NO CHALLENGE IS TOO BIG- ONLINE CLASSES

NO CHALLENGE IS TOO BIG- ONLINE CLASSES :The education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing one’s confidence. The pandemic situation has opened new doors to learn, new opportunities to explore and has triggered new normal way of learning with increased use of online learning tools. This mode of education can be stepped towards revolutionizing the education system as never before.
Despite many advancements in technology the blend of technology and education has some challenges to throw light upon and find the best ever possible solution.

“Education is the most powerful weapon on which you can use to change the world.”

NO IN PERSON INTERACTION:

Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. In online event there are minimal physical interaction due to which the students find that they are not able to work up to their potential.
Body language and the eye-contact which are the two important cues for the faculty to understand a student is now difficult in online learnings. The best way to resolve is to proactively interact which in turn helps to understand the expectations of course clearly.

DISTRACTION:
The convenience of online learning can encourage poor study habits. The presence of other people, easy access to other websites for entertainment and the ubiquitous mobile phone can keep the learners highly distracted.
The best possible solution is to find a productive workspace and switching off other gadgets is highly recommended
TIME MANAGEMENT:
The internet-based course demands that learners develop a good personal time management skill. If they don’t find to manage the time properly, they have strong chances to find themselves buried beneath a seeming insurmountable mountain of coursework.
The best way to resolve this is by building and maintaining an effective daily and weekly schedule. Which creates a sense of familiarity and accountability which strongly helps in planning and time management.

CURSE FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED LEARNERS:
The students with disabilities had a concern regarding the availability of study material in appropriate formats. Teachers are apprehensive about teaching effectively without the use of touch to students with learning disorders, autism and low vision. The lack of effective education may further aggregate the high dropout rate of these children from school.
CHEATING PREVENTION DURING ONLINE ASSESSMENT IS COMPLICATED:
Unfortunately, one of the biggest disadvantages of online learning continues to be cheating through various methods. Compared to traditional classes, online student can cheat on assessment in their own environment and while using their personal computer.
Additionally, without proper identity verification system in a place, students taking online assessments might be able to let third party take the assessment.
The best way to resolve this is by anti-cheating measures must be put in place by the institutes which does the automated ID verification and use the machine learning to detect fraudulent test-takers.
IMPACT ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH:
One of the biggest concerns is about the health hazards having their prolonged duration spent in front of screen causing physical and mental health issues such as headaches, eye-strain, stress, anxiety, feeling of isolation, boredom, disturbed sleep patterns and food habits. Also, students develop a bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of screen.
The best way to resolve is to take adequate number of breaks from screen to refresh their mind and body, practice yoga regularly and taking a healthy diet.
UNCERTAINITY ABOUT THE FUTURE:
The sudden switch to e-learning has caused anxiety and raised questions among the learners about their academic future. Also, relying solely in online education may hinder holistic development of children and many may underperform in personal life.

Every challenge is silver lining in a dark cloud as it teaches us to face every new experience with utmost confidence and shapes us to come out with the best solution.

The Inspiring Story of Vice President Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, poured inspiration into our hearts. She is known for so many firsts. Firsly and most greatly, she made history as the first woman and first African-American to hold the post. And also, she is the first Indian American to ever come in that front line which is indeed a proud thing for Indians. She had also served in the U.S. Senate and as Attorney General of California. Harris became the first Indian American in the Senate and the second black woman. She broke all the barriers which curbed her from becoming stimulus.

Ms. Harris was a daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father. Her father, Donald Harris, taught at Stanford University, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher and civil rights activist from Chennai. After her parents divorced, Harris and her sister were primarily raised and inspired by their Hindu mother. Her mother took in black culture and immersed her two daughters – Kamala and her sister in it. Even though Harris lived an African-American life, Indian culture embraced her. She usually visited India beside her mother. While she was Vice president, she committed to support India during the tragic situation of coronavirus.
Growing up, Harris was surrounded by a diverse and challenging community. “My mother understood very well that she was raising two black daughters” she wrote in her autobiography The Truths We Hold. Her adopted homeland saw Harris and her sister Maya as black girls but their mother made sure that they grew up into confident, proud black women.
She spent four years at Howard University, which was one of the most formative experiences of her life. After Howard, she earned her law degree at the University of California, Hastings and she started her career in the Almeda County District Attorney’s Office. In 2010 Vice President Harris was elected as California’s Attorney General and administered the largest state justice department in the United States. She was the first woman and first black person to serve California’s Attorney General. In 2017, Harris was pledged into the United States Senate. In her first speech, she spoke on behalf of the immigrants and refugees who were under attack at that time. She fought for their better protection. She also served in the Judiciary Committee of Senate. As a Senator, Harris supported providing rent relief, improve maternal health care, fight over hunger, reform cash bail and addressed this crisis as a member of the Senate Committee on Environmental and Public works. Ms. Harris has been married to a lawyer, Douglas Emhoff. She is the stepmother of two children, Ella and Cole who is currently her source of endless joy and love.
Vice President Harris is often considered close to Barak Obama, the first black American President, who supported her in her various elections. President-elect Joe Biden had told that he would be honoured to serve with Ms. Harris, who will make history as first woman, first Black woman, first Indian American women, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country. In her victory speech, Ms. Harris said that while she may be the first woman to occupy the vice president’s office, she would not be the last. Her victory reflects that no door is closed to Indian Americans in public. She knows the sovereignty of the American dream. Let us all be proud of her and follow her unique routes and habits to pursue our goals.

Reasons to learn content writing

Content writing is a step wise process of planning, writing and editing. It usually includes content for blogs, articles, speeches, video and podcast script etc. Content writing helps construct a great relationship with the audience and intrigue them in coming back for more. The power of good content should never be underestimated keeping in intellect the sum of difference it can make with just the help of words.

Let’s take a look at some reasons to learn content writing:

>Improves vocabulary

Content writing is one of the good ways to improve vocabulary. It’s not usually about using high level language tending readers to look into the dictionary every minute but using the most appropriate language and words to convey one’s thoughts to the readers in the simplest of the ways.

>Tickles creativity

Content writing covers a range of writing styles from imagination to originality. The purpose is to express thoughts and ideas through literary devices. While learning to create good content, one also learns how to be creative and original at the same time. Content writing gives opportunities to explore various topics and themes with no restrictions giving rise to new ideas paving way to creativity.

>Helps acquire research skills

Learning content writing also includes researching over a wide variety of topics which helps in creating meaningful content. To provide a genuine and verified content one goes through multiple web searches in order to acquire the most accurate information regarding the respective content.

>Exposure to global knowledge

Content writing is also a good way of learning. It tends one to know about the world and its whereabouts. Exposure to vast knowledge of different fields is one of the many benefits of content writing.

>Boosts confidence

Enrolling oneself in content writing boosts confidence. One gets to learn so many new things which automatically lift up self confidence.

>Path to freelance content writing

Freelance writers are always much in demand and enjoy flexibility and independence. Moreover, freelancing can be done part time as well making it easier to juggle with everyday work. Even in this time of pandemic where almost everyone is losing jobs, content writing still finds a place in the market. Otherwise as well, content writing as career is growing at a fast rate.

Education in post-covid era

The subject of online education is contentious in the present scenario when the world is fighting with a disastrous pandemic. Education is always seen as a necessity for everyone as it forms the basis for human capital formation which aids in development process of the nations. India being a country of 1.35 million people with more than 50 percent of population below 25 years of age represents a huge potential for education sector. The disastrous situation currently being faced by the world has made everyone to rethink the modes in which education can be imparted to the students. In the long run the practice of online learning will increase.

From a long time, online learning platforms were always seen with a sense of castigation. Transition from traditional Gurukul system to university education took almost several thousand years. Now the new way of learning through online platforms is on surge due to the present pandemic. Schools and universities are continuously making efforts to mitigate the loss caused to students due to closing of schools during this pandemic. Investment in education market is increasing day by day with online platforms leading this surge.

This new way of learning things virtually has made students techsavy and dynamic. Students can access the videos anywhere anytime as per their preference. At the same time it reduces your travel time and efforts. We can devote our time to something different maybe some skill development course or enhancing our hobbies which seem difficult in times of classroom learning. Experts from different fields can teach students more effectively as they can get connected virtually. It is an economical option as it reduces travelling expenditure and universities can spend that amount somewhere else

Experts have argued on this new method of learning as it is not that effective. Students may not able to get conceptual clarity and it would be difficult for them to clear their doubts. Struggling on the particular subject by themselves would lead to fall in their interest in it. This method would require sheer commitment and dedication from students and their willingness to watch the videos and get in touch with their teachers. This might be beneficial only for those who truly want to learn and enhance their knowledge base. Learning without taking any efforts will make the learners lazy and Indisciplined. Apart from its demerits if we look at this approach it is far more beneficial than it seems. Hence in the ever-changing world where nothing is stable online learning can be the substitute.

Benefits of internship

Having fair a great degree is not sufficient to guarantee one to have a great work as well in today’s world. Extra capabilities and work experience have presently become a fundamental for a successful career. These are considered as essential as qualifications and degrees. Here comes the need of an internship. Internship is a short-term work experience offered by a company, association or organisation to students or recent graduates for a limited period of time, either paid or unpaid. These are in the form of work experience cum training, volunteership or interning at any company etc. It is more of a learning experience than work which benefits interns by providing entry level exposure to particular fields of industry. Interns spend time working on projects, learning field work, developing soft and hard skills and making industry related connections. Moreover, certain internships do tend to full time job opportunities.

Benefits of internship

>Work experience

The very benefit of any internship is the work experience the interns gain out of it. The sort of experience one gains from internship is something that cannot be obtained through classroom instruction. Interns have the opportunity to make practical use of the skills they acquire and deal with real world challenges.

>Character enhancement and development of skills

While working for an organisation, one learns not only technical skills but also develops soft skills and work ethics. One gets to know about strengths and weaknesses. Internships also provide exposure to real life challenges in work which prove beneficial in future while in full time jobs.

>Gaining confidence

Internships allow interns to put to test the skills and knowledge they acquire in a safe environment that help gain confidence.

> Monetary benefit

Many internships are paid in case of which interns get a chance to earn while learning at the same time.

>Full-time job

Many companies use internships as path of recruitment of skilled freshers. It is more of an easy method wherein the recruiters can train, test and analyse the skills of the interns and later hire them on permanent basis if favourable for the company.

The Loneliest Man in History – Michael Collins

Michael Collins is declared to have suffered the heftiest loneliness ever in history. When the famous Apollo 11, descending from Colombia touched down on the lunar surface, on July 20, 1969, colonel Michael Collins remained in the Command Module and orbited several times above the lunar surface. His colleagues Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were lucky enough to make the first lunar landing in history. Michael Collins withstood loneliness in the next 22 hours while Armstrong and Aldrin spent their time on the moon. Collins had also lost contact with his crewmates and with NASA, his line of communication blocked as he flew over the moon’s far side. He suffered complete loneliness at that point. No one in the world might have ever suffered that. “I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life” he wrote in his 1974 memoir, “Carrying the fire”.

Collins was inquisitive in writing. He had a gift for writing about space and his remarkable yet unique experiences. Apart from “Carrying the Fire”, he was an author of ” Liftoff: The Story of America’s Adventure”(1988) and “Mission to Mars”(1990). Collins also admired the wonder and beauty of space. Even though he orbited above the elegant moon, he was mesmerised and fascinated by Mars.

Collins began flying in 1952, and has orbited the Earth 43 times in the Gemini 10 Capsule. It was Michael Collins who operated the most critical mission of Apollo 11. He was responsible for the safety and protection of his colleagues, Armstrong and Aldrin. Collins was the smartest of them all for he knew to fly the Apollo 11 Capsule, alone. Collins went on with orbiting the moon until July 21, when Armstrong and Aldrin joined him. They safely landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24. Collin, Armstrong and Aldrin were awarded the Presidential medal of freedom by Richard Nixon.

While Michael Collins stayed behind, Aldrin and Armstrong made their historic first steps and became the first humans to walk on the moon. Because of which Collins is often called the “Forgotten Astronaut”. While everyone praised Neil Armstrong for making his first step on the lunar surface, Collins was the actual Guardian Angel because of which the historic incident successfully occurred. “He might not have received equal glory as others, but he was an equal partner, reminding our nation about the importance of collaboration in service of great goals. He reminded us of the fragility of our own planet and told us to care for it like the treasure it is” said, President Biden.

After retiring from NASA in 1970, he served in the US State Department. After a year, he became the director of the National Air and Space Museum. Later he stepped down and became the secretary of Smithsonian Institution. Even after that, he proceeded with active beneficial works.

Michael Collins passed away on April 28, 2021at the age of ninety. It is said that he died from cancer in Naples, Florida. Thereupon Collin’s death, NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said “NASA mourns the loss of this accomplished pilot and astronaut, a friend of all who seeks to push the envelope of human potential”. Michael Collins is a remarkable soul to be remembered forever. His spirit will go with us. And the legacy he left behind will be learned.

Future of work

working on laptop

Future of work

As we all are aware with the pandemic COVID-19 which in each sense has changed the lives of people, especially students who are really now more concerned about what to opt after they complete their 12th class, there are several questions which may be arriving in an individual mind all related to having a perfect living for future, there must be many doubts related to what to choose, which branch to opt? and many more. As it becomes crystal clear that quality education is essential for rethinking the future of work. Then How to proceed?

So basically how a student should link the future of work concerning having a better life considering the present scenario. With no doubt, there are many jobs which are gonna get affected, cause every job can not be replaced from physical labor to online mode, as an example which can make this point clear is Social Workers, they need to always go out for the welfare of society and treat people, sitting just at home is not gonna help them do their task. But concerning jobs related to technology, online way to work, and especially Work from home will truly get its feet stronger in the world.

Students don’t just need to be the future – they need to be part of the present.

A student generally lacks this practical knowledge in the school, it is in no doubt shameful that Schools generally focus on gaining more scores than practically implementing it.

There occurred many surveys asking students about what their school taught them, and around 78% of students say that they were taught to score good marks and gain teacher’s appreciation, they say that teachers should encourage in what students are good at.

and when students didn’t get these things in their high school they run after taking dummy from the school and read on their own and they more prefer an online course and Youtube channels present which try to complete all the doubts which they generally can not ask from their teachers.

The future of work will totally change, the student now had to be more concerned about what new skill do they need to work on.

It is time to get that in our minds the less physical labor the better, it is because industries will now more focus on technology and Artificial intelligence, as almost everywhere whether it is about factories, Industries, marketing, delivery, etc, all are more focused on how a Robot can perform these all activities without the need of any human. Amazon too had launched its first home delivery by using AI, so it is obvious that people now require employees who can make machines into existence and function them. Talking about the medical field, making medicines, packing of goods to be transferred, mixing of products, everywhere technology and online mode is making a big space that will continue for years.

Now concerning for the future of the student, what basically he/she should opt for getting a perfect living. there are some which here are enlisted on what you should now more focus on.

Students should more focus on sales and tech jobs. That means one of the best ways to future-proof your career is to strengthen your soft skills.

You can concentrate on social media marketing, you can opt for web development and can earn, Geek learners is a better option as a beginner to start working with involving platforms like Freelancing, which is an online platform where you need to work from home and complete the given task in the given time and can earn a good amount but be aware that amount will be based on the skills you have.

Focus on the skills, there are many platforms you need to master according to your interest be attentive to the programming skills you can gain, data entry and data science is totally most demanding job always required and will be, focus on your typing skills, AI methods, online debates, online marketing, online teaching and lot more.

Twelve jobs have a 99% chance of being automated, according to OXFORD.

JOBS:

Data Entry Keyers
Library Technicians
New Accounts Clerks
Photographic Process Workers & Processing Machine Operators
Tax Preparers
Cargo and Freight Agents
Watch Repairers
Insurance Underwriters
Mathematical Technicians
Hand Sewers
Title Examiners
Abstractors Searchers and Telemarketers.

just you need to focus on your interest and then it is on you what skills are involved according to your interest,

In the end, it is highly recommended

It is really a skill change, as opposed to the removal of the job.

Synthetic Intelligence: Is it the new 7th kingdom?

From watching ‘I am mother’ to binging ‘Is the world going to be invaded by robots in the future?’ at 2am in your bedroom, the human mind has always weighed the possibility of synthetic intelligence taking up human roles in the near future. Even though I may be a tech person, somewhere in the least of my concerns, there is a red light that blinks whenever I come across such content. So is this red light just a jitter or does it scream the doomsday of humankind?

Spoiler alert for the book ‘Origin’!

If you have read the book ‘Origin‘ by the renowned author Dan Brown, then you may have been horrified when you reached the climax. The synthetic intelligence product Winston, much like our present-day Alexa and Google Assistant, but way advanced, plots and kills it’s own creator. Now, the twist here is that Winston did nothing but what it was said to do. Yes! Shocking right?

The only disturbing fact is the lengths it goes to execute that command. Because, unlike humans, they don’t have a way out. They are programmed to carry out a task and do whatever it takes to do it. The factor of unpredictability or ‘escape’ doesn’t exist here. But humans use it all the time. My job stresses me too much? Quit it! I’m unable to concentrate on online classes? Then don’t! Scroll Instagram!

Yin-Yang symbol and synthetic intelligence — *The yin-yang symbol represents order and chaos*

The human mind strives to maintain order. It does not like chaos. So it eliminates negative outcomes/thoughts automatically. If you don’t believe it, then think about the fear that would engulf each person if they consider the fact that the probability they could die right now is 4%. Maybe this is what makes us humans. The ability to accept failure. The ability to ignore problems and take a positive outlook. The ability to expect good from everyone.

Humanity and synthetic intelligence

The chances that synthetic intelligence could be the 7th kingdom is definitely high. Statistics don’t lie. But that doesn’t mean its judgement day for humankind. It took million years of Darwinian evolution to end up to the species that we are now. All the fetish around synthetic/artificial intelligence, Iot and automata was formed within a few decades. For these intelligences to reach human maturity it could take a million more years. Until then, it is safe to say that you needn’t worry about sci-fi documentaries or films that romanticize robot invasion.

I hope I’ve given you enough to think about for the day. Here is a quote to conclude the post, which ironically was the inspiration behind it.

One machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man

-Elbert Hubbard

Mental Health: Best ways to take care of it

Mental Health problems have persisted for a long time. However, in the context of India, mental health problems were only being highlighted, and precautions to take care of them were only started to be given in the contemporary context.

Mental health is defined as the well-being of the state of mind of a person. The sanity of a person is measured in terms of mental health. The more sane and cheerful the person is, the better their mental health is doing. If the person is depressed and has feelings of sorrow, fear, or so on in the presence or absence of such emotion-causing factors, the person is said to be having mental issues.

The prevalent notion is that mental issues lead to insanity. However, this is not always the case. The word “mental” has been vilified by society. Its original meaning was lost and was replaced with the meaning of “insanity.” This notion is being slowly changed by society by the rising number of counselors and therapists.

How does one take care of their mental health?

Mental health is just as important as a person’s physical health. It is directly connected with physical health as well. Any imbalance with one will affect the other. Keeping one’s physical and mental health is the key to a good lifestyle. Here are a few points on how to take care of your mental health.

Know what stresses you out: Knowing what stresses you out is winning half the battle. It may be exams, confrontation, or anything. Knowing what stresses you out will help you recognize those fears or anxiety and handle them better. For example, if you have a fear of examination, the best way to overcome it is to continuously take a lot of mock tests to familiarise yourself with the examination conditions. Similarly, know that each problem has a solution. If you are stressing out, figure out what is causing your stress and strike the problem at its root.
Talk to your friends or family: The best way to overcome and keep your mental health in top condition is to socialize. This may include talking to friends, hanging out with them, or talking to your family members. You can only indulge your secrets to those who are close to you. Hence, talk to your friends if you are facing any mental health issues. If you have depression or anxiety, tell your friends, they will be able to help you out and cheer you up. Know that there will be people out there to help you overcome the challenges.
Exercise: Exercising will release endorphins which make your body feel ecstatic and happy. This not only keeps your physical health in the top condition but will also keep your mental health good as well. It has been found out that exercising has helped a lot of people suffering from depression. People who worry about their physical appearance are more likely to fall into depression. Hence, it is advisable to hit the gym and lift weights to keep both your physical and mental health good.
Seek out things that you like: If you are a person who loves to dive into the fantasy worlds of books, please do so. It will help you out a lot. It will give your mind a much-needed break from reality, and you will feel more refreshed once you are done. You could also watch your favorite movie or TV series, whichever you like more. Doing things that make you happy will increase your mental health. It will be much better if you can seek out things that make you excited and happy. In most of our lives, we seek out things that never make sense in the end. That is why it is important to learn new things that you like and do things you love.
Meet a therapist: If things are really bad and you feel like you are in a constant pit of despair every single moment of your life. It would be best to approach a therapist, who will then guide you and help you out tremendously. Do not fear that you had to resort to this. This is the only best solution to taking care of your mental health.

Mental problems plague most of us. The only thing that defines a person is how they can overcome those problems effectively and bring out a better person from within themselves.

Common grammatical errors in written English

Language has had a solid establishment in our society and been advancing with time. Grammar shapes the basic language structure and helps in maintaining structural composition and readability. Having a language means to have a medium to associate with others in a way to exchange feelings and thoughts in an understandable manner.

Over time, English has ended up becoming one of the most popular languages for communication in the world. Despite that, English is frequently seen as a complex and precarious dialect to a great extent due to its erratic spellings and a parcel of exemptions to its rules of language structure. This tricky to learn grammar makes one prone to grammatical errors more often in written English.

Common Errors in English

>Spelling errors

The most obvious and common mistake in written English is of spellings. It mostly occurs due to: (a) too many rules and exceptions for writing certain words- for e.g. Use of ‘I’ before ‘E’ in case of ‘V’ and vice-versa for ‘C’ is instructed. However, the word ‘SCIENCE’ contradicts the rule (b) homophones- for e.g. rain, reign and rein the pronunciation is the same but written differently.

>Missing or misplaced apostrophe

Apostrophes are used to indicate possession and also used in contracted form of words. If misplaced or missing, it changes the sense of a sentence. For e.g. their (possession) and they’re (contracted form of they are)

>Absence or incorrect use of commas

Commas are the simplest tool to separate the fragment of a sentence. If made in use inappropriately or not used at all, commas can influence clarity of a sentence causing disarray in it.

>Subject verb agreement

It is one of the few errors which occur in written as well as spoken English. To maintain grammatical accuracy it is important to satisfy the verb with respect to subject i.e. if the subject is singular, the verb needs to be plural in form and vice versa. For e.g. birds chirp (plural subject, singular verb) and sun shines (singular subject, plural verb)

>Inappropriate use of tense

We often tend to ignore tense while writing. A sentence has to be accurate with the use of tense to maintain the same sense throughout the sentence.

>Overuse of adverbs

Unnecessary adverbs need to be avoided. Instead of searching for more adverb, one should lookout for a more effective verb or adjective to add more colour to the content.

>Inappropriate use of degree of comparison

Herein, mostly errors are observed in comparative and superlative degree. Use of ‘more’ before the comparative degree of adjective and omitting the use of ‘the’ in superlative degree of adjective while comparison are common mistakes. For e.g.- I am more taller than him.

Forbidden places in the world

Considering the rate of global expansion it is impossible to imagine any place unexplored and far from the reach of humans. However, there do exist certain places around the world which are forbidden from public viewing.

>Poveglia Island, Italy

Considered one of the most haunted islands in the world Poveglia Island is rumoured to have about 50% of its soil consisting of human remains. Located in between Venice and Lido the island was used as a quarantine station for plague infected people from 1793 to 1814. Also, evidences from past have proved that the island was used by Napoleon to store weapons in early 1800s. By the year 1922, until 1968, the buildings there were converted into mental asylum for the ill. It is believed that mentally ill patients were brutally tortured and killed at the hospital. Afterwards the island was used for agricultural purpose.

>North Sentinel Island, India

Located in the Bay of Bengal, North Sentinal Island is apart of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is home to the Sentinelese an indigenous tribe often known as ‘uncontacted’ people. According to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act prohibits people from outside the island to travel here. It is believed the Sentineleses have inherited the island from generations and wish to remain in no contact with the outside world. Out of respect to their voluntary isolation the island is banned for travelling.

>Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Qin emperor of China is situated in Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi province of China. constructed over 38 years, from 246 to 208 BC, and is situated underneath a 76-meter-tall tomb mound shaped like a truncated pyramid. It is preserved in the respect of the late emperor.

>Bhangarh Fort, India

Built in the 16th century, Bhangarh Fort is located in Rajasthan, India. Claimed as one of the most haunted forts in India, trespassing near Bhangarh is legally prohibited between the sunset and sunrise. However, according to government claims, visiting the place after sunset is prohibited due to dense forest cover, the presence of wild animals and no street lighting facilities.

>Ilha da Queimada Grande, Brazil

Also known as Snake Island, Ilha da Queimada Grande is an island off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean. As the name suggests, it is known for its snake population having an average of five snakes per mile. It is home to an endangered snake species, Bothrops insularis, a golden lancehead pit viper. The snakes became trapped on the island when rising sea levels covered up the land that connected it to the mainland. Considering the danger from one of the deadliest serpents in the world the Brazilian government has made it illegal for anyone to visit the island.

INSEAD vs HBS

Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) and Harvard Business School (HBS) are two extremely famous management institutions among students seeking admission in management courses in foreign universities. Both are ranked among the top B-schools across the globe providing various opportunities in the field of management.

Let’s have a brief overview of the two.

INSEAD is a private university having campuses in France, Singapore and Dubai. It offers masters programs, doctoral programs, certificate program and executive education programs such as open programs, online programs etc.

HBS is a branch of Harvard University situated in Boston, Massachusetts. Apart from a two year MBA programs it offers doctoral programs, executive education programs and online certificate courses.

Considering the following points of difference one can decide upon a suitable option:

>Duration of MBA

INSEAD– It offers a 10 months MBA program. Admissions are made in two cycles in the month of January (which comes along a month summer break) and September.

HBS– It offers a full time two-year MBA program.

>GMAT score

INSEAD– Approximately 80% i.e. a score of 670-750 out of 800 is mandatory for admission and has one of the highest admissions acceptance rate.

HBS– 90% i.e. a score of 724 out of 800 is mandatory for admission. Selection process is way too selective compared to other B-schools making the admission acceptance rate low.

>Cost of MBA

INSEAD– The annual fees of a typical MBA program is 106,505 USD.

HBS– The annual charge is around 111,542 to 155,300 USD.

>Geographic diversity

INSEAD– The campuses of INSEAD are present across Europe, Asia, Middle East, and North America which brings in students of diverse backgrounds.

HBS– Since the institute is based in the USA the majority students are Americans.

>Scholarships

INSEAD-Two types of scholarships are provided: (a) Need-based i.e. financial needs and (b) Non need based i.e. based on merit, gender, profession, background

HBS– Need based scholarships, fellowships and student loans are available.

>Internships

INSEAD– Paid summer internships are available with salary around 300-15000 USD.

HBS– Paid internships of around 800 USD are available.

>Campus exchange

INSEAD– INSEAD has a widespread network making campus exchange convenient.

HBS– HBS has its only campus situated in Boston.

>Recruiters

INSEAD– 300+ recruiters

HBS– over 600 recruiters

>Base salary

INSEAD– Average salary offered is 105,900 USD.

HBS– Average salary offered is 150,000 USD.

>Career opportunities

INSEAD– Having global network especially across Europe and Asia INSEAD provides greater opportunities and exposure.

HBS– Job opportunities are more concentrated in the USA which makes it ideal for those seeking settlement in the USA.

The Flaws In Our Education System

Historically, the concept of education involved the sharing of knowledge and values between people. This form of education ensured that valuable knowledge was promulgated within a society, from one society to another, and from generation to generation. It focused on the importance of culture and taught skills needed to positively contribute to society through hands-on learning and observation. Children were given the freedom to explore on their own because this supported their natural ways of learning. Moreover, it bolstered unity as the teachers were always members of the same community that they were teaching. We would not be aware of countless facets of history, such as the Egyptian civilization, the Mesopotamian civilization, and the Hunter-gatherer culture if this form of education did not exist.

So how did it all go wrong?

The popularization of the standardized education system as we know it today, in which children are corralled into classes based on their age and study in institutions known as schools, can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. Nowadays, it is suitably referred to as the “one shoe fits all approach to education” and the “factory model of education”. However, if we consider the prevailing socio-economic conditions of that time, creating a standardized education system was ineluctable and economically beneficial.

Schools were tasked with transforming their attendees from students to efficient workers who would eventually increase the quantity and quality of the labour force. The need to encourage unique skills and individuality did not exist as students would grow up to do monotonous and regulated work. As Alvin Toffler put it “the whole idea of assembling masses of students (raw material) to be processed by teachers (workers) in a centrally located school (factory) was a stroke of industrial genius”. At the time, it was thought that the best way to produce efficient workers was through the teaching of certain subjects that curricula makers deemed “crucial” using the same method and pace for all students. Students were compelled to utilize rote learning and take graded exams that decided their “intelligence” and potential in life.

The egregious problem arises when we notice that schools continue to espouse this myopic view on education even after over a hundred years. A hundred years ago, things like the radio, jet engines, helicopters, credit cards, car seat belts, personal computers, smartphones, and the internet did not exist. In a world that undergoes major transformations constantly, how can we be satisfied with this archaic and pernicious education system in the 21^st century?

In today’s world of modernity, complexity, fastidiousness, globalization, and innovation, the flaws of our education system are more conspicuous than ever. No two students are the same. This monolithic and iniquitous system neglects the fact that students have different skill-sets, they learn at different paces, they come from different backgrounds, and wish to pursue different careers in their lives. Undoubtedly, there are numerous instances in which students benefit from and even thrive in the current education system. There are also countless children that long to go to school but don’t have the opportunities or resources to do so. However, there are too many instances in which students, despite arduous effort, struggle in and are lobotomized by this sclerotic education system. They are made to feel inadequate. They are made to believe that they are “slow” and will always flounder.

Students acquiescently regurgitate vast amounts of information on exams with minimal innovation. These exams, more often than not, test the memorization skills of students, rather than serve as a platform on which they can showcase their understanding of a concept. Students who do well in these exams have the hubristic belief that they are “winners” because society says so and those who don’t do well are humiliated and considered “losers” by society. While it is understood that learning requires the amassing and retention of information, any information that is not understood becomes an undigested burden. The misconception that good grades are the only path to success causes unnecessary pressure on students.

The strictures imposed by this education system curtails creativity and originality. Concurrently, it encourages conformity, rigidity, and conventionality. It assiduously ignores essential modern-day lessons, such as financial literacy, life skills, mental health, critical thinking, empathy, compassion, collaboration, and countless others. This results in students feeling disconcerted when they face the precarious reality of after-school life. It provides students with a series of conclusions, rather than a way of thinking.

To truly change this standardized educational system, we have to abandon the ostensible idea that it is still a product of logical necessity or scientific insight. The hunter-gatherers adapted their education system to their needs. The education system was modified to cater to the needs of the industrial revolution. Likewise, our education system must change too so that students can truly be prepared for the future. This will certainly alleviate any antipathy held by students towards education and will make education and learning synonymous again.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Albert Einstein

Effective speech 101

The first step is to overcome the fear of public speaking. Effective speaking is not an inbuilt talent. You can develop it through correct practices just as we learn other things in life.

You can do this through:

Deep breathing: Before and after your speech
Shifting your focus from how you look and feel to the message you want to share with your audience. Do not imitate others, just be yourself.
Visualizing: Take 10-15 minutes a day to relax, close your eyes and visualize the room you are speaking in, the audience and yourself confidently delivering your speech, smiling and moving across the stage.
Focus on facts, not fears: Instead of focusing on your irrational fears- mind going blank or audience getting bored- focus on the thoughts like ‘I have the sketch, I know the bullet points or I am knowledgeable on this topic.’ Rehearse it with your friends or family.
Focus on speech clarity: Organize the speech around two or more important points rather than including all the information from everywhere.
Never memorize it word to word. Just remember the facts and major points and you will come around. Make brief notes of interesting things or which you don’t want to miss.
Be excited about your subject, include experiences and provide examples. They do wonders!

After overcoming the fear of speaking, begin with all the important points for effective speaking.

Story telling

Audience can forget data and statistics, but they will never forget a delightful story. Use stories from real-life events, something funny to share from your past incidences or challenges, struggle and success stories, etc.

Your stories should be:

Relevant to the subject
Short and simple
At proper intervals
Relatable

You should:

Express emotions through body language.
Use adjectives and verbs to make the stories more interesting.

You should not:

Use more than two stories on the same topic.
Fill it with too many minute details or characters which distract the audience from the primary concern.
Not use uncommon jargons.

2. Body language: It is our way of communicating through our body movements and gestures to express our emotions, expressions, and actions. We should also read the body language of our audience.

For a positive body language:

Posture: Feel comfortable and stay upright. No slouching shoulders or bent posture. Do not lean or grip the lectern. If you are sitting, do not lean, bent or move your legs very much.
Body placement: Move as you speak. Use the space, be with the audience and not behind the lectern or just positioned in one place. This cannot apply if you are sitting in a studio where you need to be seated.
Arms: Do not use hand gestures which reveal anxiety. Example: Clutching your hands, fiddling with your clothing, cracking fingers, etc.
Facial expressions: Smile at your listeners as you talk. It is very effective when you gain their admiration.

3. Tone of voice: The study related to the vocal part of the non- verbal communication is called paralinguistic. And paralanguage refers to the non- verbal elements of communication. These are:

Speech Pace: It is the speed at which we speak. Practice for 150 words per minute. It is the ideal limit. Steady your breathing, focus on enunciation, reflect about punctuation in your speech.

Speech Pitch: It is the placement of your voice on a musical scale from high to low. Usually men have lower pitch than woman. Varying your voice pitch differentiates different emotions and points. It is the easiest way to avoid monotony, add excitement, make certain words and ideas stand out, appear relaxed and confident to the listeners. Identify the exact words and phrases that you want to emphasize. Example: Use higher pitch for excitement and lower pitch for seriousness or to add weight to the message.

Speech Volume: It is the loudness of your voice. It depends on the space of speaking and the size of the audience. It should not look as if you are shouting when you are not. There should not be a difficulty in listening to you. Reach everyone in the distance too. You can change your loudness for creating dramatic effects or expressing powerful emotions.

4. Pauses: Pauses are much needed. There is no need to fill silence with umm, ahm, like, you know or and. There are 3 types of to use in different ways:

Brief pause: Last for half a second to 2 seconds. Use it for separating a thought, emphasizing last words, or building anticipation for what is coming.

Long pause: Can last anywhere from 3 seconds to a couple of minutes. Used for creating tension.

Spontaneity pause: Speakers are to use it when they are searching for the right word or pretending to reflect on something.You can also plan and plot these pauses. They ultimately make your the speech look more real, polished and less rehearsed.

5. Visual aids: These include flip charts, projectors, slide shows, handouts, and certain props.

Adding a visual dimension can make a speech look more vivid, graphic, and professional looking.
Multiplies understanding
Helps to maintain attention
Adds humour or creates excitement
Organizes complex information

Encourages gesture and movement to connect more with your audience. With good practice and knowledge of your subject, you can easily become an effective speaker.

BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING

What is Digital Marketing?

Computers and the internet have made it easy for us to do many things simultaneously. It has revolutionized our thought process. With the Covid-19 pandemic the entire world has adapted to the situation by working from home. The use of the term ‘Digital Marketing’ has increased during this time frame. It is used to promote small businesses as well as large scale businesses. We make use of it from the time we use our phones to surf social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, etc to making deals and strategies for our company or brand. Digital devices, platforms, media, data generated and technology are the foundations of digital marketing.

Milllenials are considered as ‘digital pioneers’ of technology and social media. It is the generation to be born into a world which is at its peak technological innovation. It has seen the rise of many Influencers and social media pioneers who make content and earn through brand collaborations. For a brand, an online presence has never been as important as today. Online brands like Amazon, Google, Zomato, Myntra they’re all based on keeping their online audiences engaged. As Albert Einstein said “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” there is an opportunity for us to seize even in a pandemic. Marketing yourself is the best strategy to follow in this digital era.

Types of Digital Marketing –

With digital marketing platform, you can gain a better understanding of what type of content resonates with the customers. This allows marketers to understand the demand of the consumers. It is entirely dependent on the engagement rate of the audience.

Digital Marketing can be branched into Search Engine Optimization or SEO Marketing, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing or SMM, Influencer and Affiliate Marketing, Pay- per-click or PPC Marketing. When the customer is looking for something to buy they will probably click on one of the first results that show up on Google. Hence SEO Marketing comes into the picture. It consists of learning strategies on how to rank your own website on Google using appropriate keywords. It is more credible form of marketing. Email marketing allows organizations to stay connected with customers and clients via newsletters and connecting employees within a company to interact formally. Social Media Marketing involves Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter for promoting brands, businesses or their skills using visual effects. It depends upon the impressions, comments, conversions, clicks, etc. Influencer Marketing requires you to choose up a specialty and create a platform and gain followers. The followers trust the influencers, which makes them likely to buy a product recommended by them. Affiliate Marketing is to promote other brands and earn a certain percentage through it. Pay-per-click or also known as PPC is one of the most common types of digital marketing. It charges you for the number of clicks that you get on your advertisement. PPC comes under search engine marketing and content or social media marketing.

Digital Marketing is cheap, measureable and has high returns. Various resources online provide insight into what digital marketing is. There are many students studying in universities who decide to take up Digital Marketing as their major and make a career in this field. The knowledge and skills are just as important as it is to keep ourselves updated with the ever changing technology.

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Future of work

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Spoiler alert for the book ‘Origin’!

Humanity and synthetic intelligence

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