As college students we hear about the importance of group work. In fact, group work is emphasized considerably throughout many courses. Many, if not, all of my undergraduate courses have had some element of working with a team, being a leader, or presenting with a group. With the added online components of coursework, as a student I have had the experience of working in a group in both the traditional and non-traditional way. With our academic and professional emphasis on group work, perhaps a good question to ask is, does group work in college relate to the “real world?"
Learning together
In collegiate programs, group work has been used for learning certain topics, discussing ideas, and performing certain skills. Depending on your career field, group work in a work environment can be similar. For instance, companies may require monthly staff meetings, just as college courses require student participation in presentations and forums. When I was a certified nursing assistant I often went through training in group formats to learn new skills, such as how to safely transfer patients from a regular bed to a specialty bed.
Getting the job done
Unlike the academic focus of college, group work in the workforce tends to focus on a particular cause or need. That is, collegiate group work primarily focuses on teaching you something, whereas workplace group work focuses on getting a job done. In college, you are being taught information and learning it, while in the work environment, you are expected to already have some skills and knowledge.
In reality though, almost all group work can be considered opportunities for learning. Group work in college is formatted to fit the college student’s coursework curriculum, thus providing a unique experience for critical thinking and consolidation of ideas in a group format. It comes as no surprise then, that group work leads students to develop teamwork as a result of learning in these formats. In essence, whether you are taking college courses or are in the job market, group work remains important, its main purpose has just shifted.
Why do I think history is the best major ever? I know that history is not really the favorite subject of a lot of students, but there is one really good reason that everyone should at least appreciate history: to try to understand the importance of our past as we move forward in our lives. Through this blog, I hope to show you why you should be thankful for history and maybe even help you begin to learn to like it.
What is history?
To put it simply, history is the entirety of a series of past events that are connected with someone or something. When you look at it this way, history is so much more than names, battles, or dates. You begin asking yourself, ‘what are we doing as a society right now if not living a future history’? Every single choice that we make and that our government follows through on changes the direction that we are going in. Will future students look back on this period in history favorably or in disgust? While we are living our history, we are also learning from the mistakes of our ancestors and doing our best not to repeat those same mistakes.
History is fun?
Studying history in high school and college can sometimes feel like you are stuck in an endless cycle of learning the same things over and over again. There is so much more to history than the same battles repeated through the endless loop of a broken record. History is like one big story that is enjoyable and teaches you about why the world is the way it is. For many of us, history has been taught with tests and projects that are just facts instead of being told in a way that interests us. As we get older we get to pick and choose what kind of history we study, whether that be through more classes or written in books we choose. You can learn about wars, government, or just everyday life. You may not enjoy all history, but I am sure there is some topic that you would like to learn more about.
I challenge you to find a point in history that you find interesting and make an effort to really learn about it. It can teach you so much about your surroundings and keep you from repeating the past. Also, once you find something you really love reading about you won’t even realize you are learning, just that you are having fun.
Being invited to my former community college’s retirement reception as a guest of one of my professors was such an honor and privilege. I met so many wonderful past and present professors of the college. While standing in the buffet line, a gentleman introduced himself by name and we began to talk. I was unaware he was one of the English instructors hired to take the place of a recent retiree. I spoke fondly about my experiences with all my professors and the importance of student appreciation. He smiled at me and thanked me for the exchange, adding how a short simple message on a piece of loose paper could mean so much to a professor. I am fortunate to have had instructors who have my best interests at heart and care about my success. I think it is important to tell teachers how important they are in your success.
Since transferring to the University of Michigan to complete my degree, I have found myself in unfamiliar territory. The level and degree of difficulty at the University has far exceeded anything I ever expected. I felt as though I did not really belong in the world class learning environment of the University of Michigan and contemplated finding a university that was less challenging. My first semester did not go exactly the way I wanted it to go and I earned my very first B+. I previously was able to keep a 4.0 GPA at my community college and I began to have self-doubt. In my second semester things began to look a little brighter and I began to feel more optimistic when I enrolled in Environmental Sustainability with Professor Sara Soderstrom. I had previously spoken to Professor Soderstrom before the start of the class and shared my insecurities with her. Professor Soderstrom actively listened to my issues and offered that while I might feel as though I lacked the traditional skills the other students had, I gained in the life skills that most likely the traditional students lacked. This helped me realize that my contributions in the class were as important as the other students’ contributions.
I remember the first day of that class so clearly. Professor Soderstrom was centrally located and walked about the classroom with such poise and confidence, portraying a vision of self-assurance. When she spoke, we listened, and we learned. Her words were like a security blanket and gave me a sense of direction that was heartfelt and filled with enthusiasm. I was assigned to a group which worked with the Alumni Association’s camp project. Professor Soderstrom created a learning environment that allowed me to shine. She met with me several times throughout the semester to discuss how the group was treating me. She would walk around the room and make suggestions often including the importance of the diversity of each group. She shared that it was our individual skills which would make us successful at the University. She made me feel relevant. After the class ended, I wanted to learn more and later worked on an independent study research project with Professor Soderstrom as my mentor.
The classroom is a nicer place with Professor Soderstrom in it – she is my inspiration. She helped me to adjust my perception of myself and recognize my true potential, and continues to encourage me to push for what I believe in. I am honored and privileged to have sat in her class room. There has not been a day that passes that I don’t think about the impact that she has made on me. Thank you so very much, Dr. Soderstrom, for your patience and guidance helping me to take pride in my path. I will forever cherish the thought of you in my heart. I hope not to disappoint you for you are such a determining factor in my success at the University and in life.
Everyone always has that one class that no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get the hang of the material. For most people it’s a math or science course, and I am no exception. Accounting, Managerial and Financial, was that class for me. Accounting is math on a whole other level. It’s a full on different language, which makes reading and answering the problems challenging. Most of the problems take multiple steps to answer, so if you mess up one step you are going to have trouble getting the final answer right. Thankfully, the MyLab programs have a helpful solution. The “Help Me Solve This” button on my homework saved my life.
A magic button
This magic little button is an amazing tool that can be easily mis-valued and unseen as it’s under the “Question Help” tab. It gives you a similar question to the one you’re working on for you to solve, while explaining the steps and processes as you go. You get two chances to answer each step and if you are unable to answer correctly it will give you the correct answer. You get hints before each step to help you get the answer right the first time. You’re walked through the demo problem in its entirety, but you can exit out at any point if you feel confident enough to finish your homework problem on your own. The best part is that you can click on it at any point of problem solving and can utilize it as many times as you want.
Unlimited uses
I used this aid on every single homework set that I was assigned. It was my holy grail. My favorite part was the hints, because many times I knew what to do, but had something simple like a formula wrong. I also appreciated that I didn’t have a limited number of times to use the button. If I was still having problems, I could go back and rework the “Help Me Solve This” problem. I would even write down the steps as I went, to ensure that I would know how to solve my actual homework problem. This was also beneficial when studying for my tests, because I could learn the steps that I had written down.
Found everywhere
Though I’m emphasizing my use of the “Help Me Solve This” button for MyLab Accounting, I’ve also used this tool in various other courses. For example, you can use it in a similar way with MyLab Economics, Finance, Business Statistics and more across all subjects! It was also beneficial on MyLab IT for my Business in Computer Science course, and I expect to use it in my Marketing by the Numbers exercises with MyLab Marketing.
This tool has helped me in so many of my classes and I don’t think I could have done as well without it. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to use this tool. It is extremely helpful and there for a reason. Pearson wants to help you succeed and that’s why it is there. So, the next time you need help, give it a go! You’ll never know how useful it is until you try it.
Pearson Students: What tools do you use to help your grades? Share by commenting below!
Although the majority of people will tell you that studying abroad was the best experience of their lives, it still may be difficult for you to take the jump. Going to a different country can be scary and may push you out of your comfort zone. There might be other factors, such as funds or time, that keep you from going. Although those factors are present, the experience you get will definitely outweigh anything else. Last summer I had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany, Poland, and Denmark for two weeks. Six months later and the experiences I had there continue to affect my life today.
When I was 15 years old, I began having frequent and horrible headaches. By the time I was 16 I was diagnosed with chronic migraines. When people think of disabilities, migraines are not usually what come to mind or even thought of as a disability. However, migraines are the 6thmost debilitating illness in the world.* A migraine headache is defined as an extremely incapacitating collection of neurological symptoms that usually includes a severe throbbing recurring pain on one side of the head*, but most people just think it is a really bad headache. In school, it has always been hard to find people that understand what I am going through and that are accommodating. In high school, they did not believe that migraines were a good enough excuse to miss the amount of school I missed. Now in college, I am registered as a student with a disability that has special accommodations, but still some professors are not willing to understand.
Learning from hardships
Although there is a lot of frustration and hardship with my disability, I am thankful for what it has taught me. Missing class is never fun, and missing class because you are at home in bed with all the lights off, a pillow over your head, and in excruciating pain is even worse. The hardships I encounter only push me to be a better student. I miss a lot of class, but because of this I know I have to work hard to not get behind.
Partnering with professors
Most students don’t attempt to make relationships with their professors, but in order to stay up to date on everything, I must. These relationships are beneficial not only with my accommodations, but looking toward the future, like when I need letters of recommendations. I want to show my professors I am more than my disability.
Maintaining good time management
I probably would procrastinate more if I didn’t have migraines, but with them I have to use good time management skills because I never know when one will strike. I use the free help resources that many students don’t take advantage of; it has been beneficial in helping me understand what I have missed. Even if you don’t have a disability, establishing good relationships with professors and maintaining good time management are helpful in succeeding in the long run. You never know when something could come up and you would already be prepared because you are ahead or you can easily contact your professor. There are so many times when I have wished that I didn’t have this disability, but now that I reflect on it, some good things that have happened because of it.
Looking for the silver lining
If you have a disability or know someone with a disability, I know that it can be frustrating that people don’t understand. Don’t let that stop you. Power through and stop to think about the silver lining in your disability. Whatever you do, don’t be ashamed of it. You’re not alone and you’re not the only one going through this. Talk to people to help them understand. Show others that you are hardworking. Don’t let your disability define you. You can do anything. If you don’t have a disability, try to understand those that do and what they go through. Don’t belittle them or ask why they are never in class, but instead celebrate the little victories with them. They are not their disabilities.
Not every college student goes on a wild spring break adventure like you see in movies and TV – some of us go on meaningful community service trips to help those in need around our communities.
New Bern, North Carolina is a town known for its history: it’s the second oldest town in the state, the birthplace of Pepsi, and was a battle site during the Civil War. The town has had a lot of time to be built up, but a lot of time to be torn down, too. I noticed this as I traveled with a group of students from the University of Delaware to North Carolina to spend a week helping to build homes with Habitat for Humanity. As students of the Blue Hen Leadership Program, we are committed to being leaders in our community. On our week in New Bern we were able to learn how to apply the 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model and understand their importance.
Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Personal Assistants are no longer part of the future. Each is a part of the reality we are living today and will become increasingly the new citizens of this world. In October 2017, Sophia the robot became the first robot to receive citizenship of any country (Saudi Arabia). The hopes for a social robot are not far from reality; we have so far Jibo, Kuri, and Temi. The list actually is more than these three robots. Whether it is in the factory, on the road, at home and, well, almost everywhere, the robot revolution is moving at a very fast pace with no sign that it will slow down.
When Amazon unveiled Alexa, the voice assistant system, three and a half years ago, everyone thought it would be just a temporary trend of the season. Now, against all expectations, Alexa has four more siblings all running under the Echo name and dozens of other third-party products that run on the same platform. This tiny device from Amazon has made it all the way to 10% of U.S. households. Google Home comes next, which is in 4% of homes. This phenomenal number suggests something – how we are obsessed with all technological gadgets. As Alexa and its siblings are sitting there learning about our habits and improving their algorithms technology, online orders made through these voice assistant devices are projected to jump from $2 billion to $40 billion by 2022.
The corporate world and the hospitality industry are no exception. Chatbots are becoming the new customer service agents of the 21st century, with a very advanced AI capability that allows the system to conduct conversations almost like humans. Currently, chatbots allow a hotel or travel company to provide 24/7 support through online chat or instant messaging services. In the healthcare sector, according to Manoj Saxena, former Chief Business of IBM Watson System, 90% of the nurses in the hospitals who use that system now follow its guidance for utilization management decisions. Down the road, self-driving car companies are also in a race to launch the next taxi robot; there are already thousands of them around the country for road testing.
The new age factory is totally different than it used to be. It is called Industry 4.0, where robots are making robots. Countries like Japan, China, and Germany have invested billions of dollars in developing robots that are smart enough to collaborate with humans, even low skilled workers. Robots are not just going to conquer earth, space also has been an arena for smart machines. NASA historically has an edge when it comes to robotics. Ironically, the first citizens of Mars were robots, space rovers Curiosity and Opportunity were the first to land on Mars. In its quest to conquer Mars, NASA is planning to send drone robots to help survey the red planet by 2020.
STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) may not appeal to everybody at first, but eventually a passion for this may find us in some form. From utilizing technology, to enrolling in mathematics classes, to performing lab experiments, STEM has a way of influencing us to do our best and make us crave more. But for me, it was a combination of them all. Choosing to be a STEM major was not an immediate decision; it was a process that I had to figure out at my own pace. STEM exposed a little portion of itself to me, and I wanted more—like an addiction that I could not contain.
Stepping up to the plate
The first two years of high school can be overwhelming with graduation requirements and miscellaneous work whose purpose may not be clear at the time. Over the course of those two years, all I knew was that I performed well in math, and I wanted to stay away from subjects that did not challenge my brain to think harder and “out of the box.” However, I never figured out or had a career plan for college. I simply did what was expected of me and completed school. Throughout those years, numbers and scientific truths seemed to “throw themselves” at me, and it somehow stuck. Did I know what this meant? No. Was I confused about why numerical and science-like concepts appeared easier than reading a simple story and analyzing it? Absolutely. I was curious. I had this small tiny spark that needed help igniting, and I desired a flame.
Taking action to understand the math and science stigma
I had this “thing” in me, and I needed help. I skewed away from taking easy-A classes and knew that courses like physics and calculus were the ones for me. There was just something about understanding the world, and the nature of objects and actions, and applying math to real-world scenarios that was so intriguing. At that moment, STEM was a stigma that the previous generation pushed the future generations to pursue, and to this day it is still wildly supported and important. Everything around was transforming for the better and I needed to be part of that chain-reaction. My teachers pushed me to do my best and impacted my decision on a career. They made learning enjoyable and less like an obligation. Long story short, I had this kindling flame, and near the end of my high school chapter, I ended up with this untamable wildfire spreading throughout my body with excitement.
Energizing my education towards chemical engineering
Picking a specific career is not easy, especially for me. My excessive drive to learn influenced me to go in all sorts of directions from dermatology to business, and economics to mathematics, to physics to engineering; unfortunately, there is no time to do them all. Yes, I excelled in the mathematics and sciences. But, how could I combine all of the preceding fields and have room for flexibility? After hours of research and curriculum comparisons, I ultimately selected chemical engineering. This area of engineering plays a role in all of the engineering disciplines and overlaps in production of pharmaceuticals, energy, and produce goods. It’s a diverse field with opportunity and potential to do great that I could not pass up.
Making my mark
Being a chemical engineering major gives me insight on how to think and a new perspective to view my surroundings. But I could not have done it without help from my mentors, friends, supporters, and outside sources. Nobody simply excels alone; this process is a team effort, and I am proud to be chosen as a Pearson Scholar of Higher Education. Through this scholarship Pearson provides access to their exceptional services and extra study materials that are used in my classes. The opportunity to be affiliated with Pearson and their mentorship program has shown me that I can be the best version of myself by fully utilizing what is around me to my benefit. Within chemical engineering, one of my goals is to mentor and influence the upcoming generation to pursue STEM-related majors. In addition, I intend to start a scholarship fund for those who are in financial need and want to have a career in the STEM field. Pearson is doing just that for me, and I hope to continue the legacy of “creating fulfilling careers and better lives” and initiating the STEM-sensational spark in others.
