The Preparation of a Workforce: Socialization of Students in Traditional vs. Online Learning Environments

I believe that most important indicators of professionalism that I possess are respect, accountability and tenacity. I show respect by listening, being fair, and following through. Instead of seeking to control children’s behavior, rather try to respect and understand it. Being accountable not only means being responsible for something but also ultimately being answerable for your actions. Being engaged as a teacher is important to professionalism because

When being a professional you must conduct yourself in a professional manner. You must learn how to treat others with respect and be loyal to yourself and your team. Professionalism, more

College: What is Was, Is and Should Be, by Andrew Delbanco takes both a historical and analytical approach to the evolution of higher education institutions in the United States. While thought provoking, some of his views balance on the verge of extremity. Many colleges provide students with the skills necessary for what is happening in society at that moment. This is exemplified in how the application process has changed from the earliest colleges to today. Also, when colleges were first introduced into society, students were recommended by members of society to attend a school, which is much different than the process today. Another aspect of what Delbanco discusses in his book is the disparity between a small liberal arts college and

Have you ever wondered what the best college learning method for a working adult is online or campus? If working adults took online courses they can do their work anywhere there is an internet connection however they have to ask themselves; would I get the same or better education I could if I was sitting in a classroom? In a classroom setting they would get the interaction with fellow classmates and the professor who all come from different places in their lives. If the working adult had a question or did not understand they would get the results right away, on the other hand, if the student is learning online they have to wait for their professor. The response time for their email to be read and returned will not be there when it’s fresh in the student’s mind. If one is planning on going to college as a working adult, he or she should consider the value of taking the time and attend classes on campus.

Community colleges in the United States develop rapidly and have become a vital component of the postsecondary education delivery system. As of 2011-2012 school year, 45% of all undergraduate students were enrolled in public two-year colleges, approximately 8.3 million students (Knapp et al., 2012. Cited by AACC Fast Facts). And it seems that with globalization and Obama’s education agenda, the trend of growing enrollment in community colleges won’t change. A high school graduate who decides to pursue postsecondary education may face with a dilemma--whether enroll in a community college or a traditional four-year college. Even within a community college, a student may be faced with a choice—enroll in a vocational program and enter workforce after graduation with a vocational certification, or choose an academic program with an intention of transferring to four-year institutions.

According to the Florida Department of Education, colleges are the first option for 65% of high school graduates to access higher education, and 82% of minority students attend one of Florida’s 28 colleges. Today, MDC doesn’t face an imminent threat of new entrants. One of the main reasons is that, through the years, the college has developed brand recognition. Another one is that it has a cost advantage. No accredited higher education institution charges what the college does for an Associate or Bachelor’s degree. Also, the college open-door policy is designed to help students, who need remediation, to get the skills needed for college level classes. In addition, many adult students enroll in classes for professional development, or to prepare for a new career. Furthermore, many of them are the first in their families to attend college. Nevertheless, the Honors and Early College/Dual Enrollment Programs attract some of the best and brightest minds. Finally, the college just adds more areas of study to its already extensive programs, which increases its economies of scale.

Anderson, M. (2014). Cosmopolitans or locals: Who will lead the next generation of community colleges? Community College Journal of Research, 48 (12), 1168-1179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2012.754732

I attend Pattonville High School, which is a public school that has many different norms for many different types of people. One norm is that all the kids with good grades will rush to class, for no reason, they just do it. A different norm is that all the people that have girlfriends always walk them to class, even if they get a tardy, you never let them walk alone. A different norm involves the surroundings of the school. There is a Seven-Eleven less than half a mile away from the school, and whenever you have a game, or meet you walk up their buy food, or if you didn’t bring any money you go up and try to smooch off of people. Another norm is that during your sports’ season you sit with everyone on your team, even if its only you as a freshmen

As a result, this potentially decreases the need and want for interacting in person since technology is convenient and requires minimum effort for communication. It also conflicts with the construction of the self. Now that technology has become more popularized, individuals must maintain two respective identities online and in real life. Online identities are oftentimes misconstrued because they can be built off of a false reality and only show what’s on the surface. Consequently, it’s easier for people to harbor deeper emotions and hinder their true selves by worrying about how they are defined online. Another agent of socialization that is altering is school. Nowadays, there are many resources of attaining an education that is easier and requires no method of transportation: online learning. Although online learning and schools are extremely beneficial and allow people to have an easier access for education, it denounces the social aspect of school. School is an extremely influential agent of socialization where students learn how to construct their identities based on what they learn in school, who they interact with, and who they look up to. Online schools do not provide any of these social aspects. Instead, they rely on emails, chatrooms, and discussion boards for the facilitation of learning. As a result, students lose a valuable resource of constructing their own social identity since they do not have any peers to converse with nor teachers to

After reading and meditating on the IRA Code of Ethics and the COE’s Conceptual Framework, I was enlightened on how far I have come in my 4 years of teaching. Although I exhibit and display many of the IRA Code of Ethics, there are still areas in my professional practices that need improvement. The COE’s Conceptual Framework (2015) states “we believe that all students can learn and that highly effective, innovative and collaborative teaching and administration maximizes best practices as well as student learning and achievement. Effective teachers and administrators are highly educated, skilled, committed and compassionate; they ensure all students learn to the best of their ability”(p.1). I agree with this statement. I believe my strength

In this report I will demonstrate my understanding of what is required to be an effective and

Technology is changing every aspect in our lives, even the way we learn. Online classes are a rapidly growing trend it today’s society. Online classes are a cost-effective substitute for traditional courses and more convenient for many, so more schools and universities are offering this option. Due to the increase in online course enrollment, people are questioning if students truly learn something from online classes because it’s not a traditional learning environment. Online classes are just, if not more, effective as traditional classes because grades have increased and online discussions provide students with the chance to interact through networking while earning a degree for less than what it would cost to enroll at the same university.

The educator is mindful that trust in the profession rest upon a standard of professional behavior and responsibility that is higher by law. This demands holding oneself and other educators to the same ethical ideals.

Compared to classroom learning, the interaction occurring at online courses is more international. Learners can develop online conversations on forums and interview other students around the world by using web-conferencing technology (Kruger-Ross and Waters, 2013:182). However, it is reported that students prefer face to face contact directly with the tutor who was seen as the focal point of learning, a channel through all interaction that connects ideas, builds understanding, provides feedback and gives summary immediately (Sweeney et al, 2007:316). Additionally, establishing social relations may need classroom environment (Paechter & Maier, 2010:295). Classroom teaching and learning is a complex, multilayered, and social experience, which develops friendship, connection and satisfaction among students. Social community is considered to be relatively poorly experienced in online learning due to learners’ disconnection and could probably cause isolation (Baturay & Bay, 2010:44).

The second research question examined the relationship between graduate students’ perceptions of social presence and reports of satisfaction with online learning. A correlation coefficient was employed to determine if a relationship exists between the given social presence predictor variables and reports of graduate online learners’ satisfaction. The data given in Table 7 show that relationships exist among the analyzed factors.