Do American Universities Draw International Talent?

Higher education is an important point of discussion within American intellectual circles. Higher education is more expensive than in the past and some have questioned its ability to produce students that can effectively fill positions and compete globally. The very nature of competition has moved from domestic to international as companies now must sell and interact in a more complex market. A paper by Garcia and de Lourdes Villarreal discusses international students and the slowing down of the ability to attract those students to foster greater learning and higher revenue in higher education (2014). 

International students make decisions to frequent the United States based on a whole range of issues related to opportunities, prestige, international competitiveness, ease of entry, cost, etc… Like the purchase of any other product or service the personal and social cost can be extensive for these students and there are many different options and alternatives.

Some of the costs students face includes leaving their families behind, paying in cash, restricted visas due to the Patriot Act, English as an international business language, and the type of programs a university offers. These are significant considerations and countries that can ease the process of attending higher education may find themselves as a draw for future highly skilled employees.

Many countries don’t have the same breadth of programs the U.S. maintains. They are limited in terms of not only the type of programs offered but also the ability to attend higher education based upon high demand and low supply. At other times, countries are inherently discriminatory to minorities and bar them from achieving a competitive degree.

International students not only raise the learning level and international competitiveness of domestic graduates but also pay their tuition in cash making them attractive to school administrators. International students are one way in which higher education budget short-falls can be improved while avoiding cutting education quality.

When successful international students are recruited by local companies and are retained within the country they add to the intellectual capital of the nation and encourage greater economic growth. Their knowledge and skill of international markets can be applied to greater business growth and economic development.

The report doesn’t move into online education and is primarily focused on ground based institutions. International online education is an exportable product that can be a cheaper option for many students who must make choices to travel and leave their home countries. As online education raises in value and prestige it offers an alternative for those who seek to stay home while obtaining a quality American degree. Naturally, ground based universities will attract students interested in laboratory research but other degrees can be equally competitive with much less personal, financial, and social costs to the student. These students will help raise domestic intellectual capacity and may become prime recruitment targets of international firms due to their mastery of the English language and familiarity with American education. 

Garcia, H. & de Lourdes Villarreal, M (2014). The redirecting of international students: American higher education policy hindrances and implications. Journal of International Students, 4 (2).

Book Review: Philosophy 101 by Paul Kleinman

Philosophy 101 provides a broad snap shot of the major philosophical thoughts since ancient times. The book is easy to read and simplifies the theories and ideas for layman philosophers to see the depth and scope of thought in human society. It is this human thought that has pushed society to newer levels of thinking that keep humanity moving forward to new heights. 

Philosophy is considered a cultured persons hobby, a poor man’s occupation, and trivia entertainment to the masses. We fail to see that philosophy is the root foundation of science and the two cannot be unmarried. Skilled philosophers use multiple avenues to understand a problem and regularly are running against the grain of current thought. 

Despite the natural desire to arrest new thoughts in society it is the philosophers that society owes its greatest consideration. Whether we are discussing scientific principle or the very constitution of the country none of it would have been possible unless philosophical minds pondered the possibilities. 

I selected one theory, one philosophical point, and a logical-sequential function to highlight the point. The Theory of Universals tells us that everything in the universe has some type of order through connecting universals, the Philosophy of Cultures shows us that understanding our world is subjective based upon rearing, and the Scientific Method guides us in a methodology of testing our environment. 

The Theory of Universals:

The Theory of Universals states that there are universals in our world outside of mind and language. Plato believed that there were properties and qualities that can characterize our world. Some believe in forms that exist outside space and time while others believe they exist within our space and time. The example provided are the redness of a cherry and apple and how these exist regardless of whether or not someone perceives them. 

If we were to look at science and properties we can find that there are universals in terms of elements that exist and function regardless of whether or not we perceive them. As technology increases we are able to perceive universals in their more minute form and change how we define them in our minds but don’t necessary change the fundamental nature of existence. It exists whether or not we are aware of it.

The Philosophy of Culture:

Culture in the past was seen differently than it is today. Culture was part of the rearing process and created a way of understanding the world. It fundamentally changed how we view the world and how we see particular issues. Culture is embedded in our language and mental images derived from language. 

Culture is seen as collective or individualistic. In collective societies people see their duties to their social networks while in individualistic societies people feel that their duties lie primarily with themselves. Ethics and values can be culturally relative depending on the values one is reared with. Some have argued that both types of cultural vantage points can still judge right and wrong based upon helpful and unhelpful behaviors. 

The Enlightenment:

The enlightenment changes the way in which we view the world as philosophers sought to find truth in the universe. It had a profound impact on perceptions of society, government, nature, the universe, and rational thought. It changed the mystical views of the past to the scientific method we use today. 

The scientific method provided a frame work for reason and logic to analyze the world around us. The circular model is based on observation, theory development, prediction, and experimentation. As new observations and predictions occur new theories develop and existing ones are adjusted to make them more accurate. 

Kleinman, P. (2013) Philosophy 101. [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com

Five Miracle Foods that Support Weight Loss and Health

Food provides the essential vitamins and nutrients our body needs to function effectively each day. It is difficult to know which foods are really beneficial and which are just part of the latest fad. I have provided five foods you should consider incorporating into your diet to enhance your other activities.

 

Most of us know that foods like pizza, processed hot dogs, and pasta primavera are not that good for us. Then what? It is not enough to know which ones should be avoided without knowing which foods are beneficial for swapping.

 

Some food protects our bodies from diseases, others provide the right chemicals we need to function well and others regulate our fat storage. Eating foods that improve health, support muscle growth and help control fat storage is helpful in achieving fitness goals.

 

Eating the right food can make a lot of difference. Image if you were provided food that burnt calories simply by doing something natural to us. The five foods below help burn calories and support other areas of your health at the same time.

 

The Five Foods

 

Greek Yogurt: High protein, burns calories digesting, and stays longer in the stomach (1). 

 

Avocados: Improves cellular communication with fat hormones and helps reduce total storage (2). 

 

Black Coffee: Black coffee is known to be an anti-oxidant and have some improvement in weight loss when used in moderation (3). 

 

Brown Rice: Brown rice is full of fiber and nutrients. It is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream giving the body a chance to properly process it (4). 

 

Tomatoes: Foods heavy in tomatoes provide an anti-oxidant, fights cancer and regulates weight loss (5). 

 

Another source of information is http://www.healthdaddy.org/2014/08/fat-burning-foods.html

Poem: Summer Storms

Call for Papers: 9th International Technology, Education and Development Conference

Date: March 2nd-4th, 2015
Locations: Madrid, Spain
Website: www.inted2015.org
Submit your abstract at www.inted2015.org/submit before December 4th, 2014

INTED2015 will provide the ideal opportunity to present your projects and experiences. It is the perfect platform to discuss the latest developments in the field of Teaching and learning methodologies, educational innovations and new technologies applied to Education and Development.

After 9 years, INTED has become an annual meeting point for lecturers, researchers, professors, educational scientists and technologists.
Every year, INTED brings together over 700 delegates from 80 different countries.

Submission Information:
There will be 3 presentation modalities: Oral, Poster or Virtual.
You can submit your abstracts proposals until December 4th, 2014.
Abstracts should be submitted online at www.inted2015.org/online_submission

Goals:
- Share best practices and promote international partnership and cooperation
- Present and disseminate projects about education and the emerging technologies
- Create an international forum to discuss and exchange ideas about the latest innovations in education and research, applied to all fields and disciplines