Posts Tagged ‘online education’
Making a Stellar Online Essay
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
Writing an entrance essay is one of the most important things that applicants must do in order to be admitted to the online college of their choice. Writing a stellar college admissions essay takes time. By following these basic steps, you’ll be able to craft a piece to be proud of.
Emphasize your strengths. The application essay is the perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate your strengths and explain any blemishes on your record. Many colleges ask students to write a separate essay that explains what sets them apart from the crowd. If you have an assignment like that, don’t be shy. Describe your many talents in a confident, non-boastful manner. If you have blemishes on your academic record such as poor grades or an expulsion, now is the time to own up to these issues. Explain any extenuating circumstances (such as dropping out due to a family tragedy). If there is no good excuse, explain what you’ve learned from your mistakes and why you’ll never make them again. Even if you are not assigned an essay about your strengths, you can demonstrate your talents in just about any assignment. “Show” the reader what your strengths are by setting up a scene. For example: In an essay about a defining moment in your life, you may want to “show” the reader how you’ve demonstrated leadership under stress. Don’t brag about it, just set the scene.
Edit your work. Once you’ve completed the application essay, let it set for a few days. Then, go back and edit your work. Taking a break will help you look at it with fresh eyes. Ask yourself: “Is there is anything I can change to make the essay more powerful?” Be sure to run spell check and analyze every sentence for grammatical mistakes. If your online school does not prohibit second party help, ask a former teacher or essay editing service for additional assistance.
Posted in Online College and University, online courses, online degree, online education | No Comments »
Getting Good Recommendation for Online College
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
Online colleges rely heavily on the recommendation letters that they get from the applicants. This is due to the fact that if not most, all of online schools do not entail having to do face-to-face interviews. That is why it is very important that an applicant passes top-notch recommendation letters. If you come and think about it, the recommendations can either make or break your application. To ensure that you get good recommendations, follow these tips.
Draw a list of possible recommendation writers. You should sit down and think about who could be good sources of fine recommendations. You might want to consider the following people:
· former teachers
· current teachers
· counselors
· employers
Make the best choice. Make sure that the person/persons you will choose will write positive things about you. It is also important that the recommender is reliable with deadlines and a capable writer. Avoid people you have a more casual relationship with, as well as those who only know you on a superficial level. Remember: the most obvious choice isn’t always the best.
Observe measures established by the admission office. Before talking to your chosen recommender, find out what your school requires. If your school has strict procedures, make sure to communicate those with the recommender and make is as easy as possible to follow. For example, if the recommender must mail the letter, you will want to provide an addressed, stamped envelope.
Talk to the recommender directly. Don’t tell the writer your deadline for turning in the college recommendation letter. Instead, say: “I need the letter (or the letter must be mailed) by this date.” Set your must-have date at least three weeks before the school’s application deadline.
Give background information to the recommender. Include the following documents in the information: your college application essay, your personal statement, your resume, and a list of ways you are connected to the recommender (i.e. you were in the top 10% of his Calculus course). Highlight any information that is particularly important.
Send your thanks. Let him know how much you appreciate the time and effort that was spent on your behalf.
Posted in College Tips, Online College and University, online degree, online education, online school | No Comments »
Habits of Successful Distance Learners
Monday, December 8th, 2008
If you think that having distance education is easy as one, two, three – think again. Distance education requires some characteristics for you to become successful. Below are some habits you might want to consider.
Successful distance learners have good reading comprehension skills. While most people learn by listening to lectures and taking notes, the majority of distance learners are expected to master material through reading alone. Although some distance learning courses offer video recordings and audio clips, most programs require that students understand a large amount of information that is only available through written text. These students are able to comprehend texts at the college level without the direct guidance of a teacher.
Successful distance learners can resist constant distractions. Whether it’s the phone ringing off the hook, the kids screaming in the kitchen, or the allure of the tv, everyone faces distractions. Successful students know how to filter out the constant disturbances that threaten their progress. They feel comfortable turning down an invitation or letting the machine pick up the phone when they know there is work to be done.
Successful distance learners feel alright about missing the social elements of traditional schools. Sure, they realize that they’ll miss out on the homecoming game, the dances, and the student elections, but they’re convinced that the independence is absolutely worth it. Whether they’re mature adult learners who aren’t interested in the fraternity hype, or younger students who get their socialization from extracurricular activities elsewhere, they are comfortable with their current social situation. In place of classroom discussion, they explore the issues with their peers through email and message boards or discuss what they’re learning with spouses or coworkers.
Posted in College Tips, distance learning, online degree, online education | No Comments »
Characteristics of Distance Learners
Monday, December 8th, 2008
Distance education offers a new type of system of learning. Remember that online learning is not for everyone and, while it is an excellent choice for some, others will always struggle with learning independently. It may be best for you to check some characteristics of distance learners and reflect on yourself if you have the same qualities.
Good distance learners do just as well, if not better, without people looking over their shoulders. While some people need teachers to keep them motivated and on-task, distance learners are able to motivate themselves. They realize that they will never be face-to-face with the people who give them assignments and grade their work, but they don’t need others to encourage them. The most successful students are self-motivated and set their own goals.
Good distance learners never (or at least rarely) procrastinate. You’ll rarely find them putting off assignments or waiting until the last moment to write their papers. These students enjoy the freedom of working at their own pace and appreciate the ability to complete their work in as much time as it takes them, instead of waiting for an entire class. However, they understand that putting off their work too often can end up adding months, if not years, to their studies.
You have seen some qualities and characteristics of distance learners. Try and see if you have the same qualities as these people. If, after comparing your personality and habits to those of successful distance education students, you’ve discovered that you have a lot in common, online classes may be the perfect option for you.
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What is Distance Education?
Sunday, December 7th, 2008
The beginnings of distance education dates back all the way from the year 1728. It sprung from a newspaper advertisement, in which Caleb Phillips, teacher of the new method of shorthand was looking for students to be sent weekly school lessons. Since then, more educators added to the demand of learning via correspondence. By the 19th century, commercial correspondence colleges became wide-spread all through out the different nations because of the development of the postal service. Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of education that focuses on the strategies of instruction, learning strategies, technology, and instructional systems design that aim to deliver education to students who are not physically “on site”. Rather than attending courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time and through other online ways. Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason including the taking of examinations is considered to be a hybrid or blended course of study.
There are many private and public, non-profit and for-profit institutions offering courses and degree programs through distance education. Levels of accreditation vary; some institutions offering distance education in the United States have received little outside oversight, and some may be fraudulent diploma mills. In many other jurisdictions, an institution may not use the term “University” without accreditation and authorization, normally by the national government. Online education is rapidly increasing among mainstream universities in the United States, where online doctoral programs have even developed at prestigious research institutions.
Posted in Online College and University, distance learning, online degree, online education | No Comments »