If you want to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of humanity, you cannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity's later achievements, and until fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in things.
Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can't. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook's voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain's record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.
In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these, all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.
Featuring cutting-edge equipment, new classrooms encourage creative thinking and an interest in the sciences among high-school students across the country, according to a report.
Growing up in a remote town in northwest China's Gansu Province, 12-year-old school-girl Liao Wenting was almost open-mouthed when she found that the head-mounted displays and robotics that she had seen in sci-fi films could be within arms' reach. Her school, located at the foot of rolling hills in a town of Wenxian County, has built a high-tech-empowered classroom.
The classroom with a little complex structure, covering 137 square meters, features multimedia teaching systems, virtual reality (VR) headsets, 3D printing equipment and other high-tech equipment. Students can also experience such technologies as augmented reality(AR), laser cutting and educational robotics.
Its construction was completed in December 2022. Since then, the school has opened two elective courses in the classroom, graphical programming and 3D printing, each of which has attracted 120 and 20 students respectively. The facilities were donated by the All-China Journalists Association and a tech giant. It is the first such high-tech-empowered classroom in Gansu. Additionally, the enterprise will provide free training services for the school's information technology teachers and organize regular scientific and technological competitions to motivate youngsters and inspire continuous exploration in the field of technology.
Ran Lingli, an information technology teacher in the school, thinks that the high-tech-empowered classroom, which allows students to have a more hands-on experience with high-tech equipment, is aimed to stimulate their creativity. "I used to provide them with instructions on how to use software like Word and Excel in my class. However, in our newly built classroom, we mainly encourage students to explore their creativity and turn their ideas into reality. With access to resources like the 3D printer, students can bring the objects in their minds to life," says Ran.
Recently, Ma Feiya, a student in the school, had the opportunity to use the 3D printer to create a pencil case with complicated designs. "It was an incredibly exciting experience to see my model come to life," she exclaims. "I am eager to continue exploring the possibilities of this field in the classroom."
Technology seems to discourage slow, immersive reading. Reading on a screen, particularly a phone screen, tires your eyes and makes it harder for you to keep your place. So online writing tends to be more skimmable and list-like than print. The cognitive neuroscientist Mary Walt argued recently that this "new norm" of skim reading is producing "an invisible, game-changing transformation" in how readers process words. The neuronal circuit that sustains the brain's capacity to read now favors the rapid absorption of information, rather than skills developed by deeper reading, like critical analysis.
We shouldn't overplay this danger. All readers skim. Skimming is the skill we acquire as children as we learn to read more skillfully. From about the age of nine, our eyes start to bounce around the page, reading only about a quarter of the words properly, and filling in the gaps by inference. Nor is there anything new in these fears about declining attention spans. So far, the anxieties have proved to be false alarms. "Quite a few critics have been worried about attention span lately and see very short stories as signs of cultural decline," the American author Selvin Brown wrote. "No one ever said that poems were evidence of short attention spans."
And yet the Internet has certainly changed the way we read. For a start, it means that there is more to read, because more people than ever are writing. If you time travelled just a few decades into the past, you would wonder at how little writing was happening outside a classroom. And digital writing is meant for rapid release and response. An online article starts forming a comment string underneath as soon as it is published. This mode of writing and reading can be interactive and fun. But often it treats other people's words as something to be quickly harvested as fodder to say something else. Everyone talks over the top of everyone else, desperate to be heard.
Perhaps we should slow down. Reading is constantly promoted as a social good and source of personal achievement. But this advocacy often emphasizes "enthusiastic", "passionate" or "eager" reading, none of which adjectives suggest slow, quiet absorption.
To a slow reader, a piece of writing can only be fully understood by immersing oneself in the words and their slow comprehension of a line of thought. The slow reader is like a swimmer who stops counting the number of pool laps he has done and just enjoys how his body feels and moves in water.
The human need for this kind of deep reading is too tenacious for any new technology to destroy. We often assume that technological change can't be stopped and happens in one direction, so that older media like "dead-tree" books are kicked out by newer, more virtual forms. In practice, older technologies can coexist with new ones. The Kindle has not killed off the printed book any more than the car killed off the bicycle. We still want to enjoy slowly-formed ideas and carefully-chosen words. Even in a fast-moving age, there is time for slow reading.
When kids melt down in the middle of a crowded store or at a holiday dinner with extended family, it can be extremely frustrating. But parents can help kids learn self-control and teach them how to respond without just acting on impulse (冲动).
Teaching self-control is one of the most important things that parents can do for their kids because these skills are some of the most important for success later in life. By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes. For example, if you say that you're not serving ice cream until after dinner, your child may cry, plead, or even scream in the hopes that you will give in. But with self-control, your child can understand that a temper tantrum (发脾气) means you'll take away the ice cream for good and that it's wiser to wait patiently.
Difficult as it may be, resist the urge to yell when you're disciplining your kids. Instead, be persistent and matter of fact. During a child's meltdown, stay calm and explain that yelling, throwing a tantrum, and slamming doors are unacceptable behaviors that have consequences. Your actions will show that tantrums won't get kids the upper hand. For example, if your child gets, upset in the grocery store after you've explained why you won't buy candy, don't give in – thus demonstrating that the tantrum was both unacceptable and ineffective. Also, consider speaking to your child's teachers about classroom settings and appropriate behavior expectations. Ask if problem-solving is taught or demonstrated in school.
And model good self-control yourself. If you're in an annoyed situation in front of your kids, tell them why you're frustrated and then discuss potential solutions to the problem. For example, if you've misplaced your keys, instead of getting upset, tell your kids the keys are missing and then search for them together. If they don't turn up, take the next constructive step. Show that good emotional control and problem solving are the ways to deal with a difficult situation.
The student years are not only about books and lectures. This wonderful period of time makes students' transition(过渡) to adult life easier. Students learn how to live by themselves, and network with professors and other students. Moreover, if they choose, they can join a student organization.
One of the university's main purposes is to prepare students for an intellectual job. Student organizations' functions are consistent with that. Usually, such an association on campus carries on many projects that can have a positive impact on students' life. These can be inspirational speech events and many other non-profit activities. All these interesting projects require more than just students being present. Each of them has to go through various developments regarding management, digital design, finding sponsorships, organizing events and many others. These will be valuable enough to help them get amazing work.
Besides the material effects above, researches show joining a student organization helps psychological development. It is indeed difficult to deal with both extracurricular projects and studies. However, this routine is serious training for their adult life. They will come to understand better the importance of their lectures without which they can't complete complex tasks, so they will become more committed to their collegiate education.
Once they get involved in a student organization, however, it's more than likely that they have to spend much time participating in weekly and monthly meetings and contributing their own efforts to lots of projects. Since these activities will have a huge impact on students especially off campus, many students will place extracurricular duties above college courses.
Anyway, the impacts vary in number and effectiveness depending on students' attention. However, one thing is for certain. Such organizations will provide an unforgettable experience that will unlock their full potential and deserve a shot.
At most universities, core(核心) curriculum or general education is required, whether that is two or more courses in core academic subjects. These core academics consist of mathematics, science, history and English, which are used to provide students with a broad range of academic knowledge and aid in their individual development.
However, are these courses more beneficial or harmful to students? Based on studies from across the district there is a gap between the necessities and burdens of general education courses. According to an article by Best Value Schools, students sometimes discover a hidden passion for a field of study while taking general education courses. Although this may be true, many students consider the program as "a collection of courses without connection, consistency or meaning"". The negative concept of these courses could possibly be connected to the fact that many students don't actually obtain these skills.
Many schools have been working to improve their core curriculum program by developing the adoption of mission, goal and outcome statements. Some University of North Carolina at Greensboro(UNCG) professors have recently been requiring students to take self-assessments and complete assignments based on how to develop critical thinking, communication and cooperation skills, as well as apply them within and outside of the classroom. It is through these channels of self-discovery that students can often find their passions, which can possibly lead to choosing a major.
Typically, one-third of first-time college students change their major within the first three years. Major changes can be for a variety of reasons. It can be associated with a dissatisfaction in coursework. It can also be due to the discovery of a major which simply fits a student better. General education classes can play an important role in helping to make this discovery. Though students' opinions vary on the importance of core curriculum, the basis of the program should be taken into consideration. At the same time, institutions should continue to work towards developing more authentic ways to provide a sense of importance and pride in the program to aid in student learning and the development of real-world skills.
