Saturday, December 22, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Cyber University
SideLines, Nov.-December 2007
Y. Kageyama (Japan Times 1. Dec 2007) reports that Cyber University is the only university in Japan to offer all its courses on the internet, and that it has recently started offering classes on mobile phones.
For mobile viewing, the handset screen can only offer Power Point images and sound. So it will be more of an adjunct to full internet access.
Online studies are of course second-best to direct interactions with teachers and other students in live classes - but potentially can reach many people who would otherwise have no chance at all to study.
Are students going to become great writers if they try to send in essays written on mobile phone handsets?!
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Comments can be posted in our Viewpoints forum (see menu above).
Y. Kageyama (Japan Times 1. Dec 2007) reports that Cyber University is the only university in Japan to offer all its courses on the internet, and that it has recently started offering classes on mobile phones.
For mobile viewing, the handset screen can only offer Power Point images and sound. So it will be more of an adjunct to full internet access.
Online studies are of course second-best to direct interactions with teachers and other students in live classes - but potentially can reach many people who would otherwise have no chance at all to study.
Are students going to become great writers if they try to send in essays written on mobile phone handsets?!
About the Research Cooperative: For free membership and to publish or modify Notices, please register here: Registration/Log-in
Comments can be posted in our Viewpoints forum (see menu above).
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
PhD Jobseeker Logo
SideLInes October, 2007
K. Sugimoto in the Asahi Newspaper (7th August, 2007) reports that The Japan Society of Applied Physics has created a "Career Explorer" logo for PhD graduates who are looking for jobs. At academic conferences, the graduates are encouraged to use the logo on their posters, or in their talks, because such conferences are an ideal venue to advertise the need for a job - a captive audience is provided.
The Society says that PhD graduates should not be shy about advertising their qualifications.
The Research Cooperative believes that graduates should also use every opportunity to improve their writing and presentation skills, with their own research results, and also by helping others through the reading, editing or translation of research papers - there is always work to be done.
K. Sugimoto in the Asahi Newspaper (7th August, 2007) reports that The Japan Society of Applied Physics has created a "Career Explorer" logo for PhD graduates who are looking for jobs. At academic conferences, the graduates are encouraged to use the logo on their posters, or in their talks, because such conferences are an ideal venue to advertise the need for a job - a captive audience is provided.
The Society says that PhD graduates should not be shy about advertising their qualifications.
The Research Cooperative believes that graduates should also use every opportunity to improve their writing and presentation skills, with their own research results, and also by helping others through the reading, editing or translation of research papers - there is always work to be done.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
United Nations University
SideLines, August-September 2007Hans van Ginkel, a former Rector at UNU, based in Tokyo, Japan, has written (Asahi Shimbun, 21st Sept 2007) that the UNU cannot compete as a world university with enrolled students, since many universities already take students from the around the world. Rather it should position itself at the top of an academic pyramid by focusing on post-doctoral programs in fields of expertise that are related to the agenda of the United Nations. At the same time the university has been expanding its scope by establishing centers of activity in numerous countries. Online learning has also been targeted as an area in which it should take a lead role.
Perhaps our Research Cooperative should try to ride on the coat-tails of this institutional master of the universe?
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Comments can be posted in our Viewpoints forum (see menu above).
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Science Map
SideLines, July 2007
The Science Map (2004) is a study of publishing efforts in 'hot' research areas (1999-2004) using a bibliometric method to survey literature worldwide (Science and Technology Foresight Center, National Institute of Science and Technology). T. Kurosawa in the Asahi Shimbun (26th July 2007) summarises the main findings: Japan is ahead in high-tech fields but lagging in social sciences. Looking at the original report, no mention of language of publication is mentioned.
The entire survey is thus rendered meaningless, because the presence of Japan-based research across international, English-language publications may vary markedly according to discipline, and may have little relation to local or overall research effort, in what is one of the largest economies in the world.
Have similar surveys been conducted across Japanese-language research publications?
About the Research Cooperative: For free membership and to publish or modify Notices, please register:
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The Science Map (2004) is a study of publishing efforts in 'hot' research areas (1999-2004) using a bibliometric method to survey literature worldwide (Science and Technology Foresight Center, National Institute of Science and Technology). T. Kurosawa in the Asahi Shimbun (26th July 2007) summarises the main findings: Japan is ahead in high-tech fields but lagging in social sciences. Looking at the original report, no mention of language of publication is mentioned.
The entire survey is thus rendered meaningless, because the presence of Japan-based research across international, English-language publications may vary markedly according to discipline, and may have little relation to local or overall research effort, in what is one of the largest economies in the world.
Have similar surveys been conducted across Japanese-language research publications?
About the Research Cooperative: For free membership and to publish or modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Peoples Archive
SideLines, June 2007
Peoples Archive Ltd., a company based in
the United Kingdom, has taken on the challenge of interviewing and filming great "thinkers, creators, and achievers" around the world - leaders in many areas of art, science, and society generally.
Registered subscribers at Peoples Archive have more viewing options, but even non-subscribers with relatively slow internet connections can enjoy using this site.
John Maynard Smith's interview includes a segment entitled "An exercise in futility' in which he describes having to translate an English version of Virgil back into Latin, at school. The mathematical-biologist-to-be turned the 'futile' effort into an experiment in working with permutations and combinations.
Research fields currently represented by the interviews are:
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Immunology
Mathematics
Physics
About the Research Cooperative:
For free membership and full access to publish and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Peoples Archive Ltd., a company based in
the United Kingdom, has taken on the challenge of interviewing and filming great "thinkers, creators, and achievers" around the world - leaders in many areas of art, science, and society generally.
Registered subscribers at Peoples Archive have more viewing options, but even non-subscribers with relatively slow internet connections can enjoy using this site.
John Maynard Smith's interview includes a segment entitled "An exercise in futility' in which he describes having to translate an English version of Virgil back into Latin, at school. The mathematical-biologist-to-be turned the 'futile' effort into an experiment in working with permutations and combinations.
Research fields currently represented by the interviews are:
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Immunology
Mathematics
Physics
About the Research Cooperative:
For free membership and full access to publish and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Friday, May 11, 2007
Australian Education
SideLines, May 2007
Australia may be 'Down Under' but 'Higher Education' is a regular supplement in The Australian, a major newspaper. Here is a sample of article headlines from the 10 page February 14, 2007, issue:
Revamp for flawed ratings - describes an overhaul of the way Australian universities measure teaching quality.
Chancellor intervenes in VC's dispute - reports on a dispute between past and present vice-chancellors at Macquariee University.
Crooked paths to Learning - an almost anthropological analysis of how some students (in the real world) act as 'interest chasers' (rather than following unreal study and career plans that are imagined by the university employment counselling services) about which there is 'a general ignorance' among students.
Drop in federal research funding... and academic staff continue to be (substantially) outnumbered by general administrative staff.
Unable to stay the course - science, maths and language courses are imploding in Britain... the anxiety in Australia over maths and science skills is shared in Britain.
Push for increase in foreign fellows - currently the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies limits foreign nationals to just five of the 25 fellowships awarded each year.
and much more, including many higher education job advertisements.
All our forums are open for reading. For free membership and full access to write and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Australia may be 'Down Under' but 'Higher Education' is a regular supplement in The Australian, a major newspaper. Here is a sample of article headlines from the 10 page February 14, 2007, issue:
Revamp for flawed ratings - describes an overhaul of the way Australian universities measure teaching quality.
Chancellor intervenes in VC's dispute - reports on a dispute between past and present vice-chancellors at Macquariee University.
Crooked paths to Learning - an almost anthropological analysis of how some students (in the real world) act as 'interest chasers' (rather than following unreal study and career plans that are imagined by the university employment counselling services) about which there is 'a general ignorance' among students.
Drop in federal research funding... and academic staff continue to be (substantially) outnumbered by general administrative staff.
Unable to stay the course - science, maths and language courses are imploding in Britain... the anxiety in Australia over maths and science skills is shared in Britain.
Push for increase in foreign fellows - currently the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies limits foreign nationals to just five of the 25 fellowships awarded each year.
and much more, including many higher education job advertisements.
All our forums are open for reading. For free membership and full access to write and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Science Writers
SideLines, April 2007
The (USA) National Association of Science Writers was created in 1934 by a dozen science jouralists and reporters in New York City. The aim of the organization was to improve the craft of science journalism and to promote good science reportage. The NASW incorporated in 1955, pledging itself to "foster the dissemination of accurate information regarding science through all media normally devoted to informing the public." [Wikipedia, 8th April 2007). See www.nasw.org
Recommended: A FIELD GUIDE FOR SCIENCE WRITERS
2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2005. Deborah Blum
Mary Knudson, and Robin Marantz Henig (eds).
All our forums are open for reading. For free membership and full access to write and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
The (USA) National Association of Science Writers was created in 1934 by a dozen science jouralists and reporters in New York City. The aim of the organization was to improve the craft of science journalism and to promote good science reportage. The NASW incorporated in 1955, pledging itself to "foster the dissemination of accurate information regarding science through all media normally devoted to informing the public." [Wikipedia, 8th April 2007). See www.nasw.org
Recommended: A FIELD GUIDE FOR SCIENCE WRITERS
2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2005. Deborah Blum
Mary Knudson, and Robin Marantz Henig (eds).
All our forums are open for reading. For free membership and full access to write and modify Notices, please register:
Registration/Log-in
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Oxytocin Factor
SideLines, March 2007
A recent article in the Observer reports that College (University) graduates who are really smiling and happy at graduation are likely to live longer, and have more successful marriages. The article links their happiness with the measurable surge in oxytocin, the 'bonding' hormone, that occurs when kindnesses are given and received.
In other words, close physical proximity can help people develop happy and trusting relationships. This does not bode well for writers, editors and translators who work far apart and depend on long-distance communications.
Perhaps there are optimum distances and optimum frequencies of direct personal contact for every kind of human relationship, including those strange relationships where we trust others with the results of our deepest, inner intellectual efforts.
The present Research Cooperative is designed to be international in scope, but at the same time, we should also encourage at least occasional direct contact between research writers, editors, and translators - at the local and regional levels - so that happier and more fruitful working relationships can be established.
The equivalent of a trusting handshake is not easy to accomplish by words alone.
Anyone can read our forums, but for free membership and full access, please register at http://www.researchco-op.co.nz
A recent article in the Observer reports that College (University) graduates who are really smiling and happy at graduation are likely to live longer, and have more successful marriages. The article links their happiness with the measurable surge in oxytocin, the 'bonding' hormone, that occurs when kindnesses are given and received.
In other words, close physical proximity can help people develop happy and trusting relationships. This does not bode well for writers, editors and translators who work far apart and depend on long-distance communications.
Perhaps there are optimum distances and optimum frequencies of direct personal contact for every kind of human relationship, including those strange relationships where we trust others with the results of our deepest, inner intellectual efforts.
The present Research Cooperative is designed to be international in scope, but at the same time, we should also encourage at least occasional direct contact between research writers, editors, and translators - at the local and regional levels - so that happier and more fruitful working relationships can be established.
The equivalent of a trusting handshake is not easy to accomplish by words alone.
Anyone can read our forums, but for free membership and full access, please register at http://www.researchco-op.co.nz
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Student Services in Japan
SideLines, February 2007The Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) is responsible for managing student loans and scholarships as an "Indpendent Administrative Agency" (Int. Herald Tribune, 9th Jan. 2007). This means it has balance its own books and somehow be profitable, although its mandate is to provide interest-free or low-interest loans to students.
Despite the fact that student numbers are falling throughout Japan - because of demographic decline (low birthrates) - the number of students seeking loans has been increasing.
According to the article, tuition fees are still rising. Why not cut fees and cut lending at the same time? And provide scholarships for parents who wish to return to their studies after having children?
With a wider range of encouragements, student numbers might eventually stop declining, and a healthier research and teaching system could be nurtured in Japan.
Anyone can read our forums, but for free membership and full access, go here:
Registration/Log-in
Monday, January 08, 2007
A new forum for science writing
SideLines, January 2007
Best wishes for the New Year.
A new forum for science writing has been added to the Research Cooperative (see main menu on left, at the site).
The purpose of this forum is to support contact between science writers and publishers.
Offers and requests for science writing services can be made by science writers, and book, journal, magazine, and newspaper publishers.
For further enquiries, contact Dr Peter Matthews (see details at foot of this page)
For free Co-op membership and use of our forums, please go to Registration/Log-in
Best wishes for the New Year.
A new forum for science writing has been added to the Research Cooperative (see main menu on left, at the site).
The purpose of this forum is to support contact between science writers and publishers.
Offers and requests for science writing services can be made by science writers, and book, journal, magazine, and newspaper publishers.
For further enquiries, contact Dr Peter Matthews (see details at foot of this page)
For free Co-op membership and use of our forums, please go to Registration/Log-in
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