The Online Education College

The Online Education College
Online learning is on the rise. According to a 2013 report by the Babson Survey Research Group, over 6.7 million postsecondary students were enrolled in at least one online class in 2011, compared to only 1.6 million in 2002, and higher-education institutions continue to refine and enhance their online curriculum. In 2002, about 72 percent of these schools offered some form of online learning, and that number has steadily increased to nearly 87 percent in 2012. Colleges also have emphasized the creation of fully online degree programs, and 62 percent of the schools surveyed now award degrees entirely through distance education.

Student demand is among the many factors contributing to the growth of online learning. Students are also seeking the opportunities for flexibility of scheduling and cost efficiency that online studies can offer.

Participating in an online college education today is the best option for people who have hectic schedules. It is a great mode of education for them because it caters their need especially when it comes to budgeted time they have. Attending classes in an online college is different compared to traditional school we used to participate with. Students can also get the same quality of education from these colleges and they will look more appealing to the employers in the future as long as you decide to attend classes to well-established and reputable online institutions.

Being a part of reputable colleges can help you in the qualifications that employers want from their employees. They will be likely to hire those who finished their degrees from accredited colleges and universities than somebody else with the same qualifications that has not attended such reputable college. It is important for you to know the best online education colleges before you can take advantage of attending reputable schools in order to get wonderful job and quality education.

There are a number of wonderful online education colleges out there that can surely help advance your education. And there are also fake online schools claiming that they are the best college or university in town. Do not make yourself be fooled and ended up wasting your money, time and effort by those fake schools.

For sure there is a reputable online college you are dreaming to be a part of its graduates. Attending to it is a wonderful choice for anyone interested in finishing a course degree. No matter what or where online education college you decide to attend, the important is you will finish the course degree you are going to take. But there are some potential students who are not lucky enough to have the amount of money needed to advance their education and pass up the opportunity because of financial reasons. But that is not a problem anymore because there are financial or scholarship grants which is available for deserving students to apply with.

Most of online education programs today are able to provide you with the quality education that you need to success in the career field you are interested in. Learning more about the online school you are planning to enroll is a must so that you may be able to increase your chances of getting hired by any potential employer.

I was sent to a nice school and at that time, after university, a woman was expected to become a teacher or a nurse - prior to marriage. I am currently employed, but I decided to get online education program to further my education. I never get tired of learning new things. I am enjoying my work and at the same time having an online degrees with no conflict on my schedule.

Possible advantages of online learning
Convenience and flexibility
online class laptopSchedule Flexibility: Students can access their course at any time, from anywhere they can log on, in most cases. This means that parents, working students, and professionals on the move have the option of attending classes no matter their work schedule. Students only need a computer and Internet access to take online classes.

Ease of accessibility: Courseware can be accessible for students when they need it. Students can review lectures, discussions, explanations, and comments. Individuals can also share notes with each other to help facilitate community learning.

Range of options: Students may be able to choose from a wider breadth of degree programs. Some online colleges develop and offer degree programs that might not yet be available through nearby public or private institutions.

Students control study time: On-campus courses are typically scheduled in a more rigid format, with shorter classes running 50 minutes, and others running longer. Night classes may last for nearly three hours. One of the benefits of online education is that students may not have to sit for long periods of time. Lessons can be paused when needed, and notes read at will.

Student enrichment
Chance for interaction: Online courses may be less intimidating than the brick-and-mortar classroom setting, and could help to increase student interaction. By allowing everyone to have a voice, shared ideas grow diverse as well. Students can also think longer about what they want to say and add their comments when ready. In a traditional classroom, the conversation could have moved past the point where the student may be willing to comment.

Online communications: Instructors can be more approachable in the online setting. Students may feel more comfortable talking openly with their teachers through online chats, emails, and newsgroup discussions rather than face-to-face. Online correspondence also cuts out having to wait for office hours that may not be convenient for either party.

Time to absorb material: Positive results are reported for students enrolled in online classes, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Education: "on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." Using over 1,000 empirical studies, the DOE found that time was the additive that helped students perform better. The report noted benefits in studies in which online learners spent more time on task than students in the face-to-face condition.

Cost-effective choices
Money saving option: Students may be able to save money by not having to physically attend classes. Online courses may help individuals cut down or eliminate costs of transportation, babysitting, and other expenses incurred by attending classes in a traditional setting.

No more expensive textbooks: Some web-based classes may not require physical textbooks, as reading materials may be available either through the school's own library or their partnerships with e-libraries and other digital publishers. E-textbooks might offer substantial savings for students, adding up to hundreds of dollars a year.

Distance EducationOpportunities for convenience, cost-effectiveness, and student enrichment are just some of the variables that have contributed to online learning's growth. Distance education has gained steam in these areas, and advocates are continuously looking to improve upon these as well as other facets of the experience.

One concern is the lack of face-to-face interaction with the instructor and fellow classmates. Students may experience a disconnect with the rest of the classroom, but schools are proactively looking into ways to alleviate the issue. The adoption of video conferencing technologies, and even free-to-use group chats, for example, can help students interface with teachers and other students.

Another worry is that online degree programs are viewed as less optimal instruction for students, with no real standards to regulate the curriculum. However, online instruction is subject to academic scrutiny like on-campus schooling. Accrediting bodies exist to review and accredit online institutions as well as traditional colleges and programs. It's always a good idea to check that a school has been reviewed by an approved accreditation organization.

Student plagiarism and dishonesty are areas of concern as well. Some critics feel that it is easier to plagiarize or share answers because of reduced surveillance and increased connectivity. Institutions have begun to find ways to fight against these concerns with technologies to tackle cheating, like Turnitin and iThenticate.

Distance education has come a long way since its beginnings, and more advancements are likely to come. Advocates are finding ways to tighten up the perceived shortcomings of e-learning, and new technological developments continue to add to the advantages that online learning may offer for students.

Top Universities for Engineering in Canada

Canada has become a hot destination for students who want to enter in the engineering domain. Following is the list of the top 5 universities for engineering in Canada.

1. University of Toronto

The University of Toronto or U of T or UToronto, is a public university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is ranked 1st in Canada and 27th worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities; 2nd in Canada and 23rd globally in the QS World University Rankings. It was established in the year 1827 and has an endowment of C$ 1.54 billion.

The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering (nickname Skule) was founded in the year 1873. There are 4850 undergraduate students and 1600 graduate students enrolled in the faculty. Brian Kernighan of K&R is a notable alumni of the Skule. These are the following departments of Skule:

Chemical Engg. and Applied Chemistry

Civil and Mineral Engg.

Electrical and Computer Engg.

Mechanical and Industrial Engg.

Materials Science and Engg.

2. University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia or UBC is a public university located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was established in the year 1906 and has an endowment of C$ 1.09 billion. It is ranked 2nd in Canada and 37th worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities; 3rd in Canada and 51st globally in the QS World University Rankings.

The Faculty of Applied Science has the following departments:

Biomedical Engg.

Chemical and Biological Engg.

Clean Energy

Civil Engg.

Electrical and Computer Engg.

Engineering Physics

Environmental Sciences

Geological Engg.

Materials Sciences

Mechanical Engg.

Mining Engg.

3. McGill University

McGill University is a public university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was established in the year 1821 and has an endowment of C$ 807.5 million. It is one of the oldest universities in the country. It is ranked 1st in Canada and 17th globally in the QS World University Rankings.

The Faculty of Engineering is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University. McGill was also the first university in Canada to provide programs in applied sciences. The faculty includes five departments and two schools:

Chemical Engg.

Civil and Applied Mechanics

Electrical and Computer Engg.

Mechanical Engg.

Mining, Metals and Materials Engg.

School of Architecture

School of Urban Planning

4. University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo is a public university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It was established in the year 1957 and has an endowment of $ 247.3 million.

The Faculty of Engineering has 6340 undergraduate students and 1840 graduate students and 265 professors. The faculty involves 13 departments:

Chemical Engg.

Civil Engg.

Computer Engg.

Electrical Engineering

Environmental Engineering

Geological Engineering

Managament Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Mechatronics

Nanotechnology

Software Engineering

System Design

Architecture

5. University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was established in the year 1908 and has an endowment of $ 783.3 million.

The Faculty of Engineering is one of the largest engineering schools in Canada. Engineering classes has been taught at the university from the year of inception. The faculty has the following departments:

Chemical and Materials Sciences

Civil and Environmental Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Mechanical Department

Biomedical Department

Studying at Oxford UniversityI

 At Oxford most teaching is done in tutorials with College professors. Usually the tutorials are 1 or 2 students per 1 tutor. This gives a unique opportunity to discuss essays and topics with your tutor. Often the tutor can be an expert in their particular field. I was quite fortunate in having many very good tutors sometimes your reading list had books by your own tutor. This was the case with Brian Harrison who taught me British social history since 1870.

Studied PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. I was fortunate to have a very good experience being taught by several of the top authorities. Some tutors were post graduates but they were also very helpful 

The tutorials tend to last only 1 hour and you may only have 3 per week. So you are given a reading list the week before. It is then upto you to go and read the relevant books before preparing an essay. The tutorial is an opportunity to refine your arguments and understanding rather than be taught the material. It can be hard work getting through a long reading list. The trick is to be able to find the most relevant books. I used to read the introduction and conclusion before reading anything in between. It is good to learn the art of skim reading. Often you can find most of the answer in a small part of the book. In my first year I was using some A level textbooks to get a good overall standing before reading more complex books.

The tutorials may take place in your college but equally they may take place in other colleges, especially if your subject is specialised. I always enjoyed going to other colleges, especially colleges like Corpus Christi and St Johns.

In addition to tutorials the university also provides lectures usually during the morning. The standard of lectures in PPE were particularly good. But to be honest in my first year I never went to any lectures and I don’t think I missed out on anything, (although I did only just scrap through Philosophy prelims). In the 2nd and 3rd year I do remember going to more lectures but only if they were good. The main thing with such a system of studying is that it requires a degree of self motivation.

The tutorial system at Oxford University may have to change in the future because of problems of receiving sufficient government funding (and other issues). This would be a shame.

Richard is an economics teacher in Oxford and is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre. Richard gives free meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre and enjoys writing articles on various topics which get published on his

History of England

The earliest records are of the Neanderthal people about 230,000 years ago. However, proper civilization did not start until 12,000 years ago. A lot of remains of the Bronze Age and the Stone Age are still present to this date which includes popular structures like the Stonehenge and Avebury.

The Britons were the main inhabitants of England in the Iron Age and were part of the Celtic race. The origin of the English people began with invasion from the Anglo-Saxon civilization after the liberation of England from the Roman civilization, gone several centuries of occupation. The Old-English language was introduced by the Anglo-Saxon people, which provided the basis of the British language.

A large portion of the current state of England was once occupied by the Norsemen in the 9th century. The official Kingdom of England emerged as a sovereign state in the 10th century. England saw great civil war and anarchy in 10th- 12th century. The anarchy came to an end when Richard I made England a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. The kingdom regained its sovereignty in the 14th century after being made a vassal of the Holy See for more than 100 years.

England united with Scotland in the 18th century after conquering Whales in the 12th century and formed the Kingdom of Great Britain which colonized and conquered a large portion of the world to form the great empire of Britain. This empire became the largest empire in the world and then was decolonized in the 20th century to form several independent states.

However, due to the colonization of most parts of the world, English language and system of English law is still a part of major constitutions of the world. At present, England is one of the most advanced countries in the world. England also had a very important role in the world war, as an ally of the United States of America.

The industrial revolution also brought a great change in the Kingdom of England. Much of the workforce was replaced by the usage of steam engines and other machinery which created serious threat for the labor force of England. Education was also promoted to a great extent in this era and ever since, England has become one of the most prestigious places of education.

England has been around since the dawn of humanity and has seen much wear and tear throughout the history. England had been under occupation several times but emerged as the ultimate empire in the 18th century. Even though the empire is no more, it has lasting effects on the colonies it created. England joined the European Economic Community in 1973 which transformed into European Union in 1993. This is just a brief history of England.

Study in USA - Get A Student

For International Students

United States of America has been the top most destination for international students, and why not, the best colleges in almost any field are in this great country. Every year thousands of international students come to USA for graduation/other higher degrees in Engineering, Medicine, Management, Law etc. The information below is focused on getting a Student visa (often referred as F1 or F-1 visa), some useful information around the college application procedure and prospects after you complete your study are also covered.

Visa or immigration document allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of entry (ex Airport) and request permission from the U.S. immigration officer to enter the United States.

STEP 1: EXAMS REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT VISA

a) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): English is the national language of USA. Earlier it use to be paper based exam but these days it’s mostly given on the internet from designated centers all over the world. These scores are used by many other countries. Although rare but some English speaking nations may be exempted from TOEFL. b) Specialization specific exam ( Ex: GRE / GMAT / SAT) : Depending on which specific branch or level (Graduation/Under-Grad etc) of education, there is a test for that very specific field. Tests centers are all over the world and mostly computer based. A management level applicant will give GMAT, Engineering student will give GRE etc. Depending on these scores there will be a cut-off for each institution to which you can apply. Not all institutions can allow foreign students; they should have permission from USCIS (United States Citizenship and immigration Services) to do so.

STEP 2: STUDENT VISA (F-1 Visa)

The student should have a non-immigrant intent i.e. he/she is coming to USA genuinely for educational purposes only and not just to enter in the country for immigration purpose. Students must also demonstrate that they have the financial resources to study without the need to engage in unauthorized or illegal employment.

Institutions need these following documents

- Written application to the school

- Institution’s qualification criteria for admission (i.e. TOEFL / SAT/ GRE etc.)

- Student’s prior academic record and financial support evidence.

- An acceptance letter allowing the student to study.

- Passport

After this institutions can issue Form I-20 needed for F-1 Student visa. Students must take that form to their nearest US consulate along with Passport, Visa fee, Form OF-156 (Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa), documents indicating evidence of financial support and documents proving sufficient ties to home country.

One should explore the opportunity of scholarships given by Institutions to some students with high scores or exceptional ability in sports. Also students may qualify to work part time. Check your institution for those details.

STEP 3: ENTERING USA

At the port of Entry ( ex Airport), the students must present all the documents including passport, I-20, Documents from Institution. The immigration officer after verification will issue an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record that contains a unique number. Keep this document safe, probably attached to your passport. Once you arrive on campus, you should report immediately to the office that is responsible for assisting international students and scholars.

STEP 4: LIFE / CAREER AFTER COMPLETING YOUR EDUCATION

Often US companies/employers may come on campus to recruit appropriate students for their organization. If you are the one selected then the employer must file for your working visa ( usually referred as the H-1 visa). Good news !! US Govt. has a special H-1 quota presently at 20,000 visa’s (number can change with time) for students who do their graduation in USA.

If the student is not offered H-1 visa, and not pursuing studies in USA anymore, the individual must return back to their home country.

OTHER STUDENT VISA’s

* J-1, or Exchange Visitor. Students participating in an exchange visitor program in the U.S

* M-1, or Student Visa Those who will be engaged in non-academic or vocational study or training.

* B-2 prospective student visa A prospective student, who has not yet decided on a school, can later apply for F-1 Visa.

Immigration Law’s change very often and sometimes have specific details. It is highly recommended to consult an Immigration Attorney or expert personally to get an update on latest form and procedures before applying for a Student visa. There is very useful information also located at education usa state gov

Special Education

Special education can be defined as specially configured instructions and other education-related services to meet the educational, social, emotional, and vocational needs of students with disabilities. Special education teachers educate students who have various types of disabilities, including speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional distress, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, multiple disabilities, specific learning disabilities, visual impairments, autism, combined blindness and deafness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. A special educator has to work with students of all ages from infants and toddlers, students in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as youths. The special educator’s job also involves working with a team of professionals, i.e., doctors, speech pathologists, social workers, orthopedists, psychiatrists, counselors, etc. The teaching methods and techniques in special education would vary based on the disability and it would also vary from individual to individual.

The teaching methods include individual instructions, problem-solving techniques, group work, and special assignments depending upon the needs of the individual. They can also develop individual educational programs for each student to help with the child’s activities of daily living. As technology plays an important role in special education, a teacher is expected to instruct the students and their parents on the latest instrumentations and its usage in disability, as the case maybe. For instance, interactive software and computers that talk are now available in the market, which would be of great help for students with speech impairments. It requires a lot of enthusiasm, optimism, patience, tolerance, and perseverance for one to be a special education teacher as the job involves a lot of interaction with students of all age groups and with other people.

In the United States, all states demand special education teachers to be licensed. The special education teacher has to complete of a teacher’s training program and must have a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree. As they deal with students with mild to profound disabilities, their job demands specialization in either one or other areas of disability, which would enable the teachers to develop their own curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of the students.

Special Education provides detailed information on Special Education, Special Education Degrees, Online Special Education Courses, Journal Of Special Education and more. Special Education is affiliated with Teacher Education Philosophies

Student And College Loans

With the rise of tuition costs around the world, a decent college education is being put further out of reach of an increasing number of deserving students each year. One also needs to understand that it isn’t only the tuition cost that needs to be met in order to pay for a student’s college education. There are several other major and miscellaneous expenses such as boarding, food, clothes, books, general recreation etc. which need to be taken care of as well. Under these circumstances, to get a student loan is probably the best option aspiring college students.

There are different options available as far as the type of student loan is concerned. This wide variety of loans gives students the power to pay for various college expenses. However, varying options also present a different kind of problem, especially when you are trying to comprehend which student loan scheme will work best for your needs.

In this article, we will discuss different kinds of college loans you can apply for to help you choose the type which suits your requirements.

Let us take a look at the three chief categories of student loans:

1. Direct Student Loan: If one opts for Direct Student Loan plan, then they are required to repay the loan in six to nine months after, they have completed the course for which the loan was granted. The interest rates in a Direct Student Loan plan are lower compared to the other types of student loan plans, mainly because this type of loan is provided through the school in which the student has enrolled for his or her desired course.

2. Federal Student loan: Federal Student Loans, which are also known as PLUS loans have rates of interest as low as 9% or less. The most important feature of this student loan scheme is that the lenders only consider the applicant’s personal credit history and are in no way concerned with the candidate’s income. Guardians who have a dependent child, who is enrolled in full time or part time course in a particular institute are the only ones eligible to apply for this particular kind of loan.

3. Guaranteed Student Loan: Guaranteed Student Loan, which is commonly known as Stafford loan, is another popular option among the different Student loan plans, with a considerably low rate of interest. There are two parts to the Guaranteed Student Loan scheme. These are subsidized and unsubsidized. If one opts for a subsidized loan, then the government is liable to pay the rate of interest on the principal amount, while the student is in school. This type of loan is absolutely based on the financial requirements of the student concerned.

The other kind of Guaranteed Student Loan, that is an unsubsidized loan, requires the rate of interest to be paid while the student is still in the school and the principal amount needs to repaid after the completion of the course.

The borrower must start repaying the loan amount after six months of course completion, regardless of which ever type of Guaranteed Student Scheme he or she chooses.

Since higher school or college studies, are by no means inexpensive these days, it is extremely important to make the right decision while applying for a student loan. Although, it is assured that the three above mentioned types of student loans will be permitted by every college and course, you would be well advised to be meticulous in conducting your research on funding a college education program. Remember that the course your life will take is at stake, so make your decision only after you’ve found the best available funding option.

Different Ways to Save Money on Student Education

In comparison to past, the modern education is very costly and expensive. If you think that it will be free of cost, you are wrong. Ok, after your child being born, you must start depositing money in bank account. That doesn’t mean that you will have to transfer the huge amount of money every month living on starvation. You are gentleman and you need to be duty bound to deposit the amount in the bank for the education of your children. In most cases, guardians try to collect funds from different sources to support the admission fees. They proceed for taking the loan from the money lender when they feel that it is quite burdensome for them to support the education cost in higher level.

Therefore from the very beginning, you need to save money for your child’s education. Your child will grow and the fixed amount will also be growing into maturity. After the specific period, the amount will be given to the parents for bearing the education expenses. For instance, you can open a joint trust to deposit the amount. Your wife will be trustee in that trust. After a certain time limit, a lump sum amount will be transferred to your children for continuing the higher studies in colleges and in universities. This lump sum amount can be paid back installments as well.

Besides, there are other alternative ways for safeguarding the amount to keep the future of your kids in safety. The schools and colleges offer grants or student consolidation loan offers. These grants are very good for funding the education of your sons. There are many financial institutions which also offer the student consolidation loans. From childhood days, you must train your children to earn money. When they are capable of doing work, please tell them to earn dollars to support their education. They can do part time job and they will also be able to browse the intent to find the good jobs.

There are many home based job projects in the internet and they should utilize the online resources to collect fund by working as part timers. You can even purchase the bonds or shares which will provide the financial backup for bearing the admission fees and purchase the study materials. To find the good offer, you can log at the online sites for garnering the information and data to make the proper usage of good opportunities in relation to the child education. You can get the information about the bank loan offer or any tax holiday bonanza during the vacation period. Please try to utilize these online sources.

New York City - Pursue a Future in Teacher Education Colleges

Nowadays, the New York City board of education is providing high incentives for in-state and out-of-state elementary education teachers such as offering free college degrees in education. State education standards have gone up and literacy rates have been fluctuating but education colleges applicant rates have been rising. Educators and administrators have come to realize that the gaps in literacy must be closed in the early elementary school years.

In recent years, the Board of Education has gone as far as to provide qualifying scholarships and housing benefits for prospective preservice and new teachers to teach at low-performing elementary schools.

So, which college degree education program will you apply for once you have been accepted? In the last ten years, teacher colleges have seen a rising number of student applicants for both undergraduate and graduate education degrees in New York City alone.

Here are a just few of accredited college degrees in New York City which have maintained throughout the years, a reputable name.

Early Childhood Education Colleges

Located on the upper west side, near Columbia University, the Bank Street College of Education has a diversified early childhood education program. There are numerous college education edgrees ranging from early childhood, to literacy, to teaching English as a second language - all under the umbrella framework of early childhood education. The college also has a rich source of teaching resources of ideas for professional development in education on a variety of topics such as literacy or becoming a tutor or volunteer. You do not need to sign up or register to gain access to these free resources.

The Hunter College of Education

This is another excellent pick for those seeking a college teaching degree in early education. However, college teaching degree also include adolescent education and childhood, literacy, TESOL, special education, gifted students and counseling ranging from the undergraduate to graduate level programs. the City Universities and colleges offer top college degrees in education, so it is well worth the research and financial aid is available for those who qualify.

Queens College of Education

The Princeton Review has rated Queens College as one of America’s best colleges for undergraduate education.It prepares prospective undergraduate and graduate students for the initial New York State initial certification in childhood education for grades 1-6 and early childhood education.

Columbia Teacher College offers graduate programs in teacher education.

Over to You

Narrowing your search by state is the first step to deciding what early childhood education or elementary program you want to pursue. Some have much more specialized fields of education study than others. It is best to know what area of education you wish to study before investing in one of the New York City college education degrees.

Make Your Teaching Sparkle. Teach for Success. Make a difference in the classroom. Subscribe to receive your FREE e-zine and e-book, “Taking Charge in the Classroom” when you visit the New Teacher Resource Center at . Purchase your ebook of classroom tested tips - “Tips and Tricks for Surviving and Thriving in the Classroom,” at: and you’ll receive a FREE ebooklet, “Yes! You Can Teach K-12 English language learners Successfully!”

Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, speaker, educator and founder of the New Teacher Resource Center

Top 3 Advantages of an Online Education College Degree

An online education college degree is the non-traditional, but no less effective way to get all the 21st century benefits of a higher education.

What We’ve Been Told

From early on, we’ve all been drummed into heads by our parents who tell us how important it is to have a college degree. For the 99% of us (minus the 1% who are the Bill Gates and Michael Dell’s of the world) having a college degree is an advantage for our careers. However, going the traditional route may not work out for many people for various reasons. Luckily there are options and that’s where an online education college degree comes in.

This so-called new trend really takes the best of the old way of learning and combines with the latest technologies. The courses and curriculum are really just the same. What’s missing from the mix is lengthy commute, schedule rearrangements and to some extent expensive textbooks. Most universities offer accredited degrees in all manner of majors and degree levels.

Why Study Online?

This method of education works well for many people who missed out on college education earlier due to financial circumstances, lack of accessibility to a college. Therefore, the online education students are not your usual type. The typical he or she is someone who already has a career and a family and find these programs helpful to advance their career.

Here then are the Top 3 advantages to choosing an online education college degree:

Affordability, Accessibility, Flexibility

1. Affordability:Online education courses are usually more cost effective than their traditional on site university and college counterparts. This feature is particularly helpful to the prospective student that has a family and children to support. With lower education expenses, the student gains an opportunity to advance his career and make more money later with an online education college degree.

2. Accessibility: Let’s not forget that every town has a local college. This can be a major impediment for many people who would like to obtain a college degree but with no easy access before.

3. Flexibility: Studying from home allows for flexibility. For instance, the adult student does not need to attend classes with other younger students and thus feel uncomfortable. Remote learning also allows the student to focus on academics rather than other college life activities which they do not have the luxury of time to participate.

Conclusion

The benefits to learning online cannot be overstated. Provided she has a good sense of self-discipline, the student enjoys greater flexibility, a more affordable education, and the comfort of learning at her own pace, as well the convenience of studying in their home environment.

Given they kind of stress we have to endure in today’s’ workplace, an online education college degree is the answer for many adults looking for a way to further their education, boost their income and most importantly, build a better future for their families.

Difference Between On-Campus Education and Online Education

On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn
Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education
In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments.

 For example:
1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:
The Instructor - able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved
The Facilitator - to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely
Help Desk - to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education
Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.
Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer - social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?
There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

Study In USA - Insurance

With the rising awareness and concerns among people, the demand of proficient insurance professionals is also going higher worldwide. If you are among those aspirants who want to study in USA and earn a highly-accepted certification in insurance, you must go through the entire article thoroughly.

Types of Courses

There are different types of insurance programs that are offered by several USA institutes. Aspirants who are thinking of pursuing higher education in US in the field of insurance, or professionals who want to upgrade their knowledge as well as skills by earning a valuable degree can select from a wide array of programs. Usually, several institutes in America offer bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, post graduate diploma and different other professional courses to meet the individual academic requirements of each and every aspirant. Moreover, there are a lot of options for pursuing these programs at candidates’ own pace. Apart from regular full-time insurance courses, various USA institutes also offer online programs, distance learning programs, etc.

Various Insurance Courses offered in USA

As said previously, the United States of America has been focusing on insurance and related courses, and hence has been coming up with more and more institutes offering the same. If you are keenly interested in building a career in the insurance sector and want to study in USA in order to give edge to your resume, then you must know about the insurance programs that are offered by different schools, colleges and universities in USA. Typically, the courses you can choose from are: Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration - Finance Major (Risk Management & Insurance Track), Bachelor of Science (BS) in Risk & Insurance, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance with Risk, Insurance & Financial Planning Concentration, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance - Insurance Concentration, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Risk, Insurance & Financial Services, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration - Emphasis in Insurance, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration - Finance (Insurance Concentration), Bachelors in Risk Management & Insurance, Master of Science (MS) in Actuarial Science - Insurance, Associate of Business Administration in Health Insurance Claims Management and many more.

Top USA Universities offering Insurance Courses

When it comes to studying in US, the number of institutes found to offer different types of insurance programs is still not so impressive. However, those which can be included in the list are known to provide high quality insurance programs to its students. Know about 10 of those highly reputed institutes here:

• Old Dominion University

• St. Johns University

• University of Wisconsin La Crosse

• Middle Tennessee State University

• University of North Texas

• Regis University

• University of Arkansas

• Boston University

• University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Davenport University

If you are still not satisfied with the above given information about ‘study in USA’ and want to explore it more, just browse through the corresponding websites of the institutes and know details of the courses offered by them.

Surveen Arora is a research scholar and a freelance educational writer. In this article she has given information to study in USA  Get more information on studying in US by going through the articles written by her.

History of Educational Technology

There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.

Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.

The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids.

The second stage of educational technology is associated with the ‘electronic revolution’ with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials.

The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to 'communication revolution’ for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era.

The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged.

The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.

Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age
Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.

Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, which can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming.

Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures.

Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice.

The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts.

Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations
According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction.

The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance.

The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today’s Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran).

There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work.

Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.

In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script’s pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.

According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids.

Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt.

Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period
Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology.

The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society.

In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures.

The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments.

Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori’s idea of prepared child centered environment.

In1833, Charles Babbage’s design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities.

In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes.

Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called 'Drum Tutor’ in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article 'Science of Learning and art of Teaching’ published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so.

Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes.

In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India.

During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America.

Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950’s and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan.

In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, “The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain”.

In 1961, Micro teaching technique was first adopted by Dwight W. Allen and his co-workers at Stanford University in USA.

Electronics is the main technology being developed in the beginning of 21st century. Broadband Internet access became popular and occupied almost all the important offices and educational places and even in common places in developed countries with the advantage of connecting home computers with music libraries and mobile phones.

Today’s classroom is more likely to be a technology lab, a room with rows of students using internet connected or Wi-Fi enabled laptops, palmtops, notepad, or perhaps students are attending a video conferencing or virtual classroom or may have been listening to a podcast or taking in a video lecture. Rapid technological changes in the field of educational have created new ways to teach and to learn. Technological changes also motivated the teachers to access a variety of information on a global scale via the Internet, to enhance their lessons as well as to make them competent professional in their area of concern. At the same time, students can utilize vast resources of the Internet to enrich their learning experience to cope up with changing trend of the society. Now a days students as well teachers are attending seminars, conferences, workshops at national and international level by using the multimedia techno-resources like PowerPoint and even they pursue a variety of important courses of their choice in distance mode via online learning ways. Online learning facility has opened infinite number of doors of opportunities for today’s learner to make their life happier than ever before.

Study in USA - Get A Student

For International Students

United States of America has been the top most destination for international students, and why not, the best colleges in almost any field are in this great country. Every year thousands of international students come to USA for graduation/other higher degrees in Engineering, Medicine, Management, Law etc. The information below is focused on getting a Student visa (often referred as F1 or F-1 visa), some useful information around the college application procedure and prospects after you complete your study are also covered.

Visa or immigration document allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of entry (ex Airport) and request permission from the U.S. immigration officer to enter the United States.

STEP 1: EXAMS REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT VISA

a) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): English is the national language of USA. Earlier it use to be paper based exam but these days it’s mostly given on the internet from designated centers all over the world. These scores are used by many other countries. Although rare but some English speaking nations may be exempted from TOEFL. b) Specialization specific exam ( Ex: GRE / GMAT / SAT) : Depending on which specific branch or level (Graduation/Under-Grad etc) of education, there is a test for that very specific field. Tests centers are all over the world and mostly computer based. A management level applicant will give GMAT, Engineering student will give GRE etc. Depending on these scores there will be a cut-off for each institution to which you can apply. Not all institutions can allow foreign students; they should have permission from USCIS (United States Citizenship and immigration Services) to do so.

STEP 2: STUDENT VISA (F-1 Visa)

The student should have a non-immigrant intent i.e. he/she is coming to USA genuinely for educational purposes only and not just to enter in the country for immigration purpose. Students must also demonstrate that they have the financial resources to study without the need to engage in unauthorized or illegal employment.

Institutions need these following documents

- Written application to the school

- Institution’s qualification criteria for admission (i.e. TOEFL / SAT/ GRE etc.)

- Student’s prior academic record and financial support evidence.

- An acceptance letter allowing the student to study.

- Passport

After this institutions can issue Form I-20 needed for F-1 Student visa. Students must take that form to their nearest US consulate along with Passport, Visa fee, Form OF-156 (Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa), documents indicating evidence of financial support and documents proving sufficient ties to home country.

One should explore the opportunity of scholarships given by Institutions to some students with high scores or exceptional ability in sports. Also students may qualify to work part time. Check your institution for those details.

STEP 3: ENTERING USA

At the port of Entry ( ex Airport), the students must present all the documents including passport, I-20, Documents from Institution. The immigration officer after verification will issue an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record that contains a unique number. Keep this document safe, probably attached to your passport. Once you arrive on campus, you should report immediately to the office that is responsible for assisting international students and scholars.

STEP 4: LIFE / CAREER AFTER COMPLETING YOUR EDUCATION

Often US companies/employers may come on campus to recruit appropriate students for their organization. If you are the one selected then the employer must file for your working visa ( usually referred as the H-1 visa). Good news !! US Govt. has a special H-1 quota presently at 20,000 visa’s (number can change with time) for students who do their graduation in USA.

If the student is not offered H-1 visa, and not pursuing studies in USA anymore, the individual must return back to their home country.

OTHER STUDENT VISA’s

* J-1, or Exchange Visitor. Students participating in an exchange visitor program in the U.S

* M-1, or Student Visa Those who will be engaged in non-academic or vocational study or training.

* B-2 prospective student visa A prospective student, who has not yet decided on a school, can later apply for F-1 Visa.

Immigration Law’s change very often and sometimes have specific details. It is highly recommended to consult an Immigration Attorney or expert personally to get an update on latest form and procedures before applying for a Student visa. There is very useful information also located at