Archive for July, 2009

Author: M. Jackson

Attaining an online education degree has opened opportunities for many students, especially those who find paying for traditional full-time courses outside their reach. But as much as acquiring an online education degree has many benefits over traditional learning, many factors play a role in order to make it successful for online students. Because of the differences in the way that online education is disseminated and acquired, some amendments in approaching this mode of learning need be put in place to make it a success.

1. Choosing the right accredited online college or university – The first step is to select the right institution to provide for your online education degree. Do your homework before starting school, and make sure the school has been accredited by the appropriate accrediting agencies. Unfortunately, without that educational stamp of approval, the degree will not be worth the paper on which it is printed. In fact, “diploma mills” offer substandard, or no education with the promise of a quick (but worthless) degree.

2. Analyze cost vs. benefit – Some students enroll in a distance learning program without considering the cost. Generally, the cost per credit hour is fairly expensive. However, decide whether the education will translate into better income opportunities down the road. Only after assessing the true benefits can students appreciate the rewards of obtaining an education online degree.

3. Degree validation by employers – No wonder many employers are wary of online degrees. With bogus institutions literally selling degrees, employers have good reason to be doubtful and cautious. Therefore, immediately alleviate any potential misgivings by your prospective employer by offering verification of accreditation through an agency sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA.

4. Practice discipline, time management and be determined to succeed – During the course of learning, many students simply lack discipline and are unable to focus. This makes it difficult to keep up with their online lessons and coursework, it is thus crucial for students in pursuit of online education degree to have a great determination to succeed. It is very easy to lose focus and motivation when studying alone. Exercising good time management and keeping in constant touch with classmates would increase the morale to succeed.

5. Utilize all the facilities provided by your college – Many education degree online courses provide online lectures and email access to facilitate communication among students, lecturers and administration staff. It’s important to take full advantage of these services as they keep you “connected” with your accredited online college. It helps further your motivation in your studies when you make use of these facilities to stay in touch.

6. Make use of credit transfers – Many online education degree colleges allow students to transfer their credits from courses they took in previous colleges, whether online or traditional. By doing this, it means students don’t have to repeat courses they learnt before. For this to be effected, it’s important for a student who intends to pursue an education online to make sure they get transcripts and results from their previous universities
or colleges and make them available to their accredited online college so they can be passed as transfer credits.

7. Using Educational technology is essential – The only way to facilitate an excellent online education degree is to take full advantage of all the educational technology available. Virtual libraries generally have all the information necessary to complete research projects and other assignments. The online materials have been factored into the cost of the course. The convenience is another reason for using this benefit to the fullest.

Source: articlesbase.com

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  • Doing the PGCE in Spain

    If you want to live and work in Spain then you may be looking for a way to earn a decent crust here. In the past most people coming to live and work in Spain have worked in TEFL but the wage rates have not really kept up with the cost of living so TEFL teachers are having to take on more and more hours to make ends meet. Another way to do this maybe by getting your teaching qualification and finally there is a way to do this in Spain.

    PGCE Spain Offers You A Teaching Qualification

    If you already have a degree then maybe you could be helped by doing a PGCE course without having to go back to the UK. Learning on a PGCE teacher training course whilst living in Spain could be a great way of having a life here. Teachers wages start typically at 1400-1500 Euros per month and the first year of PGCE Spain candidates all got a job in Spain at the end of the course. The demand for teachers in Spain is still high in the international schools.

    Have a look at the PGCE Spain website and start doing your teacher training course in Spain. If you are looking for a career here then doing the qualification may be a good method of learning and earning in Spain. Teaching is not going to make you into Rockerfeller but you can live a nice, comfortable life in Spain.

    The intake for this year will be over 50 students and there is also the possibility of starting the course in January or April at the start of each term. Teaching experience will be given in schools based all over Spain and you will be mentored by teachers currently in the schools that participate which belong to NABBS (The National Association Of British Schools in Spain)

    For more info read the website and get in touch with me on devanioinfo@gmail.com I would be only too happy to help you out

     

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                There are many different graduate degrees out there which people do and don’t know about. The most common higher degrees that people pursue are a Masters of Arts or a Masters of Science (and their equivalents with different names). This also corresponds to the large number of people who achieve bachelor’s degrees in those respective disciplines. However, there are many other higher degrees available to those who are interested in more specific fields, and many which can help people earn a much higher income than they might realize. A great example of this is a Masters Degree Philosophy program, which many people might not consider an option. However, a not commonly known fact is that people with higher degrees in philosophy tend to get promoted much faster than people with other degrees, because their education has made them excellent problem solvers, logical thinkers, and analysts.

     

                Next, you could consider a specialized profession which is always going to pay higher than a profession which might have employees coming from several different backgrounds. A masters degree in library science is not something that many people would realize is an option to them in higher education. It is actually a fairly new degree designation, but it is now one that is required by almost any employer hiring a professional librarian. For many, taking a class like this could allow them to enter into a higher earning bracket than what they are currently in and find a position that they might enjoy immensely.

     

                However, if bigger business is something is of interest to someone looking at returning to school, an excellent choice could be a Masters Degree Economics program.  Someone with one of these degrees could not only set themselves up for a higher earning potential, but could also put themselves in a position to find ways to rise through the ranks of some of the highest paying industries out there. Some of the largest banking firms, transportation companies, and even political figures have need of economic advisors and employees. A degree like this gives a person an enormous leg up in finding positions that they can rise through a company with, especially when the world’s current economic situation has clearly sent many companies and industries scrambling for new and more effective economic advice and planning strategies.  This might be a more mainstream way of earning a higher income by returning to school, but the future opportunities could be even greater than with some other masters programs.

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  • Boom Times for Online Education

    Interest in online education is growing fast. In fact, according to a survey report by the Sloan Consortium, a group of institutions and organizations who follow online education trends, over twenty percent of all students who were enrolled in higher education in 2007 were taking at least one course online. The report also stated that the current economic recession is driving more people to turn to online education as they look for ways to increase their employability. So why is online education so appealing? Here are ten reasons why online education is on the rise.

    1. Convenience: The one thing that people love about online education is that it is perfect for busy people. Online learning is provided in a format that allows you to work it around your schedule. If you have a full-time job and/or children, this type of flexibility is crucial.

    2. Smaller Classes: Many traditional colleges have classes where the number of students can be over a hundred. With this many students, it is very difficult to receive any individual attention. Online classes, on the other hand, tend to have between 15 to 25 students.

    3. Books Included: Unlike at traditional schools where book costs can be an expensive surprise every semester, online colleges often include the fees for books in their tuition. This way you know how much they are going to cost.

    4. Learn at Your Own Pace: Online education creates an atmosphere where you can learn at your own pace. They often have accelerated programs if you would like to learn faster or, if your learning style is at a slower rate, then they cater to those needs as well.

    5. Open Notes and Books: One of the great things about online education is the exams tend to be open note and open book. This increases your chances of succeeding.

    6. Anonymity: Many people do not like to have the entire class’s eyes on them when they answer a question or contribute to a discussion. It is because of this that these people do not get involved in class. The online environment strips away that inhibition.

    7. More Interaction with Students: Because of the structure of online classes, chat forums and online discussions are a major part of the online learning strategy. In a traditional classroom setting you may or may not interact with your fellow students. With online classes, it is a necessity, and there are many online students who claim that this is one of their favorite aspects of online learning.

    8. More Interaction with Instructors: One of the issues with online learning is the isolation of the student. Online instructors are well aware of this and take every opportunity to reach out to their students to bridge that gap. At a traditional college, you may never speak one on one with your professors.

    9. Free Tutoring: Online colleges often make tutoring available to their students at no extra cost. This is of great value since tutoring can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 per hour.

    10. You Can Learn in Your Pajamas! And last but not least – you can learn from the comfort of your own home. This means you can go to class in sweats, boxers, even your pajamas. It also means that if you are hungry, you can get up, fix a snack and eat it – without having to worry about how loud that potato chip bag is.  More information along with free enrollment forms are available at Masters Degree Teacher, Masters Degree Salary or Masters Degree Science.

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  • It used to be that a stay-at-home mom with taking care of the household, cooking dinner, and when needed take her children to soccer events.  However, the days of the stay-at-home mom are changing, and besides all the work she has to do to take care of her family, she is now taking care of herself and studying towards a university degree online.

     

    According to a survey conducted by American Intercontinental University, 75% of stay-at-home [[moms]|mothers] are looking to get educated or an advanced degree because they want to have larger financial contributions to the household, and to reignite their passion.  Since they do not work and stay home, these moms often feel like their minds and talents are being under utilized.

     

    For stay-at-home moms who want to get into college, online degrees especially for them are available.  Because distance education is available from many non-traditional universities currently, knowing that stay-at-home mothers offer another chance for the growing distance student population makes marketing and designing distance programs much easier.  Some of these online programs tap into those skills that stay at home mothers already know how to use but to improving a bit while learning about a old career.

     

    In fact, employees notice when they hear about such moms who are looking to go back to work from home after earning their distance degree is that they are talented with balancing their home life with school life is that they hone skills at home that are also valued in the work place such as: organization, responsibility and attention to detail. 

     

    If she needs financial assistance to pay for college, the stay-at-home mom can look for various scholarships and grants that are available online from private organizations, corporations, civic clubs, federal and state government, as well as college campus student loans so she could get the funding she needs to earn a degree. 

     

    So what types of degrees can a stay-at home mom earn?  Basically, she can earn any kind of degree or certification that she wants to from business to the social sciences.  One example and becoming more popular of these distance programs is an education degree as well as a teacher’s license (depending on the state) in order to obtain an education or teaching job.  If they earn an education degree with proper certification, they can become a teacher’s aide, childcare worker, elementary, middle, or high school teacher, guidance counselor, and education administrator.  But why not go even further?  Some mothers who may already have a bachelor degree will go on to earn a Master’s or Doctorate in their chosen field and even advance faster with a degree or even change career paths.

     

    As far as the top online universities to consider 3 that the stay at home mom can request free information from before enrolling include: University of Maryland University College, DeVry University, and GCU.

     

    An online degree opens the door for many opportunities that a stay-at-home mom never dreamed of, and when the time is right to go back into the workforce at least they know that they have the right skills and credentials to get the job.

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  • Even though things are finally beginning to look better, the finance crisis has still managed to change our minds about a ton of stuff. No more are the number crunches of Wall Street hailed as the best workers our society’s top thinkers can work towards, and the essential thinking behind way the economy has worked these past few years is being heavily questioned.

    And here comes another inquiry: has the classic idea of business degrees become irrelevant? I’m happy to say that the answer is a definite no. In essence, the very opposite has occurred.

    Why People Need Business Degrees Again

    The milieu of the MBA and hedge funds haven’t suddenly disappeared, but they have ,without a doubt, been brought down by the global financial crisis. Not anymore are they the only chances for the best of the best. People are starting to consider old-fashioned online business degrees once again.

    In these last few years, if you hoped to make money for yourself, you didn’t simply go into ‘business’. You invested. You started day trading. You messed around with obscure percentages that had no clear link to the actual market, because they’d been "derived" so many times that they became something else entirely.

    Returning to Proper Business

    But in these times, is that the ideal way, still the direction that the fresh, eager worker wants to take? Unlikely. In fact, we’re going to notice a big jump in business degree courses–legitimate, start-your-own business. So this is the perfect time to get in on the ground floor.

    The best and the brightest, the same people who would ideally–if financial engineering hadn’t shown up–go on to start successful startups after their education, they’ve all just got done with varying investment-oriented degrees that are no longer the best option in a financial market that has no time for them.

    Why A Recession Means It’s The Best Time to Be In Business

    To put it bluntly, there has never been a more opportunity-filled chance to be in business. There have been safer times, of course, but if you look back at the decade-long depression in the 30s, many of America’s most strong, durable firms came out of the fundamental ‘where do we go from here’-type thinking of that time in history.

    So: if you’ve been considering a business degree, don’t sit around until everyone is brimming with energy and the business world is once again saturated with entrepreneurs. Job losses have been brutal for months. Literally tens of thousands of people, very intelligent people, have no jobs. You can have access to a better workforce than ever before.

    The Workforce Has Never Been So Plentiful: Take Advantage of It

    When the turnaround hits in full force, it’s going to depend primarily on the work of real business owners doing meaningful business, not just crunching numbers designed to earn huge bags of money.

    Get going: you’re already researching the feasibility of a business degree. Continue to look. There’s never been a nicer opportunity. The economy isn’t going to be low forever, and when it eventually restarts, you want to be in the ideal place to profit from the benefits of your hard work. Research a degree, get to work, and do it!

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  • A doctorate is the highest educational achievement that you can earn and there is much respect associated with having those letters behind your name. Only one out of a hundred people have a doctorate, so that reverence is certainly due. Also, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, someone with a doctorate degree earns one to two million dollars in lifetime earnings more than someone with a master’s degree. With numbers like that, what are you waiting for?

    Ph.D. or Doctorate?

    It seems that there is some confusion when it comes to the difference between a doctorate and a Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy. Actually, a Ph.D. is one of several doctorate degrees that you can earn. Doctorate degrees can be broken down into two types: professional doctorates and research doctorates.

    People who earn professional doctorates apply their degree to a specific profession, as opposed to an academic field of study. These include M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), J.D. (Juris Doctor), DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), and PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) among many others.

    Research doctorates include the Ph.D. and are often focused on a particular subject. Here is a breakdown of some of the more popular doctorates available in the United States:

    • Ph.D. or Doctor of Philosophy: This degree is normally earned by those who want to go into research or Academia. There are many fields in which you can earn a Ph.D. including history, mathematics, and chemistry.

    • Psy.D. or Doctor of Psychology: If you want to be a psychologist, than you can either earn a Ph.D. in psychology or this degree.

    • DBA or Doctor of Business Administration: This degree is for people who are interested in the theory of management. Those who earn this degree normally go into research or teach on a college level.

    • Ed.D. or Doctor of Education: If you are looking to become a school administrator than this degree is for you.

    • D.A. or Doctorate of Arts: This degree emerged in the 1960s and is offered in many of the same subjects as a Ph.D, particularly arts and humanities. It is often labeled the “teaching doctorate.”

    What does a doctorate entail?

    Most doctorates require that you have a master’s degree in a related field of study. Once you are accepted you begin with a rigorous course of study, especially for the professional degrees such as M.D. or J.D. The professional degrees are normally followed by an exam, such as the bar examination, and/or an internship, such as a residency. With Ph.Ds and other research doctorates, courses are normally followed by an exam and then the writing of a thesis or dissertation. These dissertations can be anywhere from 50 to 450 pages in length and commonly focus on a particular area of expertise. For example, someone pursuing a doctorate in U.S. Economic History might write a dissertation on the effects of Soviet Union socialism on U.S. economic policies during the Great Depression. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average time it takes a student to earn their doctorate is seven years. However, there are some accelerated programs out there and a lot depends on how long it takes you to write your dissertation.

    Online Study is a Great Option

    If you are interested in a doctorate degree, do not rule out online colleges. Three of the five most popular doctorate degrees (according to the Department of Education) are available through online study; these are Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Engineering and Doctor of Education. Online learning is an extremely convenient way to learn. The courses are offered in a format that works around your schedule. This is perfect for people who have a career that they do not want to take time off from, or if they have a family. In fact, online doctorates are so flexible that there really is no reason not to finally reach this highest level of achievement.  Find more free enrollment information via Earn College Degree, MBA and Online or Online College Degree Programs.

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  •             Online specialty degrees are harder to come by than some of the more popular programs. But, degrees for engineering college online or master’s degree business can be found at some of the most reputable online colleges around. This allows the student to achieve his or her academic goals at his or her own pace and is usually much cheaper than taking courses at a physical university site. Most specialty degrees are graduate degrees, meaning that they take place after a Bachelor’s has been completed. Many high level professionals are getting online specialty degrees to boost their experience and give them an edge over their competition.

                Some of the best online MBA programs can be found at both Kaplan and the University of Phoenix. As both schools are accredited, they prove to produce the most useful degrees. Other smaller accredited colleges are recognized in the business world as reputable as well. While the online programs might be a bit shorter than taking courses at a physical site, the same, if not more, amount of work is required to accomplish the task. Because many online schools offer the equivalent of a degree from a physical site, it is important to take the programs just as seriously.

                Online specialty degrees can also be found in culinary schools, trades like veterinary assistants and dog obedience training, and even certain nursing programs. Students should also beware of online colleges that are not accredited, as these degrees typically do not transfer into the professional world and can be a waste of time and money. However, getting an online specialty degree from an accredited university can give one a leg up on their coworkers.

                The best online MBA programs can truly push a student to the limit intellectually. However, after the degree has been achieved, students will see the power they have in the professional world. There is never such a thing as too much schooling, and employers typically look for someone with a great deal of training in their particular career path. By getting an online specialty degree a person can have the convenience of working from home along with the same accreditation as attending a physical university site. Imagine the amount of gasoline one can save. Not only that, there are not typically the large numbers of added fees that a physical university can have. Also, usually a student is paired with a professor online to guide them through their school career.

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