Online universities come with such a bad reputation – diploma mills, student loans, and non-certified professors certainly leave a sting in one’s mouth.  However, the online education industry has managed to reach a larger audience than the adults searching for an easy degree.  Online schools have now become the focal point of a larger global effort to educate students around the world in impoverished countries.  Online universities have thus managed to print out a new name for themselves, within the rubric of online education.  

The Huffington Post recently reported on a new effort to teach mobile online science classes to students in developing nations who otherwise would not receive this level of education.  While this is not necessarily online universities, it impacts the entire online education community by serving to make the name itself more reputable.  Surprisingly, students in many developing nations have a higher access to smartphones and cellular devices than they do to laptops and computers.  This is almost a complete turn-around from our own access to such devices; most grade school students I know do not have steady access to smartphones unless I am just out of the loop!

The article goes on to note that while this program is extremely helpful in nations within Sub-Saharan Africa, it is also relevant in states like New Mexico, within our own country.  We often are not aware or do not bother to research into the lack of internet access that many people experience even within our own Western nation.  The article researches deeper into the claim that many public schools in the US have limited access to the internet, much like schools in developing nation (a concept that many of us find difficult to comprehend).  Their results were astonishing.  While New Mexico was found to be well below national averages for internet productivity and access, the state itself managed to beat out any similar African nations.  The author of the article was almost apologetic at this point – as if we should even attempt to compare one of our states to impoverished African nations.  However, the point was clear – internet access greatly impacts modern educational developments, calling for a heightened plan to broadcast online universities/classes to students around the world.

Enter Nature Education’s mobile program.  The “digital divide” we have spoken of in the past between developing nations and Western nations is slowly closing up, especially with the ease with which citizens of these countries can access smartphones.  Broadband infrastructures are responsible for setting up people in developing nations (as well as citizens within some of the poorer areas of the country) with easy access to educational programs.  Our country continues to have pockets such as New Mexico which demonstrate the need for a nation-wide broadband program, demonstrating to many of us that we are not as far away from the “developing” nations as we think we are.  Instead, publishers in programs like Nature Education continue to seek to broaden access of scientific information to students around the world, regardless of whether they are deep in Sub-Saharan Africa or simply down the road in New Mexico.  Online universities and schools through mobile devices are only the first step for many organizations of this nature.  
 

  July 28th, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

Summer is a great time to brush up on your teaching skills, whether you’re interested in technology, development, or specific areas of learning. With these courses from online universities, you can put your summer to good use.

General

Find general teaching education in these courses.

1. Looking Forward and Looking Back on Education: Eric Klopfer covers the past and future of education in K-12 settings. [MIT]
2. Thinking About How I Work With Other Professionals: Think about teamwork with other teachers through this course. [Open U]
3. Contemplation and the First Year Experience: See how students can improve academic life with this course. [ND]
4. Introduction to Education: Introduction to Education will help you understand and evaluate education. [MIT]
5. Integrating Thinking for Future Leaders in Education: See how you can use integrative thinking to educate children. [Connexions]
6. Guide to Teaching & Learning in Higher Education: Make sense of teaching in higher education with this course. [UNESCO]
7. Experiments in Education: This seminar takes a look at how learning should happen. [MIT]
8. Mentorship for Teacher Leaders: See how you can be an active mentor with this course. [Connexions]
9. Understanding IQ Testing and Special Programming for Advanced Learners: With this seminar, you’ll see the benefits and limitations of IQ testing. [UCI]
10. Multicultural Education & ESL Education: This course offers a foundation in multicultural issues and initiatives in ESL. [Dixie]
11. Economics of Education: Check out this course on the economic aspects of issues in education. [MIT]
12. Introduction to Accelerated Learning: Teach with accelerated learning using this introductory course. [Open U]
13. Educational Theory and Practice I: This course takes a look at what’s necessary to teach in secondary schools. [MIT]
14. Gender Issues in Academics and Academia: Find out about women in academia through this course. [MIT]
15. Education for the New Millennium: Update your teacher skills for the new millennium with this course. [Connexions]
16. Knowledge in Everyday Life: If you work with kids from 3-8, take this course for a look into their learning. [Open U]
17. Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future: Check out this course for a look into education for a sustainable future. [UNESCO]
18. Teaching and Learning at Home: Explain how parents can improve teaching and learning at home with this course. [Open U]
19. Inclusive Education: Knowing What We Mean: Look at different perspectives on inclusion with this course. [Open U]
20. Supporting Professional Development in Initial Teacher Training: Find out how to develop yourself as a teacher with this course. [Open U]
21. Authentic Problem-Based Collaborative Learning Practices for Professional Development in Teacher Education: With this course, you’ll see how collaboration can be put to work in teacher education. [Connexions]
22. Utilizing Distance Education in Your Professional Development: In this survey, you’ll learn about using distance education. [Connexions]

Technology

Brush up on your technology skills this summer with these courses.

23. Technologies for Creative Learning: Through this course, you’ll see educational technologies and creative learning environments. [MIT]
24. The Review of the Development of Elearning: Here you’ll learn about the development of elearning in the past 10 years. [Connexions]
25. Teaching Using Digital Video in Secondary Schools: Explore the use of digital media in teaching. [Open U]
26. Teaching Your First Blackboard/WebCT CE 6 Course: With this course, you’ll learn how to create a Blackboard/WebCT course. [Open Campus]
27. Computer Games and Simulations for Education and Exploration: Check out this course to see how simulation helps people understand complex systems. [MIT]
28. Education for an Information Age: Take this course to learn about teaching in the computerized classroom. [Pitt]
29. Computer Applications for Instruction and Training: Professor Brett Shelton looks into basic computer applications for instruction and training. [USU]
30. Accessibility of eLearning: Accessibility of eLearning explains some of the challenges disabled students run into when using computers. [Open U]
31. Online Instructor Training: See how to become an online instructor using this course. [UCI]
32. Media, Education and the Marketplace: This course explains how to harness the emerging forms of interactive media for learning. [MIT]
33. Establishing Tone in the Distance Course: You will learn how to establish tone in the distance course here. [Connexions]
34. Facilitating Online: Educators can be trained as online facilitators with this course. [UCT]
35. Master Online Teacher Certification: You’ll find help for creating online courses with this program. [Weber]
36. Best Practices in Online Teaching: Take this course for practical strategies and advice in online teaching. [Connexions]
37. Technological Tools for School Reform: You will see the impact of modern technology on school reform in this course. [MIT]
38. Promising Practices in Online Teaching and Learning: Distance education faculty can learn about promising practices from this course. [Connexions]
39. Visual Design for Distance Education Content: Check out this course to find tips for designing distance education content. [Connexions]
40. Managing Your Distance Course: Take this course to find tips that will help you better manage your distance course. [Connexions]
41. Creativity, Community and ICT: In this course, you will explore creativity, collaboration, and technology in education. [Open U]
42. Advanced Topics in Learning Object Design and Reuse: Take this course to learn about the design, creation, and reuse of learning objects. [USU]
43. Video in Distance Education: See what you need to know and consider before creating or using video in your online course. [Connexions]
44. Managing and Maintaining the Discussion Board for Distance Courses: Take this mini-course to find out how you can make your distance discussion board more successful. [Connexions]

Open Education

Check out these courses to learn about open education.

45. An Overview of Open Educational Resources: Get an introduction to open educational resources from this course. [Connexions]
46. Open Teaching in a Digital Age: This course offers suggestions for publishing teaching materials online. [UCT]
47. Introduction to Open Education: Check out this course to get introduced to open education. [USU]
48. The Impact of Open Source Software on Education: Use this course to find out about the impact of open source software on education. [Connexions]
49. Creating Open Educational Resources: This unit teaches educators how to create open educational resources. [Open U]
50. Introduction to Open Educational Resources: You will find out about open educational resources for college teachers from this course. [Connexions]
51. Collaborative Learning and the Open Educational Resource Movement: Here you’ll learn about collaborative learning and open educational resources. [Connexions]
52. An Open Source Vision for Caribbean Higher Education: This course explains how open source software is being considered as a viable alternative in the Caribbean. [Connexions]
53. The How Tos of OER Commons: The How Tos of OER Commons explains how you can participate in the OER movement. [Connexions]
54. Open Source Software and the User Experience in Higher Education: Mara Hancock explains the changing nature of open source software in teaching and learning. [Connexions]

Classroom & Instruction

With these courses, you’ll build your classroom and instruction skills.

55. Intro to Instructional Design: Take this course for an introduction to instructional technology. [USU]
56. Instructional Games: Explore the field of instructional gamin with Professor Brett Shelton. [USU]
57. Entertainment Education for Behavior Change: In this course, you’ll see how using entertainment education can improve behavior and life. [Johns Hopkins]
58. Building a Global Teaching Profile: This course explains how educational resources can build a global reaching profile. [UCT]
59. The Nature of Constructionist Learning: Bakhtiar Mikhak shares topics in constructionist learning. [MIT]
60. Teaching Students with Special Needs: You will learn about behavior management for special needs students from this course. [USQ]
61. Concept-Centered Teaching: Try teaching using concepts with this course. [MIT]
62. New Teaching Methods: Take this course to find an introduction to thematic and cooperative learning. [Connexions]
63. Evaluating School Classroom Discussion: With the help of this course, you’ll see how you can learn from classroom discussions. [Open U]
64. Using Film Music in the Classroom: This course shares the approaches to using film music in the classroom. [Open U]
65. Teach Global: See how to teach with a global perspective using this unit’s resources. [Open U]
66. Teaching Assistants: Support in Action: This course will teach you how teaching assistants are an important educational resource. [Open U]
67. Exploring K-12 Classroom Teaching: You’ll learn about K-12 classroom experiences, activities, and more in this course. [MIT]
68. Teaching for Good Behavior: Teaching for Good Behavior will explain how your teaching quality impacts student behavior. [Open U]
69. Childhood Psychological and Emotional Health: Learn how to recognize childhood psychological and emotional health with this course. [Connexions]

Student Development

Take these courses to better understand student development.

70. Play, Learning, and the Brain: Find out how the development of a young child’s brain works in this course. [Open U]
71. Attention: This unit aims to understand how we pay attention. [Open U]
72. Adolescent Health and Development: This course is all about the development and health of adolescents. [Johns Hopkins]
73. Developmental Psychology: Study developmental psychology in this course. [Berkeley]
74. Learning and Cognition in Educational Settings: Watch this video course on behaviorism, cognition, and more. [UCI]
75. Human Growth and Development: Study growth and development to better understand your students. [Tufts]
76. Cognition & Learning in Educational Settings: This course will introduce you to theories of learning and related topics. [UCI]
77. The Role of Play in Children’s Learning: Check out this course to see why play is so important in children’s learning. [Open U]
78. Implications for Educators of Gifted Minority Students: Here you’ll learn about diverse learners in gifted education. [UCI]
79. Gifted and talented Education Seminar Series: In this seminar, you’ll learn about developing programs for gifted and talented students. [UCI]
80. Building the Parent Teacher Connection: Check out this seminar to learn about communicating between parents and educators. [UCI]
81. Encouraging Book Talk in the School Library: This course will teach you how to encourage children to discuss books. [Open U]
82. Enhancing Pupil Learning on Museum Visits: Enrich museum field trips for your students with this course. [Open U]
83. Finding Information in Education: Discover how to find information in education with this course. [Open U]
84. Research for the Classroom Teacher: Research for the Classroom Teacher will help you learn how to design and carry out research. [USU]

Teaching Subjects

These courses explore teaching specific subjects.

85. Teaching Citizenship: Bring citizenship into discussions with the help of this course. [Open U]
86. Why Teach Art?: Why Teach Art? explains the value that art has in the school curriculum. [Open U]
87. Training Methods and Continuing Education for Health Workers: With this course, you will learn about training methods and continuing education for health workers. [Johns Hopkins]
88. Teaching College-Level Science and Engineering: Take this seminar to learn what you need to teach science and engineering in higher education. [MIT]
89. Increasing Reading Fluency of Elementary Students: Check out this course to find information on increasing reading fluency in elementary school students. [Connexions]
90. Introduction to Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science: With this course, you’ll find an introduction to teaching math and science. [MIT]
91. Language Awareness: Language Awareness offers phonic and historical connections between languages. [Open U]
92. Individualized Reading Instruction in the Elementary Grades: Explore teaching and assessment of reading and writing skills through this course. [Mich]
93. Changes in Science Education: This course will give you an overview of issues in science education. [Open U]
94. School Geography: With this course, you’ll explore school geography. [Open U]
95. Noisy Learning: Noisy Learning takes a look at loud but fun music education activities. [Connexions]
96. A Global Dimension to Science Education in Schools: Use this course to find out how you can add a global feeling to your teaching. [Open U]
97. Using Visualization in Maths Teaching: Look at visualization in math through this unit. [Open U]
98. Language as a Medium for Teaching and Learning: This course takes a look at language as a cultural tool that can get students involved. [Open U]
99. Using GPS in Geoscience Education: With this course, you’ll take a look at using GPS for geoscience. [Carleton]
100. Geography in Education: Look at what geography can do for education in this course. [Open U]
101. Careers Education and Guidance: See how you can provide guidance for students. [Open U]

  July 25th, 2010

Posted in Features

If you’re a fan of "Lost," you know that well-placed books were just some of the many clues (and red herrings) that the producers tossed in to heighten the mystery. Some of the books speak directly about the castaways’ situation, while others are more philosophical. The books on this list were all referenced on the show in some way, whether being read by a character or student, glimpsed quickly on a shelf, or just used as thematic inspiration. Digging into them might not solve any of the series’ lingering mysteries, but it will get you closer to the action.

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll: Could there be a better way to get into the world of "Lost" reading than the classic tale of a girl gone down a rabbit hole into a bizarre dreamworld? The book appeared in the fourth season’s "Something Nice Back Home," when Jack read it to young Aaron, and the story’s elements also popped up in episode titles like "White Rabbit" and "Through the Looking Glass." (Poor Charlie.)
2. A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking: Stephen Hawking’s book helped bring science to those without advanced math or training, and it explored tricky concepts like black holes and the origins of the universe in simple language. The book’s parallels with the series are obvious, and it appeared in Ben’s bedroom in "The Man From Tallahassee," and we also saw Aldo reading it while he was guarding the kidnapped Karl.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis: Starting with "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," C.S. Lewis’ fantasy series wove adventure with religious allegory, as often happened on "Lost." What’s more, the character of Charlotte Staples Lewis was named as a nod to the author, and the DHARMA station known as the Lamp Post, located in Los Angeles and used to pinpoint the island’s location, is a reference to the lamp post of the first Narnia book.
4. Everything That Rises Must Converge, Flannery O’Connor: Jacob was seen reading this collection of stories in "The Incident," the fifth-season finale. The book’s tales deal largely with family and society as well as the role of faith in the personal lives of the characters. Sounds like something John Locke would like.
5. Fear and Trembling, Soren Kierkegaard: Although the book only makes one appearance, and a brief one at that — Hurley finds it in the sixth-season opener "LA X" — but the book’s explorations of the relationship between God and man are central to the world of "Lost." Kierkegaard wrote of making a "leap to faith," and the act of taking a leap of faith is one that’s discussed frequently on the show, usually between Locke and Jack. Locke’s obsession with being a "man of faith" makes this volume worth seeking out.
6. The Invention of Morel, Adolfo Bioy Casares: Sawyer is seen reading this 1940 sci-fi novel in the fourth season episode "Eggtown." The book follows a fugitive living on an island who hides from the tourists who start to arrive there, only to find himself unable to interact with them. A number of strange things begin to happen that lead the narrator to question his sanity.
7. Island, Aldous Huxley: Huxley’s fictional Pala Island was the naming inspiration for the "Lost" island’s Pala Ferry, and this novel about a shipwrecked journalist is a slightly sunnier companion piece to Brave New World.
8. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The inspiration for an episode title in the fifth season, this children’s book is worth a read for its eerie similarities to the world of "Lost": the narrator survives a plane crash (this one in the desert), and the prince of the titles lives on a faraway asteroid and claims that death is the only way home. Weirder: The author disappeared in flight in the 1940s.
9. Lord of the Flies, William Golding: The classic novel about island survival and tribalism, William Golding’s book was referenced multiple times in dialogue and bears many emotional similarities to the series. The book’s examination of how easily societal rules can be abandoned in disaster situations was a heavy influence on the TV show.
10. An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge: Locke briefly rifles through this book when he finds the Swan station, hoping to find a note tucked in its pages, but the book’s worth far more than just a skim. This classic short story by Ambrose Bierce is about a man who hallucinates a new life in the seconds before his death, making it a striking parallel for the events of the final season of "Lost."
11. VALIS, Philip K. Dick: This sci-fi volume was on Ben’s bookshelf, and when he’s being held captive in the Barracks, Locke tells him to read it again in case he missed something the first time. The extent to which that statement was a taunt or an actual clue is up for debate, but the book makes for some trippy reading regardless. Dick’s book deals with religion and spirituality in dense and challenging ways, echoing the multiple religious viewpoints embraced by "Lost."
12. Ulysses, James Joyce: Ben reads this in "LA X," and the book follows the journey of Leopold Bloom over the course of one day in town. The book is also a parallel with Homer’s Odyssey, another important "Lost" title.
13. Odyssey, Homer: The epic poem and sequel to the Iliad traces the journey of Odysseus as he treks home to his beloved Penelope (the name of Desmond’s wife on "Lost"). What’s more, the series plays off the poem in several ways. Desmond’s attempts to get home to his Penelope are often thwarted by the sea (Charles Widmore standing in for the god Poseidon) and a cyclops (the one-eyed Russian Mikhail).
14. The Turn of the Screw, Henry James: James’ book is one of the all-time classic ghost stories, all about a governess who realizes that her children are being haunted by the ghost of the woman who used to do her job. The "Lost" connection? Well, aside from appearing in the Swan station, the story is echoed in the eerie whispers heard throughout the jungle, which are revealed to be the movement of those souls trapped on the island.
15. The Third Policeman, Flann O’Brien: Flann O’Brien died in 1966, a year before his novel was published to critical acclaim. The book is seen among Desmond’s things when he first flees the Swan, and the surreal, genre-bending sci-fi tale has a number of parallels with the series, from the DHARMA stations to the weird passages of time.
16. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein: Heinlein’s sci-fi classic inspired the name of an episode in the third season, the one where Jack hangs out in Thailand with Bai Ling. (It was a weak moment in the series’ run.) The novel deals with the struggle to assimilate faced by a human raised by Martians who then returns to Earth, a kind of awkwardness faced by the Oceanic Six when they made it back to the States.
17. Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut: One of Vonnegut’s many classics, Slaughterhouse-Five follows Billy Pilgrim, a man unstuck in time, as he slides between different eras in his existence. The narrative has had an incredibly strong influence on "Lost," most notably with the character of Desmond, who’s different from everyone else and can travel through time in a special way. Billy sees a purple light the first time he travels, not unlike the one the survivors see when they skip through time.
18. The Sheltering Sky, Paul Bowles: Here’s another one from Ben’s bookshelf that’s got plenty of resonance for "Lost" fans. The Sheltering Sky revolves around a married couple who travel to the African desert in hopes of reviving their marriage but who soon realize that the land around them is much more dangerous than they’d imagined. That’s pretty much every episode of "Lost," now that I think about it.
19. A Separate Reality, Carlos Castaneda: A young Ben Linus brings this book to Sayid when Sayid is imprisoned in 1977, saying he’d read the book twice and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book is allegedly nonfiction, though its veracity has been questioned ever since its 1971 publication. A Separate Reality deals with different methods of perceiving reality, including different ways of understanding death, something that occurs again and again on the island.
20. Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens: This was the book Desmond planned to read last before he died, and Penelope placed a love letter in it for him to find. Dickens’ final finished novel is about a man trying to make his fortune and marry his love, and the family plots and identity issues bear some resemblance to Desmond’s life.
21. Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck: Steinbeck’s novel of life in the Depression deals with the emptiness and futility of certain dreams, as well as the dangers and pain of isolation. Sawyer reads the book and says it’s one of his favorites, and Ben quotes from it about what it means to be alone. "Lost" is all about watching some dreams die, and Steinbeck’s book is a powerful way to approach the subject.
22. Animal Farm, George Orwell: In a flashback to before he was blown up, Leslie Arzt shouts, "The pigs are walking!" as a way to criticize what he saw as Jack and Kate’s grab for power. The line was a great reference to Animal Farm, George Orwell’s political parable about control in a society. A great read for those looking to explore history and get a better view on the infighting about the different groups of castaways.
23. The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky: The great author’s final work deals with family, brotherhood, and fratricide. In addition to appearing in a few episodes — Locke gave Ben the book to read when he was being held captive as "Henry Gale" — the theme of a son’s revenge is seen in Sawyer’s murder of his father.
24. Catch-22, Joseph Heller: Joseph Heller’s classic war satire is found by Desmond when the chopper crashes near the island. The book’s central idea — you’re condemned no matter what you do — pops up again and again on "Lost" in a variety of story lines in which characters are forced to act to save someone only to watch their actions inevitably harm someone else. (The incident that killed Juliet comes to mind.)
25. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum: The iconic children’s classic is all over "Lost," from episode titles ("The Man Behind the Curtain") to the fact that Ben tried to pass himself off as a man named Henry Gale, a nod to Dorothy’s uncle in the book. It’s also a wonderful story of a heroine’s journey home, something the castaways spent years trying to accomplish.

  July 21st, 2010

Posted in Features

When searching for jobs, your cover letter is a crucial part of the package you send off to prospective employers. In addition to the resume and letters of reference, the cover letter is a chance to introduce yourself to the people responsible for hiring new employees. The cover letter goes beyond the information included in your resume. It really brings your experiences listed on the resume to light. You can illuminate areas that may otherwise go unnoticed. Just remember to keep your letter concise and to the point; employers aren’t going to read anything longer than a page.

You should format your cover letter in standard business letter format. This will keep your letter organized and attractive to the reader. Try to do a little research as to who will read your letter first. It’s always best if you can address your letter to an actual person instead of "to whom it may concern." You want to tailor your cover letter to the company to which you are sending it. You want to include some original thought in each cover letter, instead of just sending out mass produced copies.

Your letter should be void of any grammatical or spelling errors. These are immediate red flags to anyone reading a cover letter. Letters that haven’t been proofread show a lack of professionalism and enthusiasm for the position for which you are applying. Keep your letter focused on why you are a good fit for the position. Avoid going off on tangents that are ultimately unrelated to the job being offered.

One of the biggest keys to writing an effective cover letter is grabbing the reader’s attention early. It is highly likely that the person reading your letter reads hundreds of them a week. Eventually, they all start to sound the same. Keep your attention getting device appropriate to the application process. Give the person reading your letter a sense of why you are an attractive candidate for the position.

You want your personality to shine through in your cover letter. For this reason, you want to keep your letter interesting with an air of confidence. Reread your letter several times to make sure it doesn’t come off as cocky or arrogant. Pretend you don’t know the person writing this letter as your proofread it. Then, ask yourself if this is someone whom you would like to meet? If you answer yes to this question, then you are on the right track to writing an effective cover letter.

  July 21st, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

The road to achieving your degree is a long, arduous path. By the time you reach your senior year, you have written countless papers, crammed for so many exams, and had so many great times with your friends. Senior year marks an end of an era and a bridge to the "real world." It is natural to feel a wide range of emotions. Unfortunately, one of the hallmarks of this tumultuous time is a tendency for students to lose their focus on their studies. There are so many horror stories of GPAs plummeting during senior year and some students even losing the privilege to walk through graduation with their classmates. If you feel like you are falling victim to a case of senioritis, there are some measures you can take to navigate through your final year in college in stride.

Some students can afford to slack off a little bit during their senior year. However, take stock of what you need to accomplish to earn your degree and finish with a GPA of which you can be proud. It is important to note that if you are considering going onto graduate school, you will need to maintain strong grades throughout your senior year. There seems to be so much going on during your senior that if you can lighten your workload you may be better off in the long run. Try an elective that doesn’t appear to be taxing. If you’re still finishing classes for your degree, then you want to make sure that you can devote yourself to these classes. Find a "blow-off" course that will be fun and interesting, and not necessarily too difficult.

Even if you construct a class schedule that isn’t filled with too many hard classes, you still want to make sure your GPA doesn’t suffer any sudden downturns. Come up with a plan to balance your studies and your leisure time. A tried and tested routine is to stop at the library on your way home after your last class of the day. Go in for just an hour. This will keep you on the ball with your work and will keep you from the temptations that wait at your dorm. By your senior year you have a pretty good idea of how much effort you need to put into certain assignments. If you feel yourself slipping, stretch that daily hour in the library into two. You will be amazed at how much more work you will get done in that short amount of time compared to going back to your room (and your computer, television, etc.).

Above all else, you should enjoy your senior year. There will be so many events the last couple of months that you and your classmates will do together. Many colleges allow seniors to take classes pass/fail as this alleviates some of the pressure of worrying about GPAs. Just remember that as much fun as you are having, you still need to think about what happens after graduation. Don’t allow any poor decisions made in your senior year negatively affect you as you begin your professional career.

  July 21st, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

Depression is a serious illness with which many college students struggle to cope. Unfortunately, depression isn’t an affliction that is here today and gone tomorrow. The manner in which people address depression varies from one person to the next. On a college campus, students sometimes feel alienated from their classmates if they show outward signs of depression. Accordingly, many of these students turn to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. This is the unhealthiest choice available, but probably the most prevalent across college campuses today. If you are serious about dealing with your depression, there are better options for you to consider.

Most colleges have clinics where they offer counseling. The first step is to figure out if your depression stems from a chemical imbalance or from a situation you have encountered. For instance, if you lost a family member or went through a traumatic experience, your depression is considered situational. At this point, you can work with a counselor or a support group to talk about the issues you’re facing. If there doesn’t appear to be any event from your past driving your depression, you will be referred to a counselor who can run tests to determine whether you have a chemical imbalance that can be treated with prescription drugs.

If you are prescribed medication, it is imperative that you stay on it as long as your doctor advises. Most anti-depressants are prescribed on a strict schedule. However, the life of a college student doesn’t always follow a typical cycle. If you have stayed up all night studying, make sure you take your proper dosage whenever you do wake up. This will keep you from being drowsy the rest of the day. Even if you start to feel like things are improving, maintain the schedule prescribed by your doctor until you go back for reanalysis.

Opening up your social life is a positive way to combat your depression. Fight the inclination to stay in bed all day. Find a part-time job or join an organization on campus. You will be amazed at how better you feel by meeting and interacting with people. Similarly, getting up and going to class is a step in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to let your professors know about your illness. This doesn’t mean you’ll get a free pass for missing assignments; it just means that they will be aware of your situation. Their goal is to help you excel in your studies despite your illness.

  July 21st, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

Crowdsourcing is still an experimental, controversial system that’s nevertheless taking hold in the business world. But it’s also gaining fast traction in academia and could create new opportunities on campus, at online universities and in the field. From IT help desks to scientific research to making job connections, here are 10 awesome examples of crowdsourcing in the college classroom and beyond.

1. GrouperEye: This "survival of the fittest" project was started by and for college students looking for contract gigs. Businesses post a case on GrouperEye’s website and leave it open to students to solve. The company picks the best solution, and the student who came up with the idea is paid.
2. "This Is Your Brain on the Internet" Course: In the fall of 2009, Duke University professor Cathy Davidson started a new class called "This Is Your Brain on the Internet." It introduces students to crowdsourcing by letting them accept some of the responsibility of running the class, including grading and teaching.
3. Crowdsourcing Help Desks: IT help desks are a necessary service on college campuses, as so many students depend on their computers and Internet access to complete their school work or even attend class online. At Indiana University at Bloomington, new IT help desks began implementing crowdsourcing to alleviate the cost and pressure of having to answer so many calls. Students and professors post their IT problems on an online forum, where other students and amateur IT experts answer them.
4. SOS Classroom: This program has helped sustain the Los Angeles Unified School District’s summer school system. USC students — along with teachers and parents — designed and collected online educational materials to teach K-8 language arts and math to summer school kids. Much of the program includes volunteers.
5. National IT database in the future: Notre Dame’s Chief Technology Officer Dewitt A. Latimer hopes to engineer a national IT database — powered by crowdsourcing — in the next few years. It would be based on the success of user-generated sites like Amazon.com and Wikipedia, and if the economy can get off the ground, the Hosted Integrated Knowledge Environment Project, or Hike, could become reality.
6. Recruitment: Champlain College started a Champlain For Reel program last year, inviting students to share their experiences at the school and how they benefited from their time there via YouTube videos. The YouTube channel serves to recruit prospective students and even updates alumni on the campus and community.
7. Scitable social networking: Scitable combines social networking and academic collaboration. Through crowdsourcing, students, professors and scientists discuss problems, find solutions, and swap resources and journals. It’s a free site that lets each individual user turn to crowdsourcing for answers while helping others as well.
8. Predicting college sports: For this year’s NCAA basketball tournament, the New York Times’ Bits blog reported on a new Yahoo tool for predicting games, Predictalot. Through open public bets, new odds are created. They’re not strategic predictors, but they do pick the most likely winners.
9. Open, unaccredited colleges: What if people signed up to take classes just for learning’s sake? If teacher’s basic credentials were checked, Alex Reid wonders, would open, unaccredited courses still attract those who wanted to learn a new skill? These courses would be offered for free or at a low cost, and the teachers could be any type of expert who would be allowed to design the course however they wanted.
10. The Great Sunflower Project: Associate biology professor at San Francisco State Univeristy Gretchen LeBuhn needed help studying honeybees, but she had limited grant money. After contacting gardening groups around the country, she found enough interested parties to send seeds to. In return, those participants recorded honeybee visits and activity for her on her website. All together, LeBuhn created a network of over 25,000 gardeners and schools to help with her research.

  July 20th, 2010

Posted in Features, Learning Tools, Research

Many students will look at a class’s syllabus on the first day and turn immediately to the grade breakdown supplied by their professor. Invariably, class participation is worth a significant part of the final grade. For the outgoing, confident student this is a breath of fresh air. Some people are just more comfortable raising their hand in class and offering their opinions on the given subject matter. For the rest of us, the prospect of 10 percent of our final grade reflecting our participation is downright frightening.

If you are nervous about your class participation, it’s a good idea to speak with your professor early on in the semester. If your instructor is confident that you are doing the reading and paying attention in class, they will devise ways for you to receive full credit even if you are incredibly shy. One excellent way to alleviate your anxiety about joining in a class discussion is to simply ask a question, instead of answering one. Often, the professor will begin class by asking if there any questions about the current material. If you can bring up something from the reading for that class that was puzzling, you can have your voice heard without the prospect of actually incorrectly answering a question.

This brings us to the nature of college classes. Keep in mind that most students are in your class by choice. They chose to go to college. They chose to register for the class. These are truly your peers so you can start to eliminate the feelings of unrest you may have had in high school. Professors aren’t terribly excited by the student who sits in the front row and answers every single question. Rather, they are looking for a genuine discussion to occur. This can only happen when students are willing to offer opinions, even when they’re unsure whether they’re on the right path. This is one of the best ways for professors to gauge whether their students are actually absorbing the pertinent information of the course.

Don’t be concerned with being right all the time. If you feel like you’re having a hard time jumping into the discussion, jot down some notes about the discussion and discuss them after class with the professor. This will show your instructor that you are truly engaged in the course. Sometimes your body language can be a part of your class participation. If you are sitting in your seat slumped over and look close to falling asleep, the professor will subconsciously mark you down. Sit upright, maintain eye contact with whomever is speaking, take notes at the appropriate time, and look genuinely interested in the discussion.

  July 19th, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

Some colleges make it extremely difficult for students to have cars on campus. They will only allow students with internships or jobs off campus to keep a car. However, many colleges that have the space allow students to park on campus. Depending on space, they may start by granting upperclassmen the privilege before opening up the opportunity to the rest of the student body. However, the question remains: is it worth it to have a car on campus? There are definitely two divided camps on this issue.

The major advantage to having a car on campus is the flexibility it gives the student. All of a sudden a trip to the grocery store doesn’t involve public transportation or taxi cabs. Going home for the weekend? Hop in the car and go. Don’t worry about hitching a ride with the person down the hall or finding the bus schedule. This flexibility also represents a sense of freedom. If you have a car you are not confined to the campus life. If you go to school in or near a city, you can easily go downtown for the day. Even better, you can go on road trips to visit your friends or family.

The major disadvantage to having a car on campus is that everyone, not just your friends, will be hounding you to give them a ride or pick something up for them. The first couple days at school with your car you won’t mind doing these favors. Pretty soon, however, these favors become chores. Then you will start debating whether to let other people drive your car. This is a slippery slope. Your friends are not likely listed on your insurance. You don’t know how far they’re going to go in your car. You don’t want to ask them for gas money. The list goes on and on.

If you can be firm with your friends and let them know that you aren’t crazy about letting them borrow your car all the time, then you may be able to establish some ground rules. The key is to do this at the beginning of the semester or whenever you bring your car to school. Regardless of whether you or your parents pay the bills, the car is now your responsibility. More than likely, your friends will respect your situation. Don’t be afraid to be firm with them as having the car is your luxury, not theirs.

  July 19th, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized

One thing that all college students experience, to different degrees, is stress. It is unavoidable given all the changes that they are experiencing during their time in college. While it is human nature to feel stress at different points in life, too much stress can be detrimental to one’s physical and emotional health. College students sometimes don’t realize the harm they are doing to their bodies as they continually tackle more projects, make more social commitments, and cram as much as possible into their daily lives. If you feel like this describes your life, then you need to take some steps to reduce your stress level before it gets out of hand.

One of the surest ways a college student can reduce stress is to improve his or her organizational skills. Strong organization will eliminate the tendency to procrastinate. If you are constantly waiting until the last possible moment to study or begin writing a paper, then you are going to put way too much stress on yourself. If you are worried about your grades, then procrastination is not going to help you achieve the marks you desire. This results in even more stress. As you can see the lack of organization can result in a vicious cycle. If you are organized, you will complete assignments in a timely fashion. This results in stronger work that you can be proud of and should land the grades you covet.

Another area where students put undue stress on themselves is with their schedule. Strive to set up a balanced schedule of courses for each semester. Sit down with your academic advisor to make sure that the classes for which you are registering are not going to overload you. If it is possible, construct a schedule with a variety of classes. Even if you are a mathematical wizard, it can be too much to take only math courses. Sprinkle in some electives to lighten your load.

When students reach college, they often feel pressure to make as many different friends as possible. Some people are just naturally outgoing and this is a natural tendency for them. For the rest of us, it is easier to start out by finding people who are like us. This helps us develop a group of friends. Once you are comfortable with a group of friends, you can start to branch out a bit. It is important that you do not feel compelled to be friends with everyone in your dorm. This is stressful. Be yourself and find your niche.

  July 19th, 2010

Posted in Uncategorized