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How to stay connected (and have fun) while quarantined
Victoria Fann Mental HealthcareLet's admit it: being quarantined — whether voluntary or mandatory — is difficult. Those who are living alone are in total isolation. Those who live with others are now together 24/7. Both extremes have their challenges. What they have in common is not being able to get together with close friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors, customers, students and so on. As the novelty of being home all day wears off, it's natural to feel frustrated, restless and lonely. This is when we need to find some creative ways to stay connected and, hopefully, have a little fun. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
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Infographic: Remote work in the coronavirus economy
Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe period from 2005-17 saw a 159% increase in Americans working remotely. By the beginning of 2020, there were over 4 million people who work from home. Now with COVID-19 officially a pandemic and almost the whole world encouraging social distancing and self-quarantine, more people will be working from home than ever. While the boom in remote work may be temporary, operating away from the traditional workplace even in the short term is going to dramatically change the tools, support, and management styles needed in the workplace.
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New phonetic system created for braille readers
Cheri Montgomery EducationA new phonetic system is available for students who read braille. Designated symbols, mutually accessible by the sighted and the blind, represent the singing sounds of six languages. This new system facilitates the exchange of phonetic material between teachers and students. Educational resources transcribed according to the system help aspiring classical singers with blindness discover accurate pronunciation of art songs and arias.
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How to serve your congregation online
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityWith social distancing becoming our new, temporary, norm, many churches have moved to online services only. The potential for even Easter services to be online-only is a real possibility. In light of these challenging circumstances, how do you serve a remote congregation? Here are a few things to consider.
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Addressing the tech skills gap at K-12 level
Bambi Majumdar EducationThe COVID-19 pandemic and its social distancing consequences have taught us that online education and soft skills will be integral parts of education going forward. As schools rapidly switch from classrooms to e-learning modes, students are learning how to interact and collaborate on projects that they would do in person. At this point, no one is sure how long the quarantine will last, but schools are focused on continuing education efforts and coming up with innovative ways to keep students engaged. Touching upon areas like soft skills and encouraging an exploration in computer education makes for a great start.
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Demonstrate strength in uncertain times
William D. Pawlucy and Robert C. Harris Association ManagementNow is the time to demonstrate strength, leadership and strategy. Members expect to hear confidence and solutions from their association. Associations have always been resilient during wars, recessions and crisis. Boards and staff should portray a positive, "can-do" attitude. Position the chief elected officer and executive director as primary, trusted communicators for the sector. Convey an authentic, reassuring message for members about steadfastness.
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Tips on secure remote working during the coronavirus outbreak
Daniel Markuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe coronavirus has triggered the world's biggest work-from-home experiment. Millions of people have been asked to self-isolate to stop the virus from spreading. Entire regions in China and Italy were put under full or partial lockdown. With the virus spreading, major companies in the U.S. and Europe, including Facebook and Amazon, are also asking employees to stay at home. The current situation has reignited the discussion on the effectiveness and security of remote work.
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A lack of likes: Why Instagram’s vanishing feature can be a boon…
Lisa Mulcahy MarketingMany marketers are panicking over Instagram's stated intention to reduce or do away with likes in the near future. But the truth is it won't be the end of the world if you can't use likes to monitor your brand's marketing progress. There are a number of incredibly powerful ways you can safeguard your social media marketing might apart from Instagram likes. Now is the time to start to diversify and put them into play. Here are five key points to incorporate as you expand your brand's messaging.
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I’ve never led an online school. What do I do?
Brian Stack EducationLast week at this time, I thought the worst thing I'd have to deal with that week was the fact that we had a full moon and a Friday the 13th to get through with students. By the weekend, though, it became abundantly clear to me that I was about to enter uncharted territory in my 15+ year career as a high school administrator in New Hampshire. This article is written for every school principal that is or might be put into the situation of leading an online school "on the fly" in the coming days and weeks.
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An employer’s guide to COVID-19: Top 5 strategies for keeping your…
Candice Gottlieb-Clark Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBusiness owners and leaders, there is no doubt that these are challenging times. COVID-19 has required you to change business practices overnight. Teams that normally buzz with momentum are now separated, and you must hope are still able to work effectively to get things done. Technology that was once optional for getting things done is now essential, whether your employees feel ready or not. While fear and stagnancy may be unavoidable in the first few days of change, this process is not going to be a short one.
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