Why the UK Must Start Loving Online Education

Online learning is rapidly gaining prominence among students, teachers and employers across the globe. Online education enables students to learn in a flexible, affordable and convenient way, which traditional education is unable to provide. But virtual learning is still considered second rate across the UK. However, it is now time for us to change our thinking and attitude towards online education. 

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 Better learning opportunities

 

As the opportunities for development increase and the student cap is lifted, online learning provides a means for universities across the UK to compete globally without striving to meet capacity. The scenario is somewhat different in the United States as online degree programmes have found a firm ground there. In the US, it is not considered as a poor quality alternative to college education. If the UK plans to make the most of the development opportunities, we need learn from the experience of the US and start appreciating online education more. 

Nancy Coleman, vice-president of academic services at PlattForm and former director of distance education at Boston University, recently wrote in an article “The lifting of the student cap is one driver, but what will matter long-term is taking a decent share of the ballooning numbers of students globally looking for a world-class degree. The OECD estimates the numbers of people with degrees will grow from around 129 million to 204 million by 2020. It’s also one answer to the problem of declining numbers of part-time students and creating the right kind of higher study offer for people in work. ” 

Growing number of online learners

 

According to a recent study from the Babson Survey Research Group, around 7.1 million students in higher education across the US are currently pursuing at least one course online included as part of their academic degree programme. But there seems to be some disagreement with the statistics as the initial study by the US education department on online study found that there are a around 5.5 million online learners in the US. Experts predict that the number of online learners will rise further with over half of all US students pursuing at least on online course by the year 2018. 

However, what is more important than the statistics is the hidden sentiment. By surveying academic leaders and experts, the researchers at Babson discovered that the number of students who believe online learning offers equal or even better learning outcomes than traditional education had increased to more than 74 per cent. Coleman added “Online degrees are no longer the preserve of the for-profit online operators, and three-quarters of all US universities and colleges now offer online degree options. The recent move from Stanford to turn MOOC (massive open online courses) offerings into paid-for courses is another indication of how online tuition is moving into the mainstream.” 

Reassessing how we teach

 

Across the United States of America, institutes have been striving to offer a cutting-edge digital experience to learners by observing social networking trends and utilising gaming technologies & remote working to encourage continuous interaction and engagement while studying. 

Nancy Coleman concluded by writing “Again, the UK needs role models. Academics in the US have needed to rethink how they teach their subject and recreate content. Most find the experience a useful exercise, getting back to the root of how their students really learn, how to challenge them and get them working both independently and as a collaborative network.” 

What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to share your opinions with us by commenting here. 

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How Schools In England Are Compelling Parents To Contribute Financially?

Recently,it was reported that around 100 schools across England are compelling parents,and in some cases demanding,that they make significant financial contributions to the school budgets. The research notes that this is possibly a breach of law.

Are Donations Compulsory?

According to the findings of the British Humanist Association (BHA), most of these schools were state faith schools. Although all schools across England have permission to ask voluntary donations from the parents of students, but they must be clear on the fact that financial contribution is not an obligation. The government recently said that all claims related to rules being breached will be thoroughly examined. The report stated that schools may seek voluntary contributions, however they need to clarify to all parents that “there is absolutely no obligation for them to pay.”

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A spokesman for the Department for Education said “The School Admissions Code is clear that schools must not request financial contributions - whether voluntary or compulsory - as any part of the admissions process, including when offering a place.” The researchers at BHA conducted a basic web search to in order to identify probable breaches of such rules. Later, they also carried out detailed analysis of the initial 100 schools that were identified. The researchers claimed that faith schools primarily dominated the list and most of them are needed to “pay a share of building maintenance costs”.

Contributing To School Funds

One Church of England primary, which is currently highlighted by the British Humanist Association, requests parents for a yearly payment which is known as the “Building Fund/Capitation for parents.” It stated “This is not a voluntary contribution but it is a payment all Church of England schools require to maintain the school buildings and classrooms.” Another Catholic primary school states “We will be asking all who have not contributed to the Building Fund yet for their contribution and writing to them at the beginning of next half term.” A different school justifies that “as a voluntary aided school, parents of the pupils... are responsible for contributing 10% towards all building works,” before asking for £100 to each family.

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Several schools also claimed that the requested financial contribution was a minimum amount, which are not necessarily voluntary. The schools also explained that it is a way to motivate families to support their kids' education who can afford to pay more. A different school said that parents must make financial contributions to the school fund by utilising the money they were able to save by receiving free school meals.

An Outrageous Demand

Andrew Copson, chief executive at BHA, said “It is simply outrageous that state-funded schools are demanding money from parents in this way. What's incredibly worrying is that there are evidently many more schools doing this than the 100 we found in our analysis, so we'll certainly be writing to the government to alert them to the extent of the problem.”

Paul Barber, director of the Catholic Education Service, said “We expect all Catholic schools to follow the Department for Education guidance on voluntary contributions. Parents are welcome to contribute towards their child's school and this is money spent on improving the quality of education provided.”

A spokesperson for Church of England said “The admissions code is very clear about financial contributions playing no part in the admissions process and our expectation is that all schools adhere to the code.”

What do you think? Feel free to share your views and opinions with us by commenting below.

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How You Can Start Your Own Hotel Successfully

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Do you dream of starting your own hotel or restaurant? Staring a career in the hospitality sector can provide excellent new opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs. However, opening your own hotel can be highly challenging, just like any other business venture, especially if you are new to the hotel and hospitality industry. The fact is there is intense competition in the global hotel industry. Hence, you will need to consider various aspects and gain a global perspective to accomplish impressive financial results.

Starting your own hotel

Throughout my career, I have met with numerous investors and entrepreneurs who were full of innovative ideas for creative hotel concepts. However, I believe that the main challenges in your path to success are strategic and organisational aspects of business. There are some important questions that you need to focus on:

• How do you get started?
• What type of hotel/restaurant should you start?
• Will location impact your business? 
• How can you attract more guests? 
• How to reduce operational costs & boost profits? 

Once you figure out the answer to these questions you will be in a much better position to enter the hospitality sector and start your hotel.

Research is crucial

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Before you start your venture, it is imperative that you prepare yourself by acquiring the right skills and knowledge. Moreover, you also need to prepare an effective business plan after conducting adequate research in order to assure success. Doing research becomes even more necessary when you need investment from outside. Hence, you show potential investors that you have completed a feasibility study for your upcoming business. It is also a good idea to put all your business ideas on paper and evaluate them against your competitors and the global market. This will enable you to determine your chances of attaining success.

I have observed that many new entrepreneurs start their hotels on assumptions and fail to take the right decision while developing new concepts for hotel. This can prove to be rather alarming as any abrupt change can compel you to implement necessary changes in future as a result of the false assumption. This can have a negative impact on your hotel and result in additional costs.

What you must consider

Here are a few things you need to consider while preparing for your starting your new hotel and achieve business success by avoiding unnecessary scenarios -

• Conduct a study on generic market performance
• Evaluate business sources
• Perform an detailed competitive analysis
• Focus on development pipeline 
• Prepare profit & loss statement

Get the right skills

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However, in order to make sure you go through the steps properly and successfully, you will need to gain the right business skills and acquire comprehensive knowledge about the global hotel industry. One of the best ways to do this for aspiring and new entrepreneurs is by pursuing an online diploma in hotel management. When you study on online hotel management diploma, you will not only understand how the hotel sector works, but you will also develop crucial business management skills.

One of the biggest advantages of studying an online higher diploma in hotel management is that it will allow you to work and study simultaneously, unlike traditional courses. Online courses are highly effective, concise, flexible, affordable and convenient and ensures that you receive quality education and an enhanced learning experience.

Acquiring the required skills and knowledge will enable you to make the right decisions and take the necessary steps to ensure that your new hotel becomes a successful venture.

What do you think? Are you ready to start your won hotel? Feel free to share your thoughts and views below. I would love to hear from you.

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Boston Organises National Conference On Higher Education Technology

The 22nd Annual Campus Technology Summer Conference inaugurates soon at the Hynes convention center in Boston. The conference will be held for four days. Higher education professionals have already started crowding the conference. It showcases the latest technologies, steered by industry-thought leaders who will guide professionals into the effective path. There are also innovative programmes that would indicate the procedure to handle and manage challenges regarding the campus.

What the conference will offer

Here is a quick look at what this year’s conference will primarily focus on-

• Workshops on various topics and subjects.
•  Networking and breakout sessions. 
•  Keynotes and exhibit hall with the cutting-age technology.

The aspire-sessions are another mind-engaging fact of the conference. These are twenty-minute sessions that will assist the visitors to learn new methods or skills which they can later apply in their colleges or universities, if required. Two other important focus areas will also be provided by the conference, namely ‘Higher Ed IT in the Digital Age’ and ‘CIO: Next Generation’..

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The general manager of the conference, Mike Eason, said “Higher education institutions require professionals to know about the latest technology and IT strategies because that’s what keeps campuses secure and cutting-edge.” He also stated “CT brings together campus administrators and IT executives and professionals who want to gain that insight.”

What the exhibit hall showcases

The exhibit hall allows the visitors to see; to try and to purchase the latest innovative aspects of the modern world and, surprisingly, these innovations belong to more than 150 companies, including industry powerhouses such as: Insight Systems Exchange; Mediasite by Epson; GovConnection; Pro AV Systems; MakerBot; Bluehost; CDW-Government; Laserfiche; Sonic Foundry. Eason also comments that the visitors will be knowing about the latest technology available in the market. They will also become aware of the technology regarding higher education from the leaders of the industries.

Some crucial aspects of the conference

Here are interesting keynotes from the conference that you should check out-

• EdX Vice President, Beth Porter will be saying about its effect and improvement, will be the luncheone keynote of the conference.

• Paul LeBlanc, professor of The Southern New Hampshire University, will be telling about the current changes of the higher education. He will also be describing how to bring the change into the educational institutions in order to innovate these changes.

• The role of 3D printing in the field of higher education will be highlighted by MakerBot Vice President of Professional services, Jordan Brehove and the CIO of Xaviers Consultancy, Shawn Nason. They are scheduled to speak during the Wednesday sessions of the conference.

• William Perry, the cyber security expert and California State University Chief Information Security Officer and the last speaker of the conference, will be talking about the occurrence of cyber crimes and about the steps that the IT firms can take in order to secure themselves from such threats o crimes.

Importance of AAEEBL

AAEEBL stands for the Association of Authentic; Experiential & Evidence Based Learning which is a part of the conference. This is an ePortfolio which aims to implement three transformative and strategic approaches. These are:

• Evidence-based learning.
• Customized learning.
• Assessment based on the holistic outcomes.

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Visitors are welcome to take part in the sessions to improve their skills in learning.

The fascinating campus technology

The campus technology is can be considered as the sincere endeavor of the nation where higher education professionals, IT experts, e-learning program managers, instructional designers provide an insight about the functional value of the latest immersive innovations; social software and the latest applications. It also provides an educational atmosphere where the attendees can view and share the innovative ideas of the conference as well as having an insight of the latest innovative technology and services; software; tools; applications etc.

How can we use this conference

The conference is essentially important for the students as well as higher education professionals. This effective conference will not only help them to solve their problems about education but also will assist in the rediscovery of education in an innovative way. It is a great opportunity being held in Boston and we should not ever think of missing it.

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How Women Can Improve Their Leadership Skills

According to the Women's Leadership Study, recently released by KPMG, it was found that although most women plan to work in leadership roles, majority of them find it hard to visualise themselves as leaders. The study, which surveyed around 3,000 professionals and college women across the US, found that every 6 in 10 women reported that they want to be employed as a senior leader in an organisation and over 50 per cent of them want to be a part of the board. However, 6 in 10 US women also claimed that they tend to find it difficult to think of themselves as business leaders, while sharing how they identify themselves. More than 56 per cent of working women claimed that they were rather cautious about their femininity and moving towards leadership roles.

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Dr. Bernice Ledbetter, Practitioner Faculty of Organizational Theory and Management at Graziadio School of Business and Management of Pepperdine University, wrote in a recent post for The Huffington Post “Fortunately, there are a number of ways that women can develop leadership skills and increase their confidence. Cost, complexity and time commitment vary- but the key is to find the right fit for you. Consider asking your employer to invest in your professional development. Many companies and organizations will pay for classes and trainings. Your boss might also be willing to give you a project that enhances your leadership skills. Sometimes, just asking is all it takes.”

Here are 5 great ways women can build strong leadership skills-

Participate in industry specific seminars

Each and every sector and industry has some associations which conduct various conferences and seminars. Different companies and universities also organise industry specific events which are an excellent way for you to learn from experienced and established leaders and executives, study tips for development and explore latest trends and advancements in your field. Ledbetter wrote “Becoming more immersed in your field and further developing your expertise is one of the best ways to move up the career ladder. ”

Look for online training

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You can find several helpful yet free online resources which can provide you effective guidance for leadership development. According to Dr. Ledbetter “For example, the website Mind Tools has a large index of articles offering advice on topics such as how to delegate effectively, how to build a positive team and how to be an authentic and ethical leader. ”

Pursue a certification program

Several institutes like Pepperdine's Graziadio Business School, offer certificate programmes which have been specifically developed as week-long or short day programmes that focus on teaching a particular discipline. Such type of programmes have been developed for working professionals and aim to offer the flexibility and opportunity to study what they need along with other like-minded individuals. She added “The benefit of getting a formal certification is that in addition to learning valuable information you have a formal credential to add to your resume. ”

Earn an MBA

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 In the article, Dr. Ledbetter wrote “Going back to school and getting an MBA or a MS degree in management and leadership is one of the best ways to develop your leader identity. Higher education helps many students, especially women, develop the confidence, credibility and expertise they need to advance in their career.” This will enable you gain expertise in technical skills like marketing, accounting & finance and learn essential human skills like how to lead a team effectively and manage group dynamics.

Get a mentor

Did you know the most effective leadership training can often come an individual who can show you your mistakes, tell you how to make it right and advice you about the future path towards growth. Dr. Bernice Ledbetter added “Having someone who can give you honest feedback and encouragement is critical for women at every stage in their career. ”

What do you think? How are you improving your leadership skills? Feel free to share your views, concerns and experiences with us by commenting below.

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Why Studying Online Degrees Are A Better Option For Aspiring Learners?

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Are you preparing to earn a college degree? But are you ready to take a heavy student loan to pay for your college education? Let's face it, with continuously increasing tuition fees in universities and other higher education institutes worldwide. It is becoming highly challenging for most students to earn an accredited degree. Not only you will have to repay your student loan for the rest of your life, but due to lack of effective employment opportunities you will face several financial and professional problems through out your life.

Is a college degree worth all the money?

Apparently, most aspiring students and young professionals do not feel so. It is perhaps for this reason they are opting for more affordable and better learning opportunities. With the growing gap in initial funding, even more number of students will move away from traditional classroom learning due to limited access to education. Read on....

  Narrowing the funding gap

Recently, the Louisiana’s legislative session for 2015 was held and proved to be among the most testing sessions in memory. As health care and higher education are likely the sole “unprotected entities for budget cuts,” along with the fact that a $1.6 billion budget gap was in place at opening of the session, most members were concerned about finding a “reasonable solution” during this 9 week session.

It has been estimated that the initial higher education funding gap was around $608 million. This amount was needed to accomplish a similar funding level that was present during 2014-2015 term.President of Louisiana Tech University, Leslie K. Guice, said “For Louisiana Tech and other public universities, there was the possibility of more than an 80 percent cut in our base state funding. This level of cuts would have been devastating to all of our state institutions of higher education and would have had negative economic impacts that would have reverberated throughout all our communities.”

Developing bold plans

Guice added “Even before the official start of the session, our legislators began developing a plan to close the budget gap with a particular focus on placing higher education at the top of their priority lists.”

He claims that they are now identifying their particular responsibilities and looking for ways to best use the resources to meet the essential academic requirements of the state. He said “Now is the time for us to begin even bolder plans to reinvest in higher education to ensure that we have great educational opportunities for our children, economic prosperity for our citizens and long-term competitiveness for our state.”

However, I believe that we will still need to overcome many obstacles before we can actually close this funding gap and increase educational opportunities and access to all our students. Moreover, making bold plans, implementing those plans effectively and accomplishing the desired outcomes are completely different things. You simply cannot wait around for the scenario to get better. What you need is a better and more effective solution that allows you to earn a recognised degree now, without feeling the burden of student debt.

What is it?

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If you ask me, the most feasible and suitable solution for aspiring learners to pursue higher education in a cost-effective way is studying for an online degree . If you are planning to start your career or if you are already a professional looking to boost your career, then pursuing online education programmes can be highly beneficial for you. These online degree courses not only cost a fraction of traditional college programmes, but these allow you to work an study at the same time. With flexible schedules, you can opt for doing a full time job and gain relevant work experience, while studying for your degree at your leisure directly from the comfort of your home. You can access all the content directly from the internet and easily interact with your faculty and fellow learners via online forums; hence there is absolutely no need to visit the campus physically.

When you study the best online degree program available for your preferred discipline, you can be rest assured about receiving high quality education without emptying your wallet. You will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge, which will fetch you excellent employment opportunities and empower you to build a great future, both professionally and personally.

So what are going to do? Wait for the funding gaps to narrow down or go for an online degree now? Let me know what you think by commenting in the box below I would love to hear from you.

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Why We Need Autonomy, Mastery & Purpose For Encouraging Learners

Daniel H. Pink has analysed and studied the aspect of motivation in the world of business for several years. Now, he has reached a remarkable conclusion where he claims that conventional ways of motivating and encouraging employees through financial incentives simply does not work anymore.

Motivating Businesses

In several studies, social observers and scientists have discovered that external rewards tend to limit the focus of employees and narrow possibilities. This makes it even more challenging for individuals to work on creative solutions for complicated problems. In fact, one of the times that incentives proved effective was only when the difficulty was mechanical and there was a clear and straightforward the path to the solution. It was found that most businesses across the entire globe have expressed that employee motivation tends to enhance when individuals are offered autonomy. This is works as a driving purpose and creates a strong desire to further hone their craft.

Dan Pink is renowned author of 5 books on business and management which have sold over 2 million copies globally. He is also the host of a National Geographic Channel show called Crowd Control. During his recent TED talk, he spoke about the state of business, but it was clear that his arguments were also relevant to education and schools. Nowadays, educators are teaching learners to prepare them for a world, where jobs are increasingly needing problem solving skills, critical thinking skills as well as creativity.

Transforming Education

The fact is that most schools are attempting to follow this thinking and approach in their classrooms in order to enable their learners to practice with solving complex problems. However, most students do not have the needed autonomy, purpose or mastery which can empower them to build intrinsic motivation and find a suitable solution.

Pink's book 'To Sell is Human' talks about how education has become one of the most rapidly expanding job categories in the nation. This level of development brings an excellent opportunity to transform the manner in which teachers envision and imagine their roles as well as their classrooms. Established by findings in neuroscience studies and educational research, the focus on cognitive skills, like memorisation and computation, is transforming to incorporate less tangible and non-cognitive skills, such as improvisation and collaboration.

Pink said, “The premium has moved from problem solving to problem finding as a skill. Right now, especially in the commercial world, if I know exactly what my problem is, I can find the solution to my own problem. I don’t need someone to help me. Where I need help is when I don’t know what my problem is or when I’m wrong about what my problem is. Problem solving is an analytical, deductive kind of skill. The phrase ‘problem finding’ comes out of research on artists. It’s more of a conceptual kind of skill.”

Then how can teachers help students to be problem-finders even when they do not have any idea about what the problem is? Pink added “A lot of people hate this word but I think we have to take it seriously, which is relevance. There’s something to be said for connecting particular lessons to something in the real world.”

What do you think? Feel free to share your own thoughts and ideas on this topic by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.

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