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Julie S. Dixon is a Ph.D. Candidate at OISE, University of Toronto, and facilitator at Brock University, Faculty of Education and conducted the research for this paper as well as co-authoring it. Correspondence regarding this article can be sent by e-mail to: email@example.com
Heather Crooks is an M.Ed. candidate and Karen Henry is an MA student at OISE UofT, and both are co-authors of this paper.
This study explores the concept of transactional distance, a term coined by Moore (1993), which relates to the distance that exists in all learning relationships and can be more evident and potentially problematic in online learning environments. Reducing this psychologically perceived distance to help learners develop social presence in support of collaborative relationships and the development of community in online learning environments is the purpose of this research.
Icebreakers are fun activities that help people get to know each other. These activities can potentially ameliorate the perceived distance in online learning environments. Two author-developed icebreakers were used in a preliminary study involving university undergraduates and instructors in online environments. Respondents took part in an icebreaker at the start of a semester and at the mid-point after which they completed a questionnaire about perceived value of icebreakers. Early results were positive and have led to recommendations for practice.
Cette étude porte sur le concept de distance transactionnelle, un terme inventé par Moore (1993), qui s'applique à la distance qui existe dans toutes les relations d'apprentissage et qui peut être plus apparent et éventuellement poser un plus grand nombre de problèmes dans des environnements d'apprentissage en ligne. L'objet de la présente recherche consiste à réduire cette distance psychologique perçue afin de permettre aux apprenants d'entretenir une présence sociale en appui aux relations conjointes ainsi que d'établir une collectivité dans les environnement d'apprentissage en ligne.
Les techniques d'amorce sont des activités amusantes qui aident les gens à faire connaissance. Ces activités peuvent parfois améliorer la question de la distance perçue dans des environnements d'apprentissage en ligne. Deux techniques d'amorce élaborées par des auteurs ont été utilisées dans une étude préliminaire à laquelle participaient des étudiants universitaires et des instructeurs d'environnements en ligne. Les participants ont pris part à une technique d'amorce au début du semestre ainsi qu'à la mi-semestre, après quoi ils ont rempli un questionnaire sur la valeur perçue des techniques d'amorce. Les résultats préliminaires étaient positifs et ils ont donné lieu à des recommandations portant sur leur mise en oeuvre.
Although online learning environment researchers disagree on a number of issues, few dispute the fact that developing and maintaining a sense of community is paramount to effective learning, and of interest to those who work and learn in the virtual world. This has not always been the case. Early adopters of online learning perceived the medium in a peripheral sort of way, more of an adjunct to the traditional classroom, a repository for lecture notes, additional resources, and a place where final marks could be posted. Collaboration and communication may have occurred with simple question and answer posts, but it was definitely not the focus of the environment.
The medium has certainly come a long way. Today we find that many learners prefer to work online, enjoying all the benefits that it entails, specifically the anywhere, anytime aspect of asynchronous online environments. It would seem that while learners flock to online learning, there appears to be a polarity of opinion among researchers as to whether or not online learning environments provide for the effective development of community. While many believe that online conferencing systems effectively support social learning theories and evolve into effective learning communities, others criticize them for not providing quality opportunities for collaboration and relationship building. In fact, much of the literature points to the need for redesigning the virtual classroom in an effort to develop environments that better support social presence, collaboration, and the development of a learning community.
It is important to remember that technology without other supports has not brought about a transformation in education, and that while technology enables us to quickly access, share, and amass knowledge, it does not automatically transform a group of learners into a community of learners. Collaborative and supportive environments must be developed through enhanced instructional design and facilitation skills.
For the purposes of this paper, we explore our topic based on asynchronous computer-mediated conferencing—one of the more common technologies found in distance education environments. According to Hewitt (2001), computer-mediated conferencing as an alternative to traditional instruction suggests that online environments "affect more than just the 'where' and the 'when' of course taking. They also change the nature of classroom discourse" (p. 208). We would add to this, that online learning also changes the very nature of relationships between learners. While online environments support learners in many ways, they can create problems for relationship building because of what has been called transactional distance.
In the review of the literature, we have explored several concepts and theorists who have supported and contributed to the body of literature on communities of practice and the importance of the social aspect of learning. Moore's work on transactional distance, which emerged from Dewey's concept of transaction, provides the starting point for the background of this paper. Wegerif continued to build upon the topic of social connection and the importance of a community of learners and takes the concept into the virtual world of teaching and learning. Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2001) have built upon the groundwork laid by these researchers and have developed a useful model that provides a visual representation of the key aspects involved in supporting community. They demonstrate the connection between social and teaching presence, including that most important aspect of learning online; setting climate. The following provides a more detailed discussion by the main authors who have informed this study and provided the framework for a discussion of the importance of social presence online and on which our hypothesis about the usefulness of icebreakers is based.
Transactional distance is derived from Dewey's concept of transaction and was further developed by Moore (1993) to explain the distance existing in all learning relationships, both face to face and in distance learning. This distance is not necessarily defined and bound by geography, but relates more to how often learners interact with instructors, peers, and the learning environment. Moore went on to explore the three types of interaction essential in distance education: learner-instructor, learner-content, and learner-learner. Understanding the latter interaction, between learners, is particularly important as we move towards more constructivist and collaborative approaches to learning in online environments.
Although learners are often encouraged, and sometimes required, to work collaboratively the reality is that group work is problematic. While this is also true in traditional face-to-face environments it is exacerbated online by transactional distance. If learners are to be encouraged and supported in collaborative activities, we need to develop authentic and effective ways to assist them to connect with peers and to build relationships early on in online environments so that they are able to locate and connect with colleagues in relationships that work.
Our research involved exploring ways to reduce the transactional distance that learners experience while working online. We hypothesize that employing online icebreakers will: (i) help to mitigate the lack of connection between online learners, (ii) help learners to connect and to develop into communities much faster, and, (iii) support effective collaborative activities.
Online learning has certainly come a long way in the short time that it has been a viable teaching and learning medium. Not that long ago, Mitchell and Kerr (2000) reported their surprise that communities of learners, were, indeed, developing in cyberspace. In the span of just a few years, we have come to expect that learning communities will develop and have begun exploring ways to facilitate their growth.
Members of a learning community need to work together to produce ideas and share responsibility for advancing the community's learning, develop relationships that support collaborative work, and specifically take on course assignments and work together on them. While online courses usually allow course participants to share a little about themselves, we generally find that these often brief introductions are insufficient in fostering an environment where members develop relationships with each other that support a sense of belonging and comfort. Ways in which learners are encouraged and supported to connect, and develop relationships with colleagues who have similar interests and/or compatible work habits, are needed.
In our face-to-face practice, we have used icebreakers extensively and find that they can be quite successful in assisting learners to develop collegial relationships and to help them to get to know each other early on in a course. Icebreakers effectively enable course participants to locate compatible colleagues with similar interests to support further collaborative work on assignments and projects.
There is, however, an important caveat to increasing the level of interaction between participants in online learning environments. Shin (2003) points out that by increasing interaction, student autonomy over determining when and where to learn could be jeopardized. This is an important message to those who design online learning. We have developed icebreakers that respect the importance of student autonomy and support the anytime, any place aspect of online participation. We believe that these activities serve to move learners towards an authentic learning community with a clear understanding of the interests, needs, and work habits of their virtual colleagues.
Online learning is vastly different from both face-to-face and traditional distance courses. Learners in face-to-face courses may naturally form relationships with peers and the instructor through verbal and visual cues, physical closeness, and shared time and experiences. These relationships provide learners with a sense of community, and thereby encourage the learning process (Hiltz, 1998). Contrarily, traditional distance education courses require no contact with other learners and are completed in isolation and do not support constructivist-learning approaches in which experiences, knowledge and ideas can be shared. (Haythornthwaite, Kazmer, Robins, & Shoemaker, 2000). On the other hand, online learning, through asynchronous computer-mediated communication environments supports and encourages discussion with peers and the instructor. It does not occur in isolation; rather it relies upon collaborative learning and thus, in theory, supports the framework of a constructivist-learning environment (Stacey, 1999).
The peer-to-peer connection that online learning offers is instrumental for positive learning to occur. Learners must participate to expand upon their understandings. Wegerif (1998) contends that in order for students to feel comfortable in doing so, they need to perceive a social connection to the course. In other words, they need to feel as though they are part of a community of learners who share a common goal. A feeling of belonging to a community creates comfort and trust and encourages students to participate by sharing knowledge, asking questions and supporting peers (Haythornthwaite et al., 2000; Picciano, 2002).
Learning communities include participants with a wide variety of participation styles and degrees of involvement. Participants all contribute to the community's form including its depth and direction. Integral to every member in a community is the need for social presence. Rourke, Anderson, Garrison and Archer (2001) define social presence in online environments as "the ability of learners to project themselves socially and emotionally in a community of inquiry" (¶ 3).
Social presence is necessary for building and sustaining communities. Learners must be interested, motivated and take some amount of social risk to enter the course and participate. As they move from the periphery to becoming a central player, learners begin to build social presence and, in turn, enter into dialogue with, and enhance the community. The support received from within the community often encourages further learning and participation. In fact social presence has been found to be intrinsically motivating. Wang and Newlin (2002) state learner satisfaction in online learning is higher with "high levels of social presence" (¶ 21).
Learning communities must be built and maintained by the members themselves through sustained social presence. While instructors have the initial responsibility for building the foundation of the community by creating a positive and inviting atmosphere, both learners and facilitators need to take responsibility for the growth of a learning community. The facilitator sets the stage for the mood and tempo of the course as well as the type of correspondence desired (formality, length, etc.), however the responsibility for the growth of the community should transfer to the students as they become more involved and comfortable in the environment. Collaborative learning is learner-centred and as such interaction between members will form the personality of the community. However, facilitators remain an integral part of the process throughout the course. They encourage discussion, set direction, share knowledge, and help to maintain enthusiasm.
Some people believe that communities will form naturally online over time. However, many undergraduate and graduate-level online courses usually run over a short time period of either four or eight months. If social presence and a feeling of community are important for learning to advance, course designers and facilitators must develop ways to create a community of learners early and help to sustain it throughout a course. Wegerif (1998) notes that participation in an online course is dependent upon high interactivity and recommends building "a sense of community through carefully structured exercises" (p. 46). One method of doing so could include designing various icebreakers, collaboration and interactive activities throughout the course to build initial connections, support continued interaction throughout the course, and provide a period of wrap-up and reflection.
There are several characteristics that change the role of the instructor in the online environment: changes in the balance of student-instructor participation, a move towards collaborative learning, and a shift from instruction to facilitation. Considering the experiences of the learner entering the learning environment for the first time and the impact this experience has on the learner, the initial communications in online learning environments play a significant role in the educational experience.
Additionally, the maintenance and reinforcement of this discourse as another significant factor in the support of learner experience is highlighted. A visual representation of the key items involved in supporting community is illustrated in Figure 1.
For our purposes, we will focus on the items most closely related to social presence and its connection to educational experience: supporting discourse and setting climate.
Learners in face-to-face courses have the advantage of verbal and visual cues, physical closeness, and shared time and experiences to aid in the development of social presence. In online environments these advantages are not naturally present, but rather must be fostered through the support of discourse and setting of climate. Many e-learning environments have been modeled after structures present in face-to-face experiences (Rovai, 2002). Garrison (1997) argues for the use of online learning as the most feasible and effective technology for achieving the ideals of a collaborative, constructivist approach to education at a distance, claiming that such a technology can support learners in the processes of "collaboratively constructing meaning and confirming understanding" (p. 3).
However, while the support of discourse is managed by the technology, which is responsible for containing and organizing communications, the setting of climate is largely the responsibility of the course facilitator. Through a balance of maintaining the technological integrity of the learning environment and the facilitator's efforts in setting of the climate, the development of social presence has a direct impact on the learners' educational experience. An important distinction to make is that while online discourse is supported and managed through the technology, the course facilitator is responsible for selecting the communication tools for the environment. Regardless of the technology that supports the discourse in the online learning environment, there exists a human factor involved in the design of the setting and in selecting appropriate technologies.
The facilitator's ability to cultivate social factors could have a significant impact on the entire educational experience. As Kollock (1996) explains:
The key challenges the Internet community will face in the future are not simply technological, but also sociological: the challenges of social interaction and social organization. This is not to diminish the difficulties of creating new technologies, but rather to emphasize that even these tasks will pale besides the problems of facilitating and encouraging successful online interaction and online communities (¶ 1).
While the focus has been on the technological challenges of the Internet community, an important point regarding the social implications also surfaces. If facilitators recognize the existence of social factors, and provide exercises and applications to help support discourse and set the climate, this may have a significant impact on the learning experience. Social factors such as the degree of support, connectedness and peer feedback have been found to be powerful determinants of success and satisfaction in online courses of study (Barab, Thomas, & Merrill, 2001). Wegerif's (1998) study of an online group of learners found that individual success related to the degree to which participants were able to cross a threshold from feeling like outsiders to becoming insiders. Hence, to facilitate crossing the "outsider-to-insider" threshold, we developed icebreakers to aid in the setting of climate and to develop social presence.
The following section highlights a sampling of various icebreaker activities that were particularly successful when employed in online learning environments. We have highlighted the icebreaker as a significant influence on social presence since it is usually the first communication that learners partake in.
A facilitator's ability to foster collaboration and relationship building from the very beginning will aid in diminishing a sense of transactional distance, hence heightening the educational experience of participants. To assist in the building of social presence and minimize a sense of transactional distance, the use of icebreakers is recommended as a prospect for aiding in a positive education experience. In Appendix A, we provide five icebreaker activities that were particularly successful in online environments. Each may be used individually, in combination, or in modified versions to suit facilitator, learner and course needs. For the empirical research that was conducted to test our hypothesis, two of the icebreakers were employed with a group of Faculty of Education online university undergraduates.
The first icebreaker used for this research was "Hollywood Stars", in which students are asked to describe themselves by posting the name of an actor and/or a character and movie that they identify with so their colleagues can try to guess why the individual relates to the movie character.
The second activity, "What do you do?" ask students to post three hyperlinks that provide clues regarding their profession or area of personal interest. As a means of becoming acquainted with each other, students pose questions to each other in an effort to identify the professions or interests of their virtual colleagues. Ultimately this activity provides insight into each other's backgrounds and interests, and gives a context to the group's experiences and expertise.
In an effort to determine if there was merit to our hypothesis, one of the author's proposed and conducted preliminary research with a group of university undergraduates working online. This section examines how the concept of using icebreaker activities in online environments led to the development of the empirical questions that underpin this research. The research methodology, including details on research design, methodological assumptions and limitations, selection of subjects, and the research procedures are also described. Finally, the data are provided and interpreted here along with a brief discussion of the implications for future research.
This research intended to determine if the use of icebreakers in online learning environments would be helpful in reducing the transactional distance between learners as well as help to develop richer social relationships in an effort to support collaborative learning environments. We asked online students and their professors to engage in icebreaker activities as part of their online work and then to share their perceptions of the value of the activities. This was done using a mixed-methods approach to the research. Quantitative results were solicited through the use of a questionnaire. Qualitative responses were volunteered by respondents sharing comments or ideas that emerged from their participation in these activities.
This research project was intended to determine if icebreakers would be helpful in bringing colleagues closer to one another. As this was a preliminary study it was felt that a quantitative approach using a Likert-type scale would be successful in helping to gather the bulk of the information at this early stage. Further, by asking participations to elaborate and by providing them with the opportunity to share any other perceptions helped us to determine whether the original hypothesis had merit and whether further research would be warranted.
University undergraduate students who work entirely online at a Faculty of Education participated in this preliminary research project. Participants were contacted at the beginning of the course semester and agreed to take part in the activities at the beginning and middle of the semester. In all, two professors and five students from two online courses volunteered and were chosen to take part in this study. It is important to note that the body of respondents who participated in this study were solicited from groups of adult learners, many of whom are experienced educators. Well versed in the literature relative to adult education, the pool of respondents had a common career in teaching, although they also provided a well-rounded basis of response, coming as they did from a diversity of backgrounds such as formal post-secondary educators, trainers from private industry, and educational representatives from the medical field.
Respondents were asked to take part in two icebreaker activities. The first activity, "What Do you Do?" is explained in more detail in Appendix A. It asks the students to post three hyperlinks providing clues to their profession or areas of personal interest so that their virtual colleagues can try to guess that person's profession or interest. The approach used in this icebreaker is a creative way of sharing personal information. Furthermore, it encourages people to immediately post questions and gain experience working online while providing some insight into each other's backgrounds and interest. About half way through the semester, the second icebreaker activity was presented. In "Hollywood Stars" students are asked to describe themselves by posting the name of an actor or character and movie that they identify with and/or look like. The rest of the class tries to guess who the individual is or the title of the movie and responding to colleagues whose character or movie is not familiar generates contact among learners. Subsequent discussions can then focus on discovering why the actor or character might not be recognizable, perhaps due to the learners' age differences, different interests in movies, or because they come from different cultures.
Following both activities, the respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire composed of 10 items to rate their perception of the effectiveness of icebreakers in online environments. Each question asked the respondents to rate their response within 5 levels, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Respondents were also invited to make comments or suggestions that, in their opinion, would add to the research project.
The purpose of the study was to determine professor and student perceptions of the effectiveness of icebreaker activities in online environments to reduce transactional distance, and to support collaboration and the development of community online. It was determined that not only should students take part in the research because it was their perception of the effectiveness of the activities in supporting their sense of community, but also the professors should take part in the study and share their opinions of how effective the activities were as they monitored and facilitated the online course.
All respondents were asked to volunteer in this study, and to sign an Informed Consent Form, which clearly outlined that their confidentiality would be guaranteed and that participation in the research would in no way affect their final grade in their respective courses or any subsequent courses in their program of study with the university. The researcher did not work with these volunteers during the study, and will not in the future.
Questionnaire results were organized into two broad areas, developing community and supporting collaboration. Due to the small sample, the results of the questionnaires were tabulated manually. Specific quantitative questionnaire results can be found in Appendices B and C. All qualitative responses from both learners and facilitators is summarized in the body of this paper. In the following discussion the questions posed and a summary of the questionnaire results are provided; they are broken down into the two main areas of community and collaboration.
Five questions focused on determining the student's perception of the value of icebreakers in helping to develop community in online learning environments. Did participating in the icebreaker activity:
In all cases, the responses for both facilitators and students were fairly evenly distributed between Agree and Strongly Agree. Facilitators and students differed on whether they felt icebreakers would be helpful in crossing the threshold from outsider to insider. The responses were evenly distributed between Neutral, Agree, and Strongly Agree.
A student comment about the usefulness of icebreakers in online environments in establishing community stated that "I think that icebreakers in conjunction with other learning community-building tools helps develop the integrity of the learning community" (R2).
One of the online instructors commented on the experience,
Prior to this experience I had not really considered the importance of icebreaker activities in online environments. We use them all the time in face-to-face environments. I can see now that they may be as important or even more important in the online environment to help develop the sense of community that will enhance the learning experience for all involved (R10).
Another use for icebreakers was suggested by this respondent in support of one of the elements that is often included in online environments, the cyber café which allows students with an opportunity to connect and share ideas and suggestions or even for casual conversation outside of regular classroom discussions and activities. However, this respondent points out that:
While the use of cyber café's is important in online environments, what is seldom addressed is how to get those conversations started … the use of icebreakers would probably help kick start the conversation and assist in the development of the sense of community so essential to effective adult learning (R10).
Four questions focused on the issue of student's perception of how effective the icebreaker activities were in supporting collaboration. Did the use of icebreakers:
Responses that dealt with supporting collaboration in online environments were also positive. The first and last questions had results that were fairly evenly distributed between Agree and Strongly Agree. The second question dealing with the use of icebreakers in locating a learning partner had respondents evenly distributed between Agree and Strongly Agree and one response as Neutral. The question dealing with the effectiveness of icebreakers in helping people to get to know each other was fairly evening distributed between Neutral, Agree and Strongly Agree with a slightly higher weighting on Neutral.
One learner respondent felt quite strongly about how effective these activities were in developing and supporting community, and commented thus:
This exercise can certainly introduce people to each other in a more fun way–instead of reading a paragraph or two about someone. The activities influence your retention of information about others – very helpful in resolving conflicts in online environments. This activity helps people to get a bit closer which could break the barriers to taking risks online faster, thereby enabling participants to start connecting earlier in the course (R4).
Another learner respondent quite enjoyed the activities of the Hollywood Stars icebreaker:
I loved the concept of identifying with a celebrity or characters. The Internet search was fun and allowed us to see some different areas of each other that we tend to gloss over in the introductions part of the class (i.e., peoples work environments) (R4).
One learner comment relating to the use of the icebreaker provided insight that the use of the activity might have further uses that were not originally anticipated within the scope of this research project. "I teach online and would love to use something like this to get the class motivated and manoeuvring around the course site and Internet" (R4). This comment, in conjunction with discussions with fellow online students and instructors, has served to spur some further thought about how icebreaker activities could be used in ways that benefit learners beyond the development of community and support of collaboration. These concepts will be discussed further in the following section.
A respondent suggested a further use for icebreaker activities that emerged from the idea of developing community and speaks to how these activities could be effective in motivating and teaching people how to navigate the Internet. We posit that inviting students to take part in a fun activity that helps them to relax as they learn Internet search skills, and for those who are new to the online environment, might also help them to develop skill and confidence in learning how to post and respond to others. We have speculated on the use of icebreakers in several other avenues.
Another benefit we believe can be derived from the use of icebreakers will be in supporting an understanding of different cultures. This belief emerged from the icebreaker "Going the Distance" and "World Series". Although these icebreakers were not used in this study, these activities might be quite effective at exploring cultural differences that might be present in the group and others working at great distances. These online conversations could be effective at bridging the cultural and geographical distances of students working online. Cultural awareness is an important aspect of being able to work effectively online with people from diverse backgrounds and who have varying degrees of expertise in the language in which the course is run.
We believe that it is fruitful and valuable to develop more icebreaker activities that can be used to support learning about cultural differences and bridging these in online environments. It can be assumed that an activity to build cultural awareness can be quite useful in face-to-face environments as well.
Reducing the transactional distance between peers is an important aspect of community building in computer mediated conferencing environments. Our exploration of Moore's (1993) learner-learner dimension of interaction in distance education has lead us to conclude that ways need to be developed to help learners connect online in an effort to build community and to support collaborative work.
Through this preliminary research, we have explored the use of icebreakers in online learning environments to enhance the development of community and collaboration. We have found icebreakers to be quite effective in face-to-face practice and explored whether this would extrapolate to the online environment. It was our contention that the usual self-introductions common in asynchronous online learning as a means of connecting learners do not go far enough to intentionally support relationship building. We postulated that icebreakers such as the ones offered above, would allow learners working at a distance to make connections, learn about each other, and encourage the development of trusting relationships. These relationships would then support collaborative learning and constructivist learning environments.
In creating icebreakers we believe it is important, and have strived to ensure, that the examples presented were fun, simple and not time consuming. It is important that icebreakers are inclusive and sensitive to cultural differences, do not require advanced technology skill, and are mindful of online learners right to maintain their anonymity (for example, personal information such as pictures are not mandatory). Finally, it is important that their use maintains the asynchronous anywhere, anytime participation.
Based on the positive findings from this preliminary research, we recommend that icebreakers be used at the beginning of a course and/or during a switch in groupings within a course. Icebreakers should not be assessed but rather used purely as a team-building exercise. If possible, facilitators should provide learners with a brief reasoning behind the activities including some references to literature discussing the importance of community building and collaboration.
Preliminary research using two of our icebreakers in online undergraduate courses appears to support our hypothesis. Employing icebreakers in online learning environments fills a need for developing a welcoming climate and promote social presence online. The ability [of learners] to project themselves socially and emotionally into the learning community, according to Rourke et al. (2001) and Wang and Newlin (2002), is necessary for building and sustaining communities. Finding ways to build interest and motivate learners to participate and to build a sense of community need to be developed and employed in an effort to support learners and help them to move to higher levels of connectiveness, effective relationships, increased learner satisfaction, and ultimately, enhanced learning opportunities.
While it has been mentioned that increasing the level of interaction between peers has the potential for jeopardizing student autonomy in online environments, we have found through our teaching and this research that learners readily accept and understand the benefits of participating in unrelated course activities. It is certainly a human characteristic to want to connect and learn about our peers, and we have found that the informative and fun aspect of icebreakers serves this need for connection.
It should be noted that one of the limitations of this study is the small sampling. Few online professors and students volunteered to take part in this research and there is always the danger that those who did choose to participate felt a positive sense of the use of using icebreakers and that might have led them to participate. Additional research is required with a much larger body of respondents, particularly in view of the fact that the preliminary results were overwhelmingly positive. Early results are encouraging. However, it is premature to extrapolate these initial positive results to the online population in general.
In conclusion, we have found that employing icebreakers in online learning environments is a step in the right direction and is particularly effective in helping communities form right from the conception of a group of online learners. This is particularly important where learners are expected to participate in any sort of group or collaborative work. The ability to seek out compatible colleagues to collaborate with on projects throughout the duration of a course could be greatly influenced by the ability to align oneself with counterparts who share common goals, values, and interests. Using icebreakers as a means of building social strengths in an online community also aids individuals in finding suitable partners for collaboration.
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To set the stage for the icebreaker the course facilitator contacts students prior to the beginning of the course and requests that students provide a digital picture of themselves (if providing a digital image of themselves is not feasible or desired participants can supply something that is representative—it could be a graphic, digital self portrait, a cartoon, etc.), their geographic location, and provide a link to a web site that is meaningful to them. The link could be to a personal web page, to a site they visit often, or to a site that demonstrates a hobby/interest. The facilitator then plots a map that roughly represents each student's geographical distance from the physical campus and links each student's location to the picture, geographic location, and web address information each student has provided.
In an effort to get to know one another students are asked to interact with the map and gather a sense of where their colleagues are located and to encourage dialogue, students are directed to make contact with three colleagues who are positioned the furthest away from their own location on the map and then use chat and/or email to connect with their selected peers.
A benefit of the approach is that students are provided with a visual representation of the distance that separates them and immediately work at building relationships with those that are furthest away from their location. Considering the concept of transactional distance, identifying the remoteness of contributors and providing an exercise that works to identify the physical distance that could lead to communications gaps, and plotting a map of learner locations may aid in limiting the perception of psychological space effecting perceptions of proximity learner. Additionally, as students explore the information provided by their colleagues, insight into the differences and similarities between learners will also become more apparent.
In organizing this icebreaker the course facilitator creates a discussion forum where students are instructed to describe themselves by posting the name of an actor/character and movie that they identify with and/or perhaps look like to the bulletin board. Responding to colleagues whose character/movie is not familiar generates contact between participants. Students may ask their colleague to post a URL where a picture of the actor who played the role, movie review, advertisement, or screening can be viewed. Discussion should focus on discovering why the actor/character is not recognized (possible answers: there is a large age discrepancy between the two students, the students like different kinds of movies, or they come from different cultures).
A benefit of the approach is that students who do not wish to share a genuine picture of them likely would not object to providing the name of an actor that they identify with; a sense of anonymity will be maintained. Hopefully, students with diverse interests and varying backgrounds will be brought together.
The course facilitator creates a discussion forum where students are instructed to post two truths and one lie about themselves and everyone tries to figure out what is true and what is not.
The hunt for truth is a good way to generate a lot of discussion and community building amongst contributors. This exercise also gives everyone the opportunity to take part in some creative story telling. Given the vulnerability of really knowing who is on the receiving end of communications, this exercise reminds contributors of the vulnerability in a faceless medium and brings to the forefront the importance of creating a trusting, supportive environment.
In this activity the facilitator creates a discussion forum where students are instructed to post three hyperlinks that provide clues regarding their profession or interest and their colleagues try to guess what the profession or interest is. Participants can be as creative and imaginative as they would like in providing their clues for their profession or interest. As a means of becoming acquainted with each other students can pose questions to each other regarding the selection of the site in an effort to identify their professions or interests.
The approach used in this icebreaker is a creative way of sharing information usually shared to varying degrees by the participants in their introduction to each other. The information provided will give students insight on their peers' backgrounds, interests, and give context to the group's experiences and expertise. Participants will learn about each other by reaching out to each other and engaging in discourse with one another.
The course facilitator contacts students prior to the beginning of the course and requests that students choose a part of the world that holds significance for them. Using the information, the facilitator plots each student on a map image of the world and posts the information to the bulletin board.
Contributors are asked to explain why the city/country is of significance for them and post the description to the bulletin board. Postings may highlight cities that students have visited in their travels, possibly a student-exchange program that they have taken part in, a part of the world they currently reside in for international students, or maybe a country their families might have emigrated from.
Identifying the parts of the world that are of significance to participants may aid in expressing any cultural differences present throughout the group. This approach will help define what is significant to each student. A benefit of the approach is that students share information about past, present, and/or future experiences in an effort to create connections.
Questions to do with developing community
#1. Did you find that the icebreakers were effective in helping l learners to better develop collegial relationships?
Strongly Agree 0 Agree 2
#6. Do you think that icebreakers helped learners to develop social presence (the ability of learners to project themselves socially and emotionally in a community of inquiry)?
Strongly Agree 0 Agree 2
#7. Do you think that the use of icebreakers helped learners to cross the threshold of outsider common in online environments to that of insider, that is an important part of the learning community?
Agree 1 Neutral 1
#9. Do you feel that the use of the icebreakers helped to make the online environment a bit more fun and overall added to the learning experience?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 1
Questions to do with supporting collaboration
#2. Do you feel that the icebreakers helped your learners to develop and support better working relationship with their online colleagues?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 1
#5. Do you feel that the icebreakers helped your learners to develop and support better working relationship with their online colleagues?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 1
#8. Generally, do you think the use of icebreakers would be helpful for learners to develop effective learning partner relationships?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 1
#3. Do you think that icebreakers were helpful in getting a better sense of your online learners and in helping you to build effective relations with them?
Agree 1 Neutral 1
#4. In your option, were the icebreakers more effective than the traditional self-introductions in helping learners get a sense of their colleagues?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 1
Questions to do with developing community
#1. Did you find that taking part in the icebreaker activity helped you to become more familiar with your online colleagues?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
#2. Did participating in the icebreaker activity make you feel more connected to a community of learners?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
#7. Did you think that your participation in the icebreakers helped you to better project who you are in the online environment?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
#8. In your opinion, would icebreakers help learners to cross the threshold of outsider common in online environments to that of insider, which is a feeling that you are an important and integral part of the learning community?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 2 Neutral 1
#9. Did you find that participating in the icebreakers activities was fun and added to the overall learning experience?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
Questions to do with supporting collaboration
#3. Do you feel that the icebreakers would help you to develop a better working relationship with your colleagues in the online environments?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
#4. Do you think that the use of icebreakers would be helpful in trying to locate a learning partner?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 2 Neutral 1
#5. Would you say that using icebreakers would be more effective than self-introduction in helping people get to know each other in online environments?
Strongly Agree 1 Agree 2 Neutral 1
#6. Do you think that the use of icebreakers would help learners develop a sense of comfort in the online environment?
Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3
© Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology


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Privatizing Public Universities
They call it a public institution and it sounds like one from its name, but 92 percent of the money to run the University of Virginia comes from private sources. At the University of Michigan the figure is 82 percent; at the University of Illinois a mere 75 percent. The privatization of the nation's greatest, once-public institutions of higher learning is well under way.
"America is rapidly privatizing its public colleges and universities, whose mission used to be to serve the public good," Katharine Lyall, president emeritus of the University of Wisconsin, told the New York Times. "Public control is slipping away." Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University, blames never-ending tuition increases on "public higher education's slow slide toward privatization." (Eighty-seven percent of his budget now comes from private sources.)
Educators, getting less money per student every year from their state legislatures, say they have no choice but to privatize. Christopher Edley Jr., dean of the Boalt Hall School of Law at Berkeley, wants to go private because "in the sharply competitive world of top law schools, leadership requires continuing investments that the State of California has been unwilling to make... Everyone is just praying for the legislature to come to its senses, but 'faith-based fundraising' isn't working." Edley's school might as well be private already. Tuition at Boalt for an in-state student is a staggering $24,341 a year and a super-staggering $36,586 for out-of-staters.
America was once a country offering a free college education to its youth. As recently as the mid-1960s, tuition for in-state students was virtually free at places like the University of Illinois. But free college education, which began under the Lincoln Administration in 1862, has been killed off. In its place, privatization has made public schools copy the private schools' high-cost-you-borrow business plan.
Brand-name public universities can successfully go private. The lesser-known public colleges and universities cannot because they don't have the prestige. They are being left to shrivel from lack of appropriations resulting from taxpayer resentment and the lobbying machinations of rich and powerful private schools.
Private schools oppose direct appropriations and tuition-free education because it would leave them out of the money. They would truly have to be private, so they have lobbied for the present system of tuition scholarships, grants and loans for tuition that cut them in on the money stream. The strategy has worked for them but not for college students from middle- and lower-income backgrounds.
Four years at a public college now costs about $50,000, and the bite is two and a half times higher at a private institution. Costs are so large that some financial advisers are telling their clients that they have to choose between paying for their children's college or having enough to retire on. Families don't make enough to save for both, and advisers reason that if the children borrow to get through school they have enough years in front of them to pay back their loans and also have the time to save for their retirement. Their parents don't.
For countless middle-class couples the costs of bringing up a child are an incentive to have either one or none. Since these ultra-responsible types make the ultra-responsible parents, Republicans, Democrats, ethicists and soothsayers, lay and clerical, prize their failure to reproduce themselves is an irreplaceable loss to the nation.
Poorer young people fated to attend second-rate high schools are bucking up against recent changes in scholarship policies that work against their getting the minimum financial help they need. College once again is becoming something that the children of unskilled parents will attend only through special gifts and heroic application.
For those middle-class youths who do get themselves born, college costs and debt can rob them of some of the best years of their lives. It is estimated that a quarter of college students are financing their educations in part through credit cards.
Last year students and their families borrowed almost $14 billion. Graduating with a $15,000 to $20,000 debt limits a young person's possibilities. No time for experimenting and/or marching on Washington or helping to make a better world. For debt-burdened college graduates, it's get a job as fast as you can, keep your mouth shut and hustle as hard as you can.
For masters of the universe, this system not only yields interest on their borrowing but is an effective method of social control. If today's youth aren't as they were in Martin Luther King's time, you know why.
By Nicholas Van Hoffman
Reprinted with permission from The Nation

subset: commoncrawl


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Models and Dimensions (cm) Optional Accessories Model Numbers
Largo, Cono round and Cono square
– Made with environmentally-friendly and durable Eco-Synthetic resin.
– The most popular shapes and sizes, including 120 cm length and 150 cm length Largo models.
– All products come standard with adjustable height shelves and 5 cm wide top rims.
– Combine with Phoenix or other Eco-Synthetic shapes in the same color!


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Parents are Aware Enough?
Every parent is concerned about the security of their children and it is definitely the responsibility of every guardian to keep an eye on the actions of their kids. There are a lot of things coming into the ways of teenagers so they get off the track due to several bad people around these. There are many risky activities like cyber bullying, sexual exploitation, pornography websites, useless internet interactions and much more being present at the news every day. Some of these things do happen and actually have become a part of normal lives of children. It is a true matter of worry and a worrying thing for the parents to know that their kids are off the track and unsafe in the business of some bad people. To stay away from such issues for your children, you can keep a normal check on them by means of their mobile phone.
Every kid spends maximum time with their smart phone & laptop and hence, you are required to keep a check on their device to check what all they perform for the whole day. Technology has introduced many good things for mankind, but it has additionally led to the drastic ways where children are become mature before the needed time. It is the biggest disappointment of technology and you never understand when your children enter into the company of negative people. Facebook or twitter, WhatsApp, Internet websites and Skype are the leading apps used by children to communicate with their buddies. You can't check their mobile each time and it is needed to install a spying app to be aware of their activities with full records and also details.


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Our 'On the Hunt' Easter Printable Package includes the following:
- 2 x sheets of various sized Easter egg wrappers - A new twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt, using our egg wrappers your child can search for their very own personalised Easter eggs!
- 2 x sheets of gift tags. Featuring 2 designs
- 2 x sheets of logo designs. Featuring 2 designs. Cut out with a 1.5" circle punch to use as cupcake toppers or table scatters.
- 4 x sheets of patterned paper in plain checks
- 3 x sheets of patterned paper in multi-coloured eggs, stripes & bunnies
- 1 x Happy Easter Banner


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A Bay Area marble, granite, and tile contractor providing services for homes and businesses since 1988.
Specializing in custom fabrication and installation, we offer a variety of marble and granite design options and installation, fabrication, and consultation services customized to suit your home or commercial projects.
Give us a call to arrange a consultation today!
Full Kitchen
Jade Jacuzzi
Sitefinity ASP.NET CMS


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The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellows will give the world premiere of my latest piece Jabberwock at the Sorcerers and Wizards family concert at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, October 4. The program features Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice (arr. Farrington) and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Yu). Forming part of the Spot On Children's Festival, guests are encouraged to dress as a wizard or your favourite magical character!
You can purchase tickets and find out more about the event here.
A little more about Jabberwock:
Much of my work has been inspired by the literature of Lewis Carroll (I just adore the wit, language and characters!), and so when I was approached to write a piece for the Fellows for a family concert, the Jabberwock immediately sprang to mind. Jabberwock takes inspiration from Carroll's nonsense poem 'Jabberwocky' from the second Alice novel Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1871). A fictitious, fearsome creature, the Jabberwock is equal parts scary and silly, dramatic and whimsical.
Knowing that the piece would appear alongside the Sorcerer's Apprentice influenced some of the creative decisions I made, particularly the inclusion of chanting and spoken word, which I intended to be spell-like, or perhaps even cast by the apprentice himself. I had a lot of fun experimenting with Carroll's text; I cut up, rearranged and added to the original text to create a type of mosaic effect, finding new rhymes and rhythms. The double bass plays the role of a narrator throughout, and the string section try out their rapping chops! The lowest instrument of each family, contrabassoon, trombone, and double bass, are prominent in the piece, and they could be seen as the collective 'voice' of the Jabberwock.
The piece begins with the shriek of bowed cymbal (which recurs at various stages throughout), followed by a spell-like chant to conjure up the Jabberwock and call him forth from his natural habitat, the 'tulgey wood'. After this introduction, I see the piece as being split into three main sections. The first features the Jabberwock in mischief-mode, as he runs rampant, frightening other fantastical creatures, including 'raths' – green pigs (as Humpty Dumpty kindly tells Alice), 'borogroves' – shabby-looking birds with a mop-like appearance, and 'toves'- a cross between a badger, a lizard and a corkscrew. The second section (you can listen out for the dramatic tempo change) sees the hunting and capture of the Jabberwock. The wind and brass shout out in fury, and the strings stomp their feet, before unravelling into several celebratory passages, including a hymn-like brass soli, and triumphant horn and violin solos, all rejoicing in the slaying of the Jabberwock.
The final section begins with another chant, recalling the beginning, yet wonders whether the Jabberwock was that monstrous after all – were his 'claws that catch' and 'jaws that bite' only a myth? Was the Jabberwock all bark and no…bite? Was there another more fearsome predator – the frumious Bandersnatch? Here I take some liberties with the original poem's story, and the following bars see the Jabberwock have the last laugh and his final hurrah in a joyous (perhaps even 'frabjous') extended outro. In this way, the structure of Jabberwock is somewhat 'choose your own adventure', and this is reflected in the style of the piece, which celebrates stylistic juxtapositions and is my own amalgam of jazz, rock, metal, pop, and classical influences.


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A Master Goldsmith with over 22 years of experience in the jewellery trade, Scott McIntyre has created amazing pieces for a wide and varied number of workshops across Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In his career, he has picked up an extensive set of skills from a variety of Master Goldsmiths, while creating and finely tuning his own techniques. Always keen to add to his craft, he uses his high level of intense training to ensure he's at the very top of his game.
As a particularly skilled wax carver, he can create the most intricate of details within a design, and as a top class setter, Scott is fluent in all traditional and modern styles.
All types of setting work, mount making, wax carving, master pattern making, mould making, sizing, re-tipping, repair, restoration, remodelling, polishing and finishing.
Scott's desire to help train up the trade has resulted in us developing a training programme that can be tailored to your specific needs or the needs of your employee/intern/freelancer. For further information please check our training page.
Price is dependent on the job and will be quoted upon request. Please fill out the form below and Scott will respond in due course.


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While I was just reading a review of a book here I started thinking about the nostalgia and admiration so many of us have for how wood was working in the "old days." I've seen a lot of comparison and puffed chests amongst the hand tool, power tool, and hybrid tool camps (to which I fall under since I like to use both).
It seems to me that the best practice (can't get away from IT terminology) is to use whatever type of tool does the job best. Sometimes it's a bandsaw and sometimes it's a coping saw.
Do we actually believe that over the 1,000's of years humans have been shaping wood, we'd always have nostalgia for doing it the old way? A century ago would a woodworker shun say a power lathe for a pole lathe, or prefer a handsaw over a table saw for repetitive cuts or ripping? I doubt it. Now are there times when I'd prefer using a cabinet scraper over sandpaper? Yes of course. Again though it would depend on the application.
Personally I've fallen into this too which is what brought me to thinking about it. My newfound passion is turning and while I'd really like to use a treadle or pole lathe, I'd not be trading my Delta variable speed for one any time soon. I still have a preference to carving with chisels and mallet vs power carving. Something about it just seems cheating to me although the outcome is the same, a beautiful piece of work! I doubt any of the carvers in history who worked months on an intricate armoire would pass up the chance to do the same job in weeks with a power carver.
Well, if you've read this far I really appreciate it and if not then fair seas to you. It was just something that came to mind and I wanted to get out. It's probably been argued countless times and seems repetitive to many but to a newer woodworker who's also pretty interested in thought processes and how people work, it seemed a good topic to explore in a non-combative manner.
Until the next random musing….
-- Chris ~~Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past."


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The Mount Vernon Board of Water Supply is pleased to announce that the 2018 Water Quality Report is now available to download in PDF form. You can access all of the reports here.
2018 Water Quality Report
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City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Square, Mount Vernon, NY 10550 | Phone: 914-665-2300 | Fax: 914-665-2496
Designed by JFV Associates, Inc. in partnership with Greenberg Media, Inc.


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Wayne Wanta, University of Florida's journalism department chair for the past three years, will step down in the fall and return to teaching full time.
Wayne Wanta, University of Florida's journalism department chair for the past three years, will step down in the fall and return to teaching full time.
"There are a million reasons for my resignation," Wanta said in an email to The Gainesville Sun. "The job has gotten increasingly demanding. I have two books coming out this year. I advise a huge number of graduate students. … In other words, I'm being pulled in too many directions. I feel overworked and under-appreciated."
Diane McFarlin, dean of the College of Journalism and Communications, told faculty and staff that Wanta informed her of his resignation this week.
"We are deeply grateful to Wayne for his service and contributions in this capacity since he returned to the college in 2011 and are pleased that he will continue to be an esteemed member of our faculty," McFarlin said.
McFarlin said she and Executive Associate Dean Spiro Kiousis will meet with faculty in mid-August to appoint an interim chair and will launch a national search for a new chair.
Wanta was hired as chair of the journalism department in June of 2011 after spending two years as the Welch-Bridgewater Chair in Sports Journalism at Oklahoma State University. Prior to his stint at OSU, Wanta had spent eight years on the faculty at the University of Missouri. He previously taught at UF from 1999 to 2001.
Wanta said he had agreed to serve as department chair for three years. May 31 was his third anniversary as chair.
"I discussed stepping down with the dean a year ago, giving her a year to search for a replacement," Wanta said.
However, he said, he didn't want to leave the college in the tough position of searching for three department chairs at the same time. The college was looking for advertising and public relations chairs as well.
"I was willing to continue serving as chair until a permanent replacement was found, but the dean and associate dean felt an interim chair would be better," he said.
Recently, Wanta was critical of the faculty shortage in the journalism department. The department has 17 full-time faculty, down from 23 when he became chair in 2011.
Adjuncts outnumber faculty by almost two to one in the journalism department. With graduate assistants, they account for most of the classes being taught, Wanta said. Wanta is a former member of the accrediting council that oversees journalism schools.
"Adjuncts and graduate teaching assistants taught 68 percent of our class sections in the department last year, so only 32 percent are taught by full-time faculty," Wanta said. "Accreditation standards require 'the majority' of classes should be taught by full-time faculty. By my estimation, the department (not the college) would need to hire five faculty members to get back in compliance."


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King No-One – Alcatraz
|King No-One - Alcatraz
Release Dates: Out Now
Yorkshire lads King No-one have made the bold move to go on tour in December following the release of this single, 'Alcatraz'. One can only assume that they're either super organised and have done their shopping early or they'll be doing it all online from the back of the van. The real gift, however, is this single as it's perky, twitchy and funky tones speak directly to your dancing bones and your boogie feet. But this isn't empty, vacuous dance music, oh no. King No-One sing of heartbreak, sure, but lyrically this is more engaging than most indie-pop singles as the Everything Everything meets Delphic in and 80s disco vibe pleased "set me free, my heart's in Alcatraz". Never before has the phrase 'down here for dancing, up here for thinking' been so appropriate.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/KNOmusicUK/
Live Dates:
28th November – Fruit, Hull
6th December – Bodega, Nottingham
7th December – Sound Control, Manchester
8th December – Exchange, Bristol
9th December – Boston Music Rooms, London
13th December – Mama Roux's, Birmingham
14th December – King Tuts, Glasgow
15th December – Wardrobe, Leeds
16th December – Fibbers, York


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Currently, I am mostly only capable of moving backward.
Not backward in time or space. Not backward in development.
Backward as, "In a defensive position." Much of my existence is ruled by fear, and the specific fears sometimes form the basis for a panic attack. I have been panicky a lot more than most other people, it seems. (I do have a mild diagnosis of panic disorder with Mitral Valve Prolapse - for whatever that is worth.) I have plenty of the symptoms of PTSD - but don't most people you know?
This is to say, my claim yesterday ( New Life Has Begun) was not a claim that the person Linda is "enlightened."
It was more in the form of a declaration that I want God's will to flow through me. And I have seen that every single negative thought is simply a rejection of God's will. I am no longer confused about whether I need to express rejection of anything.
I may continue to have the various feelings I have called rejection for a while - but I no longer accept that concept as a definition.


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Whether it's a sports team, a character in a coming-of-age film, or your friend who has had the same unrequited crush for three years, we all love to root for an underdog. Something about someone who isn't poised to win taking home the gold anyway is seriously gratifying. And, it's a reminder that your fate isn't set in stone by your current circumstances.
While we see fictional stories of underdogs defying the odds in movies and TV shows all the time, we don't always realize just how many of real-life success stories started with someone most people never bet on. Every day, people are fighting through all the "Nos" and "It's just not meant to bes" and proving people wrong.
Maybe you're an entrepreneur trying to find your way in a saturated market filled with competing corporations. Maybe, you believe your current financial situation will prevent you from becoming the author of a best-selling book. Or, maybe, you're just on a team that historically loses. Taking on a challenge when you feel it's way out of your league can be a frustrating and even terrifying task to take on. But you might just win.
And here's proof. An infographic from Rouletteonline.net details a few real-life underdogs who defied the odds in business, the environment, or the arts. Some of these people were up against the City of New York, an empty bank account, and British Airways. But they didn't let that stop them. And neither should you.
You can check out the infographic below:
Cover image via Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com


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Yangsha is likely to operate from the PLAN base at Yalong Bay on Hainan Island. Although launched only four months after first-of-class Kunming (172), it was commissioned 16 months later, suggesting an extensive programme of trials.
The major change in the weapon systems between the Type 052D and the preceding Type 052C is the installation of a universal vertical launch weapon system capable of firing anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and land attack missiles. The Type 346 phased array radar has also been modified, so an intensive series of trials would be unsurprising.
Earlier in July, the seventh Type 052D emerged from the building shed at the Jiangnan Changxingdao shipyard in Shanghai and after launch joined the sixth of class currently fitting out. Photographs showing visible progress on the eighth and ninth hulls have also appeared
Internet observers suggest that progress on the Type 052D destroyer being built at the Dalian shipyard is considerably slower than at Jiangnan Changxingdao. However, this is Dalian's first Type 052D and the pace of production is likely to increase if more orders are received.
Type 054A 'Jiangkai II' class frigates Yangzhou (578) and Handan (579) appear to have been handed over to the PLAN and are believed to have been commissioned, or they will be shortly. They are the 19th and 20th ships of the class. Two more are in build at the Hudong shipyard in Shanghai and a further two at the Huangpu yard in Guangzhou.
On 17 July the latest Type 056 'Jiangdao' class corvette was launched at the Huangpu shipyard. This is the 27th of the class and the eighth to be equipped with variable depth and towed array sonars. Reports suggest that two days later, the 22nd of class, Suqian (504), also an ASW variant, was commissioned. Earlier in the month the sixth Type 056 to be built at the Lushun Liaonan shipyard was launched.
On 10 July, two auxiliaries were commissioned, the semisubmersible Mobile Landing Platform ship Donghaidao (868) and Type 904A resupply ship Junshanhu (961).
The People's Army Liberation Navy Type 052D 'Luyang III' Class Guided Missile Destroyer 172 and 173.


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Easy and Healthy "You Choose" Lunch Platter/
Here's the thing about kids: just when you think you've got them figured out, they surprise you.
Do you think your kids would totally turn their noses up at real, healthy foods for lunch or snacks? Are you convinced that they would refuse to eat unless you give them a plate full of processed food? Give them a little more credit, you might be surprised.
My kids are no different than most other kids - if I put out a big bowl of goldfish crackers they will devour them in no time and then ask for more. But you know what happens when I put out a big plate of healthier stuff instead? They devour it in no time and ask for more. And most of the time it never even occurs to them to ask for some crackers to go with it.
A big platter of bite sized real foods is one of my favorite things to give my kids for lunch or snacks at home. We do this a lot in the summer and on weekends. My kids love this kind of meal, and I do too. Kids love feeling like they have control. So if you give them a variety of choices, they get to feel like they have some control over what they choose for their meal. And it's great for me because it's easy - you just cut a bunch of stuff up and put it out there. Everybody gets to have their own custom lunch, but I'm not having to make a custom lunch for each of them. A lot of times on the weekends I will put out a tray like this around lunch time and just occasionally refill it throughout the afternoon. I'm totally fine with my kids grazing and snacking all afternoon, as long as what they're snacking on is real, healthy food. Sometimes I give them some boundaries (you have to choose at least 1 protein and at least 1 vegetable), and sometimes I just let them choose whatever they want from the plate, knowing that everything I put out was healthy so I'll be happy with whatever they choose. Not everybody will eat everything, but I know there are at least a couple things that each of them like and they all end up getting a good quality meal. And over time, they might even venture out and try something new too.
It's a total win win!
The possibilities are endless with what you can include. It's a great way to use up little bits of stuff from the fridge, if you don't have enough of any one thing to make a whole meal out of. I try to always include some protein, some fruit, and some veggies, but beyond that it's a little different every time just depending on what I have.
Here are a few examples of what we've had recently:
Apples, blueberries, carrots, three kinds of cheese, guacamole, boiled eggs, salami.


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The history of medicine is defined by advances born of bioscience. But never before has it been driven to this degree by digital technology. The proliferation of gadgets, apps and Web-based information has given clinicians . . . a black bag of new tools: new ways to diagnose symptoms and treat patients, to obtain and share information, to think about what it means to be both a doctor and a patient. http://tinyurl.com/8cofy7z
10 Amazing Google Earth and Maps Discoveries
Today, it's easy to be an explorer — all you need is a computer, access to satellite technology and a sense of adventure . . . . Even though the average person can use these services to explore the planet, researchers and other scientific professionals use Google Earth and Google Maps as preliminary tools to analyze areas around the globe, uncovering some pretty amazing things we've never seen before. http://tinyurl.com/8d2uo7h
The Best Apps, Communities, and Tools for Writers and Journalists
Richard Bach once said, "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.". . . .Those bound by the written word can always benefit from a leg up in the digital age. Here, we give you some of the best apps, tools, and communities for writers and journalists http://tinyurl.com/8zkfar3
How Twitter is Reinventing Collaboration Among Educators
Before the advent of Twitter, most educators I know had limited opportunities to collaborate with colleagues outside their building. Some subscribed to listservs or participated in online forums, but these outlets lacked critical mass . . . . Enter Twitter. I've heard many educators say that Twitter is the most effective way to collaborate and that they've learned more with Twitter than they have from years of formal professional development. http://tinyurl.com/9xbuyqo
10 Great Websites for Creating Free Online Exams and Quizzes
By creating tests for students online, you as a teacher are not only saving time and resources, but you are also making the creation, distribution and grading of the tests much more convenient and fluid as a process. Here is a list of ten fantastic sites that allow teachers to make professional looking and easy-to-follow tests and quizzes for their students, completely free of charge. http://tinyurl.com/8hqn5mw


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I had an interesting thought. How might the teachings of Jesus line up with the teachings of Zen Buddhism? I began to search the Gospels for teachings by Jesus on peace, love, contentment and the avoidance of worry among other topics.
Then I figured that there must be others who have had the same thought so I Googled "The Zen of Jesus". On the first page alone I found six books available on the subjects of "The Zen Teachings Of Jesus" and "Christian Zen".
I am not advocating doctrinal synchronization among world religions but I am so confident that Jesus truly is "The Way, the Truth and the Life" that I am compelled to present Him as more approachable to individuals hindered by preconceived notions resulting from the toxic rants delivered by a few of his vociferous followers.
There are countless individuals who are struggling so deeply with the trials and tribulations of this life that they aren't concerned with theological discussions about the afterlife; like, if there even is one.
Jesus said that He was anointed to…
"Proclaim good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19 / Isaiah 61:1
Anyone who is grieving, disenfranchised, marginalized, depressed, ill, confused, in pain and / or simply wondering why they exist would do well to consider examining and meditating on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Even if one is not searching for salvation or eternal life but simply for some meaning to life and relief from the pain that can be so prevalent in our world, Jesus will meet you where you are. I am confident that one will be surprised and even impressed by encountering Jesus apart from the "trappings" of religion and just might find something even deeper and more wonderful than the existential meaning and relief they are seeking.


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Focus = Feelings "Where focus goes Energy Flows"
It took me a long long time to understand what all the hype was around Mr. Anthony Robbins, I get it now! He's a truly special human being sharing a great and priceless gift with human kind. I'd love to see his wisdom implemented in school systems especially with teenagers! The older I get and more experiences in life I have the more I feel emotional well being is way more important then all those Math, Science and English classes combined.


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This past weekend, Nimue and I attended Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg, TX for the sixth straight year. It's a fun, laid-back weekend full of traditional German music and dancing, food and, of course, beer. Sounds like a recipe for a good time, right?
It was amazing! (Full disclosure: I wrote this ahead of time and scheduled it to publish today. Based on previous years and the friends joining us this year, I feel confident that we did, in fact, have a wonderful time. If not, I'll follow-up with an appropriate retraction.)
"Um, great," you say. "But what does this have to do with writing?"
I'm so glad you asked.
One of the important things about writing I've learned is this: to be a good writer, there need to be times when you step away from the keyboard and embrace life. Go to a local festival. Read a book. Have a good meal. Live.
Yes, writing is a discipline. You can't expect to be good at it if you don't do it often. But, you can't expect to say much of anything meaningful if you aren't sucking the marrow out of life, yourself.
Make the time to create memories. Be spontaneous and adventurous, on and off the page. And if your adventures happen to include beer, even better.


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Number Two on the Christmas Cookie Hit Parade!!! Not only is this one of the most popular cookies I make at Christmas, it is SUPER EASY. And, YOU deserve a break. The holidays sneak up on all of us and there are more things to do than there are hours in the day. So, thankfully, the hardest part of making these NO-BAKE COOKIES is making sure you have the ingredients in your pantry.
I certainly don't claim to having created this recipe and I'd love to give credit where credit is due, but I just don't know who came up with it. My mom, Mary Frances, gave me this recipe years ago. My mother happens to live in the city where my oldest son went to college and she made sure that he and his roommates were well fed. My son put his order in, and this cookie was almost always on the list, and my mom delivered. That could explain why on parent's weekend, when my mom and I visited my son at college, his entire fraternity rushed to give my mom a big hug and kiss. She is a sweetheart.
Deb Farina
Yields 8
Creamy white chocolate, peanut butter, marshmallow, peanuts and crisp rice cereal in a no-bake cookie.
30 minPrep Time
30 minTotal Time
- 3 - 12 oz. bags Nestle Toll House Premier White Morsels
- 1 cup (9 ounces) Peanut Butter, I like Jif
- 2 cups (about 12 ounces) Cocktail Peanuts
- 3 cups (10 ounce bag) Mini Marshmallows
- 3 cups (3.5 ounces) Rice Krispies
- In a large bowl, combine the peanuts, mini marshmallows and Rice Krispies.
- Place White Morsels in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt slowly, until melted. I start with 30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir and 15 seconds and stir until melted. All microwaves are different so your experience may be different. Resist the urge to be aggressive with the microwave. If these chips get too hot, they will burn and you'll have to throw them away and start over.
- Add peanut butter and stir by hand with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Immediately add peanuts, marshmallows and rice krispies. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Drop by teaspoonful onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. You need to move quickly here. Don't be tempted to answer your cell phone (or anything else). If this sets up before you form all the cookies, you can't recover.
And I need to show you how I like to challenge myself. Let's use a bowl that's too small for the job and then let's continue to struggle stirring this and making a big mess when all the 'stuff' jumps over the side of the bowl onto the counter. Do this every time you make these. I might learn some day!!!


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Forget works of art, make art that works! Some of the greatest inventions and ideas of all time have started life as a humble sketch or doodle.
Bringing to the table years of experience as scribes, graphic facilitators and creative problem solvers, the Scriberia team will introduce you to tips and techniques to empower you as a visual thinker and communicator.
This workshop is substance over style. It's about giving you creative confidence and creative independence. We won't teach you how to draw beautifully, but we will show you how to build your own visual vocabulary, organise complex information and draw something fantastically useful, wherever you work and whatever you do.
You don't need to be an artist to master the basics of a visual vocabulary. We'll start the day developing a repertoire of simple but incredibly hardworking drawings. From there, we'll show you how to use your new visual vocabulary to solve problems creatively, think strategically, present ideas clearly and persuasively, uncover fresh perspectives, collaborate with others, and engage with your audience.
So, join us for an exhilarating day of doodling, and be amazed by what you can achieve.
You can expect to:
Build a basic visual vocabulary
Improve your drawing and design skills
Organise and simplify complex information
Learn lessons from the best visual communicators
Use pictures as a problem-solving tool
Develop techniques for capturing ideas visually
Lunch and refreshments will be provided and all attendees will receive a workbook which documents all of the day's key learnings. For education and non-profit discounts, please send us an email.


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Insurance fraud in New York is a serious problem which takes millions of dollars out of the pockets of all our consumers and businesses. In extreme cases, it has even taken lives. It's about time that fair and honest members of our communities stop paying for the crimes of others. I'm proud to serve as the Chairman of our Board of Directors which is comprised of extremely dedicated and experienced anti-fraud insurance professionals. We will continue to strive toward developing creative and innovative methods of increasing insurance fraud awareness, reducing the public's tolerance for this crime and encouraging citizens to report fraud.
Remember, Insurance Fraud is the Crime YOU Pay For!
Jim Potts
Chair of the New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud
Vice President of the Special Investigations Unit for New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company


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First leg of our trip is DONE! A long 8 hour drive from Warren, PA to Indianapolis, IN was definitely not an easy drive.
The weather was gloomy and pouring down with hammering rain. But, with the Backstreet Boys, good sing alongs and Ollie our dog in the back seat that was converted into a 'dog bed' kept the drive fun. Knowing the the ultimate goal was Portland, OR made it that much sweeter.
Once we checked into our hotel with our dog Ollie, we caught up with our friend Kristen Baker who worked with me in New Zealand at Lululemon Ponsonby in Auckland and who actually shadowed me when she first started. Was very cool to see how far she has come within the company
Today, we are off to Kansas City, UT for another 8 hour drive. Let's go!


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5 Thing You Can Do To Reduce Condensation
We are just about to enter the dreaded damp season once again! I thought it might be useful for you if I highlighted a few practical pointers on how YOU can reduce condensation. Remember prolonged condensation can lead to damp and mold, either of these you don't want! Another thing to remember I know, but believe me these simple steps view more
How to get rid of Mould on Walls!
Mould is a scourge for many Irish homeowners. This unwelcome visitor can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mould is ubiquitous, it's in the air, on our clothing, shoes, bags, and even on our pets. What causes Mould? The ideal conditions for Mould are damp, warm conditions without much airflow. Typically, we view more


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Biomarker Market for Diagnostic Applications is Expected to Reach $30.6 Billion Globally by 2020 - Allied Market Research
Dec 10, 2013, 09:29 ET
PORTLAND, Oregon, December 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
According to a new report titled "Biomarkers Market (Diagnostic Applications in Risk Assessment, Molecular Diagnostics, Disease Diagnosis, Drug Discovery & Development, Drug Formulation, Forensic Applications and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Emerging Technologies, Competitive Intelligence, Growth Trends, Size, Share, Opportunities and Forecast, 2013 - 2020" published by Allied Market Research, the global biomarkers market for diagnostic applications such as risk assessment, molecular diagnostic, disease diagnosis, drug discovery & development, drug formulation, forensic and other such applications is set to reach about $30.6 billion in 2020 growing at CAGR of 16% from 2013 to 2020. Disease diagnostic remains the key application segment that is expected to reach $6.1 billion in 2020. However application of diagnostic biomarkers in forensics and molecular diagnostics is catching up quite significantly with latter expected to experience a growth rate of 17.6% during 2013 and 2020.
The complete report is available at http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/biomarkers-market=87
"Diagnostic biomarkers continue to address challenges such as early and accurate diagnosis of most of the fatal diseases. Increasing advancements with extended applications of diagnostic biomarkers are only going to increase its significance in the field of diagnostics" according to AMR analysts Debbie Shields and Roshan Deshmukh. "Diagnostic biomarker technology is expected to change the scenario of drug development and medical practice, as technologies are metamorphosing from traditional pathophysiology/epidemiology approach to biomarker studies such as genomics and proteomic" add the analysts.
Diagnostic biomarkers though are a great tool in molecular diagnostics, is facing challenges with respect to ethical and regulatory issues as these are related to genomic pattern of an individual which needs to be extremely confidential.
Read all diagnostic and biotech reports at http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/diagnostic-and-biotech-market-report-5
This report segments the global diagnostic biomarker on the basis of diagnostic biomarker types, applications and service. Applications market further segments as risk assessment, molecular diagnostics, disease diagnosis, drug discovery and development, drug formulation, forensic applications and others. The report particularly focuses on biomarkers for diagnostic applications and excludes clinical trials and research.
Related market studies by Allied Market Research
Noninvasive Cancer Diagnostics and Technologies Market http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/noninvasive-cancer-diagnostics-market=70
Medical Implants Market http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/medical-implants-market=71
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Market http://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/histone-deacetylase-inhibitors-market=61
With respect to geography, Asia Pacific is expected to have the highest CAGR at 20.3% from 2013 to 2020. Companies profiled in this report include Roche Diagnostic Limited (Switzerland), Siemens Healthcare (Germany), Abbott Laboratories Inc. (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), Agilent Technologies Inc. (U.S.), Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (U.S.), Aushon BioSystem Inc. (U.S.), Epistem Ltd. (U.K.), G.E. Healthcare Inc. (U.K)
About Us:
Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.
We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.
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SOURCE Allied Market Research


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Test Shot
Hot Shots, Book 1
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AUS
Her fiancé offered her another man...she just never expected to fall in love with him.
Layla Palmer is starting over in New York City with a new job at Hot Shots, an agency that specializes in hiring talent for jobs with an erotic bent. Happily engaged, she writes off the changes in her relationship with her fiancé, Aidan, as growing pains. But that all comes into question when her beloved fiancé comes up with a startling suggestion: he wants to watch her have sex with another man.
Aidan's a man on the edge, fighting demons he won't name in fear of losing the woman he loves forever. But the game he's playing can only continue for so long, especially when the man they decide to invite into their bed turns out to be Layla's newest prospective model, Sawyer Blake.
Passion explodes between them, threatening to spill over and burn them all. Soon Aidan and Layla's already incendiary relationship hits the boiling point. Now she's fighting her own battles, including the conflicted feelings of lust and love she harbors for both men. But how can she figure out who to trust when everything she ever knew is changing, including herself?
Previously published in 2012.


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Shawn Barber: Memoir / The Tattooed Portrait Series $40.00
For those not already familiar with this groundbreaking artist, Shawn Barber has a long-standing stellar career as a painter and art professor. He came into tattooing relatively recently with this incredible body of artistic experience under his belt, and immediately gained the attention of the tattoo community with his impressive skill set. Memoir is a gorgeous large-format hardcover book with 256 pages of art, including a few pages of Shawn's distinctive tattoo work. The paintings are all portraits of people from the tattoo community, both artists and collectors; Shawn has an almost superhuman ability to totally nail people's personalities on canvas while also documenting their tattoo collections, work environments and other details that help to express a sense of personal presence. There is no one else like him in the fine art world.