10 TIPS ABOUT ONLINE EDUCATION Getting An Online Education

Today, online education is growing in popularity, chosen mostly by people who want to get additional education (finishing college or getting another degree). The topmost reason is its flexibility. Free of real-time constraints like attending on-campus classrooms, online education is tailor-made for people who are into full-time jobs, or engaged in other full-time commitments (housewives with children to care, etc.) However, there are certain things to prepare yourself first before you consider getting an online education. They can help you balance things out and make the right decisions. Questions to answer If flexibility is your only reason for an online education, why not consider night school or weekend programs at regular schools? On the other hand, if wanting to work makes you choose online education, why not go into blended learning courses at your nearest college? Is online study your best choice for what you want? What is your career goal? The degree you want to finish should be the perfect one to make your personal goal a reality. Online schools For your online institution, the first consideration is its reputation. To confirm that reputation, the school must of course have the proper accreditation. Next would be checking which of your prospective schools can further your own career in tandem with your personal educational goals. For instance, if you are an elementary school teacher, you would need to have a program that completes your credentialing requirements. Every school has a different set of programs. Be on the lookout for those that are perfect fits for your schedule and learning style. (You can discuss this with your online college counselor.) Credits and transfer policies Some online colleges have good transfer policies and it will be advantageous if you have finished some college coursework or some AP high school classes. This will greatly reduce the amount of your coursework. On the other hand, some schools accept few (or none at all) previously completed courses from other institutions. Discuss this with your counselor. Another possibility of reduced coursework could be your work experience. Ask if you can get college credits by completing a portfolio, presenting a letter from your employer or perhaps taking an exam to prove what you already know. Tuition fees Check out if you qualify for either a federal grant, subsidized or unsubsidized student loan. You may even be eligible for a school-based scholarship or payment program. Discuss this with your financial aid adviser for a thorough assessment.

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Outside help Ideally, your studies and your employment responsibilities are not to interfere with each other. However, it is a good idea to give notice to your employer regarding your going back to school. There might be instances when you have to request time off for exams and some in-person school requirements. Challenges As the clich goes, online education is not a walk in the park. It will take up much of your time, effort and attention. This is especially true to people with family responsibilities. It is always a good idea to discuss this phase of your life with the other members of your family. Choosing Your Online Education School

Aside from the billion-dollar online commerce, communications, news, entertainment and others, online education is one of todays growing industries in the Internet. For people with intentions of enrolling in one of these online learning institutions, it is best to check out upfront some important things. After all, education is one significant undertaking that should not be taken lightly. Accreditation The very first consideration about a school is its status. Is your prospective school accredited by reputable organizations or by the industry at large? Your prospective employment will depend on your schools standing and reputation. How long has the school been in existence? It may not follow that the schools age is a barometer for excellence but experience is always a plus factor. How many students are enrolled? How many have graduated? If the school has few students, it might not reflect much on its credibility. The same is true with low graduation rate. Costs The cost of educating yourself with either online or a traditional school is always an important factor. Your tuition should be slightly less than that of a regular university. Look out for overcharged mandatory fees, hidden costs and other extraneous fees. Determine the curriculum to be used. If there is a requirement for books, check out the costs first. Some institutions dole out their own lesson modules. These come out in other forms of media (downloads in audio, video, PowerPoint, etc.) Check out the fees, if any. Instructors Do your research on the schools teaching staff as well. It is important that they are of the same level or have comparable experience and competence as those of traditional university professors. Junior college teachers usually have an M.A. degree on the subject they handle. Professors usually have Ph.D. degrees. Online education teachers should be comparably competent.

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One other thing is the number of students per teacher. Teachers with many students have less time assisting each one. In essence, online education sometimes is a one-on-one learning process. Computer needs From your end, what computer hardware and software are to be used in the lessons? Online education requires that students must be well-versed in current multimedia and other programs. Will the students purchase additional software for dedicated education programs? Lastly, if your computer is old, it may not work well, or not work at all. Degrees Needless to say, the first thing you check out in your prospective online school is the list of degrees offered, and if your degree of choice is offered at all. Some programs may not offer the degree you want. The next question would be how long will it take to complete the program needed for your degree. Some schools offer the chance of completing some degrees in less time. (Sometimes, they can save an entire year of work.) Different schools offer different methods of student work: the chance to speed up or to work at ones individual pace. Some schools require their students to participate in virtual classes and specific deadlines for assignments. Some schools allow students to communicate with their instructors on all things about their lessons. Others do not offer such kind of assistance and students have to work out things on their own. This early, it is good to remember that in online education, the student most often takes the initiative.

Getting The Most Of Online Education

Today, there is a growing trend of more and more people enrolling in online education. Most have chosen to further their education and their careers by way of online study. This trend is making online education one of the fastest growing industries in the education sector of business. Earning an online degree is now in vogue and it already had earned its respectability years ago. For people who are eyeing of getting one through online education, here are some of the ways to make the most out of this new style in education. Flexibility One of the biggest if not the biggest reasons of the strong attraction in online education is flexibility. The student can afford to incorporate his classes into his daily schedule without sacrificing work time and family commitments. These classes are all online and are provided to a forum or a class manager website. These forums (or sites) are where the assignments, messages, and study materials are made available. Student home works are also turned in here.

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Working students can work their job schedules around their study times. Students with children to care can choose the time for their class work. Those who travel need not worry because their school work can be accessed anywhere in the world where there is Internet. Student-centered lessons In online education, student-centered approach in teaching is more evident than in the traditional style of instructions. Online, the instructor can tailor-fit the lessons according to the student. For instance, some students are visual learners and some learn by doing. Online, the student gets to decide when and how best to study and digest his lessons. They are left to find what works best for them. Instructors In online education, instructors are more accessible than their face-to-face counterparts in on-campus schools. Talking with the instructors is simply done in newsgroup discussions, online chats, or through emails. Interacting with an instructor does not need an actual appointment during office hours like in normal circumstances. This convenient setup saves time and encourages warm student-instructor communications and rapport. It can also produce a positive effect in the students academic work in general. Online education also reflects the status of the instructors. They may also be located in other parts of the world since the teaching is done on the Internet. This is one type of diversity that is advantageous to the student. The main reason is that this allows the student more exposure to the different concepts and perspectives that can happen only if the instructors are from all over the globe. Education counselors When the student is committed to an online education program, education counselors are also available to them. These are the people responsible for making your online education experience positive, trauma-free and successful. They help plan the overall course of study as well as help in choosing the right classes. They are available all the time to answer any question. The students urgent questions are answered quickly via emails or instant messaging. In turn, they can contact you during evenings or weekends, if those are your only available times. They are sensitive to your needs and they are especially easy with first-timers. By the look of things, online education may just be the wave of the future.

Is Online Education Better?

When the Web became easy to access by almost anyone anywhere in the world, almost all kinds of connections and businesses became available. One of these is online education.

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In the past, higher education through an on-campus class is conducted by a professor or instructor. Today, aided by technology for fast and instant communications, formal education can be had online. Basics First, you are taught how to access the class manager website. The first instruction is how to create a username and a profile. With these, you will be able to access assignments, the class syllabus, and readings. You will also be able to access chat boards where everyone (instructors and your classmates) interact. The class manager site is also where to download and turn in your assignments. Communications is done by way of instant messenger services and emails. Classes are set so that students can have specific assignments for specific dates. All these are flexible. Classes are designed as fast or as slow as the individual student can make it. The benefits of this new development in education are varied. Some are clearly obvious. Accessibility Accessibility is one big advantage going for online education. This is also one of the main differences between an online class and its traditional counterpart conducted in an on-campus classroom. One scenario is about students being unable to have the time to physically attend their classes. The person might be working, a housewife with children, or maybe has some other full-time commitments. With online education, you can set your own schedule of classes and directly focus your energies on your lessons. You decide your own time for discussing with other students, consulting with your professor and studying the lesson modules. Individualized instructions Students learn concepts in their own way at their own pace. Lessons are learned by listening to them (audio) or reading them (printed from downloads). Some lessons are video-taped or presented in PowerPoint (audio-visual) by instructors and can be viewed by the students just like in a classroom. In traditional classrooms, some students are naturally shy to speak up. With online studies, any one can talk as much as one wants, without pressure. This is by way of online chat and instant messaging. Advisers In online education, you have your online education counselors. Their job is to guide you through the whole program and help make decisions. These counselors work within your schedule. You can set your virtual meetings with them tailor-made to your time availabilities. Fast communication By its very nature, online education focuses on more communications. The instructor and other students are available through message boards and emails, both of which are instantaneous. In real life meetings, it is very hard to get everyone into a group. With the ease of online accessibility, meeting with all the classmates to discuss or chat on a project can be done almost anywhere and almost at anytime.

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Benefits Online education works best for students with troubles in traditional learning environments. People with fulltime daily commitments (work or care of children, etc.) or with disabilities can benefit with the flexibilities of online education. Is it a better alternative? That, of course, would depend ultimately on the student Online Education Pros & Cons Today, there is a noticeable trend of more and more people enrolling in online education programs than ever before. There is also a sizeable increase in the number of schools offering courses online than, say, five or ten years ago. Some students have jumped into the bandwagon of the non-traditional approach to education by getting it online. The method might be different but the goals are, of course, the same to further their education and expand their opportunities and advance their careers. For a new idea, online education also has its own two sides to consider. Compared with good old on-campus education, online education must be carefully considered. Costs Offhand, online education looks more affordable than traditional on-campus education. First, there are tangible savings that are obvious right away. There are savings on transportation (gas, cars, etc.), housing and meals for the simple reason that the student is not living on campus. Often, there is no need to buy expensive textbooks. Resource information can be downloaded straight from the Internet. (Some programs charge these services, however.) Tuition costs vary greatly from school to school online. Some can be comparatively expensive (at par with on-campus institutions) but costs are actually dependent on the chosen courses. Generally, costs are competitive. These online education programs offer the same financial aid packages available from traditional education institutions. The packages include student loans and grants. Convenience Convenience could be the main reason why there is such a substantial growth in the online education industry these recent years. An online course has enough flexibility in study schedules which can be tailor-made to the students personal needs. This set-up makes it perfect for people who are already working (full or part time), those with children to take care of, or those with other commitments. With a computer and an Internet access, the online classroom is available 24/7. The decision on where and when to study is up to the student. Democratized field One of the unmentioned reasons for the popularity of online education is actually how this particular system levels the field. In an online degree program, there is an amount of anonymity. Whereas in regular schools, certain discriminating factors are considered (whether tacitly or not), online

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schools never consider factors like age, physical disabilities, race, gender, or physical appearance. This open policy is liberating. Some individuals who are reserved in other settings are emboldened to contribute their thoughts in an online discussion, something they cannot do in traditional live forums. Points to consider Apparently, the prospective online student must have a reliable computer and Internet access before he or she considers enrolling in an online education program. If the online time is limited due to financial constraints, the student will be extremely disadvantaged. The student (and the instructor-professors) should have a minimum level of computer knowledge. Both must be comfortable with emails and discussion groups, and must know a wide array of search engines to help them wade through the Net. The student is expected to keep up with the latest computer technology, and learn new skills in online researches, reviews, and others. Choice In the end, however, choosing an online education over that of the traditional one depends on the needs of the prospective student. It is an exciting new trend, and one that certainly brings new results. Online Education Benefits To date, it had been reported that over 4 million students are presently enrolled in various online schools and universities. Moreover, the number is increasing by around 30% every year. There must be something in online education that attracts all these students. Some pundits attributed this sizable increase to the simple overall increase of the general population at large. Whichever way the story goes, it cannot also be denied that these online students must have their reasons. The following explanations may have formed some of the basis of their decisions to study online. Flexible times Studying online is not a hindrance to students who have other full-time responsibilities and commitments (jobs, care of children, managing home life). They can attend their classes at any appropriate time. The students also appreciate that in online learning, they can attend classes fully awake and refreshed. Their attendance are fashioned formed along the needs of their own personal schedules. This is in direct contrast to the rigid 2 to 4 hours time stretches in regular classes in regular schools. Sometimes, problems crop up if these schedules clash with some important personal concerns. Flexible instructors In online education, instructors by the very nature of the learning setup are more approachable. Through online chats, emails and newsgroups, students can talk openly with their teachers. (Additionally, this makes for enhanced teacher-student contacts.) Online instructors sometimes come from another part of the globe. This adds to the students exposure to additional concepts and approaches to problems not learned from books.

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Student-focused approaches One big factor is the accessibility of study materials and other resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The student can re-read, review and to watch again these multi-media materials. Within the online education system, class attendance can only be ascertained if a student participates in classroom discussions. Participation here means interacting with the instructor and other fellow students by their postings in the discussion groups, or emails. New useful skills Attending online classes by way of the Internet teaches the student skills in using the latest technologies. These unique skills can later be useful for the student going into the outside world, especially in his future jobs. . Online education affords the students to grasp and experience hands-on the idea of team learning. This is facilitated (and demonstrated in action) in the chat rooms and newsgroups by the instructor. Personality development In online learning, to participate in online discussions (asking questions, positing opinions and ideas, proving or disproving those of others, etc.) is the heart of the matter. This is how the class in online education operates. The crucial part is the absence of actual presence of the students while the discussion is going on (for weeks, sometimes) all because everything is done via postings, emails, and electronic messaging. This virtual anonymity (even if they do know each other) gives the student confidence to come and speak out. They also have the advantage of being able to think longer on what to say, and say them when they are fully ready. These are some tangible benefits an online education gives to students. Perhaps, this new style feels better for them and gives them more motivation than what the old traditional schools did. Online Education Class Setups One expert says it in one line: Anybody who plans to have an online education must be self-directed. The big reason is because online classes are very different from face-to-face classes, although the intention to learn is the same for students of both. Online education is really a new tool afforded by current technology. It is beneficial especially to people who might be unable to enter traditional schools but still want to pursue their educational goals. The following are some of the criteria you have to be aware of and be able to understand as well during your online studies. Communications All communications in an online class are in written text. Except for the occasional recorded video or audio, most of the lessons, lectures, and assignments are written down, rather than spoken. In addition, communications between teachers and students (and among the students) are done via e-mails, chat rooms or newsgroups. For the newcomer, this can be intimidating. Typically, online classrooms contain conferences, folders, or discussion group or some similar forms.

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They comprise all of the online class materials needed within the time frame of the course. Time management In an online course, the management of personal time is of prime importance, even critical. The student must have the discipline and perseverance in allotting time for study, discussion, attending class, and communicating with everyone. This also includes time with family and friends and personal business outside the classroom. Support is badly needed from family and friends to keep ones motivation up. Burnouts are frequent. Deadlines Meeting deadlines and time frames are the sole responsibility of the student. There is no one or nothing to blame not the instructor, not the students computer knowledge limitations, etc. Online classes need more discipline. The absence of a face-to-face attendance of classmates and instructors can lull anyone into laxity. Work loads The flexibility of online education in terms of schedules and other student demands does not mean that the student will not exert any effort at all. In online learning, the student cannot afford to be slack or complacent. Work is the same as it is in on-campus schools, maybe more so because you can choose your time to work. The accelerated pace sometimes overwhelms the unprepared student. Support system A strong support system composed of your family and friends (and employer, if there is) should be in place from the start. Your employers support is critical if there are competing responsibilities in your work and in school that will both demand for your time. Technical needs You need a very good working computer, period. It is THE most important instrument in your online studies. Your Internet connection should be fast enough and you can search online for your class needs without being dropped all the time. If you are in chat sessions in your class, your online platform should not drop your connection. Technical issues are normal (and expected within tolerable limits). What you cannot afford is having your computer leave you when you need it most (sending assignment papers or chatting with the instructor, etc.) All in all, these are some of the important considerations you must live with if you plan to get an online education. Preparation, as always, is a big step towards success.

Online Education Requirements You have decided to pursue a degree you wanted and planned to enroll yourself in an online education program. You did your research, and had zeroed in on several candidates for your online school.

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You already did your inquiries. You had checked on your prospective schools accreditation, asked about the teaching staff, and had already acquired and read the handouts of some of the schools general policies. After which, you did your review and had re-evaluated your notes. Lastly, after carefully poring over the costs and fees, you finally decided on your online school. Have you missed something? You might have or you might not. Nevertheless, the following checklist might be of further help in your preparations. There might be additional requirements needed on your chosen school and absent on the others. The following items are listed in no particular order. Computer Get the best available model that you can afford. This is to ensure that you get the basic requirements of Internet access and communications. Your class assignments could come in nightly and there might be weekend work as well. You cannot simply borrow another persons computer for the whole term. New online students wrongly assume they can borrow a friends computer or someone elses. Resentment and frustration may come in if your instructor will not give you additional time to submit your assignments. This resentment will not just sit with the professor or the online school. It may boil over into a general resentment against online education. Technical support Some schools insist on their own dedicated program software in conducting their online classes. Make sure your school has a 24/7 technical support center, and that it works. Schools should have student tutorials to walk them through all the necessary things. This is most important in tutoring students on the online platform of the school. Books and libraries Reputable online institutes have online writing centers for their students, mostly at no extra costs. They also have an online library that is accessible by all 24 hours a day, everyday. They should also have virtual online bookstores for your textbooks and other required class materials, if needed. Other tutorial materials should be available to students in an online format for immediate access and reference. Schedules This is basic, but is worth repeating. Be sure to check on the length of each class session, how much time off there are in-between online classes, and be sure to know the details of holiday breaks. Double-check on how classes are run. Are chat sessions (discussions) compulsory? What about if you are in an asynchronous environment? It will be a problem if you are on different time zones.

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Policies Again, this is one of the first basic inquiries. Have you thoroughly gone over the schools general student code of conduct? What is its policy on study breaks within your program? What exactly are the terms of payments? How does one register for the next course? Who are the resource persons to contact with in case of questions? Always ask questions For newcomers, asking questions around is the only way to navigate in the new world on online education. This is also the most important requirement for every online student because policies and other procedures vary and change in every school. It pays to be informed. Always.

Preparing For Your Online Education For some specific reasons (work, family life, commitments), you may not be able to pursue further education in the traditional route. Thankfully, online education is now a viable alternative. Like traditional on campus education, you also must follow some tried and tested procedures. This is to preclude waste in haste and faulty decisions, and generally, just to be in the safe side. Choices Like most decisions, your choice in your field of study must be firm and good. This early, you must know your subjects of interest related to your future degree. Like what most experts emphasize, learning should be enjoyable. If you choose a field you are not really interested in, the momentum would lose steam later. Studies had shown that we learn more (and retain knowledge better) if we are interested in the subject. Review Once you have made your choice, the first thing to do is conduct a personal review. Scour the Internet and review all the programs offered by schools and universities. Make notes on the variety of the courses, the various differences in subjects under them, and each of the processes involved. Weigh the differences and similarities. It will help you make your choice better. Comparison After the thorough review, it is now time to compare your notes on each of your candidate-schools. You will compare the requirements and the amount of work needed. Review the courses that you must complete, the credits involved, the length of study and the corresponding costs. You may have to request further information from each candidate institutions you are looking into. This is the time to narrow down your choices. Accreditation In online education, accreditation is very important because it is a form of a quality control check on the schools. It means they have met the criteria set for their obligations as a school.

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For students applying for grants and loans, accreditation is an important requirement. It means that you will spend your money wisely on a reputable institution and not a diploma mill. Accreditation makes credit transfers between colleges and universities smoother and easier. Very important, too, is the fact that employers look for accreditation status when evaluating job applicants or offering financial support to employees who want to get further online education. Costs Part of your previous review of each institution is to find out if your candidate university-of-choice is Title IV funded. This would mean that a student in that institution can qualify for student loans that are federally-funded. This is crucial if you have no funding available from your employer and everything comes from your own pocket. Decision It is time now to complete the online form of your chosen school and send it. However, list down all your questions before the school returns your call. When they contact you, be sure all your questions are answered. You may request to put it in writing even in an email form. This is the time when further clarifications are clarified. This is also the time to re-evaluate your choices. Some schools might hound you to make your decision. They are also in the business of making money and would want to get you first. Make yours only when you are completely comfortable. Online education is one important life decision you have to make. Your Online Education Classroom As had been written somewhere, online education might just be one of the new waves of the future. As todays lifestyle gets faster and more hectic, many things including education might be conducted wholly on the Internet in the future. With the advent of instant communications (phones, the Internet and satellite) linking the world in real-time, actual physical presence sometimes becomes redundant. Today, more than half of the processes in commerce and trade are now conducted electronically. This is also happening in other fields like news and information and entertainment in most instances. And as of this writing, online education is already a success, and this branch in their industry is now rapidly growing beyond everyones expectations. For the uninitiated, here is a short walk-through into the virtual online campus. Online classroom Your online classroom is basically a website. (Or, perhaps it may be a large section of the schools site. This varies from school to school.) In it, one of the first things you will receive is a contact list of your fellow students and your instructor. This list has the individual email addresses of all, their phone numbers (cell phones and land lines) and maybe their Skype user names, too.

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Lessons Lectures in this classroom come in different forms in audio or video presentations, in interactive media (PowerPoint) or in audio-visual format. They can all be downloaded and printed in hard copies, if requested. Online discussions are done in virtual discussion boards or email groups. Any student can log on and read them and post replies accordingly. Assignments Assignments are generally outlined in the course syllabus. Sometimes, instructors post them in databases with passwords. (Again, this is dependent on the format or style of instructions in each school.) Required readings are listed in your personal calendar. It is expected that you plan your work accordingly so you will not be overwhelmed when assignment deadlines are due. The number of assignments given to you depends on the level of educational degree (Associate, Bachelors, Masteral, or Doctoral) you are aiming at. Average time needed for your assignments is around 10 to 20 hours every week. Assignments, like their counterparts in traditional schools, also have their completion due dates. Fortunately, online students can work on theirs according to their personal schedule. Grading your assignments is also done by your instructor the old-fashioned way. Degrees The length of time to earn your degree depends on the program you are enrolled in. (Your academic advisor will fill you in on the details.) However, there may be factors to speed up the process. Some schools sometimes honor the credits you earned at your previous schools, if you had any. Additionally, you can apply and take the CLEP exams to bypass those basic courses you already are proficient. Finally, it is all up to you and your personal schedule that will decide how quickly you can complete your program. Needless to say, you will get your degree faster if you can commit more time to your online education.

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