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.

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.

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.

Tips To Realize Your Career Goals In 2012

1. Be aware of what you want in a career. You should be sure whether you want to a career to earn money or a career to help people around you. You should have a self-assessment of yourself to research about the job that you want to consider.
2. Design specific goals, set boundaries and decide on the kind of job that you want to pursue and want to see yourself a few years down the line. You should prioritize and delegate tasks to others in your department.
3. Advance your online education so that you can achieve your career goals in 2012. It will help you to get better jobs and more career opportunities. It will also indicate to your prospective employers that you are serious about your career and want to pursue a career in that particular field. If you are unemployed or want to switch careers, you can advance your education and develop a new career.
4. Networking is always helpful if you are looking at changing your job or want to get a promotion in the current field. Networking can help you get to know more people in a specific field who can help you to find a new job, give tips for an interview or give insights about the trends in that particular field. You can even consider networking sites like LinkedIn to make more contacts.
5. Be realistic when trying to reach your career goals. It is not easy to jump from a receptionist position to a high position like a vice president within a very short while. Don’t be over-ambitious. You should proceed systematically and plan in such a way that your goals can be achieved within a specific timeframe.
6. Instead of planning big and setting an ultimate goal which can be achieved by 2012, set smaller goals which can be achieved easily.
7. Develop a road map to reach your aim in life. For example, if you are interested in becoming a qualified and licensed doctor, you should collect all relevant information on the various medical entrance tests and the medical schools offering the course that you want to specialize in. After the initial qualification, you can consider higher studies in that field and gain specialization.
8. Make short term goals and opt for career specific courses after your high school to take up a job to earn money. This can help you to gain experience as well as earn money for higher education. This can be in the form of diplomas, certificate courses or online courses.
9. After achieving your short term career goals, it is very critical that you plan for your long-term career goals. You should do adequate research and decide on the courses which can help you develop a lucrative career with good salary.
10. You should keep your financial security in mind while planning your career goals in 2012. Even if you hate your current job, don’t leave it till you find a new one.

These career tips can help you reach your career goals for 2012 and help you plan your career. You should however, be focused and determined to achieve these goals.

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.

Facts about Apps

But that’s not all. Kids are even learning from portable devices with apps. College students and online students alike prefer to study from mobile devices rather than through old fashioned text books. Books are out of style with kids and probably not a cool way to learn anymore, especially with all these new high tech mobile learning devices available. Where does this leave kids who can’t afford to buy these devices and mobile apps to help them learn? Are they left behind or can they keep up with kids that have the latest mobile devices with apps?

1. Apps are not recommended for everyone. According to recent research, portable devices such as iPhones, iPods, iPads, and smart phones should not be used with young learners or the screen time should be limited to a minimum of two hours each day for children over the age of two.
2. Are low-income families or affluent families using apps more? Do low income families use apps, or even know what an app is? Low income families may not know what an app is, but they do use them. However, they do not use them as often as affluent families and probably for different reasons also.
3. Do apps really help children learn? Even though apps are valuable online learning tools, most kids still use them for entertainment purposes more than they do for learning. Kids today spend more time on these digital devices to socialize and to keep themselves entertained.
4. Children consider the iPad a toy. Well, at least that’s what PC World seems to think. They once called the iPad as the “Children’s Toy of the Year.” However many kids learn from toys, so this could be a good thing .
5. Most parents don’t know what their kids are doing on their mobile devices. Most parents buy iPhones, iPods and iPads for their children just because they want them, but parents aren’t really paying attention to what their children are doing on these mobile devices. Some parents don’t realize that their kids are running up their credit card bill until it is too late .
6. Most kids can tell have purchased a mobile device or two, but have never bought a book. Is this true? Today, kids prefer to watch more TV, listen to music, play games or socialize on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace rather than read a book, much less purchase one.
7. Today, most kids own at least one mobile device. Kids of all ages and from all backgrounds own at least one mobile device and are constantly upgrading it to stay current with the latest trends.

What do you think: Are mobile devices just another digital distraction or kids are really learning from these things?

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.

Here is a list of some lucrative careers you can pursue by earning an online degree in Information Technology.

1. Database Administrator

Earning an online bachelor’s degree in information technology will qualify you for the post of data administrator. An online bachelor’s degree in information technology gives students an in depth understanding of computer and server components, as well as common programming, web and database languages. As a data administrator, you are responsible to supervise the development and maintenance of digital databases. You will likely develop policies for databases and provide support to other staff members.

2. IT Specialist

Information technology specialists or IT specialists are experts in handling the configuration and troubleshooting of client technology, ranging from computers to cell phones. IT specialists play a key role in handling, storing and analyzing the daily technology requirements of businesses. In addition, they can repair computers, fix, install and update computer software. Pursuing an online master’s degree in information technology will make you eligible for this job opportunity.

3. Computer Programmer

Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from an accredited online school will make you eligible for the position of computer programmer. As a computer programmer, you will likely develop and maintain software, write code, test existing programs, troubleshooting and create user manuals. Computer programmers develop or maintain browser or server software as well as possess a sound understanding of programming languages, like C++ and Java.

4. Onsite Technician

Onsite technician also called computer repairer or computer service technician is the most sought-after person in the field of information technology. As a computer repairer, you can perform hands-on repair, maintenance, and installation work on computers. Moreover, you can also work on printers and auxiliary computer equipment. Pursuing an associate’s degree in information degree is the minimum requirement for the post of computer service technician. However, obtaining a bachelor’s degree will help you compete with the competition for employment opportunities in the field.

5. Data Communications Analyst

Data communications analyst or network architect is one of the most demanded professions in the field of IT. Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in information technology from accredited online colleges will help you land a data communications analyst job. A network architect/data communications analyst creates and improves the technologies including local area networks and the Internet. Furthermore, they maintain and troubleshoot the data system utilized by the company. A data communication analyst has job security whilst the earning potential is quite good.

In short, career possibilities with an online information technology degree are nearly limitless. Earning an IT degree is an ideal option for those who enjoy working with computers and considering making a fresh and successful career change.

You can also earn professional certificate programs at online degree institutions. These institutions offer certificates in a variety of fields and vocations. With such a huge variety to choose from, what are the top degrees that can be earned online? What are the online degree programs that top the list of degrees that employers want? Let’s take a look.

Top Online Degrees

Hard working adults are looking for the top online degrees that can enhance their skills and add value to their employment prospects. According to fresh polls, here are the top online degrees that can be earned online:

• Online Language Degrees
• Online Nursing Degrees
• Online Technology Degrees
• Online Business Degrees

Other Top Online Degrees Students Are Studying

Note that these online degree programs are just averages, each individual may find other online degree programs that will specifically enhance their selected career goals. Search engines have made it very easy to find online schools and colleges that offer the top degrees that can be earned online. These are the degrees that employers look for and the ones that give their bearers an edge career wise.

How to Find the Top Online Degree Programs?

There is no problem finding these online degree programs. The internet can provide working adults with lists of top degrees that can be earned online, and online colleges and universities help prospective students find suitable and quality online degree programs nationwide.

Many web pages help working parents and career students along with those with full time jobs find the top online degrees. Many popular online degree programs listed on the internet have excellent online programs and lessons.

Now is the right time to begin online degree programs that can launch or improve your career.

Increase in Online Degree Students

With this increase, the online degree students now account for almost a 35 percent of all college students. The growth, to over 5 million learners studying in online degree programs, symbolizes an increase of more than half a million pupils.

Growth in Online Degree Course Registration

“The tempo of expansion in online registration is 100% more than of the growth in all college students,” says Sue Lieber, vice-president of the MSEAG. In all categories of college education registration grew by almost 3% from 2009 to 2010.

Rush To Benefit From the Convenience of Online Education

The rush forward to take advantage of online degree programs stands as an essential movement in the methods students are using to get schooling. This trend is motivated equally by the expediency and flexibility that attracts many to distance learning in general and the web environment specifically.

Momentum of Online Degree Enrollment

Whereas the increase in online degree program attendance increased faster than campus based education, the surgeat the end of the last decade was lower than previously recorded climb but the sheer volume was unmatched. This proves that the shift to online degree programs is no fluke, and it should maintain momentum well into the next decade.

Future Role of Online Degree Education

The educational representatives that were asked to report on student satisfaction during surveys by both agencies gave online education about the same reviews as classroom courses. Nearly 70% of those surveyed stated that online education would have some role in their long-term education approach.

Nattering Nabobs of Negativity and Online Education

Nevertheless, it continues to be noted that there are left over’s in the scholastic community in leadership positions that still cling to the notion that online study is inferior to classroom programs. Most are slated for retirement soon and will be remembered in the same breath as those who shun the internet for libraries and scoff at calculators and use their fingers.