Posting #4

Yesterday both my wife and I took an online course with the American Heart Association. Being nurses we have to maintain our BLS (Basic Life Saving) skills current, every two years. The course takes the student through all of the skills by giving information and asking questions and repetative information. There are also pictures showing the right and wrong way to do the skills. There are quizes throughout where the student has to maintain 100% to continue. Get one question wrong and it takes you back to the beginning and tells you why the answer is incorrect. Finally, at the end is a 20 question test that must be passed with a score of 84%. When this is passed and the certificate issued the student must physically show the skills in the presence of an instructor. This is the second time I've qualified by using this method. When I was at the bedside I was required to take ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Saving). Basically the same method through the same organization. It does work.

Posting #3

In know I'm probably singing the same song but being in the military has meant much to me. The opportunities afforded the military have truly advanced. The University of Phoenix is in contact with the ESO (Educational Services Officer). The ESO does a military educational needs assessment, that evaluates the needs of service personnel on base. Just to be biased, there is SOCNAV (Service Members Opportunity Colleges - Navy). These are colleges that offer associates and/or bachelors degree programs accessible to Navy installations world-wide. This allows for personnel to change duty stations with minimum loss of credit.

University of Phoenix

Having served and taking a correspondance course I can appreciate how far we've come due to technology. University of Phoenix offers a course listed as Associates of Arts Degrees through Credit Recognition. It offers college courses and gives credit for military and life experiences and offers national testing programs. I feel that this is important because of the world situation today. People of all walks of life suddenly find themselves where they least expected to be. If they were in school and suddenly found themselves overseas, it offers a way for life to continue while serving their country. Everyone deserves and education and an attempt to continue what has been started to improve their lives.

University of Phoenix

As far back as I can remember the University of Phoenix has been one of the leaders in distance learning. Founded in 1976, when the first personal computers were introduced. This form of higher education was made accessible to working students. It offered flexibility that the traditional classroom did not offer. They offered on-line classes, on-line library, ebooks, vitrual organizations. computer simulations and have internet delivery to most countries around the world. The University has a plagerism checker which is a necessity for the obvious reason. The technical capability has grown with the times and has allowed for much of what we take advantage of today.

Distance Learning Communities

The community I chose is the military. Having served in the Navy I thought this would be appropriate. While in the Navy I chose to do a correspondance course to pass the time and be productive and hopefully learn something new. The major difference between then and now is the technology which permits what we know today as Distance Learning.
Today, the Navy refers to its program as NCPACE (Navy College Program for Afloat College Education) www.navycollege.navy.mil/ncp/pace.html. It's described as a program which allows "sailors the opportunity to experience challenging education and continue their personal and professional growth whaie on sea duty assignments". It's one way to keep well educated individuals in the military while permitting intellictual growth. For some, a career in the military is their choice and offers many benefits upon retirement.
There are eight colleges and universities which participate in this program. They offer both graduate and under graduate degrees programs.
The Distance Learning program uses self-paced CD-ROM technology, internet access aboard ship is not reliable. Being stationed on land does offer the convenience of internet access. One of the universities offers VTC technology (synchronous video teleconferencing) available on some of the larger ships. This is perfect for the individual who cannot attend regular classes and has the desire for self-paced study. There is a site, www.amu.apus.edu/Academics/Degree-Programs/index.htm, that offers Associates Degrees, Bachelors Degrees and Master's Degrees. This site advertises that many courses are are linked to the individuals Navy rating or job. For example, if the individual is involvled in the intelligence community they offer appropriate courses that enchance their knowledge and allows them to earn a degree in their specialty. The undergraduate has the opportunity to go from and enlisted rating to becoming an officer. Tuition and fees are designed to attract personnel. Undergraduate courses are $250 per credit hour and graduate courses are $275 per credit hour. Undergraduate students are eligible for a grant program which provides books and course materials at no cost to the student. There are no application or registration fees.
There is a site which is titled Distance Learning in the Military, www.maxwell.af.mil/au/aul/bibs/distancelearn.htm#nav. This site, which originates from Maxwell AFB, compiles various internet resources for programs & written materials(documents and periodicals) whcih is a source of valuable information for the interested individual.