The growing demands of distance education by on line consumers has provided an opportunity for many new educational providers to meet consumer learner’s needs. With this proliferation of on line providers, learners are raising insightful questions about the on line distance education experience. A number of important questions are being asked by the consumer and include the following:



What is the cost per credit hour of my on line learning experience?

Is my on line educational experience going to be a high quality experience?

Is the educational provider recognized by an accreditation body for higher learning?

Will the educational provider assist with job search following graduation?

Is the educational provider ranked among peer review groups and organizations?



The question of how to select a provider of service always follows the cost per credit hour of the on line learning experience. After you determine what you can afford or what you are willing to pay for the experience, the selection process begins regarding the selection of an educational provider. This is a difficult decision to make and here are a few questions to consider whenever attempting to make the decision:



Do I want my on line experience to be provided by a four year public or private university?

Do I want my on line experience to be provided by a specialty provider of on line education?

Community colleges offer on line courses and are usually part of a state’s higher education system of education. Is a community college acceptable?

Do I want a technical education? If so, do I want a specialty provider?



These are questions that deserve a reasonable amount of research and exploration before committing your resources to a particular provider. In addition to acquiring information from the educational provider of services, ask friends, family members, professionals within your area of interest, as well as graduates from the prospective provider. A little time researching your educational provider will save you time and money with your educational experience



By: Gia Gee

About the Author:

Continuing education in general is quite similar to adult education since it is also intended for adult learners, especially those adults who are beyond traditional undergraduate college or university age. However, it is wrong to club continuing education with other educational programs such as vocational training. As its name suggests, it is a continuation of education. The student of continuing education already has an education prior to taking up continuing education.

Continuing education in the simplest term is a form of post-secondary learning activities and programs. Some of the programs under continuing education may include non-degree career training, degree credit courses by non-traditional students, formal personal enrichment courses, workforce training, experiential learning, and self-directed learning which is done through online interest clubs and groups or personal research activities.

Many universities and colleges in the US cater to continuing education programs. Often there is either a division or a school of continuing education, which is also at times given names such as university extension or extension school. Continuing education involves both credit-granting courses as well as non-credit-granting courses. Such non-credit-granting courses are often taken for personal, non-vocational enrichment. There are many community colleges in the US that cater to such programs.

It is not only students who need continuing education, but also professionals who need it to update their knowledge and skill set. In fact, it is a compulsory for people practicing certain professions. Licensing authorities in a number of fields make continuing education compulsory on members who hold licenses to practice within a particular profession. The licenses to practice their profession are issued for a fixed term and are to be renewed after the expiry of this term. If they fail to update themselves through continuing education, their licenses are not renewed. This is done to encourage professionals to expand their knowledge base and keep pace with new developments. This may be achieved through college or university coursework, extension courses or conferences and seminars attendance.

The method and format of delivering continuing education includes conventional classroom lectures as well as distance learning. Students who enroll for continuing education in a college or university often opt for classroom and laboratory classes. However, much weight is given to distance learning as maximum of those who opt for continuing education are working people who have little or no time to attend classroom lectures.

In such distance learning, education is imparted through CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming. Education online is also one area that has seen fast development in recent years. Material for study is delivered over the Internet. In fact online degrees are pursued by many students and professional who finds them very convenient. Students can earn some extra pocket money working part time and professional can pursue an online degree that will help them in career growth.

Other than CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming, continuing education is also delivered through independent study and use of conference-type group study. Again the Internet plays a big role here. These groups with similar interests meet together online and discuss and exchanges ideas and knowledge. These online communities are very effective in sharing knowledge and new findings.

Another way of facilitating continuing education is through seminars and workshops. A combination of traditional or conventional, distance, and conference-type study, or two of these three types, may be used for a particular continuing education course or program.



By: Manu Goel

About the Author:

The ability to obtain an online education degree has opened the educational doors for many students who cannot afford to attend school on campus as a full-time student.  Distance learning courses definitely provide some advantages over the traditional college education. But, because of the methods of delivering and receiving the material, students must consider the 7 things necessary in approaching an online education successfully.

1. Choosing the best education online institution – Make sure the institute for higher education chosen has adequate resources and accreditation recognized by the proper authorities.  Unless authenticity can be verified, find another school.  Sadly, unscrupulous degree mills offer degrees with short-term or no real education. Thus, the diplomas are bogus and absolutely worthless. Find a school that provides solid education, ample student support, and the facilities necessary to succeed in your distance learning.

2. Evaluate the cost and benefits – Generally, obtaining an online education is a costly venture. Most people do not realize the cost is often more than a traditional education.  So, it is important to evaluate the desired online education degree, and determine whether the benefit of future income opportunities will offer the reward for gaining an online degree.

3. How do employers view an online education degree? – There are many instances where employers were skeptical about the legitimacy of online education degrees. With so many “diploma mills” out there, it’s warranted for employers to be cautious. Although an online education degree might be legit, it would be very helpful to the employer if you provided the type of accreditation your college has beforehand to avoid any misunderstanding. By letting the employer know in advance that your institution was accredited by an institution that is recognized by CHEA and US department of Education, you will be a step ahead in qualifying for that dream job.

4. Discipline, determination, and time – First time distance learning students are often surprised by the amount of discipline necessary to stay on task and complete the online assignment.  It takes unfaltering determination to achieve an online education. In addition, without regularly scheduled classes, it is essential to exercise good time management skills. To keep focused, without the physical presence of educator and peers, it is important to establish communication with other students to have another push toward success in your education degree online

5. Utilize all the facilities provided – Online courses generally provide online lectures and email correspondence to ensure a means of communication with instructors, tutors, and fellow students.  Take advantage of every opportunity to utilize these resources of motivation and encouragement, as well as establish a sense of connection with the college or university.

6. Make use of credit transfers – Many online education degree colleges allow students to transfer their credits from courses they took in previous colleges, whether online or traditional. By doing this, it means students don’t have to repeat courses they learnt before. For this to be effected, it’s important for a student who intends to pursue an education online to make sure they get transcripts and results from their previous universities or colleges and make them available to their accredited online college so they can be passed as transfer credits.

7. Make use of the educational technology – Accredited online universities offer a plethora of opportunities for doing necessary research and other facilities to ensure adequate completion of the course.  Normally, the cost of virtual libraries, the programs to access online lectures, and even student online access and e-mail accounts are factored into the cost of the course. Therefore, it only makes sense to use all the technology available to make the most of the educational opportunity in achieving an online education degree.



By: Mary Jackson

About the Author:

The credit crunch and stock market crash will have an impact on households’ income and their ability to pay for college. The tuition fee, room, books, travel and other college expenses are continuing to soar while the economy has worsened. With today’s economy situation, it will be much more difficult to obtain a student loan. Parents are looking for alternative education options for their children and online education has came out to be the best education option that meets the tight education budget of the parents.

Prior to this economy crisis, students who choose to pursue their degree online are mainly enjoying the benefits of online education that give them flexibility study environment, but with economy downturn that leads to a recession, cost effectiveness of online degrees may become the key factor that divert many of pro campus-based parents and students to opt for online education.

Getting a degree through online education program can be a good option in the recession period. As the online education enable students to logon to the classes from their home or any location at their convenient, it eliminates the hassle of traveling to and from the college, while helping to save in term of traveling cost. Students who study at campus-based college that is far away from their home may need to relocate by renting a room and a house that close by; this additional cost can be saved by pursuing the same degree offered through online education.

Most learning materials used in online degree programs are in digital format that can be downloaded from the online learning system of the school. Although the online colleges may add some charges to the downloadable online learning materials, it still a saving if compare to the cost needed to purchase those printed books and references required by campus-based colleges.

Another key advantage of online education to be the best education option for those who have tight education budget is the online students can choose to work while pursuing their degree. Most online degree programs have some sort of flexibility that allows the students to plan their own pace of study. This advantage enables the students who are working for extra income to plan for their study time that fit into their working schedule. Moreover, the students who are working do not need to rush to college after work; instead, they can go home and take a bath and nice dinner before they logon to the online class from their comfort home.

Summary

In the bad economy situation, education for children still needed to be invested for their better future. But, with online education, parents have a better education option that can meet their children education requirement while fulfilling their tight budget plan.



By: Amelia Turner

About the Author:

Have you heard about free online education? Well, if you search the Internet, you can come across many online schools and institutes offering free online education. You can sit back in your comfy home and get a degree that you are looking for long. The most important part is that you do not have to spend hefty sum when you are going for online education.

Online Learning serves all your needs

Online education can be categorized in two categories. You can go for free online learning as a part of self study or may be as assistance to your regular course. This may be part of your assignment or a school project. Another facet of free online education is when you get yourself enrolled for a degree or a certificate course through an online institute. In every case, free online education is a great help for many people today.

Learning made easy with free online education

For those who cannot quit their jobs for studying further, online education is a great solution. And when it comes free of cost, it becomes all the more easily to get. There are number of good universities and colleges that let you get free online education. The education online has solved the problems of those who want to continue their education but cannot go for regular colleges due to restrictions of time and money. When you take up any course online you have full assistance of the teachers and professors. So you do not lack any kind of teaching help when you go for free education online. The online institutes have developed virtual class rooms that are great to help you learn fast. With the assistance of online aids like e books, audio video tutorials, you will not find it hard to grasp things. You can interact with other students who are studying the similar course via forums and question answer sections on the college web site. All this helps you to get the clear picture of the subject matter of the online course.

Free online education via universities

A great news for those who are looking for free online education is that many reputed universities such as the Boston University and the University of Massachusetts has a lot of free course materials over the Internet. These sources are reliable, so there is no harm in getting free online education through them. But one of the biggest problems with free online education is that there is no one who can evaluate you as such. You have to evaluate yourself to know how much you are gaining from the online education. If you have the ability to evaluate yourself then there is no harm in going for these online courses. Many people are not able to make it with the online education as they lack competition while learning which is there when you go for class room study.

Free online education is great for those who cannot afford to get education at good centres. You can get good education in the privacy of your home and without spending a good sum. With little caution, you can get advantage of these online learning programs.



By: Budingest

About the Author:

Nowadays, pursuing a degree through online education is common, and the value of online degree from a proper accredited university or college is equally weight than the traditional campus-based degree. With both campus-based degree and online education you have more options to choose from if you want to earn a degree for you career advancement. Online education has many advantages that can benefit its students, but it may not be a good option for all students; then what makes online education a better option for you?

Here a 5 signs that an online education might be a better option for you:

1. You want to continue your current job while pursuing a degree

In order to success in both work and study, you need to have a good time management that helps you to stay focus in both tasks. Online education will make it easier for you if you are the person who does not want to give up your paycheck while earning a degree for better career future. The advantages of online education that allows it students to have the most flexible learning environment can benefit a working individual and plan your times that best fit into both work and study.

2. You are managing multiple time commitments

Online education helps to cut down wasted time in traveling to and from school while providing flexible scheduling that can enables you to fully utilize your time. If you are a person with full of time commitments with multiple working around obligations, you will appreciate the anytime, anywhere access of the virtual classroom. Online education will be a better option for you if you have such working obligations while you study:



Frequent traveling for job assignment

Unfixed working schedule / work on shift

Involve in project-based work that need long working hour

Need to take care of your children after work hours



3. You are a visual learner

Traditional campus-based learning style is more emphasis on auditory activities such as lectures and oral discussions while online education learning style is mostly in visual learning format that involves reading, writing with various visual aids found in virtual classroom. Hence, if you prefer to “read and learn” than “listen and learn” type of style, an online education learning environment will be a better option for you.

4. You are self-motivated “Self-motivation” is the key factor to a success online study.

Online classes allow you to logon to the class at anytime and remain in the online class for the duration you prefer, nobody will push at your back to urge you complete you projects or assignments. You may move through the material at your own pace, passing quickly on the area you already familiar with and spending more time to understand new concepts. If you equip with a good “self-motivation” characteristic, then you should have no problem in completing an online education program which makes it a better option for you.

5. You are interest in a specialized degree not available locally

One of the most compelling reasons to opt for online education is you can earn your dream degree offered by any of university in the world as long as the university offers online degree programs. Distance is not an issue for online education because you can reach it with mouse clicks no matter how far it is located from your place. The online education will become a better option for you when the degree you are interested in is not available locally.

Summary

Earning a degree online can have many advantages over the traditional campus-based education. It will become your better education option if the advantages of online education can benefit you while helping you to achieve your education goal in a better way.



By: Jullie Harvard

About the Author:

Some educators who are dedicated to excellence in education and devotion to their school, students, and community wish to advance their teaching career and take that next step toward becoming a principal. However, returning to a traditional educational setting in order to reach this goal may not always be easy for some teachers. There are some alternatives to the path of principal licensure. The University of Cincinnati offers a Masters of Education for obtaining your principal licensure that is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) that can be completed online in as little as two years.

The Master of Education In Educational Leadership program, which work in cooperation with the standards of performance developed by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), is designed to give students the tools necessary to go into administrative roles such as directors, principals, and administrative coordinators in both public and private schools. Your program will begin with Foundations of Educational Administration I & II and as you work towards the completion of the online degree program you will have the opportunity to develop an electronic portfolio that will keep track of your work as you move through the degree program. During your final year of the program (the last four quarters) you will also have an opportunity to complete a Planned Field Experience to help you see the practical applications of what you have learned while working under the guidance of a licensed administrator. In total, the Master of Education in Educational Leadership will include 50 credits of course work plus 4 additional credits for the planned field experiences. The Master of Education in Educational Leadership will give you a very strong foundation in both academic and applied principles to give you the tools and confidence that you need to play an effective role in leading students to meet the high standards demanded by today’s increasingly competitive world.

At the University of Cincinnati your graduate degree is reasonably priced at $404 per credit hour for Ohio residents, and $414 for students who are not residents of the state of Ohio, plus fees and supplies. Since the Master of Education in Educational Leadership is an accredited degree program, you may be eligible for financial aid or student loans that will help you to cover the costs of your degree. The University of Cincinnati has enrollment advisors that can help you in finding out what aid you may qualify for and assist you in obtaining the necessary paper work to apply. Admissions to the Master of Education in Educational Excellence program requires the standard items such as a transcript of undergraduate work, a resume, letters of reference that have been sealed and dated, and a written statement of your personal and professional goals. Additional applicants must submit recent GRE scores (taken within the past 5 years) and have a GPA of at least 2.8 out of the 4.0 scale. The application fee is $40 and there are additional requirements for international students.

With the online degree program from the University of Cincinnati there is nothing holding you back from achieving your career goals.



By: Bailey Smith

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Global Development and Continuing Education:

In most fields of study and societies, continuing education courses are a standard part of the curriculum. Continuing Education programs help students stay up to date with accessible and a relatively easy method of acquiring new information related to the changes, methods, breakthroughs and research in their field of expertise and general global development The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one such project continuously strives to address these ever changing needs of global change focusing on training students paying special attention to cultural and intellectual background.

For many reasons, most people take an education break and don’t complete their degrees. This hiatus causes students to lose confidence and with time, even forget the study material contents. A Continuing Education course helps these students regain this self esteem and confidence in their skills helping them to complete their education.

Most continuing education courses students take are related to their previous field of study. Besides, boosting the confidence of the individual, continuing education courses also help the person to pursue the profession of his choice and form a solid career base.

Continuing Education – A key to Success:

Continuing education courses are provided in numerous subjects. These courses are also available online, in colleges and on the Internet. Online courses are the most popular amongst adult education students, because they not only facilitate communication opportunities between student and faculty but also because courses may be taken at hours convenient to them.

The origin of The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) learning model can be traced to the Sons of David Foundation (SOD) which advanced the funds to create this new paradigm in learning.

Although, continuing education courses are available online, it does not mean that a student has to sit at home and study. Because of the transportability of continuing education courses and their ease of use with modern technology, on line study has generated a lot of enthusiasm. Numerous seminars and conferences are set up by educational institutions to facilitate this new and innovative interactive platform.

Continuing education courses are also used in traditional colleges and have become core material in such recognized institutions as Purdue, DeVry and Phoenix University. Although, these courses cannot be considered the same as a traditional college education, a pupil can use on line course as an adjunct to their college studies. Large numbers of recognized institutions have mushroomed up which broadens the course offerings. Courses are structured especially to address the experienced study groups and adults. In fact, on university transcripts there is no notation as to whether a class was taken on line or in a classroom environment. A degree from an accredited university is a valid degree whether on line or on campus.

Most of the courses available through on line continuing education are fields of study which are constantly evolving and regularly have new scientific breakthroughs. These on line courses actualize materials students have already learned. Traditionally, these courses don’t have a lot of introductory material because it is assumed that pupils already have knowledge about the fundamentals of the topic.

ENOCIS – a Class apart:

The duration of the continuing education courses are varied. They also have flexible hours to accommodate the needs and the requirements of the working professionals. Continuing education courses are a window of opportunity to majority of the people, who have a dream of graduating and fulfilling their career goals. Continuing education online also helps professionals to remain up to date in their field, making sure that their knowledge does not become obsolete.

There are some institutes which stand apart from the rest such as Enoch Olinga College, which helps the student in the preparation of real life experiences, helping their education not only to benefit the student but also society and family.



By: David W Morris

About the Author:

In a recent public appearance, while inaugurating the three day national workshop on distance learning, honourable Mr. S K Sinha, Governor Jammu & Kashmir, referred to the distance learning education system as the most suitable learning schema to reach remote areas. The special reference in the speech was towards provision of education, in the areas untouched by tradition classroom learning modules and thus appropriateness of this counter program. While the stated is certainly a wise call, however as an education seeker, there definitely is much more to analyze, before enrolling with a distance learning curriculum.

Before highlighting upon the nuances of distance education in Indian context, it is imperative to clearly understand the concept. Distance education, unlike the classroom learning system, enables the learning process between the educator and learners, while they are not physically present at a common venue. Communication happens over various channels including print, electronic, real time technology and more. In the present scenario, the advent of technology in this domain is rampantly increasing.

Pros and cons of distance learning with specific reference to the Indian education scenario:

The invisible bridge: Distance education is an evolving field with obvious merits. For those who for any reason cannot make it to the classrooms, distance learning is the perfect answer. It simply connects the two ends of education rope and thus simplifies the learning process.

Efficient system: Distance learning does not mandates physical attendance and thus saves on commuting and miscellaneous time heads. It is an efficient learning schema, which maximises output in minimal time.

Apt for professionals: Distance education is especially convenient for working professionals, who cannot spare 2-3 years for pursuing full time higher education courses.

Host of options: Distance learning offers education curriculum over a host of learning streams to include higher education. Even the most reputed of education programs like IIT are soon to be added to the already extensive list.

Quality Concerns: Distance learning is a definite education enhancer, especially for geographies like India, where students from remote areas are unable to learn and thus grow. However, with lesser restrictions and almost negligible practical guidance, the quality aspects of the curriculum are highly questionable. The situation further worsens in developing nations like India, where even in classroom learning mode, the education quality is often compromised.

Infrastructural mismatch: Distance education has been a wonderful model in developed parts of the globe, where the most superior technology enabled tools disseminate the course nitty-gritty. However in India, even the basic online access is not available to majority. The mismatch would be explicitly apparent, if compared with aptly progressed nations, where distance learning is synonymous to online learning.

Lack of information: Distance education in India is still in nascent stages and as a growing concept, it is not perhaps being adequately nurtured. Aspirants are still not clear on the procedure and the communication channels are too loosely knitted. In such circumstances, the adequacy of the concept is gravely skeptical.



By: Vikram Kamboj

About the Author:

If you work in education there are a lot of reasons that you should consider getting a Master of Education degree online. Getting a Master of Education degree can really help your career and you might even be required to get one at some point in your career. Right now in the US there are twenty states that require full time teachers at any grade level to have a Master of Education degree so if you want to teach any grade in those states you need to have a Master of Education degree and getting a Master of Education degree online can make getting your Masters degree a lot easier. Even in the states where a teacher isn’t required to have a Master of Education degree in order to teach there is a very big difference in the salary that a teacher who has a Master of Education is paid. In most states a teacher without an advanced degree makes about $31,000 per year. In most states a teacher that has a Master of Education degree makes $45,000 per year. That is a very large difference in salary. So if you are a teacher that doesn’t have a Master of Education degree and you want to make more money then taking the time and spending the money to get a Master of Education degree is a good investment because you can immediately start earning more money once you get your Master of Education degree.

Getting a Master of Education degree online can also be a more convenient way to get a degree if you are teaching and can’t take time off from your full time job to focus on getting a Master of Education degree. Online masters programs are built around the needs of a working student. Courses are usually available at any hour of the day online and meetings are schedule on the phone or through instant message and chat. Professors are almost always accessible by email and each course usually has a message board where students can post questions, respond to other student’s questions, and share ideas. Work is graded and ideas are discussed mostly through email. So if you are comfortable working on a computer then getting a Master of Education degree online can be a much easier and less stressful way to get a Masters degree than trying to get to a local campus for classes three or four nights a week. Online degree programs are often less expensive than traditional Masters programs as well because you don’t have to pay all the school fees that you would have to pay if you were attending classes at a local campus. There is also less competition for admission to an online Master of Education program than you might find at a local college so have a better chance of getting into the Master of Education program online. Graduate schools can be very competitive so if you don’t want to wait a year or two until there is room for you in the Masters program at a local college get an online Master of Education degree and get your career moving forward faster.

By: Bailey Smith

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