Do you like collecting? Have you ever collected things like sneakers, dolls, comic books or stamps?
Have you ever thought about collecting coins? (Yes, those little shiny things you get back from cashiers that jingle in your pockets.) Or do you mostly find loose change to be an annoyance?
In “They Love Coins (Just Not Bitcoin),” Julia Rothman and Shaina Feinberg share interviews with four millennial and Gen Z numismatists (coin collectors). Here are a few excerpts from their conversations:
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
Do you consider yourself a collector? If so, of what and why? Would you ever be interested in trying to sell your collection?
If you are a collector, what do you like most about the hobby? Do you love the thrill of hunting down new items or looking at what you’ve already amassed? What tips do you have for other people who might want to start?
If you aren’t, why not? Is there anything you think you might like to collect someday? Do you know anyone with an impressive collection?
Does reading the article make you more interested in coins? Would you ever consider starting a collection, or perhaps buying and selling coins?
Why do you think people like to collect things? What do you think a collection says about the person who keeps it?
Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
3. How did Fariba’s poem find its way to a history class at Canyon Crest Academy, a public high school 8,000 miles away in San Diego? What have the students at Canyon Crest learned from their unique window into life for the Afghan girls? How have the Zoom sessions with the San Diego students affected and inspired the Afghan girls?
4. What risks and dangers do the Afghan students face attending Mawoud, a tutoring center in Kabul?
5. Selena Xiang, a Canyon Crest student, wrote after one of the Zoom calls: “It’s so different from my life, where education is handed to me on a silver platter.” What does reading the article make you think about your own education and learning? Does it make you rethink your ideas about the role of schooling that you wrote about in the warm up activity?
6. What do you think your own school or class could learn from a Zoom with Fariba’s school? What questions would you ask the students? What would you want to tell them about your own life and education?
Going Further
Option 1: Learn more about life in Afghanistan today.
The featured article tells but one story of the challenging life the people of Afghanistan lead under the return of Taliban rule. Listen to, read or watch one of the recent pieces below from The Times’s continuing coverage of contemporary Afghanistan, or browse The Times’s Afghanistan Topics page.
Then, respond to the following prompts in writing or through discussion with a partner or small group: What new things did you learn about Afghanistan? What was most memorable, surprising, provocative or affecting? What personal connections can you make to the subject matter? How does the article, podcast episode or video you chose deepen or challenge your understanding of the situation in Afghanistan? What further questions does it raise?
Option 2: Write a letter — or poem — to the Afghan students at Mawoud.
Respond to the students of the Mawoud tutoring center by writing a letter or another creative or expressive form, like a poem.
In your piece, you might share your thoughts and feelings upon reading the article and learning of the Afghan girls’ story; how the words in Fariba’s poem affected you; questions you still have about life under Taliban rule; or, about your own life and education. What you say is up to you; but, be personal, honest and brave.
It’s that time of the year. Spring is just around the corner (okay for me), and your pets (if you have any) are demanding table scraps and not the stuff you feed them.
This week’s blog covers a few notes from around the industry, some thoughts I have about various e-learning and learning technology, including learning systems and coaching/mentoring platforms. I will dive into the latest around my soon-to-launch newest platform, FindContent.io (it is not yet live, so please do not click), and an update with FindAnLMS.
Sit back and enjoy. Oh, your pet just munched on your favorite shoe. I am telling, you, it is a protest against the food you are feeding them.
FindContent.io
FindContent.io is my newest system (goes live early April 2022). It is two platforms, one amazing system.
A few key items about the system – Reminders if you will
a. FindContent.io is not a place where you can buy courses/content, we do not sell courses/content. Rather FindContent.io is a site where you can check out content/courses from various 3rd party content publishers (located around the world). Some of these courses are 100% full – which means it is the entire course – 100% free for you to take, as often as you want, as many times as you want. And yes, there are “samples” too.
Another option you can do – is to contact the vendor directly within the platform. If you want to see more of their website, you can, right within the platform. No need to open more tabs or have to bounce around – it is all there – in the vendor’s playlist.
You can subscribe to the playlist which means that every time it is updated from the publisher, you will be notified and can check out additional content, information, and so forth. You can save each course/content, information, and so on, as a “favorite”. You can see how many “views” the course/content and information.
You will see “Trending” and a “carousel” of Craig’s Top Picks for that month.
But that’s not all.
FindContent.io offers you the ability to check out more details about each publisher. Use a variety of filters, from categories to content types, from duration to features, even language, and features.
But as they say, that’s not all.
You can share the content, information, within MS Teams, via e-mail, use a QR Code, share one course OR the entire playlist.
If you go to FindContent.io today, you can register, but please be aware that we are still making a few tweaks and that the publishers are not visible – i.e. not public. Over the next month, we will be doing a soft rollout, until the official launch in early April. We are already seeing folks sign up, which is awesome, but again, please be aware that it is “coming soon”.
On the other platform, well, yeah, we are equally close to launching. The same will be officially early April. We are making a few tweaks there too and will be adding new publishers over the next several weeks. I will be publishing the link to the other platform, next week. The publishers that are on it (as of 2-24) are Intellezy, Open Sesame, and Biz Library. GO1 will be on board in the next couple of weeks, along with several other publishers.
FindContent.io will always be 100% Free. This includes the Course Platform and FindContent.io primary site.
Here is a brief (two minutes) of the FindContent Course Platform (a part will be within FindContent.io when we launch). You will be able to access the Course Platform directly – again, we are in tweak mode.
The video does not have narration.
FindContent.io Course Platform
If you are a 3rd party content/course publisher and are interested in joining the “revolution” please contact me today.
FindAnLMS Update
FindAnLMS now has the entire top 10 learning systems for 2022 on the system. FindAnLMS is not just LMSs, but all types of learning systems. Pluralsight for example is now on the platform, the first 100% skills-based platform (focused solely on the technical skills). In the coming weeks, Eduflow and NovoEd will join the platform. My goal is simple – to present the best systems in the world on one search, compare and explore the system, FindAnLMS.
News and Notes
I receive a lot of requests asking about “what posts are coming”, “will you be doing a review on blah blah,” and so forth. Normally, I hold back, but hey it is a new year.
Coming in March
A new Battle – GO1 vs Open Sesame – The two behemoths in the content aggregator space. Should be fun.
Interview with one of the top Private Equity firms that regularly plays in the e-learning space. They have invested in learning systems and e-learning tools. Learn what they look at when considering an investment – i.e. providing capital, and what a vendor who is seeking capital or acquisition, should be doing or will need to do.
For 2022, there will be two “play-in” games. And new locations (except El Paso – they are always in).
The Entrants for 2022 are (in no particular order)
Thought Industries
Fuse
Eurekos
Absorb
Cornerstone LMS
D2L
Valamis
Docebo
Intellum
Rockstar Learning Platform
Skill Jar
Meridian KSI
Learn Upon
Raven 360
CourseStage
Blue Volt
enabley
My Learning Hub
SAP Litmos
Workramp
Latest Takes
Coaching and Mentoring. I always believed there was a difference between the two, and yet what I am finding is very few folks know about this segment, not the terms mind you, but the platforms that are out there. A coaching platform/system is different than a mentoring one. In the next few months, I will be analyzing the entire market and then writing about it on the blog. If you wonder what is the difference between coaching and mentoring, what I heard from Dr. Ravi Gundlapalli, CEO of MentorCloud. He said it is “tapping into the collected wisdom”. And I totally agree. It is all about context.
Just consider this. If someone asked me what it takes to be an analyst, is far different than me “coaching” you as an analyst or identifying the skills you need to be an analyst. Totally context.
I find that to be the right way and is missing as a whole in the learning space.
Speaking of missing the big picture, what I am hearing from vendors on the content publishing side, even on the learning system side, is the need for folks to empower their end-users to learn skills such as empathy. When you look at onboarding, how many L&D, HR even training even offer empathy as a skill that their employees should learn?
I mention empathy, biggest it was the one skill I heard over and over again, these past couple of months, and was even noted in the Executive Leadership Post I did (as a key skill for one CEO).
Speaking of skills, I wrote a few months back, that we are ignoring life skills as part of the skill acquisition. It isn’t just life skills, but skills of interest that have nothing to do with the job role. The best employee is one that is well-rounded. When you hire someone do you always hire the one with the most skills tied to that job role or do you hire the one that is the most well-rounded? Plus, any learner, and people, have the interest to learn a new skill (that is not part of their job).
One tidbit you may have missed in the news is that Florida is working on a bill that will require high school students to learn money management which means – learning how to balance a checkbook, how to save money, etc. It is something to keep an eye on, because frankly, every university, college – higher Ed – should make this mandatory in the General Electives area. And high schools too.
Financial illiteracy is something again, not thought about it, but is widely there. I’m not talking about learning how to pick stocks or crypto data mining here, I’m talking about the basics. Remember getting your first credit card in college? I sure do. And trust me, I wish I learned about credit card minuses, such as interest.
Bottom Line
February to me is always just a blip. For some places it is absolutely freezing, for others it is late summer. For me, it is close to spring.
This spring, I am going to try to learn Arabic.
I have no idea how successful I will be or not, but I’m going to give a whirl.
Music is vocal or instrumental sound (or both) blended in such a way as to achieve beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion, according to the Oxford dictionary.
“Music expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words.”- Robert G. Ingersoll
“Music is an explosive expression of humanity. It is something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” – American musician, Billy Joel
Indeed, music transcends language, is older than culture and tradition, and has an impact on everyone in different ways at different times. There is music for every occasion, from celebration to mourning, to play at the Church, the Mosque, the school, the office, and the clubs, the hospital, and just about everywhere! Music is liked by anyone, from newborn babies to the elderly. It could be Jazz, Reggae, Rock, Pop, Blues, country music, classical, soul music, gospel music, traditional music, or any other genre of music.
The humming of a mother to her wailing infant is music to the baby’s ears, and it has the potential to calm the baby. That is how powerful music is.
Music is as old as humanity, and each culture has its own explanation for how music came to be. From the instruments used to the sounds, rhythm, and melody, music is simply beautiful!
Music connects to our emotions and has an impact on both our brains and bodies, making it extremely powerful!
Several studies have been conducted to determine how music can enhance our mental health. According to one study, listening to music boosts the amount of dopamine produced in the brain, which is a mood-enhancing chemical, making music a feasible depression treatment.
The following are some other health effects that make music so powerful:
Helps recovery from brain injuries and seizures – a study of patients with stroke revealed that those who listened to music recovered faster and had better verbal and memory attention. This study was conducted at the University of Helsinki in Finland. It was also revealed that epileptic patients who listen to music more frequently have fewer seizures. This is due to the fact that stress is a primary cause of seizures in epileptic patients, and music relieves stress.
Music has been shown to stimulate the release of opioids in the brain, which can aid with pain and anxiety. Opioids are the body’s natural pain reliever.
Music can help you relax — Are you stressed out? Get a hold of your favorite songs, listen to them, and experience the effect. This is great for both kids and adults. When music or a song is played for a crying baby who is unable to communicate his or her feelings, the baby will become calm.
Assists learning—the nursery rhyme is a wonderful example for kindergarten students. The majority of children prefer to learn through songs and music. The same is applicable for adults; learning through music is simpler to retain. Listening and singing is usually the most effective method of learning.
Improved Exercise Activities – Have you ever visited a gym? Without music, there can be no workout. Try completing some exercises without music and then compare it to a scenario where music is performed; you’ll notice a significant difference. Slow music and musical pauses, according to researchers, are linked to a lower heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, while faster music is linked to higher levels of these parameters.
Memory – Have you ever heard a song that instantly transports you to a specific moment, event, or period in your life? Perhaps the song was performed at your wedding reception, at your child’s dedication, at your grandfather’s funeral, and so on. Some music has been utilized for many occasions in various cultures, including burial songs, religious songs, etcetera. Some songs are even referred to as “Oldies” because they were popular in the 1970s.
Music has a significant impact on society and society changes which promotes a sense of unity. The national anthem is a great example; no country in the world does not have one. Another example is the school anthem. There are also songs dedicated to births, deaths, and anniversaries.
There are countless additional health benefits to music that are not mentioned in this article. Music is truly magical! It’s no surprise that there has been a lot of talk about incorporating music therapy into the health care system. More research is being conducted to justify the need for music therapy in the health sector.
In what other ways has music helped you, and do you agree with the idea of incorporating music therapy into our healthcare system?
“Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears – it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear. But for many of my neurological patients, music is even more – it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life. For them, music is not a luxury, but a necessity.”
Oliver Sacks, best-selling author and professor of neurology at NYU School Of Medicine
The world is currently a global village thanks to technology and several innovations. Circumstances motivated some of these developments; different challenges led to different discoveries and innovations at different eras. After all, finding solutions to problems and challenges is what technology is all about.
Now, more than ever before, especially with the COVID19 experience, the use of technology and computers have become more rampant within the organization and our personal lives.
More schools are going online, more professionals are working from home, and more businesses are opening online platforms to meet the growing demand for digital services. You can now order anything you desire, from groceries to heavy industrial machinery, from the comfort of your own home, and have it delivered to your location. This is the power of Technology!
Workers no longer need to converge at a physical location to get work done; offices are now online, and meetings can be held from anywhere in the world. By simply clicking on a link, you can participate in a meeting taking place anywhere in the world.
Indeed, the world has become smaller than ever before!
A digital workplace is one in which the office or business space is relocated from a physical location to a cloud-based place. All of the workers’ applications, data, tools, and cooperation are relocated to a secure web interface where they can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, and on any device.
Just like the head and tail of the coin, the digital workplace has its advantages and disadvantages.
The following are some of the benefits of working in a digital environment:
Improves employee communication through blogs, charts, and other means.
Gives employees quick access to several apps required to get work done.
Employees save time by having access to a central platform where they can access all applications, company data, and a variety of other tools all at once.
Assists in the immediate and accurate dissemination of information to employees. With a single click of the send button, information is sent to all parties involved.
Job assignment with deadlines to concerned employees is simple, and progress may be tracked in real-time. Employees are more accountable and responsible as a result of this.
Assists in the display and integration of the company’s values into daily tasks.
Increases revenue for the organization in question. Consider the cost of using an intranet, which is a type of intranet that allows employees to communicate with one another within the organization, to train staff against the expense of using human resources. When compared to the wages paid to trainers to accomplish the same goal, the use of training films to train newly hired employees is definitely reduced.
The disadvantages include the following;
Face-to-face communication offers a significant advantage. Face-to-face interaction promotes better teamwork, and when it is missing, an employee may feel isolated and less enthusiastic.
In the absence of interpersonal communication, an employee’s skill and ability may be negatively impacted, resulting in unproductivity.
Since technology may fail at some time, total dependence on it may represent a problem, and in situations where employees are already used to it, it becomes even more problematic when it fails and there is no personal presence as an alternative.
There will always be a need to upgrade the system as work progresses to stay up with the evolving technology; however, this comes at a significant cost that will influence the company’s profit.
Switching from one platform to another may be necessary at times. If the incorrect digital platform is utilized in this situation, finding the ideal platform to fulfill the business needs and please their clients could be a big task, both in terms of resources and time.
Change to the platform that employees are familiar with would undoubtedly pose a threat to some employees because people react to change in different ways.
Cyber-attack is one big risk of the digital office, which cannot be ruled out. This has the potential to be a major danger to both the business and its stakeholders.
We now understand the benefits and disadvantages of working in a digital environment. If we want to move forward with our businesses, we have no choice but to adopt the digital workplace in the current situation, especially with COVID 19.
In fact, given the COVID 19 situation, digital transformation is advancing at a breakneck pace, and competition is strong.
We live in a digital economy, and the digital workplace is the perfect place for companies to thrive and grow.
Employees are now more empowered in the digital workplace because they are the users; the key is to personalize the technology to match their demands while being flexible enough to accommodate the various levels of understanding.
Employees should be trained on the job on a regular basis to adapt to the effects of any technological changes that occur.
Employees are as crucial as customers in the decision to choose a platform for any organization because there can be no successful digital workplace without them.
There’s busy and then there’s stretched-so-thin-you-can’t-think — neither mindset is ideal, especially when you’re trying to learn a new skill like coding. But this is the reality for lots of people who are balancing learning with other responsibilities like a full-time job, childcare, and a social life.
It’s true that learning to code takes discipline, but fortunately Codecademy provides flexibility to create your own schedule, determine realistic weekly targets, and set aspirational (but totally achievable) goals. The question is, how do you actually make time when you feel like you have none to begin with?
In truth, the best time to learn is whenever you can. For some learners, that might mean adjusting your morning routine to squeeze in a module, while many folks can only learn at night after work ends or once their kids go to bed.
If you need some extra motivation, here are some legit, research-backed tips that will help you optimize your learning schedule and habits so that you retain information and feel empowered to take on what’s next in your learning journey.
Space out your sessions
As anyone who’s attempted to cram for a test can relate, research has shown that spreading out study sessions over a long period of time improves your long-term memory of a subject better than trying to lump all of your study sessions together.
It sounds counterintuitive, but when you give yourself time to forget the material and then revisit it later, it helps solidify new knowledge in your brain. And luckily, there’s no such thing as going too long between sessions: “Most of us space far too little,” psychologist Nate Kornell told the American Psychological Association.
Not sure how to pace yourself productively? We recently launched personalized practice packs for Codecademy Pro learners, which automatically surfaces practice questions based on what you recently learned and when you learned it. It’s an easy way to implement this spacing strategy without having to think about it.
Sleep on it
Research shows that sleep is essential for retaining information and learning. During sleep, your brain sorts through memories and decides what’s important to keep and what can be discarded or forgotten, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Sleep’s memory-building power really comes into play when you’re mastering certain skills, like playing an instrument or speaking a new language. That’s because as you sleep, your brain cements certain information and memories, so these areas are more effective when you wake up. Your performance in any subject or activity that involves pairing, conditioning, and associations tends to improve as you sleep.
So, while there haven’t been any studies that specifically looked at the effect of sleep after coding, consider this an excuse to get some well-needed shut-eye.
Move a little
We get it: You barely have time to work out. But plenty of studies point to the cognitive benefits of exercise, particularly when it comes to memory — and you don’t have to jog several miles or take an indoor cycling class to notice the benefits.
One study found that just 10 minutes of mild physical activity (like yoga or walking) is enough to improve connections in the areas of the brain that handle memory processing. Another showed that two minutes of moderate-to-high-intensity activity boosted learning memory, planning, problem-solving, and concentration in young adults.
Choose the right time of day
Some sleep experts posit that there are specific times of day when your brain is primed to take on information, known as the “acquisition” phase. For most people, the prime time to learn is between 10:00 am to 2:00 p.m. and then again from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Of course, everyone is different and you have to be mindful of your schedule and personal preferences — if you know you experience a 5 p.m. slump, for example, it’s probably not the best time to be productive.
Read out loud
Studies suggest that you can remember information better when you read it out loud versus reading silently or listening to someone else read the text. The reason: When you physically have to say words, it makes them more distinct in your memory (even if you feel weird talking to yourself at your computer).
Stay patient
Ultimately, even with all of these strategies in place, the amount of time it takes someone to learn how to code depends entirely upon their goals. Someone who wants to change careers, for example, would need to log more hours a week than someone who’s just learning for fun. While it’s nice to keep your eye on a long-term goal, there are lots of smaller coding milestones to celebrate along the way, like adding another programming language to your tech stack or completing your first project. And keep in mind, developers never really stop learning how to code — perpetual learning is part of what makes it so rewarding.
Feeling motivated to take on more courses? Check out our full course catalog to find the next skill, programming language, or career path for you.
The word macabre has appeared in 96 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Nov. 12 in “She Wrote About the Family Babysitter” by Alex Hawgood:
Ms. Collins’s first novel, “Nanny Dearest,” a psychological thriller loosely based on an unsettling “babysitter situation that my family had when I was a child,” was highlighted by Vogue as one of “the best books to read this fall.”
… In 2012, as a senior at the Chapin School on the Upper East Side, a macabre short story she wrote about a corpse being mistaken for a mermaid was a runner-up for an Adroit Prize for Prose. “When I go to high-school reunions, I still have people come up to me and say, ‘I remember that story you wrote 10 years ago,’” she said.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word macabre in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.
If you want a better idea of how macabre can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?
Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.
Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
In addition to frigid temperatures and disruptive weather, winter brings opportunities for unique getaways and snowbound escapes. Do you enjoy vacationing during this time of year? What, if any, traveling have you done this winter? Did your plans embrace cold and snowy conditions — or did you flee from them to warmer climates?
Tell us about your ideal winter getaway in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.
Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
So you’ve decided to get back into the swing of things and return to the wonderful world of employment. Regardless of the reason you left all those years ago, be it raising a family, taking time off to find yourself in a tropical paradise, furthering your education, etc., you are still a skilled and sought-after potential employee. You just need to catch up on what happened while you were away and maybe get rid of a little rust. This has led to the rise of the returnship. Let’s have a look at what a returnship is and how Alison can help you develop those personal skills and get back to work better than ever!
What Is A Returnship?
Starting with the obvious, what is a returnship? Doesn’t it rhyme with “internship”? Well, you wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that the two are very similar. Like an internship, where a person is brought into a company to gain on-the-job experience, a returnship follows the same principle. There is one major difference: the returner does not have to start from the bottom. A returnship offers the opportunity to learn what has happened in your industry, how the culture has changed, and the new skills and knowledge that you will need to acquire to progress to a full-time job faster.
Via Giphy
Back To Work And Better Than Ever Before
Starting again can be a daunting task. Thankfully, at Alison, we have many courses and diplomas that can give you the edge when you begin your new journey.
Setting Yourself Up For Success With Soft Skills
A good place to start is by setting goals for yourself. To quote a cliche; “failing to plan is planning to fail.” Have a look at how to set clear, achievable, and realistic goals to help you get ahead of the competition.
You already have the skills you need to get a foot in the door. Next, let’s have a look at working on those soft skills. This course will help you develop and put into action vital speech-related skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, critical thinking, and decision-making.
OK, you’re all set to head on out and go for that returnship. You’ll have to present yourself as the best person for the job. It’s been a while since you’ve needed to, but Alison has just the thing for you. The course on presentation skills teaches you how to understand your audience, choose your delivery, and develop your verbal and non-verbal communication skills to give an excellent presentation and overcome nervousness when getting back to work.
You Got This
Speaking of nervousness, we all get nervous, especially when it comes to the workplace. No one wants it to get the better of them in a potential new position. Let Alison help you overcome workplace stress and anxiety and deal with and manage it effectively and efficiently.
Last but not least, you need to be a consummate professional at all times when going back to work. Prospective employers are always on the lookout for how you present yourself. From your image, to how you communicate relate with your colleagues and upskill yourself, it’s all taken into account. Set yourself up as the go-to person in the office with this course designed to teach you all about workplace professionalism. Head on over to YouTube for avideo introduction to office professionalism.
