The Advantages of Online Learning

If you are considering getting a degree for the first time or furthering your education why not consider online learning? Online learning is growing in popularity and more universities across the nation are increasing their online offerings.

Online learning is done at your own pace. If you need to learn at 3:00 AM you can, if you need to learn at 10:00 PM you can. Online learning can be tailored to fit the student’s needs and schedule. This is especially useful if the student is working full time or managing a family.

 

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Online learning involves little or no commuting. This saves money on gas and wear and tear on a vehicle. When learning on a campus there are always incidental expenses such as that cup of coffee at the student union every day between classes. Imagine the money you will save if a cup of coffee is $2.00 a day and you enjoy your own at home, that’s $10.00 a week!

 

Your classroom is as portable as your computer. If you have a laptop your classroom can be virtually anywhere. You can do your homework at family reunion or on a beach in the Cayman Islands.  Online learning allows for great flexibility.

It is easier to concentrate when learning online. There is no student’s whispering next to you to contend with. If you need an aspect explained twice there is no bothering the professor, you can simply rewind that part of the class.

Online learning can be a great way to get that degree or further your education!

 

Filed Under: Education, Online Education Tagged With: , ,

Playing Online Bingo

Online gaming is a growing pastime that many people engage in on a regular basis. Besides the traditional casino games, the number of online bingo players have steadily increased over the years. Perhaps you have contemplated whether or not to put on your game face and give it a try. If you are not familiar with the process of getting started, here are a few things to consider before you play.

Games of chance have always held a special place in our hearts. The game of bingo traces its origins to Italy in 1530. As the popularity of online casinos grow, so does the allure of online bingo. Registering with a site is fairly simple. As with most websites, you simply fill out a short form that typically involves selecting a username and password for your account. Be sure that the site you play on is a reputable one. Sites that protect your personal information by encrypting the details of your account help to assure you peace of mind as you play.

Many sites offer a selection of bingo variations to play. Take time to go through each type and see what appeals to you the most. By carefully reviewing the rules and regulations of the site you can help facilitate the enjoyment of your game play. A good idea is to also thoroughly read the rules of the bingo variation you have chosen to play to get a proper handle on the game.

If you have decided to try your hand at winning some cash, be sure and understand how to purchase your gaming cards and retrieve your winnings. Best of luck!

Filed Under: General, Online Education Tagged With: , ,

Making Personal Finance Personal

Sometimes people take a look at their finances, and they do not really consider them for what they are: the indicator for their quality of life. When that approach is taken, finances become very personal. It is no longer about paying the cable bill, but looking at the retirement savings. This can be a great eye opening experience for some as they realize that their future planning really has no plan at all. Taking the time to take a hard look at finances is imperative for people to have the quality of life that they work so hard to achieve.

Getting Prepared to Plan

Setting goals is a great way to prepare for a plan. Some have suggested that daydreaming of the ideal life, and then mapping it out is a great way to gain scope on goals. Personal finances are no different. To grasp what is needed for future plans it is important to have a goal in mind, and then stick with that goal every month. There are resources to help out with this like payday loans to help carry you over until you get paid, so that you can stick to plan without being late on bills, and incurring unnecessary bills.

Take a hard look at your expenses and weed out those that are not necessities. This will help clear up what you have to work with each month, what can be saved, and maybe what needs to change in daily habits. Taking the time to do this will make a big difference on financial planning and completion of goals.

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Advice to get into higher education

You have graduated and now you want to look at some colleges. There is a lot of research involved in finding the right education for you. There are many questions that need to be answered. Do you want a school that is involved in sports – like Notre Dame? Or a prestigious college that focuses on its academics – like Yale?  What extracurricular activities would you like? What are the basic requirements to be accepted?

You may be required to have your High School diploma or at the least a GED? Or maybe your GPA has to be a 3.0 or higher. Perhaps they want you to take the ACT or SAT test. There are a number of different things.

You could pass the SAT, but that still leaves you with the decision on which school you want to attend. Most colleges request an application fee that varies from school to school. A good idea would be to apply to more than one. Apply to the one you really want and leave the other two for backups just in case. A great alternative to traditional college education is an online school like earnmydegree.com. They offer a wide range of courses specially designed to be easily manageable. Use this as a backup school or even as your first choice, whichever will be more appropriate for you.

If you are accepted into the college you want, how can one pay for all the necessities? For example, there are books and cafeteria food that is not free. Scholarships are available but they do not pay for everything. If you have no other options, financial aid would be your last resort. Through that, you can pay for whatever you may need during the school year.

In conclusion, it’s not easy to get into a college. It takes hard work, patience and also a positive nature about it. With the right attitude and determination, you can do anything. Research the colleges you are interested in, check the application fees and requirements, etc. Remember, there’s plenty to choose from. The whole world is at your feet!
Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

How to Edit Your Research Paper

Okay you’ve written the first draft of your research paper. Now you’re ready to get in and get it polished to the gem it deserves to be.  Editing and polishing are the final steps for any academic paper.  Your final paper will sparkle using these editing tips.

Cut Up Your Draft

Don’t shred it.  Cut your draft into paragraphs. This serves two purposes.  First it allows you to arrange and rearrange the paragraphs to find the most logical order.  Second, it allows you to see and craft each individual paragraph.

Add and Delete Material

Once you’ve rearranged your paragraphs, you can see areas that need more substantiation and other areas that have too much information.  Fill-in and delete material to achieve optimal balance.

Survey

Look over the paper with an eye for transitions.  How does one sentence lead to another? How does one paragraph lead to another?

Pairing the Introduction and Conclusion

Read over the introduction and conclusion.  Do they link or refer to each other?  Does the introduction tell the reader what they are going to learn?  Does the conclusion recap  the points of your paper?  If not go back and rewrite.

Read from the Bottom Up

Proofread your paper by reading the paper from the bottom up.  Reading the paper in this way, allows you to focus on the words and punctuation, rather than what you meant to say.

Review Your Citation Style

Finally review your citations and be sure that you are using the correct style.

Okay, you’re done.  Do you see the sparkle?

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: ,

Power Reading for Textbooks

Studies show that reading retention varies widely from student to student. The difference between readers who retain much of what they read and readers who don’t—isn’t how well they read, but how intentional they read.  Intentional readers utilize the SQR3 method.  In other words, they:

  • first survey the material,
  • ask questions before they read,
  • read the text,
  • recite what they read,
  • and finally review all that they’ve read.

Survey the Material

Look over the chapter or chapters you are assigned to read.  How are the chapters laid out? Are there section and subsection headings?  Read the summary and questions at the end of the chapter.  Surveying the material in advance prepares you to get the most meaning from the material.

Ask Questions

In each section or subsection ask yourself some questions before you begin to read.  What is the dominant point?  What examples or evidence support this point?  By asking the questions before you dive into reading, you set your mind up to find the answers.  When your mind has a task to do, an answer to find, it keeps the solution in memory.

Read

Now read the section, looking for and noting the answers to your questions. Take notes.  Writing also cements knowledge into memory.

Recite

After you’ve read the material, summarize what you’ve read.  What were the main points? What were the examples and evidence that supported the points? Was there a chain of events that lead to a conclusion?

Review

The final step is to go back and highlight the most important points and expand your notes.

In the beginning, it takes practice and repetition to follow the steps in order.  Over time, it becomes second nature.  When it does, you’ll find your study time is cut in half and your reading retention more than doubles.

Filed Under: Education, How to Study Tagged With: , ,

Memory Tricks That Help You Study

Students often struggle with memorization. Committing lists of names, events, and dates presents a challenge to even the best students.  What many students don’t know is that there are a few tricks to make the process easier.  Here are a few tried and true techniques.

Mnemonics

The word “mnemonics” is derived from the Greek word relating to memory ‘mnemonikos.’  Mnemonics is a memory technique that associates data to be remembered with acronyms, short silly sentences, or poems.  For instance if you were trying to remember the seven colors of the rainbow, you might arrange the first letters of the words: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet to read BIG ROY  V. Because Big Roy V is unusual, your memory grabs on to it and holds it.  If you visualize a rainbow around Big Roy V you’ve made an even bigger impact on your memory.  Try it.

Journey Method

To use the journey method to remember the colors of the rainbow, you would first visualize a trip you take frequently.  For instance, visualize the trip from home to school. Think about the landmarks along the way:  the door, the driveway, the service station on the corner, the T- intersection, Starbucks on the right, the mall, and finally the school.  Now assign colors to the landmarks and see those colors in your mind.  The door is red; the driveway is orange; the service station is yellow, etc.

Roman Method

The Roman method is similar to the journey method but instead of a trip, you visualize a room you are familiar with, let’s say your living room.  Visualize the main objects in the room, such as, sofa, chair, coffee table, television, bookcase, lamp, and the rug.  Then assign the colors to the different items in the room.

Memorization can be tricky, but you’ll soon be a master using these simple tricks.

Filed Under: How to Learn, How to Study Tagged With: , ,

Know Your Learning Style

Did you know there are styles of learning? While you may not have heard them referred to as ‘styles,’ you know instinctively how you learn best. Most of us have a dominant learning style, ( a way you learn best) and supplement our learning with the other styles.  What are these styles? The three basic learning styles are:  visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners.

Visual Learners

Visual learners have strong spatial skills.  They see and remember sizes, shapes, and three-dimensional depths.  They have a discerning eye for aesthetics and visual media. You might be a visual learner if you:

  • Love language that is ripe with imagery.
  • Keep journals and take notes.
  • Need to see what you are learning.

Auditory Learners

Auditory learners learn best by listening to oral explanations. Their brains are tuned to record and process information that they hear. They often have a wide vocabulary and are able to make oral presentations with ease.  You might be an auditory learner if you:

  • Read aloud to cement an idea or concept to memory.
  • Hum or talk to yourself in idle moments

Kinesthetic Learners

Kinesthetic learners are hands-on learners.  They learn best by doing. They are often agile and well coordinated. Their ability to learn is determined by how involved they can physically be in the process.  Many performers and athletes are kinesthetic learners.  You might be a kinesthetic learner if you:

  • Have difficulty sitting still and would rather be tinkering with something.
  • Use your hands, as well as, your words to explain something.
  • Are uncomfortable in learning environments that rely totally on lectures.

While most of us have a dominant learning style, we often flex to other styles in specific situations.  Knowing your dominant style and in what situations you flex to other styles will help you choose educational opportunities geared to your strengths and styles.

Filed Under: Education, How to Learn Tagged With: ,

Various Types of College Work Placement

Many of us fear the outcome of higher education at any age but the good news is there’s a wealth of available resources, including college work placement. Obtaining temporary work experiences during college can help people achieve personal growth as well as resume building. Students having multiple work experiences during their completion of university studies may attract attention from employers who are searching for applicants to fill long-term positions upon graduation.

Some “able-bodied” and physically challenged students alike may find it acceptable to work via businesses and organizations. But nonprofit agencies will provide the actual job opportunity to students while they attend school. These agencies are responsible for student compensation, rather than the businesses themselves.

Travel-hungry students can opt for impermanent employment experience overseas. Naturally, this means applicants must first be able to acquire a foreign work license in order to attain a job position. Organizations including CIEE and BUNAC can help overseas-hopefuls to get their work permits and can assist these students in locating temporary jobs abroad. Although there aren’t innumerable opportunities for people without work permits, there are a handful of companies that may offer them in addition to the job itself for the right candidates.

Some campuses may offer college work placement as an inclusive part of the learning experience in higher education. As a result, grade-point average can be partially affected by the student’s quality of work performance. Temporary project-based work is usually unpaid, while longer-term work lasting up to a year typically compensated. In this case, students attend classes around their work schedules. Please note that attendance status must remain at full-time. Otherwise, financial aid can be reduced (if applicable).

Merely because students are working on campus via an internship, working temporarily abroad, or participating in a cooperative education or work-study program it’s important to exercise professionalism when applying. Don’t be surprised if prospective employers require an interview, cover letter and resume since the same things are necessary.

Filed Under: Education, Teaching Methods Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Test Taking

Tests measure performance and knowledge.  In addition tests results may dictate which colleges will accept you for admission. So students have a lot riding on the outcome.  Here are some simple tips to make your next test-taking experience the best ever.

Before the Test

  • Review. Review the material for the test.  But also, review previous tests.  What types of questions did you struggle with? What types of questions were easy? Visualize yourself succeeding.
  • Rehearse. Take a practice test, if one is available.  If not, talk to others who have already taken the test.  What advice do they have?
  • Take care of your body. Get plenty of sleep the night before.  Eat a good breakfast the morning of your test.
  • Bring the right supplies. Know what you can bring to the testing area. Bring plenty of scratch paper, pens, pencils, calculators, and a dictionary (if allowed).

Take the Test

  • Review the test. Before you answer a single question, look over the test.  How is it organized? Is it there a multiple choice section? A true false section?  Are there essay questions?
  • Read the directions and know your time frame. Take the time to read the instructions for each section before your begin. Set time frames for each section.
  • Do the easiest first. Quickly answer the easiest questions first.  If you don’t know the answer instantly, move on.  Once the easy questions are finished, start back through the test to answer the tougher questions.  If you don’t know the answer—guess.  If you leave a question blank, you have no chance to get it right.  If you guess, you have a chance.
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