Online Universities Weblog

© meyshanworld

Many high school students now have the chance to earn an accredited online high school diploma from a reputable university. Several traditional colleges are now in the business of teaching high schoolers – at a price. A lot of these programs are rather expensive. However, they do offer benefits such as access to college-level courses and university application help.

My latest About.com article explores the benefits and drawbacks of university-affiliated online high schools. Here's a blurb:

"A growing number of brick-and-mortar universities are offering online high school programs. University-affiliated programs such as Stanford's EPGY School and University of Oklahoma High School offer students anywhere in the nation the opportunity to earn a diploma completely online. Although these online high schools vary in curriculum and cost, most university-affiliated programs are regionally accredited and are highly regarded. Students attending university-affiliated online high schools are often permitted to take some college-level courses through their school's regular distance learning program."

Take a look at the full article to learn more about these unique programs.

© scui3asteveo

Sometimes adult learners find it difficult to jump back on the college bandwagon. They may have spent years perfecting practical on-the-job or in-the-home skills without needing to master new information. If you're looking for tips on increasing your learning capacity, you may want to take a look at a new article from Pick the Brain. Here's a blurb:

"Although you may not be studying information to get good grades, retention of what you are learning can help your career, your parenting skills, your business, your relationships, your hobbies, and so much more. So it makes sense to acquire good learning skills sooner than later. Skills such as speed reading and good comprehension are useful for all the great information you want to take in."

The learning skills mentioned in this article are pretty basic, but they're a good reminder if you're about to start an online class.

© wili_hybrid

There's been a lot of talk about recession lately. But, some degrees are practically guaranteed to be in high demand – no matter what the state of the economy. Yahoo Education recently released a list of eight careers that are expected to grow like crazy. Here's a blurb:

"Do you really want to commit to a 4-year degree? While it can be intimidating to consider investing the time and money required to get a bachelor's degree, choosing the right degree could make it well worth your effort. Information on the following 8 careers is based on current projections by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), whose data indicate that these occupations will experience more growth than any others through 2016. Spend the next four years preparing for one of the following professions, and your job search could be a breeze."

Included in the list are: computer software engineer, accountant, elementary school teacher, personal financial adviser, computer systems analyst, market research analyst, and others.

Does this mean you should switch majors? Of course not. Life is too short to give up what you love for a little more stability. But, if you were considering pursing one of these online degrees anyway, now may be a good time to go for it.

© P. C. Loadletter

Love logging on to Facebook, but hate checking your assignments on Blackboard? A new Facebook application can help you combine the two. Wired Campus reports:

"Blackboard has created a Facebook application for students that brings their academic information into the social-networking site. For privacy and security reasons, the Facebook application does not actually pull academic data from Blackboard onto a user's Facebook page, said Karen Gage, vice president for product strategy at Blackboard, in an interview on Tuesday. Instead, it pushes a notification to Facebook users when something is new on their course Web pages, such as when one of the user's professors has posted grades. Then the student has to log into Blackboard to see the grade itself."

On one hand, this application may be very useful for keeping students up-to-date with their online courses. But it does seem like a rather unpleasant mix of the social and academic worlds. Sometimes people want to chat with their friends without receiving a lesson update on Facebook, getting a Twitter detailing their professor's latest thoughts, or engaging in classroom projects via cell phone texting.

© Gretyl

Last week I wrote a post about private online high schools. There are a lot of virtual private school alternatives, but they can really take a toll on your wallet. Instead, you may want to consider public online high schools. They are free to resident minors and usually have regional accreditation.

My latest About.com article, Public Online High Schools, explores some of the benefits and drawbacks of these state-run programs. Here's a blurb:

"Students attending public online high schools are often able to earn a regionally accredited diploma at no cost. Their parents don't need to worry about paying for expensive private virtual programs which can cost upwards of $1,500 a year. State-wide online public schools are generally working with the state's education department. Unlike online charter schools, they are generally not viewed as a threat by local districts. They tend to be more stable and receive less public scrutiny."

Check out the full article for more information and links to public online high schools.

© jadell

UMass Online is reporting record enrollments and revenue from its virtual programs. The Boston Globe explains:

"Matching last year's results, which were the best in three years, fiscal year 2008 at UMassOnline saw a 26.2% increase in enrollments, to 33,900 over 26,855 in fiscal year 2007, and a 31.9% increase in revenue to $36,977,854 over fiscal year 2007 revenues of $28,030,985.

According to the Sloan Consortium's most recent research report entitled 'Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning,' online enrollments nationwide were growing by 9.7% as of the Fall, 2006 semester, while the growth rate in the overall higher education student population was 1.5%. In contrast UMassOnline's enrollment in fiscal year 2008 grew two and a half times faster than the national average for online enrollments.

UMassOnline CEO david gray attributes the sustained growth, in part, to developments throughout the fiscal year that saw UMassOnline, introduce new "blended learning" innovations for online learners."

Just a few months ago, UMass Online announced three new online programs. Perhaps they're hoping to make next year a record breaker as well.

© functoruser

A number of teachers are adding cell phone features to their online classes. Today's cell phones can do more than store numbers and play games. Many students receive online class updates via programs like Twitter. Here are a few other ways the Teach 42 blog suggests phones can be used:

"1) Check the spelling/definition of a word
2) Research a topic
3) Look up reference images
4) Pull up maps (even with satellite imagery)
5) Document a science lab with built in digital camera/video
6) Fact check on the fly
7) Mail questions to the teacher that they might be embarrassed to ask"

Phones don't have to be a distraction – if used wisely they can actually be a learning tool. Take a look at the full post for other ways today's students are using their cell phones.

© sskennel

In recent years, the online private high school industry has been booming. Schools like CompuHigh and Penn Foster enroll hundreds of students while new programs pop up every few months. My latest About.com article, Private Online High Schools, explores how these virtual schools work. Here's a blurb:

"Private online high schools have limited government oversight. They do not to have to meet many federal and state regulations in terms of course offerings, teacher credentialing, and curriculum requirements. Because they receive no public funds, private online high school programs are often expensive. However, they may offer services not always available from no-cost schools. Some programs provide college admissions counseling, accelerated schedules, or summer travel experiences. There are private online high schools targeted towards gifted students as well as programs designed for the academically challenged."

Check out the article for more information about admissions, costs, and the pros and cons of private online high school programs.

© Pathfinder Linden

Educators from a recent webinar (online seminar) discussed the benefits of online gaming. eSchool News reports:

"Online gaming can help students develop many of the skills they'll be required to use upon leaving school, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity, agreed educators who spoke during an April 16 webinar on gaming in education.

Sharnell Jackson, the chief eLearning officer for chicago public schools and the webinar's moderator, noted that gaming and simulations are highly interactive, allow for instant feedback, immerse students in collaborative environments, and allow for rapid decision-making."

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of virtual simulations. Many educators believe that educational interaction via sites like Second Life (pictured above) make it easier for students to grasp material. But, I prefer to learn by actually doing something – or by reading about it independently. I seem to be a divergent view on this issue, however, and many online college students are more than happy to spend their school hours in an online game.

© rob.wall

Earlier this month, over a thousand teachers signed a document in support of more affordable and open source textbooks. Here's what the press release from MakeTextbooksAffordable.com had to say about the statement:

"Open textbooks are complete, reviewed textbooks written by academics that can be used online at no cost and printed for a small cost. What sets them apart from conventional textbooks is their open license, which allows instructors and students flexibility to use, customize and print the textbook. Open textbooks are already used at some of the nation's most prestigious institutions – including Harvard, Caltech and Yale – and the nation's largest institutions – including the california community colleges and the Arizona State University system.

"Open textbooks are comparable, affordable and flexible alternatives to traditional expensive textbooks," said Professor Linda Bisson, Chair of the Enology and Viticulture Department at the University of California, Davis. "Not only do they save students money, but they provide instructors with a high-quality textbook that they can customize to meet their needs."

If these affordable textbook groups are successful, online learners may be able to access all course material for free via the internet. Gone will be the days of the $150 book sitting dusty on the shelf.