Posts Tagged ‘online degrees’
Posted by admin on September 17th, 2008
From September 15th to the 19th, DeVry University will be doing more than helping students earn their online accredited degrees — the school will be striving to register 8,000 new voters for this fall’s upcoming election.
In a way, DeVry’s efforts will be making visible a correlation that has always existed between education and voter participation. As U.S. Census Bureau data illustrates, eligible voters with a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree are more likely to register than those without a college degree. In 2004, 78% of those with a bachelor’s degree had registered to vote, while only 62% of eligible voters with a high school diploma had registered to vote.
The disparity between voting engagement and education becomes even more pronounced when one looks at actual voting numbers. 74% of the voting age population with at least a bachelor’s degree voted in 2004, while only 52% of the voting age population with a high school diploma voted that year.
The 2008 presidential election is being touted as one of the most engaging races in recent memory. Even if you are not earning an online degree from DeVry University, you can still visit one of the 72 participating registration locations this week and register to vote.
You can find info on the candidates and their policies via their respective party websites:
Posted by Jen Zeman on August 4th, 2008
One of the benefits I found with online courses versus traditional classroom courses is the ability to begin the coursework early. With my experience at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC), most instructors would post the syllabus a week or two before the official start of the semester. I wised up to this early on and took complete advantage of it. My suggestion, if this is an option for you, is to take advantage of it as well. Doing so gives you a jump start on required readings and assignments and if you maintain this same pace throughout the semester, you will not fall behind schedule and most importantly, you will not be stressed out trying to complete assignments at the last minute. Required books are generally available several weeks prior to the start of the semester, so purchase them early as well. Starting early also enables you to understand the requirements for the course and to ask for clarification if needed. Online coursework is challenging, but stay ahead of the game guarantees success.
Posted by Jen Zeman on July 27th, 2008
If you are still confused about online degree programs, don’t worry. Alleviate some of that anxiety by doing your homework! If you enter “online education” in Google, you will receive thousands of results. One of the most reliable and reputable sources I have encountered online is elearners. This site contains a vast amount of information regarding online degrees, including a large listing of accredited colleges and universities and the online degree programs they offer. In particular, this site offers a Guide to Online Education that provides users with practically all the answers to all the questions they may have. If you are still not certain an online degree is right for you, eLearners offers a free online test to determine your compatibility with online learning. eLearners also provides links to recent news articles pertaining to online education to continue your research. I found this site extremely helpful while I was researching universities that offered online liberal studies master’s degrees, and I believe you will find it helpful too.
Being a student in an online atmosphere can be overwhelming. At times you may even feel alone. Due to the distance learning format the biggest form of communication is EMAIL. It is essential to use this tool to develop a relationship with your online instructor.
As a part of your class requirements you will have the opportunity to “chat” with the class using the discussion boards and real-time seminars or chat sessions, but the best way to speak one-on-one with the course facilitator is to use email to ask questions, clarify information, share thoughts and get to know your professor.
Online schools have instructor policies that require them to check email daily, host office hours and at some schools have access to instant messaging. The accessibility to your professor may not be the experience of a face-to-face meeting but it can be an opportunity for open discussion. Review your class syllabus to see what the best way to contact your professor. If email is the preferred option, send an email to introduce yourself outside of the opening unit’s introductory opportunity. Save the instructor’s email address in your contact list, as well as include them on your safe list. You would not want to miss a correspondence from your instructor because it goes to your bulk mail box.
It is recommended that you use the email system of your school. Just as you would not want to miss an email from your professor, the opposite applies. Using your personal email account may be flagged by the school’s email administration as an unsolicited email. It may forward it to a bulk mailbox or the professor may dismiss it as spam. Many times your personal email account does not identify you but instead describes our alternate egos. Beware that email names that are “suggestive” and “unique” may not be answered. The school’s assigned email account will give you better odds of your email being directed to the professor’s inbox and responded to in a timely fashion.
Your instructor will appreciate your outreach. This will also help to set the expectations of your learning experience. Using email or instant messaging will afford you the chance to make a presence with your professor. It is also a way to keep your professor informed. As an online student you probably have a demanding schedule. That is a major reason for many who enroll at an online college or university. There are times when you may have difficulty meeting your deadlines, communicating with your instructor can help you to stay focused, make up work and find out about discussions or resources you may have missed.
Keeping the lines of communication open will only enhance your learning experience. It will not only keep you engaged in the process, it will also elicit dialogue from your professor. Just keep the emails respectful and with the understanding that what you write might not be interpreted as what you meant. So, keep your emails short and to the point. Identify yourself, the class you attend and what your specific question is. The easier it is for the instructor to understand you, the easier it is for them to provide a substantial response.
Posted by jstoppi on July 17th, 2008
The stigma of obtaining an online degree may dissuade some who might have otherwise benefited from furthering their educational horizons. Unfortunately, the inception of online degree programs was muddled by unscrupulous diploma mills that would confer a degree to anyone who was willing to pay the money (without doing any real academic work). These diploma mills tarnished the future of online degrees.
There are several qualities of online universities that forecast a legit, quality program. These are:
- Accreditation
- The same degree or program offered in the traditional sense
- Financial Aid
If the university offers the same program in the traditional sense, once a student graduates, he/she does not need to indicate they received the degree via the online format (although what I’ve observed personally is that, after going through all the hard work of obtaining an online degree, most graduates are proud enough to tell anyone they received the degree online).
I too was affected by the stigma of online degrees. I attended a large university that offered the same program in the traditional sense. I was still a bit skeptical after I graduated until I met someone who attended the same university for the same degree, on campus. I was satisfied when I compared his degree to mine (they were identical). I was more satisfied when we compared knowledge as I felt I knew just as much–if not more than–he did.
In the near future, there is no doubt that there will be no stigma surrounding online degrees. Indeed, I envision a future where more degrees are offered online than not. In the meantime, I hope this information helps you overcome the stigma of online degrees so you can attain your educational and career dreams!
Posted by admin on July 16th, 2008
Recently I have seen a few news articles stating that higher gas prices is leading to an increase in online college enrollments. Whether you believe this statement or not, that fact is that as gas prices rise, people will start to cut back on their driving to save money.
Enrollments for online degree programs have been on the rise over the past 2-3 years as the negative connotations of e-learning have been wiped away and now that gas prices have risen by over $1 per gallon across the country, this is only one a contributing factor for a rise in enrollments. People opting to study online find that they can better manage their time around family (trips, babysitters, children, events etc) since they disctate their class time.
Related Articles:
Boston.com
About.com
WPSDTV.com
ColoradoDaily.com
Posted by mcjoshie99 on July 9th, 2008
These are some advantages that online learning offers students:
Class work can be scheduled around those who work and have families
Reduces travel time and travel costs for students living off campus or that drive long distances to attend school
Students may have the option to select learning materials that match their interests and skill level
Students can work anywhere they have access to a computer and Internet connection
Students to work at their own pace
Flexibility to join discussions in the discussion forum at any hour, allowing them to converse with classmates and instructors
eLearning accommodates different learning styles and facilitates learning through a variety of activities
Students develop computers skills that will help them throughout their lives and careers
Successfully completing online courses encourages students to take responsibility for their learning - DISCIPLINE
Students can test out of courses already mastered and concentrate on mastering new skills
Posted by mcjoshie99 on July 9th, 2008
I graduated from ITT Technical Institute in Strongsville, Ohio on September 6, 2007 with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Information Technology – Multimedia. While attending ITT for 2 years, some of my courses were done totally online. Discipline is very important if one wishes to excel learning in an online setting – there are deadlines that must be met when submitting assignments. Some of my classmates would end up failing online classes because they did not submit assignments on time or at all, and would use an excuse such as not having internet access. ITT provided computer labs with internet access, and there was nothing stopping them from completing their work in the comfort of their own home, provided they have access to the internet. If one is going to take online courses and be successful at them, they must be aware of how the system works and anticipate assignment deadlines.
Making the decision to begin college for the first time or return to school as an adult is not an easy decision to make. Many times you will question this choice because of the challenge you see before you. In the past, if you choose to enroll in college your choice was to either register at the local community college or 4-year University. Today, attending classes at an on-ground institution is still an option but with the many advances in technology, distance education has become an advantage for many, especially the working mother.
A mother who works full-time spends about 10 hours of their day managing household activities, caring for household members, purchasing goods and services and their work related responsibilities, according to a report by the United States Department of Labor. If you add in sleep, leisure, sports and travel, you will begin to wonder how you incorporate going back to school, into your already busy day. Time management and organization are two pivotal ways to accomplish this goal. Just as you map out your plans for you children’s day, you must also make school a priority. It may not be as easy as you would like, but some planning in the beginning will save you a lot of worries later on during your course.
Just as school age children are being taught to brainstorm, plan and implement the many skills learned, we as adults can learn from this elementary practice. By using a calendar to schedule your day, you can limit the amount of confusion you face between class deadlines and carpooling your children to the many activities they are involved in, but require your participation. Find which method fits your style best: paper calendars that are available in notebook or pocket -size planners or if you are more tech savvy, you may prefer to keep your calendar in a software program or on your cell phone. One suggestion is to utilize your college’s email and calendar options. This will get you in the habit of checking your online course page daily. Logging into your class daily or quite frequently helps to minimize you missing announcements and updates from your instructor and encourages you to participate in the course’s discussion boards, seminars or other asynchronous formats used by your online college or university.
After you select what will be used to schedule your day, then it is advisable to schedule your “class timeâ€. This is the time that you will devote to school. During this time you can read assignments, take online quizzes, post to discussion boards, write your papers or just study your notes. Just as you would have a set time to attend an on-ground class, you are devoting a specific time for you to complete your work. This dedicated “class time†should be organized and a commitment that you and your family should try to respect. When the working mother decides to embark on their distance learning experience, it is encouraged that this decision is supported by the whole family. It is very hard to comprehend what you are trying to learn if you are constantly interrupted by someone else wanting your attention. This time may have to be once the children are in bed or a few hours before the get up in the morning, but it needs to be uninterrupted time that will allow you to meet the weekly class requirements in a timely fashion. Because you are not able to see the instructor and your classmates face to face, your frequent participation in the learning process helps to build a community of learners.
The role of the working mother student is not easy, but it has so many rewards if you are able to stay on track. The completion of your degree may seem like an eternity, an impossible feat or just a challenge that you may not want to take on, but with effective organizational and time management skills, you can find your learning experience to be a lot more enjoyable, less stressful and a goal that is not that hard to reach.
Resources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Department of Labor. May 2008. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus2.t02.htm
Posted by Jen Zeman on June 29th, 2008
Online degrees from accredited colleges and universities offer higher education opportunities for those who might otherwise miss out. The classes are extremely convenient since you can complete the coursework based on your schedule; there is no commute to a classroom for a three-hour sit-down lecture at a specific time each week. However, do not fall into the trap of confusing convenient with “easyâ€. Online courses are very challenging as you will have specific requirements due usually daily and weekly.  For example, you may be required to post responses daily to a specific forum your professor posts in addition to lengthy written assignments that are due that week. So, while you may not be “sitting†in a classroom three hours a week, you more than make up for that with work assignments scheduled with online courses.
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With that said, online degrees don’t appear to be for everyone out there. Online degrees are ideal if you are disciplined, hard-working, and very organized. If you have a difficult time completing work without the structure of physically meeting in a classroom (to be accountable for your work) or are easily distracted by other responsibilities going on outside of work and school, you will struggle. But it’s not hopeless! Work on your time management skills and prioritize your responsibilities and you can be quite successful with an online degree.
My next post will discuss the appropriate time management skills and responsibilities prioritization needed to help you succeed in achieving your online degree. Â
