Practitioners Books

I found this book quite interesting due to the way it was structured (from low-level tasks requiring pattern recognition and neural networks to high-level tasks such as game playing and natural language), and due to the author's use of pattern recogniton as a theme for intelligence. In many sections towards the end of each chapter, he also hints at how it may be possible to merge the connectionist and symbolic approaches to AI. For example, with respect to game playing, he discusses possible ways to include backpropagation as tool for evolving a good game evaluation function for backgammon. I also found his intuitive discussions on neural networks (chapters 2 and 3) quite engaging, with an emphasis on possible applications more so than a rigorous mathematical treatment. One main problem I have with the book, however, is its tendency to oversimplify or omit important aspects of the theory. For example, no where does he mention Bayesian classification methods in the pattern recognition chapters. And in general he does not seem to acknowledge the importance of probability in AI. I plan to use the text in a 5 week summer course in AI, because I believe that, with such short time, a terse but engaging book along with good lecture notes seems most appropriate. However, had the couse been 10 or 16 weeks, I would have opted for a more standard text that has 3x as many pages and definitions (e.g. Nilsson's good book). In closing, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning some AI , but does not want to be overburdened with math, or to an expert who prefers to browse the discussions to gain a possibly new perspective on the material.

This is an interesting book that introduces AI from a pattern recognition point of view.The author attempted and solved many complex problems by neurocomputing approach. He thus emphasizes the need for neural approach in Artificial Intelligence. He however did not eliminate the scope of all conventional approaches. Some comparative study of the conventioanl and neural algorithms are apparent from the text. The writing style is beautiful. Mature readers will find the book like a novel. I strongly recommend the book for those who want to see the contrast between the "symbol processing AI" and "the neural AI".

This is a great book to read if you want to understand all of the different facets of a reuse initiative - business, cultural and, to a lesser extent, technical.

I've read a few books about reuse, and they all conver certain aspects of a fairly complex topic. I found this book useful in that it provides an overall framework for thinking about the various facet of reuse. My only criticism is that this book does not go into enought detail in places. However, the authors have obviously done their research and present (at the time of writing) relevant references.

The Project Management Paradigm is a superb resource for Project Managers. The author has created a tremendous resource for organizations. I have purchased copies as standard reading material for both our new Project Managers and experienced personnel.

In numerous instances there is too much detail. The book is full of useful information based upon the practical experience of the author.

Experienced Project Managers can find some Gems that perhaps they have forgotten.

New Project Managers will find many practical approaches that can be used in their projects.

Managers in general can find the book useful in understanding what Project Managers do and what Project Mangement is all about.

Students can use it as a reference.

All-in-all it can be a useful addition to any library.

Edited by Robert E. Brooke
Published simultaneously by:
Teacher's College Press (Columbia U, New York) and
National Writing Project (Berkeley)
Number of pages: 203
Year published: 2003

Best audience for this book: High School English Teachers

From the preface (p. ix): "In short, we believe energized writing is, at core, place-conscious. To write well--to want to write well--writers of any age must feel "located" in a particular community and must feel that their writing contributes."

The book contains nine essays from English teachers involved with the Nebraska Writing Project's "Rural Voices, Country Schools" team. Each essay is written by a single teacher and is focused on their attempt to include "place conscious-learning" within their curriculum. While the line-up of teachers does include one Elementary School teacher and one teacher at a Community College, the majority of the essays take place within high school classrooms.

That is not to say that the students and teachers remain in their classrooms. The goal for all of these teachers is to find ways for their students to get out of the classroom and connect with the people and places that make up their communities. Examples include creating an after-school writing club that is open to students and community members of all ages, asking students to interview older relatives and neighbors that have grown up in their community, reading literature by Nebraska authors such as Willa Cather and Mari Sandoz, making field trips to historically and culturally significant places in the community, having high school students mentor younger writers from the elementary school, inviting high school students to exchange journals with residents at a local retirement home, and requiring students to put together a portfolio and presentation on the research they have done about a potential future career in their communities.

A representative paragraph from the book was written by Marian Matthews in the afterword (p. 184): "It is through the work that we did in the RV,CS project that solidified for me the notion that we must begin our understanding of history, literature, and ourselves through our local context and community. The disconnected facts that we `fill in the blanks' on our worksheets and tests have no meaning for us in understanding how the world, our country, our community, or even we ourselves have become the way we are. We lose these facts immediately after the test, even if we had them in the first place. So, why the focus on learning them in the first place? What possible meaning could these disconnected facts have in our lives? Most teenagers, according to a 1997 Public Agenda survey, `see very little reason to study academic subjects such as history, science, and literature. They view most of what they learn in their classes...as tedious and irrelevant.' I don't think this is true about the students of the teachers in this book. They have learned about themselves as human beings because they have begun the journey of connection to the land and the community. Wendell Berry states strongly, `We and our land are part of one another' (1977, p. 22) and he believes that we begin to know ourselves through `our association with others within a shared geographical space' (quoted in Snauwaert, 1990, p. 119)."

THE ONE main strength of book: It makes absolute sense that this book is so narrowly focused on one population--teachers and students participating in the RV, CT project in rural Nebraska. By doing so, the project and book in itself becomes evidence of it's thesis that by paying closer attention to the people and places that directly affect us we will better be able to understand and interpret the larger world. While all of the teaching examples in this book are born out of and relevant to students in rural Nebraska, I think that all of them can be adapted to communities of students throughout the country and world.

THE ONE main weakness: There are many places in the book in which teachers state that their goal is to be able to help students gain an appreciation of the communities in which they have grown up and be able to imagine a future as adults in these communities instead of feeling pressured to leave. While I really like the idea of helping students better appreciate their communities while they are in high school, I think for many people being able to leave the community you grew up in and then choosing to return is essential to fully appreciating where you are from. Many of the teachers/writers in this book are in this situation of returning to their homelands with fresh eyes, yet in their writing they act as if encouraging students to leave after high school hurts their purpose, while I believe it could actually strengthen it.

-Excellent if you are interested in place-conscious education.

"Rural Voices: Place Conscious Education and the Teaching of Writing"
Edited by Robert E. Brooke

Published Simultaneously by: Teachers College Press and National Writing Project
Number of Pages: 203
Year Published: 2003

General Overview

The ten teachers/authors who participate in this book are part of the Nebraska Writing Project's Rural Voices, Country Schools program. This program enables these teachers to discuss their experiences in teaching in rural school districts. While the book primarily focuses on K-12th grade studies, there are some passages pertaining to Undergraduate studies as well. The book is broken into three sections: Place-Conscious Writing and Active Learning/ Place-Conscious Writing and Local Knowledge/ and Place-Conscious Writing and Regional Citizenship. The primary focus of "Rural Voices" is the study of "place-conscious education," which was formed by former teachers, critics, and reformers, such as, Theobald, Berry, Critchfield, Gruchow, Jackson, Dewey, Goodlad, Fullan and Olson. These predecessors are referenced throughout the book, however, it is this constant referencing, that at times, keeps the reader distanced from the current groups' immediate project.

Ideal Audience

The ideal audience for this book is any teacher interested in "place-conscious" studies. Brooke (the editor) states that "place-conscious education...is schooling that focuses on the necessary relations--cultural, natural, agricultural--that shape a given place and its human communities" (6). The idea is that if teachers can teach their students about their immediate surroundings and connect it to their learning, that students will become more engaged in their studies. Furthermore, there is a belief that this type of learning will "develop a richer sense of citizenship and civic action" (6). While the book focuses on rural school districts and Creative Writing teachers, there is enough substance in the book to carry over to any teacher in any subject. It seems as though the idea of "place-conscious" learning, on many levels, can be applied generally anywhere.


Part I: Place-Conscious Writing and Active Learning

This section focuses on the "first principle of place-conscious education," namely, that it "requires active learners" (21). The teachers in Part I show the reader how to get students to be active learners. They do this through field trips and allowing their students to "write what they know." The writing samples in this section allow the reader to monitor how the study of place effects the students' writing. Sandy Bangert (one of the teachers in this section) believes that "to be a developmentally aware teacher, [she] must connect literacy and leaning to the communities that surround the child" (32). Phip Ross (another teacher in this section) believes, like Bangert, that his students should "write about their places" and that in doing so they will be more connected to their immediate surroundings.

Part II: Place-Conscious Writing and Local Knowledge

This section focuses on the second principle, which is that "place-conscious education immerses students in a deep knowledge of local place" (63). One of the most shocking aspects of this section exists in Sharon Bishop's chapter. Bishop takes "place-conscious" learning a step further by actually allowing it to replace her 10th grade English classes literature anthology. She generates "a new curriculum...of Nebraska authors" in an attempt to form "a study of place [through] literature of place" (66). One of the most impressive writing samples linked to place appears on page 73 in a writing exercise called "Where I'm From" taken from George Ella Lyon (not one of the teachers in this book). This exercise is a good example of how place can be linked to writing.

Part III: Place-Conscious Writing and Regional Citizenship

This section focuses on the third principle, which is that "place-conscious education develops place-conscious citizenry" (119). Amy Hottovy's chapter in this book relates the monetary challenges facing rural school districts. The teachers in her chapter tell stories about overcoming school consolidations and job insecurities, and there are student testimonials, as well, that really make the reader aware of how much these pressures and changes can effect the students. The goal here seems to be to allow students to become involved with their surroundings so that they become more involved and more active citizens in their community. Robyn Dalton's chapter goes on to discuss job-shadowing and mentoring opportunities in the community and the way that these experiences help students become aware of local job employment possibilities.

Overall Assessment and Rating

This book clearly aims to steer the rural classroom to a more "place-conscious" type of learning. However, this book operates on the assumption that all students will benefit more from this type of an education. While it's true that a student may be more engaged with field trips to the local prairies and writing exercises about heritage and place, it just doesn't seem acceptable to allow a rural classroom to replace a standard of learning with merely "place-conscious" learning. For instance in Chapter 5, Judith Schafer states that her "English 12 students were, for the most part, not college bound and felt intimated by or not capable of tackling the British Literature class" (114). In response to this, she develops a "community awareness unit" where students write business letters and go on field trips to different areas in town. It just seems unfortunate that a teacher would foster a student's fear with the choice to not push ahead and discover new terrain, but rather to turn back to what is familiar. There are several useful parts in this book, and I would recommend reading it, if not to at least get a better sense of what "place-conscious" learning is.

I wish I could count the times I've seen second and third rounds of development occur because the first round produced a working version of a product the customer didn't want. With all of the emphasis lately on rapid development, especially now that the web has everyone working on "internet time", there has been a noticeable lack of discussion on ensuring the software produced fits the needs of the customer and is of reasonable quality.

Rakitin addresses these issues and more in this book. As the title indicates, he concentrates on Verification ("are we building the product right?") and Validation ("are we building the right product?"). However, the subtitle to the work "A Practitioner's Guide" provides much more insight into the actual scope of this work. In the discussion of software inspection meetings, for example, Rakitin give guidelines regarding not only the mechanics of who should attend and when materials should be distributed but he also provides insight into what to expect as a moderator and how much should be expected to be accomplished in the meetings themselves. There are a number of statements in the book that begin "Experience has shown..." Rakitin's extensive experience has manifested itself throughout the book transforming the dry, checklist-like discussions found in so many other books into discussions about how people work and communicate with each other.

This isn't to say there couldn't be more. Although what's presented is very good, there are points in the book where I found myself wishing for additional discussion. Perhaps in future editions Rakitin will be able to expand upon, say, requirements collection or configuration management.

There are also things that could be updated if the book were to have a revision. For example, a brief discussion on OO methodologies is provided where Fusion from HP is outlined. This could obviously be expanded to cover the Rational Unified Process, Rational's effort to provide UML with "meat" the modeling language alone could not have.

As Deming observed and Rakitin noted, "The quality of a product is directly related to the quality of the process used to create it." To this end, Rakitin attempts to provide the reader with ready-made tools, checklists, outlines, and forms to aid them in the maturation of their software engineering department. These items, which appear in approximately 80 pages of appendices, give the reader a variety of starting places for just such an initiative.

Brooks said "no silver bullet" and he was right. Quality software is possible only through a methodical, rational, and scientific approach. Rakitin goes a long way towards that in this work. I highly recommend it.

Software Verification and Validation by Steven R. Rakitin. A practical book by a practical author, presenting the steps required to set up a formal and complete Verification and Validation program for software production. Mr. Rakitin sprinkles pertinent quotations throughout the book to support his case that software quality programs (detection) cost less than simply releasing a "buggy" program to your Customers. The author also teaches the lessons of this book at IEEE lectures; I attended one in March 1998. At these lectures, the author fleshes out and makes more interesting many of the points made in his book. As an ASQ Certified Software Engineer, S. Rakitin has the credentials to expound on many aspects of quality programs set up to deal effectively with the major & crucial issue of the lack of software quality today. There are 169 pages of text, describing a good program, but the author has also included some 87 pages of appendices (from "A" to "H") which give you a cook book or recipe approach to different aspects of software quality. The author gives you good leads to other sources of information on software quality. The book would profit from another good editorial review, reducing the wordiness in some chapters and tying the whole story all together. For example, Rakitin continuously uses "SEI" which (as far as I can see) is not defined in his book. SEI = Software Engineering Institute. In Chapter 4, the author attempts to establish a cost/benefit justification for implementing a software quality program, but misses and then, later, on page 90 (Chapter 7), he DOES lists the pertinent reasons as, "...lower support costs, ... fewer maintenance releases, ... higher customer satisfaction and, as a result, increased sales". An astute editor would have melded all of this together. Overall, this book is directed at the practitioner, whether a hardware quality engineer required to set up a software quality program, or a novice who has the same task. It is a practical book, generally well written,

The presentation of this book gives the impression that it is a legal text, however it only skims the surface of issues related to Special Education law. There are good refereces to caselaw in each section that would be helpful to an individual that is not familiar with conducting legal research, to provied a starting point to find relevant caselaw. However, it would be a big mistake to rely on these in lieu of conducting specific jurisdictional and current research. Other than a more in depth review of caselaw you can save alot of money by buying the Wrightslaw book to get an overview of the law in this area or read the law/regulations for free and conduct free legal research of federal caselaw at numerous internet sites.

All facets of special education law right up to the new IDEA regulations are covered in this important survey SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE LAW SECOND EDITION: A GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS. Any operating in the field will appreciate the detailed, in-depth reviews of the 2040 IDEA regulations, along with surveys of related issues, from statues of limitation and cases under other statutes to educational services, attorney's fees, claims processes, and more. Any operating within the special ed system can't be without this guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is different from other NP review books in that it blends information with sample questions. A great way to organize study and help you to pass!

The book's layout provides a uniquely different way of studying for the exam compared to most other review books and courses.I would not recommend this book as the primary source of review, because it does not provide indepth content review as I had expected. I did like to numerous tables throughout the book as it was visually appealing and mentally easier to process some of the information.

(1) This book would be more practical if it includes some guidance for international practices. As I know, for many big trademark practitioners, U.S. work has become a small portion of their income (probably because it is very much standardized), and international work has increased dramatically because of U.S. trade expansion. It may not be necessary to add a "foreign practice" part, but some basic knowledge, along with a brief summary of, international practice would make this book more helpful to a "trademark practitioner".

(2) As to the first part of this book - "what is a trademark". I would make comment: despite all the legal aspect of what is a trademark, it's not far from a scentmark in a lion's territory. A trademark, standing by itself, is nothing but a mark, like a scent is a scent. It doesn't mean a thing. But a scentmark made by a lion on the trees and bushes in his territory means a lot: this is not only his territory, but he means to protect it. All intruders will be eaten - that is, if he can or be driven away. Sometimes, the intruders are more formidable and drive the existing master lion away, or kill it and become the new masters of the pride. And the new one/s will start pee on the trees and bushes to scentmark the new master. The trademark is pretty much like this jungle life. You have a mark, OK. You have to enforce it, by using it, by registering it, by prosecuting infringers (intruders) announce the existence of your market (territory) and keep off potential competitors. Or you lose it. You'll be kicked out of the market or eaten alive.

(3) I think in trademark practice, a practitioner should always consult business people who have firsthand knowledge about the real market situation, particularly in case of international practices where large amount of work (and money) is involved.

(4) For domain name, I don't understand why identical domain name can't co-exist. For trademark owners of the same name (for different areas of business, of course) they could share the same domain name with a single website listing all the businesses using a certain tld. Then the user may further browse to find exactly which business is of interest to him. Further, there should be some connection between the domain name registration and trademark registration, and let trademark owner (registrant) have priority over those who don't.

(1) This book would be more practical if it includes some guidance for international practices. As I know, for many big trademark practitioners, U.S. work has become a small portion of their income (probably because it is very much standardized), and international work has increased dramatically because of U.S. trade expansion. It may not be necessary to add a "foreign practice" part, but some basic knowledge, along with a brief summary of, international practice would make this book more helpful to a "trademark practitioner".

(2) As to the first part of this book - "what is a trademark". I would make comment: despite all the legal aspect of what is a trademark, it's not far from a scentmark in a lion's territory. A trademark, standing by itself, is nothing but a mark, like a scent is a scent. It doesn't mean a thing. But a scentmark made by a lion on the trees and bushes in his territory means a lot: this is not only his territory, but he means to protect it. All intruders will be eaten - that is, if he can or be driven away. Sometimes, the intruders are more formidable and drive the existing master lion away, or kill it and become the new masters of the pride. And the new one/s will start pee on the trees and bushes to scentmark the new master. The trademark is pretty much like this jungle life. You have a mark, OK. You have to enforce it, by using it, by registering it, by prosecuting infringers (intruders) announce the existence of your market (territory) and keep off potential competitors. Or you lose it. You'll be kicked out of the market or eaten alive.

(3) I think in trademark practice, a practitioner should always consult business people who have firsthand knowledge about the real market situation, particularly in case of international practices where large amount of work (and money) is involved.

(4) For domain name, I don't understand why identical domain name can't co-exist. For trademark owners of the same name (for different areas of business, of course) they could share the same domain name with a single website listing all the businesses using a certain tld. Then the user may further browse to find exactly which business is of interest to him. Further, there should be some connection between the domain name registration and trademark registration, and let trademark owner (registrant) have priority over those who don't.

Treating the Trauma of Rape may be heavy fare for survivors and their families...however, it is a complete treatment manual for therapists. The step by step explanations of treatment tactics...even the controversial ones...makes this a valuable tool in any therapist's practice. There are straight-forward styles of treatment, problems and cases that make the reading simple but not easy on the spirit. Not a self-help book by any means...share it with your doctor or with your client.

Unfortunately, I loaned my copy of this book and can't provide exact quotes to make my case. But I remember enough to make my main point. The problem with CBT, as exemplified in this book, is that the authors are grossly unempathic and moralistic, therefore, fated to generate only accommodating clients who disrespect their interiors. This is a prescription for repression and symptom substitution.

To make my case, I refer readers to therapy sessions in which clients are cheer led and otherwise cajoled to reimagine their rape experiences. Clients report that reliving the experience is near as grueling as the rape was. The sweetly delivered message of this therapy is, "Get over it." There's no sense that the fears these people experience are complicated and, ultimately, useful experiences full of shame about feeling afraid and longings for comforting and other expressions of profound, live giving sympathy.

Gradually, clients desensitize in the hands of these therapists' cruel regimen. They get over their fears, but the side-effects--the loss of contact with and disempathy toward rich inner experiences--are egregious. This truly is a triumph of moralistic thinking in which therapists conceive of negative thoughts--read, parts of the self--as impulses that must be gotten rid of.

The authors obliquely respond to this critique of their core work and try to dispel it, saying that they are not promoting positive thinking. But that's exactly what this therapy is.

Okay, so I'm being brutal too. I'm hoping that the spiteful elements of my critique are viewed as understandable human reactions to what many prominent therapists think of as an inhumane therapy. It's reasonable to be angry at a therapy one perceives as damaging, especially when some of one's friends have been hurt by it, as a few of my friends have.

At least I know I'm being cruel and have a reason for relating that way. My words are passionate more than spiteful. I'm upset that this culture-bound therapy has taken in so many bright people. And I'm upset about the damage I've seen it do to people who don't succeed at accommodating to this therapy, as well as the ones who do. It makes them feel inadequate, unhelpable, and deserving of abandonment.

If, like me, you want to find examples of the flaws of CBT to serve as as contrasts to the facets of a more humane therapy, this book is well worth its price.

John McFadden
[...]

This book is very helpful as a special education teacher. It follows along with the push for research based best practices and response to intervention.