The summer can mean cruel, humid, and hot weather. Hydration is the key to ultimate success to enhance brain functions, physical performance, and mood. Do you know that some people don’t even know when they are dehydrated? Brain performance, mood, and exercise ability change when you are dehydrated. But summer is not the only time…
by Nikki Massaro Kauffman, Multimedia Specialist with Penn State World Campus “Teaching is a series of decisions that increase the probability that learning will occur.” Early in my career, when I was working as a high school teacher, someone shared this definition of teaching, and I’ve taken it with me ever since. What struck me…
Ever wonder how many hours of sleep you need to perform at your best? The deep stages of sleep — NREM and REM — are important for cognitive abilities such as memory and problem solving. And magnesium — a vital mineral we need in our bodies — may improve overall sleep quality, as well as brain performance, memory,…
Do your perceptions change when someone discusses an opinion different from your own? Do you find yourself more engaged when your teammates smile and agree with you, or do you find yourself lost for words when someone is talking over you, uptight, and not listening? Did you know that research shows 5 specific personality traits…
The end of the semester is behind us, and the dust is just settling on what I hope was as good a year for you as it was for me at Penn State World Campus. Some of us are taking classes this summer, and some aren’t — regardless, I wanted to share a few quick…
There are a multitude of extracurricular activities for anyone interested in participating — sports teams, pub trivia groups, and clubs for nearly every imaginable interest: chess, reading, movie discussions, even zombie awareness (no, seriously: http://zpocawareness.com). While it’s not by any means an absolute necessity to be involved in social groups like these, socialization is important in…
If you are graduating or otherwise leaving Penn State with student loan debt, you will soon begin making student loan payments. You most likely have more than one loan, and each will come with its own monthly bill. Depending on your situation, consolidating your loans may make repayment easier or lower your monthly payments. Federal…
Only 10 percent of people follow up with potential employers after an interview – make sure you’re one of them! Follow-up has the potential to set you apart from other candidates. In this post, I’ll talk about reasons to follow up, what to avoid, and different formats and timelines. Reasons to Follow Up Appreciation Follow-up provides…
You may have heard about the Heartbleed Bug, an Internet security vulnerability that has exposed many Internet users’ personal information. The Heartbleed Bug has affected many websites, email, instant messaging, social networking, and other online services, leaving users of those services at risk. What does this mean for Penn State students and Internet users? The…
Dr. Megan Baril is an instructor in the online Human Development and Family Studies program offered through Penn State World Campus. She wrote the curriculum for our Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies course (HD FS 129), and also has taught courses on child development, research methods, and interventions in human development. We chatted…