More on "Green Energy"

I have been reading a number of articles, academic and otherwise, on so called green energy. I am convinced that green energy is just lot of talk -- the scientific facts are obscured by vested interests. There is lot of work on energy payback but as the various authors note the exact payback depends on where the system boundaries are drawn.

Given below are a few links that others can use to make up their own mind.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1725975-1,00.htmlhttp://whyfiles.org/253ethanol/index.php?g=2.txt
http://www.lesjones.com/posts/003223.shtml
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37322.pdf

Perhaps we need to start a campaign for real technical information on "green energy". Till someone shows clearly that "green energy" can be used to build the systems that generate the energy, count me as a skeptic.

Use of LMSs

At our University there is a drive to force all academics to use our Learning Management System (MS). I am never sure how learning can be managed by software -- after all learning requires the active participation of the learner. My opinion is that LMSs are nothing but glorified repositories of information. They do not necessarily help learning but often hinder the process. This is because they are a logical sequence in the use of "structured" technology such as powerpoint slides. Previously people used transparencies which were not available to the student before the lecture. Some even just wrote on the board. Such "unstructured" technology allowed (and sometimes even forced) the lecturer to develop the lectures that suited the class. The use powerpoints however has converted most of the lecturers to just "readers", i.e., read the slides. This is not necessarily the fault of technology. It is possible to use powerpoints in a dynamic/unstructured fashion. However students expect them to be "complete" so that if the miss the lecture(s) they have the "full notes". Sadly, most of us have given in to the maxim "I have the powerpoint hence I can know before the exam".

I am using an LMS to post part of my notes but have re-started using the board more often. I am not sure if the students have got used to this style but I sincerely hope that by not having something canned I am contributing something to the lectures.