Education Articles from College Matching Service

Now your professor wants you to attend a live chat session with some of your classmates – it’s a chance to show your stuff, but how can you be effective? Should you be formal or informal? What about introductions?
Despite its great convenience, online courses can at times make you feel like it’s your first day of Kindergarten all over again. So we’ve gathered some simple tips to help you become more effective in online chats.

Know the rules of netiquette. Netiquette is simply respecting other people in the chat room. That means waiting until others are done “speaking,” using appropriate language, and sticking to the subject. (Hint: Your school should have chat room rules posted. If you don’t know them, ask your professor before the chat room starts.)

Check out the chat speed beforehand. If you are on dial-up, it may make the chat room exceedingly slow, which means when you type in a long sentence, the others in the chat room will be waiting to see what you are typing. If you are on dial-up and can’t get high speed access, then let the chat room participants know, type only a few words before sending them, or write your responses in an editor and copy and paste them into the chat. (Hint: You can have two windows open at once, just use the minimize button at the top of your Internet browser.)

Review the materials. Think of your chat as a classroom debate. If your professor told you there would be a debate about a topic in class and you had to participate, you would make sure you knew the topic, right? Well, in a chat room, you need to do the same thing – know your topic. (Hint: Most professors will post the topic for the chat room beforehand in the assignments.)

Some people think that studying at home is easy, but when it comes down to actually studying, they find that their workspace for online classes is just so uncomfortable. Below are some solutions:

Make it comfortable. Consider your working style: do you want to feel energized and upbeat when you are studying or would you prefer a feeling of tranquility and reflection? If you want a feeling of stimulation or activity, paint the walls with warm yellows or chose red drapes for your window dressing. If you want serenity and calm: soothing, cool blue tones or deep, rich greens. If you want classic simplicity in your workspace, stick to taupe, grays and even chocolate browns. Do you like to stretch out while you take notes? Add some throw pillows or a beanbag. Don’t be afraid to add some personality, but make sure that everything will help you stay productive. Too many pillows and you may find yourself curled up next to your laptop, asleep!

Choose appropriate furnishings and equipment. To optimize your space, list all the items that must go into your home office. By doing this, you can plan the best layout for your room. Depending on the size of the space, you may need to take some measurements to ensure that everything will fit and that you won’t feel crowded or uncomfortable. Think about what you may need:

• A desk and chair
• Desktop or laptop computer with an Internet connection.
• Printer, scanner, and/or fax
• Shelves for your books, binders, print-outs, and reference materials
• Filing cabinet(s)
• Floor lamps or desk lamps
• A bulletin/memo board to keep track of notes and other bits of information

Caution! Don’t place your computer in an area that receives direct sunlight or gets too warm. Electronics are temperature sensitive, so make sure the room receives adequate air circulation and that the sun can’t damage your equipment.

Applying to an online college can be particularly nerve-wracking. It can be difficult to know what your chosen program expects, especially if you don’t know anyone who has “attended” the school.

Some online colleges have relaxed admissions guidelines (i.e. everyone who applies is accepted, assuming they have a high school diploma or its equivalency). Other online programs are very selective and only accept the best of the best.

Most virtual colleges fall somewhere in the middle. They’re looking for students who meet basic benchmarks such as a reasonably high GPA in previous coursework and well-written application essays. Being aware of these benchmarks ahead of time can help you prepare to apply.

A successful academic record. Online colleges want to know that accepted applicants will succeed in their classes, without any face-to-face encouragement. Applicants who have high grade point averages in previous high school and college-level work show the most promise. Many virtual schools set minimum GPAs for incoming students. If your GPA is particularly low due to unusual circumstances (your aunt died and you adopted her child, mid-semester) make note of it somewhere on your application. Lower GPAs are sometimes overlooked when the applicant demonstrates other strengths.

High test scores. Whether they require the SAT, ACT, GRE, or LSAT, your online program wants to test your current knowledge and your ability to learn. There are many test preparation programs and books available to help you study. If your first score is too low, you may be able to take the exams a second or third time.

The first week in an online class can be a little disorienting. New students must learn to navigate a virtual “classroom,” interact with their peers and professors without actually seeing them face-to-face, and balance their assignments with their everyday lives. These tips can help you succeed in your online class from the moment you begin:

Determine if you’re in over your head. Take a look at the course requirements and your personal schedule – then, decide if you can really handle the workload. Can you balance the course work with your family and career? Are the required assignments at your level? Are you really dedicated to finishing the online course? Too many distance learning students enroll in online courses and drop out after a month or so. Don’t blemish your record with an “F” or a “W.” If you decide to dropout before your online school’s withdrawal deadline, you can usually get a full or partial refund of your tuition, as well as a clean record.

Buy any required texts. If your online course requires textbooks or other materials, buy them early so you won’t fall behind on your assignments. Don’t feel that you have to pay full price at the online school’s bookstore. There are plenty of ways to get your required readings at a fraction of the price.

Update your computer. Check the course syllabus to see what software or hardware you will need. You may need to install programs (such as Acrobat Reader or Real Player) in order to access the multimedia components of your course. Using this week to make sure your computer can run the necessary programs will save you from being surprised when you’re under a deadline.

Introduce yourself to the teacher. If you’re in an online course with a lot of students, the teacher may never get to know you unless you take the initiative. Use your online course message board or email your teacher with a brief introduction. A teacher who knows a little bit about you will be more likely to help you through the course (and be a little more lenient when it comes time to dish out grades).

Participate. Sometimes it’s difficult to jump in and participate in online class discussions. But, don’t hesitate. Speaking up early will help you establish yourself as an active member of the course. You’ll start to make new friends and will end up with a better grasp of the material.

Due to the enormous amount of information published on the Internet, both reliable and unreliable information is freely available. Information can easily be published without it being checked over, approved, confirmed or verified in any way. It is possible that there are websites that claim to be accredited online colleges, but in truth, they are just part of an online scam. As a learner, you would want to have quality education that is why you have to ensure that the online school that you are applying to is a fully, and truly certified accredited school. If not, you will definitely encounter a lot of difficulties and problems.

Some of these non-accredited violators have been awarding diplomas and degrees for decades. Courts that have shut them down have cited problems like:

Too few qualified faculty members to maintain the number of students or level of education

Too much credit given for previous life and work experience without properly determining the actual level of knowledge

Not having course objectives

Awarding Ph.Ds to students who haven’t performed the type of research and analysis typically required of such a degree

Basically, the problem relates to the schools having substandard requirements for earned degrees. Some programs even allow students to earn master’s or doctoral degrees without having first earned a bachelor’s degree.

The best bet is to stick with a known, reputable university or college that is offering online/distance learning. That school’s reputation will be at stake so it is more likely to have the same quality online as offline. Of course, there are some good programs from universities that are strictly online. According to an article by a former student at the University of Phoenix Online, many students feel as connected with other students as they would if they were on a campus attending classes in the traditional way.

There have been doubts on the quality of education that spring from online degree holders. A lot of job-seekers who graduated with an online degree encounter having to defend the effectiveness of their education. A recent study has been made and the researchers have been able to come up with some advice and recommendations for those online degree holders who need help in getting a job.

Some of the comments and recommendations the respondents made might help online degree holders land a job even if the interviewer is hesitant about the value of the degree. Some of the those recommendations included:

Tell employers and potential employers that your degree was earned online. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said this should be a requirement.

Bring along transcripts and course study examples, as well as letters of recommendation or authenticity about the program and its accreditation.

Have industry experience to back the degree.

Traditional courses like public speaking, debate, public forum and group dynamics might be helpful to show that you have people skills. (This is probably more helpful if you don’t have a long work history behind you.)
Other sources, such as Thomas L. Russell of North Carolina State University, did studies that revealed that there is little if any difference in the quality of education received through online distance learning versus traditional classrooms. John Losak at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale found similar results in his own study. He analyzed graduation rates, time to graduation, and knowledge, as well as other elements. He found the students performed as well or better in online courses.

A lot of people neglect the importance of reading and understanding and this type of attitude is wrong. This type of education would best benefits those that are well not really anti-social but those people or students who would prefer learning and understanding on their own and would just ask questions whenever they really have no idea what is being explained is all about. Another key is to have a well set scheduling for you.

You will set your own schedule for your very own and very private and personal online classes. Your instructor will give you the deadlines and a suggested pace to make you successful, but it will be up to you to decide when and how often to go online. Most good online students check in every day or two to see if there are new messages or discussion items. This is just a basic idea of what to expect on online classes so make sure you fully understand are well into learning before trying it out. Remember that you won’t have all those non-verbal cues that you get in the physical classroom and neither will your instructor. This is pretty much a huge difference of online classes that from regular classroom type learning. Also, your instructor’s role will be much less that of the distributor of information, and much more that of a guide or resource for you in exploring an area of knowledge. Almost all your information will come in the form of words. Words on the screen help the instructor “see” you much more clearly. The teaching style used in online classes may be different from the traditional college model.

Taking online classes means you won’t be sitting quietly in the classroom; participation is even more essential.

For a really lot of things, to be there and experience something first and is not at times very important. As human beings, we learn quite a lot from reading and absorbing knowledge through education videos and recordings of leanings, which is very popular to psychologist for how long already. This is why it is important to have an online accredited colleges.

Having a campus degree simply means that one has garnered his education within the premises of a legitimate university or college. Though simply said, this is not as simple as it sounds. One takes at least four years in order to graduate from a full course in college or in a university and for further studies; one would have to take additional years just to go up a notch ahead of everyone else and when I say up a notch, I’m talking about having more that a regular online accredited colleges. Beautiful campuses are available for anyone’s liking but still it can’t compare to one’s own home. University campuses and college campuses are well designed to make sure that the learning experience is at a high and that the learning is well absorbed but can it really beat the comfort of your own home? There are also ample dormitories near by the campuses and are often inside the campuses so that the student wouldn’t want to have to live far from their campuses.

Colleges also offer scholarship programs so that it would be a lot easier for the students financially wise. These are just a few disadvantages advantages of having a campus degree aside from the obvious educational experience one can attain and deserve at home with an up to date and the latest in technology online accredited college.

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.

It is important that online students are kept abreast with the latest information and developments in their field of study. The professor should not stop learning about new things that will ensure not only his success but also that of his students.

Online classes require more motivational abilities because the students and the professor do not see each other eye-to-eye. It is more difficult to observe how students are, thus, it is imperative that the teacher needs to be more sensitive and more responsive to the needs of his students. These needs may be read from in between the lines or explicitly shown through their projects and other school work. The ability to see that beyond the virtual classroom does not only entail sensibility but also a keen sense of observation.

Just like a regular school, online colleges and universities also have attendance and tardiness policies. The professor should send an email to the student’s personal account and discuss the school’s policies in terms of attendance, grades, accountability, and responsibility for those who may have been absent for two or more sessions. The professor should reiterate that it is important for the online student to be more responsible and disciplined in order to succeed. In this way, the student will see the concern, be more open to discuss any issues he may have with the classes, and find ways to address them.

Humor should be present in classes, especially for the highly exhausted full-time working student. This is a great help to brighten their dampened spirits. An occasional outburst of laughter and joke time wouldn’t hurt.

Lastly, by offering positive reinforcement whenever possible, the teach shows that he is concerned to the success of the whole class as much as he is concerned with how he is doing in terms of imparting knowledge. Patience and offering to help the students while they adapt to the online classroom format and teaching style will definitely help them succeed and enjoy their classes.