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        The philosopher Jeremy Bentham was regarded as the founder of utilitarianism and a leading advocate of the separation of church and state, freedom of expression, and individual legal rights. Furthermore, the “panopticon” is a type of institutional building that has long dominated Bentham’s legacy. As a work of architecture, the panopticon allows a watchman in a central tower to observe occupants of surrounding cells without the occupants knowing whether or not they are being watched. As a metaphor, the panopticon was commandeered in the latter half of the 20th century as a way to trace the surveillance tendencies of disciplinarian societies. Is it still a useful way to think about surveillance today?

        The French philosopher Michel Foucault used the idea of the panopticon as a way to illustrate the proclivity of disciplinary societies to subjugate its citizens. He describes the prisoner of a panopticon as being at the receiving end of asymmetrical surveillance: “He is seen, but he does not see.” As a consequence, the inmate polices himself for fear of punishment.

        The parallels between the panopticon and surveillance cameras may be obvious, but what happens when you step into the world of digital surveillance and data capture? Unlike the panopticon, citizens don’t know they are being watched. Jake Goldenfein, from the University of Melbourne, tells me it’s important to remember the corrective purposes of Bentham’s panopticon when considering it as a metaphor for modern surveillance. “The relevance of the panopticon as a metaphor begins to wither when we start thinking about whether contemporary types of visuality are analogous to the central tower concept. For example, whether this type of visuality is as asymmetrical, and being co-opted for the same political exercise.” In the panopticon the occupants are constantly aware of the threat of being watched — this is the whole point — but state surveillance on the Internet is invisible; there is no looming tower, no dead-eye lens staring at you every time you enter a URL. There may not be a central tower, but there will be communicating sensors in our most intimate objects.

Internet: <theguardian.com> (adapted).

REPORT: BIOFUELS POISED TO DISPLACE OIL

Biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel can

significantly reduce global dependence on oil, according

to a new report by the Worldwatch Institute.

Last year, world biofuel production surpassed 670,000

5 barrels per day, the equivalent of about 1 percent of the

global transport fuel market. Although oil still accounts for

more than 96 percent of transport fuel use, biofuel

production has doubled since 2001 and is poised for even

stronger growth as the industry responds to higher fuel

10 prices and supportive government policies. “Coordinated

action to expand biofuel markets and advance new

technologies could relieve pressure on oil prices while

strengthening agricultural economies and reducing climatealtering

emissions,” says Worldwatch Institute President

15 Christopher Flavin.

Brazil is the world’s biofuel leader, with half of its

sugar cane crop providing more than 40 percent of its nondiesel

transport fuel. In the United States, where 15 percent

of the corn crop provides about 2 percent of the non-diesel

20 transport fuel, ethanol production is growing even more

rapidly. This surging growth may allow the U.S. to overtake

Brazil as the world’s biofuel leader this year. Both countries

are now estimated to be producing ethanol at less than

the current cost of gasoline.

25 Figures cited in the report reveal that biofuels could

provide 37 percent of U.S. transport fuel within the next 25

years, and up to 75 percent if automobile fuel economy

doubles. Biofuels could replace 20–30 percent of the oil

used in European Union countries during the same time

30 frame.

As the first-ever global assessment of the potential

social and environmental impacts of biofuels, Biofuels for

Transportation warns that the large-scale use of biofuels

carries significant agricultural and ecological risks. “It is

35 essential that government incentives be used to minimize

competition between food and fuel crops and to discourage

expansion onto ecologically valuable lands,” says

Worldwatch Biofuels Project Manager Suzanne Hunt.

However, the report also finds that biofuels have the potential

40 to increase energy security, create new economic

opportunities in rural areas, and reduce local pollution and

emissions of greenhouse gases.

The long-term potential of biofuels is in the use of

non-food feedstock that include agricultural, municipal, and

45 forestry wastes as well as fast-growing, cellulose-rich

energy crops such as switchgrass. It is expected that the

combination of cellulosic biomass resources and “nextgeneration”

biofuel conversion technologies will compete

with conventional gasoline and diesel fuel without subsidies

50 in the medium term.

The report recommends policies to accelerate the

development of biofuels, while maximizing the benefits and

minimizing the risks. Recommendations include:

strengthening the market (i.e. focusing on market

55 development, infrastructure development, and the building

of transportation fleets that are able to use the new fuels),

speeding the transition to next-generation

technologies allowing for dramatically increased

production at lower cost, and facilitating sustainable

60 international biofuel trade, developing a true

international market unimpeded by the trade restrictions

in place today.

Worldwatch Institute - June 7, 2006.

Adapted from: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4079

The Role of Museums in Education

Museums provide knowledge and inspiration, while also connecting communities. At a time of economic recovery, and in the run-up to the Olympics, they are more important than ever. Museums and galleries deliver world-class public services which offer individuals and families free and inspiring places to visit and things to do. Museums attract audiences from home and abroad. Museums provide the places and resources to which people turn for information and learning. They care for the legacy of the past while creating a legacy for the future.

Museums are uniquely egalitarian spaces. Whether you are rich, poor, or uniquely-abled, the museum door is always an open welcome. A sense of history and beauty, gifts from our cultural heritage, inspires the ordinary soul into extraordinary possibilities. They bind communities together, giving them heart, hope and resilience. They make a vital contribution to international relations and play a unique role in fostering international cultural exchange. If life was just about earning to eat, we'd be depleted and tired. Museums bring to life the opportunity to experience meaning beyond the mundane. Museums make the soul sing!

The most visible and expected offerings of a museum are its exhibitions. Exhibitions tell stories through objects. In a world where virtual experiences are ever increasing, museums provide tangible encounters with real objects.

What does looking at a crystal clear specimen of beryl, a vertebrate fossil emerging from its plaster jacket, or the flag that flew over Inge Lehman's seismological observatory provide in an educational sense? Some professionals maintain that the visceral reaction of wonder, awe or curiosity – the affective response of the viewer – is the enduring legacy of a museum visit. It opens the door to the visitor's mind, engaging them in a discipline that perhaps failed to interest them through other means, and might inspire them to learn more. Furthermore, the social context of a museum visit, where exploration occurs in a friendly atmosphere without the pressure of tests and grades, helps keep that door open.

Curators and educators also aspire to engage the rational mind of the viewer. A mineral collected in the field and displayed in the museum is out of its original context, but thoughtful juxtaposition of the mineral with other objects helps the visitor make new connections. Exhibit labels or a knowledgeable docent leading a tour not only inform directly, but also guide visitors in making their own observations of the object. Hands-on displays combined with objects can provide forceful connections – an “aha!” experience for the visitor. Alan J. Friedman, the former director of the New York Hall of Science, recounts a watershed experience during a 1970 museum visit in which a model telescope that the could touch and adjust brought to life the meaning of the antique telescope.

Museums are the world's great learning resource – they introduce new subjects, bring them alive and give them meaning. Learning in museums improves confidence and attainment: it also opens us to the views of our fellow citizens. Museum collections and the knowledge of museum professionals inspire learning. As the world around us changes, museums and galleries promote awareness of the critical questions of place, humanity, science and innovation.

Adaptado dos sites: http://tle.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/reprint/26/10/1322.pdf e http://www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/media/documents/what_we_do_documents/museums_deliver_full.pdf, pp. 3-4

Read the text and choose the best alternative for the questions that follow

THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

What is it?

The flipped classroom concept Flipped learning is a form of blended instruction that mixes ''synchronous‘ learning with 'asynchronous‘ independent study. Synchronous learning usually takes place in real time in a physical classroom, though it can also take place in a virtual classroom online. Asynchronous learning is more independent. Content is usually accessed through some form of digital platform. Students can choose when they work, so whilst they can ask questions and share ideas with teachers and classmates, feedback may be delayed.

In a flipped learning model, independent study is used to input core ideas, concepts, or language prior to group study time. In group study time, students focus on practical tasks that enable them to develop a deeper understanding of their new knowledge and extend their skills. The traditional model of a classroom – where students receive input, then complete practice tasks for homework – is therefore 'flipped‘. Video, text, and audio input Video is commonly used as an input medium for self-study as it is accessible and allows students to stop and re-watch content as needed. Text and audio can also be used to develop content knowledge and ensure students are fully prepared for the synchronous class

What does it mean for the ELT classroom?

One of the key benefits of flipped learning is that it gives students more responsibility for their own learning. Outside the classroom, students are able to work at their own pace, whilst lessons become more student-centred. More importantly, it allows the teacher to dedicate more classroom time to practical, engaging, and interactive activities and projects.

Flipped learning means that appropriate amounts of time are given to introducing, clarifying, and practising new language. Language input is taught or revised during the pre-class learning stage, allowing more time for the students to practise interacting with the language in the classroom and to actively develop all of their language skills. Teachers are able to plan more effective lessons which meet the needs of their learners by focusing on additional language input, language revision, and language practice as required.

With more time spent producing language in class through speaking, writing, and project work, teachers have more opportunities to observe their students using the language and identify their strengths and weaknesses. This allows them to adapt the pace and content of their input accordingly, ensuring lessons are personalized and tasks are differentiated for each individual student.

In taking more responsibility for their own learning, students develop more effective independent study skills as they look for solutions and solve problems. This independence can lead to improved self-esteem and, in turn, higher levels of engagement. 

What are the challenges?

Students may need support adjusting to flipped learning since it requires high levels of motivation and self-regulation. They might also need time management tips to help them allocate enough time to work through the pre-class materials. However, since the teacher can never assume that all students will arrive for lessons fully ready for the language practice stage, a certain amount of reviewing and revision should be built into every lesson, allowing for further clarification and peer teaching. In time, students should see the benefits of being prepared for lessons. 

Some students may struggle to understand the input for the lesson without teacher or peer support. The teacher needs to be especially careful to ensure the materials they give are scaffolded well enough that all students gain the knowledge they need to complete the active tasks in the classroom. 

Flipped learning requires teachers to take on more of an observational, supportive role and respond to individual students‘ needs, so further training and support may be needed as they experiment with this new approach.

There are currently relatively few professionally produced materials available which support the learning of English using a flipped model. Depending on what is available, teachers might need to acquire the skills and knowledge to source or produce high-quality, engaging materials for themselves. Rather than starting from scratch, teachers can look for videos that are appropriate for their learners and supplement them with engaging videos of their own as they build up a bank of resources over time.

Teachers need to be able to monitor students during the asynchronous preparation stage to gauge whether they can cope with the practice-orientated tasks in the classroom. To do this, teachers may need to allow extra time for accessing a learning management system (LMS) so they can stay up to date with student progress.

How can this be implemented?

Realistic expectations Whilst careful planning will go some way to ensuring success, be aware that establishing a successful flipped classroom may take time. For the first few classes, you may have students turning up unprepared. If you respond by reverting back to the way you taught previously, then it‘s unlikely that your classroom will flip. Keep persevering with the classes you planned until students adjust to the new way of learning and their new responsibilities. It takes time to create a new habit.

When preparing the asynchronous input, think about it in terms of bite-sized chunks of learning. The optimum length for a video clip is around two and a half minutes. If you can‘t cover what the students need to know in that time, then break down the input into shorter videos. Students are more likely to watch two short videos than one long video.

Passively watching or reading content doesn‘t provide an engaging learning experience, and it‘s easy for students to tune out. So, once you have created your content – whether it‘s text, audio, or video – be sure to design tasks to engage the students and guide them towards the learning outcomes. These could be comprehension-checking tasks or note-taking tasks, or you could establish forums to enable peer interaction around the content. Asking students to create something, like a role-play or short piece of writing, can be a great way for students to show what they have understood.

If you decide to create video content, make use of visuals to help convey meaning. It‘s easy to stand in front of the camera and talk, but that doesn‘t make for interesting or engaging viewing. It‘s far more effective to combine visuals with your words, as you would with your whiteboard in the classroom. An easy way to do this is to use presentation software to build the visuals and then record a voiceover. Most standard presentation applications offer this functionality. 

Building your videos into an LMS will help you to monitor and understand how each student is using the content. You can also use it to build interactive materials that guide students‘ understanding of the content and which give them feedback on what they are learning.

If your classroom has desks in rows, think about how you can rearrange the furniture so that the room is more conducive to group work. For instance, put tables into blocks for students to work in small groups. Make sure that you leave enough space to move between the tables to monitor the work students are doing and to give support when they need it. Think about how and when you intervene in activities and provide correction and support. Be a good listener, make notes of any problems or new language your students need to do the activities more effectively, and set aside time to deal with these issues. 

Adapted from: https://jcj.uj.edu.pl/documents/15103613/146115492/oup-focus-flipped-classroom.pdf/362253c0-07ca-4361-a1da-d740018255e6 (Accessed on 01.24.2022)