Data from 2007 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) confirm that more education leads to higher income. For example, a person with a 4-year degree (bachelor’s) can expect a median weekly salary of $987. With a high school education, the individual will earn only $604 per week. The difference in pay is significant when considered over a working lifetime of 40 years. In addition, the BLS reports that a person with a master’s degree earns $1,165 weekly.
Education Leads to Promotions
Over the past two decades, I have worked in huge companies like Shell Oil and USAA. When applying for internal positions, the job announcements are clear about experience and educational level required. In many cases, employees have the necessary experience to step in and do the work. However, many employees are lacking the level of education mandated by the job.
In my role as a college professor, many students complain regarding being “passed up” for a position by less experienced employees who meet the educational requirements. While I sympathize with my students, the bottom line is that employers are looking for individuals with a higher level of education.
Why?
As you take more advanced classes, especially at the master’s level, you develop the ability to consider problems from a macro perspective. In other words, you are thinking “outside the box” or “expanding your box.” The leaders of today’s companies are interested in employees who can initiate change in a chaotic environment. As most of you know, on-the-job training is now a luxury.
Make the Investment
I recommend you decide exactly the position you want to have in the future. Based on that knowledge, you can start today to earn the degree that will help you meet your goal. If you begin today, you can earn a bachelor’s in about three years. A master’s can be earned in less than two years. Remember that time is going to pass whether you decide to improve your situation or not.
Of course, you will need to work hard and to pay for this opportunity, but the recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is clear that this investment will reap tremendous monetary rewards for many years to come. In short, the math is on your side.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Helpful Tips to Writing Your Assignments
With online learning, the written word rules. My virtual students often make the writing assignments more difficult than they are. In middle school and perhaps even earlier, you learned the basic elements of writing, and those principles are appropriate for your college-level writing.
If you follow this simple process, your effectiveness will improve.
(a) Create a simple outline. By writing down the process of your paper, you will reduce the time required to write it. Further, you will have the necessary references in hand before writing the document.
(b) Write a powerful and succinct introduction: As a faculty member, I grade many papers. Because the introduction will tell me what the paper is about, I read this section very closely. If you have a strong and well-composed introduction, chances are the rest of your paper will follow suit. Remember to keep your intro short and to-the-point. For an average paper (750-to-2,000 words), four to seven sentences is sufficient.
(c) Accentuate the major points in the body of the paper. I recommend headings in the body of your paper. They easier you make it for the reader, the better grade you will receive. If the assignments calls for three major alternatives, make sure that each alternative has a heading and that you cover it well. Keep it simple!
(d) A strong conclusion brings the paper together. In the introduction and body of the paper, you want to describe the literature, or what experts are saying. Therefore, you use references in those sections. In the conclusion, you tell us what you learned, your recommendations, and future research opportunities. In other words, the conclusion section is where we learn your thoughts on the subject. Be careful to keep the section professional, and make sure that your analysis can be substantiated.
(e) A reference page is essential. While we respect your knowledge and work experience, we stress the importance of learning from others who have written on the subject. Consequently, you must have a reference section that is formatted according to the instructions, such as APA.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can make improve your future writing assignments. Remember to keep the delivery and formatting simple. Avoid placing noisy images in the document, and make sure you use words that you can define. Further, ensure the content meets the requirements of the assignment. I recommend having a friend or family member take a quick read of the paper before you submit it. If a person not in your class can grasp the material, you are ready to submit!
If you follow this simple process, your effectiveness will improve.
(a) Create a simple outline. By writing down the process of your paper, you will reduce the time required to write it. Further, you will have the necessary references in hand before writing the document.
(b) Write a powerful and succinct introduction: As a faculty member, I grade many papers. Because the introduction will tell me what the paper is about, I read this section very closely. If you have a strong and well-composed introduction, chances are the rest of your paper will follow suit. Remember to keep your intro short and to-the-point. For an average paper (750-to-2,000 words), four to seven sentences is sufficient.
(c) Accentuate the major points in the body of the paper. I recommend headings in the body of your paper. They easier you make it for the reader, the better grade you will receive. If the assignments calls for three major alternatives, make sure that each alternative has a heading and that you cover it well. Keep it simple!
(d) A strong conclusion brings the paper together. In the introduction and body of the paper, you want to describe the literature, or what experts are saying. Therefore, you use references in those sections. In the conclusion, you tell us what you learned, your recommendations, and future research opportunities. In other words, the conclusion section is where we learn your thoughts on the subject. Be careful to keep the section professional, and make sure that your analysis can be substantiated.
(e) A reference page is essential. While we respect your knowledge and work experience, we stress the importance of learning from others who have written on the subject. Consequently, you must have a reference section that is formatted according to the instructions, such as APA.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can make improve your future writing assignments. Remember to keep the delivery and formatting simple. Avoid placing noisy images in the document, and make sure you use words that you can define. Further, ensure the content meets the requirements of the assignment. I recommend having a friend or family member take a quick read of the paper before you submit it. If a person not in your class can grasp the material, you are ready to submit!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Avoid Anxiety by Starting Early on Assignments
In my classes, whether online or onsite, the students who do well are those who begin their assignments early. For those who procrastinate and start assignments and even projects at the last moment, they can expect frustration and anxiety.
Think Ahead
I recommend to review the syllabus carefully. You should know the following:
Think Ahead
I recommend to review the syllabus carefully. You should know the following:
- When is the due date?
- What is the topic? You can get an early start on your research.
- What is the word count?
- What is the the grading criteria?
- Can you submit a rough draft early to the instructor?
When you are in control of the assignment, you are less likely to be overwhelmed.
Takeaway
This topic, of course, falls under time management. The pressures we face today from both our personal and professional lives are significant. However, earning a college education is not a lifelong endeavor. You must program your mind and body to incorporate the additional stress by taking control of the situation. Like a long distance runner, you will build the stamina and your body will adjust as you develop these proactive strategies.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Audio Conferencing And Its Uses
Audio Conferencing And Its Uses
by Ajeet Khurana
Audio conferencing has been a major boon to business. It is helping them reach out to geographically separated people. As a result, these establishments are also saving on cost and time. Quite often you have difficulties in scheduling your professional events. This occurs due to various kinds of problems. These could be conflicts pertaining to schedules, geographically separated venues, time differences between countries, the time that it takes to travel, hotel accommodations, and other logistics related issues.
Just take a look at distance education. Here, students are required to reach out to the faculty if they want to attend professional development programs. How do they do this? In this modern age, video and audio conferencing have brought professionals to a common platform. Thus, conference calling has begun to be used extensively. It is a fantastic aid in exchanging ideas for any professional development activity. Professionals today are gathering greater technical expertise by attending seminars which are being held in all parts of the world. And how is this being achieved? It is being achieved by the help of today's communication technology.
On browsing the Internet, we can find many schools that have begun to offer distance learning programs. Microsoft offers their Windows-based MCP training through distance learning. This has solved several problems, which would inevitably have appeared if professionals and other students had to physically be present at the classes.
Today, distance learning is helping those who are sitting on the other side of the world to acquire the appropriate knowledge in the subjects of their interest. And all this is being achieved because they are able to use the technology. Inter-active video, audio, and online media are being deployed today by many institutions to impart knowledge to adult students on various subject matters.
Within the communication technology available today, audio conferencing is considered to be a lower form of interactive technology. Nevertheless, audio conferencing is quite a great thing. Audio conferencing is extensively used in distant professional development programs and helps in communication over long distances.
Business enterprises have today set up bases all over the globe. Hence, they need to keep in touch. Professionals in those business houses are required to meet to carry out discussions and to make decisions. Sales conferences have to be held at most offices. Many of these conferences are conducted by audio conferencing. The business world is truly reaping the benefits of audio conferencing. Real time interactions, faster decision making possibilities, and a huge reduction in cost and travel expenses have made the audio conference call the darling of business meetings.
Audio conferencing provides us with a great deal of savings in money terms. This goes a long way in enhancing business processes, fostering better communication, and collaboration. It is general practice for many organizations to outsource their audio conferencing needs to service providers. This facility can be utilized by paying a fee to the provider company each time that the audio conferencing network is hired.
There are also service providers who offer pay-as-you-go services. An organization can also build its own audio conferencing system. All that the organization needs to do is get the equipment and set it up within the enterprise.
by Ajeet Khurana
Audio conferencing has been a major boon to business. It is helping them reach out to geographically separated people. As a result, these establishments are also saving on cost and time. Quite often you have difficulties in scheduling your professional events. This occurs due to various kinds of problems. These could be conflicts pertaining to schedules, geographically separated venues, time differences between countries, the time that it takes to travel, hotel accommodations, and other logistics related issues.
Just take a look at distance education. Here, students are required to reach out to the faculty if they want to attend professional development programs. How do they do this? In this modern age, video and audio conferencing have brought professionals to a common platform. Thus, conference calling has begun to be used extensively. It is a fantastic aid in exchanging ideas for any professional development activity. Professionals today are gathering greater technical expertise by attending seminars which are being held in all parts of the world. And how is this being achieved? It is being achieved by the help of today's communication technology.
On browsing the Internet, we can find many schools that have begun to offer distance learning programs. Microsoft offers their Windows-based MCP training through distance learning. This has solved several problems, which would inevitably have appeared if professionals and other students had to physically be present at the classes.
Today, distance learning is helping those who are sitting on the other side of the world to acquire the appropriate knowledge in the subjects of their interest. And all this is being achieved because they are able to use the technology. Inter-active video, audio, and online media are being deployed today by many institutions to impart knowledge to adult students on various subject matters.
Within the communication technology available today, audio conferencing is considered to be a lower form of interactive technology. Nevertheless, audio conferencing is quite a great thing. Audio conferencing is extensively used in distant professional development programs and helps in communication over long distances.
Business enterprises have today set up bases all over the globe. Hence, they need to keep in touch. Professionals in those business houses are required to meet to carry out discussions and to make decisions. Sales conferences have to be held at most offices. Many of these conferences are conducted by audio conferencing. The business world is truly reaping the benefits of audio conferencing. Real time interactions, faster decision making possibilities, and a huge reduction in cost and travel expenses have made the audio conference call the darling of business meetings.
Audio conferencing provides us with a great deal of savings in money terms. This goes a long way in enhancing business processes, fostering better communication, and collaboration. It is general practice for many organizations to outsource their audio conferencing needs to service providers. This facility can be utilized by paying a fee to the provider company each time that the audio conferencing network is hired.
There are also service providers who offer pay-as-you-go services. An organization can also build its own audio conferencing system. All that the organization needs to do is get the equipment and set it up within the enterprise.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Five Action-Oriented Success Strategies for Adult Learners
Five Action-Oriented Success Strategies for Adult Learners
By Jim Flores, Ph.D.
As an adult learner, you have tremendous demands on your time. You understand the importance of earning your college degree, but the stress of coping with daily life takes a toll on you. Outside of balancing your work and family responsibilities, you have piled another major activity onto your already hectic schedule, making it increasingly difficult to take control of your life. However, as a facilitator and student myself, I have developed several strategies that place me in the driver’s seat of my personal, professional, and academic activities. Over the past decade, I have used these strategies to earn several master’s and, recently, my Ph.D. There is no time to waste! Let’s get started!
Success Strategy #1 — Prioritize Your Schedule
If you wake up each day without a written schedule, you are asking for trouble. The most successful people in life are those who think on paper. They take the time to write things down and place a priority on those items that are most important to them. I recall reading that steel king Andrew Carnegie once paid today’s equivalence of $1M to a consultant who gave him the following advice: Write down the three most important items that you must work on today and don’t move to Item #2 until Item #1 is done, and so on. Carnegie noted later in life that that advice was the key to his enormous success.
Success Strategy #2 — Embrace Technology
In some of my classes, learners express the phobia they experience when it comes to using computers. The fact is that your success as a student largely depends on your ability to use the latest software and hardware. At minimum, you should be proficient with the Microsoft Suite. Further, make sure you can touch type at least 40-wpm, and preferably 50 or more. If you lack a computer skill, I highly recommend going through the tutorial offered by the software program or to purchase a step-by-step “How To” book. I remember blocking out several Saturday mornings to go through software tutorials. In just those short sessions, I became proficient. However, to master these programs, it is critical you use them often. For those of you fortunate to have company training opportunities, never pass up a class. Here are the programs you should reach expert-level status: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. From my experience, students often struggle with MS Excel, so make sure to allocate time to learn this powerful and useful program.
Success Strategy #3 — Become a Reader
I am often surprised that many college-level students experience difficulty writing coherently.
Until we develop the ability to write in a persuasive, professional, and clear manner, our future opportunities are limited. Over the years, I have made it a habit to read as much as possible, including articles, scholarly writings, self-development books, dissertations, and so on. By engaging our mind in reading activities, we expand our vocabulary, and that alone improves your writing ability. I recommend you make it a habit to read at least 30 minutes per day. When reading, pay special attention to how the author structures an argument and the words used to communicate the message to you. Instead of being a passive reader, think critically and form a counterargument. When speaking, I also make it a habit to use coherent and clear sentences. In short, the more I am aware of my communication skills, the more I excel at writing.
Success Strategy #4 — Practice Humility
In my experience as a college educator, it never fails to have a student claiming to possess exemplary writing skills, even rivaling Charles Dickens and Shakespeare! We sometimes receive angry feedback from students who earn a substandard grade arguing they are “A” students. While I understand that pursuing an “A” is the ultimate goal, the fact is that subjects vary and students are not always proficient in all areas. I recall a situation where one student became upset when I provided constructive feedback on an essay, and much of it pertained to lack of clarity and poor grammar. Instead of accepting the feedback as a way to improve her writing, she closed the learning door and focused on how she could prove me wrong. Students must remember that they are attending college with the aim to develop new skills, and feedback from the instructor provides that learning opportunity. In short, we maximize our learning chances when we are humble and receptive to feedback from faculty members who are committed to helping us elevate our academic performance.
Success Strategy #5 — Visualize the Goal
When pursuing my B.B.A. at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, it seemed like the end was too far away. Even though I was taking 18 hours per semester, I had a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, I persevered and completed the degree requirements. Since that accomplishment, however, I have taken a different approach to my studies. While I remain focused on doing well in each class, my attention is directed on how I can use the degree to further my career. Further, I think about how the skills I am learning in each class are applicable to a current employment activity. This visualization motivates me to stay on course and view my learning in an action-oriented manner. Not surprisingly, the results are tremendous!
About the Author
Dr. Jim Flores has earned a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems and the following master’s degrees: M.B.A. with Finance and Marketing / Management concentrations, M.S. in Computer Information Technology, M.S. in Management, M.A. in Human and Organizational Systems, and M.S. in Nonprofit Management. He has taught online and onground collegiate classes since 1992. Further, he is founder of WebcastLearning.com, an organization committed to helping adult learners earn an accredited online college degree. His podcast program, "The Nuts-and-Bolts of Online Learning," provides step-by-step information on how to excel in any distance learning program. Further, his book, "How to Become a Proficient Online Learner: Powerful and Practical Strategies Designed to Help You Earn a 4.0 GPA," provides easy-to-implement strategies for online learners. For more information, visit WebcastLearning.com.
By Jim Flores, Ph.D.
As an adult learner, you have tremendous demands on your time. You understand the importance of earning your college degree, but the stress of coping with daily life takes a toll on you. Outside of balancing your work and family responsibilities, you have piled another major activity onto your already hectic schedule, making it increasingly difficult to take control of your life. However, as a facilitator and student myself, I have developed several strategies that place me in the driver’s seat of my personal, professional, and academic activities. Over the past decade, I have used these strategies to earn several master’s and, recently, my Ph.D. There is no time to waste! Let’s get started!
Success Strategy #1 — Prioritize Your Schedule
If you wake up each day without a written schedule, you are asking for trouble. The most successful people in life are those who think on paper. They take the time to write things down and place a priority on those items that are most important to them. I recall reading that steel king Andrew Carnegie once paid today’s equivalence of $1M to a consultant who gave him the following advice: Write down the three most important items that you must work on today and don’t move to Item #2 until Item #1 is done, and so on. Carnegie noted later in life that that advice was the key to his enormous success.
Success Strategy #2 — Embrace Technology
In some of my classes, learners express the phobia they experience when it comes to using computers. The fact is that your success as a student largely depends on your ability to use the latest software and hardware. At minimum, you should be proficient with the Microsoft Suite. Further, make sure you can touch type at least 40-wpm, and preferably 50 or more. If you lack a computer skill, I highly recommend going through the tutorial offered by the software program or to purchase a step-by-step “How To” book. I remember blocking out several Saturday mornings to go through software tutorials. In just those short sessions, I became proficient. However, to master these programs, it is critical you use them often. For those of you fortunate to have company training opportunities, never pass up a class. Here are the programs you should reach expert-level status: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. From my experience, students often struggle with MS Excel, so make sure to allocate time to learn this powerful and useful program.
Success Strategy #3 — Become a Reader
I am often surprised that many college-level students experience difficulty writing coherently.
Until we develop the ability to write in a persuasive, professional, and clear manner, our future opportunities are limited. Over the years, I have made it a habit to read as much as possible, including articles, scholarly writings, self-development books, dissertations, and so on. By engaging our mind in reading activities, we expand our vocabulary, and that alone improves your writing ability. I recommend you make it a habit to read at least 30 minutes per day. When reading, pay special attention to how the author structures an argument and the words used to communicate the message to you. Instead of being a passive reader, think critically and form a counterargument. When speaking, I also make it a habit to use coherent and clear sentences. In short, the more I am aware of my communication skills, the more I excel at writing.
Success Strategy #4 — Practice Humility
In my experience as a college educator, it never fails to have a student claiming to possess exemplary writing skills, even rivaling Charles Dickens and Shakespeare! We sometimes receive angry feedback from students who earn a substandard grade arguing they are “A” students. While I understand that pursuing an “A” is the ultimate goal, the fact is that subjects vary and students are not always proficient in all areas. I recall a situation where one student became upset when I provided constructive feedback on an essay, and much of it pertained to lack of clarity and poor grammar. Instead of accepting the feedback as a way to improve her writing, she closed the learning door and focused on how she could prove me wrong. Students must remember that they are attending college with the aim to develop new skills, and feedback from the instructor provides that learning opportunity. In short, we maximize our learning chances when we are humble and receptive to feedback from faculty members who are committed to helping us elevate our academic performance.
Success Strategy #5 — Visualize the Goal
When pursuing my B.B.A. at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, it seemed like the end was too far away. Even though I was taking 18 hours per semester, I had a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, I persevered and completed the degree requirements. Since that accomplishment, however, I have taken a different approach to my studies. While I remain focused on doing well in each class, my attention is directed on how I can use the degree to further my career. Further, I think about how the skills I am learning in each class are applicable to a current employment activity. This visualization motivates me to stay on course and view my learning in an action-oriented manner. Not surprisingly, the results are tremendous!
About the Author
Dr. Jim Flores has earned a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems and the following master’s degrees: M.B.A. with Finance and Marketing / Management concentrations, M.S. in Computer Information Technology, M.S. in Management, M.A. in Human and Organizational Systems, and M.S. in Nonprofit Management. He has taught online and onground collegiate classes since 1992. Further, he is founder of WebcastLearning.com, an organization committed to helping adult learners earn an accredited online college degree. His podcast program, "The Nuts-and-Bolts of Online Learning," provides step-by-step information on how to excel in any distance learning program. Further, his book, "How to Become a Proficient Online Learner: Powerful and Practical Strategies Designed to Help You Earn a 4.0 GPA," provides easy-to-implement strategies for online learners. For more information, visit WebcastLearning.com.
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