Option for Solving : The High Price of Education

High cost on education become one of problem that we face nowadays. I'm a little bit curious on how to resolve the problem. 

Then, I found this one that I think as a possible option to solve the college intuition.

It’s obvious the price to attend college today would be out of hand. Positive – the investment in higher education is a very good one, however at what cost? Most students these days are graduating with a lot of loan debt that uses a crippling affect on the long-term money future. One thing ought to actually be done. 

The opposite day having been reading the debt-free college a little by Melba Newsome – a fascinating article that focuses inside the efforts of Davidson college (North Carolina) to eliminate loans from their money packages to students. It’s extremely elevated to actually a model for different establishments attempting to firmly find out-of-the-box solutions in the student loan mess.

However is free college extremely a viable choice?

Take into account this: several colleges and universities these days are sitting on massive endowment funds that could well be applied to student money packages. Money aid knowledgeable Mark Kantrowitz stated, “…Harvard might afford in order to actually make tuition free.. ” in reality, Harvard’s endowment alone topped $31.7 billion in 2011. Yes, virtually 32 billion.

It’s of note that not all in this cash might well be made liquid overnight. And, Davidson College too had in order to actually make a vast effort in raising money for his or her endowments in order to actually make the move from the loans to grants. However it is certainly a step in the very best direction.

I’ve been thinking a whole lot about this – and that i got a few humble ideas of my very own to throw within the combine. Take ‘em or leave ‘em – i’d rather be a neighborhood of serving to to solve this growing problem than always heap fuel within the fire. 

Therefore, here’s my actions to actually take help eliminate student loan debt or defray the prices.

Additional co-ops.

 I first learned all about Kettering University about 6 years ago whereas operating to have an employer who helped sponsor its co-op program. Now, here’s a good plan that really desires that ought to be explored additional by different colleges/universities. A company/or organization sponsors or perhaps pays a student to labor directly at their side whereas they actually are attending the school. Typically times the things they pay the student, will help defray the prices of the schooling. I apprehend several do the work – however why aren’t additional firms concerned in schools like this? And – on-the-job coaching is a lot better than the student can fall into the books! To me – this could be a win-win situation. The employer wins by molding a future employee and of course the student wins by obtaining a few (or all) of the tuition purchased and gets equipped to produce a career.

Move learning on-line.

 Loads of universities are now offering their programs and categories for free on-line. During this digital age, you don’t have to actually be compelled to meet because we are part of a brick and mortar building anymore. This can be ( I think ) the largest threat to traditional higher learning today- the net. Much of one's prices of attending school could well be eliminated if students were to learn on-line. There could be no massive overhead of maintaining buildings and grounds. I realize social life could be a big half of one's college experience – however it conjointly tends that ought to be an enormous distraction. Probably students might graduate prior to 4 years – through self-paced on-line learning?

Additional incentives for giving.

Whereas I may well be crossing the political lines here – I think there may be something in the plan of giving incentives to those who provide generously. I say – produce additional tax breaks to those who provide to colleges/universities. We have out to be compelled to be encouraging gifts by lone people and corporations to offset government funding of state schools.

Sponsorships.

 My last plan – but slightly additional far-out – is for schools to have a “sponsorship-type” page on the internet sites of the students. Every student would got a “page” that will be visible in the community during which you are able to learn about they actually are'>what they're studying and also their goals. Someone might then elect to “sponsor” a student and also their time in school giving a one-time /or monthly gift. Maybe this could be similar in the successful kick starter model.

Game: FINANCIAL + EDUCATION = Having Fun

 Let's look another type of education,
~FINANCIAL EDUCATION~

When I do my routine to look for it, I found out that the "financial education" is closed related with "financial literacy". Hmm... I guess it makes sense, even though I can not express it in words.

In the previous post, I learn about the development of babies and their learning style. So, I want to take a peak on "financial education for kids". Well, because of the subject is kids, and I know as a kid I learn by having fun.

Let's lurking and find something fun....

 GAME
Come and try a game on financial...
I had tried a financial game and I found out that I'm having fun and I'm learning. At first, I have no idea about balance sheet or any thing related with financial. I just know about spending money.
^_^

Here's the talk about "learning by doing" in financial literacy's game.

Check it out.

 “Learn by doing” is usually taken to mean that the most beneficial method to grasp one thing is by creating an activity out of them available. Interaction helps the brain develop. Reading and lectures will help with the learning progress, other than the ideal path to improving education is active, instead of passive. Recent studies have shown that youngsters who play video games are likely to be a lot of creative than those who don’t. Video games force you in order to firmly make selections, participating your brain on multiple levels, together with planning, reasoning and problem solving. Selection happens to actually be the spice of life, plus your brain desires a type of mental exercise activities to grow. 


On-line monetary literacy games activate your brain
On-line monetary literacy games tackle a awfully pressing matter: the poor state of monetary education in your country. Just 13 states have monetary literacy categories that your childhood students are needed taking so you can graduate. A 2010 survey from the national foundation for credit counseling found that 56% of respondents don’t got a budget, and 5% don’t keep track of the spending. This country desires higher monetary education, particularly for students who definitely are quickly approaching adulthood and monetary independence. Fortunately, there may be a couple of tech-savvy firms and establishments dedicated to increasing monetary literacy in young folks. They will help kids, teens and young adults develop monetary skills with games that encourage quick thinking and decision-making.

Fun, not boring
You can be skeptical. How might learning about finance be fun? While there may be a few on-line education games which are lacking within the fun department, these games win points for breaking the mildew. They will have actual storylines and nice production values, and then they will manage to make it easier to learn important cash management skills while not creating you appears like you’re because we are part of a classroom. Whether or not they’re solving a case of investment fraud, running a vampire nightclub, making a career in show business, or participating because we are part of a complete virtual world, students can learn how monetary concepts impact their daily life. But not all of them games are for students: a few the strategies have content for shoppers of all ages. Check out our picks for best on-line monetary literacy games, and then judge how financially literate you can.

Most addictive games: monetary entertainment – doorways to dreams fund ( D2D )
D2D fund is dedicated to improving monetary capability. They will create monetary entertainment in order to firmly make finance, well, entertaining! They will got a series of addicting games, all of that impart monetary education because we are part of a fun and unique method. Bite club puts you in charge the most vampire nightclub and challenges you in order to firmly make yours the hottest spot in town, therefore you'll be able to save up in exchange for eternal retirement. Celebrity calamity delivers the hard job of managing celebrity credit cards and spending. Their monetary security rests within your hands. In farm blitz, you should take care of one's farm by planting crops and watching out for monetary troublemakers like rabbits that destroy your crops. Groove nation provides you with the use of a limited budget and you should realize a secret to fund your dream of winning a dance competition. Refund rush delivers the capability to form your customers’ future being a tax adviser. The facility of wealth is within your hands. The flip side of mindless, these games challenge your brain plus your reflexes.


Most complete virtual life : Mindblown life – Mindblown labs
Ever wished to live a virtual life ? Mindblown labs, an educational technology company, wish to support you develop money responsibility through an immersive social game. Mindblown life can provide you with real-life money knowledge since you build a lifestyle from the bottom up. Choose an avatar, select a profession, and produce your procedure to the highest ( or bottom ) by creating crucial selections to earn additional cash, skills and name. With Mindblown life, everything comes right all the way down to you—where you live, whatever you pay your cash on, and exactly how well you are doing at your job. You'll be able to chat with real-life friends, go anywhere and do pretty much something ( simply don’t forget to maintain yourself, as a result of even your virtual self wants food ). Did we mention that it's an excellent soundtrack ? Mindblown every day the world is a full-scale virtual reality that works to elevate to firmly a money wiz.

Make yourself a star: show business: the economics of entertainment – federal reserve bank of Boston
Will you dream of turning into a significant victory? "The Syrian regime has movie star? How a few famous pop star? The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston provides you the capability to live those dream with show business: the economics of entertainment. You'll be able to “climb the charts” or see what every day the world is like as “another action hero”. You'll be able to choose a character and follow the storyline, all whereas learning relating to actually the history and economics behind the music and film markets. Or you'll be able to play educational mini-games, watch animated videos or check out alternative fun resources. You'll be able to conjointly play against alternative players in the multiplayer choice. If you’re even more of sports fan, you'll be able to attempt peanuts & crackerjacks, a game that tests you on economics and sports trivia. You’ll be dropping knowledge on friends and family very fast.

Elevate to firmly a savings king: mad cash – it’s my life ( PBS kids )
With mad cash, it’s my life challenges you out to actually save up regarding the all things you love. Choose an item you actually need, like tickets to the concert, or maybe a video game system. You get 30 “days”, or playtime units, to earn cash, pay for things you wish, and save up for your ultimate goal. See if you do in fact will keep up together with your finances and still afford that one special gift. It’s my life, by pbs kids, provides youngsters an opportunity to learn savings skills, whereas conjointly using their brains to facilitate make robust cash management selections.

“Coolest” world : sand dollar town – Doughmain
Enter an underwater world full of mystery with sand dollar town. You're given the family candy store, and it's up to you out to actually help obtain the store away from debt. Fight back against the kelp king, look for ingredients, and meet a solid of colorful characters, all while learning mini-games that provide lessons in cash management, credit, resource coordination and investing for the longer term. Doughmain was founded upon the principle of family management and money education. These use organizing tools, cash games, and social media to assist families and kids develop money smarts.

Best mystery: fraud scene investigator presents suitable investments – North American securities administrators association
The crime is fraud, and currently you are Kim, fraud scene investigator regarding the securities commission. It’s up to you out to actually discover the fact behind a million dollar investment scam. You’ll determine investment terms, learn about consumer fraud, and search the net for company info to build the case. This game is perfect for mystery fans that need the possibility that ought to be a heroic crime-solver. And by enjoying along, you’ll conjointly learn investment terms, learn how to evaluate a company’s balance and income statements, learn how to utilize securities regulator services, and exactly how to examine a company’s stock chart and trading activity. The North American securities administrators association offers educators a fun procedure to teach money literacy with fraud scene investigator.

Babies: Learning by Playing

For me, learning really close connected with education...
So, now I want to look for about learning, especially "how a baby learn". Browsing using google and get several result as "learn to be human", "learn to talk", etc.

The one that I really love to read is "babies learning by playing".
The writer makes a list of the babies development in one year and what play that good for them.
Here what she talks about...

Due to moment they're born, babies love to play. Other then how do you opt for the ideal toy or game in exchange for infant ? Here's what to expect developmentally within your baby's first year and the very best toys and games for every stage.

0 to 1 month
Our baby's views extends to simply beyond arms distance ; he will be able to see colours other then prefers high contrasts. 
Palmar grasp reflex occurs, and he's going to clench something you set in her hands. 
He listens to acquainted voices as hearing develops.
 
Tools for play :
Babies are curious about moms or dads face, simple black-and-white drawings of different faces, black-and-white geometric pictures ( for distinction ), and toys who may be quite straightforward to grasp, inclusive of skinny, sleek rings. At this early stage, the very best game might merely be interacting with another person, says Susan Mcquiston, Ph.d., a pediatric psychologist at Baystate medical center childrens hospital, in Springfield, Massachusetts. Keep shut ensuring that your baby will specialize in you. To encourage him to recognize your voice, talk and sing to him, even when you’re not enjoying with him directly. He’ll learn how to track you by eye and ear. Holding your baby inside an infant carrier allows him you get the comforting sounds of each your voice plus your acquainted heartbeat whereas hes obtaining utilized the globe, in line with Diane Wiessinger, a lactation consultant in Ithaca, New York.

2 to 3 months
Your baby begins to exert management over her limbs and shall repeat movements that bring her pleasure.
By the tip as out to the third month, she might develop hand-eye coordination.

Tools for play:
watching and interacting with moving objects helps your baby achieve these developmental milestones, therefore mobiles and gyms that dangle on top of her are ideal. Once your baby will pull herself up, though, mobiles and gyms might well be a hazard, therefore certain to make sure you take away them from her crib. Gyms conjointly encourage your baby to swipe at things, increasing her management over her body and her world, says Cindy Deluca, a physical-therapist assistant at Baystate medical center.

Whereas she’s on her stomach, hold black-and-white puppets with mouths that move or colorful toys that make soft, gentle sounds simply outside your baby’s field of views to encourage her to elevate her head, says Shelley Velleman, Ph. D., a clinical linguist with the university of Massachusetts at Amherst. Practicing these lifts strengthens your baby’s neck, chest, and rib-cage muscles, which should help her develop the respiration patterns shell have to firmly be compelled to talk.

4 to 6 months
Your baby’s mouth becomes his main tool for exploration. Besides putting everything into it, he's excited by the sounds it could produce.
He's turning into additional physically active and starting to socialize additional.

Tools for play:
Exploring with his mouth is a good manner in exchange for baby to learn, therefore let him do this as much as they possibly can. Make certain all items he mouths are clean -- and too giant being a choking hazard. Though your baby is months from the cutting his first tooth, teething toys because we are part of a sort of shapes, textures, and tastes are glorious now. Rolling a ball within your baby is a good secret to challenge him physically, says Deluca. Social games, inclusive of peekaboo, begin at about 5 months. 

7 to 9 months
Your baby starts scooting, creeping, and crawling. He takes the initiative and enjoys influencing his environment.
The pincer grasp develops, allowing your baby to take small objects.
He begins to comprehend words and could bring his hands along.

Tools for play:
At this stage, oldsters face additional challenges than ever before. Suddenly, your baby sees everything within the whole house being a potential toy and the very first time in 2011 for a first, he is well known regarding his the ability to find it, says Nanci Weinberger, ph. D., an associate professor of psychology at Bryant college, in Smithfield, Rhode island. His new pincer grasp conjointly allows him to take small objects. Acquire the VCR wires and therefore the cat food from the manner, as well as offer enticing alternatives, she adds. Your baby can also be ready to recognize acquainted words who may be spoken to him. Simple games and board, foam, or cloth books are appealing. Produce games using repeated words and actions, or lay out objects around your baby because we are part of a semicircle and request, where’s the comb spoon/bagel ?

Capture your child’s attention utilizing a non-breakable mirror placed at crawling height. You could realize that he talks towards the mirror more of the time than for your requirements.

Dropping, throwing, or banging things is likewise nice fun right away, as a result of these actions manufacture immediate effects. You'll be able to obtain toys to get this purpose, or you'll be able to simply hand over a few pots and pans and watch your baby delight within the whole noise that he are able to firmly make ! Conjointly sensible : games like pat-a-cake and, toward the tip in this age vary, a simple hide-and-seek with objects.

10 to 12 months
Your baby's sense of balance has greatly improved; she might even be cruising or walking.
Her perceptual, language, and fine motor skills increase.
She begins imitative play.

Tools for play:
now your baby will specialize in mastering fine motor skills. A favorite game is dump and fill, says Deluca. Provide your child crates crammed with something you don’t mind having dumped. Take advantage of her interest in putting things in containers, and teach her to shut down. Encourage perceptual skills by offering nesting cups and stacking rings (though most babies wont acquire the order right for one more six months or therefore ). Finger and hand games emphasizing language are big hits; strive itsy bitsy spider and therefore the wheels upon the bus. Says dr. Weinberger, babies cant very sing the songs, other then your singing helps them recognize acquainted words and encourages them into strive to mention many.

Close to 12 months, your baby can enjoy imitative play with toy phones, dolls, and animals. Shell conjointly incorporate you additional into her play, notes dr. Mcquiston, and shall begin using toys as tools -- pounding pegs into holes utilizing a block, by way of example, or propping a stuffed animal under her dolls head to produce a pillow.

Curious on Definition of EDUCATION

I'm a little bit curious about the definition of "education"...
 
So, I look up "education" with www.google.com and the first result is the article from www.wikipedia.com
It consists of various articles that related to education itself. But the one that I highlight is the first paragraph of the article.

Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, or research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of others, but may also be autodidactic.^[1] Any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational.

I really love the third sentence in that paragraph.


Really... because for me, that is the most common knowledge or I can say as the one that easiest to understand.

Then I take a look for another article, and I get this one.
I hope you like it. 

Recently, a university professor wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. He commented that people shouldn't put too much weight on the recently released trends in SRA scores of the state's high school students. The professor went on to describe some of the unanswered questions about the nature and value of assessment. He mentioned that one of the problems with assessment was the ongoing disagreement on the very purpose of education.

A few days later, a scathing response was printed from a community member who questioned whether the University really wanted someone on their staff who didn't even know the purpose of education. Clearly, this person assumed that his definition of education was shared by all. What is the purpose of education? Do we find it in the definition of the word "education"—or is it something more?

Webster defines education as "the process of educating or teaching." Hmmm. Not particularly useful, is it. Educate is further defined as "to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of…" Thus, from these definitions, we might assume that education means to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of students. But this definition offers little unless we further define words such as develop, knowledge, and character.

What is knowledge? Many think of it as a body of information that exists "out there"—the results or products of human thought processes that have taken on a life of their own. In this view, Knowledge…with a capitol K…is the sum total of facts, truths, laws, principles, and ideas that man has produced. Human history is also considered Knowledge, although the accepted version varies from culture to culture. Codified in language, this Knowledge has been accumulated in books and other storage devices over the ages.

If we look at the standards and benchmarks that have been developed by many states—or at E. D. Hirsch's list of information needed for "Cultural Literacy", we realize how robust this definition of Knowledge is. In this definition, "developing the Knowledge…of the student" is conceputalized as "giving" them these facts, truths, laws, principles, ideas, and history. This in spite of considerable research suggesting that knowledge is not "out there," but arises in the mind of an individual when that person interacts with the world.

This is hardly a new argument. In ancient Greece, Socrates argued that education was about drawing out what was already within the student. "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." (As many of you know, the word education comes from the Latin e-ducere meaning "to lead out.") At the same time, the Sophists, a group of itinerant teachers, promised to give students the necessary knowledge and skills to gain positions with the city-state.

So what is education…really???

There is a dangerous tendency to assume that when people use the same words to describe a situation, they perceive that situation in the same way. This is rarely the case. Once we get beyond a dictionary definition that is often of little practical value, the meaning we assign to a word is actually an expression of a belief, not an absolute fact.

How would you complete the statement, "The purpose of education is..."? If you ask five of your fellow teachers to complete that sentence, it is likely that you'll have five different statements. Some will place the focus on knowledge, some on learning, some on the teacher, and others on the development of the student. Yet people's beliefs in the purpose of education lie at the heart of their teaching behaviors.

Despite what the letter writer might have wished, there is no definition of education that is agreed upon by all, or even most, educators. The meanings they attach to the word are complex beliefs arising from their own values and experiences. To the extent that those beliefs differ, how likely is it that we can "standardize" what and how students learn? Worse, many educators have never been asked to state their beliefs—or even to reflect on what they believe. At the very least, teachers owe it to their students to bring their definitions into consciousness and examine them for validity.

To make matters more complicated, theorists have made a distinction between the purpose of education and the functions of education. A purpose is the fundamental goal of the process—an end to be achieved. Functions are other outcomes that may occur as a natural result of the process—byproducts or consequences of schooling. For example, some teachers believe that the transmission of knowledge is the primary purpose of education, while the transfer of knowledge from school to the real world is something that happens without effort as a consequence of possessing that knowledge—a function of education.

Because a purpose is an expressed goal, more effort is put into attaining it. It becomes a part of the explicit and official curriculum. Because functions are assumed to occur without directed effort, they are often ignored during instruction, particularly when time is an issue. It is, therefore, critical to determine which outcomes you consider a fundamental purpose of education. Which of the following do you actually include in your planning?

Acquisition of information about the past and present: includes traditional disciplines such as literature, history, science, mathematics    
Formation of healthy social and/or formal relationships among and between students, teachers, others
Capacity/ability to evaluate information and to predict future outcomes (decision-making)    
Capacity/ability to seek out alternative solutions and evaluate them (problem solving)
Development of mental and physical skills: motor, thinking, communication, social, aesthetic    
Knowledge of moral practices and ethical standards acceptable by society/culture
Capacity/ability to recognize and evaluate different points of view    
Respect: giving and receiving recognition as human beings
Indoctrination into the culture    
Capacity/ability to live a fulfilling life
Capacity/ability to earn a living: career education    
Sense of well-being: mental and physical health
Capacity/ability to be a good citizen    
Capacity/ability to think creatively
Cultural appreciation: art, music, humanities    
Understanding of human relations and motivations
Acquisition/clarification of values related to the physical environment    Acquisition/clarification of personal values
Self-realization/self-reflection: awareness of one's abilities and goals    
Self-esteem/self-efficacy

The list could, of course, be longer. This is but a first step in recognizing what you as an educator believe you are, or should be, accomplishing. As Tom Peters reminds us, "What gets measured, gets done." Regardless of high-sounding rhetoric about the development of the total child, it is the content of assessments that largely drives education. How is the capacity/ability to think creatively assessed in today's schools? To what extent is the typical student recognized and given respect? How often are students given the opportunity to recognize and evaluate different points of view when multiple choice tests require a single 'correct' answer? What is a "good citizen" and how does one acquire the ability to be one?

Teachers who hold a more humanistic view of the purpose of education often experience stress because the meaning they assign to education differs greatly from the meaning assigned by their institution or policy makers. It is clear in listening to the language of education that its current primary focus is on knowledge and teaching rather than on the learner. In short, students are expected to conform to schools rather than schools serving the needs of students.

Taking time to identify and agree upon a fundamental purpose or purposes of education is rare. One sees nebulous statements in school mission statements, but they are often of the "Mom, baseball, and apple pie" variety—glittering generalities that offer little substance on which to build a school culture. Creating meaningful and lasting change in education is unlikely without revisiting and evaluating this basic definition of education in light of research and changing priorities. At the very least, educators must be challenged to identify and examine their beliefs.

It is time for the focus of education to shift from what's "out there—the curriculum, assessments, classroom arrangement, books, computers—to the fundamental assumptions about and definitions of education held by educators and policymakers. NASA did not send men to the moon by building on the chassis of a model T. In the same way, education cannot hope to move beyond its present state on the chassis of 18th century education.

The Reason: Why am I...

"Hello world..." is the main idea of this article because it's my first post from many posts in the future (well, I hope so \\^_^//).

The blog tittle is "Wonderful in Education", so you can assume that this blog will be about "Education" and "Wonderful" things about it.
As in the reason, maybe because of my upbringing where my father and mother are teachers. So, things about "education" or "learning" are familiar. Moreover, I really love to learn many things. So, here it goes... 
I make this blog in order to learn and to share with anyone who has similar passions.

I hope, I can make it into wonderful blog, where we can learn about many wonderful things in education...

Thanks for reading this introduction, I hope it's will be one of many posts to come.
See you...