Should schools fill key roles with volunteers?

theguardian | January 22, 2019

News that an academy trust founded by the Conservative peer Lord James O’Shaughnessy is advertising for unpaid volunteers to fill key roles in its two primary schools was met with disbelief and dismay by teachers earlier this month. The Floreat Education Academies Trust is looking for full-time and part-time volunteers to fill the jobs of finance assistant, office administrator and personal assistant to the chief executive, Janet Hilary, who was paid £128,768 in 2018.“No, schools shouldn’t rely on volunteers – although with funding levels at an all-time low, I can understand why school leaders are having to make such difficult decisions. We are at a cliff edge. There are more than 300,000 additional pupils in the system since 2015, the education services grant for academies has been scrapped to the tune of £600m, and almost a third of local authority secondary schools are in deficit. Not to mention the increase in pensions and national insurance contributions.

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The B2B buyer journey has always been complex. And today, with the ever-changing demands of the modern industry buyer, it has become even more necessary to rethink the buyer journey, creating a future-ready digital experience

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The B2B buyer journey has always been complex. And today, with the ever-changing demands of the modern industry buyer, it has become even more necessary to rethink the buyer journey, creating a future-ready digital experience

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TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Spark Math Accredited by Global K-12 STEM Program Stalwart STEM.org

PRnewswire | June 01, 2023

Spark Math, an award-winning interactive math learning program for Pre-K through elementary students, recently received STEM accreditation from STEM.org, a recognized authority in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This is a testament to the curriculum design and teaching quality of Spark Math, highlighting the program's commitment to preparing students for success in STEM and beyond. Math is the foundation of STEM learning Spark Math was founded by parents with successful STEM careers. With technology developing rapidly, as demonstrated by the recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), it has never been as important for students to be prepared for STEM learning. Math is a foundational subject that helps prepare kids for life and the challenges of the future. However, it is a subject that many kids and even adults' dread. Spark Math focuses on the learning experience demonstrating that outcomes for math can be significantly improved with technology and building a love for math by making it fun and engaging. The online courses connect abstract math concepts to real life, helping students prepare for STEM in a unique and enjoyable way. "In our math courses, we embed the STEM philosophy into our program by injecting critical thinking and logical reasoning skills into our curriculum," said Tan Boon Leong Jeremy, head of teaching center in Southeast Asia Region. Spark Math excels with distinct advantages in STEM education helping students to: • Develop problem solving skills: Spark Math focuses on critical thinking and problem solving, empowering students to apply concepts learned to various scenarios. The goal is to provide young students with the building blocks of STEM education and methodology so they can continue to thrive in the future. • Learn with the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) method: It connects real life to math, relates abstract math concepts such as equations, fractions, and numbers, to real-life objects that kids can relate to and easily grasp, and subsequently represent those objects with a picture, and eventually mathematical representation. • Connect Math to real life: Each class has a storyline and adventure for the students to go on together with animations, songs, and games helping kids stay engaged and learn. • Practice made fun with gamification: By gamifying math concepts and questions, students can learn in a more enjoyable and interactive way. They can play games by clicking, dragging, matching, and interacting which helps to keep them motivated and engaged. With gamification, Spark Math makes learning and even practicing math fun. About Spark Education Group Founded in 2017, Spark Education Group is headquartered in Singapore. Its portfolio of education brands aims to combine research-based pedagogy with technology to improve the learning experience and education outcomes for students around the world. It was recently awarded "Best Interactive Learning Experience" at EdTech Asia and recognized as a Parent and Teacher Choice Award Gold Medal Recipient.

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CORPORATE LEARNING SYSTEMS

Cheetah Learning Adds Agile Certification Course to Help Project Managers Boost Careers, Improve Results

Cheetah | May 30, 2023

Cheetah Learning, a leader in Accelerated Exam Prep for the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, has introduced a new certification course in Agile project management. The online Cheetah Agile certification course teaches the fundamentals of Agile project management, skills that can be applied in numerous industries. Those who complete the course are Cheetah Agile Certified and qualified to lead as Agile project managers. "Agile is the future of project management," said Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, CCL, CAC, PMI-ACP, RYT, founder and CEO of Cheetah Learning. "Since its beginning in software development, it has evolved to demonstrate its usefulness in a variety of applications. Project managers who learn the Agile method are well-positioned to succeed for themselves and for their employers." Because the emphasis is on achieving significant goals in two weeks, becoming Cheetah Agile Certified aids in project completion. The fundamental goal of the two-week deadline is to remediate one of the main causes of project delays, namely procrastination brought on by digital distraction. People can put procrastination in the past by making it a habit to focus and complete a substantial endeavor in two weeks. Even LaBrosse utilized this method to finish her book, The Cheetah Agile Project, in just two weeks. One student had this to say about the course: "Being part of the beta group for the Cheetah Agile Certified program gave me a hunch that improving my project-completion speed would benefit my career. But I was surprised to find out that it was also an immense help in my private life. As part of the class demonstration project, I took on a personally meaningful task – preparing an estate sale – something I had been putting off. Thanks to my diligence during the course, we discovered an additional $450,000 worth of assets in the estate!" Becoming Cheetah Agile Certified helps managers achieve their goals faster in the following ways: 1. Delivering value quickly and continuously 2. Fostering collaboration and feedback 3. Continuously improving processes 4. Building a network of like-minded professionals 5. Picking the right opportunities to stand out Cheetah Agile Certified managers improve their own prospects while also succeeding for their employers. Applying what they've learned in the course enable managers to: 1. Stand out in a job market where Agile-trained managers are in demand 2. Expand career opportunities, including higher salaries and more responsibilities 3. Increase credibility and trust Agile training also leads to increased self-confidence, the ability to accomplish more with fewer resources, and more interesting and challenging work assignments.Learning Agile techniques supercharges the skills and careers of project managers," said LaBrosse. "It's an investment that pays off immediately for managers and their employers and continues to provide benefits long-term." About Cheetah Learning Cheetah Learning is the two decades-long industry leader in Accelerated Exam Prep for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam. Cheetah students culminate their four-day intensive accelerated learning program by taking and passing the Project Management Institute's PMP® exam. Cheetah students are guaranteed to pass the PMP® exam by following Cheetah's program. Worldwide, there are nearly 80,000 Cheetah Alumni. PMP® is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute.

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY, CORPORATE LEARNING SYSTEMS

Guild Education Chooses Salt Security for API Security

Guild Education and Salt Security | March 17, 2023

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