education Archives - A Million Lives

October 30, 2018 by Greg Underwood

How To Prevent College Dropout

On average there are an estimated 20 million students that enroll in either college or university in America every year. The sad reality is that there are high numbers of those students that fail to make it to graduation. There are studies indicating that only 45% of enrolled students complete their studies within six years of starting classes.

The reasons why a student drops out of their education are many, but for those teachers looking for ways to reduce their falling student numbers, there are some clear and practical ways to prevent college dropout. Combining these methods can keep your class size static, and that will mean that you are making a significant difference to the lives and futures of your students, and becoming a better teacher as a result.

Using technologies to reduce dropouts

Technology has become an integrated part of every area of our lives. Teaching is no different. Every good teacher has learned the value of using technology in the classroom, but it can be used in much more direct and productive ways outside of the classroom too.

Data analysis is a proven way of identifying those students who are likely to drop out, and that identification can help you to focus your attention on their needs. It’s a fact that college retention software is able to help not just your attendance rates, but highlight those students that need the help that you can provide, without disruption. Use technology to help your students, and your classes will improve as a result.

Funding aids

One of the most common reasons for college dropout is financial limitations. Mature students are especially prone to this, but it is an issue across every age range. This can be a frustrating issue for teachers because seeing a promising student fall behind due to money problems has seemingly few solutions.

One thing that you can do is to research financial help options, with some states already having in place retention grants that can help struggling students to get access to help with their finances. Grants are in place, so check with your state to see if these are applicable in your case. These retention grants are just that, and they are not loans that will need to be paid back. The more that you learn about potentially life-changing financial resources, the more that you can help your students and reduce your dropout rates.

Recognizing what the problem isn’t

When discussing the reasons for college dropout, it’s essential to look at the problem in a practical way. The fact is that not every student should be in college. There is a minimal work requirement that not every student is going to be capable of, and pushing those students who lack the commitment means taking your time and focus away from those that will put the work in.

Forcing work onto students who simply don’t want to be there is a waste of both time and money and does neither the student nor the teacher any favors in a very real sense. If you identify those students who have simply chosen the wrong course or the incorrect career pathway, then discuss their alternative options clearly. Give them advice on their options, and you reduce their chances of struggling on a course that they have no interest in.

There’s no disputing that America has a problem when it comes to high dropout rates. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure that your students have the resources and help that they need to take full advantage of their education. Take your time and find the best ways to help your students, and your dropout rates will be vastly improved.

September 13, 2018 by Greg Underwood

3 careers for People Who Love to Write

Many writers have fancied themselves making good money from a career in writing but in most cases, such dreams do not come to pass. However, there are some other writers who genuinely love to spend time creating new pieces and actually go on to pursue a career that is fully inclined to writing jobs from home. Let us take a look at three writing careers you could begin to chase.

Screenwriting-Every great film that has ever made box office success has a great script behind it. Think Avengers: infinity war, Titanic, Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Deadpool and a host of other films: these films all existed in the mind of a Screenwriter (or a group of screen writers) before they became a reality. If you are a highly creative writer, you could move towards joining the movie industry as a Screenwriter. This would require you to learn the rubrics of writing scripts and internalize lessons from seasoned screenwriters such as Quentin Tarantino (writer of Kill Bill series and Inglorious Bastards), James Cameron (writer of Aliens, Terminator, Avatars and Titanic). After you may have brushed up your knowledge of how to write a screenplay, the next stage is for you to begin writing. Write scripts that are complex and hold no bounds to human understanding like Inception, or a simple love story between a giant and a child. After writing the scripts, the next step will be to ensure that they are pitched to the right quarters in Hollywood, which includes movie directors, actors and Actresses. You may also have to research how to pitch your script to anyone so that you can tick the right boxes on your way to bringing your script into a high grossing box office successful reality.
Columnist-Have you ever fancied yourself in a career where you constantly pitch in your words at reputable news organizations and make money from that? As a thesis writer, you may send in you works to students, but being a Columnist is exactly what that career entails. Some of the most successful Columnists include Maureen Dowd, Malcom Muggeridge, Mike Royko (who wrote more than 7500 daily columns over thirty years) and others. Being a great columnist can lead you to win the Pulitzer prize for commentary as well as making good money. To begin, you should choose a writing niche where you would be able to write with ease and groom yourself to become better. After getting a distinct niche, the next is to begin to write your opinion on specific trends, topics, innovations and gossips as well. While writing, you can begin to send in your opinions to local as well as popular news organizations. At the onset of this career, you may not be earning the high amounts that you envisioned but you will be getting the needed recognition and the pay will steadily rise over the years. The beneficial aspect of this career is the flexibility of time that you have, and spare time that can be used to pursue other hobbies as well as a spare business.
Social Media Manager- The world has become a global village where everyone who wishes to connect, has an online presence. The same is applicable to businesses, brands and other organizations that intend to get new followers, clients as well as better publicity. In order to achieve these lofty goals, they will all need to have highly appealing and very engaging social media platforms where they will communicate with new customer base. Such social media platforms include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and others. Generally most of these organizations may not have employees who are well versed in writing: that is where you come in. You can build a career by writing for the social media pages of various brands and then getting paid for it. The highly beneficial aspect of this career is that you could confidently manage the portfolios of more than two companies at the same time with the use of great scheduling applications such as Hootsuite.

There is absolutely no paucity of careers that are available for any writer at any given time. You could decide to become an independent author like JK Rowling and have your work transformed into a script for a film, or you could take up a job as a magazine writer. Nevertheless, the most vital thing you should note is that you may encounter a slow start in the career as you are building. However, success is guaranteed when you stick to the career.

August 29, 2018 by Greg Underwood

3 Reasons to Pursue a Career in Psychology

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When it comes to choosing a career path, it’s likely that you’re often spoilt for choice. There are so many sectors to choose from and several roles to fill in each sector, so it ultimately boils down to your interests, skills, and talents. One of the things that can help set the course of your career is the degree that you choose to study. You may be reading this because you’re one of many people that has an interest in psychology and want to make your mark in that sector. If this is the case, you’re going to find three reasons to consider pursuing this career in the below article.

It Can Improve Your Relationships

To begin with, one reason you should pursue a career in psychology is that it can improve your relationships. Seeing as you’re essentially learning about people and their behavior, it can help you put things into perspective regarding your relationship with others. Some of the fundamental things that you do on a daily basis in psychology are assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, so you’re bound to learn about other people and what causes their behavior. You should also know that this knowledge is invaluable and can be used in various relationships and interactions with people whether personal or professional. It is also a very marketable skill that employers look for.

Promising Job Prospects

One of the benefits of pursuing a career in psychology is that you have a range of prospects when it comes to employment. If you’ve taken the time out to get a psychology degree online or attended classes every day, then you should know that it isn’t all in vain. Research predicts that by 2024, the employment of psychologists is expected to grow by 19 percent which is considered a lot faster than average growth. This could be because psychologists are needed in a range of areas whether it be schools, hospitals or social service agencies.

Improving Lives

One of the most important things for most people in life is being able to make a difference, no matter how small. The good thing about pursuing a degree in psychology is that you get the chance to do this every single day. Essentially, you’ll be devoting your time and energy to helping people overcome adversity, reach their greatest potential, and be better versions of themselves. As a result, you may also find that your life is improving as a result of helping others. This could be by making you feel happier, helping relieve stress, and giving you a sense of achievement.

Pursuing a career in psychology can seem like a long road in comparison to other careers. However, it is nonetheless one that can be extremely rewarding, especially when you specialize in an area you love. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the people around you and make a positive impact in society. Hopefully, after reading this, your doubt is cleared, and you’re ready to pursue a career in psychology.

August 29, 2018 by Greg Underwood

What to Do to Become a Data Scientist

When it comes to dealing with the high-tech world of today, there is no more important a job than data scientist. Anybody that embarks on such a career opens themselves up to having to face a plethora of questions from business owners to government officials who want to know how ‘big data’ can benefit them and their organizations.

To know how to answer these questions, as well as how to create new algorithms, data scientists have to go through rigorous amounts of training — to see just what this training entails, read on.

Decide… are you a good candidate?

The profession of a data scientist is tough, and it is certainly not made for everybody. For this reason, before you embark on your journey to becoming one, you have to decide whether you are a good enough candidate for such a role.

First, you must ask yourself if your nature is curious enough to constantly push yourself to pursue more learning, as data scientists never stop learning. You also need to be very organized and incredibly astute when it comes to sorting out the data that you obtain, as losing even one point in a million of different points has the potential to break a project. Also, a degree of stubbornness and a willingness to never give up on a challenge are traits that all data scientists should have because this a profession that brings about more frustration than it does fruition.

Get the education and the degrees

You cannot become a data scientist without an education behind you and the degrees hanging on your wall to prove that you’ve got it.

To begin with, you should be taking a bachelor’s degree in either IT, computer science, physics, or math. By doing so, you will be able to get to grips with the technology and calculus knowledge that all data scientists need as their foundation.

Obtaining such a degree will not see you come to the end of your educational journey, though, as you still need to be taking and obtaining a master’s degree, such as the Merrimack data science degree. Doing so will sharpen your problem-solving skills and give you the tools needed to tackle any analytical methods that you come across going forward, and it’ll give you the stamp of approval needed to entice future employers towards hiring you.

Pick your specialization

Every kind of business and organization needs a data scientist working for them, meaning you have a plethora of specializations to choose from when you come to pick your own. At this point, you have to study your own experiences, and you have to pinpoint the area that you feel most comfortable researching and analyzing.

August 1, 2018 by Greg Underwood

How To Constantly Improve To Get Further In Your Career

Continuous improvement is necessary all throughout our lives, in everything we do. As we are confronted by obstacles, disappointments and downfalls we have to get over it so that we can reach the next level in our evolution. Mastering continuous improvement, according to Envision Experience, is something that is challenging for most people. If you do want to master it though, here are some things that are surely going to help you.

Willpower To Improve Overall Direction

You do not have to keep doing what was done in the past if benefits are not as great as you might think. You should choose a new way to go. Use will power in order to begin the entire process. Repeating the past is something that will not bring in the same results. Willpower is going to help you to improve everything and you will watch your choices make true differences.

Always Admit Errors

In many cases you need to declare your errors. Words have to be properly calculated or they could end up leading to some huge conversation problems. If you do not admit errors it is obvious that you are going to lead the entire team towards a bad direction. Also, it is really important that you admit the mistakes you make in front of you.

Always Believe In Yourself

In so many cases the difference between being successful and failing all boils down to just believing in you. This is going to help you out so much more than what you might think since when you do believe in you, it is easier to make the correct choices that are going to influence every single step you take in the future. Without commitment, it is impossible to reach the goals you have. When you have problems and you do not believe in yourself, just take the necessary steps to improve that. Go to courses if this is necessary.

Conserve Effort And Time

It is really easy to get faked out. One of the most common mistakes people make is that they get overworked. You need to be sure you conserve your effort and your time in order to be able to operate at a full capacity. In most cases the only thing you really need is to allow yourself enough time to relax. Vacations are much more important than what you might think right now. Do take them whenever you can.

Invest Profits

Making money now is something that is always a priority for people but what will happen in the future? This is one thought that rarely comes to mind. Since you never actually know what the future holds, it is really important that you invest your profits and that you are ready for all unforeseen events that could arise.

Intensity

You should always invest more of you in what you do. Be sure that you are wiser, stronger and more courageous. Intensify vitality contribution. Focus on your health and increase the intensity of everything that you do. Work hard to seek more power, vitality, heart and vigor.

July 30, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Tips On How To Get Into Human Resources

Becoming a human resource manager stands out as a highly attractive process. This is a position that offers positive work environment, high pay and the possibility of making a true, direct difference in the work lives of people. The career is a really rewarding one since every single industry in the world needs to have human resources staff. Kevin Rolle has high experience with this and mentions some things that should be known by those that want to get into HR. His advice, mentioned below, will surely help.

Review The HR Resume

HR is quite faceted. There are different job responsibilities and job types that exist. Because of this, one of the important things to do is to consider personal experiences and background. It is possible you already have some skills that are valuable in HR, like working well in a team, strong critical thinking and the ability to actively resolve conflicts. Employers often look for such things when they hire. As the resume is crafted, build it in a way to properly highlight the way in which these skills will help the organization reach overall objectives. You can also focus on how employees can be made happier.

Rounding Out HR Skill Sets

As you review the resume you can easily figure out if there are some weakness areas you need to deal with. Analyze HR job descriptions and see what the employers now look for. When you fall short in some parts, you can build up the skills in various ways, including:

Volunteering– This always looks great on a resume but you need to take it one step further and actually find those volunteering options that build up on the required skills.
Advanced study– All ongoing learning efforts develop relevant skills and knowledge. This makes you a better candidate for future positions. Getting masters degrees and advancing your study through other channels should be considered to improve current skills.
Relationships – Learning about relationships is a skill that basically relates to people dynamic and how people are handling work.

Build Your Human Resources Network

When you volunteer your network grows as you get to meet people that know you help. When you get hired for any job, another contact is created. This is how networking starts. The connections that you build will help you to find opportunities faster and get good recommendations.

Remember that social media is also really useful these days when you need to build a network. It is always a good idea to join online HR communities in order to talk to others. Being active in these groups will help you make more connections and will establish a presence.

Be Open

When you want to get an HR job but you cannot actually get one, it is time to look for smaller opportunities. A great way to get into the industry is through internships. They add really valuable real-world experience that will always be seen with good eyes by employers. Understanding HR is very important so when you prove that you can do this, you identify yourself as an asset.

July 29, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Wayne Imber on the Jobs You Can Get With a Psychology Degree

I have been a college professor teaching psychology for almost 8 years now and in those 8 years I have witnessed a sharp decline of people wishing to take on psychology as a major. My colleague Wayne Imber and I were scratching our heads as to why this was, so we checked out some recent research on the subject. The biggest reason that came from the study, in terms of why people don’t want to study psychology, is because they believe that there is no really career path for them. Not only is psychology an absolutely fascinating subject to study, where you will learn about the inner workings of the human mind and behaviors, there are also many different types careers which you can embark upon after finishing your studies. Let’s take a look at some of the jobs you can get with your psychology degree.

Therapist

One of the most obvious choices of course is to go into therapy and work as a doctor of psychology, a very popular career choice for many of our students. Working as a therapist you will be helping many people with mental health issues, grief, historical issues, addiction and any number of psychological problems which people may have. This can be a tough but very rewarding career choice that many people enjoy.

Counseling

Being a therapist requires a doctorate but if you simply want to help people to talk through their issues and help them to become better people, you could look at becoming a counselor. Counselors are used by many people across the country who don’t feel at their best and want to use psychological techniques to improve themselves and their lives.

Private Companies

A great many private companies use people who are trained in psychology to work closely with their staff members. This is more prominent in industries such as finance, where there are many people working under huge amounts of pressure. The company will have you working in-house to help the employees with any issues which they may have. Furthermore, the companies like to use therapists and psychologists, to increase the output of their staff by making them better people with more belief and more confidence. You don’t necessarily have to work in the public sector once you have graduated, there are many positions in the private sector which you can also find careers using your psychology degree.

Teaching

My own personal story is one which you could also follow, as soon as I graduated I wanted to share the knowledge that I had learned and teach people about psychology. I started working in the university around 2 years after graduating and I am now a part time professor and spend the rest of my time writing books about the subject. Having knowledge is one thing but being able to share it is something truly special.

July 28, 2018 by Greg Underwood

John Kang WebMD Contributor on Why So Many People Want to Become Doctors

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A recent study has found that young students across the country have two main interests in terms of what career they wish to embark upon once they finish education, the first is engineering and the second is to become a doctor. Taking on the latter, we spoke to one of the finest doctors to find out more, John Kang WebMD contributor who specializes in oncology and general surgery is a master of his craft, a man who upholds ethical practice and who’s abilities seemingly know no bounds. John Kang liquidmetal surgeries have set him apart from the rest in his field, so what better man than him to tell us why so many young men and women want to become doctors.

Humanity

John Kang MC first tells us that the main reason why these young students want to become doctors is for the same reason as to why people have always wanted to become doctors, saving and helping lives. The ability of doctors these days is simply astonishing and thanks to modern technology and medical practices, we have the ability to diagnose and cure better than ever before. At the very root of every good doctor’s personality, is the desire to do good.

Respect

Another aspect of the job which John tells me is becoming highly sought after is the respect which a job of this gravity can bring a person. Respect can be hard to come by in many industries, but anyone like doctor John Kang MC, will instantly gain the respect of those in the community.

Salary

Whilst it will never be the chief reason that someone would like to become a doctor, the fact that doctors are some of the highest paid people in the country is most certainly a draw. Interestingly in those countries where doctors are not paid high wages as they are here in the US, there is far less desire to become a doctor, the suspicion is that there are just as many people who care for others, but the financial incentive is simply not there.

Job Satisfaction

John goes on to tell me about how much of a satisfying job being a doctor can be, professionally, personally and, as previously mentioned, financially. There are few jobs in the world where you can count on job satisfaction, with many feeling that the job they have been working towards, soon becomes a disappointment. John tells me that in many of the hospitals that he has worked for, that the job satisfaction percentage amongst doctors is incredibly high, in spit of the long, tough hours which they need to work. If you are someone that loves the thought of becoming a doctor one day, it is very likely that you will feel utterly satisfied when you eventually gain the position, a huge draw for anyone.

What would you like to do for your career? How does being a doctor sound? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

July 27, 2018 by Greg Underwood

How Soldiers Can Benefit from Distance Learning about Counter Terrorism According to James Feldkamp

One of the great things about the U.S. Army is that they are committed to providing their service personnel with education opportunities. Much of that is done through distance learning, so that soldiers can increase their knowledge and understanding when deployed. According to James Feldkamp, one of the courses that soldiers could benefit from in particular, including when done through distance learning, is that of counter terrorism.

Why Distance Learning Matters According to James Feldkamp

There are numerous reasons why service personnel should be encouraged to engage in distance learning, only one of which is the fact that they may be deployed. These professionals also work difficult hours and they can be called up at any point. It is unsurprising, therefore, that the U.S. Army has so much online in house training available as well. But, according to James Feldkamp at least, it isn’t just about providing training, it is about providing the right training. This means that their newfound knowledge can be applied to keeping the country safe and free.

James Feldkamp on Counter Terrorism Education

By learning about counter terrorism, soldiers and other service personnel in the army can gain a greater understanding of the real problems that are facing the world today. The media has painted a distorted image of terrorism, branding it as something only done by Islamic jihadists from Arab nations in the Middle East. In reality, however, domestic terrorism is just as dangerous and a lot more prevalent. And a lot of domestic terrorism is not done in the name of Islam, but rather in the name of Christianity.

The definition of terrorism is that it is an action that is designed to instill fear into others, based on a particular ideology. A white young man who shoots up a school, therefore, is just as much a terrorist as a Syrian refugee who drives a truck into a crowd. This is information that all citizens, all over the world, should be aware of, and not just army personnel. However, it is even more important for the army to be aware of this, since they are the ones charged with keeping ordinary civilians free. They must, therefore, be able to recognize the signs of terrorism, domestic and foreign alike, on home soil, in foreign nations, and on land, sea, and air. It is their responsibility to take appropriate action as and when it is necessary.

Army personnel must learn about terrorism and counter terrorism operations. However, due to their time constraints, difficult working hours, and deployments, they can only do so through online learning. Thankfully, interactive learning has proven to be as efficient as classroom learning, if not more so. Hence, James Feldkamp believes that today’s soldiers can become even better at what they do with ease, and he is heartened to see that the U.S. Army is on board with that. After all, this in turn means that people will be safer as well.

July 7, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Simple Tips for Investing While You are Still in College

It’s never too early to start investing, even if you are still in college. Unlike a professional investor, you may not have near unlimited amounts of capital, however, you can start investing with just a dollar using a few different methods. To become more financially literate in the field of investing, take up an economics or finance class, where knowledge is always a key to becoming a successful investor.

Open a Savings Account

The easiest way to invest as an undergraduate is to head to the nearest bank and open a savings account. The risk you take on would be extremely minimal. Put any supplemental income you earn in your savings account and watch your money grow quite literally. The interest rate is not as high as in the stock market, but your money would be better off than spent on new clothes or stored away in a drawer.

Understand the Risk Associated with Cheap Stocks

Some college students are only too eager to “play the stock market.” Students with limited amounts of capital are highly likely to invest in penny stocks, which are securities with little to no oversight that cost less than $5. Though these stocks seem so cheap to buy, you are taking on more risk than you should. Before buying any stock, particularly penny-grade stocks, it’s advised that you understand the type of risk you are undertaking. This type of trading is highly vulnerable to scams, particularly pump-and-dump schemes. College undergrads should invest in blue-chip stocks that are financially transparent to actually expect returns. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with low-end stocks, buying these without realizing the risk is a surefire way to lose all your money.

Think about Repaying Your Student Loans

Paying down debt is also a form of investment. It is, perhaps, one of the most important forms of investment for regular income earners. Unless your parents are wealthy, you will probably end up tens of thousands of dollars in student debt when you leave campus as a graduate. The student debt trap affects millions of graduates. However, you don’t have to fall into the same debtor crisis like so many others. If you earn income right now by working on-campus or at an internship, save that money for repaying your student loans. The grace period will eventually end, at which point you will have to own the debt. Think about how it might affect your future ability to take on other essential forms of debt such as a mortgage, therefore, make repaying student loans a priority to protect your post-graduate financial status.

Open a Retirement Account

If you are a young college student looking forward to a satisfying career, you may wonder why you should start investing towards retirement right now. Would your future employer take care of all that with a 401(k)? Yes and no. You can formally start investing in your golden years by matching your employer’s contributions toward a 401(k), however, until you are employed full-time, invest on your own towards retirement. You could do so in a savings account that you can later combine with an IRA or a 401(k). The reason to start this early is simple: the compounding factor. If you invest towards your retirement now, your contributions would mature impressively in the next 40 to 60 years. The longer the investments have to compound, the more money you will have to spend in your senior years. That’s why you should open a retirement account right now, even if you are not formally employed.