Online education?

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   stacypringalposted 16 years ago

   how good are those online degree programs, I've been offered an awesome deal to earn a degree in the field I wanted to study for a long time now. How good are they?Also give me resources from where i can get information about online college degree.

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      Hope Wilbanksposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      One of the most important things to ask is are they accredited, and with whom? If they are not an accredited college/university you won't be receiving actual credits for your work. Good luck!

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         bbjaneposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Your right Hope Wilbanks. If it is accredited or not. It is very important. Good luck

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      janmejayposted 15 years agoin reply to this

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         janmejayposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Can you please let me know are you looking for domestic or internation online degree programs. So that i can help you out.

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   molejposted 15 years ago

   I think what everyone has said is very important, be sure it is accredited.
   
   I am thinking of trying to get a Masters in Education from University of Phoenix. I need to talk to them a little more to get more information from them. I know they do offer a lot of online classes and they are accredited, this maybe an option for you if you are looking at taking online classes.   Maybe someone here will have more experience with them or could offer another university or college that is good for online classes.

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      leftquarkposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I got my Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix.  At first I was skeptical but it turned out to be a really good experience.  It was probably the same amount of work as going to Cal State but you don't have to drive to class and they are much more flexible.  The downside is that it's much more expensive, however if it's the only way you can fit working with getting your degree part time it's well worth the cost. 
      
      Stacy, what career are you looking for?  Some employers don't care where your degree comes from but others do.  Check people in the field you are studying and good luck.

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   tcnixonposted 15 years ago

   Following up on these posts, yes, make sure it is accredited by someone listed on this page:
   
   Recognized Accrediting Associations
   
   The only other recognized accreditor is CITA. It is located here:
   
   CITA
   
   Please make sure that the school is accredited by someone on that list. Just as there are fake schools out there in the world, so, too, are there fake accreditors.
   
   By the way, once upon a time, I was the co-author of "Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning". While I am no longer associated with the Bears' Guide series, that book is still considered the standard reference in the field. Your local public library probably has a copy of it.
   
   
   Tom Nixon

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   Marian Swiftposted 15 years ago

   One of my co-workers is working toward a degree with University of Phoenix.  Our employer is reimbursing her tuition, and they're rightfully fussy about where their money goes.  Phoenix is legit ... can't vouch for any others.

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      tcnixonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely. The University of Phoenix is certainly legitimate. It is also not without its detractors (due to its perceived rigor). I had a close friend do a graduate degree through them and the quality and rigor seemed quite comparable to my own brick-and-mortar master's degree.
      
      
      Tom Nixon

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         thranaxposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, never really cared to do something for less that could amount to be more if I called it by a different name.

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   Tammy-Mposted 15 years ago

   Studying online is a very good option for professionals. But the main target of yours should be accredited colleges & universities or else your money would simply be wasted for nothing but a piece of paper. Being an Online Education Specialist i can tell you that there are hundreds of legitimate online universities for you to consider. You can find complete reviews and information about online universities here: <snippped promotional link>
   
   The information you would find there is legitimate and factual. Hope it helps
   
   Also check out: <snippped promotional link>
   
   Cheers!

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      tcnixonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      On your website, I noticed that you have colleges that are regionally accredited and some that are nationally accredited. I did not see it, but I hope somewhere on your site that you discuss the difference between the two (and why regional accreditation is more accepted by colleges and employers).
      
      Best,
      
      
      Tom

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   Whyraposted 15 years ago

   HI Dear friend
   Well, Online education is good or bad is totally depends upon the student's strength and his/her ability. There is lot of difference comes if you go through online education. Of course resources are less..no lab facility..no professors direct contact... Any education will helpful only group discussion. Arrange or organize a place where some people can meet and discuss about. Normally women prefer the line education and government employees prefers. If you applied for Computer course degree then online course is good otherwise you have to do hard work. because computer course can learn anywhere .
   
   Thanks.

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   hubby7posted 15 years ago

   I concur with many of the comments posted heretofore: That you have to be sure that the online school is accredited and that the University of Phoenix is a great choice. That's where I got my Masters in Adult Education a few years ago. I have to admit that I seemed to have done more work there than at my brick-and-mortar school. I had to do a lot of reading, a lot of writing, and a lot of interaction. For example, not only did I have to write papers for most--if not all of my classes--but also I had to participate a certain number of times a week or my grade would be affected. As to reading, I had both to do the reading assignment and read instructions on how to go about doing an assignment, finding the library and navigating the school's website. Last, I had to do an awful amount of typing. My joke about the University of Phoenix was that--and I was kidding--that even if I did not learn any other thing at U of P, I definitely learned how to type! If you decide to pursue this option, get ready to do a whole heap of work---a lot of reading, writing, and typing and --yes--group projects and interactions. U of P is no cake walk. You might find yourself working harder there online than in an actual real world classroom. I could go on but I will stop here for now. In closing, I have to say is: Get Ready To Work!!
   
                                                                hubby7

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   hubby7posted 15 years ago

   Is online education for you? If you are the social  type that likes to socialize, online education alone may not be your thing. Notwithstanding that, you can still take courses online. However, you may not want to take all of your classes online. You might want to take some of your classes in the traditional classroom. Taking classes in this manner is termed hybred education--some  classes are taken online and others are taken, again, in the traditional classroom setting.
   
   One thing more: If you are majoring in a subject that involves a lot of handsl-on training, an online education is probably not what you looking for. On the other hand, if what you are studying requires a lot of reading, writing and reflection, an online education is an excellent way to go!
   
                           hubby7

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   hubby7posted 15 years ago

   Hi All,
   
   Let me say one thing more about the advantages of online education: If you truly want to pursue an advanced degree or your first degree, but you find that you don't have to time to do so at a traditional learning institution, an online education is the way to go! You can hold down a full-time job, have a family, work extra hours like I did, and if you have both the discipline and the determination, you can, like I did, secure a degree online. How is this possible? Answer: You can show up in class, post your messages and go to the library online to conduct your research anytime at your convenience. It doesn't matter what time zone you are in. Yes, this is the way to go if you don't have time to attend regular college, but are determined to get your degree anyway.
   
                                            hubby7

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    hattossposted 15 years ago

    Why not online? We all know that one can earn accredited online degree from any of the good universities. An that too while you are earning and enjoying your time with your family.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    That's right, Hattoss, why not enjoy the best of both worlds--school and your family life all at the same time. Every moment with one's loved ones should be treasured while you are simultaneously improving yourself and your family's life through educating yourself.

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    crashcromwellposted 15 years ago

    Hubby, I enjoyed reading your many posts on this subject, and the University of Phoenix in particular, since I presently teach for Axia College of the U of P. I have had the privilege of teaching for local community colleges, a private college and another online university, but so far in my experience, students get the most bang for their buck at the University of Phoenix online. In fact, I'm so impressed that after I have taught 5 classes for the University, I plan to enroll in their Ph. D. program in higher education administration. It's expensive, but as a faculty member with at least five completed courses taught, I can get 33% off tuition. It's also great because I don't have to worry about room and board costs as I did when pursuing my B.A. and M.A. at traditional institutions.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Thanks, crashcromwell, I am glad that you appreciated my comment. I hope to post more about online education from time to time. I recieved my MA in Adult Education and Distance Learning from the University of Phoenix Online. I am still looking forward to teaching online courses in adult education somewhere. My BA was in Philosophy from Roosevelt University. So far I have not used either of them. But thanks a bunch for your reply.
    
                       hubby7

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    crashcromwellposted 15 years ago

    I loved philosophy when I was an undergrad. Did you have a favorite philosopher? I once did a research paper comparing Plato's Republic and Utopia. My instructor said it was one of the better papers he had gotten at that point. I even coached a guy in my ethics class to pass the class so he could graduate! Man, he was buying beers for me at alumni events for years!

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Yes, I do have a favorite philosopher. He is none other than Socrates. I admire him for several reasons: First, he was extremely knowledgeable. Second, he was moral. Third, he was excessively strong. And last but not least, he had a mystical sense. These are the reasons I choose Socrates as my favorite philosopher.
    
                        hubby7

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       crashcromwellposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I would have to agree with that, particularly because I have always employed the Socratic method of teaching. He was a righteous dude!

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    agesposted 15 years ago

    Once you have made the commitment to advancing your education with an online degree program, chances are good that you are going to be anxious to begin. However, just because you feel ready to enter into an online degree program doesn't mean that you should simply jump in; there's a fair amount of research that you are going to want to do and a number of questions that you're going to want to have answered so that you can be sure the online degree program that you choose will help you to reach your goals.
    -----------------------------------------
    ages
    
    drivenwide.com

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       crashcromwellposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       While I agree with the premise here, the fact that you have signed up and without so much as posting a single hub before publishing this post in the forum, with the url at the bottom, I'd say this was purely promotional.

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    Shadesbreathposted 15 years ago

    Brick and mortar degrees carry way more respect, period, and the GOOD schools are still what they always were.  The difference is that with an "accredited" online school that at least paid the fees to get themselves listed as being real, you can check off another box on the application for a promotion or new job.  The real difference comes down to the experience and how much information you retain.
    
    I'm sure diligent, hard core learners who are all about the accumulation of knowledge can pull a great deal from these online programs because, frankly, they would have been devouring these books all along.  In fact, the kind of person who will really thrive at this sort of thing actually hardly needed the program at all; they would have been actively seeking books and digesting them for the pure joy of learning anyway... these online "universities"  merely give them a piece of paper to allow them to check off that degree block on their resume.
    
    I don't think there's too many people other than the graduates and staff of online universities that are going to argue that the actual learning is better doing it by yourself online though.  Online universities are just the modern equivalent of "correspondence school."  For a period in time, they were "legit" too.
    
    THe idea of a university is, as some have said, as old as Plato and, very much Aristotle.  Granted we've cast off much of what they thought about the balance of mind and body, but, some of their ideas remain.  Nothing in the last 4,000 years gives any evidence to suggest that just reading some crap and filling out a quiz, tossing off a paper to some professor who you've never even listened to and therefor have no idea deeply through the conveyance of body language and emotive speech how they really feel about an idea of philosophy can even remotely match the experience of sitting day after day amongst your peers and professors.  Listening to live speeches and engaging in arguments, active ones with eye to eye contact and blushing cheeks... wrestling with material and being challenged by others who you run into on campus while at lunch... that's such a huge part of what embeds learning into your mind and soul.
    
    Passing quizzes and dashing off a paper to be graded by some nebulous Ph.D just doesn't do much for me.
    
    Great for a raise or promotion requirement, but I've seen nothing to garner these schools any deep academic respect.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Obviously, you are anti-online education. Question: Have you ever taken a single college course from a credible university such as the University of Phoenix, Yale or Stanford? Are you speaking from experience or from speculation or hearsay? Also, just as all traditional universities are not of the same quality, so too does the same applies to online schools. Some are better than others. You also say that people who thrive at online schools don't really need the program anyway. Mind you, the same could be said in respect to many students who take a degree from a traditional brick and mortar school. They really don't need to go to college. They can achieve the same on their own. Online education is not the same obviously as education in a brick and mortar school. That being the case, online students cannot expect to come away with the same experience as a student at a traditional college. Because it is different and not the norm does not necessarily mean that it is inferior. In fact, when I was taking to a relative about education, he was amazed that I knew so much about education. Then I reminded him that that I was talking an advanced degree in education. My point: Online universities must be doing something right. They are educating.
    
                         hubby7

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    Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

    I think online courses are becoming much more accepted by employers and others. Like you said, many legitimate schools offer online education now.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Shadesbreath is right in saying that brick and mortar school are more respected. Noone in his or her right mind would argue the contrary. However, that is a temporal statement that is subject to change. No, I'm not implying that online education will replace traditional education. I am arguing that as time goes on more and more people will probably get involved in online education. And I say that for two reasons: One is that our society is getting busier and busier. People are working harder and harder and longer and longer to stay ahead. Often they do not have the time to attend a traditional college. Hence they are faced with the challenge of getting a degree in a now non-traditional way or to get no degree at all. The second reason that online degrees might become more of the norm is that the rising generation will be used to Internet 2.0. That is to say that they will be as used to interacting online through blogs and social networking as they are used to carrying around a cell phone. Perhaps online education might seem a curiosity to our generation but it might appear not so strange or unusual to the up and coming generation, It will be a mere extension of what they are used to doing anyway. I will grant you this: That college education will most likely become a mixed bag wherein students take some courses online and others in a more traditional setting. Of course, that will be their own choice. Or, they will choose based on what is most feasible for them in their situation. And, yes, UninvitedWriter, I agree with you that online education IS becoming more acceptable. The rate at which this is becoming so, I--unfornately--cannot measure.
    
                             hubby7

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    Whitney05posted 15 years ago

    I'm an online student, and have been for the past year and a half or  so. I love it! I'm almost finished with my associate's degree at Troy University. I just wish that there were more degrees offered online. I would love a journalism or writing degree, but i can't find anywhere that I've heard of to get the degree... Which is the problem. There are many colleges offering online programs, but not all of them are truly respectable or accredited for such degree.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Hi Whitney05,
    
    I'm happy for you that you are enjoying your pursuit of a degree online!
    May I ask you why you decided to take your degree online and not a traditional brick and mortar university?
    
                           hubby7

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       Whitney05posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I'm just not a fan of going to school, schedules, and living by the bell (so to speak). I wanted to be able to decide my future and work on my education as I wanted, and I knew that I could not have a full  time job and go to class even as a part time student. I am not full time at my job and working hard teaching myself at the same time. But, not many jobs would allow for this; I'm just so lucky to be a receptionist at a company who says it's ok for me to study while answering the phones and handling customers/clients. Before this I was a call center rep, which allowed me to study and work on school at the same time. Well, actually I worked at a pet store after the call center and before being a receptionist- that was a little hard, but doable since it was retail with weird hours.

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          hubby7posted 15 years agoin reply to this

          My hat goes off to you, Whitney05. As they used to say in the '60, "More Power to You"! One thing more: You are one of the luck ones whose employer allows you to study at work. Again, I wish you the best with your online studies.
          
                                             hubby7

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             Whitney05posted 15 years agoin reply to this

             Yes. I have been pretty lucky in terms of employer letting me study. Like I think I said, I was at a call center, and now as a receptionist, I just study on the down time, and there is usually downtime.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Online education is alive and well! It's in its infancy right now but continues to grow. If you want to learn more about online education before you or someone you know decides to sign up for a course or degree online, visit my hub. I have three hubs on it and I hope to write other hubs about it in the future.
    
                            hubby7

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    Research Analystposted 15 years ago

    I agree that online degrees are here to stay and will continue to grow, with the large number of boomers retiring out of skilled and knowledgeable careers, online corporate career training courses will be necessary to help fill the gap and get these positions filled.
    
    Businesses needing qualified employees and individuals wanting to further their education have no choice but to take advantage of the convenience of online degree programs, higher gas prices dictates it and especially with average families getting busier and t i m e becoming a major issue, online degree programs will be the method of choice for those who want to continue their education, have a career change or stay up to date with the latest advancements in technology.
    
    I have taken several online classes and I liked them very much, I like the fact that I can get online at midnight or whenever and do my assignments, plus the interaction between the other class mates is always encouraging and everyone seems to be more open online and discussing issues easier. In comparison to taking classes on campus, the commute, finding a seat in the class room, seeing or understanding what the teacher says and taking notes. It just seems like for me it is easier to concentrate and review material online versus in a class room setting.
    
    I found this college Breyer State University that offers a Bachelors Degree in Journalism Online Degree Program
    http://www.breyerstate.com/bachelors-journalism.htm
    
    So I think more and more well established accredited colleges and universities will be offering online degree programs that will be accepted by employers, just as much as the off line degree programs.

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    hubby7posted 15 years ago

    Well put, Research Analyst. I concur with all that you said.
    
                            hubby7

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    It will help a lot students  in the under developed countries.

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    There are many universities in India and abroad which offers online degrees. Some are really good and some are not. Please check reputation of the university before you fill up forms for admission.
    Jyoti Kothari

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       janmejayposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I do agree with you jyoti. one must be very careful before opting for any courses online

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    You can write an article on the issue. We will enjoy.

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    Donna18posted 15 years ago

    Why to go for online college education go for regular degree sources. you know why because prestigious institute and college don't believe in online courses. Only the secondary institute universities offers such courses. the knowledge and training you would get in regular college you won't find in online degree.
    
    It was just an advice now its up to to you.................

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