Blog
November 17th, 2011
As obstacles mount to overcome decreased school funding and increased behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), more parents are shunning public education in favor of alternative solutions to ensure their children receive the most enriching education possible. A controversial educational philosophy, the concept of unschooling may come off as radical, but the fundamental premise is simple – curiosity, which is innate in children, is the best motivator for productive learning.
In practice, unschooling is child-centered and child-directed. Children organically glean and absorb educational and life lessons from everyday experiences. This can include playing a video game, watching television, performing household chores, creating craft projects, engaging in role-play activities, learning measurements by cooking, practicing the piano or visiting a recycling center. Adults serve as supporting characters, always nearby when needed, but never interfering or dictating.
The Origins of Unschooling
The revolutionary 18th century philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who believed education should be a byproduct of life experiences that allow children to develop morals and character, first propagated the unschooling philosophy. He also advocated for an educational system that was developmentally appropriate rather than age-based.
In 1921, progressive educator Alexander Sutherland Neill opened the Summerhill School. The British boarding school puts democratic power into the hands of the students, who determine the direction of their curricula and the social rules they live by. Still in operation, the school has repeatedly proven that freedom is self-motivating, not self-indulgent. This has been especially true for students who previously struggled in traditional classrooms.
Building upon these principles, in 1977, educator John Holt first coined the term unschooling in Growing Without Schooling, a home education publication read by an international audience. Through his newsletter, Holt promoted his thesis that the most effective way to maximize a child’s education was to replace conventional teaching, testing and grading methods with child-initiated activities that involves the exploration of activities and the pursuit of knowledge in subjects they are interested in learning more about.
As Holt famously once noted, "Since we cannot know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much, and learn so well, that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned."
Structure and Discipline
Due to its individualized nature, unschooling is a philosophy more than a technique. Unschooling, at its core, is a legal form of home education, yet its unique viewpoints and applications make it as estranged from homeschooling as it is from traditional public education. Unschooling gives children the freedom to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, work and social interactions, rather than strictly from books.
Critics pull out a long list of fears for children when they condemn unschooling, including the lack of opportunities to develop social skills, to prepare for the job market, to interact with authority figures and peers, as well as to be motivated to learn. Yet supporters say these concerns are unfounded. In fact, most unschoolers enter the real world with a natural curiosity for learning, as well as with abilities to learn about and adapt to anything.
There is little structure and discipline employed in unschooling since its very nature means that children learn through organic experiences as they go about their daily lives. Unschooling takes into consideration each child’s interests, passions, present needs, goals, pre-existing knowledge, learning style and maturity. Children are able to learn at their own pace based on their stage of development, rather than their age.
Parents or tutors serve as information facilitators, reference guides and life coaches. The limited help they provide in locating resources and setting goals tapers off as children grow older so that eventually their education is wholly self-led. Supportive resources come from a variety of online channels, including Unschoolers.com and the YouTube Unschooling Channel.
Of the roughly 2 million American students who are presently home schooled, approximately 10 percent follow unschooling principles. A few groups have applied the doctrines of unschooling to the classroom. The U.S. is home to nearly 30 Sudbury schools that have successfully implemented child-led education practices since 1968. As a children-led, democratic institution, students are able, but not obliged, to attend classes. They are not required to take tests, they do not receive grades and they spend the day studying what they want to learn.
Described by SudburySchooling.com as ”a scaled-down model of the real world,” students not only discover who they are, but they also learn how to work with others, overcome obstacles, independently solve problems, think critically and resolve conflicts. "This helps them become resourceful, articulate and mature," the website says.
November 15th, 2011
The world is becoming an increasingly crowded and interactive place. As the world’s population continues to grow, advances in technology continue to find ways for people all over the world to communicate. This makes the world seem like a smaller place and requires people to learn new survival skills for the 21st century.
It can seem like a novelty that people from all corners of the globe can communicate with each other and exchange information. But in important areas such as commerce, medicine and law enforcement, the ability to communicate on a global scale has helped to save lives, create jobs and offer opportunities to people that had not been available in the past.
As cultural barriers get broken down and more people are relying on technology, you need to start building up survival skills that will help keep up with our rapidly changing society. It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the invasive need for information, and that is causing a lot of people to have to adjust the way they approach life.
Adaptability
Everything in our world is changing. From our home life to the workplace, our increasingly diverse society is bringing together people from different cultures. Anyone who wants to be successful in the new global workplace needs to be able to adapt to working with and benefiting from other cultures.
But adapting in the 21st century does not just mean becoming tolerant of others’ beliefs and cultures. It also means being able to adjust to the rapidly changing face of technology. The Internet is a powerful communication medium that is constantly changing, and social networking is at the heart of it.
The ability to shift with the changes in social networking is important for private individuals as well as businesses. The newest platform that everyone uses to communicate could change in six months or less. If people want to stay in touch, and businesses want to maintain contact with clients, then we all need to adapt to the changes.
Don’t forget the constant changes in computer and mobile communication technology as well. If you want to use the newest handheld computing marvel, then you need to spend time adapting to how it works.
Collaboration
As communication and travel make people more accessible to each other, the idea of a global workplace becomes more of a reality. Video conferencing, overnight deliveries and jet travel have made it easier for people to work together on creating new ideas. That means that everyone needs to start adjusting to a more collaborative world.
But there is more to it than just working with other people to generate your information. Because collaboration is so easy to do, individuals are finding it increasingly necessary to collaborate with others to gain credibility. A more global attitude means that everyone needs to get used to collaborating with others to gain respectability and credibility.
Problem Solving
Have you noticed that your local radio station has almost completely stopped using trivia questions as a way to give away prizes? That is because the process of problem solving has changed completely in the 21st century. People can now find the answer to a trivia question within seconds thanks to the Internet. It has changed how people view the complexity of many things.
But have you also noticed that the radio station trivia question has been replaced with giving prizes to the person who is able to be the 10th caller? That has been the challenge that problem solving has offered us as a society. Just because we can access the answers quickly does not mean we are any smarter.
If you want to survive in the 21st century, then you need to understand the question as well as being able to solve the problem. The survival skill of being able to find credible solutions to problems is difficult to master when there are so many sources of information to choose from.
Patience
People underestimate the value of patience as a 21st century survival skill until they stop and realize how many contacts they make with others in the course of a day. Between phone calls, workplace contacts, Internet contacts and personal contacts, there are a lot of people to deal with in the course of a day.
But the added layer of Internet contact has created the need for even more patience. As the home computer becomes the central point of family life, the challenges of protecting the home computer become stressful.
The home computer holds important financial information, personal information and is the primary way that many people shop. Internet hackers, spyware, viruses and spam email all add stress to a person’s life. Developing patience helps people survive the added stress that an expanding Internet can cause.
Media Filter
Who is lying to us? Who is telling us the truth? It is an accurate statement to say that the truth is out there for us to find. As one of the more important 21st century survival skills, we all need to develop an effective media filter.
Because the 24-hour news networks and Internet blogs all need something new to keep people interested, the average person is now given several points of view on the same subject. The truth can often get buried in cleverly crafted lies that are designed to get you to think in a certain way. People who are surviving the 21st century are the ones that know how to look through the lies and find the truth.
Thick Skin
Are things really worse now than they were 50 years ago, or are we just exposed to more information these days? Every time you turn on the television you are shown images of violence in some part of the world or you have to endure the political bickering that can create sharp divides within our country.
If a person in the 21st century wants to learn about what is going on in the world, he first has to develop the thick skin necessary to get past all of the violence, political propaganda and bad news that exist today.
The expansion of the Internet and the existence of the 24-hour television news networks have made it difficult to find reliable information in the 21st century. As the world starts to feel like a smaller place, we all must develop a new set of survival skills that will help us to get on with our lives in this day and age of expanding technology and divisive propaganda.
November 11th, 2011
For 175 years, the American federal judicial system grew without much structure. From the mid-1790’s up to 1968, most federal court cases were administered by commissioners. But the actual powers of a commissioner and the commissioners’ abilities to decide cases were always open for interpretation.
As the case loads for every federal judicial district kept on growing, the backlog was causing a massive slow-down in the legal system. That is when the title of magistrate was created. While the role, and even official title, of magistrate has changed over the years, it is still regarded as an extremely important part of the American judicial system. Considering the caseload that magistrates oversee, it would be difficult to imagine the federal district court system without magistrate judges.
Description
A federal magistrate judge is an appointed officiate of the federal district court system. The full-time magistrate judge is appointed by the federal district court judge for a term of eight years. A part-time magistrate judge can be appointed by a federal district court judge for a term of four years, but the part-time magistrate is much less prominent than a full-time magistrate.
A magistrate judge can only work on cases assigned by the district judge, but a magistrate can preside over a jury or non-jury case. Magistrate judges can preside over any kind of case except for a felony. In the case of a felony, the magistrate judge is allowed to preside over pre-trial proceedings but cannot render any kind of final decision in a felony case.
A district judge must get approval from both parties involved in a case for the magistrate’s decision to be legally binding. Magistrates are required to be bar-certified and attend training that is created and administered by the U.S. District Court system. Training is held at a central location known as the Federal Judicial Center located in Washington, DC.
History
The genesis of the magistrate judge program came with the passing of the Federal Magistrates Act of 1968. Prior to the passing of the act, the federal court system was assisted by commissioners that did not report to any federal agency and not governed by a uniform set of rules.
The Magistrates Act was put on a trial run in a select number of districts before it was implemented nationwide in July 1971. Central administration of the magistrates program was given to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The initial duties of the magistrates were to preside over misdemeanor cases and assist district judges in the pre-trial activity for felony trials. In misdemeanor cases, the defendant had to agree to have the case heard by a magistrate instead of a federal judge before the magistrate could hear the case.
Throughout the 1970s, the role of the magistrate judge was refined by several new pieces of legislation. In 1976, magistrates were given the authority to preside over pre-trial motions and proceedings that applied to habeas corpus cases. In 1979, congress gave magistrates the power to preside over civil cases but only with the consent of both parties involved in the case.
The advantage to expanding on the powers of the magistrates was to help expedite the system and unload the backlog of cases that was being created. Instead of waiting months, or possibly years, for a civil case to be heard by a federal judge, lawyers from both sides could now get a case heard sooner by a magistrate.
The term “magistrate” was in effect from 1968 until 1990. Due the expansion of the duties of a magistrate, congress expanded the term to be known as “magistrate judge.” In addition to being able to preside over civil and misdemeanor cases, magistrate judges were also allowed to preside over pre-trial discovery proceedings for felony cases. The federal district judge would have to assign the case to a magistrate judge before the magistrate could proceed with discovery hearings.
The Judicial Conference of the United States works with the district judges to determine how many magistrate judges are needed in total and for each district. The individual appointments are left to the discretion of the federal district judges, but the central U.S. District Court offices must approve all appointments.
Some Numbers
As of 2011, there were a total of 527 full-time and 41 part-time magistrate judges. There are also three special four-year positions referred to as Clerk of the Court/Magistrate Judge in the United States federal court system.
For the year ending in September 2010, magistrate judges performed duties in 353,847 civil cases, 186,337 felony cases and 2,369 misdemeanor proceedings. Of those civil cases, 333 were trials with a jury and 171 were non-jury proceedings.
Breaking down the 2010 felony numbers shows us that 38,921 were pretrial felony case conferences that had been granted to magistrates in 1979. Evidentiary hearings made up 2,222 proceedings for magistrates in 2010.
Other miscellaneous numbers for magistrates in 2010 included 4,226 cases related to social security issues and the disposition of a total of 116,983 cases.
The federal district court system is an extremely busy organization that hears hundreds of thousands of cases every year. Prior to the creation of the organized magistrate judge system, district judges were forced to rely on patchwork of court commissioners. Since the full implementation of the magistrate system in 1971, district judges have been able to expedite the results of millions of cases that may have otherwise sat for years before being resolved.
November 9th, 2011
If you say the phrase “no child left behind” to a group of ten people involved in public education, you will get ten different responses. The 2001 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) Act, was considered by the George W. Bush administration to be its greatest domestic triumph. It can be hard to argue that a law which forces states to be accountable for the education of its children is a bad thing, but maybe NCLB is something that has helped to lower standards that are already low enough to begin with.
While the concept of NCLB is a great one, it comes with a whole list of problems that can be seen as the core of why education standards in the United States are changing. To understand why failing is now passing in the United States, you need to understand what has changed in the funding of the education system that has driven states to lower their standards and sacrifice the quality of education for our children,
Big Government
It must first be said that the NCLB legislation was something that did not have be ratified by individual states. It was a federal program that was conceived by the president of the United States, debated on Capitol Hill and passed by the Congress. Why is that so significant? Because the states pay for education and the federal government is now dictating standards.
The federal government contributes nine cents for every dollar spent on education in the United States. But the NCLB act is a series of laws that every school system must meet in order to take part in state funding for schooling. The federal government offers some grants that help with testing of students and some other smaller programs to assist in improving results. But the states are forced to pick up the tab on every other part of the program. No one is complaining about the notion that the education system needs to be overhauled; the complaints come from the federal government pushing the costs to the states.
For example, if a school fails to meet education standards for state testing, then there is a series of programs and improvements the state must implement to bring the school up to standard. The state must pay to improve school conditions and then retest the students to make sure progress is being made.
The test grades for ethnic groups within school systems are separated out and if those scores fall below state mandated levels, then extra measures must be taken to correct the scores. The states are forced to pay for any extra teachers, materials or class time needed to make sure that no child is left behind. It sounds great in theory, but it is having a negative effect on the education of American children.
Our Standards
The National Assessment of Education Progress, or NAEP, is the standards that the federal government would like to see the states use to determine the abilities of American students. But, for the time being, the states are still allowed to dictate their own standards. Because the NCLB costs can be so high if a school fails the standard tests, reports are finding that states are lowering their standards to avoid a flood of failing grades. In some cases, the state standards in grading are between 30 to 40 percent lower than the federal standards. That means that states are lowering their standard test grading curves to prevent schools from failing the standard tests. Education levels are not rising; testing standards are falling.
What used to be considered failing just a few years ago is bordering on passing these days. It looks like math is the subject that is getting the most help while reading comprehension seems to not be falling at such a drastic rate.
One of the things being lost in the entire debate is the damage being done to the overall education of children in the United States. The NCLB act has its focus on mathematics and reading. When children begin to fall behind in those subjects, a significant amount of the state’s education budget is spent on bringing the schools back up to standards. But math and reading are not the only subjects being studied in schools.
The NCLB act covers children primarily in grades four through eight with periodic follow up on through the high school years. But very little provision is made for monitoring other education standards. Children are also engaged in studies involving history, politics, science and physical education. The NCLB standards make no provision for any of those subjects.
The result is that the bulk of a state’s education budget needs to be spent on analyzing and improving standard scores for math and reading while the rest of the educational progress suffers. Schools have their standards and testing for each of these other subjects, but the weight of importance is placed on math and reading. Children struggling in science, history or physical education can be left on their own to try and improve their progress as their school careers advance.
The priorities of the federal government can have a broad effect on the way our country views education. When the state governments are called on to meet federal standards with no federal financing, the ones that will suffer will be the students. Grades that were considered failing grades a few years ago are suddenly getting revisited as test scores are playing an important part of state and local education budgets.
Conclusion
The focus is no longer on educating children as much as it is on preventing state education budgets from going bankrupt. When the emphasis shifts so strongly towards assessment without thought of education, the end result is a generation of children that can memorize test answers but do not know how to think for themselves.
November 8th, 2011
The Internet is one of the most accessible educational resources a child could ever have access to. Thanks to the Internet, parents and children have access to hundreds of thousands of websites that offer vital information towards the intellectual development of children from their toddler years all the way through high school. When used properly, the Internet can be an educational enhancement towards the development of a child’s imagination and intellect.
But, as the FBI points out, the Internet can also be a place where predators and criminals can hide. Unscrupulous people looking to steal personal information, load up your computer with viruses, access your financial accounts and lure your children into unsafe situations can exist in almost any social Internet setting.
For parents, it is the difficult balancing act of utilizing the Internet as the positive educational tool it can be with protecting their children. The right solution for parents is to become involved in their kid’s Internet activity and make sure that children understand the consequences of not being responsible when using the Internet. It is important to remember that children will run across challenging situations for the rest of their lives. Teaching your child Internet safety is another way that you can strengthen your child’s ability to tell right from wrong and ensure that your child will grow up knowing how to react to a potentially dangerous situation.
Talk to Your Kids
Before setting down a long list of Internet rules or looking over their shoulders while they are surfing the web, you should talk to your kids about why Internet safety is so important. When children understand a situation, it is easier for them to understand and apply the rules they are given.
When you talk to your children, be sure to explain the positive aspects of the Internet along with the dangers. Show your children how to use the Internet as a way to learn things and have fun with their friends online, and explain to your children the dangers of viruses and shady websites. To help drive your point home about the dangers of viruses, you should have your kids try to go without the computer for two days. Explain to them that a virus could take the computer out of the picture for longer than that. It will help your kids develop an appreciation for the effects of viruses. They may not completely understand what a virus is, but they will know that viruses should be avoided.
Get Familiar with the Internet
The best way for you to protect your kids and minimize the risk of exposure on the Internet is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the kinds of websites your kids will be visiting. Visit the game websites, music download sites and social networking sites your kids will want to use and understand how they work.
Some of the more popular websites require software downloads that could load viruses onto your computer. Before you try to tell your children how to surf on the Internet, it is important for you to know what you are talking about. Your kids will be hearing about these great websites from their friends and giving their opinions on them. You need to know about these sites as well and develop a comprehensive understanding of how to use the sites and what dangers they pose.
Set Ground Rules
Before you let your kids start surfing the web, you need to set some ground rules for using social networking and other kinds of websites. But when you set these ground rules, you need to let your children know why the rules are important and how the rules protect them.
Good ground rules include never putting their home address or phone number on a website, never give their social security number to a website unless they ask you for permission first, never give out their passwords to anyone and never giving any personal information to people they have not met personally. All of these rules are designed to protect your children from predators and Internet criminals who try to steal financial information. The last thing you and your child needs is to get a credit card bill in your child’s name because he gave someone his personal information online.
Spend Time Online
To help your kids understand how the ground rules apply, you should set aside time to surf the Internet with them. At some point, you will have to let your kids surf the web without you around and learn about the Internet at their own pace. But before you set your kids free in the land of cyberspace, surf with them to point out the good and the bad on the Internet.
It is extremely important that you show kids good aspects of the Internet as well as the dangers. If all you show them is dangers, then they will assume that you think everything on the Internet is bad. But if you show them how to find their favorite game sites or the fan site for their favorite singer, then they ill appreciate the information you have given them.
Keep an Eye on Them
You want your kids to feel that you trust them, but you should also do what you can to keep an eye on their Internet activity. Use monitoring software to keep track of where your kids go and use parental blocking software to block out the websites your kids should not be visiting.
Your kids will know that you have control over the parental blocking software, but they won’t know you are monitoring them. It helps you to make sure your kids are following the rules of Internet safety when you are not there to look over their shoulders.
The Internet is a great resource for educational information and fun websites for your kids. But the Internet is also the hiding place for criminals and predators. As a parent, you want to always protect your children from every danger you can. But reality suggests that always being there to protect your kids is impossible.
That is why you work with your kids to help them understand the benefits of the Internet along with the dangers, you are taking another step towards preparing your children for the experiences they will find in the real world.
November 6th, 2011
Top 5 Places for a Postdoc Scientist to Work?
A postdoc, or Postdoctoral Researcher, is a scientist who has been awarded his or her Ph.D. and wishes to continue studying or researching alongside more experienced scientists before entering the workforce. Postdoctoral Research positions are often offered at universities and other institutes of higher learning, but may also be available via private industry. Each year, postdoc work opportunities are assessed by publications like The Scientist magazine, which presents a cross-disciplinary list of the top opportunities based on a number of different factors.
The role of a postdoc is often untenured and it’s important to remember that the list below represents the best of the opportunities available. Even then, pay scales are widely variable. This means that in some cases, postdocs are compensated with less tangible advantages – good benefits packages, the opportunity to work with well-known scientists in their field, and access to strong social networks within their chosen organization are some potentially positive “atmospheric” advantages some programs may enjoy over others.
Competition for high-quality postdoc positions is strong, and the programs below are the best of the best. Here’s some information to get you on the inside track:
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Whitehead Institute For Biomedical Research
Located in Cambridge, MA, and part of MIT, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research has moved up in the rankings to become The Scientist magazine’s top-ranked institution for post-doctoral research in 2011. Previously ranked at number three, the institution is noted to be strong in its facilities and infrastructure, as well as in funding, but weaker in areas of communication revolving around its employees’ personal and family lives. This is surprising, given that the program has increased their pay and benefits packages in 2008, with subsidized childcare added to the mix in 2009. The Institute’s website trumpets the “exceptional quality of the scientific staff” and “collaborative spirit” of their work. Working in microRNAs, kinetochore, epigenetics and more, the range of research covered by the faculty is impressive. Salary scales range from $49-52K for postdocs, with the maximum level being reached after three years.
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts
At Woods Hole, the value of the postdoc experience and the training and mentoring afforded to postdocs merit immediate positive mention, while the pay and benefits as well as facilities of the infrastructure receive lower marks. With fewer informational resources publically available than the Whitehead Institute, Woods Hole does not publish salary information except for internal access. The institution offers scholar and fellowship appointments, positions as “postdoctoral investigators,” and also offers eighteen-month Postdoctoral Scholarship awards in chemistry, geology, engineering, mathematics, physics, geophysics, meteorology, biology and physics. These Scholarship awards offer a stipend of $56,000/year for an 18-month period of time, with extensions possible – but rare – to a maximum of 24 months. Postdoctoral Fellowships are also included in this range, and are able to undertake independent research in collaboration with their advisors. Career development information is offered to assist postdocs with their lives beyond their appointment at the Institute.
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Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
With a focus on cancer research and high marks in both the family and personal life and communication fields, the Van Andel Research Institute places third on The Scientist magazine’s 2011 Top 40 list – but again reflecting the divide between different qualities in the educational experience received by postdocs, the career development opportunities and facilities seem to suffer, comparatively, at this institution. The institute focuses on a team approach to cancer research, and former postdocs go on to work in the private, public and academic communities after leaving Van Andel. The program appoints its Postdoctoral Fellows for anywhere from 3-5 years (typically the shorter amount of time). Compensation at Van Andel currently ranges from $40,000-48,000/year, and benefits include medical, dental and vision options, life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment insurance, disability, paid time off and holiday pay, FSA accounts and more.
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Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois
Career development opportunities and the value of the overall experience as a postdoc are both positive aspects of the Argonne National Laboratory’s program, but the funding, facilities and infrastructure at the institute are not cited as strengths of the program. A summary of the programs can be viewed in pdf format and while the “competitive” salaries are not listed, there are comprehensive benefits including holiday pay, sick leave, health benefits and vacation. The labs focus on solving problems related to energy and environmental challenges, making them a prime area for scientists interested in engaging with new technology.
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Novartis Institute For Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research has rated number 5 out of 40 on this year’s list. While their communication and the overall postdoc experience’s value are cited as weaknesses in the study, the pay and benefits, as well as infrastructure, are noted as strengths. Interestingly, the Institute’s website trumpets their hands-on approach to teaching, describing how fellows “receive guidance from two mentors.” Appointed for a three-year term, the Institute offers sites around the globe including Europe, Asia and North America. The application process is described in detail, but information on the benefits and salaries paid to the postdocs at this institution are not published on their site.
Check out the other institutions on The Scientist’s list to see what places and specialties are regarded as being among the best for postdocs. Whether due to excellent mentorship, unparalleled access to cutting-edge equipment and facilities, or pay and benefits that reflect the value of their postdocs, considering these opportunities will help prospective postdocs evaluate their own options.
November 6th, 2011
Herpetologist – Do You Want to Be One?
Biology, the study of living things, encompasses everything from broad surveys of population genetics to the minuscule scale of microbiology. Everything that lives becomes a point of fascination for biologists. Categories within this overarching science are almost as numerous as the species these scientists study. Because the field is so broad, biologists typically specialize in a field of endeavor that interests them.
If you enjoy biology and find cold-blooded creatures especially intriguing, you might choose to specialize in herpetology.
Herpetology Defined
The word "herpetology" comes from a Greek word that refers to crawling or creeping animals. The "-ology" root describes the study of these organisms. You could say that herpetologists literally practice the study of creepy creatures. Cold-blooded amphibians and reptiles are a herpetologist’s subjects of study.
Despite their association with creeping and crawling, the subjects of a herpetologist’s interest have a noble lineage. All vertebrate life started with these pioneering organisms; to study them is to understand the foundations of biology. the University of California at Berkeley has an excellent interactive tree of life that showcases this relationship. Just as studying amphibians and reptiles opens a window into deep evolutionary history, so herpetology underlies a host of other disciplines from anatomy to zoology.
Specializations
If you prefer to focus on amphibians, you might describe yourself as a batrachologist, while if you’re a snake specialist, you’d be a serpentologist. With thousands of species within these two large classes of organisms, many researchers further specialize into one particular family or genus. Others focus on the reptiles and amphibians within a selected region.
Herpetologists get their degrees in some other aspect of biology; there is no herpetology degree. These scientists must make their own way to some extent, choosing courses that complement their aspirations. You’ll find individual courses in herpetology, but you’ll get to shape your own career from available options. For example, if you find reptilian adaptations to desert climates interesting, you might choose classes in anatomy, physiology and genetics to support your research. If you hope to care for reptiles or amphibians professionally, you might take veterinary science and animal husbandry electives.
Schools that focus on herpetology give you plenty of options for building your specialization. The herpetology-based site Anapsid.org has a list of colleges and universities that focus on herpetology. Peterson’s online college search can also help you find schools that will further your herpetological knowledge.
Careers in Herpetology
As a herpetologist, your specialization will determine what kind of work you do. Do you dream of discovering new species of poison-arrow frogs in the Brazilian rainforest? Would you like to develop the Komodo dragon breeding program at the local zoo? Are you intending to become a veterinarian who focuses on cold-blooded creatures? Herpetologists fill all these roles and more.
It’s useful to group herpetology careers into four sets:
- Medicine employs herpetologists to develop antidotes to or create drugs from reptile or amphibian toxins. Other reptile or amphibian specialists focus on similarities or differences between their subjects and humans. Limb regeneration in primitive amphibians could have medical implications for humans in the future, for example, and herpetologists work with other researchers to study this phenomenon. Share your talents with the medical community if you want to heal or have an appreciation for the connections between all forms of life.
- Colleges and universities that don’t yet have a herpetologist on staff might seek out an instructor or researcher with this specialty. College life gives you time to pursue your own research or to maintain a university collection of specimens. Your expertise could help train the next generation of herpetologists. University work could appeal to you if you prefer the comforts of a stationary job over travel and if you enjoy sharing your knowledge.
- Zoos need herpetologists to design habitats, create nutritional regimens for rare species and keep their reptilian and amphibian charges in good health. Wildlife preserves also need herpetologists who focus on animal husbandry to oversee breeding or release programs. If you like having hands-on experience with living animals and want to ensure their future welfare, you might enjoy working with a zoo or refuge.
- Government researchers venture into the wild to map species’ habitats, monitor changes in behavior or conduct environmental impact studies. Understanding how amphibians and reptiles behave in nature gives insight into climate change and alterations to the local environment. Your work in the field can help direct policy for your state or country. If you would rather be hip-deep in a bog than behind a desk and if you’re passionate about hands-on research, you might look for work with the Environmental Protection Agency or local wildlife and fisheries departments.
Expectations
Wealthy herpetologists are rarer than the endangered wild axolotl. Your paycheck is determined by the kind of work you choose. Tenured university professors may reach six-digit annual incomes, but the median salary falls closer to the $50,000 mark. Zookeepers’ salaries typically run about half that annual rate, while herpetologists who work for non-profit organizations such as wildlife preserves and shelters earn less. Working for the government pays relatively well; researchers typically make between $35,000 and $75,000 depending on their level of expertise. Check the most recent average incomes with the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more detail.
The rewards of herpetology go beyond money. Whether you help save an endangered species from extinction, research a new anti-clotting drug that saves lives or instill a love of "creepy crawlers" in others, you’ll make a difference in this uncommon, but vital biological specialty.
November 1st, 2011
The human brain is hardwired to adapt to the surrounding environment, and as our everyday environment changes, filled now with a myriad of digital technologies, so must our brains change, too, if they are to keep up. Few of these new digital technologies have been criticized as harshly by parents, researchers, and educators alike, with the exception of the internet itself, as video games, especially in the way their use may change how we think and act. With over 91% of kids playing video games, perhaps their concern isn’t unwarranted.
For decades, video games have been blamed for many of the ills in society, often accused of encouraging violence and creating a generation of bored, disengaged youths. Yet the reality of the effect of video games on the brain, and perhaps society as a whole, is much more complex than these accusations allow. Research compiled over the past ten years has shed new light on the true effects of video games on the brain. The results are not always what you’d expect. It reveals that the effects are neither all good nor all bad, and will hopefully lead to a more measured, equivocal approach to understanding the role these games play in society.
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While violent video games have long been accused of making teens and youngsters more violent, a new study in the medical journal Pediatrics suggests that bad language in games can actually have the same effect. Researchers found that greater exposure to profanity through video games and television made kids more likely to use that language themselves, and surprisingly more verbally and physically aggressive than their peers. Of course, the bigger issue at hand may be bad parenting, as nearly all games with extreme profanity are recommended for users 18 and up.
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Turns out that parental concerns about violence in video games may not have been entirely unfounded. The research of psychologist Bruce Bartholow suggests that the desensitizing effects of video games (generally with regard to violence) can lead to an increase in aggression. During his research, Bartholow asked participants to play either a violent or a non-violent video game, then to engage in a competitive task. Those who played the violent game were notably more aggressive during the competitive task than those who did not. Even more disturbing? The effects seem to last long after gaming is done.
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Studies have shown that video games really can "blow your mind." Technology that plays strongly on the senses, as video games often do, can overwhelm the brain and can cause short or long term changes in how the brain functions. Of course, this may not always be a bad thing, and can help youngsters to learn, solve problems, and work collaboratively, as other research has demonstrated.
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Ever wonder why it’s so hard to get gamers to step away from their systems? It could be because of the addictive effects of video games. Research has shown that the high levels of mental arousal the games cause activate the brain’s addiction and reward system, making it more and more desirable for users to continue playing and even harder to walk away. Often, this high users get from playing video games is more than just fun, and can cause obsessive or compulsive behaviors if left unchecked. While there is no formal diagnosis of video game addiction in the medical literature at present, the similarities it shares with other compulsive psychological addictions, like gambling, may make it a legitimate disorder.
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The effects of video games on the brain aren’t all bad. In fact, research done at the University of Rochester suggests that playing games might even help children better develop their brains. Throughout the course of over 20 different studies, researchers at the school found that video games helped improve visual acuity, attention, and certain cognitive functions. Students actually performed better on tests of attention, speed, accuracy, vision, and multitasking. Gamers were better able to distinguish shades of gray, could more easily switch between tasks, and were less distracted – all skills that translate well into real-world applications.
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There is some research out there that suggests that, while video games may help players hone skills in select regions of the brain, they can actually result in the underdevelopment of other key areas. The area that is impacted the most? The frontal lobe of the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, responsible for efficient processing of memory tasks and emotional control. Underuse of this area of the brain was, in one study, shown to cause difficulty concentrating and socializing, as well as mood alterations and changes in behavior. This is somewhat in contrast to the results of other studies, and the true effects of game use over the long term may depend on a number of much more complex variables.
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Video games can keep users on the edge of their seats, but that might not always be a good thing. As it turns out, the brain doesn’t make a strong distinction between events that are happening in real life and the imaginary world of the video game. Games that arouse fear or tension, causing increased heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen consumption, can have a lasting effect on the autonomic nervous system over the long term. Players may experiences changes to their response to real-life dangers, including most commonly desensitization. Whether or not this is a good or a bad thing is up to you to decide, as it could be a valuable training tool for those involved in high-stress occupations.
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Playing video games that require teamwork could help kids apply those skills in real life as well, studies suggest. Games that include activities that encourage players to interact with one another in a non-violent way were found to increase similar kinds of conduct outside of game play. Kids who played non-violent, collaborative games were much more likely to be helpful and cooperative with their peers than those who played neutral or violent games, proving that games can have a positive impact on behavior.
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A lot of research has been done on the ways violent video games impact players, and one of the most consistent findings is that violent games do actually desensitize regular players to violence. In one study, teen males who play violent games were compared to those who played few or no games. Those who played few games had a fairly strong emotional response to violence in games, as you would expect. What researchers discovered about those who play violent games was much more interesting, however. Frequent gamers didn’t lack a response to violent imagery, but instead suppressed their response, suggesting a desensitization to the violence in the games.
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For many video game players, games are so enticing and addictive precisely because they are so challenging. It is this element of challenge that may underlie many of these positive discoveries about gaming on the brain. Some studies suggest that certain types of games may be a workout for the brain and are extremely effective tools for making positive changes in how the brain processes and uses information. Games often work the same way as many educational methods, gradually increasingly difficultly as players become more practiced, which researchers believe could make them an incredibly effective teaching tool.
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Consuming visual information and manipulating objects with the hands are two relatively easy things for most people to do, but doing both at the same time is considerably more challenging. Yet this action is something that is part of nearly every video gaming experience, and research done at the Centre for Vision Research at York University in Canada has found that this practice can actually reorganize how the brain handles difficult visuomotor tasks. In fact, their research showed that regular gamers actually use an entirely different part of the brain to handle visuomotor tasks, shifting the center of activity from the parietal cortex to the prefrontal cortex.
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Gamers may be able to spend hours playing their favorite games, but when it comes time to shift that attention to something else, they may be at a disadvantage. While studies have shown that playing games improves the ability of the mind to multi-task, essentially directing attention at more than one stimulus at simultaneously, it can actually have a detrimental effect on sustained, deep attention given to one object or event. In fact, research has found that gamers have a reduced capacity for sustained attention, especially on tasks that don’t involve constant incoming stimuli. Researchers fear that games could be part of the reason for increases in cases of ADD and ADHD in children, as their brains are being rewired at a young age.
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Much research has been done on how playing video games affects the brain, but what about how our brains affect the ability to play video games? New neurological research published in the journal Cerebral Cortex found a correlation between the size of a trio of structures in the brain and the ability to learn and play a video game. Those with more robust structures were better able to excel at the games they were asked to play. Good news for those who have never been able to master video games, as biology could be to blame.
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Whether you believe that video games are good or bad for the brain, their ability to change how players think and act is proving to be useful for professionals in psychology and counseling. Video games are becoming part of treatment programs for a number of conditions, most prominently PTSD. Those with the condition are allowed to play a games in an immersive, virtual reality setting based on conflicts in Iraq and Vietnam which can help break down some of the barriers many professionals encounter in regularly psychotherapy by making patients more comfortable. Exposure to the sights, sounds, and even smells of the site of their trauma can often help those with PTSD face their demons and learn to cope with their traumatic experiences. Professionals also believe that video games can be a helpful tool in treatment because they help remove some of the stigma of psychotherapy.
October 30th, 2011
Strictly speaking, a greenhouse gas is defined as an atmospheric gas that absorbs and then emits radiation. These gases usually allow direct sunlight to reach the surface of the earth, which correspondingly causes the planet to heat up. When the planet emits heat, the greenhouse gases trap this heat, which leads to a higher overall temperature and some fairly scary looking graphics. Ozone, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are the most well known greenhouse gases on the Earth. Carbon dioxide and ozone in particular have attracted significant notice because these two gases are frequently emitted by a variety of industrial processes that burn fossil-based fuels. Methods of transport such as cars and airplanes also emit tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide and ozone-causing particles such as hydrocarbons.
Over the last twenty years, the existence of greenhouse gases and their long-term effect on the planet has lead to the development of political factions. There are those on the left who believe that the globe is experiencing climate change as a direct result of the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere, and believe that measures can be taken to prevent further warming. There is a separate faction of people on the right who believe that global warming is a scientific conspiracy launched by those who want an excuse to tax and regulate heavy industry. The two groups have battled each other for years. The left has introduced measures to increase fuel efficiency in vehicles to cut down on harmful emissions, while the right has attempted to undermine environmental protection agencies and allow heavy industries to “regulate themselves.” Politicians like Al Gore have made thoughtful documentaries about the changes, while others like Sarah Palin have creatively interpreted events in ways that have little bearing on reality, but make for great entertainment.
The Present
Meanwhile, the vast majority of Americans have been noticing that their summers and winters have become much hotter, and the number of “freak” storms like tornadoes and hurricanes has dramatically increased. The polar ice caps have begun to melt. Many fishermen in the Arctic Circle are changing the way they catch fish: they can no longer sit on the ice and carve a hole to catch fish, because the ice is too thin to support their weight. These developments have made the Weather Channel far more interesting to watch.
Apolitical historians and scientists are quick to note that the earth has always gone through periods of extreme climate change. “Ice ages” occur every few hundred thousand years. The last major one occurred around 650,000 years ago, with a minor one about 20,000 years ago. After careful analysis of the historical record, many scientists agree: they have no idea what is going on. Ice ages have pushed glaciers into the Midwest, and then intermediate warming periods have melted it away, only to be followed by abrupt cooling trends.
The Truth
The truth about greenhouse gases and this particular moment in human history is that the emissions from cars and industry certainly aren’t helping to cool the planet down. Although it’s unlikely that the carbon dioxide emitted since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution single-handedly started this latest round of climate change, it has played a factor in helping to accelerate what is a naturally occurring process. The earth’s climate is definitely changing. What does this mean for the average person?
There’s no way to know precisely how climate change will affect daily life on earth. So far, most people have done little to change their way of living, but this is because the potential effects of major change, such as food shortages and evacuations of low-lying coastal areas that have abruptly turned into part of the sea have not occurred en masse. Scientists have been predicting possible outcomes of climate change for years, but have discovered recently that it is happening at a far faster pace than initially suspected. Ironically, climate change may not be as big of an issue for people as an increasing global population. As of this writing, the planet now has just a shade fewer than 7 billion people and counting. How will each of these people feed themselves and maintain a decent quality of life?
The Extreme
Although extremes still exist on both sides of the political spectrum, many politicians now casually mention “climate change” when addressing their constituents. This in of itself is a tremendous change. Twenty years ago, climate change was largely regarded by the middle belt of politicians as an unproved theory. Now, many people have accepted that life on earth is hotter than it used to be without any particular guilt or panic. Many see the change as an opportunity for new industry, specifically solar panels, wind turbines, and other sustainable forms of energy collection. If the Earth is getting hotter, they reason, why not make a buck from it?
Ironically, the left and right may have more common ground on the greenhouse gas issue than they suspect. If the right wants heavy industry to remain unregulated, perhaps heavy industry should stop using fossil fuels and start building solar panels and wind turbines. This would satisfy the left’s desire for a cleaner atmosphere and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Both parties could win.
The Future
Whatever happens now, the planet will likely continue to experience fairly dramatic changes in temperature for the next few hundred to several thousand years, just as it has for the last several million years. People may or may not survive; economies may or may not collapse. The only thing we know for certain is that greenhouse gases will remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years, absorbing, emitting, and radiating heat. At least carbon dioxide has job security.
October 26th, 2011
One can tell quite a bit about a person based on his and/or her Halloween costume choice — ironic or otherwise. So it’s rather obvious that English majors and other proud, avowed bibliophiles will hit the parties and pub crawls donning duds paying homage to their favorite authors and reads. But many want to stand out from the Hunter S. Thompsons and familiar characters from Alice in Wonderland, The Three Musketeers, The Invisible Man, The Phantom of the Opera, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Wizard of Oz and others often making an appearance on the Halloween scene. The one time a year when it’s socially acceptable for adults to wear costumes in public offers them a giddy opportunity to channel their creativity in celebration of the written word; so they don’t all want to show up as the fifth Sherlock Holmes or Batman. Considering the rich diversity found in the literary canon, there’s plenty of (mostly) unique concepts from which to choose. Here are 20, but the true limits are nearly boundless.
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Everything the potential Ignatius Reilly needs to know about the iconic, hilarious A Confederacy of Dunces misanthrope is found right there in the first paragraph. Literary aficionados wanting to go one step further into obscurity might want to consider his pirate uniform, complete with hot dog accessories.
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Channel an adoration of both history and the written word by heading out as the world’s very first novelist this Halloween. Others may think it the weeaboo thing to do — at least until you whip some Tale of Genji facts into their faces!
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Quasimodo’s been done to death, but if the overwhelming need to spend Halloween hunchbacked, consider Geek Love‘s bald, albino Olympia instead. Almost any of the Binewski kids could make for eerie, effective costumes, though; a gaggle of geeks wanting to pull off epic buddy costumes this year should look no further. For added nausea, whip up some Jarkin and wheel them around. Good way to use up spoiled lasagna, anyways.
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Lewis Carroll’s whimsical creations have inspired many a Halloween outfit, but for the Alice in Wonderland series buff, the usual suspects (Alice, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, The Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter, etc.) might seem too easy, obvious and overdone. The Jabberwocky from Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There might prove a suitable alternative. Ladies wanting to go this route have it easy — all they need to do is wear a scaly-looking bikini and some wings, since there apparently exists some law saying all women must expose at least 95% of their skin every October 31st.
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Cyberpunk’s salad days may have already passed on to the dessert course, but that doesn’t mean its unique aesthetic should be dismissed! Molly Millions from Neuromancer makes for a thoroughly rockin’ alter-ego, what with her mirror shades and razor blade fingernails and everything.
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One of the few authors with a look so distinctive, most American audiences will probably recognize the white hair, moustache and dapper white suit immediately. Bringing along friends dressed as some of his more famous literary figures might make for a fun group, too!
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Everyone ever, particularly on the Internet, only tends to focus on Cthulhu. But H.P. Lovecraft, August Derleth and other writers associated with his mythos imagined hundreds of horrific deities — most of which would make for truly terrifying costumes! Look outside R’lyeh for a rich bounty of inspiration.
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If anyone at the party or pub crawl recognizes this epic buddy costume, buy him and/or her a beer. Seriously. The best part, however, is if the ancient mariner happens to get sick, ol’ albatross can fly solo and pull double duty as a Monty Python reference.
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She was as beautiful and stylish as she was talented and insightful — so a Zora Neale Hurston Halloween outfit means both honoring sophistication, excellent writing and rocking some seriously showstopping ’20s togs!
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Art enthusiasts have Salvador Dali, literature ones have Oscar Wilde. Fans will love piecing together some of his trademark flamboyant fashions, and if they want to go super meta, they can carry around an altered portrait of the celebrated Irish writer. With all the drinkage what goes on during the holiday, such a nerdy gesture is certainly appropriate!
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As Mary Shelley originally envisioned him, not Boris Karloff’s ubiquitous square-head. This sickly yellow patchwork man will not receive nearly as much recognition as his viridian counterpart, but literary geeks don’t really care about that sort of thing anyways.
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Ladies and gentlemen of literary leanings who enjoy a round or two of fighting the establishment might find a Hester Prynne costume a fabulous way to blend books and social commentary. Just find appropriate period dress and slap a big ol’ A on the front for something relatively quick and easy.
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Not everyone is familiar with Oscar Hijuelos’ Pulitzer-winning The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, which is a tragedy of Brobdingnagian proportions. He writes about brothers Nestor and Cesar Castillo’s styles with such loving detail, they shouldn’t be too hard to recreate. Anyone going this route who also happens to be musical might want to think about treating others to a little show. Provided the hosts (and neighbors) approve, of course.
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Thomas Phillips’ lush portrait of Lord Byron stands as probably the most famous image depicting the lauded Romantic poet might be difficult to pull off, but those who can afford it will be ultimately rewarded with a costume both elegant and literary.
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Obviously, stepping out as one of Jonathan Swift’s sophisticated horse people will probably cost more than some of the other costumes suggested here. Anyone who thinks the investment worth it, however, might want to think about paying homage to one of the greatest satires ever published.
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The Island of Dr. Moreau utterly flopped as a film, but the source material by H.G. Wells remains a visceral science-fiction classic. With so many Beast Folk from which to choose, fans have plenty of options — and room for creativity. The movie might provide some inspiration, but the varied nature of Dr. Moreau’s vivisected creations grants crafty bibliophiles a chance to flex any latent design skills!
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Stepping out as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous wife might appeal to literary buffs with a penchant towards retro attire. Any excuse to don a cloche, right?! Do keep in mind that including straightjacket would showcase incredibly poor, ableist taste, not cleverness.
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Suitable for gentlemen and ladies alike, a full-body green spandex suit can be pressed into service as one Jay Gatsby’s personal symbol for American dreams unfulfilled. If people don’t get the reference, just claim to be Green Man from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Either way, the costume’s a real winner.
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A simple enough costume when compared to some others suggested here, although looking like Philip Baker Hall will undoubtedly help. As will carrying around a copy of Tropic of Cancer. Or at least searching for one.
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Simply fail to show up at the party. For the ultra-dedicated, send two friends over as Vladimir and Estragon.
