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Is Online Schooling Right For You?

Guest Blogger — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:47:40 +0000

Online learning programs are becoming increasingly popular largely due to the increased accessibility of this method of education.

Benefits of Online Schooling Programs
Also known as distance learning, online schooling has a number of benefits. These include:

Convenience and Access for Students in Rural Areas – Students can complete the class anywhere they have access to a computer and the internet without long commutes to a physical campus
More Accommodations for Learning Disabilities – Online classes are often more user-friendly for those with disabilities especially for students who already possess computer technology adapted for their particular needs.
Lower Costs – Fees for such on campus factors as meal plans, housing, text books, and miscellaneous fees covering other campus expenses are avoided for online programs

Yet, even with such benefits, many students who are used to attending campus in a physical location with face to face instruction may wonder if online schooling options are right for them. One thing to consider when making this decision is the different types of online options that are available.

Types of Online Education Learning Options
There are several types of online education options, predominantly defined by the amount of time the students spends online vs. in a physical classroom with live instruction, when completing a certificate or degree program. The most common types of online education are:

Individual Credit or Non-Credit Courses – Colleges often offer the ability to take or audit certain classes online either at the school the student attends or at another school. Classes can be synchronous (requiring instructors and students to be online at the same time in order to receive credit for the lecture, discussion or activity) or asynchronous (class materials can be accessed by the student at any time).
Blended or Hybrid Courses – These courses mix classroom instruction with online instruction. Commonly instruction is split fairly evenly between face to face class time and online class time while assignments, activities, discussions and often tests are completed online. The number of blended courses available differs by college but is generally significantly less than traditional classroom or fully online courses.
Low Residency Online Degree Programs – While most of the degree requirements for this type of program can be completed online, students are required to attend short classes, day-long or weekend-long workshops. Residency requirements differ by school and degree program.
Online Certificate or Degree Programs – These programs allow the student to complete all requirements for a certificate or degree online, with no residency requirement included.

Even with all these options, however, many students wonder if an online education is right for them.

Determining if Distance Learning is the Best Option for Your Education
There are a number of factors to consider when deciding if an online education is the best fit for you. While motivation and independence play a large part in successful online learning, there are other important internal and external determinants of whether distance learning is a good match for an individual student. Internal characteristics are those that are intrinsic to the individual.

Important internal characteristics for success in online learning programs include:

Learning Style – Those who learn best through visual and kinesthetic (based on movement) channels tend to be comfortable with online learning since it involves a great deal of reading and typing. Auditory learners are less comfortable outside a traditional classroom setting since they are more successful when they can listen to the material as it is presented orally and process it as the hear it.
Self-Motivation and Organization – Those who are internally motivated and do not need others to keep them on track perform best in online courses. A successful online student must be able to organize the components of the class. It is also crucial for online students to be able to organize their schedules in order to balance course requirements with other responsibilities in their lives.
Independence and Time Management Skills – Completing an online course or degree requires the ability to work well with minimal external structure and the capacity to impose structure without the need for outside guidance. In addition, online work requires the self-discipline to set and meet individually determined goals.

Important external characteristics for success in online learning programs include:

Time Availability – While asynchronous courses are more flexible than classroom based courses, there are still required deadlines. In addition, though many assume online classes aren’t as time-consuming as traditional classroom courses, most online courses require more time per week to complete, generally around 15-20 hours weekly vs. 10-15 hours weekly for classroom courses.
Computer Competency – For online education to be a good fit, the student must be comfortable with basic computer technology including internet use, familiarity with programs like Word and Excel and the ability to learn the specific computer platform used to teach the course.
Expression of Ideas in Writing – Online courses involve correspondence via email. Courses also often require participation in discussions or synchronous chats. Therefore to be successful in online coursework students must be comfortable communicating about the course with your professor and fellow students online and be able to express your thoughts and opinions accurately in writing, sometimes in real-time.

So Is Online Schooling Right for Me?
There are numerous factors that predict whether online schooling is right for an individual student, some of which are intrinsic while others are extrinsic. If after reviewing the requirements of online learning, you are still uncertain, there are several interactive assessments available to aid your decision. Easily completed online, such assessments can help you determine your comfort with this type of learning and whether you possess the characteristics and skills needed to succeed in an online learning environment.

About the Author: Jessica Alan is a guidance counselor earning a counseling masters degree online from the comfort of her own home.

Is Online Schooling Right For You? is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

Top 10 Benefits of E-Learning Adoption for Schools

Jorge Goncalves — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:52:33 +0000

While many schools have begun adopting more online learning programs and are offering a wider range of online courses and tools, there are many out there still wary about the implications of online education. Schools like South University are offering both physical, in-class learning options as well as E-learning options that open the doors for a much larger number of students. And for those of us who have personally benefitted from various facets of online education, we already know how much of a blessing it can really be.

That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the biggest benefits of online learning; it’s our hope that more schools will give greater consideration to offering online options that can benefit an entirely new range of students in the future.

Boundary-less
The geographical boundaries associated with physical locations are virtually wiped out with online learning. Students can access content from anywhere around the world at anytime with the latest wireless technology. As more and more developing countries gain cheaper access to these technologies, online learning becomes more accessible as well.

Physical Space
E-learning undoubtedly decreases the physical space required to house students, and offers the unique advantage of learning from the comfort of one’s own home.

Degree Management
E-learning affords students the unique ability to manage their own course load and work toward getting their degree at their own pace. There are also a number of great online resources like Degree Scout to help find online schools and aid in the degree decision process.

Engagement
With many great new communication technologies emerging E-learning is increasingly engaging. Students can exchange ideas easier via live chats, video or audio conferencing, and by various modes of document sharing.

Live Feeds
Live reporting allows learners to get feedback from instructors and have one on one communication very rapidly and easily, letting them know where they stand academically and what they can improve on.

Less Learning Curve
With learners online going at their own pace, and being able to review material when they want and as frequently as they want, learning curves will be significantly reduced.

Teacher Freedom
As a teacher, online learning offers the ability to teach multiple courses at the same time. Professors can become more resourceful and helpful without spending so much time traveling to and from a physical classroom.

Reuse
Materials can easily be reused and updated quickly online. With the click of a few buttons, content can be virtually updated and instantaneously revamped.

Cost
E-learning is much more cost-effective than in-class learning on account of lower delivery costs of training, fast grading, reduced prep time for materials, and eliminated travel and housing expenses.

Eco-Friendly
It’s no surprise that with much less travel, and virtually no paper or printing costs, online education is a very environmentally friendly enterprise.

These are just some of the many reasons why implementing online courses or teaching methods could be a good fit for any teacher or institution. While we’re certainly not recommending that E-learning take over your entire existing physical education systems, utilizing or implemented hybrid systems with online education may be a great consideration and benefit to you. Online learning can allow you to keep your current student base, while simultaneously expanding your reach, students’ reach, and attract new students from around the world all the same.

Image credits:Ronfromyork | Dreamstime.com

Top 10 Benefits of E-Learning Adoption for Schools is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

3 Ways to Supplement an Online Education

Jorge Goncalves — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:27:13 +0000

The online education route is becoming an increasingly popular way for students to obtain degrees and educations in a number of fields. There is no doubt that it affords numerous great benefits including levels of schedule flexibility, personal freedom, and personal comfort that many physical institutions just can’t offer. But there are some additional things that students taking online classes should consider doing to supplement their educations that can be very helpful in landing a job after degree completion. Here are just three of those supplements for your consideration.

Internships

Although many people take the online education route because they don’t have enough spare time or means for getting to a physical institution, if you can manage it, getting an internship can be a huge step to help you land a job upon completion of your online education. Many internships offer part-time or very part-time positions that can still give you valuable experience that will make you a better candidate for future employers. Check out a list of sites that offer plenty of internship postings. There are bound to be multiple that will fit the profile of what you’re seeking.

Job Resources

Using the internet to figure out some beneficial resources for finding jobs is something you should do prior to graduation. There are some great job placement agencies out there that can be of immense service to you in finding a job after obtaining your degree. Do some research to figure out the best job resources for your particular needs.

Mock Interviews

Many students receiving their education through online courses don’t have the benefit of getting personal mock interview experience. Do some research on the types of questions asked most often in an interview setting, and get a friend or family member to sit down with you and ask you some of these questions. Getting comfortable with certain responses and questions is a great way to be ready for the real thing when that day comes.

No matter how far along in your education you happen to be, preparing for a job search in your field of study is something that you can start doing now. There are tons of comprehensive and helpful online resources out there to help you get comfortable with all the various aspects associated with finding a new job once you graduate. Keep up the hard work and look to the future at the same time.

3 Ways to Supplement an Online Education is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

Latest e-Learning Tool: Robot Teachers

Guest Blogger — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:04:18 +0000

Probably this seems to be on the mind of researchers in South Korea. They have been putting in serious effort to get robots accompany human teachers in classrooms. Sometimes, robots may serve the primary teacher, and even the stand alone ones without human guidance! During the second decade, robots may be replacing many English-speaking teachers in South Korean institutions.

The robot teacher
This should be similar to the e-learning environment which the internet now provides to its creative learners. If this shapes up, the researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology can emerge with an army of robots to deliver English instructions to school children, delivering the most elaborate online-learning effort yet.

The robots are being designed from the ground up, and will possibly posses realistic facial features, with arms and gestures, and sensors allowing them to keep their distance from students. These brightly colored penguin-like three feet tall robots know speech, transmit audio, reveal expressions and roll around. Besides, they can help you with pronunciation. They are operational in two manners- either teaches through pre-programmed exercises or with the help of a human operator (via the internet).

The need for robot teacher
Robots have been made to help humans since long, whether in the form of the EcoBot (which powers itself by eating flies) or the NeuroArm (made to help the neurosurgeon get into your head). For South Korea, the need for robot teachers is mainly due to its lack of native English speaking teachers. This effort can serve an improvement for local teachers having inadequate knowledge on the subject.

For this technology driven nation, designing robots seems to be a chosen option over ‘importing’ foreign talent. Another reason emerges to be the attraction which these toy-like creatures may create for children, scoring over the boring Webcam.

The idea is to increase the role of robots, and decrease the role of human teachers. However, human teachers are not supposedly going to vanish!

Extended manifestation of this technology
It is anticipated that in the long run, these robots will emerge cheaper than ‘importing’ English-speaking teachers. Another advantage which the team is pointing to is the elimination of ‘moral problems’. Robots also do not break the law, which has emerged a concern for the government in the past.

With robots around, learning sessions may not remain restricted to classrooms. These robots can potentially deliver beyond class-hours, learn as they teach and behave highly informed instructors. Their skill can find specific applicability in treating developmental problems in autistic patients. This project has a whooping $100 million support from the South Korean government, and engages about 300 researchers.

Besides South Korea, many countries have been testing teaching machines in classrooms. According to the University of Washington, robots can provide the right kind of technology at a crucial period in child’s development. This can potentially supplement learning in the classroom. However, robots completely replacing human teachers seem impractical. They can probably work best complementary to human beings.

Still time to go…..
This year itself, South Korea may operate several robots in preschools. In a demonstration at the research lab, the robots revealed encouraging gestures although they shall be trained further to deliver better. For a country like South Korea, robotics indulging in the chores, besides teaching, should not appear unusual. But time shall judge the usefulness of robotics for the entire human species.

There are cultural, political, and religious implications of this idea. Most computer scientists are of the opinion that they have no intention (and capability) to replace human teachers.

Technology can play incredibly in educating people; however, there are many schools which still restrict their skills to the old and tested thoughts.

About the author: Margaret is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on environment and technology. Beside this she is fond of books. She recently did an article on honeywell wind turbine. These days she is busy in writing an article on charlie baker.

Latest e-Learning Tool: Robot Teachers is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

Stay Productive in Your Online Classes

Guest Blogger — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:49:34 +0000

Completing online classes, you work on and submit your assignments in your own time and in your own way. For most students, that flexibility represents the principal advantage of online study. It can, however, degenerate into the class’s greatest threat, because it allows for lots of avoidance and procrastination. You know that big assignments buried in small print can sneak-up and ambush you. In order to avoid digital disaster, you must restructure all the old school rules to fit with your virtual circumstances.

Different school. Same rules. Although they keep score according to your log-ins and time on the website, your instructors do “take attendance” in your online classes, and some will exact penalties for excessive absence. Instructors also strictly enforce minimum word counts for class “discussions,” and many administer quizzes to make sure you keep up with your reading. Although you need not appear in a classroom and mind your manners, you do have to satisfy the virtual equivalents of the traditional school rules. Therefore, simultaneously capitalizing on your class’s flexibility and complying with the rules, set a regular schedule for your study and homework. Your instructor probably requires three log-ins each week. Make three appointments with yourself, and use the time to stay not just current but a little ahead of the class schedule. Five weeks pass very quickly.

Structure and discipline support excellent performance. Nearly 80 percent of online students juggle full-time work and families with their college classes. Among those highly motivated, frequently over-caffeinated, always-stressed students, about half do their coursework as time permits. The other half strictly manage their time, scheduling study time according to their biological rhythms, and working-out the details with their families so they get the peace and quiet they need. Not surprisingly, the “random” group earns C’s; the self-disciplined group earns A’s. The moral to the story: Although you have lots of latitude, you still must have structure and discipline to earn good grades in your online classes.

Focus. Then, more focus. If you do your homework when you’re exhausted, and especially if you do your homework in the hour before it’s due, everything about your performance will look “a little fuzzy.” Fatigue will detract from your reading comprehension, so that quiz and test scores will suffer. Stress will detract from the quality of your writing, so that you will lose points on discussions and papers. Do your best to schedule your study during your personal “prime times,” the times of day when you naturally feel most awake and alert. If you must study during off-peak times, do not try to substitute energy drinks and coffee for natural focus and concentration; the buzz will turn to a blur. Instead, lower the temperature in your study area, and transform your assignments from passive to active, taking lots of notes or regularly quizzing yourself to stay on-task.

Engage with the material. Back in the good old days when course materials came in book form, you probably learned a study technique called “SQ3R”—survey, question, read, recite, review. The technique helped you stay engaged with the textbooks by transforming every study session into dress rehearsal for a test. Your all-new and generally improved online course materials follow the same design standards your textbooks did, so that SQ3R works even better with the stuff on your monitor than it worked with the stuff on the raggedy old textbook pages. Reprise those old skills in electronic form, so that you are constantly reading and answering questions about your reading. Promoting your engagement with the texts, you naturally will increase your comprehension; and that increased comprehension translates immediately to higher test scores and better discussion grades.

Interact with your classmates and instructor. Just as they would shy away from controversy in “real life” classroom discussions, so most online students become victims of their own classroom courtesy, forfeiting great opportunities to learn and grow from spirited discussion and debate. Next time you enter your virtual classroom and develop a discussion post, take time to read all of your classmates’ posts. Count how many times you see “good post” and “I agree.” Then, ask yourself, “Who learns anything from that stuff?” Face the inescapable fact that your classmates make mistakes, sometimes fail to get the point, and occasionally make controversial statements of their own. Help them correct their mistakes, get the point, and benefit from their controversies by asking lots and lots and lots of questions. Get even more aggressive with questions about your instructor’s responses. The more you inquire, the more you will learn.

Take advantage of the flexibility built into your online classes, but beware the risk that comes with the flexibility. Most of all, make sure you maintain the foundation of your academic success: Make sure your colleagues and supervisors at work understand the importance of your college study, and make even more certain your family knows what your degree means to you and will mean for their quality of life.

Ryan Carter is a writer and finance consultant earning his masters degree in accounting online in his spare time.

Stay Productive in Your Online Classes is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

The Future is Open Courseware: Three Institutions Offering Online Learning Opportunities

Guest Blogger — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:51:11 +0000

As society becomes increasingly more tech savvy, more and more of the foundations of our lives are turning to the web. Our professional lives have been conduced online and plugged in for several years now and, with the advent of social media and social networking, so too are our personal and social lives. The latest trend today seems to be online learning and online education. While at one time online education and online degrees were frowned upon by most employers and scholars, more and more people are turning to online avenues for their educational and academic endeavors. Furthermore, as online degrees and online courses become more popular, online courseware that is free and readily available are becoming the next hot thing. The internet is all about immediate access to information for no cost—this is the crux of open courseware. Open courseware allows anyone with a computer and the internet access to endless knowledge and academic pursuit. These three open courseware resources are wonderful waves of what will be part of the future of education and academics.

MIT Open Courseware

As one of the most prominent names in higher education, MIT plays a major role in America’s opinion on higher education. That being said, MIT has made real wave on the front of open courseware and online learning. Offering up to 1,800 courses online and free to access, MIT is one of the absolute best resources for open courseware in the world. These courses come directly from the actual traditional courses taught at MIT, including syllabi, reading lists, course notes, assignments, and much more. Of course, because MIT is a technical school, most of the courses offered are of that nature. There is both video and audio that accompanies many of the courses, providing a learning environment that closely compares to being inside a class at MIT. MIT’s initiative to provide higher learning material to anyone who wants it is admirable and forward thinking.

Berkeley Open Courseware

UC Berkeley offers webcasts of several different classes offered on their campus. UC Berkeley is one of the top ranked public universities in the nation and boasts some of the most influential professors in their fields. Allowing anyone to watch various webcasts or listen to podcasts of their lectures, Berkeley’s open courseware initiative is one of the best. Each course that is offered provides printable assignments, notes that you can get from the professor’s website, and tests from the actual class. This is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to expand their mind or build on their educational repertoire.

Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative

Carnegie Mellon is another one of the biggest name universities in the nation offering open online learning resources. With Carnegie Mellon’s open learning initiative you can choose to either sign up as a user for free to keep track of your scores and progress or you can simply take a class unregistered. Though the school only offers a few courses online at this time, they are offered in a very useful and approachable way. Mellon offers classes such as Modern Biology, Media Programming, Statistics, French, and several others. These classes are easier to jump into than UC Berkeley’s or MIT’s simply because of the way they are presented. There is basically presented as an eBook, where you can jump from chapter to chapter at your own will.

Each of these open courseware initiatives are examples of how education can be accessible to anyone wishing to find it. These schools set a wonderful example by sharing their wealth of knowledge and resources and making learning and academia available to anyone who seeks it.

Jane Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. She writes about free background checks for Backgroundcheck.org. Questions and comments can be sent to: janesmth161 @ gmail.com.

The Future is Open Courseware: Three Institutions Offering Online Learning Opportunities is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

Infographic: Reanimate Your Used Textbooks

Jorge Goncalves — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:57:58 +0000

So, you have finished your degree, and you have a lot of textbooks that you don’t want anymore? Maybe you should take a look at Sell Back Your Book. They have a wonderful service. The only thing you will need is the ISBN codes of the books that you want to sell.

On the other hand, if you want to buy used textbooks, you can also use their services. Do you know that the prices of new textbooks have grown 186% since 1986? Or, that, on average, each college student would spend $900 if buying new textbooks? Selling and buying used textbooks online can be the solution. What do you think? [Via]

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with sellbackyourbook.com in any way. I simply like the concept.

Infographic: Reanimate Your Used Textbooks is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

5 Reasons Why Educators and Students Need to Use Google+

Guest Blogger — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:25:06 +0000

Since its inception, tech experts have raved about Google+, the social media platform that some predict has the goods to take down leading social networking site Facebook. Although Facebook still reigns supreme and Google+ is still in the midst of growing momentum, the rookie social media site is still a strong contender in changing the way users interact with one another — especially when it comes to the world of education. To learn why Google+ is the better social media platform to help engage educators with their students of all ages, continue reading below.

1. Less Privacy Issues
While some instructors decide to “friend” students on Facebook so that they can more easily share class updates as well as give assignment deadline reminders and provide supplemental educational materials like news links and videos, the truth is that the privacy lines are too blurry on Facebook—you want your students to see some of your statues that pertain to school assignments but not the ones that deal with your personal life. The sentiments are vice versa with your students. It’s just uncomfortable getting a deeper look into a student’s or teacher’s “outside” life. While some instructors choose to create separate accounts in order to resolve this issue — one for personal use and one for professional use — it’s just too much work. Google+ however allows users to separate people into “circles.” These circles easily allow users to choose what can and cannot be seen between people. So for example, teachers can put all of their students in the circle appropriately labeled “students” or “Geography 1:00 p.m.” for example, and you don’t have to worry about cross contaminating info or letting inappropriate material seep through.

2. No Age Restrictions
Currently Facebook has an age limit restriction—only those who are 13 years or older can apply for an account. While the age restriction is understandable (too many child predators lurk cyber space) because there is no age limitation on Google+ even those who teach elementary can use the social media site to enhance their student’s education—it’s just important that educators instruct their students from adding strangers.

3. No Limitations
While Twitter can also be a very engaging social media site to utilize, the problem is that users are limited to their character use—even in direct messages, users have to send multiple messages if they go over 140 characters. This can become quite troublesome if a student asks an instructor to explain a problem in greater detail for example. However, with Google+ there is no such limitation and both students and teachers can ask questions, give responses and leave comments without having to short change themselves. This option is also idea for introverted students—those who may be too shy to ask additional questions in the classroom but need help once they’re at home doing assignments on their own.

4. Provides Archived Material
Google+ also trumps Twitter because old information is easy to retrieve and access again. Unless a student or teacher “favorites” a tweet, it can be hard to go back and look for a tweet that was posted two weeks ago since it gets buried underneath the myriad of other tweets on the timeline. Google+ is organized and is easy to bring up again since everything is marked by dates.

5. Provides Opportunity for Remote Parent-Teacher Conferences
Last but not least, sometimes parents who have late night meetings can’t leave their desks to attend their child’s open house. Sometimes parents without transportation can’t make it to a much-needed parent-teacher conference. Sometimes students who are taking online classes don’t have the time to drive to a brick-and-mortar campus that may be hundreds of miles away to have a conference with their teacher or professor. Google+’s neat “hangout” feature however paves the way for group video chat capabilities so that important “meetings” and “conferences” are more convenient and can take place over the internet instead of in person.

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

5 Reasons Why Educators and Students Need to Use Google+ is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

5 Online Degrees Sure To Increase Your Income

Guest Blogger — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:21:52 +0000

Earning a college degree online is becoming a very common practice these days. In addition to being able to earn a degree from the comfort of your own home, an online degree will have your career on the right path in no time. There is no substitute for a college education, and an online degree is a great way to put yourself in a position to succeed. There are five online degrees that you could realistically pursue in the good hopes that they will pay off for you in the long run.

1. Nursing

These online degrees are considered the best of the best right now. Few fields are experiencing a bigger need right now than nursing. There has always been a shortage of qualified nurses, and with the baby boomer generation now starting to get up in years, the need for qualified, skill people with nursing degrees is higher than ever. Nurses usually start out at around 60,000 dollars per year, and an online nursing degree can get you started in a nursing career very easily.

2. Software engineering

A software engineer has one of the most interesting careers in the world right now. They create, plan and incorporate new software into computers for businesses, home computers and working computers. They usually start at around 65,000 dollars per year, and there are plenty of online software engineering degrees to be found online. They will put you on the path to success as a software engineer.

3. Accounting

Accountants usually make a very good wage, with starting offers for bachelor’s degree-holding applicants ranging from 40,000 to 45,000 per year. There is always a need for good accountants, as more and more businesses each year are looking for people with new knowledge in the field to help them manage their money. Online accounting degrees are the way to go to get on the fast track to a career as an accountant.

4. Teaching

You can become a teacher by enrolling in an online teaching degree program. Interacting with children and helping them learn can be rewarding, and you’ll earn a good salary. Teachers have an average starting salary of around 35,000 to 40,000. The chance to see kids reach their potential is a benefit that only teachers can have.

5. Criminal justice

Have you ever wanted to be a police officer? Online criminal justice degrees have risen in popularity during the past few years, and more and more people are becoming police officers thanks to online criminal justice degrees. Starting salaries usually range from $35,000 to $40,000 per year. Serving and protecting the citizens is a duty that you can fulfill after completing an online criminal justice degree.

Online college degrees are a great way to give yourself a better career, and a better life. In no time at all, you will earn more money than you do at your current job with the help of an online degree.

Francine Gomez is a career consultant and loves giving people new ideas on how to make money from home. Learn some of the many ways you can successfully be making money online from your very own home office.

Image credits: ideas by Sean MacEntee

5 Online Degrees Sure To Increase Your Income is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.

Online Tools Help History Research Come Alive

Guest Blogger — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:31:17 +0000

Much has been made about technology’s ability to better facilitate a wide range of educational opportunities. With the advent of tablet computers in classrooms, ever-growing internet resources, and cloud computing platforms that help school administrators go wireless, there are boundless instruction possibilities when it comes to making use of new technological advances. This applies just as much to the second grader as it does to the graduate student, to the person learning to be a lawyer as to the person taking radiography courses, for instance.

Despite its wide educational applicability, however, technology in the classrooms is usually just touted for its uses in several major areas: math, science, and elementary education. While these areas offer some very clear and practical ways for new technology to be used, they overshadow other educational subjects that have, in recent years, been benefiting just as significantly.

History is one such subject, particularly in the realm of research. While historical research was once a venture confined to dusty archives and under-funded historical societies, it is now an increasingly digitized business. And, in the process, it has become far more convenient, accessible, and reliable, too.

This has mainly happened alongside a growth in online historical archives. Documents and files that were once almost impossible to access are now readily available online. These days, researchers can easily pull up century-old census data or court cases online. Such information is not just more convenient to find, but it is also easy to use: by being searchable, a researcher can look for a particular person or case without having to scroll through hundreds of pages and files.

The digital ability to conduct a search also has positive implications for other aspects of historical research. For example, with a growing number of secondary sources digitized online thanks to Google Books, the historian can search an appealing book for a specific keyword. If the keyword does not show up then the book can be quickly discarded. What once might have taken several hours can now be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

Furthermore, technology helps reduce research time by combining a collection of relevant databases. The area of genealogy provides an appropriate example; while public records, birth certificates, and marriage licenses were once all separate entities – entities that had to be examined one at a time – there are now websites that draw information from all relevant sources to create the most comprehensive genealogical picture of a person possible. And with Web 2.0 tools like Evernote, Scrible or Zotero, the tasks of annotating, collecting, citing or organizing the ongoing research are even more facilitated.

The influence on technological advancements cannot be overemphasized on any level, and history is no exception. By making it easier to learn from and interact with historical documents, students can gain a greater appreciate for the subject – and, at the same time, for the study of the past.

Online Tools Help History Research Come Alive is a post from Learning Online Info, a blog dedicated to the world of e-learning and new learning technologies.