GMC Online Campus

Weekly Wrap Up- June 10th

2016-06-10T11:34:00.005-04:00

Today is Friday, but in my mind it's more like Fri-YAY!

During the summer, the online campus will close at 12pm Noon on Fridays.

We hope you are all enjoying your classes so far this term and it is hard to believe that we are already near the end of week 2! Remember to check your grades regularly, as well as the feedback from your professors in your gradebook. If you are struggling with a subject, take advantage of FREE tutoring from tutor.com! The link is located in your course near the syllabus.

At this point in the term it is too late to drop a course, but you can withdraw. To do so, email your professor directly and he/she will process your request. It is always a good idea to talk to someone in financial aid before you withdraw, because your aid could possibly be effected!

Contact your advisor today to register for the fall 1 term! Don't miss out on securing the classes you need!

Enjoy your weekend and stay cool out there!

Weekly Wrap Up- June 3rd

2016-06-03T10:19:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday GMC students!

It is the beginning of June and we are almost done with the first week of the summer term (and almost halfway through 2016!!)! I hope you all have had a great start to the term and that you enjoy it!

Today is the last day to drop classes. After today, you will no longer be able to drop classes, only withdrawal. So, if you need to withdrawal, please send a request to your professor from your student account (after today).

In a few weeks, the online campus will be hosting a summit for Move On When Ready, our dual enrollment program for high school students. The Move on When Ready Summit is designed for high school principals and guidance counselors to learn more about our dual enrollment program through the Online Campus. The conference will provide insight to admissions requirements, academic policies, classroom design, plus several more topics. Invitees will have several opportunities to interact with each other and collegiate departments in order to collaborate on best practice. We look forward to meeting with these administrators and counselors to discuss the success of our program!

We wish you the best of luck as the summer term gets underway, remember, you have ten hours of free tutoring at your disposal and many other resources!

Why major in communication?

2016-05-31T14:47:00.001-04:00

Next to the decision to go to school, the single biggest choice you'll face is choosing your major. As a college student, you’ll inevitably be asked what your major is roughly 1,873 times. This question is almost always followed by: “What will you do with a degree in that?”

Well, if you’re a communication major, you could easily fill an hour listing career options. The truth is, you’ll find communication majors working in every industry.

Among the most widely known communication related fields are journalism, film and video production, public relations, advertising and marketing. These fields host positions such as: social media specialist, marketing communications manager, public relations strategist, communication coordinator, script writer, and public information specialist—to name a few.

We encounter media and communication messages daily—it can’t be avoided. As a society, we rely heavily on seeking and receiving information. An education in the construction and dissemination of effective messages will provide you with a skillset that can be applied in almost any profession, many of which carry the ability to influence the world.

A communication degree allows you to develop the skills needed to write and speak well, manage multiple communication contexts (including public, interpersonal, and online), and to construct effective persuasive messages. Focusing on communication arms you with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver a clear message, using multiple platforms, to a variety of audiences.

Maybe you aren't sure which career is perfect for you, but you know you want to get a job when you complete your degree and you want to have options. And--a decent salary wouldn't hurt either! A degree in communication has a longer list of options than many other degrees as well as a higher than average median salary.

If that wasn't enough, communication skills are most often cited among the top skills sought by employers. All employers are looking for someone that can write and speak effectively, as well as listen and critically analyze information.

Successful communication is critical in all industries—and most facets of life.

Next to communication skills, employers are looking for interpersonal, leadership, and teamwork skills. Each of these is impacted by your ability to communicate. If you are able to connect with people, especially in an interview, employers are going to want you on their team.

An earlier blog post cited celebrities with English degrees. Well, rest assured, with a degree in communication, you'll be among good company. David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey, Matthew McConaughey—they all studied communication.

Weekly Wrap Up- May 27th

2016-05-27T15:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! To me, this holiday seems to kick off summer; it's warm outside, we spend time on the lake, and there is inevitably, at least one cookout. Now, I know summer doesn't officially start for another month, but here in Georgia, it is already getting hot out there!

Not only is this weekend a three day holiday, but it also kicks off the start of the summer term. For those of you who are registered, Week 1 will start this Sunday!

During Week 1, it is of the utmost importance that you complete the Participation and Academic Honesty Verification assignment by no later than Thursday! Your professors will be taking attendance and completion of this assignment will count as your being, "present," in the online courses.

Next week, you can add classes and/or make changes to your schedule on Monday and Tuesday ONLY! However, you can drop classes until NOON on Friday June 3rd. Be sure to get in your classes, participate, and let us know A.S.A.P. if any changes need to be made.

Enjoy your long weekend and relax before the term really takes off! Best of luck to you all as you begin your summer term.

Graduating? Think Transfer Agreements

2016-05-25T09:37:00.000-04:00

With graduation quickly approacing, many of you may be thinking, "What next?" It can be overwhelming to try and decide what your next move will be after earing an associate degree with GMC. However, GMC has worked hard to develop transfer agreements with over 40 four-year insitutions in the state of Georgia and the South East.

What does that mean exactly? Basically, it means that we have an agreement with another instituion that will guarantee your admission into that school. The agreements outline the exact requirements necessary to transfer into the four-year institution ensuring that students are able to better plan their coursework and work toward their education goals.

Read more about our articulation agreements here.

GMC-Online 2016 Outstanding Graduate Award

2016-05-24T16:46:00.000-04:00

Each year, Georgia Military College honors one outstanding graduate from each of its campuses across the state. This also includes the online learning campus. For 2016, the GMC-Online Learning Campus Outstanding Graduate is Teagan Southern.

We alerted Teagan of this honor, and asked her to tell us a little about herself. Her response was heartfelt. We will let her introduce herself to you in her own words! Congratulations, Teagan!

From student, Teagan Southern:

"My name is Teagan Southern. I am 30 years old and I am one quarter away from graduating with a double major in Criminal Justice and Social Work from Georgia Military College.

When I was told I was nominated and needed to write a little bit about myself, I honestly cried a little. Where most people graduate high school and immediately go to college, I didn't have that luxury. I started working immediately, basically just working to pay bills. At the age of 28 I figured out a driving force of my heart was working with children. At this time I was lucky enough to fall in love with a man that lived in Augusta, Georgia so I moved and immediately started school at GMC-Augusta on campus. I took a full workload every quarter and don't regret it even with a full-time job. After three quarters on campus we found out we were moving to Connecticut. I was devastated with the idea of not finishing but as it turns out Georgia Military College has an online campus. I then continued my degree online, which after a year in CT, we moved again to Texas and GMC online campus came with me.

After two years this summer I will be graduating with a double major and then using my associates to transfer my credits to TWU to get my bachelor’s degree in Child Life Specialist. After putting my scholastic dreams on hold for 10 years, I will be using the skills gained in my classes to work with children and their families to better themselves and their situations. This is what my heart and mind has been working for and wanting for quite some time and if it wasn't for Georgia Military College and their flexibility, their quarter system, they're amazing staff who is always there to answer my constant questions, my on-campus counselor and my online counselor Mark along with the financial aid they offer, I don't think I would've been able to do it. Georgia Military College truly is a family experience! You have a group of people backing you who truly want you to succeed and they will go above and beyond to make sure that you do. Thank you Georgia Military College for making me feel like I could succeed when many people didn't think I would be able to."

What Careers Are Out There For English Majors?

2016-05-23T09:22:00.002-04:00

“What are you going to do with a degree in English? What sort of job are you going to get? Are you going to be a teacher?”

Even though I had heard all these questions before, they were constantly on my mind during the final semesters of my bachelor’s program in English. They may have crossed your mind, too. I’m here to tell you: that’s normal! In fact, these questions probably should be on your mind, since you’ve been working so hard for your degree and want to put it into action. But how do we put an English degree into action?

Many people assume—we all know the phrase about what “assume” makes us, don’t we?—that students who major in English are limited in their career options. They hear “English major” and think “teacher.” That’s simply not the case! While teaching English can be very rewarding, it isn’t for everyone—and it certainly isn’t the only career option for students pursuing degrees in English.

We, as English majors, spend much of our time reading, writing, and thinking about texts, which gives us a very special skillset. We are highly attentive to minute details. We are very strong at communicating. We know how to edit and revise quickly and effectively. Most of all, because our work as English majors includes so many different styles of writing and thinking, we are able to stay flexible and adapt to any situation that arises.

Our skills prepare us for careers in any number of fields! I have personally worked in management positions in: hospitality, contracting, food service, and higher education. Although each of my positions has been different, the skills I developed as an English major have been useful in every single one of them.

Each of these positions has required effective communication: reading and analyzing materials for accuracy, giving employees clear instructions and feedback, and thinking quickly and logically—the same skills one develops as an English major.

Even in positions that aren’t writing or English-based, the skills you develop as an English major are still useful. Whether you’re drafting a cover letter for a job application or you’ve been on the job for 25 years, writing and thinking clearly and efficiently will always help you.

Life is short. Don’t spend it on a job you don’t like. Maybe you’ll find something you love right away, or maybe you’ll explore several different career fields, as I did. Working in different fields helped me understand what I wanted to pursue. In the end, I realized that I enjoyed writing, research, and helping others, so I decided on the academic route, teaching English at the collegiate level. (I guess that after all this time, my answer to “Are you going to be a teacher?” is “Yes.” Go figure!)

What can you do with an English major? You could ask Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice, who was an English major. So were Steven Spielberg, Emma Watson, and Conan O’Brien. Some English majors have gone on to be professional writers, editors, and publishers. Some have become leaders of companies across various industries. Some work in the public sector, aiming to improve the lives of others. Some are lawyers, some work in advertising, and some, like Sally Ride, are astronauts. Any career you can think of usually has at least one famous English major.

And, of course, some become teachers.

Whatever your personal preferences and goals—always keep those in mind—an English major can help open the door for you.

Take a look at the following pages to see a few more examples on the possibilities that exist and may await you!

https://www.roosevelt.edu/CAS/Programs/LIT/CareerGuide.aspx

https://english.stanford.edu/information-for/undergraduates/careers-after-english-major

http://www.insidejobs.com/blog/100-careers-for-english-majors-they-do-exist-really

Sarah Young, English Instructor

Dual Enrollment: From a Student's Perspective

2016-05-17T08:59:00.000-04:00

"Over the past two semesters, I have taken a total of three online college courses through Georgia Military College. I have taken Intro to Politics, English Composition 1, and World Civilizations I. I am only in the ninth grade, but I am able to take these courses because of the Move on When Ready program. Move on When Ready allows high school students to take college courses while still in high school and earn dual credit. I am very happy to have this opportunity to get part of my college degree early on, so when I get to college, I can skip straight to my major courses. I have learned a lot from these courses, such as the different formats of writing a paper (APA, MLA), as well as how to write college level papers in general. I have enjoyed being a part of the classes and interacting with the other students. I also learned a lot of really cool things about the American government, world history, and the different types of argumentative papers. By taking these three courses, I have already earned 15 college credit hours and completed one year of high school English requirements and two years of social studies requirements! The professors have challenged me to think about more than just what happens around me. Overall, I love having this opportunity and I am excited for the next semester to start. I highly recommend Georgia Military College and dual enrollment to any high school student wanting to get a jump start on his or her future. This is a great program and has been a huge blessing!"

Caleb Brawn
GMC Move on When Ready student

“So what’s the Difference between Human Communication and Mass Communication?”

2016-05-16T16:48:00.000-04:00

It depends on why you are asking the question and where you are when you’re asking the question. You could be having a face-to-face conversation and yet have it broadcast to multiple portals, in multiple locations at the same time. In all communication situations, there could be an element of both human communication and mass communication, because you see, mass communication is just an extension of human communication. The difference with mass communication is that it sometimes happens on a greater scale. Communication is such a dynamic process that it is constantly changing and progressing. I remember the days when I would search for a pay phone so I could “reach out and touch” someone. Now, technology is such that I can communicate via Skype, Periscope or even by way of Facebook Live.

Communication theory in general has become such an important part of the academic curriculum that colleges and universities now require students to take these courses in order to prepare them for a more competitive and connected global society. Just for the sake of making a logical argument about the differences surrounding human communication and mass communication, you would need to understand how each functions within society as a whole.

The way I see it, human communication, simply put, involves communicating up close and personal. Whether it is in the form of interpersonal, intrapersonal or group communication, it is still human communication. Mass communication happens more broadly in the context of public space. Mass communication involves sending multiple messages over multiple planes. Whether it is by way of the printed page or an online blog such as this, it still amounts to mass communication. So, what’s the difference between human communication and mass communication? I submit to you they are two sides of the same coin. It really does depend on whether you are asking this question from the stage of a TED talk, during a streaming or prerecorded lecture online, or even while Skyping your kids, parents, or friends.

Tony G. Blash, M.A.

COM Adjunct Faculty, OLC

Weekly Wrap Up- May 13th

2016-05-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Today is Friday the 13th and it is also a full moon tonight, so be sure to be on high alert for all things strange and spooky!

Who is getting ready for Memorial Day? I know we are! We will kick off the season with an employee cook out, joining all of our GMC employees here in Milledgeville in celebrate!

We have many recruitment trips coming up to get all of our Move On When Ready students signed up for the upcoming year. We love having so many high school students taking advantage of the great MOWR program!

Our summer term begins in just 15 short days!! Have you registered yet? If not, contact us today!! Taking a break during the summer? No worries, registration for the fall 1 term is also open!

Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming OLC kickball game!

GMC Signs Articulation Agreement with Albany Tecnical College

2016-05-12T16:50:00.003-04:00

Recently, GMC continued to grow its articulation agreements as they signed one with Albany Technical College. On May 04, President Caldwell visited the school to make an official agreement with the institution for their graduates obtaining an Associate of Applied Science degree to continue their education at GMC in the Bachelor of Applied Science programs. The BAS degrees are offered in two areas, Business Management and Supervision Management.

The BAS programs provide these students a unique opportunity to transition directly out of their graduated programs at Albany Technical College into the BAS programs and complete a four year program. The AAS credits are directly transferred and then applied towards the BAS degree.

Albany Technical College makes the sixth technical college in Georgia to sign this type of articulation agreement with GMC.

We are over the moon excited about our BAS programs here at the online campus and our continuous growth of students. The future is bright, and we are hopeful to only sign more agreements in the future and enroll more and more students. For a glimpse into what an articulation signing is like, see the video below or click here

Should I Go Back To School?

2016-05-11T14:55:00.002-04:00

Are you considering returning to college? Perhaps you started a college degree many years ago, but (as it so often does) life got in the way? Or maybe you are considering starting college for the first time, but you work full time or just don't have time to attend a college campus?

GMC Online is a great place to start your journey to higher education. We offer over twenty associate degree programs that can be completed fully online and at a significantly lesser cost than a four year college.

So, what are some of the top reasons to go back to school and earn an associate’s degree? Let’s take a look:

Finish what you started- Show yourself, your friends, and family what you are capable of.
Grow your income and become more qualified at your current workplace- By earning a degree, you are more likely to increase your earning potential and give yourself a better chance at upward mobility in the work place.
Give yourself a better opportunity to change the field you work in- Earn a degree in a new field and open even more doors
Save your time and money- By attending GMC (a community college) you are guaranteed to save cost on tuition and fees. Not to mention, our online program grants you the freedom you need to work at your own pace.
At GMC, you will be able to take advantage of our many transfer agreements. Georgia Military College has transfer agreements with over forty institutions, with guaranteed admissions to their four year programs.

These are five of many reasons I can think of as motivation to return to school and attend GMC Online. Have questions? Want to find out more? Contact us to today! Visit our site to learn more about our programs, cost, and what we have to offer. Let us help you earn your associate’s or bachelor’s degree and work toward a better future, today!

(Information provided by www.gmc.edu and www.collegetransfer.net)

Students: Are You Sure Your FB and Other Online Accounts are Safe? Take a Look at What Happened to Me!

2016-05-10T16:48:00.000-04:00

I realize that I am the dean of an ONLINE campus. So by that virtue, I should not make silly mistakes when it comes to online accounts, and internet use. However, we all make mistakes, and this one almost cost me a fortune. Here is what happened, and here is what I learned that I want to pass on to you.

A few months ago, I decided to create Facebook ads for a few of the books I wrote. I loaded my debit card information in to the ad manager site on Facebook (my first mistake) and set a limit for the ads. They run for a few weeks and that was that, or so I thought. Recently, I realized that I had left that account information in my Facebook account. How did I find that out? Well, that is the hard part. I tried using my debit card and realized that my bank had shut it off. Thinking at first that I might have just gone to an establishment that was having terminal issues (we’ve all had our cards declined at one place only to have it accepted a few moments later at another), I decided to log in to my account via my banking app on my smartphone. That is when I realized I was the victim of debit card fraud. It took me a moment or two to fully embrace the situation, as I think my head was spinning for a few moments, and when I came to my senses, I realized that thousands of my hard-earned dollars in my checking and savings account had been debited by Facebook for ads. Luckily, Facebook had shut down my account because they saw suspicious activity, and my bank had already alerted their fraud prevention and loss department. Long story short is that the money was replaced, but I had to sweat it for about 24 hours before all was calm and cool.

So what did I learn from this situation, and what can I leave you with from all this? First, change your password on your Facebook page routinely. Facebook has suffered a string of attacks lately where people have hacked in to user accounts. What they are looking for is financial information. Other hackers are there to just cause mischief, which can cause you a lot of heartache as well, but the loss of hard-earned money is always a stress agent. Second, it is better to do business online with credit cards rather than debit cards. When your debit card information is stolen, that means actual fund are being taken out of your checking/saving. If you were using a credit card, the money is not actually coming right out of your pocket. The credit card companies are the ones taking the immediate hit. Reporting fraudulent activity to them usually results in them reimbursing you for the lost funds and them going after the crooks. This is not always the case, but it is much easier to dispute credit card charges and not pay them until they are resolved than to look in to your checking and savings account and realize you have gone from okay to destitution in one fell swoop. Third, if you do use your debit card OR credit card for purchases at Facebook or any other site, do not allow your information to be stored there. Remove it and use it only when you make a purchase. Too many times have I heard people say that they have seen small, yet odd purchases on their cards. My hackers got me for several large amounts. Most of these hackers are now only getting a few dollars at a time so that you do not notice it. You can remove payment information in Facebook by going to the settings tab and then clicking on payments. Once there, click on account settings and go from there. I promise, it could cost you a lot of money if you don’t clear that information out.

Here are some websites that offer information on how to protect yourself from debit card fraud:
http://www.bankrate.com/financing/credit-cards/11-ways-to-protect-against-debit-card-fraud/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickclements/2015/05/21/5-ways-to-protect-yourself-against-debit-card-fraud/#359f57a25d8f

http://www.clarkhoward.com/4-places-never-use-debit-card

Whatever you do, be smart and alert. I was fortunate, but this could have turned out much differently.

Dean Jeff Wells

The Link Between English and Communications

2016-05-09T08:25:00.002-04:00

Have you ever written a Facebook post? A text message? Left a comment on YouTube, Instagram or Vine? If you have, you’ve used the link between English and Communications. Anytime we use technology to engage with others, we are applying the knowledge and skills from English class to the broad field of Communications.

The field of Communications is new; it’s a combination of at least three disciplines: English, Psychology and Sociology, and requires a lot of current research. It’s using the art of argument to make changes in everyday society, and the best Communications students are proficient in not only reading and writing, but thinking and researching.

In order to convince others to adopt a behavior, buy a product, vote for a candidate, or join a belief system, one must first understand the way certain audiences think and behave in order to reach and persuade members of those audience. In English class, your audience is your teacher or even your peers; in a Communications class, your audience expands to those outside your classroom doors. It could be your friends on Facebook or Twitter, your local newspaper editor or even your future employer.

If you plan to major in business, education, the sciences or arts, honing your ability to communicate helps you better connect with others. Communications classes employ problem-based design thinking where the idea sets the medium in which it’s communicated. In other words, some audiences may be better reached with a short film, whereas others may require a written argument with photographs or images. The form your argument takes depends on who you’re trying to reach. The first step in understanding this, though, is understanding argument and audience, and that is introduced in English class.

Without English classes, you will not have the building blocks to build a brand, a company or a credible reputation. That is why Communications is grounded in English composition. Once an argument sets the foundation, a script can be drafted for a film or speech. A catchy photograph can catch the perfect angle, person or place. A well-researched blog can surf your web of social media outlets. But before all this, a plan must take root. The link between English and Communications, then, is much like a root to a tree; it is needed to keep the tree grounded and alive, but it is only one root of many to help the tree grow and flourish.

-Kara Maddox, Assistant Professor of LSS and Communications

Weekly Wrap Up- May 6th

2016-05-06T13:19:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the moms out there! Don't forget to thank your mom for all that she has done for you!

GMC's prep school celebrated Mother's Day this morning with a parade in honor of the holiday. Before the parade, the prep school cadets presented the mothers with card and flowers to show their appreciation. How cute is that?

This week, the Online Campus kicked off a summer sports league. This past Tuesday, we all participated in a corn hole tournament on campus. With double elimination and serious competition, we all had a great time! Congratulations to Natural Science Department chair, Jessy Bahn, and her partner on taking home the gold! Time to take advantage of some serious bragging rights. Be on the lookout for a report on our next activity, kickball! May the best team win!

The countdown to the start of the summer term is on. With only 15 business days until the start, now is the time to get registered!

Taking the summer off? No problem! Registration for the Fall 1 term is also open, so secure those classes TODAY! We are making some changes to the schedule, so register ASAP to ensure that you get the classes you want/need.

TGIF and enjoy your weekend!

Simple Ways To Improve Your GPA

2016-05-04T10:51:00.000-04:00

Grade Point Average (GPA)- something that we all think about and a constant indicator of our academic standing. Your GPA is important for many reasons and, for me, maintaining a certain GPA was always important, because I knew I wanted to pursue higher education and there is always a minimum GPA associated with admissions. Of course, you probably already knew all this and that your GPA is an indicator of your academic standing. However, did you know that there is also a minimum GPA associated with your financial aid status? This is something a lot of students (unfortunately!) learn the hard way. You can learn more about Satisfactory Academic Progress in GMC’s most recent catalog and I urge you to read more about it!

We know that GPA is important, but what are some easy ways to maintain a decent GPA? Well for one, it is important that you know how to find and calculate your GPA. This information can easily be found in your student portal, under web advisor! You can view your GPA on the first page of your program evaluation and your GPA by term can be found under academic profile!

What are some easy ways to help boost your GPA and overall student success??

Chegg.com provides some great ideas, but let’s relate them directly to Moodle and GMC Online:

Make use of your syllabus- be sure that you know all the important dates and use it to stay on top of your schedule for the term! The syllabus can be found at the top of the page in each course!
If you take notes, be sure to date them so that you know which section the material is from! This way, when an exam is approaching, you know just how far back in your notes to go.
Review your past homework assignments, quizzes, and tests! You can always view these material as soon as the new week opens.
Take advantage of the Question and Answer forum in Moodle (This can also be found at the top of each course page)! This is a way to talk with classmates about assignments and to get some great input! Having trouble finding a research topic? Can’t remember the Galileo password? Ask your fellow students!
Live chat- Every student has the opportunity to set up a chat with his/her professor! Just email or send a Moodle message to your professor to set up a time! This is a great resource!!
Free tutoring- Every student receives TEN HOURS of FREE tutoring in EACH course from Tutor.com! Need I say more?

What are some ways that you maintain your GPA? Have you found some useful tips and tricks that you can share with other GMC Online students?

References:

http://blog.chegg.com/2015/02/02/simple-tricks-that-can-save-your-gpa/

Helping You Avoid Plagiarism and Conquering Your Fears of Academic Research

2016-05-03T10:43:00.001-04:00

As the dean of the online learning campus, I also teach one course per term, and as that term opens, I always start off by telling students that I want to talk about the biggest challenge that they will face in the course-the writing assignments. I realize that this might scare many people, especially in a college course. I know that the first college essay I wrote back in 1992 frightened me. I made an A in that English course, and it was simply because I had a great instructor. I remember him well. His name was Professor Howard Williams, and he was such an effective instructor. He made sure that we had all the directions and information that we needed to complete the essays in a satisfactory manner. He even met with us a few times before we submitted the essays to him for final grading, and he even graded the final product in front of us! How brave and intimidating at the same time.

While professors cannot meet with their online students personally, what they can do is offer information and electronic sources to them as you start the process of writing their first paper. The first thing that I always address in terms of writing papers is the issue of plagiarism. I ask students to make themselves familiar with the Honor Code at GMC. We do not tolerate academic dishonesty, and when it appears in the online courses, we submit an honors council referral. As the dean of the campus, I can attest that I see way more of those than I want to see. I feel, however, that some students do not intend to plagiarize, but they back in to it unintentionally. The consequences are still the same, as we cannot discern intent, but we can try to combat lack of knowledge and understanding of the rules and process. That is what I attempt to do in my opening comments to the class, and I wanted to replicate that here for the purposes of a wider audience.

Here is the advice I give to my students:
First, familiarize yourself with what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. There is a great resource in the way of Harvard University's website where they devote an entire webpage to the topic. Here is the link:
http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342057

I would also like to introduce you to a great resource for checking your papers to see if they are potentially going to be flagged for plagiarism. It is free! The site is called Paper Rater. Here is the link:
http://www.paperrater.com

Another set of resources I want to introduce you to are YouTube videos that discuss plagiarism, college research and paraphrasing. These resources are valuable tools in helping you understand how to avoid getting caught plagiarizing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYgQj1tERw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FPvQQQCUT8

Also, our GMC library has a great resource page for research, writing, and avoiding plagiarism. Here are the links for that:
http://gmcga.libguides.com/citationmanagement
http://gmcga.libguides.com/copyright
http://gmcga.libguides.com/plagiarism
http://gmcga.libguides.com/doingresearch

My students tend to respond very well to these resources. Sadly, however, some do not use them, and the product reflects that. Take these resources and save them in your favorites bar. Refer back to them in your classes. Learning these concepts now will help you in the future to conquer your fears of writing papers and will also help you avoid plagiarism.

Dean Jeffery C. Wells
Academic Dean-GMC Online Learning Campus

So, Why Do I Have to Take So Many English Courses?

2016-05-02T09:48:00.001-04:00

Good question! I remember thinking the same thing when I took English 101 back in my freshman year (otherwise known as the Stone Age). However, the fact is that core English courses are required by nearly every school and major in the country, and for good reason. Without the writing and critical thinking skills developed in English Composition, I would argue that students are not only at an educational disadvantage, they are perhaps setting themselves up for failure in their eventual professional career(s).

The world we live in is driven by language, to a degree that’s hard to even appreciate until you really look closely. From the text messages and emails you send to the books or online sources you study, our world is filled with texts to read, summarize, analyze, and/or evaluate. These are skills that are mastered in English Composition- the ability to effectively pull out relevant information from a text, and just as importantly, to objectively evaluate the information around us.

As students, we often understand that the ability to read and write well are linked. What’s less often discussed is that writing well and thinking well are also linked. GMC’s English Composition courses focus on critical thinking habits that empower students not only to think for themselves, but to think well. Since all writing is a form of argument, students engage with a variety of persuasive texts in ENG 101, then literary texts in ENG 102. Finally, students in our Literature courses are introduced to a number of authors who wrote well and thought well- and as such, had the ability to reflect (and in some cases, actually influence) the culture around them, not just in their time but in the modern world in which we live.

In order to succeed in the “real world,” you don’t just need to know how to dot your “i”s or memorize paper formats, things that are often incorrectly attributed as the sole concern of English faculty everywhere. Rather, you have to know how to read between the lines: how to compose, persuade, understand, and most importantly, how to respond. As such, English courses deliver to students the skills necessary to interact with their world professionally, thoughtfully, and in their own words.

So, why do we have to take so many English courses? The better question is, why aren’t we taking more?

Weekly Wrap Up- April 29th

2016-04-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

Today is the last Friday of April! Are we really almost halfway through 2016?!

Also, we are officially less than a month away until the start of the summer term! Have you registered yet? Contact us today if you have questions or would like to register!

I know most of you will be taking the summer off, so what better time than now to get registered for the fall 1 term? Registration is already open and we are urging students to secure their classes ASAP! We are making some changes to our schedule, so hurry up and register to avoid missing out on the courses you want and need! The fall 1 term begins July 30^th.

The OLC would like to welcome our new student worker, Caitlin Garner, to the team! Caitlin is a GMC student, pursuing our BAS degree in Business Management! We are happy to welcome Caitlin and look forward to having here in the office!

Don’t forget, contact us ASAP to get registered for summer AND fall 1!

A Closer Look at GMC's Quality Enhancement Plan

2016-04-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

As part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Georgia Military College, as a SACS accredited institution, must develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that it executes in five year cycles. These QEPs are designed to help increase the quality of education that GMC provides to its students. While there were many potential topics for this particular QEP, GMC faculty, staff, students, alumni, parts and administration were surveyed, and the overwhelming choice was critical thinking. So, what is a QEP, and how is GMC going about developing this? What does it mean for courses at GMC? Our QEP chair, Jessica Bahn, has posted the details on the GMC website. Click here for more information!

What can one expect to learn in a GMC Sociology class?

2016-04-25T16:04:00.001-04:00

The following is an old Russian proverb, “It is better to be slapped in the face with the truth then kissed with a lie”. Sociology is an overpowering critical thinking discipline. After completing any one of the GMC Sociology classes a student can expect to vastly improve their critical thinking skills. For example, a student will understand the vital critical thinking skill of, “debunking”. Debunking in layman terms is the ability to see through falsehoods. A famous Malcolm X quote is at the heart of understanding the skill of debunking, “If you are not careful the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing”. Sociology teaches students to stand in the shoes of the desperate and the defeated. The discipline develops empathy skills for those struggling to survive in a competitive corporate environment. If the GMC student learns humility through Sociology, then the goal of the discipline has been accomplished.

In the Introduction to Sociology class students internalize the sociological perspectives. The perspectives are angles of vision in order to comprehend all sides of any given social problem or social issue. The introductory classes cover the research methods sociologist employ to discover the ills in our society. The course also covers how sociologist study the family, education, religion, sports, health, criminal justice, and the government. The student learns how these institutions affect their own behavior at the micro level. Ideally, after the introductory course the GMC student will have developed the critical thinking skill of “cognitive reflection”. Most of the journals written in the introduction course revolve around cognitive reflection. In simple layman’s terms “cognitive reflection” means to think “critically” before you talk or write. Upon completion of their degrees GMC students will have excellent cognitive reflections skills to be leaders in their given professions. Cognitive reflection is the skill set employed by America’s greatest leaders. For example, General Dwight Eisenhower’s cognitively reflection skills were intuitively deep since he drew upon a military experience where life and death decisions were routine. An example of a famous cognitively reflective quotation from President Eisenhower, “Together we must learn to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose”.

The Social Problems class is my favorite to teach. Indeed, the online Social Problems class at GMC is second to none. It follows along with the Russian proverb this essay started with, “It is better to be slapped in the face with the truth then kissed with a lie”. This class is a slap in the face to those that think we live in utopia. Here are some facts cited from the GMC Social Problems class: suicide is in the top ten leading causes of death for Americans, for those under twenty five suicide is the second leader cause of death, over 80,000 people a year in America visit an emergency room with some sort of gunshot wound, child abuse kills more children then accident and leukemia combined, over 25,000 Americans are murdered yearly, over 80,000 American are raped yearly, on any given night 50,000 American veterans are homeless, over 120,000 children are involved in child pornography yearly, and over 50,000 Americans will contract the disease Aids this year. Those figures just scratch the surface of the provocative Social Problems class GMC offers online. Finally, sociologist turn to government to solve these problems. What all academics regardless of discipline uncover is a dysfunctional institution s in grid lock. Many Americans want to be kissed with a lie. If that is you, please don’t take a Sociology class at GMC. Thomas Jefferson once said, “The greatest American citizen is one who engages in active criticism of the policies of their very own government”. Sociology classes at GMC give you the cognitive abilities to become a constructive citizen in a free society that so many have sacrificed their very life for.

Michael Granata M.A. (Sociology online GMC)

Knowing Your Mindset- Fixed or Growth?

2016-04-19T08:04:00.002-04:00

I am sure that we have all heard the term “mindset” or at least the idea of a person’s “frame of mind.” Our outlook pretty much determines most of the pathways we take and many of the decisions we make.
In 2006, Stanford University Professor, Dr. Carol Dweck, penned what has become one of the most discussed and referenced books in education. Titled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: How we Can Learn To Fulfill Our Potential, Dr. Dweck delves in to the differences between a fixed mindset, where people are afraid of making mistakes and thus do not accept challenges very well, and the growth mindset where people seek to grow and learn, thus accepting challenges and responding to criticism in a positive and constructive way. So which mindset do you have? There is an simple test that can help you diagnose your mindset at Dr. Dweck’s page. Check it out and see what she has to say about the different mindsets and how they impact learning.

www.mindsetonline.com

What is the Relationship between Sociology, Psychology, and Education?

2016-04-18T08:03:00.000-04:00

The relationship of these three disciplines have always been a subject of both debate and inquiry. The following essay is solely one opinion on the relationship between the three. A discipline is a branch of knowledge studied within an institution of higher education. Many see the term, “education” as a profession while Sociology and Psychology are disciplines. This essay will focus on, “education” as a discipline within the curriculum at any given institution of higher education.

The discipline of education focuses on the word, “pedagogy” which to me simple means the art of teaching. Pedagogy is the study of a “skilled individual’ in the method and practice of teaching an academic discipline. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions (Myers,2015). A psychologist would study the pedagogical style of an individual professor and how effective it is in to achievement of learning objectives. For example, some professors lecture, others use the Socratic method, while many like to divide their students into groups. Within the discipline of Education many argue about which method achieves consistently the desired learning outcomes. Personally I prefer the good old,” lecture style” sprinkled with “the Socratic method”. While online my preference is making students write till I can hear the echoes of their anger while basking on the beach thousands of miles away. Academic freedom allows us to implement the pedagogy that matches our individual skill set. Psychologist tell us that the, “lecture style” really works for professors who are “charismatic”. Psychologist tell us that, “the Socratic method” fits those professors with an,” authoritarian personality” much like the rigorous Professor Kingsfield in the classic film, “The Paper Chase”. While the professor who prefers groups has more of an,” democratic style ‘’ of pedagogy. My esteemed colleagues at GMC fit one of the above teaching styles or a combination.

Sociology is the scientific study of individual and group behavior and the institutions that mold that behavior” (Kendall, 2012). A sociologist would look at the institution of education at the macro level. For example, a sociologist would study how the learning outcomes of an institution such as Catholic University differ tremendously from the learning outcomes of Bob Jones University a Baptist college. For that matter a sociologist would point out the macro institutional differences between a private college Emory University versus University of Georgia. Also sociologist would examine the differences in day to day life at a public high school in suburbia versus public high school in the inner city. A conflict sociologist would quickly focus on how a SWAT team surrounds the perimeter of the inner high school. Sociologist would study controversial topics within education such as whether “institutionalized racism” exists within educational institutions. One could also focus on patterns of sexual harassment that could be prevalent at certain institutions. A sociologist versed in the law would be interested in Title IV or Tile VI and whether they should be applied against bigoted educational institutions. For example, the patterns of sexual harassment that exists today at the University of California at Berkley are currently being exposed and scrutinized by the Guardian Newspaper in London, England.

Many in academia argue that Sociology and Psychology are cousins in the world of higher education. A college class called, “Social Psychology” would be an example of that. Many theories on human behavior overlap between Sociology and Psychology. Theories on human behavior are like pieces of a jig saw puzzle with no one theory explaining human behavior fully. One must take the theories like jig saw pieces and lay them on top of a table. Even when we match the hundreds of theories on human behavior the puzzle is never complete. The reason is,” simple” human beings are complex and behavior changes with time and circumstance. For example, with the advent of all this technology human behavior has transcended many theories in Sociology and Psychology. A great debate for the three disciplines would be social media and online education. Dr. Sherry Turtle psychology professor at MIT and author of,” Alone Together” argues that too much social media and online education hurts the “cognitive growth” of 17 to 24 year olds. A sociologist would agree and say a healthy balance would be a good compromise. While a college administrator with M.S. degree in Education would say, “It is better than no education at all. Students who would never have had an opportunity for a college education now do”. Let’s end with quote from Steve Jobs,” It is technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, and that yields us with a result that makes our hearts sing”.

Michael Granata M.A. (GMC Online College)

References:

Kendall, Diane “Sociology in Out Times” 9^th Edition, (Wadsworth Learning 2014)

Myers, David “Psychology” 11^th Edition, (Prentice Hall Publishing 2015)

What Career Options Are Available For Sociology Majors?

2016-04-13T14:04:00.000-04:00

First a GMC major must be sure they have picked the correct major. The first year of study at GMC is critical in picking a major. Fortunately, the GMC curriculum is loaded with a smorgasbord of introductory courses of which an undecided major should take full advantage off. These introductory level courses are taught by a highly motivated faculty guided by a vigorously diligent administration. While taking advantage of this buffet of courses the GMC student must pick the field study that invigorates their enthusiasm and passion.

Should the GMC student pick Sociology they will be engaging in a cognitively reflective critical thinking discipline? Dr. Roger Dunham the current chairperson of the Sociology Department at the University of Miami recalls his first sociology class, “I was hooked within the first week and found myself fascinated with the opportunity to do scientific research on addiction and criminal justice”. Criminal justice, addiction studies and social research in particular grant writing are all career options for Sociology majors. Grant writers with training in Sociology typically find employment with research foundations, government agencies, school districts, non-profits, and police departments. Dr. Fred Gilbert a Sociology major is both the vice president and compliance officer for Title Nine at Mojave College in Arizona,” A Sociology background has helped me deal with the complex ambiguities of human behavior when applying legislation such as Title Nine”. Sociology majors with Bachelors, Masters or PhDs can find administrative employment at colleges, school districts, police departments, hospitals, and government agencies. Virginia Cevasio a Sociology major and CEO of CARES a nonprofit suicide organization, “Every day is different and Sociology helps me understand the many barriers human beings must overcome daily. My suicidal clients look to me to help them overcome barriers that would be unimaginable for the average person to understand. Without my Sociology background my support for them would be very limited”. Non-profits such has CARES offer unlimited opportunities for Sociology major. CARES employs counselors, administrators, and grant writers. With a Master’s degree in Sociology a former student of mine Isaac Christiansen worked for a peace organization with in the United Nations, “Sociology taught me the skills to not only understand diversity but to appreciate”. Mr. Christianson’s job took him to Angola and Cuba. He now speaks both Spanish and Mandiga fluently. Having very recently completed his Ph.D. Dr. Christiansen will be teaching at Grandview College in Des Moines, Iowa and then moving on to a research career.

Sociology is also great preparation for many jobs within the criminal justice system. Penology is a study within Sociology where students can learn how to manage a correctional facility. Prison building has been a booming business in America. Correctional officers and prison wardens have Sociology backgrounds. Police officers with Sociology backgrounds have stated that Sociology helps them to be proactive in their job rather the reactive. Sociology is a great major for law school. Most criminal lawyers have Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology.

Finally, journalists with Sociology backgrounds have had tremendous success. For example, my esteemed colleague distinguished war journalist Dr. Christian Parenti author of best seller, “The Freedom” and the Tribeca film winner for the documentary “The Taking of Ajmal” leaves us with the following quote,” Sociology gave me the ability to put facts, narrative, and character in a broader context. This in turn helps me understand the real meanings of the current events I was reporting such as when I was covering undercover both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Narrative is not merely unfolding events, it is also the unfolding of competing events, which is the struggle of natural resources. These deeper structures are part of the real news and they require historical and sociological analysis to be fully understood. In my opinion training in journalism is actually inefficient for being a credible journalist. Complimentary training in Sociology is essential for building a critical mind and thus for being a journalist.”

Michel Granata (Sociology Professor GMC online)

What is Sociology?

2016-04-11T08:07:00.000-04:00

Sociology is a critical thinking discipline. Its founder Auguste Comte was an eccentric French philosopher of the 1840’s who wanted to study human behavior scientifically. Sociology is the scientific understanding of human behavior and the institutions that mold that behavior (Kendall, 2014). Comte used the term “positivism” to denote studying human behavior scientifically. At the core of the definition is how institutions mold human behavior. The institutions sociologist study includes the family, law enforcement, religion, media, government, education, health, prisons, and the military.

While studying human behavior scientifically sociologists bring to light disturbing figures. Suicide historically was the favorite study of the early sociologists. Following Comte’s model of positivism Emile Durkheim wrote the first sociological classic, “Suicide” in the early 1890s. This masterpiece is relevant today. It was Emile Durkheim who coined the four types of suicide: altruistic, anomie, fatalistic, and egoistic (Durkheim 1897). These types of suicide are used today amongst sociologists and psychologists has talking points. Altruistic suicide is committed by terrorists out of a sense of duty in order to retaliate against the perceived enemy. Often sociologists discover facts that don’t go with common perceptions. For example, with altruistic suicide over 80% of the suicide bombers that killed our troops in the Iraqi war came from the country of Saudi Arabia not Iraq. (Hafez, 2008). According to the Center for Disease Control a federal government agency in Atlanta suicide is in the top ten causes of death for Americans. Also according to the CDC suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults and teenagers, while accidents are the first. What I find especially disturbing is that the facts show that many suicides are disguised has accidents.

Over 41,000 Americans killed themselves in 2014 http://www.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus14 pdf) According to this federal data suicides account for two thirds of all gun deaths. Catherine Baker a suicide prevention specialist at Harvard points out that gun owning homes have a much higher risk of suicide than homes without guns. Simple put a suicide attempt is more likely to involve a gun since firearms succeed 85 percent of the times versus other methods. Within the institution of the military suicide rates are staggering. Virginia Cervasio a sociologist who is the CEO of the non-profit CARES (Suicide prevention) of which I volunteer knows this first hand. Her son returned from Iraq and killed himself with a handgun in 2006. According to Virginia Cervasio, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem”. Divided into day and time 22 veterans are killing themselves each day or one every one hour and fifteen minutes (http://www.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus14 pdf). Over the last eight years all of the veterans that I have counseled suffer from PTSD. So often the medications diagnosed for PTSD are ironically a suicide cocktail especially when mixed with alcohol. More of our brave troops die from suicide then combat.

Sociology for college students is an eye opener. The discipline exposes homicide rates, incarceration rates, police brutality rates, rape rates, illiteracy rates, poverty rates and homelessness to mention a few. For college freshman a mind boggler is that 1 out of every 4 people behind bars in the whole world is in the United States (Parenti, 2009). The United States is only 5% of the world’s population which makes that figure surreal. The facts on other social problems go on and on with Sociology at the forefront of bringing them to the public’s attention. The pictures that emerges from Sociology classes are not pretty. This should not be taken as an attack on the United States for there is no way we can solve these problems without knowing the extent to which they exist. Sociology is a critical thinking discipline that can be provocative, engaging, disturbing and even humbling. I see the discipline of Sociology has the blending of history, theory and facts which makes for powerful critical thinking. A major component of critical thinking is to cognitively go where one does not want to go. Common barriers to critical thinking include wishful thinking, cognitive dissonance, pride, selective memory, provincialism and egocentrism. Debunking is a critical thinking skill students learn in Sociology classes. Many distinguished college professors are noted for the following quote, “when the need to believe increases the ability to distinguish between fact and fiction decreases”. One of the noble goals of Auguste Comte was for Sociology to cure “false consciousness”. False consciousness is a subjective interpretation of reality that doesn’t go with the objective facts (Kendall,2014). Through positivism Sociology uncovers those objective facts.

Michael Granata

References:

Kendall, Diane “Sociology in Our Times 9^th Edition”, (Wadsworth Cengage learning 2014)

Hafez, Mohammed “Suicide Bombers in Iraq”, (United States Institute of Peace 2008)

Durkheim, Emile “Suicide”, (New York: The Free Press 1951)

Parenti, Michael “Democracy for the Few 8^th Edition” Thomson Wadsworth Publishing 2009)