Education Technology
Article | July 14, 2022
Two Years in Lockdown with Digital Boost, Growing Competition, and Easy Accessibility through the Self-Publishing Platforms, Traditional Publishing is facing a major fallback to keep up with the Trends and the Changes within India.
publishing.
Many people still prefer publishing a book in an old-fashioned traditional way, but this is certainly not the future.
It seems to me that Traditional Publishing is something we’re all going to be working with while also considering other formats that might overpower it or co-exist with it – whether it's Self-Publishing, Hybrid Publishing &/or Audio Publishing (Podcasts).
Introduction
With Covid-19 and Lockdown, a lot of people shifted their attention to pursue their passion and started writing.
In order to Leverage Authority and Build a Brand, a lot of Thought Leaders and Experts, Wrote and Published a Book in a specific Niche.
In order to Start with the Writing Career, a ton of Amateur Writers, Wrote and Published their Content in an Anthology.
Not to forget, many celebrities also took up the challenge of penning their autobiographies in the form of a Book like Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
There were more than 1 Million, New Instagram Writing Accounts created, and over 2.2 Million books Published in 2020 itself.
This solidifies the rising demand of The Writing and Publishing Industry.
Self Publishing Rise
Traditional book publishers were once known as the Titans of the Book Publishing Industry.
During the 1970s, there was no such concept as Self-Publishing. Over time, Traditional Publishers gradually started to exploit Authors by offering Lower Royalties and seizing the Author's Publishing Rights.
Fast forward to 2005, with the penetration of the Internet and Social Media, things started to speed up.
The online Self-Publishing giant Amazon has had a huge impact on the Book-Selling Industry, driving many Brick-and-Mortar Bookstores out of Business.
This marked the rise of Self-Publishing Books and the rapid growth of e-Books and Audio Books.
Fall of Traditional Publishing
There are various reasons why 97% of Writers avoid choosing a Traditional Publisher like:
Complex Selection Process,
Slow Marketing,
Very Less to No Control of the Book,
Limited Royalty,
Huge Time Investment,
Absolutely No Creative & Marketing Control
Benefits of Self-Publishing
There are various reasons 97% of Writers are choosing Self-Publishing like:
Full ownership of Rights and Royalties,
Speedy Marketing,
No Start-Up Cost,
Full Control of the Book,
Completely Customizable
Full Creative & Marketing Control,
Control on Pricing,
Complete Freedom, No-One telling You, what you can and cannot Do,
Significantly High-Profit Potential,
Pitch your Book Straight to the Readers,
Publish any Niche Books and become the Expert of that Niche.
Firstly the question arises, Who all should Write A Book?
Well, Everyone,
Business owners
Consultants
Entrepreneurs
Business people
C-level executives
Financial planners
Lawyers
Doctors
Coaches
Anyone can Write and Publish a Book!
Why should you write a book?
1 ) You can help others
Writing about yourself, your life lessons, your experiences, how you have tackled some of the most traumatic situations, helps other people around the globe deal with the same problem as yours.
Each one of us has unique life experiences, worth sharing with the world!
2 ) You become an authority
Becoming an author sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. You become an expert in your niche. You gain that credibility and authority that lifts you up from the rest of the crowd.
3 ) Grow your business
Writing a book can help grow your business, it can act as the new ‘Business Card’.
Imagine, you going to a meeting, and instead of exchanging your business card, you give a copy of your book?
Not only the person wouldn’t forget you but also keep the book copy securely with him, which otherwise your business card would have been long lost.
4 ) Recurring passive income
Writing a book, and setting it up through a perfect step-by-step system, would allow you to gain recurring passive income, i.e. ‘royalties’, that are transferred every month into your bank account.
5 ) Learning New Skills
By writing a book, you not only build credibility but also learn new skills in the entire process of writing and publishing your book. For example, skills like project management, writing, setting goals, planning, accountability, commitment, and many more!
6 ) Ripple Effect and Creates Value
One book can create a ripple effect in the world.
One book can entirely change the lives of thousands of people around the world.
One book can create enormous value and a positive impact on the world.
It only takes one book!
7) Our Time here is Finite
When we write and publish a book, we leave behind our legacy, our footprints, our life lessons, our value system, and our teachings for generations and generations of people to learn from.
We will die one day, but our teachings, morals, and lessons will be forever here in the form of our book.
This reason is a huge answer to the ‘Why write a book.’
8 ) You'll Gain more Knowledge
While writing a book, research is a must. Through the complete process of research, you’ll learn more insights, gain more knowledge, and become an expert in that niche.
9 ) Impact beyond Yourself
Writing a book is not only about gaining royalties and credibility, No!
Your book can generate goodwill, your legacy, and most importantly, itcan help solve problems for people, creating a positive impact on their lives, and helping change their lives forever!
It will create an impact greater and beyond yourself!
10 ) Sense of Accomplishment
Imagine yourself holding the first copy of your own book.
A sense of pride, confidence, and accomplishment.
It doesn’t matter if your book is not a best seller or if you become famous, the bigger picture will be that it is your book! You created it! It will forever be something you can call as ‘Yours’, and be proud of!
Believe me, the feeling of holding the first copy of my book was beyond amazing!
11 ) You'll Reignite a Passion
If writing was your hobby, and in the time's course, you just couldn’t give any time or energy, here is your bright chance to reignite it!
Paths to Publishing Your Book
As discussed earlier, you are aware of the two paths of publishing, i.e. Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing. There is one more way of publishing you can opt for!
Assisted Self-Publishing
Firms that charge fees for various publishing-related services such as Formatting, Cover Design, and Copyediting and help Indie Writers Professionally Self-Publish Their Work is Assisted Self-Publishing.
Authors earn all of the royalties and retain full control over Editing and Cover Design and Title.
WHRUTS also helps and provides these services.
Conclusion
Reading has become a part of our daily activities now.
Book readership has increased by 30% since the Previous Year and People are routinely searching for new stories to capture their attention, With more writers being seen and heard, it’s no wonder readership is up.
Self-Publishing is the future of publishing in a world where everyone can be a Writer.
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Education Technology
Article | July 15, 2022
Firstly, statistics take data collected from real-world events, and provide a framework to analyse and present this data in a way that other people can draw conclusions from. For example, data collected about temperatures of countries can help me decide where I want to go on holiday. Data collected about the number of tourists visiting the Trevi fountain in Rome helps me decide when it’s best to visit without having to battle my way through hoards of people. It also tells me the Trevi fountain is a really, really popular tourist destination in Rome. I may start asking myself why this is and then start looking into the history of the Trevi fountain. Statistics can do this.
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Education Technology
Article | October 7, 2022
Teacher burnout has become a massive challenge for many educational institutions. According to the National Education Association, 55% of the teachers surveyed are considering quitting their profession much earlier than planned. Over 600,000 teachers have already quit in the span of 2020 and 2021. Educational institutions must prepare to identify burnout and ensure teachers successfully create an inclusive, engaging learning experience.
Recognizing the Signs of Teacher Burnout
Laurie Santos, a professor at Yale University and a cognitive scientist, says that burnout has three major symptoms.
Being Emotionally Exhausted
Emotional exhaustion is when a person feels exhausted and burned out even after a full night’s sleep.
Depersonalizing
Santos equates depersonalizing with feeling high levels of cynicism towards others. Individuals who are depersonalizing often feel annoyed at people requesting them to doing something that is part of their regular role. This frustration signals burnout.
Reduced Personal Efficacy
When an individual feels like she isn’t making a difference or she isn’t doing her job well, a sort of disenchantment sets in. To the individual, it may feel like they aren’t being effective at their work, and this is a sign of burnout.
How Teachers Can Reduce Burnout
Teacher burnout must be treated as a serious issue. Educational institutions and teachers should team up to ensure they don’t undergo burnout. Here are some ways to do that:
Don’t Ignore It
Organizations must have a system in place so teachers can seek the help they need to treat their burnout symptoms. A lot of teachers tend to ignore negative emotions in order to keep working, but this is the wrong approach. Just as screen time must be regulated for children, teachers need to regulate their workloads. Instead of sweeping it under the rug, acknowledge it and treat it so you can bounce back higher.
Don’t Attach Your Identity to Your Job
Santos says that burnout is sometimes a result of being unable to separate your identity from your job. This is something that happens a lot with educators. A way to treat it is to spend off time with friends, engage in hobbies unrelated to your profession, or invest more energy in other life roles, like being a parent.
To Conclude
In the age of remote learning, teachers and educators must be careful not to let their love of teaching hurt their physical and mental health. As a profession, teaching tends to take its toll. When you combine that with teacher shortages and cases of overwork, education becomes a high risk, high turnover industry.
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Education Technology
Article | July 5, 2022
Imagine a virtual world where people socialize and work, and are represented by their virtual avatars. The concept may date back 50 years as part of sci-fi stories. Thanks to advancements in digital technology, it is seeing the light of the day in the form of Metaverse. The concept has been contemplated by many scientists, writers, and artists alike. However, the release of Metaverse proved to be the pinnacle of the many possibilities that digital transformation holds in store.
The most exciting part is innovating powerful applications of Metaverse across industries, and Facebook is already on it. Not just employees, but any institution that no longer requires its stakeholders to be present physically, from banking to socialization to education, will discover the biggest opportunity for transformation.
Learning in 2-Dimension
Online education has received a shot in the arm in the past couple of years, more out of necessity than anything else. From K-12 to higher education, children are affected and protected by online learning in educational institutions. Inclusive online education is the biggest challenge faced by educators. Next, engaging students in an environment that does not employ their full sensory capabilities hampers learning. Despite these challenges, virtual classrooms remained the bastion of academics and learning at a time when many industries came to a standstill.
The phase allowed software providers and institutes to identify challenges, assess their needs, and contribute to driving innovation in the edtech space. Thanks to the exponential increase in the demand for better solutions, edtech can now consider moving from a virtual classroom that shoots up screen time to a classroom simulation that is much more immersive, engaging, and effective. Virtual spaces have been around in some form for some time now, especially in the gaming world. With games like Second Life, Minecraft, and The Sims, many children and young adults are already familiar with the use of technology to live and play virtually. Metaverse will only make it easier to transform education completely.
Anywhere Classrooms
Although both online learning and virtual spaces have been around for a while, the conflux of both will engineer a new dimension and disruption for education. The blurring of physical boundaries and geographies is one of the most significant advantages of the Metaverse.While access to virtual classrooms still remains a big hurdle, the value addition from VR-based classrooms could solidify the case for virtual only classrooms.
Compared to reading and lectures, which have a knowledge retention rate of 5% and 10%, respectively, VR has a retention rate of 75%. The high retention rate can encourage educational institutes to redirect their teaching equipment budget to educate more children, say, at the NASA space station or in the Amazon rainforest, all without them having to leave their homes. Anywhere classrooms may just be the detour that education needs to leverage the current landscape and create a powerful transformation for the industry.
To Wrap Up
Education is heading for a rebranded future with classrooms being replaced by virtual reality in the pursuit of remote learning. Anywhere classrooms will help eliminate virtual walls that are currently nowhere near providing the experience that a real classroom can. With children being well-versed with virtual reality ecosystems, Metaverse will further simplify the seamless adoption of a two-dimensional learning space that offers better education, near hands-on experience, and actionable knowledge.
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