Online courses are exploding, and with it there are many arising issues. Transition from onsite to online education is a natural trend in education in the 21st century and beyond. Tim-Berners Lee once said that the Internet would bring about a cultural revolution. This has already happened in education.
A challenge to the concept of nation-state boundaries: There is no longer physical national boundaries in education. This is a unique characteristic and a strength of online learning. The mobilization capacity of online education is huge. This is especially true for humanities and social, political sciences.
Quality of learning and training (the Depth of Education): There is a difference between learning by doing (application/practice/procedural) and acquiring knowledge (theoretical), but that does not slow down the online learning movement. How the instructor uses this method/mode of information delivery is more important than the mode itself. The focus of learning is always the learner, and his/her learning goal. The learner must know what s/he wants out of the course.
Quantity of learning and training (the Breadth of Education): This depends on the discipline, and the individual learner's goal and ability of self-motivation and monitoring. Online learning has boundless capacity and no boundaries. It is the structure of the course by the specific instructor, and the individual learner's critical thinking and judgment that matter.
Social, interaction, and relationship aspects: When the community shares one common interest and goal, which is life-long learning and training, it is naturally exciting and highly efficient for learners to get fully engaged and actively participate in the discussion forum. Such an educational social network is usually wholesome and inspiring. Participants learn from one another, and share different perspectives on important issues, locally as well as globally.
In the beginning there are usually unpredictable and fuzzy areas. But one thing is clear: open course ware and online learning is an unavoidable trend.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Elements of Democracy
Democracy is a dynamic process of strong commitment and hard work from both the ruler and the ruled. It is not a far-fetched ideology, nor an abstract concept. It is founded on pragmatism, and its goal is national and global stability and prosperity.
Key elements of democracy are:
1. Liberty/Freedom: freedom of speech; freedom of the press; freedom of association, and assembly (movements, peaceful protests); freedom of beliefs and religious practice; and freedom of (language, cultural and identity) expressions.
2. Equality and the Rule of Law: No citizen is above the law. Government power is limited. The court must be independent from the executive branch. No official may violate legal and constitutional limits.
All citizens are treated equally before the law. There must be no discrimination based on race, class, gender, religious beliefs, sex orientation, etc.
3. Accountability
Horizontal accountability:There must be independent institutions to monitor, check, and control corruption and abuse of power. The three branches of the government (legislature, judiciary, and executive) have limited power, and must be scrutinized by the independent institutions (counter-corruption commission, public-complaint commission, parliamentary investigative committees, supreme audit agency...).
Vertical accountability:The people vote/elect officials through regular, meaningful, free and fair elections, and hold the elected officials accountable to the people. Officials who do not perform well, and who display vulgar and self-seeking behaviors, or who lack interest in public welfare and services must be removed from their positions.
Members in the society must be vigilant, resourceful, and sufficiently mobilized through their NGOs, public interest protection and appeal or advocacy groups.
4.Civilian control of the military and police:
Armed forces, police and intelligence agencies are directed by civilian officials and their appointees. Their budgets must be approved by civilian executive and legislative authorities.
5. Competitiveness and civic pluralism: There must be at least two parties with significant representation in the parliament. Barriers to new political parties should be low. Numerous NGOs, independent institutions, and think tanks represent a broad range of interests and values in society, and help monitor political process.
6. Mass media and the control of sources of information: The public should have access to many sources of information. Mass media must be sufficiently independent and professional. They must represent multiple views, and government ownership and regulation of the mass media must be limited .
7. Participation: Citizens take an active role in politics, and in the making of public policies. Voting rate turn out must be high. Civil society organizations should have high membership rates, and actively get involved in the making of public policies.
8. Government responsiveness and effectiveness: The State has legitimate authority and administrative capacity. It has the right to maintain order, enforce laws, extract and distribute resources for the public well being.The government must respond to citizens' questions and demands.Citizens' interests and preferences must be heard by legislative and executive bodies.
9. Civic culture: Competing groups and parties must be tolerant of opposing views, and willing to compromise. All must respect the Constitution, abide by the law, and know their rights and obligations as citizens. All must respect authority and the results of elections. Citizens must be unwilling to coalition with anti-system actors, condemn acts of violations of constitutional norms.
Source:
Larry Diamond (Stanford University)
The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World
Key elements of democracy are:
1. Liberty/Freedom: freedom of speech; freedom of the press; freedom of association, and assembly (movements, peaceful protests); freedom of beliefs and religious practice; and freedom of (language, cultural and identity) expressions.
2. Equality and the Rule of Law: No citizen is above the law. Government power is limited. The court must be independent from the executive branch. No official may violate legal and constitutional limits.
All citizens are treated equally before the law. There must be no discrimination based on race, class, gender, religious beliefs, sex orientation, etc.
3. Accountability
Horizontal accountability:There must be independent institutions to monitor, check, and control corruption and abuse of power. The three branches of the government (legislature, judiciary, and executive) have limited power, and must be scrutinized by the independent institutions (counter-corruption commission, public-complaint commission, parliamentary investigative committees, supreme audit agency...).
Vertical accountability:The people vote/elect officials through regular, meaningful, free and fair elections, and hold the elected officials accountable to the people. Officials who do not perform well, and who display vulgar and self-seeking behaviors, or who lack interest in public welfare and services must be removed from their positions.
Members in the society must be vigilant, resourceful, and sufficiently mobilized through their NGOs, public interest protection and appeal or advocacy groups.
4.Civilian control of the military and police:
Armed forces, police and intelligence agencies are directed by civilian officials and their appointees. Their budgets must be approved by civilian executive and legislative authorities.
5. Competitiveness and civic pluralism: There must be at least two parties with significant representation in the parliament. Barriers to new political parties should be low. Numerous NGOs, independent institutions, and think tanks represent a broad range of interests and values in society, and help monitor political process.
6. Mass media and the control of sources of information: The public should have access to many sources of information. Mass media must be sufficiently independent and professional. They must represent multiple views, and government ownership and regulation of the mass media must be limited .
7. Participation: Citizens take an active role in politics, and in the making of public policies. Voting rate turn out must be high. Civil society organizations should have high membership rates, and actively get involved in the making of public policies.
8. Government responsiveness and effectiveness: The State has legitimate authority and administrative capacity. It has the right to maintain order, enforce laws, extract and distribute resources for the public well being.The government must respond to citizens' questions and demands.Citizens' interests and preferences must be heard by legislative and executive bodies.
9. Civic culture: Competing groups and parties must be tolerant of opposing views, and willing to compromise. All must respect the Constitution, abide by the law, and know their rights and obligations as citizens. All must respect authority and the results of elections. Citizens must be unwilling to coalition with anti-system actors, condemn acts of violations of constitutional norms.
Source:
Larry Diamond (Stanford University)
The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Four Categories of People
From observations of daily life, and in terms of consequences of their actions (karma), human beings may be classified into four categories:
1. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a number of people,
2. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a great number of people,
3. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a number of people, and
4. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a great number of people.
First, there are some whose existence causes sufferings to themselves and others around them (their family and community members, such as parents, siblings, friends, neighbors....). They bring pain, worries, and unhappiness, both physically and mentally, to those people for a short or long period of time, or throughout their lifespan. Human beings belonging to this first category, of course, have very bad karma. So do those who are in contact with them. Since both sides share the common bad karma; they get together in this life to reap the whirlwind they once caused in some previous life.
Second, there are human beings who, at some point in their life, cause massive destruction and unimaginable calamities to a great number of people in the world. They may be bomb or weapon makers and producers. They may also be famous scientists and scholars, high-ranked officers in the army, and policy makers, business or political leaders, who made the wrong choice or devilish decision at the wrong time, or who are overconfident, and so fanatically obsessed with some belief, doctrine or ideology that their decisions cause avoidable and meaningless deaths to millions of people in their countries and in the world. History has proved that such beings sometimes appear and threaten life and civilization on earth.
Third, there are those who, since their birth, bring peace and happiness to those around them for some time in their life or throughout their whole lifespan. Their parents and siblings enjoy their presence, as they always bring joy and happiness to surrounding people, and to their local community. Such beings have very good karma, and so do those in contact with them. Their appearance benefits others around them.
Finally, there are some, though the number of such people is small, human beings whose existence on earth brings joy and happiness to a very large number of beings, and not just for a short period of time, but for thousands of years, not only for one country but for the whole world, benefiting not only the rich and the healthy, but also the poor, the abandoned, and the sick.
Which category do YOU belong to?
1. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a number of people,
2. Those who were born to cause harm and suffering to a great number of people,
3. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a number of people, and
4. Those who were born to benefit and bring happiness to a great number of people.
First, there are some whose existence causes sufferings to themselves and others around them (their family and community members, such as parents, siblings, friends, neighbors....). They bring pain, worries, and unhappiness, both physically and mentally, to those people for a short or long period of time, or throughout their lifespan. Human beings belonging to this first category, of course, have very bad karma. So do those who are in contact with them. Since both sides share the common bad karma; they get together in this life to reap the whirlwind they once caused in some previous life.
Second, there are human beings who, at some point in their life, cause massive destruction and unimaginable calamities to a great number of people in the world. They may be bomb or weapon makers and producers. They may also be famous scientists and scholars, high-ranked officers in the army, and policy makers, business or political leaders, who made the wrong choice or devilish decision at the wrong time, or who are overconfident, and so fanatically obsessed with some belief, doctrine or ideology that their decisions cause avoidable and meaningless deaths to millions of people in their countries and in the world. History has proved that such beings sometimes appear and threaten life and civilization on earth.
Third, there are those who, since their birth, bring peace and happiness to those around them for some time in their life or throughout their whole lifespan. Their parents and siblings enjoy their presence, as they always bring joy and happiness to surrounding people, and to their local community. Such beings have very good karma, and so do those in contact with them. Their appearance benefits others around them.
Finally, there are some, though the number of such people is small, human beings whose existence on earth brings joy and happiness to a very large number of beings, and not just for a short period of time, but for thousands of years, not only for one country but for the whole world, benefiting not only the rich and the healthy, but also the poor, the abandoned, and the sick.
Which category do YOU belong to?
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Democracy
Democracy in theory is substantially different from
democracy in reality. As long as government leaders and policy makers are
not sincerely interested in public service, but simply care about themselves, their families, and their interest groups, and as long as the
masses are not educated enough to know their rights and responsibilities as
citizens in a democratic civil society, there is no true democracy in any place in
the world. Digital revolutions leading to overthrowing a dictatorial
regime have rarely seemed to guarantee that the new regime is any better than
the previous one. Hence, democracy is not a static model of high-quality
sociopolitical system. Rather, it is a process of hard work from both the
ruler and the ruled.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Nirvana
Both the Pali word Nibbàna [the
verb is ni(r) and nibbati] and the Sanskrit Nirvàna [the verb
is nir-va] refer to the
state of extinction, or cessation , calmness, disappearance, liberation,
peacefulness, and perfect wisdom. At this level, there is no birth nor
death. Nirvana is the ultimate goal
for Buddhists. That is why
Nirvana is one of the three Dharma signs in Buddhism: Nirvana, Peace, and
Tranquility.
Nirvana has four states. First, Buddha Nature, which is the eternal state of Suchness, pure and bright, and unchanged. Second, the final state in a Buddhist's life-long practice when all the five skandas and all sufferings and fetters have come to a cessation (as in the case of the Buddha's demise). Third, the highest spiritual level which a Buddhist may attain. At this level the practitioner is still alive, but is completely free from any suffering caused by greed, hatred, and ignorance, and by the preconceived existence of a "self," and has attained liberation and perfect wisdom. And fourth, a state of no boundaries: Nirvana is free from any fetters set by birth-death, by attachment/desire-hatred, by discriminative preconceptions, or by dualistic notions and concepts. Nirvana has no form, and no language can describe or express it.
Four key characteristics of Nirvana are: Permanence, Supreme Happiness, No Form/Self (hence, it is Reality or Ultimate Truth), and Supreme Peace/Tranquility.
Nirvana has four states. First, Buddha Nature, which is the eternal state of Suchness, pure and bright, and unchanged. Second, the final state in a Buddhist's life-long practice when all the five skandas and all sufferings and fetters have come to a cessation (as in the case of the Buddha's demise). Third, the highest spiritual level which a Buddhist may attain. At this level the practitioner is still alive, but is completely free from any suffering caused by greed, hatred, and ignorance, and by the preconceived existence of a "self," and has attained liberation and perfect wisdom. And fourth, a state of no boundaries: Nirvana is free from any fetters set by birth-death, by attachment/desire-hatred, by discriminative preconceptions, or by dualistic notions and concepts. Nirvana has no form, and no language can describe or express it.
Four key characteristics of Nirvana are: Permanence, Supreme Happiness, No Form/Self (hence, it is Reality or Ultimate Truth), and Supreme Peace/Tranquility.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
World Wars
Is there going to be another World War? Every day we hear about military and economic rivalries, rivalries for resources and influence, and allies planning on arms race as they are busy building up their armies and navies, grasping all possible advantages. Haven't we learned and suffered enough from World War I and World War II?
During World War I (which basically centered in Europe from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918), more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized. Over 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of technological advancements that led to enormous increases in the lethality of weapons. In World War II (which was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945) the toll was between 40,000,000 and 72,000,000 deaths, and the majority of the people killed in the war were NOT soldiers.
Modern warfare definitely has unimaginable consequences, and Einstein's prediction might prove right. There is a possibility that World War III could bring us back to the Stone Age.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_i
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
During World War I (which basically centered in Europe from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918), more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized. Over 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of technological advancements that led to enormous increases in the lethality of weapons. In World War II (which was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945) the toll was between 40,000,000 and 72,000,000 deaths, and the majority of the people killed in the war were NOT soldiers.
Modern warfare definitely has unimaginable consequences, and Einstein's prediction might prove right. There is a possibility that World War III could bring us back to the Stone Age.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_war_i
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Proverbs About Solving Problems
...there are a good many proverbs which characterize strikingly the typical procedures followed in solving problems, the points of common sense involved, the usual tricks, and the usual errors. ....It would be foolish to regard proverbs as an authoritative source of universally applicabal wisdom but it would be a pity to disregard the graphic description of heuristic procedures provided by proverbs.
It could be an interesting task to collect and group proverbs about planning, seeking means, and choosing between lines of action, in short, proverbs about problem solving......The proverbs quoted will be printed in italics.
1. The very first thing we must do for our problem is to understand it: Who understands ill, answers ill.
We must see clearly the end we have to attain: Think for the end before you begin.
..."respice finem" is the saying in Latin. Unfortunately, not everybody heeds such good advice, and people often start speculating, talking, and even acting fussily without having properly understood the aim for which they should work. A fool looks to the beginning, a wise man regards the end. If the end is not clear in our mind, we may easily stray from the problem and drop it. A wise man begins in the end, a fool ends in the beginning.
.....We have no chance to solve a difficult problem without a strong desire to solve it, but with such desire there is a chance. Where there is a will, there is a way.
2. Devising a plan, conceiving the idea of an appropriate action, is the main achievement in the solution of a problem. A good idea is a piece of good fortune, an inspiration, a gift of the gods, and we have to deserve it: Diligence is the mother of good luck. Perseverance kills the game. An oak is not felled at one stroke. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It is not enough however to try repeatedly, we must try different means, vary our trials. Try all the keys in the bunch. Arrows are made of all sorts of wood.
We must adapt our trials to the circumstances. As the wind blows you must set your sail. Cut your coat according to the cloth. We must do as we may if we can't do as we would. If we have failed, we must try something else. A wise man changes his mind, a fool never does. We should even be prepared from the outset for a possible failure of our scheme and have another one in reserve. Have two strings to your bows....Do and undo, the day is long enough. We are likely to blunder less if we do not lose sight of our aim. The end of fishing is not angling but catching....The expert has, perhaps, no more ideas than the inexperienced, but appreciates more what he has and uses it better. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. A wise man will make tools of what comes to hand. A wise man turns chance into good fortune. Or, possibly, the advantage of the expert is that he is continually on the lookout for opportunities. Have an eye to the main chance.
3. We should start carrying out our plan at the right moment, when it is ripe, but not before. We should not start rashly. Look before you leap. Try before you trust. A wise delay makes the road safe. On the other hand, we should not hesitate too long. If you will sail without danger, you must never put to sea. Do the likeliest and hope the best.....
We must use our judgment to determine the right moment. And here is a timely warning that points out the most common fallacy, the most usual failure of our judgment: We soon believe what we desire.
Our plan gives usually but a general outline. We have to convince ourselves that the details fit into the outline, and so we have to examine carefully each detail, one after the other. Step after step the ladder is ascended. Little by little as the cat ate the flickle. Do it by degrees.
In carrying out our plan we must be careful to arrange its steps in the proper order, which is frequently just the reverse of the order of invention. What a fool does at last, a wise man does at first.
4. Looking back at the completed solution is an important and instructive phase of the work. He thinks not well that thinks not again. Second thoughts are best.
Reexamining the solution, we may discover an additional confirmation of the result. ....such an additional confirmation is valuable, that two proofs are better than one. It is safe riding at two anchors.
5. ....Certain more systematic and more sophisticated aspects of the process of solution are hardly within the scope of the Wisdom of Proverbs. ....Here follow a few "synthetic" proverbs which describe somewhat more sophisticated attitudes.
The end suggests the means.
Your five best friends are What, Why, Where, When, and How. You ask What,, you ask Why, you ask Where, When and How --and ask nobody else when you need advice.
Do not believe anything but doubt only what is worth doubting.
look around when you have got your first mushroom or made your first discovery; they grow in clusters.
Source:
Polya, G. How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1945, 2nd ed. 2004), pp. 222-225.
It could be an interesting task to collect and group proverbs about planning, seeking means, and choosing between lines of action, in short, proverbs about problem solving......The proverbs quoted will be printed in italics.
1. The very first thing we must do for our problem is to understand it: Who understands ill, answers ill.
We must see clearly the end we have to attain: Think for the end before you begin.
..."respice finem" is the saying in Latin. Unfortunately, not everybody heeds such good advice, and people often start speculating, talking, and even acting fussily without having properly understood the aim for which they should work. A fool looks to the beginning, a wise man regards the end. If the end is not clear in our mind, we may easily stray from the problem and drop it. A wise man begins in the end, a fool ends in the beginning.
.....We have no chance to solve a difficult problem without a strong desire to solve it, but with such desire there is a chance. Where there is a will, there is a way.
2. Devising a plan, conceiving the idea of an appropriate action, is the main achievement in the solution of a problem. A good idea is a piece of good fortune, an inspiration, a gift of the gods, and we have to deserve it: Diligence is the mother of good luck. Perseverance kills the game. An oak is not felled at one stroke. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It is not enough however to try repeatedly, we must try different means, vary our trials. Try all the keys in the bunch. Arrows are made of all sorts of wood.
We must adapt our trials to the circumstances. As the wind blows you must set your sail. Cut your coat according to the cloth. We must do as we may if we can't do as we would. If we have failed, we must try something else. A wise man changes his mind, a fool never does. We should even be prepared from the outset for a possible failure of our scheme and have another one in reserve. Have two strings to your bows....Do and undo, the day is long enough. We are likely to blunder less if we do not lose sight of our aim. The end of fishing is not angling but catching....The expert has, perhaps, no more ideas than the inexperienced, but appreciates more what he has and uses it better. A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. A wise man will make tools of what comes to hand. A wise man turns chance into good fortune. Or, possibly, the advantage of the expert is that he is continually on the lookout for opportunities. Have an eye to the main chance.
3. We should start carrying out our plan at the right moment, when it is ripe, but not before. We should not start rashly. Look before you leap. Try before you trust. A wise delay makes the road safe. On the other hand, we should not hesitate too long. If you will sail without danger, you must never put to sea. Do the likeliest and hope the best.....
We must use our judgment to determine the right moment. And here is a timely warning that points out the most common fallacy, the most usual failure of our judgment: We soon believe what we desire.
Our plan gives usually but a general outline. We have to convince ourselves that the details fit into the outline, and so we have to examine carefully each detail, one after the other. Step after step the ladder is ascended. Little by little as the cat ate the flickle. Do it by degrees.
In carrying out our plan we must be careful to arrange its steps in the proper order, which is frequently just the reverse of the order of invention. What a fool does at last, a wise man does at first.
4. Looking back at the completed solution is an important and instructive phase of the work. He thinks not well that thinks not again. Second thoughts are best.
Reexamining the solution, we may discover an additional confirmation of the result. ....such an additional confirmation is valuable, that two proofs are better than one. It is safe riding at two anchors.
5. ....Certain more systematic and more sophisticated aspects of the process of solution are hardly within the scope of the Wisdom of Proverbs. ....Here follow a few "synthetic" proverbs which describe somewhat more sophisticated attitudes.
The end suggests the means.
Your five best friends are What, Why, Where, When, and How. You ask What,, you ask Why, you ask Where, When and How --and ask nobody else when you need advice.
Do not believe anything but doubt only what is worth doubting.
look around when you have got your first mushroom or made your first discovery; they grow in clusters.
Source:
Polya, G. How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1945, 2nd ed. 2004), pp. 222-225.
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