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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Do you know what is Education?

I can tell you “Education is like food and shelter. It is considered basic to one's life. While food is for health and shelter for the body, education is for the mind.”

Education enhances one's knowledge and as the saying goes; Knowledge is Power. However, power that a person posses will be dependent on how an individual uses it. A person could ultimately choose to use knowledge and power for the benefit of themselves, for others or to be simply used in the destruction of mankind. Education is the knowledge of putting one's potentials to maximum use. Education makes man a right thinker. It tells man how to think and how to make decision.

As those of us that grew up in the 1970's and the 1980's, and maybe even the 1990's may remember people poking fun at correspondence schools. You will recall that when someone wanted to belittle a person's education they would ask, "Did you get your degree in the mail? Not yet?"

The joke was because correspondence courses operated by sending class material and even the diploma by mail, and schools that were usually not officially licensed in any way operated them. They were basically the joke of the education industry. However, the Internet came of age more and more opportunities to get a legitimate education at home finally took root. As this method became more and more established many accredited universities began to take notice and then started offering their own distance learning online degrees. And with the weight of the big name schools behind it, distance learning came to life.

One of the weaknesses of the old-school correspondence courses was that any enterprising degree seeker could simply hire someone else to do their work for them and then just mail it in under their name. However, with the new technology being used for today's distance learning online degree programs the ability to cheat your way through a degree is simply not possible. This increased the legitimacy of distance learning considerably.

The other factor that has helped distance learning is the fact that the big name universities are putting their names on the line. Every time Oxford opens up another degree program it is placing the entire weight of their reputation behind both the degree and distance learning as a method for learning.

And these top universities have gone to great lengths to transfer the in-class style of learning over to a virtual system. And they have done so in a way that allows the distance learning student t meet the standards of not only the university but also the accreditation boards. Because of this today's online classes have evolved to take on the look and feel of a real classroom.

What's In A Name?

A University Degree is not simply a simulated sheep skin degree; it is a trust between you and the university that you have received a top-notch education. If you take that degree and use it in the market place to land a job that you do not have the skills to perform then both your reputation and the reputation of the school is tarnished.

For this reason most top universities have gone to great lengths to create distance learning online degree programs that not only reflect the high quality of education that the school is renowned for, but they also require that you have to work for the degree you receive regardless of where you are working from.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Business School

Tips on Finding the Best and Ditching What’s Not...
Whether you are a parent scouting for the best schools in town to educate your business professional wannabe, or a student on the lookout for the first rate business schools, it is important that the right choice be made. And to be able to make the right choice, you should be able to tell which business schools offer the best training curriculum and facilities.
A good school can be measured by the alumni it has produced, the programs it can offer, and, best of all, by the ranking that it gets from several survey bodies across the globe. If you only want the best, rankings can help you make the decision. There are rankings for the schools that are selective in their enrollment process, there are those who are ranked high because they constantly procure awards from business institutions, and there are those who are recognized for their contribution in the business community.
Who does the rankings for these business schools, anyway? Practically everyone and anyone. There are surveys that are being conducted (mostly annually) and the best schools are rated by several people. Now, just how important are rankings anyway? Are these enough to prove that the top schools that you are scouting are reputable or that they provide quality set of courses?
Keep in mind that most of these schools already have proven track records in providing the best quality of business education and producing choice graduates. The only difference that rankings or accreditations make is reputation. Once a university gets a certain label on its name, then you are assured that their faculty, resources, facilities, and curriculum have all passed a definite criteria on quality.
If you are still confused on which school to choose, then it’s time to assess your goals on your career. These career objectives should coincide with the values that certain schools offer (not to mention that they have the specific program that would suit your needs). Once you narrow down your career choices, then the number of schools on your list would automatically be limited.
To further trim down the number of schools on the list, it’s time to consider the location and your budget. Full-time MBAs, of course, cost more and take longer to finish. There are business schools that offer executive and part-time programs on this. Remember that you are not looking for a low-budget program. Instead, keep in mind that you are looking for a school that provides a good return on your investment.
If your list remains long, then it’s time to consider the schools’ service department on career. Do they really produce good results? With more hits to any particular school, then it would mean that their graduates and MBA holders are hired more than the competitors. Receiving any form of scholarship would also greatly influence any potential candidate’s choice of school.
Most of the top business schools (especially those that are constantly ranked to be one of the best) have world class services, that is why it is best to prepare well before embarking on their entrance examinations and grueling interviews. Only the best of the best are accepted on the top business schools (especially the Ivy League)—the la crème de la crème; so expect the best and prepare for the worst!
by Anders Eriksson / Datorsam.com