Category: Technology

Virtualization Could Be What Rescues Your IT. Here’s Why

A key focus of my blog is Technology. A new advance that is on the horizon is “Virtualization”. If you own a business that involves Information Technology (IT), or are looking to get into an IT field, it would serve you well to familiarize yourself with Virtualization. The following contributed post is entitled, Virtualization Could Be What Rescues Your IT. Here’s Why.

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“Going virtual” – everyone in business is talking about it. But what does it mean, exactly?

In the world of IT, going virtual doesn’t mean putting on a VR headset and looking for some Pokemon. It means creating computer systems that look self-contained but are actually stored on a massive server somewhere, alongside a load of others.

While it might sound a little strange, taking this approach offers many benefits. It’s why sites like umbrella-ms.com rave about it. Check them out below.

It’s Easier To Migrate To The Cloud

Migrating to the cloud is a challenge when you store all your data on discreet PCs and share it via a network. You have to manually upload information from each computer – something that can take many weeks.

When you go virtual, though, it is a different story. All your virtual computers are on the same server. All you need to do is transfer data wholesale to its new home in the cloud, and, once complete, you’re free to carry on as usual.

Migrating to a private cloud is even easier. Essentially, when you virtualize all the PCs in your office, you do the groundwork for this anyway. Making your system distributive is the next natural step.

It Makes Testing Much Easier

Creating virtual systems isolated from all the others in your network is easy. You can set up manual partitions that eliminate any cross-talk between machines, providing you with a natural testbed.

It is unlikely that you’ll want to use the same software in your company year after year. Eventually, the time will come to upgrade. If you’re going to test your new software on physical systems, you have to manually install it and check it against a range of parameters. It is a slow and clunky process.

Creating a virtual test machine and firing new updates at it, by contrast, helps to speed the process dramatically. Testing becomes much more manageable. And once you’re finished, you can roll out settings across the rest of your accounts with confidence.

It Enhanced Disaster Recovery

IT disasters are, unfortunately, part and parcel of modern business. Companies regularly face network shutdowns owing to the complexity of software, hardware, and user requirements.

Recovering from a disaster when you have physical servers is a massive challenge. You have to manually recalibrate all your servers individually, assessing each for faults. Recovering from a disaster when you have virtual machines is much more comfortable according to geek-university.com. You don’t necessarily have to have fully-operational hardware on your premises. All you require are a few working computers and a reasonable connection to the internet. Even after a disaster, you can still access all your virtual machines, even when their physical counterpart is out of action.

The Cost Savings Are High

Finally, virtual systems are much cheaper than their physical counterparts. You have lower on-site power usage, and lower requirements to replace hardware – that all happens in the background.

Have you considered going virtual? You probably should.

Give Business Devices And Machines A Second Life

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. If your business uses some form of technology, acquiring new hardware and getting rid of your old hardware may require some coordination. When you’re looking to upgrade, someone else may able to use your old devices. Also, for your own operations, you might consider acquiring equipment that may have been used. The following contributed post is entitled, Give Business Devices And Machines A Second Life.

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Every business has a technology strategy that determines not only which technology they should purchase but also how to use it. The typical approach establishes the expected lifetime of equipment, machinery, and electronic devices against the organization’s budget. As such, each organization replaces the current technology in use at a scheduled date, whether it is every year, every five years, or every ten years. How long you are going to use the same technology depends on a variety of factors, including your financial situation, the business objectives, and the market requirements. As such, when it’s time to invest in new or more innovative tech, the business has the opportunity to prolong the life of their equipment, even after it’s left their offices.

Indeed, environmentally-friendly commitment and procedures play a significant role in the disposal of used equipment. However, businesses can also consider strategies that allow for the best use of second-hand machinery and devices. Aside from environmental consideration, there is also an economic perspective to embrace.

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Recycling your electronics
What happens to the old mobile devices that you finally decide to replace? Electronics is one of the fastest business investments to wear out. With new smartphones and laptops being produced every year to the latest tech standards, it’s fair to say that businesses that keep their devices for a little too long expose themselves to cyber threats. Old machines are more vulnerable to hacking. As such, you might find that your old business electronics hold no value to anybody. But it doesn’t mean it’s suitable for the bin.
On the contrary, electronics can be recycled sustainably. Does it mean that manufacturers can make another phone using your ancient mobile? The answer is no. Chances are that the components inside your device can’t be used for the same purpose. But they can be repurposed in other industry sectors.

Consider businesses that sell used equipment
Not every old gadget and piece of equipment is a magnet to hackers. Devices that connect to a network are more likely to be targeted. However, equipment that doesn’t require any broadband connection, such as industrial machinery can be bought second hand from businesses such as Revelation Machinery, at a lower cost and with no risk for the company. Saving money while bringing your business to the next level, that’s precisely why second-hand heavy-duty equipment is such a fantastic opportunity for small companies. Additionally, if you are concerned about environmental cost, it’s worth noting that buying used equipment means that manufacturers produce less, and therefore you lower your impact on the planet.

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Give back to the community
Can you donate the devices you don’t use anymore? You’d be pleased to know that many organizations around the world collect computers and laptops to support charities and education centers. If you want to help them, you can get in touch with a charity such as the World Computer Exchange, which accepts working devices with at least 450MHz and no more than 9-year-old. Other organizations take non-working computers that can be repaired before being sent to nonprofits.

Your technology strategy needs to include a plan to remove old devices and equipment with the best possible outcome for the planet. As a company, you can choose to recycle, donate, or sell your used machinery. There is only one rule: Make sure your decision will help someone else. Be the business that gives further.

How To Earn A Little Cash Online

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Technology. The internet has created numerous opportunities to create extra cash online. One must think beyond their full-time job though to discover the limitless opportunities at their fingertips. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Earn A Little Cash Online.

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If you are one of many people that would love to see their bank balance looking a little fatter every month, you have quite possibly been throwing as many ideas around that big old brain of yours trying to figure out a way to do this.

Well, while some years ago it wasn’t exactly viable to earn a lot of money online from the comfort of your own home, many things have now changed, and you have so many opportunities it’s tough to know where to begin.

Whether you are looking to replace your full-time job or just boost your income, there is now pretty much something for everybody to get their teeth stuck into. Whether you want to invest a little or start a little side business, there has never been a better time than now.

In this post, we are going to be taking a look at some of the ways you may be able to earn a little extra cash online. While there may be some ways to seriously boost your income, today we are going to look at things that can just give you that something extra so you can treat yourself or your family when the time comes.

Image Credit – Pexels CC0 Licence

Third-Party Selling

We are going to start with something that very few people seem to do, and it truly is a great way to boost your income.

Third-party selling is a simple concept where you strike a deal with another company, and you both profit from it. So, you may have seen companies on eBay selling watches, or jewelry that is relatively cheap and quite popular.

Well, all you need to do, with the permission of the owner, is to advertise and sell the item at a slightly higher price. Why do this? Well, you never have to have the product, and you don’t even have to ship it.

The concept is simple, when you sell the product, you then go on to place the order with the main seller, and they dispatch it to the buyer. By doing this, both you and the seller are making money, and the amount of work you need to put in is very little.

Small Investments

The last thing we are going to look at is small investments that you can get into online. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to invest, and the internet makes it safer than ever too.

While in the past investment was a playground for the rich, today it’s something pretty much anybody can have a go at. Whether you are looking to buy tether or a few small stocks in an upcoming business, it can be fairly risk-free at low levels, and it’s also quite good fun.

We will say, though, that until you truly know what you are doing when it comes to investing online, you should start very small. Starting small not only eliminates the risk factor, but it also ensures that should you fall into a trap, you won’t lose a lot of your hard-earned cash.

What Can Social Media Do For Your Business?

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. A business that doesn’t use social media is not clicking on all cylinders. Social media has created different ways marketing and ways of reaching multiple demographics. The following contributed post is entitled, What Can Social Media Do For Your Business?

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Image Source Pixabay CC0 License

In today’s business climate, it’s very difficult to find a business that can’t benefit from social media. Furthermore, most companies are now active on various platforms as they fear being left behind by their competitors. However, the vast majority of companies fail to unlock the true benefits of social media. Now is the time for yours to stand out from the crowd.

Before building your strategy, you must research the many benefits that social media streams can bring to your business. Here’s all you need to know.

Raise Brand Awareness & Reputation

Reaching new clients and securing more returning customers is the main goal shared by millions of companies. Setting up business pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great ways to stay active with your clients. You can find out how at https://www.pcworld.com/article/240258/how-to-make-a-facebook-page-for-your-small-business.html. The regular posts offer a chance to update them on new products, services, and promotions.

However, you can take this further with behind-the-scenes content and insights into the people behind the brand. The lack of human interactions can cause some issues for your customers. This is the best substitute by a considerable distance. Take this opportunity to gain positive reviews from clients too, and new leads will soon flock to the venture.

Improve Customer Care

Social media marketing channels are more effective than ever. However, they can be utilized to achieve so much more. Clients may need to ask questions about a product before completing a purchase. Alternatively, they may have experienced problems with those items. Either way, social media direct messaging features are ideal.

They can also be used to send out mass marketing communications. The fact that the recipients have shown an interest in the brand should produce more hot leads. On a side note, handling contact in this manner can aid your bid to go green. When contacting the business feels convenient, clients will invariably respond in a far better manner.

Make Money

Every business decision is focused on the financial elements. In addition to the financial rewards of securing more leads and sales, social media can be used to gain direct earnings. Monetizing a blog or YouTube channel is a process enjoyed by many businesses. The ads hosted on those channels can boost your earnings without promoting direct competitors.

You can take the process to a whole new level by launching a social media App. Learn how to do this at https://uptech.team/blog/create-app-like-tiktok. This could earn you money from users and other businesses alike. You can still generate more leads through these platforms too. This can further support the sales funnels created via other channels.

Develop New B2B Relations

Interactions with clients will remain the priority for most businesses. Still, you should not overlook other links. The B2B communications can see major benefits thanks to the use of social media. Firstly, internal interactions can be aided through the use of WhatsApp groups and private Facebook groups. It can help manage workflows and discussions.

External links to other businesses can be facilitated through social media too. When looking for local companies to partner with, the reviews left on business pages can offer key insight. Reaching out to new connections via LinkedIn is a great option. The various platforms can also help you identify local events and opportunities.

What Should Your Business Do With All That Data?

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today generate significant amounts of data. Data generation creates the need for data storage. The following contributed post is entitled, What Should Your Business Do With All That Data?

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Big data, no doubt you’ve heard of it. What is it? It’s everything, basically. Details of your customers, clients, employees and the inner workings of your business and more. Big data is the norm now and every business no matter how big or small has to get used to storing and handling large amounts of data. But depending on the type of business you run, you’ll need to use it in different ways. Here are the more common and scalable things you can do with big data.

Effective yo-yo pricing

It’s well documented that the best benefit big data brings is the ability to price effectively. According to your consumer profiles and the data they provide, you can increase or decrease your price within the range of the majority of your customers more effectively. This means that as your business grows and you add more products to your line, you will be able to net the largest number of customers at all times. Taking into account a consumer’s age, cookies (past searches and buying habits), their location, past visits, devices and seasonal buying patterns, you can build up a customer profile very accurately. However, you will need to continually track all of this so you can change your outlook and pricing in accordance. This affords you the ability of effective yo-yo pricing.

Studying consumer profiles

Marketing and sales professionals have always been tasked with learning more about the company’s customer base. With the aid of big data, consumer profiles can be made and studied. However, for this to occur you need scalable Cloud Solutions by Online Computers. This type of service offers you a cloud capacity you can increase or decrease on an as-needed basis. It’s inherently flexible, as you can access data and files on any device hooked to the internet. Cloud systems don’t require any overheads either, so you save money automatically. The service is also tailored to your business requirements so if you require upgrades and migrations, you need not worry about not having the capacity, safe passage or hardware to increase the speed of data flow.

Internal improvements

Big data isn’t just about customers, it’s also a great help to your business internally. Employees should be able to have their work styles logged by productivity software. This will show the number of clicks they make, for how long they stay on one task, where their cursor hovers the most frequently as well as how long it takes to respond to messages, etc. The data you collect will give you an incredibly powerful insight into how your employees work and where mistakes are being made.

Needle in a haystack

If you have a gremlin in your supply chain, you will find it much easier with the collection of big data. It will allow you to pinpoint where time is lost, where most errors keep being made and who could be responsible for them.

Big data is an incredibly complex yet useful concept. It doesn’t require large scale hardware as you can utilize a cloud system. It must become a part of your company culture if you are to remain competitive.

How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today need a strategy for building their brand via social media. Social media has changed the game in that it has created an abundance of markets separate from traditional media. The following guest post is entitled, How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand.

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Social media is about sharing thoughts, establishing an online presence, and building a network. Given these factors, marketing professionals realized how they can use it as leverage. In fact, it helped brands build their digital presence in a social space, and the bulk of online purchases were attributed to social influence. Most consumers will agree that user-generated content can influence buyer behavior.

Many companies adopt this strategy since social media is key to a successful brand campaign. In cities such as Brisbane, SEO services and social media marketing doubled in demand. However, the social media climate is harsh, and business owners should be aware of this. Creating engaging online campaigns can be a disaster without proper research and planning. Here are some pointers on how to utilize social media for brand-building:

Be bold with ideas

Burger King launched a unique and controversial online campaign for its customers: delete ten of your friends to receive a free Whopper. To their surprise: 240,000 people were unfriended by people who wanted something free in return. Each customer who took up the challenge received a receipt after participating in Burger King stores. Their unconventional strategy, “Whopper Sacrifice,” was the Grand Winner at the 2009 Clio Awards. When you’re willing to take risks and push the envelope, you’ll reap the rewards. Be bold with your ideas and don’t hesitate to push the envelope; it will pay off.

Use social media interests and hashtags

MTV, the music video pioneer, utilized social media to boost the 2012 Video Music Awards. Six-second videos were aired on different social media platforms to announce the nominees for Best Female Video, Best Male Video, and Video of the Year. Fans were treated to an exclusive glimpse of the Moon Man’s trip from LA to New York by using the #RoadtotheVMAs on Twitter. The Road to the VMAs 2012 became the second most talked about social buzz to date. Using social media interests and hashtags helps get the word across the online space.

Take over a social space to pick people’s interests

Uniqlo, a Japan-based clothing company, created a simultaneous pinning event on Pinterest. As users scrolled across the brand’s page, big blocks of pinned images (shirts, jeans, jackets) formed Uniqlo’s brand mosaic. Their products were animated in real time, which gave people a glimpse of what their brand had to offer. Taking over a social space and allowing people to participate in a synchronized online event helps a company introduce its brand to an untapped market. Brands should work with different social media platforms to engage people and wake them up from their digital slumber.

In the end, these are just some examples of how social media can help your brand increase its revenue and build its name. Social media is an effective tool in building a brand while increasing its online revenues. Digital platforms are perfect marketing mediums: no restrictions and barriers. Armed with good strategies and creativity, social media is an effective tool to build your brand’s name online.

Keeping Your Work Phone Organised

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Whether you are a business owner, or you are in management in a company or a government agency, you likely have a work phone. A key to doing your job using the phone is not over-cluttering it and using up its memory with things you shouldn’t be. The following contributed post is entitled, Keeping Your Work Phone Organised.

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Phones are becoming a big part of the running of a business; they help us with a lot of everyday jobs like keeping notes, updating your calendar, and making phone calls, to name a few. Phones have progressed a long away, that most of the population own one, and we spend most of our time on it, scrolling down social media, attending video calls and sending emails all in which keep you up to date with the latest changes in your workplace.
Over time your phone will be overcrowded with everything you do. You’ll find that you have a build-up of photos, applications and files across multiple areas of your phone, making it hard to keep organized and being easy to find. It’s never a good look when you are trying to find a document, and it’s lost in-between restaurant menus and photos of your dog.

Photo from Pexels.com

Phone pouch

Phone organization starts with being able to find your phone when you need it, rather than fumbling around in the bottom of your bag. Investing in a Reiko pouch will ensure that your phone is on you all the time, leaving your hands free for your laptop and paperwork, stopping your phone falling when you have too much to carry between meetings. This could be an excellent option for if you’re a person that stores your phone in your back pocket as it will decrease the risk of smashing the screen.

Applications

Although it’s lovely to have all your apps separate so you can see them all at a glance, it can take time to find the one you’re looking for. Creating different categories for your apps to sit in, simplifies your phone. Having social media platforms in one folder along with a photo and video editing in another takes the pressure off trying to find a specific app that you’re trying to search for. While you’re setting all your apps apart, this is a great time to delete any unwanted icons, as well as the ones you haven’t opened in the last five months.

Files and documents

Keep your documents organized in folders, along with renaming the file name to the category of what the files are to do with. It will be worth taking the time to adjust the titles of each document to make it clear what everything is without having to open each file. Having your laptop desktop empty can leave room for any current files and projects that can be placed onto the desktop to give you the space to spread out.

Back up your files

It’s the worse feeling when you’ve done loads of hard work, and then you lose it. Backing up your files and photos through something like Dropbox, Google docs can avoid frustration and having to reproduce it again. They are easy to use systems that can store everything, making it simple for you to go back and find the documents that you need when the worse comes. If you have Apple products, then you will find iCloud has its backup system for all your documents, music, videos and photos. However, once you reach over a specific limit, you will have to pay monthly for extra storage, this can also be the case with Companies like Dropbox but if you don’t want to pay for storage then investing in an internal hard drive to copy everything over can be a cheaper option. Just be aware that if this system is tampered with, then it can result in losing it, this is why people copy everything over onto two hard drives to cater for this.

Linking calendars

Are you using your calendar to its advantage? Taking the plunge from paper planners to digital calendars can be a big change, but it can save you a heap of time. Firstly, using a platform that can be automatically transferred to each of your devices makes your life a lot easier. There’s nothing worse than having to write a meeting date down in multiple places. Platforms like Apple and Google calendar, link up on all your devices which are logged into the same account. Using your schedule effectively by colour-coding each category makes you instantly see what is work-related, birthdays or events while knowing if you are free when people ask you.

Hopefully, with these ways to stay more organized using your phone, you can take your work to a new level, taking away the stress of losing your work whilst keeping your phone in a pouch, so it’s with you all the time.

What the Heck is Upfitting?

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Something we see everyday but are relatively unfamiliar with is the concept of “Upfitting”. Automotive vehicles are are upfitted for varying reasons depending on the intended purpose. The following contributed post is entitled, What the Heck is Upfitting?

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(Photo by Zhen Hu on Unsplash)

Ever considered going into the ambulance business?

Probably not a question you get asked very often.

Here ambulance business does not mean the brave men and women who frequently risk their lives to save and help others, but the business of equipping ambulance with the gear that keeps people alive. It’s a rather obscure concept to think about, but interesting nonetheless.

Let’s Talk About Upfitting

Now, what the heck is upfitting?

It’s outfitting a vehicle with specialized equipment that enables the vehicle for emergency use. Upfitting can also mean custom interior and exterior design that makes a non-emergency vehicle simply look cooler. Essentially, it is vehicle customization and upgrading with equipment that was not initially added by the manufacturer.

Most of the time, it’s emergency vehicles that get upfitted. They will need to routinely change their equipment so that it’s always up-to-date and abiding by state or federal regulations. Upfitting these kinds of emergency vehicles increase their efficiency for peak performance. It can also make the vehicle and job for technicians easier and safer. No wonder upfitting is such a crucial process in maintaining emergency vehicles.

Upfitting usually starts with painting and servicing the chassis. Think of the chassis as the “bed” of the vehicle; it holds the wheels and body of the car.

Here is a chassis, FYI (Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay)

Planning could be the most crucial aspect of upfitting. Involving the technicians who will be using the vehicle can create a more thorough, safety-oriented upfitting. You will achieve the best results if you have a thorough understanding of the vehicle’s future application. One factor to consider during the upfitting process includes the end-users and how they will utilize the vehicle. Keeping the end goal and people in mind throughout the process can help upfitters better understand what kind of experience they want the users to have. Another critical factor to consider is whether the vehicle is going to serve a single purpose or multiple purposes. The upfitting process will look a lot different for the upfitting of single-purpose vehicles versus multiple-purpose vehicles.

The devil is in the details when it comes to upfitting, and that’s why it’s so important to have all concerned parties involved in the process from start to finish. Of course, it’s essential to be realistic with your clients about time constraints and any budgeting problems that may arise during the process. Otherwise, your customers could be left disappointed, and that is undoubtedly a place in which no business owner wants to be.

If you happen to be considering upfitting an emergency vehicle, check out https://tcsupfitting.com/. Not only do they deliver top-quality upfitting service for emergency vehicles in the Wichita, Kansas area, but their team is knowledgeable, efficient, and personable. Any emergency vehicle upfitted by TCS Upfitting is a faster, safer, and better-equipped vehicle to help those who need responsive care. Call today for more information or to discuss how you can get started upfitting the emergency vehicle of your dreams.

How To Keep Up With The Latest Advancements In Technology

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Technology continues to evolve, and our lives with it. Falling behind in the latest technologies can adversely impact our lives and it’s thus important to keep up the new advances. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Keep Up With The Latest Advancements In Technology.

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Pexels

Keeping up with technology isn’t easy because it’s also changing, and new advancements are happening daily. It takes dedication and effort on your part if you want to be in the know of the latest enhancements and trends.

It’s not only beneficial for you to know about technology for your professional life but can also be useful in your personal environment as well. Enjoy learning and trying to dissect all the latest and greatest information and updates. Experiment with technology yourself to help you get a better feel for it and so you can expand your knowledge.

Explore Different Industries

One way you can keep up with the latest advancements in technology is to explore what’s going on in different industries. Avoid sticking to only what you know in the business you work in and find out what others are up to across the board. For example, there are now self-driving cars, and 3D printing aircraft parts is a growing field and worth taking the time to learn more about if you want to expand your awareness and understanding. A lot is happening in the world, and businesses everywhere are trying to keep up with the most recent developments to help stay ahead of the competition.

Follow Influencers & Business Leaders on Social Media

Another way you can become well-rounded on the topic of technology is to follow influencers and business leaders on social media. These experts are always sharing new updates and nuggets of knowledge that you can digest, and that will allow you to understand how technology has changed our lives. It’ll be so exciting to discover what the best and the brightest innovators in the field have to say when it comes to the latest advancements in technology.

Attend Related Events & Expos

There are a lot of technology events and expos occurring all the time. Buy yourself a ticket and go check out the discussions among these groups of people. Keep up with technology enhancements by going to see for yourself what’s rolling out next and what you should be aware of, and they’re working on next. It’s your chance to mix and mingle and ask questions with those who know what they’re talking about and can give you expert advice.

Make Time for Daily Reading

One of the best ways to learn and take in new information is to read daily. There are so many excellent resources out there for you to take advantage of and seek out. For example, there are tech blogs on the Internet or books at the library that are chocked full of useful data and information to help improve your base knowledge and foundation. Read about what companies are doing when it comes to technology and how they’re upgrading their business practices and products with it.

Conclusion

Technology can be tricky to grasp at times, and it’s hard to keep up with it because it’s always changing and evolving. These suggestions should help you to increase your knowledge and allow you to better understand what’s unfolding and what the experts are working on currently.

How the Internet Has Changed The Way We Learn

Two of the focuses of my blog are General Education and Technology. The internet has been a game changer on several fronts. Having information and the ability to conduct business with the click of a mouse has created a whole new world. One of the most significant ways it’s changed the world is in the realm of education. The following contributed post is entitled, How the Internet Has Changed The Way We Learn.

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Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

For better, or for worse (mostly better), the internet has changed the way the world learns. Today, if we don’t know the answer to something, the majority of us will reach for our smartphones and ask Google. We are used to having information at our fingertips. Technology has changed the way we view and consume knowledge, allowing those outside the formal education structure the opportunity to learn.

Not only has the internet given the power of knowledge to everyone, but it has also changed our traditional schooling systems too. With an array of tools and technologies, students can enjoy a richer, more engaging experience.

#1 It Allows For An Immersive Experience

Knowledge is no longer simply words on the page of a textbook. Students can learn through webinars, videos, podcasts, virtual reality, and other interactive learning materials. In their blog ‘How To Enhance The Learning Experience With QR Codes’ Flowcode state that this is “a way to approximate an augmented reality experience for students”.

This interactive experience is great for encouraging learning in those that might not respond to a more traditional, book-based approach.

#2 Knowledge Is Not Just For The Privileged Few

Access to learning is now open to everyone with an internet connection. Institutions have recognized this and the rise of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) like EdX and Coursera has been huge over the last 10 years. Now, you can take courses from the likes of Harvard, MIT and the London School of Economics with no qualifications, and no tuition fees.

Online learning of this nature is gaining traction as a valuable addition to a resume when it comes to employers.

#3 Research Is A Lot Easier

Researching and revising is now a lot easier, instead of spending hours in the library, combing through books, you can now turn to the internet. Over 90% of students questioned said that they use Google to help them with their assignments. As long as the information we’re getting is from a reputable source (and not just Wikipedia), then it is a great tool to find accurate information quickly.

#4 Improved Communication & Engagement

The flexibility of blended learning means that students can communicate with their teachers and peers much more easily. If you’re absent from the classroom, you can catch up with the resources online or talk with your classmates about assignments.

By not being so focused in a classroom environment, it gives the opportunity for those people who have a different learning style, a chance to still be involved and not fall behind others. Similarly, if someone is suffering from health problems or cannot keep to a structured timetable, then they are still able to engage with the materials and other students and not be isolated.

The internet’s role in education is not without its pitfalls. For example, when it comes to book based research skills, or learning a topic in-depth rather than in bite-sized pieces on a web page. It has, however, overwhelmingly change the opportunities to learn and the ways in which we can access knowledge forever, and that can only be a good thing.