Click here to enlarge. Source: e-Learning Infographics

Recently, the Student Ambassador group at the Globe University-Wausau campus chose to participate in the local multiple sclerosis awareness walk as their monthly project to provide campus community enrichment or community service. According to the National MS Society, multiple sclerosis affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide. This is an unpredictable and often debilitating disease of the central nervous system that interferes with how information is passed between the body and the brain. Symptoms vary and can include numbness, blindness, and paralysis. People are most often diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and is more prevalent in women than in men. There is no cure for MS, but there are currently 12 disease modifying medications available which have been shown to reduce disease activity. Sarah Powers and Dustin Steger walking for MS awareness The Walk MS: Wausau area raises funds for research and programs for people with multiple sclerosis living right here in Wisconsin. Eighteen members of the Globe University-Wausau community, including students, staff, faculty, and friends and family, participated in this walk on a recent bright and sunny Saturday afternoon. Sarah Powers, veterinary technology faculty and one of the walkers, said, "Everyone was really excited and pumped up for the walk. We couldn’t have asked for a better day!" A view of the ribbon of orange The day started out and ended right next door to the Globe University-Wausau campus. The Globe team arrived at the Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center to find music and a light breakfast. Then the team started the three mile route along the Wisconsin River. All along the route, a ribbon of orange could be found. The walkers also sported orange tee-shirts and kids waved orange pompoms. Even the dogs who joined the cause were decked out in orange leashes and vests! The Globe team finished the route at the Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center to find more music, snacks and some welcome refreshing beverages. Most of all, they arrived at the end of the walk happy to have participated and proud of their contribution. The goal for the Globe team was to raise $500, but they exceeded that goal with a total of $630 raised. Emma Feldbruegge and Katie Heisler enjoying the sunshine and the cause Katie Heisler, student ambassador in the business program, said, "In all of the events I have participated in, I have never seen so much energy in one spot. People ran, people walked. They brought their families out. It was an amazing day to enjoy with all these people supporting one cause. This event is something I look forward to doing again." The post Globe University-Wausau Walks For a Cause appeared first on Globe University Blog.

[Updated] The Reading List: EdTech China now contains the months of January to June 2015. The EDUKWEST editors put together this curated list of articles from the most knowledgeable sources on the Internet for everybody interested in learning what matters in the Chinese education market today. [purchase_link id="11260" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] Each day our team literally works through hundreds of articles and news items on e-learning, so you don’t have to. We then curate the most relevant and insightful ones into our reading lists on different topics in education technology and market intelligence. Our reading list on education in China includes the 30 best articles on the topic published in the first half of 2015. It is conveniently sorted by vertical and includes articles on K-12, higher education, Chinese language, politics, and edtech startups. Just a few interesting numbers on the fast-growing education market in China: 230 million pre-K school children the government aims to bring all K-12 online in the next ten years 300,000 students to receive 3-D printers in school 70,000 educational apps today, which is 10% of all apps in China 100,000,000 e-learning users in China & 649 million internet users total more than 100 edtech startups received funding in 2014 Curated sources for this reading list include Tech in Asia, Technode, CCTV, China Daily, China Morning Post, and various other preeminent news resources. EDUKWEST sells this reading list for €15, which brings the price per article down to 50 cents only. Conveniently pay via PayPal or contact us for other payment options. [purchase_link id="11260" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] Offer: Buy our package containing the Reading List EdTech India and the Reading List EdTech China we offer you the two for the special price of €22.50 € (instead of €25, you save 10%). [purchase_link id="11264" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] If you have any further question about this report, send me an email to kirsten@edukwest.com. Picture License  Some rights reserved by sama093  

Globe University-Wausau veterinary technology student Rebecca Harrell will soon preview her dream job with an internship at Walt Disney World in Florida! "I’ve always wanted to work there," Rebecca said. "So when I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed one night and saw Disney’s advertisement stating that they were accepting applications for this year’s internships, I thought, why not try?" Veterinary technology student Rebecca Harrell - looking forward to her internship with Walt Disney World! Rebecca submitted her application right away and was quickly invited into the interview process. This was an intense process that involved three interview stages including one via Skype, but Rebecca found the process to be surprisingly quick. "I originally expected for all of this to take a month or more. But from the night I submitted my application, I went through all three interviews within a week and a half. Then, two weeks later, I found out that I was accepted into the internship program." Rebecca will spend part of her time working with the Kilimanjaro Safaris in the Animal Kingdom Park, where she will be able to use skills she has learned in the veterinary technology program. She will help check on the animals and help with tours, and she is expecting cleaning duties as well. She will have additional duties throughout the parks, and may even be able to play a character! She is looking forward to auditioning for that when she arrives in Florida. Rebecca has been forewarned that she should expect to work 50 or more hours per week throughout the internship, and she is looking forward to the challenge. "I’ve always wanted to work with wild animals, and working at Disney World has always been the dream job for me. This opportunity will help me find out if this is where I would like to end up for the rest of my career." Rebecca’s internship will last six months, and she is planning to start a personal blog to keep her friends, family and the Globe University-Wausau campus community up to date with her adventure. "I’m nervous but excited to be spending such a long time in an area I don’t know well," Rebecca said. "I am thankful for all the support everyone here at Globe has given me. I’m going to miss everyone, but I’m looking forward to talking about my experiences with everybody when I get back!" The post Globe University Student Gets "Magical" Opportunity appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Name: Teachlr Website: www.teachlr.com Headquarters: Caracas, Venezuela Vertical: Lifelong Learning Tech: Web App, Mobile App Introduce your startup and give a short description of what you are doing. Teachlr® is an educational marketplace, where anybody can learn through online courses and live customized classes. We also offer a Cloud Learning Management System, which is a product aimed at corporations, academies and universities interested in offering private corporate training to their employees and students. Our mission is to democratize education through technology. We integrate a social network with an e-learning platform, which results in the creation of an educational market where published classes and courses are validated and approved by the Teachlr community. Who are the founders, how did you meet, what are your different roles in the startup. Moisés Annicchiarico, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Rubén Benarroch, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), are childhood friends. Moisés is a Telecommunications Engineer and Rubén a Systems Engineer. How was the idea for your startup born? Rubén identified the demand for personalized classes from the comfort of ones home, while working in his previous project that consisted of private lessons on computer basics taught in customers’ residences. Jean Moisés discovers the demand for quick and accessible online assistance and tutorship. He proposes Rubén to develop a platform where live sessions could take place and Teachlr is born. What is the main problem in education that you aim to solve. People and organizations need to have easy and personalized access to high quality education. Students are constantly seeking to learn new skills, but many don’t have the time or money to take classes at a prestigious institution. Teachers need an additional source of income, but have a reduced number of students, a tight schedule, no transportation and no available classrooms. It is the case for many educational institutions that they generate insufficient funds, count with a limited space capacity, have professors with little availability, while producing high operational costs. Many companies have untrained personnel and spend too much money in hiring professors and physical spaces to give programs that do not monitor their employees progress. Who are your main competitors? What sets you apart from them? Online courses: ● lynda, Oja.la, Tutellus, Floqq, Udemy and Youtube. ● Coursera.com, Edx, Udacity (MOOCs). Live classes: ● Liveninja.com. ● Popexpert.com. ● Liveperson. In which markets / regions are you active. What markets / regions are next. We are already active in Latin America and Spain. Our next market would be finding material in Portuguese and get into the Brazilian market. Who is your target audience. Students: Latin American 20-55 year old men and women of middle and high income background, interested in learning about technology, multimedia, business and lifestyle. Every theme attracts different kinds of people. For example, young men are drawn to technology, whereas 20-40 year old women are interested in lifestyle. Experts/instructors: 26-55 year old men and women of middle and high income background from Spain and Latin America, qualified to teach about technology, multimedia, business and lifestyle. How do you engage with your target audience. How do you convert them into users of your product. Social media presence: daily publications on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, Tumblr and our blog Email marketing campaigns: Drip mail marketing to a segmented list of users. Transactionals mails Alliance with coupon website, Tudescuenton. Content marketing (Videos, Articles, Infographics) Our distribution channels to make our three products (Teachlr Marketplace, Teachlr Organizations and Teachlr Content) reach our customers: Web: Teachlr.com is the online marketplace where instructors upload their online courses, which, once approved by our team, are available for purchase on the website. Users acquire every course through their PayPal account. Discount websites: Our online courses are offered in discount websites that have access to thousands of potential students in Venezuela and Latin America. Affiliates Program: Companies and individuals can become affiliates, who promote the online courses in numerous websites through coupons. They receive a 50% commission. What is your business model. How much does your product / service cost. The business model currently implemented on the Teachlr® Marketplace is Business to Customer (B2C): instructors and institutions receive 70% for each course or private lesson sold, and there are no charges for the publication of courses, subscriptions or the withdrawal of credits. Additionally, the Business to Business (B2B) model named Teachlr Cloud LMS is being developed. This is a cloud service tool that allows companies, institutions and universities to offer and manage training programs for employees and students through private lessons or teachlr.com courses. This Software as a Service (SaaS) model is conducted through monthly subscriptions; the cost per user depends on the volume of licenses needed by the customer. Are there milestones you are especially proud of and would like to share. Alexa ranking #80 (Venezuela) and #18k (global) 400 registered teachers 2.281 likes on our Teachlr Facebook page, plus 4.199 likes on our Teachlr en Español Facebook page. Monthly organic growth of 30% 10,000 monthly visits Ratio of professor to student is 1:30 What are the next steps in growing your startup. Objectives established for July 2015: Annual income of $224,000 Enrollment of more that 25 B2B Enrollment of more than 100,000 certified teachers Enrollment of 320,000 active students Customer rating of 4+ out of 5 stars Launch of the redesigned platform Development and launch of the "Needs System" Launch of the B2B model Native Mobile Applications Better video streaming quality Faster processing speed Geographic redundancy 150.000 likes on Facebook How can people get in touch with you. email: info@teachlr.com phone: 582126157994 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Teachlr Twitter: https://twitter.com/teachlr_en Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Teachlr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teachlr Instagram: https://instagram.com/teachlr?ref=badge Our Blog: https://blog.teachlr.com/

NIU is seeking a Research Associate to research faculty development-related teaching tools and technologies, acquire, and manage them for the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center. POSITION: 12-month full-time, supportive professional staff position RESPONSIBILITIES Research faculty development-related teaching tools and technologies, acquire, and manage them for the Center. Assist faculty development staff with special projects and programs such as teaching effectiveness institutes, teaching assistant orientation, teaching with technology institute, etc. Offer high-level individual and group training and consultations to faculty development staff on emerging faculty development tools and technologies to help them assist faculty. Oversee issues related to management and analysis of faculty development program and consultations data, and prepare progress reports. Facilitate interactions between the Center and other units on campus on faculty development needs, and identify opportunities for improving the operations of the Center. Research faculty development centers at other universities, develop peer benchmarks on programs, tools, and technologies, and assist the Center with implementing similar efforts. Assist faculty with unique faculty development needs related to teaching, technology integration, professional development, etc. Manage center’s specialized productivity tools and technologies, and develop tutorials and documentation to assist Center staff as necessary. Represent the Center in faculty development-related committees and groups within the university. Work closely with the Director and Center staff on various activities as assigned. REQUIRED SKILLS Master’s degree in computer science, instructional technology or related fields is required. At least 1-year experience in managing and participating in multiple projects in both lead and support roles, and solving unique problems is required. At least 1-year experience with instructional technologies and pedagogies in a higher education environment is required. Ability to research emerging faculty development related teaching tools and technologies and train others is required. Experience using Windows, Mac, office productivity tools, database tools, and online teaching tools for faculty development purposes is required. Excellent communication skills, planning and organizational abilities, problem-solving skills, and ability to work collaboratively and collegially in a team environment are required. Ability to diagnose and resolve problems related to range of teaching tools and technologies is required. Experience designing and disseminating tutorials and informational materials is required. PREFERRED SKILLS Doctoral degree or experience teaching in a higher education environment is preferred. APPLICATION Send a letter of application, resume, and names and contact information for three recent professional references related to the position by May 25, 2014 to facdev@niu.edu The position will remain open until filled. This is a campus search, but applications received from outside the campus will also be considered. Contact (815) 753-0595 or facdev@niu.edu for more information. In compliance with the Illinois Campus Security Act, before an offer of employment is made, the university will conduct a pre-employment background investigation, which includes a criminal background check. In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action. NIU recognizes Dual Career issues.

On April 16th, five Globe University-Sioux Falls medical assistant students attended the KEEP Event for the National Kidney Foundation. The event was held at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Program chair Amy Zobel was also in attendance with graduate Elizabeth Enderson. Members of the community are screened for kidney disease at KEEP events, which is free and open to the public. They are directed through stations that check weight, body mass index, blood pressure, urine, and nutrition, before patients are directed to speak with their providers and doctors on kidney disease. Eighty-eight people were screened at this particular KEEP event, and 92% were found to have health conditions that may lead to kidney disease. "This event was really helpful in preparing our communication skills with patients. At our booth, we were responsible for giving patients directions for the urine test by handing out cups and wipes. It also prepared us for our microbiology and urinalysis class in the future. I will definitely attend this event again!" said medical assistant student Johana Gebregiorgis. "The KEEP event was a lot of fun and everyone was so nice! We had just learned about urinalysis in class, so attending this event was really beneficial and gave us great real-world experience. We were even invited to the KEEP Walk in June and may volunteer there too." said Markisha Webbs. "It’s great to see the students get involved and help out a great organization like the National Kidney Foundation. They always provide great hands on experiences for students!" said program chair Amy Zobel. There will be another KEEP event held in Fort Thompson, South Dakota on Thursday, June 11th. This event is also free and open to the public. Medical assistant students and their Program Chair attend a KEEP event in Sioux Falls. The post Medical Assistant Students Attend the KEEP Event for National Kidney Foundation appeared first on Globe University Blog.

NIU is seeking an Instructional Design Coordinator to join the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center to offer training programs and high-level individual and group consultations on instructional design and course transformation suitable for both classroom and distributed learning. POSITION: 12-month full-time, supportive professional staff position RESPONSIBILITIES Keep current with emerging pedagogies and instructional best practices. Offer high-level individual and group consultations on instructional design and course transformation suitable for both classroom and distributed learning. Develop and deliver training programs on instructional tools and techniques including distributed learning quality assurance for faculty, teaching staff and teaching assistants. Design and develop quick guides, informational materials, and tutorials on emerging teaching and learning techniques for the Center. Contribute to the planning and assessment activities of the Center. Design, implement, and maintain online quality assurance metrics for the Center. Maintain and further develop online and social media communications for the Center. Collaborate with Center staff on various programs, resources and services offered by the Center. Represent the Center in teaching and learning-related committees internal and external to the institution. Work closely with the Director and Center staff on various activities related to the mission of the Center as assigned. REQUIRED SKILLS Master’s degree in instructional technology, computer science or related fields is required. At least 1-year experience with learning management systems and online pedagogies suitable for a higher education environment is required. Knowledge of instructional design principles, pedagogical techniques, and use of instructional technologies suitable for a range of teaching and learning modalities is required. At least 1-year experience in the design, development and delivery of tutorials on instructional best practices suitable for a higher education audience is required. Ability to prepare and disseminate informational materials through the web and social media is required. Excellent communication skills, planning and organizational abilities, problem-solving skills, and ability to work collaboratively and collegially in a team environment are required. Experience using Windows, Mac, office productivity tools, online teaching tools, and social media tools for teaching purposes is required. Knowledge of online course quality assurance standards and review process is required. Experience designing and maintaining web communications is required. PREFERRED SKILLS Doctoral degree or experience teaching in a higher education environment is preferred. APPLICATION Send a letter of application, resume, and names and contact information for three recent professional references related to the position by May 25, 2014 to facdev@niu.edu The position will remain open until filled. This is a campus search, but applications received from outside the campus will also be considered. Contact (815) 753-0595 or facdev@niu.edu for more information. In compliance with the Illinois Campus Security Act, before an offer of employment is made, the university will conduct a pre-employment background investigation, which includes a criminal background check. In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action. NIU recognizes Dual Career issues.

In this episode of MEP, Janelle Allen, founder of Learnwise, joins the program to discuss the importance of instructional design in education and some common misconceptions about online learning. Don’t miss this chat! Guest Bio Janelle Allen is an Instructional Designer, with a Bachelors degree in English (Creative Writing) from Georgia State University. After 6 years of working as a trainer for companies such as Starbucks and Apple, Janelle decided to get serious about online learning. In 2009, after receiving her Masters in Science in Instructional Technology, she began working with Pearson Education to help overwhelmed instructors create amazing online courses. In 2012, she left Pearson to found Learnwise. Janelle’s mission is to democratize online learning by making it less overwhelming for businesses and entrepreneurs.  Show Notes 03:06 Janelle’s background 04:43 What is instructional design and why is it important in delivering great courses? 05:57 Do you see instructional design moving forward? Do you see course design as a team effort type thing? 07:55 Can you talk about an ideal example of how an interaction with a faculty member resulted in a great product for the customer? 09:36 What makes for an amazing online course? 11:50 What are the other misconceptions about online learning and how do we overcome those? 15:34 What do you think is the difference between learners who take online courses and those that attend brick and mortar courses? 18:08 If you could have dinner with anyone you admire, past or present, who would it be and why? *Miles Davis Links learnwise.com @JanelleAllen http://www.linkedin.com/in/janellesallen For more episodes featuring thought leaders in education visit MeetEducationProject.com, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and follow Nick DiNardo on Twitter.

Business Management student Amanda Viau has been named April’s Student of the Month on the Sioux Falls campus. Amanda has been nominated several times for Student of the Month by her program chair Angela Livingston and other staff and faculty members. Those who know Amanda on campus appreciate her positive energy in and out of the classroom. "Amanda always goes above and beyond in her courses and with DECA. She has volunteered with DECA several times and always does an outstanding job." said program chair Angela Livingston. Amanda recently brought several bags of clothing to campus for Sioux Falls’ Dress of Success campaign. The clothes she was able to collect will benefit her fellow classmates for job interviews and fulfill their need for professional attire. Here is what Amanda had to say about her time at Globe: "The impact Globe University has on me is one of perspective. I have learned so much from my classmates and faculty. When someone here shares their point of view with me, it causes me to look at things from a different perspective.  Being selected as Student of the Month is absolutely amazing, because there are so many students here that impact my outlook on the world. I volunteer with Ground Works and do community cooking classes with Drug Court, DUI Court, and Face It Together SD. I also help out periodically where ever I see a need, like Dress For Success. My advice for current and future Globe Students is that getting an education is supposed to be hard. Appreciate where you are and how far you have come through every step of the process. Learning to balance work, life, and school develops our skills for the handling what’s to come." Congratulations Amanda! The post April Student of the Month: Amanda Viau, Business Management appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Click here to enlarge. Source: e-Learning Infographics

Name: FluentU Website: www.fluentu.com Headquarters: New Jersey, USA Vertical: Language Learning Tech: Web App, Mobile App Introduce your startup and give a short description of what you are doing. FluentU brings language learning to life with real-world videos. FluentU takes music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks, and turns them into language learning experiences. Our iPhone app is like a mobile language learning lab. Who are the founders, how did you meet, what are your different roles in the startup. Alan Park is the founder of FluentU. He is a Duke university and Harvard Law School grad who went on to work as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in China, Japan, and Asia. Alan does a little bit of everything (content, marketing, product, and taking out the trash). FluentU has a 20+ person distributed team, most of whom have never met one another. We've found each other virtually. How was the idea for your startup born? Alan started to learn Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for over a decade, and used those languages as a management consultant in Asia. FluentU came out of that experience of learning those languages to fluency. While learning, Alan found that he learned best from authentic content like movies. But the process of learning from authentic content was very painful. It meant he had to look up words, write them down, create flashcards, and manage his learning. FluentU arose to make it possible to learn from authentic content without all of the pain. What is the main problem in education that you aim to solve. Language learning products today are boring and don't equip people to learn a language the way that it's actually used. Instead, they train learners to learn words in isolation. Once learners go from the classroom into the real world, they find themselves completely unequipped to engage in actual conversation. And even if they're able to talk, they don't know what to talk about because they haven't really learned about the culture. For language teachers, exposing students to authentic content is an increasing priority, especially as it becomes a core part of standardized tests like the AP exam. But finding, assigning, and grading authentic content is time consuming and difficult. Who are your main competitors? What sets you apart from them? 2 competitors are Yabla and English Central, which are also great video immersion learning tools. There are 4 differences that come to mind: 1. FluentU personalizes users' experiences based on their history on FluentU. This means that even if 2 users are learning the same word, they will see different things on FluentU. Adjustments are automatically made based on a user's strengths and weaknesses. 2. FluentU is more flexible in how it lets you learn with videos. For example, FluentU lets you import your own vocab list and start learning them with video context. Your learning is enhanced by the videos, without being limited by them. FluentU even has audio content. 3. FluentU has the most useful and comprehensive annotations. FluentU's definitions are produced from scratch by a team of professional editors. Each definition is accompanied by picture, audio, and example sentences that are carefully written to demonstrate the meaning of the word. You can even see how a word is used across different videos on FluentU. This is a level of painstaking detail that is unique to FluentU. http://screencast.com/t/LQOzIPN9Q0g8 4. FluentU's exercises are the most rigorous and are backed by spaced repetition. Other solutions succeed in getting users to remember isolated words. FluentU succeeds in getting users to reproduce entire sentences. FluentU is the most effective in getting people to learn words in context and to true fluency. In which markets / regions are you active. What markets / regions are next. Our biggest market is the US. FluentU is available for learning Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and English. For now, we will focus on continuing to improve our product for existing markets - especially schools. Who is your target audience. Self-directed language learners and schools. How many users / downloads does your service have? Hundred of thousands of individual users and thousands of schools. How do you engage with your target audience. How do you convert them into users of your product. We have an active blog and are active on social media. We have a free plan that lets users and teachers try FluentU before buying. What is your business model. How much does your product / service cost. For individual users, it costs $8 or $18 per month, depending on the plan. For schools, it currently costs $5 per user per year. We are planning to raise prices in the future (while grandfathering existing paying users). If you raised funding, how much did you raise. Who are your investors. If not, are you planning to raise funding. Self and customer funded. :) Are there milestones you are especially proud of and would like to share. We launched our iPhone app on May 28. Also, achieving liftoff and not needing to seek VC investment. Jeff Bezos has said that "if you’re willing to invest on a seven-year time horizon, you’re now competing against a fraction of those people, because very few companies are willing to do that." We believe that this is especially true in the edtech space, where there are long sales cycles. We believe that our ability and willingness to have a long term view will be a big competitive edge. What are the next steps in growing your startup. Continue to add more content, and further develop the learning management system for schools. How can people get in touch with you. support@fluentu.com https://twitter.com/fluentu Room for anything else you would like to add. Long term, we believe that SaaS tools will also become the norm in language learning education. We aim to become the go-to SaaS tool for language educators around the world.

David Walker, exercise science program chair at Globe University-Madison West, recently sat down for an interview and shared some details about the recent name change that his program underwent. What is Exercise Science? Exercise science is the industry terminology for health fitness. Using industry terminology helps people understand that the program is scientifically based and encompasses more than one specialty. Why did your program undergo a name change? The health fitness specialist program included the same scientific structure and curriculum as the current program but the name did not emphasis the scientific basis of the curriculum. It is this scientific background that gives Globe University students the competitive edge once they are out in the field. We wanted the name of the program to reflect the education that the students are receiving. The exercise science program encourages students to think critically and to really understand the materials they are studying. Students are able to evaluate exercises and exercise routines and see if they are appropriate for the individual that they are working with. It is important that exercise programs be tailored to each individual’s goals. If you look at the field today, and the availability of information online, you will find that without critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze a situation, the fitness professional is limited and not able to efficiently help people meet their goals. Globe University’s exercise science program provides the training needed for these skills. What skills are needed for a student to be successful in the exercise science program? A passion for helping people Enjoying being fit and active The ability to make health a priority for yourself and others Good communication skills and the ability to build relationships Excellent customer service skills The post Exercise Science: New Name, Same Great Program appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Success is measured in many ways; but when a student finds gainful employment two weeks into their externship no less, it is truly an accomplishment. Shelly Ace is a Medical Assistant student who will be graduating in June of 2015. As she exclaims, "who would have thought in a short year and a half I would be hired in my area of study before graduation!" Shelly began her externship at Dean Medical Clinic in the internal medicine department. Initially, Ace says she was supposed to transfer to another department after three weeks, but upon working with her supervisor she was offered a full-time position after that short span of time. She has since accepted. On her coursework and classes she had this to say: "I had a really good experience as a student at Globe University; the program just seemed to fly right by. I really enjoyed being a student at Globe because of all the hands-on skill learning opportunities. I feel like having the ability to work with hands-on equipment really prepared me for my career. I also enjoyed my instructors! Without them and all their help I would not be where I am today. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of being hired before graduation! It honestly felt like the best feeling ever to be offered a position only two and half weeks into my externship!" A few skills she learned that she uses in her work now are rooming patients, taking vitals, administering immunizations and injections, performing ear irrigation, and refilling prescriptions per protocol. Ace does have some advice for current students, "put your best foot forward in your externship." Items such as first impressions to current employees, integrity, offering help to anyone who needs it, she says are great traits to show, Otherwise you may get passed up for that job opportunity that opens up. Ace had a few last parting words stating that "Employers are looking for those who display top-notch attitude and integrity; so bring the best of what you have into the workplace." We wish Shelly Ace good luck in her new position and congratulate her on her hard work and dedication towards excellence. The post Hired Before Graduation: Shelly Ace, Medical Assistant appeared first on Globe University Blog.

The modern economy has no real respect for degrees—other than demanding at least a Bachelors for every position and from every applicant. Higher education in America has become confused with trade school: everything from four-year computer science degrees to Masters-level management schools are concerned with occupational education. They are advertised as the necessary link between academic life and employment: high schoolers take jobs; college graduates enter careers. Yet, as every senior knows, some degrees are better than others. By the time college applications start going out, seniors need to start thinking seriously about what they want to do professionally, and avoid degrees—overwhelmingly in the liberal arts fields—that might sound interesting on a hobbyist level, but offer no competitive advantage when it comes to entering the workforce. In reality, even the most heavily promoted degrees like engineering or business offer little more guarantee of employment than art history or philosophy. Academic advice and the associated ‘conventional wisdom’ surrounding college comes off much the same way as stock market trend-watching: make an investment now in hot industries like technology and or business, and reap the benefits as their value soars in the future! As anyone (like the vast majority of students) paying off student loan debt can attest, college degrees are most assuredly an investment, for better or worse. But the flipside of the Wall Street wisdom on chasing the hot commodities of the moment is twofold: first, an influx of interest in a single field (or property) changes the game, and dilutes the competitiveness of each new degree-holder entering that field professionally; and second, trends change in a flash, and what seems like a good investment now may not continue paying dividends down the line. American universities are not trade schools, and degrees do not qualify students to do any particular job, perhaps with the exception of intensive programs like medicine and law (which also tend to take more than the four years of a Bachelors program). But at base, current assumptions about college are wrong, and are being increasingly challenged. In a mobile age, where facts are constantly changing, the skills in demand ever-shifting, and the world itself undergoing more rapid and dramatic shifts in culture, economy, and social order, spending years in what amounts to a glorified training program end up making less sense than simply learning to adapt. Despite popular rumor that such liberal arts programs offer little more than deferred poverty and unemployment, the rules for landing a job out of college are roughly the same without respect for the specific degree program: Network extensively: it matters who you know, not what you know Get an Internship: networking meets on-the-job learning, before you even graduate Location: even in a digital world, where you graduate still matters for your recruitment prospects Adapting and growing is at the heart of the liberal arts experience. Learning to learn is the only real life skill that warrants pursuit, when everything from technical prowess to medical knowledge are prone to being rendered irrelevant in less than a decade. Rather than purchasing an education that expects the world to reward students and the knowledge they (hopefully) acquired, a liberal arts-oriented education expects to prepare students to adapt to an uncertain world, and engage situations where roles and demands are evolving. So if the value of specific degrees is no sure bet, what about specific campuses—or even campuses themselves? The outdated notion that simply being among academics and student peers justifies college is being challenged by both technology, and economics. Rutgers professor Sharon Stoerger has researched and written extensively to audiences of students and teachers on how to utilize everything from mobile devices to virtual platform Second Life to enrich online learning experiences. By pushing the limits of technology, online education not only provides for engagement intellectually, it helps instill some of the skills and technical savvy that will ultimately serve workers better in a globalized economy. Leveraging technology to connect with partners around the world has more lasting value than chatting up coeds across the dormitory hall, however memorable the conversation. To extract lasting value from the college experience, students are better served to ignore any advice that resembles a weight-loss product commercial: guarantees, testimonials, and wild claims of lasting benefits are fertilizer. Broad skills, flexibility, and social networks are the resources needed to survive and thrive in the modern world. Likewise, the notion that the only place to meet like-minded peers and be intellectually challenged is the same place that offers mandatory cafeteria meal plans and Greek life under devastating national scrutiny is fundamentally flawed. The internet has created plenty of alternatives for the lonely, the curious, and the community-minded. Even in STEM programs, there is wiggle-room for incorporating liberal elements, and those are the skills that can withstand the whims and fluctuations of a dynamic world. The liberal arts are online and well in the 21st century. Picture License  Some rights reserved by archer10 (Dennis)

Source: e-Learning Infographics | Click here to enlarge

Figuring out how to finance their college education is something almost all students deal with at one point or another. To make things a little easier for Globe Education Network (GEN) students, the company provides the Globe Education Network Scholarship, which is a $1,000 need-based scholarship for eligible, full-time, undergraduate students. This scholarship is funded by GEN’s community partners and managed by Scholarship America. Students are encouraged to apply, and eight have been selected to receive it this year. Moriah Prange For Minnesota School of Business-Elk River massage therapy student Moriah Prange, this scholarship will help fund her dreams. "In the future, I hope to serve special populations (senior citizens, infants, special needs children, etc.). This scholarship is going to help me pay for tuition so that I can continue to take classes and get the skills I need," she says. "I am one of five college students in my family, so having this extra help with finances is a blessing." Kristen Markstrom Kristen Markstrom says this scholarship is also a blessing for her. "I am in the nursing program at the MSB Richfield campus. The bachelor’s of nursing will be my second bachelor’s degree, and therefore I will be headed into the professional realm saddled with quite a bit of student debt," Kristen explains. "Every bit of help is so appreciated, and with the support of the Globe Education Network scholarship, I can rest a bit easier at night. I am so grateful for the recognition and support of my academic achievement and pursuits." Chase Vigen Globe University-Moorhead business management student Chase Vigen says the scholarship will help him tremendously as well, because he won’t have to take out a loan. Broadview University-West Jordan veterinary technology student Danielle Adams Eaton says she would like to finish her degree sooner than later, and the Globe Education Network Scholarship will be a big help. Danielle Eaton "This scholarship is going to help me, hopefully, finish my degree a little more quickly and just, in general, help me pay for school," says Danielle. GEN Scholarship recipient Jessica Theis is currently halfway through the veterinary technology program at the Sioux Falls campus. Jessica Theis "The scholarship will help greatly since I decided to not work while in school so that I can focus on my education," she explains. Finally, Amanda Podlak, another vet tech student at the Moorhead campus, says the scholarship is taking some of the stress out of school for her, too. Amanda Podlak "It will allow me to spend more hours studying, and doing other school-related activities instead of working to pay for school," says Amanda. The contributors who made this year’s scholarships possible are Safeguard and Staples Advantage. Globe Education Network is grateful for the support from its community partners. Not only is it important for students to see that their school believes in them, but that many local businesses also want to support their education. With this award, students become eligible for the GEN Matching Scholarship, which matches up to $1,000 of a student’s outside scholarship. Visit www.globeuniversity.edu/financial-aid to learn more. The post Globe Education Network Scholarship Helps Students Reach Their Goals appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Despite India’s many challenges, the e-learning industry in the country is on a steady path of growth with increasing internet adoption and better low-cost devices like smartphones and laptops. In the past year visitors from India have surged massively for EDUKWEST. The country now takes the number 2 spot in terms of number of visitors per month on our site, right after our visitors from the U.S., which is another sign for the increased interest in the Indian education technology sector. [purchase_link id="11253" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] Consequently, several of EDUKWEST’s articles covering the Indian education market now rank in the top 10 articles on a regular basis. We see the segments of online tutoring solutions, e-learning platforms for professional development, low-cost phone and tablet projects, MOOCs as well as investors in the Indian market to be the most popular ones among our audience. We also see strong initiatives from both entrepreneurs, private investors and the government that will push the market further. Here are a few interesting numbers to support our findings: The Indian education market is predicted to be worth Rs 590,000 crore in FY2014-15 The education market in India is over $90 billion and growing at a healthy rate of 15 per cent CAGR Indian e-learning content market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.4% from Financial Year 2014 - Financial Year 2018. Since April, at least five edtech startups have raised close to $40 million in initial funding India overtakes China in tech exits, now ranks in global top 5 If you’re interested in learning more about the opportunities and challenges the Indian e-learning industry faces, you will find great value in our new EdTech Reading List India. At EDUKWEST we go through a large number of articles each day for our own research, and we put together the 22 most relevant ones on edtech in India for you in this reading list, covering the months of January to June 2015. With a price of €10, this means that an articles is less than 50 cents. Conveniently pay via PayPal or contact us for other payment options. [purchase_link id="11253" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] And if you buy our package containing the Reading List EdTech India and the Reading List EdTech China we offer you the two for the special price of €22.50 € (instead of €25, you save 10%). [purchase_link id="11264" text="Purchase" style="button" color="blue"] If you have any further question about our reports, send me an email to kirsten@edukwest.com.

From Left: Laura Bekkerus and Kathy Samways in class. Globe University-Woodbury paralegal student, Laura Bekkerus was featured on KSTP in a 5 Eyewitness News Investigation about Minnesota’s adoption system delays. In the interview Laura spoke about her experience within the state’s adoption system when she and her husband adopted their son, Nicos. Laura shared that her son was in the system for almost 19 months before the adoption was finalized by the court. "As a paralegal student, the family law class at Globe really helped me through the adoptions process," said Laura. She continues by noting that she can apply everything she learns at Globe on a daily basis. "I love that I can pull things from one class and somehow it relates to another class," said Laura. "Also, I like when I have basic discussions with my friends and I’m able to talk about real-world issues in a very educated manner." Laura transferred into the paralegal program about one year ago and she has been thriving, according to Globe University-Woodbury Legal Studies Program Chair, Kathryn Samways. She comments that her favorite aspect of the program thus far has been the research and analytical aspect of the legal field. "Laura is one of my awesome Bachelor of Science Paralegal students, and she has a passion for helping people. Her generous spirit, combined with her legal skills, will only benefit the world as she moves forward in her paralegal career," said Samways. The Adoption Need in Minnesota "There really are a lot of children in need of homes right her in Minnesota," said Laura. "My family has every intention of doing a foster adoption again. It really is a process that you need to be aware of. You really have to look at what you can handle and where you are willing to make concessions as well as understand the background of the children that you are considering parenting." Laura concludes by saying that it’s not easy to adopt, but it is absolutely worth it. According to KSTP, Hennepin County currently has 93 children and teenagers in their program waiting for permanent families. The lack of potential adoptive couples or individuals is one reason for the delays. Learn more about adoption in Minnesota or Globe University’s paralegal program. The post Paralegal Program Aids Student in Local Adoption appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Source: Find more e-Learning Infographics | Click here to enlarge The 10 Blended Learning Trends Infographic gives a snapshot on how making student learning more personalized, more engaging, and more collaborative is what’s driving innovation. The student-centered learning experience Soaring numbers of digital learners Building higher-order thinking skills Realizing benefits for both teachers and students A framework for data-driven decision-making in education Personalized learning accompanied by a lean, blended, interactive approach Productive Gamification The mobile world is where learner live now Students’ personal access to mobile devices More broadband, please!

In this episode of MEP, Justin Ballou joins me to discuss about competency based education and his education startup, Socrademy.  Don’t miss it! Guest Bio Justin Ballou teaches social studies at Campbell High School in Litchfield, New Hampshire. With a focus on competency-based education and personalized learning, he is constantly pushing the envelope in the current educational environment in order to foster the abilities of students on their journey to becoming life-long learners. He is the founder of education startup Socrademy, a personalized learning platform that delivers a highly qualified and targeted diploma focused on a student’s future aspirations. Justin is also an entrepreneur engaged in skateboard equipment and apparel, and independent music production and distribution. He graduated from Plymouth State University with a B.S. in Social Science and minor in Education. Show Notes (01:50) Justin’s background (06:00) What does competency-based education look like in your classroom? Can you paint the picture - there’s the student picture and the teacher picture. (10:50) Can you focus on Social Science, what a competency would be and how you test a student on that? (14:45) How long has Campbell been using competency based education and who started it? (19:13) Is there any specific student information system or LMS that the school is using? (21:00) Talk about what Socrademy is and what problems it’s trying to solve. (25:16) How’s the progress been so far? What has been the positives and negatives of the experience so far in this venture? (31:00) If you could have dinner with one person, past or present, who would it be and why? * Franklin Delano Roosevelt Links socrademy.com facebook.com/socrademy @socrademy For more episodes featuring thought leaders in education visit MeetEducationProject.com, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and follow Nick DiNardo on Twitter.

Globe University-Sioux Falls is proud to announce the Student of the Month for May is Jana Bruce-Wattier, from the Veterinary Technology program. Jana is a hardworking student, both in and out of the classroom. She always displays a positive attitude and encourages her fellow students to do the same, even under the pressure of homework and exams. Veterinary Technology student Jana Bruce-Wattier. "I cannot say enough about Jana. She has graciously taken over our bulletin board in the Vet Tech hallway and has done a fantastic job keeping it updated. She is great at helping to make sure the students on kennel duty stay organized and can find the supplies they need. She also helps us with inventory and alerts us when supplies are low. I wish she could stay forever and work with us!" said Veterinary Technology program chair Kim Smith. Here’s what Jana had to say about receiving Student of the Month: "I am married to my husband Zach, and we have a fur family of three kitties. I am from California, but spent most of my growing up years in Sioux Falls. I enjoy playing piano, baking, and hiking when the weather permits. I studied piano performance at Northwestern College, and psychology at Augustana College. While both were enjoyable, it wasn’t the right fit. I wanted to work in a field where I could help people while dealing with the hard sciences. I heard about Globe’s veterinary technician program from a friend of my husband, and decided it was worth trying. It ended up being a perfect fit. I did a bake sale fundraiser for the humane society as a service learning project in 2014. I am currently the treasurer of SCNAVTA, as well as a student worker on campus. I try to volunteer when I can. Recently, I volunteered for a Go Big Red silent auction, and Dr. Kreider’s nail trim clinic at Your Pet Stop. Your classmates are your greatest resource as a student. Asking fellow classmates for help in hands-on work and book work can lead to a stronger understanding of the material. They had to work hard to learn it too! Everyone excels in different areas, and asking someone who does well where you struggle can really help you learn." Congratulations, Jana! The post May Student of the Month: Jana Bruce-Wattier, Veterinary Technology appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Marking the seventh deal in less than two years, tech education platform Pluralsight announced the acquisition of on-demand live mentoring platform HackHands for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2013 by Assis Antunes, Geraldo Ramos and Forest Good HackHands connects coders who are stuck with a problem with on-demand tutors from across the globe. To date HackHands tutors have given over 77.000 minutes of live help. Pluralsight will integrate HackHands in its current portfolio of services with sessions starting at $1 per minute. Aaron Skonnard, founder and CEO of Pluralsight also imagines that learners will eventually turn into mentors, growing the network of on-demand tutors on the platform and boosting Pluralsight’s global community. To date Pluralsight has raised nearly $170 million in venture capital since 2013 after a long period in which the startup grew organically from revenue. Its biggest competitor lynda.com got acquired by LinkedIn in April for $1.5 billion. Further Reading Pluralsight Acquires Live Mentoring Service HackHands | Press Release Pluralsight + HackHands: Enhancing online learning with live mentoring | Aaron Skonnard Link hackhands.com

Students from AP-Applied Ethics class at the Fox Valley Warming Shelter On Wednesday, May 27, my Applied Ethics class along with our instructor, Amanda Loewen, went to the Fox Valley Warming Shelter for our applied learning project.  When we first pulled in, there was a line of people waiting outside the warming shelter.  Connie, the shelter’s Volunteer Coordinator, later explained to us that at 5 PM every night the doors to the shelter open and those who are in need of a place are allowed in.  Once inside, they are provided with shelter, food, clothing and safety.  Then, every morning by 9 AM they must leave the shelter for the day.  Whether they go to a job, go to look for a job, or just hang out at the public library, they are not allowed to be at the shelter during the day.  Connie let us know about how important volunteering and donations are to their shelter.  Every day, they need a group of volunteers who are able to provide and cook a well-rounded dinner for the men and women in the shelter. While at the shelter, we began by weeding around the perimeter of the shelter building.  Once the weeds were gone and the area was freshly raked, we planted flowers and plants along the side of the building.  We also then weeded and raked around a gazebo, as well as along their fence line to plant more plants and flowers.  Once everything was planted, we also put down some newspaper and wood chips to act as mulch so it would conserve water and prevent weeds from growing in the future.  After we were done planting, we also picked up the yard a bit, and then cleaned up.  The plants, dirt and mulch were all made available thanks to a generous donation from Thrivent Financial.  We were incredibly blessed to be able to partner with Thrivent and Fox Valley Warming Shelter to make this applied learning project such a successful one! Students working on raking mulch at the Fox Valley Warming Shelter A few hours of getting dirty, and having fun interactions with my classmates outside of the classroom, was a great way to round off the end of our spring quarter.  We learned a lot while at Fox Valley Warming Shelter and truly enjoyed our time volunteering there. Who they are: Fox Valley Warming Shelter, Inc. seeks to provide overnight temporary shelter to homeless adult men and women. Written By Jennifer Eisch, Business Administration Student The post Volunteering at the Fox Valley Warming Shelter: A Student’s Perspective appeared first on Globe University Blog.