1. What’s a Sherpa?
Across the Internet, the word Sherpa is appearing and I’m sure it is creating much head scratching. According to Webster, Sherpa is: "a member of a Tibetan people living on the high southern slopes of the Himalayas in eastern Nepal who provide support for foreign trekkers and mountain climbers." Basically, you need to focus on the last part of the definition, providing support.
Hence, someone or some organization using the word Sherpa is referring to guiding you through a process or acting as a mentor. Now you have a new title to use: instead of Mr. Jones you can be Sherpa Jones!
Hence, someone or some organization using the word Sherpa is referring to guiding you through a process or acting as a mentor. Now you have a new title to use: instead of Mr. Jones you can be Sherpa Jones!
2. Technology and Dull Kids
Ah, the old days when parents complained that their teenagers spent all their free time on the phone talking with friends. Talk, talk, talk and the conversations went on for hours (and that’s after seeing these kids all day in school). When the cell phone came along, it seemed like the talking would be a 24 x 7 non-stop event.
But, skip ahead to the IM age. That’s “instant messaging” for those of you unfamiliar with the tech jargon. Now, kids can type out cryptic messages on tiny keypads that defy parents' aging hands saddled with lessening motor skills.
They type a few characters and hit send. Get a reply and respond again. And the cycle goes on becoming more cryptic and at the same time more detailed with each passing cycle.
Studying kids with this IM behavior is leading educators to ask if students will suffer from a lack of spontaneity. Conversations on a phone require thinking on your feet and responding appropriately and in “real time.” IM allows you to take as much time as necessary and answer when ready or once you have the “right” answer.
While one may argue that it is good to stop and think about your responses before typing them for the world to see, the “real world” will expect you to think on your feet. Furthermore, what you say should have add clarity and meaning to the situation. You just can’t say “Ah, fudge” And walk away.
And for those who may counter with the notion that cryptic typing will enhance writing skills, that’s a big stretch. Only a small percentage of people have any idea what these kids are writing. Writing is intended to use language skills and be understood by a majority of people. IM is too cryptic to be used in business or academia.
The other concern I have is self-imposed isolationism that IM will encourage. Millions of teenagers will sit in their room and type out messages by the dozens to the legions of other shut-ins across the community. Not only will these teens become pasty white and de-conditioned, but they also will find it more difficult to deal with people. The workplace will become one large cubicle of people who want to be left alone with their IM.
But, skip ahead to the IM age. That’s “instant messaging” for those of you unfamiliar with the tech jargon. Now, kids can type out cryptic messages on tiny keypads that defy parents' aging hands saddled with lessening motor skills.
They type a few characters and hit send. Get a reply and respond again. And the cycle goes on becoming more cryptic and at the same time more detailed with each passing cycle.
Studying kids with this IM behavior is leading educators to ask if students will suffer from a lack of spontaneity. Conversations on a phone require thinking on your feet and responding appropriately and in “real time.” IM allows you to take as much time as necessary and answer when ready or once you have the “right” answer.
While one may argue that it is good to stop and think about your responses before typing them for the world to see, the “real world” will expect you to think on your feet. Furthermore, what you say should have add clarity and meaning to the situation. You just can’t say “Ah, fudge” And walk away.
And for those who may counter with the notion that cryptic typing will enhance writing skills, that’s a big stretch. Only a small percentage of people have any idea what these kids are writing. Writing is intended to use language skills and be understood by a majority of people. IM is too cryptic to be used in business or academia.
The other concern I have is self-imposed isolationism that IM will encourage. Millions of teenagers will sit in their room and type out messages by the dozens to the legions of other shut-ins across the community. Not only will these teens become pasty white and de-conditioned, but they also will find it more difficult to deal with people. The workplace will become one large cubicle of people who want to be left alone with their IM.
3. The Poor Benefit With College Degree
Well in case Einstein missed this one, there’s some documentation that shows low-income people with college degrees will at least earn above the line of poverty. According to The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, 5 years after graduation from higher education, students from low-income families were doing as well as their peers from wealthier backgrounds. The researchers measured benchmarks as employment, salaries, home-buying and voter registration and found that over 86 percent of low income students were earning over $40K. The figure was 90 percent for higher income students.
Of course what the researchers left out was the total debt both income classes of students acquired in earning their college degree. With less financial help available to low-income students, they need to borrow more money to finish college. Wealthier students have less worry about paying back their student loans as their parents provided personal savings to get them started. For many students, college debt is tough to overcome and declaring bankruptcy is not an option.
Earning power is important and college does offer a few more opportunities to people than high school degrees alone. But, it would be a mistake to hype this study as a “way out” for low-income students. First, less than 30 percent of all college graduates are being hired in their fields; in the world of networking for high paying jobs, the wealthy have a clear advantage. Second, the researchers most likely counted professional athletes, a working class that is disproportionately represented from the poor. One pro contract of $50 to $80 million will help raise the averages of all graduates classified as low-income. That much money being earned by one person can certainly draw more people earning less than $40K into the average.
To be sure, higher education deserves increased public and private support as long as that generosity is passed on to deserving students. If higher education wants to champion the end of poverty, then college and universities need to graduate low-income students with virtually no debt.
Of course what the researchers left out was the total debt both income classes of students acquired in earning their college degree. With less financial help available to low-income students, they need to borrow more money to finish college. Wealthier students have less worry about paying back their student loans as their parents provided personal savings to get them started. For many students, college debt is tough to overcome and declaring bankruptcy is not an option.
Earning power is important and college does offer a few more opportunities to people than high school degrees alone. But, it would be a mistake to hype this study as a “way out” for low-income students. First, less than 30 percent of all college graduates are being hired in their fields; in the world of networking for high paying jobs, the wealthy have a clear advantage. Second, the researchers most likely counted professional athletes, a working class that is disproportionately represented from the poor. One pro contract of $50 to $80 million will help raise the averages of all graduates classified as low-income. That much money being earned by one person can certainly draw more people earning less than $40K into the average.
To be sure, higher education deserves increased public and private support as long as that generosity is passed on to deserving students. If higher education wants to champion the end of poverty, then college and universities need to graduate low-income students with virtually no debt.
4. Wow!
The only time my education was interrupted was when I was in school.
--- George Bernard Shaw
GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE
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