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Site Seeks to Overhaul Academic Review

Internet startup Academia.edu is moving forward with plans to change the way scientists publish papers, thanks to a second round of funding the company has recieved.

Flush with just over $11 million in capital, Academia is inching closer to its goal of publishing all scientific papers while simultaneously changing the way the peer-review porcess works. Currently, researchers must submit their papers to any of a number of academic journals. The journals then hand the papers over to a different researcher to review before deciding if they have merit and are worthy of publication. Under the Academia.edu model, those same papers would be reviewed by peers on the site, similar to Facebook.

"The goal is to have every single science PDF ever written available for free on the Internet and to build a network of scientists interacting with those papers that will change the face of peer review," the San Francisco-based company told CNet of its mission.

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Experts Say New Blood Needed to Lead...

ballmerIn the wake of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's retirement announcement, industry insiders are busying themselves predicting who will be tapped to head the tech firm.

Everyone from a former Apple executive to Bill Gates himself is being rumored to take Redmond's top job, yet an official announcement is not expected soon.

Rick Sherlund, head...

Time: Protocols For How We Work

Time management requires a sharp focus first on yourself then on your work (see my earlier blogs for helpful hints). With your personal world in order~ it is time to look at classroom routines or protocols. I prefer to call my classroom "rules" protocols for how we work in a learning community.
My high school classroom protocols are clear and I spend the first day of school helping students understand why protocols work. First~ using...

Students Show Shocking Changes In Their...

Researchers at Kent State University studied the general knowledge of students throughout the United States in order to compare what facts they knew in 1980 versus 2012.

The studyused college students~ and shows some major differences between what was most often absorbed in 1980 and what's filling the minds of today's students.

The folks at...

Adventures in Substitute Teaching

The job of a substitute teacher is not an easy one. Subs have to be prepared to teach any subject in any classroom~ and to top it all off~ they have to learn loads of new names each time that they cover for a classroom teacher.

Especially in one's early days of serving as a sub~ bad days can happen. Kids can be unruly and disrespectful. Instructions left by the classroom teacher can be unclear. The school's routines can be confusing.

If these scenarios sound familiar~ we want...

The Use of Social Media in School

The folks over at Best Masters in Educationhave provided the EducationWorldCommunitywith this excellent infographic on the use of social media in education.Enjoy!

The Use of Social Media in School
Teens are actively Tweeting~ Posting~ Liking~ and Commenting all across Social Media and there...

Woz Says 'Jobs' No Good

Apple co-founder and tech icon Steve Wozniak doesn't think too highly of the recent biopic made about his former partner Steve Jobs.

Asked to offer a review of the Ashton Kutcher-led film by Gizmodo, Wozniak was cordial while saying it wasn't as good as he'd hoped.

...

A Little Lego

The idea for this post comes from an old Lego piece that lies on my desk.

Its a black piece with eight notches. I have no idea what Lego kit it comes from~ nor do I care.

But the piece will stay on my desk as a powerful reminder~ a reminder that we owe it to ourselves and to the children in the schools where we work to allow kids to share their interests and passions~ and whenever possible~ provide time and encouragement to pursue those passions with vigor.

First...

Time: Invest In Yourself

Time in yourself is time well invested! Reflect on the time you spend each day in essential preparations for others: as a professional, a care-giver, a parent, a spouse, a pet owner, or with a partner in your life, your time is centered on the wellness of others. Caring is the essence of our profession; it is what attracted us to the profession in many instances. Here are some of the best nuggets I can offer you for self-care to remain focused, healthy, and...

Time: Spend It Building Community First

Time is a currency of teachers; spend it on building community! Building any community is centered around the idea of shared common visions and shared story telling. Tell your story to your students in simple ways that can transform learning and create teams of learners. Start small to create your shared classroom legends and legacies.

  1. 1. Each student has a story; help share the story by telling your vision first. "I am here because I purposely applied...

Time: The Real Currency of Teachers

Time: The Real Currency of Teachers
Time is either our best friend or our nagging older sibling! Time is an educators currency and it requires that we harness it through- determination (save time)~ imagination (invent time)~ and collaboration (invest time). Let's examine the essentials of these ideals for first year years.
1. We need you to maintain your compassion for teaching! Manage your time!
2....

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