Author Archives: Aidan

Is The Drive For ‘Quality’ Killing Education?

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educationIs the consistent drive for higher quality or at least the control of quality effectively killing our educational efforts? It’s a question that has sparked some very heated debates among parents and among educators.

Quality should be the driver of education, working to improve FE at every level. Some would argue that the push for quality, rather than the delivery itself is distracting us from the mission at hand and additionally detracting from the level of education that we provide. In and of itself, quality is not detrimental. It is, and should be an integral provision of education that our country currently needs. With the right staff, and the right approach, we can use quality as the driving force for improved education on every level.

At any level, it’s the quality of educators that will determine the success of students. Lecturers, support staff, educational management and even non-academic support should all be aligned with the same focus; delivering and supporting a curriculum that leads to success.

Before we can improve education, the system within any FE organisation should be analysed to determine its effectiveness. This should involve benchmarking, as well as competition analysis. Benchmarking will determine the capabilities of courses and modules, as well as the support structures around them. Academic results only tell part of the story, because it’s the function of the whole organisation that leads to these results. Competition analysis can indicate where processes are working, and where they are failing. Studying competing universities, polytechnics, and private FE providers can provide insight in to why a particular system is failing, and adapting successful strategies to an underperforming institution can help to improve quality and deliver results.

Quality of leadership will be the determining factor in the improvement of education through the quality of FE providers. Directors, vice principals, and principals etc. will continue to play a key role in the decision-making process. They will offer tips and assistance in strategy and focus, and have the task of driving these strategies through their leadership teams. Through the trickle-down effect, lecturers, leadership, assessors, trainers, and other support staff will all have the responsibility to drive strategies that eventually result in improved education for students.

Because quality is a huge focus in education, from a government, and private institutional level, there is currently a high demand for skilled individuals in all areas of education. Academic and vocational lecturers of the highest quality are required to deliver learning in a way that is engaging to the current generation of students. Apprenticeship assessors and trainers are also required to facilitate learning and grade competency in the trade industries outside of traditional academia.

There is even a need for high calibre guidance counsellors, and student support professionals. These are the people who will be able to gauge the effectiveness of any FE institution, because they are the ones who can view the structure holistically, right down to the experience of students.

A strong leader will be able to build the right teams consisting of professionals from all areas, while fostering the change required that will raise quality in their institution. Are you prepared to raise standards in further education?

As a senior educator, it will be your drive that raises the bar when it comes to quality in education. Whether you’re tenured in your current role, or seeking your next opportunity as a senior FE professional, a market leader in academic recruitment has a lot to offer you. At Morgan Hunt, their vastly experienced education team have the knowledge and inside view of market shifts to help you discover the roles where you can make a difference, or to find the professionals that you need to assist you in delivering excellence at your current facility.

 

The Best Smartphones For Your Online Fun

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Mobile phones are so much more than just communicative devices these days. With Wi-FI available everywhere from cafés to high streets, not to mention the rise of 4G internet, more than ever we’re using these little gadgets to get online.

 

If you’re a little behind on the times when it comes to picking a smartphone, we’ve done our homework on the best smartphones for whatever your needs, from social media to online shopping and gaming.

iphonesmartphones

Social media

 

Shameless selfie addicts and status updaters can doubtless choose a better smartphone than the HTC One for all their social media needs. The phone boasts some funky features for those who like to snap at every opportunity, including a camera with its own name – ‘Zoe.’ Dubbed as ‘ultrapixel’ thanks to its low light pixel performance, it’s great for capturing those special moments. What’s more, its Android interface helps to aggregate all your social media and news feeds into one place, so you’ll always have a finger on the pulse.

 

Gaming

 

Today, more than ever, mobile gaming has increased in popularity thanks to more choice from sites like Uptown Aces. Improved graphics, faster loading times and better sound effects all make for some big demands on a smartphone, but luckily, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is equipped to deal with all of these. The powerful Snapdragon 800 chip has 3GB RAM, giving gamers the opportunity to multi-task, while its 32GB of storage is ample for storing your precious hours of game play.

 

Video streaming

 

With apps like Netflix giving us access to our favourite movies and TV shows 24/7, the last thing today’s smartphone users want is a phone which is badly optimised for video streaming. Thankfully, the T-Mobile G2X is perfect for streaming, thanks to its sharp display and accessibility. The phone features a 4-inch LCD display, guaranteeing a cleaner image with more vivid colours, while it also gives users the chance to play videos on their TV through an HDMI connection.

 

Online shopping

 

With online retail sky rocketing in recent years, it’s only natural that today’s smartphones should offer more secure operating systems in order to make sure users are shopping safely. Generally, the iOS system for iPhones is regarded as securer than the Android due to the latter’s open platform. Malware threats are considerably lower for Apple systems, so you may be advised to purchase the iPhone 5S if you want the latest model – or wait a few weeks and get your hands on the highly anticipated iPhone 6.

 

 

 

Simple Steps To Improve Self-Confidence

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ritaoraFeeling at ease with your body is something many people struggle with. Such feelings can eat away at self-confidence and make it harder to assert yourself in life. Sometimes, other people’s attitudes and messages in the media can make it even more difficult, but there are things you can do to fight back and learn to love yourself.

 

Identify problem attitudes

 

Do you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts about your body when you’re dressing, showering or shopping? Try to spot such thoughts developing and stop yourself. You probably wouldn’t make negative comments to a friend in that way, so why do it to yourself? Instead, focus on parts of your body that you like, even if they don’t seem as important. Practice thinking positively about them and remember that you don’t have to be perfect to be appreciated.

 

Share thoughts with friends

 

Social convention means that often we don’t complement each other enough. If you have friends who also need more body confidence arrange to get together and tell each other what you admire about one another’s appearance. Alternatively, you might prefer to do it using anonymous notes if you’re shy. You might be surprised by how much friends like or even envy aspects of the way you look that you never considered previously.

 

Focus on fitness

 

Even if you’re overweight, disabled or getting on in years, there will usually be something you can do to increase your fitness level. Exercise lowers levels of cortisone, the stress hormone and makes the body look better. You can even do exercises for your face to reduce lines and wrinkles; a sort of natural facelift.

 

Dress to flatter your figure

 

Everyone likes to feel sexy and you can find clothing to suit all shapes and sizes online, including fantastic plus sized lingerie deals. Rather than worrying about what doesn’t look good on you, seek out stores that specialize in clothing designed for bodies like yours, whatever shape you are. You don’t have to look like a model, because in reality people are attracted by many different aspects of an individual, such as sense of humor, stylishness and intelligence.

 

Love your style

 

Part of learning to love your body is about understanding how to see it on your own terms, which involves choosing clothes that flatter your shape and selecting colors and patterns that reflect your personality rather than concerning yourself with following fashion. That way you don’t need to worry about being compared to other people and you can instead focus on simply being who you are.

 

Despite the fact that women’s magazines tend to focus on hairstyles and waist measurements, studies show again and again that one of the most attractive assets anyone can have is self-confidence. Once you are comfortable in your own skin and enjoy the way you look it will show in the way you walk, the way you dance, even the way you smile; all things that will make an impression on others. Most importantly, they will make you feel good about yourself.

 

 

Tips For Long Journeys With Children: Don’t Miss Out On Adventure

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Taking a long journey with young children in tow is never easy.   Aside from the military-type organizational procedures that have to be followed before anyone can leave the house, the actual journey itself can be stressful and leave parents tearing their hair out!  The good news is that there are ways to relieve the stress and keep the journey fairly trouble-free.

keeping children entertained on car journeys

Occupying the kids

 

One of the main issues with any long journey, whether it be by car, train or plane, is that children do get bored.  Anyone with regular experience of long trips with kids will know that making arrangements to keep the children occupied is essential.  When traveling with kids, it is a good idea to allow them to take along a few games or books.  This will help to stave off boredom and is particularly useful when travelling by train or plane where there are usually small lap tables for them to use.  It is important to make sure that they do not get out all of their toys and games all at once.  They should be rationed throughout the journey so that the children do not get bored with everything in the first half hour.  They can pick the toys and games themselves before leaving home, but their choice should be vetted to make sure that they are practical for the trip.

 

Crayons and pads allow children to color or draw their own pictures.  Parents who offer prizes for the resulting creations will find that this helps to keep the children focused for a little longer but need to take care to keep this balanced – each child should win at some point in order to avoid any tantrums!

 

Get a little creative

 

Sometimes a standby like books or travel versions of games like Scrabble just will not keep the kids occupied for long enough.  This is where parents need to show a little creativity.  Children can be encouraged to engage with the journey by talking to their parents about what they can see as they travel – this is a good one for a car journey.  Looking out for landmarks can be turned into a game.

 

Parents can also read up on the places they are going to be visiting and spend some of the journey time talking to the children about them.  It is important not to make this sound like a history or geography lesson – it should be as fun as possible.  For example, a child with an interest in dinosaurs might want to hear about the natural history museum at the destination.  Travel journals are a good option for those who have older children.  Children can describe what they see and add things such as postcards and photos during the stay.  This can be useful when they return to school and are asked to talk about their vacation!

 

Any journey taken with children can be challenging but, with a little forward thinking, it can actually go smoothly.  Giving the kids activities that are relevant to the destination also helps them to feel a part of the trip and not as though they are just along for the ride.

 

http://www.roughguides.com/article/20-tips-for-travelling-with-children/

http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/387689/jewish/TipsforEasierPlaneTravelingwithKids.htm

 

 

Taking Small Steps To Improve Your Health

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Many of us whose waistline is on an expansion mission know there are simple solutions to rein in weight gain. In many cases, a healthy lifestyle is seen as being too much effort, but the truth is that just a few small changes to lifestyle and diet can see a massive difference to health and wellbeing and in most cases you will hardly notice a difference to daily routine.

health, health tips

 

Why is it important to stay healthy?

 

Eating properly and having the right amount of exercise are key to your ability to fight off illness and disease.  The immune system needs the right amount of nutrients to remain strong in order to work efficiently, but it is also hampered when you are overweight and out of shape.  Additional factors to consider if you want to improve your health include the damaging effects of smoking and alcohol consumption.  Both of these can lead to illness and also reduce the effectiveness of your immune system.

 

A healthy diet

 

Following a healthy diet will mean that you are providing your body with all the nutrients that you need to stay in good health.  With plenty of fruit and vegetables in your diet it will be much easier to get the right nutrients.  The recommended daily amount is around five portions a day, but some scientists are now recommending that people extend this to seven portions a day, with just two of those as fruit.  However, if you are one of those people who rarely eats fresh fruit and vegetables, the first step is to include just some each day.  Over time, you can build this up to the right amount.

 

In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, it is a good idea to make a few swaps so that your unhealthy choices are suddenly much better for you.  One example is fries.  Replace these with jacket or boiled potatoes and you will cut your fat intake dramatically.  White bread can be swapped for wholegrain and you can opt for brown versions of rice and pasta instead of the standard white.

 

For some it can be difficult to get the balance right, particularly if there are underlying health issues.  Herbal and nutritional supplements can be useful here.  A good multivitamin can help to redress the balance, but you can also incorporate herbal teas as an easy way to add the benefits of herbs to your diet.  Jasmine Tea, for example, is considered to be very calming and perfect for those who suffer from stress and anxiety, both of which can have a negative effect on health.

 

Don’t forget exercise!

 

Finally, make sure that you get regular exercise.  The jury is still out on just how much exercise a person needs but the good news is that you only have to go for a good walk a few times a week to see a difference.  Exercise does not have to be hard work or boring – take up cycling with the family or even try something like ballroom dancing.  You will be having so much fun you might not even notice the pounds and inches slipping away!

 

 

How To Create The Perfect All Year Round Garden

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gardeningHaving the perfect garden all year round is something that many homeowners dream of, giving them an outside space that can be admired whatever the weather. Gardens created with the varying seasons in mind can be incredibly low maintenance once the initial planting has been done, and offer households a real haven that will attract a wide range of wildlife throughout the year.

A year round garden is also ideal for those who are looking to sell their home; a low maintenance, but attractive, outdoor space can be tempting to prospective buyers, and homeowners will be assured of a great-looking garden, no matter how long their house takes to sell. The perfect garden can be a deal breaker when it comes to real estate; a badly kept outdoor space risks putting buyers off while a well-kept plot, which they can imagine themselves using and enjoying, can sell a whole house.

Planting a year round garden

The key to a year round garden is maintainability; it should make the most of plants and features that will look good in every season with very little upkeep, and it’s a great idea to bed flowers that will come back with the changing seasons without the need for constant replanting. This will give gardens a continual new lease of life and bring bursts of color no matter what the weather’s doing. Narcissi, or daffodils, can be planted in the fall and will bloom come spring. Once planted, narcissi will continue to flower each year, creating a beautiful display of white, orange, and yellow with little repeat effort. Similarly, crocuses, snowdrops, peonies, sedum, and the Siberian iris will return year after year. These blooms, known as perennials, are a dream come true for the year round garden.

Shrubs are a great addition to any garden, helping it to look lush and green whatever the season, while a well-kept lawn can also make a beautiful focal point, and will prove a huge selling point to any prospective buyers. Landscaping is another great way of ensuring a garden’s suitability all year round. Carefully planned rockeries, patio areas, water features, and themed beds can help homeowners to create their ideal gardens with very little effort, allowing them to keep to a strict, easily attainable, plan.

Maintaining a year round garden

It is essential for homeowners to keep on top of simple gardening chores such as pruning, weeding or using a weed eater to maintain the pests on the lawn (we personally use black and decker weed eater), and raking, ensuring that their gardens remain smart and attractive. Even low maintenance gardens require some effort, after all, but it really is worth it to create a space that families can enjoy day after day.

Another vital task is ensuring that garden tools are kept in good working order. This includes storing them properly and taking the time to clean them after every use, and will save money on costly repairs and replacements further down the line. Maintaining tools also means that they will be ready for use at any time – perfect for homeowners expecting prospective buyers. It is particularly essential that lawnmowers, which do the biggest job in the garden, are kept well maintained and in working order; they should be stored somewhere secure and dry, and gardeners should take care to replace parts as soon as they begin to wear.

Online retailers, such as Pat’s Small Engine, generally stock a ready supply of lawnmower parts, gardening tools, and special clothing, as well as advice for maintaining more complex equipment; it has never been simpler to keep a garden, and its tools, in fantastic shape. A year round garden needn’t, and shouldn’t, take all year to get right. However, with a little thought and general upkeep, it can be enjoyed whatever the season and will make a great selling point for any home.

 

 

The Beginners’ Guide To Supporting England

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footballIt seems like just yesterday when ASBOs were being handed out left, right and centre for over-enthusiastic Vuvuzela players, but the FIFA World Cup has come round once again. Even if you’re not that big a fan of football, you simply can’t avoid the hype when it comes to the World Cup, from tacky flag plastered windows to beers and barbecues. It only happens once every four years, so why not drop the cynicism and get involved with these fun ways to enjoy the beautiful game.

Take your bets

There’s nothing like a little competition when it comes to the World Cup, so get your friends involved in a sweepstake and make sure you bag England for the winner. Consider taking bets for the score of each of England’s games – supporting your country could just earn you a few extra pounds. Alternatively, if you want to be a little more clued up about the whole event, download a betting app to keep you in tune with England’s chances.

Think outside the box

Any Tom, Dick or Harry can follow England in the World Cup and keep score of their goals scored – but why not look at the other achievements made by our best men? Who will score a hat trick, which player will score the most goals overall, and can a winger win the golden boot? This is a great way for you to get to know the game a little better – for example, you could brush up on your knowledge of player positions. While a striker should take the golden boot, with comparatively fewer games than national tournaments, it could be down to anybody, so thinking outside the box will definitely make supporting England during the World Cup more exciting.

Get your mates involved

Rather than sitting back and rolling your eyes every time your housemate turns the football on, consider having friends over to support your country and make a game of the event. Get the barbecue going, crack open the beers and turn your eyes to the television – if your mates are more clued up on the beautiful game than you, you could learn a thing or two about the England team. If it’s the blind leading the blind, you could all benefit from getting together in one setting and teaching yourselves some of the golden rules – including the elusive offside rule.

 

 

Frost editor chosen as one of Britain's female entrepreneurs.

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Frost editor Catherine Balavage was chosen by the FSB as one of the top Female entrepreneurs in the UK and was featured in a book to celebrate International Women’s Day. The book can be viewed here. Well done Catherine!

Frost is looking for more stories of entrepreneurs. Do you own a business? Get in touch.