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Continuing a Higher Education Online

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:24 +0000

When it comes to gaining a higher education, online opportunities are quickly becoming one of the most popular options around. If it’s not the user friendly features of online learning, then it’s the cost effective aspects that appeal to the average working adult. This is the person who is greatly interested in the benefits that come from a higher education, just not the rigid schedules and the pricey tuitions that tend to go with it. The benefits of online learning go beyond time and cost to offer a sense of accomplishment once the new Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree is in hand.

With technology consistently changing the shape of the landscape of nearly everything, the history of e-Learning has evolved and continues to evolve into great legitimacy in the world of education. While conventional classrooms still have their place, the virtual classroom is seeing more and more students each year. With the accreditation of online schools offering not only a number of degrees and qualifications, the opportunity for financial aid also makes online venues even more attractive. For some, there is just no beating the practical experience one receives in online degree programs. This is especially true when career advancement hangs in the balance.

Whether opting for a particular qualification or needing to get a general education online, prospective students will find just the right courses they need in almost every subject. For some, online education can offer a chance to either broaden horizons or narrow down career options. Selecting a variety of subjects can help define a career path when a student finds they gravitate more toward certain subjects more than others. Often, online credits are considered transferable and can help in achieving one’s degree.

It is doubtful that distance learning could have ever reached the level of effectiveness that it has without the help of the internet. Though this type of learning has been in place for a great number of years, it is the information superhighway that has changed the face of education from a distance forever. Where students waited weeks and months for correspondence from distant universities, one now merely needs to take a few seconds to log on to their virtual campus to get assignments. The virtual learning environment provides not only learning tools but collaborative software featuring such options as chat, discussion boards and even audio-conferencing. This can make long distance learning seem like anything but.

The advent of computer-based testing allows for students to gauge their skills and focus attention right where they need it. This leads to another bonus in the world of online education in the form of handy online tutoring. Students will find that supplemental learning options are readily available to those who may need the extra help from time to time. Many have come to realize that the only way to get around the frustration that sometimes comes with learning new skills is understanding the material better.

Most online programs generally consist of CBT (computer-based training), WBT (web-based training), interactive media, educational animation and a whole slew of other types of educational technology. Rapidly improving technology continues to develop these features at every turn, making online learning more and more efficient. Learning management software allows students to take control of their education and organize it right down to the specifics of career planning using ePortflios.

Of all the things the internet has proven itself to be useful for, online and distance learning continue to make their appearance at the very top of the list. The ability to cut across the distances in the blink of an eye and share common information also crosses the borders of the amazing. Every new technological enhancement ensures there will be no stopping the world of continuing education.

The Use of Virtual Environments in Online Learning Education

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:53:29 +0000

When the world was introduced to online learning, education saw several changes that were for the better. A wider range, more students which, in turn, meant less people who were illiterate, and an overall cheaper, better educational system.

Online learning is indeed all it is made out to be, as the many graduates from online colleges will attest to. The tools used to give this form of education its extra edge are numerous, ranging from computers to PDAs and occasionally more sophisticated technologies. Of those, virtual learning environments most resemble a classroom.

When the teacher and students don’t communicate face to face, it becomes harder to keep track of each student’s progress. In addition to that, in online learning education there is no limit as to how many students can attend one class at a time, and a teacher is often faced with hundreds of exam papers. Virtual learning environments are software systems that help in management and course administration and enables both teachers and students to keep track of their progress through the click of a button.

These systems run on servers and can look like internet pages, making them easy to access and navigate. Within the system you will find forums, discussion groups, online chat rooms, templates for content pages, as well as assignments and quizzes that can be downloaded or answered on the pages themselves.

The way this system operates is simple in theory. Teachers will fill in the existing templates and release them so the students can use them. The released pages are usually course material, quizzes or assignments. If the document needs to be resubmitted with modifications, the teacher can set up a submission form through which students can upload the required documents.

None of this needs any knowledge of computer languages, which is part of what makes this system so desirable. All one needs is a basic knowledge of how to operate computers, which is not such a rarity in this day and age, when the Internet motivates nearly everyone to learn how to use computers, if only for the sake of communicating with friends and loved ones in other parts of the world.

Universities that offer online lessons have started to incorporate virtual environments in their systems for numerous reasons. It economizes the time of the teaching staff and reduces confusion and clutter that may result otherwise. Students are comfortable with the system as well and can go there for information rather than getting frustrated over fruitless searches.

Overall, the advantages of online learning education are numerous, and the disadvantages little to none. And since the field of computer software is always in development, whatever disadvantages there may be will, eventually, be erased completely.

7 Tips For Continuing Education Online

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:37:40 +0000

I love continuing my education, right in the comfort of my own home. Can you imagine this – having the flexibility and freedom to attend classes according to my own schedule, choosing the course I want, and having easy access to all the materials for classes for the next lesson?

If you too, are an online student, you could probably relate with me. However, if you are considering an online education, there are 7 important tips to know about continuing your education online, and how to be a successful online student:

1) You must be able to communicate through writing.

As you are attending a virtual classroom, nearly all communication is written, and in order to fully participate in classes, it is critical that you are able to express yourself effectively through writing.

2) Motivation and self-discipline.

When you attend a conventional school, you have your friends and teachers to motivate you and even ‘punish’ you if you do not complete your assignments. Not in the world of online education. You must therefore be highly motivated and disciplined, and take responsibility for your own education.

3) Learn to ’speak up’

In the traditional world of education, if the teacher sees that the students look confused or unsure of what has been taught, he/she will repeat it until the students are clear. However in the online world, the instructors are unable to know if the students are able to keep up to speed with the lessons, unless the students ’speak up’.

4) Have a different attitude towards online education

Most students nowadays think that online education is the easy way to get an education. That is far from the truth. In fact, continuing your education online may be harder than a normal education, due to the strict quality control most online schools enforce. Therefore, view it as a convenient way to get an education, and not an easy way.

5) Practise critical thinking and decision making

The online learning process requires the student to be decisive in making decisions based on information provided, along with experience. And making the right decision requires critical thoughts.

6) Participate

One of the most important tips is to participate actively in a virtual classroom. You can learn alot from your peers as well, and this makes continuing your education online a much more fun process.

7) Be polite and respectful

Although you are anonymous, be wary of your language. You are after all dealing with real teachers and students, and it is crucial to have a productive and supportive online environment. In such positive environments, you will feel more valued, and your own work will have higher value naturally.

Online education is starting to take the world by storm, and more and more students are turning to virtual schools to get their accredited online degrees. If this sounds good, you can always request for your free online education match, and decide for yourself if continuing your education online is suitable for you.

Online Schools – Today’s Virtual Campus

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:30:43 +0000

In addition to providing means to attaining online certificates, degrees and diplomas, online schools are more than mere distance learning portals; today, they are virtual campuses that offer multitudes of disciplines from which to choose – and that’s not all: In recent news [1], the state of Washington “built” two (2) of their newest online schools and were quite surprised by the results. When their “virtual doors” are scheduled to open fall of 2006, educational leaders never quite anticipated the overwhelming response they would receive – in this case, student enrollment was just above 650 in one of the online schools; and was only expected to gain 300 at best. Additionally, in the same online school; overall interest that has been expressed is nearly double that number!

Online schools are quickly becoming a mainstay in quality home-education. Homebound students who are being taught away from public school campuses, can now couple their home-schooling with comprehensive online courses that are especially designed so that students may obtain their electronic high school diploma without stepping foot into a public classroom. [2]

While public education has taken a proactive stance in online school programming, other industries, such as business organizations have also joined the e-learning bandwagon. Small and large businesses have fast adapted to offering online school training to employees; which is not only cost effective, but less time consuming as well.

The future of high-tech academics is now. What we are seeing is a rapidly increasing trend of accredited online schools that offer more than just short classes and public education; it’s a whole new breed of Internet technologies that have evolved with the times so students can earn valuable skills and training to enter the workforce. This has been demonstrated in many of today’s online schools, which extend in-depth coursework; including online degree programs in a vast assortment of subjects. Whether you’re intrigued by information technology, medical technology or even psychology; today’s virtual campus can accommodate you with proven tools of success to make it in these modern times.

Revolution –Inspiring Change through Innovation by Virtual Assistants

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:18:23 +0000

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We can even respond to common questions, dispatch service calls, and handle your sales orders. And if your staff is not accessible for the call, we take a message and deliver it to you, all according to your orders. Virtual Assistant has our highly trained professionals are always ready to support you with live telephone answering to fit your situation: peak period calls, After-hours and weekend calls, or on-demand backup to your in-house telephone answering staff.

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K12 Virtual Education – Recognizing & Conquering K12 Defeat as a Parent-Teacher of K12 Programs

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:23:39 +0000

How will I get them to do some work?

Picture the following scene:

It is Monday morning and the start of another challenging week of teaching. What are your feelings?

Do you find yourself excited and looking forward to the challenge? Are you looking forward to another rewarding week of teaching and learning? The most fortunate among us get to feel that way on a regular basis. Or are you instead feeling something else. Perhaps the dread of convincing your student that the learning experience is going to be well worth the effort! It is a unique yet all too familiar feeling of K12 Defeat.

Parents teaching in the home are often faced with this feeling of K12 Defeat. A sinking feeling that no matter what we try the learner is not going to engage. There are varying degrees of K12 defeat and it is important to know how to recognize it and deal with it.

Mild K12 Defeat.

In some people the feeling of defeat will begin an hour before the start time, but it passes quickly and before you know it you are into the lesson and you and your student are whisked away into new worlds of learning. This feeling of defeat could be compounded by a late night or having to deal with new materials.

What to do:

Relax and remember: The feeling is only temporary. Your brain will calm as soon as you show yourself you are on your game.
Keep your lessons short: A short lesson time is known to support retention.

Moderate K12 Defeat:

The next stage of K12 Defeat is characterized by heightened anxiety while planning the lesson for the following day. The curriculum seems so long and arduous but somehow you choose a few lessons and plan your following day. The more you plan the more you question how you are to get the student excited about covering the materials. You are concentrating on the K12 Defeat rather than on what you will be successful at.

What to do:

In addition to the above suggestions, make sure you are getting adequate sleep.
Identify things about the teaching process that you enjoy or look forward to.

As crazy as it sounds some people have found that limiting their teaching time helps them focus for a good short burst with lots of interactive exciting materials. Three short bursts are far superior to one long intricately planned lesson.

Severe K12 Defeat

The third level of K12 defeat involves the lack of participation by the student. Defeat to this level is sensed and acted out by the student and forms a double whammy for the parent teacher! Now they are dealing with twice the K12 Defeat as the other two levels. Merely looking at the curriculum will turn ones stomach and the sight of a disgruntled student has the parent/teacher not wanting to bother!

What to do:

Isolate the areas of the curriculum that really have you feeling uncomfortable. Ask yourself if you have had prior experiences that may have you prejudging your ability to share and teach this with your student.
Consult a teaching professional to look at where your program delivery might need changing.
Consider learning more about how your student best learns and see if you can involve more social and interactive aspects to the lessons.
Be careful in openly sharing your displeasure of the program with your student. Kids will quickly pick up on negative feelings and mirror them!!
Consider a different learning plan for your student.

All of us experience some form of K12 Defeat from time to time. It is how we respond to it that makes the difference.

Is An Online Distance Education Degree Right For You?

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:22:06 +0000

Are you considering going back to school to further your education, but you just can’t see how you can do it, considering all of your obligations and responsibilities? If so, then there is good news! Millions of people around the world have discovered online distance education-also known as e-learning, e-degrees, and virtual education, among other names-as a valid path for earning their college degrees.

But is it for you? Perhaps you have already gone to college, but it seems so distant and foreign now that you wonder if you can get back into the learning mode again. Or perhaps you were never able to attend college because “life happened” and your chance just passed you by. No matter what your experience, you are older and wiser now, and you see a value in education that you may not have seen before.

If you are considering going back to school, then it is certainly the right thing to do-and now is definitely the right time to do it. With the proliferation of virtual degree courses, there is no reason why you can’t enroll in an online school at this very moment, no matter what’s going on with your job, family and social commitments. Online education allows you to get the most out of life by giving you the opportunity to get educated without having to stop life in its tracks. E-learning programs offered by hundreds of colleges in the U.S. and worldwide now make it easier than ever for you to get your degree.

Going to school online is ideal for just about anyone, regardless of whether it’s for fun, self-improvement, a first degree, job certification, or an advanced degree.

Should you do it just for fun or self-improvement, there are many courses available for that purpose, such as learning a new language, taking a literature appreciation course, or picking up a specific skill such as website development. Maybe you’re looking to finally earn that first degree that you never got around to finishing. There is a wide range of degree programs now available online for the undergraduate student, and if it’s a recognized degree program, it’s probably offered online by a school somewhere.

Perhaps you are out of college and have already earned you degree, but now you need professional certification to keep your education up to date for your current position. Fortunately, there are many e-learning programs in place for that very purpose. With an abundance of schools around the web that offer all sorts of certification programs, there should be no problem getting the certification that you need.

If you currently have a degree but you would like to take it to the next level, there are many online advanced degree programs to help you get there. These programs are designed so you can move to the next level of your education while still maintaining your current job position uninterrupted. You can go to class, earn your advanced degree, and all the while perform your job duties without missing a beat.

In conclusion, no matter what your current education level there is most likely an online distance program offered by a school that will suit your educational needs. E-degree programs are designed from the beginning of the educational cycle through many levels- from GED’s and high school diplomas, up to advanced doctorate and PhD degrees. There is virtually something for everyone. And perhaps even better than the cornucopia of online educational choice is the fact that now you do not have to disrupt your life to make it happen.

Pros And Cons Of Online Education For The World Citizen

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:20:15 +0000

More and more young people are choosing non-traditional education to start and advance in their careers while completing and furthering their formal education. “Typical distance learners are those who don’t have access to programs, employees who work during scheduled class hours, homebound individuals, self-motivated individuals who want to take courses for self-knowledge or advancement, or those who are unable or unwilling to attend class” (Charp, 2000, p. 10). Three key elements surround the online learner: technology, curriculum, and instructor (Bedore, Bedore, & Bedore, 1997). These elements must be keenly integrated into one smoothly and operationally functional delivery tool.

While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners. Online asynchronous education gives students control over their learning experience, and allows for flexibility of study schedules for non traditional students; however, this places a greater responsibility on the student. In order to successfully participate in an online program, student must be well organized, self-motivated, and possess a high degree of time management skills in order to keep up with the pace of the course. For these reasons, online education or e-learning is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age), and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty
assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm.

Millions of students use e-learning solutions in over 140 countries: corporations such as Kodak and Toyota and education providers like ExecuTrain, New Horizons, the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS), Phoenix University amongst the hundreds of schools and colleges.

Studies have shown student retention to be up to 250% better with online learning than with classroom courses. Several recent ones have helped frame the debate. The Sloan Consortium published a widely distributed report titled “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005″ that examined the growing prevalence of online education across U.S. institutions.

In addition, a study conducted by the Boston-based consulting firm Eduventures found that, while about half of institutions and more than 60 percent of employers generally accept the high quality of online learning, students’ perceptions differ. Only about 33 percent of prospective online students said that they perceive the quality of online education to be “as good as or better than” face-to-face education. Ironically, 36 percent of prospective students surveyed cited concern about employers’ acceptance of online education as a reason for their reluctance to enroll in online courses.

But what actually drives quality? A March 2006 report released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education identifies six quality indicators: mission, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student and academic services, planning for sustainability and growth, and evaluation and assessment.

The debate rages on while the Pros and Cons of Online Adult Education for today’s international students are constantly analyzed to determine if this type of education platform can deliver predictable and measurable results.

The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one institution which uses this type of delivery system. ENOCIS enhances their learning experience by offering many other “value added”, cost reducing benefits to students. Online pupils can apply for scholarships available to students of excellence and other financial aid programs like the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), with attractive interest rates. They also provide convenient payment facilities, on line banking, Western Union Quick Collect, bank cards and a student who is granted a loan can start repaying it after two months if they have a corporate guarantor.

Pros of Online Education:

The key advantages of the online education experience are briefly explained below:

1. Cheaper: Online courses may be more affordable than those offered at colleges or trade schools. You may also save on transportation costs like gas, bus passes, and parking permits because you don’t need to commute to school and there are no housing or meals plans to worry about since you do not need to live on or near a college campus. Housing expenses and other costs associated with living expenses are usually the most expensive aspects of a college education, so by taking an online course you could save quite a bit of money.

The best part of online education is the absence of travel and immigration problems. Some students may prefer not to pursue traditional on campus education, as it involves traveling to attend lectures. With online education, an applicant does not need to travel. Courses simply require accessing the internet in order to begin the learning process.

2. More Convenient: By taking courses online, you’re able to decide when you study and for how long. You are also able to schedule your studying around your work or social schedule.

Since you’re not bound to a classroom, you may do your work wherever you have access to a computer and the internet. You’ll be able to set your own pace and decide exactly how fast you want to go over the material.

Take online courses when you need them, not based on some college’s annual or semester schedule. You can learn when you need it (Just-In-Time) A course is as close as a computer with an Internet connection.

3. Flexibility: with no set class times, you decide when to complete your assignments and readings. You set the pace. In some programs, you can even design your own degree plan. The online students can carry out their private or official work, along with the online education. As it provides the convenience of time flexibility, a student can login and logout as per his desire whereas, the traditional education do not provide such flexibility in learning.

Flexibility of online education allows the student control over their studies. They can allot more time in the topics, which they feel comparatively hard and vice versa. The speed of learning depends solely upon the students.

4. Technology: With the help of the scientific technology, students can do their online education at any place. The only mandatory pre-requisite is the availability of computer along with an internet amenity. Side benefits include the learning new technologies and technical skills

5. Availability: distance-learning opportunities have exploded over the past few years, with many accredited and reputable programs.

6. Accessibility: with an online course, you can work on the course just about anywhere you have computer access. Your learning options are not constrained by your geographic location. The new virtual classrooms have created a myriad of learning opportunities for global learning and education center. On line education is a new era experience adapting to the needs of the world citizen.

7. Self-Directed: you set your own pace and schedule, so you control the learning environment.

8. Time Spent in Classroom: now you can take a course on just about any subject without ever having to be in, or travel to, a classroom so you have very little wasted time. Note, however, that some distance-education programs still do have an in-class component and normally to receive a fully accredited US university degree an international student must spend one or two semesters on campus.

9. High Quality Dialog: Within an online asynchronous discussion structure, the learner is able to carefully reflect on each comment from others before responding or moving on to the next item. This structure allows students time to articulate responses with much more depth and forethought than in a traditional face-to-face discussion situation where the participant must analyze the comment of another on the spot and formulate a response or otherwise loose the chance to contribute to the discussion.

10. Student Centered: Within an online discussion, the individual student responds to the course material (lectures and course books, for example) and to comments from other students. Students usually respond to those topics within the broader conversation that most clearly speak to their individual concerns and situations resulting in several smaller conversations taking place simultaneously within the group. While students are expected to read all of their classmates’ contributions, they will become actively engaged only in those parts of the dialog most relevant to their needs. In this way, students take control of their own learning experience and tailor the class discussions to meet their own specific needs. Ideally, students make their own individual contributions to the course while at the same time take away a unique mix of information directly relevant to their needs.

11. Level Playing Field: In the online environment learners retain a considerable level of anonymity. Discriminating factors such as age, dress, physical appearance, disabilities, race and gender are largely absent. Instead, the focus of attention is clearly on the content of the discussion and the individual’s ability to respond and contribute thoughtfully and intelligently to the material at hand.

On line adult education can be more effective and better for certain types of learners (shy, introverted, reflective, language challenged, those that need more time). Distance education courses are often better for people who learn through visual cues and experiential exercises.

12. Synergy: The online format allows for a high level of dynamic interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves. Resources and ideas are shared, and continuous synergy will be generated through the learning process as each individual contributes to the course discussions and comments on the work of others. The synergy that exists in the student-centred virtual classroom is one of the unique and vital traits that the online learning format posses..

13. Access to Resources: It is easy to include distinguished guest experts or students from other institutions in an online class as well as allow students to access resources and information anywhere in the world. An instructor can compile a resource section online with links to scholarly articles, institutions, and other materials relevant to the course topic for students to access for research, extension, or in depth analysis of course content material in the global classroom.

14. Creative Teaching: The literature of adult education supports the use of interactive learning environments as contributing to self-direction and critical thinking. Some educators have made great strides in applying these concepts to their on ground teaching. However, many classes still exist which are based on boring lectures and rote memorization of material. The nature of the semi-autonomous and self-directed world of the virtual classroom makes innovative and creative approaches to instruction even more important. In the online environment, the facilitator and student collaborate to create a dynamic learning experience. The occasion of a shift in technology creates the hope that those who move into the new technology will also leave behind bad habits as they adopt this new paradigm of teaching. As educators redesign their course materials to fit the online format, they must reflect on their course objectives and teaching style and find that many of the qualities that make a successful online facilitator are also tremendously effective in the traditional classroom as well.

Cons of Online Education:

Briefly explained are some factors that could negatively affect your success with distance learning courses:

1. The Technology:

a. Equity and Accessibility to Technology: Before any online program can hope to succeed, it must have students who are able to access the online learning environment. Lack of access, whether it be for economical or logistics reasons, will exclude otherwise eligible students from the course. This is a significant issue in rural and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and educating the underserved peoples of the world. Furthermore, speaking from an administrative point of view, if students cannot afford the technology the institution employs, they are lost as customers. As far as Internet accessibility is concerned, it is not universal, and in some areas of the United States and other countries, Internet access poses a significant cost to the user. Some users pay a fixed monthly rate for their Internet connection, while others are charged for the time they spend online. If the participants’ time online is limited by the amount of Internet access they can afford, then instruction and participation in the online program will not be equitable for all students in the course. This is a limitation of online programs that rely on Internet access. Equity of access to learners of all backgrounds and parts of society

b. Requires New Skills/Technologies: if you’re not computer-savvy or are afraid of change or new technologies, then online education will probably not work for you. The online students are required to learn new skills, such as researching and reviewing the internet. For the online students, they need to learn the techniques of navigation on an online library for necessary information. Technical training and support of learners and instructors

c. Computer Literacy: Both students and facilitators must possess a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to function successfully in an online environment. For example, they must be able to use a variety of search engines and be comfortable navigating on the World Wide Web, as well as be familiar with Newsgroups, FTP procedures and email. If they do not possess these technology tools, they will not succeed in an online program; a student or faculty member who cannot function on the system will drag the entire program down.

d. Limitations of Technology: User friendly and reliable technology is critical to a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated technology is not 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is running smoothly, technology is intended to be low profile and is used as a tool in the learning process. However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system, for example, the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous problems which could limit students’ access; finally, the Internet connection could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged down with users and either slow down, or fail all together. In situations like these, the technology is neither seamless nor reliable and it can detract from the learning experience.

2. The Institution: Many online education facilities are relatively new with many courses and hence, lack in modern instructors for instructing the new curriculum. Estimates show that there is still a need for an increase of more 50% of qualified instructors for online education.

b. The Administration and Faculty: Some environments are disruptive to the successful implementation of an online program. Administrators and/or faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and working with technology or feel that online programs cannot offer quality education often inhibit the process of implementation. These people represent a considerable weakness in an online program because they can hinder its success.

3. The Facilitator :Lack of Essential Online Qualities: Successful on-ground instruction does not always translate to successful online instruction. If facilitators are not properly trained in online delivery and methodologies, the success of the online program will be compromised. An instructor must be able to communicate well in writing and in the language in which the course is offered. An online program will be weakened if its facilitators are not adequately prepared to function in the virtual classroom.

4. Perceptions/Reputation: while slowly changing as more and more mainstream colleges and universities embrace distance learning, there still is a stigma attached to distance education to the student’s interaction in the online education. Some of the students believe that, there are few opportunities with regards to face-to-face interactions and feedbacks.

5. No Instructor Face Time: If your learning style is one where you like personalized attention from your teachers, then online education will probably not work for you.

6. Little Support: students are expected to find their own resources for completing assignments and exams, which is empowering for some, but daunting for others.

There is little support and limited guidelines provided in online education system. Online students are required to search as per their own imaginations for completing exams and assignments.

7. Lacking Social Interaction: while you often interact with classmates via email, chat rooms, or discussion groups, there are no parties or off line get-togethers.
If you enjoy meeting new people and learn better while you’re interacting with other people, you may want to reconsider online education.

8. No Campus Atmosphere: part of the traditional college experience, of course, is the beauty of the campus, the college spirit, but you have none of that with distance-education courses.

Since you’re not on campus or in classes, you may lack opportunities to meet other students. You will not have many opportunities to interact face-to-face with your professors, so they may not have a real sense of who you are as a person.

9. Making Time: if you are a procrastinator or one of those people who always needs an extra push to complete work, you may have a hard time making time for your online classes. On line learning requires new skills and responsibilities from learners

10. Academic honesty of online students: requires a new mindset to online assessment. Most education experts agree that rote memory testing is not the best measure of learning in any environment and new measurement and evaluation tools are evolving.

11. Types and effectiveness of assessments: The importance of outcomes in online learning cannot be over emphasized. Does the program have measurable results? Are students learning what you say they should be learning? Then there are institutional outputs: course completion rates, job placement rates (if that’s the goal of the institution), graduation rates, student success on third-party tests, and student satisfaction scores.

These factors, both the pros and cons, contribute greatly to making an informed decision about the direction of your career path and how you are going to accomplish your goals: on line, in the classroom or a combination of both.

Institutions and companies that use continuing education to meet their needs also face similar decisions. Institutions that deliver online education are confronted with a series of challenges, including the search for good faculty, use of technology, and provision of adequate student services.

The Sloan Consortium report “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005″ found that 64 percent of chief academic officers and faculty believe that it takes more discipline for a student to succeed in an online course than it does in a face-to-face course.

More and more major business and industry is turning to on line continuing education as a viable and cost effective resource for training its personnel. Hilton Hotel has 380 hotels worldwide and is represented in 66 countries.

When you weigh the benefits and advantages of on line adult continuing education the cost of study and flexibility of scheduling tip the scales of programs like the Enoch Olinga College, Capella and Phoenix University’s distance learning program on line adult continuing education is becoming a world wide respected form of education.

However, as with any situation, there are both pros and cons with the concept of online education and the benefits of the virtual or global classroom. You may want to evaluate both before you decide on an online education program. By examining the advantages and disadvantages, you will be able to make a more informed decision. But, at the end of the day, online learning is independent learning. A lot of structure has been put into online programs, but it still comes down to a learner sitting in front of a computer by him or herself. The knowledge you receive or the benefits it will generate either in development of self esteem or increasing earning capacity will depend sole upon you the student.

The Benefits Of Online Education

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:19:27 +0000

The idea of online education was scoffed at not so many years ago. But these days both educational institutions and prospective students are taking online education seriously.

The first universities to offer accredited online degrees began appearing back in the 1990s. More often than not, these groundbreaking schools were looked down upon by the “academic elite,” and considered to be somehow “shady” or disreputable. But a lot has certainly changed since then, and these days even the most prestigious Ivy League universities are offering online classes, and sometimes, a complete online curriculum for distance learning.

If you’ve wondered how online education works, or if it would be a good alternative for you, read on to get a sense of the online learning experience and what it means to be a “virtual student.”

Obviously the biggest difference between online education and attending an actual university is that it is not necessary to be in any particular location to study. This means that much of the social aspect of going to college is removed from the online education experience. But depending on your point of view, this could actually be a very good thing. It makes it possible to bypass a lot of the peer pressure and “popularity contests” that many college cultures have become inundated with.

If you are an older student — and by older, I mean over 24 — you will probably find much of the petty jostling for popularity and status to be a real turnoff anyway. That’s why online education can be a great option for returning students, or those who are a little more mature.

One of the biggest questions prospective students have about online education is how the virtual classroom actually works. While there are similarities between the virtual classrooms used in online education, and the brick and mortar classrooms of a traditional university, there are striking differences as well.

For example, if you attend a physical campus you will enter the classroom and attend a certain course at a certain time that will be designated to last between one and three hours on average. The instructor of the course will likely lecture for the majority of this time, but there may also be some student participation. At the end of the class the instructor may assign homework or inform students of upcoming quizzes.

But in a virtual classroom the structure is much more open, and there is a far greater degree of flexibility in the lesson plans. For example, normally you may log into your virtual class at any time, where you will listen, read and watch videos covering the course material. As a general rule, you may take as much time as you like to go over the material and complete any assignments given. While your course instructor will normally be available to ask questions via real-time online chat, e-mail or instant messaging, they will not monitor your progress or concern themselves with your work habits.

This means that with online education the student has far greater responsibility for their own learning. No one will babysit you, or ensure that you are doing the required work; it is simply presented to you, and you are expected to be responsible for completing assignments and reviewing the information.

This kind of freedom and flexibility fits many people perfectly, but others — especially younger students — may crave the structure of traditional campus learning. If your time is important to you, and you are motivated enough to be responsible for yourself, online education could be a perfect fit for you.

Vocational Education – Right Choice for Your Future

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:16:53 +0000

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is also called Vocational training and Career and Technical Education (CTE)). It gets learners ready for careers based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic and those related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation; hence the term, in which the learner participates.

Oftentimes, it is called technical education, since the learner directly develops expertise in a particular group of techniques or technology. Vocation and career are usually used interchangeably. Vocational education may be compared to education in a typically broader scientific field. This may focus on theory and abstract conceptual knowledge, characteristic or tertiary education. Vocational education is usually at the secondary or post-secondary level. It, normally, interacts with the apprenticeship system of skills enhancement.

Till the end of the 20th century, vocational education concentrated on specific trades such as, for instance, an automobile mechanic or welder. Hence, it was related to the activities of lower social classes. As a result, it was associated with a sort of stigma and vocational education got linked to the traditional and conventional apprenticeship routine of learning. But as the labor market got more focused and economies started to stipulate higher levels of skill, governments and businesses started increasingly investing in the future of vocational education.

This is done through publicly funded training organizations and financially supported apprenticeship or trainee schemes for businesses. At the post-secondary level vocational education is normally provided by institutes of technology, or by local community colleges. In the 20th century Vocational education got extremely diversified. It now exists in industries such as retail, tourism, information technology, funeral services and cosmetics, as well as in the traditional crafts and cottage industries.

Online Education

There are several terms for online education. A few of them are: virtual education, online education, distance education, Internet education, web-based education, and education via computer-mediated communication. Essentially, online education is characterized by:

1. The separation of teachers and learners that differentiates it from one on one education

2. The impact of an educational organization that differentiates it from self-study and private tutoring

3. The use of a computer networks to provide or dispense educational content

4. The offer of two-way communication through a computer network so that students may profit from communication with each other, teachers, and staff

E-learning

E-learning is classified as interactive learning. In this type of learning the content is made available online and gives automatic feedback to a students learning activities. Online communication with real people might or might not be included. However, the aim of e-learning is normally more on the learning content than on communication between tutors and students.

Virtual Education » virtual

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