7 Steps To Selecting A Continuing Education Class
Adults want their education to be relevant to their specific needs. What they are learning must be applicable to their job, values or other responsibilities. Once they see the relevancy in their learning, adults want to create goals for their education. They will desire to see the path that leads them from the beginning to the end of a course, or even a whole curriculum. Each step of this path must make its value evident to the adult learn - why its important, how it will help them on their job, or how it will help improve their life. Finally, adults already have many life experiences and have acquired knowledge from a variety of sources outside of a formal educational environment. So they want to understand how they can connect this prior knowledge, what they already know, with what they will be learning.
Here are the steps to take to select the best value in an adult education class depending on what your specific needs are:
1. Determine whether the location of the class is convenient for you. This includes taking into consideration the time class begins and the time it ends. Typically, continuing education classes will be held in the evening due to adults working during the day.
Ask these questions: How will I get to class (driving, public transportation)? Will I leave for class directly after work, or do I need to make a stop at home? How far is the location of the class from my home and my job? Will I have to allow extra time before or after class because of traffic? Is there parking near the class (college campuses usually have limited parking for commuters) or will I need to walk a distance?
2. Determine whether the class and the institution offering the class allow for flexibility that you need. Often these requests will be handled by the individual instructor, but if a diploma or certification is being offered at the completion of the class, the institutions offering the class may have certain guidelines you must follow.
Ask these questions: How many days am I allowed to miss? Does the instructor offer a make-up class for those who might miss? Am I allowed to leave class early or arrive late?
3. Identify the prerequisites for the class. This simply means understanding what you need to know before enrolling. If you do not have the basic background for the subject matter being taught, a great class can end up being a frustrating experience. The prerequisites are normally listed along with the class description and will indicate other classes that should be taken first or skills you should already have before enrolling.
4. Identify all of your required materials and determine their costs. Most classes will require a textbook. The prices of textbooks are rising all the time and are often not affordable for many students. Depending on the subject matter of your class, your books can cost upwards of $100 each, particularly in technology, accounting and nursing. You may also need materials other than books such as access to a personal computer, special types of calculators or other equipment, certain types of paper or portfolios.
5. Determine your instructor’s availability to respond to questions and meet with you. Find out the instructor’s office hours, phone number and email address. Most of the time the instructor will give this information in the first class, but you should be able to easily find this information if you are considering enrolling in a class. You can test the responsiveness of your instructor by contacting him prior to the first day of the class.
6. Review the course description and outline. This is the most important step. You want to make sure that the class you are investing your time and money in is what you really need or want. The course outline is your map of the class. It should describe the objectives of the class (what you will know once the course is over) and the topics you will cover (how you will reach the objectives).
You may attend an adult education course for many reasons: it is required by your job, it is an initiative you are taking to further your career, to increase your general knowledge of a topic, to network with your peers, or to even just get away for a few hours a week. Whatever your reason, you need to make sure you are getting what you need from the course. If you review the course outline and find that only one topic is relevant to your needs then this is probably not the class for you. Search for another course that perhaps focuses specifically on that topic. In some cases, this course may be required for the particular curriculum you have chosen. If you feel you have enough experience with the topics of the required class, you can often discuss with your instructor about “testing out” of the course.
7. Determine what you get for completing the adult education course or curriculum. You want to see the value of having taken the class or classes. At the end of a class you may receive a certificate of completion, diploma or even a professional certification. If you are attending a college or university, you will most times end with a degree, graduate certificate or continuing education credits.
Try to understand what these completion “rewards” mean to you, your career and your life. It could mean a new designation you can place on your resume or a diploma to display proudly on your wall, but it should be something to make you happy and appreciate the hard work you have put into the class.
Being an adult learner is exciting, but can also have serious negative effects on a person. Self-esteem can be lowered if performance in the class is not as expected, frustration can occur if there is lack of convenience, and boredom is evident if the class does not seem practical. So be sure to thoroughly review all of the information you can about a class you may be interested in enrolling and be certain you feel you will get what you need out of it.
Deanna Mascle
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/7-steps-to-selecting-a-continuing-education-class-122397.html
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Jobs For The Under Qualified - Good Reasons You Must Apply
After employers have placed a job ad, they might have to go through hundreds of resumes to sort out which candidates they would like to interview. Even though you have a college degree it does not mean that you are qualified for every position available. But let’s be realistic about things. There are many jobs that you can probably do well, but are not qualified for. There are many ways to increase your chances of landing these types of jobs. The main thing you need to consider here is the effects after getting the job.
Be sure to put on your resume all of your education and work experience. Jobs for the under qualified can sometimes be had if you show that your educational experience matches up with the job description. Do not forget to add all relative job experience as well. Internships, co-ops, and volunteer work can all be included on a resume.
Express your interest in learning, as well as your ability to learn new job functions. Often to find jobs for the under qualified employee you will need to learn some new skills. Show on your resume that you are a quick learner, and that you have had to do this in past positions.
Look deeper into what the employer is looking for. The more you know about the available position, the better chance you have. This will give you the opportunity to customize your resume according to what the employer is looking for. Check the company website for a detailed job description.
This can be a great benefit especially when the HR professional has to recruit people to fill in the vacancy very urgently.
The next benefit is that you can get some other post which may be vacant and which might suit your qualifications. Many a times, job applications may be invited for many posts that may be vacant. In such a situation, you stand a chance even if you are under qualified or unqualified. Your personality and resume may do the wonders in a similar situation.
Though there are lots of benefits that you may enjoy in spite of applying for an unqualified job, you may also have the need to face the negative side of it. The first such problem is that you would end up creating a bad impression about yourself in front of the employer. The employer may get frustrated and irritated when major part of the application is received from people who are not qualified for the job vacancy.
Use your intellect while applying for a job. If the job calls for you to hold a professional degree which you don not hold, it is advisable not to apply for the job. However, if the job does not call for any such qualification, you can very well apply. You can also apply if you are working or pursuing a degree in the particular field or if you possess the necessary minimum work experience.
Lastly, be ready to give an impressive answer to the interviewer when you are being questioned about why you applied for a job not related to your field. Your answer should be in such a way that the employer is impressed and at the same time it should be different and interesting.
All the above points if properly considered may be of great help while applying for a job for which you are not essentially qualified. They would give you an edge over the others.
Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/jobs-for-the-under-qualified-good-reasons-you-must-apply-702896.html
Deputy Sheriffs and How to Get Deputy Sheriff Job
If you want to obtain a deputy sheriff job, there are many steps you need to take and qualifications you need to meet. Although you don’t need a formal education, you will need to be educated in a different way.
A deputy sheriff protects life and property of individuals and the community for local, state, and even federal criminal laws. This position also enforces traffic laws, county ordinances, and administrative rules set forth by the authorities. This person will provide deterrence, detection and investigation, and apprehension of criminals and suspects.
The requirement for becoming a deputy sheriff is that you need to be at least 21 years of age. You must have a high school diploma or have completed your GED. Some law enforcement departments require a completion of at least an Associate degree in criminal justice or criminal law. Although formal education is not required in some counties, it may set you apart from the rest of the staff if you do have a degree.
There is training you are required to take prior to becoming a sheriff deputy. You will need to attend a sheriff deputy training academy in your area. When you put in your application for a sheriff position and are selected, you will be sent to this academy.
In the academy, you will learn about the duty of a law enforcement officer, investigating crimes, and apprehending law violators. Upon completion, you will receive a required certificate. Then you will work under a mentor at the sheriff’s department.
Applying to become a deputy sheriff requires that you pass many examinations. You will need to pass a complete background check. You must not have any previous felonies or any crimes on your record that are deemed serious. You must be able to pass a polygraph test and take a psychological evaluation.
A tour of the entire law enforcement facility will be given to you along with interview conducted by many staff members. Some of the departments or sheriff’s offices will even give you a written exam.
A medical exam is common for you to pass because if you are chasing criminals you need to be fit for the position. If you are not fit enough for the position and you have a heart attack, the sheriff’s department doesn’t want to be liable for this. This is why your physical shape is very important.
When you apply for a sheriff’s department deputy, it is important that you understand the job description and the requirements for the position. This way, you can make sure you gather the necessary requirements for the job.
The higher education you have the more highly regarded you will be with the staff. A higher education can lead to juicer assignments, more money, and rapid advancement. So if you have the opportunity for more education, I encourage you to take it.
Before you run out and apply for the deputy sheriff job, you need to do more investigating about the job on the internet. You can do so by visiting websites which cover the career in more detail.
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Kenneth Echie
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/deputy-sheriffs-and-how-to-get-deputy-sheriff-job-724926.html