Phyllis' Favorites

Sites found in:

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The Scout Report
September 7, 2007
Volume 14, Number 34
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The Scout Report on the Web:
Current issue: http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/Current/
This issue: http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/2007/scout-070907.php

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University of Missouri Digital Library
http://digital.library.umsystem.edu/

The diligent staff members at the University of Missouri Digital Library
have been working since 2001 to create this repository for various thematic
digital collections, and they have amassed over twenty text collections and
twenty-three image collections thus far. The site is a real delight, as it
contains everything from a 250-piece collection of World War I sheet music
to the complete digitized version of the University's student yearbook,
titled "The Savitar". Visitors can browse through the other collections as
they wish, looking over a collection of speeches by Daniel Webster,
photographs of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and sports posters from the
school. Additionally, there is also a link to another fine digital
collection of historic newspapers from the state as well. [KMG]

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Statistics Online Computational Resource [pdf]
http://socr.stat.ucla.edu/

Teaching statistics can be a stochastic nightmare, but all of those dark
clouds will part as users make their way through the fine resources offered
on this site. The Statistics Online Computational Resource (SOCR) is based
at UCLA, and their site includes online aids for probability and statistics
education, including such handy tools as interactive applets, computational
and graphing tools, and classroom activities. Teachers and those with a bent
towards the world of statistics can look through the "Interactive SOCR
Tools" area for items to use in their classes. The "Games" area includes an
interactive scatterplot, along with a few other extras. Visitors will also
appreciate their in-house wiki, which includes their latest educational
offerings, such as free online datasets and even a curriculum for an AP
statistics course. [KMG]
[NOTE: Previously posted. - Phyllis ]

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MDRC [pdf]
http://www.mdrc.org/

Founded in 1974, the MDRC was started by the Ford Foundation and a set of
federal agencies. As their website indicates, "MDRC was created to learn
what works in social policy." While some may remember their well-known work
on evaluating state welfare-to-work programs, MDRC now studies public school
reforms, employment programs for ex-prisoners, people with disabilities, and
other weighty matters. From their homepage, visitors can look in on their
latest publications and featured publications, such as "Building a Culture
of Evidence for Community College Student Access". Other research and policy
materials are organized thematically on the site in sections such as "Higher
Ed", "K-12 Ed", "Workers & Communities", and "Families & Children". Visitors
who wish to stay on top of their latest releases can sign up for email
updates and RSS feeds. [KMG]
[NOTE: Pages from this site previously posted. - Phyllis ]

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National Capital Language Resource Center [pdf, Quick Time, Real Player,
iTunes]
http://www.nclrc.org/

The U.S. Department of Education funds fifteen Language Resource Centers
across the country, and the National Capital Language Resource Center
(NCLRC) is one of these well-regarded centers. The Center is a joint project
of Georgetown University, The George Washington University, and the Center
for Applied Linguistics. Simply put, their site is an excellent resource for
language teachers at all levels, and it is one that will merit several
return visits. First-time visitors may wish to start by looking at some of
their specialized sites, such as "The Essentials of Language Teaching",
which is a "how-to" guide for university-level languages teachers. After
that, they may want to look at "The Culture Club" area, which serves as a
place where teachers and students can share multicultural and multilanguage
resources. The site is rounded out by the "Teaching Materials" area, which
includes links to foreign language materials and assessment tools. [KMG]

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NASA: Rocket Activities [pdf]
http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/TRCRocket/RocketActivitiesHome2.html
Shortened URL: http://tinyurl.com/2smz4r

There are many things in this world that are described as not being as
difficult as rocket science. Then, of course, there is the actual science
behind rockets. Understandably, this can be difficult for budding space
scientists to grasp. Fortunately, NASA has created these fun and interactive
activities which relate both to the science and math of rocketry. These
particular activities are taken from the "Rocket Educators Guide", and they
include activities related to altitude tracking, the world of pinwheels,
balloon staging, and of course the construction of an actual paper rocket.
Each activity comes complete with instructions, diagrams, and information on
the necessary materials. Taken as a whole, these activities could be equally
fun whether outside on a brisk fall day as in a classroom setting. [KMG]

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Physics & The Detection of Medical X-Rays
http://web.phys.ksu.edu/mmmm/piko/index.html

If Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist were alive
today, he would most likely heartily approve of this very informative and
well-designed site dealing with the detection of medical x-rays. This site
was created by the Physics Education Research Group at Kansas State
University and it serves as a good introduction to the science behind the
discovery and subsequent use of x-rays in a variety of medical settings. The
site starts with a brief discussion of Rontgen's initial discovery of x-
rays, and then goes on to offer a brief history of radiology. After that,
visitors can learn about different detection methods, including the use of
fluorescence film. One feature of the site that is most useful is the
inclusion of links to other relevant sites that cover such topics as the
concept of an x-ray dose and reduction measures. Overall, the site will be
very welcome for beginning students of radiology and medical technology.
[KMG]

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Medline Plus: Herbal Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine.html

>From the world of Aloe Vera to yohimbe, this site leaves no herbal medicines
unexplored. As part of the Medline Plus omnibus site which was created by
the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health,
this particular section covers many aspects of the world of herbal medicine.
First-time visitors will want to start by looking over the background essays
on the use of botanical dietary supplements offered from the Office of
Dietary Supplements. After that, they should browse through sections that
include "Basics", "Learn More", "Research", and "Reference Shelf". They can
also just scroll down through the homepage, which includes overviews on the
use of different herbs and supplements. Those persons looking for the latest
information about research findings on herbs and topical treatments can look
within the "Latest News" listings, which are updated frequently. Researchers
will appreciate the inclusion of a "Clinical Trials" area which provides the
latest information about ongoing clinical trials that draw on various
aspects of herbal medicine. [KMG]

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Smithsonian American Art Museum: Interact [Macromedia Flash Player,
iTunes]
http://americanart.si.edu/interact/index.cfm

At Interact, the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) invites visitors to
explore its collections through "rich media" where they "post slide shows,
podcasts, and other resources that present our collection in new and
engaging ways." A double row of thumbnails follows this invitation. While it
is difficult to determine which type of rich media a picture might link to,
it is easy to simply click through to find out. Destinations include:
"Speaking of pictures", an interactive view of Thomas Le Clear's oil
painting, Interior with Portraits, ca. 1865, with 5 rollovers
analyzing this portrait within a portrait of a photographer's studio; a
slideshow on the restoration of the SAAM building; and Campfire Stories, a
flash-based Web site on George Catlin's interactions with American Indians,
and the art these produced. A long list of recent interactives created at
SAAM is also posted the web site. Probably the best way to enjoy of all this
content is to sign up to receive the RSS feed of new additions. [DS]
[NOTE: Other pages from the Smithsonian American Art Museum previously posted. - Phyllis ]
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http://scout.wisc.edu/