Requirements

Preparing for College

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Attending college is a wonderful and very exciting time in the life of a student. It can be a little frightening, especially for those who will be moving far from home, possibly for the first time, and living in a dorm or apartment without family members. However, with plenty of preparation and the right checklist, the transition to college life can be fun and simple.

When choosing a college, students have a few things to consider. Location is a big part for many, since moving across states can be unnerving. Paying out of state tuition can be frustrating as well. It is also important to consider other factors, such as what majors are offered, how many students will be in each class, and what types of activities and lifestyle choices are promoted. Religious students might feel more comfortable at a private school where their beliefs and values are shared, while those looking for a more liberal experience will probably want to choose differently. Someone who has worked very hard and studied diligently may be more inclined to select a more academically prestigious university.

Once a college has been selected, students can meet with academic advisors or deans to begin their university experience. Some offer guided tours, while others can provide a detailed welcome packet with information about activities, the campus, and more. When packing, it’s good to consult a list of college necessities to make sure nothing is left out. Parents and children can work together to shop and hunt for these items, and enjoy spending a little extra time together before the child heads off to next phase in life as a college co-ed.

Filed Under: Education, Requirements Tagged With: Colleges and Universities, Education, Student

Grading Our Schools: America’s Standardized Tests Aren’t Performing

Children growing up in America today are familiar with SATs, or standardized tests that measure student performance on basic educational standards. These standardized tests are not only used to measure student performance, but also measure school performance. Depending on student performance, the school will be evaluated for funding, additional tutoring, an enhanced curriculum, or the possibility of new or more teachers. Those multiple choice questions on SATs can really help or hurt a school. Are standardized tests really the best way to measure school performance?

In early America, standardize tests consisted of written essays and oral exams. It wasn’t until the early 1900s when multiple-choice standardized tests were introduced. Multiple-choice questions helped to streamline the process of test evaluation. It wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s when standardized testing became widespread, encouraged by the government as a way to measure student and school performance across the board, and in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act made this a federal requirement. Essay testing has only been a part of standardized testing in the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. These programs cultivate and test students who perform at a higher level than federal standards.

Although the No Child Left Behind Act encouraged standardized testing as a measure of school performance, the Race to the Top act passed by Congress during President Obama’s term encourages state and school initiative in educational reform and performance. The Race to the Top act seems to be a positive step towards encouraging initiative and creative thinking on the part of teachers and educators, rather than an SAT board.

While standardized testing can help evaluate school and student performance, testing like this seems cursory and too generalized to be effective and to encourage the creativity, applied thinking, and initiative needed to teach students. It is vital that federal programs encourage schools to go above and beyond standardized testing.

Filed Under: Requirements, School Board Tagged With: No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, Standardized test

College Textbooks, An Unfortunate Neccessity

Along with the rising costs of tuition, college students need to worry about the high cost of textbooks, which cost them hundres of dollars each year. The costs may seem excessive, but unfortunately, books are required by most professors.
Though it may seem that the bookstore is the one making all the money, in reality, most of the money goes to the publisher, who makes around 65% . This leaves the author receiving about 12% and the bookstore with 4%.
Professors choose which books for their classes, and are fully aware of the burden expensive textbooks place on their students. Most of them will try and pick textbooks that are the most cost effective.
The pricing is based on several factors. Books for popular subjects are generally less expensive. Required texts for specialized fields, will cost more. Textbooks that require a lot of research are going to cost more as well. Adding to the price tag, are quizzes, photos, charts, and graphs.
Knowing ahead of time, which books you are going to need, can save a lot of money. Ordering textbooks online, will save money. If you don’t have time to shop around for a good price, the next best thing is to get to the bookstore early and buy your textbooks used. Buying used will save you a fair amount of money and they are usually in very good shape.
When the term is over, you can return your books to the bookstore. You won’t get anywhere near what you paid for them, but you’ll get a little something. You may do better by selling you books to other students. Doing this will benefit both you and the person you sell them to. If you bought your books online, you can resell them online as well. You can’t avoid buying books, but with a little effort, you can save money.

Filed Under: Education, Requirements Tagged With: Book, Textbook

Save Time and Money With An Online Education

If you don’t have the time or resources to attend a university and earn a bachelor’s degree, but still would like to have some type of education for job advancement, an associate’s degree may be a good option. Earning a two-year degree online, will solve the time problem as well as the financial barriers of a four-year degree program.
Earning a degree online is just as valid as earning one at a community college. Often the college you could have attended in your home town, will offer an online alternative. Online education allows you to study at your own pace and you can fit it into your schedule while continuing to work. Once you’ve earned your associate’s degree you can always decide to go on to complete your bachelor’s degree. Depending on your field, you may also decide to pursue an occupational degree which will teach you specific vocational skills that you can apply to your current job or use to move on to a new career.
Your particular needs will determine the type of associate’s degree you pursue; vocational, business related, or something you can use as a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree. You will have to determine whether it will help you in your career or be applicable to your work situation.
Though often less expensive then traditional learning, online education is still costly and the institution should be fully researched. You want to make sure that the school is accredited by a legitimate and trustworthy agency. There are many institutions that will mislead prospective students into believing they are fully accredited, but in fact are not. Accreditation is important to insure the classes you pay your hard earned money on, are accepted and recognize by legitimate institutions. This becomes even more important if you decide to go on to a four year program.
Taking the time to research the school and plan for the proper plan of action, will save you time and money and insure you get the most of a continuing education.

Filed Under: Education, Requirements Tagged With: E-learning, Education

Testing as a Learning Tool

The research journal Science recently reported the results of a study on how students learn and remember information. According to their study, taking a test is not just an assessment of how much information is retained, but also a learning tool. Students were asked to read a short passage and then were tested on the material. A week later, these students retained 50% more of the information than students who had studied material using other methods. One method used by students was repeated studying of the material before the test. The other method involved the students creating diagrams to document what they learned. Both of these methods are widely used in our educational system to prepare students for testing. The researches believe these methods make students feel as though they know the material better than they do.
When asked how much of the material they would remember a week later, those who were given the test, predicted they would not do well. However, they did better than the students who used the other methods.
200 college students were asked to read several paragraphs. They were then split into four groups. One group read for five minutes. The second studied the information in four, five minute sessions. The third group of students used diagrams to arrange and organize the information. The last group read the passage then wrote an essay covering what they remember. They then reread the material and took another test. A week later, all the students were tested to determine how much of the information they recalled.
The second experiment involved just the diagramming and testing right after reading the material. In both experiments, the students who were required to retrieve the information right away with testing, retained more of it the following week.
The researchers believe that in the process of retrieving the information right after reading it, it is stored in a way that makes it more accessible for future recall.

Filed Under: Requirements Tagged With: Learning Tool

Make Your Own Postcards

: Image via Wikipedia

Creating your own postcards is just one fun little project that can be done with or without kids. It is similar to scrapbooking, yet is as simple as taking a picture and making a bunch of copies. When you are looking to get your creative juices flowing or looking for something to do with the kids, gather the supplies and make your own postcards.

The materials needed to make your own postcards include construction paper, glue, scissors, card stock, photographs, and magnets. Get creative with the materials you use to create your unique postcards.

First, you want to get a large sheet of construction paper and lay it flat on the workspace. This will be the background of your postcard. We used a 12×18 inch piece of paper. Then, start arranging items on the construction paper. Do not glue them down, simply place pictures, trinkets, magnets, and any other materials that you feel appropriate, on the paper. Cut out letters and numbers to use, or pictures from books. The final result should resemble a scrapbook page.

Next, take a few digital pictures of the collage, making sure to fill the entire frame with the image of your collage. The best pictures will be those taken in natural, indirect light. Either print the best picture out at home or take the memory stick to a photo shop and have them print it out.

Finally, take the picture to a copy shop. Ask them to print two 4 ½ by 6 ½ inch copies of the picture, one above the other, on an 8 ½ by 11 inch card stock. Request as many to be printed as you need. The copy shop can then cut the cards out from the stock paper.

You now have custom postcards! Simply turn the card over and write a message, add the address and a stamp, and send it off.

Filed Under: Education, General, Requirements Tagged With: Card stock, Paper, Postcard, Recreation

Adapting Testing Requirements For Learning Disabled Students

: Image via Wikipedia

Although standardized testing requirements can cause uncertainty in the hearts of even the most dedicated of students, this reality is heightened for students who are afflicted with learning disabilities. Although such students can apply for special accommodations such as extra time, or the ability to take the test in a quiet, private area, many students who truly do need extra time are meeting resistance when submitting their requests. However, this is not usually on behalf of a local school board or administrators, but rather more often, the national testing companies who are responsible for creating tests such as the SAT college entrance exam.

However, the Americans With Disabilities Act, or the ADA is working hard to expand the definition of what constitutes a person with a disability, and they caution that the fact that a learning-disabled person has proven over time that they have been able to consistently achieve high testing scores should not negate their ability to request accommodation as it is warranted.

When making an accommodation request, students must demonstrate that their particular disability interferes with their daily living, as well as hampers their ability to perform at the level of their peers during an exam unless accommodations are granted. Such accommodation requests vary and may range from extra time to complete an exam, or breaks during the exam period. Students must also show that they have had to rely on similar accommodations throughout their entire educational experience. The assumption is that if a student has not had to rely upon such accommodations previously, testing requirements should not be suddenly altered for the student’s benefit.

Most students who need to request special accommodations for a test should find that that their request is granted as long as it is deemed reasonable. However, it is in the best interest of the student to begin planning in advance so that that adequate time remains for their request to be evaluated.

Filed Under: Requirements Tagged With: Education, Requirements

Testing in Life

Did you know that the tests you take in school offer very little indication of where you are going in your life as a whole? Just because you happen to have talents in one area or another means little to nothing in the grand scheme of your eventual career and personal life. The tests you take as a kid are just that- testing how well you do in your childhood. While they make great bragging rights for your parents, the shelf life of a test you took in second grade goes until about third grade. If you’ve graduated from high school, it’s time to put away childish things and ante up in life.

Sites like EducationforAdults.com are great because you get the opportunity to test how well you’re able to do now that you have control over just about everything in your life. You can control what you work on, where you live, where you can commute to, and how much you’re willing to invest in your educational pursuits. How much is a new life worth to you? How much are you willing to do, in order to get out of where you are and finally get to where you’re going? How far do you want to take things in your life new?

You can have a new career, and test yourself on the aptitudes that matter in adulthood. These are the aptitudes of personal desire, drive, and how much you are willing to work in order to accomplish your goals. Nobody else can build these aptitudes for you. Your parents most likely aren’t around to help you with this and having good genes or cramming most likely won’t do you any good. So are you going to push beyond where you’ve been so far and see how many of life’s tests you can pass? Or are you going to settle for more of the same?

Filed Under: Administration, Requirements, School Board Tagged With: Second grade, Shelf life, Tests