Education Articles from College Matching Service

What have others said? As you conduct preliminary research in the library, you will find books and articles on your topic. As you read the material, try to form an idea of what the major issues have been in the discussions about your topic. For example, if your topic is on how stem cells could treat Lou Gehrig’s Disease, you will need to have an idea of who the first people who started researching the topic. You will also need to identify the sides of the argument. Who is for it? Who is against it? Why? What are the issues? Once you have a sense of the main players, you can start to do searches based on author name as well as key words or topics. Ironically, in some cases, you may even have to be aware that the site may not have the original version of the information you’re citing. They may, in actuality, be borrowing from another site. This is particularly the case with Web sites and services that subscribe to Weblogs or where the information is mirrored because they have chosen to pull the entire article in the feed.

Organize your sources, articles, and notes. After you have found your articles, be sure to organize them so that you have a sense of where they will go in your online class paper. Keep your primary thesis in mind, and the points you are trying to make and will support with evidence and research findings from your articles. This is a good time to return to your outline and to start mapping out where you plan to use your sources and citations.

Evaluate your material. How do you determine if a source of information is of high quality? Even if you are obtaining your data from a library database such as Lexis-Nexis, you should be aware that the articles contained in the newspapers they have in their database could be biased.

If it has advertising or links indicating that the owner is a member of an affiliate program on it, does such activity automatically make the site untrustworthy? In the past, it might have been an automatic disqualifier to see links to advertising, sponsors, or affiliate programs that pay the Website owner a few cents for referrals. However, one can not make such assumptions now. In fact, the presence of affiliate links may indicate that the Website is a labor of love, and that there are no ideological or commercial ties. Further, the lack of commercial ties may actually be a negative factor because it may mean that the enterprise is so profitable, or the ideological motivations are so strong that there are numerous well-endowed backers, or a highly successful business model.

Here are a few considerations as you evaluate your distance learning sources.

• Refereed journals. This is an academic journal that requires all articles to be reviewed by experts in the field. They require revisions and will reject articles if they do not meet standards.
• Books and serial monographs. In this case, it depends on the publisher and whether or not they evaluate, judge, and critique the material to assure that only the most reliable are published.
• Series sponsored by an association or reputable group. These are very common in the humanities, particularly in the hosting of content in the public domain.
• Wikis and collaborations. Variable quality. They can be extremely good and reliable, but the quality, quantity, depth, and breadth will be variable, as will be the scope of the contributions. There can be bias, distortion, or gaps (lacunae) in information.

Having a virtual class online is one concept some people find hard to envision. But as an individual distance learner, you must learn how to develop and coordinate with your online college courses.

Simplify the tasks and break them up in to individual steps. Instead of envisioning one large group project, visualize the entire assignment as four or five smaller projects that will each require just two or three steps, rather than dozens.  Potential problem: The project contains too many steps to reach the final outcome. The complexity makes it difficult to understand and to delegate work, and to set achievable goals. Potential problem: Resentment because of lack of work parity. Group members become angry because the work load is not evenly distributed. Some team members may be perceived as slackers or freeloaders, who take credit but refuse to pull their weight. The converse can also be true. There may be resentment because one team member will attempt to dominate and not allow individuals to participate in the process. The dominant person may be perceived as a bully, much to his or her surprise. She thought she was simply being efficient, proactive, and “Type A.” Solution: Listen. List the roles and the responsibilities and behaviors expected of each role. Then, assign tasks to specific team members, and develop a realistic set of due dates. Make sure that there are clear ways to be in touch with each other if there are questions.

Coordinate time. Required collaborations do not reflect the real time commitments of the participants, nor do they reflect schedules or time zone differences. Solution: Give the group at least a week to do each project, no matter how small. Ask the individual team members what they are doing to find out and accommodate each other’s time constraints.

Develop a communications plan. Try to communicate live-time if you can, either with instant messenger, chat, video chat, or with Internet telephony, such as Skype.

Bond with your team-members. Ask group members to post photos, details about themselves that they’d like to share, and to start a discussion board or forum in which they discuss current events and items of interest. Potential problem: No sense of community. There is a failure to bond, and hence a failure to thrive. Collaborations with this problem sometimes never get off the ground.

Clearly identify the work required. Determine what the final outcome will look like. Avoid generalities and be specific early on. Potential problem: Collaborative papers require “blending” rather than stand-alone components. The collaboration is expected to produce a paper that flows as though it were written by a single person. This can pose a monumental, even insurmountable, challenge because individual voices, writing styles, even format can be completely at odds. Further problems surface when individual team members resent the way that their work has been edited. Solution: Develop structures that allow individuals to insert their own work in sections clearly identified as pertaining to them. Do not try to blend or mesh the parts.

Identify the tasks that you will need to do in order to accomplish the goal. Potential problem: Irrelevant activities. Group members may resist doing activities they perceive to be irrelevant to the overall goal or objective they envisioned when joining the group. Even those who go ahead and do the activities may feel resentful. Solution: Let the team members know how their work ties into the final objective (the project), and how it ties into a larger world as well.

Having group online class activities may be such a hassle, but it will definitely be helpful in your development as a learner.

Keep active in your online class. Visit your course on a regular basis, just like you were going to class. Keep up on the discussion postings, turning in your papers on time, and do the readings. It will make you feel more connected if you are in the mindset of a regular student. If you’re struggling to stay focused check out Alistapart.com and Davecheong.com for some great articles. (Hint: Make sure to respond to e-mails as you would like others to respond to yours.)

Talk to others about your course. Let your friends and family know you are taking an online course and share some of the things you are learning. Sharing will not only help you feel less isolated, it will help you absorb the information and make your online work more exciting. (Hint: Don’t bore people with your knowledge, just share a little about what it’s like for you.)

Use the course chat room or instant messaging. If it’s available, get to know your fellow students in the class chat room or through instant messaging. Ask your buddy to meet you at a certain time and use that time to informally discuss the class. Invite others into the conversation by sending an invitation to all your classmates – some may come and some may not. Your professor may notice and admire your commitment to the course which could translate into a better grade. If you have a team assignment, pick the chat room or instant messaging for one of your meetings. (Hint: Some chat rooms have a record feature and your professor and all your classmates can read the transcript, so keep your comments positive!)

In a traditional classroom, you meet your fellow students and faculty and create a real community; even it’s only for the length of the class. You notice when your classmates look upset or even who is there and who is absent. That’s part of the community; it makes you feel connected, and it is one of the more enjoyable aspects of college life. But can you get that feeling as an online student? The answer is yes and here’s how!

Share a little personal information. It can be about your family (Are you married? Do you have children? Any pets?) and your life (Think favorite hobbies, professional interests, top five movies, etc.) in either your bio page or the introduction post. If you are able to post a photo, do so. (Hint: Most course management systems reside behind a firewall so only your classmates, your professor and some of the administrators have access to this information and they are required by law to not share personal information, so it’s a safe environment.)

Remember that your other classmates are in the same situation. You are not the only one who feels some sense of isolation. Just like in a classroom, some people are shy and some are outgoing. It just takes one person to do a little reaching out to create a community and you can be that person. (Hint: Even if you are a little shy, you don’t have to speak to get a community started online.)

Find a buddy. In the beginning of the online class, find someone you’d like to get to know better and start up an email conversation with them. It’s good to have a buddy in the class and it will help reduce your isolation. Keep your initial e-mail short and let the receiver know in the Subject line that you are from the same class. (Hint: If one person does not respond, find another person to e-mail.

Chatting during an online class may be a breeze, but it can even be a lot easier if you do these measures:
Be on time. Just be on time for your chat. In fact, be a little early so you can get the feel of the chat room. If you are going to be late, make sure you let your professor know ahead of time or see if you can reschedule. When you come to a chat late, it’s like coming to a class late, everyone, including the professor, notices. (Hint: Most class chats are recorded, so the professor has the exact time you entered the chat in the transcript!)

Have your references on hand. Make sure you have your paper, your textbooks, and any other documentation readily available, so you can refer to it to support your ideas or you can check your interpretation with the other students in the chat room. (Hint: If you want to reference something specific in a reading you know the whole chat room is using — like the textbook, just refer to the page; don’t type the whole thing in.)

Avoid disruptions during the chat. A chat room where the professor asks a student a question and gets no response, especially if the student has been responding quickly, indicates the student isn’t there. It gets uncomfortable for everyone, so make sure your chat has your full attention. If given the option, select a chat time where you know you will not be interrupted, avoid the temptation to check your e-mail or you’re my space page while in the chat room, and keep focused. (Hint: If the chat is just not moving fast enough for you, make notes on a sheet of paper about the ideas you are having during the chat.)

Expect the unexpected. Even with the best of technology, something can go wrong. You could lose power, others could lose power, the website could go down, you might have to miss because of something unexpected at the last minute, etc. If something happens, don’t panic. E-mail your professor as soon as possible. Be open and honest and ask how you can make up for your absence. (Hint: If the professor lets you copy the transcript and interject your comments — don’t destroy the flavor of the chat by over stating your position because you have time. Just write your comments and ideas exactly as if you had stayed in the chat. No one likes a show-off.)

Since most online schools do not require in-person interviews, admissions officials pay particular attention to the college recommendation letter. Your college recommendation letter will be used to evaluate your strengths and determine whether or not you’re a good fit for the school. This article will show you how to choose an effective writer and submit a persuasive college recommendation letter.

Make a list of potential recommendation letter writers. Before asking anyone to write your college recommendation letter, take the time to consider all of your choices.

Choose the best. Review your list and choose the person that will write the best college recommendation letter. You should be 100% certain that the person selected will write positively about you.

Follow the admissions office procedures. Each online college sets its own standards for the delivery of admissions letters. Some require recommenders to mail the letters directly to school offices; some require prospective students to mail the letters in sealed envelopes with their applications.

Ask the recommender in-person or over the phone. If you live near the writer, it is best to ask in-person. If not, take the time to ask in a personal phone call.

Send the recommender helpful information. Once the letter writer agrees, give him a small packet of information that he can use when writing the college recommendation. This will help him remember your strengths and give him some material to work with.

Remind your letter writer of the deadline. As the recommender’s deadline nears, send a friendly note reminding him that the letter is needed.

Follow-up with a thank-you note. Once the writer completes your college recommendation letter, follow-up with a formal, hand-written thank-you note.

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.

Regardless of what some websites or online colleges ask you to believe, accreditation is very important because it ensures that an institution meets or exceeds an established set of educational standards. As a result, courses from an accredited online college are most likely to be transferable to other colleges and universities, and degrees from an accredited college are far more likely to be valued by both your current employer and prospective employers considering you for a position. Online education can move you ahead in your career, but only if you attend a credible, accredited college or university.

Beware of accreditation claims. Many questionable “accrediting agencies” exist. Some are outright frauds, offering “accreditation” to any institution willing to pay a fee. In fact, operators of some well known degree mills also run these so-called accrediting agencies. State licensure, by the way, generally means little more than a minimal investment in assets and/or registration as a business entity. While most colleges offering online education are wholly legitimate, beware of those that are not…many exist. Your safest bet is to trust only accrediting agencies approved by the United States Department of Education. Be sure that the colleges and the degree program(s) you are considering “fit” with your long range educational plans. For example, if you are thinking about enrolling in an online associate degree program and later hope to earn a bachelors degree (online or on campus), find out how likely it is that your associate degree coursework will transfer by asking for a list of colleges which have accepted such credits.