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Bradford A. Rogers
Contributing Editor
If the collegiate workload isn’t downright challenging it can be time consuming, so time-management skills are critical to higher educational success. In college or grad school, students no longer have their parents or teachers constantly reminding them of their assignments, and, particularly with online degree programs, students enjoy a high degree of flexibility in their curriculum that can either be helpful or just an added opportunity for excessive procrastination. For many students, struggling with procrastination and other time-management issues can make a tough degree program even tougher, so follow these simple time-management tips to help eliminate undue stress and get the most out of your degree experience.
First, get organized. Keep a calendar, or two, or three, to help you keep track of your daily, weekly, and monthly obligations. Today, many rely on an online calendar which can be linked to your computer or phone, but don’t be afraid to keep a physical calendar as well for an added failsafe. Keep to-do lists everyday to keep in mind what you have to do during the day and make a game of crossing items off the list. It’s also important to keep your living space clean and organized, as well as your work space or even your computer files. The more organized you are, the more efficiently you will use your time when work needs to get done.
In keeping your calendar, plan ahead several months in advance to ensure that you never miss an important meeting or date. However, also bear in mind that no matter how much you plan, you may not be able to do everything you’d hoped. In this case, be sure to effectively prioritize your obligations and other desired activities. Focus on eliminating your most difficult or pressing tasks from your to-do list first so you’ll be less frazzled when it comes time to handle your less urgent task items. Also, be mindful of the distractions that tend to get in the way of getting items crossed off your list and do what you can to avoid them.
Don’t forget to also put some time aside in your schedule to relax. Take into consideration your limitations and give yourself room in your schedule to breath and recollect yourself.
When you must work, try to work as efficiently as possible to avoid unnecessarily wasting time. For example, many students waste inordinate amounts of time studying ineffectively or cramming all of their work into one work binge. Avoid procrastination as much as possible, and break down your large assignments into more manageable chunks that you can complete bit by bit until they are finally due (learn more about effective studying here: http://www.onlinedegreenavigator.org/the-college-blog/student-toolkit-how-to-study-effectively/).
Finally, the most finely-tuned time-management skills are useless if you don’t stay rested and healthy. Sickness is often a completely unanticipated wrench in the cogs of your schedule, but it can be mitigated if not avoided if you take the time to take care of yourself. In your routine, plan for three meals a day, exercise when possible, and try to keep a consistent sleep schedule.
If you follow the above tips you should greatly improve in your time-management, but the key is to stay consistent. Get into a routine and stick with it, and you might be surprised how much more you can get done every day.
If you’re serious about understanding commerce, markets, or even marketing your own business (becoming an entrepreneur), there is really no better training than getting an MBA focused in marketing. Not only does it prepare you for what would otherwise be a steep learning curve, but also, if you’re trying to raise money, an MBA school behind you provides credibility and commitment as well as providing a valuable network. Online education will make getting in the loop a lot more convenient and if you are interested in making yourself as marketable as possible, you should consider an education as the foundation of your qualifications.
Anyone can come out and tell you that you don’t need an MBA, but the truth is there are many, many careers where employers won’t even look at your skills if you don’t have an MBA, and in some cases, MBAs from the top schools. Furthermore, some of those MBA Wall Street jobs produced the seed money for talented entrepreneurs so they didn’t have to finance their companies with outrageously expensive venture capital. If you think getting an MBA is expensive, try paying back venture capital. If they don’t ask for a stratospheric interest rate, then they are going to want to own a big chunk of your company through stocks. Furthermore, you’ll have to pay out thousands of dollars each month for a retainer fee to the company that helps you find the venture capital money in the first place!
In my case, I was part of a wildly successful software start up. We wanted all the employee owners to own the entire company without dilution so we agreed to pay an exorbitant amount on interest to keep all our shares. We borrowed 2 million and paid the venture capital firm back in 18 months. We paid them back 7 million with the interest that accrued. We then went on to sell the company and made 30 people multi-millionaires which never would have happened if they owned a lot our shares.
My advice? Get the MBA. If you can’t earn the all the money yourself, lots of class mates join forces and co-find businesses together. Like I said, MBA schools will provide the valuable connections to other people that you wouldn’t have met had you not been enrolled in school. These are real connections, not some random person you’re trying to connect to on social networks.
For the rest of us, education is always in fashion, and online education has democratized the method of receiving it. Harvard’s most famous drop out Bill Gates has come out praising online education as the way of the future and has put aside 9 million to award people that come up with the most promising innovations in online education. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation are dedicated to helping people lead healthy and productive lives, especially those in developing countries. They believe that every life has equal value and by providing accessible, online education individuals have the opportunity to raise themselves out of poverty. [1] Online MBA programs offer unique solutions to so many timely issues. A good online MBA program will instruct in relevant and current business topics, and a focus in marketing will allow you to explore case studies that are constantly evolving to reflect the current marketplace.
A small sampling of jobs and average incomes of qualified MBAs with a concentration in marketing are qualified for are:
International Marketing Executive- $ 127,402 Global markets in the modern business world make this job very relevant.
Marketing Executive-$118,387-Address target markets and their product offerings.
Internet Marketing Director $116,030-Marketing as it relates to the internet.
For free information about online MBA programs please click here.
Sources:
[1] http://www.gatesfoundation.org/press-releases/Pages/breakthrough-learning-models-120619.aspx
http://onlinembapage.com/highest-paying-marketing-jobs-careers-for-mbas/
http://www.bls.gov
In many ways, succeeding in your online courses is similar to succeeding in on campus classes. However, since you won’t be attending a physical course, you’ll need to throw your life line where it’s viable like phone numbers and email addresses.
Email Addresses and Phone Numbers
Professors are going to have to provide phone numbers with office hours so that you’ll be sure and get your issues resolved. In addition, try and communicate with other students taking the online course. Usually, if you have a couple of other students to work with, you’re able to get answers much faster than you would on your own. Make sure you have their email addresses and phone numbers so that you feel as connected as possible. Feeling connected is one step closer to success. Furthermore, online courses usually make use of message/discussion boards.
Message Boards
Most message boards are run like you’re attending class and the teacher is taking attendance. So even though the teacher can’t see you, they are keeping track of your participation on the message boards and it usually counts as a significant part of your grade. If you’re supposed to post a discussion at 9:00 am Monday, don’t think that you’ll be able to post at 2:00 pm.
Scheduling
It sort of goes without saying but actually most students need to be reminded-keep to a schedule. This is especially valid for online students. Not only will you get your work done in a timely manner, but you’ll be far more confident that you’ll connect with other students, teachers and hand in assignments on time. The ideal way is to set aside the same time every day so that you stay focused and keep up.
Course Materials
Print out and read carefully the syllabus. Approach your school work with an agenda in mind. Set goals and use all of the materials given for the course. In addition, keep up with all of the readings that are assigned. You can also communicate with other students to brain storm about the best ways to study and write papers. By putting your heads together with a study buddy, you’ll be sure to cover all the material.
Keep Track of Everything-Be Prepared
Keeping up with your reading assignments is key to being a successful online student. Make a calendar and put down the due dates for all your quizzes, tests, daily assignments and papers. When you see everything written down with dates associated with them you are able make a plan. Double-check all the dates with your fellow classmates and touch base with your instructor. Don’t be caught off guard with any new changes to your syllabus or any to-be-announced homework or quizzes. Write everything down!
For free information about the programs that are available online, please click here.
A Bachelor of Arts in English trains students to interpret and compare literature from various historical periods and up to the present time. Students will study major literary texts along side fiction, nonfiction, poetry, functional texts, public documents, works from women, film, and a many other important genres of literature. Course work includes linguistics, composition as well as critical theory and studies on ethnicity. An English degree provides a broad liberal arts education and majors are good writers, communicators and are critical thinkers.
Careers that students can pursue when they receive a Bachelor of Arts in English can include any job that requires good language and communication skills. Because students develop such superb communication skills, they are also well suited for teaching, sales, training and so on. Students graduating with an English degree often pursue jobs in writing or editing for publishers, newspapers magazines or web sites. In addition, careers in public relations, advertising or marketing are also options.
Salaries for careers suited for English major vary, especially state to state. A median salary for a Chicago public school teacher not including benefits is around $76,000. In New York City the average salary is $73.751. In Los Angeles teachers make $67,600. At a college or university level the median is more like $72,400. On the other hand if you specialize in physics, you’ll earn around 92,730. You’ll find more job descriptions and salaries on the US Department of Labor’s website.
For free information about getting an online degrees in English, please click here.
A Master of Arts in Psychology and Health Psychology is the study of the elements influencing psychology, physical health and illness. This master’s degree examines biology, psychology, behavior and social factors influence health and illness. Sometimes called, medical psychology, behavioral medicine or health psychology and a professional in these areas is vital to the health care industry. Health Psychology professionals get degrees that have courses across a variety of disciplines and can double-major or minor in the hard sciences like biology or chemistry as an undergraduate. Having more qualifications will definitely put you in a position for gainful employment and will also lead you to your passion within healthcare. Becoming a champion for optimal health will also fulfill you emotionally and will be deeply satisfying.
According to the American Psychological Institution (APA) licensed psychologists earned an average of $80,000 per year. Health Psychologists can choose from a large range of employment options including colleges and universities, private practice, rehabilitation facilities, government agencies and mental health clinics.
With so much information literally at our finger tips thanks to the internet, it is surprising that so many people continue unhealthy activities and make poor food choices. The psychology behind why an individual may be the first step in changing those habits for the better.
There are many behavioral and psychological factors that impact overall physical well being and various medical conditions. Healthy habits and the prevention or reduction of unhealthy habits have a direct effect on an individual’s heath. In addition, Heath Psychologists also try and understand how people react, cope and recover from an illness. Furthermore, Psychologists are also interested in people’s coping mechanisms while they are under stress.
For more information about getting a masters degree in Health Psychology, please click here.
Bradford A. Rogers
ODN Contributing Editor
Does the world of Law & Order fascinate you? Does your favorite movie list include 12 Angry Men, Scent of a Woman, and To Kill a Mockingbird? Do you love debating with your friends and relishing the victory of a well-proven point? If so, a career in law might be calling to you. While it is true that law students typically spend a lot of time and money on their education, the field isn’t as inaccessible as you might think. Paralegal degrees are in high demand in the job market, and with the advent of online degree programs, earning one has never been more flexible.
Behind every good lawyer is a crack-team of paralegals, or legal assistants who help their firm’s lawyers with every-day administrative, clerical, and research tasks in order to build each client’s case. It is common for most entry-level paralegals to deal with mostly clerical tasks within the office, but they may also assume much greater responsibilities within the firm’s team as they gain experience.
Degree options for paralegal students are fairly flexible, with some programs offering degrees in as little as 18 months. In the course of an online paralegal degree program, students gain the skills necessary to be hired to an entry-level job at a legal firm. This is especially encouraging considering that the demand for employees with paralegal degrees is projected to increase 27% through 2014. Factor in the fact that the average paralegal makes $50,000 a year (see the Department of Labor for salaries), and you’ll be asking yourself why you’re still reading this article instead of signing up for an online paralegal degree program ASAP!
For free information about paralegal degrees, please click here.
Bradford A. Rogers
ODN Contributing Editor
We’ve all heard of hackers and the debilitating viruses and other cyber threats they unleash on the computing public and private sector alike – but what about those who work to protect computers and their users from such threats? They are called information systems security professionals, and they are often the one thing standing between cyber malfeasants and your computer’s well-being. What’s more, CNN Money ranked information systems security jobs as one of the 20th best jobs in America over the last few years and with an easy, accessible, and affordable online degree program it could be your job before you know it.
Information systems security (ISS) professionals are typically hired by organizations to design, implement, and maintain security measures for computer systems or other information networks. To prepare for such a career, ISS students typically pursue a four-year bachelors degree program, either at a technical college or university or with an online degree program, and the curriculum typically includes various computer science courses covering such topics as operating systems, networks, computer architectures, and security protocols. Also, because most ISS professionals require certification by an accredited certification board, most bachelor’s programs in information systems security will prepare students to succeed on their respective certification exams. Following a bachelor’s degree program, some students may move on to pursue their master’s degree in information systems security in order to further their careers and gain upper-level training in facing cyber threats, and most institutions offer physical university as well as online degree opportunities.
As we grow increasingly reliant on computer technologies in our personal and professional lives, so too grows the threat to network security – inasmuch, the field of information systems security is an ever-growing job market, expected to be a part of the more than 20% growth of computer-related employment projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus, ISS professionals make, on average, $80,000 a year, with salaries raising as high as $160,000 in certain information systems security positions and with additional degrees such as a masters degree (see the Department of Labor for salaries). So what are you waiting for? Pursue your online degree today and change or further your career.
To learn more about online degree programs in computer sciences click here.
Bradford A. Rogers
ODN Contributing Editor
Are you equally interested in the worlds of computer science and law enforcement? Are you looking to further your education or change careers, but can’t find the time or resources to follow those dreams? You might be surprised how affordable and easy it is to pursue your degree in Computer Forensics through and online degree program.
Computer forensics analysts are typically members of law enforcement agencies and, according to Kruse and Heiser, authors of the book Computer Forensics, analysts are tasked with preserving, identifying, extracting, documenting, and interpreting digital data usually for use as legal evidence. Because digital data is fragile and can be easily changed or corrupted, computer forensics analysts use specific techniques and follow strict legal guidelines to properly recover and preserve digital evidence.
Employers of computer forensics analysts typically look for candidates with experience in law enforcement or a degree related to the field, ranging from computer science and accounting to more specialized computer forensics associate degrees that are now beginning to be offered by several online degree programs. Even without law enforcement experience, most employers offer on-the-job training in law enforcement to supplement relevant degree credentials. Therefore, a career in computer forensics is extremely accessible. Most computer forensics analysts may also require certification to further their career, especially if they are working independent of a law enforcement agency.
Salaries for computer forensics analysts typically start at around $50,000, but can raise to six-figure salaries with additional degrees and experience (see the Department of Labor for salaries). Plus, due to our ever-increasing reliance on computer technologies, computer forensics is a quickly-growing field expected to offer many job opportunities in the future. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics expects the field of computer forensics to grow by over 20% in the next decade.
To learn more about this online degree opportunity and more computer science programs click here.
Computer crimes have been on the rise which can result in losses in the billions of dollars. Computer Forensics is often thought of as bringing computer evidence to court. Just like all of the other forensic fields, you need to find out what and how something happened as well as who was involved.
An online degree in Computer Forensics degree requires a broad knowledge of computer storage devices, operating systems, programming languages and software applications. The career is varied and altogether satisfying. For example, if you specialize in providing evidence of computer crimes to law enforcement agencies you’d know the legalities of search and seizure and techniques or collecting and preserving evidence. Another career option is helping banks secure their computer networks. Whichever online major you pursue, you’ll become familiar with:
- File formats
- Software drivers
- Networking, routing, communications protocol and security
- Cryptology
- Reverse software engineering
- Investigative techniques
- Computer forensics tools, such as password crackers, email converters, or the EnCase or Forensic toolkit (FTK) software applications.
Job opportunities for people with Computer Forensics degree are available in a wide range of fields; for example, police forces, and private security firms. Law firms, Homeland Security, the FBI and CIA. Without a doubt, this will be an exciting career with unlimited ways to advance and earn more income.
Professionals with an Associates Degree and 0-4 years experience made on average $59.503. Those individuals with an Associates degree and 10 or more experience averaged about $90.393. With a Bachelors degree in Computer Forensics and 5-9 years experience. professionals made $91, 549. Professionals with a Masters degree and the same amount of experience earned an average of $96,531. Furthermore, according to the SANS, The Salary and Certification Survey in 2008, 38% of the information security professionals made over $100,000 per year (See the Department of Labor Statistics for more information about salaries).
For free information about other online degrees, please click here.
Google Throws Their Hat into the Online Education Effort
Course Builder is the name of Google’s online open source software tool that is designed to let anyone create online education courses. Because of another program that Google ran called, Power Searching With Google, Google had about 155,000 students from 196 countries, which allowed Google to incorporate some practices common to online instruction with Google’s communication tools which enriched the course building software.
Peter Norvig, of Director of Google Research, says it won’t require high level programming skills and is doable by anyone who can maintain their own website. Google is interested to see how early adopters use this limited code base in order to explore the future of learning technology.
This could become a cool way to connect with the Google research team and access them on Google hangouts. If you are unsure about your level of expertise, see the Course Builder checklist and a primer on how to get started.
Should Online Education Be Free?
Leading colleges from around the world have taken advantage of the internet and have offerings for classes online. Because leading universities are beginning to offer their courses online, it has lent credibility that online education needed. The question on everyone’s mind though is: should it be free?
Because some of the prestigious schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology created an open platform which whole course catalog placed online, there was a intended shift for online education to be free.
It can’t be denied that there are a lot developing and poor countries that don’t have the money for a higher education. Keeping at least some of online educations offerings free would, without a doubt, be a force for good.
Whether it’s free or for a cost, online education is a large part of the future of higher education.
In addition, online education has the power to transform education for the better. By utilizing interactive questions, experiments and tests, it might even suggest better ways of learning.
Online education is here to stay. Now the questions posited must be part of the whole trajectory are: how is online education going to make education better? is online education going to be free? If online education is still going to have a cost associated with a degree, will there be at least some universities that will offer programs free of charge?
For free information on online education, please visit the site: http://www.onlinedegreenavigator.org/
Blog Author
Natalie Raven
Senior Editor
Natalie has several years experience as a writer and lecturer in the education and software industries. Natalie is interested in hearing your opinions- post a comment!
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