Education Blog – Online Universities and Colleges Blog

Learning is one of the most important aspects of every individual’s life. Learning is an unconscious process through which every person upgrades himself in terms of knowledge. A child learns to speak, walk and behave observing his parents and surrounding. A girl learns cooking observing her mother. In short learning is a human tendency.

But Learning is a human tendency to associate learning with reading books, attending school, college universities, etc. Learning basically deals with acquiring information, engaging it and incorporating it in order to have an assertive effect on your thinking and behavior. However different people have different learning styles. People have to adjust to each learning style according to his/her learning pattern.

Research has provided a learning cycle in order to have effective learning for each style. It is most often used in science. It not only enhances your learning, it also grants you a process through which you can have a perfect step by step education structure. Learning cycle consists of five E’s that help you in the systematic learning patterns. Let’s have a look at the five E’s

Engage: The first step towards learning is engaging oneself in the learning process. Choosing the subject or selecting your genre is the first step towards involving yourself in education. In simpler words, in this step student get acquainted towards the topic of his/her choice, the subject in which she/she wishes to acquire knowledge or education. In this process the students interest is captured in order to establish a topic.

Explore: The second step towards learning is exploring. Exploring basically means having an in depth information about the aspiring topic. This process facilitates the students in constructing the knowledge in a particular topic which generates questioning and observation.

Explain: This is the third step explain. Explanation forms a core of learning. Appropriate explanation gives the students proper route towards education. According to this process students are asked to explain those concepts which they have understood through the process of engaging and exploration. The instructor enables the discussions for the research in order to comprehend students understanding process.

Extend: This is the fourth step is extend. You can call this a practical, in this process students have to apply whatever they have learned in different yet similar situations. The instructor then guides the students towards next discussion topic.

Evaluate: The fifth and final step is evaluate. According to this step its instructor’s turn to observe each students knowledge and understanding which enables the student to access whatever they have learnt and it is true to what extent. This evaluation takes place through cycle.

Learning cycles are more less constraint to science; however learning cycles plays a very important role in building your intellect. The first step engages is more or less implemented while the use of anecdotes in order to relate the subject. The second step explore is more implemented in classes where students themselves discuss and discovers the answers instead of just listening it. The third step explains ask the students to explain whatever they have understood from the discussions. The fourth step extend helps student to practically implement their knowledge while the evaluation the last step, here the instructor comes into the picture to explain the students where are they right and where do they go wrong. Thus learning cycle is a process to enhance the learning process and intellect of the students

The idea of doing a course through distance learning has gained fast popularity in the recent years. Thanks to the net revolution, access to education has become very convenient. It is a convenient method of obtaining higher education for those living in places where there is not much access to educational institutes. It is boon for the working people who don’t have the time to attend regular classes.

The best part of online education is its flexibility. One can pursue the course from any university and from part of the country. Students or professionals can learn at their own time and convenience. The headache of commuting is not there especially if the institute is far away from residence. Students can learn at their own pace and time.

Another advantage of distance learning is that students can do multiple courses simultaneously. For example if you are doing a course in accounting and yet want to get a degree then one can enroll for degree course under the distance learning programme. In case of mother to be or those with small kids, distance learning module is a very good option to pursue their ambition. The course fee is also less as compared to a regular course. So those who are not financially strong can go for this option. They can work and at the same time obtain education.

The best part is that distance learning is not limited to any particular type of course. High level courses such as Online MBA and other post graduate programs can be very well done through distance leaning. There are lots of diploma and degree courses available online and students can choose the subjects of their choice. The list of online students is endless ranging from young people to housewives, professionals and even retired people who can utilize their spare time in doing some constructive course. Many people who have spare time have gone for online education to pursue their hobby.

However before jumping to the online bandwagon there are few points which should be considered in order to extract maximum benefit. One should adhere or rather make rules and regulation on their own before enrolling online. For example few students might take online education for granted. They might not concentrate as there might be lot of distractions at home. So one has to be very dedicated while doing a online course. If you are confident that you will do justice to yourself by doing the course properly then you should definitely for an online course. It’s always a win-win situation for those opting for online education.

Students often think that the ability to speak a language is the product of language learning, but speaking is also a crucial part of the language learning process. Effective instructors teach students speaking strategies using minimal responses, recognizing scripts, and using language to talk about language that they can use to help themselves expand their knowledge of the language and their confidence in using it. These instructors help students learn to speak so that the students can use speaking to learn.

So, to start speaking language clearly, concisely while using straightforward vocabulary, you can try using some of these tips:

Start early
The moment you start your preparation for the written test, examine your spoken skills. We are mostly aware of our drawbacks especially when it comes to speaking skills. Our weaknesses show up in one way or the other. We may get tongue tied while talking to people, we may start fumbling for words during conversations, or it may be very difficult to even have a very simple and fluent interaction with anyone.

Using minimal responses
Language learners who lack confidence in their ability to participate successfully in oral interaction often listen in silence while others do the talking. One way to encourage such learners to begin to participate is to help them build up a stock of minimal responses that they can use in different types of exchanges. Such responses can be especially useful for beginners. Minimal responses are predictable, often idiomatic phrases that conversation participants use to indicate understanding, agreement, doubt, and other responses to what another speaker is saying. Having a stock of such responses enables a learner to focus on what the other participant is saying, without having to simultaneously plan a response.

Keep remembering the words learnt
It is not enough just to learn these words in one day. Each day try to use these new words learnt in more sentences to make you comfortable with the use of the word. In fact at the end of each month, the person can try to recapitulate all the words learnt in the previous month. This will help the person to be able to remember the words better.

Recognizing scripts
Some communication situations are associated with a predictable set of spoken exchanges a script. Greetings, apologies, compliments, invitations, and other functions that are influenced by social and cultural norms often follow patterns or scripts. So do the transactional exchanges involved in activities such as obtaining information and making a purchase. In these scripts, the relationship between a speaker’s turn and the one that follows it can often be anticipated.

Correct pronunciation is important
You cannot replace reading with anything. So, while reading those passages for your reading comprehension, start by reading a passage aloud. Learn to articulate those new words either in front of the mirror or do this exercise with a like minded friend. Another useful exercise is to read the newspaper aloud; you could pretend to be a newsreader.

Use proper vocabulary
I will not recommend using words which sound pretentious and verbose. Keep your spoken language vocabulary very effective, simple and to the point. Augment your vocabulary with words learnt during test preparation and use them effectively.

Grammar has no substitute
Fortunately, your test prep journey takes you through the rigours of grammar. Practice what you learn while speaking also. Commonly made mistakes by people are giving up on the tenses mid way. Learn your tenses well by keeping things very straightforward. Speak simply taking care that what is being said is correct.

Don’t translate
Give up translating from the native language to another language, it will always be incorrect. The rules governing language are different; this could be mostly true for every language.