Planet eCampus

Most of us are already pining for the days of the long holiday break to sleep late, gorge ourselves on sweet treats and cheese balls, and spend hours in front of the television catching up on Netflix.  No doubt, we are in need of rest and relaxation and enjoying time with our families.  It is important to clear your mind of algebraic equations,  sociological theory, or the Georgia Constitution, and fill your head with dancing sugar plums for a while! While rest and relaxation are vitally important to the brain, we want to suggest that during the many days away from school and the computer that you keep yourself motivated so that you can return in January with tenacity and a fresh perspective. Here are a few tips to help you recharge over the break. Keep reading . Finding things you love to read over the break will keep your mind stimulated and your vocabulary sharp. (Please don’t rely o n Facebook and Buzzfeed for ALL of your intellectual perusi...

It's Giving Tuesday! Donations to your local college or university go directly towards programs and scholarships that benefit students and the community. We've collected all of the links to give to your institution of choice below!  Browse around, find something near and dear to your heart, donate and make a difference! Happy Giving! Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Albany State University Atlanta Metropolitan State College College of Coastal Georgia Columbus State University Clayton State University Dalton State College East Georgia State College Fort Valley State University Georgia Gwinnett College Georgia Highlands College Georgia Southern University Georgia Southwestern State University Gordon State College Kennesaw State University Middle Georgia State University Savannah State University South Georgia State College University of North Georgia University of West Georgia Valdosta State University #eCampusGives

2018, Vol. 3 Georgia has approximately 100,000 active duty military service members and 750,000 veterans combining for about 8.5 percent of the total state population. Military students represent an important eCore student population. These students have outpaced overall eCore enrollment growth for the past three fiscal years.  The majority of the 23 eCore partner institutions had military students taking eCore courses in FY 2018. All 26 of the University System of Georgia colleges and universities provide a dedicated space for military-affiliated students and devote resources to the academic success of this population (University System of Georgia Military Affairs, 2018). Military students include active duty personnel, the National Guard, reserves, and veterans. Active duty military students may have access to Tuition Assistance (TA) through their branch of service. These funds generally cover tuition but not book costs. eCore, with its Open Education Resources, prov...

Midterm exams are behind us, a major midterm election just ended, and the holiday season is upon us. Combine all of that with the “Fall Back” time change this week and you’ve got a world-class recipe for stress! This time of year, it’s easy to get overwhelmed; and for those adults who are also taking college classes, it can be hard to stay focused on the end goal. Perhaps that’s why the National Day Calendar has named the first Wednesday in November National Stress Awareness Day —   a day to identify and reduce the stress factors in your life.   Let’s talk about ways to deal with and alleviate some of this stress before it becomes unmanageable:  Break large tasks up into bite-sized pieces and estimate how much time each piece will take. Working backward from your deadline, schedule in each piece of your task.  Take breaks often . Every 45 minutes take a 15-minute break. Do something totally different that relaxes you or invigorates you - take a wa...

Can you start by telling us a little about yourself?   I’ve always worked in higher education— starting during my time as an undergrad student. Professionally, I’ve been in higher ed for 10 years and my roles have been in enrollment management, financial aid, and admissions. Most recently, I was the Assistant Director of Transfer Operations for the University of West Georgia for four and a half years. I am very familiar with many of the processes from both the student and professional side and can help navigate them all.   When I’m not at work, I’m at home spending time with my husband and 3-year-old son. I enjoy decorating and organizing/planning things so if I wasn’t working in higher ed, I’d likely be doing something with real estate, architecture, interior design or event planning. What type of services are available as part of eMajor’s Personalized Enrollment Support ? I’m here to be your eyes and ears in navigating the enrollment process including deciding ...

Dr. J. Edward Hackett Savannah State University eCore PHIL 2010 Intro to Philosophy Recently, I was included on an email chain from Dr. J. Edward Hackett regarding a grade change for one of his students. In addition to the procedural formalities, Dr. Hackett added in his message that it was a "total comeback. If you do see her, then tell her I am immensely proud of her." As adult students, life can sometimes get in the way of academics. Families grow, job responsibilities change, unexpected events pop up, etc., etc. In these situations, we understand that the support and encouragement of a caring online instructor can make the difference between success and failure for the student.  Take a minute to learn a little more about Dr. Hackett, one of those caring online instructors that believes in his students even when they don't believe in themselves.  Where did you complete your degrees?  I completed my BA in Philosophy and Political Science at a public u...

Jamal Sharrieff is Executive Chef for Dine West at the University of West Georgia where he is also working toward a double major in Business and Finance.  Jamal Sharrieff, 53 University of West Georgia Double Major, Business and Finance As Executive Chef for Dine West at the University of West Georgia, Jamal Sharrieff has a front row seat for the journey that is the traditional college experience. From catering new student orientations, graduations, and even alumni events, Jamal has witnessed first-hand the value of a college degree and the hard work and determination it takes to earn one. What the students at these events don't know is that they and Jamal have more in common than they may think, as he himself is a rising Junior at UWG. After coming to the University of West Georgia from New Jersey in 2016, he wasted no time at all transferring roughly 30 credit hours of previous college credit to UWG, and is currently taking a combination of online and even...

If you are taking an online college course, chances are you will have to take a proctored exam at some point. A proctored exam means that the online student must arrange to take the exam under the supervision of a designated “proctor”. Online programs often use proctored exams as a way to ensure the academic integrity of the student’s performance in the class.  In eCore classes , for example, students are required to take at least one proctored exam per course. This is dependent upon the instructor, and can include the course midterm and/or the final exam. The proctored exam is a crucial part of the student’s success, and therefore there are a few things students should consider before making an appointment.  Register Early Although the designated testing window for your class may be later in the semester, registration for the exam typically opens in the second week of class. We highly recommend that students make a testing appointment sooner rather than later. Why, y...

2018, Vol. 2 Since Spring 2013, implementation of eCore Open Education Resources (OERs), resulted in an estimated cost saving of 10M dollars. OERs improve access to course materials and reduce barriers for students; no book purchase and just-in-time availability (University System of Georgia eCore Factbook, 2017).  OERs influence learning by increasing opportunity and can dramatically impact lives of millions of people around the world, through high quality, locally relevant educational materials (Bliss, Robinson, Hilton, & Wiley, 2013; Cape Town Open Education Declaration, 2007). Bliss et al. (2013) provided the following quotes from college faculty; "I am able to refer to material knowing that all students will have access to the same material." and "The materials were free to my students, which reduced a barrier to their chances for academic success."  Hilton (2016) reviewed 16 OER studies that involved over 46,000 students and concluded that OE...

Last year, the U.S. Department of Education announced that the award window for the Federal Pell Grant would be extended to include the summer semester . This is in contrast to the previous policy, which restricted eligibility to the Fall and Spring semesters , when college students have traditionally taken the bulk of their classes.   This is great news for adult learners who do not typically follow the “traditional” schedule but, instead, prefer to take courses in shorter accelerated terms with minimum breaks in-between. This accelerated schedule allows students to take more classes within the same amount of time, shortening their path to graduation. As Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said herself, “this decision is about empowering students and giving them the flexibility and support needed to achieve their goals. Expanding access to the Pell program, so that students who need additional resources can graduate more quickly and with less debt, is the right thing to do."...

2018, Vol. 1 Georgia’s dual enrollment non-need based grant has resulted in increased dual credit participation. According to University System of Georgia (USG) enrollment reports, the increase in dual enrollments over the last two years was over 50 percent, representing a 3,500 student gain across the system. These students are earning college credits face-to-face and online. Dual credit eCore students achieved ABC rates at over 90 percent!   2,100 Courses Taken, 90% Earned College Credit Research indicates that students participating in dual credit programs show an increase in college persistence, grade point average, and college graduation (An, 2015; Hoffman, Vargas & Santos, 2009: Hughes 2010). Most USG dual enrolled students attend courses face-to-face at around 88 percent for FY17. There are several reasons why a high school student may require an online option to attend a USG institution. The state of Georgia has over 100 counties that are de...