Thursday, January 28, 2016

TECHNOLOGY, TECHNIOLOGIES..

pro and cons of
technologies



The Pros
First of all, there are countless resources for enhancing education and making learning more fun and effective. From apps to organizational platforms to e-textbooks and more, there are many amazing tools that can help you. In my recent article Top Ten EdTech Tools to Set Your Class Up for Success, I highlight tools that will help both students and professors alike collaborate, share ideas, stay organized, and more to get the most out of learning.

Futhermore, students can learn life skills through technology. Creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online etiquette, and writing emails; these are all vital skills that your students can learn in the classroom and master before graduation.

Then, We live in a digital world. Neither you, nor your students, should go back to the 19th century when they walk into your classroom. Using technology in the classroom can prepare your students for a future deeply rooted in technology.


The Cons
Technology can foster more cheating in class and on assignments.
However, this will only happen if you give up hope on adjusting your students’ attitudes and only give them subjective assignments that require no thought or perspective. My colleague recently published an excellent article on How to Prevent Cheating in Your Class.

Besides, students do not have equal access to technological resources. There will be students who do not have iPads or cameras or even the textbooks for class. It will be up to you to point them in the direction of the library or community resources, or to create assignments that allow them to work in groups and share resources. That being said, close to 95% student have some sort of technology devices, even if it’s just a cell phone. While resources often come at a cost, we did come up with a list of 7 Free Classroom Tech Tools You Need Know.

Last but not least, the quality of research and sources they find may not be top-notch.The internet is both a blessing and a curse. Your students may need some guidance on identifying proper sources and unreliable sources. Many campuses have writing centers that can help with this.




MAKE STANDING IN THE CLASS AS ONE OF THE LEARNING HABIT!

 
                                                                                 


                    Student who stand more have sharper, quicker minds
                                                         

It seems that the expression “thinking on your feet” might have some scientific evidence behind it, with a new study finding that students who stand rather than sit in the classroom are better able to complete school tasks. The health benefits of standing have been the focus of many recent studies which have shown the positive effect that reduced sitting can have on obesity and general health. However this new research, from the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, is the first to provide evidence for any neurocognitive benefits of standing.
Researchers recruited 34 freshman high school students and gave them a choice of both standing or sitting desks in class. At both the start of the study, in the fall term, and nearly 28 weeks later in the spring term, the students underwent neurocognitive testing using four computerised tests to assess cognitive skills.
Cognitive skills, such as ability to analyse a task, break it down into steps, and then complete the task, are directly related to the development of academic skills needed by students for memorising information, solving problems, organising ideas and time. Test results after nearly 28 weeks of continued use of standing desks showed significant improvements in both cognitive skills and working memory – ability to remember and use information when in the middle of an action or over a short period of time, for example following steps of a math equation. Researchers also saw changes in the brain patterns associated with these skills.
The researchers believe that their results could have implications for policy makers, public health professionals and school administrators when looking for a simple and sustainable way to improve physical health and cognitive function in students. The standing desks also require no additional training or instructions. However the team did acknowledge that although their findings are promising they are preliminary results, and further research on larger samples over a longer period of time, and in a wider range of schools would be useful. The study was published in the International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health.
As well as neurocognitive benefits, previous research has also shown that there are many other health benefits of more standing and less sitting, with a 2015 study advising that decreasing amount of time sitting down is an effective way to improve health, independently of exercising more. That study also found that sit-stand desks are one of the most effective methods to increase time spent on your feet. – AFP Relaxnews
 -FARHANASA
DEP1A





CHILDHOOD OBESITY


OBESITY IN CHILDREN

                                                                     


Nowadays, with the new technology that occur in our decades, most of us neglect about the importance to take a good care of health especially it comes about children health. With parents that busy with their everyday work, and have no time to take care about their children, what they did today? who is their friend? and what they eat today?

Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Only in rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem. A physical exam and some blood tests can rule out the possibility of a medical condition as the cause for obesity. Although weight problems run in families, not all children with a family history of obesity will be overweight. Children whose parents or brothers or sisters are overweight may be at an increased risk of becoming overweight themselves, but this can be linked to shared family behaviors such as eating and activity habits.

If you have an overweight child, it is very important that you allow him or her to know that you will be supportive. Children's feelings about themselves often are based on their parents' feelings about them, and if you accept your children at any weight, they will be more likely to feel good about themselves. It is also important to talk to your children about their weight, allowing them to share their concerns with you. It is not recommended that parents set children apart because of their weight. Instead, parents should focus on gradually changing their family's physical activity and eating habits. By involving the entire family, everyone is taught healthful habits and the overweight child does not feel singled out.

There are many ways to involve the entire family in healthy habits, but increasing the family's physical activity is especially important. Some ways to accomplish this include, lead by example. If your children see that you are physically active and having fun, they are more likely to be active and stay active for the rest of their lives. Next, plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise, like walking, biking, or swimming. Besides, be sensitive to your child's needs. Overweight children may feel uncomfortable.

-FARHANASA
DEP1A/15