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Improving future education by making budgets go further

By
Nigel Deacon
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0
Outdoor learning and future education

On 20 June 2019 Lord Agnew spoke at the Festival of Education at Wellington College in Berkshire, England. In his speech, he considered the current state of education in the UK, as well as looking at how far it has come and where it needs to get to. This wide-ranging overview also included plans on how the Department for Education (DfE) aims to meet its long-term goals.

Future Generations need better education and resources

Lord Agnew highlighted not only the role of education in developing future generations, but also current national problems concerning industrial productivity and social mobility. The answer, he said, lies in our schools and colleges and in order to improve Britain’s productivity he commented:

“we need a major upgrade in the nation’s skills”.

To achieve this, Lord Agnew pointed towards the DfE’s Industrial Strategy to invest in individuals, innovation and infrastructure. Among other things, this will encompass:

  • focusing on school autonomy and trusted leaders to run their schools;
  • teacher retention and reducing their workloads;
  • reforming the curriculum and introducing the English Baccalaureate (EBacc).

Schools and colleges can only support students with the best talent and infrastructure

Looking to the future, the aim for all schools to become academies was still strongly advocated and Lord Agnew stated that

“we must be ambitious for the future of our schools and colleges, not just for the next year but for the next generation.”

Colleges were highlighted as the critical infrastructure of the Industrial Strategy, and the Post-18 review of education and funding in May 2019 was mentioned as “[arguing] compellingly for much greater investment in further education – both talented teachers and the essential infrastructure, such as buildings and equipment, that underpins the sector.”

This final point backs up Lord Agnew’s view that

“Schools and colleges need to have the resources to support the development of healthy, happy children.”

This won’t be news to anyone working in education because, like many other public sectors, funding has been a longstanding issue for many years, with school leaders continuously looking to stretch their budgets ever further and make every pound count inside and outside of the classroom.

Innovation for improved outdoor education and well-being

This means that traditional ways of doing things are always under review and innovative Canopy for better outdoor learning and activitiesapproaches are sometimes adopted, particularly where they can be shown to offer cost savings. One example of this is in the increased use of canopies for sports areas and dining spaces. Streetspace, UK’s innovative and successful provider of covered space projects to education and leisure organisations, have worked with numerous schools and colleges over many years and installed all-weather canopies at a fraction of the cost of a traditional build.

The benefits of installing a cost-efficient dining area canopy include

  • increased dining revenue,
  • less overcrowding,
  • healthier meal choices by students,
  • less supervision and cleaning being required.

All-weather sports canopies will enable activities and games to continue even during the worst of the British weather and they also offer important UV protection from the sun.

The overall well-being and health of the students and teaching staff can be improved by providing more learning opportunities outdoors and spaces can be utilized more efficiently.

Extra financial support through the Condition Improvement Fund

Helping to balance the school or college budget even further, there may also be opportunities to gain capital funding for projects to install a canopy – for example, through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) or an operating lease.

By taking advantage of such public funding schemes, schools and other educational settings can make reasonable and effective changes now that will improve education and learning in the future. In a time where digitalisation draws humans further away from the outdoors, it is especially crucial to rethink and reshape outdoor learning as physical activity will play an important part in the overall health and well-being of our future generations.

Being prepared for the challenges of future education

So, it seems that the education sector will continue to evolve under the government’s direction and innovations. It is yet to be seen what the impact of some of these changes, such as the EBacc, will be, but there will inevitably be long-term effects. As Lord Agnew said in his closing remarks:

“Now is the time to think big, not small. Long-term not short term. To ensure that we can fix the generational challenge of productivity and that our world class education system continues to improve and be available to all children.”

 

Distance Learning: Fastest Ways to Get an Online Degree

By
Manuela Willbold
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0

Everything we need is at the tip of our hands. Hungry? Order food from Uber Eat. In a shopaholic mood? Shop online. Missing someone? Face time them. Many things that a human requires are now at the tip of our fingers using our mobile phones.

From banking to housing everything we need is available to access on the internet, so why let education stay behind?

Currently, more than 6 million U.S college students have enrolled themselves in at least one type of online degree course. Previously when people would think about online courses, most meant internships, language courses or extra short courses. But now you can complete a bachelor’s degree course online.

The reason why online distance learning is booming is that not everyone fits into the traditional school model and the online programs provide other ways of meeting the diverse and often unique needs of students worldwide.

Online learning is not just attractive for students from the age of 18 -25. Online distance learning can be the only way where more mature people can access the learning they desire in a flexible manner.  There is no age limit for learning, and long-distance learning is the growing learning trend to educate people struggling to access education with the traditional models.

As technology changes so do our methods of learning. As John Dewey said: “If we teach today’s student as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”

How Does an Online Degree Work?

Even though online distance learning is more than a decade old, the term and its usage are still new to most of its users. If you are looking forward to distance learning you should know the various opportunities it offers to align yourself with your preferences.

Online Courses: The online courses offered by universities and community colleges should not be confused with full-time classes. These courses are designed to provide personalized growth and certification and offer flexible tutoring sessions online for completion in the student’s own time.

Online Degree program: These programs are like a full-time degree, but they are a unique way to acquire an online degree. You might be required to have some field work experience, conduct an internship, do exams or fieldwork.

Hybrid Program:  As the name suggests it is the hybrid version of the two mentioned above.

Massive Open Online Courses: These programs were basically launched by MIT and other colleges but are now followed by various universities. The format is open (no need to enroll) but might require fees for certification.

Where to look for online learning programs?

If your goal is to gain fast online degrees, there are many programs that offer 5 week, 6 week and even 8 week courses in the following field:

  • Accounting
  • Business Administration
  • Computer Science & IT
  • Criminal Justice
  • Education & Teaching
  • Emergency Management
  • English
  • Environmental Policy
  • Finance
  • Fire Science
  • Forensics / CSI
  • Health Science
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Human Services
  • Information Technology
  • Legal Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration

Things to Consider

Fast online degree classes help you take twice as many courses as you would with a normal degree course. The shorter programs which are between 5-8 weeks give you more opportunity to cover many credit hours.

Online courses on Udemy for example, offer you the freedom to work whenever you choose to. So, you can either work from home or have your normal work and complete your course after work. You’re basically killing two birds with one stone.

Some programs will let you finish a degree along with other factors (work and life) as you can take breaks in between while others will require you to finish the assigned jobs. These can be specific hours and credits, fieldwork, minimum grade points, and even volunteer experience.

Lucrative online courses are designed for everyone whether you are an employee looking forward to adding extra certificates to your CV or a high school graduate who wants to try a new approach and save time and money. These programs are designed to complete your degree in a shorter amount of time, therefore, will require your most attention and dedication while completing them.

Try online courses and see what works for you

Online education is like a rising tide, it’s going to lift all boats. But what goes up must come down. If you take online programs with less dedication and attention, that might create a problem soon.

An online program uses many formats and methods. Selecting programs must be made keeping the accreditation and state requirements. Before deciding, one should have prior knowledge of their own preferred learning style, preferences, and educational needs. These programs are designed to provide information which can be used for future benefits and professional development. Remember that results emerge over time, not overnight. Work hard, stay consistent, and be patient and enjoy the new flexibility and freedom online learning offers.

 

Author Bio

Ray Charles is a freelance writer and copywriter specializing in the education sector. He has 10 years of experience in teaching and academic writing. He has written many research papers on academic subjects. He is currently writing for many educational informational websites including Mydegreeguide.com.

 

Successfully Managing a School Trip

By
Dinesh Kumar
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0
managing a school trip

One of the more daunting parts of being a teacher or school official is managing the ‘school trip.’ No matter whether it’s a visit to the nearest museum for the afternoon or a one-week trip abroad, every visit comes packaged with huge responsibility and a mass of potential issues and concerns for those in charge. After all, wherever you go and whatever you do, you’re carrying an extremely precious cargo with you.

The good news is successfully planning and actioning such a trip ties into the key skills you already have as an educator, so there’s no need to be too scared of the adventure. Here’s how to ensure the best possible time for both you and the kids.

Early Planning is Key

Like any big event, planning well in advance is key to ensuring success on the day. Ideally, planning for a bigger trip should begin up to a year in advance of the event itself. This gives you time to figure out all the possible eventualities, understand the location and create a clear and concise schedule. Essentially, it’s a big enough window for you to leave no stone unturned.

It also gives the parents time to save and budget for the trip if it’s a bigger, more expensive excursion, as well as giving the kids something to look forward to and behave for.

A Clear Itinerary & Communication

The structuring of your itinerary for the trip needs to be to military standards. Timings, activities and any additional information need to be laid out in the clearest possible terms to prevent mishaps involving kids not showing up on time, bringing the wrong clothes and equipment or, worse, losing a child.

While the kids need it spelling out to them for their own safety and understanding, parents will also want clear instruction around what’s going on as well. Letting the parents in on the schedule and where the kids will be and when will save a lot of worry and stress on both their and your ends.

Prepare for the Worst

Without sounding too doom and gloom, it’s important you’re ready for any emergency, starting with preventative measures through to knowing the protocol if something does go wrong. No matter how much planning you’ve done, children are unpredictable and things can happen, so make sure you’ve done all you can to negate any issues.

Make sure you’re up to speed with and adhering to all health and safety standards. Use quality and reliable transport for the trip; Allied Fleet is a renowned provider. Utilize enough staff resources to adequately monitor the group at all times and have backup planning in place in case of delays, extreme weather, and injury or illness.

Of course, if you’ve planned properly, the worst is unlikely to happen, but you should be prepared for any eventuality.

managing a school trip

Learn & Move Forward

Once the trip is done and dusted and everyone’s home safely, don’t rest on your laurels. Seek feedback on the trip and build on it. What do the kids have to say? Do the parents have concerns? What are the support staffs thoughts? What do you think?

Use this feedback to identify to understand what went wrong and identify areas for improvement. Even if there were no glaring mistakes, tuning the finer details will give you an advantage for next time, so listen to what everyone has to say.

As with all these sorts of things, the experience is key. The more you do it, the better you will get. And bear in mind; no one is expecting you to be perfect. You do, however, have an incredibly important job of keeping a group of children safe, and this is the main goal you should keep in sight as you plan the trip ahead.

How to start fiction writing with Open University Creative Writing courses

By
Manuela Willbold
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0
learn-creative-writing-skills

Creative writing as we all know is an exciting subject to study. Such courses are especially beneficial for new authors or students who want to take up creative writing as a career. In order to become a successful author, one should learn ways to enhance their storytelling in an illustrative way.

Having said that, let us tell you why and how Open University literary writing courses are a good choice for future writers and which course could suit you best.

The A215 Module – Creative writing

If you are a beginner and want to learn how to enhance your writing skills, you can look at the Open University’s A215 Module. This module uses strategies that will enhance your writing skills.

This course concentrates on

  • writing fiction
  • life writing (biography and autobiography)
  • writing poetry
  • The module has five parts and it concludes by teaching you ways to revise your copies and later present the work to agents and publishers

How is this course good for you?

This particular module is designed for people who are new in the field of creative writing or who have a little experience but want to enhance their fictional writing skills.

Through this module, you will be able to learn your creative writing strengths and identify your key interest by writing in different genres, such as biography, fiction, poetry, and autobiography. The goal of this module is to find your way and choose the right style by practising different literary writing skills and receiving constructive feedback.

This module is not only designed for prospective writers and authors but anyone who wants to develop their way of writing.Throughout the module, you will receive support from your tutor.

You will get access to an online tutor-group, where you can discuss some of your work and receive constructive feedback.

What is expected of you?

The tutor will instruct some assignments that you will be expected to submit online through the eTMA system; and the end-of-module assessment, in other words, EMA has to be submitted online. EMA is an independent project.

Number of Credits: 60

Study Level: OU 2

Method of learning: Distance learning mode

Length of study: 1 year

Do visit http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/modules/a215 if you wish to speak to an advisor.

become-an-author-and-writer

The A363 Module – Advanced Creative Writing

The second module that you can opt for at the Open University is Advanced Creative Writing. This is not for beginners. Along with the OU Level 2 module for creative writing, you get to learn about ways to write for radio, stage, and films. And an advanced way of writing fiction, poetry, as well as life writing.

The A363 Module aims at dramatic writing skills and ways to enhance your writing skills for different platforms. This module is to identify your individual voice of fiction and creative writing.

How is this course good for you?

The A215 Module has four parts; however, the A363 Module has five parts. A handbook module takes you through different stages of writing and reading exercises.

This course focuses on

  • testing different writing skills
  • research
  • revision
  • dramatic ways of writing
  • writing techniques for stage, media, and radio
  • You will be taught about different dramatic principles, for example, subtext, exposition, connecting dialogue, and more.

In the developing stage, you will learn ways to improve your dramatic writing skills. Finally, when you reach the fourth stage, which is an independent study, you will work on a larger project. The goal of the A363 module is to work more on your practical writing method.

What is expected of you?

Even in the A363 module, you will receive full support from your tutor. Just like the A215 module, you will be expected to submit assignments through the eTMA. Later, the module will end with submitting your EMA (end-of-module assessment) online.

Number of credits: 60

Study level: OU 3

Study method: Distance learning mode.

Length of study: 1 year

To learn more about the A363 module, visit http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/modules/a363?#

Which module is right for me?

When you compare both Open University creative writing modules, you will understand that the A363 module is more about

  • trying to work independently
  • developing your ideas
  • improve your writing voice and style

And the A215 module is more about

  • learning different styles of writing
  • Developing writing fiction
  • life writing
  • biography and autobiography writing
  • writing poetry

If you are a complete newbie regarding any fictional writing style, then the A215 Module would work better for you to develop those skills first.  

For more experienced writers looking to develop their own voice and ideas and taking their writing to another level like stage or radio script writing the A363 Module certainly is going to be the way forward.

If you want to experiment with creative writing first, before committing to a one year course, the Open University also offers a free short online course (8 weeks): https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/start-writing-fiction

In the end, the decision is yours. Have a clear vision and game plan for your creative writing career before you sign up for one of the courses. Make sure the course aids you in achieving your career goals.

WHY A PHONE BAN ISN’T THE ANSWER

By
Manuela Willbold
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0

 

In a time where the average adult in the UK uses their smartphone every 12 minutes, is it realistic and, most of all, helpful to ban phones in schools?

Whether it’s to do with work or hobbies or just daily life tasks – technology creeps into all aspects of our lives and if we want to remain in control and educated about how to use it right, is removing it the solution?

How to reduce abusive behaviours?

The current arguments for a ban, raised by people like the minister for school standards in England, Mr Gibb, and some other educators, mainly focus on how to reduce the risks of abusing the use of mobile phones.

However, what happens after school? Obviously, there will be plenty of opportunities to misuse a gadget and that’s why it’s vital to teach this generation how to use their phones responsibly.

The NAHT union, which represents school leaders, rightly recognises that phone bans in schools could potentially lead to more problems, such as “hidden” or “underground” uses and states that:

“Ultimately, schools work to prepare young people for the outside world, giving them the awareness and strategies to responsibly monitor their own screen use and the ability to identify and deal with any negative impacts or problematic content they encounter.”

As Mr. Gibb rightly recognises that “ensuring children can regulate their own use of smartphones and social media is becoming an increasingly important life skill for them to learn.”, we should ask how to do so.

Teaching digital literacy and skills

The necessary digital skills that are required for handling web activities responsibly can only be learned by actually using them in action, so called learning by doing. They include skills highlighted in the Digital Literacy Curriculum by the SWGfL such as 

Here you can see that having an awareness of the do’s and don’ts online will be vital as anything we post, we’re responsible for. So, students will inevitably have to learn about data protection, an online code of conduct, online regulations, copyright and so forth. By actually working within the real world wide web they can understand these laws in context and adults can model positive online behaviours.

Parents play an important part in this too. They should be informed about how to monitor their children’s gadget use and which E-safety solutions are available to support them. In one of my previous articles I explain in more detail how blogging as a family can help learn digital skills, which can be applied to many other digital tasks and systems.

What’s the right balance?

However, due to the growing volume of new technologies and online solutions, we need to find a way to tailor our learning to our needs. Recently, the debate about screen time made us step back and think: how much time should be spent on and off a computer or smartphone? Which ratio is actually ideal?

Latest recommendations for 8 to 11 year olds resulting from a study conducted by by researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, all in Canada, which had 4,524 children participate in it, are:

– restrict screen time (including TV, smartphones, tablets and video games) to less than 2 hours a day

– sleep 9 to 11 hours a night

– do at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day

According to their cognitive ability tests, children following these guidelines performed better in tests on mental functioning. And as many Chinese children now suffer from poorer eyesight at a younger age due to long screen times at school and home, it is certainly fair to say that young people’s smartphone use should be monitored.

If the long term goal is to enable them to use the web safely and responsibly by themselves without adults checking and guiding them when online, the best way forward is allowing for a good balance of the computer and smartphone use at school and at home.

There are great apps helping smartphone users to track their online activities such as Forest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=truff99c4ZY

They can be used by parents and their children so they can all keep track on their screen times and discuss how they could improve their results or even create a competition to increase motivation.

After all, it’s about making reflected and healthy choices and unless we learn to analyse and adjust our own behaviours to act responsibly, we won’t have the skills necessary to become educated digital users.

 

Top 10 Ways to Save and Make Money while Studying Abroad

By
Vaishali Joshi
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0

After receiving an offer letter from your dream College or University abroad you might ask yourself how to make money while studying abroad. It is a first step on the journey of being a successful student on foreign land.

However, there are many aspects to be considered by students while planning for studying abroad and they may wonder how to earn money online while studying. The accommodation, living expenses etc. are some of the important things for any student who is planning to study away from home.

College life abroad can be very interesting if you perform your duties and responsibilities efficiently. Doing a part time job is a good way to earn extra cash to cover your daily needs.

By studying internationally, you not only get a quality education, but you get to experience an alternate and amazing culture, make new companions and travel to see the world.

Most of the international students don’t find the study abroad experience difficult but the expenses involved give them trouble and they worry about how to manage money while studying abroad. 

Educational and living cost, travel expenses and other lifestyle financial support are to be factored in. All these together mean a sizeable sum and you may observe that you must certainly create a trustworthy wellspring of pay to meet each of these expenses. If you mainly want to focus on online earning opportunities, get some ideas here:

The most important thing to consider while planning study abroad is the budget. There certainly is a need to start a plan for saving and making money during your studies after the subtraction of all your required expenses, like tuition and rent.

You can check out some of the finest personal finance blogs in the UK for more inspiration:

15 Top Student Finance Blogs in the UK

Now plan for all the required things you are likely to spend money on like groceries, trips etc. It is very good to set a budget for every eventuality in advance as planning ahead can save a student a lot of time and headache!

Don’t stress too much about it as there are many inventive ways by which you can earn enough to manage your student finances. Here are some suggestions to earn and save money when you study abroad:

1. Helping other students or juniors with their academic writing for essays or their studies is an extraordinary method to refresh your skills while earning some income. This is additionally an incredible method to improve your English, if English isn’t your native language. You can likewise make numerous friends while increasing your social circle and it will help you make more money.

2. Nowadays it’s possible to earn money online just by having a PC and internet connection. Several freelance websites are available online offering ways to earn cash just by registering and getting to work. An additional preferred standpoint is the adaptability of independent work – you can take on work just when you have sufficient energy or time, not otherwise.

3. The duration of the part time work visa depends on the status of your student visa. Numerous nations don’t give permission of work to students, but some countries grant you to take on low maintenance work for fixed weekly hours. You can take on an occupation that doesn’t require any unique extra aptitudes, like working at a gas station etc. You also may want to check which countries offer the best free education here:

 

Which Countries Offer the Best Education in the World?

 

4. Try to take on seasonal employments. There are many occupations that open during the mid-year season, and you can take on a mid-year entry level position or work at a mid-year camp, for example.

5. Looking after children can be a great source of income. Babysitting or online tutoring can give you sufficient earnings. Moreover, you can also have much fun with children! Guardians would employ you to simply look after their resting kids while they have a night out, which does not require any extraordinary skills.

6. An on-campus job is also a good way of earning. You can take part in promotion or marketing activities as a student in Canada. These may not generally pay much; however you can squeeze in some study time while you work.

7. Try to find your favourite clothes on sale as it can make you feel better while you’re living on a budget. The sales rack will be your go-to spot whenever you go out for shopping. Moreover, you can get discounts on groceries very easily. Prefer to buy products in multi-packs in order to save money. For other products like household items, coupons can be found in local newspapers or on websites like Groupon.

8. Look for low cost accommodation. It could be quite exciting to live off-campus, but it couldn’t beat the convenience of an on-campus dorm. If you know anyone that lives near your campus, then living with them could be a very affordable way. But this option is not good for the students who want to live their own life and gain independence. In case your budget is low then it is a good option for you.

9. Get the advantage of every discount. There are many online shopping sites which offer discounts to students so use your school email address and sign up on these websites to get discounts for clothing, dining, and beauty items for students. You can find the best Coupon Code websites in this guide:

Top 10 Coupon Sites to Bag Big Savings While Cutting Costs

10. There are many online websites which offer discounts on tablets, computers, software etc. to students. You only need to complete the registration process using your academic documents. These sites offer exclusive deals on several selected products available to customers who are studying in a recognized higher educational institution in the country.

On the off chance that you wish to consider studying abroad, you will find that there are a lot of chances accessible for international students to take on work, and you might get paid well. You will be secured by protective work laws that the government has set up, which ensure reasonable pay rates for students. Foreign students are normally contracted without any questions asked and are often considered hard workers. Hopefully these ways to make and save money while studying abroad recommended by Vaishali Joshi, the owner at V Future Step, a leading study abroad recommendation platform, are helpful for planning your budget and earning on the side!

However, if you’re looking for more inspiration then here’s some further reading for you:

How To Make Money Online In Germany (9 Best Ways)

How to Make Money Online in India for Students 2020: Step by Step Guide to Skills-Based Earning [With Infographic]

3 Genius Ways Students Can Earn Online While Studying And Writing

20 Ways on How to Make Money Blogging for Beginners (2021)

 

Improve your career learning the Lean Six Sigma methodology

By
Andrej Kovacevic
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0

 

What is Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a work methodology that makes the best use of time and resources in a business environment. Lean Six Sigma’s guidance and best practices are designed to help an organization streamline operations and remove waste while developing a better product. That sounds like a tall order, but it’s been shown to work across a spectrum of business types.

The LSS system is a combination of the Lean and Six Sigma business models:

  • Lean: The elimination of waste regarding both time and resources by the paring down of systems to their most essential components.
  • Six Sigma: Effective problem solving using a logical progression of steps designed to reduce defects in the end product.

Both use ongoing measurement and analysis of results to continuously refine a company’s output. The goal is not only to produce a better product for the consumer but also to create a working environment that’s more efficient and effective, making the best use of the time allotted for production.

How do businesses implement Lean Six Sigma (LSS)?

Management is the first sector of employees to receive training in LSS, followed by the teams that will work under them. Some of the core objectives of having a team learn about LSS are to:

  • Eliminate waste of time and material.
  • Refine systems of production.
  • Improve the quality of the finished product.

It will give you a leg up in your career if you can add familiarity with Lean Six Sigma to your resume. This system applies to any business or manufacturing job, and it’s a good investment of your time to learn what you can about the process. Lean Six Sigma courses online will give you a working knowledge of the techniques used to improve any working environment.

How can individual business competence be attained using Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has six discrete roles that companies can use to increase confidence and skill in employees. It relies on the assumption that those closest to the work are the most knowledgeable when it comes to suggesting improvements. The colour belts of karate are used as a framework, and each level incorporates the skills of all the levels before it:

  • White Belt: Understands LSS structure and reports process issues.
  • Yellow Belt: Familiar with LSS concepts and serves on project teams.
  • Green Belt: Has more expertise, starts and manages projects.
  • Black Belt: Advanced expertise, team leader, teacher, mentor.
  • Master Black Belt: Leads projects, works with team leaders, responsible for LSS implementation.
  • Champion: Executive leader, selects projects, removes barriers to LSS and supports change.

Set Yourself Up to Be a Leader

Companies that employ the Lean Six Sigma model need project managers who are well-versed in the nuances of the system. If you’re already employed by a company that decides to adopt this type of business approach, your prior knowledge will be an asset to your career. While you and everyone on your team are participating in the initial training, you can position yourself as the go-to person to answer questions about LSS. This is one way that taking Lean Six Sigma courses online can prepare you to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.

Lean Six Sigma Case Studies

In the past year alone, an impressive number of corporations and government agencies have benefitted from the Lean Six Sigma system. Quadrant Engineering has employed LSS techniques among several subgroups in each of their eight North American manufacturing sites. LSS Black Belts led several projects at a time, and project teams supported aspects of each initiative. Quadrant used LSS as a “data-driven, team-based, scientific problem-solving method” to improve productivity, quality and yield in measurable ways.

Lean Six Sigma has also been helpful when combined with Human Factors Engineering to improve people-oriented businesses like hospitals. As profit pressures and limited resources have made it ever more difficult for hospitals to provide top-level care for patients, human error has increased. A 2000 study of over 33 million hospital admissions concluded that there were between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths each year due to medical error. The principles of LSS have been put to work to reduce this number in hospitals all over the world.

Lean Six Sigma and Your Career

As you can see, LSS is a framework for success for any type of endeavour, whether it’s used to improve a manufacturing process or provide guidance in the best way to care for sick people. Learning everything you can about LSS will give you many of the tools you need to be an effective and successful professional, whatever career path you choose. If your company decides to embrace Lean Six Sigma, you’ll also be uniquely positioned to contribute to the project and increase your responsibility and visibility at work.

 

What are the best learning strategies for students heading to university?

By
Flavia Belham
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0

In the past couple of decades, academics from the field of neuroscience have researched the effectiveness of different learning strategies on students’ attainment and performance. Using randomised controlled experiments and carefully designed protocols, these studies have consistently shown that some strategies are more effective than others.

However, by the time pupils leave school to enter university, most of them are still using poor learning techniques that affect their exam and course results. Such study strategies are therefore key to succeed in higher education and become a world class graduate in their field.

What are effective learning techniques?

One of the learning strategies that has received wide support from academic research is Retrieval Practice. To use this strategy, students need to answer questions and actively bring knowledge to mind. The more a piece of information is retrieved, the more it is understood in connection to other knowledge. This is in clear contrast to the strategies of re-reading the same notes or highlighting the textbook. However, as most teachers will know, students spend a good part of their time doing exactly that.

Another effective way of studying is to spread out revision and switch between topics after shorter periods of time. These strategies receive the name of Spacing and Interleaving. It is basically the opposite of cramming, a very common strategy among school pupils and university students.

Lastly, due to our brain’s limited capacity to process novel information, the strategy of Dual Coding is also effective. This consists of combining verbal and visual information when studying. For example, pupils can use mind maps, diagrams, timelines and others.

Have students learned the best way to study by the time they leave school?

Although we know about the good strategies, do students actually use them? Recent research reveals that they don’t.

For example, one article reports that out of 177 university students, only 11% of them were using Retrieval Practice to prepare for exams. Another article investigated the habits of 472 university students and found that, while 68% of them use quizzes when studying, only 18% believe that these quizzes help them to learn more. The same research revealed that only 11% of students plan their revision ahead, rather than simply study for the next due exam. Even amongst students that correctly identify the good strategies, 34% of them will simply not use them, as shown in another piece of research.

Ways of improving studying and learning strategies

As Dr Sumeracki says, it is important that researchers, lecturers and teachers communicate better with students and show them the different learning techniques. There are very good resources online that can help with increasing awareness. For example, this Medicine student explains his study routine and also the evidence supporting its effectiveness:

Another excellent free resource is an online course for teachers about the cognitive sciences and the brain created by neuroscientist of the free revision and homework platform – Seneca Learning.

For students to reach their potential at university, they should be expert learners by the time they leave school. However, a lack of awareness of good learning techniques makes pupils spend their time using strategies that do not work well. The application of results and evidence published in research articles is crucial to change this pattern.

No matter if you’re a UK, EU or international student studying full or part time at university, identifying learning strategies that work well for you is important as the evidence shows. If you don’t get the basics right, you might struggle to achieve the results for your degree you desire and such can often lead to lower chances in the job market. See one of our articles demonstrating also the financial struggles as a student or graduate that may arise with this.

Hopefully the recommendations in this article will help future university students to reflect on their own learning habits and adapt them where needed.

 

You’re hired if you pass the Integrity Test

By
Muhammad Aziz
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0

These days many head hunters are using an integrity test for their hiring process. This test mainly assesses attitudes and experiences which is related to a candidate’s tendency to be honest, dependable and trustworthy. You may also call it a kind of personality test or honesty test or reliability test. This type of test is very good for identifying an individual who is likely to engage themselves in dishonesty, inappropriateness and anti-social behavior at the workplace.

What do recruiters check?

Recruitment team members will use this test at some point in time during the hiring process. You may also have to appear for personality tests, background checks, cognitive ability tests, credit records, handwriting analysis, personal interviews, and reference checks. If the recruiters cannot identify unsuitable candidates, they can face severe repercussions in the future. Although such tests and checks don’t expose thieves or liars, they can give an indication of which applicant is less productive and unsuitable for the work being advertised.

What’s the test all about?

The questions the recruiter or interviewer will ask a candidate are focused on their previous work experience such as the candidate’s preferences or interests at and outside of work. The answers deriving from this questioning helps the recruiters to judge their future behavior in these areas. The set of questions will also assess an individual’s attitude towards theft or any other illegal acts happening at their workplace.

This test actually involves 2 sets of questions: – veiled purpose questions and overt integrity questions. Overt integrity focuses on candidates’ attitudes towards the specific manifestation of dishonesty and theft. Examples of questions they might ask in this interview are:

  1. Will you be too honest to take some items which are not yours?
  2. How strong is your dislike of someone asking you to do something?
  3. Will you take small items home from the office/workplace?
  4. Do you believe that taking stationery items from the office/workplace to your home without permission is stealing?
  5. Do you think many colleagues take advantage of other employees who work under them?

A few examples of veiled purpose questions are:

  1. True or false – do you like to take chances?
  2. On an average how often do you party during the week?
  3. True or false – are you confident about yourself?
  4. When do you feel lonely if you are with a new set of people? (options: all the time, sometimes, most of the time, never, almost never)
  5. How often do you clean your room? (never, every day, weekends)
Is an integrity test different from a personality test?

A personality test measures a candidate’s traits and characteristics. It typically measures traits which go hand-in-hand with the work culture, satisfaction working with other team members and interpersonal interactions. This test also assesses whether an employee has the potential to be successful within the team and work environment or not. In an office for example, a great deal of potential to interact with the team members is required.

Your handwriting can give away key elements of your personality too. Letter sizing, spacing, and dots in your handwriting can be indicators of character traits and each individuals handwriting is completely unique.

The study of handwriting is known as ‘graphology’, and is now a popular assessment technique in business for determining certain psychological traits which can be picked up on simply by examining the way you write.

The infographic below from Essay Writing Service UK explains what your writing reveals about your personality and some other interesting facts. Have a look to see what your handwriting says about you and how it can impact your application!

In comparison, the integrity test focuses on completely different aspects like integrity and honesty. Recruiters tend to ask questions which include different types of counterproductive behavior as well as property damage, theft of money and other nuisance to keep the data clean. Though personality tests also include questions which are related to these subjects this is not the only purpose of the recruiters in this round and often they want to know more about your personality, which is why apart from tests, they analyse your handwriting. 

What to do when being tested?

When answering the questions in the integrity round try to maintain consistency. The questions will be dicey and you need to think outside the box. It is very important to listen to the questions carefully and then take some time to think about your responses. Your recruiter will give you a few seconds so you can frame the answer in your mind.

There were times when recruiters during the integrity test would ask the candidates about their religious beliefs and a few more personal questions. Candidates would challenge those kinds of tests in the court as they might lead to assumptions about the applicant’s past.  In most countries the employment law generally restricts to questions which can only be asked in an integrity test.

Is the integrity test always desirable? Well, it all depends on how you define it. For example, some questions ask the applicant whether they like taking risks or not. This can either indicate that they are more likely to deviate from acceptable behavior OR that they aren’t afraid to be creative and try new methods. Therefore, risk takers can be a positive asset for every organization.

Does the integrity test work?

Research done on the subject does showcase some interesting results. Such tests can predict human behavior in a concise manner in comparison to other types of tests and they are less biased and more cost-effective.

There are many online sites which provide information and sample question papers on integrity tests to help you prepare for an interview. Download them and start practicing from today – you will surely make a great first impression on the recruiters. If you are lucky enough you might get the same questions during the interview session. So, do not waste any more time and complete the interview practice to your best ability.

How to Get Chartered Engineering Licensure in the UK?

By
Khaled Syfullah
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0

Chartered Engineering (CE or C.Eng.) is a nationally recognized professional degree that certifies the quality of the engineer residing in the UK and is awarded by the Engineering Council UK. Passing CE/C. Eng. is often needed to sign the engineering documents in the respective field and allow practising engineering within a certain geographical area. Moreover, this degree will boost the career of the engineer as the demand is very high and very few of them who attend the exam or interview pass.

Getting a C.Eng. degree in the UK is quite different from other countries. For example, engineers who want to get a PE degree in the USA needs to sit 8(4+4) hours of the exam in a single day. But the process in Great Britain is very troublesome which means CE/C. Eng. is for those who stick to it and are highly motivated and ambitious candidates.

Steps of Getting a CE Degree in the UK

  1. Experience/Training

To start your process to be a ‘Chartered Engineer’ enlisted by the Engineering Council in the UK you need to have three to four years of real engineering field experience called ‘Training’. This training is well structured and supervised by one of the listed Chartered Engineers of the institution. Please keep in mind, before attending the vigorous training process you need to pass your graduation.

  1. Two Reports

After successful completion of your training, you need to submit two well-written reports (certainly plagiarism-free) based on the training you did. These reports will be evaluated by two senior members of the organization who are closely related to your working area.

  1. Interview and Presentation

One fine morning you will be called to attend the ‘Question and Answer Session’. You will be interviewed by the experienced examiners who will evaluate you. On the same day, you need to present your work for around 15 minutes in front of the examiners. You need to answer a lot of related professional and technical questions by the examiners and you obviously have to get them all right. The presentation topic will be any ‘one’ from your previously written and submitted reports.

  1. Afternoon Reports

In the afternoon, the examinee needs to sit for a 3-hour long report writing the exam. The questions will be set by the examiners and not related to your work experience. You need to write two reports on two questions set by the examiners. One question will be related to a professional and another one is on a technical aspect. The answers shall be around 1500 words and you need to complete the exam within three hours.

After completing these vigorous and well-structured steps, if you pass you will be enlisted as a ‘Chartered Engineer’ in your respective field of study within the geographical area set by the institution.

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