Cultural Communication & Education » People

Why Should We Continue Education?

Admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:14:13 +0000

Education is one the important thing that people should have in their life. But unfortunately not all the people can finish their education while there are attend the schools or college. But in this time most of the people with a good education are very lucky in their life because they can have a better life than others. Here is some reason why we should continue for education.

1. There are lots of people who have not been able to finish their degree or graduation. This is the first reason why some of people want to continue their education. They are a lot of problem that not allowed them to finish their education. Maybe while there are in the schools or college they can not continue their education because they have not enough money to finish their education, etc.

2. It enriches your standard of living. By a good education we can have a big chance to get a good job with a good salary. Or we can work in a comfort environment job and avoid a stress.

3. It ensures people to compete with others in a better way in this competitive society. Most people with a good education have a better attitude while there are competed each other. Their will use their knowledge and skill to reach their dream and still focus to their target.

4. Continuing education helps you get a better qualification. It’s make you become a professional in your job. Why? Because you has learn and enriches your skill by continue your education. The more specific the subject you learn, you become most qualified in that subject than others.

By: Rahmat Dermawan Gulo

Education IS a Privilege

Admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:10:22 +0000

Over ten years ago, I worked in a private school in Nairobi, Kenya. People who haven’t had a chance to travel often have a skewed vision of Africa. I had certain expectations when I got there but I soon realized that I had been misled by things I had seen on TV about all the different aspects of that amazing continent. In any case, the one thing I can say about my experience there, it that I met the most interesting, most motivated and mature students of my entire carrier. These children, from a very young age, were simply grateful for their education.

A few years ago, I met another teacher who had taught on the other side of Africa, in Ghana, but not in a private school like me, but in a little village school lost in the bush somewhere. One might find this strange but she, also, met the most interesting, most motivated and mature children there.

These children, both the ones I met in Kenya and the ones she met in Ghana could hardly have been any more different. Most of my students’ future was pretty much traced already, with their parents’ business to take over, no doubt of a college education and a promised life of comfort. My friend’s Ghanaian students had none of that but loved school and would have done anything to be there.

In a conversation with a very good Ghanaian friend of mine more recently, we both agreed that in both cases, and in Africa in general, people see education as a privilege, so they make the most of it. She, too, grew up in Africa and came from a better off family than the average African, but she never took education for granted. Over there, and in many other countries in the world, it is never a guarantee, when a child is born, that he/she will be going to school. So when you do, you appreciate it.

It is true that the image that we tend to have of Africa is the less developed side of the continent. We see the way people live in the mud huts and overcrowded vehicles and wild animals surrounding villages in the middle of nowhere. We see also kids living in the streets of big cities having to resort to anything they can to survive. These kids would give anything to go to school. But what are the chances?

I read an article a couple of days ago about two afghan sisters who were walking to school one day and got attacked by men who threw acid at them. They were teenagers, going to school. The men didn’t want women to have an education. These girls are more determined than ever to go to school.

Not so long ago in the United States of America, some people were not given the same access to the same education because of the color of their skin. Up until fairly recently, women also didn’t receive the same level of education in many countries.

There are still many nations with totalitarian regimes who do not allow certain books, information and facts to be taught because of their political, religious or social beliefs.

In this country, some parents have to force their kids to go to school. Kids run away, pretend to go to school when they get dropped off and disappear for the day. You hear teenagers tell you that school is boring. A good friend of mine often used to say: “Only boring people get bored”…

In this country, education is served to you on a plate. Of course, there is always room for constructive criticism and improvement. You can always say that it is not as good as it should/could be. But it’s there! Kids don’t have to get up in the middle of the night and walk two hours there and back to go to school. Access is given to all sorts of books, movies, scriptures and debates. Philosophers are studied, even if sometimes they question and disturb. Knowledge is passed on, on a daily basis, it is there for you to receive if you want it.

The United States remains a symbol of Freedom. Many countries in the Western World can pride themselves with Freedom. You hear people in the US claiming their right to Freedom. “This is a free country! I can do this!” Freedom is a privilege, everybody knows that and everybody likes to remind others of it and proudly claims the fact that they belong to a country where Freedom is the basis of life.

Education is the same. It is just as much of a privilege as Freedom. In fact, it is part of it. And yet so many people, especially the ones receiving it, don’t seem to see the value of it. Nobody questions the fact that Freedom is there and is a given. It SHOULD be there. And yet, education is the same. It is there for everybody. The fact that it is given to you doesn’t make it any less valuable. Freedom is given to you too. It came at a price though. So did education. It wasn’t always like that.

Education IS a privilege. Just as Freedom is. Education is what keeps people free. Education is what allows people to think and question and criticize and improve the world. You might think that changes are needed in education now, and I agree with you. There is always room for improvement, so there will always be a need to look at ways to do things better. There are different ways to be educated and sometimes, what you need doesn’t come from High School the way it is now. But whatever form of education you get is useful, if you are prepared to receive it.

Don’t take it any more for granted than you would take Freedom for granted. Make sure your kids know that and realize how grateful they can be to be going to school every day. They get the chance to develop a thinking mind. If you think school is not good enough, then propose your solutions, but don’t undermine it. Receive it as the gift and privilege it actually is.

By: Florence Bernard

Intercultural Communication and Globalization

Admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:50:54 +0000

The need for effective and clear intercultural communication is becoming vital in securing success in today’s globalized workplace.

What is intercultural communication? Notable academics that have become specialized in intercultural communication are Hall, Hofstede and Trompenaars. Within the context of the globalized business or organisation, intercultural communication looks at how people communicate (verbally and non-verbally), manage, work together, approach deadlines, negotiate, meet, greet, build relationships, etc. 1) for businesses with a mix of cultures working together and 2) for businesses wanting to trade successfully abroad. Greater understanding of intercultural communication differences, manners, etiquette, protocol and communication styles certainly leads to a much higher probability of achieving business goals.

Ultimately intercultural communication today means getting a competitive edge. Why?

Video Game Tester Education Requirements

Admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:32:20 +0000

Some people dream of nothing more than being able to become a video game tester. Education can be an extremely important part of becoming one. Video game testers are in high demand due to the fact that it is getting more and more expensive to make video games. Because of this, video game companies want to make sure that the products they put on the market work flawlessly and are enjoyable to play. This is why they hire people to make sure that they are!

Education?

Many want to become a tester and wonder if they need to have a specific education in order to make their dream happen. It honestly depends on exactly what you want to do in the video game world. If you are looking to design games, you will want to study computer programming. If you want to be able to draw and create the characters and background, you should go into graphic design.

Some believe that, by becoming a video game tester, they will be able to work their way further up the ladder in the video game industry. It depends on exactly what you’re wishing to do. If you believe that you are going to become a programmer after testing video games for a year and with no training or experience, you are unfortunately wrong. Programming takes a long time to learn, and it’s very rare that someone who has no training in it can work as a game programmer. If, however, you wish to become a games tester supervisor simply from being a video game tester, that goal is possible.

Writing

One of the best things you can do if you want to be a video game tester is to take courses in writing. Most video game testers have to report their findings in writing to the programmers. If the programmers are unable to understand, what you are trying to write, you probably will not go far. They want testers that they can understand, not testers that have a hard time explaining their findings. This is why taking writing courses is extremely important.

If you take writing courses you can also pursue another avenue of video game production: writing the storyline. The video game companies need people who are able to write the storyline and the dialogue. They appreciate people who have imaginations and are able to explain difficult concepts.

If you’re looking to become a tester, you may want to think about taking some courses, simply to be able to get ahead in the gaming industry. If, however, you’re more than happy playing video games all day, you probably do not need to worry about getting any more training than you already have. Remember, to be a video game tester education is not necessary, but it can always help you if you want to get ahead in the industry!

By: Michael Addison

Better Communication Skills — Silence and Violence

Admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:04:36 +0000

Introduction

Leaders need to seek better communication skills not only for themselves and their leadership teams, but as part of the organization’s culture. Successful change management requires getting everyone moving in one new direction.

People will be talking with one another while you’re trying to drive change. As a leader, you want to make sure those conversations are out in the open so that objections can be addressed and people will grow confident in your leadership.

Better Communication Skills at the Organization Level

What do we mean when we talk about the communication skills of an organization? At the individual level, we know how to describe communication skills. We talk about someone’s style, their subject matter knowledge, their ability to adapt their message to their target audience, their preparation, etc.

In an organization, better communication skills are something we seek to build in the culture. To be specific, we’re seeking to create a cultural norm of frequent, open dialogue. When that’s the norm, people feel safe in raising concerns and objections, knowing that they will be heard.

They also recognize that they are obligated to participate in dialogue, whether in meetings or less formally among their peers. It’s part of their job, making sure they are contributing not only their labor but their expertise, insight and ideas whenever possible.

Leaders need to look out for the two biggest barriers to better communication skills in an organization: silence and violence.

Recognizing Silence

Very simply, silence means people are not participating in the dialogue. Said another way, important conversations are not happening because people are choosing not to engage in them.

Why is silence a problem?

Hopefully you’ve hired smart people. It only makes sense, then, that you want and need the insights of those smart people when you’re leading a change program. Smart people always have thoughts and opinions. When they go silent, you lose the benefit of knowing those thoughts and opinions.

Besides not having the input, when people are silent you don’t know where they stand. Do they understand what you are trying to accomplish? Are they committed to working with you and your team, or do they have reservations? Without clear understanding and commitment, how will you bring these people along with you?

Addressing Silence

First and foremost, make sure you’ve created an environment where it’s safe to speak out. Many people who turn to silence do so because they feel they may be ignored or worse yet criticized for speaking up.

Examine your behavior — what do you do when you are challenged? Do you fight back right away? Or do you give considered answers and act respectful when you disagree with the challenger? Check the same behaviors in your leadership team, and within the organization in general. You’ve got to make it safe for people to engage. Your behavior will set the tone.

If you’re sure it’s safe and you see individuals are still reluctant to add their input to the dialogue of the organization, coach them individually. Let them know how much their input is valued and needed, and thank them when they open up.

Recognizing Violence

In this context, violence can be described as the tendency of one or a few individuals to dominate conversations. When there is violence, there is no chance for open dialogue. The dominators, if there are more than one, may argue their points without effectively listening to one another. And those who are not dominating the conversation will end up going silent, out of frustration or boredom.

So in the end, violence begets silence. How do you address violence?

As a leader, maintain your own objectivity. You’re a participant in the conversations taking place, but you must also be an observer. Learn to step out of the discussion from time to time and assess what’s happening. If you observe individuals dominating to the point where others are checking out, you need to intervene.

The degree of intervention depends on just how “violent” the dialogue is getting. It can be as simple as reminding someone to ease up a little and open themselves up to push back from others. Or it can go all the way to having to call a time out and taking people aside to help them see that their passion is overwhelming others and suppressing good dialogue.

The Result of Silence and Violence

One of two things is going to happen when you don’t have open dialogue in which everyone is actively engaged.

You’ll stall. Some strong people will argue and debate ad infinitum, while others check out. And your change strategy goes no where.

You’ll move forward. Not everyone will be participating, but strong people will drive and dominate the dialogue and the resulting actions.

Stalling will be very clear to you, and you’ll need to intervene to create safety, get people engaged, help break logjams, etc.

Moving forward might not seem so bad, but beware. Depending on just how many people have gone silent, there may be a time bomb in your implementation plan. When things go wrong, as they do in any change initiative, there will be a number of people who will have effectively positioned themselves to wash their hands of all responsibility.

As we noted earlier, just because they go silent doesn’t mean they don’t have input and opinions. When the plan goes forward and they’ve been shouted down, or chose not to engage because they felt it wasn’t safe, they will be in a position to say “that wasn’t my idea”.

Even though such behavior should be unacceptable, it happens way too often. Prevent it by setting expectations around organizational communication, specifically creating a shared value for open, honest dialogue without repercussion or disrespect.

By: Tom O\’Dea