What started as an experiment for staff members of Systems Lab of Computer Science department at Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), has become a successful teaching aid for engineering students across the state.
The Micro mouse, which makes use of robotics, is being used to teach the basics of embedded systems.
Engineering students learn about embedded systems, a technology where a special purpose computer system is designed to perform dedicated functions in electronic gadgets. The technology is used in cars, automatic washing machines, iPods, traffic lights and even nuclear power plants.
“This concept is usually taught through theory and simple computer programming. At IIT-B, we also conduct distance education programme via satellite for other colleges. However, students find it tough to grasp the concept without a proper lab support,” said Kavi Arya, associate professor, IIT-B.
The micromouse is equipped with infrared sensors to gauge distance, temperature sensors and can be controlled through computer programmes. “With these teaching aids, the students get to assemble the robotic parts, programme and control objects,” said Sachitanand Malewar, research fellow, IIT-B.
Students are given projects like creating a surveillance system by using a mobile phone’s camera and micromouse and moving objects past obstacles. “Students take more interest in learning if there is a lot of action in the classroom. Once students understand the basics of embedded systems, then sky could be the limit for them,” said Arya.
The lab staff and professor Krithi Ramamritham of IIT-B have developed more than 50 teaching aids. “For the past two years, we have been developing low-cost micromouses that have been given to over 112 engineering colleges across the country. These cost only Rs2,000,” said Arya.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1156783
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Unique guide dog program set for expansion
March 19, 2008 -- When a visually impaired person starts using a guide dog they can look forward to increased independence and a new canine companion -- but not before they have undergone a month of intensive training. The University's Special Education Department, together with the nonprofit Guide Dogs for the Blind, is preparing the professionals who train both visually impaired clients and guide dogs.
Photo of student Wendy Mellberg Haecker as she hugs Carnegie, one of the guide dogs she is training
The program is the first university-based program of its kind in the world. "The International Guide Dog Federation set goals to upgrade the training of instructors by 2010, and we were the first to rise to the challenge," said Sandra Rosen, professor of special education and coordinator of the guide dog mobility program.
Rosen devised a joint curriculum with Guide Dogs for the Blind. She upgraded their existing training program to include classes on working with clients with multiple disabilities and cultural diversity. The course was also enriched with aspects of orientation and mobility, the sister discipline to guide dog mobility. Students can gain a graduate level certificate in guide dog mobility or a master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in guide dog mobility.
The program graduated its first student in 2007, and three more will graduate this summer. Wendy Mellberg Haecker is one of them. "I knew I wanted to get an advanced degree that would enable me to work with animals in an interactive way, but I never imagined I would find a masters course in this field," Mellberg Haecker said. She has a bachelors in wildlife management and was previously a seabird researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sandra Rosen, professor of special education
Mellberg Haecker spends weekdays at the Guide Dogs for the Blind headquarters in San Rafael and attends classes at SF State during evenings and weekends. "Being a trainer is physically very demanding," she said. "It's harder than it looks. The dogs each have their own personalities and you have to be outside with them whatever the weather. But it's very rewarding, especially when you see your clients 'graduating' with their new dog."
"It's been wonderful to see the program grow," Rosen said. "We now have eight students in San Francisco. It may not sound like a lot but due to the nature of this intensive training, it requires a low student-teacher ratio."
In fall 2007, the program began offering courses at the second Guide Dogs for the Blind campus in Boring, Ore., where students gain practical training from local instructors, take SF State courses through distance learning and receive mentoring support from Rosen.
Now in its third year of operation, Rosen plans to extend the program to students across the U.S. and abroad. "We are planning a distance education curriculum for guide dog mobility instructors overseas," Rosen said. "We hope to have the first modules available in September 2008. We are also working with out-of-state guide dog training schools in the U.S. to explore how we can make our existing graduate certificate available to them through distance learning."
http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/2008/spring/28.html
Photo of student Wendy Mellberg Haecker as she hugs Carnegie, one of the guide dogs she is training
The program is the first university-based program of its kind in the world. "The International Guide Dog Federation set goals to upgrade the training of instructors by 2010, and we were the first to rise to the challenge," said Sandra Rosen, professor of special education and coordinator of the guide dog mobility program.
Rosen devised a joint curriculum with Guide Dogs for the Blind. She upgraded their existing training program to include classes on working with clients with multiple disabilities and cultural diversity. The course was also enriched with aspects of orientation and mobility, the sister discipline to guide dog mobility. Students can gain a graduate level certificate in guide dog mobility or a master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in guide dog mobility.
The program graduated its first student in 2007, and three more will graduate this summer. Wendy Mellberg Haecker is one of them. "I knew I wanted to get an advanced degree that would enable me to work with animals in an interactive way, but I never imagined I would find a masters course in this field," Mellberg Haecker said. She has a bachelors in wildlife management and was previously a seabird researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sandra Rosen, professor of special education
Mellberg Haecker spends weekdays at the Guide Dogs for the Blind headquarters in San Rafael and attends classes at SF State during evenings and weekends. "Being a trainer is physically very demanding," she said. "It's harder than it looks. The dogs each have their own personalities and you have to be outside with them whatever the weather. But it's very rewarding, especially when you see your clients 'graduating' with their new dog."
"It's been wonderful to see the program grow," Rosen said. "We now have eight students in San Francisco. It may not sound like a lot but due to the nature of this intensive training, it requires a low student-teacher ratio."
In fall 2007, the program began offering courses at the second Guide Dogs for the Blind campus in Boring, Ore., where students gain practical training from local instructors, take SF State courses through distance learning and receive mentoring support from Rosen.
Now in its third year of operation, Rosen plans to extend the program to students across the U.S. and abroad. "We are planning a distance education curriculum for guide dog mobility instructors overseas," Rosen said. "We hope to have the first modules available in September 2008. We are also working with out-of-state guide dog training schools in the U.S. to explore how we can make our existing graduate certificate available to them through distance learning."
http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/2008/spring/28.html
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Henley achieves top ten rankings for distance learning and full time MBA
Henley Management College is one of only two business schools in the world to be ranked in the top 10 for both its full time and distance learning MBA programmes by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
In the EIU’s first ranking of distance learning MBA programmes (Jan 08), Henley Management College received the top score for student rating of programme content. The new ranking takes into account three basic criteria to judge schools; programme content, quality of fellow students and distance learning elements. The EIU recognises that much of the quantitative data used to rank full time MBA programmes is of little use when it comes to distance learning. Salary data, for example, is less important because programme members do not use the distance learning MBA as a career break. Many will continue in their pre-MBA employment.
“We’re delighted that the EIU has recognised that there is no variation in the high quality of our MBA programmes, whatever their method of delivery. We’re particularly pleased with Henley’s high placement in the EIU rankings as 60% of this ranking is based on a survey of actual programme members with only 40% based on quantitative data supplied by the schools therefore providing a good reflection of perceived value from our customer base,” says Neil Gibbons, Executive Director of Open Enrolment Programmes at Henley.
The EIU rankings also recognise that as much of a distance learning programme is studied alone, a sense of connection to the school and good virtual learning materials are therefore essential. Matty Smith, Henley’s Senior Development Fellow in the School of Management Knowledge and Learning is the College’s senior advisor on the application of emerging technologies in the context of management learning. Matty works with clients and colleagues to develop technology-enabled group working techniques to enhance virtual team working.
About Henley Management College
Henley Management College is one of the top-ranked business schools in the world and, founded in 1945, is one of the longest established and the world’s third largest supplier of MBA education.
Henley was one of the first business schools to achieve triple accreditation (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB) in the UK.
Henley has produced the most DBA graduates in Europe.
The College delivers business education to managers in more than 112 countries worldwide with in excess of 5,400 people studying for a Henley MBA at any one time.
The EIU September 2007 rankings, ranked Henley’s full time MBA as No 2 in the UK, No 5 in Europe and No 10 in the world.
The EIU January 2008 rankings, ranked Henley’s distance learning MBA No 2 in the UK and No 6 in the world.
Henley’s Modular MBA was ranked 1st in the UK and 6th in the world (ahead of INSEAD and IMD) for Career progression in the Financial Times October 2007 rankings. Henley was also the 2nd biggest climber in the UK overall and the 6th biggest climber in the world, moving up 12 places compared with 2006.
Henley ranked 1st in the UK and 5th in Europe for new skills and learning in the 2007 Financial Times rankings of Executive Education. Henley also came 2nd in the UK and 5th in Europe for quality of participants on open programmes.
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=58850
In the EIU’s first ranking of distance learning MBA programmes (Jan 08), Henley Management College received the top score for student rating of programme content. The new ranking takes into account three basic criteria to judge schools; programme content, quality of fellow students and distance learning elements. The EIU recognises that much of the quantitative data used to rank full time MBA programmes is of little use when it comes to distance learning. Salary data, for example, is less important because programme members do not use the distance learning MBA as a career break. Many will continue in their pre-MBA employment.
“We’re delighted that the EIU has recognised that there is no variation in the high quality of our MBA programmes, whatever their method of delivery. We’re particularly pleased with Henley’s high placement in the EIU rankings as 60% of this ranking is based on a survey of actual programme members with only 40% based on quantitative data supplied by the schools therefore providing a good reflection of perceived value from our customer base,” says Neil Gibbons, Executive Director of Open Enrolment Programmes at Henley.
The EIU rankings also recognise that as much of a distance learning programme is studied alone, a sense of connection to the school and good virtual learning materials are therefore essential. Matty Smith, Henley’s Senior Development Fellow in the School of Management Knowledge and Learning is the College’s senior advisor on the application of emerging technologies in the context of management learning. Matty works with clients and colleagues to develop technology-enabled group working techniques to enhance virtual team working.
About Henley Management College
Henley Management College is one of the top-ranked business schools in the world and, founded in 1945, is one of the longest established and the world’s third largest supplier of MBA education.
Henley was one of the first business schools to achieve triple accreditation (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB) in the UK.
Henley has produced the most DBA graduates in Europe.
The College delivers business education to managers in more than 112 countries worldwide with in excess of 5,400 people studying for a Henley MBA at any one time.
The EIU September 2007 rankings, ranked Henley’s full time MBA as No 2 in the UK, No 5 in Europe and No 10 in the world.
The EIU January 2008 rankings, ranked Henley’s distance learning MBA No 2 in the UK and No 6 in the world.
Henley’s Modular MBA was ranked 1st in the UK and 6th in the world (ahead of INSEAD and IMD) for Career progression in the Financial Times October 2007 rankings. Henley was also the 2nd biggest climber in the UK overall and the 6th biggest climber in the world, moving up 12 places compared with 2006.
Henley ranked 1st in the UK and 5th in Europe for new skills and learning in the 2007 Financial Times rankings of Executive Education. Henley also came 2nd in the UK and 5th in Europe for quality of participants on open programmes.
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=58850
Tegrity Enables Distance Education Program for U.S. Military Personnel Deployed Overseas
Class-Capture Technology Key to Success of Program for Military Personnel
at University of Colorado at Boulder
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Tegrity, provider of the
leading Web 2.0 Class Capture System to the higher education market, today
announced its vital role in the success of a University of Colorado at
Boulder (UC) distance education program for U.S. military personnel
deployed overseas.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070430/NEM020logo )
The Center for Advanced Engineering and Technology Education (CAETE),
in conjunction with the masters-level interdisciplinary Telecommunications
program, uses Tegrity class-capture technology to make course lectures
available to military men and women serving around the world so they can
receive classroom instruction and review classroom materials as their
demanding schedules permit via the Internet.
"This is a fantastic example of the value Tegrity Campus 2.0 brings to
students, instructors, and higher education institutions," said Isaac
Segal, Tegrity CEO. "Students have increased access to the benefits of
learning, instructors reach more students, and institutions extend their
impact well beyond the campus environment."
Students in the program take a combination of technical and
non-technical courses using Tegrity in order to complete the requirements
for either a Master of Science in Telecommunications or Master of
Engineering degree from UC. Many of the military men and women enrolled in
the program are officers in the Army Signals Corps where advanced
telecommunications training is fundamental to success.
UC Senior Instructor Emeritus Gerald Mitchell is credited with
launching the military program when he began capturing his lectures using
CAETE's course capturing tool, Tegrity, several years ago. With Tegrity,
lectures are supplemented by the slides, drawings, and even handwritten
whiteboard notes he and other instructors use when delivering their
lectures.
"By using Tegrity, our students deployed overseas can log in from any
location, at anytime, to view their classes," said Gerald Mitchell. "By
giving these students the flexibility of anytime access, they are able to
stay current on their workload and manage the demands of balancing student
and military life."
Serving also as UC's military liaison, Mitchell is developing plans to
recruit more military personnel for UC education programs. Mitchell said
military students represent a great addition to the university. He said
quality course content and solid online learning capabilities are both
critical to attracting military students.
About Tegrity
Tegrity Campus 2.0 is the leading Web 2.0 class capture system,
impacting learning, student satisfaction and retention across the entire
institution. Requiring no hardware or software installation, Tegrity Campus
2.0 makes class time available all the time by automatically capturing,
storing and indexing every class on campus for replay by every student.
Educators know that the more students can see, hear, and experience a
class, the better they learn. With patented Tegrity "Search anything"
technology, students instantly recall key class moments for replay online,
or on iPods and mobile devices. Tegrity is based in Santa Clara, California
with regional offices throughout the United States. For more information,
visit http://www.tegrity.com.
http://www.prnewswire.com/
at University of Colorado at Boulder
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Tegrity, provider of the
leading Web 2.0 Class Capture System to the higher education market, today
announced its vital role in the success of a University of Colorado at
Boulder (UC) distance education program for U.S. military personnel
deployed overseas.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070430/NEM020logo )
The Center for Advanced Engineering and Technology Education (CAETE),
in conjunction with the masters-level interdisciplinary Telecommunications
program, uses Tegrity class-capture technology to make course lectures
available to military men and women serving around the world so they can
receive classroom instruction and review classroom materials as their
demanding schedules permit via the Internet.
"This is a fantastic example of the value Tegrity Campus 2.0 brings to
students, instructors, and higher education institutions," said Isaac
Segal, Tegrity CEO. "Students have increased access to the benefits of
learning, instructors reach more students, and institutions extend their
impact well beyond the campus environment."
Students in the program take a combination of technical and
non-technical courses using Tegrity in order to complete the requirements
for either a Master of Science in Telecommunications or Master of
Engineering degree from UC. Many of the military men and women enrolled in
the program are officers in the Army Signals Corps where advanced
telecommunications training is fundamental to success.
UC Senior Instructor Emeritus Gerald Mitchell is credited with
launching the military program when he began capturing his lectures using
CAETE's course capturing tool, Tegrity, several years ago. With Tegrity,
lectures are supplemented by the slides, drawings, and even handwritten
whiteboard notes he and other instructors use when delivering their
lectures.
"By using Tegrity, our students deployed overseas can log in from any
location, at anytime, to view their classes," said Gerald Mitchell. "By
giving these students the flexibility of anytime access, they are able to
stay current on their workload and manage the demands of balancing student
and military life."
Serving also as UC's military liaison, Mitchell is developing plans to
recruit more military personnel for UC education programs. Mitchell said
military students represent a great addition to the university. He said
quality course content and solid online learning capabilities are both
critical to attracting military students.
About Tegrity
Tegrity Campus 2.0 is the leading Web 2.0 class capture system,
impacting learning, student satisfaction and retention across the entire
institution. Requiring no hardware or software installation, Tegrity Campus
2.0 makes class time available all the time by automatically capturing,
storing and indexing every class on campus for replay by every student.
Educators know that the more students can see, hear, and experience a
class, the better they learn. With patented Tegrity "Search anything"
technology, students instantly recall key class moments for replay online,
or on iPods and mobile devices. Tegrity is based in Santa Clara, California
with regional offices throughout the United States. For more information,
visit http://www.tegrity.com.
http://www.prnewswire.com/
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Inaugural Issue of Journal Published by Walden University
Walden University, a leading distance learning institution (http://www.waldenu.edu/), published the inaugural issue of the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences this month. This online, peer-reviewed journal focuses on interdisciplinary research and practice, and encourages the exchange of ideas between researchers and practitioners.
The first issue includes the following articles by scholar-practitioners in Walden's online university (http://www.waldenu.edu/) community and from other institutions:
• "The Gap between What We Know and What We Do about Childhood Obesity: A Multi-factor Model for Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention"
• "Vulnerability For Drug Use Among Polydrug-Using Urban Youth and Young Adults"
• "Linking Beauty and Health Among African American Women: Using Focus Group Data to Build Effective Interventions"
• "Pretreatment Variables for the Innovative Application of Urine Alarm Treatment for Young Children in Fourteen Outpatient Clinics in Israel"
• "Relations of Changes in Self-Efficacy, Exercise Attendance, Mood, and Perceived and Actual Physical Changes in Obese Women: Assessing Treatment Effects Using Tenets of Self-Efficacy Theory"
• "Effects of the Youth Fit For Life Protocol on Physiological Factors, Mood, Self-Appraisal, Voluntary Physical Activity, and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Children Enrolled in YMCA After-School Care"
The online university journal (http://www.jsbhs.org/) also has an open call for papers.
For more information about this distance learning institution, visit www.WaldenU.edu. For more information about the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, visit www.jsbhs.org.
About Walden University:
Since 1970, Walden University has offered working professionals the opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning (http://www.waldenu.edu/c/About/About.htm). Today, this comprehensive, accredited online university offers master's and doctoral degrees in education, psychology, management, public policy and administration, and health and human services--as well as master's programs in engineering and IT and bachelor's completion programs in business. Walden University is a member of the Laureate International Universities network, the largest global network of accredited campus-based and online universities.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org ; 312-263-0456.
About the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences:
The Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences is a peer-reviewed, online, interdisciplinary journal focusing on research findings that address contemporary national and international issues.
http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54385&Itemid=9
The first issue includes the following articles by scholar-practitioners in Walden's online university (http://www.waldenu.edu/) community and from other institutions:
• "The Gap between What We Know and What We Do about Childhood Obesity: A Multi-factor Model for Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention"
• "Vulnerability For Drug Use Among Polydrug-Using Urban Youth and Young Adults"
• "Linking Beauty and Health Among African American Women: Using Focus Group Data to Build Effective Interventions"
• "Pretreatment Variables for the Innovative Application of Urine Alarm Treatment for Young Children in Fourteen Outpatient Clinics in Israel"
• "Relations of Changes in Self-Efficacy, Exercise Attendance, Mood, and Perceived and Actual Physical Changes in Obese Women: Assessing Treatment Effects Using Tenets of Self-Efficacy Theory"
• "Effects of the Youth Fit For Life Protocol on Physiological Factors, Mood, Self-Appraisal, Voluntary Physical Activity, and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Children Enrolled in YMCA After-School Care"
The online university journal (http://www.jsbhs.org/) also has an open call for papers.
For more information about this distance learning institution, visit www.WaldenU.edu. For more information about the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, visit www.jsbhs.org.
About Walden University:
Since 1970, Walden University has offered working professionals the opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning (http://www.waldenu.edu/c/About/About.htm). Today, this comprehensive, accredited online university offers master's and doctoral degrees in education, psychology, management, public policy and administration, and health and human services--as well as master's programs in engineering and IT and bachelor's completion programs in business. Walden University is a member of the Laureate International Universities network, the largest global network of accredited campus-based and online universities.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org ; 312-263-0456.
About the Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences:
The Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences is a peer-reviewed, online, interdisciplinary journal focusing on research findings that address contemporary national and international issues.
http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54385&Itemid=9
Peter Bialobrzeski: Capturing the beauty of urban space
German photographer Peter Bialobrzeski has dedicated himself to finding, framing and preserving the beauty hidden in Asia's concrete jungles.
Trees sprinkle color amid these drab environments, and, when dusk falls, the city lights illuminate the trees.
"One evening in Jakarta, I climbed a parking building on Jl. Sudirman to shoot some pictures below. I couldn't get what I wanted," Bialobrzeski said recently in Jakarta.
"What I got instead was something surprisingly interesting."
It was a picture of a big lush tree in front of the parking building, illuminated by bright city lights.
"The nature is so bright in cities."
Intuitively, Bialobrzeski knew that shooting such scenes would make an interesting project.
Sponsored by German cultural center the Goethe Institute, the photographer traveled this year to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Jakarta.
Equipped with a camera and 1,300 sheets of 4 x 5 inch film, brought from Germany, Bialobrezeski arrived in Jakarta in November to watch the sun setting through the buildings and the branches of trees. The magical lights that are switched on at dusk and off at dawn replacing the smog and congestion of the city core.
"Yes, I take pictures of nature. But my message is not about the disappearing landscape," said Bialobrzeski. "I'll make money if I say my work is about climate change. But I'm not doing art for climate change although I voted for the green party.
"I want my pictures to raise questions from the viewers.
Bialobrzeski said he had gotten 120 "exposures" from Jakarta, explaining he would only call them "pictures" once he was sure they were good enough to exhibit or publish.
"Probably I will get 10 good pictures. But then again I might get nothing," he said. "I don't know. At the end of the day I want to surprise myself.
"For my pictures, I require enormous amounts of detail. This is not possible with digital; light becomes unsharp in digital pictures."
He will develop the film once he is back in Germany, he said.
During his time in Jakarta, the lecturer at Germany's University of the Arts in Bremen participated in the Jakarta International Photo Summit, titled City of Hope, which closed Dec. 13. He also mentored a number of Indonesian photographers, with the resulting works exhibited on the sidelines of the photo summit.
Bialobrzeski has taken pictures of cities undergoing change for some time. His books, Neon Tigers and Lost in Transition, contain images of cities from Shanghai to Dubai.
"I went to Jakarta in 2000 and 2002. Somehow, I did not find the same pace of change as today," Bialobrzeski said.
At that time, Bialobrzeski was interested in photographing cities where fast-paced construction techniques were employed. He found what he wanted from Shanghai and Dubai but not so much in Western European cities.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20071223.Q22&irec=22
Trees sprinkle color amid these drab environments, and, when dusk falls, the city lights illuminate the trees.
"One evening in Jakarta, I climbed a parking building on Jl. Sudirman to shoot some pictures below. I couldn't get what I wanted," Bialobrzeski said recently in Jakarta.
"What I got instead was something surprisingly interesting."
It was a picture of a big lush tree in front of the parking building, illuminated by bright city lights.
"The nature is so bright in cities."
Intuitively, Bialobrzeski knew that shooting such scenes would make an interesting project.
Sponsored by German cultural center the Goethe Institute, the photographer traveled this year to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Jakarta.
Equipped with a camera and 1,300 sheets of 4 x 5 inch film, brought from Germany, Bialobrezeski arrived in Jakarta in November to watch the sun setting through the buildings and the branches of trees. The magical lights that are switched on at dusk and off at dawn replacing the smog and congestion of the city core.
"Yes, I take pictures of nature. But my message is not about the disappearing landscape," said Bialobrzeski. "I'll make money if I say my work is about climate change. But I'm not doing art for climate change although I voted for the green party.
"I want my pictures to raise questions from the viewers.
Bialobrzeski said he had gotten 120 "exposures" from Jakarta, explaining he would only call them "pictures" once he was sure they were good enough to exhibit or publish.
"Probably I will get 10 good pictures. But then again I might get nothing," he said. "I don't know. At the end of the day I want to surprise myself.
"For my pictures, I require enormous amounts of detail. This is not possible with digital; light becomes unsharp in digital pictures."
He will develop the film once he is back in Germany, he said.
During his time in Jakarta, the lecturer at Germany's University of the Arts in Bremen participated in the Jakarta International Photo Summit, titled City of Hope, which closed Dec. 13. He also mentored a number of Indonesian photographers, with the resulting works exhibited on the sidelines of the photo summit.
Bialobrzeski has taken pictures of cities undergoing change for some time. His books, Neon Tigers and Lost in Transition, contain images of cities from Shanghai to Dubai.
"I went to Jakarta in 2000 and 2002. Somehow, I did not find the same pace of change as today," Bialobrzeski said.
At that time, Bialobrzeski was interested in photographing cities where fast-paced construction techniques were employed. He found what he wanted from Shanghai and Dubai but not so much in Western European cities.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20071223.Q22&irec=22
Friday, November 16, 2007
Credibility of Distance Learning in the Martial Arts
Something in the martial arts that is argued back and forth all the time is the effectiveness of distance learning versus traditional training in a dojo and can one learn the martial arts to any degree of proficiency through distance learning. In an age where communicating and learning via the Internet are staples of every day life and the ability to learn anything efficiently is open to everyone because of this, my answer is a resounding "YES!".
Consider this...one of the recent arguments I have encountered is that to earn a Dan ranking takes years and years of blood, sweat and tears and that only after you have spilled blood on the dojo floor can you be considered credible to wear the Dan you are awarded by XYZ Organization, School, Federation, etc. and only through this method can you become a better practitioner. While I agree with the idea in general, the argument against distance learning is that there is no way you can advance rank as a Black Belt, or as a Colored Belt for that matter, unless you train in a school under age old traditional methods. There is no way you can possibly learn any system of self-defense through "home study" methods.
OK..well...let's say that a person has put 15-20 years into his/her training and they now wear the rank of 4th or 5th Dan. This person has trained and completed all of the requirements to advance his/her rank. I guess some could say that because of the rank and the years put into the training that he/she is deserving of praise and respect, being of great honor and integrity because of the advancements and the time spent training in the arts. This person obviously has learned what it means to be a better practitioner and is now credible in the eyes of his/her peers. Seems like a solid point.
Now, on the flip side of that coin, let's say that this same person on the outside looks and acts like the rank they wear and talks the talk of a true Black Belt but underneath has a drinking problem or a drug problem or, worse yet, both. They treat people with disrespect behind their backs and are full of ego. Every time something goes wrong in his/her life all they want to do is go out, get high and pick a fight. Just so you know, I am not speaking hypothetically. I trained under just such a person. Does this mean he/she deserves to wear the rank of an advanced Dan just because they have put their time in at a traditional school and passed the curriculum? Does this make him/her better than me or anyone else who wants to open up their learning to a credible, comprehensive distance learning program taught by advanced, committed, honorable individuals? I think not as we all know that the martial arts are about so much more than just the belt one wears.
The traditional thinking is if you choose to train like this that it is lacking in so many respects, ie: training quality, lack of training partners, too easy to slack off and not train, no one is there to insure you are actually performing the material, and on and on, that there is no way this can work and once you receive your rank, it is just a "piece of paper" from a "diploma mill" or in the case of a Dan ranking, a paper "Black Belt Mill". Well, let me pose this question to you, what takes more effort, dedication, perseverance, integrity and personal commitment, walking into a local school and having someone tell you what to do or to take a course and break it down yourself, put together a training schedule based around your school or work schedule, provide yourself with a place to train and then effectively complete the training per belt rank? I realize this question is rhetorical but the point I am trying to make is that BOTH methods of study, in class and home study, are just as effective in learning any type of material and that as martial artists, to be so closed minded about knowledge via sources "outside the box", especially in this day and age of advanced technology, is a true detriment to the advancement of the arts as a whole.
The traditionalists fail to recognize the doors this can and will, most assuredly, open up to students around the world just as it has with all areas of education. Right now...today...you can earn the highest level of certified, recognized, accredited university degrees online from the most reputable Colleges and Universities - WORLD WIDE! This is an absolute, indisputable fact that even the most dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist cannot refute. In my mind, it isn't so much how you learn what you learn but how you apply that knowledge after you have learned it. I have always said that certifications and degrees are just pieces of paper but what ultimately makes them so valuable is the application of that knowledge and how it is presented to others down the line. We should always be moving forward with our knowledge, always be willing to embrace new ideas and concepts. If we stop learning, we stop growing.
As the sport is constantly evolving, so too must its practitioners evolve. No longer can we just accept the traditional training orthodoxy as the rule. Just the simple fact that hand-to-hand combatives have become so much more advanced in just the last 10 years would dictate that we as practitioners of the arts should be more open-minded and willing to advance our learning from as many sources outside of our own backyards as possible. Distance learning offers just such a solution by eliminating the geographical boundaries that currently exist in limiting students to train and learn in just one setting, in one style, and from one instructor. With the Internet, video conferencing, online tutorials, forums, blogs, etc. literally at our fingertips, the possibilities are endless. No longer will students have to be relegated to choices for learning that only include the local dojo. Imagine being able to train with and share information and ideas about advancing the arts with students from all around the world in real time!
Of course, to that extent, the traditionalist would argue that there would be a problem with time differences as well as differences in training disciplines and that there is no way this would work. Always an excuse. I have heard this argument for years but that is because they fail to see the potential that exists in people to come up with long term solutions to these problems, solutions that are offered by just such a group of dedicated individuals in the AKPKF...American Kick-Punch Karate Federation, headed by Sensei Danny Hill. This is an organization that leads by example and is all about keeping the integrity of the arts intact while attaching 21st Century thinking to an age old problem of bringing the training and discipline to students around the world who otherwise would not have access to the information and they do it for FREE!
Now, I understand that traditionalists want to keep the training in the dojo's...OK...but what about the aspiring student who wants to become involved in the martial arts but has nowhere to train, or who lives in a remote area where it is 50-100 miles to the nearest dojo? What about the people around the globe who live in villages where there is no training for thousands of miles around? How then does the traditionalist solve that geographical problem? They solve it by continuing to argue for classroom training as the only beneficial means of learning self-defense. In my opinion, what that argument really boils down to is money.
Think about it. They insist that receiving your certification via distance learning is not credible yet they take "Little Johnny's" tuition every month, usually an exorbitant amount, and pass the student through the system whether he/she has learned the material or not. Again, I am not speaking hypothetically here. I have seen this first hand even at the Black Belt level. This problem exists on a wide scale and is becoming worse every day. The traditionalists say that distance learning has become a blight on our beloved art form and that it is denigrating everything that is sacred about our beloved sport, even to the point of "bastardizing" what the arts stand for, while all along doing the same thing by charging outrageous monthly fees and providing training that is mediocre at best. To me, this action is deplorable and not even remotely deserving of respect and honor, yet this practice continues to grow day by day with new "McDojo's" springing up on just about every street corner. The traditionalist view has become about "selling the product" and not about "teaching the art". Anything that does not "jibe" with their way of thinking is garbage and only their style and only the way it is taught by them, is the "be all to end all" and the only path towards martial arts excellence. In my opinion, there is nothing credible about this practice or this way of thinking and it is only hurting the arts, not enhancing them.
In closing, let me state that I have had great personal success training in both mediums. Each method has its place in education and each, in my opinion, is equally effective. I believe that both methods can co-exist peacefully. I personally have continued to expand my knowledge of self-defense through many different methods of learning such as books, tapes, cd's, dvd's, online tutorials, and traditional training on the mats with practitioners who are also open-minded enough to see the positive impact that distance learning can have on all of us if we would just embrace the need for this type of studying. I have my own dojo and am about to begin my training in Renzoku Jiu-Jitsu, a program that is taught by Soke John Cozatt who happens to live on the East Coast (I live on the West Coast) and yes, it is a distance learning program, one that I can advance to 5th Dan in and since that is the highest level of achievement in that system, that is my goal. In lieu of this program, in order for me to train in a "credible" traditional jiu-jitsu class setting, I would have to drive 100 miles round trip 3 nights a week at great expense to accomplish what I can do in my own dojo via distance learning. Whether or not I make it to 5th Dan will strictly be up to me but that really isn't the issue. The point is that the opportunity exists for all of us to utilize modern day technology to continue to move forward with our training and help advance this sport through the 21st Century. We have to continue to be open to new training methods and learning techniques so that the martial arts can continue to grow and survive. I for one will do all I can to be at the forefront of that movement.
Tim Gannon is a Certified Black Belt in 2 systems and has trained in the following styles: AKPKF American Karate (4th Dan Black Belt), Shaolin-Kempo-Karate (1st Dan Black Belt), Koden Kan, JiuJitsu, Judo, Aikido, Muay Thai and Western Boxing, Russian System and various Hand-To-Hand Combat training techniques such as ABC Combatives and Target Focus Training.
An 8 year practitioner, I run my own dojo, Sierra Martial Arts & Fitness. I am a Certified Fitness/Kickboxing Trainer, Certified Functional Strength Trainer, Certified Senior Fitness Trainer and Certified Sports Nutritionist.
Stop by my martial arts blog for discussion of all things Martial Arts.
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