Contacting Apple

Does anyone know how to contact Apple by email because I am finding it particularly frustrating that I am unable to get email responses from Apple support? It seems incredible to me that a technically advanced company insists on me using the old-fashioned telephone - my least favourite form of communication. When I sent an email to Apple support, I received an automated reply that made it quite clear that I was not going to get a response unless I phoned them and that they would charge me for the privilege after my warranty runs out. I have also given Apple feedback via their website several times and have never had any kind of response from them. Although I like Apple hardware very much, they are going to have to improve their customer communication if I am going to be a long term customer with them. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=134

The Illustrated Guide to a PhD

Every year Matt Might (www.matt.might.net) explains what a PhD is to a new bunch of students. It's hard to describe in words so he uses pictures... More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=132

Schools fail slow-start pupils

Data shows that three-quarters of children in England who make a slow start in the 3Rs at primary school fail to catch up by the time they leave. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=131

3.8m UK children do not own a book

The number of children who do not own a book is increasing. Seven years ago 1 child in 10 did not have a book of their own while today the figure stands at a startling 1 child in 3. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=130

Printers can be hacked

Two researchers at Columbia University in New York say they've found a flaw in ordinary office printers that lets hackers hijack the devices to spy on users, spread malware and even force them to overheat to the point of catching fire. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=128

University applications down

UK universities appear to be facing a slump in applications ahead of the first year of higher fees, says the university admissions body. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=128

Education Quote

Education is a succession of eye-openers each involving the repudiation of some previously held belief - George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=127

Universities pay to attract students

Universities will pay cash incentives of up to £3000 to bright sixth formers to compete for high-quality students. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=126

Last Xmas Posting Dates

Royal Mail has announced the last posting dates for Christmas 2011. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=125

BT price increases

The following are some of the price increases that have been announced by BT, effective 3 December: More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=124

Apple Mac Hash Key

One of the problems for Apple newbies is that some of Windows' keys seem to be missing. An example of this is the Hash or # key - also know as the Pound key in the US. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=123

Royal Mail T&C Changes

The following changes to the postal service come into force next January: More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=122

Quote of the Week

'Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.' Chinese Proverb More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=121

This Week’s Events

Sunday 6 November - Daylight Saving Time ends (US, CDN) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=120

Teenage IQ varies dramatically

A study suggests IQ is not stable during teenage years as was thought but shifts in step with changes in particular brain areas. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=119

7 billionth born

A baby designated as the world's seven billionth has been born in India. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=118

Quote of the Week

'Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.' Henry Ford (1863–1947) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=117

This Week’s Events

Sunday 30 October - Daylight Saving Time ends (European Union) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=116

Free Text Alerts

Depending on your provider, you can receive free text notifications of our news items by following us on twitter. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=115

Education spending falling fast

Public spending on education in the UK is falling at the fastest rate since the 1950s, says the Institute for Fiscal Studies. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=114

Where is iDVD on Apple Mac?

I had just completed a movie on iMovie and wanted to make a DVD of it for my mother. So I clicked 'Share' > 'iDVD...' and a 'Preparing project...' message box appeared. After about an hour of processing, a 'Choose Application' message box dropped down with a list of applications - iDVD nowhere to be seen amongst them. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=113

Quote of the Week

'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.' Edmund Burke (1729–1797) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=112

This Week’s Events

Monday 10 October - Columbus Day (US); Thanksgiving Day (CDN) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=111

World University Rankings

Three out of the top 10 universities in the world are in the UK, according to a global list headed by US universities. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=110

2011-2012 Employment Data

Includes Minimum Wage, Statutory Redundancy Pay, Annual Leave Entitlement and Maternity Pay. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=109

Apple Mac ‘Save As’

One of the problems about being an Apple newbie is that some commands which are second nature to Windows users are not to be found in some of Apple's applications. A notable example of this is the 'Save As...' command which is not available in the included TextEdit and Preview applications. I am going to use the TextEdit application to demonstrate this problem and show you how to get round it... More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=108

Quote of the Week

'The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.' Albert Einstein (1879–1955) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=107

This Week’s Events

Monday 3 October - Labour Day (AU: NSW, SA); Queen's Birthday (AU: WA); Tag der deutschen Einheit (DE) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=106

8 Ridiculous Descriptions of University Life

A look at some of the most ridiculous descriptions of student life at university by Ed Cumming of the Daily Telegraph. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=105

Quote of the Week

'The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.' Albert Einstein (1879–1955) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=104

Quote of the Week

'The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility.' Albert Einstein (1879–1955) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=103

This Week’s Events

Sunday 25 September - Daylight Saving Time begins (NZ) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=102

Apple Mac Delete Key

One of the problems for Apple newbies is that some of Window's keys seem to be missing. An example of this is the Delete or 'del' key. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=101

This Weeks's Events

Tuesday 20 September - Moon's Last Quarter 13:39 UT More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=100

2012 Bank Holidays

International Holidays and Country Information for over 40 countries More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=99

Quote of the Week

'I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.' Socrates (c. 469–399 BC) More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=98

This Week’s Events

Sunday 11 September - 9/11 Remembrance Day More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=97

Managing the Training Process

Now only £15! The complete guide to training and training management More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=96

2012 Almanac

Significant, notable and interesting dates. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=95

Quote of the week

'All instruction is but a finger pointing to the moon; and those whose gaze is fixed upon the pointer will never see beyond.' Gautama Buddha (c. 563–483 B.C.)

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This week's events

Sunday 4 September - Moon's 1st Quarter 17:39 UT; Fathers' Day AU, NZ

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Apple Mac Option Key

New Apple users are having problems because the instruction booklet does not make it clear where the Option key is. There is one reference to its location tucked away on page 53. This is compounded by the fact that the photo of the Option key on the Apple website shows the wrong key. More: http://www.mwls.com/news.php?n=92

Face-to-Face Ratio

How much time should a trainer spend training?

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More Neet youths

The proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds in England not in employment, education or training (Neet) has risen to 18.4%. The figure from the Department for Education is the highest for the second quarter since 2006, and is up from 16.3% last year.

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Skills lack puts school leavers to back of jobs queue

A lack of employability skills pushes school leavers to back of jobs queue, as demand for migrant workers reaches record levels. New research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) finds recruitment demand for school leavers has fallen since last year, while employer appetite for migrant workers has reached a record high.

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Quote of the Week

'Be gentle, and you can be bold; be frugal, and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others, and you can become a leader among men.' Lao-Tzu (c. 550 B.C.)

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Cheque and PayPal scams

Although money is shown as 'available' in their accounts, many people don't realise that the money can still be 'clawed back'.

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Course Development Times

It is always difficult to predict how long any project will take - the news is full of projects that have overrun and overspent.

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Micro businesses can’t find right staff

Micro businesses want to grow, but struggle to find the right staff, reveals British Chambers of Commerce report.

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Career progression disappointment

A new survey of 2,000 employees released today by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has found that almost half (42%) of those questioned feel they are further behind in their careers than they would like to be at this stage of their lives. The data goes on to reveal that while individuals are blaming their slow progress on those around them, some have accepted that they have the power to bring about change.

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Profit Vault scam alert

This scam is more convincing than most so I thought it worth warning you all about it.

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Quote of the Week

'Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.' Henry Ford (1863–1947)

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This week's events

Monday 15 August - Assumption (a holiday in many Roman Catholic regions)

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More intellectual property crime convictions

More people than ever before are being successfully prosecuted for committing intellectual property crime in the UK according to a new report published today.

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Teacher training wasteful

A study by Buckingham University found 27,976 (71.5% per cent) of the 39,103 trainees who qualified in the summer of 2010 were in teaching posts in January 2011.

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Pupils should study maths to 18

A report by Carol Vorderman says that school pupils in England should study maths up to the age of 18.

More

Business Jargon Generator

The cross-platform, desktop application of this program is now available.

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Quote of the Week

"Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality." Dalai Lama (1935–)

Source
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This week’s events

Tuesday 9 August - Nagazaki Day. Saturday 13 August - Full Moon 18:57 UT.

5 Child Development Tips

Parents should adopt a five-a-day approach, with daily activities to help children reach their full potential. The think tank CentreForum says the government should start a national campaign promoting better parenting. It said that providing children with quality care in their early years was crucial. They recommend that parents should, every day: 1. Read to their child for 15 minutes. 2. Play with your child on the floor for 10 minutes. 3. Talk with their child for 20 minutes with the television off. 4. Adopt positive attitudes towards their child and praise them frequently. 5. Give their child a nutritious diet to aid development.

Source

Intellectual property reforms

The Government has announced plans to support economic growth by modernising UK intellectual property laws. Ministers have accepted the recommendations made in an independent review which estimate a potential benefit to the UK economy of up to £7.9 billion. Among the recommendations that have been accepted are: - The UK should have a Digital Copyright Exchange; a digital market place where licences in copyright content can be readily bought and sold. - Copyright exceptions covering limited private copying should be introduced to realise growth opportunities. Thousands of people copy legitimately purchased content, such as a CD to a computer or portable device such as an IPod, assuming it is legal. This move will bring copyright law into line with the real world, and with consumers' reasonable expectations. - Copyright exceptions to allow parody should also be introduced to benefit UK production companies and make it legal for performing artists, such as comedians, to parody someone else's work without seeking permission from the copyright holder. It would enable UK production companies to create programmes that could play to their creative strengths, and create a range of content for broadcasters. - The introduction of an exception to copyright for search and analysis techniques known as text and data mining. Currently research scientists such as medical researchers are being hampered from working on data because it is illegal under copyright law to do this without permission of copyright owners.

Source

Centenarians smoke, drink and are overweight

People who live to 95 or older are no more virtuous than the rest of us in terms of their diet, exercise routine or smoking and drinking habits, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Their findings suggests that nature (in the form of protective longevity genes) may be more important than nurture (lifestyle behaviours) when it comes to living an exceptionally long life. The research did find, however, that overweight centenarians tended to have lower rates of obesity than the control group. Although male and female centenarians were just as likely to be overweight as their counterparts in the general population, the centenarians were significantly less likely to become obese: only 4.5 per cent of male centenarians were obese versus 12.1 per cent of controls; and for women, 9.6 per cent of centenarians were obese versus 16.2 per cent of controls. Both of these differences are statistically significant. Although this study demonstrates that centenarians can be obese, smoke and avoid exercise, those lifestyle habits are not good choices for most of us who do not have a family history of longevity. Most of the study's participants did not attribute their advanced age to lifestyle factors. One-third reported a history of family longevity, while 20 per cent believed that physical activity also played a role in their lifespan. Other factors included positive attitude (19 per cent), busy or active life (12 per cent), less smoking and drinking (15 per cent), good luck (8 per cent), and religion or spirituality (6 per cent).

Source

This week’s events

Monday 1 August - 1st day of Ramadan. Saturday 6 August - Hiroshima Day; Moon: 1st quarter 11.08 UT.

First question mark

A symbol that is thought to be the world's earliest question mark has been identified by a Cambridge academic. The symbol is two dots, one above the other, similar in appearance to a colon, rather than the familiar squiggle of the modern question mark. The double-dot symbol appears in Syriac manuscripts of the Bible dating back to the fifth century. The double-dot mark, known to later grammarians as zawga elaya, is written above a word near the start of a sentence to tell the reader that it is a question. It doesn't appear on all questions: ones with a wh- word don't need it, just as in English 'Who is it' can only be a question (although we use a question mark anyway). But a question like 'You're going away?' needs the question mark to be understood; and in Syriac, zawga elaya marks just these otherwise ambiguous expressions. Source: http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/the-riddle-of-the-syriac-double-dot-it%E2%80%99s-the-world%E2%80%99s-earliest-question-mark/

Quote of the Week

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust (1871–1922)

UK qualifications gap

One in nine adults have no formal qualifications and there are huge local variations in levels of education within Britain's adult population, reveals an analysis published by the University and College Union.

It shows a Britain divided by a wide educational gulf: in some areas, a third of 16 to 64 year-olds are without qualifications, while in others the proportion is as low as two per cent.

In the Glasgow North East constituency 35 per cent of adults have no qualifications, compared to only 1.9 per cent in Brent North.

The UCU analysis shows that in some southern constituencies it has become very unusual not to have qualifications - while in parts of the West Midlands it remains widespread.

There are more people without qualifications in Birmingham Hodge Hill than in Cambridge, Winchester, Wimbledon, Buckingham, Romsey, Leeds North West and four other constituencies put together.

Source: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5676

All-school scholarships

All schools in England should offer university scholarships to their poorest pupils.

The deputy Liberal Democrat leader Simon Hughes said that linking scholarships directly to schools and colleges would motivate children and this would end the situation where some schools sent no pupils to university.

This was one of 30 recommendations made in his final report as champion of university access.

Source: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=420498&NewsAreaID=2

£5000 OU fees

The Open University has announced tuition fees of £5,000 per year for the equivalent of a full-time place for students in England from next year.

The majority of universities will charge £9000 for some or all courses.

More than two-thirds of the Open University's students are studying part-time - and the university will be expecting to benefit from the introduction of loans for part-time students.

For a typical part-time Open University student, studying at the level of half of full-time, the fees will be £2,500 per year.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14216167

Google effects on memory

Four studies suggest that searching for information on the Internet decreases our recall of the information but enhances our recall of where to access it.

The advent of the Internet, with sophisticated algorithmic search engines, has made accessing information as easy as lifting a finger.

No longer do we have to make costly efforts to find the things we want. We can Google the old classmate, find articles online, or look up the actor who was on the tip of our tongue.

When faced with difficult questions, people are primed to think about computers as a solution and expect to have future access to information they find.

The Internet has become a primary form of external or transactive memory, where information is stored collectively outside ourselves.

If these arguments seem familiar, it may be because Plato reported that Socrates said exactly the same thing about writing:

Socrates lived relatively shortly after the invention of the Greek alphabet and the widespread adoption of writing.

...for this discovery of yours [writing] will create forgetfulness in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves.

Writing is still with us.

Source: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2011/07/13/science.1207745

Key Stage 2 testing to change

The UK Government hass accepted all the recommendations of the independent review of testing, assessment and accountability at the end of primary school.

Changes to the Key Stage 2 system aim to make it fairer and more effective in raising standards.

The review recommended that:

- Writing test should be replaced by teacher assessment of writing composition.

- There should be a spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary test - all have clear right or wrong answers.

- Maths should continue to be externally tested.

- Reading tests should continue but need to be refined.

- Science should continue to be teacher assessed with a sample test to monitor national standards.

- Speaking and listening should continue to be teacher assessed.

- Three-year rolling averages should be introduced to give a rounded picture of a school's performance.

- There should be a greater emphasis on the progress of pupils.

- Progress should be given as much weighting as attainment and should be one of the two headline published measures, alongside attainment.

- There should be a strong focus on the progress of every pupil, as well as greater emphasis on the progress of each Year 6 cohort. A new progress measure should be introduced to focus on the performance of lower-attaining pupils. This will help stop schools focusing on children on the Level 3/4 borderline.

- New progress and attainment measures should be introduced for pupils who have completed all of Years 5 and 6 in a school so that schools are not held wholly responsible for the performance of pupils who have just joined them.

- Teacher assessment judgements should continue in English, maths and science, and should be submitted before test results are announced. This will mean more weight is attached to them and allow longer for these results to inform Year 7 teaching and learning.

- Transition to secondary school should be eased for pupils and their new teachers. There should be more detailed reporting to secondary schools so Year 7 teachers know right from the outset a pupil's attainment and the areas where extra work is needed.

- Pupils who are ill on the day of a test should have a week to sit it, rather than two days.

Source: http://www.education.gov.uk/a00192403/key-stage-2-review-of-testing-assessment-and-accountability-government-response

Quote of the Week

"The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." Albert Einstein (1879–1955

Cheques reprieved

The Payments Council has announced that cheques will continue for as long as customers need them.

The target for possible closure of the cheque clearing in 2018 has been cancelled.

The Payments Council Board has stated that they will continue to focus on security, efficiency and encouraging innovation in all types of payments.

Source: http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases/-/page/1575/

Poor spelling costs millions

An online entrepreneur says that poor spelling is costing the UK millions of pounds in lost revenue for internet businesses.

Charles Duncombe says an analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.

He says the big problem for online firms isn't technology but finding staff who can spell.

The concerns were echoed by the CBI whose head of education and skills warned that too many employers were having to invest in remedial literacy lessons for their staff.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14130854

Leaders can improve learning

Despite competing priorities, leaders need to focus on creating a culture in which teaching and learning are truly a priority, according to the think piece - Leading Learning in Further Education - by the 157 Group and CfBT Education Trust (May 2011).

The effective leadership of learning appears to involve four areas of practice:

- Investing time and resources to promote the professional development of staff.

- Having a close involvement in the management of the teaching programme.

- Setting clear directions for the organisation, including the centrality of teaching and learning.

- Establishing a culture that respects the professionalism of teachers and empowers them to innovate.

The report also recommends the use of supported experiments - an action learning approach in which staff are involved in identifying areas that need to be improved and investigate new approaches for making these improvements.

Source: http://www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeducation/pdf/2157G-082-LeadingLearning.pdf

UK-Chinese vocational education agreement

A groundbreaking agreement outlining how the UK and China will work together to boost vocational learning in both countries has been announced.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during an official visit to Beijing, China, by Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister John Hayes.

The five key areas of activity will be:

- Trials of apprenticeships in China drawing on UK models and expertise.

- Expanding the mutual recognition of qualifications and vocational education providers.

- Support for institutional partnerships including joint course development and student/teacher exchanges.

- Joint development of e-learning and remote learning facilities.

- Sector specialists from the UK and China working together to develop curriculum material and training resources.

Source: http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/420348

Quote of the Week

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." Mark Twain (1835–1910)

This week’s events

Tuesday 12 July - Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day).

Thursday 14 July - Bastille Day.

Friday 15 July - Full Moon; Buddhist Lent.

Phonics contributes to literacy decline

Concerns have been raised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education that the coalition Government's focus on phonics will contribute to a decline in literacy standards.

Their report is based on evidence from 584 teachers and educational stakeholders including the teachers' unions, literacy associations, publishers and outreach organisations.

The report emphasises that literacy policy should focus on instilling a love of reading in order to increase children's motivation, wellbeing and attainment. The APPG also found that literacy policy should not be the responsibility of the Department for Education alone. Social factors – such as parental involvement – and health issues – such as eye care – are significant contributors to children's reading success.

The government's focus on systematic synthetic phonics is at odds with the views of many within the education community, who believe that it risks making reading a dull exercise for English classes. The report identified that phonics and reading are being used interchangeably by policymakers, but reading isolated words is not reading for meaning.

Many respondents also wanted to dispel the myth about how phonics is currently used. Most teachers already use phonics to teach reading, but they do so by blending phonics with other reading strategies.

Source: http://www.educationappg.org.uk/2011/07/appg-for-education-calls-for-action-on-barriers-to-literacy/

Go to right school to get Oxbridge place

Four schools and one college sent more students to Oxbridge over three years than 2000 schools and colleges across the UK, according to a report on university admissions by the Sutton Trust.

Between them, Westminster School, Eton College, Hills Road Sixth Form College, St Pauls School and St Pauls Girls School produced 946 Oxbridge entrants over the period 2007-2009 – accounting for over one in 20 of all Oxbridge admissions. Meanwhile just under 2000 schools and colleges with less than one Oxbridge entrant a year produced a total of 927 Oxbridge entrants.

These figures are driven primarily by differences in the A-level results, but the study also shows different success rates for schools with similar average examination results.

Source: http://www.suttontrust.com/news/news/four-schools-and-one-college-win-more-places-at-oxbridge/

More 16-18 year olds in training or education

Government figures show that the highest ever proportion of 16-18 year olds were participating in education or training at the end of 2010.

The provisional data showed:

- The proportion of 16-18 year olds in education and training was 84.4 per cent compared to 82.5 per cent at the end of 2009. The total number of 16-18 year olds in education and training increased by 1,600 to 1.64 million at the end of 2010.

- The proportion of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) decreased from 9.4 per cent at the end of 2009 to 7.3 per cent at the end of 2010.

The data also show a record proportion of 16-17 year olds participating in education or work-based learning – the age group that will be the focus of the Department's policy to raise the participation age.

Source: http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/DNWA-8JCGED

Business mentor network launched

A new network of volunteer business mentors, mentorsme.co.uk, has been launched by the British Government.

Mentorsme.co.uk is Britain's first online gateway for small and medium-sized enterprises looking for mentoring services.

The free site offers businesses access to a list of business mentoring organisations across Britain. A search engine allows businesses to refine their searches according to the life stage of their business and their location in Britain.<br.>

The site also allows business professionals to offer their services as a business mentor via the mentoring organisations listed. Aspiring mentors may want to work in a particular area of Britain and have a particular area of expertise to offer. Our search engine allows them to locate mentoring organisations that are the closest match to their profile.

Mentorsme.co.uk also aims to raise awareness about the benefits of business mentoring through its library of online resources, which includes articles about mentoring and case studies of successful business mentoring relationships.

Mentorsme.co.uk is operated by the Business Finance Taskforce, which has been set up by the British Bankers' Association and is made up of five banks: Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander. The taskforce was established to help businesses access the finance they need to grow.

Source: http://www.mentorsme.co.uk/about

Quote of the Week

"The English are not very spiritual people, so they invented cricket to give them some idea of eternity." George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)

This week’s events

Monday 4 July - Independence Day (US); Aphelion (Earth's furthest distance from the Sun) 15:00 UT

Friday 8 July - Moon's first quarter 06:29 UT

Plan to attract best graduates to teaching

Top graduates will be attracted into the teaching profession to help drive up standards in schools.

Despite having many excellent teachers, trained in some of the best institutions in the world, other nations are racing ahead in school improvement. The Government plans to raise the status of the profession, in the bid to make it a highly attractive career for top graduates. There has also been a longstanding problem recruiting the high quality maths and science teachers.

The proposals cover:

- Offering high quality graduates significantly better financial incentives to train as teachers.

- Offering financial incentives to all trainees with at least a 2.2 so that teacher training continues to be attractive to graduates with excellent subject knowledge.

- Requiring all trainees to have high standards of mathematics and English by requiring trainees to pass a tougher literacy and numeracy tests before they start training.

- Allowing and encouraging schools to lead their own high quality initial teacher training in partnership with a university.

- Giving schools, as prospective employers, a stronger influence over the content of ITT training as well as the recruitment and selection of trainees.

- Continuing to subject ITT provision to quality controls that focus on the quality of placements and selection.

Source: http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a0078044/government-sets-out-plans-to-attract-the-best-graduates-into-teaching

Cheque guarantee system ends today

Today, Thursday 30 June, is the last day shoppers can use cheque guarantee cards, which ensure payments are honoured by a bank even if the buyer doesn't have sufficient funds. The scheme has run since 1965.

Banks are scrapping the scheme because they say it's too costly; last year they lost £43m due to fraud. It means millions of people will be unable to offer protected payments by cheque in shops, train stations, to delivery and tradesmen across the country. This is likely to lead to a mass refusal to accept cheques.

The banking industry body - the Payment Council - has also announced that cheques will be scrapped in 2018. The public outcry against this was so great that they were forced to say that cheques would not be scrapped until there was a suitable alternative. To date, they don't seem to have any idea about what that alternative might be - although it is rumoured that it is likely to be a 'paper-initiated' transaction system.

It is the small trader who is likely to lose most with the demise of the cheque: transaction charges if people switch to debit cards or a greater likelihood of being robbed if people switch to cash. If cash becomes the preferred method, it is also likely that the government will lose revenue through an increase in tax evasion.

New Link

Ruth Young's Blog (http://ruthyoung.co.uk/?page_id=5) has just been added to our links page (http://mwls.com/links.htm)

Ruth is a children's author and teacher. Her blog has lots of learning tips.

Universities to compete for students

Universities in England will have to compete against each other and private providers for a quarter of their student places.

Universities Minister David Willetts has published plans to increase market forces in higher education in England.

He also announced there would be 20 000 places reserved for degrees with fees of less than £7500.

The plan to create extra places for privately-funded individuals has also resurfaced - on the basis that it will be restricted to those sponsored by a business or a charity.

There are also proposals to allow students to repay their loans early, although the government is still consulting on the detail.

From 2012, universities will be able to offer unlimited places for students achieving AAB or better grades at A-level - regardless of the total student quotas they have been allocated.

Employers warned about older employee training

Employers need to train and performance manage older workers better or risk falling foul of the law when Default Retirement Age is phased out, according to a CIPD survey.

As the Pensions Bill makes its way through The Commons, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has released a new survey demonstrating that older workers are often neglected when it comes to training and performance management. It highlights the need for employers to ensure they are managing the performance of all employees effectively, particularly before the final phase out of the Default Retirement Age (DRA).

A survey of 2000 employees has found that older workers are also much less likely than younger workers to have received training, with 51 per cent of those aged over 65 saying they had received no training in the last three years, compared to 32% across all age groups.

From October, employers will no longer be able to require employees to retire at a certain age, except in certain limited circumstances, which will mean employers will need to ensure their performance management systems and practices focus as much on older workers as the rest of the workforce.

<a href=http://www.cipd.co.uk/pressoffice/_articles/Employers+need+to+train+and+performance200611.htm _target=blank>More from the CIPD</a>

Quote of the Week

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast." Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)

The week ahead

Thu 30 Jun, UK cheque guarantee cards to be scrapped
Fri 1 Jul, New Moon 01:08:54 UT

Review Key Stage 2 testing published

A review of Sats tests in England's primary schools calls for changes to English tests, more teacher assessment and a 'fairer system'.

More than 4000 schools boycotted the tests in 2010. Heads at those schools, and others, argued the test results led to unfair league table rankings and meant children were drilled for the tests rather than given a broad education.

The report recommends that:

- Writing test should be replaced by teacher assessment of writing composition.

- There should be a spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary test - all have clear right or wrong answers.

- Maths should continue to be externally tested.

- Reading tests should continue but need to be refined.

- Science should continue to be teacher assessed with a sample test to monitor national standards.

- Speaking and listening should continue to be teacher assessed.

- Three-year rolling averages should be introduced to give a rounded picture of a school's performance.

- There should be a greater emphasis on the progress of pupils.

- Progress should be given as much weighting as attainment and should be one of the two headline published measures, alongside attainment.

- There should be a strong focus on the progress of every pupil, as well as greater emphasis on the progress of each Year 6 cohort. A new progress measure should be introduced to focus on the performance of lower-attaining pupils. This will help stop schools focusing on children on the Level 3/4 borderline.

- New progress and attainment measures should be introduced for pupils who have completed all of Years 5 and 6 in a school so that schools are not held wholly responsible for the performance of pupils who have just joined them.

- Teacher assessment judgements should continue in English, maths and science, and should be submitted before test results are announced. This will mean more weight is attached to them and allow longer for these results to inform Year 7 teaching and learning.

- Transition to secondary school should be eased for pupils and their new teachers. There should be more detailed reporting to secondary schools so Year 7 teachers know right from the outset a pupil's attainment and the areas where extra work is needed.

- Pupils who are ill on the day of a test should have a week to sit it, rather than two days.

More from the Department of Education

City living affects your brain

The part of the brain that senses danger becomes overactive in city-dwellers when they are under stress.

According to a brain-scanning study, the brains of people living in cities operate differently from those in rural areas. Scientists found that two parts of the brain, involved in the regulation of emotion and anxiety, become overactive in city-dwellers when they are stressed. They also argue that the differences could account for the increased rates of mental health problems seen in urban areas.

In experiments designed to make them feel anxious, Professor Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg of the University of Heidelberg scanned the brains of more than 50 healthy volunteers.

The results, published in Nature, showed that the amygdala of participants who live in cities was over-active during stressful situations. The amygdala is the danger-sensor of the brain.

Another region called the cingulate cortex was overactive in participants who were born in cities. The cingulate cortex is important for controlling emotion and dealing with environmental adversity.

More from Nature

Project to mimic brain

The Human Brain Project intends to build a software copy of the brain by around 2023. The project, based at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne on the shores of Lake Geneva, aims to compile thousands of fragments of information and research into a unifying model of the brain.

The project leader, Henry Markram, says that around 100 billion neurons are needed to simulate a human brain. Currently, he is able to simulate about 360 000 neurons .

Does Internet use restructure the brain?

Children are spending an increasing fraction of their formative years online and there is concern that this could get out of control and even become an addiction. A recent study suggests that excessive time online can result in brain structure changes, which can contribute to chronic dysfunction in people with internet addiction disorder (IAD). The study, published in PLoS ONE, suggests self-assessed Internet addiction, primarily through online multiplayer games, rewires structures deep in the brain. Also, surface-level brain matter appears to shrink in step with the duration of online addiction.. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=39

This week’s events

Tuesday 20 June - Summer Solstice 17:12 UT;
Thursday 23 June - Corpus Christi. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=38

New maths IGCSE may lead to super A*

The AQA exam board is introducing a super A* grade for a new International GCSE (IGCSE) in further maths. Super A*s are not planned for other subjects but it could start a trend. A*s were introduced in 1994 to stretch able pupils. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=37

Quote of the Week

"Critics are our friends, they tell us our faults." Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790). http://mwls.com/news.php?n=36

New Members’ Area

Our Gold Membership area has been restructured and has a new log-in page http://mwls.com/gold/. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=35

One in six 7-year-olds streamed by ability

Research by the Institute of Education shows that girls are often put in higher streams than boys, children born in the autumn are more likely to be in the top classes - and that race is not linked to stream placement. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=34

Quote of the Week

"Leadership is practised not so much in words as in attitude and in actions" Harold S. Geneen (1910–1997). http://mwls.com/news.php?n=33

How to get your Facebook page back

Facebook can remove your page without warning, explanation or recourse. This happened to SiteSell, but they got their page pack and recorded how they did it.. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=32

1000s of pupils fail to reach English and maths potential

Some 200,000 maths pupils and 160,000 English students are failing to achieve the GCSE grades predicated by their primary school national curriculum tests (Sats). Those with a level 5 in Sats are expected to attain at least a B grade at GCSE, those with a level 4 should obtain at least a C, while those with a level 3 should achieve at least a D. More than 37 per cent of pupils failed to make the progress expected of them in maths, while more than 29 per cent missed their GCSE targets in English

. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=31

Business Jargon Generator

Blackberry application £1. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=30

Quote of the Week

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough we must do.". http://mwls.com/news.php?n=29

Private university launched

A new British university aiming to rival Oxford and Cambridge has been launched by leading academics. The London-based college will open in September 2012 and is planning to charge fees of £18,000. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=28

More pupils need to learn vocational trade

At least 40 percent of teenagers should be required to do apprenticeship-style qualifications at the age of 16 to learn a trade, according to the head of the Coalition's curriculum review.. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=27

Thousands of children ‘not ready for school’

Up to half of five-year-olds are not ready for school as working parents increasingly abandon traditional games, nursery rhymes, bedtime stories and lullabies, according to Sally Goddard Blythe, a child development expert. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=26

How to escape from the prison of our beliefs

In The Believing Brain, Michael Shermer argues that 'belief-dependent realism' makes it hard for any of us to have an objective view of the world. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=25

Celebrity role model myth

A study suggests that friends, family and teachers are much more likely to influence young children than celebrity role models like actors or footballers. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=24

Quote of the Week

'Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.' Coleridge (1772–1834). http://mwls.com/news.php?n=23

Teaching assistants ‘fail to improve results’

A rise in the number of support staff in the classroom has had 'no impact' on standards, said a report published by the Sutton Trust charity. The study suggests that assistants can 'positively affect' pupils' attitudes towards education but may undermine lessons when used as a teacher substitute.

. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=22

Good feedback boosts learning

A Durham University study says that quality feedback from teachers is more effective in raising grades than homework, uniforms and smaller classes.. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=21

Healthy eating 'improves schools'

Primary schools in England involved in a healthy-eating project have improved their inspection results and pupils ' behaviour, researchers say. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=20

Poor teachers could be sacked 'within a term'

Plans to speed up the removal of poorly performing teachers from schools in England have been announced by the government. Currently, it can take more than a year to remove struggling teachers, because of lengthy bureaucratic processes. A teachers' union labelled the plans 'unfair, unjust and unworkable'. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=19

Quote of the Week

"The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions." Confucius (551–479 B.C.). http://mwls.com/news.php?n=18

The tribe with no concept of time

The Amondawa people who live in the Amazonian rainforests have no watches or calendars and live their lives to natural patterns. They have no age and mark the transition from childhood to adulthood to old age by changing their name. http://mwls.com/news.php?n=17

New cookie rules

From 26 May 2011, websites must obtain the informed consent of visitors before cookies are installed. The only exception are cookies that are 'strictly necessary' for a service requested by the user http://mwls.com/news.php?n=16

Qatar to be global knowledge hub

Billions of pounds are being pumped into an 'Education City' of 80 educational, research, science and community development organisations.

http://mwls.com/news.php?n=15

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Keep up to date with the latest learning news and views on twitter.com

Which 100 English words should Fabio learn?

England football manager Fabio Capello has claimed that he only requires a 'maximum [of] 100 words' to communicate tactics to the England footballers. This is not as laughable as it first seems because The Reading Teachers Book of Lists claims that the first 25 words make up about one-third of all printed material in English, and that the first 100 make up about one-half of all written material. When I was involved with writing technical manuals for engineers whose first language was not English, we were encouraged to use a limited vocabulary. This is not quite the same as using the most frequent words because each word had to have only one meaning and - of course - we used the most useful words for the context. Fabio Capello's 100 words in the locker room would be different to Michel Roux's in the Kitchen. What are your suggestions for the 100 most useful words in your subject? These insights can be very helpful - not only for teaching languages but in any situation and subject where students have limited ability in the language being used. While Fabio Capello is aiming for an English vocabulary of 100 words, I'm pretty sure my dog understands 200 words. I think I'll start listing them - look out for a blog on this subject. Follow us on twitter Latest posts

Meditation stronger than drugs for pain relief

Researchers have found that just one hour of meditation training can reduce immediate pain by nearly half and have a long lasting effect.

The technique appears to work as it calms down pain experiencing areas of the brain while at the same time boosting coping areas.

Meditation was found to reduce pain intensity by about 40 per cent and pain unpleasantness by 57 per cent. Morphine and other pain-relieving drugs typically reduce pain ratings by about 25 per cent.

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Design and technology classes 'out of date'

Ofsted has said that too many design and technology teachers in England are failing to keep pace with global technological advances. A report on the teaching of the subject said too little use was made of modern technology in a third of the schools it surveyed. Schools in China and France emphasise the study of robotics, electronics and computer-aided design, it added.

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Cambridge to Educate Tomorrow's Nuclear Leaders

Some of the biggest companies and organisations in the nuclear industry are lending their support to a new course which will prepare the engineers and scientists of tomorrow for incidents such as those recently witnessed in Japan.

A new MPhil in Nuclear Energy, which is being launched by the University of Cambridge, will, among other topics, focus on ensuring that the reactor designs are extremely robust and that staff working in the nuclear industry have the best possible preparation for the challenges of their careers.

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Oxbridge encourages thousands of sixth-formers

Cambridge and Oxford are giving thousands of Year 12 students across the UK the opportunity to find out more about studying at the two world-class universities.

The 2011 Cambridge and Oxford Student Conference series starts on 21 March in Leicester. The seven-venue conference tour will also visit Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Merseyside and Lisburn in Northern Ireland.

More than 10,000 school students and their teachers are expected to attend the free conferences.

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Education reduces blood pressure

A long stint in education is good for people's blood pressure, according to researchers in the US.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is linked to heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. Higher levels of education have previously been linked to lower levels of heart disease. The researchers suggest that blood pressure could be the reason why. The study also shows the link is stronger in women than in men.

Published in the journal BMC Public Health, the study looked at 30 years of data from 3,890 people who were being followed as part of the Framingham Offspring Study.

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Protein dose reverses learning problems

Learning and memory problems have been reversed in mice with a syndrome that mimics Down's.

Researchers have found they could prevent developmental problems in mice engineered to have Down's syndrome by injecting their mothers with proteins while they were still in the womb. Can learning disabilities and mental retardations that were considered permanent now be treated?

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Reading test for six-year-olds to include non-words

In another initiative - like the use of linguistics terminology - the government is introducing changes which seem to make learning to read more confusing for six-year-olds. A number of made-up words such as 'koob' or 'zort' are to be included in the government's planned new reading test for six-year-olds in England.

The idea has drawn criticism from literary experts who say the approach will confuse those beginning to read. The government said non-words were being included to check pupils' ability to decode words using phonics.

Phonics is an important part of learning to read but current thinking relies too heavily on it and seems to reduce the importance of recognising words as shapes. Phonics rarely gives the correct pronunciation of a word that is new to the child - unless, of course, you make up non-words which follow the 'rules' of English pronunciation. I also believe that phonics is the worse method for teaching dyslexics to read. By all means include non-words in a pronunciation test - but not as part of a reading test.

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Genes 'play key role in classroom performance'

Politicians may be keen to measure schools' effectiveness, but the quality of the school environment is only half of the story, researchers have found.

Academics at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry say the genetic factors children bring to the classroom are just as influential.

In a study of 4,000 sets of UK twins, nature and nurture was found to have an equal effect on their achievements.

Does this mean that educators should focus on helping people achieve their potential rather than reaching fixed targets?

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Ancient body clock discovered

The mechanism that controls the internal 24-hour clock of all forms of life from human cells to algae has been identified by scientists.

Not only does the research provide important insight into health-related problems linked to individuals with disrupted clocks - such as pilots and shift workers - it also indicates that the 24-hour circadian clock found in human cells is the same as that found in algae and dates back millions of years to early life on Earth.

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