Online Courses

Looking for a new career but don’t have the time for re-training? Think again. Community colleges across the country offer fully online degree and certification programs that allow you to hone your skills or train for a whole new profession right from home. These online programs are flexible without sacrificing quality training you need to move ahead in the professional world. Whether your interests lean toward education, law enforcement, business or manufacturing, check out these online degree programs that could launch you on a whole new career path.

Forensic Studies

Hudson Valley Community College offers an online degree program in forensic studies for those who want to learn the finer points of this area of criminal justice. The program is available fully online and is designed specifically for students interested in transferring to a four-year program after earning an associate degree. The school has arranged for a seamless transfer process with John Jay College of Criminal Justice, one of the top institutions for forensic science training in the country. Coursework will include interesting subjects like biology, criminal investigation, and forensic evidence.

Teaching Assistant

Another online option at Hudson Valley is training toward certification as a teaching assistant in New York. The 18-hour course is available fully online, in the classroom, or as a hybrid program combining both online and classroom learning. The program is focused on training educators

Students wishing to pursue higher education will now have another, more convenient option, thanks to a new alliance announced by New York community colleges. The new distance learning alliance involves six New York community colleges offering 100 percent online degree programs in various fields. The coalition may be just the beginning of a more significant movement to make prospective students aware of their distance options available through local community colleges nationwide.

Online Alliance Expands Degree Choices

The Corning Leader reports that the State University of New York (SUNY) has announced an online learning alliance that will offer 34 associate degree programs through six state community colleges. The new coalition, dubbed the Online Western New York Learning Alliance (OWL), includes Corning, Erie, Finger Lakes, Genesee, Jamestown, and Monroe Community Colleges.

Students can complete the new degree programs online, eliminating time and location constraints they might have battled in the past. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, the movement is to better compete with for-profit schools that offer online programs for a higher price and often of lesser quality. The alliance provides a more significant presence for online education through community colleges in the area, hoping to attract more students and increase college completion rates overall.

“We have created this alliance so that [students] can be better informed about what we have,” Terry Keys, assistant vice president for educational technology services at Monroe Community College, told the Democrat

Online education is becoming a prevalent option at institutions of higher education. More and more community colleges are offering students both on-site and online course choices to accommodate students’ busy schedules and geographical challenges. While online education might sound like a convenient option at first glance, this style of learning is not right for every student. Check out the pros and cons of online education before deciding whether distance learning will be the best fit for you.

Types of Online Education

Online education does not fit a single mold; there are many different models of distance learning utilized by community colleges today. Some of the various type of online education, listed at Campus Explore, include:

Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning is a style that allows students to work at their own pace. Its primary popularity lies in its extreme flexibility; students do not have to follow a set schedule for lectures, homework assignments or other coursework. Material is generally distributed online and often includes audio or visual aids to bring the material to life. Students often have opportunities to interact with other students online, and assignments are typically delivered through an electronic bulletin board or similar format.

Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning involves set times for class work, whether through physical classrooms, online chat rooms or video conferencing. Students have less flexibility with this type of learning environment, but they do have more opportunity for interaction with professors and other students. This type of learning may also

Looking for a way to get a college education at little or no cost? So is the current administration. Last year, President Obama created a plan for community colleges that included a $500 million budget to create free online courses that could be tailored to the specific needs of students. According to Inside Higher Ed, the proposal was part of a larger plan to beef up community college services and access, preparing more Americans for practical job opportunities in the current workforce.

Free online community college courses can be a great option for a wide range of people, including:

1. High school students looking to get a head start on their college education or earn college credits while still in high school.

2. College students who want to supplement their coursework or fulfill general education requirements.

3. Working professionals who want to learn new skills or update their knowledge in their field.

4. Individuals who are interested in exploring new subjects or hobbies.

5. Adults who did not complete a college degree and are looking to improve their job prospects or pursue a new career.

6. People who may not have the time or resources to attend traditional college classes.

7. Individuals who live in areas without easy access to a community college or who have mobility or transportation issues.

Overall, free online community college courses can be a great resource for anyone looking to continue their education and improve their skills and knowledge.

Source: ChatGPT

Plan Specifics

In addition to helping high schools develop a low-cost curriculum, the original proposal

The advent of the internet has revolutionized society, and education has been dually impacted. With the rise in internet technologies, an increasing number of college courses are moved online – allowing students to learn with sheer convenience. Indeed, the National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2006 that more than 62% of all community college students take courses online.

Community colleges have paved the way for online courses, and students are noticing. In fact, according to research conducted by the Sloan Consortium, two-year community colleges have experienced the highest growth rate in online education, accounting for more than 50% of all online course enrollments in the past five years. The enrollment in online courses at community colleges surpasses the numbers of all other higher education programs combined.

Nationally, according to the Online Learning Consortium, approximately 20% of college students in America took an online course during the fall semester of 2006, which equates to 3.5 million students. In addition, the Sloan Consortium research found that enrollment in online courses is growing at a rate significantly faster than the standard student-growth rates.

Advantages to online curriculum

As more careers and jobs require technical skills in computing and internet research, students who do not develop these skills are quickly left behind in competitiveness. Therefore, online courses offer several benefits, such as convenient learning and an opportunity to hone your technical skills.

• Convenience: Taking