text:
Chapter 11
Teaching in an Online Learning Context
This chapter focuses on the role of the teacher or tutor in an online learning context. It uses the theoretical model developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) that views the creation of an effective online educational community as involving three critical components: cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence. This model was developed and verified through content analysis and by other qualitative and quantitative measures in recent research work at the University of Alberta (for papers resulting from this work see Anderson, Garrison, Archer & Rourke, N.d.) (http://www.atl.ualberta.ca/cmc).
Learning and teaching in an online environment are, in many ways, much like teaching and learning in any other formal educational context: learners' needs are assessed; content is negotiated or prescribed; learning activities are orchestrated; and learning is assessed. However, the pervasive effect of the online medium creates a unique environment for teaching and learning. The most compelling feature of this context is the capacity for shifting the time and place of the educational interaction. Next comes the ability to support content encapsulated in many formats, including multimedia, video, and text, which gives access to learning content that exploits all media attributes. Third, the capacity of the Net to access huge repositories of content on every conceivable subject—including content created by the teacher and fellow students—creates learning and study resources previously available only in the largest research libraries, but now accessible in every home and workplace. Finally, the capacity to support human and machine interaction in a variety of formats (text, speech, video, etc.) in both asynchronous and synchronous modalities creates a communications-rich learning context.
To provide a mental schema for thinking about learning and teaching in this context, Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) developed a conceptual model of online learning that they referred to as a "community of learning" model. This model (see Figure 11-1) postulates that deep and meaningful learning results when there are sufficient levels of three component "presences." The first is a sufficient degree of cognitive presence, such that serious learning can take place in an environment that supports the development and growth of critical thinking skills. Cognitive presence is grounded in and defined by study of a particular content; thus, it works within the epistemological, cultural, and social expression of the content in an approach that supports the development of critical thinking skills (McPeck, 1990; Garrison, 1991). The second, social presence, relates to the establishment of a supportive environment such that students feel the necessary degree of comfort and safety to express their ideas in a collaborative context. The absence of social presence leads to an inability to express disagreements, share viewpoints, explore differences, and accept support and confirmation from peers and teacher. Finally, in formal education, as opposed to informal learning opportunities, teaching presence is critical for a variety of reasons discussed in this chapter.
Figure 11-1.
Community of inquiry.
In a work on teaching presence, Anderson, Rourke, Archer, and Garrison (2001) delineated three critical roles that a teacher performs in the process of creating an effective teaching presence. The first of these roles is the design and organization of the learning experience that takes place both before the establishment of the learning community and during its operation. Second, teaching involves devising and implementing activities to encourage discourse between and among students, between the teacher and the student, and between individual students and groups of students and content resources (Anderson, 2002). Third, the teaching role goes beyond that of moderating the learning experiences when the teacher adds subject matter expertise through a variety of forms of direct instruction. The creation of teaching presence is not always the sole task of the formal teacher. In many contexts, especially when teaching at senior university level, teaching presence is delegated to or assumed by students as they contribute their own skills and knowledge to the developing learning community.
In addition to these tasks, in formal education, the institution and its teacher employees are usually fulfilling a critical credentialing role that involves the assessment and certification of student learning. This chapter focuses on these component parts of teaching presence, defining and illustrating techniques to enhance this presence, and providing suggestions for effective teacher practice in an online learning context.
The design and construction of the course content, learning activities, and assessment framework constitute the first opportunity for teachers to develop their "teacher presence." The role the teacher plays in creating and maintaining the course contents varies from that of a tutor working with materials and an instructional design created by others, to that of "lone ranger," in which the teacher creates all of the content. Regardless of the formal role of the teacher, online learning creates an opportunity for flexibility and revision of content in situ that was not provided by older forms of mediated teaching and learning. The vast educational and content resources of the Net, and its capacity to support many different forms of interaction, allow for negotiation of content and activity, and a corresponding increase in autonomy and control (Garrison & Baynton, 1987). Teachers are no longer confined to the construction of monolithic packages that are not easily modified in response to student need. Rather, the design and organization of activities within the learning community can proceed while the course is in progress. Of course, such flexibility is not without cost, as customization of any product is more expensive than mass production of a standardized product. Thus, the effective online learning teacher makes provision for negotiation of activities, or even content, to satisfy unique learning needs. However, within this flexibility, the need to stimulate, guide, and support learning remains. These tasks include the design of a series of learning activities that encourage independent study and community building, that deeply explore content knowledge, that provide frequent and diverse forms of formative assessment, and that respond to common and unique student needs and aspirations (see Chapter 2, this volume).
The design of e-learning courses is covered in greater detail in earlier chapters of this book, but this design process provides opportunities for teachers to instil their own teaching presence by establishing a personalized tone within the course content. This is done by allowing students to see the personal excitement and appeal that inspires the teacher's interest in the subject. Borge Holmberg (1989) first wrote about a style of expression, referred to as "guided didactic interaction," that presents content in a conversational (as opposed to academic) style. This writing style helps the learner identify, in a personalized way, with the teacher. Techniques such as illustration of content issues with personal reflections, anecdotes, and discussions of the teacher's own struggles and successes as they have gained mastery of the content have been found to be inspirational and motivating to students.
Activities in this category of teaching presence include building curriculum
materials. The cost of creating high quality, interactive learning resources
has led to renewed interest in reusing content encapsulated and formally
described through metadata as "learning objects" (Wiley, 2000).
These objects are then made accessible in repositories such as Multimedia
Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (http://www.merlot
.org/Home.po) or the Campus Alberta Repository of Educational Objects (http://www.careo.org). Creating or repurposing materials, such as lecture notes, to provide online teacher commentaries, mini-lectures, personal insights, and other customized views of course content, is another common activity that we assign to the category of teaching presence. We anticipate that work on educational standards for describing, storing, and sequencing of educational content, and for formally modeling the way in which learning activities are designed, will significantly change the design role of many teachers from one of content creation, to one of customization, application and contextualization of learning sequences (Koper, 2001). Finally, this design category of teaching presence also includes the processes through which the instructor negotiates time lines for group activities and student project work, a critical coordinating and motivating function of formal online course design and development, and a primary means of setting and maintaining teaching presence.
The modern Web supports a number of media, each of which can be incorporated into the design of an online learning course. However, getting the mix right between opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous interaction, and group and independent study activities remains a challenge (Daniel & Marquis, 1988; Anderson, 2002). There are two competing models of online learning, each of which has strong adherents and a growing body of research and theoretical rationales for its effective application. The first, the community of learning model, uses real-time synchronous or asynchronous communication technologies to create virtual classrooms that are often modeled, both pedagogically and structurally, on the campus classroom. This model evolved from telephone-based audio (and later video) conferencing. Its evolution to the Net has allowed for delivery directly to the learner's office and home, thereby bypassing expensive remote learning centres that were a feature of older virtual classroom models. More recently, popular Web-based computer conferencing systems allow for asynchronous collaboration among and between student and teachers. The synchronous virtual classroom model has advantages, in that it is a familiar educational model with a great deal of similarity to teaching and learning in campus-based classrooms. It provides increased access by spanning geographic distance; however, it constrains participants in terms of a single time that they must be present. This problem is compounded when a class spans many time zones. The asynchronous version of the virtual classroom overcomes the temporal limitations, but can result in a shortage of coordination and reduce opportunities for students to feel "in sync" with the class (Burge, 1994). Designing effective online courses will increasingly involve judicious selection of combinations of media and format that balance the differential capacities of media to support the creation of social and cognitive presence, with the educational need for variety, the special communications characteristics demanded of particular content, and the cost, access, and training requirements of the media.
The second model of online learning involves independent learners who work by themselves and at their own pace through the course of instruction. This model maximizes flexibility, but it challenges the institution's capacity to facilitate group social or collaborative learning activities. The "independent study model" is almost always selected in online learning models that allow for continuous enrolment or "just-in-time" access to educational content. It is very challenging to create collaborative learning or social activities when students are at very different places in the curriculum.
Fortunately, it is possible to combine synchronous, asynchronous, and independent study activities in a single course. In my own discussions with online students over the years, I have noticed a deep division between those who yearn for the immediacy of real-time communication, and those who are adamant that they have chosen online learning alternatives to avoid the time constraints imposed by synchronous or paced learning activities. Thus, many institutions, including Athabasca University, are developing both paced and unpaced models of delivery to accommodate student learning preferences and needs. Within a single class, it is possible to offer optional synchronous activities, and I usually build a real time Net-based audio graphic session into the beginning section of my classes. This session allows me to get to know the students from both a personal and professional viewpoint, explore their aspirations for the course, outline my own interests in the subject, discuss assessment activities, and provide an opportunity for students to ask any pressing questions. Synchronous activities are also useful for guest interviews, for special activities such as debates and presentations, and of course, for holding the end of class social gathering—parties held in asynchronous time never seem to work! These activities can be "canned" and streamed for viewing by students in independent study mode.
Even if one's course design or the available technology precludes synchronous interaction, there are still opportunities to inject more than text-based lectures and discussions into the course. Online learning provides an opportunity for the teacher to build in video or audio presentations of themselves to enhance their presence to distributed learners. I have created two five-minute video productions that I link to my courses. The first provides an introduction to myself, focusing on my professional growth within the discipline that I teach. The second discusses my own research agenda, and not only helps establish my academic credentials, but also, I hope, conveys my excitement for the research process within my discipline.
Thus, the challenge for teachers designing and organizing the online learning context is to create a mix of learning activities that are appropriate to student needs, teacher skills and style, and institutional technical capacity. Doing so within the ever-present financial constraints of formal education systems is a challenge that will direct online learning design and implementation for the foreseeable future.
The second component of teacher presence is the critical task of facilitating discourse. We use the term discourse rather than discussion, as it conveys the meaning of relating to the "the process or power of reasoning" (American Heritage Dictionary, 2000), rather than the more social connotation of conversation. Discourse not only facilitates the creation of the community of inquiry, but also is the means by which learners develop their own thought processes, through the necessity of articulating them to others. Discourse also helps students uncover misconceptions in their own thinking, or disagreements with the teacher or other students. Such conflict provides opportunity for exposure of cognitive dissonance that, from a Piagetian perspective, is critical to intellectual growth. In fulfillment of this component of teaching presence, the teacher regularly reads and responds to student contributions and concerns, constantly searching for ways to support understanding in the individual student and the development of the learning community as a whole.
The first task of the e-learning teacher is to develop a sense of trust and safety within the electronic community. In the absence of this trust, learners will feel uncomfortable and constrained in posting their thoughts and comments. We usually facilitate this trust formation by having students post a series of introductory comments about themselves. It is useful to request specific information, and to model an answer to the response request yourself. For example the e-teacher may request that students articulate their reasons for enrolling in the course or their interest in the subject matter. I have seen this technique very successfully extended at the beginning of regular online synchronous sessions by asking each student to respond spontaneously to a content-related "question of the week" that sets the tone for growth of both social and cognitive presence.
Many online courses rely extensively on a model of discourse wherein the teacher posts question or discussion items relevant to readings or other forms of content dissemination. I have found that over-reliance on this form of discourse soon becomes boring, and allows much of the learning to be focused on responding to teacher-initiated items, rather than challenging students to formulate their own questions and comments about course content. We have seen much greater levels of participation, motivation, and student satisfaction when such discussion groups are led by student moderators (Rourke & Anderson, 2002). However, it cannot be assumed that students have the necessary skills to undertake successful moderation of class discussion, so role modeling by the teacher for the initial discussions is usually helpful.
No element of course design concerns the student in a formal educational context more than that related to assessment. Effective teaching presence demands explicit and detailed discussion of the criteria on which student learning will be assessed. A teacher who cultivates a presence of flexibility, concern, and empathy will reflect these characteristics in the style and format of assessment. In an earlier work (Garrison & Anderson, 2003), my colleague Randy Garrison and I discussed assessment in online learning in greater detail. Here I summarize the main features of assessment, and provide two examples of frameworks for the challenging task of assessing contribution to the online learning community.
We know, from research on assessment, that timely, detailed feedback provided as near in time as possible to the performance of the assessed behavior is most effective in providing motivation and in shaping behavior and mental constructs. For this reason, machine evaluations, such as those provided in online multiple-choice test questions or in simulations, can be very effective learning devices (Prensky, 2000). However, most models of online learning also stress the capacity for direct communication and feedback from teacher to the student (Laurillard, 1997). This feedback is provided as an integral part of the discourse facilitation function of the online teacher.
A commonly used technique in formal online education is to require students to post comments as a component of the student assessment. This practice has been hotly debated on online learning discussion lists. In their discussion of college students studying online, Jiang and Ting (2000) report that students' perceived learning was significantly correlated to the percentage of grade weight assigned to participation, and their resulting participation in discussion. However, for some, the practice of marking for participation seems only to recall the onerous practice of attendance marking that rewards the quantity and not the quality of participation (Campbell, 2002). Others counter that in the absence of incentive for participation, a community will not be created. Palloff and Pratt (1999) argue that, given the emphasis on the process of learning in a social context that defines much constructivist-based learning design, participation in the process must be evaluated and appropriately rewarded. Most online students are practical adults with much competition for their time; thus they are unlikely to participate in activities that are marginalized or viewed as supplemental to the course goals and assessment schema. Many courses I have reviewed have assessed participation in online activities as a component of the final mark, usually with a weighting of between 10% and 25%.
Student assessment of any kind requires that the teacher be explicit, fair, consistent, and as objective as possible. The following examples illustrate how two experienced online learning teachers assess participation, and thereby enhance their own teaching presence.
Susan Levine (2002) has developed a very clear set of instructions that describes her expectations for student contributions to asynchronous online learning courses that she has used in graduate-level education courses. She posts the following message to her students.
1. The instructor will start each discussion by posting one or more questions at the beginning of each week (Sunday or Monday). The discussion will continue until the following Sunday night, at which time the discussion board will close for that week.
2. Please focus on the questions posted. But—do bring in related thoughts and material, other readings, or questions that occur to you from the ongoing discussion.
3. You are expected to post at least two substantive messages for each discussion question. Your postings should reflect an understanding of the course material.
4. Your postings should advance the group's negotiation of ideas and meanings about the material; that is, your contributions should go beyond a "ditto." Some ways you can further the discussion include:
• expressing opinions or observations. These should be offered in depth and supported by more than personal opinion.
• making a connection between the current discussion and previous discussions, a personal experience, or concepts from the readings,
• commenting on or asking for clarification of another student's statement,
• synthesizing other students' responses, or
• posing a substantive question aimed at furthering the group's understanding. (Levine, 2002)
Notice how these instructions guide students on both the quantity ("two substantive postings" per discussion question) and the quality of contributions expected. Levine then goes onto to describe qualitative aspects of a substantive posting. Notice also the "teaching presence" that emerges from this posting of requirements. Levine reveals her teaching presence as structured and explicit, yet appreciative of qualitative outcomes associated with deep learning and critical thinking.
Nada Dabbagh (2000), from George Mason University, offers a slightly more prescriptive set of recommendations for posting.
• Postings should be evenly distributed during the discussion period (not concentrated all on one day or at the beginning and/or end of the period).
• Postings should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs.
• Avoid postings that are limited to "I agree" or "great idea," etc. If you agree (or disagree) with a posting then say why you agree by supporting your statement with concepts from the readings or by bringing in a related example or experience.
• Address the questions as much as possible (don't let the discussion stray).
• Try to use quotes from the articles that support your postings. Include page numbers when you do that.
• Build on others' responses to create threads.
• Bring in related prior knowledge (work experience, prior coursework, readings, etc.).
• Use proper etiquette (proper language, typing, etc.).
Table 11.1 shows Dabbagh's sample framework for assessing messages on a weekly basis. Note that one of the protocols is the use of proper etiquette, including language, typing, and, I assume, spelling. The imposition of a requirement to adhere to particular protocols or standards is a hotly contested question among e-learning teachers. Some suggest that new forms of expression, grammar, and even spelling are arising in this medium, and that the lack of common tools (such as spell checkers) that plague many conferencing systems should allow for a much more relaxed form of expression. Others argue that requiring high standard of written communication helps students learn to communicate effectively in the online learning academic context. Given my own problems with spelling and the growing number of online learning students whose first language is not the language of instruction, I tend to be much more tolerant of language informalities in postings than I do when marking formal academic papers for term assignments.
Table 11-1.
Evaluation criteria for facilitating an online/class discussion (Dabbagh, 2000).
Notice how Dabbagh requires more frequent posting than Levine, and further stipulates that the messages should be spread through the week. The second set of criteria (responsiveness and demonstration of understanding) illustrates the way the online discussion is used to motivate students to complete the weekly readings. Finally, the adherence to a list of online protocol categories links grading explicitly to quantitatively measurable student behaviors.
Both of the above instruction and marking schemes provide extremely valuable guidance to learners and make clear and explicit the requirements of the teacher. But what are the costs of such evaluation? Assuming 20-30 students in an online learning class, the weekly assessment proscribed by Dabbagh could be a very time consuming activity. The amount of time required for assessment depends, in part, on the tools available to the online teacher. A good online learning system facilitates the display of the weekly postings by each student. An exemplary system would incorporate a number of active teacher agents that would
• scan the postings for spelling and grammatical errors.
• total the number of words.
• allow the display of preceding or subsequent postings and the location of the posting in its thread to help assess "responsiveness."
• graph the posting dates to allow quick visual identification of the timeliness of each contribution.
• present a grade book for easy entry of weekly scores.
• when appropriate, provide assistance for the teacher to create and automatically mark a variety of multiple choice, matching, and fill-in-the-blank type questions for student self assessment.
• automatically alert students when a grade has been posted or altered.
Finally, it should be noted that creating a teaching presence is a challenging and rewarding task, but cannot be a life-consuming one. Research on assessment in distance education has shown that rapid feedback is important for both understanding and motivation to complete courses (Rekkedal, 1983). However, the instantaneous nature of online learning can lead to an unrealistic expectation by learners that teachers will provide instant feedback and assessment on submitted assignments. The virtual teacher has to lead a real life, so setting and adhering to appropriate timelines helps students hold realistic expectations and relieves the teacher of the unrealistic expectation of providing instantaneous, 24-hour-a-day feedback. In addition, online learning teachers must become ruthless time managers, guarding against the tendency to check online activity constantly, and to do everything to support the learners that can be done, rather than everything that can be done within the constraints of a busy professional and personal life.
Some online teachers, especially those teaching at graduate levels, may be uncomfortable with the prescriptive nature of the guidelines presented above. These teachers are often more comfortable with subjective assessments of student contributions to the online community and demonstration of their individual learning. This type of assessment presents challenges to both students and teachers as a result of the subjective nature of the assessment and the time required to review all contributions made during a course in order to assign a grade. For these reasons, a number of authors have written about ways in which the student's own postings can be used as the basis for student assessment (Davie, 1989; Paulsen, 1995). Typically, these self-reflective assessments require students at the end of the course to illustrate both their contributions and evidence of learning by composing a "reflection piece," in which they quote from their own posting to the course. They should be given guidance to help them extract quotations that illustrate their contributions. Obviously students who have not participated will not be able to provide any transcript references from their own postings, and thus, will generally receive lower evaluation scores on this project. Alternatively, a vicariously participating student (i.e., a lurker) may still be able to show learning by selective extraction of relevant postings from other students.
In summary, giving directions for and modeling effective online discourse is a critical component of creating effective teaching presence. Assigning a portion of the assessment for the class to participation is a common practice in online learning courses. If participation is to be a formal and assessed requirement of the course, then developing and implementing an explicit assessment framework are essential, but potentially time-consuming, teacher tasks. Some online learning teachers make this assessment into a more reflective task by assigning students the task of using their posting in the class conference as evidence of their understanding of content concepts and intellectual growth during the class. This type of assessed learning activity forces students to make quality contributions, and then to reflect on them. This strategy moves the locus of responsibility from the teacher to the student, a solution that can save teacher time while contributing to student understanding and metacognition.
In this final category, teachers provide intellectual and scholarly leadership, and share their subject matter knowledge with students. The online teacher must be able to set and communicate the intellectual climate of the course, and model the qualities of a scholar, including sensitivity, integrity, and commitment to the unrelenting pursuit of truth. The students and the teacher often have expectations that the teacher will communicate content knowledge. Ideally, this knowledge is enhanced by the teacher's personal interest, excitement, and in-depth understanding of the content and its application in the context of formal study. The cognitive apprenticeship model espoused by Collins, Brown, and Newman (1989), Rogoff's (1990) model of apprenticeship in thinking, and Vygotsky's (1978) scaffolding analogies illustrate a helping role for teachers in providing instructional support to students from their position of greater content knowledge. Although many authors recommend a "guide on the side" approach to teaching in e-learning, this type of laissez faire approach diminishes a fundamental component of teaching and learning in formal education. A key feature of social cognition and constructivist learning models is the participation of an adult, or expert, or more skilled peer who "scaffolds" a novice's learning. This role of the teacher involves direct instruction that makes use of the subject matter and pedagogical expertise of the teacher. Some theorists have argued that online teaching is unlike classroom-based teaching, in that "the teacher must adopt the role of facilitator not content provider" (Mason & Romiszowski, 1996, p. 447). This arbitrary distinction between facilitator and content provider is troublesome. Garrison (1998), in a lively exchange, focused on differentiating so-called teacher-centered and student-centered instruction, makes the point that "the self-directed assumption of andragogy suggests a high degree of independence that is often inappropriate from a support perspective and which also ignores issues of what is worthwhile or what qualifies as an educational experience" (p. 124).
Gilly Salmon (2000) describes the role and functions of an "e-moderator." In this model, the teacher's role in online conferencing is that of facilitator of learning. Her description suggests that the e-moderator does not require extensive subject matter expertise; she writes "they need a qualification at least at the same level and in the same topic as the course for which they are moderating" (p. 41). Such minimal subject level competency seems to be less than that expected by learners and peers in higher education settings. Anderson et al. (2001) write
we believe that there are many fields of knowledge, as well as attitudes and skills, that are best learned in forms of higher education that require the active participation of a subject matter expert in the critical discourse. This subject matter expert is expected to provide direct instruction by interjecting comments, referring students to information resources, and organizing activities that allow the students to construct the content in their own minds and personal contexts.
Often, students hold misconceptions that impair their capacity to build more correct conceptions and mental schemata. The design of effective learning activities leads to opportunities for students themselves to uncover these misconceptions, but the teacher's comments and questions as direct instruction are also invaluable.
Although teaching presence is most commonly set in synchronous or asynchronous activities of the virtual classroom, it can also be set through fixed formats such as access to "frequently asked questions" databases or audio-, video-, or text-based presentations. Direct instruction can also be provided through an instructor's annotations of the scholarly work of others, including reviews of articles, textbooks, or Web sites.
Finally, the teacher may be asked to provide direct instruction on technical questions about access to Net-based resources, manipulation of the networking software, operation of other tools or resources, and other technical concerns related to effective use of subject related resources.
Salmon (2000) has developed a model for e-moderators that demarcates the progression of tasks that the online teacher moves through in the process of effectively moderating an online course. The process begins with providing students with access and motivation. In this stage, any technical or social issues that inhibit participation are addressed, and students are encouraged to share information about themselves to create a virtual presence, as described above. In the second stage, Salmon suggests that the e-moderator continues to develop online socialization by "building bridges between cultural, social and learning environments" (p. 26). In the third stage, referred as "information exchange," Salmon suggests that the teaching task moves to facilitating learning tasks, moderating content-based discussions, and bringing to light student misconceptions and misunderstandings. In the fourth stage, that of "knowledge construction," students focus on creating knowledge artifacts and projects that collaboratively and individually illustrate their understanding of course content and approaches. In the final "development" stage, learners become responsible for their own learning and that of their group by creating final projects, working on summative assignments, and demonstrating achievement of learning outcomes.
Salmon's model provides a useful guide and planning tool for online learning teachers, however it should not be considered prescriptive. For example, students may be entering the online class with a great deal of technical and social experience of the online learning environment. In such cases, technical and social issues may have been resolved some time ago. Alternatively, a heterogeneous group may have some very sophisticated and experienced students, and some novices new to the online learning environment. Busy adult students may be anxious to avoid what they see as unproductive "ice breakers" associated with Stages 1 and 2, and to proceed to more content rich and potentially more meaningful learning activities associated with later stages. Thus, Salmon's model must be customized to the unique needs of each online learning community.
This chapter concludes with a discussion of the three sets of qualities that define an excellent e-teacher. First and primarily, an excellent e-teacher is an excellent teacher. They like dealing with learners; they have sufficient knowledge of their subject domain; they can convey enthusiasm both for the subject and for their task as a learning motivator; and they are equipped with a pedagogical (or androgogical) understanding of the learning process, and have a set of learning activities at their disposal by which to orchestrate, motivate, and assess effective learning.
Beyond these generic teaching skills is a second set of technical skills. One does not have to be a technical expert to be an effective online teacher. However, one must have sufficient technical skill to navigate and contribute effectively within the online learning context, access to necessary hardware, and sufficient Internet efficacy (Eastin & LaRose, 2000) to function within the inevitable technical challenges of these new environments. Internet efficacy is a personal sense of competence and comfort in the environment, such that the need for basic troubleshooting skills does not send the teacher into terror-filled incapacity.
Finally, during this early period of creation and adoption of this new learning context, an effective online learning teacher must have the type of resilience, innovativeness, and perseverance typical of all pioneers in unfamiliar terrain.
This chapter has outlined the three major components of teacher presence, and provided suggestions and guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of the teaching function in online learning. I have not provided a lengthy list of do's and don'ts for online teaching in a cookbook fashion; rather, I have attempted to provide a broad theoretical model focusing on the three main tasks of the online teacher.
The context of online learning is still very much in a fluid and changing state. The Web itself and the technologies that underlie it are evolving rapidly to create a second Web—the "Semantic Web" (Berners-Lee, 1999). The development of teacher and student agents, the structuring of content into learning objects (Wiley, 2000), and the formal expression of learning interactions (Koper, 2001), are creating a new educational Semantic Web that will provide new capabilities and challenges for online teachers and learners. As yet, we are at early stages in the technological and pedagogical development of online learning. But the fundamental characteristics of teaching and learning and the three critical components of teaching presence—design and organization, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction—will continue to be critical components of teaching effectiveness in both online learning and classroom instruction.
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Koper, R. (2001). Modeling units of study from a pedgagogical perspective: The pedagogical meta-model behind EML. Heerlen, Netherlands: Open University of the Netherlands. Retrieved May 5, 2004, from http://eml.ou.nl/introduction/docs/ped-metamodel.pdf
Laurillard, D. (1997). Rethinking university teaching: A framework for the effective use of educational technology. London: Routledge.
Levine, S., (2002). Replacement myth. Retrieved May 14,
2004, from http://www.listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0208&L=itforum&F=
Mason, R., & Romiszowski, A. J. (1996). Computer-mediated communication. In D. Jonassen (Ed.), The handbook of research for educational communications and technology (pp. 438-456). New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan.
McPeck, J. (1990). Teaching critical thinking. New York: Routledge.
MERLOT (Multimedia Educational
Resource for Learning and Online Teaching). (N.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2004, from http://www.merlot.org/
Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (1999). Building learning communities in cyberspace. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Paulsen, M. (1995). Moderating educational computer conferences. In Z. Berge & M. Collins (Eds.), Computer mediated communication and the online classroom (pp. 81-90). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
Prensky, M. (2000). Digital game-based learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rekkedal T. (1983). The written assignments in correspondence education. Effects of reducing turn-around time. Distance Education, 4, 231-250.
Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking: Cognitive development in social context. New York: Oxford University Press.
Rourke, L., & Anderson, T.
(2002). Using peer teams to lead online discussions. Journal of Interactive
Media in Education, 1. Retrieved May 5, 2004, from http://www-jime.open.ac.uk/2002/1/rourke-ander
Salmon, G. (2000). E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society, the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wiley, D. (2000). Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory: A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy. In D. A. Wiley (Ed.), The instructional use of learning objects: Online version. Retrieved May 5, 2004, from http://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doctop


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Flowers. I nearly almost always seem to kill them. Right. Anyone else able to relate? So why did I think we could grow them for Mother's Day? Ha! ha {Not such a big laugh now that I've got to get something into gear.}
Well, truth be told we are sprouting some marigolds, but they are the teeniest sprouts. We are super proud of them, but they aren't quite what I had imagined blessing moms with.
To the computer files I go!
I have worked really hard at organizing my computer files over the past year to be faster than ever looking in a file cabinet drawer with all of my school stuff. I keep more digital files and pdfs than I'll ever even consider keeping in paper copies. I tend to hit the "print" button to our workroom copier way more often than I'll grab a copy of something and take it with me to the copy room. More often I just go to pick up my printed copies.
Click. Click.
I ran off 24 copies on 11×17 construction paper. Problem solved. We begin by writing "Happy Mother's Day" at the bottom and writing our names and the date on the back. I pull out the paint and my kinders get to decide how they want to paint their hands. Two prints and we're good to go!
Mother's Day?
Adorable sprouts that we cared for and loved. Hopefully they last the summer.
A laminated hand print picture for mom. Hopefully they last a lifetime.
If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
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READY IN: 45mins
Recipe by Christmas Carol
Another nifty little salad--perfect for treating yourself as this makes just one serving. If you love cheeseburgers as I do, whip this treasure up and serve it on a festive plate or shallow bowl. Then pour yourself a drink and indulge!
See Discussion:
Ingredients Nutrition
- 3 ounces lean ground beef, crumbled, browned, and drained
- 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
- 1 cup chopped lettuce
- 1⁄8 cup chopped onion
- 1⁄2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, to taste
- 1⁄4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions See How It's Made
- Stir mayo into lettuce, onion, and tomato until evenly coated. Toss in beef, bacon, and cheese. Feel free to adjust the amounts--you may desire more cheese or mayo. Add what you love--a squirt of mustard for some zip or a spoonful of chopped pickles.
- This is intended as a low-carb recipe, but if you can't seem to forego the bread (cough, blush) try toasting a sesame seed bun top, then cut it into crouton-sized pieces. You didn't (cough) hear that from me.


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BMW News from around the Web
Submit the latest BMW news from around the world for other E46Fanatics members to check out.
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E46Fanatics Owner
Join Date: Dec 1969
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My Ride: 03 Ti Silver M3
Edmunds Inside Line says NO BMW M1 - BMW making 135is instead
Edmunds Inside Line scoops the latest news on the motorsport version of the 1 series, the M1. Seems that well placed sources in BMW are saying the much anticipated and speculated about BMW M1 isn't going to happen. Instead we can look for a 135is, which will be a spruced up 135, similar to the 2011 335is and Z4is. What does everyone think? Is the M1 dead or is Inside Line wrong?
Previous speculation about the BMW M1 -
BMW M1 Gets the Green Light
New Rumors on the upcoming BMW M1
More M1 Spy shots - Winter testing
More BMW M1 Rumors - M1 Highly Customizable from the Factory!
No BMW M1. Probably a 135is Instead - Geneva Auto Show
Months and months and more months ago we reported that BMW would not do an M1 version of the 1 Series. We had it on good authority from a source inside BMW. Still, the rumors of the car's existence have lit up every blog and forum the world over.
Well, today at the Geneva auto show, Inside Line has once again confirmed from a source inside BMW that the M version of the 1 Series will not happen. Got that, people? It will not happen.
"If we do something, it'll be a 135is like we've done with the Z4 and the 3 Series," the source told us with a wink.
So this fall look for BMW to introduce a 135is powered by a more powerful version of the twin-turbo N54 inline six-cylinder and a more aggressively tuned suspension.
Source - http://blogs.insideline.com/straight...auto-show.html
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(KentSain) Talking to Sain really isn't good for Kent's mental health.
Category: Fire Emblem - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Humor - Characters: Kent, Sain, Wil, Other - Published: 2006-03-15 - Updated: 2006-03-16 - 994 words - Complete
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Today's Devotional
Know It AllWhat strengthens the church?
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Varn Brown and Earma Brown are co-founders of Armorbearers International. Both Christian Authors and ministers of the Gospel, they have served and led small groups in the Ministry of Helps for over 20 years. They operated as armor-bearers and ministry assistants to the Senior Pastors of Covenant Church in Texas for a number of years. Varn has served over 17 years as a personal assistant to Pastor Hayes and his family. The Brown's passion and anointing in serving their local church and community is contagious to people in a wonderful way.


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Just a few days ago, Microsoft acknowledged a major security flaw in windows XP and older operating systems. This flaw has to do with the program Microsoft DirectShow that handles multimedia aspects in your system. While you may not actually see DirectShow appear on your screen, many applications and plugins use this program to display multimedia items on your screen throughout your average day on the computer.
This program by itself is not flawed, but when it is paired with certain exploited websites, it can cause major damage to your computer. Visiting one of these sites will trick you into downloading an infected AVI file that uses directshow to infect your system.
As of now, MS has not released an official patch for this issue. It is expected that the next round of security updates will permanently fix the issue, but until then there is a "fix-it" patch to temporarily close the hole. If you are concerned about this flaw, you can go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971778 . On this page, click the button below the words "enable workaround". This will edit your registry so this directshow flaw cannot harm your system.
Until next time, stay safe out there!


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This Forum has been archivedVisit Discussions
What are your thoughts on the recent Boost Mode in Sonic games? Yeah I asked the question on that articles talk page but no one discussed there. I guess thats why we have a forum. Anyway I am asking for fangame planning and should I include it or not?
My guess the Boost Mode is an evolved version of the Light Speed Dash crossed with SatAM's Sonic habbit of bursting into speed without need a running start.
So whats your thought on the Boost Mode? Any improovements you think it should have or might as well be scrapped?--Mystic Monkey sez 21:32, May 17, 2010 (UTC)
Hm, Well, what about the concept of burning ring energy? Plus, while the game is faster, wouldn't it make the game too easy? What if it was instead a temporary boost giving Sonic access to full speed instead?--Mystic Monkey sez 22:35, May 18, 2010 (UTC)
I know this is bumping, but I wish for more people to reply so I can decide to go with. Sure ATM I am all talk and no work for my fan games but I am still serious about them. I wanna have a boost feature yet change it and want more oppinions. The first attempt at the boost feature in the 3D games was Sonic Next-Gen with the blue shoes (Boosting was introduced in the side scrolling Sonic Rush. I was thinking of my version of the Boost can be simular to Next-Gens only still as fast as Sonic Unleashed.
(Fun fact, Robert from Next-Gen, the man who custom made Sonic's shoes to react to local crystals chips will be playing a major role in another fan game idea.)
But fan game discussion asside, whats your oppinion on Boosting?--Mystic Monkey sez 17:32, May 26, 2010 (UTC)
Woo! This is something that I can actually ta;ka about cuz I have Sonic Unleashed... In my opinion, I think that Boosting is awesome, it's fun for me to just all of a sudden burst into speed. I also find it funny when Sonic smacks into a wall if he runs into it with Boosting. I'm a Super NOVA! 21:29, June 6, 2010 (UTC)
- The way he smacks into walls is funny but a major nuisence for me if I want to earn a nice rank, but I will include it in game ideas.--Mystic Monkey sez 11:19, June 7, 2010 (UTC)
- Well, yeah, I keep bumping into stuff... I'm a Super NOVA! 18:54, June 7, 2010 (UTC)
- It can be annoying, maybe if I include a sort of "slow-mo" moment simular to when Sonic flies through the air which gives you a better chance to side-move.--Mystic Monkey sez 19:01, June 7, 2010 (UTC)


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ACEL Charter School To Develop Community Garden
Garden to be on the Chukchansi Park premises for 2013
November 7, 2012 1:11 PM ET
"Chukchansi Park is ready to go Farm Grown just like the entire Fresno Grizzlies organization," said Chris Cummings, Managing General Partner and Team President of the Fresno Grizzlies. "We look forward to working with ACEL in developing an education component to the stadium that stresses agriculture and the sustainability of the Central San Joaquin Valley. The goal is to maintain a successful community garden as part of a larger Chukchansi Park Community Farm for the entire 2013 Grizzlies baseball season."
The process of creating a community farm began at Chukchansi Park immediately after the end of the 2012 season. With the support of the City of Fresno, the Grizzlies staff removed shrubs beyond the left and center field wall's to provide a large farming area. The gardens are expected to have themes such as "Pizza" or "Salsa," and once a month during the baseball season, Farm Grown will invite agricultural partners to offer fans a "taste of the farm." Any yields from the community gardens will be contributed to a local organization that serves the hungry or sold at minimal cost to benefit the Grizzlies Community Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
ACEL's community garden and other farming plots at Chukchansi Park will highlight the growing of vegetables, grapes, nuts, stone fruits and other popular Central Valley products. Other agricultural organizations may create their own garden plot to grow alongside ACEL's. They will all have the goals of displaying and showcasing agriculture, promoting good nutrition, and encouraging home gardening.
The Farm Grown program was launched by the Grizzlies and the Grizzlies Community Fund in April of 2012. The mission of Farm Grown is to promote the agricultural heritage and philanthropic vitality of the Central San Joaquin Valley through the building of meaningful partnerships in support of education and healthy living. The community garden at Chukchansi Park will serve the program's mission by showcasing students in an urban setting the importance of agriculture to the region as well as promote healthy eating for students.
For more information on how to sponsor the Farm Grown program, please contact Jerry James (559-320-2511) or Mona Cummings (559-288-4947) of the Grizzlies front office.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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Pimsleur Hungarian Level 1 Lessons 11-15 MP3
Learn to Speak and Understand Hungarian with Pimsleur Language Programs
- Format: MP3
- Lessons: 5
- Availability: In Stock: Available for immediate download
List Price: $21.95
Free Audio Lesson
Learn a new language while commuting, while cleaning the house, or working out. Like millions before you, discover the power of the scientifically sequenced and portable Pimsleur Method.
Includes 5 lessons and reading instruction as MP3 download (2.5 hrs).
Pimsleur® equals success. Just one 30-minute lesson a day gets you speaking and understanding like no other program.
This course includes Lessons 11-15 from the Hungarian Level 1 Program featuring 2.5 hours of language instruction. Each lesson provides 30 minutes of spoken language practice, with an introductory conversation, and new vocabulary and structures. Detailed instructions enable you to understand and participate in the conversation. Practice for vocabulary introduced in previous lessons is included in each lesson. The emphasis is on pronunciation and comprehension, and on learning to speak Hungarian.
Reading instruction begins in Lesson 11 and provides you with an introduction to reading Hungarian. These lessons are designed to teach you to sound out words with correct pronunciation and accent. A Reading Booklet to be used with the audio lessons is also included in PDF format.
The Hungarian Language
Hungarian is spoken in Hungary and by the Hungarian minorities in 7 neighboring countries. The Hungarian name for the language is Magyar. Pimsleur's Hungarian teaches the "standard" Hungarian, which is based on the North-Eastern dialect spoken throughout Hungary.
Tech Talk
- Lessons can be downloaded using the Pimsleur Course Manager App for iPad, iPhone and Android devices, and Mac or Windows computers, or
- Lessons can be downloaded as a zip file for use in iTunes or Windows Media Player.
- All purchased courses are backed up in your Pimsleur.com cloud-based digital library account.
- Lessons can be played on your iPod or any MP3 player.
- The Pimsleur Course Manager App can be installed on several devices for personal use only.
- Lessons are non-DRM (Digital Rights Management) MP3 files and can be copied onto a CD or DVD for playing in a CD/DVD player.
Need Help?
Call us with questions
(800) 831-5497
Reviews Summary
REVIEWS SUMMARYby PowerReviews
- Easy to use (3)
Best Uses
- Fun (3)
- Self-improvement (3)
Reviewed by 3 customers
- Easy to use
- Fun
Best Uses
- Just for fun
- Self-improvement
Comments about Pimsleur Hungarian Level 1 Lessons 11-15 MP3:
I listen in the car on my commute. As others noted, this product teaches a pretty formal hungarian. It amuses my wife, a native speaker, when I address her formally, which is really all to the good. She does say some of the pronunciations are off. I don't write well enought o write the actual hungarian words, but the number 4 and the word for don't have sound the same on the lesson but quite different when my wife clarifies them. I speak a little with the in-laws and friends on skype which makes it clear I have a long way to go. It's fun though.
- Easy to use
- Fun
- It Works
- Portable
Best Uses
- Business/Work
- Family background/Heritage
- Just for fun
- Self-improvement
- Travel
Comments about Pimsleur Hungarian Level 1 Lessons 11-15 MP3:
Borrowed lessons 1-10 from the library and listened to the CDs in my car on long drives for work. Very easy to work with and now I can speak with my mom and some other relatives in their native tongue. Although the lessons are fairly basic, they build on each other and are a good foundation upon which to keep building. Sorry Pimsleur doesn't have more than 30 basic lessons in Hungarian. It was an intuitive way to learn to speak (vs a classroom based approach).
- Easy to use
- It Works
- Perfects Accent
- Portable
- Expensive
Best Uses
- Just for fun
- Self-improvement
- Travel
Comments about Pimsleur Hungarian Level 1 Lessons 11-15 MP3:
This was my first experience with the Hungarian language, and I can't think of a better way to start. Hearing native speakers is invaluable in starting a new language, and it makes all further study much easier. I would actually do each lesson twice, just to get things to stick that much more. Once I had a handle on pronunciation and reading, I started using other sources while going back and redoing lessons regularly. One thing keeping this from being a 5-star review is the lack of explanation behind word order, verb tenses, and just grammar in general. I understand the Pimsleur method is such that you don't get bogged down with boring grammar, but I think that once are comfortable with a bit of speaking, reading, and phrases, there should start to be some more detail into why you're saying things the way you are. For this grammatical side of the language, I had to turn to other sources. So like I said, this was a great way to start learning Hungarian, especially when used consistently and with other sources as you progress. And one last side note: I recently met a native Hungarian, and she says I don't have any accent at all! Highly recommended product!


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Ask a Lawyer and Get Answers to Your Legal Questions
The problem is that I was charged with battery and the person assaulted me and I am afraid of that person attacking me again. I was heavily sedated, as i am disabled and I suffered a concussion, as well as other injuries. I had called 911 and reported the incident, but I was unable to give complete statement at the moment the police arrived, and I was taken into custody. Never read my miranda rights, nor given medical assistance as I repeatedly requested, and even filled out the "sick form" the written request to be seen by a medical professional while i was being held incustody.
Hi! I will be the professional that will be helping you today. I look forward to providing you with information to help solve your problem. If the person attacked you and you were the victim and called 911, why did you get charged and not them? Were there any witnesses to the incident?
That is the question I kept asking when they were arresting and booking me. The only witness was a very smart almost two year old girl who saw the whole thing and was crying uncontrollably as I tried to escape. I had called the mother of the young girl because she was being babysat (by my attacker) and should have been picked up already. I told her what happened and she said she would be there to pick up her daughter in the next five minutes. I then called 911. When I finally picked up a copy of the police report (apprx. 3 weeks later) I found that my attacker had made up blatant lies about me, said I attacked her, etc. and she was trying to defend herself from me! (the attacker has serious anger/rage issues, and just did the same thing to her own son less than six months ago.
What about the responsibility of the police officers involved? When I told them what happened they did not believe me because most of my injuries were not readily visible? And why was i refused medical treatment when I requested it? What about my miranda rights, and other technicalities?
Is that a typo--did you mean ...'without my miranda rights being read to me'?
Relist: Other. think there was an error in response to last issue--just need clarification please. So, if I accept the Agreement and this repeats, who should I call?
One last thing, there is a 'no contact' condition in the agreement (done at my request), but she is the one who has to provide, in writing, for it to be lifted.
Where does she submit that written document indicating that fact, and how will I be informed/notified?
Thank you for all your help.


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Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: California | North Bay / Marin | Environment & Forest Defense
Repeated Coastal Act Violations Earn Drakes Bay Oyster Company Cease & Desist Order
Point Reyes, CA – In rejecting excuses for seven years of unpermitted development and Coastal Act violations, the California Coastal Commission has proposed issuance of a unilateral Cease and Desist Order against the Drakes Bay Oyster Company (DBOC).
The Coastal Commission's proposed Cease and Desist Order against the oyster company states that, "DBOC violated multiple provisions of the 2007 Consent Order, through its actions and its failures to act," including for ongoing unpermitted development, violations of harbor seal protection requirements, failure to control significant amounts of its plastic that has polluted the marine environment, failure to pay fines imposed in 2009 for illegal activities, and failure to correct ongoing violations of the California Coastal Act despite repeated notices from the Commission. These violations of the Coastal Act add to the significant negative impacts that a legally compliant oyster operation would have on the marine wilderness area and its wildlife.
The Order expresses concerns over ongoing impacts to eelgrass from motorboat propeller cuts, impacts to water quality from wooden racks treated with chromated copper arsenate, the spread of the aggressive and highly invasive Didemnum vexillum, the spread of other invasive species including Manila clams, and the general nature of ongoing mariculture operations without required Commission review. The Commission rejected DBOC's offered explanations as "without factual support."
The Order further states that, "additional issues have arisen since the 2007 Consent Orders, including new instances of unpermitted development and additional concerns regarding potential operational impacts on coastal resources, which would have been addressed" if DBOC had properly obtained a coastal development permit like it was expressly and repeatedly instructed to do over the past seven years.
In addition to detailing a seven-year history of violations, the Order proposes various compliance steps applicable to DBOC as it completes removal of its shellfish by February 28th. The Commission Cease and Desist Order follows three prior letters since September 2011 year rebuking the oyster company for violations. Violations of the Coastal Act can bring penalties of up to $30,000 for each violation and up to $15,000 per day for knowingly committing violations of unpermitted development or operations.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar decided on November 29, 2012 to let the existing operating permit expire on its own terms. On December 4, 2012, the National Park Service published a Federal Register notice declaring that all non-conforming commercial uses within Drakes Estero had ceased, thereby converting 1,363 acres of "potential" wilderness to full wilderness. This designation created the only marine wilderness outside of Alaska.
The Coastal Commission will hold a public hearing on the Cease and Desist Order on February 7, 2013 at its meeting in Redondo Beach.
Comments (Hide Comments)
Friday Feb 1st, 2013 2:45 PM
Drakes Bay Oyster Company Turns to Koch Brothers-Linked Group
Robert Gammon — Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Drakes Bay Oyster Company, which has portrayed itself as a progressive and environmentally sustainable business and has been supported heavily by Democratic US Senator Dianne Feinstein, has joined forces with a secretive group that has ties to the ultra-conservative Koch Brothers and the Republican Party. The secretive group, which calls itself Cause of Action, is leading the legal fight for the oyster company against the Obama administration's decision late last week to close the oyster farm at Point Reyes National Seashore and create the first marine wilderness on the West Coast.
Dan Epstein
Cause of Action is run by Dan Epstein, a former staffer for the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Epstein also was the lead Republican attorney for the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — which is headed by California GOP Congressman Darrell Issa.
Charles Koch and his brother, David, made billions in the oil and natural gas industries and spent hundreds of millions of dollars this year attempting to defeat President Obama. The Koch Brothers also are the primary financiers of the Tea Party, and have heavily backed ultra-right-wing Republican candidates in recent years.
As for Issa, as head of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he has led a series of investigations into the Obama administration since Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. Issa's probes, viewed by Democrats as being overly partisan, have included the Fast and Furious scandal, have dominated Republican talking points, and have provided regular fodder for Fox News.
Despite the ties to the Koch brothers and the Republican Party, Mary Beth Hutchins, a spokeswoman for Epstein's group Cause of Action, maintained in an interview with the Express that the group is a "nonpartisan" charity. Hutchins, however, declined to reveal the identity of the group's donors. Cause of Action has yet to file a federal tax return with the IRS, so it's finances are not yet public; Hutchins said the group formed in 2011 and received its 501 (c)(3) status earlier this year.
In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Hutchins said Cause of Action was helping Drakes Bay Oyster Company, owned by rancher Kevin Lunny, free of charge.
This is also not the first time that Lunny has received help from Issa. Last year, Issa strongly criticized the National Park Service for its contention that the oyster company's lease at Point Reyes should not be renewed. Issa also instructed his Oversight Committee to launch an investigation. Issa and his committee's actions were viewed by many Democrats, including North Bay Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, as just another attempt by Republicans to embarrass the Obama administration. The oyster company's fight against the park service also has been taken up by Fox News.
Cause of Action, meanwhile, has been criticized by progressives for sending threatening letters to nonprofits that fight against obesity and tobacco-use. According to a report in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the letters were viewed as attempts to intimidate and quash liberal causes.
Cause of Action's fight on behalf of Drakes Bay Oyster Company also is viewed in the environmental community as part of a right-wing effort to privatize public land. In a federal lawsuit filed against Obama's Interior Secretary Ken Salazar earlier this week on behalf of the oyster company, Cause of Action argued that Salazar's decision to not renew oyster farm's lease amounted to "an illegal taking" of private property — even though the oyster farm was operating on public land and its owner Lunny knew when he bought the farm in 2005 that the park service had no intention of re-upping his lease after its November 30, 2012 expiration date.
Cause of Action also argues in its suit that Salazar was required by law to conduct a comprehensive environmental review of the oyster farm's impacts on Point Reyes before deciding to not extend Lunny's lease. Although the park service did conduct such a review, Cause of Action contends that it was inadequate. Salazar, however, said that his decision to not renew the oyster farm's lease was not based on the environmental impacts of the oyster farm and instead was based on existing law and policy concerning commercial enterprises on land that had been designated by Congress to become federally protected wilderness — as was the case with Drakes Estero in Point Reyes. Salazar also contends that a full environmental review is not required when making a decision on whether to renew such a lease.
However, if Cause of Action wins its fight, it could force the federal government to complete full environmental reviews every time a private company wants to renew its lease on national parkland designated to become wilderness. Ironically, for Republicans, such an outcome could prove to be quite expensive for taxpayers. The environmental review conducted for Drakes Bay Oyster Company has already cost the federal government more than $3 million, according to Amy Trainer, executive director of The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, a group that has strongly opposed renewing the oyster farm's lease.
In fact, the prohibitively high costs associated with completing such environmental reviews could prompt cash-strapped public agencies to renew leases for private companies on public land rather than spend the money. "What we're talking about is defacto privatization," Trainer said.
Indeed, Cause of Action's co-counsel, the Southern California law firm Stoel Rives, argued in a letter last month to Salazar that it believed it would be legally okay for him to renew Lunny's lease at Drakes Estero without a full environmental review — but not okay for him to let the lease expire without such a review.
Friday Feb 1st, 2013 2:51 PM
Point Reyes' natural treasure is at risk
By Amy Meyer
Special to the Mercury News
Posted: 11/15/2012
Any day now, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will determine the fate of one of California's natural treasures, Drakes Estero. Long considered the ecological heart of the Point Reyes National Seashore, this five-bay estuary is the nation's only opportunity for a marine wilderness experience on the West Coast.
In 1976, Congress declared that the highest and best purpose of this site of uniquely superior habitat and wildlife value would be as a protected marine wilderness. That legacy is now threatened by a selfish attempt to keep a private, commercial business operating at its center.
When it designated Drakes Estero a Wilderness Area in 1976, Congress allowed an existing oyster company to grow nonnative oysters until its lease expired on Nov. 30, 2012. The law intended that Drakes Estero's ecologically rich features would then be protected and restored. This centerpiece of the larger marine ecosystem, already paid for and owned by the people of the United States, would be whole again.
But the oyster company changed hands in 2005 and the new proprietors want to stay indefinitely.
Despite a growing awareness of the immense benefits derived from protecting natural areas, this temporary arrangement has been tolerated for 36 years. The waters of Drakes Estero support a dozen species of marine mammals that live or migrate through it, including one of the largest breeding colonies of harbor seals on the California coast; endangered Coho salmon and steelhead; and hundreds of species of birds.
I served as vice chair of the federal advisory commission for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Point Reyes National Seashore when, in 1975 at a commission hearing, several hundred people supported a big wilderness area and the commission voted its agreement with them. Congress codified our recommendation to the secretary of the interior into law. The deal to let the lease expire this year and protect Drakes Estero's natural resources was a promise to future generations. And it should be kept.
This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Point Reyes seashore, I reflect on the progress made to protect this national park's diverse landscapes. Dotting the seashore's pastoral hillsides, the dairy ranches have survived better than those located outside the seashore, with the help of millions of dollars in park service support for their capital improvements. Support for these dairy ranches remains strong and the future looks bright for them. The remaining piece to complete this park is the protection of Drakes Estero.
The commercial development, nonnative invasive species and disruptive motorboats that come with the oyster operation are entirely incompatible with what the public expects in our national park wilderness areas. Legal researchers at the UC Berkeley School of Law have stated that granting a new permit would set a precedent that would weaken the integrity of our national parks and wilderness systems.
The decision to protect this wilderness within Point Reyes National Seashore is critically important on many levels -- environmentally, legally and ideologically.
For the first time since the passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, this Congress did not pass a single wilderness bill. Drakes Estero is the one wilderness opportunity that rests solely within the hands of Interior Secretary Salazar, who understands that these special places stand for our vision of tomorrow, not for profits or the politics of today. It should become a reality this year.
The integrity of America's remaining wilderness and national parks is on the line with Salazar's decision. I hope with all my heart that he makes the right choice.
Amy Meyer of San Francisco was vice chairwoman of the former federal advisory commission for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Point Reyes National Seashore. She is author of "New Guardians for the Golden Gate: How America Got a Great National Park." She wrote this for this newspaper.
Friday Feb 1st, 2013 5:00 PM
A pack of rabid Enviro-Fanatics have started a Crusade, backed by faked "Scientific" data, lying Park Service Employees and with Blinders on about their Favored (Cattle Ranching) Abuses, in an effort to take Lock up more Public Recreation Land from the general public.
What makes them hate normal citizens so much?
Is their arrogance funded by the Privelege of living in Marvelous Marin, rubbing shoulders with the 1%er and wanna be 1%ers?
Are they greedy for the Power that comes from TAKING from the common citizens? Their arrogance has certainly blinded them from the reality that ordinary people would rather have an environmentally beneficial oyster farm than a crappy sloppy cattle ranch on their picturesque National SEASHORE, NOT "Wilderness Exclusion Zone"!.


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maktoob group showcases araby the world's first arabic search engine at gitex 2007
The Maktoob Group took the opportunity of GITEX 2007, which took place in Riyadh from 15 – 19 April 2007, to showcase Araby, the world's first Arabic language search engine. To celebrate the occasion Maktoob arranged some special surprises for visitors to their stand, including a personal appearance by Saudi comedian Yousef al Jarrah.
Samih Toukhan, Managing Director of the Maktoob Group, emphasizing the importance of showcasing Araby at GITEX 2007, said, "Saudi Arabia has the highest number of internet users in the Middle East which makes it the first priority in our marketing strategy. Since GITEX is the most important information technology exhibition in the Middle East, the event provided us with an exceptional opportunity to introduce our services to the Saudi market, which is the biggest and most important in the region."
Toukan went on to say "With ever increasing use of the internet in the Arab world, there is huge demand for a search engine that differs from all other search engines by using the most advanced technology to understand the Arabic language and all its grammatical rules. This is exactly what Araby does when it searches all the Arabic web pages on the internet."
World wide, search engines cannot accurately decipher the Arabic language and other Arabic searches are restricted to a limited database of sites. What makes Araby so unique is that it uses a high technology search engine that operates by very advanced algorithms, giving it the ability to search tens of millions of Arabic documents on the internet and then give the closest result for the requested search topic in the Arabic language, even correcting grammatical errors and misspelled words..
To optimize user-friendliness, Araby has a number of different search categories such as news, politics, and sports, in which the information is sourced from the most reliable and trustworthy Arab news sources. In addition, there is the facility to start a search under 'Islam' which covers topics such as: the Holy Quran, Islamic seminars and Islamic research, a feature which will be of benefit to millions of Muslim users all over the world.
Araby has undergone a number of improvements since it was first launched, and work continues to update and upgrade the search engine's capabilities as new technologies become available.
The vision of the specialists working on the Araby search engine is to be the leader of the Arab internet world by providing the Arab community with a creative frame of connections and electronic trade solutions. It is the aim of the Maktoob Group to make Araby the first, best and only search engine for Arab internet users, just as Maktoob is the Arab world's first and best mail service.
About Maktoob:
Maktoob was founded in the year 2000 as the world's first free Arabic/English Web-based Email service, offering users the ability to receive and compose Email in either language, regardless of the operating system. In few years, Maktoob has strategically grown to be an integrated group of companies and websites. The network of sites represents Maktoob.com the leading Arab portal with a leading market share of 4 million active users, and a range of companies and sites specialized in business and ecommerce in the region. Maktoob's main mission is to maintain and grow its position as the largest Arab community site by constantly offering its users a unique experience and by providing them with new services and products, please visit; www.maktoob.com
Top Headlines
- Maktoob becomes first Arabic web-mail provider to offer voicemail
- Araby.com Challenges the World Most Dominant Search Engines
- araby.com sweeps the best arabic website award at the pan arab web awards 2007
- Orascom launches Onkosh - New Search Engine for Arab Internet Users
- Egypt first in Arab World in terms of number of engineers


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Red Sox solve Rays
The Boston Red Sox snapped a two-game losing skid to Tampa Bay with a 10-6 win over the Rays Saturday at Tropicana Field.
Boston won the game as -120 favorites, and the 16 runs sailed OVER the posted over/under (9).
Kevin Youkilis and Nick Green drove in three runs apiece to lead the way for the Red Sox. Tim Wakefield gave up five runs over five innings in getting the victory.
Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena drove in two runs each for the Rays. Jeff Niemann surrendered six runs over three innings in the loss.


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Buskers at Hagley Park
I went along to the Buskers in Hagley Park today. It was a hot and sunny day and the park was really busy with a lot of people out enjoying themselves.
A very funny act – one I'd seen years ago and I laughed a lot. Still funny all these years later!
Tags: Buskers
Published on Sunday, January 20th, 2013, under Daily Photo
2 Responses to "Buskers at Hagley Park"
You are so fortunate to be living in such a great city where annual Buskers festivals have become so well established and looked forward to by so many people!
My hometown city has recently evolved from being one of a number of most staid cities into becoming a bit more liberal in terms of the arts, but it seems when such people as myself included suggest having a first annual buskers festival, albeit small by Christchurch standards,our suggestions seem to fall on deaf ears. *sigh* People here in my hometown (and surrounding areas) just don't know what they're missing, besides a boost to the local economy!!
Looks like a fun festival!!!


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Phase 1 gradually reduces the calories you take in while keeping the bulk, then reduces the bulk in days 5-7. You are resting your organs from heavy digestion and detoxing the colon. Your caloric intake dips down during the cleanse but never long enough to put your body into starvation mode. You do lose some weight, but that's not the point of the detox.
One phase is the kidney cleanse and then liver and gall bladder. Lots of watermelon. Then smoothies, green salads, veggie juice, or anything you've liked that you've eaten in the cleanse so far.The last phase adds foods back in like more grains in the meals (guacamole, salads, soups).
Today is day 5 and I will be drinking 3 quarts of green smoothie. These smoothies aren't sweet at all. But I am so excited to finally start adding fruit back into my diet. We just finished 4 days of absolutely no sugar, not even from fruit. In 4 days I've lost 4.8 lbs. I think day 3 was the hardest for me. Headaches and weakness, but today I'm feeling good.


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Who Needs A Break? These Cities And States Leave The Most Vacation Days UnusedWhich cities and states least use vacation time? Project Time Off crunched the numbers.
Top White Water Rafting Near ConnecticutFor the thrill and excitement of White Water Rafting, Connecticut residents never have to head to far away from home. Connecticut offers beautiful State Parks with great rivers to experience the rush of white water rafting. But, several of our neighboring states offer some of the best rafting and tubing as well. Check out the list for Top White Water Rafting Near Connecticut.
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Five Must-See Museums In ConnecticutConnecticut is home to unique museums you won't find everywhere you travel.
Five Must-Visit Baseball Stadiums In The USAThe history, architecture and the fans are what make going to a baseball game an exciting adventure. All of these factor into what helps some of these stadiums make the must-see lists for all baseball fans.
Five Reasons To Visit Connecticut For Spring BreakConnecticut is centrally located between New York City and Boston and provides fun activities to incorporate into your spring break plans.
Top Spring Break 2015 Destinations Near Connecticut For FamiliesWhile so many other people are chasing the sun, there are plenty of places closer to home where Connecticut families can enjoy their spring break. Here are just five of the top destinations to get away with the family while staying within a seven-hour drive of home.
Top Spring Break 2015 Destinations Near Connecticut For College StudentsCollege students don't need to fly or travel far to have a good time on their spring break. Make lasting memories and take in local sights in cities, beach towns and ski resorts within driving distance from your Connecticut home or college.


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Wedding Favors > Wedding Resources > Wedding Attire & Beauty
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UGG Women's Classic Crochet Tall
The boot of the season!
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Don't leave your wallet and cellphone and makeup out in the cold! Wrap them up in a shearling UGG-designed hug of a bag. Just looking at it makes me feel warm and toasty.Tags: leather, brown, tan, hobo, shearling, uggs, chestnuts, ugg australia, Women's HandbagsAdded 7 Years Ago from Uggaustralia
Comfort and warmth now costs $140. Remember when UGG was a brand bought by poor people? :-)Tags: fashion, winter, gifts, shoes, Clothes, accessories, style, boots, womens shoesAdded 9 Years Ago from Neiman Marcus Online
Not the same bulky sheepskin everyone else is wearing... this sweater boot can be tall or slouchy. Perfect for Southern California where cold is not so cold.
This shrug reminds me of a carriage ride in the snow. I love the exposed sheepskin trim, so very snow bunnyish!Tags: cashmere, uggs, shrugs, winter wear, UGG boots, sheepskin, ugg australia, Winter Shrug, UGG Women's Ladder Shrug with Shearling TrimAdded 10 Years Ago from Uggaustralia
The classic mini is perfect for wearing under pants.Tags: winter, boots, Cozy, women, college, uggs, UGG boots, winter boots, winter wearAdded 10 Years Ago from Uggaustralia


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What is Mariano thinking? The Yanks made an extremely generous offer and he is holding out?
Just sign on the dotted line and let the front office worry about other pressing needs.
Any predictions?
I think he gets the forth year from the Yanks.
I don't know. I mean we're completely out of the realm of business and sports and into egos, plain and simple. Hank doesn't seem like the type of guy who would cave in to me. He really did make a more-than-generous offer and Mo basically spit on it.
Before I get into this whole 'best baseball player of my lifetime' thing for a guy who plays like 1/3 of the season....
I know what Mo is doing. Two weeks from now he's going to go back to the Yankees and say his agent put him up to this, he really wants to be a Yankee and they will just give him the 3/$45 contract they initially offered. That's how the Yanks do business these days, haven't you heard.
That sounds logical. You gotta love bad precedents.
we must keep mo at all costs we have no shot to win another title without him.. on another note i need help from the depressed fan to tell me what they are saying abot a rod on wfan... i hope im not a small percentg of fans who will not boo a rod.. please give me input to what yankee fans think of a rod now that he came back ..thanks kid...... ps there is no way mike lowel should be a yankee never ever
There are no Yankee fans on the fan, only mets fans. I don't think A-Rod gets booed, the public perception is that he really wanted to be a Yankee, that's why this is getting done, and he's taking "less money" to come back.
Keep in mind, that's the perception. The more I hear about this, the more I think Boras just did a horrible job of reading the market and A-Rod wasn't going to be able to get this kind of money from anyone else.
Either way, the Yanks are a better team with him than without, but either way, we need to fix the pitching to bring a ring back to the Bronx.
if you guys haven't checked out this idea, go peep it. It's interesting. But yea, mo is nuts right now, i think he's bankin on the dodgers, which is stupid as hell.
He'll be back, but it's just annoying as hell right now. He better haul ass next year, especially considering he wasn't the best releiver on our team this past year, as good as he was. What other releiver has a performance dropoff, ages, and gets outperformed, and gets a obscene raise? Ugh, makes me want to puke.
Give Rivera whatever he wants!!!
It was definitely a good read, but I have a problem with a couple of things. If you guys don't want to read, basically they lay out a plan to trade Cano for Johan Santana, in a package, then trade Wang to the Dodgers for Broxton and Loney.
The first problem is that I don't think Loney is as good as Cano, nor do I think he will be. That's minor, because, as I've said, offense is not where the Yanks have problems. The second, and biggest problem I have is that trading away Wang and bringing in Santana is not necessarily improving the pitching that much.
Yes, Santana is a better pitcher, but Wang has won 19 games two years in a row, he goes deep into games and he's generally exactly what you'd love to have in your number 2 starter. Out of these options, I think the Yanks would be much better off making the Santana trade, re-signing Mo and going from there. Get a great glove to play second and go into the season with Santana, Wang, Joba, Hughes and Kennedy as your rotation (I don't think Pettitte is coming back). That's a much-improved rotation, if Pettitte does comes back, it's an unbelievable rotation.
Of course, if I was Cashman, Cano wouldn't be going anywhere. He's your number three hitter from 2009 to 2019.
i'm with you 100 percent. Just givin some food for thought lol
Anybody think Bonds will ever see the inside of a prison cell?
Well, he's rich, so that lends itself to no. But on the other hand, we are talking about tax evasion, and not murder, so they'll probably try to throw the book at him. I'm going to say he'll do some token time, probably a month or two.
What if this has to do with that rule5 draft? Do they save a spot if he doesn't sign yet?
Let's talk sense here...Mariano is sliding fast. Yanks have leverage (Joba)...tell Mo that the offer is now 2 years. Mo wouldn't look good in a Nationals uniform. Deal from a position of strength.
It looks like he's going to accept the deal this weekend, 3 years/$45M. I just don't want this to drag on any more.
If A-Rod doesn't sign by the deadline for the Rule 5, it would technically allow the Yanks to protect someone else in their minor-league system. I think they're already going to dump Pavano to make one roster spot. I'm pretty sure the deal will be finalized by then, though. So the A-Rod situation probably won't help. The Pettitte situation would, though. I doubt he'll make a decision by then.


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The all-new Tesco Extra Maynooth was officially opened today (03/11/08) by RTE presenter and Kildare native Brenda Donoghue and Store Manager, Cian O'Sullivan. The ribbon cutting was witnessed by a large crowd of eagerly awaiting customers, who had gathered to celebrate the opening of the largest Tesco store in the country.
On hand to help with the opening were the newly named Mr. & Mrs. Maynooth, Rose Comerford and John McGinley along with Josephine Moore of the Maynooth Senior Citizens Committee. The group received a cheque donation of €1,000 to celebrate the opening.
The new store offers a wide selection of new and extended ranges to customers including; Extended Food ranges, covering everything from Free From to Cashsavers and Polish to Health Living; Family clothing department - With fantastic choice and great value, the stylish collections from Cherokee, F&F, Stone Bay and other popular ranges lead the way; An exciting Sports Section with everything from equestrian gear to golf balls; Extended home entertainment and electrical ranges - covering irons and toasters to hoovers and digital cameras to satellite navigation systems; Toys for children of all ages; Extensive DVD, CD and book ranges and also an incredible home interiors department, featuring cool and stylist soft furnishings.
Tesco Maynooth is proud to support local suppliers and instore you will find products from - Organic Lamb from Brendan Walsh's Farm, Naas, Co. Kildare; Liam Heffernan from Gort Na Muc Pig Farm, Rathangan, Co. Kildare - Supplier of Fresh Pork; Barrettstown Mushrooms, Carberry, Co. Kildare; Lily O'Brien's Chocolates, Newbridge, Co. Kildare; Green Isle Foods, Naas, Co. Kildare and Oral B Dental Floss, Newbridge, Co. Kildare;
Speaking at the opening store manager, Cian O'Sullivan, said, "The Tesco Extra Maynooth team are delighted so many local people could be here today to support the opening of our new store. Today is a particularly exciting day as Maynooth is Tesco's new flagship store and will have the widest ranges available in the country. We are confident that customers will enjoy and benefit from this new shopping experience in the town".
For further information or images, please contact:
Mary Crotty PR
Tel: 01-6618777
Email: email@example.com
Seamus Banim
Tesco Ireland
Tel: 01-2152100
Trading Hours: 24 hours a day