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Making the Most of Your Virtual Career Center

Melissa Venable — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:09 +0000

Online students are not always aware of all of the resources available to them, including career centers. Just like their traditional, on-campus counterparts, professional career practitioners at online institutions provide valuable services for students.

If you are currently an online student, or are considering enrolling in an online program, career goals may be a significant motivator as you choose your courses and other educational opportunities. Research from the Noel-Levitz higher education consulting group finds that online learners are often attracted to the convenience and flexibility afforded by these programs, in addition to the ability to study around their existing work schedules. Online graduates are also finding that employers’ acceptance of online learning as preparation for the workplace is improving.

What Can You Expect?

Career centers can help you make the transition from student to employee, whether you are entering the workforce for the first time, or are seeking career advancement or changing to a new field through online higher education options. From lists of job sites and webinars to career fairs and one-on-one interview practice, you can find the assistance you need for career decision-making and the job search process.

In 2011 I conducted a research project to find out more about how online career centers provide this critical support to online students. Since that time, the number of online students has grown, as well as the support services available to them through their higher education institutions. From the National Association of College and Employers (NACE) 2012-2013 Benchmark Survey, some of the most typical career services (offered by over 90% of the centers responding) include:

Career counseling by appointment
Career fairs
Assistance with internships
Career assessment tools

This survey was conducted with primarily campus-based career centers, but these services exist (and are popular) online, too. Here are a few examples of how online schools and programs are meeting students’ career development and job search needs with similar opportunities:

Liberty University’s Career Center serves its large online student population with 30-minute individual counseling appointments by phone.
Virtual career fairs are just one way that Kaplan University’s Career Services professionals connect students and alumni with potential employers.
Internships and fellowship information can be found through online listings like those presented by American Public University.
University of Phoenix Career Services provides access to career exploration tools, including an online career interest profiler to help students assess work preferences and their potential fit with various career fields.

Online services are no longer unique to online programs. For example, the NACE study highlights that “approximately 64% of career centers report online counseling,” which predominately takes place via email. On-campus career centers are also finding that they serve an increasingly online population, as more traditional students engage in online course work and enrolled non-traditional students (adults who may also be working) look for support outside of regular business hours. Texas A&M University – Kingsville is just one traditional institution developing career services specifically for its online and distance students.

Innovation

As noted in an article this month from the Society for Human Resource Management, “these days, college career center staff members tweet job postings, teach students to interview via Skype, pick exactly the right candidates for recruiters, and train students in how to create their brands on social media.” You may be surprised at the number of ways in which you can interact with your school’s career advisors and related resources.

Communication Options

As technologies evolve and capabilities expand, so does the assistance available. A recent conversation with Lisa Cook, Director of Walden University’s Career Services Center, revealed that innovations are underway as virtual career centers improve access to services. According to Cook, “the innovations lie in the ways we are reaching students in real-time through webinars and phone advising.” She also mentioned that instant messaging is a possibility for online career professionals to quickly answer student questions.

Blogs

Walden’s online resources also include social media options, as they invite current and prospective students to “get connected” with the career center through LinkedIn, Twitter, and an active blog. Career centers at a range of institutions now use blogs as a platform to notify students of upcoming events, current trends, and new resources. Human resources professional Jessica Miller-Merrell recognized these efforts last week with her list of top college career services blogs.

Mobile Apps

Mobile learning is not just for course work. Several career services centers make their resources available through apps for smartphones and tablets. Take a look at Purdue University Calumet Career Services’ iPhone app. Among the features available, students and alumni can “get live feeds on the latest part-time, full-time, and internship opportunities.” An Android app from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Career Services office includes quick access to the appointment system, as well as job search tips. The University of North Carolina’s Career Services office provides a list of career-related apps for the iPad, and Goshen College links to a variety of ePortfolio apps.

Social Media

Developing a professional online presence and learning how to communicate in this space can be beneficial while you are a student and after graduation. Virtual and campus-based career centers are also offering students some assistance with social media. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are just a few of the social networks used by both job seekers and employers. Your career center may be able to advise you with social media tasks such as setting up a profile, selecting a picture, building an online network, and joining online professional communities.

Making the Connections

Making the transition from student to career can be complex, and as Cook mentioned, “the degree alone will seldom be enough … new experience and new networking contacts are key to career success.” She recommends that online students, even those who may already work full-time, “take advantage of opportunities like internships and service learning for academic credit to gain experience and references.” Volunteer and community service experience can also bring value related to future employment.

University of Kansas junior Lindsey Mayfield, through her U.S. News Education blog, advises students to “simply show up.” She admits to being aware of career-related events and assistance, but not following though. No matter where you are in your career development or job search, the career professionals at your school’s center are ready and willing to help, but it’s important for you to walk through the virtual door to get it all started.

How do you connect with opportunities to gain skills and experience? Where do you get information about the world of work and your fit with the needs of today’s employers? It’s never too soon to find out more about how your school’s career center can support you, but none of these services will be effective until you reach out.

Join Melissa Venable on Twitter and Google+.

The post Making the Most of Your Virtual Career Center appeared first on Online College.org.

Job Hopping: How It Could be Hurting Your Career

Site Administrator — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:51 +0000

If you talk to people in the Baby Boomer generation or older, it’s not uncommon to hear that they worked at the same job for decades. Some may have held only a few positions in their lives, while today, a young worker may hold a few positions within just a few years. The median number of years workers between 25 and 34 have been at their current jobs is just 3.2 years, according to January 2012 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the median tenure for employees 65 years old and older is more than 10 years. The national median is 4.6 years.

Staying at a job for shorter amounts of time is becoming a trend among Millennials, but hiring managers don’t necessarily like to see that you’ve only spent a year or two at your past several jobs. This behavior of switching jobs frequently is known as “job hopping” and can actually affect your chances of landing your next dream gig. Holding several jobs over a short period of time can signal to an employer that you may not stay with their company long if they give you a job.

Unfortunately, you sometimes just can’t help job hopping. The unstable economy has produced plenty of layoffs, startups fold leaving employees out in the cold, and people have to move for any number of reasons. If you’re a job hopper, whether intentionally or not, it’s worth it to learn what it says to potential employers, how you can play it in your favor, and when you should just suck it up and stick it out in a job.

What Job Hopping Might Say About You

Regardless of your reasons for leaving a job, those short terms on a resume can trigger alarm bells in a potential employer’s mind. They’ll probably ask themselves why you’ve moved around so much and form judgments about you based on your job hopping alone. Here are just a few red flags that might run through a hiring manager’s head.

You’re a waste of money. Leaving a job quickly often makes employers worried that you’ll also be eager to leave their company. New employees take time and money to train, so hiring a person is an investment. Job hoppers? A potentially bad investment. Why spend the money when the person is going to turn around and leave a year later?

You’re restless. For young people, the nine-to-five grind can be quite a shock to the system when you’re fresh out of college. University life gets students used to changing their schedule and subject matter every semester, so working the same job for more than six months can give some people the urge to move on. Even if this doesn’t describe you, short periods of employment can give the impression that you don’t have the discipline to stick it out when the excitement of a new job wears off.

You’re unfulfilled. Not every job will be your dream job, and employers understand that. But they don’t want to think that you will never be satisfied in a position they give you. “I think a good percentage of younger workers have a tendency to have a ‘grass is greener’ philosophy,” says Bradley Sona, a managing director at Execu-Search, a recruitment firm. “They are more inclined to leave their job than older workers because their focus is in a different place.” There’s nothing wrong with moving on to a better opportunity, but the jumps can imply that you’re not content in any job.

You’re not focused on the long game. Companies typically have goals that extend five, 10, or more years into the future, so short-term employees aren’t always great assets to reaching those goals. Employees who are focused on the long-term aspects of the job will work harder, try to pick up new skills to be promoted and move the company forward, and keep the best interests of the company in mind. Sona says job hoppers can appear to lack this commitment and loyalty to the company.

When Job Hopping Makes Sense

Although job hopping raises some initial red flags, it doesn’t always have to be negative. The right kind of job changes can prove that you’re serious about your career and taking advantage of better opportunities, an ambition that employers can appreciate. “There’s a difference between switching jobs to boost your career and switching jobs because you don’t like the company or you wind up not liking the job,” says Kristen Fischer, a certified professional resume writer and author of When Talent Isn’t Enough: Business Basics for the Creatively Inclined. “A savvy career professional will move when it’s a step up — not move because they don’t like something.”

The key to successful job hopping is to make sure every change is moving in one direction: up. If an employer can see that your career was advanced through each move you made, it can show them that you were following ambition rather than dissatisfaction. Alan Corey, author of The Subversive Job Search, says that if your jobs seem cohesive, with similar roles in related industries, employers may see you as someone who is becoming an expert in a field. Your vast experience in one area can make you an appealing candidate.

Besides gaining more on-the-job experience, it can be smart to move on when you’ve stopped learning new skills at your current job and don’t see the opportunity to learn more in the future. “If someone stays in a position for too long and their responsibilities never change, their skill set may plateau,” Sona says. “If they ever do need to find a new job, they may have a more difficult time because their skills may be outdated. In addition, a new job may teach a professional new skills and technologies, which may give them the opportunity to take on more responsibilities and expand their experiences.”

These reasons for moving between jobs can be easily explained to a potential employer; it shows your desire to grow. Earning potential, on the other hand, may not be what every hiring manager wants to hear, but it is a valid personal reason for grabbing the next opportunity. Because many companies may have suspended their review process and raises since the recession started, Sona explains, staying at one job could hurt you significantly financially. If you started a job in 2009 at $40,000, you would likely get a higher salary increase when leaving for a new job the next year than if you were to stay with the company. If you move to a third job, you could be making around $60,000, according to Sona. Had you stayed at the first job for three years, your salary might only be about $45,000.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

So when is the right time to leave a job? There’s really no magic number for how you should stay in a position; every hiring manager has a different idea of what is long enough. Corey says six-month or one-year stints can be explained as contract work, but that you should try to have a job on your resume that lasted at least two and a half years to show that you have long-term potential. And once you find a job that’s a good fit for you, it’s best to stay with it longer than past jobs.

“I believe that once someone has settled into their career and has decided where their interests lay, if circumstances allow them to, they should stay at their job for six to eight years,” Sona says. “This time frame shows stability but also doesn’t allow you to become complacent to the point where you stop challenging yourself and cease to grow as a professional.”

If you’re thinking about starting the job hunt and handing in your two-weeks’ notice, make sure you understand why you’re leaving and whether it will ultimately help your career. Leaving because you don’t like your coworkers or boss or because the work has gotten boring is a bad idea, according to Fischer. These problems often plague every work place: personalities clash, and the novelty of a job wears off. These may be contributing factors to looking for new opportunities, but you should be able to justify the move to interviewers.

Fischer suggests asking yourself the following questions to ensure you really know what you want next and if you’re prepared to get it:

What is the goal of leaving this job?
What kind of job move do I want to make?
Do I want to move up to a higher role or make a lateral move?
Do I want to change career fields?
Will I need more education to make the move I want?
What are the pros to staying longer at this job?

How to Spin It

On Your Resume: To get your foot in the door of a new job, you’ll need your resume to represent you well, not turn off employers when they see several short jobs. If the job lengths are very short but the positions themselves are still relevant, Fischer suggests putting them in an “additional experience” section. You could also leave a short-stint job off your resume entirely if you make sure it doesn’t leave a gap that would need explaining. By excluding the months and only indicating the years you held your positions, you could potentially leave a short job off altogether.

In an Interview: If an interviewer asks you why you’ve hopped from job to job, make sure to emphasize the positive reasons for it. Rather than explaining monetary or environmental reasons, Corey says, be sure to focus on educational opportunities you took advantage of, such as learning a specific skill or working on a specific project. But don’t go overboard trying to explain away your job hopping if the reasons weren’t so positive. Instead, Sona suggests, give an honest answer and then move on to why your experience makes you a good fit for the job at hand. Sona also tells clients to be careful not to get defensive or place the blame on anyone at their former workplaces.

Job hopping may be much more common among young workers today than it has been in the past, but that doesn’t mean employers are happy to see frequent job changes on a candidate’s resume. By making sure that every new opportunity you take is a step up or teaching you new, valuable skills, you can leverage those short stints into a great career. Consider how each new position could build your expertise, and then look for a job that you can stay with for the long run.

The post Job Hopping: How It Could be Hurting Your Career appeared first on Online College.org.

A Twitter Guide for Online Educators

Melissa Venable — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:30:16 +0000

Have you experienced Twitter? Since its launch in 2006, Twitter has become one of the most widely used social media tools, with hundreds of millions of active accounts, including an untold number of educators, administrators, and students.

It may not be right for everyone, but what will you say when asked to give an opinion to colleagues, clients when you work as a consultant on education projects, or your students? Social media is a tough realm to explain or offer advice about without any hands-on experience.

Whether you have been hesitant to give it a try, or perhaps opened an account that was never used, this guide is designed to provide you with an introduction to the Twitter platform and its possible uses related to teaching and learning. We’ll start with account registration, cover the basic interactions you can expect, walk through a few practice exercises, and look at examples of how Twitter is currently used in online education settings.

Set Up Your Account

To begin your Twitter adventure you will need to register for an account. These accounts are free, and a little advance planning can have you up and running in no time. Be prepared to complete these basic components when you set up an account:

Username: Also often referred to as your “handle,” your account name can be up to 15 characters and will appear after the @ symbol. A few educator examples are: @arneduncan, @cybraryman1, and @DR4WARD.
Name: This entry can be up to 20 characters in length and appears with your username on your profile page. It can be a way to identify you if your user name is something unusual. For example, @DR4WARD is listed as William J. Ward, a professor at Syracuse University.
Photo: As with usernames you will find a variety of photo options used by other educators. Select a picture of yourself or other image to add to your profile that is a .jpg, .gif, or .png file no larger than 2MB.
Location: Be as general or specific as you would like to be in this entry, from the name of your hometown to “citizen of the world.” Consider the basic rules of social networking safety when deciding how much detail about your location (and personal life) you want to share.
Website: Providing a URL to another profile, perhaps LinkedIn, or to your own website, school bio, or blog allows Twitter users to find out more about you beyond the limited info in your brief profile bio (see next category).
Bio: Just 160 characters are allowed for this section of your profile. Use this space to briefly describe yourself – your background and interests.

Additional settings and features are available (i.e., header images, profile page design, email notifications, Tweet location), and you can tweak your account as you expand it and figure out how you prefer to engage with this network.

If you are already managing other social media accounts (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook) as part of your teaching or professional networking, consider using a dashboard application like Hootsuite to help you consolidate your efforts. These tools allow you to filter incoming tweets and updates, and access them with a single sign-in. Take a look at my Twitter for Professional Use – Channeling the Streams article in the Educational Technology & Change Journal for more information about selecting a management system.

Understand the Basics

Each message you send via Twitter is limited to a maximum of 140 characters in length and known as a “tweet.” There are several common types of tweets to be aware of:

Retweets: When you see a tweet from another account that you want to share, you can do this with a retweet (RT) that essentially forwards that tweet to your followers. Take a look at the screenshot below illustrating the Twitter interface options.
Replies: Engage with other twitter users by directly replying to them. Help answer their questions, ask for more information, or strike up a conversation by including their username with the @ symbol at the beginning of your tweet.
Direct messages: As described by Twitter’s Help Center, “A direct message (DM) is a private message sent to one of your followers. You can only send a DM to a user who is following you; you can only receive DMs from users you follow.”

Hashtags are a popular way to add searchable elements to tweets. By adding the # symbol to a sequence of letters and numbers, the text becomes a link. Explore the use of hashtags as a way to “tag” keywords used by other Twitter accounts and in your own messages. Search for #elearning or #highered as examples. This is also a good way to find other Twitter users with interests similar to yours.

Take Time to Practice

Twitter can seem like a sea of random thoughts and signals, but with a little practice you can identify patterns and options for use. I actually required Twitter use in my online course for the first time just this past semester. Most of my students had not tried the platform before, or had opened accounts in the past but never became active users. Before diving in, I encouraged them to dip a toe in the water with a few specific tasks. Practice with these four activities:

Account set-up (or clean up). Use the information above to get ready to participate. If you already have an account you use in a personal way, consider setting up a separate one for professional communication or for use with your courses. Check with your school for any related guidance or social media policies for students and instructors.
Find followers. Identify other accounts (start with just five) to follow. These could include other instructors, authors, companies, schools, nonprofit organizations, news sources, or publications.
Use a hashtag. Find a hashtag currently in use by other Twitter accounts and use it in a tweet. (Students used our course hashtag – #edf6284 – to share something with the class.)
Monitor a live event. Hashtags are popular at events such as professional conferences to extend conversations and networking, and even allow those not on-site to participate via Twitter backchannel. And there are a growing number of real-time chats on Twitter. Take a look at weekly education-related chat times and topics.

This introductory guide is just the beginning, but it should allow you to craft your first tweets, get the feel of the Twitter interface, and observe how many other professional educators engage and connect through this system. Borrow your favorite techniques and experiment. The goal is to be able to speak about Twitter and advise others’ use of the platform based on your own experience.

Explore Ideas for Use in an Online Class

As an online instructor, the quality of the communication exchange and the interaction among the members of your class are paramount. Your institution’s learning management system offers a range of tools for these purposes, but social media options like Twitter can provide an engaging complement to your course site. Here are a few examples of how online educators use Twitter:

Introductions: Twitter profiles include enough information to help everyone in the course, instructors and students, get to know each other a little better. Try an introductory activity, such as an online scavenger hunt, based on Twitter account information.
Discussions: Invite your class to participate in an existing live chat from the list linked to above. Look for specific topics that work with your course schedule. You may also want to create your own live discussions. My how-to guide to implementing Twitter Chats here at OnlineCollege.org includes a before, during, and after checklist.
Alternate communication channel: It doesn’t happen often, but when your course site goes down or there’s an emergency situation to address, Twitter can be a fall back option to quickly reach everyone with updates and announcements.
Professional networking: Introduce your students to your industry and academic connections through Twitter exchanges and hashtags. Help them expand their networks through recommendations to follow associations, conferences, publications, etc. with a Twitter presence.

Weigh the Benefits and Challenges

Twitter, as with most technologies and communication tools, comes with pros and cons for individual use. While there are interesting and seemingly unique opportunities provided by the platform (i.e., the ability to directly engage with thought leaders in your field), it’s a public form of communication. Developing the required knowledge and skills to navigate this kind of resource comes with time and practice.

Making it work for you means establishing your own goals for use and making decisions about what and when you will share. Look for training and professional development opportunities. My work with Twitter has led to several recent presentations that include related resources:

Strategic Social Networking for the Online Instructor at the Technology, Colleges, and Community 2013 Worldwide Online Conference
Social Media for Learning: The Twitter Alternative to Online Discussion Forums for Classroom 2.0′s 2012 Social Learning Summit
Twitter Chats: Tools, Tips, and Techniques in Higher Ed, with the #IOLchat team for edSocialMedia Summit 2013.

But these are just a start. Find out more about what other instructors are doing through their examples of Twitter use in an online course. You can also search for the Twitter profiles of your colleagues, leaders in your field, and other individuals you trust for additional ideas and strategies for approaching profile development and open engagement. Use their accounts as models for what can be done with professional use in mind.

Try Twitter for yourself and share your thoughts about the benefits and challenges from your unique point of view.

Join Melissa Venable on Twitter and Google+

The post A Twitter Guide for Online Educators appeared first on Online College.org.

#IOLchat Report: Making an Open Contribution

Melissa Venable — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:30:28 +0000

Each week we meet via Twitter for #IOLchat to discuss current issues related to online learning. Participants include students, instructors, advisors, counselors, eLearning companies, schools, publishers, and instructional designers.

These days there’s no shortage of discussion about open resources for teaching and learning. From MOOCs to open education resource (OER) repositories and open academic journals, technology makes sharing easier than ever.

The #edchat group recently asked, “do we as educators have a responsibility to share with other educators?” Here’s what our group had to say about teaching and learning “in the open.”

How would you describe an open educator?

One who “implements a curriculum that is responsive to students’ needs and interests.”
“They aren’t afraid of thinking outside the box, innovating and trying new things while not being afraid of failure.”
“Open educators are sharers, believing in the power of collaboration and information availability for all.”

Do educators have a responsibility to share with other educators?

“Absolutely, we are in a field where collaboration is key. Sharing builds a stronger community of practice and benefits everyone.”
“Without collaboration, none of us would know much at all. How is it that we learned? Others shared their knowledge with us.”
“Sharing, especially online, allows best practices to be replicated on a large scale.”
“It also challenges our biases and changes our perceptions when we know something is working for other educators.”
“Sharing prompts reflection on practice, which is essential for teachers.”
Consider “teachers sharing and collaborating as a model for student sharing and collaboration.”

What are some of your favorite resources?

Government and non-profit organizations: The Bill of Rights Institute, Newseum, The White House
Tools for real-time communication: join.me, Skype, TodaysMeet, PollEverywhere
Social media and curation tools: Pinterest, Scoop.it, LiveBinders, Yammer
Content resources: TEDTalks Video, YouTube
Sharing and collaboration tools: Dropbox
Check out NuSkool‘s popular culture-based lesson plans. View “Exploring and Analyzing Our Constitutional Rights Through Jay-Z.”
Choose the right tool for the job, and consider the audience. “Knowing who you want to share with and what would benefit and interest them is key” whether it’s students, colleagues, or beyond.

How does your institution or organization encourage you as an open educator?

Encouragement may be more in-house, sharing with peers and colleagues, than with large repositories.
“By encouraging innovation and new ways to engage students.”
“We use … informal/formal ‘Show and Share’ symposiums.” For example, “my students conduct 5 minute learning sessions in which they show off their favorite tech tools and how they can be used in education.”

What are the biggest challenges to being an open educator or using open materials?

“Choosing from the thousands of wonderful resources available to educators.” And more items are available every day.
“Locating, curating, then employing quality materials takes time, effort, confidence, and experience.”
Check with your school. “Policies that govern the use of tech tools.”
“Consistency among educators with hundreds of tools out there, and of course time.”
“Ensuring shared lesson plans and resources are used responsibly.”

What are your predictions for the future of open online teaching and learning?

“The cream will rise to the top. Quality resources will pave the way as we build a more global open education system.”
“Less content for teaching and more creative applied experiential learning that connects to real-life experiences.”

Many thanks to @dinamoati, @NuSkoolOfficial, and @Melynda_Conner for participating in the live event!

For more from the most recent live session, review the chat feed below. Our past chats can be found on the archives page.

Follow us (@OC_org) and plan to attend our next chat. We meet on Wednesdays at 12pm ET and look forward to hearing your perspective.

This week’s read-aheads:

How Open Education is Changing the Texture of Content from Frank Catalano for MindShift

Ten Years Later: Why Open Educational Resources Have Not Noticeably Affected Higher Education, and Why we Should Care from Gerd Kortemeyer for EDUCAUSE Review Online

Browse the Open Education Resources from Creative Commons and MERLOT.org

5 Open Access Journals on Online Learning from OnlineCollege.org

This week’s chat feed:

#IOLchat – 5/15/13

Image credit: C!…, Flickr, CC-BY

The post #IOLchat Report: Making an Open Contribution appeared first on Online College.org.

The Future of Online Learning: Student Needs and Expectations

Melissa Venable — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:30:44 +0000

Multiple reports out in the last few months assess the current demographics of students and their preferences for technology use. Others are also making an effort to predict the future of technology in traditional and virtual classrooms. The issues are dynamic, change quickly, and expand as enrollment increases and new tools emerge. What can all of these projects tell us about the future of educational technology and tomorrow’s online learners?

A Closer Look at the Research

A side-by-side comparison of these different projects is difficult in an “apples and oranges” kind of way, but my goal was to review each of the four reports listed below in search of similarities and differences. Each provides a snapshot of a specific population or perspective that informs those designing, developing, and instructing online higher education. The research was conducted by groups I rely on for up-to-date information and resources.

Teens and Technology 2013

This report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project presents the results of a survey of more than 800 parents and their teenage children about technology use. The study’s authors noted, “teens represent the leading edge of mobile connectivity, and the patterns of their technology use often signal future changes in the adult population.” Some of the relevant findings about these soon-to-be college-aged students are:

“78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them smartphones.”
“95% of teens use the Internet.”
“The nature of teens’ Internet use has transformed dramatically – from stationary connections … to always-on connections that move with them throughout the day.”

The Pew study also notes that “youth ages 12-17 who are living in lower-income and lower-education households are still somewhat less likely to use the Internet in any capacity … However, those who fall into lower socioeconomic groups are just as likely … than those living in higher income and more highly educated households to use their cell phone as a primary point of access.”

Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States (2012)

This annual study conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group and The College Board has been widely cited. More than 2,800 academic officers from a range of institutions (i.e., public, private nonprofit, private for-profit) were surveyed about “the nature and extent of online education.” Their responses indicate:

“32% of higher education students now take at least one course online.” This is the highest number in this project’s history.
“77% rate the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face classes.”
“Lower retention rates in online courses is seen as a growing barrier to wide-spread adoption.”

2012 National Online Learners Priorities Report

This is just one of a larger series of reports from the Noel-Levitz higher education consulting group that monitors trends in student satisfaction and preferences for enrollment. The most recent survey involved more than 120,000 participants from 109 schools at both undergraduate and graduate levels. This study found that:

Convenience, flexible pacing, and work schedule considerations were the three most important factors influencing online enrollment.
“73% of online learners are satisfied or very satisfied with their experience.”
88% were 25 or older, including a third of total respondents 45 or older.

NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition

A project of the New Media Consortium (NMC) and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, the annual Horizon Report projects “emerging technologies likely to have an impact on learning, teaching, and creative inquiry in higher education” over the next five years. This year’s list, developed by an international advisory board, indicates the immediate impact of technologies related to:

Blended or hybrid learning options like the flipped classroom concept, which move active learning strategies (e.g., discussion) to face-to-face classrooms and passive activities (e.g., reading) and resources to online course sites.
Learner-centered and open learning options, such as MOOCs, allow a diverse group of students to participate in organized courses at no- or low-cost via the Internet.
Mobile learning as facilitated by mobile apps and tablet computing offer portability and adaptability in a variety of educational settings.

Keep in mind that this is a small selection of the research currently taking place. You may, however, already be able to identify a few trends based on the details of the few reports I’ve highlighted here. These offer a national or even global view of the trends and issues – a great place to start your own research and make comparisons with your student groups.

Who is learning online?

Defining a “typical” online student is getting harder to do as blended programs, MOOCs, and new online course options become more widely available through a range of institutions and services. On-campus students are increasingly enrolling in online courses, and online students are supported by services offered on campus or other physical locations.

The online learner is evolving, representing a wide range of ages and previous experiences, but still often defined as traditional or nontraditional. Each of these groups enters the learning environment with different skills and expectations. While younger students who will enter college in the next few years are already using technology to access resources and communicate, older students who may be new to some technologies are learning and finding satisfaction in online programs.

The answer to the question “who is learning online” is increasingly that “everyone is,” or can be, as access to the Internet also increases. The digital divide is still a significant issue, but one in which progress is being made.

Recommendations for Instructors and Administrators

What’s next in online learning and teaching? Predicting the future is tricky, and the speed at which technology changes makes forecasting this topic particularly challenging. The studies presented in this article each provide a piece of the puzzle, but at a national or even global level. Here are a few of the common themes I took away from these very different studies:

Always-on: Mobile technologies allow students to take their classes with them wherever they go, making the “any time, any place” promise of online learning more possible than ever.
Near-ubiquitous: What could be described as “online learning” is expanding to include a range of formal and informal options designed to help individuals reach their education and career goals. The technologies available to make distance education possible and ability to access these opportunities are also expanding at unprecedented levels.
Student readiness: The preparation of students for college-level work is not a new concern, but one that comes to the forefront when technology use is added to the picture. Schools and instructors find themselves in the position to provide additional support resources to help students reach graduation.
Collaboration required: No single instructor or campus office is equipped to provide high quality online learning options on their own. The NMC reminds us that “the abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators.” Teachers, administrators, and technical departments need to work together to maximize their strengths and resources to benefit students.

Having an awareness of where the industry is headed is just a start. Institutions and instructors must take the next steps to look more closely at their students and courses. How are your students similar to those who participated in these studies? What is your school’s plan for online learning in the future? And what technologies can help your students reach their learning goals?

You can continue the research being conducted in education and technology, and share your lessons learned, success stories, and recommendations with other educators. It’s a continuous learning process for all of us.

Join Melissa Venable on Twitter and Google+.

The post The Future of Online Learning: Student Needs and Expectations appeared first on Online College.org.

#IOLchat Report: Virtual Internships

Melissa Venable — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:30:51 +0000

What is a virtual internship and how can the experience benefit today’s online students? This week we focused on setting expectations to help students and employers get ready.

What questions should students ask before applying for or accepting a virtual internship opportunity?

“Interns should get value out of these experiences, part of that is knowing what to expect.”
“What are the tasks at hand and how will you be contacted/instructed on how to move forward in their responsibilities?”
“It’s important for students to know the time commitments.” What hours, how much time will you need to dedicate in order to be successful in the internship position?
“Come up with 5-7 goals you hope to accomplish during the internship.” And be sure to share these with your employer.
“What experience can you gain from the internship” and how will these experiences take place?
Consider how the virtual internship will “help you build your resume from the future.”
Your questions should be similar to those you would ask about any kind of internship situation: “expected challenges, duties, hours, means of communication.”

For online students, virtual internships may not be a big leap – what would/could the experiences have in common?

“It highly depends on the student assuming the responsibility of being a more self-directed learner.”
Both online courses and internships “give good tests of time management skills, asynchronous discussions.”
“Both give students the ability to work on projects outside their own time zones and collaborate internationally with other students.”
“Online requires discipline. It’s easier to slack when no one is watching.”

What are the potential drawbacks of choosing virtual over traditional internship experience?

A downside can be “no ‘in the office’ experience. The reality is that most people in the office won’t be working remotely.” Traditional experiences offer “huge benefits for understanding workplace nuances.”
If you “don’t work closely with the team, enthusiasm can dwindle. You may not be up-to-date with what’s going on in a business.”
If internships online “are going to take place in a productive way – you’ve got to go above and beyond in terms of communication.”
“If done correctly, virtual has no drawbacks – needs the right amount of real-time communication (e.g., Skype, GoToMeeting).”
Good content and project management tools (e.g., Schoology, Basecamp) are also helpful – “virtual can look and feel like traditional.”

What’s your advice for finding virtual internship opportunities?

There are great internship search sites. Check out: Intern Sushi, Ointerns, SuperInterns, and Intern Queen.
Also explore the U.S. Department of State’s VSFS e-Intern program (taking applications July 2-10) and the Braathe Enterprises program.
“Most college career centers also allow employers to post virtual internships on their online job boards.”
If you are interested in a virtual internship with a specific company that doesn’t have these opportunities advertised “always ask. The go-getter gets! The early bird gets the worm. All of those things are true, online or not.”
“Potential virtual interns should always share with companies what they’d be interested in working on.”

What’s your advice for employers who are offering virtual internships?

Consider setting clear expectations and boundaries” like 1-2 hours per day, Monday through Friday.”
Plan for productivity. In some cases, “it is more productive to have four virtual interns working 5 to 10 hours per week, than one intern working 30-40 hours.”
“Placement may also be key.” Virtual internships may not be right for every student.
“Encourage creativity and innovation from students … offer them the opportunity to grow.”
“Make it feel as face-to-face as possible: set guidelines, encourage high levels of communication, prove benefits.”
Depending on the context of the internship and work assignments, “expect less than you would from an employee; expect to give more in training than you receive in work.”
“Engage the e-Intern and challenge them!”

Thanks to @LexieFO, @RobertJBraathe, @laura2hong, @DavidSmooke, @dinamoati, and @vsfsAtState for participating in the live event!

For more from the most recent live session, review the chat feed below. Our past chats can be found on the archives page.

Follow us (@OC_org) and plan to attend our next chat. We meet on Wednesdays at 12pm ET and look forward to hearing your perspective.

This week’s read-aheads:

Virtually There: Working Remotely from Jenna Wortham, The New York Times

An Insider’s Guide to Virtual Internships from Intern Queen

Virtual Internships Save Government, Students Money from ClearanceJobs.com

Benefits and Drawbacks of Virtual Internships from Public Relations Student Society of America

Virtual Student Foreign Service: the Department of State’s VSFS program and AFSA’s First Virtual Student Foreign Service Intern

Virtual Internships in Rising Demand from Bloomberg Businessweek

The Invisible Office: A Guide to Virtual Internships from OnlineCollege.org

This week’s chat feed:

#IOLchat 5/8/13

Image credit: USDAgov, Flickr, CC:BY

The post #IOLchat Report: Virtual Internships appeared first on Online College.org.

Vocation Nation: Why Today’s Students Are Choosing Technical Training

Site Administrator — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:30:20 +0000

“College or bust!” seems to be the message at many American high schools, where senior year is often just one last hurdle to clear before students move on to a four-year university. But this culture of SATs and college fairs misses an important point: universities aren’t for everyone.

In Switzerland, students regularly choose vocational training over a free university education. For many young grads, this decision is a no-brainer, as vocational education in the country pairs apprenticeships with part-time classroom instruction, creating a clear path to gainful employment. Switzerland’s youth population has less than 3% unemployment, and the average starting annual salary of vocational graduates is about $50,000.

It sounds like the Swiss have created a great system, not just for students but for the employers who will hire them. Why can’t the U.S. do something like that? The truth is, we’re already doing it. But vocational education often comes with a stigma that discourages students and their advisors from exploring it as a serious resource for a bright future.

Shaking the Stigma

Vocational classes in high school like wood shop, home economics, typing, and drafting offer useful skill development for today’s careers, and can create a pathway to further vocational training and employment. But too often, they become an “academic dumping ground” for struggling students. And after high school, vocational programs are seen as a lesser option than universities, a place where those who can’t get into a “real” college end up, like it or not.

Yet as university students struggle to find jobs post-graduation, this “lesser” option of vocational training becomes increasingly promising. The unemployment rate for young adults is 14.2%, close to double the overall rate of 7.9%. It translates to about 2 million unemployed young adults. Yet, there are 3.9 million job openings, many in health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing, all industries that seek out vocationally educated graduates but can’t seem to find them.

This mismatch between unemployed workers and job openings is what’s known as the “skills gap.” The gap is increasingly being made up of middle skills jobs, ones that require more than a high school education but less than a four-year degree. By 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that middle-skill jobs will make up about 45% of all job openings, including nursing, computer technology, and skilled manufacturing. And companies can’t find enough qualified workers to fill them.

For some students, especially those concerned with launching a career after graduation, vocational training may be a great choice, and it should be considered with as much seriousness as a four-year university.

Making the Choice

For many vocational students, the decision to pursue technical training is all about following the career path they’ve chosen. Vocational education typically leads graduates directly into a career, thanks to training and educational resources that cater to building in-demand skills for a particular job. If you have a career plan in mind, vocational school can help you make the jump from student to professional quickly with job-specific training.

Kenna Primm, director of marketing for Roush Yates Performance Products and a 2010 graduate of UTI-Mooresville at NASCAR Technical Institute, chose vocational school because it gave her the opportunity to concentrate specifically on applications for her chosen career. For Primm, UTI-Mooresville was never a lesser choice than college. Rather, she says, “it was the premier school to get where I wanted to be in my career.”

“Being in a vocational school gave me a leg up on the competition because I was gaining hands on experience along with my education,” says Primm.

Robert Ciccarelli, who graduated from both building trades and heavy equipment training to work for a generator restoration company, feels similarly. Ciccarelli pursued his trade education because it could lead him to the kind of career he was looking for, allowing him to work with his hands. To enter his line of work, an educational background in the trades is a prerequisite, as all of his coworkers have similar credentials. So his choice of vocational education was essential to finding a great job. And, he says, “I never really was the college type.”

With his vocational training and on-the-job experience, Ciccarelli is set to enjoy a solid job outlook. Employment of electrical and electronics installers and repairers is expected to grow by 3% over the next decade. That’s slower than the average for all occupations, but growth rates vary by specialty, and applicants with formal education will have the best opportunities.

Workers like Primm and Ciccarelli are a part of the growing trend of excellent mid-level careers that don’t require a four-year degree but still offer good pay and job security. More than that, a traditional college-level education would be out of place in an environment like Ciccarelli’s, where he says the hands-on skills he learned were among the most valuable part of his education.

Career Options

Vocational training is the most appropriate choice for many careers, and it shouldn’t be considered less useful than a college degree. “Our students are incredibly bright and would succeed in a traditional environment; however, they are passionate about career fields that we offer the world’s best training for,” says John Dodson, UTI-Mooresville at NASCAR Technical Institute community/NASCAR team relations director.

Dodson believes that vocational education may offer a better career option than college for students who feel more comfortable receiving hands-on training. As for career growth, Dodson sees many positive opportunities for the future: “As baby boomers start retiring, the job market will continue to increase and the demand for skilled technicians will continue to grow. If someone wants to learn a trade, jobs are going to be out there.”

Still, for some students, vocational education may not be a clear choice. If you’re struggling with the decision to pursue vocational training or a college degree, Association for Career and Technical Education representative Ashley Parker recommends that you explore vocational education options while still in high school.

Students should also realize that vocational education doesn’t have to be their final option. Learning is a lifelong process, and college will still be there if you decide to expand your education later. There is no single educational profile of vocational students, as students may go on to pursue a variety of different options. Says Parker: “Not every student will go on to a four-year university, but not every student who pursues vocational education necessarily does not go on to a four-year university.”

And even if your educational journey takes you to college after vocational training, your skills will remain valuable wherever you go. Says Dodson, “If you’re trained in a vocational trade, you will always be in demand.”

Applying to Vocational School

Making the decision to pursue vocational education is important, as is the school you choose. With the right education, you can start your career with skills, hands-on training, and career-building experience. How do you know when you’ve found the right one?

Carefully consider your choices. While your nearest community college may actually be the best choice for the program you’re interested in, don’t let that be your default option. College students typically spend an extensive amount of time and effort finding a school that offers the programs, culture, and career opportunities they’re looking for, and so should you. Many local schools offer quality programs for careers like nursing or manufacturing, but specialty programs like UTI-Mooresville’s NASCAR tech may require a more stringent search.
Seek out quality. If you’re serious about pursuing vocational education, you’ll want to study with instructors and classmates that take the work as seriously as you do. To determine the quality level of a school, the FTC recommends that you find out what the facilities are like, what the school provides, who the instructors are, and what the program’s success rate is. You can determine a program’s success by looking at its completion rate, job placement, debt on graduation, and asking for recent graduates who you can contact about their school experience.
Find a school that works with your needs. There are so many options out there that you shouldn’t have trouble finding a program that fits what you’re looking for. You may find that you want to work while you’re in school, and an online or part-time program can give you the flexibility that you need. If you prefer to push through and complete your training quickly, a full-time program may be a good choice, online or off. Consider how your options fit with the student lifestyle you prefer.
Find out your financial options. Even though vocational school rarely takes the same amount of time as college, it can still be expensive. Primm recommends that students stay positive and seek out solutions that will help them pay for school. “Ask plenty of questions, and don’t assume scholarships aren’t available to you just because it’s a vocational school,” she says. The FTC encourages potential students to know what they’re getting into: find out how many graduates are successfully paying back student loans.
Look for career assistance. Most vocational schools will offer some sort of career assistance, but vocational graduates will have varying levels of post-graduation job market success. Ask for evidence that your career-specific training can actually get a job. The FTC advises students to ask how many graduates have found jobs in their chosen field, and find out their average starting salary.

Is vocational education right for you? That’s a question that only you can answer. But you won’t know until you take the first step and get started. Says Ciccarelli, “You’ve got to apply yourself. You’ve got to want to do it. Find out what you like doing, and go after it.”

The post Vocation Nation: Why Today’s Students Are Choosing Technical Training appeared first on Online College.org.

Essential Recordkeeping for Job Seekers

Melissa Venable — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:30:56 +0000

The idea of recordkeeping may sound unnecessary, mundane, or just plain tedious, but it’s a helpful part of the job search process. It’s no secret that the current economy is tough and some job seekers find themselves sending out a large number of resumes before being invited to interview. How are you documenting your efforts?

The numbers vary depending on your industry and location, but keeping track of your applications is crucial. Setting up a system you can customize is helpful, and there are a lot of formats to choose from ranging from simple to complex, print to web-based.

Select a Format

Create a system that makes sense for you – one that’s easy to access and update, so you’ll continue to maintain it as you apply for jobs and expand your professional network. Here are a few options to help you get started:

Fontbonne University’s guide to job search recordkeeping [PDF] recommends using a basic document and offers samples to capture information for each application or networking contact.
Microsoft Office provides downloadable job search templates including options for a job search log in Excel and a job application tracker for OneNote.
BrandKit’s Job Search Tracker template is designed for use in Google Drive. Click on “use this template” while logged in to your Google account to create a new copy for your use.
JibberJobber is an online system that allows you to search for openings and track the ones you apply for when you register for a free account.

Choosing a central location is best, whether it’s a notebook by your desk or a computer file. Use one of these formats as a starting point to create your own approach using the technology that meets your needs.

What do you need to track?

No matter your preferred format, the details of your recordkeeping should include the following:

Job title and company: Make a few notes about the specific company or office, and type of work or industry, especially if your search is a broad one including multiple fields.
Copy of the advertisement or job description: Consider printing (or copy/paste) any online announcement into your filing system. Links may disappear after the date for applications passes, and this information will be a helpful starting point if you get called back for an interview.
Date and type of submission: Document when and where you applied, whether it was via online form, email with attachments, or printed materials sent through the mail.
Materials sent: Hopefully you target your resume for each employer. Track the version you send to each one, as well as your cover letter and any other requested items like transcripts, letters of recommendation, reference lists, and work samples.
Source: How did you find out about the position? Add details related to referrals, online job boards, company websites, recruiters, and other kinds of advertisements.
Contact information: Organize addresses, email, and phone numbers for anyone you are in contact with throughout the application process, from initial resume submission to follow-up calls and messages.
Progress: Track your actions and the results of each application. Did you receive a confirmation email, request for more information, or invitation to interview? Did you follow-up to find out more about the position, check-in on your application, and send a thank you note after your interview?

Collect the information that helps you the most in your job search. What additional details would you add to this list?

Potential Benefits

For those receiving unemployment benefits, keeping track of job applications is often a requirement. But this process can be useful for anyone looking for the next career opportunity. Make recordkeeping a habit to:

Serve as a quick reference when you get a call back. Time may have passed since you submitted the application. Will you remember what you applied for?
Avoid duplication. Sending multiple applications for a single position, or applying for multiple positions within a single company could send the signal that you are unorganized and unfocused.
Document your initiative. Your tracking system is evidence that you are moving forward, and can serve as a source of motivation when it seems like you aren’t making any progress.
Identify trends and patterns. Are you getting more responses from jobs posted to a particular site, or from a specific version of your resume? Job-Hunt.org advises that “tracking your job search efforts will help you separate what is working from what is not working, so that you can improve your job search skills and land that next job.”

Remember to revisit your notes on a regular basis to both update them with the latest information and review for new tasks. Your recordkeeping efforts should help you to determine the next step for each application.

Join Melissa Venable on Twitter and Google+.

Image credit: Daniel Y. Go, Flickr, CC:BY-NC

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#IOLchat Report: End-of-Course Activities for Online Instructors

Melissa Venable — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:17:06 +0000

The last day of class doesn’t mean the last day of work for online instructors. From evaluating final projects to submitting students’ grades to the Registrar, there are still many official tasks left to accomplish after the course is over.

What can instructors do during the summer break or between academic terms to improve their courses and prepare for the next group of students? Here’s what our chat participants had to say:

What’s your end-of-semester routine?

For some instructors, and the professionals supporting them and maintaining the online course sites, the work doesn’t stop. “We keep right on going. Load the schedule for summer sessions, create and post links for video streams, etc.”
For others, the hectic push to post final student grades signals the end of the semester. “Students work hard for grades, want to make sure they are right.”

Reflecting on Recent Courses

“I learn something new in each course – it helps when content doesn’t change too much so you can tweak delivery and interaction.”
“Still struggle with how to handle students who ‘show up late’ mid-semester.”

Looking at the Latest Trends

“Students looking to take classes online are becoming smart shoppers, comparing specifics like curriculum, price, and educational technology.”
In some traditional institutions with growing online learning options, faculty members are teaching both online and on-campus sections of their courses, and support services are working with all students.
There are “some cultural shifts happening with on-campus folks, viewing students in distance learning courses as [the school's] students first, not a separate group.”

Making Improvements for Next Semester

“A good late policy is a must!” This is especially true in accelerated terms (i.e., 5-10 week courses). It’s much harder to catch up when the total time frame is short.
“We still need to be crystal clear about expectations.” Unfortunately, “the correspondence course concept with turning in all deliverables on the last day is still alive and well.”
Consistency needed across courses. “Academic culture plays a role, too. All instructors need to be on board with same policy for a period of time.”
“Continue to develop a sense of community … create a good group with good interaction.” Maximize use of tools available, including “forums, lots of feedback, and group discussion.”
“Look for ways to help students in online programs feel a part of the institution as a whole. We have a new portal for student organizations to centralize membership and messages, hopefully easier for students to connect.”
Reach out to your school’s faculty support group or “Center for Learning and Teaching” equivalent. “They help faculty with professional development both online and face-to-face.”

What one thing would you like to see change about online learning and teaching?

“Maybe more communication with other instructors in the department.” Online adjuncts may feel like they are “teaching with tunnel vision” and could benefit from “different perspectives and more diverse conversations.”
“It would be great if people understood that distance learning and online education are about more than just MOOCs!” But, they can also be a great way to start a conversation that leads to more information about elearning.
More institutional support would be helpful. Every school is different, but some online instructors “generally feel like they are out there on their own.”

Thanks to @ODU_DL and @jshamsy for participating in the live event!

For more from the most recent live session, review the chat feed below. Our past chats can be found on the archives page.

Follow us (@OC_org) and plan to attend our next chat. We meet on Wednesdays at 12pm ET and look forward to hearing your perspective.

This week’s read-aheads:

End of Semester Reflections: Beginnings, Endings, and Spaces Between from Maryellen Weimer, Faculty Focus

An Instructional Design Approach to Updating an Online Course Curriculum from Shalin Hai-Jew, EDUCAUSE Review Online

8 Ideas to Inspire Your Online Teaching from OnlineCollege.org

This week’s chat feed:

#IOLchat 5/1/13

Image credit: carlaarena, Flickr, CC:BY-NC

The post #IOLchat Report: End-of-Course Activities for Online Instructors appeared first on Online College.org.

Should You Get a Master’s Degree?

Melissa Venable — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:30:50 +0000

This question is a familiar one in online learning circles and recently caught my attention in a post by Marie-Pierre Renaud, (aka The Geek Anthropologist) in which she provides advice from a current student’s point of view. How do you decide if a graduate degree is right for you? How can you prepare yourself for the experience?

Deciding whether or not to pursue a master’s degree, and then which programs to apply to, is very much a matter of individual context and resources. Higher education is expensive both in terms of financial costs and the time it takes to complete the courses and other requirements. Renaud speaks to the academic aspects of these decisions, including great tips for clarifying ideas about your area of study and research topics. Whatever your goals may be (more about that below), you’ll be required to complete the academic work.

Going to graduate school – part-time or full-time, online or on-campus – is an investment, but the return, as based on your goals, may be worth it. What’s motivating you?

Career advancement: You may want to move up in your current company or expand employment options in your current career field. Is your employer on board with graduate school as a form of professional development? Ask about existing partnerships with specific universities and programs that may even include tuition discounts or reimbursement.
Career preparation: For those trying to enter a specific industry or planning a career transition, graduate school may help you build on previous relevant experience. What is the hiring climate like in the new field? What are employers looking for in prospective candidates? Search job postings for information about preferred qualifications including education, training, and experience. Do your research and compare multiple programs to explore the courses involved, as well as internships and other practical learning opportunities.
Continuing education: A master’s degree program may be a stepping stone to a professional or terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D, D.B.A.). If you are thinking of academic options with a long-term view, start looking at those programs, too. What do they expect of their applicants in terms of prior education and experience? You’ll also find some master’s programs that lead to doctoral studies within the same department, and others that are combined programs (e.g., M.A./Ph.D.).
Personal goal fulfillment: Having the time and money to pursue a formal degree for personal reasons may seem like a luxury, but it can lead to growth in unexpected ways. You can broaden your skills and knowledge, extend your network, and open up professional options you may not have been aware of otherwise. Is there a particular topic you want to study? Or maybe you are interested in participating in the research aspect of graduate programs. Your personal goals may also include becoming a role model for lifelong learning to friends and family members.
Financial feasibility: The reality is that formal education programs can be costly. Tuition, books, and fees quickly add up and should be considered in your budget along with your existing living expenses. Online programs may also mean unexpected costs in terms of Internet services, hardware, software, and possibly travel if the program has residency requirements. Your goals should include affordability and a close look at funding options including scholarships, grants, and loans. Students embarking on graduate education should carefully consider the impact of any related debt before enrolling.

In a brief Twitter conversation, Renaud asked what professors and instructors might have to say on the subject of pursuing a master’s degree. And I think we could provide helpful feedback, since as college-level teachers we’ve gone through the decision process and completed the requirements. My master’s level experiences were in “distance” programs that might be described today as a hybrid format – both online and face-to-face components. Looking back on it all, my goals were a combination of those I presented above – an interest in professional development and career advancement, and a quest for personal fulfillment in achieving the academic credentials.

Like many education and career decisions, your research will likely be full of contradictions and variables that result in a maze of options with no clear answers. And everyone you know will have an opinion. In this post I may have provided more issues for research than answers to the title question, but asking and answering questions that lead to additional questions is at the heart of graduate-level learning, regardless of your motivation for continuing your education.

Share your advice for prospective online graduate students – what should they consider when making decisions about higher education?

Join Melissa Venable on Twitter and Google+.

Image credit: Jack Amick, Flickr, CC:BY-NC

The post Should You Get a Master’s Degree? appeared first on Online College.org.