Month: August 2020

Why Students Should Choose a Christian Based Education When It Comes to Selecting a College?

When choosing a college many students lean towards an education that provides them with a strong spiritual foundation as well as an academic one. The importance of faith based learning has become more of a priority than before. Students are looking to expand their horizons, enhance their professional lives and strengthen their Christian beliefs. Students who want an emphasis on Christian beliefs are turning towards Christian based colleges when selecting a school for higher learning.

A college education is more than an individual choosing a major, earning a degree and preparing them for a professional career. It’s also about instilling values, morals and creating a confident, well rounded and mature adult to become a prominent member of society.

When it comes to choosing a college numerous parents and students look into schools with accreditation, high academic standards and more common than not, Christian based education. Christian colleges provide students with a learning environment very similar to non-Christian colleges along with the emphasis on Christian principles to assist in making each student functional Disciples of Christ. The purpose of a Christian education is to not only educate individuals in fields necessary for their professional lives, but to integrate the importance of their relationship with God.

Students who choose Christian colleges continue to strengthen their spiritual maturity as well as earn their desired degree. But it isn’t all about religion either. Many of these Christian based universities and colleges are accredited and offer honors programs, study abroad programs and leadership programs. Alongside their impressive range of academic opportunities, undergraduate and master programs, they also provide online programs for students who are unable to attend a normal class schedule, such as working professionals.

This flexibility of enhancing one’s adult education online allows for working students to further their education without leaving their current employment. Although financial aid is available for those who qualify the option of learning online assists with various schedules. Earning an online degree is very similar to the in-class environment. The same level of education, learning materials and faculty support are available to students earning an online degree, but on a more personalized schedule.

When choosing a college consider Christian colleges as they offer a wide variety of benefits to students, from their wide range of academic opportunities to their emphasis teaching Christianity. Take your faith and education to a higher level when choosing a college. Christian colleges provide individuals with a strong foundation in spirituality along with an exceptional education from an accredited school.

How to Be a Successful Adult Student – Overview of Five Attitudes

Being a successful adult student is significantly different from being a successful high school student, and it does no’t matter if you go directly from high school into college or if you are returning to school after some years of working. There are skills necessary for adult education, skills which, while helpful in high school, do not really become critical until you are continuing your education as an adult.

The difference between secondary education and adult education can be partially explained by the need to balance your schooling with other demands upon your time, your energy, and your time. Even if you worked in high school, such work was in addition to your schooling, but if you are attending school as an adult you need to balance work, and other forces, with your schooling.

The other major difference between secondary education and adult education is the difference in expectations, both by yourself and by your instructors. In high school, your teachers were willing to accept excuses; you were, in their eyes, a person developing your personality and skills. However, in adult education, you are assumed to have developed your life skills, your studying skills, and your classroom skills. While the instructor is willing to help you improve, you are assumed to be responsible for your capabilities.

One of the areas in which you need to have a developed capability is in your attitudes. The adolescent attitudes of high school are no longer acceptable, and your instructors are going to assume that you have the attitudes and principles necessary to learn as an adult. So the question naturally arises, what are those attitudes necessary for adult education? Let us explore them.

Having Goals

In grade school, it is acceptable if you have not really set your goals. After all, you are still growing, at least mentally, well beyond your teen-age years. However, by starting your education at an adult level, you need to have the ability to set goals. The instructor will not give your goals to you, although they would be glad to help you do it yourself. Without a clearly defined set of goals, the chances of you getting a post-secondary degree drop dramatically (approximately to 1 in 5, based on my personal observation). The reason for this is that without the goals to drive you the outside considerations of life become overwhelming.

Perseverance

As an adult learner, you will encounter subjects and classes which will be difficult, even if you could cruise through high school. These classes will eventually stretch you to your limits, for no matter how much you know, there is someone who knows more, and that someone is often teaching a class. Also, as has been said, life will continue to put challenges in your way. Thus, both in school and out you will be faced with reasons to quit your classes and quit your schooling. You must find the means to persevere, to continue on. This perseverance is often a combination of the drive provided by your goals and your belief in yourself.

Self-Belief

Adult education requires you to believe in yourself. No longer is the driving force external; the reason you go to school beyond high school must include the belief that you can do the work. This belief must be extended to include the belief that you will do the work. Maybe you do not see how to get it all done right away, but you must have the belief that you will find a way. Without this belief, you will become overwhelmed, and will very likely quit your schooling.

Be Open Minded

I very carefully did not use the word tolerant, although tolerance can be a valuable attitude. However, you must be open minded to the process of education. This means you must accept two premises which many people find hard: first, you must accept that your instructor knows more than you do, and second, you must accept the fact that you will (occasionally) be wrong. The first premise means that you need to listen to your instructor in the class; it does not mean that the instructor is better than you, only that they know more about the subject of the class than you do. The second premise is necessary for you to learn new things; as the saying goes, before you can be great you must be good, and before you can be good you must be terrible. Accept this premise, and learn from your mistakes.

Conquer Procrastination

The final absolutely required attitude for adult education is the overcoming of procrastination. The work of adult education cannot be done overnight, which is likely how you got through high school. The adult class will meet once or twice a week, and the assignments are designed to fill in that gap. This means that it is likely the assignments will take more than one study session to complete. The result of this premise is a need for planning and prioritizing, which are discussed elsewhere. Do not make the mistake of putting off the work of the class, for it is likely that you will not complete the assignment if you do so. The typical rule is that there will 1 hour of work outside of the class for every credit the class is worth every week; for example, a 3 credit class will typically need 3 hours of work outside of class every week. Do not be surprised if it takes more.

Other attitudes

The attitudes discussed here are not the only attitudes which will help you succeed as an adult student, but most of the students I have seen who have not completed their program of study have done so because they were missing one or more of these attitudes. Each of these attitudes is worthy of further exploration, and they are linked to other attitudes that will improve your chance of success. Each of them can be developed, if you choose to do so. Developing these attitudes is well worth the effort, and even if you feel you have the proper attitudes, recognize you can always improve. That is the best benefit of being human. I hope you choose to do so, and I look forward to your success as a continuing adult student.

Build Relationships With Your Students That Matter

Developing effective working relationships with adult learners is important for an instructor in any classroom environment. The adult learning process is an active, developmental effort that is dependent upon the student and the instructor being able to work together in a productive manner, for the purpose creating a learning environment that encourages the adult’s performance, engagement, and motivation in the class.

A productive working relationship helps the instructor convey expectations and feedback, facilitates effective communication, and allows adults to express their expectations, questions, concerns, and developmental needs. A transformative process occurs when adults believe that they have an active role in the learning process. These positive interactions are also likely to help adults feel connected to the class, which in turn can build a sense of community.

The relationships developed within an online environment carry a greater significance because the instructor and learner never meet. Without a physical presence online instructors must find alternate ways of developing their working relationships with adult learners. This challenge can also exist for an instructor in a traditional classroom, if adults only have an opportunity to interact with their instructor during the scheduled class time.

Instructors have an ability to develop a personal connection with the learners by addressing questions about the assignments, offering feedback about their performance, recognizing the learner’s contributions, challenging learners to do more, discussing resources that are available to meet their developmental needs, and offering strategies for completing their goals.

A strong working relationship with adult learners provides an opportunity for meaningful feedback to occur. Learners are provided feedback from their instructor and the level of feedback can vary from a letter grade to the number of points earned, or the inclusion of developmental comments. Depending upon the level of involvement of the instructor, feedback has a potential to become mechanical in nature and learners are likely to disregard that feedback. When an instructor has established supportive communication the adult learner is more likely to be receptive to the feedback provided.

When adult learners have developed a strong working relationship with their instructor they are more likely to be engaged in the class, express their ideas, be open to receiving new information, consider feedback provided, and evaluate their existing knowledge and experiences. Through these positive relationships, discussions, and interactions with the instructor and others in the class, adult learners are likely to find an environment that is conducive to learning.

A Variety Of Certificate Programs For In-Depth Studies

The University of Maryland has a handful of certificate programs that allow individuals to specialize within a certain subject area. This is a great way to add on to your current degree or to use to help advance your present career. The university has a total of 10 different programs that students can choose from.

One type of certificate program offered to students is in African American Studies. It is a 21-credit hour program that allows students to achieve a specialization in African American issues. Students may choose to follow a concentration in either cultural and social analysis or public policy. This is a great way to enhance many different undergraduate degree areas and can help individuals further develop their scope of their educational journey.

There is also a certificate program in International Agricultural and Natural Resources. Within this program, students are required to relate their disciplinary knowledge along with their technical skills to the global agriculture and natural resources issues. It is also necessary for you to become familiar with a foreign language because you will be studying abroad as a part of your coursework. Students in the program are able to gain the tools necessary to understand the inner workings of the international level of agricultural development and production.

A certificate in Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender Studies is also available. This is a great path if you are interested in pursuing a graduate program in an interdisciplinary field such as Gender Studies. Many individuals who want to begin a career in the non-profit arena also find this certificate program helpful in their pursuits. Within the program, students become familiar with the major concepts and vocabulary associated with the subject area.

Students are also able to take a program in Secondary Education. This is a great starting point for interested individuals who are not ready to make a commitment to a major degree program in the subject area. It can also be used as a supplemental program for those individuals who have already completed their Bachelor’s degree in secondary education. This program consists of four classes that are chosen from a pool of nine courses.

There is also a program in East Asian Studies. This is a 24-credit hour program designed to give students a thorough background in the culture and history as well as contemporary issues that face the countries of Japan, Korea, and China. Within the course of the program, you will partake in classes about language instruction, civilization, and other elective classes.

Students can also choose to enroll in the certificate program in Latin American Studies. This program allows students to earn an interdisciplinary certificate, and will give you knowledge in the international studies of Latin America as well as the Caribbean. You need to be able to demonstrate a competence in Spanish or Portuguese as a part of this program. There are a total of 21 credits that have to be met in order to receive your certificate.