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Preparing your Online Learner




Getting rear ended on a winding road is not usually the way I meet students. Thankfully, no one was hurt and the other car’s driver, Christina, 17, will forever know that instructing her passenger on how to use the CD player while driving is not the best move. The car I was in, made of plastic, bounced back. Unfortunately for Christiana, her metal car crinkled. We pulled off into a nearby parking lot, assessed each others damages, and made small talk while waiting for the police to arrive.

Swapping stories of where I was from (Minnesota) and what I was doing in Virginia (attending a training conference on behalf of The Virtues Campus to become a Certified Career Direct Consultant) led to a discussion about options for education. My own kids tease me that it takes me less than five minutes after meeting someone before my conversation includes the words CLEP and careers. Christina's passenger, Maeve, was quick to share that online classes was how she recently completed high school. She was not cut out for sitting in a classroom environment every day, but flourished with the freedom that online classes offered her. Christina replied that she could never “do that”. Maeve agreed with me that her motivation to be self-scheduling was because she wanted different experiences than what was found on-campus.

Though high school options lag behind college options, we are entering into an age of free global education. Khan Academy, Saylor.org and MOOCs are examples of this trend for availability of free online education. Most chief academic officers at colleges and universities were skeptical of online learning when it was in its infancy. Today, according to a recent survey, more than 70% of them now believe it is critical to their long-term strategy.

Many components of today's on-campus classes are already online: exams, assignments, research, reading, etc. Most students are comfortable in this blended learning environment. They have come to expect an instructor to verbally deliver their assignments and lead the classroom interaction. It's true that lab sciences will always need a physical lab, and it is hard to replicate the synergy that comes from being physically present in an engaging on-campus class. However, as digital technology continues to push open doors to access, engagement, and quality, preparing today's students to be a successful e-learner will give them full advantage of the changes that are taking place.

CLEP + On-Campus + Online
My youngest will earn his degree from a regionally accredited university in December. To keep it affordable, we "unbundled" his education and looked at each component separately: learning, credentials, and experience.


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Sign Up ~ Workshop on August 20 in Bloomington, MN
"Bringing my 14 year old to your Credits Before College seminar last year was the best move I made to get him to "buy in" and see why I want to utilize this strategy."

Earlybird registration is available through August 13. Two great topics in one educational evening: Earning College Credits in High School with CLEP plus College and Career: Helping your Teen Define a Direction. For parents with students in grades 6-12. Comprehensive resource packet for registered attendees.
Details and Registration

Psychology and World Religions Curriculum
Why a Psychology Course Guide?  Our goal is to inspire students to want to learn about psychology and encourage them to ask: “What’s the evidence?” when encountering statements about human behavior. Students often find this information is applicable in their everyday lives and can be applied to a broad range of career fields. The difficulty educators find is the lack of age-appropriate material written from a Biblical perspective. We decided to solve that. For grades 9-12.

Why a World Religions Course Guide? While this subject can be studied in college, it truly is a great study for all students to engage in before launching. The difficulty is the lack of interesting and age-appropriate study material. We decided to solve that. We hope you enjoy learning with your students! For grades 7-12.
Individual and Co-ops: Order Online

The Changing Economic Realities of College | Adam Carroll

"The economic realities of college have changed, but our buying behavior has not!" Adam Carroll, finance expert and financial education enthusiast, calls college “the longest and most expensive party” he’s ever been to. What parents today need to know. Watch the great TED talk with your student.
 
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