The Redgate Read On Online Learning

Interesting article although I have not really formed an opinion on it as of yet — http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/28/online

I ran across a recent USA Today article on Distance Learning entitled “Distance Learning gets its close-up.”  I found the following excerpt on the origin of Distance Learning somewhat interesting:

For all its technological innovations, distance education isn’t new. In 1840, Sir Isaac Pitman, a London educator, challenged country dwellers to translate Bible verses into shorthand and ship results to his city office for grading.

That makes him the likely founder of distance education, according to Michael Lambert, executive director of the Distance Education and Training Council, a national accrediting body for distance education programs.

Ran across this information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the projected Fastest-Growing Full-Time Occupations from 2004 - 2014.  When one analyzes the most common level of education required for each, holding an Associates or Bachelor’s Degree becomes more of a necessity.  Read the rest of this entry »

I am still ticked off about UVA’s loss to VT in football this past Saturday.  I am a University of Virginia fan and although we are more than competitive in all other sports (with a number of national championships), we just can’t rise above a “tolerable mediocrity” when it comes to our football program and spercifically our rivalry with Virginia Tech. Yes, we were outplayed and there were key moments in the game that we could not capitalize on, but it still doesn’t make this type of loss any easier.

Well, enough of that “venting” and on to more important things.  As an adjunct faculty member for Liberty University’s online programs, I am often asked by my students how they should approach online learning.  My advice is simple — find your best available time and place and make those your “personal” college classroom.  If you are still finding that unexpected interruptions or unusual settings make consistent study patterns difficult do not panic.   Do the little things that can pay big dividends — fully engage during your personal classroom time(s), place something on your computer or at your study area that remind you of your long-term educational goals, and use aides to help you focus - (e.g. “Do Not Disturb –Learning Taking Place” sign in your study.)  

Knowledge is exploding!   I have heard it stated that the sum of all that is known doubles every seven years.  That’s good and bad.  It’s good in the sense that we have literally, at our fingertips, the ability to accumulate more knowledge in one year than previous generations accumulated in a lifetime.  It’s bad in the sense that, at the same time, the shelf life of knowledge is declining.  Read the rest of this entry »