Grammar is often misunderstood in the language teaching field. The misconception lies in the view that grammar is a collection of arbitrary rules about static structures in the language. Further questionable claims are that the structures do not have to be taught, learners will acquire them on their own, or if the structures are taught, the lessons that ensue will be boring. Consequently, communicative and proficiency-based teaching approaches sometimes unduly limit grammar instruction. Of the many claims about grammar that deserve to be called myths, this digest will challenge ten.
1. Grammar is acquired naturally; it need not be taught.
It is true that some learners acquire second language grammar naturally without instruction. For example, there are immigrants to the United States who acquire proficiency in English on their own. This is especially true of young immigrants. However, this is not true for all learners. Among the same immigrant groups are learners who may achieve a degree of proficiency, but whose English is far from accurate. A more important question may be whether it is possible with instruction to help learners who cannot achieve accuracy in English on their own.
It is also true that learning particular grammatical distinctions requires a great deal of time even for the most skilled learners. Carol Chomsky (1969) showed that native English speakers were still in the process of acquiring certain grammatical structures in English well into adolescence. Thus, another important question is whether it is possible to accelerate students' natural learning of grammar through instruction. Research findings can be brought to bear on this question from a variety of sources (see Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991). Pienemann (1984) demonstrated that subjects who received grammar instruction progressed to the next stage after a two-week period, a passage normally taking several months in untutored development. While the number of subjects studied was admittedly small, the finding, if corroborated, provides evidence of the efficacy of teaching over leaving acquisition to run its natural course.
With regard to whether instruction can help learners acquire grammar they would not have learned on their own, some research, although not unequivocal, points to the value of form-focused instruction to improve learners' accuracy over what normally transpires when there is no focus on form (see Larsen-Freeman, 1995).
2. Grammar is a collection of meaningless forms.
This myth may have arisen because many people associate the term grammar with verb paradigms and rules about linguistic form. However, grammar is not unidimensional and not meaningless; it embodies the three dimensions of morphosyntax (form), semantics (meaning), and pragmatics (use). As can be seen in the pie chart in Figure 1, these dimensions are interdependent; a change in one results in change in another. Despite their interdependence, however, they each offer a unique perspective on grammar. Consider the passive voice in English. It clearly has form. It is composed minimally of a form of the "be" verb and the past participle. Sometimes it has the preposition "by" before the agent in the predicate: (1) "The bank was robbed by the same gang that hijacked the armored car." That the passive can occur only when the main verb is transitive is also part of its formal description.
The passive has a grammatical meaning. It is a focus construction, which confers a different status on the receiver or recipient of an action than it would receive in the active voice. For example, the bank in sentence (1) is differently focused than it would be in the active sentence: (2) "The same gang robbed the bank."
When or why do we use the passive? When the receiver of the action is the theme or topic, when we do not know who the agent is, when we wish to deliberately conceal the identity of the agent, when the agent is obvious and easily derivable from the context, when the agent is redundant, and so on.
Graphic Omitted
To use the English passive voice accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately, English as a second language students must master all three dimensions. This is true of any grammatical structure
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Hard Work and High Expectations: Motivating Students to Learn
Preface
Across America, in state after state, a decade of major reforms in education has so far failed to produce the anticipated improvement in the quality of our schools or the academic achievements of our students.
The reform debate has intensified. Almost every day one hears of a new controversy about such issues as teacher pay and accountability, parental choice, local control, of the schools, new and revised curricula and textbooks, new forms of tests and evaluation, and year-round schools.
Notably muted in the debate has been discussion of the engagement and motivation of the students themselves. It is a curious omission, for even if we raise standards and succeed at restructuring our schools and improving the quality of our teachers, the result may be little or no improvement unless our children also increase the level of their effort. After all, now as before, it is the students who must learn more, and it is they who must do the work.
Questions, therefore, arise: What part should students play in learning? What are their responsibilities? What can we do to raise the amount and quality of student effort to the levels that excellence requires?
Late in 1990, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement held a national conference on student motivation to help answer these questions. This booklet is a sketch of what we learned. The touchstone of the conference was the mounting imperative that all of America's students must rise to the challenge of higher standards of achievement if the nation is to continue to thrive. One conclusion cannot be overemphasized: unless the untapped power of student effort and engagement is activated and harnessed to learning, we are unlikely to realize the benefits to achievement that the new reforms aim to make possible.
I would like to thank Tommy M. Tomlinson who conceived, organized, and chaired the conference and prepared this concise summary of its contributors' and conclusions
He Has a Summer Birthday: The Kindergarten Entrance Age Dilemma
David would be 5 in July. Full of enthusiasm, he confidently underwent spring kindergarten screening. The school psychologist explained that David completed the screening with average and above-average skills, but he had a summer birthday and he was a male. The psychologist and the gym teacher agreed that David would be more successful in school if he were to postpone kindergarten for 1 year.
David's experience has been repeated over and over by many children across the country. Educators are commonly recommending that children born during the summer months be given an extra year to mature so that they will not suffer from the academic disadvantages of being among the youngest children in a class. Terms such as "academic red-shirting" and "graying of the kindergarten" have been invented to describe the practice and effects of holding children back from kindergarten (Bracey, 1989; Suro, 1992).
Small-scale studies of limited geographic areas suggest that delayed kindergarten entrance involves anywhere from 9% to 64% of the eligible kindergarten population (Meisels, 1992). However, data collected for the large-scale National Household Education Survey (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 1997) indicated that 9% of the first- and second-graders had been held back from kindergarten. Surveyed parents reported that children who had delayed kindergarten entrance 1 year were most likely to have been male (64%), white (73%), and born between July and December (70%). Compared to children born in the first quarter of the year, children born in the summer months were twice as likely to have delayed kindergarten entrance 1 year after they were first eligible.
Substantial numbers of parents and educators believe that children born in the summer months will gain an academic advantage if kindergarten entrance is delayed 1 year. Is it a disadvantage to be among the youngest, rather than the oldest, in a kindergarten class?
What Does the Research Reveal?
A review of the relevant literature reveals that few studies have been undertaken to examine whether or not children with summer birthdays do better academically when they postpone kindergarten entrance 1 year. Problems also arise because some of the research often cited in support of delayed entrance is poorly designed, has focused on children with learning disabilities or on early entrants, has relied on subjective parent or teacher reports, or has not looked specifically at children born during the summer months.
The related research is meager and somewhat contradictory. In general, studies indicate that the youngest children in a class may score slightly below the oldest children in a class, but any differences tend to be small and may be transitory (Morrison, Griffith, & Alberts, 1997; Cameron & Wilson, 1990; Kinard & Reinherz, 1986; Smith & Shepard, 1987; NCES, 1997).
The sparsity of evidence related specifically to summer-born children prompted an investigation comparing the academic achievement of two groups of children born in June, July, August, or September: those who entered kindergarten just after turning 5 and those who were held out 1 year and entered kindergarten at age 6 (Crosser, 1991). Each child who delayed entrance was matched with a child of like intelligence who had not delayed entrance. Boys were matched with boys, and girls with girls.
All of the children took standardized achievement tests during fifth or sixth grade. Those test scores were used to compare the achievement of summer-born, held-out children to that of summer-born children who had entered school on time.
Results of the study indicated that, given similar levels of intelligence, boys with summer birth dates tended to be advantaged academically by postponing kindergarten entrance 1 year. That advantage was greatest in the area of reading. Reading scores for females and math scores for both males and females did not show significant statistical differences.
Results of such small-scale studies need to be replicated before educators will be able to make informed recommendations about optimum kindergarten entrance age. There is no clear-cut evidence that delaying kindergarten for the youngest entrants will provide some magical academic advantage. Because there is so little entrance age evidence, and because some of that evidence is conflicting, there does not appear to be a strong academic basis for delaying kindergarten entrance for summer-born children.
A responsible physician would not recommend any treatment that had not been scientifically tested and retested for effectiveness. She would need to know the specific symptoms for which the treatment was effective. She would need to know the success rate of the treatment and what complicating side effects and interactions were possible before prescribing the treatment.
Responsible educators also have a need to know the facts before recommending treatment for a child whose only symptoms are being born in July and being male. Nevertheless, the reality is that both teachers and parents are accepting the idea that delaying school entrance for summer birth date children is sound practice.
David's experience has been repeated over and over by many children across the country. Educators are commonly recommending that children born during the summer months be given an extra year to mature so that they will not suffer from the academic disadvantages of being among the youngest children in a class. Terms such as "academic red-shirting" and "graying of the kindergarten" have been invented to describe the practice and effects of holding children back from kindergarten (Bracey, 1989; Suro, 1992).
Small-scale studies of limited geographic areas suggest that delayed kindergarten entrance involves anywhere from 9% to 64% of the eligible kindergarten population (Meisels, 1992). However, data collected for the large-scale National Household Education Survey (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 1997) indicated that 9% of the first- and second-graders had been held back from kindergarten. Surveyed parents reported that children who had delayed kindergarten entrance 1 year were most likely to have been male (64%), white (73%), and born between July and December (70%). Compared to children born in the first quarter of the year, children born in the summer months were twice as likely to have delayed kindergarten entrance 1 year after they were first eligible.
Substantial numbers of parents and educators believe that children born in the summer months will gain an academic advantage if kindergarten entrance is delayed 1 year. Is it a disadvantage to be among the youngest, rather than the oldest, in a kindergarten class?
What Does the Research Reveal?
A review of the relevant literature reveals that few studies have been undertaken to examine whether or not children with summer birthdays do better academically when they postpone kindergarten entrance 1 year. Problems also arise because some of the research often cited in support of delayed entrance is poorly designed, has focused on children with learning disabilities or on early entrants, has relied on subjective parent or teacher reports, or has not looked specifically at children born during the summer months.
The related research is meager and somewhat contradictory. In general, studies indicate that the youngest children in a class may score slightly below the oldest children in a class, but any differences tend to be small and may be transitory (Morrison, Griffith, & Alberts, 1997; Cameron & Wilson, 1990; Kinard & Reinherz, 1986; Smith & Shepard, 1987; NCES, 1997).
The sparsity of evidence related specifically to summer-born children prompted an investigation comparing the academic achievement of two groups of children born in June, July, August, or September: those who entered kindergarten just after turning 5 and those who were held out 1 year and entered kindergarten at age 6 (Crosser, 1991). Each child who delayed entrance was matched with a child of like intelligence who had not delayed entrance. Boys were matched with boys, and girls with girls.
All of the children took standardized achievement tests during fifth or sixth grade. Those test scores were used to compare the achievement of summer-born, held-out children to that of summer-born children who had entered school on time.
Results of the study indicated that, given similar levels of intelligence, boys with summer birth dates tended to be advantaged academically by postponing kindergarten entrance 1 year. That advantage was greatest in the area of reading. Reading scores for females and math scores for both males and females did not show significant statistical differences.
Results of such small-scale studies need to be replicated before educators will be able to make informed recommendations about optimum kindergarten entrance age. There is no clear-cut evidence that delaying kindergarten for the youngest entrants will provide some magical academic advantage. Because there is so little entrance age evidence, and because some of that evidence is conflicting, there does not appear to be a strong academic basis for delaying kindergarten entrance for summer-born children.
A responsible physician would not recommend any treatment that had not been scientifically tested and retested for effectiveness. She would need to know the specific symptoms for which the treatment was effective. She would need to know the success rate of the treatment and what complicating side effects and interactions were possible before prescribing the treatment.
Responsible educators also have a need to know the facts before recommending treatment for a child whose only symptoms are being born in July and being male. Nevertheless, the reality is that both teachers and parents are accepting the idea that delaying school entrance for summer birth date children is sound practice.
How Can We Help Children Learn To Be Responsible Citizens
Responsibilities of citizenship are obligations to contribute to the common good by performing duties to benefit the community, such as becoming informed about public policies, voting in public elections, serving on a juries, and obeying the laws.
Surveys of civic knowledge, attitudes, and actions reveal serious deficiencies in the citizenship education of young Americans. Reports on civic learning by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that the majority of 12th-graders have a rudimentary knowledge of government and citizenship in the United States. However, half the students in grade 12 fail to demonstrate knowledge needed for responsible participation in the political system. A disturbing finding was that high school students did "significantly less well" in civics in the most recent assessment (1988) than their 1982 counterparts.
What Do Young Americans Need To Learn About Responsible Citizenship?
Our forebearers fought for the rights that Americans enjoy today. To preserve our civil rights, young Americans need to realize the part they must play: the preservation of civil rights and liberties is directly linked to performed responsibilities. For example, the right of political participation means little when most citizens fail to exercise it. Furthermore, the right to free expression of political ideas is diminished when individuals do not gain knowledge about government. Fulfilling responsibilities, such as voluntary service to the community, participating in the political system, acquiring knowledge about civic life, and demonstrating a public commitment to the values of constitutional democracy (for example, liberty, justice, and the rule of law) are essential to the health of a free society.
Most students acknowledge the importance of voting and campaigning in public elections, but they also tend to express low levels of political interest and fail to see that their political actions make a difference. The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds voting in public elections lags far behind the rate for those over age 25, which also tends to be much lower than desired by advocates of responsible citizenship.
Young Americans clearly need to become more attuned to their responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society. Parents and teachers must act in concert to strengthen the desire and capacity of children to fulfill civic obligations.
Back to the Table of Contents
What Can Parents Do?
Parents are children's first and most influential teachers of civic values and attitudes. Lessons learned at home about political participation or community service are likely to set the tone for later learning about citizenship responsibilities.
Parents can help their children learn more about citizenship by:
* Setting a good example. Participate in the political system and volunteer for community service projects. Invite your child to join you.
* Showing interest in civic affairs and government by initiating conversations at dinner time or in response to television programs or newspaper articles about current events.
* Requiring children to perform duties regularly at home to demonstrate the value of contributing to the common good of the family.
* Encouraging children to take part in community service projects such as cleaning up the neighborhood, recycling materials to conserve natural resources, and tutoring younger children with learning problems. Participate with them if you can.
* Providing civic learning resources in the home--books, magazines, newspapers--and using them with children. For example, read articles about political issues or varying ethical or moral views.
* Transmitting and reinforcing the civic values of our constitutional democracy through discussions, exemplary behavior, and use of fair rules for orderly family life.
* Monitoring and reinforcing at home the lessons learned in school about the responsibilities of citizenship.
Surveys of civic knowledge, attitudes, and actions reveal serious deficiencies in the citizenship education of young Americans. Reports on civic learning by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that the majority of 12th-graders have a rudimentary knowledge of government and citizenship in the United States. However, half the students in grade 12 fail to demonstrate knowledge needed for responsible participation in the political system. A disturbing finding was that high school students did "significantly less well" in civics in the most recent assessment (1988) than their 1982 counterparts.
What Do Young Americans Need To Learn About Responsible Citizenship?
Our forebearers fought for the rights that Americans enjoy today. To preserve our civil rights, young Americans need to realize the part they must play: the preservation of civil rights and liberties is directly linked to performed responsibilities. For example, the right of political participation means little when most citizens fail to exercise it. Furthermore, the right to free expression of political ideas is diminished when individuals do not gain knowledge about government. Fulfilling responsibilities, such as voluntary service to the community, participating in the political system, acquiring knowledge about civic life, and demonstrating a public commitment to the values of constitutional democracy (for example, liberty, justice, and the rule of law) are essential to the health of a free society.
Most students acknowledge the importance of voting and campaigning in public elections, but they also tend to express low levels of political interest and fail to see that their political actions make a difference. The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds voting in public elections lags far behind the rate for those over age 25, which also tends to be much lower than desired by advocates of responsible citizenship.
Young Americans clearly need to become more attuned to their responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society. Parents and teachers must act in concert to strengthen the desire and capacity of children to fulfill civic obligations.
Back to the Table of Contents
What Can Parents Do?
Parents are children's first and most influential teachers of civic values and attitudes. Lessons learned at home about political participation or community service are likely to set the tone for later learning about citizenship responsibilities.
Parents can help their children learn more about citizenship by:
* Setting a good example. Participate in the political system and volunteer for community service projects. Invite your child to join you.
* Showing interest in civic affairs and government by initiating conversations at dinner time or in response to television programs or newspaper articles about current events.
* Requiring children to perform duties regularly at home to demonstrate the value of contributing to the common good of the family.
* Encouraging children to take part in community service projects such as cleaning up the neighborhood, recycling materials to conserve natural resources, and tutoring younger children with learning problems. Participate with them if you can.
* Providing civic learning resources in the home--books, magazines, newspapers--and using them with children. For example, read articles about political issues or varying ethical or moral views.
* Transmitting and reinforcing the civic values of our constitutional democracy through discussions, exemplary behavior, and use of fair rules for orderly family life.
* Monitoring and reinforcing at home the lessons learned in school about the responsibilities of citizenship.
Help Your Child Improve In Test-Taking
American Children Must Be Ready To Learn From the First Day of School. And Of Course, Preparing Children For School Is a Historic Responsibility of Parents.
TEST. It's a loaded word. Important...something to care about...something that can mean so much we get apprehensive thinking about it.
Tests are important, especially to school children. A test may measure a basic skill. It can affect a year's grade. Or, if it measures the ability to learn, it can affect a child's placement in school. So it's important to do well on tests.
Besides, the ability to do well on tests can help throughout life in such things as getting a driver's license, trying out for sports, or getting a job. Without this ability, a person can be severely handicapped.
Your child can develop this ability. And you can help the child do it. Just try the simple techniques developed through Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) research. This leaflet tells you how.
Why Test?
It's helpful for a child to understand why schools give tests. And to know the different kinds of tests.
Tests are yardsticks. Schools use them to measure, and then improve education. Some tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change teaching techniques. Other tests compare students by schools, school districts, or cities. All tests determine how well "your child" is doing. And that's very important.
Most of the tests your child will take are "teacher-made." That is, teachers design them. These tests are associated with the grades on report cards. They help measure a student's progress--telling the teacher and the student whether he or she is keeping up with the class, needs extra help, or, perhaps, is far ahead of other students.
Now and then your child will take "standardized" tests. These use the same standards to measure student performance across the country. Everyone takes the same test according to the same rules. This makes it possible to measure each student's performance against that of others. The group with whom a student's performance is compared is a "norm group" and consists of many students of the same age or grade who took the same test.
Ask the School
It could be useful for you to know the school's policies and practices on giving standardized tests and the use of test scores. Ask your child's teacher or guidance counselor about the kinds of tests your child will take during the year--and the schedule for testing.
One other thing: some schools give students practice in taking tests. This helps to make sure that they are familiar with directions and test format. Find out whether your child's school gives "test-taking practice" on a regular basis or will provide such practice if your child needs it.
Avoid Test Anxiety
It's good to be concerned about taking a test. It's not good to get "test anxiety." This is excessive worry about doing well on a test and it can mean disaster for a student.
Students who suffer from test anxiety tend to worry about success in school, especially doing well on tests. They worry about the future, and are extremely self-critical. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. This makes them anxious about tests and their own abilities. Ultimately, they become so worked up that they feel incompetent about the subject matter or the test.
It does not help to tell the child to relax, to think about something else, or stop worrying. But there are ways to reduce test anxiety. Encourage your child to do these things:
* Space studying over days or weeks. (Real learning occurs through studying that takes place over a period of time.) Understand the information and relate it to what is already known. Review it more than once. (By doing this, the student should feel prepared at exam time.)
* Don't "cram" the night before--cramming increases anxiety which interferes with clear thinking. Get a good night's sleep. Rest, exercise, and eating well are as important to test-taking as they are to other school work.
* Read the directions carefully when the teacher hands out the test. If you don't understand them, ask the teacher to explain.
* Look quickly at the entire examination to see what types of questions are included (multiple choice, matching, true/ false, essay) and, if possible, the number of points for each. This will help you pace yourself.
* If you don't know the answer to a question, skip it and go on. Don't waste time worrying about it. Mark it so you can identify it as unanswered. If you have time at the end of the exam, return to the unanswered question(s).
TEST. It's a loaded word. Important...something to care about...something that can mean so much we get apprehensive thinking about it.
Tests are important, especially to school children. A test may measure a basic skill. It can affect a year's grade. Or, if it measures the ability to learn, it can affect a child's placement in school. So it's important to do well on tests.
Besides, the ability to do well on tests can help throughout life in such things as getting a driver's license, trying out for sports, or getting a job. Without this ability, a person can be severely handicapped.
Your child can develop this ability. And you can help the child do it. Just try the simple techniques developed through Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) research. This leaflet tells you how.
Why Test?
It's helpful for a child to understand why schools give tests. And to know the different kinds of tests.
Tests are yardsticks. Schools use them to measure, and then improve education. Some tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change teaching techniques. Other tests compare students by schools, school districts, or cities. All tests determine how well "your child" is doing. And that's very important.
Most of the tests your child will take are "teacher-made." That is, teachers design them. These tests are associated with the grades on report cards. They help measure a student's progress--telling the teacher and the student whether he or she is keeping up with the class, needs extra help, or, perhaps, is far ahead of other students.
Now and then your child will take "standardized" tests. These use the same standards to measure student performance across the country. Everyone takes the same test according to the same rules. This makes it possible to measure each student's performance against that of others. The group with whom a student's performance is compared is a "norm group" and consists of many students of the same age or grade who took the same test.
Ask the School
It could be useful for you to know the school's policies and practices on giving standardized tests and the use of test scores. Ask your child's teacher or guidance counselor about the kinds of tests your child will take during the year--and the schedule for testing.
One other thing: some schools give students practice in taking tests. This helps to make sure that they are familiar with directions and test format. Find out whether your child's school gives "test-taking practice" on a regular basis or will provide such practice if your child needs it.
Avoid Test Anxiety
It's good to be concerned about taking a test. It's not good to get "test anxiety." This is excessive worry about doing well on a test and it can mean disaster for a student.
Students who suffer from test anxiety tend to worry about success in school, especially doing well on tests. They worry about the future, and are extremely self-critical. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. This makes them anxious about tests and their own abilities. Ultimately, they become so worked up that they feel incompetent about the subject matter or the test.
It does not help to tell the child to relax, to think about something else, or stop worrying. But there are ways to reduce test anxiety. Encourage your child to do these things:
* Space studying over days or weeks. (Real learning occurs through studying that takes place over a period of time.) Understand the information and relate it to what is already known. Review it more than once. (By doing this, the student should feel prepared at exam time.)
* Don't "cram" the night before--cramming increases anxiety which interferes with clear thinking. Get a good night's sleep. Rest, exercise, and eating well are as important to test-taking as they are to other school work.
* Read the directions carefully when the teacher hands out the test. If you don't understand them, ask the teacher to explain.
* Look quickly at the entire examination to see what types of questions are included (multiple choice, matching, true/ false, essay) and, if possible, the number of points for each. This will help you pace yourself.
* If you don't know the answer to a question, skip it and go on. Don't waste time worrying about it. Mark it so you can identify it as unanswered. If you have time at the end of the exam, return to the unanswered question(s).
Sunday, January 28, 2007
School's flexibility is ideal mom says
There is little clue from outside that a San Andreas warehouse is full of diligently working students.
The inside of one classroom looks like a storage unit, complete with a rolling vertical door, cement floors, and boxes of office supplies and paperwork.
That's because it was once part of a commercial building that has since been taken over by Mountain Oaks Charter School.
At the far end are tables topped with pottery supplies and shelves full of completed ceramics.
During a recent pottery class, moms sat near their children, participating in painting already fired pottery or shaping slabs of clay into wall planters.
Mountain Oaks is among a growing breed of public schools with different approaches to education.
The schools move in quietly, wherever they can find the space. Despite their low profile, enrollments at charter schools in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties are growing, while many traditional public schools struggle to keep their numbers up.
One area charter school has seen increases as much as 40 percent in one year.
Charter schools are run under the auspices of the state, but they aren't held to many of the regulations that regular public schools are.
Many have their own areas of emphasis, such as arts or particular vocations. Others incorporate home schooling, when parents or guardians teach their children at home.
They are free — like other public schools — and open to students in any district.
Charter schools have increasingly gained the praise and blessing of state government officials.
In fact, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed $1 billion in charter school funding over the next three years as part of an education bond measure. It has passed the Assembly and is awaiting action in the Senate.
At a meeting of the California Charter Schools Association earlier this month, Schwarzenegger and other key education officials reiterated their support for the movement.
Backers of charter schools laud them as a way to capture students who have fallen through the cracks at public schools — both kids who struggle and those who excel.
"Not all people learn best by being thrown in the river," said Linda Mariani, a co-administrator at Mountain Oaks. "Some have to stand in the shallow water a little longer."
Critics fear charter schools are siphoning away students — and with them state funding — from public schools with already declining enrollments. They also question the level of education provided by some charter schools.
Others have mixed feelings.
A charter school might better serve struggling students, Sonora High School Principal Terry Clark said. But he pointed out that the more students who leave regular schools, the less money is available for those who remain.
"As educators, we want the best for our kids," he said. "There's this dichotomy of feeling."
Movement's beginnings
The charter school movement began in 1992, when the California Legislature passed the Charter Schools Act.
This year, the state has 575 charter schools with about 190,000 students. That is up from 23,170 students at 60 schools in 1995.
There are four in Tuolumne County: California Virtual Academy of Jamestown, Mountain Oaks, Gold Rush Homestudy Charter School and Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy.
Mountain Oaks is the only charter school on record in Calaveras County.
The latter is a hybrid of home school and regular classroom instruction that kids can voluntarily attend. It has sites in San Andreas, Sonora and Pine Grove, serving about 400 students.
Jeanette Lay, of Valley Springs, has watched her 7-year-old son, Bryan, blossom at Mountain Oaks since pulling him from a traditional public school during first grade.
Lay had never taught before, but found the support to home school Bryan at Mountain Oaks.
"At first, you get to thinking: ‘Oh my God, can I do this?' But now, I wouldn't give it up," she said.
As parents and students find success at charter schools, the state can use them as laboratories to study various educational methods, Mariani said.
"I think the state will look at all these charters and say, ‘Which are working and which aren't, and what can we learn?' without having to spend a lot of research and development funds," she said.
Internet classes
Another charter school uses the Internet as a tool for student instruction.
California Virtual Academy, with its main office in Simi Valley, near Los Angeles, started a virtual school in Jamestown in September of 2002 under the sponsorship of the Jamestown School District.
It has grown to 140 students in that time, 40 of whom are new to the K-9 school this year, said Jim Konantz, head of the state's six Virtual Academies.
The parent or guardian is the primary instructor, and the school has no buildings or campus. For every 25 students, there is a teacher who monitors students' progress online.
"The family really develops a close relationship with that teacher," said Lisa Gillis, who oversees the local academy from Sonoma.
Students complete online lessons and tests, and meet with their teacher once a month for a field trip. There are also supplementary books and materials parents receive.
The structure allows students to get extra assistance when they fall behind or lets them advance if they are ahead, Konantz said.
"It also gives parents an opportunity to fully participate in the child's education," he said. "It's a lot different from dropping the child off at school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon."
Parent workshops are offered six times a year to improve their own reading writing and math skills.
Academy teacher Julie Walsh, of Modesto, monitors students in the Twain Harte, Sonora and Modesto areas.
She was a teacher for two years in Modesto at a traditional school, but switching to the academy gave her the flexibility to stay home with her son.
Once he was of school age, she began teaching him through the virtual school. He can work at his own pace while having the challenge of the in-depth curriculum the school offers, she said.
"I think it serves his needs a lot more than a traditional school environment," she said.
Meanwhile, he has more freedom to participate in piano lessons, rock climbing and Boy Scouts, she said.
"Obviously, it's not right for everybody, but if you're looking for an alternative to a brick and mortar school, this is a great solution," Walsh said.
Connections
For some students, charter schools offer a head start on a future career interest.
Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy in Tuolumne trains seventh through 12th graders in art, music, drama and other performing arts fields.
"They get to do their passion, because a lot of the schools around here have cut some of their (arts) programs," Principal Michael Gibson said.
The academy is sponsored through Summerville High School and is overseen by district trustees.
It has an enrollment of about 100 students, who come from Groveland, Jamestown, Tuolumne and Twain Harte — plus areas in between and beyond — to attend the school. Of the total, 25 to 30 are seventh- and eighth-graders.
Its classes are in a building on Summerville High's campus — which includes an auditorium, gym, regular classrooms and a dance studio. Students balance their performing arts classes with academic classes at the high school.
The inside of one classroom looks like a storage unit, complete with a rolling vertical door, cement floors, and boxes of office supplies and paperwork.
That's because it was once part of a commercial building that has since been taken over by Mountain Oaks Charter School.
At the far end are tables topped with pottery supplies and shelves full of completed ceramics.
During a recent pottery class, moms sat near their children, participating in painting already fired pottery or shaping slabs of clay into wall planters.
Mountain Oaks is among a growing breed of public schools with different approaches to education.
The schools move in quietly, wherever they can find the space. Despite their low profile, enrollments at charter schools in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties are growing, while many traditional public schools struggle to keep their numbers up.
One area charter school has seen increases as much as 40 percent in one year.
Charter schools are run under the auspices of the state, but they aren't held to many of the regulations that regular public schools are.
Many have their own areas of emphasis, such as arts or particular vocations. Others incorporate home schooling, when parents or guardians teach their children at home.
They are free — like other public schools — and open to students in any district.
Charter schools have increasingly gained the praise and blessing of state government officials.
In fact, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed $1 billion in charter school funding over the next three years as part of an education bond measure. It has passed the Assembly and is awaiting action in the Senate.
At a meeting of the California Charter Schools Association earlier this month, Schwarzenegger and other key education officials reiterated their support for the movement.
Backers of charter schools laud them as a way to capture students who have fallen through the cracks at public schools — both kids who struggle and those who excel.
"Not all people learn best by being thrown in the river," said Linda Mariani, a co-administrator at Mountain Oaks. "Some have to stand in the shallow water a little longer."
Critics fear charter schools are siphoning away students — and with them state funding — from public schools with already declining enrollments. They also question the level of education provided by some charter schools.
Others have mixed feelings.
A charter school might better serve struggling students, Sonora High School Principal Terry Clark said. But he pointed out that the more students who leave regular schools, the less money is available for those who remain.
"As educators, we want the best for our kids," he said. "There's this dichotomy of feeling."
Movement's beginnings
The charter school movement began in 1992, when the California Legislature passed the Charter Schools Act.
This year, the state has 575 charter schools with about 190,000 students. That is up from 23,170 students at 60 schools in 1995.
There are four in Tuolumne County: California Virtual Academy of Jamestown, Mountain Oaks, Gold Rush Homestudy Charter School and Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy.
Mountain Oaks is the only charter school on record in Calaveras County.
The latter is a hybrid of home school and regular classroom instruction that kids can voluntarily attend. It has sites in San Andreas, Sonora and Pine Grove, serving about 400 students.
Jeanette Lay, of Valley Springs, has watched her 7-year-old son, Bryan, blossom at Mountain Oaks since pulling him from a traditional public school during first grade.
Lay had never taught before, but found the support to home school Bryan at Mountain Oaks.
"At first, you get to thinking: ‘Oh my God, can I do this?' But now, I wouldn't give it up," she said.
As parents and students find success at charter schools, the state can use them as laboratories to study various educational methods, Mariani said.
"I think the state will look at all these charters and say, ‘Which are working and which aren't, and what can we learn?' without having to spend a lot of research and development funds," she said.
Internet classes
Another charter school uses the Internet as a tool for student instruction.
California Virtual Academy, with its main office in Simi Valley, near Los Angeles, started a virtual school in Jamestown in September of 2002 under the sponsorship of the Jamestown School District.
It has grown to 140 students in that time, 40 of whom are new to the K-9 school this year, said Jim Konantz, head of the state's six Virtual Academies.
The parent or guardian is the primary instructor, and the school has no buildings or campus. For every 25 students, there is a teacher who monitors students' progress online.
"The family really develops a close relationship with that teacher," said Lisa Gillis, who oversees the local academy from Sonoma.
Students complete online lessons and tests, and meet with their teacher once a month for a field trip. There are also supplementary books and materials parents receive.
The structure allows students to get extra assistance when they fall behind or lets them advance if they are ahead, Konantz said.
"It also gives parents an opportunity to fully participate in the child's education," he said. "It's a lot different from dropping the child off at school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon."
Parent workshops are offered six times a year to improve their own reading writing and math skills.
Academy teacher Julie Walsh, of Modesto, monitors students in the Twain Harte, Sonora and Modesto areas.
She was a teacher for two years in Modesto at a traditional school, but switching to the academy gave her the flexibility to stay home with her son.
Once he was of school age, she began teaching him through the virtual school. He can work at his own pace while having the challenge of the in-depth curriculum the school offers, she said.
"I think it serves his needs a lot more than a traditional school environment," she said.
Meanwhile, he has more freedom to participate in piano lessons, rock climbing and Boy Scouts, she said.
"Obviously, it's not right for everybody, but if you're looking for an alternative to a brick and mortar school, this is a great solution," Walsh said.
Connections
For some students, charter schools offer a head start on a future career interest.
Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy in Tuolumne trains seventh through 12th graders in art, music, drama and other performing arts fields.
"They get to do their passion, because a lot of the schools around here have cut some of their (arts) programs," Principal Michael Gibson said.
The academy is sponsored through Summerville High School and is overseen by district trustees.
It has an enrollment of about 100 students, who come from Groveland, Jamestown, Tuolumne and Twain Harte — plus areas in between and beyond — to attend the school. Of the total, 25 to 30 are seventh- and eighth-graders.
Its classes are in a building on Summerville High's campus — which includes an auditorium, gym, regular classrooms and a dance studio. Students balance their performing arts classes with academic classes at the high school.
Virtual Academy
A new way to educate that gives parents the chance to play a larger role in their children’s education. Could this e-school program be right for your child?
The Maui Virtual Academy (MAVA), an offshoot of Kihei Charter School, offers an innovative public education program that includes a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum in traditional subject areas. This is just one example of the new wave of educational strategies to get Maui’s, and Hawai‘i’s children, educated in a comfortable, safe environment.
Hawai‘i’s public, unitary statewide school system is unique. Serving 181,355 students in 285 schools (as of September 2005), it is approximately the tenth largest school system in the nation.
The Hawai‘i Virtual Academies are e-school programs of public charter schools. It is not home-schooling. At MAVA, the students work from a satellite location, such as home, with a parent or responsible adult to receive instruction from public school teachers. Students in MAVA receive lessons, assessments, books, access to online school, planning and progress tools, a computer and more—but without the price of tuition.
MAVA is a new way to educate that gives parents the chance to play a larger role in their children’s education. The children receive the tools and resources they need to be better educated and ready to enter the “real world.”
The director of Kihei Charter School is Mark Christiano. The school’s MAVA program has been in operation since the fall of 2004. Its four core areas of study are math, language arts, science and history. The goal of the academy, as well as that of all Hawai‘i public schools, is to enable students to become self-directed learners, community contributors, complex thinkers, quality producers, effective communicators, and effective and ethical users of technology.
“We’re supported by K12, a program which supports online academies, and we have a structure similar to virtual schools in California and Iowa. There are about a dozen to 15 schools like this all over the country. We just try to do what they do, with a Maui influence. We only serve Maui at MAVA,” said Christiano.
“We provide families with a full curriculum. It’s a computer-based program that keeps track of students’ progress. It provides them a virtual teacher available by phone and e-mail. We organize field trips and social outings. Just yesterday we went to a magic show in Lahaina. We have done a fair amount at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Two days a week, we have a learning lab, where the students can come in from 3 to 5 p.m.,” said Christiano. The social aspects of going to school are met by the outings and labs.
MAVA may be appropriate for many, but not all, families. “The parents or guardians are going to have to make a minimum commitment of three to four hours a day to structure activities,” said Christiano. “There has to be a serious commitment to make progress. When that happens, the progress is amazing. You can’t beat one-on-one instruction.
“The individualization is huge. This program offers a strong fundamental education and a very complete curriculum. There are no gaps in it; they have a strong base for future studies. These are important years and this allows the students to have all the basic elements in place.
“This is what the world is turning into,” said Christiano. “This is what is happening all over the country. We just wanted to allow families on Maui to have the same opportunity.”
There is no binding obligation to stay with the Virtual Academy. Like any other public school, students can transfer in and out as they choose.
“Because the Hawai‘i Virtual Academies are programs of choice, parents who enroll their students can withdraw at any time if they are not happy with the program. We believe that families should be able to choose the program they feel is most appropriate for their child’s education—and they should be able to choose public schools, private schools, home-schooling, or virtual public schools,” reads the Hawai‘i Virtual Academy’s site
Virtual learning
More students, parents turning to online classes
POST FALLS -- Virtual charter schools are public, free and gaining popularity.
But it's not home school and it's not just sit, click and go, said Cody Claver, principal of Idaho Virtual Academy.
An attraction to online learning is that students study at home. A computer, text books and parent materials are provided by the school.
After a student is tested for grade, a certified teacher is assigned and the student is good to go.
But while learning from home sounds convenient, some disagree with the format and say the most important ingredient is missing -- the classroom.
"Technology is wonderful to enhance, to challenge, to reteach or remediate and that's where the teacher comes in. You can't replace them," said Karen Durgin, principal of Holy Family Catholic School. "If you really think about a child sitting with a computer ... I don't know. It should be more of a balance."
The balance, says Kristen Buckmiller whose two sons are enrolled in IDVA, is that half of the work is done on the computer, the other half from textbooks.
Another plus that creates balance is the social interaction virtual learners get when they attend classes outside the home and take part in class field trips.
Buckmiller made the switch from traditional home-schooling to online school with her sons four years ago because as the teacher her unit-study approach was difficult and she lacked direction.
Now, she likes the thorough curriculum and her kids respect the accountability. But, they "don't just sit in front of the computer by themselves."
"As a parent you are responsible," Buckmiller said. "There's nobody else to blame and nobody to take the credit."
IDVA's uses the K12 Curriculum, a nationwide program that is also used by about 70,000 students in nine other states.
Also new to the schools are "smart boards," large interactive chalk boards. Students interact with the screen by touching it with their hands, instead of using a mouse.
For IDVA teacher Kelly Roush of Boundary County, the curriculum works. Students and parents like it, she said.
"Parents can see the feedback, don't have to do all the planning and they spend less time wondering if they've missed anything," Roush said.
Students have constant access online and by telephone to Roush, who also meets with them in their homes and teaches workshops in a traditional classroom setting. Her duties include evaluating student progress and attendance and tailoring classes to each student's needs.
"We never have a child sitting in front of a computer six hours a day," she said. "K-3 students use the computer about 10 percent of the time. That percentage goes up a little in the older grades."
Two schools
Idaho has two virtual schools: The IDVA, which offers K-9 classes, and the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, which is for grades seven through 12.
Like Idaho's public schools, the IDVA is state-funded but does not receive local property taxes to operate.
It is also bound by the same rules as public schools. Students take the ISAT, Idaho Standard Achievement Test, in the spring and fall and the IRI, Idaho Reading Indicator test. Both are given via a mobile lab.
Also like public schools, IDVA receives transportation money from the state. But transportation doesn't have to mean fuel and buses. Virtual schools use the funds to ship packages.
Unlike Idaho's virtual school, the Idaho Digital Learning Academy is not a public school and does not have to comply with state regulations.
It was formed by the Legislature in 2002 and first funded with a grant from the J.A & Kathryn Albertson Foundation. In the past three years it has been funded by appropriations from the Legislature and last year received $900,000.
The IDLA has 85 courses, which are offered yearlong, and 70 teachers, some of whom are public school teachers by day, digital by night.
In North Idaho, digital enrollment is exploding.
In the fall of 2005, 195 North Idaho students were enrolled: the Coeur d'Alene district had 97; Post Falls had 15 and Lakeland 25.
Now, six months later, those numbers have more than doubled.
"Its (digital learning) strength is that it's not as time sensitive as regular classes and courses can be completed when the student has the appropriate time," said Post Falls superintendent Jerry Keane.
One reason for digital learning's popularity is because it offers classes the district doesn't. Students can take courses to enhance current classes, make-up lost credits or for extra credit.
But it's not free. One regular course is $100 plus a $25 registration fee. Advanced Placement, "AP" classes, are $25, but textbooks must be purchased. Both are paid for by the district.
The difference between what has become traditional virtual school, which has a strict six-class curriculum, and courses offered by the IDLA, is that students can choose to take only one course.
"Barriers that exist in the classroom don't exist online," said IDLA director Donna Vakili.
Claver, a former Idaho Falls public school teacher and administrator, said students enroll in virtual schools for various reasons including anxiety with traditional schools, medical reasons and because some parents want to be more active in their child's education.
"The concept of online education is not dwindling and we, too, will continue to evolve our model," Claver said. "That's technology."
POST FALLS -- Virtual charter schools are public, free and gaining popularity.
But it's not home school and it's not just sit, click and go, said Cody Claver, principal of Idaho Virtual Academy.
An attraction to online learning is that students study at home. A computer, text books and parent materials are provided by the school.
After a student is tested for grade, a certified teacher is assigned and the student is good to go.
But while learning from home sounds convenient, some disagree with the format and say the most important ingredient is missing -- the classroom.
"Technology is wonderful to enhance, to challenge, to reteach or remediate and that's where the teacher comes in. You can't replace them," said Karen Durgin, principal of Holy Family Catholic School. "If you really think about a child sitting with a computer ... I don't know. It should be more of a balance."
The balance, says Kristen Buckmiller whose two sons are enrolled in IDVA, is that half of the work is done on the computer, the other half from textbooks.
Another plus that creates balance is the social interaction virtual learners get when they attend classes outside the home and take part in class field trips.
Buckmiller made the switch from traditional home-schooling to online school with her sons four years ago because as the teacher her unit-study approach was difficult and she lacked direction.
Now, she likes the thorough curriculum and her kids respect the accountability. But, they "don't just sit in front of the computer by themselves."
"As a parent you are responsible," Buckmiller said. "There's nobody else to blame and nobody to take the credit."
IDVA's uses the K12 Curriculum, a nationwide program that is also used by about 70,000 students in nine other states.
Also new to the schools are "smart boards," large interactive chalk boards. Students interact with the screen by touching it with their hands, instead of using a mouse.
For IDVA teacher Kelly Roush of Boundary County, the curriculum works. Students and parents like it, she said.
"Parents can see the feedback, don't have to do all the planning and they spend less time wondering if they've missed anything," Roush said.
Students have constant access online and by telephone to Roush, who also meets with them in their homes and teaches workshops in a traditional classroom setting. Her duties include evaluating student progress and attendance and tailoring classes to each student's needs.
"We never have a child sitting in front of a computer six hours a day," she said. "K-3 students use the computer about 10 percent of the time. That percentage goes up a little in the older grades."
Two schools
Idaho has two virtual schools: The IDVA, which offers K-9 classes, and the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, which is for grades seven through 12.
Like Idaho's public schools, the IDVA is state-funded but does not receive local property taxes to operate.
It is also bound by the same rules as public schools. Students take the ISAT, Idaho Standard Achievement Test, in the spring and fall and the IRI, Idaho Reading Indicator test. Both are given via a mobile lab.
Also like public schools, IDVA receives transportation money from the state. But transportation doesn't have to mean fuel and buses. Virtual schools use the funds to ship packages.
Unlike Idaho's virtual school, the Idaho Digital Learning Academy is not a public school and does not have to comply with state regulations.
It was formed by the Legislature in 2002 and first funded with a grant from the J.A & Kathryn Albertson Foundation. In the past three years it has been funded by appropriations from the Legislature and last year received $900,000.
The IDLA has 85 courses, which are offered yearlong, and 70 teachers, some of whom are public school teachers by day, digital by night.
In North Idaho, digital enrollment is exploding.
In the fall of 2005, 195 North Idaho students were enrolled: the Coeur d'Alene district had 97; Post Falls had 15 and Lakeland 25.
Now, six months later, those numbers have more than doubled.
"Its (digital learning) strength is that it's not as time sensitive as regular classes and courses can be completed when the student has the appropriate time," said Post Falls superintendent Jerry Keane.
One reason for digital learning's popularity is because it offers classes the district doesn't. Students can take courses to enhance current classes, make-up lost credits or for extra credit.
But it's not free. One regular course is $100 plus a $25 registration fee. Advanced Placement, "AP" classes, are $25, but textbooks must be purchased. Both are paid for by the district.
The difference between what has become traditional virtual school, which has a strict six-class curriculum, and courses offered by the IDLA, is that students can choose to take only one course.
"Barriers that exist in the classroom don't exist online," said IDLA director Donna Vakili.
Claver, a former Idaho Falls public school teacher and administrator, said students enroll in virtual schools for various reasons including anxiety with traditional schools, medical reasons and because some parents want to be more active in their child's education.
"The concept of online education is not dwindling and we, too, will continue to evolve our model," Claver said. "That's technology."
Online schools offer parents alternatives
The Millington sisters, ages 6 months to 9, don’t get on a school bus every morning; they go to the basement of their La Crosse home.
Computers sit among other more traditional school supplies — paint sets, flash cards and alphabet wallpaper. Their mother, Michelle Diaz, and father, Jeff Millington, work with them. But this isn’t home school.
“It’s more school at home than home school,” Diaz said. “We work with at least four teachers every day.”
The girls are open enrollment students at Wisconsin Virtual Academy. The online charter school out of the Northern Ozaukee School District in Fredonia, Wis., opened in 2003-04, offering the same curriculum and testing standards as other public schools. With a different approach.
The school’s 15 full-time teachers, all of whom have teaching certificates and experience in the public schools, provide classes and instruction online.
The school’s 615 students register attendance by logging on to the school’s Web site. They participate in class discussions by posting messages on a message board or speaking through a school-provided microphone. But a lot of their learning happens offline.
As Katie and Stephanie Millington focused on their lessons Friday morning, Chelly Millington focused on hers — numbers. There was no computer involved.
Instead, her mom, Michelle Diaz, pointed to flash cards, 1 to 100, spread across the carpet. Chelly, a second-grader in a white Hello Kitty shirt, made a sweeping gesture with her arms, then said the numbers.
When they got to 100, Diaz rejoiced and gave Chelly a high five.
“I never dreamed she’d be able to add and subtract,” Diaz said of her daughter, who was diagnosed with autism at 22 months. “Her progression’s been amazing.”
Diaz credits a lot of her daughter’s progress to the individualized approach at the school. She receives one-on-one instruction from Jeff Nylander. He’s a special education teacher who had previously worked in bricks-and-mortar public schools and now provides special needs educational support, online, over the phone and in person, to students in the northern third of the state.
He said the individualized approach allows him to cater lessons to the mastery level of each student, instead of giving an entire class of students the same lesson.
And, he said, it eliminates a lot of the environmental factors — lighting, sounds, other students — that often distract special education students in traditional schools.
“Here they’re in a comfortable environment — their home — with comfortable people — their parents,” he said. “It makes it easier for them to focus on learning.”
Eric Sesvold, a second-grader in West Salem, also enrolled at the school. On Friday, one of his lessons happened online, with teacher Nancy Peerenboom instructing from her base in Poynette, Wis.
“Today we’re going to talk about pizza,” she said through the Toshiba laptop screen in Eric’s bedroom, introducing a language arts lesson. “What’s everyone’s favorite flavor of pizza?”
Adam of Oregon, Wis., said he likes extra cheesy. Bevan of Mineral Point, Wis., said he likes pepperoni. Sesvold said he likes cheese. Sally of Sun Prairie, Wis., said she likes cheese and bacon and sausage and pepperoni. Eric’s never seen his classmates or his teacher, but class progresses about the same as anywhere else.
Peerenboom continued with her lesson, displaying sentences on the screen and having students identify the subject and verb by underlining them with an e-pen.
Sesvold’s mother, Sandy, said she appreciates the dual role parents and teachers play in Eric’s education.
“Think of me like a teacher’s assistant,” she said. “He has to meet standards and take tests, and the teachers are the ones who make sure he’s on track.”
Computers sit among other more traditional school supplies — paint sets, flash cards and alphabet wallpaper. Their mother, Michelle Diaz, and father, Jeff Millington, work with them. But this isn’t home school.
“It’s more school at home than home school,” Diaz said. “We work with at least four teachers every day.”
The girls are open enrollment students at Wisconsin Virtual Academy. The online charter school out of the Northern Ozaukee School District in Fredonia, Wis., opened in 2003-04, offering the same curriculum and testing standards as other public schools. With a different approach.
The school’s 15 full-time teachers, all of whom have teaching certificates and experience in the public schools, provide classes and instruction online.
The school’s 615 students register attendance by logging on to the school’s Web site. They participate in class discussions by posting messages on a message board or speaking through a school-provided microphone. But a lot of their learning happens offline.
As Katie and Stephanie Millington focused on their lessons Friday morning, Chelly Millington focused on hers — numbers. There was no computer involved.
Instead, her mom, Michelle Diaz, pointed to flash cards, 1 to 100, spread across the carpet. Chelly, a second-grader in a white Hello Kitty shirt, made a sweeping gesture with her arms, then said the numbers.
When they got to 100, Diaz rejoiced and gave Chelly a high five.
“I never dreamed she’d be able to add and subtract,” Diaz said of her daughter, who was diagnosed with autism at 22 months. “Her progression’s been amazing.”
Diaz credits a lot of her daughter’s progress to the individualized approach at the school. She receives one-on-one instruction from Jeff Nylander. He’s a special education teacher who had previously worked in bricks-and-mortar public schools and now provides special needs educational support, online, over the phone and in person, to students in the northern third of the state.
He said the individualized approach allows him to cater lessons to the mastery level of each student, instead of giving an entire class of students the same lesson.
And, he said, it eliminates a lot of the environmental factors — lighting, sounds, other students — that often distract special education students in traditional schools.
“Here they’re in a comfortable environment — their home — with comfortable people — their parents,” he said. “It makes it easier for them to focus on learning.”
Eric Sesvold, a second-grader in West Salem, also enrolled at the school. On Friday, one of his lessons happened online, with teacher Nancy Peerenboom instructing from her base in Poynette, Wis.
“Today we’re going to talk about pizza,” she said through the Toshiba laptop screen in Eric’s bedroom, introducing a language arts lesson. “What’s everyone’s favorite flavor of pizza?”
Adam of Oregon, Wis., said he likes extra cheesy. Bevan of Mineral Point, Wis., said he likes pepperoni. Sesvold said he likes cheese. Sally of Sun Prairie, Wis., said she likes cheese and bacon and sausage and pepperoni. Eric’s never seen his classmates or his teacher, but class progresses about the same as anywhere else.
Peerenboom continued with her lesson, displaying sentences on the screen and having students identify the subject and verb by underlining them with an e-pen.
Sesvold’s mother, Sandy, said she appreciates the dual role parents and teachers play in Eric’s education.
“Think of me like a teacher’s assistant,” she said. “He has to meet standards and take tests, and the teachers are the ones who make sure he’s on track.”
Monday, January 22, 2007
Online Education: A New Frontier
Advertising is a service that will always be present in any business, at least for those businesses who wish to be successful. That same theory holds true for the education business. We don’t usually think about education as being a business, but rather an institution with its foundation placed in the advancement of people. This statement holds some truth; however there is a profound business and advertising aspect that is overlooked by many. This, I believe, is simply due to the theory that you can’t put a price on education. Rather then purchasing an item that depreciates, you’re investing in yourself, something that will in time, appreciate.
Advertising for many Colleges and Universities involves nothing more then an old time college story from Uncle Tommy about his fraternity at the Ohio State University. Simply, many colleges and universities are so reputable and have been around for so long that they have an image and aura about them that doesn’t require much advertising. Prospecting college students know about schools through word of mouth, perhaps a family member or the guidance counselor mentioned a school to them. Inadvertently, college sports play a huge role in advertising for the school and increasing enrollments. All of these things are incidental methods of advertising, however there is revolutionary new way for individuals to earn a degree; a way that cannot rely on the traditional means of advertising as the old state schools and universities have.
Online Schooling has created new means in regards to earning an education and degree. Online Education is paving the way for those with a hectic schedule, for those in the thick of their career, for those who want classes to fit their schedule. Distance Education is a vast field that is growing at an exorbitant rate. How can someone create growth for something that is so new, they advertise! Online Programs such as the University of Phoenix and University of Maryland University College spend millions on promoting and advertising their degrees.
Why do they do this? Online Schools and Universities do this simply because enrollments are increasing, not only due to advertising, but because their programs really work. Students and Full-time workers alike are receiving four year degrees that are extremely credible and valuable. So if you’ve given up hope on receiving a traditional four year degree from a state school, take a look into Distance Learning and the different degree programs they offer. You’ll be surprised as to how far you can really go with an Online Degree.
Advertising for many Colleges and Universities involves nothing more then an old time college story from Uncle Tommy about his fraternity at the Ohio State University. Simply, many colleges and universities are so reputable and have been around for so long that they have an image and aura about them that doesn’t require much advertising. Prospecting college students know about schools through word of mouth, perhaps a family member or the guidance counselor mentioned a school to them. Inadvertently, college sports play a huge role in advertising for the school and increasing enrollments. All of these things are incidental methods of advertising, however there is revolutionary new way for individuals to earn a degree; a way that cannot rely on the traditional means of advertising as the old state schools and universities have.
Online Schooling has created new means in regards to earning an education and degree. Online Education is paving the way for those with a hectic schedule, for those in the thick of their career, for those who want classes to fit their schedule. Distance Education is a vast field that is growing at an exorbitant rate. How can someone create growth for something that is so new, they advertise! Online Programs such as the University of Phoenix and University of Maryland University College spend millions on promoting and advertising their degrees.
Why do they do this? Online Schools and Universities do this simply because enrollments are increasing, not only due to advertising, but because their programs really work. Students and Full-time workers alike are receiving four year degrees that are extremely credible and valuable. So if you’ve given up hope on receiving a traditional four year degree from a state school, take a look into Distance Learning and the different degree programs they offer. You’ll be surprised as to how far you can really go with an Online Degree.
Achieve Higher Learning By Continuing Your Education Online
What is continuing education, and why should one seek it?
Continuing Education is the process of acquiring higher learning to advance ones career, job status, or college degree status.
The busy life of the working adult, which likely includes balancing a family and a job, makes it difficult to attend daily classes requiring traditional lectures or lab hours. The courses in an online continuing education program allows the working student to keep their busy schedule together, and not have to worry about other schedules that may clash.
Whether you need to finish your GED, or work towards acquiring your BA or Masters degree, continuing your education online from home makes perfect sense. In recent years, the number of colleges and universities offering online continuing education programs has exploded, making the availability of accredited and reputable continuing education programs quite plentiful. In some cases, students are able to design their own degree program. Mostly, it is the cost of the program that attracts many. With no housing costs/meal programs to worry about, online continuing education programs are much less costly than a traditional college curriculum.
Continuing your education online means the door to continuing your education is only one internet connection away! This does away with the expenses of travel time and/or relocation on the part of the student and means continuing education classes can be attended wherever there is an internet connection. This can also be of benefit to those who are not comfortable in a classroom setting, those who require extra time due to language challenges or even those who require a faster pace than can be offered in a traditional daily curriculum.
Many online continuing education programs having no set times for their courses. This allows the student the benefit of flexibility, attending classes in the hours available to them and completing assignments at their own pace. It is very helpful, for the adult who has not been in an educational program for some time, to be able to control the learning environment. Working when there is time, and where they are comfortable on the assignments they have time for, is a very attractive option for the student who is balancing a career as well as family life.
For those searching for ways of continuing their education, but have time... money... or family commitments, you should strongly consider the online continuing education programs available.
Effective Lesson Plans for Reading
As an instructor of English (reading, writing, lit, creative writing, etc.) and as an online course developer, I have found many valuable teacher resources for linguistic, literary, and rhetorical disciplines. Specifically for education and none for teaching in general, and a great many more with lesson plans for reading. Many of the lesson plans for reading are laid out so well that they will include peer work suggestions, interactive games and quizzes and maps, and dynamic and thorough strategies for cross-referencing studies.
As an example I used THE TIME MACHINE one semester. After a few decent lesson plans for reading, I found an incredible sight that was an invaluable resource that told me everything I needed to know about the author and his motivation for his work this was a wonderful resource, doing great justice to the writer, the work, and to students who are offered pre-reading, reading, and post-reading tasks and activities (as well as writing ideas/prompts). Here it is: The Time Machine High School Teacher’s Resource Page(s) - Http://www.sff.net/people/ james.van.pelt/wells/ timemachine.htm .
Yet another great example is for Harper Lee’s classic. For lesson plans for reading TO KILL a MOCKINGBIRD, I started at EdHelper.com; and went on with the incredible chapter-by-chapter synopsis of vocabulary words with The Student Survival Guide which is located here at this URL: http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/tkm/; and concluded by taking advantage of some outstanding lesson plans for reading found at SCORE, the site designed and run by Schools of California Online Resources for Educators.
For lesson plans for reading Achebe’s THINGS FALL APART, I was able to locate a fantastic pre-reading historical, anthropological, and cartological exercises at the following location http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/things/thingstg.html. This resource is broken down in a five-part cyber guide is basically set up as an informative piece for weeks and weeks of pre-, during-, and post-reading work.
And for lesson plans for reading, pre-reading, interim reading, and post-reading tasks, experiments, peer-work, and quizzes and tests, I found such sites as those sponsored, designed, and maintained by educators at all levels—at Proteacher.net; Teachers.net; TeacherOz.com; Webenglishteacher.com; sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/ staff/dehogue/AP/teachers/main.htm; readwritethink.org; teachersfirst.com; Awesomelibrary.org; mrscassel.com; and Teachnet.com to be absolutely exquisite resources that were extremely helpful.
A great advantage of the Internet is the fact that there are so many outstanding lesson plans for reading, writing, and any other discipline. Usually designed, written, and submitted by fellow instructors, these materials lend themselves to professional development, and our excellent for stimulating thought and discussion inside the classroom, or virtual classroom if that's the case is outstanding as an aid to learning of concepts, strategies, methodologies, and skills. Hopefully these resources that I've shared for you will not only help you find lesson plans for reading but also many other valuable resources
As an example I used THE TIME MACHINE one semester. After a few decent lesson plans for reading, I found an incredible sight that was an invaluable resource that told me everything I needed to know about the author and his motivation for his work this was a wonderful resource, doing great justice to the writer, the work, and to students who are offered pre-reading, reading, and post-reading tasks and activities (as well as writing ideas/prompts). Here it is: The Time Machine High School Teacher’s Resource Page(s) - Http://www.sff.net/people/ james.van.pelt/wells/ timemachine.htm .
Yet another great example is for Harper Lee’s classic. For lesson plans for reading TO KILL a MOCKINGBIRD, I started at EdHelper.com; and went on with the incredible chapter-by-chapter synopsis of vocabulary words with The Student Survival Guide which is located here at this URL: http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/tkm/; and concluded by taking advantage of some outstanding lesson plans for reading found at SCORE, the site designed and run by Schools of California Online Resources for Educators.
For lesson plans for reading Achebe’s THINGS FALL APART, I was able to locate a fantastic pre-reading historical, anthropological, and cartological exercises at the following location http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/things/thingstg.html. This resource is broken down in a five-part cyber guide is basically set up as an informative piece for weeks and weeks of pre-, during-, and post-reading work.
And for lesson plans for reading, pre-reading, interim reading, and post-reading tasks, experiments, peer-work, and quizzes and tests, I found such sites as those sponsored, designed, and maintained by educators at all levels—at Proteacher.net; Teachers.net; TeacherOz.com; Webenglishteacher.com; sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/ staff/dehogue/AP/teachers/main.htm; readwritethink.org; teachersfirst.com; Awesomelibrary.org; mrscassel.com; and Teachnet.com to be absolutely exquisite resources that were extremely helpful.
A great advantage of the Internet is the fact that there are so many outstanding lesson plans for reading, writing, and any other discipline. Usually designed, written, and submitted by fellow instructors, these materials lend themselves to professional development, and our excellent for stimulating thought and discussion inside the classroom, or virtual classroom if that's the case is outstanding as an aid to learning of concepts, strategies, methodologies, and skills. Hopefully these resources that I've shared for you will not only help you find lesson plans for reading but also many other valuable resources
Online Education: A Modern Way to Gain an Edge on Learning
Leading hectic and sometimes overwhelming lives, persons - young and old, are beginning to find their niche in learning: Online education. Because the Internet has vastly expanded its reaches to society, one of the greatest evolutions has been the introduction to online learning and distance education schools. While we live, eat and breathe the Net 24/7 these days, what an innovative way to integrate opportunity into busy lifestyles.
Today, one can earn an online degree or certification in diverse fields of education and employment industries through online courses that are readily accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As an off-campus student, individuals gain access to fully-accredited online coursework and degree programs without ever having to leave the comforts of their own homes or personal offices; thus creating a more relaxed learning atmosphere.
Currently, there are virtually hundreds of online schools, universities and colleges that cater to the needs of working persons and/or homebound individuals. Helping students to succeed in both education and career aspirations, online education is fast becoming a convenient, but credible educational tool of the modern era.
Whether aspiring students wish to attain online continuing education units, or simply want to fulfill their career goals by earning an online degree in which particular field interests them, an online education meets and often exceeds the expectations of enrolled candidates.
Some individuals do not fully comprehend the extensive online education opportunities that presently exist: Aside from online certification and continuing education courses, ambitious students can conveniently earn not only an Associate's Degree in respective fields of education, but can also earn up to a Doctorate's as well.
According to a survey report by Sloan-C, "...almost two-thirds of all schools offering face-to-face courses also offer online courses."[1] This reiterates the evolutional quality and prevalence of how online education is already impacting learning institutions, and how online schools are meeting the growing demands of a busy society
Today, one can earn an online degree or certification in diverse fields of education and employment industries through online courses that are readily accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As an off-campus student, individuals gain access to fully-accredited online coursework and degree programs without ever having to leave the comforts of their own homes or personal offices; thus creating a more relaxed learning atmosphere.
Currently, there are virtually hundreds of online schools, universities and colleges that cater to the needs of working persons and/or homebound individuals. Helping students to succeed in both education and career aspirations, online education is fast becoming a convenient, but credible educational tool of the modern era.
Whether aspiring students wish to attain online continuing education units, or simply want to fulfill their career goals by earning an online degree in which particular field interests them, an online education meets and often exceeds the expectations of enrolled candidates.
Some individuals do not fully comprehend the extensive online education opportunities that presently exist: Aside from online certification and continuing education courses, ambitious students can conveniently earn not only an Associate's Degree in respective fields of education, but can also earn up to a Doctorate's as well.
According to a survey report by Sloan-C, "...almost two-thirds of all schools offering face-to-face courses also offer online courses."[1] This reiterates the evolutional quality and prevalence of how online education is already impacting learning institutions, and how online schools are meeting the growing demands of a busy society
The Latest Trend Of Supplemental Education - Online Tutoring
Online tutoring refers to the process by which knowledge is imparted from a tutor or an expert in a subject to a student or a knowledge recipient over the Internet. Both the party can be geographically apart.
Some advantages of online education over traditional method are given below.
• You get 24/7 class room with a highly qualified instructor.
• You don’t have to step out of your house to get tuition
• You can study on your own at the time of your choice.
• You can sit at home and take online tuitions from qualified online tutors.
• You can schedule your class according to your convenience.
• Most companies have database related to your subject in one place neatly organized.
• You can speak to a subject matter expert as and when you need.
But this doesn’t mean that the classes are different, it just means that they are easier to take. You will still have to study, do homework, write papers, and take midterms, final exams and all the regular chores. The difference is you do it at your home.
Historically majority of the students from the developed world doesn’t have a global perspective. They are not bothered about what is happening in other countries apart from their own. Getting tutored from tutors from the developing countries and interacting with peers from other countries equip them with knowledge which could be the defining factor in the changed global scenario. In that sense, online tuition could be the window for you to the outside world.
All you need for online tutoring is a computer and internet access and you can start. The courses which suits online tutoring are:
Home work help, online math tutoring, online home school, SAT Tutoring, science online tutoring, online English speaking, English reading help, online algebra tutoring, online calculus tutoring, online English tutoring, online chemistry tutoring, online calculus tutoring, online geometry tutoring, online GRE tutoring, online statistics tutoring, online mathematics tutoring, online physics tutoring, online GMAT tutoring, online ACT tutoring, online k-12 tutoring, high school tutoring, online IELTS, online FCAT, online TAKS, online CLEP, online HSPA, online LSAT, online DAT, online MCAT etc. There are a lot of companies coming up with online tutoring services. You need to find an affordable online tutoring company which does not compromise on quality. I found out that tutionmart.com is the most economical and affordable among the lot. And educate.com, direct.tutor.com are some of the early birds.
Some advantages of online education over traditional method are given below.
• You get 24/7 class room with a highly qualified instructor.
• You don’t have to step out of your house to get tuition
• You can study on your own at the time of your choice.
• You can sit at home and take online tuitions from qualified online tutors.
• You can schedule your class according to your convenience.
• Most companies have database related to your subject in one place neatly organized.
• You can speak to a subject matter expert as and when you need.
But this doesn’t mean that the classes are different, it just means that they are easier to take. You will still have to study, do homework, write papers, and take midterms, final exams and all the regular chores. The difference is you do it at your home.
Historically majority of the students from the developed world doesn’t have a global perspective. They are not bothered about what is happening in other countries apart from their own. Getting tutored from tutors from the developing countries and interacting with peers from other countries equip them with knowledge which could be the defining factor in the changed global scenario. In that sense, online tuition could be the window for you to the outside world.
All you need for online tutoring is a computer and internet access and you can start. The courses which suits online tutoring are:
Home work help, online math tutoring, online home school, SAT Tutoring, science online tutoring, online English speaking, English reading help, online algebra tutoring, online calculus tutoring, online English tutoring, online chemistry tutoring, online calculus tutoring, online geometry tutoring, online GRE tutoring, online statistics tutoring, online mathematics tutoring, online physics tutoring, online GMAT tutoring, online ACT tutoring, online k-12 tutoring, high school tutoring, online IELTS, online FCAT, online TAKS, online CLEP, online HSPA, online LSAT, online DAT, online MCAT etc. There are a lot of companies coming up with online tutoring services. You need to find an affordable online tutoring company which does not compromise on quality. I found out that tutionmart.com is the most economical and affordable among the lot. And educate.com, direct.tutor.com are some of the early birds.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Online Education – Education In Vogue
Time management is the key to success in today’s fast paced world. How one manages his or her time determines the success quotient and this is the reason why online education id gaining immense popularity. Since online education offers unmatched flexibility and the students and learners can manage time in line with their other priorities, it is becoming a very popular mode of education in almost all parts of the world. The growing popularity of online education has resulted in the establishment of several online educational institutions offering online degree courses and other learning opportunities.
Some people harbored the misconception that the advantages of online education are restricted only for those students and learners who had an established record of past accomplishments. This also led to the belief that online education helps only those who have access to modern means of communication as computer and Internet. However, as the awareness about various modes of online education is increasing the misconceptions related to online education are giving way to more acceptability to online education and training.
Changing perception
It is a talk of the past when people considered online mode of education as a quick way of obtaining a degree or getting good grades. In the past, the reputed educational institutions were not offering online education. However, with the increasing popularity of online education, the majority of institutions offering online courses are well-established institutes and they have a rich experience to provide such education. It is worth mentioning, that a large number of world’s leading educational institutions are offering online education courses on a wide range of subjects.
Growth drivers
Today, most of the accredited online education courses have talented teachers and professors of repute in their respective specialization. This ensures qualitative learning. The students signing up with online education courses, can be assured of guaranteed results. Moreover, online education is more interesting and more competitive when compared to the traditional teaching methodologies.
Employers’ viewpoint
Undoubtedly, many employers were and some of them are still having doubts about the value of online education. However, with change in perception and emerging popularity, a large number of employers have realized their worth. Now the employers consider the online degrees from accredited and well-established online educational institutes of repute. Moreover, the increasing number of people who enroll for online education has changed the employers’ perception and now they readily consider the benefits of online education.
Some research reports point out that technology oriented industries such as, communication, computers, media and marketing have started to accept the candidates having online degree courses from accredited and reputed institutions.
Aviation Schools
Aviation schools offer training for a variety of exciting careers in the aviation industry. Whether you want to pursue a career as an aircraft pilot, an aircraft electronics specialist, an air traffic controller, or some other specialty, there are a range of postsecondary schools to choose from, both on college campuses, and online. When you've completed your training, you'll be ready to enter a growing job market in a thriving industry - and you'll also be in line for a career that promises to be financially rewarding.
Online aviation colleges allow you to complete your classroom time when it's convenient for you, so you can keep your present job or look after other commitments while you study. Where hands-on experience is required, as it is in flight training and certain other disciplines, the best aviation schools allow you to arrange for this time in your own area, so you don't have to travel long distances to complete your degree.
Internet research is an excellent way to find aviation training opportunities. Most established colleges and universities have web sites and online aviation colleges are sure to have lots of information posted online. When you have visited a few websites and understand the choices available, you can narrow your search by requesting information from the aviation schools that most appeal to you. You'll be able to whittle your choices down to just a few before you begin sending applications.
Will you undertake aviation training to become an aircraft mechanic, diagnosing problems in aircraft systems, repairing aircraft components, and installing new technology? Graduates of aviation schools in this profession earn more than $45,000 US annually and there are thousands of job openings across the United States every year. Of course candidates who have attended aviation colleges are often preferred to those with lesser qualifications. Employees holding degrees also command higher salaries.
Aviation training for other careers can lead to equally satisfying employment. You might become a flight dispatcher, earning between $25,000 and $49,000 yearly, or an air traffic controller, earning $21,000 to $83,000. Aviations schools offer programs in aircraft electronics, aviation administration, commercial pilot and numerous other career paths. Investigate the various online aviation colleges if you are interested in online education, and request information so that you can choose the college and the program that fits your dream career.
Statistics quoted here were obtained from Salary.com Inc. and America's Career InfoNet. Salaries can vary considerably from one region to another. Consult local aviation colleges and employers for up to date information on current salary ranges in your area. Always investigate the academic record of colleges and schools that you are considering to ensure that they offer the quality of education you want.
Online aviation colleges allow you to complete your classroom time when it's convenient for you, so you can keep your present job or look after other commitments while you study. Where hands-on experience is required, as it is in flight training and certain other disciplines, the best aviation schools allow you to arrange for this time in your own area, so you don't have to travel long distances to complete your degree.
Internet research is an excellent way to find aviation training opportunities. Most established colleges and universities have web sites and online aviation colleges are sure to have lots of information posted online. When you have visited a few websites and understand the choices available, you can narrow your search by requesting information from the aviation schools that most appeal to you. You'll be able to whittle your choices down to just a few before you begin sending applications.
Will you undertake aviation training to become an aircraft mechanic, diagnosing problems in aircraft systems, repairing aircraft components, and installing new technology? Graduates of aviation schools in this profession earn more than $45,000 US annually and there are thousands of job openings across the United States every year. Of course candidates who have attended aviation colleges are often preferred to those with lesser qualifications. Employees holding degrees also command higher salaries.
Aviation training for other careers can lead to equally satisfying employment. You might become a flight dispatcher, earning between $25,000 and $49,000 yearly, or an air traffic controller, earning $21,000 to $83,000. Aviations schools offer programs in aircraft electronics, aviation administration, commercial pilot and numerous other career paths. Investigate the various online aviation colleges if you are interested in online education, and request information so that you can choose the college and the program that fits your dream career.
Statistics quoted here were obtained from Salary.com Inc. and America's Career InfoNet. Salaries can vary considerably from one region to another. Consult local aviation colleges and employers for up to date information on current salary ranges in your area. Always investigate the academic record of colleges and schools that you are considering to ensure that they offer the quality of education you want.
An MBA Degree Online - Is It Worth It
Now that you've completed you your bachelor degree and have had a few years experience in the business world, it might be just the time for you to consider getting an advanced accredited degree online. Wouldn't it be nice to have an MBA degree? What would an online MBA degree do for your personal satisfaction and your future personal employment possibilities? An online degree has now come of age and many more colleges and universities are offering MBA's online.
Many employers are now accepting accredited online degrees as proof of educational experience. But you have to do your homework before jumping into the online educational pool and be careful of the sharks and piranhas. Some online colleges are worthless but there are many fine, legitimate schools that offer quality education and worthwhile degrees that you can be proud to have worked for. If you are serious about your education stay away from the diploma mills who will grant you an advanced degree in the discipline of your choice for registration fees and the cost of printing your diploma.
Don't get caught up in the hype about how easy it is to get your degree based on "life experience" alone. Life experience can be meaningful, and when paired with previous curricular studies or academic coursework, can be a valuable consideration in granting academic degrees.
Check the status and reputation of any school before enrolling for any course of study and before you pay any tuition. The common denominator of any good online college will be the hard work you must perform to earn your MBA degree.
The greatest benefit of any online college is the ability it gives you to continue working while you attend classes online. Under most circumstances you can set your own pace, most schools are very flexible, but at some point you may find that your college requires one or more periods of residence on their campus to attend classes and to fully qualify for your degree.
It goes without saying that the quality of any MBA degree you attain online will be directly related to the amount of good, hard work that you put into achieving that goal.
Many employers are now accepting accredited online degrees as proof of educational experience. But you have to do your homework before jumping into the online educational pool and be careful of the sharks and piranhas. Some online colleges are worthless but there are many fine, legitimate schools that offer quality education and worthwhile degrees that you can be proud to have worked for. If you are serious about your education stay away from the diploma mills who will grant you an advanced degree in the discipline of your choice for registration fees and the cost of printing your diploma.
Don't get caught up in the hype about how easy it is to get your degree based on "life experience" alone. Life experience can be meaningful, and when paired with previous curricular studies or academic coursework, can be a valuable consideration in granting academic degrees.
Check the status and reputation of any school before enrolling for any course of study and before you pay any tuition. The common denominator of any good online college will be the hard work you must perform to earn your MBA degree.
The greatest benefit of any online college is the ability it gives you to continue working while you attend classes online. Under most circumstances you can set your own pace, most schools are very flexible, but at some point you may find that your college requires one or more periods of residence on their campus to attend classes and to fully qualify for your degree.
It goes without saying that the quality of any MBA degree you attain online will be directly related to the amount of good, hard work that you put into achieving that goal.
Networked Learning Advantages
It encompasses a variety of technologies and ways of using them, thereby creating more opportunities for a wider group. It complements conventional teaching and can provide various resources that may not be available in a traditional classroom environment. Networked learning has widened the reach of education by nullifying the relevance of cultural barriers and geographical boundaries. The ever increasing demand for specialized higher courses offered by different universities vouches for the popularity of networked learning. Furthermore, it affords unmatched interactivity amongst learners, tutors and online resources. This promotes social interaction and generates new opportunities for them to work together in groups. Networked learning makes learning relationships more democratic, and there is more flexibility to the learner in terms of time and place. Because anyone can access the resources from anywhere in the world, it promotes higher education even in under-developed or developing countries. Thus a person in a remote location, where there are no facilities for quality education, can avail the resources provided by a university in a large city.
Any advantage of networked learning will serve its purpose only when supportive teaching accompanies it. Otherwise, it may pose some challenges. Due to the absence of personal interaction, it leaves less scope for spontaneous expression of ideas. Similarly, there is a feeling that because of flexibility and lack of supervision, learners may not adhere to time schedule as opposed to a conventional classroom where students have to follow strict rules of attendance. This may not be true in the case of students pursuing higher degrees because they will be more responsible and motivated in accomplishing their objectives.
How To Pass Your Online Course From Home
In addition to the popular online degree programs now proliferating the internet there are many alternate forms of study available in the form of courses that aren't formally recognized. These courses are offered for many areas of study that are generally learnt at alternate educational facilities. These are things such as public speaking, personal development, personal training, consultancy and hundreds more. The questions most commonly asked are how these courses vary from degrees in duration, cost, nature, and other aspects. Here is a brief look into the world of online course taking.
Basically they are for fields of work that while there may be high levels of demand, a formal degree is not required to undertake them. They are mainly fields where employment is self sustained and sometimes more abstract such as wedding planning, real estate, career planning, or internet marketing.
An online course will generally result in the ability to operate a niche business like these on ones own and will often contain elements to develop skills for this purpose.
Online courses cover a myriad of differently formatted study options from those that require actual enrollment to mere information packs to study at your own time and can be purchased for a one off fee. As such the duration of an online course varies from a few days to a number of months.
One of the more popular types are education online courses that equip students to teach and as such in the future charge a fee for their services in many capacities. If you wish you can likely find an education online course on anything from sewing to bookkeeping.
In the same way many entrepreneurial courses like real estate courses online have become popular thanks to systems such as the trump university real estate investing school and others where skillful or famous money makers teach their secret principles to wealth or business.
Having spoken of these it should also be noted that there are also those courses that are more like the popular online college courses that will result in you obtaining a formal and recognized degree and lead to employment. Examples of these are things like computer courses online that lead to work in reception or administrative positions.
For the diligent web searcher you can even find numerous free online courses on certain topics. They may require your email to be submitted to a form or a small fee requested after time but a lot of quality information and training can be obtained gratis by doing this.
Regardless of your educational desires it is well worth it to peruse some of the sites that are directories of online course material to make a more informed decision on your course of study. Whether it's a free online course or a long term of study there are many benefits to be gained by pursuing online education.
Basically they are for fields of work that while there may be high levels of demand, a formal degree is not required to undertake them. They are mainly fields where employment is self sustained and sometimes more abstract such as wedding planning, real estate, career planning, or internet marketing.
An online course will generally result in the ability to operate a niche business like these on ones own and will often contain elements to develop skills for this purpose.
Online courses cover a myriad of differently formatted study options from those that require actual enrollment to mere information packs to study at your own time and can be purchased for a one off fee. As such the duration of an online course varies from a few days to a number of months.
One of the more popular types are education online courses that equip students to teach and as such in the future charge a fee for their services in many capacities. If you wish you can likely find an education online course on anything from sewing to bookkeeping.
In the same way many entrepreneurial courses like real estate courses online have become popular thanks to systems such as the trump university real estate investing school and others where skillful or famous money makers teach their secret principles to wealth or business.
Having spoken of these it should also be noted that there are also those courses that are more like the popular online college courses that will result in you obtaining a formal and recognized degree and lead to employment. Examples of these are things like computer courses online that lead to work in reception or administrative positions.
For the diligent web searcher you can even find numerous free online courses on certain topics. They may require your email to be submitted to a form or a small fee requested after time but a lot of quality information and training can be obtained gratis by doing this.
Regardless of your educational desires it is well worth it to peruse some of the sites that are directories of online course material to make a more informed decision on your course of study. Whether it's a free online course or a long term of study there are many benefits to be gained by pursuing online education.
Education Loans
Education loans are meant for people whose income is not high enough to attend school. With high education costs high and the availability of education loans, many people are opting for these loans.
Educational loans are of many kinds: according to the sponsor (federal or private), according to the beneficiary (undergraduate, continuing education, insurance loans, parent loans, payment loans), according to the course: law school, medical school, dental school, MBA, general graduate, or post graduate. There are also career loans for people who are pursuing graduate or postgraduate education on a part to full-time basis.
These days, getting an educational loan has become very easy. There are online application as well as telephone applications. The requirements are often simple-- social security number, date of birth, employer’s name, phone number, years of employment, gross annual income (adjusted gross income for self employed individuals) and monthly rent or mortgage payment. There are many loan options to choose from. Repayment options are also sundry. They include standard repayment, graduate repayment, income-sensitive repayment, consolidation, and pre-payment.
Loans from the government have lower interest rates. These include the poplular Stafford loans. Stafford loans are of two kinds: subsidized and unsubsidized. These loans are insured by the government. The government pays the interest for subsidized loans while the recipient is in school at least half-time. These are for people who have low financial status. The rate of interest for the federal Stafford loan is 4.70% during in-school period and 5.30% during the repayment period. There is also the parent loan for undergraduate students (PLUS) that allows parents to borrow any amount up to the cost of education. These are for parents who have dependent undergraduate students. Other loans for parents are: the college loan for parents or sponsors, and independent school loans for K-12. The federal PLUS loan has an interest rate of 6.10%. Other loan rates range from 6 to 10%.
Private loans are useful when government loans are not sufficient in meeting educational needs. These are not guaranteed by the federal government. Certain credit guidelines are applicable for issuing these loans. These are mostly provided by private trusts. Some are offered by the school or universities.
Educational loans can also be applied for online. There are easy loan calculators and online forms for applying for these loans. More information can be obtained from the school or the university’s scholarship office
Educational loans are of many kinds: according to the sponsor (federal or private), according to the beneficiary (undergraduate, continuing education, insurance loans, parent loans, payment loans), according to the course: law school, medical school, dental school, MBA, general graduate, or post graduate. There are also career loans for people who are pursuing graduate or postgraduate education on a part to full-time basis.
These days, getting an educational loan has become very easy. There are online application as well as telephone applications. The requirements are often simple-- social security number, date of birth, employer’s name, phone number, years of employment, gross annual income (adjusted gross income for self employed individuals) and monthly rent or mortgage payment. There are many loan options to choose from. Repayment options are also sundry. They include standard repayment, graduate repayment, income-sensitive repayment, consolidation, and pre-payment.
Loans from the government have lower interest rates. These include the poplular Stafford loans. Stafford loans are of two kinds: subsidized and unsubsidized. These loans are insured by the government. The government pays the interest for subsidized loans while the recipient is in school at least half-time. These are for people who have low financial status. The rate of interest for the federal Stafford loan is 4.70% during in-school period and 5.30% during the repayment period. There is also the parent loan for undergraduate students (PLUS) that allows parents to borrow any amount up to the cost of education. These are for parents who have dependent undergraduate students. Other loans for parents are: the college loan for parents or sponsors, and independent school loans for K-12. The federal PLUS loan has an interest rate of 6.10%. Other loan rates range from 6 to 10%.
Private loans are useful when government loans are not sufficient in meeting educational needs. These are not guaranteed by the federal government. Certain credit guidelines are applicable for issuing these loans. These are mostly provided by private trusts. Some are offered by the school or universities.
Educational loans can also be applied for online. There are easy loan calculators and online forms for applying for these loans. More information can be obtained from the school or the university’s scholarship office
Computer Repair Online Schools Offer Convenient Education
If you are looking for a convenient way to earn professional certification in computer repair, an online computer repair school may be the answer to your quest. Online schools allow you to study at your own pace for a diploma, certificate, or even a college degree in computer technology and computer repair, and you won't have to give up your current job or meet any strict deadlines. Class is always in session, making online computer repair schools a safe bet for busy individuals.
Computer repair schools teach the technical and mechanical skills necessary for a career in the field. Studies cover the repair of computers and other electronic devices found in businesses and in homes everywhere. Students learn about installation, maintenance, and repair of office and home PCs as well as telecommunication systems, televisions, radar systems, industrial equipment, climate control systems, and medical diagnostic equipment.
Many campus-based computer repair schools also offer online diplomas and certification via the Internet. Students may opt to obtain Associate of Science (AS) degrees, Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees, and even Master of Science (MS) degrees from online computer repair schools. Graduates can sometimes choose a year or so of apprenticeship that will allow them to gain specialized knowledge and skills in computer sciences, giving students an additional opportunity to advance their career into major electronic systems.
Basic training in computer repair can also prepare you for further study, should you choose to move into advanced areas such as computer programming, software engineering, computer system analysis, information technology, or other career fields of electronics and engineering.
Online computer repair schools prepare graduates for jobs that will earn incomes of $20,000 to $30,000 in the first year of employment. Extensive experience and branching out into a specific field of electronics repair can eventually provide an even higher income
Computer Repair Online Schools Provide Solutions
Online computer repair schools provide convenient, low-cost solutions to developing skills that prepare you for a successful career as a computer technician. Studying for a career as a computer technician online allows you to choose the times and places most convenient to you to earn a diploma, certificate, or degree. You will be able to get all the training for building skills of an expert computer technician in the convenience of your own home and your own pace.
Online computer repair schools combine the best of traditional education with flexibility and affordability. Programs in accredited computer repair schools provide well-rounded knowledge of computers, including operating systems, computer networks, computer software applications, computer hardware, and maintenance of computers and peripherals. Computer repair schools provide you with the technical skills you need to support end-users and programmers in business and home environments, where computer performance is vital.
Online computer repair schools will start your computer sciences education with introductory courses in PC software and hardware, PC memory, disk drives, motherboards, IDE, EIDE, and SCSI technology, input/output devices, hard drive installation, hard drive support, PC power supplies, troubleshooting, multimedia, supporting Windows, buying and building PCs, networking, applying the Internet, various printers, notebooks, maintaining PC's. Online computer repair schools can also guide you in taking steps toward building your career s a computer technician.
Online computer repair schools not only teach effective skills, but allow you to gain these skills in the comfort of your own home. One of the great advantages to getting your degree online is the convenience of home-based study. You will not be pressed to meet scheduled classes, find parking on a campus, or to give up your job to attend classes. You will study when and where you choose.
Online computer education can be found in accredited colleges and universities everywhere, and they provide opportunities to earn diplomas, certificates, and associate and bachelor degrees, as well as master and doctorate degrees and graduate certificates. Online computer repair schools offer the same training programs as traditional schools, but provide the added flexibility for people with busy lifestyles to gain the education they desire.
Online computer repair schools combine the best of traditional education with flexibility and affordability. Programs in accredited computer repair schools provide well-rounded knowledge of computers, including operating systems, computer networks, computer software applications, computer hardware, and maintenance of computers and peripherals. Computer repair schools provide you with the technical skills you need to support end-users and programmers in business and home environments, where computer performance is vital.
Online computer repair schools will start your computer sciences education with introductory courses in PC software and hardware, PC memory, disk drives, motherboards, IDE, EIDE, and SCSI technology, input/output devices, hard drive installation, hard drive support, PC power supplies, troubleshooting, multimedia, supporting Windows, buying and building PCs, networking, applying the Internet, various printers, notebooks, maintaining PC's. Online computer repair schools can also guide you in taking steps toward building your career s a computer technician.
Online computer repair schools not only teach effective skills, but allow you to gain these skills in the comfort of your own home. One of the great advantages to getting your degree online is the convenience of home-based study. You will not be pressed to meet scheduled classes, find parking on a campus, or to give up your job to attend classes. You will study when and where you choose.
Online computer education can be found in accredited colleges and universities everywhere, and they provide opportunities to earn diplomas, certificates, and associate and bachelor degrees, as well as master and doctorate degrees and graduate certificates. Online computer repair schools offer the same training programs as traditional schools, but provide the added flexibility for people with busy lifestyles to gain the education they desire.
Online Career Education
There are a large number of schools, colleges and universities online that impart high quality education to students all over the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines.
Every year thousands of aspiring students register with various online career education institutes that are also called technical or vocational schools. Mostly, an online career education institute is a private or public institution that offers a variety of certifications and degrees in career-specific fields. People can opt for advanced degree or certificate, a diploma, or a two or four-year degree. Their choice depends on the career they are interested in.
Some online educational institutes offer education in a few fields, while others offer education in a lot of career-oriented subjects. Many people are using technology to look for online career education learning about innumerable topics. Online career education courses are available in all fields from accounting, to graphic designing, to law and psychology. Some of the most popular subjects and careers include accounting, cosmetology, hotel and restaurant, information technology and fashion designing. The curriculum comprises practical, as well as subjective knowledge, given by qualified professionals or industry experts.
There are many people who are not aware that they are eligible for scholarships. Generally, the financial support process for students attending an online career education is similar to that of students attending a four-year college. Most online career education colleges participate, in federal financial aid programs that provide students with federal grants and loans.
There are a number of websites that can guide aspiring professionals and working people towards choosing the right career. There are also sites that help locate career education colleges, and provide details on several career schools, graduate programs, distance learning, summer opportunities, financial assistance, test preparation and career guidance
Where Will Your Online Degree Take You
There are many online degree programs offered by online universities, but not all degree programs are equal. The degree you earn through online may directly impact your career in future. Your options depend a lot on what kind of accreditation your school was granted. If your purpose of earning an online degree is to advance your career by getting a better position and better pay, then you should make sure the school will meet your expectations and help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
When an online university is accredited, it means that it has passed or surpassed a set of nationally recognized standards for its teaching process. Many employers are more opt to hire graduate from an accredited online university. Comparing the following options will help you make the choice that is right for you:
1. Accredited By A Proper Regional Agency
Regional accreditation is the highest level of accreditation a university can obtain and is recognized throughout the United States. If you earn a degree from an online school that is accredited by one of these associations, you can be assured that it will be as valid as a degree from any regular university. Most employers will automatically accept your degree. Most schools will accept your credits through transfer if you plan to further your education at other university in the future.
2. Accredited By Distance Education and Training Council
If your school is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council, your degree will be accepted by most but may be rejected by some. As online education becomes a trend today, more employers are beginning to accept online degrees. Hence, you should be no problem in applying a job using your online degree. But there were students graduated from an online university which is accredited by Distance Education & Training Council facing difficulties to transfer their credits to other institution. You may need to prove the legitimacy of your degree to others. However, this is still a valid option.
3. Accredited By A Professional Organization
If you are pursuing your degree at online university that is accredited by a professional organization, such as "The American Library Association", your degree will only accepted by employers from specific profession. In term of credit transfer, some traditional colleges will accept your credits, but it really subjected to how the school looks at the professional organization which accredited your online university.
4. Not Accredited Or Accredited By Illegitimate Accreditation Agency
If your school is not accredited or is accredited by an agency that is not accepted as legitimate, your degree will be rejected by most employers and schools. Most employers will not view your degree as valid or legitimate. And most universities will not accept your credit transfer. If you are planning to use this degree to apply for a job, you will be at the losing edge when compete with other job applicants for the same position. Unless, your goal of online degree is simply to learn for your own enjoyment, then accredited and not accredited will not be an issue and choosing a non-accredited institution may be a fine option for you
Teacher Education Programs
People who want to take up teaching as their career, profession and passion should definitely read some information about the kind of teacher education programs available in the country. It will help them choose their areas of interest and pursue a course suited to their dreams and aspirations.
Almost all universities in the United States of America offer graduate and undergraduate programs in teacher education. All the colleges and universities have definite goals and objectives for teacher education, and focus on molding quality teachers. Schools have laid down principles and philosophies to guide them in training leaders in education and contribute a great deal to shaping the young generation.
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), offers minors, majors, graduate and undergraduate programs in education studies. The UCSD Education Studies (EDS) also offers M Ed, credential programs and doctoral degrees to certified teachers who want to further their careers and add to their knowledge base and skill sets. Their special programs include MA Deaf Education and M Ed Credential programs in multiple subjects.
The Harvard Graduate School of Education wants their graduates to have an impact in the schools and indirectly in the society. Their graduate programs include the Teaching and Curriculum (TAC) program and the Mid-Career Math and Science (MCMS) program. Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP) at the school has trained students for more than 15 years for K-12 schools. They aim at getting aspiring teachers to certify for teaching in public schools in the United States.
Central Washington University has teacher education programs for teachers of all age groups. Undergraduate programs include minors in Bilingual Education, Reading and Second Language English teaching, and majors in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education and Special Education. The Masters programs in the university comprises of Instructional Leadership, Special Education, Educational Administration and Reading Specialist.
Almost all universities in the United States of America offer graduate and undergraduate programs in teacher education. All the colleges and universities have definite goals and objectives for teacher education, and focus on molding quality teachers. Schools have laid down principles and philosophies to guide them in training leaders in education and contribute a great deal to shaping the young generation.
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), offers minors, majors, graduate and undergraduate programs in education studies. The UCSD Education Studies (EDS) also offers M Ed, credential programs and doctoral degrees to certified teachers who want to further their careers and add to their knowledge base and skill sets. Their special programs include MA Deaf Education and M Ed Credential programs in multiple subjects.
The Harvard Graduate School of Education wants their graduates to have an impact in the schools and indirectly in the society. Their graduate programs include the Teaching and Curriculum (TAC) program and the Mid-Career Math and Science (MCMS) program. Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP) at the school has trained students for more than 15 years for K-12 schools. They aim at getting aspiring teachers to certify for teaching in public schools in the United States.
Central Washington University has teacher education programs for teachers of all age groups. Undergraduate programs include minors in Bilingual Education, Reading and Second Language English teaching, and majors in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education and Special Education. The Masters programs in the university comprises of Instructional Leadership, Special Education, Educational Administration and Reading Specialist.
Networked Learning In Higher Education
Networked learning plays a significant role in today’s higher education and adds a new dimension to contemporary education. Nowadays, classrooms have made way for computer monitors. It includes interaction which can be synchronous, asynchronous or both and takes place with online materials in the form of text, voice, graphics, videos, shared workspaces or combinations of these. Networked learning has changed the concept of education and widened its scope, making higher education accessible to a larger number of learners.
Networked learning is used in higher education either to supplement the facilities in a conventional classroom or to replace them. In the former case, some networked facilities like email ‘help line’, a web-based discussion space or a computer conference are added to an existing course. The idea is to provide students, especially those who are pursuing higher academic degrees, with additional facilities to discuss their queries or seek clarifications apart from conventional classroom sessions. In the latter case, a number of universities have now evolved a hybrid distance teaching system to replace traditional classrooms by networked learning. In this system, ICT is employed to substitute the role of conventional teaching facility. Websites, emails, computer conferencing and audio-visual aids are used to establish and sustain communication. Students spread over different locations can access a set of facilities and resources using network technology.
This enables universities to specialize and gain a wider market for their courses especially at post graduate level. In today’s competitive world, higher education becomes a priority to the job-seekers for employment; and to the employed for career advancement. This is where the significance of networked education becomes most tangible
Effective Lesson Plans for Reading
As an instructor of English (reading, writing, lit, creative writing, etc.) and as an online course developer, I have found many valuable teacher resources for linguistic, literary, and rhetorical disciplines. Specifically for education and none for teaching in general, and a great many more with lesson plans for reading. Many of the lesson plans for reading are laid out so well that they will include peer work suggestions, interactive games and quizzes and maps, and dynamic and thorough strategies for cross-referencing studies.
As an example I used THE TIME MACHINE one semester. After a few decent lesson plans for reading, I found an incredible sight that was an invaluable resource that told me everything I needed to know about the author and his motivation for his work this was a wonderful resource, doing great justice to the writer, the work, and to students who are offered pre-reading, reading, and post-reading tasks and activities (as well as writing ideas/prompts). Here it is: The Time Machine High School Teacher’s Resource Page(s) - Http://www.sff.net/people/ james.van.pelt/wells/ timemachine.htm .
Yet another great example is for Harper Lee’s classic. For lesson plans for reading TO KILL a MOCKINGBIRD, I started at EdHelper.com; and went on with the incredible chapter-by-chapter synopsis of vocabulary words with The Student Survival Guide which is located here at this URL: http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/tkm/; and concluded by taking advantage of some outstanding lesson plans for reading found at SCORE, the site designed and run by Schools of California Online Resources for Educators.
For lesson plans for reading Achebe’s THINGS FALL APART, I was able to locate a fantastic pre-reading historical, anthropological, and cartological exercises at the following location http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/things/thingstg.html. This resource is broken down in a five-part cyber guide is basically set up as an informative piece for weeks and weeks of pre-, during-, and post-reading work.
And for lesson plans for reading, pre-reading, interim reading, and post-reading tasks, experiments, peer-work, and quizzes and tests, I found such sites as those sponsored, designed, and maintained by educators at all levels—at Proteacher.net; Teachers.net; TeacherOz.com; Webenglishteacher.com; sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/ staff/dehogue/AP/teachers/main.htm; readwritethink.org; teachersfirst.com; Awesomelibrary.org; mrscassel.com; and Teachnet.com to be absolutely exquisite resources that were extremely helpful.
A great advantage of the Internet is the fact that there are so many outstanding lesson plans for reading, writing, and any other discipline. Usually designed, written, and submitted by fellow instructors, these materials lend themselves to professional development, and our excellent for stimulating thought and discussion inside the classroom, or virtual classroom if that's the case is outstanding as an aid to learning of concepts, strategies, methodologies, and skills. Hopefully these resources that I've shared for you will not only help you find lesson plans for reading but also many other valuable resources
Master of Education Degree Programs Online - Teachers' Guide
Online learning includes master of education programs for those teachers who want to go a level up from the qualification conferred by the conventional courses. With a master’s education degree, the teachers also get to learn the skill of incorporating technological tools in their teaching curriculum. With such a qualification, they also learn to adapt methods as and when they evolve, to remain up-to-date and incorporate the modifications in their teaching styles. A master’s education degree is particularly ideal for those who are into imparting distant education to the adults, administrating education, designing curriculum for educational institutions, and training military candidates.
There are many colleges and universities offering accredited master’s of education degrees programs online. A master’s of education degrees certification has many advantages for the teachers’ for their careers, particularly because many states necessitate K-12 teachers to enroll in masters’ of education degrees within a specified timeframe. Obtaining such a certification means higher salaries for the candidates and guarantee well-paying jobs to the fresh candidates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, teachers averaged $46,597 per annum in 2003-04. The continued strong demand of well-qualified teachers globally, indicates that this is the right time for those teachers, who are aiming at the sky to enroll themselves for the master’s of education program.
Following is the list of universities that offer varied master’s of education program to teachers from various disciplines:
The U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has given a $10 million grant to the WGU’s Teachers College to develop competence-based online degrees and various teacher certification programs for trainers and aspiring teachers. Some of the programs are listed below:
· Master of Education / Management and Innovation
· Master of Education / Measurement and Evaluation
· Master's Degree in Science Education (5-9 or 5-12)
· Master of Education / Learning and Technology
· Master's Degree in English Language Learning (preK-12)
· Master's Degree in Teaching, Mathematics (5-12)
· Master's Degree in Mathematics Education (K-6, 5-9, or 5-12)
· Master's Degree in Teaching, Science (5-12)
Grand Canyon University Online
Grand Canyon University (GCU), targets at preparing its candidates as thinkers, responsible leaders, and effective communicators. GCU, with its value-based and academically-challenging curriculum offers several regionally accredited degree programs to its candidates. Some of master degree courses offered by GCU are:
· M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction: Reading
· M.Ed. Elementary Education (Credential)
· M.Ed. Secondary Education (Credential)
· M.Ed. TESOL
· M.Ed. Elementary Education (Non-Credential)
· M.Ed. Secondary Education (Non-Credential)
· M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction: Technology
Besides, University of Phoenix Online provides the most up-to-date curriculum to the teachers. Complete dedication to the courses fetches the candidates a master’s degree in three years.
Education Schools Offer Teacher Training
For those considering a career in teaching, Education Schools can provide programs of study for earning degrees in general education, higher education, K-12 education, adult education, curriculum design, distance learning, education technology, ESL (English as a Second Language) and bilingual education, education leadership and administration, special education, teacher licensure, training and knowledge management, and many others.
Future teachers may opt to specialize in certain subjects, such as physical sciences; English, literature, composition, or creative writing; biological sciences; business education; American history, world history, or regional history; management and administration; and many others.
General Education programs satisfy practice and career goals for interdisciplinary subjects, with studies in humanities and social and behavioral sciences. Numerous two-year vocational, trade, and community college and four-year college and university general Education Schools provide programs that offer various diploma, certificate, and degree programs of study in general education.
Students in four-year Education Schools can obtain Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) degrees in education, as well as education doctorate (EdD, PhD) degrees and combined degrees.
Diplomas and certificates from Education Schools may satisfy requirements for pre-school, assistant, vocational, and continuing education teacher positions. BA and BS degrees in education are generally required of classroom teachers, however most classroom teachers today have MS degrees. PhD degrees, and sometimes MA degrees, will qualify professionals for higher education (college and university professorships) and corporate education program positions.
MS degrees in education develop advanced skills to improve teaching abilities. Specializations in master studies focus on encouraging educators to test their skills in classroom and school settings. Courses are designed to increase professional depth and effectiveness in traditional settings, corporate settings, and various educational programs. Those who have graduated from Education School with a Master's degree should feel prepared to meet many challenges in education, having studied learning theory, instructional and curriculum design, and research and instructional technology.
PhD programs present studies designed for experienced professional educators wishing to expand their skills as teachers, researchers, and consultants. They provide opportunities for education students to focus on personal areas of interest and to develop advanced skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and research that will facilitate professional growth and effectiveness in the classroom. PhD degrees allow for pursuit of positions as superintendents, education coordinators, special education directors, principals, professors, deans, and more.
Future teachers may opt to specialize in certain subjects, such as physical sciences; English, literature, composition, or creative writing; biological sciences; business education; American history, world history, or regional history; management and administration; and many others.
General Education programs satisfy practice and career goals for interdisciplinary subjects, with studies in humanities and social and behavioral sciences. Numerous two-year vocational, trade, and community college and four-year college and university general Education Schools provide programs that offer various diploma, certificate, and degree programs of study in general education.
Students in four-year Education Schools can obtain Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) degrees in education, as well as education doctorate (EdD, PhD) degrees and combined degrees.
Diplomas and certificates from Education Schools may satisfy requirements for pre-school, assistant, vocational, and continuing education teacher positions. BA and BS degrees in education are generally required of classroom teachers, however most classroom teachers today have MS degrees. PhD degrees, and sometimes MA degrees, will qualify professionals for higher education (college and university professorships) and corporate education program positions.
MS degrees in education develop advanced skills to improve teaching abilities. Specializations in master studies focus on encouraging educators to test their skills in classroom and school settings. Courses are designed to increase professional depth and effectiveness in traditional settings, corporate settings, and various educational programs. Those who have graduated from Education School with a Master's degree should feel prepared to meet many challenges in education, having studied learning theory, instructional and curriculum design, and research and instructional technology.
PhD programs present studies designed for experienced professional educators wishing to expand their skills as teachers, researchers, and consultants. They provide opportunities for education students to focus on personal areas of interest and to develop advanced skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and research that will facilitate professional growth and effectiveness in the classroom. PhD degrees allow for pursuit of positions as superintendents, education coordinators, special education directors, principals, professors, deans, and more.
Distance Education Associations
In the United States, there are a number of distance education associations at the national and state level. The associations at the national level are The Distance Education and Training Council [DETC], the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) and the Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA).
The Distance Education and Training Council [DETC] is a non-profit educational association that serves as a clearinghouse of information about the distance study/correspondence field. This association is an authority on accreditation of distance education in the US. This accreditation is institutional and is extended only to the accredited institution and its approved programs. All distance study programs and distance study-related activities under the ownership, management, and control of the accredited institution must be included in the accreditation, or none can be accredited. In case of a change in the ownership or the management of the concerned institution, it must undergo a fresh review. Institutions that are accredited by the DETC are known to have highly sophisticated and well developed student services, well-structured curriculum, and world-class faculty.
The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) is non-profit foundation that is managed under the direction of the United States Distance Learning Association. It provides direct broadcast educational programs for the Pre K-12, Higher Education, Teacher Professional Development and General Public constituencies. The offerings also encompass foreign language instruction, teacher training, and other general information using digital satellite transmission technology on a 24 x 7 schedule.
The Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA) is a nonprofit association formed to promote the development and application of distance learning.
The associations at the state level are Florida Distance Learning Association (FDLA), Georgia Distance Learning Association (GDLA), Michigan Association for Distance Learning (MADL) and such others. These too promote distance education learning and development in their respective states. Among the global distance education associations, some are European Distance Education Network (EDEN) and The Commonwealth of Learning (COL). EDEN helps foster developments in distance education. This is specifically concerned with distance education in Europe. The Commonwealth of Learning is an intergovernmental organization, created by Commonwealth Heads of Government. The objective here is to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. This association helps developing nations improve the quality of education
Teacher Education
Online teacher education is for those people who lead such a busy life that they cannot go to a regular university to get trained as teachers. There are many universities on the Internet that offer good programs for online teacher education.
Online teacher education provides teaching information and tips for teachers, as well as aspiring teachers. This is even useful for teachers with regular teacher education degrees.
The University of Phoenix Online is a private university which offers online teacher certification processes and teacher education. This is like any other distance education degree that one takes up rather than attend regular colleges. Students can choose from a variety of subjects and earn credit points required for the online degree. They will cover all the advanced theories and teaching techniques that they would cover in a regular course of teacher education.
The Western Governor’s University has certification and graduate programs in teacher education that aim at getting students qualified as teachers in American schools. The university’s licensure programs are meant for people who are not certified teachers, and include all major subject areas like mathematics, science and social sciences. WGU also has graduate programs for certified teachers who aim at specializing further. The Master’s degree programs offered by the university include English language and learning, learning and technology, management and innovation, mathematics, science, and measurement and evaluation.
Capella Online University has a proven track record with more than 2,400 students who have gone on to have successful careers in teaching. The university offers programs in K-12 education and adult and continuing education. They offer Master’s and doctoral programs in core areas like educational administration, professional studies in education and advanced classroom management. They also offer graduate certificate programs in Leadership in Educational Administration.
Online Schools: The Changing Face of K12 Student Learning
With each decade the face of education has changed to reflect the current trends in education. The policy initiatives of each president, governor, community leader and parent have been aimed at transforming children's learning environments into the ideal situation. While these initiatives may never succeed to meet every child's needs the combined result of their work has created an environment where education can now be tailored to meet the needs of every child through online schools.
Much like the advent of the search engine and booking our own airline travel, the Internet has introduced the nation to online education. To many, the commercial products available from higher education degree granting giants like the University of Phoenix define online learning. However, to a growing population of Americans, online schools have come to define the middle ground between home schooling and personalized public education.
While charter schools continue to spring up across the country, there are a select few that have been created in the charter school mold simply because the education establishment can not keep pace with today's innovations. In Ohio for example, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) was created in 2000 not to revolutionize charter schools, but to bring to Ohio's children and families leading education content in a format designed to enable every child to succeed. ECOT provides every child with an education option that delivers to each student exactly what they need while providing the comprehensive state standards based education that is the hallmark of successful public and private schools.
Other online schools and content companies such as the Florida Virtual Academy and K12 Education are part of a growing trend that brings together the real-life education community and the technology community. In many instances this partnership is a thorn in the side of traditional education and educators who see only standard classrooms as the answer to the ills of the American k-12 system
Online schools have revolutionized the workplace for skilled teachers and administrators. The result of this union is the ability to create a tailored classroom for gifted, struggling and needs-based students that, until the advent of online learning, were often segregated to specialty teaching groups to meet their potential.
The education landscape has changed and for many brick and mortar school districts this is a hard fact to face. The local school boards and education departments in America have begun to realize that business as usual isn't he solution to a rapidly advancing world and have begun to embrace the assets of online education.
Unlike the as-we-know-it classroom the online environment can be adjusted to meet the needs of every child and instill the state standards required of students since the advent of the No Child Left Behind Act without stagnating the classroom experience. From thousands of courses to graduation test practice sessions and immediate intervention opportunities, online schools offers to the students and families of 2006 what the computer breakthroughs of the past several decades offered to the business community. Simply put, online schools have the ability to provide every individual with the right information in the right format at the right time for optimal success.
Online schools were once considered the wave of the future. That future is now and the online revolution continues to shape the world of real life education without the boundaries of classroom walls
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