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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash A recent study found that 76% of parents want their children to end up in STEM-related careers. And with an ever-growing number of jobs requiring knowledge of new technologies, it isn’t very hard to see why. From manufacturing to marketing, most jobs today are dependent on computers for their success. And computers are dependent upon code.
That’s probably why so many parents are hoping to get their kids into coding. As many as 85% of parents are encouraging their children to learn to code, according to one study. But despite wanting their kids to learn, many parents are at a loss about the best resources available to help kids to code. Where can a parent start when they want to help their child dive into this new field, especially if they don’t know much about coding themselves? We're here to help! We’ll help you narrow down the options by explaining the different categories of resources out there. Then, you can decide which resources best meet your needs. Coding Classes One of the best all-around methods for teaching kids to code is taking a coding class. Coding classes come in a variety of formats and price ranges, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. That can make it tricky to pick the right coding class. For instance, in-person classes have teachers that regularly interact with their students. This is a huge advantage because it means that students can receive real-time feedback on their questions! However, many live coding classes have limited schedules and require you to live nearby. Depending on where you live, it can be hard to find coding classes near you. Online classes, on the other hand, allow for flexibility in both scheduling and location, but are often pre-recorded. That can limit their ability to respond to questions quickly, or even at all! Of course, there are other classes that combine the best of both worlds by hosting live classes on an online platform. These allow for flexibility of location and real-time feedback. Coding Apps Coding apps can be a great supplemental resource for kids learning to code. Many kid’s coding apps use bright colors, animations, and fun gameplay to encourage kids to learn the basics of coding. They can be great for getting an understanding of what a conditional or a loop is, but few of them get into the nitty-gritty of real-world coding. If you are wanting to get the most out of coding apps, it's better to use them in conjunction with an established coding course. That way, the base concepts taught in the coding apps can immediately be used in a more and more specific context. Coding Challenge Another useful supplemental activity is a coding challenge. Coding challenges, or hackathons, are hosted events where coders get the chance to simultaneously reach outside their coding comfort zone and show off their skills. It adds a competitive element to the learning process, which can be a great motivator for many kids. Usually, there is a specific challenge or set of challenges that must be overcome through the use of code. The difficulty levels can vary greatly between challenges, but that’s part of the fun! Challenges are often teacher-directed events, too. That way, even if a challenge proves too difficult for a kid to figure out on their own, the teacher is there to help them learn and progress. Coding Camps While coding classes are the fullest featured and most effective way to learn the intricacies of coding, they do take a while to get through. Sometimes, it can be an effective use of time to move quickly through the basics so you can spend your time on the more advanced skills. Which is where coding camps come in. Coding camps, or coding bootcamps, are intensive courses designed to get their students through the basics. That way they can focus on the lessons that they really want to be learning. They save valuable time by teaching a wide variety of coding skills quickly. Since they only last for a short period of time, they are a great fit for students who have a chunk of free time available to dedicate to learning a new skill. Summer break is a great time for this. More intensive coding camps can help students to master the basics quickly and take higher-level classes sooner. It's a great way to accelerate their learning. Coding Books In today’s connected world, it may seem odd to mention books as being a good coding resource, but there are some definite advantages to the medium. For one, no one can be online all the time, and books can be a great resource even when screen time is over. Books tend to be a lot more in-depth than many online guides because the authors know that all the necessary information needs to be included upfront. There’s not the option to link to throw in a link to supplemental material. And, it can be a lot easier to flip between a physical book and what’s happening on the screen without losing your place. Though, that can be a matter of preference. Of course, the effectiveness of any book as a coding resource depends greatly on which book you’re using. It can be difficult to know if a specific book will cover the things your kid wants to learn. Make sure to choose a book that’s listed as a reliable resource for kids to get the most value. CONCLUSION No matter where your kid ends up on their coding journey, there are amazing benefits to learning to code. And that will only become more true as time goes on. Coding, as a field, isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and the list of amazing resources is only continuing to grow. These 5 types of resources are a great way to get started, but there are so many other great resources out there. We encourage you to find somewhere to start and explore from there! There’s every indication that the pandemic is changing the nature of cybersecurity. Online threats are evolving to match our new remote-work paradigm, with 91% of businesses reporting an increase in cyberattacks during the coronavirus outbreak.
Hackers are getting more and more sophisticated and targeted in their attacks. Many of these cyber threats have been around for a while, but they are becoming harder for the average user to detect. Beware of these four common types of cyber threats – and learn what you can do to prevent them. Advanced phishing attacks Phishing takes place when a hacker tricks an individual into handing over information or exposing sensitive data using a link (with hidden malware) or a false email. These types of security threats are quite common, but in recent months they are becoming even more advanced. Microsoft’s recent survey of business leaders in four countries found that phishing threats are currently the biggest risk to security. Since March, 90% of those polled said that phishing attacks have impacted their organization, and 28% admitted that attackers had successfully phished their users. Recently, phishing emails have targeted enterprises to capture personal data and financial information using one of the following tactics:
How to prevent phishing: The best chance to prevent phishing attacks is to educate your teams on what to look for in a phishing message. Poor spelling and grammar, as well as an email address that doesn’t match the user, are telling signs of a phishing message. If an offer seems too good to be true, it is a good sign you’re being scammed. In addition to user education, you can add multi-factor authentication and other interventions to stop phishing messages from getting through. “Spam filters with sandboxing and DNS filtering are also essential security layers because they keep malicious emails from entering the network, and protect the user if they fall for the phishing attempt and end up clicking on a malicious hyperlink,” said one security expert told ZDNet. Ransomware Ransomware is a type of security threat that encrypts a victim’s files so they can’t access their information. The hacker then asks for a ransom – usually payment – to restore access and decrypt the user’s data. Perhaps the most notorious recent example of a ransomware attack is that of Garmin. In July, Garmin – a navigation and fitness wearables company – was hit by a ransomware attack that downed service for virtually every Garmin customer. “Hackers deployed the ransomware tool WastedLocker, which encrypts key data on a company’s digital infrastructure,” reported Cyber Security Hub. “In the case of Garmin, website functions, customer support, and user applications were all affected. Unlike typical ransomware software, WastedLocker does not steal identifying information and hold it for ransom. Instead, it renders programs useless until decrypted.” Garmin reportedly paid $10 million for the decryption key to resume services after four days of outages. Garmin isn’t alone, however. There’s been a seven-fold increase in ransomware attacks this year targeting companies of all sizes. So, what can your organization do to protect itself? How to prevent ransomware: First and foremost, it’s important to make sure your security protocols are kept airtight – and apply security patches as quickly as possible to prevent hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities. A tool like Nightfall can make it easier to maintain a strong defense, with AI monitoring your network for any issues. Multi-factor authentication can also prevent hackers from getting too far into your system. And, you should regularly back up your system so if a ransomware attack does happen, you’ll be able to recover some data. Password-based cyberattacks A password-based cyberattack is one that targets users who have the same password for multiple sites. Research from the World Economic Forum found that 4 out of 5 global data breaches are caused by weak/stolen passwords. There are several different ways a hacker can infiltrate your system using a password-based cyberattack. The most common method is known as a brute force attack. This attack uses a computer program to try to login to a user’s account by trying all possible password combinations, starting with the most common and easiest to guess options – for instance, “1234” or “abcde”. Sensitive data like passwords, credentials and secrets are in constant danger of exposure, especially as more companies conduct the majority of their business in the cloud. The highly collaborative and always-on nature of cloud services make it hard to enforce good password practices. Therefore, organizations need data loss prevention (DLP) to secure essential data from being exposed. How to prevent a password-based attack: make it easy for users and security teams alike to circumvent the risk of password attacks by implementing password-free authentication methods. This is a type of authentication that requires a user to confirm their identity during the login process through a separate channel. This extra step can also protect your workspace in case there’s any account compromised or if a device gets stolen. IoT and smart medical devices The internet of things makes life a lot easier – and also more open to bad actors. Connected devices are an increasingly popular target for cyber threats. In 2019, cyberattacks on IoT devices increased by 300%, according to one report. This includes attacks on everything from laptops and webcams to smart homes (like Google Nest), smart watches, routers, and other home appliances. Our personal devices aren’t the only things that are vulnerable. The Software Engineering Institute of Carnegie Mellon University reported, “As more devices are connected to hospital and clinic networks, patient data and information will be increasingly vulnerable. Even more concerning is the risk of remote compromise of a device directly connected to a patient. An attacker could theoretically increase or decrease dosages, send electrical signals to a patient or disable vital sign monitoring.” Healthcare providers must also contend with protecting patient data. As many healthcare providers shift to remote work, they become an attractive target for hackers. Protected health information (PHI) must be kept safe during all cloud-based activities – yet many SaaS providers, including Slack, are not HIPAA-compliant right out of the box. How to prevent IoT attacks: IoT attacks are sophisticated, and the best ways to protect your devices are to use strong passwords and keep your software up to date. Experts also suggest keeping your devices unlinked from social media. Along with protecting your devices, look for a DLP partner who can protect your patient data while working on SaaS and IaaS platforms. Check out our coverage of instituting and maintaining HIPAA compliance on Slack and schedule a meeting below to learn more about how tools like Nightfall DLP play a role in keeping PHI safe. Remote work is the new norm. With companies needing to adjust to a work-from-home setting and home-based businesses thriving online, the future of office work will inevitably be in the comfort of our homes. While there is indeed “comfort,” there is still the challenge of productivity when work and personal life clash under one roof.
However, work life at home can be fruitful when we figure out which habits to change and what work disciplines to establish. Here are several productivity tips and tricks to aid your remote work life: 1. Create a fixed work schedule. Work hours from home should not differ from work hours in the office. Regardless of your shift, establish a feasible work schedule, complete with a time-in and time-out log. Start the day with an energy-boosting routine. Handle work tasks by dividing them into chunks. And when finishing the day, ensure work communication does not overlap with your resting hours. As a reminder, announce your work schedule to people around you, so they know when to approach you with errands or trivial matters. 2. Set breaks between your tasks. Monitoring your work hours also means setting breaks in between. Assign a time for one hour-long break (lunch or dinner), as well as two short breaks. Speaking of which, short breaks should not only consist of literally stopping what you’re doing. Take several minutes to stretch, breathe freely, or rest your eyes away from the monitor, too. 3. Designate an office space at home. Most households contain the essentials for an ideal workspace: a computer or laptop, desk, and chair. But it is also important to dedicate which spaces and equipment are for work or personal use. Assign an area at home where you can concentrate on work. For your desk, make sure it stays neutral without traces of decorations or personal distractions. And as much as possible, never work in your bed or any space where you usually sleep, relax, or do your hobbies. 1. Establish ground rules and boundaries for your office space. Remote work may be relaxing when you’re within the four walls of your home, but it does not mean that any sense of professionalism should be overlooked. To initiate that, set your boundaries between work and home. Set ground rules for your family (i.e., lessen noise, no horse-playing) and avoid repeatedly going in and out of your office space. 2. List daily priorities. Every day, we have a varied set of errands to accomplish at work and home. With both worlds now under one roof, it is crucial to keep track of our priorities for the day. Set a to-do list and arrange them according to their level of importance. If you have deadlines, place them as your top priority, though, you may also list tasks from how light or heavy they are. 3. Use task management tools. Productivity tools for remote working have been sprouting everywhere. With choices like Asana, Evernote, TeamViewer, Trello, and others, they have been handy in enumerating work tasks and monitoring their progress. Even as your company delegates work tasks on these online channels, stick to one manageable app to avoid clutter. Additionally, install antivirus software or VPNs for robust online security. 4. Stay in contact with colleagues. One apparent drawback of remote work is the lack of in-person interaction with your coworkers. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, there’s no denying that communication is vital in establishing rapport with colleagues and cooperating in accomplishing tasks. Take advantage of several professional messaging apps like Slack, Chatwork, and Skype. Find time to check-in with coworkers through video chat channels like Facetime and Zoom. Engage in virtual activities that your company might have. 5. Avoid social media distractions. Using social media is tricky since companies also use them for running business operations and communications. Thus, you should be mindful about whether your social media activity is counterproductive. Turn off app notifications in your phone or put it on Silent Mode. Close unnecessary tabs in your browser. Discipline yourself from mindless browsing and unproductive chats to stay focused. 6. Maintain workspace cleanliness. A productive workspace starts with an orderly workspace. However, being the primary user of the home workstation, you are also responsible in keeping your working environment clean and organized. Tidy up every living and working space at home regularly. Consolidate work-related paraphernalia and separate them from your home belongings. Organize work files to avoid desktop clutter. 7. Check your well-being. Lastly, in an age of health distresses, remote workers need to monitor their holistic well-being. We tend to overwhelm ourselves with our work and home lives that our personal health and fitness are left unchecked. Spend time doing exercises or warm-ups. Allot 8 hours of sleep for a steady body clock. Practice a healthy, balanced diet. Have time just to rest solely. Other Helpful Tips To give the illusion of office work, suit up as if you are in the office. If you need full concentration, play some motivational music with an adequate pair of earphones. Attitude-wise, always consider remote work as a personal and professional advantage. Set an optimistic position that can help you achieve work-life balance. written by AJ Balois No one could have really prepared for the disaster that was 2020. The pandemic has given people time to rethink and refocus, asking themselves the hard questions. Among them is how financially capable they are to withstand a crisis and their ability to thrive way beyond its duration.
Creating a solid financial strategy that works for your income, lifestyle, and overall habits will ensure that your growth is at a steady incline for years to come. How exactly do you go about the process? The right questions to ask before creating a tailor-made financial growth strategy The first step in creating a plan that works for your financial priorities starts with asking the right questions. How do you sort out your financial goals at this stage in your life? Ask yourself the following and arrive at a thesis statement worth clinging to on your road to realizing your earning and investing potential.
Your recent purchases would likely reflect on your credit card statement. What about those products or services you bought using cash, checks or, perhaps, a debit card? Will you have the proof of purchase with you? Tracking your overall cash flow requires you to keep a meticulous record of money that comes in and out of your personal accounts. Knowing what you earn and how you spend it will teach you how to save money in such a way that will allow you to live comfortably. Many applications and software will give you the ability to recalibrate financial goals at any point. Having some basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel or any similar open software will also enable you to maintain a worksheet of all your active and inactive cash transactions. The most important thing to remember to make it work lies in your discipline to keep it updated and correct at all times. 1. Do you have debts to pay? Your financial power lies in knowing how to control your spending. Buying things or services with money you do not have yet is a sure way to drown in debt, and many people do not realize this. Check for any credit card debt, loans, and other arrears to ensure that interests are kept at a minimum. The key to having a balanced approach is not accumulating debt and always paying on time. This way, you won't have to slave away for years paying off loans, and you will get to save up for both short- and long-term goals. 2. Are your current lifestyle choices aligned with your actual income? Living within your means takes on a different sense when you are bombarded with content especially engineered to internalize the "add-to-cart" mindset. You probably will be subjected to the pressure of buying an air fryer, for example, because you saw your friend frying dumplings with it on socials. The question you have to ask yourself every time you think you WANT something is: Do I NEED this? More often than not, the answer is unequivocal and resounding: "No, I do not." Of course, you should always strike a balance between enjoyment and pragmatism, allowing yourself to experience the world a little better, even the finer things, on some days—but only when you could truly afford them. Living large with a small income is a surefire way to kill your chances of making it big. Be wise and save for the future, too. 3. What are my short-term, intermediate, and long-term financial goals? We generally start with the end in mind. That's always a good thing to keep one going. But we often forget to space out goals and tasks into chunks, and we feel discouraged with the tiniest mishaps. Therefore, as not to get overwhelmed, you must be able to identify your financial goals first:
2. Do you have insurance and, if you do, is it enough to cover your needs? We all know that accidents and disasters could strike at any time. Are you prepared to spend for any health, property, or other asset casualties that may impair your potential for financial growth? Having dependents could make it even more challenging. If you are head of the family, a parent, or legal guardian, you know that creating a budget plan is one of the biggest headaches of living in the modern world. Most insurance firms will have life insurance calculators. Before you purchase one, you may try their sample calculations and then inquire from any of their trusted representatives. Your goals are within reach Growth begins when we start asking the right questions. Creating a plan without knowing the whole situation never ends well. That is why, before you can truly sanitize your spending habits, you first answer the hard, financials-related questions that will open your eyes to the truth about your cash flow. Once you have mastered the holes that need plugging or things you could do without, you will realize that you have more control over your finances than you previously thought. What you needed all along was a real reason to start discovering your dream of long-term financial independence. |