Posted by Sophia Peters on Nov 29, 2009 in
Education Globalization has made an enormous difference to the way we live and work, and I don’t just mean the impact of petrol prices on our driving habits. Communicating with someone on the other side of the world is just as easy as communicating with someone next door. People change jobs more often than before, and jobs change just as frequently. And all these changes underscore the importance of education in this globalized, competitive, technology-driven, knowledge-based economy.
Education on-campus at university or college is a fixed place, fixed time activity that is not possible for many people because of jobs or other commitments. Online learning, on the other hand, is an anywhere, anytime, any place activity that provides a flexible learning solution for such people. However, all too often learners are disappointed with their first experience of online learning because they didn’t realise the problems they would face. Here are six things that the learner should watch out for.
Online education is a flexible form of education, but it doesn’t mean that you can keep “putting off” your learning day after day. All too often, that is what often happens – and this results in failure to learn. So be organised – manage your time. Set aside a regular time in your diary for study of the material and completion of assignments.
With the world of work and our living environment constantly changing, you need to be constantly learning new ways of doing things. To be successful, you need a desire for life-long learning. And this is precisely what you should have or wish to develop in yourself – a desire to learn.
Unfortunately, many of us were not taught how to learn. Instead we were only taught to remember things and to apply rules. Somewhere along the way we were expected to acquire the skills to acquire knowledge. In today’s world it is essential that we “know how to learn”. In particular, learning online requires that you develop these skills. This not only means having the technical skills of how find books or web sites on a topic, it also means having well-developed critical reading and thinking skills.
For many people, school taught them to be “passive learners” and such learning seemed to be a useful strategy for success. But it is not a useful strategy for success in today’s world, or, indeed, in online learning. If you are learning online, the courseware often includes questions, exercises and further reading so that your learning can be active rather than passive. You must make sure that you complete all the exercises and that you thoroughly interact with the material so as to gain the most out of it. Do not be a passive learner.
Lectures in high school classrooms and in undergraduate classes can all so easily encourage the “passive learning” already referred to. But real learning takes place when you are interacting with the materials and with others. So try to find a learning group, either in your area or online, and exchange ideas regularly. Also, make sure that you respond to all the e-Tutor’s requests for participation in the discussion forums. There may even be a mark allocated for such participation.
I recently heard of a government official who had his position taken away from him on the grounds that he hadn’t earned his qualifications because they were from a “diploma mill” – a business that simply prints diplomas and degrees. He protested that he had “earned” them because he paid good money for them. You must always make sure that the online qualification you receive is from an accredited institution and the form of accreditation is recognised in your country. Never “buy” a qualification from a “diploma mill”.
Sophia Peters writes for the Online and Distance Learning web site where there are details of online programs. Visit the web site for other relevant information about online programs, including nursing, business, entertainment and many others.
Tags: distance learning, distance learning programs, Education, online business programs, online entertainment programs, online learning, online nursing, Online Nursing programs, online programs, TESOL online, where to study online
Posted by Sophia Peters on Nov 13, 2009 in
Education If you are thinking about a career in nursing, here are some of the questions you might want answered. What is involved in studying online nursing? What jobs are there for nurses? What are the education requirements, and how much can you expect to earn after completion? These and other questions are tackled below.
Nurses are the human face of health care. As anybody who has been in hospital knows, nurses provide direct patient care and are the first point of contact for treatment and diagnosis. They have always been incredibly important in the health care profession and as the nature of health care changes, their importance is growing.
What is studied in a Nursing Program? Nursing education usually includes courses in anatomy, physiology, biological sciences, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, sociology, nursing, pharmacology, statistics, environmental and occupational health, and the liberal arts. But you can’t learn everything about being a nurse online. Programs also include supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Nursing professionals are always in demand all over the world. There are opportunities for nurses in several major settings, including: Hospitals; Clinics/Centers/Healthcare Offices in doctors’ offices, clinics, and emergency medical centers; Nursing Homes; Schools; Home Care/Hospice – providing nursing services to patients at home; Public Health Prevention/Education Programs.
Opportunities for nurses are increasing world-wide. In the USA, thousands of job openings will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who are leaving as they reach retirement. With the world population living longer and so needing more care, jobs in health care are increasing, and will likely stay that way for many years to come. The US Department of Labor reports that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow over 20% up to 2016.
To be a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States, you must pass the relevant National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) or in Canada you must pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE). This exam tests that you have the knowledge and problem solving skills needed to provide adequate health care to patients and is needed in order to work in any health care facility. The NCLEX-RN is taken by both Associate Degree (ADN) and Bachelors Degree (BSN) prepared nurses and the pass rates are about the same for both ADN and BSN prepared nurses. Make sure that your chosen program prepares you for the NCLEX Nurse Registration exam.
Many existing licensed registered nurses (RNs) with an Associate degree or diploma take online nursing programs at Bachelor’s level. There are several advantages to getting your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree if you have the time and money to do it. The BSN will give you a solid foundation in the theory behind nursing and in how nursing practice fits into the overall environment of health care. Many of the best nursing jobs – specialties like Nurse Practitioner, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Nurse Administrator, and so on – require a BSN degree or even a Masters degree as well. And you can usually earn a higher salary with a BSN.
Your salary will obviously depend on your experience, qualifications and which job you have. But in the US, the median salary range for an RN with 1 to 4 years experience is $40,550 – $59.069 whilst in Canada it is C$38.744 – C$55,887 (source: PayScale).
To find out more about the nursing profession and online nursing programs. visit the Online and Distance Learning.com web site, where you can obtain information on other online and distance learning programs. Sophia Peters regularly regularly writes for for Online and Distance Learning.com.
Tags: BSN Degree online, Distance Education, distance learning, Education, nurse registration, online BSN, online for nursing, online health care training, online nursing education, Online Nursing programs, online programs in nursing, online training for nurses, salaries for nurses
