Siginificance of Graduation

Growing up, how many successful people did you know that were not college graduates? A substantial amount probably. The fact is that a college degree or even a high school degree was not as necessary in the past. Look at people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs who were more than successful without a college degree. The question is, "Is a college degree really necessary?"

The answer is yes. Let's discuss four reasons why getting your degree is crucial in the world today.

1. The most obvious is the earnings potential. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2002, a person with a graduate degree could earn over a million dollars more than a high school graduate in their lifetime. That is a substantial amount of money. Even if a degree was only worth $10,000 more a year (which it is worth a lot more) then over a 30 year work period a college graduate would make $300,000 more.

2. Another reason for getting a college degree is the foundation that a college degree brings in your life. The business world is volatile and difficult at times but having a college degree gives you a foundation to depend on. Lay offs, life changers, and other events happen and without that foundation, work may be tough to come by. While there are no guarantees in life, you can feel much more secure if you have a college degree when it comes to finding work.

3. Have you noticed that not all people go to college just so they can go into their profession and make a lot of money? Some people just enjoy something and want to learn more about it. College can be the means to learn about an interest that you have had throughout your life. Take drama for example. Drama is a very difficult field to be successful in but people study it because they are interested in it. If you have an interest and do not mind spending thousands of dollars to pursue it, then college is the way to learn more about it.

4. The last reason is you can choose your vocation. Without a degree you may have the attitude of "I'll take what I can get." A degree gives you an opportunity to study and become a professional at what you want to do in your life, not just what you can get. If you want to be a dentist, then go for it! Mechanical engineer, sure! Doing what you love is one of the most liberating experiences in life. Remember, though, when you get out of college it is up to you to find a job that suits you and your interests.

So be proud of yourself if you are in school and are looking to graduate. You are making great strides in your life. For those parents out there, support your children. Give them a graduation present! They deserve it. College is not easy. It was never meant to be easy but it will be worth it. College graduates, pat your self on the back and keep pushing forward. For those that haven't graduated, the time goes by fast. Homework and tests will soon be in the past. Just remember that you are doing the right thing.

Teaching Beyond the Walls and the Boundaries of a Traditional Classroom

The first image that comes to our mind when we think of a classroom is a room with benches and a blackboard, in charge of a teacher who comes and start babbling the new lesson, without bothering how many students are actually listening. This is the traditional classroom where students are passive listeners and are treated as mere subjects. But with the changing time, the classroom has also become a little interesting with advent of modern aids to make it interactive and practical. Still we find that there is a scope of improvement in our modern classrooms also, as the interest element is still missing. How to encourage more and more students to participate in the classroom activities?

The world has become a small place with the advent of hi-tech tools which have made life very easy and removed the geographical distances between people. The widely accepted technology of video conferencing is doing wonders in the field of education by giving ample opportunities to the students to choose from. Getting access of the best schools and colleges has become easier which are trying to lure a large number of students through the virtual class concept. The traditional mould of classroom teaching has changed into a much advanced stage of education, where a student can learn his favorite subject, sitting in his home.

The deserving students who can't reach their favorite schools and colleges due to geographical restraints can now get the best of faculty by registering to the virtual classroom, which is not restricted to the four walls of the school. Learning through video conferencing system is as effective as any real classroom learning, where each student gets the teacher's attention and a chance to get involved in all the classroom activities. The face to face interaction with the teacher boosts the confidence in the students who are learning through these interactive modes. They get their share of assignments which help in assessing their performance in the class.

Teaching through interactive tools is more interesting, as it gives the chance to the teacher to explore the subject more deeply and discuss the lesson plan with subject experts on a video chat before delivering the same to the students. And teaching students from around the world gives immense pleasure and a sense of achievement to the teacher whose only job is to give the best. The traditional classroom teaching has its own constraints which don't give the freedom to experiment with the subject. So adopting a practical approach of teaching beyond the classroom will give hands on experience to the students, who learn more by observation.

The students can have a real experience of the place when they are actually there to witness all with the help of video conferencing. As a teacher you don't have to explain the details of a particular site if they are able to see it in real. The excursions and field trips for the virtual classes can become a fun activity for the students who won't miss the four walls of the traditional classroom and will eventually fall in love with virtual teaching method.

Achieve Excellence With Student Management Systems

Educational institutions have gradually been convinced of the vast potential that student management systems can provide. Far from just being a voluntary training supplement, modern student management system packages are capable of providing efficient learning methods and resources designed to facilitate both faculty members as well as students. University administrators seeking cost-effective as well as basic tolls will likely find open-source CMS applications appealing, while more advanced faculty members are more willing to purchase customised CMS programs designed to handle more tasks compared to their freeware counterparts. No matter which of these services you prefer to use, they are both developed in order to track up-to-date information relating to students from a particular academy, the data being fed into the system are subsequently being monitored and can easily be modified in order to lessen the workload of a sizeable percentage of administrative tasks.

These customised CMS platforms likewise simplifies the organisational aspects involved with complex training courses, and more importantly, aid in streamlining registration as well as notification procedures, which is evidently a convenient feature for faculty staff members that have to deal with enrolment proceedings in addition to announcing important academic events. Productivity is particularly guaranteed to increase after CMS software has been implemented, automatically dealing with somewhat confusing attributes of the university's learning system. Furthermore, professional administrators are free to deal with other functions that cannot manually be dealt with by student management systems and conveniently monitor all pressing matters regarding inventories, course developments, payroll distribution, student relations into a single, easy to understand interface. The database has also been optimised to check in on students, keep administrators as well as educators well-informed about registration proceedings, neglected payment responsibilities, and academic performance and is moreover built to accept programmed improvements to deal with these matters accordingly.

The interactive aspect of the application is likewise being enhanced with each passing update. As of right now, modern learning management systems are able to track the general progress of students and observing if they are reacting to the lessons as well as training modules effectively or not. The resultant data taken from these observations are then analysed even further, culminating by eliminating particularly ineffective and useless training methods while at the same time introducing potentially successful learning programs. These features become even more important for educators who are seeking innovative teaching supplements in order to adapt to their respective fields. Students are able to benefit immensely from these management systems too. Depending on how you've set up your CMS software. Authorised students can easily view their grades and other additional information after they've been registered any properly recognised by the program. All of the authorised students are furthermore encouraged to engage in activities and conversations as well as voice out opinions and complaints to be submitted to the CMS software, which is consequently read by faculty staff and administrators.

Finding Our Passion

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto."

- Dale Carnegie

Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe you've said it yourself) that their son or daughter, or nephew or niece, is away at university or college trying to find themselves? They're maybe in their first or second year, or beyond that, and they're unsure as to what career or life path they should be following. I guess if we haven't been through that situation ourselves, surely we know someone who has been, or is currently faced with that apparent dilemma.

A couple of weeks ago I borrowed a book on teaching from the teachers' library here in Alberta. It's called The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change, by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley. Towards the end of the book, the authors mentioned that they are professors at Boston College. In order to reiterate their point about teachers needing to grab hold to the positive changes sweeping the pedagogical landscape, the authors made reference to an interesting occurrence at Boston College. Every year this Jesuit run school has an opening lecture for its undergraduate students. As part of that lecture, the undergraduates are challenged to engage with three questions they should contemplate during their stay at school. Those questions are:

• Do you have a passion?

• Are you good at it, or can you become so?

• Does it serve a compelling social need?

The students are then told that if their answer to all three questions is "Yes", then they will experience absolute joy.

If a young person you know (or maybe it's you) is at a crossroads vis-à-vis life direction, don't you think those are powerful questions to ask that person (or yourself)? I think the three questions strike at the core of what it means to be an on-purpose person.

Isn't finding our life passion the "raison d'être" for our life? Although, wait now. What if your son or daughter or nephew or niece (or maybe it's you) says they haven't found their passion? Hence, that's the dilemma they're in.

Here's my response. "Okay, Bill, or Mary, or (fill in the name), think about this. Take a look around you. Who do you see that needs help? What do you see that needs improvement? What skill do you have, if further developed or refined, could make a profound difference? How could your talent, or talents, improve the well being of those in need? How could your energy and enthusiasm serve a compelling social need?"

I think in our heart of hearts we all want to make a meaningful contribution. All of us long for the self-satisfaction, the "joie de vivre" that comes from using the gifts God gave us to help others. Just imagine the ripple effect created in our communities, and in our world, if more people (young and not as young) made a pact with themselves to truly embody the message in those three questions.

The Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, once said: "We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout." I believe that image, or point of focus, is our passion.

Instructional Design Training: Using Visuals to Support Learning and Performance

When developing learning materials, most instructional designers and trainers rarely give much thought to how they use visuals and graphics. Typically, they just add them as a way to liven up dull looking text.

In contrast, as most graphic designers and artists know well, there is an entire vocabulary and language connected with the use of visuals. This is something rarely included as part of conventional instructional design training. A pity, because it is a language which instructional designers and trainers would get a great deal of benefit from knowing.

If you are interested in learning more about the language of visuals, as good a starting point as any is an understanding of the five instructional functions for graphics. These functional categories are as follows:

Decorative visuals: used to make instruction more appealing and motivating. They typically do not have a strong association with the instructional content. Interestingly, in a study of sixth grade science textbooks in the US, Richard Mayer found that over 85% of graphics fell into the decorative category.

This statistic seems to support the view expressed in the opening of this article - that many instructional designers pay little attention to the significance of visuals and graphics. In the light of this finding, it's probably fair to say that decorative graphics should be used with caution.

Representative visuals: used to make information more concrete. They convey information quickly and easily, reducing the need for lengthy textual explanation.

Organisational visuals: help learners understand the structure, sequence and hierarchy of information and help people integrate that into their existing knowledge. Examples include charts, graphs and displays that help people see relationships between elements.

Interpretive visuals: used to help learners understand difficult and ambiguous or abstract content. In general, they help make information more comprehensible. Examples include models of systems and diagrams of processes.

Transformative visuals: used to make information more memorable. They are intended to aid learners' thought processes. They focus more on helping the learner understand than on presenting content. Transformative visuals can be a little unconventional and because of this are not widely found in learning materials.

In conclusion, we've all heard the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words". And many people accept this wisdom without question.

In fact, just because something is visually composed doesn't necessarily make it more valid or easier to understand. A poorly designed visual or graphic could just as easily impede learning as facilitate it.

Indeed, a poorly designed graphic where the purpose and instructional function are mismatched might need a thousand words to help explain it clearly to learners.

How Do You Improve Your Ability to Learn?

The pace of change in today's world is accelerating. A person needs every advantage that he or she can obtain to compete and stay ahead. If you are without strong learning skills to help you keep up with and understand changing technology you are already falling behind. You truly need to improve your learning skills and learn to love to learn™.

So, how can you improve your ability to learn? Listed below are six steps that you can follow to improve your learning. These have a basis in research on how learning takes place.

First, you must be motivated to learn. Learning is hard work. You'd be amazed at how many people pass up learning opportunities because they are lazy. You must have a burning desire to learn. Successful learning requires a huge amount of intrinsic motivation. This comes from the inside and no one can give it to you. You have to "wanna" learn.

Extrinsic motivation, that is, studying hard to get a good grade or to get a raise or some type of certification, is powerful, too. But a burning desire to learn (intrinsic motivation) trumps everything. You literally can't be stopped if you are self-directed and have personal discipline.

Second, you need to possess a strong basic learning skill set. Do you read fast and comprehend it? Are you good at math? Do you know how to use the tools of modern data processing? You have to be able to answer "yes" to each of these questions and a few more or you are setting yourself up for failure.

You have some work ahead of you if you are without a strong set of basic learning skills. You can do it but only if you are aware what needs to be improved upon. Skip this step and the success of your learning attempts is in question.

Third, you need to take advantage of what we know about how people learn. For example, learning situations that supply the learner with immediate feedback provides a superior learning experience. If you just read a chapter in a book and set it down and walk away you have missed an opportunity to improve your learning. It would have been better to have constructed your own test questions while you were reading and take the test that you designed the next day.

Fourth, use spaced study sessions rather than mass practice sessions. You would be better off, for example, to have three, 30 minute reading sessions spaced by 15 minute breaks than to read straight for an hour and a half. Massing study sessions, otherwise known as "cramming", isn't an efficient way to learn and you may very well become fatigued.

Fifth, use multiple senses when attempting to learn. Saying it, writing it, typing it, viewing it, recording it, listening to it all involve multiple senses and provide for superior learning results. Use as much input to different senses as you can. You can create your own study notes by writing, typing or recording them (audio or video). Re-read them. Listen to them. Watch them.

Sixth, assess your learning when you complete your study session. Take the review tests in the back of the chapter if they are available or attempt to explain what you just learned to a friend. Consider writing a short paper on what you studied. Relate what you studied to the real world explaining the subject matter that you learned to someone else. Did you achieve your original learning goals? Determine what you might do differently in your next study session.

The way you improve your learning is to commit to it. Follow a structured method. Make sure that you follow a variety of different study methods and seek feedback. Assess whether you were successful in your learning attempts.

Above all else, stick to it and keep what works for you and throw out what doesn't.

How to Create an Exam Plan and Study Guide

Exams can be stressful. The key to success is applying discipline and good planning to one's studying. If you've got an upcoming exam for school, college entry, or professional licensing or accreditation, use this guide to help you prepare a strong exam success plan.

The most important aspect of a good plan is to start early and giving yourself enough time to study and review the information, as well as taking practice exams. To figure out how much time you need, review the coursework and start dividing and categorizing. Here are some of the key questions to consider:

1. How much material needs to be covered? 

2. How familiar are you with the material? How difficult is it? 

3. What areas am I stronger and weaker? Where may I need help? 

4. Are there study guides and other study support materials available? 

5. Should I consider co-op group study?

Set a weekly time for studying and then start allocating hours. For some professional licensing exams, this may mean a year's worth of preparation, while other situations may only need a few weeks.

Once you've determined how much preparation time you need, write it on a calendar. Success depends greatly on one's discipline and commitment, writing a plan will help you stick with it. Be reasonable with your expectations. Also, be specific with your study calendar. Don't simply put "study" in a two-hour block. Write down the particular material and coursework that needs to be reviewed. In addition, allocate time for notes review. This type of deliberate planning will not only lead to a more thorough plan, but it is important to see the broad picture so you can be sure your not miss anything important.

For some examinations, such as college entry standardized tests or professional licensing tests, it might be wise to look into a professional exam preparation course. Consider this early in the process, as one's calendar will have to accommodate this time, too. If one cannot commit to a full course, it may be useful to inquire about a one or two-day test preparation seminar, which focuses on test taking strategies that arms you with useful tips to help on the actual exam itself.

Another important component of the calendar and study planning are practice exams. These are crucial for standardized tests and licensing exams as they provide a gauge to progress where it can illuminate weak areas that need more study time. These exams are available in published study guide books as well as online. Take a practice exam early in the process so you leave time in your schedule to make up for deficient areas or adapt your study plan.

Another non-educational aspect to a good study plan is health and nutrition. Be sure that you are eating right and you are getting plenty of rest and some exercise. Exhausting one's mind and body is not a good strategy for exam preparation. Taking exercise or rest breaks are important for memory retention, so put these specifically into your schedule. Don't be quick to change your schedule, but you should know when to adapt too. If you feel you are getting burnt out or bored with the study routine, try a different location, or time of day.

No matter the case, stay on your toes. Every moment you put toward exam preparation will pay off on that very event.