Research and Education
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11876
The National Academies Press published this 88 page volume in order to help answer the question "How did live evolve on Earth?" Drawing on a group of experts from a range of scientific fields, this work looks at the evidence for biological evolution, the nature of science, and creationist perspectives on evolution. Along the way, the book also offers examples of how the science of evolution can be used to prevent and treat human disease and also foster industrial innovation. The book has broad appeal, and it will be of great use to teachers, legislators, policy makers, and community leaders. Additionally, visitors can also listen to a podcast about the work and learn more about the persons responsible for the book. [KMG]
http://www.transparency.org/content/download/27256/410704/file/GCB_2007_report_en_02-12-2007.pdf
Transparency International publishes a myriad of reports related to governmental corruption and operations. The Global Corruption Barometer report for 2007 was released in December 2007 and it contains a wealth of important, albeit troubling, findings. The Barometer surveyed almost 64,000 respondents in 60 countries, and in doing so, created a profile of where citizens see the greatest degree of corruption and how they see the future development of corruption in their respective countries. Not surprisingly, their research found that it is the poor who are most often confronted with requests for bribes and that this functions as a regressive tax. Huguette Labelle, the chair of Transparency International noted, " Governments are not alone in their responsibility. We need to see concerted action from civil society and the private sector too." [KMG]
http://www.nctm.org/tips.aspx?ekmensel=c580fa7b_44_398_btnlink
New and experienced math teachers can benefit from this helpful site created by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In the "Tips for Teachers" section, visitors can take in tips for starting the year off right, testing, grading, homework, and even communicating with parents. The site also includes tips for math tutors and several short, yet effective, tips on utilizing technology in the classroom. One area that should not be overlooked is the "Common Questions and Their Answers". Here visitors can learn about demystifying the distributive property and other timely principles. Finally, visitors are also welcome to leave feedback on each section via a webform. [KMG]
http://www.biologybrowser.org/bb/Subject/Education/Biology_Teaching_Resources/index.shtml
Thomson Scientific has created this fine site in order to provide science educators with a wide array of activities that can be used in the classroom. Currently, the site features over 190 resources related to various areas of biology. Visitors can search through the resources by subject, geography, or organism. These resources include a primer on the antlion (also known as a doodlebug) and "Bugnet" which is an online forest entomology class. Visitors can also glance over a glossary of zoology terms and look over news from the world of taxonomy. [KMG]
http://www.imls.gov/collections/index.htm
In a recent report on the state of America's collections, The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) noted that over 190 million objects need conservation treatment and 65 percent of collecting institutions have damaged collections due to improper storage. In order to raise public awareness and inspire action, the IMLS has created the "Connection to Collections" website. On the site, visitors can read the original report that inspired this initiative and also download and review their 44-page booklet that details texts that are essential for the care of collections. The site also contains a very nice "Guide to Online Resources" section that includes six sections of online resources that address how to manage and care for various collections. Finally, visitors can also look into recent conservation projects created and maintained by IMLS partners and grant recipients. [KMG]
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2659
The Open University in Britain is well-known for its efforts to bring higher education to persons across the world. As of late, they have also been expanding their online offerings for the general public by making course materials available on their "OpenLearn" site. This particular course will take interested parties into the world of the Palaeozoic era. Through six different topical sections, visitors will learn about the Cambrian explosion, the origins of vertebrates, and life in the Silurian sea. Along the way, visitors will be presented with questions that will test their knowledge of the material. Visitors may also wish to post comments to the online forum and offer their own reviews of the material and course offerings. [KMG]
Established in 2004, the Africa Governance and Advocacy Project (AfriMAP) is a project of the Open Society Institute. The Institute's overarching mission is "to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economics, legal, and social reform." As such, AfriMAP works with national civil society organizations in order to evaluate and audit areas that include the justice sector, the delivery of public services, and political participation. Their homepage offers up some of their recent findings through reports like "South Africa: Effective Delivery of Public Services" and "Ghana: Justice Sector and the Rule of Law". Users can also perform a complete search of their online materials by selecting a country and then picking a topic. Those who are interested in their methodology should read their detailed questionnaires, which are available in both French and English. Also, visitors can sign up to receive an electronic newsletter and read their latest call for research papers. [KMG]
Started in 2000, the Stanford Humanities Lab (SHL) discovers "fascinating futures to be explored in ignoring and crossing disciplinary borders." The Lab engages in a number of research projects that are collaborative, co-creative, and team-based. These projects have resulted in new media projects, interactive archives, predictive models of social changes, and exhibitions. First-time visitors can get a good sense of their work by looking through the "Projects" section of the site. Here they will find projects that detail the Irish-American west, the importance of the crowd in the modern experience, and the perception of artworks. For each completed project, the researchers have created a separate site that provides access to their work, along with a brief explanation of its applications and uses. Also, visitors should take a look at their weblog and their latest news postings. [KMG]
