Inside Online Learning
A blog by Melissa A. Venable, PhD
An Education Writer for OnlineCollege.org, Melissa's background includes work in higher education – private, public, and for-profit – as an instructional designer and curriculum developer. Melissa is also an experienced instructor, academic advisor, and career counselor... more
5 Tech Tools for Job Interview Practice
Once you get to the interview stage of your job search, you’ve already survived several layers of screening as hiring managers compare your application materials (i.e., resume, cover letter, transcripts) to the needs of the position. But as the National Association of Colleges and Employers advises, “the interview will make or break your candidacy. The [...]
Connecting with Your Online Students via Social Media
If you engage in social media and networking sites with your students, you are not alone. A study of faculty use of social media in higher education [PDF] published in 2011 by Pearson Learning Solutions and the Babson Survey Research Group found that “nearly two-thirds of all faculty have used social media during a class [...]
Create an End of Course To-Do List
As I begin wrapping up the Spring semester with my online students, I realize that there are a few things they could do to bring the experience to a close and document all that they have accomplished in the course. Working through online courses, especially those on an accelerated schedule, can seem like a blur [...]
#IOLchat Report: Loving and Hating the LMS
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. From open source to enterprise options Learning Management Systems (LMS) are widely used by colleges and universities to present their online courses, as well as support [...]
7 Career Questions to Ask Your School’s Alumni
If you are struggling with career decision-making or looking for a new direction in your job search, advice may be closer than you think. Last month I highlighted career questions you should ask your online instructors, but there are many other resources available to you. Have you connected with your school’s alumni network? From job [...]
Thank you, edSocialMedia Summit 2013!
This week I, along with the Inside Online Learning chat (#IOLchat) team, had the pleasure of presenting at the edSocialMedia Summit. Led by a group of experienced educators and entrepreneurs EdSocialMedia is a resource for teachers, administrators, and organizations to turn to for information and ideas about the use of social media in education. Take [...]
Make the Most of Online Job Boards
If you are looking for a job, the days of simply posting your resume online are over. Using just one technique isn’t enough. A 2012 study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that “employers cite Internet job postings as the most effective technical application” for locating and recruiting new graduates. Of [...]
Should We Meet in Person?
If you’ve ever found yourself working on a group project in an online class, you’ve probably asked this question. When I recently encouraged my online students to advise each other on their group work, of the five “design teams” one chose to meet in person and recommended this to the other groups. Since they all [...]
#IOLchat Report: Improving Online Courses with Student Feedback
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. Online instructors aren’t always the ones who design and develop the courses they teach. While there are ways to provide suggestions to those who maintain the [...]
8 Career Questions to Ask Your Online Professor
Students may not realize it, but one of the great benefits of online courses is the number of adjunct instructors. This group of educators, mostly part-time, faces a lot of challenges related to employment, but brings a valuable perspective to the classroom, one that tenured faculty may not have had in a while – practical [...]
On Twitter
If you have a question about going to college online, Melissa can help. Get direct access to our expert on Twitter.
Categories
Online College FAQ
How Are Online Colleges Different From Traditional Colleges?
How Do I Know Whether Online College Is Right for Me?
What Are the Benefits of Going to College Online?
Inside Online Learning
An Education Writer for OC.org, Melissa's background includes work in higher education...
more
The Latest
A Twitter Guide for Online EducatorsHave 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 …