Korean Job Discussion Forums

laconic2 · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Wonderful World of ESL

Read all about it:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405786,00.html

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

And that was not an accredited school.

Not really news.

Just find a school that's accredited. I think that 90% of people out there are going to know what they're paying for and take the time to research their degree before spending such a huge chunk of cash on one. She was looking for a cheap/fast alternative to real work, and she got burned.

laconic2 · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Wonderful World of ESL

purple_buddha · Joined: 18 Apr 2003

Here's a better article: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-education-articles/online-degree-let-the-buyer-beware-313783.html

When it comes to shopping for online education in the US, one of the best places to look up a school is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. There is a searchable database of recognized schools, programs and regional accrediting bodies. Here's a link to their website: http://www.chea.org/

Even graduate degrees in education, such as those potentially earned at the University of Phoenix, which is one of the most renowned online accredited institutions, may not lead to teaching certification in some states, especially in the northeast.

The bottom line is to do thorough research before investing in online or distance programs, not only regarding their credibility but also in terms of what you plan to do with the degree once it's conferred.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

losing_touch · Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Location: Ulsan - I think!

What is interesting about this story is that it said she was working towards her Masters. Presumably, she already had a Bachelors. You would think that she would have had some sort of research ability in order to graduate with the first degree.

Nonetheless, I have always been skeptical of online programs. Undoubtedly, there are some good ones out there. I have often wondered how potential employers view these degrees.

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

Just like bassex said, it's all about the research. This is the problem with diploma mills these days, in the US and around the world. All they (the scammers) need do is license, and they can set up shop selling whatever they choose to rip people off with.

I have complete trust in online education as long as the Institution is properly, licensed, registered, recognized by the government body or agency responsible for oversight and management, and accredited through an institution or agency that is a proven entity. Higher education has nothing to fear regarding online education just as long as the guidelines and policies regarding the operation of online universities are consistent and fair.

Several people on this forum have received their degrees from online universities and graduate schools. It is a changing world and one of the significant changes in the world has to do with the fact that education is becoming global and as a result must become more viable for an International audience. This is possible through the Internet, but when any good thing happens, it seems like the scum bags have to come around and mess it up with their schemes.

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:43 pm Post subject:

that's just idiotic. in four years, she didn't have the brains to check the accreditation of her "college"?

before i started my program, i checked with numerous agencies (labs, universities, etc.) about whether it was recognized and accepted in three different countries before i even applied for the program. i should also mention that the program i'm doing is actually from a typical, on-campus university that offers long-distance (so it's even less risk). people shouldn't rule out long-distance education altogether, just research carefully first

smedini · Joined: 02 Apr 2008

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:

gteacher · Joined: 24 May 2007 Location: Ghost in the machine

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

sure, pm sent

moosehead · Joined: 05 May 2007

honestly, she was earning an online master's degree in nursing and she's shocked, shocked! it's not accredited? Rolling Eyes

there was a thread about online schools maybe 6 months ago - a lot of people and even more in the future will be seeking online education for part or all, of their degrees. it's definitely the direction schools are going.

a fundamental question (and one the above student obviously did not ask herself) is quite simply is it reasonable to be able to expect to attain the same level of accomplishment with an online class as it is to take the class on campus?

I'm entering my 2nd year of grad school taking some classes online but will return stateside next year to finish up on campus. the number one criteria I looked for and recommend to others is whether or not the online classes are offered in the catalog along the same schedule as on campus classes. If they are, then that's a key indication everything's on the up and up. Online classes should be offered to any student attending under the same criteria as on campus. They should have the same classification number for the course with the section only being different as this identifies it as online. Your transcript should not differentiate between online classes and on campus classes. The univ schedule for online classes should also follow the same schedule as on campus classes i.e., final tests, holidays, breaks, etc.

online education can be great for many reasons - in my case, I'll be relocating to San Francisco where the cost of living is very high so I'm glad to be able to live overseas and take some classes here first - but again, it's no panacea for the high cost of post-graduate education and the limited access many have to the same; however, it can serve as a bridge towards goals that many of us would like very much to accomplish.

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

There is a raging conflict these days which IMHO has resulted from the number of diploma and degree mills that have surfaced around the globe. It takes a fair amount of research to find suitable programs to be taken online. Like it has already been mentioned, a combination of onsite and online instruction is usually a good indicator that a program has passed the scrutiny of agencies responsible for accreditation. This is not always a good way to measure quality, but it is a start.

Next, people should consider the fact that each of the major players in academia around the world have their own emphasis on what is acceptable, legitimate and qualified. The following link provides a detailed look at accreditation in the United States and how it is viewed in relation to International education.

http://www.eaie.org/pdf/torino/205.pdf

I suppose as long as there are bad people out there to do bad things, they will continue to take advantage of people like this woman who for whatever reason chose not to do her homework first.

My compliments to moosehead and others who have mentioned some very good and sensible advice regarding how the educational process should be approached. It isn't tough, but before beginning the online adventure, know that it is going to have some benefit for you BEFORE you start.