Engineering Degree Online | The college textbook ripoff - one student’s campaign

Posted by bposton on November 10th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

OK so here’s a little good news. Looks like we’re starting to win some of the battles in the textbook wars.

And online degree programs are in the front lines…

With the advent of computers in the classroom, the greedy textbook publishers started to add digital tools-video clips, interactive lessons, databases, DVDs etc packaged with the books. Of course, that drove the costs up.
So students (and even some professors) turned to the Internet to look for the best bargains.

And with online education technology, we’re finding out that with these new cyberteaching tools on the Web that maybe, just maybe, they don’t need that old-fashioned textbook at all.

HA - take that you greed publishers! :-)

In fact, one Northwestern student took matters into his own hands. After hearing other students echo his frustration, he started a website called textbookrevolution.org, which links visitors to a variety of free college-level, digital textbooks on the Web.

Little by little, we’re winning the war on high textbook costs…

Ben

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Engineering Degree Online | A Three Part Primer about Online Degrees - Part 2

Posted by bposton on November 8th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

Here’s part deux of my quick primer on taking online courses or getting a
degree online

So how much PC skill do you need?

Well, if you’re reading this I’m gonna assume you have some skills with a PC  :-)

Here’s the skinny on how much skill and PC power you need to take an online degree program.

First of all, Universities and colleges hire companies to help them develop their E-learning programs,
at least from the technical end of things. In doing so, they try to make sure that those technical details
of “going to class” online are so easy enough that anyone who has surfed the Web can do it.

What kind of comupter do you need?

Well, I’ve taked about this in an earlier post, but bascially any Internet-ready laptop or PC
should be enough to tackle the class. However, it’s still a good idea to check with the school
you’re thinking about attending and finding out what their requirements or recommendations are.
 
You should also try to find out what hours their tech support staff are working during the week
and if their support is just via email, or if you can talk to a live human body on the phone.

Oh, and if you are still living in the dail-up world, you’re in trouble. Taking classes online
will require that you upgrade to a broadband Internet connection of some kind (DSL, Cable Satellite)
so you’ll moste definitely hae to bite the bullet and do that before starting a class.

So much for part duex. Next post will be about what to expect when taking an online class.

Ben

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engineering degree online : More good reasons why you need a degree

Posted by bposton on November 1st, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

OK, so if you didn’t think that the half dozen reasons for getting a degree were enough,
here’s even more - :-)

When you get a degree, you are opening lots of doors to lots of exciting opportunities. It doesn’t matter Whether you are looking for a promotion within your current company or a new, better paying job or career, an online degree is the best way for you to accomplish your goals.

In past few years the number of people taking online courses has gone through the roof. There were 104,000 student enrollments in online-learning classes during the 2003-04 academic year, according to the Higher Education Telecommunications System. Nearly 90,000 of those people enrolled were taking online courses.

If we could take those numbers and convert them into the equivalent of full-time students, it would represent one university with about 10,135 students. That’s larger than most state universites.

OK? have a twisted your arm well enough? Are you ready to go for it - and get your degree?

you know you can do it - and I’m here to help any way I can…

Ben

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