Should Students Take Online Courses?

Tips and Tools To Help You Make the Right Decision

June 22, 2014
So you decided to go back to school! The first step is to figure what you want to go back to school for. Then, find out the available financial options from the prospective college. This information can be obtained from the college's financial aid office. In-depth Internet research will also yield you various results. In addition, going to the local library and looking through the annual scholarship books is always a good recommendation. Watch for the deadlines and make sure you submit your application on time. Also determine the application materials that should be submitted such as letters of recommendation or essays and prepare those ahead of time. In addition, be sure to apply for the right scholarships. Some are quite specific in their criteria. For example, some scholarships are only available for student in certain areas such as engineering or science.
Time never seems to be on your side! You can barely make time to do all the extras after taking care of the kids. You don't know where the time goes and now you have to entertain the idea of returning to school or completing your college degree. The stresses of relationship demands, marriage, time demands, finances, and self-doubt would make any mother want to give up and lose motivation. Adult s need to balance their school, family and children while working towards their goals, but the question is, how can you return to school?
The next step is to make the decision if online courses are right for you; weigh the pros and cons. There are advantages and disadvantages of taking college courses online; the advantages are:

• No expenses of traveling to school
• Take classes at your convenience, not having to be at school at a certain time and place
• Ability to multi-task; make dinner while doing schoolwork, watch kids, clean house
• Ability to manage time better and form a routine
• Flexibility
• You maintain your own schedule
• Online courses focus more on students, not instructors
• Even though you are provided due dates for assignments, you are able to work at your own pace
• Helps employees remain competitive

As with any important decision in our adult lives, there are also disadvantages. One being there is no one-on-one interaction between students as well as between students and teachers. However, if you keep yourself motivated, form relationships with other students in your classes, ask questions to professors, and not wait until the last minute to complete assignments, online classes can be a wonderful opportunity to further your career. If you are considering taking college courses online, whether towards a degree or just for personal enrichment, consider the following tips:

• Be disciplined-stick to your goals
• Stay focused and be organized
• Be independent; but ask questions
• Commit the time each week to complete the work

References

Duncan, H. (2005). On-Line Education for Practicing Professionals: A Case Study. Canadian Journal of Education, 28(4), 874-896.

Shu-Ling, W., & Lin, S. J. (2007). The application of social cognitive theory to web-based learning through NetPorts. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(4), 600-612. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00645.x

Graphic courtesy of: Study in USA (2014). Masters Degree Online: The positive side. Study in USA. Accessed at: http://studyn.us/2011/05/02/masters-degree-online-the-positive-side/

Posted by: Marchelle M., Sherry H., and Laurie R.

Email Etiquette: Doing the Right Thing…

How do you respond to those “ooooo so and so just sent a NASTY email to the group” instances? More often than not when I get tagged into chains that have gone from professional and work related right into an electronic shouting match I usually take the here are the facts (implying now stop this chain), or we will look into this and reply to all (again, stop this chain) and have occasionally went to the this is what you were hired to do and what we pay you for approach. I try my hardest to not ever send nasty toned emails at work and have even taken to re-reading most of the emails I send prior to hitting sent just to make sure it is clear, concise and free from emotion. I do secretly enjoy jumping into the fray when the bad chains break out and pulling the brakes on a fellow co-worker who has gone rogue with their Outlook account.

Simple rules

1. Consider the other person’s feeling – would you say it to the person’s face?
2. Consider other people’s time. Keep the message simple and to the point.
3. Respect other people’s privacy.
4. Put your best foot forward. You will be judged online as you are in person.
5. Respond to emails timely.
6. Remember tone. The wrong tone can send the wrong message.
7. Include a description on the subject line. Will help tell the reader the nature of the email.
8. Copy others when necessary. Don’t cc: everyone you know on the email. It may not pertain to them.  Don’t bcc: blind copying can be hurtful.
9. Don’t blind copy another person on an email that the person wasn’t part of in the first place. This can ruin relationships (business or personal).
10. And most on all – No spamming.

Think before your hit the send button

Before your send any email you should have your ducks in a row and have read your message over. Email is used for business communication but can cause tension and confusion. Now that you and your ducks are in a row you need to consider the other person’s feelings. You do not want to offend your recipient right? Ask yourself, would I say this if the person was standing in front of me? Don’t use your company’s email as a tool to bully, harass or intimidate. Think twice how the other person will perceive your message. Remember on the receive end of your email we cannot see your facial expressions, hear your tone or ask for clarification immediately. Email can be a great way to send and receive information; it also works well for messaging. You recipient will receive your typed thoughts in a few seconds; think, think, think before you hit send. Even without delving into the list of rules above keep these rules in mind no matter what the situation is or circumstances behind your email are: keep it brief, consider other people’s time, keep a professional tone, consider how others in your workplace will or might react. Think, proof-read and keep it work related.

Social Media: The Ground Rules

Most of us use social media. It doesn’t always have the professional circumstances that work emails do if used improperly, but the rules and common courtesy can be just as important. We all need to be respectful and be able to differentiate between personal and business use. If a person sends a message through social media which happens to be work related, it is a great idea to respond in a timely fashion. It is also a great idea to respond using your proper etiquette for example “Please send that information through my work email so I can be sure to respond”. This can help to keep business related communications, business related. By using proper etiquette you will help to draw a clear line between utilizing social media for social stuff and work stuff, basically utilizing personal social media professionally if it applies to work.

Another great example of ground rules is to be clear and concise of what your expectations from the other person are. And for the bonus round, offering certain times you are available through the utilization of social media. It is very important to respect the rules of email etiquette both personally and professionally.

Conclusion
It is very hard to know what is right and what is wrong when responding to emails. A little common sense and some courtesy can help you there. Everyone in today’s society is in a hurry and rushed and this leads to responding to emails fast. Many times people do not take the time to proof an email leading to misinterpretations on the receiver end.

There are many common and professional courtesies that can be used in our day to day electronic interactions. Things like saying thank you, asking for clarifications if you are unclear on timelines or assignments, trying to not over-email, and never forget the Golden Rule; re-read (and edit if necessary) before you hit send.

If we all take just a few minutes to be courteous and professional before we fire off our next email the world will be a better place, both the cyber-world and the physical-world

Works Cited Respond to an argumentative email. Communication Briefings. Aug2013, Vol. 32 Issue 10, p1-1. www.CommunicationBriefings.com Dahi, S. (2013). Sleepless in Cyberspace: Managing Communication in a 24/7 World. The American Consumer.

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Avatars and Online Communication

Research

“Avatars, or visual, on-screen representations of users, are a common element of online environments that facilitate or allow social interaction. Past research has found that avatars in immersive virtual environments can contribute to a sense of emotional involvement”. There have been great research studies exploring the idea that avatars can contribute to feelings of emotional connectedness in interactions online.

Findings

I’ve actually done a test with avatars in the workplace using a tool that helped two teams that worked remotely interact with each other. I added a few items that had an avatar associated, and quickly realized that these were the items that received either the most responses; or they were viewed more. I believe that the use of avatars truly helped people feel more engaged to the post or the item. Because they can see directly who they are speaking to or interacting with, they are more compelled to provide insight as well. My article actually shows that avatars actually generate emotional involvement in online communication, and that users exhibited strong preferences for avatars than those without.

Results

In asynchronous communication, there is consistent evidene that avatars will generate the sense of emotional involvement. Rather, the actual representation of a human being behind some of these blog posts or software tools gives readers a stronger sense that they are in fact communicated with a person, which leads them to help or respond. Additionally, the use of avatars improves the effectiveness of a site, such as online learning. Even though I don’t have an avatar up, I do feel like I am communicated more effectively with someone and I can put a face to a name.

Reference:

CyberPsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. April 1, 2011. 

Age vs. Technology

In their article, The Marriage of Technology and Leadership, Business Source Complete states that  “Through the years, many people protested changes in communication technology” ("The marriage of," 2009).    In earlier times, opinions such as “Why do we need the telegraph? Communication should be face-to-face or via letter” and a little later, “What's wrong with the telegraph? Who needs a telephone? There goes privacy and productivity” have been common complaints in business settings where a multi-generational workforce is employed ("The marriage of," 2009).  Younger generations who have grown up with the latest innovations in communication naturally gravitate towards the tools they are most comfortable using.  As businesses strive to keep up with the most current and efficient technologies, older generation employees are often hesitant to accept these changes and tend to avoid incorporating these new tools into their workspaces.

New Technologies

Social networking websites and technologies such as Facebook and Twitter, initially considered only as means of entertainment, are increasingly becoming workplace communication tools as “new millennials,” or people 30 years old and under become a more prominent presence in the workforce.  These new technologies can allow easy access to a wide, possibly previously untapped customer base.  Often, senior staff members are not as comfortable with these methods of communication and don’t fully understand the applications available via the new systems.  Older-generation managers may not understand the inherent benefits in exploiting these systems to generate customer leads and facilitate customer contact.  For example, a 22-year-old marketing assistant might send out promotional “tweets” via Twitter to promote a new product or service while a 40-year-old marketing manager might plan a marketing campaign designed around more traditional tools such as direct mail or published advertisements. 

New Integration

When businesses integrate new technologies into their own communication and marketing plans, the younger set of employees already accustomed to utilizing the most current technologies easily step into the role of communicating via these means.  Many older employees tend to be resistant to this upheaval and feel that the additions are unwarranted and counterproductive.  A 50-year-old “baby boomer” generation manager might glance into a millennial employee’s office and become irritated at seeing the employee working on a Facebook page due to the assumption that the employee is wasting company time on personal networking.  This type of conflict is an issue that can limit the productivity of the younger workforce in organizations that aren’t completely up to speed with the current technological times ("Online all the," 2010). 

New Opportunity

As millennials in the workforce continue to age, more and more of the younger generation are poised to step up into management-type positions.  Business Source Complete stated that “Children who grew up with the Internet are now only about 15 to 20 years old. They will enter the workforce en masse in the next two to seven years.”  Many of these young employees will go on to become managers and, eventually, top-level executives of their organizations.  This progression can be expected to bring about evolution of communication technology into work settings organically as social networking technologies become increasingly integrated into office environments by a workforce of employees comfortable with navigating the systems.

Resources
 

The marriage of technology and leadership. (2009). Training, 46(4), 16., Retrieved from http://dml.regis.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=39660035&site=ehost-live&scope=site

 

Online all the time? Resolving technology-related workplace conflicts. (2010). Negotiation, 13(10), 4-5. 

http://dml.regis.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=65065485&site=ehost-live&scope=site

 

 

Marcie J & Nick M

Is online learning as effective as the classroom?

Is online learning as effective as the classroom?

At the center of the debate regarding distance learning is the efficacy of online learning in comparison to in-class learning.  While this debate goes on, educators are working hard to develop new systems that hurdle the challenges of online learning in an attempt to evolve the experience, participation and efficacy.  While educators are working hard to create an effective online learning environment, student enrollment in online programs is on the rise.  The debate on the efficacy of online course may remain a hot topic amongst educational institutions but the real variable in the online education market is the student.  Online education may not be a fit for all students but those who choose to enroll in online courses must be motivated and disciplined to engage.  According to Allison Rossett, author and professor of educational technology at San Diego State University, “While flopping into a seat every Thursday night for two hours doesn’t take much commitment, online participants must allow the content, instructor, peers, and requirements to permeate their lives” (Rossett, 2005, p.15).  Online programs that have been successful largely depend on the instructors, online design and cost. I would argue that the most important reason is the students and their ability to make it work.

Are students are the determining factor?

The answer to this will largely depend on the continuous improvements and evolving advancements in the online educational market, but more importantly will be determined by the student base comfortable with technology.  In an article by Nathan Bos and N. Sadat Shami, they discuss the challenges of designing online courses.  “One of the first and foremost challenges for online learning environments is keeping the energy and focus of the class from dissipating over time. When face-to-face, skilled instructors have many techniques for capturing and holding attention and directing engagement” (Bos, Shami, 2006, p.495).  Online educational systems have come a long way with technology in a short time.  I have nearly completed my degree with all online courses, and I must admit that I struggled in the beginning.  However, I very quickly acclimated and have the motivation to engage and make the learning process effective.  Having spent time in the classroom and online, I cannot fully understand how educational institutions can debate efficacy.  My experience indicates that I have to work harder online and I certainly feel that my online educational experience is every bit as effective as the learning I have experienced in the classroom. 

Where is online education going?

Online education is on the rise!  Adult learners have embraced distance learning as a way to earn their college degrees while working and meeting their family obligations.  Younger students still tend to take the traditional in class route but are now starting to mix in online courses.  Advancements in the online programs and in technology will certainly help increase enrollment.  The idea that the efficacy of an online education is less than that of a traditional education seems to be “old school” thinking and needs to change with the times just as everything else must change.  Embrace the online experience, it is only going to continue to grow and become more prominent in the landscape of higher education!

References

Bonk, Curtis. (2006). The Future of Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: The Survey Says...Educause Review Online.  Retrieved in November 20, 2013 from: http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/future-online-teaching-and-learning-higher-education-survey-says%E2%80%A6

Taylor, P. and Maor, D. (2000). Assessing the efficacy of online teaching with the Constructivist online learning environment survey. In: 9th Annual Teaching Learning Forum, 2-4 February 2000, Perth, W.A..  Retrieved November 21, 2013 from: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/8750/

Rossett, Allison. (2005). Moving Online. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences.  Vol. 59 Issue 2, p14-15. 2p

Bos, Nathan, Shami, N. Sadat. (2006). Adapting a Face-to-Face Role- Playing Simulation for Online Play. Educational Technology Research and Development, v54 n5 p493-521 Oct 2006. 29 pp.

 

JVigil

 

 

 

 

 

Guarding Against Identity Theft

Hosam Farag Com215_XP40 Blog Article Guarding Against Identity Theft Introduction Anyone who has dealt with identity theft knows how much of a nightmare it can be. Dealing with credit card companies, credit bureaus, and customer service representatives can be very overwhelming. In this article I will give you a few methods that will hopefully guard you against identity theft. Internet Precautions The easiest way for someone to steal your identity is through the world wide web. Be very cautious with the types of information you expose to the internet. Keep important information such as your birthday, your mother's maiden name, address, and social security number private. If you are paying bills online, consider paying them using the phone or through the mail. I understand it is easier to pay your bills online and a lot of people really like this option. Keeping your personal information off the world wide web greatly reduces your chances of being a victim of identity theft. If you insist on paying your bills online, make sure you have an up to date anti-virus software and firewall. The firewall is highly recommended because it will guard the stream of information that flows through your internet connection. There are plenty of anti-virus software programs available on the internet. A lot of them offer a free trial to see if you like the service. Bitdefender, McAfee, Kaspersky, and Norton are a few of the popular services that are available. The following website has the top ten anti-virus software reviews for 2013 (http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/). The site will also break down the services available with each provider and it will give you the cost as well. Protecting Personal Information Identity thieves have found very creative ways to steal your personal information. Never give personal information through text messages, emails, or incoming phone calls. One common method these thieves will use is sending a text message or email concerning your bank account. They will ask you for information such as your birthday, social security number, and your mother's maiden name. Please remember that your bank will never ask for this information through email or text message. Usually the only time personal information is required, is when you call the bank. Another method to guard against identity theft is to have your bank checks delivered to your bank. Having them delivered to your house is a easy way for your checks to fall into the wrong hands. Finally, investing in a shredder could be the best investment you ever made. Identity thieves will go to the extreme of searching through your garbage to steal personal information. Credit Cards and Credit Reports Keeping a close eye on your credit card statements and credit bureaus is essential to guarding against identity theft. When you receive your credit card statements check for suspicious charges that you are not familiar with. Contact your credit card company immediately if there is a charge that does not look right. Keep track of how many credit cards you have and also make sure the credit card companies have the right home address on file. When your credit card expires, you do not want your new card going to your old address. Last but not least, order you credit report every six months or at least once a year. You can obtain your report from all three credit bureaus. The bureaus are Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. Once you receive your reports, check to make sure all your information is correct. The report will list your current address, past addresses, birthday, social security number, employers, credit card information, your name, and how much debt you owe. If you have fell victim to identity theft in the past, you might want to consider establishing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus. Conclusion Identity theft can turn your life upside down. Anyone can fall victim to identity theft. It is a crime that violates people's information and personal property. The effects of identity theft can leave emotional and financial scars. Hopefully with the methods from this article you can guard your personal information from identity theft. Works Cited Neal, A. (2007). Guarding Against Identity Theft. Saturday Evening Post, 279(3), 48-96. Lankford, K. (2008). Your Id-Theft Prevention Kit. Kiplinger's Personal Finance, 62(4), 72-74.

Stephan, M. J., Pennington, S., Krishnamurthi, G., & Reidy, J. (2009). Identity Burgulary. Texas Review Of Law & Politics, 13(2), 401-418.

Facebook: Friend or Foe?

Social networking technology (including Facebook) may seem to offer a lot of fun and a unique ways to connect and share information with others, but there is a dark side that has costs that could outweigh the potential benefits. American workforce productivity and user privacy have both become challenged with the infiltration of Facebook across the U.S.; depending on your perspective that might be a good thing, or that might be a bad thing.
Productivity
Facebook users continue to grow and so does the amount of time that these users spend interacting and networking. In February of 2012, Peter Cohan, a contributing author for Forbes.com, (Forbes: 2/2012) estimated that Facebook could be negatively impacting America’s working output by nearly 10%, which he equated to nearly $1.4 Trillion in U.S. GDP. That’s a significant number! When broken down, it really equates to an average use of 68 minutes/day, used each day across a 30-day month. An average 5-day work week would lose 5.6 hours to Facebook use.
Considering that Facebook is accessible through our smartphones, tablets and any internet-connected computer, it’s not difficult to tally 68 minutes of Facebook time each day. The scary part? The average use is growing, exponentially. In the same aforementioned Forbes article, Cohan cites a Nucleus Research study that showed Facebook users increased their average use time by 626% from 2009 to 2012. In a nutshell, Facebook is quickly becoming a time-sucking habit, sweeping across the nation.
However, the truth of the matter is; human beings are social creatures and therefore are dedicated to creating and participating in social networking in order to express and share their ideas. With the rise of the internet people began merely satisfying this natural urge for online communities through internet forums. In all actuality, the very same company (Forbes) that is used to argue, that Facebook and other outlets of social media are contributing to the downfall of society, is the very same company that uses Facebook to captivate and maintain successful business people in the world, in addition, attempt to recruit add-ons.
Indeed, the previous statistics appear to be big numbers and percentage signs that might throw the reader off the rocker, but it should also be noted that Mr. Nathan Forbes and Mr. Michele Jacobs, both Managing Partners and Corporate Director of Marketing Forbes have benefited from social networking when they exceeded over 738K site hits since February of 2012.
Privacy
As with any social networking site, the use of Facebook carries concerns and risks around privacy. And privacy is a two-fold concern: 1) privacy of information and photos that are shared online – protecting those from wandering or unauthorized eyes, and 2) that Facebook has too much access to private (or sensitive) information; Facebook’s ability to monitor, mine and sell specific consumer data is significant.
Back in March of 2013, Facebook launched a new Facebook interactive platform named “Home” which became integrated into the entire smartphone device. This erupted concerns that Facebook would have more access to the user’s device and all other interactions that the device is used for: texts, calls, website visits, etc. The Home platform has much higher security concerns than the traditional Facebook App, since Home is “always on” and is tracking all of the smartphone interactions. With traditional Facebook, tracking ability is turned on/off simply based on when the user is logged in/out. Regardless of your stance on privacy, if you use Facebook, you have shared information that is at risk. In the digital age, any interaction and/or information is stored on a server and will always be accessible.
Through a different perspective, Facebook has maintained a valuable role in contributing to society. Though one may argue that its apps such as the “Home” app created in 2013 could violate public privacy, it’s more important to be safe than to be sorry. Reading the article written by EMS1 staff, they write: “New Facebook Apps help friends and family connect through Facebook when major catastrophic emergencies happen such as hurricanes and earthquakes” (EMSI, 2012).
Secondly, reading Police Embrace Social Media As a Crime Fighting Tool authored by Heather Kelly in fall of 2012 wrote a piece about a gang member named Melven Colon of New York who posted public photos of weapons and narcotic-related crimes and now have been taken into custody by the NYPD on charges of murder. Colon was turned in by one of his “Friends” on Facebook that agreed to let the police access his “private” information (Kelly, 2012). So the question now is; how can Facebook save your life either financially, economically or physically? Or better yet, how has Facebook changed your life and influenced others? A world without the creation of Facebook is a world full of chaos and anarchy.
Clearly, these two topics and how they relate to Facebook introduce a wide range of perspectives. Is Facebook increasing productivity by way of increasing networking activity, or is it simply draining valuable time away from primary work functions? With regards to privacy, is Facebook too risky for users to trust information shared, or can it be trusted and is this simply the next step in the evolution of privacy in a Facebook-driven world? Without stronger imperial data to suggest otherwise, Facebook seem destined to continue to steal away valuable productivity and to slowly leach away user privacy, one policy and one picture at a time.
REFERENCES:
Cohan, P. (2012, February 8). Retrieved from www.Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/02/08/is-facebook-slicing-1-4-trillion-out-of-u-s-gdp/2/
EMSI. (2012, June 5). EMSI . Retrieved from New Facebook Apps Support Personal Preparedness for Emergencies : http://www.ems1.com/ems-products/technology/articles/1297175-New-Facebook-apps-support-personal-preparedness-for-emergencies/
Kelly, H. (2012, August 30). CNN.com. Retrieved from Police Embrace Social Media As A Crime Fighting Tool : http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/30/tech/social-media/fighting-crime-social-media/
Social Baker . (2013). Retrieved from The Most Interesting Soical Networks : http://www.socialbakers.com/resource-center/808-article-the-20-most-interesting-social-networks