When we set out to study pandemic-related changes in schools, we thought wed find that learning management systems that rely on technology to improve teaching would make educators jobs easier. Instead, we found that teachers whose schools were using learning management systems had higher rates of burnout. Our findings were based on a survey of 779 U.S. teachers conducted in May 2022, along with subsequent focus groups that took place in the fall of that year. Our study was peer-reviewed and published in April 2024. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools across the country were under lockdown orders, schools adopted new technologies to facilitate remote learning during the crisis. These technologies included learning management systems, which are online platforms that help educators organize and keep track of their coursework.We were puzzled to find that teachers who used a learning management system such as Canvas or Schoology reported higher levels of burnout. Ideally, these tools should have simplified their jobs. We also thought these systems would improve teachers ability to organize documents and assignments, mainly because they would house everything digitally, and thus, reduce the need to print documents or bring piles of student work home to grade. But in the follow-up focus groups we conducted, the data told a different story. Instead of being used to replace old ways of completing tasks, the learning management systems were simply another thing on teachers plates.A telling example was seen in lesson planning. Before the pandemic, teachers typically submitted hard copies of lesson plans to administrators. However, once school systems introduced learning management systems, some teachers were expected to not only continue submitting paper plans but to also upload digital versions to the learning management system using a completely different format.Asking teachers to adopt new tools without removing old requirements is a recipe for burnout. Teachers who taught early elementary grades had the most complaints about learning management systems because the systems did not align with where their students were at. A kindergarten teacher from Las Vegas shared, Now granted my kids cannot really count to 10 when they first come in, but they have to learn a six digit student number to access Canvas. I definitely agree that it does lead to burnout.In addition to technology-related concerns, teachers identified other factors such as administrative support, teacher autonomy and mental health as predictors of burnout.Why it matters Teacher burnout has been a persistent issue in education, and one that became especially pronounced during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. If new technology is being adopted to help teachers do their jobs, then school leaders need to make sure it will not add extra work for them. If it adds to or increases teachers workloads, then adding technology increases the likelihood that a teacher will burn out. This likely compels more teachers to leave the field.Schools that implement new technologies should make sure that they are streamlining the job of being a teacher by offsetting other tasks, and not simply adding more work to their load. The broader lesson from this study is that teacher well-being should be a primary focus with the implementation of schoolwide changes.Whats next We believe our research is relevant for not only learning management systems but for other new technologies, including emerging artificial intelligence tools. We believe future research should identify schools and districts that effectively integrate new technologies and learn from their successes. The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. David T. Marshall, Associate Professor of Educational Research, Auburn University; Teanna Moore, Associate Researcher at Accessible Teaching, Learning and Assessment Systems, University of Kansas, and Timothy Pressley, Associate Professor of Psychology, Christopher Newport UniversityThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Finally!It might have taken EA a while, but console players can finally sign-up to play the new Skate, if they're lucky enough to get picked, anywayBetter late than never, as they say. News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 12, 2025 If you're a console player and you've been desperate to try out the new Skate, there's some good news, and some neutral news.The good news is that earlier this week, EA finally confirmed that a console playtest is going to take place (thanks, Eurogamer)! It's been a longtime coming, as the game has let PC players test out the game for a little while now, but obviously the Skate series has a long history of being played on console. All you need to do is head to the game's official website, and sign-up to become a Skate Insider. EA explains that Insiders "have the opportunity to playtest early versions of the game and provide feedback throughout development," but it should be noted that signing-up just gives you the "chance" to take part, it's not an outright guarantee you'll get to try it out (that's the neutral news, to be clear - not exactly bad, but not ideal either).To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This new iteration of Skate is being tested on PlayStation and Xbox, alongside the tests that have already taken place on PC, but even if you don't end up being an Insider, I wouldn't worry too much. Back in September EA confirmed that the game will be launching into early access sometime in 2025, though as with many announcements these days, when in 2025 that might be, and if that'll even be the case for PlayStation and Xbox (the latter allows for game previews, but Sony is yet to welcome early access launches that much), is still up in the air. I imagine like every other studio in the industry, EA is waiting on that GTA 6 release date. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Skate, often referred to as Skate 4 despite not technically being Skate 4 (branding!), was shown off back in 2022, and since then EA has steadling been bringing players aboard, drip feeding them information. Hopefully that early access release is around the corner, I could do with some mindless skateboarding set to the most mid pop punk you can imagine.

Switch Who?One former Nintendo staffer thinks the company is probably a bit "uncomfortable" with all these leaks, but "the most important thing" right now is actually the lack of game leaks"A lot of this is going to be in the rear-view mirror." News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 12, 2025 According to one former Nintendo marketer, the company doesn't exactly "like what's happening" with these Switch 2 leaks, but its plans aren't any different.I don't remember the last time people were getting this intense about an unannounced console since, well, probably the original Switch, but even then I don't think people were quite as full-on as they are with the Switch 2. There's been plenty of rumours and alleged leaks that turn out to be not so official, if you ask Nintendo, and some have even taken to tarot readings just to try and figure out when it could be launching. How much all of the leaks have shown off, we obviously still don't know, but former Nintendo director of social media marketing and original content Kit Ellis has shared how he thinks this might have affected Nintendo's plans, or rather how it hasn't, in a new Patreon video (thanks, GamesRadar).To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "Something that we always try to impart is Nintendo's value of the long-term plan rather than a short-term opportunity, and them changing their date to announce the Switch [2] now, that's reacting to a short-term thing that is happening," Ellis said. "A good question is like, is what's happening now going to hurt the next seven years of the Switch 2, or however many years that generation lasts? And I think if you look at it, no, it's probably not."It's not a great time for them now, it's an uncomfortable time for them now, they don't like what's happening, but once they announce this thing, and show games, and they're off to the races, and they're sharing their information... a lot of this is going to be in the rear-view mirror." Ellis also noted that the "most important thing" for Nintendo above all else right now, though, is that no games have leaked yet. That's obviously the big thing that actually matters, because hardware these days are just incremental improvements more than anything else. It would be nice to get a reveal sometime soon, though.

Been Around The BendIf you're worried about The Witcher 4 feeling too different from its predecessor, don't worry, because a lot more staff from the third game are still at CD Projekt Red than you might have fearedThat includes a dev who's been there since the first game.Image credit: CD Projekt. News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 12, 2025 Video game developers change staff pretty often, but one of CD Projekt Red's CEOs has shared that a lot of The Witcher 3's development staff are still there.It'll be The Witcher 3's 10th anniversary this coming May, and aside from being a reminder of the crushing reality of the passage of time, it's also a reminder that, man, it's been a decade since CD Projekt Red last made a Witcher game. The developer has obviously been busy in the intervening years, with DLC as well as some game called Cyberpunk 2077 that had a launch that no one talked about in the slightest, but when it's been so long, there's always the question: does it even know how to make one anymore? A similar question could have been asked about Dragon Age: The Veilguard as it did have a 10 year gap between it and Inquisition, and that turned out alright, so maybe The Witcher 4 will be too!To see this content please enable targeting cookies. CD Projekt Red went through three rounds of layoffs in the span of three months in 2023, too, so it'd be understandable if you were a bit concerned that there's not enough devs from The Witcher 3's team remaining. It sounds like there are quite a few left though, as earlier this week co-CEO Michal Nowakowski shared a tweet noting the game's upcoming 10th anniversary, writing, "The Witcher 3 turns 10 this May. Around 100 of its developers are working with us to this day on our new projects, including The Witcher 4. Some are actually veterans from The Witcher 2 and The Witcher 1, including my esteemed co-CEO, Adam Badowski, who has been with the series since its inception back in 2002." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.So, even if you're a bit grumpy about Ciri being the main character now (which, come on, was always going to be the case, no?), there will be some carryover from previous titles at the very least. Let's just ignore how long you'll be waiting for it considering production only started in November.

Please sir, can I have some Mordor?The year is 2025 and Lord of the Rings feels very much like it's "a thing" again. We're not sure that it ever really went away, to be honest, but we've got The Rings of Power on TV (and it's actually rather good now), the War of the Rohirrim hit cinemas, a 'Hunt for Gollum' movie is planned, and, perhaps most importantly for us, more Middle Earth games are on the horizon.Gollum launched on multiple consoles in 2023 though the Switch version is still in limbo (something we're sure you were all devastated about) after Daedalic shut down its internal development team. But Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game surely a shoo-in for 2025's Clunkiest Title Award is right around the corner, bringing a slice of Hobbit life to Switch in March. And, with Embracer Group now legally behind the IP's wheel, we'd be surprised if things are stopping there.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

In BriefPosted:8:21 AM PST January 12, 2025Image Credits:Brian Heater/TechCrunchApple may add an iPhone Air to its lineupApples next major iPhone upgrade will include a new model called the iPhone 17 Air, according to Bloombergs Mark Gurman.This seems like an obvious way to expand the lineup, given Apples success with the Air moniker for thinner MacBooks and iPads (Im currently typing these words on my MacBook Air), and perhaps more attractive than the iPhone Plus or mini.Gurman writes that the iPhone 17 Air would include Apples first in-house modem, which will reportedly debut in the new iPhone SE in the spring. The phone is also supposed to be Apples thinnest smartphone yet two millimeters thinner than the current iPhones. So it would represent a step toward the foldable iPhone and iPad that the company is reportedly developing for 2026 or later.Gurman also runs down other Apple products he expects to launch in 2025, including a smart home hub. Not on the list: A new version of the companys mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro.Topics

With iOS 18, Apple rolled out Apple Intelligence, which includes an AI-powered feature for summarizing notifications. When you get a bunch of notifications from one app, the feature summarizes the content of all notifications in one card that appears on the lock screen. You can dismiss the stack after you have read the summary, or tap on it to check out individual notifications.However, the feature is not always accurate. Occasionally, it results in hilarious outcomes, and other times it fails to properly sum up the content of the notifications and includes visible inaccuracies. If you think notification summaries are causing confusion rather than being useful, you can turn them off or customize them.On iPhone/iPadHead to Settings > Notifications and tap on the Summarize Notifications tab. There are two options: You can turn off AI-powered notification summaries for all apps by toggling the Summarize Notifications option at the top, or you can turn off notifications on a per-app basis.On MacClick on the Apple menu in the top left cornerThere is no way to turn off notification summaries for a specific app category, such as news, productivity, utility, shopping, travel, and finance.Apple said in January that it would issue a software update to better indicate that notification summaries are generated by AI and might have some errors.

Open source makes the technology world go round, forming as much as 90% of the modern software stack via frameworks; libraries; databases; operating systems; and countless standalone applications.The benefits of open source software are well understood, promising greater control and transparency. However, theres a perennial struggle between the open source and proprietary realms, leading many companies to retreat from open source to protect their commercial interests. At the heart of all this is the thorny issue of licensing.There are two broad kinds of licenses that meet the formal open source definition as laid out by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Permissive licenses carry few restrictions in terms of how users can modify and distribute the software, making them popular with companies that wish to use it commercially. And then there are copyleft licenses, which offer similar freedoms but with one notable caveat: Any modified version of the software must also be distributed under the same original copyleft license. This isnt so appealing to businesses wishing to protect their proprietary work.But there is more to it than that, with various licenses existing within each bucket. Moreover, there are countless licenses that, while not strictly open source, are also worth knowing about.PermissiveMITOriginating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1980s, the aptly-named MIT license is the most popular open source license by most metrics, sitting in the top spot among the GitHub development community for many years.Used by projects including React (front-end JavaScript library) and Ruby (general purpose programming language), the MIT license allows developers to use software however they like. As with most such licenses, its provided without warranties, meaning authors are absolved from any liability resulting from damages caused by their software (e.g. data loss). All developers need to worry about is including the original copyright notice and MIT license in any derivative work.But the MIT license has one shortcoming: It doesnt explicitly grant patent rights. This means that if a given piece of software relies on patented technology, this might create legal uncertainty for developers who deploy the software without securing separate permissions for said patented technology.However, this underscores one of the key selling points of the MIT license: with just 200 words, the language is simple and concise. Muddying things with ambiguous, word-soup patent spiel would add needless complexity for projects unlikely to be concerned with patents, such as high-level programming languages or web frameworks.But plenty of open source projects do intersect with patented technologies, such as hardware-centric software like Android. Apache License 2.0The Apache Software Foundation published the Apache License 2.0 in 2004, an update to an earlier license with an explicent patent grant to protect users from litigation. So if a developer were, for example, to contribute a unique image processing algorithm to a project licensed under Apache 2.0, any patents that developer holds on that algorithm are automatically licensed to all users of the software.Most people will be familiar with Googles brand of Android, replete with app store and suite of home-grown tools and services. But the underlying Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is substantively available under the Apache 2.0 license, a deliberate move by Google in 2008 to combat Apple and encourage phone manufacturers to use Android versus the other proprietary incumbents (e.g. Symbian) of the time. And it worked. Samsung, HTC, LG, and all the rest jumped on Android.A byproduct of this, though, is that the Apache License 2.0 has around five times the number of words of MIT, owing to the patent grant text, among other additions and clarifications. But thats the trade-off, and it illustrates the key distinctions between the two most common permissive open source licenses.Other permissive licensesThe BSD 2-Clause License is similar to MIT, but with key differences in terms of the language used. For instance, it specifies that a copy of the license should be included with both the source code and the compiled binary form. And then there is the BSD 3-Clause License, which has an additional no endorsement clause that restricts the use of the names of the copyright holders and contributors for promotional purposes in any derivative project.Theres also the MIT No Attribution License (MIT-0), which is simpler than the MIT, in that there is no requirement for attribution in derivative software. Using this is close to putting software in the public domain, except the author does retain the copyright and ability to change things in the future.CopyleftGNU General Public License (GPL) v. 2.0 and 3.0The Free Software Foundation (FSF) published the GNU General Public License (GPL) in 1989, and was one of the first copyleft licenses for general use.Copyleft licenses are often better suited for projects requiring input from the community, versus projects supported by a single corporate entity. By requiring that all modifications remain available under the same open source license, this assures contributors that their hard work wont be used in proprietary software without also benefiting the wider community in theory, at least, as it can be difficult to discover every contravention and then enforce the terms of the license.Launched in 2007, GPL 3.0 is the third most popular license, according to GitHub data. The license ushered in notable updates on GPL 2.0, including patent grant provisions and improved compatibility with other open source licenses. It also prohibits what has come to be known as Tivoization, where hardware makers that benefit from GPL-licensed software prevent users from installing modified versions of that software, using digital rights management (DRM) mechanisms.Notable GPL adopters include WordPress, which is available under a GPL 2.0 or later license, leaving it to the developer to decide which license they distribute any modification under.Linux, for its part, is among the most successful open source projects of all time, used in servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, and even Android. However, the underpinning Linux kernel is only available under a GPL 2.0 license, given that Linux creator Linus Torvalds is against some of the provisions added in version 3.0 of the license including the Tivoization clause.GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL) 3.0The Affero General Public License (AGPL) is similar to GPL 3.0, insofar its a strong copyleft license that promotes software freedoms and ensures modified versions remain open source. However, a key distinction with AGPL is that its focused on web-based services and applications, where the software is run from servers rather than distributed as executable files.Under a GPL 3.0 license, developers arent required to release the source code for modified software if its run across a network, as SaaS applications are. The AGPL license closes this loophole, requiring third-parties to make the source code available even if the modified software is only running from a server.Published in 2007 by the Free Software Foundation, the AGPL 3.0 license has grown in popularity due in large part to the rise of cloud computing and SaaS, and today its the fifth most popular open source license.GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)Also a product of the Free Software Foundation, the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) is a weak copyleft license, insofar as its more business friendly with less stringent stipulations on what is shared. LGPL is normally used for software libraries where project authors want to encourage contributions from the community, but it allows proprietary software to link to the libraries without having to open source their entire proprietary code. If someone modifies the open source library itself, then they need only release those modifications under the LGPL license.Mozilla Public License 2.0Published by the Mozilla Foundation in 2012, the Mozilla Public License (MPL) 2.0 is the tenth most popular open source license today as per GitHubs licenses metric. MPL is also a weak copyleft license designed to protect proprietary code while enabling developers to benefit from open source software.However, while LGPL is focused at the library level, and GPL at the project level, MPL operates at an individual file level requiring the user to share a narrower set of code.Public domain and creative commonsWhile an open source license grants specific rights, theres always stipulations attached. Those who want to place their software entirely in the public domain without any caveats, however, can do so through other means.Its not enough to simply publish software without a license; copyright law applies by default to most creative works, including software. This is where a public domain dedication can help.Designed specifically for software, the Unlicense is the ninth most popular license on GitHub (though whether it can actually be called a license is debatable). Even though the OSI approved it as a license in 2020, it noted that the document is poorly drafted and questioned its legal efficacy in jurisdictions (e.g. Germany) where its not possible to donate work to the public domain.Like the Unlicense, Creative Commons CC0-1.0 is also a public domain dedication tool, though its focused more broadly on creative works. It uses clearer, more professional legal language that might be more in tune with international law. Its worth noting that Creative Commons applied to have CC0-1.0 approved as an open source compliant license in 2012, but withdrew the application after the OSI raised concerns that it explicitly excluded patent grants.There are other public dedication tools, such as Zero-Clause BSD, which might appeal as it has even simpler language. However, theres no consensus on the best mechanism for giving away all rights to a given piece of software.Faux-pen sourceThere are countless other licensing paradigms across the software spectrum.In some cases, businesses will release software under a dual-license model, with the user able to choose between a recognized open source license and a commercial license, depending on their intentions. Then there is open core, which offers the software under an open source license, but with key features paywalled. In other instances, a company might add a Commons Clause addendum to an otherwise permissive open source licence, putting commercial restrictions in place.There are also plenty of licenses that look and smell like open source, but are ultimately incompatible with the open source definition.In 2018, database giantMongoDB transitioned from a copyleft AGPL license to the server side public license (SSPL), a license of MongoDBs own creation. While the SSPL is still fairly open, its what is known as source available, in that the code is accessible but has significant commercial restrictions, which is a big no-no as far as the OSI is concerned.The folks at MariaDB forged a similar path with the business source license (BUSL), which imposes commercial restrictions before transitioning to a true open source license after a set number of years. There is another similar movement under way thats looking to make fair source licensing a thing. This includes the Functional Source License, which is touted as a simpler alternative to BUSL.You may also come across so-called ethical source licenses from time to time, such as the Hippocratic License, which prohibits the use of software in violation of internationally recognized human rights. Similarly, the open standard JSON file format has an extremely permissive license, barring one hilarious clause at the end: The Software shall be used for Good, not Evil.

Tech PowerSchool data breach exposes millions of student and teacher records PowerSchool serves 60M-plus students and teachers globally Published January 12, 2025 10:00am EST close When a Facebook friend request turns into a hackers trap These scams can catch Facebook veterans and novices off guard. Cybercriminals spare no industry, targeting sectors like health care, insurance, automotive and education. Health care has been a frequent target, with attacks like the Ascension breach last year and the CVR incident in late 2024.Now, education technology giant PowerSchool has become the latest target, with records of millions of students and teachers stolen.While the exact number of affected individuals remains unknown, the scale of the breach is alarming.PowerSchool serves 18,000 customers worldwide, including schools in the U.S. and Canada, managing grading, attendance and personal information for over 60 million K-12 students and teachers. Kids working on their laptops (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How did hackers target PowerSchoolPowerSchool revealed a cybersecurity breach to its customers Jan. 7, as reported byBleepingComputer. The company said it discovered the breach Dec. 28, after customer data from its PowerSchool SIS platform was stolen through the PowerSource support portal.PowerSchool SIS is a student information system used for managing grades, attendance, enrollment and other student records. Hackers accessed the PowerSource portal using stolen credentials and used an "export data manager" tool to steal information.The company said this wasnt a ransomware attack or a result of software flaws, but rather a straightforward network break-in. The company has hired a third-party cybersecurity firm to investigate the breach, figure out what happened and determine who was affected. Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What data got stolenThe PowerSource portal includes a feature that allows PowerSchool engineers to access customer systems for support and troubleshooting. The attacker exploited this feature to export the PowerSchool SIS "students" and "teachers" database tables to a CSV file, which was then stolen.PowerSchool confirmed the stolen data primarily includes contact details like names and addresses. However, for some districts, the data may also include sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, personally identifiable information, medical records and grades.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?The company said customer support tickets, credentials and forum data were not accessed or stolen during the breach. PowerSchool also emphasized that not all SIS customers were affected and expects only a subset of customers will need to notify those affected."We do not anticipate the data being shared or made public, and we believe it has been deleted without any further replication or dissemination," the developer told customers in a notice."We have also deactivated the compromised credential and restricted all access to the affected portal. Lastly, we have conducted a full password reset and further tightened password and access control for all PowerSource customer support portal accounts."PowerSchool said affected adults will be offered free credit monitoring, while minors will receive subscriptions to an unspecified identity protection service. Illustration of a hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)5 ways you can stay safe from PowerSchool data breachThe PowerSchool data breach has highlighted the importance of staying vigilant about your personal information. Here are five steps you can take to protect yourself:1. Monitor your accounts regularly:Keep a close eye on your bank accounts, credit cards and any online services linked to your personal information. Watch for unauthorized transactions or changes to your accounts that could signal misuse of your data.2. Freeze your credit: If your Social Security number or other sensitive details were compromised, consider placing a credit freeze with major credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This prevents potential identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name.3. Use identity theft protection services:Take advantage of any identity protection services offered by PowerSchool as part of its breach response. These services can alert you to suspicious activity and provide support if your identity is stolen.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREOne of the best parts of some identity protection services is that they have identity theft insurance ofup to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white glove fraud resolution team where aU.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses.See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Wherever possible, enable2FA for your online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, such as a text code or app-generated token, to access your accounts.5. Be aware of phishing links and use strong antivirus software: Cybercriminals often use phishing scams to exploit data breaches. Avoid clicking on suspicious links in emails or text messages, especially those claiming to be from PowerSchool or your school district.The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.Kurts key takeawayYou can blame hackers for this breach, but PowerSchool shares the responsibility for failing to adequately protect sensitive data. The company may also be in violation of data privacy agreements it signed with school districts, as well as federal and state laws designed to safeguard student privacy. Whats more concerning is that PowerSchool took nearly two weeks to notify its customers about the breach. Schools are now left scrambling to assess the full extent of the intrusion. This delay is not just irresponsible; it puts students, parents and teachers at heightened risk of cyberattacks and identity theft.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDo you think companies like PowerSchool should face stricter regulations for handling sensitive data? Let us know by writing us atFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com. Related Topics

Better make career mistakes than have career regretsgettyWhat if your biggest career regret isnt quittingbut staying?Everyone knows that personthe one who hates their job but deals with it by planning the next big trip. They distract themselves with holidays and leisure activities, easing the emotional burden of career regret. It might be the role they didnt leave, the raise they didnt ask for, or the passion they set aside. If this sounds like you, youre not alone.Regret is something many of us face. A recent survey by Resume Now found that 66% of workers report career regrets, including not asking for raises, neglecting work-life balance, and staying in a job too long. While this might suggest that regret grows with time, research from VU Amsterdam reveals an unexpected twist: 18 to 25-year-olds report the highest levels of career regret. This finding highlights the importance of addressing regret earlywhether due to inexperience or missed opportunitiesbefore it snowballs into something harder to overcome.But regret itself isnt the issue; the real question is whether youre going to do something about it. Research published in 2022 on career choice and occupational regret shows that people respond to career regret in different ways. Some confront their regret directly by changing occupations or pursuing training to enable a transition. Others, however, attempt to ease the emotional burden through distractions like holidays or leisure activities. While distractions might provide temporary relief, they fail to resolve the root cause and can trap you in a cycle of regret.As we step into a new yeara season of possibilityits the perfect time to confront these regrets, learn from them, and turn them into action. Because its better to make mistakestaking action that might not yield the intended outcomethan to live with regret, which is the sense of loss over what could have been. Though painful in the short term, mistakes often lead to better decision-making and more proactive career planning, as they provide clear learning opportunities. For instance, staying too long in a stagnant role is a common regret, but attempting a career pivot that doesnt work out would be considered a mistake. And interestingly enough, Resume Nows survey showed more people regret staying at a job than quitting a job.MORE FOR YOUActionable Framework: From Regret to ResilienceRegret isnt inherently negative. Its an invitation to reflect, prioritize, and act. To transform regret into growth, you can focus on three actionable strategies:1. Address the Root CauseStart by identifying the root cause of the regret. Are you dissatisfied because you stayed too long in one role? Or because you chose a career path that didnt align with your values? A finance professional who felt stuck in her role realized her regret stemmed from neglecting her passion for sustainability. Her reflection helped clarify what needed to change, turning regret into a guide for action and setting the foundation for what would later become a transformative career pivot.2. Redefine SuccessSuccess isnt staticit evolves alongside your career and personal priorities. The transforming world of work now offers more freedom to define success in ways that go beyond the traditional corporate ladder of the past. Today, success can include prioritizing what matters most to youflexibility, fulfillment, learning opportunities, or the ability to integrate personal passions into your professional life. For someone who regrets neglecting work-life balance, success may now mean embracing roles with flexible schedules or remote work options. For someone who stayed in a job too long, it may mean exploring opportunities for growth and development in emerging fields. For the finance professional, redefining success meant acknowledging that incorporating her passion into her life was essential, even if it started as a volunteer effort.3. Take Small, Intentional StepsOnce youve identified the root cause and redefined success, the next step is to act. But action doesnt mean you have to take bold steps like quitting your job. Small, intentional actions can break the cycle of regret and build momentum for meaningful change. Start by exploring new ways of working, such as portfolio careers, independent roles, or flexible schedules. Whether its enrolling in a course, expanding your network, or volunteering in a new field, incremental progress can lead to significant transformation. For the finance professional, small but intentional stepslike volunteering for a nonprofit in her spare timeeventually led to a transition into a finance job at an organization aligned with the nonprofits mission. This allowed her to merge her financial expertise with meaningful work that fulfilled her values and aspirations.The Best Time to Start Is NowThe start of a new year is the perfect opportunity for a career self-assessment. The changing world of work offers more tools than ever to address past regrets and make bold new choices. Flexible work opportunities, such as independent work or portfolio careers, provide ways to diversify income and pursue passions. Flexible schedules accommodate diverse needs, while platforms for continuous learning enable skill development without relying on a single employer. By acting on reflection, you can move past regret and build a career aligned with your values.Regret may be inevitable, but dwelling on it serves no purpose. Use regret as the spark to rewrite your story. Dream big, take bold steps, and create a future that aligns with your aspirations. This new year is the perfect time to start.