What You Need to Know About Working in (and with) Ed Tech

I feel like I've been given a unique gift.

I've worked in the higher ed technology space (what I'll refer to as simply "edtech") for a while now and it has given me an insight that was completely foreign to me before. While my experience may be different and m company unlike others in the space, I feel there are some important considerations that I've garnered. This goes both ways; traditional higher ed folks need to be open to our insights and we in edtech should be welcoming the insights from campus based professionals. There is at worst this stigma against non campus based professionals and at best just a shroud of mystery. I hope I can shine a light on what the work looks like and how we can all best work together.

We Are Your Partners

Something we talk about a lot at my company is how the relationships we have with the universities we work with are true partnerships. We're each putting an investment on the table, and we share in the successes (and failures). It's more than just a transaction. We want to help campuses reach their full potential. When our partners and their students win, we win. There is no point in trying to leverage something where we are the only ones benefitting from the relationship. This is what a edtech partnership should be, if it isn't, you might want to reevaluate things. 

We Have the Same Goals

Furthering my first point, we want to help institutions reach their full potential. We do that by equipping them with the best tools to augment the work they do best. We don't want to replace institutions. We don't think we're better than them. It is a true partnership in that sense. I feel as though there can be this adversarial point of view some people have in higher ed, but again, I think this is tarnished by bad partnerships in the past. We're at a point now that we know how important fostering shared goals are between edtech companies and campuses. 

We Can Learn From Each Other

This is one of my biggest recent takeaways from this latest journey of mine. Not enough of us are aware of or seriously consider higher ed adjacent roles off campus. We can all greatly benefit like I have from this sort of experience but these organizations can benefit as well. We bring something valuable to the table that these companies at times don't know they're missing. They often see themselves as a business first and a higher ed organization second. We can bring in a student focus and developmental theories that can help improve the student experience. I've also learned a lot more about the academic side of the house as well as the business of higher ed (which is a component even if it isn't talked about a lot).

These were just some random thoughts I've been having the past several months that I thought I'd share. We're all on the same team and part of the same ecosystem of higher ed. We should try to work better together to help achieve great student outcomes. You never know, your next career opportunity might be something you didn't even know existed before. 

What College Success Really Looks Like

When you really get down to it, we need to prepare students for success in college before they even set foot on campus. We can do a lot to help them once they're here, but if we work smart beforehand, we can get them off to a strong start.

For example, we need to choose the right environment for students to thrive in and then maximize that time. This could mean homeschooling, charter school, or boarding school. Then, they need to try to take advantage of Advanced Placement (AP) courses to get college credit and also look into summer college programs that will help them to also get credit but more importantly understand what is going to be expected of them once they arrive on campus. Any of these ideas can be cost prohibitive, so try to find the most affordable options or see about scholarships to help defray the cost. Especially with AP courses, the upfront cost of textbooks and exams is still far less than the cost of multiple credits of tuition and a full semester of your time while at college. 

Once they're proper college students, we need to work to give them the highest level of support they need. The common buzz phrase, "meeting students where they're at", is about far more than figuring out if your office should get a Snapchat account. It means adapting your campus and services to the students' needs. This could take the shape of student success coaches, peer mentor guidance, financial assistance, emergency funds, or in the case of Paul Quinn College, dramatically reshape your entire campus life. 

There is never going to be a one size fits all approach to college success and student services. It all depends on the students you have and what they need. These are some generally applicable tips however, and I hope you find them useful.

There are a lot of choices one needs to make when it comes to their own schooling, much less our own children, or students we work with. We can make the most of the time that is given to us to prepare, then do what we must to ensure that all students have equal access to the resources they need to be successful. 

How to Help Prepare Students for Post-Grad Life

Just as students are starting their higher ed journeys, many students are also finishing and graduating (this is happening every semester/term/quarter, not just in the Fall and Spring respectively). And often, we focus far more on orientation, First Year Experiences, admissions, and the early stages than those students who are preparing to move on to their life post college.

As students graduate and settle into their new role as an alum (which will be a far longer relationship), we often struggle to find methods to engage them in meaningful ways. Their first impressions of what it means to have a bond with their alma mater can be hard to undo, since they'll eventually have many more priorities and focuses for their time. 

There is a strategy that I synthesized in my head to solve both of these problems; put on mentoring programs between students approaching graduation and alum of the last five years. It allows young alums to have a positive way to give back that doesn't require money, and also helps soon-to-be graduates feel better prepared for the life that awaits them by learning from peers nearer to their own experience versus older professionals. This tends to be a lot more helpful and in general, it's nice to have someone looking out for us to guide us along our educational journey.

While this isn't a radically new idea, it can have a huge positive impact if done in the right way. Forcing mentoring pairs can be hit or miss in my experience. Relationships need to form organically. As such, we need to put on regular networking events for these groups to come together. Invite alumni speakers to come back to campus. Have alumni panels focused on different industries. Have alumni be ambassadors involved in prospective student recruitment and engaging other alum.

We obviously want our students to feel prepared for success after college, but for the higher ed professional, this can also serve a very important purpose; nurturing the desire for financial support from alumni. It is going to be a hard sell to cold call an alum and essentially beg for money. However, if you have built up some good will with meaningful involvements for these people, they'll be far more likely to give back. This applies to the current alumni, but also these soon to be alumni who are feeling supported with these positive alumni mentors in their life.

Use this as fodder to figure out the best ways to implement this sort of effort at your institution. It's objectively important, so you need to tap into this resource to prepare yourself for the future of higher ed where we will need to be increasingly self sufficient and capitalize on the human capital at our disposal.

Thanks for stopping by!

Student Life: Excel Doesn’t Always Have To Give You A Headache

If you are sick and tired of getting a headache every single time you open up MS Excel and you want to put an end to it then it’s now easier than ever for you to do so. Excel is a love-hate program. Some people are genuine wizards when it comes to using the software and others would rather sit in a corner and cry rather than open up the dreaded formula interface. If you are a student however then there is a high chance that you will need to learn how Excel works and you may even have to use it to complete your studies as well. For that reason, if you want some good reasons to learn Excel then take a look below.

Formulas are Important

Formulas will actually go on to help you in your career. If the word formula is enough to give you a migraine then you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of VBA training classes available for you to choose from. This will help you to get an edge in a huge range of jobs, and it is a great way for you to enhance your already growing career prospects.

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Working Solutions

Formulas are also a great way for you to try and capture a working solution. For example, if you study science and you need to account for a ton of variables then formulas are a great way for you to do this and you can easily calculate almost anything you need in seconds. This can save you a ton of time when it comes to your studies and they are ideal if you have a bad memory because you can save the formulas for whenever you need them next.

Your Vision

Have you ever wanted to explain what you want to do, but you can’t seem to get it done? For example, you may want to work out how you are going to plan your budget for that month or even your expenses. This can be hard when you have a faulty calculator and an A3 pad of lined paper to hand. If you want to solve all of this then Excel can help. The best thing about Excel is that you can set it to automatically update your totals as you go along. When someone deducts something from the total, all you have to do is type it into Excel and the program will then work out the final amount for you in less than a second.

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Because Nobody is Good at Excel

When you are good at Excel, you can really help to increase your productivity and you can even get more value out of the work that you do. Businesses love productivity and it is a great way for you to earn some money on the side. For example, you could build formulas for people or you could even offer a tutoring service when it comes to Excel as well. If you can get good with formulas then this will open up a ton of doors for you, and it is a great way for you to really take advantage of everything that it has to offer.

Excel may not be the most-liked MS program out there, but as a student, it really is essential to your study and even your career.

Everything You Need To Breed Success In Digital Education

Digital education is a fast-growing trend, and whether you are taking a full degree online or just topping up your knowledge in one of your life’s passions, you are in excellent company. Millions of people around the world are educating themselves online, and millions more plan on joining them in the foreseeable future.

So, if you are interested in investigating this learning medium, there has never been a better time than today. Whatever your interests, there are options, and the reality of online learning is that it’s not a question of ‘should you take a course,’ it’s more ‘where do I sign up.’

That said, there are a few things you should understand about educating yourself in the digital realm. And for this reason, I thought I would use today to explore some of the things you ought to be doing to ensure your success. The following ideas and strategies apply to virtually any course you can think of, so it makes no difference if you are doing a degree or taking part in a simple MOOC for fun. There is a reasonable amount to cover, so let’s get into it right away.

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The basics

You don’t need much to start learning online, but there are a few essentials. A computer is one of them, and, of course, you will need a reliable and speedy Internet connection. There’s more information here on why speed is important for everything from watching TV to enjoying the benefits of a fully connected home, but it’s also essential for online learning. You will be downloading a lot of course materials, and possibly need to take part in live video conferencing or lectures, too. It’s imperative that buffering doesn’t ruin your experience, so make sure your broadband connection is as fast as possible.

Get technical

Another critical thing to consider is how comfortable you find using technology. Ultimately, your success will be down to a couple of things: your knowledge of the subject, and your ability to use a broad range of computer software on a daily basis. The chances are that you know how to use email, set up accounts on forums, and use a webcam - as well as how to make the most out of your computer’s word processor. But not everyone finds it easy, and if you count yourself amongst those people, it might just be worth looking into a course in basic technology first. Even if you are well-acquainted with using computer programs and online technology, it might be worth increasing your expertise. At the end of the day, the more you can get out of your tech and the quicker you can use it, the more time you can spend learning.

Setting expectations

Before you even begin your course, don’t assume that online learning is any easier than going to a regular university. It’s not. If you do a reputable institution, you will find that your tutors and course leaders have almost exactly the same expectations of you as they do their traditional students. So, you should also have those same expectations for yourself. Half-hearted attempts at learning anything will almost always result in failure, so be prepared to put a suitable amount of time aside for your studies.

Try before you buy

If you are having doubts about starting an e-learning course, consider trying one of the many free ones out there first. While none of them will give you the scope of, say, an online degree, they will provide you with a deeper insight into whether or not the medium is for you. Not everyone is suited to online learning - some don’t have the time to put aside, while others find they bounce ideas better in a real classroom. So, starting out small is advisable for a variety of reasons, and I would suggest anyone with interest in doing something like a degree checks out a free course first. Not only will it give you a few ideas on how easy or difficult it will be to learn at home, but it will also make sure you don’t blow a lot of money on a course that might not be to your tastes after all.

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Do the research

As we discussed earlier, not every online course is equal. In fact, it’s fair to say that some are downright poor, but will still cost you a small fortune. The good news is that many of these borderline fraudulent online ‘schools’ are being smoked out, and people are cottoning on to the fact they might be ripped off and ending up with a non-certified qualification. It is vital that you do your research to ensure you don’t fall into a similar trap. For example, you could spend a lot of money and two years of your life doing a bunch of exams that aren’t recognized by any of the educational authorities. You should also understand that some of the free courses offered by the top universities won’t give you any qualifications, so if that is what you are looking for you will need to check the terms and conditions of every course you like the look of.

Have motivation

OK, so there are probably billions of people in the world who could look at a list of courses and think ‘I quite fancy that.’ But there is a chasm of difference between something piquing your interest and having the drive and determination to see it through to the end. And let’s be honest, learning in an online environment can be tougher than when you get to go to a classroom. It’s all down to you and your motivation, and you will need to propel yourself forwards to make sure your assignments are complete, and that you set aside enough time in the week to do some proper work. If you are umming and ahhing about taking the course, it’s probably best to wait a while until you have that steely determination in place.

Establish time management

When you are working on your education by yourself, you can be your own worst enemy. A lot of digital learning experts will tell you that the number one issue for e-learners is time management, and the reality is that it can be tricky to fit in dedicated time slots into a busy lifestyle. But the simple truth is that you have no choice. Unless you can establish a stable and regular working pattern - that you stick to for the duration of your course - you’ll find that you start slipping behind. And everything from the forum discussions you have with fellow students to understanding what your tutors are teaching will be a lot more difficult as a result.

Get involved

I covered communication between online learners in a previous blog post, and I’m going to repeat some of the thinking here, too - it’s that important. First of all, let’s clear something up. Online learning has something of a reputation for being a lonely experience, but these days this is not really the case. The truth is that whether you are joining forums with fellow students for discussions, or holding Skype feedback sessions with tutors, the digital education has a lot to offer when it comes to communication, comradery, and problem-solving. However, you do need to put yourself forward and get involved as much as possible. Shrinking violets can often hold back until it’s too late, and by the time they ask questions, the whole class has already moved on. Help is there for you if you need it, but you do need to speak up.

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Create a positive workspace

Most people who do online courses do so from the comfort of their homes. But it’s important to avoid getting too comfortable! The trouble with learning at home is that there are constant distractions, and it’s easy to develop bad habits, whether it’s working on the couch or deciding to play with the kids. So, just like it’s important to establish time frames to work, you also need to develop a good place to work. It needs to be quiet, free from distractions, and also have a good Internet connection. Hopefully, you will have a room that offers all of this in your home, but if not, there is another option. Public libraries are, perhaps, the best alternative, although if your course gives you access to a university or college library, it’s well worth finding a regular desk there. The quiet atmosphere and access to many different resources will prove to be incredibly valuable.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when it comes to educating yourself online. The research begins long before you even choose a course, and the time you put aside for learning and communicating with classmates and tutors is incredibly important. It’s not necessarily a cheap option, either. A quick glance at course fees for studying at Bachelors level in real life and online reveals there isn’t much difference in cost. However, as long as you are motivated, inspired by your subject, and choose the right course from the right provider, learning online can be a fantastic adventure. Good luck!