The University of West Georgia placed 13th in the nation for online graduate education in reading instruction according to the 2015 ranking of online programs by TheBestSchools.org. The placement is based on factors such as academic excellence, course offerings, faculty strengths, and reputation, including reputation for online degree programs.
“The College of Education is very pleased with our national ranking, which compares us against thousands of programs across the country,” said Dean of the College of Education Dr. Dianne Hoff. “This ranking clearly reflects our commitment to offering high-quality, online programs that are rigorous, contemporary, and relevant.” Read more ...
Because of my background in science, each time I’m asked to write for Perspective Online, I can’t help but think of geometry and things like parallax angles for measuring the distance of astronomical objects, optical illusions, solar and lunar eclipses, horizon lines and depth of field when composing a photograph, and other things with “perspective.”
I happened to take this photo of a rainbow from my office view, as I watched a recent rainstorm recede to the east towards the end of the day. Angles have to be just right to see a rainbow, and as conditions lasted just a few minutes, I was lucky to catch this one. Read more ...
U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best Online Programs ranked the University of West Georgia’s Richards College of Business online MBA program 44th in the nation. The list, published March 10, evaluated over 1,200 online programs offered by nonprofit and for-profit institutions in the United States in categories of “bachelor’s degrees” and graduate-level programs in business, Master of Business Administration, education, engineering, nursing, criminal justice and computer information technology, and ranked the top 145 in each category.
“The faculty and staff in the Richards College of Business believe in and live our mission every day: We are in the business of transforming lives through education, engagement and experiences,” said Dean Faye McIntyre. Read more ...
Editor's note: Dr. Josh Byrd was asked to write about his experience developing a fully online course for the first time and give advice to future faculty course developers.
My name is Josh Byrd, and I’m the director of bands and an assistant professor at West Georgia. I conduct the Wind Ensemble each semester and teach a number of music education courses at UWG, one of which is music technology (MUSC 5230). Read more ...
What’s so special about being involved in online education? Quite simply, the students. They are often an exciting mix of traditional and non-traditional, bringing a wealth of experience and different perspectives that bring to life my American Government class discussion board. They come from various states, other countries, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. Since there are no geographic limitations online, many location-based stereotypes truly disappear. The students are more likely to be very diverse in political beliefs and socialized experiences. They represent left-wing, right-wing, and everything in between, making for exciting debates on a wide-range of hot topic issues. Some argue for more equality and others for more freedom, with the majority coming to the conclusion that one really can’t have one without the other. Read more ...
The University of West Georgia placed 75th in the nation for online graduate education programs according to the 2015 ranking of online programs by U.S. News and World Report. The placement is based on factors such as accreditation, admissions selectivity, and academic and career support services offered to students.
“The number of online programs nationwide, especially in education, has exploded over the last decade,” said Dean of the College of Education Dr. Dianne Hoff. “For the College of Education to rank in the top 75 in the nation is truly a distinction and honor. We continue to put resources toward ensuring that our online programs are rigorous, innovative, and forward-looking.” Read more ...
Years ago, before I had children and I actually had money, one of my favorite past times was antiquing. I loved spending hours in antique malls and shops learning, remembering and sometimes coveting certain things for my personal collection of unique items.
On one such occasion, while visiting an old factory that had been converted to a sizable antique mall, I saw an old wooden icebox; an item that I always wanted. I spent a considerable amount of time looking this one over, contemplating its worth, and visualizing it in my house. I eventually talked myself out of the purchase due to the price and rationalizing if I really ‘needed’ an icebox. But the whole way home and for days after, the icebox haunted me. Read more ...
U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2015 rankings for online graduate nursing programs. It should come as no surprise that the University of West Georgia’s nursing program ranked well.
UWG’s Tanner Health System School of Nursing’s online graduate program was ranked at number 41, out of over 1200 programs surveyed by U.S. News. Programs that are offered mostly or entirely online at regionally accredited institutions are evaluated for the rankings.
Dr. Jenny Schuessler, dean and professor of the Tanner Health System School of Nursing, is very pleased with the rankings. Read more ...
The results of the 2014 Survey of Online Learning, show that the majority of faculty don’t see the value of online education. Yet, for the post-traditional student (25 and over, member of the workforce, returning to obtain an education) that now makes up a majority of college students across the country, this may be the only way for them to obtain a college education. I have some sympathy with their view: before I taught online courses, I thought that distance education was the worst idea in the history of education. How could the magic and the joys of the classroom be created in a sterile online environment? I was quite vocal in my opinion on this matter, and thus was quite surprised when I was asked to teach an online course back in 1997. Read more ...
Teaching a course online for the first time may seem extremely daunting and time consuming, but with a little support and preparation, it can be a very rewarding experience for both the students and the instructor. The UWG|Online Faculty Development Center offers a variety of support for online faculty. Those new to the online environment, however, may need a little more self-assurance before reaching out for assistance.
Honestly, getting started is as simple as having a course syllabus. As an instructional designer, when I begin working with an instructor on building, developing, or delivering an online course, I always look at his/her syllabus first. Read more ...
Thirteen years ago I woke up and decided that I needed to change my life’s path and become “educated.” Three universities and thirteen years later, I find myself still trying to find that elusive wall hanging that I hope will prove my intellect.
I grew up in a little farm town in Idaho and, although my life there had many good points, it certainly did not place “getting a college education” anywhere near the top of my to-do list. As a child of a working class father, I was a little bothered when I heard someone refer to another as being “uneducated.” The idea of any human being simply surviving life without being educated seemed rather unlikely to me. From my perspective, many of us too often misuse the term “educated.” Read more ...
The University of West Georgia ranked highly in the recently released U.S. News & World Report online program rankings, with the online graduate computer information technology program ranking 16th in the nation.
“At UWG, student success is our first priority. That includes providing quality, accessible classes and degree programs for students who need or prefer the flexibility of online courses,” UWG President Kyle Marrero said. “We're excited that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized several of our programs as among the top in the nation, and we look forward to expanding our online learning offerings to meet the growing needs of today's students and marketplace.” Read more ...
U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 Best Online Programs ranked the University of West Georgia’s Richards College of Business online MBA program 44th in the nation. The list, published Jan. 7, evaluated over 1,200 online programs offered by nonprofit and for-profit institutions in the United States in categories of “bachelor’s degrees” and graduate-level programs in business, Master of Business Administration, education, engineering, nursing, criminal justice and computer information technology, and ranked the top 145 in each category.
“The faculty and staff in the Richards College of Business believe in and live our mission every day: We are in the business of transforming lives through education, engagement and experiences,” said Dr. Faye McIntyre. Read more ...
Traveling really changes one’s perspective in a variety of ways. I have been amazingly fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel, both around the US and to a few other countries. I feel that it’s really important to experience other places, people, and cultures that are different from your own, and watching or reading National Geographic just isn’t the same. It’s easy to hunker down in a monoculture, where you’re familiar with everything, know all your neighbors, and eat the same food, week after week.
It’s also easy to lose sight of the opportunities and how rich a life we have here in the US, regardless of one’s salary. Most of us probably don’t think twice about the availability of food or clean water. Read more ...
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