This blog http://coolgooglemaps.blogspot.com is dedicated to interesting and cool google maps/mashups!
It is very similar to this one http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/
Can't decide wich one was first or wich one is better.
There is one very usefull site
http://map.spieslike.us/school.php
that will help you to find a nearby school!
You can also help to find missing person using
http://map.spieslike.us/missingpersons.php
read more | digg story
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Saturday, December 03, 2005
An ocean current in the North Atlantic is getting weaker
Those who worry about climate change worry about many things: rising temperatures, rising sea levels, changes in rainfall, stronger storms and now this!
So... Gulf Stream now becomes Atlantic El Nino (aka La Ninia) ?
read more | digg story
So... Gulf Stream now becomes Atlantic El Nino (aka La Ninia) ?
read more | digg story
Learn to solve the "Rubik's Cube"
A very colorful, easy, and descriptive tutorial on how to solve the Rubik's Cube.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Using simulated annealing to solve the traveling salesman problem
Simulated annealing is an artificial intelligence technique that can be used to solve the traveling salesman problem. This page uses an applet to demonstrate simulated annealing. Full Java source code is included.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Computer History - from B.C. to today
Computer History from the abacus to Ebay acquiring Skype.
Pretty Interesting. Just click the dates at the right
read more | digg story
Pretty Interesting. Just click the dates at the right
read more | digg story
Hundreds of Free Textbooks on one website
This is a collection of free textbooks from around the web. The site is non-commercial, easy to browse or search, and has links to hundreds of free books and educational sites in a variety of subjects. Users can leave reviews of the books in the registration-free comment fields.Enjoy!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
ReserveMy.com: Hotel Search Integration with Google Maps
ReserveMy.com makes hotel search and booking based on a street map integration with Google Maps.
Similar integration of Google Maps and real estate listings from craigslist.org was done by famous housingmaps.com and trulia.com.
It's awesome looking and incredibly useful! Enjoy!
read more | digg story
Similar integration of Google Maps and real estate listings from craigslist.org was done by famous housingmaps.com and trulia.com.
It's awesome looking and incredibly useful! Enjoy!
read more | digg story
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Brontobyte and rumors about Nisababyte
Here is handy table
1 bit = a binary digit
8 bits = 1 byte
1000 bytes = 1 kilobyte
1000 kilobytes = 1 megabyte
1000 megabytes = 1 gigabyte
One gigabyte of information - about a quarter of the memory of an iPod mini - is the equivalent of a pick-up truck load of paper.
1000 gigabytes = 1 terabyte
1000 terabytes = 1 petabyte
1000 petabytes = 1 exabyte
1000 exabytes = 1 zettabyte
1000 zettabytes = 1 yottabyte
1000 yottabytes = 1 brontobyte
1000 brontobytes = 1 geopbyte or is it 1 nisababyte?
1000 geopbytes = is what?
There are rumors on the web that
nisababyte is 1000 brontobytes and a zotzabyte = 1000 nisababytes.
Not sure about it... Any better ideas?
And those who insist that
1 Byte = 8 Bit
1 Kilobyte = 1024 Bytes
1 Megabyte = 1048576 Bytes
1 Gigabyte = 1073741824 Bytes
can use this byte converter.
1 bit = a binary digit
8 bits = 1 byte
1000 bytes = 1 kilobyte
1000 kilobytes = 1 megabyte
1000 megabytes = 1 gigabyte
One gigabyte of information - about a quarter of the memory of an iPod mini - is the equivalent of a pick-up truck load of paper.
1000 gigabytes = 1 terabyte
1000 terabytes = 1 petabyte
1000 petabytes = 1 exabyte
1000 exabytes = 1 zettabyte
1000 zettabytes = 1 yottabyte
1000 yottabytes = 1 brontobyte
1000 brontobytes = 1 geopbyte or is it 1 nisababyte?
1000 geopbytes = is what?
There are rumors on the web that
nisababyte is 1000 brontobytes and a zotzabyte = 1000 nisababytes.
Not sure about it... Any better ideas?
And those who insist that
1 Byte = 8 Bit
1 Kilobyte = 1024 Bytes
1 Megabyte = 1048576 Bytes
1 Gigabyte = 1073741824 Bytes
can use this byte converter.
Math That Makes You Go Wow
For the most part it is site about Moebius Band and Klein Bottle. Very well done!
A Multi-Disciplinary Exploration of Non-Orientable Surfaces
Written and designed by Margaret Boittin, Erin Callahan, David Goldberg, and Jacob Remes for Math 195a at Yale University. December 1998.
A Multi-Disciplinary Exploration of Non-Orientable Surfaces
Written and designed by Margaret Boittin, Erin Callahan, David Goldberg, and Jacob Remes for Math 195a at Yale University. December 1998.
All things Google...
Good starting point is Google Cheatsheet.
More helpful hints on how to use Google.
Search your own PC using Google
Search your own webpage using Google
Seems not working on blogspot... Am I wrong?
Unofficial gmail FAQ
Use gmail account as network drive!
Want to warn you that network drive is experimental software and not official Google service.
Very funny blog about google
Googlefight! Find out what is more popular search on Google.
Simply awesome TouchGraph Google Browser
And finally financial information: search google using stocks:GOOG
More helpful hints on how to use Google.
Search your own PC using Google
Search your own webpage using Google
Seems not working on blogspot... Am I wrong?
Unofficial gmail FAQ
Use gmail account as network drive!
Want to warn you that network drive is experimental software and not official Google service.
Very funny blog about google
Googlefight! Find out what is more popular search on Google.
Simply awesome TouchGraph Google Browser
And finally financial information: search google using stocks:GOOG
The Mathematics of Tsunamis
The simplest theory of water waves that reasonably approximates the behavior of real ocean waves is the system of coupled partial differential equations known as the shallow water wave equations.
What happens when tsunamis surpass the speed of sound?
Newscientist on tsunami
What happens when tsunamis surpass the speed of sound?
Newscientist on tsunami
Friday, January 14, 2005
Zeno's Paradox of Motion
The Dichotomy: There is no motion, because that which is moved must arrive at the middle before it arrives at the end, and so on ad infinitum.
The Achilles: The slower will never be overtaken by the quicker, for that which is pursuing must first reach the point from which that which is fleeing started, so that the slower must always be some distance ahead.
The Arrow: If everything is either at rest or moving when it occupies a space equal to itself, while the object moved is always in the instant, a moving arrow is unmoved.
The Stadium: Consider two rows of bodies, each composed of an equal number of bodies of equal size. They pass each other as they travel with equal velocity in opposite directions. Thus, half a time is equal to the whole time.
And the solution is ...
Series and Convergence
Deconstructing Infinity: An Analysis of Zeno's Paradox
The Achilles: The slower will never be overtaken by the quicker, for that which is pursuing must first reach the point from which that which is fleeing started, so that the slower must always be some distance ahead.
The Arrow: If everything is either at rest or moving when it occupies a space equal to itself, while the object moved is always in the instant, a moving arrow is unmoved.
The Stadium: Consider two rows of bodies, each composed of an equal number of bodies of equal size. They pass each other as they travel with equal velocity in opposite directions. Thus, half a time is equal to the whole time.
And the solution is ...
Series and Convergence
Deconstructing Infinity: An Analysis of Zeno's Paradox
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Sample interview questions for teaching candidates
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Do you consider yourself a risk taker?
What do you want to do with your life?
What is the last book you read?
Are you an empathetic person?
How can you tell that a person is a good listener?
Are you an objective person?
Some people say you should demand respect. Do you agree or disagree?
Do you believe you should build rapport with students? If yes, how?
How would you rank these in importance and why? Planning, discipline, methods, evaluation.
If a student said she thought you were the worst teacher she ever had, what would you say?
If a student came to you and said, "None of the other students like me," what would you tell him/her?
It is the first day of class, you are writing something on the board and a paper wad hits you in the back, what would you do? Later the same day, if all the students drop their pencils, what do you do?
How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
How do you feel if a student does not meet a deadline?
How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn?
How do you feel about computers in the classroom?
If I were your principal and we were setting goals for next year, what would they be?
What is the role of the principal? Does a conflict exist between your perception of a principal's role and his/her role as your evaluator?
If you could create the ideal school, what would it be like?
Do you consider yourself a risk taker?
What do you want to do with your life?
What is the last book you read?
Are you an empathetic person?
How can you tell that a person is a good listener?
Are you an objective person?
Some people say you should demand respect. Do you agree or disagree?
Do you believe you should build rapport with students? If yes, how?
How would you rank these in importance and why? Planning, discipline, methods, evaluation.
If a student said she thought you were the worst teacher she ever had, what would you say?
If a student came to you and said, "None of the other students like me," what would you tell him/her?
It is the first day of class, you are writing something on the board and a paper wad hits you in the back, what would you do? Later the same day, if all the students drop their pencils, what do you do?
How do you feel about noise in the classroom? How do you handle noise in the classroom?
How do you feel if a student does not meet a deadline?
How do you encourage students to learn? Can a student be forced to learn?
How do you feel about computers in the classroom?
If I were your principal and we were setting goals for next year, what would they be?
What is the role of the principal? Does a conflict exist between your perception of a principal's role and his/her role as your evaluator?
If you could create the ideal school, what would it be like?
jsMath: A method of including Mathematics in Web Pages
The jsMath provides a method of including mathematics in HTML pages.
It works across multiple browsers for both Windows and the Macintosh.
jsMath uses native fonts, so they resize when you change the size of the text in your browser, they print at the full resolution of your printer, and you don't have to wait for dozens of images to be downloaded in order to see the mathematics in a web page. Complex Analysis Examples.
More jsMath Examples.
I'll give it a try on this blog a bit later...
To be sure there are other options as well....
An XHTML + MathML + SVG Profile
Backwards Compatibility
For HTML 4, SVG drawings can be embedded using the 'object' element. The following example shows how to use the 'object' element to include an SVG drawing via a URL reference with an image serving as the alternate representation in the absence of an SVG user agent:
<--!html>
<--!body>
<--!object type="image/svg+xml" data="drawing.svg">
<--!The contents of the 'object' element (i.e., an alternate image) are drawn in the event the user agent cannot process the SVG drawing. >
<--!img src="alternate_image.jpg" alt="alternate description">
<--!/object>
<--!/body>
<--!/html>
SVG Tutorial: Maths Limited version
It works across multiple browsers for both Windows and the Macintosh.
jsMath uses native fonts, so they resize when you change the size of the text in your browser, they print at the full resolution of your printer, and you don't have to wait for dozens of images to be downloaded in order to see the mathematics in a web page. Complex Analysis Examples.
More jsMath Examples.
I'll give it a try on this blog a bit later...
To be sure there are other options as well....
An XHTML + MathML + SVG Profile
Backwards Compatibility
For HTML 4, SVG drawings can be embedded using the 'object' element. The following example shows how to use the 'object' element to include an SVG drawing via a URL reference with an image serving as the alternate representation in the absence of an SVG user agent:
<--!html>
<--!body>
<--!object type="image/svg+xml" data="drawing.svg">
<--!The contents of the 'object' element (i.e., an alternate image) are drawn in the event the user agent cannot process the SVG drawing. >
<--!img src="alternate_image.jpg" alt="alternate description">
<--!/object>
<--!/body>
<--!/html>
SVG Tutorial: Maths Limited version
Monday, January 10, 2005
Interview question: "Tell me about Parent-Teacher Conferencing"
Why have Parent-Teacher conferences?
Report cards fall short in informing parents for obvious reasons.
You learn about student's parents
Best opportunity you have to cooperate with parents and to resolve any problems kid might have.
Learn more from this book: Teacher-Parent Interviews, by Grace Langdon and Irving W. Stout, Prentice-Hall.
Report cards fall short in informing parents for obvious reasons.
You learn about student's parents
Best opportunity you have to cooperate with parents and to resolve any problems kid might have.
Learn more from this book: Teacher-Parent Interviews, by Grace Langdon and Irving W. Stout, Prentice-Hall.
Interview question: "What are three major class room rules for students?"
Another popular question: "What are three major class room rules for students? And what are consequences of violating them?"
Rule number one:
Rise your hand if you want to talk. You loose your turn to talk if you violate this rule.
Rule number two:
Follow the directions of the teacher the first time they are given.
Rule number three:
everybody in the classroom are to be treated with courtesy and no words or actions intended to cause anyone harm will be allowed.
Consequences
First Step - Verbal warning
Second Step - Hold after class for conference with teacher
Third Step - Parent contact, detention after school with teacher
Fourth Step - Referral to the assistant principal for discipline
Fifth Step - Immediate exclusion from class and referral to the office
Serious offenses like refusal to follow the instructions of the teacher or acts of violence will be immediately excluded from the classroom.
Good behavior and academic performance will be noted by:
Verbal praise - we all like to hear about it when things to well!
Phone calls to parents - calls from the teacher should not always mean bad news.
Positive post cards to parents
Fun days - days or time for student chosen activities.
===================
Ideas for Classroom Rules from Melissa Kelly
1. Come to class on time. Standing outside the door and rushing in after the bell has begun to ring will constitute a tardy. You must be INSIDE the door when it begins ringing to be counted on time.
2. Begin the start up activity within 1 minute after the tardy bell. Directions will be on the projection screen or the board. Please do not wait for me to remind you to begin since I need to take roll and attend to other duties for the first few minutes of the period. When I begin class, directions for the start up may be taken down, so don't delay.
3. Attend to personal needs before coming to class. I have been instructed not to give passes to lockers and to limit passes, so please do not ask for a pass unless you have a true emergency.
4. Remain in your assigned seat unless you have permission to get up . Throw scraps away at the end of the period on your way out.
5. Do not eat candy or other food in class unless you have been given special permission. School sponsored sales will be permitted during the last 5 minutes of class IF we are finished with the lesson and permission is granted. Be sure to ask first.
6. Bring required materials every day unless you are otherwise directed.
7. Talk only when permitted. Be aware of the situation since quiet talking is allowed in some situations and speaking to the entire group without raising your hand may be allowed in others. I will remind you once and expect compliance.
8. Use polite speech and body language. Unkind teasing and impolite behavior is unacceptable. Please do not ask to step outside to spit.
9. Do not cheat. Students caught cheating will receive a zero and a phone call home. Both the student who shares his work for an independent assignment AND the person who copies it will suffer the same consequences. I expect you to do your own work and to be sure no one can copy it.
10. Follow the teacher's directions immediately. Keep me happy and I'll do a better job for you!
========================
Or even better! Let students make the rules!
Rule number one:
Rise your hand if you want to talk. You loose your turn to talk if you violate this rule.
Rule number two:
Follow the directions of the teacher the first time they are given.
Rule number three:
everybody in the classroom are to be treated with courtesy and no words or actions intended to cause anyone harm will be allowed.
Consequences
First Step - Verbal warning
Second Step - Hold after class for conference with teacher
Third Step - Parent contact, detention after school with teacher
Fourth Step - Referral to the assistant principal for discipline
Fifth Step - Immediate exclusion from class and referral to the office
Serious offenses like refusal to follow the instructions of the teacher or acts of violence will be immediately excluded from the classroom.
Good behavior and academic performance will be noted by:
Verbal praise - we all like to hear about it when things to well!
Phone calls to parents - calls from the teacher should not always mean bad news.
Positive post cards to parents
Fun days - days or time for student chosen activities.
===================
Ideas for Classroom Rules from Melissa Kelly
1. Come to class on time. Standing outside the door and rushing in after the bell has begun to ring will constitute a tardy. You must be INSIDE the door when it begins ringing to be counted on time.
2. Begin the start up activity within 1 minute after the tardy bell. Directions will be on the projection screen or the board. Please do not wait for me to remind you to begin since I need to take roll and attend to other duties for the first few minutes of the period. When I begin class, directions for the start up may be taken down, so don't delay.
3. Attend to personal needs before coming to class. I have been instructed not to give passes to lockers and to limit passes, so please do not ask for a pass unless you have a true emergency.
4. Remain in your assigned seat unless you have permission to get up . Throw scraps away at the end of the period on your way out.
5. Do not eat candy or other food in class unless you have been given special permission. School sponsored sales will be permitted during the last 5 minutes of class IF we are finished with the lesson and permission is granted. Be sure to ask first.
6. Bring required materials every day unless you are otherwise directed.
7. Talk only when permitted. Be aware of the situation since quiet talking is allowed in some situations and speaking to the entire group without raising your hand may be allowed in others. I will remind you once and expect compliance.
8. Use polite speech and body language. Unkind teasing and impolite behavior is unacceptable. Please do not ask to step outside to spit.
9. Do not cheat. Students caught cheating will receive a zero and a phone call home. Both the student who shares his work for an independent assignment AND the person who copies it will suffer the same consequences. I expect you to do your own work and to be sure no one can copy it.
10. Follow the teacher's directions immediately. Keep me happy and I'll do a better job for you!
========================
Or even better! Let students make the rules!
Interview question: "What is your grading system?"
Here is a popular interview question: "What is your grading system?"
I prefer total point grading system. Need to elaborate on this here....
A+ Highest passing grade 4.0
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
D- Lowest passing grade 0.7
P Passing -
S Satisfactory -
F Failure 0.0
W Withdrawn -
I Incomplete -
R Deferred Grade -
NC No Credit -
NR No grade received -
NY Signifies enrollment in a special program for which credit earned will be recorded when completed.
I prefer total point grading system. Need to elaborate on this here....
A+ Highest passing grade 4.0
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
D- Lowest passing grade 0.7
P Passing -
S Satisfactory -
F Failure 0.0
W Withdrawn -
I Incomplete -
R Deferred Grade -
NC No Credit -
NR No grade received -
NY Signifies enrollment in a special program for which credit earned will be recorded when completed.
NSF funded Math Curricula
Elementary Curricula
ARC, the Alternatives for Rebuilding Curricula Center is a collaboration between COMAP, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications and the three National Science Foundation supported elementary mathematics curriculum projects:
Everyday Mathematics developed at the University of Chicago.
Investigations in Number, Data, and Space
Math Trailblazers
Middle-School Curricula
Implementation Center, The Show-me center works with four NSF-sponsored middle grades mathematics curriculum development Satellite Centers (University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, University of Montana, and Educational Development Center)
High-School Curricula
Implementation Center,COMPASS, Curricular Options in Mathematics Programs for All Secondary Students.
I think these are the places where one can get specifics about math curricula.
ARC, the Alternatives for Rebuilding Curricula Center is a collaboration between COMAP, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications and the three National Science Foundation supported elementary mathematics curriculum projects:
Middle-School Curricula
Implementation Center, The Show-me center works with four NSF-sponsored middle grades mathematics curriculum development Satellite Centers (University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, University of Montana, and Educational Development Center)
High-School Curricula
Implementation Center,COMPASS, Curricular Options in Mathematics Programs for All Secondary Students.
I think these are the places where one can get specifics about math curricula.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
National Science Teacher Association
It is a possibility that I will adjust my course and will teach science at first if math teacher position will be not available at first. Now on I'll start to blog on science teaching as well.
Free educational games
Free Math games from Alfy
They claim that child's reading and math skills will improve right away.
I hadn't tried it yet, so can't tell...
They claim that child's reading and math skills will improve right away.
I hadn't tried it yet, so can't tell...
TIMSS, PIRLS, NAEP
I keep discovering more abbreviations...
I wonder how these studies can benefit an average teacher...
May be if one chooses topics carefully test scores will go up?
NCREL, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory has been developing an interactive Web site designed to assist school districts in their reform efforts of mathematics and science curricula.
Anyhow here are the links...
TIMSS, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, is designed to help countries all over the world improve student learning in mathematics and science.
TIMSS Research Questions
1. How do teachers in different countries teach?
2. How do their instructional practices differ?
How do these differences affect learning?
What can we learn from this?
3. What curriculum differences exist among the countries?
What is taught and when? What is not covered?
4. What are the different social and cultural contexts with which this learning takes place?
5. How do these affect learning?
6. What lessons can we learn?
PIRLS, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study is one of the largest international assessments of reading literacy
NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress Often called "The Nation's Report Card"
You can get results of NAEP studies here.
And here you can get TIMSS 2003 International Science Reports.
The TIMSS Assessment Frameworks and Specifications 2003 is the publication that describes in some detail the mathematics and science content to be assessed. The document also presents a framework describing the contextual factors associated with students’ learning in mathematics and science.
I wonder how these studies can benefit an average teacher...
May be if one chooses topics carefully test scores will go up?
NCREL, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory has been developing an interactive Web site designed to assist school districts in their reform efforts of mathematics and science curricula.
Anyhow here are the links...
TIMSS, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, is designed to help countries all over the world improve student learning in mathematics and science.
TIMSS Research Questions
1. How do teachers in different countries teach?
2. How do their instructional practices differ?
How do these differences affect learning?
What can we learn from this?
3. What curriculum differences exist among the countries?
What is taught and when? What is not covered?
4. What are the different social and cultural contexts with which this learning takes place?
5. How do these affect learning?
6. What lessons can we learn?
PIRLS, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study is one of the largest international assessments of reading literacy
NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress Often called "The Nation's Report Card"
You can get results of NAEP studies here.
And here you can get TIMSS 2003 International Science Reports.
The TIMSS Assessment Frameworks and Specifications 2003 is the publication that describes in some detail the mathematics and science content to be assessed. The document also presents a framework describing the contextual factors associated with students’ learning in mathematics and science.
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