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Posts Tagged ‘education’

Do you want to Teach Online

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

More students are enrolling in online higher education degree programs. More and more online classes are becoming identical to campus classes. Taking online classes or getting an online degree enables students more flexibility with their education. Many find it easier as well to work if they need to when studying online. So since this trend is fairly new, who teaches these online courses? Instructors do, just as you see in the classroom. Yet one question that is always asked is what is the education background and do they have degrees in online teaching?  Instructors use the same information they would in class to teach online. Any problems that some may encounter is not about the course outline which is consistent with the classroom.  The difference is only in how the courses are delivered.  Live on campus, via email, websites or fax with online studies.  Some institutions have complicated websites and others simply use chatboards and email.

Many of the online instructors may not be as skilled as they need at using the new delivery systems and all the programs that are associated with it. These include simulations, multimedia or podcasts, which are not in your typical classroom. Sometimes of these resources have a steep learning curve to the technologically challenged. Instructors interested in teaching online courses have looked at taking courses themselves to see what the experience is like.  This is a good idea. Whether they take courses to meet their licenses requirements or advance their careers or courses to teach them more about how the online delivery system works the end result will be they will be better online instructors.

They say the best student is one that wants to learn. I think the same stands true for instructors. Some instructors were awarded their degree 30 or 40 or more years ago. Keeping up to date in the delivery systems is as important as being up to date in their fields. There are times I am sure when it’s as much a learning experience for the instructors as it is for the students.

How to get the Most Transfer Credits available to you

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

It seems these days’ students have more to concern themselves with than ever. Working towards advancing your career is a lot of work and can be stressful. Yet it seems many students who are working diligently towards their careers are finding if they have not spent all their time at one institution they may not get transfer credits when they go to a second degree program. This in some way does not seem fair, yet from school to school the course requirements are not necessarily the same.  It does not matter if you are coming from an online degree or a campus based degree or going to an online program or one at a campus.  Classes are not identical and colleges and universities may not accept them and may cap how many you can transfer regardless of whether they are similar classes or not.

Students are running into trouble if they do not check out the transfer policies before they pick where they are going to transfer to.  There are several colleges that will accept up to 90 transfer credits and others that will accept no more than 60. You may want to check with the professional career counselor at each school you are considering before you commit.  And get their answers in writing!

Another issue is transferring from Nationally Accredited programs to Regionally Accredited programs.  Although the US Department of education has deemed these accreditation equal, regionally accredited schools often do not take credits from nationally accredited programs.

The key here of course is good planning when deciding on where to go to school. Do not leave one thing to chance as every transfer credit can be accepted before you arrive. Be sure to get and keep a copy of  the syllabus for each and every course you take. No matter how or where it was. This way if some time has lapsed you can still show the curriculum of the course. This has proved many times to be helpful to students in getting their transfer credits. Good planning and good organization will hopefully help you in avoiding this problem of transfer credits.

Salaries are Not Keeping up with Inflation

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

It is not a secret that almost everything is going up except our salaries. Our paychecks seem to be stagnant yet we are expected to pay higher prices for just about everything. This also means the price a student has to pay for a higher education. Educational goals have not changed that much over the years yet the price of obtaining a degree sure has.

Yet if you look at job boards or anywhere they advertise for employees there are many jobs out there, especially for those with a college degree, so it shows having that degree is just as important now as it ever has been. BUT, if you look closer you see that right now this is an employer’s market. They realize the unemployment rate and that there are many people looking for jobs. So in turn they feel there is no need to raise wages as there will always be someone to fill it. And they advertise jobs once given to high school graduates as requiring a college degree but at the same pay that gave to the high school grads.

The cost of an education is simply soaring way above the wages the graduates will earn. Institutions realize this and they are trying to make financial aid more readily available for students so they can get that college degree but as hard as the colleges and universities try – the aid has little to do with them. The government also sees the problem here but they are doing little about it other than suggesting that students live home and study online. Online bachelor degree programs are faster and cheaper and allow students to work while in school.

This is great and will help more students in reaching their goals but it is only part of the answer.

What does the future hold? I don’t see an answer – only more questions. Prices are going to keep going up because there is nothing out there to stop this. The cost of all the money the Fed printed will be dollars that are worth less and less meaning prices will go higher and higher. The only answer is to get your education NOW – don’t wait another day. Continue with an online graduate degree. Looks for state funded programs with the lowest tuition. Don’t put that education off – the cost is only going up.

The Cheap Track to a College Degree

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Some politicians believe that students should be offered Bachelor’s degree courses at a cheap price, because education is very important, not that just for the future for the individual students, but also for the country, as these graduates are the future of the country. It is believed that education institutions should offer courses, even as low as $10,000 for students, and this is for a full degree course from beginning to graduation, and including books. They believe that there should be a cheap track to a college degree, which should not rely on Financial Aid loans but rather reduced tuition or scholarship only.

However, there are plenty of negative reactions to these suggestions. While many believe that it is a great idea, as not all students have no family support, cannot get adequate scholarships, and simply cannot afford to pay for a Bachelor’s degree as tuition is simply rising even as I type this. With the job market so tight student loans would put these students under water after graduation. Getting a job that can pay off student loans in the hundreds of thousands of dollars is becoming an impossible task. It takes time for enrollments to catch up with reality but if student aid is not forthcoming then colleges will close. College officials must wake up. Our elected leaders must prioritize education. Online degrees maybe the beginning of an answer to this problem. They are often cheaper and faster than campus degree as well as reducing the need for child care or housing.

In addition to this alternative to an overpriced college degree, it will give these students the opportunity to work as they study, because their time would be flexible. If the students are able to work while studying, they are able to earn money, and gain a real world experience when it comes to the working world which would prepare them for what is coming ahead when they graduate. e-Learning and Online courses is definitely road to a cheap yet fully recognized and accredited college degree.