagree about technology integration in the classroom. Let the debate begin!

Pros of Technology
There are numerous benefits for the use of technology in all curricula in today’s education. Many educators have recognized these benefits and have begun to implement technology as part of their curriculum. Some educators even ask the question: Why not implement technology into the curriculum? Educators want it, parents want it, and employers want it. With our changing society today, it is important to prepare our children with the proper framework and standards to perform in the workplace. Traditional educational practices can no longer provide students with all the necessary skills (NETSP, 1-2).

The use of the computers can break up the monotony of lecture and note taking in the classroom. The use of some lecture and note taking is necessary to understand the material. However, teachers can use the computers to enhance their curriculum. The computer can be used to introduce a new topic, apply it, or review it for a test or quiz. Teachers can use video websites, websites with self-assessments, and other databases filled with information to enrich a student’s education. Websites that offer self-assessment can serve as a tutor for the teachers. According to a report entitled Computer Advantages: Tutoring Individuals, “with computers as tutors, no student will be overwhelmed because he or she is missing fundamentals, the computer will repeat material until each lesson has been sufficiently mastered” (as cited in the Journal of Educational Policy). This can be very beneficial in a classroom, because it allows the students to learn more at their own pace without feeling as if they are being held back or left behind due to the progress of the majority of the class. Technology integration can also make lessons fun and more interesting.

Teachers can integrate games via SMART Board to engage the students in interactive learning. According to The Virginia Pilot, some Virginia teachers use the SMART Board instead of flash cards or paper because it allows the student to see pictures and pause on information until it is understood (Bower, 1999).

Technology can be integrated into the curriculum early in a student's school career. The elementary school in Surry County has implemented a new computer based program called Breakthrough Literacy. It is a program that helps kindergarten students learn to read using a classroom mascot and the computer. The students must learn about the computer and the different parts of the computer before they start to use it. Soon they learn how to log in on and log off on their own. The students use headphones to follow directions through activities to help them begin to learn how to read. They spend twenty to thirty minutes a day on the computer in the lab working on their reading curriculum. Booklets and other worksheets are worked on in the classroom that goes with the theme of the week. Work is also sent home for the students to share with their parents. Integrating technology early in the school years makes it easier for the later years.

Overall the use of technology in the classroom can offer an abundance of benefits. It prepares our students with the necessary skills for the workplace, it offers a diverse learning environment, and it makes the learning environment fun and interesting.

Cons of Technology
Technology integration seems fun and easy to do. However, is it really that easy to integrate technology into a curriculum? Do all students perform and complete tasks like they are asked to while using the computers? The answer to both questions is, no. This is why some people oppose using technology in the classroom. First, it is hard to integrate technology as part of a curriculum if the teacher does not even know how to use all the software on the computer. Second, some educators believe that the students do not have enough basic skills and background information to use the computers. Third, some educators argue that it can interfere with the teacher-student contact. Finally, funding can be an obstacle- some schools simply can not afford to provide computers for all the students or enable them to receive proper training.

Some teachers have taught for twenty-five plus years and when they began to teach, technology was not an option in their classroom. However, now twenty some years later we as a society expect them to use technology in their classroom. Some of these teachers are not even familiar with computers and all the software available on a computer, but yet we expect them to teach our students to use the computer to learn the material. Some educators fear if they begin to integrate technology in their curriculum they will be embarrassed because the students will know more about the computers than they do. How can we expect teachers to teach our students and maintain the respect in their classroom when the students might be teaching their own teachers about computers?

Many teachers use the computers for students to do research. However, it is important that the students know some background information when researching on the Internet. “There are four things that need to be looked at to evaluate a site quickly before the resource is further considered: the author of the work, the URL, the currency of the information as well as the actual information that is provided” (Lampkins, 2007). These four things are important for students to know prior to researching on the Internet. Many educators argue that they have to first explain all this information to the students and then spend the rest of the time monitoring the research to ensure that the students are doing proper research. It would be easier to research in the library where the sources are more trustworthy.

Another argument against technology use in the classroom is that it could interfere with the teacher-student relationship. They do not want the computers to interfere with the student’s need for human support. Some argue that if the computer can act as a tutor and solve the problems for the student, then there will be no need for the teacher to interact with the students (Gulley, 2003). The students have emotional needs and the teacher must take into account these needs despite the advances in technology.

Additionally, it must be borne in mind that many of the risks of technology in general apply in the classroom. While information security policies and practices may decrease the likelihood, stalking, theft, terrorism, fraud, and so forth remain possible even within the supposedly sheltered school environment. Students can be easily persuaded into giving out personal information to online 'friends', who may then use that information to damage the students, staff, or school property.

Lastly, many schools can not afford to provide computer labs and individual computers in each classroom and continue to upgrade them every few years. This automatically puts these students at a disadvantage because they do not have the resources to be exposed to advanced technology. The Title 1 schools are just trying to make ends meet. They do not have the extra money to fund technology projects even if they desired to. Whereas, charter schools receive grants which allows them to fund project such as upgrading technology. Obviously there is a clear disadvantage in our educational system that must be worked out. Dr. Dwight Allen and Dr. William Cosby in their book, American Schools: The 100 Billion Dollar Challenge, propose that as a society we make a commitment to allocate the financial resources to provide every child with the proper technology.

Conclusion
There are some advantages and disadvantages to integrating technology into the curricula. However, in order to provide our students with the proper education we as a society must agree on what we want them to be accountable for. There are clearly some obstacles that we need to overcome in order to make technology use available for everyone. However, these obstacles can be overcome with staff development for teachers who are not comfortable with the software, training for the students to learn proper Internet use, and funding to provide equal opportunities for all students. The advantages of technology use outweigh the disadvantages. Technology integration can be seen as a bridge to the gap between traditional education and technological education.

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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Technology/Internet

The Internet, as defined by Concept to Classroom, is a collection of computers connected in a worldwide network. This means that knowledge can be shared quickly and worldwide with just the click of a button. Does the Internet have a place in the classroom? Yes! The Internet is not going anywhere; its power is only increasing. Teachers need to be able to harness that power and use it to better prepare our children for the “real world”. By integrating this technology into our classrooms one can only imagine the exposure and information our children will be able to gain. Also it makes you think where education will go in the future.

Why Use the Internet?
The Internet is a great tool for every subject. It not only answers questions about assigned work but helps children to formulate their own questions and find those answers as well. It can enhance the impact of a lesson, increase communication, and make presentations easy and fun. If used properly the Internet can engage today's learner. Integrating technology does not mean using it as a reward for good behavior or a babysitter while you grade papers. Integrating technology means using it as a means of enhancing the lessons you are already teaching. It helps students “move beyond knowledge and comprehension to application and analysis of information” (Dockstader 1999). Today's learners are fast-paced and easily bored; thus, the use of computers helps to keep them focused, engaged, and excited about what they are learning. Computer skills should be taught in conjunction with core content (Dockstader 1999). Students acquire many computer skills just by giving them the chance to explore and create through the learning process (Dockstader 1999). The teaching profession is changing along with the digital age.

According to Don Tapscott, there are eight major shifts:
 * Shifting from linear to hypermedia learning
 * Shifting from instruction to construction and discovery
 * Shifting from teacher-centered to learner-centered education
 * Shifting from absorbing material to learning how to navigate and how to learn
 * Shifting from school to lifelong learning
 * Shifting from one-size-fits-all to customized learning
 * Shifting from learning as torture to learning as fun
 * Shifting from the teacher as transmitter to the teacher as facilitator

These shifts are a huge evolution and teachers need to be better trained to assist this new style of learning (Tapscott 1999).

Home Use
Domine did a study on children who have access to at least one computer, and use it on a regular basis. She found that students use the Internet at home to look up sport information, chat with friends, download music, watch videos and sometimes to do their homework. The students she interviewed claimed to be “clueless about computers” or “not to be a computer person”; when really their lives revolved around the computer. Although at home, they are pulling from their parents for direction and that guides what they do and how they are exposed to the Internet. These children are digital natives and while they may not be experts on programming they can easily find any information on any topic they are looking for(Domine 2006).

School Use
If students are getting exposure to the Internet at home, why integrate it into the classroom? The job of the teacher in a classroom is evolving with technology. It is our job as teachers to guide children to the “good” information on the Internet and teach them how to discern credible information from non-credible information. Kids themselves realize what a good tool it is, “…the perfect tool for education”, says Junior from Domine's study. It is also the job of the teacher to connect how the children use the Internet at home to how they use it at school. When used properly it can play an important position in making the curriculum come alive to all students (Domine 2006).

Benefits of Technology Integration
Using the Internet in the classroom has an infinite number of benefits. The four main areas in which the Internet is useful in the classroom are communication and collaboration, research, data collection, and web publishing (NTTI 2006). Students can have access to peers around the world, experts in any field, and information on any topic. When using real-time Internet, students can really see the connection between what they are studying and the real world applications (NTTI 2006). Web publishing is advanced for most teachers but when children get a chance to display their work to the world, they put more effort into what they are learning and are more enthusiastic about projects, as their efforts will show (NTTI 2006).

The Internet expands the up to date resources available to every child. It also gives meaning and depth to what the children are learning from their texts. It can also reduce time and location dependency (Concept to Classroom 2004). For example, if you are teaching a lesson on archeology, after learning background information, students can go to the Internet and participate on a dig or talk with a real archeologist. It helps to bring printed information to life! Schools are dynamic, ever changing places and the Internet is a great tool but as always in teaching, it is up to the teacher to decide what is the best resource to use for any given lesson (Concept to Classroom 2004).

Disadvantages of Technology Integration
One big disadvantage that schools are faced with is cost. Surprise! Technology isn't cheap! In addition to just buying the computers/laptops, schools need chairs that prevent back injury, they need wireless connections in every classroom, and they need ways to protect the expensive equipment they buy (Kennedy 2007). Schools are already complaining about tight budgets and now we are asking them to contribute thousands or millions of dollars to bring our schools into the high tech world. Will that money take away from buying updated textbooks?

Another worry is that Internet in schools will distract or replace teaching basic skills(Concept to Classroom 2004). This worry can be lessened by having productive training and in-services for teachers who are already in the classroom and good basic instruction for those studying to go into today's classrooms. Again the Internet should not replace any instruction only add to its value. Another concern is access to inappropriate and distracting information. We now have fairly strong filtering systems in place to prevent most access to information such as pornography or online (non-educational) games. Also most schools have an Acceptable Use Policy that outlines the rules for appropriate use and consequences for using the Internet inappropriately (Concept to Classroom 2004).

A big concern of teachers is that they don't have the time or resources to facilitate productive use of the Internet. The school days are already jam-packed and we are asking them to update their plans to include technology they don't know how to use (Norm L. 2005). And what happens when the technology isn't reliable?? More support staff and in-services are required to make the most of what tools we have...but again up creeps the money issue.

Best Practices and Helpful Hints
The goal is to integrate technology so that it is adding to our educational value. The skills we are teaching must relate to the content area, the classroom, and they need to be assisting the traditional method of instruction (Dockstader 1999). Teachers need to be comfortable with the media before giving access to the students. Here are seven steps that the Jerome School District used when trying to integrate technology:
 * Choose a core area (just one to start)
 * Decide what technology skill you want to teach or could be taught in this area
 * Choose one lesson that could be enhanced or taught through the computer (start easy!)
 * Try one of these sites!
 * Develop that one lesson in a software package you know very well
 * Use it!
 * Evaluate how it went, what needs to change for next time
 * Refine the lesson and repeat the process with another lesson or core area (Dockstader 1999).

There are so many websites available to teachers for technological support. Use them!! If you have a problem don't be afraid to ask for help. Use your colleagues as a resource. Most school systems have at least one technology support staff to assist you in learning a new program or executing a new, improved lesson! We, as teachers, need to model that we don't know everything but we know how to find the answers or help when needed.

Conclusion
As far as technology in our schools is concerned we have come a long way. However, there is still a long way yet to go. We need better-trained teachers who appreciate what an amazing resource the Internet can be in a classroom. We need the money to help all schools have the same opportunities. Most importantly, we, as teachers, need patience and the desire to grow and evolve with the path of education.

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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Technology/Teacher Replacement

Education is not replacing the human teacher, but rather replacing the location of that teacher. Rather than having a teacher stand in front of you in a traditional classroom setting, students will have access to their teachers and lessons through computers. With the rise of continuing education and distance learning programs offered at community, public, and private colleges, the idea of having these same programs to benefit students in elementary and secondary education is now here. Technology today is going to make school easier for the teachers and the students. The No Child Left Behind Act is using virtual school to help students that are unable to transfer to high performance schools due to overcrowding or lack of transportation, an option of online learning. It will also bring relief to students because they will not be limited to the information in their classroom, but have the option of going beyond what they have learned in the classroom and receive credit for it from their home school. So what does this say for our aspiring and veteran teachers? Take as many computer courses as you can because it will greatly benefit you and your students.

How does this work?
Well, for starters, instead of having a teacher standing in front of a chalkboard or beside an overhead projector writing down the class work and homework for the day, students will access their lessons by a computer or watch their instructor televised live from another location. “In February 2004, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance specifically defining virtual schools as a legally acceptable way to create additional capacity for students wishing to transfer… as long as the virtual school is a public elementary or secondary school and has not been identified for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.” (B.S. Hassel, M Terrell 2004). The NCLB Act has three options for students. The first option is an off-site virtual school where students will access their lessons, homework, etc from the site of their choosing. The second option is a “school- within a school where students will eat lunch with peers, have music and art classes, etc. but the core academic instruction would be provided online in a different room or structure located on the school site” (B.S. Hassel, M Terrell 2004). The third option is an “offsite facility in conjunction with a nonprofit organization, such as a community center. A teacher or administrator would be onsite to help monitor students; however, most instruction would be online” (B.S. Hassel, M Terrell 2004). With the growing number of virtual schools, teachers are not being replaced in fact; they are in high demand for highly qualified teachers.

Virtual Dissection vs. the Lab
Dissections have been done in schools for many years. They provide a way for students to learn about the internal and external anatomical structures of animals. By taking a hands-on learning approach, students can get a real sense of the relationships between the structures of organisms.

There are some students who are disturbed by dissection. Online (virtual) dissections provide the means to experience actual dissections without the mess. There are online video dissections where the student just watches the video of a dissection, and there are other virtual dissections that provide the student visual images and step-by-step instructions on how to conduct their own dissection. Other online dissections provide diagrams and pictures that display certain anatomical structures (firstmonday.org).

Traditional dissections, done in traditional classrooms, are a very social activity. Students generally work together in groups during dissections. Doing dissections in groups means that the students must learn how to work collaboratively. This requires a degree of teamwork allowing students to share in the responsibility of conducting a dissection. Students working in groups in the traditional lab are often encouraged to examine the other specimens in the class to observe the differences in sex, differences in muscle tissue, organs in different places and so much more. There are considerable differences in the social atmosphere between physical and virtual dissections.

There are many differences between actual and virtual dissection. For instance, when students take part in a virtual dissection there is usually no teamwork involved. Virtual dissections usually focus on the student – computer interaction rather than the human to human interaction. Virtual dissections provide an alternative exercise for students as well as provide review material for students prior to test.

Although dissection simulations may provide the capability of examining both male and female specimens, at least for study of the reproductive system, they do not typically allow users to explore other types of variation. Virtual dissections replace everything including the specimen, the textbooks, dissection manual, and maybe even the teacher. In contrast to a real frog, the virtual frog can be taken apart in any sequence. The student can start with the digestive system and then put back together again. This new “digital” frog requires no scalpels, probes or offensive smelling gases. It just requires a computer. The three-dimensional simulation is a valuable tool in the teaching of basic anatomy and physiology. The “digital” frog can also be rotated and viewed from any angle. These virtual alternatives to dissection are less expensive than the real thing because software and three-dimensional models, unlike the animals, are a reusable resource.

There has always been a controversy over the dissection of animals. There are some students who are refusing to dissect for humanitarian reasons. Some say they will not participate in dissection due to their religious beliefs. At least eight states now have policies allowing students to opt out of dissection, according to the Humane Society of the United States. They include Florida, California, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Maine. Such policies, in the form of state law, allow students to learn anatomy and physiology by other means, without a penalty. In a recent survey of 5,000 biology teachers conducted by the Humane Society of the United States, two-thirds of those polled indicated they support student choice on the issue of dissection (lists.envirolink.org).Virtual dissection may be the best alternative for these students who find it offensive, uncomfortable or too disturbing.

Over the past decade, interactive software and online simulations have made it possible to study the inner workings of animals without actually cutting them up. These virtual dissections are cleaner than the actual in lab dissections and require less materials, tools, textbooks and time. Changing the classroom from one where students dissect with a scalpel to one where students dissect with a computer mouse requires nothing more than an available computer, a CD-ROM or downloadable software, and, of course, the computer mouse itself. What it offers, however, is the promise of an exciting, innovative, and stimulating educational experience.

Students using virtual dissection programs can still work together in groups. They can take turns clicking on different parts of the anatomy and can share in reading the corresponding text to learn about each of these parts and their functions. Studies show that students learning frog anatomy just by using the virtual dissection programs did just as well, if not better, on their exams in comparison to their peers who learned frog anatomy by doing actual physical dissections.

There is a wonderful Museum in Newport News, Va. that has a Virtual Frog dissection station where visitors can learn about the anatomy of a frog via a touch screen computer. Children are fascinated by this.They are thrilled to learn about the inner workings of a frog via this computer program. When a student experiences the actual in-lab dissections, they smell the formaldehyde, and possibly get an animal’s insides squirt all over them when they use the scalpel. For some students it may not always be a pleasant class in high school, nor might it be any better in college. Nonetheless, it is something that the student will never forget. The whole experience of actually learning in the lab will stay with the student for years to come.

Virtual dissection should not be the sole method of learning about the anatomy of an animal, however it is an effective supplement to it. The whole experience of working together with your classmates, the pungent smell that hits you when you carefully peel back the wrapping on the specimen and the squirmy feeling of touching and consequently cutting through an organ is valuable. Using both methods in conjunction would prove beneficial to the student and would most definitely enhance their learning experience.

More Teachers?
Virtual schools are actually in need of highly qualified teachers. Aspiring and veteran teachers that want to become an online instructor must complete “an approved professional development curriculum ensuring their competency as online instructors. They should demonstrate design and implementation knowledge necessary to deliver quality instruction to students in the new school. Also, personnel policies need administrators of virtual schools to have a specific skill set and professional development training which includes; leading a teaching staff that may itself be completely virtual” (B.S. Hassel, M Terrell 2004). Retired teachers’ can also become online instructors because they will not have to move to another county or state to do their job. However, teachers are going to be required to complete extensive computer training if they have not already done so, to become highly qualified teachers for virtual schools.

Teacher/Student Communication
There are many communication devices that are used for virtual schools such as discussion boards, e-mails, online presentations, microphones at off-site facilities and more. Yet, one thing that virtual schools cannot replace is the one-on-one attention given in the traditional classrooms. This type of interaction helps students to understand their teacher’s personality and teaching styles as well for the teacher to observe their students in the classroom and understand their personality and learning styles.

Conclusion
As you can see, there is no need to panic. Students will still interact with their teachers, just not in a traditional setting. The NCLB Act has even set guidelines to ensure that schools meet specific requirements in order to host virtual schools. Since there are a growing number of virtual schools, more teachers are in demand as online instructors. Aspiring and veteran teachers must be highly qualified to become an online instructor by going through extensive computer training to show competency in online education. Although there are many communication devices, it will never take the place of one-on-one attention that is in a traditional class setting.

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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Technology/Computers

Should students have the ability to use computers in the classroom? Should computer use in the classroom be a part of the educational day? How should computers be used in the classroom? These are all questions that are bounced around among teachers, staff and parents. Let’s look into the use of computers in the classroom by students.

Students Should Be Allowed To Use Computers in the Classroom
Teachers allowing students to use the computers in the classroom often becomes a big issue in schools. Younger, newer teachers want to expose students to computers as much as possible because that is what awaits them after graduation. Kathryn Tighe, a third grade teacher at Surry Elementary School states that, “Computers are a good thing for students to use in the classroom.” Older teachers often feel that students’ minds are being drained of potential knowledge if they sit in front of a computer. This way of thinking is due to the lack of staff development in the area of technology.

When should students be allowed to use the computers in the classroom? Different views are given to when and why students should use the classroom computer. The technology director will want the students using the computers so the department will continue to receive funding for more technology. Teachers want the computers to be used for reasons ranging from a babysitter to preparation for the real world. Administrators want the computers being used because they often feel that technology helps boost these wonderful Standards of Learning Test (SOL) scores. Students want to use the computers because it is fun as well as educational.

Why should students be allowed to use the computers in the classroom? All reasons stated previously are valid reasons to allow students to use classroom computers except for as a babysitter. The computers in the classroom are wonderful tools to enhance a lesson and the students’ knowledge of the computer world. There are many reasons for using computers in the classroom. Computer use can “increase basic skills in math, reading and writing” (Sadker) as well as other content areas. Sadker list other useful purposes of computer use in the classroom to include student motivation, the promotion of higher order thinking, increasing the use of academic resources, reaching different learning styles, and preparing students for the workplace. Computer use in the classroom by students enhances the ability to teach problem based learning. The computer can help a teacher “guide students in real-world problem solving” (Sadker) and still cover the curriculum for No Child Left Behind.

Computer Use: Part of the Educational Day
Many teachers love implementing computer usage into their lesson plans and then there are teachers who dread the thought of the students needing to get on the computer. Computer use can be a very vital part of the educational day for the teacher and students. Computers can help engage students in the lesson that is being taught. Computers can often be incorporated into any lesson and students like the change of pace (Tighe). Using computers as part of their educational day, students can become engaged in “problem solving” (McKenzie). Cooperative learning can also become a productive outcome by use of the computer when working on a class project. Children like to use computers in groups which encourages cooperative learning.

Middle school and high school students across Virginia are now taking their Standards of Learning Tests on computers. Preparing students to use the computer is an important part of their education since it is now becoming an increasing part of their vital testing sessions. Students like taking the VA SOLs online versus pencil and paper. “I don’t get so confused with a bubble sheet when I take my SOL online,” claims a fifth grader at Luther Porter Jackson Middle School. The student also likes the highlighting marker and calculator that can be used on the computer during the SOL tests. “I really like it when we get to use the laptops instead of the computer lab,” the student states.

How Computers Should Be Used In the Classroom
Many teachers use computers in the classroom in many different ways. What is the most beneficial use of computers for the students? Using computers as a babysitter is not helping students prepare themselves for the technological world that they will one day enter. The younger the students are when they begin to properly use the computer to benefit their education the better off they will be when they no longer have their teacher’s hand to hold.

The kindergarten students in an elementary school in Surry County have started a new program this year that requires the students to use the computer on a daily basis. The program is designed to help students begin to read. Before the students can use the program they must learn the different parts of the computer and how to use it properly. Some people my claim that this age is too young to understand how to use a computer, but there are preschool systems that start children at a much younger age. This program also helps the teacher work with twenty or more children that are all working at different paces. The teacher is able to give more attention to those who need more help without holding back those that can move on.

Ways To Use The Computer In The Classroom
The computer can be used for many different things in a classroom. It can be used for educational and learning purposes or it can be used to play games and explore the World Wide Web. The computer is not just a teaching tool for the teacher, but it is a learning tool that students can use as well. The most common applications used on a computer are usually a word processing program or the internet. Some teachers may even teach by presenting a PowerPoint presentation. The Florida Center for Instructional Technology lists the following ways in which computers can be used in your classroom: presentation tools, learning centers, development stations, or a combination of configurations. The Center also says that computers with internet access allow students and teachers to search for answers to questions immediately. Computers can be used in project-based activities if there are not enough computers for individual projects. Teachers can also schedule times when students can do individual work on the computers. Teachers should explore the different ways to incorporate computers into their daily lessons.

Rules for Caring for Your Computer
 * No food or drinks near a computer
 * Press, don't pound on keys or mouse buttons
 * Keep fingers away from monitor (Keep screen clean)
 * Unplug modem and computer during thunderstorm
 * Use computer only with clean hands
 * Do not install new programs without proper training or approval from network administrator
 * Do not delete files without permission
 * Do not plug or unplug cables without approval or proper training
 * Do not attempt to move a computer without adult assistance
 * Comply with copyright legislation
 * Follow acceptable use rules of your school
 * Load floppies and CDs in the proper manner
 * Do not touch media surface of CDs and floppies
 * Do not turn a computer on or off without permission

Students Should Be Taught How To Use The Computer
If a teacher chooses to allow her students to use a computer in the classroom, there are some basic rules students should be taught when using the computer and the internet. First, the teacher should go over the school’s computer use policy as it relates to students. The teacher should also explain the proper care of a computer. The sidebar titled “Rules for Caring for Your Computer” lists some typical rules to present to students about the care of a computer. They must know that a computer is not something to play with or a toy. Before any type of activity is started, the teacher should give a brief lesson on how to use the computer and the appropriate applications that will be used in the activity or lesson. A study conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics titled “Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003” showed that 91% of children surveyed between the ages of 5 and 17 used computers in 2003 and only 62% of the same children used the internet. This shows that although most children have been around a computer at some point, they may not know how to use the computer or the applications on the computer, especially the internet. Teachers should make sure all students are at the same level when using a particular program or feature that some may not be familiar with. One important feature to instruct students on how to use properly is the internet. Students must comply with the school policy on using the internet as well as viewing age appropriate and content related material. The best way to use the internet is for students to only view websites that has prior approval from the teacher. Since teachers cannot be at several computers at the same time, students should be taught ways to evaluate websites independently. Kathy Schrock provides many evaluation surveys and resources on ways to evaluate a website at Critical Evaluation Information.

Conclusion
There will always be teachers that do not like technology but there is a growing number of teachers entering education who embrace technology and what it has to offer their students. Computer use in the classroom by students can not be based on personal preference. Teachers should not keep their students from working with computers just because they do not like them and do not want to learn more about them. The teachers and the school system must put the education of the students first and realize that it is a necessary part of the curriculum. Technology will only increase and students need to be prepared for it. The younger the supervised use in the classroom is started the better adapted the students will become as technology is an ever changing world of its own.

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Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Technology/Classroom Technology

In today’s society, there is a growing need for technology in the classroom. Some teachers are at the cutting edge of incorporating new technology into their daily lesson plans. Also, since there is so much technology out there, what should teachers be using in the classroom? Let’s take a look at some of the more recent technology that is being used in today’s modern classroom.

Basic Programs
Before a teacher can use recent technology effectively however, he needs to be able to use basic computer programs to enhance his teaching. One basic program with a number of applications is power point. According to Jamye Swinford in an Education World article on technology, power point can be used for many more things than just presentations. For example, one could make a Jeopardy style game to do a review. Excel is another program that can have huge benefits in the classroom. You can use it to collect data for science experiments. You can then make graphs and charts out of the data which you can teach students to interpret. Perhaps the most basic computer program is a word processing program which can be used in a nearly infinite number of ways, from simply typing up handouts for the class to anything you can think of. You could use it to have students create a newspaper from a time period they are studying. Or, more traditionally to write papers. You can have your students create fliers about a cause they are arguing to learn to use other media to persuade. Depending on the age and ability level of your students basic computer applications can be used to do almost anything to enhance the learning experience.

LiveText
LiveText is a new emerging technology that allows students to create electronic portfolios online. The students will then share their projects with their teachers via LiveText. By sharing the documents with the teachers, it gives the opportunity for the teachers to assess the project without turning in a paper copy. By turning in projects online, this allows students to build an electronic portfolio which will give them the opportunity to look back and reflect upon their previous assignments. Live text provides three things for students: (1) demonstrate learning competencies, (2) display competencies, (3) a maintenance tool to document ongoing development (Banister et. al, 2006). Another important tool that LiveText comes with is unlimited storage space. Students can then upload as many documents as they need to the electronic database where they will be stored for as long as they are needed. For teachers, there is a template already built into LiveText for lesson plans. This will cut down the time that is needed to setup a lesson plan, which will allow more time to spend on other projects and grading assignments. There is, however, a downside to LiveText. Students must purchase a one time only subscription code that will give them unlimited access to the online software.

LiveText was originally designed to provide a secure, structured storage in cyberspace for use by elementary school students' work products. The idea was to show that students could understand and use technology. Founded in 1997, by undergraduate students at Illinois State University Department of Computer Science, LiveText was developed in the early days of the world wide web. The founders worked with professors under a grant from the Sloan Foundation to develop and deliver the first generation of web based classes.(Illinois State University)

LiveText is priced at eighty-nine dollars for a student addition that is valid until one year after you graduate your program. This seems a fair price considering the price of textbooks. Also, you can renew your subscription on a yearly basis after that. You also have the capability of allowing a visitor to view your files by giving them a password. With the password, your guest simply logs into LiveText using the password and can then review your files. This could be a very valuable tool for submitting your portfolio to prospective employers upon graduation.

Blackboard
Anyone in college has had at least some interaction with Blackboard. For students in high school, there is almost none. In my own high school experience, I had no idea what Blackboard was. I thought that Blackboard was what teachers write on in the classroom! This needs to change. We need to begin to expose students to Blackboard at a much younger age so that they can become familiar with it. Blackboard can be an effective tool when teaching. Students can basically “drop off” their assignments into the respective link. Also, students can take quizzes, post on discussion boards, and have active chats with their teacher and other students. By having all of this available online, the students have virtually unlimited access to their teachers and course materials. Blackboard also makes things a little easier on teachers. With online quizzes and assignments, they are automatically graded by the software and are posted in an online grade book. Instead of grading, teachers can now spend more time developing lesson plans, and devoting more of their time to their students. There is exciting news in Blackboard technology. Blackboard has just released a version designed specifically for students in K-12 schools. There are some advantages for this newer version, it “enables school districts to:

 * Easily provide classroom materials online with students (without having to know HTML)
 * Engage parents by allowing them to view student progress
 * Enable 24/7 access to learning materials in a secure environment
 * Offer innovative testing methods and self-assessments for individualized learning paths” (2006).

These things maybe great for teachers, students and parents but what does it all mean? It means that Blackboard is an effective tool that can be utilized by everyone being affected by the education process.

Inspiration
There is another effective tool in the modern repertoire of teachers. Inspiration software is more of a study tool than it is anything else. Inspiration software “is a tool that helps organize thoughts--for teachers as well as for students” (Kurtz, 2003). Basically, Inspiration consists of bubble-maps that are created by the students or class as a whole. The teacher can then print out copies of the bubble-map for the whole class for use as study material. For quick brainstorming, rapid fire tool allows for ideas to get put down in writing quickly (Kurtz, 2003). Also, “the new version of Inspiration comes with more than 50 templates for use in language arts, social studies, and science” (Kurtz, 2003). By having plenty of templates to choose from, students and teachers both have the ability to generate ideas and plug them in to the blank areas on the template. The software “is wonderful for students who have a difficult time organizing their writing and research” (Kurtz, 2003). Inspiration software can be used by every area of teaching including special education, “with the added audio component that allows text to be read aloud, this program meets the needs of students within a broader developmental range” (Kurtz, 2003). Inspiration software is an important tool that can be utilized by any student or teacher for creating in class study materials. By using this interactive software, students can improve their grades significantly because they are actually participating in the learning process.

Unitedstreaming
Unitedstreaming is a emerging technology that has impacted my life in a great way and it has influenced my own way of looking at teaching with technology. Unitedstreaming is an online service available to most schools that has thousands of videos, pictures, and songs that are all standards based, which means that all of the videos meet or exceed the Standards of Learning. Through Unitedstreaming, “teachers are learning to prepare lesson plans and student activities in print, graphic, sound and video formats to give teachers and students multiple paths for understanding and retaining content” (Reed, 2003). The videos on Unitedstreaming can be picked and then edited through Windows Movie Maker.

As a student using Unitedstreaming, it is easy to use, extremely addicting and most importantly, fun to use. Searching for videos on there can be a task but it is quite an experience once you have found the perfect one. After you find the videos, you can then edit them to make one continuous clip. This is a great idea for teachers who want to make a video about their subject matter. Also, it would be a great student activity/project for them to generate and get their hands dirty doing something creative. There are however some downsides to using Unitedstreaming in school. Streaming the videos takes up massive amounts of bandwidth and essentially locks up the school's Internet system. So just remember, it is always better to download your videos!

TeacherTube
One of the newest technologies to emerge in the past year is TeacherTube, an online database of instructional videos. Modeled after the popular video website, YouTube, TeacherTube allows educators to “upload, tag, and share videos worldwide.”  These videos range in subject from those instructing teachers how to use new classroom software or how to teach a certain type of lesson to movies that can actually be used in the classroom to help elaborate upon the subject matter. Not only can educators find videos to supplement their lessons, but those who upload their videos often include access to lesson plans, notes, and activities. The fact that this website is fully interactive means other educators and even students can comment on the videos and information and provide constructive criticism, leading to the material on the site constantly being upgraded and improved. This also helps to keep inappropriate videos at bay, by allowing users to flag ones they do not find suitable. Though new, TeacherTube contains a plethora of information for educators new and old.

Conclusion
There are so many new and emerging technologies in the teaching field that it makes it very easy to become overwhelmed with the deluge of information. There is a great quote about teaching that comes from the Chinese philosopher Confucius. He said. “Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others” (2000). There is a lot we can take away from this quote and actually apply it to the subject matter that I have been discussing. What Confucius is saying is that you must learn the new ways while retaining the old, then and only then, will you be a teacher.

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Cookbook talk:Aesthetics

Worth keeping?
Is this page worth keeping? It would need some serious reworking, and I don't necessarily see the value in keeping it. It's not objective, cites no sources, and seems like personal opinion. Thoughts? Nostriker (discuss • contribs) 21:15, 15 December 2021 (UTC)

"Many meals in big restaurants are ruined because their surroundings are just too noisy" I would have to disagree. The audiatory ambiance is a big part of why I love eating out at Restaurants (Although I agree it may ruin a meal for some people). There's nothing quite like eating at the LA Farmer's Market, with 2 bands trying to compete with each other, and everyone carrying on in their own conversations, and sitting in a folding chair on a 10 degree slope, trying not to let your tippy table spill your food. 24.205.34.217 20:59, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

The opinion regarding musical choice with bouillabaise is ridiculous. Barnaclese 17:48, 6 July 2007 (UTC)
 * I think this page is just exceedingly prone to opinion. 66.215.20.28 (talk) 06:18, 22 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I'd say prone to pretension. --199.116.168.24 (discuss) 00:14, 13 February 2016 (UTC)

"To show off the food and put everyone at ease about cleanliness, use bright white (not yellowish) lighting with pure white dishes and clear glasses." - I think not. One should use appropriate crockery and lighting. A Ploughman's lunch served on white china in a bright room might look utterly inapropriate, where as it would look fantastic served on willow pattern crockery in a yellowed, underlit pub. --82.46.75.231 08:23, 8 July 2007 (UTC) Aesthetics would be better described if a wide variation of cultures were introduced; as this web page reaches around the world. "CarmenDP (discuss • contribs) 19:22, 23 June 2013 (UTC)"

title: Cookbook talk:Aesthetics


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Cookbook talk:Shrimp

I'm new to the wiki discussion boards, so forgive me if this post is inappropriate or what-have-you, but:

boiling shrimp is the best method of cooking it? especially after peeling it? boiling is violent and drains away flavor... wouldn't steaming in-shell be better?

--Richardpaez 21:15, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

title: Cookbook talk:Shrimp


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User talk:BAScMASc

Hello BAScMASc, welcome to Wikibooks! I've seen your books, Electromagnetics, and electromagnetic Fields. Wikibooks is not the same as wikipedia, on this project we tend to use links more sparsely, and we don't typically like pages to have lots of red links. Also, we prefer to organize our material into "books" not simply "pages". There is a preexisting book, Electrodynamics that might be a good home for these books of yours. If you would like to move your pages into that book, let me know and I can help you do it. Also, if you want some help taking out all the red links, I have a bot that can help with the formatting.

If you have any questions, or if you need any help, don't hesitate to ask me on my user talk page. --Whiteknight (talk) 21:22, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

The red links are there for the purpose of eventually becoming valid links to content. Please do not remove them.

title: User talk:BAScMASc


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Wikijunior talk:Human Body/Anatomy

Suggest changing "renal system" to "excretory system". This is more standard usage and is broader. - Kfasimpaur  talk, May 25, 2007

title: Wikijunior talk:Human Body/Anatomy


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User:Whiteknight/WIW

Wikibooks v. Wikipedia
It is my opinion that wikibooks has strong potential to be a powerful tool. In fact, I would even say that given the same amount of notoriety, wikibooks would better serve the world than wikipedia could. A wikipedia article can list any number of facts and figures, but only a book, written with the target audience in mind, can really be used to teach a subject to people who don't already know it. Wikipedia might be a great resource for collecting all the worlds information, but wikibooks will be the best resource for disseminating that information to the people who need it most.

Drama and Nonsense
Wikibooks is a place where people go for whatever reason. Some people treat it more like a job, some people treat it more like a hobby, and some people treat it like it's a socializing venue. Regardless of our individual motives for coming here, the ultimate aim of wikibooks is to volunteer our collective time and expertise to author textbooks. I don't think anybody comes here to deal with warring, bickering, in-fighting, or legal/political bullshit. Such bullshit is unnecessary and completely unwelcome.

What Wikibooks Needs
There are several things that wikibooks needs. I am going to list them here, in no particular order.

 * Wikibooks needs to attract more new contributors, and keep old contributors active and motivated.
 * Wikibooks needs to prepare an infrastructure for a large community. We cannot view ourselves as a small project forever, and we need to prepare for an influx of helpers.
 * Wikibooks has some good books, and needs to advertise and distribute them.
 * Wikibooks has many many decent books. We need to improve them and make them good.
 * Wikibooks needs to appreciate it's passionate members more. Not everybody has the drive to improve this place, and the people who do have that drive should be valued.

Videogame Manuals
My current stance on the subject of videogame guides can be summarized in the following points:
 * 1) Videogame guides are not textbooks and they do not belong here on Wikibooks for any reason.
 * 2) Videogame guides that are old and have been here for some time should be given the opportunity to be transwikied to a more appropriate location.
 * 3) New videogame manuals should be deleted on sight, and the authors should be informed of the fact that videogame guides are not textbooks.
 * 4) Books about videogames, including critical reviews or discussions about how to write or program videogames are acceptable here, as they are textbooks.

Inclusionism vs Deletionism
Wikipedia is breaking into partisian politics, with the "inclusionists" fighting the "deletionists" on every issue. It is sadder still that these political differentiations are being felt here on wikibooks as well. I am inclined to say that most things on wikibooks can stay on wikibooks, assuming it can be made part of an acceptable book in the future. Too often, however, material sits around forever and never becomes anything more then a stub artical.

title: User:Whiteknight/WIW


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User talk:Staticelectricity

Static electricity is made up of three main charges,these are called Amelia(Positive), Erin(Negative) and Hayley(Neutral). They originate in the southern island of New Zealand.Umm blah blah blah blah Erin loves Karl blah blah.When the negative(Erin) produces with the other negative(Karl) it equals a super positivley charged, highly reactive, extremely explosive and highly pleasent reaction. This results in the birth of KarlErin Junior. The same rule applys to Amelia and Andy.Amelia loves Andy, and makes little asian babies!

title: User talk:Staticelectricity


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User:Kfasimpaur/sandbox

Africa sandbox

Human body sandbox

Simple Dictionary sandbox

Example of glossary link
Espohagus - a tube made of muscle that goes from the mouth to the stomach; food that is swallowed goes down this tube

drone (noun) – a continuous low-pitched humming sound

grimace (verb) – to make a face in pain

What are the parts of the stomach?
At the top of the stomach is a tube where food comes in from the esophagus. When you swallow, this tube opens so food can go in the stomach.

The stomach is made of muscle. These muscles help to break down food by mashing it into smaller pieces. The muscles also make waves pushing the food further down the digestive track. This is called peristalsis and happens from the esophagus all the way to the large intestine.

The stomach is lined with glands. These special cells make a liquid that is released into the stomach. This liquid is called gastric juice. The gastric juice has acid in it and helps break down or digest food.

The bottom part of the stomach is called the pyloric area. At the bottom of the stomach is another opening. This leads to the small intestine.

title: User:Kfasimpaur/sandbox


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User:Whiteknight/Stages

This is a brief description (proposal) for how book stages should be used:

 * 0:Book is a stub, contains little or no contents. Main page consists of either a paragraph or an outline with red links.
 * 1:Book is expanding. New pages are being created, the TOC is being expanded and reordered. Many pages are stubs or contain very little content.
 * 2:The basic TOC has been finalized, although more new chapters are added occasionaly. Many pages contain significant text content, or image content, but are not integrated. Pages frequently are not properly formatted.
 * 3:Book pages contain significant content, including images and other media, proper formatting, and templates. Some book-specific templates are being designed and implemented, including inter-page navigation. Book has a printable version, and possibly a PDF version.
 * 4:Book pages contain good content, including multimedia, example problems, explanations, etc. Book has a printable version and a PDF version, and possibly sub-versions of each. Book has significant meta pages including LMOS and support pages for new contributors. Book has a cover page, listings of resources, and proper notices of GFDL content.

title: User:Whiteknight/Stages


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User:Whiteknight/Page

This template is used to create a link to a page that is not in my user namespace.

title: User:Whiteknight/Page


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Wikijunior talk:Human Body/Contributing

I am having a little difficulty knowing how to separate the questions "What organ system(s) is the %body part% connected with?" and "How does the %body part% interact with other parts of the body?". It seems to me that there is quite a bit of overlap between these as I'm writing. Could someone suggest how they are distinct, or should we consider combining? Kfasimpaur  talk 23:22, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

 * I think there is a lot of overlap and based on a reading of the existing modules could easily be combined. I'm going to change it here and on the template. If anyone disagrees, feel free to change it back. -- xixtas talk 03:28, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: Wikijunior talk:Human Body/Contributing


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User talk:Kfasimpaur

Glossaries
I agree that Wikijunior glossaries are a mess (I think you used the word inconsistent.) We need someone with a knowledge of the subject, interest, and a vision for how they should be to come along and propose a standard that makes sense. All of the books either need glossaries badly, or need to have their glossaries filled out so if you wanted to pick a few modules in a book and create something as a mock up, I expect your ideas would be well received.

One place we might be able to get some prefab content to build glossaries is Wiktionary. We just need to make sure and credit them if we use their definitions.

If you would like my help with anything just ask. I'll do whatever I can. Glossaries are something that has been on my to-do list for a while. I invite you to be bold, and encourage you to help us improve the books. -- xixtas talk 04:28, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

Sorry for the lack of reply. I have been very busy in RL. One thing that could be done to make the glossary links distinctive is to simply italicize them. I'm not sure if what you have described regarding treating glossary items like references could be done with templates, java script and css, or would require and extension to the Mediawiki software.

I guess the technical chat page would be the place to ask.

I think I would like to see whatever method we use make it easy to print out a glossary where the definitions could all be found in a single section so that when we created the book, we could easily create a printed glossary as well.

Have a look at my Glossary Test to see if you think something like that would work.

Does that make sense to you? -- xixtas talk 22:43, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

 * The protocol is "be bold". If you would like to solicit input, the Wikijunior Talk Page would be a good place to do it. You do not need to ask permission to make improvements, though. You should do what you think is right. I think the idea is great! but I expect it will be refined over time. If you would like to add a section on glossaries to the Wikijunior style guide (or make any other changes to that document) please do so. People will see the changes you have made and if they have concerns, they will bring them up.

 * I hope that you didn't feel like you had done something wrong based on the reaction to your first post on the Admin notice board. You asked for help in the place that seemed best to you, and that was exactly the right thing to do. ;-) -- xixtas talk 00:26, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

Video versions of books
I love it! You don't need to keep repeating my name in the credits though. I didn't actually take any of the photos, just added the letters and cropped/resized/filled. I showed my son (he helped me pick most of the pictures) and he thought it was great too! -- xixtas  talk 00:23, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Would Like Your Opinion
Hi Karen,

Can you take a look at a book that I'm working on? I'd appreciate your input on it including any ideas as to how to make it better. You are also welcome to dig in and make any changes you think appropriate. I will probably move it out of my user space once I get around 15 pages built. The intended audience is first or second graders. The World at Work

Thanks, Randy

 * Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate the complements. Regarding the relationship of the photos to the country, they are not supposed to be iconic. They are mainly based on what is available as much as anything else. I selected the Kenya Zookeeper photo because there was so little to choose from in east Africa. Two places that I've really had trouble finding good pictures are Scandinavia and East Africa. I will continue to look for photos that represent the country better.

 * Regarding Wikijunior, I would like to see more people too, particularly primary school teachers. I agree 100% with everything you have said. Our reading level is generally way too high. Another thing I would like is to see some class project books start up in the fall. Perhaps a High school class would be interested in writing a non-fiction book for 3rd graders. I'm happy that you are giving Wikijunior some exposure in these communities. -- xixtas talk 04:45, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

 * Those are wonderful photos. My concern is that with many of them the expression on the face isn't as clear as I would like it to be. Do you have the negatives? Perhaps scanning the negatives themselves would result in a clearer picture. Particularly the picture of the spice merchant would be great if the face was a little clearer. -- xixtas talk 16:41, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

 * P.S. Also take a peak at my current project Wikijunior help for class projects. Any help you can offer in getting this going would be greatly appreciated. -- xixtas  talk 16:48, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

Photos
I love the photos. They are really wonderful. They do a great job of capturing the feeling of life there. I have never been to Africa, but I lived in Honduras and Colombia for a little while. The photos of open air markets remind me of that. I think a book on life in Africa would be great! If I can help in any way let me know. I have put aside the World at Work book for the time being. I'm currently working offline on a baby animal counting book. ;-) -- xixtas talk 03:56, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Kids Dictionary
We have the ability to import from Wiktionary now that might be useful. -- xixtas talk 03:11, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

A Google search for you
Kids glossaries in .gov domains Many of these are in the public domain. -- xixtas talk 03:23, 2 November 2007 (UTC)

Great Idea!
I'll put it on my list of things to do. That's wonderful about the Animal Alphabet video. It inspires me to want to finish the baby animal counting book I've been working on (offline). -- xixtas talk 04:24, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:Kfasimpaur


text:
User:Balletgrl360

whassup? whatcha doin'?

title: User:Balletgrl360


text:
User talk:Jessup2925

Hello, welcome to Wikibooks!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be a good idea to add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there. You can do that by clicking the tab labeled "watch" at the top of the page.

Good luck! Mattb112885 (talk) 23:59, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:Jessup2925


text:
User talk:Balletgrl360

Hello, welcome to Wikibooks!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be a good idea to add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there. You can do that by clicking the tab labeled "watch" at the top of the page.

Good luck! Mattb112885 (talk) 00:00, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:Balletgrl360


text:
User talk:Heffner1538

Hello, welcome to Wikibooks!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be a good idea to add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there. You can do that by clicking the tab labeled "watch" at the top of the page.

Good luck! Mattb112885 (talk) 00:00, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:Heffner1538


text:
User talk:ALau

Hello, welcome to Wikibooks!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page. For site news, see the Bulletin board. It might be a good idea to add this page to your "watchlist" so that you can see when any new information is posted there. You can do that by clicking the tab labeled "watch" at the top of the page.

Good luck! Mattb112885 (talk) 00:01, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:ALau


text:
User:Whiteknight/Page2

This template is used to create a link to a page that is in my user namespace.

title: User:Whiteknight/Page2


text:
User talk:89.185.197.59

Please do not add inappropriate external links to Wikibooks. Wikibooks is intended to be read without the need for external reference and requires content rather than external links particularly those which are for advertising or promotion. Inappropriate links may include (but are not limited to) links to personal web sites, links to web sites with which you are affiliated, and links that exist to attract visitors to a web site or promote a product. If you feel the link should be added to the article, then please discuss it on the article's talk page rather than re-adding it. See the welcome page to learn more about Wikibooks. Thank you. Webaware talk 01:15, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:89.185.197.59


text:
User talk:61.88.131.153

Regarding edits made during May 24 2007
Welcome to Wikibooks. We invite everyone to contribute constructively to our collection. Take a look at the welcome page if you would like to learn more about contributing. However, unconstructive edits are considered vandalism, and if you continue in this manner you may be blocked from editing without further warning. Please stop, and consider improving rather than damaging the hard work of others. Thanks. If this is an IP address, and it is shared by multiple users, ignore this warning if you did not make any unconstructive edits. Az1568(Talk) 02:08, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

2007 July
You have been blocked from editing Wikibooks  as a result of your .  Please note that page blanking, addition of random text or spam, deliberate misinformation, privacy violations, personal attacks; and repeated, blatant violations of our neutral point of view policy are considered vandalism. If you wish to make useful contributions, you are welcome to come back after the block expires. Webaware talk 04:58, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:61.88.131.153


text:
Cookbook:Kibbeh

| Israel | Palestine

Filling

 * 1 kg of minced meat
 * 6–7 onions, finely chopped
 * Salt
 * Raisins (optional)
 * Pine nuts (optional)
 * Spicy paprika or chile powder (optional)

Dough

 * 0.5 kg (500 g) fine bulgur
 * 0.5 kg coarse bulgur
 * Water as needed
 * 2 cups semolina flour
 * 1 tsp turmeric powder
 * replete spoon of salt
 * 1 egg

Filling

 * 1) Fry the onions and the minced meat together. Add salt to taste.
 * 2) Mix in raisins, pine nuts, and spices to taste.
 * 3) Cool filling.

Dough

 * 1) Combine the fine and coarse bulgur in a bowl. Cover the bulgur with a few centimeters of warm water. Let the bulgur soak for about 1 hour until it has absorbed some water.
 * 2) Drain the bulgur. Use your hands to squeeze excess water out. Place drained bulgur in a bowl.
 * 3) Combine semolina, turmeric, salt, and egg in a bowl. Knead everything together until the dough gets a little like chewing gum. Add up to ½ cup more more semolina if the dough is not sticky enough.

Assembly and cooking

 * 1) Roll big balls out of the dough and set them aside.
 * 2) Make an opening in the dough balls, insert a spoonful of meat, and close the opening.
 * 3) In a pot, boil water with little salt and a dash of turmeric. When the water is boiling, flatten the stuffed Kibbeh balls into the shape of a flat full moon the size of a little plate. Put each kibbeh gently down into the boiling water, and boil it until it floats. Floating is a sign of the kibbeh being cooked through and ready to eat.
 * 4) Serve immediately after they are cooked, or pan fry on both sides.

ספר מתכונים/קובה בורגול

title: Cookbook:Kibbeh


text:
User talk:210.18.215.130

Please stop adding nonsense to Wikibooks. It is considered vandalism. If you would like to experiment, use the sandbox. Thank you. --Jomegat 06:05, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:210.18.215.130


text:
User talk:Vedantdotcom~enwikibooks

Please do not add inappropriate external links to Wikibooks. Wikibooks is intended to be read without the need for external reference and requires content rather than external links particularly those which are for advertising or promotion. Inappropriate links may include (but are not limited to) links to personal web sites, links to web sites with which you are affiliated, and links that exist to attract visitors to a web site or promote a product. If you feel the link should be added to the article, then please discuss it on the article's talk page rather than re-adding it. See the welcome page to learn more about Wikibooks. Thank you. -- Herby talk thyme 06:34, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

Your account will be renamed
Hello,

The developer team at Wikimedia is making some changes to how accounts work, as part of our on-going efforts to provide new and better tools for our users like cross-wiki notifications. These changes will mean you have the same account name everywhere. This will let us give you new features that will help you edit and discuss better, and allow more flexible user permissions for tools. One of the side-effects of this is that user accounts will now have to be unique across all 900 Wikimedia wikis. See the announcement for more information.

Unfortunately, your account clashes with another account also called Vedantdotcom. To make sure that both of you can use all Wikimedia projects in future, we have reserved the name Vedantdotcom~enwikibooks that only you will have. If you like it, you don't have to do anything. If you do not like it, you can pick out a different name.

Your account will still work as before, and you will be credited for all your edits made so far, but you will have to use the new account name when you log in.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Yours, Keegan Peterzell Community Liaison, Wikimedia Foundation 23:52, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Renamed
 This account has been renamed as part of single-user login finalisation. If you own this account you can |log in using your previous username and password for more information. If you do not like this account's new name, you can choose your own using this form after logging in: . -- Keegan (WMF) (talk) 05:37, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Vedantdotcom~enwikibooks


text:
User:Circuit-fantasist

(another user name is Circuit dreamer)

My teaching philosophy
My name is Cyril Mechkov. Since 1986, I have been teaching analog circuitry at the Technical University of Sofia. My teaching philosophy (see my last paper to know more about it) is simple:

1. Electronic circuits are based on clear and simple basic ideas, which may be derived from our routine.

2. In order to really understand electronic circuits, we - human beings - have first to reveal these basic ideas.

3. In order to successfully present circuits to students, we teachers have to build them according to the basic ideas revealed.

4. In order to make students create new circuits, we teachers have to (re)invent the existing circuits according to the basic ideas behind them.

I just believe that we - human beings - can really understand abstract electronic circuits by using human, non-electrical means. Basic ideas behind circuits are "non-electrical". So, they do not depend on the specific implementation (tube, transistor, op-amp etc.); they are eternal!

Wikipedia contributions
I joined Wikipedia in 2006 creating a few stories about negative resistance, virtual ground, voltage-to-current converter and current-to-voltage converter. Only, Wikipedia is an encyclopedia where everyone can publish separate ideas, which are not connected to each other. Wikibooks is more adequate for creative people that have a chain of ideas; in a wikibook, they can expose their ideas in a set of pages that are hierarchically connected to each other.

Circuit idea wikibook
I established Circuit idea in 2007, in order to show how to reveal the ideas behind circuits. The main purpose of this e-book is to reveal once and for all the true, pure and real fundamental ideas behind circuits. It establishes new human-friendly circuit philosophy as an alternative to the classical formal "robot-friendly" approach:) This philosophy relies more on human imagination than on logical reasoning. It considers analog circuitry more as art than science and the creation of electronic circuits as a result of human fantasy, imagination and enthusiasm. If you have an interesting story about amazing circuit phenomenon, contribute to the novel book!

Joining students to Circuit idea
In the beginning of March, 2008 I decided to join my students to Circuit idea. I started this initiative "in sport" but it turned out so successful and exciting that now I am entirely absorbed in this new web undertaking. I have told how it has begun in the discussion of the first completely finished page that my students and I have dedicated to the famous Ohm's experiment.

You can imagine how powerful this approach is where students and their teacher, all together, work on the same common project! They add, edit and continuously refine it; they learn how to present what they have done to other, how to contribute a wiki project, how to communicate with people, etc. Furthermore, any web visitors (including other students and their teachers) through the world can join and enrich this open project! If you are a teacher, student or you just like education, see our web initiative! Here are links to my student groups:

Group 64a • Group 65a • Group 66a • Group 67a • Group 68a • Group 64b • Group 65b • Group 66b • Group 67b • Group 68b

Circuit Stories
Finally, I came to the conclusion that, in addition to all these forums, I have to document my materials in my own place which is convenient and easy to use. That is why, in the end of 2020, I decided to create the blog Circuit Stories. My idea is to use it as a common place for my materials (past, present and future) accompanied with additional info about how they are created and the circumstances around them.

Resources
If you like to know more about me, visit my informal bio, my philosophy and all the materials located at my site circuit-fantasia.com.

title: User:Circuit-fantasist


text:
User talk:195.188.173.2

Thanks for experimenting with Wikibooks. Your test worked, and has now been removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing material in modules will normally be removed quickly. Please see the welcome page if you would like to learn more about contributing to our project. Thanks. -- Herby talk thyme 10:22, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

title: User talk:195.188.173.2