Author Archives: TechNut

Technology and digitalisation have more than done their part for revolutionising the world and our modern societal values. The education sector is one of the industries that has been most profoundly impacted by the rise and steady increase of technological disruption. Completely changing and strengthening the education sector, technology has been so widely utilised now that career interest in the field is positively soaring. This is not necessarily unexpected, but it has been more profoundly felt far sooner than first anticipated. Students going through the education system currently – as well as all future generations of learners – are technologically efficient, something that past generations have not necessarily been on such a complete scale. As such, education needed a change.

With such a constantly active community that thrives on communication, honesty, and genuine assistance, EdTech (education technology) is fast becoming one of the most popular career choices for those individuals who have specific interest in technologies. From the code that balances devices, platforms, and other innovations of EdTech, to the implementation in the education industry, the process has been both exciting and overwhelming, to say the least. EdTech is all about making things easier, and using code and digitalisation to do just that. In this new era, this technology is making considerable headway, proving its value all the time.

Education is, historically speaking, a traditionally-inclined industry. As such, the pull for educators and the whole sector to be accepting of EdTech innovations was slow – at least, it was in the beginning. It made sense. The traditional ways of education were not technically broken, after all. educators were concerned that EdTech would spell the end of their career path. Alas, the concerns were proven to be unnecessary. In the last two years, EdTech investments have risen astronomically, breathing new life into an industry that, quite frankly, was falling behind the times. Education woke up just in time, too.

With current – and all future – generations being more technologically efficient (and even dependent) than ever before, they did not just want tech included in their learning experience, they positively expected it. Now, with constant innovations in EdTech, they always will. If anything, the reliance will only grow and expand more. This is the way of the world, and individuals with interest in tech career fields have noted the profound impact and further scope of potential in EdTech, and have reacted accordingly.

More people than ever are working in career fields with specific focus on these types of technologies. Why would they not? Education is one industry that is going to be around no matter what changes occur elsewhere and for any reason, and with the world being increasingly technologically advanced, forging a career in something as profoundly positive as EdTech is not just smart, it is a stroke of modern genius. We will always endeavour to learn, to better ourselves, but there is nothing wrong with allowing technology to make the academic process easier and more efficient.

Becoming an entrepreneur is a very rewarding and thrilling experience. It can become a lifetime career if you do it right, and know how to learn from wins and mistakes along the way. The best part is that you do not need to wait to be an entrepreneur. You can start now, even post-graduation from The University of British Columbia.

In many ways, taking a year or two to heed the entrepreneurial calling after college can be very rewarding, both professionally and personally. It is also a great way to prolong the 9-to-5 grind that you may not be too thrilled about. As thrilling as it may seem, however, there are challenges that await new entrepreneurs.

It’s true that the entrepreneurial journey involves taking risk and making sacrifices, however, if you look at the brighter side, you are in control of your destiny, your opportunities your time, your upsides, and your career. Building a company isn’t a smooth process.There are roadblocks and bottlenecks that can deter even the most confident entrepreneur offering the best solution.”

The best way to mitigate these challenges and potential risks is by forging down the entrepreneurial path with a bit of knowledge under your belt. Let’s take a deeper look at how to catalyze entrepreneur success post-graduation.

Understand The Importance Of Having A Market

Anyone can become an entrepreneur. All you need is a product or service, a website, and a few social media networks. It really is that simple. However, there is a huge difference between a successful entrepreneur and a regular one. This is often based on market for products and/or services.

Did you know that the top reason why startups fail is no market? That’s right, and it makes sense. If you have no one to sell to, you probably will not have very many conversions for your endeavor.

The same goes for having too big of a market. The saying goes, “If everyone is your customer, you don’t have any customers.” So you can see that there is a delicate balance when it comes to finding the perfect industry and niche market to claim for your entrepreneurial journey.

The good news is that you can actually test your product or service before spending thousands of dollars! How? First, create a product or service marketing plan with some high-quality images. Next, create a WordPress website and get your site registered on Google AdWords.This will cost about $100 or less.

Once you have this in place, run keyword rich ads for about $50 per day, for a week. If your ads net enough leads to justify the marketing spend on ads, you most likely have yourself a winning entrepreneur idea. Total cost of market testing is around $500. Not bad!

Beg, Borrow, Or Steal More Business Knowledge

Gathering knowledge in a wide range of disciplines is optimal for entrepreneurs. This may seem difficult due to the freshness of your adult professional career post-graduation, but it can be a bit easier in some respects.

After you have a market tested product and/or service, it is time to begin building your network of peers, and most importantly — mentors. You can hop on LinkedIn and reach out to those in your industry and niche. Find entrepreneurs who have made it and send them a message too.

Podcasts, YouTube videos, Udemy courses, and blogs are also very beneficial. You probably will need to get some basic knowledge on the platforms you will use for your business, like MailChimp, Moz, and WordPress. For instance, something simple, like knowing how to fix WordPress errors can save you a lot of time, energy, and money.

Learn Everything Possible About Marketing

Entrepreneurs have a lot of skills, but one is very important for entrepreneurial growth and success — marketing. Marketing is critical to your startup’s success, as well as future business ventures. From traditional marketing to social media marketing, there is a lot to learn, and you need to hone all the needed marketing tools for success.

Marketing is also essential because you will not only be marketing your startup. A lot of entrepreneurship is about marketing yourself. From publication partnerships to potential investors, you will need to be liked before anyone likes your business idea.

Are You Ready To Join The Entrepreneur Ranks?

Becoming an entrepreneur, and a successful one at that, can be very rewarding right out of the gate post-graduation. The road may not be easy. However, it may be the road you were meant to be on. From honing business skills to market testing, take an intelligent approach to starting your startup. What are your entrepreneurial goals for 2019?

Mention blockchain and most minds automatically turn to the cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum that have taken another of their famous market plunges in recent weeks. However, as anyone who attended UBC’s mini conference on the future of the technology will be aware, the highly secure, efficient and fraud-resistant nature of blockchain makes it a versatile tool that can deliver benefits across a range of industries.

The education sector is no exception. While the headlines might be dominated by stories of one student after another finding the right crypto trading platform to supplement his or her finances, the truth is that blockchain is set to change university life in a host of ways.

Maintaining and sharing records

Storing records in a way that is secure, maintains confidentiality, yet provides easy access to those who need them is something of a holy grail in the education sector. Blockchain’s distributed ledger technology (DLT) could provide an elegant solution.  Sony and IBM have teamed up to develop just such a platform called Sony Global Education, and say it will provide a living, constantly updated academic record for students – after all, these days, we never stop learning. Keeping this kind of data in one easily accessible place would be a giant step, but the possibilities do not stop there. Specific skills and qualifications can be stored on a blockchain-based open badge passport that gives prospective employers an instant overview.

Identity management

For an increasing number of students, learning takes place in an online environment, and face to face interactions are becoming less common. A number of blockchain-based applications have been developed, including uPort and Blockstack, which provide a straightforward and reliable means for users to prove their identity in cyberspace.

Improving security

Campus security is a high-profile topic that everyone needs to take seriously. In the digital age, however, it goes beyond patrols and cameras. Universities are at constant risk of hacking and digital breaches. The inherent security of blockchain makes it a perfect tool for sharing confidential data across networks, and companies like Xage are creating bespoke solutions aimed squarely at the academic market.

Data storage

Universities and their students use, create and store vast amounts of data. Cloud-based solutions are clearly the most cost-efficient and demand far less physical infrastructure. Innovative projects like Filecoin are finding new ways to leverage DLT to store all that data securely, and allow enterprising souls to make a little money at the same time. Some are calling it the Airbnb of file storage.

Improving library facilities

Most universities are justifiably proud of their libraries. However, the need for these to evolve is even stronger than in other sectors. DLT could have a major impact in helping libraries to expand their services, for example by building enhanced archives, developing protocols for community-based collections, and managing digital rights more effectively.

Blockchain is transforming technology and technology is transforming education. We are on the crest of a wave, and the university sector needs to be prepared to evolve in ways it can scarcely contemplate to remain relevant throughout the 21^st century.

One of the first things any new UBC student needs to figure out is how to get around the city. Vancouver is a large city, but its immense size and complicated geography can make finding your way around a little challenging, especially if you need to use public transportation.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to get around Vancouver, so whether you live on campus, have an apartment in the city, or are coming in from even further afield, there are plenty of ways to manage your commute — and explore the abundant beauty of the greater Vancouver area.

If you are new to Vancouver and UBC and want to make the most of your time in the area, here are four tips for getting around in Vancouver:

1. Take the Bus

One of the major benefits of living and studying at UBC is the extensive transportation networks that exist to serve the metro Vancouver area. Vancouver’s TransLink network provides students with extensive bus, trolley, and community shuttle services that are both affordable and easy to navigate using a UBC U-Pass/Compass Card.

Bus schedules can be found online, and are regularly updated. While there are dozens of routes that run regularly every day, there are also ten night-bus routes that cover most of the city and guarantee that you can get home safely, no matter how late you need to stay up studying at the library.

2. Use the SkyTrain

Vancouver’s famous SkyTrain is one of Canada’s longest light rail systems, and one of the oldest automated driverless rapid transit systems in the world. The SkyTrain goes from downtown Vancouver to Burnaby, New Westminster, and Surrey, making it an ideal choice for students commuting from further afield.

Not only is the SkyTrain one of the fastest and easiest ways to travel between cities in the Lower Mainland, it is also included as part of the U-Pass/Compass Card program, which means that UBC students can use it in tandem with the metro bus system at no extra charge.

3. Buy a Used Car

Many students will still find that the easiest way to get around the Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is simply to purchase an affordable used car that will give you more freedom of mobility than transit allows.

For those who are new to British Columbia (and even for those who have lived here for years) the best way for students to find their new car is to explore the options available through digital classified sites. Digital classifieds have recently overtaken traditional media outlets in terms of their offerings, and this is how most locals buy and sell used vehicles.

Of course, it is important to remember that Vancouver is an extremely dense city, which means that roadside parking can be difficult to find. Students who use their vehicles regularly may want to download the EasyPark Mobile Parking App to find and pay for parking spots across the city.

4. Explore the City by Boat

Vancouver is home to Canada’s largest and busiest port, and the ocean is a major feature in the life of the city and its residents. Students who want to enjoy all that the Vancouver area has to offer during their time at UBC may want to use Vancouver’s SeaBus and BC Ferries for day trips to the North Shore and Vancouver Island.

The SeaBus travels between downtown Vancouver’s Waterfront Station and the North Shore’s Lonsdale Quay, and the breathtaking twelve-minute crossing of Burrard Inlet is worth the trip all on its own. Like the bus and SkyTrain, the SeaBus fares are covered by UBC’s U-Pass/Compass Card program.

BC Ferries operates multiple routes out of Vancouver’s Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay terminals, taking passengers as far as Victoria and Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) as well as the famous Sunshine Coast.

Students come to UBC from all over the world because for the world-class facilities, dedicated teachers, and brilliant research opportunities. But British Columbia’s natural beauty, and the exciting culture and rich diversity of Vancouver, also offer a compelling reason to study here.

If you are coming to UBC for school and want to make sure you can get the most out of your time in one of the world’s best cities, remember to take advantage of the many transportation options that are available to you. Between the extensive bus networks, the ease of finding a good used car, and the SeaBus and SkyTrain, getting around the city is easy once you know how to do it!

Studying at university can be a stressful experience for students who don’t have enough support. In most cases, such students are enjoying a certain level of freedom for the first time in their lives. Instead of having someone tell them what to do, they have to make decisions for themselves. This can be overwhelming in the beginning. However, technology and the internet have made things a lot easier for students to access information about both their schoolwork and their private lives.

The challenges faced by students are also a concern to their teachers who often try to help. Many professors have discovered an easy website builder for teachers where they can shares resources with students. This is useful because while students may not always have access to their teacher, they can use the website to get updates and recap on concepts.

Below are some other resources that university students can use to make their time in college more manageable.

Attempting to listen attentively in a lecture while also taking notes can be a challenge; especially for students who have just started at university. Trying to take notes during a lecture can take away attention which could result in you missing important information. This is the challenge that lecture capture apps have been designed to solve.

While recording lectures is something that has been done by students for a long time, modern apps allow you to do more than just record. These applications make it possible to capture the whiteboard. Some of them actually transcribe the lecture into words. You can also use this technology to convert images into PDFs or PowerPoint presentations that can be useful for revision.

Students generally tend to be disorganized. This is understandable because in most cases they have just left home where someone else was responsible for making sure they had food and transport. Now, they must plan their own affairs and make sure they meet their obligations. For those who don’t know where to start, this can be a stressful time. This is where student planners come in.

A student planner is useful for anyone studying at university because students suddenly find themselves with many balls to juggle: lectures, assignments that need to be handed in, social lives, and extramural activities. Attempting to keep the plan in your head is a guaranteed way of forgetting an important assignment or test.

Having a clear plan of what needs to be done can also be a great way of beating procrastination. With a plan, you know exactly what needs to be done and when. Consequently, it allows you to learn the lifelong skill of planning your time.

Modern education has moved from a view that students come to university to have knowledge poured into their heads by learned lectures. Knowledge construction has become the norm. This means that students take an active role in building their own understanding. To do this successfully, they need skills to work in groups where they learn from each other’s experiences.

While in the past students had to find a time to gather in one place, technology has also made it possible for students to have a discussion in different times from different places. This can be done using the university online campus or social media applications like Facebook and WhatsApp. The advantage of these groups is that they are generally informal; which encourages participation.

One of the most frustrating things about university is creating a bibliography. It takes time to remember where the full stop should be, which words should be in italics and whether it’s the city or the publisher that comes first. You can ease this frustration by taking advantage of online bibliography generators.

Most bibliography generators have a function where you can save the bibliographies you have generated for later use.

Being at university can be frustrating for students who feel like they do not have enough support. However, as you can see, technology has made life a lot easier.

From the young age of five years old, students are put into a professional academic learning environment that is supposed to set them to achieve great things in life. Mainly, a general professional academic education should prepare students for a higher education institution. College and universities are the final academic preparation step in having students learn about their field before applying their skills to the job. Because monetary values is how humans survive, working is necessary for most people. The new societal narrative claims that going to school and getting an education, sometimes with the help of SolutionInn, will allow students the opportunity to better themselves and their career to make more money.

This type of preparation for some students starts very young in a daycare setting or some type of child development center. For these students they may enter into a learning environment from the time they are infant. For others, they meet up with these students in kindergarten. After going through a primary and secondary education, students must decide what they want in adulthood. For some students, they may pick to pursue a higher education at a college or university. For others, they may pick a career that involves going to technical school or a two-year program. All jobs and careers are important, but in order to pursue a higher education degree, it involved a lifetime of preparation with good grades, a clean record, and a mindset that thrives off a passion for school and a serious dedication for class work.

Those with a bachelor’s degree or higher tend to make more money per year than those with just a high school diploma. Although a degree is not required for all jobs, it is necessary for many professional fields. Some jobs even require that the employees have a master’s degree in their subject area before obtaining the job. The people who claim education is worthless for society often never got the opportunity to get a proper education and therefore are reluctant to approve the idea of going to college when it costs money and a student does have the opportunity to work fresh out of high school. Working through college can be extremely tough on the student because school itself is a full time job while adding more work on top of that can lead to exhaustion of the student. For many students, they have no choice, they must work through school to make ends meet.

College does cost money, but some students see the end value to means. Although it may be a difficult and tiring ride while hustling to get a degree, in the end knowing that you worked extremely hard can make it all worth it. It’s not often that the education narrative includes the naysayers of education, but it does unfortunately happen. Education is the only fight against ignorance. Education promotes research and research discovers the innovations that help advance humanity on the global level. Education should always be promoted and never talked down upon. For those hesitant to get an education, it is generally because someone has told them it isn’t worth it, but it is always worth it.

As the cost of buying land and building homes continues to rise, people are finding it easier and more cost-effective to buy condominiums, especially in the urban centers. Consequently, more real estate companies are opting for condominiums instead of rental apartments. And just like in any other lucrative venture, new laws governing the condominium business are emerging every day, making it important for investors to hire lawyers who specialize in this field of law.

Commonly known as the condo lawyers, this class of attorneys provides legal services to condominium corporations, condominium owners, real estate companies, property managers and buyers. They specialize in a wide range of services, most of which are tailored to meet the standards of the ever-changing condominium market.

Here are some of the common services offered by condominium lawyers.

• Contract Drafting and Negotiations

The preparation of any legal document involves a long and tedious process, which understandably requires the application of a qualified legal mind. Therefore, in order to avoid simple mistakes that might cost one their hard-earned investment in condominiums, it is always important to hire a qualified condo lawyer to help in drafting contracts and sale agreements. These lawyers also help their clients in negotiations involving the sale of condominiums, ensuring that they get the best deals. In this field of law, attorneys are required to protect their clients’ bottom-lines.

• Litigation

When one is buying or selling a condominium, there are important laws and regulations they must abide by. Failure to adhere to these rules can lead to prosecution. To avoid such eventualities, one is required to understand the existing rules and regulations. That’s why one needs to hire an experienced condo lawyer, who thoroughly understands condominium law, for counsel. And in case of litigations, these lawyers are best placed to advice the involved parties on the best way forward.

• Advising on By-laws and Rules

Since condo lawyers are well-versed with the condominium law, they are the ones who should draft condominium by-laws. Since condominiums are owned by individuals who share the same amenities, individual sellers and corporations are required to set their association rules and by-laws clearly to avoid conflict. Therefore, the task of drafting these regulations should be left to qualified lawyers who understand all the legal intricacies that may arise in future. They also know how to seal all legal loopholes that dubious buyers might use to subvert the condominium association by-laws.

• Mediate and Arbitrate  

Since condominiums are designed to host communities, disputes are likely to occur from time to time. Such quarrels may include disagreements between condo owners, sellers and corporations. When such disputes arise, it is always good for the parties involved to try to solve them as soon as possible and avoid protracted legal battles. This is where condo lawyers come in handy. They help to mediate and arbitrate the dispute and come up with an amicable settlement.

Condo lawyers are an integral part of any process involved in the construction and sale of condominiums. But one needs to ensure they hire the best attorney.

The education industry has long been one of the strongest, most positive industries in the world. Generation after generation, students sit in classes, take examinations, and strengthen their intellectual capacity. As time has gone on, however, the sector has found itself in a state of transition that it has not been entirely supportive of. After the rise of technology in industries like business and medicine, the world began to see the disruption of technology find its way into the education system. It began with simple changes like student submission procedures, college admissions, and even new business opportunities in the academic sector such as academic editing services going digital followed by the spread of digitization through education becoming more advanced.

It is important to note that while the education industry is evolving, the ways that we embrace education itself and learn are not likely to change. The disruptive technologies that have found their way into the education sector have only replaced the aspects of education that are severely outdated and no longer viable, and have gone on to strengthen the concepts that have proven to be useful. Technology eliminated the necessity for paper submissions, effectively allowing universities around the world to significantly limit their use of paper products. The same goes for traditional textbooks.

A classic example, however, of technology strengthening an existing aspect of education, is the development of online education. Instead of taking universities entirely online with no cause for students to enroll at traditional brick and mortar schools, technology simply created a platform that allowed individuals without access to education the chance to have it, through online education.

When entire schools began to take their programs online, the development of education technology (EdTech) rose to unprecedented heights, becoming more advanced and more intricate than many educators and institutions were expecting. History and tradition have made some more experienced educators and more established, prestigious schools wary of the inclusion of EdTech in their presence, but realistically it is the schools that are wholeheartedly welcoming the changes, that are becoming the leading institutions going forward into what is largely being hailed as an era reliant on technological advancement.

With the entirely planet going digital, technological advancement cannot and will not be stopped. We are well past the point of return, and the fact of the matter is that we are better off with technology than without it. Humanity has evolved and moulded with the revolution of technology too closely to back out now, and anyone that thinks otherwise needs to take a closer look at the world around them.

There are two reasons why education must embrace EdTech development and evolution. The first is inclusion – technology has allowed the entire world (for the most part) the chance to be a part of higher education, if they wish to. Without technological advancement, this kind of global inclusivity would not have been possible – period. And secondly, the entire world is going digital, and any industry’s refusal to realign and adapt to that fact is setting itself up for failure over time. Technology is the future –  the time to jump on the bandwagon was yesterday. But you know what they say…better late than never.

Technological advancement has introduced us to an entirely new frontier, one that is driven by digitisation and technologies. Seemingly simple aspects of life have been given a new focus. Music has evolved, with the introduction of bone conduction headphones and platforms like Spotify that allow for streaming. Business has transformed in the wake of automation and blockchain technologies. Healthcare has found itself disrupted by digitisation that has revolutionised the entire industry from the ground up.

One of the most affected industries of them all has undoubtedly been the education industry. Technology has been disrupting the education system for the last few years, and there have been some monumentally profound innovations since the dawn of its inception. While each and every technological innovation in the field has had significant impact on the industry in one way or another, the most profound of them all has been artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence is the front runner in technological advancement in the education industry for a number of reasons, all of which ultimately lead back to convenience and efficiency. Emerging technologies in the form of artificial intelligence and machine learning are taking on education tools, institutions, and systems, ultimately reshaping the future of education itself. Like most industries that have experienced technological disruption specifically in alignment with artificial intelligence, there has been a consistent concern among some individuals in the sector that AI implementation will eliminate the need for their presence, which would eventually lead to the elimination of their jobs altogether.

Something that is important to note is that like AI is incredibly smart technology at its core, it is not designed with the intent to take away jobs or take over entire industries. It is inevitable that some concepts of the education industry will be integrated with AI in the future, but the most important thing to note is that AI in education is being designed to collaborate with educators, not replace them. While some aspects of jobs will likely become automated (and some already have been), there are no jobs in education that can be taken over by an AI.

The reason for this is simple: AI lacks – and always will lack – the humanity that is unique to our species. This humanity is something that must be present in all industries – especially the industry that is shaping the minds and professionals of the future workforce. AI can be applied to some tools and aspects of education that help develop skills and testing systems of students and educators alike, and the sole hope for AI in the education industry is that it will work to fill needs gaps in both learning and teaching, giving the education experience a stronger, more reliable format than it has ever had access to. AI is efficiency in motion, and is generally built to drive forward personalisation.

Continuous development in artificial intelligence and machine learning has meant that the education industry has been in a constant state of development for a while now, always vying for greater impact and more permanent inclusion. The innovations that we have seen, and those that are currently disrupting the education system, are just a taste of what is to come. Artificial intelligence is an exciting, forward-thinking concept, and it is being driven further and higher as time goes on.

College should be a great experience for everyone. Deciding to go to college out of a country can bring unforseen barriers that some must consider before traveling to a foreign place to get an education. Aside from obvious shifts in culture norms and learning the differences in collectivistic and individualist societies, language barriers may be the hardest thing one will face when traveling to a new place. Education is first and foremost, communication. College is a communication experience for students. For the first time students are treated as adults and such, are expected to behave and speak like adults, but for foreign students that may not know the language, the barriers they face can feel deafening to them. Not being able to communicate with people in the area one is living can bring about feelings of isolation and hurt. Humans are communicative creatures who thrive in a community setting. One of the best ways to get over this language barrier is to learn the native language of the area.

Foreign students from any country traveling to Japan must learn at least basic Japanese, whether they take classes learn Japanese online . Because Japanese is a symbolic language, it may be hard to read in the case that one does not know even the pronunciation or comprehension of the written language. Learning how to read and write in Japanese can also help in business communication. Business deals and negotiations cannot often happen if one does not possess the skills necessary to speak both languages.

Bilingual people are also often regarded as getting higher paying jobs due to the fact that they are a large asset to companies. Companies wouldn’t have to hire interpreters if they higher workers who speak multiple languages. Since english is a largely spoken language across the world, it is beneficial for english speakers to learn japanese. Although Japan is a smaller country, it is still a large economic global powerhouse. For this reason, japanese is a crucial language to learn, especially if one is a student there.

Foreign students in Japan should take extra efforts to learn Japanese as it holds many benefits to them. First, if a student wishes to order on a menu, read store prices and offers, it’s important they learn the basics of the language first. Since students already have a packed schedule with their classroom work, deciding to do online education can be greater benefit because they can learn at their own pace and on their own time. Learning online also means students can pick from a list of highly qualified instructors. Although they can pick their classes and professors in higher education institutions, they have more options on pricing and times when learning online. Many websites will show how many lessons the instructor has taught before to give students an idea of what they will be like and even includes a biography of the instructor. Online instructors often have their rates listed on their profile so students can search for an instructor that fits within their budget. Foreign students may even see that their education experience is better once they know they better understand the native language.