Planet eCampus

It’s a simple concept - students who are more “involved” in a class are more likely to successfully complete the course. In a traditional face-to-face classroom, opportunities for engagement are obvious - ask and answer questions in class, participate in group discussions, or it may be as simple as consistently showing up to class. In an online class, however, students sometimes find it difficult to feel like an active participant in the course. At eCore, we have worked tirelessly to figure out how we can help students become engaged in their online courses across both distance (online learning) and across time (asynchronous online learning). We are continually working to strengthen and connect the eCore student services across student engagement. As a student, you may wonder what you can do to stay engaged as an online learner and increase the likelihood of passing the course with the grade you want. Here are some tips that will help you not only in eCore and eMajor online cour...

For adults who have made the decision to return to college after many years in the workforce, the possibility of earning college credit for work and life experiences may sound very appealing. In some instances, it is an excellent way to save money on tuition and shorten the time it takes to complete your degree. In the higher education industry, we call this Credit for Prior Learning or CPL. There are five basic methods that one may use to earn credit for prior learning. Here, we take a brief look at each one and give some pointers on which one (if any) may be right for you. Be sure to check out the webinar at the end of this entry for an explanation by two of our PLA experts and faculty members: Dr. Sarah Kuck and Wendy Kennedy, both from Albany State University. Assessment Methods: CLEP - College Level Examination Program CLEP offers 33 exams in various academic fields. Students sit for this exam and can earn college credit in that field with an acceptable score...

William Penn once said, "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst."  Browse through any "How to Succeed at College" article or book and the one skill that is undoubtedly listed as critical would be time m anagement. W hat is time management and how can you put it to work for you? Time management is the ability to plan and control how you spend the hours of your day. Simply put, it's how you prioritize the tasks needed to meet goals. In this case, how do you take online courses, work, and have a life? One indispensable tool for managing your time is an organizer. Sure, it's easy to rely on the handy smart-phone and the endless options of calendar and task-related apps, but the good old fashioned paper organizer can be a life-saver for busy non-traditional college students when trying to visually schedule out and prioritize their day. There are two types of organizers. Used in tandem, they give what might look like an impossibly full week p...

There are times, especially during those energy-depleting study marathons, when you might question why you're putting yourself through it all. Here's the good news: A piece of paper on the wall (college degree) equals more paper in your pocket ($$$) throughout your career. Yes, even during a down-turn in the economy; yes, even though you've not yet finished your degree; yes, even though you've accumulated debt. Let's take a look at the numbers. A recent PEW study indicated that when the economy is in a down-turn, declines in employment and wages are more severe for those with only high school or associate degrees. Out-of-work college graduates find jobs more successfully and are not "settling" for lower wage jobs--unlike their less-educated counterparts. So let's say you've not yet finished your degree. Is there an uptrend in the hiring of college graduates or a downtrend? According to The Georgetown University Center on Educatio...

eCore not only provides opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed, but the support provided to students by different areas are second-to-none. Take the embedded librarians for example. From History to Sociology and from English to Psychology, when you absolutely, positively have to know, ask a librarian! eCore is thrilled to now have real, live librarians embedded in our courses (all except STEM and Spanish) that are ready to help you when you need it!  Say hello to Betsy Clark from Georgia Highlands College, who joined us in the Spring 2016 semester as one of eCore's new embedded librarians.  Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself, your background, hobbies, and what led you to become a librarian? I grew up in South Central Pennsylvania (close to Lancaster County/Amish Country). I have a BA in International Studies from Dickinson College and my Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. I specialized in Health Reso...

Sheroni spending time with her husband and their 2-year old daughter at the museum. Sheroni Cunningham Age: 25 Middle Georgia State University Why is completing your college degree important to you? It will help me excel past current barriers that limit me to jobs that require a degree. [Completing my degree] will also help me be a better example to my daughter to finish what you begin, try your hardest, be honest with yourself and do what is best for you. Why did you choose to take online classes through eCore? I am currently a full-time employee at Goodwill of North Georgia, living in Snellville, Georgia. My eCore class allows me flexibility to complete studying at work like a work-study program, allowing webcam interaction with my professor from another wonderful university, who has been extremely helpful thus far. [There is no need to] commute to MGA, which is a two-hour drive from my home and a 3 hour drive from work. I'm able to gain the informati...

What you don’t do in the military: write resumes, interview for a job (normally), and you never negotiate salary and compensation. What you will do during your transition is write resumes, interview for a job and negotiate salary and compensation. Can you imagine negotiating compensation for your next tour of duty? “Ma’am I am really interested in your offer but can you arrange for me to telecommute on Fridays and get me a free membership at the country club?” And that is not the only hurdle you may have to overcome…some employers have a few ill-perceived notions about you and the military: You are rigid. You don’t understand profit and loss. You have had unlimited resources. Leading is easy because you just give orders. These misled perceptions can create barriers, but a well prepared and focused resume will dispel all of these notions and set you up for success. In the latest installment of the eMajor College to Career Webinar Series Randy Blackmon, retired U...