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Money Matters: How to use the financial literacy textbook in the classroom

Fri, 24 May 2024 14:53:37 GMT

We have created a new series in which Susan interviews teachers who are using the "Money Matters" textbook.

This is to help us understand exactly what is happening in our classrooms across Ireland and the impact the book is making. Additionally, it allows other teachers to learn from the people we interview, ultimately enhancing financial literacy in classrooms nationwide by listening to those who work directly with our young people. Today's interview is with Marian Freeman from Lucan Community College.

1. How do you use Money Matters in your classroom?

I started using it during my transition years. I use it with TY for the Enterprise and Business subject. I have been using different sections of it, such as how to make money, how to save, and how to invest money. We have used many activities from the book, and the students have really enjoyed it.

Following that, I have also started using it with my junior students, particularly the second and third years, when we are covering saving and investing. I have started using it with them because the book includes some very good activities. Additionally, I used it last week with my fifth years for our unit on taxation, which includes excellent activities related to taxation. For example, there was a particularly good example about capital gains tax that provided a new perspective for me, and the students really enjoyed that activity.

2.What activities do you think are the most suitable or engaging,

based on your past experience?

I select activities based on the class. There are many activities at the end of each chapter, and I pick and choose which ones to use depending on the level of the class. For example, with the second years, I might use the easier multiple-choice questions. There are also activities that link to different websites, which they really enjoy, such as those with the CCPC. I consider both the level of the class and their interest. With TY, it depends on whether the students are interested in business or if they were just placed in the class. Some might not have chosen it, while others might be planning to continue business studies for their Leaving Certificate. So, depending on the class’s interest and level, I select the appropriate activities.

3. Do you like bringing technology into the classroom or prefer a

non-tech environment? What has led you to that conclusion?

We’re really lucky in our school to have devices that we can bring from classroom to classroom. Using the activities has been fantastic because you can introduce your topic with a YouTube clip. One of the programs I was directed to is "How to Be Good with Money." I hadn't thought about using it before, but we used it at the start. Then we went on to the CCPC website and used their activities. The students didn't know that they could get different rates of savings at different places, nor did they know how to look them up, so that was a really useful activity.

Another useful activity involved the mortgage calculator. The students had no idea about having to save for a deposit for a house or what percentage they’d need to save before getting a mortgage. Activities like these were a real eye-opener for the students. The sites I was directed to were very good, and the activities were really beneficial.

4. What life skills do you think teenagers learn from content like

This?

They’re gaining a lot more life skills than we would have had 15-20 years ago. Back then, when I was first teaching this, it was all about reading from a book, which they couldn’t relate to. Now, when they can do it themselves, it’s much more relatable. For example, we get them to look up properties on MyHome.ie. They pick a house and we say, "This is your dream house. Now you have to figure out how much deposit you’re going to need and how much you’ll need from the bank. If you’re buying this on your own or with someone else, how will it work?" They are really shocked, but it’s a real eye-opener.

The other teacher, JP Foley, has his class do mini projects on buying a house. They start from saving their money all the way to actually buying the house. It’s a real eye-opener for them and a very good skill to have.

5. How have you tailored the module to different learning style or

learning difficulties?

Well, I suppose a lot of the students we have in TY I might have already taught in junior cycle, so I kind of know their level. A lot of the work we do is in groups. When forming groups, I might pair a stronger student with a not-so-strong student or someone who may not be as interested. Sometimes, we mix up the groups so we don't have four really strong students together; we might split them up to balance the groups.

I find case studies or projects that suit their learning styles. Some students love doing a PowerPoint presentation, while others prefer making a poster. Giving them the choice is a really good approach. We do CBAs in second and third year, and before, I would have said everyone should do a PowerPoint. However, that doesn’t suit everybody. Some students now prefer to do a poster, some like to give a presentation, and some might make a little booklet. It's about giving them the choice and tailoring it to what suits their learning style.

6. What are you planning to do next year?

We have the choice of how we want to tailor the course. Before, I would always do TY mini-companies, but sometimes it’s hard to motivate students to do a mini-company. Some years, we have fantastic mini-companies, and other years it's more challenging. This year, we mixed it up by doing a little bit of enterprise and a little bit of business from your book. I tailored it towards the Leaving Certificate Business course because that’s what I teach. We don’t do economics in our school, but another teacher teaches accounting in TY. We discuss and decide what courses we want to offer for the next year.

Next year, I’m thinking of focusing on business enterprise again because I believe it’s beneficial for the students to have a foundation in subjects like taxation and enterprise before they start their Leaving Certificate studies. These are topics they’ll encounter in their exams. I haven’t completely finalized the course yet, but I’m working on it.

7. What advice do you give to teachers planning to teach this next year

for the first time?

It would depend on the group you have and how you plan to approach it. I would suggest using the book to introduce topics through the introductory parts and fantastic case studies, especially those that are very personal, like a guy going on holiday or a girl setting up her own business. Start with these, but also get the students actively involved by using the activities.

Incorporate other things like mini projects, such as coming up with their dream home. Use the book as a tool while also integrating your own material. I found that there was amazing stuff in it, but some of the content might have been a bit too difficult for my TY students, depending on the group.

I had two groups this year. The first group was more academic, and I was able to use the extra questions at the end of the chapters with them. For the second group, I focused more on the activities and some of the basic questions. I chopped and changed between chapters rather than strictly following the order, adapting based on what we were doing.

Unlike JP, who is an accountant and focuses more on figures, I concentrate on business, marketing, HR, and enterprise. There was plenty in the book for me to use in these areas, helping students navigate and learn along the way.

8. As a school, are you involved in any other financial literacy

Initiatives?

We've got a school bank at the moment, which JP is currently setting up. We've done this in the past and have entered our class into quizzes and similar activities before. We're always open to trying anything new that comes our way. The school bank is probably the main initiative we've undertaken.

All of these activities provide valuable learning experiences. It's interesting to hear about what's happening in schools around the country and to learn about opportunities available from industry, government, and other sources to engage with them along the way.

9. What do you think is misunderstood about young people?

Well, I think sometimes we're always telling students what to do. As a teacher, I realize that we don't always ask them what they want to do. We're often suggesting and directing, but one thing I've noticed, especially this year, is that we tend to focus on the more forthcoming students—the ones who always put up their hands and volunteer. However, over the past couple of years, I've learned that there are students who want to participate but are too shy or nervous to put themselves forward.

Now, I give students the opportunity to get involved by asking them directly if they want to participate in activities. Many won't put up their hands, but they can send me a message on Teams if they want to be involved. For example, I'm involved in promoting a show at the school. When I asked who wanted to help with the promotion, all the usual suspects volunteered, which was great. However, a few hours later, I received messages from at least four or five other students who also wanted to participate. They were eager to be involved but were too shy to speak up initially.

I think sometimes we misunderstand their silence as a lack of interest. I know from personal experience that being shy in school can mean missing out on opportunities because I couldn't bring myself to volunteer. So, I believe we need to give quieter students more chances to participate. This is something I've been working on—encouraging those who wouldn't necessarily put themselves forward to get involved.

10. Finally, when you hear "they should teach that in schools", what is

your reaction?

Well, I have a few thoughts here. I think what you have in your book is so important, especially about how to save. I'm always telling the students, "Look, you've got your reward cards now; open up your little pockets or whatever they are and save two a week. You wouldn't believe how much that's going to add up." Practical advice like that is crucial, as well as warnings about credit cards in college. I tell them not to get a credit card to avoid getting tied up in debt.

They also learn life skills in home economics, like how to turn on a cooker, use a washing machine, and understand how bills work. Additionally, skills like filling out application forms and staying organized in life are vital. I sometimes spend a double class organizing folders, and I always tell students that being organized will make things so much easier. For example, in our Leaving Certificate business course with 31 chapters, each student has a folder with 31 plastic pockets. Everything we do goes into the corresponding pocket. Once they get organized, they find things much easier.

Teaching students to be organized from first year would make a big difference. Some students, both boys and girls, are all over the place. Organization is something I'm passionate about. We could spend a day sorting out lockers and explaining how to organize books into different folders.

Another important area is etiquette—how to greet people, how to treat people, and how to say thank you. We emphasize to our students to thank their teacher when leaving a class. It doesn't cost anything. When we call the roll, it's "Yes, Miss." It's not about making them do it, but starting this in first year instills good habits. It's about creating a positive culture, not forcing it.

I also stress that how they treat others is more memorable than their grades. I might not remember their exact grades, but I will remember what type of person they are. If they are kind and treat people well, that's what stands out.

Different Types of Sessions to Conduct with Guest Speakers: Format 6 - Rotate Between Groups

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:12:47 GMT

When planning sessions with guest speakers, it's important to consider different formats to keep things engaging. One often overlooked but easy format is to rotate the guest speaker between groups. In this blog post, we will explore how this format works and why it can be beneficial.

Introducing Guest Speakers to the Entire Group:

To effectively introduce guest speakers to the entire group, it's recommended to utilize breakout rooms. For example, in an online environment, divide the group into three breakout rooms. Each guest speaker can then visit these breakout rooms individually. In an in-person setting, you can break the group into smaller groups and send them to different parts of the venue, such as a restaurant, lobby, or outdoor area. This movement adds a dynamic element to the session.

Benefits of Rotating Between Groups:

Rotating guest speakers between groups offers several advantages. Firstly, it helps prevent long-winded presentations or Q&A sessions that can become monotonous. Instead, each guest speaker gets a shorter time slot, allowing for more focused and concise discussions. Additionally, participants in the audience gain a better understanding of the topic due to the nuances shared by speakers with different experiences.

Logistics and Responsibilities:

When conducting unsupervised breakout room conversations, it's crucial to brief the guest speakers beforehand. They should understand what to expect and how to navigate an environment where questions might be limited. As the facilitator, it's your responsibility to manage logistics, such as re-logging participants who drop off or encounter technical difficulties. By preparing the guest speakers and setting clear expectations for the audience, you can ensure a smooth session.

Rotating guest speakers between groups is an effective way to keep sessions engaging and provide participants with different perspectives. Whether in an online or in-person setting, this format allows for focused discussions and a dynamic learning experience. By briefing guest speakers, setting expectations, and managing logistics, you can successfully execute this format and create a valuable session for all participants.

Different Types of Sessions to Conduct with Guest Speakers - Format 5: Review Participants' Work

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:09:44 GMT

In this blog post, we will discuss a type of session that works really well for guest speakers and participants. This format involves reviewing the work of the participants beforehand. We will explore how guest speakers can prepare for this type of session, provide feedback to the participants, and offer additional advice to enhance the quality of their work.

Preparing for the Session:

When guest speakers are asked to review participants' work, it is essential for them to know what to expect and set parameters with the facilitator beforehand. For example, if the participants are writing a cover letter, the guest speaker should be aware of the specific requirements, such as the length and the target jobs they are applying for. Additionally, guest speakers should consider what they would say if no information was provided to them, as it can serve as a go-to method for providing focused feedback.

Providing Feedback:

Guest speakers play a crucial role in offering personalised feedback to the participants. By pointing out specific areas of improvement or mistakes in the participants' work, guest speakers can help them learn best practices. For instance, during a cover letter review, the guest speaker could highlight instances where the use of "I" was excessive and suggest rewriting those sections using the word "you" to focus more on the employer's needs. This way, everyone participating can learn from each other's experiences and improve collectively.

Enhancing Participants' Work:

To enhance the quality of the participants' work, guest speakers can emphasise the importance of focusing on the basics. Some fundamental tips include having a strong value proposition, avoiding overload of text in pitch decks, and incorporating real market research based on conversations with actual or potential customers. Additionally, storytelling can be a powerful technique to captivate the audience and make their work stand out. Sharing stories of both successes and failures in relevant contexts can engage participants and highlight the importance of certain strategies.

Reviewing participants' work can be a highly effective session format for guest speakers and participants alike. By preparing beforehand, providing personalised feedback, and emphasising essential tips and techniques, guest speakers can contribute to enhancing the quality of the participants' work. This type of session fosters accountability and rapport while providing valuable learning experiences. Overall, it offers a unique opportunity for participants to receive direct feedback from experienced professionals in their field.

Format 4: Facilitate an Activity

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:52:21 GMT

When it comes to guest speaker sessions, one type of activity that often gets overlooked is facilitation. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of incorporating activities into guest speaker sessions and provide an example to give you a better idea of how it can be done.

Benefits of Facilitating Activities:

Facilitating activities during guest speaker sessions can have several advantages. These activities are engaging, require minimal preparation, and can be conducted individually or in groups. Participants are more likely to retain information when they actively participate, making these activities both fun and educational.

Example: Exploring Failure

One effective activity is to ask participants to delve into the concept of failure. During a session, a guest speaker can prompt attendees to discuss what failure looks like in their respective fields or areas of expertise. This exercise encourages participants to think outside the box and consider potential challenges they may face.

The guest speaker can then direct attendees to brainstorm solutions to mitigate or overcome these perceived failures. By flipping the perspective from identifying problems to generating best practices, participants can gain valuable insights that they can apply in real-life situations.

Personalisation and Storytelling:

Engaging with participants' fears and concerns creates a sense of connection and fosters genuine interest in the speaker's experiences. By sharing personal stories and overcoming challenges related to the identified failures, the guest speaker can effectively captivate the audience.

Other Engaging Activities:

Aside from exploring failure, there are numerous other activities that can be incorporated into guest speaker sessions. Encouraging participants to journal about their ideal day or facilitating group discussions on specific topics relevant to the session's theme are just a few examples. The key is to make the activities interactive and tailored to the participants' needs and interests.

Assessing Participants' Work:

The method for assessing participants' work will depend on the size of the group. For smaller groups, individual feedback can be provided as the speaker walks around and engages in one-on-one conversations. However, for larger groups, dividing attendees into smaller groups allows the speaker to interact with each group more extensively. Managing expectations and effectively utilising the available time are crucial aspects of this process.

Providing Feedback:

When providing feedback, it is essential to read the room and gauge the level of criticism that can be given constructively. In public speaking scenarios, for instance, addressing areas of improvement should be handled sensitively. Feedback should be actionable and immediate, enabling participants to implement suggested improvements right away. Personalising feedback to individuals or creating a sense of camaraderie among participants by acknowledging shared experiences can further enhance the impact of the feedback.

Incorporating activities into guest speaker sessions not only increases engagement but also facilitates meaningful learning experiences. Activities such as exploring failure can spark insightful discussions and generate valuable best practices. By personalising feedback and managing expectations, speakers can provide constructive insights that participants can readily apply. So, the next time you invite a guest speaker, consider incorporating interactive activities to enhance the session's effectiveness.

Format 3: Address Participants’ Assumptions

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:43:40 GMT

In this blog post, we will discuss an interesting session format for conducting sessions with guest speakers. Specifically, we will focus on Format 3, which involves addressing participants' assumptions.

The Purpose of Recording Assumptions:

Recording assumptions before the session serves as an important activity that can enhance online engagement. This practice was developed during lockdown when online interactions became more prevalent. It allows participants to reflect on their assumptions and encourages them to think critically about their beliefs.

How to Document Assumptions:

To begin, the facilitator should provide parameters and examples of assumptions related to the topic at hand. This could include assumptions about the future of work, personal goals, or potential changes in the industry. Participants are then asked to list their assumptions and explain why they hold those beliefs. To further strengthen the exercise, participants are encouraged to find credible sources that support their assumptions.

Using Google Sheets for Collaboration:

During online sessions, using tools like Google Sheets can enhance collaboration and data analysis. Participants can create a shared document where they record their assumptions and use various techniques such as drop-down menus and conditional formatting to gather opinions and track the number of agreements and disagreements. This enables participants to see how their assumptions compare to others' and fosters a sense of collective learning.

Benefits of Addressing Assumptions:

When a guest speaker is invited to address participants' assumptions, several positive outcomes can be achieved. Firstly, it provides the speaker with an opportunity to review and prepare responses in advance. However, it is equally beneficial for the speaker to be authentic and transparent if they don't have all the answers. This authenticity helps build trust and fosters meaningful conversations.

Additionally, participants gain confidence by hearing their own researched assumptions being addressed by a thought leader or authority figure. This interaction creates a mentoring dynamic and promotes active engagement. It also levels the playing field, ensuring that everyone has something to contribute.

Managing Time and Addressing Assumptions:

It is important to note that addressing all assumptions within a limited time frame can be challenging. Some participants may elaborate extensively, leading to time constraints. In such cases, facilitators can suggest continuing the discussion in future sessions or assigning it as a topic for further exploration. Alternatively, participants can reach out to the speakers directly or connect via LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

By incorporating Format 3 - Address Participants' Assumptions, session organisers can create an engaging and inclusive experience for both speakers and participants. This format encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and authentic dialogue, which ultimately leads to a more productive and enriching session.

Different Types of Sessions to Conduct with Guest Speakers - Format 2: Presentation

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:34:44 GMT

In this blog, we will discuss how to choose a topic for a presentation and how to engage the audience using interactive elements. We will also explore what a guest speaker can do after their presentation ends, in case they have extra time.

Choosing the Topic:

When selecting a topic for your presentation, it's essential to consider its relevance and engagement factor for your audience. Rather than defaulting to something you've done before, ask yourself if you would genuinely give this presentation if it wasn't already prepared. Determine who your audience is and what they are interested in. Are they startup founders, individuals returning to the workforce, or those seeking career advancement? Tailor your topic to cater to their needs, providing practical takeaways and unique insights.

Engaging the Audience:

To enhance audience engagement during your presentation, consider incorporating interactive elements. The classic approach is to include a Q&A session at the end, allowing attendees to ask questions. However, there are other interactive options to explore. Using tools like Mentimeter or Slido, you can conduct polls or quizzes related to your presentation topics. For example, you can ask the audience to rank different topics by importance or create word clouds to gather their opinions. This not only makes the session more interactive but also allows you to understand the audience's preferences and adapt accordingly.

Utilising Technology:

Visual aids such as PowerPoint presentations can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your talk. However, it's crucial to use technology as a supportive tool rather than relying on it entirely. Avoid showing slides that aren't necessary or dismissing their significance. Always prioritize the audience's experience by considering what they would want to see and hear. By focusing on creating value for them, you can ensure that your visuals aid in delivering your message effectively.

Integrating Interactive Elements:

In addition to Q&A sessions and polls, there are other ways to build interactions into your presentation. Utilize tools like Kahoot, a quiz app that allows participants to engage in multiple-choice questions. This can add an element of fun and group participation to your session. By involving the audience in these interactive activities, you create a two-way communication flow and make the experience more engaging for everyone involved.

Making the Most of Extra Time:

Sometimes, a guest speaker may find themselves with extra time after their presentation. In such cases, it's important to keep the audience engaged. One approach is to ask thought-provoking questions related to your talk. This can spark discussions and encourage attendees to share their opinions. Another option is to elaborate on a point that you didn't have sufficient time to cover during your main presentation. Finally, storytelling can be a powerful tool to fill the remaining time. Share an anecdote or personal experience that adds value to the topic and resonates with the audience.

When conducting a presentation as a guest speaker, it's crucial to select an engaging topic that caters to your audience's needs. Incorporating interactive elements like polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions can enhance audience engagement and make the session more enjoyable. If you find yourself with extra time, use it wisely by asking questions, elaborating on points, or telling stories. By adopting these strategies, you can deliver a memorable and impactful presentation.

Different Types of Sessions to Conduct with Guest Speakers: Format 1 - Q&A Session

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:41:52 GMT

Welcome to the first installment of our "Your Questions, My Answers" series! In this series, we'll explore different types of sessions that you can conduct with guest speakers. In this blog, we'll focus on Format 1 which is a Q&A session.

A Q&A session is a great way to engage your audience and allow them to ask questions directly to the speaker. However, it's important to set some guidelines to ensure a smooth and productive session.

Here are some tips for conducting a successful Q&A session:

Prepare Questions in Advance: To avoid any lulls in the conversation, it's a good idea to work with your facilitator to prepare questions beforehand. This ensures that there are always questions ready to be asked, even if the audience is hesitant or lacks context.
Set Expectations: Make it clear from the beginning that everyone in the audience will be expected to ask at least one question. This encourages active participation and ensures that everyone gets involved.
Have Multiple Questions Prepared: Encourage participants to have more than one question prepared. This way, if someone else asks a question that was already on their mind, they have other questions to fall back on. It also shows that they have put some thought into the session.

But what if some people don't have any questions to ask? It's not uncommon for participants to feel unsure about what makes a good question. In these cases, it's helpful to coach them and provide some examples.

Here are two fail-safe questions that can work in almost any situation:

"What do you do on a daily basis?" - This question is great for gaining insights into someone's career and learning from their experiences.
"What practical tips do you have for me in my position?" - This question allows participants to seek advice specific to their own circumstances, whether it's starting a business or managing a team.

Sometimes, participants may ask closed-ended questions that have simple "yes" or "no" answers. In these cases, it's important to encourage them to expand on their question to foster more engagement with the audience.

When it comes to follow-up questions, they can be a valuable way for participants to further engage with the speaker and delve deeper into a topic. However, it's crucial to strike a balance and avoid monopolising the conversation.

If a participant continuously asks follow-up questions, you can politely redirect the conversation by acknowledging their enthusiasm while ensuring others have a chance to participate as well. For example, you can suggest continuing the discussion offline or invite them to chat after the session. Additionally, you can express appreciation for their engagement while reminding them of the importance of giving everyone an opportunity to ask their questions.

In conclusion, a Q&A session is an excellent format for engaging with guest speakers. By preparing questions in advance, setting expectations for participation, and encouraging participants to have multiple questions ready, you can ensure a productive and inclusive session. Remember to strike a balance when it comes to follow-up questions, always prioritizing the needs of the entire audience.

We hope these tips will help you plan a successful Q&A session for your guest speakers!

Exploring Work Experience: Common Questions Asked by 16-Year-Old Students

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:46:38 GMT

Work experience offers an invaluable opportunity for 16-year-old students to gain practical insights into the world of work. As they embark on this important learning journey, it's common for students to have questions and seek guidance. In this blog post, we will explore a list of questions typically asked by 16-year-old students during work experience and provide insightful answers to help them navigate this exciting phase of their lives.

1. What should I expect during my work experience?

During work experience, you can expect to observe and participate in various aspects of the workplace. This may include shadowing employees, assisting with tasks, attending meetings, and gaining exposure to the company's culture and daily operations. It's an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and gain hands-on experience in a professional environment.

2. How can I make the most out of my work experience?

To make the most of your work experience, approach it with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. Take initiative, ask questions, and seek feedback from your supervisors. Observe and learn from experienced employees, and take note of the skills and knowledge they demonstrate. Use this opportunity to explore different roles, industries, and gain insights that can help shape your future career decisions.

3. What skills can I develop during work experience?

Work experience provides a platform to develop various transferable skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, and adaptability. You will also have the opportunity to enhance industry-specific skills, depending on the nature of the work you engage in. Embrace every task as a learning opportunity and actively seek to improve your skills throughout your experience.

4. How can I demonstrate professionalism during my work experience?

Demonstrating professionalism is essential during work experience. Arrive on time, dress appropriately, and maintain a positive attitude. Follow workplace rules and protocols, respect confidentiality, and prioritise your responsibilities. Actively listen and show respect to colleagues and superiors, and communicate effectively and professionally.

5. What are the potential career paths in this industry?

During your work experience, take the opportunity to explore different roles within the industry. Engage with professionals from various departments and ask about their career paths. Gain insights into the qualifications, skills, and experiences required for different roles. This exploration can help you make informed decisions about your future career choices.

6. How can I build professional relationships during work experience?

Building professional relationships is crucial for future career success. Be approachable, friendly, and respectful to colleagues. Seek opportunities to network, engage in conversations, and ask for guidance or mentorship. Express your gratitude for the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and maintain contact with them even after your work experience ends.

7. How can I use work experience to discover my passions and interests?

Work experience is an excellent opportunity to explore different industries and job roles. Pay attention to tasks and projects that pique your interest, and reflect on the aspects of work that you find fulfilling. Ask yourself what you enjoy doing and what aligns with your skills and values. Use this insight to help shape your future educational and career choices.

8. How can I make a positive impression and stand out during my work experience?

To make a positive impression, demonstrate a strong work ethic, be proactive, and show enthusiasm for tasks assigned to you. Display good communication skills, ask thoughtful questions, and seek feedback to continuously improve. Be reliable, punctual, and exhibit a willingness to take on additional responsibilities when appropriate.

9. How can I overcome challenges or difficult situations during work experience?

Challenges and difficult situations are part of the learning process. Approach them with a growth mindset, seeking opportunities for growth and improvement. Seek guidance from supervisors or colleagues when faced with challenges, and use their feedback to adapt and overcome obstacles. Embrace resilience and perseverance, as they are vital skills for success in any career.

10. How can I leverage my work experience for future job applications or college applications?

Work experience provides valuable content for future job or college applications. Reflect on the skills, knowledge, and experiences gained during your work placement. Highlight specific achievements or projects you were involved in. Additionally, seek references or recommendations from your supervisors, as they can provide valuable insights into your abilities and work ethic.

Work experience at the age of 16 offers an exciting opportunity to explore different career paths, develop essential skills, and gain insights into the world of work. By asking questions, actively participating, and demonstrating a strong work ethic, you can make the most of your experience. Embrace this opportunity for personal growth, discovery, and the building of a solid foundation for your future career endeavors.

Guest Speaker's Guide: Answering Student Questions about Careers in STEM

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:40:20 GMT

As a guest speaker addressing students about careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), you have the opportunity to inspire and provide valuable insights. Students are often curious about various aspects of STEM careers and seek guidance from professionals who have firsthand experience. In this blog post, we will explore typical questions asked by students and provide tips to help you effectively answer these questions.

1. What is the hardest part of your job?

Tip: When answering this question, be honest about the challenges you face. Highlight specific aspects of your job that require problem-solving, adaptability, or resilience. Discuss how you overcome these challenges and emphasise the personal growth and satisfaction that can be derived from overcoming obstacles in your field.

2. What inspired you to go down this career path?

Tip: Share your personal story and the factors that influenced your decision. Explain how your passion for the subject matter, role models, educational experiences, or a desire to make a positive impact motivated you. By illustrating your own journey, you can inspire students to explore their interests and find their own sources of inspiration.

3. What part of your job would you say you enjoy the most?

Tip: Discuss the aspects of your job that bring you joy and fulfillment. Highlight opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, or making a difference in the world. By sharing what you find rewarding, you can give students a glimpse into the potential joys they may experience in their future STEM careers.

4. Do you feel your job makes a difference in the world?

Tip: Emphasise the significance and impact of STEM careers on society. Provide examples of how your work contributes to advancements, improvements, or solutions that benefit individuals or communities. Illustrate the real-world implications of your field, whether it's in healthcare, technology, sustainability, or other areas.

5. When did you decide you wanted to work here?

Tip: Share the story of how you made the decision to work in your current organisation or field. Explain the factors that influenced your choice, such as the company's mission, values, culture, or opportunities for growth. Highlight any turning points or pivotal moments that led you to this decision.

6. Does your job keep up to date with modern technology?

Tip: Stress the importance of staying up-to-date with technological advancements in STEM careers. Discuss how your job requires continuous learning and professional development. Talk about the resources and opportunities available to you, such as workshops, conferences, or online courses. Showcase the commitment of your organisation to embracing new technologies.

7. Do you feel you have a sense of purpose in the job you do?

Tip: Reflect on the sense of purpose you derive from your work. Share the positive impact you believe your job has on individuals, society, or the environment. Discuss how your work aligns with your personal values and aspirations, and how it brings you a sense of fulfillment and meaning.

8. Do you like working with others in your job?

Tip: Be open about your preferences for collaboration and teamwork. Explain how working with others fosters creativity, innovation, and better outcomes. Share examples of successful collaborations and the benefits they bring. However, also acknowledge that different roles may require varying levels of collaboration, and highlight the importance of finding a balance that suits individual work styles.

9. What is your favourite thing about your job? Did you think you would end up working where you are now when you started? What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome to get to where you are now?

Tip: Engage with the questions by sharing your personal experiences. Highlight your favourite aspects of your job and explain why they bring you satisfaction. Reflect on whether your current position was part of your initial plan and discuss any unexpected opportunities or career transitions you encountered. Describe a significant obstacle you overcame and the lessons you learned along the way.

As a guest speaker, your insights and experiences can inspire and guide students in their pursuit of STEM careers. By effectively answering their questions about the challenges, inspirations, joys, impact, and personal growth in your field, you can provide valuable guidance and help students make informed decisions about their future paths. Remember to be genuine, share personal stories, and emphasize the rewards and opportunities available in STEM careers.

Navigating Student Questions: Insights for Guest Speakers in the Law Firm Industry

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:35:48 GMT

Guest speakers play a crucial role in guiding students who are considering a career in the legal field. As a guest speaker at a law firm, you have the opportunity to share your experiences and provide valuable insights to aspiring lawyers. In this blog post, we will explore typical questions that students ask guest speakers and provide tips on how to effectively answer these inquiries.

1. Is it better to be a trainee in the same firm you want to go to?

Tip: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a trainee in the same firm. Explain the benefits of building relationships, familiarity with the firm's culture, and potential career opportunities. However, also highlight the importance of considering different perspectives and exploring diverse experiences to gain a broader understanding of the legal profession.

2. Are there any opportunities to travel with a career in law?

Tip: Highlight the various opportunities for travel that can arise in a legal career. Discuss international cases, collaborations with international law firms, and the potential for secondments or assignments abroad. Emphasize that travel opportunities may vary depending on the specific practice area and the firm's global presence.

3. What qualifications would you look for when hiring someone for a job similar to yours? What would be your biggest qualification you'd look for?

Tip: Explain the qualifications and skills that are valuable in the legal profession. Discuss the importance of academic credentials, such as a law degree or relevant postgraduate qualifications. Additionally, highlight the significance of skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a team. Emphasize that the biggest qualification often depends on the specific role and requirements of the firm.

4. What subjects did you pick for Leaving Cert?

Tip: Share the subjects you chose for Leaving Cert and explain how they may have contributed to your legal career. Highlight subjects that develop analytical thinking, communication skills, and logical reasoning, such as English, History, or Economics. However, also emphasize that the choice of Leaving Cert subjects is not restrictive, and individuals can pursue law with a diverse range of subjects.

5. What led you to pursue a career in law?

Tip: Share your personal motivations and experiences that influenced your decision to pursue a legal career. Discuss any formative experiences, influential role models, or personal values that drew you to law. Illustrate your passion for justice, problem-solving, advocacy, or making a positive impact on society.

6. What advice would you give your younger self just starting out in your law career?

Tip: Reflect on your own journey and share advice based on your experiences. Offer guidance on building a strong foundation of legal knowledge, seeking opportunities for mentorship, networking, and professional development. Encourage the importance of resilience, perseverance, and maintaining a work-life balance.

7. Is your job in other countries?

Tip: Discuss the potential for international work in the legal profession. Explain how globalization and interconnectedness have created opportunities to work with clients, firms, or organizations in other countries. Describe the possibilities for cross-border transactions, collaborations, or involvement in international legal issues.

8. If you want to become a solicitor, what do you need to study in college?

Tip: Explain the educational path to becoming a solicitor. Discuss the importance of completing an undergraduate law degree or a conversion course for non-law graduates. Highlight the subsequent requirement of completing a professional legal training course and obtaining a professional qualification, such as the Law Society of Ireland's Final Examination - Part 2.

9. Could you tell us about a mistake you made and how you overcame it?

Tip: Share a professional mistake you made and how you learned from it. Emphasize the importance of acknowledging and taking responsibility for mistakes, as well as implementing strategies for improvement. Discuss how you sought guidance, learned from the experience, and utilized it as a stepping stone for personal and professional growth.

10. What is a typical day like for you?

Tip: Provide an overview of a typical day in your role, highlighting the diversity and variety that comes with working in a law firm. Discuss tasks such as legal research, drafting documents, client meetings, negotiations, court appearances, and teamwork. Explain that the specifics of a typical day may vary depending on the practice area and the stage of your career.

As a guest speaker at a law firm, your insights can help students gain a deeper understanding of the legal profession. By addressing their questions thoughtfully and providing valuable tips, you can inspire and guide students as they navigate their own career paths. Share your personal experiences, highlight the opportunities and challenges in the field, and encourage students to pursue their passions and aspirations in the legal industry.

Common Questions Young People Ask About Careers in Finance

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:25:48 GMT

If you're volunteering to speak to a group of young people about your career in the financial services industry, you may be wondering what kind of questions to expect. It's important to have a sense of what they might ask so that you can provide valuable insights to these curious minds. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the most common questions that young people may ask when learning about careers in finance.

How difficult is it to advance to a higher position in a financial services company?
What is the work culture like between co-workers and managers/superiors in a stockbroker company?
How do you build trust with clients?
What are the requirements for working in this industry? Do you have any work life balance? Do you always need to be contactable?
What is the hiring process like and is it intimidating?
What are the most important skills needed for working in a job like this? Is it all about academics?
What is a typical day like?
What are the values of a stockbroker company?
Is there a lot of risk when dealing with people, businesses and money?
How do you get promoted?
Will robots take all the jobs?
What causes the most stress in your job?
What do you not like and would like to give up?

In conclusion, speaking to young people about careers in the financial services industry can be an exciting opportunity to inspire and educate the next generation. By understanding the typical questions they may ask, you can better prepare yourself to provide valuable insights and advice. Remember to be honest, informative, and engaging, and you may just inspire a young person to pursue a career in finance.

Different Types of Sessions to Conduct with Guest Speakers

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:09:03 GMT

Guest speakers can provide valuable insights and knowledge to participants in various settings. However, it is essential to plan and structure the sessions to ensure that they are productive and engaging. In this blog post, we will outline different types of sessions that can be conducted with guest speakers.

1. l Q&A Sessions

A Q&A session is an solid way to introduce a guest speaker and allow participants to ask questions. The session begins with the speaker introducing themselves, their role within the company, areas of expertise, and a brief overview of their career. Participants can then raise their hand (and if online, using Zoom functionality to unmute and) ask the speaker a question. It is encouraged that participants prepare questions in advance. The goal is to ensure that each interaction is insightful and informative. The speaker will take the time to answer each question thoroughly and invite any follow-up questions from the participant. If you have a particularly quiet audience, then you can posit that you will go to each person and that creates an expectation for everybody to get involved.

2. Presentation

For a presentation session, the speaker might talk about their career highlights to date, a recent project they've worked on, their typical day or their "top tips" in an area of interest to the audience. They will prepare a set of slides beforehand, which will include interactive elements. During the session, the speaker will introduce themselves briefly, including their role, job title, area of expertise, and career outline. After delivering the presentation, the supervising facilitator will invite questions from the participants.

3. Address Participants' Assumptions

To ensure a productive interaction, participants are required to record their assumptions on a predetermined topic (e.g. the future of work). The facilitating supervisor will then introduce the guest speaker and provide them with an opportunity to elaborate on their job title, working life, career progression, areas of expertise, and advice for participants. Each participant will have the chance to share their assumption, and receive a response from the guest speaker. The speaker will share their reaction, thoughts, and working knowledge on the theme.

4. Facilitate an Activity

An activity-based session can be an effective way to engage participants and encourage interaction with the guest speaker. The activity can be related to the topic or industry that the speaker is presenting on. The facilitator will guide the participants through the activity, and the guest speaker will provide feedback and insights. This might be a role-play of a job interview or an interaction where one person is given a piece of the information and the other person needs to ask effective questions to glean it!

5. Review Participants' Work

In a review session, the speaker would have thoroughly reviewed the participants' work or received a briefing on what to expect during the live active review. This might be a cover letter for a job, a marketing proposal for a new product or a review of a website. During the session, the speaker would actively assess the entire group's work with each participant or in smaller groups of four to five people. They would provide participants with the opportunity to clarify their understanding of the review, challenge the speaker's feedback, and share how they plan to implement that feedback into their work.

6. Rotate Between Groups

In a rotational interaction, guest speakers will join the session and be introduced by the supervising facilitator to the entire group. The facilitator will then assign everyone, including the guest speakers, to breakout rooms where the speaker will engage with one group at a time. During this time, the speaker will introduce themselves, describe their role, job title, daily working life, areas of expertise, career path, and share anecdotes to help students understand the industry, company culture, and the working world.

In conclusion, each type of session is designed to provide participants with valuable insights from the guest speaker and encourage interaction and engagement. The supervising facilitator plays a key role in ensuring that each session runs smoothly and concludes on time. By incorporating these different types of sessions, you can create a dynamic and engaging experience for your participants.

Making a Meaningful Mentoring Difference with Legal Fridays

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:29:47 GMT

Active Peers AI recently hosted its sixth YouTube Live on “Making a Meaningful Mentoring Difference with Legal Fridays”.

This Livestream is based on Legal Fridays, which is a tailored programme by A&L Goodbody for students in participating North East Inner City (NEIC) schools.

Legal Fridays took place over three Fridays in January structured around developing communication techniques, learning from industry mentors and building employable, career-building skills all woven into a legal theme. During the session, Susan used Active Peers AI lots of times. For instance, Susan used a "manual" version of our matching algorithm to match each group whereby they were from different schools and met a different mentor.

Apart from a Q&A session with Susan, we also had two guests, Suzie O'Shea and Clair Rooney Dolan, from A&L Goodbody join us for an interview with Susan.

Susan's Interview with Suzie and Clair

1) Can you tell us what "responsible business" means to you?

From Clair's perspective, it includes holding oneself accountable and responsible for one's actions. It also involves engaging with the local community in a meaningful and impactful way, through community partnerships and initiatives. Clair also shared with us that she has always been involved in charity work growing up but was unaware that it could be a job. She believes that responsible business practices are crucial for creating a positive impact on society and the environment.

2) What was your experience of the format i.e. the active learning-focused day led up to the meetings with the mentors and locking in what they learned afterward?

Suzie reckons that the format was particularly accessible for the students, who were able to learn what a law firm truly is and hear from knowledgeable speakers. The speakers engaged the students and encouraged them to ask questions, contributing to an interactive and informative learning environment. After lunch, the students had the opportunity to meet with their mentors, and the mentors were impressed with the insightful questions that the students asked. The students were confident and comfortable in the corporate law firm setting, which bodes well for their future success in the field. Overall, the active learning-focused day was an excellent way to engage and educate students, and Suzie looks forward to similar events in the future.

3) What feedback did the mentors share with you afterward?

Suzie points out that the feedback received from the mentors was overwhelmingly positive. She was pleased to hear that the mentors found the students to be engaged and inquisitive, asking challenging and out-of-the-box questions. The mentors appreciated the effort A&L Goodbody and Savvy Teens made to build relationships with the students, creating an environment in which they felt comfortable asking questions and participating in the discussion. Additionally, the mentors were impressed with the guidance Susan provided on how to ask good questions, emphasizing the importance of thinking deeply about what one really wants to know in order to get the most valuable answers.

4) Do you have any key takeaways that you might suggest to others who want to mentor young people?

According to Clair, firstly, it's important to recognize that many young people are eager to work in a hybrid style, blending in-person and virtual experiences. This can be a great way to engage with them on their own terms and provide an environment in which they can be successful. Secondly, it's important not to fall into the trap of assuming that all teenagers are disinterested or disengaged. In Clair's experience, the teenagers she has worked with were incredibly engaging and curious, eager to learn and participate in discussions. By approaching mentoring with an open mind and a willingness to engage with young people on their own terms, they created a positive and impactful experience for both the mentors and the students.

Q&A Session with Susan

During the Q&A session with Susan, the audience posed the following questions:

1) "Can you tell us more about the types of communication techniques that were taught during Legal Fridays?"

During Legal Fridays, Susan focused on teaching a variety of communication techniques to our participants. However, we also recognized that simply listening to guest speakers can be quite passive, so Susan made a conscious effort to encourage our students to ask questions and engage with the material on a deeper level. One technique Susan found to be particularly effective was asking students to draw a picture of themselves and their daily routines, which helped them to reflect on their own experiences and share them with the group. Additionally, Susan emphasized the importance of preparing for mentor meetings by presenting findings of their research to their mentor, coming up with their own questions, and analyzing their findings. Finally, Susan encouraged our students to document what they learned and reflect on their experiences, helping them to retain and apply the knowledge they gained during Legal Fridays.

2) What skills should I learn to boost my employability in 2023?

As we approach 2023, Susan belives that it is becoming increasingly important for job seekers to develop a diverse set of skills that will make them more employable in an ever-changing job market. One key skill that is likely to be increasingly in demand is the ability to prompt AI, such as ChatGPT. As AI continues to play a larger role in the workplace, the ability to interact with and guide these systems will be a valuable asset. Additionally, critical thinking skills will become more important than ever, as human interaction with AI will require the ability to think critically about the answers provided by these systems. Finally, creativity will also be a valuable asset, as employers will be looking for individuals who can look at problems from different perspectives and come up with innovative solutions. By developing these skills, job seekers can position themselves for success in 2023 and beyond.

3) What is your step-by-step process for matching the right mentors with the right students?

First and foremost, Susan reckons we should consider each individual's knowledge and the specific areas in which they want to learn and grow. This helps us to identify potential mentors with the necessary expertise and experience to guide their mentees effectively. We also consider the industry in which the student is interested, as this can play a significant role in determining which mentor will be the best fit. Finally, Susan places a strong emphasis on gender diversity, recognizing that learning to work with people of other genders is an essential skill in today's workplace. By taking these factors into account, we are able to create strong mentor-mentee relationships that are built on trust, respect, and mutual learning.

4) In what ways do you think a well-designed feedback mechanism can help organizations and individuals improve their communication and career building skills?

A well-designed feedback mechanism can be a powerful tool for organizations and individuals to improve their communication and career-building skills. To make the most of feedback, it's important to be specific about what you're asking and to ask targeted questions that will provide actionable insights. It's also crucial to write down the feedback you receive, so you can reflect back on it at a later stage and track your progress over time. By incorporating feedback into your professional development process, you can identify areas for improvement and take concrete steps to enhance your skills and advance your career. Additionally, organizations that prioritize feedback can create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, fostering a more collaborative and productive working environment.

Business Transformation, Change and Sustainability

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:20:13 GMT

Active Peers AI recently hosted its fifth YouTube Live on “Business Transformation, Change, and Sustainability”.

This Livestream is based on an active peer learning session held by Active Peers AI for Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSC) as they wanted to develop the leadership skills of senior staff members in the medical profession.

During the session, Susan used Active Peers AI technology lots of times. For instance, Susan used the Active Peers AI Custom Prompter to facilitate engaging conversations between the participants regarding their leadership experiences. Susan also used the Feedback tool to help the participants evaluate Active Peers AI's technology and help them lock in their learnings.

Apart from a Q&A session with Susan, we also had two guests, Joanne McGinnis and Jocelyn Harpur, from HSC Northern Ireland Leadership Centre join us for an interview with Susan.

Susan's Interview with Joanne

Joanne has a lot of experience in designing and developing leadership programmes. Susan and Joanne are both big believers in integrating a structured element to enable people to learn from each other so they can discern the principles from other people’s narratives. One of the questions that Susan asked Joanne was regarding ways to encourage people to be more open-minded to new ways of thinking when they are too comfortable in doing things that has served them very well to date. According to Joanne, using a check-in took to understand how people feel about their learning opportunities and the mindset that they are coming to the opportunity with. Joanne reckons that it is crucial to have a growth mindset so that they can actively embrace their learning opportunity. Hence, Joanne thinks it is essential to provide the staff members with vertical learning opportunities to move them out of their comfort zone. One of the ways that Joanne does this in the health and social care sector is to invite guest speakers from other sectors as it allows the staff members to see different ways of working, thus enhancing their creativity in the process.
Furthermore, Susan points out that as people move through their careers, one of the competencies they need to develop is critical analysis. According to Joanne, the demands for leadership have changed over the last few years and that critical thinking is a highly valued skill. One of the methodologies that Joanne applies is the 70-20-10 method. According to research, 70% of what you know is learnt on the job by experimenting new things, 20% of what you know is learnt through mentoring and coaching, and only 10% is learnt through a formal educational programme. Joanne keeps this in mind when designing leadership programmes. Moreover, Joanne believes that peer consulting is a great way for one to develop their critical analysis skills. During peer consulting, one group will present a leadership challenge while the other group will act as consultants and provide solutions to their problems.

Susan's Interview with Jocelyn

On the first day that Susan met Jocelyn in person, Jocelyn taught Susan the technique of asking people to come up with ways that something could go entirely wrong. Then, ask them to compare their current ways of working to that list before flipping it into a playbook for best practice. Jocelyn's experience of running this technique with different groups has been very successful as it makes the unknown known. First, Jocelyn finds out what the problems are as perceived by the group and one way to do this is to design a "worst-case scenario". It is an excellent group activity as everyone gets to participate in problem-solving and everyone gets to share their opinions. Once the group figures out the problem, they can then think about what steps they can take to do things differently.
Regarding the Matching Algorithm and Custom Prompter, Jocelyn thinks it was a great alternative to peer mentoring as it has a structured approach. Jocelyn thinks that it provided great direction for the conversations to take place between different staff members and it brought people together who ordinarily wouldn't have come together.

Q&A Session with Susan

During the Q&A session with Susan, the audience posed the following questions:

1) What skills do you think are the most important for a leader?

Susan believes that the skills a leader need will depend on the stage of leadership that one is at, for instance, a visionary leader will need a different skillset to an innovative leader. Nevertheless, having two-way communication is crucial for any leader. It is important for a leader to communicate their vision or plan but also hear about their team's problems. Susan also reckons that strength is another important skill for a leader to have. A leader should be able to not only back themselves but also other people in their team. Even though the leader might not have all the information they need to make a decision, they should be strong and vulnerable enough to back their team and even the whole organization. Lastly, Susan believes that a leader should be resilient. Susan's definition of resilience is when there is nothing standing in your way but also nothing pushing you forward. Hence, leaders should be resilient enough to say that just because something is good does not mean that it cannot be better.

2) As a leader, what can I do to handle conflicts on my team?

According to Susan, the first thing that you should do is acknowledge the conflict and bring it to the surface. Susan reckons that most conflicts happen due to a difference in values and expectations. There is no right or wrong in a conflict necessarily but it could just be that you and the person you are in conflict with have a different perspective on things. Secondly, it is important for the both of you to co-create how you're going to move forward. This will also prevent future conflicts from happening. Lastly, you can use the conflict to your advantage to have a better relationship with the person you are in conflict with. Susan reckons that you can use the conflict to understand each other better, thus improving your relationship.

3) What are some considerations when developing leaders in the workplace?

Susan believes it is important to ask people why they want to be leaders. There is often a misconception that the only way to progress in one's career is vertically but this is not always the case. For instance, if someone wants more prestige but does not want more responsibility, then becoming a leader is not the best option for them as they can look for prestige somewhere else. e.g. applying for rewards and being the best at what you do so that you can get further recognition at the workplace.

4) How do I introduce change in a workplace whilst ensuring that everyone is happy with the change?

Susan mentions that do not assume a lot of people will not be happy with the change. There will be some people that will be happy and there will be some people that will not be happy but most important, there will be a lot of people who are indifferent to the change and this is the group of people that you should focus on. Susan also reckons that the four building blocks of change by McKinsey are useful in implementing change in the workplace. Firstly, you need to create role models that do what you say as people who were indifferent or unhappy about the change will be more likely to do it if they see their leaders and colleagues doing it. Secondly, you need to make it clear how everyone can follow that path. You need to share what is expected of everyone at work and why. Thirdly, it is important that the system is in place and that the formal mechanisms are working so that everyone can see that the structures, processes, and systems support the changes that are happening in the workplace. Lastly, you need to develop talent and skills and also find out what is working and what is not working for your staff members.

How to bring mentors and mentees together to deliver an amazing outcome?

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:38:46 GMT

How to bring mentors and mentees together to deliver an amazing outcome?

Active Peers AI recently hosted its fourth YouTube Live on “How to bring mentors and mentees together to deliver an amazing outcome?”. This Livestream is based on the STEM TY Challenge, which set out to change perceptions, through a programme that provided mentoring and skills training for the students who participated.

During the mentor training and skills bridge day, Susan used Active Peers AI technology lots of times. For instance, Susan used the Active Peers AI Custom Prompter to facilitate engaging conversations between the mentors and the students. Susan also used the Feedback tool to help the participants evaluate Active Peers AI's technology and help them lock in their learnings.

Apart from a Q&A session with Susan, we also had two mentors, Emily Upton and Katie O'Brien, and Marguerite O Sullivan, the Chairperson of STEM South West, join us for an interview with Susan.

Susan's Interview with Katie

As a mentor, Katie thought it was unique to have a second mentor working alongside her to provide mentoring to the students participating in the STEM TY Challenge. Katie found the support of the second mentor helpful as she always had someone to go through her ideas with and to also learn from each other. Part of Active Peers AI's ethos is that everyone should be able to learn from each other, including the mentors, and hence every mentor was partnered up with another mentor to learn from each other and provide support.
Regarding the effectiveness of the Custom Prompter, Katie found that even the most basic questions the students asked, such as "what do you do in your job every day", are effective because it forces her to think about what she really does at work. Katie also conveyed that the students she was mentoring had a lot of questions regarding making mistakes at work and through their mentoring session, Katie hopes that she taught the teenagers that "it is okay to make a mistake" and "don't let the fear of making mistakes stop you from pursuing something that you're really interested in".
During every Skills Bridge day, all the students were asked to write a Linkedln post to document their learnings. When Susan asked Katie how she documents her learnings, Katie reckons that she usually reflects on how much she is progressing in her work daily, and when she feels stuck, she would bring those issues up in the mentoring session with her mentor and ask the mentor for advice. Katie also reveals that she is a big fan of Linkedln it is her own public diary and she believes that the archived posts really show you how much you have progressed over the years. Katie sees her previous Linkedln posts as a source of encouragement when she feels like she is not achieving anything at the moment.

Susan's Interview with Emily

The mentors frequently received feedback from Active Peers AI regarding what the STEM TY Challenge students thought of the mentoring session. Emily found the feedback timely as it was sent right after the mentoring session with the students. This allowed her to relay back the mentoring sessions and reflect on them while it was still fresh in her mind. Emily also found the feedback loop to be very helpful as it allowed her to see what other groups were doing and she found that she could apply some of the feedback given to their groups to her own group as well.
Emily also points out that although she and her mentor partner both did their undergraduate in chemistry, they were working in very different jobs and this is a great way to show the students that your degree does not always confine you to one career option. Susan agrees with Emily on this as a lot of the students who participated in the STEM TY Challenge were worried about what if they do not end up liking what they are doing and feel stuck in their careers.
Emily highly recommends everyone working in the STEM industry to apply to be a mentor for the next STEM TY Challenge as she found the experience to be very enjoyable, especially because of her students. Emily really appreciated the enthusiasm of the four students that she was mentoring as they were very excited to learn more about what she did, how she was doing it, and how she got there.

Susan's interview with Marguerite

Marguerite sheds light on the process of coming up with the TY Challenge. Marguerite reveals that she really wanted to create an experience in which students can learn about what actually happens inside the gates of the STEM industry and clear some misconceptions that students might have regarding STEM and careers in STEM, whilst allowing the students to engage in peer learning and mentoring. With the help of Active Peers AI, Marguerite muses that they were able to come up with a learning experience where the experience is embedded in building skills, especially relating to teamwork, communication, and technology.
Marguerite also talks about how the output of the challenge was more powerful than she could have ever imagined. During the STEM TY Challenge Showcase Day, they invited the parents and teachers of the students taking part in the competition and Marguerite said they were all very amazed by the student's outputs. Those videos are available for Marguerite and her team to share with a broader audience so that others can learn from them.
Furthermore, Marguerite said they received an overwhelmingly positive feedback from the mentors regarding how much they learned from their mentoring experiences. Marguerite points out that the STEM TY Challenge really wanted the mentors to transfer their knowledge rather than helping the students learn.

Q&A Session with Susan

During the Q&A session with Susan, the audience posed the following questions:

1) "What has been your experience of being a mentor and a mentee and how do they differ from each other?"

As a mentee, Susan believes that it is important for you to be clear on what you want to get out of the mentoring experience and to have a clear idea of the outcome. Susan also points out that when you fall behind on your tasks and are not able to follow through with them, you should discuss them with your mentor rather than putting them off. Moreover, Susan believes that it is important to set an expiry date for the mentoring experience so that you can plan out the roadmap of what you want to achieve out of those limited sessions that you have with your mentor. It also gives you a deadline to get your output ready by then.

As a mentor, Susan reckons that it is important for you to know what the mentees specifically need help with. Similar to Marguerite, Susan also points out that the mentors should help the mentee along, rather than just passing down their wisdom as there is a big difference between learning and information transfer. Furthermore, when the mentee is not able to complete their tasks, the mentors should try to understand what is not done and why and help the mentee along.

2) "What are the key principles of a successful mentoring relationship in your opinion?"

Firstly, Susan points out that the parameters of the mentoring relationship should be clear, e.g. where both the mentor and mentee stand in terms of punctuality, confidentiality, honesty, personal matters, etc. Secondly, Susan believes that it is useful to know what you want from each meeting before you go in. So, it is helpful to prepare for the meeting in advance and set an agenda for the session. Lastly, the mentee should document their learnings and let the mentor know what they are learning along the way. This then allows the mentor to gauge how much the mentee is learning from the mentoring process and give appropriate feedback.

3) "Do you have any tips for implementing a mentoring scheme at a workplace?"

Susan personally believes that a mentoring scheme should be opt-in for both parties as a mentoring relationship does not automatically lead to success. Moreover, Susan recommends anyone who wants to implement a mentoring scheme at work to consider the relationship between the mentor and mentee. If the mentor is in a significantly higher position, one that can have an indirect influence on the mentee's future career pathway, the mentee might not feel comfortable sharing their troubles at work with the mentor. Furthermore, it is important to understand where blockage can happen in the system when setting up meetings between the mentors and mentees. Lastly, there needs to be a finite period of time that the mentoring scheme is designed for or an outcome to be achieved, e.g. a promotion for the mentee. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Flipping the Entrepreneurial switch: Transferring Personal Skills into Entrepreneurship Skills

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 10:13:29 GMT

Flipping the Entrepreneurial Switch: Transferring Personal Skills into Entrepreneurship Skills

Active Peers AI recently hosted its third YouTube Live on “Flipping the Entrepreneurial Switch: Transferring Personal Skills into Entrepreneurship Skills”. This Livestream is based on a knowledge-sharing session that our CEO and Founder of Active Peers AI, Susan HayesCulleton , facilitated for AwakenHub for female entrepreneurs. This session was aimed at enabling female entrepreneurs to showcase personal skills that can be applied to business development and an entrepreneurial mindset.

During the session, Susan used Active Peers AI technology lots of times. For instance, Susan used the Active Peers AI Survey Tool to help the group identify their strengths and their areas of improvement and then match people accordingly to spread knowledge around effectively. Susan also used the Custom Prompter to help the participants learn from each other and share their wisdom. Apart from a Q&A session with Susan, we also had a special guest Mary Carty , the co-founder of AwakenHub , join us for an interview with Susan.

Interview with Susan and Mary

During the interview, Susan and Mary covered a range of topics related to AwakenHub, SheGenerate, and the Active Peers AI knowledge-sharing session:

Mary mentioned that AwakenHub is a community that was founded in the middle of the pandemic in July 2020. The co-founders are a group of friends who came together to set up AwakenHub as they have always said that they would use their network for good. During the pandemic, women had a hard time in business. Thus, Mary and other co-founders set up AwakenHub to help them, especially women who were in the very early stages of their businesses. AwakenHub develops educational programmes for female entrepreneurs in Ireland and Mary called the SheGenerate programme the accelerator light of AwakenHub. Over the period of 8 months, the female entrepreneurs who joined SheGenerate developed their ideas and strategies, and they build out their viable businesses which are ready for investment and more team members.

Susan remarked that AwakenHub has achieved a lot in a short period of time and according to Mary, part of their success is attributable to the fact that the founders are a very strong team and they have a large network of people that they can draw on to help. Mary said the founders were very specific about what they do and what they are about. Mary also thought it was important to have a welcoming open space for collaboration and conversation. According to Mary, many women nowadays are the first person in their families and localities to start their own businesses but they have no one to turn to ask for help. Thus, there is a very strong demand for what AwakenHub and SheGenerate do.

In regards to the Active Peers AI knowledge-sharing session, Mary said that the Survey Tool worked really well as it is always good to find a point of commonality whenever we bring a group of strangers together and are creating a strong bond between them. As the participants had to rank themselves regarding their areas of strengths and weaknesses, it gave a point of commonality for them to talk about in their conversations. Mary also pointed out that as humans, we are inherently good at teaching and passing on our knowledge. However, oftentimes, Mary claims that we don't know what we know and that we know more than what we give ourselves credit for. Therefore, Mary believes that the session was a great way for the participants to tap into their knowledge. Mary also thinks that getting to know other people during the session and sharing and listening allowed the participants to take tangible knowledge with them. Moreover, Mary points out that as a founder, people often draw on the personal skills that they have developed in their lives but might not necessarily be looking to work on the skills that they are lacking but are needed in their careers. Hence, Mary thinks that the knowledge-sharing session gave participants the space to talk about what they were really confident about but also explore areas that they felt unsure about.

Susan and Mary also touched upon the results of the survey during the session. Mary said that one thing that surprised her the most was how low "Teamwork" was ranked in the survey results. Mary assumes that this is because most participants have gotten into business by themselves so they have no experience in working with others. Moreover, Susan points out that although running a business by yourself can be a solitary time, it does not have to be lonely.

Regarding the participants' assessment of the knowledge-sharing session, Mary points out that most of them said that they have taken away very practical and valuable insights from the session. Most of the participants also felt less "lonely" after attending the session as they realized that there are a lot of other female entrepreneurs who are in the same boat as them.

Q&A Session with Susan

During the Q&A session with Susan, the audience posed the following questions:

1) What personal skills have you observed to be the most important to cultivate for success as an entrepreneur?

Firstly, Susan believes that resilience is important. According to Susan, you need to have a lot of resilience in an environment as times often get tough. This does not have to be a very difficult situation but could be even situations where you are having issues with a staff member or you just do not find your work as exciting anymore. Secondly, Susan thinks that curiosity is an important skill as well as you need to be hungry to understand the customer's problems. You also need to be curious to understand what motivates and drives your staff members. Lastly, enjoyment is another skill that Susan reckons everyone should have. Susan believes that it is important to enjoy running your own business otherwise it can become relentless, making you run out of energy and passion. Thus, for personal sustainability, it is vital to learn how to experience more joy in what you do.

2) Where can entrepreneurs learn from each other?

Firstly, Susan mentions that there are a lot of networks, such as Awakenhub, which organize networking events so you can join to learn from other entrepreneurs. Secondly, you can watch an educational video, or listen to a podcast or a talk, such as a TED Talk, to learn from others. Susan reckons that learning from others online is just as effective as learning from others in person! There are a lot of online libraries where you can find a variety of content. Lastly, Susan believes that joining a structured mentoring programme, including the SheGenerate programme, is a great way to learn from others.

3) If entrepreneurs are getting started in their own businesses, they may not have "peers" to reach out to. What do you suggest they do?

Firstly, Susan recommends you to look out for in-person environments where there is a common interest and where you can learn from others, including networking events that are tailored to what you want to learn. Secondly, Susan points out that there are now a lot of online networking events you can join and online communities that you can turn to for help, such as the Slack group channel by AwakenHub. Lastly, Susan also touches upon turning fleeting light connections into semi-permanent ones and she mentions that a great way to do this is to connect with others on social media, especially Linkedln.

4) Lots of people are hungry to learn from others but may not know the right ones to ask. Where do you find great questions to ask?

The first piece of advice that Susan has is to know what you actually want to learn. Is it about making new connections or international networking or strategic thinking or solving a problem? The second piece of advice is to imagine that you can find out the answer to your question and then reverse engineer the answer. If you did have that answer to your question, what would you do with that information? The last piece of advice is to listen to the questions that other people ask as learning from others is a great way to improve yourself.

5) If you start your own company, it can feel like you're drinking from a firehose as you learn so much. How do you categorize that or not get overwhelmed?

Susan recommends you to not try and get everything in one day. You should prioritize your tasks and do one task at a time to prevent you from getting overwhelmed. You can also adopt the mentality of ”I must do that today” as one thing that you have done well is better than ten things that you have just started on. Moreover, you can use a framework to help you prioritize your tasks and work on those which are urgent first.

How to Not Give a Terrible Presentation

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 09:57:37 GMT

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We’ve all been there for a dry, boring presentation. Whether it was at school, or work, or some event, we all know what it’s like. You can’t wait for the presentation to be over, so you can get on with your life. There’s just no energy to it, and half the information is unnecessary. You end up thinking “why am I here?”

Then there are presentations that hit you. Maybe it makes you emotional – empathizing with pain, wanting to jump up in excitement, a moment where you can’t help but smile. The presenter has a great stage presence, it feels like they are talking directly at you, and you feel like you’re getting to know them.

In January 2020, The Harvard Business Review published an article titled “What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation.” In that article, the very first point was “Great presenters use fewer slides – and fewer words” and if you search on Google “why are most presentations boring” the entire first page will mention at least once – that we should change how we use slides.

There are many reasons for a dull presentation, including ineffective slides. So why is it that so many presenters struggle to give a great presentation? What makes certain presentations so much better than others?

Rule #1: Don’t be formulaic. Make the talk your own.

One of the biggest reasons so many people deliver poor presentations is because they are following someone else’s example. They don’t add a bit of themselves into it.

Effective presenters add something special.

Many presenters frame the talk as a journey, they take the audience on a ride through certain moments of their life. They don’t tell the audience about their whole life or their whole career, they skip over much of it, and tell the key moments of the journey.

A presenter might add a certain “wow” factor. In 2009, Bill Gates did a now-famous Ted Talk where he released a small swarm of mosquitoes on the audience to illustrate his point – that while the people in the room were not affected by malaria (which was carried by mosquitoes) they should still care. By making the issue relevant to the audience, while assuring them that the mosquitoes were not infected, Bill Gates was able to draw the audience’s attention.

Rule #2: Be a Speaker, not a Reader.

Remember that you are a speaker, a presenter. The audience came to hear you speak, not to read an essay. They also didn’t come to watch you read. So don’t overcrowd slides with text. And don’t read directly from your slides, or from a teleprompter, or a script. If you need to have notecards, or non-crowded slides to aid you that’s okay.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s best speech moments came from improvisation. In his “Dream Speech” at the Lincoln Memorial, the “I have a dream” portion was completely improvised! It wasn’t sheer talent, it was because he gave so many speeches and practiced them over and over that he was able to just put together the best of all those previous speeches together in that moment.

Practice your presentation, understand what you’re trying to say. What is your key message? Have a guide for how the presentation should go if you want, but don’t worry too much about exactly what you’re going to say. If you practiced enough, you’ll deliver.

Rule #3: Talk to the Audience, Not At Them.

It’s quite obvious to most people that if you’re going to present a topic, you should be well-versed in that topic. You should understand your material, and be an expert in it, relative to those you are speaking to.

However, a big problem for a lot of presenters is they feel, often without meaning to, that they need to share everything they know with the audience. They feel that they need to make everyone an expert. You don’t.

Focus on the audience, talk to the audience. Feel free to ask questions of random audience member volunteers, or ask rhetorical questions to draw attention before answering them. Use humor to liven up the audience if the situation allows for it.

Consider your presentation from the audience’s point of view and focus on what is most relevant to them. What do you think would be most valuable for the audience to walk away with? What are the most relevant points?

Let’s Talk About Slides

Remember that you’re a speaker, not a reader. The focus is on you giving the material, not on the slides.

If you must use slides, don’t overcrowd them. Don’t write paragraphs, write short sentences.

Make sure to use themes and make it look professional. If you’re going to use it, a well put together slide deck is important.

Make the topic more real for the audience, like Bill Gates did. If you can’t bring mosquitoes, maybe it’s an online presentation over Zoom, use pictures & videos! We live in a media-saturated society, but more importantly, human beings are visual creatures. A good picture accompanying what you’re talking about, or a short video can make a presentation much better.

Conclusion

Remember: Talk To the Audience, Don’t Share Everything.

Remember: You Are A Speaker, Not a Reader.

And most importantly, Remember: Don’t be Formulaic. Make the Talk Your Own.

How can you use role-play as a peer learning activity?

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 09:12:36 GMT

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Peer learning can be generally defined as any situation where individuals are learning from or alongside each other. However, the potential challenges faced with peer learning include the lack of realistic application of concepts, the lack of structure, and the fear of sharing honest and critical feedback to participants. In addition, many supervisors and teachers of peer learning may not know the different kinds of peer learning activities available to them and stick with the simplistic “get-int0-groups-and-work” model.

A particular peer learning activity, role-play when applied correctly, potentially removes all of these problems, although it does have its own share of challenges. Role-play as a result, can be a valuable activity in any field.

Why Roleplay?

Role-play is an activity where individuals embody a character who they are not, or put themselves into a situation they are not currently in.

The Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College states that the benefits of role-playing include: the immediate application of content into real contextual situations, the ability to adopt a persona that allows for one to express themselves in a manner beyond their typical, the memorability of the situations, and the receiving of immediate feedback on performance.

Role-play forces people to apply themselves in situations, putting conceptual ideas and making it more real, similar to how a scientist might test a hypothesis through an experiment. Applying the content being learned or discussed improves an individual’s understanding of the material.

When adopting a character, a person is freed from the shackles of their individual personality. They can act differently, think differently, and speak differently than they normally would. They are able to demonstrate and come up with a creative expression beyond their typical behaviour. That expression allows for an understanding that would otherwise not have been realized.

Inputting themselves into a situation or a character, when an individual later needs to utilize or recall the concepts being learned, the role-playing scenario is far more memorable than if they had simply read about or listened to a lecture. This memorability enhances performance recall and understanding.

Recall one of the challenges of peer learning, the lack of realistic application of concepts. While discussion and problem-solving can be excellent for learning, it is an activity like role-play that induces the creative and more realistic expression.

Freedom of Expression

The United Federation of Teachers, a Union for teachers in New York City, published an article called “Role-playing brings learning to life” where teacher David Sherrin, gives examples of uses for role-playing in the classroom. Students “take on the role of characters from the past or from the literature [and] immerses them [into it]. Students begin to feel an emotional tie to the story. And when students hear, see and act out the story, their comprehension increases.”

The freedom of immersing themselves into situations and characters “cultivates perspective and empathy. Students strive to understand the experiences of others, even if they do not agree with them [and even] create alternative scenarios and see the impact of their choices.” In doing so, Sherrin states that it helps students “make sense of ideas like power, identity and choice and coaxes them to grapple with what it means to be human.”

Role-play also speaks to the importance of fun, joy, and engagement that occurs throughout the activity. “Role-playing allows all types of students to shine. Oftentimes, those who struggle with traditional tasks excel in role-plays. The quiet student who carefully takes notes and then provides advice to the actors can add something to the scene. The rambunctious child who leaps from her seat and can’t resist talking (or calling out) in class can become a star.”

It is the freedom of being able to embody a new character or scenario, the freedom of not being bound by the image one portrays to others, that allows for all students to shine.

The Challenges of Role-Playing

In her book “Role Play in Language Learning” by Carol Livingstone published back in 1983, it is stated that advantages of role-playing include “maximizing student activity, relevance, interest, discipline, and mixing of ability groups.”

However, Livingstone also states the disadvantages are the organization and structure of the activity, as well as time constraints that usually limit that structure. Furthermore, she indicates that the role of the facilitator and the attitudes of all involved are topics that require consideration when looking into using role-play in a group.

Emre Erturk, from the Eastern Institute of Technology in New Zealand, agrees, according to his paper on ResearchGate titled “Role Play as a Teaching Strategy.” He explains that proper preparation must be done by giving the relevant information for the contextual situation and spending time getting people prepared for their roles.

An article titled “ “Want to Facilitate Role Playing in Your Class?” written by Catherine Weiner on ABLConnect, an online database curated by Harvard University for active learning in post-secondary classrooms, agrees that the value of role-playing comes with proper preparation of the activity.

In addition, Carleton College’s Science Education Resource Center states the primary challenge of role-playing is getting all students to participate and be truly engaged. Instructors or facilitators should consider ways of increasing the likelihood of that happening.

Put simply, the benefits of role-play scenarios are maximized only with proper preparation. Spending time to ensure students understand the contextual situation they are being put into, and the characters they will embody is vital to the success of the activity.

However, the same Resource Center also states that if students aren’t willing and open to participating in the activity, then even preparation is useless. It is, therefore, necessary, and important, for instructors and facilitators to consider ways of increasing the likelihood of that happening.

Sustaining Critical Feedback

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning published a paper titled “Exploring the Impact of Role-Playing on Peer Feedback in an Online Case-Based Learning Activity” written by Yu-Hui Ching from Boise State University, USA.

One big finding from the research was how role-playing “alleviated cognitive challenges of peer feedback.” Sometimes people may feel hesitant in giving or hurt in receiving more critical feedback. However, in role-play situations, it allowed for more focused feedback from a specific perspective. This focus allowed them to look deeper into questions and look through the lens of the role that was being portrayed, enhancing critical thinking ability, engagement, and the benefit of feedback without the regular baggage.

Catherine Weiner, in the previously mentioned article on ABLConnect by Harvard, states that post-roleplay, it is often valuable to “have a moment for the student to get feedback on their performance, either from the class as a whole, their partner/group or from the instructor directly.” Allowing students to reflect for themselves, such as asking “what challenges did you face taking on these roles? What was harder or easier than expected” can raise insightful answers potentially related to the material in question.

In fact, Emre Erturk from the Eastern Institute of Technology in New Zealand found in a particular case that a particular group of students that were given individual feedback about their work helped build the students’ confidence, which correlated with their future productivity. Overall, he agrees feedback to learners is valuable, particularly when combining validation with fair and honest feedback.

Where giving critical feedback sometimes has to be done carefully to make sure it is received properly, with role-play in particular this feedback can be given freely. More broadly, discussion of the scenes enacted can be more open and responsive due to the nature of the activity.

Additional Notes

People have varying preferences when it comes to learning. Some prefer to read, others prefer to listen, and others still prefer action. According to a teacher and writer of the article “Why you should use role-playing in the classroom”, Melissa Williams, role-play taps into various styles and allows the demonstration of knowledge in a method different to standard ones such as tests or presentations. Depending on how the activity is structured, participants could be reading, listening, acting, or providing feedback.

Furthermore, role-play is an active learning activity that is more engaging for students compared to a regular lecture or presentation. There is the added benefit of making learning fun and creative as well, which enhances their interest and excitement to learn the material.

A research article titled “Using Peer-Assisted Learning and Role-Playing to Teach Generic Skills to Dental Students: The Health Care Simulation Model” published in the American Dental Education Association did a study on role-playing among several other educational tools beyond traditional learning. “The reported outcome in skills improvement, knowledge acquisition, or overall satisfaction is attributed to the combination of several factors: PAL, role-playing, involvement in an extracurricular activity, and the excitement that goes with all these experiences. It is thus difficult to describe the positive effect reported to any of these factors alone. Further studies would be needed to elucidate the separate effects of each of these factors.”

So while the research towards the particular influence of role-playing is not immediately conclusive, it does suggest that putting together these factors does create a positive effect. Going beyond traditional methods and utilizing active learning, is beneficial.

Role-play is used in grade school, higher education, nursing school, business settings, reading groups. Personally, I’ve done role-play in english classes acting out literature, which helped all of us in the room to immerse ourselves into the book.

However, role-playing doesn’t have to be done in larger groups. Indeed it can be done in small groups, pairs, or even alone. I’ve used role-play in a variety of contexts preparing for presentations or important phone calls or interviews. I role-play as if I am giving a presentation to a class when I’m really alone in my room. Or I’ll role-play with a friend to prepare for an interview. It is important to note that more people being involved means more preparation to ensure everyone understands the context.

In conclusion, role-play as a learning strategy can be very valuable. With proper preparation, in proportion to the number of participants involved, the benefits of role-playing include memorability, creative expression, freedom of giving critical feedback, and a deeper understanding of the situation being imagined.

Maximize Your Learning Using Peer Learning

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:57:07 GMT

How to maximise your learning using peer learning?

A scholarly report in Science Education International, Vol. 25, Issue 1, 2014 by the International Council of Association for Science Education suggested that a combination of theoretical lecture & demonstrations, together with active peer learning is the most effective method of improving engagement and involvement while encouraging understanding of important concepts.

On its own, theoretical lectures can not only become boring, but difficult for students to comprehend if they do not have practical knowledge of it. Active Learning is limited as well, because without an understanding of the theories and ideas, solving problems or understanding them is virtually impossible. Active and Passive Learning complement each other.

Last semester, I was looking forward to taking an Introduction to Sociology course in college. I had always enjoyed Psychology, particularly relating to Social & Behavioral Psychology, and I was told that I would probably enjoy it for that reason. The class bored me. When I wasn’t taking notes, I was often trying to either ignore my hunger, not fall asleep, think about what I had to do later that day, browse news articles or Twitter, or do my Statistics homework. The class just wasn’t all that interesting.

But after class I would carpool home with a good friend of mine. We would often have in-depth discussions about the topics, concepts, and ideas presented in the lecture that I found incredibly fascinating. We would talk through what the ideas were, consider them in the context of various random scenarios in the real world that seemed relevant and realistic. Those conversations really helped me to understand the ideas being presented to us and their importance, but because the class didn’t have that kind of conversation, it just wasn’t interesting.

The Science Education International report suggested that lecturers can dedicate part of their class period to answering questions and allowing for student discussions, supplementing the lecture portion with Active Peer Learning:

“When students learn that there is a specific place and time for their
questions, comments, and ideas, they feel that their personal contributions
are always welcome. This practice allows some delay from the pondering
moment to the question-and-answer period, and is thus more relaxing for
students. Students also have a chance to interact with each other when
pondering these questions, ideas, or comments, which enhances their
debating and reasoning abilities.”

As a college student taking Multivariable Calculus, I have observed many of my classmates stressed and confused. While they are able to ask questions during lecture, if they get confused on homework and try to ask a question about it, they were denied by the Professor, citing that she didn’t have enough time, and that it would push the class schedule back. Particularly in a challenging course like Multivariable Calculus, asking questions and working together is important for success, but my classmates have been left confused and stressed.

Using a peer learning approach has received positive reports from students:

“Students report that they have experienced peer assistant work as
motivating and an extremely useful change of pace. For the other students,
this practice has been welcome. This means that students have more space
and responsibility in problem solving and reasoning through the exercise
sessions, which also motivates students to get good grades.”

Harvard Physics professor Eric Mazur developed a method of peer instruction that is now widely used, where he provides “short breaks in a lecture” where students are given time to formulate answers to conceptual questions and then discuss them with each other.

Mazur states that, “[t]his process a) forces the students to think through the arguments being developed, and b) provides them (as well as the teacher) with a way to assess their understanding of the concept.”

My Professor in my Introduction to C++ Programming class does this well. In the middle of the lecture, he will give us a 10-minute break to relax, encouraging us to work through a problem or program that relates to what he was teaching. He also ends the class by giving us another problem or program to work through. This allows us students to apply the concept, ask him questions during the break, and then move forward. He also commonly uses the transition “any questions before we move forward” effectively inviting them.

A report from Stanford University stated: “[Peer learning] gives [students] considerably more practice than traditional teaching and learning methods in taking responsibility for their own learning and, more generally, learning how to learn. It is not a substitute for teaching and activities designed and conducted by staff members, but an important addition to the repertoire of teaching and learning activities that can enhance the quality of education.”

When in high school, I had a lot of study sessions with friends for math, Physics, essays, and more. I found that not only did those sessions teach us the concepts, but they also allowed us to learn how to work through problems. Especially if none of us actually understood the concept, we couldn’t just ask each other how to do it. We had to figure it out together, and building that ability was instrumental in our academic success. Moreover, it is a skill that applies to any problem or challenge that occurs in any area of life.

Final Word

The main points of this post are as follows:

Peer learning, any kind of learning that is beyond traditional instruction such as lecture, that is done between peers is a valuable asset to the learning process
Peer learning is by definition and by structure, active learning
When active peer learning & passive traditional learning are used in combination, it maximizes student understanding and involvement in their learning
Collaborative discussion or work allows for bouncing ideas off of each other that leads to greater insights
Peer tutoring allows for personalized and friendlier instruction, where a tutor can answer questions and clarify concerns or questions
Peer tutoring isn’t just valuable for the one being tutored, it also helps the tutor better understand material

Leadership Models for Becoming a Better Leader

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:53:28 GMT

What makes a good leader?

In this day and age, leadership is valued to be an important skill in life. As an article by Pennsylvania State University (2014) states, “effective leadership is essential to a functioning society” (para. 1). Whether it is in university or in the workplace, there will be times where you are required to step up as a leader. There might even be moments in your personal life where you can depend on your leadership skills to inspire those around you (University of the People, 2020). However, when thinking of leadership, it is important to keep in mind that leadership is not the same as totalitarianism, where one leader calls all the shots. In fact, “leadership is a process of social influence, which maximises the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal” (Kruse, 2013, para. 12). Nevertheless, the critical question remains: what makes a good leader? Although there are several types of leadership models out there, there is no one size fits all model. Thus, one should aim at choosing the right leadership model for themselves to maximise its effectiveness in the long-run. In light of this, the following article will introduce three leadership models which have been proven to make people better leaders, namely the Laissez-Faire, Transactional and Transformational model.

Laissez-Faire Model

Merriam-Webster (2020) defines laissez-faire as “a philosophy or practice characterised by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference especially with individual freedom of choice and action” (para. 1). As this leadership model is based on the French phrase “laissez-faire” which literally translates to “allow to do”, this model emphasizes “[letting] people do as they choose” (Merriam-Webster, 2020, para. 2). Thus, laissez-faire leadership, also known as delegative leadership, “empowers individuals, groups or teams to make decisions” (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 8). In practice, the laisse-faire leadership model requires “leaders [to] leave it up to their subordinates to complete responsibilities in a manner they choose, without requiring strict policies or procedures” (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 5). Thus, from the laisse-faire perspective, a leader only needs to focus on building a strong team by providing training and support and once that is accomplished, the leader leaves the decision-making to their subordinates and “stay out of their way” (Cherry, 2020; St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 5). As laissez-faire leadership employs a hands-off approach, “people who enjoy a wide degree of latitude in making decisions and working on projects autonomously are often most comfortable with laisse-faire leaders” (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 1). The laissez-faire leader also needs to be comfortable with their employees making mistakes and needs to have a certain level of trust and confidence in their subordinates’ ability to “possess the skills, knowledge, and follow through to complete a project without being micromanaged” (Cherry, 2020, para. 3).

Just like any other leadership styles, the laissez-faire leadership model has its own advantages. Firstly, this leadership style allows the leader to encourage personal growth (Cherry, 2020). As the leaders are adopting a hands-off approach, it allows their employees to have more hands-on experience in the workplace (Cherry, 2020). Secondly, this leadership model also encourages innovation (Cherry, 2020). As employees are given the freedom to make the decisions by themselves, it inspires their creativity and innovation (Cherry, 2020). Lastly, it facilitates the decision-making process and makes it faster (Cherry, 2020). Without the absence of micromanagement, employees can make their own decisions which also helps them to make quick decisions as they do not need to wait for days or even weeks for approval from their leader (Cherry, 2020).

However, the correct environment is needed for laissez-faire leaders to thrive. This leadership model is often suited better to businesses in the “incubator phase of product development” or business which are highly creative, such as advertising agencies and social media companies (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 13). This leadership style is highly relevant to start-up business too as “innovation is crucial to a company’s initial success” (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 13). As employees are often “highly motivated, skilled, creative, and dedicated to their work” in creative fields, a leader can obtain great results by employing the laissez-faire leadership style (Cherry, 2020, para. 14). For one to become a better leader using laissez-faire leadership, they need to excel at providing essential information and background at the beginning of a new project so that the self-managing employees can acquire the necessary knowledge needed for them to complete the task (Cherry, 2020). Furthermore, as this particular leadership style is better suited to the early phases of a project where brainstorming of ideas is needed, leaders should remain flexible and open-minded to changing their leadership approach to “a style that involves more direction and oversight” once the “design is in place and ready for production” (Cherry, 2020, para. 15).

Transactional Model

The transactional model is one of the most common leadership models used by enterprises around the globe. According to Indeed (2020), “transactional leadership is a managerial style that promotes compliance and attaining goals through supervision, organisation and a system of rewards and management” (para. 2). Unlike the laissez-faire leader, a transactional leader is “someone who values order and structure” (St. Thomas University, 2014, para. 1). Since it is a result-oriented approach, it works better with employees who are self-motivated (Indeed, 2020). Through a team of self-motivated employees, transactional leadership is able to achieve goals (Indeed, 2020). However, these goals are not focused on changing the organisation as a whole (Indeed, 2020). Instead, transactional leadership focuses on “short-term and long-term goals while maintaining a routine, conformity and the status quo of the company” (Indeed, 2020, para. 3). Depending on whether the goals are met or not, employees can receive rewards or punishments (Indeed, 2020). In this leadership model, as the leader views the relationship between managers and employees as a sort of exchange, employees will receive rewards or punishments depending on their self-motivation and performance (Cherry, 2020). Hence, this leadership style is referred to as being “transactional”.

Although the rigid structure of this leadership model might seem unappealing to some initially, it does have some advantages over other leadership styles. Firstly, transactional leadership facilitates goal achievement (Indeed, 2020). As a lot of companies adopting a transactional style are focused on short-term goals, it is easier and more realistic to facilitate the achievement of goals (Indeed, 2020). Secondly, this leadership style is motivating (Indeed, 2020). Although the task and goals set by the leaders might be challenging, it helps to encourage productivity and motivate employees to overcome the challenging goals (Indeed, 2020). Moreover, self-motivated employees will be attracted by the monetary compensation they will receive upon the completion of their goals (Indeed, 2020). Lastly, transactional leadership can be seen as “a measuring stick for success” (Indeed, 2020, para. 22). As some companies do not clearly define their idea of success, transactional leadership can lay out simple and clear goals and guidelines for everyone in the office to follow (Indeed, 2020). The employees can then use these goals and guidelines as a measuring stick to if they have achieved what is expected of them (Indeed, 2020). This measuring stick can also help companies fine-tune their rewards and punishment policies for employees depending on how well the employees are doing (Indeed, 2020).

For transactional leadership to be effective, problems in situations need to be simple and clearly defined (Cherry, 2020). Unlike laisse-faire leadership, employees are not expected to find new solutions to problems or to be creative (Cherry, 2020). Transactional leadership also works well in situations where certain tasks need to be achieved within a short period of time. By assigning clearly defined duties to employees, leaders can make sure that everything will get done in time (Cherry, 2020). According to Cherry (2020), “transactional leaders focus on the maintenance of the structure of the group” (para. 27). Not only are the leaders required to communicate to the employees what is expected of them, but they also need to be able to articulate the merits of performing well and the consequences of failure (Cherry, 2020). Throughout the whole process, leaders should also provide feedback which will help to keep the employees on task (Cherry, 2020).

Transformational Model

The transformational leadership model is often seen as the polar opposite of the transactional model. According to Bass and Riggio (1998), the authors of Transformational Leadership, “transformational leadership involves inspiring followers to commit to a shared vision and goals for an organisation or unit, challenging them to be innovative problem solvers, and developing followers leadership capacity via coaching, mentoring, and provision of both challenges and support” (as cited in Stafford, 2010, p. 102). Bass and Riggio (1998) asserts that there are four components in transformational leadership which can make leaders and employees advance each other “to a higher level of morale and motivation” (as cited in Cherry, 2020, para. 3). The first component is Idealised Influence (II) in which the leader serves as a role model for their employees (Cherry, 2020). Through trust and respect for the leader, “they emulate this individual and internalize his or her ideals” (Cherry, 2020, para. 10). The second component is Intellectual Stimulation (IS) where the leader encourages creativity among their employees (Cherry, 2020). The leader should not only challenge the status quo, but they should also encourage their employees to consider new ways of learning and doing things (Cherry, 2020). The third component is Inspirational Motivation (IM) in which the “transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers” (Cherry, 2020, para. 9). Transformational leaders should be able to help employees “experience the same passion and motivation to fulfil these goals” (Cherry, 2020, para. 9). The last component is Individualised Consideration (IC) where the leader offers support and encouragement to their employees (Cherry, 2020). Keeping lines of communication open helps to foster supportive relationships as employees feel comfortable in sharing their ideas and in return, “leaders can offer direct recognition of the unique contribution of each follower” (Cherry, 2020, para. 8).

According to Bass and Riggio (1998), transformational leaders should be able to “stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity” (as cited in Cherry, 2020, para. 20). Bass and Riggio (1998) also assert that “transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers’ needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization” (as cited in Cherry, 2020, para. 20). As such leaders have faith in their employees that they will do their level best, it makes the employees feel inspired and empowered which in return leads to having “higher levels of performance and satisfaction than groups led by other types of leaders” (Cherry, 2020, para. 21). Apart from this, transformational leadership can also positively impact employees’ well-being (Cherry, 2020). Research has shown that “a transformational leadership style, which both conveys a sense of trust and meaningfulness and individually challenges and develops employees, also has a positive effect on employee well-being” as they feel valued in the company Cherry, 2020, para. 22).

However, similar to laissez-faire and transactional leadership, transformational leadership works better in certain environments, such as agile environments where the stakes for failure is comparatively low (White, 2018). Although a leader should aim for the development of a product to remain consistent and error-free, they should be careful not to “hinder the progress and growth of future updates and improvements” (White, 2018, para. 18). Small businesses can also benefit from such kind of leadership as “they work out the kinks associated with growth and brand-building” (Indeed, 2020, para. 29). In fact, upper management might also find transformational leadership helpful in achieving an overarching company vision (Indeed, 2020). Often times than not, as different management positions employ different leadership styles, transformational managers in hybrid-style companies can even pass down the company vision to transactional middle managers (Indeed, 2020).

References

Cherry, K. (2020, April 29). How a Transactional Leadership Works. verywellmind,

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transactional-leadership-2795317

Cherry, K. (2020, March 5). Pros and Cons of Laissez-Faire Leadership. verywellmind,

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-laissez-faire-leadership-2795316

Cherry, K. (2020, March 5). Transformational Leadership. verywellmind,

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transformational-leadership 2795313 #components

Indeed. (2020, February 14). What is Transactional Leadership?.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-transactional-leadership

Kruse, K. (2013, April 9). What is Leadership?. Forbes,

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership/?sh=2081fe5f5b90

Merriam-Webster. (2020, March 30). Laisse-faire.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/laissez-faire-2020-03-30#:~:text=2%20%3A%20a%20philosophy%20or%20practice,freedom%20of%20choice%20and%20action

Pennsylvania State University. (2014). The Importance of Good Leadership.

St. Thomas University. (2014, November 25). What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? How

Autonomy Can Drive Success. https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/what-is-transactional-leadership.aspx

St. Thomas University. (2014, November 25). What is Transactional Leadership? How

Structure Leads to Results. https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/what-is-transactional-leadership.aspx

Stafford, M. (2010). The Full-Range Leadership Model: A Brief Primer.

https://www3.nd.edu/~jthomp19/AS300/1_Fall%20Semester/27%20Sep/Full_Range_ Leadership_V1.pdf

University of the People. (2020). Why Leadership is Important for a Great Life?

White, S. (2018, February 21). What is Transformational Leadership? A Model for

Motivating Innovation. https://www.cio.com/article/3257184/what-is-transformational-leadership-a-model-for-motivating-innovation.html

5 Best Practices for Online Learning

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 18:05:28 GMT

5 best practices to help students and teachers master e-learning!

As a response to the current global pandemic, most educational institutions have turned towards online learning to provide a safer learning environment for both educators and students. However, online learning is not everyone’s cup of tea and it is not without its challenges. Taking this into consideration, the following article will recommend 5 best practices which can easily be applied in online classrooms to help students and teachers master e-learning.

Creating a Supportive Online Learning Community

First and foremost, a supportive online learning community is crucial for any kind of online learning (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). Since teachers are not going to be physically present in a classroom with students, it makes it harder for them to check in with students and see how they are doing physically, emotionally and academically (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). Thus, it is important for teachers to “build time into [their] teaching and learning to reduce social isolation and support feelings of connectedness and belonging” (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). One way to do this is by encouraging peer learning (Boettcher, 2019). For instance, teachers can open a general student forum where students can post and ask for help from each other so that they can get support from their peers as well (Boettcher, 2019). Teachers can also set up small groups or whole class discussion forums where students can not only mentor and support one another but can also do pair or group projects together (Boettcher, 2019). Moreover, during class time, if the teacher is making use of video conferencing apps such as Zoom, then small breakout rooms could be arranged for the class so that students can interact and discuss with one another. If necessary and possible, teachers can also arrange individual phone or video calls to check in with the students and see how they are coping with their studies and even personal life (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). This cannot only make students feel less isolated but can also make them feel like they have agency in this online space (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020).

Mixing Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning

A good balance of asynchronous and synchronous learning is need for effective online learning. If students are sitting from 9am-5pm in front of their computer screens attending live online lectures, it will be counterproductive as students are likely to get distracted or tired. However, if students are only given pre-recorded lectures to listen to, then it is hard to track their learning progress. Students might procrastinate and not listen to the lectures at all or they might be doing other things while the lecture plays in the background. Thus, a mixture of asynchronous and synchronous learning is needed. Apart from using asynchronous learning to give students to opportunity to learn at their own pace, they also need to be engaged in “more collaborative and more reflective activities” in synchronous learning (Boettcher, 2019). During live online lectures, students should engage in interactive brainstorming and sharing discussions to stimulate their learning (Boettcher, 2019). At times, students can also be asked to “think, plan, write and summarize” on their own as individual learning needs to be balanced with peer learning (Boettcher, 2019). Moreover, live online classes should be recorded so that students can review them and use them for revision after class (Boettcher, 2019).

Setting Classroom Rules and Clear Expectations

At the beginning of a new course, teachers should set classroom rules and set clear expectations on course workload (Boettcher, 2019). For example, if a teacher is going to be using Zoom to convene the course, then clear expectations regarding student participation should be conveyed in the first lesson (Harvard University, 2020). Doing so not only ensures active student participation but also ensures that students are paying attention to the course material. Teachers should also communicate how much time students should be spending on asynchronous learning each week (Boettcher, 2019). As previously mentioned, it is easy for students to put off doing their work and procrastinate especially if there are no set deadlines. Therefore, the time that students need to do their work needs to be scheduled and planned for (Boettcher, 2019). For instance, teachers could ask students to listen to one pre-recorded lecture and complete one discussion forum question before coming to class. This not only inform students how much time and effort is required of them on a weekly basis but it also keeps them on track by giving them a deadline (i.e. before the start of the class).

Effective Communication Between Teachers and Students

It is important to establish clear guidelines on what communication channels students can use to effectively and efficiently communicate with their teachers. Channels of communication between teachers and students should be made clear in the beginning of the course so that students know exactly how to reach their teachers if and when they encounter problems in their online learning. Teachers should inform students on how they can be contacted, e.g. via email and videoconferencing, and also inform them on when a response can be expected, e.g. within 24 hours on weekdays (Boettcher, 2019). Moreover, talking on the phone with their teachers in case of emergencies could be made an option for students (F riedman, 2020). For instance, if there are some technical issues during live online classes, then students need to know how they can inform their teachers about their situation in the quickest way possible. Some teachers, especially professors in universities, have weekly office hours where students can just drop in for consultations (Friedman, 2020). Since face-to-face office hours is not possible in light of the global pandemic, teachers could instead hold virtual office hours where students can ask questions about the course or their assignments (Friedman, 2020). In case some students are not available during that weekly office hour, virtual consultations or phone consultations by appointment should also be made available. By setting clear expectations on how students can contact their teachers, it can lead to effective communication which is conducive to a better online learning environment.

Accessible Materials

Course materials, especially those for asynchronous learning, need to be made accessible to students. Teachers should refrain from using unfamiliar digital tools to post course materials as some students might not know how to access them (Friedman, 2020). Teachers should instead try to make materials available on easy everyday apps, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Docs (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). In case a teacher finds a digital tool particularly useful for online teaching, then they should provide technical support to students, e.g. by recording a short demo on how to use the tools to access course materials (Friedman, 2020). Moreover, instead of using inaccessible scanned PDFs for handouts, teachers should create PDFs with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for better reader accessibility (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). If teachers are using audio or video files in their teaching, then a short text description should be provided (Rappolt-Schlichtmann, 2020). This way, students will still be able to know what the audio or video is about in case they could not access the files.

References

Boettcher, J. (2019). Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online. Designing for Learning. Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online

Friedman, J. (2020, May 4). Tackle Challenges of Online Classes Due to COVID-19. U.S.

News. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus

Harvard University. (2020). Best Practices: Online Pedagogy. Teach Remotely

https://teachremotely.harvard.edu/best-practices

Rappolt-Schlichtmann, G. (2020, March 18). Distance Learning: 6 UDL Best Practices for Online Learning. https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/for-educators/universal-design-for-learning/video-distance-learning-udl-best-practices

The Effects of AI on Careers in the Future

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 18:05:26 GMT

How might AI affect how people (and personal outlook) do their jobs in the months or years to come?

Artificial intelligence can alter educational tools and institutions. Though teachers’ presence is irreplaceable, AI can still shake the future landscape in education: for teaching efficiency and better practices.

Overall, AI can drive efficiency, personalization and streamline admin tasks to allow teachers the time and freedom to provide understanding and adaptability. By leveraging the best attributes of machines and teachers, the vision for AI in education is one where they work together for the best outcome for students. (Forbes) Accordingly, AI has already been applied to education primarily in some tools that help develop skills and testing systems.

AI can make differentiated and individualized learning come true. Adjusting learning based on individual’s needs has been prioritized by educators for years, and companies such as Content Technologies and Carnegie Learning are developing intelligent instruction design and digital platforms to provide learning, testing and feedback to students from pre-K to college level. The AI technologies applied are used to identify challenges students face, gaps in knowledge and redirects to new topics when appropriate. As AI get more sophisticated, it might be possible for a machine to read the expression that passes on a student’s face that indicates they are struggling to grasp a subject thus modify a lesson to respond to that. By customizing curriculum for every student’s needs, AI-powered machines will allow many levels of differentiation that is impossible for teachers managing the entire class.

AI also has much potential in automating admin tasks. Educators spend a tremendous amount of time grading homework and tests, and AI can step in and make quick work out of these tasks while offering recommendations on closing the gaps in learning. Machines can already grade multiple-choice tests now, and they are remarkably close to being able to assess written responses as well. By automating more admin tasks, teachers can reshuffle time to focusing on each student’s needs. Furthermore, enrollment and admissions processes can become more efficient by saving human resources from repeated and tedious work.

Smart content

Smart content includes virtual content, digital resources, and customized learning facilities. AI technology has already reached a classroom setting. Smart content includes virtual content like video conferencing, video lectures, and “smart textbooks.” On digital content, AI systems are using traditional syllabuses to create customized textbooks for certain subjects. As a result, textbooks are being digitized, and new learning interfaces are being created to help students of all academic grades and ages. (eLearning Industry, 2019) For example, Cram101 uses AI to make textbook contents more comprehensible and easier for students to navigate through summaries of the chapters, flashcards, and practical tests. Another useful AI interface is the Netex Learning which enables professors to create electronic curriculums and educative information across a myriad of devices. (inside telecom, 2020) Netex includes online assistance programs, audios, and illustrative videos.

Personalized learning

Like the personalized recommendations on Netflix, AI is introduced to teachers for offering personalized recommendations to each pupil, by designing curriculums to suit for students at all levels, especially students struggling to reach their full potential or having difficulties following along. By accessing through AI-powered apps, students can get targeted and customized responses from their teachers. Teachers can condense lessons into smart study guides and flashcards. (eLearning Industry, 2019) Unlike the past, college students can now access a larger window time for interacting with professors after receiving instant feedbacks from smart tutoring systems like Carnegie Learning.

Global learning

AI also helps to cut boundaries. By facilitating e-learning of any course from anywhere across the globe, AI-powered education equips students with fundamental IT skills. With more inventions, there will be a wider range of courses available online and with the help of AI, students will be learning from wherever and whenever they are.

AI & applications (techniques)

AI generated content

AI content writing programs can pick elements from a dataset and structure a “human sounding” article. An AI program called Word Smith produced 1.5 billion pieces of content in 2016, and is expected to grow further in popularity in the coming years. AI writers are useful for reporting on regular, data-focused events. For example, quarterly earnings reports, sports matches, and market data. (BETA SOCIALS) In financial services, AI generated content could form a useful part in content marketing strategy.

Smart content curation

AI-powered content curation can better engage visitors on websites by showing them relevant content. It can be applied to blog content, customer services, and subscription businesses.

Dynamic pricing (in marketing)

By targeting unique offers at those likely to need them, dynamic pricing can avoid the problem of hurting the bottom line when conducting sales and discounts. Machine learning can build a propensity model of which traits show a customer is likely to need an offer to convert, and which are likely to convert without the need for an offer. (LinkedIn, 2017) Dynamic pricing can increase sales whilst not reducing profit margins by much, thus maximizing profits.

References

Allen, R. (n.d.). 15 Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Marketing. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/15-applications-artificial-intelligence-marketing-robert-allen

Amine, Y. (2020, December 14). AI in education: Bringing schools into the digital age. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from https://www.insidetelecom.com/ai-in-education-bringing-schools-into-the-digital-age/

Johnson, A. (2020, April 22). 5 Ways AI Is Changing The Education Industry. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from https://elearningindustry.com/ai-is-changing-the-education-industry-5-ways

Marr, B. (n.d.). How Is AI Used in Education — Real World Examples of Today and A Peek into The Future? Retrieved January 07, 2021, from https://www.bernardmarr.com/default.asp?contentID=1541

5 Most In-Demand Career Skills in 2022

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 17:21:56 GMT

Do you have the 5 most in-demand career skills in 2022?

With the job market constantly evolving, some occupations lose popularity while others gain an edge. Although it is hard to say for sure which jobs would be in demand or be obsolete in the future, having certain essential skills can make all the difference in your career regardless of the field you are in. By having some of the most in-demand hard and soft skills in today’s job market, it can give you the competitive edge you need over your counterparts to ensure your path to success. According to Anderson (2020), “hard skills concern an employee’s ability to do a specific task, and soft skills are more about the way they do them — how they adapt, collaborate, solve problems, and make decisions”. In view of this, the following article will suggest 5 hard and soft skills to make yourself more desirable and marketable and to increase your chances of landing that perfect job.

The most sought-after hard skills include specialized knowledge and technical abilities in the following 2 aspects: cloud and distributed computing, and data analysis (Anderson, 2020; FutureLearn, 2020).

Cloud and Distributed Computing

This particular skill is in demand because employers want employees “who can deliver and manage resources via the internet and a communication network” (Business News Daily, 2020). Due to the increased demand for accessing readily available information, the development of cloud and distributed computing has spurred to allow individuals and businesses to use “remote network servers to store, process, and manage data all over the Internet” (Collabera, 2020). Being an integral part of the IT infrastructure for many companies around the world, employers want individuals who can seamlessly implement a cloud environment into their infrastructure (Dsouza, 2018). Moreover, to overcome the constraints of traditional software and hardware licensing models, businesses are looking for employees who are capable of delivering services to customers via the Internet using cloud computing (DeZyre, 2021). On the other hand, employers are also looking for individuals to operate distributed computing which is a system that solves one single problem by breaking it down into several tasks where one individual computer solves one task (DeZyre, 2021). Companies want employees who can “add and change software and computational power according to the demands and needs of the business” (Dsouza, 2018). Thus, cloud and distributed computing is a highly valued skill as it can help organizations to not only reduce risks but also costs (DeZyre, 2011).

Data Analysis

Living in an age of big data, data is now being harvested at a big scale that has never been seen before (FutureLearn, 2020). It is “used for everything from improving industrial processes to keeping shelves stacked to accurately targeting digital ads” (FutureLearn, 2020). It is no wonder that the World Economic Forum predicts data to be one of the key drivers of economic growth in the near future (FutureLearn, 2020). Accordingly, research has found that “those who are able to organize data collection, interpret the results, and make decisions based on these findings will be in high demand” (FutureLearn, 2020). Although one might assume that data analysis is only relevant in professions like business analysis and data science, it is in fact a skill required across all professions. Various professions across different fields, such as farmers and doctors, would need to make use of data in order to make the best possible decision (FutureLearn, 2020). However, as of right now, studies have found that there is a skills gap in terms of data literacy (FutureLearn, 2020). Accenture and Qlik’s research have found that over 74% of the employees would prefer not to work with data and this causes companies to “lose 43% of productivity per employee due to a lack of data literacy every year” (FutureLearn, 2020). In light of this, PricewaterhouseCoopers has predicted that almost 70% of employers will demand data literacy for their employees by 2021 (FutureLearn, 2020). Therefore, it is advisable to gain some data analysis skills to boost your employability in the current and future job markets.

On the other hand, the most in-demand soft skills demonstrating an employee’s personal traits and cognitive skills are critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness (Anderson, 2020).

Critical Thinking

According to Guerrouj (2020), “critical thinking skills are mental processes we use to analyse facts to form a judgement”. These thinking skills could involve problem-solving, decision making, categorization of information and objective analysis among many others (Guerrouj, 2020). Contrary to the popular belief, critical thinking is in fact not an automatic thought process as we are inherently programmed to think “uncritically”, making decisions subjectively based on our personal biases, self-interest or emotions (Mendes, 2020). As a result, one needs critical thinking skills to be able to make impactful decisions in the workplace by thinking critically (Guerrouj, 2020). There are a lot of ways critical thinking skills can be adapted to address the needs of the ever-changing modern workplace. For instance, as creativity is emphasised in a lot of workplaces, “a person with critical thinking skills can come up with innovative ideas and solutions to complex problems using logic and reason” (Guerrouj, 2020). To solve problems in a workplace, one could also first observe a situation, list the pros and cons and then decide on the best solution to deal with the problem (Guerrouj, 2020). It is also predicted for employees with critical thinking skills to be assigned the task of dividing teams and tasks between humans and machines in the future workplace (Guerrouj, 2020). As critical thinking skills often come in all sizes and shapes, your university degree can already give you some experience in dealing with certain types of information depending on the subject you are studying (Guerrouj, 2020). For instance, students studying English Literature often have to “read texts critically to form a qualitative argument or analyse the reliability of sources” whereas Engineering students have to “use the quantitative results from models to further their experiments or research projects” (Guerrouj, 2020). Therefore, depending on your education, you might already possess certain critical thinking skills. However, if you are aiming at a certain position in your workplace, then you would need to acquire the critical thinking skills needed for that particular profession. For example, a manager would need to use critical thinking skills to “foster teams that are intentional about accessing problems and devising problems” (Guerrouj, 2020).

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ), refers to the “ability to know, handle, and fully understand your emotions, including that of other individuals around you” (Siragusa, 2019). Leaders with high emotional intelligence are often aware of how their positive or negative emotions could affect other employees (Siragusa, 2019). Being one of the most frequently referenced skills in the current and future job markets, high emotional intelligence could be seen as one of the most “reliable predictors of career success and salary levels” (Siragusa, 2019). To cultivate emotional intelligence, one needs to be empathetic (Siragusa, 2019). One should not only possess the capacity to understand their own feelings but also those of others as it often impacts one’s actions and decision-making (Siragusa, 2019). One should “show humility in giving and receiving feedback, are reliable and committed to helping others, and willing to apologise and to forgive when necessary” (Siragusa, 2019). These qualities can help one work well in collaborative environments, reduce stress and get the best results from all the stakeholders (Siragusa, 2019). In fact, the way people view work itself is changing (Jenkins, 2020). As Gen Z has the highest prevalence of mental illnesses and feelings of loneliness compared to other age groups, companies need to adapt to the emotional needs of their younger employees (Jenkins, 2020). Considering the youth is the future, acknowledging the importance of their employees’ mental wellbeing is crucial for all employers (Jenkins, 2020).

Cultural Awareness

As workplaces become more diverse, cultivating cultural awareness should be a top priority for companies all over the world (Landry, 2018). Since cultural awareness affects “how teams collaborate and interact, and makes for a more inclusive, productive environment”, all employees are expected to have cultural diversity skills and cultural intelligence (Landry, 2018). Landry (2018) recommends “unpacking the different layers and nuances of culture” to cultivate awareness to understand not only “the role you play in your organisation, but also the role your team members and organization plays to the world”. Goodman (2018) also suggests to “understand one’s self and how one needs to adjust to the environment and ecosystem that he or she is in” to become more culturally aware (as cited in Landry, 2018). Since all individuals have the tendency to form stereotypes, whether it is based on one’s past experiences or one’s own set of beliefs, uncovering those stereotypes and acknowledging one’s bias can help them become “a stronger, more effective communicator and employee” (Landry, 2018). At the same time, it is also valuable for a leader to “understand, respect, and work harmoniously with people of a different race, culture, age, gender, language or sexual orientation” (Landry, 2018). Adapting to others with different perceptions of viewing the world can not only promote teamwork in an organization but can also help employees and employers to come up with ideas that drive new products or services in today’s globalised world (Landry, 2018).

References

Anderson, B. (2020, January 9). The Most In-Demand Hard and Soft Skills of 2020.

LinkedIn. https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/trends-and-research/2020/most-in-demand-hard-and-soft-skills

Business News Daily. (2020, May 5). What Employers Want: 38 In-Demand Skills.

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5686-the-most-in-demand-career-skills.html

Collabera. (2020). Will Cloud Computing Change IT Jobs? How will Cloud Computing Affect IT Jobs?

DeZyre. (2021, January 25). Cloud Computing vs. Distributed Computing.

https://www.dezyre.com/article/cloud-computing-vs-distributed-computing/94

Dsouza, M. (2018, November 7). What is Distributed Computing and What’s Driving Its

Adoption. https://hub.packtpub.com/what-is-distributed-computing-and-whats-driving-its-adoption/

FutureLearn. (2020, June 15). 7 Skills Employers of the Future will be Looking For.

https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/careers/7-skills-employers-of-the-future-will-be-looking-for

Guerrouj, L. (2020, July 7). Critical Thinking Skills for the Future of Work. Salesforce.

https://www.salesforce.com/eu/blog/2020/07/critical-thinking-skills-future-work.html#:~:text=A%20person%20with%20critical%20thinking,problems%20using%20logic%20and%20reason.&text=In%20the%20future%20workplace%2C%20people,tasks%20between%20humans%20and%20machines

Jenkins, R. (2020, July 13). 5 Reasons Why Emotional Intelligence is the Future of Work.

Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/352884

Landry, L. (2018, January 18). The Importance of Cultivating Cultural Awareness at Work.

Northeastern University. https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/cultural-awareness-at-work/

Mendes, J. (2020). Why Critical Thinking Skills are Important in the Workplace.

ZipRecruiter. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/blog/why-critical-thinking-skills-are-important-in-theworkplace/#:~:text=The%20reason%20critical%20thinking%

20is,simplistic%20thinking%E2%80%94it’s%20human%20nature

Siragusa, T. (2019, October 23). How Emotional Intelligence Can Shape the Future of Work.

Medium. https://medium.com/radical-culture/how-emotional-intelligence-can-shape-the-future-of-work-95d4e3499ffe

Benefits and Pitfalls of Online Learning

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 17:12:21 GMT

Benefits and Pitfalls of Online Learning

Our knowledge about online learning and teaching has rapidly grown over the last decade and especially this past year as a response to the current global pandemic. Although online learning, also known as e-learning, was implemented in most schools around the globe long before Covid-19 happened, most schools did not bother learning how to fully utilize online resources to enrich students’ learning until they had to. Since the shift from in-person classes to online classes happened so abruptly, it is easy for students and teachers to feel overwhelmed, especially for those who do not have any prior experience in online learning. In light of this, the following article will discuss the benefits and the problems of using online learning.

Research has shown that there are a myriad of benefits of using online learning (Community College of Aurora, 2020). Undoubtedly, most people can agree that online learning brings about flexible schedule and environment for both teachers and students (Heap, 2017). The flexibility that comes with asynchronous learning gives students and teachers a chance to work at their own pace (Community College of Aurora, 2020). This prevents students and teachers from overwhelming themselves by not having to schedule their time around a packed school timetable. Personally, studying online has also freed up my schedule by saving me from the daily 2 hours long commute to and from university. Moreover, it also allows students and teachers to customise their learning environment (Dambauld, 2020). Online learning gives students and teachers the flexibility to learn and teach from the comfort of their own homes or even outside of their homes if they wish. As opposed to traditional classrooms that can be quite noisy, online learning also provides a quiet learning environment for students which minimises disruptive environments and allows for better concentration (Dambauld, 2020). However, this will vary from student to student as it depends on how quiet their home environment is. I usually have no problem studying during the day as my family is off to work. However, my home environment becomes quite disruptive at night when everyone is watching TV and having dinner. For this reason, I prefer to work during the day as I am able to better concentrate then.

Another benefit of online learning is that it helps students develop essential skills, such as self-motivation, self-discipline, time management and communication skills (Heap, 2017; Segaren, 2020). Since online learning now takes places remotely, students have to really be self-motivated as they do not have someone physically present to constantly remind them to stay on top of their studies (Heap, 2017). Asynchronous learning also gives students more responsibility and control over their learning as they will be the ones deciding how they will delegate time towards their studies (Community College of Aurora, 2020). This not only helps students become more self-disciplined, but it also helps with improving their time management skills. Before the shift towards online learning, I would always procrastinate and put off doing assignments till the very last minute. However, over the last few months, I have learned the importance of self-discipline and have trained myself to stick to a fixed working schedule to avoid procrastination. Furthermore, as students are working remotely outside of classroom, they will have to work harder in communicating with their teachers and peers (Segaren, 2020). This can improve students’ both verbal and written communication skills as they can use various methods to communicate with their teachers and peers, such as via video-conferencing, emails or even instant messaging apps.

Furthermore, asynchronous learning can promote students’ career advancement and cultivate their hobbies (Heap, 2017; Segaren, 2020). As studying online gives students more flexibility, they will have more time to do internships and part-time jobs since they can fit their work schedule around their coursework easily (Heap, 2017). Moreover, flexibility also gives students more time to cultivate their hobbies which they normally could not do as they have to attend school from morning till evening. Despite the global pandemic, I have actually been able to take on more part-time jobs and virtual internships due to the flexibility granted by asynchronous learning. As asynchronous learning does not require students to attend live online classes, I have been able to allocate more time to my career advancement and simply listen to pre-recorded lectures and participate on discussion forums at my own convenience (Heap, 2017).

On the other hand, online learning comes with its own challenges. One of the drawbacks of online learning is that it can create a sense of isolation (Chamberlin, 2020). On top of the enactment of social distancing rules in response to the global pandemic, having only the computer as their companion especially for asynchronous learning can be lonely and even terrifying for some students (Chamberlin, 2020). Consequently, not being able to go out and being trapped in their room studying all day can intensify students’ sense of isolation. As the online environment is completely different from traditional classrooms, where one is constantly surrounded by their peers and teachers, it could take some getting used to for students (Chamberlin, 2020). I have heard cases from my peers of some students falling into depression due to the lack of human interaction. Thus, schools and teachers in particular need to be sensitive towards this issue and provide students with not only academic but also emotional support to the best of their abilities.

Another challenge that online learning brings about is the worsening problem of procrastination. Although asynchronous learning aims at promoting self-discipline and self-motivation, every student is different and not everyone can achieve these goals. Instead, it can backfire and cause students to procrastinate. When learning online remotely, students have no one to remind them to attend their class, to complete their assignments on time or to study for their upcoming tests and exams (Chamberlin, 2020). Teachers are not physically present to preach to students and chase after them to make them complete their work (Chamberlin, 2020). In fact, if parents are also not involved in students’ academic life, it will make things worse as students will then have no fear of consequences. Thus, if students do not have any authoritative figure present in their lives making sure that they are staying on top of their studies, it is easy for them to put off their readings and assignments while engaging in online learning (Chamberlin, 2020). Luckily for me, with a lot of perseverance and self-discipline, I am able to avoid falling into the procrastination trap most of the time. However, it is understandable why some students, especially younger kids, would feel disengaged and demotivated from learning if there is no around to pester them to do their work.

In addition, technical issues and adapting to unfamiliar technology is another challenge that both students and teachers have to overcome. Experiencing technical issues is not uncommon for students and teachers while learning online, especially during synchronous learning. Sometimes, the computer might not work or might unexpectedly shut down and sometimes the Wi-Fi connection can be poor (Friedman, 2020). For poor Wi-Fi connection, I have found that turning off your video camera helps a lot with stabilizing the connection. However, students should notify their teachers of their technical issues as soon as possible especially if they require everyone to turn on their cameras. Moreover, due to the transition to online classes, most schools want students and teachers to make use of digital tools to facilitate online teaching and learning, such as Zoom, Audacity and Canva. However, sometimes students and teachers need to work with digital tools that they might have not even heard of let alone know how to use (Friedman, 2020). Thus, this could lead to students and teachers wasting precious class time on figuring out how to use unfamiliar technology. I know from experience how frustrating that can be for both students and teachers when they cannot even figure out how to share-screen or use the breakout rooms on Zoom.

References

Chamberlin, S. (2020). Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Courses. Montgomery

College. https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/online-learning/distance/advantages-and-disadvantages-online-courses.html

Community College of Aurora. (2020). Benefits of Online Education.

https://www.ccaurora.edu/programs-classes/online-learning/benefits-online-education

Dambauld, B. (2020, September 16). 13 Great Benefits of Online Learning. StraighterLine.

https://www.straighterline.com/blog/34-top-secret-benefits-of-studying-online/

Friedman, J. (2020, May 4). Tackle Challenges of Online Classes Due to COVID-19. U.S.

News. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-overcome-challenges-of-online-classes-due-to-coronavirus

Heap, T. (2017, June 5). 5 Benefits of Studying Online (VS. Face-to-Face Learning). Illinois

Online. https://online.illinois.edu/articles/online-learning/item/2017/06/05/5-benefits-of-studying-online-(vs.-face-to-face-classroom)

Segaren, S. (2020, April 21). 5 Major Benefits of Online Learning. Study International.

https://www.studyinternational.com/2020/04/21/benefits-online-learning/

Enabling Early Career Development and Networking in a Hybrid Environment

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 08:10:40 GMT

Active Peers AI's second YouTube Live is out!

Active Peers AI recently hosted its second YouTube Live on “Enabling Early Career Development and Networking in a Hybrid Environment”. This Livestream is based on a two-week internship that our CEO and Founder of Active Peers AI Susan HayesCulleton facilitated for a wealth management company in late August. During the internship, Susan used Active Peers AI, both the ethos and the technology, numerous times. For instance, Susan used the Active Peers AI Survey Tool to help the group identify their strengths and their areas of improvement and then match people accordingly to spread knowledge around effectively. Susan also used the Custom Prompter to help the interns prepare for a podcast interview. Apart from a Q&A session with Susan, we also had a special guest Anya Shorey , who was one of the interns, join us for an interview with Susan.

Interview with Susan and Anya

During the interview, Susan and Anya covered a range of topics related to early career development and networking:

The first aspect that Susan and Anya discussed was the crowd-sourced wisdom on LinkedIn. Every morning during the internship, Susan posted a question on LinkedIn to encourage the interns to network digitally. Anya pointed out that the questions would typically involve the interns reflecting on their life goals and experiences, such as “What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?” and “What are you doing today that will help you in 10 year's time?". Anya mused that these kinds of questions helped to bring her focus back to what's important to her in her career and made her really reflect on her early career development. She also really appreciated the crowdsourced wisdom these LinkedIn questions enabled as she said that reading other people's insights helped her to broaden her horizons and allowed her to think from a fresh perspective.

The second aspect that Susan and Anya reflected on was teamwork. During the internship, Susan planned a lot of activities that involved pair or group work. Anya agrees that teamwork is an essential aspect of working in a company and she enjoyed being paired with different people as it allowed them to share knowledge effectively. Anya also got to learn from her peers as they were from different a range of disciplines, including finance, economics, and STEM, and she discovered that people from different disciplines have their own way of approaching a task or a problem, whether that is a strategic or an analytical approach.

The third aspect that Susan and Anya touched upon was the frequent reflections on different activities and experiences during the internship. Susan used surveys and the Active Peers AI Feedback Tool to help the interns reflect on their day. Anya really appreciated the Active Peers AI Feedback Tool as it helped her to not only reflect on what worked well but also on what could be improved and how she can do a particular task better next time.

Moreover, Susan and Anya discussed how they used social media, in particular LinkedIn and Instagram, to connect and network with others during the internship. Regarding using Instagram , Anya believes it is a great way to interact with your audience as it is less permanent and more widely shared than LinkedIn. Anya claims that since everything we post would come up on our LinkedIn connections' feeds, people might be more cautious of posting things on LinkedIn because of not saying the "right thing". This in return causes people to engage in self-censorship as they want to be perceived as professional by others. On the other hand, when someone comments on a post or replies to a story on Instagram, it does not come up on our followers' feeds, thus encouraging us to share their honest opinions. Anya also mentioned that the question sticker on Instagram is particularly useful for companies who are looking for honest feedback as the companies can share their followers' responses while maintaining their audience's anonymity.

Furthermore, Susan and Anya talked about how they utilised the Active Peers AI Custom Prompter to prepare for a podcast during the internship. The interns were tasked with interviewing a senior member of the company for a podcast. The prompter questions were useful as they gave the interns some sample questions that they could ask the staff. Anya also said the prompter questions were helpful in structuring her answers for the podcast interview as the questions included many sub-questions, thus giving her the flexibility to choose which of the sub-questions she wanted to ask the staff.

Lastly, Susan and Anya reflected on what a good feedback loop is as feedback is a big part of the ethos underpinning Active Peers AI. According to Anya, a good feedback loop should involve companies being open to actively listening to what their clients have to say about their services and what they can improve on. Anya believes that the key to good feedback is actually taking the time to re-think these issues and implement appropriate changes. Anya also reckons that when customers feel like their opinion is important to a company, they will feel more connected to the firm as they know they are being valued, which is the building block of good client relationships.

Q&A Session with Susan

During the Q&A session with Susan, the audience posed the following questions:

1) "What soft or hard skills should I acquire in my early career days?"

According to Susan, curiosity is an important soft skill that everyone should have. One should be curious about different things, for instance, what the company is doing, what the trends of a sector are, where the industry is heading, and what other people's stories are. Susan also reckons that curiosity can lead to closer relationships and more authentic networking.

As for hard skills, Susan believes that no code development technology is something that everyone should learn. No code development technology is a type of web development that does not require you to learn how to write code. It is easy to learn and allows you to try out different things. Susan deems no code development as an important building block of digital transformation, as do most companies nowadays.

2) "What should I be doing to improve my career prospects?"

Susan reckons that it is important to first determine what career success means to you, as it means something different to everyone. It could mean more prestige, more responsibility, better work-life balance, a promotion, etc. Then, Susan recommends that you to ask others how they succeeded in their careers in that particular aspect. For instance, if you want more seniority, find someone who has seniority and ask them how they achieved it. Hence, you should first determine what you want from your career and then talk to people who have achieved what you want.

Other than this, Susan suggests building upon your own skills and learning consistently. Susan believes that you should do something small every day that contributes to building your skills, such as listening to a podcast or TEDxTalk. Susan also recommends writing down what you have learnt or achieved every day so that you can reflect and bank your learnings. However, as Susan stresses, consistency to learn is key.

3) "What advice would you have liked to have heard when you were starting out?"

When Susan was just starting out, she said she thought that hard work meant it had to be unenjoyable and required grit and sacrifice. However, Susan soon realised that she was wrong. Susan now strongly believes that real growth comes from enjoyment and hence her motto now is "enjoyment is a superpower". Susan has realised that the more she enjoys her work, the better she gets at it.

Susan also stresses that everyone has a lot of time to achieve everything they want to even though it might not seem like so. Susan reckons that people often overestimate what they can achieve in a short amount of time but underestimate what they can achieve in a long period of time. Thus, Susan believes that having consistency in what you do every day is far more important than what you do once in a while.

4) "What kind of questions should I ask at a networking event to break the ice with others?"

Firstly, Susan believes that is always good to ask people what they do. However, it might not always be easy to understand what people actually do. Hence, it is a good idea to ask them for an example of a case study or a client that they worked with recently so that you can have a better understanding of what they do and have a more meaningful conversation.

Secondly, Susan recommends you to ask others how you can help them achieve their goals. Although building relationships and networks is based on reciprocity, they all have to start somewhere and Susan thinks that sometimes you would have to be the one to take the first step.

Lastly, Susan suggests you to digitally connect with people that you meet during the event, whether it is on Linkedln or other social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter. This is because Susan believes that making connections is an essential part of networking.

Building Job Seekers' Confidence through Empathy with their Peers

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:17:35 GMT

Active Peers AI's first ever YouTube Live!

Active Peers AI recently hosted its first-ever YouTube Live on “Building Job Seekers' Confidence through Empathy with their Peers”. We had a live Q&A session with Susan HayesCulleton , who is not only the CEO and Founder of Active Peers AI but is also an Associate Lecturer at Ulster University. Susan has in fact used Active Peers AI on numerous occasions when delivering Job Readiness modules at the university. In this case study, Susan was tasked with helping career changers at the end of a finance-related program. These job seekers were going through a lot of emotions, including overwhelmingness, excitement, fear, lack of confidence, and dynamism, among many others.

Guide for conducting role-play interviews with peers

To help these job seekers build career confidence , Susan first gave the participants a survey and asked them to document their strengths and the areas that they want to improve. Then, Susan used the AI Matching Algorithm to connect people based on the results of the survey. The algorithm matched people who were good at a particular skill with people who wanted to learn more about that skill, e.g. competency-based questions. Next, Susan gave the participants the Peer Learning Prompter to help them come up with questions to ask in the interview and prepare what they would say during the interview. After that, Susan asked the participants to do role-play interviews with their peers. Every participant got the chance to play the role of the interviewer once and the role of the interviewee twice. Playing the role of the interviewer really helped the job seekers to demystify what it is like to be on the other side of the table. At the same time, playing the role of the interviewee made the participants more confident as they got to practice answering some common interview questions. At the end of the session, Susan asked the participants to document their learnings and asked them to give peer feedback, including 3 areas their peers did well and 1 area of improvement.

Susan reckons that the role-play interviews were very successful as every participant took away ten questions that they might get asked in an interview and they also learnt how to prepare for competency-based interviews. Moreover, the constructive feedback given by their peers on what they did well and how they can improve also aided in building their confidence. Another activity that Susan did within this job readiness module was to give the participants an editable Google Document so that they can write down the interview questions they've been asked before or questions that they think they're likely to be asked in an interview. This activity helped to crowdsource interview questions, which was particularly useful in helping these participants prepare for upcoming interviews.

Building the confidence of your staff members

In addition, Susan shared her expertise on how to build the confidence of staff members who are already settled in their careers. Firstly, it is important to let people see the impact their knowledge can have on others. This can be done by creating a focused and consistent output-generating environment where people can help each other, thus building their confidence in the process. Secondly, it is important to help people overcome their problems so that they can move forward in their careers. People's confidence will increase when they realize that others notice and acknowledge the improvements they have made. Lastly, it is important to give positive reinforcement and back compliments up with substance so that the other person knows what they are doing well in. By helping other people analyze their successes, it can build their confidence tremendously.

Implementing peer learning in everyday office life

Furthermore, Susan shared her advice on implementing peer learning in day-to-day office life . The first piece of advice Susan gave is that people should be encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt. Reflecting on and writing down what you have learnt during your day should be an everyday practice so that you can really bank your knowledge. While reflecting, you can also think about who you can share that knowledge with within your company so that they can also benefit from it. The second piece of advice is to create space in meetings for people to share new ideas with their colleagues and think about how to build on those ideas. It is important to distinguish between making an idea better and building on an idea as the culture of building on ideas will lead to more productive peer learning and collaboration. The last piece of advice is to look into when and why people have queries, whether it is from within the company or from a customer. This provides a great basis for market research and makes people more comfortable when it comes to asking questions.

5 Best Practices for a Successful Mentoring Relationship

iavjot@hayesculleton.com (Iavjot Kaur) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:06:55 GMT

"A mentor empowers a person to see a possible future and believe it can be obtained." - Shawn Hitchcock

Mentoring in schools and workplaces is often employed for the mentee’s growth and development. By building a reciprocal relationship, mentees can learn from their mentors and achieve their goals (Bansal, 2020). However, mentors and mentees are often left unclear by their school or company about the role they play in the relationship and how they can mutually benefit from each other (Bansal, 2020). Thus, having a clear set of guidelines can help mentors and mentees achieve their fullest potential. Although mentoring is not a one-size-fits-all, certain practices can help develop a successful mentoring relationship. Hence, the following article will suggest 5 best practices for building a successful mentor-mentee relationship.

Choosing the Right Mentor

First and foremost, it is important for mentees to choose the right mentor for their academic or career goals. Doing research on the mentor can give mentees the head start they need. The mentees can talk to the teachers in the school and or utilize social media, such as LinkedIn, to get a sense of the mentor’s professional career and past experiences (Agarwal, 2018). Instead of simply relying on others’ testimonials, mentees should do their own research to ensure that their mentor has experienced the kind of experiences they have had, including “experiencing the highs and lows to be where [they] want to be in [their] business in a few years’ time” (Agarwal, 2018). If the mentees are working towards a specific position in their business, then they should aim at finding a mentor who is in the same position as the one they are working towards so that the mentor is able to provide them with “more specific and tangible feedback and guidance” (Barbee, 2019). In case a mentee is still figuring out what their goals are and want more advice on creating their ideal career path, then seeking out a career mentor could help them get the specific advice they need (Barbee, 2019).

If there is a third-party involved in matching mentors with mentees, the first step for mentees and mentors would be to fill out a matching form, which should include the following three components (Mentoring Complete, 2019). Firstly, mentors and mentees should indicate the competencies they want to mentor or be mentored in so that mentors and mentees with the same competencies can be matched (Mentoring Complete, 2019). This can allow both parties to have a focus as they begin their mentoring journey. Secondly, a personality test should be included so that mentors and mentees with compatible personalities can be matched together (Mentoring Complete, 2019). Lastly, a ranking of key roles, such as teacher, counselor and friend, can allow mentees to indicate the type of mentor they are looking for and allow mentors to decide the kind of mentor they want to be (Mentoring Complete, 2019). After the mentors and mentees have completed the form, the matching process can then be facilitated either through manual or software matching (Mentoring Complete, 2019). Manual matching is rather subjective and requires a program managing committee to hash out matches based on the information provided in the matching forms (Mentoring Complete, 2019). However, this can be a time-consuming process as it requires days of discussion to ensure that the right matches are made. On the other hand, a lot of organizations have recently turned towards using online algorithms to ensure a more objective matching (Mentoring Complete, 2019). The use of mentor matching software also saves a lot of time for the mentors, mentees and program managing committee.

Setting Clear Expectations

Setting clear expectations on the mentee’s goals and the mentoring relationship in the beginning can ensure successful mentoring. If there are no clear expectations on what the mentees’ goals are or what they hope to get out of the mentoring relationship, then it would be difficult for the mentors to figure out what is required of them and what they can do to ensure the mentees’ success (Barbee, 2019). This would lead to both mentees and mentors wasting their time and blindly continuing with their mentoring relationship without a clear path ahead (Barbee, 2019). Therefore, it is essential to “clarify the mentee’s expectations for the mentor-mentee relationship and their needs related to [academic or] career advancement” (Michigan State University, 2019). This could be done by establishing clear expectations for the mentoring relationship, including “time commitment, meeting schedule, and ground rules” (Michigan State University, 2019). A mentor can also be expected to share their knowledge, guidance, perspective and network with their mentees in a friendly yet professional environment (Qooper Mentoring Software, 2018). However, ultimately, it is up to the mentee to decide what to do with the mentor’s input (Qooper Mentoring Software, 2018).

Establishing Clear Boundaries

An effective mentor-mentee relationship requires a professional relationship (Khidekel, 2019). As mentors and mentees become closer and the relationship grows, lines can become blurred and there is a risk of mixing personal with professional life (Barbee, 2019). A mentoring session could then turn into a rant session about things going not so well in the mentee’s personal life (Barbee, 2019). Although personal issues might be “a part of the deal in the mentoring relationship” as sometimes personal life could affect one’s professional life, there is a risk of making the mentor uncomfortable by sharing too much personal information if such boundaries had not been clearly defined (Barbee, 2019). To prevent this from happening, it is best to establish clear boundaries in the beginning of the relationship as to what is and is not acceptable to talk about in the mentoring sessions. Moreover, boundaries need to be established in terms of contacting the mentors. At the beginning of a new mentoring relationship, mentors should clearly communicate about how they can be reached, especially in terms of the modes of communication and the mentor’s working hours (Khidekel, 2019). Without setting such boundaries, the mentee runs the risk of contacting the mentor outside of office hours, thus crossing the lines of their personal and professional lives.

Establishing Mentee’s Goals

In the beginning, a mentoring session should be dedicated to understanding the mentee’s needs and goals (Qooper Mentoring Software, 2018). According to Bansal (2020), “a mentor-mentee relationship that’s based on ad hoc needs without establishing clear goals does not last long”. Thus, the mentee has to first “list down the goals that they wish to achieve with the mentor’s help” (Bansal, 2020). Then, a plan for both the mentee’s short-term and long-term goals should be created, and a timeframe has to be set by the mentee and mentor to achieve those goals (Bansal, 2020). As it might sometimes take a few tries before the desired results are achieved, both parties should hold each other accountable and should not give up when faced with multiple difficulties and setbacks (Bansal, 2020). After establishing goals, it is important to monitor the progress and check-in with one another to see how the mentoring relationship is going (Barbee, 2019). Barbee (2019) asserts that regular check-ins between mentors and mentees can help to “evaluate and assess the goals, where they started, where they see this going and make adjustments if needed”.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is the key to making the partnership between mentors and mentees work as it not only establishes trust and credibility but also provides a clear understanding of the mentee’s goals and expectations (Agarwal, 2018). In the beginning, the preferred mode of communication and office hours with the mentor should be clearly established. Apart from this, the mentee should be proactive in tracking and communicating progress towards their goals with their mentors (Bansal, 2010). A mentee should also take the initiative to prepare for each meeting and create an agenda in advance so as to make the most out of the mentoring session (Agarwal, 2018). This can help the session to remain focused on the assistance the mentee really needs from their mentor and will allow them to ask their mentors specific questions to help them achieve their goals (Khidekel, 2019). After each meeting, it is also recommended for mentees to summarize the discussion and action items to send to the mentor for their future reference (Bansal, 2010).

On the other hand, the mentor should come prepared to guide their mentee and impart wisdom and knowledge (Agarwal, 2018). During the discussion, “the mentor should be open, direct and provide an objective perspective” (Agarwal, 2018). Apart from holding the mentee accountable and reminding them of their goals, the mentor should also offer positive yet sincere feedback to keep the mentee motivated (Agarwal, 2018). The mentor should aim at providing “a non-judgmental and non-biased platform where the mentee feels comfortable discussing their business ideas without fear” (Agarwal, 2018). If the mentor feels the time is right, then they can also challenge and encourage their mentee to step out of their comfort zone and take risks (Agarwal, 2018). Such communication strategies employed by the mentor can help to build a strong foundation with the mentee.

References

Agarwal, P. (2018, August 28). Top Tips for a Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationship.

Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/08/26/top-tips-for-a-successful-mentor-mentee-relationship/?sh=a45eb602fb19

Bansal, V. (2020, October 15). Mentorship: Key to Effective Mentor and Mentee

Relationship. Tech Hello. https://www.techtello.com/mentor-mentee-relationship/

Barbee, C. M. (2019). 9 Guidelines to Ensure Your Mentor-Mentee Relationship is

Successful. The CEO Co. https://theceo.co/9mentorshiptips/

Khidekel, M. (2019, March 29). 12 Keys for a Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationship.

Thrive Global. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/tips-wisdom-successful-professional-mentor-mentee-relationship/

Mentoring Complete. (2019). Making Successful Matches Between Mentors and Mentees.

https://www.get.mentoringcomplete.com/blog/bid/113690/how-do-you-make-a-successful-match-between-a-mentor-and-mentoree

Michigan State University. (2019). Best Practices for Mentors and Mentees in Academic

Settings. https://aan.msu.edu/mentoring/best-practices-for-mentors-and-mentees-in-academic-settings/

Qooper Mentoring Software. (2018, December 7). 8 Good Practices for Both Mentors and

Mentees in an Ideal Mentoring Relationship. Medium.

https://medium.com/@qooper/8-good-practices-for-both-mentors-and-mentees-in-an-ideal-mentoring-relationship-12b37b7dba5a

How to facilitate an output focused "Away Day" for your staff

susan@hayesculleton.com (Susan Hayes Culleton) — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 22:25:42 GMT

Wondering how to deliver an "Away Day" experience with substance, outcomes, high energy, enabling staff who have never met in person to do so in a structured way … and enjoyably?

At Active Peers AI, we facilitated an Away Day for Accountant Online recently.

Larissa Feeney and Susan from our team sat down to co-create the overall design of the day. We used our algorithm to generate diverse table plans. Our Peer Learning Prompter was used to stimulate experience sharing and offering different perspectives. Our tailored feedback forms brought the tacit knowledge right to the surface.

Further, together we cultivated a sense of “we genuinely want to hear your thoughts” through interviews with Larissa Feeney FCA and her superb senior leadership team Rose Kervick Nelmari Finlay and Tom Francis with some tough questions to articulate what may have been on people’s minds. We enabled group wide chats too so that everybody could hear the main points from the various teams in the business.

If you are intending to run an Away Day, it’s worthwhile to factor in the principles that Accountant Online brought right into the heart of the session.

��It’s a very good idea to bring your team together to work towards outputs and let ideas surface in the room.

��Structure is important when you want to arrive at an unstructured outcome. Work out what you want and then come backwards.

��In a high growth environment, people may not always know the other people they’re impacting or who are influencing their respective work. Give them a formal way to informally meet.

��Be open to what your staff have to say – listen to them, acknowledge them, turn what they say into action, communicate why things do and don’t happen.

��Changes in culture start with clear messages, positive action from the top and an understanding of why you’re doing what you’re doing.

��Be curious about your customers’ reaction and be hungry to delight the client.

��Allow the energy of your people to drive conversations about ideas, overcoming problems, looking to the future etc.

��Maximise the diversity in your environment to bring ideas to the fore.

Thank you so much to all the team for being a pure delight and we are very excited to see how the conversations that day are going to turn into ever growing success!

The hidden benefits of being the knowledge sharer in a peer learning workshop

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 08:48:36 GMT

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
– Lilly Walters

Peer-to-peer learning is a routine practice in the modern world. University workshops, community gatherings, and morning work meetings all showcase the usability of peer-to-peer learning. Frequently, people are in the position of the learner, taking in new information and applying that to the task at hand. In a practical peer-to-peer approach, the roles of learner and sharer are equally essential and beneficial. We often just think about the advantages of being a listener as the person who has the most to gain from the knowledge-sharing session. But have you ever thought that the person bestowing knowledge gains as much value as the person soaking up new information?

Our online peer learning platform, Active Peer AI, enables people to experience self-development. We collected participants' feedback after our recent peer learning workshop. Participants played both educational roles and ranked the usefulness of the matching algorithm as 4.4/5 and the overall activity as 4.43/5. Consequently, our participants' experience highlights the benefits of being in either position.

Improve communication skills

Communication skills are the core to making a conversation influential. People build on their conversational skills with more experience in structured conversations that set specific and measurable goals. However, people may doubt their communication skills and confidence when speaking to colleagues and peers without practising active listening and speaking. Active Peers AI uses the matching algorithm to enable participants to share thoughts, ideas and questions in a structured conversation. During the discussion, the Active Peer AI system provides several leading questions for individuals to discuss. Therefore, they don't need to worry about getting off-topic, losing focus on the task at hand or not knowing what to say.

When participants can expand on a given topic and broaden the dialogue, the skills acquired are transferable to many industries, sectors and roles. Moreover, explaining an idea, methodology or thought are core skills for professional development, whether you are applying for a new position, leading a team of people or sending emails to clients. "Explaining is an attempt to create understanding, thus going beyond the mere giving of information" (Hargie, 2017, p230). Our participants mentioned that during their experience, they learned the best way to ensure that the listener understands what they are teaching them and the importance of allowing them to ask questions. The ability to pass on your knowledge, help others achieve their goals and enable others to find their voice is a sign of a great leader.

Be confident

During peer learning, everyone brings value to the experience and contributes to the session. The peer matching algorithm creates a compelling experience for everyone involved. The system uses a ranking approach to highlight each person's strengths, enabling participants to use those traits to best help others. Often, our participants express shock at the strengths highlighted by our algorithm, with many people identified as assertive, confident and optimistic.

During the active learning session, our methodology expects participants to be apprehensive about the knowledge they hold and bestow onto others. Therefore, Active Peers, AI exerts every effort to bring people out of their shells throughout the event. There's value in having the confidence to speak your truth. Peer-to-peer learning lets people realise their strengths and be confident about their abilities!

Get affirmation

While sharing knowledge is the core focus of an active learning session, making a meaningful connection and resonating with the experience of others is a valuable part of the experience. For example, one study suggests that unstructured but focused conversations about their daily practice among close colleagues from other professions can yield surprising possibilities for learning (Phelan Barlow and Iversen, 2006). The feeling of belonging and relating to others is a strong force among participants of a peer-learning experience. People are more likely to take in more information if they can connect with the knowledge bearer on a primary human level.

Our peer learning platform aims to pair participants with similar backgrounds, experiences and working statuses to ensure their discussion is relevant to the listener's needs. Peer-to-peer connections can retrace and reshape our judgements and help identify and break down our practices. Sharing the events influencing their daily habits and listening to others relate their experience to them helps them feel at ease and affirmed.

Build a better rapport

Communication is the basis for building a healthy relationship. The participation of both parties in a discussion is essential for effective communication. Our algorithm aims to achieve consistent communication from start to finish. The knowledge sharer ensures the listener's attentiveness and engagement.

Regularly checking in with other people, enabling them the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and share their thoughts, ideas or feelings, is an effective way to build a strong connection with other people. This ability is critical for building your network of professional relationships, working within a team and dealing with clients. People who know how to put themselves in other people's shoes make for great company and succeed in a professional setting.

Within the broader experience of peer-to-peer learning, both parties are in the position to build communication and presentation skills that are transferrable to various areas of their lives. In addition, the person chosen to share their experience has the unique opportunity to boost their confidence, build a good rapport with peers, and feel affirmed in sharing their personal story. Participants who fully commit to the peer learning experience offered by Active Peers AI are guaranteed to benefit the most!

Reference:

Anne M. Phelan, Constance A. Barlow & Sharon Iversen (2006) Occasioning learning in the workplace: The case of interprofessional peer collaboration, Journal of Interprofessional Care, 20:4, 415-424, DOI: 10.1080/13561820600845387

Hargie, O. (2017) Skilled Interpersonal Communication: Research, Theory and Practice (6th edition). London: Routledge

The Benefits of being the listener in a peer-to-peer learning conversation

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 08:48:33 GMT

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the

ones who do more listening than talking.” Bernard Baruch

Peer learning is not a new thing in academia; often used in vocational training and professional settings. Business people regularly use team discussion activities, and educators often facilitate student group work to share knowledge among their students. With efforts to ensure the discussion topic is highly relevant and in a heated discussion, learners can collaboratively learn and co-construct new knowledge without a dedicated mentor (Schaefer, Fabian and Kopp, 2019). During the peer learning process, participants have two positions, sharer and listener, to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes. Sharers learn through explaining their ideas to others; listeners participate in activities that allow them to learn from their peers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had to adapt to a hybrid experience, spending their office hours working at the office and remotely. The Active Peers AI team spotted an opportunity to help people navigate this environment more structured way to learn from each other more effectively. Combined with secondary academic research and our participants’ feedback from a recent session in Hong Kong, I present four advantages of being the listener in a virtual peer learning meeting.

Real-Time Knowledge sharing

Among the conversations on remote working, many people describe online learning as a less effective means of education than on-site. Due to conflicting time zones, overpopulated Zoom calls and unstable internet connections, it can be difficult for people to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions in their virtual working environment. Peer learning offers participants a platform to ask others what they want to know; the Active Peers AI matching system can help them find the most suitable sharer. As one of our recent participants noted, “It was insightful to see how my partner would handle situations, compared to me.”

People’s different perspectives make the workplace enjoyable and diverse. Through our peer learning experience, participants understand topics more deeply, overcome problems and build new skills to further their professional development. Indeed, knowledge sharing helps employees develop tacit knowledge as they grow in their respective roles and industries. Whether a colleague is moving to another position, the company is hiring new employees or upskilling their existing staff; peer learning can facilitate the conversation and deliver educational needs.

Learn effectively

In the feedback for our recent virtual event in Hong Kong, participants mentioned that they would often seek their peers’ opinions on issues they encountered in their studies or work. This desire to work collaboratively is the basis of good workplace relationships. Our participants commented, “It was nice to discuss things like this with people you don’t know very well because it is a new perspective.” Through the Active Peers AI matching system, participants connect according to the knowledge class they would like to gain more insight. Sharers and learners with similar interests and job positions link using the system to achieve a goal of being more knowledgeable by the end of their conversation.

Consequently, learners receive more accurate and tailor-made opinions from the sharers with related experience than in other online training sessions. Moreover, well-trained, competent staff won’t always need expert or management approval to find the available solution. Peer learning encourages workers to take ownership of their expertise, discover new knowledge and ultimately self-lead their career development. This environment creates more independent workers, allowing them to direct their development autonomously. It may also lead to innovative solutions by encouraging collaboration and communication among team members. Therefore, senior and junior peers receive relevant suggestions and improve their ability to thrive in their roles and tasks.

Encourage community building

Peer learning promotes the value of community building. Daily, people may not have time to chat with our colleagues, or introverted people may be energised more by one-to-one discussions rather than more extensive group conversations. This peer-to-peer approach involves direct interaction with others, helping them solve problems and build stronger co-working relationships. One of the Hong Kong groups commented, “It was an open discussion, and everyone’s opinion was validated and listened to.” Through listening to others, participants have a more in-depth understanding of their perspective, making it easier to broach tricky topics in the future. The meeting match also helps participants optimise the diversity in the group. As evidence of this, one participant expressed they enjoyed the conversation and gained great insight into various ways of working within a team. The peer learning process enables people to develop the skills to build healthy professional connections and create a thriving virtual and on-site working environment.

Accelerates onboarding employees’ adaptability

Taking on a new position, changing companies, and switching up your industry is an exciting and challenging time for employees when they often feel overwhelmed. For individuals who undertook a change in their professional lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, they faced the unprecedented challenge of navigating this experience in a digital landscape. The practicality of being a short walk away from someone who can help you set up your new work email or answer a question is made more tricky by the hybrid experience.

Peer learning enables new employees to integrate into the team and find their feet in unknown territory. During one-on-one peer meetings, listeners seek clarity concerning roles and tasks. In addition, the sessions allow newcomers to present all of their questions to a co-worker in an unintimidating setting. Peer learning helps new hires feel comfortable asking questions during the onboarding process. It also lets them know who they can turn to as they learn the ropes in a new workplace!

Participants who play the role of the listener during the peer learning process can help them gain more relevant knowledge, learn more effectively, encourage community building and accelerate adaptability as onboarding employees.

References:

Schaefer, T., Fabian, C. and Kopp, T., 2019. The dynamics of online learning at the workplace: Peer‐facilitated social learning and the application in practice. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(4), pp.1406-1419.

DI Pepe, F., 2022. Peer Learning - The Future of Online Education. [online] Teachfloor Blog. Available at: <https://blog.teachfloor.com/peer-learning-the-future-of-online-education/#Peer_learning_improves_knowledge_retention> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

Reeves, M., 2022. Peer Learning: 6 Benefits To Collaboration in the Workplace | Together Mentoring Software. [online] Togetherplatform.com. Available at: <https://www.togetherplatform.com/blog/peer-learning-benefits> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

Millian, V., 2022. peer to peer learning in the workplace. [online] Spark. Available at: <https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2019/03/peer-to-peer-learning-can-help-employees-find-value.aspx> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

[SH1]

How does virtual peer learning work?

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 08:48:31 GMT

"Collaboration allows us to know more than we

are capable of knowing for ourselves" - Paul Solarz.

There is a lot to learn from other peoples' wisdom, but we rarely have the opportunity to do so. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, people confronted the restriction on face-to-face communication. As a result, people had to work from home, decreasing beneficial coworker interactions and reducing productivity and workplace collaboration. The solution to this new challenge is peer learning. Peer learning is an excellent way to use our experience to help others by enabling them to take control of their learning experience. This methodology allows a more meaningful learning process without the time-consuming efforts of an individually tailored approach for each participant. In the Collaborative Learning Model described by Reid et al. (1989), there are five phases for designing instruction for collaborative learning: engagement, exploration, transformation, presentation, and reflection. Firstly, facilitators introduce the group to the cooperative activity. Then, participants determine their pre-existing knowledge and share this with organisers to group individuals for the exercise. Next, participants engage in conversation to reshape their expertise and impart wisdom to others. Then, participants reflect on their learnings and glean personal insights from their experiences. Finally, the facilitator takes the findings and circulates them back to the entire group. The power of artificial intelligence can amplify the benefits of peer learning along the way.

So, how can we optimise this process? I would like to use Active Peers AI to exemplify. The method of virtual peer learning implemented in Active Peers AI divides into four steps.

Step 1: Design a survey to help event organisers figure out how they can match with the participants.

Event facilitators want participants to get maximum impact during the learning process. Active Peers AI allows the sponsors, event organisers and your team to match the participants according to their skills and needs. The choice between in-person or online, algorithmic or randomised grouping, and single or multiple parameterised surveys can let them connect people based on shared interests, existing knowledge, or lack thereof! The algorithm visualises the survey results to provide an overview of participant characteristics. In addition, according to the detailed input information of each participant group, multiple parameters like gender, age, and the number of groups can make the matching more accurate.

Step 2: Use the AI Matching algorithm to connect people.

The artificial intelligence of the Active Peers Algorithm enables matches based on the survey results in seconds. First, all participants receive an email explaining a step-by-step guide to the peer-learning meeting process. Then, facilitators can tailor the algorithm to put as many or as few people in each group as desired for their desired outcome. The matching algorithm pr-determines who will act as the speaker (knowledge-sharer) and the listener (learner). At the same time, the algorithm reverses the roles to match people for a second meeting, potentially changing the groups entirely!

Step 3: Let the Peer Learning Prompter lead the matched parties through the conversation.

Pursuing the proprietary Peer Learning Prompter helps everybody share their insights. In this interactive session, participants can speak about some of their experiences, knowledge and skills. This method gives you a sense of their learnings, hopes and dreams along the way for the future. They may not know what to say upfront and offhand; thus, the Peer Learning Prompter provides several leading questions to facilitate the sharer to impart their knowledge more efficiently. People can think about what they can do differently in their next peer learning task between the two (or more!) meetings. Finally, the learner reflects on what they wanted to learn, what they knew before the session and what they will do with this newfound knowledge.

Step 4: Analyse Peer Learning Talk-in-Interaction

Knowledge and Insights analysis during the peer-to-peer conversation through high-quality STT (Speech to Text) and optimised ASR (Automated Speech recognition). Facilitators access the complete discussion between matched participants in video and text format to ensure the desired aims are achieved and gain insight into individuals.

Step 5: Gather feedback, and glean insights

As the audience shares their strengths and learnings, they can see others simultaneously, and this also helps the participants to positively see how they share experiences with others. Moreover, participants can freely give feedback and reflection through our pre-built and fully customisable form designed to bring tacit knowledge to the surface, helping them develop their critical analysis skills. Finally, rather than downloading spreadsheets of data and putting them into an easy-to-read format, our feedback goes into an automatically generated report to present to stakeholders.

Active Peers AI provides a unique way for your participants to develop and share the knowledge they didn't even know they had. So if you are interested in it, contact our team, explore our website for more information and get access to our services for your upcoming event!

Reference:

Ngeow, K. (1998). Enhancing student thinking through collaborative learning . ED422586 98. Eric Digest. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/files/thikcoop.html#:~:text=In%20the%20Collaborative%20Learning%20Model,transformation%2C%20presentation%2C%20and%20reflection.

Five ways event organisers and companies can realise indirect benefits from peer learning

partners@onlinepartners.online (Snap Websites) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 09:29:05 GMT

1. Use your events and webinars to learn from your audience. Perhaps you want to know how your company can support your staff's wellness, what your team feel they need to learn in the months ahead or a trend that you need to prepare for. Use MentiMeter, a quick form or a poll to get a cross section insight super quickly.

2. If you see biases in how people react to your initiatives, find ways to overcome them in the initiative design. For example, in our case, when were asking people about what they know, we use the "rank" function rather than the "rate" function to overcome minority biases.

3. Build people's confidence through asking them to share insight with those who are keen to learn from them and where they're sure to have experience. If you want to help people to go for promotion, return to work or rise to a challenge where they're struggling, this can be very powerful.

4. Invite people to reflect on micro lessons in between learning interactions with other people. Organically, this will give them a tight feedback loop, the space to recognise how to do better next time and an immediate opportunity to put that into practise. We use Instagram stories to aid this.

5. Teach people how to share their own insights. For example, by asking "tell me about a time that using this skill made a big difference? How did this compare to a time when you or somebody else didn't have this skill?". This can prompt a richer conversation.

Active Peers

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“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters

The Benefits of being the listener in a peer-to-peer learning conversation

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the

﻿ ones who do more listening than talking.” Bernard Baruch

How does virtual peer learning work?

"Collaboration allows us to know more than we

﻿ are capable of knowing for ourselves" - Paul Solarz.

Five ways event organisers and companies can realise indirect benefits from peer learning

When planning sessions with guest speakers, it's important to consider different formats to keep things engaging. One often overlooked but easy format is to rotate the guest speaker between groups. In this blog post, we will explore how this format works and why it can be beneficial.

When it comes to guest speaker sessions, one type of activity that often gets overlooked is facilitation. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of incorporating activities into guest speaker sessions and provide an example to give you a better idea of how it can be done.

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
– Lilly Walters

ones who do more listening than talking.” Bernard Baruch

are capable of knowing for ourselves" - Paul Solarz.