| How
does this work?
What is involved?
Online learning
employs all
the audio-visual
capabilities
and incredible
connectivity
of the World-Wide
Web to provide
an entertaining,
engaging, and
highly retentive
educational
experience.
It brings the
classroom to
you, allowing
you to be a
classroom of
one, wherever
you are, while
still interacting
with instructors,
other students,
and an amazing
array of learning
resources. By
following simple
screen-by-screen
instructions,
clicking icons,
and keyboarding,
students are
able to access
library resources,
professional
technical and
student-support
assistance,
post messages,
send e-mails,
study, take
exams, communicate
with peers and
faculty, make
payments, and
get academic
feedback immediately
right where
they are. It
still follows
a structured
flow and timeline,
but that structure
is more flexible
and more student-responsive
than that of
a traditional
setting. Back
to top. |
|
| What
are the advantages
of doing the
course entirely
online?
It's a lot quicker,
much more flexible,
more convenient,
and offers audio-visual
enhancements
and research
capabilities
you can't get
with a traditional,
print-based
approach. Online
is the best
way to do it,
because you
can use the
Internet to
do all of your
studies, contact
your instructor,
meet your fellow
students, make
payments, attend
lectures, do
research, get
instant feedback
on grades and
exams, and enjoy
a totally interactive
and dynamically
engaging educational
experience.
Back
to top. |
|
| Are
online courses
more demanding?
Online courses
are no more
demanding than
their traditional
counterparts.
They do present
some challenges
that are not
inherent in
traditional
settings and
approaches,
specifically
the abilities
to be self-motivated
and comfortable
with basic computer
activities,
like sending
and receiving
e-mail, downloading
software, using
the Internet,
and keyboarding.
The computer
skills can be
learned and
mastered quickly,
with lots of
self-help on
the school's
website. A self-paced
format makes
mastering easy
to accomplish
and free of
pressure from
imposed time
constraints.
Those challenges
are more-than-offset
by the additional
resources and
enhanced access
to assistance
that is part
of the online
experience.
Back
to top. |
|
| Do
I need special
computer skills?
You should be
comfortable
with basic computer
activities,
such as sending
and receiving
e-mail, downloading,
and using the
Internet. Other
than the basics,
no special skills
are required
to pursue your
studies online.
Just turn on
your computer,
go to the Internet,
and follow the
easy step-by-step
directions that
guide you from
screen-to-screen,
site-to-site,
and activity-to-activity.
Clearly marked
graphic icons
and on-screen
instructions
are like road
signs along
the way. Click
on the right
icon or typed
option and you're
just where you
want to be.
Back
to top. |
|
| Will
I need special
software to
participate
in an online
course?
Most of your
online activity
is supported
by a web-based
system that
does not require
any installation.
You will need
the support
of Flash®
for animation
and other dynamic
graphics effects,
QuickTime®
for video, and
Shockwave®
for audio. These
can be downloaded
from Education
Direct's website.
In addition,
we send our
students a CD
that contains
the multimedia
files used in
the course.
Back
to top. |
|
What
are the system
requirements?
PC Windows®
Users:
Microsoft®
Windows®
98 Second Edition,
Me, 2000, XP
w/SP1a (recommended);
Intel or AMD
CPU at 266MHz
or higher; 64
MB RAM for Windows®
98 Second Edition,
Me; 128 MB RAM
for 2000/XP;
Web Browser
— Microsoft®
Internet Explorer
5.0 or higher
(6.0 recommended),
or Mozilla 1.2.1
or higher; Java®
JRE 1.4.1 or
higher recommended.
To print tests,
Adobe Acrobat
Reader®
4.05b or higher;
Popup windows
enabled in your
browser, firewall,
and "popup blocker"
software before
starting. MAC®
Users:
OS 10 or higher;
Power Mac®
G3 or higher;
128 MB RAM;
Web Browser
— Mozilla
1.2.1 only;
To print tests,
Adobe Acrobat
Reader®
4.05b or higher;
Popup windows
enabled in your
browser, firewall,
and "popup blocker"
software before
starting.
Internet
connection speed
of 56K or higher
(multi-media
CD option not
supported on
Macs).
Back
to top. |
|
| What
do I do when
I need technical
help?
You can contact
Student Services
at any time
by clicking
an icon that
appears on your
Home Page and
then typing
in the nature
of the problem.
If not immediately
available, one
of our technical-support
professionals
will contact
you as quickly
as possible.
Also available
are 'Help' files
that make it
easy for you
to solve many
problems on
your own. However,
although you
can rely on
us for technical
support, you
can expect minimal
difficulties.
The procedures
for accessing
and using all
the dynamic
features of
an online learning
environment
are clearly
explained, and
each step in
your at-home
'classroom'
is guided with
easy-to-follow
directions and
graphics. Back
to top. |
|
| Is
there a faculty?
Our students
are directed,
motivated, and
aided by a large
full-time faculty
of instructors
whose only job
is to interact
with and provide
assessment of
and assistance
to our students.
All of Education
Direct's instructors
are qualified
and credentialed,
and many of
them have achieved
working success
in their fields.
They can always
be relied upon
for expert instruction,
personal attention,
and professional
feedback. Back
to top. |
|
| Do
I have to log
on every day?
You are not
required to
log on every
day, although
you might want
to access our
online site
frequently in
order to check
for special
postings or
e-mail messages
from instructors
or other students.
Although you
must participate
in message board
activity online,
you are free,
within reason,
to post your
messages when
you like. However,
you will not
be able to proceed
with your studies
until you post.
Back
to top. |
|
Can
I finish an
entire program
in less or more
time than what
is allotted?
Education Direct's
online programs
are divided
into study segments
called courses.
Each course
is structured
to be completed
in a specific
number of virtual
weeks and days,
based on a minimum
of three hours
of study per
week. In most
cases, that
schedule means
that a course
will be completed
in fifteen weeks.
However, we
offer a self-paced
approach, and
there is no
limit to the
amount of time
you can study
per week. So,
yes, you can
finish more
quickly. Our
academic time
flow is also
adaptable for
those whose
schedule constraints
or life situations
are such that
some additional
time is necessary.
Depending upon
approval, a
six-month extension
is available
at no cost.
We
advise our students
to contact us
quickly for
available options
when it becomes
clear they can't
complete a program
in its scheduled
time frame.
Back
to top. |
|
| What
kind of testing
will I experience?
Tests will vary,
depending on
the specific
courses within
a program. In
most cases,
you will experience
a mixture of
test-types,
including multiple
choice and essays.
Some courses
require that
you successfully
complete a special
project or a
research paper.
Back
to top. |
|
| Are
you accredited?
Education Direct
is nationally
accredited by
the Distance
Education Training
Council in Washington,
DC, a national
accrediting
agency that
is recognized
by the U.S.
Department of
Education. Education
Direct is also
accredited by
the Middle States
Commission on
Secondary Schools
for its high
school and vocational/technical
programs. In
addition, Education
Direct has been
reviewed and
approved as
an authorized
provider of
continuing education
and training
(CEUs), by the
International
Association
for Continuing
Education and
Training. Back
to top. |
|
Can
I transfer credits
to a diploma
program?
Many of our
career diploma
courses may
transfer into
other career
diploma programs.
The proper procedure
will be to check
with Student
Services for
assistance.
Back
to top. |
|
| How
do I get a transcript
from Education
Direct?
An official
transcript will
be sent to you
upon completion
of your program.
Additional transcripts
are available
for a $5.00
fee. Grade records
are available
online in a
printable format.
An online form
is also provided
so students
may request
an official
school transcript.
As a student
successfully
completes courses
and meets financial
obligations,
those courses
will appear
on the grade
reports and
transcripts
accordingly.
Back
to top. |
|
| How
do I pay for
the program?
Our diploma
programs offer
students a choice
between paying
in full at the
start or going
with an interest-free
payment plan.
Students who
pay in full
at the start
save $85 on
a diploma program.
Students who
opt for automatic
withdrawals
for monthly
payments save
$60 on a diploma
program. These
savings are
realized by
the waiving
of certain fees
that would otherwise
be included
in the tuition.
Students can
pay by credit
card, checking
or savings account,
or money order.
Credit card
and checking
or savings account
payments can
be done online
or by telephone.
Except for the
down payment,
students who
wish to do so
can mail their
payments. It's
important to
note all tuitions
and fees include
everything a
student needs
to complete
his or her course
or program;
there are no
other charges
or expenses.
Our CEU courses
must be paid
in full because
of their brevity
and their low
cost. Back
to top. |
|
| Will
I qualify for
financial aid?
Our students
are not, at
this time, eligible
for Title IV
funds. However,
we make it easy
for our students
to afford our
programs by
providing extremely
competitive
tuitions and
very reasonable
interest-free
payment plans.
Back
to top. |
|
| Do
these programs
qualify for
VA benefits?
Most of our
online diploma
programs
are VA-approved.
The process
begins with
your enrollment.
On your enrollment
form, check
that you want
to use your
VA benefits.
To obtain the
necessary paperwork,
you can contact
your local VA
office or even
download the
forms from the
VA website (www.gibill.va.gov).
Your benefits
begin after
you have taken
your first exam,
and the VA reimburses
you either monthly
or quarterly,
depending on
the program
in which you
are enrolled.
Back
to top. |
|
| Do
I need an application?
How do I get
approved?
You can enroll
online and begin
learning immediately.
There are no
entrance interviews
or complicated
admission procedures.
It's as simple
as enrolling
now and beginning
your learning
now. We do send
you an Enrollment
Agreement, but
all you have
to do is fill
it out and send
it back to us.
Our diploma
students must
have at least
an eighth-grade
education, although
some of our
diploma programs
do require a
high school
diploma or a
GED. Back
to top. |
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