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CTE Career Journeys – Project Coordinator

by with No Comment Career & Tech Ed

CTE Career Journeys – Project Coordinator

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Yris Oyola-Baker, a Project Coordinator in the Business Management & Administration career cluster. Yris shares with us the career journey that lead her to his current role with National Geographic Learning. She dives what motivated her to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where she’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Yris Oyola-Baker

Title: Project Coordinator

Career Cluster: Business Management & Administration

Company: National Geographic Learning | Cengage

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: 6% increase (faster than average)

Median Salary: $67,280 per year

Education Needed: High school diploma and several years’ experience in the preferred work industry

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Yris Headshot 2

Question and Answer with Yris Oyola-Baker

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: My father was my first inspiration and key to my growing passion for technology. He was an instructor of Hardware (Digital Electronics) and Software in the Peruvian Navy, and the computer lab was my favorite place to visit. It is there where I first learned about DOS prompt and ASCII code; while at home I would watch him work on circuit boards, logic gates, and later computer hardware. While in high school I had the opportunity to attend a vocational school, and I didn’t hesitate to choose Information Technology. Later, I attended Iona College to pursue a Computer Information Systems degree.

I have always appreciated the opportunities to work with people from different backgrounds and industries. I enjoy being resourceful and overcoming challenges that I face in my career. The knowledge that my work can assist others in achieving their goals brings me a great sense of fulfillment. The opportunity to connect with people and understand their motivations and goals is something I genuinely enjoy, alongside my passion for technology. This career path has allowed me to tap into my technical and analytical skills, creating a balance between “left and right brain”, which is personally fulfilling.

Yris at her job with PepsiCo in 2002
Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: Some key milestones in my career came with each company I have worked with, whether it was with increased responsibilities or new opportunities. However, it is not solely about the size or recognition of these companies, but rather about the valuable lessons I have learned in each role. In my opinion, the turning points in my career are the opportunities I have had to learn something new, whether it involved venturing into unfamiliar territory or facing challenges head-on. During these moments, I have been able to leverage my technical skills to learn new software, employ my analytical abilities to devise solutions that drive results and tap into my creativity to explore innovative approaches. These experiences have always prepared me for the next step.

Sometimes we tend to think of milestones as events that occur over months or years, but with every project, every new thing we learn contributes to our development. My theory is that if I know more today than I did yesterday, it represents a turning point. This may not be immediately noticeable, but it is an additional pixel that contributes to the bigger picture. That one pixel could symbolize completing one section of the beautiful artwork that represents the journey of self-creation and individual growth.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: In addition to passion and enthusiasm, continuous learning, adaptability, and staying current in the field are the key strategies to stand out. The way tasks or projects were completed in the 2000s is very different today. Software, processes, record keeping, communication, and even work trends have changed more than once over the years.

Awareness of these changes and welcoming the evolution of technology, with research to be aware of what is new and what is coming to the market, reading material, and learning new technical skills to stay current, has helped me in this regard.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

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Growing Your Relationship with Your Students: First Day of School Ice Breakers 

by with No Comment Interdisciplinary

Growing Your Relationship with Your Students: First Day of School Ice Breakers 

Amy Banko

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • K-12 Core Math • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

It’s the first day of school. You’ve welcomed students into the classroom with high fives, fist bumps, smiles, air hugs, and handshakes. You have gone over the classroom procedures and developed classroom rules. Now it is time to put some faces to the names and get to know your students. Or maybe you are a few weeks in, and just want to know a little more about your students to start tailoring lesson content to students’ interests. What can you do? Here are some fun and exciting ice breakers that help you get to know your students! 

Two Truths and a Lie

Students write down two true things about themselves and one lie. Students take turns one by one, and the class must guess which statement is the lie. Ask students to elaborate if any of their true facts stumped the class! 

Would you Rather?

Create a list of Would You Rather situations, such as “Would you rather be a deep sea explorer or an astronaut?” or “Would you rather be in history class or math class?” Or get creative and have more fun with it, such as “Would you rather be surrounded by snakes or surrounded by spiders?” or “Would you rather skydive or snorkel?” Break students into groups with the same sets of Would You Rather questions. Have them discuss and come up with their individual answers. Encourage students to argue for their choice! Then bring the class back together and choose your favorite ones to discuss as a group. Ask students whether they agree or not, encouraging students to voice their opinions. 

Fun Fact Guessing Game 

Students must think of one fun fact to share about themselves. Bring groups of 5 or so students up to the front of the room and have them hand you their fun facts. Read them all, then read them one at a time while the class guesses whose fun fact is whose. Anyone comfortable with sharing more about their fun fact can elaborate on it. Be sure to have some examples ready about yourself that can help students think! 

Ball Toss 

Write short questions on a large beach ball or any other type of softer ball that can get tossed around the room and easily be caught. Ask students about their favorite sport to watch or play, favorite activity, how many siblings do they have, favorite subject or anything you can think of to spark conversation. Students toss the ball around the room, and whatever question their left thumb lands on is the question they must answer. They can even toss the ball to you to learn about you!  

Uncommonly Common

Divide students into groups and have them make a list of 5-10 things that they all have in common. Encourage them to think outside the box. Then have them decide if they think anything on their list is unique to their group.   

From all of us at National Geographic Learning, welcome to the new school year! We wish you a safe and healthy year.  

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Paul_Battaglia_2023-04

Level Up Your Precalculus Class

by Webinar - Math

Level Up Your Precalculus Class

If you or your school are still deliberating whether to offer AP® Precalculus next year, this webinar will help! Paul Battaglia, author, consultant, and teacher, will guide participants through ways in which they can begin with a single question stem and then branch into various topics and/or representations. How can a question about the linear velocity of a Ferris wheel turn into a deeper task with multiple parts, covering multiple Precalculus topics? How can you take three basic polynomial functions and branch from the analytical to the numerical to the graphical, AND cover asymptotes, exponential functions, and logarithmic equations?

View this webinar to see how it’s done! This type of questioning is guaranteed to have your students thinking laterally, and THAT will level up any Precalculus class.

Paul Battaglia

Educator, Author, Speaker, Educational Consultant

If you or your school are still deliberating whether to offer AP® Precalculus next year, this webinar will help! Paul Battaglia, author, consultant, and teacher, will guide participants through ways in which they can begin with a single question stem and then branch into various topics and/or representations. How can a question about the linear velocity of a Ferris wheel turn into a deeper task with multiple parts, covering multiple Precalculus topics? How can you take three basic polynomial functions and branch from the analytical to the numerical to the graphical, AND cover asymptotes, exponential functions, and logarithmic equations?
 
This type of questioning is guaranteed to have your students thinking laterally, and THAT will level up any Precalculus class.
 
In this webinar replay, participants will learn:
  • Ways in which they can add depth and breadth to many of the topics covered in Precalculus.
  • How to begin with a single question stem and then branch into various topics and/or representations.
Jim_Bentley

Make Project-Based Learning an Integral Part of Your Teaching Strategies!

by Webinar - Social Studies

Make Project-Based Learning an Integral Part of Your Teaching Strategies!

Want to learn how to implement Project-Based Learning (PBL) in your classroom? Jim Bentley, National Geographic Explorer, and Educator will present the concepts and implementation strategies for Project-Based Learning in your social studies and science classrooms. This informal session will include a presentation, a discussion, and an opportunity to hear from you!

Jim Bentley

Educator, Filmmaker, Geographer, and National Geographic Explorer

Want to learn how to implement Project-Based Learning (PBL) in your classroom? Jim Bentley, National Geographic Explorer, and Educator will present the concepts and implementation strategies for Project-Based Learning in your social studies and science classrooms. This informal session will include a presentation, a discussion, and an opportunity to hear from you!
 
You’ll leave the session with answers to the following questions:
  • What are the essential elements to include in PBL?
  • How can we find authentic ways to connect PBL in the classroom with the world outside the classroom walls?
  • How can standards and content be integrated with a PBL experience?
  • What's an example of a PBL experience that was authentic, connected with community, and taught content while developing the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of a modern-day explorer?
corinne-hoisington-2023-03

Artificial Intelligence Changing EVERY CTE Career Pathway

by Webinar - Career & Tech Ed

Artificial Intelligence Changing EVERY CTE Career Pathway

The newest research project from OpenAI is interesting and already useful. Before long, Artificial Intelligence (AI) like this will be transforming every business and technology pathway. As the case with any new technology, it represents opportunities to increase productivity and automate different tasks that are normally performed by humans.
 
Let’s connect on the latest information on ChatGPT, AI Art, and how this technology changes the classroom. This offers us a healthy opportunity—not to avoid ChatGPT, but rather to explore how we can comprehensively support our students to master a topic with the available tools. Find out prompts that change almost every career path.

Corinne Hoisington

Professor of Information Systems Technology, Author, Speaker

The newest research project from OpenAI is interesting and already useful. Before long, Artificial Intelligence (AI) like this will be transforming every business and technology pathway. As the case with any new technology, it represents opportunities to increase productivity and automate different tasks that are normally performed by humans.
 
Let’s connect on the latest information on ChatGPT, AI Art, and how this technology changes the classroom. This offers us a healthy opportunity—not to avoid ChatGPT, but rather to explore how we can comprehensively support our students to master a topic with the available tools. Find out prompts that change almost every career path.
 
In this webinar, you will learn:
  • What ChatGPT and other AI means for you as a CTE educator and your teaching
  • Current and future impact of ChatGPT and AI across the career pathways
  • Ways of embracing or addressing AI as a CTE educator
Dlabay_Kleindl_2023-02

Engaging Students for Business Program Challenges

by Webinar - Career & Tech Ed

Engaging Students for Business Program Challenges

As we celebrate CTE Month, please join us for an exclusive webinar with Principles of Business Co-Authors Dr. Brad Kleindl and Dr. Les Dlabay.
 
The United States faces considerable competition in educating students for the global workforce with two major challenges: (1) the education competition from Chinese schools whose students test at the top levels in reading, mathematics, and science; (2) ensuring students have the knowledge and soft skills desired by employers. This requires that educators design pedagogy and develop critical thinking through engagement and active learning.

Dr. Les Dlabay

Principles of Business Co-Author,
Professor Emeritus, Lake Forest College

Dr. Brad Kleindl

Principles of Business Co-Author,
Professor of Marketing, Park University

As we celebrate CTE Month, please join us for an exclusive webinar with Principles of Business Co-Authors Dr. Brad Kleindl and Dr. Les Dlabay.
 
The United States faces considerable competition in educating students for the global workforce with two major challenges: (1) the education competition from Chinese schools whose students test at the top levels in reading, mathematics, and science; (2) ensuring students have the knowledge and soft skills desired by employers. This requires that educators design pedagogy and develop critical thinking through engagement and active learning.
 
In this insightful webinar, Dr. Kleindl and Dr. Dlabay will address:
  • Competition the U.S. faces from China's educational system
  • Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework for program design
  • The most desired skills employers need from employees
  • Teaching practices to develop critical thinking and workforce readiness
Sgroi_2023

Advanced Algebra to Model Finance: Using Mathematics in the Context of Real-World Financial Situations

by Webinar - Math

Advanced Algebra to Model Finance: Using Mathematics in the Context of Real-World Financial Situations

The need for financial literacy and numeracy education in our schools is undeniable. The goal of this presentation is to offer teachers a rationale and framework for creating and teaching a quantitative financial literacy mathematics course that is applications oriented.

Richard Sgroi, Ph.D.

Author, Math Teacher, Consultant, and Speaker

The need for financial literacy and numeracy education in our schools is undeniable. The goal of this presentation is to offer teachers a rationale and framework for creating and teaching a quantitative financial literacy mathematics course that is applications oriented.
 
Join Dr. Richard Sgroi, author, and mathematics teacher, to learn how to model finance using advanced algebra to assist students in seeing the relevance of the mathematics they are learning — using it in the contexts of spending, banking, credit, auto and home ownership, investments, entrepreneurship, and more.
 
In this webinar replay, you will learn:
  • Methods to introduce the finance, build strength in the mathematics, and assist in making that mathematics transferrable to other contexts.
  • Mathematical and analytical tools to make sense of and look for trends in areas of students' present and future lives where financial decisions must be made.
  • How to create and use functions to model real-world financial situations.
  • What to tell students when they ask: "When are we ever going to use this?" — "Every day of your lives!"
Chris_Botello_2023-01

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign: Crafting a Smart Curriculum for the Classroom

by Webinar - Career & Tech Ed

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign: Crafting a Smart Curriculum for the Classroom

Adobe Revealed Author Chris Botello presents an informational tour of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Chris is a noted professional graphic designer who also teaches Adobe software classes at the high school level.
 
Chris provides real-world insights to help teachers understand Adobe software at the professional level and translate it for students in the classroom — inspiring more confident instructors and students, alike.

Chris Botello

Adobe Revealed Series Author, 
Art & Computer Graphics High School Teacher

Adobe Revealed Author Chris Botello presents an informational tour of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Chris is a noted professional graphic designer who also teaches Adobe software classes at the high school level.
 
Chris provides real-world insights to help teachers understand Adobe software at the professional level and translate it for students in the classroom — inspiring more confident instructors and students, alike.
 
In this webinar replay, you will learn how to:
  • Develop a practical and strategic curriculum in Adobe Photoshop that explores core skills in Grayscale, highlight-to-shadow adjustments, the RGB and HSB color models, and image correction
  • Use Adobe Illustrator to explore the essential concept of resolution and resolution independence with vector and bitmap graphics
  • Understand Adobe InDesign's role as a hub for all components of a project while exploring related issues of resolution and color modeling
pexels-daniel-watson-1487154

Supporting Technology Training for Educators

by Interdisciplinary

Supporting Technology Training for Educators

Kyla Jacquez

Digital Marketing Manager • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

As educators prepare to send students home for the holiday season and end a successful semester, they are also preparing for a strong start in the New Year. As schools have transitioned between remote, hybrid, and in-person teaching, the use of technology in the classroom continues to grow each year.  

The implementation of teaching and learning technology in the classroom is constantly improving, with the intent of building online learning solutions that allow for a more immersive and holistic student experience  and leaves teachers time to focus on teaching. However, according to a recent EdWeek article, 48% of educators said that training they receive for educational tools was “mediocre or poor”, and that there was “little or no follow-up coaching or training”.

At National Geographic Learning, a part of the Cengage Group, we strive to support teachers in all stages of implementing learning technologies. With our ability to connect to a variety of learning management systems, and our extensive options for online learning platforms, we make sure that we’re not just a vendor but a partner in education. We have various teams dedicated to easing the journey between adopting one of our solutions and effectively using it in the classroom and beyond.  

Our Customer Success Consultants (CSC) are a team trained to set up educators for the successful implementation of our products. The CSC team specializes in in-person or virtual group trainings for adopted National Geographic Learning/Cengage print and digital programs. Training sessions are tailored to customer needs based on the program and integration setup of online learning platforms. Trainers are well-versed in the integration setups that schools utilize most – including Canvas and Google Classroom.  The team has been able to support over 530 training sessions for K-12 educators across the country during the busy back-to-school season from June through September in 2022. We were able to gather feedback from some of those educators below. 

“This was great. I liked how Brock took the time to ask us what we wanted from the training and then covered those topics exactly.” 

“…the pace was perfect (not to fast or too slow), demonstrations were super helpful and so was pausing often to ask us if we had questions. Incredibly professional and I look forward to working with her if I have any questions!” 

“Trainer knew her group. She was prepared and gave us the material on what we purchased. She gave direct instruction on what we have. It was not a cookie –cutter presentation like so many others. Well appreciated.” 

“Lori was extremely knowledgeable and was able to provide answers to specific questions related to the online platform. I appreciate so much that she was able to meet with me individually as I seek to build capacity in our district. Her follow up after the meeting was immediate and addressed everything we discussed during the meeting. Thank you so much! I felt much better equipped to support our teachers following our time together.” 

Another resource we offer to customers to support their online learning platform needs is our Digital Success Services (DSS) team. This group of agents are specially prepared to assist teachers after the initial setup or group training with the CSC team. This allows users to dive deeper into our programs and ask questions in a supportive, guided, and customized experience. The DSS team offers virtual 1-on-1 training sessions at the convenience of the teacher or administrator.  With this easy setup, our team completed over 600 sessions between June and October of this year. Here’s what our learning partners had to say about our DSS team:

“Brittany was extremely helpful! So much so that I remember she was my initial trainer last year and it was great to be able to pick up where we left off in terms of what my needs were, how far I got in my learning curve last year, and what I hope to do additionally this year. She tracked well with those needs and had the knowledge to bring up suggestions for me to consider that may benefit me and my students down the road. I am very happy with the training and know I can pursue follow-up any time if needed.” 

“Dani is one of the best customer service representatives for ANY company that I have ever encountered. She was professional and patient. Her conversation was helpful and showed respect, helping me with my problem without making me feel inadequate in any way. I am thankful to have talked with her today.” 

“The trainers were pheromonal! Our questions were answered, and the trainers were very patient with us as we clicked our way through their tutorial. Cengage provides awesome personal help for their resources. Keep up the good work!” 

As K–12 education continues to evolve and becomes more reliant on online learning technologies, National Geographic Learning will continue to set the bar higher. Supporting customers along their journey with specially prepared CSC and DSS teams, along with an abundance of on-demand online learning resources available through our website makes implementation and online learning platform usage a breeze.  

If you are interested in learning more about a group session with our Customer Success Consultants, please contact your sales representative for more information. Click here to schedule a personalized training session today! Finally, learn more  about our many online learning resources by visiting our website today.

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