When I started my first year in university, it was a bit of a culture shock in many ways. One of the most extreme differences on campus compared to high school was that the professors didn’t really seem to care whether I showed up for classes or not. In some classes, many students were even falling asleep. I even nodded off during some lectures, especially if the courses were conducted in nice theatres with really comfortable seats.

I enjoyed this freedom of showing up for classes whenever I wanted. This was certainly a big difference from high school where the teachers constantly took class attendance. But the rude awakening soon came when I got my first set of grades. My marks sank to ‘C’ averages with even the odd course at risk of failing.

My study skills were poor and last minute cramming for tests or exams made university life stressful. I was not enjoying campus life as I should be doing. Some things had to change as I faced the possibility of dropping out of university without a degree.

Fortunately, I stumbled onto a study strategy that saved my hide. This tactic if used faithfully, virtually eliminates the need to cram for exams. I started using this strategy at the beginning of my third year if I recall correctly and it made all the difference in the world for me.

This study strategy is ideal especially for university or college courses that involve final exams that cover material from the entire courses. Here is what this strategy involves.

- For each of your courses, schedule a regular study session for it EACH WEEK
- Stick to this study session schedule faithfully whether you have decided to have sessions during weekdays, weekends or a combination – just stick to it!
- During each study session, review EVERYTHING that you have covered in your course so far from DAY ONE to PRESENT.
- Continue reviewing all content EACH week EVEN if you don’t have an upcoming test or exam.

It’s true that there will be more material to cover each week for each course as you move along the school year. However, as you get more familiar with the earlier material each week, covering them will be faster. You might not have to increase that much time to each study session as the year goes by.

The beauty of this study strategy is that by the time final exams roll around, you will be quite familiar with most of the course content already because you have been reviewing them each week. This eliminates the need to cram for final exams.

Using this study strategy will allow you to go into your final exams with much more confidence than ever before. The only new material is the most recent since older content will be well absorbed into your head from all those weeks of regular study.

This study strategy worked wonders for me as it took me from a ‘C’ average student to ‘B+/A-’ average by graduation. This not only allowed me to finish my degree successfully, it got me into MBA school where I really needed to have better study skills in place.

You might want to consider acquiring an online degree if you are interested in becoming a teacher. The field of education is one that gives you plenty of opportunities to try out different roles. As a teacher, you can focus on early, middle, or secondary aged students. You can also take on administrative roles with an online degree focused on teaching.

Kinds of Online Degrees:
Similar to any other field, there are lots of options available for you when it comes to online degrees. To start with, you can go for a bachelor’s degree in education. You can become a teacher in any college or university by earning this degree along with a certificate in teaching. Normally your college major will decide which subject you are going to teach. Once you have earned a bachelor’s degree in education, you can further go for a master’s degree in education. This degree can come in real handy for individuals who want to advance their career.

Different Areas in the Field of Education:
The education field consists of various specializations that include elementary education, early childhood education, administration, higher education, secondary education and middle school. Each of these specializations needs a specific educational qualification and certification for becoming a teacher. For example, it is mandatory for teachers to get a license from the state in which they are teaching.

Online Bachelor’s in Education:
To start a career in teaching, you need to earn a bachelor’s degree in Education. The course structure of this online degree program includes planning lessons, handling discipline related issues, psychology of learning and making sure that students do not face any problem in understanding concepts. You can earn between $25,000 and $30,000 as a first year teacher with an online bachelor’s degree in education.

Online Master’s in Teaching:
Certified teachers can attain promotions as well as pay raises with the help of online a master’s in teaching degree. Another good thing about this degree program is that it gives teachers more opportunities in private schools and universities. Upon graduation you can also enroll in a PhD in education degree program.

Schools Offering Online Education Degrees:

o Western Governors University: Regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Western Governors University offers Bachelor in Education, Masters in Teaching, Masters in Education, Higher Education, Secondary Education and Special Education.

o Ashford University: Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Ashford University offers Associate, Bachelor and Master degrees in teaching. Some of the programs conducted by Ashford University are Bachelor in Education, Masters in Teaching, Masters in Education, Masters in Teaching, Higher Education, Early Childhood Education, Secondary Education and Elementary Education.

o Grand Canyon University: Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, Grand Canyon University offers Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education in Secondary Education and Master of Education in Special Education.

The acquisition on an online degree in education can help individuals in acquiring better career opportunities and go for well-paying jobs. But before enrolling in an online college or university, you need to make sure that it is accredited.

Tammy Greene is an educationist with decades of teaching and learning experience. Currently, Tammy is working for OnlineEduBlog acting as their advisory member and helping students with online degrees and distance learning programs and finding accredited online colleges and universities.

A master’s degree gives students training and education in a specialized field of expertise with greater depth than studying for a bachelors degree. Students pursuing a master’s degree traditionally need to hold a bachelors degree and commit to one to six years of study in a particular field. Online education masters degree programs make it easier for working business professionals to complete their education and attain advanced positions in their field.

Masters degrees definitely afford individuals an opportunity to increase their earning potential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average weekly earnings for a masters degree holder are $1,102, which is $200 more than people holding a bachelors degree. These statistics further reveal that only 5.9 percent of adults in America hold a masters degree.

Online education masters degree programs may consist of any combination of advanced study courses, internships and independent research, such as a thesis. Some master’s degree programs enable students to go directly into a career, others require internships or additional credentials and some prepare students to enter doctoral degree programs. To fulfill the requirements of a masters degree program, students must attend between 30 to 60 semester hours, which may be completed online between 15 and 36 months.

Masters degrees are differentiated by post-nominal letters that indicated the level of academic achievement, honor or office a student has earned. The most common areas of online education masters degree study are:

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.). The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study determined that about one in five students seeking to earn a master’s degree pursue an M.B.A. The masters degree in business administration is research-oriented and involves independent study and achievement. Online education masters degree programs give business executives the ability to fit educational advancement into their schedules at their convenience. Further, according to “Taking the E-Train” by Douglas Bartholomew there are quite a few opportunities for business networking and making professional connections through online education.

Master of Education (MEd, MAT, MSEd). According to the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, about 28 percent of students study for a masters degree with a focus on education. There are several specialization that students can choose, including elearning, corporate training, teaching and administration. Graduates can pursue careers as teachers, in technology or as principals and administrators or pursue doctoral degrees to seek positions as education experts in their field. Online education masters degree programs provide educators with the opportunity to seek advanced education while maintaining their current positions and tenure in the field.

Master of Science (M.S.). A master of science can be earned in a variety of research, education and health care fields. Pursuing an M.S. degree usually involves independent study as well field work. Graduates are employed in careers such as research, health care, education and more. Certain M.S. Programs prepare students to enter doctorate study to become employed in positions such as physicians and health care administrators. Online education masters degree programs give busy doctors, nurses and scientists the chance to practice in the field while attaining higher degrees.

Master of Arts (M.A.). A masters degree in the arts is often considered to be a terminal degree. This means that graduates are prepared to enter their chosen field and no further degree is needed to advance professionally. For example, the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) enables graduates to enter directly into careers such as a photographers, sculptor, creative writer and painter. An M.A. gives a greater level of distinction, expertise accomplishment to those working in the fine arts and can even qualify people to educate others on artistic pursuits.

Financial aid is readily available for all types of online education masters degree programs. Students can find out about tuition reimbursement from their employers, especially in fields such as health care that need more certified people in certain professions. Federal and state grants and loans may be available, such as Stafford Loans. There are also private students loans through entities such as Citibank. Certain online education programs offer payment plans to students who are unable to pay a lump sum at the beginning of the semester. Finally, there are a wealth of scholarships available to students willing to apply and pursue them. Financial assistance is readily available for students who want to attend online education masters degree programs.

The increased availability of financial aid coupled with the convenience and flexibility of online education masters degree programs have made it easier for more people to earn advanced degrees. “Earned Degrees Conferred by Gender, 1870 to 2000″ revealed that between 1970 and 2000, the number of masters degrees earned by women increased over 220 percent. The number of masters degrees awarded to men increased 53 percent. According to the College Board 2006, these graduates are certain to benefit from obtaining an advanced degree as only 6% of the population have one.

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.

With the current challenges facing traditional colleges and universities, which includes higher tuition, budget cuts, and course shortages, many students as well as those that love learning have switched to online educational programs. With nearly three million students currently enrolled in fully online degree programs and eight million taking at least one online course as part of their degree program, online education has clearly become one of the most popular higher education alternatives.

The continually improving reputation of online learning has also helped fuel its expansion, as initial skepticism has faltered in the face of evidence that shows that online learning can be just as effective as face-to-face education. I have taken several myself and the experience is quite unique as these programs are entirely convenient and flexible. They provide educational information that will build your business immediately. You will be surprised to know that some of these online courses are FREE! The emphasis however in taking free courses online is the personal knowledge obtained. The certificates received in some cases are however not from accredited educational institutes.

ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS VERSUS TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

All of this means that students, from working professionals to recent high school graduates, find many reasons to take all or some of their courses online. Below are some major advantages of online education:

Variety of programs and courses: From traditional four-year universities to completely online career colleges, higher education today offers a variety of options for learners. This means that no matter what students wish to study, from cooking to rocket science, they can find online education they need. They can also earn every academic degree online, all the way from a career certificate to a doctorate.

Lower total costs: Online educational programs can be a more affordable option than traditional colleges. Though not all online degrees have less expensive net tuition prices than traditional colleges, associated costs are almost always less expensive. There are no commuting costs, and there is also not any required course materials such as textbooks because every reading materials are made available for free online. In addition, many colleges and universities have begun to accept credits earned via free massive open online courses (MOOCs), the most recent advance in online education. Free online courses such as these can help students fulfill general education requirements at little to no cost.

More comfortable learning environment: These days, commercials featuring online students studying in their pajamas are becoming popular in describing one of the primary benefits of online education. There are no physical class sessions. Lectures and reading materials are electronically sent to the student, who will then read them and complete assignments. Students will not have to fight traffic, find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss important family time.

Convenience and flexibility: Online educational programs give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online and they are asynchronous, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either. All of this makes online learning attractive.

Avoid commuting: During bad weather, colleges may cancel classes. Also, a traffic situation like in Lagos where I reside may pose a serious problem for those attending traditional education. Rather than be late or miss important class sessions, students in online educational programs can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials. Many students also find that the amount they save on fuel costs can be substantial if they don’t have to commute to a physical campus in general, no matter what the weather conditions may be.

Improve your technical skills: Even the most basic online educational programs requires the development of new computer skills, as students learn to navigate different learning management systems (LMS) and programs. The skills students learn to participate in their online courses translate to many professions, including creating and sharing documents, incorporating audio/video materials into your assignments, completing online training sessions, etc. All this form part of their learning too.

All over the world, the numbers of people in school at the different levels takes pyramidal shape. There are huge numbers at the elementary, but as they progress, the numbers decrease, leaving just a few in higher education. In the United States, some 65 million students were expected to enroll from K to K12 in the fall of 2015. In the same period, it was expected that 20.2 million would be attending Colleges and Universities. It is estimated that 25% of fresh high school students in the U.S.A are not able to graduate. For fresh students who enter colleges or universities 1 out of 3 are likely not make it to second year. This dropout out rate hinders national development, because many people do not receive the full training they need to be functional in society. National development would be hugely fostered, if more adults receive education, in order that they become functional in society.

I am not saying that all adults who were not fully educated are not playing important roles in society. There are very prominent individuals in society who dropped out of school at some level. Bill Gate, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, for example, at some point dropped out of school. Though this list is not exhaustive, the number of people who dropped out of school or decided not to gain higher education and yet became successful are relatively few. For the majority who dropped out or discontinued education, and could not become successful in their careers, it was because they lacked the knowledge they needed to develop their potential. If you check the history of those who in spite of dropping out or discontinuing schooling have become successful, you would find that appeared to have found their life’s purpose and so pursued those goals and, more importantly, they received some kind of education later.

Education as we all know is a life-long activity. At any point in time, whether you dropped out of school or got honors at your graduation, you would need education. The school dropout who has found himself a vocation or gained employment needs education so he/she can be more productive, the dropout who has realized the need to school but has ‘grown past school going age’ and desires to school obviously needs education, managers as well as employees need further education in order to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing world and gain increased wages and status respectively. Somehow, the traditional education dependent society we have created for ourselves and considers the ‘best’, limits our quest for continuing education. For many people, formal education ended the day they dropped out or graduated from High School, College or University, even though, technology makes it possible for us to sit in our houses and still get quality education.

When technology – computers and internet connectivity – replaced physical classrooms and made it possible to study by distance in real time, it appeared the issue of continuous education for everyone, including the dropout and the working class have been solved. It appeared, and still does, that now the teacher need not leave his students, apply for study-leave or leave of absence to pursue further education. It appeared the fifty-year-old woman who dropped out of school several years ago could now school from home and it appeared the father could learn what his daughter is learning at College using the same device he uses to call her. That is what it appeared. Those who dropped out of school due to issues of finance and have not since had a breakthrough would not benefit, and those who have the money would not want to put their money into a certificate employers and academicians alike would frown upon. So little appear to have changed for these two groups of people, though online Colleges and Universities abound.

Two prime issues are to blame. First, online education is too expensive for the target group of learners and second, there is the perception that online Colleges and Universities do not provide holistic education like the traditional Colleges and Universities. As indicated by Ed Vosganian – founder and CEO of College Funding 123, the cost of on-campus University for undergraduate is estimated at 42,000 dollars while for the same group it cost around 21,000 dollars for online universities. By comparison we would say that it cost far less to study via online. But we need not lose sight of those who mostly enroll in online University. It is those in the middle and lower classes who opt for online universities. They include; the employee who has sacrificed pleasure for higher qualification in return for better wages, the unemployed who wants to gain employable skills, the dropout who wants to get back to school in the hope that there will be a brighter future, and the people living in the remote part of the world, especially in the developing world, who don’t even have the money to pay fees and so would have to learn and work simultaneously. To these 21,000 dollars is money so huge, it is very difficult to raise. There are people of the higher income class who enroll in online universities, but online learning is not popular among these due to low prestige and the myths associated with online education. The online institutions will tell you, they would not put anything on your certificate to show that you received a non-traditional education. This kind of advert speaks of how society values online education. Online education is considered a cheap way of getting ‘watered down’ education. Online Colleges and Universities were until recently considered diploma mills. This perception still exists, though empirical evidence tells us there is no disparity in quality of students from traditional Colleges and Universities on one hand and online Colleges and Universities on the other. The online Universities and Colleges are doing their best to make online learning prestigious and bring down study cost, but they cannot do it alone. With government intervention online learning can become prestigious and lower and middle class friendly.

Government should provide a national framework for online education, subsidize accreditation, and grant scholarships and student loans for students in online Colleges and Universities. A national framework to guide the operations of all online colleges and universities should be instituted by the state, through the Department of Education or the relevant government agency. This framework, which would be descriptive and not prescriptive in nature would describe, for example, the minimum courses to be taken at a given level, and the general mode of operation of online universities and colleges without prescribing specific courses or mode of operation. Accreditation is not just laborious for online Colleges and Universities; it is also expensive. This cost is passed to students, souring up program fees. If the government decides to absorb half the cost of accreditation, though there is no guarantee the program fees will be halved, the program fee would be reduced somehow. Lastly, most of the students who opt for online colleges and universities do not receive scholarships and student loans from the state. Those who receive something do not get huge scholarships and student loans like their counterparts in traditional Colleges and Universities. Government should make scholarships and students loans available to students of online Colleges and Universities just as it does for students in traditional Colleges and Universities.

The ramifications of these interventions would definitely be awesome. Providing a national framework for online education would take away the false negative perception people have about online learning. Many think online learning is easy and also the number of credits taken are far less than those taken in traditional learning settings. This thinking exists because there are some poorly designed online courses in which certificate are awarded after just a couple of assignments have been submitted. Such practices can be stopped, when a national framework is developed and operationalized. A national framework will give credibility to online learning, because a national standard for online would have to be adhered to and so no online college or university can just sell certificate. Subsidizing Accreditation will yield three results. The most obvious is that, it would reduce program fees because amount to pass to the students would be less. Subsidizing accreditation fees would encourage online Colleges and Universities to seek accreditation from accrediting bodies recognize by the Department of Education or the appropriate state agency. Even though accreditation is not compulsory in some parts of the world, like the united states, some occupation that require state licensing would not accept degree from non-accredited Colleges and University. Prospective online learners are, usually, worried about whether the can easily work with their certificates. Government intervention would remove this worry and remove the negative perception people have about online education as well. Government interventions in the form of scholarship and loans would ease the financial burden and make it possible for those who hitherto would not be able to school to do so. In sum, government intervention would go a long way to produce an enlightened society by permitting many people to receive higher education.

There are many people wanting to get higher education through online Colleges and Universities so they gain knowledge and skills, or enhance their knowledge and skills but cannot do because of either the cost or the uncertainty of the acceptability of the certificate. Government intervention in the form of national framework for online universities and colleges, subsidizing accreditation cost and providing scholarships and student loans would open the door for those who want to study from home. Government intervention can give the assurance that online learning is as good as traditional college or university learning, and that their certificate would be accepted jobs that require state licensing. It would ease the pressure on facilities in traditional Colleges and Universities, produce the well-educated citizenry needed for national development and convert the current pyramidal shape into a ‘near’ cylinder.

The time comes when every parent has to assist their child in making the right choice of university or college. This all important decision should not be left until the last moment but requires considerable time, thought, and research. When you consider the fact that three to four years of your child’s life plus an investment of thousands of dollars into his/her education is required, it is prudent to get involved as a parent.

So how do you ensure that you’re making the right decision?

The first thing that parents need to do is know your child. You should know what his interests and gifting are. If your child loves the Arts, then you cannot be, or should not be forcing him to pursue the Sciences. You should also know whether or not your teen works best independently or in a group setting; or whether he learns better in a small classroom setting. Is your teen easily distracted and lacks self-discipline or is he focused and disciplined? All these factors will play a major part in your choice of college or university.

Secondly, much research has to be done on the programs that your child is interested in and compare and contrast each college/university’s offering of that program. Which ones are best geared towards his career goals and which subjects are a better fit for what he’s interested in.

Thirdly, cost is usually a significant factor in coming to a decision. Therefore, after narrowing the choices down based on the first two factors, you must compare the cost of your child studying at one particular college as against another. In addition to tuition, your finances will determine whether or not your child can attend a local college/university or one away from home. Can he attend the more expensive Ivy League university or will it be more affordable for him to attend an equally reputable but less expensive one?

Fourthly, it is also a good thing to consider campus spirit as you’d want your teen to enjoy campus life. What clubs does each university/college offer and what opportunities are there for self-development or for community service?

Lastly, it is good to visit the various campuses and get a feel of the environment in which your teen will be. On campus tours, you’ll meet professors and lecturers and hear directly from them on their accessibility.

This is indeed one of the most exciting times in a parents and teens life and after all the research is done, both parties should feel comfortable and happy with the decision made.

In recent times, the SRI International for the Department of Education revealed a 93-page report founded on one of the serious topics these days i.e. online education.

Surprising but true, the report shows that students enrolled in an online educational course exhibit an improved performance when it comes to their comparison with students attending the brick-and-mortar educational schemes.

The study bases its conclusions from the broad research on online education in opposition to the typical classroom teaching from 1996 to 2008. Though, a part of it was in K-12 premises, a considerably bigger part of the research was done at the level of colleges and continuing-education programs for adults in a variety of field, ranging from medical science to military education.

The outcome was analyzed on the basis of the 99 studies involving points, indicating which type of education (online or class room) is more beneficial for student’s overall performance in the diverse educational fields. It then became evident from the conclusions of those studies that on the whole, students pursuing some or a number of courses online would more likely rank in the 59th percentile in terms of experienced performance, while the average classroom student would score in the 50th percentile. Now, this theory indicates a significant amount of major difference in both the learning methods.

Barbara Means who’s the lead author of the study and a teaching psychologist says that the study is essentially aimed for the promotion of the fact that online study currently is far better than the conservative educational methods. Though, this doesn’t indicate that the time to “greet farewell” to classrooms has arrived. The chief aim of the study is to promote online education at a higher level for an improved and flexible educational method. Online education bases its success from the advancement in technology and the inclusion of highly developed online tools, which have together made online learning not only better but fun too.

Experts explain that online education plays an important role in the provision of individual attention to every learner that turns out to be highly problematic in a classroom loaded with a number of students. Consequently, a significantly big student majority takes this system as more engaging and winning than the traditional one.

According to Dean Philip R. Regier, online education is at its inflection point. Therefore, the maximum near-term growth will prove to be in continuing educational programs. In fact, a usual university accommodates 5,000 students in its continuing education programs, including in-person classes and online courses. If this educational strategy continues to maintain its recognition, the number of students is likely to triple within the upcoming three to five years.

It is also believed that online education can additionally play a role in the complete conversion of college campuses. Today, universities and several K-12 schools are incorporating online educational management systems, such as the Blackboard or the open-source Moodle. These are extensively used in the submissions of coursework, reading lists, and class timetable and even hosting some Web discussion boards.

It is because of the improved involvement of social networking technology, things seem to be quite diverse. Students will not only facilitate themselves but be trained to help others too. For example, it will be understood that college students are familiar with the basics of calculus, and the classroom time will focus more on applying the math on practical situations – perhaps in understanding the physics of weather changes or ups and downs in stock rates. This implies that people can accomplish a degree in a shorter span of time.

According to Mr. Regier, the latest educational scheme can effectively develop learning communities in the middle of students in a number of ways. It is evident that online education will give education a new shape- something beyond the classrooms. Education will then be free, accessible for anyone irrespective of the learner’s location. This surely can modify the way we work and can without any doubt influence the literacy rates in a positive manner.

Honestly, online education has become increasingly popular at colleges and universities in the past few years because of the improved access that it provides students. Online education refers to courses where at least 80 percent of content is distributed online. Students send assignments online and often participate in chat discussions or message boards that pertain to the course subject.

However, while no face to face interaction is found in online degree programs, students are still able to communicate with each other through their computers. A growing number of physical universities, as well as newer online colleges, have begun to offer a select set of academic degree and certificate programs via the Internet at a wide range of levels and in a wide range of disciplines.

While some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, many are delivered completely online. In addition, several universities offer online student support services, such as online advising and registration, counseling, online textbook purchase, student governments and student newspapers. The benefits of online education includes, the ability to earn the same degree as an in class student, study at your own pace, convenience student resource center.

Education

Nevertheless, in higher education especially, the increasing tendency is to create a virtual learning environment which is sometimes combined with a management information system to create a managed learning environment in which all aspects of a course are handled through a consistent user interface standard throughout the institution. E-Learning can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises for children. E-learning services have evolved since computers were first used in education.

The main goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope develop evaluation crite. Online learning can be a convenient way of getting your education but its not for everybody. Make sure to find out how much your education is going to cost before enrolling. Most colleges and universities now offer online learning also called distance education.

Request free information about online teaching preparation programs and online education degrees from some of the most respected schools and colleges of education in your country. These highly respected education schools offer accredited education degrees and teaching preparation programs, delivered in a convenient online format. The internet has revolutionized education as we know it and now it is possible to earn a GED, BA, MA and even a PhD virtually without leaving your home and many other degrees are available with online education.

However, the internet has made online education possible in virtually every discipline and for any kind of student. Homework can be handed in electronically and lectures can be watched by downloading video files, online education can replicate the classroom experience and give the student the opportunity to earn a degree while working around job and family responsibilities. Online education is now available for almost every kind of degree.

It has made it possible to find a good school anywhere in the world but some people may need learning institutions close to them because they may want to visit the campus, use the library facilities, get to know other students face to face or take occasional exams which are proctored on campus. However, online education is more characterized by writing than by exams, simply because students who are located all over the world can not take proctored exams.

Learning

E-learning is naturally suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but can also be used in conjunction with face to face teaching, in which case the term blended learning is commonly used. It can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises for children. There is a trend to move toward blended learning services, where computer based activities are integrated with practical or classroom based situations.

This idea is generally seen as being distinct from the use of computers in ways where learning is at least a peripheral element of the experience. Much effort has been put into the technical reuse of electronically based teaching materials and in particular creating or reusing learning objects.

Conclusion

Online education is a way to increase students knowledge in a particular area of study by giving them access to a wide variety of material on the subject. It is rapidly increasing and online doctoral programs have even developed at leading research universities. It is accommodating in this manner, as it permits an individual to work while being enrolled as a full time college student.

Moreover, it is convenient and flexible, allowing you to maintain your professional and personal commitments while pursuing a high quality education. Online education is now available for almost every kind of degree.