Posts Tagged ‘online education’

How Can You Spot A Fake Online Bachelor Degree?

March 8th, 2010

As the demand for the online Bachelor degree rises, so do the number of fake colleges and universities. Some actually offer diplomas for sale to potential customers through bulk emails. However, many take advantage of innocent and unsuspecting students by offering lower than normal tuition fees, credit for life experiences, no tests, and an easy road to that coveted diploma. If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is the case.

So, how do prospective students determine whether an online college is accredited or only offering bogus online Bachelor degrees? Especially for International students, it can be very difficult to determine a school’s validity. In most cases it is impossible for distance learners to visit the campus, so the website is the only point of contact before making the choice and enrolling, which makes it hard to determine credibility.

The first thing to do is to verify the type of accreditation the college claims to have. Only 6 government agencies have been given the authority by the U.S. Department of Education, to award accreditation to colleges and universities offering online Bachelor degrees. Therefore, if a site brags about worldwide or nationwide accreditation, beware. Unless they specifically name the agency, chances are they are not a legitimate institution of higher education.

The six accreditation agencies given the authority to grant college and university accreditation are entrusted with governing the institutions within their geographical section of the United States as follows: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU). With specific states for each agency, it is easier to check whether an online learning facility is accredited and registered.

Another important clue to illegitimacy is mass-emails or mail offering degrees for sale. There are cases of online Bachelor degrees, Masters, or even online Doctorate degrees being obtained by a fixed tuition rate. Some bogus colleges even have the audacity to promise a degree in the mail within 7 days. These unethical businesses take advantage of people who must have a degree in order to get a decent job, or keep the one they have in the first place. However, others take big steps to appear above board and genuine. Displaying evidence of accreditation from a bogus website makes the “school” look real. But, unless one of the 6 authorized agencies is mentioned, it may not be an accredited school. In addition, the only way to earn a college degree is by honest hard work and dedication. If a site offers credit for life experiences, travel, work experience, educational background, or even the amount of books read in the past, rest assured it may not be an institute dedicated to qiality, legitimate and excellent learning.

In short, with the plethora of bogus degrees already causing employers to question online education, make sure your online Bachelor degree is earned from a college or university accredited by one of the six agencies endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.

Find information on various distance learning colleges for your online bachelor degrees education.

7 Ways To Ensure Success With An Online Education Degree

March 8th, 2010

For those students who cannot afford the time or money to take full-time courses on campus, an online education degree has removed many roadblocks. In fact, there are several advantages over traditional degrees. Nevertheless, because the methods of instruction and learning are quite different, students need to consider the adjustments and changes necessary to receiving a quality education degree online.

1. Choosing an ideal online education degree college – One of the ways to succeed is to select the right online education degree college. There are many dubious “fake colleges” out there that are only interested in selling their diplomas without providing any quality education and support to their online students. As a result, the diplomas acquired from these fake colleges may not be recognized by prospective employers who simply term then as fake degrees. To avoid this pitfall, it’s important to do background work on the college you wish to pursue. Before you enroll, check it out with relevant accrediting agencies to ensure that it is a legitimate college.

2. Check the cost vs. benefit – Many students don’t check the cost-benefit factor before enrolling into an online education degree college. We are all aware that acquiring an education requires huge amounts of money. But a smart move is to first compare with what the future earning potential of your profession will be once you earn the degree. Once you figure this out, only then would you determine if it makes sense to acquire an online education degree.

3. How do employers view an online education degree? – There are many instances where employers were skeptical about the legitimacy of online education degrees. With so many “diploma mills” out there, it’s warranted for employers to be cautious. Although an online education degree might be legit, it would be very helpful to the employer if you provided the type of accreditation your college has beforehand to avoid any misunderstanding. By letting the employer know in advance that your institution was accredited by an institution that is recognized by CHEA and US department of Education, you will be a step ahead in qualifying for that dream job.

4. Practice discipline, intrinsic motivation, and good time management – In the beginning, students may not fully comprehend the discipline necessary to stay focused and keep pace with online classes. It takes strong intrinsic motivation to succeed without the classroom atmosphere and peers. Time management is critical. Setting up communication with other students will be most helpful on the road to success.

5. Utilize all the facilities provided – Online courses generally provide online lectures and email correspondence to ensure a means of communication with instructors, tutors, and fellow students. Take advantage of every opportunity to utilize these resources of motivation and encouragement, as well as establish a sense of connection with the college or university.

6. Make use of Credit transfers – Even institutions solely dedicated to the online education degree will generally accept some, or all, of the credits obtained from another accredited online college or university. So, to avoid the expense and time necessary to retake unneeded courses, make the effort to obtain official transcripts. Then, the applicable credits can be transferred, bringing the student a little closer to that coveted diploma.

7. Take advantage of technology to complete your class work – Another factor for online education degree success is the opportunity to take advantage of all the conveniences that technology provides. Many accredited online colleges provide students with online digital libraries, databases and resources that a student can use to complete their course work and assignments. In most instances the cost of these facilities is already included in the tuition fees. Thus it makes good sense to make full use of these resources to your advantage.

Get help on online education degrees and legit distance learning colleges and programs in associates, bachelors, masters and Phd.

Distance Learning Degrees – What Do Employers Think Of Them?

March 8th, 2010

With the technological expansion of the Internet, distance learning degrees have become increasingly popular. With great support facilities and the convenience of online degree programs, parents and workers can still have a family and a job while receiving an education. Unfortunately, the Internet has also provided an avenue for individuals making money by selling bogus degrees over the Internet. In a 2003 report by USA Today, 400 diploma mills are already in operation, with the shameful industry already worth $500 million per year, and the numbers are still rising.

However, despite all of the negative talk about the value of distance learning degrees, many such colleges and universities offer valid online learning degrees and diplomas. The students and instructors are held to the same standard of educational excellence as those in the traditional classroom. The method is simply an alternative for the individuals who may otherwise not have an opportunity to earn a degree. Online courses, online video lectures, test examinations, and even online library facilities ensure the students truly earn their degree in higher education. Unfortunately, many potential employers have heard about the bogus degrees and tend to assume an online degree is of lesser value.

To address the misinformation, 6 accreditation agencies have been authorized by the U.S. National Education Board to weed out the unscrupulous bogus programs. Then, the agencies give accreditation to the colleges and universities that meet the minimum standards for legitimate learning institutions. In addition, the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) also provide accreditation specifically to distance learning schools. The DETC has the backing of both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the Department of Education. Therefore the students can rest assured their education has matched, and often exceeded that of their traditional peers.

In addition, specific programs in specialized areas can obtain accreditation through the agencies associated with the subject matter. For example, the American Health Information Management Association provides accreditation for qualifying health programs; accounting programs are assessed by the International Association for Management Education. However, it only counts if the agencies are endorsed by the Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Why should a student be concerned about an educational institutions accreditation? Basically, it is to ensure everyone is receiving the same quality education, whether they are attending classes on campus or seeking distance learning degrees. Before granting accreditation for online degree programs, an agency assesses whether the basic requirements for support, education, and learning facilities are in place. In addition, specialized programs must submit curriculum to be evaluated, based upon the pre-determined standards of the specialty, regardless of the college or university.

Accreditation ensures students have received quality and adequate training in their perspective areas of study and definitely earned their distance learning degrees. Parents and potential employers can believe these students are prepared to become a productive member of society. By the same token, employees who have taken accredited courses have met the requirements of their specialize area of study. Alternatively, it also mean that institutions denied accreditation have not met the minimum standards of excellence.

In the end, it is totally up to potential employers to decide whether to hire an individual with a distance learning degree. With skepticism influenced by all the bogus diploma mills, no wonder they are being more cautious. Therefore, if the accreditation is supplied by a trusted and recognized source, the application for a job is less likely to be set aside. Instead, it has a better chance to be found in the stack for a second interview or final selection for a job position.

You can find more help on distance learning colleges and distance learning degrees for all your online education degree requirements.

Ready For Online Distance Education? Read These 10 Rules First

March 8th, 2010

Accreditation – this is perhaps the most important of the rules. Accreditation confirms that the college meets certain educational standards that are set by the accrediting education agencies. If you earn credits from an accredited online distance education college, chances are you can transfer them to another accredited institution of your choice. Your chances for acquiring a new job or getting a promotion are greatly enhanced if your degree is accredited.

Degree mills and fake colleges – today the internet is flooded with fraud and fake accrediting institutions that give “accreditation” to any willing organization at a fee. Be safe and stay on the look-out for such institutions when you’re choosing your online distance education college. There are always “tell-tale” signs of institutions that are not legitimately accredited. If in doubt, check with the United Stated Department of Education or CHEA to find out if the college you are interested in is accredited.

Does the college and degree program you wish to pursue fit with your long-term goals and career? if you are thinking let’s say, enrolling in an online associate degree program and later hope to earn a bachelors degree (online or campus), find out how likely it is that your associate degree coursework will transfer by looking for a list of colleges which have accept transfer credits.

Just like in a traditional classroom, class size is important. You want to be in a class where your voice can be heard. So check the class size of the college you’re considering.

How about the qualification of the faculty in the program that you’re interested in? What degrees do they hold? From which institutions? What experience do they have in the subject they teach? Do they have experience teaching online classes? Do your homework and get answers to avoid been taught by other students like yourself.

Support is very important to your success of online distance education program. Make sure you find if any and what level of support you will get from instructors, faculty and technical staff should you have problems with your classes or experience technical difficulties. Select a college that meets your standards of expectations.

Since most colleges begin their online distance education programs anytime and all the time, don’t feel pressured to begin your program right away if you’re not psychologically ready. Online education calls for motivation, thus you should only begin when you feel emotionally set and ready to put the effort to get through with your learning.

Verify whether during the course of your program, there are classes that will require residency or if you will be able to complete the entire program online. This will help you prepare in advance.

Check if the institution you’re interested in offers any form of financial aid assistance. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that financial aid, loans and the scholarships available to you. In addition, many colleges and universities offer tuition installment plans which help make college more affordable. Ask before you enroll whether such programs exist.

Take your time to research your best degree option and college out there. Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Unlike there before when online programs were limited, now there are enormous options and colleges to choose from as most traditional colleges are already offering some programs online.

Mary Jackson is an expert on what is distance learning and business degree online programs information.

The ABCs of Learning Management Systems

November 29th, 2009

It is an inevitable need nowadays to have all classrooms ready with equipment that will keep the youth informed of the latest technologies available to them. However, this should not be an excuse for most institutions to overspend and just go with the most famous alternatives. There are available learning management systems available nowadays, just like the one from Coggno that does not only guarantee quality, but can promise an outstanding effectiveness and cost-efficiency, too. With a name trusted worldwide, one can’t be wrong with the different tools they have to offer.

One of the main concerns when going for these technologies is cost – that is perfectly understandable most especially now that the world has just gone through a financial crisis. This could be a struggle for some educational institutions and schools located in far-flung districts.

Just like planning any momentous event, institutions would need to spend serious time planning for this venture that shall include talks about the needs of the school and the kind of technology it would require in order to meet its objectives.

The most overlooked category by most institutions entering into such venture is the capacity of their staff to understand and navigate new technology. In this case, the technology that must be adapted by an institution should be the most efficient and easiest to navigate.

One cannot question the benefits of moving into such great venture. Investing on these technologies does not only guarantee learning, but also makes the staff enjoy what they are doing. Creating different content gives the outmost satisfaction for facilitators and educators. Putting the one made by Coggno, their LMS integrates different interfaces into one great application, helping content developers make seamless programming and finish modules more efficiently. There are also exchange capabilities made ready by these LMS’s that makes knowledge exchanges faster and more possible.

You do not need to worry about maintaining a network or IT staff for Coggno’s LMS as everything can be done by anyone.

Different applications like Rapid Intake Unison and other applications make it possible for educators and content developers to create wonderful learning materials that enhance a students’ overall learning experience. Made possible by Coggno’s LMS, learning has never been more fun and productive.

With Coggno’s LMS, content and module development will be easy and seamless. Rapid Intake Unison has captured the best of Flash technology to create great content for everyone to utilize. No need to study Flash anymore. The same application can create good material without having to go through the rough roads just to learn Flash.

There is another interface called BB Flashback that enables the application to capture screenshots of someone’s desktop should there be a content available on the computer.

If cost is a concern, Coggno’s LMS should not contribute to this dilemma as it is on a pay-per-use basis and no deposits are required on initial usage. This is the only LMS interface that enables text editing, SCORM publishing, content developing and podcast producing at such a low cost.

Most institutions are afraid of entering into purchase agreements with penalties if terminated early. Just like a service contract, there could be fees involved if one is to enter onto these kinds of agreements.

There are times that you do not need to create content and therefore will not need an LMS. This is where pay-per-use systems can be of good benefit for institutions. You only pay for it when you need it.

There are no other strings attached – you only pay for it when you use it and when you need it. This is the perfect advantage need-basis Coggno LMS has to offer.

Conceptualize and distribute LMS Training to your organization’s employees through Coggno’s Learning Management System.

Regionally Accredited Online Resources

November 8th, 2009

Whenever it breaks down to getting the online degree of your dreams, there isnt a better place to trust all of your dreams, aspirations and your heart: the best regionally accredited online colleges. With distance learning providers or online universities, you are able to choose from many different course programs. These usually include associates, criminal justice, bachelors degree, nursing, doctoral degree, a masters degree and a psychology degree.

The present selection of distant learning training institutes are swiftly catching up in popularity because of the amazing similarities of the internet lecture halls and the traditional options.Such things are fundamental.

Attendees are able to communicate in seconds with other students and their teachers through chat rooms and message boards. Several online schools are capable of matching toe-to-toe with the traditional institutes.

An online universitys accreditation is vital to the worth of their degrees. For this exact reason, distance learning institutions that are regionally accredited are extremely highly respected, and dozens of the nations best schools, like Northwestern, are regionally certified by special agencies.

These accredited colleges, different from a degree mill type of get up, regionally accredited online colleges and universities and institutions, are seriously updated by The Council of Higher Education Accreditation group and are up to par with physical universities. This is an important organization.

The last benefit of having a set of credentials from a regional certified college is your ability to effectively increase your salary as well as your performance level in the professional universe.

Due to the great schedules of the online post secondary universities so you can resume working at your current occupation. Colleagues will be impressed that youve chosen to improve yourself, which will increase your self confidence.

So what are you really looking for? Do you want to be assertive with getting academically-improved credentials to follow along with your life experience right now? Get started right away with the online university of your choice and start moving forward for for bigger goals and objectives in now.

Advance Your Career! Find regionally accredited universities and regionally accredited universities school info now.