3 Tips For Being A Successful Distance Learning Instructor
July 3, 2008
3 Tips For Being A Successful Distance Learning Instructor
by: Kris Bickell
Are you looking to teach an online course for the first time? Or have you already taught online but are looking for some tips to help you become more effective?
The world of online learning is expanding at a rapid pace.
More courses are being offered and more students are enrolling every semester. And while teaching an online course can be done while sitting at your computer in your pajamas, being an effective online instructor requires a good deal of practice and preparation.
Of course, teaching online does take away the face to face involvement with students. Nothing can take the place of seeing a student smile after finally understanding a difficult concept.
But online teaching can be even more rewarding than on-campus teaching, when done well.
What makes an effective online instructor?
While good teaching involves a large number of qualities and techniques, effective online teaching centers on three main points:
1) You must be clear about your expectations!
Scholarship Opportunities for Hispanics Abound
June 24, 2008
Scholarship Opportunities for Hispanics Abound
by: Elena del Valle
There is good news for Hispanic families on a budget searching for a way to pay for higher education costs: College bound Hispanics can benefit from increasing scholarship opportunities. This year, Hispanic students have a wealth of scholarship options. Just as frenzied students are selecting college programs or planning their return to school, many Hispanic organizations are announcing scholarship funding programs and guidelines for the school year beginning this fall.
Offering scholarships to minority and disadvantaged students has gained popularity. Corporate giants like CNN, Coors, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, MasterCard, NASCAR, Office Depot, Sallie Mae, Time Warner and Wachovia are among the companies providing scholarships to Hispanic students this year. Why are these do-gooders dedicating thousands of dollars to Latino scholarships and what can other companies learn from them?
While each one of these companies may have more than one reason to support existing Hispanic scholarship programs established by Latino organizations such as the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Hispanic College Fund and Hispanic Scholarship Fund, most benefit from the positive community and public relations results the programs generate.
The Secrets To Finding The Right Online School
June 18, 2008
The Secrets To Finding The Right Online School
by: Scott Patterson
Do you want to complete and online degree?
Obtaining a degree online can seem like a dream come true. You can improve your education (and chances for a better job), while learning from the comfort of your home.
But how do you know what program or university is right for you?
Picking the best Internet university may seem like a daunting task, but in truth it can be broken down into a few easy steps. Let’s get started
Like the standard college or university, an online degree has a high level of standard. So the first step is to ensure that you meet the academic requirements. To do this, you must see if you can match or exceed the minimum GPA, courses taken and a high enough score from the appropriate standardized test.
The next step is to look for a school that is accredited from a recognized educational body. Most of the time, it will be obvious if an online university has an accreditation. This is because the online degree course will be part of a well-known institutional body. To help you out the Department of Education has six different accrediting bodies that you can use to research your potential school.
Immerse Yourself In The Japanese Language
June 10, 2008
Immerse Yourself In The Japanese Language
by: John Davison
Japanese is a language spoken by more than 120 million people worldwide in countries including Japan, Brazil, Guam, Taiwan, and on the American island of Hawaii. Japanese is a language comprised of characters completely different from the western alphabet that makes up such languages as English, French, Italian, and German. If you are required to learn Japanese for business reasons, or if you are planning a vacation to the Asian island, it might seem intimidating to learn a language so different for your own.
If you are required to learn the Japanese language for your job, consider jumping into an immersion program. There are immersion programs that are available for enrollment that do not require you to travel to Japan, but are held in the United States. Master instructors who are native Japanese speakers will provide a short and highly intensive program in which you will live and breathe Japanese. Do not be intimidated. Immersion programs are known to be highly effective in very short periods of time. You might surprise yourself with how much you learn in such a short period of time. Not only will you come away with a firm grasp of conversational Japanese, but you will also understand the alphabet, and gain a little insight into Japanese culture. At the end of your course, you might be tested on your newly acquired knowledge. The Japanese government provides standardized tests that measure written and conversational understanding, the most common known as the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). There is also a test available that measures comprehension of the language in business situations. It is known as the Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJPT).
Planning Your Homeschooling Effectively Takes Creativity
June 3, 2008
Planning Your Homeschooling Effectively Takes Creativity
by: David Black
Homeschooling is a growing trend across North America. An estimated 1.2 million children are home schooled on a part time or full time basis currently in the United States.
Many parents make the decision to homeschool their children, and in doing so are privy to some clear benefits. Homeschooling allows you to tailor a specific education to your child’s individual needs, something that is often lacking in the public or private school systems. Homeschooling also allows you and your child to learn together, creating not only a valuable learning experience but strengthening family bonds. Add to this the fact that it is often prohibitively expensive to send multiple children to private schools, and we can see why homeschooling has become increasingly popular.
One of the most important aspects of homeschooling your child is coming up with a clear plan and set of goals. One of the greatest aspects of homeschooling - its complete flexibility - can also be one of the most difficult if it is not approached directly. Without a clear plan, you run the risk of creating a scattershot education that puts your child out of place with his or her peers.
Six Sigma Jobs
May 26, 2008
Six Sigma Jobs
by: Peter Peterka
The demand for people with Six Sigma expertise is constantly increasing. More and more organizations are discovering the many ways that the Six Sigma methodology can help them grow and improve. As Six Sigma spreads to many different industries beyond its genesis in manufacturing, you can now find many service and government organizations advertising for Six Sigma help. Plus, it is no longer the largest corporations looking for Six Sigma help. Smaller companies also are taking on Six Sigma projects and hiring people as consultants or permanent staff. The need for full-time Six Sigma professionals will only increase.
Types of Six Sigma Jobs
There are many Six Sigma jobs in many industries at junior and senior levels. The positions have descriptions and requirements unique to that organization and its requirements. It is true that many Six Sigma positions are filled internally as organizations train their own people already familiar with the organization’s culture in Six Sigma skills. However, organizations frequently reach outside to add personnel with Six Sigma expertise to lead Six Sigma projects or even the full-scale implementation of Six Sigma throughout the organization. These positions are usually dedicated full-time to Six Sigma projects.
ESL Bingo!
May 19, 2008
ESL Bingo!
by: George Stocker
One of our customers recently wrote to me with some feedback on our bingo games. I thought her comments were so typical and highlighted some misunderstandings and problems with ESL bingo.
Her comments were –
It took a long time for my students to learn how the game is played but once they did they had a lot of fun.
This is a very typical comment and illustrates a ms-conception. If native speakers were to play the same bingo game, it would be simple because we understand the vocabulary and the rules. And if we had questions about the rules, we could easily consult the rules and clarify our concerns.
However, for a native speaker, the situation is very different. They don’t understand the vocabulary, not the rules, where are in a foreign language. So, it is going to take some time to set up, and probably the first game will be difficult, but after that, our experience is students can’t get enough!
Here are some pointers and suggestions for playing bingo:
Kamaron Institute Reports: Causalities Mount In Word Wars
May 11, 2008
Kamaron Institute Reports: Causalities Mount In Word Wars
by: Margaret Ross
The best violence and bullying solution is “Preemption” reports Margaret Ross, Kamaron Institute
“The locations may vary, work place, neighborhood, Internet, school or bus, but the bully’s weapon of choice remains constant. WORDS,” says Kamaron Institute president Margaret Ross. Causalities are mounting.
School Causalities: The National Education Association reports that every day 150-thousand kids miss school due to fear of attack, peer intimidation or bullying. A 2001 study by the American Association of University Women found that 83% of girls and 79% of boys report experiencing ridiculing/harassment at school. One in four reported that it happens “frequently.” Dreading going to school impairs a child’s ability to learn. Dreading going to work impairs an adult’s ability to earn.
Bus Bullies: Educators agree that having children arrive at school in a positive frame of mind and ready to learn is critically important. It’s not happening. Here’s why. Kamaron Institute researchers found that half of America’s school children step off a bus where negativity and name-calling is a daily occurrence.
Children Can’t Be Socialized Without School - FALSE
May 4, 2008
Children Can’t Be Socialized Without School - FALSE
by: Reverend Brenda Hoffman
Children are born as social beings. Therefore, schooling is not necessary to “make” someone social. Truth be told, whenever you think about it, you cannot “make” a child do anything. Furthermore, what do you call interaction with parents, siblings and family? This is also social when you think about it.
There are many great joys to homeschooling. One of these is that children tend to make friends with a diverse group of people from all age groups and with a variety of interests. This is because these children spend much of their time interacting within the community.
Schools force children to be segregated by age group. Where else in life are people segragated in this manner? No where. In fact, such segragation creates the generation gaps that cause adults to misunderstand children, and children to know nothing about adults.
So, stop and take a moment to think about the “socialization” of school…
Teaching ESL to Children
April 27, 2008
Teaching ESL to Children
by: George Stocker
Teaching ESL to children is challenging but also very rewarding. Before I walk into a class of 10-year olds, I take a deep breath. Children have no attention span AT ALL, and so I tell myself to slow right down before I start. Teaching children requires patience and a sense of fun and playfulness. Even though it seems obvious, a common mistake is to think that children are simply ’short adults!’ This is sure to get you off on the wrong foot!
Here are some tips for teaching ESL to children:
1. Involve Children in an hands-on Activities. Children’s minds are incredibly open and they learn by absorbing ideas and concepts directly. Children need to be actively involved. Get students up and out of their chairs and moving around. Sing songs, and play games.
2. Avoid talking for long periods of time. I find that the energy level of the classroom drops lower and lower. Explain an activity quickly and then go to it. Keep the energy moving! If your planned activity is a flop, move on. Keep a few extra activities handy for this purpose. Children need lots of stimulation all the time.
