This is not the same for others though, because for some people an addiction is something a lot more complex. Substance abuse, drinking, and gambling are just some things that could draw you in and once you get caught in it life changes for the worse. An addiction is an irrationally compelling entity, and with it the need for experts who could help you get away from its grip. This is the work of addiction counselors, psychology majors who specialize in substance abuse and addiction therapies.

What is an Addiction Counselor?

Not necessarily clinical psychologists nor the typical social worker, addiction counselors occupy an important niche in the mental health industry. An addiction counselor primarily works with clients who have extreme problems in any kind of addiction. Be it substance abuse, gambling, or even internet addiction, there is an addiction counselor who could help you out. They are the ones who work with programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and would be seen as having an important role in many in-patient therapy settings.

Working as addiction counselors are not really for the weak of heart though. Most of their clients have gone through much despair and hurt and they need to be skilled not only as experts in the field but as people of strong character to be able to go through their responsibilities. Since they are working a highly-specialized field, there’s literally no end to the kinds of situations they will be going to to face.

Online Degrees in Addiction Counseling

If the above descriptions did not deter you from considering a career in the field, then maybe you could enroll in an Addiction Counseling online degree. These are mostly graduate programs, and just like nursing majors most online programs in addiction counseling usually have an online, non-clinical component and a real-world internship. Aside from studying the general psychology majors, they will also be taking courses in group therapy, counseling, program design, and evaluation.

There are two online Master’s Degrees in Addiction Counseling that you could look into. Both the Grand Canyon University and the Capella University have MS in Addiction Counseling programs. If you’ve just graduated from high school, then a BS in Addiction from Grand Canyon University is a great choice. All online programs in addiction counseling prepare the students for state certification and gives them a head-start in the given career. Of course, taking a general track in Clinical Psychology, Mental Health Studies, and Counseling are also good programs for a would-be addiction counselor to start with.

Quick-Reference for Addiction Counseling:

• Bachelor’s Degree: BS in Addiction Counseling (Grand Canyon University)

• Masters Degree: MS Addiction Counseling (Grand Canyon University), MS Addiction Counseling (Capella University)

Grant writing is the standard way of preparing proposals for grant-seekers. It serves to match their needs with philanthropic institutions (i.e. the grant-makers) with the objective of obtaining the necessary resources required for their organization. Professional grant writers are at the helm of such a process because they are the ones who develop the actual proposal. Grant writers attempt to persuade grant-makers with compelling information,establishing that the organization and it alone is the perfect partner for the those giving out the funding.

If you’re skilled enough to present well-researched and pesuasive information about any institution that requires it and get grant funding as a result, then you’ll be a strong consultant for those who will need it. Grant writing is a lucrative career, and if you see yourself in the above description then being a professional grant writer might be just the job for you.

Grant writing courses can be found online

For those who want to start a career in career grant writing, online offerings are plentiful and varied. There are established certificate courses that you could enroll in, but there are also free offerings that you could try out. Here’s a quick list for those who are interested:

Free online grant writing courses:

1. Foundation Center has a proposal writing short course that walks you through the basics of grant writing. With newbies and intermediate players in mind, this short course aims to help people out in the easiest way possible, providing outlines and examples to parts of proposal writing and many other essential information

2. Non-profit Guides also have a similar grant writing short course, but in addition to the program, they also offer tools that foundations and grant-seekers could use in their over-all grant funding processes.

3. Grant Writing Basics by the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County is a great resource for those who would like to have a quick review about grant writing. It’s not as detailed as the first two courses, but it works for what it’s made for.

Grant-writing courses from online universities:

1. Program Design and Proposal Writing from the University of Phoenix is a 3-credit academic course that not only teaches you about grant writing but also makes you learn about the basics of program design and evaluation.

2. Grant Writing Online Certificate Program by Gatlin Education Services consists of 10 online modules that will help you learn the basic and advanced techniques in proposal writing. Also a great option for those who want to finish their course in a shorter time.

1. The Descriptive Essay

Also known as descriptive writing, the descriptive essay is the most commonly-used essay format in schools. Taken simply, a descriptive essay is all about, well, describing – the who, what, when, where, and why of a particular topic and the relevant ideas connected to it. A descriptive essay is about telling something as it is, structuring it in such a way that would make sense to someone who’s reading it. Though descriptive, metaphors and analogies do figure in these types of essays, just that they are more devices of clarity than of literary merit.

Quick Essay Writing Tip: To write a good descriptive essay, be sure to write for simplicity rather than embellishment. It’s not the number of words you write but the clarity of the words that you’re using. As a rule of thumb, don’t use words you’re unfamiliar with. Speak from the heart, and you’ll be okay.

2. Persuasive or Argumentative Essay

Just as it’s description, a persuasive essay usually means that you’re siding with a particular opinion, and is writing to establish the evidences for or against it. As the principle of arguments usually allow, the essay is constructed so that each assumption is proved valid, and each point structure to lead to one’s conclusion.

Quick Essay Writing Tip: Arguing a point is hard when it’s something that you’re not familiar with, so be sure to do your research. When constructing your main thesis, be sure to pick out the strongest evidences that lead to it – 2 or 3 main points usually does the trick. After finishing your essay, be sure to review it with the objective of asking yourself and clarifying each sentence you wrote. You could also ask “Why” after each sentence so that you have a better vantage point for rewriting it.

3. Compare and Contrast Essay

When one is called upon to write a compare and contrast essay, it usually requires one to talk about two distinct points and expound upon the similarities and differences of each.

Quick Essay Writing Tip: Compare and contrast essays are usually the easiest to write, but sometimes one could go too far. Just pick the top 2 or 3 similarities and the same number of differences to point out. Remember: lesser is better.

4. Narrative Essay

A narrative essay usually tells a story and reflects the personal perspective of the author. It attempts to present ideas and topics via story-telling, mindful to expound on the main points of the article through the story itself.

Quick Essay Writing Tip: When writing a narrative essay, be sure draw your personal reflections on the subject. Find connections in which you can relate to.

5. Evaluation Essay

Evaluation essays are usually academic reviews of a particular idea or topic. Though you may right with an informal position, it’s usually done as an exposition of style rather than requirement.

Quick Essay Writing Tip: Evaluation essays are similar to persuasive essays in a sense that both presents a particular conclusion to the reader. Make sure that you present the criteria you used for your evaluation, and remember to check the evidences you gave.

One limitation lies in the way knowledge is being disseminated. Though we now have free access to online learning by way of our daily interactions on the Internet, there’s still the problem of obtaining relevant and useful information. It’s good that we could use search engines to get what we want, but the common man still doesn’t have access to the most scholarly of all knowledge. Enter the Open Courseware Initiative, a revolutionary way of knowledge-sharing.

The roots of open courseware

Back in 1999, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) pondered on the ways at which they could capitalize on the Internet, which was then an emerging technology. That time, email was king, and websites have only started getting everyone’s fancy. Distance education and elearning then was still in its infancy, and it is with this field that MIT wanted to focus their attention to. What they were looking for was a new way of using the Internet to share information, something that has not been done before.

This explorations led to MIT’s Open Courseware project. What MIT did was to set-up a whole website full of lecture notes, videos, powerpoint presentations, reading materials, and any educational resources that they could pull off from actual MIT college courses. What they hoped to accomplish was that everyone would be able to access MIT from anywhere, making them the first formal, and widespread free online learning institution with an academic backing. With this project, everyone could virtually attend most of MIT’s college courses and experience how it is to be at MIT by virtue of the open resources. Although it’s still a long way off from getting a free online learning degree, it’s a great start in the right direction.

Is free online learning the future?

After MIT, other universities had since followed suit, leading to the establishment of an Open Courseware Consortium. Currently made up of educational institutions in 35 countries, the consortium’s goal is to facilitate and create new ways of establishing and disseminating information through open courseware research. With the goal of creating a new model for learning and education, the organization is working hard to make free online learning a reality. They are also working hard to find ways to make the open courseware a sustainable and accessible approach, with the objective that more educational institutions would follow their lead.

Imagine a world where free online learning is the norm, and with universities opening their doors to anyone from anywhere. Within our locations, we could learn Japanese straight from a university in Tokyo,  learn from a hydroponics college course at Cornell in the US, and experience great instruction from an English University. Such a nice thing to look forward to – a world of global learners, finally.

Which could train your brain better?

Back in 2001, Dr. Ryuya Kawashima, a neurophysiologist pondered on a very simple question; Which would require more brain power, playing video games or doing meaningless repetitive mathematics exercises? To answer this question, Dr. Kawashima set up two experimental groups. One group was to play video games and the other group was instructed to do mathematical exercises. A control group was also set-up to provide a base line for the two comparison groups. Then Dr. Kawashima conducted the experiment using precise imaging techniques that measured brain response.

Which group do you think had better the better response? Most would probably say that the video games stimulated the mind better than doing mathematical operations because  video games require fine-motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and quick reflexes so it must simulate the mind more. Lo and behold, the math problem group did better! According to brain imaging data, it proved that mathematical exercises stimulated the brain far better than the video games. This means that if we want to train our brains, it could be done simply by doing quick mathematical operations on our heads. Brain training is literally as simple as 1-2-3!

With these findings, Dr. Kawashima became more interested in brain training and its applications. With the information from his research, he postulated that  by doing mathematical operations and similar brain exercises, young children, old people, and even those who are undergoing rehabilitation could boost their brain power further. Figuratively speaking, brain training builds your brain muscles. This is quite interesting for doing something as simple as adding and subtracting.

How to train your brain

If you’re familiar with the Nintendo DS portable gaming console, you’ve probably heard of one of the offshoots of Dr. Kawashima’s research: Brain Age. It’s one of the most best-selling games ever on a console and in effect quadrupled the market for brain training games. What the game does is to provide you with exercises similar to Dr. Kawashima’s experiment. It also includes ways to chart your progress. It’s an instant you have a brain gym on the palm of your hand.

Of course, we don’t need to buy a DS just to train our brains. We could apply the same principles by doing the following during our daily tasks:

1. When doing simple arithmetic, don’t reach for the calculator – do it in your head instead.
2. When buying from a store, add up your purchases before you go to the counter. (Mentally, of course.)
3. Estimate the number of people in a room, then try to calculate the maximum capacity of the area.
4. Do exercises that calculate an outcome: when the next bus will arrive, the next turning of the stop light, etc.
5. Teach math or do math tutoring.

The list is obviously not exhaustive and there are plenty more brain exercises out there. Just be mindful that among all these, there’s only one principle to follow, if your brain is stimulated, i.e. not bored nor anxious, then you’re doing great brain training. Stay young and stay sharp. Train your brain at any age.

We’ve already discussed that there are courses best taken online. For example, general education courses are great choices for online learning because cross-registration is allowed. For those graduating from online high schools, online college courses can be taken even before they finish their high school education. You could also take an online college course right after taking the General Educational Development tests.

What are the other benefits of taking college courses online? Here are five worth thinking about:

1. You can choose to enroll whenever you want

The first and probably the most popular reason for taking some of your college courses online is that there are lots of options available. This means that you will not be limited by the courses that are offered in the current semester, making it easier to finish on time. Just consult with your department advisor about what online college courses you could take towards your degree, and you’ll be finishing your degree in no time at all.

2. You can take additional online college courses as electives

If you’re still wondering what electives you could take for your degree, why not consider taking online college courses? The spectrum of courses available would be enough to cover your interests and most probably there’s one out there that you’ll really fancy.

3. Learning is flexible and self-paced

Taking some of your college courses online will allow you to create the flexibility you need. Internet access is widely available and you can study at anytime and almost anywhere you want. Learning is also self-paced, so if it’s too easy or getting a bit too hard, you slow down or speed up the course progression accordingly. For all we know, you could be acing your courses while you’re just there sprawled on your bed.

4. You could take your classes all at the same time

Let’s say you’re just a few units shy of your degree and there are two courses you need to take. The problem is one of these courses happens to be offered next semester. What should you do? Take the equivalent online subject of course! This is also one of the benefits of taking your college courses online; you finish faster and may get employed faster.

5. You could take additional units with online college courses

Traditional universities usually place a limit to the number of units you could take in a semester. If you could hack it, you could take online college courses in addition to the academic units you’ve enrolled in for the semester. This is not for the faint of heart though. If you’re confident about it, why not give it a try?

This view has been changing for quite some time now. Even though a college education is still as important as it has been for many years, the prohibitive costs of tertiary schooling have made people more amenable to other options after the high school diploma. Though online high schools have made it easier for more people to finish high school and the GED had helped provide more opportunities for a college education, many individuals are considering other alternatives to college degrees. Others cite the fact that since there are many other career paths that don’t require a college degree, then why waste time and money going through the college system. Let’s discuss the 4 options open to a high school graduate and how each option could affect one’s life after high school.

1. Go to work right after finishing high school

Some consider working as a rite of passage. Working right after high school means that you’re taking your place in society as an adult. Holding down your own job not only requires you to be more responsible, it also places you into a position that demands experience rather than book smarts. Yes, a mailroom job may not be much at first, but an entry-level job inside a big company can be an opportunity for you to move up. Some of the most successful individuals worked their way up this way and they have never looked back since.

2. Enroll in a trade or vocational course after high school

Learning a trade can be an illuminating once you understand the benefits. For one, being skilled at a trade can be a starting point for consulting jobs around your community; there’s always a need in skilled trades. You could also save on expenses if you happen to be handy around the house. Now you wouldn’t need to hire someone to tinker with those small jobs. Lastly, there are high-paying jobs in the skilled category. These jobs even rival careers that require a college education.

3. Enroll in a 2-year Associate degree after high school

A compromise between learning a new trade and a 4-6year college education is obtaining an associate degree. This type of education compresses academic units in such a way that you’ll be able to work in the field within a shorter duration. You will only need 2 years to finish the program. After completion you will have a good mix of academic knowledge and experience that can be impressive to employers early on. For example, a Pre-Kindergarten Associate degree can be taken by those who want to enter the field of early childhood education and later obtaining a teaching degree after.

4. Enroll in a 4-year College degree after high school

Of course, going to college is still a good choice. The 4-years of study can bring you a better return because you’ll be able to get jobs of a higher pay scale after you graduate. This is the trade off you get with the time and money you spend on a college education. It is a benefit that most will still see valuable even in these changing times.

1. You can study anywhere – everything’s online

You’ve probably realized that this was why distance education was started in the first place. You can begin your education at the comfort of your own home, and you won’t need to commute just to attend a class. Everything else is virtually within your reach, and advances in mobile learning predicts that it will even become easier and easier.

2. You can start any time

If you’re worried that you’re too late to start studying online, let us reassure you that it’s quite unfounded. Given the nature of distance programs, learners can usually start at any time of the year. You could begin online programs whenever you want to and even semester-based university programs offer a degree of flexibility for its students.

3. You can start at any level of expertise

Not only could you start at any time of the year, you could start learning online at any point in your life. Whether you’re a career-shifter, a college student, or even a high-school student, there is an online program made especially for you. People over 40’s, busy moms – the list is endless and you’ll find that there is always something being offered.

4. With online study, you’re free to tweak your learning

Though you still need to sign up for the courses, as an online learner you’re given the freedom on how you will go about completing the course. If you want to stay ‘safe’ and just do what the course requires, that’s ok, but you also are free to pursue your interests and go beyond the program content. (Don’t worry, you’ll get extra credit for that)

5. You can pace your studies however you want

Online courses are mostly done by employing modular content. This just means that you are free to slow down or accelerate your progress however you want it. If you’re too busy with other stuff, you can relax and take things slow. If you want to earn your degree faster, then no one’s stopping you from devouring mounds of content.

6. You can personalize your study space

Since you’re not required to go to a classroom, you can prepare your study space anywhere and anyway you want. If you want to study in your bedroom – that is, while on your bed – then you’re free to do so. Want to munch on chips and watch TV while taking an exam? If the type of exam permits it, then you’re well within your rights.

7. You can end anytime – and choose how to do it

Online learners can start any time and are free to end the course in whatever way they want to. For example, you could have your resume evaluated and ask for life credit experience, thereby shortening the time you need to complete the course. You could take a certification test and get further credit units – and so on.

8. You can choose your support group

If you don’t want any help doing your online course, then that’s fine. No need to attend additional lab classes or course meetings. On the other hand, help will always be provided. Online facilitators are there to provide support at any time, while email and SMS are real handy if you’re too shy to ask. You can also choose how to be contacted. Too busy? You could sort out your email later. Need to clarify instructions on the fly? Chat and video conferences are there for you to employ.

9. Everything is there, 24/7

Since your course materials can be taken or downloaded online, there’s virtually no problem getting your resources at anytime. You can’t ever miss anything; lectures, assignments and notes are just there for the taking.

10. You’re free to work with a group

If studying alone makes you lonely, there’s always you’re classmates to collaborate with. Yes, you still have classmates and given the conveniences of the Web, you could easily collaborate with them regarding virtually anything you need help on. Ain’t if perfect?

But what about getting a nursing degrees online? Since it is a career that requires you to provide health care services to people, wouldn’t it be absurd to take your courses online? This type of degree is different from a student who finishes an English degree online. So what does an online nursing degree look like?

A quick introduction to online nursing degrees

Online nursing degree programs are similar to their traditional counterparts except for the fact that most your courses are taken online. This means that it is more convenient for you as a student because of the flexible schedules, lack of commute, and the freedom to learn at your own pace. You could choose to finish your degree faster or enroll in other courses that you think may broaden your horizons. Online programs are also friendly to the career-shifter, making it a great choice for those who want to start new.

Online programs in nursing include the whole spectrum of tertiary education offerings – certification courses, associate degrees (for nursing aide or nursing assistant tracks), undergraduate degrees, Master’s programs, and post-graduate studies.  Given the nature of a nursing career, a lot of interesting programs are available online to suite one’s interests. Registered nurses can also upgrade their education by studying sub-specializations that include: pediatrics, geriatrics, forensics, oncology, and others.

Since nursing is under the allied health care industry (i.e. professions that provide healthcare support to medical teams) we could see that online programs also help people coming from other allied health professions in increasing their expertise. For example, someone who has studied as a medical technician might also study nursing courses online to expand his exerptise in the industry. Doing so would widen his employement opportunities. International students also benefit from this arrangement, making online education an equalizer for any race, culture, or society.

Yes, you could finish you nursing degree online

Given the already rich nursing offerings online, you might still be stumped as to how these online degrees work. It’s simple, really; as an online nursing student, you take your non-clinical subjects and general education subjects online while taking the clinical practice subjects at an accredited hospital that’s near you. This way, you have the best of both worlds. You get to finish the non-major subjects online a lot faster and get to practice clinical nursing in a shorter time. This is what makes taking an online nursing degree even more convenient than the traditional courses.  Registered nurses who finished their education online are at par with those who have graduated in traditional schools.

What is a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree?

One good way to start a career in early childhood education is to get a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree. Also known as Pre-K or Early Childhood Development, this program is designed for people who are interested and are passionate about working with young children. Emphasis is provided for training professionals who are competent to work with infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers – basically children up to 5 years of age – with regards to developing children’s cognitive, affective, social, language and communication skills in a classroom environment. Just like any other associate’s degree, one could finish the program within 2 years, that is around 4-5 semesters of courses in pedagogy, early childhood development, developmental psychology, curriculum development and modification, evaluation, and educational material design.

What are the job opportunities of a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree?

Lots of career opportunities are open for those who finish a Pre-K Associate Degree. After finishing the degree, one could start out quickly start out as a teacher in daycare centers, Head Start programs, early childhood learning centers, nursery schools, and preschools – basically, entry-level careers in the field. One could also work with community outreach programs, or for specialized establishments that deal with children’s activities. After completing the appropriate bachelor’s degree program, one could then move on to other subspecializations in childhood education, including special education and developmental psychology. As discussed earlier, a Pre-Kindergarten associate degree could also be a lot of help for the beginning parent, especially those who are interested to homeschool their children.

Can a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree be finished online?

Definitely, and there are lots of online programs available for the interested student. Just look for Associate degrees majoring in Pre-Kindergarten, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development or Child Development Studies and you’re good to go. Just remember that a High School diploma or a GED certificate is needed to apply for an Associate degree.

What are the benefits of taking a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree online?

Taking your degree online is a more convenient option that going to a brick-and-mortar school. For starters, you could easily hold an internship position in a daycare center, preschool, or any institution specializing in child development while studying, making it a good option for working students. For those who want to shift careers, online study provides accommodations for life experience and academic credit which could make finishing your associate degree faster. You are also provided a schedule that you could tweak at your own convenience, making learning a self-paced (and easier task).

Quick Reference for Pre-Kindergarten Associate Degree:

• Online degrees: Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development, Child Development Studies, Pre-Kindergarten

• Duration: 2 years, 4-5 semesters depending on the program

• Job opportunities: Teacher/Teaching Assistant/Childcare Assistant in daycare centers, Head Start Programs, preschools, nursery schools, or community outreach programs