With increased focus on digital learning, a self-guided approach to professional development has never been more important. Thankfully, Edge Hill’s Library and Learning Services have recently partnered with LinkedIn Learning, giving students free, unlimited access to thousands of high-quality courses developed by industry experts. Courses range from software guidance to advice on maintaining your wellbeing, and can be anywhere from short, 10-minute tutorials, to extensive, 4-hour upskilling courses.

Many LinkedIn Learning courses include exercise files that enable you to work alongside the course leader’s instructions. Upon finishing a course, you will be provided with a Certificate of Completion, which you can add to your LinkedIn profile and download for use elsewhere. The skills you have gained on the course will be added to the ‘Skills & Endorsements’ section of your LinkedIn profile, increasing your chances of appearing in relative search results. LinkedIn Learning also tailors your course suggestions based on your history. So, if you complete a course on Google Analytics, similar courses on Marketing will appear in your feed. It’s a great way to keep track of your progress and to stay on top of industry developments. Plus, by taking a self-directed approach to learning, you are demonstrating your commitment to professional development, enhancing your appeal to prospective employers.

My Top 5 LinkedIn Learning Courses.

Digital Accessibility for the Modern Workplace, with Hector Minto.

As a Digital Intern, I have focused heavily on ensuring content is accessible to all students. Therefore, an understanding of disability requirements is imperative. Not all disabilities are visible, and some may even hide their disabilities for fear of discrimination. Therefore, it is important that we uncover gaps in our thinking to ensure working environments are as safe and inclusive as possible. This course covers vision, hearing, motor/dexterity, cognition/learning, mental health, and speech disabilities. It also includes guidance on increasing the accessibility of social media, meetings, emails, and presentations.

Google Universal Analytics (2020), with Corey Koberg.

As anyone with an interest in marketing will know, SEO is key to understanding customers. This course gives beginners a firm foundation for exploring Google Analytics, breaking down navigation basics, essential reports, metrics and dimensions, and user engagement. It certainly takes some practice, but once you have set up a Google Analytics account and you have added the tracking tag to your chosen sites, you get start getting to grips with the basics.

Marketing on Twitter, with Megan Adams.

I was recently appointed as a casual Communications Officer for a project I am passionate about, and my main responsibility is managing the social media. Therefore, maximising user engagement and building contacts through Twitter is crucial. This course covers branding, building a Twitter audience, and leveraging the power of your tweets. Here are some top tips I have taken away:

• Include a call to action at the end of the tweet, e.g. ‘visit our website for more information’.
• Add 2 keywords from any linked content to the body of your tweet.
• Include images where possible, as tweets with visual elements drive more engagement.
• Create Twitter lists to organise and prioritise tweets. This is useful if you don’t want to miss any content from specific users.
• Use TweetDeck to schedule your Tweets. This helps to ensure a steady flow of content.

Learning to Write Marketing Copy, with Ian Lurie.

Many English graduates will know that copywriting positions are very competitive. Employers often ask for previous experience in a similar role; therefore, being able to provide evidence of adaptive writing skills is essential. This course takes you through the fundamentals of collateral, medium and style, how to construct an audience specification and how to clarify your copy. It also covers handy A/B and multivariate testing tools such as Optimizely and Unbounce for measuring Conversation Rate Optimization, so you can actually analyse the effectiveness of your copy.

Learning Excel 2019, with David Rivers.

I have always found Microsoft Excel intimidating. I struggle with numerical data, so the sight of formulas, graphs and grids can send me into panic mode. However, once I learned about formatting, formulas, and inserting charts, I realised that the basics of Excel are pretty straightforward. In fact, the programme’s auto functions make it a dream for those who have difficulty quantifying data, as Excel does all the hard work for you.

For more top course recommendations compiled by digital interns, visit Getting Started with LinkedIn Learning.

EHU students can access further guidance on LinkedIn Learning through the Library and Learning Services.

By Laura Glancy (Student Intern)

On average, Brits spend 3 hours and 23 minutes staring at their mobile phone each day. To put this into context, that’s 49 days of the whole year, can you imagine spending a month and a half sat looking at your phone the entire day? – tiring right? Yet we still do it. The most popular app in 2020 was TikTok – a highly addictive short video sharing platform. Imagine if we utilised the hours we look at our phone and turn it into a more productive tool to boost ourselves and maximise potential. Here’s 6 ways we can do that:

1. Podcasts

Podcasts have started to gain popularity over the past few years, but some people still don’t utilise them to their full potential. Podcasts are great. Stick them on whilst doing the cleaning, doing your makeup before a night out or in the morning to get you started for the day. Not only are podcasts a great substitute to pointless videos, they also limit the time actually spent viewing your phone in turn making you less exposed to blue light – win win! It’s a great way to find new hobbies and interests and learn new things! Spotify shows top podcasts by category, meaning you can explore podcasts to do with music, science, sports, true crime and much more! Some of my favourite podcasts include:

Times News Briefing

A short 2-3-minute podcast every day discussing the latest headlines aired 3 times a day! A great way to start your morning informed.

JaackMaates Happy Hour

A podcast hosted by Youtuber JaackMaate and his friend Stevie White who provide a comedic style podcast every Monday and Thursday. They often invite celebrity guests and YouTube stars to sit and discuss different topics. The podcast is famously known for asking each guest what their favourite meal deal is!

The Yes Theory Podcast

Another youtuber hosted podcast which explores how discomfort may hold the key to meaning and happiness. Alongside their YouTube channel, Thomas, Matt and Ammar break the boundaries with their ‘Yes’ theory – the theory of saying yes to everything. Their podcasts and YouTube videos are inspiring and perfect for self-growth and reflection.

2.    Regular Screen Time Checks

Many phones have an in-built app displaying screen time. It shows exactly how much time you spend on your phone and what on. Almost most of us are aware of this, how many of us actually use it to our potential? Knowing how much time you spend on your phone and setting limits is crucial. Could you be using your phone more wisely? Do you really need to spend 3 hours a day on TikTok? When you begin to cut back and substitute that time with more productive apps, you begin to use your phone as a tool for success. Being aware of limits and setting goals whilst requires self-strength, will allow you to optimise your phones potential.

3.    Productivity apps

If you struggle setting boundaries yourself and are easily tempted to scroll on your phone – I know how you feel we’ve all been in an endless tiktok hole, then use apps that help you stay on track. Forest is a mobile productivity application that enables users to focus on their work by planting trees. You can set timers to distance yourself away from your phone, and whilst time ticks on the app, a tree is planted creating a virtual garden (whilst also giving you the option to plant a real-life tree – how great!) If you use your phone, the tree dies! Applications like this are a fun way to stay focused and productive. How about you start a league with your friends, who can track the most hours focused on the app? Everyone loves a bit of friendly competition.

To find more apps view the top 35 productivity apps for iPhone here: 35 Top Productivity Apps for iPhone (2021 Updated) (lifehack.org)

Or for android these 25 apps may be useful: Top 25 Must-Have Productivity Apps For Your Android 2019 (techviral.net)

4.    Remove unnecessary apps and replace with educational platforms

As much as playing Subway Surfers passes the time in a long car journey, replacing them hours with fun learning is way more beneficial. How about learning a new language with Duolingo whilst on the way to your staycation? The platform offers 30+ languages for on the go language learning! Fancy some meditation? Download Headspace a mindfulness app to help manage a happy and relaxed lifestyle, or a chef in the kitchen? BBC Good Food gives users an extensive recipe data base to help you keep inspired in the kitchen. How about inspire others by posting your meals on Pinterest or Instagram?

5. Turning off notifications

A simple yet effective hack. Resisting the temptation can be difficult, by removing your notifications you are less likely to check social media as often. This gives you more time doing productive things you enjoy. So, go on, turn them off right now!

6.    Following people who make you feel good

This post isn’t suggesting stop using social media completely, social media is great when used in the correct way. Following people who inspire positivity and productivity can benefit your day massively. The links between negative body image and the use of social media is frightening but reclaiming apps like Instagram and creating a positive space is super easy! Although the gummy hair sweets look delicious or the cuticle cream is a must have… influencers who promote a positive lifestyle are the way to go! My favourite positively inspired wellbeing influencers include:

@mikzaaon on Instagram who promotes body positivity.

@justalittlebitofpositivity on Instagram who shares inspiring quotes and reminders.

@selfcarevisuals on Instagram who are a self-care and positivity page sharing tips and tricks to lead a healthier, happier life.

For more inspirational Instagram accounts visit: 25 Most Inspirational Instagram Accounts to Follow—Inspiring Instagram Accounts (parade.com) which runs through the 25 most inspirational accounts to follow!

And there we have it! 6 tips to optimise your mobile phone potential. I hope these tips have been useful and begin to be incorporated into your daily life. Remember you have the power to change your phone into a tool for success, let’s get started!

By Jenna Wade – Student Intern

Hello, I am Reece, and I am Student Intern at Edge Hill University. I hope by now you have come across at least one of my blogs because if not, you will find this one very strange. So, before I get into it, I will give you a bit of background on how this will go; I will discuss the previous week of the internship and focus on what I completed and how I maintained a positive attitude. However, the biggest plot twist in history is that I will write it as if I am at Hogwarts, so you Harry Potter fans better enjoy this! Ok, I have chatted too much about the irrelevant bits so let me just get on that nine and three-quarters platform and pop on the Hogwarts Express.

Dear Muggles,

What a week it has been. Hogwarts has been fascinating, and since I started as a wizard (Student Intern) in week 1, I have learnt so much, and my magical skills have improved tremendously.

Let’s start off with the beginning of the week. Our headmaster, Dumbledore (Sarah), returned after their lovely break and caught up with all the wizards in Gryffindor (Faculty of Education). We all had an engaging catch-up, completed a few spells and even had a Butterbeer to celebrate Dumbledore returning. No, I am only joking; Butterbeer is after work hours only, or we would be banished to Azkaban for the remainder of our lives. I made some new potions (Posters) this week for the Mental Health task, and I do have to say I am pretty proud of them. I have learnt so much more about positive wellbeing, and I am confident the posters will benefit other wizards. Ok, that is enough about the start of the week because who is really interested in that? Let’s open a whole new door and see what I can share about Wednesday…

Alohomora …

I created Meet the Team posters with my fellow wizard friend, Sharnie, to share some facts about the professors. This will benefit the new wizards arriving at Hogwarts in September because they will know what the professor specialises in. For example, potions, spells, muggle studies or charms. It has taken us nearly 7 weeks to complete this task, and it has been mentally draining at times to keep up with the workload and emails from over 70 professors, so what have I done to remain positive and not stress? There were only so many Bertie Bott’s jelly sweets I could eat, so I asked my fellow wizard, Amy, if they wanted to play Quidditch (UNO) during our lunch. We had a few games until we got angry because we kept losing and decided to fly off on our brooms to enjoy the rest of our lunch.

So, we are coming to the last two days of my Week 8 Hogwarts experience, and I can say I was mentally prepared for some new tasks. At that moment, Dumbledore set a new task to create a branded design for Gryffindor (Faculty of Education). All the wizards decided to cast their own spells and share their own ideas. This was great as it improved our creativity and team working skills. Nevertheless, we have still not decided on the perfect design, but we have all promised to include most or all our spells, so we all have an input in the design. Also, during that day, we had a meeting with the Ministry of Magic, but don’t worry everyone, the Ministry of Magic is no longer corrupt as it once was when Harry Potter attended Hogwarts. The lovely Laura and Leah are the Heads of the Ministry of Magic, so everything runs very smoothly. Unfortunately, Leah was out observing muggles, but Laura was there so we could share how Hogwarts has been, and she asked us for some content to have for the event in week 12 at the Ministry of Magic (The last week of the internship).

Finally, the day every wizard and muggle wait for… Friday! I had an important evening in Diagon Alley, but back to work talk. I created some more potions (posters) and completed my weekly reflection for the Ministry of Magic. I also made sure I helped another wizard with some content that will be shared on The Daily Prophet showing the LTD staff.

I had a busy week, I guess, but I didn’t run into any Death Eaters or get tangled in the Whomping Willow. Week 8 has been enjoyable, and I got a lot of work done which makes me feel positive about my contribution to Hogwarts, and more specifically, Gryffindor. I hope you have all enjoyed reading my week at Hogwarts, but now I am going to steal the Weasley’s family car, Flying Ford Anglia. See you all very soon.

 

By Reece Thomas – Student Intern