The objective of this course is to help individuals plan, implement and manage their online studies.
It is for managers, professionals, and high school and college students. It is especially for RN-CEUs and may also be helpful to those who plan degree studies at a local or residential institutions. 

Study the following six parts and make notes on a paper. Answer the 6 main questions in blue in detail and some of the other ones that apply. You may also print out this page and make notes in the margins as you go along. 

The six parts of this course are:

Time to start....

1. WHAT EDUCATION DO I NEED?

1.1 But first, consider your work history. Has your present educational level contributed to or hindered your work life? Have you been dissatisfied in your work or personal life because you lacked the education to do more satisfying activities?

 1.2 Take stock of the courses, certificates, portfolios, professional licenses, diplomas and degrees that you have accumulated so far. Collect them all in one place. Could you solve the following problem: If 6 is added to the triple of a number, the result is 81. What is the number? All this is part of your educational history. What, if anything, is lacking?

1.3 Look at yourself and note what type of person you are. If you are an individual who is rather independent, works well alone, disciplines himself to follow plans, and has a thirst for knowledge, online studies may be easier for you. If you need much supervision, are not well organized and easily procrastinate, you will have to budget more time for your online studies.

1.4 After you examined the above information, you are ready to start designing your learning. Some questions that will help you are: Do I really need or want more education? Is my present education enough? Am I willing to do what it takes to complete an online degree? Do I have the time and financial resources to study online? Online studies are not necessarily easier or cheaper than classroom attendance. But they are more convenient and flexible. If you cannot budget at least 5-10 hours weekly study time and $1,000 yearly, online degree studies may not be for you. So this may be a good time to quit this course and go watch TV. These issues, together with the next sections, will constitute you learning design.

2. WHAT DEGREE IS BEST FOR ME?

2.1 After starting your learning design in the above section, you are now ready to explore the type of degree that you would like to aim at. Generally, there are four levels of degrees: associate, bachelor, master and doctoral degrees. If you do not have a degree, start with an online associate degree. It can be completed within 6-24 months and it can advance your job rather soon. So what degree will you target first?

 2.2 Associate, bachelor and masters degrees are quite plentiful online. They are now offered in many fields. Not every area lends itself to online studies. There are very few reputable universities that do not require some short-time residences as part of their online doctoral studies. Actually, there are very few that offer any online doctoral studies. Does your area lend itself to online studies?

2.3 Associate, bachelor and master degrees are in the fields of art, including the humanities and social and behavioral sciences (AA, BA, MA), science that includes applied science and mathematics (ASc, BSc, MSc) or in specialties. Doctoral degrees are in philosophy (PhD) or in specialties (EdD, DBA etc.) Some areas are more valued than others. 

AN: ED460268 CHN: CE078109 AU: Rentner,-Diane-Stark; Jennings,-John-F. TI: A Young Person's Guide to Earning and Learning: Preparing for College, Preparing for Careers.
This booklet, which is intended for high school students, provides basic information about available types of postsecondary education and the kinds of education that will be required for careers of the future. The guide begins with a discussion of the various types of education now available to high school graduates besides a traditional four-year college program. Next, the following topics are discussed: average earnings of individuals with different levels of education and different college majors; percentage of high school graduates who earn a bachelor's degree; courses that improve students' chances of getting into college; options for high school students who do not want or complete a bachelor's degree; costs and trade-offs of trying to get a college degree; types and levels of education that will likely be required by tomorrow's careers; and facts that students should consider when deciding whether to pursue postsecondary education. Concluding the guide are the following: postal and Internet addresses of organizations that can provide additional information about preparing for postsecondary education; bibliography of 13 print resources; and annotated bibliography of 14 American Youth Policy Forum publications. (MN) www.askeric.gov

3. WHAT MAJOR SHOULD I CHOOSE?

3.1 The area of your degree is not the same as your major. Many associate degrees consist of general studies and do not list a major. That is all right if you take the AA or ASc and do not need a specialty or plan to take your specialty later. Do you need a major?

 3.2 Professional degrees generally lead to incenses and thus directly to jobs. Most of them are in health science, engineering, computers, education and business. Many students taking these degrees are already in the profession and want to advance in it. Are you targeting one of these professions?

 3.3 Degrees in the sciences such as biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics and zoology are seldom ever offered on the associate degree level. The same holds true for degrees in the many of the social and behavioral sciences and humanities. These are often advanced studies. Are these your areas?

3.4 If you target an associate degree, you often do not need a major. But generally, an associate with a major is more valuable that one without. But for you, one without may be just right. There is a Bachelor of Liberal Studies or the like that does not require a major. Again, it is not the most job-oriented degree. What major do you need?

4. WHAT UNIVERSITY IS BEST FOR ME?

4.1 The choice of a college or university makes a very big difference in you studies. Some are user-friendly and very helpful. Others let you dig it out for yourself. Some are expensive, others cheaper. Some have a national reputation, others are unknown except in their city. With the exception of one, all the linked colleges and universities are accredited by their regional accrediting bodies. That means that their degrees are generally transferable and meet some (but not necessarily all) quality indicators. What is important as you choose a college or university? Check out  Spectrum Learning  and CAL Virtual University.

4.2 Higher education online institutions may be listed in five groups: major state universities, state colleges with credit banks, state universities and colleges, private universities, and private colleges. They offer associate and bachelor degrees, mainly in general studies, business and engineering. Which group is for you?

 4.3 Among the universities that offer online bachelor 's courses or degrees and are listed as some of the best universities are Indiana U, Pen State, SUNY, Ohio U and Brigham Young U. Is any one of them for you?

 4.4 Among some of the best universities that offer online master's courses or degrees are Antioch U, Auburn U, Colorado State U, California State U Dominquez Hills, Syracuse U, U of Idaho, U of London, U of Massachusetts, U of Minnesota, U of Oklahoma and U of Oxford. Do any of them fit into your plans?

 4.5 Get to know with some of the best Distance Education sites: New York Regents College | U of the State of New York, Regents College and  Indiana U, and  Nova SE U. 

For a list of universities that provide online degree programs, see Distance Learning

AN: ED409771 CHN: HE030280 AU: Witthuhn,-Burton-O.; and-others TI: So You Want To Go to College? 50 Questions To Ponder.
This book, in a question-and-answer format, poses and discusses 50 questions that high school students who intend to go to college and their parents might ask about preparing for college. Its aim is to help students clarify their goals in applying to college and develop strategies for a college-entry plan. Students are encouraged first to ask what they want to do with their lives and to understand how college fits in with these plans. Then the book explains how to get information about various colleges and universities; provides tips on college visitation; discusses entry exams, advanced placement, paying for college, financial aid, grants, loans, scholarships, and holding a job while in college; considers advantages of extracurricular activities, how long it is going to take to earn a degree, what constitutes a full course load, the importance of homework and good grades; defines the function of counselors and advisors, and the difference between major and minor fields of study; touches on enrollment in summer courses and independent study; and examines the advantages and disadvantages of living on campus. Topics are illustrated with appropriate quotations, checklists, and diagrams. (CH) www.askeric.org

5. HOW CAN I EARN THE NEEDED CREDITS ONLINE?

5.1 The three state colleges with credit banks are Regents College (USNY), Thomas Edison State College (NJ) and Charter Oak State College (CT). Any of the three state colleges with credit banks take transfer credits from nearly any accredited online or other college and let you construct a degree out of the accumulated number. Do you want to consider this?

5.2 You can get college credits for portfolio assessment, guided study, online studies, and licenses and certificates, college video courses, correspondence studies, computer courses, and TV courses. Many distance learning and online degrees are a combination of some of these. Where will your credits come from?

5.3 Whenever possible, consider earning credits by examination. These are not online but are given at a college or special center. The credit banks accept nearly all of it. Some universities accept only a designated number of credits by examination. College level examinations include CLEP, TECEP, ACT/PEP, DANTES, Regents examinations, Ohio U examinations, U of NC examinations, GRE, AP, and PONSI. Which examinations do you need to explore further?

5.4 List the courses you need and where you can get the needed credits.

6. HOW WILL I MANAGE TO GRADUATE?

 6.1 So you have started to develop your learning design and plan. The next step is to implement it, to put it into action. That may not be so easy. More than half of the people who start distance education degrees give up and never finish. How committed to finishing are you?

 6.2 The mentor program is designed to help you manage your study program. When you attend classes, your professor helps you manage your studies and gives you extra help when you need it. Some distance education provides similar help in specific courses. But you need someone who will assist you with your time-tables, schedules, choices, and who will encourage you when needed. Mentors do that. 

 6.3 Mentors may help you on a short-term basis for educational program design, to assist you in a course, or on a long-range basis to see you through on a degree. Mentors work via email. They do not do your work, the help you do your own work. 

AN: ED452891, CHN: JC010334, AU: Hastings,-Roscoe, TI: Asynchronous Learning from the Student Perspective.
This document describes a survey of students from 23 different asynchronous (distance education) classes at Monroe Community College (New York). The eleven questions, and answers, included: (1) On what day do you most often log on to do your assignments? (Sunday had the highest percentage of 19%); (2) At what hours of the day do you do your online classes? (14% answered with between 10 a.m. and noon); (3) Do you think you will learn as much in this online class as you would in the traditional classroom? (41% answered not sure, while 40% answered yes); (4) Why did you choose to take this online class? (23% answered that enrollment was due to subject interest); (5) Do you think you learned as much in this online class as you would have in a traditional class? (59% believed they learned just as much as they would have in a regular class); (6) What were the best three learning activities in this class? (projects were ranked as the best learning activities at 23%); (7) What were the least effective learning activities? (discussions were found to be least effective at 19.6%); (8) What is the greatest advantage and disadvantage of online classes? (54% answered that the time schedule was the best advantage, and 37% responded a lack of face-to-face contact was the greatest disadvantage); and (9) Did you have a scheduled time to do your on-line class? (73% responded no); and (10) Would you take another on-line class? ( 83% indicated they would take another online class.) (CJW) www.askeric.org

TEST

Study this web-site for 3 hours for an approved (RN-CEP 11430, MFT- PCE 39) 3-hours Continuing Education Certificate (0.3 CEUs). Then take the Test Click here for the self-correcting test & online payment, and 2) receive your certificate immediately online. All is online, nothing by post-mail.