Sure, E-learning could be a great way to further your education while keeping your day job. But how do you separate the reputable programs from the digital diploma mills that profit from giving you a worthless degree? By finding out the answers to three quick questions before you enroll, you could spare yourself some hassles down the road.

Read the Full Story

Abstract

Teenagers will freely give up personal information to join social networks on the Internet. Afterwards, they are surprised when their parents read their journals. Communities are outraged by the personal information posted by young people online and colleges keep track of student activities on and off campus. The posting of personal information by teens and students has consequences. This article will discuss the uproar over privacy issues in social networks by describing a privacy paradox; private versus public space; and, social networking privacy issues. It will finally discuss proposed privacy solutions and steps that can be taken to help resolve the privacy paradox.

Read the Full Article

Taking distance education courses requires more motivation and self discipline than traditional college classes. Being able to work at your own pace can result in you falling behind on your work, if you're not self directed. Organization is the most important factor for success in online studies.

Attend the orientation and any study sessions offered by the university, if at all possible. Instructors offer valuable information in these sessions. Utilize on campus resources such as the college library and computer lab. Many schools offer online resources, such as online libraries and tutoring for distance learning students. Take advantage of all resources your school has to offer to get the most out of your education.

Create a schedule with regular times for studying and stick to your schedule. If you are taking more than one class, get a large calendar. Listing all exam and assignment due dates on this calendar makes a great visual aid to help with time management. You can schedule how much time you will spend on each class based on this information. If you have a large paper due this week in one class and an exam next week in another, you can schedule your study time accordingly.

Jump right in and get started on the material. Many successful students get the books early and read the first few chapters before the class starts. If you can get a copy of the class syllabus early, do the first week's work before the class starts. You will be a week ahead of the game when class starts. Try to stay at least a week ahead, whenever possible. Being ahead gives you flexibility if something comes up during the semester to take you away from your work for a few days. If you can't get the syllabus, read a few chapters to familiarize yourself with the material.

Interact often with your instructor to get the most from the course. You can request that the instructor look at your schedule and give you feedback on your progress in the class. Schedule time to participate in online discussions or group projects your program offers. Some instructors require you to post replies on a message board as part of the course. You will be given points for this participation.

As you work your way through the course, follow the syllabus and study guide carefully. Complete all reading assignments and take complete notes on the material you read. Read each chapter when it is assigned. Don't skip the reading and try to catch up before the exam. Reading six chapters two days before the test will result in a lower grade. The same goes for studying. Don't try to study the night before an exam. Study and read a little bit each day for the best retention.

To do well in distance education courses, you must complete all assignments on time. If you have a hectic schedule, try to complete all papers and assignments early. You won't have to worry about something coming up the night before an assignment is due. Working late or having a sick child can throw you off schedule and cause your assignments to be late. Some instructors will give partial credit for late work, while others will give no credit. No instructors give full credit for late work in college.

Katie Robbins is a professional writer, providing content to help the online student. Check out her other articles, including online universities and online masters degree.

---

Distance education has been getting a lot of attention lately, but it isn't new. Correspondence courses have been around for over a century, allowing students to complete assignments and mail them to an instructor for feedback. Advances in technology have presented more opportunities in distance education. Classes can be taken through telecourses and the internet.

Family and job related responsibilities make it difficult for many people to attend traditional college classes. Distance education makes it possible to complete degree requirements, while attending to other responsibilities. Online programs eliminate the need for long commutes and allow work to be completed according to your schedule. You will still have the opportunity to interact with the instructor and other classmates.

Distance education is available in a variety of forms. Telecourses come with video taped lessons and lectures, which you watch on you home television. Assignments are then completed and mailed to the instructor. Online courses allow you to complete coursework on the computer and email assignments to your instructor. Message boards and chats with other students add to the experience. Video conference classes are held at one site with the instructor at another location. Students and the instructor interact through two way television.

Some colleges offer programs that don't require you to travel to the campus at all. Other programs require you to attend an orientation at the beginning of the semester and may meet once or twice throughout the semester. Brief residency programs require students to attend a weekend long session at the start of every semester. After this initial meeting, you complete the coursework on your own. In some programs, all courses are offered online. In other programs, you may have to take some of the courses on campus.

Programs are structured to give students the same information and quality education they would receive in a traditional college program. In some cases, the textbook and assignments are the same. Opportunities for community involvement and exposure to a diverse student body are found in many programs. Several years ago, few schools offered degrees through distance education. More schools are now offering this choice in response to student needs. The availability of online degree programs continues to increase.

Older students often return to school to fulfill job requirements or to secure a promotion. These students like the flexibility distance education offers. You can work independently and gain skills valuable on the job market. You have the flexibility to study during your lunch hour, in the early morning or at night, according to your schedule. If your job involves travel, you won't have to worry about missing classes.

Distance education offers flexibility in the amount of time you spend on each class or assignment. You can spend more time on difficult concepts and less time on those you find easy. If you are taking more than one course, you can schedule your study time according to assignment due dates. You may have a paper due in one class this week and another project due next week in another class. You can tailor your schedule to meet the changing course requirements.

---

Katie Robbins is a professional writer, providing content to help the online student. Check out her other articles, including accredited online universities, education master degrees and criminal justice degrees.

---

University Park, Pa. -- As students, faculty and staff are doing the normal activities to get ready for fall semester, they should keep in mind one activity that absolutely needs to be added to everyone's to-do list: preparing computers to connect to the Penn State network.

Read the Full Story

The first step to getting your online degree is to apply to colleges. Research several colleges offering the degree program you need. Once you have decided on a school, you are ready to begin the application process. While the requirements may vary slightly, most colleges have similar processes. You will need to fill out an application, either online or on paper. Check with the university for application deadlines. Just about all schools charge an application fee; these fees are usually small.

You will need to include any supporting documentation required by the school where you are applying. You will find this information included with the application. All schools require original transcripts from all schools previously attended. This will include both high school and college transcripts. A few schools look for college preparatory courses in high school. Send your requests early to allow enough time for transcripts to arrive at the college. Some schools will require SAT test scores and immunization records as well.

You will have to meet the admission requirements of the college you will be attending. The requirements vary by school and in some cases can be different based on your major. Be sure to check with the university to determine the requirements. Many schools have a minimum SAT score requirement for admission, although some waive this for some programs or for non traditional students. Non traditional students are defined as older students who have been out of high school for at least five years and have work experience. Students transferring from other institutions are in this category as well.

Many schools require students pass placement tests prior to registering for classes. These tests usually have English, math and writing components. This is to determine if potential students have the reading, writing and math skills necessary to succeed in college. If you don't pass one of the placement tests, you may be required to take remedial courses prior to starting your degree; this is not unusual for people returning to school after many years. Graduate programs will usually require additional testing, such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

When you apply to the school, you can also apply for financial aid. Talk to a representative about programs available to students in the form of financial aid and scholarships. Start the process by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete the application even if you don't think you will qualify for federal aid. Most other student loan programs use the same application. To be able to accept federal financial aid, the school must be regionally accredited. Accreditation is a voluntary process and matters mainly for financial aid and transferring credit to other universities. Check with an admissions counselor if you're not sure about accreditation.

Once you have completed all applications and testing, you will find out if you have been accepted into the program. Once you have been accepted, you will be eligible to register for classes and begin the journey toward your college degree. The admissions counselor at your university can assist you in scheduling your courses. There is often an order in which classes should be taken. Once you have registered, you pay for your classes, get your books and attend orientation, if required.

---

Katie Robbins is a professional writer, providing content to help the online student. Check out her other articles, including online universities.

---