Posts Tagged ‘Adults’

Debunking the Concerns of the Online Learning Experience for Adults

Debunking the Concerns of the Online Learning Experience for Adults











Chancellor Gary Brahm, Brandman University

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) November 19, 2013

With unemployment hovering at 7.3 percent and many employers still holding off hiring despite strong profits, the challenge facing many adults is whether or not to seek additional education in hopes of being prepared to jump back into the work force or to advance their current careers. With competition on every front, this is especially true for those who often have to juggle the responsibilities of a family, elderly parents and work. The emergence of online education as a viable alternative to traditional brick and mortar learning provides an avenue to take the next step.

A recent Gallup poll discovered that many adults recognize the flexibility of online education, saying it provided a format most students can succeed in and that it provides a variety of choices for highly regarded curriculum. One-third of the more than 1,000 adults surveyed also said the value of tuition they paid is better than traditional classroom-based education, and 34 percent said it is equal to the value of a traditional education.

Chancellor Gary Brahm of Brandman University in Irvine, California, part of the Chapman University System, has been at the forefront of providing high quality, cost efficient online education for adults. His university has been honored by the highly respected U.S. News & World Report educational rankings. In 2013, Brandman was named Best Online Bachelor’s Program in California and ranked in the top 10 nationally.

“Critical for those considering online education options in 2014, one should be thinking outside your geographical box. Whether you live in an area with many colleges or in an area with few or none, the beauty of online education is that the teaching comes to you,” said Brahm.

“In addition to checking out such resources as the U.S.News & World Report rankings, go online to see what students are saying about the courses and/or degree programs you are interested in pursuing. In addition, make certain the university you wish to attend is accredited by a regional accrediting body.”

Below, Chancellor Brahm offers his thoughts on the concerns adult learners might have when considering beginning an online education program.

# 1: Online education is too easy

Online courses provide more flexibility so that the student can learn at his or her own pace but they require just as much work and, importantly, allow the student with initiative to think innovatively in terms of processing and responding to assignments. Educators at institutions which were early online education adopters often offer classes which are generally more robust, reflecting the time spent evolving courses to meet the challenges of a course and/or major in a dynamic and progressive manner reflective of the real world.

For many adults, online education is the ideal vehicle for balancing a family, a job and the next goal in their education. A great resource is the highly regarded U.S. News & World Report online education rankings which scores hundreds of institutions in faculty credentials and training, student services and training, and student engagement.

#2: The technology is too difficult for many adults

Online education has undergone a significant transformation in the last few years as it has become an in-demand resource for a large segment of adults looking at higher education options. While basic knowledge is required, you don’t need to be the next founder of a billion dollar tech start-up. Not even close. Recognizing that technical and other support forms are essential in every aspect of an online education, leading institutions provide extensive resources for every student both online and via skilled counselors. Studies by leading educational publications show that leading online providers are increasing their spending to provide ease-of-use technology for both teachers and students to level the playing field for all involved.

#3: All courses /degree programs are created the same

Students are too savvy and demanding to accept traditional in-class courses that are simply being “poured” into a computer for online initiatives. The days of talking heads and static slide shows are quickly coming to an end. In fact, most sophisticated universities have put together teams of specialists including instructional designers, technologists and faculty content experts whose sole job is to create dynamic courses that incorporate compelling technology with storytelling and essential information to deliver outstanding learning outcomes. While there isn’t an Avatar movie-like course in the making, students are increasingly giving high marks to programs that incorporate best practices in course design.                                        

#4: Online degrees aren’t employment worthy

Putting aside the adaptation from a famous Seinfeld episode, employers and recruiters recognize the assets of a committed online graduate. A number of studies by colleges and independent research firms over the past few years, including one in 2011, have shown that nearly two-thirds of those familiar with online education believe that a degree earned online is as credible as one earned at a traditional campus-based program.

A study by Excelsior College in 2011 found that nearly two-thirds of those familiar with online education believed that a diploma earned in that manner was as valuable as a traditional brick and mortar degree. Respondents stated that the most important factors in determining credibility of an online degree was the accreditation of the institute awarding the degree and the quality of its graduates.

#5: Online students are on their own, not really feeling like they are part of the institution

One of the great benefits of online education is that each student not only progresses at his/her own speed, but does so with the ability to actively seek out support and guidance from faculty and staff that has a vested interest in seeing students succeed. Importantly, most online classes are limited to 25-30 students whereas on-ground instruction can be two or three times that number sometimes running into the hundreds listening in an auditorium.

In the online world, students have lots of options including regular video and conference calls with their instructors, who often will reach out to them if a period of time has elapsed without interaction. Students are encouraged to engage in peer-to-peer sessions both online and in person. This is the ideal environment for students to advocate for themselves in a comprehensive learning environment.

For example, some of our Brandman initiatives provide personal coaching, an advisor for each student, and student services provided by one-stop experts so that students won’t need to navigate the phone system to receive the attention they need.

About Chancellor Gary Brahm

Gary Brahm serves as chancellor of Brandman University overseeing overall operations of the institution and managing approximately 2,262 faculty and staff. Brandman University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Prior to his present position, Brahm served as the executive vice president for finance and administration and chief operating officer for Chapman University for over 13 years. Brahm has served as a member of various Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visiting teams and in 2007, he was appointed for a 3-year term to the WASC Interim Review Committee. Prior to joining Chapman University in 1994, Brahm was vice president of finance and chief financial officer at National University. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from California State University, Northridge and a master’s in business administration from the University of Southern California.























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Nearly One in Five U.S. Adults Are Concerned that the World Will End on December 21, 2012 According to Backblaze Survey

Nearly One in Five U.S. Adults Are Concerned that the World Will End on December 21, 2012 According to Backblaze Survey












San Mateo, CA (PRWEB) December 13, 2012

Backblaze, leading provider of continuous online backup, today released the findings of a survey conducted online on their behalf by Harris Interactive among over 3,000 U.S. adults. The study examines people’s general concerns going into the New Year and regrets in the event of the Apocalypse on December 21, 2012. The survey was commissioned in light of the ever-increasing dialogue around the Mayan calendar ending and the apocalyptic consequences that people think this may bring about. Backblaze, naturally, advocates that if the world does not end on this date, it is vital to have a backup plan going forward.

While, nearly one in five (16%) U.S. adults report they are at least somewhat concerned that the world will in fact end on December 21, 2012; their primary concerns are a bit more mundane. Nearly three out of four (73%) people showed at least some level of concern for losing files on their computer (e.g. documents, photos, music) and nearly one half (47%) reported they are extremely/fairly concerned about digital file loss. Losing family photos also showed a strong response, with 70% reporting that this was of at least some concern.

“While this survey was commissioned as a bit tongue-in-cheek, at Backblaze we hear from people every day who feel as though their world is collapsing when they have lost precious files, photos and documents. We founded Backblaze because we recognized the importance of helping people have a ‘backup plan’ to ensure that every piece of data, no matter the size, is continuously, safely and securely backed up.

We had a surge of customers recently that we were able to help rebuild their digital life following loss and damage to their computers from Hurricane Sandy. This study demonstrates just how devastating losing files on one’s computer can be,” said Gleb Budman, CEO and co-founder of Backblaze.

When asked if the apocalypse were truly coming on this date, what regrets would people have, if any, 70% reported that they would have some regret. Not traveling more was cited most often by U.S. adults with nearly one-third (32%) reporting to have this regret, which was followed closely by those who regretted not spending more time with their families (30%). Nearly one in four people (23%) reported that they would regret not following their dreams and spending too much time worrying about money (22%). And one in four men (25%) would regret not having had more sex if the Mayan prediction proves true. Interestingly, only 10% of women surveyed would have the same regret.

Other interesting facts to note from the survey include:


    Over half (51%) of employed U.S. adults are at least somewhat concerned on some level about losing their job in 2013.
    40% expressed at least some concern that they were entering the New Year having not followed through with their 2012 New Year’s resolutions.
    Nearly one in five (14%) U.S. adults would regret working too much if the world came to an end on December 21, 2012 and 11% would regret spending so much time worrying too much about their weight.

In the event that the world is going to be around for a while, Backblaze would like people to know that its service is the easiest way to backup all their data online. It requires no user set up; backs up unlimited data, and can also help locate a lost or stolen computer all for just five dollars per month. Backblaze’s service delivers peace of mind with the assurance that users can access their files, any time, from any computer with an Internet connection. To learn more about Backblaze and this study visit blog.backblaze.com.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Backblaze from December 7-11, 2012 among 3,036 adults’ ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact press(at)backblaze(dot)com.

About Backblaze

Founded by a team of serial entrepreneurs with security, scalability and usability backgrounds, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Backblaze’s mission is to ensure that all computer data is backed up. Winner of Best Online Backup 2012 and the AlwaysOn Global Top 250 private companies for game-changing technology and market value, Backblaze provides a free trial and automatically backs up all data on a PC or Mac for just $ 5/month, $ 50/year, or $ 95/ two years. Visit http://www.backblaze.com for more information or to backup your own computer. Backblaze is a registered trademark of Backblaze, Inc.























Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.









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