Higher education online learning

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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Higher Education — Online Learning —

Inside: Outfitting students’ tech needs Questions to ask online MBA Schools Online learning helps balance work, home and school

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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7HAT DO YOU WANT YOUR UNIVERSITY TO BE s 4HE PLACE THAT lTS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO s 4HE PLACE WHERE LEARNING IS ACTUALLY FUN s 4HE PLACE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH THE lRST TIME YOU SEE IT

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

Questions to ask online MBA schools

By Dona DeZube Monster Finance Careers Expert If you’re thinking about signing up for an online MBA program, it’s wise to know what you’re getting into.

Here’s a list of questions to ask the admissions counselor: • What percentage of the coursework is presented online, in person, via phone or on video?

• What career counseling and placement options are available, and how long after graduation can I access those services?

For example, at Indiana Wesleyan University, MBA students can access professors and have online tutoring, said Mark Labutis, associate director of enrollment for Indiana Wesleyan University’s Columbus campus. And there are also resources to help online students find materials such as peerreviewed articles.

• Do you have any networking groups?

• Are you accredited? If so, by whom?

• What are tuition, fees, books and supplies going to cost? What other expenses will I incur?

• What training do faculty members receive?

• Do the same professors teach online and on-campus courses?

• Can you provide the names and phone numbers of graduates in my

area of expertise or in my town?

• Are classes synchronous (meaning you must be in a chat room at a particular time) or asynchronous (meaning you post your comments whenever)?

• Do I have to take proctored exams? Where and how will that happen?

• Is the program ongoing, or is there a particular start date?

• Will I move through the program with a single group or on my own?

• What is your dropout rate?

• How many hours of work are involved each week?

It’s possible to take one course at a time at Indiana Wesleyan so that getting an MBA can fit into any student’s schedule, Labutis said, with the entire program taking about two years.

• What are your refund policies?

• Do I have to buy my books from your store?

• Do you have financial-aid information?

• Does my employer have a program with your school?

• How can I get my employer to pick up the tab for this degree?

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HIGHER EDUCATION Online Learning

Vice President Sales Stephen Zonars

IMAGE thinkstockphotos.com • What prior experience must applicants have? If the answer is none, consider how valuable your interactions with fellow students are going to be.

Copyright 2015 — Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article first appeared on Monster.com. To see other career-related articles, visit careeradvice.monster.com.

Special Sections Editor Rebecca Walters Special Sections Writer Carolyn Dix Remer Account Executive Elizabeth Mundy

Higher Education: Online Learning is a publication of The Columbus Dispatch’s Advertising Department. For more information, call Elizabeth Mundy at (614) 4617547 or email emundy@dispatch.com.

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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Online learning helps students balance work, home and school

(BPT) — Returning to school later in life is a decision that requires careful thinking. As an adult you may have a family, a full-time job or even student-loan debt from your previous degree to consider.

For those needing to balance home and work with going to school, online or distance learning may be a good option. As you weigh the benefits against the challenges and costs, keep these points in mind:

Clearly outline your goals Identifying why you want to go back to school is the first step. Do you feel like you’re stuck and want to further your abilities? Do you want to switch careers? Finish a degree?

Some students may be working to complete their bachelor’s, while others need an advanced degree to continue their career growth, said Jennifer Simmons, associate director of distance education for Ohio State University.

Pinpointing your impetus will allow you to choose a program that is right for you. In 2013, bachelor’s degree holders received $1,108 as a median weekly wage for full-time employment, while those workers who held a high school diploma received $651 as a median weekly wage for full-time employment,

according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Advanced degrees may yield greater financial benefits, with master’s degree holders earning up to $221 more per week than those with bachelor’s degrees.

Give it a test run Knowing what you’ve signed up for is crucial to being comfortable with your decision. Reduce uncertainty by going for a trial run. Easing back into an educational setting takes time, so if you are unsure, some schools offer a trial program where you can take a few classes to see if it’s the right fit.

If you are considering distance learning, “most colleges will offer readiness assessments to see if you are a good fit for online� learning, said Tom Erney, dean of distance education for Columbus State Community College.

Analyze the costs and benefits Cost always plays a part in the decision-making process. To assess whether the investment is a worthy one, consider the average salary of the career you are contemplating and how much you will gain from returning to school. Compare this number to the cost of the education, and be sure to account for tuition, fees and textbooks.

IMAGE brandpoint Students considering getting their degree online have the same ability to apply for and receive financial aid as students who attend college on campus, said Mark Labutis, associate director of enrollment for Indiana Wesleyan University’s Columbus campus.

Consider your schedule Between your job and your family commitments, it is important to consider where school will fit into the equation. “A lot of adults are working full

time and have kids,� Erney said, noting online classes afford them the flexibility to take their classes when they have the time.

While this is a significant benefit to working adults, it is still important that you carve out time to dedicate to your education before you make the commitment.

You want to ensure that you are able to put in adequate time in order to gain everything that you want to achieve from your education.

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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Online health-care education guide

Be a smart consumer when investigating web-based programs

Required field experience — or lack thereof

Clinically oriented health-care specialties in particular, such as nursing or radiography, “cannot and should not be taught totally online,” said Juanita Zapata Flint, executive dean of the health and human services diviby Peter Vogt sion at Brookhaven College in Farmers Monster Senior Branch, Texas.

Contributing Writer The hands-on skills you gain through clinical field experiences are Whenever you’re planning to puras crucial as the textbook knowledge sue an online or distance-education you learn in your classes. degree or certificate, you need to ask “Online courses are recommended yourself plenty of hard questions, such for many core curriculum courses, as whether you have the discipline but not for courses that have clinical to succeed in an online format and requirements. Be wary of any instituwhether it fits your learning style.

But if you’re thinking of pursuing a tion that touts a totally online prohealth-care-related degree or certificate gram for health-care professionals,” Zapata Flint said. online, critical questions you need At Ohio State University, the colto ask center not on you, but on the lege works with medical centers in provider. local communities where online nurs“Anyone considering a healthing students can do their clinicals, said related distance-learning degree or Jennifer Simmons, associate director of certificate should be super careful,” distance education for Ohio State. said online/distance education expert Columbus State Community Vicky Phillips, chief education analyst College also has agreements with faciland founder of GetEducated.com, a ities and hospitals where their online website that teaches consumers about online/distance education programs — nursing students can do their clinicals, said Tom Erney, dean of distance eduand scams. cation for Columbus State.

There are plenty of legitimate, high-quality health-care education Accreditation programs online these days, for both clinical and nonclinical career paths.

Is the program you’re considering But how do you tell the good pronot just accredited, but also accredited grams from the bad? Look closely at by a legitimate accrediting organizacharacteristics like these: tion?

“There now exist hundreds of online schools and colleges offering health-related career degrees or diplomas, and a hefty percentage of (them) are accredited by fake agencies,” Phillips said. “If you earn a degree or diploma from one of these schools, you’ll find your credentials no good for career or job placement.”

So take note: If a particular school’s accrediting agency doesn’t show up in the database of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, consider that absence a huge red flag.

Licensing recognition The health-care sector is highly regulated by both state and national licensing boards, Phillips said. So whatever health-care-oriented degree or certificate you might pursue through an online provider, make sure the program meets industry standards, especially those specific to the state where you plan to work.

“Take the time to research and understand your state’s licensing requirements for any health-care occupation,” Phillips said.

How You’re Asked to Pay Look out for online/distance education programs that require you to pony up all your tuition and fees right away, in one large sum.

“Distance learning suffers from a high dropout rate, and these schools know this,” Phillips said. “One trick they often use to make money is to

IMAGE thinkstockphotos.com get students to pay for everything up front — often thousands of dollars — and then refuse to make a refund when, after one course, the student discovers the program isn’t for them.”

By law, Phillips said, all education providers must outline their payment terms and refund policies in their financial agreements with students. So “read the fine print,” she warned.

Copyright 2015 — Monster Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. You may not copy, reproduce or distribute this article without the prior written permission of Monster Worldwide. This article first appeared on Monster.com. To see other career-related articles, visit careeradvice.monster.com.

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

Outfitting students’ technology needs (MET) — Nowadays, school supplies differ greatly from the markers, protractors and pencil cases required just a few decades ago.

Many classrooms are now virtual classrooms, with students taking classes online for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It’s no surprise then that many students require tech products and applications to keep up with their studies. “We request students have solid access to a computer,� said Mark Labutis, associate director of enrollment for Indiana Wesleyan University’s Columbus campus.

Ohio State University offers computers and software at a discount for all students at its Tech Hub, said Robert Griffith, senior director for digital scholarship and development. “We do provide guidelines for minimum standards needed� in regards to software and programs as well, added Jennifer Simmons, associate director of distance education for Ohio State University, so that students can limit what they buy to what they will need.

And, for students who might not own a computer, there are computers in libraries throughout the community, said Tom Erney, dean of distance education for Columbus State Community College.

The following are some tech items to consider purchasing when you are pursuing a degree online.

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give students easy access to a variety of applications and web connectivity.

Their portability makes them a convenient way of staying connected both inside and outside the home.

Many tablets can be enhanced with plug-in keyboards that make typing easier.

Tablets can be used to take notes, browse the Internet, check email and maintain correspondence with classmates or professors via messaging applications.

Smartphone Smartphones now have many of the same capabilities of tablets, albeit in smaller packages.

App access

IMAGE thinkstockphotos.com

Laptop Tablets and smartphones may have reduced consumer dependency on laptop and desktop computers, but traditional computers remain a valuable learning tool.

Their larger screen sizes and mouse and keyboard features can make it

easier for students to spend more time working on projects that require a lot of typing. Peripherals, such as a printer and an external hard drive, may prove useful as well.

Students may require different apps to complete their assignments and stay organized.

Calendar functions, newspaper apps and calculators can provide the boosts students need to perform well and stay organized.

Mobile devices are preloaded with stores where users can purchase applications, such as the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play on Google-based mobile products.

However, users will still need to establish an account, which is typically linked to a credit card.

Tablet Android and Apple-based tablets

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THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH | Special Advertising Section | friDAY, october 2, 2015

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