This paper is a research proposal that uses qualitative case studies to measure the success of a graduateprogram being developed for distance or online learners.
3,855 words (approx. 15.4 pages), 37 sources, 2002, $ 105.95
Abstract This paper asserts that distance learning for graduateprograms has been slow in development because educational institutes believe that distance learning cannot fully educate the student, but recent research has indicated that distance learners do as well or better than traditional in class students do. The paper explains that the development of a graduate on-lineprogram requires criteria, which will help ensure that the students gain the objectives to obtain the credits as well as provide the students with a support system in case they have a problem. The author states that the research objective seeks to describe the steps a graduate level program must undertake to transform the curriculum into a competency-based structure optimized for delivery online.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background
Literature Study
Project Design
Introduction
Purpose of the Study
Research Questions
Kind of Research
Sample and Population
Instrumentation
Data Collection Procedures
Analysis of the Data
Conclusion
From the Paper "One of the differences the online program has from the in person program is the length of time required. The on campus degree program can be completed in one year while the online program requires the students to spread it over three to four years. The program offers almost identical courses according to those charged with its implementation. ?Instead of attending lectures and labs like other students, they began on a self-paced track based using materials provided through the World Wide Web. In exchange for class participation and standard office hours, students would email the professor for assistance and meet weekly with a graduate-level teaching assistant .? One distance learning institution is exclusively for distance education. The University of Phoenix is designed for adult distance learners. One of their requirements is that the students be more than 23 years old. Another requirement is that the students have full time jobs. These requirements are to insure that the students are mature enough and driven enough to complete the course work through a distance learning program."
Tags: chatroom, email, implementation, institutions, traditional
Abstract This paper is a combination of two papers, starting with an overview of the program objectives set forth by this LPN-to-Associate Degree nursing program and finishing with a summary. The second section of this paper is an overview and summary of the program's corresponding outcomes.
From the Paper "The objectives of this program are tied into the program itself: to educate Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) to become Associate Degree (AD) nursing professionals. In a recent scholarly piece on academic nursing, Cindy Acton (2004) notes the needs "to fulfill multiple purposes, providing care to underserved populations, clinical experiences for nursing students, and practice opportunities for faculty." The first set of objectives for this program is similar. First, these multiple purposes are addressed as the program objectives look to personalize each student's program based on such things as bio-psychosocial principles, cultural preferences, and growth and development."
Abstract This paper discusses how distance education is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing segments of college and graduate level education and how many educational institutions are expanding their programs to include distance based learning via the Internet. It examines the issues concerning the ability of traditional adult learners to adapt to the on-line learning environment to successfully complete an on-line learning degreeprogram. It looks at how the purpose of a pre-course program for students would be to teach less technologically savvy students how to operate in an Internet based environment as effectively as possible. It also analyzes how failure to adequately support the distance-based learner can lead to a low-quality educational experience as well as attrition in online learning programs.
From the Paper "Colleges and universities are also expected to develop competent leaders and productive citizens that add to the value of society. According to Inayatullah, this is an egotistical belief that reflects in two ways on higher education's role in modern day society. The first is negative, where university training is seen as a restricted advantage of the wealthy and a way in which the powerful maintain control through exclusive knowledge acquisition and life-long "good old boy" networks. The second is a positive reflection; the university is a stepping stone?a supreme test of human quality and intellect where only the best and the brightest can attain a diploma. Today, educational elitism is a serious problem for many distance and non-traditional students."
Tags:degree, learning, environment, college, university, internet
This paper is a comparative study aimed at helping to understand the differences between between the online class and the traditional class in relationship to the undergraduate student.
Abstract This research is a comparative introduction of the difference in the undergraduate and graduate issues associated with the online course and the traditional class. The paper also discusses the importance of training required for online class preparation. In addition, the paper evaluates the instructor's input of their empirical evaluation between the online and traditional class. Furthermore, the paper presents an overview of the technology requirements andcompares the graduate student and undergraduate student. This part of the research addresses the idea that maturity and discipline are a vital part of the success of online students. This part of the research also examines the success rates of graduate students in online and traditional classes. Several tables are included with the paper.
Outline:
Abstract
Undergraduate Issues
Online Courses and Traditional Courses
Student Attrition Online and Traditional Classes
Performance Issues Concerning Online Students
Online Training
Online Success
Graduate Students Online and Traditional
Online Instructors
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "The students were surveyed and records were researched and the results indicated that, first, the online course and traditional course did not have any appreciable difference in learning. Second, there is not significant difference in class communication when comparing the traditional course and the online course. Third, research indicates discussion quality is attributed to the online learner. This is the result of student processing of information prior to making a response to posted questions or responding to student postings and answers. The traditional class does not normally allow time for students to evaluate their responses and permits quick and relatively shallow responses. In the traditional class many do not respond and in the online all must participate in the learning process."
This creative essay details from the writer's point of view the reasons for deciding after the age of 40 to realize the dream of obtaining a college education and graduatedegree.
1,337 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 0 sources, 2006, $ 44.95
Abstract This paper details the daily struggles of a full-time working parent aged 40-something who decides to go back to college to realize the dream of graduating and obtaining a degree. This paper examines the various obstacles standing in the way of the returning student who must juggle work, travel, kids, spouse as well as studies. The writer contends and explains that the benefits of returning to college and obtaining a degree far out-weigh the temporary burdens.
From the Paper "One big change is that my kids will have to become much more self-sufficient! They are already responsible for many of their own chores, like folding their own laundry and packing their own lunches. However, now that my time is even more limited, they are going to have to become much more independent. Part of my enrolling in college was so that I will be more flexible in my career by the time they reach college themselves; I want to be able to pay for things that they need during their college years, like books, car insurance, and food other than Ramen noodles! To do this, I know that I'll need a higher-paying career, and that the best way to move forward is to get a bachelor's degree."
Abstract The paper is an admissions essay to gain entry to the graduate school for communication studies. The writer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in foreign trading from Beijing University and a master's degree in mass communication from Laurentian University. The writer describes how his professional experiences and real-world opportunities have served to further fuel his interest in cross-cultural communication.
From the Paper "Furthermore, to date, I have audited two courses in this department as non-degree seeker (Communication Systems/Practice and Communication with Organizational Publics); throughout these courses, I was highly impressed with the faculty members who were found to be nurturing and enthusiastic about the issues, and who represented a veritable real-world fountain of knowledge about the subject matter as well. The comprehensive curriculum provided at the University of California offers an innovative and interdisciplinary program that particularly appeals to me for this purpose since there is a distinct focus on the relationship between media and politics and what part each plays in bringing communications to the general public and how they tend to respond to such messages."
Tags: PhD, opportunities, commercial, hypertext, transfer, protocol, language
Abstract This paper looks at school-to-work (STW) programs, which are designed to meet the needs of a large portion of today's students - those who are work-bound as soon as they graduate high school. It looks at how many of these programs allow students to enroll as apprentices and accumulate hours and experience towards a qualifying certificate in a specific profession while earning credits towards their high school graduation diploma, as well. It supports the opposing viewpoint of school-to-work programs, arguing that education that concentrates on job training results in graduates who are less adaptable and less able to change occupations without retraining. Without training in liberal arts, many high school graduates have difficulty learning new skills and adjusting to new jobs.
From the Paper "According to the U.S. Department of Education (2001), in order to create a national school-to-work system, the departments of labor and education provide start-up grants to states and local communities. In addition, the federal government, states and communities can build on programs such as vocational education, technology preparation, youth apprenticeship, career academics, school-based enterprises, job training programs, and cooperative education to create school-to-work systems and transform learning in high schools."
Abstract This paper examines how accurately GRE scores predict success in graduate school. The paper reviews several studies on this subject. The paper focuses on studies done in single institutions, and larger analyses incorporating the results of many studies. Based on these studies, the paper concludes that the GRE is a good predictor of success in graduate school.
From the Paper "All graduate programs endeavor to attract the best students and one of the major criteria used to decide whether or not to admit a student to a graduate program is the Graduate Record Examination GRE score. Many programs have cut-off scores..."
Tags:Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), GPA, predictivity
Abstract This paper explains that online credit recovery programs are a way to insure optimum high school graduation by providing second-chance opportunities for students who have failed classes. The author describes a research project to assess the effectiveness of online credit recovery programs by comparing two online credit recovery programs: one implemented and designed by a commercial educational resource company, Aventa Learning, and another called the Georgia Virtual School under the auspices of the state of Georgia. The paper relates that weaknesses of this design is a shortage of currently available data, the probability of errors with only two programs being studied and the unreliability of former students answering opinion questions positively.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Mixed Method Research Design
Integration of Data
Quantitative Validation and Qualitative Verification
Ethical Considerations and Role or the Researcher
Strengths and Challenges and Summary
From the Paper "In order to evaluate the success of both programs, researchers must rate them in terms of success rates in addition to graduation rates. In order to do this, researchers can conduct opinion polls of students taking the programs, asking them whether or not the material was easier to understand or moved at a better pace in the online programs as opposed to the courses they failed. Additionally, researchers must conduct tests five years after the students graduate in order to determine their success rate in terms of income, profession, and community involvement."
Abstract In this article, the writer explores three primary challenges a potential graduate student will face on entering a study program while working full-time and attending to family obligations. The writer notes that these include balancing one's life, learning how to socialize in a new setting and overcoming emotional barriers to success in the academic environment. The paper presents three strategies most likely to enable student achievement, including socialization, collaboration and adoption of self-development and self-efficient tools for managing one's daily tasks.
Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Three Strategies for Success
Conclusion
From the Paper "Anderson suggests that many Universities need to work with student's to accommodate their unique needs, as long as students are willing to engage in collaborative relationships with their peers and families. One way to teach graduate students how to balance their education, career and any psychological or emotional blocks they may have to success is by teaching students to adopt self-efficient tools, such as creating daily task lists that limit the amount of time they spend on activities to ensure they fulfill all of their obligations. Universities also have an obligation to effectively screen students to ensure that students are well-informed of how much work they will need to take on as a student, and what resources may be available to them to overcome any foreseeable obstacles they might face in the near future."
Abstract This paper explains that long-term observations and studies of criminal behavior have indicated that recidivism rates can be considerably reduced by utilizing prisons as educational correctional facilities instead of punishing centers. The author points out that several studies have shown that obtaining a GED or a degree during incarceration period has a positive outcome in terms of increasing the employment prospects and promoting pro social behavioral adaptations. The paper stresses that there is little doubt as to the positive transforming influence of completing educational programs offered in the prisons.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Virginia Department of Corrections
Stephen Duguid (1997)
Conclusion
From the Paper "Another survey conducted by researchers Dennis and Charles compared the recidivism rates for inmates who completed their post secondary degrees while in prison with other inmates who did not undergo any such educational training. The researchers included the data from the prisons of Alabama, Maryland, New York and Texas in their study and the individual results for these states were reported. Alabama had an average recidivism rate of 35% for the general prison population while it was reduced to 1% for those who completed their post secondary degrees. Similarly a study of a total of 19,014 inmates who were released from the Maryland prison revealed that 46% were reincarcerated within 3 years while there was no such incidence for the 120 persons who obtained their degrees during their prison term."
Abstract Community colleges traditionally offer two-year degrees. This paper explores the possibility, costs, advantages and disadvantages of these same colleges offering four-year degrees as well. It discusses accreditation, student make-up and college classification.
From the Paper "Recently, the post-secondary educational market has seen many changes. Recent years have seen the advent of on-line schools, distance learning and a variety of two-year and community colleges have appeared on the market place. Many two-year community colleges currently offer transfer programs into four-year degree programs. Attending a two-year community college to complete the general requirements of a four-year degree program is quite cost effective. There are also several pitfalls, such as accreditation differences between the two programs. As a result, many times students waste valuable time and money in having to repeat work already completed at the two-year program because the four-year program will not accept the credits. For many students the idea of attending a four-year program is not possible because of cost restraints, yet they still wish the benefits afforded by a four-year degree. This raises an important question, should community colleges offer four-year degrees?"
Abstract This paper is an admissions essay for acceptance to an MBA program. The applicant demonstrates that he is aware of the requirements to succeed in an MBA program and discusses his previous work experience to support this.
From the Paper "According to Inside Yahoo Education, which provides information from Kaplan Test Prep, 2004, there are certain basic quantitative skills that may well be necessary: some MBA programs require experience in the study of statistics, algebra, and calculus; others ask for less mathematics knowledge and are in fact "moving away from the analytical approaches" of a few years ago. Still, one should expect to be comfortable with - and have hands-on experience in - general fields of mathematics. Once enrolled in an MBA program, it will be necessary for a student to have the aptitude and appetite for the following disciplines: accounting, finance, organizational behavior, marketing, statistics, and organization, the Yahoo article explains."
Abstract This paper presents the application of a senior architecture student who is applying to the Urban Planning Program, planning to specialize in community and economic development. The student describes his intentions once he has graduated from the program and discusses the importance of the skills he will learn. The paper also briefly provides the writer's related work experience.
From the Paper "Urban planning is prescriptive rather than descriptive. Urban planning says how cities should be built, allowing for the incorporation of what already exists into the new design for an urban region and into the design of other structures surrounding the central core. The planned city itself is formed in answer to architecture and often to the way urban planners were sweeping away everything in a city core to accommodate a complete change to a modernist aesthetic. Urban planning policies and architectural fashions have contributed to the loss of a sense of place and community in modern cities. These policies did not necessarily intend that this be the result, and architects also were not trying to shift from the sense of place to a more isolated view of human beings. These results show, however, that planning can be directed too much at efficiency and not enough at either aesthetics or social meaning. The way people live is much affected by the environment in which they live. Left to their own devices, they will also shape that environment around their mode of life. Planners, however, shape cities around their current ideas of efficiency, often serving governmental rather than human needs, and constrained by economics, the interplay of special interests, and many other forces at work in the planning and implementation process. City after city has been reshaped to provide a more efficient movement of automobiles, trains, and subways through the city while ignoring the need of the people to feel part of the environment now hurting past. Melding principles of both architecture and urban planning can provide a way to adopt design to a more human-centered conception of progress in a region like my own country, where planing has not been given much attention to date."
An application to the United States Army internship program with a view for admission into the Master of Policy Management Program at Georgetown University.
Abstract This paper presents an application to the United States Army internship program with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It describes the advantages for the writer of being admitted to the Master of Policy Management Program at Georgetown University and how this will help to further the writer's aims and ambitions. The paper also describes the writer's qualities and achievements up until this point.
From the Paper "Lastly, and most importantly, I wish to underscore how obtaining the degree of Master of Policy Management at Georgetown University will contribute mightily to my personal and professional goals. Most obviously, as I think anyone who has attended Georgetown can attest, the program will bolster my ability to engage in economic analysis of public policy, will strengthen my decision-making abilities and will bless me with highly-developed integrative skills permitting simultaneous evaluation of the analytic, management and advocacy issues pertaining to a specific policy matter (Georgetown Public Policy Institute, "MPM Degree Requirements," general syllabus). By honing these skills to an elite level, I expect to see - from a strictly professional stand-point - my ability to move laterally as well as upwardly increased substantially; I also anticipate that the rigorous education I receive at Georgetown will give me the personal satisfaction that can only come through arduous study and constant self-reflection."
