Planet eCampus

Dr. Elizabeth Gassel Perkins joined Darton State College in 2006 and is now the Dean of Humanities. She is also an online instructor in the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership degree through eMajor. Let's get to know Dr. Perkins! Where did you complete your degree(s)? Valdosta State University, Ed.D. in Leadership; University of Montevallo, BA and MA in English. What is your field of expertise and what drew you to it? I teach in three different fields: English (primarily), leadership, and first-year experience. I have wanted to be a writer since the age of about six or seven, and I spent my entire life working toward that goal. Of course, my specific passions have shifted throughout my lifetime, and when I went to college, I fell in love with editing by working in the Harbert Writing Center. I also had some excellent professors and thought I would like to follow in their footsteps and try to be the guide that other students might need. I started teaching...

George Rhaney, 49 Fort Valley State University Major: Organizational Leadership Expected Graduation - May 2016 How many eMajor courses have you taken (or are you taking currently)?   I'm smiling as I have lost count!  I've been taking eMajor classes for a year and a half now. Why is completing your degree important to you?   My story may differ from the average eMajor student in regard to my primary reason for completing this degree.  As a full-time operations manager with over 21 years of experience and as a husband with three beautiful children, my primary reason for returning to earn my degree lies within the existence of my children.   My wife and I take our children's education seriously.  At 6, 8 and 15, each understands our expectation for higher education.  Though they have examples within our family of doctors, surgeons, and educators, I was a little embarrassed my name wasn't among them.  While those professions are...

Healthcare: the recession-proof industry. Whether the economy is booming or not, people are still going to get sick and there will always be a need for healthcare workers. If job security is something you are looking for, a career in healthcare makes perfect sense. However, if blood and needles aren't your thing, you may want to skip nursing or med school and consider the field of Healthcare Administration.  Healthcare administration is the business behind the care. Health administrators are the ones who keep facilities up and running behind the scenes so that you can get the care you need. Healthcare administrators work anywhere you would find healthcare providers, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical practices, and outpatient centers. But employment possibilities don't stop at medical facilities. Healthcare administrators are also needed in places that don't actually provide health care, such as insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, a...

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...