Avoiding Financial Aid Scams

If you're an online student chances are you've received a lot of mail enticing you to seek financial aid, scholarships, grants, and other school-Funding Opportunities. Many banks offer competitive student loans. But, that doesn't mean you should fall for everything you read in a mailer.

A recent eLearners blog post shares tips on avoiding financial aid scams. Here's a blurb:

"It's not very often, but I will receive a call from a student or parent asking if a mailing they received regarding guaranteed financial aid is legitimate. What I can say is that no financial aid is guaranteed. What I can tell you is that any company who charges you a fee to apply for financial aid should be considered suspicious."

If you're considering a non-governmental loan or scholarship, check out the post for helpful suggestions on making sure the money is legit.

How to Deal with Online Class Disasters

Once an online class has survived a couple of semesters, it's likely that most technical and teaching problems have been smoothed out. But disasters do arise. Chances are you'll have at least one online class go bad during your career as an online student.

eLearner's blogger Susan Smith Nash shares how to handle online class problems in a recent post. Here's a blurb:

"The new online course – the one that had so much promise – blew up on launch. Okay, it was not a literal explosion, but basically everything that could go wrong in a course went wrong. The online environment is not a perfect world, but we expect perfection – after all, it's driven by the latest technology, isn't it? The flawed online course can make or break an individual or a team. It's all in how you approach the challenge. Here are twelve things you can do to help turn a negative experience into a positive, or, at the very least, be strategic and control the amount of damage that can ensue."

Check out the article to read the tips. (Hint: the first suggestion is to "Stay Calm.")

Dealing With Information Overload

The internet is an amazing resource for information seekers. But, sometimes, it's difficult to pull out the important bits of knowledge from the fluff and drivel. The Thinking Blog recently published a list of 7 way to deal with too much information. Here's a blurb:

"Over 1,000,000 new books published every year. More than 100,000,000 scientific papers released. Billions of websites at your googletips. It is often said that leonardo da vinci was one of the last persons who was aware of all the main knowledge available in his time. Since then, the amount of data, information and knowledge has exploded exponentially, stretching the capacity of our brains. Which, remember, given the slow speed at which evolution happens, may be optimized for the time when we were still hunters-gatherers."

Managing information is an important skill for all students – particularly distance learners. Check out the post for tips you can apply to your own learning.

Texas Professor in Hot Water over "Illegal" Online Degree

A Texas professor recently found herself under public scrutiny after it was learned that one of her degrees came from California Coast University. Here's a blurb from The Beaumont Enterprise:

"A Lamar endowed professor said she was "shocked" to learn one of the doctoral degrees she holds is considered "substandard" and illegal to use in Texas…

Sisk said she selected the California Coast University, a distance learning institution based in Santa Ana, Calif., at the recommendation of a friend who went through the program…

Although California Coast University asserts accreditation by Distance Education and Training Council on its Web site, that organization is not one of the six accreditation firms recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said Dominic M. Chavez, the agency's assistant director for state relations…

Under the Texas Penal Code, the use of a "fraudulent" or "substandard" degree is a Class B misdemeanor."

This case clearly demonstrates the importance of choosing a regionally accredited school. Most would not consider California Coast University a diploma mill. It's accreditor, the DETC, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. However, as one woman learned, the lack of regional accreditation can lead to scrutiny and even criminal accusations in some states.

Do Puzzles and Games Improve Online Learning?

In a recent interview Vikas Joshi explained the importance of making online learning exciting for students:

"Now it is an imperative that e-Learning has to be exciting, interactive, visually appealing and should hold the learner's attention throughout. To achieve this, e-Learning courses should consist of interactive elements such as games, simulations, active videos, puzzles, quizzes and more.

While keeping this in mind, one has to also ensure that the training delivers true learning outcome to help the learner be more effective and perform better. Which means, simply jazzing up e-Learning is not enough. A strong foundation of instructional design is essential to interactivity."

Joshi does point out that games and other "jazz" aren't enough…but, I would argue that games are more likely to detract from the learning environment all together. As an adult learner, I want information presented to me in a clear and compelling way. A well-designed visual layout, carefully composed lessons, and teacher interaction can help. crossword puzzles make me roll my eyes.

Loyola and Concord to Offer Online Health Education MJ

Loyola University recently announced that it is teaming up with Concord Law School to offer an online Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) in Health Law program for health care professionals. Here's a blurb from their website:

"If you're contemplating the next step in your professional development, you may want to consider all that the M.J. offers:

* A flexible, individualized program

* A convenient and affordable online health law education that accommodates your needs and goals

* A curriculum that supports and develops keen problem-solving skills, analytical reasoning, advanced communicative abilities, and an increased capacity for independent thinking

* Technical expertise in resolving legal issues in the health care setting

* A practical and marketable way to broaden your career path

The online health law master's program is tailored for people already working in the health care system – not for lawyers. Applicants need to have a bachelors degree and at least three years of experience working in health care. Looks like an interesting program for those who want to veer into an administrative position, but don't necessarily want to earn a law degree. Check out the Loyola website for more details.

Hundreds of Digital Libraries

Not all online universities offer an digital library. But, even if yours doesn't, you can access online library materials from many other websites. Online Education Database recently published a list of 250 links to digital libraries and archives. Here's a blurb:

"Hundreds of libraries and archives exist online, from university-supported sites to individual efforts. Each one has something to offer to researchers, students, and teachers. This list contains over 250 libraries and archives that focus mainly on localized, regional, and U.S. history, but it also includes larger collections, eText and eBook repositories, and a short list of directories to help you continue your research efforts."

Bookmark the link and refer to it the next time you're trying to complete an online research project.

New Study: Online Class Enrollments Growing

A new study from the Sloan Consortium, Five Years of Growth in Online Learning, shows that online student enrollments are growing faster than overall higher education enrollments. Here's a blurb:

"Online enrollments have continued to grow at rates far in excess of the total higher education student population, albeit at slower rates than for previous years.

* Almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term; a nearly 10 percent increase over the number reported the previous year.

* The 9.7 percent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the 1.5 percent growth of the overall higher education student population.

* Nearly twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students were taking at least one online course in the fall of 2006."

The study does indicate that this type of growth can't go on forever. However, it's clear that online learning is continuing to gain popularity and wide-scale acceptance.

Online IT Programs at Western Governors University

My latest online college profile is Western Governors University. This virtual college awards degrees on a "competency model" and seems like a great choice for IT professionals who already know a lot about their field but lack a degree.

Here's a blurb from the full profile:

"Western Governors university is a non-profit virtual college founded by the governors of 19 western states. It offers highly personalized degree programs primarily through competency assessments. Unlike most colleges, Western Governors University has no required courses – instead, students prove their understanding through writing assignments and exams. Students who are already competent in a particular subject may prove their knowledge immediately. Others may study on their own or through virtual coursework until they are ready to show what they know."

Western Governors University's IT students earn eight or nine nationally recognized IT certifications as a part of their degree program (at no extra charge). Western Governors University also offers accredited teacher preparation programs, recognized by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. At $2,790 per six-month term, Western Governors is also one of the more affordable online options.

Online Vocational Certificates

Online learning isn't just for degree seekers. A lot of virtual students are working on vocational certificates to help them qualify for or advance in their fields. As more students enroll, online schools see the value of certificate programs and expand their offerings.

If you're considering enrolling in vocational program, check out eLearner's list of online certificate programs. Here are a few of the listed opportunities:

Certificate Program in Security Management and Homeland Security from UMassOnline

Professional Landscaper from Penn Foster Career School

child day care management from Penn Foster Career School

Contractor's Licensing from Allied Schools

Online programs can't always offer the same level of hands-on learning that many vocational schools provide. However, they can give learners the chance to work at their own pace and work with the best teachers – no matter where they live.