5 Best Internet Hacks That Can Simplify Your Life Nowadays

This guide is designed to help you, the novice user of the Internet, with your first steps online. It’s important for you to understand that the Internet can cause issues and it is very normal to face issues with your internet speeds.

We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to remain vigilant at all times. While there are plenty of useful and interesting sites out there on which you can spend hours getting lost, there are also many things that will want to harm your computer or worse still – steal your identity!

You need to be very careful when you use the internet and how you use it. Whenever you are facing any issues with your internet service that you are not able to identify, you can contact the customer service department. For instance, if you are using Spectrum internet service and you face some trouble with their service, you will report or escalate the issue to Spectrum customer service department. Your issue will be identified and resolved by the customer service department.

You can use the internet in a way that can be beneficial for you, we are mentioning a few hacks that you can try to avoid any issues that can occur with your internet service. If you have an active approach instead of a subliminal approach, you can avoid the malpractice issues that usually occur online.

Internet Hacks

Internet hacks for slow internet speeds

The first and most irritating issue faced by most of the users is the slow internet speed issue. If you are not aware of the few simple hacks that can help you to counter this issue, you will most likely face it too. Here are a few tips that you can use when you face speed lags.

  • Refresh your modem once in a while: After the pandemic of COVID19 our internet usage has become quite extensive and we don’t turn off our modem or refresh it frequently. If your modem stays on power all day, there can be a few bugs that can cause it to work slow. You must reboot or refresh your modem every now and then. The performance of your internet will be maximum when your modem refresh.
  • Keep your device updated: Just like you need to stay active to perform well, your devices also need to stay updated to perform well. You can simply turn off the notifications, so you will stay updated about the required updates.
  • Change your password: Your password should not remain the same at all times. It is a good practice to change your password after every 3 months and it should be a complex password. If your password is too simple, your internet can get hacked.
  • Place your modem and router in the right direction: The placement of your equipment plays a very vital role in the quality of Wi-Fi signals. Your modem and router must have a clear path, make sure that there is no furniture close by. You can place it in a central area, this will help you to get strong internet signals.

Tips to use the internet carefully      

There can be many malicious websites online that can cause harm to your devices such as your laptop or mobile phone. You must use the internet in a way that does not create any issues of hacking or malware for you. Here are a few tips that you can follow to stay safe online,

  • USE VPN: You can download a secure VPN that can help you to stay protected online from any malicious activities online, you need to have a good VPN. Through VPN you get a safe tunnel that protects your IP address and makes it difficult for hackers to have access to your network.
  • Download an Anti-Virus Software: Sometimes when you simply browse websites online, it can be corrupt and your device can catch a virus or bug from it, you can download anti-virus software on your devices to avoid any risks of viruses. It also protects your devices from drives that you connect externally, such as USB.

Wrapping Up

An informed user who is well aware of the tips that we have mentioned in this article will be able to stay safe from any fraudulent activities online. You can also avoid major and common occurring issues of internet speed lags by following the tips that we have mentioned in this article.

Positive Words Research – 5 Best Internet Hacks That Can Simplify Your Life Nowadays

Universities Are Adapting Admissions For Coronavirus Pandemic

The pandemic that unfolded in full force was not at all appropriate. After all, spring is in full swing. This means that there are only a few days left before the large-scale wave of final exams and admissions to educational institutions. How are things with entrance examinations, admission of documents, and passing of other tests today? Sorted this out in our material.

The Current Situation

A new dangerous and poorly understood viral infection has already made our world the way it was not before. Almost a million infected, tens of thousands of lost lives, the strictest quarantine regimes in almost all countries, the most powerful economic collapse, and thousands of canceled (or postponed) events, including:

  • All national championships and international tournaments in football and other sports;
  • Summer Olympics;
  • Cannes Film Festival;
  • Eurovision;
  • ExoMars Mission;
  • E3 Annual Gaming Conference;
  • The World Economic Forum;
  • Numerous premieres in the world of cinema;
  • Concert tours and music festivals;
  • Fashion weeks and shows.

The educational process is no exception. The coronavirus has made its own major adjustments. Now, most schoolchildren and students are homeschooled (thanks to modern technology). All educational institutions are closed. Each university or school can introduce its own additional precautions. For example, Harvard asked all students to vacate their dorms back in mid-March. And China, where the infection came from, developed a national educational online platform in a short time. Exams, tests, and even the defense of diplomas are also planned to be transferred online. While trapped at home, it’s possible to learn quite a lot, and not only your university program. Online courses open doors to a range of exciting career options (marketing course, for example).

In some countries, they have introduced long-term vacations and stopped the educational process altogether – Kuwait schoolchildren back to their desks only on October 4 (with the exception of graduates).

Admission to universities during a pandemic: entrance exams and admission to universities

COVID-19 also affected higher education institutions. All universities in the world have been quarantined and are trying to introduce new remote learning systems. As for the final and entrance exams, at the moment improvisation is read in almost all addresses to students. Administrations do not know how long the quarantine will last. Therefore, they are trying to come up with some convenient date on which all exams can be postponed.

The problem is that such a system fails since all events are clearly timed. All this action stretches for about three months. And now all this needs to be either postponed or greatly reduced in terms of time. Therefore, each university chooses its own model of overcoming the crisis. At the moment, 1 billion people in the world have switched to a remote learning system.

USA

Entrance exams in American universities were moved from April to June. The country’s most advanced universities, such as the Massachusetts University of Technology (MIT), are organizing full-length remote classes and, when the general quarantine is extended, are ready to conduct entrance exams over the Internet.

Otherwise, American higher education institutions are not yet worried about the cancellation or postponement of entrance exams, believing that the COVID-19 epidemic will end earlier. For example, Harvard University did not devote a single paragraph in its large-scale FAQ, which deals with the situation with the coronavirus. But they, along with Stanford University, announced that they would forgive students for any delay in tuition payments. And the president of the country, in turn, said that for students the interest on student loans…

How Universities Are Adapting Their Admissions During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Special exams

GRE

Graduate Record Examination is testing conducted in the US and UK for students entering postgraduate programs in all areas. Distinguish between General GRE and Subject GRE. The former is usually included in university-wide charters, while the latter is valid for specific specialties and faculties. The purpose of the GRE is to assess the general level of knowledge and to fairly compare different curricula around the world. The test is conducted entirely in English. The admissions offices of different universities are lukewarm about the GRE. However, his average score is taken into account if it is too low or too high.

In connection with the outbreak of the coronavirus, the development company GRE – ETS has launched an online format for its testing. To take the test at home, you will need to install two special programs on your computer: ETS Test Browser and ProctorU Systems Check. In one, you will take the test. The other will make sure you don’t cheat.

GMAT

Graduate Management Admission Test is a test for students wishing to study at a master’s degree or business school in finance, economics, business, and management programs. Typically used when enrolling in an MBA program. The test was developed in the middle of the last century. Its structure is undergoing massive changes up to the present day. For example, in 2012 a big new section (Integrated reasoning) was added.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most tests around the world have been canceled. At the moment, on the official page of the GMAC organization on Facebook, it is noted that an online version of the GMAT test is being developed.

LSAT

The Law School Admission Test is a special test for law applicants created by Harvard and Yale graduates in 1943. Its results are used by admissions committees of higher education institutions in the USA, Canada, Australia, and several other countries. Hosted by LSAC. About 200,000 people undergo this testing every year.

The March LSAT test has been canceled worldwide due to the coronavirus epidemic. All those who registered for the test in March were automatically registered on April 25th. This is a new tentative testing date. 

By the way, after the February 2021 exam, more states plan to offer the bar exam remotely again (Connecticut Bar Exam, for example).

MCAT

Medical College Admission Test is a standardized exam for medical students who wish to study in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean. Hosted by the AAMC, the Association of American Medical Colleges. It is one of the most difficult and longest examinations in the world. The last major changes to the test were made in 2015 to reflect all modern medical advances.

In connection with the coronavirus, the April MCAT exam has been completely canceled. The association has eliminated all additional cancellation and postponement fees until the situation stabilizes. The next testing date has not yet been determined. It is recommended to stay tuned for updates on this page.

TOEFL

Test of English as a Foreign Language is a well-known test of English language proficiency. Like GRE, TOEFL is developed by ETS. During the COVID-19 epidemic, it is possible to take the test online.

IELTS

The International English Language Testing System is the main competitor of TOEFL. Created mainly for admission to higher education institutions in the UK. Often used by various companies during hiring. At the moment, the IELTS test continues in some regions, if the admissions committees manage to create a competent isolation environment. But in most countries, the IELTS exam has been officially canceled. Its renewal depends on the quarantine rules of other states.

Final thoughts

The situation in the world in connection with the virus is changing not only every day but every minute. That is why everything, including studying in schools and entering universities, can change more than once. Follow the news on the websites of the educational institution you are interested in and on the news portals of the country where you are already studying or just planning to study. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!

Positive Words Research – How Universities Are Adapting Their Admissions During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Protect Your Digital Self in a Few Minutes a Day Everyday

Everything is connected these days. With the internet becoming so accessible, we hear more and more about data breaches related to the websites we visit frequently – from eCommerce to social networks. Therefore, we also need to change how we protect ourselves in the digital sphere. The tips we give in this article will only take a few minutes of your day in exchange for strong online protection.

Open Source Intelligence

Please find below some background check apps and tools that utilize private and open governmental sources to collect all the data about you in a single place. Most people are not aware of this but there is so much data about almost every person readily available online. The tools that gather it are categorized as Open Source Intelligence apps. Many threat actors have been successful at designing tools that let them parse the data they need about you. These tools can scan all these open source databases as well. 

Digital Footprint

Every tweet you post, every image you upload on Instagram, everything you post on Facebook – all of that makes up your online footprint. Anything you ever say or do online will stay on the Internet forever. When you “accept cookies” for a website, it allows the platform to track your online activity. Even this information is recorded somewhere and adds to the digital footprint. 

How to Protect Yourself

1. Always go through the Terms and Conditions

It is important to read every platform’s privacy policy before registering so you can opt-out, if possible, from allowing your data to be used for things like advertising, etc.

2. People Finder Websites

These days a lot of our social and business relationships have moved online. Many people end up making clients or friends online whom they have never seen or met before. The site has a huge database of USA citizens so you can easily get information on the exact individual you’re searching for.

3. Powerful Passwords

It is important to have a strong password if you want to protect yourself in the digital space. It is the first defense against someone trying to access your accounts. There are two things that separate a strong password from a weak one. First, it should include at least one digit, symbol, and an uppercase letter. A password that has a strong combination of digits, symbols, and letters is harder for cybercriminals to decrypt. Secondly, you must ensure that you have a different password for all your accounts. While it can be hard for you to remember all these different passwords, it will not lead to every other account of yours getting compromised in case one account gets breached. You can always utilize a password manager to help you keep track of your passwords.

4. Software Updates

Whether you have a tablet, smartphone, or laptop, always remember to update the software. You might feel lazy or not feel like letting your devices take their time to update the software, however, sacrificing a few minutes for this is worth it. Software updates not only offer you the latest features and improve the speed of your device but also patch up the security weaknesses of your system. If the older versions have any weaknesses, they are generally dealt with in the new versions of the software.

5. Use an External Hard Drive to Back-Up Data

A lot of us fear losing our important data from our laptops or desktops. It is a very valid fear since it is possible for your system to crash in a way that makes the corrupted files beyond retrieval. Everyone has a lot of essential data on their devices, from memories to work files. It can be a truly stressful and heartbreaking ordeal if you lose them. Many people employ cloud services to back up their information. However, keep in mind, that cloud storage is not always the safest either. A lot of cloud services have experienced data breaches, resulting in threat actors successfully gaining access to the personal data of a lot of users. Therefore, it can be a good idea to use an external hard drive to back-up your data. It will ensure your digital self is much safer and your data is not connected to an online network susceptible to hackers but is stored physically. 

Protect your digital self

Conclusion

We all try our best to protect ourselves from harm. After all, as humans, that is one of our most basic needs. However, not everyone in the world has good intentions. As a result, we generally have to put in the effort to ensure our safety. Just like you would take measures and avoid things to protect your physical self, you need to do the same for your digital self. Most of us are connected to the Internet almost all the time. By signing in to something, you connect to something way larger than you could ever imagine, with dangers you do not completely understand. These digital dangers can impact your digital, as well as your physical self in a truly real way. Therefore, it is crucial for you to take out time to protect yourself online.

Positive Words ResearchProtect Your Digital Self in a Few Minutes a Day

Uncomplicated Compressing a PDF Document Online with PDFBear

Constant change is happening in today’s event with the ongoing pandemic with COVID-19. E-learning, or most commonly known as online learning, helps maintain social distancing and avoid getting sick in today’s pandemic. Every one of us can have access to learning no matter what place you are from. Hence, the value of being able to adapt to the fast pace evolution of learning.

As we enter a new era of education, it is vital to learn new things that correspond with learning evolution. It is essential to learn something about how documents or what kind of document format is available. You can do many things about documents to meet your specific needs, which gives importance to an online converter tool that can help you with your documents.

About PDFBear

PDFBear has different kinds of services that are available online for every individual. Some examples of these services are converting a PDF document into another format or converting a document back into a PDF type format. You can also organize your document by merging a PDF, splitting a PDF, or deleting pages from your PDF.

Viewing and Editing are also available where you can navigate through your document to overlook some needed change. You can also put number pages, add a watermark, rotate, and arrange an eSign on your PDF documents. Having a diverse number of compiled services on one website is a great help for every individual when dealing with documents.

One of the best features that you can use in PDFBear is compress PDF. This will help you squeeze the file size of a document while keeping the high quality of the document to give more room for your device storage. In a 1GB document size, you can pretty much save up to 70% of the size. Making it one of the best solutions when you are having trouble with your storage running out all the time.

PDFBear vs. Competitors

PDFBear takes its pride to be on top of the hierarchy of the best online converter available online. No one else in the market offers an online converter tool like PDFBear does. With PDFBear, it is not just about converting or compressing a document but retaining its original quality. One of its best features is its software being able to be used with ease and convenience.

PDFBear and Its Accessibility

Having an online converter that is accessible anytime and anywhere is an advantage nowadays. Hence, the importance that PDFBear gives to its services to be available anytime and anywhere. You can access PDFBear services as long as you are connected to the internet, using a smartphone, desktop, or even a tablet.

PDFBear and Its Security

People with bad intentions are everywhere nowadays; especially on the internet, it is hard to keep everything private. PDFBear offers a top-notch security system when using their services. PDFBear wants your documents to be safe, and to make sure it happens, PDFBear deletes your document when you are done using their service to ensure that people with malicious intent can’t get through your files.

Takeaway

Constant change is happening in the world today. This ongoing pandemic has changed most of the things that we usually do. E-learning, or most commonly known as online learning, has been a great addition to education. Hence, the importance of learning new stuff and using tools to help you with your document essentials.

PDFBear is one of the best online converter tools that can help you with your document essentials. With its premium features of services and accessibility, anytime and anywhere, it makes it the most go-to online tool.

Positive Words Research – Uncomplicated Way of Compressing a PDF Document Online with PDFBear

Compressing a PDF

Easy, Fast, and Safe Tips to Convert PDF to JPG for Free

Your long search is over if you have read this, trying to find ways to convert PDF to JPG online. You should make this a primary tool since it’s the best converter ever made, plus it’s free! PDFBear is a highly recommended tool for many users since it’s easy to use, and you can do your job fast. PDFBear can convert your PDF to JPG way better than you wight fount on the internet.

You don’t need any software to install or download something to use PDFBear. You can find many tools that offer these services for free, but this time you are reading the most user-friendly, convenient, fast, and free to use the converter. Just open this, and you don’t need to sign up for this. You open, and you can use it immediately.

Why can this be considered more effective than a PDF converter that can be installed and used offline? Since it is an online converter, for as long as you are connected to the internet, you can use this anytime or anywhere you go. It doesn’t choose who can use this, so that means anyone can use it. It’s convenient to use; just a few clicks or tap and wait for seconds, and PDFBear will do the process.

Four Easy Steps to Convert PDF to JPG

Only four easy steps to convert the file using PDFBear. The converter will convert your file in just a few seconds, even how many files you want to convert. This free PDF to JPG converter can be easily used by anyone, even those who do this for the first time; there is no need to worry. By just following the four steps carefully, anyone can do it.

  • Open PDFBear Website.
  • Choose the file you want to convert by uploading it. If you don’t want to open a load of folders, drag the files to the PDFBear website.
  • It will scan and convert your file for a few seconds. You don’t need to worry about the quality of the file because it will not change our PDF’s quality.
  • Please wait until it is finished.

There are options that you can choose after your job is done. And a JPG image will appear on your Download folder or folder that you designated it to be placed after download. Place the converted file to the folder or portable hard drive or wherever you want. And don’t forget to always organize your files.

Convert PDF to Other Formats

There are a lot of online PDF converters that offer almost the same as PDFBear. They can do a lot of tasks, for example, converting PDF files to BMP, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and a lot more. But nothing beats PDFBear because it has good quality said by a lot of users, and it offers a lot of tools that you might need rather than converting from PDF to JPG.

Easy Access and Cloud System

Operating systems, for example, Mac, Linux, and Windows, are compatible with PDFBear. Plus the good thing is even mobile phones can access it. Why? Operating systems or mobile phones today can open browsers, and PDFBear only needs a browser to function. Anyone who is using PDF files today can exploit this, and it’s free. You will not spend anything on this.

Takeaway

Always consider using this kind of tool that will secure your data. Just like PDFBear, after you finished processing your files, they will not get the data you use. They will delete it from their server. You will never be worried about the privacy of your files. Choose PDFBear now!

Positive Words Research – Easy, Fast, and Safe Tips to Convert PDF to JPG for Free

pdf to jpeg

Best 3 Free Apps with Positive Words to Enjoy Online Now

Here at Positive Words Research, we love nice words. Find here the apps – online applications with good words – developed by Positive Words Research. Learn and practice motivational words with our apps.

Elena, the person behind Positive Words Research, is passionate about powerful words since 2012. She is dedicated to bringing inspiring words in the lives of everyone in the world. Elena believes that her life purpose is to promote positive words. This is why she started working with IT experts to create many online applications with nice words.

Positive Words Research is dedicated to contributing to the field of positive words. This is why we are continuously bringing new tools to your disposal. Here is a list of apps – online applications with positive words – that you can use and improve your good words knowledge.

Think positive with the online apps developed by Positive Words Research!

Online Applications With Positive Words

1. Positive Words Researcher

Positive Words Researcher is an online free application that is analyzing your text in terms of positive words. The text length to be analyzed is unlimited. For example, you can analyze an entire book with this application. The application helps you with three things:

  1. Extracts the positive words found in your text;
  2. Computes some simple analytical indicators (counting the positive words, calculating the percentage of text positivity);
  3. Gives to you the list of positive words not found in your text. The application has a database of positive words, compares your text with this database and exports the positive words not found in your text, as a list in alphabetical order.

2. Name Acronym with Positive Words

Name Acronym with Positive Words is an app designed to allocate a positive word for every letter of your name. This app can be used for yourself or for the one you care about.

3. Positive Words Jar

Positive Words Jar is an online application where you will find a jar that you can fill with positive words starting with the first letter of your name.

Come back to this page because we are constantly developing new online applications with kind words that will make you use daily good words, will help you learn inspiring words and embody them until they become like a second skin to you and will also brighten your day.

Free Online Apps and Games with Positive Words

Positive Instructing Technologies: Future of Online Learning

Disclaimer: This article is primarily intended for teachers and parents. Still, it can prove insights for anyone interested in the converging disciplines of ‘Teaching’ and ‘Learning’. Anyone who can bear the sight of academic concepts tucked in ‘hither and thither’ within the prose. So reader discretion is advised…

What is the best way to impart a quality education?

One that does not restrict the student’s intellectual scope, but encourages it to grow uniformly. Both within the confines of the curriculum and without it.

In this post, I will attempt to address this question, as well as try to anticipate the direction in which the Online Learning venture is headed. The role that ‘positive’ technologies – such as Constructivist teaching models – will inevitably play in the future will also be shed light upon.

When scholars and researchers analyze learning & teaching methods academically, they tend to emerge with not-very-dissimilar conclusions.

“A general optimism/freshness of outlook and theoretical perspective is a critical component of every sound and collaborative teaching regimen.”

The traditional stances pertaining to this issue have largely given way to more information-sharing & knowledge-construction frameworks. These have been explored in full through the progressive/constructivist paradigm of imparting education. As a result, it might be a good idea to explore the future of learning from today’s vantage point.

Because when the end is clear, the journey becomes easy (or so they say)!

Note: All theoretical approaches referenced in this article blog post have been acquired through the Spectrum Internet Plans

On Positivity within the Classroom: A Personal Account

Positivity within the Classroom

I’d like to state that by ‘positivity’ I do not wish to make allusions to the concept of ‘scientific positivism’. ‘Positivity’ has to be taken in its more literal and psychologically-subjective sense – to be made sensible for our purposes.

Positive vs. Humane Reinforcement

In virtually all interactive sessions that I had within my classrooms, one core teaching principle seems to have consistently stood my test of time and experience. I call this teaching positive reinforcement.

This is different from humane reinforcement, in which the child on the receiving end of an academic check is left scarred with a debilitating sense of failure. As most psychological authorities would attest, adolescent and pre-adolescent children are particularly susceptible to negative feedback. Even if it should be warranted and conveyed politely.

As I have learned through my fourteen years of classroom engagement, the best way to communicate your disapproval of a student’s work performance is to not intone the said verbal or textual correspondence as such.

Learning from My Mistake

When starting out as a fresh instructor, I continually committed an error. I used to be very direct and straightforward with my impressionable young ‘charges’; as I referred to them in my Victorian state-of-mind back then.

At this point, I’m sure that you can gauge something about my psyche from these involuntary admissions. I generally believe that a teacher should be like an open book, with a transparent subjectivity that can be understood. Charismatic and forceful figures have the uncanny influence of dictating their opinions to others.

It wasn’t long before I discovered the great degree of animosity and willful contempt that started to radiate from each and every one of them. Even from some of my star pupils, who I always attempted to laud loudly in front of everyone.

Instead of imparting learning and improving students social skills, I had unconsciously become responsible for brewing up a mob-like sentiment in the group. One that was fast on its way to imploding from within. That means with pupil turned against a fellow pupil. Which wanted to bind me in a body bag!

Making changes

My moment of redemption actually came from the instigations of one of my more discerning students. This pupil indirectly attempted to point out the egregious folly of my ways. I asked about what I could do to make my attempts at consolidating a more congenial and ‘breathe-easy’ environment within the classroom. She offered an apt retort: Don’t ever criticize, or say wrong, to any one of us, Miss. Like, never!

And I have not only stuck to this wise commandment ever since but have also traced its echoes in some of the leading pedagogical theories of the 20th century. All these theoretical approaches can be thought of as abstract technologies in their own right.

This is because they provide teachers with a tested framework of assumptions. Which can be used to come up with innovative results in particular learning environments.

On the Importance of Positive Intent within the Classroom

But what is true of all of these in-class approaches? It is that the dually-conjoined issues of teacher politeness/compassion and positive attentiveness serve as de facto limiting factors to the success of any instructing venture. If a certain tutor happens to fall short in terms of these matters, he/she risks the viability of the entire academic program.

Irrespective of which theoretical teaching model is adhered to. And till date, I haven’t come across even one educationist, who would be willing to sabotage the one vocation that he/she adores the most – that is tutoring.

There are ‘no wrong answers’, but only different ways of interpreting the same sociological & rational phenomena, therefore a skilled instructor can initiate two-way dialogues with students. Not a one-way exchange of information.

This technique inculcates a sense of confidence in the minds of students. It encourages them to build and refine their own knowledge-bases consistently. When a tutor is conceived as more of a negotiator of knowledge, and not its immaculate & singularly-authoritative repository, true learning can be facilitated.

Learning needs to be dialectical, requiring the constant input of all members. It should not be construed as a canvas to showcase the skills-set of the individual delivering the information.

For the betterment of all, that is!

Online Learning – Its Current & Future Prospects

The advent of the Internet Age brought with it an entire host of opportunities for education services to the masses. With the backing of the One-World vision, the World Wide Web sought to transform the way in which information-dissemination began to be grappled with as an initiative.

It wasn’t long before major university institutions started offering their distance education services to students. These virtual programs are also bound by the strict legal stipulations observed in the original brick-and-mortar academic sites. Upon the successful completion of an e-learning regimen, a student is subsequently awarded a certified university degree.

Addressing Current Distance Learning Programs

Although current distance education programs are fully interactive and dialogic,  they have faced their fair share of criticisms. Proponents of the current virtual learning model argue in favor of maintaining some semblance of a structure. They argue that the complete dissolution of existing paradigms for the sake of entrenching a more pluralistic model will lead to a state of postmodernist chaos ensuing within the classroom. Their detractors espouse a more ‘internationalist’ view of the teaching/learning environment.

With the contention that currently exists between these two pedagogical camps, one thing is certain. The future of online learning will definitely feature a more diversified blending-in of all known theoretical approaches. And the teaching virtues of a rigorous brand of optimism and continual hope will form an integral part of this learner-oriented future.

And in my opinion, the world, with all its legions of young learners destined to take the reign of global management from their predecessors, will be better off for it!

Author’s Bio

Rosie Harman is an Educationist, a Book-Lover, and a Culture-Critic, who likes to recount her professional experiences (of being a Middle School teacher) using the medium of words. She lives in Ann Harbor, MI, and can often be found taking long walks around Lake Michigan. She regularly blogs at Spectrum Cable Company.

Here at Positive Words Research, we are looking to share with our readers original content that hasn’t been published on other sites so if you are comfortable with Positive Words Research being your sole publisher, we are more than happy to share with our readers your inspiring and empowering story.

online learning

A Short History and Future of Online Learning Today

About 125 years ago, students could earn the correspondence degree. Correspondence programs were initiated in higher education by the Universality of London in the mid of 19th century. In the next century, different universities played with other modalities including radio and television-based learning. Most notably in the UK—with the Open University. Correspondence degrees in the U.S. remained solidly ground on paper and the U.S. Postal Service.

There was little sense among traditional universities before the 1990s that students should generate a profit or be in any way central to the institution. These programs operate on cost-recover bases, and they were demoted to the outskirts. Lack of profit was sarcastic considering one of the pioneers of corresponding degrees.
International correspondence schools enrolled a total of 900,000 students by 1906, driven by a sales force of 1,200. It made sense given the view that correspondence degrees should serve educational outreach missions of the university. In the middle of the 20th century, the University of Maryland College and the University of Wisconsin Extension led the market.

Internet era

The Internet has proved itself as a game changer for correspondence degrees by enabling three forms of interactivity.

  • interaction with content,
  • interaction with the instructor,
  • the interaction with other learners.

People closest to the correspondence were the last to see it. Extension and ongoing education programs viewed the internet as yet other in a long line of non-revolutionary technologies like two-way video.

Market leaders

Market leaders like University of Maryland (UMUC), Wisconsin, Washington, and University of California Los Angeles were caught unaware as for-profit entrants nurtured the market for distance degrees.
For-profit entrants were not afraid of UMUC, and for-profit domination did not happen overnight. In 2000, Sloan Asynchronous Learning Network estimated that for-profits occupied less than 5% of the market for distance degrees. For-profits like the University of Phoenix grew rapidly over the prior decade by making higher education more accessible.

Duke University, an elite university which initiated its global executive MBA in the late 90s, and Cornell University which started e-Cornell as the university’s vehicle for online certificate programs seemed to grab the potential of online delivery better than other universities.

Development of for-profit universities for a decade was powered by online degrees. These degrees entered into the huge market of nearly 40 million Americans. By 2010, students enrolled in online programs were 3 million.
70% of those students attended for-profit institutions. From 2000 to 2010, most of the potential customers were targeted with the opportunity to go back to college.

Experience

The experience of the for-profits in the last 5 years has been, in part a calamity of the commons. Too many fishermen fishing in a diminishing pool. It has also been a failure of investment. For-profit organizations focused investment in the areas of marketing and enrollment.

Consequently, enrollment growth slowed and reversed over the last 5 years. The immediate reaction was to redouble the focus on marketing rather than thinking about the development of a product.

Programs in 2015 were easily recognized by online students from the year 2000. Many for-profits institutes use the same learning management system that was used a decade ago. None of them have attempted to reinvent online learning based on the current technology. It is a failure of investment that is coupled with the failure of imagination.

Online Degree

Online degree programs in popular subjects like Business, Technology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Health, and Education are very popular commodity programs today.

We saw no growth in the market for online degrees last year. That’s because commodity programs are declining as the time is passing by. This decline is offset by growth in differentiated online programs.

What is a differentiated online program?

Institutions can differentiate their programs in three ways.

First way is through branding

Recognizing that there is a limited number of prestigious brands in higher education. Non-elite brands like Bridgepoint’s Ashford University has partnered with elite and recognizable brands like Forbes for Ashford’s business school.
Consequently, Ashford’s business programs continue to grow.

The second method is through specialized programs

There are many splendid examples of triumph specialized online programs although there is a ‘tail’ to online education curve. The tail for 100% online programs is not nearly long enough to make a real contribution to the growth of the overall market.
The real tail is blended programs—a subject for another day.

Third one is by connecting students to a job

How to do this thing effectively is still a puzzle. One company, ProSky has hit upon a fascinating model by providing on-ground universities the opportunity to enroll their students in a 10-week project-based online course in discrete skills areas such as digital marketing, SEO, and Sales.
Employers contribute projects to the course, monitor the work of students, and directly recruit students.

Strong brands

Ivy League Schools like Yale are now entering the market for online degrees via a partnership with online project management companies such as Pearson Embanet and Synergis Education. The growth of online project management companies and the brands that they have enabled have significantly contributed to for-profit enrollment decline.

Online project management companies now have the opportunity to lead the market for online degrees in the U.S. and internationally. They also have the luxury to work with stronger brands. Though they need to avoid making the same mistakes as their for-profit university predecessors.
Undifferentiated online degree programs will become commodities. Online project management companies should ensure that students enroll in online programs will get the job that they want. Also get a reasonable return on their investment in a pricey online degree.

Author’s Bio

Alina Olive is a senior content writer. She has experience of long-term in the marketing field as a content writer. She often creates articles on online education. Alina works in a Do My Homework company and writes an essay for students.

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