There are multiple hurdles to be overcome in order for society to fully embrace the concept of online higher education. There is natural resistance to…

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There are multiple hurdles to be overcome in order for society to fully embrace the concept of online higher education. There is natural resistance to the concept because in many people’s minds there are significant questions that are unanswered. How will students be assessed? Who will be admitted? How can we be sure that students are honest? Will online degrees be of the same quality of the traditional degrees? How will top universities react to this trend? Time will eventually answer these and other questions regarding online education. What is certain is that demand for online education is beginning to boom and traditional universities will have to develop their own propositions or miss out on the opportunity to maintain their leadership in the education and development arena.

Universities and Society have much at stake when it comes to higher education. Enabled by the technological developments in communications, IT and networking, societies around the world are becoming ever more dynamic and competitive. Expectation for timescales are constantly being reduced and demand for immediacy in most areas drives many changes in our world today. As these changes happen, and as society begins to embrace these new technologies to satisfy traditional demand for goods and services, it is important that educational institutions develop the ability and systems to keep up.

Online education should be one of the most viable applications of the web. Only the appropriate systems, accreditations and assessments would need to be developed in order to achieve the quality standards that the traditional universities are renowned for. However, traditional universities tend to be conservative in their approach; they have lagged behind other for-profit organizations like the University of Phoenix that currently captures over $300 million in annual revenue. It is this type of organizations that has taken the lead in delivering online education, in spite of its questionable academic rigor and accreditation.

Demand is growing for education amongst many people that traditionally had little access to higher education. The “Baby Boomer” generation has been a big market driver for online education. Also the upcoming generations of young people see online delivery of products and services as something natural, so online education for them does not seem alien.

So far, online education has been steadily growing at rates that most studies show at 30 or 40 percent, which is 15 to 20 times faster than traditional university education growth.

Trends in Online Offerings
The uptake of more traditional degrees like BA/BS in Arts and Sciences has been less than enthusiastic. The reason for this is that most of the students willing to undertake a BA or BS level degree will probably be of an age more suitable for traditional education, and this lack of demand reflects the lack of offerings in this area. Another issue to be considered has to do with the practicalities of coordinating the different disciplines and departments required for these courses, which are difficult enough off-line. Successful online propositions for these courses will have to be extremely committed to resolving these issues and have the support of what could be considered the most tradition-bound faculty.

Admission Criteria
Universities will have to address the stigma that often accompanies admission opportunities for individuals. The online experience allows non-traditional students to learn at different paces and have different background than what it would be required for a classroom lecture. The web provides an exceptional opportunity to deliver higher education to all qualified students opening up an untapped market of intelligent people that do not have the access through the normal admission channels.

Name and Reputation
In a survey delivered to HR professionals, more than 50% preferred selecting a candidate with an online degree from a traditional institution over one with a degree from a less reputable school. Current data suggests that the real explosion in demand and market growth will occur once top name universities start supplying online education opportunities. These institutions have a trust factor built into their brand names that new coming institutions lack. The latter universities and online education propositions do not have a recognized expertise of having educated millions of students. Their programs can be perceived as lacking academic rigor and taught by faculty of questionable accreditation.

Some experts argue that name and reputation are even more important than the medium of delivery. Universities that wish to maintain their reputation will have to make sure that the standards that apply for normal students are also applied to online students, to the extent that the final result is undistinguishable. This is a significant challenge and there is still debate around this issue. One can question if the online proposition can really deliver the same results as the traditional approach does.

The requirement for quality and the backing of the name of a reputable university create new challenges for online education providers. These institutions that can provide high quality online education will need to implement methods to achieve a consistency between the online proposition and the traditional one.

Accreditation and Certification
The new paradigm creates great opportunities for both educators and learners in terms of accessibility, flexibility, and in some cases, cost. However, it also creates significant challenges for quality assurance and accreditation. A survey amongst online learners revealed that 44 percent value quality and accreditation when choosing an online education provider. Another 22 percent deemed rich student experience as paramount importance. Interestingly most people do not know what “accreditation” really is. Different accreditation agencies like the AACSB offer membership and also accreditation status. Membership is open to all institutions and sometimes this is illegitimately “confused” with accreditation. Accrediting bodies have the challenge to educate about their standards to the different involved parties like government, corporations and the general public in order to minimize this confusion.

Online education is two-way and delivered via mentoring and direct assessment. This is why traditional classroom standards need to be modified to fit with the new delivery method and be consistent with the bidirectional approach online education delivers. Once accreditation agencies develop credible methodologies to certify online education courses, there would be strong incentives to improve the quality of the programs.

Learning Styles and Assessment
Without proper examinations and student assessments, there would be no way to certify that the learning outcomes have been properly delivered to the students. The online approach gives the exceptional opportunity to assess many different types of learning styles and motivation levels. The online experience allows setting up automatic diagnostic tools that would seamlessly reinforce weak areas until the student is deemed to be competent in the subjects. Taken to an extreme, the online delivery could integrate the learning and the examination simultaneously.

Interaction with Faculty and Fellow Students
Often students rate the possibility of interacting with peers or faculty as an important part of the learning experience. Universities must make sure that their online proposition encourages and facilitates student-student and student-faculty interaction in order to maximize the network benefit. There are no technological impediments for this too, as instant messaging and web cams are easily accessible. This issue places constraints in the sizes of the online student body if the university is to maintain its quality standards in the education delivery.

With many career training options available, you can now get the job of your choice very easily. Factors, such as ease of availability, low cost and job guarantee, have made career training courses highly popular among job seekers.

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You can opt for either full time or part time training. The choice also includes online and campus courses.

Career Training: Some Recent Trends

Traditionally, education has been imparted to make you a professional, such as a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. Such jobs had well defined structures and needed specialized training for an extensive period of time. Due to the lack of career options earlier you had no other choice but to wait for the job until you completed your regular degree courses.

However, with the expansion of business in varied industrial segments and consumerism on the rise, new career avenues have opened up in recent years. Furthermore, developments in science and technology have opened new doors of opportunities for everyone. For instance, in the field of Information Technology, new software is developed every day. Operating them requires special skills that can be learnt only through focused training. So, a host of new schools and colleges have opened up to provide career training that ensures a supply of man power to the industry.

When Do You Need Career Training?

You need career training if:

You have just completed a degree and wish to supplement your knowledge with hands-on experience.

You are already working part-time and wish to enhance your career prospects.

You do not have time or the monetary means to continue with a traditional degree course.

Career Training: Some Popular Options

You should choose a career training program that suits your interests, skills and budget. However, the most important factor in choosing a career training program is the availability of jobs in the chosen sector. Some popular career training options include:

Information and Technology: Computer aided design, visual communication & advertising, animation and multimedia.

Business and Marketing: International business, healthcare management and entrepreneurship.

Health and Medical: Dental assistant, fitness trainer, medical officer and medical transcription.

Government and Law: Forensic science, paralegal, law enforcement and court reporting.

For a comprehensive list of all available career options and institutes, visit Top Education Guide. With easy search options and a huge data bank on career training, the site serves as a rich information resource for all your career related queries.

In the digital age, eLearning has become a cornerstone of corporate training, academic education, and professional development. To ensure the success of your eLearning initiatives, selecting the right content development provider is crucial. The right provider can transform your learning vision into engaging, effective, and impactful eLearning experiences. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to select the best eLearning content development provider, ensuring your journey towards mastering eLearning success.

1. Define Your eLearning Goals and Objectives
Before you start searching for an eLearning content development provider, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your goals and objectives:

Identify Learning Outcomes: What skills or knowledge should learners acquire by the end of the course?
Align with Organizational Goals: Ensure that the eLearning content aligns with your organization’s strategic objectives and culture.
Target Audience: Understand the needs, preferences, and demographics of your learners to ensure the content is tailored to their requirements.
2. Assess Provider Expertise and Experience
Evaluate potential providers based on their expertise and experience in the eLearning industry:

Portfolio and Case Studies: Review the provider’s portfolio and case studies to gauge the quality and effectiveness of their previous work.
Client References and Testimonials: Seek feedback from previous clients to understand their experiences and satisfaction levels.
Industry Specialization: Consider providers with experience in your specific industry or subject matter, as they will have a better understanding of your unique needs.
3. Evaluate Technical Capabilities
The technical capabilities of an eLearning content development provider are critical to creating engaging and interactive learning experiences:

Authoring Tools and Technologies: Ensure the provider uses advanced authoring tools and technologies that support multimedia elements, interactivity, and responsive design.
Learning Management System (LMS) Compatibility: Verify that the content will be compatible with your existing LMS or other learning platforms.
Mobile Learning Support: Ensure the provider can develop content that is accessible and optimized for mobile devices, catering to learners who prefer on-the-go learning.
4. Review Instructional Design Approach
The provider’s instructional design approach should align with best practices in eLearning development:

Learner-Centered Design: Ensure the provider focuses on creating engaging, interactive, and learner-centric content.
Assessment and Evaluation: Check if the provider incorporates formative and summative assessments to measure learning outcomes effectively.
Content Personalization: Look for providers who can tailor content to different learning styles and preferences, enhancing learner engagement and retention.
5. Consider Project Management and Communication
Effective project management and communication are essential for a smooth collaboration:

Project Management Expertise: Assess the provider’s project management capabilities, including their ability to meet deadlines, manage budgets, and handle scope changes.
Communication Channels: Ensure there are clear communication channels for regular updates, feedback, and collaboration.
Transparency: Look for providers who are transparent about their processes, timelines, and any potential challenges.
6. Analyze Cost and Value
While cost is a significant factor, it’s essential to consider the value you’re getting for your investment:

Pricing Models: Understand the provider’s pricing models (fixed price, time and materials, etc.) and ensure they align with your budget.
Value for Money: Evaluate the quality of the content, level of customization, and additional services (such as support and maintenance) against the cost.
Return on Investment (ROI): Consider the potential ROI of the eLearning content in terms of improved learner performance, engagement, and satisfaction.
7. Ensure Quality Assurance and Support
Quality assurance and ongoing support are vital to the success of your eLearning initiatives:

Quality Assurance Processes: Verify that the provider has robust quality assurance processes to ensure the content is accurate, functional, and free of errors.
Ongoing Support: Ensure the provider offers post-delivery support for any issues or updates needed after the content goes live.
Scalability and Flexibility: Look for providers who can scale and adapt to your future eLearning needs, whether it’s adding new modules or updating existing content.
8. Request a Proposal and Pilot Project
Before making a final decision, request a detailed proposal and consider conducting a pilot project:

Detailed Proposal: Request a proposal that outlines the provider’s approach, timelines, deliverables, and costs.
Pilot Project: A pilot project allows you to assess the provider’s capabilities, work quality, and fit with your organization before committing to a larger engagement.
Conclusion
Selecting the best eLearning content development provider is a critical step towards mastering eLearning success. By clearly defining your goals, assessing provider expertise and technical capabilities, reviewing their instructional design approach, and considering project management, cost, and quality assurance, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your organization’s needs. With the right provider, you can create engaging, effective, and impactful eLearning experiences that drive learner success and organizational growth.

Although the amount of people attending four-year colleges has increased substantially in recent years, there is still a large amount of people who don’t feel that this type of education is for them. Many of these people may turn to a vocational college; in fact, vocational colleges seem to be a growing trend in many areas, including Pennsylvania.

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Although the amount of people attending four-year colleges has increased substantially in recent years, there is still a large amount of people who don’t feel that this type of education is for them. Many of these people may turn to a vocational college; in fact, vocational colleges seem to be a growing trend in many areas, including Pennsylvania. If you’re looking into attending a vocational college as opposed to some other type of continued education, you may want to know what makes this type of education different from others. An education in a vocational college is going to give you very career-specific courses. In a traditional college setting, you will take some courses specific to your career goal as well as many other classes having little to nothing to do with the education you’re focused on. Vocational colleges offer programs for several different careers including careers in the arts, technology careers, healthcare careers and more. When going to a career college you won’t find yourself taking a law class as a student focusing in design. This does not mean a career college won’t challenge you or give you all the skills you need, it simply means that the program you choose will focus specifically on what skills you need to succeed in that career. When attending a traditional four-year college, many students find themselves struggling to be able to hold a job as well as attend classes during the week. However, the general style of a vocational college includes classes offered in the evening and even on weekends, allowing you to work your class schedule around your work schedule instead of the other way around. You will also find that many career colleges provide career placement services upon completion of the program. This is something that may or may not be provided at a traditional college that many times has far too many students to accommodate each and every one. Another aspect of career colleges that differs from that of a traditional college is the hands-on experience offered. Some traditional four-year colleges will offer a course here and there where the student truly experiences what it’s like to work in the field they are studying. However, in a vocational college setting it is not unlikely to have the majority of your classes be on-the-job training in a classroom setting. Once again, depending on personal preference you may find that this type of education will be much more effective for you than a traditional college education.Pennsylvania offers many career colleges throughout the state that are able to provide you with the resources necessary to begin your career. Whether you are looking for a career in culinary management or transportation management, a Pennsylvania career college may be the perfect fit for you. Just because the traditional four-year college doesn’t complement your personal preferences doesn’t leave you without the option of a successful, thriving career. Look into an education at a Pennsylvania career college and you could find yourself getting the education you always wanted in a way that suits you.

Research has shown that the average adult changes careers at least 3 times during their life (and often more than that). That figure makes sense when you consider how much we grow over time and that a career spans at least 40 years. Over time our values, priorities, and interests change and we often find ourselves looking for something different from our work. The career we found ourselves in during our 20s may differ greatly from where we would like to be in our 50s.

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Research has shown that the average adult changes careers at least 3 times during their life (and often more than that). That figure makes sense when you consider how much we grow over time and that a career spans at least 40 years. Over time our values, priorities, and interests change and we often find ourselves looking for something different from our work. The career we found ourselves in during our 20s may differ greatly from where we would like to be in our 50s. Although many of us realize at some point that we would like to change careers, there are many things that hold us back – lack of direction, fear, money, or uncertainty can all contribute. These simple strategies can help get you started on finding the career of your dreams.

Assess your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Make a list of what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. This list should include everything you enjoy – even if it is just a hobby for you. Ideally, you want a career that allows you to use your strengths and perform work that you love doing all day. Along the same lines, you don’t want a career that doesn’t fit your interests or your skills. This will make your days long and lead to dissatisfaction in your job.
Research your career choices based on the preferences you identified in the first step. This may include taking a couple of professional career assessments. The benefit of career assessments is that they help identify things you aren’t able to see yourself and can suggest career possibilities that you may have overlooked or not considered. Some assessments can even tell you, based on the test results, how well you would fit in with the “typical” person in that career.
Explore the occupations on your list. Speak with someone currently in that career and see what they enjoy and what they dislike about it. Find out what advice they would offer someone entering that profession. If necessary, get additional training or education to further explore the field. Try contract work or an internship to test the waters.
Set and define goals. This is a very important step. Having a plan is critical to your success. Setting and defining your goals will help keep you on track and help you measure your progress.
Find a coach or mentor. Find someone that can help you through the transition. This may be a life or career coach that can support you along the journey and provide you with accountability and perspective or a mentor that can share his or her experience with you and help you learn the ropes.
Network. The importance of networking cannot be underestimated. The old saying “it’s not what you know but who you know” is very true. Friends or people with solid business relationships will help each other out. Many people are well connected and can possibly help you find a new job.
Make your move. This is the really scary part for most people. Now that you’ve done the research, explored your interests thoroughly, and set your goals, it’s time to make your move and get the job of your dreams!
While changing careers and venturing into the unknown can be scary, research and preparation can help you make a successful career transition. Finding the career of your dreams can bring you much happiness and help you in living the life of your dreams.

Find out why career education and training is vital for your career success.

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Maybe you have already gained a degree or maybe you have absolutely no interest in embarking on a four year course to achieve one. Either way when it comes to getting a job you can be absolutely sure of one thing – employers are picky, very picky! And they can afford to be because they have so many job applicants to choose from.
The trick is to make sure you stand out amongst all the other applicants and one very good way to ensure that you do is to have qualifications relevant to the job you are applying for.

That’s where a degree is often simply not enough. Sure, a degree says you have a certain level of intelligence and that you have proved your tenacity and ability to apply yourself through several years of study. But all too often the subject of a degree has little application in the real world.

What an employer is hoping for is an app1icant with experience directly relevant to the job on offer. There are only two ways you can obtain this knowledge. Either you gain knowledge on the job or you learn it through a specific career education course.

Obviously the former costs nothing and has the benefit that you are getting paid to learn. The problem is that all too few employers are prepared to make the financial commitment necessary to train you and, even if they do, you have no control over the quality of that training. So the disadvantage of learning on the job is that what you learn may be inadequate and let you down when the time comes to progress your career with another employer who may soon realize your deficiencies.

Therefore, the best solution is to a career training course that will provide career education relevant to the job you seek. If you are unsure of what type of job you should train for, it makes sense to first take a career aptitude test to establish your core skills and interests.

Indeed, regardless of whether or not you have a degree and regardless of whether or not you already have a job, taking a relevant career training course should be a serious consideration. That’s because a proper career education is vital to your career success and, with the advent of the Internet, there is no excuse for not obtaining it.

In fact, the Internet is revolutionizing education and bringing it within reach of people all over the world. Consider the advantages of studying career training online:

No longer are you limited to just taking a career training course in your own town. Not even your own country. Now you can take career training courses online from which ever institution provides appropriate career education provided, of course, the cost is affordable.

You don’t have to give up your present job because you can study in your spare time and at your own pace.

By studying at home you can save yourself the cost of commuting to a bricks and mortar college. You can save the cost of student accommodation and the expense of living away from home.

Mums can still look after their children and study when they are at school or asleep.

Your ethnicity is not a bar online and nor are disabilities.

Of course, one of the big advantages of attending a bricks and mortar college is the opportunity to meet fellow students from all walks of life, social background and race. It’s through these social interactions that lifelong friendships are born and our tolerance of others increased for the common good.

But even that advantage is replicated online through the use of college based forums, discussion groups and chat rooms.

Now one problem most of us suffer from is a tendency to procrastinate and you may be wondering if this affliction will prevent you from getting the most from an online career education and training course. So you’ll be relieved to know that these courses appoint an instructor who will send you course materials and set assignments and deadlines for their completion.

The Internet is fast becoming the easiest way to get extra educational qualifications. Make sure you take full advantage of what, in a recent Forbes magazine article, influential thinker Peter Drucker dubbed ÒwebucationÓ. So take full advantage of it to catapult your career to new heights.

Job seekers—if you are seeking to make a significant industry or occupational career change, your resume might be working against you. Read about the ABCs of Career Change and take the fast lane to a new career!

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Making a career change is one of the toughest job-search challenges. For clarification, “career change” means much more than “job change.” A career change means choosing a completely new profession or industry. A “job change” is simply changing employers within the same industry and profession.

Why do people change careers? The two main reasons are:

* The industry or occupation becomes obsolete (or is outsourced overseas)

* Job dissatisfaction (If you dread going to work on Monday morning, you’re probably in this category.)

What makes a career change so difficult? After all, most job seekers attempting a career change know exactly why they would do well in a new profession or industry. The problem comes down to communication. Most job seekers have difficulty communicating in their resume their ability to excel in a new career. Resumes, by definition, focus on career experience (history), but career changers need employers to see their expertise (current skills) in order to be viewed as a viable candidate.

If you are attempting a career change, it becomes easier when you understand the ABC’s of career change:

A: Assess

B: Bridge

C: Communicate

Assess what you want changed.

Before you can make a successful change, you must decide what needs changing. Is it the duties you perform? Your overbearing boss? Your current geographic location? The industry you work in? The size of company you work for? The level of responsibility you hold? Once you pinpoint your exact source of unhappiness, you’re on your way to making the correct choice for change.

Bridge the gap between what you’ve done and what you want to do.

The key to selling yourself based on your expertise rather than your experience is transferable skills. Transferable skills work like bridges to help you cross over from one industry to another or one occupation to another. Transferable skills are those skills you now possess that qualify you as a viable candidate for your career change.

Communicate your ability to excel in your new profession or industry.

Your resume is your front-line communication tool to prospective employers. No matter how well you interview, if your resume doesn’t sell you, there won’t be an opportunity to convince them in person. Use your accomplishments to prove the strength of your transferable skills, and you’ll get interviews faster and with more enthusiasm.

An experienced career coach can help you apply these ABCs to your current resume and your interview skills. Once you practice the ABCs of career change you’ll be on your way to changing your career and changing your life-for the better!