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Dr. Sarah Kuck is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Darton State College, and was just recognized as the 2016 Regents Online Teacher of the Year. She has taught online courses for 10 years, and has has been an instructor with eMajor since Darton joined the collaborative program. This semester, she joins eMajor as the Academic Chair/Program Lead for the BS in Organizational Leadership and BS in Criminal Justice degrees. Take a minute to get to know a little more about our newest addition, Dr. Kuck. Where did you complete your degree(s)?  Georgia State University, Troy State University, and Valdosta State University What is your field of expertise and what drew you to it? Public Administration - I like political science and public administration is the most pragmatic in the field of study. Why did you choose to become a college instructor?  I love students. What do you like most about teaching online?  Online education allows students that...

JaShondra Kenney, 30 Fort Valley State University Major: Organizational Leadership Expected Graduation: May 2016 Why is completing your degree important to you? It is important to me because it was always one of my biggest dreams to get my Bachelor's degree. Not from just any institution but from Fort Valley State University. My dream was put on hold after I had my son in 2008 and was no longer able to physically attend classes on the FVSU campus. This degree is important for my growth as well as the growth of my children. I want them to understand that even when life throws you curve balls, you can still dodge them and win the game. What are your career goals? I plan to start Grad school in about 6 months and get my Master's in Human Resources. From there, I plan to move up with the company I currently work for. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  Growing up, I wanted to be a psychologist because I loved helping people with their problems. Wh...

As those in the south can tell from the layer of yellow dust coating every outside surface, spring is in the air. And that means summer is just around the corner. For traditional college students, summer means a break from late-night studying, a time to travel or maybe make some extra money at a part-time (or even full-time) job. However, there are many benefits for those who choose to continue taking classes during the summer; and with online classes, you may even be able to have a little fun while you’re at it! Here are just a few reasons you should consider taking an online class this summer. You can shorten your time to graduation. Why restrict yourself to taking the traditional 10 classes per year (5 in the Fall and 5 in the Spring)? Taking 1-2 extra classes each summ er, along with a regular full load in the Fall and Spring semesters, means you can meet your graduation requirements sooner - sometimes by a full semester. You can take fewer classes in Fall and...

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...