Unlocking the Potential for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Virtual desktop infrastructure isnt new; companies have been creating and deploying virtual desktops for decades. VDI typically leverages local stacks to deliver performance thats nearly identical to user experiences during in-person access.

The process is fairly straightforward: IT teams designate a data center server for VDI, install virtualization software and then create virtual machines that effectively mimic local desktops. The result? Students logging in to local VDIs are greeted by the same desktop setup as on-campus alternatives.

Control is the biggest selling point for VDI solutions. Since virtual instances are spun up and managed on local stacks, university IT staffs enjoy granular control over security, resource access and digital sprawl. In addition, many schools have already deployed VDI solutions to reduce hardware footprints across physical classrooms. This serves an increasingly mobile student population, which in turn offers a ready-made starting point for more extensive VDI implementations.

MORE ON EDTECH:Learn how higher ed IT leaders can drive digital workplace adoption.

By leveraging the as a service trend popularized by evolving cloud environments, DaaS solutions make the best use of public and private cloud resources to manage desktop instances at a distance. As noted by TechRepublic, the DaaS model has all hardware handled by cloud providers. This means local IT teams wont need to worry about maintenance, upgrading or compatibility issues.

Joyner puts it simply: A true DaaS solution is one where youre going to purchase a virtual desktop from a provider. Many will have canned offerings, such as Windows 10 instances that allot specific GPU and CPU resources.

While this means the configuration of specific apps and services still falls on in-house IT pros, the biggest benefit that DaaS brings is flexibility: New desktops can be created and customized on demand.

No matter which approach schools select, Joyner notes, user experience is king. Students expect services and resources to work as they do on campus. If you experience an unexpected lag, latency or lack a key functionality, this will frustrate users and limit the efficacy of online learning tools.

But VDIs and DaaS solutions offer so much more than easy interactions and straightforward access.

MORE ON EDTECH:Learn how the remote learning pivot could shape higher ed IT.

For example, virtual desktops excel at converting unused physical resources such as powerful PCs sitting untouched in computer science labs into easily accessible desktop instances. This is ideal for students who need to access GPU-intensive applications such as AutoCAD, even if they cant attend classes in person.

Meanwhile, DaaS offers the ideal solution for scalability. Since these desktop instances are cloud-based, they can be spun up or scaled down on demand, allowing schools to respond easily if enrollment rises quickly or suddenly levels off.

Both also come with potential pain points, however. According to Joyner, VDI solutions require more in-house expertise compared to the cloud, especially if schools choose to host these virtual instances entirely on-premises.

When considering cost, however, initial DaaS outlay often seems much more budget friendly. But as instances expand and usage increases over time, the price of offsite performance can outpace on-premises alternatives.

Its also worth noting that this isnt an either-or proposition. As noted by Joyner, schools can mix physical and virtual resources if they need scalability but also security. Theres no need to toss one or the other away.

The shift to learning at a distance wont disappear, even as pandemic pressures ease and students slowly return to physical classrooms. Its therefore critical that postsecondary schools find a desktop delivery framework whether its VDI, DaaS or a combination of both that empowers student success with familiar UX functionality, secure access to key systems and effective application of existing IT resources.

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VDI vs. DaaS: Which Virtual Solution is Best for Online Learning - EdTech Magazine: Focus on Higher Education

GLOBAL

Many solutions found in the United States to problems caused or exacerbated by COVID-19 might work in African universities, and vice versa, he told a webinar series on Educational access at higher education institutions in the age of COVID-19.

Held on 27 May, the webinar was the third in a six-part series of public dialogues hosted by the Alliance for African Partnership, a consortium of 11 universities in Africa and MSU. It was titled Dialogue #3 Educational access at higher education institutions in the age of COVID-19 and may be accessed here. University World News Africa is one of the dialogue partners.

Backdrop

COVID-19 reared its head just four months after Stanley previously president of Stony Brook University in New York was appointed president of MSU, one of Americas leading public research universities, with 55,000 students. We are global in our outreach, he said of MSU. We are very proud of the fact that we are a global university.

An alumnus of the University of Chicago and Harvard Medical School, Stanley was a professor of medicine and of molecular microbiology at the University of Washington, and one of the top recipients of support from the National Institutes of Health for research on defences against emerging infectious diseases.

As an infectious diseases specialist, Stanley watched, with his knowledgeable eye, what was happening in Wuhan, and the spread of the disease out of China to Europe, America and elsewhere.

At first he hoped COVID-19 could be contained, as coronavirus predecessors SARS and MERS had been.

But then I realised we were dealing with something that we havent seen around the world in decades. In the past century, the most severe previous global epidemic was HIV in the 1980s, and we are still dealing with it, Stanley pointed out.

I would not have predicted that the United States would lead the world in the number of cases, and lead the world, by far, in the number of deaths. As of 3 June, there were 1,869,013 COVID-19 cases in the US and 107,648 Americans had died.

The response

Two of the first cases of COVID-19 in the US occurred in Michigan. Stanley appointed a task force in February to plan for contingencies. The university quickly went online on 11 March before other US campuses, though most followed rapidly.

Most students left campus, as did 88% of staff. Within two days we were teaching everybody online, remotely. That was an amazing accomplishment, Stanley said, thanks to academics and other staff at MSU. The university continued to host about 2,000 students on campus, including international students.

MSU completed a semester including final examinations, and held a virtual commencement for students. It was a sea change and yet everybody responded well.

Some access and equity challenges

Not everything went perfectly, however. The university has been addressing issues around inequality and access as they arise and there have been more issues than anticipated.

Being off-campus and working fully online has been a huge challenge, especially for economically disadvantaged students with home situations that are unconducive to learning or getting online as has happened almost everywhere, and certainly in Africa.

MSU provided some equipment to students in need, and there have been major financial aid programmes. It is also allowing some students to remain on campus, where they can access wi-fi, and where students have the social interactions that are so important.

The pandemic in America has had disparate effects on populations. For instance, African Americans represent about 14% of the population in Michigan but people of colour have suffered 40% of deaths from COVID-19. This is a terrible thing, said Stanley, pointing to serious problems with healthcare and poverty in the United States.

Many students have had to deal with both disruption of their education and devastation of their families.

The financial consequences of the pandemic have been extraordinary in the US. Aside from income losses hitting universities, there have been financial consequences for students, many of whom have lost employment, as have family members.

Weve frozen tuition [fees] for the coming years so there is no increase in cost for students, Stanley said. MSU has been working very hard to access government and institutional funds. It has found work for students who had lost employment, in areas supporting post-COVID activities.

Stanley outlined an interesting access and equity initiative at MSU that helped students desperate for income as well as disabled students who were facing difficulties with online learning. Hard-up students were employed to caption online courses for the hearing impaired, and to narrate courses and charts for the visually impaired, to improve course quality.

Staff overload

The problem of staff overload, which many universities faced pre-COVID-19, has only escalated. This is a really challenging issue for us, and it has been complicated by the fact that many of our faculty are working from home as well, and they have children they are having to care for at the same time they are doing their faculty duties, Stanley said.

In response, the university has tried to set up support services for staff. Also: Were trying to be very understanding about things like the tenure clock. A year has been added to the process so academics on the tenure track dont have to worry about fulfilling all the requirements during this stressful and distracting time.

Further, faculty have themselves been very good, setting up online chat sessions so they can decompress after courses, and coffee breaks to help provide moral support.

Quality and sharing

Last year MSUs College of Education was ranked first in the world for education by ShanghaiRankings Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. This year US News & World Report also ranked the college first in the US for four graduate programmes in education and rehabilitation counselling.

The college has been an extraordinary asset, said Stanley. Its expertise has been helping to ensure that online education is of high quality.

He was asked by webinar moderator Professor Paul Zeleza vice-chancellor of the United States International University-Africa, in Kenya about the extent to which MSU had been participating in open education resources development, and whether it was willing to freely share academic resources it developed especially those supported by public funding.

Stanley said MSU was already sharing best practices as well as resources that can make a difference.

Over the COVID-19 period, for example, one of the USs most popular massive open online courses or MOOCs has been a very short course (under 20 minutes) for teachers on how to do school teaching online, produced by the College of Education.

Further, MSU has a public radio and television station that among other things is used to provide educational content for schools across Michigan, which has a population of some 10 million people, as part of its resource-sharing role.

Stanley said sharing fully online courses was feasible, but sharing might be more difficult with hybrid courses, which most are likely to be in future. Providing course resources, along with what is expected from the in-person component, might make sharing possible.

The future

MSU has been thinking hard about what to do going forward, said Stanley.

Among other things, it has encouraged more online learning for students over the summer months more than ever before. There has been extensive training of faculty on how to teach more effectively online. Research is getting back on track and MSU has 50 new research projects devoted to COVID-19.

The university has been planning for the autumn or fall semester.

We are looking at ways in which we can safely open. Michigan has done well controlling the spread of COVID-19, presenting an opportunity to start bringing people back to campus.

Everybody on campus will be required to wear a mask indoors or outdoors. Well try to keep people six feet apart. MSU will hold hybrid classes, and some that are purely online.

The most vulnerable population on our campus is faculty and staff because they are older folks. About a third of faculty are over the age of 50 at MSU, which puts them in a higher risk group in dealing with coronavirus infection. We have to make sure they are protected.

The university is looking at ways to provide protection in classrooms, and might introduce some classes outside when the weather is good. It will no longer be practical to have very large classes; even with masks the risk would be too high at MSU there can be more than 500 people in a class.

We will be cutting those classes down in size, having sections of them that can be face-to-face but the lectures themselves would be delivered asynchronously or remotely if thats what we have to do, Stanley told the webinar.

The university is adjusting its academic calendar, shortening the semester to some extent, and having some points of study that are purely online. The best solution going forward, Stanley believes, will be a form of hybrid teaching and learning combining new and improved online resources with the face-to-face provision that is so valuable and valued by students.

More here:
Universities face common problems They need to share information - University World News

Public education as we know it is in crisis. As an educator for over 15 years, and now a mom of three school-aged children, this is a topic that I have experienced over many years of my life.

Public schools are the backbone of our society. Not only do they educate all children, they serve to feed them, give them a stable routine and often act as a social safety net to prevent things such as child abuse and human trafficking. Both of these are thought to be on the rise due to schools being closed during quarantine. I have fed my students, taken them shopping and provided emotional support to their parents struggling with personal issues. Teachers do more than just teach.

Teachers, however, have become scapegoats, criticized for having summers off and told how to do their jobs by people who have never run a classroom. Many people believe that, because they once attended school, they know the ins and outs of a modern-day classroom. If they were to spend a day inside one, they would see that many things have changed.

Classrooms are crowded and cramped. Many do not have running water or soap. Little hands are rarely washed. Some classes have insect problems or mold in the walls. Most classrooms prior to COVID-19 were not even cleaned every day or deep cleaned once a week. Many schools do not have a nurse on duty each day. Oftentimes, school staff or volunteers fill in while doing their other work to help sick children. Working parents who cant miss work often send their sick kids to school, hoping that they can make it through the day. Some kids come to school hungry and sometimes have their only meals at school. Teachers spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of their own meager salaries to help. Most supplies in the classroom are shared and touched by many hands all day long. Cuts to educational budgets have hurt schools from their staff to their supplies to their buildings and grounds. In the fifth largest economy in the world, California should have amazingly funded schools, but we dont.

COVID-19 has been like squeezing lemon juice into a gaping wound for education and parents. Almost overnight, schools closed, kids were home, teachers scrambled to support students with online learning and parents now see no end in sight. As a former teacher, homeschooling has been relatively seamless for me, with some frustration regarding new technology. Some teachers are home with their own kids and also teaching their students. But parents without career educational experience have seen their lack of this laid bare. Not to mention, children often listen more to their teacher than their own parents.

Parents have had newfound appreciation for their childs teacher and also some frustrations. When you are so closely tied to your childrens teachers, you see their differences, their strengths, as well as their shortcomings. Some parents complain about too much work, some not enough work and others simply want their children to be busy all day. Alas, it may be hard to please everyone.

The reality is, a lot of the school day involves transitions between academics, story time, art, recess, lunch and so on. The academics of a school day can be done at home in two to three hours. But that is not enough to allow parents to work eight or more hours a day while their kids are home. And therein lies the push for schools to open.

Whether it is safe to physically reopen remains to be seen, as we anxiously watch other countries with fewer deaths beginning to open schools. We cannot, however, continue to compare ourselves to other countries that have led on this issue, when the United States very clearly has not. Schools are germ factories even when it is not flu season. The logistics and costs to implement the cleaning and safety measures necessary to maintain a semblance of cleanliness feel very out of reach. Especially when our governor has proposed even further cuts to Californias education budget due to a lack of federal funding as well. Schools that were already struggling financially in pre-COVID times.

We need creativity, flexibility and funding to get us out of this mess. Parents who have the experience or can afford to keep their kids home, should. Not to make guinea pigs of children who must be in school due to parental finances, but to make space and room for those who need to. Credentialed teachers who arent currently teaching in a classroom, like me, can take in other children with their own, under the online enrollment of their neighborhood school.

Schools need to enlist volunteers or rearrange budgets for more aides to assist in cleaning and sanitation. Handwashing stations, hand sanitizer, masks and anti-viral wipes must be supplied to every school. Those who can help financially, should.

Parents need schools to give us options. A hybrid model of in-classroom and online education would enable the most flexibility, and would serve as a cushion should we have to go back into quarantine. I know just as many parents who plan to keep their kids home as those who want to send them to school and neither should be judged. Parents need reliable internet, tech support and to understand that one size fits all has never worked for all kids and families. This has been made even more evident by switching to online schooling.

Teachers need reliable internet, training, better pay and grace as they navigate a career that has been turned upside down. School districts must move fast with solid, executable, flexible plans before we lose many students to online charter schools, and thus funding, and hereby end public education in this state. This is an emergency, and there must be a path forward.

Wendy Wheatcroft is a mom of three, an educator and gun violence prevention advocate.

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Schools Need Flexibility and Funding to Navigate the Coronavirus Threat - Voice of San Diego

Teachers of 2020, congratulations on a job well done. Most K-12 ceremonies are called graduation, which means step. College ceremonies, by contrast, are known as commencement, or beginning. As college ends, a new chapter starts. A chapter like none that has come before will soon begin, not only for professional teachers of Texas like me, but for the millions of parents who have been supervising their childrens education from home when schools were closed.

All we can be certain of is that next year will not look like this year. It certainly wont look like last fall, with classrooms full of kids learning and eating and playing together. It wont look like the rapid unplanned shutdown of this spring, either. We dont really know yet what fall classes will be like, but we can be sure that more change is coming.

What have we learned this year? Education depends on fostering personal connections among students and their instructors in order to transform information into knowledge. That is true no matter how many students we have or what format we teach in.

Teachers know how to do this in face-to-face classrooms. Parents know how to do it in raising their children. For all of us, migrating abruptly to an online teaching environment in the middle of a pandemic strained our skills to the breaking point. There were many losses, failures and frustrations along the way.

Even so, a lot of things went well. We figured out how to use videoconferencing, although youre still muted is now a fixture of classroom dialogue. We got better at organizing and delivering online educational materials. We devised new ways to test what students could do. But improved access to information is not enough to work the magic of turning information into knowledge.

Much of that transformation depends on keeping students engaged. Some students can thrive while working on their own, but most rely on their teachers to create structure and motivation. In fact, teaching is like parenting in this regard. Sometimes kids dont really care about what were asking them to do. But they do it anyway because they dont want to disappoint us or their fellow students. Almost despite themselves, they fall into the habit of doing their work, and they learn.

This dependence on teachers entails a solemn responsibility. It is our job to believe in our students even or especially when they dont believe in themselves. To cheer them on, to sympathize with their struggles, and to show them the way forward. We know this because in these difficult months, students have thanked us again and again for believing in them. For caring about them as people and for believing that they can succeed.

Whether our teaching succeeds in the fall will depend largely on how well we are able to create those bonds outside of face-to-face classrooms.

For most of us, that is a work in progress. Teachers will need more time and training to learn how to do this effectively online. Parents need more flexibility and recognition than ever before about their impossible balancing act of parenting, working, and now teaching as well.

Our usual methods of educational assessment focus on information, not knowledge. They do not reward the teacher who spends as much time reaching out to struggling students as in developing instructional videos. They do not recognize the student who learns both course material and life skills by persisting in a tough class. Yet that is how education truly succeeds or fails, now more than ever.

What will happen this fall? Will we have the resources to connect with our students in our future classrooms? Will the ways we measure success reflect the ways we are teaching now, and the challenges that students are facing?

Our next chapter will be about those questions. The experiences of the Teachers of 2020 should play a key role in coming up with the answers.

Deborah Beck is an associate professor of classics at The University of Texas at Austin.

A version of this op-ed appeared in the San Antonio Express News, Waco Tribune Herald, Austin American Statesman and the Lubbock Avalanche Journal.

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Let's Salute Our Teachers With a Deeper Understanding of What 'Education' Means - UT News | The University of Texas at Austin

TURKEY

In the process, the way universities provide education has also been affected and changed. The walls of universities have been demolished. What we used to know about the university was not only about how lectures took place, but also that it involved social proximity between the lecturer and the learner. Now it has become more flexible and complex. In this new landscape where basic definitions are totally new, quality assurance and accreditation has become an important tool.

Quality assurance in the coronavirus age

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, quality assurance measures have been taken everywhere and new arrangements have been made. In Turkey, as a preliminary action, the Coronavirus Science Board was established by the Ministry of Health. In line with the suggestions of the Science Board, the Council of Higher Education (YOK) announced that formal education was temporarily suspended in higher education institutions and all programmes would be carried out using open and distance education.

The Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (THEQC) also closely followed developments arising from the pandemic. In the midst of this, staff are working in shifts during office hours and the Council has been able to maintain all its activities by using online meeting tools with Council members, commissions and national accreditation agencies. As a modern governmental institution, THEQCs nationwide processes and procedures are streamlined and accessible online with almost no paperwork required.

We have closely monitored the decisions, adaptations and new practices created by international quality assurance agencies during the pandemic. THEQCs staff and Council members have attended several international webinars and consultations. In this way, we have observed that some agencies have adopted a flexible approach to external evaluation and accreditation practices, while others have attempted to conduct virtual site visits. These have informed THEQCs approach to quality assurance at this time of great uncertainty.

Guidance for distance education

Given the transition to distance education in all higher education programmes, assuring its quality has become an urgent priority.

Although the ultimate goal is the same in both face-to-face and distance education systems, the two systems differ in terms of learning environment and interaction (learner-instructor, learner-material, learner-learner and learner-institution). In distance education, different approaches and methods are required for teaching processes to achieve their goals and for learners to acquire the targeted competencies.

Therefore, higher education institutions should approach distance education not only as a mere transfer of courses and other educational services into online environments, but as a differentiation in approaches and methodologies. How can we implement more student-centred, performance-oriented and competence-based teaching processes within the context of distance education? is the main question that should be asked in this differentiation process.

For that reason, higher education institutions should inform and train the teaching, administrative and IT staff who will contribute to distance education processes with this in mind, improve their distance learning management and content development sub-systems in accordance with these approaches and methods and organise training activities to help learners adapt to this new approach.

In this respect, the THEQC aims to guide higher education institutions on the components, principles and quality indicators of the quality assurance systems in distance education. Through its guide, Distance Education and Quality Assurance System in Higher Education, higher education institutions are provided with a variety of support, including sections on:

As part of the second-largest higher education system in Europe, Turkish higher education institutions are keen to ensure the quality of their courses is on a par with the rest of the world.

THEQC aims to become a quality assurance organisation that can adapt to changing global dynamics while taking national priorities into account. It has therefore taken a major step in its internationalisation strategy by granting international membership during the pandemic.

By expanding its boundaries and connections to Europe with ENQA [the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education] and INQAAHE [International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education] memberships, to Asia Pacific Region with APQN [Asia-Pacific Quality Network] membership, to America with CIQG/CHEA [Council for Higher Education Accreditation International Quality Group] membership, the THEQC is now linked to the rest of the world. With these connections and under the guidance of THEQC, we hope that new horizons are opening for Turkish higher education and its quality assurance work.

Professor Dr Muzaffer Elmas is the president of the Turkish Higher Education Quality Council, the national independent agency for quality in higher education in Turkey.

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Adapting quality assurance to the grand switch online - University World News

On June 4, filmmaker Aashiq Abu bought five new television sets. Now, none of these were for Aashiq's personal use, instead, he donated all of them to the SFI and the DYFI, as part of their TV Challenge. Since the time the Kerala government decided to reopen all its schools online, the two organisations, the student and youth wings of the ruling CPM have been asking people around the state to donate television sets, mobiles and other gadgets, to be distributed to school students who do not have access to these.

In a first, the Kerala government decided to conduct online lessons for all the government school students in the state through its Kerala Infrastructure Technology for Education programme. The lessons were also broadcast on the government's Victers channel. However, despite wide appreciation, the programme was criticised as the state still has a digital divide to bridge. For instance, a survey by the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan states that 2.61 Lakh students in Kerala have no access to technology or television sets.

"Bridging the digital divide is what the TV challenge aims at," says V P Sanu, National President, SFI. "People who have extra gadgets can give them to the SFI and it will then be distributed to the needy students through local bodies," he says. The challenge began on June 1.

Recently, the SFI protested the decision of the University of Delhi to conduct classes online. Activists had created a twitter storm and even conducted a demonstration, maintaining physical distancing. Sanu tells us that SFI, in principle is still against online education and the digital divide. "We are against the digital divide in all states. However, here, we are doing our bit to bridge the divide. Instead of imposing classes strictly online, the Kerala government also decided to broadcast the same lessons through TV, aiming at a wider reach." says Sanu. "In 2001, only 36 per cent of Kerala households had TVs. This spiked to 78 per cent in 2011. The numbers would have obviously gone up in 2020," he adds.

The government of Kerala had also said that the classes will be run for two weeks on a trial basis. Commenting on this, Sanu says, "This allows us time to identify the magnitude of the problem. We hope to distribute as many gadgets as possible in a short period. We are also aiming to provide television sets to be placed in common spaces in Adivasi and tribal colonies and help people with connectivity," he adds.

See original here:
We are against online education and digital divide: VP Sanu on why SFI started its TV Challenge - EdexLive

MAUMEE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As most brick-and-mortar schools around the country struggled to become fully integrated online this past spring due to coronavirus, Ohio Digital Learning School (ODLS), an online public school serving students in grades 9-12 ages 16-21 throughout the state, will cap off their school year by celebrating the Class of 2020 in an online-only commencement ceremony.

ODLS is inviting all families and friends worldwide to join the celebration.

This year, ODLS will graduate 100 students. Collectively, the class reports having been accepted to colleges and universities across Ohio and beyond, including: University of Kentucky, Kent State University, Cuyahoga Community College, The Ohio State University, and Columbus State Community College.

Every day our students work hard to further their education journey, said ODLS Head of School Kathleen Harkless. Through all of the challenges of this year, our students have demonstrated their commitment to success. Were excited to celebrate their dedication with our virtual commencement ceremony.

Samantha Marcos Martinez is the Valedictorian and plans to attend a phlebotomy program in the fall. From there, she plans to pursue a degree in nursing or become a Physician Assistant. Marissa Howard is the Salutatorian and plans to pursue a degree in nursing. These students, as well as Ms. Harkless, will be available for media interviews.

ODLS is a Department of Education designated Dropout Prevention and Recovery School. Students at ODLS receive an individualized career plan to identify their strengths and areas of improvement, access to exceptional programs to help at-risk students catch up and excel, and a robust online curriculum that engages and inspires students.

Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: Ohio Digital Learning School 2020 Graduation Ceremony WHEN: Monday, June 8, 2020, 6:00 PM WHERE: Link available upon request CONTACT: For any questions, please contact Kathleen Harkless at kharkless@k12.com

About Ohio Digital Learning School

Ohio Digital Learning School (ODLS), authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools, is a tuition-free online public-school serving students in grades 9 through 12. As part of the Ohio public school system, ODLS is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nations leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about ODLS, visit odls.k12.com

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Turning the Tassels on COVID-19: Ohio Digital Learning School Celebrates Class of 2020 with Online Commencement Ceremony - Business Wire

Carol Cloud Bailey, Special to TCPalm Published 10:00 a.m. ET June 3, 2020

Simpson Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) is native to South and Central Florida, Mexico, and the West Indies. It is sometimes used as a replacement for Ficus in formal hedges. The frequent pruning required to shape it into a square, formal hedge stresses the plants, making them more susceptible to pests such as caterpillars and Guava rust disease.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED BY CAROL CLOUD BAILEY)

Recently, the topics of this column have been about caterpillars, pests, native plants, and appropriate management. It seems to me there is much misinformation about gardening, landscaping, plants, and how to manage in Florida. It is different here; we grow things at different times than most of the country and plants grow the entire year instead of for a few months.

I often receive email disagreeing with what I have written in this column. Nothing wrong with that, I often learn from such email as it prompts me to read, talk to qualified experts, and observe local conditions. If I find Im wrong, I endeavor to say so reporting the correct information.

However, I have learned nothing changes folks long held thoughts of old wives tales, myths, and the my neighbor says/does syndrome better than a good education. The best way to grow a beautiful lawn, tree, cutting garden, container full of veggies, or anything else is to simply start, armed with the best research-based information available.

While many of us are still spending a lot of time at home, why not try out online education about gardening? I suggest you try some tailored to Florida conditions and backed by qualified resources and research. Here are a few to check out.

Simpson Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) is native to South and Central Florida, Mexico, and the West Indies. It is sometimes used as a replacement for Ficus in formal hedges. The frequent pruning required to shape it into a square, formal hedge stresses the plants, making them more susceptible to pests such as caterpillars and Guava rust disease.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED BY CAROL CLOUD BAILEY)

Native Plants of South Florida (https://nativeplantclass.weebly.com/lesson-1.html) is an online class built by friends Dr. George Rogers and John Bradford. Every so often George and John offer this course as an instructor-attended course. However, it is also built for self-paced instruction and is free to do so. Please be aware no instructor will be present to look over the images requested for the class or answer questions. You will learn all about the plants for this area and the proper place for growing.

The Florida Museum on the campus of the University of Florida is presenting Gardening for Pollinators online (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/events/blog/gardening-for-pollinators-2020/). The course is self-paced and takes about 45 days to complete. The course focuses on bees and butterflies and how to create and manage gardens to support them. The cost of the course is $15 dollars and it is available through August.

Florida Gateway College in Lake City offers Horticulture Certificates online for a more involved horticultural education. Check out the wide variety of available courses at https://www.fgc.edu/discover/academic-programs/horticulture-and-landscape/. This is a state college and may require admission and course cost are per credit hour.

We also have institutions of higher education close by where in-class or online education opportunities are available. Indian River State College and Palm Beach State Collegehave horticulture programs and classes are registering now.

Each of Floridas 67 counties has a branch of the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences Extension Service. Some Extension Offices are presenting online course and seminars taught by the local Agent or Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners are trained by the University of Florida experts and work out of these offices. Check out http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ for publications, programs, and info on finding the local Extension Office.

Gardening myths, misinformation, and old practices are rampant in the landscape and gardening world, beat the heat, join a class, or virtually visit the local Extension Office and get the lowdown on doing it right.

Carol Cloud Bailey is a landscape counselor and horticulturist. Send questions to carol@yard-doc.com or visit yard-doc.com for more information.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tcpalm.com/story/life/columnists/carol-cloud-bailey/2020/06/03/florida-gardening-take-advantage-these-online-courses/5314220002/

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Gardening in Florida: Education is the key to gardening correctly - TCPalm

Sunday was the last day for late northbound migrants, so the only rare bird for this week was a pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, which should have been gone for at least a week. They were clearly adult breeding birds. Bravo!

The next large group of migrants should include southbound shorebirds, which will likely be running late this year due to good weather in their northern breeding territories.

Payne County also usually manages at least one Wood Thrush that spends the summer, so perhaps this will be the next eastern bird to breed here. Generally, all thrushes seem to have an interest in Oklahoma, so time will tell.

It certainly was an eventful month, with plenty of birds that we do see, as well as those that we rarely see.

Boomer Lake has been a virtual hotbed of activity with young birds that are now learning their way in the world. We have juvenile Northern Cardinals, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Great-tailed Grackles and Brown Thrashers.

Plenty of other species still have young in the nest, which includes both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, all of which are nesting in the same trees. This writer has not been bothering the Green Herons, which should have young by now, as should Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Great Crested Flycatcher. Prothonotary Warblers are also in a family way, as should be many others. Others still are on their second set of young.

We shared space this year with plenty of wonderful migrants that included several species of flycatcher and this was the year that we achieved a photo of the Alder Flycatcher, as well as an immature American Redstart male. We bid them adieu on Sunday, as we did the Yellow Warbler, and it appears that the Cedar Waxwings also forgot a few mulberries that other fruit eaters are rapidly dispatching for them, like the American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, both kingbirds and several other species.

Our Bald Eagle pair still remains with us this year as local breeders. One was seen over Boomer Lake one morning on a food run.

The Spotted Sandpiper is believed to have moved on, but they dont travel far, some possibly still remaining within the arms of extreme northern Oklahoma. One juvenile female Double-crested Cormorant was still with us on Tuesday.

Rehabilitators are also frantically working with their charges, both birds and mammals. It has been an extraordinarily busy year for them, especially since they were unable to utilize volunteers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Natures Vein, our local rehabber in Perkins is still in need of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, receiving or fleece blankets, rubber gloves, newspapers and paper towels. Contact the facility at 405-665-0091 regarding donations and/or a drop off point for supplies. The non-profit has already exceeded their last years intake.

As always, writers photos can be found at https://www.debhirt.blogspot.com.

Keep your eyes on the ground and your head in the clouds. Happy birding!

Deb Hirt is a wild bird rehabilitator and photographer living in Stillwater.

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Every day it seems like there are new influencers and gurus popping up out of nowhere.

Most of them promise the same things

Freedom, money, power, love, influence.

A one-way ticket to the good life.

Some of them are able to deliver on their promises and authentically share invaluable insights and lessons that help average people achieve above-average results.

But many of them, in fact, I would argue mostof them, make vacuous promises that they cannot keep. They exaggerate their success and lifestyles to trick people out of their hard-earned money.

So where does Dan Pena, one of the newest gurus on the block, fall on this spectrum?

Keep reading to find out if he really does help men grow stronger.

*Note: I am not affiliated with Dan Pea in any way and receive no financial compensation for this content. What follows is my honest opinion after interviewing and researching him further.

Dan Peais a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and business consultant who began his business journey from the bottom.

As a young man, he founded the company Great Western Resources and turned a $1,000 investment into more than $430,000,000, taking his company public in 1984, and acting as the Chairman and CEO until the early 90s when he was kicked out of the company.

However, in the aftermath of his departure, Dan successfully sued GWR for a sum of nearly $4,000,000 and used those funds as seed capital for his ensuing business ventures.

Dan has started, sold, and consulted businesses in dozens of different industries from coal, oil, and natural gas to publishing to his most recent endeavor, seminars and business training.

Today, Dan Pena acts as the founder of the Quantum Leap Advantage and runs high-ticket seminars at his castle in Scotland where he teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to create a successful business and achieve financial freedom.

Dan has written multiple books, appeared on stages all across the world, and was even interviewed on the Joe Rogan Podcast.

One of the most common points brought up by Dans opponents (people who believe hes a scammer or con artist) is that there are no records of Dans alleged successes anywhere on the internet.

At first, I was inclined to agree. Despite numerous hours spent browsing Google, Reddit, and Quora, I was unable to find any concrete evidence that Dan had actually achieved the things he claims to have achieved.

However, upon further consideration, this actually makes sense.

Most of Dan Penas personal successes were achieved in a pre-internet era and there are indeed old newspaper snippings and interviews that confirm him as the Founder and CEO of GWR and many other companies.

Furthermore, its worth noting that, unlike a Ferrari or Lamborghini which can easily be rented by anyone with $1,500 and a valid drivers license, Dan Penas extravagant lifestyle and abundant wealth are all but impossible to fake.

Dan Penas castle, private jets, and a fleet of luxury vehicles all serve as a testament to his credibility and the fact that hes been featured on The Joe Rogan Experience, The Cardone Zone, and countless other big-name media outlets suggests that he is, for all intents and purposes, a legitimate businessman.

Furthermore, after speaking with several of Dans most successful Quantum Leap Advantage graduates (a one-week event that costs more than $25,000), Ive noticed that none of his students seem to harbor any ill will towards their mentor. I have yet to find a graduate who claims that Dan Pena is fraudulent or that the information taught at his seminar is anything legitimate.

But what about his claim to be the $50 Billion Man? Is Dan Penas net worth reallyso extreme?

First, its important to note that Dan has never claimed to have apersonalnet worth of $50 billion. Rather, his claim is that he has generated $50 billion in total market value through his mentees, consulting clients, and equity deals.

Unfortunately for Mr. Pena, there is no way to verify this number and it seems (after listening to his other interviews) that the title is nothing more than a marketing ploy designed to attract attention and establish credibility.

And Ill be the first to say it, he needs to cut the b.s. and provide proof of his claims. This marketing tactic does nothing but denigrates his actualachievements and credibility and, at this point, hes already established himself as an industry leader and has no need to rely on such immature shock and awe marketing.

After completing my research and concluding thatdespite his hyperbolic claims and irreverent styleDan Pena is the real deal, I sent his publicist an email and asked if he would be willing to be interviewed on the Knowledge for Men podcast. He kindly agreed and I was pleasantly surprised by the value of his interview and his no-nonsense style.

Here are just a few of the most important lessons I learned from my interview with Dan Pena.

1. Stop Thinking and DO

One of the most powerful lessons that Dan shared during our interview was also one of the simplest.

Most people spend too much time thinking and second-guessing and not enough time doing.

We live in an age of abundant information. With the click of a button, one can download the ideas and thoughts of millions of individuals straight to their computer. Any issue you face can be solved by a quick Google search, and any history test can be aced with a glance at Wikipedia.

However, this information has come at a cost.

Now more than ever, individuals are in states of permanent planning, the gung-ho, ready, fire, aim mentality of past generations has vanished, replaced instead by an attitude of sparse action taken only after extensive research. We constantly search for the perfect solution, refusing to take action until we arecertainthat we are following the right course of action.

But the simple truth is that you willneverhave all of the information. There is no perfect solution and true certainty is the domain of the foolish and narcissistic.

To achieve success, we must realize that experience is the best teacher of all, we must feel the fear of failure and take action anyways. No more sitting and waiting to have all the information, to have the perfect plan laid out.

Identify your goal and take action now. Start small. Fail forward fast. And commit to constant growth and evolution as you learn and adapt to new challenges.

The future belongs to the action takers. Be one of them.

2. Your Friends Determine Your Future

Show me your friends and I will show you your future. The words of John Kubleur ring true now more than ever, you cannot be a high achiever while associating with low performers. It is key that you seek out high-quality relationships to fill your life with people who will push you, convict you, and challenge you to rise above mediocrity.

If you cannot find people in your area, then, as Charlie Munger put it, make friends with the eminent dead. Read classic works, fill your brain with the words of the wisest individuals past and present, because who you associate with will be the key to your future.

There is no force on planet earth that will impact your life as much as the people you choose to associate with.

If you spend time with high-quality people who are on their own mission and pursuing their own ambitions, you will be encouraged to do the same.

If you spend time with low-quality people who waste their days glued to a screen, watching an endless stream of porn, and numbing their lives with drugs and alcohol, they will pull you down to their levellike crabs in a bucketand keep you there as long as they can.

3. Schooling and Money Arent Essential For Success

The lack of a college degree is no excuse for poor performance. Some of the greatest businessmen and talents of our time deferred college in favor of pursuing their goals. You must realize that the keys to success are never external, but internal.

You can have every damn degree and accolade in the world, but without passion, without fire for what you are doing, you will never be a success. It is far better to be a high-school dropout willing to work 20 hour days to accomplish his dreams, than a Harvard graduate dreading every task before him.

This is not to say that you shouldnt go to college, rather that you must stop relying on your degrees and higher education to help you achieve the success you desire.

You have inside of you everything you need to succeed.

You have the hunger, ambition, and resourcefulness required to bridge the gap between where you are today and where you want to be. But its up to you to use them.

4. Mentors Are the Most Essential Part of Achieving Success

Mentors are the force multiplier on your path to success, they can direct you to where you want to go, and help you avoid the missteps that are so commonly made. When searching for a mentor, you must realize that it is their time, not their money that is the most valuable asset they have to offer.

You must also realize that you bring very little to the table for high caliber mentors that they do not already have, so you must make up for this lack of financial and business resources with a burning passion to succeed.

Something most people fail to realize is thatmostsuccessful people want other people to be successful too. They believe that life is a journey, not a competition. And when they find someone who is young, hungry, and willing to take action on their advice, they are more than happy to mentor and coach them to the next level.

If you dont have a mentor, find one.

Find someone who is living the life you want to live and listen to every word they say. This simple action could mean the difference between a life of mediocrity and a life of unparalleled success.

5. Focus on Your Passions and Forget the Rest

All the money in the world isnt worth a damn if you are forced to do things you hate to earn it. If you truly want to be a success in life, you must heed the old cliche and follow your passions. Find something that excites you so that you tap dance to work in the morning.

Find something you are so pumped for that you dont need an alarm to get up, because you couldnt even sleep knowing that there were missing out on time that you could have been pouring into your lifes dreams.

Do work that fills you up, that makes you feel alive, that sets your soul on fire and gives you meaning in a world so devoid of it.

6. When You Fail: Pivot, Dont Quit

During our interview, Dan was open about his many business failures. Like every great entrepreneur, he experienced just as many (if not more) failures and setbacks than he did successes. And your journey will be no different.

Many times over the course of your journey, you will fail. That is a simple fact of the game.

Marketing campaigns wont work, products wont sell, businesses will tank, relationships will end, passions will burn out and you will find yourself time and time again faced with gut-wrenching failures that make you question your very worth as a man.

In the words of Kurt Vonnegut, So it goes.

Theres nothing you can do to rewind and fix a failure, all you can do is learn from the mistake and pivot before your next move.

When something you have invested heavily in fails, dont waste precious resources trying to salvage a lost cause and dont quit unnecessarily. Simply pivot. Tweak your business plan, your product, or your approach until you are able to achieve the success youve been working towards.

7. Focus on the Few Not the Many.

With the excess of information and opportunities nowadays, it is quite easy to get sucked into the trap of multi-focus.

Its easy to try every new tactic and strategy you see (from Facebook ads to YouTube videos to Instagram marketing) .But if you want to succeed, you must have single-focus on one important strategy or idea at a time.

Identify the one thing that, if accomplished, would create disproportionate results in your life and business.

And investallof your energy into making it happen.

Focus on the 20% of tasks, that will get you the 80% of results and leave the rest to the dogs.

After concluding my interview and research, I believe that Dan Penaisa legitimate businessman with a lot of value to offer ambitious young men looking to make their way in the world.

I dont always agree with his brash and often bully-esque style and I dont buy his $50 billion title.

But I do believe that Dan has walked the walk. He can help you achieve your goals and give you the guidance you need to rise to the top.

He might call you some nasty names while he does it and he might share a few bullshit stories to shock you into attention but at the end of the day, much like Tai Lopez, I believe Dan Pena is who he says he is and is worth your time (even if you have to take some of his claims with a grain of salt).

Do you want my help?

Thenclick here to watch my new client orientation to learn more about becoming a stronger Grounded Man, breaking free from nice guy behaviors, and creating a powerful social circle of likeminded men and a high quality romantic relationship.

Not only will you get tapped into your own band of brothers in my elite community of men, but youll also have access to the best damn course training available for men as well as weekly group calls with my team of transformative coaches. No whiny boys, complainers or dabblers, for serious men only.

If youre ready to push the boundaries of whats possible in your life and become the man youve always wanted to be. This is the fastest way to do it.

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(Is He a Scam?) An Interview with Dan Pena "The $50 ...