Cambridge University is Named #2 Top University in the World

At the top of the table, results are quite stable, with Harvard University holding on to its position as world No 1 in the 2006/7 THES - QS World University Rankings for the third year running. US institutions hold seven of the Top 10 places, the other three held by UK Universities. Less good for the US, Cambridge University has risen to take the second place from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which falls two places to fourth in the world. Oxford University also gains one place to take the third position. Imperial College London joins the top ten at nine (13)*, displacing Ecole Polytechnique, a French University, from the Top 10.

Read the full article online at: Big Changes in the THES - QS World University Rankings 2006/7
Read the full report online at: http://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/2006/tables/top_200/

InspireWorks Partners with Cambridge University To Provide Research-Based Mathematics Content

On June 6, 2006 InspireWorks acquired exclusive rights, in the United States of America, to portions of Cambridge University's vast educational content. As a result InspireWorks has augmented its products and services with teaching resources developed at one of the world's leading universities. This includes the thousands of interactive mathematical problems in Cambridge University's Millenium Mathematics Project for Grades K-12.

We are delighted to be working with InspireWorks, whose activities and goals complement our own aims of enriching and supporting mathematics education and encouraging all students to raise their educational aspirations, said Professor John D Barrow FRS, Director of the Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge. Our collaboration with Inspireworks will create new opportunities for students and teachers throughout the US to make use of our award-winning resources, and we look forward to a fruitful partnership.

The addition and availability of this content strengthens InspireWorks' unique position as a 'bridging organization' among advanced technology, invaluable content and the educational communities. Using InspireWorks' software and Internet products, schools may now integrate mandated standards with computerized tools and world-class content that will help teach and verify attainment of each standard. InspireWorks believes the keys to a successful implementation of these standards are extensions of the learning process that individually address, monitor and support progress in daily teachings.

In conjunction with the launch of its after-school and home learning program, Extending the Reach to Teach, InspireWorks will make available rich educational content to support the unique program being rolled out nationwide, initially in six states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, California and Georgia. InspireWorks' advanced web-based portal also enables tracking of the educational progress and goals of an individual, a school or the entire school district - all via one integrated online application.

InspireWorks continues to expand its knowledge base across all subject areas for all grades or age groups. InspireWorks' Tutorial Library, for example, contains a vast number of web-based self-instructed educational paths of learning for all subject areas and all grade levels. Our goal is to provide the most comprehensive set of educational content and topics in addition to creating a positive learning experience, said Jim Tagliareni, President of InspireWorks. By year end, we plan to make available a corresponding lesson plan, assessment, tutorial and item bank of test/quiz questions for every learning objective or essential standard of every state in the nation, in Mathematics, Language Arts and Science. We are making a special focus in Mathematics at this time.

There is a growing concern that the United States risks losing its competitive edge as other nations outpace its performance in math and science. President Bush unveiled in May 2006 an American Competitiveness Initiative to inject $250 million into improving math instruction in the 15,000 elementary and secondary schools, allowing students to tackle more advanced math earlier.

Akamai Web Application Accelerator Selected by InspireWorks for Extending the Reach to Teach Portal

Akamai's Web Application Accelerator is an innovative solution that improves the performance of Web-based enterprise applications, enabling companies to perform critical business processes in a more secure, controllable environment. Through Akamai's network of more than 18,000 servers worldwide, users of InspireWorks' online education portal will gain increased productivity as a result of decreased application latency, regardless of where its users are located. Akamai also delivers capacity on demand, eliminating InspireWorks' need to make significant investments in additional infrastructure to handle peak periods of application usage.

You can read the rest of the article here.

InspireWorks After-School Program In The News

InspireWorks enjoyed the summer of 2005 providing digital day camps in the state of New Jersey and partnering with a program sponsored by the New Jersey State Attorney General's Office, Project Vision - Adventure Club. These camps allowed children to create digital film projects reflecting life experiences. To offer help to gulf coast residents affected by Hurricane Katrina, Jim Tagliareni decided that InspireWorks would go to the gulf coast region and set up a fun after-school digital day camp for school children from age 5 to those in 12th grade. The camp was set up in Shreveport, Louisiana with the Praise Temple Full Gospel Baptist Church. Praise Temple made available over 2 acres of land to establish the digital campus. InspireWorks' employees and other volunteers operated this camp. The physical camp was made up of 150 computer workstations, four 50foot tents with breezeways, 3 mobile video production studios, and an eating area to seat 300.

The camp curriculum was set up with 10 modules. The topics ranged from Introduction to the Digital Production Process, Script Writing, DVD Authoring, I AM, to specialty courses, such as Earth Science. The children partnered in groups to create personal DVDs, each with hands-on time on the computer. The goals of the Shreveport camp was to provide a diversion from the recent events brought on by Hurricane Katrina and to give the children a different outlet, knowledge of the digital process, a way to deal with life's challenges and to reemphasize the importance of education. The camp included remedial tutorials in mathematics and language arts, time set aside for the students to complete their homework, sessions on life skills and good morals. Several keynote speakers came in to motivate and encourage the campers as well as the community. Senate Chaplain Barry Black, Dr. Wintley Phipps, Bishop Paul S. Morton and Bishop W. Todd Ervin offered rousing, power-packed encouraging messages. On Friday of each week the camp finale included the personal DVDs created by the children, being shown to their parents, friends, community and citywide leaders.

The Shreveport camp was an overwhelming success with the community widely accepting and participating in the operation of the camp. Various city leaders, state representatives, school superintendents and staff, parents, teachers, children and many volunteers enjoyed the five weeks of the camp. The camp served a diverse mix of over 700 - 800 children during the first three weeks. The last two weeks were dedicated to teachers and student teachers learning to create remedial tutorials in various subjects. There was press coverage by several television stations, radio programs and newspapers.

The rewarding outcome was to see the children come in curious and not knowing what to expect and leave with confidence, excitement and digital knowledge. They left with a sense of pride and accomplishment, boldness and smiles. Future programs include an after school digital day camp center in Shreveport. InspireWorks plans to market and sell the concept and approach to school systems, churches, and other groups who reach out to children relating to their educational experience. Plans include camps in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey and possibly North Carolina. The camps can be funded by grants or private sources. For more information contact InspireWorks in Florham Park, New Jersey at (973) 966-8801, ext 221.

InspireWorks' Digital Day Camps

InspireCamp focuses on having fun while learning. The camp's objectives are to give the children knowledge of the digital processes, help them face life challenges, provide a sense of pride and accomplishment and stress the importance of education. The goals are to market and sell the concept to school systems, churches, and other groups who reach out to children, relating to their educational experience. Below are the results and successes of the InspireWorks digital day camp that was held in Shreveport, Louisiana.

After a successful summer of partnering with the New Jersey Attorney General's Project Vision - Adventure Club and sponsoring other digital day camps in New Jersey, another idea was born. Jim Tagliareni, the founder of InspireWorks, (a software development company) decided to sponsor an afterschool digital day camp on the largest scale yet, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Coupled with the objectives of the camp, this would give Jim a way to contribute to the residents in the gulf coast area affected by the hurricane. Through thoughts, phone calls, and brainstorming sessions, the idea blossomed into reality. After a one-week delay due to another hurricane hitting the area, the camp at Shreveport opened to all children of the area. Jim organized a team of regular employees of InspireWorks and volunteers as each thread of this dream unfolded. He started by driving a convoy of trucks, tents, and mobile video production studios to a 2-acre site generously made available by Bishop Larry Brandon and the Praise Temple Full Gospel Baptist Church. After 4 days of labor, the campus was a reality comprised of a combination of tents, production studios and an eating area.

Week one opened on October 3, 2005 to an energetic crowd of 270 children. Children as young as 3 years old were using the software to create personal DVDs. The software, I Am, an InspireWorks product, allows the children to create DVDs based on the camp's theme - You Can Be Whatever You Want to Be. After 3 days of digital creation, the children worked on remedial tutorials in mathematics and language arts. They also participated in homework sessions, good morals and healthy lifestyles. The finale for the week was the premiering of the movies to be shown to parents and others. The movie premier coincided with a conference being held at Praise Temple, and a distinguished guest, Bishop Paul S. Morton attended.

The second week continued with more children registering. Some repeat campers came back because they enjoyed it so much. Two hundred and fifty children participated and were separated into groups. Digital cameras were awarded to the star child in each group. Star volunteers also won prizes ranging from cash and MP3 players to digital cameras. On Sunday, Dr. Wintley Phipps, of the U.S. Dream Academy delivered the Sunday message.

Over 200 more children excitedly came from their regular school to attend the third week of the camp. They created DVDs ranging from I Am An Astronaut to In My Backyard. The third week finale ended with an inspirational speech from Bishop W. Todd Ervin, of California and a very moving Sunday message by Senate Chaplain Barry Black. Dr. Black's Don't Quit encouraged everyone.

Not all campers were children. The fourth week of the camp was dedicated to teachers and student teachers learning to create tutorials. These tutorials will become part of the InspireWorks repository. The camp was well received by the Shreveport community. Several city leaders, state representatives, members of the press and others, such as representatives from WorldVision visited the one-of-a-kind digital day camp.

InspireWorks has plans actively in place to open a more permanent center in Shreveport very soon. Plans also include camps in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, New Jersey, and possibly North Carolina. The concept and approach for the camp is going to be marketed to churches, school systems, and other groups who relate to children's educational needs. For more information, please contact InspireWorks in Florham Park, New Jersey at (973) 966-8801, ext 221.

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