Online education has only begun its foray into the educational field as new online courses are being offered every semester and new colleges open their theoretical doors every year as they attract online students.  Online colleges and universities have paved the way for a large technological shift in which we are no longer confined to the traditional classroom education, but now have choices of how we learn. 

The growth that has occurred as the result of the new popularity in online education is largely due to the easy accessibility which online colleges offer to their students, as well as the enticing possibility of earning a college degree from home.  We have long passed the days of the commercials that offered associate’s degrees from home through certain programs and have entered the days in which students can now earn anything from associates to doctoral degrees through online classes.  Previous programs could not offer higher degrees because they did not have the resources to allow students the flexibility to communicate with their professors through email. 

More than a technological feat, online education has been an educational miracle for many online college students who otherwise would not have received a degree in their lives.  The lower cost of online education coupled with the flexible class schedule have allowed many students to experience a higher level of education and improve their future career search.  Additionally, online colleges have now expanded their programs and now offer degree programs in nearly every type of imaginable field.  They offer the course offerings of a major public university for the price of a community college, all from the comfort of your home.

While online colleges and universities had a shaky start in the beginning of the new century, they have now received praise around the nation as a tool which promotes a further education.  There are still problems here and there with accreditation and “diploma mill” institutions, but thoroughly researching the school before signing up will protect you against any unwanted issues.  Online education has reached even higher goals in the past year and has attracted students from around the world to online classes, sure to boost education rates in the international sector.  The industry is continuing to grow, sure to reach great heights from its modest beginnings only a decade ago.
 

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There are many, many lists and rankings that provide what the highest ranking online colleges are, dividing each by cost, degree-type, and future career options.  However, determining what school is best for you is an important part of researching for college.  Rankings which may pertain to one person do not necessarily relate as well to the next person, which is why these lists should be purely supplemental in beginning your online college search.

One of the most important factors to consider in choosing an online college is their accreditation status.  Many online schools resemble traditional online universities, but are sham operations and give out “fake” degrees all while boasting a “fake” accreditation.  There are a few tips to look at when researching whether a school is one of these diploma mills: their accreditation rests on claims of affiliation with different organizations that are not related to school accreditation or they use words such as “state-approved” to suggest the equivalence of accreditation.  Additionally, many schools that only offer postal box addresses or offers little interaction with professors is a clear sign that something is not right with the school.  Many times, the name of the school is also a dead giveaway if it resembles a highly reputable university.  Finally, if schools only offer tuition on a per-degree basis rather than on a per-course basis, it is clear that something is awry with the terms of enrollment.

After this step, you have undoubtedly performed much research regarding online colleges and have begun to look into degree programs.  Schools that offer extensive degree problems for your specific degree are the schools you should begin to seriously look at.  Many schools that are not built-up enough offer simple general degrees without delving too far into a specialty.  However, schools that have been around for years longer are more apt to have an extensive degree program which offers a multitude of smaller degrees that can be just what you are looking for.  While broad degree programs may be perfect for some students, others require a more specialized degree, especially if they are searching for a supplemental graduate degree in a certain field.

Finally, reading former students’ remarks may help you decide whether you want to pursue a degree in the institution.  While the school typically will not publish unfavorable remarks, these comments do tend to provide insight into specific degree programs and professor schedules.  Additionally, seeing the manner in which they are written (as well as the subsequent career these students earned) is an important part of the college application process.  Treating online colleges like traditional colleges makes a big difference between ending up with a diploma mill degree and an accredited highly-ranked degree.  While the best online college for you may be vastly different from the best online college for your neighbor, the easy accessibility which the distance learning process offers ensures that there will always be a specific niche for everyone. 

Online education seemed to come out of nowhere, nearly booming overnight (perhaps reminiscent of the dot.com craze), but online colleges and universities have been in the works for nearly two decades, thriving on technological advances in the internet to increase their student-base.  The internet began to be something businesses took notice of in the 80s, and with that, many businesses used software through the internet to better train their employees, the very first hints at online education. 

As the 90s ended, internet and technology truly took off and online courses began to emerge at many traditional universities, offering students a way to take alternate classes from different schools that may not have been available at their school.  This process then began to expand from single classes to entire online colleges and universities, making it easier for students to earn degrees despite working full-time and raising a family.  Advances with digital streaming and online video availability helped spur on this transition to online education as it became a readily available option for many students throughout the country. 

Since this point, online education has expanded rapidly, as more and more technological advancements have occurred which have only led to greater developments within the online community.  Furthermore, we have now reached a point in which professors are specifically hired to teach online classes in which they are simply only video-taped for classes.  Additionally, larger businesses have begun to use online colleges as a way for their employees to earn additionally degrees which are beneficial for the company.  Many businesses now require this type of enrollment.  This is a beneficial option for many employees because instead of learning a packet of information on their own, they are in fact getting a new degree paid for by the company and are still able to prepare for class at home, rather than have late nights at the office. 

Multimedia and video conferencing have evolved to such a point that online colleges and universities now seem as ordinary as traditional schools.  Additionally, nearly every type of degree is now available online, meaning that students of any genre can now take online courses from any part of the country!  Furthermore, technology is always evolving, which leads us to wonder what the future of online education will hold. 

By Claire Webber

Check the headlines of celebrity news lately and you may see a recent rash of articles slamming Gwyneth Paltrow for voicing her concern about environmental toxins and their impact on children.  It’s mind boggling to see that most of these articles label her as a ‘nut’ and ‘loopy’ or out of her mind.  Thankfully celebrity gossip magazines and blogs aren’t controlling our nation’s future, and our recent economic stimulus package actually includes funding to increase the research regarding this very real threat.

According to Elaine Shannon, who writes for Enviroblog, $10.4 billion dollars has been allocated for ‘biomedical and behavioral research.’  These funds, which are to be distributed through the National Institutes of Health, will help keep important government programs alive.

According to the report, microbiologist Linda Birnbaum, who heads up The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, plans to direct the funds to areas that researchers have determined need attention the most.  And it may come as some surprise to celebrity blog writers that topping this list is research relating to our understanding of environmentally triggered diseases. 

At least $200 million dollars will go towards programs of this nature that continue to investigate the complicated relationship between environmental contaminants and the human body, as scientific research in these areas is still in early stages of development.

According to Shannon’s report other areas that the NIEHS intends to focus on include:

-    Health effects in relation to climate change

-    Stem cell research as an alternative to lab animal use to predict toxicity of chemicals

-    Genetic changes caused by prenatal environmental exposure to chemicals causing conditions that may not present themselves until later in life or even in future generations

-    Studying the risks associated with different materials, like plastics, on a cellular level

As years of progress have gone by, little has been studied to understand the complex interaction between humans and compounds we have created.  Recent reports related to toxic chemicals in the home, in places previously assumed to be safe, can be found almost everywhere on the net. 

Developing new products and compounds to make our life ‘easier’ it is comforting to know that the government is at least taking note of certain risk factors.  And while studies in the area of environmental contaminants are a long way off in many areas of understanding, it is encouraging to see growth in research and research funding.  

By Claire Webber

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlines his plan for schools at an education conference in San Diego.

Speaking at the National School Board Association’s conference this week in San Diego, Secretary Duncan applauded and encouraged school boards across the country in an effort to revamp our education system to match world competitors like China and India.  Our new focus, he said, was overall complete reform.  He also recommended a reintegration of schools and communities in an effort to increase the quality and performance of teachers.

The reaction to Duncan’s speech was overwhelmingly positive, with some board members remarking on how exciting it was to finally have a voice in Washington that they understand and agree with.  According to the San Diego Union Tribune trustees like Zepora Roberts from Dekalb County Schools in Georgia were ecstatic.  “He’s been where we have been,” said Roberts, “It feels like we have one of us in Washington.”

The news could not come at a better time.  For years American schools have been in need of serious adjustment as teacher shortages continue to affect education.  Secretary Duncan encouraged governments to get involved at the City level, saying that bigger City Mayors needed to step up their involvement.  Which was an interesting statement considering that most school boards are opposed to mayoral control.   “You’re welcome to boo,” Duncan said in a jovial tone, “[but] please don’t throw any shoes at me.”

Not afraid to criticize.

And Secretary Duncan had harsh words for the San Diego Unified School district which he criticized saying that the need to “build sustainable leadership” was paramount.  Duncan was referring to the district’s inability hang on to district superintendents; the region has been through five in five years, noting that the constant turnover was sending the wrong message. 

In addition Secretary Duncan also made mention of President Obama’s provisions in the new stimulus package relating to education, encouraging schools to go after funding that had been set aside form them and to increase their efforts to innovate teaching practices.

Duncan ended on a high note, saying that although mistakes have been made in the past it only offers more opportunity for improvement in the future.  “This is less about what you have done historically,” he underlined, “but what you will do tomorrow.”

Online education has become the best option for many students who want to save money during a recession and protect their future career possibilities at the same time.  They do not have to give up on an educational future anymore in lieu of keeping their job, but can now do both for a portion of the cost of most traditional colleges.  Therefore, in an unprecedented move, nearly all online colleges or universities are the best to enroll in during a recession.  The schools that offer both traditional and online courses continue to charge their same rates per course hour, although they do offer financial aid and you do not have to pay high dorm fees!

The biggest benefit of online education is the flexibility that the degree programs offer to their students.  This has allowed students to continue their current job schedule and still take their classes from home after the work day.  While this is still a tedious balance between work and school, cutting down the commute time to classrooms and allowing students the flexibility to take their classes late at night or early in the morning has attracted a wide variety of students.  Additionally, students in the retail or restaurant business who have unpredictable schedules can now continue their erratic work schedules and still attend classes. 

The cost of attending online colleges or universities is also much lower than that of traditional schools.  Despite the recent recession, online colleges have not had to raise their tuition costs like so many other schools have had to, due to their for-profit status.  While we may see an increase in tuition in the future, the costs still remain much lower than any traditional university, thereby attracting students who previously had no opportunity to attend classes.  Some online schools are able to offer incredibly low rates due to their accreditation status: depending on the organization that accredited the school, the cost of their education may be worth more or less.  This is an important fact to keep in mind since you want a program that is well-accredited and can attract a future employer to your resume.

Online education has led to an increase in education for individuals around the nation, one feat which educators have acknowledged and praised, despite their skepticism about online colleges.  The best online colleges are those which offer endless course offerings to students who may be interested in a wide variety of subjects.  It then becomes difficult to choose between all the viable options!

Traditional schools around the country began offering “open” courses years ago in an attempt to join the online education community and additionally attract a new variety of students.  Open courses are simply lecture notes and sometimes lectures from courses that schools offered a few years ago, but leave online for interested students. These open courses have ranged in subject from engineering to poetry, to the even more surprising topic of music.  We mostly consider music to be a class which cannot be taught through the internet, but online education has taught us that nothing is impossible in education.

MIT jumped on the bandwagon years ago and began offering free online courses to students around the world who were interested in what courses at MIT were like.  While these courses do not count toward any type of degree and are simply offered to any individual, they offer a new peak inside the Ivy League programs and may attract potential students to their programs.  Their most popular programs were ones in the science and math fields (what the school is most known for), but they have offered surprising open courses in music as well.  Their current open courseware offerings in music range from world music courses to introduction to “Composing for Jazz Orchestras.”  With more than twenty courses in music offered at MIT’s online open courseware site, the school has delved into its foray with online education and attracted a new class of students since it posted the courses.

Columbia has also joined the online community through its open courseware listings, although the school currently only hosts one music seminar on its website.  While the course, “Music from the Renaissance and Baroque”, is appealing to many students of music, the wide variety of MIT’s music courses is major competition to the smaller offerings of Columbia. 

Harvard is in the same boat as Columbia, offering minimal open courses, although the school is different from the other two since it continuously updates its site according to the school year.  It currently features classes from the 2008-2009 school year, featuring one music course in the “History of Blues in America.”  Like the other two schools, Harvard offers a wide range of classes in different subjects, focusing on computer science and liberal arts programs.

Open courses are an ongoing experiment, as it has yet to be revealed whether the free lectures attract more students to the colleges.  One thing is for sure though: the many available lectures that can now be downloaded allow interested individuals to gain a more thorough knowledge of a topic which may be difficult to research on their own.  How else would you get the information offered in MIT’s “Schubert to Debussy?”

Information is everywhere. One is assaulted every moment of every day with advertising, online media, email, broadcast television, radio, and even personal phone calls. We cannot escape it. Does all this information really mean we are retaining more data? Are we learning more because of the ubiquity of resources by which to do so? One could assume the answer is "yes." But, one may be wrong in this assumption.
 
What’s most interesting about the current informational landscape is that despite a significant increase in available news and information, Americans are still no better informed than they were in much less information-rich times. For instance, a recent Pew Research study indicated that in 2007, 69 percent of Americans could correctly name the vice-president, down from the 74 percent who could in 1989.
 
So, what’s happening?
 
First and foremost, people become apathetic in the face of too much information. We just stop actively attempting to process it and it falls flat. And, with so much customizable content available, people can be very selective about what they want to hear/see and can ignore everything else. 

Because of this, there’s actually a far greater likelihood of an individual being less informed as they are not choosing to be exposed to multiple news sources. It makes for a very narrow view and a very limited knowledge base.
 
Also, acquiring new information requires specific, prolonged focus and an ability to ignore distractions. In our world of media multi-tasking few, if any, are concentrating for long enough on a single subject to make it stick. 

In order to absorb the information contained in a newscast, for example, we must not only direct our attention to the person talking, but also filter out the running headlines, news updates, and financial ticker on the lower part of the screen.
 
It would seem we’ve come to an age of too much information and this is particularly true for younger people who spend extensive time media multi-tasking. They will have to decide, if, in the future, if the constant barrage of information is worth the forfeiture of true knowledge.

Some studies show that the younger, more technologically savvy generations use their brains in completely different ways than previous generations.  While the jury is still out on the subject and many scientific studies to validate this claim are necessary, the fact is that filtering through the wealth of information is still the reality for everyone involved.
 

The habit of reading is going out, along with those quaint old bookshops on the corner that are making way for fancier malls that are as devoid of character as the goods they house. It’s the age of technology, and people don’t seem to have the time or the inclination to settle down with a good book any time they’re free – they’d rather fiddle around with their gadgets, or if they must read, do a cursory scan of the latest from the blog world. 

But there are some people like me who make it a point to continue their love affair with books, the one that started as a child when words and the stories they wove formed one’s best friends. And then there are others who discovered the pleasures that books could bring, later on in life. There are various reasons why people read, even today when there are numerous alternatives for entertainment, and here are some of them:

    * The right book at the right time: Kids these days are being wowed by the Harry Potter phenomenon – they begin to read just to get a taste of the hype, and once they’re hooked and have finished devouring the series, they move on to other books. A good habit is thus formed for a lifetime. The younger you are, the more likely you are to take to the reading habit. But, while it’s true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, there are times when adults, who find themselves with nothing else to do, pick up a book that’s lying around only to find that they enjoy the experience much more than they thought they would.
    * An affinity with the characters: How often have you read a book to discover that the lead character is so much like you, that you seem to think, feel and act the same way? How often have you empathized with the situations the hero or heroine finds themselves in, because you have been in similar situations yourself? This reason, at times, forms the basis for liking the book, the author, and the genre, in that subsequent order.
    * A liking for the author, not necessarily the genre: I don’t experiment much in my choice of genre, but there are times that I’m open to trying new authors in the hope that I will like their writing style and so have an infinite stream of books to read. What I’ve discovered in the course of this trial and error method is that though I like a particular author, it doesn’t follow that I like all authors who write the same genre.
    * A taste for the genre: But there are others who read only if the book is of the genre they fancy – romance, mystery and thrillers find more takers than any other kind of books, mostly because of the feel-good factor of boy and girl living happily ever after or justice being done and the criminal getting what he or she deserves.