Some benefits of bringing technology into the classroom

While many educators still resist the idea of embracing technology as an integral part of classroom learning, many developments in the field are pointing to the huge benefits of going digital. 

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The prevalent argument against using technology is that it distracts students from the lessons and relegates teachers to the sidelines. Many schools restrict access to social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in the campus, the idea behind this being the maintenance of an academic atmosphere. However, this is increasingly becoming futile and counter-productive, as most students will have access to the internet via their own smart phones, anyway. 

Incorporating technology in lessons must not be treated as a form of succumbing. Educators would do well to intertwine the benefits of the digital age to straight lectures and analog testing. The aim is to allow for a complementary environment that’s also conducive to learning. Outside the school grounds, students are bombarded by information; there’s no need to pretend otherwise inside the academe and focus instead on the needed filtering. 

Teachers could mine available technology for learning purposes, as a form of active teaching. Students need not be passive receivers of data, but armed with the necessarily critical thinking skills to strain and select. This will eventually lead to self-directed learning and peer collaboration, as highfalutin concepts become clearer and the needed processing becomes more interactive, social, and teacher-guided. 

Finally, technology allows for the teachers themselves to continue down the path of learning. The internet is a treasure trove of innovative approaches and resources for modern pedagogy. Open-mindedness to these will allow for a two-way learning experience that will eventually make for a more adaptable educator. 

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Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch believes that education is key to building strong skills that are crucial to many aspects of life: personal values, business, social relationships. For more reads about the value of learning, check out this website.

Understanding The Five Conflict Management Strategies

Conflicts are inevitable in any organization because there can be cultural and philosophical differences among members, as well as divergent goals. And if these conflicts are mismanaged, it can lead to loss of trust and productivity.

There are five commonly practiced techniques in dealing with conflicts, and below is a brief explanation of each strategy:

Accommodating/Smoothing

The accommodating strategy aims to acquiesce to the concerns or desires of the opposing side. However, this is only recommended when either of the parties is willing to give up on his own interests.

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Avoiding/Withdrawing

This is done when one party decides to not address the conflict by withdrawing from it or postponing his involvement in the hope that the problem would be resolved by such a decision.

Collaborating/Win-Win

Most often the best alternative, collaborating seeks to satisfy the concerns of opposing parties through working on the conflict together. Multiple ideas are integrated, and the decisions implemented should be mutually beneficial.

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Compromising

If an optimal solution to the conflict cannot be achieved within the time constraint, a compromise can instead be reached through the formulation of a mutually acceptable, if not agreeable, decision. This strategy works best whenever the conflicting parties hold similar power or authority in the organization.

Competing/Forcing

This strategy is considered a zero-sum game because one of the parties gets what he wants, while the other “loses.” This technique is typically applied when there are crisis situations and company decisions that would inevitably generate ill-will among some people.

Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch has been in the business world long enough to know that learning new skills and concepts is never a waste of time for leaders. Follow this Facebook page for more similar articles.

Make your workplace a center for self development

Learning doesn’t have to stop with formal education. Experiences can be a good source of learning, and life brings lessons far beyond what the classroom can teach. Development in workplaces seems a distant idea, especially when tasks are mundane. Everyday becomes a dread as employees might get trapped in a cycle of sameness. However, there are many ways to learn new skills in the office that could be relevant even outside of work. 

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Team evaluation Teams are comprised of people from different walks of life. Everyone’s learning capabilities are different. Evaluating the team and keeping track of progress lets everyone know how they are developing. Knowing one’s contribution in a previous project gives him an idea how well he did or how much improvement is needed to reach a certain work level. 

Team evaluation encourages self development as it reassures members that learning is both a personal and a group effort. 

Self evaluation Each member of a team is evaluated. It’s great to know one’s strengths and weaknesses and it’s best to encourage improvement in crucial areas. Knowing the best learning styles of everyone to acquire new skills and retaining them would result in effective self development. Every member of a group has his own strength to offer, and his weakness should be another’s strength. 

Acknowledging that one cannot have all the strengths a team needs would provide better footing for the whole team to be dependent on one another, and that would harness development not only for oneself, but for the whole team. 

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Patrick Dwyer believes that it’s never a waste of time to learn new skills. He encourages everyone to become lifelong learners as this would bring success for the self and the business. For more updates about learning and development, visit this blog.

Last To Speak: How Effective Leaders Communicate

Listening is an underrated skill among leaders. Dominating the floor and being heard first are staples for a leader during a meeting. When a leader lays out his ideas before anyone else from the team, members are more likely to keep theirs hidden in submission to their superior. A communication that leaves no room for feedback is a failure.

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How then do effective leaders communicate? Below are two examples:

Acknowledge limits

Leaders are not perfect. Accepting that one’s knowledge is limited would give leaders a chance to try listening first before forming opinions. There are many personalities in a team. The role of the leader is to engage each member to communicate. For every message sent, there must be a feedback. A team’s output should not be limited to the leader’s message.

Give importance to creativity. Analytical and logical opinions may be leveled up with creativity and critical thinking. Gathering ideas before coming up with a plan increases the potential of a project to succeed while giving each member a chance to be a part of something that is beyond their limits. It can build a better work environment for everyone.

Welcome growth

Accepting that the best ideas do not only come from leaders promotes a healthy work environment for everyone. The ability to sum up all ideas discussed and forming them into one concrete plan is a sign that the leader is a good listener—it gives everyone the feeling that they have been heard and that they are valued. Great leaders never stop growing: practice being the last to speak.

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Patrick Dwyer of Merill Lynch believes that effective leaders are great listeners first. Follow this a Twitter page for more articles on how to be an effective leader.

Leverage And Duplication: Why Effective Leaders Delegate

No entrepreneur can achieve high-level success without learning how to delegate tasks and responsibilities to other people.

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Some people say that in the business world, or any industry, for that matter, time is the great equalizer. An organization leader or manager can have all the skills and resources in the world, but their days are still limited to 24 hours each. Thus, they need all the helping hands they could get.

The late Apple founder Steve Jobs knew this limitation very well. A reason the technology company evolved into one of the best in the world is that Jobs developed a delegation system that ensured everyone was working and focusing on their responsibilities. After meetings, there would be no confusion as to who does what because every action item is assigned to a specific “Direct Responsible Individual” or DRI.

By delegating, efficiency can be highly improved. Leaders can leverage their time by asking skilled organization members to work on individual tasks that are needed to accomplish the collective goal.

Furthermore, delegation can empower team members and help them gain or improve their skills and abilities. If a business plans on expanding to greater heights, it needs to create new leaders who, as much as possible, possess or have developed the same qualities.

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Learning never stops for Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch, that is why he encourages entrepreneurs to continually educate themselves, even after already having experienced success. Follow this blog for more discussions on becoming a better leader.

Cultivating a Receptive Learning Mindset

One of the most valuable lessons that business leaders should remember is that education does not stop at school.To survive and flourish in the fast-paced environment that is business, leaders would need to adopt a mindset geared toward continuous learning. Long after the conclusion of any seminar, management course, or master’s program they attend, leaders would (and, more importantly, should) always find new things to learn.

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Some entrepreneurs and managers find that the desire to learn comes naturally to them; they possess an innate curiosity that delights in learning new things, which easily translates to a conscious desire for continuous education. They often relish the chance to learn on their own and do so mostly incidentally.

Others, meanwhile, may find them compelled to learn only when commanded to by superiors. Although they may delight in learning new things, they may need an extra push to ingrain a habit of learning into their routines.

Forming or bolstering a learning mindset involves leaders setting up their own opportunities to learn. This could range from choosing guided education opportunities to giving more time for more self-directed learning endeavors such as reading and analysis.

Moreover, beyond learning by themselves, business leaders should also encourage their team members to learn along with them, either through roundtable discussions in meetings or audience engagement after a presentation. This not only encourages the spread of the learning mindset toward the rest of the team but also allows leaders to challenge and evaluate their own precognitions by providing alternate points of view courtesy of their coworkers.

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Finally, leaders shouldn’t just learn about new things. They should also habitually refer to what they had learned in the past. New experiences and knowledge may bring a new understanding to what had previously been learned.

Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch believes is a strong believer in the value given by personal investments in further education.Visit this blog for more on the vital role of learning in the development of leadership.

What Does An MBA Bring?

It is a known fact that business school graduates get substantial salary increases. But aside from higher income, what else can an MBA offer?

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Vital business skills

Business school provides individuals new knowledge that will be advantageous in their career. While there are those who think a job in consulting or finance will bring them bread and butter, there are other positions that can be an option too. There are MBA graduates who work in health care, government institutions, and tech companies. MBA strengthens one’s leadership, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Having a thorough understanding of the changing business world can help MBA graduates survive shifting trends.

Higher marketability

Obtaining an MBA can help individuals increase their job security. It is also a differentiator in a competitive workplace. A lot of employers believe having an MBA sets an individual apart from the rest because of the skills and knowledge they have acquired in business school.

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Wider network

Entering business school means having to work with talented people from different cultures and organizations. These connections people make during and after their MBA stint are valuable ones, as these contacts can bring greater opportunities in the long run. Be it business partnerships, employment, or mentoring, these connections are priceless.

Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch believes that education is vital for the growth of businesses. Read more articles like this Patrick Dwyer of Merrill Lynch.