Getting a Real Degree in Virtual Second Life
If you will walk to the campus of San Jose State University you will see students, teachers and all 16 acres of a nice campus. The only difference is that this campus exists only online, in the virtual world of “Second Life”.
Many colleges have invested in virtual lands in Second Life, but doesn’t use it all. The University of Phoenix, which is one of the largest online universities in the country, offers students virtual learning via the university own spaces, and not using Second Life.
Still, it’s considered that many of the students that gets their degree online will have to get used to these kind of virtual environments, since their usage will grow substantially in the upcoming years.
via [Daily Dispatch]
Oil Price Is Up? Students Move to Online Colleges
With gasoline at more than $4 a gallon, more students are considering getting a college degree in their home, without having to drive.
One student for example is Christy LaBadie, which is starting to learn medical administration in Northampton Community College. She estimates that getting her degree online saves her about $50 a week on gasoline. According to the Sloan consortium which represents more than 2,500 colleges and universities around the country, 20% of the students take today at least one online course.
via [Pocono Record]
5 Tips before you start an Online Degree
A great Q&A article from the New York Times features common questions about online degree programs.
The five tips that can be taken from the article are:
1. Make the time to learn – You’ll need 10-20 hours of work each week for a year or two, in most online programs. So take that into consideration before enrolling. Will you be able to make the time in order to learn.
2. Be prepared to sit a lot in front of the computer – recorded lectures, discussion groups with other students, reading a lot of material. In the core of online education lies the participation of the students.
3. Online degrees can cost as much as regular degrees – but there are savings in the form of gasoline from the unnecessary trips to the university. Anyway, you can always find programs that meet your budget. Take into consideration that you will might want to take a few days off from work from time to time, so you might need to consult with your employer first.
4. Check if the program is recognized by your employer – you will also want to find a program that will show the added benefit of education to your current position. Many online program are recognized by employers for tuition reimbursement.
5. Beware of fake programs – You can check the accreditation of the programs with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Don’t be fooled by promises to a quick and easy online degree. If it looks too easy – it’s probably not the education you want.
More [NY Times]
Cyber High School Lets Teens Get Their Diploma
If you thought that you can enjoy the benefits of online degree programs only when you are old enough – you might be thinking again.
The first graduating class of Insight School of California-Los Angeles was held a couple of days ago. It was all like a similar ceremony in school, except for the fact that this was the first time the students really met each other.
An online high school could seem like the ultimate fantasy for teens. Not having to get in the morning and studying all day long on the computer playing games while explaining to their parents they are "studying". But in reality it’s far from it.
10 Free Online Courses You Can Take Right Now
There nothing better in life than to learn and develop yourself. And there is nothing better than getting something for free. Combining this two and you get a list of free online courses you can start learning right now in your home.
The mother of them all. Almost all the courses from the prestigious university in Boston. Mostly focused on science, but you can find literature and business classes also:
2. US Small Business Administration
Online courses in business administration, marketing, financing, accounting, e-commerce and more. Perfect for any small business owner.
Are you a trying to figure out how to work with Vista? are you a network administrator? dozens of video classes you can take free of charge , courtesy of HP.
4. LearnThat
free web based training to users of all levels on various topics. from computers to business to just plain fun.
5. About U
From about.com comes the center of courses in any kind of subjects. You can find online courses like French in 14 days to ten weeks to a better relationship.
80,000 students duped in $31m online college fraud
It’s seems that getting a degree could be very expensive if you don’t check who you give your money to.
Tens of thousands of students in the UK were conned by three men who opened an online college named "National Distance Learning College" and ran away with the money. The men have made millions of pounds from the students, but only 18 students got their qualifications.
The three men told students that the online degree will be accredited by national bodies – something that wasn’t true. They’ve also got some grants from the government as a result of the number of students they had – and took the money to their pockets.
20% of College Students are older than 35
Older students are filling up colleges. According to a study by the department of education, Student starting or returning to college later in life are the fastest-growing educational demographic in colleges.
According to data from Florida community college in Jacksonville, people with a college degree increase their salary to $34,000 from $18,000. With incentives such as the opportunity to almost double your salary, getting back to college seems an easy task.
Of course, these busy adults usually with kids have less time to attend classes. That’s where online degree program can help. With online degrees you can continue your regular day job and study at your own convenient hours.
Finding the Best Online Degree for Your Career
It’s no secret that online degrees are mainly used for a career boost. Wherever it’s a learning a new field and getting a complete career change, climbing higher in the corporate hierarchy or just getting a raise based on your level of education.
The problem is that most people make the mistakes when choosing an online degree that should help them with their career. A new tool from eLearners allows you to get the right online degree for your career. After answering a few simple questions like which activities you like and dislike from a pool of 100 activities. It may sound long, but it’s actually fun, and the results may surprise you. You can start the assesment process in LiveCareer.
Online Degrees for Working Moms
If you have to balance between life, career and your family, but still want to earn a degree, you’ve come to the right place.
A single mom for example can attend classes during the late evening and night, getting a degree that can help her in finding a better job. According to study published by the U.S. Department of Education, parents with kids under the age of ten, are attending colleges in record numbers. Most of them are women.
New online programs offer up to PhD degrees in the convenience of your own time and home. That’s without worrying for a babysitter or if your kid feels sick in a middle of a class.
This five universities offer programs that are designed especially for working moms: