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I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers and subscribers for your support and I hope that you continue to support my eLearning News with comments, suggestions in 2017.
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Saturday, December 31, 2016
Happy New Year! Wish You A Great 2017!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers and subscribers for your support and I hope that you continue to support my eLearning News with comments, suggestions in 2017.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Interview with a Bookstore: Biblioasis in Ontario | Books | The Guardian
"Biblioasis opened in its current location on Wyandotte St. E. in Windsor in 2012. An earlier incarnation of the store existed in downtown Windsor from 1998 to 2007." inform Guardian Books Network.
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| Photo: Literary Hub |
In the interregnum, Biblioasis operated almost exclusively as a publishing house, though it kept its fingers in the bookselling game by maintaining an online store of approximately 10,000 titles. Though its first incarnation was almost exclusively used, it now offers a balanced mix of both new, used and antiquarian titles. Dan Wells, the founding owner and publisher of both Biblioasis bookstore and Biblioasis Press, decided to open the store in part because he struggled to find a job at either his local independent bookstore — South Shore Books — or any of the area mall chains, and a volunteer stint with another bookseller amounted to little more than carpet-cleaning. With an expectation of failure at the outset, Dan is enormously grateful to have proven himself wrong.
What’s your favourite section of the store?
Dan Wells (owner/publisher): When I need a break and wander into the bookshop, I almost always find myself gravitating to one of two spots: the new arrivals tables, to see what’s recently come in, or the fiction wall. We’ve one of the best selections of literary and independently published fiction this side of Toronto, as you would expect from a bookstore associated with an independent press. And I’ve wiled away more than a few coffee breaks browsing in both places.
Tina Lyons-Hagen (bookseller): If I was asked to close my eyes and envision my ideal space for a bookstore, Biblioasis would be what I pictured: worn, creaky wood floors, exposed brick walls, and books piled precariously on shelves, floors, and tables. When you add in Loki, the resident dog, clanging cast iron pipes, the retro Bunn Pour-Omatic commercial grade coffee maker and mismatched mugs, it’s almost like a movie set.
Read more...
Source: The Guardian
Revisiting Arendt’s Thought as Darkness Threatens the West | Modern Diplomacy
“Under conditions of tyranny, it is far easier to act than to think” -Hannah Arendt
"Various historians and cultural anthropologists have urged us lately not
to conflate too easily Communism with Nazism. This admonition goes back
to a book which appeared in 1945: Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of
Totalitarianism which analyzes these two major totalitarian movements of
the 20th century, namely Nazism and Stalinism." notes Professor Paparella, a scholar interested in current relevant philosophical, political and cultural issues.
The book did not appear in its English version (titled as The Burden of our Times) till 1951. It became a classic on the subject.
Few scholars would deny that this book has played a major role in shaping the way international affairs have been viewed, from the second half of the 20th century onward. Perhaps more than any other treatise, it has contributed to the way people with a liberal outlook have grappled with the totalitarian ideas and regimes of both the right and the left. To a large extent, this book entrenched the concept of totalitarianism and characterized this type of regime, stressing the shared characteristics of Nazism and Communism, despite the many differences that can be discerned between them.
It is difficult to classify Arendt's volume on totalitarianism as a book on philosophy, history, political science or mass psychology. Perhaps it would be better listed under Cultural Anthropology. In fact, it is a treatise about the history of culture that is overarching and all-encompassing in its scope, and in this respect it is in the tradition of all-embracing works like Oswald Spengler's The Decline of the West or Arnold Toynbee's A Study of History or Francis Fukuyama's The End of History and the Last Man, or Samuel Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order," or even Vico’s New Science.
Nevertheless, despite this difficulty, to this day, Arend’t treatise continues to offer one of the best insights into totalitarian movements and regimes. It afforded the West the ideological infrastructure needed to see the Cold War not only as a struggle between two superpowers aspiring to world hegemony, but also as a continuation of the fight against totalitarianism as such, whether it comes from the right or the left.
The enormous complexity of The Origins of Totalitarianism arises from its interweaving of an understanding of the concept of totalitarianism with the description of its emergence and embodiment in Nazism and Stalinism. In the 60s it was a must book for many college students, including myself. Now that Nazism had been disposed of, it was felt at the time, we needed to understand the origins of that other totalitarian system, Communism, as it presented itself at its origins under Lenin and Stalin.
Arendt seemed to be saying that the two were two sides of the same coin; she seemed to conflate them into each other. At least that was the most common interpretation at the time to which some scholars objected. We must remember that the 50s were the times of Mc Chartism which suspected and looked for a communist under every bed. After World War II, the West did in fact face an intricate problem: while Nazism and Fascism had been defeated, this victory, if truth be told, had been made possible largely thanks to the cooperation and help of Stalin's Soviet Union.
Before 1945, the war could be depicted as pitting the "free world" against the dictatorships of Hitler and Mussolini, but the strong-armed Communist takeover of Eastern Europe made it difficult to continue clinging to this fiction. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that totalitarianism has been identified by many historians as a brutal, and, thanks to modern technology, potent form of political tyranny whose ambitions for world domination are unlimited.
Disseminating propaganda derived from an ideology through the media of mass communication, totalitarianism relies on mass support. It crushes whoever and whatever stands in its way by means of terror and proceeds to a total reconstruction of the society it displaces. Thus a largely rural and feudal Russian Empire, under the absolutist rule of czars stretching back to the fifteenth century, was transformed first by Lenin after the October Revolution of 1917 and then by Stalin into an industrialized Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Read more...
Source: Modern Diplomacy
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| Photo: Emanuel L. Paparella |
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| Photo: Virtual Reading Group |
The book did not appear in its English version (titled as The Burden of our Times) till 1951. It became a classic on the subject.
Few scholars would deny that this book has played a major role in shaping the way international affairs have been viewed, from the second half of the 20th century onward. Perhaps more than any other treatise, it has contributed to the way people with a liberal outlook have grappled with the totalitarian ideas and regimes of both the right and the left. To a large extent, this book entrenched the concept of totalitarianism and characterized this type of regime, stressing the shared characteristics of Nazism and Communism, despite the many differences that can be discerned between them.
It is difficult to classify Arendt's volume on totalitarianism as a book on philosophy, history, political science or mass psychology. Perhaps it would be better listed under Cultural Anthropology. In fact, it is a treatise about the history of culture that is overarching and all-encompassing in its scope, and in this respect it is in the tradition of all-embracing works like Oswald Spengler's The Decline of the West or Arnold Toynbee's A Study of History or Francis Fukuyama's The End of History and the Last Man, or Samuel Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order," or even Vico’s New Science.
Nevertheless, despite this difficulty, to this day, Arend’t treatise continues to offer one of the best insights into totalitarian movements and regimes. It afforded the West the ideological infrastructure needed to see the Cold War not only as a struggle between two superpowers aspiring to world hegemony, but also as a continuation of the fight against totalitarianism as such, whether it comes from the right or the left.
The enormous complexity of The Origins of Totalitarianism arises from its interweaving of an understanding of the concept of totalitarianism with the description of its emergence and embodiment in Nazism and Stalinism. In the 60s it was a must book for many college students, including myself. Now that Nazism had been disposed of, it was felt at the time, we needed to understand the origins of that other totalitarian system, Communism, as it presented itself at its origins under Lenin and Stalin.
Arendt seemed to be saying that the two were two sides of the same coin; she seemed to conflate them into each other. At least that was the most common interpretation at the time to which some scholars objected. We must remember that the 50s were the times of Mc Chartism which suspected and looked for a communist under every bed. After World War II, the West did in fact face an intricate problem: while Nazism and Fascism had been defeated, this victory, if truth be told, had been made possible largely thanks to the cooperation and help of Stalin's Soviet Union.
Before 1945, the war could be depicted as pitting the "free world" against the dictatorships of Hitler and Mussolini, but the strong-armed Communist takeover of Eastern Europe made it difficult to continue clinging to this fiction. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that totalitarianism has been identified by many historians as a brutal, and, thanks to modern technology, potent form of political tyranny whose ambitions for world domination are unlimited.
Disseminating propaganda derived from an ideology through the media of mass communication, totalitarianism relies on mass support. It crushes whoever and whatever stands in its way by means of terror and proceeds to a total reconstruction of the society it displaces. Thus a largely rural and feudal Russian Empire, under the absolutist rule of czars stretching back to the fifteenth century, was transformed first by Lenin after the October Revolution of 1917 and then by Stalin into an industrialized Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Read more...
Source: Modern Diplomacy
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Essay Writing Competition in Statistics | Mathrubhumi English
"Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Central Statistics Office (Training Division), 9th Floor, Jeevan Prakash Building, 25, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi- 110 001, has invited applications for the ‘On the Spot’ Essay Writing Competition -2017 for Post-Graduate Students of Statistics, on subjects relevant to Statistics, to be conducted as part of the celebration of Statistics Day on 29th June, 2017." inform Dr S Rajookrishnan.
# ......
Read more at: http://english.mathrubhumi.com/education/essay-writing-competition-in-statistics-1.1615766
Read more at: http://english.mathrubhumi.com/education/essay-writing-competition-in-statistics-1.1615766
The Competition will be held from 11 am to 2 pm on 12th February 2017 (Sunday). Two topics would be given on the spot for the Essay. The Essay should be written on one of the topics in about 5000 words in the prescribed time limit of three hours.
Post Graduate students of Statistics currently studying in recognized university/colleges can participate in the ‘On-the-Spot’ Essay Writing Competition- 2017.
Application has to be submitted, in duplicate, through the Head of the Department of the College/ University/Institute where the student is studying, in the prescribed format that can be downloaded from http://mospi.nic.in/announcements. The filled application has to be reach ‘The Director, Training Division, Central Statistics Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 9th Floor, Jeevan Prakash Building, 25 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001’, by post, latest by 13th January, 2017.
Eligible applicants will be requested through a separate communication to appear for the competition at the designated center or at the nearest Regional Office or Sub Regional Office of National Sample Survey Office for writing the essay. No TA/DA will be paid for appearing in the competition. The list of the Regional/Sub Regional Offices may be seen at http://mospi.nic.in/zonal-offices-0. Nearest Regional Office or Sub Regional Office may be mentioned in the application form. However, the Ministry reserves the right to allot a center other than opted by the candidate.
Read more...
Source: Mathrubhumi English
Teach Kids Philosophy, It Makes Them Better at Math | New York Magazine
"Not what to think, but how to think." summarizes
The
nature of truth. Theories of fairness. The essence of bullying. These
are big, weighty subjects, and apparently 9- and 10-year-olds just eat
them up.
As in, according to a Quartz piece by Jenny Anderson, placing grade-schoolers in weekly philosophical discussions has surprising effects on their academic performance. The program in question, called Philosophy for Children, led to improvements in math and reading scores on par with an extra two months of instruction, with bigger gains for disadvantaged kids. The 3quarksdaily blog highlighted it all earlier this week.
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| Photo: T.T./Getty Images |
As in, according to a Quartz piece by Jenny Anderson, placing grade-schoolers in weekly philosophical discussions has surprising effects on their academic performance. The program in question, called Philosophy for Children, led to improvements in math and reading scores on par with an extra two months of instruction, with bigger gains for disadvantaged kids. The 3quarksdaily blog highlighted it all earlier this week.
Create a More Integrated Approach to Testing: A Magna Online Seminar | Magna Publications
Online Seminar: Featuring strategies to help teaching faculty create a richer learning experience for students.
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| Photo: Magna Publications |
When it comes time for exams, there’s one question that is top of mind for students:
“How do I get the best grade?”
In
response, they study for the test, which often involves memorizing key
concepts from the course. They take the exam. Finally, they find their
posted score and then listen casually as the teacher reviews the answers
they may have missed.
There’s a serious problem with this scenario . . .
When exams are treated as isolated events, the focus is on generating grades instead of creating a deeper learning environment.
It’s time for a paradigm shift in the exam experience, and it begins with making simple changes to our teaching techniques.
Our new online seminar, An Integrated Approach to Student Exams, is designed to help teaching faculty see exams from a new perspective.
We’ll
look at simple strategies faculty can use every day, whether online or
in the classroom, to ensure exams are not simply perceived as
grade-generating mechanisms but instead recognized as enriched learning
tools that will have a significant impact on student success.
Seminar participants will engage in the following activities:
- Explore ways to make exams richer learning experiences
- Design exam experiences so that they encourage the development of good study skills
- Develop strategies that encourage students to take responsibility for exam preparation and performance
We’re presenting a more integrated approach to testing.
Following
the ideas and advice provided by esteemed teaching expert Maryellen
Weimer, PhD, participants will discuss concrete strategies in a
conversational format, which they can immediately apply to the classroom
setting.
You will learn ways to accomplish the following:
- Modify instruction
- Improve quizzing methods
- Engage students to achieve deeper learning
This is how students become better learners. And this is how we encourage them to achieve better grades.
Don’t miss the early-bird discount. Sign up by January 12, 2017, and pay only $247. Register today.
Get to Know Maryellen Weimer |
| Photo: Maryellen Weimer |
Maryellen Weimer has always been interested in the exam experience, but she recognizes a particular urgency now that she didn’t identify when she was teaching full time. She believes we need to make a paradigm shift in how both faculty and students approach exams. And it begins with An Integrated Approach to Student Exams.
Weimer has edited The Teaching Professor newsletter since 1987 and writes the “Teaching Professor” blog. She is a professor emerita of teaching and learning at Penn State Berks and won Penn State's Milton S. Eisenhower award for distinguished teaching in 2005.
Source: Magna Publications
Free eGuide: The 15 Biggest Mistakes Speakers Make on Stage | TradePub.com and Hugh Culver.
Follow these essential tips and make your next speech your best one yet.
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| Photo: Hugh Culver |
It doesn’t have to be that way.
In the over 1,000 presentations I made I’m sure I’ve made every mistake you can make.
I’ve also become a student of great presentations.
Enjoy the list and remember, nobody cares what we did yesterday, only what we do today. So go ahead and use this list to make your next speech world-class and bring your audience to their feet.
Offered Free by: Hugh Culver
Request your Free eBook!
Source: TradePub.com and Hugh Culver.
What We'll Be Talking About In 2017 | Social Media Insider
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| Photo: Thom Forbes |
Mobile Messaging As The New OSIf you had told marketers 10 years ago that Facebook and Twitter would become a premium platform to reach consumers, they would have laughed. It might have sounded good in theory, but applying the concept and marketing dollars was more difficult.
As 2017 approaches, the conversation is shifting again. Social media isn’t going away, but more people are talking about expanded functionality in mobile messaging. And when you consider the combined user base of the top four chat apps is larger than that of the top four social networks, it’s easy to understand why. Chat apps have intricate ecosystems with unique APIs and developers...
The Rise Of Moment-Based AdvertisingIn 2016 we saw every major social platform adopt live video-streaming capabilities. We also saw live video-streaming platforms such as Twitch gain enormous popularity, and new products like Snapchat Spectacles pop up to further enable the technology.
Live video-streaming gives us an unparalleled opportunity to capitalize on a moment in time in a consumer’s life. Marketers have been obsessed with real-time interactions for years and have gotten more and more creative with their campaigning, incorporating environmental, social and political factors into strategies — think #OreoEclipse...
Trends Will Go Mainstream2017 in social media will be about bringing the emerging trends from the past couple of years more mainstream. VR and expiring content (a la Snapchat and Instagram Stories) certainly isn’t new news for a social- and trend-savvy crowd, but they will be a newly discovered trend among a diverse and mainstream audience.
Read more...
Source: MediaPost Communications
Teaching 'Truthiness': Professors Offer Course On How to Write Fake News | EdSurge
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| Follow on Twitter as @jryoung |
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| Photo: Example of a 'photoshlopped' image, by Mark Marino |
But this course is real—as well as an act of satire. It’s called “How to Write and Read Fake News: Journalism in the Age of Trump,”
and it’s being offered as a kind of performance art to draw attention
to the problem of the influential falsehoods that are spreading online.
The course is the latest offering from a long-running satirical project
called UnderAcademy College, whose previous courses included “Grammar
Porn” and “Underwater Procrastination and Advanced Desublimation
Techniques.”
One
of the new course’s professors is Mark Marino, an associate professor
in the writing program at University of Southern California—though he’s
doing it as a side project and the effort has no connection to USC. (His
co-teacher, or co-digressor as they call it, is Talan Memmott, a
visiting professor of mass communication and transmedia at Winona State
University.)
Satire,
Marino argues, may be the most effective tool at what he called a time
of trial for the truth. We caught up with him last week to find out more
about the project—and how teachers can best respond to the rise of fake
news. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The 10 Most Popular Blog Posts of the Year | Learning Blog - LinkedIn Learning
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| Photo: Paul Petrone |
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| Photo: Learning Blog - LinkedIn Learning |
In September, we launched a new product, LinkedIn Learning, which is pretty much awesome (although I might be a tad biased). In October, we held our first ever Week of Learning, where millions of people experienced said product – and the thousands of courses that go with it – for free.
And, in November, LinkedIn Learning went international, as it added more than 4,000 courses in German, French, Spanish and Japanese.
Of course, all of those paled in comparison to the biggest event of all in 2016 by LinkedIn Learning Solutions. It happened on June 20th, and its impact is still being felt around the world – the LinkedIn Learning Blog officially launched.
I know, I know, it’s probably been just as crazy for you as it’s been for me, your esteemed and humble editor. Over the course of the past six months, a few articles have stood above the rest, and spread like wildfire throughout the virtual world.
Here’s a collection of those articles. These are – drum roll please – the most popular articles of the year on the LinkedIn Learning Blog.
Read more...
Source: Learning Blog - LinkedIn Learning
Understanding Maple by Ian Thompson | Cambridge University Press
"With this book, students, teachers, and researchers will gain a solid understanding of Maple and how to use it to solve complex mathematical problems in a simple and efficient way." writes Ian Thompson.
AUTHOR: Ian Thompson, University of Liverpool
DATE PUBLISHED: November 2016
FORMAT: Paperback l 9781316628140
This short introduction to Maple gives readers an
insight into the rules that control how the system works, and how to
understand, fix, and avoid common problems.
Each chapter contains numerous illustrative examples, using mathematics that does not extend beyond first-year undergraduate material. Maple worksheets containing these examples are available for download from the author's personal website. The book is suitable for new users, but where advanced topics are central to understanding Maple they are tackled head-on. Many concepts which are absent from introductory books and manuals are described in detail. With this book, students, teachers and researchers will gain a solid understanding of Maple and how to use it to solve complex mathematical problems in a simple and efficient way.
Key Features
Takes a programmatic approach to solving mathematical problems using Maple
Provides Maple worksheets which can be downloaded from the author's website
Highlights the importance of the evaluation rules, helping readers to avoid common pitfalls when using Maple
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Getting started
3. Algebra and calculus
4. Solving equations
5. Linear algebra
6. Graphics
7. Programming
8. Procedures
9. Example programs
Appendix A. Other ways to run Maple
Appendix B. Terminating characters
Index of Maple notation
Look Inside
AUTHOR: Ian Thompson, University of Liverpool
DATE PUBLISHED: November 2016
FORMAT: Paperback l 9781316628140
 |
| Understanding Maple Paperback |
Each chapter contains numerous illustrative examples, using mathematics that does not extend beyond first-year undergraduate material. Maple worksheets containing these examples are available for download from the author's personal website. The book is suitable for new users, but where advanced topics are central to understanding Maple they are tackled head-on. Many concepts which are absent from introductory books and manuals are described in detail. With this book, students, teachers and researchers will gain a solid understanding of Maple and how to use it to solve complex mathematical problems in a simple and efficient way.
Key Features
Takes a programmatic approach to solving mathematical problems using Maple
Provides Maple worksheets which can be downloaded from the author's website
Highlights the importance of the evaluation rules, helping readers to avoid common pitfalls when using Maple
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Getting started
3. Algebra and calculus
4. Solving equations
5. Linear algebra
6. Graphics
7. Programming
8. Procedures
9. Example programs
Appendix A. Other ways to run Maple
Appendix B. Terminating characters
Index of Maple notation
Look Inside
- Copyright Information Page (37 KB)
- Table of Contents (48 KB)
- Index (53 KB)
- Marketing Excerpt (79 KB)
- Front Matter (89 KB)
Gamification and the Future of Corporate eLearning – Part A | GamEffective
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| Photo: Gal Rimon |
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| Photo: Gameffective |
One of the most fascinating areas that could be transformed by gamification technology is education and the school system. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? School is all about discipline and hard work. We want our children to know that there’s a time for games and a time for seriousness, and muddling the two seems quite strange, or even dangerous.
Well apparently, for no good reason.
One of the things that games are best at is achieving a state called ‘flow.’ This is described as a state of total focus on the task at hand and was initially described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. For flow to be achieved, several conditions need to exist. Firstly, a clear goal, or a set of several goals. This allows for structure and a sense of direction. Secondly, it is important that immediate and accurate feedback exists, since it allows people to change their actions in accordance with the desired results. Finally, in order to achieve flow, a person has to be dealing with a challenge that is at an appropriate level. If it will be too easy, they will be bored, yet if it is too difficult they will become frustrated.
Imagine going through school while experiencing this state of ‘flow’, and having education feel like a playful and enjoyable endeavor, that contributes to growth and development. Many education innovators believe that the experience of school can be one which resembles this, instead of the stressful and anxiety ridden experience many of us might remember.
Many educators see gamification as a great way to achieve flow in schools, where many times classrooms are crowded and noisy, and attention is easily disturbed. Gamification also helps teachers in getting children out of their normal routines, which in itself can help students achieve a state of novelty and flow.
When you think about it, gamification has existed in education for ages. What are ‘gold stars’ if not a gamification mechanic? And how about the competition between different ‘houses’, prevalent in parts of the British education system? What’s new here is that technology is being used to gamify different parts of the educational process on a larger scale than ever before.
Read more...
Related link
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| Photo: Gameffective |
| GamEffective
Source: Gameffective
The Medieval Origins of The Carol: How Christmas Songs Have Survived Through the Centuries | Ancient Origins
"Singing and Christmas seem to go naturally together, like plum
pudding and custard. Even those who would not normally attend a choir
concert or church service throughout the year might happily participate
in a civic Carols by Candlelight or a Midnight Mass." posted by Ancient Origins.
In these settings,
the carols come thick and fast, and everyone joins in, almost
involuntarily. But what is the origin of the choral music which adorns
these settings?
The tradition of carol singing dates from the Middle Ages, and was not restricted to the Christmas season. There were carols for Easter, for New Year, and sometimes even for political events such as the Battle of Agincourt.
The poetic form was simple: a succession of stanzas with different texts, interspersed with a recurring refrain. In more recent times, the term “carol” has come to mean any song associated with Christmas.
Medieval carols from England and elsewhere have survived, though much transformed. Good Christian Men, Rejoice dates from the 14th century, though only its text has been reliably attributed, to the Dominican friar Heinrich Seuse (Suso). The melody is known in Latin as In dulci jubilo (in sweet joy), and has been frequently used as the basis of extended instrumental or vocal compositions.
This song found its way into English through the 1853 publication Carols for Christmastide by J.M. Neale. This and other volumes of carols contributed materially to the Victorian era’s wholesale adoption of seasonal trimmings, along with royally sanctioned Christmas trees and greeting cards.
During the centuries between the first iteration of a carol tradition and the Dickensian revival of the Christmas spirit in the mid-1800s, there was comparatively little in the way of English composition of new works in this genre. A few pieces that are more appropriately termed Christmas hymns were, however, produced during the 18th century.
One of these is Adeste fideles or O Come, All Ye Faithful. Its authorship is disputed, but the most likely source is the 1751 volume Cantus diversi, published by John Francis Wade. Like most other Christmas carols, its text has clear Christian references.
Interestingly, it is also thought to contain covert Jacobite symbolism, with the phrases “all ye faithful” and “to Bethlehem” referring respectively to the supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie and England itself. Wade fled to France after the failure of the 1745 Jacobite uprising, but his hymn soon came into regular use, particularly amongst English Catholics.
An indication of its wider adoption is the inclusion of O Come, All Ye Faithful within the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, a familiar modern day tradition inaugurated at Cornwall’s Truro Cathedral in 1880. In the age of mass media, this most renowned Christmas ceremony, as practised in King’s College Cambridge has become universally familiar, firstly on radio and then television. Choirs around the world also perform their own Lessons and Carols programs every December, and most often conclude with this piece.
Silent Night — Choir of St John's College, Cambridge
Note: "The Chapel Choir St John's College, Cambridge, under the direction of
the legendary Sir George Guest, perform D. Cashmere's peaceful
arrangement of the popular Christmas carol 'Silent Night'."
The most famous Christmas carol of all time is undoubtedly Silent Night, Holy Night. The original words for Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht were written by Joseph Mohr in 1816 and the melody two years later by Franz Xaver Gruber, when both were living in villages near Salzburg.
Read more...
This article, originally titled ‘A short history of three very famous Christmas carols’ by Peter Roennfeldt was published on The Conversation and has been republished under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Ancient Origins and 1finch2finch Channel (YouTube)
 |
| Photo: Medieval celebrations (blairthornburgh) |
The tradition of carol singing dates from the Middle Ages, and was not restricted to the Christmas season. There were carols for Easter, for New Year, and sometimes even for political events such as the Battle of Agincourt.
The poetic form was simple: a succession of stanzas with different texts, interspersed with a recurring refrain. In more recent times, the term “carol” has come to mean any song associated with Christmas.
Medieval carols from England and elsewhere have survived, though much transformed. Good Christian Men, Rejoice dates from the 14th century, though only its text has been reliably attributed, to the Dominican friar Heinrich Seuse (Suso). The melody is known in Latin as In dulci jubilo (in sweet joy), and has been frequently used as the basis of extended instrumental or vocal compositions.
This song found its way into English through the 1853 publication Carols for Christmastide by J.M. Neale. This and other volumes of carols contributed materially to the Victorian era’s wholesale adoption of seasonal trimmings, along with royally sanctioned Christmas trees and greeting cards.
During the centuries between the first iteration of a carol tradition and the Dickensian revival of the Christmas spirit in the mid-1800s, there was comparatively little in the way of English composition of new works in this genre. A few pieces that are more appropriately termed Christmas hymns were, however, produced during the 18th century.
One of these is Adeste fideles or O Come, All Ye Faithful. Its authorship is disputed, but the most likely source is the 1751 volume Cantus diversi, published by John Francis Wade. Like most other Christmas carols, its text has clear Christian references.
Interestingly, it is also thought to contain covert Jacobite symbolism, with the phrases “all ye faithful” and “to Bethlehem” referring respectively to the supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie and England itself. Wade fled to France after the failure of the 1745 Jacobite uprising, but his hymn soon came into regular use, particularly amongst English Catholics.
An indication of its wider adoption is the inclusion of O Come, All Ye Faithful within the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, a familiar modern day tradition inaugurated at Cornwall’s Truro Cathedral in 1880. In the age of mass media, this most renowned Christmas ceremony, as practised in King’s College Cambridge has become universally familiar, firstly on radio and then television. Choirs around the world also perform their own Lessons and Carols programs every December, and most often conclude with this piece.
Silent Night — Choir of St John's College, Cambridge
The most famous Christmas carol of all time is undoubtedly Silent Night, Holy Night. The original words for Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht were written by Joseph Mohr in 1816 and the melody two years later by Franz Xaver Gruber, when both were living in villages near Salzburg.
Read more...
This article, originally titled ‘A short history of three very famous Christmas carols’ by Peter Roennfeldt was published on The Conversation and has been republished under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Ancient Origins and 1finch2finch Channel (YouTube)
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Career prospects as ‘Statistician’ | The Hans India
Gudipati Rajendera Kumar, THE HANS INDIA inform, "A statistician collects data for everything, right from Virat’s
cricket batting averages, stock market fluctuations, pollution levels
compared to other cities, and after demonetization affect , everyone has
gone to collect data on how much money is in circulation, how many ATMs
are functioning, how long it will take to print out new notes etc."
The world is becoming more and more quantitative and data focused. Whatever information you may have, there are statistics to back it.
For instance in recent cricket match between India and England held in Chennai, India win because of data analysis.
l Over 15 years, data analysts from Chennai have dominated the field of sports.
l Performance analysts work with athletes behind the scenes to
help them assess past games and devise strategies to clinch a win.
l Analysts collect data and videos through different applications, based on the findings prepare strategies and analysis to tackle and opposition team.
l Analyze strengths and weakness of the players in opponent teams.
l The analyst’s report helps coaches and players in strategizing their matches.
l During IPL auctions, data analysts prepare a report for the franchises with a list of best players.
l Every match strategy of India is backed by strong data culled by analysts.
This shows how statistics essentially involves in putting mathematics to scientific use in the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of masses of numerical data. Statistics is the study of the collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. Statistics plays a significant role in every field of human activity. Statistics has important role in determining the existing position of per capita income, unemployment, population growth rate, housing, medical facilities etc. in a country.
Different areas of statistics include crime statistics, census
statistics, ecological statistics, medical statistics, statistics on
education, film statistics, cricket statistics, oil statistics, market
statistics, accident statistics, labour statistics, population
statistics, election statistics, district-city-state statistics, tourism
statistics etc. so application of statistics is very wide.
While collection of data is no small task, interpreting and
presenting it requires special skills. Hence astatistician needs to
undergo fundamental training in analytical aspects. A statistician’s
role is to give life to data.
l Statistics is indispensable in this modern age aptly termed as “the age of planning”.
l Statistical data and techniques of statistical analysis are
immensely useful in solving economic problems such as wages, price, time
series analysis, demand analysis.
l It is an irreplaceable tool of production.
Responsibilities of a statistician:
l Collecting information
l Developing newer and more efficient methods of collecting data
l Organizing data
l Developing newer methods to analyze the information.
l Statisticians are heavily involved in the development of products and quality factors.
l Statisticians work for automobile, pharmaceutical, or computer software companies in trial testing and product evaluation.
l Statisticians also involved with the manufacturing, asset, liability, and risk management, and marketing departments of firms.
There are some important fields in which statistics is commonly applied.
Mathematics:
l Statistics is branch of applied mathematics.
l It plays a central role in almost all natural and social sciences.
l Statistics helps in drawing conclusions and measurements more precisely.
Banking:
l Statistics play an important role in banking.
l Banks make use of statistics for several purposes.
l Banks work on the principle that all the people, who deposit their money with the banks, do not withdraw it at the same time.
State Management:
l Statistics is essential for a country.
l Different policies of the government are based on statistics.
l Statistical data are now widely used in taking all administrative decisions.
l Statisticians hired to evaluate population, demographic, and economic measurements.
l Statisticians use sampling techniques determine sizes of populations, unemployment rate, literacy levels, malnutrition numbers, dowry deaths and other sociological issues.
l To revise the pay scales of government employees, statistical methods will be used to determine the rise in the cost of living.
Accounting and Auditing:
l Accounting is impossible without exactness.
l Based on statistics, decision is taken.
l Sampling techniques are employed in auditing.
l An auditor determines the sample size of the book to be audited based on error.
Natural and Social Sciences:
l Statistics plays a vital role in almost all the natural and social sciences.
l Statistical methods are used for analyzing the experiments’ results, testing their significance in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Meteorology, and Research studies of commerce, Sociology, Business, Public Administration, Communication and Information Technology etc.
Astronomy:
l Astronomy deals with the measurement of distance, sizes, masses and densities of heavenly bodies by means of observations.
l Probable measurements are arrived at by using statistical methods.
l In olden days astronomers used statistical methods for finding the movements of stars and the distance of the moon from the earth.
Medicine:
l The job of Medical statisticians involves monitoring and surveillance of diseases and health patterns of the sample under study.
l It involves establishing the cause of disease or the factors associated with disease and death as well as analyzing studies to determine if new drugs and medical devices are safe and effective for pharmaceutical companies, medical research centres, or the Food and Drug departments.
Agriculture & Environment
l In the field of agriculture and agri-business, statisticians analyze data from agricultural experiments to increase productivity and yield.
l Statisticians also evaluate the environmental impact of air, water, and soil pollutants at a research laboratory, commercial environmental clean-up firm.
Read more...
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Source: The Hans India
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| Photo: The Hans India |
The world is becoming more and more quantitative and data focused. Whatever information you may have, there are statistics to back it.
For instance in recent cricket match between India and England held in Chennai, India win because of data analysis.
l Analysts collect data and videos through different applications, based on the findings prepare strategies and analysis to tackle and opposition team.
l Analyze strengths and weakness of the players in opponent teams.
l The analyst’s report helps coaches and players in strategizing their matches.
l During IPL auctions, data analysts prepare a report for the franchises with a list of best players.
l Every match strategy of India is backed by strong data culled by analysts.
This shows how statistics essentially involves in putting mathematics to scientific use in the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of masses of numerical data. Statistics is the study of the collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. Statistics plays a significant role in every field of human activity. Statistics has important role in determining the existing position of per capita income, unemployment, population growth rate, housing, medical facilities etc. in a country.
l Developing newer and more efficient methods of collecting data
l Organizing data
l Developing newer methods to analyze the information.
l Statisticians are heavily involved in the development of products and quality factors.
l Statisticians work for automobile, pharmaceutical, or computer software companies in trial testing and product evaluation.
l Statisticians also involved with the manufacturing, asset, liability, and risk management, and marketing departments of firms.
l It plays a central role in almost all natural and social sciences.
l Statistics helps in drawing conclusions and measurements more precisely.
l Statistics play an important role in banking.
l Banks make use of statistics for several purposes.
l Banks work on the principle that all the people, who deposit their money with the banks, do not withdraw it at the same time.
l Statistics is essential for a country.
l Different policies of the government are based on statistics.
l Statistical data are now widely used in taking all administrative decisions.
l Statisticians hired to evaluate population, demographic, and economic measurements.
l Statisticians use sampling techniques determine sizes of populations, unemployment rate, literacy levels, malnutrition numbers, dowry deaths and other sociological issues.
l To revise the pay scales of government employees, statistical methods will be used to determine the rise in the cost of living.
l Accounting is impossible without exactness.
l Based on statistics, decision is taken.
l Sampling techniques are employed in auditing.
l An auditor determines the sample size of the book to be audited based on error.
l Statistics plays a vital role in almost all the natural and social sciences.
l Statistical methods are used for analyzing the experiments’ results, testing their significance in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Meteorology, and Research studies of commerce, Sociology, Business, Public Administration, Communication and Information Technology etc.
l Astronomy deals with the measurement of distance, sizes, masses and densities of heavenly bodies by means of observations.
l Probable measurements are arrived at by using statistical methods.
l In olden days astronomers used statistical methods for finding the movements of stars and the distance of the moon from the earth.
l The job of Medical statisticians involves monitoring and surveillance of diseases and health patterns of the sample under study.
l It involves establishing the cause of disease or the factors associated with disease and death as well as analyzing studies to determine if new drugs and medical devices are safe and effective for pharmaceutical companies, medical research centres, or the Food and Drug departments.
l In the field of agriculture and agri-business, statisticians analyze data from agricultural experiments to increase productivity and yield.
l Statisticians also evaluate the environmental impact of air, water, and soil pollutants at a research laboratory, commercial environmental clean-up firm.
Read more...
Related link
 |
| Photo: The Hans India |
Source: The Hans India
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