You don’t have to set out on an extensive research endeavor to determine that education in America has changed drastically over the past several years. It seems that nearly once a week we are face-to-face with statistics that represent how we compare to other nations, test scores that tell us how our students rate state-wide, and national data that tells us where our state stacks up against the other forty-nine.

But are our high school and college graduates well-served by the education they are getting at secondary and post-secondary institutions in this nation?

Well, that depends on how you look at it. There are several different aspects of education that would have to be examined in order to adequately answer this question. How would you rate your high school education based on the following criteria?

        1. Knowledge of basic historical dates and facts pertaining to the founding of our nation

        2. Ability to locate and determine the quality of information

        3. Mastery of interpersonal and basic communication skills such that you could:

§Write a 5-page paper free of spelling, grammatical, structural, and content errors

§Give a basic 5-minute informative speech after researching a topic

§Communicate effectively in a work environment

        4. Ability to solve basic algebra problems

        5. Mastery of creative and critical thinking skills that allow you to solve ill-structured problems

Of course this list is not all inclusive, but these are some of the basics that should have been acquired upon completion of a solid high school education.

Did your high school provide you with the opportunity to achieve these goals?

Do you feel you gained the skills necessary to succeed in an entry-level position that required a high school education?

Were you well-equipped by your high school education to succeed at the college or university of your choice?

The IT industry is changing rapidly.Years ago, those with the best programming, coding, and testing skills were more likely to be hired, but this may not be the case any longer.

By 2010, it is predicted that the most sought-after IT professionals will be the ones who are familiar with the business sector and have project management skills.This is because most programming and support jobs will be outsourced to third party providers both in the United States and abroad.

In an article from Computerworld, Diane Morello, an analyst at Gartner Inc. and author of the report “IT Professional Outlook,” talks about the importance for IT workers to have or develop versatile skills.

Hot Skills, Cold Skills

“People will be geographically distributed so they’d better be adaptable and able to work with people on teams that they don’t know.Project management and applications development skills – whether for service providers, software developers or IT organizations – are characteristics that will be absolute.”

Tell us what you think.Do you believe that it will be more important to have versatile business skills than specific technical skills in the future?

Would you be willing to acquire project management or business skills to ensure prolonged employment?

Online learning is crucial for many working adults.It allows these busy adults to complete an advanced degree without quitting their jobs or sacrificing valuable family time.

In an article titled “Diploma Mills will Gain if Online Course Rules Change,” Dr. Ron Barnetta writes about the downfalls of changing the requirements set in place for receiving federal financial aid.

This relatively new way of obtaining higher education has been a lifesaver for many adults.However, they deserve a high quality education equal to the one those who chose to take the traditional campus-based route receive.This is why the United State Congress enacted the “50/50 rule” in 1992.This rule states that in order for students to receive federal financial aid, they must be enrolled in an accredited institution that limits its online or distance learning courses to 50 percent of its total course offerings.

Because of this “50/50 rule,” for-profit institutions were unable to become “diploma mills” intending to harvest federal student loans.

“The purpose was obvious: to limit taxpayer money for legitimate colleges’ federal student aid programs and to prevent exploitative for-profit degree mills not worthy of federal taxpayer assistance.”St. Petersburg Times

On March 30, 2006, the way the government views education was changed.A bill was proposed in Congress that would change the “50/50 rule”.Colleges and universities would no longer be required to deliver at least 50 percent of their course on a campus.Institutions could be entirely internet based and their programs would still qualify for federal student aid.

The College Network is a publishing company that partners with leading accredited universities to help busy adults earn their chosen degree.We do not want to see these so called diploma mills gain in popularity because we believe in providing people with a quality education.We want people to earn a degree that they can be proud of.

Do you think that changing the “50/50 rule” will lead to a rise in the number of diploma mills?Have you ever had a negative experience with one of these for-profit institutions?

With the job market becoming more and more competitive, many people are turning to graduate school as a way to place themselves ahead of their competition.A higher education will often mean a higher salary, but is higher education an affordable option?

The Washington Post recently published an article on the trials of higher education, written by a struggling graduate student.

Put Grad School within My Grasp

The disparity between those who have access to a higher degree due to their economic resources and those who have the desire to attend graduate school but not the money is increasing. Graduate students are forced to take on a significantly higher economic burden than undergraduates. It seems that graduate-level education is open only to the select few who can afford it — people who usually come from wealthy, upper-class families.

Is graduate school an affordable option, or is it only available to a select group of people who have the means to fund their own education?

Should the government provide more financial aid in the hopes that these individuals will make something of themselves after graduation?

In the past, most women stayed at home, raised their children, and never had to worry about getting a college education.Well, times are changing.Many women still take time off from their careers to start a family, but they can no longer afford to forgo an education.So, how do they balance their time between family and their desire to earn higher education?

Many institutions of higher education are offering single courses, certificates, and even degrees online.Read this article about several women who choose to continue their education online.Review this article on eLearning.

Moms Heading Back to School

Flexible options like eLearning give students with busy schedules — like moms — the opportunity to receive a quality education within their own constraints. “Online learning provides the flexibility individuals wouldn’t otherwise have in a traditional [classroom] setting.”

Online learning offers something for everyone: the lifelong learner, the new mom, even the empty nester.It is a way to learn when you have time, without having to worry about attending a weekly class that is offered at a set time (usually late at night or during working hours).

What are your opinions about online education?Do you think it is possible to be a working mom and go back to school?

As the baby boomers age, the need for increased health and nursing care will skyrocket. Experts Say State Nursing Shortage Will Get Worse.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, “more than one million replacement and new nurses will be needed by the year 2020”.

Unfortunately, tens of thousands of applicants are being turned away from nursing programs annually, due to lack of faculty, clinical sites and funding. Because fewer young nurses are coming out of school, the average age of an RN is projected to be over 50 years old by the year 2010. Likewise, the average age of faculty will be comparable or even higher, leading to massive retirements over the next decade both in the practice and in academic sectors.

The science and more importantly the art of nursing cannot be replaced by technology. Several studies also point to the fact that the number of RN’s available to care for patients significantly impacts patient outcomes.

Despite all of this, Dr. Peter Buerhaus, PhD., RN states in a recent national research study that “most nurses would recommend nursing as a career”.

The need to turn this scenario around is imperative, but how?

While we have been experiencing a tidal wave of new enrollees in our online education programs the last few years, it was interesting to see our statistics – and mission — validated recently in the pages of the Washington Post.

The article, by Lois Roman, published on May 16, 2006 reviewed some astonishing statistics: Currently 2.35 million people are enrolled in online courses, according to a study by Eduventures, a Boston firm that studies trends. Eduventures predicts that by 2008, 1 in 10 college students will be enrolled in an online degree program.

The natural niche for online education and subsequent degrees has fallen to the older, adult learners who are either completing a degree or enhancing their previous degrees with graduate degrees or certificate programs.

Online education is a convenient method for working adults. But, according to one student interviewed for the article, there’s an added perk. This student believed that by submitting class work via the Internet she was actually honing her writing skills as well.

Hone your own writing skills … What experiences have you had with online degree programs?

Your choices in higher education have never been more diverse.  At The College Network, we understand that those choices may bring about many questions. 

What program is right for me?
How long will it take to advance my education?
Should I attend classes, or continue to work and pursue my degree online? 

This is why we have started this blog.  This page – The MortarBoard – will discuss more than just the programs offered through The College Network.  We will also touch upon industry issues, trends, choices, and most importantly, we will answer your questions.   

We want to answer all your questions and give you the information that you want to know.  Sometimes the topics will cover our products and services, and sometimes they won’t.  In the end, we hope you understand more about what programs and institutions are available to help you advance your education.   

We have worked with over 85,000 working adults achieve their goal of advancing education.  This is why we are committed to bringing you real information and asking for your feedback.  We want to help people, like you, advance or continue their education.