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COPYRIGHT 2006 Information Today, Inc.
This installment in our series of articles concerning education moves us from the realm of the child to the adult. As such, the emphasis of the resources shifts from education to learning, with greater responsibility placed on the student for Finding, Using, Sharing, and Expanding knowledge in a particular discipline. (If this sounds familiar, FUSE is the acronym Yahoo! uses for its mission.) As one moves from the traditional academic setting into full-fledged adulthood, training (i.e., the adoption of specific skills to complete a task) becomes increasingly important. This article begins within the academic arena and covers the use of the Web for professional and personal development, acquiring skills as (and when) needed, and exploring broader interests. Where we once had only one career, today's students will likely have several shifts and turns in their professional lives. The Web will be one place to which they will turn as they move forward.
Higher Education
Part I of this series ("Education Searches Beyond ERIC: Government Policies, Teaching, and Technology," Searcher, November/December 2005, p. 37+) began by looking at policy papers dealing with research and programs designed to improve teaching at the K-12 level. Similar research studies are issued addressing issues of what academic institutions can do to ensure that their students actually learn and benefit from their years of study. In the past, there was concern about athletes not having mastered anything off the field; today, we find President Bush's Commission on the Future of Higher Education considering "a nationwide system [of standardized testing] for comparative performance purposes." (1) A set of resources for policy research and select sources for news concerning the community of higher education appears in Table 1 on page 55.
Among the most daunting tasks facing a high school student is determining the ideal college or university to attend and crafting the application that would appeal to college admissions staff. At the same time, parents must figure out how they will pay for their child's education. Table 2 on page 56 identifies resources helpful to students, parents, and their advisors, including links to career colleges. (A career college is a for-profit, postsecondary institution that provides professional, career-specific educational programs.) The high cost of career colleges has come under particular scrutiny. Many students are only able to attend career colleges because of significant student loans. Government officials are evaluating the quality of education provided by these schools, given the high tuition costs.
For information concerning accreditation of institutions mentioned in Table 2, consult the appropriate regional accrediting organization:
* Middle States Commission on Higher Education [http://www.msache.org]
* New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education [http://www.neasc.org/cihe/cihe/htm]
* North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Higher Learning Commission [http://www.ncahigh erlearningcommission.org]
* Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities Commission on Colleges and Universities [http://www.nwccu.org]
* Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges [http://www.sacscoc.org]
* Westem Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College Commission [http://www.wascsenior.org/wasc/]
* Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges [http://www.accjc.org/].
Once in school, students, faculty, and administration must work in tandem to nurture the development of future academicians and researchers. Each discipline has its own set of resources to tap. For this article, we selected the field of education to illustrate the types of resources available from academic institutions (speakers and events), faculty (course work, publications, and working papers), students (research projects), and libraries (subject guides). Table 3 on page 59 presents selected examples of these resources developed by/for academic purposes.
Learning at a Distance
While some may choose to use the sites included in Table 2 to find institutions of higher learning at home or abroad, a number of sites can help students find courses within their discipline which they can take without relocating. Distance learning opportunities were not invented with the advent of the Internet and the Web; correspondence courses, with materials delivered through the post ("snail mail") have been in existence for a long while and persist despite the availability and accessibility of more advanced technologies. Table 4 on page 60 combines sites that do one or more of the following:
* Offer technology to university campuses/faculties for delivering coursework to registered students.
* Link to distance learning opportunities (individual courses offered online).
* Provide access to journals devoted to the subject of distance learning.
Continuing (Adult) Education and Lifelong Learning
Today more than ever, literacy is essential. For those who did not learn to read as children, many avenues exist to help them become literate later in life. The Web has become an excellent tool to support literacy lessons. Its distinct advantage is anonymity as people work individually through exercises accessible to all.
For those who did not complete high school, a number of Web sites can help get the education credentials necessary to participate in today's workforce. General Education Diploma (GED) prep sites offer lessons plans for teachers (e.g., Maryland Adult Resource Center at http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/GED/Text/GEDres.html); some provide practice exams and guidance for improving writing skills.
Another major category within the education market is the use of the Web to support English as a Second Language (ESL). Some of these sites are designed to help foreign students pass language proficiency examinations before entering American universities, but these sites are valuable resources for all who seek to learn English later in life.
While reading and writing English is a concern for some adults, others are interested in learning a foreign language, either as a beginner or merely to refresh studies undertaken decades before. Web-based tutorials and practice tests abound in nearly every language imaginable. Streaming audio/video is gradually replacing audio- and videotape sales. Sites are designed for students and teachers alike, and the Web offers opportunities to locate foreign language institutes abroad, combining travel with language study.
Use of the Web to deliver course work and supplemental materials extends beyond the university. For...
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