IT in university level education

Came across two interesting and relevant articles.

First from MIT Technology Review concerns MOOCs (massive open online courses) which are attracting attention but are really only getting started.

"As online education platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity burst onto the scene over the past year, backers have talked up their potential to democratize higher education in the countries that have had the least access"

But:

"One of the major challenges for MOOCs—which so far mostly come from U.S. universities—is to tailor the content of courses to a diverse worldwide audience with any number of combinations of language, educational, motivational, and cultural backgrounds."

Doing one of these well is a major effort and requires many skills (e.g. graphics) not just a lecturer with a bit of training. Hopefully these courses will endure and be refined and improved over many years. Sustaining motivation is problem and most students find standalone online courses difficult to complete unless they are short.

And secondly is a rather critical article from Information Week about the use of IT in the university classroom:

"Professors at top research universities are highly skeptical of the value of the instructional technologies being injected into their classrooms, which many see as making their job harder and doing little to improve teaching and learning."

Note that while this may be indicative this a not a proper survey.

A historical note - Guyana tramways

Here is a page describing something which most of us know little about - tramways in Guyana or rather, British Guiana.
"In 1848 the British built a railroad, 5 miles long, from Georgetown to Plaisance, which was the first railroad on the South American continent...
A street railway began carrying passengers in Georgetown in 1877."
Thanks to Mr Allen Morrison.

A determined thrush

 Despite several attempts to dissuade it this bird kept trying to nest inside our kitchen. Because of the climate there are always open windows or vents which it can use to come in. It did give up eventually. Cruel I know but poop all over the wares was not on.

Identifying it was a bit difficult as there are several similar birds however I believe it was a Black-billed Thrush.

Guyana woodpecker

One of my daughters caught this picture of a woodpecker in our backyard on the mango tree.

It looks like either the Crimson-crested Woodpecker or the Lineated Woodpecker. Mostly likely the former.

Good thing it was not eating the mangoes... it is welcome to the bugs. Thanks Wikipedia!

Learning mathematics

According to an item in Scientific American improving in mathematics has more to do with internal motivation than intelligence.

"People who were driven by their own interest improved their math skills the most. IQ or external factors such as parental pressure or grades didn't create a lasting boost"

"...effective studying techniques and motivation, not IQ, predicted who had most improved their math skills by 10th grade."