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A diver that was close to be swallowed by a whale shark while the giant was feeding with plankton was captured by a photographer. Mauricio Handler took the picture in the waters of Mujeres Island in Mexico. It was a moment when all the 600 whale sharks
Deep Sea News blogger Dr. Alistair Dove describes current research on whale shark photo identification using spot pattern matching software.
Normally each year hundreds of Whale Sharks gather off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Holbox, Mexico (pronounced Hol-Bosh). This phenomenon happens every summer (June-August) when there is a large plankton bl
Day Breaking News – English news site focus on World Current Trends, Politics, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Music, Travel and Economy. Day Breaking News also publishes the trending news in other languages such as Spanish, French, German,
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are often thought to be solitary behemoths that live and feed in the open ocean. Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution and colleagues, however, have found that this is not necessarily
Organizations can reach their fundraising goals with a new and unique opportunity from Sandals Resorts and Traventours Events and Excursions. By Jennifer LaRue Sandals – Negril Swim Up Suites Coutresy of Traventours Events and Excursions,
Clarks Wayfinders did this too (quite a long time ago now I think though). They had animal footprint patterns on the sole and a compass in the heel! Jun 24th, 2011. Minimal. Wooden sandals is traditional art from Japan.
Strappy Sandals, New York. posted by The Sartorialist at 4:33 PM. Comments on "On the Street.Strappy Sandals, New York". Anonymous said (4:35 PM) : me encantan las sandalias y el estilazo que tiene el conjunto.
Took the long orange dress for 7 euros only, sandals (I'm a huge fan of golden sandals) for even less: 5 euros only Before of this purchase I promised not to buy cheap things, never again, because they are so unconfy an soon I throw them away.
Sandals Resorts International lancia una promozione dell'ultimo minuto: gli ospiti che scelgono di prenotare almeno 6 notti in uno dei 13 resort Sandals (per coppie) o dei 3 Beaches (per famiglie), ai Caraibi, hanno diritto immediato a
DESIGN – BASED RESEARCH
DESIGN – BASED RESEARCH
Prof. Mrs. Geeta Kamble and Narendra Sidhaye
Abstract:
Researches in educational settings have historically been driven by two broad goals
1. Understanding how people learn, particularly within school settings and
2. Designing ways to better ensure that learning will happen in these settings.
Educational researchers, policymakers and practitioners agree that educational research is often divorced from the problems and issues of everyday practice. Understanding how technology can best support student learning in diverse classroom settings remains a crucial line of educational research.
What is an alternative model for conducting education research that addresses the complex nature of learning in classrooms, extends fundamental research in cognition, fosters a broad systemic understanding to transform a variety of environments as well as provides valid examples of successful educational reforms?
Thus, Design Based Research is an emerging paradigm for the study of learning in context through the systematic design and study of instructional strategies and tools. DBR can help create and extend knowledge about developing, enacting and sustaining innovative learning environments.
Design experimentation is an inter-disciplinary approach that acknowledges the fundamentally applied nature of educational research. Within this approach, researchers working in partnership with educators seek to refine theories of learning by designing, studying, and refining rich, theory-based innovations in realistic classroom environments. One of the popular approaches in Design Experimentation is ‘The Design Principles Approach’. It stems from the design experiments research trajectory, initiated in the early nineties by Brown (1992). These experiments were the ancestor of the DBR methodology. During same period, Collins (1992) called researchers to refer to education as a DESIGN SCIENCE. He based this notion on Simon’s (1969) famous book, which identifies various professions, such as architecture, engineering, computer science, medicine and education with the sciences of the artificial.
The Design Principles DATABASE
Based on this approach, the DPD (Kali & Linn) was developed to capture, coalesce and synthesize design knowledge. The DPD is a mechanism to support researchers and curriculum designers to share their design knowledge in the form of design-principles, exemplified by descriptions of features from learning environments. The database is an infrastructure for participants to publish, connect, discuss and review design ideas, as well as use these ideas to design new curricula. The current entries in the Design Principles Database represent the contributions of over sixty individual researchers. The database includes about one hundred features (mainly from physical, life and earth sciences) connected with several dozen design-principles.
How does the DPD work?
The DPD is a set of interconnected features and principles. Each feature is linked with a principle and principles are linked between themselves in a hierarchical manner. Principles in the database are described in three levels of generalization. Specific Principles are those that connect directly to a single feature or single research investigation and provide the specific rationale behind the design of that feature. Pragmatic Principles connect several Specific Principles and Meta-Principles capture abstract ideas represented in a cluster of Pragmatic Principles
Conclusion
Design – Based research methods can compose a coherent methodology that bridges theoretical research and educational practice. Viewing both design of an intervention
and its specific enactments as objects of research can produce robust explanations of innovative practice and provide principles that can be localized for others to apply to new settings. DBR, by grounding itself in the needs, constraints and interactions of local practice, can provide a lens for understanding how theoretical claims about teaching and learning can be transformed into effective learning in educational settings.
Full Paper
Introduction
Researches in educational settings have historically been driven by two broad goals
1. Understanding how people learn, particularly within school settings and
2. Designing ways to better ensure that learning will happen in these settings.
Pursuing these goals in parallel poses significant challenges. However, such work can yield significant rewards, as learning settings can be rapidly refined in response to ongoing research.
Educational researchers, policymakers and practitioners agree that educational research is often divorced from the problems and issues of everyday practice – a split that creates a need for new research approaches that speak directly to problems of practice (National Research Council [NRC], 2002) and that lead to the development of “usable knowledge” (Lagemann, 2002).
Understanding how technology can best support student learning in diverse classroom settings remains a crucial line of educational research. For decades, computer technology has been developing at a rapid pace and this pattern of development is unlikely to change in the future. Also, research on institutional aspects of educational reform, cognitive aspects of student learning, and the design of technology – enhanced instruction have historically occurred as separate endeavors. At best, the level of exchange among these research communities is trading monographs, methodologies or isolated pieces of technology. A principal difficulty with bridging these communities lies in the different criteria for what constitutes educational success using learning technologies. The questions and methods one community considers valid may be considered tangential, inappropriate or inconsequential by another community.
What is an alternative model for conducting education research that addresses the complex nature of learning in classrooms, extends fundamental research in cognition, fosters a broad systemic understanding to transform a variety of environments as well as provides valid examples of successful educational reforms?
Design Based Research (DBR)
Design Based Researchin education is probably very old, but recent interest can be traced back to the early nineties, e.g. Brown and Collins (1992).
According to Collins, design research was developed to address several issues central to the study of learning, including the following
1. The need to address theoretical questions about the nature of learning in context. 2. The need for approaches to the study of learning phenomena in the real world rather than the laboratory.
3. The need to go beyond narrow measures of learning.
4. The need to derive research findings from formative evaluation
According to the Design-Based Research Collective (2003)
The central goals of designing learning environments and developing theories or proto theories of learning are intertwined.
Development and research take place through continuous cycles of design, enactment, analysis, and redesign.
Research on designs must lead to sharable theories that help communicate relevant implications to practitioners and other educational designers.
Research must account for how designs function in authentic settings. It must not only document success or failure but also focus on interactions that refine our understanding of the learning issues involved.
The development of such accounts relies on methods that can document and connect processes of enactment to outcomes of interest.
Thus, Design Based Research is an emerging paradigm for the study of learning in context through the systematic design and study of instructional strategies and tools. DBR can help create and extend knowledge about developing, enacting and sustaining innovative learning environments.
Reeves draws a clear line between research conducted with traditional empirical goals and that inspired by development goals leading to DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Design Experimentation
Design experimentation is an inter-disciplinary approach that acknowledges the fundamentally applied nature of educational research. Within this approach, researchers working in partnership with educators seek to refine theories of learning by designing, studying, and refining rich, theory-based innovations in realistic classroom environments.
Design experimentation reflects a range of practices and methodologies that are drawn from a variety of disciplines. However, the broad array of methods, claims, theoretical stances and intellectual traditions makes it extremely difficult to articulate exactly what design experimentation is and how it can advance as a coherent field of study.
If design experimentation is to develop into a viable, robust field, its practitioners must come to agreement about the nature and scope of design experimentation and develop shared practices and methods that allow us to build on each others’ research, to share results and outcomes in ways that contribute to theory and practice and (ultimately) to make a significant contribution to how people learn in a range of contexts.
Reeves (2008), Ann Brown and Alan Collins (1992) defined critical characteristics of design experiments as
1. Addressing complex problems in real contexts in collaboration with practitioners,
2. Integrating known and hypothetical Design Principles with technological affordances to render plausible solutions to these complex problems and
3. Conducting rigorous and reflective inquiry to test and refine innovative learning environments as well as to define new Design Principles.
Design Experiments,
Address learning programs involving important subject matter,
Are usually mediated by innovative technology,
Are embedded in everyday social contexts which are often classrooms,
Can serve as models for broader reform and
Contribute simultaneously to fundamental scientific understanding of learning and education.
One of the popular approaches in Design Experimentation is ‘The Design Principles Approach’
It stems from the design experiments research trajectory, initiated in the early nineties by Brown (1992). These experiments were the ancestor of the DBR methodology. During same period, Collins (1992) called researchers to refer to education as a DESIGN SCIENCE. He based this notion on Simon’s (1969) famous book, which identifies various professions, such as architecture, engineering, computer science, medicine and education with the sciences of the artificial.
It uses ‘Design Principles’ as an organizational unit for synthesizing design knowledge. The DP is an intermediate step between scientific findings, which must be generalized and replicable and local experiences or examples that come up in practice. Because of the need to interpret design-principles, they are not as readily falsifiable as scientific laws. The principles are generated inductively from prior examples of success and are subject to refinement over time as others try to adapt them to their own experiences.
The Design Principles DATABASE
Based on this approach, the DPD (Kali & Linn) was developed to capture, coalesce and synthesize design knowledge. The DPD is a mechanism to support researchers and curriculum designers to share their design knowledge in the form of design-principles, exemplified by descriptions of features from learning environments. The database is an infrastructure for participants to publish, connect, discuss and review design ideas, as well as use these ideas to design new curricula. The current entries in the Design Principles Database represent the contributions of over sixty individual researchers. The database includes about one hundred features (mainly from physical, life and earth sciences) connected with several dozen design-principles.
How does the DPD work?
The DPD is a set of interconnected features and principles. Each feature is linked with a principle and principles are linked between themselves in a hierarchical manner. Principles in the database are described in three levels of generalization.
Specific Principles are those that connect directly to a single feature or single research investigation and provide the specific rationale behind the design of that feature.
Pragmatic Principles connect several Specific Principles and
Meta-Principles capture abstract ideas represented in a cluster of Pragmatic Principles
References
Barab, S. A., & Kirshner, D. (Eds.) (2001) Special issue: Rethinking methodology in the learning sciences. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 10(1&2), 1-222.
Barab, S. A., & Squire, K. (Eds.). (2004). Design-based research. [Special Issue] Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(1).
Bell, P. (2004). On the theoretical breadth of design-based research in education. Educational Psychologist, 39(4), 243-253.
Brown, A. L. (1992). Design experiments: Theoretical and methodological challenges in creating complex interventions in classroom settings. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 2(2), 141-178.
Cobb, P., Confrey, J., diSessa, A., Lehrer, R., & Schauble, L. (2003). Design experiments in educational research. Educational Researcher,
Collins, A. (1992). Towards a design science of education. In E. Scanlon & T. O’Shea (Eds.), New directions in educational technology (pp. 15-22). Berlin: Springer.
Design-Based Research Collective (2003) Design-Based Research: An Emerging Paradigm for Educational Inquiry. Educational Researcher, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 5
diSessa, A. A. (1991). Local sciences: Viewing the design of human-computer systems as cognitive science. In J. M. Carroll (Ed.), Designing Interaction: Psychology at the Human-Computer Interface. NY: Cambridge University Press, 162-202.
Edelson, D. C. (2002). Design research: what we learn when we engage in design. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 11(1), 105-121.
Enyedy, N. (2005). Inventing mapping: creating cultural forms to solve collective problems. Cognition and Instruction, 23(4), 427-466. (this is an example study).
Kali Y. and Orion N., (1996). Spatial abilities of high-school students in the perception of geological structures. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, v.33, pp.369-391.
Kelly, A. E. (Ed.). (2003). Theme issue: the role of design in educational research. [Special Issue] Educational Researcher, 32(1).
Lehrer, R., & Romberg, T. (1996). Exploring children’s data modeling. Cognition & Instruction, 14(1), 69-108. (example study)
Lesh, R. A., & Kelly, A. E. (2000). Multitiered teaching experiments. In A. E. Kelly & R. A. Lesh (Eds.), Handbook of research design in mathematics and science education (pp. 197-230). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Reeves, Thomas C. (2000). Enhancing the Worth of Instructional Technology Research through Design Experiments and Other Development Research Strategies, Paper presented on April 27, 2000 at Session 41.29, International Perspectives on Instructional Technology Research for the 21st Century, a Symposium sponsored by SIG/Instructional Technology at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA, USA. PDF.
Reiser, B. J., Tabak, I., Sandoval, W. A., Smith, B. K., Steinmuller, F., & Leone, A. J. (2001). BGuILE: Strategic and conceptual scaffolds for scientific inquiry in biology classrooms. In S. M. Carver & D. Klahr (Eds.), Cognition and instruction: Twenty-five years of progress (pp. 263-305). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. (example study).
Sandoval, W. A., & Bell, P. (Eds.). (2004). Design-based research methods for studying learning in context. [Special Issue] Educational Psychologist, 39(4).
Zitter, Ilya (2006), Design of competency-based, ICT-supported learning environments in higher education: The role of artefacts, ICO Toogdag research meeting
1. Mrs. Geeta Kamble is lecturer in sociology in Department of Education and Extension of University. She teaches to M. Ed. and M. Phil. courses. She has authored few books and few are in pipeline.
2. Mr. Narendra Sidhaye is Mechanical Engineer by profession. He has done his Masters in Education. He has devoted himself to the cause of education. He is founder chairman of Creative Engineers, a voluntary organization of engineers dedicated to the cause of Basic Education. He is working as an independent researcher in the field of education for last 15 years. The organization has carried out many research projects in Basic Research as well as Action Research Category.
Article from articlesbase.com
Creating a Custom Glass Block Shower and Base With Style and Structure
The key will be to begin with the end in mind, follow these 7 steps for a complete design first, and then bring in knowledgeable people to help you complete the project.
Step 1 – Design the shape of your shower walls – Think about what you’d like to see when the projects done. You can have simple straight walls (which are usually most cost effective), create a neo angled design for a corner stall, or even make a rounded design for walk in and roll in showers. If you like a curved look these glass masonry units will be much more cost effective than purchasing tempered bent glass as well.
Step 2 – Determine if you want full sized or partial walls – The most common full sized block walls are 80″ tall so when the walls are set on the shower base curb (which is usually about 4″ to 5″ tall) they match up with the height of the standard shower head (which is 84″ above the finished floor). Yes – the blocks can be run to a ceiling or soffit, but they do not have to be – as a matter of fact it often better to not run them to the top to allow more steam to leave the shower and minimize moisture in this enclosed stall.
Sometimes a partial or knee wall is what’s needed. A glass block wall on a tub deck will often be 64″ tall or you can also use blocks to rest on top of a rectangular or corner shower seat as well.
Step 3 – Measure your desired dimensions or “footprint” of the base and determine how much room you’ll need to get in – Go into the bathroom or to your plan and (a) measure out where you to place your shower base or pan and (b) where you want to get into the space. Write down your total width and depth of the space. Convert these sizes to either a simple piece of graph paper or a computer program. Consider not only where the entry will be, but its size as well. The smallest recommending opening size is 22″ – although most openings are from 24″ to 32″. For door less, walk in, or roll in showers the openings will need to be larger.
Step 4 – Evaluate any special accessibility needs for now or the future – Don’t just think about your current needs, but project how you might need the shower designed for the future. If you want a safer shower a grab bar (yes, you can purchase ones that looks nice and don’t make you feel like you’re in the hospital) might be a good accessory to consider. Also a “barrier free entry” or roll in design can be especially helpful so a guest or family member won’t have to struggle with stepping over the 4″ shower curb. These designs can still be sloped to an inside drain as well.
Step 5 – Identify the material you’d like on the finished shower floor – This is a step where one size definitely does not fit all. There will be tradeoffs in flooring materials costs, maintenance considerations, and looks. For custom showers acrylic bases and floors are often not the answer because they are usually only available with pre-determined sizes and drain locations. Solid surface (like Corian) custom bases can be created – although they can get pretty pricey.
The most popular finished floor material is tile. For a finished tile floor the base underneath the tile can be constructed using two primary methods – (1) a mud set pan base or (2) a waterproof extruded polystyrene base.
Step 6 – Determine is you want to minimize the initial purchase price or to spend more up front for better long term quality and lower maintenance – Realistically we’d all like to get the best looking product at the cheapest cost. However, when doing a shower project skimping on the foundation (or base), or how the blocks are laid can save money in the short run, but can come back to bite you in the long run.
Your shower base
The cheapest custom bases are usually mortared mud set pan bases. These bases, while cost effective in the short run, are more prone to leaking if the mortared base and rubberized membranes they use are not done correctly. If you have a problem with your base- it’s often a big problem which will result in the entire base and interior and exterior shower walls having to be ripped out – ouch!
A better quality and maintenance free alternative to consider is the use of one piece extruded polystyrene bases which can be designed to match up with your glass block shower walls. These bases are 100% waterproof, lightweight yet sturdy, can be designed with the best drain location for you, and save labor because they can be installed in 30 minutes or less.
Your glass block walls
Also it’s possible to either lay up your glass blocks one by one, but results are usually superior if you purchase prefabricated panel sections for your shower walls. Using vinyl stack sections the wall assemblies are created into manageable sections which are anchored, siliconed together, and then field grouted. The results are significant labor savings and also an improved finished quality of the project.
Step 7 – Design some cool elements into the interior and exterior shower walls – Since you’re making a custom shower – why not make it a one of a kind. To do this there are many options to consider for the block walls. In addition to different patterns there are also etched, frosted, and colored glass block that you can put into your walls. There are shaped units to make a curved, angled or 90 degree corner shower wall. Cool design does not have to be expensive if it’s thought through from the beginning.
Inside the shower consider where you might want a ledge for shaving, an angled or rectangular shower seat, or recessed shower niches for your soap, shampoo and shower accessories. Also you can get more light into the shower space by adding a glass block bathroom window as well. Thinking through these details will make a more useful and stylish shower.
Now that you’re equipped with these 7 steps you’re ready to design and order your custom glass block shower wall and base.
For more info please visit shower seats
Article from articlesbase.com
Make a Holiday on Island
Make a Holiday on Island
If one is earnestly longing for a much awaited “fairytale vacation” then without inkling of doubt one should pack one’s bags to the exquisitely appealing and marvelously enthralling spot of Taormina in Italy . Taormina is situated in the east coast of the famous island of Sicily.Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean sea and is marked by its fame in cuisine, architecture, music, arts and literature. One of the world famous scientists Archimedes was also born in Sicily. Many world famous poets and composers have also been a native of this globally distinguished area like Luigi Pirandello, Giovanni Verga, Salvatore Quasimodo, Gesualdo Bufalino, Sigismondo d’India, Vincenzo Bellini and the poet Ignazio Buttitta.The primary occupation in Sicily is agriculture and is globally renowned for the world famous tourist spots like Valley of Temples and Mount Etna. Sicily draws millions of visitors on account of its long stretches of emerald tinged beaches and water sports. Taormina is specifically famous for its precious historic civilization and natural beauty. The ideal time to plan the vacation ranges from March to June when one can get to seek a visual treat of a wide variety of blossoming flowers. Commutation can be easily managed via train , bus or taxi to this breathtaking spot.
One of the famous restaurants La Griglia is situated in the heart of Taormina and has earned a massive appeal owing to its excellent collection of sea food, wines and desserts. Apart from it, one can enjoy the taste of regal luxury at restaurants like Casa Grugno, Maffei’s and La Giara. Taormina is hugely popular for Greek amphi-theatre Teatro Greco with the popular lanes of Corso Umberto being ideal for a long walk. Taormina houses a fascinating garden on Via Bagnoli Croce which is situated in front of the vast sea and Etna and is noted for its lush green lawns and variegated flowers. Sicily is also well known for out door activities like hiking, diving and cycling.
Another distinctive spot includes an archaeological museum called Museo Archeologico
famous for preserving a sword of Byzantine era with its antique artifacts representing the traditional glory of Rome. Taormina is quite known for the lovely sightseeing offered by a rocky serene island Isola Bella famously labeled as the “Pearl of Ionian”. The pebble beach of Mazzaro can be reached via cable car. One can also pay a visit to the sulphur clad volcano of Mt. Etna for the ultimate rip roaring adventure which one might be craving for!!!
There is no dearth of exclusive and magnanimously beautiful villas in Sicily which are intricately designed with lovely patterns of the traditional era and are well-equipped with facilities ensuring ultimate comfort in accordance with the latest modern trends.One can get to seek villas in Sicily, Italy at Cefalu, Avola and Scopello.
Among the popular villas in Sicily one can rejoice in the luxury of Villa Ninfea,
Oasi, Villa Panarea, Casa Aristaios, Piccola Oasi, Le Cave, Villa Baglio, Villa Papale,
Villa Plemmirio, La Baia, La Caravella, La Grotta, La Lanterna, La Saracena,
Villa Salina and many more. One can also get to beat the heat with several holiday apartments in Sicily which provide the delight of innumerous amenities having plush interiors and balconies with sea view. One can catch up one bedroom or two bedroom holiday houses in Sicily at Cefalu, Milazzo, Catania, Siracusa, Palermo, Ragusa, Augusta, Ortigia and lot more to offer. One may also seek pleasure of staying in prominent and distinguished Taormina hotels like Villa Ducale, Isola Bella, Villa Schuler, Villa Carlotta and Hotel Timeo.
No wonder Taormina is a jewel in the crown of Sicily,Italy and is infallibly one of the Almighty’s finest creations and shall always be revered for its delightful and exciting landscapes and intricately designed archaeological structures which attract multitudes of visitors from several regions across the globe. Such is the splendour of this eye catching spot that its memories remain fondly preserved in the hearts and minds of travel freaks.
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