On the Line


Book Description

This book presents different perspectives of online business education - how it is designed, delivered and how it supports advances in management disciplines. The authors describe online platforms in their provision of timely, excellent and relevant business education. The book starts by examining the emergence of online business education. It offers insights for use to business educators in design and implementation of online learning. It presents and discusses technologies for class facilitation and collaboration including tools used to bring content and issues to life. Disruptive approaches and new directions in online business education are examined. The book is ideal for business educators, administrators, as well as business practitioners that have an interest in delivering high quality business education using online platforms and tools. On the Line: Business Education in the Digital Age is divided into three sections. Section 1 presents papers on “why” business education is viable and sustainable in today’s context. Treating education as a service, this section describes new techniques for creating a better online business education experience. It also looks at the role advanced data analytics can play in enhancing the quality of online business education. Section 2 delves into “how” online business education works. It presents conceptual models for teaching in specific disciplines, learning design that describes what business educators do and how programs work. This section also addresses performance assessments and quality assurance measures that help to demonstrate the efficacy of online pedagogy. Practical applied papers are used in this section to highlight the use of learning platforms, tools and their application specific to businesses that build knowledge and skills and make students ‘work ready’. Finally Section 3 of the book addresses the “so what?” or the outcomes and impacts of online business education. This section targets where business education needs to take learning next, for example to support sustainable business, ethical decision making and inclusive and collaborative leadership. Chapters deal with topics such as how distributed online environments may work better to support knowledge and soft skill building directly relevant for organizations today. Other learning outcomes showing the value of online business education are discussed. Academics, alumni and consultants from over fifteen institutions and organizations around the world contributed to this book.




Don't Pay for Your MBA


Book Description

Discover the secrets and tips to get the business education you need, the faster and cheaper way. The average debt load for graduates of the top business schools has now exceeded $100,000. For most young professionals, this means spending the first half of their career in the red and feeling pressure to take the first position offered to them so that they can start paying off their debt. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Author and businesswoman Laurie Pickard discovered a way to get the business education she needed to land her dream job while avoiding the massive school loans that plague so many. In Don’t Pay for Your MBA, she shares all that she learned so that others can benefit as well. Pickard discovered that the same prestigious business schools that offer the MBAs so many covet also offer MOOCs (massive online open courses) for low or even no cost. Within these pages, you will learn how to: Define your goals and tailor a curriculum that is geared toward your dream job Master the language of business Build a strong network Choose a concentration and deepen your expertise Showcase your nontraditional education in a way that attracts companies Don’t fall for the lies that pressure countless graduates every year into MBA programs and insurmountable debt. Self-directed online learning can fill gaps in your training, position you for promotions, and open new opportunities--at a fraction of the cost!




Leading the Learning Revolution


Book Description

Continuing education is a booming, competitive market. Outperform the competition with this how-to-do-it-right guide.




Motivation in Online Education


Book Description

This work explores and explicates learner motivation in online learning environments. More specifically, it uses a case-study approach to examine undergraduate students’ motivation within two formal and separate online learning contexts. In doing so, it recognizes the mutually constitutive relationship of the learner and the learning environment in relation to motivation. This is distinctive from other approaches that tend to focus on designing and creating motivating environments or, alternatively, concentrate on motivation as a stable learner characteristic. In particular, this book identifies a range of factors that can support or undermine learner motivation and discusses each in detail. By unraveling the complexity of learner motivation in such environments, it provides useful guidelines for teachers, instructional designers and academic advisors tasked with building and teaching within online educational contexts.




The Imprint of Business Norms on American Education


Book Description

American education is at a critical juncture because the traditional skills taught in schools and universities might no longer be valid to prepare students for a global economy. This is a prevailing argument in the education reform debate. Corporations are now being turned to for the solution. Regarding western educational discourse, transitional periods in education extend as far back as the Middle Ages in Europe. In America, since the turn of the century there has been an underpinning influence on education: the role of business. Yet, how often do we hold businesses accountable for their contributions to education? Business and education alliances can greatly benefit the system on both the K-12 and university levels. However, if the work that education is supposed to accomplish is underestimated and the plight of education is handed blindly over to a corporate paradigm, there might be more harm done than good. For some, it might seem unsavory that education has turned into a profitable business. For others, it is a dream come true. Although several scholars have analyzed the correspondence between education and the economy, few have examined it using a British pedagogical framework combined with an economic typology of power. The goal of this book is to explore the existence of certain capitalist realities in the American education system to find a balance between the distinct ideologies of education and business. This book is a theory-building exercise that centers on a descriptive multiple-case study of two senior high schools: a private, Jesuit school with a mission to educate students for university disciplines and a public charter school designed for career preparation, both located in Washington, D.C. A combination of survey, dialogic, observational, and documentary techniques was employed in a multi-methodological approach. This enterprise draws on Basil Bernstein's pedagogical theory of symbolic educational knowledge codes while attempting to fill a gap in its theoretical apparatus. The endeavor highlights some effects of alliances between business and education, while exploring concepts of power, critical thinking, and knowledge. A realist theoretical lens is a key component in this study where business norms are conceptualized as a social entity ontologically effectual to educational processes. Traditional forms of education are revealed to be in competition with alternative forms of education, where the high-technology age is perceived as a contributor to educational change. One of the unique analyses drawn from the research fieldwork elucidates differences between a religious paradigm and a careerist pedagogical approach. Ultimately, three contextual themes emerge from the data: entrepreneur ethics, social skills, and technology; all of these are indications of how business mores are apparent in education. The salient theme in this endeavor is the control of knowledge by institutions and/or individuals. The Imprint of Business Norms on American Education is an important book for social entrepreneurs, education reformers, education and sociological studies.




Online Education Business


Book Description

Teaching Goes High-Tech Online education is experiencing a huge growth spurt. The number of students taking online classes increased 24 percent in the past year-and this growth is only expected to continue. Don't let this lucrative opportunity pass you by. Take your teaching global by offering courses online. Learn everything you need to know to set up a successful online education business: Find financing, write a business plan, choose a business structure and learn other business basics Develop exciting courses in the four most popular areas-IT, health care, education and business-as well as niche markets Promote your business and attract students through online newsletters, search engine optimization and other innovative techniques Design a user-friendly website and provide high-quality tech support Train instructors in this new education medium, or teach courses yourself And more! Real-life stories from successful entrepreneurs show you exactly what you need to do to set up and run a profitable business. Now's the perfect time to get started with an online education business-and with this book, you're well on your way to success. The First Three Years In addition to industry specific information, you’ll also tap into Entrepreneur’s more than 30 years of small business expertise via the 2nd section of the guide - Start Your Own Business. SYOB offers critical startup essentials and a current, comprehensive view of what it takes to survive the crucial first three years, giving your exactly what you need to survive and succeed. Plus, you’ll get advice and insight from experts and practicing entrepreneurs, all offering common-sense approaches and solutions to a wide range of challenges. • Pin point your target market • Uncover creative financing for startup and growth • Use online resources to streamline your business plan • Learn the secrets of successful marketing • Discover digital and social media tools and how to use them • Take advantage of hundreds of resources • Receive vital forms, worksheets and checklists From startup to retirement, millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners have trusted Entrepreneur to point them in the right direction. We’ll teach you the secrets of the winners, and give you exactly what you need to lay the groundwork for success. BONUS: Entrepreneur’s Startup Resource Kit! Every small business is unique. Therefore, it’s essential to have tools that are customizable depending on your business’s needs. That’s why with Entrepreneur is also offering you access to our Startup Resource Kit. Get instant access to thousands of business letters, sales letters, sample documents and more – all at your fingertips! You’ll find the following: The Small Business Legal Toolkit When your business dreams go from idea to reality, you’re suddenly faced with laws and regulations governing nearly every move you make. Learn how to stay in compliance and protect your business from legal action. In this essential toolkit, you’ll get answers to the “how do I get started?” questions every business owner faces along with a thorough understanding of the legal and tax requirements of your business. Sample Business Letters 1000+ customizable business letters covering each type of written business communication you’re likely to encounter as you communicate with customers, suppliers, employees, and others. Plus a complete guide to business communication that covers every question you may have about developing your own business communication style. Sample Sales Letters The experts at Entrepreneur have compliled more than 1000 of the most effective sales letters covering introductions, prospecting, setting up appointments, cover letters, proposal letters, the all-important follow-up letter and letters covering all aspects of sales operations to help you make the sale, generate new customers and huge profits.




Start Your Own eLearning or Training Business


Book Description

Distance learning for both the education and industry is steadily growing, creating a demand for eager entrepreneurs. Teaching methods and tools now in popular use for virtual training are covered: videos; eBooks; interactive software types; college sponsored staff training for college instructors; hardware, camera, video, sound equipment; online group forums; online events; choosing the right presentation style and linking to appropriate social media sites; and networking presentations. A range of industry examples will be given for accreditation, certifications, and credit; adding training onto an existing business as side income; how to sell media/training tools; how much to charge clients; start up costs; software types used; the legal obligations around taxes, business registration, working from home, and content confidentiality; and growth planning and writing a business plan. Relevant and fun call-outs, tip boxes, industry stats, an index, and a rich appendix and glossary is provided. An appendix offers resources in continued learning and rounded training for trainers; industry organizations and trade groups; books and eBooks; videos; software; websites; successful online trainers and online education institutions; consultants; and certification organizations.




Best Practices in Online Teaching and Learning Across Academic Disciplines


Book Description

Communication studies: fostering effective communication in online courses / Rosalie S. Aldrich, Renee Kaufmann, Natalia Rybas -- Composition and writing: embedding success: supplemental assistance in online writing instruction / Sarah E. Harris, Tanya Perkins, J. Melissa Blankenship -- English: facilitating online learning through discussions in the English classroom: tools for success and stumbling blocks to avoid -- Margaret Thomas-Evans, Steven Petersheim, Edwin A. Helton -- Political science: engaging students through effective instruction and course design in political science / Cheral A. Forge, Kristoffer Rees, Lilia Alexander, Ross C. Alexander -- Criminal justice: calming, critical thinking, and case studies: the politics, pitfalls, and practical solutions for teaching criminal justice in an online environment / Stephanie N. Whitehead, M. Michaux Parker -- Psychology: student misconceptions of psychology: steps for helping online students toward a scientific understanding of psychology -- Beth A. Trammell, Gregory Dam, Amanda Kraha -- World languages (Spanish and French): best practices in online second language teaching: theoretical considerations in course design and implementation / Dianne Burke Moneypenny, Julien Simon -- History: teaching history online: old struggles, new pathways / Justin Carroll, Christine Nemcik, Daron Olson -- Fine arts (drawing): best practices in online teaching for drawing / Carrie Longley, Kevin Longley -- Sociology, anthropology, and geography: igniting the passion: examples for sociology, anthropology, and geography / Denise Bullock, Katherine Millerwolf, Wazir Mohamed, Marc Wolf -- Philosophy: the proof is in the pedagogy: a philosophical examination of the practice of backward design / Mary A. Cooksey -- Biological sciences: online teaching and learning in biological sciences / Parul Khurana, Neil Sabine -- Mathematics: best practices of online education in mathematics / Young Hwan You, Josh Beal -- Education: building online learning communities on the foundation of teacher presence / Jamie Buffington-adams, Denice Honaker, Jerry Wilde -- Economics and finance: using simulation games to engage students in online advanced finance courses / Oi Lin Cheung, Litao Zhong -- Nursing: meeting QSEN competencies in the online environment / Paula Kerlerbaumann, Tony Abreymier, Karen Clark.




Global Trends, Dynamics, and Imperatives for Strategic Development in Business Education in an Age of Disruption


Book Description

"This book explores issues and developments in global business education from the perspective of the national and international socio-economic landscape and how engaging in changes and strategic disruptions associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and other forces and impacts"--




The Lean Startup


Book Description

Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business. The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it relies on “validated learning,” rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting to vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want. It enables a company to shift directions with agility, altering plans inch by inch, minute by minute. Rather than wasting time creating elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup offers entrepreneurs—in companies of all sizes—a way to test their vision continuously, to adapt and adjust before it’s too late. Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in a age when companies need to innovate more than ever.