Additional Knowledge Through Online Learning

I got involved in online learning about a year ago as a teacher. I’m actually more of a technical guy, but in my company everyone wears lots of different hats. In this case, we had a training video for some of our offices. You see, it was necessary for a lot of our people to learn Spanish online.

We work with so many Hispanic clients that knowing a little bit of conversational Spanish is simply indispensable in this area. My job was to make an online learning course that would teach them the basics.

It was just my kind of project. It combined a little bit of this and that into what was actually a fairly technologically sophisticated undertaking. I needed to up my knowledge of Spanish, my ability to integrate web cams and interactive software, and sophisticated PowerPoint presentations.

It took me several months, but it was worth it. I was pleased by how well the project turned out, and the big bonus I got for completing it didn’t hurt either.

It also got me interested in taking online learning courses myself. I have a friend recently got an MBA online and I had never really thought much about her program until I got involved in designing my own online education program. After that, I realized that you can learn practically anything over the Internet. I started to do some investigation myself.

Basically, I don’t need any more official recognition as I have all the degrees and titles I need for my job. Taking my online courses is something of an interest rather than a need. For a small charge, I also got into an online philosophy group where a local expert leads a group conversation over web cam once a week.

It has been very educational and I have even met some interesting people on it. All in all, online learning has been a good experience so far. I would not say it’s for everyone – some people really need to be face-to-face in order to get the most out of an educational experience. Nonetheless, it seems to work well for me and for most of the people in my company. If you’ve never tried it, you should give it a shot.

The technology is basically very simple and very easy to use where it allows you to go at your own pace in your spare time. In general, online learning is a good combination of convenience and satisfaction.

Article by Van T, you can learn more about him at his profile

The Million Dollar Difference of The Right College Degree

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.  Free, instant enrollment information can be found at University College Online, Top Online MBA Programs or Online PHD Management.

 

Get that Online College Degree… Now!

Choosing an online college can be very overwhelming. How do you know which ones are worth going to with so many of them to choose from? The best way to find out is to choose several different schools that have programs that you are interested in, and then speak in depth to their admissions advisors. Below are eight must-haves for a good online college; you can base your talking points on this list.

1. Must be accredited. It is important that the online college that you choose be accredited because this is a way that you can ensure that the school meets established standards. This makes a difference if you want to transfer your credits or prove the worth of your degree to an employer. There are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialized. An institutional accreditation applies to the entire school and its programs, while a specialized accreditation generally applies to a specific degree program or school of study within the college or university. This is further broken down into national accreditation or regional accreditation. Regional accreditations are the most widely recognized.

2. Platform must be easy to use. The “platform” is where you will find your classes, chat rooms, even your virtual library. Every online college has a different online learning platform, and they all work a little differently. You should make sure that the school’s platform is intuitive and easy for you to use. Ask the admissions advisor if you can have a demonstration of their platform and if they offer online tutorials to students.

3. Must have tech support. Since all of your studies are done on your computer in an online environment, the chances that you will run into some sort of technical issue are pretty good. Make sure that the school you choose has 24/7 tech support. You can ask the admissions advisor how long the average wait time is to speak to tech support – chances are when you run into problems you won’t have that much time to figure them out.

4. Must provide student services. A good online college has student services to make sure that their students have the optimal chance at success. This includes offering tutoring services for a small fee or even for free.

5. Must accept CLEP credits. You may hear many online schools advertising credits for “life experience.” In general, the only legitimate way to offer this is through CLEP testing. These credits are accepted at many online colleges and traditional universities. They are a great way to test out of classes on subjects that you may already have mastered.

6. Must have small class sizes. A good online college will have a small number of students in each class. This is because online students need a lot of individual attention to ensure that they do not feel isolated. A smaller class size makes this more manageable for the instructor, which brings me to my next must have …

7. Instructors must be accessible. Make sure that the school that you choose requires instructors to allot a certain amount of time to give students the chance to speak with them on an individual basis.

8. Must have a variety of financial aid options. If you are in need of some type of help to pay for school, like most of us, make sure that the school you choose has plenty of financial aid options. These include federal grants, scholarships, and student loans. Ask the admission advisor specifically about this – for each school has different financial aid opportunities.

All these discussion points will probably make for a long conversation, so make sure that you put aside some time to get to each of them. Don’t worry about asking the admissions advisors at your school choices too many questions – that is what they are there for! Also have a pen and paper ready (or your laptop) to write down notes, that way you can compare the different schools. Good luck with your decision!  More information, as well as applications can be found at Best Online MBA Programs, Masters in Business or Affordable Online College.