Degree Programs, Learning Software to Distant Learning.

Saint Dominic University brings you an online learning oriented blog about online degree programs, ranging from bachelors to masters and PhD. STDU's blog will also talk about the most advanced learning software in todays industry as well as what's going on in the online learning world. Our goal, as well as any other online educational institution is to provide the best in online learning for students today.
Feel free to visit our Online Degree Programs page to find out more.

September 19 2008

Online Degree Programs: How to study for them

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It’s a fact that a degree from a quality higher education institution, be it online or off-line can radically increase one’s earning power throughout the course of a life. The potential may be hard to believe: statistics indicate that a higher education degree can increase one’s earning power by several hundred thousand dollars over the course of a lifetime. With this awareness, one can see why access to a quality online degree program can significantly alter the future.

It is clear that there is a correlation between earning power and education. Individuals who possess a high school diploma or GED can make, on average, twice as much as those who have not completed any education at the high school level. However, for those who possess a college degree, they will find themselves earning (on average) twice as much as their peers with only a high school diploma or GED. Obviously, a degree, be it an offline or online college degree can radically change the direction of one’s life.

The advantages of a degree can be summarized very succinctly: People who invest in a college degree for themselves, be it online or off-line, will make much more money over the course of their lives as their counterparts.

It is clear that there is value in obtaining a degree. And with today’s access to the internet via home computers, the ease and simplicity of obtaining a degree from an online educational institution makes this a viable alternative for many.

In today’s brave new world of online cyber-world classrooms, admission criteria are not an impediment for the potential student. Likewise, costs are greatly reduced for the student since online educational programs do not have to maintain the overhead that traditional programs must maintain. Also, students can pursue their online educational programs at their own pace.

There are no requirements for the amount of credit hours that must be signed up for in any given time period.

There are differences and similarities between online and off-line colleges and universities. In many respects the curriculum can be very similar. And it is clear, that a diploma from either type of institution can enhance earning power.

It is quite possible for students to obtain federal financial aid at certain online colleges. Scholarships and other financial aid may also be offered for students attending online college classes.
However, here is the rub: Not all online colleges and universities are created equal.
Some are nothing but diploma mills and scams; the diplomas that they issue are probably worth less than the paper they are printed on. These bogus degrees will not open the doors that lead to better jobs and bigger opportunities.

Such sinister “educational programs” only serve to hurt those who do not thoroughly investigate before making a commitment to an educational path.

However, one can very easily protect him or herself from such scam operations by finding out a very simple bit of information. Is the online educational program accredited? Quality online degree programs are always accredited by an accrediting agency.

Just as there are colleges and universities in the real world that do not possess accreditation, so there are online colleges and universities in the internet world that do not possess this standard of quality. But good educational programs, either offline or online, will possess and provide accreditation information from outside reviewing resources.

Clearly, online degree programs are viable alternatives for people seeking the advantages of higher education. Quality online degree programs are accredited like their off-line counterparts and the education from an online program can be obtained at a fraction of the cost of a traditional program. Online degree programs are easily accessible, providing ready access to many with busy schedules. With all of these advantages, it is understandable why more and more people are seeking the online route to pursuing higher education.

This was a great article written by Chris Tilden that we had to feature. Very well written and to the point.

September 06 2008

Online Degree Program Insight

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There are several reasons to why getting an online degree program is best for most people. We’ll list a few and leave you to decide on whether participating on an online degree program is your thing or not.

First off, an online degree program allow you to set your own schedule. Accredited online degrees usually don’t allow you to lazily finish a course although it’s not as frustrating as taking one on campus somewhere, but with uncredited courses that are as high quality education wise, you are free to study when you want, within reason.

Online courses are accessible almost anytime, which means if you want to take your courses early in the morning, you can, late at night you can! You can even take them while at work if you have a net connection, that’s all you need! It’s really that simple.

Online degrees don’t expose you to intimidating professors or even students. Other students with similar ambitions are usually incredibly intimidating and competitive Online degree programs free you from that interaction as well as the interactions of a potentially bullying professor. Additionally, there is the “safety” issue. When you’re using an online program, you don’t expose yourself to potentially unsafe situations by walking across a dark campus at night.

Online degrees are cost effective. Remember that you won’t need to drive to class. You won’t have dorm room fees, meal plans, or parties to attend, wait, you can still go to parties if you want! Don’t forget you can interact with hundreds of students online so it will always be fun! Many online degree programs are way more affordable than their traditional grounded program counterparts. Take our degree programs for example, research starts at less than $3,000 a year, with the quality of education and help you’re getting, that just can’t be met in traditional ground programs. Online Degrees are becoming the hottest method of learning today.

So do you want to get an MBA? DO you want to finish a degree you left alone years ago? Have a job or two and need to juggle all of it while taking the courses? You know taking an online degree program is the way to go!

August 26 2008

MBA Basics - read, learn and conquer!

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What skills does an MBA student need? While students entering business school have tremendously different sets of skills, all students need at least a minimal amount of proficiency in certain areas. Without these abilities, you’ll have a hard time adjusting to the b-school world. So what are they?

The fundamentals of business are taught in every MBA program. Accounting, economics, finance, organizational behavior, marketing, statistics, and operations form the primary business disciplines and skills and are in the expected repertoire for any MBA. How and when students cover the basic skills varies, however. In most programs these subjects will be taught in a group of core courses required of every student. These core courses consume most or all of the first year of study in a two-year full-time program.

So kick start your MBA with this really great [MBA Basics e-book] <--Download.

August 21 2008

Distant Learning

Distant learning is a problem to most, but with online learning becoming more advanced, tools developed every day and thousands of people enrolling online, we can safely say that the idea of distant learning is no longer distant, its very much here, and growing at a rapid rate!

Learning Management System enables students to effectively plan and manage their online learning. Saint Dominic University students can access courses, submit assignments, check schedules, see grades, enter the online classroom, submit and receive assignments, take tests and quizzes, sit exams and control many other features that make learning at Saint Dominic University a rich and enjoyable learning experience.

Student Account details
The students may update their profile and contact details here and personalize their cyber identity and the look of their home page.

Preference Settings and customization:
The student may customize and choose colors for the Learning Management System according to their tastes. Learners can control some of the LMS features and theme.

Online Journal/Notes
Students can keep private or shared notes and can make notes in a journal and select to make them private or to share them with their instructor or with other students. This is a tool for students to record notes and write down general thoughts. Instructors may leave students notes or questions of their own in the student journal.

File Storage:
All students have their own file storage utility and can keep track of drafts or changes to documents.

Tests:
Students take tests, review test results, and keep track of their scores through the LMS

File sharing
The students may pick up any handout or files up-loaded by the instructor. This tool also enables the student to upload and download documents, images and files the instructor or other students provide.

Polls and Surveys
The university or instructors can create one question polls to quickly gather student opinions.

Discussion Forums
Use discussion Forums to exchange ideas with other students, instructors and administrators and post discussion threads.

File Exchange
Student can upload files and share content from their personal folder with the instructors. Students can also use this facility to submit assignments into a drop box.

Internal Email
Students can use the internal email feature or instant messaging tool to communicate with other enrolled students and with tutors.

Shared document drafting:
Group members can work within a Web-based document, collaborating on its development and then transferring it to the shared documents library once finalized.

Photo Gallery
Students can share photos and instructors and administrators can contribute and manage course photo galleries.

Feedback:
Success, warning or error messages are given following several operations, such as saving preference settings, or posting a message to keep the student informed on the status of these actions.

Security
High level of security is provided to ensure privacy of all students using the system. All Login passwords are encrypted and forgotten passwords must be reset, rather than retrieved by email, removing the possibility of interception.

Library
The LMS enables access to the library for books, papers, reports, magazines and journals.

Orientation facility
The system includes an online course to help students to learn how to use the university learning systems. Students can access context sensitive help for any tool, or for fields within tools.

Workgroups
Instructors can create group activities, and assign group leaders to create and manage groups. Each group has its own group home page, files exchange area, discussion forum, chat room, group email list, assessments and shared calendar.
Students can send email to their study group, use a shared chat space and notice board, and share material privately within the group. Students from different courses can interact system wide using shared discussion forums.
Students have personal and public folders that can be shared with other students, group members and course instructors.

Real-time chat
Students can see who else is online within their course, or group and chat with them. Instructors may monitor chats and join in or schedule chats using the group’s calendar. Accessible synchronous communication is possible between group members and is ideal for online meetings or group socializing.

Group Membership Index:
Group members can view other group members’ profiles and contact information, if made available by the student.

News & Announcements:
Group administrators and administrators, can post news to be presented to the students when they first login to a group.

Group Blog:
Each group has access to their own blog, to which they can post public messages which can be seen by all course members, or private messages which can only be seen by group members and instructors.

Media Center:
For students to post poetry, artworks, videos and their creative writing,

University paper
The university paper to be written by students for students

University advertisement
Students would be able to place their own advertising.

University clubs:
students can open online clubs for all sorts of hobbies and share their ideas, and chat with other students that have the same interests.

Share photos.
Instructors and administrators can contribute and manage course photo galleries.

August 20 2008

Online Learning: Results or Methods?

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Some people believe the method of learning, education in general is more important that the results.. We believe that with the right method, results can be achieved. It’s not that method or content isn’t important, it’s just that sometimes we begin to believe in processes as if they are the reason for our existence. They aren’t. The reason we exist is to educate kids and fulfill our mission.

Education Week reported that the U.S. Department of Education has set up guidelines for evaluating K-12 online programs, what is important is that they’ve decided to stress results rather than process or method. This is great news for charters and for home school parents.

This means (We hope) that charters won’t have to worry about things like contact hours, recording time spent online, whether or not teachers are certified, which web sites or which curriculum was used. We hope what it means is that if students are learning, the government won’t worry about the details. We hope it means that students who learn will be rewarded with less supervision and intrusion so that we can spend our supervisory time and resources on student who aren’t learning and so that we can figure out why. This is truly the beginning of a new page in Online Learning.