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David R. Wetzel's BlogPosted by David R. Wetzel When you are researching colleges, focus on the following key factors which indicate the college is friendly to adults:
Visit Planning for Continuing Education to find additional information regarding factors to investigate when searching for adult friendly colleges. Posted by David R. Wetzel Are you a life long learner? Life long learners are those people who enjoy learning about new things or increasing their knowledge about something they are already know. I know that I am a life long learner, because I have always enjoyed the challenge of learning something new. I also enjoy learning more about something that I already know. For example, for the last couple of days I have been working on a new self-hosted blog. I am switching from a free blog on Wordpress to a blog which I have designed to meet my needs. This experience has created a need to learn for HTML and how to install blog plugins. This is the reason life long learners like me learn new things, we reach a certain level of knowledge and then need to extend our cognitive realm. For those who you who are not into breaking new ground in the technology world, there are plenty of other opportunities. Almost every community today has some kind of community education program. Some are extensive, while others are basic. Regardless, taking the opportunity to learn something new is a life long learners dream. You can find out what type of community education courses your local community center or government is offering by contacting them, watching for brochures that come in the mail, or visiting their website. A sampling of typical types of classes include:
Community education classes are typically inexpensive and do not offer any credit. For more information visit Community Education for Life Long Learners Posted by David R. Wetzel I have found online continuing education to be the greatest single advantage for adults who want to improve their chances of advancement or preparing to change careers. Adults now have the ability to complete continuing education programs online, which levels the playing field them today. This is due to the convenience and access from anywhere with an Internet connection. Most people, including myself, lead a hectic and unforgiving work schedule. We also have family commitments, making it difficult to attend traditional classroom settings to continue our education. This places a barrier to achieving our personal growth. However, online learning breaks down this barrier and opens the door for all of us to particpate in continuing education programs to help us achieve our personal goals. You can say, online learning has provided equal opportunities for all of us. As a result of this leveling of the playing field, employers are beginning to respect those of us who take the time to complete online learning programs. They are now viewing this a reputable venue, because of the tenacity and work ethic necessary to improve our situations. Those of us who complete online learning programs are now being perceived as self-starters, go-getters, type-As, etc. Someone who wants to advance and if not in this company, some other company. With the online learning programs available today, you need to ensure you are current in your career field and even more advanced than your co-workers if you want to move upward. Visit Online Learning Strategies for Adults and Distance Education Financial Aid Opportunities to learn more about how you can take advantage of continuing education online. Posted by David R. Wetzel Internet use by seniors has increased from 15% in 2000 to 32% in 2007. Use of the Internet by seniors is expected to double to 64% by 2010, as baby boomers who are more technologically proficient move into the seniors category - 60 and older (Research Overview: The Aging US Market, Praxi Group, 2004). Online education is more common for baby boomers and seniors. In 2000, 5% of baby boomers had enrolled in a distance education/learning course. In 2005, the number jumped to 20% of enrollees in distance education/learning courses (The Internet and Education: Findings of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Washignton, 2006). The Sloan Foundation (2007) found that 67% of all colleges and universities offer distance education/learning courses. This presents many online education opportunities for baby boomers who want to learn something new or change careers. Although many of today's seniors are less inclined to enroll in distance education/learning courses, baby boomers are different. They seek the opportunity to enroll in distance learning courses. Baby boomer groups are are working with colleges and universities to determine in the best methods for presenting online information for these adults. Changes being recommended include:
Baby boomers use the Internet and are characterized by optimism, personal gradification, team orientation, health and wellness, personal growth, work , and involvement. Baby boomers just don't use technology, they transformed it into what is today (Dychtwald, Age Power: How the 21st Century will be ruled by the new old., 1999) Distance education/learning will also be tranformed by baby boomers. For baby boomers who have taken advantage of distance education/learning courses visit Advantages of Distance Education for Adults to find out why you should consider online education. Posted by David R. Wetzel As baby boomers begin to enter their retirement years, most are not ready to give up work and sit on a porch somewhere rocking in a chair and watching the world pass by them. Baby boomers are flooding community colleges for earning new credentials and training to prepare for a new career. There are approximately 1,200 community colleges in this country and they are being placed in an unexpected position. Baby boomers do not want to take painting or gardening classes, as in years past. They want courses which help them begin a new career in nursing, computers, social issues, community issues, global issues, and more. A recent survey conducted by AARP of 30,000 respondents age 42 and older found that 26 percent had changed careers in the past year. These same people stated they had completed courses in a community college to earn a degree or certificate for the new career. Community colleges across the country are retooling their programs to meet the demands of baby boomers for continuing education. One demand they are having to cope with is that baby boomers want courses and programs offered to meet their schedules and not the colleges' schedule. Baby boomers want courses online, taught in the community center, offered in their community church, and other places. Community colleges need to adapt and they are working on solutions. Additonal information can be found by visiting College for Baby Boomers Going Back to School and Changing Careers and Transferable Job Skills . Posted by David R. Wetzel Diploma mills are the scourge of the distance education world. People who want to paticipate in continuing education to improve their opportunities for advancement or change careers must be careful. There are scammers out there who happily take your money and give you a worthless degree. What is a Diploma Mill? A diploma mill is a business which makes a profit by disguising itself as a legitimate college, vocational technical school, or trade school. They make their money by providing legitimate looking diplomas, false references, and phony transcripts for a price. How did Diploma Mills Get Started? Distance education has become popular in the last few years and is growing more popular everyday. Unfortunately the Internet is an ideal place for scams and conterfeit operations. They prey on people who are not Internet savvy and those who are searching for a degree in the shortest amount of time possible. Diploma mills have legitimate looking websites and display impressive looking credentials on these sites. However a quick check in the right places exposes their scam. Employers are wise to these diploma mills and will verify all degrees offered for employment or advancement today. To learn more about diploma mills and how to avoid them, visit Avoiding Diploma Mills in Online Education. Posted by David R. Wetzel The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs requiring higher levels of education, beyond high school, will grow by 22 percent between now and 2012. This is nearly double the rate of non-college avaiable during the same period. In addition, the highly educated baby-boom generation is nearing retirement age and shortages in the scientific and engineering related fields are becoming very acute. Education Requirements Beginning in the 1970s, more noticeablely toward the end of the past century, a shift occurred in th American economy. Good jobs - those which allowed families to paricipate as middle class citizens - required continuing education beyond high school. Today, nearly evey job that ensures economic security requires higher levels of education. The global economy has relentlessly punished those with no or only a high school education Employment Outlook According to the American Council on Education, Solutions for Our Future - the outlook is bleak for those wihout some continuing education beyond high school. Employment growth through 2012:
As you can see the largest growth in employment opportunities is for those with continuing education beyond high school. Visit Adult Education Benefits - It's Never Too Late for more information. Posted by David R. Wetzel The surge in the number of adults looking to continue their education or change careers has produced increased competition for graduate school. This has led to a development of a number of post-baccalaureate (Post-Bac) programs. These “in-between” programs give hopeful students a chance to prepare for an advanced degree program or to acquire knowledge required to pursue an entirely new career. Let's take a look at one program:
There are a wide variety of Post-Bac programs offered by schools around the country. Visit Pathways to New Careers for more information and example Post-Bac programs. Posted by David R. Wetzel I lived in home owner association (HOA) community once. At first I thought it was a good thing, but when I wanted to save on the electric bill and hand out my clothes. I quickly received a letter to cease hanging out clothes, because it was an eye sore and agianst HOA policy. Homeowner associations began many years ago to help neighborhoods develop and enforce an appearance policy. These policies were designed to keep someone from painting their house purple or orange. Also, to keep a resident from turning their yard into a contender for the next garbage dump. However, there rules are not Green friendly for the environment. These homeowner associations mandate large, centrally air-conditioned square footages, two-car garages, lawn sprinkler systems or synthetic lawn fertilizers, and weed-killers. You'd think that HOA leaders would be embarrassed to enforce overconsumption and pollution, but these property cops seem determined to impose their narrow aesthetic preferences on everyone else. HOAs cling to outdated standards that treat renewable energy devices, clotheslines, fans in windows, awnings, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, compost bins, natural landscaping -- as eyesores to be buried under restrictions or banned outright. I was not able to do anything to exterior of my house, except hang one flag and mount a satellite TV antenna. The flag permission was only granted after several HOAs around the country lost the battle to keep residents from hanging American flags. I found satellite TV dish at yard sale and hung it outside my house to prove that I could to the HOA. They could not make me remove it, even though it was not connected. Colorado is the state to go if you want to hang your clothes outside and live in an HOA. Posted by David R. Wetzel I do not know if this scares you, but it sure scares me. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule banning cows too sick to stand from the human food supply. This new rule is a result of concern after the largest beef product recall in U.S. history - 143 million pounds. If you are like me, you probably figured this was already the case. However it appears that this is not the case. Regardless of how sick a cow (called downer cows) is at slaughter, it is destined for our dinner tables. The good thing is that cows determined to be too sick are turned into commercial pet food. Currently sick cows are evaluated by the slaughter house, the judgement is strictly up to them and not government inspectors. Of course the almighty dollar overrides all their decisions. The problem has risen from the overlapping jurisdictions of the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. They are constantly at odds with each other regarding who controls oversight over cow meat production. It appears both have issues. This new rule sounds like common sense and long overdue. However, like all government rule decisions, this rule is open to public comment through September 29, 2008. This gives the lobbyiest time to spread their opinion. If you would like to let your voice be heard, contact your congressman/woman to let them know your views. I think it may be time to eat more pork, fish, and chicken, but then again...! Posted by David R. Wetzel I have been in the science education field for over 20 years and have come to realize that a fundamental change has to be made. This change has to made, not at the teacher level, at the state and national levels. Science is not a subject in which the entire extent of knowledge is based on how much one can memorize for a test. Science is learned from doing science, not having science done for you! Here are four basic things, that if done, would improve science education in this country and keep us from falling even further behind in science - compared to the rest of the industialized nations.
Posted by David R. Wetzel Every adult who decides to enroll in a distance learning program wonders if they fit the profile of a typical distance education student. Besides the fact all students are enrolled to learn and most want to earn a degree or certificate, the characteristics of distance learners are similar. Profile of a Distance Learning Student Here are the common characteristics of adults who enroll in distance learning programs:
So for those of you who think that these above things are only happening to you, it is apparent that you fit within an elite group of people who have common characteristics. Anyone who is thinking of enrolling in distance learning courses need to review the profile above. If you meet or feel you can meet this profile, then you will be as successful as there are in their continuing education. For additional resources that will help you be successful visit Online Education Learning Strategies for Adults and Adults Going Back to College and Fitting In. Posted by David R. Wetzel If you love to be creative, draw, paint, and use computer programs to create visually appealing designs then being a graphic designer is for you. Graphic designers or graphic artists are in good demand through 2016. According to the US Department of Labor, the expected growth rate is 10% in all sectors of the country. A continuing education program for graphic designers includes: certificate programs, associates degrees, and bachelor’s degrees. The certificate and associates degrees can be earned by attending a vocational technical school or a trade school. Continuing education courses must include art, film making, computers, and computer graphic design. Graphic designers typically work with these computer programs:
Graphic designers typically work for various media industries such as:
To be successful a graphic designers needs excellent communication skills and spatial skills, overall view of finished product before work begins. For graphic designers their typical working conditions include:
If you enter a career as graphic designer the following are the average annual incomes you can expect to earn (Art Institute of Graphic Artists):
You can find additional information at Career Education for Learning Technical Skills and Adult Education Benefits – It’s Never Too Late. These articles will help guide you on the path to becoming a graphic designer. Posted by David R. Wetzel There are so many trade schools to choose from today, it is important to research which school you are thinking about attending. The biggest factor to consider is the quality of education you get for your money. Public trade schools are relatively inexpensive and private vocational trade schools are typically more expensive. However, private schools typically have better resources and equipment. Regardless if you select public or private, here are a few factors you need to consider strongly before attending any school: Student Graduation Rate – how many students who enroll in a school’s program actually graduate. A low rate is warning flag and may hint towards dissatisfaction with the quality of instruction. Program Certification – check out who has certified the schools programs. If you are thinking about information technology and computer science, they should be certified by:
Facilities – never agree to attend a school without viewing the teaching facilities at the school. Then compare with other schools you are considering. Outdated equipment and run down facilities is a huge warning flag. Services – what additional services does the school provide? For example:
Visit Career Education for Learning Technical Skills and 10 Tips for Adults Going Back to School to learn more about the trade schools and going back to school. Posted by David R. Wetzel Continuing education is designed for adults who have a different learning style than when they were in high school. It moves away from traditional learning where the teacher told you everything you needed to know. Also you sat quietly, only speaking when the teacher asked you a question. Adult continuing education, although you may experience some of the above, is designed to allow students to participate. In fact you are typically graded on class participation. The instructor is there to help you learn through experiencing and immersion in the learning process; active learning. Adult Education This is how you and other adults typically learn best:
Continuing Education Continuing education is a term used to describe any type of adult educational environment, from GED programs to graduate degrees. Here are common types of continuing education:
Where do You Attend Continuing Education Continuing education can be taught anywhere and anytime today. It is all based on the needs of the student and no longer the needs of the institution providing the continuing education. For example:
Lifelong learning, no matter your age, continued learning has clear benefits. Finding and keeping the job of your dreams, to remaining fully engaged in life in your later years. It’s never too late to learn. Posted by David R. Wetzel Do you enjoy working with computers and using the latest technology? Then a career in the information technology (IT) and computer field could be right for you. You can take courses web development, programming and applications, networking, information systems, security, health information technology, specific databases, and wide range of other areas. Completing a program at a vocational technical school can provide you with a wide range of career choices in the information technology (IT) and computer science field. Degree and certification programs offered by vocational technical schools provide you with the skills necessary to be successful in today’s technology job market. What is the Employment Outlook in IT and Computer Science? The following are statistics provided the U.S. Department of Labor for increases in the IT and computer science career field, forecasted through 2015:
Advantages of Vocational Technical Schools The advantage you will have going to a vocational technical school for your training is that it is more practical and hands-on. Four year colleges teaching the same material have more academic based programs, which spend more time on theory as opposed to actually learning applications and procedures. Visit Career Education: Benefits of Vocational Schools to find more information regarding the advantages of going to vocational technical schools. Posted by David R. Wetzel Everyone who decides to continue their education has objectives and goals they desire to meet. These can be focused on promotion, gaining additional knowledge regarding current career field, or seeking new career options. Before entering any continuing education program, take time to ensure you have considered all possibilities and situations which may occur along the way. One strategy for achieving this is by using STAY FOCUSED guidelines to help achieve your goals: S - short term (up to 5 years) goals are met at all times T - timed to meet your desired completion date A - attainable and meets you long term (10 years or more) goals Y - your work and personal life issues are arranged so that you are successful F - financial aid is typically available for everyone, be sure to apply O - outline what obstacles you need to overcome and how to conquer these obstacles C - courses you enroll in fit within your continuing education program, be sure to check out prerequisites U - understand exactly what you need to do to successfully complete your program S - specific plan which is designed to meet your desired goal in the continuing education program E - ensure you are determined to be one of the 80% who complete continuing education programs D - develop a self imposed contract that is specific and designed guide you through your program STAY FOCUSED is the key to your success in any continuing education program in which you enroll. Additional tips can be found at 10 Tips for Adults Who are Going Back to School . Posted by David R. Wetzel The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has provided a professional development learning center for all K-12 science teachers. Regardless if you are a member or not, their services are available for you. This learning center supports science teachers' professional development and continuing education requirements to maintain science teacher certification. Examples of resources available for you include:
The highlight of this free service the NSTA is providing you the ability to track your results and provide documentation to support your professional development and recertification efforts. Documentation you are provided includes:
This service by NSTA is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and other contributors invested in your success as a science teacher. Visit NSTA Learning Center to find out more information and register for free. Posted by David R. Wetzel Anyone seeking to enter a profession which requires environmental certification, there is a very important reason for having a current certification. If your certification has expired then recertification is a necessity. Certification means you have the knowledge of the latest techniques regarding environmental issues. Importance of Environmental Continuing Education With the continual state of concern regarding security for water supplies and other health threats, it is important for all those involved in environmental protection be certified. Current certification ensures those responsible for this protection are aware of the latest techniques for recognizing and resolving problems. Distance Learning Advantages The days of having to find time during the workday are over, because certification or recertification can be accomplished through distance learning. Advantages include:
Environmental Continuing Education Programs There are a wide variety of environmental continuing education credit programs online. These programs include:
Environmental Health Continuing Education Environmental continuing education credit provides healthcare workers with:
As you can see there are many areas of environmental continuing education programs that you can get involved in and provide yourself more marketable skills for employment. Visit Planning for Continuing Education for advice regarding how to plan your education. Posted by David R. Wetzel Adults engaging in distance learning for continuing education need to be prepared to use the following technology delivery formats during a course. E-mail is used for one-on-one correspondence with the instructor and other students enrolled in the course. The advantage is being able to ask questions 24/7; however it may take a day or two for a reply from the instructor or fellow students. Use of a course Homepage or instructor homepage to support various aspects of the course, which can be viewed 24/7. Examples of course homepage resources include:
Course Bulletin Board, Forum, or Listserv – these are used by the instructor to engage students in online conversations related to course material. Uses include:
Black Board is another online tool that instructors may use instead of a homepage. This online service allows instructors to facilitate a course using all the strategies’ and techniques previously listed. Additional resources you should read to help prepare for the use of technological delivery formats in include Distance Learning: Online Education for Adults and Online Learning Strategies for Adults. These two articles provide answers to many questions related to distance learning. Posted by David R. Wetzel Are you thinking about continuing your education to move up in your current job or change careers? There are still plenty of opportunities for people in some of the most hard to fill jobs. These hard to fill jobs require an education degree or professional certification. According to the Economic Policy Institute, these hard to fill jobs because of the education requirements people need to complete to enter. These jobs include:
Degrees and certifications for these jobs can be earned by either traditional education (attending class) or through distance learning (Internet based) at:
Even with the way the economy is today, these shortages still exist. Many people refer to these as recession proof jobs. Because no matter the state of the economy, these jobs are always the hardest to fill because of the demand. Examples of how to enter hard to fill careers which are considered recession proof include: A little education goes a long way in our country. Earning a high school degree is very important; however it is merely the stepping stone to entering a career field that will lead to a lifetime of financial security. Posted by David R. Wetzel When I ask people why they do not continue their education, I hear many excuses. However that is what they are – excuses. With all the opportunities available through distance learning, there really is not excuse anymore. Continuing Education is important for career advancement. Although many professions require continuing education credits to remain certified in a field, many others do not. If you are in one of the fields that do not require continuing education, then you have a golden opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd. Distance Learning or Distance Education courses are tailored for adults’ work schedules and life commitments. You can easily find an online course which is designed for your career field offered anywhere in the country. This is the great advantage of distance learning. Just because the course is not offered locally, you can still find the course offered by another education institution online. The benefit of distance learning courses is the flexibility of demand on your work or life. Although you still need to be dedicated and self-motivated, you can arrange the online course to fit neatly within your schedule. This benefit has led to greater success by adults, who want to continue their education. It is often said that the path to success is hard work – very true; however continuing education combined with hard work will get you there sooner. Do not let others convince you it is too hard or too late, because it is never too late to move up the ladder of success. Visit Distance Learning: Online Education for Adults for additional information on how to succeed in continuing education. Posted by David R. Wetzel Everyone needs a lifelong learning plan, even if it is for the short term - within the next five years. This is important for helping your spirit and body have a purpose in life besides working and going through life's routine. Here are a few items I have included in my lifelong learning plan and I recommend you develop a plan along these lines. My plan includes:
These three things are the minimum you should follow in developing a lifelong learning plan - stimulating the mind, community involvement, and exercise. Of course your plan can take a completely different path from mine. Your lifelong learning plan can be focused on continuing education for improving your promotion ability at work or changing careers, maybe learning something new for fun. Regardless the focus of your plan, lifelong learning involves helping meet short term goals or even long term goals in life for a balanced life. Visit Education Planning for Continuing Education for more information. Posted by David R. Wetzel According to various studies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, adults complete continuing education for a variety of reasons. The most prominent reason is for personal accomplishment, with learning things they are interested in as a second reason. Over 70% of adults believe taking continuing education courses will increase their salaries by moving up the ladder in their work place. Which in many cases this is true. However, over 60% state their primary reason for taking continuing education courses is to make them more marketable for changing careers. This is important for those who want to change careers and have no experience in a new career field. Many take continuing education courses to place themselves in a position to improve their lives. Also, 58% state this will lead to being a better role more for their kids to inspire them to continue with their education and job prospects. Some adults take continuing education courses to earn more respect from their family and friends. Many of these adults over 50 take courses just to learn something new. A large benefit for adults, who complete continuing education courses, is that 75% feel a positive impact on their lives. This leads to increased job satisfaction and helps them achieve their short term goals (next 5 years). By far the largest benefit is that 80% of all adults entering continuing education programs complete the program, earning a degree or certificate. This is far superior to the typical 50% completion rate of those who enter college directly from high school, based on earning a degree by their 25th birthday. Addititional information can be found by visiting Benefits of Adult Education: It's Never Too Late . Posted by David R. Wetzel Whether going back to school for a new career or promotion, these two myths keep some adults from attending community college. First Myth: Community college is only for vocational education jobs. Reality: Although adults can complete vocational education certification programs at a community college, many more degree programs are offered. In fact, many community colleges are designed to provide affordable options to colleges and universities. Many employers accept and hire adults who complete Associate Degrees. Second Myth: Community college students cannot make it in a college or university. Reality: Adult students who complete an Associate’s Degree tend to have a higher grade point average (GPA) than those who only attend a four year college. In fact I will provide you with a personal example: I graduated from community college with an Associate’s Degree (in my 30’s), earned a Bachelor’s Degree, then a Masters Degree, and eventually a Ph.D. There are many more adults out there who accomplish the same or nearly the same by starting in community college. Others who have led successful lives after earning community college degrees include:
Do not let anyone tell you that going back to school at a community college is a waste of time. Continuing education will help you achieve your life’s goals or be a stepping stone to other goals. Examples community college degrees are degrees in business, nursing, web design, law enforcement, and many more. Visit Earning a Degree in Radio and TV Broadcasting and Changing Careers to be a Web Designer which are two examples. Posted by David R. Wetzel Are you thinking about changing your career and believe you may need to take continuing education courses to prepare for the new career? More than likely new courses or classes are needed. However, research is required to find out if this is the case and what courses or certification(s) are required. When searching for required courses or certifications, ensure they lead to meeting current requirements. I have heard of people who enrolled in online courses or taken courses which met requirements employers were looking for in the past, not today. So be sure to take the most up to date courses. New Career Research Sources
Personal Experience and Recommendations I have changed careers in the past and these are steps I used to determine if a specific career path is one to follow:
These are the three most important steps I follow. My research always leads to additional questions, which must be answered to my satisfaction before proceeding. I recommend you follow begin the same way. Posted by David R. Wetzel The best way to approach distance education is to treat it as you would anything that you are interested in, such as a hobby or something you thoroughly enjoying doing. Distance education students must become very selective and focused in their learning so they can master the information being presented in the course. To succeed and get the most out of a distance education course you must avoid:
So how do you avoid these pitfalls, which many fall in to? Do the following:
This approach will help internalize the new information, so that you gain the most from the course. I have heard many students complain about courses regarding various aspects of the course. The common threads with all these complainers are:
Regardless of why you enrolled in the course, get the most out it because you are paying for it. Visit Distance Learning: Online Education for Adults for addition information on how to succeed in distance education. Posted by David R. Wetzel I have been approached many times by people who want to enter a new career and have had difficulties obtaining a job, even after completing an education program related to the career field. They just cannot seem to understand why they are unable to get any interviews. After questioning them about their program and its requirements, a common gap seems to always appear. Their programs recommended an on the job experience, such as an internship or externship; however it was not mandatory. Their answers when asked why they did not participate in an internship or externship were typically centered on two facts, it was not mandatory or they did not have time. So how do you avoid the same fate as these people? The first thing is to complete some sort of work experience in the new career field before your complete your program. Today, few employers will hire anyone without experience. Here are some examples I recommend you consider:
Visit Changing Careers and Transferable Job Skills and Community Education for Lifelong Learners to learn additional ideas, which can help you build the level experience needed to gain that all important new career job. |
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