Mobile learning is rapidly progressing in online learning environment and mobile devices are no longer restricted to the classroom. Approximately every student has an access to cell phones, iPods, tablets and other mobile devices. Now administrators of online schools are quickly realizing that students can use those advanced devices to access school resources, websites, assignments and other educational resources from both campus and home. However, educators believe that it is critically important that students using mobile devices for their online learning first take acceptance from school, teachers, parents, and the school board because they need to understand why students are trying to implement this latest technology in their online learning.
Mobile Learning Breaks the Barriers of Time and Space
Online education experts believe that mobile learning breaks the barriers of time and space while enabling students to learn 24/7. However, online schools need the right policies to support structures and platforms primed for augmented online learning environment from school to home and in between.
Mobile Learning Promotes Online Learning
Mobile learning is not just about the device, but actually an advanced way of learning that allows students to pursue online education anywhere, anytime. According to some education experts mobile learning is a transformational phase in education that enables online instructors and students to teach and learn online courses with ease.
Using Web 2.0 Mobiles for Online Learning
Web 2.0 mobiles are a powerful learning tool plays a great role in promoting collaboration among teachers, students and their peers. Katy ISD has launched Web 2.0 tools and digital citizenship; later district administrators took district’s mobile learning initiatives and launched public Wi-Fi, and rolled out a “bring your own device” (BYOD) initiative along with the Wi-Fi launch.
Breakdown the Walls of Traditional Learning
Mobile learning also plays an important role in breaking the walls of traditional learning environment. Now you can learn any time, wherever you are, from the comfort of your home. Students usually have two or three devices such as smart phones, internet capable mobile device such as iPod touch and tablet devices, therefore online schools administrators are striving to provide students with devices with enough bandwidth and management capability to handle the increased demand.
Pursuing higher education has become an utmost need to pursue a rewarding and high paying job in today’s tough job market. Mobile learning has made it easier for online students to pursue their desired online degrees while accessing school resources, online course materials and more.
Online learning helps online students gain valuable knowledge and skills. Most, if not all, of the interaction between the students takes place online through email, chatting and discussion forums. Like other forms of studies, online studies also have its code of ethics that must be followed. Most of them are about issues that are faced in traditional classroom settings as well like cheating and plagiarism. However there are other aspects as well which are specific to interactions with others through the virtual media.
What are ethical behavior guidelines for online students?
Ethics are guidelines which online students need to follow to keep track of their behavior and interaction with others. This includes how original their assignments are, whether they have done the task themselves or have taken help from others or whether they have they done a rushed job. The most important aspect is honesty. This includes avoiding plagiarism when putting together their assignments and following the academic honesty code as prescribed by online schools and colleges. Plagiarism can be avoided by not copying the content and by acknowledging the various sources from where the information is taken.
Another key ethical behavior for online students is their conduct in the virtual classroom. It is important that students follow certain ethical norms when interacting with others through Google hangouts or other social media sites. One such guideline is Netiquette which enforces that online students are not brash and careless while interacting with others. As they are not directly in touch with their peers or classmates, they should respect their sentiments and should be cautious of the tone and language of their messages or emails as they could be misinterpreted at times. One way to avoid any misrepresentation is to read the message aloud first before you send it out.
Nowadays more and more employees use social media sites to gauge and analyze the conduct and personality of online students. Therefore, it is recommended that only selective information is shared through the social media. Though social media sites help students make new contacts and improve their job potential, they should be careful about the information they share in it so as to avoid further complications.
If you are a fresh graduate, you can consider a variety of summer jobs to improve your skills and get better jobs. Summer jobs are a perfect opportunity to not only gain experience but also to add in qualifications to your CV.
Most people think summer jobs are exclusively meant for teenagers and college students, which is a misconception. With the slowdown in economy, experienced professionals looking for a career change or people getting reduced salaries should all make use of summer jobs to ease into a new career or to make use of additional income.
Looking For Summer Jobs
As competition increases, finding an appropriate summer job has become quite a challenge. It is better to develop a plan and prepare in advance as that improves your chances of getting a suitable summer job. Some tips to start searching for such a job are:
• Start Early
Most employers start looking for their candidates in spring, so you should start early to search for a summer job. Start dropping your resumes to the companies you are interested in working for by spring which is when the recruiting process starts. You can even suggest working for a short duration even before the summer sets in to your prospective employer. If you are a new grad, you can work for about 12 to 15 hours a week and get the necessary training and experience and also earn money to take care of your education expenses.
• Prepare Your Resume
You should prepare for your summer job search prior to looking for a suitable job. If you are a fresh graduate and are looking for an internship, you should create your resume specific to the new job you are interested in and put all details regarding your achievements and qualifications. You can also give details of the awards won, leadership roles and other special skills acquired. Also include a few references to add value to your resume.
• Make Use of Social Media
When you are looking for a summer job, mention this on your social media profiles so that your family and friends are aware that you are on the lookout for a new job. You can even make calls to a few businesses to check if they are hiring new grads. Even if they are not hiring, they can help you get a new job in the future.
If you really want to work for a firm but they are not recruiting for the post you are interested in, apply for some other post or work at the reception just to gain experience and make connections. If all else fails you can still work in movie theaters, restaurants, recreation facilities or even landscaping companies.
How early do you start looking for your summer job? Do let us know.
Hanging out takes a whole new dimension with Google Plus while retaining its punch and good vibes. All online students still sitting on the fence trying to decide whether they should ditch Facebook yet or not, should read on to discover more about Google’s mojo: Hangouts on Google Plus!
How is Google Hangout so Unique?
So if you’re still living in 2011 and don’t know what Hangouts are, Google Plus has come up with this awesome utility that allows up to 10 people to video conference with each other at a time. Did I just hear a yawn? It’s not just any other video conferencing tool but as someone puts it, “it combines your workspace with other workspaces”. Now that Google Plus is integrated with Gmail, anyone with a Gmail account can access Google Plus. All you have to do, once you log on to Google Plus (through your Gmail account) is to click on the bottom of your stream and invite your friends (as well as others) to join you. To make use of extra features, click on Hangouts with Extras.
Special Features offered by Google Hangouts
Hangout with Extras is loaded with goodies that make online collaboration fun and easy. It has built in notepad as the default ‘whiteboard’. Other features include file sharing, which allows users to share files, and screen sharing which lets them share a part of or the whole screen with someone else. Google Plus is integrated with Google docs and SketchUp and lets participants see, work on and edit documents, drawings, surveys and spread sheets in real time. That is, it provides multichannel interaction. Now a person sitting in Alabama can collaborate, view and edit documents in real time with a person in California, which is exciting news for online tutors as well as online students.
What is there in Google Hangouts for Online Students?
I do not exaggerate when I say that Hangouts is to online learning what the computer was to education in general. A recent study conducted of online students by Swanson (2011) shows that online students want “more collaboration, regular feedback that uses multimedia and tools to aid metacognition.” Unbelievably Hangouts provides a solution to all of these needs. It allows greater collaboration and regular feedback between students and teachers, and the collaboration between peers can aid in metacognition as well. Since Hangouts is still in its initial stage, users are still figuring out and experimenting to find novel uses but people have already started conducting online classes, planning online group study sessions, doing research collaboration and providing remote tech support!
If you are ready to take your online learning experience to an entirely new level, start Hanging out on Google Plus, you won’t regret it, I promise!
Online students: what are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2012? If you need help finding suggestions then you’re in the right place.
Realistic New Year’s Resolutions for College Students
How often do you make New Year’s resolutions that you stick to? Most New Year’s resolutions are broken in the first few weeks because they are not realistic. The very first thing you want to do is to make sure that your goals are realistic and not too difficult to accomplish. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting career goals that you know are too difficult to handle. Start off small the first year, and then increase the next.
New Year’s Resolution Wish List
When you set realistic goals, you are much more likely to stick to them. Make a list of all your New Year’s resolutions, then pick only a few easy ones that you can accomplish.
Here are some useful suggestions to add to your New Year’s Resolutions list as an online student:
Get an extra hour of sleep every night by going to bed early.
Spend an hour each day reviewing your notes and class material.
Participate more in online discussions.
Connect with other classmates.
Don’t stay out too late on school nights.
Spend less time watching TV.
Spend a little less time socializing on Facebook, Twitter or MySpace
It all depends on what you want to accomplish and the time-frame you have. Unrealistic goals are not going to help you get to where you want to be, there are many career opportunities so make sure you pick things that are attainable. Only you know what you are capable of doing and achieving.
These are just a few simple New Year’s Resolutions that you can start off with. Don’t push yourself too hard or else you’ll get overwhelmed and will give up. Start with the easy things first, then advance to the ones that are a little more difficult to accomplish.
Do add on to the wish list by posting your suggestions in the comments below.
What do you do when the holiday season coincides with your online exams? Do you enjoy the holiday season, then study for the exam or do you do a little bit of both? Here are 10 simple tips to manage the holiday season with looming exam deadlines.
1. Study on a Regular Basis.
Do you set aside a specific time to study each day or do you wait until the very last minute to study for your online exams? If you study on a regular basis you’re in good shape. You should be able to enjoy the holiday season without stressing about exams.
2. Study for Each Class.
For every hour of time you spend in class you’ll need to study at least an hour, to an hour and a half for each class. Top online degrees from accredited universities require as much effort as traditional degrees do, so make sure you give your studies the time it deserves.
3. Go Over Your Class Notes Immediately After Each Class.
If you review your notes right after your class it will help you understand the lesson better. Come test time, you won’t have to study so hard.
4. Prepare a Study Schedule.
Make a study schedule and stick to it even during the holiday season. Take breaks in between to relax your mind and to spend time with your family and friends.
5. Find a Quiet Spot To Study.
This way you can concentrate on your studies and not get distracted by noise. Make sure the place you choose is comfortable and well-lit.
6. Organize Your Study Material.
Keep all your notes and study material close by so that you don’t waste time searching for them. The habit of organizing yourself and your life is a very important habit to inculcate and one that will help you immensely when you go out in the real world looking for career opportunities.
7. Do Your Holiday Shopping Early.
Don’t wait until the last minute to do your holiday shopping. Shop early so that you don’t get too exhausted and tired to study.
8. Maintain a Balance.
This is the season to visit friends and family and to have fun. However, know when to say goodbye so that you can go home and hit the books.
9. Study a Little Every Day.
If you study a little bit every day you’ll have more time to participate in the holiday festivities.
10. Relax!
Remember you are doing all this to have a wonderful online degree career but it doesn’t hurt to let your hair down once in a while and enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.
Do you have anything else to add to the list? Do let us know.
How is Google Hangout so Unique? 
