DADYMINDS MAGAZINE™

THE SIDE HUSTLE TO TRY IN 2023

noreply@blogger.com (DADYMINDS MAGAZINE) — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 06:22:00 +0000

Hi Friend,

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The 9 Most Important Social Media Trends for 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:25:00 +0000

The 9 Most Important Social Media Trends for 2022

Working in an industry that morphs faster than a Power Ranger can be tough — the social media landscape is always changing. If you’re wondering what’s hot, what’s not, and how to fit social media trends into your strategy… you’re definitely not alone. But, don’t worry, we have answers.

We looked at the 5 key trends outlined in Hootsuite’s global Social Trends 2022 report, along with data from our survey of over 18,000 marketers to bring you this list of 9 social media trends that are dominating the industry in 2022 — and might even change the way you do your job.

9 Social Media Trends for 2022

1. TikTok will become the most important social network for marketing (??!)

2. You will start spending big ad dollars on smaller networks

3. Shoppers will want to expect to buy your products directly on social media

4. No one will want to talk to your brand on the phone

5. Long-form video is bust, except on YouTube

6. You will outsource (at least some of) your engagement tactics to a Creator

7. You need to learn paid advertising (even if you don’t do ads yet)

8. You won’t post anything without a social listening strategy

9. Your VP will ask you to develop a social audio strategy

Download the full Social Trends report to get an in-depth analysis of the data you need to prioritize and plan your social strategy in 2022.

1. TikTok will become the most important social network for marketing (??!)

Instagram has held the #1 spot in most social marketers’ hearts for the past few years. It was growing the fastest, had the highest returns on investment (depending on your industry), and (bonus) was pretty fun to hang out on. But that’s changing now.

TikTok surpassed the 1 billion user mark in September 2021. That made it the 7th most popular social network in the world.

If you exclude messaging networks, TikTok is the 4th most popular social media network after Instagram.

Why is this a big deal? Well, in January 2021, it only had 689 million users. That’s a 45% increase in less than a year.

And this comes after its largest growth spurt of all: a global user base increase of 1,157% between 2018 and 2020.

To put this into perspective, Instagram’s monthly active users grew at a rate of 6% in 2020.

Even more interesting? Google Search Trends shows that TikTok completely dominates Instagram’s short-form video content.

Over the last year, search demand for TikTok has grown by 173%. But search demand for Instagram Reels has only grown by 22%. And it has decreased by 33% for Instagram Stories.

But despite TikTok’s rapid growth, most businesses are hesitant to invest in the network. Take the results from Hootsuite’s Social Media Trends report.

Only 35% of respondents said they planned on increasing their investment in TikTok in the next year. Most businesses continue to place big bets on reliable networks like Instagram and Facebook.

But that’s not the whole story. When asked which social platforms they considered most effective for reaching their business goals, 24% said TikTok. This is a 700% increase over 2020.

TikTok introduced several helpful business tools in 2020 and 2021, including business profiles, ads, and a creator marketplace. This could be why businesses are feeling more optimistic about it this year.

To-Do List: If brands aren’t flocking to TikTok yet, they will be soon. We recommend being at the front of the wave rather than behind it.

Grab an account handle for your brand
Explore TikTok so you can start feeling fluent on the platform and find some ideas
Sketch out the basics of your TikTok marketing strategy
Use a social media management tool like Hootsuite to easily schedule your TikToks, moderate comments, and measure your success on the platform from one handy dashboard.

2. You will start spending big ad dollars on smaller networks

Of all the social media trends on this list, this one is perhaps the most surprising.

New research shows that consumers may be more receptive to advertising on smaller channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and Pinterest than the bigger social networks.

A study by Kantar, commissioned by TikTok, found that consumers ranked TikTok ads as more inspiring and enjoyable than ads on other platforms.
A Nielson study commissioned by Snapchat found that ads on Snapchat had more reach than TV ads and led to greater awareness and purchase intent.
A Pinterest Business study showed that ads on Pinterest had higher ROI and cheaper conversion rates than ads on other social networks.

Google Search Trends also show increasing search demand over the last two years for ads on these networks. TikTok is leading the charge.

This chart shows that rumors of good results are spreading. And curiosity about advertising on the smaller networks goes beyond self-funded studies.

Our hypothesis? The smaller networks aren’t as saturated with ads as Facebook and Instagram, so users may suffer less from ad fatigue.

Many social pros also had to diversify their ads strategy in early 2021 in response to the Apple iOS 14 update. This was when Apple announced an “opt into ads tracking” option for all Apple users, blocking Facebook’s ability to target a vast chunk of its audience.

Most importantly though, TikTok, Pinterest, and Snapchat all encourage advertisers to make their ads “fit in” with organic content that is already being posted by regular users.

The result is ads that are more entertaining and less disruptive, increasing conversions and all-around good vibes for businesses.

French beauty brand MAKE UP FOREVER ran an in-feed TikTok ad as part of a larger brand awareness campaign. It features a creator testing and reviewing a new foundation as they would on their own channel.

The campaign generated more than 11 million impressions and 10 million video views for the brand across France.

To-Do List:

Take a closer look at your engagement across all platforms. Have you been underestimating Pinterest users? Neglecting the potential of your Snapchat audience?
Study the content people post on that network. See if you can improve your brand’s tone to fit in with the vibe there.
Experiment with creating ads on that network. Or test a new network, especially if you’ve discounted it as too much effort for organic content in the past.

3. Shoppers will want to expect to buy your products directly on social media

Before the pandemic, social commerce was a flashy opportunity for the most innovative businesses (mattress disruptors, eyeglass disruptors—basically you had to call yourself a disruptor before you’d let your customers shop on social).

But increased social media consumption combined with stay-at-home mandates created the perfect conditions for a social shopping explosion. Which is not going away.

eMarketer predicts social commerce will be an $80 billion industry by 2025. It’s riding the coattails of equally massive e-commerce growth (an increase of 18% in 2020 alone).

81% of shoppers were already using social media to discover new brands and research products before the pandemic. Many businesses have figured out that letting these users checkout in the same app just makes sense.

After all, navigating to a website is an extra step, which is an extra potential leak in your conversion funnel. Especially on mobile, where cart abandonment rates are high.

Most social networks have in-app shopping solutions now, including live video, and are working to provide new features to meet rising demand. But Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are the most popular. And TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube aren’t far behind.

Instagram added a “Shop” tab to the Explore page in 2020

To-Do List

Social commerce likely won’t replace e-commerce soon. But, depending on your business, you shouldn’t be designing a retail experience without thinking about it.

If you sell products to people, set up a Facebook Shop and/or an Instagram Shop. Or, test out Product Pins on Pinterest.
There’s some design flexibility in these shops, so make the customer experience as visually seamless with your brand as you can.
Don’t worry about getting your whole inventory up. Focus on curating the items you think your Instagram followers will like best.
Experiment with shoppable posts, or even ads! This will allow customers to see your products in context—and then place an order in just a few taps.

4. No one will want to talk to your brand on the phone

Between lockdowns, halting global supply chains, and labor shortages, consumers have had more urgent questions for businesses than ever before. And they’ve discovered they can get answers to those questions more conveniently using social media.

In a Nielsen survey commissioned by Facebook, 64% of people said they would prefer to message rather than call a business. And according to Gartner, 60% of all customer service requests will be managed via digital channels by 2023.

Despite the rise in demand, many organizations aren’t ready to deliver effective customer support over social media yet.

Hootsuite’s 2022 Customer Care Survey shows that 71% of organizations have either not started investing in social customer care yet, or they don’t plan to invest at all.

But our more recent Social Media Trends survey data suggests that the tide may be turning. 59% of respondents agreed that social customer care has increased in value for their organization.

To-Do List

Start thinking about a social media customer service strategy.
Create network-specific response templates for frequently asked questions.
If you haven’t already, try using a chatbot to improve your response time.
Merge your customer service conversations in one tool. (Naturally, we suggest Sparkcentral or Hootsuite Inbox.)
Train your social media marketing team in customer support best practices. Better yet, hire dedicated customer service agents for your social channels.

5. Long-form video is bust, except on YouTube

According to video hosting software company Vidyard, 60% of all videos published on the internet in 2020 were under 2 minutes long.

Source: Vidyard

This stat puts video length on social media platforms into perspective.

Two years ago, with the advent of IGTV and Facebook Watch (not to mention the supposed demise of Snapchat), there was a moment when we all thought the long-form video was the future.

YouTube, known for its long-form educational videos, was rewarding videos that passed the 10-minute mark. And Facebook wanted to compete in the same arena.

Businesses rushed to make “tv series” for their social platforms. Will Smith even narrated an IGTV show for National Geographic. It seemed like Facebook might not only be taking on YouTube but cable TV networks as well.

But then TikTok arrived in North America. In response, Instagram launched Reels in late 2020, and the rest is history.

Fast forward to fall 2021.

Instagram has deprecated IGTV. No one talks about Facebook Watch anymore. And even YouTube, the last bastion of long-form video on social media, has introduced a new format. You guessed it: YouTube Shorts.

The success of Reels and TikTok follows the success of Stories (another short-form video format), which saw rapid user uptake from 2018 to 2020.

Unfortunately, Facebook hasn’t updated the 500 million user count for Stories since the release of Reels in 2020, so we can’t really tell if it has grown. But attempts to copy the disappearing short-form video format on Twitter and LinkedIn failed in 2021. RIP Fleets and LinkedIn Stories.

This suggests that social media users won’t watch just any short-form videos. They have to be entertaining and engaging too. Also, perhaps disappearing content isn’t as big a draw as it used to be.

Whatever the reason, Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey shows that businesses prefer short-form videos too.

Nearly 40% of respondents said that they use short-form videos to sell products/services.

To-Do List:

If your goal is to reach new followers, experiment with TikTok videos.
If your goal is to re-engage your existing Instagram audience, experiment with Reels.
If you have success with short-form videos on one platform, try it on others. And take note of the results. As always, you’ll want to translate videos for each channel. No TikTok watermarks on Reels, please!

6. You will outsource (at least some of) your engagement tactics to a Creator

The creator economy has been around for about a decade. But it boomed during the pandemic as people looked for ways to diversify their income (due to unemployment, a sudden influx of spare time, or both).

But we’re not just talking about millionaire YouTube stars. It’s now considered common for regular folks to monetize their hobbies, create a second income stream, or find freelance work through social media too.

Hence the rise of the term “Creator.”

“Creator” encompasses both professional influencer marketers and amateur content creators — basically anyone who writes, edits, designs, and films content to publish on social media with an entrepreneurial motivation.

As of 2021, 50 million people consider themselves to be creators on social networks. And businesses are set to spend $15 billion on influencer marketing by 2022.

In the U.S. alone, 72.5% of marketers are projected to make use of influencer marketing by 2022.

Source: eMarketer

Social networks are both driving and responding to this boom by adding many new native monetization tools, such as:

TikTok’s Creator Marketplace
Instagram’s Collabs
Instagram’s Branded Content Ads
Facebook’s Brand Collabs Manager
YouTube Brand Connect
Twitter’s paid, Super Follows

These tools are all geared to get content creators paid, so they can keep adding value for brands and users on their chosen platforms.

Plus, they help the networks hang on to their slice of that $15 billion pie. That is until one of the thousands of third-party “creator monetization” apps that have sprung up in the last few years finally cracks the code.

To-Do List: Whatever your niche (plant fanatics, goth Harry Potter fans, ASMR receptionists, etc.), there is a creator with an already established fan base waiting to partner with you. And they’ll do a better job of creating authentic, long-term customer relationships than any brand account could ever hope to!

Define your target audience (a.k.a. the people you want to reach) — and which platform they’re on.
Browse creator marketplaces to make a shortlist of people who have clout with that audience.
Get ready to pay fair rates. Even the most micro of creators know their worth and won’t be willing to work for free.

7. You need to learn paid advertising (even if you don’t do ads yet)

Honestly, this social media trend has been around for a few years. But it’s still worth mentioning, especially given what we found in Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey.

43% of respondents said “the decline of organic reach and the need to increase paid advertising budgets” was their biggest challenge on social media. This is second only to consistently coming up with ideas for content.

But that was for respondents overall. Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) listed the decline of organic reach as their #1 challenge.

This makes sense. The decline of organic reach has been well-documented for years, especially on Facebook and Instagram. And most SMBs have limited funds to put towards “pay-to-play” tactics.

The pandemic caused some ups and downs for social advertising. Businesses reduced their spending on ads. And the ones that continued to spend complained about low returns on over-saturated networks.

Plus, Apple allowed users to opt-out of Facebook tracking. This caused Facebook advertisers to reinvent how they did their ad targeting.

But the fact remains that the average organic reach for a Facebook post is 5.2%.

That means only 5% of your followers may ever see your posts if you don’t put any paid budget behind them.

Sure, you can expand your social media strategy to other networks where it’s still possible to go viral without spending a dime. (*Ahem* TikTok.) But chances are you’re not going to leave the audiences you worked so hard to grow.

No matter what your budget, someone on your social marketing team is going to have to at least learn how to boost. And everyone is going to have to learn the basics of audience targeting.

To-Do List:

Keep using organic social media content to increase brand awareness, deliver customer service, and encourage audience engagement, charming people along the buying journey. Refer to the handy Venn diagram below for more information.
Experiment with promoting your top posts to reach new potential customers.
If you’re ready to level up your ads game, consider investing in a solution like Hootsuite Social Advertising. It allows you to publish ads to Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and track their performance in the same dashboard.

8. You won’t post anything without a social listening strategy

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses jumped on board the social listening train for the first time. They liked being able to respond in real-time to questions and conversations with their customers during a health crisis.

But as the pandemic progressed (and was buffeted by ongoing political upheaval, labor shortages, and increased resentment towards corporations), even more businesses learned that social listening could help them understand their customers’ changing preferences and avoid PR mishaps.

This trend is backed by data from Hootsuite’s 2022 Social Media Trends survey. Most respondents said that they either somewhat or strongly agree that social listening has increased in value for their organization over the past 12 months.

We also see that Google search demand for keywords like “social listening” and “social listening tools” is up 22% year-over-year. This means that more people are on the hunt to either find out what social listening is or buy a tool for their business.

To-Do List

Set up three search streams in your preferred social media management tool (if you don’t have one yet, try Hootsuite for free for 30 days) for the following:
- - Your brand mentions, branded hashtags, products, and spokespeople
  - Your competitors’ brand mentions, branded hashtags, products, and spokespeople
  - Keywords and hashtags important to your industry as a whole
Watch our super-informative intro to the social listening video:

Make sure that the people who make decisions have access to what you learn. Whether you’re running a one-woman flower shop or have a team of two hundred marketers, social listening will surface issues and opportunities that can affect the whole business.

Try Streams in Hootsuite

9. Your VP will ask you to develop a social audio strategy

Clubhouse launched in April 2020 but grew steeply in popularity in early 2021.

Twitter launched its social audio platform, Spaces, quickly after. And Facebook is also reportedly trying to enter the ephemeral live audio format.

These events had many social marketing teams, including Hootsuite’s, scrambling to decide whether it was worth investing in a social audio strategy. And as our 2022 Social Media Trends survey shows, the majority of businesses seem to think it is worth it.

When asked specifically how they were planning to invest, results were fairly mixed across the board. But the most popular option was “hosting/leading audio live streams as thought leaders.”

(Side note: props to everyone who’s been assigned the job of creating a company podcast. Blink twice if you want us to send help.)

Let’s break down the data even further.

Our survey found that it was most often VPs and mid- to large-size companies who planned to invest in social audio and thought leadership, as well as companies that were already very confident about proving social media’s return on investment (i.e., companies that use highly sophisticated social marketing tactics).

This makes sense. Thought leadership is seen as a great opportunity for social audio content because it enables one or two people to speak to a large crowd. For those who have the boldness and the budget, it’s a big opportunity to build trust in your brand and directly connect with potential customers.

That said, because of the skill and time involved, social audio is not a particularly cheap form of content marketing. This is one of the reasons we predict small businesses will be slower to adopt it. You’ve got to have the cash to make an investment upfront on a format that hasn’t proved ROI for anyone yet.

Lastly, Clubhouse has stated that ads won’t ever be a part of its business model.

This is either a pro or a con for businesses, depending on how you look at it. Either way, the lack of ads means integrating your brand into Clubhouse will take some imagination.

And the path to ROI will be a long and winding one, which may often include redirecting listeners to your other social media channels.

To-Do List:

You don’t have to choose one particular social audio platform over another. But you should start thinking about how your business can take advantage of social audio in general, now.
Once you’ve got an idea of the value you could bring to listeners, start thinking about specific platforms. For example, try using Spaces to engage your existing community on Twitter. Try Clubhouse to connect with new followers.
Tap the thought leaders (hopefully good, charismatic humans with plenty of improv experience) in your company to host a talk on behalf of your brand. And make sure you hire a pro moderator who can help minimize the risk of trolls and unwelcome questions.
If no one fits the thought leader bill in your company, consider partnering with an influencer who matches your brand values to host a talk on your behalf.

That’s it! These are the 9 social media trends we think you need to know to stay on top of your game in 2022. Which ones did you see coming? And which ones surprised you? Leave us a comment below to let us know.

You’ve read the social media trends. Now let Hootsuite help you stay ahead of them.

Get a full suite of tools to help you manage every aspect of your brand’s social media presence.

From a single dashboard you can easily:

Create, edit and schedule posts to every network
Find out what your best times to post are based on your unique, historical data
Track relevant keywords, topics, and accounts
Respond to comments and direct messages with a universal inbox
Get easy-to-understand performance reports to help improve your strategy as needed

The Kardashian Family Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:43:00 +0000

The Kardashian Family Tree: Who's who in America's most famous family?

With so many baby arrivals, it is getting pretty hard to keep up with the Kardashians...

The Kardashian family holds some serious power. From their reality show, the multiple beauty, and fashion companies, to the endless stream of family drama hogging the headlines, this family is experts at stealing the spotlight.

And for good reason – they provide endless entertainment and some very aesthetically pleasing pics to look at. Though the iconic Keeping Up With The Kardashians ended in June 2021 after 20 drama and laughter-filled seasons, we, of course, now have the family's new reality show The Kardashians, which has been renewed for season 2 on Disney+. But can you keep up with the Kardashian/Jenner clan?

From Kim Kardashian and her sister Kourtney physically fighting in one of KUWTK's most iconic episodes to Khloe Kardashian's relationship woes and the love triangle between her father’s baby Tristan Thompson and Kylie Jenner’s best friend Jordyn Woods, and of course, the most famous momager on the planet, Kris Jenner – we understand that it's pretty hard to keep up with the Kardashians.

Kourtney Kardashian reminded everyone her kids don’t have Instagram accounts

Can we practice a little media literacy, please?

Former GLAMOUR UK cover star, Kylie Jenner, is officially the world's youngest ‘self-made’ billionaire thanks to her now an iconic brand, Kylie Cosmetics, which includes those popular lip kits and skincare. Kendall Jenner, meanwhile, is one of the world's highest-paid models, Caitlyn Jenner is a former Olympic champion, and the family as a whole is now said to be worth billions thanks to their endeavors in beauty, fashion, and endorsement deals.

Aaaand if you thought that wasn't enough, the family seems to multiply by the day. Kim Kardashian now has four children, North West, Psalm West, Chicago West, and Saint West - two of whom were born via surrogate. Kourtney has three: Mason Dash Disick, Reign Aston Disick, and Penelope Scotland Disick, while Kylie has two children with Travis Scott – Stormi Webster and a son, formerly Wolf Webster, whose name the couple changed after feeling it didn't suit him. They haven't yet revealed his new name.

Why Khloé Kardashian is waiting to name her baby boy

The reality star recently welcomed her second child with ex Tristan Thompson.

Rob Kardashian has one child, Dream Renée Kardashian, and Khloé has two children with ex-partner Tristan Thompson – daughter True and a son born by surrogate in August 2022. They haven't yet announced his name.

With the family evolving constantly, you will be excused if you still haven't learned which Kardashian-Jenner sister is, or frankly, why they're even famous. Well, believe us, you're not alone.

As we await another season of iconic Kardashian drama, we've broken down the most famous of family trees in our extensive who's who list because, honestly, someone has to! You can thank us later…

Kim Kardashian just debuted a blunt blonde bob and it's *so* short

Come thru, Kimi.

GETTY IMAGES
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians Klan
Who: Kris and Bruce Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Robert Kardashian Jr, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner.
Known for: Kris Jenner's life sounded like the plot of Cheaper by the Dozen when she remarried in 1991. She had four children from her previous marriage to American attorney Robert Kardashian (who unfortunately passed away in 2003 due to esophageal cancer), and so did Bruce Jenner, who had shot to fame as an Olympic athlete.
The couple welcomed together two more baby girls, Kendall and Kylie.
During the Noughties, the second oldest Kardashian sister, Kim, began appearing in gossip magazines; after making friends with Paris Hilton, and dating singer Ray J. In 2007, the Kardashian-Jenners scored their own reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which is still airing to this day. Bruce's children from his previous marriage, Brody, Brandon, and Burt, were not featured in most of the seasons.
Let's break down the members of the family individually, shall we?
GETTY IMAGES
Kim Kardashian
Who: Founder of SKKN and Skims, and the star of the show
Known for: Being the queen of selfies, emojis, and frankly, all social media; her internet-breaking bum, her fashion evolution, contouring skills, and the story of her rise to fame.
Kim Kardashian is the middle sister and probably the best known. Growing up, Kim Kardashian hung out with Paris Hilton (and Nicole Richie, of course), and consequently, her name made the tabloids. At just 19, in 2000, Kim got married to music producer Damon Thomas, and they divorced three years later.
Not long after, Kim started dating the American singer Ray J and the couple infamously made a sex tape that was leaked on the internet.
@KIMKARDASHIAN / INSTAGRAM
Kim Kardashian's kids
Who: Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, North West, Saint West, Chicago West, Psalm West
Their story: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West seemed meant to be, not only for their love of the limelight but also because a romance blossomed from a friendship. Fans of the rapper already knew he only had eyes for Kim, rapping on his 2012 album: "And I'll admit, I had fell in love with Kim; Around the same time she had fell in love with him; Well that's cool, baby girl, do ya thang; Lucky I ain't had Jay drop him from the team" - Jay Z owns the Brooklyn Nets, FYI - the basketball team for which Kris Humphries played at the time.
Kim and Kanye started dating in the spring of that year. One year later and the couple was expecting their first baby, North West. North was born in 2013 before her parents got engaged, but of course, a proposal was already in the works. In October 2013, Kanye proposed to Kim Kardashian, closing San Francisco's AT&T park, surrounded by their family and friends - while the Jumbotron showed the words: "Please marry me".
In 2014, the Kardashian-Wests tied the knot in a very exclusive ceremony in Florence, Italy, after celebrating their engagement in Paris and months after they made the cover of American Vogue. In February 2016, after two years of happily married, the power couple welcomed their second child, baby Saint West.
The Kardashian-Wests welcomed their third child - via surrogate since Kim was told by doctors that she would put her life at risk if she got pregnant again. The baby girl was born on January 15, 2018, and is named Chicago West. They then had their fourth child via a surrogate, Psalm West, who was born on May 10, 2019. They’re now sadly going through a divorce, so we hope they can resolve their issues amicably.
- GETTY IMAGES
  North West
  Who: Kim and Kanye’s Eldest daughter
  Known for: Her super sassy personality, and she carefully curated wardrobe.
  North West is still in her early teens but her wardrobe gives many grown-ups major style envy. Well her parents are Kim Kardashian and Yeezy designer Kanye West. North is BFF with her older cousin Penelope, Kourtney's daughter.
- GETTY IMAGES
  Saint West
  Who: Otherwise known as Sainte. This is Kim’s and Kanye’s second born.
  Known for: Just look at that face! The Kardashian-West's youngest is his dad's mini-me in the style stakes. Although Saint is often featured in his mum's Instagram feed, he didn’t make frequent appearances on the family's show, just like his siblings.
- @CHICAGOWST / INSTAGRAM
  Chicago West
  Who: Known as Chi, this is Kim and Kanye’s third born.
  Known for: Her surprising name. Baby Chicago was named after her dad's hometown.
  She was born on January 15th of 2018.
  Kim announced her arrival, via her website in a post titled: 'She's here. Not long after Kim shared a couple of photos of her baby girl on her Insta Stories and Snapchat - and she is super adorable.
- @KIMKARDASHIAN / INSTAGRAM
  Psalm West
  Who: Kim and Kanye’s youngest baby
  Known for: Being the youngest baby of the family. Kim and Kanye welcomed son Psalm 'Ye' West into the world on the 2nd of May 2019, and one month later they’d shared his first-ever solo shot.
  The reality star and businesswoman shared the adorable image of her newborn son with her millions of Instagram followers with the caption 'Psalm Ye'.
- - GETTY IMAGES
    Kourtney Kardashian
    Who: Eldest sister, founder of Posh
    Known for Her quick-witted, sassy come-backs, loving all things organic, and her petite stature. Kourtney is the oldest of the Kardashian sisters. Before stardom hit, she studied Theatre Arts at the University of Arizona, where she got her bachelor's degree. After graduating, she went on to star in Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive, and not long after, her family got their big break with Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She is also known for a heated catfight with sister Kim and for being dubbed by Kim K as the "least interesting to look at".
    Kourtney's love life has centered around her on-off relationship with Scott Disick since her early 20s.
    Since their split, Kourtney enjoyed a brief romance with Younes Bendjima, but they have since split up, and she is now married to the love of her life, Travis Barker.
  - @KOURTNEYKARDASH / INSTAGRAM
    Kourtney Kardashian's kids
    Who: Kourtney Kardashian, Scott Disick, Mason Disick, Penelope Disick, Reign Disick
    Their story: Kourtney and her ex Scott welcomed Mason, the first grandchild of the Kardashian clan, in 2009. Then they had a little girl, Penelope, in 2012, and two years later, a baby boy Reign. Kourtney and Scott never tied the knot and don't share a last name.
    In December 2016, the couple called it quits on their relationship once again, but this time the breakup seemed to be for good. Kourtney and her now-husband Travis Barker have made it public that they are trying for their first child.
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    Mason Dash Disick
    Who: The eldest son of Kourtney and Scott, also known as Mase.
    Known for: Being a boy of few words like his mum and having secret social media accounts/ jumping on live to spill family secrets.
    Mason is the oldest of the Kardashian's third generation and we've seen him grow up on the TV. While his parents do have an on-off relationship and Mase lives with his mum, his dad Scott has a very present role in his life, the duo is known for hanging out together and traveling by themselves.
    Mase is also really close to his aunts, Khloé and Kim, or Koko and Kiki as he calls them.
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    Penelope Scotland Disick
    Who: Kourtney and Scott’s second child, also known as P.
    Known for: Her cool girl wardrobe, rocking matching outfits (and tutus) with North, looking like the spitting image of her big brother.
    Penelope is frequently referred to as P by her family. Equally as stylish as her cousin North, she has a wardrobe full of leather jackets and ripped jeans. P and North take ballet classes together and with her baby brother, Reign. Cute!
  - - @LETTHELORDBEWITHYOU / INSTAGRAM
      Reign Aston Disick
      Who: Kourtney and Scott’s youngest child
      Known for: His man-bun and luscious locks are a signature look.
      Reign is Kourtney and Scott's youngest. Just like Saint West, we have yet to see him on the show. The little one is constantly spotted on his mum's hip wearing cool outfits and a man-bun (baby-bun?), he also goes to music classes with his big sister.
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      Khloe Kardashian
      Who: Good American co-founder and youngest Kardashian sister
      Known for: Her dedication to the gym and her straight-talking approach, oh and those immaculate cookie jars in her kitchen.
      Khloé is the youngest of the Kardashian sisters and weirdly has made more TV appearances than Kim. She's been in three spin-offs of the original family series and was the star of two shows from E!, Kocktails with Khloé and Revenge Body. She also did a short stint as a host of the American version of The X Factor, next to Mario Lopez, and had her own radio show, The Mix Up With Khloé Kardashian Odom.
      Khloé looks rather different from her sisters which have sparked rumors about her parentage. She was home-schooled as a child as she recalls being bullied on KUWTK.
      Khloé became a fitness enthusiast a few years ago and showed off her body transformation in her book, 'Strong Looks, Better Naked'. The book was a best seller and inspired E!'s Revenge Body series.
    - @REALTRISTAN13 / INSTAGRAM
      Khloe Kardashian's kids
      Who: Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian, True Thompson
      Their story: Canadian basketball player Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian have been dating since 2016 on and off, although they’re not married yet, there have been rumors of an engagement.
      In April 2018, Khloe gave birth to their baby girl called True Thompson. After rumors of Tristan cheating on Khloe during her pregnancy, the couple finally came to blows when it was revealed he'd cheated on Khloe again, but this time with Kylie's BFF, Jordyn Woods.
      The pair decided to give their relationship another go, however, in December 2021, it emerged that Tristan had fathered a child with a woman named Maralee Nichols. Khloe officially split from Tristan.
      Despite not being in a relationship, Khloe and her ex Tristan recently welcomed their second child, a baby boy, together via surrogate. They have yet to share his name.
    - @TRUETHOMPSONK / INSTAGRAM
      True Thompson
      Who: Khloe and Tristan Thompson’s child.
      Known for: True Thompson is the first daughter of Khloe Kardashian and Canadian basketball player, Tristan Thompson. She is best known for being cute AF and sprinkling said cuteness throughout mum Khloe's Instagram feed. She knows how to wear Haute headpieces and work a super cute Princess-esque dress, too.
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        Kylie Jenner
        Who: Youngest sibling of the Kardashian-Jenner family, first billionaire of the family, founder of Kylie Cosmetics
        Known for: Her beauty empire, her lips, almost dethroning Kim as the queen of social media, and her daring outfits.
        Kylie Jenner may be the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenners, but at 19 years old, the star has already built a beauty empire based on her signature look (plump pouts are now a big thing because of her). Her USP, the lip kit, which consists of a lip pencil and lip paint, consistently sells out in seconds. The same goes for everything she launches. Don't believe us? Ask Forbes. Kylie is the youngest celeb to make the Forbes 100.
        Kylie has been in an on-off relationship with rapper Tyga, in her late teens. The couple then split up for good, and she was then spotted dating Travis Scott, and the parents have been seen going on and off ever since. It appears they’re on at the moment.
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        Kylie Jenner's kids
        Who: Kylie Jenner, Travis Scott, Stormi Webster
        Their story: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott had been dating since April 2017. After two months of dating, the pair were seen getting matching tattoos, all before revealing they were expecting their first baby together. The matching butterfly tattoo holds a strong meaning for the couple. Travis' track 'The Butterfly Effect, was released in May that year, just after they started dating.
        Back in October 2019, they called time on things, and reports of the time, like TMZ, said, the couple decided to put their relationship on hold after a long period of rows. Kylie and Travis recently reignited their relationship recent after three years of co-parenting on and off.
        In March, they welcomed their second child, a baby boy. They named him Wolf but later revealed that they changed his name as it didn't feel right.
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        Stormi Webster
        Who: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s child.
        Known for: Being a mystery baby, her unique name, and her very own makeup collection before turning one year old.
        After months of speculation about Kylie Jenner's pregnancy, the new mum posted a video in homage to her newborn daughter to announce that indeed she was pregnant and she and Travis had just welcomed their first child - a baby girl name Stormi. Stormi has already made a few appearances on her mum's social media and people can help but point out how she and baby Kylie look alike.
        Stormi had a Kylie Cosmetics makeup range dedicated to her, that like any other of Kylie's releases was a huge success and ended up selling out.
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        Robert Kardashian Jr.
        Who: Known as Rob / The brother we never see. The only Kardashian / Jenner son.
        Known for: His sock business, being MIA for the most part of the series, and most recently getting together with his sister's ex-boyfriend's mother’s child (Yep, you've read that right).
        Robert Kardashian Jr. is the youngest member of the Kardashian clan and has famously stayed out of the limelight - in comparison to his sisters. In fact, he was MIA for most of the family's show seasons due to his struggles with anxiety and depression. The star gained weight while beating his demons but has been on a path to a healthier lifestyle since.
        Aside from being featured in 'Keeping up with The Kardashians', Rob was a finalist in 2011's 'Dancing With The Stars and was a judge in the 2012 Miss USA pageant. He also runs his own socks company, Arthur George - the label's name is a combination of his middle name, Arthur, and his father's, George. Rob returned to telly next to his ex-fiancé, Blac Chyna, who is also his sister's ex-boyfriend's baby mama (do keep up).
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        Rob Kardashian's kids
        Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna started dating in January 2016, and became Instagram-official with a post captioned 'The beginning'. In April that year, they got engaged, and in May, they welcomed a baby girl together, Dream Renée Kardashian.
        Although there's been plenty of drama in between their engagement and pregnancy, the biggest fall-out of the couple came after their daughter's birth. Blac Chyna's Instagram account was hacked, and messages about Rob and his family, sent by the video-vixen, were made public.
        In the texts, Chyna called Rob "lazy," "fat", and "insecure" and mentioned trademarking her newfound Kardashian last name after matrimony. Rob then posted naked pictures of Blac on Instagram in a revenge porn scandal.
        The couple engaged in an on-off relationship and officially broke up in February, calling off their engagement. The couple is still co-parenting their daughter, Dream. There seems to be some bad blood between Chyna and the entire Kardashian family, as she currently has a lawsuit against them.
        Khloe confirmed on the Keeping Up reunion that Rob is currently dating but offered up no specifics.
        @KHLOEKARDASHIAN / INSTAGRAM
        Dream Kardashian
        Who: Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna’s baby, also known as Dreamy Dream and Baby Dream.
        Known for: Her pinchable big cheeks, being always in the presence of her aunties, and unfortunately, the drama between her parents.
        Baby Dream was one month old when her dad took to Snapchat to show, that Blac Chyna had left their house and taken Dream with her. Although her parents are not together anymore, Dream is raised by both of them and remains in dual custody of the exes.
        The baby girl, is the youngest Kardashian on social media, with over 1 million followers on Instagram, and is constantly being featured in her dad's feed.
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        Kendall Jenner
        Who: The eldest Jenner sister, the supermodel.
        Known for: Her top modeling career, her modelesque figure, her model-off-duty style (did you get the hint that she is a model, yet?), and her skills in front of and behind the camera.
        Kendall has taken her career in quite a different direction from her older and younger sisters, encouraged to pursue modeling by her mum. Kendall has now fronted the runways and campaigns of major haute couture labels, like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Fendi. The model tops the list of new faces taking the fashion scene by storm, along with her best friends Gigi and Bella Hadid.
        Kendall's modeling career has kept her away from Keeping up with The Kardashians ' cameras, as she is constantly traveling for work. Kendall keeps her social life more private than her sisters but loves using her Instagram to share one of her other passions - being behind the camera.
        Romantically, Kendall has been linked to the likes of Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, A$AP Rocky, Anwar Hadid, Blake Griffin, and Ben Simmons but most recently she has gone official in a relationship with basketball player Devin Booker. She currently has no kids!

Popular culture

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 12:17:00 +0000

Popular culture

Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of the practices, beliefs, and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a society at a given point in time. Popular culture also encompasses the activities and feelings produced as a result of interaction with these dominant objects. The primary driving force behind popular culture is a mass appeal, and it is produced by what cultural analyst Theodor Adorno refers to as the "culture industry".

Heavily influenced in modern times by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of people in a given society. Therefore, popular culture has a way of influencing an individual's attitudes towards certain topics. However, there are various ways to define pop culture. Because of this, popular culture is something that can be defined in a variety of conflicting ways by different people across different contexts. It is generally viewed in contrast to other forms of culture such as folk cults, working-class culture, or high culture, and also through different academic perspectives such as psychoanalysis, structuralism, postmodernism, and more. The common pop-culture categories are entertainment (such as film, music, television, and video games), sports, news (as in people/places in the news), politics, fashion, technology, and slang.

In the past folk culture functioned analogously to the popular culture of the masses and of the nations.

The phrase "popular culture" was coined in the 19th century or earlier. Traditionally, popular culture was associated with poor education and with the lower classes, as opposed to the "official culture" and higher education of the upper classes. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain experienced social changes that resulted in increased literacy rates, and with the rise of capitalism and industrialization, people began to spend more money on entertainment, such as (commercialized) pubs and sports. Reading also gained traction. Labeling penny dreadfuls the Victorian equivalent of video games, The Guardian in 2016 described penny fiction as "Britain's first taste of mass-produced popular culture for the young". Growing consumer culture and an increased capacity for travel via the newly invented railway (the first public railway, Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened in north-east England in 1825) created both a market for cheap popular literature and the ability for its distribution on a large scale. The first penny serials were published in the 1830s to meet the growing demand.

The stress in the distinction from "official culture" became more pronounced towards the end of the 19th century, a usage that became established by the interbellum period.

From the end of World War II, following major cultural and social changes brought by mass media innovations, the meaning of "popular culture" began to overlap with the connotations of "mass culture", "media culture", "image culture", "consumer culture", and "culture for mass consumption".

The abbreviated form "pop" for "popular", as in "pop music", dates from the late 1950s. Although the terms "pop" and "popular" are in some cases used interchangeably, and their meaning partially overlaps, the term "pop" is narrower. Pop is specific to something containing qualities of mass appeal, while "popular" refers to what has gained popularity, regardless of its style.

According to author John Storey, there are various definitions of popular culture. The quantitative definition of culture has the problem that much "high culture" (e.g., television dramatizations of Jane Austen) is also "popular." "Pop culture" is also defined as the culture that is "leftover" when we have decided what high culture is. However, many works straddle the boundaries, e.g., William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, and George Orwell.

A third definition equates pop culture with "mass culture" and ideas. This is seen as a commercial culture, mass-produced for mass consumption by mass media. From a Western European perspective, this may be compared to American culture. Alternatively, "pop culture" can be defined as an "authentic" culture of the people, but this can be problematic as there are many ways of defining the "people." Storey argued that there is a political dimension to popular culture; neo-Gramscian hegemony theory "... sees popular culture as a site of struggle between the 'resistance' of subordinate groups in society and the forces of 'incorporation' operating in the interests of dominant groups in society." A postmodernist approach to popular culture would "no longer recognize the distinction between high and popular culture."

Jean Baudrillard argued that the vague conception of "Public Opinion" is a subjective and inaccurate illusion that is more complicit in populism rather than in factuality, for it attributes sovereignty to consumers that they do not really possess.

Storey claims that popular culture emerged from the urbanization of the Industrial Revolution. Studies of Shakespeare (by Weimann, Barber, or Bristol, for example) locate much of the characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance popular culture, while contemporary practitioners like Dario Fo and John McGrath use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk traditions (the commedia dell'arte for example).

Popular culture is constantly evolving and occurs uniquely in place and time. It forms currents and eddies and represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influence society and its institutions in various ways. For example, certain currents of pop culture may originate from, (or diverge into) a subculture, representing perspectives with which the mainstream popular culture has only limited familiarity. Items of popular culture most typically appeal to a broad spectrum of the public. Important contemporary contributions to understanding what popular culture means have been given by the German researcher Ronald Daus, who studies the impact of extra-European cultures in North America, Asia, and especially in Latin America.

Levels

Within the realm of popular culture, there exists an organizational culture. From its beginning, popular culture has revolved around classes in society and the push-back between them. Within popular culture, two levels have emerged, high and low. High culture can be described as the art and works considered of superior value, historically, aesthetically, and socially. Low culture is regarded by some as that of the lower classes, historically.

Folklore

Adaptations based on traditional folklore provide a source of popular culture. This early layer of cultural mainstream still persists today, in a form separate from mass-produced popular culture, propagating by word of mouth rather than via mass media, e.g. in the form of jokes or urban legends. With the widespread use of the Internet from the 1990s, the distinction between mass media and word-of-mouth has become blurred.

Although the folkloric element of popular culture engages heavily with the commercial element, communities amongst the public have their own tastes and they may not always embrace every cultural or subcultural item sold. Moreover, certain beliefs and opinions about the products of commercial culture may spread by word-of-mouth, and become modified in the process and in the same manner that folklore evolves.

Criticism

Popular culture in the West has been critiqued for its being a system of commercialism that privileges products selected and mass-marketed by the upper-class capitalist elite; such criticisms are most notable in many Marxist theorists such as Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, bell Hooks, Antonio Gramsci, Guy Debord, Fredric Jameson, Terry Eagleton, as well as certain postmodern philosophers such as Jean-François Lyotard, who has written about the commercialization of information under capitalism, and Jean Baudrillard, as well as others.

The Culture Industry

The most influential critiques of popular culture came from Marxist theorists of the Frankfurt School during the twentieth century. Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer analyzed the dangers of the culture industry in their influential work the Dialectic of Enlightenment by drawing upon the works of Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and others. Capitalist popular culture, as Adorno argued, was not an authentic culture of the people but a system of homogenous and standardized products manufactured in the service of capitalist domination by the elite. The consumer demand for Hollywood films, pop tunes, and consumable books is influenced by capitalist industries like Hollywood and the elite who decide which commodities are to be promoted in the media, including television and print journalism. Adorno wrote, "The industry bows to the vote it has itself rigged." It is the elite who commodify products by their narrow ideological values and criteria, and Adorno argues that the audience becomes accustomed to these formulaic conventions, making intellectual contemplation impossible. Adorno's work has had a considerable influence on culture studies, philosophy, and the New Left.

Writing in the New Yorker in 2014, music critic Alex Ross, argued that Adorno's work has a renewed importance in the digital age: "The pop hegemony is all but complete, its superstars dominating the media and wielding the economic might of tycoons...Culture appears more monolithic than ever, with a few gigantic corporations—Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon—presiding over unprecedented monopolies." There are many scholarships on how Western entertainment industries strengthen transnational capitalism and reinforce Western cultural dominance. Hence, rather than being local culture, commercial entertainment is artificially reinforced by transnational media corporations.

Jack Zipes, a professor of German and literature, critiqued the mass commercialization and corporate hegemony behind the Harry Potter franchise. He argued that the commodities of the culture industry are "popular" because they are homogenous and obey standard conventions; the media then influences the tastes of children. In his analysis of Harry Potter's global brand, Zipes wrote, "It must conform to the standards of the exception set by the mass media and promoted by the culture industry in general. To be a phenomenon means that a person or commodity must conform to the hegemonic groups that determine what makes up a phenomenon".

Imperialism

According to John M. MacKenzie, many products of popular culture have been designed to promote imperialist ideologies and glorify the British upper classes rather than present a democratic view of the world. Although many films do not contain such propaganda, there have been many films that promote racism and militarist imperialism.

Feminist critique

Bell Hooks, an influential feminist, argues that commercial commodities and celebrities cannot be symbols of progressiveness when they collaborate with imperialist capitalism and promote ideals of beauty; hooks uses Beyoncé as an example of a commodity reinforced by capitalist corporations complicit in imperialism and patriarchy.

Propaganda

Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky critiqued the mass media in their 1988 work Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. They argue that mass media is controlled by a powerful hegemonic elite who are motivated by their own interests that determine and manipulate what information is present in the mainstream. The mass media is therefore a system of propaganda.

In sum, a propaganda approach to media coverage suggests a systematic and highly political dichotomization in news coverage based on serviceability to important domestic power interests. This should be observable in dichotomized choices of story and in the volume and quality of coverage... such dichotomization in the mass media is massive and systematic: not only are choices for publicity and suppression comprehensible in terms of system advantage, but the modes of handling favored and inconvenient materials (placement, tone, context, fullness of treatment) differ in ways that serve political ends.

Consumerism

According to the postmodern sociologist Jean Baudrillard, the individual is trained into the duty of seeking the relentless maximization of pleasure lest he or she become asocial. Therefore, "enjoyment" and "fun" become indistinguishable from the need to consume. Whereas the Frankfurt School believed consumers were passive, Baudrillard argued that consumers were trained to consume products in a form of active labor to achieve upward social mobility. Thus, consumers under capitalism are trained to purchase products such as pop albums and consumable fiction to signal their devotion to social trends, fashions, and subcultures. Although consumption may arise from an active choice, the choice is still the consequence of social conditioning that the individual is unconscious. Baudrillard says, "One is permanently governed by a code whose rules and meaning-constraints—like those of language—are, for the most part, beyond the grasp of individuals."

In Baudrillard's understanding, the products of capitalist popular culture can only give the illusion of rebellion, since they are still complicit in a system controlled by the powerful. Baudrillard stated in an interview, critiquing the content and production of The Matrix:

The Matrix paints the picture of a monopolistic superpower, like we see today, and then collaborates in its refraction. Basically, its dissemination on a world scale is complicit with the film itself. On this point it is worth recalling Marshall McLuhan: the medium is the message. The message of The Matrix is its own diffusion by an uncontrollable and proliferating contamination.

Sources

Print culture

With the invention of the printing press in the sixteenth century, mass-produced, cheap books became widely available to the public. With this, the transmission of common knowledge and ideas is possible.

Radio Culture

In the 1890s, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi created the radiotelegraph, allowing for the modern radio to be born. This led to the radio being able to influence a more "listened-to" culture, with individuals being able to feel like they have a more direct impact. This radio culture is vital, because it was imperative to advertising, and it introduced the commercial.

Films

Films and cinema are highly influential to popular culture, as films as an art form are what people seem to respond to the most. With moving pictures being first captured by Eadweard Muybridge in 1877, films have evolved into elements that can be cast into different digital formats, spreading to different cultures.

The impact of films and cinema is most evident when analyzing in the search of what the films aim to portray. Films are used to seek acceptance and understanding of many subjects because of the influence the films carry—an example of an early representation of this can be seen in Casablanca (1942): the film introduced war subjects to the public after the United States entered World War II, and it meant to increase pro-war sentiment for the allies. Films are a known massive influencer to popular culture yet not all films create a movement that contributes enough to be part of the popular culture that starts movements. The content must resonate with most of the public so the knowledge in the material connects with the majority. Popular culture is a set of beliefs in trends and entails changing a person's set of ideologies and creating social transformation. The beliefs are still a trend that changes more rapidly in the modern age that carries a continuation of outpouring media and more specifically films. The trend does not last but it also carries a different effect based on individuals that can be grouped into generalized groups based on age and education. The creation of culture by films is seen in fandoms, religions, ideologies, and movements. The culture of the film is more evident through social media. Social media is an instant source of feedback and creates discussion on films. A repeating event that has been set in modern culture within the trend-setting phase is the creation of movements on social media platforms to defend a featured subject in a film.

Popular culture or mass culture is reached easily with films that are easily shared and reached worldwide.

Television programs

A television program is a segment of audiovisual content intended for broadcast (other than a commercial, trailer, or other content not serving as an attraction for viewership).

Television programs may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas), or non-fictional (as in documentary, light entertainment, news, and reality television). They may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television movies), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional series). They can be primarily instructional or educational, or entertaining as is the case in situation comedy and game shows.

Music

Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional or "folk" music. Art music was historically disseminated through the performances of written music, although since the beginning of the recording industry, it is also disseminated through recordings. Traditional music forms such as early blues songs or hymns were passed along orally, or to smaller, local audiences.

Sports

Sports include all forms of competitive physical activity or games which, through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants, and in some cases, entertainment for spectators.

Corporate branding

Corporate branding refers to the practice of promoting the brand name of a corporate entity, as opposed to specific products or services.

Personal branding

Personal branding includes the use of social media to promotion to brands and topics to further good repute among professionals in a given field, and produce an iconic relationship between a professional, a brand, and its audience that extends networks past the conventional lines established by the mainstream and to enhance personal visibility. Popular culture: is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of the practices, beliefs, and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a society at a given point in time. As celebrities, online identities are extremely important to create a brand to line up sponsorships, jobs, and opportunities. As influencers, micro-celebrities, and users constantly need to find new ways to be unique or stay updated with trends, to maintain followers, views, and likes. For example, Ellen DeGeneres has created her own personal branding through her talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show. As she developed her brand we can see the branches she created to extend her fan bases such as Ellen clothing, socks, pet beds, and more.

Social media

Social media is interactive computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing of information, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat are the most popular applications used daily by younger generations. Social media tends to be implemented into the daily routine of individuals in our current society. Social media is a vital part of our culture as it continues to impact the forms of communication used to connect with those in our communities, families, or friend groups. We often see that terms or slang are used online that are not used in face-to-face conversations, thus, adding to a persona users create through the screens of technology. For example, some individuals respond to situations with a hashtag or emojis.

Top 10 Things Students Must Know Before Starting College

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:40:00 +0000

Top 10 Things Students Must Know Before Starting College

Introduction:

Excited about starting college but slightly nervous too?

Read this first.

Starting college is like entering a whole new world…

…and there’s so much to think about:

Will I make friends?
What Major should I pick?
How will I juggle everything?
What should I bring?

And, lot’s more.

That’s why we’ve created this list of the top 10 things you need to know before you

(or your child ) start college.

Let’s get started!

1. What to Take With You to College

(You can skip this if you are living off campus – but it’s still good to read.)

For most students, going to college is the first time they live away from home.

So, the question is:

What do you take with you when moving into a dorm?

Before deciding…

Get in touch with your colleagues and ask for their approved and prohibited items

checklist. Every college will have one and each college will have slightly different

guidelines.

Some colleges won’t even allow a power strip!

So…

Make sure you contact them before spending money on things like mini-fridges and

microwaves.

Another thing to consider is space.

Freshmen tend to underestimate how much space they need, and dorm storage

space is notoriously less than it seems at first.

(quick tip – find out the exact dorm room dimensions and measure any larger items

you want to take figure out how much will fit –good to know before showing up in

a U-Haul!)

A good rule of thumb is just only to take what’s necessary:

Comfortable clothing for class.
A formal outfit & shoes for special occasions and job hunting
Laptop & phone (obviously)
Bathroom supplies
Bedding (sheets, pillows, blanket)
School supplies i.e. pens, rulers, calculators, sticky notes, etc.
Eye mask, ear plugs, and pain medication (just trust me)

Of course, there’s more, but these are the essentials.

Many students wonder if you can bring your car to campus. This is something you

will need to check with your college. Some allow cars; others don’t.

Talking about transportation ….

2. Things to Do On And Off Campus

Think about what you would like to do with your spare time (and how you will get

there).

College campuses and their surrounding areas are packed with things to do.

Almost every college has plenty of clubs, events, and activities on offer for students.

So…

When you’re on the phone with the college and asking about what things you can

take with you, and make sure to find out about things to do on and off campus.

You will also want to get off campus now and then.

Do google maps search using the college’s address to find out what there is to do

out and about the college.

For example, you could search for:

Starbucks near [college name]
Restaurants near [college name]
Movie theaters near [college name]
Comic Conventions near [college name]

And so on…

These kinds of places know that students love their products and services.

So chances are they will be located around the college.

Then…

You need to know how to get there!

Once you know where you want to go, make sure that you come up with an idea of

how you can get there by bus, train, or bicycle (if you have one).

Knowing how much it costs to get where you want to go is also an important

element in making your weekly budget…

…which we will talk about later.

In the meanwhile:

3. What Classes do You Will Take

Maybe you have already chosen your Major, maybe you haven’t.

Either way:

If you look around the room on the first day of college, statistically up to half of

them haven’t chosen their major either.

Even then…

Two-thirds of all college students who have picked their major, change it at least

once before graduation.

(Plus most colleges don’t require a firm choice of major until the Sophomore year

anyway.)

Having said that:

You should look into which classes you will be attending in your first semester.

Because you will need to prepare beforehand.

You will need to buy books for example. However, don’t order them just yet, we’ll

give you a few tips about saving money on books later.

More importantly…

Did you know that you forget almost 82% of what you learn in a class within

28 days?

And…

After graduating from high school, students often have three or four months before

starting class again.

This is a great way for students to relax after the stress of their final year of

high school.

But:

The problem is that because of a natural memory drain, getting back into the flow

of studying again can be stressful and overwhelming.

That’s why we suggest to:

Take a few pre-college tutoring classes based on classes you will have during the

first and second semesters. That way you can hit the ground running with one less

thing to worry about when starting college.

Talking about memory…

4. How to Improve Your Memorization

College can be challenging.

There is so much to learn and topics you have never studied before.

And…

Like I said in the last section:

The average person loses 82% of what they learn within 3-4 weeks, while a typical

college semester is fifteen weeks long.

This means that by the end of the semester:

When it’s time for exams, you will only remember 18% of what you learned in the

first two-thirds of the semester!

Frustrating, right?

So, I’m going to share three memory tips that will help you retain much more of

your course content while having fun doing it:

Tip 1. Find Your Why

Think about why you want to study your subjects.

If you are just learning to pass an exam, chances are you will forget everything the

next day.

When you want to learn, you need to have a strong (emotional) motivation.

Just tapping into a desire to learn something will increase your memory retention

and learning abilities.

For example:

Those who want to be doctors are more likely to be actively interested in topics like

biology or chemistry and therefore find it easier to remember key facts and

information from those classes.

What is your end goal?

Find something you want to achieve and connect it with your academic success.

Once you find your own key motivation for studying, everything becomes easier to

learn and remember.

Tip 2. Learn Use Mnemonic Devices

Mnemonic devices are ageless proven tricks to help you remember almost anything

more easily.

And…

Many of the techniques have been around for thousands of years.

So what does a Mnemonic device look like? They are simply different methods to

help you remember specific chunks of information.

Here’s an example:

This mnemonic device helps you to memorize the first 10 elements and their

position.

“Henry Hester Likes Beer But Can Not Obtain Food Now”

Just by remembering this line, you can remember each of the first 10 elements and

their position in the list:

Henry – Hydrogen

Hester – Helium

Likes – Lithium

Beer – Beryllium

But – Boron

Can – Carbon

Not – Nitrogen

Obtain – Oxygen

Food – Fluorine

Now – Neon

See how each word represents an element in its position. This is a type of mnemonic

device. Our brains find it easier to remember a storyline or a structured sentence

rather than a list of random names of elements.

You can use Mnemonic devices to memorize nearly anything. The more you practice

the easier it gets, too.

And…

If you practice these tricks often, studying for any exam will become a breeze.

Lastly:

Tip 3. Use Regular review

The best way to move something from your short-term memory banks to your

long-term memory banks is to repeat it a few times.

So, schedule some time every week to review your class notes from the semester.

Don’t just review what you learned that week. Review what you learned 2,3,4 weeks

ago as well.

Another extra trick here is to practice recalling the information out of sequence.

This cements the info even further into your brain.

This brings us to:

5. How to Take Notes Like a Boss

Notetaking is one of the best ways to help you learn faster, as long as you read them

– see the previous chapter.

Here are some of our top notetaking tips to become a note-taking pro.

Be prepared. Look over the upcoming class outline and slides if available to get

an initial picture of the lesson to come.

Use your notetaking to summarize, not transcribe. Focus on recognizing key

concepts (often indicated in the class slides).

Practice your listening skills. Learn to Identify the most important snippets of

information and forget the rest. Create a few notes on the big picture, then
pinpoint “subheadings” underneath with brief, key information under each.

If the lecturer is going too fast for you, take a photo of the slides or board notes

with your phone for later review. (Check first whether your faculty allows this)

Recognizing Key Topics

Wondering how to identify key information in a lecture? Here are a few things to

listen out for which suggest what your professor feels is key information:

Introductory comments outlining the class topic
Repeated phrases or information.
Auditory changes such as verbal emphasis or changes in speech pattern.
Verbal cues indicate something is important.
Final remarks in the form of a summary or review of the lecture’s main idea.

6. Time Management

Here’s a bit of adulating 101:

When you get to college; you can choose how to spend your time. There is, for the

most part, nobody looking over your shoulder or guiding you. This can be

exhilarating but also destructive.

(depending on how you use it)

Even though skipping optional classes and spending more time with Greek life

rather than studying is tempting…

…It may not help you to graduate on time and without too much stress.

Unless you use proper time management to balance everything.

I suggest creating a weekly schedule.

This allows you to keep track of your time and means you can get everything done

with time to spare (as long as you stick to it).

“How do you eat an elephant? – Bit by bit.”

Scheduling your time is the same.

When faced with mountainous assignments and class requirements, the best bet is

to get everything done in small increments.

Believe me:

A major assignment completed in chunks over eight weeks is much easier than

cramming the whole task in the last four days before the due date

(I know from experience).

So, the next question is:

What should you include in your schedule?

…Well, that depends largely on your lifestyle…

As a general guideline, you should schedule time for:

Sleep –8 hours every day. (Trust me, it’s the most essential item on your

schedule)

General Course Requirements
Assignments (even if they aren’t due for weeks – as explained above)
Weekly review that we discussed in the last section.
Extra-curricular activities, clubs & social events
Scheduled downtime for games, movies, and relaxation.
Time for paid work (if you have it.)
Domestic chores (which we’ll talk about next)

Another common fear when starting college is that you will have to pick between

having fun with new friends or doing well in class.

The truth is:

With good time management – like making a weekly schedule – combined with

With the right study habits (mnemonics, notetaking, and regular review) it’s

certainly possible to get top grades while still having the time of your life with

friends.

Next…

7. Domestic Skills

Time to do your laundry…I know, right?!

This might be the first time you’re going to spend away from home and the number

of weekly chores to just maintain your lifestyle can be overwhelming.

That’s why:

High school graduates should start flexing their domestic muscles before heading

off to college.

At least make sure you know how to:

Do laundry. i.e., don’t mix whites with reds (unless you love pink)
Cook a few different types of meals for yourself
Sew a button/mend a piece of clothing
Keep your space tidy and organized
Do food shopping yourself
Pay for bills online yourself

From my experience:

One of the “weirdest” experiences for many students is food shopping when they

realize they have no idea what to eat.

You can overcome this is to practice by planning a few meals each week and

practicing to get all the ingredients. This will also give you a better understanding

of the cost of food too.

Plus…

Make sure to create shopping lists with nutritional items. Contrary to most

students’ beliefs, popcorn does not count as a vegetable.

Of course, one benefit to learning how to create nutritious meals at home is that

it saves money, which is important for most students. This brings us to our next

topic:

8. Money Management

“It’s only five bucks” is a slippery slope into the money pit.

Little amounts add up quickly.

If I had a nickel for every time a student told me that they went through their entire

savings within a few semesters…

… you know how it goes.

My advice:

Make a budget, and stick to it.

Here’s how you can start, even before leaving home:

Start keeping track of what you use on a weekly or monthly basis.

First…

Just make a simple list:

Monthly spending:

Food: $400

Snacks: $90

Travel: $120

Netflix: $12

Other (shampoo, makeup, etc): $30

Next, think about how that list will change when you go to college:

Add:

Tuition

Dorm costs

Book costs

Food or travel costs.

List out anything else you think you will need to spend money on each month and

try to get as close to the real cost as possible by looking up the prices for

everything on your list.

That way:

You can add it all together and see how much you will need per week, month, or

year to survive as a student.

It’s often more than you expect.

You will still probably spend more money than your budget because of a little

unnoticed purchase (the $5 money pit).

To counter this…

Add 20% to your estimated weekly spending when making your budget to prepare

yourself for any unexpected expenses.

That way:

You will have a clear monthly budget.

—

Pro tip: Textbooks are often one of the most expensive college life costs. Some

books can cost as much as $300!

Instead of buying new:

Either buy second-hand or Kindle versions of the books. This will save you a lot of

money. The bonus about buying second-hand books is that you can often sell them

again to make your money back.

—

Once you have figured out your budget:

Compare it to your savings. Do you have enough in the bank to keep you going?

It’s better to know sooner rather than later whether you will need a part-time job

to stay afloat.

That’s why our next on the list is:

9. Job Hunting Skills

You’re not alone.

Over a quarter of all college students look for part-time jobs while studying.

It’s a great way to pay your way through college, and save a little cash for the

future, all while getting real-life professional experience.

If you do decide to get a part-time job, my advice:

Look early and look close.

Start looking for job opportunities around your college or university before

starting classes. Depending on the job, the interview process may take weeks and

just getting to an interview can take weeks too.

What do you need to go job hunting:

A brief resume. Don’t worry if you don’t have any “professional” experience.

In that case, focus on your academics and any unpaid activities that indicate
you have the right abilities they are looking for.

To dress the part. Depending on the type of job you want, make sure to wear

formal attire for a job interview. Turning up in shorts and a t-shirt won’t work
in most cases.

Persistence. Looking for a job can sometimes mean that you have to call

dozens of businesses before someone finally says yes. So, if you don’t get a job
on the first go: don’t sweat it. That’s normal! Just get up and keep going till you
get one.

However, what about if you don’t want to get a traditional job? There are lots of

things to do for extra cash around campus.

Here are a few:

Teach classmates a desired skill that you have (or could learn) like speed

reading, a musical instrument, memory skills, etc.

Tutor other students in classes you have already passed or are exceptionally

good at.

Freelance your skills and talents on sites like work or Fiverr.
Offer transcription services to other students
Provide hourly research services to classmates
Create a sandwich or lunch business, preparing great meals for others.
Be a fitness coach or yoga instructor (if that’s your passion) or…
Manage events for someone with expertise. For example, you could help a

yoga enthusiast by helping her find attendees in exchange for a percentage
of their income.

Sell other products to students (you could find wholesale items on websites

like Alibaba.com)

Last but not least…

10. Socializing Skills

For many…

College is a time of starting fresh.

Most of our high school friends go off to learn different majors than we do. Many

of them may even attend colleges in different cities.

The good news?

Everyone else in your class is also in the same boat.

All of your classmates in college have also left their BFFs behind and are on the

market for making new friends.

That’s why students often comment that making friends in college is easier than

in high school!

But what if you feel like you’ve forgotten how to make new friends? Nonsense!

Making friends is a natural part of life. But, if you still feel nervous, here are a few

tips on how to quickly make friends in college.

Get involved with clubs & group activities. One of the fastest ways to meet

It’s a surefire way to meet some like-minded people quickly.
people are to put themselves in situations that force them to interact with others
based on mutual interests.

Give before expecting. Great friendships are based on value, kindness, and

thoughtfulness towards each other. Make yourself of value to others,
wherever you are, you might be surprised how quickly you make friends.

Use this fresh start as an opportunity. Our closest friendships shape who we

become. Use this opportunity to pick the type of people you want to befriend.

Ask yourself: what qualities do I admire and wish to surround myself with? And,

before you know it, you’ll have plenty of great, uplifting, friendships.

Conclusion

Remember, this is an exciting time!

College is a great experience of learning and developing yourself in so many ways.

And now armed with this list, you can be one step ahead with preparation. Btw,

do you have anything you feel this list is missing?

The Best International Schools in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 13:50:00 +0000

The Best International Schools in the World

Why choose an International School?

Finding the right school for your child is one of the major concerns for many international families when relocating to a new country or city and they can be confident to find a wide range of private international schools to choose from. These schools typically offer different curricula, with the most popular being the British, American and International Baccalaureate (IB).
Study abroad

Education experts around the world agree on many benefits of studying abroad. The choice of the country will depend on the individual preferences but any destination will bring the student to experience a new culture, meet international friends, create more independence and confidence, develop new language skills, boost social networks and increase future professional opportunities.
Best International Schools in the World

Discover our selection of the best international schools in the world. Filter by regions, curriculum, fees and more. Click on each profile to learn more about the schools or send a request directly to the admission officer.

Curricula: IB
US CURRICULUM
UK CURRICULUM
GERMAN CURRICULUM
FRENCH CURRICULUM
SWISS CURRICULUM
Fees in $: < $10K
$10-20K
$20-30K
$30-50K
$50-80K
> $80K
Regions: AFRICA
ASIA
EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST
NORTH AMERICA
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
OCEANIA
Gender: CO-EDUCATION
GIRLS ONLY
BOYS ONLY

Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA Pro x North Broward Preparatory School7600 Lyons Rd, Coconut Creek, FL 33073, USA

Welcome to the Paris Saint-Germain Pro Academy! A leading actor in players’ development, Paris Saint-Germain Academy is constantly crafting new ways to develop young players…
Co-Education
800 students
Boarding School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 86,000 USD
Max. fee: 86,000 USD

Prime School Internationale. Antoine de Saint-Éxupery, 2765-043 Estoril, Portugal

The aim of Prime School International is to promote well-being and personal fulfilment within the academic community, through the convergence of various human experiences…
Co-Education
450 students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 7.990 EUR (Day) / 33.900 EUR (Boarding)
Max. fee: 16.500 EUR (Day) / 33.900 EUR (Boarding)

Ermitage International School46 avenue Eglé, Maisons-Laffitte, 78600, France

Welcome to Ermitage International School, a diverse, cosmopolitan community with 80 years of excellence in teaching students to engage, prosper, and succeed. Our campus is…
Co-Education
1300 students
Day & Boarding School
French Curriculum, IB
Min. fee: 3335 EUR (Day) / 19588 EUR (Boarding)
Max. fee: 22830 EUR (Day) / 40990 EUR (Boarding)

Copperfield International School VerbierRue de la Berarde 10, Le Hameau, Verbier 1936, Switzerland

Copperfield Verbier is the world’s only ski-in, ski-out international school, located in the Swiss alpine village of Verbier. We have hired world-class teachers, built an…
Co-education
30-50 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 31,000 CHF (Day School)
Max. fee: 46,000 CHF (Day School)

American Overseas School of RomeVia Cassia, 811, 00189 Rome, Italy

Open Houses – click on the image to register today AOSR is home to an international student body of 575 students with approximately one-third from…
Co-Education
575 students
Day School
Bilingual, IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 10,800 EUR
Max. fee: 25,700 EUR

Eurocolegio Privado Internacional CasviAvenida de Castilla 27, Villaviciosa de Odón (Madrid), Spain

Eurocolegio Casvi, a co-ed Private International School, was founded in 1985 by Mr Juan Yagüe Sevillano who, after 24 years of devoted teaching, made his…
Co-Education
1100 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: From 4.850 EUR
Max. fee: From 31.000 EUR

St. George's International SchoolChemin de Saint-Georges 19, 1815 Clarens/Montreux, Switzerland

St. George’s is a vibrant and truly international school. We have students from no less than 60 different nations that come together to form a…
Co-Education
400 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 28’420 CHF
Max. fee: 43’690 CHF

TASIS The American School in SwitzerlandVia Collina d'Oro 15, 6926 Montagnola, Switzerland

Founded by international education pioneer M. Crist Fleming in 1956, TASIS The American School in Switzerland is a day and boarding school committed to creating…
Co-Educational
700 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 28,000 USD
Max. fee: 98,000 USD

International School Bangkok (ISB)39/7 Soi Nichada Thani, Samakee Road, Amphur Pakkret, Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand

International School Bangkok (ISB) was founded in 1951 and is the oldest International School in Thailand. We are an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school, which…
Co-Education
1810 students
Day School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 500'000 THB
Max. fee: 909'000 THB

American School of The HagueRijksstraatweg 200, 2241 BX Wassenaar, The Netherlands

More than a School. An Experience. American School of The Hague (ASH) is an international school located in Wassenaar, the Netherlands. In a safe and…
Co-Education
1200 students
Day School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 14,650 EUR
Max. fee: 22,890 EUR

Concordia International School Shanghai999 Mingyue Rd, Pudong Xinqu, Shanghai Shi, China, 201203

Concordia International School Shanghai is a co-educational day school for students aged 3 to 18, located on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Jinqiao—one…
Co-Education
1210 students
Day School
US Curriculum
Min. fee: 171,000 CNY
Max. fee: 244,000 CNY

The American International School · ViennaSalmannsdorfer Str. 47, 1190 Wien, Austria

Set within the rich cultural context of Austria and the beauty of the Vienna Woods, The American International School · Vienna is one of the tops…
Co-Education
800 students
Day School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 12,000 EUR
Max. fee: 23,000 EUR

Georgia School Ningbo (GSN)No. 377 Jiangbei Avenue – Jiangbei, Zhejiang, Ningbo – China

Georgia School Ningbo (GSN), is licensed by the Zhejiang Province Ministry of Education and is the first licensed independent school for international families in the…
Co-Education
206 students
Day School
US Curriculum
Min. fee: 115,000 RMB
Max. fee: 155,000 RMB

College Alpin Beau Soleilroute du village 1, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland

At Beau Soleil, we believe it’s what you do that counts: Our international boarding school community in Switzerland offers an outstanding environment combined with a…
Co-educational
260 students
Boarding School
Bilingual, IB, Swiss Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: -
Max. fee: -

Hangzhou International School (HIS)Xiang Bin Lu, Bin Jiang Qu, Hang Zhou Shi, Zhe Jiang Sheng, China, 311258

Founded in 2002, Hangzhou International School (HIS) is the only IB World School in Hangzhou that offers to the expatriate community an inclusive international experience. HIS curriculum includes Early Years to Grade…
Co-Education
800 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 185,000 CNY
Max. fee: 237,500 CNY

Humboldt-Institut | Boarding Schools in GermanySchloss Ratzenried, 88260 Argenbühl, Germany

The “Boarding Schools in Germany” program is geared towards highly motivated students between 10 and 17 years of age, offering the chance to participate in…
Co-Education, Girls Only
50-570 students
Boarding School
German Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 20.000 EUR
Max. fee: 50.000 EUR

Zurich International SchoolSteinacherstrasse 140, 8820 Wadenswil, Switzerland

Zurich International School (ZIS) is a leading, non-profit day school offering a comprehensive education program for students, both local and ex-pat, aged 3 to 18…
Co-Education
1200 students
Day School
Bilingual, IB, Swiss Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: CHF 16,300
Max. fee: CHF 36,600

SVIS - Sainte Victoire International SchoolDomaine du, Chemin de Maurel, 13710 Fuveau, France

SVIS – Sainte Victoire International School is an IB World School located near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. The school offers both the International…
Co-educational
150 students
Day & Boarding School
Bilingual, IB
Min. fee: 9,900 EUR
Max. fee: 27,800 EUR

British International School, Phuket59 Moo 2, Thepkrasattri Road, T. Koh Kaew, A. Muang, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand

British International School, Phuket (BISP), is an English medium, co-educational, day and boarding school that was established in 1996 in the heart of Phuket, Thailand.…
Co-Education
900 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 351,500 THB
Max. fee: 681,000 THB

La Côte International School AubonneChemin de Clamogne 8, 1170 Aubonne, Switzerland

La Côte International School is a private international school located in Aubonne, Switzerland. A co-educational day school, we offer our students unmatched international learning opportunities,…
Co-Education
over 450 students students
Day School
French Curriculum, IB, Swiss Curriculum, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 18'240 CHF

International School of AmsterdamSportlaan 45, 1185 TB Amstelveen, The Netherlands

The International School of Amsterdam is a globally-recognised leader in education for international understanding. Founded in 1964, ISA was the first school in the world…
Co-Education
1252 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 18,775 EUR
Max. fee: 26,950 EUR

Munich International SchoolMunich International School, Schloss, 82319 Starnberg, Germany

Founded in 1966, Munich International School is an independent, non-profit IB World School (IBO) that has been authorised by the IBO since 1980. MIS is…
Co-Education
1150 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 11,534 EUR
Max. fee: 23,408 EUR

Institut auf dem RosenbergInstitut auf dem Rosenberg, H_henweg 60, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland

Institut auf dem Rosenberg, the Artisans of Education®, is a Swiss international boarding school for students between the ages of 5-18. Situated on top of…
CoEducational
230 students
Day & Boarding School
German Curriculum, IB, UK Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 130'000.00 CHF (average, yearly fee) = 84'000.00 CHF (base fee) + CHF 46'000.00 (yearly individual fees)
Max. fee: 130'000.00 CHF (average, yearly fee) = 84'000.00 CHF (base fee) + CHF 46'000.00 (yearly individual fees)

Keystone AcademyNo.11, Anfu Street, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing, China

Keystone Academy is an innovative and unique school in China and the world. It draws from Chinese, American and International learning traditions and weaves them…
Co-Education
1600 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 250,000 yuan
Max. fee: 387,500 yuan

Ecole d’HumanitéGmeindi 318b, 6085 Hasliberg Goldern, Switzerland

Surrounded by the awe-inspiring peaks of the Swiss Alps, the Ecole d’Humanité is home to students and teachers from 25 countries. The stunning natural setting…
Co-Education
120 students
Boarding School
Swiss Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: CHF 65,000
Max. fee: CHF 68,000 (for students in 11th and 12th grades)

International School AltdorfSt. Josefsweg 15, 6460 Altdorf, Switzerland

Situated in the central part of Switzerland in the canton of Uri, International School Altdorf welcomes international students from all over the world. With nature…
Co-Education
100 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 25,000 CHF (Day) / 45,000 CHF (Boarding)
Max. fee: 70,000 CHF (Boarding)

North London Collegiate School Jeju33 Global Edu-to 145beon-Gil Daejeong-up Seogwipo-si Jeju-do 63644, South Korea

NLCS Jeju provides a stimulating and diverse experience in which every child is challenged and supported to realise their potential. We aim to send confident,…
Co-Education
1500 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 23870 USD
Max. fee: 33450 USD

Malvern College SwitzerlandRoute du Belvédère, 35 CH-1854, Leysin, Switzerland

The First British-Branded Boarding School in Switzerland. Founded on a history of academic excellence spanning 156 years, Malvern College Switzerland, a member of the Malvern…
Co-Education
250 students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 49'995 CHF
Max. fee: 59’995 CHF

Woodside Priory School302 Portola Rd., Portola Valley, CA 94028, USA

Founded in 1957, Woodside Priory School serves students internationally, providing a co-educational college preparatory Catholic Benedictine education. As Silicon Valley’s only boarding school, we also…
Co-Education
400 students
Day & Boarding School
Benedictine, Christian, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 52,680 USD (Day) / 76,880 USD (Boarding)
Max. fee: -

American School of MilanVia Karl Marx, 14, 20073 Noverasco (MI), Italy

The American School of Milan has been educating international students from more than 50 countries for more than 50 years. The school offers a student-centred,…
Co-Education
850 students
Day School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 10,600 EUR
Max. fee: 22,400 EUR

Akademeia High SchoolŚw. Urszuli Ledóchowskiej 2, 02-972 Warsaw, Poland

Akademeia High School is a private day and boarding, academically-selective high school in Poland, offering the British curriculum of IGCSE and A Level, and preparing…
Co-Education
280 students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 109,000 PLN/year (Years 9 & Year 10)
Max. fee: 135,000 PLN (Year 13)

Rugby School Thailand7, Khao Mai Kaeo, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand

Rugby School Thailand (RST) is a co-educational, international school for day and boarding students aged 2-18. The School follows the British curriculum with students taking…
Co-Education
950 students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 470,000 THB
Max. fee: 869,000 THB

St. Joseph’s Institution International490 Thomson Rd, Singapore 298191

Established in 2007, St. Joseph’s Institution International offers a holistic, values-driven and international educational experience to a diverse student body of 40 nationalities. As a…
Co-Education
1275 (High School), 758 (Elementary), a total of 2033 students
Day School
Christian, IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 33,059 SGD
Max. fee: 41,671 SGD

King's College, The British School of LatviaTuraidas iela 1, Pinki, Babies novads LV2107 Latvia

King’s College, The British School of Latvia, provides a unique educational environment that puts children and their families at the heart of all we do.…
Co-education
580 students
Day School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 10000 EUR
Max. fee: 20000 EUR

Brillantmont International SchoolAvenue Charles-Secrétan 16, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland

Brillantmont International School is one of the oldest schools in Switzerland. It was founded in 1882 and is still owned by the founding family. What…
Co-educational
80 boarding students, 15-day students students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 77’000 CHF
Max. fee: 86’000 CHF

St. Peter's School BarcelonaCarrer d'Eduard Toldrà, 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

St. Peter’s school is the only school in Barcelona with the IB Continuum taught in English. We offer the three International Baccalaureate programmes: Early and…
Co-Education
600 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 9,800 EUR
Max. fee: 17,289 EUR

OBS / Obersee Bilingual SchoolEichenstrasse 4C, 8808 Pfäffikon, Switzerland

Welcome to OBS Empowering children to face the complex challenges of the future. At OBS, we endeavour for our students to approach the world of…
Co-Educational
350 students
Day School
Bilingual, IB, Swiss Curriculum
Min. fee: 21000 CHF
Max. fee: 23000 CHF

Ranum Efterskole CollegeSeminarievej 23, 9681 Ranum, Denmark

Ranum Efterskole College is a Danish and International residential school located in picturesque West Himmerland of Northern Jutland in Denmark. Each year over 450 students,…
Co-education
450 students
Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 174.200 DKK (including full host package and 3 study trips)
Max. fee: 176.800 DKK (including full host package and 3 study trips)

Jinseki International School (JINIS)5020-77 Tokiyasu, Jinsekikogen, Jinseki District, Hiroshima 720-1603 Japan

Jinseki International School (JINIS) is Japan’s first dual language British Curriculum boarding school to open in April 2020. Set in the picturesque Chugoku Mountains, JINIS…
Co-education
Max. 144 students
Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 6,000,000 JPY
Max. fee: 6,000,000 JPY

International School of Brussels19 Kattenberg, 1170 Brussels, Belgium

Since 1951, the International School of Brussels (ISB) has delivered high-quality education to students from countries around the world. Today, with 1400 students aged…
Co-Education
1350 students
Day School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 18,825 EUR
Max. fee: 40,625 EUR

BBIS Berlin Brandenburg International SchoolSchopfheimer Allee 10, 14532 Kleinmachnow, Germany

BBIS IS A LEADING INTERNATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL Welcome to BBIS Berlin Brandenburg International School, a place where students are empowered to reach their…
Co-Education
750 students
Day & Boarding School
IB
Min. fee: 12,500 EUR
Max. fee: 20,200 EUR

Préfleuri International Alpine SchoolPréfleuri International Alpine School, Chemin de Curnaux 32, 1885 Ollon, Switzerland

Préfleuri is an exclusive international boarding school in the Swiss Alps that caters for children from 3 to 13 years of age. Since 1948, Préfleuri…
Co-Education
Day & Boarding School
French Curriculum, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 15'500 CHF
Max. fee: 57'000 CHF

Regents International School Pattaya33/3 Moo 1 Pong, Banglamung Chonburi Pattaya, 20, 20150, Thailand

About Our School Regents International School Pattaya is like no other school in Thailand. As part of the family of 66 Nord Anglia schools located…
Co-Education
1000 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 133,200 THB (Pre-Nursery / Term 1)
Max. fee: 680,675 THB (Year 10 or Year 11 to 13 / Full Year)

International Center of European Football (The ICEF)International Center of European Football, DOMAINE DE BLONAY, 74500 Publier, France

Welcome to Europe’s top-rated football boarding school for elite international student-athletes! The ICEF provides year-round football and accredited academic programs taught in English from the Middle…
Boys Only
48 students
Boarding School
French Curriculum, UK Curriculum, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 62,000 EUR
Max. fee: 71,000 EUR

International Bilingual School of Provence500 Route de Bouc Bel air, 13080 Luynes, France

The International Bilingual School of Provence, an independent coeducational school located near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France, owes its international character to its diversity…
Co-Education
950 students
Day & Boarding School
Bilingual, French Curriculum, IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 10250 EUR (Day) / 22907 EUR (Boarding)
Max. fee: 17100 EUR (Day) / 35855 EUR (Boarding)

North Broward Preparatory School, A Nord Anglia Education School7600 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073

AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS At North Broward Preparatory School, students are inspired to learn without limits and go beyond any border to make an…
Co-Education
1650 students
Day & Boarding School
IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: Boarding 62,650 USD
Max. fee: Boarding 68,250 USD

Shanghai Community International School1161 Hongqiao Road, Shanghai China 200051

Established in 1996 as one of Shanghai’s first international schools, Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) is a non-profit educational day school, governed by a self-perpetuating…
Co-education
1800 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 122,000 RMB
Max. fee: 277,500 RMB

King's Oak British International BucharestStrada Petre S. Aurelian 72, Bucharest, Romania

King`s Oak British International School, Bucharest, is an inspiring and creative school which takes children from 12 months old up to 16 years old. We…
Co-Education
230 students
Day School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 6000 EUR
Max. fee: 13950 EUR

Greene’s College OxfordR. Dom Afonso Henriques, 2765-576 Estoril, Portugal

What is Greene’s College like? Greene offers a full-time, university-style sixth form education, both in Oxford, England and in Estoril, Portugal – with academic oversight…
Co-Education
Average of 30 students students
Day School, Online School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 19.500 EUR
Max. fee: 26.000 EUR
Learn more contact

The British International School Abu DhabiBehind Abu Dhabi University - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates

The British International School Abu Dhabi offers a welcoming family community with the highest quality learning opportunities as part of our Global Campus. At The…
Co-education
1900 students
Day School
IB, UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 52,050 AED
Max. fee: 68,700 AED

International School of Los Angeles1105 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91506, USA

The International School of Los Angeles (LILA) is a non-profit, independent, international school committed to bilingual education and academic excellence in a nurturing environment. LILA…
Co-Education
1032 students
Day School
Bilingual, French Curriculum, IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 19,995 USD
Max. fee: 24,900 USD

Bromsgrove International School ThailandBromsgrove International School Thailand, 55/1 Suwinthawong, Khwaeng Saen Saep, Khet Min Buri, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10510, Thailand

Bromsgrove International School Thailand (BIST) is a British Curriculum Day and Boarding School for students aged 2-18. BIST is affiliated with Bromsgrove School UK, which…
Co-Educational
500 students
Day & Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 314,670 THB
Max. fee: 630,780 THB
Learn more contact

The Western International School of Shanghai (WISS)555 Lianmin Rd, Qingpu, Shanghai, China

The Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) is a forward-looking school that has been inspiring young people from around the world since 2006. This year,…
Co-Education
620 students
Day School
IB
Min. fee: 170,500 CNY (Early Bird 161,975 CNY)
Max. fee: 275,600 CNY (Early Bird 261,820 CNY)

Lyceum Alpinum ZuozLyceum Alpinum Zuoz, Aguêl 185, 7524 Zuoz, CH

The Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, founded in 1904, is a Swiss international boarding school set in a spectacular alpine landscape near St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Lyceum campus…
Co-Educational
200 boarding students, 100-day students students
Day & Boarding School
Bilingual, IB, Swiss Curriculum
Min. fee: 79,500 CHF
Max. fee: 95,000 CHF

Korea International SchoolKorea International School Pangyo Campus, #27 385, Daewangpangyo-ro, Baekhyeon-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

WELCOME TO KIS Korea International School (KIS) is a private, proprietary, non-profit, nonsectarian school. KIS offers a fully WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)-accredited…
Co-Education
1258 students
Day School
US Curriculum
Min. fee: 22000 USD
Max. fee: 30500 USD

H-FARM International SchoolVia Olivetti 1, 31056 Roncade, Italy

H-FARM International School, located just outside of Venice, Italy, empowers students to be internationally-minded citizens who can shape their own future in…
Co-Education
600 students
Day & Boarding School
IB
Min. fee: 9500 EUR
Max. fee: 21000 EUR

Taejon Christian International SchoolSouth Korea, Daejeon, Yuseong-gu, 유성구 용산2로 77 (77 Yongsan 2-ro, Yuseong Gu) Daejeon, South Korea

Taejon Christian International School was established in 1958. As the first three-program IB World School in Korea, TCIS provides an excellent student-learning environment. We pride…
Co-Education
approx. 420 students
Day & Boarding School
Christian, IB, US Curriculum
Min. fee: 20,000 USD (elementary tuition)
Max. fee: 40,000 USD (high school tuition with boarding fees)
Learn more contact

École Jeannine Manuel Paris70 Rue du Théâtre, 75015 Paris, France

École Jeannine Manuel is a French, bilingual and international K-12 school founded in 1954 with the mission to promote international understanding through bilingual education…
Co-Education
2400 students
Day School
Bilingual, French Curriculum, IB
Min. fee: 7100 EUR
Max. fee: 24,795 EUR

THINK Global SchoolTHINK Global School, 54 W 40th St #512, New York, NY 10018, United States

THINK Global School is the world’s first travelling high school. Attendees between the ages of 15-18 gain an education by living in four different countries…
Co-Education
57 students
Boarding School
US Curriculum
Min. fee: Based on income
Max. fee: 94050 USD

Harrow International School Appi, Japan180-8 Appikogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306, Japan

Academic excellence combines with doorstep skiing, snowboarding, tennis, golfing, mountaineering and mountain biking access to Apple's extensive outdoor pursuits, 100% boarding, and fresh mountain air…
Co-Education
200 students
Boarding School
UK Curriculum
Min. fee: 8,490,000 JPY
Max. fee: 9,270,000 JPY

List of Accredited Online Degree Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 07:51:00 +0000

List of Accredited Online Degree Programs

College graduates typically enjoy many benefits, including higher wages, lower unemployment, and access to better jobs. One notable development in higher education over the past 20 years has been the rise of online learning. Today, prospective college students have more options than ever to earn online associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, along with certificates, in a wide array of fields.

Online degrees are currently available in 137 popular subjects, with 28,321 unique programs offered at online schools. Notably, every school on our website is accredited by an organization recognized by the US Department of Education. On this page, we provide a list of the number of online colleges offering degrees in every subject as well as any program-specific accreditation students should pay attention to and salary statistics.

Popular Online Programs

Business

384 Schools

1,931 Online Degrees

$23,364 Avg. Tuition

Psychology

225 Schools

476 Online Degrees

$23,953 Avg. Tuition

Education

167 Schools

515 Online Degrees

$23,178 Avg. Tuition

Counseling

67 Schools

110 Online Degrees

$22,469 Avg. Tuition

Program: A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / J / L / M / N / O / P / R / S / T / V / W

A	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Accounting	299	954	$48,930	AACSB ACBSP
Aerospace Engineering	35	113	$65,620	ABET
Agriculture	46	236	$39,040	Institutional
Anthropology	23	51	$26,590	Institutional
Architecture	15	23	$45,970	NAAB
Art & Design	68	184	$26,560	NASAD
Art History	12	23	$25,990	Institutional
Aviation	29	95	$48,890	AABI
B	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Biology	77	190	$28,750	Institutional
Business	557	5,711	$45,560	AACSB ACBSP IACBE
C	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
CAD/Computer-Aided Drafting	4	5	$34,340	Institutional
Chemical Engineering	21	48	$66,610	ABET
Child Development	104	221	$29,970	APA
Christian Counseling	26	82	$26,750	ACPE
Civil Engineering	55	239	$61,750	ABET
Communications	272	1,146	$34,520	ACEJMC
Computer Engineering	58	179	$73,140	ABET
Computer Science	201	765	$65,840	ABET
Conflict Resolution	47	96	$50,000	Institutional
Construction Management	64	115	$65,730	ACCE ATMAE
Counseling	226	791	$32,600	AAMFT CACREP
Counseling Psychology	73	126	$46,350	Institutional
Creative Writing	45	98	$30,800	Institutional
Criminal Justice	301	1,163	$36,130	Institutional
Criminology	78	148	$34,260	Institutional
Cybersecurity	243	816	$38,470	Institutional
D	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Data Science	168	423	Not reported	Institutional
Dental Assistant	4	4	$23,900	CODA
Dental Hygiene	23	38	$56,520	Institutional
DNP	143	499	$115,570	Institutional
E	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Early Childhood Education	204	558	$35,940	CAEP MACTE NAEYC NCATE
Economics	88	185	$50,900	AACSB
Education	538	8,257	$35,080	CAEP CEA MACTE NCATE
Educational Leadership	357	1,648	$81,070	NCATE
Electrical Engineering	73	292	$71,220	ABET
Elementary Education	193	539	$35,940	CAEP MACTE NCATE TEAC
Emergency Management	119	348	$46,390	Institutional
Engineering	268	2,450	$66,170	ABET
Engineering Management	98	272	$90,560	Institutional
English	175	415	$29,230	Institutional
Environmental Science	159	697	$32,460	Institutional
ESL	171	352	$27,330	CEA
Exercise Science	54	138	$30,100	Institutional
F	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Fashion	14	38	$36,850	Institutional
Finance	293	782	$52,830	AACSB
Fire Science	29	79	$62,000	FESHE
Forensic Accounting	38	55	$38,470	Institutional
Forensic Psychology	26	84	$31,870	APA
Forensic Science	74	210	Not reported	AAFS
G	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Geographic Information Systems	72	173	$36,380	Institutional
Graphic Design	42	75	$34,730	NASAD
Gunsmithing	2	2	$47,900	Institutional
H	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Health Education	146	273	$33,920	Institutional
Healthcare Administration	339	1,083	$39,400	CAHME
Healthcare Informatics	173	431	$73,540	CAHIIM CAHME
Healthcare Management	315	927	$39,400	CAHME
History	115	278	$30,770	Institutional
Holistic Medicine	13	20	$26,660	ACAOM CNME
Homeland Security	123	485	$46,310	Institutional
Hospitality Management	91	219	$38,330	ACPHA
Human Resources	265	786	$46,270	AACSB ACBSP
Human Services	224	822	$31,440	Institutional
HVAC	5	7	$33,210	Institutional
I	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Industrial Engineering	53	131	$68,530	ABET
Information Technology	289	1,556	$54,990	ABET
Interior Design	14	20	$43,770	CIDA NASAD
J	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Journalism	95	211	$33,880	ACEJMC
L	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Landscape Design	2	2	$49,100	LAAB
Law	106	406	$76,290	ABA ABA
Law Enforcement	80	148	$36,130	Institutional
Legal Nurse Consulting	2	2	$57,180	ABHES
Liberal Studies	372	1,548	$37,440	Institutional
Library Science	85	278	$28,100	ALA
M	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Management	563	5,777	$45,440	AACSB
Marketing	334	917	$43,960	AACSB
Marriage & Family Therapy	45	152	$32,600	AAMFT COAMFTE
Mathematics	137	303	$48,010	Institutional
MBA	435	2,557	$77,710	AACSB ACBSP IACBE
Mechanical Engineering	54	161	$65,820	ABET
Medical Assistant	14	21	$28,020	ABHES
Medical Billing & Coding	32	59	$24,230	ABHES
Medical Office Administration	24	38	$35,730	ABHES
MFA	17	35	$31,000	Institutional
MPA	99	250	Not reported	Institutional
MSW	82	213	Not reported	CSWE
Music	73	158	$26,820	NASM NASM
N	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Network Administration	49	80	$54,990	ABET
Nurse Practitioner (NP)	169	757	$96,740	ACEN ACEN CCNE NPWH
Nursing	405	2,884	$67,750	AANA ACEN ACEN ACME CCNE
Nutrition	102	220	$31,720	ACEND
O	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Occupational Safety	31	79	$33,920	ABET
Occupational Therapy	31	50	$70,410	Institutional
Organizational Leadership	424	2,006	$45,440	AACSB
P	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Paralegal	43	108	$35,060	Institutional
Personal Training	5	11	$32,360	Institutional
Pharmacy	41	117	$107,960	ACPE
Pharmacy Technician	11	15	$24,030	ACPE ASHP
Philosophy	42	68	$31,200	Institutional
Phlebotomy	1	1	$26,820	NAACLS
Photography	5	13	$25,410	Institutional
Physical Education	67	138	$30,100	NCATE
Physical Therapy	24	31	$70,410	APTA
Physician Assistant	4	6	$100,990	ARC-PA
Physics	28	65	$42,570	CAMPEP
Political Science	88	227	$35,860	Institutional
Project Management	176	546	$45,440	AACSB PMI-GAC
Psychology	311	1,153	$29,850	APA
Public Administration	273	1,167	$41,950	NASPAA
Public Health	192	687	$33,920	CEPH
Public Relations	88	152	$38,720	Institutional
R	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Radiology	31	69	$56,290	JRCERT JRCNMT
Real Estate	26	49	$52,610	Institutional
Religious Studies	122	1,166	$28,000	ACPE
Respiratory Therapy	27	46	$56,290	CoARC
RN to BSN	280	307	Not reported	ACEN
RN to MSN	52	127	Not reported	Institutional
S	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
School Counseling	78	126	$45,030	CACREP
Secondary Education	148	527	$35,940	CAEP NCATE TEAC
Social Work	137	372	$32,580	CSWE
Sociology	102	206	$31,970	Institutional
Software Engineering	80	174	$73,140	ABET
Sonography	6	9	$56,290	Institutional
Spanish	40	62	$32,080	Institutional
Special Education	290	1,275	$38,470	CAA CAEP
Speech Pathology	24	28	$25,870	CAA
Sports Management	175	414	$39,700	Institutional
Statistics	40	88	$89,570	Institutional
Substance Abuse Counseling	73	135	$32,600	CACREP
Supply Chain Management	164	352	$45,440	Institutional
Systems Engineering	72	266	$67,400	ABET
T	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Teaching	366	2,066	$40,350	CAEP MACTE NCATE TEAC
Theology	50	194	$27,250	CAATS
V	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Veterinary Technician	5	8	$27,830	AVMA COE
Video Game Design	28	59	$34,730	Institutional
Vocational	29	84	$37,510	PABCTE
W	Online Schools	Programs	Alumni Salary	Accreditation
Web Design	50	79	$39,510	Institutional
Web Development	64	134	$39,510	Institutional

Overview of Online College Degrees

Online education, also referred to as distance or virtual learning, is the process of taking educational courses remotely via the internet. Many students are attracted to the online format because of its convenience and self-directed nature, and in some cases, because of its lower cost when all factors are taken into consideration.

Over the past decade or so, there has been rising popularity in online learning, with enrollment in virtual learning programs increasing, even as enrollment in college programs overall has declined. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 75% of students — which equates to nearly 12 million — were enrolled in at least one distance learning class in the fall of 2020. What's more, is that the number of students exclusively enrolled in online learning courses jumped by 186% between 2019 and 2020. This was primarily a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it does show a willingness from students to participate in degrees online.

Is It Possible to Get a Degree Entirely Online?

Although many students are aware they can take select classes online, some wonder if they can earn their entire degree online. The answer is yes. Hundreds of highly regarded colleges and universities offer 100% online degree programs that enable students to take every class online. Online programs are available from traditional schools, research institutions, specialty schools (such as religious colleges), and fully online colleges. The curriculum and coursework for these degrees are comparable to those of on-campus degrees, and the courses are often taught by the same instructors.

Hundreds of highly regarded colleges and universities offer 100% online degree programs that enable students to take every class online.

There are a few majors — such as nursing and social work — that require students to engage in experiential learning activities under the supervision of a professional. In these instances, online students are usually able to complete this requirement at an approved facility near their home.

In rare instances, a school may require online students to come to campus for brief periods of two to 10 days for orientation, lab work, or other types of in-person learning events. This requirement is usually stated on the program pages of school websites.

Fully Online Bachelor's Programs

There are numerous 100% online bachelor's degree programs to choose from at a wide range of prices. A 2020 report on online education revealed that, of online bachelor's programs, 57% are fully online, rather than a hybrid.

Just like earning an on-campus degree, the first couple of years of your online program will provide you with a broad education in several essential subjects, such as math, social sciences, language arts, and natural sciences. You'll also take several introductory courses in your major. During the last couple of years of your four-year degree program, you'll take upper-level courses and electives related to your major and possibly a minor, if you wish. Throughout it all, you'll have ample opportunities to interact with your instructors and network with peers via the school's online learning management system (LMS).

Fully Online Master's Programs

With relatively few exceptions, there is an online master's degree program for nearly any subject you might want to study.

According to The Changing Landscape of Online Education 2020 report, close to 75% of online master's degree programs are fully online, rather than a hybrid.

In addition, many colleges are planning to add between three and six new online master's programs each year. The same report notes that about 40% of students enrolled in master's programs are earning their degrees entirely online. The self-paced classes and flexible schedules of online programs appeal to many master's students, who are often working adults with full-time jobs and other commitments.

Types of Colleges

There are various types of schools where you can pursue an online or in-person degree, including the following:

Community Colleges

At these two-year colleges, students can earn associate degrees or certificates or complete many general education requirements before transferring to a four-year university. Community colleges are generally operated by the local or state government, and they typically accept all students and charge low tuition fees.

2-Year Universities

Unique to the virtual learning landscape, some online schools enable students to graduate early, even earning bachelor's degrees in as little as two years through accelerated programs.

Public Colleges

Public colleges and universities vary dramatically in size and scope. They typically offer bachelor's degrees in a wide range of subjects, as well as master's degrees and doctorates. Because public schools get funding from the states that operate them, they are generally able to charge lower tuition rates.

Private Colleges

Similar to their state-run counterparts, private colleges and universities offer degree programs at all levels: bachelor's, master's, and doctorates. These schools are funded by student tuition, alumni gifts, and endowments, and they may be more expensive to attend than many public colleges. Private colleges can be further categorized:

Nonprofit: As nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private schools are required to reinvest any profits back into the school. Funds are often used to enhance facilities, hire additional instructors and staff, and expand the number of programs offered by the school.
For-Profit: For-profit private colleges operate like any other for-profit businesses, with profits going back to investors. There are many types of for-profit universities, career colleges, and technical schools, and many of them exclusively offer online programs.

The Experience of Online Learning

As mentioned above, online programs utilize some form of a digital LMS, to deliver course materials, submit homework assignments, and facilitate interaction among students and instructors. Some of the most common are Blackboard, Canvas, D2L Brightspace, and Moodle. Learning activities are posted on the site, which is accessible only to enrolled students, and these may include readings, lectures, homework, and other assignments. Students also can engage in class discussion through online discussion boards and typically complete assignments when it's convenient for them but by a set deadline.

When online college courses are structured in a way that enables students to work entirely on their own schedules, independent of one another and the instructor, it is called an asynchronous course. In some cases, however, there may be a need for students to work with each other or the instructor in real-time, which makes it a synchronous course. Some schools have also created hybrid programs, in which students conduct most of their education online but are required to come to campus for short periods to engage in live learning activities.

What Is the Easiest Degree To Get Online?

What is easy for one student may be challenging for another and vice versa, which is why no one particular degree can be considered easier than others. However, for many students, earning a degree online can be easier than taking the traditional route due to flexible schedules, self-paced learning, and the availability of online student resources, such as tutoring and academic advising. Virtual learners may also find it easier to identify the best program to fit their needs because there are so many online programs to choose from without having to leave home.

When it comes to certain majors, the Education Data Initiative found that 18.3% of graduates earn degrees in STEM fields, while 16.7% graduate with a business degree. These two fields see the highest number of graduates, which may indicate a more approachable degree for an online college overall.

For many students, earning a degree online can be easier than taking the traditional route due to flexible schedules, self-paced learning, and the availability of online student resources, such as tutoring and academic advising.

What Is a Good Degree To Get Online?

When choosing a degree online, you might want to factor in your personal learning style and strengths. Online courses are often asynchronous, which means you'll most likely do a great deal of reading and writing and have somewhat less direct contact with your instructor. If technology is already a strength, you might be well suited to earn a fully online degree in data science or information technology. Similarly, software engineering or graphic design degrees will likely take place totally online as well.

An online program could indicate to a potential employer that you're well-suited to work remotely and prepared to take on a challenging role without direct supervision.

Online Degree Level Overviews

Selecting an online degree can seem overwhelming at first, but basically, there are five college degree levels to choose from:

Certificate

Certificates are available online for students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Online certificates can serve as a supplement to a degree, or as a standalone qualification. There are over 7,000 online certificate programs to choose from, many leading to job opportunities as physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants, dental assistants, and veterinary technicians.

Associate degree

Online associate degrees typically can be completed in two years and are available for a variety of programs. Online students who've graduated from an associate degree program will often be more competitive in the job market, especially in technical and vocational fields, compared to those with only a high school diploma or GED. Online associate degrees are also a solid stepping stone for those looking to earn and transfer credits to a four-year institution so they can continue on to more advanced degrees.

Bachelor's degree

Online bachelor's degree programs can usually be completed online in four years. Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees are available online in almost any area of study imaginable, from popular subjects such as engineering to less common subjects such as personal training or data science. Graduates of an online bachelor's degree program will find themselves qualified for a wide range of jobs, or they may advance their studies by pursuing a master's degree.

Master's degree

Online master's degree programs are a valuable option for students hoping to pursue graduate-level education at a flexible pace, as many programs are designed to allow online students to continue full-time work while completing their studies. Online master's degrees typically take two years to complete and are available in most subjects. Many schools offer over 100 different online graduate degree options.

Doctorate

Obtaining a doctoral degree is one of the ultimate ways to achieve excellence in a field, and there are a variety of online doctorates available. The time required for completion of these degrees varies, depending on whether the online student is full-time or part-time. Prospective doctoral students can explore degree offerings in business, psychology, computer science, and a wide variety of other subject areas.

Popular Areas of Online Study

There are many areas of study that an online student might focus on, and deciding which subject to study in college can be a challenge. Students may select a major based on future career goals, interests, skills, or expected salary in a given field. Below are some of the most popular online degree programs:

Business

Online business degree programs aim to develop overall analytic, writing, and project management skills as well as an understanding of how organizations function.

Related Degrees: Finance is another popular specialty for those seeking an online business degree. An online finance degree can potentially lead to a career in financial management, budget analysis, and financial advising. Students hoping to pursue business careers related to business management or administration might be interested in learning more about online human resources or management degrees.

Criminal Justice

A career related to law enforcement, the correctional system, the courts, or perhaps all three, may begin with an online degree in criminal justice.

Related Degrees: Those who'd like to learn about crime from a social perspective may be interested in an online criminology degree. There are multiple degree levels available, even an online doctorate. Those interested in detective work might try exploring online options for undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees in forensic psychology or forensic science.

Art Design

Art design encompasses a broad spectrum of creative disciplines — from digital design in animation and video games to product design in fashion and jewelry.

Related Degrees: Graphic design and web design degrees are popular routes for online students who are interested in the digital marketing aspects of the art design. Conversely, art history degrees are widely available for traditional art enthusiasts. Finally, musicians may be interested in pursuing a degree in music, where they can take an in-depth look at production, composition, and theory.

Education

For those who are passionate about teaching, pursuing an online education degree will provide the skills necessary to make a difference in the lives of young students.

Related Degrees: The breadth of available online degrees in education can lead to a variety of specializations, including elementary education, early childhood education, educational leadership, and special education. Additionally, health education degrees offer a deep understanding of teaching healthy habits through community engagement, while speech pathology looks at communication through behavioral and psychological factors.

Liberal Studies

The broad umbrella of liberal studies is a smart choice for online students who are hoping to expand their worldview and develop stronger critical thinking and communication skills.

Related Degrees: The field of liberal studies includes a wide array of online courses, from English to anthropology, physics to mathematics, and psychology to music. Since career paths for graduates of online liberal studies degrees vary widely depending on the program of study, looking over our more specific subject pages will help prospective students learn more about the many available options.

Engineering

Engineering may be the ideal field of study for anyone who enjoys applying scientific and mathematical skills to solve real-world problems.

Related Degrees: Interested students should also research what engineering specializations appeal to them, as online programs are available in areas such as electrical engineering, civil engineering, software engineering, and mechanical engineering, to name a few specific areas. Graduates of an online engineering degree program may find work at research labs, governmental agencies, large corporations, construction sites, or small companies.

Health Care Administration

Health care administration degrees offer an understanding of modern health care systems that are designed to meet the needs of patients.

Related Degrees: Some people assume that degrees related to health care can't be earned online because they often require hands-on, experiential learning modules via practicums, fieldwork, or internships. However, many accredited colleges and universities have overcome this barrier and are now offering online degrees in a wide range of health-related subjects: nursing, pharmacy, nutrition, personal training, public health, respiratory therapy, and medical or dental assistance.

Computer Science

Computer science looks at everything — from web development to network maintenance — all through the lens of complex technologies and analytics.

Related Degrees: A specialization in cybersecurity means students will investigate, analyze, and solve complex issues related to network and system safety. Computer programming, on the other hand, involves writing code and developing software that allows computers to operate in the first place.

English

Online students considering an online degree in English may be surprised to discover how versatile this option can be, as coursework focuses on developing analytical and critical thinking skills as well as effective writing and communication abilities.

Related Degrees: Some English students focus their degree on creative writing. This specialization involves developing storytelling techniques through scriptwriting, poetry, and other writing mediums. Some prefer to focus on journalism instead because they want to write for news organizations about current issues.

Information Technology

Whereas computer science focuses on programming and innovation, an online information technology degree focuses on building and maintaining existing technologies.

Related Degrees: IT degrees can fall into many categories, depending on a student's personal interests. There's software engineering, which works on program development for computer systems; computer science, which involves highly technical and analytical computer design and development; as well as geographic information systems, which looks at the earth's surface through technological tools and techniques.

Public Health

From preventing the spread of infectious diseases to encouraging schools to provide healthier lunches for children, an online public health degree teaches professionals how they can improve the well-being of individuals, communities, and the population at large.

Related Degrees: Health science programs are interdisciplinary as they look at healthcare management through policy, patient support, and healthcare data. Health care informatics follows a more direct route through information by offering students an understanding of medical terminology, health care IT, and systems administration. Then, there's health care administration, which involves the daily management of an organization's health care systems.

Choosing and Applying to an Online Program

Once you've determined the subject you would like to pursue, you'll need to decide which online degree programs to enroll in. There are several important factors to consider when selecting the specific program that will best meet your needs: the reputation of the school for teaching that subject, any options for adding a concentration or area of emphasis, and whether you can customize your degree program through your choice of electives.

As you conduct your school search, you might also want to investigate the school's online learning environment before making your final choice. Below are some useful questions to ask a school advisor:

Are online courses entirely asynchronous, allowing you to complete work on your own time, or are elements of the courses synchronous, requiring you to be online with the instructor on specific days and times?

Does the school require you to come to campus for any live learning events, and will you have the time and resources to attend these sessions?

Will you be able to meet the expected demands of the courses in addition to your other commitments? mpus for any live learning events, and will you have the time and resources to attend these sessions?

Will you have access to financial aid and student support services if enrolled online?

Once you've settled on one or more programs, you're ready to apply. Prospective students use the same process to apply for online programs as they do for traditional programs, and they must meet the same admissions standards for schools online.

The Importance of Accreditation

One of the most important factors in choosing an online degree program is ensuring it has been accredited by an approved, independent agency. Accreditation means that the college or university has undergone a thorough evaluation. In this process, coursework, faculty, and student resources have been determined to meet high standards for quality and value.

All of the schools listed on our website have been accredited. View our accreditation page to learn more about specific types of accreditation and how they impact transfer credits and financial assistance.

Cost of Online Degrees

At each college degree level, programs are available at a wide range of prices. The most expensive component of any online college degree is tuition.

EXPERT TIP

One way to compare tuition across schools is to multiply each school's per-credit tuition rate by the number of credits you'll need to earn to graduate.

When checking school websites for these data points, be sure to locate the correct tuition rate for the level of degree you're pursuing. Some schools charge different rates for on-campus and online students or different rates for in-state and out-of-state residents. Notably, however, many online schools charge out-of-state students the same rate as in-state students, which can cut down the cost when compared to on-campus programs.

However, all prospective students need to factor in several other expenses when calculating the potential cost of an online degree. Some items to consider include books and supplies, annual and one-time-only fees charged by the school, interest on student loans, childcare costs, and transportation costs related to on-site learning activities.

Are There Free Online Colleges?

Although there are a few online school programs that tout tuition-free degrees, these programs are not really free, as they charge application, enrollment, and testing fees that, when added up, can be comparable to the tuition at some online schools.

However, many states, community colleges, and four-year universities offer "last-dollar" scholarships for students whose federal and state aid don't cover the full cost of tuition.

Financial Aid Considerations and Resources for Online Students

At most schools, online students are eligible for financial aid packages, just like their on-campus counterparts. The most desirable forms of financial aid are grants, scholarships, fellowships, and work-study programs, generally provided by the federal or state government or by the schools themselves. Students do not have to repay the aid that comes from these sources.

Some students may also be eligible for other types of financial assistance. For instance, active duty military and veterans, along with their dependents, are often entitled to tuition discounts. Some schools also have partnerships with organizations, and members or employees of these organizations may gain access to tuition assistance. Federal and private loans are another useful option, although students will need to pay back the loans with interest. For the vast majority of financial aid programs, the application process begins by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Perhaps the one circumstance in which online students will face a different financial situation than traditional students is at the doctoral level. Many on-campus Ph.D. candidates secure "fully funded" degrees. Essentially, they receive a tuition-free education and possibly even a stipend in exchange for teaching and contributing to research projects at the university's research facilities. Because these fully funded programs require the recipients to be on campus to perform the work, online Ph.D. candidates are generally not eligible for these programs.

Jobs You Can Get With an Online Degree

People who have earned their degrees online are often equally eligible for jobs requiring college education as those who've attended college in person.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has identified quite a few occupations that are expected to grow substantially over the next decade, and many of these require degrees that can be obtained online.

When looking at the health care industry, for example, some high-growth occupations only require a bachelor's degree which can be earned online. This includes health services managers and mental health counselors. However, if you're interested in a more specialized, clinical occupation, they require a master's degree. These jobs include roles that work directly with patients such as a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and speech pathologist.

What Careers Can You Get With a Two-Year Degree?

Many associate degrees lead to high-paying jobs, such as those in health care including sonographers, dental hygienists, and medical assistants. Furthermore, graduates with online associate degrees in nursing can see a median income of $57,940.

Another option for a successful career with a two-year degree is a paralegal associate degree. While this role may offer a lower median salary ($31,050) than a nursing career, it can be a great starting point for those interested in a career in the legal field.

What Is the Best Degree To Make Money?

Starting salary is an important metric to consider before deciding what career to pursue. This is true for two reasons. First off, students want to ensure they are setting themselves up for a financially stable future. Second, with the high cost of tuition, the younger generation of students is looking for ways to pay off their large amounts of student debt.

Some of the best college degrees to make money fall under the umbrella of engineering. This isn't surprising considering the complexity of this field when it comes to blending math with science and physics. Engineering graduates may earn an average salary of $64,292, with engineering technology graduates falling just below $58,272. The table below outlines the fields with the highest paying salaries, along with the corresponding degree programs.

Career fields with high-paying salaries	Average median starting salary	Degree Programs
Engineering	$64,292	Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering
Computer and Information Sciences	$58,789	Cybersecurity, Web Design, Information Technology
Health	$56,118	Health Care Administration, Public Health, Health Care Management
Air Transportation	$48,562	Aviation
Mathematics and Statistics	$46,311	Economics, Finance

What Degree Should I Get if I Want to Work From Home?

While some have been forced to work from home during the pandemic, many workers have come out the other side with a desire to maintain their new work environment. Some fields have long benefited from remote work, such as information technology and web design. Degrees that revolve around computer programming and development, such as software engineering, may also afford a work-from-home lifestyle. A business degree may also be a good start to working from home, especially as many companies have completely shifted to remote work environments since the pandemic.

Is Getting an Online Degree Worth It?

Earning an online degree offers the same level of academic benefits as a traditional degree. Your degree likely won't even specify that it was achieved online. However, online degree programs have their pros and cons, depending on a student's comfortability in studying in a remote environment.

Let's take a look at the potential benefits and drawbacks of earning a distance learning degree:

Potential Benefits

Online classes work around your lifestyle. Having the ability to attend classes on your own schedule is ideal if you work full time or have other time constraints, like family obligations, that make it challenging to attend traditional classes.

With a wider selection of programs, you're more likely to find the best program to fit your career goals and budget without having to move to a different location.

An online degree could significantly increase your lifetime earning potential, including access to higher-level, better-paying jobs. According to the BLS, people who've earned bachelor's degrees earn, on average, earn about $500 more per week than those who have a high school diploma. Multiplied out over a typical career, that amounts to $26,000 more per year and around $1 million more over 40 years.

Earning an online degree is more affordable than a traditional university program. According to statistics from the Education Data Initiative, online degrees cost $600 less than in-person degrees. Students also save $3,400 per year on transportation costs and spend $1,380 more on a school's meal plan.

Potential Drawbacks

Online classes require more time management and self-discipline. Dr. Wendy St. Pierre, a professor for the online program at the University of Maine at Augusta, notes that distance education requires students to create their own structure and manage their coursework effectively. She's observed that some students struggle to set aside enough time to complete assignments, which can negatively impact their grades.

Students will need to overcome the technological learning curve for online degree programs. Schools that offer online degree programs are forced to host their coursework on an LMS, which means that students must learn these digital platforms before they can begin to study the actual course information.

Graduates with associate degrees earn $800,000 less than traditional four-year university graduates, according to a 2021 study by Georgetown University. Because many online degrees are two-year associate-level programs, this means that by opting for an online associate degree, you may earn less than your four-year counterparts.

20 Best MasterClass Courses 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:15:00 +0000

20 Best MasterClass Courses 2022

A review of the best MasterClass courses and classes. Learn from the best.

The illustrious Tony Robbins is known for saying “Success Leaves Clues.” MasterClass took this idea to its pinnacle. The main selling point of the MasterClass course platform is the instructors. And, each instructor is well-reputed to be a top performer in their field.

MasterClass frequently releases new courses to offer unique learning experiences and perspectives for its members. Below we give you a tour of 20 of the best MasterClass courses and classes in 2022. Take this opportunity to learn from the best literally.

MasterClass Courses – What Is MasterClass?

A masterclass is a popular online learning platform to help expand your skills and knowledge in various fields such as cooking, business, art, entertainment, writing, sports, science, tech, and health. Whatever topic you choose to study, you are assured an experienced of and knowledgeable instructor. Their credentials require no examination.

You can learn Negotiation from Chris Voss, Cooking from Gordon Ramsey, Leadership from Bill Clinton, Acting from Samuel L. Jackson, Voice Training from Mariah Carey, or Tennis from Serena Williams. Expect top-notch production quality across the board.

Lessons – In addition to the video lessons, each course provides a detailed workbook. Members also have access to Sessions, a convenient learning format to learn by doing in just 30 days. Watch MasterClass classes on the web or through mobile & TV apps.

Note:
This review curates some of the best MasterClass classes but cannot cover all the courses available. We start with a list of the latest classes to keep things up to date.

Latest MasterClass Classes

· Mariah Carey Teaches the Voice as an Instrument.

· Serena Williams Teaches Tennis.

· Lewis Hamilton Teaches a Winning Mindest.

· Metallica Teaches Being a Band.

· Roy Choi Teaches Intuitive Cooking.

1. Gordon Ramsay MasterClass – Cooking

If you enjoyed his peppery wit on Hell’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass may be your flavor. You get Ramsay all to yourself, minus the hot retorts. He teaches you how to prep, plate, and pair 13 recipes. From appetizers to the main course, these are “restaurant-inspired dishes designed for home cooking.

Some items from the menu are Crispy Duck with Red Endive, and Pomme Puree, and for vegans, he threw in Cauliflower Steak, Olives, and Mushrooms. Dessert is a Raspberry Souffle. He even teaches kitchen layout and a lesson on choosing vegetables and herbs.

It’s safe to assume that you get full recipes and shopping lists in the course booklet. I suggest you watch the lesson of the recipe you want to do in its entirety at least once. Then, mise en place, play it again, and cook along!

Student comments comprised a conversation between aspiring cooks who shared their varying levels of success and questions about modifications that appear to have gone unanswered. Nevertheless, Ramsay has mastered the art of kitchen performance – cooking and talking at the same time. And, he does it with presence and finesse.

2. Chris Voss MasterClass – The Art of Negotiation

If you were to base your assessment of Voss and his laudable track record as a negotiator, you might misjudge him. His gruff voice and his authoritative mannerisms seem to want to make you an offer you cannot refuse. Nay, Chris Voss has succeeded in so many high-stakes situations with terrorists, kidnappers, or bank robbers not by strong-arming but with his high EQ.

In his MasterClass, lifted from his ‘Tactical Empathy' lesson, you learn about Voss’s perception of his counterparts in a negotiation. It is edification rather than intimidation. He promises to teach you this and other principles he has proven in practice. The lesson list includes a Case Study of the famous Chase Manhattan Bank Robbery, Creating the Illusion of Control, and a Mock Salary Negotiation.

Reviews overall are positive. Learners affirm that they learned new skills that they can apply in many areas of their professional and personal lives. Perhaps this is one of my personal best MasterClass courses and indeed comes with an offer you cannot refuse.

3. Robin Roberts MasterClass – Effective Communication

Your morning cup of coffee just became your MasterClass instructor. Robin Roberts came to MasterClass to help you make more meaningful connections. Indeed, communication is an indispensable skill, and Robin Roberts is an undisputed master of it.

Her class description promises to teach you how to communicate more effectively with everyone. She even gives you a rare look behind the scenes of Good Morning America. Nice! In Robin Roberts’ MasterClass course, you will learn how to embrace vulnerability, build resilience, and live with optimism.

Modules include “Make Your Mess Your Message”, “Making an Authentic Connection”, “Public Speaking”, “Interviewing for a Job” and “Communicating Your Value at Work”. I bet your inside voice is already saying yes to these lessons.

The only con is that the class is comparatively short. Clearly, learners wanted more of Robin Roberts. In her class sample, she made me smile when she said “success leaves clues” (cue the Twilight Zone theme song). There is some value for aspiring broadcast journalists. For everyone else, there are sage life lessons.

4. Kelly Wearstler MasterClass – Interior Design

Her wardrobe throughout this MasterClass is amazing! The class intro begins by describing her style as “eclectic and experiential”, which are accurate adjectives. Enjoy one of the best MasterClass classes in the design category.

This award-winning interior designer promises to teach you to “create spaces that tell a story.” She does this on Field Trips – one that focuses on Working with Space and another about Experimenting with Color. Lessons also include “Enhancing Your Space” and “Creative Journey.”

Reviewers say she delivers on her promises with confidence-instilling advice. Even in the class sample, she shares a nugget about simultaneous balance and asymmetry in a room. Aspiring interior designers should take this course. Indeed, this course could give you just what you need to uplift your own pandemic-weary home space.

5. Daniel Pink MasterClass – Sales and Persuasion

It has been said that everyone sells for one reason or another. The usual example given is that we sell ourselves – to potential employers or prospective partners in business or romance. Daniel Pink wants you to embrace the salesperson in you. He has a very simple and replicable set of rules that neatly package most of what you need to know to do that.

This MasterClass course gives learners “tactics for achieving better outcomes in any interaction” and teaches how to pitch. Lessons include “Sales Trends”, “Clarity: Making Your Message Count”, “Buoyancy: Develop a Resilient Mindset” and “Persuade Yourself: How to Self-Motivate”.

If you’ve never heard of Daniel Pink, his resume includes four NYT Bestselling books and he worked as US Vice President Al Gore’s speechwriter during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Pink has premium-priced courses on Acumen Academy and Udemy as well.

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive for this MasterClass. If you are a professional in sales and marketing or interested in both, this is one of the best MasterClass courses available. The class promises to level your game up if you apply Pink’s principles. No matter what industry you are in, the information in this MasterClass course is invaluable.

6. Sara Blakely MasterClass – Self-Made Entrepreneurship

If you don’t recognize her name, think Spanx. She definitely knows her topic, and Sara Blakely's MasterClass is here to show you how to “open doors and close deals” using a customer-centric style. She speaks specifically to people with a physical product idea. In a nutshell, you will learn her tactics for prototyping and branding.

In her class sample, in no more than 1 minute, she debunks the myth of the business plan prerequisite. Instead, she explains that her focus was “make it, sell it, build awareness.” Even if your business idea is not a physical product, that advice is encouraging indeed.

Class titles in the course include ‘Developing your Big Idea,' ‘Entrepreneurial Mindset,' ‘Build Awareness,' and ‘Building a Culture.' During the course, you get to sit in on sessions as she mentors three business owners at various stages of their journey. Blakely also gives Case Studies, including one on her own Spanx brand and her Survival Guide.

Reviews were generally favorable. Sara is a true business person with her direct, bottom-line-focused delivery. Even in her MasterClass, she clearly puts the customer at the center and gives you what you want. Overall, this is one of the best MasterClass courses for entrepreneurs interested in improving their branding and product portfolio

7. Garry Kasparov MasterClass – Chess

Some business and wealth strategists use the analogy of a chess game to characterize the kind of critical thinking one needs to succeed. Kasparov is officially a Chess Grandmaster, and in his MasterClass course, he begins with the fundamentals of the game and develops learners into advanced tactics.

Kasparov gives you case studies and offers “How to Analyze,” “Computers and Chess” and “Mental Toughness” among the 29 lessons in the course. Learners were generally pleased with the course, with one caveat. You need to have a basic understanding of the game going in, otherwise, you quickly become overwhelmed.

If you’re not sure why you should bother learning chess at all, the list of benefits is impressive. Once you decide, get started and then come back to Kasparov’s class. This is among the best MasterClass courses not only for beginners and Intermediates who are serious about improving their chess game but also for strategic thinking abilities.

8. Anna Wintour MasterClass – Creativity and Leadership

Anna Wintour has been at the top of her game for more than 40 years, still currently working as Editor-in-Chief of Vogue. Her MasterClass, often referred to as “How to Be a Boss,” promises to teach you “to lead with impact.” You get a rare look behind the scenes at Vogue’s history and its modern operations.

While watching her practice what she preaches, she oozes Miranda Priestly of “The Devil Wears Prada.” A particular review spoke of attempts at self-branding and mythmaking around herself. Let’s face it; this MasterClass course class is highly edited. Ms. Wintour is an editor. Nevertheless, like some of her MasterClass peers, she has earned her stripes.

I wouldn’t call Wintour’s Masterclass a must for any field. Nevertheless, if you want to either be able to say you took Anna Wintour’s MasterClass, then go for it. If you bought a one-year membership, you could mix this in with some of the other best MasterClass courses in your interest area. There’s value here, and there’s inspiration also.

9. Matthew Walker MasterClass – The Science of Better Sleep

What do Alzheimer’s disease and testicles have in common? According to Matthew Walker, they are both deeply affected by the amount and quality of sleep one gets. This British neuroscientist says sleep is like a Swiss Army Knife to your health.

In his MasterClass course, you will learn about sleep science and get the scoop on increasing the quality and quantity of your own sleep. The lessons include “How Sleep Works”, “Fire up the Brain”, “Overnight Therapy”, and “How to Sleep Better”.

Being a sleep specialist, Walker’s credentials speak volumes about what he can impart. Furthermore, as a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, he is not only knowledgeable, but he is a seasoned teacher.

If you are in the medical field, this is among the best MasterClass courses and classes that could contribute to your continuous professional development. For the rest of us, this wake-up call to sleep better is timely and critical.

10. Paul Krugman MasterClass – Economics and Society

American economist Paul Krugman may not be a household name, but his MasterClass course may change the way you see the world. Krugman offers students a rare opportunity. You get to mine lessons from some of the most historical events of the last 50 years with the skillful guidance of a Nobel prize-winning economic mind.

His class sample is deceptively simplistic. Perhaps its goal is to make him seem more approachable. The trailer, on the other hand, lets you know that you’re in for a major paradigm shift. Class modules include How ’08 Happened, Economic Solutions to Crises, Understanding Taxes, and Understanding the Hyperglobalized World.

Learners were satisfied with the course in general, although one person said it lacked content. He said that having taken some econ courses before, he expected more graphs and charts with technical information. Nevertheless, even he found value in it.

For the gen pop, this course will equip you in decision-making and give you great fodder for cocktail party banter (if we ever have those again). For aspiring economists, this is one of the best MasterClass courses offering a chance to sit at the feet of a master. Heck, Krugman probably co-authored one of your textbooks.

11. Malcolm Gladwell MasterClass – Writing

What do ketchup, crime, and quarterbacks have in common? They were all subjects used by Gladwell to help his readers grasp the complex subject matter. He is a master at combining storytelling and reporting. His MasterClass course presents a great opportunity for aspiring non-fiction writers to take their writing to a higher level.

Still working as a staff writer for The New Yorker (25 years and counting), this journalist and author have a lot to offer. Thankfully, according to reviewers, he truly delivers in his MasterClass. No class sample is available, but his course description promises to teach you how to captivate readers by distilling “big ideas into simple, powerful narratives.”

Class titles include “Holding Readers” with the subtitles ‘Tools for Engagement' and ‘Controlling Information'. There is also “Developing the Story”, “Interviewing”, “Jargon” and “Working as a Writer”. In the class trailer, he promises all this… and semicolons.

As a writer, the chance to learn about semicolons from such an accomplished writer is tasty bait! Thus, this is one of the best MasterClass courses for aspiring writers, authors, journalists, and bloggers. And, there is much more to learn from Malcolm Gladwell.

12. Neil deGrasse Tyson MasterClass – Scientific Thinking

On a cool mid-autumn evening in the late 1990s, my date and I strolled on the green side of Central Park West. An hour later, we reclined as we experienced an amazing space experience under the dome at the Hayden Planetarium designed by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Even then, this giant of scientific thinking created ways to help others perceive the universe with a more informed eye. In doing so, he made science more accessible to us all. He was inspired by a childhood trip to the Hayden, a class trip most of us NYC Public School System alumni have taken.

A giant in astrophysics, Neil deGrasse Tyson's MasterClass will teach you how to “think like a skeptic” and “open your own mind through scientific literacy.” The most important learning outcome is that you will “deliver your ideas in ways that engage, excite, and inspire.” In general, learners said that this course contains a great deal of insight.

Nevertheless, some say the workbook doesn’t give you any practical learning activities and the information is more theoretical than practical. This is among the best MasterClass courses and classes for curious minds but not a must for people who have more than an intermediate background in science.

13. Marc Jacobs MasterClass – Fashion Design

In his MasterClass, Jacobs speaks in an honest, personable manner as you watch him sketch a car coat. I still don’t know what a car coat is, exactly, but in the four minutes, I learned a few things about the clothing design process.

The description says you will learn to “develop your own ideas from the first sketch to the final piece.” From an audience perspective, I picture a design student, freelancer, or design enthusiast getting inspired and actually working on designs while taking the class. Lessons cover teamwork, Runway Shows, and Construction Techniques via Case Study.

For designers at any level, Jacobs serves up great practical advice in the form of a full demonstration. You really can’t beat that other than actually physically working alongside him or another iconic fashion designer as an apprentice. If you can make that happen, then don’t bother with this MasterClass course. Otherwise, it is a great pick.

14. Jon Kabat-Zinn MasterClass – Mindfulness and Meditation

“I’m Jon Kabat-Zinn, and this is my non-MasterClass,” he proclaims at the end of the trailer for his course. While many who have studied under him would certainly dub him a “master,” he humbly ascribes his MasterClass curriculum to his students.

With more than 40 years under his belt as a student and teacher of mindfulness, he offers you this opportunity to glean from the best. Learn to cultivate your own mindfulness practice and lower stress levels. This Masterclass promises to “help you make the most of being alive.” Lessons include guided meditations, Hatha yoga, and healing the World.

One very pleased learner enjoyed the sound of his voice and his easy smile throughout the course. I must say, it’s kind of cool to follow along with this 76-year-old doctor sitting in lotus and doing yoga stretches with ease on a floor mat. This is one of the best MasterClass classes for anyone interested in personal growth and development.

15. Will Wright MasterClass – Games Design and Theory

Remember SimCity? This game upped the ante on computer simulation and marked the beginning of Wright’s prominent legacy in Game Design. The game also spawned a franchise with numerous spin-offs.

Will Wright's Masterclass aims to help you understand the psychology of the player. He also walks you through his methods for pitching, prototyping, and testing games. Lessons include Game Mechanics, Designing Visual/Sound Aesthetic, Leadership and Collaboration, and the Future of Game Design (two Game Demos).

As far as Game Theory, it doesn’t appear to me that Wright is an authority in mathematical study, so the course title is somewhat misleading. If you want to advance your career in the computer game industry, then Will Wright’s MasterClass certainly has a lot to offer you.

16. Alicia Keys MasterClass – Songwriting and Producing

It goes without saying that Alicia Keys is a Master of her craft. Her achievements as a singer-songwriter-musician-producer-actress are epic. On top of being a wife and mother of two, she walks with style and professionalism as a giant in her field.

For anyone, especially women, who are looking to move their career forward in music, this is one of the best Masterclass courses and classes you can sink your teeth into. You get to spend time inside Alicia Keys' studio to “share her process for creating music built from authentic emotion.” Lesson titles include Vocal Arrangements, Alchemy in the Control Room, and Sisterhood in the Music Industry.

Reviews were positive all around. The class is recommended for aspiring vocalists, musicians, and songwriters. Her fans would enjoy this class as well.

17. Bob Iger MasterClass – Business Strategy and Leadership

Three words: Former. Disney. CEO. Iger spent 45 years in the media industry. His MasterClass course promises to teach you “how to evolve your business and career.” Course offerings include Using Your time Effectively, Taking Giant Swings: Pixar Acquisition Case Study, Anticipating What Consumers Want, and Tenets for Success.

The reviews are mixed. Some say there is much value, while others say this appeared to be more of a vanity project for Iger. One reviewer noted that his book, The Ride of a Lifetime, had more valuable content than this MasterClass course.

Yes, the book was better than the movie. Nevertheless, at age 70, he has a lifetime of grand accomplishments in business. Speaking from those experiences could sound to some like boasting. Nevertheless, I’d say Iger has a lot to offer. He has certainly earned his bragging rights, which is why it is included in this list of best MasterClass courses.

18. Bob Woodward MasterClass – Investigative Journalism

For many years, Woodward, Bernstein, and Watergate were pervasive names in American culture. Although they aren’t spoken about anymore, they still hold a treasure trove of valuable insights for aspiring journalists. The Watergate scandal exposed corruption in the presidency of Richard Nixon.

Still working as the associate editor of The Washington Post, one of his recent big events was with another historic president: Donald Trump. His course description says you will learn how to “investigate a story, interview sources, and understand how the news is written.” Woodward promises to teach you how to find the truth.

Lessons include “Finding the Story”, “The Reporting Challenges of Watergate”, “Hunting Down the Documents” and “Navigating Interview Challenges”. Bob Woodward’s MasterClass course offers rare opportunities for journalists at all levels.

Reviewers concur, writing that it was rich with useful information. Even biographers and other non-fiction writers can gain some valuable nuggets from this two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Overall, this is among the best MasterClass courses not to be missed.

19. James Patterson MasterClass – Writing

Not only has Patterson authored 19 consecutive No. 1 New York Times bestsellers but many of them were turned into major motion pictures and TV series. Remember Kiss the Girls? Along Came a Spider. If you are an aspiring novelist, this class may help you get closer to your publication goals and become a bestselling author.

Here’s another grandmaster, offering you nuggets at the ripe age of 73. The course description promises guidance “from the start to the finish of your book”. Class segments include “Raw Ideas”, “Outlines”, “Writer’s Block”, “First Lines” and “Getting Published”.

That said, reviewers had a different opinion. Unfortunately, they say that the content lacks depth, so don’t expect to be ready to write and publish a bestseller just because you took this MasterClass course. All nuggets and no boulders, and perhaps too many clichés thrown around on top is the word in the writing community.

The course was likened to something more akin to a documentary. Nevertheless, even in documentaries (much like in biographies), you can pick up clues from success.

20. Frank Gehry MasterClass – Design and Architecture

Mr. Gehry is an iconic Candian-American Architect known for such amazing buildings as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA, USA. The course description highlights the contrast between the humble start of his career and his rise to the status of master builder.

This class offers two rare opportunities: A look inside his personal model archive and a chance to sit at his feet. He’s 92 years old. If designing great buildings is your aspiration, this MasterClass course is a now-or-never event on your journey. His syllabus includes classes entitled ‘Frank’s Inspiration', ‘Design Obstacles', and ‘Expressing Movement'.

Now for the reviews. Members of the Architecture and Design community who took this course were generally disappointed. Summed up, detractors found that the content lacked technical detail. If you were looking to mine gold from this venerable giant, you panned in vain. Even the workbook was called “slim” with “very basic activities.”

The sample video does not contradict the general assessment. It, too, was very anecdotal. You just felt kind of in awe and wanted to like it because, well, it's Frank Gehry. If you are early in your architecture career, this course could be rather inspirational.

MasterClass Courses & Classes – Pros and Cons

MasterClass Classes Pros

· Learning from Pros – The best MasterClass courses and classes are all taught by top professionals with well-proven resumes in their field.

· All for one deal – With a reasonably priced one-year membership, you have little to lose and much to gain from this platform.

· Wide range of topics covered – For some fields, such as writing and music, there are multiple MasterClass courses and classes. If you can, taking all of them can mimic a well-rounded certificate program.

· Rare opportunities – Many of these are inaugural online courses for the instructors. In addition, some teachers are rather advanced in age and this may be a rare chance to sit at their feet before they pass on.

· Rather entertaining – With excellent production, the MasterClass videos make for great TV. A set of lessons mimics the mini-series of old. I guess you could call it “edutainment”.

· 2 in 1 bonus offer – MasterClass occasionally offers a two-for-one deal. They allow you to gift a membership to someone when you sign up for your own. I know a few people who would really love that! Conditions apply.

MasterClass Classes Cons

· Inconsistent experiences – Not all experts are good teachers. Teaching is a gift and a craft. While most of these presenters have the credentials, not all are engaging enough to deliver the material well.

· Mixed motives – Even some of the best MasterClass courses are simply “Celebrity Classes” aimed to further raise the profile of the instructor, while some are genuine efforts to pay it forward. It won’t always be easy to tell which is which.

· No certificates – While this need not be a deal-breaker, you need to be aware of this detail as you decide whether to sign up or not.

· Incomplete catalog – Some topics are very scantly covered or not covered at all. For example, there are no MasterClass courses on money and finance or education, and computer science (and the sciences in general) gets scant coverage.

Best MasterClass Courses & Classes – Review Verdict

Wrapping up our tour of the best MasterClass courses and classes. The credibility of micro-credentials is on the rise, and they make post-secondary and specialized education more accessible than ever before. Then along came MasterClass. While they don’t offer certifications, they do offer valuable opportunities to study under the best.

The in-person equivalent is an exciting guest lecturer in your 101 class. The fact is you need a well-curated collection of courses to prepare for your occupation. Indeed, that is what university degrees offered students. Now, you can self-curate your education online, and I recommend you include some of the above-mentioned best MasterClass courses.

Sure, Frank Gehry’s may not be rich with technical information. Nevertheless, if he showed up in Architecture 101 30 years ago at Columbia, you would still remember something he said. It’s Frank Gehry. That is the essence of what MasterClass has to offer online learners.

Best MasterClass Courses & Classes 2022

1. Gordon Ramsay MasterClass – Cooking

2. Chris Voss MasterClass – The Art of Negotiation

3. Robin Roberts Teaches Effective Communication

4. Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing

5. Daniel Pink Teaches Sales and Persuasion

6. Sara Blakely Teaches Self-Made Entrepreneurship

7. Anna Wintour Teaches Creativity and Leadership

8. Matthew Walker Teaches The Science of Better Sleep

9. Paul Krugman TeachesEconomics and Society

10. Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism

11. Neil deGrasse Tyson MasterClass – Scientific Thinking

12. Kelly Wearstler TeachesInterior Design

13. Marc Jacobs Teaches Fashion Design

14. Frank Gehry Teaches Design and Architecture

15. Alicia Keys Teaches Songwriting and Producing

16. James Patterson Teaches Writing

17. Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess

18. Bob Iger Teaches Business Strategy and Leadership

19. Jon Kabat-Zinn Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

20. Will Wright Teaches Games Design and Theory

How much is a Masterclass?

MasterClass classes start from $15/month billed annually. This will set you back $180/year. If you wish to access MasterClass offline and also want to learn on more than one device at the same time, you can choose the MasterClass Plus subscription plan for $20/month billed annually. Visit the website to see the MasterClass pricing table.

Best CPD Online Courses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:17:00 +0000

Best CPD Online Courses

Become a conscious and proactive learner with Continuing Professional Development (CPD), which shows a commitment to the enhancement of your personal skills and career.

Business Strategy and Decision Making
FUTURELEARN - COVENTRY UNIVERSITY

What is strategic planning, and how do business models help companies to succeed? This ExpertTrack offers you the opportunity to widen your perspective of business strategy and discover how to use some powerful strategic models.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: FutureLearn
Author: Multiple

Leadership for Senior Executives
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Between expanding globalization, rapid technological shifts, and evolving social norms, how can leaders make the right strategic decisions and leadership choices? In this live online program, you will learn how to manage this uncertainty by exploring five different roles: leader as a beacon, leader as coach, leader as an innovator, leader as a change agent, and leader as an architect.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: HBS
Author: Anthony Mayo

Complete 2022 Web Development Bootcamp
UDEMY

This course teaches you everything you need to know to succeed as a web developer. The course includes over 50 hours of video tutorials and builds your programming knowledge while making real-world websites and web apps.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Udemy
Author: Dr. Angela Yu

Essential Public Speaking (with Online Practice)
VIRTUALSPEECH

Perfect your public speaking and communication skills with a combination of online tutorials and practice exercises. The immersive training allows you to practice your skills in a safe, virtual environment, as often as you need to.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: VirtualSpeech
Author: Dom Barnard

Successful Remote Working
WORKING VOICES

This course will help people who are having to work remotely to do it effectively and successfully, including understanding the barriers to remote working and how to overcome them to enhance performance.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Working Voices
Author: N/A

Design Thinking Skills
EDX - RITZ

In the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, you will learn how to use the design thinking process to solve problems creatively, collaboratively, and empathetically. Earning the MicroMasters program certificate will equip you with knowledge of the processes and techniques used to solve problems and innovate in the workplace.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: EdX
Author: Multiple

How to Develop your Career Plan
LINKEDIN LEARNING

Creating a career plan is vital. Wherever you're going, you'll arrive faster—and encounter less stress along the way—if you have a plan in place. In this concise course, instructor Aimee Bateman steps through how to create an effective career plan that brings you one step closer to your dream job.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: LinkedIn Learning
Author: Aimee Bateman

Google Project Management
COURSERA

Prepare for a new career in the high-growth field of project management, no experience or degree is required. Get professional training designed by Google and get on the Fastrack to a competitively paid job.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Coursera
Author: Google

Ethics in Action
EDX

What do the world's great religious and secular philosophies have to say about ethical conduct? Which virtues are common across faiths? And what role do religious communities have to play in building a more just and sustainable world?

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: EdX
Author: Dr. William Vendley

Leading with Finance
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Leading with Finance provides participants with a thorough understanding of the principles of finance, a conceptual toolkit for making smart financial decisions, and the confidence to clearly articulate those decisions to key stakeholders.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: HBS
Author: Mihir Desai

Microsoft Excel - Beginner to Advanced
UDEMY

This course will help you master Excel tools and will clear away the pain of stumbling through your daily tasks. You will start with the basics, building a solid foundation that will give you further knowledge as you progress into intermediate and advanced level topics.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Udemy
Author: Kyle Pew

The Elevator Pitch
VIRTUALSPEECH

It's important to make a good first impression when you meet with potential mentors, clients, or even friends. In this short course, you’ll learn how to tell others what you do in 30-60 seconds and make a memorable impression on them with a personal elevator pitch.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: VirtualSpeech
Author: Julian Mayhew

Strategy in the Age of Digital Disruption
INSTEAD

This course provides the strategic tools, concepts, and perspectives that will allow you to develop a strategic response to the new digital possibilities and then align your organization for effective strategy execution.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Instead
Authors: Multiple

Equality and Diversity Training
FLICK LEARNING

This course is specifically designed to teach learners about everything from definitions of equality and diversity, unconscious bias, politically incorrect language, and indirect discrimination, to harassment at work.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Flick Learning
Author: N/A

International Marketing
FUTURELEARN

During this ExpertTrack, you’ll develop a contemporary perspective of the global marketplace and evaluate the most effective brand, communication, and market entry strategies. Explore the challenges faced by global marketers to gain a better understanding of international markets and how you can apply what you have learned to your own strategies.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: FutureLearn
Author: Multiple

Key Technologies for Business
COURSERA

This course provides foundational knowledge of Cloud, Data, and AI, including business drivers behind their growth, the value they provide, their applications and use cases, and an understanding of how these technologies work.

Course link: Learn more
Vendor: Coursera
Author: Rav Ahuja

What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 06:55:00 +0000

What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

Your research methodology discusses and explains the data collection and analysis methods you used in your research. A key part of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, the methodology chapter explains what you did and how you did it, allowing readers to evaluate the reliability and validity of your research.

It should include:

The type of research you conducted
How you collect and analyze your data
Any tools or materials you used in the research
Why did you choose these methods

Tips

Your methodology section should generally be written in the past tense.
Academic style guides in your field may provide detailed guidelines on what to include for different types of studies.
Your citation style might provide guidelines for your methodology section (e.g., an APA Style methods section).

Why is a methods section important?

Your methods section is your opportunity to share how you conducted your research and why you chose the methods you chose. It’s also the place to show that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated.

It gives your research legitimacy and situates it within your field, and also gives your readers a place to refer to if they have any questions or critiques in other sections.

Step 1: Explain your methodological approach

You can start by introducing your overall approach to your research. You have two options here.

Option 1: Start with your “what”

What research problem or question did you investigate?

Aim to describe the characteristics of something.
Explore an under-researched topic.
Establish a causal relationship?

And what type of data did you need to achieve this aim?

Quantitative data, qualitative data, or a mix of both?
Primary data collected yourself, or secondary data collected by someone else?
Experimental data gathered by controlling and manipulating variables, or descriptive data gathered via observations?

Option 2: Start with your “why”

Depending on your discipline, you can also start with a discussion of the rationale and assumptions underpinning your methodology. In other words, why did you choose these methods for your study?

Why is this the best way to answer your research question?
Is this a standard methodology in your field, or does it require justification?
Were there any ethical considerations involved in your choices?
What are the criteria for validity and reliability in this type of research?

Quantitative example a quantitative experimental study, you may aim to produce generalizable knowledge about the causes of a phenomenon. This requires a carefully designed study under controlled conditions that can be replicated by other researchers.

In the qualitative example of a qualitative ethnography, you may aim to produce contextual, real-world knowledge about the behaviors, social structures, or shared beliefs of a specific group of people. This methodology is less controlled and more interpretive, so you will need to reflect on your position as a researcher.

Step 2: Describe your data collection methods

Once you have introduced your reader to your methodological approach, you should share full details about your data collection methods.

Quantitative methods

To be considered generalizable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.

Here, explain how you operationalized your concepts and measured your variables. Discuss your sampling method or inclusion/exclusion criteria, as well as any tools, procedures, and materials you used to gather your data.

Surveys
Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted.

How did you design the questionnaire?
What form did your questions take (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale)?
Were your surveys conducted in-person or virtually?
What sampling method did you use to select participants?
What was your sample size and response rate?

Tipton may also want to include the full questionnaire as an appendix. This way, your readers can see exactly how your questions and data align.

Experiments
Share full details of the tools, techniques, and procedures you used to conduct your experiment.

How did you design the experiment?
How did you recruit participants?
How did you manipulate and measure the variables?
What tools did you use?

Existing data
Explain how you gathered and selected the material (such as datasets or archival data) that you used in your analysis.

Where did you source the material?
How was the data originally produced?
What criteria did you use to select material (e.g., date range)?

Example: Quantitative methods

The survey consisted of 5 multiple-choice questions and 10 questions measured on a 7-point Likert scale.

The goal was to collect survey responses from 350 customers visiting the fitness apparel company’s brick-and-mortar location in Boston on July 4–8, 2022, between 11:00 and 15:00.

Here, a customer was defined as a person who had purchased a product from the company on the day they took the survey. Participants were given 5 minutes to fill in the survey anonymously. In total, 408 customers responded, but not all surveys were fully completed. Due to this, 371 survey results were included in the analysis.

Qualitative methods

In qualitative research, methods are often more flexible and subjective. For this reason, it’s crucial to robustly explain the methodology choices you made.

Be sure to discuss the criteria you used to select your data, the context in which your research was conducted, and the role you played in collecting your data (e.g., were you an active participant, or a passive observer?)

Interviews or focus groups
Describe where, when, and how the interviews were conducted.

How did you find and select participants?
How many participants took part?
What form did the interviews take (structured, semi-structured, or unstructured)?
How long were the interviews?
How were they recorded?

Participant observation
Describe where, when, and how you conducted the observation or ethnography.

What group or community did you observe? How long did you spend there?
How did you gain access to this group? What role did you play in the community?
How long did you spend conducting the research? Where was it located?
How did you record your data (e.g., audiovisual recordings, note-taking)?

Existing data
Explain how you selected case study materials for your analysis.

What type of materials did you analyze?
How did you select them?

Example: Qualitative methods

To gain better insight into possibilities for future improvement of the fitness store’s product range, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 returning customers.

Here, a returning customer was defined as someone who usually bought products at least twice a week from the store.

Surveys were used to select participants. Interviews were conducted in a small office next to the cash register and lasted approximately 20 minutes each. Answers were recorded by note-taking, and seven interviews were also filmed with consent. One interviewee preferred not to be filmed.

Mixed methods

Mixed methods research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. If a standalone quantitative or qualitative study is insufficient to answer your research question, mixed methods may be a good fit for you.

Note

Keep in mind that mixed methods research doesn’t just mean collecting both types of data. Rather, it encompasses careful consideration and integration of both types of data into robust and strong conclusions.

Mixed methods are less common than standalone analyses, largely because they require a great deal of effort to pull off successfully. If you choose to pursue mixed methods, it’s especially important to robustly justify your methods here.

Example: Mixed methods

Quantitative and qualitative methods were combined to see if there was a statistically significant relationship between the speed with which the fitness store shelved new releases from popular brands and the likelihood that customers would return. Quantitative research involved running analyses in R on purchase data, while qualitative research focused on the likelihood that interviewed participants mentioned new releases.

Step 3: Describe your analysis method

Next, you should indicate how you processed and analyzed your data. Avoid going into too much detail: you should not start introducing or discussing any of your results at this stage.

Quantitative methods

In quantitative research, your analysis will be based on numbers. In your methods section, you can include:

How you prepared the data before analyzing it (e.g., checking for missing data, removing outliers, transforming variables)
Which software do you use (e.g., SPSS, Stata, or R)
Which statistical tests do you use (e.g., two-tailed t-test, simple linear regression)

Example: Quantitative methods

Before analysis, the gathered data was prepared. The dataset was checked for missing data and outliers. For this, the “outlier labeling rule” was used. All values outside the calculated range were considered outliers (Hoaglin & Iglewicz, 1987). The data were then analyzed using a two-way ANOVA with statistical software SPSS.

Qualitative methods

In qualitative research, your analysis will be based on language, images, and observations (often involving some form of textual analysis).

Specific methods might include:

Content analysis: Categorizing and discussing the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences
Thematic analysis: Coding and closely examining the data to identify broad themes and patterns
Discourse analysis: Studying communication and the meaning of their social context

Example: Qualitative methods

The interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis was conducted. This involved coding all the data before identifying and reviewing six key themes. Each theme was examined to gain an understanding of participants’ perceptions and motivations.

Mixed methods

Mixed methods combine the above two research methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches into one coherent analytical process.

Step 4: Evaluate and justify the methodological choices you made

Above all, your methodology section should clearly make the case for why you chose the methods you did. This is especially true if you did not take the most standard approach to your topic. In this case, discuss why other methods were not suitable for your objectives, and show how this approach contributes new knowledge or understanding.

In any case, it should be overwhelmingly clear to your reader that you set yourself up for success in terms of your methodology’s design. Show how your methods should lead to results that are valid and reliable while leaving the analysis of the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results for your discussion section.

Tip

You can acknowledge limitations or weaknesses in the approach you chose, but justify why these were outweighed by the strengths. Here are a few examples:

Quantitative: Lab-based experiments cannot always accurately simulate real-life situations and behaviors, but they are effective for testing causal relationships between variables.
Qualitative: Unstructured interviews usually produce results that cannot be generalized beyond the sample group, but they provide a more in-depth understanding of participants’ perceptions, motivations, and emotions.
Mixed methods: Despite issues systematically comparing different types of data, a solely quantitative study would not sufficiently incorporate the lived experience of each participant, while a solely qualitative study would be insufficiently generalizable.

Tips for writing a strong methodology chapter

Remember that your aim is not just to describe your methods, but to show how and why you applied them. Again, it’s critical to demonstrate that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated.

1. Focus on your objectives and research questions

The methodology section should clearly show why your methods suit your objectives and convince the reader that you chose the best possible approach to answering your problem statement and research questions.

2. Cite relevant sources

Your methodology can be strengthened by referencing existing research in your field. This can help you to:

Show that you followed established practice for your type of research
Discuss how you decided on your approach by evaluating existing research
Present a novel methodological approach to address a gap in the literature

Tipler-free citation generators can help you create MLA citations and APA citations.

3. Write for your audience

Consider how much information you need to give, and avoid getting too lengthy. If you are using methods that are standard for your discipline, you probably don’t need to give a lot of background or justification.

Regardless, your methodology should be a clear, well-structured text that makes an argument for your approach, not just a list of technical details and procedures.

Continuous Professional Development

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:52:00 +0000

Continuous Professional Development

Continuing professional development, or CPD, is the ongoing process of developing, maintaining, and documenting your professional skills.

These skills may be gained formally, through courses or training, or informally, on the job or by watching others.

Some professions use the term 'continuing professional development formally and require a certain amount of development activity to be carried out and documented each year as a condition of maintaining your membership of, or registration with, a professional body, or a license to operate in that field.

In other areas, CPD is used more informally. A commitment to learning and improving is, however, generally expected of anyone in a professional capacity.

What is a profession?

A profession, broadly speaking, is a career area for which you need a professional qualification. Traditionally, the professions included law, medicine (including dentistry and other allied professions), accountancy, civil service, and similar. More recently, many other professions have emerged, including HR, marketing, sales, and IT, all of which have recognized professional qualifications.

Professional qualifications are a requirement to operate in some professions, such as medicine or dentistry. While it is not absolutely required to hold an HR qualification to work in HR, for example, anyone wishing to make a career in that area is strongly encouraged to obtain qualifications to demonstrate their commitment.

The Continuing Professional Development Cycle

The process of CPD is designed to help you identify and act on your own development needs.

The Continuous Professional Development Cycle (see figure) shows that professional development is, like much other learning, best thought of as a circular series of activities. The process moves from identifying your development needs through planning and then carrying out your learning activities, to reflecting on your learning, and then applying it and sharing it with others.

Perhaps the most important thing about CPD is that it is personal.

Each individual is expected to identify their own needs, organize their own training, and learn for themselves. Part of being a professional is taking responsibility for your own skills and recognizing when they need to improve.

1. Identifying Your Needs

There are several ways in which you can identify development needs.

For example, you can carry out a skills audit. You may receive feedback from colleagues or your line manager about an area in which you are weaker. Alternatively, you may have an interest in a particular area and want to develop your knowledge.

You may find our page on Identifying Areas for Development helpful here.

Once you have identified your key areas for development, you then need to plan your activities.

2. Planning and Carrying Out Development Activities

Development activities may be either:

Formal, such as training courses or particular qualifications. These are often, though not always, provided by an external provider, and may carry a cost. Your employer may have a limit on what they are prepared to pay, so you may need to consider self-funding or alternatives such as online resources that are cheaper or even free.
Informal learning, including side-by-side learning, video training (for example, for doctors in particular surgical techniques), shadowing, mentoring, coaching, or reading on the subject.

There is a growing recognition that continuing professional development is both essential and potentially expensive. Especially in developing countries, professionals are using the internet to share teaching content for free, or at a very low cost. You may find that an imaginative approach to seeking out development activities pays off.

3. Reflecting on Your Learning

Reflecting on what you have learned is a vital part of continuing professional development. Learning does not emerge only from activities that you designated as ‘development’, and you may find that you are learning at least as much from your day-to-day activities.

TOP TIP!

It is a good idea to keep a ‘learning log’ or diary. Make a habit of writing in it at least once a week, if not each day (if you leave it any longer, you probably won’t remember). For each event or activity that you find useful, make a note of:

The situation;
What you learned;
What you will do differently as a result?

This diary can be used to assess your progress against your development goals.

For any formal or informal but designated development activity, you should record the activity, what you found useful or not useful about it, and what you have learned. In each case, make sure that you are clear about how it will change what you do in the future (how you apply your learning).

You may find our page on Reflective Practice helpful in developing good habits in this area.

4. Applying Your Learning

Going on training courses or watching videos is only the start. You then have to apply what you have learned to your own job. This can be quite a clumsy process, especially at first. The competence theory of learning sets out that we move through four stages when we learn:

Unconscious incompetence – not knowing what we don’t know;
Conscious incompetence – knowing where we need to develop and watching other people do it, but still unable to do it ourselves with any skill;
Conscious competence – being able to do something reasonably well, provided we concentrate; and
Unconscious competence – being able to do something almost instinctively, without needing to focus on it.

There is more about this cycle on our page on Coaching.

When you have done some training or other development activity, you will probably be somewhere between conscious incompetence and conscious competence, depending on how much you have been able to practice.

You, therefore, need to spend time applying your learning and practicing to move to a stage of unconscious competence.

5. Sharing Your Learning with Others

Some commentators add a fifth stage to the competence cycle – being able to teach others. It is certainly true that being able to articulate and share your learning is an important part of making sure that you have fully internalized it.

TOP TIP!

It is a good idea to get into the habit of discussing your learning with your colleagues regularly. Sharing each other's learning can be a really good development tool, and can help you identify new areas for development, or ideas for other development activities, as well as helping to refine what you have learned in your mind.

Why Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Is Important | BPP

The term continuing professional development (known as CPD) describes the type of learning activities that professionals engage in to develop their skills and abilities further. There are several CPD learning methodologies, including professional development courses, industry conferences, training workshops, e-learning programs, and ideation sessions.

CPD enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive – this is mediated by the incorporation of vocational, and practical into academic qualifications. It’s an important part of continually making personal improvements even after finishing formal education.

What makes CPD important?

As the world’s industries continuously evolve, it gets increasingly difficult to overstate the importance of continuing professional development. CPD enables individuals to reinforce and enhance their current skills while reducing any knowledge shortfalls, providing a competitive edge in times where one is needed – a job interview, for example. CPD can also set individuals apart in the job market, as many candidates vying for particular roles often hold similar fundamental qualifications.

A planned CPD approach enables individuals to take charge of their career development and aspirations. The personal empowerment derived from professional autonomy can increase confidence in one’s efficacy and ability, which can translate directly into improved work performance. This benefits employers, too, as a staff is likely to be more motivated and loyal to a company that invests in them and supports their development.

CPD also ensures that both academic and vocational qualifications do not become obsolete, allowing individuals to continually up-skill and develop their proficiencies, regardless of their age, occupation, or educational level.

CPD learning types

Structured CPD – Active learning

Structured CPD adopts an interactive approach underpinned by participatory learning. The method's integral activities are training courses, workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures, and e-learning courses.

Structured CPD also covers career-orientated assessments and exams. Bear in mind, however, that the study and revision for these exams are regarded as self-directed learning (see Self-Directed CPD section below).

Reflective CPD – Passive Learning

Reflective CPD is one-directional and passive, and there is no participant-based interaction involved. Examples include reading relevant news articles, case studies, and industry updates, as well as listening to podcasts.

Some informal meetings fall into the Reflective CPD bracket, so long as their learning objectives are specified in an individual's overall CPD plan.

Self-Directed CPD – Unstructured Learning

Self-directed learning constitutes all unsupervised CPD activities, including reading articles and publications, either online or in print. Unstructured learning material includes peer-reviewed books and studies, industry journals, trade magazines, and industry-specific news feeds.

What are the benefits of CPD?

At its core, CPD helps individuals, organizations, and entire industries maintain and develop knowledge and skills, but it also helps employees adapt to change.

Benefits of CPD for individuals

Upskilling

CPD provides a panoramic view of an individual's skill set, enabling them to hone their prevalent skills while improving those that require work. Ultimately, continual upskilling boosts confidence and empowers the individual to become more proficient in their role.

Adaptation

Equipped with the latest in-demand skills, CPD enables employees to adapt positively to changes in work or industry requirements, which is vital in a fluid job market. CPD also provides concrete evidence of personal motivation for development, which is useful as leverage in appraisals and job applications.

Benefits of CPD for employers

Improve reputation and foster team spirit

Businesses can enhance their reputation and boost brand perception by providing CPD for their employees. By empowering their staff through CPD provision, employers promote a healthy learning culture, leading to a happier, more productive workforce, while helping to retain valuable staff.

Save time and expenditure

In cases where staff with CPD obligations rely on a professional body, parent organizations can use outsourced CPD providers if their internal resources are limited.

Moreover, many CPD courses are seminars that take place over just one or two hours, while some CPD courses are delivered via a full 6-10-week program, divided into bite-sized modules. CPD, therefore, strikes a healthy balance between work commitments and professional development.

Recording Your Development

An important part of continuing professional development is being able to demonstrate it, especially if your membership in a professional body depends on it.

You should therefore keep a folder or portfolio of all your development activities, drawing on your learning diary. The aim of this is to be able to show how your skills and knowledge have developed over a period.

You should, therefore:

Keep a note of your development needs and goals, and make a regular (quarterly, six-monthly, or annual) assessment of your progress against them;
Record any training courses attended, with a copy of any certificates or qualifications obtained. Keep a record of the date, provider, aims of the training, and your thoughts on what you learned from it;
Make a note of any shadowing, video-assisted training, or similar. In each case, record the provider, the aims, and your thoughts about what you learned;
For any coaching or mentoring sessions, make a note of the date, the person you were with, what you discussed, and what you intend to do differently as a result;
For any reading and other informal development that you do, make a note of the book or website, and what you have learned and will do differently as a result;
If you are involved in any critical incidents or make particular mistakes from which you learn, record the details of the incident, what you learned, and what you will do differently as a result.

And finally…

Continuing professional development is an ongoing process, as well as a cycle. You are likely to continue to learn throughout your professional life.

It is therefore a good idea to develop a process for it that works for you at an early stage of your career.

2022 Best Global Universities Rankings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:01:00 +0000

2022 Best Global Universities Rankings

These institutions from the U.S. and more than 90 other countries have been ranked based on 13 indicators that measure their academic research performance and their global and regional reputations. Students can use these rankings to explore the higher education options that exist beyond their own countries' borders and to compare key aspects of schools' research missions. These are the world's 1,750 top universities.

100.0
ENROLLMENT
21,575
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The United States|Cambridge (U.S.)
#2
inBest Global Universities
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founded in 1861, is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston. Around...
GLOBAL SCORE
97.5
ENROLLMENT
11,459
Stanford University
United States|Stanford
#3
inBest Global Universities
Stanford University was founded in 1885 and is located in California’s Bay Area, around 30 miles south of San Francisco...
GLOBAL SCORE
95.6
ENROLLMENT
16,319
University of California--Berkeley
United States|Berkeley
#4
inBest Global Universities
The University of California—Berkeley is situated roughly 15 miles from San Francisco in what is known as the Bay Area...
GLOBAL SCORE
89.4
ENROLLMENT
40,306
University of Oxford
United Kingdom|Oxford
#5
inBest Global Universities
The exact date of the University of Oxford’s founding is unknown, but the school traces its roots back to at least 1096...
GLOBAL SCORE
87.1
ENROLLMENT
N/A
Columbia University
United States|New York City
#6
inBest Global Universities
Columbia University is a private institution that was founded in 1754. It is located on the Upper West Side of New York...
GLOBAL SCORE
86.7
ENROLLMENT
22,801
University of Washington
United States|Seattle
#7
inBest Global Universities
The University of Washington is a public institution that was founded in 1861. The school's oldest and largest campus in...
GLOBAL SCORE
86.5
ENROLLMENT
47,606
University of Cambridge
The United Kingdom|Cambridge (U.K.)
#8
inBest Global Universities
The University of Cambridge, located around 60 miles north of London, traces its history back to 1209. Around 19,000...
GLOBAL SCORE
86.1
ENROLLMENT
N/A
California Institute of Technology
United States|Pasadena
#9
inBest Global Universities (tie)
The California Institute of Technology, known as Caltech, was founded in 1891 as Throop University and received its...
GLOBAL SCORE
85.5
ENROLLMENT
2,233
Johns Hopkins University
United States|Baltimore
#9
inBest Global Universities (tie)
Johns Hopkins University is a private institution that was founded in 1876. The school has campuses located in and...
GLOBAL SCORE
85.5
ENROLLMENT
16,552
University of California--San Francisco
United States|San Francisco
#11
inBest Global Universities
The University of California—San Francisco is a public institution that was founded in 1864. The health sciences-focused...
GLOBAL SCORE
85.4
ENROLLMENT
N/A
Yale University
United States|New Haven
#12
inBest Global Universities
Yale University was founded in 1701, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the U.S. The...
GLOBAL SCORE
85.2
ENROLLMENT
13,317
University of Pennsylvania
United States|Philadelphia
#13
inBest Global Universities
The University of Pennsylvania, also known as Penn, was founded in 1740. The private, Ivy League institution is located...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.8
ENROLLMENT
21,211
University of California--Los Angeles
United States|Los Angeles
#14
inBest Global Universities
The University of California—Los Angeles, commonly referred to as UCLA, is a public institution that was founded in...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.7
ENROLLMENT
42,890
University of Chicago
United States|Chicago
#15
inBest Global Universities
The University of Chicago is a private institution that was founded in 1890. The university is located in Chicago...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.5
ENROLLMENT
14,895
Princeton University
United States|Princeton
#16
inBest Global Universities (tie)
Princeton University was founded in 1746, making it one of the oldest higher education institutions in the U.S. The...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.2
ENROLLMENT
N/A
University College London
The United Kingdom|London (U.K.)
#16
inBest Global Universities (tie)
University College London, or UCL, is a public institution that was founded in 1826. It was the third university...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.2
ENROLLMENT
35,895
University of Toronto
Canada|Toronto
#16
inBest Global Universities (tie)
The University of Toronto is a public institution that was founded in 1827. Around 80 percent of its students study at...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.2
ENROLLMENT
75,821
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
United States|Ann Arbor
#19
inBest Global Universities
The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor is a public institution that was founded in 1817 and made the city of Ann Arbor its...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.1
ENROLLMENT
44,663
Imperial College London
The United Kingdom|London (U.K.)
#20
inBest Global Universities
Imperial College London is a public institution that was founded in 1907. The university was previously a college of the...
GLOBAL SCORE
84.0
ENROLLMENT
17,630
University of California--San Diego
United States|La Jolla
#21
inBest Global Universities
The University of California—San Diego is a public institution that was established in 1960. It is located in La...
GLOBAL SCORE
83.8
ENROLLMENT
36,256
Cornell University
United States|Ithaca
#22
inBest Global Universities
Cornell University is a private institution that was founded in 1865. The Ivy League school is located in Ithaca, New...
GLOBAL SCORE
82.7
ENROLLMENT
23,600
Duke University
The United States|Durham (North Carolina, U.S.)
#23
inBest Global Universities
Duke University traces its roots back to 1838, though the private institution didn’t receive its current name until...
GLOBAL SCORE
82.1
ENROLLMENT
N/A
Northwestern University
United States|Evanston
#24
inBest Global Universities
Northwestern University is a private institution that was founded in 1851. The university has three campuses – the main...
GLOBAL SCORE
81.7
ENROLLMENT
N/A
University of Melbourne
Australia|Parkville
#25
inBest Global Universities
The University of Melbourne is a public institution that was founded in 1853. The university has seven campuses...
GLOBAL SCORE
80.8
ENROLLMENT
N/A
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Switzerland|Zurich
#26
inBest Global Universities (tie)
GLOBAL SCORE
80.1
ENROLLMENT
19,890
Tsinghua University
China|Beijing
#26
inBest Global Universities (tie)
Tsinghua University, located in northwest Beijing, China, is a public institution that traces its roots back to 1911...
GLOBAL SCORE
80.1
ENROLLMENT
38,221
University of Sydney
Australia|Sydney
#28
inBest Global Universities
The University of Sydney was founded in 1850, making it the oldest university in Australia. The public institution is...
GLOBAL SCORE
80.0
ENROLLMENT
49,213
National University of Singapore
Singapore|Singapore
#29
inBest Global Universities
GLOBAL SCORE
79.1
ENROLLMENT
31,819
New York University
United States|New York City
#30
inBest Global Universities
New York University, also known as NYU, is a private university that was founded in 1831. The university's main campus...
GLOBAL SCORE
78.9
ENROLLMENT
45,424

eLearning For Continuing Professional Development: 6 Best Practices

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 13:35:00 +0000

eLearning For Continuing Professional Development: 6 Best Practices

Using eLearning For Continuing Professional Development

What do real estate agents, teachers, and barbers have in common? They all require continuing professional development. Professionals in hundreds of fields must meet continuing education requirements to stay current in their fields and to maintain their professional licenses or certifications. eLearning is a great fit for continuing education because busy working professionals can fit it into their schedules more easily than traditional classroom courses. On the other hand, professionals in these fields may be more skeptical about it than workers in office-based jobs.

In this article, I'll share 6 lessons drawn from an academic study of 640 nurses' opinions about eLearning in continuing education published in the journal Home Health Care Management & Practice. Although the study was conducted among home health care nurses, you might find these ideas useful when designing continuing education for other professions with similar demands.

1. Let Them Know What To Expect Ahead Of Time

Most office-based workers are accustomed to eLearning by now, but this may not be the case for professionals in other fields. To get them more comfortable, communicate how the system works and how to get technical help before you ask them to log in for the first time. An easy way to meet this need is to create a screencast demonstrating how to log in, register for courses, and request help. A printable job aid wouldn't hurt, either.

2. Make Sure The Organization Is Ready

Although some professionals work independently, most work inside an organization (e.g., hospital, agency, clinic). Before rolling out eLearning for these professionals, make sure their organizations can support them. Here are some questions to consider:

Are there enough computers or tablets for your learners to complete the training? Will they actually be available for eLearning, or will the core functions of the organization always take precedence?
Are the computers or tablets located in a location that allows the learner to concentrate, or are they placed at busy desks or stations where interruptions are bound to derail learning?
Is the technology compatible with your offerings? If the organization is running an outdated browser to maintain compatibility with legacy systems (which is very common), will your offerings render correctly?
Does the organization provide learners with technical support? If so, will the help desk actually support eLearning offerings, or are they limited to supporting core systems?
Does management provide learners with the necessary time to complete training or are they expected to magically create more time in the day to cram in learning?

3. Keep The Interface Simple

Most professionals already have their hands full dealing with the complex systems and software required for their jobs. They have very little patience left over for "clever" eLearning navigation schemes or clunky Learning Management System user interfaces. Make it insanely easy for the learner to get to the content quickly and stay focused on it. In short, cut that extraneous cognitive load with a vengeance!

4. Get Theoretical

The holy grail of most training is behavior change, so we tend to focus on practical content and cut out all the "nice to know" stuff. For most professionals, though, the "nice to know" stuff is really "need to know", too. Professionals must know the theoretical underpinnings of what they're doing, so provide a balance of theoretical and practical material.

5. Test Them

As a rule, learners don't like tests. For many professionals, on the other hand, testing is a way of life. They're tested in school, tested for board exams, tested for licenses and certifications, and tested for renewals. For most professionals, a course isn't real unless it ends with a test. Give them a traditional end-of-course test and give them specific feedback on what they learned and what they need to review.

6. Connect Them

A profession is more than just a body of knowledge - it's also a community of practitioners. Unfortunately, many professionals are isolated from their peers. Adding a social element to your course will give them a much-appreciated opportunity to connect with others. In addition, including input from real-life practitioners will add instant credibility to your content.

Summary

Designing effective eLearning for continuing education is not so different from designing effective eLearning for anyone else. Just remember a few tips. First, give the learners a heads up on the system and technical support before asking them to log in. Second, make sure their organizations can give them the time and resources they need to learn. Third, keep the interfaces as simple as possible so learners can focus on the content. Fourth, balance theoretical and practical materials. Fifth, include a traditional end-of-course test when possible. And finally, allow them to connect with other professionals.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Through The Use Of Training Catalogues

In many professions, advancements and rewards are now dependent on obtaining and maintaining CPD credits. Some may view this as an additional burden on employees and training departments. It should, however, rather be seen as an opportunity to maintain and extend employee skills. CPD provides motivation and a way of engaging employees to learn new skills and increase organizations’ efficiency and productivity.

The Benefits Of CPD

Perhaps the biggest benefit of CPD, from a learning and training perspective, is that it makes learning and upskilling proactive. Instead of being passive recipients of training courses and learning campaigns, employees are now actively incentivized to keep up their skills and acquire new ones. CPD is recognized across industries so that the skills you acquire can be genuinely, and materially, transferable.

This change in emphasis and attitude extends to the wider organization. Employees are willing and empowered to continue to learn to translate into a better, more efficient, and productive workforce. Continuous learning is an investment for individuals, a way of acknowledging proficiency, and a driving force to continue to learn. It’s a means to overcome widespread employee disengagement from training and helps create a culture of learning that is essential in the fast-paced, ever-changing modern working environment.

CPD In Practice

To reap the potential benefits of CPD – both individual employees and organizations as a whole – you need to go beyond just making it a requirement. The main point of CPD is to make learning both continuous and active, but if you look at many of the activities that are involved in gaining CPD credits, you’ll find that many of them are passive, reflective, and hard to assess.

What’s needed is to tie CPD in with the organization’s training processes and create an active learning environment. CPD needn’t be separate from training, but rather its goal: a practical way for individual employees to improve their skills and to become – or remain – effective, capable, and knowledgeable in their jobs.

CPD provides the motivation, but training departments and managers still need to ensure that employees engage with the training that leads to CPD credits.

Let’s look at 6 best practices that can help achieve that end.

1. Use Business Training Catalogues

One way of ensuring that CPD becomes less of a box-ticking, self-regulated exercise is to use eLearning. eLearning modules have the power to motivate learners and make learning an engaging, active experience in contrast to the passive, reflective tasks that account for many CPD activities.

Business training catalogs are suites of eLearning modules that cover essential business skills across a range of activities from finance to leadership, Project Management, communication skills, and so on. The advantage they bring is that they are ready-made and ready to deploy.

Training Catalogues are constantly updated to address skills deficits. They are created by industry experts and are often approved by accrediting bodies, so they represent best practices and embody current thinking. They provide both the training material and means of assessments. They are visually engaging and deploy popular and effective learning strategies, such as scenario-led activities and gamification, designed to appeal to the modern learner. Their self-paced approach places the learner firmly in control.

2. Give Learner Control

The appeal of CPD for learners is that it’s a formal recognition of their attainment and skills. CPD is tied to career advancement and can provide a pathway for career development, whether within the current organization or beyond. The benefit for employers is that you have a driven, motivated workforce that is proactively enhancing its skill set.

To achieve that, you need to ensure that you give your employees the tools to make continuous development possible. This can be difficult to manage in a pressured working environment where training might be considered a cost or burden.

Again, eLearning in the form of training catalogs can provide an answer. The content they provide can be worked through at the learner’s own pace. It can be accessed when they have time to engage with it – in the office or at home. Learners are encouraged to direct their own learning – a valuable, transferable skill in itself and essential, if lifelong, continuous learning is to be sustained.

Placing responsibility on the learner goes beyond the honor system that applies to some CPDs. It encourages learners to discover their own learning gaps, and actively take control of, and direct their own learning path.

3. Make Training Accessible And Flexible

CPD represents a challenge to the rigidity of formal training. Its concentration on individual achievement means it is less susceptible to the whole-class training, associated with instructor-led sessions. CPD offers flexibility, in that employees can apply for credits when they feel ready for them, rather than simply receiving a certificate for attendance at a training course.

CPD training needs to reflect that flexibility. The advantage of digital, eLearning content is that it can be remodeled, adapted, and repurposed to suit learners’ needs. It can be broken down into more manageable, digestible chunks. Five minutes of learning may be all an individual needs or has time for. Courses can be reworked into resources or quick-fire tests of knowledge, to be used for just-in-time learning or as a refresher. This allows employees to manage their time better and understand what they need and what they already know.

4. Enable Mobile Learning

One of the fundamental changes in the way we access information is the rapid development of mobile access. We’re all armed with mobile devices and increasingly use them to access information and learn skills. We can make use of this always-on, always-available technology to improve access to training materials.

eLearning modules can be made accessible across platforms and devices. The content can be adapted to suit mobile access. This extends the provision of professional training, allowing learners to access it where and when they need it. Learning on the go fits in neatly with the concept of continuous learning.

5. Keep Track

If learning is to be continuous, then monitoring that learning should be too. Access to and use of eLearning training catalogs can be tracked through a Learning Management System. Usage analysis can point to which content is popularly accessed and which is not. Feedback from learners can be used to identify where gaps lie.

This data can be passed to the training catalog providers to develop new content. Or equally, it can be used by in-house L&D staff to amend, update, and customize the eLearning module they have. Ease of customization is a key feature of eLearning modules.

Training modules can also be combined with the introduction of an e-Portfolio[1]. The Portfolio records CPD progress and attainment. Learner dashboards give employees a quick overview of their CPD record, highlight achievements, and indicate what needs to be worked on next. E-Portfolio records can be exported so that employees have a permanent, portable copy of their CPD records.

6. Make CPD work for the organization

While CPD focuses on individual attainment and progress, it can also be used to benefit the organization’s overall training goals.

Using Training Catalogues for CPD is cost-effective. By keeping CPD in-house you don’t need to send people out on industry training courses and risk losing productivity.

CPD can also be aligned with an organization’s business needs. You can prioritize the skills you require from employees by selecting the areas for development, and providing the training content to match.

Organizations can use CPD as a way of encouraging development in those areas and recognizing attainment with formal, industry-recognized certification. Many training catalogs are not only approved by the industry but also offer external accreditation by professional bodies. You can then complete the circle by tying CPD clearly to career development within your organization.

Continuous Professional Development is key to advancing and retaining the employee skills your organization needs. Business Training Catalogues provide a cost-effective and proactive way of driving CPD and improving efficiency and productivity.

References

ProofPositive

Sources

Fast Track your CPD with ILM Accredited Business Skills
Managing Your Continuing Professional Development - business e-learning module
How to engage people in your e-learning
eLearning For Continuing Professional Development: 6 Best Practices
CDP Explained
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

How eLearning Can Offer Continuous Professional Development And Help Employees With Business Uncertainty

Two topical examples are the impact of the US presidential election and the ongoing implications of Brexit. Both campaigns had long, drawn-out, and often very critical and derisive elements. Both campaigns have divided national opinion. Both campaigns had surprising results which defied predictions and expectations. Both campaigns have created a significant amount of business turbulence and business uncertainty around the world. So how should businesses react, what should they do? What is the best way to react to uncertainty? Any business, small, medium, or large, needs to try and predict its business horizon and then appropriately plan for it. There are many top-line and established methods to do this in terms of forecasting, budgeting, strategic review, and so on. Whilst these are often appropriate and required, nevertheless, they often tie up significant management time and effort. eLearning can help in some obvious and some not-so-obvious ways. One of the most obvious ways in which companies react to unexpected events and uncertainty is to cut costs. Companies generally recognize the value of Continuous Professional Development (CPD), whether it is on-the-job learning, formal courses, more flexible eLearning options, or, indeed, a blended approach.

However, in stagnating or uncertain business conditions, Continuous Professional Development is often one of the first areas to have its budget frozen or cut. eLearning provides an excellent cost-effective solution to maintain Continuous Professional Development during difficult times so that ongoing personnel development is not compromised.

1. Office IT Skills

It may seem strange to suggest developing these as a good cost-effective reaction to uncertainty. However, it might, for example, be the maintenance of standards of commonly used business programs such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Improving understanding as well as developing learning tips and shortcuts should help employees become more efficient and more productive. eLearning really lends itself to such topics allowing employees to learn at their own pace and master a technique before moving on to the next one. Greater confidence in day-to-day tasks helps with employee resilience, motivation, and the ability to manage change.

2. Business Forecasting And Risk Management

Alternatively, there are more in-depth courses available, designed to replicate the feel of a longer workshop, but again with financial and time advantages versus classroom training. Examples might include Management of Risk, Project Management, Finance for Non-Finance Managers, and so on. Such courses can help develop a broader understanding among employees enabling them to better plan for and manage business uncertainty.

3. Soft Skills

Some soft skills, such as sales and marketing knowledge can have a direct impact on mitigating the effects of difficult market conditions. Sales (and marketing) skills development can often require more direct classroom or on-the-job interaction such as role play. However, eLearning courses can provide a great platform to introduce new ideas, techniques, and best practices as well as encourage employees to actually take the time to think and plan.

4. Languages

Learning a new language may not seem an obvious response to business adversity or uncertainty, but for companies dealing with Europe, perhaps Brexit provides a timely stimulus. It is unlikely that an employee is going to become a language expert through eLearning. However, a basic level of introductory conversation demonstrates a willingness and commitment which could be appealing to potential customers and provide them with some reassurance and the company with a point of difference.

5. HR

Often less thought about, business uncertainty can also have a direct impact on employee satisfaction, engagement, and commitment. When people are unsettled, this can affect their concentration and output. There is a more well-known selection of HR eLearning focused on managing employees, grievances, and so on. However, there is also eLearning focused on change management and coping with business uncertainty which is available for companies to use in managing unexpected business situations and change.

In summary, business uncertainty can lead to reservations and caution with companies putting employee training on hold as a protective step. Given the strategic importance of employees and their performance within an organization, this can be damaging. eLearning provides a great platform to maintain Continuous Professional Development during difficult periods and to explore and implement new programs to help improve performance and even benefit from uncertainty.

A Story About Staying Relevant At Work

I arrived at work early that beautiful morning to the sun shining through my office window. The aspen leaves were quickly turning gold from the crisp, cool mountain air. On my desk were neat little stacks of training outlines and notes from my new eLearning project. With a smile on my face, I popped the top of my favorite caffeinated soda, took a swig, and began typing away. I was eager to make progress with my heavy workload. Within moments the telephone rang; it was Maria, a colleague looking for a new career. "I'm pulling my hair out," she exclaimed. "I'm still looking for work! I thought this was supposed to be a good job market." I could hear the frustration in the tone of her voice. My mind was now switch-tasking to her; she had my full attention. As we talked about her most recent employment interview, it became clear to me that Maria had not stayed relevant in her field of learning and development. She simply wasn't up to date. This was killing her career.

With a good business sense and a master's degree in instructional design, she had accomplished a great deal with her previous job as a training manager. But now she had decided to move out west and apply for work with a larger company. In her last job, she was a training manager, responsible for assessing the skills, performance, productivity, and talents of her company's employees. But she had outsourced much of her work and now thought she could do a better job in a role where she could design her own courses.

Throughout this conversation, it didn't take long for me to discover that she did not know how to use the modern tools of her trade. She was now struggling to find a well-paying job. Technology and business needs had changed since her last job and her latest resume offerings were not a good match with potential employers' needs.

Throughout the conversation, we put our heads together and did our best to get her recommitted to her own professional development and stay relevant in our industry. By the end of the conversation, she seemed determined to gain the know-how of using the newest tools of the trade.

A 4-Step Solution For Professional Development And Staying Up To Date

To avoid this difficult and confusing problem, there is a solution. Here are 4 steps that will help keep you ahead of the curve:

Step 1: Understand New Technology

Be agile and adaptive to change. The tech space in almost every field is ever-evolving. It's okay not to be the smartest person in your company, or for that matter, the most tech-savvy. But you've got to know what's happening with regards to technology in your field.

Step 2: Find Out What Your Competitors Are Doing

If they are having success in certain areas (relating to your field), find out more about it. Ask questions, read, study, and discover. Every good business or marketing plan has a competitive analysis; employees should too.

Step 3: Embrace Continuous Learning And Career Development

Whether you're a novice in your field or an expert in the industry, you've got to find trade shows, educational experiences, mentors, or seminars that will challenge your skill level. Read the latest articles from industry experts. Consider developing your own blended-learning model that uses a wide variety of methods, materials, and training techniques that are appealing and inspiring.

Step 4: Ask A Lot Of Questions And Get Some Coaching

I go to too many meetings where people are afraid to ask what they call "dumb" questions. Those questions will clarify expectations, encourage mentoring, and create learning and development experiences. If you have access to a coach, use them. They are great people to have conversations with, bounce ideas off of, and get motivation from.

Stop Worrying, Start Learning

The painful truth is that if we don't stay relevant in our field, we won't easily land the best jobs. But when we bring something unique, relevant, modern, and valuable to our respective companies and customers, then we can expect to get the best career opportunities.

There is little doubt how vital the role of eLearning (and other forms of blended learning) is in the world of education and corporate training. So, stop worrying and start learning new things about our vital industry. Discover the latest trends and techniques that will qualify you for the best jobs. We cannot rest on our laurels and past accomplishments only; we must move forward with our own professional development.

The Need To Possess A Versatile Skillset For Career Development

Technology, remote work, and employee shortages all call for a variety of online and in-person learning offerings for today's workforce. Today's trainers, learning experts, instructional designers, and human resources professionals need to develop a versatile skill set as they establish their professional development goals.

Tips For eLearning Professionals That Will Come In Handy

eLearning training programs are highly popular with large organizations looking for a way to train their employees without taking them away from their day-to-day job. They are equally popular with candidates who can gain valuable professional qualifications by studying at a time and place that suits them. So let's take a closer look at some very insightful tips for eLearning Professionals which can help you improve both your eLearning strategy and your overall approach.

1. Know Your Audience

Before you do any preparation for your eLearning course, you must know who you will be delivering it to, in other words, who your target audience is. Will it be senior execs, new employees, and experienced staff undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD)? You won't be able to develop your material to suit your audience unless you know this in advance.

2. Create A Content Plan

Prepare all your content offline first to give you the time and opportunity to plan it logically. This will also help you decide which sections are best suited to text, images/graphics, video, or podcasts. It will also ensure you have copies in individual, standard format files and documents such as Word, PDF, Powerpoint, jpeg, mp3, etc. By using individual components for your content plan, you will more easily be able to re-use certain sections in future courses.

3. Consider Your Candidates' Motivation

Some candidates will be motivated for their eLearning course by the fact that they will obtain a professional qualification that will boost their career prospects. They may have actively pushed to attend the course.

On the other hand, there may be candidates who had no choice but to attend the course. It may be part of a training strategy imposed by their employer. Don't assume everyone will be highly motivated or even motivated to the same degree. Take responsibility for enthusing and motivating your candidates, and both you and they will get more out of the course.

One way of doing this is to always highlight the benefits of learning a particular topic. For instance, studying Risk Management can help Project Managers deliver their projects more successfully. The benefit being their organization will be happier, and they will develop a reputation as a successful Project Manager opening up the possibility of a promotion or other career progression.

Another motivational strategy, apart from the tips for eLearning professionals mentioned, is to highlight common problems in the working environment and show how understanding a particular topic will make people more able to overcome those problems. The personal benefit is less stress and more job satisfaction.

4. Consider The Average Attention Span

Whether our obsession with the internet has made our attention spans shorter is always open for debate but it's clear that the average attention span is not very long. Different sources suggest anywhere between 10-20 minutes; so bear that in mind when covering certain topics. If there are complex topics, then consider breaking them down into more manageable parts. Try even shorter than 10 minutes if that works with your course material.

5. Have Some Fun

Learning should, and can, be fun so add fun quizzes or mini-games when appropriate to do so. Even adding light-hearted case studies with humorous business names can lighten the mood for your candidates and help motivate them further. Humour and learning are not mutually exclusive but far too many courses end up being dull and boring.

6. Challenge Candidates

Even the most motivated candidates will sometimes take things easy if they can to keep them enthused with reminders to complete tasks, 60-second videos for quick bursts of inspiration, or short podcasts with interesting guests. A variety of media will improve your candidates' engagement levels.

7. Consider Blended Learning

Moving on to the seventh of the 8 tips for eLearning professionals, let us refer to the implementation of blended learning. Blended learning is a combination of different forms of learning such as eLearning, workshops, podcasts, and traditional classroom-based courses. They offer the best of each type of learning in one course. It's also easier to tailor a blended learning course for different requirements and organizations.

8. Request Feedback, And Listen To It

No eLearning professional is perfect at their job, so aim to continually improve what you deliver by requesting feedback from candidates who have completed the course. But make sure you take action to improve any aspects that are consistently below par.

What is “career design” and why is it important?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 12:30:00 +0000

What is “career design” and why is it important?

When it comes to your career, how satisfied do you feel? Are you happy to go to work in the morning? Does the idea of Monday morning bring joy and excitement, or fear and disappointment?

At the heart of a career, design is a challenge: to design a career that brings you not only satisfaction but supports your wellbeing.

Satisfaction at work

If you’re unsatisfied with your job, you’re not alone. According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report, just 6% of Japanese workers report being engaged in their workplace. Workplace engagement is often a measure of how satisfied employees are at work; it measures not just happiness but well-being, and how emotionally invested workers are with their company.

It’s an important statistic to capture, and it’s telling. Globally, employee engagement is at just 15%. This is bad news for the global economy. If employee engagement is the sign of a healthy workforce, the opposite is true for the unengaged: higher rates of absenteeism, lower productivity, and profitability, and more likely to look for other opportunities.

So does it matter if you’re satisfied with your job? Absolutely. Not only for your own physical and mental well-being but for the well-being of your company and your colleagues.

How to design your own career path

One antidote for an unsatisfying career is career design. This is the proactive planning of your career path -- whether it be by small daily changes or big overarching modifications.

There are three main phases to career design.

Step 1: Reflect

It’s important to reflect regularly on the trajectory of your current career and think about not just the short term, but the long term as well. This will help in the planning stage to determine your next career move.

Some helpful questions to ask yourself include:

What do I want most in a job?
What specific parts of my job bring me joy?
What do I like the least about my job?
Is this job bringing me closer to the job I want in the future?

It may be helpful at this stage to ask people you trust questions about your strengths and weaknesses at work. Often, other people can provide insight into ourselves that we cannot see.

Step 2: Plan

Once you’ve taken the time to evaluate the current status of your career, it’s time to plan. Sometimes, your next step will require big changes: perhaps it’s time to look for a new job, or maybe even an entirely new career path. But others may require only small tweaks to your current role to make a difference.

Regardless of whether your required actions are big or small, it’s a good idea to write down your overarching aim, your next steps, and how to know whether you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve. Try using the SMART method: make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.

Step 3: Execute

Of course, all this work is for nothing if you don’t put into action what you’ve discovered. Remember that you don’t need to do all of this straight away; in fact, in some situations, a slow, measured plan of action is more beneficial than rash decisions. For example, if you’ve realized you’ll need to totally retrain to move towards a different career path, it is better to do so when you are financially secure. If you need to look for a new job, it is better to do so when you’ve already got a steady income.

Career design is not a static process; it’s dynamic and ongoing. Through constant reflections and small tweaks here and there, it is possible to build a career that’s not only satisfying but gets you excited to go to work every day. Not only is this of benefit to your health and happiness, but it’ll make you a better colleague, a more supportive boss, and a productive member of society.

10 Types of Design Jobs for Creative People

Your love of color, artistic eye, and impeccable sense of style cause people to label you a creative person—and you wear that label proudly. You embrace it as you enjoy expressing your originality and making things visually appealing.

But what if we told you there was a way to exercise your creativity full time instead of just on the side with occasional projects? Better yet, what if you could get paid to be creative daily? The truth is there’s a wide array of design careers where people just like you can thrive.

So what’s out there for people with an eye for design? We’ve identified 10 types of design jobs that are perfectly suited for creative people. Included below is a brief breakdown of what each position entails and some of the skills needed for success. Take a look and see which creative careers interest you most.

10 Creative careers in the design field

Great news for all you creative folks—many types of design careers allow you to capitalize on your inventiveness. Learn more about a few exciting jobs for creative people like you.

1. Graphic designer

One of the most common design careers out there is graphic design. These professionals create designs for marketing collateral, product illustrations, brand identities, and websites using computer software like the Adobe® Creative Suite.

They merge technical skills with artistic ability to create a design that resonates with its desired audience. Graphic designers may work independently as freelancers or contractors, in an in-house setting for a company or in an agency setting.

Common skills for graphic designers:1

Adobe® Creative Suite
Typesetting
Marketing materials
Social media design
Website design
Packaging

Interested? Learn more in our article “What Is Graphic Design? A Beginner’s Guide to This Creative Career.”

2. User experience (UX) designer

UX designers make websites, mobile applications, software, and video games easier to navigate and more intuitive for users to interact with. They study and evaluate how people feel about a particular system and design their products to cater to the needs of the user. They also analyze the specific components of the systems, such as usefulness, value, credibility, and accessibility.

For example, a UX designer might work with a retailer to update their product webpages and mitigate issues, like frustrating forms, hard-to-find buttons, and visual clutter, that can prevent users from making a purchase.

Common skills for UX designers:1

UX wireframes
Prototyping
Visual design
User research
Adobe Creative Suite

For more information, check out our article “8 Basic User Experience Guidelines Designers Need to Know.”

3. User interface (UI) designer

A close relative of user experience design, this specialized design role is focused on creating (or improving existing) interfaces. Not sure what that means? Think of the menu systems of your favorite apps or the touchscreen displays you see in vehicles—those are prominent examples of an interface, and a lot of careful consideration goes into ensuring they’re intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to navigate.

This role requires user empathy and the ability to balance the needs of the user and the needs of the application’s creator. Typically, UI design requires a mix of design, psychology, and development know-how to be successful.

Common skills for UI designers:1

Adobe Creative Suite
Interaction design
UX wireframing
JavaScript
User research

For a more in-depth breakdown, check out our article “What Is User Interface Design? An Introduction for Aspiring Designers.”

4. Photographer

Photographers utilize their creativity and composition skills alongside their technical expertise to capture photographs that tell a story or document an event. The majority of today’s photographers work with digital cameras and editing software to capture subjects in commercial-quality images. Some travel to a location to shoot an event or scenery while others have their own studios for portraits, commercial shoots, or artistic work.

Common skills for photographers:1

Digital photography
Customer service
Videography
Adobe Photoshop®
Video editing
Social media

5. Interior designer

Professionals in this occupation work with interior spaces to improve the safety, functionality, and aesthetic appeal of the area. They select color schemes, furniture, flooring, lighting, and all other elements of a room or building. Interior designers also sketch their ideas or use design software to communicate their plans with the architects, structural engineers, and builders who bring their designs to life.

Common skills for interior designers:1

Customer service
Budgeting
Computer Aided Drafting/Design (CAD) software
Space planning
Project management
Purchasing

6. Multimedia artist & animator

These professionals create animations and special effects for movies, television, video games, and other forms of media—both two-dimensional and three-dimensional. They work with teams of animators and artists to bring ideas to life using computer software or by writing their own computer codes. Some work in studios or offices, but many are self-employed and work from home.

Common skills for multimedia artists and animators:1

Adobe Photoshop®
Animation
Graphic design
Motion graphics
Adobe Aftereffects®
3D modeling

Sound interesting? Learn more about this position in our article “Everything You Need to Know About Working in Animation.”

7. Art director

Typically a role reserved for experienced design professionals, art directors work in a variety of settings, such as magazines, newspapers, internet-based publications, and advertising or public relations agencies. They communicate with clients while overseeing project budgets and timelines. They manage a team of design professionals, reviewing and approving all creative materials before presenting them to clients.

Common skills for art directors:1

Adobe Creative Suite
Graphic design
Budgeting
Creative direction
Project management

For a closer look at the role, see our article “What Does an Art Director Do? Expert Insight from the Pros Who Know.”

8. Advertising & promotions manager

Professionals in these positions often work in agencies to organize campaigns for clients. They may also be responsible for selling advertising space or time for media firms. This is a job for creative people with strong business acumen as they work with sales staff to develop concepts for campaigns, partner with creative teams to produce layouts, negotiate contracts and prepare overall campaign budgets.

Common skills for advertising and promotions managers:1

Budgeting
Project management
Social media
Ad campaigns
Digital advertising

9. Fashion designer

Professionals in this field design new clothing and accessories. Designs are sketched on paper or digital devices, and then the colors, materials, and textures of the final product are determined. Fashion designers study fashion trends by reviewing magazines and attending fashion shows. They then provide sample garments to sales representatives and agents in hopes of selling their own collections.

Common skills for fashion designers:1

Sales
Customer contact
Merchandising
Product design and development
Adobe Creative Suite
Sketching

10. Film & video editor

Film and video editors use technical software to construct promotional or artistic productions from footage shot by camera operators. This creative career involves working with directors and producers to determine which material is most captivating for their audience and to help piece together scenes. The editing process involves trimming footage down into segments, marking frames for audio, and organizing raw footage into a seamless and polished final product.

Common skills for film and video editors:1

Video editing
Adobe Creative Suite
Social media
Video production
Music and sound implementation

Start creating your ideal design career

It’s now clear that there are many different types of design jobs that will allow you to exercise your creativity day in and day out. With such a wide variety of opportunities, you should be closer to finding the creative careers that align best with your skills and interests.

If you're ready to take the next step toward a creative career, a Graphic Design degree may be an excellent starting point for many of the roles highlighted above. Check out the Rasmussen University Graphic Design program page to learn more about the program, or request more information today to hear from an admissions advisor.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 11:22:00 +0000

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

Youth development programs seek to improve the lives of children and adolescents by meeting their basic physical, developmental, and social needs and by helping them to build the competencies needed to become successful adults. Examples of youth development programs include community service, mentoring programs, and neighborhood youth centers.

It is unclear exactly how many youth development programs are operating in the United States in the early twenty-first century. In 1998 the Internal Revenue Service identified more than 5,700 nonprofit organizations–almost 3 percent of all charitable agencies–that focused their primary services on youth development. In addition, countless other organizations offer youth development activities with a different primary focus. Examples include youth groups within religious organizations and after-school activities offered by public elementary schools.

The purpose of this entry is to provide an overview of youth development programs. It is organized in the following manner. First, a brief history of services for children and youth is presented. Second, the current framework for youth development programs, including school-based youth development efforts, is discussed. Next, issues regarding access to youth development programs and findings from evaluations of youth development efforts are presented. Finally, several issues regarding the implementation of youth development programs and future research directions are discussed.

Historical Development of Youth Development Programs

The concept of childhood as a unique and crucial stage of human development is a relatively recent idea. Until the mid-1800s, children were viewed as miniature adults who, without strict guidance from their families, would follow their natural inclination toward aggression, stubbornness, sinfulness, and idleness to their doom. Not surprisingly, the earliest programs and services for children who were poor, orphaned, delinquent, or mentally ill focused heavily on helping them avoid their natural inclination toward vice and sought to help them gain useful occupations. Apprenticeships were arranged for older children, while younger children were cared for in almshouses where their health, morals, and education would be improved with the overall goal of ensuring future self-sufficiency.

Beginning in the mid-1800s, numerous factors combined to influence a transformation in the view of children and childhood and subsequently in services for children. Writings of the English philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) and American transcendentalists fostered the view of children as pure and good human beings who learn from experience and, as a result, are corrupted only by the influence of society. The nineteenth-century English naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution–specifically its premise of environmental influence on behavior and development–contributed to the growing belief that, with appropriate nurturing, children could be molded into successful adults. As a result, childhood began to be viewed as a particularly critical point in human development. Friedrich Froebel (1782–1852), the German educator and founder of the kindergarten movement, encouraged this viewpoint and contended that children required special preparation for adulthood, as well as opportunities for recreation and play. The publication of American psychologist and educator G. Stanley Hall's seminal work Adolescence in 1904 expanded this notion to older children and served to further cement such views.

This shift led to significant changes in services for children and adolescents. Institutions specifically designed to nurture the needs of children replaced apprenticeships and almshouses. Although the earliest institutions for children date to the mid-1700s, the movement to remove children from almshouses did not gain broad support until the nineteenth century. In 1861 Ohio passed the first state statute calling for the mandatory removal of all children from county almshouses, and by 1890 about 600 institutions–mostly owned and operated privately by religious and ethnic groups–were serving indigent children. Institutional child care during this period tended to take an undemocratic and antifamily approach characterized by discipline, training, and rehabilitation. These institutions operated with minimal oversight and mass care, rather than individualized attention, was the norm. Support for institutional child care waned for several reasons including increased economic uncertainty; the inability to build institutions at a rate sufficient to meet the needs of a growing number of orphaned, dependent, and delinquent children; the rise of public education; and the reduction in apprenticeship and legal indenture opportunities.

Child-care institutions were quickly replaced by a movement to place needy children with families. Led by the New York Children's Aid Society and its founder, the Reverend Charles Loring Brace, this movement focused on helping delinquent and needy children from New York City's poorest classes by transplanting them to a more healthful environment. Under Brace's direction, thousands of children were transported on orphan trains from New York City slums to live with farm families in the expanding West. Although they were subsidized by the city and the state, Brace's orphan trains failed to live up to his ideals. The families with whom the children lived often took advantage of their labor and failed to provide them with even the basic necessities and education. Poor families resented having their children sent so far away, and eventually, the western states complained about what they perceived to be the dumping of thousands of delinquent and needy children each year. The economic shift from an agrarian society to an industrial society reduced the need for child labor on farms and further doomed this movement. Brace's conviction that family life was best for children and youth, however, continues to influence services for children to this day.

The first half of the twentieth century brought a growing interest in the problem of juvenile delinquency. Investigation done by Dr. William Healy's Juvenile Psychopathic Institute led to the realization that the problem of delinquent children was not limited to the poorest classes. Further, delinquency was increasingly viewed as resulting from numerous factors, with the most prevalent being the lack of parental discipline resulting from the loss of one or both parents. Concurrently, it was becoming increasingly clear that efforts to punish offending youth did not deter future criminal activity and that many of the youth who left institutions often returned. As a result, interest shifted to finding ways to treat troubled youth, rather than merely punish them, and led to the creation of the juvenile court system, which separated juvenile and adult offenders and focused on rehabilitation and cure. The first juvenile court law was enacted in Illinois in 1899, and by 1919 all but three states had established similar legislation.

Exploration into the causes of delinquency continued well into the 1900s. Particularly influential were Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin, who in a 1960 book advanced the opinion that young people turned to delinquency out of frustration with the lack of opportunity available to them. Opportunity theory suggested that providing at-risk youth with increased opportunity–particularly for economic success–could serve to prevent delinquency. As a result, services for children began to focus for the first time on the prevention of youth problems. One early such effort was the Mobilization for Youth Program, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, which offered a comprehensive array of services including employment bureaus, training programs, education programs, anti-discrimination activities, and neighborhood service centers. Despite the mixed results of this program and others like it, the interest in prevention set the stage for the youth development efforts of the early twenty-first century.

Youth Development Programs in the Early Twenty-First Century

In the early twenty-first century, youth development programs take a more positive or strengths-based approach to prevention. Rather than trying to keep teens from engaging in risky behaviors, youth development programs focus on helping them grow into happy, healthy adults. This approach mandates a conceptual shift from thinking that "youth problems are the principal barrier to youth development to thinking that youth development serves as the most effective strategy for the prevention of youth problems" (Pittman and Fleming, p. 3). Although professionals and researchers have yet to agree on a single definition of youth development, they have identified a set of principles common to most youth development programmatic efforts.

First, youth development efforts focus on meeting needs and developing competencies for all youth, not just for those engaged in problem behaviors or perceived to be at risk for doing so. The youth development model assumes that because all youth must pass through a specific developmental process to become successful adults, all youth are at risk for problems.

Second, youth development replaces the deficit-based focus of public-health prevention models with a strength-based approach that focuses on meeting needs and building competencies, rather than solving problems and providing treatment. The needs that must be met and the competencies that must be built to ensure the transition to successful adulthood are outlined in Table 1.

Third, unlike the public-health prevention model's focus on individual behavior, youth development assumes that "the way to improve the lives of young people is to improve the communities in which they live" (Jarvis, Shear, and Hughes, p. 721). Thus, community-level variables, rather than individual-level variables, are targeted for intervention and play a key role in youth development initiatives. Youth development's focus on community-level interventions influences how youth development initiatives are structured and implemented. Specifically, youth development programs focus on the "creation of a supportive community for children and families" and mandate that community-wide support and participation must be objectives "not only within an initiative's institutional collaboration structure, but also between a community's institutions and those citizens who live within it" (O'Brien, Pittman, and Cahill, p. 8). In 1994 Karen J. Pittman and Shepherd Zeldin further maintained that the establishment of youth development as a policy goal "must become incorporated into public institutions of education, employment, training, juvenile justice, and health services to be successful" (p. 15).

Finally, the youth development approach requires the active participation of youth in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of services. The notion of involving youth as partners, rather than simply as clients, is unique to the youth development approach and is deeply rooted in empowerment theory, which focuses on the process of individuals' gaining power to improve their life circumstances. These points are summarized in Table 2.

Youth Development Programs and Education

Schools are viewed as a critical component of community-based youth development efforts. Of particular interest are efforts to provide youth development activities in school buildings during non-school hours. Such activities range from educational enrichment, career exploration and development, and social and recreational opportunities. Four basic models of school-based youth development programs have been identified.

The Beacons model was established in New York City in 1991 and implemented as part of a comprehensive anti-drug strategy. The model is based on the premise that youth development and academic achievement are strengthened when parents and community residents are involved in schools and when gaps between the home and the school are minimized. School-based community centers were opened to create safe places for youth and families in poor neighborhoods beset with drugs and violence. In addition to keeping school buildings open sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the Beacons model strived to create an environment within each school that promoted youth development and resiliency.

The Bridges to Success model, a school-based youth development model developed by the United Way of Central Indiana, began in Indianapolis in 1991. This model seeks to increase the educational success of students by improving the ability of schools to meet the noneducational needs of students and their families through a partnership between educators and the local human and community-service delivery systems. Activities, including educational enrichment, career development, arts and culture, life skills, counseling, case management, health and mental health services, and recreation, seek to establish schools as lifelong learning centers and focal points within their communities.

TABLE 1

Developed by the Children's Aid Society of New York City and initially implemented in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood in 1989, the Community Schools model seeks to provide a myriad of health and social services within a public school setting. Operating fifteen hours a day, six days a week year-round, community school activities include medical, dental, and mental health services; recreation; supplemental education; parent education; family life education; and summer programs. This model is based on the premise that children's educational outcomes cannot be separated from that

TABLE 2

of their families and other community residents. As a result, the model seeks to transform schools into institutions that house a comprehensive array of services, provide a focal point for community life, and ultimately strengthen the entire community.

The fourth model, the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps, a program initiated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1985, features university-assisted schools. The underlying strategy of this model is to create a partnership between a school and a university that strengthens both institutions and produces positive outcomes for youth, university faculty and students, and the greater community. Specific programmatic activities include the development of enrichment activities, school-based health and social services, and community service projects. This model stresses community participation in program design and planning.

Private and public funders are expected to continue their push for school-based youth development efforts. Unlike programs offered in other community settings (such as churches and social-service agencies), school-based programs are viewed as being able to reach many youths and eliminating or reducing issues related to disparities in access.

Access to Youth Development Programs

A handful of studies have identified major discrepancies in access to youth development programs. In general, these studies have found that white or suburban youth have greater access to youth development activities than do their minority, urban, or rural counterparts. In addition, access to youth development programs also appears to be positively correlated with family income level.

In 1982 Judith Erickson found that members of youth organizations were more likely to come from families whose fathers were better educated or whose incomes were higher. Fred Newmann and Robert Rutter found in 1986 that private Catholic and alternative public schools were more likely to include community-service programs in their curriculum than regular public schools. Furthermore, larger schools and those with a larger minority population were also more likely to stress community service than smaller schools or those with predominantly white students.

In their 1985 examination of library distribution within communities, Mark Testa and Edward Lawlor found a link between family income and library availability. Specifically, they found that in Chicago neighborhoods where the median family income was below $25,000, the average number of children per public library was twice the average number of children per library in neighborhoods with a median family income above $25,000. Similarly, more than twice as much money was spent per child on the libraries in more affluent communities as compared to communities with lower family incomes.

Julia Littell and Joan Wynn further explored this issue in a 1989 study that compared the youth development opportunities available for middle-school-aged youth (eleven to fourteen-year-olds) in two Chicago communities that differed strikingly on numerous socioeconomic factors including educational attainment, occupational status, employment rates, median age, and racial composition. One community, given the pseudonym "Innerville" by the authors, was a low-income African-American community on Chicago's west side. The other community, which the authors called "Greenwood," was an affluent suburban municipality with predominantly white residents. They found stark differences in the number of community resources available for youth in these two communities. For every 1,000 youth aged eleven to fourteen, the inner-city community had 9.4 nonreligious organizations providing activities or facilities for youth, compared to 24.4 such organizations in the suburban community. In an average week, children in the inner-city community had access to 22.8 activities (per 1,000 youth aged eleven to fourteen), compared to 70.6 activities in the suburban community. In an average week, children in the inner-city community had access to 12.8 youth development activities offered through the public school (per 1,000 sixths through eighth graders), compared to 20.9 such activities for the suburban youth. Similarly, inner-city youth had access to2.2 public-park programs (per 1,000 youth aged eleven to fourteen), compared to 18.2 public-park programs for youth living in the suburb. Finally, the urban youth had access to about 9.4 facilities each week (per 1,000 youth aged eleven to fourteen), whereas the suburban youth could access 42.4 facilities.

Evaluation of Youth Development Programs

The effectiveness of youth development programs remains somewhat unsubstantiated because of the dearth of comprehensive, rigorous evaluations. In their 1999 review of more than sixty evaluation studies of youth-serving programs, Jodie Roth and colleagues were able to identify only six that used rigorous research designs. Findings from such studies, however, are generally promising.

As reported in 1995, an eight-site evaluation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program found that after eighteen months youth who participated in the program were less likely to start using illegal drugs or to initiate alcohol use; were less likely to report hitting someone during the previous twelve months; earned moderately higher grades; skipped half as many days at school; skipped fewer classes; felt more competent about doing their schoolwork, and reported better relationships with peers and parents than the control group. No differences were found between the two groups in the number of times they stole or damaged property, were sent to the principal's office, engaged in risky behaviors, fought, cheated on a test, or used tobacco. There were no statistically significant gains in self-concept or in the number of social and cultural activities in which the youth participated.

As outlined in a 1994 report, a longitudinal study of the Quantum Opportunities Program, a multi-service youth development program operating in five states, identified several long-term positive effects of participation. Compared to the control group, program participants had significant increases in academic skills and educational expectations; were more likely to have graduated from high school or received their GED; were more likely to attend a postsecondary school; were less likely to have been in trouble with the police within the previous twelve months, and had fewer children. Additionally, 22 percent more participants received honors or awards during the previous twelve months and 30 percent more were involved in community service within six months of finishing the program. No differences were found in grades or knowledge about contraceptives and AIDS.

A 1997 evaluation of an effort to promote interracial, interethnic, and intercultural harmony among youth found that the treatment group (which numbered 244) had significant improvements in reported school attendance and race relations and significant decreases in drug and alcohol use in the previous month compared to the control group (which numbered 471). Program participants also tended to report higher self-esteem, less drug and alcohol use for the previous year, and greater control of aggressive behavior.

An evaluation of the ADEPT Program, a comprehensive after-school program focusing on building positive self-esteem and providing homework assistance and activities for social and emotional growth, found that the program did not have any measurable effects on personality variables, such as self-esteem, and risk-taking behavior, depression, and in-class behavior. Further, there was no positive program effect on standardized test scores. There was, however, a statistically significant improvement in average standardized test scores for students who received the self-esteem-building curriculum.

A two-year, longitudinal study of ten after-school programs offering alternative supports to improve educational achievement found that two years following program completion, program youth received significantly higher grades than comparison group students in mathematics, science, social studies, reading, and composition. Further, program participants showed greater improvement in their reported effort in science and social studies. The students who participated in the program for two or more years held significantly more positive attitudes about themselves and school; felt safer during the after-school hours; knew more people in college; had higher educational expectations, and liked school more than nonparticipants.

A three-year longitudinal study of the South Baltimore Youth Center featuring multiple comparison groups found that the program had a significant impact on participants. The amount of self-reported alcohol consumption increased significantly less than the comparison group for youth who participated in the program's social activities such as mentoring, tutoring, and job training. Further, the self-reported amount of drug use decreased significantly for the program youth during the study. The amount of self-reported delinquent behavior, both minor and serious, decreased significantly for the program youth. There were no differences, however, in the prosocial behavior of either group.

Issues Regarding Youth Development Programs

The required level of community-wide collaboration, the basic tenants of the youth development approach, and limited evaluation efforts are all barriers to the widespread implementation of youth development programming.

Community-wide collaboration. The high level of community-wide collaboration required for successful youth development efforts has been identified by many researchers as posing a significant barrier to the successful adoption of this approach. Previous research has documented that collaboration is often the element that distinguishes between successful youth development initiatives and those that fail. Both Marian W. Edelman, 1987, and R. Jenkins, 1989, concluded that targeting critical needs with proven programs is secondary to establishing broad community support in ensuring the long-term success of youth development interventions.

While both practitioners and researchers agree that community-wide collaboration is critical for youth development efforts to be successful, they concede that garnering such support is often difficult. Specific barriers to community-wide support include the lack of clarity regarding the concept of youth development and outcomes associated with it, the lack of clear leadership in many youth development efforts, and the wide range of values and perspectives that participants bring to the collaboration. Until such barriers to collaboration can be meaningfully addressed through research and practice, youth development initiatives will continue to prove to be difficult to implement and maintain.

Conflict with youth development philosophy. Several studies have found that the basic tenants of the youth development approach prove troublesome for many participants in youth development initiatives. Faced with many pressing community needs, collaborators may have difficulty prioritizing prevention over treatment, and, as a result, it is often more difficult to mobilize parents, community leaders, policy-makers, and service providers around promoting overall health or wellness than attacking a specific problem or crisis. Joan Wynn and her colleagues also noted the challenge of shifting institutional attention from "day-to-day survival and maintenance toward a more 'future' orientation" (Wynn, Costello, Halpern, and Richman, p. 48).

In addition, collaborators frequently have different viewpoints regarding another hallmark of the youth development approach: the involvement of youth and families in planning and policy development. One reason for this challenge is the lack of a theoretical framework that practitioners may use to guide collaborative efforts. However, work by N. Andrew Peterson and colleagues may begin to fill this gap. In a 1996 report, the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth contended that while many youth-serving agencies believe in client participation, putting that belief into practice to the extent required by youth development is often a challenge for many community organizations.

Finally, researchers have hypothesized that embracing youth development may be particularly difficult for social service agencies, whose philosophies, programs, and funding are likely to be deeply rooted in the traditional youth services paradigm. In 1995 Joan Wynn and her colleagues contended that such a paradigm is often too narrow to accept the broader youth development perspective, and, as a result, many of these agencies find it particularly difficult to institute the fundamental changes needed to embrace youth development. Funding streams that favor treatment and intervention over prevention may further discourage agencies from shifting services to the youth development paradigm.

Limited evaluation efforts. The lack of rigorous evaluation efforts has also limited the more widespread adoption of the youth development approach. In its 1992 review of the evaluation of youth-serving programs, the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development identified several reasons for the lack of evaluative effort. First, they found that many agencies failed to allocate appropriate resources for outcome evaluation. Second, they found that many existing evaluations had weak evaluation designs and as a result, their findings were unclear at best. Third, the staff of youth development programs was often resistant to participating in evaluation efforts. Finally, the council found that no clear, universally agreed-upon outcome measures for youth development programs had been identified. The council, however, felt that improving the state of youth development evaluation was critical to expanded implementation.

Child Rights: History, Facts & How To Protect Them

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:42:00 +0000

Child Rights: History, Facts & How To Protect Them

What are child rights?

child rights are the human rights of children. Every child, regardless of age, race, gender, wealth, or birthplace, has rights.

These rights are enshrined in international law in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It recognizes all children must be treated fairly, equally, and with dignity. The child rights convention laws are non-discriminatory and are always in the best interests of the child.

A child is recognized and described by the United Nations (UN) children’s rights convention as every human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, adulthood is attained earlier.

The UN’s child rights state that children are entitled to special protection and assistance because they are considered vulnerable. According to the CRC, all children should grow up in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality, and solidarity, and all nations are responsible for providing these rights by the law of the UN.

When children’s rights are protected, children stand a much better chance of growing up in a society that allows them to thrive.

At World Vision, we see children as agents of transformation. When we partner with communities on community-led projects – powered by people like you – we can help protect them from abuse, forced labor, and conflict. We help them to build a brighter future for themselves and the next generation of children to come.

We have a responsibility to the children who participate in our programs. We teach children about their rights, equipping them with the skills to speak up for themselves and educating their communities about what is and what isn’t acceptable behavior towards children.

We push for policy change at a local, national and global level so that we can impact the largest number of children possible through our work.

A history of children’s rights

Following the devastating aftermath of the world wars of the 20th century and their psychological and physical impact on children, the United Nations (UN) decided that the human rights of children required special protection.

After World War I, the League of Nations (which would later become the UN) drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which included the rights to life, food, shelter, education, freedom of speech and religion, justice, and peace.

Recognizing that children were especially vulnerable, the UN agreed to adopt the Declaration of Geneva on Children’s Rights. This declaration was short with only five statements, but it outlined a list of responsibilities towards children who were considered vulnerable.

After the Second World War, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This declaration paved the way for the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, which became the first legally binding international text to protect children’s rights.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It sets out the rights of children in 54 articles and is guided by four beliefs:

Children should not suffer discrimination (Article 2).
In all decisions affecting children, their best interests should be the primary concern (Article 3).
Children have the right to survive and develop healthily (Article 6).
Children have the right to have their views taken into account in matters that affect them (Article 12).

The Convention on the Rights of the Child

Article 1 – A child means every human being below the age of 18.

Article 2 – States parties must ensure all rights apply to children regardless of their age, race, religion, gender, wealth, or birthplace.

Article 3 – All signatories to the convention must work towards actions in the best interests of the child.

Article 4 – Governments must make these rights available to all children.

Article 5 – Governments and parents must ensure children are equipped with the knowledge to understand their rights.

Article 6 – All children have an inherent right to life.

Article 7 – Governments should respect a child’s right to a name and nationality.

Article 8 – Governments must respect a child’s right to their own identity.

Article 9 – Children should not be removed from their parents unless for their own good.

Article 10 – Families living in different countries should be able to move between them so children can have direct contact with both parents.

Article 11 – Governments must take all measures to combat the illegal removal of children from their country.

Article 12 – Children have the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them.

Article 13 – Children have the right to freedom of expression and can seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds.

Article 14 – Governments should respect the right of children to have freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Article 15 – Children have the right to freedom of association.

Article 16 – Children have the right to privacy.

Article 17 – Governments should ensure children have access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of their social, spiritual, and moral wellbeing and health.

Article 18 – Both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child, with the best interests of the child as their basic concern.

Article 19 – Governments should ensure children are protected from all forms of physical and mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Article 20 – Children who cannot be cared for by their own parents should be looked after by people who respect their religion, culture, and language.

Article 21 – When a child is adopted, their best interests should be the utmost priority.

Article 22 – Children who enter a country as refugees should have the same rights as children born in that country.

Article 23 – Children with any kind of disability must have special care and support.

Article 24 - Children have the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. Governments should work towards the development of healthcare and diminish disease and child mortality.

Article 25 – Children placed in care have the right to have their situation reviewed by their local authorities regularly.

Article 26 – Governments should provide the right resources for children if they need to benefit from social security.

Article 27 – All children have the right to a standard of living adequate for their physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development.

Article 28 – All children have the right to an education.

Article 29 – Education should help the development of a child’s personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities so they can reach their full potential.

Article 30 – Children have the right to practice their own religion or language.

Article 31 – All children have the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

Article 32 – Governments must protect children from economic exploitation or performing work that can interfere with their education or could be harmful to their development.

Article 33 – Governments must take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social, and educational measures to protect children from the illicit use of drugs and prevent the use of children in the production and trafficking of such substances.

Article 34 – Governments must protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Article 35 – Governments must protect children from being abducted, sold, or trafficked.

Article 36 – Children must be protected from all forms of exploitation that can harm their welfare.

Article 37 – No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel treatment or punishment; no child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention, or imprisonment of a child shall only be used as the last resort and for the shortest appropriate period.

Article 38 – Governments should take all feasible measures to ensure that children under the age of 15 don't take a direct part in armed conflicts.

Article 39 – Governments should take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of children exposed to neglect, exploitation, or abuse.

Article 40 – Children accused of breaking the law should receive legal help.

Article 41 – If the laws of a country protect a child better than the articles of the convention, then the laws should be followed.

Article 42 – Governments should make this convention widely known to adults and children.

Article 43-54 – These articles contain methods for institutions, organizations, and individuals to ensure respect for child rights.

World Children's Day

In 2019, the world marked the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on World Children’s Day, 20 November. World Children’s Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of child rights, inspire a recommitment from governments and communities to realize those rights, promote accountability, and spur people to act.

In alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the full realization of the CRC would result in a world where no one – no child – is left behind.
World Vision works in more than 90 countries to improve child wellbeing and is committed to the objectives of the CRC.

Child rights around the world

In an ideal world, signatories to the convention would apply each article to their own country’s educational, health, legal and social services. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Across the globe, hundreds of millions of children are being denied their dignity, freedom, future, and childhood when their rights are not protected by these signatories.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), estimates that 218 million children are working as child laborers around the world. These children are refused the opportunity to go to school, play with friends or receive the right nutrition and care for a healthy and fulfilled life. Instead, they are forced to work long hours for little reward.

Many children are being exploited through mentally and physically dangerous work that involves hazardous workplaces and exploitative acts such as slavery, drug trafficking, prostitution, and armed conflict. These environments negatively impact a child’s wellbeing and development and can deny the child’s rights to survival, protection, and education.

Bithi is one of the thousands of Bangladeshi children who work in garment factories in poor conditions, where their child rights are denied. With no bright future in sight, Bithi’s mother – whose husband was bedridden – was struggling to raise six children on her own and couldn’t make ends meet. She did what her parents did to her – sent her oldest daughter to work in the garment factory at the age of 12.

Bithi’s mother also had a man in mind for an arranged marriage, a very common practice in Bangladesh that robs children of their childhood.

Education

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 10:23:00 +0000

Education

Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Various researchers emphasize the role of critical thinking to distinguish education from indoctrination. Some theorists require that education results in an improvement of the student while others prefer a value-neutral definition of the term. In a slightly different sense, education may also refer, not to the process, but to the product of this process: the mental states and dispositions possessed by educated people. Education originated as the transmission of cultural heritage from one generation to the next. Today, educational goals increasingly encompass new ideas such as the liberation of learners, skills needed for modern society, empathy, and complex vocational skills.

Types of education are commonly divided into formal, non-formal, and informal education. Formal education takes place in education and training institutions, is usually structured by curricular aims and objectives, and learning is typically guided by a teacher. In most regions, formal education is compulsory up to a certain age and is commonly divided into educational stages such as kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school. Nonformal education occurs as an addition or alternative to formal education. It may be structured according to educational arrangements, but more flexibly, and usually takes place in community-based, workplace-based, or civil society-based settings. Lastly, informal education occurs in daily life, in the family, and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational, whether unintentional or intentional. In practice, there is a continuum from the highly formalized to the highly informalized, and informal learning can occur in all three settings. For instance, homeschooling can be classified as nonformal or informal, depending upon the structure.

Regardless of the setting, educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion, and directed research. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy. Education is supported by a variety of different philosophies, theories, and empirical research agendas.

There are movements for education reforms, such as for improving the quality and efficiency of education towards relevance in students' lives and efficient problem-solving in modern or future society at large, or for evidence-based education methodologies. A right to education has been recognized by some governments and the United Nations. Global initiatives aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education for all.

Definitions

Numerous definitions of education have been suggested by theorists belonging to diverse fields. Many agree that education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, especially the transmission of knowledge. But they often include other aims as well, such as fostering skills and character traits. However, there are deep disagreements about the exact nature of education besides these general characteristics. According to some conceptions, it is primarily a process that occurs during events like schooling, teaching, and learning. Others understand it not as a process but as the achievement or product brought about by this process. In this view, education is what educated persons have, i.e. the mental states and dispositions that are characteristic of them. However, the term may also refer to the academic study of the methods and processes taking place during teaching and learning, as well as the social institutions involved in these processes. Etymologically, the word "education" is derived from the Latin word ēducātiō ("A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing") from ēducō ("I educate, I train") which is related to the homonym ēdūcō ("I lead forth, I take out; I raise up, I erect") from ē- ("from, out of") and dūcō ("I lead, I conduct").

Some researchers, like R. S. Peters, have proposed precise definitions by spelling out the necessary and sufficient conditions of education, for example: (1) it is concerned with the transmission of knowledge and understanding; (2) this transmission is worthwhile and (3) done in a morally appropriate manner in tune with the student's interests. This and similar attempts are often successful at characterizing the most paradigmatic forms of education but have received numerous criticisms nonetheless, usually in the form of specific counterexamples for which the proposed criteria fail. These difficulties have led various theorists to develop less precise conceptions based on the family resemblance. This means that all the different forms of education are similar to each other even though they need not share an essential set of features characteristic of all of them. This view can also be combined with the idea that the meaning of the term "education" is context-dependent and may thus vary depending on the situation in which it is used. Having a clear idea of what the term means is important for various issues: it is needed to identify and coherently talk about it as well as to determine how to achieve and measure it.

There is disagreement in the academic literature on whether education is an evaluative concept. So-called thick definitions affirm this, for example, by holding that an improvement of the learner is a necessary requirement of education. However, different thick definitions may still disagree among themselves on what constitutes such an improvement. Thin definitions, on the other hand, try to give a value-neutral account of education. A closely related distinction is that between descriptive and prescriptive conceptions. Descriptive conceptions aim to describe how the term is actually used by regular speakers while prescriptive conceptions try to express what good education is or how it should be done.

Many thick and prescriptive conceptions base their account on the aims of education, i.e. regarding the goals that the activity of education tries to achieve. These aims are sometimes categorized into epistemic goods, like knowledge and understanding, skills, like rationality and critical thinking, and character traits, like kindness and honesty. Some theorists focus on one overarching purpose of education and see the more specific aims as means to this end. This can take the form of socialization, in which accumulated knowledge is transmitted from one generation to the next to help the student function as a regular citizen in society. More person-centered definitions focus on the well-being of the student instead: education is to help them lead a good life or the life they wish to lead. Various researchers emphasize critical thinking as an aim to distinguish education from indoctrination. This is motivated by the idea that mere indoctrination is only interested in instilling beliefs in the student without concern for their evidential status. Education, on the other hand, should also foster the rational ability to critically reflect on those beliefs and question them. However, some theorists contend that certain forms of indoctrination may be necessary for the early stages of education until the child's mind is sufficiently developed.

Education can be characterized from the teacher's or the student's perspective. Teacher-centered definitions focus on the perspective and role of the teacher, for example, in the form of transmitting knowledge and skills while doing so in a morally appropriate manner. Student-centered definitions, on the other hand, outline education based on the student's experience in the learning process, for example, based on how education transforms and enriches their subsequent experience. However, conceptualizations taking both perspectives into account are also possible. This can take the form of describing the process as the shared experience of a common world that involves discovery as well as posing and solving problems.

Types

There are various ways which forms of education are commonly subdivided into different types. The most common subdivision is between formal, non-formal, and informal education.^[32]^[33]^[4]^[34] However, some theorists only distinguish between formal and informal education.^[35] A process of teaching constitutes formal education if it happens in a complex institutionalized framework. Such frameworks are usually chronologically and hierarchically organized as in modern schooling systems, which have different classes based on the student's age and progress, all the way from primary school to university. Because of its scale, formal education is usually controlled and guided by a governmental entity and is normally compulsory up to a certain age. Non-formal and informal education differ from formal education due to their lack of such a governmental institutionalized framework. Non-formal education constitutes a middle ground in the sense that it is also organized, systematic, and carried out with a clear purpose in mind, such as tutoring, fitness classes, or the scouting movement. Informal education, on the other hand, happens in an unsystematic way through daily experiences and exposure to the environment. Unlike formal and non-formal education, there is usually no designated authority figure responsible for teaching. Informal education is present in many different settings and happens throughout one's life, mostly in a spontaneous manner. This is how children usually learn their mother tongue from their parents or when learning how to prepare a certain dish by cooking together. Some accounts tie the difference between the three types mainly to the location where the learning takes place: in school for formal education, in places of the individual's day-to-day routine for informal education, and in other places occasionally visited for non-formal education. It has been argued that the motivation responsible for formal education is predominantly extrinsic, whereas it tends to be mainly intrinsic for non-formal and informal education. The distinction between the three types is normally clear for the paradigmatic cases but various intermediate forms of education do not easily fall into one category.

Formal education plays a central role in modern civilization. But in primitive cultures, most of the education happens not on the formal but on the informal level. This usually means that there is no distinction between activities focused on education and other activities. Instead, the whole environment may be seen as a form of school and many or all adults may act as teachers. An important reason for moving to formal forms of education is due to the sheer quantity of knowledge to be passed on, which requires both a formal setting and well-trained teachers to be transmitted effectively. A side effect of the process of formalization is that the educational experience becomes more abstract and more removed from daily life. In this regard, more emphasis is put on grasping general patterns instead of observing and imitating particular behavior.

Closely related to the distinction between formal and informal education is that between conscious education, which is done with a clear purpose in mind, and unconscious education, which occurs on its own without being consciously planned or guided.This may happen in part through the personality of teachers and adults by having indirect effects on the development of the student's personality. Another categorization depends on the age group of the learners and includes childhood education, adolescent education, adult education, and elderly education. The distinction can also be based on the subject, encompassing fields like science education, language education, art education, religious education, and physical education. The educational methodology may be used as well for classifications, such as the difference between the traditional teacher-centered education, in which the teacher takes the center stage in providing students with information, in contrast to student-centered education, in which students take on a more active and responsible role in shaping the classroom activities. The term "alternative education" is sometimes used for a wide range of educational methods and approaches outside mainstream pedagogy, for example, the emphasis on narration and storytelling found in indigenous education or autodidacticism. Forms of education can also be categorized by the medium used, for example, distance education, like online education, e-learning, or m-learning, in contrast to the regular classroom or onsite education. Various types of online education take the form of open education, where the courses and materials are made available with a minimal amount of barriers. Another classification is based on the social institution responsible for education and may include categories for institutions like family, school, civil society, state, and church. When the term education is used in the sense of an achievement or a product, expressions like type or level of education refer to the person's academic or professional qualification, such as high school completion, bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctor's degree, or degrees in vocational training.

Formal

Formal education occurs in a structured environment whose explicit purpose is teaching students. Usually, formal education takes place in a school environment with classrooms of multiple students learning together with a trained, certified teacher of the subject. It can be subdivided into various categories or levels. The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) was created by UNESCO as a statistical base to compare education systems. In 1997, it defined seven levels of education and 25 fields, though the fields were later separated out to form a different project. The current version of ISCED 2011 has nine rather than seven levels, created by dividing the tertiary pre-doctorate level into three levels. It also extended the lowest level (ISCED 0) to cover a new sub-category of early childhood educational development programs, which target children below the age of three years.

Early childhood

Education is designed to support early development in preparation for participation in school and society. The programs are designed for children below the age of three. This is ISCED level 01. Preschools provide education from ages approximately three to seven, depending on the country when children enter primary education. The children now readily interact with their peers and the educator. These are also known as nursery schools and as kindergarten, except in the US, where the term kindergarten refers to the earliest levels of primary education. Kindergarten "provides a child-centered, preschool curriculum for three- to seven-year-old children that aim[s] at unfolding the child's physical, intellectual, and moral nature with a balanced emphasis on each of them." This is ISCED level 02.

Primary

This is ISCED level 1. Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first four to seven years of formal, structured education. In general, primary education consists of six to eight years of schooling starting at the age of five to seven, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries. Globally, in 2008, around 89% of children aged six to twelve were enrolled in primary education, and this proportion was rising. Under the Education For All programs driven by UNESCO, most countries have committed to achieving universal enrollment in primary education by 2015, and in many countries, it is compulsory. The division between primary and secondary education is quite arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some education systems have separate middle schools, with the transition to the final stage of secondary education taking place at around the age of fifteen. Schools that provide primary education, are mostly referred to as primary schools or elementary schools. Primary schools are often subdivided into infant schools and junior schools.

In India, for example, compulsory education spans over twelve years, with eight years of elementary education, five years of primary schooling, and three years of upper primary schooling. Various states in the republic of India provide 12 years of compulsory school education based on a national curriculum framework designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training.

Secondary

This covers the two ISCED levels, ISCED 2: Lower Secondary Education and ISCED 3: Upper Secondary Education.

In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education comprises the formal education that occurs during adolescence. In the United States, Canada, and Australia, primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as K-12 education, and in New Zealand Year 1–13 is used. The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to ensure literacy, to prepare for higher education, or to train directly in a profession.

Secondary education in the United States did not emerge until 1910, with the rise of large corporations and advancing technology in factories, which required skilled workers. To meet this new job demand, high schools were created, with a curriculum focused on practical job skills that would better prepare students for white-collar or skilled blue collar work. This proved beneficial for both employers and employees, since the improved human capital lowered costs for the employer, while skilled employees received higher wages.

Secondary education has a longer history in Europe, where grammar schools or academies date from as early as the 6th century, in the form of public schools, fee-paying schools, or charitable educational foundations, which themselves date even further back.

It spans the period between the typically universal compulsory, primary education to the optional, selective tertiary, "postsecondary", or "higher" education of ISCED 5 and 6 (e.g. university), and the ISCED 4 Further education or vocational school.

Depending on the system, schools for this period, or a part of it, may be called secondary or high schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, or vocational schools. The exact meaning of any of these terms varies from one system to another. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education also varies from country to country and even within them but is generally around the seventh to the tenth year of schooling.

Lower

Programs at ISCED level 2, lower secondary education are usually organized around a more subject-oriented curriculum; differing from primary education. Teachers typically have pedagogical training in the specific subjects and, more often than at ISCED level 1, a class of students will have several teachers, each with specialized knowledge of the subjects they teach. Programmes at ISCED level 2, aim to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and human development upon introducing theoretical concepts across a broad range of subjects which can be developed in future stages. Some education systems may offer vocational education programs during ISCED level 2 providing skills relevant to employment.

Upper

Programs at ISCED level 3, or upper secondary education, are typically designed to complete the secondary education process. They lead to skills relevant to employment and the skill necessary to engage in tertiary courses. They offer students more varied, specialized and in-depth instruction. They are more differentiated, with range of options and learning streams.

Community colleges offer another option at this transitional stage of education. They provide nonresidential junior college courses to people living in a particular area.

Tertiary

Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or postsecondary education, is the non-compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school such as a high school or secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training. Colleges and universities mainly provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary institutions. Individuals who complete tertiary education generally receive certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.

The ISCED distinguishes four levels of tertiary education. ISCED 6 is equivalent to a first degree, ISCED 7 is equivalent to a masters or an advanced professional qualification and ISCED 8 is an advanced research qualification, usually concluding with the submission and defence of a substantive dissertation of publishable quality based on original research. The category ISCED 5 is reserved for short-cycle courses of requiring degree level study.

Higher education typically involves work towards a degree-level or foundation degree qualification. In most developed countries, a high proportion of the population (up to 50%) now enter higher education at some time in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national economies, both as a significant industry in its own right and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy.

University education includes teaching, research, and social services activities, and it includes both the undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as tertiary education) and the graduate (or postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as graduate school). Some universities are composed of several colleges.

One type of university education is a liberal arts education, which can be defined as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting broad general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum." Although what is known today as liberal arts education began in Europe, the term "liberal arts college" is more commonly associated with institutions in the United States such as Williams College or Barnard College.

Vocational

Vocational education is a form of education focused on direct and practical training for a specific trade or craft. Vocational education may come in the form of an apprenticeship or internship as well as institutions teaching courses such as carpentry, agriculture, engineering, medicine, architecture and the arts. Post 16 education, adult education and further education involve continued study, but a level no different from that found at upper secondary, and are grouped together as ISCED 4, post-secondary non-tertiary education.

Special

In the past, those who were disabled were often not eligible for public education. Children with disabilities were repeatedly denied an education by physicians or special tutors. These early physicians (people like Itard, Seguin, Howe, Gallaudet) set the foundation for special education today. They focused on individualized instruction and functional skills. In its early years, special education was only provided to people with severe disabilities, but more recently it has been opened to anyone who has experienced difficulty learning.

Unconventional forms

Alternative

After the public school system was widely developed beginning in the 19th century, alternative education developed in part as a reaction to perceived limitations and failings of traditional education. A broad range of educational approaches emerged, including alternative schools, self learning, homeschooling, and unschooling. Example alternative schools include Montessori schools, Waldorf schools (or Steiner schools), Friends schools, Sands School, Summerhill School, Walden's Path, The Peepal Grove School, Sudbury Valley School, Krishnamurti schools, and open classroom schools.

Charter schools are another example of alternative education, which have in the recent years grown in numbers in the US and gained greater importance in its public education system.

In time, some ideas from these experiments and paradigm challenges may be adopted as the norm in education, just as Friedrich Fröbel's approach to early childhood education in 19th-century Germany has been incorporated into contemporary kindergarten classrooms. Other influential writers and thinkers have included the Swiss humanitarian Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi; the American transcendentalists Amos Bronson Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau; the founders of progressive education, John Dewey and Francis Parker; and educational pioneers such as Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner, and more recently John Caldwell Holt, Paul Goodman, Frederick Mayer, George Dennison, and Ivan Illich.

Indigenous

Indigenous education refers to the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, models, methods, and content within formal and non-formal educational systems. Often in a post-colonial context, the growing recognition and use of indigenous education methods can be a response to the erosion and loss of indigenous knowledge and language through the processes of colonialism. Furthermore, it can enable indigenous communities to "reclaim and revalue their languages and cultures, and in so doing, improve the educational success of indigenous students."

Informal learning

Informal learning is one of three forms of learning defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Informal learning occurs in a variety of places, such as at home, work, and through daily interactions and shared relationships among members of society. For many learners, this includes language acquisition, cultural norms, and manners.

In informal learning, there is often a reference person, a peer or expert, to guide the learner. If learners have a personal interest in what they are informally being taught, learners tend to expand their existing knowledge and conceive new ideas about the topic being learned. For example, a museum is traditionally considered an informal learning environment, as there is room for free choice, a diverse and potentially non-standardized range of topics, flexible structures, socially rich interaction, and no externally imposed assessments.

While informal learning often takes place outside educational establishments and does not follow a specified curriculum, it can also occur within educational settings and even during formal learning situations. Educators can structure their lessons to directly utilize their students informal learning skills within the education setting.

In the late 19th century, education through play began to be recognized as making an important contribution to child development. In the early 20th century, the concept was broadened to include young adults but the emphasis was on physical activities. L.P. Jacks, also an early proponent of lifelong learning, described education through recreation: "A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour, and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always seems to be doing both. Enough for him that he does it well."^[ Education through recreation is the opportunity to learn in a seamless fashion through all of life's activities. The concept has been revived by the University of Western Ontario to teach anatomy to medical students.

Self-directed learning

Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) is self-directed learning. One may become an autodidact at nearly any point in one's life. Notable autodidacts include Abraham Lincoln (U.S. president), Srinivasa Ramanujan (mathematician), Michael Faraday (chemist and physicist), Charles Darwin (naturalist), Thomas Alva Edison (inventor), Tadao Ando (architect), George Bernard Shaw (playwright), Frank Zappa (composer, recording engineer, film director), and Leonardo da Vinci (engineer, scientist, mathematician).

Evidence-based

Evidence-based education is the use of well designed scientific studies to determine which education methods work best. It consists of evidence-based teaching and evidence-based learning. Evidence-based learning methods such as spaced repetition can increase rate of learning. The evidence-based education movement has its roots in the larger movement towards evidence-based-practices.

Open learning and electronic technology

Many large university institutions are now starting to offer free or almost free full courses, through open education, such as Harvard, MIT and Berkeley teaming up to form edX. Other universities offering open education are prestigious private universities such as Stanford, Princeton, Duke, Johns Hopkins, the University of Pennsylvania, and Caltech, as well as notable public universities including Tsinghua, Peking, Edinburgh, University of Michigan, and University of Virginia.

Open education has been called the biggest change in the way people learn since the printing press. Despite favourable studies on effectiveness, many people may still desire to choose traditional campus education for social and cultural reasons.

Many open universities are working to have the ability to offer students standardized testing and traditional degrees and credentials.

The conventional merit-system degree is currently not as common in open education as it is in campus universities, although some open universities do already offer conventional degrees such as the Open University in the United Kingdom. Presently, many of the major open education sources offer their own form of certificate.

Out of 182 colleges surveyed in 2009 nearly half said tuition for online courses was higher than for campus-based ones.

A 2010 meta-analysis found that online and blended educational approaches had better outcomes than methods that used solely face-to-face interaction.

Public schooling

The education sector or education system is a group of institutions (ministries of education, local educational authorities, teacher training institutions, schools, universities, etc.) whose primary purpose is to provide education to children and young people in educational settings. It involves a wide range of people (curriculum developers, inspectors, school principals, teachers, school nurses, students, etc.). These institutions can vary according to different contexts.

Schools deliver education, with support from the rest of the education system through various elements such as education policies and guidelines – to which school policies can refer – curricula and learning materials, as well as pre- and in-service teacher training programmes. The school environment – both physical (infrastructures) and psychological (school climate) – is also guided by school policies that should ensure the well-being of students when they are in school. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has found that schools tend to perform best when principals have full authority and responsibility for ensuring that students are proficient in core subjects upon graduation. They must also seek feedback from students for quality-assurance and improvement. Governments should limit themselves to monitoring student proficiency.

The education sector is fully integrated into society, through interactions with numerous stakeholders and other sectors. These include parents, local communities, religious leaders, NGOs, stakeholders involved in health, child protection, justice and law enforcement (police), media and political leadership.

The shape, methodologies, taught material – the curriculum – of formal education is decided by political decision makers along with federal agencies such as the state education agency in the United States.

History

Education began in prehistory, as adults trained the young in the knowledge and skills deemed necessary in their society. In pre-literate societies, this was achieved orally and through imitation. Story-telling passed knowledge, values, and skills from one generation to the next. As cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond skills that could be readily learned through imitation, formal education developed. Schools existed in Egypt at the time of the Middle Kingdom.^[85]

Plato founded the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in Europe.^[86] The city of Alexandria in Egypt, established in 330 BCE, became the successor to Athens as the intellectual cradle of Ancient Greece. There, the great Library of Alexandria was built in the 3rd century BCE. European civilizations suffered a collapse of literacy and organization following the fall of Rome in CE 476.^[87]

In China, Confucius (551–479 BCE), of the State of Lu, was the country's most influential ancient philosopher, whose educational outlook continues to influence the societies of China and neighbours like Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Confucius gathered disciples and searched in vain for a ruler who would adopt his ideals for good governance, but his Analects were written down by followers and have continued to influence education in East Asia into the modern era.

The Aztecs had schools for the noble youths called Calmecac where they would receive rigorous religious and military training. The Aztecs also had a well-developed theory about education, which has an equivalent word in Nahuatl called tlacahuapahualiztli. It means "the art of raising or educating a person", or "the art of strengthening or bringing up men" This was a broad conceptualization of education, which prescribed that it begins at home, supported by formal schooling, and reinforced by community living. Historians cite that formal education was mandatory for everyone regardless of social class and gender. There was also the word neixtlamachiliztli, which is "the act of giving wisdom to the face." These concepts underscore a complex set of educational practices, which was oriented towards communicating to the next generation the experience and intellectual heritage of the past for the purpose of individual development and his integration into the community.

After the Fall of Rome, the Catholic Church became the sole preserver of literate scholarship in Western Europe. The church established cathedral schools in the Early Middle Ages as centres of advanced education. Some of these establishments ultimately evolved into medieval universities and forebears of many of Europe's modern universities. During the High Middle Ages, Chartres Cathedral operated the famous and influential Chartres Cathedral School. The medieval universities of Western Christendom were well-integrated across all of Western Europe, encouraged freedom of inquiry, and produced a great variety of fine scholars and natural philosophers, including Thomas Aquinas of the University of Naples, Robert Grosseteste of the University of Oxford, an early expositor of a systematic method of scientific experimentation, and Saint Albert the Great, a pioneer of biological field research. Founded in 1088, the University of Bologne is considered the first, and the oldest continually operating university.

Elsewhere during the Middle Ages, Islamic science and mathematics flourished under the Islamic caliphate which was established across the Middle East, extending from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Indus in the east and to the Almoravid Dynasty and Mali Empire in the south.

The Renaissance in Europe ushered in a new age of scientific and intellectual inquiry and appreciation of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Around 1450, Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press, which allowed works of literature to spread more quickly. The European Age of Empires saw European ideas of education in philosophy, religion, arts and sciences spread out across the globe. Missionaries and scholars also brought back new ideas from other civilizations – as with the Jesuit China missions who played a significant role in the transmission of knowledge, science, and culture between China and Europe, translating works from Europe like Euclid's Elements for Chinese scholars and the thoughts of Confucius for European audiences. The Enlightenment saw the emergence of a more secular educational outlook in Europe. Much of modern traditional Western and Eastern education is based on the Prussian education system.

In most countries today, full-time education, whether at school or otherwise, is compulsory for all children up to a certain age. Due to this the proliferation of compulsory education, combined with population growth, UNESCO has calculated that in the next 30 years more people will receive formal education than in all of human history thus far.

Development goals

Joseph Chimombo pointed out education's role as a policy instrument, capable of instilling social change and economic advancement in developing countries by giving communities the opportunity to take control of their destinies. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September 2015, calls for a new vision to address the environmental, social and economic concerns facing the world today. The Agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 on education.

Since 1909, the percentage of children in the developing world attending school has increased. Before then, a small minority of boys attended school. By the start of the twenty-first century, the majority of children in most regions of the world attended some form of school. By 2016, over 91 percent of children are enrolled in formal primary schooling. However, a learning crisis has emerged across the globe, due to the fact that a large proportion of students enrolled in school are not learning. A World Bank study found that "53 percent of children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple story by the end of primary school." While schooling has increased rapidly over the last few decades, learning has not followed suit.

Universal Primary Education was one of the eight international Millennium Development Goals, towards which progress has been made in the past decade, though barriers still remain. Securing charitable funding from prospective donors is one particularly persistent problem. Researchers at the Overseas Development Institute have indicated that the main obstacles to funding for education include conflicting donor priorities, an immature aid architecture, and a lack of evidence and advocacy for the issue. Additionally, Transparency International has identified corruption in the education sector as a major stumbling block to achieving Universal Primary Education in Africa. Furthermore, demand in the developing world for improved educational access is not as high as foreigners have expected. Indigenous governments are reluctant to take on the ongoing costs involved. There is also economic pressure from some parents, who prefer their children to earn money in the short term rather than work towards the long-term benefits of education.

A study conducted by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning indicates that stronger capacities in educational planning and management may have an important spill-over effect on the system as a whole. Sustainable capacity development requires complex interventions at the institutional, organizational and individual levels that could be based on some foundational principles:

national leadership and ownership should be the touchstone of any intervention;
strategies must be context relevant and context specific;
plans should employ an integrated set of complementary interventions, though implementation may need to proceed in steps;
partners should commit to a long-term investment in capacity development while working towards some short-term achievements;
outside intervention should be conditional on an impact assessment of national capacities at various levels;
a certain percentage of students should be removed for improvisation of academics (usually practiced in schools, after 10th grade).

Internationalisation

Nearly every country now has universal primary education.

Similarities – in systems or even in ideas – that schools share internationally have led to an increase in international student exchanges. The European Socrates-Erasmus Programme facilitates exchanges across European universities. The Soros Foundation provides many opportunities for students from central Asia and eastern Europe. Programs such as the International Baccalaureate have contributed to the internationalization of education. The global campus online, led by American universities, allows free access to class materials and lecture files recorded during the actual classes.

The Programme for International Student Assessment and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement objectively monitor and compare the proficiency of students from a wide range of different nations.

The internationalization of education is sometimes equated by critics with the westernization of education. These critics say that the internationalization of education leads to the erosion of local education systems and indigenous values and norms, which are replaced with Western systems and cultural and ideological values and orientation.

Technology in developing countries

Technology plays an increasingly significant role in improving access to education for people living in impoverished areas and developing countries. However, lack of technological advancement is still causing barriers with regards to quality and access to education in developing countries. Charities like One Laptop per Child are dedicated to providing infrastructures through which the disadvantaged may access educational materials.

The OLPC foundation, a group out of MIT Media Lab and supported by several major corporations, has a stated mission to develop a $100 laptop for delivering educational software. The laptops were widely available as of 2008. They are sold at cost or given away based on donations.

In Africa, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has launched an "e-school program" to provide all 600,000 primary and high schools with computer equipment, learning materials and internet access within 10 years. An International Development Agency project called nabuur.com, started with the support of former American President Bill Clinton, uses the Internet to allow co-operation by individuals on issues of social development.

India is developing technologies that will bypass land-based telephone and Internet infrastructure to deliver distance learning directly to its students. In 2004, the Indian Space Research Organisation launched EDUSAT, a communications satellite providing access to educational materials that can reach more of the country's population at a greatly reduced cost.

Funding in developing countries

A survey of literature of the research into low-cost private schools (LCPS) found that over a five-year period ending in July 2013, debate around LCPSs to achieving Education for All (EFA) objectives was polarized and finding growing coverage in international policy. The polarization was due to disputes around whether the schools are affordable for the poor, reach disadvantaged groups, provide quality education, support or undermine equality, and are financially sustainable. The report examined the main challenges encountered by development organizations which support LCPSs. Surveys suggest these types of schools are expanding across Africa and Asia. This success is attributed to excess demand. These surveys found concern for:

Equity: This concern is widely found in the literature, suggesting the growth in low-cost private schooling may be exacerbating or perpetuating already existing inequalities in developing countries, between urban and rural populations, lower- and higher-income families, and between girls and boys. The report findings suggest that girls may be under represented and that LCPS are reaching low-income families in smaller numbers than higher-income families.
Quality and educational outcomes: It is difficult to generalize about the quality of private schools. While most achieve better results than government counterparts, even after their social background is taken into account, some studies find the opposite. Quality in terms of levels of teacher absence, teaching activity, and pupil to teacher ratios in some countries are better in LCPSs than in government schools.
Choice and affordability for the poor: Parents can choose private schools because of perceptions of better-quality teaching and facilities, and an English language instruction preference. Nevertheless, the concept of 'choice' does not apply in all contexts, or to all groups in society, partly because of limited affordability (which excludes most of the poorest) and other forms of exclusion, related to caste or social status.
Cost-effectiveness and financial sustainability: There is evidence that private schools operate at low cost by keeping teacher salaries low, and their financial situation may be precarious where they are reliant on fees from low-income households.

The report showed some cases of successful voucher where there was an oversupply of quality private places and an efficient administrative authority and of subsidy programs. Evaluations of the effectiveness of international support to the sector are rare. Addressing regulatory ineffectiveness is a key challenge. Emerging approaches stress the importance of understanding the political economy of the market for LCPS, specifically how relationships of power and accountability between users, government, and private providers can produce better education outcomes for the poor.

Theory

A class size experiment in the United States found that attending small classes for three or more years in the early grades increased high school graduation rates of students from low income families.

Psychology

Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. The terms "educational psychology" and "school psychology" are often used interchangeably. Educational psychology is concerned with the processes of educational attainment in the general population and in sub-populations such as gifted children and those with specific disabilities.

Educational psychology can in part be understood through its relationship with other disciplines. It is informed primarily by psychology, bearing a relationship to that discipline analogous to the relationship between medicine and biology. Educational psychology, in turn, informs a wide range of specialties within educational studies, including instructional design, educational technology, curriculum development, organizational learning, special education and classroom management. Educational psychology both draws from and contributes to cognitive science and the learning sciences. In universities, departments of educational psychology are usually housed within faculties of education, possibly accounting for the lack of representation of educational psychology content in introductory psychology textbooks (Lucas, Blazek, & Raley, 2006).

Intelligence

Intelligence is an important factor in how the individual responds to education. Those who have higher scores of intelligence-metrics tend to perform better at school and go on to higher levels of education. This effect is also observable in the opposite direction, in that education increases measurable intelligence. Studies have shown that while educational attainment is important in predicting intelligence in later life, intelligence at 53 is more closely correlated to intelligence at 8 years old than to educational attainment.

Personal Development

Education can also be a useful tool in personal development. This can include activities such as learning new skills, creating a personal development plan (PDP), developing talents, creating human capital, developing spiritually, or improving self-knowledge. Even the action of teaching others can help improve oneself.

Learning modalities

There has been much interest in learning modalities and styles over the last two decades. The most commonly employed learning modalities are:

Visual: learning based on observation and seeing what is being learned.
Auditory: learning based on listening to instructions/information.
Kinesthetic: learning based on movement, e.g. hands-on work and engaging in activities.

Other commonly employed modalities include musical, interpersonal, verbal, logical, and intrapersonal.

Dunn and Dunn focused on identifying relevant stimuli that may influence learning and manipulating the school environment, at about the same time as Joseph Renzulli recommended varying teaching strategies. Howard Gardner identified a wide range of modalities in his Multiple Intelligences theories. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Keirsey Temperament Sorter, based on the works of Jung, focus on understanding how people's personality affects the way they interact personally, and how this affects the way individuals respond to each other within the learning environment. The work of David Kolb and Anthony Gregorc's Type Delineator follows a similar but more simplified approach.

Some theories propose that all individuals benefit from a variety of learning modalities, while others suggest that individuals may have preferred learning styles, learning more easily through visual or kinesthetic experiences. A consequence of the latter theory is that effective teaching should present a variety of teaching methods which cover all three learning modalities so that different students have equal opportunities to learn in a way that is effective for them. Guy Claxton has questioned the extent that learning styles such as Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic(VAK) are helpful, particularly as they can have a tendency to label children and therefore restrict learning. Recent research has argued, "there is no adequate evidence base to justify incorporating learning styles assessments into general educational practice."

Mind, brain, and education

Educational neuroscience is an emerging scientific field that brings together researchers in cognitive neuroscience, developmental cognitive neuroscience, educational psychology, educational technology, education theory and other related disciplines to explore the interactions between biological processes and education. Researchers in educational neuroscience investigate the neural mechanisms of reading, numerical cognition, attention, and their attendant difficulties including dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD as they relate to education. Several academic institutions around the world are beginning to devote resources to the establishment of educational neuroscience research.

Philosophy

John Locke's work Some Thoughts Concerning Education was written in 1693 and still reflects traditional education priorities in the Western world.

As an academic field, philosophy of education is "the philosophical study of education and its problems its central subject matter is education, and its methods are those of philosophy" "The philosophy of education may be either the philosophy of the process of education or the philosophy of the discipline of education. That is, it may be part of the discipline in the sense of being concerned with the aims, forms, methods, or results of the process of educating or being educated; or it may be metadisciplinary in the sense of being concerned with the concepts, aims, and methods of the discipline." As such, it is both part of the field of education and a field of applied philosophy, drawing from fields of metaphysics, epistemology, axiology and the philosophical approaches (speculative, prescriptive or analytic) to address questions in and about pedagogy, education policy, and curriculum, as well as the process of learning, to name a few. For example, it might study what constitutes upbringing and education, the values and norms revealed through upbringing and educational practices, the limits and legitimization of education as an academic discipline, and the relation between education theory and practice.

Purpose

There is no broad consensus as to what education's chief aim or aims are or should be. Different places, and at different times, have used educational systems for different purposes. The Prussian education system in the 19th century, for example, wanted to turn boys and girls into adults who would serve the state's political goals.

Some authors stress its value to the individual, emphasizing its potential for positively influencing students' personal development, promoting autonomy, forming a cultural identity or establishing a career or occupation. Other authors emphasize education's contributions to societal purposes, including good citizenship, shaping students into productive members of society, thereby promoting society's general economic development, and preserving cultural values.

The purpose of education in a given time and place affects who is taught, what is taught, and how the education system behaves. For example, in the 21st century, many countries treat education as a positional good. In this competitive approach, people want their own students to get a better education than other students. This approach can lead to unfair treatment of some students, especially those from disadvantaged or marginalized groups. For example, in this system, a city's school system may draw school district boundaries so that nearly all the students in one school are from low-income families, and that nearly all the students in the neighboring schools come from more affluent families, even though concentrating low-income students in one school results in worse educational achievement for the entire school system.

Curriculum

In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses and their content offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults. A curriculum is prescriptive and is based on a more general syllabus which merely specifies what topics must be understood and to what level to achieve a particular grade or standard.

An academic discipline is a branch of knowledge which is formally taught, either at the university – or via some other such method. Each discipline usually has several sub-disciplines or branches, and distinguishing lines are often both arbitrary and ambiguous. Examples of broad areas of academic disciplines include the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences, humanities and applied sciences.

Instruction

Instruction is the facilitation of another's learning. Instructors in primary and secondary institutions are often called teachers, and they direct the education of students and might draw on many subjects like reading, writing, mathematics, science and history. Instructors in post-secondary institutions might be called teachers, instructors, or professors, depending on the type of institution; and they primarily teach only their specific discipline. Studies^]from the United States suggest that the quality of teachers is the single most important factor affecting student performance, and that countries which score highly on international tests have multiple policies in place to ensure that the teachers they employ are as effective as possible. With the passing of NCLB in the United States (No Child Left Behind), teachers must be highly qualified.

Economics

It has been argued that high rates of education are essential for countries to be able to achieve high levels of economic growth. Empirical analyses tend to support the theoretical prediction that poor countries should grow faster than rich countries because they can adopt cutting-edge technologies already tried and tested by rich countries. However, technology transfer requires knowledgeable managers and engineers who are able to operate new machines or production practices borrowed from the leader in order to close the gap through imitation. Therefore, a country's ability to learn from the leader is a function of its stock of "human capital". Recent study of the determinants of aggregate economic growth have stressed the importance of fundamental economic institutions and the role of cognitive skills.

At the level of the individual, there is a large literature, generally related to the work of Jacob Mincer, on how earnings are related to the schooling and other human capital. This work has motivated many studies, but is also controversial. The chief controversies revolve around how to interpret the impact of schooling Some students who have indicated a high potential for learning, by testing with a high intelligence quotient, may not achieve their full academic potential, due to financial difficulties.

Economists Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis argued in 1976 that there was a fundamental conflict in American schooling between the egalitarian goal of democratic participation and the inequalities implied by the continued profitability of capitalist production.

Development

Computer-supported group learning

The world is changing at an ever quickening rate, which means that a lot of knowledge becomes obsolete and inaccurate more quickly. The emphasis is therefore shifting to teaching the skills of learning: to picking up new knowledge quickly and in as agile a way as possible. Finnish schools have begun to move away from the regular subject-focused curricula, introducing instead developments like phenomenon-based learning, where students study concepts like climate change instead. There are also active educational interventions to implement programs and paths specific to non-traditional students, such as first generation students.

Education is also becoming a commodity no longer reserved for children; adults need it too. Some governmental bodies, like the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra in Finland, have proposed compulsory lifelong education.

Studies found that automation is likely to eliminate nearly half the jobs in developed countries during roughly the next two decades. Automation is therefore considered to be a major factor in a "race between education and technology". Automation technologies and their application may render certain currently taught skills and knowledge redundant while increasing the need for other curricula – such as material related to the application of automation. It has been argued that formal education is "teaching workers the wrong things, and that deep reform is essential to facilitate the development of digital knowledge and technical skills, as well as nonroutine cognitive and noncognitive (or "soft") skills" and that the formal state-organized education system – which is built on the Industrial Revolution model and focuses on IQ and memorization is losing relevance. FSchools were found rarely teach in forms of "learning by doing", and many children above a certain age "hate school" in terms of the material and subjects being taught, with much of it being a "waste of time" that gets forgotten quickly and is useless in modern society. Moreover, the material currently being taught may not be taught in a highly time-efficient manner and analyzing educational issues over time and using relevant forms of student feedback in efficiency analysis were found to be important. Some research investigates how education can facilitate students' interest in topics – and jobs – that scientific research, data, economic players, financial markets, and other economic mechanisms consider important to contemporary and future human civilization and states.

Research and data indicate future environmental conditions will be "far more dangerous than currently believed", with a review concluding that the current challenges that humanity faces are enormous. The effective resolval of such challenges may require novel lesson plans tailored towards skills and knowledge found to be both required and reasonable to be taught at the respective age with the respective methodology despite novel technological computation and information retrieval technologies such as smartphones, mathematical software and the World Wide Web. Environmental education is not widely taught extensively or facilitated while being potentially important to the protection and generation of – often unquantified – economic value such as clean air that agents of the economy can breathe. Education is often considered to be a national investment which may not always optimize for cost-efficiency while optimizing only in terms of contemporary economic value metrics or evaluations such as of finance and GDP without consideration of economic values or priorizations beyond these tools such as minimized marine pollution and maximized climate change mitigation. Researchers found that there is a growing disconnect between humans and nature and that schools "are not properly preparing students to become the scientists of tomorrow". They also find that critical thought, social responsibility, health and safety are often neglected. According to UNESCO, "for a country to meet the basic needs of its people, the teaching of science is a strategic imperative".

One example of a skill not commonly taught in formal education systems around the world but increasingly critical to both the individuals' lives and modern society at large is digital media literacy – the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of modern ICTs, with scientists calling for inclusion of it in curricula as well as for adult education.

Studies have shown that active learning rarely applied in schools is highly efficacious. Studies found that massive open online courses offer a pathway to employment that currently bypasses conventional universities and their degree programs while often being more relevant to contemporary economic activities and the students' interests. Such online courses are not commonly part of formal education but are typically both completed and selected entirely on behalf of the student, sometimes with the support of peers over online forums. In contrast, blended learning merges online education with forms of face‐to‐face communication and traditional class-based education in classrooms, revealing itself to have the general capacity for increasingly relevant, resource-efficient and effective approaches to education. Deploying, using, and managing various tools or platforms for education typically imply an increase in economic investment. Expenses for education are often large with many calling for further increases. Potential policies for the development of international open source educational software using latest technologies may minimize costs, hardware requirements, problem-resolval efforts and deployment-times while increasing robustness, security and functional features of the software.

COVID-19 pandemic

Beginning in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education systems throughout the world, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries. Closures of schools and other learning spaces have impacted 94 percent of the world's student population, up to 99 percent in low and lower-middle income countries. Many schools made alternative plans during the pandemic, leading to a variety of in-person, hybrid, and online-only plans, which led to challenges for many students, teachers, and families including children with learning disabilities and those learning in a language that is not their native one As of 30 September 2020 there were 27 countries that had localized school closures. In the United States, an estimated 55.1 million students were forced to cease in-person instruction as of 10 April 2020. A switch to a virtual learning experience is particularly challenging for families that cannot afford the proper technology, such as laptops, printers, or a reliable Internet connection. When schools close, parents are often asked to facilitate the learning of children at home and can struggle to perform this task. This is especially true for parents with limited education and resources. Students who require special education found it difficult to progress through the curriculum without tools and support that they require. Polling suggests that schools that serve a majority of students of color are far less likely to have access to the technology needed for remote learning. Only 66% of Black households in the U.S. had home broadband service in 2019. Only 45% of Black Americans owned a desktop or laptop computer in 2015. Without access to the internet or a computer, Black parents are at a disadvantage in educating their children. The mental health of students has been greatly impacted due to the pandemic. It is estimated that three in ten participating in school at home have had their emotional and mental health negatively impacted. Similarly, the social lives of students have also been upended and this has been detrimental to the health of students worldwide which has also negatively impacted educational quality. This will be an issue for years to come. COVID-19 has shone a light on opportunity gaps and it will be up to educators and policymakers to direct the necessary resources to mitigating them in the coming years.

Zodiac Signs and Astrology Signs Meanings and Characteristics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:54:00 +0000

Zodiac Signs and Astrology Signs Meanings and Characteristics

There are 12 zodiac signs, and each sign has its own strengths and weaknesses, its own specific traits, desires, and attitude towards life and people. By analyzing the projection of the position of planets, and the Sun and the Moon on the Ecliptic at the moment of birth. Astrology can give us a glimpse of a person's basic characteristics, preferences, flaws, and fears.

We made it simple for you to find out what your zodiac sign is, Its complete profile, and its compatibility with other zodiac signs. By selecting your sign from the detailed zodiac sign dates list you will discover everything about the character of your Sun sign, its Horoscope, traits, profile, history, myth,, and love compatibility.

Each of the 12 horoscope signs belongs to one of the four elements – Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These elements represent an essential type of energy that acts in each of us. Astrology aims to help us focus these energies on the positive aspects and to gain a better understanding of our potential and our positive traits and deal with negative ones.

These four elements help describe the unique personality types associated with astrological signs. The four zodiac elements exhibit profound influence on basic character traits, emotions, behavior, and thinking.

Water Signs

Water signs are exceptionally emotional and ultra-sensitive. They are highly intuitive and they can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Water signs love profound conversations and intimacy. They rarely do anything openly and are always there to support their loved ones. The Water Signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.

Fire Signs

Fire signs tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. They get angry quickly, but they also forgive easily. They are adventurers with immense energy. They are physically very strong and are a source of inspiration for others. Fire signs are intelligent, self-aware, creative, and idealistic people, always ready for action. The Fire Signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.

Earth Signs

Earth signs are “grounded” and the ones that bring us down to earth. They are mostly conservative and realistic, but they can also be very emotional. They are connected to our material reality and can be turned into material goods. They are practical, loyal, and stable and they stick by their people through hard times. The Earth Signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.

Air Signs

Air signs are rational, social, and love communication and relationships with other people. They are thinkers, friendly, intellectual, communicative, and analytical. They love philosophical discussions, social gatherings, and good books. They enjoy giving advice, but they can also be very superficial. The Air Signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.

Zodiac Signs Compatibility Love Chart

There are no incompatible zodiac signs in astrology, which means that any two signs are more or less compatible. Two people whose zodiac signs are highly compatible will get along very easily because they are on the same wavelength. But, people whose zodiac signs are less compatible, will need to be more patient and tactful to achieve a happy and harmonious relationship.

As we all know, zodiac signs belong to four elements:

Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Signs that have the same element are naturally compatible because they understand each other best, and in addition, Air is highly compatible with Fire, and Water is highly compatible with Earth. The strongest attraction is expected in opposing signs and their potential is always great. Synastry is a branch of astrology where two natal charts are compared to determine the quality of the love connections between zodiac signs. Synastry or a relationship horoscope can be a useful tool for partners who want to know the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship. Comparing signs can also help in gaining a better understanding of the partner, which will result in a better relationship.

The following is a chart showing the astrology love compatibility of zodiac signs. Take a look at the chart and see which zodiac signs are best together!

To read the zodiac signs compatibility chart, simply find your zodiac sign in the left column and see the size of the heart located in the column that corresponds to your partner's zodiac sign. The bigger the heart, the higher your compatibility!

Chinese Astrology

Chinese astrology is based on traditional astronomy. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty. The Chinese Zodiac is one of the oldest known horoscope systems in the world and consists of twelve animals that represent a certain year. According to Chinese astrology, the year of a person's birth is represented by one of these animals. The twelve animal signs or zodiac symbols are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Chinese astrology also has five elements of nature namely: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. According to Chinese astrology, a person's destiny can be determined by the position of the planets and the positions of the Sun and Moon at the person's time of birth. Chinese believe that our birth year can determine our attitude and potential and that animal birth signs have symbolism and represent a specific behavior.

Vedic Astrology

Jyotisha is a traditional Hindu system of astrology and astronomy, which is also known as Hindu or Indian astrology or more recently Vedic astrology. Vedic astrology horoscopes are divided into three main branches: Indian astronomy, Mundane astrology, and Predictive astrology. Indian astrology can reveal our character, guide our future and reveal which are our most compatible signs. One of the greatest tools that Vedic astrology has given us is the position of the Moon and Nakshatras. The Nirayana (sidereal zodiac) is a fictional belt of 360 degrees which like the tropical zodiac is divided into twelve equal parts. Unlike Western astrology which uses the moving zodiac, Vedic astrology uses the fixed zodiac. So, in the Vedic zodiac system, you most likely will no longer be the same star signs you thought you were although there are some exceptions.

Mayan Astrology

Mayan astrology is based on the Mayan calendar and it's one of the most forward-thinking kinds of astrology. The Mayan calendar or Tzolkin is based on the intangible energy of the cosmos and the evolution of creation. The Tzolkin calendar consists of twenty-day signs (solar tribes) and thirteen Galactic numbers, making a 260-day calendar year. Ancient Mayans believed that to have peace and harmony in life, you had to understand and align yourself with this universal energy. Each of these twenty signs represents a day in a Mayan calendar, thus allowing individuals of different months and years to share the same day glyph. One's Mayan day sign defines his/personality.

Why Do We Believe In Astrology

Although astrology is not a religion, it offers comfort, faith, and a deeper understanding of the world we live in. Interpretations often offer assurances of one's future, but more importantly, they are supposed to show us a way to resolve our issues and improve our relationships with our partners, family, and friends and are mainly tools to meet ourselves and discover our own inner worlds in a different light.

Astrology claims that nothing in life is coincidental and everything that happens to us happens for a particular reason. Astrology can provide us some good answers as to why these things happen to us and it guides us on our steps forward. In this way, astrology actually helps people to understand themselves and the world around them much better.

Astrology works, astrologers don’t. Most people who visit astrologers or read their horoscopes regularly, end up with a sensation of fulfillment and satisfaction somewhat like euphoria. This does not mean that the astrologers have accurately predicted the individual's future or present based on their horoscope dates, but it means that having a horoscope cast can be actually a very fulfilling experience.

The Earth is positioned under the constellations that were known as our star signs millenniums ago. Although signs don't coincide with the constellations anymore, we are still under the influence of seasons and planetary movements in the same way as we were back then. Many people diligently follow their horoscopes and believe in their astrology signs' meanings. This isn't surprising, as astrology is widely popular and everyone in the world knows which their horoscope dates and signs are. People enjoy reading their horoscope signs forecasts and this often leads to changes in personalities, behaviors, and decision-making processes.

Astrology can be a real lifesaver because it lets you know of future obstacles and problems in advance. It is up to you whether you want to believe the advice and precautions suggested in a horoscope reading and save yourself from the pain without doing much. Here is your first problem - There is no salvation “without doing much”. This is the main problem with the approach to chart readings – everyone has to put up a strong effort to change things in their lives.

Some People believe in astrology because others before them did and curiosity is basic human nature, but the further drawn into astrology the more clear things become. The zodiac dates, the signs. We can associate zodiac signs to almost all aspects of our lives and we will see they are truly insightful and correct. Our horoscopes are unique and they can help us find and reveal our strengths, weaknesses as well as natural qualities.

Astrology can also help us find, which relationships are compatible - and which are not. Horoscope compatibility can improve our relationships with other zodiac signs. By knowing about your love potential you can make the best use of opportunities and take appropriate measures leading to a happy love or married life.

Astrology takes into account two major aspects - our birth potential and the effects of the planets and the stars on our personal horoscope. It can help us choose the right career and education path to make a good and successful life.

Last, but not least - we believe in astrology because it's about us. My horoscope is like a blueprint of my life that got created precisely at the time I was born. That means that my birth chart is almost as unique as my fingerprints. Each planet's placement in my horoscope can reveal a lot about my personality and destiny.

Astrocartography is one method of locational astrology that claims to identify varying life conditions through differences in geographic location. Reportedly, by comparing your natal chart to different areas in the world, you can determine the area where you'll be most successful.

Some True Facts About Astrology

According to a 1999 study, the words horoscope and astrology are the two most searched topics on the Internet.

Astrology is considered to be both an art and a science. Astrology is art because interpretation is needed to bring the different aspects together and formulate an idea of the individual's character traits. However, the mathematical part of astrology is also considered to be a science because it requires an understanding of astronomy and mathematics.

Sixtus IV was the first Catholic pope to draw and interpret a horoscope, Leo X and Paul III always relied on astrologers for advice while Julius II has chosen his coronation date astrologically.

PISCES ZODIAC SIGN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:11:00 +0000

PISCES ZODIAC SIGN

Pisces Horoscope

Element: Water

Color: Mauve, Lilac, Purple, Violet, Sea green

Quality: Mutable

Day: Thursday

Ruler: Neptune, Jupiter

Greatest Compatibility: Virgo, Taurus

Lucky Numbers: 3, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24

Dates: February 19 - March 20

Pisces Traits

Strengths: Compassionate, artistic, intuitive, gentle, wise, musical

Weaknesses: Fearful, overly trusting, sad, desire to escape reality, can be a victim or a martyr

Pisces likes: Being alone, love, sleeping, music, romance, swimming, and spiritual themes

Pisces dislikes: Know-it-all, being criticized, the past coming back to haunt, the cruelty of any kind

Pisces are very friendly and often find themselves in the company of very different people. They are selfless and always willing to help others, a very fine intent for as long as they don’t expect anything much in return. People born with their Sun in Pisces have an intuitive understanding of the life cycle and form incredible emotional relationships with other humans based on natural order and senses guiding them.

The sign of Pisces is a Water sign, ending the cycle of Cancer and Scorpio, being the one to disperse everything that happened in the past and change anyone’s relative view on forgiveness. They are characterized by empathy and incredible emotional capacity, but only if they keep their boundaries strong and don’t let outer emotions overwhelm them.

Ruling planets of the sign Pisces and Neptune and Jupiter, intuition is the strongest suit of their kind. Connected to art, music, and any sort of liberal expression, every Pisces representative has a talent they need to use to feel creative and free. Tolerant and compassionate, they could do too much for other people out of good intentions, forgetting about their own wellbeing in the process.

Pisces – the Loving Fish Imagine two people skinny dipping and suddenly turning into two fish swimming around each other in a crystal-clean lake. This is what the image behind Pisces should stand for, but it is more often connected to the historical and mythological background of the follower of Capricorn. Fear can drive them apart from loved ones, drive them into romance, or make them tremble to feel completely unwilling and powerless. Still, love helps them swim through the muddiest waters only to find the one their heart connects to. They are not in search of just any love you think of, but for their soulmate, someone who connects with them with an umbilical cord, ready to exchange everything they have with their Pisces partner throughout their entire shared lifetime and beyond.

Pisces Love And Sex

The sign of Pisces is a sign of incorrigible romantics, for it exalts Venus and serves love, devotion, pleasure, and all that is beautiful and tender. They are very gentle and extremely generous with their partner, but in search of love tend to forget about their moral values from time to time. They need to feel a real connection with their partners to open up and find that inner sense of absolute faith in an ideal love that drives them away from any idea of change.

Short-term relationships and adventures are not typical for this zodiac sign, although they have a changeable note to them that allows them to be quite carefree when it comes to choosing a new daily fling. Once they discover the inner state of belief in someone they start sharing their life with, they become deeply loyal and honest, as if their sole purpose in life was to find the person standing in front of them and making them happy.

Romance can throw anyone born in this sign from one romance and straight into the other, and matching them in the widget below might help which stands a better chance of success:

Pisces Friends And Family

Friends - Gentle, caring, and always ready to listen, a Pisces can become the ideal friend to people who are patient enough to wait. They will get confused, get lost, change plans, and be late, but the compassion and love one feels around them is often enough to keep them close. They tend to put the needs of others in front of their own, and this does no one any good. This is why they need to be surrounded by those who understand their boundaries however unclear and help them preserve precious energy in their life.

Family - Deeply intuitive, a Pisces can sense if something is wrong, even before anything bad happens. This can be a problem in their primary relationship for the cloud they grow up in defines their emotional states, no matter if parents truly try to make their bond functional and their child happy. When building their own family and starting their new way of life with a loved one, Pisces partners have to remind themselves that it isn’t perfection they seek, but the state of inner peace.

Pisces Career And Money

Intuitive and dreamy, Pisces feel best in a position where their creative skills will come to the fore or work for a higher cause through creative charity events. Occupations that fit Pisces are compassionate and filled with faith and devotion, so they make excellent priests, doctors, veterinarians, musicians, painters, and any career that involves working in the shadows. Undercover and hidden, they could have a lot of fun playing certain parts and hiding their true identity.

For the most part, Pisces don’t give money too much thought. They are usually more focused on their dreams and goals and will only try to make enough money to achieve them. Depending on the power of the dream they carry within, and the sense of purpose they were nurtured to build, each Pisces representative spends as much as needed to follow them.

How To Attract The Pisces Man

If a man is born with his Sun in the sign of Pisces lives only to love and please their partner. He needs a partner who is practical and caring, ready to keep at least one of his feet on the ground and connected to the material world. Sensitivity, compassion, and kindness won’t lack, but there could be a lot of shady activities in his spare time. He finds extreme joy in discovering presents their partner needs and buying them on any upcoming occasion.

A Pisces man loves to laugh and needs someone funny and carefree by his side. On the other hand, he is highly sensitive and has the need to listen to and please people in his life, making him susceptible to manipulation and lies. Using his imagination to please his loved one, this is a man who battles between strong emotions, never showing them to the rest of the world.

How To Attract The Pisces Woman

This is a kind, imaginative, compassionate, selfless, and extremely sensitive woman. Attraction in her life is a matter of seconds and it either happens or it simply doesn’t. She won’t often feel it with people she knows for ages but has never been with. Although she seems calm, quiet, and set somewhere in the back line of defense, this is a woman who will never be boring in her sexual encounters.

Enjoying lively discussions about spiritual things, the safe way to go to approach her is to find beliefs and directions you have shared in life. Her imperative is to be treated with respect without endangering her personal space and boundaries. A Pisces woman is extremely sensitive by nature and is not exactly quick to forgive and forget. If her heart has been wounded in the past, she will have a hard time opening it up again, even for new incredible people and relationships that are just beginning.

Compatible Signs Pisces Should Consider: Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn

AQUARIUS ZODIAC SIGN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:51:00 +0000

AQUARIUS ZODIAC SIGN

Aquarius Horoscope

Element: Air

Color: Light-Blue, Silver

Quality: Fixed

Day: Saturday

Ruler: Uranus, Saturn

Greatest Compatibility: Leo, Sagittarius

Lucky Numbers: 4, 7, 11, 22, 29

Dates: January 20 - February 18

Aquarius Traits

Strengths: Progressive, original, independent, humanitarian

Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, temperamental, uncompromising, aloof

Aquarius likes Fun with friends, risky business, fighting for causes, and intellectual conversations.

Aquarius dislikes Limitations, broken promises, being lonely, dull, or boring situations.

Aquarius is a sign different from the rest of the zodiac and people born with their Sun in it feel special. This makes them eccentric and energetic in their fight for freedom, or at times shy and quiet, afraid to express their true personality. In both cases, they are deep thinkers and highly intellectual people who love to fight for idealistic causes. They can see people without prejudice and this makes them truly special. Although they can easily adapt to the energy that surrounds them, Aquarius representatives have a deep need to have some time alone and away from everything to restore power.

The sign of Aquarius belongs to the element of Air, finishing the story of Gemini and Libra and connecting them in a way through the opposition of freedom and relationships. They will rely on their mind and spoken words most of the time, and without mental stimulation might lose interest even in the things that made their heart jump at first. They see the world as a place full of possibilities and have the need to be spontaneous, follow the moment, and live it to the fullest in an attempt not to waste any time.

Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius, shoulder to shoulder with its traditional ruler – Saturn. Although Uranus has an abrupt, timid, and sometimes aggressive nature, their other ruler often grounds them enough and helps them find enough distance from other people to remain somewhat indifferent. A visionary and someone ready for changes, an Aquarius is a known thinker and someone who will shake your world once they are in it. They feel best as a part of a certain community but might have trouble finding just the right place where they feel they belong.

Aquarius – the Pretty Protégé While Ganymede might have looked thin and weak, this doesn't make the character of these individuals any less powerful than it obviously is. They always have someone to carry them up, someone to show them the way towards the skies and the enlightenment they seek. Belonging to those who are in charge, their problems with authority usually come out of their relationship with other people, and not the leading structure itself. To find the center, they have to be ready to dig deep.

Aquarius Love And Sex

Intellectual stimulation is by far the greatest aphrodisiac for an Aquarius. There's nothing that can attract them more than an interesting conversation with a person. Openness, communication, imagination, and willingness to risk are the qualities that fit well in the emotional world of this zodiac sign. Their compatibility with other signs can be complex for they represent the opposition itself and have trouble relating to others if their sense of freedom is in any way endangered, or they perceive it to be.

Integrity and honesty are essential for anyone who wants to stay in their life, and feelings won’t have much to do with the way they treat betrayal and those who let them down along the way. They will give independence to their partner, seeing them as equal and just as powerful as they are. Even though they can get all the freedom they desire, they could still have trouble with day-to-day interaction even with those they are deeply in love with.

Being the sign of freedom and solitude, Aquarius can be too difficult to be with for some static and passive signs of the zodiac, and you can find out which by making your choice in this widget:

Aquarius Friends And Family

Friends - No matter the ability to communicate, Aquarius representatives need time to build closeness with a friend and they will unconsciously do a lot only to avoid being emotional and vulnerable around others. They are willing to self-sacrifice but only if absolutely necessary, and by the time they jump in to help, a person in trouble will probably realize that they never needed help, to begin with. They need creative friends with integrity and a strong intellect.

Family - These individuals have certain expectations from their families. Even though it might not be their place to search for answers their parents should seek, they will do so anyway, and more often than not impose their will on family members with the best possible intention – to make them get along. The sense of duty they have with some relatives won’t keep them around for very long, for this, as all emotional blackmail, hardly ever touches the soul of an Aquarius.

Aquarius Career And Money

This is a sign that brings enthusiasm, excitement, and innovations to their workplace and has a remarkable ability to the exploitation of their imagination for business purposes. Their high intellect combined with their willingness to share their talents inspires many people in their lives. They are visionary who likes to engage in humane activities and needs to work in a place that supports better circumstances for endangered groups of people.

Finances of this zodiac sign can be spent on various risks but also held on to, and all they need to have to create a saving zone out of their life is to give them something to look forward to. They are well adapted to their feel for style and are not afraid to show it, which is why their colors shining in the outer world make all the difference in their emotional state. They feel extremely good in professions such as piloting, paragliding, and photography, but also make excellent programmers, ingenious mathematicians, and scientists, and need to show their personality with not strict guidelines for the way to do so.

How To Attract The Aquarius Man

Aquarius men are unpredictable, intelligent, social, independent, and excellent communicators. They are also unreliable and inflexible but changed by the right partner at least up to a point where they check the time on their wristwatch. An Aquarius man sometimes lives inside his mind and needs a companion to talk about his progressive thoughts and ideas. In a game of seduction, one must first become their friend and everything else will come second. As things fall into place and he discovers he found trust for the person standing in front of them, each Aquarius has a chance to meet their own boundaries and see if there is anything else they need to break.

As a man who carries their Sun in the sign of detriment, this individual has trouble fitting in, too. He needs someone to respect his need for freedom, his individuality, and most of all his honest desire to make a difference in the world.

How To Attract The Aquarius Woman

She is independent, mysterious, free-spirited, and eccentric, with a fine sense of humor and a strange inability to stay consistent and present. She seems cold and aloof but needs someone to romance her senseless and to share a good conversation with. Truly exciting, this is a woman who makes an excellent partner in emotional, sexual, and especially mental issues, but her dedication might not hold her for very long if she feels even an ounce of disrespect along the way. She is drawn to people who stand out from the crown and needs someone to build her trust and take her by the hand and into better circumstances.

An Aquarius woman is a highly imaginative partner, especially in her sexual expression, and wants to try out new things regularly. Still, she needs to know that she is valued and loved, and at the same time free from the demands and pushiness that some of her men might be prone to.

Compatible Signs Aquarius Should Consider: Aries, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius

CAPRICORN ZODIAC SIGN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:34:00 +0000

CAPRICORN ZODIAC SIGN

Capricorn Horoscope

Element: Earth

Color: Brown, Black

Quality: Cardinal

Day: Saturday

Ruler: Saturn

Greatest Compatibility: Taurus, Cancer

Lucky Numbers: 4, 8, 13, 22

Dates: December 22 - January 19

Capricorn Traits

Strengths: Responsible, disciplined, self-control, good managers

Weaknesses: Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst

Capricorn likes: Family, tradition, music, understated status, quality craftsmanship

Capricorn dislikes: Almost everything at some point

Capricorn is a sign that represents time and responsibility, and its representatives are traditional and often very serious by nature. These individuals possess an inner state of independence that enables significant progress both in their personal and professional lives. They are masters of self-control and have the ability to lead the way, make solid and realistic plans, and manage many people who work for them at any time. They will learn from their mistakes and get to the top based solely on their experience and expertise.

Belonging to the element of Earth, like Taurus and Virgo, this is the last sign in the trio of practicality and grounding. Not only do they focus on the material world, but they can use the most out of it. Unfortunately, this element also makes them stiff and sometimes too stubborn to move from one perspective or point in a relationship. They have a hard time accepting differences of other people that are too far from their character, and out of fear might try to impose their traditional values aggressively.

Saturn is the ruling planet of Capricorn, and this planet represents restrictions of all kinds. Its influence makes these people practical and responsible, but also cold, distant, and unforgiving, prone to the feeling of guilt and turning to the past. They need to learn to forgive to make their own life lighter and more positive.

Capricorn – the Goat of Fear A goat with the tail of a fish is created to face fear and create panic. It is a sign of decisions made to be protected from monsters in our minds, lives, and immediate physical surrounding. Always ready to transform into something that scares those scary things off, Capricorn speaks of each natural chain reaction of fear, where one scary thing leads to many others, rising up as defensive mechanisms that only make things worse. Immersed in their secrecy, they face the world just as they are – brave enough to never run away, but constantly afraid of their inner monsters.

Capricorn Love And Sex

It is not easy to win over the attention and the heart of a Capricorn, but once their walls break and their heart melts they stay committed for a lifetime. Their relationships with other signs can be challenging due to their difficult character, but any shared feeling that comes from such a deep emotional place is a reward for their partner’s efforts. Shown sensitivity comes through acts rather than words, and years are often needed for them to open up enough to chat about their actual emotional problems.

Turned to their personal goals, whatever they might be, Capricorns can lack compassion and emotion when relating to their loved ones. The certain ease of a “normal” life is something they will give with full devotion, and their partner will be able to rely on them, use them as a stepping stone for any personal endeavor, and have a lasting bond with a constant tendency of growth. Still, this isn’t someone willing to compromise much and seems to have the need to create a problem only to resolve it or feel bad that it was never resolved before.

Capricorn might be a stiff Earth sign, set in their way, but this makes them a perfect match for certain signs of the zodiac and checking them with a below:

Capricorn Friends And Family

Friends - Capricorn is intelligent, stable, and reliable, and this makes its representatives loyal and extremely good friends, standing in one’s life as pillars on their way to their dreams. They need to be surrounded by people who don’t ask too many nosey questions, know where boundaries are set but are also warm, open-hearted, and loyal enough to follow their lead. They will not collect too many friends in this lifetime but turn to those who make them feel at peace, intelligent, and honest at all times.

Family – This is a sign of a full understanding of family traditions. Capricorns feel connected to every single thing from their past and their childhood and love bringing out these memories whenever a season of holidays or birthdays is near. This is a sign of a typical conflict one has over dominance in their household, with their father being an extremely important figure in the way this person built their self-image over the years. As parents they tend to be strict but fair, readily taking on responsibilities that come with a child.

Capricorn Career And Money

Capricorns will set high standards for themselves, but their honesty, dedication, and perseverance will lead them to their goals. They value loyalty and hard work over all other things and keep associates with these qualities close even when they might be intellectually inferior. Concentrated and resourceful, this is someone who gets the job done, doesn’t mind long hours, and commits to the final product completely. They shine in jobs that include management, finance, programming, and calculations. Deeply rooted in tradition, the state, and the system they live in, Capricorn needs all of their paperwork in perfect order, their documents clean, and their file impeccable.

Money will be truly valued in the lives of these individuals, and they won’t have much trouble managing it and saving some for a rainy day, for as long as their debts don’t swallow their actual abilities. Hard workers with a higher cause, they will do anything they can to set free from a loan or a mortgage at any time, but also know that true success will only come in the long run.

How To Attract The Capricorn Man

Capricorn men are determined and ambitious people, who want to reach the top to get the rewards. He prefers reality over uncatchable dreams but isn’t afraid to set some of their more realistic dreams in motion. His need for control is strong, and he could be judgmental towards his partners, expecting them to be something they really aren’t. His nature is wrapped up around accomplishment and responsibility and he often doesn't set romantic relationships on the top of his priority list.

A Capricorn man wants to take charge and be the one to make the rules from the beginning. He is in search of a practical, grounded partner, and almost always ends up with an emotional one who has a hard time controlling their heart. When starting a relationship, he will think about ways to respect the norm but also show his feelings, expecting the person in front of him to feel comfortable and attractive enough no matter the amount of affection he gives.

How To Attract The Capricorn Woman

Capricorn women are ambitious, persistent, responsible, and reliable. She only wants to find someone to make her smile, and can’t wait to open up and feel the real pull of emotion that makes her warm up to the possibilities that lie in the future. It will take some time for her to lower her guard and feel safe and comfortable enough to show just how sensitive and caring she can be when she is in love.

She wants her partner responsible, calm, and hard-working and needs to know that she is taken care of if something bad happens in the future. A Capricorn woman needs to feel comfortable with the people she dates and needs time to decide what she wants out of each relationship. Born in a Sun sign that exalts Mars, her instincts and initiative are strong, and this makes her a passionate lover always in charge of her own life no matter the outer circumstances.

Compatible Signs Capricorn Should Consider: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces

SAGITTARIUS ZODIAC SIGN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:23:00 +0000

SAGITTARIUS ZODIAC SIGN

Sagittarius Horoscope

Element: Fire

Color: Blue

Quality: Mutable

Day: Thursday

Ruler: Jupiter

Greatest Compatibility: Gemini, Aries

Lucky Numbers: 3, 7, 9, 12, 21

Dates: November 22 - December 21

Sagittarius Traits

Strengths: Generous, idealistic, great sense of humor

Weaknesses: Promises more than can deliver, very impatient, will say anything no matter how undiplomatic

Sagittarius likes: Freedom, travel, philosophy, and being outdoors

Sagittarius dislikes: Clingy people, being constrained, off-the-wall theories, details

Curious and energetic, Sagittarius is the traveler of the zodiac. Their open mind and philosophical view motivate them to wander around the world in search of the meaning of life. Sagittarius is an extrovert, always optimistic, full of enthusiasm, and ready for changes. This is a Sun sign of individuals who are often preoccupied with mental work, but when they find grounding, they show their ability to transform visions and thoughts into concrete actions and circumstances.

Just like Aries and Leo, Sagittarius is a Fire sign, in search of ways to creatively color the world in their colors. Clear about their intentions and honest by a moral imperative, its representatives are often honest to the point of absurd, with no regard for tact and emotions of other people whatsoever. They need to learn how to express their opinions in a tolerant and socially acceptable way.

Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar system and the greatest beneficent giant in Astrology. Their enthusiasm has no boundaries, and these people possess a great sense of humor accompanied by intense curiosity. In need of absolute freedom, their adventurous spirit takes them from one end of the world to the other, exploring different cultures and philosophies.

Sagittarius – the Misunderstood Healer Guided by the centaurs and the story of Chiron, Sagittarius is the sign of teaching and healing, always ready to accommodate a friend and help others heal. This is a benefactor who is rarely fully accepted by common people, always in search of great distances where they might find a home. Pain is often hidden behind their smile, and they would gladly give everything they have to other people only to live their lives free from it. Blessed by many incredible things, there always seems to be something missing to make their life complete.

Sagittarius Tomorrow's Horoscope

Saturday 07/30/2022

There is an easy way out of a situation, but you cannot leave others hanging and simply move on. It is important ...Read More ...

Sagittarius Weekly Horoscope

07/25/2022 - 07/31/2022

Maybe you can separate your life and your expectations from certain people, however close to home and your heart they might be. ...Read More ...

Sagittarius Love And Sex

People born with the Sun in Sagittarius are playful and humorous, and they will enjoy having the fun of their relationship and carefree. They are in search of partners who are equally open-minded to suit their passionate, expressive nature. Always in the mood to try out something new and exciting, they have a hard time recognizing the line between friendships and love, as well as between love and sexual relationships. The compatibility of Sagittarius with other signs depends on the change and diversity their partners are willing to let into their relationship.

Sagittarius representatives want their partners intellectual, stimulating all of their senses, gentle enough while at the same time firm and specific about their opinions and choices. With the ability to respect almost anyone, always expecting the best in people that come into their life, this is a sign of belief and disappointment and isn’t always in sync with the happiest of love stories. If a Sagittarius holds on too firmly for their mental strength and processes, dismissing tenderness and emotion that should lead the way, they could end up in a series of meaningless relationships with partners who don’t even make their heart jump.

Sagittarius Friends And Family

Friends - This is one of the most positive and fun signs of the zodiac, popular among friends and creating a wide circle of social contacts. They enjoy the diversity of life and culture, surrounding themselves with very different people and making friends all around the globe. Generous and kind, for as long as they keep their life philosophies in check and find enough time to laugh, everyone should be lucky enough to have them as a friend.

Family – Inconsistent and movable character of this sign sometimes seems to show a lack of interest in matters of the family. Their views are wide and their set of beliefs even wider, and most of these individuals will see the world as their home. However, their ruler exalts in the sign of Cancer, the sign of family, and the truth is they are wildly supported by circumstances in their home and have a chance to blossom through intimate connections, parenthood, and finding love forgiveness for every person in their family tree.

Sagittarius Career And Money

When Sagittarius visualizes something in their mind, they get clear focus and will do everything they can to bring their visions down to Earth. Still, this focus often gets lost and distracted along the way, and it is one of their great challenges to follow the arrow they shot until it hits, or misses its target. They enjoy a dynamic work atmosphere and teamwork, being the ones to lift the spirits of others when they are tired or feeling down. Jobs that suit them best are those of a travel agent, photographer, researcher, ambassador, and all freelance activities that give them enough room to organize their own time.

Money can easily become a weak spot for each Sagittarius, simply because overspending becomes their way of life if they set free from all of their cravings. Their perspective is extremely positive and with the awareness that there is so much to see, possess touch, and smell in this world, they feel it would be a shame to waste any time waiting, saving, or carefully planning their finances. They will take risks they don’t have to take, sometimes wearing pink goggles and ending up disappointed, but always deeply believing that the Universe will provide them with everything they need.

How To Attract The Sagittarius Man

Sagittarius men are fun-loving people and eternal travelers, interested in religion, philosophy, and the meaning of everything. A man born with the Sun in this sign loves adventures and sees life as a pool of endless possibilities. He wants to explore each and every one of them to determine where the truth lies and which direction to take. He is honest, courageous, optimistic, and restless wandering in constant search of his new destination. To win his heart, one has to share his quest, appreciate his wisdom, and respect his opinions.

On the downside, this man can be careless, impatient, tactless, and superficial. In need of ultimate freedom, he will not tolerate clingy partners who can’t find the strength for independence and initiative. To hold on to this man, one has to learn well when to hold on and when to let go. A Sagittarius man is a logical thinker and an enthusiastic listener, who will listen carefully to everything you have to say, before processing the information and coming to his own conclusions.

How To Attract The Sagittarius Woman

Sagittarius women are wild, independent, fun, friendly, and outgoing. They enjoy expressing themselves in all areas of life, determined to live life to the fullest. Vibrant, inquisitive, and exciting, this is an honest woman who always speaks her mind. She values freedom and independence, and finds joy in open, wide spaces, especially when they are colored by adventures or long conversations. Dating this woman requires an open mind and an adventurous spirit.

When a Sagittarius woman falls in love, she will turn all of her focus on her partner and easily neglect other areas of her life. Even though she is independent and confident enough to remember how important other areas of her life are, she enjoys the spontaneous pull of emotion occupying her heart and mind from time to time. This is a woman open to love and usually has multiple love affairs throughout her lifetime, for she will not settle for a relationship that doesn’t make her happy or loses its purpose over time. She sees life as one big adventure and expects her partner to make her laugh, and join her on her travels.

Compatible Signs Sagittarius Should Consider: Aries, Leo, Libra, Aquarius

DADYMINDS MAGAZINE™

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The 9 Most Important Social Media Trends for 2022

The 9 Most Important Social Media Trends for 2022

1. TikTok will become the most important social network for marketing (??!)

2. You will start spending big ad dollars on smaller networks

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The Kardashian Family Tree

The Kardashian Family Tree: Who's who in America's most famous family?

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians Klan

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian's kids

North West

Saint West

Chicago West

Psalm West

Kourtney Kardashian

Kourtney Kardashian's kids

Mason Dash Disick

Penelope Scotland Disick

Reign Aston Disick

Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian's kids

True Thompson

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner's kids

Stormi Webster

Robert Kardashian Jr.

Rob Kardashian's kids

Dream Kardashian

Kendall Jenner

Popular culture

Popular culture

Levels

Folklore

Criticism

The Culture Industry

Imperialism

Feminist critique

Propaganda

Consumerism

Sources

Print culture

Radio Culture

Films

Television programs

Music

Sports

Corporate branding

Personal branding

Social media

Top 10 Things Students Must Know Before Starting College

Top 10 Things Students Must Know Before Starting College

1. What to Take With You to College

2. Things to Do On And Off Campus

3. What Classes do You Will Take

4. How to Improve Your Memorization

Tip 1. Find Your Why

Tip 2. Learn Use Mnemonic Devices

Tip 3. Use Regular review

5. How to Take Notes Like a Boss

6. Time Management

7. Domestic Skills

8. Money Management

9. Job Hunting Skills

10. Socializing Skills