Selasa, 08 Juli 2014

Virtual Worlds are Useful for Children

A research report says that virtual worlds can be important places where children practice what they will do in real life. They are also a powerful and attractive alternative to more passive adventures like watching TV. The research was done with children using the BBC’s Adventure Rock virtual world, aimed at those aged 6-12. It surveyed and interviewed children who were the first to test the game.

The online world is a theme island built for the BBC’s children channel by Belgian game maker Larian. Children explore the world alone but they use message boards to share what they find and what they do in the different creative studios they find around the virtual space.

At times children were explorers and at others they were social climbers eager to connect with other players. Some were power users looking for more information about how the virtual space really worked. The children could try all kinds of things without having to be afraid of the consequences that would follow if they tried them in the real world. They learned many useful social skills and played around with their identity in ways that would be much more difficult in real life. According to the study what children liked about virtual worlds was the chance to create content such as music, cartoons and videos.


The publishers of the report say that virtual worlds can be a powerful, engaging and real interactive alternative to more passive media. They urged creators of virtual spaces for children to get young people involved very early on because they really do have good ideas to add and they are very good critical friends.

Why Findland’s Schools Are So Successfull

For many years the school system in Finland has been very successful. In the PISA survey, which compares reading, math and science knowledge of 15 year olds around the world, Finland is not only the top European country but also competes with Asian giants like Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea. But what makes the educational system in this small country so strikingly different from others in the western world.
First of all, the Finish government makes it possible for all children to attend preschool, which comes after kindergarten. Compulsory education begins at 7. Teachers work with their pupils in school as much as possible. They have little homework to do when they get home.  When teachers are not with the pupils they spend a lot of time in schools working on the curriculum and new projects.  They teach in teams if it helps them reach their goals. That is why dropout rates are low compared to other countries.
In contrast to other nations teaching in Finland is a highly admired profession. Finland selects its teachers very carefully.  Only talented students go on to a university and receive a master’s degree in education. Finland only takes the best to educate its youth.

Schools in Finland are small, at least for international standards. More than in any other country teachers are ready to prepare children for life. In some cases they know every pupil in their school and can adjust to them. Teachers try everything to succeed with their pupils. Most of the pupils get additional help in their elementary school years, either by the teachers themselves or through specially trained educators.

Healthy for life

Important Minerals to Burn More Calories
Metabolism is closely related to the burning of calories. Increasing metabolism is an effective way to help you lose weight. People who have a high metabolism, tend to avoid obesity, because the calorie burning process that occurs in the body is also run out rapidly. In addition to do an exercise regularly, another way to increase metabolism is to fill the body’s mineral needs.
Unlike vitamins, minerals typically do not contain the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. To be classified as a mineral, a substance must be a solid and have a crystalline structure. This substance should also naturally formed, homogenous, and has a certain chemical composition.

Types of Minerals
Minerals are divided into two groups, namely major minerals and trace minerals. Major minerals are the minerals needed by the body in an amount greater than 100 mg per day. While trace minerals are minerals that the body needs in small amounts or less than 100 mg per day.

Calcium
The weight of calcium from the body weight is about 1.5 kg and 99 % of that form bones and teeth. While the remaining of calcium which is about 1 % present is in the extracellular fluid (fluid around the cells of the body). The benefits of calcium for the body such as, regulating body fluid balance, keeping the muscle contraction during exercise, and keeping blood clotting within normal limits.

Phosphorus
Approximately 85 % of phosphorus in the body is found in the bone. Phosphorus is also needed to convey the genetic code from one cell to another cell when the cell is cleaved and reproducible. Phosphorus increased the need for an additional 440 mg per day for nursing mothers. Phosphorus is essential for carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis, and carrying fat and fatty acids in the tissues and organs.

Magnesium
The body uses magnesium to regulate the release of energy, the nerve cell function, and the muscle contraction. It also used to form the body tissue, especially in the bone. The adult body has about 30 % and three -quarters of magnesium present in the bone. Magnesium is also a part of the more than 300 different enzymes that stimulate chemical reactions in the body.

Iron
The human body consists of about 4-5 grams of iron, and is mostly found as part of hemoglobin and myoglobin, those are the two proteins that transfer oxygen and circulate it throughout the body. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells. Myoglobin found in muscle tissue. Iron is also part of many enzymes and is important for healthy immunity system function.
Zinc
The human body store about 2 grams of zinc in muscle and bone. Zinc has many roles in the body including the growth and repair of normal cells, wound healing and healthy immunity. Sufficient zinc intake is very important to make a variety of enzymes and hormones, including growth hormone, insulin and testosterone, a hormone that is needed to produce healthy sperm in large quantities. Without enough zinc, men may experience infertility or decreased fertility.

Sulfur
Although sulfur nutrition is often regarded as the indispensable man, but it almost never mentioned in the books and resources. It is because sulfur is an integral part of all proteins as well as fats and is found in many body fluids.

Fluorine
Fluorine is found mostly in the form of fluoride both in food and water. Body stores of fluoride in bones and teeth. A small amount of fluoride found naturally in all plant and animal tissues. Addition of fluoride intake can also be obtained from water containing fluoride.
That’s the kind of minerals are included in the category of major minerals and their benefits for your body. In addition to the major minerals, some trace minerals, which the body needs less than 100 mg per day to increase metabolism. The minerals which are belonging to the trace minerals include:

Lodine
Lodine is a component of the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine namely, that help regulate cell activity and metabolism. This hormone is also essential for protein synthesis, tissue growth (including the establishment of a healthy nervous system), prevent mumps and improve bone health.

Selenium
Selenium has an important role in controlling the effects of thyroid hormone in the body’s metabolism. Thyroid hormone itself is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland, which has great influence on the body’s metabolism.
Copper Copper has long been known as a mineral that body needs to keep functioning optimally. Copper is one of the elements belonging to the micro minerals because minerals are needed only in small amounts in the body. However, even so, this mineral is important to ensure the body’s metabolism to function optimally, it is also important for the formation of hemoglobin or red blood cells.

Manganese
Manganese is involved in the function of various organs and systems are also required for normalizing immune function, blood sugar regulation, cellular energy production, reproduction, digestion, and bone growth. In addition, manganese is also working with vitamin K to support blood clotting and is an important component of an important antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase which will provide protection during the attack of free radicals in the body’s metabolic processes.

Chromium
Chromium has various roles in metabolism. Chromium is also a partner for the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) or glucose tolerance factor, which increases insulin to regulate glucose utilization in the body, the end result of metabolism and the main energy source of every cell of the body. It also involved in maintaining good blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Minerals in the body needs cannot be ignored. Minerals are catalysts vitamins and nutrients of your body that is needed to increase the body’s metabolism and maintain optimal health. Therefore, you need to supply your daily mineral needs.



South Korea Switches to Digital Textbooks in the Classroom

South Korea is planning change from paper to digital textbooks in the next few years. All content of South Korea’s school subjects will be available on PC’s, iPads and mobile phones by 2015. The education department has announced that South Korea is preparing for a new digital revolution that will change schools of the future.
The project was started last summer. Classrooms throughout the Asian country will be equipped with wireless LANs so that students can access learning materials whenever and wherever they want. Pupils won’t have to carry heavy schoolbags and satchels any more.
South Korea is a model nation when it comes to using modern technology. The OECD found out that youngsters in South Korea lead the world when it comes to getting information from the internet and working with computers. The country focuses on teaching children the basics of technology at a very early age.

Compared to South Korea, western nations lag behind. American president Barack Obama has announced that United States is installing a national learning centre which is to improve teaching standards and develop new teaching methods.

Menumbuhkan Jiwa Kepemimpinan

Menjadi seorang pengusaha tentu bukan perkara mudah. Dibutuhkan kerja keras, tekad, dan juga karakter yang kuat untuk menjadi seorang pengusaha yang sukses. Berikut beberapa karakter yang wajib dimiliki pelaku usaha agar bisnis yang dijalankannya berhasil dan meraih puncak kesuksesan.
1.    Percaya Diri
Percaya diri adalah modal pertama yang harus dimiliki seorang entrepreneur. Biasanya percaya diri timbul karena kita yakin dapat melakukan suatu hal dengan baik. Hal ini didukung dengan pengalaman, potensi actual, prestasi, serta harapan yang realistis. Kelebihan yang kita miliki juga membantu proses pencapaian tujuan kita. Dengan memanfaatkan setiap kelebihan yang kita miliki, otonatis menggali setiap potensi yang ada dan juga memanfaatkan setiap kesempatan. Berhentilah jadi orang yang minder dan cepat menyerah karena hal ini yang dapat memacu kurangnya percaya diri.

2.    Tanggung Jawab
Dalam setiap langkah yang akan dibuat atau diambil tentu kita harus memikirkan tanggung jawab apa saja yang harus kita tanggung. Bahkab dalam merencanakan sesuatunya pun butuh pertanggungjawaban. Orang yang bertanggung jawab apabila menghadapi suatu masalah pun cenderung tidak pantang menyerah dan tidak menyalahkan keadaan, justru akan memberikan perhatian dan tidak cepat dalam menyelesaikan maslah. Seperti sebuah kutian, “Sering adanya kekuatan yang besar, akan ada tanggung jawab yang besar juga.”

3.    Mampu Berkomunikasi
Komunikasi merupakan tindakan penting dalam menjalin hubungan dengan orang lain. Terlebih lagi untuk seorang wirausaha, kemampuan komunikasi menjadil kelebihan untuk mencapai kesuksesannya.

4.    Berjiwa Pemimpin
Karakter pemimpin wajib dimiliki seorang pengusaha untuk mengatur atau mengarahkan perusahaan dalam mencapai tujuan perusahaan. Tanpa kepemimpinan yang jelas, suatu tujuan yang baik pun akan mengalami kesulitan dalam pencapaiannya karena tidak ada pengaturann dalam prosesnya atau pemantauan.

5.    Berani Mengambil Risiko
Bagi seorang pengusaha peluang sekecil apapun akan tetap dimanfaatkan sebaik-baiknya. Bahkan dalam setiap masalah, selalu melihat celah yang bisa dimanfaatkan sebagai peluang usaha. Naluri inilah yang mendorong para pelaku usaha unutk berani mengambil setiap risiko untuk mendapatkana keuntungan yang lebih besar.

6.    Optimis

Berjiwa optimis dan berkeyakinan akan mendapat yang baik, berarti memandang segala sesuatunya dengan pandangan positif. Membiarkkan diri larut dalam kesedihan atau memikirkan msaalah sama dengan memberikan peluang kebahagiaan atau kemajuan hilang.

Diet Terbaik untuk Remaja

Diet bagi remaja sekarang ini menjadi hal  biasa dilakukan, walaupun sesungguhnya mereka berada dalam masa pertumbuhan yang sangat membutuhkan asupan makanan bergizi cukup banyak. Ada beberapa factor yang mengakibatkan hal tersebut, diantaranya adalah hilangnya  kepercayaan diri dalam pergaulan jika berat badan dirasakan terlalu berlebihan dibandingkan dengan teman-teman sebayanya.
Diet terbaik untuk remaja tentu tidak terlepas dari cara orang tua mengawasi dan mendampingi proses ini, jangan sampai upaya menurunkan berat badan  malah jadi petaka yang dapat merenggut kesehatan para remaja secara ektrim. Berikut, cara-cara yang mungkin dapat dilakukan. Pertama, biasakan berolahraga. Kurangnya aktifitas remaja masa kini yang diakibatkan oleh keasyikan menggunakan gadget sekedar untuk mengakses media social, bermain games, dan browsing berbagai hal di internet menjadi pemicu paling dominan mereka bermasalah dengan bobot. Olahraga  teratur adalah cara paling mudah untuk melakukan gerakan sehat dan membuat makanan yang dikonsumsi langsung dibakar sehingga tidak menjadi lemak yang bertumpuk dalam tubuh.
Kedua, minum air putih sesuai dengan kebutuhan, sehabis melakukan aktifitas tentu porsi minum haruslah lebih banyak , selain untuk menjaga kesegaran minum air juga dapat berguna mencegah kostipasi atau sembelit yang seringkali terjadi pada mereka yang melakukan diet. Lalu hindari minuman berkadar gula tinggi, seperti minuman bersoda. Diet terbaik untuk remaja yang ketiga, membawakan bekal dari rumah yang disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan diet, agar mereka tidak membeli makanan yang digoreng atau dipanggang di warung sekolah atau kafe bersama teman-temannya.
Keempat, mengganti camilan mereka yang berupa coklat, keripik, kerupuk dan lain-lain  dengan buah-buahan, yogurt atau keripik yang terbuat dari olahan sayur mayur. Kelima, sarapan atau makan pagi. Ini adalah kebiasaan baik yang seringkali dilupakan para remaja bahkan orang tua yang melakukan diet. Mereka menyangka makan di pagi hari dapat mengurangi timbangan dengan cepat, padahal sarapan sesungguhnya harus dilakukan untuk tetap membuat perut Anda kenyang saat melakukan aktifitas dan tidak terburu-buru mengkonsumsi makanan lain sebagai selingan sampai makan siang tiba.

Diet terbaik untuk remaja yang terakhir adalah merubah mainset mereka tentang kebutuhan diet itu sendiri. Jika memang harus dilakukan, gunakan cara yang aman.