Sunday, July 29, 2012

Effective Study Techniques - My 5 Tips


Here are my 5 top tips for effective study techniques that have helped me a great deal over the past months.
Firstly, some background, I have been studying the processes and skills required to successfully operate my own internet marketing operation, this has involved learning many new computer skills from creating and publishing websites to carrying out key word research for search engine optimization to writing articles. All of this involved many hours at the computer screen viewing videos online, reading books and using the absorbed information for practical exercises. I think the following guidelines can be relevant to any study subject.
Here are my 5 top tips...
  1. Study with a clear head... by this I mean only study when you have taken care of any work, family or household commitments. Trying to absorb information with other things at the back of your mind can be a massive distraction.

  2. Do not study past your attention span... Every one has different attention spans, I am fortunate as I have found that mine is quite long, I can study for several hours without a break and still concentrate and absorb information. Try to judge your own attention span and work to that, as soon as you find your mind wandering or you begin to feel fatigued, take a break or stop for the day to refresh your mind. As you study more you may find that your attention span increases, it also helps of course, if you have a real interest in and enjoy whatever subject you are studying.

  3. Set yourself realistic targets/deadlines... If you have a project to complete as part of your studies ensure you allow yourself ample time to understand and complete the project thoroughly. Do not be tempted to rush through sections of your studies in your eagerness to progress to the next stage, doing this will inevitably result in you having to go over the section or project that you rushed through at a later stage because you did not fully digest or understand the information being conveyed.

  4. Find at least one active online forum... Related to the subject being studied, this is especially vital if you are, like me, studying alone. Forums provide a means to interact with others who have an interest and knowledge in the your chosen field, forums allow you to ask questions, debate theories, gather opinions and bounce ideas around. They are a great source of information and motivation.

  5. Award your achievements... When you complete an assignment, module or project, celebrate your success in some way. I very rarely drink alcohol but I enjoy a glass of wine so my reward is a celebratory glass of white wine whenever I complete a task, it can be anything that you decide, but reward yourself for every progression you make. WHATEVER YOU ARE LEARNING, ENJOY YOUR STUDIES AND USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN A POSITIVE WAY.

Monday, July 23, 2012

How to Use Interactive Whiteboards in Online Tutoring Sessions


Now that a large number of people are turning to online tutors, there is a great demand to provide a good tutoring experience and deliver results. Although time flexibility and resource availability are huge advantages of online tutoring, it needs to be something different in order to make a difference from classroom learning and therefore provide solutions to students who need help to fully understand concepts.
In order to provide such a solution, it is important to use technology to our advantage. One such educational technology that has been developed is an interactive whiteboard. Interactive whiteboards are a progression from traditional blackboard and chalk, and even whiteboard and markers. They do not require you to write or draw anything by yourself, and provide some really good features that can be used for a good interactive teaching session.
Interactive whiteboards come loaded with features. You can display presentations, animations, videos, graphs, tables, images, and whatever other material you wish to show your student. You don't have to do any of it by hand; you can use handy tools to make most of these resources, and can often find many useful resources for free online. You can download these resources and easily display them on whiteboards.
Interactive whiteboards are also special because they are interactive. You don't just stand by while some material is projected on a screen; you can write on it, make notes, comments, annotations, show certain maneuvers to your students - all through a touch screen or a stylus. All these can be saved for future reference.
To make your class more interesting, and do away with long hand-written assignments, quizzes and papers that you have to spend time grading, interactive whiteboards can be used again. They often come with devices which can record student responses to multiple choice questions and such like, and also automatically evaluate marks, making the teaching job much easier for you. It takes care of all the menial work so that you can concentrate on putting together some of the best material for the student.
In online tutoring sessions, tutors use a board to write down points on. However, as much is provided in schools. In order to catch the student's attention and provide them the extra input that will help them understand concepts, interactive whiteboards can be used. Videos and animations can go a long way in helping students conceptualize fundamentals of a subject. Since online tutoring as it is does not allow you to receive hard copies of written assignments, interactive whiteboards can help you there as well.
In case you do not conduct live tutoring sessions, interactive whiteboards can again be very helpful. Since you will not be present to clarify doubts to re-explain concepts that have not been understood the first time, it becomes more important to use material that can elucidate subject matter clearly. You can also record videos on interactive boards; you can use this recorded matter for passive tutoring.
Interactive whiteboards can be a very useful resource for online tutors to provide that extra understanding and clarity in concepts that may not be provided in schools. Use of technology in education can help students learn and understand in ways suited to them.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Emergency Medical Technicians - Wanted Everywhere


In CPR training classes one can get trained in the skills to perform resuscitation for just born kids, young children and grown up people. People practicing these skills will be able to get chances for protecting the precious lives of people, who are close to death thereby acting as a very useful course. Those who are unable to attend the classes due to lack of time can also learn the skills through online courses. The online course programs are of very limited duration only and those who are able to complete the programs successfully can get certificates as well. One can select the courses of his choice by browsing the websites of these institutions. Those who are desirous of becoming professionals in this field must be able to deal with the various complications of the patients in addition to having the required skills. Moreover, they must have the determination to carry out their job in the proper way even when they are facing a highly challenging situation.
These professionals who provide intensive medical treatment to victims of major accidents especially those who are fighting for life are known as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT's). They must be prepared to perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) whenever necessary. They may have to perform several other methods of treatment as well. CPR training classes are not meant exclusively for those who are in the health care industry. All those who have the enthusiasm to practice these skills and learn more about these treatment methods are welcome to attend these classes. Those who join the online classes get the opportunity to learn the most advanced lessons. The course program consists of both practical and theoretical lessons. Those who have already completed the basic courses in EMT can join for advanced courses in EMT. Those who are interested of a career in EMS education can join for the EMS Instructor courses.
Those who have completed the online courses in EMT training can appear for the national level certification exam. Employment potential is very high for trained EMT's and paramedical professionals since the demand is very high. Those who have attended CPR courses are able to keep severe cardiac patients alive. By doing the courses in EMT the student learns the skills to deal with the worst situations. Attending to emergency calls, providing CPR and pre-hospital medical aid are the duties of EMT's. There are three different types of EMT's - basic, intermediate and paramedical. Job opportunities are in plenty for EMT's at all places.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Things You Should Know About Online Diploma Courses


With the inception of online diploma courses, there is no need to attend a conventional high school. One can take the courses from the comfort of his home. Even if you are a working and shouldering family responsibilities, you can earn these diplomas at your own pace. There are several institutions or schools eager to offer courses online. A student needs a computer and internet connectivity. That's it!
How to Apply
To apply, you simply have to start browsing online for accredited institutions. An education provider that is not recognized should not be opted for even if the course fees are low.
Best Schools to Earn an Online Diploma
Penn Foster High School
A student will get a super career boost if he applies to this school. That's because a candidate would be able to study at his own convenience and pace. Studying here will also not create a dent in your wallet as the tuition fees are quite reasonable compared to the other institutions. You don't need to worry about accreditation as the institute is recognized by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council and Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools. One can get the diploma in just 9 month for each year of high schooling. There are experienced instructors who will help you with the study. You simply have to email or call the support staff for applying.
The programs offered are high school diploma, diploma in building technology, information technology, health care and early college courses.
Christa McAuliffe Academy Online
This is a private non-profit online school helping students to earn a high school diploma. Students need to finish one course at a time. Before you move onto the next level, you have to pass each of the courses successfully. The fees are $3000 per student per year. Students need to be online on specified times.
Keystone National High School 
There are two options for students. One is choosing the college track and the other is the career track. College track students can study 17 subjects along with honor courses in subjects such as English, American government and Chemistry. And for the career track, one has to study business writing and computer basics. The fees are affordable as there are payment plans, discounts, and even money-back guarantee.

Orange Lutheran High School Online 
It is ideal for pupils who wish to improve their academic qualification and know about spiritual development. One can study subjects like mathematics, English, science and theology. Students cannot study at their own pace; they have to login on weekdays to take part in the courses offered. The admission process is stringent as one has to take a test, submit one essay and have an interview with a staff. The fees are $300 dollars/course.

CompuHigh
Here students can take up 2 courses at a time and complete one lesson each day in each of the course. The diploma offered is accepted by colleges and universities. The course materials are online and additional books need to be bought separately. Teachers co-operate with candidates on one-on-one basis.
Types of Advanced Diploma Courses
Besides high school diploma, there are advanced courses such as diploma in business management, legal studies, English language, environmental studies, health studies, human resources, mathematics, statistics, multimedia, and children's studies.
Advantages
The advantages are flexibility as one can study at their own pace and from the comfort of their homes. Though some schools have specified times to be online, classes are scheduled keeping in mind a pupil's convenience. They can learn as well as work at the same time. This is not possible with traditional classes where one has to attend classes in person. The tuition fees are also affordable.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Is M-Learning Helping to Improve Education in Developing Nations?


Mobile usage is far more widespread in third world countries than you may initially think. It may seem like they would be too costly or mobile availability would be limited, but yearly growth reports suggest a totally different story. For example the year-on-year growth rate of smart phone consumption throughout India is a staggering 841%. Yet India isn't alone; cellular usage continues to be expanding around the world. Reports by World Bank found that productive mobile clients have gone from less than a billion in the year 2000, to almost half a dozen billion in 2012. This is an incredible accomplishment in any case. Nonetheless, consider this: almost 5 billion of those subscriptions came from developing nations.
With so many mobile devices used today, it's no surprise that the m-learning effort is really kicking off. UNESCO believes that adding mobile learning plans will better education and works hard to achieve this aim and amend education policies around the world. They've unveiled numerous assignments within developing nations, such as 'Puentos Educativos' throughout Chile which provides professors with equipment (including a Cell phone) along with coaching about new ways to educate. The program aids 600 school instructors teaching around 10,000 children and also reported a lift in both pupil performance as well as motivation. Schemes like this help to identify m-learning as a positive and beneficial learning resource. However, UNESCO is aware that there is a lot more hard graft to be done. M-learning is only recently being regarded properly by schooling departments; so it might be a number of years before it is widely accessible within the third world.
The matter of expenses also affects education within significantly less developed countries. Many family members just can't afford to teach their children and thus they go without having an appropriate education. That is slowly altering. With portable learning increasing, vast numbers of people will be able to retrieve learning content material without having to pay absurd amounts of cash. Mobiles are less expensive when compared to other systems like laptops, so they are more commonly used. Inexpensive tariffs and accessibility mean that buying a cellular phone is economical for many people. Elsie S. Kanza from the World Economic forum, says that "Regardless of social class, everyone has a mobile phone, or perhaps two or three. Even in the most remote villages, mobile phones have replaced the bicycle or radio as being valued assets" This is great news for m-learning as well as education generally as it's currently easier to reach any broader market as well as rural and remote pupils all over the world.
And education isn't just tied to school conditions. Additional mobile software is getting developed to teach overall health and also basic knowledge at the same time. For example according to mobiledia.com a new iPhone app called 'Nine Minutes' has been produced which educates women on pregnancy along with the maternity cycle. This kind of important knowledge as well as health marketing campaign is groundbreaking and means that there are no restraints to precisely how beneficial m-learning might be in instructing the globe.