MET (Measures of Effective Teaching)

比爾蓋茲基金會從2010到2013三年內，動員了三千個志願幫忙的老師，來研究"如何衡量有效的教學", MET (Measures of Effective Teaching). 有效教學的衡量參數有三個, (1)考試的成績，(2) 教室錄影教學的評鑑，(3) 學生學習的反應記錄(就是方大哥這篇文章所提到的). 這三種教學衡量參數的重要性, 蓋茲基金會以不同的比例混合，假設四種模式如第一圖所示。 蓋茲基金會又以三種測出的結果， (a) 一般考試成績 (b)需要高度思考能力的考試成績 (c)同一個老師年複一年的教學成績穩定性， 來衡量哪一種模式比較正確，也就是這三種衡量參數的相對重要性，那一個比較正確？ 第二圖顯示這三種測試結果和四種模式的相關性，數值越高模式就越正確， 也就是這模式的三種參數的混合比例，比較能預測這個測試的結果。 蓋茲基金會似乎偏向第二種模式, 可能比較能預測教學的效果 。 第二圖是七年級學生的語言測試，第三圖則是四年級和七年級學生的數學測試 的四種模式的結果。
資料來源  http://metproject.org/downloads/MET_Ensuring_Fair_and_Reliable_Measures_Practitioner_Brief.pdf 

The Great Gatsby Curve

最新一期的Newsweek雜誌有一篇文章, 深切分析家庭收入不均的問題, 其中的Great Gatsby Curve引起我的注意. 這張圖表是2012年，白宮經濟顧問委員會提交給總統的報告之一。 這張圖表顯示，收入不均越嚴重的國家，那父母的財富就是決定下一代財富的非常重要因素，不管下一代是不是真的很努力。 雖然我們都知道收入不平均，會影響到下一代的財富。但是小孩子生長在智利巴西秘魯這些國家，努力的程度跟收入的高低不會絕對性地成正比，但在北歐國家的小孩子，努力程度跟收入高低就會有很強烈的關係   

behemoth Fannie and Freddie

Intrigued by the interview of the author, Bethany McLean, in Charlie Rose program, I bought the kindle version of the book about the saga of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. During the 2008 Great Recession, nine days before the collapse of Lehman Brothers, U.S. government injected $200B (yes, B not M) to both Fannie and Freddie mortgage insurance companies to try to stanch the debacle of subprime crisis. Seven years after, all other companies under government's bailout such as AIG, CitiBank, GM and Goldman Sachs are all back to sound financial footing except for Fannie and Freddie. Reason: US government totally controls Fannie and Freddie, takes all the profits and does not allow any profit left to build the capital of either Fannie or Freddie. Next housing market crisis will likely repeat the saga and plunge Fannie and Freddie into the abyss and ripple through all the mortgage market.   http://www.amazon.com/Shaky-Ground-Strange-Mortgage-Giants-ebook/dp/B0110IBKHM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442631104&sr=1-1&keywords=saga+fannie

Temporary ignorance of Hippocratic oath

California passed the physician-assisted suicide lawast two weeks ago, following Vermont, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico to become the 5th state to allow for this fiercely debated medical practice. It should be a wrenching moment for doctors who may need to temporarily deviate their Hippocratic oaths.    http://time.com/4038096/meet-the-doctors-fighting-to-grant-patients-the-right-to-die/

Experienced teacher, a perfect candidate for millionaire

很難想像在課堂上兢兢業業上課的老師，可以因為傳授他(她)的實際教學經驗(不是補習班老師)，而有超過100萬美金的額外收入。 昨天紐約時報的一篇報導，介紹一個付一點錢，就可以得到其他很多經過實際驗證的上課教學經驗的網站， teacherspayteachers.com (九年前創立)。 這個網站有一百七十萬個教學經驗和計畫，三百萬個用戶，超過五萬個老師提供教學經驗，至今為止已經有十二個老師超過100萬美金的收入，300個老師有10萬塊美金的收入。 這個網站所以會這麼樣地受老師歡迎，我想是因為根據美國的統計資料，87%的老師相信其他老師的教學經驗，只有不到三分之二的老師相信教育專家的經驗，更只有38%老師相信教科書和書商的教學課程。 用額外的收入來鼓勵老師將教學的經驗，精心整理成其他老師可以立刻使用的資料，上網和大家(付費)分享，我想這應該是有利於整體教育。 而且老師也不可能因為這樣子就辭掉工作，因為這些教學經驗有價值，是因為有實際的驗證，而不是紙上談兵。http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/technology/a-sharing-economy-where-teachers-win.html

Metaphor of tadpoles applicable to Silicon Valley

Interesting theory regarding the nagging conundrum: "Why other countries have difficulties to copy Silicon Valley?" Frogs lay 20,000 eggs but only a few survive to evolve into adult frogs to enjoy mosquito dinners. In the same token, only 1% of startups become viable companies and less than 0.1% become the so-called unicorns. Only in Silicon Valley does it have the chance and will to fall over each other in this massive battlefield. If the population of startups is statistically significant, it is always true that a few will emerge with flying colors.   http://www.newsweek.com/silicon-valley-failing-succeeding-367179

mania in Taiwan's stock market

Take the advantage of "borrow for free" feature in my Kindle Paperwhite, I spent the weekend to read the following interesting book about the Taiwan stock market bubble in the years around 1990. The mania of the herd mentality was staggering. In 1989, every outstanding share was changed hands, on average, for every 15 days in Taiwan. By contrast, in NY stock exchange, it was every 16 months.   http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Taiwan-Bubble-Emerging/dp/1881896188

Crispr-Cas9

Genetically engineered baby with any traits to which parents prefer may not be a science fiction a few decades from now. With the breakthrough genome editing technology, Crispr-Cas9, genes can be deliberately altered and modified. It may be a very potent tool to ward off diseases or cancers; however, renegade scientists may target this Crispr-Cas9 for the incarnation of Frankenstein at which you cannot thumb your nose any more.   Crispr-Cas9