Gatlin Education Services congratulates Rich Novak incoming UCEA President!

We would like to congratulate Rich Novak as incoming President of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA). Rich is the Associate Vice President for Continuous Education and Distance Learning at Rutgers University. He was UCEA Membership Chair and is a member of the Board of Directors. He was awarded the Walton S. Bittner Service Citation for "Imaginative Leadership in the Advancement of Continuing Education and Distinguished Service to the Association" in 2004.

With the support of Rich and his team, Rutgers University continues to be the Gatlin Education Services partner with the largest amount of students year after year. Rich has outlined his initiatives for his term as UCEA President. You can read those initiatives by clicking here. Please join us by congratulating Rich! We look forward to seeing Rich and other attendees on April 12 -14 at the 92nd UCEA National Conference being held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Is online education truly borderless?

According to a new press release from Eduventures Inc., "Geography Matters in Online Higher Education." Online education heralded the promise of borderless educational opportunity, yet nearly two out of every three online students live within the geographical region of their awarding institution, according to a recent study by Eduventures, the leading research and consulting firm for the education industry. Even more surprising is that more than one-third live within a 50-mile radius of their online education provider. To read the remainder of this press release click here.

Wikis in Online Education Programs.

Today's post comes from the EdTechnology Blog. In this post the authors explore the, "Best Practices for the use of Wiki's in Teacher Education Programs." Enjoy!

Who Uses What Online Tool for Which Reason: Oxford Study.

Today's post comes from Portals and KM Blog. They have posted an interesting article that includes a comprehensive study of online tool use with data taken from December 1, 2006 to February 16, 2007. During this period the survey was completed by 1369 respondents, mostly Continuing Education students and academics at the University of Oxford. Click here to read this interesting post.

Internet-based classes common place on many campuses.

Today's post comes from the Miami Herald.Not so long ago, a student like Erin Dowd never could have attended college full-time. Dowd, a junior studying international business at Florida International University (a Gatlin Education Services partner school), works 40 hours a week while taking a full course load -- about half traditional courses and half online. ''I wouldn't be able to work full-time if I couldn't take some of my classes online,'' Dowd said. Internet-based learning has gone from cutting edge at the turn of the 21st century to commonplace on many campuses. ''Learning by Degrees,'' a 2005 report funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, reported that 65 percent of graduate schools and 63 percent of undergraduate institutions offer online as well as face-to-face courses. To read the rest of this article click here.

U.S. Department of Education launches new college planning tool for families.

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today unveiled a new online tool to help students and families financially prepare and plan for college before a student's senior year of high school. Called the FAFSA4caster, it provides students with an early estimate of their eligibility for federal financial aid, which could include a Pell grant of up to $4,310. "Improving college access and affordability are key to giving more Americans a chance at higher education and keeping America competitive," said Secretary Spellings. "Families need more information—sooner—about students' federal aid eligibility so that they can plan ahead for college. The FAFSA4caster gives families an important tool they can use to make decisions about the future." To learn more about this new program click here.

How to start and promote your own blog as part of attracting and retaining students.

Yesterday we announced the addition of another great blog to our blog roll. Two weeks ago one of our partner schools contacted us and let us know they had started their own blog. Blogging is a great way to keep your current and potential students informed about what is happening in your community and a great way to announce new programs you are offering. If you are interested in learning how to start your own blog, my recommendation is to purchase Blogging Bonanza! This is the definitive guide to using blogs and RSS for Internet marketing.

Daryl Clark
Gatlin Education Services
Director of Online Marketing

Freight Broker Training Information Blog added to our blog roll.

We are pleased to announce that our friends at Brooke Freight Broker Training School have launched their own blog, "Freight Broker Training Information." We have added their informative blog to our growing "Blog Roll." We hope you enjoy reading it!

Discussion will examine how colleges can use online tools in emergencies.

Ray Schroeder, director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will take part in a Live Chronicle of Higher Education Brownbag on "Avoiding Disaster with the Help of Online Education" beginning at noon (EDT), on Thursday, March 22. The discussion will be available at http://chronicle.com/live/. Participants who log in at the time of the program will be able to submit questions during the live discussion.

An expert on the use of technology in higher education, Schroeder will talk about what colleges can do to prepare for different types of emergencies and how they can use web-based learning to continue classes without interruption.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Schroeder was instrumental in working with the Sloan Consortium to develop the Sloan Semester, whereby college students left homeless by the storm had the chance to continue their education online, no matter where they relocated. He later chaired a national workshop, held New Orleans, on using online learning in an emergency.

For those unable to join in while the program is in progress, a transcript will be available at the same website later.

UIS' Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning is dedicated to promoting faculty use of the Internet and allied developing technologies to enhance learning, scholarship, and service. For more information, contact Schroeder at 206-7531 or go to http://otel.uis.edu.

The Big Idea of Online Art Projects.

This very interesting post is just in time for spring break, here in the United States. Today's post comes from a very interesting blog called, "The Carrot Revolution." You will find post intriguing if you are interested in art or photography. Click here to read this article.

BBC axes online education service.

Today's article is from the MediaGuardian.co.uk by Jason Deans.

The BBC Trust has confirmed it is scrapping online education service BBC Jam, following complaints from commercial rivals. BBC Jam will be suspended from next Tuesday, March 20. BBC management has been asked by the trust to draw up new proposals for a formal education and learning online service.

Management's new plans will then be put through a public value test by the BBC Trust, including a market impact assessment by Ofcom.

In January, MediaGuardian revealed that the rollout of BBC Jam had been suspended for an indefinite period following the government's decision to investigate the corporation's educational public service content.

The trust today said its decision followed extensive discussions with the government and the European Commission about how to deal with allegations from industry rivals that BBC Jam was damaging their interests.

The corporation started a high-profile marketing campaign for BBC Jam, aimed at five- to 16-year-olds last autumn. The launch of the campaign was hosted by the director general, Mark Thompson.

The entire £150m, five-year project was initially given the go-ahead subject to it meeting 17 tough licence conditions to ensure that the content was appropriately public service. Around half the budget has been spent so far.

BBC Jam employs around 200 staff in house, with 50% of the content commissioned from independent producers.

The first elements of the service were soft-launched in January 2006 and only around 10% of the planned output is currently available online.

The Jam service, which can be accessed for free via broadband, consists of single-subject areas, from helping children to read and write, to teaching business skills, languages and geography. They can be used in the classroom, at home, by individual children, by parents with children, or as a classroom aid by teachers.

The modules use devices such as computer games techniques, music, jingles and interactivity to hold a child's attention. Jam is seen as part of the BBC's mission to educate, and is based on the national curriculum.

Search Engine Optimization online course now available from Gatlin Education Services

FORT WORTH, Texas – Gatlin Education Services announced today a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Online Certificate Program is now available for immediate enrollment. The 150-hour course will be offered through Gatlin’s partnership with major colleges and universities.

A sub-set of search engine marketing, search engine optimization specialists improve their company’s search engine page rankings, driving more users to their Web site. It is widely considered to be one of today’s most promising careers, and the online certificate program has specifically been developed to meet the high demand for specialists.

The Search Engine Optimizer series is a bundle of three courses: Search Engine Optimization 101 and 201 and Web Site Copywriting 101.

The SEO courses cover how to improve search engine positioning on the Internet’s top engines, pay per click advertising, measuring return on investment and starting an SEO business. Web Site Copywriting provides direction on how to write appealing copy that will move the site’s visitors to action.

Established in 1989 by Stephen Gatlin, Gatlin Education Services is the largest provider of Web-based, instructor-supported career training to community colleges and universities. Gatlin’s online career training courses are open enrollment, allowing interested students to start their desired training immediately. Gatlin’s courses are designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional caliber positions for many in-demand occupations.

Online growth worries U. of I. Springfield .

Today's article comes from the Chicago Sun-Times. BY DAVE NEWBART Staff Reporter.

Faculty at the University of Illinois' little-known Springfield campus believe the school could soon be in the fight of its life. The potential foe? The university itself -- in the form of a new "Global Campus."

As the U. of I. system struggles to join the online world, the board of trustees is scheduled to vote today on whether to launch a Global Campus.

But at Springfield, where 20 percent of students already have online majors, faculty fear the move will siphon away students.

"Competition with UIS online programs has the potential to seriously harm the UIS campus," faculty said in a resolution last month.

More than 40 percent, or 2,100, UIS students are enrolled in at least one online course.
Campus senate vice chair Terry Bodenhorn worries that even high-quality programs could get drowned out by Global Campus marketing, which has a budget of up to $10 million a year.

The faculty also noted that top U. of I. brass have said they are prepared to partner with schools outside the system, such as Illinois State University, to offer online degrees.

"Spending [U. of I.] resources to fund one of our main competitors does not make much sense to us," the faculty noted.

The UIS faculty also believe the proposed model of using part-time, non-tenured faculty to teach professional courses in such areas as nursing and education "seems educationally limited and outdated."

Meeting demand Chester Gardner, who is spearheading the effort to create the Global Campus, said competition with existing programs could be necessary to meet demand.

"Online education is a competitive arena," he said.

The school would partner with another university only if existing programs were unable or unwilling to grow to meet demand, he said.

Even with their concerns, members of the Springfield faculty gave their support to the principle behind the Global Campus, saying they recognized the need for expanded online learning.

Faculty senates on the Chicago and Urbana-Champaign campuses also endorsed that principle.
dnewbart@suntimes.com

New Online Tutor Training Course Breaks Down Barriers.

Crossroads of Learning, a division of Media InfoSystems, Inc., has just announced the launch of "Tutoring Foundations," the first tutor training program to address the unique needs of today's adult learners featuring "anytime" availability, quality supervision, and research-based curriculum. The course was developed over eighteen months of intensive collaboration with the National Tutoring Association (NTA) and Fielding Graduate University. "Tutoring Foundations" is approved by the NTA and is designed to be convenient and practical for tutors nationwide who are seeking training and certification. The course reinforces the NTA's mission and goals for raising professional standards and accountability through best practices, methods, and protocols. A complete syllabus is available at www.crossroadsoflearning.com

Study Explores the Nature of Online Learning in K-12 Schools

The Sloan Consortium has just released a new study that explores the nature of online learning in K–12 schools and to establish base data for more extensive future studies. Issues related to planning, operational difficulties, and online learning providers were also examined. This study was based on a national survey of American school district chief administrators during the 2005-2006 academic year. It is one of the first studies to collect data on and compare fully online and blended learning (part online and part traditional face-to-face instruction) in K-12 schools. The distinction between fully online and blended learning is a most important refinement of previous studies on this topic. This study also notes that a number of states including Florida and Michigan have established very progressive school reform policies with regard to K-12 online learning. To learn more about this study and to download a free copy of it click here.

Are you ready for Google personalized search?

Today's post might seem a little off topic but it really isn't. Many people are not aware that a large portion of Gatlin Education Service's enrollments come from students finding our web site via Google. For example if you use the search term, Pharmacy Technician at Google,, you will see that our Pharmacy Technician Online Course page is the #2 result. Google is slowly moving toward personalized search. If you would like to learn how it works click here to read an article about this at my own blog.

Daryl Clark
Director of On-line Marketing
Gatin Education Services.

Wikipedia to seek proof of credentials.

Today's post comes from Yahoo News. Following revelations that a high-ranking member of
Wikipedia's bureaucracy used his cloak of anonymity to lie about being a professor of religion, the free Internet encyclopedia plans to ask contributors who claim such credentials to identify themselves. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said in interviews by phone and instant message Wednesday from Japan that contributors still would be able to remain anonymous. But he said they should only be allowed to cite some professional expertise in a subject if those credentials have been verified. Click here to read the rest of this article.

Adult Learners Demand Education On Their Terms.

A new study released by Eduventures says, "Flexibility is a hallmark of continuing and professional education. This is particularly clear when it comes to adult learners' growing preference for nontraditional scheduling and delivery formats, according to a recent nationwide survey of more than 25,000 current and prospective continuing and professional education students. According to the research, the perfect schedule for adult learners consists of classes held in the middle of the week, Tuesday through Thursday, during late afternoons and early evenings (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.). In addition, Eduventures found great interest among adult learners in courses and programs delivered in an accelerated summer session, 100 percent online, or hybrid format, with approximately half of surveyed consumers reporting that they are likely to consider these special continuing education formats.

"The 'most convenient schedule' is the single most important reason students cite for choosing to enroll at their current institution," said Sean Gallagher, program director and senior research analyst for Eduventures' Learning Collaborative program in Continuing and Professional Education. "To meet demands for flexibility, the pendulum is continuing to swing toward more flexible delivery modes and course and program formats. The institutions that are able to optimize their scheduling patterns and formats for the appropriate audiences will be best positioned for success and growth."Assessing Consumer Preferences for Adult, Continuing, and Professional Education: Scheduling, Formatting, and Delivery Mode Preferences is the third in a series of reports released this winter analyzing continuing and professional education consumers' preferences and educational purchasing process. This research is a product of Eduventures' Learning Collaborative in Continuing and Professional Education, a member-based research program designed to help college and university administrators of continuing and professional education departments address critical strategic, marketing, and operational challenges.

For more information on the Learning Collaborative programs or the report, contact Blair Walker at 617-532-6060.ABOUT EDUVENTURESFor more than a decade, Eduventures has been the most trusted name in the education market for research, consulting services and peer networking. Its clients include senior administrators and executives from leading educational institutions and companies serving the K-12, higher education and corporate learning markets, as well as decision-makers in government agencies and the investment community. For more information, visit www.eduventures.com.

Delays, designs diminish ed-tech research.

Delays, designs diminish ed-tech research. Today's post is from eSchoolNews. Delays in the publication of federal ed-tech studies, as well as the design of certain research projects and even the circumstances under which some results are released, have fueled concerns from ed-tech advocates who question whether the Education Department is making good use of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded research intended to explore the correlation between technology and learning. Click here to read the remainder of this article.

UCEA 92nd Annual Conference April 11 - 14 is in Vancouver.

We highly recommend attending the University Continuing Education Association's 92nd Annual Conference this April 11 -14th. The conference is being held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The preliminary conference agenda is now available. Click here to review the agenda and to learn how to register.

Symantec Launches Free Online Sales Training for Channel Partners.

CUPERTINO, Calif. - February 25, 2002 - Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC), the world leader in Internet security technology, today announced the availability of online training resources for Symantec channel partners and customers. Symantec will provide channel partners participating in Symantec's partner program with free, self-paced online sales training, offering the knowledge necessary to sell Symantec security solutions. In addition, Symantec is also rolling out a limited number of online classes for fee-based technical and security solutions training, available to customers and partners.

"Symantec has created a one-stop-shop for all Symantec educational products and services," said Allyson Seelinger, vice president of channel sales for Symantec. "With a significant shortage of security expertise in the marketplace, Symantec is committed to providing our partners with the tools they need to successfully implement the security solutions that today's IT environment requires."

The sales training is free and available exclusively to Symantec partners. The self-paced online training will increase a partner's knowledge of Symantec security solutions and the security market in general. Product courses include general security, antivirus and content filtering, firewall and VPN, intrusion detection and vulnerability management and integrated security.

Fee-based online and instructor-led technical training is also available to Symantec partners and customers and includes courses in firewall and VPN technologies, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, virus protection and content management, and security essentials. Successful completion of these courses along with appropriate certification exams will help partners and customers earn Symantec certification credentials at three different levels:

Symantec Product Specialist (SPS): focuses on a single Symantec security product and its functionality in an overall security system;

Symantec Certified Security Engineer (SCSE): has, in addition to product specific training and certification, a high level understanding of a broad range of security solutions plus in-depth knowledge and skills within a specific focus such as vulnerability management; and

Symantec Certified Security Practitioner (SCSP): is a senior consultant with in-depth knowledge and expertise across the complete range of security disciplines who has achieved SCSE certification in all security categories. Symantec Certification Exams are available at Prometric sites around the world (www.prometric.com). AvailabilitySymantec's channel partners can access the online training resources via PartnerNet at http://partnernet.symantec.com. Customers can access the technical and security solutions training at http://educationonline.symantec.com.

Symantec Partner Program: The Symantec Partner Program focuses on providing enterprise partners - such as proven Internet security experts, value-added resellers and other channel partners - with the expertise and resources necessary to plan, implement and manage complex security architectures for their customers using Symantec security solutions. In addition to comprehensive sales expertise and award-winning technical support, Symantec offers enterprise partners extensive fee-based training and certification on the operation and installation of Symantec solutions in four technical areas critical in today's networked environment: virus protection and content management, firewall and VPN technologies, intrusion detection systems and vulnerability management. For more information or to sign up for the Symantec Partner Program, partners should visit www.symantecpartner.com.

About Symantec: Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 38 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.

New online database publishes online college rankings.

The new Online Education Database just published their 2007 online college rankings. According to them, "Online higher education is growing, but a lack of transparency is preventing it from reaching its full potential. Even though online colleges are now receiving increased respect from top employers, diploma mills and the like limit the prestige of a legitimate online degree. We think more transparency is a good thing; a set of objective, quantitative rankings — however imperfect — should help shed some light on the relative attractiveness of the most popular accredited online colleges.

These rankings have been produced by OEDb, a database of accredited online education programs. In our rankings we included the most significant degree-granting undergraduate online colleges that operate nationally, as determined by our selection criteria. To our knowledge, these online college rankings are the first of their kind." Click here to read the rest of this article and view their rankings.