Sunday, February 13

A Guide To Online Degrees - Types of Online Degrees

There are various types of online degrees. As the job market demand increase and more employers are accepting and recognizing the degrees earn through online study these days, more and more universities are opening their degree programs online and they cover nearly every subject taught in traditional face-to-face learning environment. Let review some of common degree types:

Business Degrees If you are considering a degree in business field, you could consider degrees in Marketing, Human Resources and Management, E-business, Banking, Acquisition and Contract Management, Business, Finance, Legal Studies, and so forth. Basically, there are 4 areas of business degrees which you can consider based on your interest.

Sales - In sales your focus is to connect and build relationships with consumers. You can consider a general business administration degree with concentration in area such as marketing and customer relationship management (CRM); or you can choose the specify degree that related to sales such as marketing degree, travel and hospitality degree, advertising & etc.

Retailing - refers to the specific act of selling directly to the customer. To be success in this field, you should have knowledge in understanding consumer behavior and needs, communication, problem solving, product evaluation and feedback. Any business degree with specialization in these areas can be your choice.

Health Care - Business oriented health care reforms handle the new demands of increased costs, human resource logistics, diverse economic considerations for patients, and insurance regulations.

Nonprofit Organization - Non-profit organizations need qualified business professionals to make the programs work, to service consumers and investors, and to uphold responsible financial management practices.

Arts Degrees If you are interest in arts fields, you may want to look into arts degrees like professional accounting, acquisition and contract management, database tech, general studies, marketing, information systems, economics, network and security tech in either Internet working or computers, and business administration. An arts degree open up a variety of career possibilities, almost half of all job vacancies available to new graduates are open to students with arts degrees. Hence, earning an arts degree can lead you to a brighter career future.

Education Degrees If you are interested in teaching, then an education degree can be your option. The education degrees will provide you the advantage of working in private and public schools. Education degrees have various specializations such as school administration, education leadership, curriculum and instruction. You can select an area of your interest. If you are looking for a degree which can provide you teaching licensure, ensure your selected education degree has this package.

Computer Degrees Earning a degree in Computer Networking Engineering will help you to use your human skills, including thinking critical and putting things in logical perspective. Whereas, computer networks management enable you to gain knowledge in problem solving and critical thinking patterns and internet technology.

Engineering Degrees Engineering degrees include electronic & electrical engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, software engineering & etc. For example, you can find many options in electrical engineering degree program; those options are more than enough for you to find a job in a field of your choice.

In Summary Almost all degrees offered in class-based universities are available online. These degrees cover about all the subjects in traditional study fields. Some degrees are offered the program entirely online (100%) whereas others may need some hours of physical classes or lab works.

Saturday, February 12

Some Helpful Things You Can Do To Enhance Your Memory

The following strategies are offered to help students develop a more efficient and effective memory. This listing is by no means exhaustive, but rather is meant as a place to begin.

1. Take the mystery away.

The first and perhaps most important strategy is to insure that all students understand how memory works and identify their particular profiles of memory strengths and challenges. Then, students should be taught memory management strategies.

2. Give directions in multiple formats.

Students benefit from being given directions in both visual and verbal formats. In addition, their understanding and memorizing of instructions could be checked by encouraging them to repeat the directions given and explain the meaning of these directions. Examples of what needs to be done are also often helpful for enhancing memory of directions.

3. Teach students to over-learn material.

Students should be taught the necessity of "over-learning" new information. Often they practice only until they are able to perform one error-free repetition of the material. However, several error-free repetitions are needed to solidify the information.

4. Teach students to use visual images and other memory strategies.

Another memory strategy that makes use of a cue is one called word substitution. The substitute word system can be used for information that is hard to visualize, for example, for the word occipital. These words can be converted into words that sound familiar that can be visualized. The word occipital can be converted to exhibit hall (because it sounds like exhibit hall). The student can then make a visual image of walking into an art museum and seeing a big painting of a brain with big bulging eyes (occipital is the region of the brain that controls vision). With this system, the vocabulary word the student is trying to remember actually becomes the cue for the visual image that then cues the definition of the word.

5. Give teacher-prepared handouts prior to class lectures.

Class lectures and series of oral directions should be reinforced by teacher-prepared handouts. The handouts for class lectures could consist of a brief outline or a partially completed graphic organizer that the student would complete during the lecture. Having this information both enables students to identify the salient information that is given during the lectures and to correctly organize the information in their notes. Both of these activities enhance memory of the information as well. The use of Post-Its to jot information down on is helpful for remembering directions.

6. Teach students to be active readers.

To enhance short-term memory registration and/or working memory when reading, students should underline, highlight, or jot key words down in the margin when reading chapters. They can then go back and read what is underlined, highlighted, or written in the margins. To consolidate this information in long-term memory, they can make outlines or use graphic organizers. Research has shown that the use of graphic organizers increases academic achievement for all students.

7. Write down steps in math problems.

Students who have a weakness in working memory should not rely on mental computations when solving math problems. For example, if they are performing long division problems, they should write down every step including carrying numbers. When solving word problems, they should always have a scratch piece of paper handy and write down the steps in their calculations. This will help prevent them from loosing their place and forgetting what they are doing.

8. Provide retrieval practice for students.

Research has shown that long-term memory is enhanced when students engage in retrieval practice. Taking a test is a retrieval practice, i.e., the act of recalling information that has been studied from long-term memory. Thus, it can be very helpful for students to take practice tests. When teachers are reviewing information prior to tests and exams, they could ask the students questions or have the students make up questions for everyone to answer rather than just retelling students the to-be-learned information. Also, if students are required or encouraged to make up their own tests and take them, it will give their parents and/or teachers information about whether they know the most important information or are instead focused on details that are less important.

9. Help students develop cues when storing information.

According to the memory research, information is easier retrieved when it is stored using a cue and that cue should be present at the time the information is being retrieved. For example, the acronym HOMES can be used to represent the names of the Great Lakes – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. The acronym is a cue that is used when the information is being learned, and recalling the cue when taking a test will help the student recall the information.

10. Prime the memory prior to teaching and learning activities.

Cues that prepare students for the task to be presented are helpful. This is often referred to as priming the memory. For instance, when a reading comprehension task is given, students will get an idea of what is expected by discussing the vocabulary and the overall topic beforehand. This will allow them to focus on the salient information and engage in more effective depth of processing. Advance organizers also serve this purpose. For older students, CliffNotes or other similar study guides for pieces of literature are often helpful aids for priming the memory.

11. Use Post-Its.

The use of Post-Its for jotting down information can be helpful for students who have short-term memory or working memory challenges.

12. Activate prior knowledge.

In order to enhance the likelihood that students will elaborate on new incoming information, teachers should activate their prior knowledge and make the new information meaningful to them. An easy way of accomplishing this task is to ask, “What do you know”, “What do you want to know”.

13. Give extended time.

If students have difficulty with the speed of retrieving information from memory, they should be given extended time for taking tests so that a true picture of what they know may be gained.

14. Use multisensory methods.

When learners, both young and old, experience something through multiple senses, they are much more likely to remember it. Use a Multisensory approach by engaging as many of the senses as possible when teaching (seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting).

15. Review material before going to sleep.

It should be helpful for students to review material right before going to sleep at night. Research has shown that information studied this way is better remembered. Any other task that is performed after reviewing and prior to sleeping (such as getting a snack, brushing teeth, listening to music) interferes with consolidation of information in memory.

Friday, February 11

A Guide To Online Degrees - Considering Online Degree Pricing

The same online degree program offered by different online universities may vary in pricing; the difference may due to a few factors, among these are the types of curriculum and total credit hours to complete the program. If you are considering in earning your degree online, it's make sense for you to compare the pricing of degrees at the schools offered and select the best online degree program that meet your education goal and targeted budget. This article will outline a few factors to consider when you compare the price of the same online degree program offered by different schools. Let review them one by one:

Tuition Fee

Tuition fee is the amount the school charges to take a course. At some programs tuition is the only cost. Other programs add technology and other miscellaneous costs. When getting the price of an online degree programs. You need to check with the admission department on their tuition fees, are the fees purely the cost of the courses or it includes other costs and any other hidden cost that may incur other than the said costs. After know all the details of the courses' prices, you can compare the price of the online degree program offered by different online universities.

Campus Residencies

The same online degree program from different online universities may have different course requirement. Some online degree programs are offered 100% online, whereas, others require campus residencies. Factor in the cost of attending these physical residencies to your total cost of your selected online degree program before making your pricing comparison.

Financial Aid Package

The online university may charge slightly higher fee on their tuition but it comes with an attractive financial aid package. Some online universities may help you find student loans, generally the Stafford loans, Sally Mae, or other relating loans; or help you to apply for Pell grants and/or other scholars. You may factor in these points when you considering your online degree pricing.

Marketable Degree

If you purpose of earning an online degree is for career switch or get a job promotion, then your must consider the marketability of your degree. For example, you plan to earn an online MBA and you are considering a few offers from universities. Some online MBA program may cost more that others but the job market statistics data shows that the degree-to-career ratio is higher then other universities, it means that more employers like to hire graduates from this university and you will have a better chance to get employed if you are holding a degree from this university. You may need to consider the ROI (Return On Investment) of your online degree program when deciding which online degree program to enroll in.

In Summary

The online degree program with the lowest sticker price may not be the best buy and the most expensive online degree program may not be your best choice. Besides considering the price, you need to carefully review curriculums covered by the degree program with the factors mentioned above in order to determine the true cost of earning an online degree.

Thursday, February 10

Some Points To Consider When Choosing An Online University Degree Program

Since the introduction of online degree programs, more and more colleges and universities offer online degree programs with subject areas range from business to nursing, degrees from Bachelor to MBAs and Ph.Ds. Online degree programs enable busy people to pursue their degree from any places and at their own schedule.

But, with the rapid growth and high demand in online degree programs, many fake online degree programs have been introduced by unaccredited online universities. Mistakenly earning a fake online degree definitely will not help in your educational journey. Thus, if you are considering online universities for your degree or career training, there are a few important points to consider in choosing your online degree offers by online university. This article will lists down 8 of them for your reference:

- How long has the universities been established? While a short educational history is not a red flag, a long-standing position in the educational committee is a sign of institutional security and reputability.
- Is the online university accredited? Accreditation ensures a basic level of quality in the education you receive from an institution. It also ensures your degrees will be recognized for the true achievements they are. Most potential employers review a job applicant’s educational history to make sure that he or she has received his or her education from a college, university, or program with accreditation. If your degree, diploma, or certificate comes from a school without accreditation, it could hurt your chances for future employment.
- What is the institution’s financial history/current position? Beware of fly-by-night operations that may not be in business next year!
- What other expenses are associated with your selected online degree course? Many online degree programs may require you to attend some hours of physical classes or lab works. Thus, the online universities may assess additional items such as technology fees or lab costs.
- Does the coursework of your selected online degree program meet your educational goal? Taking irrelevant courses may waste your time and money. Ask for a list of coursework of your selected degree program and review it against your educational goal before you decide to sign up.
- How current is the course material? Ask for a list of current textbooks or other learning materials to ensure they are current and relevant.
- What technological support is available to you as their online student? Online Universities normally has a webpage for online student which allow you to logon to view your coursework status, assignment submission, getting support from online university on any course related issues and access online library if any. Check with online university on these related information.
- What student services are available to online students? Full advising, placement, and tutoring services may or may not be available to long-distance learners. Get this information from the online universities; it is important to know how much the online university can support you as their online student.

In conclusion, get as much as information on your selected online university’s program and review it to see whether it is truthful in its advertising and recruiting and the most important is whether it meet your education need and career goal.

Wednesday, February 9

The Graduate School Search Process

Once you are close to achieving your undergraduate degree, it's time to begin a graduate school search to lead you to the next level of your education. Of course, with degree completion activities taking most of your time,you may find it difficult to launch a comprehensive graduate school search that will net you the best options for pursuing your career. Knowing how to establish your parameters and search efficiently can make the process easier and will lead to better results in a shorter period of time.

Graduate School Search Made Easy

Know your objectives – The first step to finding the right program through a graduate school search is to write down exactly what you want from a graduate program. Location, internship eligibilities, highly regarded instructors – decide which factors are most important and create a list of priorities.

Consult an online graduate school search guide – Before you can narrow down your selection, you’ll want to get as much information as possible on many diverse graduate programs. Using an online search program can help you to get a lot of information in a short amount of time. Request information packages from at least 10 different programs to provide a variety of options. Further research may provide some opportunities that you wouldn’t have been aware of prior to your graduate school search.

Narrow your options – Once you have obtained the information from the various schools you contacted via the graduate school search guide, you can perform a comparison based on your initial objectives. Select the top three or four programs that best match your graduate school preferences.

Contact existing students – Now that you have a smaller pool of options, consider contacting current students participating in the program you wish to join. Most schools will be happy to put you in contact with a student who can answer your questions about the program’s courses, instructors and overall value.

Visit the campus – Along with making telephone or internet contact with the schools you are considering, your graduate school search should include a trip to the campus itself. Unless you are considering the prospect of online or distance learning, getting a feel for the physical environment can play an important role in your final decision.

Re-evaluate your choices – Once your have a more personal view of each graduate program, take a minute to compare your field of choices once more. Now that you have additional information, it may be possible to eliminate some of the programs from your graduate school search. If you have a clear front-runner, it may be that you have already found the school of your choice.

Sleep on it awhile – Whether or not you believe you have found the right graduate school program, take a little time before making your final decision. Choosing a school will affect your life significantly and you don’t want to be impulsive about it. If, after a week or so, you still feel confident in your choice, your graduate school search has ended! If you still need more time, or more information, go back to the programs you most prefer or start over with step one.

Tuesday, February 8

Tips To Choose The Online Nursing School Right For You

No one can tell you which online nursing school is right for you. As a rule, you must be the one who chooses which path to take and how you want to get there. The differences between the online nursing schools are varied and one needs to be aware that they all have their pros and cons. However, if you make a wise and informed choice then you are half way to your goal. If a nursing school fits with your schedule, needs and personality than there is nothing stopping you from succeeding.

Bear in mind that no matter which online school you choose you will still need to take part in clinicals which require ‘in person’ teaching to complete your degree. So before you have earned the degree you will need to transfer to a land campus school.

1. First and foremost check out the fees that the online nursing charges for their courses. This is probably the most important part of choosing an online nursing school. It is the common practice of all reputable online nursing schools to be up-front with their fees. They realize it is important to new students to know how much they will be paying for the course. This will help to build trust in the school as they put fourth the effort to respect their students by offering their fees in an honest manner.

2. You will need to check out the course requirements before signing up for anything. Each school has different requirements that must be met before entering their program. These may include a high school diploma, previous nursing courses, or specific course studies from other schools. All of these requirements are easily located in the prerequisite area of the course description.

3. Time available is very important when choosing an online nursing program. You will need to check and make sure that you have the minimum amount of time that is required by the school to dedicate to class and course type studies. Most of the schools that offer online programs operate on the same premise of standard schools and require that students complete a minimum number of hours in class room study to be eligible to graduate. All of the time that is required will be listed in the course description during the review process.

4. Degrees offered is another area where one should put fourth some effort in research. If the online program does not offer the degree that you need to get the job you want then it is useless to you as a school. Through most of the online nursing schools you can choose the type of degree that you wish to obtain and enter the course of study as set down by those guidelines.

5. Finally you should determine if the school you are looking at fits the individual needs that you have. If a school does not fit the most basic needs than it will not be of much worth to you as a student. If you have special needs or require an aggressive course study you should check with the online schools advisor to ensure that they can accommodate such a need or desire.

Monday, February 7

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Taking Your First Online Lesson

Just a few short years since, the thought of taking a university classes through the Web was something only online “techies” considered. Now that people realize how convenient it is to take a class without leaving home, more and more people are taking advantage of using their computer to study.

However while the technology used for online classes is so easy just about anyone can become an online student, you should ask yourself the subsequent 5 questions first - and save yourself a lot of stress!

1) Do you have the time?
Many people think - mistakenly - that online courses are “easier” than traditional campus classes. But most online classes require regular participation. So, you must have the time to “log on” to your course several times each week, complete the assignments and do your homework, and interact with the other students.

All of this takes time…and, you have to account for the time you would normally have spent in the classroom. If you have the time, you will find taking an online class to be very convenient!

2) Do you have the discipline?
Sure, most online classes don’t require you to be on the computer at a specific time (although some do). So it is up to you to make sure you check in on your class several times each week. With a busy work schedule, sports, hobbies, housework, kids, it’s easy to put your class low on your priority list. And that could mean big trouble when it comes time to get your grade.

It’s not the teacher’s job to remind you to keep up with your work - that’s your responsibility. A simple way to make this work is to create your own schedule, so each week you know exactly when it’s time to “go to class”!

3) Do you have the money?
While there are many free or low-cost online “self help” courses available, college courses almost always cost the same whether you take them on-campus, or online. Colleges have to buy the software, train their faculty, and offer student services after hours - so expecting online courses to be less expensive is not reasonable.

On the other hand, the same financial aid is often available for online classes, just as with campus classes. So, money should not stop any student from furthering their education!

4) Do you have the right technical skills?
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a computer “genius” to take an online class. The technology has become very simple for students and teachers to use, so that students who can “surf the Internet” and use email usually have the necessary technical skills.

Before getting started, the school offering the course should have a sample course, tutorial, or other training to help you determine if there are any skills you need to learn, so you can become a successful online student!

5) Do you have the right computer equipment?
Since most online classes are taught through the Internet, students usually don’t need any special computer equipment. However, most online classes require students to have reliable access to the Internet, an email account (and the knowledge to use it), a word processor (such as Microsoft Word), and antivirus software. Check with your school to see if there are any other requirements.

A high speed internet connection is usually not required, but if instructors use graphics, videos, audio lectures, or other big files, a high speed connection (such as DSL or cable) will help you open the files, and do you work, more efficiently!

Are you ready now to take your first online class? Then it’s time to contact your local college, or search the internet for an online class directory, and see what online courses you can take!

The History of Distance Education

Distance education has allowed generations of students the chance pursue their educational objectives beyond the traditional school system. It has permitted countless students the ability to advance their instruction, while allowing them to maintain their obligations to their families and employers. While distance education is not for everyone, it has definitely stood the test of time. The following is a concise timeline of events associated to distance education.

• 1840 - Isaac Pitman begins teaching shorthand by correspondence in the UK.
• 1858 - The University of London creates its External Program.
• 1883 - New York State authorizes the Chautauqua Institute to award degrees earned via correspondence.
• 1891 - The Colliery Engineer School of Mines renames itself International Correspondence Schools.
• 1892 - The University of Chicago starts administering the first university courses by mail.
• 1906 - The Calvert School of Baltimore becomes the first primary school in the United States to offer correspondence courses.
• 1916 - The National University Continuing Education Association is created in the United States.
• 1921 - Pennsylvania State College begins broadcasting courses on the radio.
• 1933 - The University of Iowa begins broadcasting courses on television.
• 1950 - The Ford Foundation begins offering grants to create and develop educational programs for television broadcasting.
• 1967 - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is created.
• 1970 - Walden University is established.
• 1974 - California State University offers a Masters degree via correspondence.
• 1982 - The National University Teleconferencing Network is established.
• 1984 - The personal computer is named "man of the year" by Time Magazine.

With the advent of the personal computer and the development of the internet, distance education has evolved into an extremely important element of modern education. Most every university in North America offers courses online, while an entire cottage industry has formed around the concept of online education. There are countless online courses available to members of the general public. The wonderful thing about online education is that there are no borders, and prospective students worldwide now have access to the same opportunities. Online learning has the ability to make the world a better place. In some ways, it already has.