Boletín Informativo

Mathematics and Access to Higher Education

There is endless proof that the mathematical training of secondary school graduates has become an important obstacle in the cycle from secondary to university education. Many university professors continue with the “pure” versus “applied” mathematics discussion, which seems to be an endless and irrelevant debate. Others have undertaken serious research in the field of teaching mathematics, but rarely is this research made available to teachers in a motivating or understandable manner. New technologies have made significant contributions to the question of “what to teach”, but not “how to teach”. This has become a crucial issue for all levels of mathematics education. See more about this issue by visiting our topic of the month:

http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/tema/editorial/nov04.aspx?culture=en&navid=36

Agreement with INTEL Corporation

A cooperation agreement was signed on October 26 between Intel Corporation and the OAS at the headquarters of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development in Washington, DC. Present on behalf of Intel were Wendy Ramage Hawkins (Director of Education), James F. Whittaker (Director of Governmental and Educational Affairs for Latin America), Mitra Naaseh (World Wide Education Manager) and Julie Clugage (Education Marketing Manager). Within the framework of the agreement, the OAS will promote Intel® Teach to the Future Program, a global initiative to help teachers more effectively integrate computers into their study programs and as a result improve student’s learning and performance. The agreement also calls for the development of experimental projects and programs.

Art, Education and Contemporary Technology

The Working Group for Distance Education Projects of the Art Institute (GAPEDIA/UnB), with support from the Center of Distance Education (CEAD) of the University of Brasíila (UnB), and the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas (INEAM), is offering a course for professors and other professionals of schools or organizations whose mission is directly related to promoting education in Brazil or of any OAS member states whose mission is to improve the planning and implementation of learning projects in the area of art and culture. The course will be offered in Portuguese from February through November 2005.

www.cead.unb.br

http://educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/arteduca_oct_2004.aspx?culture=en&navid=217

INEAM Regional Academic Center

Within the framework of activities carried out with the University of New Mexico (www.unm.edu) over the past 25 years, INEAM will establish a regional Academic Center at the university’s headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, which is the only US state to have both Spanish and English as its official languages. The Center will be established in 2005 and will act as regional headquarters for INEAM’s onsite human resources development activities, including seminars, workshops, technical meetings and inter-American conferences. UNM will also make available to INEAM its infrastructure and specialized services.

http://www.state.nm.us/index.html

University Consortium

In November the Portal will host a site for users to become familiar with the university programs available through the network of 55 universities that integrate the Consortium of Universities of the OAS Scholarship and Training Program. Through this network the OAS places selected candidates in universities or educational institutions, taking into account the country of preference, language of instruction, and programs and levels of studies specified by the candidates in their application forms. This program differs from others in that the candidates do not request admission directly to the university or educational institution. Priority is given to requests for scholarships in the following areas: economic development and trade, education, government and public administration, science and technology, and social development and poverty reduction.

http://www.educoea.org/Portal/es/becas/graduate1c.aspx?culture=es&navid=9

Economic Technologies for Water Purification

A meeting on the "Use and Results of the Application of Economic Technologies for Water Purification in Latin America" will take place November 8-9, 2004 in the Atomic Center of the National Commission on Atomic Energy (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The event will take place within the framework of the OAS Project AE/141 (Economic Technologies for the Disinfection and Decontamination of Water in Rural Zones of Latin America), in which scientists and technicians from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago research and apply three very economical technologies in plastic bottles in order to provide drinking water to those regions of Latin America with few resources. The project also promotes the application of Heterogenous Photocatalysis and Advanced Photochemical Oxidation Technologies as water purification methods among local businesses. The purpose of the meeting is for scientists, technicians, industrialists and application authorities to meet, discuss and promote the activities proposed by the OAS project. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to view a demo of the online course "Safe Water for All", which will be offered through the Portal early next year.

http://www.cnea.gov.ar/xxi/ambiental/agua-pura/default.htm.

INEAM: Dr Eliseo Torres

The Vice President for Students Affairs of the New Mexico University, Dr Eliseo Torres has been appointed member of the INEAM's Governing Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Organization of Higher Education (IOHE). Dr. Carlos Paldao, in representation both institutions presented the diploma and official communication on the 21st of October, 2004, in a ceremony at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, NM. This appointment has been made as a result of his noteworthy contributions to the socio-educational integral development from an interdisciplinary and multisectoral approach.

http://www.educoas.org/Portal/newsdetail.aspx?culture=en&id=457&cultureshow=2

2005 INELAM Prize

Guidelines for the 2005 Inter-American Prize for Innovative Education in the Americas will be posted in mid-November. The Prize is an initiative of the INEAM, within the framework of a cooperation agreement signed between the OAS and OUI. The members of the Jury are still determining the specific area in which the initiatives will be recognized, but all will relate to the use of new Information and Communication Tecnologies (ICTs) for educational innovation through the Internet with multimedial focus. The Prize will consist of the 2005 trophy, a diploma, a digital seal, roundtrip airfare to Mexico with 3 days of per diem, and $1,000. As in previous years, INEAM will make special mention for Educational Quality, Social Responsibility and Corporate Social Responsibility.

INEAM News

Beginning in November, the Portal will host a restricted site so that the members of INEAM’s Governing Council (CONSUPE) may begin their work through the Internet using the tools and services offered by the Portal. CONSUPE was created last September by the OUI and the IACD/OAS and is composed of university presidents and representatives from government, NGOs and civil society. The group also has members from international organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, United Nations and UNESCO, among others. In addition to virtual meetings it is expected that the group will have one regular onsite meeting in early 2005 in a location to be decided.

http://www.educoas.org/portal/docs/CONSUPE_Gral.doc

Virtual Educa 2005

Information is now available regarding the VI International Conference on Education, Training and New Technologies, Virtual Educa 2005, which will take place June 20-24, 2005. The meeting is being organized by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The event will include regional and subregional activities.

http://www.educoea.org/virtualeduca

We appreciate your interest and participation in the activities of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Please send all messages to portal@oas.org. If you have received this message in error and would like to cancel your free subscription, please send a message to portal@oas.org and include "Cancel Newsletter Subscription" in the subject window.



	*Click here to see previous Newsletters*
	November News: Mathematics and Access to Higher Education Agreement with Intel Corporation Art, Education and Contemporary Technology INEAM Regional Academic Center University Consortium Economic Technologies for Water Purification INEAM: Dr Eliseo Torres 2005 INELAM Prize INEAM News Virtual Educa 2005
	Mathematics and Access to Higher Education There is endless proof that the mathematical training of secondary school graduates has become an important obstacle in the cycle from secondary to university education. Many university professors continue with the “pure” versus “applied” mathematics discussion, which seems to be an endless and irrelevant debate. Others have undertaken serious research in the field of teaching mathematics, but rarely is this research made available to teachers in a motivating or understandable manner. New technologies have made significant contributions to the question of “what to teach”, but not “how to teach”. This has become a crucial issue for all levels of mathematics education. See more about this issue by visiting our topic of the month: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/tema/editorial/nov04.aspx?culture=en&navid=36 Agreement with INTEL Corporation A cooperation agreement was signed on October 26 between Intel Corporation and the OAS at the headquarters of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development in Washington, DC. Present on behalf of Intel were Wendy Ramage Hawkins (Director of Education), James F. Whittaker (Director of Governmental and Educational Affairs for Latin America), Mitra Naaseh (World Wide Education Manager) and Julie Clugage (Education Marketing Manager). Within the framework of the agreement, the OAS will promote Intel® Teach to the Future Program, a global initiative to help teachers more effectively integrate computers into their study programs and as a result improve student’s learning and performance. The agreement also calls for the development of experimental projects and programs. Art, Education and Contemporary Technology The Working Group for Distance Education Projects of the Art Institute (GAPEDIA/UnB), with support from the Center of Distance Education (CEAD) of the University of Brasíila (UnB), and the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas (INEAM), is offering a course for professors and other professionals of schools or organizations whose mission is directly related to promoting education in Brazil or of any OAS member states whose mission is to improve the planning and implementation of learning projects in the area of art and culture. The course will be offered in Portuguese from February through November 2005. www.cead.unb.br http://educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/arteduca_oct_2004.aspx?culture=en&navid=217 INEAM Regional Academic Center Within the framework of activities carried out with the University of New Mexico (www.unm.edu) over the past 25 years, INEAM will establish a regional Academic Center at the university’s headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, which is the only US state to have both Spanish and English as its official languages. The Center will be established in 2005 and will act as regional headquarters for INEAM’s onsite human resources development activities, including seminars, workshops, technical meetings and inter-American conferences. UNM will also make available to INEAM its infrastructure and specialized services. http://www.state.nm.us/index.html University Consortium In November the Portal will host a site for users to become familiar with the university programs available through the network of 55 universities that integrate the Consortium of Universities of the OAS Scholarship and Training Program. Through this network the OAS places selected candidates in universities or educational institutions, taking into account the country of preference, language of instruction, and programs and levels of studies specified by the candidates in their application forms. This program differs from others in that the candidates do not request admission directly to the university or educational institution. Priority is given to requests for scholarships in the following areas: economic development and trade, education, government and public administration, science and technology, and social development and poverty reduction. http://www.educoea.org/Portal/es/becas/graduate1c.aspx?culture=es&navid=9 Economic Technologies for Water Purification A meeting on the "Use and Results of the Application of Economic Technologies for Water Purification in Latin America" will take place November 8-9, 2004 in the Atomic Center of the National Commission on Atomic Energy (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The event will take place within the framework of the OAS Project AE/141 (Economic Technologies for the Disinfection and Decontamination of Water in Rural Zones of Latin America), in which scientists and technicians from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago research and apply three very economical technologies in plastic bottles in order to provide drinking water to those regions of Latin America with few resources. The project also promotes the application of Heterogenous Photocatalysis and Advanced Photochemical Oxidation Technologies as water purification methods among local businesses. The purpose of the meeting is for scientists, technicians, industrialists and application authorities to meet, discuss and promote the activities proposed by the OAS project. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to view a demo of the online course "Safe Water for All", which will be offered through the Portal early next year. http://www.cnea.gov.ar/xxi/ambiental/agua-pura/default.htm. INEAM: Dr Eliseo Torres The Vice President for Students Affairs of the New Mexico University, Dr Eliseo Torres has been appointed member of the INEAM's Governing Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Organization of Higher Education (IOHE). Dr. Carlos Paldao, in representation both institutions presented the diploma and official communication on the 21st of October, 2004, in a ceremony at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, NM. This appointment has been made as a result of his noteworthy contributions to the socio-educational integral development from an interdisciplinary and multisectoral approach. http://www.educoas.org/Portal/newsdetail.aspx?culture=en&id=457&cultureshow=2 2005 INELAM Prize Guidelines for the 2005 Inter-American Prize for Innovative Education in the Americas will be posted in mid-November. The Prize is an initiative of the INEAM, within the framework of a cooperation agreement signed between the OAS and OUI. The members of the Jury are still determining the specific area in which the initiatives will be recognized, but all will relate to the use of new Information and Communication Tecnologies (ICTs) for educational innovation through the Internet with multimedial focus. The Prize will consist of the 2005 trophy, a diploma, a digital seal, roundtrip airfare to Mexico with 3 days of per diem, and $1,000. As in previous years, INEAM will make special mention for Educational Quality, Social Responsibility and Corporate Social Responsibility. INEAM News Beginning in November, the Portal will host a restricted site so that the members of INEAM’s Governing Council (CONSUPE) may begin their work through the Internet using the tools and services offered by the Portal. CONSUPE was created last September by the OUI and the IACD/OAS and is composed of university presidents and representatives from government, NGOs and civil society. The group also has members from international organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, United Nations and UNESCO, among others. In addition to virtual meetings it is expected that the group will have one regular onsite meeting in early 2005 in a location to be decided. http://www.educoas.org/portal/docs/CONSUPE_Gral.doc Virtual Educa 2005 Information is now available regarding the VI International Conference on Education, Training and New Technologies, Virtual Educa 2005, which will take place June 20-24, 2005. The meeting is being organized by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The event will include regional and subregional activities. http://www.educoea.org/virtualeduca We appreciate your interest and participation in the activities of the Educational Portal of the Americas. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Please send all messages to portal@oas.org. If you have received this message in error and would like to cancel your free subscription, please send a message to portal@oas.org and include "Cancel Newsletter Subscription" in the subject window.