The Scout Report -- Volume 26, Number 45

The Art of Education University (AOEU), an online graduate program for art educators on a mission to "grow amazing art teachers ... at every stage of their career." This mission has become even more pressing during the challenges of COVID-19. Recognizing that many art educators were seeking guidance on how to transition their curriculum to an online format, AOEU launched the Art Education and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) portal. Here, readers will find recordings of six webinars covering the spectrum from "Jumping into Distance Learning" to "Making a Long-Term Plan" (originally recorded in March and April of 2020) and several other distance learning resources. These resources include drawing prompts, art project ideas, and practical and technical tips for online teaching. For educators worried about personal or student burnout, the site also dedicates a section to mental health resources that discuss well-being, mindfulness, and stress management. Each webinar's page also links to some specific resources, but users should note that some of these require an account to access. The bottom of the portal highlights external resources such as lesson plans, guides to remote instruction, and podcasts on related topics. [EMB]

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Time-travel to 16th-century England with Bess of Hardwick's Letters. Bess of Hardwick was both a matriarch and a mystery, and this collection of her correspondences welcomes readers "to eavesdrop on her world." The Background page is the perfect place to start. Here, readers will find useful tools including a tutorial on "Reading Early Modern Handwriting" and a "Reader's Guide" on the unique stylistic tendencies of early English writing. After this introduction, visitors can find letters through the Custom Search and Browse & Filter pages. Images of letters are embedded on the site, and readers also have an option to download the letter as a PDF. The downloadable version includes brief biographies of the individuals associated with the correspondence. These details can also be located by clicking on the names in the "to" and "from" fields at the top of each record. More than 200 letters are available in the collection, spanning the years 1550 to 1607. The University of Glasgow developed this project in collaboration with the Digital Humanities Institute at the University of Sheffield and through funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. [EMB]

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The breadth of research surrounding COVID-19 can be overwhelming, but SciFact helps researchers sift through studies to find relevant existing work. Before using the resource, readers should be aware of a few disclaimers. First, "the tool is not a substitute for the care provided by licensed healthcare practitioners." Second, the system is designed to assess whether scientific research "support[s] or refute[s] a scientific claim," but does not "assess the credibility of the scientific paper itself." Thus, readers should be sure to further investigate each paper they find. The SciFact system itself is very intuitive. Users type a claim in the search bar (for example, "masks reduce COVID-19 transmission,") and the engine returns a list of scientific papers that support or refute the claim. Based on the example search, users would find summaries of seven research papers that support the claim. How does the system generate these results? After it receives an "input claim," the system combs through COVID-19 research for relevant abstracts, identifies relevant evidence within that abstract, and then assesses whether the abstract supports or refutes the claim. SciFact is a project of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a non-profit research organization. [EMB]

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Established in 1983, the World Institute on Disability (WID) is a global nonprofit fighting for disability rights. WID focuses on research and policy projects that optimize inclusion, accessibility, risk reduction, and resilience. Additionally, WID is "one of the first global disability rights organizations founded and continually led by people with disabilities." The site houses various resources. For example, under the Digital Systems and Tools tab, readers can download EQUITY: Asset Building for People with Disabilities, an in-depth manual "for people with disabilities who want to move forward economically and bring the system along with them," and Make It Work: Disability & Competitive Employment, which "aim[s] to provide the insights, information and techniques necessary to become powerful, both in employment self-confidence and professional or workplace skills." On other corners of the site, readers will find similar guides geared towards healthcare, disaster planning, and event accessibility. Under the News tab, visitors can locate a variety of resources and readings related to COVID-19. To stay abreast of WID's latest news and projects, sign up for their email list (a link to do so is found on the Home page), or follow WID's social media accounts (also linked on the Home page). [EMB]

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Showcasing a sweet side to data analysis, this project profiles Ben & Jerry's nearly 100 ice cream flavors. Lindsey Poulter and Hesham Eissa, both of whom have received accolades in the data visualization community and are self-proclaimed "frequent ice cream consumers," created The Inside Scoop this past summer. Because they reside in different countries (Poulter lives in New York, NY, and Eissa resides in London, UK), the pair wanted to see how geography impacted flavor options. The project also analyzed flavor profiles, popularity, and availability, culminating with "The Complete Ben & Jerry's Flavor Guide." This interactive guide allows users to search by flavor, addition, or country to see what combinations are the most celebrated. One universal finding stands out: "We all scream for ice cream!" Data for the project were collected from the Ben & Jerry's website on July 19, 2020 and was limited to flavors available in pint size. [EMB]

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"Remote" takes on many meanings with AllTrails, an app that helps users prepare at home for future explorations or find a safe and socially-distanced "remote" hiking spot. On a mission "to kindle the spirit of adventure," this platform helps nature lovers find and share their favorite outdoor spots. AllTrails connects users to "hand-curated trail guides," based on parameters they set. For example, readers can search by location or trail name, or enter basic information about the difficulty, length, and type of hike they are looking for. The app takes over the leg work from there (so users can save their energy for the actual exploration). Each tailored result includes a basic trail description and reviews, helping readers find the perfect trail for their next adventure. Though the "Pro" version of the app requires a low monthly fee, users can create a basic account for free. A web-based version of the platform is found at the link above, or users can download the mobile app (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play). [EMB]

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Launched in March 2020 amidst COVID-19 shutdowns, Home Cooking provides a tasty silver lining, helping listeners "figure out what to cook (and keep[ing] you company) during the quarantine." Samin Nosrat (writer and chef) and Hrishikesh Hirway (maker of music and podcasts) co-host the show, which dedicates a significant portion of its content to answering listeners' questions. And Nosrat, the James Beard Award-winning author of the New York Times Bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, is more than qualified to provide expert advice. While the clever episode titles lure listeners in (for example, "Kohlrabi: Turnip for What?" and "Cod Save America"), the recipes and tips keep audiences enchanted. Those new to the cooking scene may also enjoy some of the pair's recommendations on the Resources page. Here, readers will find advice on everything from cookbooks to Creole mustard. Readers can tune in to Home Cooking at the link above or on a preferred listening platform (all available platforms are linked on the site's Subscribe page). Though, it is worth noting that following the link above allows for the added benefits of accessing episode transcripts and embedded recipes discussed on the show. [EMB]

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Oxford Owl's Free eBook Library helps little learners develop a love for reading. Designed for young readers (ages 3-11), the library offers a selection of fiction and nonfiction books that are full of adventure. These texts are all freely available, though users will have to create an account to gain access. More than 100 books are available, and readers can browse the virtual shelves by age, level, type of series. The virtual books allow readers to page through or select the audio option to have the book read aloud to them. Select books also come with activities that help build reading and language skills. For the best user experience, these books should be viewed on a computer, laptop, or tablet. A branch of Oxford University Press, Oxford Owl aims to support educators and caregivers as they help children "have the smoothest journey through school possible." The award-winning site also offers English and mathematics activities. [EMB]

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Stay entertained and educated with MinuteEarth. Launched in 2013, the YouTube channel's mission is simple: "to tell more down-to-Earth stories." Do not be fooled by the name, as most videos are more than a minute long. However, they do tackle some big topics in a relatively short amount of time (ranging from about 3-15 minutes). Most of the content is driven by curiosities and questions about "our awesome planet." Videos answer a range of questions, both the niche (see "Why It Sucks to Be a Male Hyena") and common (see "Where Did Earth's Water Come From?"). Have a question for the team? They welcome viewer submissions in the comments section of videos or via their social media channels. Readers can join more than two million current subscribers on the YouTube channel linked above and may also want to follow along on Twitter (@MinuteEarth), Instagram (@minute_earth), and TikTok (@minuteearth). MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios, LLC and created by a "group of scientists, writers, and illustrators with a passion for sharing our curiosity (and where it leads!) with the world." [EMB]

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When readers cannot see the art in person at museums, it is time to be the art (in their homes). Just what does this mean? Check out VanGoYourself, the app that invites users to "get inside [paintings] ... and discover art in a whole new way." Become the newest subject of Stanley Lench's Woman with Cake or grab some pals for George Romney's The Four Friends. Plenty of other options are also available. In fact, the site features more than 100 paintings found in galleries throughout 15 countries. Recreating a personal version of a famous painting is possible with three easy steps. First, choose a painting. Second, take or upload a picture (readers should note that they will need to provide their name and email to upload). Third, publish the masterpiece for the rest of the world to enjoy. Readers short on inspiration will want to explore the VanGo'd Gallery for some ideas. VanGoYourself is managed by the UK-based arts charity Culture24 and was launched through a collaboration between Europeana Creative and the European Commission, among other partners. [EMB]

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Metastream is a website and companion browser plugin that provides support for synchronized viewing of streaming media with groups of friends. One user must act as a host, starting a Metastream session and then sharing a "friend code" with anyone they wish to invite. The host can then build a playlist by visiting streaming sites and adding the URLs of media they wish to watch to the play queue. For paid sites (such as Netflix and Hulu) all users joining the session must have an account that allows them to view the media. Optionally, hosts may allow other users in the session to add new media to the play queue. The Metastream browser extension is available for Firefox and Chromium-based browsers (including Google Chrome). An introductory video showing how to use Metastream and a set of troubleshooting instructions for common problems can be found in the FAQ section of the Github Wiki for Metastream. [CRH]

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Houseparty is a video chat based social networking platform. Users can create an unlimited number of "rooms," each of which can contain up to eight people at a time. While on the site, users can move between video chat rooms and also use text-based chats with friends. By default, when a user logs in a notification is sent to their friends that they are online. Alternately, users may opt to "sneak into the house," meaning no such notifications are sent. Houseparty also includes a number of games that can be played with online friends; these can be located under the dice icon. Houseparty is available as a Chrome extension, a macOS desktop application, or as a mobile application for iOS or Android devices. [CRH]

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With the popularity and necessity of outdoor activities on the rise over the past several months, the Seek app, last featured in the 04-06-2018 Scout Report, is worth revisiting (and downloading).

Many readers have likely found themselves stumbling across a unique flower or plant and have wondered to themselves what exactly it was. Skip the Googling and head to Seek for an answer. Recommended for "families who want to spend more time exploring nature together," Seek is a kid-friendly smartphone app designed to encourage and enrich exploration of the outdoors. Simply use a phone camera to scan over an object of interest. From there, Seek uses image recognition to identify plants and animals in photos, providing additional context for people already exploring nature around them. The in-depth user guide linked on the page above provides step-by-step instructions on how to optimize user experience. Seek can be downloaded via Google Play and the Apple app store. It is a project of iNaturalist, a hub for citizen science and conservationists. [CRH] [EMB]

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