Oscar Awarded-Father and Daughter -short animation movie

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, also known as the 'Coathanger'. It was opened on March 19th 1932 after six years of construction. This beautiful body is made of steel, and amazing fact is that it contains 6 million hand driven pins. The surface area that requires painting is equal to about the surface area of 60 sports fields.

Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world's largest, but not longest, steel arch bridge, and, in its gorgeous Harbour location, has become a famous international symbol of Australia.

Its total length including approach spans is 1149 metres and its arch span is 503 metres. The top of the arch is 134 metres above sea level and the clearance for shipping under the deck is a spacious 49 metres. The total steelwork weighs 52,800 tonnes, including 39,000 tonnes in the arch. The 49 metre wide deck makes Sydney Harbour Bridge the widest Longspan Bridge in the world.

The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia.

Diversity in Sydney

When you walk around different suburbs in Sydney even before its beautiful nature and buildings, you would notice a wide range of nationalities among people who are passing you; Chines, Indian, Islanders, Arabs, African, European, Vietnamese, Aboriginals, South America, and a lot of different faces that you cannot even guess their nationality. And this scene is one of the most beautiful aspects of Sydney.

Successively this diversity has impacted on social reality and it mostly manifested in diversity of shops and restaurant. In a single street you can see at least three different nationalities between shops. It means you never get bored you always can face to a shop that you have not expected. 

THIRST - World Water Crisis

Five minds, a suggestion for understanding

For using the power of mind for full understanding and performance in the best way, Gardner suggests a categorization system which classifies different functions of mind. These are disciplined mind, synthesizing mind, creating mind, respectful mind, and ethical mind.

Disciplined mind: in this definition, a person can accomplish mastery in a specific discipline, such as mathematics, art, history, or music. As Gardner explains, this mastery must be in a way that he or she can use the so called discipline for solving the problems in other areas. All disciplines have their own way of investigating and the disciplined mind can use this specific way of investigating for discovery in other areas. 

Synthesizing mind: this mind is the one which can recognize what the important information truly is and what information is wrong. This mind can review a large body of information (Gardner, 2004).

Creating mind: this mind can think about new questions and new answers, and it can discover new knowledge. For the best result, cultivating the creating mind must begin from childhood, and then the manner of education for the creative mind must be allowing risk-taking by the student (Gardner, 2004).

Respectful mind: respectful mind is the one that helps individuals to understand others and to perceive their situation and can understand a common cause for working together (Gardner, 2004). It helps students to understand the different conditions of a variety of human beings. In this way they can understand the reason of each decision that people make (Perkins, 1993).

 

Ethical mind: this mind is the one which helps people to accomplish their roles in society as best as they can, a moral and ethical manner (Gardner, 2004). 

Reference:

—Gardner, H. (2004). The unschooled mind: why even the best students in the best schools do not understand. New York: Basic Books. 

Understanding Based on Gardner's theory

“Understanding as the capacity (knowledge, skills, concepts, facts) learned in one context, usually the school context, and used in a new context in a place where you haven’t been forewarned that you should make use of that knowledge” (Gardner, 2004, n. p.).

In order to realize if students have understood something or not, the teacher can provide a situation that students have never seen before. In this way students need to apply what they have learnt in this new situation (Brandt, 1993).

One of the phrases that can explain “understanding” in Gardner’s view is “performance perspective”. It means the ability of perform a subject in different ways of thought demanding, for example: give an explanation, gather evidence, make instance, generalize, pertain concepts, analogies, express in a new way, and etc. (Perkins, 1993).

If students do not exercise their knowledge, sooner or later they will forget all the information that they accumulated at school (Gardner, 2004). Also he (2004) emphasizes that just in general performance teacher can be sure about students’ understanding. 

References:

—Brandt, R. (1993, April). On teaching for understanding: a conversation with Howard Gardner. Educational Leadership, 50(7), 4-7.

—Gardner, H. (2004). The unschooled mind: why even the best students in the best schools do not understand. New York: Basic Books.

—Perkins, D. (1993). Teaching For Understanding. Washington , DC: American Federation of Teachers.

A Brief Overview of Progressive Education

During most of the twentieth century, the term "progressive education" has been used to describe ideas and practices that aim to make schools more effective agencies of a democratic society. Although there are numerous differences of style and emphasis among progressive educators, they share the conviction that democracy means active participation by all citizens in social, political and economic decisions that will affect their lives. The education of engaged citizens, according to this perspective, involves two essential elements: (1). Respect for diversity, meaning that each individual should be recognized for his or her own abilities, interests, ideas, needs, and cultural identity, and (2). the development of critical, socially engaged intelligence, which enables individuals to understand and participate effectively in the affairs of their community in a collaborative effort to achieve a common good. These elements of progressive education have been termed "child-centered" and "social reconstructionist" approaches, and while in extreme forms they have sometimes been separated, in the thought of John Dewey and other major theorists they are seen as being necessarily related to each other. 

http://www.uvm.edu/~dewey/articles/proged.html

Herbal Medicine

The rising rate of herbal medicine usage among developed countries made scientists and researchers to put emphasis on this area of health care. Developed countries used to rely on this kind of health care for centuries and they are re-discovering the benefits of herbal medicine as an alternative to chemical medicine, herbal medicine has remained on element of primary health care in many developing countries.

Research is putting effort on reviewing herbal medicine’s efficiency and safety. Although common belief is that herbal medicine comes from nature and it cannot be potentially as harmful as allopathic medicine, scientists are in doubt to accept this proposition about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Herbal medicine has to be examined in laboratories with precise research as cautious as allopathic medicine in order to prove its efficacy and the degree of its safety.

ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS AND THE ADDICTIVE PROCESS

    "Any activity, substance, object, or behavior that has become the major focus of a person's life to the exclusion of other activities, or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially is considered an addictive behavior. A person can become addicted, dependent, or compulsively obsessed with anything.  Some researchers imply that there are similarities between physical addiction to various chemicals, such as alcohol and heroin, and psychological dependence to activities such as compulsive gambling, sex, work, running, shopping, or eating disorders. It is thought that these behavior activities may produce beta-endorphins in the brain, which makes the person feel "high."  Some experts suggest that if a person continues to engage in the activity to achieve this feeling of well-being and euphoria, he/she may get into an addictive cycle. In so doing, he/she becomes physically addicted to his/her own brain chemicals, thus leading to continuation of the behavior even though it may have negative health or social consequences. Others feel that these are just bad habits.


    Most physical addictions to substances such as alcohol, heroin, or barbiturates also have a psychological component. For example, an alcoholic who has not used alcohol for years may still crave a drink. Thus some researchers feel that we need to look at both physical and psychological dependencies upon a variety of substances, activities, and behaviors as an addictive process and as addictive behaviors. They suggest that all of these behaviors have a host of commonalities that make them more similar to than different from each other and that they should not be divided into separate diseases, categories, or problems."

Reference:
http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/addictiveb.html

Moral Leadership Capabilities

This subject has a close relationship with two capabilities of moral leadership capabilities. These two are, “Personal and social transformation” and “Essential nobility of human”. Competition can be a powerful enemy for social transformation that would prevent personal transformation consequently. In a space which members think about their own advancement and would be happy only by their own successfulness, personal and social transformation would be convinced to failure. In competition people will be happy by others failure and try to conquer others rather than helping them in their successfulness.  

Competition ignores human nobility. Goal of competition is to be better than others rather than developing latent ability of each person. On the other hand people are different from each other because of their nobility and they are not comparable with each other. Competition cannot help any of winner and loser; because winner is just better than loser and it does not mean that he/she can discover its own abilities. And loser will be hopeless for having initiatives in other ways.  

Keeping the Earth not for the sake of Human

1  Are we keeping earth for the benefits that it can have for us? Are we protecting animals to protect ourselves? why do we think about global warming? 

       Nature is a inspiration of understanding God qualities.If each individual tries to understand God qualities he or she can improve her or his own qualities better and vice versa.  Each part of nature is a sample of God’s quality which can perform that quality in best way. Understanding the essence of each part of nature can lead any person to percept one of God’s qualities. 

Harmony between Science and Religion

"Throughout history, humanity has depended upon science and religion as the two principal knowledge systems that have propelled the advancement of civilization, guided its development, and channeled its intellectual and moral powers. The methods of science have allowed humanity to construct a coherent understanding of the laws and processes governing physical reality, and, to a certain degree, the workings of society itself, while the insights of religion have provided understanding relating to the deepest questions of human purpose and action.
human purpose and action.
The social role of knowledge as it relates to the building of a world civilization is of immense importance. In this context, the relation between science and religion, the two great systems of knowledge, assumes vital significance, as do issues surrounding the acquisition of knowledge by the individual, the highest goal of the individual is to be "a source of social good."


Reference:

Arbab F 1997-98 , KNOWLEDGE and CIVILIZATION: Implications for the Community and the Individual, The Bahá'í World.

What is Progressive Education?

Progressive education is one of the results of democratic society in twentieth century. This process has two main factors; first respect for diversity, and second cultivating of critical, socially engaged intelligence. This thinking has been shaped when people start to think about shared power and private wealth. Progressive educators were against an increasing national progress that divide academic education for the few and limit vocational training for the masses. Ivan Illich was one who had grate ideas about educational systems. He criticized schools based on these thinking. 

An Ideal Class

The color of the class should be chosen by students. They can wear whatever they are comfortable. Their chair should be set in circle way. In this way they can have communication about their understandings and their abilities and the issues that express in class. The class has some green plants. In the part of class there are some newspapers about their society.

Students should have enough time to test so many different fields in order to find their abilities. Students can speak and laugh together. They can do their assignment by flexibility and creativity.

Teacher is kind and patient and full of hope for teaching. They always smile and try to have close relationship with every student. Teacher prize each student and animate them to think about their role in their society. 

Learning Process

Learning is a process which occurs in way of serving or action. Students understand they need some elements for serving and cooperating in society evolution. They understand they need science so they study, they understand they need think about the science and the way that they can use it, and also they should think about their abilities. And the last think is consulting which help them greatly. For example if we have a health class for juniors we can help them to transfer their understanding to some other part of society. In this way they have to read the society that they want to work on and then search for the science that it needs and then they can start their action. After the action they should think about that and consult with each other and their teacher. Learning will occur in this process. Students will grasp some new findings which even their teacher didn’t know. In other words Learning is about intellect of students rather than information. Such learning never happens in transferring information between students and teachers or students and books. The intellect would happen just in thinking and acting collectively.

Concept of Education

Education for mankind in my point of view is a constant process which helps students to catch the goal of creation which is discovering latent capacities and apply them in best way for understanding the society needs and serving it for occurring evolution in society. In other words, education can be an effective mean for social transformation as well. For instance a person can have a powerful logical intelligence; he or she can use this ability for being a good teacher in order to help children to find their capacities as well. In this stage we can understand the important role of educating three aspect of a human together; that is we cannot say first we focus on material part of a person then the human part then the spiritual one or with any other order, we must train all of them together. Otherwise some terrible circumstances will happen that we observe them in this world now. Consider the last example; can we say all people use their logical intelligence for serving their society? Why we observe the huge number of people who they only try for their benefits- if this happens? I believe this events because the lack of spiritual education. So an integrate education may exist when all three aspect considered.

Education and Human Nature

A very beginning matter that we should consider in thinking about education is our belief about the nature of human and the meaning that we percept from this word, “Human”. The other aspect of this matter is the goal of human creation. I think these two principles can shape our belief about education; because I believe education is a process which helps any creature to be its best format. For example imagine a flower; the education is the way that we treat it in order to be best flower in its kind. In other word education is a path to excellence. Education should help any creature to find the excellent format that it would have.

Now we should answer some question, what is the nature of human? What conditions a creature must have to be called “Human”? What is the goal of human creation? I believe human wrought of three aspects, material, human and spiritual. Every human have so many latent gifts which are potential. And this human must have a condition in order to be a real human, this condition is serving. That is human is a creature that serve all mankind. The last question refers to first and second answer, the goal of human creation is to discover its capacities and use them in way of serving other people.   

Moral Choices

"To be able make moral choices, one need more than a set of rules; an entire moral structure has to be built in the mind and the heart of a young person with a strong social purpose_a structure that connects spiritual concepts, patterns of behavior, and the knowledge of consequences, and stands up by the forces of volition and courage. Such a moral structure seems to be intimately connected with the structure of language that operates in the mind of the individual. This language, as stated in the previous few sections, should be rich enough to enable the youth to understand the powerful social, cultural, and ideological forces that are shaping people's values, and the spiritual powers that are needed to change them."

BLOGS ARE OBSTACLES

Having elevated conversation is missing between today's nations. people would prefer to write their feelings and thought in blogs and Face book and Tweeter rather than share it with other people.
Maybe one of the most important way of learning is consultation and conversation. Through different conversations we can gain some insight about  a specific subject and then build up more on our own understanding gradually.
Human being need to make communication but their need is fulfilling through blogs and Facebook so they may not start a conversation with a person who has to sit next to them for an hour in bus.
When was the last time that you have started a conversation with a stranger or a friend about a subject that you had in your mind? did you ask their opinion? could you find solution together? or could you improve your understanding about that subject?

Art

Do we have good art and bad art? or any kind of art is appreciable? today we face to some kinds of products that are different in many aspect from the art that we have known since last century. 
is there any relationship between art and morality? is there any specific aim for art? what if art defuse immorality between nations? 
some believe art is for elevating understanding, which may distinguish human from other species. and a few believe not only art can elevate understanding it can exult individuals' souls. when you look at art belongs to 19th century you may find some signs of so-called art, but nowadays you can rarely can find such art. however, the glimmerings of new generation of art can be felt.