While numerous markets have been impacted in some shape or form due to the current state of the world, many are seeing the potential for technology to fill the gaps created. As a result, there is a renewed hope among organizations and individuals who are seeking to grasp the opportunity in creating and using new technologies that may revolutionize how we exist in the world. While some organizations are seeing the opportunity to make a profit, individuals are seeing how technology can assist in realizing their dreams on their terms. Those within the writing fraternity are experiencing a major shift in the way they interact with their potential customers and publishing companies. This is a shift that has been happening for many years however, with the pandemic skyrocketing unemployment rates many established and budding authors are relishing the opportunity they now have to get back in touch with reading and writing. 

J.K. Pascall, a self-published Trinidad and Tobago author have reaped the many benefits of being self-sufficient in his profession and is seeking to find new and better ways to use technology in developing and promoting writers in the Caribbean region. His quest has been fueled by a world that is seeking to remain connected despite perilous times. 

How It Started

J.K. Pascall’s writing journey began five years ago with a frustration that was ignited by a lack of platforms in Trinidad and Tobago for budding authors. Being self-sufficient by nature he decided to solve this issue by starting a writing group in his community of origin in south Trinidad.  Through this outlet, he was able to express his many thoughts in his writing. This expression of thought culminated with the creation of numerous published physical and digital books over the years that followed. These writings were inspired by an insatiable desire to create a voice for himself and others within the writing world.

Technology has allowed anyone to publish

Though writers like everyone today have been restricted in a physical sense, technology has still allowed them to be out and about virtually. Whether this may have been through communicating with their customers, publishing companies, or creating an online presence, writers have been navigating their field with relative ease despite a lack of physical contact. This in turn has caused what may be termed a ‘writing boom’ where many new authors and aspiring writers have decided to throw their hands within this new realm of opportunity. 

As an established author, J.K. Pascal is seeing how the technology is bridging the gap especially for new authors trying to get their work seen. There is an empowered sense developing within the literary world and even persons outside of it are beginning to see how they can leverage the opportunities within this world through the use of technology. The technology is creating a scenario where the writer can easily market and showcase their work while the major gatekeepers within large organizations are forced to take notice because despite having a great influence on what the world consumes, they have also been restricted by current circumstances.

It’s all about distribution and awareness

One can dedicate one’s time trying to get their writing in before a winning reader or one can simply turn this dedication towards finding a niche market that supports one’s work. Additionally, one can write from his perspective the greatest work of fiction ever written but it may never sell because the work has no audience that will buy it. It is understandable why most writers or content creators may shy away from the marketing or business aspect of creativity. It can be quite draining, especially if the creator discovers that they signed a bad deal that is almost impossible to get out of. However, with large user-friendly platforms like BookBub, Good Reads, and a host of online book clubs that have sprung up in the last two years J.K. Pascall believes that these platforms are continuously bringing the consumer and the big corporations closer together. 

Through these platforms, it is becoming increasingly easier for the independent writer to be discovered. As a result, a new synergy is developing between the entertainment industry and the Indie Community. In the film and streaming industries today, it is not uncommon to see an Indie writer’s story make it to Netflix or Amazons’ catalog. There is new hope among writers, especially those upcoming to be able to access this bigger dream.

An opportunity to Teach

It can be argued that every writer is a great teacher. Each writer has an unofficial responsibility to educate the masses whether this is through fact or fiction. Your book will either end up in a school or the hands of a student. This is a fact that no writer can escape. J.K. Pascall values the importance of using technology in education as a platform to create stories that are more specific to the Caribbean setting, especially those that are related to his country. For him, creating more relatable stories can inspire an individual to take up more of an interest in reading. 

In his latest novel, ‘Evolutions Edge’ the lives of various characters are connected in ways one may not anticipate. On first encountering this story the reader may assume that it takes place in a land that is far away from Caribbean customs. However, though this story explores various beings in galaxies far and wide it eventually finds its’ way back to the Island of Trinidad and Tobago where a connection is made between these characters and otherworldly beings. Within each of his stories, there is a message and an opportunity for the reader to engage while making decisions on which character they empathize with the most. He is a writer that is enthusiastic to see how a his stories can be enhanced through the use of Technology, especially in the form of Interactive Fiction.

What some may fear

With technology, there is always the fear that one may become too reliant on it especially when it comes to creating content online. Some in the writing field may be of the view that the technology is diminishing the quality of the writing because writers today due to the numerous platforms that are available are more focused on getting their work out as quickly as possible.  Today we see many applications that can be used to auto-correct documents while making suggestions on better terms and expressions that can be used to enhance ones writing. However, J.K. Pascall is not worried about writers using technology to aid in their creative process. He believes that technology creates the opportunity for budding writers to raise their game within the writing world. Though these applications may appear to be giving the amateur writer an unfair advantage, they are also there to help them get better at what they do. He believes that over time this would only build confidence thus creating better writers in the future.

Another fear one may have, especially as a new writer is the market becoming overpopulated with other writers one may have to compete with. J.K. Pascall believes that the new writer has nothing to fear in this regard. He believes that as a writer, one will always have competitors but technology provides an extra range where one does not have to compete. Technology has transported competitions and book fairs to the virtual realm and there are so many ways that a writer can put their work out there. As a result, more services are being created for small writers. So, the new writer has nothing to fear, they just need to put themselves out there.

The guy himself

Having the privilege to work with this author in the past one may be tempted to simply describe him as a deep thinker. However, his existence in the writing world is necessary and relevant to the current times. He represents the shift in thought on what topics a writer from the Caribbean can explore. He explores his world and everything around it while pushing the readers’ mind toward the edge of reality and beyond always remembering to bring them right back to the ground again. His train of thought blends almost identically with the innovations that are happening in the world around us and there is no doubt that he will have a major input in Caribbean innovation in educational reading and writing moving forward. His work is definitely at the top of my current reading list and I think they should be at the top of yours as well.

To support this author, visit the links below.

Evolutions Edge: Tribal Awakening Series

Dialogue: From Mind’s Heart to Yours

Sankofa: A Southern Tale eBook

YouTube Channel

I think at some point we have all had this experience as a student; Your teacher steps into the classroom and presents this amazing group project where you are given the freedom to express your creativity in whatever way you choose. Let’s say your team decides to create a model showing the seven steps in The Water Cycle. After many days and nights your project is completed, the group is elated and the presentation of your creative mastery is well received. The completed project is left on display in the classroom or is placed in the schools’ storage never to be seen again. Or, maybe one of your team members decides to take the project home. In most cases, the project is kept at the school and can be used freely by the organization as a way to display or advertise the work done by students. This is by no means a bad thing; in fact, I remember feeling so relieved that I did not have to take home those large creations that I would have had to dismantle to fit in the back of my mother’s car.

But what if there are better ways to handle the aftermath of what our students create? Or what anyone creates?  This is essentially the question that NFT developers seek to answer.

By Keston Charles

You are probably wondering what is an NFT or what this has to do with educating a student? Simply put, NFTs or Non Fungible Tokens provide the opportunity to create unique digital assets whose value can fluctuate. When something is fungible this means that its’ value is the same as all items in its category, for instance, if one has a Trinidad and Tobago dollar this dollar has the same cash value as all other dollars in the country. But something that is non-fungible has a value that can change over time (Young, 2021).

For more info visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpROwouRo_M

Technicalities aside, NFTs are more than just digital assets that can be bought or sold for profit. One of the key features of this technology is that the creator of these assets or tokens are sole owners of what they create and are in full control of who can access or share what was created. Today we see many digital artists benefiting from this concept because NFTs can essentially contain digital contracts outlining the rights and instructions on how they may be used in future. These digital contracts can be used to add permissions or place restrictions on an NFT. For instance, if an artist creates a digital piece that is converted into an NFT they have the freedom to set permissions or limits on how the buyer uses this digital creation. They can set limits on how many copies the buyer can create or if the buyer chooses to sell the NFT in future the original owner gets a cut of that secondary sale (Young, 2021).

Education and Ownership

When we think about education, ownership is not the first word that comes to mind. Technically, everything we create, we own and this applies to our students as well. Lets’ say your Water Cycle project was created digitally as an NFT; You and your team would now be the sole owners of this creation and if anyone decides to use it for future reference they would need your permission to do so. As the owners of this project, you are in control of how this project can be used in future by the teacher, school, or any organization.

So what does this mean for teachers?

For teachers, NFTs can provide a unique scenario where they can now present them as tokens or rewards to students at the end of a term. All student tests, quizzes, midterms, and end of term assessments and results can be recorded and awarded to each student as an NFT which the student now owns and can access at any time.  Students can use these NFTs with their various credentials to market themselves to other institutions or positions in the world of work. Because of the unique contract embedded within the NFT their credentials can never be copied or used without their permission. For university students, this would mean that they would not have to pay for a document that essentially states all the grades they earned over time.

Usually, when rating a teacher’s performance, especially at the university level, students are required to fill out a questionnaire that is created for them by the institute. However, with NFTs students can present the teacher with a unique assessment of their performance that the teacher can now add to their teaching profile.

An opportunity to create

As stated earlier NFTs have been dominating the mainstream especially when it comes to artistic creation. This fact has opened a new realm of opportunities for student creation. We may be entering a time where students can not only create, but create and be heard. For instance, a project on environmental awareness can easily become a local campaign given the digital nature of NFTs which can be easily shared on any social media website. If a student chooses and when they are old enough they can create their own livelihood by creating and selling NFTs online.

Final Thoughts

Though the idea of using digital tokens in education has piqued my interest, there are some concerns. I do not think NFTs is something that most persons including myself would fully understand because it is a market that is ever-growing and changing. When it comes to ownership I am not sure how digital contracts will hold up when scammers get involved. So far my experience with NFTs has been one where I see persons trying to make as much money as they can before the market becomes saturated. I’ve already received many invitations to join groups with individuals buying and selling NFTs in the hope that the value of these tokens will rise in future. I am not sure how much I would be invested in the digital direction that is being taken with NFTs and the creation of digital worlds. However, as with most things, there is a silver lining and I think it lies in the way we choose to use and implement this technology.

References

Young, J. (2021). We Wondered If NFTs Could Change Education, So We Decided to Sell This Article on the Blockchain. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-08-09-we-wondered-if-nfts-could-change-education-so-we-decided-to-sell-this-article-on-the-blockchain

Ye, J. (2021). NFT in Hong Kong: Bored Ape Yacht Club owners seek merchandise deals, art exhibitions for cartoon primates. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3158391/nft-hong-kong-bored-ape-yacht-club-owners-seek-merchandise-deals

Technology has now become an integral part in the process of chartering new courses in our education system, thus a number of trends relating to new technologies have emerged particularly in 2021. One can confidently assume that many more trends will emerge and develop in 2022.

By Keston Charles

Some of the more popular technology trends in the Caribbean in 2021 fell within the realms of Remote Learning and Social Media.

Because of these mediums many of our students to this day are able to attend school virtually. Whether this be through some form of video conferencing such as Google Meet, Zoom Conferencing or Microsoft Teams, or class forums, pre-recorded videos or email. Students have had the opportunity to attend classes remotely through virtual means.

With social media what many instructors and tutors have learnt is that with the right strategy in place and the right wireless infrastructure social media can be a very useful and powerful tool for both students and teachers. Many have found that the best thing about social media is that you are using a medium your students understand and enjoy making it easier for you as the teacher to initiate tasks and get everyone involved.

What we have seen in 2021 is an evolution in the technologies we are already familiar with and in 2022 what we may see is the continued evolution of these technologies alongside those that are emerging.

Emerging Technology Trends in 2022

Growth of Mobile Learning

Mobile applications are one of the most common ways that students access adaptive learning platforms. When all connectivity fails students tend to rely on their smartphone as a secondary learning device (Pang, 2021). As we know through mobile devices students can access the various social media applications. These applications can be skillfully used by the teacher to get students engaged in lessons especially the ones that may be more challenging. As mobile learning expands more mobile-friendly learning management systems and applications must be developed.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is slowly becoming one of the primary trends in education and could grow exponentially by the end of 2022 (Bui, 2020). In 2021 we have seen AI being used on a basic level but in 2022 it will be anything but. Google is in the process of developing an Artificial Intelligence platform that will create the opportunity to provide personalized instruction at scale to meet the needs of learners (Pang, 2021).  

With AI there is always the fear that this type of technology will threaten the nurturing factor that our young learners need. Artificial Technologies are also very expensive to implement and will require the training of staff (Tucci, Laskowski and Burns, 2021).

However, it is important to consider the effectiveness of AI to be an assistant not something that controls the whole education process. It cannot replace the teacher and students must have the freedom to express themselves. The technology should never take center stage.

Short- Form, Video- Based Learning

It is impossible to overstate how much we love video. We love making it, we love consuming it. Creating content using video tools seems to be getting easier each year. Social media platforms like Tik Tok have increased the popularity of the 2 to 3 minute supplemental educational videos that help students understand difficult concepts (Pang, 2021).

Immersive Learning Technologies (Virtual Reality)

With Microsoft, Cisco and Facebook jumping into the metaverse business, mixed reality collaboration tools may soon become the norm.

In 2022, Microsoft Teams users will be able to use Microsoft Mesh, a mixed reality platform where online students can communicate with instructors through 3D avatars. Cisco is also piloting an augmented reality meeting space called Webex Hologram (Pang, 2021).

Gamification

Gamification is the concept of applying game-design thinking to different classroom tasks to make them more fun and engaging. The idea is to use the typical game system of providing challenges, rewarding winners, then providing harder challenges with equally bigger rewards.

When you win at a game, your mind releases dopamine, a chemical in the brain that triggers motivation and pleasure. This makes learning a positive experience, one that you won’t have to force students to enjoy. So the main concept is to challenge the students, let them feel good about overcoming the challenge, then challenge them more (Josephine, 2016).

References

Josephine, 2016. Mona.uwi.edu. 2022. 7 Must-Know Classroom Technology Trends that are Changing Education | Caribbean CoP. [online] Available at: <https://www.mona.uwi.edu/cop/news/7-must-know-classroom-technology-trends-are-changing-education&gt; [Accessed 8 November 2016].

Tucci, L., Laskowski, N., Burns, E. (2021). What is Artificial Intelligence? Teach Accelerator. Retrieved from https://searchenterpriseai.techtarget.com/definition/AI-Artificial-Intelligence

Keeping up Virtually in the Pandemic:  How covid-19 inspired this innovator to adapt and grow her online business.

By Keston Charles

Following the Dream

For Renee, working from home was always a dream. She really loved her job but on many occasions she was so exhausted that going to work the following day seemed a mountainous task. Though she wanted to work from home there were no opportunities available to her at the time. She was not sure how this could be done. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020 she stumbled across a video by a Virtual Assistance Coach advertising her services. She did not hesitate to message this individual and was so impressed by her knowledge of the field she decided to get involved by taking some coaching sessions. It was through these sessions she learnt everything about the field and was able to launch her first online Virtual Assistance Business in no time. The decision was a no brainer seeing that she had spent many years in administration and customer service, two key requirements of online assistance.

Adapting and Merging Experiences…

There are many lessons one can learn from an innovator like Renee. The first one I noticed was her ability to adapt and use her past experiences to assist in her in the present. She is never afraid to learn something new and this is why she perseveres. Though she had established her business, there was much she needed to learn and is still learning. Especially within the rare circumstances that we all found ourselves in March of 2020. Virtual Assistance had always been in existence but this time around it was in high demand and she had to adapt quickly. Her past experiences within the field of Psychology helped greatly with effectively communicating with her clients and through these interactions she built her network.

Covid-19 pushed me to start…

Facing a pandemic on the edge of an expiring contract would be enough for most to pack it in and call it day. But Renee became inspired and immediately began searching for new opportunities. Covid-19 was the spark which ignited the flames of her passion, it motivated her to pursue her dreams. This decision created a domino effect because when she began her business many persons reached out for advice and to work with her. Though she maintained that the pandemic has created much struggle and uncertainty, it pushed her to move in a more positive direction that she is proud to admit she has taken full advantage of one year on from when it started.

I’ve always been complemented on my attitude…

Listening is one thing but doing this actively is a skill that must be developed with time and practice. This skill to actively listen is one that Renee constantly sharpens as she navigates her way through a field that can sometimes come across as a scam. In these times of online pyramid schemes and money lenders it is not hard to see why one may not trust someone doing business online. One has to think quickly while constantly reassuring their clientele that their business is legit. One has to listen effectively while keeping in mind that the person on the other side of the conversation is an actual human being needing real assistance.  One has to be attentive and not be quick to interject because people can usually tell when someone is not listening, even though they may not say this openly. Effective listening sets up the opportunities to ask the right questions and this is where this innovator shines. Her studies in Psychology merged with her years of experience in administration and customer service has developed her willingness to provide the best service she can with what she knows.

My mindset had to be on point…

Planning was a key part to Renee’s process. This helped with overcoming the stress of being in lockdown which created the high demands for her services. She had to learn while serving others and if she did not plan properly this would have been a joggling game she was definitely going to fail. This effective planning has afforded her the extra time and opportunity to extend her services to the field of education where she works one on one with a student preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA). Through working with this student she was able to observe some of the gaps in the education system that the pandemic has revealed. Particularly where online education is concerned and dealing with special needs students. With her own student she realized that teachers are using numerous platforms that may be causing more harm than helping the students’ progress academically.

Additionally, she learnt the importance of knowing the student by being aware of what they are familiar with and building on these experiences. Through working with her student she realized that she was most familiar with the video conferencing platform Zoom so she uses the ‘White Board’ feature on this platform to help make the lessons more interesting for her. Though being a Virtual Assistant she was able to understand three major principles of teaching that most teachers take for granted, these are;

• First, knowing the student.

• Second, our lessons must be interesting to our students to keep them engaged.

• And third, we must give our students the freedom to express themselves.

This last principle she has found quite easy to incorporate because of the one on one nature of her classes. Her student does not feel the need to compete and gets to do what she actually wants to do. This has helped tremendously with her acquisition of the content she is being thought. In the normal school setting it is usually a struggle.  

A true innovator…

Google describes an innovator as a person who introduces new methods, ideas or products. Renee has somehow managed to revolutionize a service that has existed for many years. She uses her keen observation skills and past experiences to create unique experiences that make the lives of others easier. What is most impressive is her dedication to the field of education. It is a dedication she is determined to expand as she moves forward with her lifelong dream. This is evident in one of her final statements where she adds:

“We need to find better ways to deal with our students.”

It is a statement I whole heartedly agree with. We do need to find much better ways of dealing with our students. We need to always be conscious of their various needs and that these needs can and must be met if we are to successfully raise the next generation of innovators.

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