#Class Group

[explainlearning]

What Makes the Ideal Class Group? Key Traits to Look For

A well-structured class group can significantly enhance your learning experience. It can provide a platform for collaborative learning, problem-solving, and mutual support. However, not all class groups are created equal. To maximize the benefits of group work, it's crucial to identify the key traits of an ideal group member.

Key Traits of an Ideal Class Group Member

Active Participation: An ideal group member actively participates in discussions, shares ideas, and contributes to group projects. They are not afraid to ask questions and seek clarification.

Reliability and Responsibility: A reliable group member is committed to the group's goals and meets deadlines. They take ownership of their assigned tasks and deliver quality work.

Positive Attitude: A positive attitude can create a supportive and motivating learning environment. A positive group member is enthusiastic, optimistic, and willing to help others.

Effective Communication: Strong communication skills are essential for successful group work. An ideal group member can articulate their thoughts clearly and listen attentively to others.

Respectful Behavior: A respectful group member values the contributions of others and avoids negative or disruptive behavior. They treat everyone with kindness and consideration.

Problem-Solving Skills: A good problem-solver can identify issues, brainstorm solutions, and work collaboratively to find the best approach.

Adaptability: A flexible and adaptable group member can adjust to changes in plans or unexpected challenges.

How to Find the Right Class Group

Shared Goals: Look for individuals who share your academic goals and are motivated to succeed.

Similar Learning Styles: A group with members who have diverse learning styles can create a more comprehensive and effective learning experience.

Effective Communication: Choose group members who are good communicators and can express their thoughts clearly.

Positive Attitude: Seek out individuals with a positive attitude and a willingness to collaborate.

Mutual Respect: A respectful and supportive group environment is essential for effective learning.

Leveraging Explain Learning for Effective Group Study

Explain Learning is an e-learning platform designed to facilitate effective class group collaboration. Our platform offers a range of features that can enhance your group's productivity and learning experience:

Collaborative Tools: Work together on shared documents, whiteboards, and projects.

Communication Features: Stay connected with your group through chat, video conferencing, and forums.

Interactive Content: Access a vast library of interactive exercises, quizzes, and videos.

Personalized Learning Paths: Create customized learning plans tailored to your individual needs.

Conclusion

By identifying the key traits of an ideal class group member and leveraging the power of Explain Learning, you can create a dynamic and productive learning environment. Remember, effective group work requires a combination of individual effort, collaboration, and a positive attitude.

Know more https://explainlearning.com/blog/ideal-class-group/

[furiousphoenix]

POV: twoja grupa klasowa miała dokładnie to zdjęcie profilowe na grupie z wychowawczynią na Messengerze

Nostalgia poziom hard

POV: your class group had exactly this photo as a profile picture on the group with class teacher on Messenger

Nostalgia level hard

[hiveswap]

my heavy smoker grandparents came over very briefly and the whole house smells like absolute shit now. So I (chronic tumblrina) got thinking.

[inkskinned]

having good & true friends will literally save and protect you in a million unfathomable ways. like okay we have written so many times about lovers. but the way a platonic friend laughs and cries with you. the way they hold your hand at 14 years old and at 34. the way they keep a little silver tie to you, touching base over and over and over. how you can go years without talking, only to re-meet and discover: oh shit! you're still cool!

there are people who have been in my life for more than half of it, and i have loved every version of them. do you know how fucking beautiful that is. yeah love will save the world. but the way friends love you is gonna save the you.

[thelivingsin]

why did i choose this role

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Red Lobster was killed by private equity, not Endless Shrimp

For the rest of May, my bestselling solarpunk utopian novel THE LOST CAUSE (2023) is available as a $2.99, DRM-free ebook!

A decade ago, a hedge fund had an improbable viral comedy hit: a 294-page slide deck explaining why Olive Garden was going out of business, blaming the failure on too many breadsticks and insufficiently salted pasta-water:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/940944/000092189514002031/ex991dfan14a06297125_091114.pdf

Everyone loved this story. As David Dayen wrote for Salon, it let readers "mock that silly chain restaurant they remember from their childhoods in the suburbs" and laugh at "the silly hedge fund that took the time to write the world’s worst review":

https://www.salon.com/2014/09/17/the_real_olive_garden_scandal_why_greedy_hedge_funders_suddenly_care_so_much_about_breadsticks/

But – as Dayen wrote at the time, the hedge fund that produced that slide deck, Starboard Value, was not motivated by dissatisfaction with bread-sticks. They were "activist investors" (finspeak for "rapacious assholes") with a giant stake in Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden's parent company. They wanted Darden to liquidate all of Olive Garden's real-estate holdings and declare a one-off dividend that would net investors a billion dollars, while literally yanking the floor out from beneath Olive Garden, converting it from owner to tenant, subject to rent-shocks and other nasty surprises.

They wanted to asset-strip the company, in other words ("asset strip" is what they call it in hedge-fund land; the mafia calls it a "bust-out," famous to anyone who watched the twenty-third episode of The Sopranos):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bust_Out

Starboard didn't have enough money to force the sale, but they had recently engineered the CEO's ouster. The giant slide-deck making fun of Olive Garden's food was just a PR campaign to help it sell the bust-out by creating a narrative that they were being activists* to save this badly managed disaster of a restaurant chain.

*assholes

Starboard was bent on eviscerating Darden like a couple of entrail-maddened dogs in an elk carcass:

https://web.archive.org/web/20051220005944/http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~solan/dogsinelk/

They had forced Darden to sell off another of its holdings, Red Lobster, to a hedge-fund called Golden Gate Capital. Golden Gate flogged all of Red Lobster's real estate holdings for $2.1 billion the same day, then pissed it all away on dividends to its shareholders, including Starboard. The new landlords, a Real Estate Investment Trust, proceeded to charge so much for rent on those buildings Red Lobster just flogged that the company's net earnings immediately dropped by half.

Dayen ends his piece with these prophetic words:

Olive Garden and Red Lobster may not be destinations for hipster Internet journalists, and they have seen revenue declines amid stagnant middle-class wages and increased competition. But they are still profitable businesses. Thousands of Americans work there. Why should they be bled dry by predatory investors in the name of “shareholder value”? What of the value of worker productivity instead of the financial engineers?

Flash forward a decade. Today, Dayen is editor-in-chief of The American Prospect, one of the best sources of news about private equity looting in the world. Writing for the Prospect, Luke Goldstein picks up Dayen's story, ten years on:

https://prospect.org/economy/2024-05-22-raiding-red-lobster/

It's not pretty. Ten years of being bled out on rents and flipped from one hedge fund to another has killed Red Lobster. It just shuttered 50 restaurants and declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Ten years hasn't changed much; the same kind of snark that was deployed at the news of Olive Garden's imminent demise is now being hurled at Red Lobster.

Instead of dunking on free bread-sticks, Red Lobster's grave-dancers are jeering at "Endless Shrimp," a promotional deal that works exactly how it sounds like it would work. Endless Shrimp cost the chain $11m.

Which raises a question: why did Red Lobster make this money-losing offer? Are they just good-hearted slobs? Can't they do math?

Or, you know, was it another hedge-fund, bust-out scam?

Here's a hint. The supplier who provided Red Lobster with all that shrimp is Thai Union. Thai Union also owns Red Lobster. They bought the chain from Golden Gate Capital, last seen in 2014, holding a flash-sale on all of Red Lobster's buildings, pocketing billions, and cutting Red Lobster's earnings in half.

Red Lobster rose to success – 700 restaurants nationwide at its peak – by combining no-frills dining with powerful buying power, which it used to force discounts from seafood suppliers. In response, the seafood industry consolidated through a wave of mergers, turning into a cozy cartel that could resist the buyer power of Red Lobster and other major customers.

This was facilitated by conservation efforts that limited the total volume of biomass that fishers were allowed to extract, and allocated quotas to existing companies and individual fishermen. The costs of complying with this "catch management" system were high, punishingly so for small independents, bearably so for large conglomerates.

Competition from overseas fisheries drove consolidation further, as countries in the global south were blocked from implementing their own conservation efforts. US fisheries merged further, seeking economies of scale that would let them compete, largely by shafting fishermen and other suppliers. Today's Alaskan crab fishery is dominated by a four-company cartel; in the Pacific Northwest, most fish goes through a single intermediary, Pacific Seafood.

These dominant actors entered into illegal collusive arrangements with one another to rig their markets and further immiserate their suppliers, who filed antitrust suits accusing the companies of operating a monopsony (a market with a powerful buyer, akin to a monopoly, which is a market with a powerful seller):

https://www.classaction.org/news/pacific-seafood-under-fire-for-allegedly-fixing-prices-paid-to-dungeness-crabbers-in-pacific-northwest

Golden Gate bought Red Lobster in the midst of these fish wars, promising to right its ship. As Goldstein points out, that's the same promise they made when they bought Payless shoes, just before they destroyed the company and flogged it off to Alden Capital, the hedge fund that bought and destroyed dozens of America's most beloved newspapers:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/16/sociopathic-monsters/#all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print

Under Golden Gate's management, Red Lobster saw its staffing levels slashed, so diners endured longer wait times to be seated and served. Then, in 2020, they sold the company to Thai Union, the company's largest supplier (a transaction Goldstein likens to a Walmart buyout of Procter and Gamble).

Thai Union continued to bleed Red Lobster, imposing more cuts and loading it up with more debts financed by yet another private equity giant, Fortress Investment Group. That brings us to today, with Thai Union having moved a gigantic amount of its own product through a failing, debt-loaded subsidiary, even as it lobbies for deregulation of American fisheries, which would let it and its lobbying partners drain American waters of the last of its depleted fish stocks.

Dayen's 2020 must-read book Monopolized describes the way that monopolies proliferate, using the US health care industry as a case-study:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/29/fractal-bullshit/#dayenu

After deregulation allowed the pharma sector to consolidate, it acquired pricing power of hospitals, who found themselves gouged to the edge of bankruptcy on drug prices. Hospitals then merged into regional monopolies, which allowed them to resist pharma pricing power – and gouge health insurance companies, who saw the price of routine care explode. So the insurance companies gobbled each other up, too, leaving most of us with two or fewer choices for health insurance – even as insurance prices skyrocketed, and our benefits shrank.

Today, Americans pay more for worse healthcare, which is delivered by health workers who get paid less and work under worse conditions. That's because, lacking a regulator to consolidate patients' interests, and strong unions to consolidate workers' interests, patients and workers are easy pickings for those consolidated links in the health supply-chain.

That's a pretty good model for understanding what's happened to Red Lobster: monopoly power and monopsony power begat more monopolies and monoposonies in the supply chain. Everything that hasn't consolidated is defenseless: diners, restaurant workers, fishermen, and the environment. We're all fucked.

Decent, no-frills family restaurant are good. Great, even. I'm not the world's greatest fan of chain restaurants, but I'm also comfortably middle-class and not struggling to afford to give my family a nice night out at a place with good food, friendly staff and reasonable prices. These places are easy pickings for looters because the people who patronize them have little power in our society – and because those of us with more power are easily tricked into sneering at these places' failures as a kind of comeuppance that's all that's due to tacky joints that serve the working class.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/23/spineless/#invertebrates

[hamsterdads]

after school hang out :]

[checkadii]

too lazy to grab a ref whatever girl

[lupucs]

Light World class pic ☀️

Wireframe:

Solid View:

Raw Render (without comp):

Wooo its finally done peeps! At last, here's the Deltarune Light World group render featuring Alphys's whole class! It's sort of a counterpart to my Dark World group render from a couple days ago. I also added some comp to improve the lighting and reused an old bg (some of you might remember which anim that's from hehe).

From left to right: Susie, Kris, Berdly, Noelle, Alphys, Jockington, Temmie, Catti, Monster Kid and Snowy!

These models were a ton of work to make but overall I'm really happy with how this turned out. The only light world model missing here is Rudy... I didn't know how to add him here since this was supposed to be a class pic of sorts, but maybe I'll make a designated render for him one day, since I really like his character even though he doesn't get a lot of screentime in-game. Oh, also first look at Deltarune Alphys!! Since I already made her rig for my Undertale animation, I just had to model her Deltarune clothes and bind em to the rig with an extra switch.

Anyways, feel free to use this as a wallpaper if you want!

Here's a link to the full resolution should the resolution be crushed by Tumblr.

[ryllen]

love is a compilation of coincidences

... and chances u create urself

[tabithatwo]

I relate to lottie because if I had to soothe a group of cannibal teens in the wilderness who for some reason depended on my guidance, I too would probably just start throwing out fucking dbt ass name five things you can see techniques and pray none of them knew what it was

[explainlearning]

Choosing the Right Classmates for Successful Group Study

Building a successful study group is more than just finding a few classmates to study with. The right group dynamics can significantly impact your learning experience and academic performance. In this article, we'll explore the key factors to consider when choosing your study group members and how Explain Learning can facilitate effective group study.

Key Factors to Consider:

Shared Goals:

Align Objectives: Ensure that all group members share similar academic goals. This will help maintain focus and motivation.

Consistent Commitment: Look for individuals who are dedicated to the group and willing to put in the effort.

Complementary Learning Styles:

Diverse Perspectives: A group with members who have different learning styles can provide a more comprehensive approach to studying.

Mutual Learning: Different perspectives can help you understand complex concepts from multiple angles.

Effective Communication:

Clear Communication: Choose group members who are good communicators and can express their thoughts and ideas clearly.

Active Listening: Look for individuals who actively listen to others and value different viewpoints.

Positive Attitude:

Motivation and Enthusiasm: A positive and enthusiastic attitude can create a motivating study environment.

Constructive Feedback: Choose members who are open to feedback and willing to offer constructive criticism.

Reliability and Responsibility:

Dependability: Select individuals who are reliable and committed to meeting deadlines and fulfilling their responsibilities.

Accountability: Look for members who are accountable for their actions and willing to take ownership of their tasks.

How Explain Learning Can Enhance Group Study

Explain Learning is an e-learning platform designed to facilitate effective group study. Here's how it can help:

Collaborative Tools: Use shared documents, whiteboards, and online meeting rooms to work together seamlessly.

Interactive Content: Access a variety of interactive exercises, quizzes, and videos to enhance learning.

Communication Features: Stay connected with your group through chat, video conferencing, and forums.

Personalized Learning Paths: Create customized learning plans tailored to your individual needs.

Tips for Building a Successful Study Group

Set Clear Expectations: Establish clear goals and expectations for each study session.

Create a Positive Study Environment: Choose a quiet and comfortable place to study.

Active Participation: Encourage everyone to contribute to discussions and activities.

Time Management: Use time management techniques to ensure efficient use of study time.

Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins to assess progress and address any issues.

By carefully selecting your study group members and leveraging the power of Explain Learning, you can create a dynamic and effective learning environment that will help you achieve your academic goals.

Know more https://explainlearning.com/blog/group-study/

[crabsnpersimmons]

(slowly cleaning out all the art i drafted but never posted)

sometimes the only way to recharge after a long day

is drawing your current blue trauma boi* in the outfit of your previous blue trauma boi**

*Moon, from my hairdresser AU "New 'Do, Same You" AU

**Red Clad Dewey from Another Eden

[bixels]

The idea that uni protesters are "elitist ivy-league rich kids larping as revolutionaries" on Twitter and Reddit and even here is so fucking funny to me if you actually know anything about the student bodies at these unis. Take it from someone who's going to one of the biggest private unis in the US, 80% of the peers I know are either from the suburbs or an apartment somewhere in America, children of immigrants, or here on a student visa. I've heard about one-percenter students, but I've never met one in person. Like, don't get me wrong, the institution as a whole is still very privileged and white. I've talked with friends and classmates about feeling weird or dissonant being here and coming from such a different background. But in my art program, I see BIPOC, disabled, queer, lower-income students and faculty trying to deconstruct and tear that down and make space every day. So to take a cursory glance at a crowd of student protesters in coalitions that are led by BIPOC & 1st/2nd-gen immigrant students and HQ'd in ethnic housings and student organizations and say, "ah. children of the elite." Get real.

[comingyourlugubriousness]

Here is a transparent version of this manga panel. Please run free with this. A meme to kick it off:

[heartorbit]

🩷💛💚💜