Relocalizing your education
July 12th, 2008
In the oil shortage chronicled by the players of , the resistance to telecommuting quickly went by the wayside, so to speak. Employers were eager to relieve their workers of the commute burden – infinitely preferable, in their eyes, to helping them with their fuel bills.
And now, here in the real world, an relates how gas prices have driven students, so to speak, to taking classes online. The article reports online enrollment is up 50% to 100% in some schools, and "the greatest surges have been registered at two-year community colleges, where most students are commuters, many support families and few can absorb large new expenditures for fuel."
Can employee telecommuting and virtual business travel be far behind? Thanks to loyal reader Laurel for the tip. Photo by wrumsby via Flickr.
Earn an Online Degree
July 12th, 2008
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is this "Are Online Degrees Worth It? and "Will an Online Degree Actually Further My Career?" - I personally think that the answer is a resounding "yes!" . Learning in any form is a positive experience and online learning affords many opportunity and afford ability that might not other wise exist.
But, if you're serious about distance education you need to read an ebook that I recently found called . This report is a must read if you're seriously considering tens of thousands of dollars on an online education. Not all degrees and institutions are the same and this ebook will help you sort it all out and protect your investment. Let me know what you think.
by Timothy K. Shih and Jason C. Hung, editors
"This book summarizes theoretical studies and practical solutions for engineers, educational professionals, and graduate students in the research areas of e-learning, distance education, and instructional designs. Readers will find solutions and research directions in this interesting book"
Published 2007 | 297 pages | 1599043785 (electronic book) |
Thoughts on the economic downturn & earnings
July 10th, 2008
One point in Tuesday's LAVA meeting that was emphasized by two of the panelists: the current economic downturn hasn't really hit corporate earnings reports yet. Consider this article from . Note that P/E ratios are much higher than they were at the market peak in Oct. 2007.
Why is that? With stock prices down 20% since Oct. 2007, you would expect the ratio of share price to earnings to go down. The simple reason is that corporations are reporting far lower earnings. And when some very knowledgeable private equity fund managers say that the bad economy hasn't really hit corporate earnings yet, that makes me worry. I think they are expecting a much bigger hit, which means the worst of this downturn is not behind us, it's ahead of us.
Success is an attitude
July 10th, 2008
Hello all,
I just read a very interesting story about one man's experience with using the restroom at a black owned establishment. He got locked in the restroom, he had to call his friend on the cell phone so he can inform the owner that he had been locked in the restroom for 15 minutes. Only to be coached by a restaurant employee who slid a butter knife under the door -on how to use the butter knife to free himself from the restroom. WOW!
How often have you attempted to support someone of the African American or Black descent in their business venture only to find that the service or promises were far from what was delivered? Did it leave a bad taste in your mouth?
Are you the black business owner that said you would deliver the goods at a certain time and it did not happen? Did you forget to follow-up? Did you make excuses for not being on time to an important meeting? Did you have a bad attitude or appear needy and unpolished?
All business owners are guilty of being less than on top of our "A" game at some point in time, but I find as a black woman when I demonstrate these less than favorable characteristics my business suffers. Why? Because word-of-mouth travels very fast! But I have to admit these experiences happen until you are conscious of what creates abundance and wealth.
Being conscious that, success is an attitude and we must practice it by building the success attitude muscles. So how do we do that?
1. We as African Americans or Black business owners must be open to change and criticism.
2. We must have coaches and mentors that can teach us in love what to do so we are not operating restaurants with faulty bathroom doors.
3. We must continue to invest in education and self-improvement so that we are exuding excellence from the inside out!
4. We must release the self-sabotaging behaviors that cause us to not attract the high paying business client or close the six figure business deal.
As business owners there is always room for improvement and self-reinvention, but remember you are representing YOU! What you don't want to happen is your integrity and your character to be diminished based on your unwillingness to have an attitude of success. You will (sad to say) be judge by what you deliver and how you deliver it.
So please be mindful of how you are operating your business. Make sure you are delivering with the spirit of success. Because success breeds success and abundance. As a result, money will follow and chase you down -but be a conscious and competent student of success first.
I have provided some resources that you can use to continue on your road and journey to the top of your craft. My brother and my sister let's not be another butter knife story! Do what you have to do and be committed to your personal growth, after all ,you are representing YOU!
Remember success is an attitude! Do you have that attitude?
These are fabulous books you should add to your night stand:
Have you listened to my podcast?
Check out The Black Synergist at
That's all for now and I am Nekisha-Michelle:
Nekisha-Michelle Bakre, has a mission of being a “spiritual spa of In-powerment for the inner and outer you.” Bakre is available for keynote speaking engagements, facilitation of SpaJama W.O.R.K.S. retreats, spa business mentoring, and Executive & Life Coaching. To learn more about SpaJama W.O.R.K.S. and Living Vivaciously Consulting, visit the Web site
2008 Flat Classroom Workshop
July 8th, 2008
Today Martha is attending the in person at , and Stephanie is participating this morning. & are co-founders of the workshop and organized this event, as they have done for a few years now. The aim of the workshop, according to :
- To promote academic excellence through the use of leading technological tools.
- To promote connection and understanding between geographically dispersed, ethnically and culturally diverse groups of students in meaningful, global cooperative authentic learning experiences.
- To simplify and document pedagogical best practices for such projects.
- To duplicate "ourselves" and practices to encourage the open proliferation of such projects as a standard part of global education and digital citizenship.
MODLA July 9-10 @ Tan-Tar-A
July 7th, 2008
I'll be off for a good part of the week at the Lake of the Ozarks presenting at the annual conference. If you are attending, please stop in my session Thursday morning! I will be talking about our videoconferences between authors & K-12 classrooms.
Distance Learning Adventures, Part 6
July 7th, 2008
I was recently reading the article by Sheryl Burgstahler. She raises some very important issues of equity when it comes to students with disabilities and distance learning. While governmental websites must comply with Section 508 of the ADA, distance learning programs are not often strictly monitored to follow these guidelines. However, it is important to not create another type of "digital divide" between students with disabilities and others in distance learning classrooms. One must remember students with disabilities when creating and implementing a distance learning course. It is better to be proactive than reactive by designing distance learning courses to be accessible to all students. Often, changes that are made to accomodate these learners also benefit other students. This is often referred to as the Universal Design for Learning. Appropriate sizing, spacing, coloring, captions, and a variety of platforms are necessary to help learners. (One can even induce seizures if not careful with flashing on a webpage between 2-55 hertz). By being aware of these situations and looking at appropriate guidelines and other sites that are in compliance with Section 508, it can be of benefit to not only students with disabilities but all students.
As Burgstahler states, "Designed correctly, distance education options create learning opportunities for everyone. Designed poorly, they erect barriers to equal participation in academics and careers for potential students and instructors with disabilities."
Other helpful sites related to the topics of distance learning and assistive and adaptive technology can be found on:
Videoconferences Available!
July 7th, 2008
CILC sent out new offerings from their website- here they are! To request these videoconferences, go to If you are a New Links to New Learning member, let me know if you are interested in these programs and I'll help you get signed up! All programs listed are available "By Request/On Demand ONLY."
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Distance Recruitment Event by CILC Events
Join a variety of recruiters from Historically Black Colleges and Universities for this annual Distance Recruitment Event. Have your students spend time with recruiters from these historic and prestigious institutions.
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Composer Spotlights by Cleveland Institute of Music - The composer spotlight series addresses the lives of different composers from both classical and popular music areas. Each session includes a biographical overview, musical performances, and commentary about historical significance of the subject. Audience are grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; subjects include: Frederic Chopin; Gaicomo Puccini; Igor Stravinsky; Ludwig van Beethoven; and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Cultural Diversity: Diversity in the Dugout by National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Diversity in the Dugout is an interactive unit showing how immigration in baseball mirrored that of immigration in American history. We'll discuss European, Latin American and Asian influence on our "National Pastime."
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Popular Culture: Take Me Out to the Ball Game by National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Though the definition was what is "popular" is subjective, it is hard to argue that baseball and popular culture have been intertwined for over 100 years. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" examines the different media baseball has reached, and what makes aspects ...
Audience: Education: Grade(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Dive in with Dolphins by Texas State Aquarium
Dolphins are dynamic mammals of the ocean! Come view them live from our two real time cameras located at the Texas State Aquarium. Learn dolphin anatomy, talk like a dolphin, and enjoy the aerial acrobatics of our dolphins!
Audience: Education: Grade 5
If these topics do not suit your needs, remember at CILC you can search by keyword for the perfect v/c for you! Also, check for New Links to New Learning updates on CILC.
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Heather A. Katz, Ph.D.
540-428-2988
FREDERICK, MD - July 3, 2008 - This summer the Frederick Keys are changing the way that fans learn about baseball. The Keys have teamed up with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Hot Lava Software, Inc. to bring fans a new way to learn the science behind sports. The promotion, dubbed the Sports Bytes Competition, tests fans’ knowledge of the science behind sports via their mobile phones. Throughout the months of July and August the Keys will facilitate fans to use their mobile phones in new and exciting ways to learn the science behind the baseball game that unfolds before their eyes!
Attend a Frederick Keys home game during July and August this summer and you will see a wild haired professor in a white lab coat and safety goggles. The Professor will appear in the middle innings and lead on top of the dugout. He will playfully challenge the intelligence of the audience and encourage fans to take out their mobile phones and participate by text messaging an answer in response to a science question about baseball. The Frederick Keys have embraced this effort and are committed to educating the community through the Sports Bytes Competition. Attend a Frederick Keys home game this July or August and experience, live, the thrill of the Sports Bytes Competition! Or access the questions via your mobile phone by text messaging “sport” to 83960 and prove that you are smarter than the Professor! Sports Bytes are also available at www.hdwap.com/s.
About Hot Lava Software, Inc.
Hot Lava Software, Inc. is the leading provider of mobile authoring, publishing, delivery and tracking solutions. Using Hot Lava Software's content development and publishing system (LMA) integrated with the Hot Lava Mobile Delivery and Tracking System TM (MDTS) allows organizations to have the tools and knowledge needed to launch and track mobile initiatives faster, with more cost efficiency. Hot Lava Software provides mobile content solutions and a mobile content design, authoring and publishing solution to corporations, governments and universities around the world. More information is available at
About the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people's eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. It also works to prepare students to be innovators, entrepreneurs and skilled workers in the 21st century economy through initiatives designed to improve learning in math, engineering, science and technology. Founded by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. and has more than $2.4 billion in assets. More information is available at
