Recent Articles
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High demand for homes is depleting inventories
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsProspective homebuyers are facing a dwindling pool of choices as the supply of properties for sale has hit an all-time low. Sales activity remains brisk, with most homes selling in less than a month. Yet despite advantages for sellers, including historically low interest rates and escalating values, fewer owners are putting their homes on the market, and builders have not been able to keep up with the demand for new homes. The combination of low inventories and higher prices likely will cause the pace of sales to slacken in the coming months.
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Report: The impact of COVID-19 on student achievement
Bambi Majumdar EducationA recent report sheds light on the adverse effect of COVID-19 school disruptions on K-12 learning. Titled, “How Kids Are Performing: Tracking the Impact of COVID-19 on Reading and Mathematics Achievement,” the report was released by a leading pre-K–12 education technology leader, Renaissance. It considers student assessments from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The results total over 5 million student assessments. The report touches upon all the aspects of learning issues and gaps and seeks to guide educators as they address learning gaps.
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Reflections from a school leader: What I’m thankful for in 2020
Brian Stack EducationI hope you all had the opportunity to celebrate, in some small way, the Thanksgiving holiday this past week. As we enter the season of giving this month, we will all need to make some adjustments and concessions to our “normal” celebration routines during the holiday season as a result of the challenges brought to us by the pandemic. This fall, as an educational leader, there is no shortage of things to be thankful about. Here are the top two things that made my list this year, thanks to the pandemic.
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Study: Vitamin D low in 80% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Amanda Ghosh Medical & Allied HealthcareThe body of research examining the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19 is growing. Now, a study published recently confirms a correlation between low vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and health professionals are theorizing whether vitamin D supplementation could increase the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine. "Vitamin D Status in Hospitalized Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection" appeared in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, confirming a relationship between low vitamin D and hospitalization due to COVID-19.
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Committee linkage to the strategic plan
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementCommittees seldom initiate their own plan of work. You won’t hear the committee chair ask at the first meeting, "What do you want to do this year?" Committees receive assignments and authority from the board of directors and bylaws. Their efforts should be framed by the organization’s mission and strategic plan. Policies indicate committees don’t have authority to speak for the organization, expend unbudgeted funds, or enter into contracts.
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Remote instruction: The importance of interest, attention, and memory
Howard Margolis EducationBefore COVID-19 ravaged the nation, countless struggling learners had a problem. They quickly forgot whatever was taught. Today, the problem continues. Some are bored; they give little if any thought to what’s taught. Others attend diligently but focus on the wrong information. And when they focus on the right information, they can’t remember much. The reason is simple: They don’t know how to remember. Now, in the era of COVID-19’s isolation and remote instruction, these problems have intensified. Teachers (and parents) are finding it increasingly difficult to create and sustain struggling learners’ interest and focus.
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What is the future of airports under President Biden?
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveAs the nation prepares for President-elect Joe Biden, many aviation analysts are turning their attention to what the future holds for their industry under his tenure. Whereas in the past this may be a noteworthy point in a wide-ranging manifesto of pledges and promises, in this global crisis surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, people are watching eagerly to discover how Biden will respond to the extra problems surrounding the huge losses of income and jobs being faced by the aviation industry. And this is just one of many areas reaching a critical point as the economy struggles with the virus.
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In times of crisis: 5 strategies that lead to better decisions
Dr. Paul Napper and Dr. Anthony Rao Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our work, how we relate with our families, and our personal sense of safety, security, and health. This crisis, coupled with recent burgeoning social unrest, presents unique challenges to leaders. How can we make better decisions — ones that could make or break our business — when we’re consumed by what’s around us? One answer comes from leaders in the profession that’s at the very center of the COVID crisis: expert medical practitioners, who frequently make life-or-death decisions for the people in front of them. How do they stay focused and keep their decision-making sharp?
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Signs that your business may scream, ‘I’m cheap!’
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementPeople assume that your public image matches the product or service you’re offering. How else could they gauge your quality if they don’t know you? The visible image should reflect the invisible. If you have a cheap or unprofessional image, the public will assume your product is likewise cheap and unprofessional. That’s not a good scenario if you’re trying to sell high quality. Here are some of the ways your professional business is accidentally screaming, "I’m cheap!" despite your protestations to the contrary.
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Designing for celebrities: How career and technical education teachers…
Sheilamary Koch EducationTeaching any subject is tough these days. But imagine the effect of remote and hybrid learning on woodworking and other career and technical education (CTE) classes. As industrial arts teacher Tim Zavacki puts it, “You can’t exactly send bandsaws home with kids!” Here’s how teachers have kept student motivation high and even discovered silver linings as they maneuver within whatever parameters their schools are operating under.