Internet startup Academia.edu is moving forward with plans to change the way scientists publish papers, thanks to a second round of funding the company has recieved.
Flush with just over $11 million in capital, Academia is inching closer to its goal of publishing all scientific papers while simultaneously changing the way the peer-review porcess works. Currently, researchers must submit their papers to any of a number of academic journals. The journals then hand the papers over to a different researcher to review before deciding if they have merit and are worthy of publication. Under the Academia.edu model, those same papers would be reviewed by peers on the site, similar to Facebook.
"The goal is to have every single science PDF ever written available for free on the Internet and to build a network of scientists interacting with those papers that will change the face of peer review," the San Francisco-based company told CNet of its mission.
It always amazes me when teachers don’t pay attention or act respectively during faculty meetings. Sometimes, teachers can make the most difficult students. During my time as a k-12 teacher, while a principal was speaking to the faculty, some teachers would be on their cell phones, talking among themselves, or grading papers.
It’s also surprising (though, a little less considering their stage of development) when student teachers fail to turn in assignments on time or, similarly, act...
Students spend hours studying reading, math, science, and social studies. When they get to high school, they study geometry, physics, trigonometry. While I believe there's value in all subjects and disciplines, I do question our use of time in classrooms when it comes to curriculum and the preparation of productive members of society.
In other words, are we wasting time?
Is there another way to prepare young people to be successful?
I base these questions on the idea...
Mentoring a student teacher (often known as a teacher candidate) can be a truly rewarding experience. Helping someone enter the teaching profession and preparing them for that role is an incredibly important role.
If you are considering hosting a teaching intern, there are many considerations. As a university supervisor, who has worked with many mentor teachers, I’d like to offer the following advice:
Know Your Purpose
Consider the reasons why you want to...

“I think it’s necessary for all schools in our times to be able to answer the fundamental question: why do we need schools? What is the school’s contribution to developing new citizenship?” – Allan Kjær Andersen
Could the traditional rows of desks and chalkboard-centered classrooms soon become a relic...

“We want all education systems to teach children to become creative changemakers for themselves and for a better world.” – Emer Beamer
A rapidly changing world has lots of big problems to solve. Kids love coming up with their own ideas for big problems. How can that creativity and passion be channeled...