Inspired2Learn | Learning Sign Language

The number of people studying online – whether it’s for an individual course, a career upgrade, or an entire degree – continues to grow as technology allows for better distance learning techniques. The great thing about online learning is the flexibility: depending on the type of course you take, most e-learners will have the opportunity to personalize their program and work at the speed that suits them best. Further, after the initial output for equipment, online learning tends to be much less expensive than traditional campus based schooling.

Online learning is great for those who prefer to study independently, or who are working full time or caring for children and don’t have the time or opportunity to attend a campus school. However, the other side of this coin is that e-learners often feel isolated from their school and fellow students. Angela MacArthur, editor of onlinelearning101.com, explains, “It can be incredibly difficult to work through an entire degree without the support of an academic community that understands the process and the obstacles. Students can be left feeling unsupported and unconnected – despite their constant online access to school facilities.”

However, there are many ways that online learners can avoid that lonely feeling:

• Look for courses that involve group learning. If you have to maintain contact with fellow students in order to complete assignments, you’re more likely to make the effort to do so frequently. Make sure you get the phone numbers of some of your classmates so that you’re not left relying on email or instant messaging to speak to someone. When it comes to connecting, you’d be surprised how important it is to hear an actual voice once in a while.

• Take advantage of the diversity offered in an online environment. Find out where your fellow classmates are from. You might find some friends with a drastically different point of view if you take the time to get to know some of the other students. One of the great things about online learning is its accessibility – you might find people from different countries, who speak different languages, or simply live a different type of lifestyle.

• If possible, connect with your instructor. Most online instructors are trained specifically in online learning techniques and will be able to help you not only succeed in your course, but in the online environment in general. As well, the more people you’re directly in contact with the less you’ll feel separated from the school experience.

• Join an online learners’ community or forum. You’re not limited to fellow classmates, or even students involved in a similar course of study. Whether you’re working towards a degree, taking an interest course, or upgrading your career skills, you’ll be experiencing situations similar to others who are taking the time to learn online. Members of a forum may not be able to help you with homework questions, but they can certainly empathize with what you’re going through.

• Get out! You’re incredibly busy right now, with studying, work, family and all the everyday things that crop up. Make sure that you don’t end up scheduling yourself to oblivion, and leave yourself some time to get out and socialize. Meet with some friends, join a gym, even go for a walk at your local dog park and chat with the regulars. Just make sure that you’re not spending every waking moment staring at a computer.

Angela MacArthur is a an experienced online learner and instructor as well as the editor of

onlinelearning101.com

Angela Macarthur
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/social-aspects-of-online-learning-89856.html

And what instrument?

For me, I started playing guitar when I heard and wanted to learn "Heaven Beside You" by Alice in Chains, about 7 years ago

There was so single band or artist that inspired me to start playing the guitar. Joe Satriani, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, and Tony Iommi were my main influences when I picked up my first guitar.

I began taking voice lessons when I first really listening to Led Zeppelin. More than any other vocalist, I think Robert Plant uses his voice as an instrument and as a compliment to the music his band plays. I wanted to train my voice to compliment my abilities as a guitarist, but I wanted to still sound feminine and not resort to screaming. To that end, I was further influenced by Tarja Turunen, Nina Gordon, Christine McVie, and Ann and Nancy Wilson.

I began playing bass guitar more as an extension of playing guitar than anything else. There is a list of bass guitarists that have influenced and inspired me, but I’ll mention Chris Squire, Roger Waters, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, Jaco Pastorius, and John Myung as my favorites.

I can play two songs on the drums, but I’m not a drummer. They’re easy, and that’s why I learned them.

Teaching online is becoming increasingly common. There are many benefits to learning online. However, it needs to be remembered that online education is not a ’silver bullet’ or panacea. It is just as easy to develop inflexible and inappropriate instruction online as it is with other methods. Nevertheless, there are good reasons that both students and teachers are making greater use of the Web for educational purposes.

Perhaps the greatest benefit is that of convenience. The online classroom is always open. It can be reached from anywhere with an internet connection. Greater access is useful for students living in rural areas, students with disabilities and those who cannot attend campus because of other commitments such as work or child-rearing. It can also reduce costs if there is less need to travel. Of course, providing material online can also result in reduced access where students have limited access to the internet.

Online learning is typically self-paced. This can suit students who are shy; those who are not native speakers or slower learners who need to take extra time to develop answers. The student can review material as many times as they want and references such as dictionaries can be consulted.

Online teaching tends to be more student-centered where the role of the teacher becomes that of a facilitator. It is often said that the teacher changes from being a ’sage on the stage’ to a ‘guide on the side’. Students are able to access a huge range of resources on the internet. These resources are not necessarily just text-based. The types of resources available include text, audio, video, graphics and animations. However, as there are no gatekeepers on the web and anyone can publish just about anything, students need to be taught how to evaluate and discriminate among these resources.

Being able to critically evaluate the wealth of material available on the web is just one skill that online learners develop. Students also get experience with technologies and methods that are used in many careers. For example, online courses often make use of computer-conferencing which is widely used in many industries. Hopefully, the skills that students attain can also help them become life-long learners.

Technology has the ability to enhance learning and teaching. However, if used inappropriately it can also interfere with learning. It is important to choose online methods in education for pedagogical reasons rather than let it be dictated by the availability of the latest technologies.

Ian Williamson
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/online-learning-what-are-the-benefits–53332.html

Technorati Tags: home learning, home schooling

Kids are learning well in school but they learn things for passing the tests not for the love of learning. I hope they develop skills like independent thinking, how to use the knowledge they acquired and enjoy learning not for anybody else. How do help my kids?

Downplay the importance of tests/quizzes/grades by asking your kids what they learned/are learning each day rather than how they did on a test or what grade they were given. This will help your kids to understand what is really important and they will begin to focus more on what they are learning and less on grades.
Let your kids read books/mags that interest them and avoid pushing any particular books/authors on them. Kids will read what interests them out of curiosity, and they will learn as their interests branch out over time.
Spend family time exploring issues of interest to you and your kids. Allow them opportunities to discover and develop new interests. When they make mistakes, avoid the temptation to rush in and solve the problem for them. This will help them to develop independent thinking skills while reinforcing the positive message that mistakes are a pathway to knowledge.
At parent/teacher conferences, focus the discussion on specifically what the teacher is teaching students. What are the students learning in history, how are they learning it?
Thanks for asking such a terrific question!