How Social Media Can Benefit College Learning

BY SAMANTHA BROWN

 In today’s world, the role of social media has evolved a lot and it has become instrumental in not only helping a student to learn more about the world but also to get higher education. In this digital era, students can connect to social media easily and can assimilate stuff related to different subjects very fast.

As we know the human mind is more drawn towards visuals than anything available in writing. Social media is fun but various social media platforms can be utilized to ensure a higher and better education for students. Teachers are now connecting with their students increasingly on various social media platforms, which is why social media is becoming a healthy environment where teachers and students can share their thoughts and insights. Tfacilitating an uninterrupted flow of knowledge. Many professors are nowadays resorting to social media because these platforms facilitate free marketing.

Let us now look at some of the major benefits of social media in education and how they can improve the process of learning…

• Communication is the key here – As stated earlier students and teachers can communicate freely on various social media platforms which are helping them to bond well. A student can easily connect with his/her teacher or professor to clarify a doubt on WhatsApp or Facebook messenger. Students can connect with other students to share their thoughts and insights on a particular topic; this way they can take part in healthy collaborations which not only help them to learn better but also help them to develop as a whole. The communication skills also improve a lot which makes social media a highly effective communication tool.

 A lot of question answers help a person to gain a lot of knowledge and this happens on social media platforms. Many students have stated that they felt hopeless in class and didn’t understand much about the subject. But their problem was solved when they joined the social media groups where students and teachers discussed various topics at length, about a certain subject and that helped them a lot. Moreover, several applications have made sharing documents easier such as Google Drive, Inbox, etc. Some mentors have taken this connecting part to another level altogether by trying to make things happening on Facebook live.  This cool and funky way of teaching students is indeed working in many countries and is yielding positive results!

 

• A never-ending source of updated information – Many websites and social media platforms are incorporating important information about different important topics that are helpful for students. Students can follow important sites and accounts having essential information so that they can keep themselves updated. Whenever some new information is uploaded they get the notification. There are various question-answer forums as well on various social media platforms where students can get appropriate answers related to their questions. These interactive sessions are very much beneficial for students.

 

• Allows parental guidance and participation – Parents can take part in the learning process as well and keep an eye on what their children are doing on social media. Moreover, nowadays even schools and colleges have their Twitter and Facebook accounts and pages respectively where latest updates are posted, this way parents get information about different things happening in schools and colleges and can communicate with the educational institutions in a better way. A parent can even see Instagram activity of a school or college to stay updated.

 

• Higher levels of engagement – The online information available on several social media platforms tend to attract students more. They learn yet don’t get bored. The animations and attractive visuals have the ability to grab the attention of students more. Children tend to interact on social media platforms more which make their reading habits stronger. The concepts of various difficult topics get clarified easily on social media platforms where proper and latest information regarding that topic is available.

 

• Distance learning opportunities – Nowadays, many schools, colleges and universities have started their distance learning programs which have facilitated underprivileged students to gain an education without having to attend regular classes and training programs. Skype is an amazing social media platform where live lectures are hosted to enable students to learn better. YouTube videos and tutorials are utilized by millions of students worldwide to clarify doubts about a huge range of topics, starting from literature to mathematics to physics to chemistry and what not… Social media is becoming an integral part of our modern education system. To invoke the interest of a student is very important and social media has done that efficiently.

 

• Helps in research – Social media helps many research scholars. There are several subject and audience monitoring tools from which data can be extracted. This way a researcher understands the views or feelings or perceptions of a group of people regarding a given topic or idea… This data helps in the process of compilation and useful research material is created. Many research students use social media platform to get a vivid idea about a particular subject by analyzing the useful information available online.

Thus we can conclude that social media platforms are not always negative or destructive. If a student is using social media judiciously, nothing like it. Parents too must know the benefits of social media and keep themselves updated to help their children grow and develop into becoming great human beings.

By-line

Samantha Brown is a freelance writer who specializes on carrier guidance, she is also motivational speaker and author

 

How to Manage a Chaotic College Class Schedule

BY ANTON LUCANUS

You’ll be able to exercise some level of control over your classes, but you’ll probably face some restrictions to ensure you’re taking your baseline required courses, and are on track to complete the coursework for your major. Between sorting through these requirements and your own personal preferences, you could easily end up with a schedule of classes that’s hard to manage or build a routine around.

For example, you might have early morning classes two days a week, but you might not start until late in the afternoon the other two days, making it hard to develop a consistent routine. Or you might have two classes near each other with an awkward time gap, like two hours, between them.

Learning to manage a chaotic schedule like this is one of the best skills you’ll develop during your college career—and it has the potential to follow you well into the future.

Keeping Track of Your Responsibilities

Your first job should be finding a way to attend classes as consistently as possible. Because you won’t be following the same 8am-3pm class schedule every day of the week, it will be easy to forget which classes you need to attend which days.

There are different systems you could feasibly use to stay organized in this way, but the ideal route is to rely on the best calendar app you can find. Calendar apps will keep everything tightly organized and automated for you; you’ll receive regular notifications when a class is coming up, and you can also plan the rest of your schedule around due dates, exam days, and other major academic events. If you prefer not to use apps for some reason, you could always use a system of sticky notes or a physical planner to keep track of your responsibilities.

Prioritizing Sleep

Your next priority should be sleep. New college students often willfully sacrifice their sleep schedules so they can handle their academic responsibilities, but also have plenty of time to socialize and entertain themselves. If you have a chaotic schedule, it’s going to be even harder to get the recommended hours of sleep every night. However, even one night of missed or low-quality sleep can have a profound effect on your alertness, cognitive abilities, mood, and even your physical health.

One of the best things you can do for your sleeping habits is keep them consistent. If you have class at 7am one day and 1pm the next day, you might be tempted to wake up at 6am day one, then sleep in until noon the next day. However, it’s better for your body and mind to wake up consistently at 6am, even when you don’t have to. It’s also a good idea to schedule ample hours of sleep; so if you wake up at 6am, count back 7 to 9 hours and set a firm bedtime between 9pm and 11pm.

Making the Most of Your Gap Time

It’s incredibly awkward to have a prolonged period of time between two classes, with not enough time to get back to your dorm. Learning to make the most of this time can help you stay sane and tackle some of your most important responsibilities at the same time. For example, you might be tempted to scroll through one of your favorite social media and buy likes for an hour, decompressing from your first class and preparing for your second, but this may not be the best use of your time.

Instead, you could work on consolidating your notes from the first class, organizing and reviewing your work, or you could start outlining your plans for the final essay. If you feel exceptionally tired or fatigued from the first class, consider finding a good place for a power nap before your next class begins, or find someone to help write your stud notes to free up time.

Working With Your Professors

Inevitably, as you’re managing a staggered and complex class schedule, you’re going to run into obstacles; you may find it difficult to get to class on time because they’re so far apart on campus with minimal time between them, or your scheduling difficulties may make it hard for you to hit certain assignment deadlines.

If this is the case, work proactively with your professors to find a better solution, for example task management software such as Time Clock Wizard. Most professors are understanding, so long as you’re proactive and willing to work hard. Ask them for alternative assignments where it’s appropriate to do so—just don’t take advantage of their flexibility.

Learn from your experiences with a chaotic schedule and apply them to your choices in classes in the future. Did you struggle to succeed with this staggered schedule? If so, try to make accommodations for something smoother and more consistent in the future.

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to guide current students to achieve personal and academic goals

  

A Short Guide for International Students to Study in The USA

BY SHAHINA PARVIN

Now in this age of 21^st century, nobody can live a standard life without education. Education is one of the basic needs of human beings. We call this century the age of information. Now if we do not have quality education, we will never be able to keep up the pace with others. This leads us to only one solution, that is to be educated.

Everyone has a dream to study in foreign countries. Every student tries to find the best school, college or university for them which is the most suitable one as per his/her passion. Today we will be talking about the college education in the United States of America. To be more specific, we will be trying to figure out why we should choose USA as our destination, what requirements we should fulfill, what things we should have and others related to this.

Why to Choose USA?

Today USA is ranked 2^nd in the World Education Ranking.  And in terms of international students, 30% of them want to join an institution in USA to acquire education which makes USA globally the first choice for education. Now have you wondered why do all these students choose USA at the very first attempt? There must be a reason, right? Actually there are a few.

The academic excellence in USA is beyond description. USA has the finest education system of all with various fields available for everyone to study. There are every possible subjects, departments and fields to study on. Along with that, there are lots of ways opened for students to be parts of co curricular activities which make them not only a good student, but also a skilled, multi-tasking, versatile and global citizen. Also USA is currently the leader of the world in terms of using technology and scientific techniques. This makes the students to understand things more easily as they get chance to use techs while studying. This also allows them to get involved into more research opportunities and much more. So, USA is for sure, a great choice.

What Requirements Should a Student Fulfill?

As you are coming from a foreign country to study here in USA, you have to fulfill a few requirements.

1. Complete application form: Students often underestimate the time given for admission and thus waste their time. So, you have to have a plan for applying in the college you want to get admitted to. At first you have to get check the admission timeline. Before choosing a college to apply for, you have to study about the education system because it varies from college to college. And another must thing, you have to show your secondary school completion certificate while completing the application form. You can do all these things online kn the specific website.
2. Complete standardized test: As you are coming from a foreign country, you have to show your certification of having skill in English as your 2^nd You have to attend standardized tests like TOEFL, GRE, SAT, IELTS, ACT, MCAT, LSAT etc. You have to get good marks in these tests to get admission to a get college.
3. Show your evidence of financial support: If you come to USA for studying, you have to show the evidence that you are financially stable. It has to be shown because if your welfare so that if you fall in any danger, you can get out of that.

What to do After Coming to USA?

Now that you have reached your dream destination, you have to do a few things so that you can stay there in peace and without any problem.

• Once you are in USA, you need to find a house to stay in. You need to keep in mind a fee things before getting an apartment. As you are going there to study, you have to make sure you get an apartment near your college.
• It would be nice if you get a car or hire. There are lots of reputed car dealers in every state and district. Cars will help you for transportation.
• As you are living in a foreign country, always keep the important papers carefully. For example: your passport, visa, ID card, admission paper etc. With you.

 

Overall if you maintain all these you will surely get chance to study in renowned colleges of the United States of America. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your visa and come to USA!

Author name – Shahina Parvin

 

 

3 Steps for Students Filing Tax Returns

3 Steps for Students Filing Tax Returns

Students’ spending on education is a great sum of money, which is not always affordable for every student. In this regard, each student has the opportunity to apply for a tax refund that was withheld from each student payment. The process of Filing for Tax Returns is not very complicated, but it requires special organization, attentiveness, and some patience.

Step 1 – Think Ahead

It is important to remember that in order to collect the entire list of documents, you may need a lot of time. Registration of each form and application is usually carried out in several stages, and the validity of certificates is often quite limited. Therefore, in order to avoid confusion, it is best to compile a list of necessary documents and check the time of their action.

Step 2 – Collect Tax Invoices

Tax invoices are a confirmation of your expenses and/or outside incomes in order to confirm the fact of payment of taxes, as well as obtain permission to return them. Students often have the option to download all the invoices from the college website. If you do not know if there is such an opportunity in your college, then it is best to contact the administration and find out the procedure for obtaining these documents.

Students have the right to apply for a refund of a certain amount that was spent during the studying year for using a public vehicle (buses, metro, trams, and/or intercity train) in order to get to the college. For applying for a tax refund the student has to attach used tickets, which are usually bought each month in advance. 

Students can also apply for tax refunds on funds that were spent on acquiring a studying staff, such as textbooks. For applying for a tax refund on the used stuff the student has to get a T2202A receipt from the college and attach it to the general list of documents for tax refunds.

Step 3 – Preparation Of Documents

To apply for a tax refund, the student has to provide invoices not only for paid taxes but also a number of documents that confirm his or her identity and income.

The basic list of documents that you will need:

• Personal SSN, as well as the SSN of the spouse, if you are married.
• W-2 form. It indicates the total amount of earnings for the past year, as well as the amount of taxes. (This form is necessary for students who have a job, as well as for those who receive a scholarship).
• T4 receipt, which is issued to students who have worked throughout the study period
• Inquiries that confirm your studying costs (T2202A certificate that is issued at the end of college).
• List of paid state and local taxes.

A complete list of required forms and documents can be found on the official website of the tax service in your area. Do not use forums for this, they may contain outdated or incorrect information.

 

Remember that it is important to know your rights and obligations, be responsible for paying taxes, and use all the opportunities that the state provides for your damages.

BIO: Connie Benton is a passionate freelance writer and regular contributor.

Why is Discovery Learning Vital for College Success?

BY KRISTIAN KRISYK

Discovery learning has been a buzz term for a while now, and for a good reason. Incorporating discovery learning in your classroom enables your students to ask critical questions, conduct their own research, improve their problem-solving skills, and form their own conclusions.

By stepping away from the traditional learning methods, students are given the possibility to think outside the box. Learning becomes a dynamic and never-ending process of expanding students’ existing knowledge by discovering new information and exploring different objects. This leads to enhanced and profound interaction with the world around them and remembering concepts on their own.

Incorporating Discovery Learning

The great thing about discovery learning is that it can be used in almost any class. As it consists of numerous methods, it can be applied whenever there is a need for it. In fact, an entire subject can be taught through discovery learning. So far, it’s been praised by both sides, professors and students, and with an endless list of benefits, it’s only expected to be more popular in the future.

Luckily, incorporating discovery learning doesn’t require too much work, paperwork or time. It’s a very flexible idea which only has one goal to achieve: create more interactive classrooms. This approach prepared these young people for a job market once they graduate, from acquiring skills which are in high demand today to learning how to write successful, well-structured resume examples.

The result of discovery learning is that students will easier remember concepts and knowledge which they discovered on their own. Several models are actually based upon discovery learning:

 

• guided discovery,
• problem-based learning,
• simulation-based learning,
• case-based learning,
• incidental learning,
• others, …

 

Discovery Learning Methods

As mentioned above, there are really numerous different methods teachers and professors can use in their classrooms. As one of them never excludes the other ones, the best results are usually achieved when these methods are combined allowing students to reveal their new talents and skills, not to mention their most efficient way of learning new things.

Here are some of the commonly used discovery learning methods:

 

• Interviews: Encouraging students to talk to people with greater knowledge on a certain topic can tremendously enhance the learning process.
• Individual research: Giving students one topic they need to explore on their own by using technology, books, and other material that could provide a greater understanding of the given topic.
• Data-based projects: Giving students a topic which should lead to research and gathering information about it. The more the topic is explored, the more will students learn about it along the way.
• Video presentations: When learning about a new topic, students can create video presentations about a certain issue within the topic to practice their creative thinking and learn how to express themselves in various ways.

All these methods mentioned above are based on the five principles of discovery learning. First one is problem-solving where learners are motivated to seek solutions. The second is learner management, where learners are discovering studying methods according to their preferences. The third principle is related to integrating and connecting where learners are encouraged to apply that knowledge in the real world. Fourth is information analysis and interpretation, followed by the fifth principle, which focused on failure and feedback. In other words, these principles follow a specific process which motivates learners to make the most of studying.

Benefits of Incorporating Discovery Learning

Incorporating discovery learning leads to the constant improvement of knowledge and skills. For instance, creating a video presentation on most important inventions of the 17th century can teach you what people around you think about that era, which tools you need to create a good video presentation and, finally, you’ll understand better that part of the history.

With discovery learning, students are learning so much more than just the topic given by their teachers and professors. Compared to the conventional way of learning, this is a more holistic and engaging way of acquiring information because it’s based on understanding, not just learning.

There are numerous benefits students will notice while applying discovery learning. Some of them are:

 

• Increases active engagement
• Promotes motivation to learn and make the most of their knowledge
• Promotes responsibilities, autonomy and independence
• Develops creativity and problem-solving approach
• Tailor learning experiences

BY LINE–Kristian Krisyk had been working in the field of web design for 7 years before becoming an entrepreneur in 2014 in design and marketing. His professional interests and hobbies defined major topics of his articles. These days Kristian runs his business and looks for new development opportunities. Follow him @KristianKrisyk or contact at kristian.krisyk@gmail.com

 

 

 

The Key to Using LinkedIn to Your Advantage During College

BY ANNABEL MONAGHAN

 

When you are a student in college, trying to navigate your way through the chaotic and exciting experience that is higher education, it is fair to say that it is considerably easy to fall into a pattern of focusing solely on your assessment due dates. After all, the whole point of higher education is to learn and expand your horizons academically and intellectually. But the students who tend to get the furthest are those who are willing and able to work with a decidedly different mindset, always going out of their way to create new ideas and bring new visions to life from their own creative inventory. These students are the ones that get the furthest ahead because they are the individuals who want it the most. That is literally the only difference between the leaders and the general success stories – consistent effort and hard work across the board. Being in college is already a challenging experience, but if you are bold enough to leap outside your comfort zone and work a little harder in your down time, it is almost sure to pay off. But how do you go about doing that in an already chaotic time?

 

Many people associate the professional social media platform LinkedIn with being a prime networking tool for people who are making waves in their chosen career fields. Of course, this is absolutely correct, but LinkedIn can be and should be a tool that individuals know about during their college years. Why? Because the sooner that one starts building a reputation for themselves in their industry (even if it is just online), the sooner they can gain valuable industry insights and networking connections that can help to propel their career forward even more. There is something appealing about an individual who not only knows what they want out of their career, but who is willing and able to fit to ensure that they not only get it, but that they get there on their own terms and on the tail of their own personal creativity and hard work. And that is where LinkedIn comes in to bridge the gaps and help you to establish a strong presence in your industry, ahead of the competition.

 

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, and that truth comes the inevitable reality that this is arguably the single largest and most convenient way to not only look for jobs, but to present yourself in a professional platform, with your best foot forward. During your college years, you might not be thinking about expanding your focus beyond the compulsory workload (and who could blame you, after all it is a massive workload, right?). But at the end of the day, the best way to get ahead and stay ahead, is to always be hustling – and yes, that means when you have down time, too (arguably especially when you have down time). The best way to proactively use LinkedIn to your advantage during college is to always be using some of your spare time outside of classes to be working on your own projects. Have you ever noticed how entry level jobs seem to require some prior experience, despite being “entry level”? While it might seem confusing and even frustrating, this is why it counts so much.

 

College students who are willing and able to work on their own ideas and practice expanding and fine-tuning their skills and talents in their own time, are more well-rounded, and their experience and willingness to drive their own motivation and progression, ultimately becomes key points in their experience, that are racked up before they have even graduated. And by adding all these self-driven points of industry or personal experience to their LinkedIn pages, they are essentially creating a backlog of all their progression that makes it easy for potential employers to look at their virtual CV with convenience and efficiency. This is where it makes all the difference in the world. LinkedIn profiles will say a lot about how motivated and driven you are to succeed not only when someone is telling you to and paying you for your work, but when you are determined and passionate to make it happen, without any direction from anywhere outside of yourself. Think of your use of LinkedIn as a more industry-specific iteration of the process of going to buy Instagram likes for a personal Instagram profile – the more you add to it, the more people will look at you.

Annabel Monaghan is a writer with a passion for education and edtech. She writes education and career articles for The College Puzzle with the aim of providing useful information for students and young professionals. If you have any questions, please feel free to email her at annabelmonaghanwriter@gmail.com. 

 

Colleges Should Pay More Attention To Needs of Part Time Students

Student Support
Colleges and States Turn Their Attention to Slow-Moving Part-Time Students
Colleges and states are realizing that they won’t meet their enrollment targets or improve the proportion of their residents with higher educations if they don’t pay more attention to this part of the student population. (Hechinger Report)

Excerpt From Hechinger Report

Fewer than one in five students who enroll part time from the start at a four-year college have earned a degree eight years later, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Part-timers at community college fare even worse.

The reasons these students take so long to finish college, or drop out altogether, often come down to two factors: money and scheduling.  Many, like Dzindzichashvili, interrupt their studies because of the cost. Others find it nearly impossible to fit courses around work and childcare.

Related: Colleges provide misleading information about their costs

Part-time classmates who worked during the day, as she did, Dzindzichashvili said, constantly worried about whether courses would be available at night.

“Students like us were not the focus of the program,” she said. “A lot of us felt invisible.”

That’s starting to change as federal forecasts show part-time enrollment outpacing full-time enrollment through at least 2027 and other new figures shed light on how long it takes for part-time students to graduate. Colleges and states are realizing that they won’t meet their enrollment targets or improve the proportion of their residents with higher educations if they don’t pay more attention to this part of the student population.

More institutions are scheduling courses at the times when part-time students need them, rather than when it’s convenient for faculty. They’re extending support programs to part-time students that have been proven to improve results among full-time ones. Some states are opening up financial aid programs to part-time students who haven’t previously been eligible for them.

But on many college campuses in many states, part-time students remain an afterthought, even though part-timers now make up more than a quarter of students at four-year colleges, and close to two-thirds at community colleges. Many of the growing number of “free college” plans exclude part-time students, either to control costs or to encourage full-time enrollment.

In fact, administrators often encourage part-time students to “take their time,” said Davis Jenkins, senior research scholar at the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. That, he said, “turns out to be very bad advice.” (The Hechinger Report is an independent unit of Teachers College.)

Related: Universities that are recruiting older students often leave them floundering

The longer students stay in school, the more likely they will face a family or financial crisis that will derail their ambitions, said Marcella Bombardieri, a senior policy analyst at the Center for American Progress who wrote a report on part-timers.

Going slow means “there’s just more time for things to go wrong,” Bombardieri said.

Among other interventions, many colleges are getting behind a national campaign to simply persuade more part-time students to convert to full time.

That’s because attending college full time saves money, increases the odds of graduating, and lets students realize the financial benefits of their degrees sooner.

Tips for Balancing College and Parenthood

BY JORI HAMILTON

Going to college is a big undertaking, but a college degree can open up doors in your career and qualify you for higher-paying positions than you’d find without a degree. When you’re a parent, balancing college, work, and parenting gets a little more complicated, but there are still plenty of parents who decide to go back to school and make college and parenthood work. 

When you go to college, you’ll be investing in a better future for you and your family. You may need to take a little longer to complete your degree and will certainly face some challenges along the way, but your goal of earning your college degree as a parent is completely achievable with a little determination and planning. 

Why Parents are Going Back to School

If you’re uncertain of whether or not you should go back to school, know that you’re not alone, since many moms are also facing the decision of whether to go to college. As a parent, you may feel guilty for taking time away from your children, and the cost of college may seem overwhelming when you need to pay your family’s bills and cover expenses like diapers and daycare. 

But going back to college offers valuable rewards, especially to single mothers. Over the course of a lifetime, a woman who has a bachelor’s degree will earn approximately $630,000 more than one who only has a high school diploma. Pursuing a graduate degree increases those average lifetime earnings, meaning a graduate degree will earn a woman about $1.1 million more than if she was just a high school graduate with no higher education. 

Going back to school has other valuable benefits, too. You can inspire your child to also go to college when they’re ready. Your degree can help you qualify for better jobs that have scheduling flexibility, allowing you to spend time with your family. These better jobs also frequently offer better benefits, which means your whole family can have health insurance and enjoy better healthcare than you’d otherwise be able to provide. 

Balancing Home, Work, and School

One of the major hesitations that many moms feel about going back to college is adding a school schedule and subsequent homework to an already busy life. With stagnant wages and the skyrocketing cost of living, married and single moms alike are needing to work to make ends meet. Indeed, low wages might be what has sparked your interest in going back to school. 

While it might feel intimidating, you can absolutely make going back to school work with your job and home schedules. With online schooling options abound these days, you can make school work around your schedule and do it at your pace. You can take as many or as few classes as you feel comfortable doing, which will not only make it easier to fit into your schedule needs but will allow you to work with your budget. 

Affording College

Affording college will require some budgeting and planning. Start by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will determine any loans and grants you may be eligible for. You should also schedule an appointment with a financial aid advisor at your college to make sure that all of your financial aid applications are complete. An advisor can help you to identify any other scholarships or financial aid that you may be eligible for, since some schools and even departments within schools offer their own scholarships for students. 

Next, establish a household budget so that you can prepare for college and identify just how much money you can spend each month. Start by tracking all of your income as well as your expenses and spending for a couple of months to identify areas where you might be over-spending, like going out to eat frequently. With all of these numbers recorded, you can identify areas where you should reduce your spending so that you have more money left over at the end of each month. You can use this money toward your college expenses, like buying textbooks or paying for any extra childcare you’ll need while in class. 

Since you’ll likely be living at home while in college, pay particular attention to the expenses you’ll face in commuting back and forth to campus. Be sure to account for the costs of taking public transportation, or of maintaining a car. You may choose to sell a large, gas-guzzling vehicle for a smaller one that gets better gas mileage. Since you’ll be doing lots of commuting, it’s important to try to minimize your transportation costs. 

Maintaining Your Health

During college, you’ll also need to prioritize your health so that you can attend your classes while also caring for your family. It may be tempting to skip meals or eat fast food on the go because of your busy schedule, but prioritize your nutrition and make time for healthy meals, even if that means bringing food to school with you and eating in between classes. 

If you’re pregnant, first-trimester tummy troubles can make it difficult to get to class, but there are a few tricks you can use to soothe your upset stomach. Nausea is often worse on an empty stomach, so bring snacks to class with you to keep food in your stomach. Ginger and peppermint can help to relieve nausea, and increasing your intake of magnesium and vitamin B6 can also help. Even receiving acupuncture treatments can help to get you feeling better again. 

Staying in Touch

When you start college, it may be time to reevaluate your current cell phone data plan so that you can stay in touch with your family and your employer without running up your bill. Find a plan that works best for your increased communication needs, and consider using apps for group text messaging, like Tango and WeChat. With these apps, you can text your significant other and your childcare provider, reach out to your classmates as you work together on a group project, and more. 

When you’re balancing family life, college, and even a job, you’ll need to do a little juggling, but you can absolutely pursue and earn a college degree as a parent. It may be stressful and busy, but remember that it isn’t forever, and you’re doing this to give your entire family a better future. Once you have that degree in your hands, you’ll find that all of your hard work was well worth it. 

Bio: Jori Hamilton is a writer from the Northwest who is passionate about education and social justice issues. You can follow her on Twitter @HamiltonJori

6 Tips to Leverage Advanced Technology in College Education

BY KADY SMITH

“Tech gives the quietest student a voice.”

– Jerry Blumengarten, 

Billy Jordan, a student of Arts from a renowned Australian University never thought that he would need virtual assistance for his annual project on the History of English Language and Literature. It took the chap only a couple of minutes to sign up with an academic help portal. Eventually, he got in touch with an online assignment expert, placed his query and received much-needed assistance on English Language and Literature at the comfort of his home.

That’s how technology has made its presence felt in the domain of education and learning. It has come a long way with some of the most notable instances such as the emergence of E-learning applications like Thinglink, TED-Ed and ClassDojo, and the transition from classroom learning to virtual tutoring.

Thus, with so many things happening around us, especially in the sector of education, now wonder why 86% of teachers think it is important or absolutely essential to use advanced technology in the classroom.

Now, in case, you are looking forward to embracing advanced technology in education and open a new vista for the young learners to see through, take note of the following suggestions prior to venturing out.

1. Improve communication and ensure faster response

Around 50% of teachers across all age groups are of the opinion that they use computers to develop specific skills and communication. If we look back at the scenario prevalent a couple of decades ago, personal face-to-face interaction between a teacher and his student was the only form of communication one could ever think of.

Cut to the chase, in 2019, virtual classroom and online collaboration tools like TodaysMeet, Scribblar and Socrative have made things easier and seamless for the learners and academic mentors to deal with. You too can leverage its potential,

Here’s how.

 

® Optimise Email communication to get in touch with the students or their parents regarding meetings, seminars and revised dates of examination seamlessly.

® Utilise the potential of classroom management software like Otus to combine and share email and text, along with digital resources, grade book, recognitions and academic blogs.

2. Assess students’ progress, help them with assignments virtually, in real-time

Digital simulation not only helps teachers prepare lessons and set of question papers for their students, but they can actually track the progress of their students in the comfort of a few clicks. In a world where changing academic norms and intricacies introduced in classroom training and assessment, embracing student-friendly and advanced academic tools shall deliver a competitive advantage over others.

Take note of the following suggestions for optimum results.  

® Use audio recording tools: There are free and simple audio recording tools such as Vocaroo. Students can use it to record audio by using their laptop’s microphone. In case you are not present in the classroom or wish to send across assessment reminder to your students via remote access, using audio recording tools will serve the purpose of sending across the message you wish to deliver, despite physical absence.

 

® Utilise video communication: The realm of education and learning is experiencing a 180-degree shift with advancements in the sector of visually enriched interaction via various online tools.

 

Free video communication tools such as PowToon will allow you to create animated presentations and videos in the classroom to explain assignments and their key components in a better and impactful way.

On the other hand, advanced and free tool like Hippo Video provides you with an all-in-one platform for education and assessment.  It is said to integrate with Google Classroom contextually, Google Slides and Docs edit, host, share and track student progress.  

 

3. Make the process of research more advanced and hassle-free

Research-based data in education is by far one of the most crucial aspects to meet by educators across the globe. Unless a particular lesson is explained with the help of real-life instances, case studies and archived data, you won’t be able to make an impact in the classroom. This calls for a data-savvy workforce in the academic institutes.

 If you agree with the notion and significance of research-based education in today’s world, take note of the following tips to marry technology with your academic endeavours.

® If students need to add references to a particular case study, use advanced tools such as EndNote, RefWorks and JabRef to streamline the process of referencing in a seamless way.

® In case you are required to conduct extensive research, technologically advanced research tools such as Google Scholar and ResearchGate will allow you browse through thousands of scholarly articles and archived academic journals for better clarity and understanding.

 

4. Provide opportunities to students to be more productive

With the help of technology, you can actually foster more productivity among students. It goes without saying that students shouldn’t be sitting idle and passively consume what’s written on the blackboard or displayed on the screen. The true form of education is the one that allows students to be a part of an activity, lead a particular project with creative and productive slants based on what has been taught in the class earlier.

Here’s how you can harness the potential of technology in this matter.

® Try to use technologies that support interactivity, foster critical thinking and problem solving skills among students. You may choose to opt for tools like Stencyl (to express creativity), Roblox for education (to build entrepreneurial skills among students) and more.

® It is suggested to include more sensory involvements in education and learning.  According to a research, bodily movements can help keep the brain active. So, how about using Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality or Mixed Reality to encourage all young learners. For example, the software Augment allows students and teachers to visualise 3D models in real time.

Technology can both be a boon and bane at the same time. Unless you are aware of its limit of usage or fail to notify the young users regarding the same, things would worsen down the road.

So, here are a few suggestions you can consider for safer usage of academic technologies on behalf of your students.

® Set up new guidelines for managing time with the use of technology in the academic premise.

® Teachers and parents should focus on establishing media-free zones. This, as a result, will keep the young users away from exploiting technological devices such as Smartphone, iPods, and tablets in libraries, examination halls and the likes.

® Set time limits for the students. For example, you may set out a rule that says no student will be allowed to surf the internet more than two hours a day.

® Set up free parental control software like OpenDNSFamilyShield, KidLogger and Spyrix Free Keylogger to block domains containing pornographic content, adult websites and track what students are up to.

 

6. Teach digital etiquettes to students

Apart from utilising technological advancement in the sector of education and setting out strict rules regarding the use of various devices, one must focus on teaching digital etiquette to young users. According to a survey, primary students lack skills and etiquettes that are required by an individual to abide by the fair internet usage policy.

So, make it a point to teach students how to build a positive and responsible online presence.

Pay heed to the following suggestions. 

® Teach students how to build a positive image online. Teach them how to write blogs and post such documents online.

® Introduce them to the online academic forums like teaching commons, thestudentroom and Quora where they can collaborate or get in touch with other students to share a common academic interest, discuss and share questions and answers to tricky assignments and more.

® You should critically evaluate the reliability and security aspects of a particular website before allowing students to access the same.

To Wrap Up

Now that you are aware of the six best tips to ensure the perfect amalgamation of advanced technology and education, embrace the best practice and put the best foot forward to transform a traditional classroom to a technologically revamped one.

Good luck!

Author Bio: Kady Smith works as an experienced assignment expert, dedicated to providing students with Management and Marketing assignment help on behalf of the digital brand MyAssignmenthelp.co.uk. Apart from that, Kady is an independent travel blogger and freelance illustrator, coming all the way from Glasgow, United Kingdom.

How Students Can Create Interesting And Diverse Instagram Pages

BY JAMES CLARK

Instagram, since its conception, has been one of the many major spots where people can build a network of some of the special things they love most. The platform has always supported the promotion of entertainment, music, healthy living, and lifestyle. Not to mention, skills such as photo editing have long been put forward to millions across the platform.

For most profiles, getting the attention of their followers requires the use of stunning photo designs and high image quality. There are a good number of tools on the internet that can help anyone do this. Some of them include:

• PicMonkey
• FotoJet
• Fotor
• Photoshop Express Editor 
• Ribbet 
• BeFunky 

IG is a great place for anyone to unwind with the funny memes, comedy videos, and entertaining photos shared by millions. The platform is seen as one of the most engaging social networks in the world. This makes it an ideal spot for students to get all of the fun they need as they study in their various institutions. However, it pays to improve the usage of this platform. Students can as well use this great spot of entertainment as a potential source of motivation and learning.

There are quite a lot of IG pages that help students learn image editing, as well as many other skills. Asides teaching students special skills, many pages motivate and keep students updated about school stuff. If you are a student hoping to get accustomed with such IG pages, we will be looking at a few of them. Here’s the deal:

• Your Institution’s Student Union Page

Your school’s official page or your school’s SU page should be the first page you need to follow on IG. The reason behind this can be very obvious. Following the page can help you stay updated with all the information that concerns your academics in the institution.

By following the IG account of your school, you get to know what is going on in school. You also get to observe beautiful photos of your school.

• @StudentsProblems

@StudentsProblems is a page that claims to meet the needs of students in terms of comedy, entertainment, and knowledge. It does this in the form of memes. This account has been created for a while now and has become famous among students today. If you are on the lookout for top accounts to follow, you are lucky to have found this on our list, as it is widely used by thousands.

• @Science.feed

@Science.feed offers content for both science students and those who are fascinated by science. The account offers a wide range of scientific discoveries and what goes on in the world of science.

• @SubwayBookReview

The account claims to provide concise reviews of books. In its posts, it includes spoilers and also suggestions of books. The account is a perfect choice for those looking for pages that offer great reviews on books. Those who love reading, as well as English Literature and Language students.

• @Mobkitchenuk

This page offers its followers of cheap meals. Students can find the account to provide very useful info on meals that can feed not just them, but even a group of 4 people. Along with its frequent posts, the page includes a wide selection of videos where it provides recipes to meals that can be prepared with an amount lower than £10.

• @Tech_capsules

@Tech_capsules, as its name implies, is an IG page that is all about tech. It updates its audience with frequent posts that include tech facts and tips. Many of which deal with industries and the internet. The page is still developing but still provides useful content.

• @Dormify

Dormify was created to meet students with special ideas to help them spruce up their dorm in school. Your dorm is a huge part of your life in school. Making it full of fun and beauty is a great way to help it feel homey. This is what @Dormify claims to offer.

• @Study.for.success

@Study.for.success offers a wide range of themes to keep students feeling alive as they work through school. It has lived up to its name through the many tips and motivation it gives to students to help them study for success.

• @Babeswhostudy

For all the things you do in school, you have to organize your materials. If you are finding it a bit hard to do that, this page offers a good level of inspiration to help you figure out how to keep your works clean.

• @CollegeHumor

Each content offered by this account denotes humor. It comes as a page that offers funny memes. It also provides a lot of good advice to students while still keeping them smiling.

Conclusion

It is crucial to get a couple of things to help make the process way. Using social networks can help with that, as there is a wide range of pages that provide extra tips to ensure students get the best out of what they do.

Bio

James Clark is an expert publishing consultant with more than two decades of experience working for individual authors, literary agents, and publisher clients, including Scholastic, Hay House, HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill Education, and others. He develops the tactics for media projects as well as consults on marketing and publishing strategies for external agencies, most of which are social media.