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It is a natural human emotion (for most of us) to make excuses about why one should not take action.  Not Jack McDermott.  Jack is 21 years old, and he has taken more action than most of us have in a lifetime.  So, what is the difference between you and Jack?  Find out on Episode 024 of MEP!  Guest Bio: Jack McDermott is in his senior year at Tufts University (graduation is in May 2014).  Jack founded Speech4Good, a web application that provides the simple and effective way to practice proven speech therapy techniques from anywhere.  Jack also founded Fluently, which is funded by Rough Draft Ventures.  He also boasts being a teacher/mentor and curriculum designer of Tufts.io, a mentorship-driven for-credit course on startups and technology offered through the Experimental College at Tufts University. Shout Outs: Boundless Learning FetchNotes Book:  Creating Innovators by Dr. Tony Wagner Book:  David & Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell Dinner Date: Abraham Lincoln blog.jackmcdermott.me @jackrmcdermott For more episodes featuring thought leaders in education visit MeetEducationProject.com, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and follow Nick DiNardo on Twitter.

Josh Gales, a graduate of the criminal justice program here at Globe University-Eau Claire, is now living his dream as a police officer for the Somerset Police Department in St. Croix County. This is the story of how he got here. Education Josh began school with the intention of becoming a police officer. His program chair, Patti Salimes, said Josh was a good student who worked hard to achieve his degree. Josh was equally complimentary about his time in school saying "having good instructors who were organized and offered solid coaching" helped him be successful. After earning his Associate in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice, Josh attended the police academy, improving his skills and training for a future career in law enforcement. Experience In addition to the police academy, Josh was hired as a security officer through Per Mar, working at the Veterans Center in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. This experience helped him with insight into security processes and procedures, and it helped him refine his communication skills. Josh never lost sight of his goal of becoming a police office and applied for multiple positions. Although at times the selection process could be long, Josh remained relentless. His advice to students is this. "Keep practicing, interviewing and applying. Get your name out there and get the practice." He now counsels prospective employees to keep an open mind and be accessible to all possibilities. Determination All of Josh’s hard work paid off when he was hired as an officer for the Somerset Police Department. He credits his success to all the experiences and education he acquired over the past few years. As a new officer, he was assigned to work the Somerset Music Festival, which gave him a wide variety of experiences early on in his career. Josh said he encountered all types of situations during this event, and it helped him grow as an officer. Josh is very happy with his new position and encourages everyone to follow their dreams and not give up. Advice Josh also has advice for young people considering a future career in law enforcement. He advises to be conscious of their social media pages and posts. "Don’t post anything you would not want your mother or grandmother to see," Josh warns. "Inappropriate posts can hurt your chances at a good position." The post Globe University Graduate, Police Officer Offers Advice to Students appeared first on Globe University Blog.

This infographic below explores how the traditional education is being disrupted by online education. In fact, 65% of college and universities now say that online courses are a critical part of their long-term strategy. It is clear that this trend is affecting the main stream population of college and university students with 31% of them now taking at least one course online. New technology is fueling online education adoption and enabling it to be very effective. This is why online classes have swelled to enroll over 6.1 million students in at least one online course. Courtesy e-Learning Infographics

I’m Bhavin Parikh, the CEO of Magoosh, and I don’t negotiate salaries. Non-negotiable salaries aren’t about selfishness; they’re not about being a greedy, money-hoarding CEO. They’re about setting a tone for your business and your relationships with employees, maintaining a culture of fairness and respect, and ultimately contributing to the well-being of your company for the long term. Magoosh is proof of that. Our company maintains a healthy and happy culture; we have had zero employee turnover in our five-year lifetime. We’ve also been quite successful with an acceptance rate of over 90% on more than 30 job offers. My employees and I are constantly learning, collaborating, and growing together to build our company. We were even named the 2015 Happiest Company in Education by TINYpulse. Taking a hard stance and saying no to salary negotiation was a scary decision for me, as it would be for any founder or CEO. But ultimately, I knew our company culture would be better for it. In this article, I’ll explain why I disagree with negotiating salaries, what we do instead at Magoosh, and why your company would benefit from taking the same approach. What’s the problem with negotiating? First, let’s be clear. Negotiation in general isn’t bad. In many negotiations you can expand the pie or create win-win scenarios. However, we’re talking strictly about salary negotiation, and negotiating individual salaries can be a dangerous game. As a CEO, I often find myself in positions where I could negotiate salaries for a quick win, especially when it comes to starting pay. I’ve extended offers to promising candidates before, and they’ve come back to negotiate for a few thousand dollars. If I don’t budge in those situations, I risk losing the candidate and having to go through the time-consuming and expensive hiring process all over again. It would be easier (and less stressful) for me to concede. And in a growing startup, it’s easy to think: what’s a few thousand dollars per year in the grand scheme of things? However, even seemingly small negotiations on starting pay—or on bonuses and raises down the road—open the door to a subjective and unfair compensation process, creating harmful long-term effects. Consider these consequences: Two employees performing at the same level in the same role could end up with drastically different salaries. Not only is that unfair to one of them, but if they ever discuss salary, they’ll also feel cheated by the company and by you. Ask yourself: "Would I feel comfortable if all my employees’ salaries went public? Could I explain to one employee why they’re making less than another person in the same role?" Studies have shown that men are more likely to negotiate. By opening the door for negotiation, you might also further contribute to the gender pay gap. At a fundamental level, negotiation sets the wrong tone. You reinforce the belief that compensation is subjective, rather than merit-based. You reward an employee’s ability to negotiate rather than their actual contributions to the company. How about a real life example? Aaron Schwartz is the CEO of Modify Watches and a good friend of mine (so he’s letting me write about this.) A year ago, he faced a common startup issue while giving a prospective employee a job offer. Let’s call him Sam. Aaron offered Sam a range of salary and equity options to choose from. Sam seized the opportunity to negotiate and asked for a salary above the upper end of the range. Aaron, not wanting to lose Sam, agreed to the higher salary realizing it would not significantly impact his bottom line. Sam came away from the negotiations with a certain understanding about how he could do business with his new boss. A year later, Aaron gave Sam a $10,000 raise and additional equity. Sam countered again with a higher salary number, citing that he could earn more at other companies. Ultimately, Aaron and Sam parted ways. Sam was never a good fit for Aaron’s company—he was focused on maximizing salary while Aaron was trying to build a scrappy company where employees were passionate about learning and gaining unique business experience. But by opening up the initial salary to negotiation, Aaron had set a tone that compensation was subjective and could be negotiated. Had he held firm on his initial offer, he may have lost Sam to another company—but he lost Sam anyway a year after investing in his growth. Aaron now holds firm on salary offers and communicates the other benefits of working at Modify. He has not made the same mistake again and neither should you. How do you avoid situations like this? Set up a compensation system that forces you to be as objective as possible. What does that system look like? Your system should allow you to manage compensation—from starting salaries, to raises, to bonuses—in an objective way that’s clear to employees. Let’s call it your structured compensation framework. Our framework consists of three factors that help us be as objective as possible when determining salaries: individual performance, company performance, and market rates. Individual performance: Our managers work with their team members to set goals in several areas including competency and expertise, reliability, ownership, values, and more. I’ve created guidelines in each area so that the goals are consistent for similar roles across departments. The managers then use their weekly 1-on-1s to provide feedback and coaching to their employees based on these goals. The process itself is still a work in progress, but our ultimate goal is that each employee has a clear understanding of how their individual performance leads to an increase in their salary. Company performance: We’ve created targets based on revenue over the past 12 months. As we hit those targets, we provide increases in salary. These revenue milestones affect everyone in the company but have a greater impact on the salaries of those in more senior positions. Market rates: My managers and I review market rates for each type of position quarterly and aim to be in the 50th percentile for similarly-sized startups. (I’ll explain why we decided to do this later on.) Sometimes this means that employees get raises without any change to individual or company performance. Other times we find out we’re exactly where we should be. Determining market rates can be challenging. We stay informed of market rates by talking with other founders/CEOs, using industry compensation surveys from Moz, viewing positions on Angel List, and researching starting salaries at local undergraduate institutions. (Pro tip: use Angel List’s API to scrape all of their job listings.) No framework is perfect There’s no easy path for creating a structured compensation framework. The system will never be perfect and will need continued refinement. But with a set system like this in place, you get rid of subjective salary increases. To make sure your employees aren’t in the dark about these decisions, it’s important to have open dialogue and to communicate your framework. When an employee receives a raise, let them know which factors (individual, company, or market in our case) contributed to the increase. You should also welcome employees to talk with you at any time if they have issues with their pay. At Magoosh, if someone believes they aren’t being paid fairly or according to our philosophy, then we’ll consider updating the framework so that everyone benefits equally, not just the person who broached the topic. In fact, employees have talked with me about compensation quite a few times in our company’s history. Some of those conversations have led to changes in our frameworks and others haven’t, but they’ve all been productive for both the employee and for me. Take on the challenge and try setting up your own framework. It’s tough, but working at it will help you and your employees understand compensation in a larger context. It conveys fairness by rewarding people of equal ability the same amount and it shows employees that salaries can’t be gamed. You’ll also protect yourself from one-off negotiations with potential employees, since you’ll be bound by the framework. You may lose some candidates and employees along the way, but ultimately, your company and the employees who stick around will be better for it. Bonus: Why we don’t compete on salary and neither should you At Magoosh, not only have we decided to do away with salary negotiation, but we’ve also decided not to compete on salary. Now, obviously we don’t try to compete with the Googles and Facebooks of the world (because let’s be honest, what startup can?), but we also don’t try to compete with similarly-sized companies. As I previously mentioned, we aim to be in the 50th percentile of that group, and that includes my salary. You may know that Buffer publicly releases its salary information. Well, my salary and equity are a bit lower than Buffer’s CEO, Joel, even though our companies are similar in size and revenue. The reason Magoosh doesn’t compete on salary is because we want to pay employees fairly but we don’t want them to choose us because of salary. We want employees that choose us for a) our mission: to make education more accessible, effective, and enjoyable; and b) our culture: prioritizing learning and growth for each employee. If you’re a startup, I strongly advise you to have a similar stance. You’ll never be able to compete on salary with the big companies. Don’t try. Instead, set your salary fairly, and compete on the things that big companies can’t provide: transparency in business decisions, opportunities to learn new skills on company time, autonomy and purpose in work, flexible schedules—whatever you believe sets your company apart. This is what we tell people who apply to Magoosh: "We try to pay fairly, but most people at Magoosh could earn a higher salary at another company; they choose to work here because they value the mission, experience, and culture. We also provide compensation increases based on individual performance, company performance, and market adjustments. To date, no one at the company has left for another job-something we’re very proud of!" We’ve had a number of people take over 30% pay cuts from big companies to work at Magoosh because these employees wanted to optimize for learning, not for salary—and in my opinion, that’s a better long-term career strategy. All images created by Magoosh Graphic Designer Mark Thomas.

Since its inception over 125 years ago, Globe University has been dedicated to its mission of providing "relevant, real-world training … to ensure our graduates are prepared to succeed and lead in the workforce." Recently, the City of Sioux Falls has seen the value in such education and is putting their money where their mouth is. Darrin Smith, director of community development in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is fortunate to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. To compound this statistic, the City is continuing to expand its businesses and industries which means capable workers are in high demand to fill a significant number of openings. Yet, what research conducted by both Globe University and the City of Sioux Falls yielded was that employers are experiencing increasing difficulties finding competent talent to fill those positions. Enter the City Council. As part of the 2015 budget process, the City Council included $500,000 to support workforce development efforts within the community. According to Michelle Erpenbach, city councilor, Central District, "Like so many others, we were tired of complaining that more could be done to improve workforce development efforts. This fund represents our commitment to put our money where our mouth is and support local businesses, educational programs and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation in their efforts to attract, train and retain good employees." And fund they did. After the selection committee headed by Darrin Smith, director of community development, poring over 38 applications from local institutions totally $1,932,715, they narrowed the pile to 10 qualified candidates. All 10 of those organizations were invited to present their ideas to the committee and answer a number of questions. Of the 10 applications, eight so far have been granted funding. We are proud to announce that Globe University-Sioux Falls was awarded the full $100,000 amount requested in the proposal to spearhead individualized training programs for businesses that incorporate on-the-job and academic training. The excitement for implementation and recognition of all the hard work that has been channeled into this project since December 2014 currently rings across the campus. Campus Director Aimee Miritello and Director of Career Services Ann Kolbrek. Campus Director Aimee Miritello echoes this sentiment. "The current issues with workforce development in Sioux Falls is not a city issue, or a business issue, it is a community issue," Aimee said. "The only way to tackle this is a collaborative effort from all areas, and that is just what we are doing.  I am proud to be a part of a community that is willing to take a risk to come together for a common cause." The post Globe University-Sioux Falls Awarded $100,000 for Workforce Development Program appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced that it agreed to acquire Scholastic’s education technology and services business for $575 million in cash. The edtech business generated $249 million in revenues and $40 million in operational income in the 2014 fiscal year. Through the acquisition HMH aims to get into a leading position in the intervention market as well as strengthen footprint in education technology, early learning and education services. For Scholastic the sale will help the company to focus on its core businesses. The publisher plans to invest the proceeds of the sale, estimated at $360 - $370 million, into its Children's Book Publishing and Distribution, Classroom and Supplemental Materials Publishing and International business segments. The management team of Scholastic’s edtech business is expected to join HMH along with its 800 employees. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. Further Reading Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to Acquire Scholastic’s Educational Technology and Services Business for $575 Million | BusinessWire Scholastic To Sell Educational Technology Business To Houghton Mifflin Harcourt For $575 Million To Focus On Global Core Children's Books And Supplemental Education Businesses | PR Newswire

Learning Management Systems (LMS) weren’t always the flashy cloud-based software they are today. Going as far back as the 1920s, we have been making steady strides in bringing education and training out of the classroom and to students through technology. The Learning Management Systems History Infographic explores the major milestones in the history of Learning Managements Systems. Courtesy e-Learning Infographics

Globe University-Woodbury Business Law class on field trip at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater. The Business Law class at Globe University-Woodbury traveled to Minnesota Corrections Facility-Stillwater for a field trip to see firsthand the importance of abiding by business laws. "The purpose of the prison tour was to reinforce the fact that there are laws businesses need to respect. In the last few years, the ‘white collar’ crimes have exploded within our society," said Tom Hakko, business program chair and instructor at Globe University-Woodbury. According to Hakko, this field trip was designed to make students aware that just because a manager tells them to sign a document, there are laws concerning false or wrong information. After students visit a prison, they will be more aware of the consequences if someone asks them to do something illegal. "The Stillwater tour was very impressive with over 1,600 inmates. The staff and guards were very accommodating and answered several questions we asked," said Hakko. "The most striking feature was the size of the cells. We think they are 8 feet long and 7 feet wide. Some of the cells house two men." What is Business Law? The Business Law class provides students with practical legal knowledge of essential business law topics and current legal issues. Students learn the skill sets necessary to identify and manage legal issues effecting businesses, including classifications of laws, contracts, sales transactions, negotiable instruments, employment law and landlord-tenant law. The post Globe University Business Law Class Visits Local Prison appeared first on Globe University Blog.

What could happen if we looked at education from an economic perspective?  Well, we explore exactly that in episode 025 of MEP with Russ Roberts from Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the host of the long running educational podcast EconTalk.  Don’t miss this one! Guest Bio: Russell Roberts is the John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He tries to make economics understandable to a general audience. Roberts hosts the weekly podcast EconTalk-hour-long conversations with authors, economists, and business leaders. Past guests include Milton Friedman, Nassim Taleb,Christopher Hitchens, Jimmy Wales, Joseph Stiglitz, and John Bogle. EconTalk was named podcast of the year in the 2008 Weblog Awards. His two rap videos on the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and F.A. Hayek, created with filmmaker John Papola, have had more than six million views on YouTube, been subtitled in eleven languages, and are used in high school and college classrooms around the world. His newest web-based economics education project is "The Numbers Game," a look at data and charts using animated videos. His latest book is The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity (Princeton University Press, 2008). Set on the Stanford campus, it’s a novel that tells the story of wealth creation and the unseen forces around us creating and sustaining economic possibilities. He is also the author of The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance (MIT Press, 2002) and The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism (Prentice Hall, 3rd edition, 2006). The Invisible Heart explores the economics and morality of the marketplace in the framework of a novel. The Choice, a novel on international trade policy and the human side of international trade, was named one of the top ten books of 1994 by Business Week and one of the best books of 1994 by the Financial Times. A three-time teacher of the year, Roberts has taught at George Mason University, Washington University in St. Louis (where he was the founding director of what is now the Center for Experiential Learning), the University of Rochester, Stanford University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He was a national fellow and visiting scholar at the Hoover Institution from 1985 to 1987. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago and received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Show Notes: (:31)  Russ’ Journey (4:00) What is it about the economics of education? (5:23)  Importance of School Choice (8:24)  If you could build an educational system from scratch, what would it look like? (13:37)  Deriving an effective educational model for developing countries (17:10)  What gets you most excited about the future of education & learning? (18:55)  What was your favorite interview on current issues in education? (24:15)  Higher Ed (29:00)  If you could have dinner with one person you admire, past or present, who would it be and why? Christopher Hitchens, Milton Friedman & Adam Smith EconTalk episodes on education that were mentioned: Paul Tough on How Children Succeed Eric Hanushek on Education & Prosperity Doug Lemov on Teaching Lant Pritchett on Education in Poor Countries Ed Tech Shout Outs: Khan Academy edX Contacting/Following Russ: Blog:  Cafe Hayek Podcasts:  Econ Talk Twitter:  @econtalker For more episodes featuring thought leaders in education visit MeetEducationProject.com, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and follow Nick DiNardo on Twitter.