by Felicien | Sep 3, 2018 | Education
Happy Labor Day (Labour Day – International Workers Day – May Day)!
You’ve worked hard all summer. This Labor Day before going back to work and back to school, take some time to relax and enjoy one more backyard barbeque, one more trip to the beach, one more night sleeping under the stars, one more bonfire, and create one perfect summer memory. After all, you’ve earned it!
When Is Labor Day Celebrated Around The World?
In both Canada and the United States, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. It’s to honor the achievements of American and Canadian workers. In Australia, it’s celebrated on different days according to which state/territory you’re in.
For some countries around the world, it’s connected to International Workers’ Day that’s celebrated every May 1st. And yet for others, it’s celebrated on different dates that hold a unique significance for their labor movement. Over 80 countries around the world celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1st.
The History Of Labor Day In The U.S.
The first national Labor Day was held in 1885. The late 1800s was in the height of the Industrial Revolution in the U.S. At this time, the average laborer worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Plus, children ages 5 and above worked in factories, mills and even in mines.
On May 11, 1894, laborers in Chicago working at the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike. They were protesting wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. Because of the massive unrest, it caused, and to repair relations with American workers, Congress made Labor Day a legal holiday.
As the story goes (no one is really sure) Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested we honor our workers.
But some believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, was the founder of Labor Day. He was also the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., and it’s said that in 1882 he proposed we have a holiday to celebrate the work our laborers do. At this time he was serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
The History Of Labour Day In Canada
In 1872 the Toronto Trades Assembly organized Canada’s first demonstration for worker’s rights. It was held to promote the release of 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union who were imprisoned due to a strike they held for a nine-hour working day. Trade unions were illegal at this time.
There was such an uprising of support that the house of Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John Macdonald promised to repeal all Canadian laws against trade unions. This led to the Canadian Labour Congress in 1883.
In 1894, Labour Day which had been celebrated in the spring, was changed to the fall to be held on the same day as the U.S. The celebration of workers’ rights continues, and many Canadians take the day to relax, take a late summer trip or get together with family and friends at picnics, fairs, and festivals.
Labour Day In Australia
Labour Day in Australia is held to honor the granting of the 8-hour working day and to recognize the contributions of workers to the country’s economy. Before then, the workday was 12 hours and people worked 6 days a week.
In Australia, Labour Day varies between its different states and territories.
In New South Wales and South Australia, Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday in October.
In Tasmania and Victoria, it’s recognized on the second Monday in March. (Tasmania calls it the Eight Hours Day).
Western Australia celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday in March.
Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrate it on the first Monday in May, and they call it May Day.
On Christmas Island, they celebrate it on the fourth Monday in March.
Labour Day Is Called May Day In The United Kingdom
May Day is a bank holiday in the UK and coincides with Labour Day. It’s also known as Labour Day. It’s commemorated on the first day of May each year.
May Day goes as far back as the Gaelic festival Beltane. In Britain, communities celebrate May Day with village gatherings where folks erect a maypole with ribbons attached that children and adults hold onto while dancing.
A competition is typically held to name one of the girls the May Queen in honor of the Roman goddess Flora. The winner then dresses in a white gown and a crown of flowers is placed on her head. Then, she leads the others in a May Day parade.
Labor Day/Labour Day/ May Day/ International Workers Day
Labor Day, Labour Day, May Day or International Workers’ Day, it’s a public holiday for all to enjoy. Whatever you call it, Labor Day constitutes an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the prosperity of our countries. So, take the time to celebrate. You work hard, and you deserve a nice long weekend!
by Felicien | Sep 3, 2018 | Education
Happy Labour Day (Labor Day – International Workers Day – May Day)!
You’ve worked hard all summer. This Labor Day before going back to work and back to school, take some time to relax and enjoy one more backyard barbeque, one more trip to the beach, one more night sleeping under the stars, one more bonfire, and create one perfect summer memory. After all, you’ve earned it!
When Is Labour Day Celebrated Around The World?
In both Canada and the United States, Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. It’s to honor the achievements of American and Canadian workers. In Australia, it’s celebrated on different days according to which state/territory you’re in.
For some countries around the world, it’s connected to International Workers’ Day that’s celebrated every May 1st. And yet for others, it’s celebrated on different dates that hold a unique significance for their labor movement. Over 80 countries around the world celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1st.
The History Of Labour Day In Canada
In 1872 the Toronto Trades Assembly organized Canada’s first demonstration for worker’s rights. It was held to promote the release of 24 leaders of the Toronto Typographical Union who were imprisoned due to a strike they held for a nine-hour working day. Trade unions were illegal at this time.
There was such an uprising of support that the house of Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John Macdonald promised to repeal all Canadian laws against trade unions. This led to the Canadian Labour Congress in 1883.
In 1894, Labour Day which had been celebrated in the spring, was changed to the fall to be held on the same day as the U.S. The celebration of workers’ rights continues, and many Canadians take the day to relax, take a late summer trip or get together with family and friends at picnics, fairs, and festivals.
The History Of Labor Day In The U.S.
The first national Labor Day was held in 1885. The late 1800s was in the height of the Industrial Revolution in the U.S. At this time, the average laborer worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Plus, children ages 5 and above worked in factories, mills and even in mines.
On May 11, 1894, laborers in Chicago working at the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike. They were protesting wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. Because of the massive unrest, it caused, and to repair relations with American workers, Congress made Labor Day a legal holiday.
As the story goes (no one is really sure) Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested we honor our workers.
But some believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, was the founder of Labor Day. He was also the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., and it’s said that in 1882 he proposed we have a holiday to celebrate the work our laborers do. At this time he was serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
Labour Day In Australia
Labour Day in Australia is held to honor the granting of the 8-hour working day and to recognize the contributions of workers to the country’s economy. Before then, the workday was 12 hours and people worked 6 days a week.
In Australia, Labour Day varies between its different states and territories.
In New South Wales and South Australia, Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday in October.
In Tasmania and Victoria, it’s recognized on the second Monday in March. (Tasmania calls it the Eight Hours Day).
Western Australia celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday in March.
Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrate it on the first Monday in May, and they call it May Day.
On Christmas Island, they celebrate it on the fourth Monday in March.
Labour Day Is Called May Day In The United Kingdom
May Day is a bank holiday in the UK and coincides with Labour Day. It’s also known as Labour Day. It’s commemorated on the first day of May each year.
May Day goes as far back as the Gaelic festival Beltane. In Britain, communities celebrate May Day with village gatherings where folks erect a maypole with ribbons attached that children and adults hold onto while dancing.
A competition is typically held to name one of the girls the May Queen in honor of the Roman goddess Flora. The winner then dresses in a white gown and a crown of flowers is placed on her head. Then, she leads the others in a May Day parade.
Labor Day/Labour Day/ May Day/ International Workers Day
Labor Day, Labour Day, May Day or International Workers’ Day, it’s a public holiday for all to enjoy. Whatever you call it, Labor Day constitutes an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the prosperity of our countries. So, take the time to celebrate. You work hard, and you deserve a nice long weekend!
by Felicien | Aug 31, 2018 | Education
What Are ATP and Safe Links?
ATP is a form of security feature developed by Microsoft for Office 365, an acronym for its Advanced Threat Protection software package that users are able to purchase for improved security features within the program. They are recommended by Microsoft for business use, claiming to help organizations better secure their operations through the providence of programming that verifies the websites used in emails and document files created through the software within its packages.
After the upgrade to Office 365 is purchased and installed, users working as administrators can create a custom ATP policy that affects website recognition and email security features across the entirety of the network. Additionally, security reports can be reviewed to show sources of attempted violations, potentially identifying internal vulnerabilities or violators in addition to providing some groundwork for ongoing security developments and improvements.
The security feature has been increasingly used in businesses since the final business quarter of last year, and now is considered a viable benefit in addition to email account securities. According to Microsoft, businesses should consider whether the software is a worthwhile investment, while users may wish to combine the investment with Gmail accounts to avoid vulnerabilities to BaseStriker approaches to email phishing.
How Can ATP and Safe Links Help Against Cyberattacks?
Microsoft has developed a number of improvements to ATP in an attempt to increase the security of their customers’ accounts. Following their initial development and release for sale, the software has been upgraded several times. As of last year, Safe Links were added to ATP to relate to URLs for the ProPlus documents of Office 365, including those that are connected to Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, Word, and Office apps available on iOS and Android.
In March of this year, Safe Links were improved to be used to address security vulnerabilities involved in emails sent by business employees and users. To better address security violations and potential hacking from all sources, Microsoft has applied numerous patches and upgrades.
As this threat had not been considered sufficiently addressed through previous versions, new upgrades would be considered beneficial to users and organizations. Safe Links were further improved for application in commonly used Office 365 programs for their online versions, better protecting online users of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
The software was further updated to better protect Mac-based ProPlus users. In May of this year, ATP developments have been upgraded as well to give more consideration to color schemes, email details, and site links. While ATP is included in extended Office 365 subscriptions, such as the Enterprise E5, Business, and Education A5 subscription packages, it is not offered to basic users. Microsoft currently recommends that users reaffirm the effectiveness of their purchased ATP Safe Link protection through the maintenance and examination of the latest threat reports possible through ATP, as well as updated Safe Links policies. These explain the extent that the features apply to hyperlinks in messages and files.
While Safe Links are considered a useful and practical improvement, they have security vulnerabilities that should be addressed. They are regarded as a fundamental step in protecting against phishing, but are not considered all-encompassing. Outlook email accounts can experience better protection against phishing vulnerabilities when various security programs are combined.
Avanan recognizes Gmail as being the best choice for use in combination with ATP and Safe Links, although this may change in the future as both security and the nature of remaining vulnerabilities change in line with phishing developments.
What Is baseStriker?
BaseStriker is an example of a phishing approach that currently can bypass even the more advanced ATP and Safe Link developments. It involves the use of an additional tag that the security features of Microsoft alone currently cannot detect. This has led to the recommendation that organizations use Gmail rather than Outlook to safeguard against this aspect as well.
Avanan also recommends that users give consideration to the potential for Safe Links to be bypassed with misdirected IP traffic. In addition, they may have the capacity to be bypassed with obfuscated URLs, and the inability to perceive where email links go.
According to findings at Vanderbilt University and through program use, one of the biggest criticisms of Safe Links is that they create false senses of security. Users may believe they are protected against certain phishing and cyber threats when they are not. Therefore, businesses that fail to use other recommended precautions can actually increase their vulnerability. In the end, Microsoft Office 365 security is better than many other similar programs available.
What’s The Bottom Line?
ATP and Safe Links can:
Protect users from harmful links recommended in emails
Check Microsoft’s database for blacklisting and exclusion demands upon clicks
Redirect users to safety
ATP and Safe Links do not, however:
Provide a universal solution to phishing
Protect against BaseStriker or base-tag HTML disguise attempts
Reduce the overall demand for common practice phishing security recommendations
by Felicien | Aug 31, 2018 | Education
The debate about whether or not tech should be in schools has largely been put aside, technophobes and Waldorf School Curricula notwithstanding. In its place, education stakeholders must sort out the edtech baggage of privacy concerns, equity & accessibility, protecting children from harmful materials and misuse of technology, and how best to develop and implement effective education technology integration strategies.
At the heart of this matter is what’s best for the nation’s children.
The Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology published Reimagining The Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update gives an overview of the current state of edtech in the US and offers recommendations for educators. The report spends a lot of pages discussing the problem of, and possible solutions for, lack of access to hi-speed internet for low-income or rural students.
The “Homework Gap”
The authors note that poor and also rural students face obstacles that will certainly put them at a disadvantage vis-a-vis affluent students with reliable service. To be cut off from the internet is to be cut off from the world. Those students without access to reliable hi-speed internet access slip into a “homework gap.” They fall behind due to a lack of resources at home. This comes on top of the other disadvantages of relative poverty.
Acknowledging the persistent encroachment of computers and other tech in classrooms is relatively easy; finding effective, efficient ways to synthesize traditional and modern lessons is hard.
Go With What You Know
One way to dip your toe in the tech pool is to use tech that’s already familiar to you. For instance, every teacher who is part of the public education system and mainstream society has sent an email. Start there! ELA instructors can have units on electronic communication etiquette and formatting, even including resume writing as part of the lesson for either a general composition or business communications class. It’s information that students genuinely need, and requires computers to teach it. Voíla! A computer-based, engaging learning activity is born.
Single Sign-on
Issue computer profiles to students, staff, and faculty alike so that once individuals sign on they will have access to all of their password-protected software and resources.
Tech Training For Teachers
Ongoing updates in edtech and regular training will help keep everyone on the same page, so edtech must take a prominent place during Professional Development in-service time. However, taking time for self-education throughout the year by interacting on sites like Edshelf.com can enhance lesson planning with inspiring results.
BYOT/BYOD Problems And Suggested Policy Strategies
A host of issues flood in with students using their own personal devices to complete work in school. While no educator should be held liable for the activities of minors at home on their personal devices, the picture gets fuzzier in the classroom.
Bring your own Technology and Bring your own Device (BYOT or BYOD) offers breathing room to cash-strapped school districts, with the trade-off being the slight headache BYOD brings on. BYOD raises the following issues:
Potential Barriers To Interoperability
Personal devices come with personal tastes, in multiple platforms and operating systems. Naturally, they’re not always going to be compatible. If a lesson calls for students to work from their digital devices to participate, look for apps or software that works across multiple platforms – for instance, Microsoft Word is now available on the iPad.
When sharing is desired, students with compatible devices can be put into groups together. Additionally, when developing a BYOD policy, districts may put limits on the types and brands of acceptable devices in order to minimize incompatibility issues. For instance, the policy could specify that any Chromebook made after 2017 is acceptable, and offer Chromebooks for use by students who do not wish to purchase one.
Accessibility and Equity. Any time that students bring in devices from home, the differences between the haves and have-nots push to the surface. Again, allowing only a narrow range of devices in the classroom per the official BYOD policy can mitigate this effect.
Computers As A Means To Closing The Equity And Accessibility Gap
Technology can increase equity and accessibility of learning by allowing access to databases and tools previously out of reach for those in rural areas, poorer sections of cities, and lower income areas in general. For example, offering Chromebooks or tablets to all students as a default, with BYOD as an alternative, gives students without the family resources to purchase computers or maintain hi-speed internet service, a way out that giving devices only to students “in need” does not. More importantly, the difficulties raised by the aforementioned Office of Educational Technology report are completely resolved if students have access to devices that include broadband internet service.
In her article “The Homework Gap,” Clare Mclaughlin discusses the conflict that comes up when tech innovation runs up against the brick wall of funding restraints:
“This past year, Qualcomm teamed up with AT&T and Samsung to run a pilot program at Alvin Dunn that provided the school’s sixth-graders with tablets connected via AT&T LTE mobile broadband service. More than half of the sixth-grade class does not have wireless access at home. With these connected devices, they no longer have to arrive at school 45 minutes early to finish an online assignment or stay later to get through some online reading.”
Indeed, hi-speed internet has moved from a luxury to a real necessity as other information centers presuppose individuals’ possession of it. Not having it now is the equivalent of NOT having a computer in the mid-late 90s. Yes, teachers still accepted hand-written papers or offered more lab time to students without them, but the students who had access to the computer at home were clearly able to plan out the assignment more easily, do more work in less time, and not have the additional emotional stress of having their family’s finances once again interfering with their learning. The same is true of hi-speed internet service. Lack of reliable, consistent access to the internet acts as a barrier to learning and a mechanism of social isolation. Since many services and utilities now run or partially rely on an internet connection, the Department of Education points to 100% coverage in every area for every student as a goal to reach by the end of the decade.
Parental Consent
With all of these great opportunities available in educational Technology, students easily run the risk of having their data compromised or being exposed to harmful material. To protect themselves from liability, software developers may require that students first have their parents give consent via parental email to use software – sort of like confirming a link before being able to receive newsletters from a blogger. In order to save some time and headaches, instructors can draft general letters of authorization for parents to sign. Schools can keep these authorizations on file and submit them in lieu of individual parental consent emails being sent whenever a new app is used. Not all developers will accept this.
Computers (And Apps) Are The Way Of The World
If educators cannot teach students how to get along in an increasingly digital age, then they will, by and large, limp along. Students need guidance in order to understand how to manage the overwhelming amount and type of information, and teachers must be the guides. We let go of slates, and someday, we may likewise do away with paper assignments.
A Moral Imperative
Computers are taking over and there’s no turning back. To behave as though the analog world is not passing away into the past jeopardizes the future employment of our students. As the Office of Educational Technology urges, districts must find ways to provide digital access to all students regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. In order for the nation as a whole to compete, and in the interest of parity, the educational community must adjust.
by Felicien | Aug 31, 2018 | Education
Do you find yourself making a lot of formatting changes to your slideshows? Do you have to constantly rearrange the placeholders in each slide so things look the way you feel they should? Do the color options never seem to match what you need? Would you like to add a company logo or watermark? Then it’s time to look into PowerPoint’s Slide Master tool.
Purpose of Slide Master
Slide Master allows you to make changes to the formatting and layout of the slides in your presentation. You can change fonts, font sizes, font colors, and colors. You can also add things like the company or organizational logos to your slides, or perhaps a watermark for the background. Another key aspect of Slide Master is the ability to format and adjust the placement of the slide number, date, and footer text for your slides. You can also rearrange or resize the default placeholders that hold titles, text, or other media.
Accessing SlideMaster
There are two ways to access Slide Master:
First Way: Navigate to the View ribbon and then click on Slide Master
Second Way: Shift – Normal View button (see bottom right of the screen)
Once you’ve opened up Slide Master, on the left-hand side of the screen you can see thumbnails for the different types of layouts, such as title, comparison slides, image, and others. At the top level of this outline is the master slide. By default, Slide Master will open up to the type of slide you were on when you opened it.
Making Changes in Slide Master
Any changes to layout or formatting in the top-level master slide will be changed in all the slides in your presentation. You would use the master slide to make changes to all the different types of slides at one time. For example, if you wanted to add a logo to the bottom of all your slides, this would be the place to add that logo. You can quickly check how your changes will affect your existing presentation by exiting out of Slide Master.
If you add text to the title or object area placeholders, it will not appear on your slides. This is because these placeholders are for modifying the formatting only. The text will appear only to show you how the formatting is going to look on the final slides.
Customizing Slide Layouts
Modifying slide layouts is good when you need all of a particular type of slide changed. For example, suppose you want to move the caption on an image slide (e.g., Content with Caption Layout) because it is obscuring the company logo you added. Then you can scroll down through the thumbnails on the left-hand side of the screen until you find that type of slide, click on it, and then rearrange the caption until everything fits the way you want it to. When you exit Slide Master, those changes will be made on all slides of that layout type. And any new slides you add using that layout type will also reflect those changes.
Modifying and Adding Footer Objects
There are three placeholders in the footer area of the slides: slider number, data, and footer text. These are a little bit harder to work within Slide Master. You can make changes to how you want the footer placeholders to look, but they will not appear on the slides unless you do the following once you have exited Slide Master:
Go to the Insert tab
Click on either Header & Footer or Slide Number
A box will appear that allows you to set up the actual text for the footer and the numbering scheme, and to indicate whether or not you want this information to appear on the title slide
Once you’ve entered all the information you need to, click Apply to All (if you click Apply, it will only add this information to the current slide)
Many people try to add their company name to the footer in Slide Master, only to have it not show up when they go back to the normal slide view. Remember, as mentioned earlier, that any text you type into a placeholder is only used to show you what the formatting changes would look like, not to add that text to the slides.
Exiting Slide Master
To exit Slide Master, make sure you are on the Slide Master ribbon. On the far right-hand side of the ribbon, there is a button that has an X in it and says Close Master View. Clicking this will return you to normal slide view.
Conclusion
Slide Master is a great way to make overall changes to the layout and formatting of your PowerPoint presentation. Taking the time to learn how to use it properly will make you a much more efficient PowerPoint user and can add that extra level of customization that helps to make your slides stand out.
