School Technical Ideas

LoudCloud Systems, providers of the LoudCloud Learning Management Ecosystems for Higher Education and K12, believes that “One Size Does Not Fit All” when it comes to providing solutions faced by 21st century administrators, educators and learners. Supported by two new technologies, the Adaptive Reader Technology (ART) and the Behavioral Analytics Reporting System (BARS), LoudCloud’s Learning Management Ecosystems are fully adaptive and can be configured to meet specific academic and technology needs of today’s institutions, universities, and schools for a personalized learning and teaching experience.

A noteworthy 2011 for LoudCloud comprised of new innovative features, rave reviews and client acquisitions that included Grand Canyon University (LOPE), Career Education Corporation (CECO) and Jefferson County School District, Colorado, positioned LoudCloud as an emerging leader in providing scalable, adaptable and data-driven instructional technology solutions to some of the world’s leading educational institutions. With the first fully adaptive and configurable platforms, LoudCloud will continue to provide next generation solutions and tools that affect positive performance to educators and learners in 2012.

“We believe that each institution should have a unique learning environment and our modular design enables us to create a custom learning environment for every institution. We also believe that to deliver a better educational experience, a high quality educational platform must capture, profile, statistically analyze, and help improve content, student learning, and instructional engagement,” Manoj Kutty, CEO LoudCloud Systems shared. “Our customers have sought a radical departure from legacy solutions and instead, differentiating their eLearning programs by leveraging the latest in advanced learning technologies to deliver a highly personalized, adaptive and engaging student experience on a flexible and scalable platform.”

LoudCloud’s Adaptive Reader Technology (ART) was developed to improve graduation and student success rates by accelerating mastery of learning and improving student engagement and retention through data driven instruction. LoudCloud’s adaptive technology captures and statistically analyzes over 300 variables from student demographics, course engagement and assessment data to deliver necessary content, supplementary materials, remedial instruction, tutoring support and personalized feedback based on each learner’s profile.

LoudCloud’s Behavioral Analytics Reporting Systems (BARS) logs and audits every click activity of its users on the platform, thereby analyzing the behavioral pattern of each user. The patterns and reports generated through this engine help both educators and administrators, apart from students themselves to apply timely remediation at their points of need.

In addition to a fully adaptive and configurable Learning Management System, LoudCloud Systems is also announcing new initiatives for 2012. LoudCloud Systems will be hosting their first quarterly Lightning Forum on April 19, 2012 in Phoenix Arizona. The LoudCloud Lightning Forum is a dynamic one-day event with where attendees will be given an up-close review of the acclaimed Learning Management Systems, deployment updates from recently acquired customers in Higher Education and K12 and panel discussions around issues and solutions with educators, administrators and instructional designers.

About LoudCloud Systems The LoudCloud Ecosystems have become the preferred choice of institutions across the spectrum of K12 and Higher Education who believe more is possible, and are not satisfied in accepting the limitations of first-generation learning management systems

Founded in 2010 in Dallas, TX, our management team brings many decades of education technology experience, backed by leaders and pioneers in the industry and hailing from institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, Grand Canyon University and California Community Colleges.

Introducing an Audel “Mini-Ref” for tradespeople working on water well pumps and pumping systems

Water well pumps are used everywhere, with installations numbering in the millions. It’s hard to believe that no one has written a small field book that covers these pieces of equipment. Finally, here’s a great handy guide is for anyone who needs to know how these pumps work, how to troubleshoot problems unique to this type of piping system, and how to make common repairs for both above ground and submersible pumps. It contains vital and specific references applicable to a wide range of professions, including plumbers, well drillers, electricians, pump suppliers, pump retailers, plumbing supply companies, well system suppliers, and more.

• Focuses on the must-have information to trouble-shoot, solve problems, and make water well pump repairs
• Clears up the mysteries of jet pumps, two pipe systems, pressure settings, and accumulator sizing
• Illustrations and data formatted for quick look up and understanding
• Discusses pumping system issues concerning municipalities, golf courses, maintenance professionals, big-box stores, irrigation installers, irrigation suppliers, and farm suppliers

For tradespeople looking to keep their heads above water, this reliable and trusted resource delivers all of the vital content they need to keep water pumping systems functioning properly.

“These schools to be under a visitor, who is annually to chuse the boy, of best genius in the school, of those whose parents are too poor to give them further education, and to send him forward to one of the grammar schools, of which twenty are proposed to be erected in different parts of the country, for teaching Greek, Latin, geography, and the higher branches of numerical arithmetic. Of the boys thus sent in any one year, trial is to be made at the grammar schools one or two years, and the best genius of the whole selected, and continued six years, and the residue dismissed. By this means twenty of the best geniusses will be raked from the rubbish annually, and be instructed, at the public expence, so far as the grammar schools go.” Those are the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson, excerpted from Notes on the State of Virginia. 

Jefferson, it seems, was cognizant that “genius,” as he called it, must be cultivated and developed.  Furthermore, he asserts, that talent is something “nature has sown as liberally among the poor as the rich …”

These words and ideals, expressed by a founding father, oh, so long ago, form the crux of the ideas embodied in the law of the land, as it pertains to gifted and talented education.  Section § 8-202, of the relevant section of Maryland law unequivocally states, “Gifted and talented students are to be found in youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. ”

The perceived failure of gifted and talented education to equally identify “genius” from “youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor,” is not a rationale for dismembering gifted and talented education.  Instead, it should gird us with the determination to do it right. 

It is a national shame that we have embarked on a voyage of dismantling the vestiges of a challenging education and replacing it with a soufflé of little substance.  In Montgomery County, Maryland, the exercise has taken the form of replacing middle school honors courses with courses that fail to meet their stated goals. 

For example, Honors Earth Space Systems A/B Grade 8, has been replaced with Investigations in Earth Space Science (IESS).  According to a memorandum issued by the then superintendent Jerry D. Weast, “As part of the Middle School Reform initiative, OCIP staff members have redesigned the middle school science curriculum to create two courses, Investigations in Science 6 and Investigations in Science 7, which lead to Earth Space Systems in Grade 8.”  He goes on to assert, “The courses integrate STEM concepts, technology, research, innovation, and multiple solutions. Students generate questions and develop plans for solving problems and evaluating solutions. They record their findings in design-folios and science journals. Classes analyze progress toward possible solutions throughout each unit and students have multiple opportunities for reflection and revision.” At least in one school, in a co-taught IESS class, teachers don’t seem to have the time to accomplish these objectives

It is time to change course. 

(c) 2012, Kumar Singam.  If you would like to receive email notifications of columns by the DC-Gifted-Examiner please use the “subscribe” button at the top of this article to sign up.

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Jason Wilson-Maki

What is a farrier? What do they do?

A farrier is a skilled tradesman who maintains horses’ feet. Often protective devices (horseshoes) are required to allow a horse to perform his duties; a farrier builds and applies these appliances. The shoes can be as simple as a basic shoe to any apparatus imaginable to support, protect or alter flight and weight bearing in a horse’s foot.

Why does the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) need its own farrier?

My role at the CVM is multifaceted, and ancillary to many of the other equine services. I trim and maintain the horses that are used in the teaching process. I also fill shoeing prescriptions for client horses to help alleviate lameness and am often called upon to create supportive shoes and devices for post-surgical animals. I am involved in teaching laboratories which are aimed at teaching students safe handling of horses’ feet, shoe removal and other physical skills involving the hooves of horses. I am also able to bring a farrier’s perspective to discussions about specific cases and hopefully assist in fostering better veterinarian/farrier relations. The farrier position at the CVM, in my opinion, allows for a more complete educational experience for the students and provides a full service facility for client animals.

Is this a lost skill or is there still a need for farriers?

The demand and need for trained farriers continues to grow. In recent years, through the work of local associations, national organizations such as the American Farriers Association and outreach programs by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and increased communications between individual farriers, the level of knowledge and skill has increased.

What do you like most about this career? 

Whats not to love? I am involved with horses and people on a daily basis. I am in a trade that demands a continual upgrading of skills and knowledge. I also get to fabricate intricate, individual animal-specific appliances from straight stock. I love the physical and mental challenges and the opportunity to help horses and horse owners.  The best component of my private career was the independence the work provided. Currently, the top aspect is the interaction with and education received by working with the veterinarians and other professionals at the CVM.

What kind of training/certifications does one have to go through to become a farrier? 

Wilson-Maki shoes a horse at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

In a strictly legal sense in the USA, any individual at any time may trim or shoe a horse and claim the title of farrier. However, the American Farriers Association (AFA) has a series of voluntary certification examinations. These range from an intern exam, a Certified Farrier (CF) all the way through Certified Journeyman Farrier (CJF). Testing for Specialty Endorsements is also provided. Many professional farriers attend farrier schools ranging in length from a few days to two years. The AFA examinations are stringent and exacting enough that most farriers who pursue the certifications serve some form of apprenticeship. These range from highly informal help sessions to contractually bound apprenticeships. I would guess that the farrier trade is one of the least regulated, yet complicated crafts in existence.

What equipment/techniques do you use on a daily basis?

Somewhere I saw a T-shirt with an interesting description of a farrier. Paraphrased, it stated: farriers are the masters of sharp knives, biting rasps, cutting tools, horses, hot steel and heavy hammers.

I will utilize multiple knives designed for specific detail work on a horse’s foot. I also work with many different rasps (a big fingernail file) and nippers for clipping feet. Ill use a forge for heating metal and an anvil for shaping or manufacturing various shoes. Myriad tongs for holding different stock dimensions, and more hammers than you would think one person would need. Ill sometimes use band saws, grinders, buffers, a mig welder, a jigsaw, and the list is endless.

The most important technique, in my mind, is using as much information as can be provided and thinking through your goals, options and probable outcomes before diving in: think before you do.

Is there anything that you would like to add about this special career?

Farriery is a mentally challenging, physically demanding trade which requires myriad and disparate skill sets. Knowledge of horses and multiple equine disciplines is required. The willingness to ignore aches and pains to accomplish your goals is paramount. I think communication skills are also important. In order to be successful, one must continually question what he or she is doing and accept failures as readily as successes. The willingness and ability to self-educate is invaluable. One must not only educate their mind, but master and refine their forging and trimming skills. Your hands must be able to produce what your mind dictates. This trade is not for everyone, but for the right people, it is the greatest (and one of the oldest) crafts in the world.