In early March, shortly before his 100th birthday, Mr. Wenzel agreed to an interview, conducted in his living room. Beside him were his medals, the first time he’d seen them in decades — a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal, a Silver Star, his two Purple Hearts. His vision and hearing diminished, he spoke with effort about staying quiet for so long.
… He chuckled. He said he hoped stories like his would keep the war from being forgotten.
“I’m afraid people are going to take it lightly — it shouldn’t be taken lightly,” he said. “They’ve got their own wars, and World War II is getting to be smaller and smaller.”
The bravado he had once shown in his writing — “too much fun to go home” — long ago fled him. The medals, for years hidden away, have filled that space. “I found I needed to look at them,” Mr. Wenzel said. The nightmares have stopped.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word bravado 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 bravado 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.
In early March, shortly before his 100th birthday, Mr. Wenzel agreed to an interview, conducted in his living room. Beside him were his medals, the first time he’d seen them in decades — a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal, a Silver Star, his two Purple Hearts. His vision and hearing diminished, he spoke with effort about staying quiet for so long.
… He chuckled. He said he hoped stories like his would keep the war from being forgotten.
“I’m afraid people are going to take it lightly — it shouldn’t be taken lightly,” he said. “They’ve got their own wars, and World War II is getting to be smaller and smaller.”
The bravado he had once shown in his writing — “too much fun to go home” — long ago fled him. The medals, for years hidden away, have filled that space. “I found I needed to look at them,” Mr. Wenzel said. The nightmares have stopped.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word bravado 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 bravado 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.
Let’s face it – RFI/RFP documents sent over to learning system vendors are massive tomes that confuse, challenge and even baffle some vendors. They can be 25 pages. 50 pages, even 100 pages or more. They go way beyond what is needed OR not enough needed. Some companies have every department give their two cents and then you get bloated materials – because no one checks to see if there are redundancies, and oh, yeah, none of those departments oversee L&D or Training or whatever department – let’s say Marketing or HR. Thus, when folks start to gripe about how much they hate or dislike or lack of usage, enjoy – because they are coming to you; and not those departments who gave their two cents.
Then you have RFP/RFIs that lack substance. The Use Case is ambiguous or a convoluted mess that only the person creating it can figure out. Some have terminology that isn’t clear, jargon that means nothing to the vendor, and the assumption that whoever is completing the RFP on the vendor side even knows the industry (L&D or Training, for example). Maybe it is your salesperson. Maybe it is the product. Maybe it is a combo (which is what you want), or maybe it is some intern who just got shoved the 500-page questions for them to respond to. From a vendor side, a good way to go about it is the infamous cut-and-paste angle – because they see the questions so often – they keep a list, and bam – cut-and-paste. You’re welcome!
The fact of the matter is nobody loves creating RFP/RFIs. They are time-consuming. They open up a lot of unknowns – because if you do not know, it isn’t in the RFP. Too many hands can get involved, which slogs the process, and since they don’t know what is “in” or “out” or what to seek out, they regurgitate the usual inquiries. Up next, IT is getting involved (Boo! Hiss!). They are all over the map; some of them think this is an ERP or HCM, and thus can’t understand why they can’t get access to certain things OR why their requests for specific information aren’t clear cut. Oh, here comes Compliance. Yeah, they are focused on essentials, again, forgetting this is a learning system and is for learning. Hold on! In the end, you need some Tylenol and a stiff drink. Then you send it. Wait for the responses, which usually include the vendor following up with questions that could have been resolved if you sent the correct document with the right approach (although I swear some call anyway even though it is clear what you are seeking, and yet they still can’t figure it out).
Fear not, though. My newest learning system template is now available, and it packs a wallop. Okay, one version does. The other is more streamlined. Thus, two options – Go full throttle (the one I always use – for my award considerations, or assess a vendor – analysis-wise) or streamline! It’s like selecting between high caffeine or decaf. I recommend you use this version – whichever you choose – because even in the Robust I removed some areas, cleaned up areas, and added new stuff, sections, and features.
Both contain key essentials, but streamlining most functionality out – well, it is the minimums. I added a couple of new areas, plus additional information to provide when you send the RFP. I always recommend adding anything else you want OR removing items you don’t want – for example – remove e-commerce, but keep the rest. I never recommend removing something you never heard of. There is a reason to use the template – it includes the stuff you may never have heard of.
I added a “Craig’s Comments” column, too – which you should remove before you send the template – so make a copy! These comments are for you, not the vendor.
I’d keep some parts (below in the breakdown of the tabs – I state which ones to remove) of Craig’s Resources because there will be vendors with zero clue about a few areas. Thus, the premise they will surf the net to find this information is about as strong as me going out into the desert land surrounding my home, and playing putt-putt with the rocks. And lizards as my co-players.
The Details and Features – That are NEW, plus a couple of areas to just say “yes”
I’m going to start at the beginning of the template – remember this is RFP/RFI here. So this is the second tab. The first is just the logo of the template – so anybody receiving it knows it is a RFP template. You can delete this tab. You wont’ hurt my feelings.
Tab Two – Your Information
Break it Down
Most are pretty self-explanatory – but the header says “Customer Completes” – that means you, not the vendor.
NEW Stuff
What department(s) will oversee the learning system? Maybe it is just L&D or Training or HR. But it could be marketing for external (not a good idea, but hey, it happens), L&D internal. OR maybe it is sales, the call centers, or IT (hopefully just for themselves – I kid, I kid). By providing this information, the vendor knows – no ambiguity here.
Will the Learning System be available to everyone OR rolled out to certain departments/divisions etc.? – I like this question because it is pretty common to do say a rollout for the call centers, and then it goes to another department – maybe external. OR you are going customer training – but what to limit the scope to specific product lines. I say this is common because you will see vendors list these big names on their marketing “who are our clients.” Failing to note it is in one or a few areas and not the entire company. Which is why I always ask.
How many learners do you anticipate accessing the learning system in the first year? Again, if you have 5,000 learners but only believe 1,000 will access (based on your knowledge or some other data point), then note the 1,000 but add some cushion, say 250 or 500. If you are rolling this out, to specific departments, use those numbers of employees. For customer training – it can be all over the map, but always go conservative to start (if you are truly starting). If you know – mention it. Vendors base their pricing on the learner numbers. Plus, they always want the numbers. BTW – never give them your budget. NEVER, EVER, EVER.
Tab three – Use Case
Write this out in a document and include it. There are two ways to do the use case – the most common way (oh, and be very clear, no ambiguity) Or the newest way – which I wrote about – HERE.
I think the new way is the way to do it – from now on. But, hey – you choose!
Tab four – Terminology
This is for you and the vendor. Trust me; a lot are not familiar with certain terms.
Tab five – Craig’s Resources
As mentioned in the resources area:
“If you plan to send this template to the vendor as the RFP, I strongly recommend removing the items around the salesperson question, demo, and pricing. This is the inside info for you. Many people who end up regretting the system they bought, tend to make the mistake (without realizing it) when they view a demo, support questions (which are listed in this template), and the salesperson questions.”
Tab Six – The Functionality
The first behemoth area. I have had folks ask me whether a vendor will complete this entire section. The answer is yes – if they want to try to land your business. When you send the template out – regardless of the edition; always tell them to complete the column “vendor details” for each feature they say yes to. You want to know more here. When vendors leave it blank – I think lazy.
Features – Here is where the features for each “area” is listed.
Your Response – This is where you get to select of of the following – Yes, No, Unsure – This is achieved by clicking the cell next to each feature
Your Details – If you as the “client,” which means prospects – which is YOU – here you can add comments – most you won’t, but for, say, integrations, you likely will if it is something unusual or multiple items. You can also leave it all blank.
Vendor Responses – This is where the vendor selects one of the following choices (by clicking on the cell). Yes – it means they have it TODAY. No – means no. Roadmap23 – this means they plan to roll it out by the end of 2023. Roadmap24- means they are projecting to rollout it out by the end of 2024. Always be aware that some vendors will say yes to Roadmap23, then it goes into 2024 or later before it happens. This is why I always ask – what percentage of their roadmap did they deliver in 2022?
Vendor Comments/Details – Seems pretty obvious, and yet, over and over again, I see vendors ignore it. Seriously. If you are a vendor, complete as much as you can. Remember, somebody, is deciding on scheduling a demo (if they went RFP first) or deciding if you make it to the next round OR are the vendor to go with – based on those comments.
Craig’s Comments – I left a variety of comments or insights if you will, on various features in the template. These are some key takeaways to be aware of.
Break it Down
This is where I focus on the new areas added to the template – or a few new items in a section OR in the case of the Learning Environment – say yes to 98% of it because you want it. All. – Uh, my recommendation. The 2%, though – well, some vendors have it, some don’t – so those are the wildcards. And thus, you can say nay if you do not want it. Remember, when you are buying a learning system, do not think now for what you need – think three years down the road. Thus, the vendor may not have those new items today, but that is what that roadmap is for.
The Wild Cards
These are the ones where you can go yes or no, and recognize that not every vendor offers it. If they should – I will note it below.
Catalog Search by skill or interest – If they offer, it is by skill. Not a dealbreaker IMO, just nice to have. This is the catalog, BTW, not the search in general.
Catalog Search by category/topic – A vendor should have this for their catalog – especially if they offer 3rd party content. That said, expect plenty who don’t.
Search Bar – Search by content, topics, skills, whatever – by typing in the entire word. If a vendor has a search function in their system – it is usually very visible – this is the standard way to go. i.e. they can do this. If they lack a search option, that should be a minus.
Search Bar by metadata – where you start with a letter, then another, and bam – a bunch of textual items pop up. I love this feature approach, but it’s not universal.
Content Creator – NEW TERM in the INDUSTRY – WARNING! WARNING!
The days of a vendor calling their content whatever tool, “built-in authoring tool,” or “authoring tool” are being phased out. The new term is “content creator.” The angle – Learner can create content, which is somewhat misleading – because from that perspective, I slide that under content curation (for now), because the Learner can only upload their video, materials, and recordings from mobile, add links and that approach. What they are not doing is getting access to the content creator tool that the admin or whoever is in charge of creating content. Now some vendors allow SMEs to gain access to create content, but again, that is on the back end OR limited access on the front end. I would never let an SME create content. Bad idea! Anyway, I recently saw a vendor, where the learner actually does see the content creator tool on the learner side and thus can create courses/other types of content and publish it to all learners or learners in a specific community, group, and, yes, cohort. That, to me, is the big win. Therefore, today, the Learner can see the content creator tool – the same the admin sees is very rare – I think that will change by the end of 2024.
Generative AI is gaining interest among vendors as it relates to creating content (i.e., courses, etc.). You type in what you want, “leadership,” or “Create a course for blue-collar workers on XAT.” The system then outputs the course itself. Some include a TOC; others break out by chapters. The time to do so can be short or several minutes. Text-based is really how it works here. One I saw, enabled you to add video and had this “Virtual Avatar” and a background, that could be added to the course. I was underwhelmed. Now, do I think fully text-based courses/content is effective learning? NO. You need engagement and interaction here. That said, I see a lot of static (the term for text-based) courses – which add an image or a question or drag and drop and call it, engaging. Sorry, it’s boring. Anyway, for those who do that, or just push out text content and call it a course, this Gen-AI rapid build of courses/content, based on what is noted above, will be amazing.
The content creator tools/or creation tool uses a What You See is What You Get angle – so you want that. I didn’t include the ability to upload a PowerPoint and convert it to a course (see ya Studio), but some can do that. Ditto on the lesson’s angle, adding learning objects, etc. The standard fare here.
If you have an ID background, you will be underwhelmed here. I did see one content creator tool, where you can add a SCORM object – i.e., a SCORM course to it. Still, the content creator tools are not designed for folks with high-tier ID skill sets. Rather, it is for anyone, who doesn’t have those skill sets or needs to publish content quickly.
AI – The Double Angle
AI – Machine Learning, AI- Generative AI
This is where I think a lot of folks are going to get confused, because how vendors are pitching AI. You are really forced to ask them what type of AI. I dealt with this the other day with a vendor. They kept saying AI, and when I asked if it was machine or Generative, they said machine. Okay, fine. Then after that, they kept saying AI. If they say that to me, you can be their salespeople are likely just saying AI (and may not know the difference). Then, as the potential buyer, you will get confused, and many will automatically think Generative AI (although I think they will think ChatGPT, which is just one LLM model, and not even that good).
Hence the two options under AI. Don’t be surprised if a vendor is using both. Why? Token fees! Pricey to the vendor, so how do I as a vendor resolve that? Some parts are Gen-AI, and other items are machine learning.
The future, and what you hear all the time, when someone says AI (nowadays) is Generative AI. I’ve written about Gen-AI – recommend the READ. I placed in that the system only uses ChatGPT – because that is what many folks are unaware of.
The LLMs listed on the Template
GPT Model (popular with learning system vendors) – They are going ChatGPT or GPT-4 here. The latter is better, but pricey (for the vendor). GPT is from OpenAI.
ChatGPT – Very popular. This is pure text-based. The way I see it being used – is along the lines of Answer Engine. Whereas you ask a question, and it gives you an answer. You can do this answer engine with GPT models, Azure, and other LLMs.
Azure OpenAI – From Microsoft. I’ve seen only a couple of vendors use this.
Uses a different LLM – This is where it goes if they use an LLM for their Gen-AI. I haven’t seen any vendor yet, going this route. PaLM 2 is out there. LLaMA (from Meta) is out there; however, from a vendor perspective, there is no usage. I think Gemini from Google has potential- it hasn’t been released yet. Anyway, from your perspective, I would say yes to the GPT Model, ChatGPT (maybe), Azure (maybe), and Other LLMs (maybe). Once more vendors go beyond OpenAI, then that will change. If a vendor is on Azure, then it should be a no-brainer that they use Azure OpenAI.
I didn’t list Answer Engine, because this can be confusing enough. Thus, if a vendor does a Q/A angle – hence the answer engine, it will be via one of the LLMs – and then they provide that in their details/comments area.
System Scrubs the System (the Learning System)
For scrubbing the system it works this way (and I believe it will become trendy by the end of 2024) – right now extremely limited – i.e., who offers it.
Client uploads their materials – PDFs, Word docs, whatever into the learning system – it is only the Client’s materials
End user types in a word or phrase, and the Gen-AI goes right to that word or phrase in the text. It could also be a video too. – This might appear via the Answer Engine too – i.e. it goes to the area.
You can even have your materials sitting on external such as SharePoint for example and it connects. Right now, though it is uploaded.
System Scrubs the Internet and pulls down free content – materials, etc. based on what you asked or sought.
This is where it can get dangerous, even with guardrails in place. It is searching the net and pulling down content from wherever OR in, say an answer engine; the responses come from various Internet sources.
Expect to see a higher probability of hallucinations. You know what I am talking about if you have used Bing or Google Bard. If you have used ChatGPT, you know what I am referring to. Basically, a hallucination is fake or false information. The Gen-AI makes up stuff.
The reality is that many people think that whatever is outputted by Gen-AI is 100% true – all the time. That it is infallible. It is not. There are already a lot of cases validating this. Hence the need for human validation. Or Human touch.
If a vendor tells you that they have no hallucinations – they are lying. My gut tells me that plenty of salespeople will never mention the whole hallucination or bias issue – both of which exist. The bias comes from the source materials – that the LLM is trained on- and is a growing concern in the AI community. I recommend this read or this one or one more around hiring bias.
System creates a learning journey or pathway
I’ve seen this with a few systems, Filtered for one does this. So you enter a word or specific statement, and the system outputs your learning path for you. The downside is at this time, the content you want added or assigned to each path (topic, area) you must add it yourself (Filtered, for example, is this approach).
AI Coach
Really rare. Has lots of potential. So far, the best one I have seen comes via a learning technology solution called Bongo Learn.
Regarding Generative AI, be aware that it is at a very infant stage in the industry. I would expect more Roadmap24 responses than say, “yes, we have it.” Remember, though, you are seeking a system for the future. Thus, seek this out.
What you want to say YES to
Everything in the Administration section. The dashboard is nice to have – I am a huge fan – but it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for you if a vendor doesn’t have it. The other stuff? You want it.
Manager area – If you are buying this for your employees, say yes.
Instructor area – Yes, for nearly all. The only exception is “Instructor can scan badge codes/or codes (QR) of individuals entering the class (for verification purposes) (Mobile).” It is a nice to have but not common in the industry. Odd, especially for on-site.
Mobile – You want a native app and on/off synch. Trust me on this. And you want it in both stores – Google and iOS. Never assume they exist in each. Some vendors will white-label the mobile app for you (thus, instead of their name in the app store, it is your name. This is usually an additional fee. I’m a fan of doing this because who really wants to see the vendor name for the app. If I am doing customer training? I want mine. Internal? Why not?
Assessment Tool – Could be called Qiz/Assessment – The timed option, again, is a nice to have if you want it, I am not a fan of it, but some folks are and want it. So nearly yes to all.
Multi-Tenant/Portal – If you are doing customer training/distributor training/partner training/B2B – you want to say yes to all. If you are doing internal, but seek a multi-tenant – say yes to all. If you are an association who has different chapters and they want their own look and access, say yes to all.
Certificates – Excluding the LinkedIn one, yes to all. Not every vendor will have them, but at least you get a general idea.
Classroom management – If you plan to have on-site training
Event Management – This is for webinars/seminars – Excluding cells 144 and 145, ideally you want the other items. I am a huge fan of waitlist- auto, which means if you drop out, and someone is next in line, they get in, and the system notifies them. Time saver! I also like the connection to the person’s email account – i.e. calendar, when they sign up for a seminar/webinar in the system.
The Other Tabs
If you are seeking cohort-based learning – then there is a tab for you. If not, remove the tab.
Skills tab exists. I made a few updates and changes.
Gen-AI Questions – You want the vendor to respond if they have Gen-AI. If they have Gen-AI and leave this tab blank, select someone else. Again, if they say their LLM will not generate hallucinations – they are either lying or have no idea what a hallucination is, and thus, don’t pick them. I started out with some very basic questions. Over time, I will expand.
The other tabs are pretty self-explanatory.
Bottom Line
I modified the UI/UX slightly, because everybody says they have a Modern UI, even if they don’t. Nobody is going to say – “Our UI is from 2000.” Albeit, I have seen some systems, where I seriously believe it is from 2000 or 1996.
If I am a vendor, I would download this template, and start completing in the fields and especially the responses ahead of time. Then when one comes there way, all set to go. I’d include the head of product, and someone technical to review the tech or Gen-AI questions (if the vendor has it). Then I would double-check.
If I am looking for a system or considering a switch, the template will make a major difference, because the legwork has been done for you. Along with some guides too to provide additional insight. And best of all, you can trust what you see, and recognize what is coming soon – okay 2024. Always remember – don’t look at just what you need now – look at what you might want three years from now.
Because when you sign a contract, you can’t decide a year later to bolt – well you can, but there are no refunds. And thus, you are stuck.
Nowadays, almost all websites offer you an option to sign up with your e-mail address to be up to date with all the news and promotions. Once you sign up, your e-mail is added to a mailing list of the company of your choice, and in return, you are usually first to know about all information related to that company. It’s great for both sides because you get the info you may be looking for straight to your inbox, and the company has a list of potential customers which they can reach whenever they need.
Because of that, having a mailing list is a great way of growing your business, no matter if you are just a small blog or a huge business. If you don’t have one or have just started and feel lost, in this post, I will teach you the very basics and explain all the main things you need to know.
Create a Mailing List
(Skip if you already have one)
There are lots of companies that offer this feature. I have been using Mailchimp for about 6 years. However, I recently switched to Flodesk, and it was one of the best business decisions I had. To learn more and create your own mailing list, visit our previous post:
Once you have a mailing list account created, here are all the things you need to know to start using it.
Let people subscribe
Your new list is empty, so you need to collect your visitor’s e-mails to fill it up.
To do so, you will need opt-in forms. Those usually have fields for name and e-mail and can be placed anywhere on your website (homepage, sidebar, inside a post). To add an opt-in form, you will need to grab its code from your newsletter provider page (for example, Flodesk) or use a plugin to integrate your provider with WordPress.
example of opt-in form from one of our designs
One form code can be placed in more than one spot, but it will still save all the collected e-mails into one huge list.
Some designs already include styled opt-in forms so if you are looking for a design for your site, browse our WordPress premade themes. They not only have styled opt-in boxes for Mailchimp and Flodesk (we can adjust them for other providers too!), but we also set them up for you free of charge!
Start sending e-mails
Ok, you got some people signed via forms, and your mailing list is filling up, what’s next?
There are two types of e-mails that are essential for you at the very beginning:
#1 Normal e-mail
It is as simple as it sounds. Those are just normal e-mails that you send to all subscribers at once via your subscription provider site (like Flodesk) You manually send them to your subscribers – they can include anything you want, from updates to promotions.
#2 Automation
Those are e-mails that are automatically sent to your subscribers. The most popular will be the ‘Welcome’ e-mail sent to all new subscribers, including the most important information about your company.
The second popular choice is e-mails sent every time you post something on your blog. Both options are not the default setting of your subscription and need to be set up on your subscription provider site. Not all subscription providers allow for automation, so you need to check if you have such an option available first!
Important: Automation needs to be set up for each subscriber list separately!
You do not need to pick wich option you prefer as both standard e-mails and automation can work together and be used simultaneously.
Offer freebies to gain more subscribers
You can encourage people to sign-up for your list by offering freebies. This option (also called a lead magnet) is a type of automation.
You can send an automated e-mail (Welcome e-mail) with a link to the freebie uploaded on your website, or you can sometimes upload it directly on the subscription provider site. It all depends on the options the provider offers you.
And that’s everything you need to know about mailing lists to start collecting e-mails and growing your subscriber list! Remember that if you feel stuck at any of the steps described above, you can send me an e-mail and I will do my best to help!
P.S This post includes affiliate links so by clicking them you are supporting us. Thanks!
By Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, India and APAC, Coursera
India stands as one of our fastest-growing markets, playing a pivotal role in our global strategy. Since the pandemic, the country has led the world in new learner registrations, surpassing 15 million, and enrollments exceeding 40 million. This growth is a powerful testament to the unwavering passion of Indian learners and the efforts of institutions and the government to equip individuals with skills for a digital future.
The action-packed day brought a diverse group of thought leaders, educators, and professionals from industry and university to collectively explore the future of education and work. Leaders from IIT Bombay, Fractal Analytics, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and BITS Pilani discussed “Building ‘learner first’ programs that drive skills and outcomes”. Another panel explored “Digital Upskilling: Navigating Rapid Change to Stay Ahead” with representatives from Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance Limited, PwC India, Bank of Baroda, and Tata Power. A panel of university leaders from SIBM Pune, Woxsen University, TISS, and Graphic Era University discussed “Advancing Higher Education from Curriculum to Careers.”
The highlight of the day was hearing from Prof T.G Sitharam, Chairman – AICTE, who shared his insights on the transformative potential of the NEP in shaping India’s higher education landscape.
“Our focus is on integrating skill and education, revolutionizing the learning experience. With the Ministry of Education’s groundbreaking initiatives and a strong emphasis on vocational and distance learning, supported by online learning platforms, the future of education in India is bright. Through curriculum design and activation, we’re excited about transforming education, promoting lifelong learning, building a future-ready workforce, and unlocking India’s full potential,” Prof T.G Sitharam, Chairman – AICTE.
During the day, we recognized the contributions of our partners and customers in expanding access to high-quality education and broadening career opportunities amidst change and disruption:
Tally Education Pvt. Ltd., received the Career Transformation Award for their entry-level professional certificate – Tally Bookkeeper – which has attracted over 7,000 learners. Nearly 40% of them come from outside India, highlighting the global appeal of the program.
Prof. Vishal Gupta from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM A) won the Learners First Award for the Leadership Skills course, boasting a 4.98 rating and 5-star feedback from 99% of learners.
Indian Statistical Institute’s Dr. Arnab Chakraborty received the Innovation Award for his course in the Post-graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics. With hands-on exercises and diverse video styles, learners find it to be engaging and impactful.
Professors Sundaresan Raman and Jagat Sesh Challa of BITS Pilani received the 2023 Coursera Innovation Outstanding Achievement Award for their Introduction to Programming course. The course stacks into the BSc Computer Science program, allowing for continuous learning opportunities.
The Talent Transformation Award recognized three businesses for their contribution to employee success and career growth through online learning:
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Group for their outstanding achievement in skill development across their group companies, including L&T Corp, LTIMindtree, LTFS, and LTTS. Through the ‘One L&T program,’ they successfully implemented 60 focused programs, resulting in more than 400,000 learning hours across Technical, Functional, and Business areas.
Bajaj Finance Limited (BFL) for demonstrating agility and prioritizing enterprise skilling to maintain their competitive edge. Within a year, BFL launched over 40 digital and technology-focused learning programs leading to significant skill-building for their high-potential corporate talent.
Marlabs for their skills-first approach to upskilling employees in emerging tech, soft, and leadership skills. Their commitment to personalized learning experiences has led to employees investing over 3,300 hours across 70+ career development pathways in just 10 months.
The Campus Transformation Award honored three top institutions that embraced online learning to enhance education quality, modernize curricula, and make learning more job-relevant:
Symbiosis International University for their wide-ranging utilization of Coursera for Campus, integrating courses and industry credentials across disciplines such as Management, Law, and Economics.
Malla Reddy Group of Institutions for their commitment to student employability. Coursera content is integrated into the curriculum, providing deep skilling and industry certifications to engineering and healthcare students.
Woxsen University for their dedication to delivering innovative programs and creating engaging blended learning experiences. Their flagship LEAP program and collaborations with Coursera on initiatives like the Executive Fellowship, Advisory Board, and Woxsen Executive Council showcase their unwavering focus on advancing education.
Axis Bank and Graphic Era University, Dehradun was recognized with the Hiring Solutions Pioneer Award for their exceptional deployment of the Hiring Solutions pilot. Taking a skills-first approach, Axis Bank efficiently recruited entry-level talent from a pool of industry-certified campus learners. Graphic Era University augmented its learning programs, empowering students to develop and showcase the skills needed for in-demand tech roles.
Coursera Day celebrated our commitment to empowering learners and driving educational transformation. The wide range of ideas and innovations shared by the community paves the way for a new paradigm in learner-first education, the use of emerging technologies, reskilling efforts, and student employability. As we move forward in this next phase of growth in India, we strive to create a skilled, resilient, and competitive workforce by making job-relevant education accessible and relevant for everyone.
Spanish speakers across the Caribbean exclaim “¡Qué vaina!” when describing an annoyance, a situation or a predicament. But the saying is especially versatile in Venezuelan slang, where it can be used to refer to anything from objects to people — the possibilities are endless. Increasingly, you hear that idiosyncrasy in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico; in Texas and Florida; and even in shelters and schools in New York City, as Venezuelan asylum seekers settle in the United States.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word versatile 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 versatile 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.
Inheritance is one of the core features of object-oriented programming. It’s a programming procedure that allows you to reuse code by referencing the behaviors and data of an object. In other words, a class that inherits from another class shares all the attributes and methods of the referenced class.
An inherited class is called a subclass or child class of the class it inherits from. And the class being inherited is called either a parent class, superclass, or base class.
Some languages, like Go, are object-oriented but use composition instead of inheritance. Composition is an alternative approach that creates new complex objects by aggregating other objects. Most object-oriented programming languages have both composition and inheritance.
Ahead, we’ll take a closer look at how inheritance comes in handy, the many types of inheritance you can implement, and other important details you’ll need to know.
Learn something new for free
How inheritance makes development easier
Inheritance is a core element of object-oriented programming that serves as a powerful instrument for reusing code. Let’s use an example to illustrate how using inheritance can make creating an application easier.
Say you’re designing a video game with vehicles you can drive. You want to create a lot of vehicles that people can use, including coupes, sedans, trucks, four-wheel-drive vehicles, and maybe even some airplanes.
If you’re already somewhat familiar with object-oriented programming, you might consider making all of these vehicles as objects. You could create a class for each of the types of vehicles you want and encapsulate all the functionality and data necessary for that vehicle in the class.
So you start by creating a class for a simple car. Let’s use Python for our examples. Python is a general-purpose programming language that is used for all types of projects, including data science, machine learning, web development, desktop application development, and scripting. It supports procedural and functional programming styles, as well as object-oriented programming. But back to the simple car class.
class Car:
def init(self):
self.wheels = 4
def drive(self, direction):
print('car will drive ' + direction)
Of course, the class for Car could have many more attributes and methods than this, but you get the idea. But what if you wanted something a bit more creative — like a car with arms that could throw turtle shells or bananas (à la Mario Kart). You can add a throw method to the car class, but if a user has a car without arms, that wouldn’t apply.
You could try creating a copy of this class, renaming it, and adding all the methods and attributes — but if you planned on creating dozens of vehicles, that would take a lot of work. And if you changed one of the basic methods or attributes that affects all of your vehicles, you’d have to modify each one of these objects.
This is exactly where inheritance can help. Instead of copying the class and adding new things to it, you can create a new class that inherits from a base class. So for a car with arms, we could create a class like this:
class ArmedCar(Car):
def throw(self, direction):
print('car will throw to the ' + direction)
By inheriting from the base class of Car, you still get all the base functionality you need and you can add a throw method without affecting the original class. And if you ever want to change any of the base methods or attributes, you can do that in the base class and all of the child classes will be updated. Now let’s see how far we can take this concept by looking at the types of inheritance.
Types of inheritance
Many modern programming languages support the object-oriented programming paradigm, including JavaScript, Python, Java, PHP, C#, C++, Swift, and Ruby. Each of these languages handles inheritance slightly differently using different syntax, but most of the concepts remain the same. Not all languages support every one of these types of inheritance, but Python does.
Single inheritance
In single inheritance, one class inherits from only one parent class. This is also called simple inheritance because it’s the simplest type of inheritance you can use.
class Vehicle:
def move(self):
print('method to move vehicle called')
class Motorcycle(Vehicle):
def use_kickstand(self):
print('method to use motorcycle kickstand called')
motorcycle1 = Motorcycle()
motorcycle1.move() # Prints "method to move vehicle called"
motorcycle1.use_kickstand() # Prints "method to use motorcycle kickstand called"
The Motorcycle class inherits from the Vehicle class because it’s a type of vehicle and can use all the methods and class variables of the Vehicle class. This is the same type of inheritance we used in the first example.
Multiple inheritance
In Python and a lot of the other object-oriented programming languages, you can also create a class that inherits from more than one class. Here’s an example of multiple inheritance using animal traits:
class Animal:
def breathe(self):
print('breathe in and out')
class Vertebrate:
def bend_spine(self):
print('bending spine')
class Dog(Animal, Vertebrate):
def pant(self):
print('cooling off')
dog1 = Dog() dog1.breathe() # Prints "breathe in and out"
dog1.bend_spine() # Prints "bending spine"
dog1.pant() # Prints "cooling off"
Multiple inheritance allows us to build up a class by inheriting from many classes.
Multilevel inheritance
In multilevel inheritance, one class inherits from another class, which inherits from yet another class, and on and on. Instead of using multiple inheritance for the Dog class from above, we could use multilevel inheritance.
class Animal:
def breathe(self):
print('breathe in and out')
class Vertebrate(Animal):
def bend_spine(self):
print('bending spine')
class Dog(Vertebrate):
def pant(self):
print('cooling off')
dog1 = Dog()
dog1.breathe() # Prints "breathe in and out"
dog1.bend_spine() # Prints "bending spine"
dog1.pant() # Prints "cooling off"
The results are the same for our simple case, but with more complex classes, one of the other types of inheritance will be more effective.
Hierarchical inheritance
In hierarchical inheritance, child classes all inherit from a single base class. It’s basically the same as single inheritance, except you’re creating more child classes. Going back to our video game example:
class Vehicle:
def move(self):
print('method to move vehicle called')
class Motorcycle(Vehicle):
def use_kickstand(self):
print('method to use motorcycle kickstand called')
class Skateboard(Vehicle):
def ollie(self):
print('method to do an ollie called')
motorcycle1 = Motorcycle()
skateboard1 = Skateboard()
motorcycle1.move() # Prints "method to move vehicle called"
motorcycle1.use_kickstand() # Prints "method to use motorcycle
kickstand called" motorcycle1.ollie() # This will throw an error
skateboard1.move() # Prints "method to move vehicle called"
skateboard1.ollie() # Prints "method to do an ollie called"
skateboard1.use_kickstand() # This will throw an error
Using hierarchical inheritance, each child class has all the functionality and data of the base class and also custom attributes and methods that apply only to that specific child class.
Hybrid inheritance
Hybrid inheritance involves using more than one of the other types of inheritance. When you know inheritance well and work on complex applications, chances are that this is the type of inheritance you will use most often to get the results you want.
class Vehicle:
def move(self):
print('method to move vehicle called')
class Motorcycle(Vehicle):
def use_kickstand(self):
print('method to use motorcycle kickstand called')
class Racing:
def go_fast(self):
print('method to go fast called')
class RacingMotorcycle(Motorcycle, Racing):
def win_cup(self):
print('method to win cup called')
Access modifiers and inheritance
Object-oriented languages that use inheritance usually have a concept called access modifiers, which restrict access to variables and methods in a class. So while a child class inherits from a base class, you can limit the child class’ access to specific methods and variables in the base class. You can also limit access to these by using code outside of the class. Most object-oriented languages have three forms of access modifiers.
Public
These variables and methods can be accessed from anywhere in your application, whether it’s running inside or outside of the class. In Python, class methods and variables are public by default. In the examples above, all the methods and classes were public. Some of the other object-oriented programming languages have class methods and variables public by default. Others require using the public keyword before the method or variable, like in Java.
public class Car { public int wheels; public move() { } }
Protected
Protected variables can only be accessed by a class (or classes) that inherit from it. In Python, you can make a variable or method protected by putting an underscore before the name. Many other languages use a protected keyword similar to the private keyword Java example above.
class Car:
def init(self):
self._wheels = 4
def _drive(self, direction):
print('car will drive ' + direction)
Both the variable wheels and the method drive are protected. If Car is only going to be a base class and you’ll only use child classes to create objects, this makes sense.
Private
Private variables and methods are not intended to be accessed in the class. They can’t even be accessed by child classes. In Python, you can make a variable or method private by adding a double underscore to the front of its name. In most other languages, you have to use a private keyword.
class Car:
def init(self):
self.__wheels = 4
def __drive(self, direction):
print('car will drive ' + direction)
In the code above, the variable wheels and the method drive are private. Note that the notation of protected and private variables is really more of a convention to highlight how a given object should be used. The use of underscores doesn’t really offer any security, ultimately any of these can be overridden.
Overriding and inheritance
When you’re creating a child class in most object-oriented programming languages, you also have the option to override the variables of a parent class in the child class. Below, the Vehicle class moves on the ground and the Helicopter class overrides the move method by flying in the air. The wheels variable also gets overridden in the child classes.
class Vehicle:
def init(self):
self.wheels = 4
def move(self):
print('move on the ground')
class Motorcycle(Vehicle):
def init(self):
self.wheels = 2
class Helicopter(Vehicle):
def init(self):
self.wheels = 0
def move(self):
print('take to the air')
motorcycle1 = Motorcycle()
motorcycle1.wheels # Prints "2"
motorcycle1.move() # Prints "move on the ground"
helicopter1 = Helicopter()
helicopter1.wheels # Prints "0"
helicopter1.move() # Prints "take to the air"
Learn more about inheritance
Inheritance can make object-oriented coding easier by adding a lot of flexibility to how you create objects and by giving you the ability to reuse your code. While this article gives you an overview of how inheritance works, it’s best to learn it in practice to see all the power it can bring to your coding projects.We have courses on object-oriented programming languages that will teach you inheritance, including Learn Python 3 and Learn JavaScript. And for a deep dive into inheritance, check out Java: Inheritance and Polymorphism.
The human mind and behaviour have captivated scholars and been the objects of interest for centuries. The conscious and unconscious. What drives people to do what they do? Positive psychology. Emotional intelligence. Talk therapy. What do these all mean and how can we make sense of it all? To understand the psychology of human behaviour, we’re shining the industry spotlight on Jacquire Molefe, a qualified and practising clinical psychologist, to answer some common and interesting questions.
Introduction and background
Tell us a bit about your background.
My background might be somewhat of the norm in the South African context, but I grew up in a single-parent household with my wonderful mother. My mother, a domestic worker, was a dreamer and wanted the absolute best for me. I think my mother injected that in me – an ambitious spirit. My mom values education and she made sure I went to the best schools. It was also this motivation and determination in her, that I think I inherited. I would describe myself as being highly ambitious and a top achiever, reflecting on where I came from and looking at how far I have come.
What made you decide to go into psychology?
I think one of the defining moments that contributed to my interest, I will say in human behaviour more so than psychology itself at that point, was during my time in high school. I had received a full scholarship to attend Redhill High, which is a private school and so, came from a different economic background than most of the kids that went to Redhill. The disparities and challenges I experienced stemming from my economic background contributed to a lot of my own anxiety and distress.
My marks started dropping and as a result, I was threatened with my scholarship being taken away. The most devastating part was that with these threats, there had not once been any kind of wanting to understand why my marks were dropping or just anything like that. This upset me and it puzzled me. I didn’t understand how there was no process of inquiry or any kind of conversation about “why”. This sparked my own curiosity about human behaviour as well as an interest in wanting to understand how and why stress and distress could have such an impact on an individual. So, this, coupled with I believe my natural and innate characteristic of wanting to help others, is where I think it all started.
What qualifications did you take to become a psychologist?
In high school, I did English, Afrikaans, French, Math, Biology, and History. Then I went to the general BA stream and majored in Psychology and Anthropology. Then I did a BA Honours Degree in Psychology and then finally, a master’s in clinical psychology. I also have a second-year level Human Resources Certificate. This really reflects the diverse nature and journey of psychology which I really believe for myself, is the biggest takeaway.
What additional certifications, exams, and memberships have you had to complete as part of your career journey?
After obtaining my Masters, I completed a two-year contact coursework degree (attending class and not online). Then, I did one year of internship; six months at Tara in the eating disorder and adolescent ward and the other six months in the adult ward. It took me another year and a half to complete the research component and then started my one-year community service at Odi District Hospital in Mabopane. Prior to community service, I completed my board exams with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), our regulatory body.
Getting started
What are the possible career paths for someone who has completed (or is about to complete) their psychology qualification?
The possible career paths include working for the Department of Health at one of the hospitals or regional clinic facilities.
There is also the option to go into private practice which, allows those who enjoy business and entrepreneurship the ability to engage in such.
Psychology is such a big part of life and there are more opportunities than what I believe the more “mainstream” career paths may offer. I think it’s about one’s vision, creativity, and determination to find a niche that one can potentially thrive in, using the skills that psychology affords an individual. It’s about making it work for you but obviously, doing so in line with ethics, as outlined in HPCSA principles and guidelines.
What skills and qualities should every psychologist have?
The first skill one should have is being mindful of ethics and abiding by ethical treatment because “do no harm” is the ethos of the profession.
Secondly, there needs to be a genuine interest in helping others and thus, having compassion and empathy are key.
The ability to constantly set and maintain boundaries, as well as having a curious mind and being flexible.
Finally, I would say working on seriously implementing self-care because psychologists are humans too, and work like this, though rewarding, can be taxing.
How important is it to stay updated on trends and emerging technologies in psychology?
It is important, as it is part of constantly upskilling yourself. We are already encouraged by the HPCSA to engage in ongoing training, to know how best to do the work and assist others.
Where can qualified psychologists work?
This depends on the specialisation. For example, I am a clinical psychologist which means I can work in clinical settings and in private (like all psychology specialisations). The HPCSA outlines the different scopes of each specialization and their appropriate contexts.
A day in the life of a psychologist
What does a typical day in your life look like?
It’s checking my calendar, knowing how many clients and/or patients I must see on any given day. It also looks like arranging and managing my calendar accordingly, to know how to prioritize certain clients and patients. There’s a lot of coordinating and management that needs to happen. I have to manage a lot of admin regarding invoicing, registering as a service provider with different medical aids, completing process notes of clients and patients, making phone calls, printing, and researching. There’s a lot that can go on in one day.
What are your clinical processes before, during, and after a session with a client?
There’s the preparation that goes on before a session. During the session, I would say the clinical process that happens there would be, listening with a “third ear” (as my trainers would say) holding the client in mind; being empathetic and non-judgmental. It also includes thinking about a diagnosis and formulating the client, all while listening to their narrative and staying in the here and now with them.
After a session, would be the writing of process notes and at times, confidential supervision with colleagues would be necessary, to obtain a different perspective on how best to assist the client.
How do you keep track of client notes and important information?
We have a confidential filing system to keep track of all notes.
What are the top three strengths and weaknesses of a therapist?
Strengths
The ability to think about so much all at once, while still being able to be present in the room with the client.
Being able to detangle, pull apart, and strategically reorganise those that clients bring to us and reflect it back to clients in a way that meets the client where they are at, so they can hopefully feel less burdened and stressed.
The ability to hear what has not been outrightly said.
Weaknesses
Sometimes taking on too much all at once which can lead to fast burnout.
Sometimes it can take a little longer than one would like, to notice a blind spot.
Struggling to self-care efficiently.
How do you stay motivated?
I think by having a deep respect for humanity and the human psyche and having a constant curiosity about the human psyche. The mind truly is a fascinating thing.
What do you enjoy the most about psychology?
When clients give feedback on the changes, they can see in their own lives and, see people grow into the best versions of themselves. That is truly remarkable.
What do you find most challenging about working in psychology?
Observing through the narratives spoken by clients, often the depth of the pain they experience, through the traumas they have endured and almost witnessing how trauma can change a person.
How do you handle stress?
My faith is very important to me, so prayer and reading the Bible are my bread and butter. I often engage in self-introspection and reflection. Journaling, talking to friends who are also in the profession; making time for fun; being intentional about eating well and exercising as often as I can, just to move my body. I also find being out in nature is very calming and helpful.
Undertsanding psychology
What are the few specific treatments that are offered only by clinical psychologists?
The scope for Clinical psychologists is to diagnose and treat severe mental illness, any treatment that is in line with this scope would be appropriate for the use of clinical psychologists. This could include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Play Therapy techniques, Interactional Pattern Analysis (IPA), Family Therapy, and attachment-based Therapy, to name a few.
Why is it important to maintain boundaries with clients during a therapy session?
Boundaries are there to protect the client, as well as myself as the therapist. It helps maintain order and acts as a nurturing guide on how we should engage with one another; with dignity and respect.
What is the most common myth you have come across during your experience as a psychologist?
I have heard this so often; it makes me laugh and it has become quite a favourite of mine: That I can read minds lol.
Conclusion
What words of encouragement or advice would you give someone looking to become a psychologist?
Go for it and do it because you genuinely care and have a heart for people and because you feel like it’s a part of you somehow. Don’t do it if it’s not. Be honest with yourself and take the time to dig deep to really know your why.
The first step in anything is admitting your struggle and then getting help. Our mental health checkup assessment to help you live a healthier, happier, and more productive life tomorrow,
With no comment from Ms. Swift, Mr. Alwyn or their representatives, fans of the singer were not sure whether to trust what they had read. Ms. Swift’s publicist, Tree Paine, did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this article.
“I think it’s a poorly written, unconfirmed article,” Brittany Browning, a 30-year-old writer who lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., said of the “ET” story.
She added that she didn’t believe the pair had really split up and predicted that Mr. Alwyn would make an appearance at Ms. Swift’s next concert stop, in Tampa, Fla., “out of spite.” (Mr. Alwyn has not been sighted at any of Ms. Swift’s tour stops thus far.)
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word spite 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 spite 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.
Some of the most ardent defenders of parental rights argue that teenagers need strict parental regulation because teens are confused and easily corruptible. They’re not entirely wrong. But the process of adolescence — developing abstract thinking and fundamental moral values — isn’t complete unless young people are given the freedom to explore the world on their own terms. Studies have found that adolescent autonomy leads to increased classroom engagement and a higher quality of life. Parental rights policies withhold that independence, preventing us from developing our individuality and worldview at the time when doing so is most critical.
To ensure the safety of our children, we must combat these policies at every turn, from the school board to Congress. But, simultaneously, we must empower our children to become independent. Let them read banned books, openly discuss their identities, and develop individual social lives. Let them discover who they are. Because, if we let the government seize young peoples’ right to self-determination, they will be robbed of their self-esteem, self-love and self-identity. And our young people are our future.
“Teens and Phone Phobia” By Madeleine Krieger, age 15, River Dell High School, Oradell, N.J.
Some people fear sharks. Or Snakes. Or heights. My peers and I fear … phone calls.
Talking to an actual human being can be terrifying. Parents make our important calls: to doctors and dentists. Our terror of the telephone makes us just fine with that arrangement. One mom writing in Your Teen magazine shares, “My 18-year-old will do anything to avoid talking on the phone. When she had to return a phone call recently, she freaked out so badly she hung up.”
