Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Nepal earthquake: Kathmandu turns into city of tents as victims seek refuge - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal earthquake: Kathmandu turns into city of tents as victims seek refuge - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal earthquake: Kathmandu turns into city of tents as victims seek refuge

Great "tent cities" have risen around the Nepali capital of Kathmandu after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake wreaked Nepal on Saturday.

The worst earthquake to hit Nepal in 80 years has killed more than 3,700 people and buildings in the capital have collapsed or have huge cracks in them.

Many of Kathmandu's one million residents have slept in the open since Saturday's quake.

This is because their homes were flattened or they were terrified that aftershocks would bring them crashing down.

The aftershocks have also forced doctors and staff to move hundreds of patients onto the city streets on stretchers and sacks, and lay them on the road outside Kathmandu Medical College, where an improvised operating theatre was set up in a tent.

Outside the National Trauma Centre, hundreds of injured with fractured and bloody limbs lie in tents made from hospital sheets.

Eighteen-year-old Neesha Bhattarai fled her home with her parents, brother and sister for a makeshift tent among up to 4,000 in Tundhikhel, an old parade ground in the centre of Kathmandu. -- ST PHOTO: NIRMAL GHOSH

A local park area in the city centre is used by locals for overnight sleeping after they lost their homes in Kathmandu, Nepal on April 27, 2015. -- PHOTO: EPA

 Nepalese people gather near temporary shelters set up in open areas of an Army ground in Kathmandu on April 27, 2015, two days after the devastating earthquake struck the Himalayan country. -- PHOTO: AFP

Children peek out of a temporary tent in an open ground in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 27, 2015. -- PHOTO: EPA

 Nepalese patient Sanu Ranjitkar breathes oxygen from a cylinder under a makeshift shelter in Kathmandu on April 27, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP

Nepalese people rest in their makeshift shelter next to a road in Kathmandu on April 27, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP

 Nepalese people rest in a temporary shelter made by stretching a shelter over a truck, in the open areas of an Army ground in Kathmandu on April 27, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP

Nepal Army Colonel Prayog Rana (left) giving orders at the Tundhikhel, an old parade ground in the centre of Kathmandu. Refugees living in the tents face shortages of food and water and poor sanitation. -- ST PHOTO: NIRMAL GHOSH

A boy prepares to cook food outside a makeshift shelter on open ground after an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Family members eat their dinner in front of a makeshift shelter on open ground to keep safe after an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Locals sit under a makeshift tent roof in the Bhaktapur area of Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: EPA

Tourists wait outside Kathmandu airport following an earthquake in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP

Medical personnel treat a Nepalese climber outside a hospital after he wasrescued from an avalanche triggered by an earthquake on Mount Everest, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A Nepalese man talks over the phone inside a tent on the outskirts of Kathmandu on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP

 A member of the Nepalese army helps to set up a tent in Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on April 26, 2015. -- PHOTO: AFP



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Monday, April 27, 2015

Parents turn to apps for homework help - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Parents turn to apps for homework help - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Parents turn to apps for homework help

Ask (online) and you shall receive... the answer to your child's homework.

Many parents are now tapping social media and mobile apps for "online tuition" to help their children. They crowdsource for mathematics and science answers on forums and Facebook groups for matters related to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) or academic subjects.

At least five such pages have emerged in the last three years. A Facebook page for parents with children taking the PSLE this year has more than 5,400 members, while another group, the Maths Model Method-Singapore page, has more than 2,000 members.

Parents snap pictures of practice papers or school assignments, and post up to 20 questions daily on each of these groups.

Questions are usually answered within a few hours by other parents or private tutors. They illustrate the answers using diagrams, bar models, graphs or equations.

Parents said the solutions provide quick relief, but they do not allow their children to copy them without understanding the steps.

Ms Eileen Liu, 38, who has a daughter in Primary 4, said: "It's very efficient because usually I can get answers within an hour of posting questions."

The housewife added: "I will try to analyse the answers and explain to my daughter."

One group called "Homework Gods" claims to provide test papers on top of solutions, and even mark homework.

According to its website, believed to have been set up this year, anyone can send questions to a contact number through WhatsApp and WeChat, and obtain answers mostly for free. "Ask and you shall receive," it declares, saying it has "angels to receive your questions and homework prayer requests, any time of the day".

The people behind its hotline declined to be interviewed, saying they are currently "inundated with questions".

Separately, EduSnap, a mobile app which allows students and parents to obtain answers for free, has attracted 10,000 users here since April last year.

The platform lets people upload pictures of worksheets and wait for replies for three subjects: mathematics, science and English. The solutions are from teachers at 13 tuition centres and four voluntary welfare organisations.

Mr Chia Luck Yong, one of the app's three co-founders, said it receives 150 questions per day, up from fewer than 50 at the start.

"Tuition is just once or twice a week, so during the rest of the week, where else would you go for help?" he said. In December, he had to set a three-question daily limit per user. "We hope that they don't post questions unless they really need help," he said.

Parents like Mr Michael Tan, 46, said that they learn from discussions about methods used.

The church worker, whose son is in Primary 5, said he could use algebra to solve most maths sums, but schools use other methods.

The forums are also potential avenues of business for tutors.

Mr Adrian Ng, owner of Ace Maths, who shares solutions online, has received about 10 requests from parents to tutor their children. Another tutor Teo Kai Meng, has taken in more than 10 pupils from groups he posted in. But he said: "Quite a number of tutors are just helping out... It feels good to be part of an active learning and sharing community."

Mr Choy Ban Heng, a former maths school teacher pursuing a PhD in maths education who visits these online groups, said his interaction with parents online has given him insight into the challenges faced by students.

"While the maths curriculum is not getting tougher, some of the questions posed may not be suitable for most primary school pupils," he said. "Many of these difficult or challenging questions are pitched way beyond what is expected in the national examinations."

ateng@sph.com.sg



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Nepal quake: Survivors recall Everest avalanche terror - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Survivors recall Everest avalanche terror - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Survivors recall Everest avalanche terror

MOUNT EVEREST, Nepal (AFP) - Agence France-Presse's Nepal bureau chief Ammu Kannampilly was at Everest base camp on Saturday when an avalanche cascaded down the mountain, flattening everything in its path.

Eighteen people are so far known to have died in the tragedy, which comes barely a year after the death of 16 sherpa guides in an avalanche that had been the worst disaster in Everest's history.

Here she talks to survivors about their experiences when part of the camp was obliterated, and how they coped with the aftermath:

MESSAGE FROM THE MOUNTAIN

Still incredulous at surviving being flattened by a massive wall of snow, Mr George Foulsham says the latest disaster on Everest felt like a message from the mountain that "it's not meant to be climbed for now".

Like many of the climbers, Mr Foulsham had returned to base camp for a second shot at the summit of the world's highest mountain after last year's climbing season was cancelled for the first time ever.

Speaking at base camp, the 38-year-old marine biologist recounted the moment that he was knocked off his feet by what he called "a 50-storey building of white".

"I ran and it just flattened me. I tried to get up and it flattened me again. I couldn't breathe, I thought I was dead," said the Singapore-based Mr Foulsham.

"When I finally stood up, I couldn't believe it passed me over and I was almost untouched."

As he and his fellow climbers awaited an airlift off Everest, Mr Foulsham reluctantly conceded that his dream may now never come true.

"I saved for years to climb Everest (but) it feels like the mountain is saying it's not meant to be climbed for now," he said.

"It's too much of a coincidence to see this twice in two years."

HE DIED IN FRONT OF ME

Ms Ellen Gallant, an American climber and cardiologist, described how she had tried to help those who were injured but was unable to save one victim who died before her eyes.

"I was outside, saw this huge blast cloud coming down," she told AFP.

"I ran into the tent, threw myself on the floor. When the vibration stopped, I went out and radioed over to the medical tent. They asked me and an Indian climber (a doctor in the Indian army) to take care of head injuries.

"We worked through the night, doing rounds, handing out medication, putting in IVs (intravenous drips).

"Of the nine patients, one of them died last night - a 25-year-old sherpa. His blood pressure had fallen - there was nothing we could do."

Ms Gallant said the conditions were rudimentary.

"Around 6am, we heard helicopters and we knew we would make it out of the woods. We were able to send the eight out.

"When you go to medical school, you learn to focus on the task at hand. But now that things have settled down, it's hit me hard.

"That young man who died in front of me - a 25-year-old shouldn't have to die."

TENT WENT FLYING

Mr Kanchaman Tamang, a Nepali cook who was working for the Jagged Globe tour group, said the latest tragedy was particularly painful coming so soon after last year's deaths.

"I was in the dining tent when the avalanche hit - it sent the tent flying," the 40-year-old told AFP.

"After last year's avalanche, I never worried about coming back - I told my family I work at base camp and it's safe, not like the icefall.

"The season is over - the route has been destroyed, icefall ladders are broken.

"I don't think I will come back next year - this mountain means too much pain."



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Nepal quake: Quake deals heavy blow to Nepal's rich cultural heritage - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Quake deals heavy blow to Nepal's rich cultural heritage - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Quake deals heavy blow to Nepal's rich cultural heritage

KATHMANDU (AFP) - Reduced to piles of rubble and splintered wood, Nepal's rich cultural heritage has suffered a devastating blow from a massive earthquake that tore through the country, experts said Sunday.

In the heart of Kathmandu, many of a cluster of temples and statues built between the 12th and 18th centuries by the ancient kings of Nepal have collapsed, killing scores and trapping others underneath.

The nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction in the city's Durbar square with its spiral staircase of 200 steps, was reduced to just its base when the 7.8-magnitude quake struck at lunchtime on Saturday.

"I had just bought tickets to climb the tower and was at its base when I felt a sudden shaking," Dharmu Subedi, 36, said from a hospital bed in Kathmandu.

"Within minutes, the Dharahara had crumbled to the ground with maybe more than 100 people in it," Subedi told AFP.

Unesco was trying to gather information on the extent of the destruction, including at three palace-filled squares in the cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, both former kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley, as well as in Kathmandu.

"We understand the historic Durbar squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur have been badly damaged," Christian Manhart, Unesco's representative to Nepal, told AFP.

"Several temples have collapsed. Two temples in Patan have been completely collapsed, and Durbar Square (in Kathmandu) is worse.

"Right now we are assessing the situation, and collecting information on what the damage is. All UN agencies have received a request from the (Nepalese) government for assistance," he added.

He said it was too early to talk about reconstruction of the monuments and how much assistance Unesco could provide.

Manhart said his office was also trying to determine whether another Unesco World Heritage site, that of Lumbini, the place where Buddha was born more than 2,600 years ago, had also been hit.

"We haven't received reports of severe damage in Lumbini, but we are still trying to collect information," he said of the site, some 280km west of Kathmandu.

'Irreparable loss for Nepal'

In Kathmandu, residents were seen clawing through the rubble, using their hands, buckets and shovels to try to find those feared trapped in Durbar Square, which had been crowded on Saturday with local and foreign tourists.

Large piles of bricks, wooden beams and other debris were dotted throughout the historic square, where minutes earlier stood double-roofed temples and other monuments built by the Malla kings.

The monuments are the "social, religious and urban focal point of the city" which has a rich history of Hindu, Buddhist and Tantrism religion and culture, Unesco says on its website.

"Kathmandu with its unique architectural heritage, palaces, temples and courtyards has inspired many writers, artists, and poets, both foreign and Nepalese," it says.

Expert P.D. Balaji cast doubt on whether the monuments could be completely rebuilt, saying television footage showed extensive damage.

"What I can say is that it's an irreparable loss for Nepal and the rest of the world," Balaji, head of the history and archaeology department at the University of Madras, said.

"Complete restoration is not possible on account of the extensive damage to the historical sites in Nepal." According to Unesco, "two catastrophic earthquakes" in 1833 and 1934 led to some monuments in the Kathmandu Valley being rebuilt.



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Nepal quake: Aftershocks cause more terror as toll tops 2,400 - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Aftershocks cause more terror as toll tops 2,400 - South Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Nepal quake: Aftershocks cause more terror as toll tops 2,400

A Nepalese army soldier stands in front of a collapsed temple a day after an earthquake in Bhaktapur, Nepal on April 26, 2015. A strong earthquake aftershock struck India and Nepal on Sunday, shaking buildings in New Delhi and triggering an avalanche in the Himalayas. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

KATHMANDU (AFP, Reuters) - Powerful aftershocks rocked Nepal Sunday, panicking survivors of a quake that killed more than 2,400 and triggering fresh avalanches at Everest base camp, as rescuers dug through rubble in the devastated capital Kathmandu.

Terrified residents, many forced to camp out in the capital after Saturday's 7.8-magnitude quake reduced buildings to rubble, were jolted by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock that compounded the worst disaster to hit the impoverished Himalayan nation in more than 80 years.

At overstretched hospitals, where medics were also treating patients in hastily erected tents, staff were forced to flee from buildings for fear of further collapses.

"Electricity has been cut off, communication systems are congested and hospital are crowded and are running out of room for storing dead bodies," Oxfam Australia chief executive Helen Szoke told AFP.

The latest quake struck northeast of Kathmandu near the border with China at a depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey said. The agency said the tremor was 6.7 magnitude, less than the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck the region on Saturday.



The Kathmandu-based National Emergency Operation Centre put the toll in Nepal at 2,352 and said a further 6,239 had been injured. Officials in India said the toll there now stood at 67, while Chinese state media said 18 people had been killed in the Tibet region.

The fresh aftershocks forced Kathmandu airport to close for around an hour as air traffic controllers had to evacuate the tower. Several flights had to be diverted in mid-air. The country's cellphone network was working only sporadically, while large parts of the capital were without electricity. 

"There is no way one can forecast the intensity of aftershocks so people need to be alert for the next few days," said Mr L.S. Rathore, chief of India's state-run weather office.

The deadliest disaster in Everest's history comes almost exactly a year after an avalanche killed 16 sherpa guides, forcing the season to be cancelled, and as around 800 mountaineers were gathered at the start of the new season.


AFP's Nepal bureau chief Ammu Kannampilly, who was on assignment at base camp, reported that six helicopters had managed to reach the mountain on Sunday after the weather improved overnight.

A stunning image captured by the agency's South Asia photo chief Roberto Schmidt showed a massive cloud of snow and debris cascading onto base camp, burying scores of climbers and flattening tents.

"People being stretchered out as choppers land – half a dozen this morning," Kannampilly said in a text message. "Weather clear, some snowfall."

Aid pours in

Offers of help poured in from around the world, with the United States and European Union announcing they were sending in disaster response teams. India flew out its stranded citizens in military planes while a 62-strong Chinese rescue team arrived with sniffer dogs.

The Red Cross said it was concerned about the fate of villages near the epicentre of the quake northwest of Kathmandu.

The country's cellphone network was working only sporadically, while large parts of the capital were without electricity.

Devastation in Kathmandu

AFP correspondents in Kathmandu reported that tremors were felt throughout the day, including one strong aftershock at dawn before the 6.7-magnitude follow-up quake that struck in the afternoon.

The historic nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction, was among the buildings brought down in Kathmandu Saturday. Police said around 150 people were thought to have been in the 19th-century structure at the time of the disaster, based on ticket sales.

"At least 30 dead bodies have been pulled out. We don't have a number on the rescued but over 20 injured were helped out," Bishwa Raj Pokharel, a local police official, told AFP. "We haven't finished our work there, rescue work is still continuing. Right now, we are not in a position to estimate how many might be trapped."

As rescuers sifted through the huge mounds of rubble in the capital, some using bare hands, hospitals were overwhelmed with victims who suffered multiple fractures and trauma. Morgues were overflowing with bodies.

"We have treated many people since yesterday, the majority children," said Samir Acharya, a doctor at Nepal's Annapurna Neurological Hospital. "Most patients have head injuries or fractures. Two of our patients died, two are critical."

Acharya said medics were working out of a tent set up in a parking lot to cope with the number of injured, while some patients were too scared to stay in the building.

Families had grabbed whatever possessions they could muster and sought shelter on the streets, many of which had been split asunder.

Weather forecasters warned that rain was on the way, with dark clouds looming over Kathmandu and promising more misery for displaced survivors.  

'Just flattened me'

Google executive Dan Fredinburg was one of the climbers to have been confirmed as having been killed in the Everest avalanche. Experienced mountaineers said panic erupted at base camp, which has been "severely damaged", while one described the avalanche as "huge".  

"Seventeen have been reported dead so far and 61 are injured," said Tulsi Gautam of Nepal's tourism department which issues permits to climb the world's highest mountain. "Those who are able are walking down. Others are being airlifted."

Kannampilly said many of those stranded at the scene were walking down the mountain rather than risk being stuck for days.

George Foulsham, a Singapore-based marine biologist, described the moment that the disaster struck. "I was outside, saw a white 50-storey building of white come at me. I ran and it just flattened me," he told AFP.  "I tried to get up and it flattened me again. I couldn't breathe, I thought I was dead. When I finally stood up, I couldn't believe it passed me over and I was almost untouched.  

"I saved for years to climb Everest. It feels like the mountain is saying it's not meant to be climbed for now. Too much of a coincidence to see this twice in two years."

Nepal and the rest of the Himalayas are particularly prone to earthquakes because of the collision of the Indian and Eurasia plates.

An 6.8 magnitude quake hit eastern Nepal in August 1988 killing 721 people, and a magnitude 8.1 quake killed 10,700 people in Nepal and India in 1934.



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Friday, April 24, 2015

Caught on dash cam: Girl, checking phone, is hit while crossing road at green man - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Caught on dash cam: Girl, checking phone, is hit while crossing road at green man - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Caught on dash cam: Girl, checking phone, is hit while crossing road at green man

SINGAPORE - Dashboard camera footage of a taxi hitting a young woman has gone viral after it was posted on the Facebook page of All Singapore Stuff.

In the 12-second clip, which was submitted by an anonymous reader and posted on Thursday, the driver makes a right turn at a traffic junction and hits the woman, who is crossing the road as the green man is flashing.

The woman, who is looking at her phone, flies off the hood of the cab on impact and rolls onto the road.

The accident occurred after midnight on April 13 at the junction of Serangoon North Avenue 1 and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted around 12.40am and dispatched an ambulance to the scene.

An SCDF spokesman said a Chinese woman was conveyed conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, with abrasions to her left hip and right elbow.

The Straits Times understands she is in her late teens or early 20s.

As of Friday evening, the clip had been viewed more than 31,000 times and received more than 800 shares.

Most commenters felt that the girl had the right of way and that the driver should have checked his blind spot. Facebook user Memphis Raynes wrote: "The light was in her favor! Prepare to be revoked of your license, idiot."

Some, however, argued that the girl should not have been checking her phone and should have paid more attention to the road while crossing it.

Facebook user Robin Lim wrote: "Dangerous to be fiddling (with your) phone while crossing road at night or even day time for that matter..."

The All Singapore Stuff editorial team, who declined to reveal the source of the video, said in an e-mail response: "The fault lies (with) the driver mainly but the pedestrian should not have been using her handphone (either)."

A police spokesman said that investigations are ongoing for this incident, but that no arrests had been made so far.

oliviaho@sph.com.sg



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Teach students to learn by doing with Google school coding clubs - eClassroom News

Teach students to learn by doing with Google school coding clubs - eClassroom News

Teach students to learn by doing with Google school coding clubs

Google's CS First clubs open up new worlds for novice coders
scratchA few months ago, I was searching for resources to support computer science education for middle school students—girls in particular—when I came across Google CS First. Not really knowing what it was, I went ahead and registered my school, and then myself—as a teacher host, advocate, volunteer, and guru all at the same time. I might not have known what I was getting into, but I knew that I would do anything to inspire my students to grow and learn in all areas of STEM, but in particular, computer science.

Today my school is a Google CS First site, meaning we host CS First clubs that take place before or after school as an enrichment experience for students in grades 4-8, where they learn about computer science and coding in a hands-on way—learning by doing. As part of the process, I I made my classroom available for local volunteers, or "gurus," to come in to help and connect with students, opening up my school to the community. Our gurus receive detailed information about where to go, when to show up, and even how to locate my classroom. Most importantly, a background in computer science is not a requirement.

The support from Google CS First is tremendous. Upon request, they sent a loaner set of 30 headphones and peripheral materials for the students that included passports, sticker-badges for each day's modules, detailed scripts, certificates of completion, and directions for exercises. All materials are also available for free download from the club site, with coding done in Scratch, a programming language that uses building blocks to form commands. All of these supporting materials make it seamless for anyone, be it a volunteer guru, teacher, or parent to come in and help out. A suggested script, as well as breakdown of time for each activity, is also included.
Next page: Exploring the wider world of computer science

Google CS First's modules are engaging and cover a variety of themes such as "Sound and Music," "Game Design," and "Storytelling" with more on their way. They include informative screencast tutorials that make it easy for both students and volunteers to follow along. The agenda that comes with the program includes a timer to help keep the club on track, and breaks down sessions into segments with a countdown visible to the facilitators.

The modules are run in eight-day sessions, with the first day used a basic introduction to the club and the Scratch platform. Students are encouraged to explore and build something "surprising" using the blocks in Scratch on this first day. The screencasts also make reference to how computer scientists help people do things by writing code and in so doing, solve a multitude of problems in a variety of fields, from medicine to robotics. After that first day, students are led through a series of structured tutorials to help them build a portfolio of their very own projects.

At the same time, they are encouraged to spend time outside of the official club times to customize their creations and add their own touches to their projects. In the "Sound and Music" module, for example, the projects include manipulating visuals in the form of sprites—individual images or animations—and sound effects in various combinations to create interactive art, music videos, and dance effects. In building these projects, the students are sequentially introduced to various "blocks" that perform key functions, such as the repeat loop and if-then commands. These help build the foundation in computational thinking so that they gradually gain the confidence and ability to tweak and create their own versions of these initial projects. At the end of each session, students have the opportunity to celebrate their coding projects through a scheduled showcase time. Collaboration through sharing ideas and helping one another is encouraged, and learning takes place almost unconsciously in a supportive environment through engaging tasks.

Simply signing in with a Google account under the "Get Started" section of the CS First website will start the ball rolling, and there are training resources to help teachers and volunteers to get a feel for what a typical CS First session will look like (support staff also respond to concerns almost immediately). For students who may be ready for more computer science after this initial taste, there are additional resources on the site where students can even learn to program using HTML, Javascript, and more.

At my middle school, I have opened my computer lab for a girl's lunchtime coding club where we go through the day's activities and share projects with one another. It has been a great time and I have gotten to know all about the girls and their interests. Most importantly, they have had their interest in computer science ignited, and even possibly their career trajectory altered. Informal experiences with computer science such as these are full of impact. Truly there is nothing more powerful than learning by doing—and learning that you can do anything, including computer science.

Janice Mak is a teacher and instructional coach at the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona.

Google's CS First clubs open up new worlds for novice coders
scratchA few months ago, I was searching for resources to support computer science education for middle school students—girls in particular—when I came across Google CS First. Not really knowing what it was, I went ahead and registered my school, and then myself—as a teacher host, advocate, volunteer, and guru all at the same time. I might not have known what I was getting into, but I knew that I would do anything to inspire my students to grow and learn in all areas of STEM, but in particular, computer science.

Today my school is a Google CS First site, meaning we host CS First clubs that take place before or after school as an enrichment experience for students in grades 4-8, where they learn about computer science and coding in a hands-on way—learning by doing. As part of the process, I I made my classroom available for local volunteers, or "gurus," to come in to help and connect with students, opening up my school to the community. Our gurus receive detailed information about where to go, when to show up, and even how to locate my classroom. Most importantly, a background in computer science is not a requirement.

The support from Google CS First is tremendous. Upon request, they sent a loaner set of 30 headphones and peripheral materials for the students that included passports, sticker-badges for each day's modules, detailed scripts, certificates of completion, and directions for exercises. All materials are also available for free download from the club site, with coding done in Scratch, a programming language that uses building blocks to form commands. All of these supporting materials make it seamless for anyone, be it a volunteer guru, teacher, or parent to come in and help out. A suggested script, as well as breakdown of time for each activity, is also included.
Next page: Exploring the wider world of computer science

Google CS First's modules are engaging and cover a variety of themes such as "Sound and Music," "Game Design," and "Storytelling" with more on their way. They include informative screencast tutorials that make it easy for both students and volunteers to follow along. The agenda that comes with the program includes a timer to help keep the club on track, and breaks down sessions into segments with a countdown visible to the facilitators.

The modules are run in eight-day sessions, with the first day used a basic introduction to the club and the Scratch platform. Students are encouraged to explore and build something "surprising" using the blocks in Scratch on this first day. The screencasts also make reference to how computer scientists help people do things by writing code and in so doing, solve a multitude of problems in a variety of fields, from medicine to robotics. After that first day, students are led through a series of structured tutorials to help them build a portfolio of their very own projects.

At the same time, they are encouraged to spend time outside of the official club times to customize their creations and add their own touches to their projects. In the "Sound and Music" module, for example, the projects include manipulating visuals in the form of sprites—individual images or animations—and sound effects in various combinations to create interactive art, music videos, and dance effects. In building these projects, the students are sequentially introduced to various "blocks" that perform key functions, such as the repeat loop and if-then commands. These help build the foundation in computational thinking so that they gradually gain the confidence and ability to tweak and create their own versions of these initial projects. At the end of each session, students have the opportunity to celebrate their coding projects through a scheduled showcase time. Collaboration through sharing ideas and helping one another is encouraged, and learning takes place almost unconsciously in a supportive environment through engaging tasks.

Simply signing in with a Google account under the "Get Started" section of the CS First website will start the ball rolling, and there are training resources to help teachers and volunteers to get a feel for what a typical CS First session will look like (support staff also respond to concerns almost immediately). For students who may be ready for more computer science after this initial taste, there are additional resources on the site where students can even learn to program using HTML, Javascript, and more.

At my middle school, I have opened my computer lab for a girl's lunchtime coding club where we go through the day's activities and share projects with one another. It has been a great time and I have gotten to know all about the girls and their interests. Most importantly, they have had their interest in computer science ignited, and even possibly their career trajectory altered. Informal experiences with computer science such as these are full of impact. Truly there is nothing more powerful than learning by doing—and learning that you can do anything, including computer science.

Janice Mak is a teacher and instructional coach at the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona.



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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Former president S R Nathan warded in Singapore General Hospital after stroke - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Former president S R Nathan warded in Singapore General Hospital after stroke - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Former president S R Nathan warded in Singapore General Hospital after stroke

SINGAPORE - Former president S R Nathan is warded in the Singapore General Hospital after he suffered a stroke last Tuesday.

"He is recovering and is now undergoing therapy," said Mr Nathan's family in a statement on Wednesday.

A source close to the 90-year-old told The Straits Times on Wednesday: "He's doing well. But just like before, his ability to walk is not so strong. The therapists are trying to make him stronger."

Mr Nathan, who previously was frequently seen taking walks along East Coast Park, said in an interview with The Straits Times in January that he had not been able to do so for more than six months.

He had said at the time: "I cannot walk any distance. My health is not good. I became breathless and tired. But my mind is okay."

Mr Nathan has served Singapore as social worker, trade union activist, diplomat, and elected President.

He was Singapore's longest-serving President, serving two six-year terms as head of state from 1999 to 2011.

In 2013, he became only the seventh person in Singapore's history to be conferred the top National Day honour - the Order of Temasek (First Class).

President Tony Tan Keng Yam, who visited Mr Nathan in hospital earlier this week, commented on Mr Nathan's condition in a Facebook post on Wednesday.



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Law Minister K. Shanmugam slams teen who beat up foreign workers to practise his martial arts - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Law Minister K. Shanmugam slams teen who beat up foreign workers to practise his martial arts - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Law Minister K. Shanmugam slams teen who beat up foreign workers to practise his martial arts

SINGAPORE - The actions of an 18-year-old, who beat up smaller foreign workers to practise his martial arts skills and even taunted them, was described as "completely unacceptable" by Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on Wednesday.

On Monday, Daryl Lim Jun Liang was given a short detention order of 10 days by a district judge for attacking two foreign workers last year. He was also ordered to report to a supervision officer every day and remain indoors from 10pm to 6am for a year, and has to perform 150 hours of community service.

Speaking at the sidelines of an event by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Shanmugam said: "(The foreign workers) have come here and are helping us build our infrastructure. Instead of being grateful to them, and recognising that they're doing a hard job... to help their families, we go and attack them, it's bullying of somebody who's vulnerable. It's sickening conduct..."

The Minister also wrote about it on his Facebook page, adding: "I hope that people who think and behave like Daryl are a tiny minority."

Last year, Lim, together with two 15-year-old friends and another who is 18, had in separate incidents targeted a Chinese and an Indian worker, because they were smaller and deemed less likely to fight back. Lim even mocked the victims by dancing in front of them and pushed one on the head.

The prosecution has filed a notice of appeal against Lim's sentence.



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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Singtel customers voice frustration over mobile data services disruption - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singtel customers voice frustration over mobile data services disruption - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singtel customers voice frustration over mobile data services disruption

SINGAPORE - Singtel customers are having difficulty accessing 3G and 4G mobile data services.

A spokesman for the telecommunications company said: "Customers may be experiencing intermittent difficulties accessing 3G and 4G mobile data services.

Many subscribers left comments on Singtel's Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon, voicing their frustration.

Readers of The Straits Times reported that there was no mobile data in many areas like Bukit Panjang, Tampines, Orchard, Woodlands and HarbourFront.

Others said they could not call through to Singtel's customer service hotline.


Evelyn Wee, 37, who runs an online clothing business: "It really is quite annoying, as I run an online business so I need to always be able to liaise with customers on the go."

Ms Wee noticed the network was down at 2pm after she left her house, where she uses WiFi. Other users say the problem began around noon.

Media entrepreneur and former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng, 39, called the outage a "tragic embarrassment" in a post on his Facebook page.

chuimin@sph.com.sg



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Saturday, April 18, 2015

Meet the mathematics professor behind 'Cheryl's birthday' puzzle - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Meet the mathematics professor behind 'Cheryl's birthday' puzzle - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Meet the mathematics professor behind 'Cheryl's birthday' puzzle

SINGAPORE - The man behind the "Cheryl's birthday" viral poser is a mathematics professor from the National Institute of Education (NIE).

Dr Joseph Yeo Boon Wooi, who is in his 40s, is part of the panel for the Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiads (SASMO), the largest math competition here.

He helps set the questions each year for student "mathletes".

This year's competition took place on April 8. The puzzle in question was leaked, and subsequently posted on Facebook on April 11 by local TV presenter Kenneth Kong, who initially mistook it for a Primary 5 question.

Dr Yeo, a recipient of the prestigious Nanyang Excellence in Teaching Award in 2013 and first author of the New Syllabus Mathematics used in secondary schools, said he first chanced upon a Facebook post discussing the birthday logic problem on April 12.

But it did not ring a bell until he saw the photo of the question.

It has since been featured on international media such as The New York Times, The Guardian and the BBC, and was a top-trending story on US site Buzzfeed. On April 16, "Cheryl" even got her own cartoon on The New Yorker.

The Straits Times caught up with the media-shy math whiz and persuaded him to answer some questions about himself and how he came up with the viral hit that has confounded the world.

Dr Yeo's birthday, coincidentally (or not), falls on July 16 - the answer to the puzzle.

How did you come up with the question "Cheryl's birthday"?

I set the question based on guidelines given by SASMO.

This question, like all other questions we set, was vetted and approved by a panel of local and overseas experts from the SASMO Partners' League, which organises SASMO contests in their own countries.

"Cheryl's birthday" is not a new logic problem. There are various versions which others have modified. I am not aware of the original source. I modified it by changing the names, dates and context or storyline.

What do you think of the buzz it has generated?

I first saw someone on Facebook talking about the Cheryl's birthday logic problem on Sunday (April 12). It didn't ring a bell.

Then I saw a photo of the question. I was like, "Heh! This looks familiar!" I still cannot believe that the question has gone viral.

Which aspect of math do you specialise in?

I am a lecturer with the National Institute of Education. I specialise in training student teachers how to teach secondary school maths.

How did you develop your interest in maths?

It just comes naturally to me. I enjoy solving maths and logic problems.

chuimin@sph.com.sg



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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Creators of Mr Lee Kuan Yew ribbon come up with a new red version - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Creators of Mr Lee Kuan Yew ribbon come up with a new red version - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Creators of Mr Lee Kuan Yew ribbon come up with a new red version

SINGAPORE - The creators of the now famous icon of a black ribbon framing the profile silhouette of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew have come up with a new version of the icon.

On his Facebook page on Monday, Mr Alex Yam posted an image of a red ribbon, also framing Mr Lee's profile, but with five stars and a crescent at the end of it.

The Chua Chu Kang GRC MP also provided a link to a page that allows users to include the new icon on their profile pictures.

In his post, Mr Yam said: "It is only in our actions and not just our words that will show how much we cherish the legacy and inheritence given to us."

He urged everyone to pledge to "take responsibility for our communities, our homes and our nation."

Mr Yam and his team were behind the black ribbon icon, which started out as a mobile message as a tribute to Mr Lee but has since appeared on cars, T-shirts, badges and even tattoos.

Mr Lee, Singapore's founding Prime Minister, died on March 23. The nation observed a week of mourning following his death. Hundreds of thousands paid their last respects to Mr Lee and more still lined the streets of Singapore to bid him farewell as he made his last journey through the city before the state funeral on March 29.

melheng@sph.com.sg



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Fwd: What Makes a Good Education? In Mr Lee Kuan Yew's Words


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Corporate Communications <corp_comms@moe.edu.sg>
Date: Thu, Apr 2, 2015 at 3:37 PM
Subject: What Makes a Good Education? In Mr Lee Kuan Yew's Words
To:


This e-mail is bcc'd to all users to avoid a long list of e-mail addresses

 

Dear colleagues,

 

The Communications Division has put together a collection of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's quotes on education (below) for your personal reflection. You may wish to share it with your students.

A printable high-resolution version of this poster is attached.

 

Communications Division, Communications & Engagement Group

Ministry of Education • 1 North Buona Vista Drive, Singapore 138675 • http://www.moe.gov.sg

Integrity the Foundation • People our Focus • Learning our Passion • Excellence our Pursuit

CONFIDENTIALITY: If this email has been sent to you by mistake, please notify the sender and delete it immediately. As it may contain confidential information, the retention or dissemination of its contents may be an offence under the Official Secrets Act.