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October 29, 2007
Citizenship, Civic Engagement Focus of Two Conferences at Kansas State University
Kansas State University will be the host to two conferences relating to citizenship and civic engagement. Both conferences will be at the K-State Alumni Center. The Kansas Council for the Social Studies conference, “Preparing Enlightened and Engaged Global Citizens,” will be Thursday, Nov. 1. This conference will feature presentations on the Kansas social studies standards and assessment, as well as teaching and learning history, government, geography and economics. Presenters include several K-State faculty. Former Kansas Gov. John Carlin, now a visiting professor of political science at K-State, will give the keynote address. Registration for the Kansas Council for the Social Studies conference is $120 and includes program materials, lunch and refreshments. Students may register at a special rate of $25. This conference also is available for one graduate credit hour. For more information or to register or enroll, visit http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/kcss/
The Civics and Civility Summit, “Voices of the Kansas People,” will be Friday, Nov. 2. The conference covers the current state of civic understanding and civility by identifying the civic knowledge, skills and dispositions of Kansans; builds awareness of civic programs available to schools and focuses on civic literacy for 21st-century living; and identifies civic community needs, solutions for addressing those needs, and local organizational capacities for public problem solving. J. Thomas Marten, a U.S. District Court judge, will deliver the keynote address. Registration for the Civics and Civility Summit is $95 and includes program materials, lunch and refreshments. Students may register at a $20 special rate. Walk-in registration is accepted, but lunch cannot be guaranteed. More information is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/civics/
Source: Kansas State University

October 19, 2007
Academic Advising Master's Degree Available through K-State Distance Education
Kansas State University, in partnership with the National Academic Advising Association, will offer a master of science degree in academic advising through K-State distance education. The 30-credit-hour master's degree program offers two areas of emphasis: administration of academic advising or intercollegiate athletics and the college student. The program is designed for advisers and administrators who desire more formal education related to academic advising; faculty seeking advising knowledge beyond their discipline; graduate students anticipating academic advising roles in higher education; and people interested in working directly with student athletes. Completion of the program involves nine required courses and one elective course. An e-portfolio demonstrating knowledge and application in the field of academic advising is also required as a capstone activity and learning experience. The academic advising master's degree curriculum aligns with the core values for academic advising set forth by National Academic Advising Association and with the standards and guidelines for academic advising developed by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Student Services. K-State also offers a 15-credit-hour graduate certificate in academic advising in partnership with the National Academic Advising Association. The graduate certificate also is offered through distance education and prepares students for positions as academic advisers in college and university settings. Students who have successfully completed the academic advising graduate certificate program qualify to use those credits toward the master's degree in academic advising.
Source: Kansas State University

October 15, 2007
American InterContinental Online University Sets the Pace for Student Services in a Noel-Levitz Survey Measuring Student Satisfaction Across a Pool of 57,000 Students and 93 Schools
An independent survey that measured the level of satisfaction that university and college students have with their institutions gives American InterContinental University Online a well-deserved chair at the leaders’ table. According to the study findings, AIU Online has beaten the Noel-Levitz benchmarks for satisfaction in every single category of student services. The highly regarded Noel-Levitz company’s Priorities Survey for Online Learners (PSOL) measured the responses from 57,250 students attending 93 online institutions including the University of Illinois, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the University of Wisconsin, the University of North Dakota, Minnesota State University, SUNY- the State University of New York, the University of Phoenix, and DeVry University. The PSOL questions included queries on a wide range of student concerns including the responsiveness of faculty, the accessibility of advisors, the quality of technical support, the appropriateness and quality of instructional materials, the availability of financial aid, and the quality of library resources. In short, the survey was designed to get at the heart and soul of the distance learning educational experience. Benchmarks set by the survey should provide a good set of tools for institutions to measure themselves against others, and for potential students and their families to evaluate one institution against another. Student responses to the questions placed American InterContinental University Online well above the average satisfaction indicated by students from universities and colleges around the country. In the study’s summary, the following student opinions were noted:
• 91% of AIU students responded positively when asked if their college experience met or exceeded their expectations.
• 90% of AIU students responded positively when asked to rate their satisfaction with their college experience thus far.
• 85% of AIU students responded positively when asked if they would enroll in the same institution again, given the chance to do it all over.
Looking at the data in another way reveals interesting information that is comparative in nature, which should be useful to students and to their families as they evaluate schools. This more detailed information allows a direct comparison of one institution to another.
• 12% was the spread by which AIU beat the national average when students indicated that their experience was “much better than expected” (33% AIU to 21% national).
• 11% was the spread by which AIU beat the national average when students indicated they were “very satisfied” with their experience thus far (44% AIU to 33% national).
• 5% was the spread by which AIU beat the national average when students indicated they “definitely” would enroll in the same school again, given the chance (53% AIU to 48% national).
Dr. Alan Drimmer, President of American InterContinental University Online stated that "I am more than a little bit pleased with what our students have indicated in this survey. These results, announced by such a highly-regarded third party, validate what we have known for a long time – that American InterContinental University’s online programs offer a great educational experience to people who wish to improve their lives. And, by making use of the most current academic methods and highly-advanced course delivery technologies, we make a high-quality education available to a diverse and experienced student population.” In referring to their ability to help colleges and universities improve services to students, the Noel-Levitz organization, established in 1973, states that they "help campuses and systems reach and exceed their goals for enrollment, marketing, and student success." Dr. Susan Malekpour, AIU Online’s Director of Institutional Effectiveness, commented that "Noel-Levitz is definitely the 'gold standard' for measuring student satisfaction levels at institutions of higher education. Any significant levels of dissatisfaction will quickly be apparent in their surveys. Conversely, high levels of student satisfaction are easy to see.”
Source: American InterContinental University Online, Illinois

October 8, 2007
Colorado Technical University Online Launches CTUMobile™
Colorado Technical University's Online campus, a well known degree-granting institution, announced the launch of CTUMobile - an easy-to-use mobile learning channel that delivers elements of Colorado Tech's online educational programs via web-enabled cell phones and other wireless devices. CTUMobile, an extension of Colorado Tech's highly successful virtual campus - CTU Online - brings the classroom directly to mobile phones and other PDAs and personalizes the education experience to an even greater degree. CTUMobile works with most cell phones, and is at its most exciting when combined with Apple's stunning new iPhone. While the topic of mobile learning has generated a great deal of interest in online education circles for quite a while, it is the latest iteration of cell phones and other mobile hardware that allowed Colorado Tech to take its mobile learning platform to the next level. CTUMobile includes two important capabilities - a live access technology that allows students to access school-related information such as class assignments, instructor directories, campus email, and grades, as well as a video technology that makes it easy to download and view video courseware and podcasts. Combined, the features add up to a "college-on-the-run" experience. CTUMobile-equipped students will now be able to conveniently access CTU's successful virtual campus while away from their computers. It's also more than cool. The new learning technology, combined with a device with the panache of Apple's new iPhone, is all about portable education, and it's all about style. "This is an exciting opportunity for our students, and it demonstrates our ability to operate at the leading edge of education delivery systems," said Dr Wallace Pond, Chancellor of CTU Online. Continuing, Pond notes "CTUMobile makes education a more flexible, more mobile experience, allowing students access to their classroom from just about anywhere in the world, day or night. CTUMobile is a natural extension to Colorado Tech Online's highly successful Virtual Campus, a technology that's opened the door for a high quality education experience to people who don't live near a CTU physical location, and students who want to combine the best of campus-based and mobile education opportunities." Dr. Marijane Paulsen, Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Technical University, offered her own observation about the benefits of using CTUMobile. "We all spend too much time waiting on the many delays in our daily lives. With CTUMobile, at least some of that down time can be put to better use. There are times, too, when transporting a computer, even a small laptop, isn't that convenient - through a large airport for instance. Technology marches on, and CTUMobile will be there as a great alternative." Paulsen continues, "Colorado Tech students are very smart and I suspect they'll jump at a chance to streamline their lives and make their days more productive." For more information about CTU Online, please phone 800-416-8904 or visit www.ctuonline.edu. For a more detailed description of CTUMobile, or to see a video that showcases the benefits of integrating the new mobile technology into daily student life, please visit www.ctumobile.com.
Source: Colorado Technical University

October 1, 2007
Continuing Education at Colorado State University Offers New Clean Energy Innovation Lecture Series
Colorado State University and the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster are offering a new, non-credit lecture series this fall, OSHR 1601 - "Clean Energy Innovations: Fort Collins Leads the Way," which is offered through the university's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The six-week course starts Oct. 11 and ends Nov. 15. Sessions will be held at various Fort Collins locations chosen to showcase specific clean energy research areas. Brief presentations, tours and group discussions are included. Participants will learn about local clean energy research, development, and implementation in the context of local and world perspectives. Topic areas in the lecture series include biofuels, solar energy and manufacturing, wind power, utilities and systems engineering. "The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Division of Continuing Education at Colorado State University are very pleased to work with innovative groups such as the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster to offer the community exciting opportunities to explore issues related to clean energy and its impact on our environment," said Rick Simpson, associate provost of Continuing Education at Colorado State. Simpson said the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute programming represents how a 21st-century land-grant institution can reach out to learners of all ages in the community with topics of critical importance. "The Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster is excited to be sponsoring this dynamic course offering from CSU and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute," said Judy Dorsey of the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster. "Participants will be able to explore the scientific aspects of renewable energy technologies as well as hear from local renewable energy businesses about the growing clean energy sector in Fort Collins." OSHR 1601 is a noncredit course that does not produce academic credit or appear on a Colorado State University academic transcript. Registration ends Thursday, Oct. 11, and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tuition is $80. For more information, contact Jean Morgenweck at (303) 573-6318 or jmorgenweck@learn.colostate.edu.
Source: Colorado State University

October 1, 2007
Employers Agree: Colorado Technical University Online Grads are Exceptionally Well-Prepared For Their Real-World Careers
By an overwhelmingly wide margin, employers that have Colorado Technical University Online alumni on the payroll agree that CTU Online grads have all the skills needed to succeed in today’s ultra-competitive, knowledge-based workplace. According to a recent survey conducted by CTU Online’s Career Services Department, the surveyed employers believe that their employees who received degrees from CTU Online possess the skills to be successful in the workplace. The survey asked employers to evaluate the career-preparedness demonstrated by their CTU Online graduates. The respondents were queried about a range of workplace skills such as information technology, oral and written communication skills, and the ability to work as part of a team. Several key indicators stand out among the survey’s findings. Most notable are the facts that 96% of the employers agreed that Colorado Technical University Online grads have the appropriate problem-solving and reasoning abilities to be a success in the workforce, and that 95% of the respondents indicated that CTU Online alumni have the information technology skills necessary to fulfill company requirements. Additionally, the employers indicated that they either “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statements listed below by the following margins:
• 94% indicated that CTU Online alumni possess the oral communication skills expected by their employer
• 95% indicated that CTU Online alumni possess the written communication skills expected by their employer
• 95% indicated that CTU Online alumni have a practical understanding of group dynamics and teamwork
• 94% indicated that CTU Online alumni demonstrate an awareness of cultural diversity and are able to work efficiently and effectively in a diverse environment
“CTU offers a well-rounded curriculum that helps students develop problem-solving, reasoning, and communication skills, and the survey results show just how important these qualities are to employers,” said Dr. Wallace Pond, Chancellor of Colorado Technical University Online. As ever-increasing numbers of students discover the accessibility and flexibility of online education programs, employers are taking note of the sea change. By any measure, the survey demonstrates that today’s employers value real-world education delivered by the most technologically-effective means available – just as provided by Colorado Technical University through its online campus. In fact, Eduventures, a leading research and consulting firm for the education industry, reports that by next year, one in 10 college students will be enrolled in online courses. This trend will, no doubt, lead an ever-increasing percentage of the workforce that has acquired its education credentials through an online university. “We are quite proud that employers recognize the value of an online education and hold our graduates in such high regard,” said Dr. Pond. “As more and more students turn to online education programs, we look forward to preparing students with the skills needed for career success and rewarding lives.”
Source: Colorado Technical University