Posts Tagged ‘Online college’
Posted by admin on September 14th, 2009
Unemployment and layoffs are enough to paralyze those with few options available in today’s workforce. However, just as every cloud has a silver lining, many are accepting job-loss as an opportunity to move on to more fulfilling and secure careers.
Aware of the current demand for retraining programs, many colleges are offering programs aimed specifically for those stuck in positions of uncertainty within their current jobs that are looking to settle into a more hopeful career path. At the same time, many of those looking for new careers are able to finally get the training necessary to pursue their dream jobs; courses like graphic design and photography are incredibly popular. Colleges are making these programs even more accessible by adding business and technology-based courses into their listings to help make careers in these fields more attainable. While many of those in the process of changing careers are aware that they may not be able to earn as high of a paycheck, the promise of job-security and opportunity for advancement make the initial pay-cut worth it.
Due to the economic downtown, many schools are offering refresher courses in basic math, reading, and computer skills for those who have been out of school for years. Distance learning programs have also been catering to those looking to choose a new career path which gives many the option to work at their own pace and on their own time without having to worry about the struggles associated with attending classes at a traditional “brick-and-mortar” institution.
Going back to school is easier than ever, so why not take the opportunity to break into a career you’ve always wanted while feeling secure in that career at the same time?
Now, I pose this question to our readers – have you found your silver lining? If you’ve lost your job or have been laid-off … did changing careers/going back to school become higher on your to-do list?
Posted by admin on June 8th, 2009
Business professionals who wish to increase their competitive edge and earn a graduate business degree through online education can now log in to Rochester Institute of Technology’s newest virtual classroom opportunity.
RIT’s E. Philip Saunders College of Business has announced a partnership with Toronto-based online services provider Embanet to launch an e-learning Executive MBA program this fall. The 72-week program is identical to the curriculum taught on site–and includes an international trip for students to explore the global influence of business. Classes begin in September.
According to Saunders Dean Ashok Rao, RIT and faculty of the Saunders College will receive a full range of services and support from Embanet in developing and designing online curriculum, as well as marketing and admissions for the new program.
“Our business school faculty have been impressed with the commitment of Embanet’s instructional team to help translate our demanding EMBA curriculum to an online platform that is innovative, highly interactive and easy to use,” Rao explains. “Embanet’s expertise and resources will allow us to reach highly qualified students across the globe–expanding our reach while maintaining our stringent admission standards.”
Stanley Widrick, director of RIT’s new online EMBA program and professor of marketing and international business in the Saunders College, says the AACSB-accredited Executive MBA will give working executives the flexibility they need to access course content, post discussions and brainstorm with peers at their convenience.
“Our EMBA is designed specifically for busy professionals whose time is valuable,” Widrick says. “It can be accessed at anytime of the day or night from anywhere with an Internet connection.”
As a leading full-service provider of online learning solutions for more than a decade, Embanet offers support for students, faculty and administrators through a dedicated 24/7/365-toll free number, live online chat, e-mail and self-help “frequently asked questions” support portal.
“Our full-service model is focused on providing integrated services to our esteemed university partners that reflect their quality, standards and culture,” says Stephen Fireng, CEO and president of Embanet. “Rochester Institute of Technology is committed to excellence in serving its students, and as their program partner it is our mission to help them meet that commitment online as well as on-ground.”
Rochester Institute of Technology (www.rit.edu) is internationally recognized for academic leadership in computing, engineering, imaging technology, and fine and applied arts, in addition to unparalleled support services for students with hearing loss. Nearly 16,500 full- and part-time students are enrolled in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs at RIT, and its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.
For two decades, U.S. News & World Report has ranked RIT among the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT is featured in The Princeton Review’s 2009 edition of The Best 368 Colleges and in Barron’s Best Buys in Education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recognizes RIT as a ‘Great College to Work For.’
One of eight colleges at RIT, the E. Philip Saunders College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International) and enrolls more than 1200 undergraduate and graduate students.
Posted by admin on June 1st, 2009
Ashford University has awarded 10 full-ride online degree program scholarships to working parents from across the nation through a partnership with eLearners.com and its Project Working Mom and Dads advocacy campaign. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI) is a provider of postsecondary education services.
“Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” was developed by eLearners.com, a Web resource of EducationDynamics, to help send parents back to college - tuition free - in these difficult economic times.
This latest campaign, the third in a series and the first to include fathers, received more than double the number of applications submitted in the first two rounds held in 2008 combined. More than 315,000 applications were generated, including some of the most painful, touching and inspiring essays as part of the process. With five online universities and colleges participating, Ashford University was chosen by more than 41 percent of the applicants, accounting for nearly 130,000 applications.
“The overwhelming response to this scholarship opportunity and the stories of sacrifice and determination from the applicants have been a stark reminder of the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school and how online education helps people achieve their goals,” Jane McAuliffe, president and chief executive officer of Ashford University said.
Ashford University faculty members spent hundreds of hours reviewing applications, resulting in 10 deserving recipients receiving the life-changing call.
Four of the scholarship winners reside in California. They include Erin Buck from Vacaville, Clara Galvan from Alta Loma, Donna Perry from Los Angeles and Cecilia Portugal from Daly City. Richard Shields of Longmont, Colorado, and Gail Kenny from Prescott Valley, Arizona, are also Western states winners.
Two of the scholarship recipients are from Maryland. They include Agaba Bisengo from Silver Spring and Terry Satchell from Easton. Michael Kurilovitch from Niagra Falls, New York, and Jacklyn Schmetzer from Ashburn, Virginia, round out the list of Eastern states winners.
Ashford University’s full-ride, tuition-free scholarships are for online degree programs ranging from associate’s to the doctorate level. Collectively, the scholarships total nearly $500,000.
“The escalating interest in this campaign illustrates the importance of higher education to working parents across America,” said McAuliffe. “Online higher education provides working parents with flexibility in earning their degrees.”
“As a working mom myself, I am proud to impact these scholarship recipients in a positive way,” said McAuliffe. “What gives me the most satisfaction is knowing that each of these winners has a child who will experience a parent bettering themselves by earning his or her college education. These winners are role models.”
Posted by Jeff Davis on March 4th, 2009
To procrastinate or not to procrastinate? That is the question. College is not easy whether you attend online or on campus. But then again, is it really supposed to be? It is just one class after another and deadlines to meet and class participation and both group and individual assignments. Whew! It is a procrastinator’s worst nightmare! Lucky for me that I do not fall into that category.
One thing about the online classroom environment and flexibility is that they tend to go hand in hand. My online classes at the University of Phoenix were very flexible in my opinion. They allowed me to get my work done ahead of time when I had family or work commitments and we all know how life can often get in the way of pursuing our goals. Although I liked the flexibility that was provided, it might not be suitable for just anyone. There were often times when it was difficult to stay on focused and on track, but I managed and without missing out on the important things in life. Yes, there were some last minute assignments and many a sleepless night but it was all worth it in the end.
This is one online school where deadlines had to be met. The class syllabus always informed the students of all due dates for assignments from the very beginning on the first day of class. I always appreciated this so that I could better manage and schedule my time between work, family, and school. If I knew of a family obligation coming up, then I could simply make sure that my class work was done ahead of time.
It used to be that the University gave us one week off between each class and I liked this because it allowed me to regain my sanity, if only for a brief time. Unfortunately, that has ended now and there are no breaks between classes. When one class ends, a new one begins the very next day. Working on my Master’s degree, I am used to this schedule now and actually glad about it since it will allow me to graduate a few months earlier than it would have previously. If you gain nothing else from your online experience, you will gain a new appreciation for time management.
Tags: flexibility, flexible, masters degree, online classes, online classroom environment, Online college, online experience, procrastinate, Time Management, university, University of Phoenix, UoP
Categories: Flexibility of Online Programs, Student Voices
Posted by Jen Zeman on November 24th, 2008
While earning my associate’s degree at a local community college, I completed an online class and loved the flexibility and the freedom it gave me. However, when I started my online bachelor degree program, a few fears crept into my brain: How hard will the classes be? How much work will be involved? How much time will I need to complete the work? Will I be able to handle three online classes a semester while working full time?
Before starting my classes I decided to come up with a game plan in order to quash my fears and guarantee my success. The game plan was simple: organization. Being organized is by far the number one way to guarantee success with an online college. It is essential to devise a plan of how you will study and complete assignments. Here are the five tactics I used:
- Plan out your semester prior to the start of the semester. If you work full-time, schedule days off strategically so you can give yourself enough time to complete major class assignments/projects without scrambling at the last minute. This will alleviate a ton of stress.
- Assign a separate binder for each class you take a semester. Print the syllabus and put it in the front of the binder. This eliminates confusion and a constant search for important documents. Even though all your required documents will be available to you online, having them at your fingertips makes life less stressful.
- Assign a designated room in your home as your “school zone”. Make it a place where you can close a door and have privacy for studying and completing assignments.
- In this room, hang a large white board on the wall. Use this to write down assignments and major projects for each class, along with corresponding due dates. It is a great feeling erasing completed projects off the board! This was a lifesaver for me.
- Allow yourself some down time to relax. For me it was allowing myself an hour each day to exercise. However, realize while you are in school you will not be able to participate in activities the way you did before – you simply will not have the time. Choose the activity you cannot part with and schedule it in. All others will have to fall off your radar until you graduate. It may seem harsh, but remember you won’t be in school forever.
You will find with organization comes discipline – discipline will keep you focused on your goal. Tell yourself you will succeed in your online courses and it will happen. Once you complete the first semester of online college following the tips above, you will ask yourself, “What was I so scared about?”
Posted by Jen Zeman on November 18th, 2008
Living in a small, rural country town has many advantages. Having an easily accessible four-year college or university is not one of them. Accessibility became the main inspiration to pursuing an online university.
The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) provided me everything I needed online: application, course schedules, registration, book ordering, advising, library services, you name it. I didn’t have to step foot on the physical campus until commencement! Final exams couldn’t be taken online, but even that was convenient. I had the ability to take proctored exams at my local community college (which at the time I worked for them, making it that much more convenient). It was wonderful knowing I could achieve a bachelor’s degree (and now even master’s degree) without having to commute 45-75 miles to a physical campus. No wear and tear on my car, no extra money spent on gas, and no traffic! I could log-on to my coursework during lunch breaks, evenings, weekends, whenever it worked for me versus the rigid three-hour classroom requirement typically available. A point to remember – the coursework isn’t any easier because you’re not sitting in a classroom! There usually is plenty of reading, but if you account for the three hours normally spent in a classroom, the reading won’t be an issue.
One other reason I chose an online university was the ability to learn at my own pace. I’m an independent learner who normally moves quickly through assignments so an online atmosphere was ideal (i.e. I didn’t have to sit through an hour-long discussion on someone else’s question when I didn’t need the clarification). However, instructors were easily accessible if I did have questions.
If accessibility to a four-year institution is an issue for you, an online college or university is an ideal choice. It certainly beats the alternative – not getting a degree at all.
Posted by Pamela Gustafson on November 14th, 2008
My inspiration for an online education came from my need to schedule my continuing education around my own schedule, and my complete fascination with the online environment itself. My son was always online, creating and posting his own web page at the age of 12, long before the ease of uploading to FaceBook and My Space. Being a teacher, I didn’t want to squelch his curiosity, but at the same time I wanted to keep him safe. This meant that I had to learn about the online environment, to keep ahead of him. While I didn’t always succeed in keeping ahead of him; I learned to use the online environment for my job and my personal life.
I now prefer the online method of education including asynchronous discussion and scheduled synchronous chats and presentations.
The use of the online environment has put energy into my teaching at a time when my energy was waning. My middle school students think of me as a computer geek, when in reality I am just an old dog who has learned new tricks. These new tricks help to keep my students and me interested and involved in the important task of education.
Now I am using a combination on line/ on site method of teaching. My students complete the assignments posted on the student learning center and I grade them online. I have drastically decreased the amount of paper and I never worry about what I left at school. I can access student work whenever I am near a computer.
Posted by glen on August 4th, 2008
In 1998 Kaplan University and Concord Law School merged to offer thousands of people fast and easy access to online law degrees. As a result, Concord has become one of the nation’s first online law schools to merge with a nationally accredited university to give out law degrees. Since then Concord Law school has become a top online Law education institution.
Concord Law School offers two online law degree programs tailored to the student’s needs. The Juris Doctor program meets the legal education requirements of the State Bar of California and opens doors to new career opportunities. The Executive JDSM is designed to broaden your current career path.
Whichever degree you are looking for from Concord Law School you can be sure it will help advance you in your career. If you are unable to complete a ground-based Doctorate Law program Concord may be the answer for you. Request Free Information to learn more the degrees they offer and how Concord Law School can help you on your way to achieving your career.
