Thursday, July 30, 2009

Timeline of Evolution, Culture and Knowledge

13.7 billion years of universal history.
Over 60.000 years of art, technology and religion.

Over 6000 years of literature, art, world religion, philosophy, science, music and political facts .

A horizontal and vertical linkage of the artistic, intellectual, and scientific movements in world history. Thousands of important people and their publications situated with data.A full colour edition, illustrated with over 150 images and maps.

The content is based upon comparison of various reliable courses and supervised by 18European academics.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Natural learning environments inspire a burning desire to learn, the key to a productive lifestyle.

What is education, knowledge in basic skills, academics, technical, discipline, citizenship or is it something else? Our society says only academic basics are important and that is based on collecting knowledge without understanding its value. How about the processing of knowledge, using inspiration, visionary ambitions, creativity, risk, ability to bounce back from failure, motivation? Most education institutions don’t consider these skills. These skills are associated with understanding the value of knowledge. There is a huge disconnected gap and this is a problem for high school students in particular.

Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many other super achievers never finished grade school. They succeeded because they knew how to research, collect information for a selected project and process knowledge. Classroom environment does not work that way, it focuses on the collection of knowledge without a clear purpose, other than high-class grades. If the purpose does not motivate, other than to please the teacher, then there is nothing to process outside of memorizing answers for test. The typical student is academic challenged while being motivation starved. Lack of motivation is lack of knowledge processing skills. The typical college graduate will have a professional skill that supplies life’s basic needs, that’s all.

What is education? The answer is, all elements in the opening paragraph and more, relate to education and all should be considered. This would be ideal and sounds good, but "all" is not possible where performance must be measured. Only what can be measured will be selected and the measuring tool is the written test. Anyone who does not have the ability to put clear thoughts on paper is labeled a failure. All natural skills, including knowledge processing, does not count. The fact is, what is exercised grows stronger, what is ignored stays dormant. The classroom exercises the collection of academics, leaving all other natural skills in the closet.

Test does not measure intelligence or ability, it does not measure how the mind processes information, how motivating experiences develop persistence, or how the mind sorts out instincts, opinions, evaluations, possibilities, alternatives. Knowledge by itself has no value, it is like a dictionary filled with words. Words by themselves have no value, it is the process of stringing them together that gives them value. How they are strung together determines the level of value.

Now our education system is becoming a system that memorizes the dictionary. When students have memorized selected knowledge, then they will be given a one-day test, based on dictionary knowledge, which will influence employment opportunity for the rest of their life. Natural skills are not considered. Is this how America became the worlds' economic leader? NO! Knowledge only has value when used with a process and process in an artificial environment is not predictable or measurable.

Achievers in life use inspiration and motivation to overcome barriers. Teaching to the test does not inspire or motivate anyone, memorizing does not inspire a love to learn, in fact, it does just the opposite, it turns off the desire to learn. Education’s goal should be to develop a love to learn that stays with students throughout a lifetime. Education should be a lifetime experience, not limited to the youth years.

Educators are switching to test because there is a crisis in education of their own making and society wants measurable results. This pressure is passed on to political leaders who base political decisions on what is measurable, which is academic test and test are based on acceptance of the status quo. Ever student must now accept the status quo and be an academic intellectual or be labeled a failure. Natural talent and knowledge processing skills does not count. Students receiving the failure label are growing in numbers and percent, all because the system measures selected knowledge on a one day standardized paper test.

Consider the parent who is having a problem with a word processor. On their own, they can’t solve the problem. They have been collecting knowledge for years, but their knowledge processor is in hibernation. With any new gadget, someone has to teach them, they can’t figure it out for themselves. Their thirteen-year-old boy comes to the rescue. He has limited knowledge, but he knows how to processes available information. He explores the word process problem until he finds a solution. He is not unusually smart, this is a teenager’s natural approach to finding solutions.

All young children have a natural talent for creative process of information. It’s during the teen years that natural creative processing is replaced with the status quo. The status quo memorizes knowledge and forgets how to process it. In the classroom, memorizing is what counts. Standardized test reinforces the status quo. It kills creative processing ability. Status quo attitudes will follow them into adult life where they will have to ask their children for help.

Today, the education has a new tool on the market. Behavior control drugs. Any student who refuses to accept the status quo is labeled a troublemaker and will be drugged. The student now behaves in the classroom with glassy eyes and school officials receive high performance ratings. The student may get passing grades and land a job with a comfortable wage, but that will be all. Teenage dreams of great ambitions are gone.

Fact: Self-made millionaires are not "A" students in the classroom. The way they process knowledge is in conflict with classroom priorities. The self-made millionaire has a vision, then he researches specific knowledge, applies intuitive knowledge and process all the elements, searching for a workable solution. Finding alternative ways to do common tasks makes millionaires. The secret is vision, research and processing, not pre stored knowledge.

The typical employer wants employees with dictionary knowledge, not visionaries. They want employees who follow orders, are willing to do repetitive tasks, be happy with a limited role, and accept the status quo. Repetitive tasks' is efficiency and this is where profits are made. Also, the status quo prevents the exposure of blunders by leaders. Too many blunders and profits disappear. In a status quo environment visionaries become bored quickly and soon receive the troublemaker label by offering alternatives or exposing blunders, sometimes leading to dismissal, yet, their ideas increase efficiency and create new sources of profits for the company. In the long haul, visionaries are the one’s who make above average wages no matter what their formal education level. The education system now has the tools to kill off this type of person, behavior control drugs! As these students move into the workforce, status quo and blunders will kill off the typical business.

What can be considered a quality education? A quality education is custom design that addresses the unique abilities of each student and has a positive emotional experience. Custom education evaluates natural talent and how the student learns. This is why home schooled students out perform classroom students. Parents learn what works and does not work, then focus on what works. With this method, students develop a love to learn and learning becomes a lifelong process.

What type of education environment, do you think, will produce consistent winners?

Note: As I write this, e-learning is becoming an education model that the present system cannot compete with. It is focusing on what motivates rather than what the system thinks is good for students. It is also leaving out politicians, textbook industries, testing companies, and unions. These forces are now fighting back, trying to maintain a system that is in their interest, not the students. At this time, they are focusing on standardized test, which seems to be a last ditch effort to maintain the status quo.

Automatic Writing - 5 Tips For Communicating Through Automatic Writing

Spirits try to communicate to us everyday, through many ways, yet most of the time it goes ignored because people are unprepared to receive them. It takes a lot of energy for a spirit to communicate to you in any form, let alone the amount of energy it is going to take to move your hand across the paper.

Here are some tips to help make it as easy as possible for you and your spirits.

1- Make Appointments:-

It is important that you schedule specific times to "meet" with the other side. Be sure to schedule your sessions at the same time everyday or on the same days of the week at a certain time. Let them know when they can expect you.

2 - Pick A Place:-

Where your sessions take place is very important. You cannot have any distractions, whether noise, people or anything else that might take your attention away from what you need to be focusing on. You need complete privacy, silence and comfort. The best time to schedule would be when everyone is out of the house. Also, you may want to have a computer nearby. This is more for experienced communicators but oftentimes it is easier for you and the spirit using a keyboard.

3 - Prepare Your Mind:-

Now that they know when and where to expect you, and vice versa, make sure you are ready to receive them. Clear your mind. Maybe even do a little meditation before your session starts. You want to be comfortable, relaxed and open to whatever happens. Clear away the nonsense of the day, put aside your "To Do" list and focus on being open.

4 - Warm Up:-

Allow both, or all of you to warm up. Ask simple questions at first and be patient. Be able to focus on each question at a time. Maybe have a series of questions ready in your head that you would like answered. Speak out loud. Focus mentally on your question but also verbalize it.

5 - Keep Records:-

Keep a journal of your transmissions. It will give you something to come back to if you get confused. Oftentimes there are many spirits at once trying to make contact with you and it can get confusing. These journals will clear up some confusion when you go back to them later. They will also be helpful to you during your future sessions as well as help you understand what you had communicated about and help you to validate it.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Identity Theft And Mass Mailings

In reading news from around the country, I notice a growing concern about Identity Theft Now throughout my 76 years, the most important thing I've learned is that there are many who are brighter than I. Then from my 18 years working in the prison system I have learned that the criminal mind is operating on high octane 24 hrs. a day. If there is some way to beat the system, turn them loose and they will find it.

With the crack down in recent years on being able to obtain SSN's openly, the criminals have used their ingenuity to create a new system which achieves the same result. They have found that by snatching some of the mass mailing that find their way into our mailboxes, they are able to reconstruct a profile of the recipient and by pure guile can obtain enough personal information to fill in the blanks.

Enter the world of Mass Mailings. Each of us is a victim of the merchandising frenzy. How then can we put our self in a position of protecting our identity and avoiding one more scam of identity theft. I have found that the only real way of beating any system is to examine it. Then once we understand how the system works we are in a position of being able to turn it to our advantage.
Did you ever wonder how your name found it way on some mailing list? It may come as a shock to you and it did me to discover that more often than not the mailing list had been bought from one of the three credit reporting agencies.


Yes, the very agency that is entrusted with so much personal history and information about me that my entire financial future depends on the accuracy of that information. Will I be able to buy an automobile at a decent price (or perhaps I should say at a decent monthly payment) depends on that personal financial information. Then based on that lifelong information the dreaded FICO is calculated.

Years ago before FICO raised its ugly head and mass mailings were the "IN" thing (obviously prior to a telemarketer interrupting our meal or favorite TV Show...), I decided to have a little fun. At the time I was working during the day and going to law school at night. Exams were pending and I needed a break from studying case law. Now be on notice that there is no one so versed in the law than a first semester law student.

Now lo and behold there on the corner of my desk sat a pile of unopened mail demanding my attention. As I slit each envelope open and perused its contents I was struck with the generosity of the mailer who was offering me a unique opportunity to win a million dollars and enjoy the type of life I really wanted - one with no work and no law school exams. The chance of a lifetime if only I would take advantage of it by filling out a piece of paper and returning it in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope.

What a deal...and I wouldn't even have to use my own postage.

With all this talk of contests and the fabulous prizes I could win if I only took the time to fill out the application of return it in the postage prepaid envelope. How could I even think of passing up such an opportunity. The thought struck like a bolt of lightning..... I should emulate such magnanimity . It would be selfish of me to think otherwise. And so in that dark room surrounded by law books and piles of mass mailings there was born.

I was about to sponsor my own contest and in a moment of weakness or insanity I would splurge and find a prize befitting the contest. You know what they say don't get mad - get even. ..... Couple that with brashness of a first semester law student torn between the image of basking on the beach of some deserted island sipping tropical drinks served by scantily clad natives and the dreariness of ploughing through a textbook on Contract Law where the footnotes outnumbered the pages......

Well, what can I say...except that it provided fertile ground for ingenuity. So I gathered up all the mailings and put each postage prepaid envelope in my trash can. I was about to have a drawing. The dreaded law books on the other corner of my desk and the picture of my sainted mother gazing down on me from the shelf would be the witnesses to the impartiality of the drawing.

So I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and spun around in my chair three times (isn't that the way it's done ..?) and with anxious breath drew one of the envelopes out of the trash can. "AND THE WINNER.......," I announced to my sainted mother (inwardly I knew she would be proud of me - aren't mothers usually proud of their sons at such historic moments) and that darn book on Contract Law whose open pages glared disapprovingly at me. Now what do I do...???


Oh, those damn pending law exams.... But wait a minute..... I do have a prize - all those mailings sitting on the corner of my desk along with the remaining postage prepaid envelopes in the trash can. Ah ha I have a winner ...and ....I have a prize. Now to notify the winner... Should I call...??? If I did I probably would have to pay for the call and I was not about to spend one red cent on the Contest that I did not have to.


Sitting down at my typewriter I dashed off a congratulatory letter advising the winner that by random selection held in the Nation's Capital, he was the declared winner in the DONALD J. SHEEHY UNPUBLISHED MAILING MANIA CONTEST and we were overjoyed to send them their treasured and unique prize. Then as a gesture of good will we were transferring our right to enter the various contests to them which we hoped they would enter and win. Further we were waiving all right title and interest (how about that legalese of a law student...) In any prize they may win.


Then I bound all the material together and taped the wining postage prepaid envelope on top and on my way to class dropped it off at the local post office. I probably should tell you that somewhere along the line I had learned that using the postage prepaid envelope costs the recipient more than the usual postage. And as you probably imagined the postage for this prize would far exceed the cost of first class postage.


This went on for close to six months when something unusual started to happen. The mass mailings began to drop off. Consequently the size of the prize also proportionably decreased Eventually I had to discontinue the contest thereby depriving myself of a well needed break from the law books. Besides the desired effect had been accomplished. Recently quite by accident I found an internet site where you can accomplish the same thing, namely, removing your name from the mailing lists of the major mass mailing houses.


Every story should have a moral or purpose. What's the moral here...? While you may think the above story is a tongue in cheek story. It actually happened during my first year at Catholic University Columbus School of Law where I dreaded sitting through Ed Garvin's class on Contract Law. But be on notice that the same brashness and ingenuity I used 40 years ago, I bring that same brashness and ingenuity to permeate the systems forced on us and after cracking their code, turn them to our advantage.Don Sheehy spent 18 yrs in the Criminal Justice System and is an authority on identity Theft and security matters.

He retired as Chief Administrative Law Judge in Washington, DC after 43 yrs. as an upper level administrator. He had a weekly network radio program for 10 yrs. He was a contributing editor of the New Catholic Encyclopedia. He was managing partner of his law firm on Capital Hill where he specialized in Criminal Defense of stock fraud and tax fraud. He retired to Florida in 1999 where he lives with his wife and is a frequent speaker and panelist on the radio. His recovering from two strokes has slowed him down.

Are Online MBA Degrees Worth Obtaining Through a Distance Education Format?

Many discussions and debates have been held since the last century on the question if this online degree is worth obtaining through distance Education Format or otherwise. Some consent to the value obtained from the online MBA degree while some disapprove this thought. However, over the last few years, statistic data has shown that many businesses look highly upon potential employee with MBA degree, regardless it is from an in-campus program or through an online program.

Businesses and employers have started to realize that many of these online programs from the accredited schools are capable of producing the same caliber graduates as the traditional learning environments. Therefore, many see online MBA degree as a viable tool to obtain potential career as increasing employers have demanded an MBA degree for some highly prospective job in a well-known company.
Income is a lot more higher for an MBA holder as opposed to undergraduate degree holder. Therefore it is normal for many to pursue an MBA degree online if they have the opportunity to.One is able to complete their online courses much quicker than those with the traditional classroom environment with the accredited program. This is one of the reason why students choose this path to get to an online degree.

Through online program, one is able to learn to prioritize their work, and studies better. They have become efficient planner for their life and studies to make the most out of this.
If you are considering one of these online institutions, you should do some careful research and obtain some background information concerning the institution's history, accreditation and you should especially consider talking with former students who have graduate there before enrolling with that institution.

On the contrary, there are many online degrees with so-called 'diploma mills' that have nothing more than non-accredited institution which anyone can get a degree from with money. Please be aware that it is only worth-while to pursue the degree from a reputable institution that's been accepted and accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency. More employers are willing to accept the distance learning online MBA degree as a valid alternative. But the institution where you attended for the degree does matter.

Education Money Returned to Feds and How to Use This to Help Your Child!

Do you have a child with autism or dyslexia that is receiving special education services? Has your school district refused to provide your child with needed services? Have school personnel told you that the reason they cannot give your child services. is due to lack of money! Then this article will be eye opening to you! Discussed will be the truth about federal money given to states and school districts for special education services, and amount returned!


Every year states receive money from the federal government to provide special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). States then determine how much money each school district receives and passes the federal money on too them. Any money not spent in a fiscal year must either be returned to the federal government or deducted from the next years allotment.

Billions of special education money are being returned yearly to the federal government, because it is not being spent. Every state in the USA has returned unspent money to the federal government. Between 2000-2002 states returned over 1.7 Billion dollars of this money. This money could have been used to pay for the services, that children with disabilities need but were denied by their school districts.

So why do school personnel continue to tell parents that they cannot provide services due to lack of money, when billions of unspent funds are being returned? The reason is, because denial of related and special education services has little to nothing to do with money! As an advocate for over 20 years I have said many times and will say it again: that many school personnel do not want to give services to children with disabilities. They say that it is due to lack of money, as an excuse for not providing the services. This practice of denying services to children with disabilities are ruining their lives!

How can you use this information to benefit your child? An article by Suzanne Whitney includes a chart of money returned from every state: To find the article and the chart go to; http://www.wrightslaw.com/news/04/doe.funds.unspent.pdf and check and see how much your state returned of unspent special education money between 2000-2002! Make a copy of the chart that includes your state and use that in your advocacy efforts.

It is important to note that IDEA does not allow school districts to deny special education and related services to children with disabilities, due to lack of money. Every time this issue is brought up to me I turn it back on them-and tell them that lack of money is not an acceptable reason under IDEA for denying children needed services

Parents are their children's only advocates and must be willing to stand up to special education personnel for the good of their child. What does it take to successfully advocate for your child: Assertive persistence for as long as it takes to get your child critical services to help them graduate, get a job and be economically self sufficient! Keep your expectations for your child high, advocate for them the best you can, and they will benefit!

Online PhD Programs Are Coming of Age

Advancing your education and skills in your field always has benefits. In a slow economy and tough job market, furthering your education becomes almost essential. You need to be able to stand out from the competition. Unfortunately, returning to a conventional university for an advanced degree may be impossible due to financial constraints and family obligations.
An education online PhD program may provide an ideal solution.


The prestige of a doctoral degree establishes you as an expert in your field and is hard to surpass. You will have earned the right to the title of Doctor, which is a very visible indication of your accomplishment.


It is now possible to earn a PhD degree without having to give up the income of a full time job. It is possible to complete the requirements and receive a quality education while working at your own pace, during the hours you find most convenient.

Pros & Cons:-
Distance learning has its positive and negative points, but many PhD candidates have already pursued some of their studies online. Convenience and scheduling are often leading criteria when selecting an online course of study. There may be very substantial cost savings if travel, moving and/or duplicate living expenses would be incurred to attend a traditional university, or if one would have to give up their job in order to return to school.


Some students will miss the social interaction that a physical school provides, although this can be somewhat replicated by online forums, chat rooms, etc. With an online program, mentors may be assigned from anywhere in the world, making it easier to gain access to a wealth of knowledge and new cultural insights. At top quality university will have an excellent on-campus library. While online course may offer access to online databases and library, it may be difficult to replicate the library of a good college or university. Financing may be harder with any distance learning program, but the availability of financing may be a good sign that the sponsoring college has a good reputation.

Quality:-
The best online PhD program share a general design, format, prerequisites and demands as a traditional program. Interaction between instructors/mentors and students may be even better in an online program than in a large university. Be sure to check accreditation and consider any board certification and/or licensing requirements in your field of study to ensure the online (or any other) program qualifies.


Requirements:-
Usually, candidates for a doctoral program will have a Masters degree, but some programs accept students with a minimum number of graduate credits (typically 30) or with a Bachelors Degree, in which case, extra coursework will likely be required.


Conclusion:-
The range and options for quality online degrees are growing rapidly. There's a good chance you will be able to find an online PhD program to meet your needs. Some may require some on-campus time, but they will still be designed to accommodate the working adult. Try to find a quality traditional school which is offering an online version of their degree program.


Avoid those which give a lot of credit for "life experience." You may be able to practically "buy" your degree, but anyone who cares about your credentials and does a bit of research won't be fooled, and your money will be wasted.

Digital Inclusion - How the Accessibility of Online Courses Might Help




A recent BBC report entitled 'Your country needs you connected' sheds fresh light on the number of people in the UK who are digitally excluded. According to Jane Wakefield, whilst the popularity of Twitter and Facebook are growing, '17 million Britons have never been online'.
Digital Champion, Martha Lane Fox, is at the forefront of getting the outsiders online - so how can online certificatedegrecourses her cause.


According to the report, Lane Fox is primarily concerned with targeting the six million poorest in the country, in order to break the correlation between social and digital exclusion. This is regarded as a particularly tough job by Bill Dutton of the Oxford Internet Institute. He asks, "How do you get people to experience a technology that they are predisposed not to be interested in?"



This is a valid problem, and one that I think will be solved, naturally by the growing dependency on e-Learning and online technologies to solve the increasing demand for further education courses. Yet equally, there undoubtedly needs an increase in accessibility for online courses beyond paid higher education institutions in order to minimize the risk of deterrence even further.



This calls for all types of business and services to offer easy and relevant online schemes. A move that has already been made by the Department for Work and Pensions, who's job search site has, according to Wakefield, 'averaged a pretty impressive one million searches per day'. Such schemes are causing more of those who may not be connected at home to visit their local online centres - a trend that is no doubt stimulated by the need of many to increase their job searching zeal.





This report come at a time when in the US, Barack Obama has unveiled an initiative funding of $12 million to be given to community colleges across the country. In order to increase the degree and certificate completion rate by 50 percent, he is also calling to make a number of distance learning courses free to anybody using open content.



I can see such a method being incorporated to Lane Fox plans in the UK (or, at least, I hope it will be). Offering free mini-courses 'to help you find a job online' or 'to help you fill in your tax return online' all seem logical - and if they are seen as a way of saving money - then the benefits of digital inclusion will be all the more evident.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Bingo Cards in Education


Most of us, are, I think, familiar with the game of bingo. Pretty much everyone knows how to play, even those people who are not dedicated bingo enthusiasts. Something that is less well known, is that modified versions of bingo are nowadays being used in many classrooms to help teach a diverse range of subjects.


One of the biggest challenges facing today's teachers is how to engage with their students and sustain their interest. The fact that bingo is an enjoyable game can perhaps be of some help. Furthermore, the game play mechanics can easily be adapted or modified by the teacher, depending on the particular subject being taught. Finally, the fact that bingo does not require a large investment in expensive materials or specialist resources is of course important given the financial constraints that most teachers work under.


The most common way to adapt bingo to classroom use, is by varying the contents of the bingo cards. In the standard game of bingo, the cards are generally printed with numbers, however in educational versions of the game the bingo cards are printed with words, phrases, or even math problems of the teacher's choice.


Additionally, game play mechanics may be varied:-

In an introductory reading class, students may simply be required to simply locate words printed on their cards, but in a language class they may be required to find a French or Spanish word when the teacher says the English equivalent, and in a math class, the students might be required to solve the math.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Psychic Readings and Divination, From Myths and Legends



Psychic readings have been the subject of controversy for centuries, and its history can be dated as early as ancient civilizations when humans first discovered the art of writing, where they have left clues on the importance of spirituality for our ancestors. Earliest writing records on clay tablets suggests an era where the world at large was seen through the lenses of belief which consisted of mystical beings and magical entities which we do not fully understand today.


Psychic clairvoyants are individuals who practice ways to predict events, there are many spiritual and psychic related websites online. Due to advancements of internet and broadband technologies, psychics through out the globe also have taken their talents to world stage. The word psychic originates from Greek language meaning "of the soul" yet when we look further into the past, we come to see written records which mentions second sight abilities, dream analyzers and astrologers and alike.


We can then clearly say that those who had unique abilities to foresee the future or predict events are not a new phenomenon. There is a form of divination which is called dowsing, dowsing is a method used to search for hidden objects using sticks or rods.


It's not known where this form of divination originates from, yet cave paintings in the Sahara from around 5000 to 6000 B.C consists of a person holding this particular divining tool. Not to mention famous bible stories where those who had visions to foresee the future.


The most ancient divination form is called geomancy (divination by interpreting the patters and shapes of objects) where by a person holds a handful of seeds, pebbles, sticks or even sand and gently tosses it on the ground and interprets positions of the objects as they fall to the ground. I chin divination is a form of geomancy which is still practiced today.
Geomancy is said to be used by psychics in ancient Middle East, (Ancient Egypt) where by divination by looking at the cracks of the earth was performed.


This is quite interesting because those who lived near the river Nile were depended on this mighty river, but this life giving river was also subject to seasonal flooding, and it's known fact that the ancient rulers of Egypt sent those who understood geometry, couldn't the rulers also have sent psychics who understood geomancy? The answer for this theory is open to debate, yet it is very logical to reason with, because those who lived in this area (ancient Egypt) around 5000 B.C were also highly spiritual.


Internet Security and Formal Education

Back then, people were amazed by movies and other media portraying cyber terrorism and the cool ways it can happen. Top secret FBI files being snatched right under the organization's nose, nations rising and falling by a mere transfer of digital data and eternal damnation being at the hands of the technologically adept few are examples of how powerful technology could be. Back then, these were all found in movies. Now, they have sneaked their way into the real society in the real world.


Any of these and other eventualities are highly possible. While there appears to be no question anymore about the unlimited possibilities that Internet technology, in particular, has brought to the capacity of man, this capacity has now touched critical levels. It is undeniable that anything and everything can now happen online. Thus, it is wise to be adequately educated about Internet security. The good news is, this education is not as difficult to build as it might appear. One can even get a comprehensive course on Internet security online.


It doesn't matter if moviemakers knew that what they portrayed in their films were bound to happen in reality. What's important is for us to realize that our capacity turn the impossible into reality with the use of technology has increased over the years. Because this capacity can be very well used for unscrupulous ends, the importance of protecting computer systems and valuable information is very great. Companies and government organization and even medium-sized to small business are now creating independent departments to handle the issue of online security.


For this reason, cyber security degrees have been created in cognizance of the fact that online crooks threatening everything from banking to national security have reached dangerous levels. Schools have begun to offer educational programs that allow individuals to have personalized learning materials which they can study at their own discretion. Private and public organizations have realized the need to educate their technical staff in order to ensure the highest level of security of private databases.


Online security as a problem has become as serious as eighty-one percent of businessmen giving it top priority in their business plans. It is, therefore, undeniably a huge concern.
Online security education is anyone's right. However, for one who has too little time to spare, simply using an IP hiding software usually provides more than enough protection.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Education Versus Training



Many people don't understand the difference between education and training. Education is giving out information and communicating to your trainees. Training is about practice and building skills. Today's younger generation of employees wants to be trained, not educated.


Problem is, if we don’t educate them before we train them, it could lead to problems. Think about how you learned to drive. You need knowledge of the laws and then the actual training of getting behind the wheel.


Same can be said for learning about the birds and the bees--if the education part isn’t done effectively, the training could lead to undesirable results!
Mark Flores, director of ops for Chuck E. Cheese’s, uses the macaroni-and-cheese example to demonstrate the difference. We’ve all made mac & cheese plenty of times in our lives, but if we don’t follow the instructions exactly, we might get macaroni soup, crunchy macaroni, or something else other than what we intended. So how do we deliver education and training to ensure consistency?


Manuals. Boooooooooring! We do need documentation, but make it fun! Include tons of photos and minimal text so it’s more of a comic strip look. People are more likely to remember what they see versus what they read, so retention of information is better. Additionally, it’s easier to translate into other languages.


Videos. Better than reading for most employees, but they need to be short segments (3--5 minutes maximum) with tons of visual image changes. Our employees today are used to watching CNN with talking video, a crawler message along the bottom, and the weather forecast on the side--all while having four online chats with their friends. Long, drawn-out videos lose their attention quickly. Watch a segment and go practice what you learn. You can watch the next segment after that.


Online. Golden Corral, White Castle, Sea Island Shrimp House, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Chuck E. Cheese’s are all using or testing e-learning. Since it is self-paced, it goes at the speed of the learner. Be careful: As we’ve seen with e-books, it’s not too comfortable to read a book on a PC, so keep the text to a minimum. Review questions can be built in as a checkpoint for the learner to advance to the next section.


Great way to replace video and print, but it’s still not "training."
Tests. We all hate tests! To ensure consistency in tests, keep them simple and visual (use as many pictures as possible), and use multiple-choice, ordering, or true-false format to ensure consistency in grading. Most of our employees no longer take fill-in-the-blank or essay tests. Ensure they have the basics down. Do all your trainers actually grade tests the same way?
All the above forms of "training" are really just education, yet most managers think it’s training. We didn’t get our driver’s license after reading the book, watching the video, and passing a test--we had to demonstrate our skills to the authorities before we received permission to drive. Education is the necessary evil that must come first, though.


Do we follow the same format with our employees? Many companies do not--we just memorize a bunch of useless information the guest cares little about and then we’re ready. You need to be validated on the skills it takes to do the job and re-validated periodically in the future. Knowing the job and doing the job are two entirely different things--and the guest notices.


Skill Validation

Having the new employee demonstrate skills for a manager shows you two things: how good the trainer was, and that the employee can do the functions of the job. We all might think we have the same definition of "greet the guest" or "suggestive sell," but when we see our employees in action, we find it’s all across the board. If we don’t coach them through the skill, they will simply do what they see at other restaurants (which often isn’t good). Conduct these validations every 90--180 days to keep standards top of mind.


People train people. Just because someone is a good employee doesn’t mean they will be a good trainer. The proper tools to educate will help, but the payoff is in the trainer demonstrating, coaching, and validating the skill of a new employee. To illustrate this point to your team, ask your trainers to train you on how to tie your shoes or put on a shirt. Act like you know nothing about it. Point being, it’s a simple task we can all do in our sleep--like ringing up orders or making burgers--but it’s incredibly hard to train someone else how to do it.


Macaroni and cheese anyone?
T.J. Schier is service professional, consultant and speaker with over 20 years experience in operations and training. Founder and president of Incentivize Solutions and podTraining, T.J. has helped numerous clients enhance their service and training programs and spoken to tens of thousands of managers, franchisees and operators in various fields. Visit

Friday, July 17, 2009

Home Online Schooling - Educational Options - Learn Internet Marketing


Thinking of going back to school? Considering Home Online Schooling as part of your educational options? Would you like to learn about Internet Marketing? Many people are thinking about what their next step will be... times being what they are.
I would like to share a little about On-line Universities as a viable alternative to traditional education. When considering school you may be asking, where do I start? What about the enormous cost? Do I have to follow a predetermined schedule? These are all daunting questions and can leave us second guessing whether it is worth it or not.



Learning about Internet Marketing onlineisgreatchoice forseveralreasons:-

#1The cost is very reasonable. You can receive a wealth of Marketing knowledge for less than $400 a year.

#2
Learn at your own pace. There is no set time that you have to complete the courses. The fact is, the faster you learn, the quicker you'll see the fruits of your labor.

#
3 Make money as you learn. You can begin to earn money as soon as you grasp the concepts that are taught.

#4
Learn from the comfort of your home. Day or night, 24/7. These are just a few reasons to think about when considering this type of career.

After much research, I came to the conclusion that Online Universities were the most viable solution. With the advancement in technology these days, there are numerous options for people to learn, as well as to make money with their computers. You can spent hours and hours researching to find that one place that is the real deal.

Narrow it down by focusing on "Home Online Schooling." Any viable institution will have some costs involved, and won't try to trick you into buying "overnight millionaire scams." If you want to be educated in all things related to Internet Marketing, than Online Universities are the way to go.

What I like best about Online Schooling is the community of folks you interact with. There are people from all walks of life and all levels of experience that are willing to help you every step of the way. It is really motivating to hear the success stories folks share. If you are ready to learn, and understand that you have to put the time in, you can make a good income Online.


Unfortunately what turns people off from Online work are the 1000s of scams and "get rich quick" schemes out there. Fact is the Internet is the largest marketplace in the world and there truly are unlimited opportunities in sales with the right education. This type of education takes about six months, not two years.

You may need to do something new to provide an income. Are you stagnating and lacking motivation? Looking into Home Online Schooling options can give you a new sense of purpose All the new education you will be receiving related to the Internet will keep you up with the times.


Like starting any new venture, it can be very refreshing for the soul. If you are seriously thinking at all about making some "real changes" in your life, consider reeducating yourself online as a means to better your financial position.