Online Education and Distance Learning Discussion Forums & Blogs

Dare I say, "Never Again!"?

jodipalmer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:28:00 GMT

Never again will I wait till literally the last few hours before a research paper is due to begin working on it. My husband goes to school online and has this odd ability to be able to write research papers in about five minutes tops and still earn 'A's. I decided I could do that too, so every time there was an invitation to do something other than school work, I accepted. In all my wisdom I determined I could accomplish my entire five page research paper (for my Church History course) concerning "key events and movements influencing the canonization of the New Testament and the councils and their methods" while my family gathered together to watch the Super Bowl. Turns out I was wrong. I could not in fact scratch the surface of the work necessary to complete my assignment on time. As a result I turned in the biggest load of garbage paper ever in my life, and three hours late to boot. I will be happy and surprised if I earned a fifty percent. Lucky for me it is only worth 8 percent of my grade.

You can stop reading now but In case you are interested, Here is what I did instead of my schoolwork:

I can't remember Thursday too well, I think this is the night we watched some dvds..(four weddings, in the loop, and moon)

Saturday: Went tanning (don't judge me), went to church rummage sale, went to lunch with the family, brought girls to their great grandparents house, went to Ross with my husband (who can't not go in when he sees one), then we went to mall looking for curtains for the dining room, then went to Target to do same thing, then Pier1, (Here's where it gets fun) Met up with some friends and saw Book of Eli at the Movie Tavern (movie tavern is a full service restaurant and bar AND MOVIE THEATER), went to friend's niece's house party (that makes me sound old, but I'm really only like 19). Then we went to shoot pool. I drove home and husband insisted on getting Taco Bell (which he regretted later), I realized as I went to sleep that my hair smelled like an ashtray from the billiards place, and realized I am glad we don't get to go out to places like pool halls and such as often as we could before kids.

Sunday: Church, mad dash home to see if I could finish cleaning before our small group came over...I couldn't, Small Group, Super Bowl (and some "research"). Sat at home and "finished" my paper.

It was fun, but next time I will do my homework first!

The End.

Add to:

Congrats to the New Orleans Saints: Here’s to second chances!

Cajun — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:28:00 GMT

As you may have surmised from my handle here “Cajun” I am indeed from Louisiana originally. That makes me a New Orleans Saints fan by default. And of course the LSU Tigers but they lost to Penn State this year (and I don’t want to talk about that). But the Saints, man what a story behind that team, behind those players, behind that city. This is a story of true second chances.
I’m sorry but to me it’s just inspiring to see people, a team and a city overcome adversity to do something that nobody ever thought they would do. The Saints, for many years called the “aint’s” are finally going to be getting a little respect.

So since this is an education blog, you’re probably wondering where I’m going with all of this, or maybe I’m just rambling. Well, since we’re talking about second chances maybe you’re in your late 30’s, 40’s or even 50’s and you’re just not happy with where you are in your life. Maybe you never got that degree you’ve always meant to, maybe there’s a career you’ve always dreamed of but never thought practical to pursue. If there’s a lesson we can take from all of this it is that with a lot of hard work and determination and just a pinch of luck you can make whatever destiny you want, even when it seems too late. Even if nobody else really gives you the respect and benefit of the doubt you deserve. You make your own fortune (as in destiny, not necessarily money). So hey, if the New Orleans Saints can win a Super Bowl, why can’t you fulfill your own dream? Just asking…

Add to:

Too Much Work

WheelCipher — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:45:00 GMT

Sorry to be few and far between on the posts lately. My new job is throwing me for a loop. I was hired in December to do one specific job and after two months of being in limbo, I learn that my function (r the one I was supposed to have) was caught up in a re-organization and I would not be doing that job any longer. That was worrisome in the beginning, but everything worked out for the better.

My boss called me and asked me if I wanted another management position in the company. I willingly accepted it and look forward to it. Today is my first “official” day in this role. I spent all of last week in Chicago learning about the position and some of the expectations. I think the key here is that we all need to be prepared for the unexpected and then be as flexible as possible when opportunity arises. It seems to have worked for me.

On the education front, I am in the process of trying to get into the PhD in Public Policy program at Walden University. Since I had to drop out early in my previous stint at Walden, I needed to re-apply to the school. On top of that, I needed to write a nice long letter explaining why I had to leave the program. Once that was done, I needed a letter of recommendation. Whew!

It seems like a long process, but the committee that will approve or disapprove my admission will meet tomorrow. I should find something out soon. I am really looking forward to getting back to school. I can do one more two-year stint if it means earning my PhD.

In the mean time, I have a backlog of fan mail to get to. That will be posted soon!

Add to:

Bellevue Offers Social Responsibility

Cajun — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:27:00 GMT

As if I needed another reason to be impressed with Bellevue University, today while browsing their website I run across the Kirkpatrick Signature Series. Essentially this is a three course capstone for undergraduates which is offered to promote civic responsibility, citizenship and takes a holistic view towards turning out a well rounded, educated and responsible professional. They say it best when they state “while our programs offer a career-relevant value for our students as employees, our Kirkpatrick Signature Series allows them to grow as citizens”. I can attest to the real world, career-relevant education as I’ve been able to use almost everything I’ve learned in the two courses I’ve taken at Bellevue in my current job.

The Kirkpatrick series works off of the core beliefs of:

• The efficacy of our Western intellectual tradition
• The ethical standards inherent in the Judeo-Christian heritage
• America's noble experiment of limited government and democracy
• The merit and dignity of the individual, and
• The prosperity, fairness, and productivity inherent in a free market, capitalist economic system

This struck a chord with me as these are all things I consider to be fundamental in my own values and were ideals that I was brought up to believe.

In addition Bellevue University has the Center for American Vision and Values, a non-profit organization that allows for civic fellowship and is an association of academics and students who promote Constitutionalism at the heart of their beliefs and promotes volunteerism (143,643 hours so far) and community involvement.

As if I needed more to like about Bellevue, I am thoroughly impressed and I’m wondering if they have an associate membership for online students or grad students, I know I’d join.

More at:
http://www.bellevue.edu/undergraduate/signature-series.aspx

And

http://www.americanvisionandvalues.org/volunteerism/index.aspx

I love their research library:
http://www.americanvisionandvalues.org/research-database/americas-founding-principles.aspx

Add to:

What Good is it Anyway?

jodipalmer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:02:00 GMT

It was an easy decision to start earning my bachelor's degree. I had the countdown clock on my GI Bill tick, tick, ticking away. They may have changed it since then, but you have ten years after your date of separation from the military to use your GI Bill money. I'll spare you the particulars for this post, but obviously, I enrolled at Liberty for their online program. What to study was slightly more tricky (and I should say here the decision was made before I picked my school). I don't really need a degree to be gainfully employed (maybe not in Texas, but if I needed a job, I could find one back east). So I prayerfully decided, to earn my degree in Religion for various reasons.

The religion degree is an awesome program, but since I am not a pastor or in full time ministry, I couldn't help wondering (and I'm sure my husband wondered as well) what I would use it for. I decided to wait on the Lord's leading. I am still waiting, but eyes have been opened to the possibilities. I have at least two friends either going to Law School or preparing to go. Coupled with the way I have seen many people close to us need a lawyer and not be able to afford one. This got me thinking maybe I could go to law school too! Why not? I've also been thinking how awesome it would be to be an advocacy lawyer, to be able to give a voice to the people in this country who share my faith. How very humbling if I were used in that way...

Anyway, those are some thoughts bouncing around in my head as I pass the halfway point in earning my bachelor's degree.

I hope everyone has a blessed day, and seeks God's will for their life. He loves you and His way is perfect, have faith and follow Him!

Add to:

Spring Semester Underway!

jodipalmer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:57:00 GMT

Winter break was over for Liberty's online students about three weeks ago. I am enrolled in Church History 301 (not sure the name of this class but it is basically church history 1), Bible 323 (Book of John). The classes are very similar to other classes I've taken at Liberty in regards to work load.

In Chruch History I am to read a chapter a week (20 pages give or take) take a closed book quiz every week, research paper of some sort every week and discussion boards about said research papers.

In the John class we have lecture DVDs to watch, about two per week 35 minutes long, the DVDs have corresponding textbook chapters to read with a quiz on the material covered every week. A research assignment/ discussion board every other week. As well as 200 pages of additional reading from sources of our choosing assuming they are scholarly and on topic. There are also a couple of papers due...I'm not too sure when or what about, I probably need to go find out!

Add to:

Western New Mexico University: Some advice and why I don’t like them

Cajun — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:40:00 GMT

A reader of my blog recently sent me a message stating that she was giving strong consideration to attending Western New Mexico University for a bachelors degree. Personally I think that’s a pretty good idea if she did her homework. I’ve made no ambiguity in my feelings towards WNMU but I feel that given this reader’s choice perhaps I should clarify “why” I feel the way I do about WNMU.

In a nutshell, the educational service one can expect to receive is inconsistent. Each instructor holds so much autonomy in how they conduct a class, how the class will be graded and how material will be presented that it can be exceptionally time consuming and frustrating on the part of the student (or at least it was for me). I had come freshly out of Ashford University, which I have often said and will say again had the slickest user experience setup I’ve ever seen from an online education provider. I went straight into WNMU where online education is run as an afterthought and administered by a well meaning but overwhelmed librarian (or at least it was). The investment into their technology was sparse, the competency of the facilitators was barely adequate (try calling their IT support) and the sensitivity of instructors to the unique needs online students was virtually non-existent for one instructor at least, the other was great, which leads me back to that inconsistency of service.

Of course I was also very frustrated by the quality of the coursework itself, which was in my opinion largely busy work designed to ensure students were reading the text since they were not coming to lectures in a classroom. Also the bulk of my graduate class was undergraduate students. The only difference between the work they were doing and I was doing was I had 1 to 3 additional discussion questions of identical rigor and that’s about it. There was no research to be done, instead merely writing chapter summaries. There were no collaborative group projects, no insightful lecture notes and no engaging discussions (because there were so many discussion questions it was all anyone could manage to keep up original posts). There were no projects, just the silly, nonstop busy work assignments like writing a chapter summary. Basically I could have gotten a similar experience just reading the book.

WNMU is inexpensive though. In fact as colleges go they are probably a great investment for undergraduate students. I do not and will not recommend them for graduate level work, they are not equipped for graduate students and I had an abysmal experience. It is my sincere hope that since they are largely tailored towards undergraduate students that they are more refined in dealing with them than they were with graduate students. I do feel the school is well meaning and sincere in their efforts. I also realize that one of the reasons they are so inexpensive is because they haven’t spent a small fortune on their technology as perhaps some other providers may have. If you finish a degree from WNMU you will have gotten one of the deals of the century as tuition goes and a solid return on investment but go into the deal with your eyes open. Expect to work around the whims of the professors and don’t expect a robust network of support or the slickest user experience out there. Just keep your head down, your grades up and do what’s required.

Add to:

What does a successful online student look like?

Cajun — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:05:00 GMT

If you’re reading this you probably have more than a passing interest in higher education. You are likely either a student, a soon to be student or one of those rare gems that just cannot get enough of my blogging that you read each and every last word I type. To the latter, bless you. To everyone else you’re probably perusing for some useful tips on how to be a better student, you know to get an “A” or at least to get that “A” easier. So without further ado…Cajun answers “what does a successful online college student look like”?

1.) They are expert time managers. They meet deadlines, work in productive blocks of time and still manage to have a social life, family and in most cases manage a career.

2.) They are motivated human beings. Nobody likes tossing work on just because, there is always a reason why someone decides to go back to college (or go in the first place) and it usually doesn’t involve them just having too much free time were they to do otherwise. Instead they motivate themselves to take that next step, then the step after that and then after that. They keep themselves moving forward.

3.) They are visionary. They keep the end result in mind while studying in the wee hours of the morning or burning the midnight oil trying to get a paper in before a deadline. They know where they are going and how to get there.

4.) They are self disciplined. Just like everyone else, most online students probably love Friday nights at the movies, sleeping in on Saturdays and lazy Sunday afternoons, but they deny themselves these simple pleasures and choose to go the extra mile even when it hurts to do so.

5.) They set their egos aside. Like it or not being a student in a demanding college course can damage your ego. Putting forth your very best effort only to get a 30% on a paper is like a punch to the gut (I’ve been there) and can really have one questioning their own intelligence. But it is the setting ego aside in order to learn is at the heart of true growth.

6.) They take on new challenges. Earning a degree is a monumental undertaking, difficult, stressful at times exhausting and always a challenge. Toss into the mix kids, family demands, a career and you have the makings for a rite of passage that only the most determined can successfully complete.

7.) They are brave. They accept change, massive change, take on large personal and financial liabilities and all for a degree that they hold out hope will pay off. They take risks going to school, personally, financially and even professionally yet they do it.

8.) They think critically. As odd as it sounds going to school will force one to think. So many of us run through life believing we “think” and to an extent we do, but to actually sit down, understand a concept and mull it over in your mind takes effort.

9.) They are hard workers. These people work and work hard for little to no immediate gain. They do not shirk responsibility but instead take it upon themselves to do more than the other guy. They are workers, hard workers.

10.) They are goal oriented. Without that end in mind going through all the expense and effort of going back to school can seem mind bogglingly pointless. Knowing why they do what they do and focusing on that inevitable achievement is key.

Add to:

Reader Question: Recommend a Computer?

Cajun — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:08:00 GMT

So a recent reader asks what type of computer they need for going to school online. Well truth be told I don’t have a favorite brand or anything but I’ve got some ideas as to what it should have. First search your school’s website, chances are they have some kind of minimum technology requirement. Usually these requirements are pretty low and basically pretty easy to meet. Second you need to make sure that whatever computer you are using has Microsoft Office, or at the very least Microsoft Word. If you’re taking business courses you’ll likely need Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint as well. I recommend the Microsoft Student/Teacher Office Edition, it has everything but Access and is pretty inexpensive. I do not recommend using Abi Word, Star Office or Google Docs. I’ve tried all 3 because I’m a cheapskate and sooner or later the formatting gets dumped or something goes goofy and you miss a deadline. Just get MS Office and be done with it.

Secondly unless you’re doing multimedia stuff I strongly urge you to get a Windows based computer and not a Mac. Sorry Mac guys but as good as they tend to be they are not super compatible with Windows from what I’ve seen. Even the “virtual Windows” environment has produced some goofy results when trying to use Windows applications in a “virtualized” Windows environment on a Mac. I don’t know why but it doesn’t always do that, only when you have a critical paper due by a drop dead deadline, then it’ll screw up.

Third if you have the choice between a laptop and desktop, go with a laptop. The portability alone will allow you to capitalize on any and all downtime you may have. Me? I work on homework while on a train on the way to work. It buys me an extra 90 minutes a day and well worth the effort to have a laptop.

Sometimes you can even use your work computer (if they provide you with one). I do recommend being careful when doing internet searches for sources in research but you do what you think your career can handle. Either way I recommend backing your work up to a thumb drive as well as perhaps saving a copy on your computer. Always have 2 copies of your work at a minimum.

As for Linux based machines, love ‘em, but not for school. Stick with good old fashioned, boringly predictable Windows stuff. I can’t stand Microsoft and think they should lose a class action lawsuit for ever allowing Vista to hit the shelves, but personal feelings aside, they own the world of business computing and thus pretty much online educational computing as well.

Hope that helps.

Add to:

Interesting Study on Online Degrees and Adult Learners' Perspectives

JaynaB — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:50:00 GMT

On Capella's website, there are several studies done to talk about adult learning online. One particular study that caught my attention is Dr. L. Mbilinyi, who is a Research Consultant for Degrees of Opportunity.

The results in this study showed how adults view education and why they pursue it, more than 80% feel a sense of personal accomplishment, and more than 50% feel like better role models to the younger people of their families. Men reported, in this study, to have been encouraged to pursue advanced education while growing, in contrast, more women did not have any encouragement to pursue advanced educational opportunities while growing up.

This study opened me up to possibilities in my own community. Do I see my degree as being a vehicle for helping others in my local area to succeed? We know that degrees are not direct factors of success, but the chances of being financially, professionally successful cannot be harmed with a degree attached, along with your determination and experiences, local opportunities, and social support.

No matter how you see your degree or the completion of it, there is a sense of a personal accomplishment and prestigious mindset that you feel. However, changing the world or your community is very important that you do not forget the people who need mentoring and encouragement, because you have crossed over the bridge of victory.

Most of the time, as also stated in this study, those of who are online learners, were influenced by our parental figures. The encouragement and support is major when it comes from your own parents, even if your spouse may object or not be as supportive, your parents or parental figures are usually in your corner.

Social Support is very important when pursuing something as grand as higher education. But most people, rely on that energy to make decisions for their educational advancement. When your gut is talking to you in plain English (or your first language)..."Improve your life!"

Happy Learning,

JaynaB

Mbilinyi, L. (2006). Adults views on value and feasibility of returning to school. Degrees of Opportunity. Retrieved February 1, 2010 from http://www.degreesofopportunity.org/index.html

Add to:

Did You Listen to the State of the Union Address?

ter — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:09:00 GMT

Darn it! I wasn't home for the President's State of the Union address last Wednesday, and forgot to use my new DVR. This post is based on a transcript of his speech. Let me first start by saying that I still have high hopes for the President in the area of education. Why? Because he wasn't born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. He is young, and has young children who also rely on a good education. But, it will most definitely take time to make dramatic changes, and he has to choose his education-funding battles wisely.

President Obama wants a bill that will end taxpayer subsidies to banks and student loans, thus allowing for a $10,000 tax credit for four years of education and an increase in Pell Grant. What this means is the end of student loans through the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Instead, all student loans will be processed through the federal Department of Education. Not necessarily a bad thing because it will mean consistency for all student borrowers. On the downside, jobs will most likely be cut in the lending industry as student loan representatives will no longer be needed. Some say that lack of competetion leaves it wide open for our government to do whatever they want.

More tax credits are appealing to families, but rest assured there will be caveats tied to these credits. For example, the credits may be prorated, or even eliminated, depending on a family's income. However, the income threshhold should be pretty high. Increasing Pell Grants will only help those who qualify for this grant. A total reform of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the federal formula that determines Family Contribution when calculating Pell Grant eligibility needs to be done.

The President's comment about only paying 10% of student loan debt is the new Income Based Repayment (IBR) Plan, which is already in place. There are two loan forgiveness plans: one after 25 years, and the other for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. My last post described the Income Based Repayment Plan. In summary, IBR helps the student in the now, but overall interest payments will be more the longer it takes to repay the loan.

Overall, I wasn't impressed with the focus on education in the President's speech. Of the two main points I've listed, one (IBR) is already in place. The President does want to start a middle-income task force that will enable families to save for their child's education, but how does that help you as a student now? Don't get me wrong, Pell Grant increases and tax credits are helpful, but it's not enough. The President does also charge colleges with reducing their costs. Personally, I agree, but what I'm seeing in my state is a freeze on hiring and training rather than weeding out unnecessary high-income positions and wasteful spending. Finally, I hope that some of the President's changes affect you positively.

Add to:

Degree Mill Cure Is Worse Than The Disease

SteveFoerster — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:30:00 GMT

“When they see a big problem, some people think, 'The government should do something.' Then they have two big problems.” — author unknown

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that supposedly addresses the problem of degree mills, those entities that take on the guise of being universities, awarding bogus credentials to anyone who pays a fee.

Nobody likes degree mills, so I suppose we're all supposed to cheer, but I've always thought that those who are the most vocal about this really want to go about it the wrong way. If accreditation is important to you, then it's already trivially easy to find out whether an institution is accredited or not, and if so then by which accrediting organization. All one has to do is drop by CHEA's web site and search their database. Go check it out for yourself; it's free and takes maybe one minute.

See? Wasn't that easy? The problem, then, is not that government isn't Doing Something. The problem is that HR departments, in both the public and private sectors, aren't doing their jobs when employment applications are being vetted. This legislation does nothing to address that problem, and until something does, then nothing is going to change.

So with all that said, if this legislation isn't going to do any good, can we at least say that it's harmless? Sadly, no. While the bill doesn't totally mess up when it comes to recognizing the difference between being unaccredited and being a degree mill, it does require unaccredited institutions to wear a "scarlet letter" in all of their marketing. Why is this bad? Because new institutions are inherently unaccredited, and by requiring them to falsely imply that they're not as good as their competitors, those new colleges and universities are placed at an unnatural disadvantage.

Worse, as it's written, the legislation seems to completely prevent new accreditors from entering the market, closing the door to those who would threaten the control of those that now exist. Ineptly, it even potentially reclassifies legitimate accreditors of academic departments and some types of specialty schools as "accreditation mills". What kind of consumer protection bill does things like that?

The tools needed to make informed decisions when it comes to external validation of degree legitimacy are already freely available, both to students who are deciding which university to attend, and to employers who want to hire university graduates for their open positions. This bill would create problems while solving none. Here's hoping it dies in committee.

Image courtesy of Selena Marie

Add to:

Twitter-Enhanced E-Learning

susan — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:03:00 GMT

Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Interaction with your fellow classmates is one of the keys to success in an online course. Using Twitter effectively can take your interaction to the next level very quickly, and you'll gain confidence, avoid frustration, and save time.

How does Twitter fit in with the other ways you interact with your peers and professor? Let's look at the ways you're probably interacting now. Interacting through the discussion board is good, but you have to be logged on to your learning management system in order to do so. There can be a time lag. Sending emails to your classmates can be good, but it often goes to their university account, which they do not check regularly. Sending instant messages or text messages is good, but you have to know their phone numbers or IM addresses, which is not always possible. Further, it can be tedious to build a list for IMs and text messages so that you don't have to send an individual message to each person.

Twitter offers advantages in that you can send messages (tweets) to any number or people in your network at the same time. You can send and receive tweets from your handheld device (cellphone, smartphone, etc.), and you can access archives through your Twitter account online.

Tweet Yourself to an "A"

Develop an outcomes-based game plan to take advantage of real-time information exchange, as well as twitter-accessed information networks. What does an outcomes-based game plan look like? Be sure to keep focused on your overall goal, tweet on topics that pertain to the course. It's easy to get distracted, and, well, a little bit of distraction is fine, since it usually helps you feel a sense of affiliation and being part of the group. However, the majority of tweets need stay on task.

Here are a few examples of good tweets to send and receive:

Course deadlines
Insights and guidelines
Cries for help
Offers of help
Links to useful resources
Links to practice quizzes
New discoveries, insights (articles you might find, useful websites, research)
Links to video posts, images (YouTube, Flickr, etc.) relating to the course
Online research tips
Links to draft papers for collaborative / peer review

Put Your Plan Into Action: Sign up for Twitter

Chances are, you already use Twitter (http://www.twitter.com). If you don't, be sure to sign up. You can enable your cellphone / smartphone to receive tweets, or, if you prefer, you can send and receive messages (tweets) from your computer.

You may wish to separate work and play, and to set up a new Twitter account for your academic work. That is often a good idea, because it makes it easier to go back and review the tweets you've sent and received. Plus, you may not want to annoy all your friends with tweets about next week's sociology quiz!

Practice Sending Messages (Tweets)

You can send messages to people who are following you, as well as directly to a specific twitter account. It's good to do both.

To send a message to all your followers, type in a 140 character or less message in the "what's happening" block.

To send a direct message, go to the "Direct Messages" screen by clicking on "direct messages" in the navigation bar in the right-hand column. Then, type a 140-character or less message in the "Send (pulldown menu of your followers) a direct message."

Use Hashtags to Find Tweets On Your Topics of Interest

Hashtags are meta-tags for Twitter. They are useful because you can classify your tweets, and/or find tweets that have been classified in the topics that interest you. Here is a directory of hashtags:

Hashtag Directory: http://wthashtag.com/Main_Page

Final Thoughts

People are finding very innovative ways to use Twitter, not just for social but also for professional networking. It's now time to explore the possibilities in conjunction with academic applications. As you can see, there are a number of ways that you can use Twitter to enhance your interaction with peers, and also to expand your research / resource possibilities.

Add to:

Letting Kids Grow Up

SteveFoerster — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:45:00 GMT

“Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment.” — Rita Mae Brown

The New Bern (N.C.) Sun-Journal is reporting on the decision of Craven Community College (that's their actual name, not an editorial comment) to remove a work of art that was made by students and was on display in the student center, because it depicts one of their faculty members engaging in a particular act.

Ooooo, sounds juicy, doesn't it? It was something terrible, right? Was it pornographic? No. Was he making some sort of offensive gesture, like a Nazi salute or something like that? No. Was he doing something illegal, like blowing up a building or robbing a bank? No. So what was this intolerably controversial act?

He was smoking a cigar.

I know, disappointing, but that's it. The guy is one of their faculty members. He's a grown man, and smokes cigars, evidently a lot. So when his students airbrushed a picture of him, they did him justice by showing him as he really is. So it's a picture of him that the administration won't allow displayed on campus because... and my fingers hurt just to type this... because it "sends the wrong message" to students.

Why do administrators insist on treating college and university students as though they were still in middle school? If your student health office wants to post useful information about smoking cessation programs around campus, and students can take it or leave it, sure, that's great. If they want to say, "Smoking is incredibly short-sighted and foolish!" then no problem. But in a circumstance like this where administrators talk in doublespeak about not sending the wrong message, the only message they really send is that they have no respect for the independent decision making abilities of their students and no interesting in maintaining an environment where those abilities can develop.

Now, don't get me wrong, I realize that young adults do foolish things. Ask anyone who knew me when I was eighteen and they'll probably tell you they're amazed I've survived to be twice that age. But in the long run, we learn from those blunders. We have to make them for ourselves in order to become adults who know enough to avoid bad decisions. In olden times, teenagers were considered old enough to take care of themselves, even to start raising families (like in a good way). But in the last few decades our society has artificially extended adolescence for longer and longer periods of time, and while that may protect our children in the short run, in the long run we do them a disservice to treat them that way.

There's a saying that it's easier to teach your kids to wear slippers than it is to carpet the world. The folks who run Craven Community College, and the rest of us, ought to take note.

Next up, speaking of meddlesome administration, a bill has been introduced in Congress supposedly to fight degree mills, but the cure is worse than the disease.

Add to:

Using Wikipedia as a Reference

Cajun — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:01:00 GMT

My class at Bellevue is engaged in what I find to be a very interesting conversation about using Wikipedia as a reference for research. Now one of the things that makes this particular discussion so interesting is it has nothing to do with our assignment yet almost everyone has posted a reply or opinion and secondly because both sides of the debate have a valid point. On one side we have a student who questions as to whether or not he can use Wikipedia as a valid academic reference point because Wikipedia is so often mentioned in our textbook. For example the textbook will say something akin to “for more information on cloud computing see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing”. On the other side of the coin, the argument is because Wikipedia is an open source of information it is considered generally unreliable as an academic source.

So our original poster asks and rightfully so, if Wikipedia is so unreliable why does the textbook continue to point us to it? Good question. Wikipedia is probably one of the largest repositories of information on the internet and in general is reliable. However due to the changing nature of Wikipedia as it is open source, and the fact that anyone can make edits anytime it cannot be used to form the basis of an academic argument as the minute you cite it as a source, it might change.

The best way I have seen to use Wikipedia is exactly how the textbook does, use it to read more information on a topic then follow the various links within the page to learn even more. If for example you are having difficulty finding a source for the mating habits of web toed marsupials you can look it up in Wikipedia, familiarize yourself with the topic using your “critical reading skills” and then follow the links to the sources they cite. Upon arriving at an academically reliable source (news story, academic journal, etc.) use the source as your own. In other words Wikipedia should be used as the invisible middleman to get what you need. Like the highway, Wikipedia is a means to an end, not a destination in of itself.

Add to:

Kaplan University Virtual Open House | February 4, 2010

Victoria — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:04:00 GMT

You're invited to join us for a free virtual open house with the dean of Kaplan University's School of Graduate Education.

Dr. Drew Ross is hosting a live virtual open house on Thursday, February 4. He will be discussing two master's degree programs offered by the School of Graduate Education:

Master of Science in Education: A program designed for current K-12 teachers interested in career advancement* and higher salary potential.
Master of Arts in Teaching: A program designed to help career-changing professionals become secondary teachers (grades 5-12).*

Whether you want to enter the field of teaching for the first time or enhance your existing teaching credentials, we hope you will join us in taking the first step toward earning your master's degree in education.

To register for this event, click here
You must register to attend.
To attend the open house on February 4, click here *
*Log in using your e-mail address and the password that you created when you registered for the event.
To learn more about the School of Graduate Education master's degree programs, please complete the information here.

Add to:

Should You Trust The iPad?

SteveFoerster — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:09:00 GMT

“The last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.” — The Wall Street Journal

Why is it that people lose their minds whenever something new comes out with an Apple logo on it? I mean, sure, they make decent products, their hardware works properly and it's tightly integrated with the software they write for it. And I appreciate the security and stability they brought to Macs when they switched over to OS X, their own user-friendly version of the powerful Unix operating system. They're not bad.

But there's a difference between something being perfectly fine and something deserving all the hoopla that the arrival of the iPad just got. Take, for example, Joshua Kim over at InsideHigherEd, who's written a piece on the possible use (and danger) of the iPad as a piece of educational technology. Now, his piece raises interesting issues, and it's worth reading. But even when he points out some of the potential drawbacks for mass adoption of this device by universities for their students, he still seems to have an unreasonable adoration for it, as when he concludes, "...I'm totally excited to get my hands on a shiny new iPad. How about you?"

Well, Mr. Kim, since you asked, I couldn't care less about getting my hands on one. So far it looks like it's a big iPod Touch, along with everything bad about that, like how it's locked down like Alcatraz so that only approved apps can be installed. And I don't like how it doesn't have unfettered web surfing. Flash as a way to deliver video has its problems, but in the absence of a widely adopted alternative, being able to view it is a must for any serious computing device.

Most importantly, though, Apple seems to want to position the iPad as a device for e-books, but it's also not perfectly designed for that. Books may be cumbersome, but at least you can read them anywhere. The iPod's screen isn't designed such that you can read it in bright light. Some people actually like to read and study outside or at least have the option to do so. By comparison, for all its faults, this is something that Amazon's Kindle does well.

But my main concern is that the locked down nature of the device makes me nervous about trusting it as a textbook repository. When you buy a physical textbook, no one can take it away from you. When your book is data in a device that can report back to the mothership in Cupertino, what guarantee do you have that your books won't "expire" or simply be removed by some corporate mistake? Before you call me paranoid, remember that this has already happened to some people who've bought e-books for their Kindles.

The other thing that gets me about all this hype is that people are talking about this as though no one had ever come out with a tablet-shaped computer before. But they've been around for years, and never found a significant constituency. Will the magic that seems to come along with an Apple logo change all that? Maybe so; it wouldn't be the first time. But before people place their trust in this device, especially as a place for their e-books, they deserve to hear more about why 2010 won't be like "1984".

Next up, should adolescence last forever?

Image courtesy of Balazs Gal

Add to:

Walden Graduates 3,300

WheelCipher — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:43:00 GMT

Walden University is rolling right along! This week, degrees were conferred to over 3,300 students. This current class of graduates came from 49 states and 25 countries. Diversity is a big deal in the on-line learning experience. I think Walden has more than exceed those goals.

"As we enter our 40th year committed to our mission of positive social change, we are proud to welcome our newest graduates to a vibrant community of more than 36,000 alumni using their Walden degrees to make a positive impact on their organizations, their communities, and the world around them," said Jonathan Kaplan, president of Walden University.

The more I read about Walden the more respect I have for them. At this moment, I am awaiting a decision from the school on my application to their PhD program in Public Policy. I am hoping that decision comes in this week sometime. I am anxious to get going again.

I knew that Walden was big, but I had no idea that there are more than 40,000 students enrolled and taking classes. I think the time has long since passed when a high school diploma was the minimum credential needed to gain meaningful employment. The Bachelors degree is the standard now.

Another article I came across recently addresses the political ideology of professors. I am not sure how it is on-campus, but I can honestly say that in my many years of going to school on-line, I have had zero issues or concerns with this. Nobody has tried to push or promote an ideology on the classes I have been in. If anything, different points of view bring a certain level of diversity. And with an open mind, we can decide for ourselves what works and what doesn’t.

Have you had a negative experience with ideology from your instructor? Let me know. E-Mail me at ask.scott.about.elearning@gmail.com

Add to:

Lifelong Learning and Becoming a Dynamic Leader

Cajun — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:33:00 GMT

Recently I finished a book called Leading Change written by Harvard Professor and author John P. Kotter, this was a reading required in Ashford’s MBA program that I wanted to take more time to reread because it was so worthwhile. Specifically what interested me about this book was the emphasis upon lifelong learning as being a key success factor in people who grow into dynamic leaders. Notice I said grow and that is because leaders are made, not born. For instance in an example case Kotter writes about “Manny” who he describes as “...alert, friendly and ambitions...” as well as stating “...nothing about him seemed exceptional...” further stating that nobody in Manny’s firm would describe him as a leader. Nine years later Kotter met Manny again but this time he writes “...I could sense a depth of sophistication that had been unapparent before...” and others in the organization couldn’t stop talking about what a dynamic leader Manny had become. Kotter explains the transition in stating that “…people like Manny have always been around. Instead of slowing down and peaking at age thirty-five or forty-five, they keep learning at a rate we normally associate only with children and young adults”.

I dog eared that page and highlighted those lines to reinforce something I’ve been writing about for quite some time. Learning is a lifestyle not a means to an end. If you are going to college to get your degree so that you can get a good job so that you can then sit back and bask in your accomplishment then you are certainly free to do so. But when you stop growing, stop learning and plateau off you will find yourself in wonderment at how some people get ahead while others stall. The momentum you built up while earning your degree will be lost and restarting that momentum again will be more difficult than if you had never stopped. Kind of like a 10 speed bike (do they even make those anymore?) the first few gears are tough but once you get going it’s easy to keep up a high rate of speed.

So again to re-emphasize my points, a degree is not a destination, merely a milestone. You should never stop learning, never stop pushing yourself to grow, you should learn to accept, adapt to and capitalize upon change and emerging issues. Don’t get comfortable, don’t get complacent. Learn to love to learn and as such try to work and study things that genuinely interest you and maybe that’s the trick, doing something you love doesn’t seem to take as much effort as it would otherwise.

Add to:

Penn Foster Teams With Labor College

tcord1964 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:38:00 GMT

There are 11.5 million AFL-CIO members in the United States. When they want to earn labor-related degrees, they have the opportunity to be served by the National Labor College, the nation's only accredited higher education institution devoted exclusively to educating labor leaders, members and activists. The National Labor College is teaming up with The Princeton Review and Penn Foster College to offer distance learning programs to union members.

The new online initiative is tentatively called the College for Working Families. According to a press release issued by the National Labor College, "the College will retain majority control of the joint venture, and will continue to be solely responsible for the integrity and quality of the programs of the new College for Working Families. The joint venture is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements among the AFL-CIO, the College and The Princeton Review which are currently expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010. Implementation of certain anticipated programs may be subject to regulatory approvals."

The press release mentions expanded offerings for the National Labor College, which currently offers two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies and a Bacheor of Technical and Professional Studies. Beginning this fall, the college is expected to also offer programs in criminal justice, education, business and healthcare. The cost of programs at the College for Working Families will be about $200 per credit hour.

Some in labor have questioned the practice of a non-profit regionally accredited institution teaming up with a nationally accredited for-profit online college. National Labor College officials have responded by saying Penn Foster faculty would not be used in the new College for Working Families, and that faculty hired for the college will be union members. The National Labor College's president recently resigned, calling the expansion plans and partnership with Penn Foster College the crowning achievement of his two years at the college. An interim president was appointed earlier this week.

Add to: