February 2010

Online Education

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, Online Education

Presently, the choice of studying after school are not only limited to what field of study you want to enter, the following choices have to be considered:

•    Which tertiary institution do I want to do my studies through?
•    Can I afford and do I have the inclination to study full time?
•    Would I do better as a part time student?
•    Do I to the personal interaction with other students and lecturers on campus?
•    Do I want to study via snail mail?
•    Do I want to study online?

There are certain advantages built into online education, over and above the obvious environmental advantage in saving paper.  The first advantage that comes to mind, is the fact that the study material will be available to the student 24/7 electronically.  No classes will be missed due to tardiness, illness or lack of interest.  Therefore no excuses will be tolerated. The convenience factor makes it easier for students to meet their due dates for projects as they can plan their class and study time according to their own schedules.

Online education gives the student the flexibility to spend time with his friends, family and at work that full time studies might not have allowed him.  It brings the educator into his home, which makes him accessible at all times of the day and night.  For a shy student, e-mailing a instructor might be a lot easier than waiting after class to ask a question about the work.  He might also have a better social life through meeting people via discussion boards, chat rooms and mailing lists.

Exposure to online education promotes lifelong learning behaviour in people.  It will equip people with the necessary skills to know how and where to find answers using the internet effectively.  Through modelling behaviour they will teach their children to be independent in their learning and studies.  In essence it will connect more people to the global network.

On the flip side of the coin – the disadvantages of online education include that not all online courses are acknowledged in the marketplace.  It is therefore extremely important in your researcher to find an accredited tertiary institution.  Many course providers have been proven in the past to be fraudulent and costs many people lots of money, time and wasted effort.

The online industries also get criticism for not encouraging people to improve their oral communication.  Everyone seem to be very fluent behind a computer screen, but do not dare put him behind a microphone….  We tend to depersonalize our society to the point of silence.

Charity Weber reminds every one considering a online course that it will take a lot of self discipline to complete the course successfully.  She mentions that you need:
1.    Self-motivation.  You need that WANT TO to succeed.
2.    You have to write down your assignment, chats, discussion postings, readings due, etc. on a calendar.  She suggests that you break the big chunks up into manageable units.
3.    You have to organize your workspace so that there is no room for distraction.  Make sure your family and friends are informed of your study times.  Ask them to respect your dream.

In order to succeed, motivate and reward yourself on a regular basis.

Pros and Cons of Part and Full Time Studies

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, Tertiary Education

Whether you are just coming out of school or returning to studies after a break, you have to make the decision if you are going to undertake it as a full time or part time endeavor.  For most students coming from school, still set in the discipline of studying and being dependent on their parents it is an almost natural process to evolve into full time tertiary education.  For those students whose parents cannot afford it, or students who take a break after school to work or travel, or your more mature adults returning to studies the economic reality forces them to become part time students.  Very few companies will support an employee to study full time even if it is to the benefit of the company.

As with a lot of other things in life maturity does bring along many benefits when you are a student – a mature student will not fall around with courses and party until the wee hours of the night.  Mature students have identified the reason they want to study whether it is to obtain the elusive qualification, update their skills, changing the direction their career is currently taking them or furthering their interest.  Whatever the case might be, they are highly motivated to achieve this goal, and enjoy studying in contrast to the younger students who might interpret it as a task that has to be completed.

Some of the difficulties experienced by part time mature students are that they struggle to mix with the young ones – sometimes the age of their own children.  Because they are so highly motivated they tend to put too much pressure on themselves to achieve which can lead to burnout, when you combine it with their hectic family lives and full time occupations.  In contrast your full time students tend to be more interactive with the faculty members, their peers and the subject matter.

It is important that the mature students investigate the on-campus services available to them.  There might be childcare facilities that might lessen their load of traveling to further destination to drop off children in the mornings or afternoons.  Most campusses have financial services available to students in need, it can be beneficial to discuss financial matters with them.  Campusses nowadays have most shops and service providers on their doorstep – so it would be beneficial and time saving to do errands if off period rather than having a caffeine boost.  If you they have been out of the study loop for a while a short course in the latest technology used in the university setting might empower them and make them more effective students , as well as a library tour.  Talking to their lecturers as soon as they experience problems and joining a student mentoring program will help getting them comfortable with the study material.  It is of utmost importance to use time effectively and be organized.

Building a campus network involves attending at least some orientation activities, especially those ones involving their specific subject matter.  These activities will probably come naturally to the full time students and will be thoroughly pursued as social events by them.  This will be an opportunity to the part time students to meet other older students, who should be seeked out actively.  Most universities have certain services, for examples lounges, for mature students.  Mature students should attempt to form a support network and each find a “study buddy”.

Dealing with the family might be another story.  It is important for the part time student to communicate effectively to his family why these studies are so important to him and how it might benefit all of them in the future.  The family members should be allowed to voice all the concerns and talk them out.  The student should ask for respect for his at home study time – during this time the family are not allowed to bother him unless in the case of a real emergency.  It would be good if the study timetable could be available for everybody to see – for example on a door or the fridge,   then everyone knows when the student will be available and the feeling of disconnectedness are diminished.  There should be a  restructuring of tasks in the house in a effort  to show support to the student and also be able to spend more time with him..  The student must realize that at times he will have to say no, not to hurt anyone’s feelings, but to do what is right for him.

If you are a part time student, you have to take care of your self in the following manner:  You have to expect that there will be an adjustment phase.  Adjustment takes time and is uncomfortable.  It is very easy to give up during this phase.  You have to be patient with yourself – you have not studies for a while, therefore you might be rusty.  It will take time to get into the routine again.  Only foster realistic academic expectations for yourself.  If you never achieved an A at school do not expect an A+ now.  You will be stressed, that is normal, do not let stress make you question your commitment to your studies.  Most import reward yourself every step of the way.  You are braver than many employees out there and on the road to self actualization.

Full time students will probably be living on campus or have moved out of the house they shared with their parents in order to obtain more independence.  They will therefore have less family matters to dwell upon, but also a high adjustments curve in terms of fending for themselves and running their own household and motivate themselves to study.

In conclusion, the advantages of part time studies are that the employee maintains a salary and his employment rights, and he keeps in touch with the market place.  The biggest draw backs are the time it takes to complete your studies, the additional stress it adds to the individuals life and the fact that funding for part time studies are minimal.  The full time student will finish his studies hopefully faster, stand a bigger chance to obtain a bursary, but will have no job experience when entering the market for the first time.

Public Schools in the United States

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, Public Schools

In the USA children generally start their school career at the age of five or six, depending on when their birthday falls.  They start in Grade 1 and continue their schooling until they reach Grade 12.
The school system breaks the twelve years up into:

  • Preschool: Children younger than five attend preschool.  It introduces children to some necessary concepts and prepare them for formal schooling.
  • Elementary School (Grade School):  The elementary school usually consists out of  a pre-kindergarten section for the 4 – 5 year olds, the kindergarten for the 5-6 year olds and then progresses from grade 1 to grade 5 for six to 11 year olds.
  • Middle School: Middle school caters for the 11 to 14 year olds, from grade 6 to grade 8.
  • High School: In high school you will find your freshmans in 9th grade, your sophomores in grade 10, the juniors in grade 11 and the seniors in grade 12.  Children spend time in high school from the age of 14 to 18.

Schooling is compulsary in the United States and the classes consist of 20 -30 pupils per class.  Public schooling is free and about 85% of children attend public schools.  The remaining 15% of the children are enrolled in private schools.  Individual school districts determine the curriculum for their schools but the government instituted the policy of “No Child Left Behind” in all public schools for the whole of the USA.

In addition to general public schools there are also magnet schools and charter schools, which  fall somewhere in between public and private school.

Magnet schools: Magnet schools were introduced to compensate for the differences in the school quality based on the area in which a child resides.  They provide space for students who do not live in a certain area, but these schools have to serve all residents in their area as well.  Admission to magnet schools is based on applications and therefore can be very competitive.

Charter schools: Although charter schools are publicly funded, they are allowed to alter some rules and regulations that are specified for public schools. These rules and regulations do not apply to religion, because public schools in the USA promote non-religious affiliated schooling.  At the end of the day their existence hinges on the accountability for producing certain results. In these schools parents and teachers can tailor the curriculum to produce academic excellence.  Admission to charter schools are based on random selection.  If more children apply to a charter school than can be accommodated, selection will take place on a lottery basis.  Charter schools are however allowed to set minimum qualifications for admission.


Advantages of Private Schools

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, Private Schools

Many parents are faced with making a choice between placing your child in a private school or a public school.  The debate is ongoing, but from my point of view there are certain advantages of placing your child in a private school.

* The first advantage is the lower student – teacher ratio.  There are less students that require the teacher’s attention, therefore your child is ensured of individual time with the teacher.
* Unlike public schools, private schools have the right to expel students who do not adhere to regulations or are under-achieving.  This creates a school with higher standards and a better reputation.

* In private schooling, parents have a say in the running of the school.  They are seen as partners in the educational process.  Usually parents, because of the financial input they give, become more involved in their children’s education.

* As a result of the higher tuition paid by parents, the schools are able to buy better equipment and can maintain the grounds more effectively.  Latest technologies are affordable and give learners an academic advantage.

* Personal attention to the learner’s progress means that accelerated learning can be achieved.

* Private schools usually expect their students to wear uniforms, which gives children the opportunity to have a sense of group coherence and belonging.

* Private schools tend to attract better or more qualified teachers, because they can afford higher salaries.

* The social advantages of private schools include the possibility of students to form deeper personal relationships with their peers and teachers due to the smaller class size.

* It has been shown that there are less violence and drug abuse in private schools, because it can be recognized and dealt with at the onset.

* Private schools have fewer disciplinary issues and a lower drop-out rate.

* A higher percentage of private school students graduate to go on to tertiary institutions than children from public schools.

* Communication seems to be better in private schools between the parents and the faculty members, between teachers and students and between peers.

* Students get the opportunity due to smaller class sizes to speak up easier in class.  This in turns build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Mentioning these advantages does not mean that I think all public schools are bad.  You will find that schools in smaller towns and more rural areas sometimes are on par with private schools as a result of a lower population density. Many parents cannot afford the tuition of private schools and therefore are forced into public education for their children – parents who are uncomfortable with that option should consider the possibility of magnet and charter schools in their area.

Helping Your Child Decide on the Right School Subjects

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, High School

Around grade 9, 10 and 11 children are confronted with choices regarding subject which might affect their future career path positively or negatively.  It is our role as parents to guide our children as best as possible through this maze, taking into consideration all the different factors affecting the decision making process.

Yes, it is a daunting process which should not be undertaken in isolation.  Luckily there are qualified people around to provide assistance in the decision making process.  First, of course, is your child who has to commit to the subject choice and possible career field – he is the expert on his own motivation, likes, dislikes, ambition, ability and eagerness.  Secondly, you as parent, probably know your child very well and see him objectively in a type of career and know what his interests are (except for girls and cars…)  The school should have a guidance counsellor on staff who would be able to inform you of the different subject requirements for tertiary courses and careers.  He should also be able to point out general trends in the market place – showing where the market will be saturated and where there will be a shortage of manpower.

The guidance counsellor will have a record of previously done interest questionaires and intelligence questionaires completed by your child.  This will be reviewed with you to marry your child’s interests with his abilities.

Other people who might be consulted in this process are:  subject teachers at the school, some parents in certain positions, knowledgable friends, lecturers at the local university in a particular field of interest, placement organizations, training providers, role models or successful people in the field of interest.

When the decision is being made it is important to keep in mind the child’s academic or practical strengths – seeing that this would normally be where his interest would also be centered.  The subjects chosen should not just be the easiest subjects, but rather those that pose a challenge to the child.  It is important the chosen subject would be a building block in his future career path.  This subject should be enjoyable for the student to study and not bore him to tears or cause excessive procrastination.  The combination of the subjects selected should still be manageable to master at exam time.  Lastly it is very important that the choice at the end of the day can be owned by the child and not be seen as forced down by the parents or teachers.  A sense of ownership leads to a sense of responsibility.

There are three groups of subjects:

  • Compulsory :  These subjects cover essential information, knowledge and skills that we all require.  They do differ from country to country, but mostly include:  English, Maths and Science.
  • Other subjects you have to study, but no exams are set on the information :  For example:  Career education, Citizenship, Information and Communication Technology, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Sex and Relationship Education, Work-related Learning.  In a manner of speaking, these subjects are therefore also compulsory.
  • Optional : These are the subjects students make their choices between.  They vary from school to school, but have to include at least 4 of the following: (Their names may differ)  Arts,  Engineering, Health and Social Care,  Leisure and Tourism, Skills for Working Life and Life Skills, Manufacturing, Social Sciences.

As mentioned before,  this can be a very daunting task for parent and child.  Help build your child’s self-confidence by working together to find the right subjects that will be challenging, but also within his range of abilities in order to provide a sense of achievement.

Family Holidays

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Published February 8th 2010, in Holidays

I have always struggled to find the right accommodation that is up to my meticulous standards. It has become even harder after we added two little ones to our household! Usually hotels, B&B’s, apartments are either designed for the parents or are overly kid friendly – in other words not adult inviting…

I did find this website that provides a wide range of family friendly destinations all over South Africa. I do think this is worthwhile to bookmark. Have a look and let me know what you think! This early in the year just before Valentine’s day – a nice weekend breakaway might just soothe the shattered nerves!

SafariNow

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