PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE EDUCATION FOR THE WORLD CITIZEN

PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE EDUCATION FOR THE WORLD CITIZEN

“The Earth is One Country and Mankind its Citizens”

Tags: e-learning, on line adult education, continuing adult education, Hilton Hotel, Sloan Consortium, Phoenix University, Capella University, Enoch Olinga College, ENOCIS, on line education, CenterPoint, measurable results, underserved peoples, PLUS, Western Union Quick Collect, Eduventures, ExecuTrain, New Horizons, asynchronous education, andragogy, pedagogy, self-directed education, synergy, distance education

Introduction:

The differences between online and on campus course methodology lead to a comparative discussion of pedagogical and andragogical theory and the pros and cons of this education model

Pedagogy describes the traditional instructional approach based on teacher-directed learning theory. Andragogy describes the approach based on self-directed learning theory. Malcolm Knowles, a recognized leader in the field of adult education, coined the term andragogy from the Greek words aner, meaning adult, and agogus, meaning guide or leader, to describe the art and science of helping adults learn (Knowles, 1992).

Distance education and, in particular, online education or e-learning is primarily directed to non-traditional learners. Historically, non-traditional learners have been defined as persons over age 25 (Whisnant, Sullivan, & Slayton, 1992). However, Knowles (1980) defined adulthood as "the point at which individuals perceive themselves to be essentially self-directing" (p. 46). Self-directedness is not necessarily correlated with age.

More young people are choosing non-traditional education to start and advance in their careers while completing and furthering their formal education. "Typical distance learners are those who don't have access to programs, employees who work during scheduled class hours, homebound individuals, self-motivated individuals who want to take courses for self-knowledge or advancement, or those who are unable or unwilling to attend class" (Charp, 2000, p. 10). Three key elements surround the online learner: technology, curriculum, and instructor (Bedore, Bedore, & Bedore, 1997). These elements must be keenly integrated into one smoothly and operationally functional delivery tool.

While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners. Online asynchronous education gives students control over their learning experience, and allows for flexibility of study schedules for non traditional students; however, this places a greater responsibility on the student. In order to successfully participate in an online program, student must be well organized, self-motivated, and possess a high degree of time management skills in order to keep up with the pace of the course. For these reasons, online education or e-learning is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age), and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm.

Millions of students use e-learning solutions in over 140 countries: corporations such as Kodak and Toyota and education providers like ExecuTrain, New Horizons, the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS), Phoenix University amongst the hundreds of schools and colleges.

Studies have shown student retention to be up to 250% better with online learning than with classroom courses. Several recent ones have helped frame the debate. The Sloan Consortium published a widely distributed report titled “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” that examined the growing prevalence of online education across U.S. institutions.

In addition, a study conducted by the Boston-based consulting firm Eduventures found that, while about half of institutions and more than 60 percent of employers generally accept the high quality of online learning, students' perceptions differ. Only about 33 percent of prospective online students said that they perceive the quality of online education to be "as good as or better than" face-to-face education. Ironically, 36 percent of prospective students surveyed cited concern about employers' acceptance of online education as a reason for their reluctance to enroll in online courses.

But what actually drives quality? A March 2006 report released by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education identifies six quality indicators: mission, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student and academic services, planning for sustainability and growth, and evaluation and assessment.

The debate rages on while the Pros and Cons of Online Adult Education for today’s international students are constantly analyzed to determine if this type of education platform can deliver predictable and measurable results.

The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one institution which uses this type of delivery system. ENOCIS enhances their learning experience by offering many other “value added”, cost reducing benefits to students. Online pupils can apply for scholarships available to students of excellence and other financial aid programs like the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), with attractive interest rates. They also provide convenient payment facilities, on line banking, Western Union Quick Collect, bank cards and a student who is granted a loan can start repaying it after two months if they have a corporate guarantor.

ENOCIS online education also offers students 24 x 7 support. They provide both semiprivate and private telephone amenities, through which a student can call at discount rates and speak with professors and student advisors.

Pros of Online Education:

The key advantages of the online education experience are briefly explained below:

1. Cheaper: Online courses may be more affordable than those offered at colleges or trade schools. You may also save on transportation costs like gas, bus passes, and parking permits because you don't need to commute to school and there are no housing or meals plans to worry about since you do not need to live on or near a college campus. Housing expenses and other costs associated with living expenses are usually the most expensive aspects of a college education, so by taking an online course you could save quite a bit of money.

The best part of online education is the absence of travel and immigration problems. Some students may prefer not to pursue traditional on campus education, as it involves traveling to attend lectures. With online education, an applicant does not need to travel. Courses simply require accessing the Internet in order to begin the learning process.

2. More Convenient:  By taking courses online, you're able to decide when you study and for how long. You are also able to schedule your studying around your work or social schedule.

Since you're not bound to a classroom, you may do your work wherever you have access to a computer and the Internet. You'll be able to set your own pace and decide exactly how fast you want to go over the material.

Take online courses when you need them, not based on some college's annual or semester schedule. You can learn when you need it (Just-In-Time) A course is as close as a computer with an Internet connection.

3. Flexibility:  with no set class times, you decide when to complete your assignments and readings. You set the pace. In some programs, you can even design your own degree plan. The online students can carry out their private or official work, along with the online education. As it provides the convenience of time flexibility, a student can login and logout as per his desire whereas, the traditional education do not provide such flexibility in learning.

Flexibility of online education allows the student control over their studies. They can allot more time in the topics, which they feel comparatively hard and vice versa. The speed of learning depends solely upon the students.

4. Technology:  With the help of the scientific technology, students can do their online education at any place. The only mandatory pre-requisite is the availability of computer along with an Internet amenity. Side benefits include the learning new technologies and technical skills

5. Availability: distance-learning opportunities have exploded over the past few years, with many accredited and reputable programs.

6. Accessibility: with an online course, you can work on the course just about anywhere you have computer access. Your learning options are not constrained by your geographic location. The new virtual classrooms have created a myriad of learning opportunities for global learning and education center. On line education is a new era experience adapting to the needs of the world citizen.

7. Self-Directed: you set your own pace and schedule, so you control the learning environment.

 8. Time Spent in Classroom: now you can take a course on just about any subject without ever having to be in, or travel to, a classroom so you have very little wasted time. Note, however, that some distance-education programs still do have an in-class component and normally to receive a fully accredited US university degree an international student must spend one or two semesters on campus.

9. High Quality Dialog: Within an online asynchronous discussion structure, the learner is able to carefully reflect on each comment from others before responding or moving on to the next item. This structure allows students time to articulate responses with much more depth and forethought than in a traditional face-to-face discussion situation where the participant must analyze the comment of another on the spot and formulate a response or otherwise loose the chance to contribute to the discussion.

10. Student Centered:  Within an online discussion, the individual student responds to the course material (lectures and course books, for example) and to comments from other students. Students usually respond to those topics within the broader conversation that most clearly speak to their individual concerns and situations resulting in several smaller conversations taking place simultaneously within the group. While students are expected to read all of their classmates' contributions, they will become actively engaged only in those parts of the dialog most relevant to their needs. In this way, students take control of their own learning experience and tailor the class discussions to meet their own specific needs. Ideally, students make their own individual contributions to the course while at the same time take away a unique mix of information directly relevant to their needs.

11. Level Playing Field: In the online environment learners retain a considerable level of anonymity. Discriminating factors such as age, dress, physical appearance, disabilities, race and gender are largely absent. Instead, the focus of attention is clearly on the content of the discussion and the individual's ability to respond and contribute thoughtfully and intelligently to the material at hand.

On line adult education can be more effective and better for certain types of learners (shy, introverted, reflective, language challenged, those that need more time). Distance education courses are often better for people who learn through visual cues and experiential exercises.

12. Synergy: The online format allows for a high level of dynamic interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves. Resources and ideas are shared, and continuous synergy will be generated through the learning process as each individual contributes to the course discussions and comments on the work of others. The synergy that exists in the student-centered virtual classroom is one of the unique and vital traits that the online learning format posses..

13. Access to Resources: It is easy to include distinguished guest experts or students from other institutions in an online class as well as allow students to access resources and information anywhere in the world. An instructor can compile a resource section online with links to scholarly articles, institutions, and other materials relevant to the course topic for students to access for research, extension, or in depth analysis of course content material in the global classroom.

14. Creative Teaching: The literature of adult education supports the use of interactive learning environments as contributing to self-direction and critical thinking. Some educators have made great strides in applying these concepts to their on ground teaching. However, many classes still exist which are based on boring lectures and rote memorization of material. The nature of the semi-autonomous and self-directed world of the virtual classroom makes innovative and creative approaches to instruction even more important. In the online environment, the facilitator and student collaborate to create a dynamic learning experience. The occasion of a shift in technology creates the hope that those who move into the new technology will also leave behind bad habits as they adopt this new paradigm of teaching. As educators redesign their course materials to fit the online format, they must reflect on their course objectives and teaching style and find that many of the qualities that make a successful online facilitator are also tremendously effective in the traditional classroom as well.

Cons of Online Education:

Briefly explained are some factors that could negatively affect your success with distance learning courses:

1. The Technology:

a. Equity and Accessibility to Technology: Before any online program can hope to succeed, it must have students who are able to access the online learning environment. Lack of access, whether it be for economical or logistics reasons, will exclude otherwise eligible students from the course. This is a significant issue in rural and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and educating the underserved peoples of the world. Furthermore, speaking from an administrative point of view, if students cannot afford the technology the institution employs, they are lost as customers. As far as Internet accessibility is concerned, it is not universal, and in some areas of the United States and other countries, Internet access poses a significant cost to the user. Some users pay a fixed monthly rate for their Internet connection, while others are charged for the time they spend online. If the participants' time online is limited by the amount of Internet access they can afford, then instruction and participation in the online program will not be equitable for all students in the course. This is a limitation of online programs that rely on Internet access.  Equity of access to learners of all backgrounds and parts of society

b. Requires New Skills/Technologies: if you're not computer-savvy or are afraid of change or new technologies, then online education will probably not work for you. The online students are required to learn new skills, such as researching and reviewing the Internet. For the online students, they need to learn the techniques of navigation on an online library for necessary information. Technical training and support of learners and instructors

c. Computer Literacy: Both students and facilitators must possess a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to function successfully in an online environment. For example, they must be able to use a variety of search engines and be comfortable navigating on the World Wide Web, as well as be familiar with Newsgroups, FTP procedures and email. If they do not possess these technology tools, they will not succeed in an online program; a student or faculty member who cannot function on the system will drag the entire program down.

d. Limitations of Technology: User friendly and reliable technology is critical to a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated technology is not 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is running smoothly, technology is intended to be low profile and is used as a tool in the learning process. However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system, for example, the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous problems which could limit students' access; finally, the Internet connection could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged down with users and either slow down, or fail all together. In situations like these, the technology is neither seamless nor reliable and it can detract from the learning experience.

2. The Institution: Many online education facilities are relatively new with many courses and hence, lack in modern instructors for instructing the new curriculum. Estimates show that there is still a need for an increase of more 50% of qualified instructors for online education.

b. The Administration and Faculty: Some environments are disruptive to the successful implementation of an online program. Administrators and/or faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and working with technology or feel that online programs cannot offer quality education often inhibit the process of implementation. These people represent a considerable weakness in an online program because they can hinder its success.

Sometimes administration cannot see beyond the bottom line and look at online programs only as ways to increase revenues and are thus not committed to seeing online programs as a means of providing quality education to people who would otherwise not be able to access it. In such a case, an institution that is not aware of the importance of proper facilitator training, essential facilitator characteristics, and limitations of class size would not understand the impact that these elements can have on the success of an online program.

3. The Facilitator

Lack of Essential Online Qualities: Successful on-ground instruction does not always translate to successful online instruction. If facilitators are not properly trained in online delivery and methodologies, the success of the online program will be compromised. An instructor must be able to communicate well in writing and in the language in which the course is offered. An online program will be weakened if its facilitators are not adequately prepared to function in the virtual classroom.

An online instructor must be able to compensate for lack of physical presence by creating a supportive environment in the virtual classroom where all students feel comfortable participating and especially where students know that their instructor is accessible. Failure to do this can alienate the class both from each other and from the instructor. However, even if a virtual professor is competent enough to create a comfortable virtual environment in which the class can operate, still the lack of physical presence at an institution can be a limitation for an online program. For the faculty as well as the participants, such things as being left out of meetings and other events that require on-site interaction could present a limiting factor in an online program.

4. Perceptions/Reputation: while slowly changing as more and more mainstream colleges and universities embrace distance learning, there still is a stigma attached to distance education to the student’s interaction in the online education. Some of the students believe that, there are few opportunities with regards to face-to-face interactions and feedbacks.

5. No Instructor Face Time:  If your learning style is one where you like personalized attention from your teachers, then online education will probably not work for you.

6. Little Support:  students are expected to find their own resources for completing assignments and exams, which is empowering for some, but daunting for others.

There is little support and limited guidelines provided in online education system. Online students are required to search as per their own imaginations for completing exams and assignments.

7. Lacking Social Interaction: while you often interact with classmates via email, chat rooms, or discussion groups, there are no parties or offline get-together's.

If you enjoy meeting new people and learn better while you're interacting with other people, you may want to reconsider online education.

8. No Campus Atmosphere:  part of the traditional college experience, of course, is the beauty of the campus, the college spirit, but you have none of that with distance-education courses.

Since you're not on campus or in classes, you may lack opportunities to meet other students. You will not have many opportunities to interact face-to-face with your professors, so they may not have a real sense of who you are as a person.

9. Making Time: if you are a procrastinator or one of those people who always needs an extra push to complete work, you may have a hard time making time for your online classes. On line learning requires new skills and responsibilities from learners

10. Academic honesty of online students: requires a new mindset to online assessment.  Most education experts agree that rote memory testing is not the best measure of learning in any environment and new measurement and evaluation tools are evolving.

a. Treat every test as if it were "open book." Use questions that challenge students even if they use resources when forming their answers. This practice is more like our real life tests anyway. Use online testing as a means, not an end. Assessments should not only measure learning, but serve as part of the learning process.

b. Publicize content, format, rules, and honor codes to students in advance.

Students are less prone to cheating if they understand what to expect on tests. Ensure that they are appropriately prepared. Post the question formats, test length, and time limitations well in advance. Post study guides that students can use to prepare. In addition, announce rules for the test, especially limitations on the resources students can use. Finally, post or link to the college policies so that students are aware of the implications of cheating.

c. Ask questions that require application of knowledge. The most important way to overcome online cheating and realistically assess student understanding is to use application level questions. Essays, case studies, and other complex question types can be challenging to answer even if you are looking at the book.

d. Learn the writing style of students before testing. A great deal of written communication passes between online students and the instructor. Pay attention to the writing style of students and save samples. Online instructors report that with a little awareness, it is easy to recognize work that is not the student's own.

e. Use questions that require personal input from students.  Require some personal opinions from students in answers. Ask students to provide examples from their own lives. These kinds of personal details are difficult to fake.

f. Set a reasonable time limit for completion.  Limiting the amount of time for which students can access a test makes any form of cheating difficult to implement. Don't be too restrictive, but don't give students forever either. Do not make the test available until the day you want students to begin taking it.

11. Types and effectiveness of assessments: The importance of outcomes in online learning cannot be over emphasized. Does the program have measurable results? Are students learning what you say they should be learning? Then there are institutional outputs: course completion rates, job placement rates (if that's the goal of the institution), graduation rates, student success on third-party tests, and student satisfaction scores.

These factors, both the pros and cons, contribute greatly to making an informed decision about the direction of your career path and how you are going to accomplish your goals: on line, in the classroom or a combination of both.

Institutions and companies that use continuing education to meet their needs also face similar decisions.  Institutions that deliver online education are confronted with a series of challenges, including the search for good faculty, use of technology, and provision of adequate student services. To learn more about quality indicators and their relation to institutional, faculty, student, and public needs, the corporation CenterPoint interviewed several people with intimate knowledge of online education:

Amongst the people queried were, Lynn Kelting-Gibson, a professor of Elementary Education at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, Sal Nuñez and Carol Young, alumni of online doctoral programs at Capella University.

When asked about their on line learning experiences, Carol Young replied “I was worried that it would be too distant; that I wouldn't get to know anybody; that the coursework wouldn't be as challenging. After my first set of classes, I knew that wouldn't be the case. There were only 15 to 16 learners in each class and the faculty was very helpful. I was surprised how quickly you could really get a communication going among everyone online”

Sal Nuñez of Capella commented “When I started comparing the curriculum with that of traditional programs, I realized they were the same. Then when I saw the tremendous amount of work that I had to do, I said, "Wait a minute—this is pretty intense." At that point, quality definitely wasn't a concern”.

The Sloan Consortium report “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” found that 64 percent of chief academic officers and faculty believe that it takes more discipline for a student to succeed in an online course than it does in a face-to-face course. What are some of the challenges for online students?

Lynn Kelting-Gibson thought “In many ways, online education is more challenging than face-to-face courses. Students have to be more prepared; they have more readings and more assignments. Online education is much more intense than a face-to-face program. I think sometimes faculty makes online courses harder to compensate for the lack of face time with students”.

More and more major business and industry is turning to on line continuing education as a viable and cost effective resource for training its personnel. Hilton Hotel has 380 hotels worldwide and is represented in 66 countries. Hilton selected 70 courses from SkillSoft's management, business and IT curricula, which SkillSoft delivers to the company's worldwide workforce through its in-built learner management system, SkillPort. Hilton also subscribes to Books24x7 so that it can offer a reference source to its 400+ IT specialists, providing them with access to the latest IT publications. As well as running and hosting SkillSoft content and allowing Hilton to track learning on a local, regional and national scale, SkillPort also delivers online courses from other learning providers - acting as a branded, customized portal for easy access to e-learning.

When you weigh the benefits and advantages of on line adult continuing education the cost of study and flexibility of scheduling tip the scales of programs like the Enoch Olinga College distance learning program on line adult continuing education is becoming a world wide respected form of education.

However, as with any situation, there are both pros and cons with the concept of online education and the benefits of the virtual or global classroom. You may want to evaluate both before you decide on an online education program. By examining the advantages and disadvantages, you will be able to make a more informed decision. But, at the end of the day, online learning is independent learning. A lot of structure has been put into online programs, but it still comes down to a learner sitting in front of a computer by him or herself. The knowledge you receive or the benefits it will generate either in development of self esteem or increasing earning capacity will depend sole upon you the student.

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Taking on TOEFL

Scott Jaschik www.insidehighered.com

Tags: TOEFL, IELTS, ENOCIS, Brown, Texas, ESL

For years, students from around the world have needed two things to be admitted and enroll at American colleges: a visa and an acceptable TOEFL score.

The latter — the acronym stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language — is about as high stakes as a high stakes test can be. Colleges claim not to have automatic cutoffs for the SAT or ACT, but many institutions have no hesitation about setting absolute minimum TOEFL scores. The reliability of TOEFL is also high stakes for colleges. Many of the foreign students submitting TOEFL scores are applying to graduate programs, and admissions officers aren’t just deciding whether to admit them, but are de facto deciding who will be TA’s two or three years down the road, in front of classrooms of freshmen.

With more than 800,000 students taking TOEFL a year, the test is also of great importance to the Educational Testing Service, which is seeing its SAT exam facing criticism for embarrassing scoring errors and a move by liberal arts colleges to drop the test.

Now TOEFL is also getting competition, and the competition has set off debates at American colleges over the best way to measure students’ English competency, the obligations of American colleges to students from the poorest parts of the world, and the changing nature of international recruiting.

The challenger to TOEFL is the International English Language Testing System, known by its acronym, IELTS. Co-sponsored by the English testing entity of the University of Cambridge, and British and Australian organizations that encourage international education, IELTS has long been the dominant test for students from non-English speaking countries seeking to enroll in English-speaking nations of the British Commonwealth. But in the last three years, IELTS has quietly become a force in the United States as well, where the number of colleges accepting IELTS on equal footing with TOEFL has doubled, to more than 800.

The increased acceptance of IELTS in the United States has in turn made the test more popular for students abroad. The Chinese press — which pays close attention to trends in international education — has had numerous reports about IELTS. People’s Daily reported that in the last three months, 17,000 people took the IELTS in Shanghai, up from 10,000 in the same three-month period a year ago, and that IELTS officials have been adding testing locations and exam times all over China.

The competition already appears to be prompting changes by both testing agencies — with IELTS moving toward more Internet-based testing (a change recently instituted by TOEFL). And TOEFL last month for the first time adopted a sliding scale on fees, so that people taking its test in Bangladesh don’t have to pay the same as those in Switzerland. (IELTS has long had such a policy, and some American college officials have been bothered by TOEFL’s old policy, fearing it discouraged applications from the third world.)

“These two are really going head to head, and that’s going to benefit the consumer,” said Julia Funaki, associate director of international education services at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

While partisans of the two tests point to their differences, they actually have a lot in common. Both are “four skills” exams (reading, writing, listening, speaking). Both are offered all over the world. In terms of language, IELTS tests “international English,” and passages in the test are intentionally a mix of styles of what might be used at universities in Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States.

The most notable difference in the tests may be the way speaking is judged. IELTS uses a live, face-to-face interview with the test taker, while ETS has students taking the TOEFL speak into a microphone for analysis by a panel of test reviewers later.

“Live, face-to-face speaking is more authentic,” said Beryl Meiron, executive director of IELTS International, the United States branch of the organization. She noted that examiners must undergo extensive training and that years of using the system have enabled the organization to be certain that grading is appropriately rigorous.

“You really need to be able to manipulate the language well to do well on our test,” Meiron said.

That interview is the top advantage of IELTS over TOEFL, said Andrea Scott, director of graduate admissions and recruiting for the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. TOEFL “is not interactive. You are having a conversation with a computer. In IELTS, the person is trained to gauge the student’s ability, and to increase or decrease the difficulty of the conversation to tell more,” Scott said.

While Minnesota accepts both TOEFL and IELTS and still (like most American institutions) gets far more TOEFL scores, Scott said she would like to see more applicants use IELTS.

Others cite the speaking test as an advantage for TOEFL. Carol Lynch, the former graduate dean at the University of Colorado at Boulder and now a senior scholar at the Council of Graduate Schools, said that she followed the development of the TOEFL speaking test as an advisory board member for that test. She said the TOEFL speaking test is more comprehensive and consistent, which is vital for a speaking test to be reliable. The speaking test is a new addition to TOEFL, and Lynch called it a “wonderful addition,” designed very specifically to meet the demands of college admissions officers.

Mari Pearlman, senior vice president of the higher education division at ETS, said that having six people review speaking selections was far superior to the IELTS approach. “We’re not comfortable with a single oral proficiency interviewer,” she said. “In a large scale, high stakes assessment, you shouldn’t have the variables of any human-to-human interaction,” she said.

Privately, some ETS partisans go further, and allege that IELTS examiners may be friends or teachers of test takers and have a bias in favor of helping them. Meiron said that was “completely untrue,” and noted explicit rules about conflict of interest. All IELTS testing centers have multiple trained examiners, she said, so that if an examiner realizes he or she has a conflict, someone else is available to step in.

Cost comparisons are not as easy to make as one would think. Both testing entities claim that their test is less expensive, and Pearlman of ETS said that last year, before TOEFL went to differential testing, it was still less expensive on average than IELTS. The issue is important because a price difference of $20 — which might seem like small change in the context of college costs in the United States — is a huge sum to a student in a developing nation trying to figure out if she will be able to gain admission to an American college.

IELTS posts its prices in local currency while TOEFL prices are posted in U.S. dollars. Converting IELTS fees to TOEFL prices in developing nations finds many where prices are within $10, but where IELTS had an edge until TOELF introduced differential pricing. In many developing nations, TOEFL currently costs $140 — which is less than the IELTS fees in Kenya ($153) or South Africa ($183), but more than IELTS in Bangladesh ($115).

Robert Watkins, assistant director of admissions for graduate and international admissions at the University of Texas at Austin, said that there has been a “perception issue” on TOEFL’s cost because it did not have differential pricing. Watkins is a member of TOEFL’s advisory board and believes his university probably receives more TOEFL score reports than any other institution. He thinks TOEFL is a “slightly better” test, but Texas started accepting IELTS scores two years ago — after the university conducted extensive tests on IELTS. “We think it’s a good test,” he said.

Watkins and others said that a big part of the context for the growing IELTS interest is the changing nature of competition for international students. Post-9/11, many American universities struggled to maintain their international enrollment levels as visa regulations became more strict at the same time that many other countries’ universities — some of them in IELTS strongholds — started to step up recruitment of the best foreign talent.

Suddenly, the Chinese or Indian applicant wasn’t just weighing MIT and Texas and Stanford (and sending the same TOEFL score to all of them), but also Cambridge and Monash, for which he or she was taking IELTS.

David W Morris of the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) acknowledges the need for a standardized language proficiency examination. Morris told us of the experiences of ENOCIS where students were accepted into accredited instituions to study but did not have the language skills necessary to satisfactorily complete course materials.

In light of this experience ENOCIS has incorporated a series of ESL (English as a Second Language ) modules into their curriculum for Spanish speaking students to prepare them for a TOEFL or IELTS exam. These courses are highly mobile and can be used on both I Pods and MP3 players. Scholarships are available for Spanish speaking students at the ENOCIS Spanish web site, www.becas.enocis.org and different from other English language programs, students successfully completing these modules can apply for a scholarship with ENOCIS associated institutions.

To address the conversational aspect of the ESL program, ENOCIS has incorporated an ENOCIS English language chatroom into their toolbar. Here students or any interested party may practice their English language skills 24 hours a day.

Brown University is this year, for the first time, saying that IELTS scores will be considered the same as TOEFL for undergraduate applicants from other countries. Panetha Ott, director of international undergraduate admissions, said she views this as “a question about access.”

Many international applicants apply to Brown and Australian universities, where IELTS is the norm. “It makes sense that they should be able to take one test instead of two.”

And then there is the question of coaching — or, some would say, cheating. Many countries that send many students to the United States — China in particular — have huge coaching industries. Some are legitimate tutoring services or programs equivalent to those offered for the SAT in the United States, where students take practice tests and learn basic strategy. Other such services in China — hugely popular with students — teach students various less-than-educational ways to inflate their scores beyond their actual skill levels.

TOEFL is using a new, Internet-based test this year and “the word on the street is that the schools don’t know how to beat the new test,” said Watkins. He noted that there was a huge spike in China of students taking the last versions of the old TOEFL test and that some of the spike in IELTS followed the introduction of the new TOEFL.

This rationale for IELTS interest plays both ways, of course. It suggests that some of those flocking to IELTS are not doing so for the educational value of the one-on-one speaking test. But it also suggests that the TOEFL of previous years may have been more coachable than officials then admitted.

Pearlman of ETS said that she would have been surprised if IELTS tests weren’t going up now. Students around the world “create mythologies about tests,” so changes result in “intense avoidance behavior.” Pearlman said that the new TOEFL isn’t just new, but has been designed “to make coaching difficult,” but many others expect the private schools in China to soon be boasting of their ability to boost TOEFL scores (and IELTS scores too).

The acronyms IELTS and TOEFL can be found all over blogs that are otherwise in Chinese, and new mythologies may soon be spread. “The students really care about these test, and they talk about them a lot,” said Watkins.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION: ITS BENEFITS IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

Tags: Toefl, ENOCIS, Enoch Olinga, continuing education, DeVry, Phoenix University, adult education Global Development and Continuing Education:

In most fields of study and societies, continuing education courses are a standard part of the curriculum. Continuing Education programs help students stay up to date with accessible and a relatively easy method of acquiring new information related to the changes, methods, breakthroughs and research in their field of expertise and general global development The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one such project continuously strives to address these ever changing needs of global change focusing on training students paying special attention to cultural and intellectual background.

For many reasons, most people take an education break and don’t complete their degrees. This hiatus causes students to lose confidence and with time, even forget the study material contents. A Continuing Education course helps these students regain this self esteem and confidence in their skills helping them to complete their education.

Most continuing education courses students take are related to their previous field of study. Besides, boosting the confidence of the individual, continuing education courses also help the person to pursue the profession of his choice and form a solid career base.

Continuing Education – A key to Success:

Continuing education courses are provided in numerous subjects. These courses are also available online, in colleges and on the Internet.  Online courses are the most popular amongst adult education students, because they not only facilitate communication opportunities between student and faculty but also because courses may be taken at hours convenient to them.

The origin of The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) learning model can be traced to the Sons of David Foundation (SOD) which advanced the funds to create this new paradigm in learning.

Although, continuing education courses are available online, it does not mean that a student has to sit at home and study. Because of the transportability of continuing education courses and their ease of use with modern technology, on line study has generated a lot of enthusiasm. Numerous seminars and conferences are set up by educational institutions to facilitate this new and innovative interactive platform.

Continuing education courses are also used in traditional colleges and have become core material in such recognized institutions as Purdue, DeVry and Phoenix University. Although, these courses cannot be considered the same as a traditional college education, a pupil can use on line course as an adjunct to their college studies. Large numbers of recognized institutions have mushroomed up which broadens the course offerings. Courses are structured especially to address the experienced study groups and adults. In fact, on university transcripts there is no notation as to whether a class was taken on line or in a classroom environment. A degree from an accredited university is a valid degree whether on line or on campus.

Most of the courses available through on line continuing education are fields of study which are constantly evolving and regularly have new scientific breakthroughs. These on line courses actualize materials students have already learned. Traditionally, these courses don’t have a lot of introductory material because it is assumed that pupils already have knowledge about the fundamentals of the topic.

ENOCIS – a Class apart:

The duration of the continuing education courses are varied.  They also have flexible hours to accommodate the needs and the requirements of the working professionals. Continuing education courses are a window of opportunity to majority of the people, who have a dream of graduating and fulfilling their career goals. Continuing education online also helps professionals to remain up to date in their field, making sure that their knowledge does not become obsolete.

There are some institutes which stand apart from the rest such as Enoch Olinga College, which helps the student in the preparation of real life experiences, helping their education not only to benefit the student but also  society and  family.

About The Author

David W Morris is an international development specialist with The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) and author of several publications on socio economic development. David is a regular contributor to online article sites on the topics of on line education, underserved peoples, scholarship and educational excellence, continuing education programs and on line TOEFL and language development. David W Morris is also a successful online advisor of ranking blog site www.enocis.blogspot.com.

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10 Easy Arithmetic Tricks

Tags: arithmatic, math, education, calculations, number games, number tricksTheme by Alexified. Content copyright Jamie Frater

Math can be terrifying for many people. This list will hopefully improve your general knowledge of mathematical tricks and your speed when you need to do math in your head.

1. The 11 Times Trick

We all know the trick when multiplying by ten - add 0 to the end of the number, but did you know there is an equally easy trick for multiplying a two digit number by 11? This is it:

Take the original number and imagine a space between the two digits (in this example we will use 52:

5_2

Now add the two numbers together and put them in the middle:

5_(5+2)_2

That is it - you have the answer: 572.

If the numbers in the middle add up to a 2 digit number, just insert the second number and add 1 to the first:

9_(9+9)_9

(9+1)_8_9

10_8_9

1089 - It works every time.

2. Quick Square

If you need to square a 2 digit number ending in 5, you can do so very easily with this trick. Mulitply the first digit by itself + 1, and put 25 on the end. That is all!

25² = (2x(2+1)) & 25

2 x 3 = 6

625

3. Multiply by 5

Most people memorize the 5 times tables very easily, but when you get in to larger numbers it gets more complex - or does it? This trick is super easy.

Take any number, then divide it by 2 (in other words, halve the number). If the result is whole, add a 0 at the end. If it is not, ignore the remainder and add a 5 at the end. It works every time:

2682 x 5 = (2682 / 2) & 5 or 0

2682 / 2 = 1341 (whole number so add 0)

13410

Let’s try another:

5887 x 5

2943.5 (fractional number (ignore remainder, add 5)

29435

4. Multiply by 9

This one is simple - to multiple any number between 1 and 9 by 9 hold both hands in front of your face - drop the finger that corresponds to the number you are multiplying (for example 9×3 - drop your third finger) - count the fingers before the dropped finger (in the case of 9×3 it is 2) then count the numbers after (in this case 7) - the answer is 27.

5. Multiply by 4

This is a very simple trick which may appear obvious to some, but to others it is not. The trick is to simply multiply by two, then multiply by two again:

58 x 4 = (58 x 2) + (58 x 2) = (116) + (116) = 232

6. Calculate a Tip

If you need to leave a 15% tip, here is the easy way to do it. Work out 10% (divide the number by 10) - then add that number to half its value and you have your answer:

15% of $25 = (10% of 25) + ((10% of 25) / 2)

$2.50 + $1.25 = $3.75

7. Tough Multiplication

If you have a large number to multiply and one of the numbers is even, you can easily subdivide to get to the answer:

32 x 125, is the same as:
16 x 250 is the same as:
8 x 500 is the same as:
4 x 1000 = 4,000

8. Dividing by 5

Dividing a large number by five is actually very simple. All you do is multiply by 2 and move the decimal point:

195 / 5

Step1: 195 * 2 = 390
Step2: Move the decimal: 39.0 or just 39

2978 / 5

step 1: 2978 * 2 = 5956
Step2: 595.6

9. Subtracting from 1,000

To subtract a large number from 1,000 you can use this basic rule: subtract all but the last number from 9, then subtract the last number from 10:

1000
-648

step1: subtract 6 from 9 = 3
step2: subtract 4 from 9 = 5
step3: subtract 8 from 10 = 2

answer: 352

10. Assorted Multiplication Rules

Multiply by 5: Multiply by 10 and divide by 2.
Multiply by 6: Sometimes multiplying by 3 and then 2 is easy.
Multiply by 9: Multiply by 10 and subtract the original number.
Multiply by 12: Multiply by 10 and add twice the original number.
Multiply by 13: Multiply by 3 and add 10 times original number.
Multiply by 14: Multiply by 7 and then multiply by 2
Multiply by 15: Multiply by 10 and add 5 times the original number, as above.
Multiply by 16: You can double four times, if you want to. Or you can multiply by 8 and then by 2.
Multiply by 17: Multiply by 7 and add 10 times original number.
Multiply by 18: Multiply by 20 and subtract twice the original number (which is obvious from the first step).
Multiply by 19: Multiply by 20 and subtract the original number.
Multiply by 24: Multiply by 8 and then multiply by 3.
Multiply by 27: Multiply by 30 and subtract 3 times the original number (which is obvious from the first step).
Multiply by 45: Multiply by 50 and subtract 5 times the original number (which is obvious from the first step).
Multiply by 90: Multiply by 9 (as above) and put a zero on the right.
Multiply by 98: Multiply by 100 and subtract twice the original number.
Multiply by 99: Multiply by 100 and subtract the original number.

Bonus: Percentages

Yanni in comment 23 gave an excellent tip for working out percentages, so I have taken the liberty of duplicating it here:

Find 7 % of 300. Sound Difficult?

Percents: First of all you need to understand the word “Percent.” The first part is PER , as in 10 tricks per listverse page. PER = FOR EACH. The second part of the word is CENT, as in 100. Like Century = 100 years. 100 CENTS in 1 dollar… etc. Ok… so PERCENT = For Each 100.

So, it follows that 7 PERCENT of 100, is 7. (7 for each hundred, of only 1 hundred).
8 % of 100 = 8. 35.73% of 100 = 35.73
But how is that useful??

Back to the 7% of 300 question. 7% of the first hundred is 7. 7% of 2nd hundred is also 7, and yep, 7% of the 3rd hundred is also 7. So 7+7+7 = 21.

If 8 % of 100 is 8, it follows that 8% of 50 is half of 8 , or 4.

Break down every number that’s asked into questions of 100, if the number is less then 100, then move the decimal point accordingly.

EXAMPLES:
8%200 = ? 8 + 8 = 16.
8%250 = ? 8 + 8 + 4 = 20.
8%25 = 2.0 (Moving the decimal back).
15%300 = 15+15+15 =45.
15%350 = 15+15+15+7.5 = 52.5

Also it’s useful to know that you can always flip percents, like 3% of 100 is the same as 100% of 3.

35% of 8 is the same as 8% of 35.

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Distance Learning for Sustainable Development: A concrete application by the World Agroforestry Centre

Tags: distance learning, agroforestry, reforestation, on line education

Panama City, Panama, 30 August 2007: The World Agroforestry Centre offers an innovative training course “Contextualising Teaching and Learning in Schools Using Natural Resources - the case of school tree nurseries” by distance learning.

The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) Development and Education encourages practitioners to discover and take advantage of this concrete example of a Distance Learning project in the field of Sustainable Development.

Context: according to the project, many attempts have been made to adjust educational content so that it becomes relevant to sustainable development. In practice, this has often meant the introduction of new topics or subjects, for example natural resources or environmental management. Relatively little emphasis has been placed, however, on the development of education strategies that are based on the immediate context in which the school is located.

This training course will deal with the use of natural resources as a way of contextualising primary and secondary education and making teaching and learning more relevant to the local situation. Tree nurseries in schools will be used as examples to demonstrate this concept.

The training course is of interest and open to teachers in primary and secondary schools, lecturers, education officials, representatives of NGOs and CBOs as well as educators active in education for sustainable development. There are no course fees to be paid if one's application is accepted. The training course will take place from 17 September to 5 October 2007. The deadline for receiving applications is 7 September 2007. A resource associated to this highlight includes a PDF document introducing the training course and further information about how to apply. Picture Credit: The World Agroforestry Centre

For more information on the ENOCIS Project please visit our web site www.enocis.org.   Education: The Tool to Break the Chains of Poverty.

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Pros And Cons Of Distance Education

By Tony Jacowski

Previously, it was possible to practice distance learning only through the mail. However, in recent times, with the help of technological advancements, these programs are also available online. Distance learning is beneficial to those students who not only wish to complete higher studies but also need to earn a living at the same time. It is also ideal for those who can study only part-time, as they may be busy with other activities. Distance learning programs are offered for education at any level, but are more popular with university studies.

Distance education, as the name suggests, is a method of implementing education to students living in distant places and cannot access further education. Using this approach, the student is not required to attend classes like in a regular school or college. Education is imparted through correspondence and communication between the institution and the pupil.

Procedure

In order to gain knowledge and complete higher studies, a student does not have to attend regular educational institutions. Distance learning makes the task of achieving the desired course of education easier while sitting in the comfort of your home. In distance learning, you do not have the advantage of receiving personal attention and guidance of a teacher or a professor as in a regular school. Instead you need to study on your own.

The educational institution supplies all the required educational material, resources and references. This correspondence will help you to stay in touch and move in pace with the activities and course of studies of other students attending regular schools and colleges. The institution usually provides an entire range of books, audio and visual aids such as tapes and CDs where you have enrolled.

Requirements

In order to implement distance-learning programs effectively, you need to correspond and communicate with the instructors regularly. To enable efficient and quick communication, it may be necessary for you to install a computer. To clear your doubts and answer your queries, you may also have to download certain programs and suggested websites or interact with the professor through videoconferences.

Advantages

Distance learning provides you the convenience of studying in the comfort of your home and saves you from the daily grind of commuting. You have the liberty of performing other chores and completing studies at the same time. These programs offer immense flexibility of pace, especially to those who are involved in other occupational activities. Disadvantages

You will be entirely by yourself and can receive help only through the resources supplied by the institution. If you are not good at grasping and learning without the supervision and guidance of an instructor, the program may prove to be quite a challenging task. If you cannot adhere to deadlines and have a habit of procrastinating, distance learning is not a very good idea.

A simple guide to make the task of distance learning easier is to follow basic rules and management techniques. Prepare a timetable and allocate appropriate hours to studies and other activities. Dedicate the required time and attention to learning. Stay in regular contact with your teachers and other students so that you don’t lag behind. Do not hesitate to ask questions and clear your doubts. Put in all the hard work and effort as you would in a regular school.

Before you finally decide to enroll as a student of distance education, remember to consider the positive and negative aspects so that the program proves to be beneficial.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions

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Online Degrees: Who Would Hire an Online Grad?

Online Degrees:  Who Would Hire an Online Grad?

by Jennifer Mulrean Tags: Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times, Phoenix University, Sloan Consortium, Vault, Columbia University, Columbia Video Network

We know. You're naturally curious, committed to lifelong learning, and generally ambitious. Those are great reasons to pursue an education. But with the high price of college, it's safe to bet that you're also hoping that degree will pay off in more practical terms--with a first job, a promotion, or a job change, perhaps.

The good news is, it probably will. In simple terms of dollars and cents, a college degree can be worth millions in income over the course of your life. According to the most recent United States Census Bureau survey, people holding bachelor's degrees are expected to earn $2.1 million over the course of their working lifetime--almost $1 million more than the $1.2 million in lifetime earnings for people who hold high school diplomas only.

But before you pile up those riches, you first have to get through the door of the human resources department. As a current or prospective online student, it's important to consider how an online degree will measure up against those earned at traditional brick-and-mortar programs.

Attitudes in flux¿
When asked directly, well-known Fortune 500 companies such as Intel and Wal-Mart said they'd accept online degrees, provided they come from regionally accredited programs.

The last time the question seems to have been put to human resources departments on a broad scale, however, was in late 2000, when Vault, a job-search service and publisher, surveyed almost 300 hiring managers. At the time, 77 percent of respondents said online degrees earned from well-known schools--the Stanford Universities of the world--were more valuable than those from online-only institutions.

A lot has changed since then, including the number of people enrolled in online courses. A 2004 Sloan Consortium report estimated that more than 2.6 million people logged on to at least one online class in the fall of 2004.

Support from employers¿
If you're attending a school that offers both campus-based and online courses, chances are your diploma won't distinguish whether you logged on or sat in a traditional classroom to earn it. At Columbia University, for example, online students can earn various graduate engineering degrees through Columbia Video Network (CVN). There's no need to distinguish the degrees as having been earned online because they're identical to the courses delivered at the physical campus.

"The degree (CVN students) earn is identical to what the offline students are getting," says Evan Jacobs, marketing manager for CVN. "The modality is secondary; the content is what's important and it's exactly the same."

Many of the CVN students are adults with full-time jobs, and as such, Jacobs estimates that 80 to 90 percent have their tuition reimbursed by their employer. The University of Phoenix estimates that a similar percentage of its own student body also has their tuition reimbursed by their employer.
 
"They have the full support of their companies," Jacobs says. "The fact that the employers are reimbursing them for their tuition is really a validation of our program and of distance learning."

"We've heard from a lot of students that they didn't feel they'd have been able to get that promotion or that next job without the skills and knowledge we provide," he says. And as the number of online students¿ increases, attitudes toward online degrees should continue to open up even further.

The bottom line¿
Randy Miller, CEO and founder of ReadyMinds, which offers distance career counseling to everyone from students in college to adult learners, says that just in the last two years, human resources departments have become more comfortable with online degrees.

"They're realizing a lot of quality applicants are going the nontraditional route--if you can still call it that--and they don't want to miss out on this quality applicant pool," he says.

Of course there will always be people--recruiters included--who are have reservations about new kinds of learning. But for some perspective, consider a survey by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) that found that almost 70 percent of corporate supervisors rated the value of a distance degree as "just as valuable" or "more valuable" than resident-school degrees in the same field. The survey pool, however, was comprised of managers with at least one employee who had earned a degree through a DETC-accredited distance program, suggesting that familiarity breeds acceptance for quality programs.

In the end, Miller says, job seekers of all types have many of the same challenges. "It really comes down to the individual--they still have to distinguish themselves," he says.

About the Author

Jennifer Mulrean is a writer on MSN Money. She has written articles for the Seattle Times, the Los Angeles Times, and In Style magazine. She lives in Seattle.

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