Things to be kept in mind before applying for a MBA programme

MBAs are meant for those students who want to access to business education. When it comes to building up your career, the decision of whether or not to pursue a MBA degree course becomes tough since it is investment of money and time. While finding a mba online program With so many options out there and the demand for MBA constantly increasing, it is really a tough job to find the one that best suits your basic requirements.

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Before applying in top MBA online programs universities, you must pay heed to a few important things such as- employability, the standard of peers, major international management education bodies and also competitiveness of entry. This is your only chance to consider your career objectives, interests, desired job location and learning style. So, start preparing for it. This is a great time to ask yourself critical questions. An MBA application is a reflection and self-evaluation on who you are both professionally as well as personally and academically. The more concrete information you can give about yourself, the better admissions officers will understand your desire for pursuing an MBA course and more likely you will be able to chase you dreams. Since, a MBA online programme can greatly improve the career prospects, professional advancement and development of an individual is the reason for which most of the student apply for MBA programmes now-a-days.

What MBA requirements should I know Before Applying to a Program?

Is an MBA degree the right degree for you? - Decide on which MBA program option meets your lifestyle and requirements, i.e., you should consider whether you want a part-time, two-year full time or an executive MBA programme? Like- if you think of persuing a MBA degree in finance, be it in corporate finance or investment management, you may not be able to get the degree for a general manager or CEO but will help you to be the chief financial officer of a firm.

Take advice from professional colleagues and human resources(HR)staff - Tap into current colleagues and HR staff to gain some knowledge about how an MBA program might help you in your future career. Like- Did their degree enable them to develop professionally? Or, what did they like the best about their B-schools and what they might have done differently? Or, how is group work measured and viewed?

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Review the curriculum and registration process of the MBA programme - Before applying, you should always go through the B-school's MBA core courses and electives mentioned in the curriculum thoroughly along with its registration process and course selection.Be sure to ask the faculty about the styles, class size and curriculum in order to gain a better understanding of the program you are interested. Such as- What kind of faculty interaction takes place in class? Or, Is there a good balance between quantitative and qualitative material?

Assess program culture and your most suitable location - Questions like- do you prefer opting for a big city or a small town?, or, say is the climate right for you? Do you prefer sunshine all the time or seasonal variation? Two of the best sources of information about a student life are the current students and alumni. Seek them out and ask them about their culture, programs and what it was like getting a degree there.

So, what is your reason for studying an MBA online course? Share your opinions with us by commenting below.

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Can New Assessment Tools Help Graduates Acquire The Right Job Skills?

The financial crisis of 2007-2008 and its consequences have revealed that there is a disparity in the skills that employers are looking for and the skills that most college graduates develop. With further technological advancements, it is expected that this problem would become more severe.

Institutes need to be more efficient and effective

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This is not the time for presidents and trustees of universities for feel confident and complacent. According to Monica Herk,vice president for education research at the Committee for Economic Development, all institutes of higher education need to put more emphasis on certifying expertise in specific skills which businesses demand, instead of requiring learners to simply attend a certain number of classes. In a recent post, Herk writes, “America’s postsecondary institutions need to simultaneously become more effective and more efficient. That is, they need to educate more students to a higher level of skills and knowledge, while doing so at a lower cost per student. Of course, achieving that solution is a bit more challenging. Fortunately digital innovations – in the form of computers, communications, and “big data” - may be opening the door to a disruptive transformation of the postsecondary sector through a shift to competency-based education.”

Unbundling courses

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This might eventually result in an unbundling of academic courses and certifications. According to her, if we wish to make this new and potentially cost-effective academic system work, then we will have to focus on the availability and extensive use of different kinds of assessments which will help to certify that graduates have specific skills and competencies. This does not necessarily be implement in all standardized tests. Herk adds “It is likely that there would need to be more than one assessment, geared to the variety of skills different jobs require. Nor would all of these assessments necessarily be multiple-choice, bubble-in-the-answer tests. The assessment industry has advanced in its ability to assess a broader variety of skills “authentically,” including through asking respondents to react to complicated scenarios online.”

Need for better assessment tools

She believes that “the key is to develop assessments that are reasonable predictors of future job performance. These assessments need not be perfect, they just have to provide a better “signal” than what we have now. But it’s hard to imagine a noisier signal than our current system of relying on what degree students have and where they received it.”

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The Collegiate Learning Assessment is one of the most effective tools that is currently being used by more than 700 schools. The assessment tries to measure how much students in college have actually learned since starting their freshman year till the time in their senior year. However, there is still a lot of scope in the market for utilising other types of specific assessments.

A final word

The development of specialised assessment tools should be considered as a high research priority in both academic and business. After certain assessments have been approved by employers as dependable indicators of competencies and future performance, the academic sphere should finally be disrupted. This will completely transform education and make it more unbundled, more affordable and effective.

What do you think? Share you opinions about unbundling of higher education by commenting below.

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Why You Must Gain Hands-On Experience Along With A Degree?

Do you want to become a manager? But do you have what it takes to be one? With increasing competitiveness in the global job market, earning a business degree is simply not enough anymore to get a lucrative job. You need to get hands-on experience as employers are now more focused on finding out how effective you are in the workplace. Read on to find out how you can gain the right degree and relevant experience...

Do You Need Management Experience?

I agree that in this current business scenario it has become almost imperative to pursue business education and acquire the necessary management skills and knowledge. However, the fact remains that most employers now prefer candidates who have adequate experience as well as a recognised degree. As most companies now expect fresh recruits to perform from the very first day, your work experience will give you the ability and confidence to prove your mettle in your organisation and advance your career. I believe one of the best ways to do this is getting a management internship and learning first-hand what a manager does.

Do you think that internships mean getting coffee and making photocopies? Then you couldn't be more wrong. Nowadays, you can find various internship opportunities which provide you hands-on experience in management and help you learn more about managerial roles. You will get a clear idea about the job, develop required skills and be more confident about your place in the company.

Streamline Your Internship Search

You must look for business and management internships in your desired as well as relevant industry. It's a fact that employers prefer applicants with hands-on experience in their industry or sector. After all, it only makes sense that when you have a clear understanding of the job to be performed by your team, you will be in a better position to lead, motivate and manage them.

What You Have To Do

During your management internship, you will usually have to shadow your senior managers and focus on different aspects of their work. You will need to work on surveys, analysis of data, observe the tasks of a senior manager and report to him. You must remember that management jobs tend to include both project management and people management.

Can You Get A Full-Time Job?

Although a management internship can certainly help you to get the best job opportunities, it does not guarantee a graduate job in the company. However, it will undoubtedly boost your chances for getting a full time job with the internship employer. All you need to do is showcase the technical knowledge and experience you have gained from the internship.

Earn A Degree Or Get Experience?

The fact remains that when you pursue a full time business and management course like an MBA, it is not feasible to do an internship or gain relevant experience. You will simply not be able to find time to attend scheduled lectures in the classrooms and work on your internship at the same time. So what should you do? Is there any way you can earn a degree and still find time to gain work experience?

Yes! Studying an online business management programme from a recognised B-school or university will enable you to work and learn simultaneously. Online business courses are designed to be highly flexible so that you can effectively study while you work. As you will learn the core business management concepts at your own pace, you will be able to apply them in your internship and further hone your skills. Online business courses are the perfect solution for earning an affordable degree and balancing your work and education.

How are you planning to gain experience while studying? Do you want to add to the discussion? Then feel free to share your ideas and thoughts below.....

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A Guide to Financial Education for Doctors

Doctors are easy targets of financial theft

Doctors are high earners. Consequentially, they are one of the most heavily-hit target groups for financial theft. Issue, drawing attention of experts and analysts, have attracted comment from popular columnists like Rob Lieber who describing money-management difficulties for various professionals, have said commencing a discussion : 

“We begin with physicians, for whom a combination of factors can conspire against success. They take eight or so years off from the world to do nothing but learn how to be doctors, then receive a six-figure annual paycheck with no real idea of what to do with it. If they can save lives, many believe, managing money ought to be easy. But self-certainty like that can lead to all sorts of horrible mistakes.” 

The fact of doctors being easy targets, considering their credulity, is also relected in the voice of another anonymous adviser : “Physicians are viewed as marks, because they are known to have money.”

 Various means of money-drainage 

As their no finacial training during career-building professional courses in medicine, doctors become vulnerable with huge income, but no experience in investment whatsoever. Lack of clarity regarding difference in concepts between 'Debit card' and 'Credit card', make doctors fall into the trap of bankrupting over-drafts. In the computerised world, the disclosure of confidential information regarding bank accounts etc., amounts to identity theft that doctors have to be aware of. Even decisions like Buying or Renting, or purchasing a car can place doctors in dilemma who are practical ignorants on financial matters. Many times, doctors go through legal challenges claiming compensation, or other legal complications in personal life, that is common to high-earners, that require compulsory maturity regarding financial matters.

 Providing financial training to doctors

Institutes across America are providing online courses to doctors to make them self-sufficient, self-contained decision-makers capable of using their monetary resources in efficient and constructive ways. MIT, University of California, University of Florida are in the list of service-providers. Apart from online courses, regular classroom education is also organised, that are managed by reputed professors of universities. 

Remaining aware of dishonest advisers 

But, doctors has to be aware of dishonest financial advisors as well. Workshops that promises free financial education, can also be a medium to access doctor's account(s) by dishonest counselors, posing themselves as helpers. 

Self-education in informal ways

There are lots of books written for those who don't go through formal training in institutes. And, financial education is not an exception. Something, as fundamental as financial education not only requires books, but also practical application in home environment. Charity begins at home and even though financial education is not quite charity, managing home and seeing kids grow up can be a good proxy for actual scenario in the outside world. For highly qualified people like doctors, assimilating a topic from a self-help guide in the form of a book that's not at all harder than the life-saving study of medicine and practicing in practical life to be a pro, is never a tough ask.

 Preparing the future generation

Doctors should prepare their kids to be wise in taking financial decisions in future walk of life. And, that starts at childhood, when they are minors, by participating in government sponsored stipended welfare programmes in schools, or even at home, under parents' supervision. This article provides link that explores the idea of taking education to the next level. 

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Top Free Apps and eLearning Services

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With the advancement of science and technology, the ways of education and learn have also changed drastically. The increasing use of computer and mobile apps has almost revolutionized the methods and modes of learning. Over the years, several apps have been devised to aid the learning process, and here are some most salient apps that are available free of cost.

Language Learning Apps

Rossetta Stone

Rossetta Stone is a great and valuable treasure for the people desiring to learn new languages. You can learn any one of the 24 languages, including English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish etc. In the first place, it makes the process of learning the languages quite natural and intuitive.

Duolingo

Offering the opportunity to learn anywhere and anytime, Duolingo teaches the language learners in a revitalizing manner. It is really a great fun to learn the new languages with Duolingo. It offers several entertaining exercises to learn languages through reading, listening, translation, and challenges with multiple choices.

Without making you feel the requirement or support of any teacher or an instructor, the above apps can help you to gain mastery over various prominent languages spoken across the globe.

Learning the technological features and functions

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Learnable

Embracing the ultra modern technological features, it is one of the most trusted sources for education in Online Programming. It has a huge collection of a great variety of video tutorials. Also, it has the ebooks for the students of different levels. Starting from the basics, you can learn even more advanced features that can boost your career.

Bitfountain Mini Android Course

Comprising 9 lectures and some challenges, it offers a full course of on how to make an Android App. Along with the basic introduction to Java; it provides the best opportunities to learn about how to work in an Android Studio. What you just need is to have a browser and an internet connection.

WordPress Beginner Course

With the passage of time, the use and popularity of Wordpress have escalated immensely, and the Wordpress Beginner Course offers you free learning lessons on how to build a Wordpress site all by yourself. It is a free course that enables the learners to build the Wordpress sites quickly and easily.

Linux Academy

Offering the self paced courses on Linux, OpenStack, DevOps, and Amazon Web Services etc. It comes with a free 30 day subscription, and through the Linux Academy, one can gain mastery over these powerful systems.

Mammoth Interactive 5-hour Developer Bundle

For learning the fundamental of web designing and the basics of coding languages, the Mammoth Interactive 5- Hour Developer Bundle is one of the best self learning apps worldwide.

Whether you desire to learn the technological features for your personal use, or wish to boost your career; the above apps can be very much helpful in achieving the desirable objectives.

Enhancing the academic performance

Busuu

With the reading, listening, writing and speaking exercises and challenges, Busuu offers an opportunity to learn various foreign languages with the help of over 35 million native speakers. The interactive sessions and quizzes are a real fun while learning various languages through Busuu.

Kindle

With the Kindle reading app, you can turn your mobile device into a reading app. Without carrying the burden of papers, you can use this digital book wherever you go. The built-in dictionary offers a quick access to the word meaning.

Audible Listener (30 Day Subscription)

With over 180K Audio books, the Audio Listener offers the convenience of reading anywhere and anytime. It comes with a 30 day free trial and it can be very helpful in saving the time, money, and paper.

The above three apps not only facilitate a great convenience in learning, but at the same time, they also escalate the academic performance to greater heights.

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How To Avoid £9,000 Tuition Fees And Still Earn A Degree

Are you getting ready to study a university degree? Do you think it is good idea even as college fees are rising? What if I told you there is a better way to earn a degree without getting crippled with student debt? Here we are going to have a look at the rising cost of higher education in the UK and how you can study in an affordable way. Read on...

Education Is Expensive

Let's face it, rising college tuition fees is one of the most serious concerns for most aspiring students and their parents. As a result of this, majority of college-goers are feeling the compulsion to take out a heavy student loan to cover their education expenses. Apart from the United States, the United Kingdom is also struggling with rising student debt and how it is affecting the education, career and earnings of students. Even if the government is trying to deal with the situation, there are several factors that are creating obstacles and making the situation worse for most students.

Is There Any Hope For Affordable Degrees?

Recently, I found out that there was a notion to drop tuition fees across UK from £9,000 to £6,000, but the Labour party is now feeling the pressure get rid of the idea. Recently, former Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and present Business Secretary Vince Cable under Labour raised issues about cutting fees to £6,000 a year. According to Cable, the plans taken by Labour were nothing but a “populist gesture” and “very foolish.” Moreover, Lord Mandelson warned that such cuts in college fees can compel institutes to cut down on important courses like the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths).

Lord Mandelson said “Whilst I strongly welcome foreign students to Britain, I would not want to see them receiving preference over British students because of the greater income they bring to universities,” in a speech to university vice-chancellors. In an interview before speech he commented “I think you have to consider whether there is a clamour for change - whether there is a demand for it and whether taxpayers would be happy with the alternative use of funding it if the taxpayer part would have to rise.”

He believes that Labour must keep the door open for consultation if there is any possibility of moving ahead with such a pledge. He thinks that Labour also needs to clarify from where the funding would come in order to compensate the tuition cuts. Lord Mandelson added “Any solution that leaves the universities less funded than they are at the moment is not the right solution.”

Why You Need A Degree

Although he may be right, but like most students I do believe that a £9,000 tuition is excessive for earning a college degree. As a result of this most students are now wondering they should skip college and join the workforce. But starting your career by skipping college can severely damage your career and earning potential in future. The fact remains that most employers still value a degree and certain jobs require that you gain some specific skills to be even eligible for an interview. In this scenario, earning a higher education degree is a necessity for most students. But is it even possible to earn an affordable degree without taking student loan?

Online Study Is Exactly What You Need

Yes! Simply opt for an online distance learning top up programme. Online distance learning courses can help you to gain the right skills and knowledge without emptying your savings account. As this programmes are highly affordable and flexible, many learners from around the world are now pursuing online studies to earn an accredited degree and start their careers in the best possible way. As demands for distance learning is growing, many reputed UK universities are now offering their courses online to reach more students worldwide. This guarantees that you will recieve quality education as the programmes are primarily developed and conducted by in-house faculty.

When you pursue a distance learning top- up programme , you will receive various academic, professional and economic benefits. This is the reason why so many learners and professionals across the globe are choosing online study over traditional college education. Moreover, it will help to boost your career as numerous leading employers are now recognising and accepting online qualifications.

So if you want a great start to your dream career and wish to earn an affordable yet accredited degree, then studying an online distance programme is your best bet.

Are you an online learner? Or are you planning to study online? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with me by commenting here.

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Why Educators Must Use Social Media In The Classroom

With more and more young people talking to social media to express their opinions in a public platform, it's about time that educators realise its value in making learning more engaging and effective. Growing numbers of teachers are now increasingly using popular online websites to better connect with their students. Social media is now being used in classrooms across the globe to encourage learning, instead of being considered as a distraction.

Here we are going to share 6 excellent ways for you to use social media and improve your classroom-

Understand what students are actually thinking

Communicating online is usually very different from the way we do it in person. Those learners who are reserved and shy in the classroom often communicate and contribute openly through special media. You can effectively use Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus to encourage learners to engage with one another and ask questions online. This result in prompt replies, opinions and discussions that will add to the learning experience.

Easy access to real-time materials

As social media enables us to share information directly with one another, you will get instant access to important news and relevant resources. Facebook and Twitter are undoubtedly a great source for accessing viral news which you can then share with your students. You can also assign daily tasks to individual students for monitoring news for relevant stories and topics.

Connect your classroom with others

Earlier enabling our students to connect with relevant experts and guest speakers required us to send either a handwritten letter or an email request. Then we needed to arrange for a speaker phone in the classroom to conduct the phone conference. But all that has changed thanks to social media. Now almost all academicians, experts in various fields, scientists, authors and celebrities have some public social media account which enables their followers to communicate with them directly. You can also use Skype in your classroom and invite guest speakers for video conferencing.

Expand your reach

One of the greatest benefits of social media is that it allows teachers to effectively communicate with their peers in different parts of the world. If you are using Twitter, then you may encourage your students to follow specific hashtags and connect with other students on a global level. You can also follow different accounts of publications and teachers from various nations.

Interact with families

Social media can help you to easily connect with the parents of students. You can tag them in relevant posts and keep them updated about the class. Most parents prefer to get continuous updates regarding what their kids are learning.

Encourage students to learn outside class

Using social media in homework and assignments can help teachers to make students more engaged and involved in lessons not only in the classroom, but even after they leave it. You can encourage your learners to establish Pinterest boards to depict the interests of leading characters in a particular novel. They can even gather information for mathematical conversion practice with the help of metric measurements.

How else do you think social media can help your classroom? Feel free to add to the discussion by sharing your ideas below.