Santee making sound progress on bringing music back to school | Santee - The San Diego Union-Tribune

School district making music education a priority moving forward by Karen Pearlman, The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Lucy George,11, a fifth grader at Carlton Oaks Elementary School, took her first flute first lesson. George is one of more than 300 students enrolled in music lesson at the Carlton Oaks Elementary School in Santee.
Photo: Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune

Fourth-grader Maia Stone and about a dozen other students sat in chairs and listened intently as local percussion instructor Elizabeth Raymond explained the basics of drumming inside a small classroom at Carlton Oaks School in Santee.

Proper posture. Putting a practice drum pad together. How to grip the drumsticks.

While most of the kids were ready to start banging away on their pads (and some did), Raymond did her best to keep the kids’ attention focused on step-by-step training tips and tried-and-true beginner techniques.

In another room at the school, instructor Joey Ortiz showed students how to press their lips together on a brass mouthpiece, creating a cacophony of noise on trumpets and slide trombones. And in yet another room, instructor Jaime Burke showed students how to assemble their saxophones and flutes and to make some elementary sounds come out of them...

Budget cuts, funding challenges and changes in priorities over the years all but ended the Santee district’s music program and left it with little to offer those children who wanted to learn how to play an instrument. An on-and-off again guitar lesson program flourished, then faded away.

But last year, Santee School District Superintendent Kristin Baranski and the Santee School District Governing Board determined that a strong music program would serve other areas of learning and social well-being, including math and language skills, hand-eye coordination, discipline and teamwork.
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Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

“Black History Through Song” Student-Coordinated Concert Brings Together Learning, Love of Music and Highlights of African American Culture | Local - Southside Daily

Asia Daniels is an Old Dominion University freshman music student who developed her love for singing at a young age as Southside Daily reports.

Photo: Southside Daily

She grew up singing in her church’s choir, where her confidence and love for music grew. Movies like “High School Musical,” “Cheetah Girls,” and Broadway plays would instantly get her in the spirit to sing.

That love followed her to ODU and the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music, where she is coordinating the concert. “Black History Through Song” is scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Chandler Recital Hall of the Diehn Fine & Performing Arts Building. The concert, which is the University’s Black History Month Signature Event and is sponsored by the School of Music and Office of Intercultural Relations, is free and open to the public...

This concert is a perfect example of letting students lead and bring their vision to life, said Nancy Klein, professor and director of the School of Music.

“It is a part of the mission of the Diehn School of Music to promote music and culture through live performances,” Klein said. “We support all our students as they use their gifts and talents to enrich our community. This concert is a perfect example of that.”
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Source: Southside Daily 

Why Your Classroom Needs eLearning | Online Learning & eLearning - The Tech Edvocate

Matthew Lynch, Author at The Tech Edvocate summarizes, While it’s true that nothing can replace a talented classroom teacher, every educator could use a little assistance.

Photo: The Tech Edvocate

That help may come in the form of elearning, and it’s something you can – and should – use in your classroom.

Elearning serves as an additional resource for your students. When used seamlessly in the classroom, elearning enhances the teacher’s instruction by making the lesson all the more relevant.
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Source: The Tech Edvocate

New guidelines aim to ensure quality of distance learning | Tanzania - University World News

Institutions offering open and distance learning in Tanzania are expected to adhere to a new set of rules mapped out in the latest edition of the Handbook for Standards and Guidelines for University Education in Tanzania, continues University World News.
 

New guidelines aim to ensure quality of distance learning

Aimed largely at ensuring the quality of open, distance and e-learning (ODeL) programmes, the guidelines were released this month by the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
 
In its third edition of the handbook, the commission spells out specific measures, actions and general conditions to guide the growing ODeL segment of higher education.
The guidelines for open and distance education are part of a string of other requirements relating to higher education. Last week, University World News reported that in a bid to improve postgraduate education quality, the guidelines also stipulate that all postgraduate students pursuing either masters or doctoral degrees in Tanzanian universities are required to publish papers in reputable peer-reviewed journals before graduating...

In addition to rules about postgraduate study and ODeL, the new guidelines also introduce the position of ‘professor emeritus’ – a retired professor who will continue to be engaged by a university as an honour for distinguished contribution to academia.

“This would enable the retired professors who deserve to be considered for this position to continue contributing their accumulated knowledge, wisdom and experience to the advancement of the university and the nation at large,” the guidelines state.  
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Source: University World News

Creating Community in Online Classrooms | Digital Learning - Inside Higher Ed

Rebecca Vidra, senior lecturer explains how she uses her students' shared interest in music to draw them into her course's discussion forum.

The Beastie Boys

When I talk to my colleagues about teaching online, I get the standard responses: that must be so hard, that must be so boring, students can’t possibly learn as much from an online course as they would in my actual classroom, the technology is so glitchy, etc. As someone who is trying to convince these faculty members to teach in our online program, I can point them to this study or that one. Those of us in this online teaching space have compelling answers to these questions.

But what I really want to say is: it’s not you, it’s them.

Teaching online involves creative pedagogical strategies, yes. But we can’t just focus on what the teacher does. Students themselves can make or break an online course by checking in or checking out...

Our program thrives on the connections between our students. When they feel like a community, they can support each other through their journeys. They become responsible, in some small way, for everyone else’s success. This translates into my classroom in the following ways:

• Students pick up each other’s slack when necessary. We have a lot of group work in my class, and they understand each other’s time constraints. When life happens, they work around it. And they hold each other accountable, too.
• Students contribute information, stories and networks that they think will help others in the class. Our students come with at least five years of professional experience, and sometimes more. They use this experience to broaden each other’s networks and to provide context for the course material.
• The discussion forum feels much more like a small group discussion, with students covering the requirements of the post and then going beyond. I have been so impressed with the amount of outside material students link to, with very little prompting, and the directions that these conversations take.

I devote significant time to writing discussion forum posts and divide the class into small groups for this work, because I believe that really good stuff happens here. 
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Source: Inside Higher Ed

Is online education right for you? 5 questions answered | Online education - The Conversation Africa

Editor’s Note: 
When U.S. News & World Report released its best online education program rankings this year, many schools that fared well in the rankings were quick to call attention to their success. Here, Vanessa Dennen, a researcher of online learning and co-editor-in-chief of the journal The Internet and Higher Education, offers insights into what college students should consider before they enroll in an online degree program.

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While online education may seem like a convenient way to earn a degree in the comfort of your own home or office, warns Vanessa Dennen, researcher of online learning reports of pitfalls that can seriously set a student behind.

Online education presents many conveniences but requires serious time management skills.
Photo: fizkes/Shutterstock.com

1. Is online education as easy and convenient as it seems? 
Online learning may give students a choice about when and where to study, but this flexibility should not be confused with being easy or fast. Learning is a process and it takes time. By studying online, you might be able to eliminate commute time and the dreaded hunt for parking on campus, but you still have to put in the time and effort to learn.

Students with good study habits and time management skills tend to perform better online than students who procrastinate. It’s easy to put off schoolwork when there isn’t a specific class meeting time, and students who regularly choose to put other activities first may find themselves quickly falling behind in an online course. 
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Source: The Conversation Africa

What the best mentors do | Career - Nature.com

The 2019 Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science honour two scientists from India who prioritize people over competition and publications, inform Amber Dance, freelance writer in Los Angeles, California.
 

Two scientists, who won kudos from their protegees for being attentive to students’ well-being, ideas and accomplishments, have received the 2019 Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science .

Vidita Vaidya, winner of one of
the 2019 Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science.
Photo: Bhavisha Kaku Shah

Vidita Vaidya, a neuroscientist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, India, received the mid-career achievement award. Roddam Narasimha, who collected the lifetime-achievement award, is a fluid dynamicist at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific 

Research in Bengaluru, India. Both earned praise from former trainees for prioritizing the success of their laboratory members over competition or a publish-or-perish mentality, and for the joy they find in science.

Nature’s mentoring-award programme, which in 2019 marked its 15th year, annually confers two prizes: one for a mid-career mentor, and the other for a lifetime of achievement in mentoring. Each year, the awards recognize mentors from a different country or region. The 2019 awards sought nominations from India, a country that produced 24,300 PhD graduates in 2014, the fourth-highest number in the world after the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. The nominations were judged by a panel that included Indian scientists working in the nation and abroad; each award had a prize of 700,000 rupees (US$9,800)...

India’s talent pool 

Roddam Narasimha, winner of 
the lifetime-achievement award.
Photo: Prof Roddam Narasimha

Those who nominated Narasimha lauded his accessibility, openness to students’ thoughts and dissenting opinions, and insistence on giving credit for their work and ideas. One noted that Narasimha makes no judgements on the basis of gender, caste or background — and took this approach well before ‘diversity’ was a buzzword.

Narasimha, too, benefited from strong mentorship early in his career. As an undergraduate at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, he studied with mathematician and aerospace engineer Satish Dhawan, who could have obtained a position abroad but chose to work in India, Narasimha says. “I learnt a great deal from him about how you can get things done without actually having to be strict,” he recalls. Dhawan also taught Narasimha to tackle research that would have applications that benefit India. During his career, Narasimha has worked on aerospace-technology development, a computing initiative and university science education.  
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Additional resources 
doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00351-7

Source: Nature.com

Smarter Robotics Are Changing Security | Security - Robotics Tomorrow

While robots already play a prominent role in logistics and manufacturing, industry leaders are just beginning to realize the potential of this technology in security measures by Scott Huntington, creator and editor of Off The Throttle.

Smarter Robotics Are Changing Security

Businesses across the globe are using robotics technology to pick and pack orders, weld metal parts, apply paints and sealants, complete accurate inspections and much more. In 2018 alone, a record 381,000 industrial robotics units were shipped — an increase of 30% compared to the year before.

The electronics, automotive and metal sectors rely on this technology to automate production and drive growth. With it, manufacturers can boost performance and productivity while maintaining better quality and consistency. Previously, robots were limited in their abilities, rooted in one location and separated from their human counterparts. Today, however, these machines can assess their surroundings and work in tandem with employees...

The Future of Robotics in Security

Today's smart security robotics can track people and assets, patrol physical areas, record data and much more. They have the power to pinpoint problems that may be undetectable to humans — plus, they never sleep. 

One of the most significant benefits of modern technology is the ability to amplify current security procedures with additional coverage. How will robots take over the field in the next five to 10 years, however?
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Source: Robotics Tomorrow

What the world can learn from Japan’s robots | Editor’s Picks - BBC News

Japan is changing: a rapidly ageing society, a record-breaking influx of visitors from overseas, and more robots than ever. That's where the country's young people come in. Gen J, a new series by BBC Worklife, keeps you up to speed on how the nation's next generation is shaping the Japan of tomorrow. 

Additional reporting by Yoko Ishitani and Mari Murakami.

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Japan is rolling out robots in nursing homes, offices and schools as its population ages and workforce shrinks. What can it teach other countries facing the same problems? 

This police robot acts as eyes and ears for human officers in a different room. Countries like China and South Korea have expressed interest in such tech
Photo: Bryan Lufkin

At a sleek office building in Shinagawa, Tokyo, workers are strolling in and out for lunch. As they walk through the glass doors, they pass two security guards, each dutifully flanking the passage in stern silence. It all seems pretty unremarkable, until you realise one of those security guards is a robot.

Standing up to five feet tall with wheels and a blue police cap, “his” name is Ugo. His battery lasts up to half a work day, and every two hours he’ll do a routine patrol around the building – even summoning lifts by pushing the call button himself. His digital “face” – which usually displays two big blue cartoony eyes – is replaced with the Japanese text for “on duty”.

“It’s important for the robot to feel cute, so you’re not intimidated,” says Ken Matsui, CEO of Mira Robotics, the start-up behind Ugo. Right now, the police bot – whose built-in camera allows guards downstairs to see things from the robot’s point of view – is one of only two prototypes in the country. But Matsui says companies in China and South Korea are interested in his company's work, which also includes cleaning robots for use in houses and schools...

Hiroshi Ishiguro, the Osaka University roboticist, says we’ll see other cute, communicative robots in places like hotel rooms or restaurants (where touch-screen menus are already commonplace in Japan) to assist guests in other languages. Meanwhile, government initiatives continue: last year, robots began to be rolled out in 500 classrooms across Japan to help teach English after a 250m yen ($2.3m) investment from the Education Ministry.

That could, in turn, help Japan’s younger generation grow up at ease with robots in a variety of environments. Ishiguro believes that they will integrate into our lives the same way smartphones did a decade ago. “Not just Japan will have more robots, but the whole world,” he predicts.
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Source: BBC News  

The 9 Best Deep Learning Courses 2020 | Courses - Benzinga

Allison Martin, Contributor, Benzinga recommends, Get up to 90% off Deep Learning Courses on Udemy.
 

Benzinga's exclusive offer gives readers access to a collection of technology courses, perfect for any skill level from beginners to advanced. Along with live examples and personalized resources, you will also get lifetime access to the course information which is constantly updated.

Are you a student or software developer seeking to advance your knowledge of deep learning? By becoming a subject-matter expert, you can position yourself for lucrative opportunities and rapid career growth. 
But how can you acquire the knowledge you need? Consider an online deep learning course. They’re available at all skill levels and price points. So you shouldn’t have trouble finding an option that works for you...

Choose the Right Deep Learning Course for 
You No need to spend countless hours searching for the perfect deep learning course. Consider giving one of our free beginner recommendations a try if you’re just starting out. An intermediate or advanced course from our top picks would be your best bet if you’ve moved beyond the beginner level. It’s a good idea to read reviews to gauge whether the course is interactive and led by an experienced instructor. It should also offer a refresher on the basics of machine learning to set the tone for an effective learning experience. 
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Source: Benzinga