The Skills Gap in the U.S. Economy There has been much talk about the skills gap that exists among the American work force with estimates of 3 million job openings unfilled because of the lack of skilled labor.  It is also widely known that the U.S. ranks poorly relative to the world when comparing student scores on standardized tests in

What is a PLN? A PLN is a Personal Learning Network.  A personal learning network is a group of people in your network who can guide you, educate you, and even inspire you with their expertise.  Think of it as a group of mentors.  Your PLN can be people you know or experts you admire that you don’t know. Why

Have you ever walked by someone you swore was talking to you until you realized they had their bluetooth in their ear?  Have you had a conversation with a friend who can’t stop stairing at their smartphone because they are engaged in a Facebook chat?  If this sounds familiar, you have experienced absent presence.  What is Absent Presence? Absent presence

Many journal articles have been written regarding the topic of making learning fun as a way to engage students. However, with the decline of basic competencies seen in today’s student, one has to ask if this is the most appropriate approach to student engagement. Richard Arum, Professor of Sociology at New York University and co-author of Academically Adrift, says, “There’s