With the technological expansion of the Internet, distance learning degrees have become increasingly popular. With great support facilities and the convenience of online degree programs, parents and workers can still have a family and a job while receiving an education. Unfortunately, the Internet has also provided an avenue for individuals making money by selling bogus degrees over the Internet. In a 2003 report by USA Today, 400 diploma mills are already in operation, with the shameful industry already worth $500 million per year, and the numbers are still rising.

However, despite all of the negative talk about the value of distance learning degrees, many such colleges and universities offer valid online learning degrees and diplomas. The students and instructors are held to the same standard of educational excellence as those in the traditional classroom. The method is simply an alternative for the individuals who may otherwise not have an opportunity to earn a degree. Online courses, online video lectures, test examinations, and even online library facilities ensure the students truly earn their degree in higher education. Unfortunately, many potential employers have heard about the bogus degrees and tend to assume an online degree is of lesser value.

To avert the confusion, 6 accrediting agencies were set up by the National Education Board of the U.S government with the role of providing accreditation to colleges and universities who meet a set educational standard. This ultimately differentiates the legitimate colleges from the fake ones. Students enrolling in these accredited colleges can rest assured they are receiving quality and qualified education. Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) is an additional accrediting body which solely exists for the purpose of providing accreditation to colleges that offer distance learning degrees. DETC is a legit body that falls under the umbrella of the US Department of Education and CHEA.

Other distinguished specialized accreditation agencies exists that are designed to accredit specific course programs. Programs that meet the set standards of excellence are given accreditation by these specialized accredit ting agencies based on area of specialization. A good example of such an accrediting agency is International Association for Management Education (AACSB) which accredits accounting related programs. Also American Health Information Management Association is tasked with accrediting health programs in different colleges. It is worthy to note that all these accreditation agencies have to be recognized by CHEA for them to be considered as legit agencies.

So, to verify the educational quality of any institution, students, parents, and potential employers should be concerned about accreditation status. If any college or university has that coveted seal of approval, it means distance learning degrees have met the same basic standards of excellence with the support and facilities necessary to adequately offer online degree programs. Conversely, specialized accreditation concentrates on evaluating the course curriculum based upon the established standards of the university or college.

Accreditation assures employers, parents and students that a respective college awarding degrees has undergone and passed a stringent test of excellence in offering quality education in the respective areas of training. On the other hand, diploma mills and fake colleges don’t meet the same standards of education imposed by the agencies since they don’t possess any legitimate accreditation. Thus courses taken by prospective employees that are accredited by the respective agencies would have met standards imposed on the respective specialized areas.

In the end, it is totally up to potential employers to decide whether to hire an individual with a distance learning degree. With skepticism influenced by all the bogus diploma mills, no wonder they are being more cautious. Therefore, if the accreditation is supplied by a trusted and recognized source, the application for a job is less likely to be set aside. Instead, it has a better chance to be found in the stack for a second interview or final selection for a job position.

Along with the growing popularity of obtaining an online Bachelor degrees, many bogus schools have cropped up to cash in, taking advantage of potential students seeking a genuine education to maintain their current level of employment, or achieve specific career goals. Unfortunately, the sales pitch attracts many students who do not possess the time, or the finances, to gain a college education. The main selling points may include easy graduation, no tests or end of semester exams, credit for life experiences, and lower tuition fees. Some diploma mills even have the audacity to make money through bulk emails offering to sell university degrees.

Therefore, with all the confusion generated, how can students sieve out the genuine from the bogus? This may be especially difficult for distance learning programs when students practically make their choices based on what is shown on a website. In many cases, especially for international students, it may not be feasible to visit the physical site of a college before enrolling. With this, making choices will really depend on the appearance and content of a website, which sometimes may not be an accurate judge of the creditability of a college.

One of the best ways to determine credibility is to pay close attention to how the credentials are stated. For example, if an educational institution claims to have nationwide or worldwide accreditation, without revealing which government agency provided the accreditation, it’s possible the college or university probably does not possess the necessary seal of approval to provide legitimate online Bachelor degrees.

The six accreditation agencies given the authority to grant college and university accreditation are entrusted with governing the institutions within their geographical section of the United States as follows: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU). With specific states for each agency, it is easier to check whether an online learning facility is accredited and registered.

If a university sends out mass e-mailings offering on online Bachelor degrees, Master’s Degree, and even Doctorate degrees for a fixed rate, it is a sure sign the result will be a bogus degree. Course credits for such a degree may include such strange elements as: credit for life experiences, work experience, previous educational background, workshops, community services, travel, and books read in the past. To further confuse the issue, fake accrediting URLS are set up to prove accreditation, but unless it is from one of the 6 agencies endorsed by the Department of Education, the award is most likely phony. The unscrupulous institutions depend on the desperation of people who do not have the time, or the money, to earn a valid degree. Nevertheless, without that all-important diploma, good jobs are impossible to find.

In short, because of the influx of fake degrees, it leaves the employers worried about the legitimacy of online Bachelor Degrees. Thus to avert these fears and ensure you get a job with an online degree, it is imperative to carefully select a college that possesses all the support and resources to provide quality education approved by the U.S. Department of Education, and granted accreditation through one of the 6 designated agencies with the authority to award proper accreditation to legit institutions.

Homeschooling today is now a viable option for your children. Over 1.1 million American homeschool their children successfully and more are signing up. Many options are available to the new homeschool on the block, one that often chosen by parents who are busy working at home or does not have time to fully devote to tutoring is online homeschooling.

Online homeschooling lets children attend a school on their computer, and has to adherer to a schedule. Many think this benefits the child because they have a certified teacher to teach them. They will have a virtual classroom environment so this prepares them for college. Sometimes they can attend class with video conferencing and have face to face time with the teacher and other students. Various programs are available to you for different curriculum. Many online homeschools will cater to your religious and moral views as well. You can be assured that your children are being taught your views and moral conscience.

This is ideal for some parents who don’t have time to instruct their kids; they will get the benefits of homeschool but still have a teacher to work with them. It will also give you a set schedule and attendance points. Homework will need to be turned in and progress can be documented. The online homeschool helps since they turn in all the work for you. They will test your children and report it to the proper facilities so you are in compliance with state and federal laws.

Technology is getting faster and information greater. Online homeschooling is a fledgling learning institution that is expanding exponentially. Before choosing an online school, be sure to fully research it. Make sure it’s accredited and that the courses offered are what you want your children taught. Ultimately the parent is the head teacher.

Click here for the 2008 Complete Homeschool Guide!

In 1974, The BBC presented a stunning thirteen-part miniseries called “The Fall of Eagles.” It examines the fall of the three most powerful European dynasties of the mid-nineteenth century: the Hapsburgs, the Romanovs, and the Hohenzollerns.

If you know a young person who needs to study the end of the 19th century, you might want to turn them on to this award winning film. Few historical films set in this era are as accurate or entertaining.

· Episode one follows the life of Emperor Franz Josef and his young wife Elisabeth, demonstrating the contrast between the growing European Liberalism and the rise of Hungarian Nationalism.

· Episode two follows Princess Victoria and her marriage to Frederick of Prussia. Raised as a constitutional monarch, she can’t understand the absolute monarchy of Prussia.

· Episode three follows Bismarck and Kaiser William.

· Episode four deals with the murder/suicide of Crown Prince Rudolph, as well as its cover up.

· Episode five tells the story of young Tsar Nicholas and his marriage to Alexandra.

· Episode six focuses on Lenin’s rise to power in a world of Bolshevik, Menshevik, Social Democrat and Social Revolutionary infighting.

· Episode seven deals with the ultimately poor advice given to Nicholas by Kaiser William II as well as the difficulties both face at home.

· Episode eight follows the Romanovs during Russia’s short-lived constitutional monarchy.

· Episode nine deals with the Balkan crisis of 1908.

· Episode ten follows Franz Josef during the summer of 1914, before and after the Sarajevo assassinations.

· Episode eleven deals with the last efforts of Russian leaders to forestall the impending revolution.

· Episode twelve contains the February and October Revolutions that led to Lenin’s ultimate rise to power.

· Episode thirteen concentrates on the increasing desperation of the German High Command in the last months before World War I.

Plainly, this is a must see series for any young student of European or World history. Best of all, it is actually fun to watch. Family friendly, but with mature content.

Looking for other great Historical movies to share with your kids?

Visit http://www.navigatinglife.org/historybusters for a list of over 1000 great historical films. Every movie on Historybusters has been hand picked for historical accuracy and entertainment value. Why? Because the best way to learn history is through story. After all, that’s what history truly is—a really wonderful story. Our criteria? If a movie is accurate enough to help someone pass a test, and it’s still enjoyable—you’ll find it here.

Lynn Marie Sager teaches history in Los Angeles, CA. In her spare time, she runs the Historybusters Website, dedicated to hooking young people on history one story at a time.

Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of interest in homeschooling – more and more parents are exploring the options of teaching their children at home. While there are many obvious (and not so obvious) reasons cited for doing so, opponents of home schooling curriculum cite an equal number of reasons why kids perform better in public schools. This article discusses some of the pros and cons to the decision to home school.

Most kids initially love the idea of home schooling. What kid wouldn’t? They think they’ll get to sleep late, hang out at home, watch television, and have a more relaxed schedule. Unfortunately for them, most parents treat home schooling seriously and those notions are quickly shattered. Though kids tend to have preconceived notions about the entire process of home schooling – that they get more time to play and less time to work – the opposite is true.

Pros:

1. Home schooled children tend to score higher on standardized tests than public school children. Most people are surprised by this, but think about it for a moment. One of the main problems with public schools is the size of the classroom. At home, the classroom is made up of the parent and the child or children. Individualized attention translates into a better understanding.
2. Homeschooled children usually have their academic and social needs met better. In a public school classroom setting, the teacher has fifty minutes to teach the lesson for that day. They don’t have time to address different needs or learning styles. At home, parents can tailor the curriculum to meet each child’s individual needs so they learn better.
3. Much less concern over the child’s safety. The social dynamics of a school are unpredictable. Almost every day we hear stories about fights, shootings, and other incidents on school campuses. At home, parents can protect their kids and help them concentrate on learning. The social pressures that plague public schools are gone.

Cons:

1. Some parents can struggle with subjects that they are not good at themselves. While there is an abundance of materials to help parents in any given subject, if a parent doesn’t understand the material it will be hard to teaching that information to their child.
2. Home schooling can be expensive. Initially, most parents purchase an established curriculum to give them guidance. Depending on the grade level of the child, these curricula can cost from $500 on up to $2,000.
3. Finding adequate time can be a problem for busy parents who decide to homeschool. All kids need quality time spent on school subjects, not just busy work. Coordinating the proper amount of time along with getting housework and job commitments tended to is a difficult task.

Homeschooling isn’t necessarily the best choice for everyone. It’s essential that every parent considering it take the time to research the subject to know if it is a feasible option for their family.

Click here to learn more from the Complete Homeschool Guide.

As the holiday season approaches, parents who homeschool their children have the opportunity to teach their children an additionally important lesson – the idea of giving. Beyond academics, parents who homeschool their children also have a responsibility to educate their children on social issues.

With this opportunity in hand, parents can consider teaching their children about issues that include contributing to the environment, issues that affect children, giving to others, and even going green. Parents can further use these lessons to connect to other academic lessons currently being taught. The following are just a few ideas on lessons that parents can help their children learn during the holiday season:

• Giving to a cause – The holidays really do represent the season of giving. With this in mind, parents have a unique opportunity to teach their children the importance of giving to a specific organization or cause. The benefit here is that parents can then use their gift to the organization as a teachable moment that can lead to other teaching opportunities. Parents can help their children give to organizations that plant trees if they are teaching about the environment, or they can give to international children’s organizations if they are currently exploring a unit on different countries and cultures. There are even organizations that will accept gifts to be used as a method of adopting an animal such as a whale or a turtle – perfect for any nature unit.

• Giving to others – Another important lesson for parents to teach their children is the idea of giving to others. This is perhaps one of the most important lessons that any parent can teach a child. Parents can take this opportunity to teach their children about helping others by having their child visit a home for the elderly or providing a service to the elderly such as walking a dog or cleaning a home.

• Going green – With the environment being such a hot topic these days, parents are constantly looking for ways to incorporate real life experiences with the curriculum. Activities that center on the environment are another excellent way to teach children that they are also responsible for the well-being of the planet. Gifts that are given during the holidays can be environmentally-based, as can some of the activities.

There are many lessons to be taught and learned during the holiday season. For parents who homeschool their child, the holidays represent an excellent opportunity to connect academic lessons with real life experiences. Whether a parent is covering a unit on the environment, on different cultures and traditions, or anything in between, parents can really take the time to help their children learn and experience some very important aspects of being members of society. These lessons, or essentially, these gifts, represent lessons that these children will be able to take with them for years to come. After the joy of a new toy has come and gone, gifts such as understanding the gift of giving to and helping others will last for years, if not forever.

: Laurel Springs School wishes you a happy holiday season, and a bright new year. Laurel Springs School, founded in 1991, is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12. Located in Ojai, California Laurel Springs serves students across the United States and in 43 countries. Current enrollment is 3,000 students, with more than 2,000 students enrolled in the online college prep high school program. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience. Laurel Springs offers gifted and talented students an alternative to traditional schools and an opportunity to become part of a thriving online community.

The dream of attending school in the United States is often an impossible dream for international students. Whether for reasons of cost or for reasons associated with paperwork, most international students struggle in their pursuit of studying in the U.S. Today, these same international students now have an option that will allow them to attend school in the United States, without having to take on the financial or administrative burden of doing so – it’s called distance learning.

Distance learning is becoming a popular trend within the United States, but increasingly popular with people living outside of the United States. The U.S. system of education is still the standard by which all others are measured, and as such, many international students still seek out opportunities to be educated by American institutions. With the added option of distance learning, any international student with a computer and a high speed Internet connection can attend school in the United States.

Distance learning prep schools are the perfect solution for students over seas that would like an American education. Quality distance learning schools offer curriculum from grades K-12 making it easy for students of any grade to attend. With the added option of attending school online, international students now have a means through which they can receive a diploma from a U.S. institution.

Like traditional high school diplomas, those conferred by accredited online schools are viewed in the same light. The main difference is in the fact as online students, there is no physical attendance at a school, but the experience can be just as beneficial and just as rewarding. Additionally, online distance learning programs can often be more affordable than traditional private schools. Without having to worry about room and board, a distance learning school suddenly becomes much more affordable.

Countries all around the world like Japan, Germany, China, Britain, Mexico, and Switzerland are just a few of the countries being served by online distance learning programs.

One of the best distance learning prep schools in America is Laurel Springs School. Laurel Springs School, founded in 1991, is an accredited, college prep private school offering distance learning programs and teacher services for students in grades K-12 anywhere in the world. Located in Ojai, California Laurel Springs serves students across the United States and in 43 countries. Current enrollment is 3,000 students, with more than 2,000 students enrolled in the online college prep high school program. Laurel Springs uses web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students the highest quality home education experience. Laurel Springs offers gifted and talented students an alternative to traditional schools and an opportunity to become part of a thriving online community.