Get Your Career in Shape - The Easy Way

Lots of people went through higher education almost by default. Many of us didn't really want to be there at the time. There's often peer pressure to cope with, irksome daily travel, and classes that just make our eyes glaze over. Worst of all these days, it's very costly. Most graduates, for instance, emerge from university with a shed-load of debt to go with their degree. Going back to a conventional educational establishment after a long break probably doesn't look very appealing. Well, the good news is that you can still acquire new skills and qualifications without having to do that. You can study the easy way: through distance learning. Distance learning, which is usually home learning, has lots of advantages. You can fit your home study around your lifestyle. It's modular, so you can learn at your own pace. Obviously, there's no travel to worry about - apart from the travel into the room wherever your computer is set up! And the classes are far from boring, because you select them yourself. Home learning is structured but flexible. You get all the support you need from qualified and experienced home study tutors, who assess your progress regularly and provide all the encouragement you need to move on to the next level. With distance learning, you can literally study anywhere you want. The only requirement is that your study centre is connected to the Internet, which is not likely to be much of a stumbling block these days. Good home learning centres make it as easy as possible for you to study. They'll send you all the course material you need, and you can send in your assignments by post or email. What's particularly great about home learning is that your bank balance doesn't have to suffer. Most home study courses are affordable, and many offer easy payment plans. And of course, you don't need to get into debt to do them, because you don't have to give up your day job; you can study in your spare time, in the evenings, at weekends, on holiday, even during train or air trips. You literally learn while you earn. Home learning can be a great way to add to your qualifications. Most bosses would be impressed if you went to them and told them that you'd broadened your skill set in your own time and at your own expense. Home study also offers a fantastic opportunity to change careers by acquiring new qualifications in a different field. The job market is always changing, and it's never too late to change with it. And if you choose the home learning route, it really couldn't be easier.

Get an Ivy League Education From Your Own Home

Ivy League colleges like Yale and Harvard have been long coveted by students from many different countries interested in many different subjects. Because of the influx of students into the college world and the desire for the convenience of online colle vedic maths ge classes, many Ivy League schools have chosen to include degree programs for students seriously considering attending an Ivy League college on their own time and at a distance. Each school has a program that is its own. This allows some Ivy League online schools to offer both online and in class education. There are schools that offer classes online for master's degrees. They may require you to participate in programs and internships as part of your degree. Because these schools are so intense due to course load, high intellectual requirements, and the amount of studying and classes to be attended, students seem to find the online courses educationally enlightening and flexible at the same time. Students do not have to sacrifice school quality because they are not able to attend a traditional university. Because some employers do not traditionally like online degrees in employees, you will have the advantage over even some traditional colleges. The brightest minds teach in these universities, so employers can be certain that your online education was earned, and not just paid for. If you are going to attend online schooling, it is a benefit to your career to attend the best online schooling options available. Even applying for schools that are online colleges can show you that Ivy League is affordable and simple. Advisors at these institutions can begin to point you in the right direction. Having earned a degree at an online college, you will see that employers are more willing to accept your online degree. Many online colleges have not been heard of, simply because there are so many around. Going to an online Ivy League college guarantees that employers will have heard of the school that you earned your degree from. There are many different types of college programs available for many different types of students. Whatever degree you are trying to earn can be obtained easier than traveling to another residence or moving to a dorm while attending many classes. Your success can be underway with the assistance of an online Ivy League college. To learn more information about your dream school's online program, log onto their site.

How to Increase Employee Productivity by Using Learning Management Systems

Learning management systems have proved to be extremely helpful in boosting employee productivity levels, due to the interactive platform which makes learning interesting. This is accomplished because the delivery of learning is not restricted to theoretical concepts, but it is also closely linked to required practical skills. However, e-learning imparted through training management software cannot replace classroom teaching completely, but can be used to support the same. There are different ways of incorporating operational skills, apart from giving tests based on e-learning modules. A gaming platform can be provided, through which employees can pit their strategies against each other, in an attempt to successfully attain game objectives. Learners are trained to think on their feet, by virtue of which they understand how to handle difficult situations. Many I.T. companies design such learning management systems which can be used across different organizations. However, it is necessary to select reputed companies that employ qualified and experienced software engineers for developing e-learning tools. This can be ascertained by getting in touch with other users who would have used technologies supplied by these companies. It is possible for managers to make appraisals based on performance evaluation reports generated by learning management software. Skill gap analysis can also be conducted with employees, so that the differences between their learning and application are understood. One of the advantages of e-learning is that it can be used also on mobile platforms such as Symbian, Android, iOS and Blackberry. This way, one does not have to be present in a particular location in order to receive training, giving learners the freedom of mobility. It is also a very cost-effective way of imparting learning, while allowing the organization to focus on its core business objectives. Another advantage is that these learning management software are scalable, which means these can be modified as per the growing sizes of organizations. E- learning modules can be applied to a wide variety of industries, such as banking & finance, life sciences, IT & software, retail and education. Apart from incorporating these, it is also possible to customize these modules based on changing market scenarios. This way, employee productivity is raised and sales targets are also achieved within stipulated time period. Learning management software also facilitates collaborative learning, which means that many users can simultaneously log on to it. This way, ideas and concepts can be shared among a large number of employees at the same time, so that each individual learns from the other and indirectly. facilitates organizational growth.

Online Learning Programs For Students

Online learning combines information technology and multimedia to provide learning programs for students through the World Wide Web or through a combination of media. Online colleges and traditional colleges provide students with education and a degree but the difference is that online colleges do not require the physical presence of an instructor. Online learning programs are available as standalone courses, Associates, Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees, completion programs, continuing education courses, and professional certification. Students who wish to earn an online degree can study from a traditional university or an online college that offers distance learning programs. More and more professionals are opting for online courses as this type of learning allows them to earn additional qualifications without quitting their jobs. Distance learning is particularly suitable for adult learners due to the convenience, 24/7 access, interactive technology and ease of communication. Educational institutes all over the world are now offering a wide variety of online degrees or diplomas for careers in healthcare, business, management, technology and education. An estimated 97 percent of public universities now offer online courses and approximately 3.5 million students are taking at least one class online. To help the learning process though the internet, online study material, tutors, virtual classrooms and various other web resources are available to the student. Additionally, classroom training is also available at convenient locations for most online courses. Moreover, the pacing, sequencing and style of learning can be adjusted according to individual needs. In an online environment, a student can chat with the instructor and other students at a set time every week or be part of a virtual classroom at a fixed time. It is also possible to get help through email or other web resources that are created for students who are enrolled in online programs. Online learning has proved beneficial for people who are good communicators, computer savvy and proactive. Statistics prove that individuals who are looking for an online degree are usually over 25 years old, employed, and have previous college experience. Such online learners are usually self-motivated and their course completion rate surpasses that of students enrolled in classroom training programs. The modern methods of online learning enable a student to have access to a rich interactive experience and endless opportunities for learning.

Is Our Education System Failing Our Youngest Learners?

We cannot ignore technology - it is part of our children's' world. We need to be harnessing the power that this technology brings to engage our earliest of learners in the skills they will need for the future. Ofcom, (Media Literacy Audit, 2008) showed that children's use of key media including the TV, games consoles and the internet are well established by the age of five.  Many aspects outside education have been transformed by technology - why are we not harnessing the power of technology to educate our children? eBooks for children can be used as early as pre-school to help children learn to read, whilst harnessing the technology available to them on which they play games. Maths skills can be taught by playing games, early exploratory science can be enhanced by online education. The association therefore surely must be that learning can be fun. Surely this will engage our learners from the earliest age to promote a life long love of learning? A recent study conducted for Becta by IPOS/Mori showed that secondary school pupils wanted to be active learners solving problems in groups and by using technology. Their actual experience is copying from a board, working on their own, listening to the teacher and taking notes. In what ways are we failing these children by not providing their education via mediums that they will be using throughout their working lives? Research has shown that when parents and carers are engaged in a child's learning and in learning together, both children and adults achieve more. A recent survey* revealed that 95 per cent of parents think the effective use of technology such as the internet, interactive whiteboards and laptops can help their children to learn. Parents have a vital role to play in ensuring that technology helps their children to develop and learn at home.  Yet parents need to have access to quality online materials such as eBooks, games and interactive educational materials. There needs a step-change in the way we apply technology, so it becomes an integral tool in supporting and improving key processes in education. This needs to be done in support of our teachers in whose hands rests the future of our learning generation. [source Betca Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning 2008]

Visual Communications Training Online

Almost everyone will stop and look at an image flashing while they are online or turn a page in a magazine and glance at an advertisement for new cologne. In our society almost everyone and everything is visually driven to get people to support a cause or buy a product. These images and ideas that are presented in all forms of media come from professionals trained in the field of visual communications. Today, many accredited colleges and universities are now offering online degrees in the visual communications field. The visual communications field is very broad leaving numerous degree options for prospective students to choose from. An individual no matter what interest or passion they have will find a degree program that suites their goals. In this field students will be a part of a business or organization that require designs for a multitude of reasons. The career options range from advertising design to web design. Each specific facet of the industry needs dedicated individuals who have learned through training how to incorporate visual elements with words to create an engaging image that grabs a person's attention. Online training can prepare prospective students in a variety of ways to successfully step into the industry. In general most professionals who obtain an education in visual communications do so by earning a bachelor's degree. This is the new trend because most jobs in today's visual communications industry require an individual to have at least a bachelor's degree in the field. Therefore, bachelor degree graduates are able to successfully compete for jobs. A bachelor's degree is highly sought after because of the courses and topics covered. Students not only learn practical knowledge but also principles and concepts that will further their ability to do their job. Courses include image design, visual theory, graphic design, photography, computer graphics, visual persuasion, copy writing, media layout, animation, and much more. Upon completion students are able to create visual design components successfully in their chosen field. The degree choices for prospective students include advertising design, game design, graphic design, digital design, wed design, and more. Advertising design instructs students in a variety of ways to design, create, and implement successful advertising campaigns. Students in this type of program will also work with design elements to create marketing designs for products or businesses. Advertising design courses will focus on graphic, photographic, typographic and video elements of advertising and copy. Students will learn the roles of e-commerce, branding, management, media planning, and consumer behavior as they relate to advertising. A graphic design program will prepare students to become graphic designers, junior art directors, and media designers. Topics covered through coursework include page layout, digital graphics, editorial design, branding, environmental graphics, interactive media design, theory, and more. A graphic design program will challenge students to examine and apply all the functions learned to a business and their design in multiple ways. Use your passion of art and design and begin an education in the exciting field of visual arts. Search out accredited online schools today that offer accredited degrees and programs in visual communications and start on your way to a successful new career.

Project Management: The Nature and Scope

Project Management encompasses a set of core activities that help to achieve project goals and objectives. It includes planning, organizing, and managing different project arenas through which necessary results can be achieved. It looks into aspects such as scope, time and budget which restrict activities or which set the limits within which project management must be handled. The aim of project management is to achieve all engineering project goals and objectives, while keeping in mind the limits within which these must be achieved. The limitations that must be considered include scope, time and budget. It covers the following arenas as part of its scope. They are initialization, planning and development, project execution, project monitoring and finally project closing. There are many different approaches and these include traditional approach, critical chain, extreme, and event chain methodology. The project manager must be able to effectively communicate requirements, handle the decision-making process with respect to project scope and goals, manage employee activities, negotiate with other members of the team, build a good team and allocate resources according to requirements. As part of the management process, it should make use of tools that help them to organize tasks, track hours, create a centralized location from where everything can be taken and collaborate with partners. In order to keep the project on the right track it is essential to have project control mechanisms in place. The appropriate level of control must be implemented because too much of control can be really time consuming, while toll less of control can make the project go out of hand. A project's success is determined if or not the project was completed within the stipulated time period and within the set budget and if it has met customer requirements.

Online Masters Degree Programs - What You Should Know

For those who are considering attaining their masters degree, but work full time, have a family to take care of, or are a bit older and do not want to take the traditional college setting, the choice to go get a masters via online masters degree programs is one option to consider. Depending on the type of masters program you are trying to get your degree in, there is several accredited online degree seeking programs for you to consider. From an MBA, to masters in accounting, to getting your degree in nursing or the sciences; no matter what online masters degree programs you wish to enroll in, there are many online options to choose from. The most important thing to consider when choosing an online masters program is to find a university which is accredited in the type of degree option you are after. Visiting various online sites, researching several institutions, and gathering as much information as possible as to the masters program you wish to enroll in, is the best way to ensure you do choose the right program, and that you are going to receive your masters from a program that has been accredited in the particular field of study you are looking to go in to. For those who have limited time, and have other obligations and priorities in life, you will also find that the online masters degree programs option is one to consider rather than the traditional college style set up. Not only will you be able to continue with your job full time, taking care of the kids, and having your family life, but you are also going to be able to further your career with the online option. Due to the fact that there are a wide range of class options, from nights and weekends, to the regular hours during the week, all students, no matter how hectic their life might be, can complete the masters program when they choose the right online university. The time requirements are also up to each student who enrolls in different online masters degree programs. Whether you choose to go full or part time, and depending on whether you want to do an accelerated program, or something that is going to take the full four years to complete, there are different course loads and scheduling options to consider when you are a student in an online masters degree seeking program as well. So, no matter how quickly you hope to finish, or how slowly you choose to go, there are different options to turn to for those who are considering the online route. No matter what masters program you wish to complete, how long you want to complete the program in, or what your day to day schedule looks like, it is possible to attain your masters degree, in a time period you are able to handle, if you choose to register with the right online masters degree programs which are available, to meet your scheduling needs.

ZeroSum Ruler: Finding Success With Negative Numbers

As an Algebra teacher, I assumed that my students had already mastered some things: fractions, multiplication, addition and subtraction, simple equation solving. As I learned, reality hardly follows theory! My ninth grade students struggled with equation solving. At first, I thought this was because equations were relatively new, but as I looked at their work more closely, it wasn't the equations that were giving them trouble, it was the addition and subtraction. How could this be? After a year or so of telling myself that this just couldn't be, I gave into the fact that my students really were struggling. They would tell me that "-22 + 5 = -27" and "8 - 12 = 4". These mistakes came up in the equations we were doing where terms needed to be added or subtracted from each side, and my students were making all types of simple errors. By the summer of 2007, the first prototype of the ZeroSum ruler was created. It was rough - two paper number lines hinged at zero with an earring - and was in no way yet ready for the classroom. Over the years, the manipulative went through many incarnations until its final form was reached and tested in the classroom to great results. A few years later, I was moved to teach Advanced Algebra to 11th graders, who made the same mistakes! My students could solve complex logarithms but would make errors on the last parts of the problems - the parts involving, you guessed it, addition and subtraction of integers! By then, the ZeroSum ruler was in its final form and ready to be used in the classroom. I gave my eleventh graders a pre-test of eight simple addition and subtraction problems. Over the course of the next few weeks, I gave each student a ZeroSum ruler to use while solving each of three sets of nine simple equations. Immediately after the last set, I gave a post-test, and one month later I gave my students their delayed-retention test. Both the post and delayed-retention tests were set up exactly like the pre-test only with different simple integer problems. To my surprise, there was not much difference in the scores between the post-test and the delayed-retention test. However, there was a huge difference in score between these two tests and the pre-test. 62%! My students had made 62% less errors. As part of my research, I looked into the curriculum that my students had in elementary and middle school. It seemed they only ever had 16 days to learn integer addition and subtraction. No wonder they needed help! The ZeroSum ruler helped my students. I hope to bring this manipulative to more students so that they do not struggle like my students did. There's nothing like making a simple error to knock a kid's math confidence. It's my goal to stop this from happening. Happy Calculating!

Getting It On With Linear Algebra

Linear algebra is an important part of mathematics that concerns itself with vector spaces, which are often finite and countably infinite dimensional. It also discusses linear mappings in between spaces. Such investigation is motivated by linear equation systems through several unknowns, normally represented by the formalism that makes up matrices and vectors. Linear algebra is paramount to pure and applied ideas in mathematics. Abstract algebra, for instance, is made known by relaxing vector space axioms, which should then lead to some generalizations. The idea of functional analysis studies infinite-dimensional versions of the vector space theory. When combined with calculus, it should facilitate linear system solutions made up of differential equations. The techniques involved are also utilized in the areas of engineering, analytic geometry, natural sciences, physics, social sciences (especially economics), and in computer science as well. Since it is a well-developed theory, any nonlinear mathematical models can be approximated by linear models themselves. The first studies of linear algebra emerged from studying determinants, which were used back then in the solving of the systems involving linear equations. Such determinants were employed by Leibniz back in 1693, which also paved the way for the Cramer's Rule involving linear systems in the mid 1700's. Theories in solving the linear systems soon followed with the help of the Gaussian elimination, initially listed as an important advancement in the area of geodesy. Matrix algebra ideas first surfaced to the consciences back in the mid 1800s, with James Joseph Sylvester introducing the matrix term (Latin for "womb"). Matrix inverses and multiplications was the result of studying linear transformation composition. It was during such events that single letters were used to denote any matrix, treating the matrix itself as an aggregate object. The proponents also came to realize how there became a connection between the determinants and matrices, which practically precedes the theory regarding determinants. A more modern and precise definition of vector spaces was introduced back in 1888, followed by the theory suggesting linear transformations comprising of a finite-dimensional vector space. Linear algebra had its first modern form in the early twentieth century, where the ideas and methodologies used in the previous centuries generally regarded as abstract algebra. Using matrices in the area of quantum mechanics, statistics, and special relativity had helped in the spread of the subject beyond the realm of pure mathematics. Advancements surfaced with the introduction of computers and their growing computing powers, which encouraged increased research through efficient algorithms intended for Gaussian elimination/matrix decomposition. These days, it is considered an essential tool used in modeling and simulation functions. Since linear algebra is regarded a successful theory, the methods used have successfully developed as well, thereby generalized in the other corners of mathematics. In the module theory for example, one replaces a field of scalars using a ring. Linear independence concepts, including span, dimension (also referred to as rank in the module theory itself) and basis are still relied upon. Many theorems come into conflict with the module theory however. Not all the modules involved has a basis, especially those tagged as free modules.