Posted by
in
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Apr 14th, 2004
Just found this site called the Virtual University Gazette which has rankings of 25 of the best regionally accredited online MBA programs. Here is the list of the first 10 …
1. East Carolina University (NC) $3,578 (NC); $13,212 (Others)
2. West Texas A&M (TX) $3,730 (TX); $11,696 (Others)
3. Chadron State University (NE) $3,960 (NE); $7,920 (Others)
4. University of Huston Victoria (TX) $6,360 (TX); $12,618 (Others)
5. Amberton University (TX) $7,200
6. Stephens College (MO) $8,760
7. Morehead State University (KY) $8,820 (KY); $18,960 (Others)
8. California State University DH (CA) $9,000
9. Park University (MO) $9,720
10. Liberty University (VA) $10,260
They also have rankings of the 25 best AACSB-accredited online MBAs. Here are the first ten of those …
1. Cameron University (OK) $2,760 (OK); $6,357 (Others)
2. Western Illinois University (IL) $4,744 (IL); $9,487 (Others)
3. Ball State University (IN) $5,500 (IN); $9,700 (Others)
4. Florida Atlantic University (FL) $6,886 (FL); $23,172 (Others)
5. University of North Dakota (ND) $6,956
6. University of Nebraska (NE) $7,680 (NE); $19,080 (Others)
7. East Tennessee State University (TN) $8,931 (TN); $22,347 (Others)
8. University of arkansas (AR) $9,612 (AR); $19,308 (Others)
9. University of Texas System (TX) $10,240
10. University System of Georgia (GA) $10,500
Virtual Gazette also has complete profiles of 178 graduate schools, which is a nice resource. Go here to access that part of the site.
Posted by
in
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Apr 9th, 2004
A good article from a special report at Business Week about how workers who are creative, flexible and good with people should garner the highest demand in the future job markets. Also noted is that workers must be willing to continue their education to fill various gaps. This is a prime example of how online education could better facilitate traditional education. Say for instance that you've got a BA already, maybe an MA or an MBA as well, but you need specific training in an area that may help you advance to the next level at work. Online courses are perfect for pluging those gaps. With the numbers of online universities and courses, through private companies, or through major universities and community colleges, it is a great way to pick and choose what you need and what your employer may need. What some online universities are doing, and I think this would be a great way for others to enhance their business, is to go directly to corporations and design online courses that fit their needs. In this way, online universities must aslo be flexible, creative and good with people.
No low-wage worker in Shanghai, New Delhi, or Dublin will ever take Mark Ryan's job. No software will ever do what he does, either. That's because Ryan, 48, manages people — specifically, 100 technicians who serve half a million customers of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ ) out of an office in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. A telephone lineman before moving up the corporate ladder, Ryan is earning a master's degree at Verizon's expense in organizational management, where he's studying topics like conflict resolution.
Posted by
in
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Apr 9th, 2004
From an article at the Association of Financial Service Professionals, a study with some interesting findings about this field and how they are using online learning resources at a higher rate than other professions.
The research, provided by e-learning provider SkillSoft, entailed questioning employees working in 16 global organisations, over a third of whom worked in the financial services industry.
The findings demonstrate that 94 per cent of employees in the financial services sector are maximising their e-learning opportunities by putting the skills they have learnt online to work.
In other industries, the proportion of employees who make profitable use of their internet learning is only around 84 per cent.Here is a link to a couple courses we've featured here, both with economics and finance programs.
Posted by
in
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Apr 6th, 2004
It looks like more traditional universities are starting to realize the benefits of offering courses online. I saw this piece at Educause, via chronicle of higher education. If this keeps up, it may give sole online universities a run for their money, mainly because of accredidation and name recognition, as well as the huge resources state universities have behind them. Something to keep an eye on.
UNIVERSITY PLANS MIRROR CAMPUS ONLINEA long-term project at the University of Illinois at Springfield will create a "mirror" campus online that offers all of the institution's 39 degree programs over the Internet. The university appears to be the first to create such a mirror, which will not affect the offerings of the institution. Instead, students will have the option of taking any course on campus or online. Those involved with the project said one of its goals is to keep online education in the mainstream. The university expects to have eight degree programs online by this fall, with another eight online within three years. The remaining degree programs are
expected to be available online in about 10 years. Funding for the project comes in part from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which said it intends to make grants to other institutions that want to pursue similar programs.Chronicle of Higher Education, 5 April 2004 (sub. req'd)
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/04/2004040503n.htm
Posted by
in
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Apr 6th, 2004
I thought I'd point to Western Governors University at www.wgu.edu. It's the only university (and online university) that has received 4 accreditations from 4 different accrediting agencies in the US. This isn't just a fine accomplishment among online universities, but also among ALL universities.
It's worth a look when comparing and contrasting programs you may find here or elsewhere.
Posted by
in
Uncategorized
Apr 5th, 2004
Like this fellow …
Photo from Veronica Khokhlova, St. Petersburg – Russia
Okay, enough of the scare tactics. Hopefully you can find sources of information here at Online Universities that will facilitate your education, both online and offline … so you won't end up like the rosy cheeked fellow above. Of course a piece of paper or diploma isn't everything, but it does give you more opportunities than people who don't have one. It's all a matter of what you end up doing with that education.
Posted by
in
Uncategorized
Apr 5th, 2004
The Concord Consortium has a lot of helpful information for students, teachers and facilitators of online education at their site. They also have a good overview about online courses that work and ones that don't. Follow the link for the full page …
Posted by
in
Uncategorized
Apr 3rd, 2004
U.S. News and World Report has their grad school rankings out with the best graduate schools, though you'll have to subscribe to get the premium content. There is also some information you can access without subscribing.
They also have a listing of 260 online graduate school programs, though some of those are also covered here if you browse the side bars.
And for those who need to brush up on their online learning lingo, they also have a directory of definitions.
Another interesting stop at U.S. News and World Report is the testimonials by students of online learning and distance education. Check it out, it may help you focus your ideas on if online education is for you or not.
Posted by
in
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Apr 2nd, 2004
From Distance Educator …
For a straightforward concept, e-learning has a lot of aliases: distance learning, online education, Computer-based training, and "the virtual classroom," among others.The note points to an article at www.inc.com for the full story…
Scholars split hairs in defining those terms, but, in essence, they all refer to the same thing: education delivered electronically. E-learning can involve audio or videotapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs, videoconferencing, e-mail, live chat, and, increasingly, sophisticated use of the Web. Learning may happen synchronously — that is, in real time — or asynchronously , meaning students do coursework at their own convenience.
Posted by
in
Uncategorized
Apr 2nd, 2004
I've highlighted a few articles on military personnel before, and noticed this initiative in South Carolina that I thought should be added to the pile. It seems South Carolina is implementing a program that will train military personnel in teaching, as many teachers in that state begin to retire. And they are using distance learning to achieve this, before the troops return home. From Information Week …
As many as 34,000 teachers, about 45% of the total number in South Carolina, are expected to retire within the next five years. Educators at the state's leading universities believe they've found a potentially rich source of new recruits: military personnel finishing their active duty and looking for civilian work.
The problem has been that few of them want to spend the time and money to train, because they aren't eager to give up a paycheck and go back to school full time. That's why the state's Transition-to-Teaching, or T3, Coalition turned to an IBM Lotus-based virtual classroom and content-management system so military personnel around the world can prepare for certification in their free time before leaving active service.
"In talking with service members, it came across … that they wanted some way to get in the classroom without spending 2-1/2 years training to become teachers," says James Allen Jr., a retired major general who spent 35 years in the military, then a decade as director of South Carolina's veterans' programs.
