This is the final part of a wide-ranging interview with world-renowned public intellectuals Noam Chomsky and Robert Pollin.
In an increasingly unequal country, the stakes are high for debates over student debt and the prospect of free higher education. Driven by neoliberal politics, our current educational system is both a product of and a driver of deep social inequities. In this interview, world-renowned public intellectuals Noam Chomsky and Robert Pollin take on the question of who should pay for education -- and how a radical reshaping of our educational system could be undertaken in the US.
This is the third part of a wide-ranging interview series with world-renowned public intellectuals Noam Chomsky and Robert Pollin. Read part one here and part two here.
C.J. Polychroniou: Noam, higher education in the US is a terribly expensive affair, and hundreds of billions are owed in student loans. First, do you think that a system of free higher education can coexist alongside tuition-charging universities? Secondly, what could and should be done about student debt?
Noam Chomsky: The educational system was a highly predictable victim of the neoliberal reaction, guided by the maxim of "private affluence and public squalor." Funding for public education has sharply declined. Tuition has exploded, leading to a plague of unpayable student debt. As higher education is driven to a business model in accord with neoliberal doctrine, administrative bureaucracy has sharply increased at the expense of faculty and students, developments reviewed well by sociologist Benjamin Ginsburg. Cost-cutting dictated by the revered market principles naturally leads to hyper-exploitation of the more vulnerable, creating a new precariat of graduate students and adjuncts surviving on a bare pittance, replacing tenured faculty. All of this happens to be a good disciplinary technique, for obvious reasons.
For those with eyes open, much of what has happened was anticipated by the early '70s, at the point of transition from regulated capitalism to incipient neoliberalism. At the time, there was mounting elite concern about the dangers posed by the democratizing and civilizing effects of 1960s activism, and particularly the role of young people during "the time of troubles." The concerns were forcefully expressed at both ends of the political spectrum.
At the right end of the spectrum, the "Powell memorandum" sent by corporate lobbyist (later Supreme Court Justice) Lewis Powell to the Chamber of Commerce called upon the business community to rise up to defend itself against the assault on freedom led by Ralph Nader, Herbert Marcuse and other miscreants who had taken over the universities, the media and the government. The picture was, of course, ludicrous but it did reflect the perceptions of Powell's audience, desperate about the slight diminution in their overwhelming power. The rhetoric is as interesting as the message, reminiscent of a spoiled three-year-old who has a piece of candy taken away. The memorandum was influential in circles that matter for policy formation.
At the other end of the spectrum, at about the same time, the liberal internationalists of the Trilateral Commission published their lament over "The Crisis of Democracy" that arose in the "terrible" '60s, when previously apathetic and marginalized parts of the population -- the great majority -- began to try to enter the political arena to pursue their interests. That posed an intolerable burden on the state. Accordingly, the Trilateral scholars called for more "moderation in democracy," a return to passivity and obedience. The American rapporteur, Harvard professor Samuel Huntington, reminisced nostalgically about the time when "Truman had been able to govern the country with the cooperation of a relatively small number of Wall Street lawyers and bankers," so that true democracy flourished.
A particular concern of the Trilateral scholars was the failure of the institutions responsible for "the indoctrination of the young," including the schools and universities. These had to be brought under control, along with the irresponsible media that were (occasionally) departing from subordination to "proper authority" -- a precursor of concerns of the far-right Republican Party today.
The right-liberal spectrum of concerns provided a good indication of what was to come.
The underfunding of public education, from K-12 through colleges and universities, has no plausible economic rationale, and in fact is harmful to the economy because of the losses that ensue. In other countries, rich and poor, education remains substantially free, with educational standards that rank high in global comparisons. Even in the US, higher education was almost free during the economically successful years before the neoliberal reaction -- and it was, of course, a much poorer country then. The GI bill provided free education to huge numbers of people -- white men overwhelmingly -- who would probably never have gone to college, a great benefit to them personally and to the whole society. Tuition at private colleges was far below today's exorbitant costs.
Student debt is structured to be a burden for life. The indebted cannot declare bankruptcy, unlike Trump. Current student debt is estimated to be over $1.45 trillion, [more than] $600 billion more than total credit card debt. Most is unpayable, and should be rescinded. There are ample resources for that simply from waste, including the bloated military and the enormous concentrated private wealth that has accumulated in the financial and general corporate sector under neoliberal policies.
There is no economic reason why free education cannot flourish from schools through colleges and university. The barriers are not economic but rather political decisions, skewed in the predictable direction under conditions of highly unequal wealth and power. Barriers that can be overcome, as often in the past.
Bob, what's your own response to the question I posed above?
Robert Pollin: Student debt in the US has exploded in the past decade. In 2007, total student debt was $112 billion, equal to 0.8 percent of GDP. As of 2016, total student debt was [more than] $1 trillion, equal to 5.6 percent of GDP. Thus, as a share of GDP, student debt has risen approximately seven-fold. As of 2012, nearly 70 percent of students left college carrying student loans, and these loans averaged $26,300.
The rise in student debt reflects a combination of factors. The first is that the private costs of attending college have risen sharply, with public higher education funding having been cut sharply. Average public funding per student was 15 percent lower in 2015 than in 2008, and 20 percent lower than in 1990. The burden of the public funding cuts [has] been worsened by the stagnation of average family incomes. Thus, in 1990, average tuition, fees, room and board amounted to about 18 percent of the median household income. By 2014, this figure had nearly doubled, to 35 percent of median household income.
Despite these sharply rising costs, college enrollments have continued to rise. There are many good reasons for young people to go off to college, open their minds, develop their skills and enjoy themselves. But probably the major attraction is the fact that income disparities have increased sharply between those who go to college versus those who do not. This pattern corresponds with the stagnation of average wages since the early 1970s that we discussed [previously]. The reality under neoliberalism has been that, if you want to have a decent shot at a good-paying job with a chance for promotions and raises over time, the most important first step is to get a college education. The pressures to go to college would be much less intense if working-class jobs provided good pay and opportunities to advance, as was the pattern prior to the onset of neoliberalism.
Virtually all student debt in the US is now held by the federal government. It would therefore be a relatively simple matter to forgive some, if not all of it. This would enable young people to transition much more easily into creating their own households and families. At the same time, if the government is going to enact a major program of student debt forgiveness, it should be at least equally committed to relieving the heavy mortgage debt burdens still carried by tens of millions of non-affluent households in the aftermath of the 2007-09 financial crash and Great Recession. Similarly, the government should also be at least equally committed to both lowering the costs of college education in the first place, and [supporting] better wages and work opportunities for people who do not attend college.
The blueprint for a progressive US that the two of you have sketched out requires that a certain course of political action is carried out ... which includes educating the masses in getting from here to there. How is this to be done, especially given not only the peculiarities of American political culture, but also the balkanization of progressive and left forces in the country?
Chomsky: The answer is both easy and hard. Easy to formulate (and familiar), and hard to execute (also familiar). The answer is education, organization [and] activism as appropriate to circumstances. Not easy, but often successful, and there's no reason why it cannot be now. Popular engagement, though scattered, is at quite a high level, as is enthusiasm and concern. There are also important elements of unity, like the Left Forum, novel and promising. And the movements we've already mentioned. Significant efforts are underway, such as those alluded to briefly [before], and there's no reason why they cannot be extended. While the left is famous for constant splits and internal disputes, I don't think that's more so now than in the past. And the general mood, particularly among young people, seems to me conducive to quite positive changes.
I don't feel that there is anything deep in the political culture that prevents "educating the masses." I'm old enough to recall vividly the high level of culture, general and political, among first-generation working people during the Great Depression. Workers' education was lively and effective, union-based -- mostly the vigorous rising labor movement, reviving from the ashes of the 1920s. I've often seen independent and quite impressive initiatives in working-class and poor and deprived communities today. And there's a long earlier history of lively working-class culture, from the early days of the industrial revolution. The most important radical democratic movement in American history, the populist movement (not today's "populism"), was initiated and led by farmers in Texas and the Midwest, who may have had little formal education but understood very well the nature of their plight at the hands of the powerful banking and commercial sectors, and devised effective means to counter it....
I've been fortunate enough to have seen remarkable examples elsewhere. I recall vividly a visit to an extremely poor, almost inaccessible rural village in southern Colombia, in an area under attack from all sides, where I attended a village meeting that was concerned with protecting their resources, including irreplaceable water supplies, from predatory international mining corporations. And in particular. a young man, with very little formal education, who led a thoughtful and very informed discussion of sophisticated development plans that they intended to implement. I've seen the same in poor villages in West Bengal, with a handful of books in the tiny schoolroom, areas liberated from landlord rule by Communist party militancy. The opportunities and, of course, resources are vastly greater in rich societies like ours.
I don't think it is idle romanticism to recognize the potential that can be awakened, or arise independently, in communities that free themselves from indoctrination and passive subordination. The opportunities I think are there, to be grasped and carried forward.
Pollin: I think it is inevitable that leftist forces in the US would be divided, if not balkanized, to some extent. Among the full range of people who are committed to social and economic equality and ecological [justice] -- i.e. to some variant of a leftist vision of a decent society -- it will always be the case that some will be more focused on egalitarian economic issues, others around the environment and climate change, others on US imperialism, militarism and foreign policy, others on race and gender equality, and still others on sexual identity.
I certainly do not have the formula for how to most effectively knit all these groups together. But I do think we can learn a lot from the major successes out there. The 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign is a first obvious example. Another is the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) that I mentioned [before]. This is a union, fighting first for the well-being of its members, who are overwhelmingly women, with a high proportion being women of color. At the same time, CNA/NNU has been in the forefront of campaigns for single-payer health care and even the Robin Hood Tax on speculative Wall Street trading.
There are other progressive organizations that have proven track records of success. One is the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), which has long been active around both living wage and other worker rights issues, as well as community economic development and environmental justice. A more recently formed coalition is NY Renews, which is comprised of 126 organizations in New York State who have come together to advance a serious program in the state to both dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand good job opportunities. The Washington State Labor Council -- part of the AFL-CIO -- has also been committed and innovative in bringing together coalitions of labor and environmental groups.
The US left needs to learn and build from the achievements and ongoing work of these and similar groups. In fact, as Margaret Thatcher used to say, "there is no alternative" -- if we are serious about successfully advancing a left alternative to the disasters caused by 40 years of neoliberal hegemony.
C.J. Polychroniou is a political economist/political scientist who has taught and worked in universities and research centers in Europe and the United States. His main research interests are in European economic integration, globalization, the political economy of the United States and the deconstruction of neoliberalism's politico-economic project. He is a regular contributor to Truthout as well as a member of Truthout's Public Intellectual Project. He has published several books and his articles have appeared in a variety of journals, magazines, newspapers and popular news websites. Many of his publications have been translated into several foreign languages, including Croatian, French, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish. He is the author of Optimism Over Despair: Noam Chomsky On Capitalism, Empire, and Social Change, an anthology of interviews with Chomsky originally published at Truthout and collected by Haymarket Books.
This post first appeared on TruthOut and was reposted with permission.
"K-12 education operates in a unique position that is foreign in many ways to its higher ed counterpart. While college kids, who are largely legally adults, are free to explore social media and experiment with new technology tools, in the K-12 environment, consideration always has to be given to student privacy when entering uncharted territories."
"Two teaching and learning experts experimented with ChatGPT’s new Study Mode, which promises to support “deeper learning” among college students. Google and Anthropic have also unveiled similar tools, but their effectiveness will likely depend on the student."
The release of Language Learning Model (LLM) ChatGPT by OpenAI in November of last year opened the floodgates leading to alternatives including Google Bard and Microsoft Bing and Gen AI has proved massively disruptive, with businesses seeking to explore how they can apply the technology.
The guest for this episode of the INSPIRING STEM PODCAST is Adam Hyde, founder and principal architect of the Collaborative Knowledge Foundation - Coko and is responsible for oversight of all operations.
Coko’s motto is “We Build, You Publish”. The organisation exists to benefit the publishing community by building modern, open-source tools that enable the publishing of critical knowledge better, faster, cheaper.
Adam brings publishing and technical leadership as well as pioneering insights into publishing workflows and technologies. He is also technical advisor for the OA Switchboard project, holds a seat on the Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) Management Board, and co-founder of the Coalition for Open Access Publishing Infrastructure in Africa project.
Inspiring STEM Consulting is an independent scholarly academic and scientific publishing consultancy. We undertake market research across STEM subject areas to inform clients' business and product development strategies. We run internal training workshops for our clients' teams and external training for client's customers. We design publication strategies to maximise research impact and reach. Our core expertise is in open science publishing and journal portfolio business development. We are a trusted and valued consultancy seeking to develop long-term and sustainable client relationships.
LatestOpen Access cOAlition S is seeking to engage the services of a consultant to explore how a globally fair pricing system for academic publishing could be devised and implemented. The European Science Foundation, which hosts the cOAlition S office, will award the contract on behalf of cOAlition S. cOAlition S is participating with UNESCO, the International Science Council (ISC), the Open Access 2020 Initiative (OA2020), Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), the Association of African Universities, and Science Europe in organising a series of workshops on global equity in Open Access publishing. The first of these workshops focused on viewpoints from Europe and Africa, and participants formulated a variety of proposals, including a call for publishers to adopt more equitable practices, including but not limited to transparent pricing of Open Access publishing services based on purchasing power parity (PPP). As a follow-up to the workshop, cOAlition S wishes to commission a study to explore how a globally fair pricing system for academic publishing could be devised and implemented. We will work with our partners in the Global Equity Workshop in taking this forward. The key objective of this study is to identify ways in which readers and producers of scholarly publications (or their proxies, namely research funders and universities, could financially contribute to supporting the academic publishing services valued by their research communities as a function of their means in a manner that is globally equitable and sustainable. From subscription to producer-pays As observed by Osman & Rooryck (2022), the transition of academic publishing from the subscription model to Open Access shifts payments for publishing services from readers to producers of knowledge. Although this transition makes publications accessible to readers globally, many authors and institutions worldwide do not have access to publishing in journals whose prices they cannot afford. Inequities The current pricing practices in open access publishing models where costs are borne by the producers of knowledge – authors, funders, or universities – do not currently serve regional and global equity, as they do not reflect equitable standards such as local purchasing power. For example, APCs paid for Open Access articles are priced at an identical level for customers irrespective of their geographic location, unlike other products and services with a global reach that are typically priced as a function of local purchasing power. Global products and services tend to cost what the local market can bear. It is unclear why payments for open access publishing services do not. Admittedly, some researchers facing APC payments may qualify for waivers, but there is no globally agreed way for publishers to handle waivers. Moreover, they are perceived as patronizing and neocolonial. They are an in-or-out mechanism unilaterally controlled by the publishers, and do not afford any agency to recipients. Summing up, the current system for meeting the costs of academic publishing is both regionally and globally inequitable. Globally fair payment for academic publishing cOAlition S funders are committed to fair and transparent open access fees and encourage the diversity of open access business models (Principle 5 of Plan S). There is a need to transition towards a globally agreed system of payment for academic publishing services that is fair, equitable, and transparent. It should be fair in guaranteeing payment of a reasonable price for clearly defined services. It should be equitable by taking into account the ratio of readers and authors as well as their local purchasing power for any contributing country or institution. It should be transparent in making clear the criteria for inclusion in a specific pricing tier. The objective of the study for tender is to explore the current pricing and distribution of costs of academic publishing and explore alternative pricing models that are fair and transparent and that enable global participation and equitable cost distribution. Special consideration should be given to the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) model, which Osman & Rooryck (2022) suggested as a potential model for devising an equitable pricing model for academic publishing. Responding to this call An outline of the key tasks, deliverables, and available budget, along with an application template is available here. Those who wish to apply for this consultancy should send the completed template (Annex A) to npappleroy@esf.org no later than Monday, 13th March 2023, at 09.00 GMT.
While we strive to serve the Illinois State University community most directly, we are also part of a global community of researchers, scholars, and students. It can therefore be valuable for us to pull back and take a broader look at scholarly communication efforts around the world.
The world has undergone a significant transformation in the last two years, and online learning has become a norm. It is no longer a choice but a necessity for students, professionals, and businesses alike. With the advent of 2023, online learning will continue to be the primary mode of education and skill development. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 tips for successful online learning in 2023.
Les meilleurs outils pour remplacer Canva et créer des visuels facilement.
VistaCreate (Crello)
Un outil de création de visuels pour débutants et professionnels
VistaCreate est un logiciel de conception graphique qui facilite la création de visuels de tous styles et gabarits (images pour vos réseaux sociaux, logos, vignettes, animations, infographies, affiches, etc.). Pour créer vos supports de communication, vous bénéficiez d’un accès à plus de 140 millions d’images et 30 000 templates variés et personnalisables. Sur VistaCreate, vous bénéficiez d’un large éventail d’effets créatifs tels que des animations, des musiques ou des vidéos. L’offre gratuite de VistaCreate vous donne accès à l’ensemble des fonctionnalités.
Une application de retouche, création et collages photos
Fotor est un outil qui vous permet de retoucher, recadrer et redimensionner vos photos. Pour concevoir vos supports de communication, vous avez la possibilité d’ajouter du texte à vos visuels, de créer des collages classiques et plus élaborés, ainsi que des conceptions graphiques. Suppression d’arrière-plans, ajout d’effets, recadrage d’images, retouche de portraits… Fotor propose plusieurs fonctionnalités et fournit différents templates conçus pour faciliter le partage sur vos réseaux sociaux. Fotor existe en version gratuite et propose une version payante au prix de 8,99 $ par mois.
Une alternative à Canva pour concevoir vos supports de communication
Doté d’une interface simple et ergonomique, Adobe Express est un outil de conception graphique qui facilite la création et l’édition de tout support visuel de communication, qu’il s’agisse d’une illustration, d’une bannière ou d’une séquence vidéo. Comme Canva, Adobe Express met à disposition une bibliothèque de templates, qui sont intégralement modifiables. Mais la solution se distingue grâce à l’intégration de la banque d’images Adobe Stock, qui permet d’accéder à des milliers de visuels en haute définition et libres de droits, ainsi que d’Adobe Fonts et sa conséquente bibliothèque de polices d’écriture.
L'application de conception graphique de Microsoft 365
Microsoft Designer est une application de conception graphique qui vous permet de créer des visuels pour dynamiser votre communication et particulièrement vos réseaux sociaux. L’éditeur vous permet de générer des images et des modèles de visuels personnalisables, d’accéder à des graphiques motion design, etc. Grâce à sa technologie basée sur l’IA, l’utilisateur saisit un texte précis qui génère automatiquement de nombreux modèles de visuels. Avec plus de 100 millions d’images et de vidéos disponibles en haute qualité, vous avez accès à une large bibliothèque de contenus pour créer vos visuels.
Une plateforme de création de visuels, présentations et vidéos pour remplacer Canva
Visme permet de mettre en image des documents sous forme de présentations, infographies, graphiques ou vidéos. L’outil propose des modèles et des éléments personnalisables à destination des créateurs de contenus ou des services de communication. Vos créations peuvent être publiées en ligne, intégrées à un site, téléchargées ou être partagées sur vos réseaux sociaux. Visme dispose d’une offre gratuite avec un nombre de templates limité et d’une offre payante qui débute à 15 dollars par mois.
Un outil pour concevoir vos présentations professionnelles
Bien que Canva offre la possibilité de réaliser des présentations, la solution Piktochart se distingue par sa capacité à intégrer facilement des données issues de Google Sheets ou de SurveyMonkey pour générer des graphiques et des infographies. Parallèlement, Piktochart met à disposition les fonctionnalités adéquates pour concevoir de multiples supports de communication, tels que des affiches ou flyers, en partant d’un document vierge ou en s’appuyant sur l’un des nombreux modèles proposés. Comme Canva, Piktochart propose une déclinaison gratuite de sa solution, avec quelques limitations.
Stencil vous permet de créer des visuels essentiellement pour vos réseaux sociaux. Destiné aux créateurs de contenus, aux blogueurs et aux équipes marketing, cet outil propose plus de 150 templates calibrés pour être partagés facilement. Pour cela, Stencil est intégré à Buffer et vous permet par ce biais, de planifier vos publications à l’avance sur vos plateformes sociales. À la différence de Canva, un support est disponible sur le site 24/24 pour vous accompagner dans vos créations.
PicMonkey est un outil de retouche d’images et de création de montages photos. L’éditeur photo vous permet par exemple d’appliquer des effets à vos visuels pour les rendre plus attractifs. Dépliants, designs pour les réseaux sociaux, présentations, logos, invitations… De nombreux templates existent pour créer différents supports utiles à votre communication. L’option « Smart resize » vous permet de modifier le format de n’importe quel visuel sans en altérer sa qualité. PicMonkey est un outil payant et débute à 10,99 € par mois.
Les meilleurs outils pour remplacer Canva et créer des visuels facilement.
VistaCreate (Crello)
Un outil de création de visuels pour débutants et professionnels
VistaCreate est un logiciel de conception graphique qui facilite la création de visuels de tous styles et gabarits (images pour vos réseaux sociaux, logos, vignettes, animations, infographies, affiches, etc.). Pour créer vos supports de communication, vous bénéficiez d’un accès à plus de 140 millions d’images et 30 000 templates variés et personnalisables. Sur VistaCreate, vous bénéficiez d’un large éventail d’effets créatifs tels que des animations, des musiques ou des vidéos. L’offre gratuite de VistaCreate vous donne accès à l’ensemble des fonctionnalités.
Une application de retouche, création et collages photos
Fotor est un outil qui vous permet de retoucher, recadrer et redimensionner vos photos. Pour concevoir vos supports de communication, vous avez la possibilité d’ajouter du texte à vos visuels, de créer des collages classiques et plus élaborés, ainsi que des conceptions graphiques. Suppression d’arrière-plans, ajout d’effets, recadrage d’images, retouche de portraits… Fotor propose plusieurs fonctionnalités et fournit différents templates conçus pour faciliter le partage sur vos réseaux sociaux. Fotor existe en version gratuite et propose une version payante au prix de 8,99 $ par mois.
Une alternative à Canva pour concevoir vos supports de communication
Doté d’une interface simple et ergonomique, Adobe Express est un outil de conception graphique qui facilite la création et l’édition de tout support visuel de communication, qu’il s’agisse d’une illustration, d’une bannière ou d’une séquence vidéo. Comme Canva, Adobe Express met à disposition une bibliothèque de templates, qui sont intégralement modifiables. Mais la solution se distingue grâce à l’intégration de la banque d’images Adobe Stock, qui permet d’accéder à des milliers de visuels en haute définition et libres de droits, ainsi que d’Adobe Fonts et sa conséquente bibliothèque de polices d’écriture.
L'application de conception graphique de Microsoft 365
Microsoft Designer est une application de conception graphique qui vous permet de créer des visuels pour dynamiser votre communication et particulièrement vos réseaux sociaux. L’éditeur vous permet de générer des images et des modèles de visuels personnalisables, d’accéder à des graphiques motion design, etc. Grâce à sa technologie basée sur l’IA, l’utilisateur saisit un texte précis qui génère automatiquement de nombreux modèles de visuels. Avec plus de 100 millions d’images et de vidéos disponibles en haute qualité, vous avez accès à une large bibliothèque de contenus pour créer vos visuels.
Une plateforme de création de visuels, présentations et vidéos pour remplacer Canva
Visme permet de mettre en image des documents sous forme de présentations, infographies, graphiques ou vidéos. L’outil propose des modèles et des éléments personnalisables à destination des créateurs de contenus ou des services de communication. Vos créations peuvent être publiées en ligne, intégrées à un site, téléchargées ou être partagées sur vos réseaux sociaux. Visme dispose d’une offre gratuite avec un nombre de templates limité et d’une offre payante qui débute à 15 dollars par mois.
Un outil pour concevoir vos présentations professionnelles
Bien que Canva offre la possibilité de réaliser des présentations, la solution Piktochart se distingue par sa capacité à intégrer facilement des données issues de Google Sheets ou de SurveyMonkey pour générer des graphiques et des infographies. Parallèlement, Piktochart met à disposition les fonctionnalités adéquates pour concevoir de multiples supports de communication, tels que des affiches ou flyers, en partant d’un document vierge ou en s’appuyant sur l’un des nombreux modèles proposés. Comme Canva, Piktochart propose une déclinaison gratuite de sa solution, avec quelques limitations.
Stencil vous permet de créer des visuels essentiellement pour vos réseaux sociaux. Destiné aux créateurs de contenus, aux blogueurs et aux équipes marketing, cet outil propose plus de 150 templates calibrés pour être partagés facilement. Pour cela, Stencil est intégré à Buffer et vous permet par ce biais, de planifier vos publications à l’avance sur vos plateformes sociales. À la différence de Canva, un support est disponible sur le site 24/24 pour vous accompagner dans vos créations.
PicMonkey est un outil de retouche d’images et de création de montages photos. L’éditeur photo vous permet par exemple d’appliquer des effets à vos visuels pour les rendre plus attractifs. Dépliants, designs pour les réseaux sociaux, présentations, logos, invitations… De nombreux templates existent pour créer différents supports utiles à votre communication. L’option « Smart resize » vous permet de modifier le format de n’importe quel visuel sans en altérer sa qualité. PicMonkey est un outil payant et débute à 10,99 € par mois.
Canva is a growing force in the content-creation world, so its Canva Create event last week had plenty of announcements for music-marketers to pore over. The company rounded up 10 of the highlights itself in its newsroom, including Canva Sheets, its take on spreadsheets with an emphasis on creating visualisations and presentations.
District Provides In Depth Explanation of How Reading is Taught in the Scarsdale Schools
SATURDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2022 16:37
WENDY MACMILLAN
Earlier this year, Lucy Calkin, a professor of education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, made headlines when her approach to teaching reading and writing to elementary aged children was called into question in a report published by the nonprofit educational consulting group Student Achievement Partners (SAP). While the report found many strengths in Calkin’s Unit Of Study approach, it also concluded that it "would be unlikely to lead to literacy success for all of America's public schoolchildren,"
These findings highlighted in articles in the NY Times, Forbes, and more had some Scarsdale parents calling into question our district’s partnership with the Teachers College and our use of the Units of Study approach in teaching literacy. On Thursday evening, in a presentation hosted by CHILD, our district leaders took the time to address these concerns and make clear the thoughtful, well-researched, multifaceted, and ever-evolving approaches to teaching literacy and identifying challenges, utilized by our district’s elementary school teachers.
The panel of presenters for the evening included:
Dr. Edgar McIntosh- Assistant Superintendent for Instruction/Co-Director, The Center for Innovation Eric Rauschenbach - Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Student Services Sue Luft - Elementary ELA Coordinator Michelle O’Donnell - Elementary ELA Coordinator Dana Khani - Teacher In Charge of Special Programs Nick Miller - LRC Teacher Sarah Tucker - Reading Specialist
The presentation began with Michelle O’Donnell explaining that Scarsdale’s approach to teaching reading has many prongs and is based on a balanced, multi dimensional model that blends many strands together to accomplish skilled reading over time. Ms. O’Donnell also stressed that this model is continually evolving and growing as they constantly assess their practices to make sure all components are working to best meet their students’ needs. The following image illustrates how all of the various elements work together to help students attain their reading goals:
A quick look at our district’s website describes “The pillars that represent our District beliefs in the teaching of literacy are as follows”:
Students benefit from the components of a balanced literacy model. That model includes rich mentor texts, explicit instruction, guided practice, inquiry, and the creative, student-centered meaningful opportunities that a learning workshop structure provides.
-Students and teachers benefit from instructional/curricular flexibility that invites and encourages integrative curriculum design, responsive instruction, and authentic student-centered inquiry.
-Students and teachers benefit from curriculum articulation that includes shared vocabulary, coordinated content, and common structures with horizontal and vertical alignment in the elementary grades.
-Students benefit from worthy and rigorous learning outcomes, which guide our work beyond the State standards.
Dr. Luft explained that to help achieve these goals, teachers rely on a comprehensive literacy framework that includes the following components:
-Reader’s Workshop -Word Study Phonics, Spelling, Vocabulary -Interactive Read Aloud -Writer’s Workshop -Small/Group Reading and Writing -Shared Reading and Writing
Dr. Luft went on to detail the parts of a Reader’s Workshop (just one component of the comprehensive program):
-A 10 minute Mini Lesson where “The teacher delivers the information in a clear, logical manner and sends the readers off to apply skills while reading independently. Mini-lessons fall into three main categories: lessons on management of the workshop; lessons on literary analysis; and lessons on skills and strategies that readers use.”
-Independent Reading where “Student choice allows readers to take ownership of their learning by choosing appropriate high-interest books. Students and teachers confer to monitor progress and set goals. Students are provided with regular, extended periods of time to practice skills and strategies taught in the workshop and to increase their reading stamina. They are also given opportunities to discuss, share, and write about their reading. At times teachers may offer students decodable texts to use during their independent reading time to practice specific phonics skills.
-Partnerships and Book Clubs in which “Students are given many opportunities to discuss, debate and reflect upon text with their peers.”
-Conferring and Small Group Work “Teachers often confer with students individually about their reading to address specific needs and goals.” In addition, small group work allows for “Strategy lessons [that] are brief heterogeneously, or homogeneously, based groups that focus on a specific skill or behavior. Strategy groups help readers move forward on a learning progression towards individual reading goals. Groups can be formed to either solidify a skill, offer remediation, or expose readers to a new genre. Instructional level small groups can be held with varying levels of support, from the most heavily scaffolded (guided reading) to lightly scaffolded (series or level introduction).”
-Mid Workshop Interruption “The teacher uses the mid-workshop interruption as an opportunity to build on and revise prior teaching.”
-Sharing/Closing which “gives an opportunity for readers to internalize and reflect on their reading process.”
In all of this work, teachers are continually assessing and monitoring each student’s reading progress. Some of the assessment tools include:
-STAR -Foundational Skills -F&P BAS -Writing On Demands, Performance Assessments etc.
As the District website notes, “Analysis of these assessments allows us to differentiate student instruction and plan for multiple student access points. This is an ongoing process in which teachers identify the progression of students’ development along the continuum of literacy learning.” A more thorough description of each assessment tool can also be found on the District’s Website.
Nick Miller described the multi-tiered system of support for a student who is identified as struggling to read on benchmark, having difficulty decoding, or having a tough time during writing. First, three steps are taken:
Step 1: Student is assessed and did not meet Benchmark of Fountas and PInnell Benchmark System Step 2: Student receives additional daily instruction in comprehension, phonics, fluency, vocabulary during one reading cycle (12 weeks) Step 3: Student meets benchmark and exits after 1-5 cycles
If a student needs stronger or more specific reading support, they will be referred to the Learning Resource Center. Here students are frequently assessed both formally and informally which allows the LRC teachers to alter instruction to best meet the student’s needs and determine if the additional (LRC) support should be increased or decreased. Also, in the Learning Resource Center students benefit from a variety of powerful learning tools and strategies such as charts/graphs, graphic organizers, sequencing activities, retelling, jotting down questions/observations, and are helped to focus on the 5 W’s. In LRC, teachers use scientifically based programs that encompass the multisensory Orton-Gillingham method to decoding. Students utilize letter tiles, sky writing, chunking words/syllabication, specialized games, and so much more to support their learning and hopefully return them to learning in a General Education classroom.
As Dana Khani explained, if a student has been formally evaluated and it is determined by the Committee on Special Education that they need specialized instruction and to have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), our district aims to educate that student in the least restrictive environment possible. A student’s IEP would include specific goals and there are a variety of ways teachers would address the student’s needs. In an ICT program where students with special needs are instructed using the general education curriculum, a special education teacher in the classroom would be responsible for supplementing the curriculum with specially designed instruction to address the unique needs of the student. Literacy instruction would include two Orton Gillingham programs, The Wilson Reading System and Spire.
Towards the end of the presentation a slide was shared with these three important points about Individualization and Progress Monitoring:
Students are monitored closely to ensure they are making progress towards their individualized goals. Students who show particular weakness in breaking the code are also provided multisensory instruction in addition to the regular curriculum.
In the lower grades (K-2) all students receive instruction in word study (phonics). Some students receive Teachers College word study instruction while others may receive Wilson’t word study program called Fundations. Some of the Kindergarten ICT classes weave in the Heggerty phonics program which just focuses on phonemic awareness.
All classes have a wide range of learners especially in the ICT. Differentiation, small group stations, parallel teaching, and individualized support are all used to allow all students an access point to the curriculum.
The presentation was followed by a Q and A segment where the first question was in relation to the use of the Teachers College curriculum in our general education classrooms. Edgar McIntosh and Eric Rauschenbach both contributed to this answer by first reminding the audience that Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) is not the only component to the District’s approach to creating successful readers. They also pointed out that like almost all curriculum, TCRWP has grown and evolved and responded to places of perceived weaknesses by adopting a more integrated approach.
After the program, Dr. McIntosh added, “There seems to be some confusion about how we are using Teacher's College (TC) materials in our elementary classroom. We have used, and continue to use the TC units of study as one of the tools we engage to teach reading comprehension, which includes vocabulary, verbal reasoning, language structure, essential background content, and literacy knowledge. The NY State Standards-aligned units are useful resources and provide students with common and vertically aligned language and strategies as they move through the elementary grades. Within these units, there are opportunities for educators to adjust and adapt their instruction and pace to meet the needs of the students in their classroom. It is important to note that alongside the comprehension work, students are taught the skills connected to word recognition, including phonological awareness, phonics, and sight word recognition. We know from years of research that both comprehension and word recognition teaching are essential to developing skilled, flexible, and joyful readers. Recently updated TC units of study have integrated more word recognition skills with comprehension work. We appreciate these updates and look forward to continuing to use TC tools as an important part of our Comprehensive Literacy Framework. Here is a link to our literacy website for those interested in exploring further the methods, tools, and research we use to guide our work with students.
There have been recent articles/podcasts that have fueled this confusion, by focusing on programs that may use comprehension tools, without including essential word recognition work. That is not Scarsdale.”
Another parent in the audience asked about the assessment tools used in Scarsdale and how often our students are monitored for progress. Mr. Rauschenbach said that in addition to the formal assessments outlined during the presentation (such as the F&P Benchmark Assessment System that students take part in 3 times a year), teachers also formally and informally assess students on a daily basis. Mr. Rauschenbach made clear that Scarsdale’s approach to teaching reading is not to teach to attain certain test or assessment results, and feels that only focusing on percentages makes elementary school feel very different. Instead, the assessments used in our schools are seen as a tool to help inform a teacher's instruction, find gaps, be responsive, and to offer additional support if needed.
How much training our teachers receive, also came into question. Mr. Rauschenbach explained that each type of teacher (general education, reading specialists, and special education teachers) have different levels of training. While all have continued training from the Teachers College and other institutions, some teachers have specialized training in programs like Wilson and Spire. After the program, Dr. McIntosh had this to add, “Our special education teachers (including those in ICT classrooms) are trained in multisensory approaches (i.e. Orton-Gillingham) to address the needs of students who require more intense support in reading. Our reading specialists use a variety of tools to support students, working in small groups with a focus on the 5 Pillars of Literacy (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension). They monitor students' responses to the reading intervention to determine whether they require a multisensory approach. While general teachers explicitly teach decoding strategies, the multisensory approaches are delivered by educators who have additional training. One of the big "takeaways" we wanted for our meeting was for parents/guardians to feel assured that there is careful monitoring of student reading progress and that there are many levels of tailored instruction that support and meet the needs of our diverse learners.”
Yet another parent asked about the latest ELA results from NY State testing. This parent had taken the data to calculate the 5 year Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for ELA proficiency results. She was surprised to find that each school progressed at fairly the same rate except for Greenacres, which seemed to have exceptional improvement compared to the others. This parent wondered if Greenacres is doing something differently. Dr. McIntosh explained that the NY state tests are a very blunt, general tool and that it is important to look at schools and fluctuations over time. He went on to relate that each school is its own unique cohort and that schools tend to move up and down from year to year. He doesn’t believe that Greenacres’ results were statistically significant, but certainly believes that part of having a growth mindset is to look into discrepancies for greater understanding and will do so in regards to Greenacres. Later, Dr. McIntosh added, “The interpretation of NY State Assessment "snap-shot measures" that lead to generalizations about schools, grades, and instruction is misguided. We are reassured that our students continue to demonstrate high proficiency despite the mitigations from the last two years- and in comparison to other high-performing districts. I provided a slide during the assessment presentation that followed five years of elementary proficiency percentages. The purpose of this was to underscore that our schools are all well above state and lower Hudson averages- and have historical fluctuations of percentage points between schools. The reason for fluctuations that have happened predictably from year to year can be explained through the learning needs of a particular cohort, the number of students assessed, and other factors. As there are anomalies or trends, we take a closer look at the data. These assessments should not be interpreted to be a measure of instructional quality or pedagogical methods at any given school, regardless of current “order".”
Still another parent asked if there are resources for parents to utilize to help their child at home. The answer was a resounding YES! The District website is teeming with helpful information and important links to an array of resources. Check it out here:
If you have questions about your child’s reading progress, their classroom teacher would be more than happy to discuss your concerns.
The report linked below was posted online today (November 12, 2022) by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).Title Impacts of Public Access to Computers and the Internet in Libraries Authors International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)...
On July 13th, 2022, a coalition of over fifty civil society organizations representing educators, researchers, libraries, archives and digital rights advocates sent a letter to the delegates representing the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) at its 2022 General...
"Are you someone that thrives in a structured, on-campus learning environment, but is struggling to set deadlines at home and keep up with online learning? Associate Professor of Practice Julie Cajigas has some tips on how students can boost their success in an online learning environment."
Empathy connects us but strains under demanding settings. This study explored how third parties evaluated AI-generated empathetic responses versus human responses in terms of compassion, responsiveness, and overall preference across four preregistered experiments. Participants (N = 556) read empathy prompts describing valenced personal experiences and compared the AI responses to select non-expert or expert humans.
Results revealed that AI responses were preferred and rated as more compassionate compared to select human responders (Study 1). This pattern of results remained when author identity was made transparent (Study 2), when AI was compared to expert crisis responders (Study 3), and when author identity was disclosed to all participants (Study 4). Third parties perceived AI as being more responsive—conveying understanding, validation, and care—which partially explained AI’s higher compassion ratings in Study 4.
These findings suggest that AI has robust utility in contexts requiring empathetic interaction, with the potential to address the increasing need for empathy in supportive communication contexts.
a Canvas It has features that can be very useful for freelancers. It is possible, for example, to issue an invoice with a custom design, to present the project budget to the client in a more professional way. Another possibility offered by the online editor is to create business cards. This is a good way to advertise your communication and network. Additionally, for professionals who work with creativity, creating mind maps can be interesting. With them, it is possible to list and relate ideas in a more organized way.
There are also many other features of the program Canvas It can help self-employed professionals improve the quality of their work. With this in mind, the take you I made a list of six Canva features every freelance translator should know. Check it out below.
2 of the 8 Canva Jobs that are Very Useful for Freelancers; Recognition – Photo: clone / Gilherme Ramos
Canva offers very useful functions for freelancers; Recognition – Photo: clone / Gilherme Ramos
A business card is important for formalizing professional presentations and can also help boost networking. It must contain your name or company name, email address, phone number, and a link to your wallet or website. If you don’t know how to create one, you can turn to Canva, which offers many ready-made templates for professionals in a wide range of fields. To use one of the templates, simply go to Canva, click on “Templates”, and on the “Business” tab, select “Business Cards”.
3 of 8 Make Business Cards for Your Business Using Canva – Photo: clone / Juliana Campos
Make Business Cards for Your Business Using Canva – Photo: Clone / Juliana Campos
2. CVs: to apply for new opportunities
A compelling resume can help freelancers who are looking for a steady job opportunity to stand out in the curriculum screening process. Canva offers a variety of creative resume templates, with different styles and layouts. To access ready-made templates, simply access Canva, go to Templates and select Resume, an option available on the For You tab. Resumes can be saved in PDF format, emailed or printed.
4 of 8 Create a Personalized, Creative Resume with Canva – Photo: Reproduction / Juliana Campos
Build a Personalized, Creative Resume with Canva – Photo: clone / Juliana Campos
3. Presentations: to present your business or project
You can also use Canva to create custom slideshows. With this feature, a freelance professional can introduce themselves, showing a project proposal and its estimated cost in a single document. There are many ready-made templates in different colors and themes, aimed at portfolio presentations, marketing proposals, among other topics. To make a presentation, go to Canva, select Templates and choose between Presentations or Business Proposals, depending on the purpose of the presentation.
5 of 8 Sample Canva Portfolio Example – Photo: Reproduction / Juliana Campos
Example of a sample Canva portfolio – Photo: Reproduction / Juliana Campos
4. Invoice: to inform the customer of the project cost
Another very useful template from Canva for freelancers is the invoice templates. Through them, it is possible to inform the customer of the costs of the implemented project in a visual way, detailing each expense involved in the production of the product or the provision of the service. The freelancer can edit the ready-made templates and include their name, customer name, invoice date, items and payment method used. To use the templates, simply access Canva, click on “Templates” and then on “Invoices”. There is also a specific field for the self-employed called “Freelancer Bills”.
6 of 8 Customize Invoice Templates for Freelancers with Canva – Photo: Reproduction / Juliana Campos
Customize Invoice Templates for Freelancers with Canva – Photo: Reproduction / Juliana Campos
5. Mind maps: to organize ideas
Mind maps are a great tool for organizing ideas, especially if the freelancer is creative. Using the templates available in Canva, you can record your own ideas and customer requests and draw connections between them, in the form of a brainstorm. To create a mind map, go to the online editor, search for “mind map” in the search field and select a template of your choice.
7 of 8 Create mind maps with Canva – Image: Play / Canva
Create mind maps with Canva – Image: Clone / Canva
6. Employment contracts: to close a deal
It is possible to create business contracts to sign the closed deal in a document. The procedure provides guarantees for both the independent business owner and the client, as it makes both parties aware of their rights and obligations. Canva offers many ready-made templates to assemble these documents in a professional, visually appealing and personal way. To use it, simply access the site, search for “employment contracts” and choose the form that best suits your business.
8 of 8 Create Canva Employment Contracts to Ensure Your Safety in Freelance Services – Photo: Playback / Canva
Create contracts with Canva to ensure your safety in freelance services – Photo: Reproduction / Canva
Canva Pro gives you access to features like templates, unique graphics, background remover, and social media content planner. it’s possible Try the premium plan for 30 days for free. After this period, you are charged R$24.15 per month.
*Transparency note: Canva and TechTudo maintain a commercial partnership. By subscribing to a tool on the partner site, TechTudo can earn a commission or other type of compensation.
En marketing digital, Canva es una herramienta fundamental para freelancers y profesionales, ya que facilita la creación de contenido visual atractivo y personalizado que mejora la imagen de marca. Permite diseñar desde presentaciones y currículums hasta facturas y contratos, optimizando la comunicación y la gestión de proyectos. Su facilidad de uso y variedad de plantillas ayudan a ahorrar tiempo y mantener una presencia profesional en canales digitales, lo que es clave para atraer y fidelizar clientes en el entorno digital.
Este artículo demuestra cómo Canva va más allá del diseño gráfico básico y se convierte en una herramienta integral para los freelancers. La posibilidad de crear facturas, contratos, presentaciones y mapas mentales refleja cómo una sola plataforma puede mejorar la productividad y dar mayor profesionalismo al trabajo independiente. En el mercado laboral actual, donde muchos profesionales trabajan por cuenta propia, dominar Canva no solo facilita el trabajo creativo, sino que también fortalece la comunicación con clientes y la organización de proyectos.
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