Tag Archives: education
Robotic tools make learning fun for kids
Robotic tools make learning fun for kids Nivriti Butalia / 28 September 2013 Coloured LEGO bricks are familiar to most people who’ve shopped in toy stores. Those interlocking bits of plastic that children play with, creating buildings, vehicles and such like out of those bricks, only for those structures to be taken apart again. Steen Lund of LEGO Education is on a mission to make learning fun. You get this impression the moment he hands you his ‘business card’. The business card is not a conventional flat paper card, but a plastic thumb-sized LEGO brick man wearing a green cap and glasses, and white shirt. On the front of the toy man’s white shirt, it says STEEN V LUND, and on the back is written his contact details. Because this innovative toy of a business card is so tiny (but effective!), there isn’t space to fit ‘Territory Manager for Europe, Middle East and South East Asia, LEGO Education’. Lund quotes Einstein (‘Play is the highest form of research’) while unveiling the latest robot tool for classrooms called the EV3, launched by LEGO Education and Atlab. ‘There’s a new robot in class’ is the tagline of this new refined product from the education arm of LEGO toys, a company present in 60 countries. There is the necessary spiel about how they are not bringing ‘toys’ into the classroom, they’re bringing in ‘learning tools’. Robots in the classrooms? There seems to be no doubt about the fact that robots will, definitely aid teaching. “It is a resource,” says Kerry Bailey, Special Advisor, E-learning, Abu Dhabi Education Council, according to whom, there are 286 public schools within Abu Dhabi that already have robot kits that can be assembled and are assembled by eight- to 18-year-olds. “Over 1,200 schools in the GCC countries — excluding Saudi Arabia — have since 2005 adopted robot teaching resources,” says Senthil Kugan, general manager, Atlab — the official distributor of LEGO Education in the GCC. Interestingly, as Bailey says, “I have never heard of a discipline problem in a robotics class,” as all kids are head-bowed and working at their study desks, engaged and learning about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (known as STEM; and now with an addition of arts, the acronym for learning becomes STEAM) But there is no fear of class teachers being altogether replaced by these machines (made of lego bricks, but also fitted with battery-operated touch sensors and little computing units that can be fed commands). Teacher as facilitator At the age of 13, Bora Edis and Sharan Bhatia of the Repton School are a supremely confident duo who in just four hours the previous day — by following instructions, sitting with a new interface — assembled a moving device and programmed it to move backward and forward, even installing a fork lift. Domnique Cave, their proud ICT teacher (information, communications and technology) says, “They’ve learnt more in the last two days by interacting and assembling the bricks than by sitting in a classroom.” She says her role has become that of a facilitator, “they teach themselves”. nivriti@khaleejtimes.com What is EV3? The EV3 is the next generation in robotics-based learning. The platform has reinvented science, technology, engineering and maths, also known as STEM, by integrating hands-on designing and building activities into teaching material. Continue reading
UN resolution orders Syria chemical arms destroyed
UN resolution orders Syria chemical arms destroyed (AFP) / 28 September 2013 The UN Security Council unanimously passed a landmark resolution on Friday ordering the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons and condemning a murderous poison gas attack in Damascus. The major powers overcame a prolonged deadlock to approve the first council resolution on the conflict, which is now 30 months old with more than 100,000 dead. UN leader Ban Ki-moon, a critic of the council’s paralysis, called the resolution “the first hopeful news on Syria in a long time.” Ban also said he hopes to convene a peace conference in mid-November. Resolution 2118, the result of bruising negotiations between the United States and Russia, gives international binding force to a plan drawn up by the two to eliminate President Bashar Al Assad’s chemical arms. There are no immediate sanctions over a chemical weapons attack confirmed by the UN. But it allows for a new vote on possible measures if the Russia-US plan is breached. Divisions over the war remained clear, however, in comments by their foreign ministers after the vote. “Should the regime fail to act, there will be consequences,” US Secretary of State John Kerry warned the 15-member council after the vote sealing a US-Russian agreement. But Kerry hailed the resolution. “The Security Council has shown that when we put aside politics for the common good, we are still capable of doing big things,” he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that there were no automatic punitive measures and that the resolution applied equally to the Syrian opposition. He said the council would take “actions which are commensurate with the violations, which will have to proven 100 percent.” Russia, Assad’s main ally, has rejected any suggestion of sanctions or military force against Assad. It has already used its veto power as a permanent Security Council member to block three Western-drafted resolutions on Syria. The resolution “condemns in the strongest terms any use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, in particular the attack on August 21, 2013, in violation of international law.” The United States says the attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta left more than 1,400 dead. It blamed Assad’s government for the sarin gas assault and threatened a military strike over the attack. The government has denied responsibility. Should Syria not comply with the resolution, the Security Council members agreed to “impose measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.” The charter can authorize the use of sanctions or military force. But diplomats said Russia would fiercely oppose any force against its ally. All sides agreed that new action will require a new vote. Russia also rebuffed calls by European powers Britain and France for the Ghouta attack to be referred to the International Criminal Court. The resolution expressed “strong conviction” that those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria “should be held accountable.” It formally endorsed a decision taken hours earlier in The Hague by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to accept the Russia-US disarmament plan. The plan called for Syria’s estimated 1,000 tonnes of chemical weapons to be put under international control by mid-2014. Experts say the timetable is very tight. International experts are expected to start work in Syria next week. Britain and China announced that they will offer finance to the disarmament operation. Ban said the resolution “will ensure that the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons program happens as soon as possible and with the utmost transparency and accountability.” Ban also told the Security Council he wanted to hold a new Syria peace conference in November. “We are aiming for a conference in mid-November,” Ban said, adding that foreign ministers from Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States had agreed to make sure the two sides in the conflict negotiate in “good faith.” A first peace conference was held in June 2012 but there has been no follow up because of divisions in the Syrian opposition and the international community. Ban will start contacts with his Syria peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi next week on setting the firm date and who will attend the new meeting, diplomats said. The Security Council resolution gave backing to the 2012 conference declaration, which stated that there should be a transitional government in Syria with full executive powers. It also determined that the new peace conference would be to decide how to implement the accord. A car bomb north of Damascus that killed at least 30 people earlier in the day and 11 more deaths in a government air raid highlighted the continued slaughter in Syria’s long-running civil war. “We must never forget that the catalog of horrors in Syria continues with bombs and tanks, grenades and guns,” said Ban. “A red light for one for one form of weapons does not mean a green light for others.” Highlights of UN resolution on Syria chemical weapons Key extracts from the UN Security Council resolution passed on Friday condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria and calling for their destruction: Sanctions “Decides, in the event of non-compliance with this resolution, including unauthorized transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in the Syrian Arab Republic, to impose measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.” Accountability “Expresses its strong conviction that those individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic should be held accountable.” Syrian chemical arms “Condemns in the strongest terms any use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, in particular the attack on August 21, 2013, in violation of international law. “Decides that the Syrian Arab Republic shall not use, develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons to other States or non-State actors. “Decides to review on a regular basis the implementation in the Syrian Arab Republic of the decision of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons’ executive council of September 27, 2013 and this resolution, and requests the Director-General of the OPCW to report to the Security Council, through the Secretary-General, who shall include relevant information on United Nations activities related to the implementation of this resolution, within 30 days and every month thereafter.” Political transition “Endorses fully the Geneva Communique of June 30, 2012, which sets out a number of key steps beginning with the establishment of a transitional governing body exercising full executive powers, which could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups and shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent; “Calls for the convening, as soon as possible, of an international conference on Syria to implement the Geneva Communique, and calls upon all Syrian parties to engage seriously and constructively at the Geneva Conference on Syria, and underscores that they should be fully representative of the Syrian people and committed to the implementation of the Geneva Communique and to the achievement of stability and reconciliation.” International law “Deeply outraged by the use of chemical weapons on August 21, 2013 in Rif Damascus, as concluded in the (UN) mission’s report, condemning the killing of civilians that resulted from it, affirming that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a serious violation of international law, and stressing that those responsible for any use of chemical weapons must be held accountable. “Decides to review on a regular basis the implementation in the Syrian Arab Republic of the decision of the Organisation for the Prohibition Chemical Weapons executive council of September 27, 2013 and this resolution, and requests the director general of the OPCW to report to the Security Council, through the secretary general, who shall include relevant information on United Nations activities related to the implementation of this resolution, within 30 days and every month thereafter and requests further the director general of the OPCW and the secretary general to report in a coordinated manner, as needed, to the Security Council, non-compliance with this resolution or the OPCW executive council decision.” Continue reading
Dubai acts to curb property speculation
Dubai acts to curb property speculation Issac John / 27 September 2013 The Dubai Land Department on Thursday said it would be doubling registration fee for real estate transactions to four per cent of the sale price from two per cent, effective October 6. Sultan Butti bin Mejren, Director-General of the Land Department, said the hiked fee structure, charged equally to the buyer and seller of a property, was aimed at discouraging excessive speculation in the property market, which has seen a major pick-up over the past few months by recording a big surge in transactions, prices and rentals. So far this year, real estate transactions in Dubai’s resurgent market totalled Dh162 billion, up from Dh90 billion in the same period a year earlier. Mejren said the new registration fees covers all types of property transactions in Dubai except for the industrial sector, including warehouses. Quick and fair solutions to rent disputes Speaking to reporters at his office, Mejren said the move would have a positive impact on the market as it would help curb property flipping (buying and selling properties in quick succession to make profits) and protect the market. Under the new rule, the registration fee will be split two per cent each between the buyer and seller, he said. Justifying the fee hike, Mejren said around 110 countries in the world are charging higher property registration fees than Dubai. In the UK, the fee is 4-10 per cent, France eight per cent and India 7.3 per cent. Ruling out any negative impact of the fee hike on the market as some analysts feared, Mejren said it would, on the other hand, help stabilise the property market that has achieved maturity. On concerns expressed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the danger of another property bubble under way in Dubai, the Land Department chief said there are no indications of such an overheating in the market. Clearing the air on all your questions In a report, the IMF warned in July that Dubai authorities might need to intervene in the emirate’s property market to prevent excessive price rises. “Dubai has emerged as global city with a strong economic growth record. The city’s property market is mature and based on real demand. The market is stable and is very active. We believe that prices in Dubai are not higher than other top cities around the world,” said Mejren. He said the IMF warning came in line with Land Department’s findings. “We believe that increasing the fees will limit speculation and protect the market from a bubble. We decided to increase these fees before they even recommended it.” Mejren said the department took almost three months to finalise new fee structure after consultations with all stakeholders. Dubai has recorded 18.3 per cent surge in luxury home prices to rank among the top four in “Prime Global Cities Index” as prime property prices across the world fell by 0.4 per cent in the first quarter 2013. Prime residential prices in Dubai, which started to rise in early 2012, a movement partly instigated by regional troubles, recorded a double-digit surge in 2013, with the price of luxury villas increasing by 11.4 per cent and that of prime apartments by 15.1 per cent in value, Knight Frank, a leading independent global property consultancy said in a research note. According to ratings agency Fitch Ratings, the prime property sector in Dubai is poised for a strong 2014 following a vibrant 2013. -issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
