Category: Education

The clouds above us. The sidewalks below us. The stop signs on nearly every corner that quietly prevent countless traffic accidents. The many forks and knives that help us eat our daily meals.

What objects all around us — man-made or in nature — do you think we take for granted and deserve more attention and appreciation?

How about sticks?

Yes, sticks — long or short, knobby or smooth. Do these ubiquitous fallen bits of branches merit more love? In “Sticks. And the People Who Love Them,” Steven Kurutz writes about a newly popular Instagram account devoted to — you guessed it — sticks:

Stick Nation was born last summer, during a hiking trip to Arches National Park in Utah.

Boone Hogg, Logan Jugler and some friends were cracking jokes as they trekked toward Delicate Arch. From their free-associative silliness came the notion of reviewing a stick as you might a sculpture or valuable antique.

Later, Mr. Hogg, 30, took out his phone and shot some video of Mr. Jugler, also 30, as he mused on the qualities of a stick he had picked up from the ground. It seemed to be more interesting than the sticks nearby — it had the approximate shape of a handgun, for one thing — and Mr. Jugler found that, to his surprise, he had plenty to say about it.

“It was really weathered and worn, and felt great in the hand,” Mr. Jugler recalled. “There was a nice trigger spot for your finger. I think I gave it a 7 out of 10.”

In any other era, the idea of weighing in on the aesthetic qualities of sticks might have been left behind in the wilderness like stray bits of gorp. Instead, Mr. Hogg and Mr. Jugler created Official Stick Reviews on Instagram.

The account, which bills itself as “the internet’s go-to for stick reviews,” quickly attracted 40,000 followers, many of whom offer commentary on the sticks under discussion. They also submit photos or videos of the specimens they have come across for possible review.

The article continues:

What started as a wilderness jest has by now morphed into something slightly less tongue-in-cheek. The act of finding, handling and appreciating a good stick seems to speak to one’s inner 5-year-old.

“Sometimes it’s a bit, with people leaning into the internet-ness of it,” Mr. Hogg said. “But a lot of time it’s a sincere thing that people are connecting with. They’re appreciating something as basic as a stick.”

In the more than six months since they started Official Stick Reviews, Mr. Hogg, who works in marketing, and Mr. Jugler, a physician assistant, said they have been surprised to encounter so many hobbyists who are passionate about fallen bits of branch and the like. One commenter shared that he inherited his mother’s treasured stick after she died.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

• What everyday object deserves more love? Tell us why you think it is overlooked and why we should treasure it more.

• What’s your reaction to the Instagram account created by Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler? Why do you think their Official Stick Reviews has gone from a tongue-in-cheek gag to “a sincere thing that people are connecting with”? How do sticks “speak to one’s inner 5-year-old”?

• When was the last time you played with a stick, or even stopped to notice one? Did you ever? Does the article make you appreciate sticks more?

• If you are inspired, find a stick and submit a review of it, “as you might a sculpture or valuable antique,” to Mr. Hogg and Mr. Jugler’s account.

• If you could create your own Instagram or social media account for an overlooked object, what would it be and why? Do you think people would want to follow it?

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Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Dive Brief:

• The lifetime rate of return for a college education differs significantly by major, but it also varies by a student’s gender and race or ethnicity, according to new peer-reviewed research published in the American Educational Research Journal.
• A bachelor’s degree in general provides a roughly 9% rate of return for men, and nearly 10% for women, researchers concluded. The majors with the best returns were computer science and engineering. 
• Black, Hispanic and Asian college graduates had slightly higher rates of return than their White counterparts, the study found. 

Dive Insight:

The analysis looked at 5.8 million Americans ages 18 to 65, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey between 2009 and 2021. Half of the individuals’ highest degree was a bachelor’s. The other half had only a high school diploma.

“Our cost-benefit analysis finds that on average a college degree offers better returns than the stock market,” co-author Liang Zhang, a professor of higher education at New York University, said in a news release. 

Engineering saw the best rate of return of the 10 majors examined, with a nearly 19% return for women and almost 14% for men. Computer science followed, with rates of nearly 15% for women and 13% for men. 

In some cases, the return differed notably between men and women. Women had a 13.7% rate of return for health-related majors, compared to a lower return of 11% for math-related ones.. For men, math saw slightly better returns, at 9.3% versus 8.8% for health. 

Researchers observed the lowest rates of return in education, humanities and arts majors. 

Zhang suggested that students choosing low-return majors consider pursuing more training or education to help their job prospects. 

“From a public policy perspective, if certain majors are deemed essential to society but have low returns, policymakers may consider increasing financial aid for students in those majors or increasing pay levels for workers in related occupations,” Zhang said. “This can help ensure that the social benefits of these majors are recognized, even if their individual returns are lower.”

The higher rates of return for women, as well as those for Black, Hispanic and Asian students, don’t mean that those groups see higher earnings than White or male students over the course of their careers. 

On the contrary, women made significantly less than men in the sample, especially for the high school degree-only group. 

Because women see lower opportunity costs from attending college — since they would have lower potential earnings during those years, they are more likely to see an earnings bump initially. 

Researchers suggested that the decision to look at students who have only a bachelor’s degree could have undervalued the payoff from majors where many graduates pursue advanced degrees. For example, biology and life science majors are the most likely to attain higher degrees.  

 

By Scott Carlson

A planned teach-in ends with police in riot gear.

The Principles Of Classical Conditioning In Learning

Physiologist Ivan Pavlov was experimenting with dogs’ digestion when he accidentally discovered that they associated different sounds with feeding. Since he rang a bell at feeding time, the dogs learned to associate that sound with food. So, while at first they would salivate only when presented with their food, they later began salivating when they heard neutral noises they associated with it. Thus, the classical conditioning theory was born.

Based on Pavlov’s experiment, classical conditioning in learning is characterized by five principles: acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination. The first refers to the introduction of the neutral stimulus, while the second indicates the gradual disappearance of the conditioned response. Ultimately, there is discrimination, which helps someone tell the difference between the conditioned and other, unconditioned stimuli.

Basic Terms You Should Know

• Neutral stimulus: Something that can trigger a behavioral change that originally created no response. In the case of Pavlov’s experiment, the bell is initially neutral, since the dogs didn’t respond to it.
• Unconditioned stimulus: The trigger that makes someone have an automatic response. In the experiment, this is the dogs’ food.
• Unconditioned response: It refers to the automatic response to a stimulus, like salivating when looking at your favorite food.
• Conditioned stimulus: When the neutral stimulus is associated with a particular response, it becomes conditioned. For example, the dog learned to link the bell with food.
• Conditioned response: The conditioned stimulus leads to a conditioned response, which is the learned behavior, i.e., the dogs salivating when the bell is rung.

The 3 Stages

1. Before Conditioning

This is the phase where the unconditioned stimulus creates an unconditioned response. In the experiment, presenting dogs with food caused automatic salivation. The neutral stimulus is introduced for the first time in this phase. For example, the bell is the neutral stimulus that aims to help dogs associate its sound with feeding time. However, no behavioral change is fostered at this point.

2. During Conditioning

Initially, the neutral stimulus does not cause any response. But with time, dogs learn to associate the sound of a bell with their food approaching. For this learned behavior to occur, the neutral stimuli must be presented before the unconditioned stimuli. So, the bell must be rung before presenting the food so that the dogs automatically know what to expect without actually seeing the food.

3. After Conditioning

The last stage of classical conditioning in learning is when the new behavior has been fostered. The neutral stimulus and unconditioned behavior become conditioned. However, such a connection can disappear, meaning if someone rings a bell but brings no food to the dogs for a while, the dogs will stop associating those two things.

Applications Of Classical Conditioning In Real Life

Phobias And Mental Health

Phobias are typically irrational fears based on a specific event or occurrence of the past. Classical conditioning helps individuals learn how to dissociate their fear from the main source. For example, someone may avoid elevators after getting trapped in one. Through counterconditioning, individuals are forced to face their fears and realize that no negative outcome appears. As a result, their phobia disappears over time. This approach may also help with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other mental health disorders. For instance, aversion therapy helps people identify a behavior they wish to stop, associate it with something negative, and, therefore, avoid it.

Aversion To Taste

In one experiment, rats were exposed to flavored water and radiation at the same time. Their response was to get nauseated by the water. Therefore, they associated the unconditioned stimulus (radiation) with the automatic response of nausea. Even when flavored water was presented without radiation, the rats still experienced feelings of nausea. This type of aversion can have significant survival benefits for animals and people who need to avoid certain foods so they don’t get sick.

Advertising

Advertisers often utilize classical conditioning to attract customers’ attention and increase their sales. As an example, food commercials tend to depict happy families cooking and eating together in harmony, accompanied by upbeat music. As a result, consumers learn to associate these products with pleasantness and fun. Their emotions toward the company become positive, motivating them to try out their products.

Education

Utilizing classical conditioning in learning can help students associate school with positive emotions. Take a student who needs to make a presentation in front of the entire classroom, for example. If they are stressed, they might connect the presentation with negative feelings. However, if their teacher emphasizes it as a transformational experience where everyone is looking forward to hearing their opinions, their mindset will shift. They will start associating public speaking with an opportunity to share common interests and discuss them further.

Classical Vs. Operant Conditioning

Classical conditioning focuses more on creating connections between neutral stimuli and unconditioned responses. On the other hand, operant conditioning concentrates on the consequences that follow an action. These reactions can be both positive and negative and influence one’s future behavior. For example, when a dog undergoes training, its owner gives it treats as positive reinforcement. If they make a mistake, they may be verbally reprimanded. Based on both reactions, the dog will learn to modify its behavior in order to receive a treat instead of a reprimand. The same principle applies to humans, as they typically act based on what will bring positive rather than negative results.

Weaknesses Of Classical Conditioning

While Pavlov’s dog is a great example and approach for pet training, it may not always be as effective with humans. A few psychologists believe that people may often choose not to follow the behavior they’ve learned through classical conditioning. Also, ethical concerns are being raised since this process removes free will and manipulates people’s choices, such as in the cases of commercial and political advertising. Lastly, classical conditioning appears to be insufficient in providing an understanding of reasoning, behavior, and problem solving.

Conclusion

Classical conditioning can benefit people who want to learn about themselves and their behavioral patterns. Understanding its principles, stages, and applications sheds light on how it can shape the learning process, but its limitations and ethical considerations call for further exploration into the complexities of human behavior and cognition.

The University of Arizona has identified $71 million in budget cuts along with other measures to help close a deep chasm between its revenue and expenses. 

In a presentation to the state’s board of regents last week, John Arnold, the university’s interim chief financial officer, outlined progress made to date in closing a $177 million budget deficit looming over the institution. 

The university’s financial challenges have sparked harsh criticism of its leadership and governing board, particularly from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. Amid the turmoil, President Robert Robbins said earlier this month that he would leave his post by June 2026.

Arnold served as the regents’ executive director until taking on the university’s CFO role in December to address the University of Arizona’s financial situation. He has collaborated on the budget effort with Ronald Marx, the university’s interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. 

Arnold cautioned at the board meeting that “every number I’m about to show you is wrong” — meaning his presentation was based on projections for fiscal 2025 that he expected to change as the year unfolds. 

Unknowns include future revenue and state appropriations for the 2025 fiscal year. The budget team kept their projections for those areas conservative, Arnold said.

With that caveat, he explained how the university plans to wipe out $110 million of its deficit, after previous initiatives reduced the projected gap to $162 million. By fiscal 2026, the remaining $52 million deficit is expected to be resolved and the budget balanced, Arnold said.

Still to come is more information about the university’s restructuring efforts, proposed reforms to its operating policies, a review of faculty workload and preparation for the fiscal 2026 budget, Arnold said.

Budget cuts took the biggest bite out of the deficit for fiscal 2025. That includes a $30.1 million reduction — or 6.3% — to administrative units under the provost, such as student support services. It also entails a 6.2% reduction in the budget for Health Sciences, an academic medical center that houses several colleges, and 3.6% cut out of the collective budget of the university’s colleges. 

In other administrative cuts, Arnold highlighted a 28.2% reduction in the fiscal 2024 budget of the university’s president and secretary’s office. That includes $3.9 million in unspecified administrative reductions and $1 million from a closed strategic initiative’s office. 

“They’re taking the biggest cut on campus,” Arnold said, referring to the percent change in the president’s office budget. 

University officials also expect $18 million in new revenue opportunities, including through program expansions, as well as improved performance in auxiliary services and in the University of Arizona Global Campus. 

UAGC was created out of the online for-profit Ashford University, which University the Arizona bought in late 2020 from the now-defunct company Zovio. Arnold did not elaborate on the expected financial improvements but noted projected enrollment growth both in UAGC and the university’s traditional online arm are expected to help the institution’s overall balance sheet.

The University of Arizona is also looking to save costs through centralized information technology and human resources functions, as well as restructuring facility operations. Additionally, it’s reevaluating how it uses its spaces and reviewing its leases on certain properties to save money. 

Each of the university’s colleges will start fiscal 2025 with balanced budgets, with new protocols and administrative check-ins to make sure they stay on budget, according to Arnold.

The budget team shunned across-the-board cuts, and instead asked operating units to submit ideas that could lead to 5%, 10% and 15% reductions, Arnold said. The university has said it is specifically not considering cutting financial aid for current students, cutting retirement benefits or instituting furloughs for staff.

“We don’t want to cut just to spite ourselves,” he added.

If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?

If a student uses AI to write and nobody notices, does it matter?

I’ll admit: the latter question is hard for me to ask, as a former journalist here at EdSurge who built a career on writing. But AI writing is proliferating across professions. Marketers use it for advertising copy; financial analysts for synthesizing information. More than 4 in 5 teachers have used ChatGPT. Even in industries with stringent standards for human originality, AI is making inroads. The winner of a prestigious Japanese literary award used ChatGPT to write a portion of her novel.

Just as the tech tools of the business world — laptops, smartphones and the internet — found their way into classrooms, so too has generative AI. And if one of the goals of school is to prepare children for life beyond, how do we get kids ready for this new world, especially while student writing proficiency remains worrisome? Last year, almost half of Texas fourth graders scored a zero on the state writing composition test.

When groundbreaking technologies enter schools, old skills and habits make way for new ones. Some we may not miss much, like cursive handwriting. Other conveniences come at a cost: Typing on keyboards has largely replaced writing by hand, even though research shows the latter is better for memory and learning (and for carpal dexterity). Reading in print improves comprehension more than digital text, even though our eyes are fixated on screens these days.

So what do we gain and lose when students use artificial intelligence to write?

Here’s one very real risk: they may start relying on generative AI to the extent that it wholesale replaces their thinking.

For many people ✋ writing is the most brutal exercise in thinking. It reflects and tests our assumptions, pushing us to refine our ideas and uncover new ones. It leads us down rabbit holes that we have to crawl back from. It requires us to connect the dots and think about what makes sense or doesn’t, to transition between ideas and evidence, and to consider what makes the cut and what doesn’t.

When AI is used as a shortcut, we lose some of these muscles, as painful as they are to build. For developing young writers, this can be a major setback.

Yet not every part of the writing process needs to be equally stressful. For students who are writing to develop their thinking, for example, style should be less a concern than substance. Often we worry more about how we want to say something before knowing what we want to say.

At Carnegie Mellon University, a team of English professors have proposed using the concept of “restrained generative AI” to develop tools for writing instruction. This approach involves building guardrails that help students focus more on higher-order thinking and the core of their arguments, and worry less about precise sentence construction. One feature, for example, converts students’ notes into rough prose without inserting ideas and opinions, such that the quality of the prose reflects the quality of the notes. It is a novel concept that has potential to help younger students if the “AI restraint” can be aligned to grade-level writing standards.

Each little metacognitive act of constructing a sentence, though, reflects valuable thinking. Knowing how to use conjunctions, for instance — the ifs, buts and therefores — is an important exercise in logical reasoning. How much should we outsource that to AI? Too much, and the writing experience may feel like a fill-in-the-blank exercise like MadLibs.

Mastering writing mechanics and crafting sound arguments takes not only practice, but also guidance. The most formative learning experiences come when teachers help students work through their knots and help them find those “aha!” moments when everything clicks. But time — or rather, the lack of it — naturally limits how much feedback they can provide, and how many cycles of writing they can go through.

Here’s one way AI can assist writing instruction: Shortening the amount of time it takes for teachers to give feedback throughout the writing process — planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing — so that students no longer have to wait days or weeks before knowing whether they’re on the right track. Some tools allow teachers to set a rubric that guides the grades and feedback delivered by AI. The idea is that AI can handle some basic feedback — on grammar, syntax, diction — so that teachers can focus on other important areas.

However, there are limitations: A recent study on ChatGPT found that it “can perform comparably to a human in assigning a final holistic score for a student essay, but it struggles to identify and evaluate the structural pieces of argumentative writing.”

This underscores the importance of teachers in the process. While AI may be able to give good feedback based on a rubric, great feedback takes into account broader context about a student’s background, knowledge and experiences — things that AI would be hard-pressed to know better than teachers.

AI poses many existential questions for education, and today it is reasonable to ask: “Was this assignment written by AI?” There are many instances of lazy copy-and-pasting, not just in homework and college admission essays, but in academic research as well. The reality at this moment is that our human AI bullshit detectors are already on full alert, with or without the help of digital AI detection tools.

But that question may soon be as anachronistic as asking whether someone used the internet for help.

“Why would a student use AI to write this?” is a better question for teachers to ask, as well as: “How did they interact with AI during the process?” Just as we want students to verify information they find on the web, they will need the skills and confidence to question, evaluate and refine what AI produces. This is the next frontier in media and digital literacy.

Teaching these skills will be an important task for teachers, and one they are well suited for. With their help, students can learn to incorporate AI in thoughtful ways that preserve human thinking and agency.

School closures during the pandemic will mean poorer GCSE results for pupils in England well into the 2030s, researchers have said as they suggested radical changes to the school year.

Children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic face the “biggest” decline in GCSE outcomes in decades and an “unprecedented” widening of the socio-economic gap, according to a study.

It suggests spreading the school holidays more evenly across the year – by shortening the six-week summer break and lengthening the October half-term to a fortnight – would be a popular policy with parents.

The learning loss suffered by pupils could become the “worst legacy” of the pandemic as poorer GCSE results are set to “scar” a generation of children, a social mobility expert has suggested.

The research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, recommends a series of reforms – including rebalancing the school calendar which it argues has been “stuck in place since Victorian times”.

The report – from academics at the universities of Exeter, Strathclyde and the London School of Economics – analyses how school closures during Covid-19 hindered children’s skills at age five, 11 and 14.

It predicts fewer than two in five pupils in England will achieve a grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSEs in 2030 – which is roughly equivalent to a high grade C or low grade B.

This is lower than the 45.3% of pupils in England who achieved this benchmark – which is one of the Government’s key accountability measures for secondary schools – in 2022/23.

The report calls for a number of “low-cost” policies to be introduced – including a national programme of university undergraduate tutors delivering academic and mentoring support to pupils to help boost their foundational cognitive and socio-emotional skills.

It adds a “rebalanced school calendar” should be trialled in some areas as families face challenges – including a lack of childcare and “holiday hunger” – in the long summer break.

Lee Elliot Major, who is one of the report authors and a professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said reforms to the school calendar would “improve the wellbeing of teachers and pupils by creating more holiday breaks during the gruelling winter term”.

The research found that socio-emotional skills – which include the ability to engage in positive social interactions, cooperate with others, show empathy, and maintain attention – are “as important as cognitive skills” in achieving good GCSEs and decent wages after school.

England’s pandemic response was focused on academic catch-up with less emphasis on socio-emotional skills, extracurricular support, and wellbeing compared with most other nations, the report concluded.

It said: “Our results suggest that to improve child outcomes, much greater emphasis is needed in schools on activities that improve both socio-emotional and cognitive skills.”

The study calls for an “enrichment guarantee” to be introduced in schools so all children benefit from wider activities outside the classroom.

It also recommends that Ofsted inspections should explicitly recognise disadvantage and credit schools excelling when serving disadvantaged communities.

Researchers developed a model of skills using data from the Millennium Cohort Study – which follows the lives of around 19,000 children born in the UK at the turn of the century.

The model was applied to later pupil cohorts to estimate how GCSE results will be impacted by disruption from school closures during the pandemic.

The report concludes: “Covid induced learning losses and declines in socio-emotional skills will significantly damage the education prospects of five-year-olds at the time of Covid school closures, with boys 4.4 percentage points less likely to achieve five good GCSEs and girls 4.8 percentage points less likely to do so.”

Prof Elliot Major told the PA news agency: “If we don’t do something to change this, then many children will experience poorer life prospects as a result.

“We’ve had lots of debates about the pandemic, it could be that the sort of worst legacy of all is actually the damage to the education of a whole generation of children.”

Speaking about the report’s findings, he said: “Poorer GCSE results will scar successive cohorts of children well into the 2030s, signalling a decline in the country’s social mobility levels.”

Prof Elliot Major added: “Without a raft of equalising policies, the damaging legacy from Covid school closures will be felt by generations of pupils well into the next decade. Our review shows that Covid amplified long-term persistent education gaps in England and other countries.

“A particular worry is a group of pupils who are falling significantly behind, likely to be absent from the classroom and to leave school without the basic skills needed to function and flourish in life. The decline in social mobility levels threatens to cast a long shadow over our society.”

Dr Emily Tanner, programme head at the Nuffield Foundation, said: “The mounting evidence on the long-term impact of learning loss on young people’s development shows how important it is for students to develop socio-emotional skills alongside academic learning.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have made almost £5 billion available since 2020 for education recovery initiatives, which have supported millions of pupils in need of extra support.

“We are also supporting disadvantaged pupils through the pupil premium, which is rising to almost £2.9 billion in 2024-25, the highest in cash terms since this funding began.

“This is on top of our ongoing £10 million Behaviour Hubs programme and £9.5 million for up to 7,800 schools and colleges to train a senior mental health lead.”

By Sonel Cutler and Alecia Taylor

Nationwide, activists say they want their colleges to take a moral stand in support of Palestinians. Campus leaders have refused — and in some cases, students have been arrested.

By: Frances W. Hopkins, Director of the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees Award and Director of President’s Education Awards Program.

A charge: Shine a Light on the staff that have been designed to have such impact within the school walls. These staff are often not highlighted nor recognized nearly enough. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is thrilled, along with the RISE Coalition, to honor one exemplary classified school employee who provide service to students in pre-kindergarten through high school. In addition, this person exhibits extraordinary support to the school.  The department along with the Governor of each state are honored to show our support and to generate appreciation for all classified employees under the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award. This is the fourth year of the award, with nominations from governors and state education agencies, often working together, due by November 1 annually.

ED received 27 nominations from 15 states, including nominations for custodians, cafeteria workers, nutrition workers, security personnel, paraprofessionals, and other support employees. Their contributions to students, schools across their state district – especially over the last few years during and after the challenging pandemic year – were impactful. Peer reviewers noted just how “impactful” the work is of all the nominees and each of their role is very unique to building a solid foundation within our schools across the United States. They expressed hope that with the help of all state involvement, will bring a light to the importance of all support employees – that serve in the capacity as a classified employee more states will participate in nominating in the upcoming year! ED is encouraging every participating state to honor its nominees in their own way during this program year. For more information, see the link: www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/illinoiss-mario-diaz-albarran-named-2024-%E2%80%98recognizing-inspiring-school-employees%E2%80%99-rise-honoree

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona ultimately selected Mario Diaz Albarran – Head Custodian – Lincoln Elementary School, Palatine, Illinois. He made the announcement via video: youtu.be/tB4jg0Z7Yvw

As Head custodian Mario Diaz Albarran is known for his dedication, attention to detail, and connections with students and staff alike at Lincoln Elementary in Palatine District 15. His impact can be seen throughout campus where he’s brightened up the walls with school colors and murals that display schoolwide goals.

He also makes sure the school is spotless and teachers have everything they need to start each new school year and school day. Back when he was a student in District 15, Mr. Diaz Albarran recalls struggling with social and peer issues and feeling pressured to get involved with groups that were not serving his best interests. These days he has a group of “student helpers” who volunteer to assist him with daily maintenance tasks. Students in Lincoln’s Social Emotional Academic Learning (SEAL) program are eager to earn time to serve as one of his “helpers” as a reward for positive behavior. He uses that time to check in on them, connect, and give guidance on whatever they need help with. One of these helpers, seventh grader Daniel Aguierre explains how he benefits from his time with Mr. Diaz Albarran. “Sometimes I get really angry so Mr. Diaz has taught me how I can control my anger. Mr. Diaz shared his own life stories so that I could learn from them and not make the same mistakes,” Daniel says. “He teaches me to stop and think and walk away when I’m mad.” 

Mario Diaz Albarran plays an intricate role in “It takes a village to raise a child.” He has set the bar high for other classified employees to strive to go above and beyond the school walls and help the inner child prepare for real world issues and concerns of the world by helping build student’s character and prepare them for society emotionally – all while pouring from his experience and being an example. 

Today, we celebrate Mr. Diaz Albarran for his purposeful work of going above and beyond his call of duty and helping every person he has an encounter with daily within his district.  

Individuals interested in nominating for the next cycle should contact their Governor’s office to inquire about state-specific process. Governors and state education agency program administrators may contact RISE@ed.gov with any questions and to indicate a state’s plans to participate for the coming cycle. 

Above is an image related to one of the news stories we followed this past week. Do you know what it shows? At the bottom of this quiz, you’ll find the answer.

Have you been paying attention to current events recently? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.

How Can You Use Educational Webinars?

Why would anyone join your webinar? As popular as product demos may be, people tend to be intrigued more by experts who share their knowledge and experience and offer advice wholeheartedly. Your company’s experts also have the opportunity to share their expertise and prove why they are top contenders in their field. Q&A webinars are a great way to showcase your knowledge and attract large audiences who can get answers to their burning questions. Additionally, you may organize case study events where you share real cases you’ve encountered with attendees, discussing the challenges you faced and the tricks you used to overcome them. Lastly, training webinars are very popular, especially when it comes to EdTech since they keep audiences highly engaged with the use of interactive elements. These are a few good reasons for any eLearning company to host a webinar and increase brand visibility.

Reasons To Host A Webinar For Your Company

Establishing Authority

Carefully crafted websites and curated social media pages are great, but nothing helps you stand out as an expert more than webinars. Pack your presentation with insightful information and showcase why you are a leader in your industry. The way you speak, the data you highlight, the interactive features you insert, and the live product demos you present demonstrate your expertise. They also show that you understand the sector’s main struggles, while proposing unique and creative ways to overcome them. Keep in mind that webinars are offered on demand, too, and people can enjoy your presentation’s benefits whenever they wish.

Trust And Brand Awareness

When you have a brand but your visibility is low, it’s time to organize and host an informative webinar. Attracting people from all around the globe means that you can spread your expertise more effectively. It’s your chance to show your capabilities and prove with real-life case studies why customers should trust you instead of your competitors. As a result, you build loyal and trusting relationships that last over time and bring value to your company. Don’t focus too much on getting quick conversions but on generating quality leads. Spend time communicating with interested parties and foster loyalty.

No Geographical Barriers

Before webinars, people used to attend conferences in person and spend a lot of resources traveling to different locations. However, such a method is logistically difficult, and these events have a very limited reach. This is another reason to host a webinar and attract people from all over the world. This way, you are promoting your business and services to multiple potential clients simultaneously instead of having countless one-on-one meetings. And since online events can be offered on demand, individuals may watch them at their own convenience and contact you if they are interested.

Networking

Another reason to host a webinar is to grow your company’s network and attract new leads. Thanks to the details every registrant gives you, you can stay in touch with them and promote your future products. Also, you may reconnect with previous clients and participants who may be interested in your new event. Networking isn’t only good for you, though. It’s also beneficial for attendees who get to know each other and connect during and after the webinar.

Engaged Audiences

Webinars benefit people with different learning preferences, including verbal, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Therefore, their engagement increases as they can easily participate and interact with you. They don’t have to wait until the end of the session to ask a question; they can submit it at any point. Your connection with each person is effective, and no one feels left out.

Accessibility

Live events are typically available on all operating systems, so that’s another crucial reason to host a webinar. Anyone can attend, whether they are using a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. They make it easy for you to plan, organize, and manage, while participants can join the session without any technical hurdles as long as they have a stable connection.

Conclusion

There are plenty of reasons to host a webinar based on your needs, and one of your main focal points should be making your content unique. Why should someone join your event, and which issues do you offer solutions to? Last but not least, if you’re looking for ways to lower your cost per lead and broaden your customer base, check out our webinar marketing solutions.