We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

It is Christmas time! The season of joy and giving. It’s time for holidays as well, so no SAT or ACT. Just fun!

All of the colleges and Universities have declared holidays and students are already home decorating the Christmas tree, shopping for gifts, and gearing up for the celebrations. But before they left for home, the Universities and colleges celebrated the festivals at the premise itself.

Let us see what the US Universities and colleges were up to this Christmas season.

Liberty University

What strikes our minds when we think of Christmas? The Christmas Tree! Liberty University of Lynchburg, Virginia celebrated Christmas with a large Christmas Tree. It became a rage soon after its installation and attracted a lot of spectators. Check out the lovely Christmas celebration images here where the employees of the University gathered with President Jerry Falwell, Jr.

Stephen F. Austin State University

The Stephen F. Austin State University invited the alumni of the University for its Christmas celebration named as “Deck the Hall”. The celebration included ‘Making food for Santa’s Reindeer’, ‘Writing letters to Santa’, decorating cookies, etc.

Grand Canyon University & North Central University

Carols and choir! Music always brings joy to Christmas and certainly, to our hearts. Grand Canyon University of Arizona and the North Central University this year, have arranged for musical concerts to welcome Santa with Carols.

Kendall College

Melodies for our ears and nothing for the stomach? Well that cannot happen in a Christmas. Chef Christopher Koetke of the Kendall College, Chicago has shared some of the globally-inspired recipes starting from the appetizer till the dessert to make our holiday fulfilled.

University of Southern California

Finally, the Gifts! “The joy of living, is in the giving”. And that holds absolutely true. It’s joyful for the person who gives gifts and even more joyful for the person who receives them. At the University, students and faculty took part in Annual Angel City Christmas celebration where students handed out dental care supplies. 

So that was a small update on this festival of Joy.

Here is the GetTeacherED team wishing all of those teaching professionals out there, as well as the entire world a very merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!!!

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Know the Routes to Finance Your Studies (PART II)

This article is the continuation of PART I of the article Know the Routes to Finance Your Studies. In the first part, we discussed about the federal aids available to students to pursue higher education. In this article, we will continue with more such aids that facilitate higher education in the US.

Also, we will focus on other types of financial aids available to students from various sources including the state government, educational institutions, and private organizations. Read on to know more and some tips on how to fund your education costs on your own through clever strategies.

Federal Student Loans

The US Federal Government also offers repayment of loans to the students who need financial support to pursue higher education.
Direct Loan (from the federal government):

• Direct Subsidized Loans – for eligible undergraduate students who reveal financial need


• Direct Unsubsidized Loans – for eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who need not demonstrate financial need


• Direct PLUS Loans – graduate or professional students who do not avail any other financial aid


• Direct Consolidation Loans – to eligible students who can combine all the available financial aid under one loan provider

Apart from these financial aids, there are number of scholarships available for students to utilize.

Aid from the State Government

If a student is not eligible for federal student aids, he or she can apply for financial aid from the state government, to which the student belongs.
Some of the financial aids by state governments are offered with the support from the federal government.
Following are the financial aids awarded by the state governments:

• Byrd Scholarships
• LEAP (Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership) Grants

Aid from the College or School

Students can avail financial aid from the college or university in which they are planning to take admission. A student can visit the official website of the college or enquire the financial department of the college to know more about the process. Also, he or she can check the academic department for any scholarships or grants available.

Aid from a Not-for-profit Organization or a Private Institution

Students may also try to source financial aid from many not-for-profit organizations or private institutions that offer scholarships or grants for students who posses excellent academic skills or purely based on the economic status of the student.

Reduce, Save, and Fund Your Education

Apart from the scholarships, grants, and loans, students can fund their education with proper planning and financing strategies:

College and their Location: Student can opt for colleges that require less tuition fee and offer high quality education. Students can also prefer colleges that are located in areas where the living expenses are reasonable.

Excellent Academic Performance: Excellent academic performance of a student in the first year can earn a student some waiver in the tuition fee in the following years of study.

Accelerated Programs: Students can opt for courses in community colleges if the credits can be transferred to the regular college. Also, students can take one additional course per semester or online classes or summer classes.

In this 2 part article, we have discussed about the various financial aid sources available for US students. In the next article, we will discuss about the FAFSA and how to apply for financial aid. Keep checking this space to clear your doubts about the process involved in getting the necessary finances for your dream education in the US.

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Know the Routes to Finance Your Studies (Part-I)

The United States is one of those countries that encourages its citizens to get Educated and create a learned society. This encouragement is not just given in the form of some schemes but majorly shared with the people in the form of grants or loans. Here is how you can take advantage of such financing options available.

A US high school student can utilize the following financial aid sources to pursue higher education in Universities, colleges, professional schools, career-oriented schools, or graduated schools.

Aid from the US federal government

The US federal government offers student aid in the form of:

• Scholarships and Grants that need not to be paid by the student


• Student loans that have to be repaid with interest


• Work-study program that offers employment to the students to avail finance for their studies

The federal government aid may cover student expenses such as tuition fees, housing facilities, stationery, transportation costs, computer facilities, etc.

To avail any financial aid from the federal government, students have to apply through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

Types of Federal Grants

Although there are various student offers provided by the Federal Student Aid. The four most common ones are:

Federal Pell Grants, that need not be repaid, are awarded to students –

• With financial need


• Who have not earned their first bachelor's degree


• Who are not enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs

Stafford Loan is a repayable loan with interest, offered to students enrolled in accredited American institutions of higher education. Following are some important points to note:

• Student need not repay the loan until the student is enrolled and even until six months of leaving the school. (Leaving may refer to graduating, dropping below half-time enrollment, or withdrawing).


• This loan is available as subsidized and unsubsidized loans


• For subsidized loans, the interest is paid by the federal government while the student is in school and until six months of the student leaving the school


• For unsubsidized loans, payment of interest becomes the student’s responsibility solely

Federal Perkins Loan (FPL) is a loan similar to that of Stafford but is lent directly by the schools through individual states.

• A student can apply for FPL only for funding their post secondary education


• The loan carries a fixed interest of 5% for a ten-year repayment period


• The interest does not accrue until the student begins to repay

Federal Work-Study Program is a system where students join a part-time work and earn up to a certain amount. In most cases, the federal government pays half of the wage and the school pays the other half.

• This program covers post-secondary education programs


• The student must be accepted into the program to qualify for this program


• Students can join work programs through their college


• FWS programs also cover undergraduate and graduate programs and provide part-time jobs to the students of the same


• The work offered mostly is either related to the subject that the student has chosen or community service

Below are some other federal grants available for the US students:

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) is awarded as “campus-based” aid. The participating schools of the program award these grants to students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grant and in higher need of finance

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants are awarded to those who choose to study to become a teacher. The students are obliged to certain criteria like teaching in schools that have children from low-income families, for a particular period of time, in order to avoid the grant from turning into a loan

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants are awarded to students whose parent or guardian died in the Iraq or Afghanistan during military service.

In this article, we have discussed about various financial aids available for the US students by federal government. More of financial aid sources will be dealt with in the PART II of this article.



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Useful Tips to Get Ready for College Admission Process in the US

As you would know already, the application process for the US Universities and college admissions starts at least two years prior to the academic year. One of the important reasons is the nature of the requirements for admission. For the US college admissions, the important requirements are:

• High School records


• Standardized test scores


• Creative essays


• Letters of Recommendation


• Financial aid

Let us see how we can prepare ourselves and be ready with above requirements well before the deadline for college application submission and the following processes.

We have already discussed about the initial steps in our blogs that were about doing  initial research to select University/colleges and the standardized tests such as SAT, ACT, and TOEFL & IELTS. In this article, you will find useful information about the admission essays and letters of recommendation required for University/college admissions.

Creative Essays

1. College admission essays can play a huge role in the admission process if more number of qualified applicants compete for limited number of seats in a specific college.


2. These essays, that can be written about your interest in a particular college, can help a student get admission in such scenarios. The essays are evaluated to identify the value of the student to the college community.


3. The essay should be written in a way to show your interest in the institution as well as a support to your application. The essay should not be written in such a way that it becomes a negative aspect while processing the application.





4. Some colleges give very high importance to the admission essays. They may check the essays first, even before checking the application form, high school records, and other documents.


5. In such college essays, you need not have to write about your accomplishments or your profile. You must use this opportunity to let the college know about you as a person and how would you be a difference maker to their academy. You can explain an important incident in your life that has influenced you in some way or about a person who has been your inspiration.


6. The essay should be of 250-500 word length. But, if you can deliver the right message, the word limit can be extended, say up to 600 words. Have a general essay and trim it before sending it to different colleges. For example, while answering the questions asked by the specific colleges. Remember to mention the right college name in the essay. Do not send a different college name to the college you applying for.

Recommendation letters

When you choose the person to write the recommendation letter for you, choose wisely. Ensure that the person knows you well – these people can be your teachers, counselors, mentors, etc.

Let them know about the requirements of the college that you apply for. Do not push them too hard, give enough space and time for them to work and write an analysis report about your classroom learning capabilities and communication skills which will provide true insight about you to the new institution that your are applying for. This may help you to secure admission in the college.

Also, let the teachers know more about you outside the classroom by providing a resume about you. Inform them about the application deadlines for them to prepare in advance.

If you are all set with all the necessary documents and test scores, go ahead and start applying for the colleges you wish to apply for.

But, wait a minute before that! Do you have enough funds to complete your education degree?

If not, you should be aware of the financial resources available to you to successfully complete your four-year under-graduation or a higher education program.

Financial Aid

The US Education Department has recently created an online financial aid toolkit to help the counselors of finance in the US higher education institutions and whoever involved in student financial aid counseling activities.

The department has also announced that the toolkit includes details about application process for financial aid and repayment of student loans with other related documents that can be downloaded. The toolkit is also said to contain information about professional development information.

This move is identified as one of the measures of the US government to make the college application process smoother for students.

In the next article, we will discuss about the financial aid available to you from the government and from other sources, necessary eligibility for you to avail these funds, application process, etc. in detail.

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Top 10 Tips to Clear TOEFL and IELTS

This article is the third and final part of the Standardized Tests for the US College Admissions series. So far, you have learned about preparation strategies that can be used to get through SAT and ACT tests. In this article, we are going to talk about how to prepare and perform well for IELTS and TOEFL tests that examine the English language skills of a potential candidate to get admission at the US Universities and colleges.

Though most US colleges give importance to TOEFL scores for admissions, for some specific colleges, IELTS can be the gateway. Please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores are not only for foreign students who wish to pursue higher education in the US, high school students who have less than four years of school education at the US schools are also required to take any of the theses tests for college admissions. Hence, along with your SAT or ACT preparation, ensure that you brush up your language skills including reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

You would have already heard a lot about TOEFL and IELTS exams and its structure, without much ado, let us learn about how to prepare for TOEFL and IELTS exams.

Both of these tests consist of Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing tests. The following tips will not only help you to perform well during the examination, they would also help you to improve your every day communication skills.

Top 10 Tips for TOEFL

1. For Reading test, read regularly, especially textbooks in subjects related to arts, sciences, business, social sciences, etc. and try to comprehend the passages in the book. Practise to skim through the passages to get the overall picture of the subject.


2. Develop the habit of reading journals, general books, and magazines. After reading the text, identify unfamiliar words and add them to your vocabulary.


3. For Listening test, develop the listening habit in English language, especially if you are in the non-English speaking country. Listen to as much English as possible. The best sources are television, radio programs, etc. in English language.


4. After listening to a program or a lecture, try to identify the purpose and the main idea behind the speech.


5. For Speaking test, try to develop the habit of thinking and speaking in English language every day. While practising, try to explain a subject or a topic to others completely in English. This provides enough opportunity to use many words in a particular subject of study.



6. Argue with your friends over a topic for preparation purpose and state your opinion clearly while doing the same. Understand the conversation and try to give a solution to the problem in discussion. This will increase your creative thinking ability.


7. For Writing test, read a text book that contains reading material and comprehension questions. Try to answer these questions. Also write your own summary of the passages given in the text book.


8. While writing the summary, try to use different words and grammatical structures to create a new copy of the original passage without deviating from the main idea or the subject of the context.


9. Most importantly, practise using the TOEFL and IELTS study materials to get familiar with the structure of the test.


10. Practise to pace yourself during the preparation and on the test day to distribute and use your time wisely for all the questions to be answered.

With this, the three part series of Standardized Tests for US College Admissions comes to an end. In the next article, we will discuss in detail about the whole application process in practice at the US Universities and colleges including the application and financial procedures, creative essays, recommendation letters, and acceptance & rejection letters.

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Ace the ACT Test with Proven Preparation Methods

Ace the ACT Test with Proven Preparation Methods

This article is the second part of the Standardized Tests for US College Admissions series concentrating on the test preparation methods and crucial information about the tests for students to perform better. In the third and final part of the series, we will learn about TOEFL and IELTS tests.

In this article, we will discuss about one of the important standardized tests that is accepted by almost all US Universities and colleges for higher education admission purposes – The ACT.

What is ACT?

The ACT or American College Testing is a standardized test to identify the readiness of a student for admissions in the US Universities and colleges.  The ACT test consists of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science tests.

ACT +Writing Test

ACT also has an optional Writing test. This optional test is conducted for 30 minutes at the end of the main test. The candidates Profile for ACTare asked to write an essay based on a social issue through which they are tested for taking a stance on an issue, maintaining focus throughout the essay, expressing ideas using logical reasoning, organizing ideas logically, and using language effectively and clearly.

Preparation for the test

Below are simple yet proven strategies to prepare for the test:

• The candidate must prepare well in advance for the test. Crash courses before a week or a month of the test may not come in handy on the test day


• Candidates must take a lot of test practices using the available online sources, model question papers, and question banks


• A study on the structure and content of the ACT question paper can be made much prior to the exam. This would help in understanding the format of the questions coming ahead in the test, unless and otherwise a new format is announced for the upcoming test


• Certain subject areas may be found a little difficult in the model question papers. These can be concentrated more and got enough practice on


• After covering major portions of the ACT preparation materials, the candidates must try to refresh and revise the subjects

On the Test Day

Before taking the test, one must read the instructions carefully. For English, Reading, and Writing tests the answers would have to be chosen from the multiple choices. One should consider and analyze all the options before choosing the ‘best’ answer.

For Mathematics test, the candidate would need to work out the problem separately and compare it with the answer options, rather than directly looking at the options.

Structure of the Test

Let us see briefly, the structure of ACT test subjects on the test:

• English – 75 multiple choice questions (MCQ’s) – 45 minutes. The questions will test your grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills.


• Mathematics – 60 MCQ’s – 60 minutes. The questions will be asked from Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Trigonometry.


• Reading test – 40 MCQ’s – 35 minutes. In this test, four passages about prose fiction, social studies, humanities, and natural sciences will be given. For each passage, there will be 10 questions asked.


• Science subject – 40 MCQ’s – 35 minutes. Questions will be based on science-based passages with graphs, charts, tables, and research summaries.

Educational Institutions that Accept ACT

As mentioned earlier in the article, almost all the US Universities and four-year colleges accept the ACT scores.

Only specific US colleges or Universities require ACT + Writing Test for admission.  However, students are advised to take the Writing test also to improve the chances of admission into a college. Following are some of the higher educational institutions that come under this category:

• Concordia University, Portland (with or without Writing test)


• Graceland University (with or without Writing test)


• Stephen F Austin State University


• University of Southern California, and many more.

The ACT, since recently, is being compared to the SAT tests and the acceptance level of ACT in the US Universities and colleges has become very encouraging for students to take up these tests. Make sure that you do not lag behind. Keep up with the preparation work and reap the rewards.

Later, we will also discuss about important stages during higher education admission process in the US. Watch out this space for more and keep studying!

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Get Through SAT with Clever Strategies

Practice makes perfect! The only foolproof way to ace anything in your life is practice. SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is no exception. One must start preparing for SAT , an year prior. If you have not done so, start now!

As you may be aware, to get into your dreamed college or University for higher education, you would have to clear the SAT. Although, SAT score is not mandatory for admissions at all US colleges, most of the accredited US colleges and Universities require students to clear the test. Along with the score, your high school record, performance in extracurricular activities, and recommendations from your teacher is also considered during the admission process. The test dates for SAT have been announced already for the academic year 2013-14. Hence, make sure you prepare for these tests in advance and be ready with your scores while applying for the college of your dream.

Let us briefly, get to know about the SAT. Also, we will discuss about how to prepare for the tests and use different strategies to perform during the tests to achieve best results and scores.

What is SAT?

SAT or the Scholastic Aptitude Test is a national standardized test conducted throughout the US to evaluate students for undergraduate school admissions. These tests are conducted as SAT Reasoning tests and SAT Subject tests with objectives of their own.

What is SAT Reasoning Test?

SAT Reasoning tests are conducted to test your reasoning and verbal ability in the subject areas namely, Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing. It usually takes almost 4 hours to complete the tests. It, for sure can turn out to be a grueling session, if it happens to be your first test for the first time on the examination day.

What is SAT Subject test?

SAT Subject tests are content-based tests on the subject that a student chooses. The duration of the test is one hour and it consists of multiple choice questions. For each correct answer, you are awarded one point and for each wrong answer, you lose a fraction of a point.
These tests are conducted in 20 subjects categorized under five general subjects namely English, History, Languages, Mathematics, and Science.
The Subject test acts as an opportunity for you to showcase your talent in a particular subject area to a college or a University. SAT subject scores can enhance the chances of your application and can place you in the college as a freshman or in higher-level courses.

How to Prepare?

To prepare for SAT Reasoning and Subject tests, you can use resources like SAT preparation books including practice tests and online tests. You can also enroll yourself in a coaching class, if required. Additionally, the following points can be useful in your preparation:

• Be familiar with the structure of the question paper


• Be aware that the questions would be asked in the ascending order of difficulty hence, make sure you spend less time in the initial stage of the test. This would allow you to have more time to at the later stage with tougher problems on the paper



• To prepare for Reading & Comprehension, be aware of the current affairs, read articles of various subjects every day, and exercise your comprehension abilities with them


• Improve your vocabulary day-by-day. Make it as a habit to look up to the dictionary whenever you come across a new word


• Get enough practice in essay writing


• Get to know how to use various features in your calculator to solve different math problems using formulas. Make sure you use the same calculator in your exam hall


• Memorize and remember all the formulas and theorems correctly


• Use the time cleverly when you answer multiple choice questions. Do not stress out, if you do not know the answer for any of the questions, try to guess or move on to the next


• Thoroughly understand all the key concepts in your favorite subject area to give proper structure and body to your essays


• Make sure that your essays do not deviate from the main points to be discussed in the body


• Try to avoid grammatical and punctuation errors


• Concentrate on sentence phrasing and flow of the article between paragraphs

Accredited US Universities and Colleges that accept SAT scores

Following are some of the US Universities and colleges that accept the test scores of Scholastic Aptitude Test:

• Concordia University, Portland


• Graceland University


• Grand Canyon University


• Liberty University


• North Central University


• Stephen F. Austin State University


• University of Southern California

SAT tests can be written well if you are aware of the above stated key strategies. Prepare for the test with these key points in mind and you would stand great chances to outsmart the rest of the crowd.

Most importantly, get enough rest and maintain a healthy diet before the test day.

This article is the first part of the Standardized Tests for US College Admissions series. In the next part, we will learn about ACT tests and its preparation methods.

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How to apply for higher education in the US?

For domestic and online students

Best move in your career

The decision to pursue higher education is the best move in the current economic and job market scenario. As per the current market trends, the demand for a well qualified individual in any industry in the US, is very high.

Read on to know about how you could apply for higher education degree in the US schools & colleges and get placed in reputed, high-paying jobs.

The US Educational Institutions for Higher Education

The United States of America has 8,990 higher education institutions. Of which 4,495 institutions are included under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Financial aid for students are available for only these colleges covered under the act.

Application and Enrollment Process for Domestic Students:

Students willing to pursue higher education may do their research about the accredited Universities or colleges, area of study, and the degree program.

Admission process starts with getting the right educational qualifications or academic equivalence required by the college one would want to apply for. In the US, about 85% of the colleges require SAT or ACT test scores. 

A domestic student must decide on the colleges to apply by October of the high school senior year and be ready with the paper work and references the college may ask for. 

Early admission process can be opted for the colleges with top priority. Once a student has been accepted in a college, financial aid can be sought through the college itself or through FAFSA.

To get admission in the US colleges, a student should have passed one or more of the following tests based on the program and the college:

• SAT Reasoning Test
• SAT Subject Tests
• ACT + Writing Test
• TOEFL
• IELTS

Application Process

A student should follow these steps diligently to have the application successful:

• Obtain application and financial aid forms 
• Be ready with academic performance transcripts and letters of recommendations
• Be ready with scores of necessary standardized tests
• Send the completed application form, recommendation letter, academic transcripts, and completed financial aid forms to each institution
• Acknowledge letters of acceptance and rejection from the colleges

Financial Aid

Financial contribution for the US studies:

• Family or other personal sources
• College or University Scholarship –  Scholarships are available for highly qualified applicants

• Financial aid from the government – Financial aid is based on the economic background of the student
• Financial assistance for academic merit, proved talent in sports and music
• On-campus employment

Option for Online Studies

In the United States, Online Universities have become fully accredited and increasingly gaining recognition among public and employers. If a student does not want to relocate to the US or quit the job for studies, online degree programs are the best option to consider.

Advantages of Online Programs:

1. Study from anywhere and at any time
2. Fix personalized class schedule
3. Take advantage of student-centric teaching approach
4. Easily access study materials round the clock
5. Share thoughts by classroom discussion available online
6. Enjoy the financial reasonability
7. Interact with experts worldwide
8. Experience working with modern technology-based learning tools
9. Use chat room facility
10. Share knowledge across the globe
11. Start a discussion anytime
12. Learn life-long
13. Become self-disciplined

Application Process for Online Programs

The application process for online programs is simpler than on-campus process. The whole admission process can be completed via online or a phone.
Online Universities are specifically designed for students who wish to pursue higher education to move a step ahead in their careers without having to relocate.
For online degree programs, a student must take into account, all the aspects mentioned for earlier stages of any on-campus application process. This includes:

• Choosing the Accredited University
• Filling out the Online application
• Submitting the required documents
• Applying for Financial Aid and Scholarship

Students opting for online studies should remember that professional advice and assistance is available throughout the admission process and during the whole degree program. Time flexibility of the online programs makes the learners take these courses for granted, at times. A student must strictly stick to the online class schedule and try to be self-disciplined, once he or she gets enrolled in a program.


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Online Education – A Convenience tool for Higher Education & Advanced Courses

Online education has gained immense popularity in the recent years and it has all the reasons to be a TOM (top of mind) concept in the world. It is no different than an on-campus program, except in the way it imparts education to its recipients. The subject modules are conveyed to the aspirants through the Internet and it doesn’t stand a position less than the traditional classrooms. Moreover, the advancements in technology today have made communication between the tutors and students, unaffected by any obstruction which attracts students even more towards exploring Online Education. Online education is always designed with a student centric approach which is why it looks customized to every learner.

How online education works?

Presently, there are a lot of Universities/Online Universities that provide online programs for students. In an online program, the knowledge and information is transferred through different sources like presentations, videos, chat sessions, documents, and many things more. The tutors involved in e-education are experienced lecturers of Universities and colleges. During the duration of the course, they interact with the students through video and audio conferences, chat rooms, multimedia components and others.

In addition to this, there are instructors who provide interactive instructions, guidelines, and support the students through e-mails, chats, and community forums. Mostly, the online courses have a separate user interface which has features like online calendars that help in checking and remembering class schedules, timetables to give a regular overview, and sample tests for students to check their progress from time-to-time. A lot of online programs are customizable as well where the students may fix their time schedules for learning as per their convenience, so that the instructors can provide study materials and presentations on time.

Advancements in online education

Online education is used not only to provide regular education degrees, but also to make available professional and vocational courses. The advancements in IT have accessorized online education thereby making it a real-time experience. Most of the essential downloads provided by the online universities are open sourced and meant for the direct benefit of students. 

Another positive school of thought on online education proposes that online education doesn’t only make learning convenient, but it also cuts down on the paper usage which otherwise, is required in huge volumes to print bulk book material, in the regular education. Also, the scope of learning, researching, and investigating more is much more in an online course since the information is available in vast volumes and for free. The students themselves probe more into the subjects or sometimes the online education providers integrate them with their programs.

It is evident that online education has reached students through newer teaching methodologies enabling Management of Learning. This, in addition, is enhanced through online classrooms, social media networks, and online resources. Most of the online institutes today, offer education with new, reformed pedagogy.

The Statistical Survey report of 2012 in the US, states that,  

“More than 6 million students in the US have taken online courses over regular courses from the Fall of 2011 to Fall of 2012.”

Considering this, there are chances that e-education may overtake the regular education system in the coming few years.

Benefits of online education

• Pursuing online programs is very cost effective. The courses are provided either for free or for cheaper fees with the same degree of accreditation as that of a regular course


• Online courses grab individual attention and satisfy individual requirements by offering flexible time plans as well as learning modules


• These courses are very beneficial for professionals who can take these programs while working


• It is the perfect niche for reinforcing our ground skills & professional talents and pursuing a new career direction


• Web research through online education is effective and efficient and consumes least amount of time


• Online education is full of additional materials and sources


• Many researches can be brought together for better implementation of concepts, in contrast to regular campuses that rely only on text books


• People find more time for thorough learning of concepts and working on them since the class schedules are decided as per their convenience


• Forums and chat discussions, an integral part of online learning, offer perspectives from various experts


• Most importantly, it gives the learners, the freedom of choosing what and when they want to learn

Online teacher courses

 It is essential for teachers to improve their further knowledge to sustain in the teaching profession. Online teacher education plays here, a vital role as teachers cannot invest their time dedicatedly on learning, when they are into their profession.

Teachers who hold their diplomas or degrees can further pursue online higher education degrees. They can choose from the range of online teacher courses available on the Internet. There are some very popular names in providing advanced online courses on teaching. Some of the quality and trustworthy providers of these online teacher courses are

• www.getteachered.com
• www.lead2class.com
• www.teacher2school.com
• www.teacherweb.com

These Websites apart from giving a list of Universities and colleges that offer programs of teachers’ choice, also act as Counselors and guide them in deciding on their right courses.

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The Prevailing Education System in the USA

The current status of education in the US has a lot of scope of improvement. Most of the teachers in the US do not undergo any teacher training other than holding their degrees. They just focus on the students’ assessment and teach in a simple manner without following standardized teaching practices and procedures. Moreover, students undergo their education programs under such teachers with the intention of just passing the exam and with lack of encouragement & enthusiasm to gain knowledge of the subject. This makes the overall quality of the schools not up to the standards in the US.

The teaching quality, just like in any other nation, needs improvement and this cannot happen just by compelling students to get prepared for their exams, but actually making them learn and improve their understanding and knowledge of the subject. There is a major need of focusing on further education for teachers in the US.

Level of Education System

The existing education system in the US includes school education, community college education (both Associate’s and Academic degree), University education, and technical education. Performance tests in high schools and others, rate the level of learning and the overall school performance, excluding other factors. These tests hold high impacts on the performance of teachers and the students. Hence, teachers focus more on retaining their positions rather than nurturing the minds of the learners.

"The statistical data ranks the United States 12th in the countries, based on the marks scored by students in Mathematics and Science (data belongs to the year 2008–2010). Presently, school dropouts account for about 40% in the African-American communities and 27% in the natives. About 54% of the US students end their educational life with school education itself. Furthermore, dropouts are on a great rise Y-o-Y."

In general, people in the US are said to be fragile in general academic skills, especially in a subject like mathematics and the same thought has alarmingly vibrated to the educators of the country, who, now, are working towards changing this perception of the world by offering higher education online. Teachers are now molding their students through improved teaching methodologies to ensure successful outcome from students, not only in terms of academics, but also to bring them out as globally recognized graduates who would come forward as future-ready renowned academicians, knowledge specialists and educationalists.

Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching in America is on rise and improving every year. The strategy behind this improvement is development of proper job prospects in teaching. Most of the teachers in the US hold their graduation degrees or diplomas than a Ph.D required. The level of teaching recorded so far in the US is not up to the mark. This leads to a situation where teachers utilize this little knowledge of theirs and focus on just holding their jobs somehow. However, looking at the current trends we get to understand that qualified staff inspiring students are in high demand in the US education industry.

Certain key points have been devised to focus on improving the job prospects in teaching:

• The diploma holders amongst the teachers can undergo further teaching courses
  
  
• They can also take online teacher education while teaching at schools. This improves the way of specializing on how to improve teaching skills


• Teachers can go for a Masters degree or some technical course for the further specialization of their subjects
 

Merits of further education of teachers are:

• Teachers will establish a professional way of teaching


• They would be able to focus on students since they would be relieved of stress about their own education


• They would be able to encourage and enhance students’ creativity


• Teachers will be able to inculcate this amazing sense of critical thinking into the students


• All of this would benefit them so much that they would become passionate about enhancing their knowledge through their own teaching experience


• Teachers would be able to handle students in an effective and productive way


• Students would get a new dimension to their pace of learning through this paradigm shift in teaching

And most importantly, teachers and students will become more confident and knowledgeable that they could not have been without proper teaching mechanism

All of this would eventually lead to a fall in the number of school dropouts and additionally would help cleaning off the low IQ image of students in the US. For teachers too this would be of great benefit. However, the public schools should not reject them on the basis of over-qualification and look basically for their interest level in teaching. Schools should also give aspirants positions in their academies and help them find a permanent position as well.

Improving teaching

Teaching in the US can be improved not only with further education but also by informing the teachers to implement some standardized teaching procedures. Teachers should take up teaching with a student-centric approach. They should instruct students not to elicit the concepts only to produce them in exams but to focus majorly on learning.

Students too should develop a broader perspective towards creative learning. The grading tests should be conducted in the US schools for realizing the level of learning based on inspiration, thinking and acquaintance of concepts.

The current US education market seems to be at risk. However, further education for teachers, job prospects in teaching and online teaching education come out as few important points of improving the education system prevailing in the United States of America.

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