Michael Kirst's Blog, page 8

Understanding Some Ethical Considerations Surrounding College Years

BY ANNABEL MONAGHAN

We live in a world full of ethical debates. Many of these debates revolve around the most controversial topics: science, religion, politics, and the like. However, some of the most interesting and engaging ethical debates also surround the topic of college years.

And for good reason. What could be more important than the education of our young people? In this article, we’re going to dive into some of these ethical debates and explore them in detail. Let’s jump into it!

The Importance Of College Life

All over the world, the years that people spend in college can be some of the most awe-inspiring and exhilarating years in a person’s life. This is no less true in the United States of America. The students that make up the collective body of colleges throughout the country are the lifeblood that keeps this momentous industry thriving.

Even so, these are individuals who are (more often than not) still quite young, and thus coming into their own and having to learn along the way.

Without a doubt, ethics are thrown into chaos during these academically-focussed years, and while most students find their way out of the fray with relative ease, there are some instances where it is a lengthier and more intense learning curve to master.

Many individuals are young when they first consider and then attend college, and there is currently an ongoing issue with ethical considerations for students not only in college but in the admissions process leading up to offerings for the calendar year.

3 Main Ethical Considerations Related to College
Here are three main ethical considerations surrounding college that warrant discussion. These are:

 

What constitutes a fair admission process?
Is it ethically and morally correct to charge money for education?
Are the academic demands of college too high?

Let’s explore each of these in turn

 

The Admissions Process – Are Favors OK?

In the case of ethics for college hopefuls, one of the most consistently prominent issues that arises relates to the college admissions process specifically. This is, of course, the issue of if it is both ethically and morally sound to offer favors (whether financial, material, sustainable, or sentimental) during the admissions process.

The core of this issue, of course, lies in the fact that engaging in such activities can and does often lead to an unfair admissions procession that favors students who can offer such advantages and benefits, over other equally deserving students.

The key question regarding this ethical debate is this: shouldn’t college admissions be based purely on academic ability?

This has been a problem for quite some time, and it is surprising to realize that even now, in 2019, it is a problem that continues to this day. While it is certainly true that some students who offer these favors at this specific time may not have an alternative agenda in mind, it cannot be denied that the ethical consideration students should take, is to simply avoid offering these goods and services during such an important time.

All over the world (and especially in countries like the USA, the UK, and even Australia), college hopefuls and college students  are consistently working on discovering ethical alternatives when they are faced with certain issues of academic value.

The college admissions processes and the surrounding favoritism that tends to go hand in hand with students and their families presenting schools with marks of favor (like financial inducements, or legacy admissions, to name a few examples) is by far one of the most shocking and undesirable traits of the college systems around the world.

Many academic institutions justify this behavior by seeing them  as a mark of showing their commitment to the school in question, and not necessarily an inclination towards questionable inducements.

Admission Fees – Should Education Be Free?

Another ethical consideration related to college relates to admission fees. In many countries around the world, higher education is free and is seen as a citizen’s right. In America, this isn’t the case. A summary of higher education costs for some programs can be found in the nurse practitioner program guide.

In order to get into good schools, students have to pay high admission fees that are often not affordable to low-income families. This throws up some important ethical concerns. For example, it could be seen as preventing class mobility and limiting children born into low-income households from accessing the education they need to access high-income work.

On the other side of the coin, it could be argued that if education were free, it would encourage students who aren’t committed to their own education to sign up to university anyway, and cost the taxpayer a lot of money.

In the UK, the government has tried to balance this through a student loans system, whereby students are granted governmental loans to pay for their admission fees and living costs but are expected to pay this back once their income reaches a certain threshold.

This too raises concerns: is it ethically correct to force students to get into debt and charge them interest on their education?

Academic pressure – is college life too hard?

A final consideration worth mentioning surrounds college life itself. Students are faced with a lot of challenges during college, from finding the best tutors and high speed internet, to fighting concerns over mental health.

They have to balance intense study and grueling exams with their own personal life. Many have to take on jobs in order to pay for their living costs and balance this with school, which often leads students to become burnt out.

All of these difficult and complex ethical considerations warrant discussion, but we may never be able to resolve the debates completely.

Annabel Monaghan is a writer with a passion for education and edtech. She writes education and career articles for The College Puzzle with the aim of providing useful information for students and young professionals. If you have any questions, please feel free to email her at annabelmonaghanwriter@gmail.com. 

 

How to Stay Healthy and Do Well in College With Type-1 Diabetes

BY KRISTIAN KYRISYK

Currently, over 1.25 million Americans have type-1 diabetes, with about 40,000 newly diagnosed every year. A huge percentage of them are college students and those bound for college. College life is full of stress and challenges even for fully healthy people – and for those suffering from diabetes, it can be a truly tough task. However, living a full life with this condition is more than possible – and here are some tips that can help you with it.

1.    Make it known

Make sure everybody around you (your friends, roommate, professors, resident advisor, etc.) knows about your condition. It is not a sign of weakness or something to be ashamed of – your condition is a part of your identity, and others around you should know that your needs may be different from theirs. For example, professors should realize that you might need diabetes equipment when in class. Also, if you have to take any medical treatment or surgical procedure, tell the doctors involved about your condition beforehand. Also, get a diabetes MedicAlert ID bracelet if you don’t have one already.

2.    Teach those close to you

Many people have no acquaintance with what diabetes is and what it entails. Teach those around you (at least your roommate and immediate friends) how to discern the first signs of hypoglycemia and what they have to do in case of emergency. It can save your life.

3.    Register with disability services/campus health office

These services exist to help you, protect your interests and assist in other tasks related to your condition, from getting solutions studied by  Diabetes Life Solutions to making sure your everyday needs are met on campus.

4.    Check your college for a CDN chapter

College Diabetes Network (CDN) has chapters with many American colleges, and these serve as an excellent source of useful information on life in college with your condition. They have been created for the support and well-being of the students like you and can be very supportive. If there isn’t one, consider taking the matters in your own hands and starting it.

5.    Develop and maintain stable eating and sleeping regimens

College life can be quite chaotic and disruptive for your lifestyle and habits, which can be harmful even for otherwise healthy people. In case of diabetes, it is a good idea to stick to regular eating hours so that you can take and compare your blood sugar readings. It is especially important if you use MDI (Multiple Daily Injections), because this method is rather inflexible, and you will have to either count your carbs or eat the same amounts of the same food every day. Using an insulin pump can make eating management much easier, as this  delivers continuous and customized doses of insulin throughout your day without the need for multiple injections.

Regular high-quality sleep also greatly influences your overall well-being, so try to keep it to the schedule as well.

6.    Be wary of alcohol

Alcohol can be dangerous by itself, but it is especially so for people with diabetes. Firstly, symptoms of hypoglycemia can be easily written off as the results of overdrinking, especially if you are among those who don’t know about your condition. Secondly, hypoglycemia may kick in after you have gone to sleep, when you have no chance to react (especially if you did drink too much). So, drink in moderation and never do it without at least one of your friends.

7.    Have an emergency kit always ready and easily accessible

Don’t let it run low and tell your close friends where to find it in case you cannot use it yourself. Also, learn the locations of all the nearest pharmacies so that you have a regular pharmacy,and never have to look for one in an emergency.

Living with diabetes is tough, but it is no reason to let it keep you down. With the right planning, lifestyle and habits, it is more than possible to live a full life, get the best education you can and have fun in the process.

BY LINE–Kristian Krisyk had been working in the field of web design for 7 years before becoming an entrepreneur in 2014 in design and marketing. His professional interests and hobbies defined major topics of his articles. These days Kristian runs his business and looks for new development opportunities. Follow him @KristianKrisyk or contact at kristian.krisyk@gmail.com

 

 

6 Most Useful Educational Websites for Engineering Students

BY SEBASTIAN MILLER

Being an engineering student can be demanding. That is especially true when you depend solely on lectures and other school work to succeed. The best way to be in control is to get ahead of your studies and expand your knowledge of engineering by using the resources available to you on the internet. However, the internet is full of useful and inaccurate information at the same time. So, not every website for engineering students provides reliable information. How do you know which sites to trust and which to avoid? Well, this article is about the six most reliable educational websites for engineering students.

6 Best Websites For Prospective Engineers

 

Learn The Basics At Stanford Engineering Everywhere

If you’re looking for a free resource that allows you to get access to tools and courses that undergraduate students at Stanford have access to, this website is for you. You will learn the basics of artificial intelligence, computing, electrical engineering, among others. The materials on this website aren’t just useful for students alone; some educators use them in the classroom to teach their students. One of the key reasons why this website is reliable is that it is covered under a Creative Commons license making its contents accessible to anyone who has an internet-enabled device.

 

Expand Your Horizon At MIT OpenCourseWare

On this website, you will get access to resources and almost all the courses that are offered in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It includes mathematics, mechanical engineering, liberal arts, computer science, economics, electrical engineering, and many more. The access is free and unrestricted to both teachers and students. If you’re a software engineering major, you’ll get unlimited access to resources that are streamlined to students in your field of study on this website.

 

Quench Your Curiosity At Engineering.com

This website allows engineering students to have unlimited access to videos that explain various concepts in the ways that they can understand. Apart from the video tutorials, there are many video shows on interesting engineering discussions that you can learn from. The contents on this website range from 3D printing and electronics to software designing, and many more. Apart from offering resources, this website also has a list of jobs that are related to various disciplines. You can go through this page if you want to have an idea of where you can work after graduation. Professionals on My Paper Done recommend this site to the prospective engineers.

 

Learn To Code With W3Schools

If you’re an engineering student who has an interest in coding languages, this website is one of the best options for you. You’ll have access to a simplified content that increases your understanding of Javascript, AJAX, HTML, and every other programing language in existence. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, there will always be something for you on this website. When you have a design project you’re working on, you can find the resources you need on this website.

 

Keep It Feminine At Engineer Girl

Are you a female engineering student who has 95% of her classroom made up of guys? Well, you don’t need to feel intimidated, Engineer Girl is a website you can visit when you want to feel welcomed and loved. It is a huge career hunting site for female students. It exposes you to a wide range of career opportunities.

 

Get Formulas At Efunda

As an engineering student, you’re always going to need formulas. While the goal is to have all the formulas at heart, you will need a large resource center where you can access any formula you want at any time of the day. This site also provides different sections that explain various topics in engineering. Also, it is easy to navigate.

These are the top 6 reliable websites for engineering students. There are other available options, but you’ll most likely find everything you’re looking for on these websites.

Bio

Sebastian Miller is a former Calling Lake School science teacher. After four years of teaching, he decided to become a freelance writer. In Sebastian’s opinion, math is the core of all science, and his goal is to enlightening as many students as possible through writing

5 Most Useful Educational Websites for Journalism Students

BY SEBASTIAN MILLER

As is the nature of journalism, precision is given the most primacy during content creation. For a journalism student, the consequences of presenting inaccurate information surpass poor grades and affect both one’s reputation and the final score.

In the ever-changing world, there are numerous resources, both dubious and genuine, for each topic. With the limited amount of free time that school offers, students don’t have the pleasure to venture the darkest corners of the internet in pursuit of finding adequate information for their projects.

Thus, to ease your selection among the many academic journalism websites, we listed five of the best educational sites geared to address the needs of budding journalists.

TED Talks

To make an informed analysis on any topic, you have to consider the perspectives of industry leaders and questions within the consumer platforms. Unlike its counterpart, TED Talks covers discussions in multiple niches, on the matters ranging from technology to entertainment, shedding light and updating you on the occurrences in various spheres.

Apart from gaining insight from movers and shakers in the industry, TED Talks offers you a chance to improve your grammar and acquire topic-related terminologies. As a result, you put forth captivating articles that are not only up to date but also relevant to your target audience.

Academic Earth

Whether you intend to further your prowess in a field or familiarize yourself to a skill, Academic Earth proves to be a useful tool. With numerous resources from multiple universities, this website makes it easier for you to gather journalism material and extend your knowledge in the various categories.

To save you the time of selecting a suitable material through tons of other data, the website features a panel that allows you to choose your study level, category, and subject. However, what makes this rank as an educational website for journalism students, is the fact that it is a free app. Thus, it has the little burden of the student finances.

theSkimm

As a journalism student, it is paramount to keep yourself updated with the news, without compromising your study schedule. To facilitate this, theSkim offers a condensed version of the news, therefore, giving you a gist of the occurrences.

With this information, you can cover the topics within your niches easier and seek more in-depth knowledge. For daily updates, arm yourself with theSkimm daily email, therefore, receiving a summary of everyday occurrences.

Lynda

When it comes to an educational website for media production and computing, Lynda proves to be a perfect choice. Unlike various informative sites, Lynda uses video illustrations which help students to familiarize with items faster, thus providing for quicker learning of particular skills.

Unlike its lookalikes, Lynda offers videos from experts with experience in their respective areas, helping you navigate challenges within the course of study. Even better, this site offers unlimited access to the material upon subscription. Additionally, you can enjoy a one-month free trial to get an understanding of the services in which you are investing your capital.

org

A limiting factor for students is the exorbitantly priced material that would cripple their limited finances. With Gutenberg, students can access a wide range of content whose copyright has expired, therefore, making it free to access.

Ranging from e-books to pdf files, the material on Gutenberg is free and easy to access without the need for unique apps. To facilitate easy access to content, Gutenberg features a simple to use interface and offers a search function.

Although Gutenberg is not journalism material per se, it acts as a gateway to the content on media production and skills far-ranging.

To excel in class, you require to go a mile ahead and better your skills, increasing the knowledge in your niche. By using the aforementioned websites, you not only acquire knowledge in your respective field, but also spare the surpass costs that would have been used on their counterparts.

While at it, ensure to visit your school website for past paper and study resources, thus understanding the fields that are often tested and getting a guide map for your study.

 

Bio: Sebastian Miller is a former Calling Lake School science teacher. After four years of teaching, he decided to become a freelance writer. In Sebastian’s opinion, math is the core of all science, and his goal is to enlight as many schoolers as possible through writing.

 

7 ways to Make Friends in College

BY JANE HURST

College is the next step in your new life. You are growing and being exposed to new ideas and things. While college is an exciting prospect, you may be worried about making new friends. Here are seven ways to make new friends in college.

1. Classes

Going to class is not only good for your GPA, it is also a great way to meet new people who share your same interests and make new friends. Classes offer a small environment to get to know people. Bonding over homework and reading can lead to great friendships. Starting a study group with people you get to know will give you a good excuse to meet with them outside of the classroom.

Campus clubs

There are many different clubs and organizations on campus. You should pick a couple and try them out. There is no pressure to stay in a club you do not like, so you can pick and choose. Find a club that interests you and you should find people who you want to get to know better. Hanging out in a club or organization will get you out of your dorm and around new people. Chances are you will make new friends within a few weeks.

Organize outings

You and your roommate can organize some outings for your floor. You can all meet at a local diner or coffeeshop to talk and get to know one another. Having a friend on your floor can help you through rough times during your college career. Not everyone will get along, but trying to find common ground and bond with your floormates will help your semester run smoother.

Get off campus

Take a night or two to get off of campus and find fun things to do in the town or city. You might find a club or mall to go to or you can find a local dance studio. Dance studios usually have fun classes like swing dance lessons or polka nights. You can go by yourself or take some acquaintances along for a fun night out.

Campus orientation

Make sure you go to any campus orientation events. They will help you get ready for your college life and help you make new friends and acquaintances. Usually an orientation session is held before school starts, but most dorms and campuses offer freshman fun activities and new orientation meetings throughout your first semester.

Be yourself

Do not try to be anyone but yourself. It may be tempting to do things you are uncomfortable with in order to make new friends, but if you are not yourself then those friends are not your real friends. Relax and enjoy your college experience. Get comfortable with your dorm and campus and you will make friends in no time.

Eat on campus

Eating on campus will help you meet new people and make new friends. Unlike high school, the campus dining areas are more laid back. Some people socialize and others work or read while they eat. If you keep on eating around the same time you will notice the same people eating with you. This is a good way to make new friends on campus.

While you may be scared and uncertain the first few days of college remember that all the other freshmen feel the same way. Be yourself and put yourself out there. Go to campus events, eat in the dining hall, and join organizations. Take time to get to know life off of campus and you will soon make new acquaintances that could turn into friendships. During college you will make friendships that  will last the rest of your life.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter.

 

Emerging Career Paths for College Science Students

BY LORRAINE McKINNEY

You have decided to major in science. Maybe you enjoy the equations and discovering new things. Whatever the reason, science is now your life. So, what are you going to do with that science degree? Here are seven developing careers for science students.

1. Robotics – This is a newer job offering for science majors. If you enjoy designing, building, and working with robots, this could be your dream job. Manufacturing robots for laboratories and consumer marketing is now turning into big business. There are needs for people to manufacture the robot, design the robot, and write software to make the robot functionable. You can do all of these things with a degree in robotics engineering. You will be able to work for consumers and industry. Many new jobs are opening up as people are more aware of what AI and robotics can do for businesses.

2. Data Scientist – If you get a computer science degree you can become a data scientist. You will use your knowledge of programming and data to make analyses and cull data for businesses. This knowledge can be used in the AI, analytics, deep learning fields, and more. There are many businesses out there who have decided to hire data scientists in order to stay on top of their fields. You will need to make sure to highlight any computer skills or analytical classes you have taken on your resume. Resume samples to help you get organized can be found online. A bachelors in computer science with some communication or business classes will be advantageous in this career.

3. Agriculture – Farm are still using plows and tractors to create food for us, but they are also using cutting edge research and technology to get the food to your table. Being an agricultural scientist will put you in the middle of this emerging field. Studying soil samples and crops will result in healthier food and more plentiful crops. This is an experiment heavy career whose results will have real time implications on the food supply. You should look towards agricultural engineering, horticulture, or an agriculture degree to pursue an agricultural scientist career.

4. Cyber Security – Many new businesses and established businesses are making sure they have a strong cyber security system. This fun job includes legal hacking and keeping cyber threats at bay. A computer science background is a must for this exciting position. You can also focus on cyber security and legal hacking classes while you are in college to strengthen your resume and use as a resume builder in order to obtain a job in this field.

5. Space – Whether you are talking aeronautics or astronautics you will find a degree in this field to be profitable. Now that astronautics are no longer confined to the government, a budding field has developed for people with mechanical and aerospace engineering degrees. This field includes satellites, space shuttles, rockets, and missiles among other things. This degree will open up jobs around the world. Many different countries and companies are hiring more mechanical engineers to help them create satellites and more.

6. Digital Marketing – Businesses grow and thrive with marketing. Digital marketing is a field that is fast growing. The market has grown past the television and home computer. Smartphones and AI such as Alexa have brought the marketing capabilities into our homes. With a science degree you have the analytical and data skills to have a digital marketing career.

7. Environmental Science – A degree in environmental science will open many doors for you. Pollution is a major threat to the planet and environmental scientists are first in the line of defense. You can develop strategies to protect the environment and do field studies to help your strategies. This is a job that has world wide demand and may be one of the most impactful jobs a scientist can do.

 

Lorraine McKinney is an academic tutor and e learning specialist.

 

External Student Competitions Can Apply Classroom Learning To A Career

BY SYLVIA KOHL

Students who are eager to explore their boundaries and expand their horizons are always looking for opportunities to apply classroom theory in the real world. With their impressive set of skills, these individuals should consider applying for external competitions to demonstrate their talent and setting a foundation for their career in the future.

This type of contest is also a great way to secure yourself scholarships, internships, jobs and even exposure to real-life employees, institutions, and issues. These contests also include some of the most popular external competitions among students: CoreNet Global Academic Challenge, Toyota Design Competition, Athenaeum of World Architecture, and so on. Prizes for students who win are often expressed in several thousands of dollars.

These external competitions are organized in the automotive, law, engineering, architecture, design, business, creative industry and many others. If you were wondering should you apply to such competitions, we bring you a few reasons why you definitely should.

Connect with top employers

External competitions can be a great way to connect with top employers in your industry as the majority of these companies are either organizing these contests or being present in them. As it’s complicated to connect with these companies, an external contest can provide you with a unique opportunity to approach your potential employer and introduce yourself. It’s hard to stand out among a significant number of candidates who are sending their resume and expecting to be contacted for the following step of the recruitment process. With contests, you increase your chances of making a good impression without trying too hard.

Demonstrate your Talent

The majority of students probably feels it’s difficult to demonstrate their talents while they’re in school. Unfortunately, the structure of education is not that limitless for students to reveal all their potential. Exams and assignments don’t allow them to demonstrate their unique set of skills or completely understand how their professional lives will look like after graduation. With external competitions, students can work on real-life cases and issues while practicing their skills and applying their knowledge. Whether the competition is organized by an organization, company or university, you will be able to showcase your talent there. Not to mention that some of them even provide money as a reward so you can spend that money on books, courses or methods to grow your sales with your own business or research.

Dare to be Different

What will the resume of your colleagues look like after they graduate? If you don’t want to be like everybody else, why not take the different path while you still can? Winning at contests will provide you with an opportunity to present yourself in a different way. While others will be focused on highlighting their academic achievements, you can focus on your contest success and attendance. Companies will more likely hire someone who has experience in real-life scenarios over the ones who hasn’t as that person is self-driven, passionate and ready to learn.

For instance, if you’re considering applying to a contest in a healthcare industry about efficient methods of body sculpting, you could demonstrate your own idea while also learning plenty from other students who want to expand their knowledge about getting rid of the body fat.

Challenge Yourself

Of course, others don’t have to be the reason why you should apply to an external contest. This experience will be beneficial for you in so many ways. You will learn a lot about yourself just by applying to such an event. The more experience you gain, the better you will perform in both your personal and professional life. Regardless of the outcome of the contest, you will meet new people who could also become your friends, colleagues or employees.

As a student, these experiences will provide you with so many things that are not even crossing your mind at the moment. Not only will you see immediate benefits from it, but you will also see in the future once you start building your career.

Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 8 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and she convinced that learning process doesn’t stop after years in school and university.

 

 

New Study Finds Women Studying STEM Face Unwelcoming Campus Culture

BY JORI HAMILTON

For decades, we’ve been aware of the discrepancy between the number of men and women in STEM fields. Research has shown that this difference is due to a large number of social factors, as well as the environment of these male-dominated fields. Recognizing that the unequal representation of women is having negative effects on tech-related industries, STEM educators and advocates have looked for ways to bring more women into the field. 

Although government- and industry-led education initiatives have made an effort to increase the number of women studying and pursuing STEM, there are many underlying issues that have prevented their success. A new study shows that one factor in the disillusionment of women in STEM is the unwelcoming and “chilly” campus culture that they are subjected to throughout their education. This type of environment can make women feel that their identities are incompatible with that of scientists — a feeling described as woman-scientist identity interference. 

Unwelcoming Campus Culture

The study by Laura E. Jensen and Eric D. Deemer included 363 female undergrad STEM students and was titled “Identity, Campus Climate, and Burnout Among Undergraduate Women in STEM Fields.” Jensen and Deemer’s research found that the dissonance between a woman’s identity as a scientist created several emotionally challenging obstacles that interfered with their education, including emotional exhaustion and a lack of conviction in their ability to succeed. 

In the U.S., 25% of STEM industry employees are women, many of which leave the industry after only a few years. Over the last 45 years, graduation rates for women in engineering have been stationary, even as more programs and scholarships encourage women to seek opportunities in these high-paying fields within stable industries. However, while these strategies aim to change the socialization aspect of women in STEM, they don’t change the environment women experience as they pursue their education.

Even outside of STEM education and industries, women have been excluded from many other career paths that have been traditionally male-dominated and seen as unfit for women. Trade positions provide a relatively stable job and income, which is why women have begun to stake their claim as plumbers as well as other professions. 

Impact on Retention of Women

Even as women brave the societal expectations and boundaries imposed on them to seek better job opportunities, they must experience support and encouragement to stay in these fields. There are many ways schools and organizations can inspire young women to pursue and stay in STEM fields, including supporting their ideas and overall efforts. 

By investing in the funding of their studies, as well as lending a hand when they need additional help or expert advice can encourage and support them to continue pursuing their education and goals. This is exactly what Invetech did with the Melbourne Girls’ College in Australia. To expose the students to more women in tech, Invetech’s female design and engineering staff mentored students at the school, helping them accomplish their tech goals and projects.

Impact on Inter sectional Identities

Even as valiant efforts are made to support women in STEM, the field will remain unequal in representation without active encouragement and investment to recruit diverse populations. Concordia University cited a National Science Foundation study that detailed the rates of different demographics working in science and engineering fields. These were:

 

White men: 49%
White women: 18%
Asian men: 4%
Asian women: 7%
Black men: 3%
Black women: 2%
Hispanic men: 4%
Hispanic women: 2%

These statistics make it clear that white men, who are considered the most socially privileged population, dominate STEM fields and, consequently, are working some of the highest-paying jobs available. This is a factor which plays into wage gaps between genders and races.

Addressing Cold Campus Culture 

The first step to addressing a chilly campus culture as a factor in the lack of women in STEM is by raising awareness of the issue across campuses throughout the country and world. Although it’s difficult to determine the steps that could mitigate this issue and address the unwelcoming climate for women, large-scale, systemic changes must take place in order to have a far-reaching impact. 

It would help to have access to inclusive communities for women, where participants could feel comfortable receiving additional assistance and tutoring. In order to feel supported by their educational program, this unwelcoming culture must be dissipated. Only when we’re able to break free of the vicious cycle of women avoiding STEM fields due to the lack of women in those industries will we be able to see true equality. 

In order to do that, schools and legislators should work to address the low numbers of women in STEM. A call for a change in campus and industry culture, and steps to make such changes sustainable, could also encourage more women and minorities to pursue these fields. Through these efforts, diverse people can contribute their valuable perspectives to STEM industries that could benefit greatly from them.

Bio: Jori Hamilton is a writer from the Northwest who is passionate about education and social justice issues. You can follow her on Twitter @HamiltonJori

Homework Tips That Can Enable Completing Assignments With Ease

BY MELISSA BURNS

Just thinking about doing your homework causes you a headache? Many students are postponing this activity until they reach the deadline as it’s one of the least loved things to do during your education years. But, this type of approach towards homework lowers the quality of it and bring you a lot of stress, right? So, it’s vital to find an alternative method to deal with your homework assignments.

To deliver the best examples of homework to your professor, we’ve decided to bring you useful tips that will help you manage your time better, be more productive and efficient with your other academic activities.

Have a clear schedule

When you don’t have the time planned for your homework or any other activity, you could easily forget to do it or remember to do it the last minute. Once you know what your homework is, plan the time for it. Determine how many hours you need to finish your homework and incorporate it into your schedule. Having a clear schedule will help you with all of your activities, so you will have more free time and better management of your time in general.

Ask for Help

If you think that you need assistance with your homework or some part of it, just ask for help. Your friends or even professors might help you understand the topic better by merely talking about it. Not to mention that this will save a lot of your time. Of course, you will not run to somebody for every homework you get, but if you feel you’re stuck and don’t know what to do about it, try to find someone who can explain it to you. If you have ever asked yourself:” Is there anybody who can do my homework for me?”, you will be happy to hear that there are professionals who offer their help and guidance to students on various topics and fields.

 

 

Inform yourself about Your Homework

 

When you’re not confident what’s expected from you, you are less motivated to start working on your homework. When your professor is giving the assignment, make sure you understand it completely. If not, don’t hesitate and ask for additional explanation. This will help you understand the task itself better but also feel more connected to what you have to do. When you don’t even think about your homework, it’s challenging to be motivated to start working on it.

For instance, if you’re a psychology student and the essay topic for your homework is ‘Why Experiencing Past Life Regressions Through Hypnosis has Become Increasingly Popular?’ Start reading interesting articles about that topic before you start doing your homework.

Some believe that greater insight into past lives is the key to understanding current behavioral patterns, why certain decisions are made and some conflict within their lives that many are unable to overcome. Eli Bliliuos from the Miami Past Life Regression Center has guided thousands of clients into hypnosis for the purpose of exploring memories from the womb, early childhood, past lives, and afterlife memories”. He was trained by Dr Brian Weiss the author of “Many Lives, Many Masters”. Some of his past clients who have recorded video accounts of the process report healing unhealthy relationships, overcoming anxiety, and irrational fears.

Following the insights will help you raise interest in that topic and provide quality information in your homework essay.

Dividing Your Homework

One of the reasons why students struggle to do their homework is because it seems like a lot of work. Why not divide your homework into smaller tasks? Your one assignment can be divided into three, four or five smaller tasks that you could finish really quickly. It’s much easier to work 30 minutes on something three days in a row than work on it an hour and a half all at once. If you notice you can’t motivate yourself to do your homework because you think it will take too much time, apply this tactic.

Determine the Location

You need concentration to do your homework. If you live with your family or your roommates, it could be challenging to find a place for yourself. However, based on other people’s schedule and the rooms you share, you can find a little place where you can only be focused on your homework without any distractions. If you’re unable to find that place where you live, consider going to the library or a quiet coffee shop near your apartment.

 

How to Travel the World as a Student Without Going Broke

BY JESSI KLAUS

For many students, studying abroad sounds like a dream. More than just a chance to visit somewhere new, studying abroad offers students a chance to experience something life changing, the chance to completely immerse themselves in a new culture, and, most of all, the chance to make connections they could have never made studying in their home country. The process of making that dream a reality is a daunting one, both in terms of finding a program that is a good match for their interests and figuring out how to pay for it all, but with the appropriate planning, any student can overcome those obstacles and be on their way to the adventure of a lifetime.

Figure Out What You Want Your Trip to Look Like Before You Start Looking

Just as every student’s academic strengths and weaknesses differ, their interests and goals do as well. For students interested in traveling abroad this is no different. Each type of program offers students a unique experience of their host country and involves varying levels of cultural participation, and having your priorities and goals defined beforehand will make it easier to narrow down which programs appeal to you the most. Abroad programs range from primarily work oriented opportunities to school-sponsored study opportunities, and can vary significantly in terms of their duration, financial support, requirements, and qualifications. Some companies also offer services for students looking to find study abroad opportunities not provided by their schools, oftentimes in coordination with specific schools or for a fee.

Choose a Program That Fits Your Interests

For many, studying abroad represents an opportunity to do more than just study, and for those who may not qualify for the study programs offered by many universities or are looking for a different focus than what their school-sponsored program provides, work abroad programs offer an alternative. It affords them the opportunity to work and participate in their host countries without impeding on their ability to explore and enjoy the experience.

Outside of student exchanges and language schools, which offer current students and non-students the opportunity to stay with a host family in another country as part of a larger language study, students with a passion for language and a knack for teaching can acquire a TEFL certification, which allows them to pursue jobs teaching English language classes in countries around the world. Similarly, some countries fund exchange programs that provide jobs and support to English speaking students and young professionals looking to work as teachers and translators. One such opportunity is the JET Program, which places successful applicants in schools and locations throughout Japan and offers assistance in finding housing, travel expense reimbursement, help acquiring a work visa, and other perks.

Securing Funding

Many private and school-funded programs offer study abroad opportunities at a cost students can afford and provide reimbursements for travel and living expenses, but for students in the United States, the Department of State also offers funding to K-12 and university students looking to study abroad through various partnered programs, including merit-based summer and yearlong study courses for high school students and merit-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate level college students. Similarly, students (particularly students who already speak a foreign language) can apply directly to many universities overseas, some of which have special scholarships or financial assistance for international students applying directly to a program.

It is easy for students looking at study abroad programs to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them, but having an idea of your interests, qualifications, and financial aid requirements can help you find the program that appeals to you the most. No one program is a perfect fit for all students, but each program offers its own unique benefits, and no matter the one you choose you are guaranteed to have an experience you will never forget.

Jessi is a recent college grad and has spent most of the last year building her clientele base for her health and fitness business. In addition to running her business, she loves writing and sharing her life experiences with others.