Tips for Getting the Most Out of Distance Learning

Before the rise of technology, getting a college degree required taking in-person classes. This method was often challenging for working professionals and those with different schedules. With the increasing number of degree programs that allow for online learning, it’s now easier than ever to find a program that fits your needs.

Although online classes can be challenging, they can also be an excellent alternative to traditional classes. Using online courses effectively can help you get the most out of them. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your next class.

Show Up

One of the essential factors you need to consider when using online courses is the dedication and discipline required to complete them. Although you can be flexible with when and how you want to finish your work, you can’t put it off.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you follow through with your online course is by remembering that you are paying for it. Like in-person classes, you must show up to get the most out of your online education. Doing so will allow you to get the most out of your course and ensure you make the most of your learning.

Set Up Accountability Measures

Before the semester begins, set goals and regularly check in with yourself to ensure that you follow through with them. In in-person classes, you often receive visual or verbal reminders about an upcoming assignment. However, without a professor’s guidance, it’s up to you to ensure you have the time to finish the work.

If you need help holding yourself responsible, try setting up an accountability partner with a fellow student or a friend. Being proactive, organized, and self-aware can help you get the most out of your online education.

Minimize Distractions

Getting caught up in social media, Netflix, and other electronic devices can keep you from focusing on your studies. The amount of difficulty these distractions can cause depends on your situation and personality. For instance, some people can easily block out the noise in their homes by listening to music. Others can try working from a local library or coffee shop.

If you are working from home or in a different area, try turning off your cell phone to avoid getting distracted by notifications or text messages. If you still have trouble staying away from the web and checking your email, try downloading a browser plug-in that can block various websites and apps.

Participate

Participate in the online forum to improve your understanding of the materials and connect with fellow students. This can be done by commenting on a fellow student’s paper or posting a question about a particular project. Ask your professors for clarification if there is something that you should know.

One of the most critical factors you should consider when using online courses is the regularity of your check-in. Since the learning environment is flexible, you can easily schedule a time for a discussion response if you have a few minutes before dinner.

If you have difficulty finishing your assignments, try reaching out to your professor. Being proactive can help you get the help that you need.

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Originally published at MarilynGardnerMilton.org

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Popular Education Podcasts For Teachers

Podcasts are all the rage nowadays, and whether you’re looking to be entertained or you’re looking to learn something new, there’s bound to be a podcast about it. Education in particular has a lot of podcasts out there that discuss the latest trends and problems for educators as well as share advice, inspirational stories, and so much more. If you’re an educator interested in listening to a few education podcasts, look no further. 

Teachers In America

This weekly podcast from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt talks with educators from across the country about various topics such as helping your students pick the perfect book, dealing with that one student who doesn’t want to participate and so much more. The podcast is from educators, about educators, and for educators, and it’s perfect for anyone who might be in need of assistance in their own teaching career.

This Teacher Life With Monica Genta

If you’re looking to be entertained while you get your teaching advice, look no further than Monica Genta’s show. In each episode, she shares some of the incredibly funny stories that she’s experienced and that her teacher friends have shared with her, with some of them being so ridiculous you’d likely struggle to believe they were true. While she shares these stories, she also tries to include practical strategies that you can use in your own classroom. This is a show full of relatable and positive stories that any teacher can appreciate.

The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast

The goal of this podcast is to provide middle and high school teachers with practical ideas for improving their English teaching. In each episode, Betsy Potash talks about how she set up a library in her secondary school, as well as how she encourages reluctant students to read. She also shares her ideas for novel units and how she uses tech in her lessons.

Let’s K-12 Better

In this podcast, host Amber and her daughters talk about education from a student’s perspective. They talk about various topics that are commonly discussed in the field today, such as social-emotional learning and gaming. This is a unique perspective of both the teacher and the student, and it’s worth a listen.

Self-Care For Educators

Dr. Tina Boogren is the host of this podcast and each episode talks about her experiences with burnout and how other educators can do better about taking care of themselves. She encourages them to take a break from their work to allow themselves to rest and enjoy their lives outside of teaching. We all know being a teacher is tough, and self-care is important if you don’t want to burn out.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

How does Education Affect Poverty?

A poor family is a family that has little or no access to basic resources. When one is born into a family that is deprived of basic amenities that include, education, they enter into the cycle of poverty that can affect several other forthcoming generations. This lack of resources and opportunities to improve their livelihoods leaves them in a trap known as poverty. The World Vision California has defined the poverty cycle as an occurrence where at least three generations of a family are poverty-stricken. This explains why there are so many NGOs and charity organizations that advocate for education rights to break the cycle of poverty.

Education is important as it helps to equalize people by impacting them with necessary skills for survival and opens doors to opportunities for thriving that, otherwise, would have been unavailable. High-quality education is recognized internationally as one of the solutions to reducing poverty and improving individuals’ welfare.

Effect of Education on Poverty

 Increased Future Employment Opportunities

A quality education system equips children with more skills and knowledge, thus giving them the ability to read and write fluently. This makes them eligible for employment which is a good chance for the children’s family to get lifted out of poverty.

Education Can Reduce Inequality

Most individuals, that live in poverty are not given equal opportunities as the rest in the society. This means that they lack power and they are not equally represented. However, with quality education increasing access to employment opportunities, wages disparity is reduced and also injustices due to unequal representation hence reducing poverty.

Skills and Abilities Development

Education equips one with soft skills that are necessary when one relates with others and the world around them. Education strengthens and equips one with communication skills, time management skills, creativity, leadership skills among others. When one puts these skills into use, they can generate income hence reducing poverty.

Conclusion

To sum it up, education has been named the fourth Sustainable Development Goal by the United Nations as it contributes highly to poverty eradication. Importantly, children should be exposed to equitable and quality education to attain the best skills and knowledge that they can use to generate income and access employment to improve their well-being and that of their families.

This article was originally published on MarlynGardnerMilton.org

The Highest Rated Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S.

The U.S. News has released its top five liberal arts colleges in the United States.

One notable change in this year’s rankings is the decreased emphasis on standardized test scores. Given the fluctuation in requirements for standardized tests, the report put less stock in those scores.

Taking into consideration factors like class size, acceptance rates, and student outcomes, the list includes four schools from the Northeast and one from California. Schools on the list have small class sizes in common among them. Other factors include faculty resources, expert opinion, financial resources, student excellence, and alumni giving.

Institutions on this list also have a leg up regarding social mobility. That is, the schools all score well on the improvement of their graduates’ circumstances after graduation. That is measured by comparing the status of pell grant recipients after they graduate. The Pell Grant program is reserved for undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.

Here are the top five liberal arts colleges in the United States:

Williams College

Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College boasts an acceptance rate of only fifteen percent. Williams College graduates join an alumni body full of influential people, including President James Garfield.

Amherst College

Also located in Massachusetts, Amherst College welcomed an inimitable freshman class. Eighty-five percent of incoming freshmen ranked in the top ten percent of their high school classes.

Swarthmore College

In the Philadelphia suburbs, Swarthmore College is ranked as the third-best liberal arts college in the United States. Swarthmore College was founded in 1864 and is one of the earliest co-educational institutions in the country.

Pomona College

Pomona College is the lone entry to the top five list from outside the Northeast. With an acceptance rate of only nine percent, Pomona is one of the most selective institutions in the country. Pomona is also notable for its commitment to diversity in its student body. It has been widely recognized for its intentionality in reaching out to lower-income and first-generation college students in its admissions efforts.

Wellesley College

Wellesley College is a women’s college located in Massachusetts. Wellesley grads join an impressive roster of alumnae, including former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the first female Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

The Cost of a Degree for Students and Universities

Many families raising children have notions of sending their kids off to university or college so they can get an education. The hope is that such an education prepares them for adult life where they can use their skills and knowledge to generate significant income over the course of their life. That money is hoped to help them raise a family, buy a home, go on vacations, save for retirement, and generally have a comfortable life.

The truth isn’t always so simple. There is actually some debate about the costs of degrees, for both students and universities.

Costs for post-secondary education continue to rise in many developed countries. This makes getting a degree harder for many students. While there are many government programs to provide assistance with financing college or university, rarely do all these benefits add up to getting students through school without having to pay a lot of money of their own.

Worse yet, some of these benefits take the form of student loans that trap students into a vicious cycle of debt that takes years, if not decades, to get out of. Whereas degrees used to be a solid pathway to higher levels of income, much of that extra income is now offset by interest rates and payments due on student loans.

Complicating matters is how the value of degrees seems to be on the decline. Whereas they were once the gateway to a better life, there are now many jobs that require them just to be an entry-level opening into the career world. Incomes, wages, and salaries have also not always grown proportionately to the economy of most nations.

Degrees still hold value for many students, but not all. In fact, a double-digit percentage of students seems to be better off not even attending, when looking at their lifetime income as adults.

For colleges and universities, the costs of operating continue to rise, which means what they charge students also has to go up. While there is interest in obtaining degrees, not everyone can do it, resulting in fewer potential applications and actual students on many campuses. This can result in serious financial strains for institutions such as these, and cutbacks just reinvigorate the cycle of how tight money is for everyone.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

How Adult Students are Growing Higher Education

A USA Today interview with the VP of New Partner Development at the Wiley Education Services, Gene Murray revealed adult learners have different needs from teenagers, who were the bulk of traditional students in the past years. They are prompting higher institutions of education to change their models.

Below are the key points from Murray’s interview.

Provision of Learner Tailored Program

The method of instruction at institutions develops with time. Specialization to provide prompts information and is one of the ways how adult students are growing higher education. Higher education providers have tremendous expertise in subject matters, placing them as designated institutions for learners who want to progress academically. The current adult learning population does not focus on broader knowledge but specific skills that advance their career.

The main focus of these learners is to attain ongoing education that instills specific skills to advance in technology, healthcare, teaching, or other professions. Today’s adult learners focus on finding opportunities matching their specific careers because of commitments that limit time and flexibility. Institutions that provide learning opportunities were challenged to align their programs with their adult learners’ personal responsibilities and career paths.

Customization of Programs to Suit Learner Preferences

Adult learners have deviated from studying for an undergraduate then a master’s to gain a full degree. Institutions have been forced to rethink their models to accommodate this class that requires ongoing education for professional career advancement certification. Traditional learning experiences that did not address the unique needs of learners compelled higher education institutions to change their delivery and meet the following requirements:

• Flexibility to accommodative work or family responsibilities
• Allow faster completion (with cost consideration in place)
• Deliver specific skills that contribute to career advancement

Introduction of Remote Learning Technology

Traditional learning requires in-person attendance for students and instructors. The need to personalize lessons for today’s adult learners led to the introduction of technology in classrooms. The change came to be since many adult learners are frequently away from campus, and their needs are different from a conventional 18-year-old. It is harder to engage them. Higher education institutions are adopting technology tools like behavioral analytics. The tools have information and means to facilitate institutions to communicate better with adult learners on their terms to improve persistence.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

Tools To Help Improve and Enhance Distance Learning

Because of Covid, 2020 has become a year where students are doing more learning from home than ever before. Some students have to remain at home. Some are doing a mixture of online learning and learning at home. As a result, there are some tools that teachers may need that will help them.

One tool that is recommended is “Quizizz.” This is a site that has online learning games. This site has games for almost any topic. The games include activities that re-enforce the lesson and allow players to find out how well they’re doing. The lessons these games teach are individually paced as well.

“Bamboozle” is yet one more gaming site. Students play in teams. They can pick a question and talk to each other in order to arrive at the correct answers.

“Quill” allows students to learn grammar. In order to get additional practice when needed, “Quill” recommends the appropriate practice lessons.

The Math Sites:

For those students who are math-challenged, there are online sites for that as well.

“Google Slides” is free and it’s simple to use. The questions let students use third-party applications that let them insert screen shots that show the work they did. This allows teachers to observe and modify the answers.

“The Math Learning Center” lets students interact with things that are familiar to them. Teachers are able to customize things. They can create their own problems. This encourages flexible thinking that lets students find different ways to understand a problem.

“Flip Grid:” This website is exceptional because it offers back-and-forth video dialog among students. “Flip Grid” allows for collaboration.

“Peardeck” offers immediately visible replies from students. It works well with “Google Slides.”

Tools That Make It Easier:

These tools are useful to online instructors who need to add to their lessons. They provide teachers with solid support.

“Padlet” lets students learn from one-another. The instructor can upload the content and give the students feedback. It has something called an “image search option.”

“Kahoot” is yet another supportive tool. It can help an instructor to wrap things up.

“Wordwall” has lots of content to support teachers with.

Whatever needs fit your lessons, there are tools available online to help enhance lessons and learning.

How Educators Can Prepare For The New School Year

With the 2020 – 2021 school year starting soon or having already started in some places, it’s time for teachers and professors around the country to make sure they’re prepared for the year to come. Teaching isn’t an easy profession and there are countless aspects that go into it, from lesson plans to supplies and everything in between. This year, in particular, is especially unique due to the COVID-19 pandemic still deeply affecting our country, meaning that in many places teachers are either doing remote learning or some type of remote/in-person hybrid. Something like this is new to the current generation of educators, and it’s understandable if they don’t know how to approach the situation. Here are a few ways educators can prepare for the new school year.

Communicate With Your Class Early On

In order to make the teaching and learning experience smoother for everyone involved, it’s best to stay on top of communication with your students or their parents, especially in the times we’re living in. Consider your options for reaching out to everyone – if you’re a college professor, you can likely email your students their syllabus and any important information they may need a week or two before class starts, giving them plenty of time to read materials over and reach out if they have any questions. If you’re teaching younger students, you’re likely better off reaching out to their parents. This can be done via email, but it might be better for you to reach out with a phone call in order to introduce yourself and ensure everyone is in the know when it comes to your class.

Check Out Your Old Lesson Plans

One of the best things about being an educator is that with each new year or semester, you effectively get to start all over again. This means you can take a look at your previous years teaching and apply what worked while leaving what didn’t work at the door. Being an educator often involves a lot of trial and error, and not every lesson will stick with your students. The fact that you get to take on a new group of students each year means you start fresh and employ new ideas.

Discuss With Your Fellow Educators

One of the few great things about how the pandemic is affecting education is that no teacher is alone. There are educators all over the country who are in situations just like yours, and most of us are figuring it out as we go. With so many peers who understand what you’re going through, a good way to prepare for the new year is to talk to your fellow educators and determine what they’re doing, and what might work for you. Share your various ideas and experiences and perhaps you may come out with a brand new idea that might make this year that much more impactful for you and your students.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

Tips To Help You Pass Your Online Classes

Over the past few years we’ve seen a rise in popularity when it comes to taking college courses online. They’re great if you’re attending college later in life while working a full time job or raising children, and can also be useful when taking classes over winter and summer breaks. With the world being so heavily affected by COVID-19 this year, it’s possible that we may see a rise in students taking online college courses this coming semester. Some schools are even making all of their courses online for certain periods of the semester, such as the time between Thanksgiving and when the semester ends. Here are a few tips to help students pass their online classes.

Treat It Like An In Person Class

Just because you’re taking a class on your laptop from the comfort of your home doesn’t mean you should treat it any differently than a regular class. It can be difficult to get into a classroom mentality from home, but it’s important that you have the discipline to sit down and eliminate all outside distractions so you can get the work done and get it done on time. You have to “show up” to class just like you would if you went to a physical space for it. Remember that you’re paying for this class, just like you would a regular college course. Just because it’s an online class doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult or require your complete attention.

Eliminate Distractions

To build off of the previous point, it’s important that you eliminate all outside distractions. This can be especially difficult when learning from home. The first step is to establish your work space while learning from home. This space will be different for everybody. If things such as your television or kitchen easily distract you, be sure to set up in a room not near them so they don’t take you away from your work. If this is the first time you’ve taken an online course from home, you may not know what workspace is best for you. Be prepared for experimentation, as there may be some trial and error in the whole process. Just be sure to have a great Internet connection and you should be fine.

Participation is Key

One of the most difficult parts of learning from home is participation. Since you’re not in a classroom being lectured by a professor with your fellow classmates in the traditional sense, it can be easy to shut your brain off and just absorb the materials as opposed to actively asking questions and engaging in discussions about the content. Luckily, online classes typically have some type of forum aspect where the professor will ask questions as part of your assignments and everyone must engage. These forums can be a great way to get different perspectives on the content or make sure you fully understand the material you’re learning about.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org

How COVID-19 Might Change Education

Since the novel corona virus began to affect American Society back in March, schools not only across the country but around the world were shut down in order to keep everyone at home in order to flatten the curve. Students have been forced to resume education via the internet from the comfort of their homes, and many parents have suddenly become first time teachers. This can be stressful for both the parents and the children, and no matter how you slice it, the children will likely fall behind. Educators have been talking about looking into rethinking the way we educate for a while now and this pandemic may be the perfect excuse to begin doing something about it. So how might COVID-19 affect how we approach education?

More Online Learning

Since most if not all school have now implemented some form of online learning, it stands to reason that once things go back to normal it will continue to be an invaluable tool. Most students will have laptops or access to computer hardware, making it possible to give their lessons to them if they’re ever able to not make it to school or if something akin to this pandemic were to happen again. Teachers will also begin to get used to these new tools and technologies they’ve been using, meaning they may want to continue to do so. They can even be used in the classroom themselves, as opposed to only when the students aren’t in class.

A Potential Shift To Competency Based Learning

Many education experts believe that shifting to competency based learning might be the best way to approach education after the pandemic. Competency learning allows students to learn at their own pace and is “personalized” for each individual, but it also atomizes learning and heavily depends on taking standardized tests. If this does happen, it seems it might be used to see which students move to the next grade given the school year being cut short due to the pandemic.

Homeschooling May Become More Popular

It’s possible that some parents and students may feel that homeschooling has worked in their favor, allowing them to bond together while learning in a comfortable environment. Many will become accustomed to learning from home, and many parents may want to continue educating their children. Unfortunately, this won’t happen to the bulk of families as many cannot afford or make the time to educate their children while also taking care of a home and working a full time job.

This article was originally published on MarilynGardnerMilton.org