Continuing Education | Meta-Education

The Reason for Education

Making the decision to further your education is the best decision you can make. These days it’s not enough to have your primary education. You need far more than that. So going back to school could be the most rewarding decision you could make for your future. However, if you are on the fence about it there might be some points to sway you.

First, the idea of going back to school should be embraced. It’s a chance for you to be connected to your future and to do the kinds of things that you love. You are able to get specific and specialized training in the area that really excites you. It’s one of the things that makes it so rewarding.

Many people worry about the cost of school and they should because it’s not always cheap, but with the advent of online classes, going back to school is both easy and affordable. These days you can go to an online school that isn’t paying for the overhead of a traditional university. It’s something that really makes a difference in the price.

Because so much secondary education is online it is allowing people to be able to do their schooling remotely. This makes it easy for the adult with a full-time job and or a family to get their education without ever having to put their life on hold.

If you want to go back to school you should. These days there is less and less reason to say no.

Going Away to College

Going onward with your education is an admirable goal, but sometimes you need to go away to do it properly. After all, it’s far too easy to get lost in the inertia of familiar faces and familiar places. Sometimes going to a large city like Atlanta is a great way to focus on furthering your education and moving up in the world.

When you first check out some Atlanta apartments, you are going to notice that living in a big city like that is a far different experience than living in a suburban or rural area. For one thing, the culture is very tilted toward the support of others within the community, which is a strange concept to people who live very self-sufficient lives out in the sticks. Cities are all about interdependence. For another thing, you will notice that the arts have a powerful influence on the area. Remember that beautifying a space is as much a functional activity as improving your skills and expanding your horizons. When you’re in a new place, especially one that’s as large as Atlanta, you have to respect other people’s opinions.

Your education is not just going to happen in the classroom. Most of the time, going off to school teaches you all kinds of things about the world that just can’t seem to fit inside of a textbook or an instructor’s lesson plan. As often as not, you are going to find that if you ever go back to the place you came from, it just won’t seem as vibrant or large. When they say you can never go home again, they mean it emotionally more than physically.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Atlanta, Education, Lesson plan

Tips to Continuing your Education Successfully

Taking classes while gainfully employed is not just a way to get continuing education units (CEUs) needed to maintain licensure in some fields (i.e., nursing), continuing education can help you keep your job and even get a better one. Working at a full time job and juggling family and school can be daunting. The following are tips for making your three-ring circus work.

Take online classes—many courses are offered through accredited schools online, such as Kaplan University, DeVry University or University of Phoenix. Online courses offer the flexibility of working at your own pace, on your own schedule.

Schedule carefully—many brick-and-mortar universities now offer weekend and evening programs for people who work. When scheduling, limit the number of classes you take so you have time for your family and your job.

Time management—block out time on your schedule to review coursework and do homework. Leave the house and go to the library or a coffee shop (like you did in college) if you need to.

Tell your employer what you are up to—you might be eligible for tuition reimbursement and letting your boss know you are improving your credentials can help you get a bigger pay increase.

Get a study partner—it pays to have someone to call up if you miss a class and to study with when working on difficult material.

Keep your family involved—while it may seem easier to go it alone, having the support of your family can make it easier to get study time and reduce your stress level.

Filed Under: Continuing Education, Online Education Tagged With: Continuing education, Continuing education unit, Kaplan University

Teaching Requirements

There are many professions in today’s workforce marketplace. Most have very specific educational requirements, and one of the professions with the most requirements, and the strictest, is teaching. Teachers are required to have a lot of education, and because teachers are enforcing Federal educational guidelines, and these guidelines change often, teachers are required to keep their education up to date. They are required to continually take course work, and then prove their mastery by taking state and federal testing in order to remain highly qualified. Highly qualified status means that a teacher is not only able to prove that they took classes, but can also prove competency. This is part of the No Child Left Behind initiative, and every teacher must remain highly qualified in order to be in the classroom as a lead teacher.

Most teachers have multiple degrees, and multiple certifications. The newest initiative is requiring all mainstream teachers to be highly qualified for special education. The requirements would be then be a four year degree, an additional year for demonstration teaching, then an additional year per endorsement. This is aside from a Masters degree, or any other type of testing or graduate work. In all, teachers will have approximately eight years worth of education in order to be qualified for their position, and all is necessary in order to remain in the position. The requirements are so rigorous that many candidates find themselves leaving the teaching field because of the stress and amount of costs that they must pay in order to maintain their credential status. These requirements are very involved because America’s future workforce is dependent on quality education in order to help our country remain progressive. As of now America is falling behind in Math and Science, and so Federal requirements for teachers being competent in these areas of study is imperative. It also means that current teachers will be required to return to school in order to update their Math and Science skills.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Education, Teacher

Employment Needs

Employment markets have set requirements that are specialized for the needs of their particular markets. For many of these companies, they need math and science driven people that can help them capitalize on the technology market in today’s world. Unfortunately, Americans are at one of the lowest marks for producing math and science majors for technological advancement. If you are considering returning to school, or majoring in a high demand field, math and science should be at the top of your list. These two aspects are some of the most sought after in the work force marketplace today.

Some of the areas that these jobs are in high demand with are in the medical field. This would involve finding new and modern medicines, or even cancer research. This would involve biology and chemistry. The math field would be involved with architecture, and possibly even military work with find out the physics for weapons use. The fields also are used in forensics and police work, as well as CIA, and FBI. Software companies are also in the market for math and science as these fields provide basic essentials in developing software for textbooks, new programs, and even ways to analyze scientific data.

In order to qualify for these fields, people must be willing to investigate their options in education. This means that obtaining a degree in mathematics or science will take time and research. Most universities and even online colleges offer programs in these areas, and based on the current need for people with these skills, there is not time like the present to investigate your options. There are many grants and scholarships that are awarded to people who choose these fields, and all can be looked up online.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Distance education, Education

Overly Prepared to Pay Back Student Loans

You’re chugging along in school, studying, acing your finals, and turning in research papers. You take out student loans to help pay the cost of your education. Graduation will soon be here. Ah, a light at the end of the education tunnel.

But wait! There’s a ghastly beast in that light: student loans. Students defaulting on loans are up seven percent. Bad things happen when you default on your student loan. The lender could garnish up to 15 percent of your wages. (Not good.) The lender can take back your tax refunds. (More bad.) They can keep you from getting work in the future or getting a professional license. (Real bad!)

How can you slay the student loan beast and live happily ever after?

First, while you are in school, get a job. Working part-time will give you money in your pocket to cover the cost of your education instead of adding to the amount of your loan. Use that money wisely.

Second, if you must take out a loan, borrow only what you need. While it may be tempting to get extra money to pay for a special trip during spring break or to get new clothes, don’t do it! You’ll be paying lots of interest on that loan. Keep the loan as small as possible.

Third, start your job search before you graduate. If at all possible, line up employment before you walk through commencement. That way, you’ll have a ready source of income to apply toward your student loans.

And last, if you have already graduated, consider using a debt consolidation service. Loan consolidation is easier than you think. Instead of having payments going out to several lending institutions, you will have one monthly payment, which could cut your monthly payment up to 50 percent. And, your interest rate will be lower. Now that’s a significant savings!

Filed Under: Continuing Education, Higher Education Tagged With: Education, Graduation, Student loan

Adult Education

The decision to return to college as an adult is one that is to not be taken lightly. For most, by the time the decision has been made, there is some sort of a career or family that is established, which can make completing school work difficult. Those that decide to return to school however, are in search of a better career, looking for a promotion, or simply want to have a college degree. This is the case of many as they have found that their dreams of attending college could not be fulfilled when they were younger. The technological advancements and awareness of adult learners has created a new type of educational system for college that is very accommodating for the older learner. This means that there are classes that are held online, at night, or via correspondence. The traditional brick and mortar colleges are fading for this group of learners, as they simply cannot be flexible enough for the older learner to maintain their current responsibilities while completing school.

One of the nice aspects for attending school at night includes the fact that many universities are creating satellite campuses. They rent a part of a strip mall, or church, or school, and are able to provide adjunct professors to come in and instruct. While the student may not be traveling to the main campus, their degree will say that they graduated from that particular institution. Two decades ago degrees would state that they were adult school, night school, or awarded from a distance learning institution. Today the degrees simply state the name of the school, and older learners can be proud to show off their diploma.

The online university system has become quite the way to learn in the 21st century. In fact, many of the schools have the same type of accreditation, which means the education received online is as good as the education received from live campuses. For many, this is the way to go, as they can completely dictate their learning schedule, save time and money, and still complete their goals of obtaining a degree.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Distance education, Education

Addictions and Sending Your Child to College

Sending a child off to college can be filled with a number of worries. For many parents the very thought of their child being on his or her own can cause a number of worry-provoking thoughts, which is of course quite normal. However, what should you do if you notice that your child may have an addiction—if these are not just “normal” worries but justified in some way?

No addiction is normal. While most people would become worried if their child started using illegal drugs—and thus building a more normal and extremely dangerous type of addiction—other addictions might be ignored. While your child may enjoy playing video games or spending an inordinate amount of time on the computer, sometimes these can become addictive in behavior.

In regards to higher education, college can exist as a healthy way to find and develop increased independence. However, if any type of real addiction is present,this is a recipe for a number of negative results. Some individuals have a difficult time in such a situation if they do not receive help for their addictive behaviors. The addiction can be amplified and the individual could lose control in this new type of setting.How do you know the difference between a healthy love of an object (such as a video game or computer use) and addictive behavior? While there are no definitive and overarching rules, it may be a good idea to consult with a mental health professional. If a true addiction is present, your child can receive the help that he or she needs.

Help is available if warranted in your child’s situation. Resources such as MichaelsHouse.com may be appropriate for individuals with drug or alcohol dependencies, while other addictions can receive attention from professionals as well. Take a look at your child’s situation to determine how well he or she is prepared for this next important step in life.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Addiction, Addictive behavior

Night School

Many adults are returning to school so that they can have better work opportunities. There was a study done a few years ago that looked at the amount of returning adults, the demographic that was returning, and how many were attending day classes, evening classes, and how many completed their programs. The results were somewhat surprising, but not completely unexpected. Women made up the majority of returning students. They also made up the brunt of adults returning to school during the day, and also of those that completed their programs of study. They also were the largest group to continue on to graduate programs.

Men made up the majority of students that returned to school at night, and the majority of returning adults that were looking to gain their Masters degree. This is to be expected as many men are working during the day, and can only attend school in the evenings. With the influx of online programs, many people are finding the schooling is easier than ever to do, but many still prefer attending a classroom situation for their studies. This is in part because most of the men and women that are attending evening classes range from the 34-42 year old range, and simply are more comfortable in a brick and mortar setting than a virtual setting. In fact, many of the programs that are offered at night require technology classes, and many of the classes are web enhanced, which means that part of the class is conducted online regardless of the program of study.

Night classes can be demanding as well. There are still traditional assignments, papers to be written, and potential observations that need to be completed. The most demanding aspect for many adult learners is that attendance is vital. Students are not allowed to miss more than a certain amount of classes, or they are removed from the program. This can be challenge to many as they have jobs, and families, and sometimes those two aspects are not as flexible as one would like them to be.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: Graduate school, Student

Taking a Break from Class through Extracurricular Activities

During high school, you may have been disappointed in the lack of clubs and organizations available at your school. The fact of the matter is that high school clubs rely on funds and the volunteer work of faculty to help run them. The same is true for college, except that there are a lot more students. The more students there are, the more clubs can exist due to increased amounts of money to help run them.

College offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities to choose from. The larger the school, the more clubs will likely exist. Some may seem off the wall and not interest you at all. During your freshman orientation, you will likely come across representatives of some of these organizations for you to talk with you to learn more. Keep an open mind and try one or more out. Extracurricular activities are a great way to meet new people and expand your horizons. Plus, you will learn something but in a different venue than the dreaded classroom you are accustomed to.

There are some things to consider before joining a club or organization:

• Fees and dues. These are more likely associated with fraternities and sororities. Before joining a particular group, make sure that you are aware of any costs involved on your end. In some cases, you might have to contribute money occasionally. An example is a field trip for an environmental club.
• Time commitment. Is this a type of club that you can drop in on occasionally? Are there regular meetings members are required to attend? Does the activity conflict with your class, study, or work schedule?
• Interest level. It may be tempting to join a political group for the sake of meeting people and because it sounds cool. If you have no interest in politics whatsoever, you will not find the club very enjoyable. The situation can be more daunting if you hold opposite political views.

Filed Under: Continuing Education Tagged With: Extracurricular activity, High school