With the advancement in technology, education has also witnessed advancements which have made it easier for educators to reach out to students. Technological advancements have transformed the way education is imparted to students. Gadgets like computers, laptops and mobile phones are now extensively used by students to pursue higher education.

Top Tech Advancements in Education

There are several tech advancements seen in various fields including education. This has resulted in a change in the face of education. The top 5 advancements which have brought about a tremendous change in the field of education are:

With advancements in technology, the internet has become an integral part of education. The classrooms have shifted from just chalk and talk to technologically advanced and savvy grounds for experimentation. With the popularity of affordable online degrees, pursuing higher education has become much easier and faster.

There are many accredited online schools which offer a variety of affordable online degrees which can help you to develop medical careers without actually going to a medical school. These online degrees can help you lead an exciting healthcare career. Most of these do not require advanced degrees. According to the list of the best health care careers of 2011 by U.S. News & World Report, most medical careers do not require more than an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree.

Top Medical Careers That Can Be Pursued Without a Medical School

1. Health Information Managers work in the office of physicians or at hospitals and have a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. You will be involved in handling finance, accounting and managing the databases of patients. Based on the figures provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field is likely to grow by 16% between 2008 and 2018 with respect to job prospects, and the average salary is $93,670.
2. Medical Assistant is involved in performing administrative activities in a hospital or a physician’s office. You will be involved in scheduling appointments for patients, handling their insurance as well as filing medical records. For this career option, a certificate or an associate’s degree is enough and it will cover areas like diagnostic procedures and pharmacology. You will also be involved in administrative and clinical tasks. This field is likely to grow at a rate of 34% between 2008 and 2018, and has an average median salary of $29,760.
3. Dental Assistant works in dental care with a certificate or an associate’s degree. A course in this field can help you get trained in clinical practice, dental assisting techniques and oral anatomy. You will be involved in handling administrative, laboratory and dental activities which include preparing the instruments and helping the dentist in various dental procedures. You will also be involved in taking care of medical records, scheduling appointments and billing. This field is likely to grow at a rate of 36% between 2008 and 2018 and can help you get an average salary of $34,140.
4. Physical Therapist Assistant is another medical career which does not require formal medical school training. You can pursue this career with an associate’s degree. You will be assisting physical therapists and will help patients exercise during therapy sessions. You will receive training in improving the mobility of the patients and help in decreasing their pain and physical disabilities. This career option is likely to growth at a rate of 33% between 2008 and 2018, and the average salary is $49,810.
5. Registered Nurse is a career that is greatly in great demand and you can become one with an associate’s degree in this field. It offers training in areas related to nursing like anatomy, physiology and psychology. You will be involved in taking care of your patients, this includes managing their medical history, conducting various tests, evaluating its results, administering treatments as well as monitoring the progress of patients. This field is growing at a very fast pace and is likely to increase by 22% between 2008 and 2018 with an average salary of $67,720.
6. Physician’s Assistant is a career that requires a master’s degree and you will be performing various responsibilities similar to that of a doctor, however, you will be under the supervision of a doctor. This field is growing at a fast pace and is estimated to grow by 39% between 2008 and 2018 and the average salary is $81,230.

There are many medical career opportunities which do not require formal medical school training and or 4+ year degree programs which are both rigorous as well as time consuming. If you want to be a part of the medical industry but do not want to become a doctor then you should definitely go for one of these professions.

How would you like to study about the past with today’s latest technology and valuable learning tools? Twitter is a great way to learn about History. Take a look at the top 15 Twitter feeds for online history major students.

Twitter Feeds to Follow as an Online History Major Student

If you are a history major or are taking online courses in history, why not make the most of the various online resources that are available on the web? There are lots to choose from. However, one of the best so far is Twitter. This popular social site offers a great opportunity for you to expand your knowledge on historical events. Plus you can learn about History from the experts, connect with professionals and do other neat stuff.

1. @smithsonianmag – The Smithsonian Magazine is the biggest museum complex in the entire world. Learn more about great collections of history, science, arts and culture by following their engaging tweets.
2. @womenhistory – If you are interested in learning more about the role of women in history, this is the place to be.
3. @HolocaustMuseum – Here you can find feeds on one of the biggest tragedies in history. Follow this Twitter feed if you want to learn more about the Holocaust.
4. @NationalHistory – If you are a history lover and take part in National History Day celebrations, you must follow this feed to gain a greater appreciation of this special day.
5. @TheHistoryPress – The History Press publishes books on history so this is a great place to learn the real deal.
6. @WorldHistory101 – Through this feed you will learn about historical events and more.
7. @MissedinHistory – This is the feed to follow if you are still not satisfied with what you’ve learned in your history class. Learn the facts here!
8. @odnb – Oxford Dictionary of National Biography offers you a daily showcase of biographies of well known people.
9. @historynetwork – Coming straight to you from the UK. Here is where you’ll find a range of wonderful information to satisfy your history needs.
10. @archaeologynews – A lot of things that we learn about history started with archaeological findings. Learn about the most recent discoveries here!
11. @MilitaryChannel – On this feed you will find information about military history and more.
12. @HistoryToday – This is the UK’s oldest history magazine. Follow them for news and reflection on popular history, genres & periods for intellectual enlightenment and readability.
13. @HistoryChannel – This feed is the leading destination for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials.
14. @amhistorymuseum – The American History Museum offers interesting lessons about historical events and more.
15. @AMNH – Interested in studying about the earliest history of the earth and more? You should add them to your twitter feeds!

There are also other excellent history feeds on Twitter that you can follow as well, but we can’t name them all here. Hopefully, the top 15 Twitter feeds for online history majors will peak your interest and get you off to a good start.

If you are interested in pursuing an affordable online degree from an accredited online school, you can enjoy maximum flexibility as you can work as well as pursue higher education. You can consider a variety of online degree programs which can you pursue in the New Year.

You can jump-start your education in 2012 with a popular online degree even if you are a working professional or a stay-at-home mom. You can opt for it without discontinuing your existing job or compromising on your family commitments. According to various studies conducted to analyze the popularity of online education, it is found that more students are considering this option. It is also found that about 35 to 40 percent of all students are likely to opt for online degrees by 2014.

Top Online Degrees to Pursue in 2012

There are many affordable online degrees which you can consider to pursue in 2012 from online schools. These online degrees are cost effective, offer flexibility and can help you to develop a lucrative career in a specific field of your choice:

1. Online Bachelor’s in Business Administration can help you to develop real-life skills needed to manage an effective business. It offers training in areas like statistics, business principles, business ethics and economics along with managerial skills so that you can manage business in various fields. You can pursue this course from anywhere and at anytime without discontinuing your existing job. You can work as a finance manager, insurance underwriter or actuary.
2. Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice can help you develop the necessary skills and knowledge required for developing a career in law enforcement, security or areas of counseling. The coursework will include various law and justice courses like sociology, law, psychology, public administration and criminal justice. You can even consider various areas of specialization so that you can develop niche careers. You can work as probation officers, correctional treatment specialists, criminal investigators, detectives or social worker.
3. Online Bachelor’s in Information Technology involves courses which range from computer programming, networking to computer science. You can also develop necessary skills like digital communications, web developmentand programming. With this affordable online degree, you can work as a software developer, network and systems administrator or computer system analyst.
4. Online Bachelor’s in Communications can help you work in the field of media and involves a range of courses like international communications, internet, TV, films, advertising, history, media writing as well as social sciences. With this online degree, you can work as an editor for a publication, reporter, correspondent or public relations specialist.
5. Online Bachelor in Education has gained tremendous popularity over the years and offers a lot of career options. Coursework for this online degree can range from areas like school health, lesson planning and educational psychology which can help you develop careers like special educator, middle school teacher, elementary school teacher, technical education teacher and secondary school teacher.

Apart from these online degrees, there are a host of other online degree programs at various levels which can help you develop a lucrative career as well as salary. This can improve further with experience and higher education. Therefore, jump-start your higher education for the year 2012 with the above online degrees that can lead you to career success.

It is a well known fact that anyone who is considering an online degree program should only go for an accredited one. However, there are nationally accredited programs and regionally accredited programs. What is the difference and which is the best?

Unaccredited Online Degrees

Most employers, colleges, and universities consider diplomas and credentials from unaccredited online degree courses as a deception. It is not only an issue of selecting an accredited online degree program; you must also choose the proper accreditation for an online degree program. These days this is becoming more and more complicated. Which category of accreditation is best and what is the difference? Should you choose?

• National accreditation?
• Regional accreditation?
• Specialized accreditation?

What Does Accreditation Means?

The first thing to understand is the meaning of accreditation. It means that an accrediting group has gone to the school’s campus, checked its programs for quality standards, and has approved the online degree program’s courses. Regional and national accreditation are two different kinds of accreditation for an online degree. Both are voluntary and are not imposed by any governing body.

Regional Accreditation Groups

Regional accreditation groups cover particular parts of the United States. Each section has a regional accreditation agency. The U.S. is divided into 6 regions for this purpose. The six regional accreditation agencies are:

• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Higher Education)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (The Higher Learning Commission)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Colleges)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Commission on Technical and Career Institutions and Commission on Institutions of Higher Education)

United States Department of Education recognizes all of these accreditation agencies. An accredited distance learning degree program will have regional accreditation by one of the above six agencies. The U.S. Department of Education does not recognize all national accreditation programs.

Additional Factors

Cost is also an important factor. In general, regionally accredited online degrees are more expensive than nationally accredited programs. The low tuition of nationally accredited programs is a big enticement, if one will not be transferring credits and is aware of the fact that many employers will accept degrees that are nationally accredited one may want to consider programs that have this type of accreditation. All factors must be considered when making this decision.

Be aware of the accreditation of any online program that you are considering before enrolling ensuring that this program will meet your needs.