eLearnPortal Blog

A new application for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch puts textbooks in your pocket.

CourseSmart LLC currently provides over 7,000 etextbooks in subjects such as Criminal Justice, Social Work, Religious Studies and more. Students will now be able to quickly access these etextbooks via the new CourseSmart application on their iPhone or iPod Touch. When students rent an etextbook from CourseSmart, for about half the price for the physical textbook, they will have access to it from the CourseSmart application as well as any computer connected to the Internet for 180 days.

The etextbook is not a new concept; Amazon developed their Kindle reader a few years ago and now offers over 3,000 McGraw-Hill educational titles, with more to come in the near future. The difference is that the Kindle reader is much like a mini laptop that only stores ebooks whereas the CourseSmart application is available on the iPhone or iPod Touch; something students already carry to class with them. Also, students are already accustomed to reading on their iPhones and would not have to adjust to reading on the Kindle reader.

The CourseSmart application will give students the opportunity to reference their textbook at any time. Students will no longer have to worry about forgetting their book at home when they head to class or a group meeting.

Handshakes, paper business cards and business suits are things of the past, or at least things in need of a virtual make over.  That’s right. Iconic images of business networking are being upgraded to meet the needs of the online environment.  However, the site of this surge in online networking may surprise you; it’s all going down in the online classroom.

The truth of the matter is that distance learning has, for several years, enabled students to make vital business contacts, receive constructive feedback and explore novel ideas within a safe environment.  The opportunity to interact with like-minded professionals is not only spawning exciting, intellectual conversation within the classroom, but creating noteworthy business ventures outside of the classroom as well.  As more students log on, the potential possibilities for job opportunities, business ventures and collaborative innovations reach new heights.  However, online networking can prove to be more than just a benefit of distance education, but a challenging skill that requires refinement.

Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you hone your online networking skills and, possibly, make that life-changing connection.

Be aware of your setting. Communicating clearly and efficiently is a key to online networking. Therefore, if you are not familiar with the online mode of communication, take extra steps to correct this problem. Consider reviewing the online tutorial about the functions of your online classroom.  Be sure to read all guidelines and instructions before entering into a discussion.  As time goes on, spend some time going over archived discussions in order to gain additional insights into a topic or potential contact.

Keep contact info handy. When participating in a class discussion or chatting in a lounge, it is always a good idea to have an updated business card available online.  Therefore, if a fellow student has to quickly log out of a conversation, you will be able to forward your information to him or her with just the click of a button.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread. Just like traditional networking, online networking is all about presentation.  Before posting information or sending a chat response, be sure to look for errors.  All information needs to be clean and concise.  While this may seem simple, it is easy to forget this nominal detail due to the fast-paced nature of online interaction.  It is also important to remember your tone.  While statements and opinions may sound appropriate in your head, they can easily be misconstrued online.  Read your message several times to ensure a proper tone is being conveyed.

Don’t dominate every discussion. Online networking is not always about being the star of the class.  While you need to be attentive to your academic goals, there is no need to command attention in every class discussion or online chat session.  Being selective in your commentary can show your thoughtful knowledge regarding a topic and thus, earn you more credibility.

Don’t overload the class with group emails or posts. There is a time and a place for trying to stir up interest in an outside business venture.  Remember, the original, and sometimes only, intent of your fellow online students is to earn their degree.  If you are interested in discussing potential opportunities and outside resources, ask interested parties to meet you in a chat room after class hours.

Create a sig line. With each electronic message, you are able to attach a signature file, or sig line.  This brief line of text enables you to create an image or idea with which to associate yourself.  This information provides some insight into who you are and helps potential contacts and/or clients identify you.

Be respectful. As mentioned previously, it is important to watch your tone and avoid sarcasm.  Distance education offers students the opportunity to discuss and explore topics and opinions within a safe environment.  Therefore, remember to always be respectful and tolerant of fellow students’ ideas and opinions.  Rash remarks can quickly and easily offend other members of the class.

In the end, online networking is all about being courteous and professional. Don’t let the educational setting fool you. While earning your degree should remain your top priority, there are still real opportunities to develop productive professional relationships through your distance learning experience.  Use your online learning experience to your advantage.

Soldiers Turning to Online Degrees for Education

Online degrees are becoming more and more popular with military veterans who do not have the time and/or resources to attend college in a traditional environment. By attending school online, these soldiers can spend more time at home with their loved ones or working to provide for their families.

Active duty soldiers are also taking advantage of online education, often choosing to continue working toward their online bachelor’s degree from the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. The online environment allows these soldiers to keep up with their classes while fulfilling their deployment. In 2007, over 710,000 online courses were taken by military personnel from the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force.

There are also many financial aid resources available for active duty and retired military personnel. The Department of Defense, as well as the federal government, offers tuition reimbursement to members of the armed forces, which is a huge incentive for military members to pursue an education. Private scholarship foundations, such as the Sentinels of Freedom, Operation Helping Heal, and others, offer aid to soldiers pursuing an education. Many colleges also waive or reduce the tuition costs for veterans and active duty soldiers.

Many soldiers choose online degree programs because they have been wounded in combat and cannot attend regular classroom sessions. The flexibility of an online education allows them to recover from their wounds in the comfort of their own homes without worrying about how they are going to get to and from class.

The Army has a program in place to help soldiers get an education. Launched in 2001, eArmyU provides tuition assistance for soldiers. They also provide laptop computers for soldiers who enlist in a combat or operational unit. The only eligibility requirements are a high school diploma or GED, 3 years of service remaining and approval from their commander. All tuition, books, course fees, and internet services are paid for, and soldiers must complete 12 credit hours in a three year period. In the seven years the program has been available, over 50,000 army personnel have taken college courses.

With so many colleges providing online degrees and numerous scholarships and tuition assistance available, the number of military personnel taking online courses is sure to increase every year, proving that deployment doesn’t have to be the end of pursuing an education.

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Translating the quality and legitimacy of your online degree to the job market can be a difficult task for many up-and-coming professionals. Within the business world, distance learning is still working to establish its reputation as an accepted form of higher education.  After all, the online education explosion is a relatively new phenomenon.  Therefore, online graduates may have to go the extra mile in order to prove the quality of their degrees.

Your prospective employer may not be aware of the numerous skills online education and the work environment have in common.  To get a better picture of what you can take away from your e-Learning experience, check out the benefits below.

• Managing One’s Time: Use your time wisely. It is not just a phrase anymore; it is a skill.  Online instruction gives students an incredible amount of academic freedom when it comes to schedule and pace.  Graduates of distance learning programs can easily transfer their ability to effectively manage assignments and class session into the corporate world of deadlines and board meetings.

• Confidence in One’s Technical Abilities: In business, you cannot hide from technology, as it permeates every aspect of the corporate environment.  For online learners, this job requirement would not even cause them to break a sweat. Online degree graduates have the benefit of familiarity and hands-on experience with numerous types of technology.  Virtual experience teaches one the proper protocol expected when using each medium of technology. With all this insider knowledge, how can you not stand out from the rest?

• Self-Will and Personal Drive: Finding the right program, keeping pace with the accelerated format, scheduling time to study and meeting course deadlines are all part of the virtual academic experience, and all of which can prove to be quite a challenge.  Make sure your potential employer knows of the personal dedication you have to accuracy, efficiency and success.

• First-rate Communication Skills: Between the different people and technologies encountered in the online classroom, students are exposed to all types of ways to communicate, and each requires its own form of etiquette.  Explain how your experiences online have built an excellent foundation of communication skills.

• Leadership Skills: In order to compensate for face-to-face interaction, online courses utilize group projects.  Group projects allow students to set and assume different functions in the overall learning process.  Team leaders are able to highlight their leadership skills by coordinating schedules, setting goals, evaluating work and guiding a product to completion.  Be sure to emphasize your ability to effectively lead a team and produce a successful project to possible employers.

• High-level Functioning within a Team Environment: Part of the distance learning experience is interacting with and learning from a variety of people. e-Learners encounter opinions, skill levels and work efficiency levels that often vary from their own. Therefore, the ability to adapt and highlight individual strengths is a major asset students can take away from online education.

• Current Awareness of Industry’s Tends: Distance education has the unique advantage of offering not only the latest technology, but the most up-to-date information within a field.  Being so connected to the Web, students always have a plethora of useful and reputable resources at their fingertips

They say “it takes a village to raise a child” but actually, it takes a good teacher to sow the seed, to inspire and to model knowledge, passion, will to grow and will to become. Every one of us reading this article can think of one or more teachers that made a substantial difference in our lives. It is your turn now to make your life count and be one of those teachers that are part of someone’s good memories.