Techniques to Engage Adult Online Learners

                                       

                               

                                         Today, a large number of students who previously could only think about an advanced degree can now pursue higher education—thanks to the flexibility and convenience online education offers. Online education has transcended all geographical or financial barriers, allowing even people from lower socio-economic strata to pursue their education and better their career prospects. Therefore, now students who have limited financial resources—and pressing personal and professional commitments—can also earn a degree in their particular fields. One core reason, however, of the burgeoning popularity of online education is that traditional education has become too expensive for ordinary students to afford. Besides, it’s too inconvenient and students have to travel long distances to attend classes. An adult learner, obviously, can neither afford costly fees nor can he spend their time and money on travelling.  An online education, therefore, comes as a great relief for such individuals who require accessibility, ease and, above all, affordability.  An online program should be able to cultivate an environment which actively induces high quality learning techniques and engages adult students in the learning process, promoting their independent learning while allowing them to take care of their work as well. In providing education to adults, the teaching methods incorporated by the faculty plays an important role too.  Instructors need to place more emphasis on facilitation and guidelines on how to complete assignments.

Online learning allows adult students to choose from workshops or classes which result in a greater flexibility for personal scheduling. In order to provide the best learning processes to adult learners, educational materials must be properly structured, developed and distributed by using effective methods of teaching which targets effective online learning.  Just as in any traditional classroom, it is important for instructors in the virtual classrooms too, to be knowledgeable and responsive to the needs of learners, developing an understanding and appreciation for their students. Since instructors are not able to see the student’s confused look as they would in a face-to-face classroom, it is extremely important to make sure directions and expectations are very clear and explicit.

At McMillan University, instructors and faculty members are trained especially to accommodate adult learners into their classes. McMillan’s faculty takes care to devise their curriculum in such a way that it boosts the learning process, interest and flexibility for adult learners.

Teaching Techniques – Online Course Designing

                                      

                        We all know that the established reason for the development of an online course design is that it helps us to promote interaction, encourages the students to engage, motivates learners and most importantly, it proves that learning is easier said than done. Developing an online course can prove to be a challenging task if the designer tries to modify the face-to-face course format.

A renowned instructional/course designer, Debbie Morrison, defined instructional designing as “Instructional design is creating an environment for learning by structuring content and creating activities that engage students and facilitate meaningful learning”. It is also critical to understand that the crux of instructional designing lies in the fact that it supports learning more than it supports the process of teaching. Skilled and experienced designers may not be the instructors themselves but they collaborate with the subject experts to create an environment which contribute to a rich and effective learning experience for the students.

Why do we need an instructional design?

Many people think that with the vast and unlimited information existing on the web has made it possible for everyone to read and learn anything and adjust it in a way which is relevant to their studies. They think that there is no need for a model and the ones which exist are outdated. However, the reality couldn’t be more different. In the next post we shall focus on the liability of the instructional design formats and how they have helped to bring about a positive change.

McMillan University recognizes and appreciates fully, the principles and process of instructional design. Students at McMillan University find the course deigns very flexible and interactive.

How to be an Engaging Teacher

In the last two decades, a significant amount of research has been dedicated to discovering the methods which prove useful in the learning progress of people. While this is a broad spectrum of information, let’s focus on some points relevant to the learning curve and the things which affect it. Especially, what possibilities can a teacher explore in order to make his course more interesting and affecting?

Engineering—Mechanical Engineering

If you are a science student and looking to pursue numerical subjects with physics and other applied sciences, then engineering is the best domain for you to continue your education in. Engineering is the application of scientific knowledge in order to design, create and maintain structures, machines, devices, systems, material or processes. The study of Engineering is extremely broad and includes sub domains in which specialization can be achieved. Each field of engineering emphasizes on a different and specific type of application and technology.

Benefits of getting a degree in Computer Science

No one can deny the importance of computers in our day to day life. It is nearly impossible to track the extent to which human beings have become dependent on computers and technology. No matter what occupation we’re in, medical, business companies, educational institutes, engineering science, banking, everything and everyone has shifted to computers.

Technology and its impact on higher education

The year 2012 experienced a massive growth in online education.  A large number of students enrolled in various online degree programs. A few top on-campus universities also took a step forward and offered online courses to students and professionals alike. In today’s fast-paced world, online education has assumed immense popularity amongst a diverse body of students, offering them a quality and flexible education from the comfort of their homes.  

Due to the dynamic growth of online education system in 2012, people wondered how distance education will evolve in coming years. Here are a few points which highlight stance of McMillan University on the impact of online education in our society.

1.   Top notch online universities will lead the distance learning programs 

Online universities have or in the process of creating a comprehensive learning and teaching environment which helps both students and instructors to collaborate on a single platform. Whether it’s enrolling to a program, gaining access to the course material, appearing in tests and examination, sharing of information, conducting webinars, grading the tests, or tracking the progress for students, educational systems are emerging as the ultimate tool in online education industry. This has system ensures the climbing ranks on online universities thus making them an essential industry in the near future.

      2.  Establishment of effective virtual classrooms

 Online universities have eliminated the need for long distance travelling for students and professionals to be actually present in the classroom. Technology is being used to create virtual classrooms for students making it easier for them to avail learning opportunity by only being present online from their bedrooms or couches, or anywhere else for that matter. 

 

3                   3.  Cheap online education will become the most cost effective way of learning

Most students will prefer getting enrolled in online education as getting an education from the traditional institutes is becoming expensive. Cost of travelling, cost in terms of restricted time frame, cost of course books and learning material are just a few factors which are eliminated when a student enrolls in an online institute for higher education.

Staying in touch with studies during summer vacations

All year round many students wait for summer vacations anxiously. It’s that time of year when an academic year ends and vacations begin bringing fun and exciting activities. However, during these vacations if one doesn’t stay in touch with any kind of brainstorming and studies then it can become rather difficult for the students to perform in their next academic year.

Summer provides an ideal time for students of all ages and backgrounds to strengthen their academic skills while still having plenty of time left over for summer activities. At McMillan University, online diplomas are being offered this summer for graduate and undergraduate programs. These programs are specifically designed keeping in mind the time duration factor. The graduate program takes only 3 months or even less depending on the student’s grasp of the area and his pace. These programs include 71 different majors so there is a lot of variety of fields to choose from and they all come at an affordable price too.

Diploma programs at McMillan University are designed to leave you a lot of room for your fun activities during summer. Instructors are available online all the time so it’s very easy to reach them according to your desired time. This helps in providing a balanced schedule for your daily activities. Side by side McMillan’s staff also provides career counseling so that you can discover relevant areas of interest where you can apply for work.