In what way are bankruptcy and school textbooks related? In a big way, says the Governor of California.
Just the thought of our kids not carrying textbooks to school can be quite scary, as we have over the centuries, gotten used to associating textbooks with education. Textbooks are part of our lives and are considered indispensable – at least until now. Of course, for school-going kids, this could just be their dream coming true – NO MORE TEXTBOOKS!
Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger jokingly says, “I can use these for the (bicep) curls.” Announcing that California will initiate the process of going digital, he said, “Textbooks are outdated, in my opinion. For so many years, we’ve been trying to teach the kids exactly the same way.”
The excessive cost of textbooks is said to be a huge burden on a student who is already paying the cost of education. The average student spends hundreds of dollars on textbooks each year.
It is estimated that California spent about $350 million on textbooks alone last year. With California running out of cash with the $24 billion budget deficit, authorities figure this is one way of tackling the issue. The throwing away of textbooks might just be what the state needs to avoid bankruptcy.
California is the first state in the United States to begin using digital textbooks instead of the “paper” variety, and the Governor feels that this will save hundreds of millions of dollars. With the average cost of a textbook being anywhere from $75 to $100 each, their digital version is going to cost much less. Continue Reading →
Category Archives: Education
The Booming Of Tutorial Business!
17 June 2008no responsesHasan
Good marks have always been perceived as critical to the future success of a child. Most of us remember our parents telling us that to achieve something in life, it is necessary to get a good education.
Private tutoring is a rapidly expanding industry around the world, including countries such as U.S. spending heavily on tutoring.
Korean parents are no different where education goes, in fact their children are said to spend twelve hours a day at school and even a 3-year old has English language tutors.
You would understand the extent of interest that Koreans show in children’s education by the fact that the Korean Air Force is said to ground its planes, during the college entrance exams so as not to disturb the students.
The pride of most Korean families hinges on what universities their children attend, which is the reason why Koreans shell out more for schooling of kids aged 5 to 21 years of age, than any other country in the OECD.
OECD, which is the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international organization that consists of thirty countries that follow the principles of free market economy and representative democracy. Countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and others are all part of this organization. Continue Reading →
Private tutoring is a rapidly expanding industry around the world, including countries such as U.S. spending heavily on tutoring.
Korean parents are no different where education goes, in fact their children are said to spend twelve hours a day at school and even a 3-year old has English language tutors.
You would understand the extent of interest that Koreans show in children’s education by the fact that the Korean Air Force is said to ground its planes, during the college entrance exams so as not to disturb the students.
The pride of most Korean families hinges on what universities their children attend, which is the reason why Koreans shell out more for schooling of kids aged 5 to 21 years of age, than any other country in the OECD.
OECD, which is the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international organization that consists of thirty countries that follow the principles of free market economy and representative democracy. Countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and others are all part of this organization. Continue Reading →
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Private Loans To Help With College Education!
16 June 2008no responsesHasan
Putting a child through school washes away all the savings and then comes college, where parents end up at the hawk-like lenders’ doors. There certainly are loans for students, but when was a student loan ever enough for college? Families often have to lean towards private loans to help them cover the huge gap between the college education cost and the federally backed student loans.
What this means, with the current credit crunch, is the inability to get loans except for the most creditworthy of all and for the ones that do secure a loan, it means higher interest rates.
It is very important for families to consider various alternatives before taking a private loan. The variable interest rates and the fees are much higher now, making private student loans far more expensive than the student loans, which carry a low fixed interest rate. There are some states that offer bargain-rates on loans to those children that live or attend college within their borders.
According to Kalman Chany, author of Paying for College Without Going Broke, “Private loans should be a last resort.”
In spite of knowing the issues associated with such loans, many families still go in for private loans. There are other students that do not qualify for the federal loans, either because they are foreign students of because they have less grade points. These students have no other alternative available but to approach the private lenders.
According to experts, there are certain things to keep in mind while looking for a lender. One should not go by the lower rates being advertised. Interest rates depend on the borrower’s credit score and the percentage varies from person to person. Even those students that have good credit usually take the help of either family or relatives with a better credit history to be co-signers. This means, the co-signer is accepting the responsibility of repaying the loan if the student does not pay back. Continue Reading →
What this means, with the current credit crunch, is the inability to get loans except for the most creditworthy of all and for the ones that do secure a loan, it means higher interest rates.
It is very important for families to consider various alternatives before taking a private loan. The variable interest rates and the fees are much higher now, making private student loans far more expensive than the student loans, which carry a low fixed interest rate. There are some states that offer bargain-rates on loans to those children that live or attend college within their borders.
According to Kalman Chany, author of Paying for College Without Going Broke, “Private loans should be a last resort.”
In spite of knowing the issues associated with such loans, many families still go in for private loans. There are other students that do not qualify for the federal loans, either because they are foreign students of because they have less grade points. These students have no other alternative available but to approach the private lenders.
According to experts, there are certain things to keep in mind while looking for a lender. One should not go by the lower rates being advertised. Interest rates depend on the borrower’s credit score and the percentage varies from person to person. Even those students that have good credit usually take the help of either family or relatives with a better credit history to be co-signers. This means, the co-signer is accepting the responsibility of repaying the loan if the student does not pay back. Continue Reading →
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E-Learning – Transformation Around The Globe
19 April 20082 responsesHasan
Spreading of knowledge has never been easier. Communication technology has opened up several opportunities for people to be part of the global economy, irrespective of where they live. Very soon there will be highly educated people from all parts of the globe and this is a healthy change.
The concept of e-learning has brought about major changes in the way people look at education. Learning is not just confined to the four walls of a classroom anymore. A disabled person can sit in front of his computer and be educated in any stream he wishes to. If we look at the avenues this new education system opens up, it is certainly a boon to those millions of students worldwide, who for their own reasons cannot go to school or college.
Previously, getting into big universities like Harvard was unthinkable for most youngsters, but now the lectures from these universities are available online, including discussion groups and even examinations. A student can obtain a degree from one of the top universities, studying and giving his exams from home. A wonderful opportunity for higher education is available to people from all over.
Even the primary schools and secondary schools are introducing technology in the education process, where students and even teachers have access to various classroom materials online, enabling them to improve the quality of education. Continue Reading →
The concept of e-learning has brought about major changes in the way people look at education. Learning is not just confined to the four walls of a classroom anymore. A disabled person can sit in front of his computer and be educated in any stream he wishes to. If we look at the avenues this new education system opens up, it is certainly a boon to those millions of students worldwide, who for their own reasons cannot go to school or college.
Previously, getting into big universities like Harvard was unthinkable for most youngsters, but now the lectures from these universities are available online, including discussion groups and even examinations. A student can obtain a degree from one of the top universities, studying and giving his exams from home. A wonderful opportunity for higher education is available to people from all over.
Even the primary schools and secondary schools are introducing technology in the education process, where students and even teachers have access to various classroom materials online, enabling them to improve the quality of education. Continue Reading →
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MBA Program
01 April 2008no responsesHasan
A Masters of Business Administration or MBA is arguably one of the best degrees dollar-wise to advance your career. Any MBA program has weight when it comes to increasing your knowledge and clout in your current career, but some programs outweigh others when it comes to name recognition and credentials added to your professional resume.
Not all schools are created equal. But, unfortunately, there is simply not room in the Harvard Business School for everyone seeking an MBA this year. Finding the best school for you requires a balance of convenience, ability, and funding.
Consider Your Ability Level
To get in to the top executive schools, you must have a past level of ability proven by your GPA and course load in your undergraduate classes. If you were a C- kind of student, your new drive and dedication won’t have as much impact on your college applications as you old GPA.
Some master’s programs are willing to overlook a few low grades in courses unrelated to the field you’re now pursing, especially since an MBA encompasses a wide field of abilities and interests. But competition for the top schools is intense. If you don’t have the qualifications, networking and schmoozing skills to back up your application, you will likely do better to focus your attention on good schools rather than the best.
Examine Your Level of Commitment
Your next step is to examine your level of commitment. Some MBA degrees are intense rapid-fire programs that require you attend classes full-time and leave room for internship or other program commitments during what would normally be work time. Other MBA classes are done in the evenings and leave very little time for study when balanced with your current career.
If you are committed to earning your MBA as quickly as possible, taking eighteen months to twenty-four months away from your current career to immerse yourself in your studies and the overall business experience will likely prove to be the most valuable method of earning an advanced business degree. But if your budget or career can’t be placed on hold for the time it takes to earn an MBA, taking night classes over the span of three or four years with intense amounts of independent study are likely your best option. Continue Reading →
Not all schools are created equal. But, unfortunately, there is simply not room in the Harvard Business School for everyone seeking an MBA this year. Finding the best school for you requires a balance of convenience, ability, and funding.
Consider Your Ability Level
To get in to the top executive schools, you must have a past level of ability proven by your GPA and course load in your undergraduate classes. If you were a C- kind of student, your new drive and dedication won’t have as much impact on your college applications as you old GPA.
Some master’s programs are willing to overlook a few low grades in courses unrelated to the field you’re now pursing, especially since an MBA encompasses a wide field of abilities and interests. But competition for the top schools is intense. If you don’t have the qualifications, networking and schmoozing skills to back up your application, you will likely do better to focus your attention on good schools rather than the best.
Examine Your Level of Commitment
Your next step is to examine your level of commitment. Some MBA degrees are intense rapid-fire programs that require you attend classes full-time and leave room for internship or other program commitments during what would normally be work time. Other MBA classes are done in the evenings and leave very little time for study when balanced with your current career.
If you are committed to earning your MBA as quickly as possible, taking eighteen months to twenty-four months away from your current career to immerse yourself in your studies and the overall business experience will likely prove to be the most valuable method of earning an advanced business degree. But if your budget or career can’t be placed on hold for the time it takes to earn an MBA, taking night classes over the span of three or four years with intense amounts of independent study are likely your best option. Continue Reading →
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Cell Phone Colleges
16 December 2007no responsesHasan
Educators know that technology is becoming more and more important to their students, and that there is a need to incorporate technology into the classroom. Some colleges, however, have taken this idea to the extreme. In Japan, Cyber University, the only college in the country to offer all of its classes exclusively on the internet, has taken the next step in digital education. They now offer a class that students can take via their cell phones.
How It Works
The class, which teaches students about the mysteries of the pyramids, is available to the public for free - if they can access it. It can only be seen through some phones manufactured by Softbank Corp., who owns seventy one percent of the virtual university.
Eventually, the online classes may expand to other carriers. Users listen to the lecture and can view the PowerPoint slides on their cell phones. Currently, only one class is offered through cell phones, but more may be coming. While in traditional classrooms, teachers fight to keep distracting cell phones out of the classroom, this classroom relies on and can only be found on cell phones.
Cyber Classrooms
The Japanese university, with a student body of almost two thousand, offers about one hundred courses in addition to the pyramid class on the cell phones. All of these other courses can be taken online. Typically, while the student listens to the lecture from their computer, they view accompanying text and images on their screens with a little picture of their professor, who they will probably never see in person, in the corner of their monitor. The college claims to be able to monitor lecture usage digitally, ensuring that students are listening to the lecture in its entirety, and not skipping their virtual class. Continue Reading →
How It Works
The class, which teaches students about the mysteries of the pyramids, is available to the public for free - if they can access it. It can only be seen through some phones manufactured by Softbank Corp., who owns seventy one percent of the virtual university.
Eventually, the online classes may expand to other carriers. Users listen to the lecture and can view the PowerPoint slides on their cell phones. Currently, only one class is offered through cell phones, but more may be coming. While in traditional classrooms, teachers fight to keep distracting cell phones out of the classroom, this classroom relies on and can only be found on cell phones.
Cyber Classrooms
The Japanese university, with a student body of almost two thousand, offers about one hundred courses in addition to the pyramid class on the cell phones. All of these other courses can be taken online. Typically, while the student listens to the lecture from their computer, they view accompanying text and images on their screens with a little picture of their professor, who they will probably never see in person, in the corner of their monitor. The college claims to be able to monitor lecture usage digitally, ensuring that students are listening to the lecture in its entirety, and not skipping their virtual class. Continue Reading →
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Acclimate to Online Education
15 November 2007one responseHasan
There has been a dramatic push for online education over the last decade. At first only the occasional correspondence class was offered online. Then certain colleges offered degrees, and now most colleges and universities include online classes alongside traditional classrooms. And even those traditional classrooms often have an online component. You are hard-pressed to find a college classroom that does not include something on the internet.
But these online education plans are not for everyone. This is a shame since there are few other alternatives. Rather than look for classes that are not online, it is far better to acclimate yourself to the online education environment.
Time Management
The biggest component of online education often presents itself as a stumbling block - time management. Online classes require you taking the time on a regular basis to read material, discuss topics on discussion boards, and send various assignments to an instructor. If you can’t delegate your time properly, you will have a very hard time completing a class and certainly a hard time succeeding in it.
The best way to overcome trouble with time management is to assign your classes times, much like you would if you were actually attended courses. Even if you are, in fact, going to class during the days, allot yourself a set time to complete any online components.
Set up a schedule and follow it. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday take care of two classes before lunch, and every Tuesday and Thursday take care of the rest after your afternoon nap. It doesn’t matter when you do it, just set up a routine so that you are in a pattern of work. This ensures the work gets done. Continue Reading →
But these online education plans are not for everyone. This is a shame since there are few other alternatives. Rather than look for classes that are not online, it is far better to acclimate yourself to the online education environment.
Time Management
The biggest component of online education often presents itself as a stumbling block - time management. Online classes require you taking the time on a regular basis to read material, discuss topics on discussion boards, and send various assignments to an instructor. If you can’t delegate your time properly, you will have a very hard time completing a class and certainly a hard time succeeding in it.
The best way to overcome trouble with time management is to assign your classes times, much like you would if you were actually attended courses. Even if you are, in fact, going to class during the days, allot yourself a set time to complete any online components.
Set up a schedule and follow it. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday take care of two classes before lunch, and every Tuesday and Thursday take care of the rest after your afternoon nap. It doesn’t matter when you do it, just set up a routine so that you are in a pattern of work. This ensures the work gets done. Continue Reading →
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Online MBA Degrees
06 November 2007one responseHasan
There is no doubt that a Master of Business Administration, or MBA, is more than a feather in your proverbial hat. An MBA opens up doors to greater success and tells employers that you are serious about your career and your own value. Of course, there are usually two rather substantial hurdles to achieving your dreams of an MBA – time and money.
Time
To complete an MBA program, you dedicate yourself to attending classes full-time, or nine to twelve semester hours, for two or three years. If you attend only part-time your program will take much longer. Naturally it would be ideal to attend classes full-time, but to do so, you will most likely have to take a leave of absence or resign your current position. This essentially eliminates your tuition funds.
Money
University tuition is going up. It’s moving faster than inflation and some quality MBA programs cost more than a standard bachelor’s degree. There are grant programs and student loans that can help bridge the gaps and some individuals are lucky enough to have their companies foot the bill. But to take advantage of that option, you must continue working while attending classes and sign a letter of commitment for a specific period of time in order to qualify for partial or full reimbursement. Continue Reading →
Time
To complete an MBA program, you dedicate yourself to attending classes full-time, or nine to twelve semester hours, for two or three years. If you attend only part-time your program will take much longer. Naturally it would be ideal to attend classes full-time, but to do so, you will most likely have to take a leave of absence or resign your current position. This essentially eliminates your tuition funds.
Money
University tuition is going up. It’s moving faster than inflation and some quality MBA programs cost more than a standard bachelor’s degree. There are grant programs and student loans that can help bridge the gaps and some individuals are lucky enough to have their companies foot the bill. But to take advantage of that option, you must continue working while attending classes and sign a letter of commitment for a specific period of time in order to qualify for partial or full reimbursement. Continue Reading →
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Online Degrees: Panacea or Pandora?
13 July 2007one responseHasan
Education is an integral part of the lives of people in the present age. It is responsible for making or breaking the careers of minds around the world. Compared to the fifties, there are diverse modes of education today. Technological advancements and other magnanimous inventions offer several comfortable techniques of learning. The latest issue raised amongst the masses is that of the distance learning education and online degrees.
Evolution of Online Degrees
Online degree education is soon prevailing over the conventional high school and secondary education. There are a lot of big companies that create online degrees and present them to all classes of learners. Normally, these companies will direct the courses and the materials required for them. Talking about the inception of online degrees, it has been legally acceptable since the early nineties and has become a well-admired way of teaching students of all ages and cultures. With the popularity and the ease of Internet availability, online degree education has also become well liked over the period of years. There are scores of unlimited sources on the Internet that facilitate online learning.
There are a lot of debates over online education and there are mixed views about the subject. Obviously, it has its own advantages and disadvantages. Continue Reading →
Evolution of Online Degrees
Online degree education is soon prevailing over the conventional high school and secondary education. There are a lot of big companies that create online degrees and present them to all classes of learners. Normally, these companies will direct the courses and the materials required for them. Talking about the inception of online degrees, it has been legally acceptable since the early nineties and has become a well-admired way of teaching students of all ages and cultures. With the popularity and the ease of Internet availability, online degree education has also become well liked over the period of years. There are scores of unlimited sources on the Internet that facilitate online learning.
There are a lot of debates over online education and there are mixed views about the subject. Obviously, it has its own advantages and disadvantages. Continue Reading →
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Online Degrees
08 July 20073 responsesHasan
More and more opportunities are being made available through the internet. Education is one of these. Getting an online education is becoming an option for more people who aren’t able to attend a traditional college or university for one reason or another.
Students can get an online degree by enrolling in an accredited online college or university – accredited is the operative word.
Fake Degrees
Beware of “degree mills” that give out degrees, diplomas, and other certifications that are not recognized by any official accreditation board. Degrees that come from these places are either fraudulent or worthless and usually both. Trying to get a job with one of these bogus degrees often puts you in a worse position that if you didn’t have a degree at all.
Students who are interested in attaining an online degree must do their due diligence to make sure the online college is accredited and respected. Otherwise, the time and money spend obtaining the degree have been wasted.
Online Versus Traditional Education
Online degrees are becoming increasingly important as people begin broadening the definitions of words like “student” and “education”. A student is no longer a person who attends a traditional brick-and-mortar school. Just like an education can now be obtained from the comfort of one’s own home, rather then behind four walls of a college or university.
According to The Distance Education and Training Council there are about 4 million students who are enrolled in some type of distance education program at colleges and universities in the United States. Some studies even show that students enrolled in online courses do just as well as, if not better than, traditional students. Continue Reading →
Students can get an online degree by enrolling in an accredited online college or university – accredited is the operative word.
Fake Degrees
Beware of “degree mills” that give out degrees, diplomas, and other certifications that are not recognized by any official accreditation board. Degrees that come from these places are either fraudulent or worthless and usually both. Trying to get a job with one of these bogus degrees often puts you in a worse position that if you didn’t have a degree at all.
Students who are interested in attaining an online degree must do their due diligence to make sure the online college is accredited and respected. Otherwise, the time and money spend obtaining the degree have been wasted.
Online Versus Traditional Education
Online degrees are becoming increasingly important as people begin broadening the definitions of words like “student” and “education”. A student is no longer a person who attends a traditional brick-and-mortar school. Just like an education can now be obtained from the comfort of one’s own home, rather then behind four walls of a college or university.
According to The Distance Education and Training Council there are about 4 million students who are enrolled in some type of distance education program at colleges and universities in the United States. Some studies even show that students enrolled in online courses do just as well as, if not better than, traditional students. Continue Reading →
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