Thursday, July 5, 2012

Science Education In India

Currently there exist a number of life science societies in India. The names being diverse, purpose indeed remains the same. These societies are aiming to bring people on a universal platform and popularize science. Certain initiative needs to be incorporated in order to popularize science, which is necessary for its further betterment in the society.
Life Science Society Initiative (LSSI)
The increased effort by the prevalent societies needs more focused perspective. Current outlook is more towards increasing the awareness of science within the community, also there is interdisciplinary work carried out by some of these societies. The efforts should be directed not just to gather these intellectuals and students on a common platform but also to inculcate the habit amongst them to interact in near future. Directives should thus be towards creation of a scientist, teacher, entrepreneur and most significantly an intellectual.
Scientist-Teacher Interaction (STI)
There should be an increased researcher-educator partnership between both, the educators of science and scientists to teach science as it is practiced. There is a communication gap, which is commonly observed between both the scientist and a teacher. The use and conception of improved facilities, update knowledge and productive interactions between the scientist and teacher should be practiced. Inclusion of teaching, research and human research development must also be a part of the process. Programs should be initiated to enhance interactions amongst both the groups.
Teacher-Student Interaction (TSI)
This interaction is indeed strong and influenced. There is day-to-day interaction and discussion within members of this group. The popularization of science is a positive feature that can be initiated by this group. Apart from academics the vision needs to be set towards popularizing science in near future. In many institutes and colleges the incorporation of research projects as part of the curriculum has generated zeal amongst the young generation towards research and science.
Scientist-Student Interaction (SSI)
In most of the cases the reach of students towards science and or scientist is limited. There is lack of knowledge amongst students about research hence dialogue needs to be established within the scientist-student community. In recent years the communication between this communities is possible by the means of interactive sessions and programme such as conferences, symposia, guest lectures or open forums.
But what is the life of this talk? Does the discussion ends within four walls of the conference room? What are the numbers benefited under these programme? What about the grassroots levels initiatives?
One of the initiatives in this respect is launch of science magazines. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of science-based magazines. Science magazines was previously more focused towards particular age group readers, it now attracts more diversified readers. To some extent the scientific magazines have proved to reduce the barriers. But how many of them afford to purchase or read these magazines?
Science Awareness Strategy (SAS)
Where do we place science, scientist or science educator? Do they always face a setback in terms of pecuniary? Are the science educators looking towards a change? What do students of science think of the long-term prospects of their career in science?

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

But I Want to be Popular Too

Let's face it. We all want to be popular. Popular with friends, relatives (well, maybe not relatives--just kidding), coworkers, bosses, and so on. Popularity is associated with fun times, success, prosperity, and a whole array of other positive thoughts and emotions. After all, when you think of the most popular boy or girl in high school, what pictures come to mind? In the case of the girl, you might envision the prettiest girl with the best smile and personality, perhaps captain of the cheerleaders. For the boy, you might think football quarterback, best athlete, or just plain best looking kid with the highest academics. Granted, these descriptions might not match exactly what came into your mind, but I think you get the point: when people conjure up images of the "popular ones," they tend to think "the best looking," "the best dresser" or something along this line.
None of us though has any control over the genetics part, and therefore we may not have been born one of the so called "beautiful people," who are paraded like starlights on the covers of magazines; nor fortunate enough to have been endowed with unrivaled athletic talent. However, it is indeed true that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." After all, have you not had the experience of meeting a very handsome man or woman of such abrasive qualities that you would not think to be associated with this person, despite all the good looks? On the contrary, have you not met people who, despite just average looks, average physical builds, or average talents, possessed some magnetic charm that forced you to absolutely fall in love with them, if even in a platonic way?
Being born beautiful, rich, or with exceptional talent does not guarantee popularity. Having these attributes certainly gives you a huge advantage, but how many times have you come across or read about someone who is beautiful and talented, yet is an absolute boor: crude, ill-mannered, excessively self-centered, egocentric? Any or all of the these? You would think that such individuals would get down on their knees everyday and thank God for having blessed them beyond measure; yet often thankfulness is severely lacking in these individuals, and they are the epitome of recycled dross. True. Rich people can buy others and even buy popularity--to a certain extent. But this is not true popularity as the old cliche is appropriate: "Money can't buy class."
In its deepest sense, that saying is true. To drive my point home, I refer to the blockbuster remake of the movie "Titanic." In that movie the character Cal, Rose's fiancé, was rich, educated, and even dashingly handsome. He had it all--on the surface. Yet as the plot developed and the successive layers of his personality were revealed, something of a different ilk was exposed: boorishness. Cal did not impress favorably, neither did his character bespeak popularity. He was beyond arrogant, and his demeanor was downright irritating. In the end, he lost it all including his life. As Rose recounts the history, we learn that during the Great Depression Cal committed suicide after he lost the only things that made him feel a sense of worth--his material possessions.
In my years of observing people interacting with others, I have catalogued seven keys which are employed by those individuals we would classify as being popular. These keys are cut from common sense and age-old wisdom, yet surprisingly they are rarely used by the majority of people. Those who understand these keys and employ them consistently are the so called popular ones. Essentially, the keys allow one to make good impressions on a consistent basis. As one makes good impressions, one becomes popular. The keys are the door openers to making good impressions. Possess the keys, use them effectively, and you are on the road to instant popularity.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Baby and Educational Toys - Product Review

The days of the Lincoln Log and the Slinky have gone by the wayside. Move over Radio Flyer Wagons and butt out Easy-Bake Oven. Now children are building with 100 piece block sets and talking on toy cell-phones. They are driving around in pedal cars and cooking pretend food in full scale dream kitchens. Times have changed and most parents are embracing that change. Children are being entertained at a higher level than ever before. But, finding the right toy to stimulate the child isn't always easy. Don't fret; there are several different types of toy to buy your child.
Children are attending pre-schools as young as three years old. It is no surprise that one of the top toy markets is the educational toy market. While most parents tend to think of toys as entertainment, purchasing an educational toy can be both fun and beneficial to the child. From infant to toddler, the educational niche has it all. There are play centers, some of which sell for as little as $15, designed to help with memory and hand-eye coordination. Toys will often light up and have the child press or pull different buttons and levers. Some will give the child a foundation in music and mathematics, all the while entertaining and educating.
Toy purchases often have to fit in with a budget. There are several types of toys that can fit both the budget and the entertainment category. Many toy companies will manufacture toys such as push toys and mobiles for as little as $8.00. Plastic toys are now being manufactured to fit a parent's budget. Talking cell-phones can be picked up for as little as $11.00 and the entertainment they will provide the child will be unmatched. Some of the old standards, however, still reign supreme. Plush toys of the children's favorite characters are still as popular as ever. These toys, varying in size, can be picked up for a relatively cheap cost. Depending on size, the plush toys can range from $15 to over $100.
Infant and toddler toys come in a variety of forms. Infant toys are generally geared toward developing motor skills and hand-eye coordination. A popular infant toy usually has three factors: color, shape, and sound. Infant toys, for the most part, have different colors to help entertain the child. They often feature different faces. Some toys have levers to pull in order to make another lever carry out its function. Some of the infant toys feature sounds. For instance, animals will often make sounds and the child will have to pick the right animal. Some vanities even talk to your children to say how beautiful they look. Also, blocks are still popular among infants.
Toddler toys tend to veer towards imitation. Mega kitchens and microwaves, along with plastic food, are quite popular with toddlers. Children are entertained by imitating what they see mom and dad do. Picking out the right toy can be difficult. Is the child into imitating mom and dad or does he like to build? There are tons of different styles of blocks and puzzles to help ease his building needs. Pedal cars are popular. Priced around $100, pedal cars are perfect for the driveway or backyard. For children with flourishing imaginations there are many toys on the market. Puppet theatres for creating masterpiece theatre are reasonably priced and provide an outlet for the imagination. Children's tool sets are also popular. Children will be able to imagine building the racecar of their dreams. There is no limit to the imagination and these toys only contribute to a child's creativity.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Home Tuition Can Really Raise The Education Level Of Your Child

n some parts of the globe, there is one educational system that is gaining popularity due to the benefits that it offers and this is home tuition. In lieu to its popularity surge, there is one thing that has made it extremely popular. This is because of the fact that it will raise the educational level of children. Indeed this system provides leverage for your child, but others are still not convinced of this matter, and that is because of the fact that they have little knowledge on this educational system.
Home tuition is an educational system that operates under the hands of professional tutors as the primary educator. These educators that are being sent to different households are usually coming from registered agencies or educational institutions. The areas of study that are being covered by this education system can range from kindergarten to college level.
Parents should never worry about the tutors that will be sent to their home because they are selected by undertaking rigorous testing to ensure that they are totally competent. With that, you can be assured that the educator that an agency would send can greatly help your child's education.
One of the reasons why this kind of educational system raises the educational level of your child is that the tutor can concentrate and monitor the student more closely. Unlike in a classroom set up, the attention of the teacher is divided by many and because of that it is difficult for the teacher to monitor the individual performances of their students and this would include your child. Without this kind of individual attention the students are unlikely to reach their full educational potential.
With a tutor the child will concentrate more on what they are learning as they know that the educator is constantly monitoring them. This is beneficial as if the child does not fully understand something that the tutor has said then this can be re-taught a there is time to do this and it will not be holding back any other students who have already understood the subject matter.
This kind of educational training is not as expensive as some people might think. Money will be saved by the child not having to travel to school and pay for food there. There is also no need to provide a school uniform and other items that are specifically required. Providing your child with the best education that you can is one of the greatest things that you can do for them so this should be more important to you than the cost. Also you know that your child will always be safe as they will be at home and will not be subject to bullying or any other aspect of negative behavior. One on one tutoring is simply the best education that you can get and in the rare cases where there is a problem with a tutor or if your child and the tutor simply cannot get on with each other then you have the option to request a different educator to replace them. This is not possible with a normal school.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

529 Plan and Coverdell Education Comparison

The economic recession, which had given a massive blow to the economic condition of the United States as well as other countries of the world, has made people understand the need to save money. Many people in the United States are now searching for different investment plans to save money for supporting their future plans.
The demand for the students' savings plans have also increased significantly after the recession. Numerous parents are now opting for Coverdell Education Savings Account and 529 Plans to save money for child's education.
If you also want to proceed in the same way, you can take any of the abovementioned plans, as both have the same aim, to support educational expenses. However, for making the best decision, you should be familiar with the differences between the two plans.
529 Plans- The Basic Details
529 plans have been the most popular choice among the parents looking to save money for their child's college education. These plans are either sponsored by the state or by the colleges and educational institutions. Thus, the money that is deposited in these accounts is exempted from federal income tax and state income taxes.
If the investments are started early, one can save a lump sum amount of money till he attains the age of getting enrolled in a college. 529 plans, which are broadly classified into college savings plan and prepaid tuition plans are available in every state.
Thus, anyone can get these plans to support the monetary requirements of college education. As there are different options for saving money, one can easily select a plan based on his financial abilities.
Prepaid tuition plans have gained immense popularity these days, as it allows students and parents to purchase credit for funding college education. If one can make the estimates correct, he will not have to spend a penny for his child's college education.
College saving plan is also a good choice for someone who wants to deposit a substantial sum of money for higher studies' expenses. In case prepaid plan is not available in your state, this can be a good alternative. The upper limits for saving money varies depending on the type of the plan as
Coverdell Education - Few Important Facts
While the 529 plans are meant for funding the expenses of college, the Coverdell plans can be used for funding any sort of qualified education, from elementary schools, high schools or even in colleges. The amount deposited in this account grows as tax free income yet the distributions are taxed if the money is not used for meeting education expenses.
When you are planning save some money for your child's education by investing in Coverdell Education plan, you need to know that one can make a maximum deposit of $2000 per year for every student.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Unplugged Education - It Is Not Homeschooling

For most of us, when we hear the word education, it automatically creates a mental image of school and books and papers and we instantly associate the term with school. Similarly, when we hear the word school, we think of books, teachers, desks, chalkboards and a building filled with students, sounds of bells, images of backpacks and busses and the cringing thought of homework and tests. Take it a step further with the term 'homeschool' and a vast majority of the population automatically associates that term with 'strange, weird, bizarre, outcasts, unsocialized, cooped up" etc... Some of us know better and hence associate the term homeschool with books and papers and grades etc - but minus the chalk boards and busses and building, and of course minus the 'homework'. For many home educators, this would be an accurate image for what homeschooling is for them - school at home. However, for a growing number of families, the word school does not at all describe what they have discovered or the lifelong learning they are enjoying. What's more, these are the families who have come to the conclusion that the word education is not synonymous with the word schooling. As a matter of fact they are two very different ideas.
As a home educating Mom in one such family, as well as an outspoken advocate for home education, I use a new term that I feel helps to better describe our style. What we do is not school. We learn independent of a system or a building. We learn outside the lines of time schedules or any intellectual or emotional restrictions. It's education for sure, but it is an unplugged state of being; unplugged from the system with which we are used to associating the terms education and schooling. It is Unplugged Education©.
This is more than academics. It is not home school because it is not school at home. It doesn't always happen inside the home (although it can) and it is not "schooling". It is learning more...more than math.
Unplugged Education is a philosophical concept. It means unplugging from the mainstream ideas and compulsory concepts that drive the cultural modern world and thinking outside the proverbial box.
What is the system?
Unplugging forces us to see the schooling system for what it is - a system! A system indeed, that manufactures products and those products are our children. It is a deliberate and artificial procedure wherein pre selected and categorized information is downloaded into fresh young minds. The spoon-fed information is superficial, narrow, lacks variety and does not consider individuality. Furthermore it is selected by an elusive board with vested corporate interest. (This is why we see corporate advertising weaved into textbooks and throughout the school programs).
The system treats a multitude of children as a single entity and perpetuates a very artificial, group-think ideology; which suffocates individuality and strangles creative expression. It casts out anyone whose style of learning differs from the pre-selected standardized methods and literally ignores potentially great creative intellectual genius - because they are those who could not conform. It is a system that demands conformity and denies originality. An alarmingly high percentage of all public schooled children in North America graduate from this system without being able to read. This massive number of children are categorized as 'learning disabled' and diagnosed with any variety of conditions such as ADD, ADHD or a dozen other creative terms invented to label children who are truly just very naturally unable to conform to unnatural procedures.
It is the very nature of the system to compartmentalize in this way, separating the easy conformists (smart kids) from the otherwise (disabled kids). The conformists are the good students and the non-conformers are the disabled or even worse, the "bad" kids.
This systematic murdering of individual creative expression and strangulation of natural human genius has damaged our modern society. The system is not working. It is failing. It is failing our children; it is failing our society, our nation and our world.
"I've come to believe that genius is an exceedingly common human quality, probably natural to most of us... I began to wonder, reluctantly, whether it was possible that being in school itself was what was dumbing them down. Was it possible I had been hired not to enlarge children's power, but to diminish it? That seemed crazy on the face of it, but slowly I began to realize that the bells and the confinement, the crazy sequences, the age-segregation, the lack of privacy, the constant surveillance, and all the rest of national curriculum of schooling were designed exactly as if someone had set out to prevent children from learning how to think and act, to coax them into addiction and dependent behavior." - John Taylor Gatto
The system operates by using a very artificial procedure to manufacture obedient, trusting, consuming conformists. This procedure is called 'schooling' and the system is called 'school'.
Mark Twain put it clearly when he said "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education"
This procedure is performed on our children inside of a building which is built specifically to warehouse large quantities of children, separating them from their families for several hours per day for most of a year, for a minimum of 12-14 years (or more), during the most crucial years of their lives. They are kept, for the majority of the time, within the walls of this warehouse, effectively cutting them off from the outside world, the 'real world' which the system itself ironically claims to be preparing them for, leaving them alone and vulnerable to a pre-selected agenda fed to them by the systems facilitators. It is this procedure of schooling that is commonly and mistakenly likened with 'education'. However, the two concepts are absolutely not synonymous and are actually not intended to be. It is truly just a widely-accepted but incorrect assumption to think that the process of institutionalized schooling is the same thing as education.
The severing of the relationship between a child and their natural environment prevents any sort of true organic learning experience because it prevents interaction and exploration and experience in the actual 'real world'. Rather, it imprisons the children inside a capsule where they are privy to only a specific curricula chosen by some unfamiliar board, whose job it is to perpetuate a specified agenda. This curriculum is facilitated in a very specific manner and punishes those who attempt to deviate.
After a child spends the twelve or more years of his maturing life within this capsule and under this dogmatic procedure, they are - for the most part - neatly plugged in.
Those who do not conform smoothly are diagnosed with a disorder and given pharmaceuticals to help artificially force their assimilation. A small number of those who resist conformity and medications (thus are never successfully assimilated) are eventually categorized and labeled as hopeless cases, misfits, 'bad kids', truants, etc. Sadly in many cases these children begin to believe that they are indeed hopeless maladjusted, bad kids and begin to behave accordingly.
The good news is that there are still a significant amount of us 'misfits' who were somehow able to avoid this psychological trap. We have effectively disassociated ourselves without the collateral emotional damage. And it seems we are the ones causing the real heartache for the system indeed! We are growing in numbers - which is indeed good news - and we are spreading the message and inviting others to disconnect and 'unplug' from the systematic proverbial matrix. Once one gets a glimpse of how actual learning occurs within the real world, they feel an insatiable urge to shout it from the rooftops.
Homeschool means home-system-facilitation.
Home education, in most cases, is not schooling - It is learning. It is not "homeschool" either. In fact the term "Homeschooling" is not compatible with the Unplugged Education concept. In order to save future generations, thus our society, from a desperately bleak future of increased financial debt and spiritual dysfunction, I feel there is an urgent need for home educating families to begin dissociating from the school paradigm all together.
The system facilitates the schooling procedure primarily inside the warehouse. But the procedure itself can be found outside of that as well. It is estimated that upwards of two-million families in North America today consider themselves "homeschoolers". It is my guess that more half of those are probably not 'homeschooling'. They've simply adopted and thus continue to use this popular term. I'm not a fan of the word and dislike using it because it is an inaccurate representation of what we do. It also implies that we perform the schooling procedure; which is something we do not do.
However there are probably a great number of families that do in fact 'school' at home. These parents have instinctively recognized that something is amiss within the system - but haven't exactly pinpointed it - and are not yet willing to completely unplug. They perform this familiar standardized procedure because itis familiar and therefore comfortable. Schooling at home is effectively facilitating the system, in a different location. The problem with this is that while the children are not in the building, they are still being subjected to the same standardized and artificial methodology, hence will ultimately suffer its consequences. Not surprisingly, these families often experience homeschooling frustrations and find it difficult to organize, manage time effectively and struggle with behavior issues. While the home certainly provides a more positive environment for a child; if we simulate the same systematic techniques and standardized curriculum we are essentially perpetuating that which we instinctively sensed as problematic in the first place.
In some states, where state ordinance requires strict regulation of home schooled students, many families actually use school provided curriculum and adhere to the school district standards and submit to periodic school testing. Of course there are many other problems with regulation that I won't go into here but for the purposes of illustrating this point, let us realize that when a school regulates a home school family - it is ensuring that the family stays neatly plugged into the compulsory system; the system that is slowly but surely ruining our nation and our world by robbing little humans of their natural humanity.
John Taylor Gatto sums it up when he says "When you take the free-will out of education, that turns it into schooling"
When we make a deliberate choice to reject the school and then replicate that same methodology at home, it is both counterproductive and self defeating. School at home provides the family with the illusion that they are doing their own thing, while in reality the compulsory, manufacturing system is still powering the wheel. In a way, this is actually more detrimental because it is dangerously deceptive. The concept of replicating 'school' at home ensures the perpetuation of the paradigm by relying on the naivety and ignorance of parents who falsely believe that they are avoiding the proverbial clutches by simply not putting their kids on the yellow bus. But there truly is more to it than that. To truly disconnect - one must unplug. To unplug one must accept that education is not schooling. Learning includes and goes beyond paper and pencil academics. It is more than math. Life and learning are not mutually exclusive; in fact they are harmonically and organically, synonymous.
I strongly urge all parents to take a second look around from a new perspective. Step outside the proverbial box to truly see the forest from outside the trees; for this is the essence of the philosophy of Unplugged Education©.
For those of us who are unplugged, our intention is to pass on to our children the freedom to be who they are and learn about their world from their world without the walls of the classroom, without the boarders of a standardized curriculum and without the restrictions of the system.
In summary, Unplugged Education is not school at home. It goes beyond academics and is more than math. It is a bold and audacious step outside the box. It is making a choice to recognize the compulsory machine for what it is, and then unplug from it. It is a shift in perspective and a new broad vision. It is a new and wonderful life experience for the entire family. It is a disconnection from the artificial, manufactured schooling indoctrination and a reconnection to organic independent thought, action, and expression that is natural to humanity. It is not schooling - it is learning.
It is a new and yet ancient approach to learning that respects the natural balances of God and the Universe, and embraces an age-old wisdom instead of the modern artificial processing plant that is suffocating our humanity. You will not find this learning in any particular curriculum or a method. It is a conceptual understanding of natural human growth that utilizes life experience, exploration, hands on practice and interaction with a variety of people from whom to learn a variety of techniques, ideas and application.
There are no walls of curriculum, no system boundaries and no conformity. There is freedom to explore and appreciate all of the opportunities in the world that God and nature have already provided. We see it when we disassociate from our own indoctrination and adjust our perspective. We see it when we unplug.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Business Education - The Gateway to Global Economy

In today's day and age, the financial world is abundant with professional opportunities for all the young minds, who aspire to make a career in it, the only criteria being a wide spectrum of knowledge and understanding of this field, gained through formal education and training in business education. Business education reigns supreme, in the race for the title of the most sought after degree program, not only in the country, but also across the globe.
Over the years and with the growing demand and popularity of this course, global boundaries have begun to lose their meaning, as students and other aspirants in this field are ready to travel to countries (not necessarily in the vicinity of their own), which have the provision for business courses. Online learning proves to be very beneficial in this scenario and many online business colleges let you virtually travel across boundaries. This further enables them to choose from a wider range of specialisations within the business course they wish to pursue, such as studies in international markets, commerce, executive management, global finances, business law, entrepreneurship, e-commerce, marketing, and stock market. The specialisation courses mentioned above, enjoy majority in terms of popularity as well as course content on a global scale, while there are many more super specialisations as well that a student is still left with to explore.
Without a flicker of a doubt, it can be said that almost every college in the United States, Europe, Australia and among the many others, that students undertaking these business courses flock to, today offer business courses and degrees in multiple specialities, catering to interests of both the national as well as international student population. On many levels, these international courses, including the accredited online MBA programs, act as beneficial factors for the students allowing them to gain a considerable amount of international exposure, thereby adding to their understanding and knowledge of the financial arena.
Apart from the numerous business courses and degrees offered at the graduate level, the MBA program, Master's of Business Administration, enjoys the maximum popularity today, all over the world. An MBA course sets a student in a different league, also by acting as the first stepping-stone, in a highly influential financial career with a successful corporation, which is always soon to follow. This course also allows an individual to shift career directions, consistent opportunities for further advancement in their chosen career, and above all a secure career with even larger career earnings.
Colleges and universities across the world today, keeping in tune with changing times, offer these business courses, both by means of the traditional on-campus training as well as by means of the online business colleges adopting the latest technology structures. This is to suit the needs of the various profiles of students that apply for these courses year after year. The online course is particularly popular among the working students, who due to various reasons, wish to not put a halt to their career and multitask at the same time; where as the traditional on-campus training is much preferred by the high school graduates who wish to reap the social benefits of education as well, along with the formal training. Most of the information regarding such benefits provided by the colleges and universities are easily available on their websites, which are updated from time to time.
As mentioned above, global boundaries are losing their meaning in today's changing times, which further generates the need for global markets with vested financial as well as business interests in sync with government concerns. This course equips the students with a wide array of knowledge and hands-on experience (with the required internships for certain subjects of study), to be able to understand financial and commerce needs of economies around the world and help adapt them to function in a global economy.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Bachelor Degree Education Equals Educational Excellence

Bachelor Degree Education is a particular program, which serves to fulfill the basic requirements of inadequately educated adults and those looking for a more holistic academic background. The program is split up into various sub sections and broad classes. These are specific programs looking into practical teaching, learning various other kinds of related services. The program splits itself into some broad categories such as:
- Adult and Continuing Education Administration
- Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
- Agricultural Teacher Education
- Art Teacher Education
There are many universities, which are now offering online accredited degree programs. They are not time consuming, they also save money and most importantly labor and energy. Many students are now signing on for online accredited degree programs and online bachelors degrees.
There are many types of streams like family development studies and survey engagement, both of which are very popular and are in demand from students all over the world. The online degree programs are being recognized as some of the best education facilities offered to students all over the world. Students at various places have now started applying for online degree programs, instead of regular universities courses.
Other programs are degree completion programs, which obviously take care of the education until the degree is completed. The online programs are amazing ways to reach out to all of them who are keen on getting a degree but do not have enough time to attend the regular classes. The distance education programs and online distant education enable all long distance students to benefit directly from these programs.
Universities all over the world have opened up online schools for the benefit of all those who want to derive the best in education. There is provision for regionally accredited college and other types of colleges. These places are good options for students. It has been surveyed that online education programs are growing rapidly in terms of popularity.
The courses available are as follows:
- Online bachelors degree in psychology
- Engineering bachelors degree online
- Online bachelors psychology
- Accredited bachelors degrees online
- Distance learning bachelors degrees
- Bachelors education online
- Doctors degrees online
- Online criminal justice bachelors degree
- Earn bachelors degree online
There is wide range of choice for students queuing up to benefit from these online courses. These courses are good enough to be ranked among the best courses available online. Students who have signed up for the course have been particularly satisfied with the experience. The online courses for criminal psychology, doctor's degrees and the criminal justice courses are especially popular for young hopefuls, who line up to be a part of this education system.

Monday, May 14, 2012

How Good is Online Education?

No body wants to remain uneducated in today's world as education is considered a very important part of their lives. Education can either rise you to a certain height or cause u a downfall in the future depending on the careers you choose. Education is greatly different today in comparison to the 1950s because of advancements in teaching and other great inventions that provide easier techniques of teaching. With advancements in the today's world a major development with education has also taken place and that is distance learning or online education.
Online education has become a widely accepted alternative to learning in the classroom. Distance education has helped students to educate themselves in a world where technology rules and fast paced lifestyles are a part of life. As the Internet is becoming increasingly popular, so does the online education gaining popularity.
There are many formats through which distant learning could be made available such as online Power Point Presentations, Videos on tapes, CD's, DVDs, or other internet courses format that is put online. This easiest way of learning has been legalized since 1993 and is considered a new way of teaching students of all ages. Online education has been gaining popularity through out the years because of the ease of the internet. The internet has made it easier for people to stay connected and has provided people with unlimited resources on the World Wide Web. Many educators have mixed feelings about online educating because there are so many pros and cons to the issue.
Mary Kassop, an author and educationalist, gives general overview of online education and support it. He writes, Can students learn as much and as well online as they do in face to face courses? The answer to these questions is not just 'yes,' but one can there are many ways that online courses may actually surpass traditional face to face classes in quality and rigor". Mrs. Kassop, as an online education supporter, is correct on the issue because it can provide a good education to many people. The convenience of online courses provide busy individuals a chance to get the equal amount of education as a student going to class and all that is needed to get started is a computer with internet access. One computer can open the gates to a whole new world of learning and excitement.
Online education now is either offered by private entities or there are many city and university colleges that offer these programs. Some Colleges and schools offer programs such as Psychology and Sociology which are equal to or even better then face to face classes. One example of a class that is better online rather than face to face is Sociology because they let the students observe human communication at public spaces without the teacher being there.
Online education could be the tool of the future to provide the young and the old with schooling and instruction. It provides a cheaper way of teaching while still giving the student the material necessary for the class. Students learn responsibility through online education and will give them a reason to work hard during the class. In general online classes will help provide many students with the education they require.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

What To Expect Of The Growing Popularity Of Online Education

There are so many Americans choosing to earn all or part of their college degrees online according to a 2005 research report. The report states that enrollment in online courses increased from 1.98 million in 2003 to 2.35 million in 2004. Parts of the reasons why people divulge on online education are hectic schedules and time. Not just these two reasons contribute to why people turn to online education but also changes in social and work trends as well.
Layoffs, Downsizing, and Displacement: A Springboard for Distance Learning
A greater number of people are turning to online education in order to recover or restructure their professional lives. These people were affected with the downsizing, rightsizing, voluntary severance packages, and early retirement. These are the displaced workers who wanted to return to work and need to update their skills or improve it. Homemakers displaced due to divorce need to work again and need to learn or update career skills need to avail of these online education programs. Online education are more convenient for these people since its easy to access if they online have a good internet connection and reliable computer at home.
Quality Education Programs Available Online
Many people are concerned of the quality of distance education could offer compared to traditional classroom instruction. They worry that online college courses are not that as high quality education as what traditional colleges offer. But you don't have to worry. Most institutions that offer online education are also those traditional colleges that offer quality traditional education. Here is a report that proves it:
A survey in 2005 found that 63% of academic institutions offering traditional undergraduate degrees also offer distance or online education. They also found that 65% of institutions reported that they used primarily core faculty to teach online compared to 62% of core faculty assigned to teach classroom courses. In order to enhance your potential career or train an entirely new profession, online education offers program from individual courses to graduate degree and certification programs. You can get started on your first online college course but be sure that the online education program you are enrolling to is properly accredited and offers academic and technical support.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Natural Healing Education - 5 Popular Studies

Find Natural Healing Education in the United States and Canada. With a growing public movement towards noninvasive and natural healthcare, students today have a broad selection of natural healing education options. For starters, complementary and integrative medicine has made great strides in the medical community through ongoing research and trials. This is one of the many reasons why more and more patients are reaching to the natural healthcare sector for relief from common conditions and illnesses. This is also one of the main factors why there has been an uprising in natural healing education courses throughout the United States and in Canada.
Prospective students can now apply to a variety of natural healing education programs, which entail some of the most innovative and unique healthcare systems to date. For example, natural healing education programs include popular training in massage therapy, holistic healthcare, Reiki, reflexology, and herbal medicine.
Students entering a natural healing education in massage therapy gain hands-on training and knowledge in anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and sometimes, CPR and first aid. In more extensive natural healing education courses in massage therapy, candidates will be introduced to more advanced bodywork modalities like acupressure/Shiatsu, craniosacral therapy, geriatric massage, infant/prenatal massage, animal massage, and countless others. Natural healing education programs such as this one often result in a certificate and/or diploma; and depending in which State one resides, licensure may also be necessary.
Another great natural healing education course is holistic healthcare. While similar massage therapy modalities are taught in this program, additional training in homeopathic medicine, hydrotherapy, holistic health and wellness, iridology and herbology are also encompassed in this training program. Students who successfully complete this natural healing education course are awarded with a certificate and/or diploma.
A natural healing education program that includes Reiki as a course of study is usually one of the more condensed training programs. In this particular field, students are introduced to various metaphysical philosophies and practices, and the application of energy healing. Successful candidates who have achieved all required lessons earn various levels of Reiki certification.* (Reiki involves 4 levels of training.)
Reflexology, as a natural healing education program, is a course of study where students are taught to use the thumb, fingers and hands to apply pressure to specific reflex areas of the body to reduce stress and pain. While it is an ancient healing art, this natural healing education is quickly gaining leeway in the alternative medicine community.
Another fine natural healing education is herbal medicine. Today, natural and holistic healthcare schools offer herbal medicine as one of the foundational courses of study. More specifically, Naturopathic schools, Oriental medicine schools, and TCM colleges provide natural healing education in Chinese herbal medicine as part of their standard curriculums.
Overall, natural healing education programs are the perfect academic platform for those seeking careers in natural and holistic healthcare. Furthermore, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an increased interest in alternative medicine and holistic healing, which means increased opportunities.

Monday, April 30, 2012

HAITI - Creole, Literacy, and Education

The question as to which language or languages to use in educating the children of Haiti and in adult literacy programs, which are organized by both government and voluntary organizations in Haiti, has generated a lot of debate among educationists and the Haitian public at large. Two languages are spoken in Haiti, Creole and French. Creole is the most universally spoken language in Haiti, accounting for over ninety percent of native monolingual speakers; whereas French language has for the past two centuries enjoyed the pride of place as the country's sole medium of official government and business transactions as well as the language of education. To understand the position of the various parties to this debate, we have to go back to the evolution of language and education in Haiti since its independence from France on January 1, 1804.
Post Independence Haiti Haiti transformed itself from a slave colony of France to a full fledged self-governing and independent entity through sustained armed struggle and war between the French slave owners and their enslaved African fellow human beings. The revolutionary war was long, bitter, but sustained by the grim determination of the enslaved Africans to break the yoke of French enslavement from their necks or otherwise die in the attempt. When the white French were finally expelled from Haiti, their language remained as the means of official communication in all government and business transactions. The place of preeminence and influence vacated by the departing French was taken over by their mulatto offspring, who then occupied the elite upper class of the emergent Haitian society.
The unique position of the half-French and half-African mulattoes, as heirs to their departing French fathers, gave them the economic and political clout to call the shots in all aspects of Haitian public and educational life. This they did by entrenching the continued use of the French language in all official government business, as well as making French the only language of educational instruction. The vast majority of Haitians could neither speak nor write in French. This majority was consisted mostly of the Afro-Haitians, who were uneducated, and thus could not in any way contributed to the national discourse; whereas they constituted over ninety percent of the total Haitian population. The Afro-Haitians spoke only Creole, which until recently, was not recognized as an official language in Haiti.
Modern Haiti The situation of things continued like this for over a hundred years. The little progress made by a rather small number of Afro-Haitians who became educated did not have any effect on the dominant status and position of French language in Haitian national affairs. Instead, by what would amount to a rather ironic twist of events, these Afro-Haitians having moved up from their lowly status in the rural peasantry, through urban low class, to the urban middle class, were more interested in entrenching their positions, rather changing things for better for their fellow marginalized brothers and sisters in the lower classes of Haitian society.
These middle class Afro-Haitians behaved like typical status seeking social climbers, who believed that the French language was their passport to further their upward movement in Haitian society. Hence they teamed up with Haitian mulattoes in the elite upper class to frustrate any attempt at changing the status quo. To complicate issues further for the promotion of Creole into a national language, and a medium of instruction in schools, some members of the peasant class felt that it was better for their children to be taught in French, so that they could escape the poverty trap of Haitian rural peasantry. Even those past Haitian governments that claimed to represent the interests of the masses have hesitated to give Creole and French equal legal status, in order not to step on powerful toes of elite mulattoes in the upper class.
Creole language thus remained an informal medium of communication for over a hundred and seventy years. It was only in the late 1970s that the government gave approval for the use of Creole in education. Implementation of government approval was not wholeheartedly carried out. As late as the 1980s, there was still some doubt about whether Creole should be used in primary schools. In 1987, a major break through came with the inclusion of Creole in the Haitian National Constitution, as a co-national language of Haiti along with French. The door was now open for integration of the more popular Creole language into the school educational system.
However, a lot still needs to be done by both government and non-governmental organizations to really take Creole language into its rightful place as the authentic national language of Haiti. As a first and urgent step, the standardization of Creole orthography should be pursued with vigor by linguists in academia and all those interested in its progress, beyond a mere glorified appendage to French. The National Pedagogic Institute (Institut Pédagogique Nacional--IPN) has taken the initiative by developing an orthography of Creole language that includes elements of the two systems previously in use. In the areas of popular literature, books and magazines need to be produced in Creole at a faster rate than is available at the moment. The print and electronic media have taken tentative steps to popularize Creole literature, but much more needs to be done.
The government of Haiti needs to take the implementation of the relevant portions of the 1987 Haitian National Constitution more seriously. All aspects of the national life of Haiti need to feel the presence of Creole language, as a medium of official transactions. Much work needs to be done urgently in curriculum development at all levels of Haiti's education, using Creole as a medium of such development. Similarly, adult literacy programs should be established to upgrade the literacy level of Haitian rural peasant and urban lower classes. It is noteworthy that some church groups have taken the bull by the horn, by publishing some religious literature in Creole language. The popular monthly Bon Nouvel, published by a Roman Catholic group, is one such publication. The New Testament half of The Holy Bible has also been published in Creole through the efforts a group of Protestant churches.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Educational Toy Ideas for Your Preschooler

If you are searching for the right educational toys for your preschooler, you may be overwhelmed with all the options available. Toy manufacturers are now busier than ever, working hard to keep up with the latest trends and styles, and competing to make their toys the best and most popular among small children. Though the decision of what to buy your child can be difficult, here are several suggestions that may help you.
When choosing an educational toy, you want to be sure it will serve its educational purpose. You want your child to learn something while playing with a particular toy, and for that to remain a popular one with your preschooler for a reasonable amount of time. This is why you should choose carefully.
When selecting educational toys, it is also important to keep your child's interests in mind. Remember, it isn't the educational factor that will interest your child, rather the fun the toy will bring. Encourage your child to play with different toys and learn new things, but always try to give preference to the more educational preschool-level toys, whether they teach basic math or reading skills, color recognition, or just stimulate different parts of a child's developing brain. After all, these simple, educational games can often be the most entertaining.
Chalkboards are among the most popular toys for preschoolers. They are also among the oldest. And since many modern chalkboards are double-sided-- with a chalkboard on one side and a magnetic board for plastic letters on the other, this toy can also serve a dual purpose. By playing with it, your child will be able to learn the letters of the alphabet with the magnetic letters, and then be able to practice those letters on the chalkboard once this is accomplished. It also allows for free-hand drawing and hours of creative fun.
Toy pianos are also among the most popular and most beneficial toys. As shown in recent studies, children who learn music, even on the most basic level, tend to perform better in math and science-oriented subjects, and also tend to score higher on scholastic exams. Aside from that, this kind of toy is a great way for your child to be creative while making his or her very own music.
Blocks have long been among the most basic, yet most fun toys a child can own. There are many types from which to choose, from blocks that interlock, to those that simply balance on one another. Your child will have hours of fun building towers, houses, or just simply learning to stack and count.
No matter which educational toys you choose, be sure they are age-appropriate for your child. Check to be sure they don't have loose parts that could be harmful to your child, and that they aren't too complicated for his or her age and education level. You do not want your child to become discouraged by playing with a toy he or she does not understand. Also, play with your children. If you show an interest in the toys you buy, they are more likely to do the same.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Online Education - Utilize Time Effectively

Online education generally refers to computer-enhanced learning, but is often extended to comprise usage of modern mobile technologies such as PDAs and MP3 players. The concept also includes teaching through web-based methodologies, hypermedia, multimedia CD-ROMs/websites, collaborative software, discussion boards, e-mail blogs, computer-aided assessment, educational animation, learning management software, wikis, electronic voting systems and much more. At times, a combination of various methods is used to enhance the learning experience. Online education also involves learning through websites that offer worksheets and provide interactive exercises for adults and children.
There has been a significant rise in online schools and colleges in the United States (US), which is indicative of the increasing popularity on e learning. Online education is very popular in the business segment, where it entails cost-effective learning for the employees.
A number of physical universities and only-online colleges have started offering particular set of academic degrees as well as certificate programs through the internet at various levels and disciplines. To cater to the students' necessities, these institutes also offer online registration, e-counseling, and enable online textbook purchase. They also provide students governments and student newspapers online.
Types Of Online Education
Online education is in the vogue in the learning circuit as it offers flexible distance learning. Perhaps, another concept making rounds these days is blended learning, meaning e learning with face-to-face learning. Such kind of a concept is useful, particularly for students pursuing higher education. The beauty of blended learning is that it is instrumental in creating a Virtual Learning System (VLS), wherein all aspects of modules are handled using a consistent user interface that remains standard throughout an institution.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Undoubtedly, the perception about online education has changed from an alternative to serious study to an efficient and cost-effective instructor. A majority of the online educational institutions are well established and are experienced in providing students with in-depth learning in their respective modules. So much so that, some of the most reputed educational institutes in Europe and North America are offering courses to their students online.
However, before taking a plunge into the online pool, weigh its advantages and disadvantages well.
Flexibility of scheduling and convenience of learning are among the major advantages that online education offers. It however needs dedication and patience from the students to bless them with superb results. It is advisable that the students first patiently and persistently familiarize themselves with the online technology. You will have to be always on your toes to keep yourself updated with the online requirements, since there is no instructor to guide you in this respect. Be prepared to dedicate yourself completely to online education to be able to complete it on time.

Monday, April 9, 2012

History of Educational Technology

There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.
Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.
The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids.
The second stage of educational technology is associated with the 'electronic revolution' with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials.
The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to 'communication revolution' for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era.
The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged.
The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.
Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age
Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, which can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming.
Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures.
Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice.
The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts.
Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations
According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction.
The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance.
The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today's Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran).
There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work.
Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.
In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script's pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.
According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids.
Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt.
Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period
Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology.
The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society.
In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures.
The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments.
Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori's idea of prepared child centered environment.
In1833, Charles Babbage's design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities.
In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes.
Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called 'Drum Tutor' in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article 'Science of Learning and art of Teaching' published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so.
Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes.
In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India.
During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America.
Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950's and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan.
In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, "The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain".
In 1961, Micro teaching technique was first adopted by Dwight W. Allen and his co-workers at Stanford University in USA.
Electronics is the main technology being developed in the beginning of 21st century. Broadband Internet access became popular and occupied almost all the important offices and educational places and even in common places in developed countries with the advantage of connecting home computers with music libraries and mobile phones.
Today's classroom is more likely to be a technology lab, a room with rows of students using internet connected or Wi-Fi enabled laptops, palmtops, notepad, or perhaps students are attending a video conferencing or virtual classroom or may have been listening to a podcast or taking in a video lecture. Rapid technological changes in the field of educational have created new ways to teach and to learn. Technological changes also motivated the teachers to access a variety of information on a global scale via the Internet, to enhance their lessons as well as to make them competent professional in their area of concern. At the same time, students can utilize vast resources of the Internet to enrich their learning experience to cope up with changing trend of the society. Now a days students as well teachers are attending seminars, conferences, workshops at national and international level by using the multimedia techno-resources like PowerPoint and even they pursue a variety of important courses of their choice in distance mode via online learning ways. Online learning facility has opened infinite number of doors of opportunities for today's learner to make their life happier than ever before.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Natural Health Education - Popular Courses

Find Natural Health Education in the United States and Canada. Natural health education courses vary in field of specialty, and afford students with academic opportunities to achieve certificates, diplomas and/or degrees.
As an example, students enrolled in a natural health education program can earn a diploma in acupressure. In this particular field of study, students are trained to administer specific pressure applications, using the hands, fingers, knuckles and thumbs, on meridians of the body.
A natural health education course in aromatherapy teaches candidates how to combine and blend essential oils in the use of massage therapy. Common subject matter in this program includes training in anatomy and physiology, essential oils - and properties, and uses thereof; as well as aromatherapy massage techniques.
Other popular natural health education programs include instruction in color therapy, crystal healing, flower remedies, herbalism, ear candling, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, iridology, life coaching and reflexology.
For instance, if you enroll in a natural health education course in iridology, you have the opportunity to earn a certificate in this unique healing art. In an iridology program, students gain essential skills and knowledge in the study of the iris; and learn to determine specific markers and colorations of the eye that are used to discover potential health disorders and conditions. Natural health education classes in iridology are often combined with herbology and kinesiology studies.
Natural health education programs in massage therapy are also quite popular. Individuals who like the idea of a "hands-on" education find that massage programs are perfect training for those desiring careers as professional massage therapists. In this natural health education course, students are taught about anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and first aid and CPR; with practical lessons in deep tissue massage, Swedish massage and sometimes, sports massage. In most cases, candidates who have completed all required massage therapy courses will either receive a certificate or diploma, and are often required to become licensed in the state in which they reside.
Overall, there are multiple natural health education programs in which one can enroll. Whether you opt to participate in a degree program to become a natural health doctor or a certificate program to become an herbal practitioner, it is always wise to examine various aspects of the profession, and potential outlook in the field.