Online Group Projects with Wiggio

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Wiggio, a new website created by Cornell students, helps users complete group projects without all the hassle. The creators explain:

"As seniors at Cornell, we started wiggio out of our own frustrations with unnecessarily clogged inboxes, using five different websites for five different functions, and all the other hassles associated with working in groups. We were tired of sending eleven emails back and forth just to set a meeting time. We were tired of that guy who just never knows where and when to be there. We were tired of list-servs, contact lists, phone-chains and incompatibilities. We wanted everything to be in one place, and we wanted it simple. So we created wiggio."

Although the site is currently in beta testing, it offers several useful features including group calendars, messaging, polls, document sharing, and meeting abilities. If you have an upcoming group project for any of your online classes, it is definitely worth a look.

Showdown: National Accreditation vs. Regional Accreditation

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Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Rafal Zdeb

One of the most common debates on distance learning message boards starts with this question: "Are national accreditation and regional accreditation equal?"

Students tend to have strong opinions on this subject (often depending on what type of accreditation their own alma mater has).

My latest About.com article National Accreditation vs. Regional Accreditation explores the pros and cons of these two legitimate accreditation forms. Here's a blurb:

"As a prospective online student, you may need to choose between schools with national accreditation and schools with regional accreditation. Your choice may affect your ability to transfer credits, be accepted for graduate studies, or gain employment. Knowing the similarities and differences between national and regional accrediting agencies can help you make an educated decision."

Take a look to learn the facts and choose the accreditation form that fits your online learning needs.

What is "Mlearning"?

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Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Vasiliki Varvaki

This year, there's been a bit of talk about "Mlearning." What is it? And how does it affect online students?

Training Zone reports:

"Mlearning involves delivering blended learning and elearning material via mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants and iPods. In a 2006 whitepaper he wrote for Epic, Clark argued that mobile delivery could reinforce learning in a way that classroom teaching and other vehicles could not…

Mlearning is particularly useful for collaborative projects and fieldwork, or where employees are widely dispersed and hard to reach, such as in transport, cleaning and project-based service industries."

Many traditional and online schools are embracing some form of Mlearning. Some offer their lectures in mp3 format while others send Twitter messages to student mobile devices. In some ways, this can serve to keep students connected to their classroom. But, it can also interfere with every day life, blurring the lines between home and school. Do students really want to receive a Twitter assignment on their cell phones during dinner?

School Review: Grand Canyon University Online

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Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Andrejs Zemdega

If you're looking for a Christian college with a strong business program, you may be interested in Grand Canyon University Online.

I recently reviewed Grand Canyon University Online as a part of my About.com series of college profiles. Here's a blurb:

"Grand Canyon University is a brick-and-mortar Christian school offering online degrees in the fields of education, business, nursing / health science, and liberal arts. Students enrolled in Grand Canyon University Online complete two courses each semester, focusing on only one course for each half-semester period. Students may complete their work at any time before the scheduled deadlines; however, they are expected to log into their Grand Canyon University Online classroom at least four times a week."

Take a look at the full profile to learn more about Grand Canyon University Online degree programs, tuition charges, and admissions requirements.

Why Don’t Women Always Finish Their Online Degrees?

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Women outnumber men in online classes. Yet, many struggle to complete their virtual degrees.

A new study examines women learners and the challenges they face.

The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning explains:

"Interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 participants revealed the complexity of variables affecting learners' persistence to graduation. Findings suggested that multiple responsibilities, insufficient interaction with faculty, technology, and coursework ranked highest as barriers to women's persistence. Strong motivation to complete degrees, engagement in the learning community, and appreciation for the convenience of an online degree-completion option facilitated persistence."

Hopefully, as colleges begin to read the results of such studies, they will implement policies making it easier for learners of all genders.

Monthly To-Do List for Online Students

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Want to ace your online classes this semester? Take a look at my latest article: How to Succeed in Your Online Classes This Fall. It will walk you month-by-month through the most challenging parts of learning online.

Here's a blurb:

"If you're taking online classes this fall, this month-by-month schedule can help you plan for success. Although it can be used by anyone, the schedule works best for students in online classes following a traditional semester system.

Plan ahead and make your fall semester the best yet."

Print it out and post it in your home office for an easy way to stay on track from September to December.

Are Cell Phones Becoming an Essential Educational Tool?

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According to some telecommunications companies, cell phones will soon become an essential educational tool. Already, many cell phones offer educational software, scheduling programs, and the ability to download podcast lectures.

TechNewsWorld reports:

"So-called smartphones – such as the iPhone, which in the U.S. is authorized to run on the AT&T network offer myriad new capabilities, including Web access, e-mail, and access to educational software. "The time is approaching when these little devices will be as much a part of education as a bookbag," write the authors of a report last year by the nonprofit New Media Consortium, which studies emerging technologies likely to have an impact on teaching.

A well-equipped cell phone with a foldout keyboard could even supplant a laptop in classrooms, says Bill Davidson, senior vice-president for global marketing at Qualcomm, which makes cell-phone software and chips."

New generation cell phones may offer a lot of useful features. But, in my opinion, their size and storage space make it difficult to use in place of a larger, more versatile computer.

Online College Review: Strayer University

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If you're a busy professional with a full-time job, you may want to take a look at Strayer University. This network of schools has 60 brick-and-mortar campuses around the nation. But, it also offers dozens of degrees completely online.

Here's a blurb from my latest About.com review of Strayer University:

"Strayer University is a network of campuses and online programs designed for adult learners with full time jobs. Online students attending Strayer University may choose to enroll in scheduled synchronous classes or independent asynchronous classes. Strayer University actively works with students to apply transfer credits from other colleges, exams, professional certifications, portfolio learning, and the military."

Take a look at the review for more information about Strayer University programs, tuition charges, and admissions requirements.

Rutgers Closes Skill Certification Center

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Bad news for certificate seekers: Rutgers Skill Certification Center is shutting down permanently at the end of the month.

For years, online learners have improved their resumes by earning skill-based certificates through this virtual program. For as low as $25 students could prove their knowledge to potential employers by taking a 40-question online exam.

Past students will still be able to access their certificates online after the program ends on September 30th. Rutgers Skill Certification Center will certainly be missed.

Online College Review: Jones International University

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Jones International University can be a smart choice for online students seeking degrees in either education or business related fields.

My latest About.com profile explains:

"Jones International University was the first 100% online college to be granted regional accreditation. Students enrolled in Jones International University take structured online classes with weekly deadlines. Each week, students must complete a virtual instruction unit, read the assigned materials, participate in a message board discussion, and work on a paper or project. Undergraduate and graduate programs at Jones International University are available in the fields of education and business."

Take a look at the full profile to learn more about degrees, tuition charges, and admissions policies at Jones International University.