Distance Learning Advantages

November 24th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

There are a lot of opinions revolving and having been thought of around the small issue which is turning to a big issue of distance learning. Distance learning or education is completing a curriculum of studies without being present in a classroom. The quality of education is usually better than that of a class room since most individuals who choose distance learning to obtain their education is more self motivated and every bit as conscientious about their education as their counterpart in the class room.

Due to today’s technology, made in part by the internet, more people than ever before are choosing distance learning over traditional class room settings as the vehicle of choice to obtain their education. Convenience cost of travel and other costs associated with a more traditional setting and busy schedules are just some of the reasons more students are taking course work through distance education institutions. After all, consider the commute time to and from a campus and the delays between classes. Wouldn’t your time be better spent on studies, leisure time or even time with your family or friends? College life is about experiencing new things on your own and to avoid getting burned out from all that studying and slight nagging from parents. In a lot of countries, distance learning is a very common thing.

After graduation, the student goes all the way to the college of their choice and lives in the college or university dormitory or a place nearby where they can rent out for the remainder of their stay in their university or colle

Online College Instead of University

November 21st, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Advantage of this is that the student does not have to go all the way to the college of their choice and lives in the college or university dormitory or a place nearby where they can rent out for the remainder of their stay in their university or college.  It is best that you should know that in a lot of cities and places on earth, online college is a very common form of education and is even quite popular already.

The real question here is, if indeed it is better to have online college from home when it comes to studying. For one thing, the distractions of having a family near by are not really a distraction at all. It is sort of encouraging and helpful at times, but college life is not just about all studying. College life is about experiencing new things on your own and to avoid getting burned out from all that studying and slight nagging from parents and though this is true, it is still easier and quite an experience to just stay at home. With this being said, then living on your own, far away from family is not all the time the way to go. But of course, this should not be the only basis when it comes to choosing a university of your choice. This is just a small variable as compared to the quality of the university and the type of education one is expecting to get from that particular university.

I suggest that if you are not the adventurous type and that the education you are expecting is in that university that is far away then you should go for it and try out online college. But if you are the type who wouldn’t want all that hassle of supporting yourself then staying in a near by college is ok as well.

Online Courses Differentiated

November 20th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Having four-year college degrees might seem expensive. If you worry about paying for your degree, don’t forget that colleges and universities offer dozens of ways to slash college costs, from student loans to scholarships to work-study programs. When you think about it, try to imagine having all the good and advantages of a bachelors degree a few steps away from you or at a touch of a small mouse.

Having online courses will certainly let you achieve these benefits and so much more simply because of the ease and comfort that comes to having an online bachelors degree. Correspondence study is generally self-study with individual written communication between one student and one instructor. The online courses focus strongly on the interactive, or cooperative methods of education, only achievable in groups. You participate in group discussion, academic debate, and social dialogue, which eliminate the isolation of traditional correspondence study and provides a peer group for support. The group-driven component of the online model of education also contributes to knowledge building as students share information and validate their ideas against the group’s reactions. However, the long-term benefits of earning a bachelor’s degree generally outweigh any temporary financial setbacks. And another benefit is that one can be very well versed when it comes to the functions of a computer system and we all know that today, one must at least be comfortable when using the computer anywhere in the world.

What are the benefits of having the newest online courses? Aside from higher income, bachelor’s degrees can offer you lots of other perks, such as exposure to other cultures by meeting international students, signing up for overseas programs, and reading books from across the globe, students can broaden their appreciation for today’s multicultural society, better physical health and according to the Education Resources Information Center, research proves a strong link between higher education and greater personal health, job mobility.

College Tips – Proper Lighting and Studying

November 18th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

It is important for the online student to prepare for his online courses even before classes start. It is recommended that one should designate a study area for this purpose. Proper lighting of the study area is important because this can affect your vision and the mood during study time.

The use of fluorescent tubes to achieve lower illumination levels is suggested. Illumination levels refer to the amount of light falling on a surface. Higher illumination levels wash out the image on the screen allowing better view of your documents and your computer screen. It is also a good idea to provide supplementary task lighting through lamps that have adjustable light settings.

Your computer has contrast settings that you can manually adjust according to your visual needs. You may want to prevent excessive contrast by reducing it and by avoiding extremely dark or bright surfaces since viewing may become difficult if task and adjacent surroundings have high contrast.

Preventing glare is as important as keeping the contrast settings to a minimum to your preference. You may re-orient your work station in your study room and move the sources of glare out of your line of sight. Your study room’s windows may be covered with Venetian blinds, curtains, shades or filters that can reduce glare coming from sunlight and other light sources in your study area. Your monitor can also be colored with an anti-glare screen to reduce glare.

Would you believe that wearing bright clothes may also cause glare? Yes, they do so it would be wise to avoid wearing brightly-colored clothes during your study hours to avoid causing a reflection on the screen.

There are many more tips we could apply to have that much-needed and relaxed study place to make your online study experience worth while.

College Tips – Your Studies and Your Eyes

November 17th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Online education requires a lot of time and effort to complete. Add to that, it can stress your eyes and hands due to prolonged hours of online time doing research, assignments and projects.

For starters, buying a good type of monitor that is glare-free would be the best bet for those long hours in front of the computer. Reflective glare, which is the most common kind of glare, is when you can see a light on the surface of your screen. You may want to reduce the intensity of your light source by covering windows or by choosing height panels appropriately. It would also help if your room’s walls are painted with a matte or flat finish to reduce glare. Most monitors can be tilted and your can tilt your own monitor to remove the reflection away from your direct line of vision. It may also help that you buy filters for your screen which will help reduce radiation and glare.

Although most people find that a distance of 20 to 26 inches from your monitor is comfortable, however, the recommended distance should be between 16 to 30 inches. It may also help for you to get a comfortable ergonomic chair that is adjustable and will enable you to sit at a correct and proper angle from your computer.

Do not forget to take five-minute breaks every hour from your computer monitor. You have to look away from your monitor or just close your eyes for a few minutes when the researching gets intense and will require you to work long hours of reading or typing.

Taking care of your eyes is very important since we need them to be able to read and research for our school requirements. Resting them for a bit during your study time refreshes not only your eyes but also your mind.

Motivating Online Students

November 17th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Online education is a fairly new type of educating individuals. However, with the development of different teaching styles, the task of motivating online students has become easier.

To jumpstart everything, it would be wise for the online teacher to post an introduction a day or two before the class starts. You can ask the students to post their own in a dedicated discussion thread and ask them to answer the discussion question. This is a good way for the professor to know what would be the needs, interests and career goals of his students are. He will then be able to streamline the course properly.

To students who are new to online earning or those who lack computer skills, the professor may want to reassure their students that it would just take a little time before they become comfortable with the online applications and software they have to use for the classes. It would also help if the students are encouraged to contact technical support for any technical questions they may have.

Since online courses can be attended by anyone regardless of what language they know, encouraging the students to take additional language or grammar exercises can help overcome the language barrier. The poor or average ability students may want to take advantage of additional practice exercises to earn more bonus points for their grades.

Praising your students for their any written assignments can help them go out of their shells and be less shy to express their points of view. Calling on them to the discussion forum of the class would be a good thing to do so that an open line of communication is encouraged amongst your students and their inhibitions lessened. This will give them more confidence to attend your classes.

In the end, it is all about being able to address what your students need and want. This will get them to cooperate and participate, making your class more worthwhile and interesting.

Student Employment Options

November 16th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Being a student requires a lot of time and attention. It’s unfortunate that a huge number of college students feel the need to find a means to earn money while attempting to keep a balance between school work and other things. It’s a good thing most colleges have options for students that are ideal for their set-up given that most of their time are devoted to academics.

Student employment is a wide-spread offering among colleges and universities. Schools feel the need to provide such kind of opportunity to their students not only for those who need income but also to give the students a chance to gain as many skills to prepare them for future employment after graduation. After all, how the school’s graduates will perform in their future jobs will be a reflection of the kind of training they received from their school.

A student can check out the kinds of employment offered by his school. Basically though, jobs will vary from providing clerical assistance to more technical support. Wages are minimal but aren’t bad at all. However, a student must keep in mind that there are qualifications to become employed by the school. For one, academic performance has a great bearing. The number of credits enrolled in by the student matters as well. It may be different for every school so it’s best to personally check out what may best suit the student.

Being in college is absolutely a breeding ground for future movers in different industries so knowing the options and opportunities is highly advisable so one can take advantage of whatever will aid him in getting ahead early on.

Surviving College

November 15th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

For a typical young adult, college is probably one if not the hardest things to overcome. After all, not much else is expected of the student. Especially for those whose parents are using up very hard-earned money to send them to school, all that is asked of them is to get good grades and eventually earn that degree. However, students, young as they are, are still humans; growing up individuals so to speak. So many other factors surrounding these young adults have to be dealt with and it doesn’t make it easier that raging hormones could sometimes get in the way of reason. While many get an opportunity to go to college, not exactly the same number get to graduate and survive the whole college scene altogether. In fact for some, school is the easiest they have to handle. Sometimes, the other “stuff” are much more burdensome. Good thing, we have numerous generations before us who are living testimonies that college can indeed be survived.

Some may think that there are short-cuts or automatic ways of actually getting through the difficulties of college life. Truth be told, there are just a lot of advice to be given but it’s all a matter of how the student himself carries them out. No matter how many chances and considerations are handed to you; unless you can discipline your self to follow them, they will be useless. It’s all up to you, s they say.

Know what’s important. What is your purpose for being in college after all? Parents would tell you it’s only a matter of three to five years. Make the most out of it while you’re there. Nobody said it’s not for you to enjoy. But don’t lose track of its purpose. College is, after all, about learning and growing and keeping a balance is the best way to actually enjoy and fulfill that purpose.

College Tips – Losing Touch is Not an Issue

November 14th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

When you have that talk with your parents on where you want to attend college, it is practically unthinkable that they will suggest college online. Take the most obvious example. Parents who went to elite universities themselves will most likely be the first ones to disparage this new kind of system. Their number one reason is that they still believe, and it is not to say that we shouldn’t; that losing human interaction will invalidate the knowledge you gain from the books. On the contrary, college online is not exactly about the loss of human contact. In fact, it can even allow you to reach more people a regular campus setting limits you to do.

With the advent of increasingly high technology, students and instructors are allowed to meet through videoconferences if only seeing another person eye to eye will be an issue. More so, it can even let you meet with difficult to reach professors and highly renowned figures in several fields; an activity a regular college would have made practically impossible for you to accomplish. Have you ever wanted to meet with a legendary icon in your field of interest but simply couldn’t because the person’s schedule is crazily impossible to get through to? Have you lost a chance to enrol in a class whose instructor was your first choice only because he or she is only teaching part-time and the hours just wouldn’t work for him or her? With a college online, this kind of opportunity is fairly easier to achieve and truth be told, this is one advantage of an online college people usually overlook.

What to do with a noisy neighbor

November 10th, 2008 by theProfessor
theProfessor

Whether you are taking your bachelors degree or masters degree, chances are you have experienced wanting to study or relax but could not because the student next to you is so loud and obnoxious?  Loud music, loud voices, and raucous crowds are normal in a college dormitory.  But how do we get past all the noise pollution when we need peace and quiet?

First thing, and probably the best thing to do, is to come up to their room and politely ask them if they can lower it down a bit.  Most people listen and are reasonable enough if you approach them correctly.  More often times than not, they will lower their music or voices when asked politely, as they would do the same to you if you are a bit loud.

If direct approach does not seem to work, you can always try to put on some headphones.  It is not the most convenient way, but at least you get to filter out the sound from the other rooms. Although this method most likely will last only for so long as it will be uncomfortable if put on for very long periods of time.

If none of the other two work, you can always resort to letting your resident assistant, or RA, know about the issue. You might not have the authority to tell them to quiet down, but definitely your RA can sure do.  However, doing this can sour things between yourself and your neighbors, so try to be very discreet when you take this approach.