This article was written by eLearning Inside contributor, Alison Bell, the Regional Vice President of WGU.

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Feb. 7 made it abundantly clear that our nation’s workforce is moving in a new direction as we continue to emerge from the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We find ourselves in a unique position where the solution to our nation’s ongoing workforce shortage could be as simple as employers teaming up with higher education institutions to provide their employees with education pathways to upward mobility. Doing this has the potential to be a win-win for both the employer and employee as it provides each party with much of what they need to reach their full potential.

A snapshot of the current state of our workforce

Before employers engage with colleges and universities to create these educational pathways, they must understand the current state of our workforce and its needs.

As Baby Boomers retire, it’s estimated this departure will leave upwards of 85 million open jobs, which could result in roughly $8.5 trillion in lost revenue, according to the Korn Ferry study on the Global Talent Crunch.

This problem is only made worse by fewer students choosing to go to college.

Most recent data shows that the college-going rate has been on a steady decline for the past decade with only 61.8% of high school seniors enrolling in degree programs in 2021. One leading reason for this, which isn’t all too surprising, is cost. According to EducationData.org, the average cost of college for students nationwide is over $35,000 per year — and this has more than doubled in the 21st century.

Regardless of where one falls in their life – a recent high school graduate or an adult learner with years in the workforce already – the barrier to entry for a quality post-secondary degree is concerning.

The value of employers partnering with higher education institutions

We know today’s workforce craves opportunities to advance their skill set and add more tools to their toolkit, but it’s up to employers to offer pathways to those opportunities. These employee benefits are a part of learning and development, commonly referred to as L&D, which is something that companies of all sizes can, and should, implement at some level. L&D combats burnout caused by underutilization or lack of a clear pathway to growth, by investing in and increasing growth opportunities. By offering an education benefit, companies attract new employees, enjoy a more highly trained workforce, and, according to a 2-year Lumina Foundations study, one education reimbursement program had a 129% return on investment.

Tuition support is one type of L&D offering. Millennials have long rated development opportunities as important to them in a job, and LinkedIn found that 76% of Gen Z believe learning is key to their success.

What’s more, LinkedIn found that 43% of Gen Z want fully self-directed and more independent learning, which provides learners with the ability to learn anytime and at their own pace. As millennials and Gen Z become the majority in the workforce, companies must invest in their development or risk losing them.

A strong example of this would be the KFC Foundation which recently announced a new partnership with WGU, which pays full tuition for degrees with the online university. The partnership helps break down barriers to entry for prospective learners and allows current KFC employees an opportunity to enhance their lives in an affordable, flexible way.

Partnerships like this help provide adults in particular with a pathway to earn their degree without the financial strain that many other traditional higher ed institutions would present.

While not all employers can fund a partnership that offers 100% tuition coverage, collaboration with higher ed institutions can also shed light on the skill sets needed for hard-to-fill positions.

Further, colleges and universities can develop more targeted curricula to support workforce development. While our economy will undoubtedly continue to fluctuate, affordable and accessible education and training can boost our nation’s workforce by upskilling and retaining workers, filling in-demand roles, and encouraging prospective students to pursue higher education, no matter where they are in life.

Prioritize Online and competency-based programs within these partnerships

When it comes to partnering with colleges and universities to provide these employees with opportunities to earn their degrees, we must also recognize the needs of non-traditional students. Flexibility must be top of mind in order to set your workforce up for success because many of them are juggling multiple responsibilities on top of their roles within your organization. This makes a traditional higher education model an unreasonable option for these students as it often requires them to be in a specific classroom on a set schedule each week.

Leveraging online learning for adult learners can help break down barriers that would otherwise prevent them from pursuing these opportunities to skill up because they can earn their degree on their own time and at their own pace. Additionally, competency-based models can further accelerate this process because students can apply the skills they already have toward the requirements needed to earn that additional credential.

Our economy is in desperate need of skilled workers and employees crave opportunities that allow them to advance in their careers. Partnerships between employers and higher education institutions can be the unlock to bridging our workforce skills gap by supporting upward mobility, which in turn, increases employee retention and success.

Alison Bell has more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience and is the chancellor of WGU Indiana, a nonprofit, online university offering 60+ degrees in the four colleges of business, teaching, I.T. and health/nursing. WGU Indiana is the first-ever state model within Western Governors University and prides itself on being the nation’s first accredited competency-based university as well as having a diverse student body across the entire state of Indiana.

Featured image: Ridofranz, iStock. 

The post Employers, Higher Education Institutions, And Bridging the Skills Gap appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Veselina Dzhingarova is a contributing writer to eLearning Inside. She graduated from the Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv with majors in Russian and English Philology. She is the Co-Founder of the spiritual health site DZHINGAROV. 

Anyone who has ever picked up a new hobby knows that they need to consider three factors. Let’s say you want to learn woodworking. You must have space for all of the equipment. You must have the materials and tools. And you have to consider your new passion’s price tag.

Practically any avocation depends on those three elements. Even learning how to play a musical instrument entails having a place to play (so you don’t disturb everyone), the instrument to play with/on and the money to afford it.

From this perspective, language learning is an outlier. Particularly nowadays, with so many materials, applications and platforms free but for a sign-up. You don’t need to block off a physical space exclusively for studying a new tongue. You don’t have to store any materials and, because so much is available at no charge, you don’t need a lot of money to pursue your interest in languages.

Maybe that’s why language learning surged worldwide during the pandemic lockdowns. The use of language apps soared during those first few months of isolation and the trend hasn’t stopped. What languages was everybody learning in 2022?

The Three Most-Studied Languages

It should go without saying that Engish topped the list of most-studied languages. Our native tongue is the language of business, aviation and science, particularly technology. Most non-English speaking countries include English studies in their core curriculum. So, English as a Second Language tops every language learning trends list for 2022.

That Mandarin comes in second should be no surprise. Mainland China’s tongue has been one of the top-three-studied languages for at least a decade and looks set to keep its place. Maybe the cause is Chinese cultural elements like Lunar New Year celebrations being more mainstream. Or perhaps it’s because of China’s strong economic presence around the world.

Spanish remains a popular choice – and for good reason. More than 20 countries list Spanish as their official language; over half a billion people speak Spanish around the world. The wealth of learning materials online might have influenced learners’ decisions to choose Spanish. Cultural exports might have driven the trend, too. Who could resist a sultry canción or an original-language Almodóvar production?

A Shift in the Order

Historically, French and German have vied for third and fourth place. It’s easy to understand why. Not so long ago, German was the language of science. That country’s engineers are still revered for their precision machinery and technological advances. As for French… Well, you just weren’t cultured if you couldn’t speak French!

It’s no longer the case that those two languages lead the learning horde. Over the past two decades, one country’s cultural exports have prompted quiet but steady inroads into western European language dominance. And over the past three years, that language has exploded onto the stage.

Korean has taken over the Number 3 spot. Thanks to shows like Squid Game, films such as Parasite and music from the likes of BTS and Blackpink, more people than ever are riding the Korean (Hallyu) Wave.

This year, French edged German out to claim the fourth spot on the ‘Languages to Learn’ list. This tongue is a bit easier for native English speakers to master because nearly one-third of their English vocabulary comes from French. It is the official language in 29 countries. Finding French lessons is easy, too. Indeed, French may be one of the world’s most accessible languages.

By contrast, German and English share a root language. That and the aforementioned qualities keep the Language of Goethe high on learners’ lists. And the fact that Germany is the European economic powerhouse. A fair number of English speakers have relocated to Germany for its generous entrepreneurial initiatives as well as its progressive social climate.

Rounding Out the Top Ten

Language learners seeking a challenge settled their caps on Japanese this year. Japanese grammar is complex and the writing system blends three ‘alphabets’ into one language. It’s not just otaku – people enraptured with anime and manga who are mastering kanji, hiragana and katakana, though. Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world; most of its systems were designed and built by native companies. Any tech engineer would gladly learn this language for the chance to work on a Japanese-led project.

Most of the five Romance languages feature among the top languages learned; Italian is no exception. And why not? Italy has a lot going for it. All of the religious and heritage sites, sure. But also this little-known fact: Italy is the 11th-largest global economy.

It might surprise some how widely Portuguese is spoken around the world. Not just in Brazil and Portugal – each with its own version of the language, but also in some African countries.

Romanian is the only Romance language not to feature in the Top Ten list of 2022 languages studied. But it would be easy enough to learn alongside Portuguese, French or Spanish. Or you could follow other savvy language learners’ leads and study one of the two languages newly on the list.

It’s not hard to understand why more people chose to study Arabic and Hindi this year. The US has long declared Arabic a language of strategic importance. Considering the economic powerhouse East Asia is and its role in shaping world events, you may say that assessment is an understatement.

Arabic is spoken in 27 countries but each nation has its own version of the language. However, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) will get you by in all of them. And if you have your sights set on a specific country, you can find learning materials for that dialect.

India is a rising economic powerhouse so learning Hindi is a good move, too. Besides, Hindi is the third most-spoken language worldwide. Whether you want to explore opportunities in Singapore, Nepal or India herself, learning this language might be easier than you think.

Featured image: annatodica, iStock. 

The post What Are the Most Popular Languages in 2022? appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Contributing article by Brandon Shopp, the Group Vice President of Product at SolarWinds

As technology remains a key part of the educational experience, IT teams continue improving processes that focus on enhancing educational outcomes while ensuring resilience across the digital ecosystem.
But, with a new year around the corner, IT teams may be asking: “What should our priorities be in 2023?”

To help answer that question, here are three considerations IT leaders must consider as they plan their 2023 IT strategy.

1 Protect student data

Cyberattacks against schools – from K-12 through higher education – are rising. The education sector experienced a 44% increase in cyberattacks in 2022 compared with 2021. And the impacts are significant; in 2021, the cost of ransomware attacks on schools and colleges alone was $3.6 million, with ransom payouts soaring from $220,000 to $2 million.

While schools have increased their cybersecurity budgets in recent years, challenges remain.
According to the 2022 SolarWinds Public Sector Cybersecurity Survey, a key security obstacle is threat detection and remediation. Observability of security events and threat data is a major challenge for IT pros, which can limit their ability to identify and act upon malicious activity.

In 2023, IT pros must prioritize the adoption of centralized monitoring technology. This isn’t just best practice, it’s a key requirement of The White House Cybersecurity Executive Order.

An easy first step towards compliance and improved threat detection and remediation is to use modern security information event management (SIEM) tools to monitor activity on school networks.

A SIEM monitors suspicious activity and compliance issues 24/7 by gathering logs from apps and systems located in a centralized location across hybrid environments. In this way, teams can quickly cut through the clutter, pinpoint security vulnerabilities and potential threats, and prioritize where they should focus their limited resources.

2 Automate manual IT tasks

Schools and universities are increasingly adopting technologies to automate administrative workflows, enrollment processes, and assessments. The same should be true of IT.

By automating manual IT tasks, education institutions can free up resources to work on higher-value initiatives while improving resilience and security.

Areas that are ripe for automation include network management, user provisioning, patch management, and ITIL service automation. Automation also makes managing complex environments easier.

By aggregating data from across the IT environment, automated insights can alert IT teams when something isn’t right and why it isn’t right – whether it’s a software vulnerability or configuration drift on the network. With this insight, they can move from a reactive to a proactive mode as they address problems across the IT ecosystem.

3 Network stability

A growing IT performance challenge facing schools is the huge number of connected devices on their networks – particularly during peak registration and testing periods. Ensuring a consistent experience across the district or faculty will be key for students to have a smooth learning experience.

To help IT managers grapple with this, teams need a way to automatically discover and visualize network devices and their health – across hybrid environments. The better they can picture the environment, the easier it is to understand problems. Automation can help with this process.

For example, auto-generated maps of critical network paths can help IT pros can answer the question: “Is it the app or the network?”, and quickly isolate what’s contributing to performance issues – in a user-friendly way.

The bottom line

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to education systems, accelerating the adoption of remote learning and new content delivery tools. But these technology solutions have significantly increased the network perimeter and attack surface.

For students to continue to enjoy rich, immersive, and expanded digital learning, IT leaders must prioritize the right approaches to mitigating complexity and cyber risk in 2023.

Featured images: Serhii Bolshakov, iStock. 

The post Tech in 2023: 3 Priorities for Education IT Leaders appeared first on eLearningInside News.

The pressure to create a strong resume without experience can be tremendous for a college freshman. Carving out a career whilst still in college is a strategy many students choose to take, so having a comprehensive bank of skills and expertise in their resume is essential.

There are actionable steps undergraduates can take to bolster up their employability, and gain skills and expertise outside of their part-time job. Here are a few ways to start.

Volunteer for Non-Profits

Only some have the freedom to volunteer for non-profits. This is because, firstly, working people need to earn an excellent income to survive and secondly, they have other priorities. However, as a college student, you can invest a few hours each week to volunteer in non-profits.

You can engage in manual or remote work that involves collecting McDVoice survey forms or other jobs. It will not only help you increase your experience but also will empower you with new skills.

Numerous non-profit organizations in the country accept volunteer work. Such works are either remote or on-site. Depending upon your convenience, you can engage in any of these.

Join A Student Union

Joining the student union is an excellent way of staying active in college. It helps you to gain leadership skills which are always in high demand. Additionally, as a part of the student union, you will come across ample opportunities for which you can take responsibility.

Join a Hackathon

If you are pursuing any computer-related course, taking part in a hackathon is an excellent way of flaunting your skills. There are numerous global and national hackathons in which you can take part from the comfort of your home.

A good rank and even an improved graph can help prove to your interviewer why you are perfect for a particular skill. Even if you fail to score a good rank but improve it consistently, you can still show it in your resume as a quick learner ready to improve.

Many students make the mistake of simply listing out skills like “quick learner” on their resume. However, with the evidence of improved rank, you can show them that you possess this skill instead of just telling them.

Take A Leading Role In A Club/Society

Many students join a club or society during their college days which is good. However, if you want to shine even in this crowd, it becomes vital for you to take a leading role in it. It will give you a competitive edge over your peers. Additionally, it will rain to help you to showcase your leadership skills.

For example, if you are in a marketing club, you can start an initiative like collecting survey forms similar to TalkToWendys to improve customer experience. Therefore, we recommend you join a society or club in the first year. Doing it will help you to climb to a leading role by the time you graduate.

Freelance

If you want to gain experience on your own terms, freelancing is a great alternative. There are multiple platforms online which will help you to become a freelancer in a field in which you excel. You also have the option of creating a portfolio of your freelance work. When freelancing, ensure that you receive positive feedback, which you can later show or talk about during your interview.

Start A Blog / YouTube Channel/ Branded Social Media Account

The beauty of the digital platform is the independence that it can give. Thanks to it, you can start a blog, YouTube Channel, or professional social media account on any topic of your interest. Considering the fact that you are choosing a niche of your interest, upscaling on the platform will be relatively easy. You can state the same if you get good hits on these platforms.

If your blogging receives a good number of readers, you can showcase your writing and SEO skills. Similarly, a successful YouTube channel reflects your visual communication skill. Your social media account with a large follower base results from your marketing skills. Finally, with success stories in any or all of these platforms, you can show your in-depth knowledge in a particular niche.

Featured image: Xavier Lorenzo, iStock. 

The post Ways to Boost Your Resume As A College Freshman appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Instructional design has a number of benefits including its low cost and high productivity over other methods of corporate training.

By using the instructional design process, corporate training can benefit from more effective and efficient content that’s designed to stick in the minds of employees who will then be able to apply that knowledge in the workplace on a daily basis.

Instructional design, also known as instructional systems design, offers numerous benefits to corporate training departments when it comes to designing programs that are accessible, interactive, and engaging.

Keep employees up to date

In our constantly-changing world, it’s more important than ever for employees to be kept up-to-date on the latest company procedures and changes in the industry.

That’s where instructional design comes in! By using engaging and effective design methods, corporate trainers can ensure that employees are learning the latest information in a way that is both appealing and efficient.

Increase workforce productivity

When you work with an instructional design, you can be sure that your employees are getting the best possible training. This method specializes in creating effective and efficient online training materials.

By using instructional design, you can increase the productivity of your workforce. This is because employees will be able to learn the online training material more quickly and retain it for a longer period of time.

Additionally, instructional design can help reduce the amount of time that employees need to spend on training. This is because the online training materials will be more focused and easier to understand.

Furthermore, instructional design can help make your training more engaging and interesting for employees through the use of multimedia and facets like quizzes and gamification. This is important because it can help keep them motivated to learn the online training material.

Expand employee capabilities

When you work with instructional design, you can expand the capabilities of your employees. It helps do so by improving the quality of training and development programs. They will be able to learn new things faster and retain information more effectively.

Additionally, they’ll be better equipped to handle difficult tasks and adapt to change. As a result, your company will be more productive and efficient. Instructional designers can create custom-tailored programs that meet the specific needs of your company and employees. In this way, it helps expand the capabilities of all employees with individual focus.

By using instructional design principles, you can make your training more engaging and effective, which leads to employees who are better equipped to do their jobs. Your company will get the most out of its training investment, and employees will be better able to apply what they’ve learned to their work.

Decrease turnover

Businesses that experience high staff turnover may find it expensive to continually train new hires. By improving training’s effectiveness and engagement, instructional design can aid in reducing turnover.

By producing entertaining and simple-to-follow training materials, instructional design firms contribute to a reduction in staff turnover. Additionally, instructional design firms can make online training courses that are uniquely tailored to your business’s culture and beliefs.

This makes it easier to find employees who are the ideal fit for your business and are more likely to stay for a while. In the long run, the business also saves money.

Improve decision-making skills

Many instructional design companies help clients improve their decision-making skills. This is because when you have a clear understanding of your goals, you can more easily identify the best path to achieving them.

When you have to make decisions about your business, it’s helpful to have a clear process to follow. That’s where instructional design comes in. By outlining the steps you need to take to reach your goals, instructional design can help you make better decisions for your business.

Furthermore, instructional design can help you break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This makes it easier to see the big picture and make informed decisions about how to proceed. Additionally, instructional design can provide you with feedback loops that allow you to track your progress and make necessary adjustments along the way. As a result, you are more likely to achieve your desired outcome and avoid potential pitfalls.

Stay up to date with trends and technologies

It can be difficult for trainers to keep up with the latest trends and technologies, but instructional designers can help. By keeping up with trends and technologies, instructional designers can help create training that is more relevant and engaging for corporate learners.

Additionally, instructional designers can help identify when new technologies can be used to improve training effectiveness. Instructional designers know how to use a variety of media to create an engaging learning experience. They can use video, audio, images, and text to create an immersive experience that helps employees retain information.

Extended Shelf Life of Content

An instructional designer is trained to prioritize sustainability while creating a curriculum and a course. Instructional designers’ online training courses are renowned to survive for years without needing to be updated.

An instructional designer may achieve this because they use and leverage various technologies and methodologies to produce online training courses with minimal need for updating.

Even when an update is required, instructional designers take precautions to make sure that the particular section is given a certain amount of flexibility to accept the update without materially altering the course’s flow.

Conclusion

So, these are the top benefits of incorporating instructional design into the learning and development process in corporate settings. We hope that now you will realize how crucial it is to use instructional design in your company’s corporate training.

Featured image: Chatchai Limjareon, iStock. 

The post Instructional Design in Corporate Training: Skills Employees Need appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Given the fact that increasing numbers of people are able to complete everything from grocery shopping to work meetings online, it’s no surprise that CEUs (Continuing Education Units) are also available in virtual form. Online classes have been a thing for years, but CEUs tend to be more specialized.

They may not count towards the credits you’d need for a degree, but they can be just as valuable in terms of getting your dream job or salary. Even if you’re just taking a CEU because you want to explore a subject more in-depth, that could translate to concrete benefits for a future career.

In some fields, CEUs are mandatory in order to maintain a license or certification. For example, nurses and other medical professionals have to keep up with current medical research and breakthroughs, even if they got their degrees 30 years ago. They can use services like Nursing Central to bring them the information they need, which helps them to provide top-of-the-line care for their patients. They also have to prove that their medical knowledge is up-to-date by completing approved nursing CEUs.

Reasons why people take CEU courses at home

In a nutshell, the main motivation is convenience. However, that isn’t the only reason why people are opting for online CEUs. Let’s take a closer look at the details:

Budgetary reasons – Whether you’re taking a CEU or a regular college-level class, the online versions are often less expensive than typical classroom courses. The tuition is usually the same, but you’ll definitely save money on travel expenses.

There’s no need to travel – You might live in a town where the CEU options are limited, or you could have your heart set on a course that’s offered from across the globe. Whatever the case, an online CEU means you don’t have to worry about how you’d access the course.

You have other commitments – Attending class in a classroom is a lot more hassle than attending an online course. If all you have to do is park yourself in front of your computer for a set amount of time, you’ll probably find it a lot easier to squeeze a CEU into an already busy schedule.

You have an inflexible work schedule – Sure, night classes are a thing, but they aren’t common enough to rely on when you’re looking for the CEU you need. Since online CEUs let you listen to lectures and submit assignments at any time of day or night, this means that a tight work schedule won’t get in the way of continuing education.

Why do people take CEU courses in the first place?

Some jobs (such as nurses, doctors, or lawyers) require continuing education in order to maintain their licenses, but not everyone takes these courses because they have to. Some people take them for personal reasons. For instance, an advanced certification (which could be earned through a CEU) can increase lifetime earnings by up to 35% compared to just having a bachelor’s degree.

CEUs can also be a way to prove that you’re dedicated to your job. If employees want to make themselves seem more valuable to their bosses, a continuing education course can help do the trick. The same principle applies to anyone who’s looking for a job. The more qualified you are for a position, the more likely you are to get hired.

Differences between online and in-person CEUs

Taking a class online may be more convenient, but it also comes with its own challenges compared to traditional classes. Here’s how they stack up:

You’ll have to concentrate more – If you’re in a classroom, the most interesting thing in the room will (hopefully) be the professor. If you’re taking an online course, however, you could have more distractions than you can shake a stick at. There could be emails, texts, phone calls, kids, or co-workers. It’s certainly possible to remove yourself from all these distractions; it’ll just take more discipline than you might expect.

You’ll have to be more proactive – Depending on the course you’re taking, you might not have too much competition for the professor’s attention in the classroom. In a CEU, on the other hand, you could be one of the hundreds of students – and you have to do more than raise your hand if you have a question. If you run into a roadblock, you’ll have to make sure that you contact someone directly.

You’ll need better time-management skills – In-person classes may be less convenient, but they’re also harder to procrastinate on. You can take online CEUs when it suits you, but if you chronically delay assignments, you might end up in trouble if you leave everything until the last minute. If you’re going to take a CEU online, make sure you’re structured enough to get everything done on time.

You’ll need a certain amount of technical knowledge – This probably won’t be an issue for younger generations, but remember that CEUs are often taken by those who’ve already spent a decade or two in the workforce; they might not be that well acquainted with today’s technology. You’ll be navigating the platform where the CEU is made available, plus you could be using tools like Skype, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, or Microsoft Word. You’ll also need decent WiFi and a reliable computer.

You’d benefit from having good writing skills – This isn’t just about crafting well-written papers, although it wouldn’t hurt. It’s about being able to communicate with people you can’t see face-to-face. If you want to participate in discussions or explain what you need help with, you’ll need to be able to express yourself via the written word.

The Benefits of going digital

No matter what your reason happens to be for taking a CEU, you might benefit from doing it online. It’s more convenient, and it’s often more cost-effective. Millions of people in the US take CEUs each year, and growing numbers of people are choosing to complete the courses online. If you think it would be a good fit for you, maybe it’s time to give it a try yourself.

The post Continuing Education Units: Students Go Digital appeared first on eLearningInside News.

In most cases, homeschooled children find it difficult to focus due to distractions and being in a comfortable environment. If COVID-19 and remote learning has taught us anything, keeping young learners engaged at home takes a few more extra steps for educators.

So, here’s the big question: what do you do in these situations? How do you help your children stay focused when teaching math for 3rd graders? While there’s no magical remedy for improving focus, the following tips will certainly come in handy:

Slow down and start from the basics

While slowing down may seem counter-productive, it’s usually the best course of action if your child is struggling to stay focused when learning homeschool math. Slow down and ask the important questions. Why can’t children stay focused during math classes? Is it a developmental issue or is the pacing just too fast for them?

Typically, children tend to lose focus when they don’t understand the new concept being introduced. Thus, to help them, you should start from the basics. Teach kids basic math facts and concepts before moving on to more advanced concepts. This way, they’d be able to easily assimilate new concepts and stay focused while learning.

Utilize game-based learning

With the advent of EdTech, game-based learning is becoming a popular trend in schools and educational settings very fast. This is mostly because several experts have confirmed the significant role of the approach in boosting assimilation and retention.

Thus, if your child cannot stay focused when learning math, it may be time to bring out the big guns: educational games and apps. Every child loves playing games and thus, you’d be using a favorite past-time to lure them into staying focused. Typically, these apps teach math for kids online by curating educational content in the form of quests, missions, adventures, and whatnot.

Therefore, it might be in your best interest to introduce homeschool maths online games to your kid.

Use a different curriculum

Here’s the thing: learning can be a really tricky process. While your curriculum may work for child A, it might be a total disaster for child B. Thus, when teaching, it’s important to ensure that you’re using the best homeschool math curriculum. But what does it look like?

For starters, a great curriculum involves hands-on learning. Children need to get involved in hands-on activities when learning math. Whether it’s through online activities or board games, this vital puzzle piece should not be missing.

Another vital aspect worth considering is visuals. If your child is a visual learner rather than an auditory one, it’s advisable to include loads of visuals (pictures, diagrams, graphs, etc.) in the curriculum. This way, kids would learn faster and be able to retain information.

Take lots of breaks

How often does your child take breaks? While it’s certainly ambitious to hold math classes for hours on end, it’s a recipe for disaster. More often than not, your child’s attention would begin to wander after the first thirty minutes.

Thus, to boost their focus and reduce distractions, you should include breaks within each lesson. For instance, you may decide to introduce a 10-15 minute break each hour. This approach will help them relax and feel rejuvenated before hopping back into learning.

The more breaks kids take, the less frustrated or distracted they’d be when learning math.

Create a solid routine

Believe it or not, routines aren’t only for the Sheldon Coopers of this world. In fact, establishing a routine is a great way to achieve success. From skincare to exercises, routines almost always produce results.
The same applies to learning math (and just about any subject). Establishing a consistent studying routine will help your child become more focused.

For instance, if they have to do the math before lunchtime every day, it becomes a part of their daily lives. They’d begin to see math as a preliminary exercise to lunchtime, rather than an arbitrary subject. The result? Children become more focused and less prone to distractions.

Use incentives

Over the past couple of years, several debates have arisen surrounding the use of incentives in education. Some people argue that the use of a rewards scheme may cause children to learn solely for rewards rather than out of genuine interest.

While this argument is a valid point, it’s important to note that there are tons of positive incentives that can motivate your child to stay focused. For instance, you could let kids have an extra snack or try out a new activity they’ve been requesting for.

These incentives can be quite useful as long as you do not solely depend on them and they aren’t used too frequently.

Final Thoughts

Wondering how to help your child with math at home? You’re certainly not alone. Tons of homeschooling parents often try to keep their children focused, especially when it comes to learning math.

Fortunately, we’ve highlighted some of the best strategies to help your child focus their attention during lessons. Start by slowing down and going over the basics to make kids more receptive to new concepts.
Once you’ve done this, you can now take more drastic steps such as adjusting their curriculum and creating a study routine for a kid.

Featured image: ake1150sb, iStock.

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While the pandemic has been challenging to navigate, it helped us reflect on our choices. We realized that we need to find meaning in our work, be respected for our diligence, and prioritize happiness. To accomplish this task, you need to find a company that reflects your own values.

When high school and college graduates make that leap into the job market, it can be quite overwhelming to figure out where to start. Aligning aspirations, as well as skillset, is the sure-fire way students can ensure that they land a job they like and feel comfortable in. No matter what people want to do, their values as people must always be foregrounded.

What are Work Values?

Our work values are similar to our personal values, except they are directly tied to our jobs. For example, if you love to listen to different perspectives, you’ll want to look for a diversified and inclusive workplace. If you’re creative, you should gravitate towards art-based professions.

However, some values may not translate directly to the workplace or maybe too vague. For example, respect comes in many forms. If you want your boss to respect your time, you need to find an employer that offers flexibility. You need to know what you want to get what you need.

Why are Work Values Important?

Have you ever had a friend or romantic partner that didn’t align with your values? While you can come up with a compromise that suits both parties, it’s hard to keep both parties happy unless someone genuinely changes. But, genuine change doesn’t happen overnight, if at all.

Our values are important to us. When we aren’t living through them, we feel unhappy, maybe even guilty. We’re much happier when our value system aligns with those close to us.

Job satisfaction is largely determined by how your values align with your work environment. That’s why it’s very important to find a job that fits your personality. You should identify your work values, so you can understand what fulfils your professional and personal needs.

What are the Three Work Value Categories?

Our values are separated into three categories: intrinsic, extrinsic, and lifestyle. By using these categories, you can start to understand what’s important to you and your future career goals.

Intrinsic Values

An intrinsic value looks at a workplace environment and what keeps you motivated. If you find a job that satisfies one or multiple intrinsic values, you’ll have no problem making your way to work, even when you’re in a bad mood. Here are 3 examples of common intrinsic values:

Project Variety: Do you get bored easily, or can you do the same tasks repeatedly?
Competitiveness: Do you thrive or struggle in a competitive environment?
Feedback: Do you need to be recognized, or are you okay with a lack of feedback?

Find the “inside qualities” that make your work meaningful to you, besides external rewards.

Extrinsic Values

An extrinsic value is what you’re awarded for a job well done, after a milestone, or for simply showing up at work. However, most extrinsic values revolve around the benefits you receive or the conditions set in your workplace. Here are 3 examples of common extrinsic values:

Remote Work: Do you need to work remotely, or do you prefer the office?
International Travel: Do you like to travel for work, or would you choose to stay home?
Autonomy: Do you want a micromanager or a trusting employer?

Your external values play a big role in your ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Lifestyle Values

Although lifestyle values intersect with your intrinsic and extrinsic values, these relate more to your personal values. A lifestyle value determines where you want to live, where you want to be, and how you want to spend your free time. Here are 3 examples of common lifestyle values:

Living Abroad: Do you want to leave the U.S. to find a better job/life?
Saving Money: Do you need a job that pays well, so you can save money?
Family Time: Do you have a family? Will you have free time to spend with them?

A positive lifestyle will improve your mental and physical health, so prioritize your happiness.

How Do I Use My Values to Find a Job?

Once you’ve made a list of work values that matter the most to you, cross-reference them the next time you’re applying for a job. Research what all potential employers value by looking at their websites and social media. Speak to current and past employees, if possible.

When you make it to the interview stage, ask questions about their company culture. Be sure to talk about leadership values and conflict resolution strategies. You’re going to make mistakes, but if your employers are respectful of their feedback, you’ll likely thrive at the company.

Although your values matter to you know, they may change with time. It’s important to remain flexible and adjust accordingly. Or, you could focus on values that are likely to remain constant.

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You have been working hard at school for years, listening to your teachers, putting in the hours of homework and assignments and now here you are! Ready to apply to college and start off on this incredible journey into adulthood and hopefully the career of your dreams! It is an exciting time. What will the future hold? Who will you meet? What will you learn? But, before you allow the daydreaming to begin, here are 6 tips to make the step into college that little bit closer. The hard work is not over yet!

1) Plan for your SAT or ACT test.

The great thing about the SAT and ACT test is that there is technically no limit as to how many times you can take them – pass or fail – however each test costs money. Although some colleges have dropped this as a requirement since Covid made life so difficult for people at school, it can still be useful to get this one under your belt. This multiple-choice exam provides colleges with a single result which they can compare all students across the country with. It acts as a barometer for colleges to see how well you perform in the context of all your peers from across America. Normally done in the spring of your junior year or fall of your senior year, whenever you choose to take it, be sure to leave enough time for a retake if you want to elevate your scores and give yourself a better chance of getting that college spot.

2) Build up your portfolio of extra-curricular interests.

These days, it simply is not enough to study and get grades. Although grades will always be the most important criteria guaranteeing entry to colleges, increasingly, top colleges all over America look for applicants who have an extra string to their bow: something that shows they are really willing to go the extra mile and knuckle down to achieve success. However, it is important to bear in mind that it is definitely quality over quantity here, with assessors looking for significant extracurricular achievements in their applicants, rather than those who try to cram in as many activities as possible into their time. So, don’t get stressed trying to do something active every moment of the day either. Choose your preferred extra-curricular activity wisely and remember to rest too! If you wanted to, you could even take a gap year before college to travel and give yourself extra time to build up your experience. Have you considered teaching abroad? Plenty of people use this as a way to add interest to their application in time for college. This can be a fantastic way to show you mean business when it comes to applying yourself. Take a look at this course which can help you to earn while in college.

3) Get organised.

You are going to have a lot on your plate as you approach the end of your school career and get ready for your college career. Multiple subjects to think about and various school and extra-curricular commitments will mean you need to design yourself a schedule. Time to get your highlighters and squared paper out! Sit down and put some time aside to make your own study timetable. Organise your week so you know when your extra-curricular activities happen, when you’re likely to have the most assignments and when you might need some free time. Remember you need to rest too! Planning your week can work really well, but remember that you might need some flexibility. Perhaps you’ll plan your math slot for Monday evening, but once you get home from school you find yourself preferring to do your English assignment instead. You could try having some blank hours planned for study, but which you can fill as you need.

4) Choose a way to organise your study time.

Now you have your timetable to guide you through the week, have a think about how you work best. Do you naturally find yourself working for longer periods of time stopping only for lunch and comfort breaks? Or are you easily distracted and need a little self-discipline? For those of us in the latter category, you might find the Pomodoro Technique helpful: chunk work in sessions of 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. Complete 4 of these chunks in a row and you earned a 15-30 break!

5) Study, study, study.

Now you have your schedule and desired time management system in place, it is time to get your nose to the grindstone. Unfortunately, there is just no substitute for putting in the hours and keeping that learning fresh. You can make things easier and more exciting for yourself by throwing in some practice papers, researching for study guides and games and asking your teacher for suggestions. More and more colleges are also giving their students the flexibility of e-learning.

6) Get familiar with your desired colleges.

Learn what your colleges like to see. Have a look at their website, send an email to a college tutor or see if you can speak to someone who is at that college already. Perhaps someone in your family has gone there, or a friend or a friend is studying there. Use your contacts! How was their application process? What made it easier? People usually want to see you succeed and will be willing to help you with a little advice. You can then use all this advice to tailor your personal statement.

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For parents today, the choice of possible schools is endless. From after-school programs on intensive language learning to online courses in coding, children have never before had so much education at their fingertips. To navigate this abundance of choices, a school directory guide is essential. It will help parents find the best schools for their kids, whether they’re pre-K or college-bound.

What is a school directory?

A school directory helps parents search for a school that suits their child’s needs. It provides information on schools in the area, including their location and ratings. You can sometimes even find reviews from other parents who go to the same school as you.

How to use a school directory?

A school and education directory is a list of students’ names, alphabetically organized by the last name, and usually found on the front cover. It includes information on every student in this particular school district/region. A parent can use it to find out who their child’s friends are or look up an individual they know to see if that person attends the same institution as well.

A teacher may refer students seeking assistance with homework assignments shown in class lists or for those needing help locating materials about certain topics; staff members might also have after-school meetings with parents based on the student roster printed from directories.

Parents and guardians will often keep updated copies at home too so they always know where their children are located during break times between classes when schedules change (for example lunchtime). This practice ensures safety should anything happen while away from supervision.

Electronic school directory

An electronic school directory is the easiest way to find schools that suit your needs. The directories provide information about parent and student demographics, class sizes, teacher-to-student ratios and more. They also let you look up reviews from teachers, parents and students to help you decide whether a school is right for you.

Online school directory

One of the first things to consider is what type of school you want. If you’re looking for something that offers a lot of one-on-one instruction or support, then an online school directory may be a better option. Online schools are great for students who need help outside of class or families that live in remote areas. They also work well for students who can’t be on campus during regular hours because they’re working or have younger siblings at home.

An online school directory offers online coursework and instruction, but you may want to look into other options as well if your child needs more support than just the occasional email from their teacher.

Mobile app school directory

Another option is to search a mobile app directory, which you can use to look up information about schools. A mobile app school directory lets you see information about specific schools, including their address and phone number, as well as hours of operation and class schedules. You can also search for schools by location or even by subject. This type of directory is great for parents who want to check out a school on the go or who need to make sure they’re keeping their options open in case they move.

Bottom line

Finding the right school for your kids can feel like a daunting task. There are so many options: public, private, charter, magnet, homeschooling—the list goes on. When it comes to choosing a school for your child, it’s important to do your research. A lot of people don’t realize that there are also specialized schools for children with different needs and interests. For example, there are schools for children who have ADHD or are over-achievers.

There are plenty of factors to consider when picking an elementary school for your child, but it is always helpful to find out what the state and district offer in terms of programs and services before you decide which school is best for you and your kid. Start your search by looking at schools near you with great reputations first before expanding outward from there. Once you identify some good candidates, visit their websites and look into their curriculum offerings (especially if you want a more academically focused environment), student-teacher ratios, available electives, AP offerings, and extracurriculars offered. This will help you narrow down the field until you find just the right fit.

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