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School Meals and Academic Achievement

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School Meals and Academic Achievement

By Althea Need Kaminske

Note: This post focuses specifically on education within U.S. school systems. 

When we give presentations and talk to people about effective learning strategies, one of the most common questions that we’re asked is: “If this is so effective, why isn’t it being taught in schools?”. This is a complicated question with a complicated answer. The answer is mired in complications from how teachers are trained in schools of education, the politics of what states require to be taught in classrooms, and to the fact that these strategies are more guiding principles than structured programs. There aren’t clear-cut policies to be implemented and, in fact, I would be hesitant to advocate for them as they could be easily misunderstood and misapplied. 

On the other hand, one policy that we know has a substantial benefit for education is school lunch and breakfast programs. Decades of research have demonstrated that children do better in school when they aren’t hungry (1, 2, 3). According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 15% of households with children were food-insecure in 2020 (4). Not surprisingly, poverty seems to be the largest driver of food insecurity with 10.8% of low-income households reporting very low food security (4). At the university level, as many as 39%-48% of students are food insecure (5).

Our brains require a lot of energy to think. Around 20% of our daily calories go toward fueling the brain (6). Some studies have suggested that engaging in more cognitively demanding tasks burns more calories (7), while others have noted that this may vary by person and by task (7). Given how important food is for thinking, it’s not surprising that food insecurity is associated with decreased cognitive function (9).

Furthermore, the quality of the food we eat can have an impact on our ability to think and learn. Foods high in saturated fats can have a negative impact on our ability to remember information (10). Fortunately, eating fruits and vegetables has been found to reverse these negative impacts (10), so eating an overall balanced diet means that you can indulge in the occasional greasy pizza or ice cream without worry.

Many school meal programs have found positive effects of meals in schools. For example, The Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) program found that students who received free in-classroom breakfast had better student achievement, classroom behavior, and attention as well as fewer school absences and complaints of hunger (11). On a larger scale, one study examined the long-term effects of the School Breakfast Program, a program established with the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 which provides free breakfast to children from households with income at or below 130% of the poverty level (2). The availability of the School Breakfast Program increased math achievement by 23-29% of a standard deviation (2).

Winners of Our Fifth Annual Podcast Contest

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Winners of Our Fifth Annual Podcast Contest

“The Honest Confessions of a Seventeen Year Old Girl” by Becky Zhong, 17, Shanghai American School, Puxi, Shanghai

“Is Social Security Really Enough?” by Fabio Oh, 18, Cerritos High School, Cerritos, Calif.

“Look in a Book,” Rebekah Poteet, 17, Cleburne High School, Cleburne, Texas

“Moments of Happiness” by Flor

“The Oberheim and Its Legacy” by Jacob Atkins, 19, and Carson Miller, 18, Kings High School, Kings Mills, Ohio

“Ode to Joy to the World” by Tianhao Yang, 19, Berkshire School, Sheffield, Mass.

“On Black Education” by Jared Yarbrough, 18, Cerritos High School, Cerritos, Calif.

“Our Promise to Sandy Hook” by Eliana Goldstein, Madeline Baldwin, Julia Wilkes Chelios Hayes, Irving A. Robbins Middle School, Farmington, Conn.

“The Politics Behind the Olympics” by Brandon Jewik, 18, Cerritos High School, Cerritos, Calif.

“Search for Questions, Not Answers” by Amy Usatine, 15, River Dell Regional High School, Oradell, N.J.

Cohort-Based Learning (Online) – Learning Systems Hot Trend in 2023

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Cohort-Based Learning (Online) – Learning Systems Hot Trend in 2023

When I was putting together this post, I knew it would not be as simple as say, this is cohort-based learning, this is why it is so amazing, and why vendors are jumping to it, as well as folks in L&D. It is not as simple. There are pluses for doing it, and yes, cons. They are variables and factors to consider before jumping head first into it, and then espousing how it boosts knowledge, people retain more, and everyone is collaborating in such a way, that it taps into a combination of informal and formal (which cohort does).

Here are a few quick items to recognize before discussing cohort-based learning in the corporate side – regardless if you are in L&D, Training, HR, Marketing, Sales or some other department.

  • It will be a hot trend in the e-learning industry, especially around the learning system space, and even some HCMs that have a learning module. The trend is starting as we speak, err you read this, and by the end of 2023, it will overtake the whole skills hot trend (albeit, skills will still be very popular – and yes, is heavily tailored to a professional (office) workforce).
  • There will be learning system vendors, talent platforms, HCMs with learning that will say they have cohort-based learning, but lack all the key components (which will be presented below). If they are missing just one, it is not cohort-based learning. I want to stress, this, a vendor can say anything, but just because they say it or it appears in their marketing, doesn’t make it true. I’ve seen this firsthand with vendors saying they have LXP features or an LXP in their system, yet they lack all the key components/items that LXPs all have.
  • There will be learning system vendors, HCMs and others, that will say or show cohort-based learning and have really no clue what it is, where it came from (EdTech) and how to really tap into it’s power.
  • There will be learning system vendors, HCMs and others, who will do nothing – they won’t add or have any interest in cohort-based learning, because they will argue that “a client” or “clients” haven’t asked for it. This is by far one of the lamest excuses I ever hear, and I hear it a lot. That said, it does explain why a system may be behind the times, when it comes to forward thinking learning technology and functionality. As I note, if I never knew about X, then why would I ask if you have it?
  • As the person or persons who will implement cohort-based learning for your employees, members, even customers (and it is doable), it is required for you to know all the components, the pluses and minuses. I can tell you first hand, that if you rely only on the information you can glean off the internet or other so-called experts, who have never implemented cohort-based learning with e-learning and corporate, you will be led astray.

This is actually a two-part post, something I haven’t done in probably eight years or more. (I did it one other time, excluding awards).

Part one is the post on July 27th, 2002 (for those who will read this at a later date). Part two is the week of August 4th. The second part is going to continue from part one and contain research findings (based on a literature review, that I am conducting – Thesis or Dissertation anyone? Sorry, it is a common aspect of either of those two wonderful experiences).

If you are interested in conducting your own research, than fear not, the second post will include citations, and where you can read or find the information and dive deeper. I will be writing the second post similar to the way my Literature Review was written during my thesis days. It will be the first time, since my thesis, that I will angle a post in a more academic manner, so apologies upfront, because it will not include any of my wonderful sarcastic or snide remarks.

The challenge that I see as a whole when covering cohort-based learning is that the majority of data comes from EdTech, especially higher education. Now, you can argue well, it doesn’t matter, they know what they are doing. Respectfully, I disagree. Sure there are items you can extract to give some perspective, but you must remember that the common range of students at a university/college is 18-21 (adult learners 25+ are at universities/colleges, but they are not the core). There are K-12, tapping into cohort-based learning too, and I strongly recommend ignoring those, unless you have a child and the school is about to go this way.

EdTech with online learning has been a mixed bag, because it relies heavily on synchronous based learning – which means as it relates to the course and content. Again, I find vendors even in EdTech who are unaware what constitutes SBL.

In the corporate world, asynchronous based learning now referred to as self-paced learning, is the dominate form of learning. Even folks who go blended, usually have a self-paced learning piece.

Are they colleges/universities that have ABL (for the purpose of this post, I will refer to it as self-paced)? The answer is yes, but they are few and far between. You are more likely to find someone who still thinks CBT was the coolest form of learning and that online learning is no match to ILT (sorry Charlie Tuna, you are wrong).

From the United States standpoint, remote learning (the term coined for EdTech online learning) was a massive fail (overall) during the pandemic. It got an awful rep, which it still hasn’t recovered from. Are schools still using it anyway? Yes. But people still drove the Pinto in the 70s, even though it was a tinderbox with wheels.

EdTech SBL is based on three core items – which I mention here, because these three appear in cohort-based learning, and which you will or should see if your system offers it – BTW it is a requirement, err requirements as part of cohort-based learning.

  • Think ILT classroom shoved online – in that it contains a) Syllabus, b) Linear based format – i.e. step by step, until you pass the step, then you go to the next step (no self-pace for you), c)the instructor drives the process of learning – thus if they are active and strong online, then it can be very good, but if they are lazy or just awful online, then it will be miserable
  • The courses usually have a TOC (Table of Contents) this is because of the whole syllabus angle (at the corporate level, you may not see the syllabus angle, but the TOC should be there (honestly, it really must be, but again, people and systems may skirt).
  • Interactive and engagement are not core here. Having a click like hot-spot or watch a video or some other reactive approach is not real-time interactivity or engagement. Robust sim based learning isn’t happening here in the SBL format
  • Assignments are very popular and usually (as beyond the majority) a component of SBL. You have to complete these assignments and you have a set time to do so.
  • SBL taps into a time limit – as in you have until X day or time to complete the first step, and if not, you can get zinged for it (although on the corporate side, that is less likely to happen, what is more likely is the facilitator will just carry on)
  • Remember the MOOC craze? The format that is used is SBL. The completion rates still hover around 8 (eight) to 10 percent. That honestly is awful. Thankfully, with cohort-based learning and its approach, those numbers should not exist – however, I am writing here at this moment on the specifics of SBL and SBL only as it exists in EdTech and MOOCs which were heavily influenced around academia topics followed to the letter the SBL format.

Cohort-Based Learning

There are terms you will want to remember when you think or consider Cohort-Based Learning. It should never be an acronym, so any vendor who does this, should be forced to watch 100 hours of their CEO explaining the benefits of someone working there, with an awful green screen behind them OR one episode of TV show where the cops sang the whole time (yes, it did exist).

Terms

  • Transfer of Training (This is really mentioned, but is very relevant for cohort-based learning)
  • Activities
  • Problem-Based and Problem Solving
  • Guided – Very important
  • Facilitator or Guide (the latter ties around Guided, but you will refer to the individual as one or the other)
  • Mentoring – This is not the same as coaching. Not even close. You want the mentors (mentoring angle). It is a must for cohort-based.
  • P2P Learning – This means Peer to Peer
  • Community – It is a component of Cohort-based
  • Peer Collaboration – See above
  • Learning Pods – This isn’t mentioned in any article I have found around cohort-based, but I think it is very applicable in the corporate side of the house, and so much easier to explain to someone, when they think community – because it can go the extra level you want. Vendors are likely not to use this term, which is a shame, again, it makes so much sense to do so, and even show it – which is really cool.
  • Knowledge Sharing – It is a component of cohort-based learning
  • Network – A must. This is to me, one of the core objectives here in the end.

Lastly, I saw a comment that noted that cohort-based learning is the practice of it as the key and not the functionality. I disagree – you need both and parallel at that. This is not one first, other second. Hand in Hand.

Secondly, there was a comment that you may need to find other systems – to do all these items above. Again, you shouldn’t. A vendor who totally provides cohort-based learning must have all the components, it may not be great, but it may suffice. I will add that there will be vendors that go deep integration to say a solution like MentorCloud, because it can really take mentoring to a whole new level, includes learning pods, and just goes full throttle. Which, if it is is deeply integrated, you won’t know.

That said, you will find mentoring on learning systems who do not go deep integration with a third-party solution, which is there choice, all over the map. I’ve seen cool and I see a lot of “are you serious?”. Anyway, just an fyi.

Oh, for those who want to go multiple systems and want to use MentorCloud with a learning system, you can. They can integrate. I only mention MentorCloud, because at the time of this writing, it is the best (new) platform I’ve seen in 2022.

Cohort-Based Learning – What you need – If you are a vendor, you must have all of these components. ALL OF THEM. So if you want to buy a cohort-based learning system (and yes, there is one that truly is), and there are multiple vendors adding cohort-based by the end of this year, you will want to make sure they either have it when they roll out OR will add it before the end of 2023 (which means it is on their roadmap, and I surmise that many vendors rolling out Cohort-Based will not have all of these components, simply because they are not aware).

  • Synchronous based learning – They may call it something else, but the format I described earlier in the post exists here. Again, the Syllabus angle may not appear but a TOC has to, in this case.
  • Assignments – Yes it is part of SBL, but depending on how the vendor notes it, they could place it as not a direct part of SBL, but a feature that exists as part of the “community” – again, my preference is the term “learning pod(s)”.
  • Activities – A vendor may you this interchangeably with an assignment, but to me they are different. A workbook that you have to use daily or weekly or whatever, is an assignment. Think homework of some nature. An activity is collaborative with P2P learning – and knowledge sharing. It shouldn’t be, you do this, and I will do that angle – which you see in Academia – and which you run into the dreaded “dead weight” person in the group, who you gripe privately about, but say nothing to the professor, when they ask how it went in the group. Oh, you have experienced this with those “activities” in a seminar, where everyone is supposed to be contribute and one doesn’t.
  • Group Communication – Essential. I will cover some key pieces of Group Communication later in this post. As someone who studied theoretical communication, of which group comm is a part of it, there are some realities folks tend to forget when it comes to groups.
  • Guided learning – with either a facilitator or a guide (again, a vendor may use them interchangeably, but in this angle it is just semantics – so whether you want to refer to the person as a facilitator you can OR you can refer to them as a guide. Whichever you choose, stay with it, trust me, confusion will be here anyway, so why confuse more, when a vendor can do that for you? HA
  • Mentors – A must. I identify the ideal one you want further down below. You may have only one, but ideally you should have a few, depending on the number of pods, and size.
  • Network – Share Knowledge, Share the Experience, Connect within the cohort, and ideally connect outside of it (could be via vILT or meeting up somewhere, or whatever) – think of them, as being a collective to tap into at any point, any time of your career or membership (if an association) or again, whatever.

Let’s Discuss Guided Learning with a Facilitator

I’m going to use Facilitator as the term here.

  • Ideally it should be a trainer or trainers. Someone with a training background. If you recently or have former teachers on your staff that taught above sixth grade (thus at least 7th or eighth grade), they will work too. These folks have the knowledge already on how to facilitate. This is extremely important. If you are in an L&D department, you are likely to have someone who oversaw your ILT sessions or vILT or whatever you provided to folks on-site, for say even a leadership class. If you multiple trainers (regardless if it is L&D, HR or Training), pick the best or top ones. Not everyone is good a training, even if that is their role. If you are in a department or entity, that has none of the above, then find someone. Do not have Sal who works in marketing or sales who has no background in training or training/learning/educational principles) to facilitate. That is beyond an awful idea.

Factoid

There will be people in L&D or Training or whatever title your company/association uses, some call them, Director of Education, that it is you only, and no one else in your department. I feel your pain – because I’ve experienced it.

However, fear not – there are a lot of teachers who are quitting or have quit teaching due to the recent events in 2022. As such, many are seeking jobs on the corporate training side. I understand cuts are coming or about to, but you may find someone who willing to be flexible, until the time comes to be hired full-time.

Never use a SME (who does not have a background in either training, L&D or education, above 6th grade level)

SMEs are wonderful for specific items, like knowing their subject inside and out, for example, you are creating a course in sales, and need a SME who knows everything about the cold calling, then that is the person you or whomever you have creating the course, talks to.

Think this way – you need to take your car into a place to be repaired. You want a mechanic who is an expert with that model or type of car. Thus they are a subject expert. Now would you want that same expert to facilitate your business skills class at your company? Highly unlikely.

Even though your facilitator will mostly be guiding via the SBL manner, either with a ILT aspect (Yuck) or VILT (yeah) and online courses/content (beyond SBL, yes, you can add self-paced here), if you think well, I can grab anyone to do this, you are going to regret it the moment you observe it – and if you are running L&D or Training or HR, you want to observe at intervals, without telling the facilitator ahead of time. Again, I speak from experience running training departments and then showing up without notice to see how my trainers were doing (even VLT back then).

Back to the List for Cohort-based Learning

  • I recommend no more than 10 people in each community, hence the benefit of using the term “learning pod” – You can have as many learning pods as you want, but once you go past 10 folks it becomes unmanageable and I can guarantee you will have certain members who are very active, some that are active, and some that are nearly non-existent, unless heavy peer pressure is placed on them, but even then, they will eventually drop back.
  • Another perk of no more than 10, is you can achieve a very active Pod. An ideal number actually is six per pod, but I get some folks just won’t be able or wish to do that. Remember, full P2P learning is extremely relevant an important here, and thus, going into the 50 or 100 or even 25 will become ineffective. And, you will have only one facilitator. Try to imagine having hundreds or even thousands in one pod, with one person facilitating it. If you have ever attended a seminar or webinar, how many people are really paying attention? Exactly.

Who is in your pod?

There is a lot of materials out there, that may no distinguishable approach on this, but I did find one, that really hit home and made 100% sense. Let’s go back to when you attended school – especially if you went to college/uni/2 year college).

Who was in your class? People will all different backgrounds and knowledge. Some come from large cities, some came from small towns. Some came from this state or country or province that was not the same as you. Different genders. Different perspectives. Different socioeconomic.

Different skills. Different ways of learning – and acquiring knowledge. I know there is a massive camp of folks who say learning styles do not exist, but forget that if they attended a college or university, they preferred a style or two. I preferred auditory, I didn’t have to watch the professor, I could just listen. Some people needed slides or something on a screen. There are some people who can study with music blasting, others who must have it quiet – this is not a learning style, though, it is with this example, learning preference.

The point being regardless of their style or preference they were in your class.

There were jokesters and serious folks. There were people you did not see every class (if it wasn’t mandatory) and if you did attend every class, those who were there like you. I am happy to report, that I did not attend every class for a subject matter, and achieved high grades – but I digress.

There were note takers, and folks who slept. There were folks who asked a lot of questions, and folks who said nothing. And depending on the person teaching the class, they were either engaging and espoused knowledge in such a way, that you got it – and thus liked them, OR they were dull and monotone and you decided, not to attend every class or to fall asleep in the back.

Speaking of which, think back to your time in school, even college/university. I guarantee you can think immediately of someone who made a huge impression on you, that you held or still hold in high regard – and think why that is? And you will remember at least one person, teacher, who was awful – and why was that?

The former made a difference in who you are, and what you have achieved – they were in essence a mentor. This is the mentor, and/or mentors you want to have in your cohort-based learning program. And if you can’t find someone exactly, and honestly, you won’t – which is why you hold the former in such high regard, you can find someone who exhibits some of those same traits or attributes, regardless if they are new to the company or have been there for a while. This is especially true for an association and their members.

All of this is mentioned here, because the epiphany I had when I read that article, is that to have the networking experience tied around P2P learning, with guided, you want people who are different than you.

When attending school, were all your friends just like you, with the same background, knowledge, skills, etc? Or where they different, even one difference? For me, different – even in grad school. I loved that.

When you are at work, have you met people who are not like you? They may have the same interests, but do they have all of your interests? Do they have all the same skills and at the same levels? Did they grow up in the same socioeconomic background as you? Same ethnicity? Same experiences?

And you like that, or I hope you do. You connect. You share knowledge, and provide insight and work together, in some manner even if you are not in the same department or location.

That is a shared experience. You can share and transfer knowledge, work together on a project or something else that is not job related (maybe a birthday party). You are connected at a whole other level, and you can learn new skills and interests, that you may decide to try out.

They maybe at different levels, ie. job wise, and have a different job, but connectivity and unity exists. That’s part of a cohort method, without even realizing it, you are part already of a cohort-based experience, even learning if you will – sans the SBL.

Therefore an ideal pod, should be people who are not the same. Who are in different job roles, different levels at the company – i.e. newbies, and folks that have been there for more than two years, or five or 10. They should have different skills and strengths. Even weaknesses.

You cannot attain an effective cohort-based approach with everyone being the same – same job role, same skills, some career goals or member objectives. You can’t learn with that. You cannot get the full power of cohort-based learning with that.

Bottom Line

I tried to limit the post in length and scope, and yes, didn’t do a great job at it. However, cohort-based learning isn’t a simple idea or process.

It has to understand that in groups, you are always going to have at least one leader – and if you ahve more than one, eventually the stronger of the other(s) will take charge. You have to recognize that the rest of the group, will follow whoever is the leader, but it doesn’t mean, that they respect or even will truly connect with them. And if there are more than one leader or attempts to be, there will be private squabbling going on- and you may not even recognize it.

You are going to have people who are not active. And those who are highly active. As the leader of the group, it is your responsibility to engage everyone. To collaborate, seek input and insight and have those individuals become a real part of the cohort. You must ensure that their ideas are incorporated in some way, activities ditto. You must appreciate everyone.

A cohort-based learning process online – can include self-paced courses/content – which is a great way to share new idea and insight. Allow folks to communicate those ideas with the others in the pod. They do not need nor should complete the entire self-paced course. That will exist – i.e. have to complete it all with your SBL course(s).

Empowerment.

It’s not just a word that people love to espouse as a way to reinforce some attribute or thought process.

With cohort-based learning it must be a daily

Weekly, Monthly and yearly

Occurrence within each and every pod.

No exceptions.

E-Learning 24/7

Survival Tips For Your New Job

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Survival Tips For Your New Job

New company. New position. New challenges. A dream come true. Very few things come close to the excitement that comes with starting your new ideal job. The flip side of this coin are the nerves about meeting new people, impressing your new boss, finding your way, and not appearing clueless. When you’re starting a new job, or are a few days or weeks in, you want to have a successful introduction. We’re here to help. Keep reading for our top survival tips for your new job and putting your best foot forward.

Each day, week and month during your probation period has its own tasks, responsibilities, and things you need to do while settling in. Each one will require something different for you. So, we’ve broken it down with tips for each week to help ease you in confidently.

Week One: Surviving The ‘Newbie’ Stage

Arriving late on your first day or week won’t look good to your team, manager, or HR. Plan your trip with 30-minutes to spare to cover any delays like traffic, finding parking and finding your way. If you’ll be working remotely, test and check your connection ahead of time.

You’ll be meeting a lot of people in the first week, all with questions about who you are, what you do, which team you’ll fit in and where your background is. An elevator pitch will help respond and articulate yourself easier and quicker. Being able to share your passion, hopes, and what you’ll do will also help your team and company at large and get to know you.

  • Learn the organisation chart

There is no expectation for you to know everyone, their roles and where they fit in during your first week, or month. However, trying to know your new team structure and their roles will provide you with some insight into whom you will be working closely with and how the whole team and company operates.

When in doubt ask. There’s no such thing as a stupid question. If you don’t understand something, can’t remember where the cafeteria is or in doubt, ask. You don’t want to come across as a “know-it-all” and you certainly want to show you’re willing to learn. This will go down better than trying to figure it all out on your own.

Week Two: Making Inroads

  •  Complete all the necessary training

The onboarding process may continue into week two. This includes not just learning about the company structure and HR policies, but the different software, tools, and platform you’ll be using in your role. Even if you’re familiar with some of these from your previous roles, take notes where there are differences in how things are done. And if there are approvals, specifications and other processes utilised. This is also a good time to observe areas you may want to improve on as time goes on.

  • Define and confirm your KPI’s and success

You will have most likely met one-on-one with your manager to go over your role and responsibilities you talked about in the interview. Now is your chance to clarify things, go over the key elements and performance metrics you’ll be evaluated on. You can also use this week to learn about your manager’s leadership style, expectations, and what the individual, team and manager’s success looks like.

  • Build relationships with your team

No man is an island. This isn’t clearer than in the workplace. Your success is your team’s success. Conversely, your failure is your team’s failure. Building relationships will help you in creating smoother workflows, understanding team dynamics, and individual personalities and how to manage them. Long term, when you need a favour or are facing a deadline and need help, it will be the fostered relationships that will help you meet and win.

Week Three: Survival Tips To Set Yourself Up

  • Celebrate early wins and contribute

You may be given new tasks and already roped into meetings and projects. These are great avenues to show what you’ve learned, how well you’ve picked up on systems and processes, and are adapting. Contribute, either by asking questions or making comments in meetings. Raise your hand and volunteer your skills to tasks that will help your colleagues succeed. They will see you, note your value, and you too will begin to feel more comfortable as you begin to cement your place in the team.

  • Learn from difficult processes, procedures, and tasks

Be gentle with yourself. You will make mistakes as you learn. What you do need to do is own up to them, learn from them, and show your team and manager that you can bounce back from any challenge. Build on from the previous weeks’ tips and continue asking questions and taking notes until you’re more comfortable in your role. Everything is a new learning curve and unless you’re Albert Einstein’s prodigy and know everything under the sun – every day and week is an opportunity to learn.

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.” Small everyday acts will help you win! Make a conscious effort that you will not only commit but do things every day that will take you closer to your role. These include arriving at work on time, completing difficult tasks first, clearing your inbox daily and developing a system that will help you cope with the coming stresses and pressures of the job. Know who you are and what works for you and then cultivate habits that will exploit your strengths and improve your weak areas.

Week Four: Surviving and Thriving

  • Take ownership of your role

You’re approaching the one-month mark in your new role and have spent weeks finding your feet and learning the ropes. Now is the time to buckle down and apply your skills to the challenges and pain points you’ve identified. Set three, six, nine and year long goals for yourself and what you’ll need to do to achieve each of them.

For some this may seem to be too soon in the game to sit with your manager and find out how you’re doing. You can request an informal chat with your manager to discuss your first month, identify priority tasks, lay your observations, suggestions and ask those questions that will help you go the rest of the way without them and your team holding your hand. This is also a great way to show great initiative and how much you’ve picked up on in your first month.

  • Remember that your learning shouldn’t stop, irrespective of how comfortable you are with how things work.
  • Remain open-minded
  • Listen more than you speak
  • Last, and not least, is to just be yourself. It’s a cliché but should not be overlooked. Only you have the skills, personality, experience, and character they need. Which is why and how you got the job.

A new job is a big change in your life and a big step towards you achieving your career goals. Like all changes, there will be growing pains, unique challenges and adjusting and adapting to the new environment. All these can become overwhelming and if not well-managed, can impact your mental health. 

How Daily Engineering Stand-Up Meetings Work & How To Prepare

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How Daily Engineering Stand-Up Meetings Work & How To Prepare
How Daily Engineering Stand-up Meetings Work & How To Prepare

If you’re invited to a “stand-up meeting” at work, don’t panic — you won’t be asked to perform stand-up comedy. However, you will be briefly put on the spot to provide a status update on your work to the rest of your team.

Stand-up meetings are a way to quickly share what you’ve been working on, what you plan to tackle that day, and any roadblocks that are keeping you from completing your work.

The concept of a daily stand-up meeting is part of the Agile approach to software development, a methodology that was created by a group of software engineers in 2001 and is still used by engineering teams today. Other industries besides tech have embraced the meeting format because it allows groups to efficiently touch base and talk through pain points.

Here’s how a typical stand-up meeting in tech works, what you need to prepare for your first one, and more tips for making the most of the short amount of time.

What a stand-up meeting is and how it works

For starters, they’re called stand-up meetings because you’re supposed to literally stand during the meeting. Standing is supposed to help eliminate distractions and keep people engaged with the conversation, according to Jeff Sutherland, one of the creators of the Agile Manifesto.

Plus, since everyone is on their feet, it means meetings have to be concise (usually lasting 15 minutes or less) so folks don’t get fatigued, explains Calla Feucht, Codecademy Engineering Manager. If people need to have follow-up conversations, those usually happen outside of the meeting so they don’t interrupt the pace. Stand-up meetings are also held at the same time every day to ensure that everyone can get together face-to-face at least once during the day.

Obviously, with so many people working remotely on distributed teams, a stand-up meeting can look different depending on the organization. For example, remote teams might not stand up when they’re on a Zoom call, or teams might opt for asynchronous Slack-based stand-ups instead. Or if your team uses the Scrum software development framework, you might call stand-up meetings “the daily scrum.”

What to say during a stand-up meeting

Typically, the team leader (whether that’s a Product Manager or Scrum master) will facilitate the stand-up meeting, call on folks when it’s their turn to provide an update, and keep everyone on task. It’s a good idea to think about what you’re going to say during your turn so you’re not caught off-guard and can keep the meeting moving.

There are three things that you’ll need to briefly speak on in a stand-up meeting:

  • What did you do yesterday (or the last working day)?
  • What are you doing today?
  • What, if any, blockers are getting in your way?

Here’s an example of what someone might say during an engineering stand-up meeting:

“Yesterday I pushed some unit tests to GitHub to cover the code added in Feature A. Today, I’m focusing on code review for the pull requests created for Features B and C. I could use someone’s help with figuring out the best way to query the database for users who haven’t filled out their profiles yet, since I still don’t have access to the database.”

Tips for effective stand-up meetings

Though a stand-up meeting is quick and to the point, “it can definitely be a bit intimidating,” Calla says. You might get caught up comparing your productivity to other team members’ or feel too nervous to bring up an obstacle, for instance.

The best way to approach these meetings: “Just give an honest status update,” Calla says.

If you’re stuck waiting on another stakeholder, it’s okay to say that you don’t have updates and are working proactively on something else. Or if you’re brand new to an engineering team and don’t have assignments yet, you might say something as simple as: “I’m not sure what I’m doing today, but I’d love to shadow anyone who’s willing to have me along,” Calla suggests.

Remember that the point of these meetings is not to flex on your teammates or call out folks who are having trouble with a project. Talking openly about whatever’s standing in your way gives people an opportunity to offer suggestions or resources, and hearing what others are working on can spark new ideas.

Getting used to stand-up meetings is just one of the hurdles you’ll encounter in your first job as a developer. Still looking for that dream tech job? Check out these job boards for tech positions and be sure to keep these tips for applying to entry-level positions in mind throughout your job-search process.

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How to Get a Database Administrator Job

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How to Get a Database Administrator Job
How to Get a Database Administrator Job

No matter where you work, there’s a decent chance that the industry you’re in deals with vast amounts of data that keep operations running. In today’s economy, fields from retail to healthcare need to store and utilize essential information for product development, client marketing, and operational efficiency.

So who makes sure all of this crucial data is maintained properly? That’s where Database Administrators (DBAs) come in.

If you’re looking for a job that can be applied to a diverse set of industries, you might want to consider database administration. Not only are Database Administrator jobs fairly versatile, they also have the potential for lucrative compensation and a bright outlook for employment and growth — employment in the field is expected to rise 8% in the decade leading up to 2030. Let’s take a look at what you need to know to get a Database Administrator job.

Responsibilities and qualifications

Getting a bachelor’s degree in information technology or related subjects can help you get started in the field, but college graduates who did not study these fields can certainly find a way in with the right experience and skill set. One great path is to gain experience in IT or other technology-based roles, and then transition into database administration.

DBAs have numerous work responsibilities, including:

  • Using database software to organize and manage data
  • Updating databases
  • Designing and developing databases
  • Maintenance and troubleshooting
  • Security
  • Documentation
  • Training
  • Archiving data

Depending on the job, a DBA may specialize completely in one of these aspects, such as design, building database systems, or maintenance. Or a DBA may just work on one specific function, like data analysis or cloud operations.

How to build your skills

Even if you have a specialized degree, you will likely still start your first job as a DBA at the entry-level. Landing a higher-level DBA job will happen faster if you add certifications, training, and command of programming languages to complement academic credentials. Managerial-level DBA roles are likely to require a master’s level degree in a relevant field.

Regardless of which academic courses you take, learning SQL is a must for DBAs. SQL is a common and widely used programming language. The purpose of SQL is to query databases for information, which can be a big part of the job. You can get started by taking our beginner-friendly Learn SQL course.

If you’re looking to work specifically with MongoDB, Cassandra, IBM, Microsoft, or Oracle, you can get certified by their database administration programs. (Both IBM and Microsoft use SQL, by the way.)

Where to look for a Database Administrator job

Once you have all your qualifications in hand — and you understand the role of a DBA, have the academic and training background, and know the specific job market you are about to enter to pursue a career as a DBA — it’s time to start your job search.

It might be helpful to start by looking at where there are the most opportunities for DBA jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities can vary by business sector and geographical region.

The computer systems design industry has the highest employment level for DBAs and the highest concentration of DBAs employed within that field. Business management has the second-highest level of employment for DBAs. The financial industry is the highest-paid field for DBAs, followed closely by equipment and supplies wholesalers and information services.

The top places in the U.S. for Database Administrators jobs include:

  • California
  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • The greater Washington D.C. area, including Maryland and Virginia
  • Dallas and Houston in Texas
  • Massachusetts

These locations show up consistently across different measures, including employment by state, concentration of jobs, salaries, and employment level compared to population.

But the Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks down the data on DBA roles by several other metrics, also yielding unexpected hot markets for DBA work, like Trenton, New Jersey, the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut market, and certain non-metro regions of Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

Want to better understand salary prospects? Check out our blog post on average salaries for DBAs.

Networking in the industry

Knowing where to look can be half the battle. After considering the potential for DBA work by sector and location, you can also enhance your prospects by connecting with professional associations in the field. There are three notable ones:

  • CompTIA offers student and professional-level memberships and has a certification program. Also, it hosts industry conferences held in-person regionally and also virtually, as well as webinars. Membership starts at about $450 annually, and is mainly a way to get discounts on courses, certifications, and other programs and services.
  • IACSIT (International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology) is an academic-oriented organization for scholars and researchers in the field, with a significant presence in Asia. The group hosts conferences in China and Japan. Initiation fees are $20 ($10 if you’re a student).
  • DAMA International serves the global data management community and offers certifications. There are separate membership fees for the main organization and its local chapters, but an individual membership begins at $50. Premium membership, which costs $95 a year, includes access to data management reference guides.

As with anything, you only get out of it what you put into it. These industry organizations are an excellent way to network with professionals who are already in the field. They are also a way to stay current on what’s new in the database administration field, so you are well-prepared for job interviews and able to speak knowledgeably when networking.

Job listings and interview preparation

You’ll likely find that searches on the most prominent job boards, such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Ziprecruiter, will turn up many more listings for DBA jobs than in other fields, for a wider variety of companies, no matter the region or location in the U.S.

As with many other IT and computer science jobs, you can expect a standard hiring process that begins with phone-screening of applicants, followed by in-person interviews. Keep in mind that the interview process is likely to include a specialized technical interview since DBA is a technical role.

Not sure what to expect? We have a guide to help you ace the technical interview that covers how to prepare, practice, and anticipate sample problems that might be part of the interview. For even more guidance on any of the steps to getting a DBA job that we’ve covered, take a look at our course catalog and resources.

How Learning to Code Can Help You in the Future

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How Learning to Code Can Help You in the Future
How Learning to Code Can Help You in the Future

There’s a reason why coding is considered a major foundation in the tech world and beyond: In today’s workforce, being able to code is a useful skill that looks great on your resume, no matter what industry you’re in. Not to mention, coding touches nearly every aspect of our lives, from the streaming app you use to watch TV to your favorite food delivery platforms.

But beyond being an impressive addition to your resume, there are many reasons to learn to code. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable ones.

1. Grow your career

Developing coding skills can help you find a new job, earn a promotion, or gain access to careers with higher pay and more flexibility. Whether you’re switching careers or are already in the tech industry, building coding skills can create new job opportunities. In particular, jobs requiring tech skills are typically in high demand, and these types of roles also usually have high salaries with flexibility for remote work.

Most importantly, learning to code makes tech careers more accessible for people who may not have had a linear professional path. Take Kate, a Codecademy learner who was a stay-at-home mom before learning to code. She got her start by picking up a kids’ book on HTML. As she put it, she immediately became “hooked,” and after learning more about the foundations of coding on Codecademy, she eventually secured a career as a Full-Stack Developer.

If you are in an industry that doesn’t require coding experience, having the skills could still help you secure or expand your role. Not only can coding skills put you on the path for various different careers (like becoming a Web Developer or Database Administrator), they’re also applicable to plenty of industries, from fashion to advocacy.

Programming languages are universal, so learning to code provides an opportunity to reach out to and work with programmers across the world. There are many ways to get involved in programming communities via forums like Reddit, GitHub, or the Codecademy Forums. We also have a Codecademy Discord where you can chat with other members, ask questions, and collaborate.

If you’re new to the tech world, it can be helpful to connect with other people in the industry, especially if you work remotely or don’t otherwise get many chances to network. The general coding community is welcoming and provides a great space to expand your learning and skill set.

Being a member of a coding community can also inspire personal connections. Asking for advice from or troubleshooting a problem with people who share your interests is a great way to meet new friends. Not only does this open more opportunities for networking, but it also means you can find support from people who’ve been in your shoes before.

3. Advance your life skills

By developing your coding skills, you can unlock fresh perspectives, especially in problem-solving and logic — and that can help you approach non-coding problems by thinking like a programmer, a.k.a. breaking the problem down into essential pieces to attack it.

Even the day-to-day actions involved in coding can inform new ways of thinking. Coding involves categorizing tags, assigning variables, applying properties, and initializing actions. Doing so may help you understand situations from a logic-based perspective, and that’s useful in plenty of life scenarios.

And of course, learning to code involves lots of practice, focus, and determination. Learning your first programming language can be a great way for you to advance your training techniques. Because you’ll likely have to practice at coding to really master it, you’ll build your capacity for regularly working towards a skill, which can be a useful habit no matter what you’re doing.

4. Bring your ideas to life

Of course, it takes time, but as you get comfortable and understand more about programming languages, the more you can do with technology. Coding enables programmers to get creative — whether that be designing a new algorithm or layering elements. And being able to do so can help make your life easier.

You don’t have to create the next revolutionary tool. It’s okay to build technology that’s new and/or useful to you. For example, try automating everyday tasks to improve your productivity, code your budget, build a wedding website, or maybe make a virtual personal assistant. Have fun prototyping your ideas, and along the way, you may end up creating a decent portfolio of projects that you can share with potential employers.

Learn with us

No matter your experience with code, we have courses that can help you get started or continue your development. Technology is a tool designed for the future, and learning to code is a great way to stay up to speed in the evolving world. As you think about what coding skills can do for your future, explore more about the benefits of coding, browse our course catalog, or get a taste of what our courses are like with our in-depth articles.

And if you’re not sure where to start, take a look at our Sorting Quiz to see which languages best suit your interests and strengths.

How Much Does a Robotics Engineer Make?

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How Much Does a Robotics Engineer Make?
How Much Does a Robotics Engineer Make?

From Roombas to drones, robots and robotic systems play a big role in making our everyday lives easier. It’s no wonder, then, that being a Robotics Engineer (i.e. designing these systems) is one of the most popular machine learning jobs.

Like other machine learning jobs, the salary for a Robotics Engineer edges in the high five figures to mid six figures range, averaging at about $100,640 a year. But as with any profession, your individual salary can vary.

What determines your pay as a Robotics Engineer?

Several factors influence your pay as a Robotics Engineer — let’s take a look at some of the most important ones. Keep in mind that the numbers we share are reported averages and are just meant to help you get an idea of the market and what to expect.

Education

A bachelor’s degree can help you land a Robotics Engineering position and establish your base pay. That degree could be in robotics engineering, specifically, or another related field, like electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, software engineering, or computer science. From there, you might bump your salary up with a postgraduate degree like a master’s or Ph.D.

But don’t worry if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, or if you have a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field — it’s still possible to become a Robotics Engineer. Having a specialized degree might help you make the case for a higher salary, but you can get into the field without one by taking courses to build up your skills in areas like automation, artificial intelligence, programming languages, virtual machines, and more.

Experience

Robotics is a complex industry that requires extensive knowledge of multiple fields, like mechanical engineering, computer science, and mathematics. Some of that knowledge can be gained through courses, but a lot of it needs to be learned on the job. You’ll need technical knowledge along with soft skills like communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and persistence. Since it’s a profession that involves a good amount of practical training, more experienced Robotics Engineers command a higher salary than those who are new to the field.

Location

Like most other jobs, Robotics Engineers are often offered salaries based on where they’re located and the local cost of living. Candidates living in areas with a high cost of living — like San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Jose — typically get paid more than those living in areas with a lower cost of living.

But keep in mind that while the salary might be higher if you live in one of those areas, that also means that your rent, groceries, and gas are also more expensive. In other words, you might make more money in a city like San Francisco, but you might also be paying more for everyday necessities than you would in another city. Cost of living calculators can help you compare offers and salaries in different cities.

Here’s how much Robotics Engineers make annually in cities across the U.S., on average, according to Payscale:

  • Pittsburgh, PA: $82,174
  • San Francisco, CA: $102,432
  • Los Angeles, CA: $100,101
  • San Jose, CA: $120,427
  • Boston, MA: $86,178
  • Seattle, WA: $87,429
  • New York, NY: $98,264
  • Houston, TX: $85,000

Company size and industry

In general, larger companies pay more than smaller ones, though that will of course vary from company to company. Government positions may also pay less than private companies, but they can also have excellent non-salary benefits, like paid vacation time and sick leave. It’s important to weigh out the salary and the benefits of any potential position, as health insurance, 401(k)s, profit-sharing, stock purchase programs, and other benefits can be just as valuable as a salary.

Robotics Engineer salary by experience level

As we discussed above, Robotic Engineer salaries vary by how long you’ve been working in the field. Here’s how Payscale breaks down average annual salaries in the industry by experience level, including bonuses:

  • Entry-level (less than one year): $80,511
  • Early career (one to four years of experience): $84,278
  • Mid-career (five to nine years of experience): $95,029
  • Experienced (10-19 years of experience): $98,264
  • Late career (20 years or more): $98,940

How to become a Robotics Engineer

To become a Robotics Engineer, you’ll need to master certain skills, including:

  • Systems thinking: This refers to thinking about the big picture when it comes to projects. Robots are complicated, and Robotics Engineers need to understand how each individual system, like electronics or mechanics, works — as well as how all these systems work together.
  • Active learning: While there’s always more to learn in most fields, that’s especially true for robotics. It’s a field that’s rapidly evolving, and Robotic Engineers need to stay on top of developments in the field.
  • Mathematics: An understanding of algebra, calculus, and geometry are all essential to robotics. Robotics requires understanding abstract concepts that can be best expressed as equations. Geometry is required for technical drawings.
  • Collaboration: You’ll typically work with several other professionals, including other engineers, product developers, user experience experts, and project managers. You need to be able to work well as part of a team and be willing to give and receive feedback on your work.
  • Leadership: As you gain experience, you’ll also be expected to display leadership. This might involve mentoring newer engineers or overseeing larger aspects of the project. You’ll be expected to take initiative and be accountable for the decisions you make.

Programming languages Robotics Engineers should know

In addition to these hard and soft skills, you’ll also need to know multiple programming languages, including C++ and Python.

C++ is one of the most widely used programming languages. It was created in 1979 by Bjarne Stroustrup and his team at Bell Laboratories. C++ is ideal for robotics because it can directly manipulate the hardware it runs on.

We offer two courses focused on C++:

  • Learn C++ is a beginner course that teaches you the fundamentals, including variables, conditionals and logic, and loops.
  • C++ for Programmers is for people who are already familiar with programming and want to learn C++.

Python is also widely used in robotics. Like C++, it’s a general-purpose language, so it has applications well beyond robotics. Our introductory course, Learn Python 3, teaches you the basics, including lists, loops, functions, and more. Learn Intermediate Python 3 builds on the basics, teaching ways to create cleaner code and how Python iteration works under the hood.

We also offer a unique course on hardware programming. Learn Hardware Programming with CircuitPython teaches you how to program on hardware devices using the Circuit Playground Express. It’s suitable for beginners, as well as those who already know Python.Whether you’re brand new to programming or ready to branch out, robotics is an exciting, rapidly developing field. If you’re not sure where to get started, reach out on social media, in our forums, or on our Discord server. We’re here to help you take the next steps in your career.

Coursera Appoints Mustafa Furniturewala as new Head of Engineering

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Coursera Appoints Mustafa Furniturewala as new Head of Engineering

By Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO Coursera

The pandemic, automation, and globalization have redefined the future of education and work. These forces have placed an even greater emphasis on the need for technology to address the unprecedented size and ever-evolving nature of the global skills gap.

At Coursera, the data, technology, and ongoing product innovation that powers our unified platform has enabled us to grow and support over 100 million learners, 250 university and industry partners, and 7,000 institutions.

As the world continues to undergo rapid transformation and address new challenges, I’m excited to announce that, after a thorough outside search, we have promoted Mustafa Furniturewala to Head of Engineering and he will be joining Coursera’s management team. For the last seven years, Richard Wong has made a remarkable impact at Coursera as our SVP of Engineering. Richard has made the admirable decision to shift gears so that he can spend more time with his family, but I’m grateful that he will continue to contribute to Coursera in an advisory role, focusing on our long-term strategy. I would like to thank Richard for creating the foundation that we will continue to build upon.

A lifelong learner himself, Mustafa joined Coursera in 2014 as a Software Engineer. Over the past eight years, he has led numerous efforts to advance our platform with features, services and experiences that meet the evolving needs of our global community. As a trusted leader and a skilled engineer, he has demonstrated a deep understanding of our business, products, and technology. I’m confident he is the right leader to help us scale our infrastructure and position Coursera for the future. 

We are incredibly proud of Mustafa, a team member who’s been so critical to Coursera’s growth, as he steps into this well-deserved role. I’m looking forward to working alongside him to continue to deliver an innovative platform and product experience that enables our learners to transform their lives through learning.

Monkeypox: Everything You Need To Know

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Monkeypox: Everything You Need To Know

Amid a global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic that devastated the world, the world finds itself facing another health crisis. On Saturday, 23 July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO), officially declared the monkeypox outbreak a world public health emergency. The bold decision by the WHO enables it and affected countries to seize measures to halt its spread. Read on to learn about Monkeypox and everything you need to know the viral outbreak.

Monkeypox has for the past three years grown steadily in Africa and across the globe. In their public statement, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that almost 17 000 Monkeypox cases had been recorded, almost 80 fatalities in 75 countries in 2022. The virus is continually spreading and this has garnered the world’s attention.

What Is Monkeypox?

The Monkeypox virus forms part of the group of viruses that causes smallpox, the variola virus. It is a rare disease resulting from infection of the Monkeypox virus and is considered a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. It has similar symptoms to those found in smallpox patients. However, Monkeypox is a mild infection and is not often fatal.

The source of the virus is yet to be determined, but it has been discovered that African rodents and non-human primates harbor the Monkeypox virus and subsequently infect humans.

How Monkeypox Spreads

Monkeypox is known as a ‘viral zoonosis’. This means it gets transmitted to humans from animals. This occurs when there has been direct contact with the blood and fluids of an infected animal. These include tree squirrels, rope squirrels, dormice, Gambian pouched rats, and different monkey species.

It can also spread to humans via close contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated materials. Between humans, it is spread through bodily fluids, lesions, and respiratory droplets. Studies have found this transmission to also occur from mother-to-fetus and during and after birth.

There are ongoing studies to better understand the risk associated with the spread of Monkeypox through sexual transmission.

Signs and Symptoms of Monkeypox

The period between infection and the onset of symptoms (incubation period) is between 6-13 days. This can also range from 5-21 days. Experts have divided the infection into distinct periods, each with its own set of symptoms:

Invasion

  • Lasts between 0-5 days
  • Lack of energy
  • Muscle aches
  • Back pains and headaches
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Skin Eruption

  • Skin erupts between 1-3 after signs of fever
  • Rash concentrated on face, palms, and soles of the feet in majority of cases
  • Rash changes from lesions to slightly raised lesions, to those filled with a clear fluid. These progress to lesions with a yellowish appearance which then forms a crust, dries up and falls off.
  • Appearance of several or thousands of lesions

The WHO adds that these symptoms can last between 2-4 weeks. Individuals with compromised immune systems may experience worse outcomes of the disease. Additional complications that can arise from Monkeypox include loss of vision, sepsis, encephalitis, and bronchopneumonia.

Prevention Measures for Monkeypox

The prevention strategy against Monkeypox is to increase people’s awareness of the various risk factors and steps on what they can do to reduce their exposure. Medical experts and scientific studies are underway to determine if vaccination is the best measure against this disease and to control its spread.

  • Minimise human-to-human transmission

Close contact with an infected individual is the most common way the virus is spread. Healthcare workers and their family members are at a greater risk of infection. This is due to the proximity with which they care for infected patients. It’s advised that those who have been vaccinated for smallpox and are well-trained to work with sample care for infected patients.

  • Reduce of animal-to-human transmission

The zoonotic transmission of the virus can be significantly reduced by ensuring all meat parts and food are thoroughly cooked. Additionally, we can reduce contact with sick or dead animals and their meat and blood by wearing protective clothing or being mindful of any unprotected contact with these parts.

It’s important to note that certain countries have put measures in place to restrict the rodent and non-primate imports. Further regulations include isolating infected, or potentially infected animals from other animals and treating them with extra care for any Monkeypox signs and symptoms for up to 30 days.

Monkeypox Treatment

Currently, there is no specific treatment for Monkeypox. However, due to its similarity to smallpox, its drugs and vaccines can be used to treat the current infections. Research has revealed that those previously vaccinated against smallpox will experience milder Monkeypox symptoms. However, newer vaccines, the attenuated vaccinia virus, was modified and approved for Monkeypox in 2019.

Further treatment includes care to alleviate the symptoms, control any complications and prevent long-term effects from the virus. Infected patients should also increase their fluid and food intake to maintain a strong immune system and high nutritional status.

Alison’s Response to Monkeypox

Education and awareness about infections, prevention and control remain the key elements to combat any virus we are faced with. Alison has a free course, Monkeypox, that answers all the questions about the virus and teaches you how you can protect yourself and others against the outbreak. 

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