Archive for February, 2009
Posted by admin on February 10th, 2009
So which colleges do students really want to go to? One way to find out is to look at a school’s yield, the percentage of applicants accepted by a university who end up enrolling at that institution in the fall. The figures in this table are from the fall 2007 entering class and show the admit yield and overall acceptance rate. If a school has a high yield (a large proportion of those admitted enroll), it means that the school is most likely very popular with a top reputation and that the students are highly motivated to go there. A very low yield means that the school could be a “safety” or second choice for many of those who apply. Colleges use yield as a key factor in determining how many students they need to admit each year.
Posted by Sharon Cece on February 10th, 2009
Imagine munching a chocolate bar and sipping a cappuccino, wearing your favorite old sweats, hair unkempt…while at the very same moment you, with your class, are drumming alongside the Ashanti tribe in Africa or celebrating the Reykjavik Arts Festival in Iceland.
Online learning fuses three entities–your education, your computer and the entire world. The technology utilized by online programs is remarkable in itself, and the information and learning gleaned through this technology is as good if not better than some received locally. Why, it’s virtually global.
When you’re an online student, almost everything–your class work, your communication, your testing, your research–is done, well, online. The exception is that you do make use of textbooks in most online courses of study. You may also use programs such as Word or Works, Excel and PowerPoint to turn in coursework.
Blackboard is the mode of transportation between you and your online courses. When you log onto blackboard, it “drives” you to your classes. This is where all your learning and communication takes place. Initially, you meet the class electronically via threaded discussions; you do this in parts as you may log on and enter your class when one or two (or no) students are there and then start or continue a discussion via a post, which in the beginning is usually an introduction. Then when you log back on, you see other students left discussions or answered your posts, which you can read and answer at your convenience–the many discussions and parts become a whole. It’s a neat way of holding class without having to be at a classroom at a particular time. Threaded discussions were used often in nearly all of my classes and were very effective in interacting with professors, TA’s and other online students about the course content. I particularly liked that I could log on when it was most convenient at a time of my choosing; in this way, I was more effective at communicating and participating as a student.
Instruction and learning takes place using a variety of other technologies. Java was very cool. With Java, all the online students logged in to a real-time class whereby we would discuss the coursework very much the way instant messaging works, except with a huge group. Also, the professor can electronically “write” on a whiteboard that everyone can see (that’s a bit bizarre at first to witness, like a ghost is drawing in front of you) but very effective in creating the classroom atmosphere from a virtual medium.
In my very first online course at Florida State, Music World Cultures, the professor utilized web technology whereby his students could study international musicians from within their own nations and tribes. My instructor was the Distinguished Research Professor Dr. Dale A. Olsen, a world-renown Ethnomusicologist and Guggenheim Fellowship Winner who conducted fieldwork in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Aotearoa, Fiji, Rarotonga, Tonga in Polynesia, and elsewhere around the world. It was quite an honor to have been one of his online students; even the textbook we used was authored by him. From our screens straight into the world, we studied the music of the Warao of Venezuela (Song People of the Rain Forest), the beautiful Kinko-ryû shakuhachi from Japan, Brazilian’s Samba Parade at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, contemporary Chinese bands rock out in Beijing, and indigenous Australian Aborigines perform the dijeridu. It was an exceptional program which, unless you had thousands of dollars to spare for travel, was savored through a technological window. In the best sense possible while sitting in my little home in Willow Spring, NC, I didn’t just learn about these cultures from a book… I literally experienced them online.
I enrolled in the PhD program in Organization and Management at Capella University in 2000. I had been working in business/finance, but my bachelor’s degree was in communication and my master’s degree was in Human Resource Development.
One of the best parts of Capella is that all my master’s degree credits transfered in as electives, so I was required to complete only the core courses of the program to earn the degree. This certainly helped shorten the required timeframe for degree completion.
For a while, I was also working on a specialization in leadership, but I found that specialization added to the required timeframe for coursework, and in the end, I would still have a PhD, whether there was a specialization or not. So eventually, I dropped the specialization even though I had completed some of that coursework.
What I did find is that if I had an MBA rather than a MA, these PhD-level core courses would have been a lot easier to navigate. I had never taken an finance class, or a graduate-level marketing class. I found that compared to many of my classmates, I was way behind on the core business concepts. If I could go back, I don’t know if I would have done anything differently, but it is certainly something that I was aware of. I had to invest a lot more time in those courses and had to solicit help from experts in those courses to get up to speed swiftly.
I did think that my MA prepared me sufficiently for the PhD coursework. I do wish I’d have endeavored to write a Master’s Thesis, which was optional for my degree program, now that I’m working on the dissertation. That experience would serve me well at this point.
Posted by admin on February 5th, 2009
Drexel University Online a pioneer in Internet-based education programs, has added a new online program to its offerings, the Master of Science in Hospitality Management from Drexel’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies.
At the national and international levels, the travel and hospitality industries are increasingly requiring that professionals have advanced skill sets. Drexel University Online’s Master of Science in Hospitality Management provides professionals the credentials they need to advance in the industry, with a convenient and flexible online format. Career paths include senior management of hotels and resorts, convention services, strategic development for online distribution of travel services, real-estate development projects and business ownership.
This two-year master’s program provides a solid education in management, travel and tourism and allows students to choose concentrations in global tourism or gaming and casino management. Courses are taught by the same faculty as on campus so students will not have to sacrifice quality for convenience.
Similar to Drexel’s other online degree offerings, the fully-accredited hospitality management program is offered entirely online, and is intended for working professionals. Students have 24/7 online access to class materials, group discussion, instructor feedback and exams.
Online courses became a reality as colleges realized education is like panty hose. One size does not really fit all. I am a relatively small woman 5 ft 4 and 138 pounds and I know that if I buy pantyhose with the label one size fits all, they are going to be somewhat snug. I was drawn to the online courses because they fit my hectic schedule, the on site environment no longer fits my needs.
I take online courses because I believe in the importance of staying up to date on methods and trends. Educational researchers have discovered a great deal about brain development and 21st century skills. At the same time, the monolithic approach in K-12 education that served students well during the industrial era of our country, is declining in its effectiveness.
Students are far more diverse today. Educatiors need to individualize education to meet this diversity. Monolithic approach teachers run the risk of boring students and frustrating others. I did not need a new degree to stay employed as a teacher, but I did need contemporary courses to stay up to date with what I described in the paragraphs preceding.
Professional courses were either online or online with on-site contact. In the process, I learned a lot about the online environment and how it could be used for my own students. Courses included the use of Elluminate, a real time chatting program, where I could hear the voices of my online classmates. There was a “white board” that could be turned on for online student responses. This program and programs like it have great potential for meeting individual needs. Because I teach middle school, many students still need the auditory and visual presence of a teacher. Many middle school students are still not reading well enough to be educated online – they aren’t up to “read and respond” assignments. Read and respond was great for me, but I read and write at a sophisticated level. Like many people working on college degrees, I had to keep working to support myself and online education provided me this opportunity
The courses I took were of my on choosing to enhance what I do as a teacher. But courses are greater than the sum of the individual skills and concepts of the courses. I learned how to “excel” with Excel, set up discussions for staff development, integrate technology into reading, assess student work, and more. More importantly, I became adept at being a student in the online environment – preparation for my own foray into online teaching.
Education is like pantyhose; one size does not fit all. College professors and administrators have figured this out by using the online environment to enroll students who must work full time while getting their degree, or for students like me who need new skills while working full time.
Posted by admin on February 4th, 2009
As the global economy continues to falter, job prospects for 2009 are expected to slow. But if you’re lucky enough to be in one of these top fields, your job future is still quite bright. Take a look at this list below and either thank your lucky stars that your job is already on it, or consider seeking the education and experience for the career that most interests you.
Auditor. With all of the economic upheaval, businesses are being watched more carefully than ever. “There is a lot of money flowing into companies right now due to the stimulus package,” says Ron Mitchell, CEO and co-founder of GottaMentor, a career coaching service located in New York City. “And, we’ve all seen some issues with, ‘Where is this money going to?’” He adds that auditors are mostly working for the big four [accounting firms] and also as internal auditors. Average Yearly Salary - $64,914
Career Counselor. More folks than usual are starting off the new year without a job in sight. How can the out-of-work find gainful employment? From outplacement agencies to government programs, career counselors and coaches will be very busy in 2009 helping make things easier. Mitchell encourages those seeking work to get professional help, saying, “Many individuals will need to completely re-engineer their careers. In order to do that, people need personalized guidance and feedback from an expert counselor.” Average Yearly Salary - $54,426
Counselor. Besides their bank accounts, people’s self-esteem and confidence are getting hit hard these days. “People’s self worth is tied up in their job, so you have a huge identity crisis happening. Counseling and mental health services will be in high demand,” says Mitchell. Guidance and some soul-searching can result in new and better careers for those in transition. Average Yearly Salary - $40,275
Public Relations Specialist. Rather than promoting a line of sparkly, new products or an exciting initiative, many public relations professionals will spend the upcoming year smoothing over unfortunate events. Mitchell predicts: “Being able to tell a story about major layoffs, reduced sales, and failed mergers, without causing a panic in the market, will become even more important.” Average Yearly Salary - $44,334
Factor. A what? Didn’t you study those in algebra? While this career is fairly foreign to most folks, now that bank loans are hard to come by, factoring allows small business to get funding based on their current accounts receivable — the money they expect to have coming in. Factoring works well for retailers and other businesses that have big receivables. Mitchell explains that factoring is a legitimate source of funds in hard times. He says, “It’s a huge business and, at a time when people can’t get other types of lending, factors are skilled experts at lending against accounts receivables.” Average Yearly Salary - $79,846
Health-Care Technician. You may know that nurses are in demand, but what about the folks they work with? “There’s never enough of them, like radiology technicians, lab assistants, and home health aides. Health-care is the largest industry in the country, and in the more technical aspects of those careers we have a huge shortage of personnel,” says Mitchell. Average Yearly Salary (Pharmacy Technician) - $32,531
Mechanical Engineer (and all engineering fields). With every passing year, more skilled-labor jobs are replaced by complex automation or robotics systems. For example, some hospitals have turned to “robotic pharmacies” to help dispense medication. It’s the engineers who help build these automated systems, says Jim Turnquist, director of career services at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich. “In the U.S. we only graduate 70,000 engineers per year, but we’re going to need 100,000 per year. The demand is going to go way up.” Average Yearly Salary - $71,490
Networking/System Administrator. Since almost all business transactions these days are done with the assistance of a vast computer network, the people who understand how to keep computer networks running smoothly are critically important — and consequently, in high demand. “Network and system administrators maintain the company’s infrastructure. People need people to fix and monitor their infrastructure, keep them updated,” Mitchell says. Average Yearly Salary - $54,193
Nurse. The health-care field has been booming for a long time, and all signs indicate it will continue to do so, says Turnquist. He also says college students and people looking for a new job field would be wise to consider physical therapy and similar “exercise science” fields, since aging Baby Boomers will be looking for ways to remain active long into their later years. Average Yearly Salary (Registered Nurse) - $53,840
Software Designer/Developer. Companies from all sectors of the economy are looking for software engineers and programmers, says Turnquist. This is because society in general is becoming more tech-dependent — just think of how rapidly cell phones change with each passing year — requiring software developers that can stay abreast of all the changes. Average Yearly Salary - $72,070
Find your a college degree to achieve the career you want!
Source: All salary data is from PayScale.com. The salaries listed are median, annual salaries for full-time workers with 5-8 years of experience and include any bonuses, commissions or profit sharing.
by Joy Victory, Payscale.com
Posted by Jen Zeman on February 4th, 2009
As someone who is interested in researching facts and finding answers, I felt becoming a paralegal would be the perfect career path to follow. The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies completely online, so this is the program I chose to complete. I had no previous experience in a law firm nor did I possess an associate’s degree in legal studies (I have an Associate of Arts in General Studies). Neither is required for this program. Your studies will begin with an Introduction to Law course and it builds from there. I completed courses such as Legal Writing, Techniques of Legal Research, Intellectual Property, Torts, and Advanced Legal Writing. You can select upper-level legal courses based on the area of law you would like to end up working in such as family law or contract law. A complete listing of the legal courses can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/courses/lgstcat.shtml#lgst101
Program requirements for UMUC’s Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/lgst/
I found the courses to be challenging, but interesting. The curriculum overall involves a lot of research (naturally), and a lot of writing. The law is complex in any area, so a keen eye for detail and the ability to be thorough when conducting research is essential. Equally as important is the ability to write well since major functions of a paralegal’s job duties are writing legal memorandums and court documents. These documents need to be concise, clearly detailing the legal issue at hand and clearly explaining the client’s position. If you don’t like to write, legal studies may not be for you!
I also completed a minor in humanities which complemented my legal studies courses. The humanities minor delved mainly into philosophy courses. These courses assist in expanding critical thinking skills and enabled me to look at legal case studies from a different perspective and allowed me to see “the big picture”.
If your desire is to eventually enroll in law school, the B.S. in Legal Studies is a perfect foundation.
Posted by Jeff Davis on February 3rd, 2009
My online program of study was a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology curriculum which combined networking, communications, computer programming, and systems development and analysis. This particular program was focused on acquiring the theories and technical competencies that are typically associated with the information technology profession. The courses I took provided me with a fundamental knowledge and application in both the information systems function and in systems development.
My program basically covered 5 main content areas: Business Systems Development, Programming and Operating Systems, Database Management, Networks and Telecommunications, and Web Management. Each of these specific areas had multiple classes and are really too numerous for me to list all of them here.
Since I had already obtained an associate degree in prior years, I was able to transfer those credit hours and apply towards this degree. Therefore I only needed to complete half of the coursework that was required for this undergraduate degree. Upon successfully completing the program, graduating with this degree gave me the ability to successfully perform and obtain desired outcomes in a variety of information system and technology environments and to develop, maintain, and apply information technology skills to support the strategic goals and objectives of my current organization.
I feel that this program lived up to its ability to properly prepare me with the competencies, skills, and attitudes necessary for success in the workplace. It gave me a basis on which to work with while allowing for growth in my career, to continue learning as an IT professional, and to pursue a graduate degree in the future. Even if you are not working in the information technology field right now and have no prior computer experience, this program can help to pave the way for a career in computer information systems.
Tags: associate degree, bachelor degree, business systems, communications, computer information systems, computer programming, database management, information technology, IT, IT professional, networking, networks, online program, opearting systems, programming, systems analysis, telecommunications, University of Phoenix, web management
Categories: My Online Program of Study, Student Voices
Posted by Sharon Cece on February 2nd, 2009
I was a typical college student from 18 to 20. I lived at home with Mom and worked at a department store while I attended a community college. At that time I majored in Business Management. A year later I hopped in my rusty little Datsun with one box of clothes and a typewriter (really) and headed to FSU, where I segued to the more general Business Program.
Then, I became somewhat non-typical and left FSU without a degree and a bunch of credits flying about looking for a home. Years passed; I traveled around the country a bit, got married and had kids. When I returned to finish my degree I was dismayed to discover that the online program I was interested in didn’t have a Business Degree Program! What to do.
Enter the wonderful, flexible Interdisciplinary Degree. Here’s what happened: I still had all these credits still flying around and now they’re getting tired. I knew that after 14 years I’d be hard-pressed to find a program that would accept all these aging credits. The Florida State Undergraduate Program Online had four options:
- Computer Science (Um, no–The last computer course I studied was Fortran, which can be found under history close to “Mayan Civilization” and “Jurassic Life“)
- Nursing (Definitely not, don’t like sticking needles in people)
- Family Development and Family Resource Management (Interesting, but would have to start over)
- ISS, or Interdisciplinary Social Science (ISS, is that a degree for snakes?)
None of those seemed applicable to Business, so I figured I struck out.
Not so. Interdisciplinary Degrees are just that–composed of two or more disciplines. Upon further inquiry, it turned out that many of my business courses, as well as the many prerequisite and general elective courses required for a business degree, were applicable toward a Florida State ISS Social Science online degree. Jackpot! Of course it helped that some of these business courses were from FSU prior; even so, it worked out much better than I had hoped.
The great part of my online experience at Florida State is that the advisors are very dedicated to helping you to graduate. My advisor spent a lot of her time reviewing my former transcripts, fitting in what could into my ISS program and helping me organize what courses I still needed. My Interdisciplinary Social Science program was flexible when it came to qualifying courses for my grad check; for example, general Economics courses that I took at my community college in NJ were applicable to secondary concentration Economics courses that I needed in order to graduate at FSU. In this way, I was well on my way to finishing an online degree in Social Science by utilizing courses I obtained originally pursuing a completely different degree.
