ELSA MARIE COLLINS

Co-Founder of The Ideateur and Co-Founder of Poderistas

Advocating for Social Impact and Community Engagement

you might be doing, you have to put in the time and the effort to earn that.”

Helping people understand that that's what it takes — that you can't just show up and expect an instant response, but there has to be meaningful investment in the relationship — I think is one of the more difficult things to communicate and have be a reality. But we're working hard to do that every day.

Lastly, what are some of the exciting programs or events coming up?

We launched Poderistas in the middle of the pandemic. The original idea was to have all these things be in-person, but we had to do everything virtually at the beginning — which actually was great and served us really well — but now, we're transitioning to more of a hybrid or more in-person situation.

So, instead of having our Salud y Poder Summit be completely virtual and online, we will be doing it in-person, as well as our Latinas Make a Difference tour. We want to bring it in real life and bring together entrepreneurs, women in civic engagement, activists, and changemakers to have interesting conversations and elevate the women in our community who are doing the work. Women who people should know about and should be talked about in households and have all of the amazing things that women are doing be highlighted.

We just did an event where we had Poderistas at the White House, which was amazing. As we start to do more in-person events, you'll be able to see more and more of us in different places. //

Indonesian Iron And Steel Products Are Suitable For Canadian Climates

by Nick Dauk

Technology has long influenced the world of academia, and its most important impact has arguably been the increase in accessibility and availability of information. However, technology has now transitioned from simply being a tool for education to becoming a medium for it. Institutions at every level of education are integrating technology into their classrooms — from interactive media for storytelling in preschools to AI adaptive course delivery in universities. Let’s dive deeper into the effects of new technologies on education.

Global Connectivity

In any conversation about the intersection of technology and education, the widespread availability of the internet cannot be understated. The internet has changed the fabric of society, impacting business, commerce, and entertainment on an exponential level. Academia has benefitted substantially from the rise of the internet, as fluid communication now enables the instant delivery of information, such as coursework and tests. People For Education, an independent organization based in Toronto, conducts an Annual Ontario School Survey regarding the use of technology within schools. Their latest report cites that 100 per cent of secondary schools and 97 per cent of elementary schools employ at least some form of internet-based technology to communicate with their students.

One statistic that is especially telling is that between 33 and 66 per cent of schools, ranging from elementary to post-secondary institutions, encourage students to bring their own devices into the classroom. With many schools already providing students with laptops, tablets, or other devices to complete their schoolwork, we can assume that there will be an increase in either required or optional devices for student learning in the future.

Social Media

A study by the National Library of Medicine reports that there is a rapid increase in the uptake and use of social media among young Canadians. There’s no doubt that the nature of social media has spectacular potential for students: many of these platforms are used daily, promote fluid interaction, and deliver multimedia content in creative ways.

However, it’s also important to note that social media is a tool that can be used incorrectly as well. A post, image, or video can deliver information that is inaccurate. Because this content is often substantially smaller than content delivered in a textbook or on an academic website, it presents the possibility for students to take the information as truth without any verification. Thankfully, academic institutions can combat this by encouraging students to follow their verified accounts and ensure that all content posted is educational and appropriate for their followers.

VR/AR

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are rising in popularity, thanks in part to the rise in entertainment employing the same technology. VR and AR can assist teachers in bringing abstract concepts to life. These methods of visualization can help students understand challenging subjects that are somewhat intangible beyond their written form. For instance, mathematical equations can take on an interactive form, allowing students to “physically” work their way to a solution.

Perhaps more importantly, VR and AR can be used to gamify education (that is, to introduce the typical elements of game-playing into the lesson.) Simply by completing the same coursework they’d perform on paper, students can earn points, compete against one another, and see their avatars or profiles advance with unlockable content.

AR and VR are highly sensory, which means that their benefits could also be seen as drawbacks for some students. These technologies could be an unnecessary distraction for students on independent education plans; for others, they might be challenged to learn in contexts that don’t include gamification tactics. As with many resources introduced into academia, educators will likely need to use these applications to enhance, not replace, the learning experience.

AI & Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning present multiple solutions for educators. AI is already used in broad contexts within the school system, such as through enterprise software that automates functions like record keeping. AI integrated into the school system on a more personalized level can assist individual teachers as well. For instance, multiple choice tests can be automatically graded by AI, and students can find answers to commonly asked questions by “conversing” with an AI bot.

Machine learning also has the potential to help teachers curate their curriculum to the hyper-specific needs of their students. It’s especially helpful in generating data regarding students who are enrolled in online coursework: it can assist in tracking student performance and highlight areas where individual students are struggling. While AI and machine learning are no substitute for physical, live teachers, they can be greatly utilized as a resource for better connecting with their individual students in a remote setting.

Metaverse

As the metaverse aims to break into the mainstream, we shouldn’t be surprised to see live classes taking place in this virtual space. Dallas Hybrid Preparatory, a Texasbased school offering hybrid remote and in-person learning schedules for grades 3 through 8, is already incorporating the multiverse into their fifth-grade curriculum.

Using other tech tools like AR and VR, the metaverse presents perhaps one of the largest interactive and customizable opportunities in academia. For instance, first graders and medical students alike can learn about the human body within the metaverse by virtually exploring internal organs as if they were walking through a physical museum.

In the same context, other perspectives that are unrealistically inaccessible on a micro or macro level — such as outer space or microorganisms — can also be examined in virtual classrooms. These pseudo-physical spaces also promote inclusivity, particularly for students facing health, economic, or spatial obstacles that prevent them from attending inperson lessons.

Debatably, technology doesn’t merely influence education — it is education. While physical books and human lectures will not disappear, they will be constantly enhanced with every form of technology available. The act of learning and the transfer of knowledge relies on technology more than ever before. As it evolves, it’s up to society to leverage these systems to provide as much accurate and accessible information as possible to both students and teachers around the world. //

by Helen Jacob

Times have changed, and people have evolved from a “work hard” mentality to a “work smart” mindset. Time is money, and efficiency is key. Thanks to technology, we can automate boring tasks and make more effective use of our time.

As an industry leader, it’s not enough for you to just “get things done” anymore. You must connect with employees and attach tasks with a sense of purpose, so employees are inspired, thus encouraging excellent performance. Productivity apps can also help unite employees because they can visually see that they’re part of a team, striving for the same goals.

These apps serve a broad range of functions, but the main purpose of a productivity app is to help users become more productive and finish their tasks promptly. They are used to increase effective leadership and to help organize the work so everything is done efficiently, saving both time and money. Accomplish more while doing less with these productivity apps at your fingertips.

Smartsheet

Whether it’s a department-wide or company-wide project, keep schedules on track and improve collaboration with Smartsheet. Over 90 per cent of Fortune 100 companies use this app to get work done. It’s the only platform that can scale from a single project to end-to-end work management, connecting business on a no-code, cloud-based platform where everyone can come together and create solutions. No need to worry about security as Smartsheet is enterprise-grade, so access to policies and data is safe.

Clickup

Combine personal tasks and your team’s agenda with ClickUp, an easy-to-use project management tool built for teams of all sizes. Work, collaborate, and communicate smoothly in one place. You’re able to prioritize and track projects, integrate with other apps, chat in real-time, and set goals, among many other features. This free mobile app also allows you to assign tasks to multiple people. Tasks can also be automated to be repeated at specific intervals to save time.

Trello

Trello has all the essential workspace features — and then some. The visual setup supports boards, lists, and cards, so you can always see upcoming due dates, checklists, attachments, and conversations. Customizing and rearranging elements is also easy to do. Trello lets you add labels to easily sort and find certain tasks, and the checklist makes it easy to see your progress visually. For those who have sporadic service or are working remotely from their phones, Trello allows you to add and mark off tasks without an internet connection, and everything will sync up the next time it’s connected.

POST-IT® PLUS

This one is for the creatives, for those who love brainstorming sessions and can’t be bothered with stopping the momentum to organize their thoughts. This app allows you to capture your notes after a work session, rearrange and refine them however you like, and then share the organized board with everyone on the team so they can build on these ideas.

Hootsuite

Anyone with a business knows how important marketing is, and social media is key to reaching customers and building brand loyalty. However, if you are still going to each individual platform to post, you’re wasting time. Hootsuite lets you manage and schedule posts on multiple social media platforms. You can track how your posts are doing, monitor trends, and stay up to date with customers and competitors.

Appointlet

Tired of wasting time going back and forth manually scheduling meetings? Save time and streamline your scheduling method with Appointlet. As a leading scheduling tool for small- and mediumsized businesses, this app allows you to configure what type of meeting you want to host and provide available time slots that your clients can choose from. It also allows one-on-one bookings, as well as groups. Your clients or co-workers simply choose a time slot that works for them, and the rest is automated.

Jostle

Company intranets are meant to keep employees connected and informed. However, they often become confusing and overwhelming, leading to failure. Jostle takes a different approach and is designed to help employees plug in and quickly find what they need. With an emphasis on simplicity and user experience, the app makes it easy for everyone to connect, communicate, and celebrate success across all locations and departments.

Zapier

Zapier connects more than 5,000 apps so they can talk to each other and makes automated processes between them possible. It is used to chain together commands in a simple “if x, then y” formula. For example, if you get a lead on Facebook, then they will receive an email. To set up the automation or “Zap”, simply choose the trigger, which in this case is the lead on Facebook. Then choose the action, which is the email. So now, every time you get a lead on Facebook, they will automatically receive an email instead of having to do it manually. The best part is that you can combine any number of services together. Zapier helps to streamline customer communication and team projects, so you save time and energy to put into growing.

Toggl Track

Reliable time tracking software allows you to understand how long projects really take, thus improving productivity. If you are selling a product or service, it’s easy to undercharge if you have no sense of how much time you’re putting into it. With Toggl Track, you can quote projects with data-backed precision. Users reported up to 25 per cent increase in billable hours with accurate time tracking. You can figure out what your least and most profitable projects are, and it also helps you stay accountable. In the end, you’ll know the value of your work and you will understand where you can save time for maximum productivity. //