For years, the US has been compared to other industrialized nations across the world when it comes to our educational standards. The media tells stories of how far behind our children are compared to the children of other nations, like China, especially when it comes to our math and sciences. Presidential candidates always seem to make education a part of their platform during the race for office, but how many have truly followed through with their original plans/promises?
President Bush signed the "No Child Left Behind" Act into law during his presidency with the hopes of bringing all of our children up to, at the least, a proficient level in their studies. Unfortunately, without a budget to really back this type of undertaking it became somewhat of a joke to professionals and teachers in the education industry. Unfortunately, the plan backfired and with such pressures on the schools to achieve certain levels, teachers have begun "teaching to the test" instead of taking the time to make sure students grasp the knowledge their being given and know how to actually apply it in a real-life setting.
And, recently, the Obama Administration has urged everyone to go beyond their high school diploma to achieve their associates or bachelors degree. His plan includes more funding for early-learning programs as well as an item to address the current affordability of higher education and how to make it more accessible to everyone. To learn more, check out this link: Education|The White House
So, what are your thoughts? Are we struggling in the world market because of our current educational system? Should students start going year-round as in other industrialized countries? What are your thoughts on the state standardized tests that are being given to gauge our children's success in school?
Have you experienced Second Life yet? It’s a virtual world where you can live, work, and play using an avatar with your characteristics. It’s become so popular that now some universities are beginning to use the virtual reality world as a means of training nurses and other medical professionals.
Using the virtual world gives students access to medical experts from all over the world that they may not have had access to in a traditional classroom setting. It also allows access to volunteers who act as patients that the students can diagnose using various diagnostic tests without accruing the costs associated with such an effort in a real medical setting.
Should a virtual world be used to train the individuals who care for us and our families? What happens when these individuals are thrown into a real-life situation? Sometimes it’s easier to diagnose and treat a problem from a distance when you know that your mistake won’t necessarily cost someone their life. Could this potentially be detrimental to the medical profession?
I can definitely see this being a fantastic resource in that it will connect world-famous specialists with medical students from all over the world. They can tap into the minds of these specialists and learn about their techniques and thought processes which can only enhance their own skill-set. BUT, I’m still a little skeptical. What do you think?
According to this recently published AP article, nationwide cutbacks in public education funding have forced colleges to lay off instructors and eliminate classes, making it even harder for students to fulfill their school’s requirements and graduate within their desired timeframe. Because there is so little space available, many students aren’t even able to register full-time and run the risk of losing much-needed financial aid. Some schools are leaving it up to their professors to decide whether or not to take on extra students, but even those willing to accept the added responsibility cannot accept just everyone; worse yet, some professors who do expand their class sizes admit that because of such a large number of students in each class, those who need help won’t necessarily receive the specialized help necessary to keep up with the rest of the class. When interviewed, fifth-year California State-East Bay senior Sherrie Canedo responded to the situation by stating “I don’t feel that’s an acceptable way to learn.” And she is absolutely right.
Online education offers students like Sherrie, who are largely victims of circumstances beyond their control, a chance to get the degree they want without having to put up with the politics often involved with traditional post-secondary institutes. Students don’t have to worry about overfilled classrooms and not receiving the attention they deserve, because situations like that simply don’t exist with distance learning. If a student needs help with a particular topic, a professor will be on hand to assist in whatever way is necessary. If dealing with the repercussions of bureaucratic interference isn’t necessary, why put up with it? Penn Foster courses offer students specialized care and educational freedom that many colleges cannot help but surrender in times of economic cutbacks and downsizing. So if you’re worried that you’re going to end up paying more for an education that is only sub-par, look at Penn Foster as the alternative: personal, affordable, and professional, just like college should be.
In Book Smarts? E-Texts Receive Mixed Reviews From Students, an article by Ryan Knutson and Geoffrey A. Fowler found in the Wall Street Journal, a group of students and educators were questioned about the use of e-readers and e-textbooks in the classroom.
Students at various universities participated in studies where their traditional texts were replaced with e-readers or e-textbooks. In one case, many students dropped out after just the first two weeks sighting that the need to take notes and highlight the text were more important than the portability associated with these digital readers.
Despite their being environmentally friendly, portable and theoretically cheaper – what other benefits do these digital readers bring to education? I can definitely see the draw in that our nation as a whole is moving towards digital communication more and more. We’re on the go so much that many people no longer have home phones, relying totally on their cell phones. And, I must say, if you’re an avid reader having one of these e-readers handy for vacations or commutes to and from work can come in quite handy. But, for my studies I’m not so sure. Don’t get me wrong, lugging around 3 books each weighing 10 pounds is no picnic but I’m not sure I would enjoy sitting down to read 10 chapters on a digital reader either.
So, do you prefer traditional textbooks over these new e-readers and e-textbooks? Maybe these are the wave of the future, who knows?! Let us know what you think!
The days of sending your impressive resume along with a well thought-out cover letter to a prospective employer are a thing of the past! With today’s job market in such turmoil, things have gotten quite competitive!
In a article found in the Baltimore Sun, Job-Hunters try online ‘hire me’ drive by Gus G. Sentementes, a gentleman built a web site not only listing all of his specific credentials and qualifications, but also, directly related to the job he wanted with the e-mail marketing firm Blue Sky Factory. Check out the site he created to win over his prospective employer - http://bsfshouldhire.me/ - by the way, his creative way in approaching this company led to a second interview from a pool of dozens of applicants.
Sites like these called ‘hire me’ sites are popping up all over the place. It takes me back to the old adage “actions speak louder than words” … well these ‘hire me’ sites definitely put the words from your resume into action. They demonstrate creativity, “out of the box” thinking, and individuality … priceless qualities in today’s job market. Not to mention, they’re one of the most inventive ways of marketing yourself to employers that I’ve seen.
As shown on the ‘hire me’ site above, you can even link to your Facebook, Twitter and Linked In profiles and encourage friends and colleagues to share your page with their friends. It’s an entirely new approach to networking!
So, what are your thoughts on these ‘hire me’ sites? Do you think they are going to be the new trend in how individuals market themselves to employers?