Research and Education
Created in 1994 by Professor Lawrence M. Hinman of the University of San Diego, the Ethics Updates site is designed primarily to be used to ethics instructors and their students. However, the site is rather interesting, so members of the general public may find themselves making a few return visits. Visitors can use the drop-down tabs on the top of the homepage to make their way through sections that cover some of the basic theories of ethics and also learn more about applied ethics in relation to such issues as animal rights, torture, and world hunger. Moving on, the "Resources" area includes case studies for discussion, a glossary of terms, classic texts in ethics, and ethics surveys. The site is rounded out by a search engine and a selection of videos that deal with various topics in ethics. [KMG]
http://www.bioedonline.org/body-explained/
BioEdOnline from the Baylor College of Medicine has been producing high-quality educational resources for a number of years, so it's nice to learn about their rather fun and informative "The Body Explained" resource. Narrated and hosted by Cassius Bordelon, PhD, this video production answers a number of common questions about how the body works. The segments are quite brief, and they may just spark a new interest in a curious student. Currently, there are around a dozen or so segments offered on the site, and they cover topics such as why our ears pop, why we sneeze, and what causes hiccups. Interested parties can also download the short segments for use in their classroom. [KMG]
http://www.nea.gov/research/ToRead.pdf
In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) published their groundbreaking report, "Reading at Risk," which took a critical look at voluntary reading patterns and test scores, and revealed some rather dire trends along the way. November 2007 saw the publication of another thought-provoking report, "To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence." This 100-page report offers a comprehensive analysis of reading patterns of children, teenagers, and adults in the United States. The report draws on data from over 40 sources, including federal agencies, universities, foundations, and associations. The report includes an executive summary, introduction, and three sections: "Youth Voluntary Reading Patterns," "What the Declines Mean for Literacy," and "Why More than Reading is at Risk." Alternately enlightening and troubling, this report will be of great interest to policymakers, educators, librarians, and countless other parties. [KMG]
http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/ProjectDetails.aspx?myId=10
First conducted in 2002, the National Annenberg Survey of Youth (NASY) looked into youth attitudes towards gambling, the stigma of mental illness, and uses of media for both entertainment and information. Under the direction of Dr. Dan Romer, the NASY has continued to produce a number of thoughtful reports over the past several years. Visitors can view said reports on this site, and also look at some of their datasets and press releases. At the bottom of the homepage, visitors will find a chronological list of all these materials. Additionally, they can also click on over to the "Recent News" area to find out the latest information from NASY. Finally, visitors can also sign up to receive their RSS feed. [KMG]
The primary goal of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Bulletin (HHMI) is to tell "the stories of the talented, energetic, and committed people who are the heart and soul of the Institute." Written in a jaunty and erudite manner, the Bulletin contains profiles of researchers working at the Institute, opinion and perspective pieces, and other items. Visitors can find articles on everything from sponges as a source of anti-cancer drugs to compelling pieces on chronic pain. Visitors can also browse through their online archive of past issues, which dates back to January 2001. Overall, this magazine is excellent, and it will be of interest to both members of the scientific community and those who might just appreciate a good read. [KMG]
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/UW/subcollections/MeuerAlbumsAbout.html
In some places, collegiate life and so-called "town-gown" activities and relationships are well-documented. The University of Wisconsin is just such a place, and recently the University of Wisconsin's Digital Collections group placed a cornucopia of photographic material online related to just this subject. The Meuer Photoart Collection draws on the work on local photographer William J. Meuer. Meuer and his brother, Roman, opened their photography business on Madison's State Street in 1916. Over a period that spanned forty years, Meuer took photographs of hundreds of faculty members at the University and documented lectures, social events, intramural and informal sporting events, and dramatic presentations. Currently, visitors can page through the first eight volumes of this twenty-five volume collection or they may also search the text of these albums for items of note. [KMG]
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/prehistoric-time-line.html
Humans haven't roamed the earth for long, and our presence on this planet only dates back around 190,000 years. There are approximately 4.3 billion more years of Earth's history to explore, and this interactive and edifying timeline created by National Geographic helps interested persons explore it. First-time visitors can click around within the timeline to read short descriptions of important events and developments in the Earth's history, complete with visual materials. The events covered here include the initial formation of the Earth all the way up to the recent Ice Ages and the birth of modern humans. Along with this timeline, visitors can also view a photo gallery of the Permian Age and learn more about mass extinctions. [KMG]
Scholars and members of the general public will be excited to learn about H-LatAm which is a member of the H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences Online initiative. The general purpose of the forum is to facilitate the scholarly discussion of Latin American history. On the homepage, visitors can find recent messages posted to their listserv and also look over recent reviews published by contributors. The left-hand side of the homepage contains links to the listserv archives, syllabi, bibliographies, presentations, journals, discussion threads, and even relevant links for those engaged in this field. Additionally, the site contains information about electronic subscriptions to H-LatAm, a list of their editors, and members of their advisory board. The site is rounded out by an embedded search engine and job announcements. [KMG]
