Undergraduate Education

First destination statistics are currently being received and collated from all schools. Early indications are very positive, with most graduates in full-time employment or postgraduate education. A more detailed report of first destinations will be compiled when all the data have been received.

The Faculty has identified the need to resurrect the National Placement group that disbanded a few years back. An initial meeting of the placement coordinators from each school will take place in early 2009, with the intention that further meetings will expand to include the clinical educators at the Trusts that provide placements for the students. The Allied Health Professions (AHP) education leads are currently putting together a working group to look at possibly having one course for clinical educators that would meet the needs of all AHPs. The Faculty have two representatives on this group.

A meeting for orthotic technicians and assistants was held in the New Year. The intention was to establish their needs from the SCP. Although they are permitted to join as Associate Members, there is not an established structure in place to facilitate their needs and benefits as members.

Quality Assurance Committee (QAC)

The QAC handbook is currently under review, and a new section will be added for the criteria for the accreditation of MSc programmes.

Recruitment Working Party (RWP)

Last year was particularly difficult for schools recruiting new students to the undergraduate programme. All but three schools went into clearing, needing to fill 10-15 of their allocated places. Most schools managed to fill their places by the start of the academic year, with others falling short by just a few students. The RWP made every effort to assist the schools by placing an advertisement in the main clearing supplement 'Which Way', which is sent out to every UCAS applicant. A web page dedicated to clearing was also set up on the SCP site, and from July to September had over 2000 hits.

E-Learning Modules; BMJ OnExamination

The SCP's new e-learning system has been launched in conjunction with BMJ OnExamination and promises to be a beneficial service. Members can access modules on basic clinical subjects such as diabetes and rheumatology at a discounted price, and will be given time to write up notes. On completion of each module, a certificate will be awarded and can be printed and filed in a personal portfolio (of evidence) for future reference. As CPD is now an integral component of continued HPC registration, we are here to provide members with the tools and support they require, ensuring that they stay compliant with the HPC CPD standards. To access the modules at the discounted price, members are directed to register via the homepage on the FeetforLife website.

Return to work

It appears that members currently face certain 'obstacles' in resuming their status on the HPC register following a period of non-practice. With the help of a notice in Podiatry Now, the e-newsletter and on the website calling for volunteer mentors, and applications from those who are in need of mentoring assistance, the Register of Mentors has recruited 28 new mentors, and lists seven schools that provide return-to-work programmes.

Since the start of the scheme in July last year, we have successfully recruited four previously unregistered SCP members (one of whom has gained HPC registration), and we are confident that this number will increase in time, especially as more mentors enlist. We are planning to arrange a 'Mentors Training Day', where all our mentors will be invited along to a session where we hope to have speakers to discuss mentoring skills, requirements and direction.
Continued work on this initiative will help with membership retention and recruitment, encourage the message of ongoing CPD and maintain updated knowledge on professional conduct.

Grammar training ineffective and rather harmful

Most of us know the standard way foreign languages are taught: very little direct practice (in German high schools statistically about 20 hours in eight years!), a lot of translations from one's native to the target language and lots of grammar drill.

The problem with this: it is not only about the most ineffective way of language training, some of these elements such as translations and grammar drill are outright harmful.
Before we get into the details, please consider this: how did you learn to walk? All by yourself I believe and further you might agree that nowhere in the world there is a pediatrician or pedagogue who would advocate special walking instructions and drills for babies and toddlers (unless they were disabled). Likewise we all know that children learn their native language automatically just by listening and gradually communicating with people who are more advanced than they. By the age of six a normally developped child knows about 100,000 words in their native language if you count all word forms, e.g. go -> went, brother -> brethren, may -> might etc. Even a professor who later teaches that language as his best foreign language will hardly ever surpass such a six year old which you can easily check by asking him or her for e.g. a list of thirty types of tree or thirty species of birds, or if he knows the games and toys such child usually plays with in his native language and is accustomed to name.

So we may safely say that nature's normal way of acquiring a language is the best, simply the most effective way and that all other methods lag miles behind. While there are a many fun ways to learn a language, they're still not as effective as the simple way babies acquire their first. But there are certain widely employed methods that are outrright harmful and one of them is grammar training.

Did you ever reflect on grammar when acquiring or using your native language until the age of six? Not really, most people whose parents are accomplished speakers just pick up their parents style and vocabulary. The most important thing though is that we have certain areas in our brains that are trained to distill rules from repeating patterns, such as past tense or the plural "s" as in manner -> manners, fan -> fans, can - cans etc. This process is automatical and the correct "grammatical" rule becomes woven into the language usage pattern and then works without thinking.

But if you force anyone, esp. children, to reflect upon those rules, worse even to learn them up front, then you destroy the rule building process and in the end your child may never learn that language properly but may always stay a self-conscious and slow speaker who always tries to first access the "rule book" now saved in a completely different part of their brain.
This is known since decades, however, modern school currikcula and teacher training does not reflect that knowledge. Rather children are given assignments in their native language and challenged to translate into the target foreign language, whereby they are asked to apply those cherished rules. This is part of a series of articles where we will also cover the harm that's done by forcing children to translate early between languages. Let's just quote a few sources on grammar drill and its effects:

"Why Doesn't Grammar Correction Work? The first reason why writing class grammar feedback doesn't work is that it treats only the surface appearance of grammar and not with the way language develops ... Secondly, learning grammar in a second language is a complex and gradual process which occurs both developmentally and hierarchically (some items are acquired before others). Compounding this is the fact that the learning of linguistic items does not occur in a linear fashion, that the learning curve for an item is full of valleys and peaks, progress and regressions." (Grammar Correction in ESL/EFL Writing Classes May Not Be Effective, Ronald Gray, Beijing Language and Culture University (Beijing, China))

"So what should a L2 writing teacher do? The quickest and most effective solution would be for writing instructors to simply stop making grammar corrections." And take note: "In short, teachers need to train themselves to set aside their red pens and examine ideas and see what students are trying to say instead of simply looking for grammatical errors."

"When you are just learning to speak a new language, learning grammar rules is not only senseless, but harmful as far as developing your ability to fluently express yourself. ... In most cases, our speech is formed by communication, the quantity and quality of studied literature, education, or simply our surrounding environment. During systematic simultaneous repetition, one develops an inner sense of the language, and the ability to imitate correct pronunciation of words and phrases."

How to Prepare Case Studies

INTRODUCTION:

“A case study can be described as the study of an object, person or situation in its natural habitat in an uncontrolled and observational manner”.

When any management graduate undertakes his course; he will frequently come across with various case studies during his academic curriculum. There is no management course without referring to case studies. Research reveals that students may work with as many as 800 case studies during a two year MBA program. It indicates the importance and significance attached to case studies. Apart from Management, the medicine and other courses also club case studies as the part of the academic curriculum. In this context, it is essential to explain the meaning and definition of a case study.

WHAT IS CASE STUDY?

Case study is the study of a particular situation or case or a problem in a given scenario thoroughly after weighing the pros and cons, taking a practically feasible decision in the best interests for effective implementation. Case studies are essential for MBA so that the students can step into the shoes of the given case study, understand the implications and the complications involved and can have the feeling that of a trouble shooter. To put in a nut shell, case study is a simulation of a management situation that helps the management graduates to react in a real situation and helps them by providing right direction towards right decision making and problem solving.The technical students like engineering graduates have both theory and laboratory activities. The faculty teaches the theory in the class room and then takes them to laboratory to try and test what was taught in the class. The students will be in a position to correlate the theoretical concepts and aspects with that of the practical experiments in the laboratory. As a result, the gap between learning and doing is minimized and also students can grasp, understand and memorize quickly. And while doing practical experiments in the laboratory they may have a few doubts and the same can be clarified, verified and authenticated. The case studies are also just like laboratory activities. Since for management education the students can not be taken to industry for each and every theoretical concept the case studies will prove handy for them. When the management concepts are explained then the case studies of the companies are explained so that students in the class room can feel like in a simulated situation and they will be able to understand the concepts effectively and efficiently.

HOW TO PREPARE A CASE STUDY?

“Case study is a description of an actual administrative solution involving a decision to be made or a problem to be solved. It can be a real situation that actually happened just as described, or portions have been disguised for reasons of privacy”.

Usually the case study can be brief or extensive running from 2 to 30 pages. As such there is no specific rule that the content should be limited or extended up to certain levels. Read the entire text thoroughly once and jot down the key points and concepts and also the important issues involved in it in a separate sheet. Look for 4 W’s in the case such as what is the problem? where is the problem? when the problem started? And why the problem occurred? Relate and correlate all the factors and forces together to have better quick grasp about the case. Also read between the lines keenly. Apply your common sense and make comparative study of the situation. Observe closely if any statistical data is given. Look at the cause and effect relation with in the case study. At times the causes are hidden and it requires extraordinary ability to unearth the hidden causes. It needs probing temperament and correlate the same with the effects. This will help to get at the root of the problem for generating bags of solutions. During this process, the visualization technique is highly useful in order to correlate various things mentally. If time permits read and reread the text more times for getting at the crux of the case. Repeat the process till you get perfection.Create number of multiple solutions to a given problem. Choose the best that suits the present position and adopt. It requires intuition and gut feeling to shortlist the best logical, analytical and appropriate decision. Don’t repeat what is already stated in the case.During the case study analysis and preparation the academician with industrial exposure can deliver better results than mere academician without any industrial experience. The academicians always look at the case purely from their vast theoretical perspective as they are not exposed to industry. Of course, they honed their skills based on reading plenty of case studies. But that will not be sufficient to create effective case studies. On the other hand, the academician who hailed from industrial or from corporate background look at the case from multiple perspectives. They might have faced the same scenario as stated in the case study in their practical life. Therefore, they have ready made and tailor made answers and more solutions to each problem. Case study analysis requires critical and creative thinking. It also requires empathy i.e. stepping into the shoes of a situation and generating multiple solutions.

Free CAT 2009 Study Materials

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Cracking the Entrance Exam for MBA CAT/MAT is not so easy by reading entrance exam books. Specially in India where the number of students appearing each year keeps on increasing by almost 7-10%, but the same is not the case in case of the intake. Specially quality intake.Education plays a significant part in the life of students and much emphasis is raised on this matter by not only the society but also the parents. One reason why India has become a hot spot for BPO, specially call center is due to this simple reason. Years of strong influence by parents to push their children into higher education studies. Result: A large speaking English employees.Though education is highly stressed, but the quality of the education system has been deteriorating over the years. The reasons are manifold. Primary ones being the way the education system is framed and carried out by the government. There is hardly an authoritative body which maintains or inspect the quality system. A large number of students cannot afford the high fees and are dependent on educational loan, hence the focus is always on government based colleges. Secondly, in most of the cases the staff employed is highly qualified. Recently it was discovered the a person who had not even cleared his under graduation was teaching to the primary school. No doubt, he may had the knowledge for it but he did not had the educational qualification to teach.

TCYonline.com takes you through practicing for, scheduling, and taking the MBA exam preparation, CAT, CAT 2009, CAT preparation, CAT preparation in India, CAT entrance examination, CAT materials, CAT sample papers, free CAT study materials, CAT online exam, CAT online free test - TCYonline.com. Includes planning for college and notifications, including choosing, getting accepted, and obtaining financial aid. Use the site map to access vocational guidance through the Major & Careers Central section. Also has data and research on college, student aid, standard tests, college fees, and other issues from the College Board.

An Education In The Arts

For some people art is just something you put on your refrigerator doors. It is something you have to do for schoolwork, or to while your time away. In truth, there truly is something beneath the surface of art that will tantalize every student and teacher. And this is the truth behind art education.
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Q. What Is An Education In The Arts? A. Art Education is the means by which a student gains an understanding of form and design. An education in the arts is typically divided into three areas - the fine arts, such as music, drama, sculpture or painting, the general arts, programs such as education, criminology, etc, and design, such as graphic design, web design, or interior design

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Q. Why Arts? A. Art has a great power to influence people. It also has a significant effect on the history of man. Art may seem like it is just something pretty, but under the hood it boasts of a pretty powerful engine. One that has shaped the world, and indeed your very life. You can't go one day in the span of your life without being exposed to some form of artistic design.

A wise man once said that an education in the arts is the absolute best education one can have because it exposes you to the most general field of studies. Over time, you will know a little about everything. If you chose a more specialized field, you would gradually learn more and more about less and less. And I'd rather know a little about everything than everything about something, don't you agree?

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1. Express Yourself

Art is by far one of the most rewarding careers because, unlike a career in the sciences or a trade, it allows you to express your creativity. And no two days are the same. The power to captivate and inspire is also very rewarding. Hasn't the Mona Lisa drawn its share of oohs and aahs? And hasn't many a tear been shed at the beautiful works of art around the world? Man has always expressed his deepest thoughts and desires in a tangible form. This form is Art.
Industries need artists who have had a good education in Art. Creating labels, stickers, and advertisements for their products isn't easy. These things require plenty of thought and design. Every detail has been considered to make its effect on the consumer optimal. Have you ever been interested in a product simply because of the packaging? This is art at work.

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2. Art Is Everywhere

Color - Psychology - Design esthetics - Advertisements - Television & Movies - Furniture - Clothing

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3. Who Should Study Art?

Almost everyone has gone to art class in grade school or high school. Even those who are not artists can benefit from an Art Education. They will come to appreciate the rich history and significance of Art.

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4. The Rewards Of An Art Education

You may be tempted to think you will be able to wing it through a career without any formal training. That is possible, but not likely. Industries are on the lookout for those with professional education. Even with an education from a post-secondary institution, in this field, you never stop learning and keeping up with technology.

An Art Education is clearly important to artists and laymen alike. It may not be the path everyone takes, but it is the path that richly rewards those who take it. The riches here are not only of the material kind but that of a good education and a heightened appreciation of the world around you.

Health Education

Health care education is a discipline that affects the entire realm of society. It provides the grounds on which the societies can foster saver means of enjoying their lives and keeping their lives at harms length from infectious diseases and infections. Public health professionals play a detrimental role in uplifting the society and its overall performance. It is imperative that the courses taught at any certification level of health care education be comprehensively synchronized with the market trends and the ailments that are prevalent in society.

Over the course of last decade, major diseases and infections all over the world that were once labeled as major threats have now been categorized and given under control ratings. Thousands of people are saved each year through different divisions and units of the health care departments. Heath care teams work around the clock in providing verbal and written messages to the masses. Local health care programs in communities provide schools with information regarding pollution, hazards of smoking and taking drugs. Health care professionals also execute programs in vaccination techniques in all corners of the world. Due to the criticality of their job roles, educational institutions rolling out health care programs need to ensure that all the possibilities of controlling and preventing key diseases and infections are taught and international trends are communicated. The students need to learn the art of saving lives without neglecting their lives as well.

The intent of all the health care education colleges and universities should be to identify health care risks and coordinate public programs and public services that not only improve mental and physical health, prevent diseases and health risks, eliminate violence in communities but also benchmark statistics and requirements for quality civil and public living standards. The benchmarks will be used as standards all over the world.

Real Estate Education

Real estate education according to it very basic description refers to education about real estate. Indeed, there are many things to learn about in real estate. In many developed countries, real estate education is a highly developed field. There are entire institutes that are developed for this profession. Also, there are many regulations that apply to this field. Therefore, it can be said that there are two branches of learning that essentially apply to real estate education; one is the legal face of real estate, and the other include the technical aspect.The technical aspects of real estate education are many. There are indeed many things to learn about in this field. This is because of the specialization brought to this field. Indeed, the real estate field has become increasingly specialized for more than one reason. Not only has it been refined because of technological advancement, but also because of the importance that is now given to customer service. Like many other fields, customer service has affected the real estate field. A great many real estate deals often depend on customer service, and this is why a lot of attention is now being paid to it.Whenever real estate business have new ideas to implement, customer service is always given due consideration. In real estate education, students are taught about paying attention to the importance of customers whenever they come up with an idea.Apart from real estate education involving awareness development for customer service, there is a myriad of other important aspects. These aspects include ideas like market demand, which in itself includes aspects like convenience in a locality.Most real estate education centers will teach you about the ‘convenience’ factor. This convenience refers to how close a residence may be to shopping centers, hospitals, schools, etc.

People are most likely to select homes that allow them to reach such important places at their convenience and in the shortest possible time. Some of these places need to be reached on a daily basis. For examples, children need to attend schools at least 5 times a week. Families are more likely to purchase or rent homes that can facilitate them in this way.Real estate education also teaches students about the cost factor as well. The cost of a home is most likely to correspond with the type of locality it is in. This is because homes that are considered to be in convenient locations are high in demand. This demand factor is what pushes the value of homes higher. However, there is a limit placed on how much a home may cost in most developed countries. This is where the legal aspects come into action.The legal aspects in real estate education allow a student to learn about various important issues. Some of these issues include the costs of homes. They may also include learning about the formal paperwork for homes, which is a very important process in real estate business.Indeed, the legal side of real estate education is quite extensive, and this side influences a great deal of a real estate agent’s business. In a real estate agent’s daily dealings, legal aspects apply. Therefore, the importance of it cannot be emphasized more.Real estate education, as we have briefly seen above, is an interesting field.

It allows students to learn about the entire industrial setup of the real estate industry. This includes the technical aspects as well as the legal aspects.Real estate education is now a specialized field, and it is becoming focused as time progresses. While technological advancement has played a role in this, so has customer service awareness has had a tremendous impact. Therefore, a lot of the specialization that a student learns about in real estate education is influenced by customer service awareness.There are many real estate education centers available to students who want to learn about this field and make their careers in it. These centers provide complete training and short courses that prepare individuals to act efficiently in this field. There are also online courses available for those who do not have the time to physically attend classes. All teaching materials and instructions are supplied online. While one may think that this is not a feasible way to learn, it is actually a way of learning that is growing more and more popular. Hence, real estate education can also be availed online too.

Diversity in Education

Diversity in education covers a large number of areas that deal in improving education and providing a greater number of opportunities to those who want to learn. While this is one way of looking at diversity, other descriptions would entail including all types of learners and including a wide number of subject areas and disciplines. The impact of this has led to a greater number of people from different backgrounds being able to seek an education.Diversity in education is a subject that has been discussed and researched in detail. Prior to the idea of education diversity, it was believed that there many people being denied their right to an education.

Also, those who had opportunities did not get to study the things they really wanted to. This led to much controversy, debate, etc. which has only been good for education as a whole. Different regions of the world have since then managed to include disciplines in education that can benefit their learners more. Today, there is a wider variety of subjects available to learners that were never available before. Indeed, there has been much subject diversification under the belt of education diversity. Many years ago, there was just the limited range of academic subjects and courses that students of a fixed age bracket were compelled to study.

Today, this has been transformed. There are courses now available to people regardless of the age bracket they may come under. There are also many more subjects to study. For example, performing arts is a broad category under which a number of arts can be studied. This broad category has been developed extensively over the last 30 years. Today, it is a specialized field of study that only serious musicians, actors, artists, etc. pursue. Diversity in education also encompasses a variety of learning preferences. While there is a mainstream means of learning through formal school education, there are also methods that have been discovered. Many years ago, people shunned learners that could not fit into this formal learning system. As a result, there were many people who ended up wasting their lives without achieving an education. Many of these shunned individuals were later discovered to be ones that had different forms of intelligence. This included dyslexics for example, who proved that they were alternative thinkers. Many learners who could not fit into the mainstream learning environment were deemed to be deviants or mentally impaired. However, the reality was quite different. While some mainstream thinkers thought these individuals could not learn other experts discovered that these people were not taught according to their perceptive skills. For example, some of them required more attention in order to get them to study. These very learners would eventually become speedy learners once they were propelled into a learning method that suited them.

It is true to say that many people who cannot fit into the mainstream learning system, require a greater amount of attention. Not many schools were willing to spend the extra time required. However, today, there are specialized education boards and institutions that deal with alternative learning abilities. Some of these organizations have discovered learners that only appear to be under average, but are actually super creative individuals. The sad truth is that many individuals with alternative learning abilities were brutally ignored in the past. The good news is that many or these individuals are being discovered today, and they are being allowed to develop themselves in a manner that suits them. Diversity in education, as we have seen here, covers several areas, and these areas themselves encompass issues and topics that are of a great variety. Diversity in education itself is a healthy ongoing debate that is a must for future development in education. Without doubt, it can be said that education has developed a great deal thanks to debates in diversity. However, there may be a lot more to discover, and given that many large portions of the world population lack opportunities to get an education, efforts must be sustained. This is said with due consideration given to the fact that there are many alternative or unconventional learners in developed and developing countries that are still being ignored. Therefore, the debate must continue.

Why Study Abroad

Some Good Reasons to Study Abroad.

1. Multilingual and Multicultural Environment :
Studying abroad gives you a golden opportunity to be a part of the multicultural environment and also learning new foreign languages. It gives you a first hand feeling of different cultures and its origin.

2.Makes you more Techno Savy :
The education system abroad happens to be very different than what prevails in India. It lays lot of emphasis on the practical aspects of education thus making the students techno savy and more practical.

3.Value of Degree :
A foreign degree enhances your chances of employment and gives you the returns on your investments. This is one good reason why you should not take it as an expense but an investment.

Importance of Hiring Foreign Higher Education Consultants :
Foreign education consultants play a vital role in fulfilling your dreams. They act as navigators to the whole process. There are lot of complexities involved in the whole process of studying abroad. Hiring a good consultant becomes very very important here. They are the ones who make your dreams turn into reality. In depth knowledge is absolutely essential while taking such vital decisions. A good higher education consultant would not only help you accomplish the task but also see that it is being accomplished in the right direction. It is about the students’ future and that is the reason utmost care and awareness is required from the beginning.
Selection of the right kind of schools plays the most important role in the whole process. Selecting a good and accredited school ensures your future prospects of recruitment and also the value of your degree.

Why Study in USA ?
Multi-cultural population
World’s largest economy
Less than 5%unemployment ratio
Largest number of MNCs
Highly technical and flexible education system
Strong links between educational institutions and corporate world
The unique OPT feature providing stay back options
More than 300 courses to choose from
States with well developed education system-PA, NY, NJ, MA, CA, IL, TX, AZ, MI and FL

Scs and Sts

The world of today, by and large, is comparatively a rapidly changing one and the changes have been in a variety of directions. Not long ago society was through of as a reality sub-generis far beyond the control of individuals to change it –and education as a process of inducting new entrants into society. The idea that societies can be changed and, that too, education can be vital instrument of social transformation is increasingly felt. Geared to the preservation and perpetuation of tradition in the past, education is now being used to bring about social transformation in a large scale. This represents a kind of dilemma in respect of the social role of education in traditional societies. Ignoring this dilemma, many social scientists today re inclined to believe that education is a powerful instrument of social transformation. The prevailing opinion in circles of social science is that education is an agency of modernization.

It is argued that education promotes modernity in many ways but chiefly in two:

(i) by sharpening the “critical awareness” of the people about the social structure in which they are placed, and

(ii) by changing the consciousness of the people in a direction congruent with the dominant value of our age-rationality-which is also the mainspring of modernity.

Following this reasoning, there has come up an impressive body of literature in recent years of documenting the impact of schooling on individual modernity in developing societies. The profound social changes that India has witnessed in the last few decades or so have affected its entire population, yet in some sections of its society their impact has been much more marked than in others.Education is the key to development of any community. It can broaden the world view of the people, equipping them to meet the present day challenges. Education can be an input to their development. It can also build up inner strength of the people. Almost all studies have emphasized the importance of education in the development of the people. Ignorance is the biggest reason for weakness and knowledge is power. In the development effort, education has a pride of place in the priorities of the people. This is particularly so when the two systems of unequal strength come in contact. Education brings knowledge to he community and keeps in acquiring a new strength to enable it to face the new challenges which naturally come by when the process of change unfold unforeseen forces.