Television commercials for online colleges are known for being particularly low-key and geared towards trying to inspire people with the typical clips of students looking inspired, and they rarely take on anything other than a serious tone. However there are a few gems out there that err to the side of being funny over solemn and interesting over standard, making these college’s commercials a revitalizing change of pace from the norm.
1. Education Connection
You can’t help but laugh and shake your head at the sheer ridiculousness of this commercial, especially when you see the corn dog spinning around on the top of her hat and then her sudden transformation into a pop singer. But as corny (no pun intended) as it is, you have to admit that it has a catchy jingle that gets stuck in your head pretty easily.
2. AIU
The mascot admittedly does a pretty good job of making AIU sound like a pretty boring college. But since the commercial is geared towards busy professionals who don’t have time to go to a traditional college, it’s interesting and amusing that they chose to have a mascot do all the talking, and that the first half of the commercial is satirically putting down the college.
3. Everest
Everest took a refreshing twist on the usual somewhat humdrum commercial approach that most colleges take and instead made it visually engaging and interesting. The artwork is phenomenal for hand-drawn work and is a nice deviant from the regular approach.
4. Full Sail
This commercial does a great job of actually showing what an online college can do for someone without having excessive conversation about the college going on in the background. It’s to the point and artfully done so that it comes together in a more appealing format than most colleges are able to do.
5. Education Connection
No one can forget the first time that they saw the random commercial for Education Connection with the girl walking around in her pajamas. The commercial was so out of character for the standard college commercial fare that it stuck around for quite some time.
Colleges have a hard task when it comes to having appealing advertising that still gets their point across. Online colleges have an even bigger barrier to break through because there’s no actual campus to visit so they have to rely strictly on advertising. However these commercials geared towards online colleges did a fairly good job of breaking the mold.
| Coleen Torres, blogger at phone internet, Save money on home phone, digital TV, and high-speed Internet by comparing prices from providers in your area for standalone service or phone TV Internet bundles. |
Do you feel that you are a modern person in the modern world? Well, what defines you as modern? Is that your way of thinking or lifestyle making you modern? To answer these questions, one thing comes in common, which is education. Yes, your learning procedure defines your life. Your way of thinking, or your way of living, everything comes from the education you get and without modern education you cannot become modern. So, why stick to the old and traditional way of learning, when online education is there to help you out? Yes, when you go for distance learning, you get to learn in a modern way, which turns you a modern person indeed.
Online education – A modern alternative to the traditional way of learning
A bigger world to explore
Replacing the traditional way of learning, where a closed room used to play a vital role in the life of the students, they are getting a bigger and better virtual world to increase their knowledge. Yes, the small classroom has changed its shape into a huge virtual world using the exposure provided by the internet, when it comes to distance learning. Thus, online education is changing the face of traditional way of learning.
New means of learning
Moreover, the common way of learning, using pen and paper has been replaced by distance learning with a laptop and internet connection.Yes, when you go for distance learning, you get to learn online. Starting from downloading the study materials, project making and project submitting using emails, everything is done using the internet. Therefore, the students get a whole new world of internet to explore.
In-depth technical skills
When you go for online learning, you get in-depth knowledge about the gadgets you are using for learning, such as laptops, notebooks, iPads, etc. You get to make your projects using the software, like MS Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, Excel, etc. Therefore, the students get to pass quality time using these latest gadgets and technologies, which instead give them in-depth knowledge about the same.
A modern identity
Distance learning definitely helps the students creating a modern identity, such as:
- It makes the students, self-dependent and allow them to earn while learning.
- It helps them to get a better platform to launch their career.
- It provides them the right opportunity, using which they can shift their current professional status towards a better one.
- It helps them to grow socially, financially and morally.
- Where education is important, it helps them to get a valid degree to stand in life.
- Distance learning helps them in getting a better education.
- It makes them technically improved.
Over all, distance learning helps them in getting a better and modern life.
Earlier, students used to leave their studies, just to support their responsibilities. Now, distance learning is helping them to fulfill their dreams in an easy way. Online learning helps them to study from the comfort of their homes without going to the universities. So, what are you waiting for? Go for the all new and modern distance learning, because it helps you to develop as fast as the modern world is developing.
| This content is written by Lucia Smith and in the content the author has tried to depict the modern changes of education brought by distance learning. The author here is helping the students to choose, what is best for them. |
One of the many benefits of pursuing your degree online is that you can still maintain your work and family responsibilities. However, successfully managing both course work and spending quality time with your family can be difficult, as both endeavors require a lot of your time and focus. With a little planning and the right attitude, you can manage both successfully.
Here are a few tips for how to balance your school life with your home life:
Create a Schedule
Time management is the key to success in almost any area of life. Creating a proper schedule for your study and your home responsibilities is key to ensuring that you allocate adequate time to both. When your to-do list starts to become long, and when kids or your partner are clamoring for your attention, it can become easy to lose sight of your priorities and let tasks slip away from you. Having a schedule will help you keep track of what needs to be done and when so that you can make time for all your priorities.
Trade Duties
Getting help from your partner or spouse is essential to your success in college, whether you have children or not. It is especially important when you have children who require so much of your time and attention. Trade off on duties with your partner so that you share child care and you are still able to have time for your studies. Perhaps you can take care of morning duties like helping the children get ready for school while your partner can take care of evening duties like dinner and bedtime rituals. Or maybe you can trade off on duties by day. Determine a system that works for both of you and stick with it.
Work around the Kids
Children maintain a schedule day-to-day that can be fairly predictable. Take advantage of times when you know the children will be occupied to tend to your studies. For example, you can use nap time to read. You can wake up early before the children to review your notes, or you can stay up late after the kids have gone to bed to study. If you wait until the children are sleeping or otherwise occupied — like at school or preschool — to study, then you can give them your full attention when they are home.
Study Together
If you have school-age children, you can take advantage of the time that they have to do their own homework and studying to work on your studies. You can model good behavior for your children while also spending quality time together. When your children see you studying, you can also reinforce the value of education, time management, and meeting your responsibilities.
Get Childcare
Finally, if you find that you are having a hard time balancing your school schedule with your family responsibilities no matter how well you stick to a schedule or work together with your spouse, you can get part-time childcare to give yourself a few hours a day or a week to focus on studies. Figure out the times that you are the most productive and schedule a few hours of childcare then.
Though studying for your degree can require a great deal of your time and attention, the flexibility of an online degree allows you the opportunity to balance those demands with family responsibilities. Taking steps like creating a tight schedule, working with your partner to share duties, and getting child care can help you to maintain the balance needed to find success.
| Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on free student grants and free school grants. |
When online colleges first entered the education scene they were viewed as more of an ‘easy way out’ than a real college experience. However with more and more people working full time and going to school, they’ve become somewhat of a saving grace to time-crunched individuals who still want to further their education but can’t take time off work to go back to school. Not every online program is appropriate for everyone though, and there are certain things you should look for before choosing an online college to attend.
1. Credits you can transfer
So many people – both in online and campus schools – have found themselves in a situation where they are unable to transfer courses they have already taken to a new school so they have to start entirely over again. Make sure that if you are attending an online college for the first time the credits are transferrable to different schools and if you’re coming from a different school the courses you’ve already taken will transfer. You never know what will happen and it’s better to ensure your courses weren’t done in vain should a situation arise where you need to withdraw or switch schools.
2. The college is accredited
To become an accredited school, colleges have to prove that they are worthy of the title. This is done through a series of different steps and speaks volumes to the type of school you’ll be attending. It can also play into if you have an easier or harder time finding a job once you’ve graduated, so do your homework ahead of time.
3. Appropriate degree courses
You’ll want to make sure that the online school you’re looking at has not only the courses you need for your degree, but also the prerequisites you may need. Too many times people overlook these things and end up in a situation where they have to switch schools because the one they’re at currently doesn’t offer everything they need.
4. Communication
If you are someone that thrives on communicating with your professors or fellow students, you may want to look for a school that offers different things like interactive workshops. Having a school that caters to the same communication you need is important in ensuring educational success.
5. Cost
Obviously you want to choose a school that you can afford, but you also want to make sure that you choose one that only charges you for what you are using. You don’t want to end up paying a lot of money in hidden costs or for things you aren’t utilizing.
Because online colleges have become more the norm than the exception these days, there are several that you’ll need to look at before deciding on one. By taking these factors into account, you’ll be well on your way to choosing a school that will be a perfect fit for you and your learning goals.
Author Bio
| Melanie Slaugh is enthusiastic about the growing prospects and opportunities of various industries and writing articles on various consumer goods and services as a freelance writer. She writes extensively for internet service providers and also topics related to internet providers in my area for presenting the consumers, the information they need to choose the right Internet package for them. She can be reached at slaugh.slaugh907 @ gmail.com. |
The Need for Technology in the Classroom
25 Nov 2011There’s no question that technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday routine. What is often debated, however, is whether or not our schools should follow the same growing trend.
To many students, the issue isn’t to what extent should we use technology in the classroom, but how come my school hasn’t made any effort to introduce technology into the classroom in the first place? Let’s take a closer look…
Why Are Schools Falling Behind?
According to a recent infographic, 43% of students think their institution is lacking in the technology department. From Wi-Fi in the classrooms to student response systems, there are countless kinds of technology to be explored, and yet some schools refuse to adopt them. The reasons against it are many, but here are some common arguments:
Technology distracts more than it assists
In some cases, modern gadgets can impede upon the learning experience –texting during a lecture, browsing the web instead of taking notes—so naturally the idea of adding new forms of technology in the classroom would seem to add fuel to the fire. So how do you add more tech without exacerbating this concern?
Why fix what isn’t broken?
Some schools just prefer to take the traditionalist stance on education. Why mess with something that has worked well for so many years?
There’s no money for it
Unfortunately, some schools would love to experiment with new educational technology but simply can’t. Interactive whiteboards aren’t cheap, after all.
Why They Should Catch Up
While having a limited budget is commonplace for schools these days (even expected), new technology has an endless potential to reinvent and revolutionize our education system. Let’s take a look at the possible benefits to an increased technological presence in the classroom:
Faster communication
Sure, technology can often act as a distraction, but it’s also an immensely efficient communication tool. Whether it’s used for student to student contact or for tracking down a teacher for help, being “plugged-in” dramatically improves communication on a campus-wide scale. To give you an idea of how ubiquitous online communication is, a whopping 90% of students admitted they use Facebook to communicate with other students. Shouldn’t schools embrace this kind of interaction?
Preparing for future careers
Let’s face it, our jobs of the future will depend greatly on computers (even more so than now), and having a strong knowledge of the mechanics will be an expected skill. A school that refuses to use technology to their advantage will not be sufficiently preparing their students for the jobs of the future.
More access to information and perspectives
With full internet access, not only are students more connected on campus, but they’re more connected to the world. That means gaining insights and perspectives from news sources in every country imaginable. Want to know what’s going on in the Middle East right now? Hop on Skype and video chat with someone living there right now. As Christine said in her post, the world is, quite literally, at our fingertips.
In Closing…
Your school doesn’t need to look like a space station, but it shouldn’t look like a museum either. All points aside, even if the question still comes down to money, technology should still be a high (if not the highest) priority. Make the governing bodies of your school know this.
If you’re still on the fence about the educational advantages of technology, then consider how you were able to read this perspective in the first place.
What side are you on?
| This guest contribution was submitted by Brendan Baker; a blog writer at StudentofFortune.com. Student of Fortune is a resource that allows students to find fast and reliable homework help online, and tutors can get paid for their expert tutorials. Join the conversation on twitter: @studentfortune |
Online Education vs. On Campus Education
11 Oct 2011Education is evolving quickly, thanks in part to the internet. The world is, quite literally, at your fingertips. So how do you decide if an online education or a traditional education is right for you? There are a variety of factors that need to be weighed before making such a paramount decision and certain advantages to both options.
Advantages to Online Learning
1. Flexibility
Online classes allow more liberally for outside factors, such as working full-time or having kids. Because you set your schedule, you are in control of when you take your classes and take quizzes or tests. You also are able to take as many or few classes as works best for you, whereas a lot of traditional colleges require that you are enrolled in a certain number of classes to live in their dorms or be considered a “full-time” student.
2. Cost
It should come as no surprise that the cost of online education is typically significantly lower than that of the traditional college experience. This is largely due in part to the fact that you bypass a lot of regular college fees, such as dorm or housing fees, cafeteria fees, book fees, parking fees, etc. Because you never have to leave the comfort of your own home, thus saving you money, even if the actual class costs are comparable to that of a regular campus.
3. Anonymity
For anyone that gets chills at the thought of having to answer a question out loud in a classroom, one huge advantage to online courses is that you have the safety of being behind a computer screen during your class. This means that you can answer with more ease than you would if in a traditional setting, and affords you a certain amount of anonymity that a regular classroom does not.
Advantages to On Campus Learning
1. More Structure
With traditional college campuses you usually have only a set number of time slots that you can take a class and classes are a certain length. This goes in straight opposition to the flexibility of online classes where you are able to set your own schedule. However if you are someone who thrives on having a very set, structured schedule, the traditional classroom experience can provide that.
2. Face to Face Interaction
For people that need face to face interaction, whether it is with students or professors, the traditional college campus is the way to go. Unlike online courses, this allows you to go see your teacher if you need clarification; face to face interaction can sometimes be more helpful than trying to decipher the exact meaning of something from behind a computer screen.
3. History
Typically, diplomas from traditional universities have been more widely accepted by prospective employers than those of online universities. That’s not to say that this is completely true now – with online education on the rise more and more employers are becoming more accepting of online degrees.
4. Social Aspects
One very obvious advantage to the traditional college experience is the relationships formed during the college process. Online learning doesn’t allow for the same social interaction that on campus learning does – you are exposed to all different types of people that you communicate with on a daily basis. From living in dorm rooms to extracurricular activities, there are countless ways to meet new people.
Choosing to pursue your college degree online or on campus is a very personal decision that requires putting a lot of thought into it before deciding what will be best for you. There are a lot of factors to take into account, such as time, cost, and your unique situation, but whatever the outcome, the options are limitless.
Author Bio
| This guest contribution was submitted by Christine Kane from internet service providers. She is a graduate of Communication and Journalism who enjoys writing about a wide-variety of subjects for different blogs. Questions and comments can be sent to: Christi.Kane00 @ gmail.com. |
One of the best technological advancements to come to eLearning is cloud-computing, which will significantly streamline the learning process and infrastructure, making it easier on students, teachers, and administrators as they strive towards academic excellence.
Cloud-computer essentially allows all members of an academic community to store information in a central cloud location; basically, they don’t keep separate files on their hard drives. Instead, the online program keeps them on a server to which all members have access. Users upload versions of the files to the shared server, and that server keeps the information secured based on what specific sharing settings each person uses. Because the information is located on a central computer, it actually creates many more opportunities for others to use that information.
Fortunately, this has some great benefits for eLearning practices.
Collaboration
First of all, cloud-computing significantly encourages collaboration among learners and teachers and others in academic communities. Because it’s easy to access files, many different users can make changes to a document, such as a plan for a department or a school project. Think of how easy it would be for a teacher to suggest revisions on a student essay; all he or she would have to do is access the paper in the cloud, save his or her comments, and notify the student in the system. No more paper materials to carry around and no more back and forth emails; everything is combined into one system for easy access.
Cost of Materials
Because the cloud allows all sorts of streamlining options, many educators and students could spend less on various materials. A course instructor could upload all readings to the cloud, which would thus negate the need for an expensive textbook or for excessive printing costs. Students would only have to worry about the cost of a computer, which they could use across all courses. The long term return on a computer is much better than on a set of textbooks or course packets that they’ll only use once.
Record-Keeping
In the event of academic disputes, teachers and students can resort to examining the ‘paper trail’ in the cloud. In other words, they’d simply have to check the access logs or look at the various drafts of a paper that were uploaded to check as to whether or not a paper was plagiarized or submitted late. Similarly, students could use these records to help them with transfer credit appeals and other academic situations.
Convenience
Finally, cloud-computing simply offers students and educators alike a much more convenient and efficient learning experience. The cloud keeps everything in one place: class records, attendance, assignments, syllabi, and readings. Everyone simply logs in to work with the materials; no longer do they have to lug heavy books around. This is great news, especially for online students, who need flexibility in order to be successful in their online programs.
| This guest contribution was submitted by Lenore Holditch, who specializes in writing about top online colleges. Questions and comments can be sent to: holditch.lenore @ gmail.com. |
Never Met Your Professor in Person? 5 Tips for Interacting with Instructors in Online Courses
In: Online Education|Tips
29 Apr 2011
As much as many like to claim that seeking a degree through an online school is almost the same as attending a traditional, brick-and-mortar institution, the only difference being that one is conducted online and the other isn’t, there are still some aspects of the “in-person” experience that cannot be replicated on a web platform. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just a different one, and as such requires different skills and different ways of approaching certain tasks. Here are few tips for interacting with your online professor in a productive manner.
1. Never forget that they are, in fact, real people with real commitments.
In many online degree programs, students never meet their professors in person. As such, there is a tendency to forget that the man or woman behind the emails, forum posts, etc., is actually a real person. Even though it is difficult to establish that connection without being personally acquainted with him or her, be sure to be as respectful and considerate as possible.
2. Make a more concerted effort to respond to emails and other forms of communication in a more timely, error-free manner.
Because the most dominant form of communication in online degree programs is in print, it is especially important to be meticulously clear in your writing. Responding to emails in a punctual manner (if possible, always same day) as well as checking all correspondence before sending it off, demonstrates to your online professor that you understand good communication skills, an essential component in any successful academic endeavor.
3. Take as much advantage of real-time communication as possible.
Even though you may never meet your professor, you will surely, at the very least, chat with them using a real-time application. If you do have the opportunity to have a “conversation” with your professor, do so as often as possible. Why? Simply because the moments in which you learn the most almost always occur when you are engaging in a dynamic, instantaneous exchange of information.
4. If he or she does live locally don’t be afraid to ask to meet in person or video Skype if necessary.
While many online courses do not have the same level of engagement with professors as do traditional courses, this does not mean that you have to settle with what is typically done. Try your best to replicate the traditional course experience with professors. If you have important questions or thoughts to share, ask your prof if you can see each other face-to-face instead. By meeting in person or through video, your professor will have more quickly established a stronger connection with you simply by way of putting a face to a name.
5. Professors love in-class participation, and online instructors are no exception.
Even if you don’t have a physical classroom space in which to discuss course topics with your peers, almost every online course has a participation component in which you congregate online to discuss the concept du jour. Be sure to be as engaged as possible with your peers. Give insightful feedback to fellow students, and post on message boards frequently. Even if there isn’t a dedicated participation grade in the class, trust me, your prof will notice.
Although there is so much more that you can do in order to have a healthy and productive relationship with your online professor, these are just a few basic things to keep in mind. Above all, remember that your instructors are on your side. If you demonstrate your curiosity and responsibility, your professor will be sure to remember you come time for grades.
Author Bio:
Donna Reish, a freelancer who blogs about best universities, contributed this guest post. She loves to write education, career, frugal living, finance, health, parenting relating articles. She can be reached via email at: donna.reish13@gmail.com.
Top 8 educational podcasts for students
5 Apr 2011
Let’s face it: Studying and working on assignments for hours and hours on end can be difficult, especially if you’re studying from home and you’re finding it hard to stay focused on your studies. It’s important to set aside 15 to 30 minutes in between your studies to help give your brain the rest that it deserves. But if you’re the type of person who finds it hard to get back into the “studying mode” after retiring from the computer screen for more than 10 minutes, listening to podcasts may be the answer to all of your problems.
Here are a few of the many popular and most educational podcasts on the web that could help give you that little boost of inspiration and motivation during your study breaks:
1. The Critical Thinker
From CriticalThinkingTutorials.com, this podcast gives great advice for both high school and university students on how to think “critically and independently.” This podcast was developed by a philosophy professor with over 14 years of experience, and some of the many topics covered in the episodes include essay writing, critical reasoning, and argumentation.
2. NPR Education Podcast
This podcasts discusses numerous issues in higher education, such as online degrees, college athletes, journalism students and departments, studying tips, and university classrooms. Some other popular NPR podcasts include “NPR: Planet Money Podcast” and “NPR: Economy Podcast.”
3. Stuff You Missed in History Class
Some of the many historical figures covered in this podcast include Sherlock Holmes, Jesus, Macbeth, and Lizzie Borden, as well as numerous other topics like the history of chocolate, or historical animals. Other podcast series from HowStuffWorks.com include “BrainStuff” “Stuff You Should Know” and “Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know.”
4. CNN Student News
This podcast discusses numerous issues and topics in educational news relevant to both high school and college students, such as nutrition standards in elementary schools, the DREAM Act, language studies, bullying prevention, and much more.
5. Get-It-Done Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More
Listeners get educated on how to improve their time management skills, and will also learn numerous memorization tips, or how to deal with procrastination. Some other topics include dieting, organization, note-taking, and how record your work.
6. Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
This podcast is full of grammatical tips and exercises, and educates listeners on difficult grammatical rules and errors like how to end a sentence with a proposition, or using an active voice vs. a passive voice in your writing.
7. The Writer’s Block
Listening to this podcast could help you discover new books and authors, or maybe even inspire you to pick up a pen and start writing. Some of the podcast episodes consist of authors reading their own short stories and poetry.
8. TED Talks
Every week the hosts of this video podcast discuss an educational topic meant to “inspire, intrigue, and awaken the imagination.” Each week the hosts interview politicians, celebrities, athletes, authors, ecologists, professors, scientists, cartoonists and other notable “icons and geniuses.”
Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching scholarships for students with AIDS as well as twin student scholarships. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.
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- The Need for Technology in the Classroom
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- Never Met Your Professor in Person? 5 Tips for Interacting with Instructors in Online Courses
- Top 8 educational podcasts for students