Posts Tagged degree programs

Teacher Education

Online teacher education is for those people who lead such a busy life that they cannot go to a regular university to get trained as teachers. There are many universities on the Internet that offer good programs for online teacher education.

Online teacher education provides teaching information and tips for teachers, as well as aspiring teachers. This is even useful for teachers with regular teacher education degrees.

The University of Phoenix Online is a private university which offers online teacher certification processes and teacher education. This is like any other distance education degree that one takes up rather than attend regular colleges. Students can choose from a variety of subjects and earn credit points required for the online degree. They will cover all the advanced theories and teaching techniques that they would cover in a regular course of teacher education.

The Western Governor’s University has certification and graduate programs in teacher education that aim at getting students qualified as teachers in American schools. The university’s licensure programs are meant for people who are not certified teachers, and include all major subject areas like mathematics, science and social sciences. WGU also has graduate programs for certified teachers who aim at specializing further. The Master’s degree programs offered by the university include English language and learning, learning and technology, management and innovation, mathematics, science, and measurement and evaluation.

Capella Online University has a proven track record with more than 2,400 students who have gone on to have successful careers in teaching. The university offers programs in K-12 education and adult and continuing education. They offer Master’s and doctoral programs in core areas like educational administration, professional studies in education and advanced classroom management. They also offer graduate certificate programs in Leadership in Educational Administration.

Websites like teachnet.com, sitesforteachers.com and tcrecord.org are storehouses of information on teacher education, training, development and improvement. These sites have a variety of resources on all topics useful for teachers.

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Definition of Distance Education

Distance education is oftentimes referred to as “Distance Learning” as well, and is simply defined as “a field of education focusing on the andragogy and pedagogy, instructional systems, and technology which endeavor to deliver an education to students who are not physically in a classroom or campus setting.” In its simplest terms, it means earning a degree online.

The use of electronic (i.e. computers) and printed media enable the student to pursue their education without attending classes on a college or university campus. They are enabled to communicate and study at the times they select, through various technologies that allow them to interact in real time and through many different ways using the internet.

Additionally, distance education courses do not require any physical presence on-site for reasons inclusive of taking examinations that are considered to be blended or hybrid courses of study.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Education

Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages to distance education degree programs. However, contrary to varied beliefs and opinions, the distance education advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

The Advantages of distance learning are:

  1. Distance learning requires no commuting – therefore saving you money and time
  2. You complete most of the classes at your own pace – no pressure
  3. You can live anywhere in the world, study from anywhere in the world, and pursue your choice of distance education course studies
  4. Gain extra knowledge while you are learning – taking those computer and internet skills you gain and then applying them to other facets of your life
  5. The self-paced learning environment can be taken advantage of by the quickest or the slowest of learners – increases the satisfaction level while reducing stress in the process
  6. Accessibility factors – distance education courses address the physical accessibility issues that people with mobility problems oftentimes encounter while being enrolled in the traditional on-campus classes

Unfortunately, you can’t discuss the advantages of distance education without covering the disadvantages. These disadvantages are the following:

7. Sometimes the technology is complex and costly – despite the numerous opportunities of distance education, there are always accompanying costs

8. Advance planning is necessary – both the instructors and the students oftentimes need to make sacrifices scheduling the times to get things done

9Beware of hidden costs – If you’re in naval branch of the military for example, and you are out at sea, how do you receive your study materials?

  1. Distance learning does not offer immediate feedback – in the traditional classroom setting, the student’s performance is immediately assessed, whereas with distance education, the student has to wait for feedback while the instructor is reviewing their work
  2. Distance learning does not always offer all the necessary courses online – students pursuing specific certificates or degrees may not be afforded all the necessary courses that are available through distance education programs so some programs are not suited for all course of study.
  3. Distance learning may not be acknowledged by all employers – granted, most employers will acknowledge distance education, but there are some who don’t
  4. Distance learning does not give students the opportunity to work on oral communication skills – students in distance education courses do not always get to engage in verbal interaction with fellow students and professors
  5. Social isolation – more often than not, you study alone and distance education students oftentimes feel isolated and miss the social interaction that accompanies the traditional classroom on campus
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The True Value of a Two-Year College

Higher education in this country is rapidly becoming a necessity in the business community rather than a luxury. There was a time when those who had a high school education still had the opportunity to build a better world for themselves and their families. Those days are rapidly becoming another dieing ember of the past. If you hope to have significant earning potential during your lifetime you are almost completely limited by your learning potential and the level of education you have received.

The good news is that you do not have to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to education. You can begin by taking baby steps when it comes to higher education. If you have a community college in your area, this is one of the greatest resources for beginning your college education at any stage in your life. Most community colleges offer classes at various times during the day and evening, even some on Saturday in order to accommodate students of different ages and backgrounds.

Community colleges also offer an excellent opportunity to begin your learning quest in a manner that is much more easily affordable to the average citizen than a full-blown university. These colleges are largely commuter colleges though there are several that allow students the experience of living on a college campus at a much lower price than most major universities charge for the same or very similar privileges.

Community colleges also allow you to explore your options if you aren’t really sure what direction you wish for your education to take without paying such a high price for the process. If you know the career path you wish to take you might find a two-year degree program that can have you out of school and in a career much sooner than a four-year program will allow. If that isn’t good enough news for you, many of the two-year programs of study that are offered at the community college level may very well transfer quite easily into bachelor degree programs at the university level.

Community colleges offer an excellent start for many people who are seeking higher education whether to further their careers or just to find fulfillment on a personal level in life. There are many wonderful programs in vocational fields as well as academic fields that can be explored and studies on the community college level.

For graduating high school students community colleges help students ease into the adjustment from high school to college without going through the culture shock that some universities can put students through. You will find that there are often many opportunities to meet educational as well as social needs on the community college level for students that are interested in pursuing a community college education.

You should also discover that community colleges are much easier to budget when it comes to setting aside funds and savings for either your personal college education or the educational expenses of your children. Having them attend a community college for two years then transferring to a University can save a great deal of money and provide you a little piece of mind that your children are still receiving an excellent level of education.

Seriously, if you are looking for an excellent value when it comes to education you would be doing yourself or your children a disservice if you do not check out the community college options in your area before taking the plunge and diving into the university lifestyle. You will find that community colleges often offer an equal level of education for the introductory classes that first and second year college students often take, they are a much better value for the money, and they are an outstanding values for those who are trying to juggle their education with family and work responsibilities.

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