The Value of Education

Oprah's Lifeclass

2011-10-15T13:49:00.000-04:00

Oprah is currently offering lifeclasses on various subjects, which can help YOU be the REAL you. The classes have been very thought-provoking and have opened the door to many for a world of possibilities.

One comment Oprah made the other day resonated with my beliefs and the purpose of this blog: everything in life is a lesson. Whether it's a good or a bad experience, you learn from it.

Take a minute to check out her videos, questions of the day, and guest speakers at http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html.

It is not just about learning from others but about learning from YOU (your life, experiences, beliefs, and desires).

There is no doubt that Education is visible everywhere - we just need to be open to it and accept it. This was my lesson.

Have a wonderful day and look for the educational opportunities life presents you :D

Gina

Teaching to First Graders

2011-09-15T18:37:00.000-04:00

I have been teaching computers to adults for over 10 years, but nothing compares to the experience I had when I taught my first class to First Graders this week. They were excited and interested. They had questions and repeated anything new I mentioned. They corrected each other. They even kept each other in check!

What was most fascinating is how their little eyes opened wide when I showed them something new or when I asked each one about themselves. Children are eager learners as much as eager speakers.

I am excited for this opportunity. It rekindled my belief that education is SO valuable and within grasp of each one who is open to learning something new. I am looking forward to a new year of new experiences and learning as I teach elementary grades on the basics of computers.

Writing Workshop

2011-09-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

I attended a Writing Workshop today that left me wanting more. Sad part is...I almost walked out at the beginning of the workshop.

When I signed up for the workshop, I wasn't sure what it had to offer. But I knew I could benefit from a group focused on writing. Today was my first day. The facilitator dove right in without an introduction on the purpose or format of the workshop. As she started giving us instructions on what to write, I allowed myself to be open to the possibilities. As each attendee read her piece, I realized how much there was to learn. Each person had a different writing (or talking) style, and each had a story to tell. It is amazing how different words can describe similar feelings.

See, education is not about going to a room, sitting down, taking notes, and being told what or how to do something. Education is about allowing yourself to learn from others and yourself. Listening, observing others, or a combination are great ways to improve a skill you want to perfect.

I am definitely looking forward to the workshop next week as we will be gathering our own information and presenting it to the group.

What else will I learn? We shall see :-).

Research

2011-08-30T12:12:00.009-04:00

Before talking about Research, let's define Research and its purpose. After all, Research is part of learning.

According to Merriam-Webster, Research is "careful or diligent search. Studious inquiry...aimed at discovery and interpretation of facts." (This information was obtained from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research on August 30, 2011.) The purpose of Research, then, is to analyze the data/information received and be able to extrapolate what is needed.

How is Research done?

Research can be done in a few ways: survey, literature, interviews, or observation. Research is not limited to professional or academic situations. Research can be done before a major purchase is made or when a parent is looking for the best school for their child.

However, when a person is in a position of trust (such as a doctor, a teacher, or a legal representative), research should NEVER include the client's name. Researchers should take into consideration the privacy of the individual (or business) and the consequences of using their name.

For example, if a client is attempting to make a donation but wants to know the proper (and legal) procedures for doing so, DO NOT use his/her name when asking others for advice. Names are NOT important for obtaining facts.

Why? By using the client's name, you are revealing personal information and must obtain consent before doing so. Otherwise, the client may get bombarded by requests for donations, or there may be a conflict of interest that may affect the client. Therefore, by seeking information without revealing the identity of the client, you are safeguarding both yours and your customer's integrity. Attempt to do Research on a neutral basis that will not affect anybody, yet benefit everyone concerned.

More will follow on the topic of Research.

Yellow Pages

2011-08-23T00:11:00.000-04:00

Research - whether at work, school, or home - is a skill we take for granted. Ask a middle schooler to look something up in the yellow pages and he will have no idea where to start. Let us teach this simple skill to our younger generation.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2011-04-22T12:05:00.001-04:00

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”~Benjamin Franklin

Learn From Each Other...

2010-03-16T22:43:00.003-04:00

Whether it's a family member, coworker, or friend, you can learn from each other.

Look for the best trait of an individual and try to incorporate it into your daily life. For example, I learned to listen by observing my former supervisor when he interacted with others.

Other examples of things to look for in others:

how they dress
use of hands
vocabulary
a specific technique, etc.

However, as you look for that particular skill in a person, be careful not to stare or be obvious. What you can do, though, is notice your reactions to the other person. Impressed by how they do something special? Then THAT is what you want to adopt as your new skill.

Try it. :)

I just learned something today...

2010-03-03T12:41:00.002-05:00

... Life happens!

No matter how well you plan to do something, you must be prepared for the unexpected.

This is an important life lesson. If you're not prepared, LIFE may happen and change your plans for you.

This degree or that degree?

2009-06-23T14:38:00.004-04:00

You've finally decided you want to pursue a degree. The next step is to decide which degree plan to follow. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

What am I interested in doing the rest of my life?
How long do I want to be in school?
Does it matter how long it takes to complete my chosen career path?
What skills or knowledge do I have that will help me in this field?
Why do I want to follow this degree plan and not another?

Answer these questions for every degree plan you are considering. It is necessary for you to get a feel for your true path. When you whittle your list down to 2 options, then you need to do some more research:

Interview people who have that degree. Find them through your school, work, volunteering, etc.
Read job descriptions for that degree.
What kinds of jobs can you get with that particular degree?
Does this degree require any prior knowledge or skill?
Does my career require additional degrees, schooling, certifications, etc.?

Answer these questions for the two degree plans you are considering, preferably on two separate sheets of paper. Now lay these two sheets side by side. Compare them. Which one do you feel more inclined to do?

It may take some time to decide between two degree plans. The important thing to remember is that you want to make sure you are doing what your heart desires AND that which you will be able to use.

For example, a personal friend of mine pursued one degree only to find out later that she needed to have prior experience in that field. She is currently unable to pursue any jobs in her chosen degree plan. Another friend pursued a different degree but found that the program did not give her what she needed to apply the new skills after graduation.

This leads to the next question: where will you obtain this degree? Research many schools that offer both of the degree programs you are considering. Interview students from the schools. What do they like or not like about the school? Find out all you can about the school and the program. Also inquire on the success rate of job placement after graduation. Two of my friends were never able to find jobs through the school's job placement program. Are you willing and able to find employment on your own?

There are lots of questions to be asked and answered. Only you can make the decision of which program to pursue. What is important is that you not regret your decision once you make it.

My final advice: Take your time and do your research.

Gina.

Writing a Literature Review

2009-05-24T07:54:00.009-04:00

When I first started my doctorate program, I (we) had to write a Literature Review on our chosen topic. One of the first requirements for the paper was to have at least 50 references. There was lots of gasping in the room *giggling*. Where were we to get SO many resources?! What is this Literature Review thing? So many questions.

That was a few years ago. As I continue to write publishable articles today, obtaining 50 references is no longer difficult. Au contraire! Now I have to whittle the list down to 50. Knowing where to look is very important to the process of searching relevant information.

As we read the phrase "Literature Review", we notice two words - Literature and Review. A Literature Review (or Lit Review, for short) is your extrapolation of the articles or books you find in a library or online that relate to your subject or research question. Literature, then, can be a book, an article, or a website whose content is professional and relevant. The Review is a summary of the key points you have collected from these. Let's explore the basics of a Literature Review: what it is, its purpose in academia, and its structure.

The purpose of the Literature Review is to gather the data you will be using in your additional assignments (papers). There are two reasons for this. The data you find will be the foundation for the other papers to be written. Secondly, it'll be great practice to writing a different type of paper than what you have been doing throughout your earlier school years.

A Lit Review is not a book report. A Lit Review is about all the references you have found. It is a type of story telling in which you report what others have done in their research. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end, better known as Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

In the Introduction, you will introduce your reader to your subject. Explain why you are doing your chosen research. What is the importance of this research to you or your audience? What do you hope to accomplish by doing this research? What is/are the question(s) you want answered? These paragraphs will set the stage for the rest of the paper.

As you do your research, you will notice a trend in the literature. Organize your findings into groups. Doing this will make it easier for you to put your findings on paper. The body of your paper should describe what your references state about your research questions. In the body of the paper avoid contractions or using the personal tense. The paper is about the findings, not about you. The format of your paper will be based on your institution's preference, whether APA or MLA or one of many others. Consult with your academic advisors or team for additional guidance on this.

In the Conclusion of your paper, summarize what you have written in the body of your paper. This summary shall lead to a conclusion based on the answers to the questions you posed in the Introduction. If you discover that you cannot provide answers, it is okay. With or without answers, you will have more opportunities to expand your research, which will then become other papers for your academic program.

Writing a Literature Review need not be difficult. Sure, at first you think it will be a daunting task. Hopefully, this brief explanation of a Lit Review will help you prepare yourself before writing one. All you have to do is think about a topic you are passionate about, do the research, organize it, and write your paper. Good luck!

Gina

OJT - On the Job Training

2009-04-17T01:15:00.008-04:00

A good place to learn a new skill is at work. Learning while working is called OJT (On-the-Job Training). OJT is a great way to learn a new skill while retaining your job and without risking it.

Let's say you are working as a receptionist for an accounting office. You are curious about the work that an accountant performs. You can do one of two things:
- Ask your boss if you can help the accountants, or
- Do some research on your own and study accounting.

A great place to find information on the requirements for a particular position is to read the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles all sorts of information on the careers or positions that exist.

Here is an example:

You can get more information like this at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ .

The advantage of OJT is that there is no out-of-pocket expense for either you or your employer. It is also a win-win situation. You win by learning a new skill, and your employer wins by training you as a potential backup to the current employees.

The only disadvantage to OJT is that you may be incurring additional duties. If you're organized and know your job well, this should not be a problem.

There are many ways to learn on the job without having to get the experience beforehand. The U.S. military is a great place and opportunity to learn and practice your new skills. The Federal Government sometimes offers opportunities to start at a lower grade and learn your skills for a later promotion. These types of positions are called Promotion Potential. Other positions are internships, in which you are trained a new skill with an employer. Many big companies and corporations may offer these on a short-term basis. Some internships, however, require school attendance in order to be considered. Also, some internships are not paid positions.

If you are interested in the military, you can go to the websites for the military: US Army (www.goarmy.com), US Air Force (www.airforce.com), Marine Corps (www.marines.com), US Navy (www.navy.com), Coast Guard (www.gocoastguard.com), and Merchant Marines (www.usmm.org).

If you're interested in Federal employment, you can go to www.usajobs.gov or www.cpol.army.mil. For information on internships, visit www.monstertrak.com or www.studentjobs.gov.

As you can see, there are opportunities to learn in your current position. Willingness combined with the desire will open the doors to opportunities. If you think this is something you would like to do, ask your current employer about OJT. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Online Education

2009-04-07T19:29:00.004-04:00

This is the 21st century. The opportunities for Education abound, thanks to the Internet. Many schools are now offering degree programs online. From high school to college, there are programs to suit everybody.

Here are a few examples:
1. Penn Foster offers high school diplomas and college degrees.
2. University of Phoenix offers many college degrees at all levels.
3. Westwood College offers degrees even in Construction Management.
The list goes on.

There are many sources to help you find an online school, but I recommend three:
- Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx
- elearners.com: http://www.elearners.com/colleges/
- Peterson's: http://www.petersons.com/.
These are only a few, but you can always request information directly from the school of your choice.

So, whether you're a stay-at-home mother, a professional, or someone looking for a convenient way to go back to school, check out online schools. There's something for everybody.

CompTia Findings

2009-04-01T12:22:00.007-04:00

There's good news for educational institutes.

A recent finding by CompTia (Computing Technology Industry Association) showed that of all the components in the Economic Stimulus Package, Training and Education (31%) topped the list of interest. Other topics found to be popular were Health IT (20%) and Green IT (19%), while the least interesting was Tax Issues (10%).

What does this mean? Information Technology (IT) is a popular field. If you're interested in health careers or are environmentally aware, you have a good outlook for employment in both areas.

If you want more information about CompTia or this report, go to http://www.comptia.org/.

Education in These Economic Times

2009-03-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

Financially, we are all hurting. Businesses are struggling to generate income, and people are struggling to stay employed. The effects of lay-offs are subsequently affecting other businesses, which in turn is causing a domino-effect down to the consumer.

While many businesses are either not hiring or are closing down, some businesses ARE hiring. Yet, there are more applicants than positions. Unfortunately, we may not be prepared for the types of jobs that are announced or the type of work we want to do.

What is an unemployed person to do?

The answer: go to school.

By returning to school, you may achieve both - the qualifications and/or the minimum educational requirements. In addition, many institutions of higher education offer job placement upon graduation. Better yet, you can do work-study while attending school. Work-study gives you the opportunity to learn a new job or a new career while going to school. It is the best of both worlds, if you ask me.

I wish more schools would offer students an opportunity to learn by practicing in the same field in which they are pursuing the degree. Businesses merit by getting the work done, and the student benefits by learning a new skill or career. Upon graduation, the student may have a good chance of securing a job with his work-study employer OR the student can demonstrate his newly attained skill in his resume and secure employment elsewhere. Either scenario is a win-win solution for businesses, schools, our economy, and you.

Deciding to go to school is a personal choice. But you also have to decide whether you want to stay unemployed. Education will open the door to a new career, a new experience, and a better outlook in life.

So, what are you going to do?

Welcome to the Value of Education

2009-03-14T15:34:00.000-04:00

This blog came about as a necessity at work. Education is what makes us and our personality. We learn at home, at school, work, or through every experience in life.

Why, then, is education the one item eliminated from budgets or redeveloped into a purely online methodology?

Throughout this blog, I hope to converse with my audience on the value of education (regardless of how it is attained).

Welcome to the Value of Education.

Gina.