Higher Education Online

If you've considered furthering your nursing education through the pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you've likely wondered about the potential benefits of holding a BSN. While there are many routes that lead to a solid nursing education, the most direct and beneficial route involves becoming a bachelor's-prepared nurse. In fact, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative on the Future of Nursing feels so strongly about the pursuit of a BSN that it hopes to increase the number of nurses with bachelor's degrees to 80 percent by 2020.

The College Network offers an online LPN to BS in Nursing program as well as several online RN to BS in Nursing programs. Below is a list of three major advantages of completing these programs and earning a bachelor's degree in nursing.

1. More Experience — Nurses who complete a bachelor's degree program have more experience in real-world hospital situations than those with a lesser degree. Most BSN programs require a significant number of clinical hours, which helps students feel more comfortable in the nurse role.
    
2. Broader Knowledge — Nursing bachelor's degree programs dive further into each nursing course and require completion of more courses than associate's degree and diploma programs. This gives students a broader knowledge base and enhances their problem solving and critical thinking skills.
    
3. Expanded Opportunities — With the changing nature of healthcare, hospitals are increasingly looking to staff their nursing units with nurses who have earned at least a BSN. Bachelor's-prepared nurses have a leg up on those who have only an associate's degree, and that helps them stand out when seeking initial employment as well as promotions. Additionally, some positions in the nursing industry (e.g., educator, researcher, and administrator) can only be filled by those with a bachelor's or higher degree.

If you're ready to advance your career with a BSN, contact The College Network today at 1-877-TCN-DEGREE (877-826-3347)!

For us who nurse, our nursing is a thing which, unless we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it, we are going back.
~ Florence Nightingale

Well known as the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale advocated for continued advances in healthcare and nursing throughout her life. And although she died over a century ago, her famous words about forward movement in the nursing field still ring true. In order to keep up with the ever-changing healthcare industry, nurses must continue to grow in their profession through the pursuit of advanced education. 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative on the Future of Nursing highlights eight recommendations for nurses, and three of those recommendations push nurses to attain higher levels of education. The following educational recommendations aim to prepare nurses for improved patient care and continued advancements in the nursing field:

• Increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020.
• Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020.
• Ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning.

If you're ready to improve the future of nursing by moving forward in your career, The College Network can help you take the next step. We offer the following online associate's, bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs:

• LPN/LVN to RN (associate's degree)
• Paramedic to RN (associate's degree)
• LPN to BS in Nursing
• RN to BS in Nursing
• RN to MS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing

Make Florence Nightingale proud, and decide to advance your nursing education this week, month and year! For more information about the online nursing degree programs available through The College Network, visit our nursing degrees page.

If you are an LPN/LVN, you’ve probably considered going back to school to earn your degree and RN license. With the demand for qualified RNs on the rise, it’s a great time to start working toward a higher nursing credential.

Earning your associate’s degree in nursing isn’t the only way to get your RN license—in fact, there are lots of benefits to earning your bachelor’s degree instead.

The 80 by ‘20 Push

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 recommendation—it states that 80% of all RNs should hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) by the year 2020. But why is the industry pushing for higher nurse education? The simple fact is, due to the demanding nature of the patient landscape, the role of the RN is changing. RNs are required to take on more responsibilities than before, working directly with physicians to diagnose patients and manage teams of LPNs.

To be successful in these new working conditions, it is beneficial to have a bachelor’s-level nursing education. In fact, many healthcare facilities are raising their minimum education requirements for RNs as a result of this industry-wide push.

Aside from mastering the necessary clinical skills, BSN students gain an in-depth understanding of leadership skills and managerial strategies, preparing them to lead and manage teams of nurses and move up within their organization over time. Most nurse managers are required to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

As RNs retire at a rapid rate, the number of open positions for BSN-RNs is on the rise. Over 55 percent of today’s RNs and nurse leaders plan to retire by 2020, creating more leadership opportunities for BSN-prepared RNs.

Go From LPN to BSN with One Online Program

As an LPN, your bachelor’s degree in nursing is well within your reach.  Although there are many degree programs that can bridge the gap between LPN and BSN, there is only one LPN to BS in Nursing program that can be completed entirely through distance learning. The LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University allows to complete your course work online, meaning you can continue to work in your current job while completing your degree. Upon graduation, you’ll receive your bachelor’s degree in nursing and will be ready to make an impact as a BSN-prepared RN.

To learn more about the LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University, watch the video below.

If you’d like more information on the LPN to BS in Nursing program, feel free to call us at 800-395-1014 to speak with a Program Advisor. You can also request more information by clicking here. 

While online learning hasn't been around nearly as long as a traditional classroom setting, it is making waves and helping people advance their education in an easier way than ever before!  A report conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education has shown that students learning online perform better than those receiving face to face instruction.  Comparative research on online versus classroom teaching from 1996 to 2008 shows that students doing some or all of their coursework online will rank in a higher percentile than the average classroom student. 

Online education will continue to expand in the future, not necessarily replacing the traditional classroom all together but also supplementing traditional courses with things already available like Web-based video, instant messaging, collaboration tools and online learning management systems like Blackboard or Moodle.  Online education enables “learning by doing” which can be more engaging for students. Read the entire article here!

Most of us have considered going back to school at one point or another. I want go back to school to get my master's degree. I, like you, research programs to see what will work best for my lifestyle. I will need to continue to work my full time job and run my household, while I obtain my degree. The reasons that we decide to go back to school as an adult are much the same--no matter what degree that we pursue. 

So, let's talk about my top 5 reasons.

1. Career Advancement--Earning your associate's or bachelor's degree will open up more career opportunities for you. If you earn your Associate Degree in Nursing online, you can move forward in your career to become an RN. If you earn your Bachelor's degree in Fire Science, you can advance into higher ranks and move into a leadership role. But whatever degree you pursue, earning it will lead to more options for your career. 

2. Earning Potential--By advancing your education and earning your degree, you increase your earning potential. The easiest example of this is the difference in pay between an LPN and an RN. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for an LPN at $40,380 and the average salary for an RN at $64,690. That is a remarkable difference!

3.Expanding Your Horizons--Learning opens us up to all kinds of experiences. I think we can rediscover our love of learning and how much we enjoy the challenge of finding answers. It can spark a lifelong love of new adventures.

4. Achieving Your Dream--By earning your degree, you will accomplish a milestone in your life. It is one that will take hard work and dedication. There might be times along the way when you feel like giving up--but you can push through to keep going. Thinking about how your life will change can help to motivate you to stay on track.

5. Inspiring Others--Most people don't realize that by reaching their goal, they inspire others to take a chance and follow their dream too. You will impact those around you with your success and will be a role model for those that are contemplating taking the next step in their career.  

I'm sure after reading these reasons, you might even have more reasons to add to your list. If you're ready to discover more about earning your degree online through The College Network and one of our partner universities, call us today at 800-395-1014. Or you can request more information here. 

Many states require nurses to obtain continuing education contact hours to help meet their licensure requirements.  A nurse might also decide to earn CNE contact hours because they are interested in keeping their skills up-to-date to provide better patient care.  Regardless of why you make the decision to pursue more education; you will gain more knowledge, higher competency and the ability to make more informed decisions. 

 The College Network® offers several online continuing education courses for busy nurses, and we are accredited as a continuing nursing education provider by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s COA.  You can gain valuable skills and earn 2.5 contact hours for each course listed below:

•         Ethics in Nursing
•         Medication Safety
•         Patient Rights

This year, The College Network is awarding contact hours for those attending the American Academy for Preceptor Advancement (AAPA) 2013 conference in Miami starting on February 22^nd.  “Crossing Bridges in Preceptoring: Specialization and Certification” at the Baptist Hospital of Miami will bring healthcare professionals from across the country to present informative lectures on preceptoring and the value it holds in today’s healthcare settings.

The AAPA would like to encourage all nurse preceptors to attend. The conference is open to the public, and you don't have to be an AAPA member to attend. If you are interested in registering for this unique event, you can visit the AAPA website for more information.

The College Board and the Babson Survey Research Group recently released their tenth annual survey on the state of online learning in the U.S. The study, which surveyed over 2,800 academic leaders, revealed that the number of students taking at least one course online has reached 6.7 million. The new total represents a 570,000 increase in online enrollments over the previous year.

The report, “Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States,” also found that 32 percent of all higher education students are now taking at least one of their courses online. When asked whether or not learning outcomes are comparable between online and classroom learning, 77 percent of academic leaders surveyed reported that online outcomes were the same or superior to face-to-face instruction in 2012.

As for the legitimacy of online learning in the minds of academics, there are still significant obstacles to overcome—only 30.2 percent of chief academic officers believe that their faculty acknowledges the value and legitimacy of online education. However, the majority of chief academic leaders themselves said online learning is critical to their long-term education strategy—with 69.1 percent in agreement, the number has reached a new all-time high.

Did you know that you can earn an associate degree in fire science through The College Network and Lake Superior State University?  You might be also be surprised to learn that  you can earn your bachelor's degree in fire science as well.    

If you are starting out in your career, obtaining your associate degree can help distinguish you from others that are just starting out as well.  You can continue to work and gain experience in your field while you earn your degree.  Working through The College Network, you can earn your general education credits online, and then continue with Lake Superior State University to obtain your degree. 

By obtaining your bachelor's degree through The College Network and Lake Superior State, you will be able to advance to higher ranks. You can also receive prior credit  for your associate degree or prior certification.  Earning your bachelor's degree is closer and more convenient than you think.

You can even work on your general education credits while you take you core fire science courses, enabling you to earn your degree in less time than a traditional program.  We know that for busy, working adults who want to take their careers to the next level our programs are a great option.  Our self paced, online programs allow you to fit earning your degree into your schedule.  

Call us today at  800-395-1014 or click here to request more information. Light a fire under your career today!  

…seek learning conditions that enable each individual to reach the highest level of learning possible for her or him.

—Benjamin Bloom, Hastings, & Madaus

Ascend

Over 50 years ago, between 1949 and 1953, a group of more than 30 university-level educators began meeting to discuss the development of a framework to outline the different levels at which learners are required to process information. The result of their combined efforts was a book that presented the framework to the world. The framework was named after the editor of the book, Benjamin Bloom, and is referred to by most educators as Bloom’s Taxonomy. In 2001, David Krathwohl, a member of the original group, and a group of colleagues published an updated version of the taxonomy that better represents what we know today about the highest levels of thinking and learning (Anderson et al. 2001).

Nearly two decades ago I discovered for myself what a powerful tool Bloom’s Taxonomy is for educators in that it ensures that instructional objectives, content, and test or quiz items are aligned. But I also realized it would be just as powerful, if not more so, for learners if they understood the levels of cognitive processing represented by Bloom’s Taxonomy. As learning professionals we should support our learners in applying Bloom’s Taxonomy to their individual learning processes by explaining to them what takes place cognitively at each of the six levels and providing examples of what it would look like to operate at the higher levels of the taxonomy. In some cases it might be useful to provide examples specific to the material they are studying. It should be our hope that if they encounter courses later in life that were not designed with the appropriate levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy in mind, they will be able to effectively navigate the material using their personal knowledge of the model. If we take our commitment as learning professionals seriously, it should also be our hope that our learners will utilize this valuable model when engaged in workplace learning and job performance as well. Although few can state why from the cognitive perspective, employers are generally big fans of employees who can effectively operate at the appropriate cognitive levels while engaged in their day-to-day professional endeavors. Clark (2008) states that an advantage of any organization competing in a global talent pool is innovative and creative expertise. The ability to effectively utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy allows learners and employees to continue learning beyond what we attempt to teach them and enables them to reach their highest level of learning and performance.

Additional Notes:

In a post dated April 8, 2011 and titled Don't Settle for More of the Same I suggested that learners should ask and answer the following questions:

-- What does it take to complete the assigned learning tasks?

-- At which level does the assigned learning task align with the 6 levels of learning?

-- Am I just doing more on the same level or am I improving my ability to achieve more advanced thinking/learning? 

If you're a learner and you can't respond confidently to these questions when studying I still highly recommend that you call The College Network (1.800.395.1014) so that we can help you ensure that you get a great return on the time and money you invest in your education. We can help by showing you a better way to earn online degrees from top universities while becoming a more effective learner overall.

Take Care,

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No, it's not the wrestler Lex Luger; it's The College Network. When it comes to higher education, there isn't another establishment that provides the courses, support, online availability of content, and the quality of service. TCN, a leading online learning services company, since 1992 has helped provide support to any one interested in earning an advanced degree without the encumbrances of traditional institutions.

Once you enroll with TCN, the online Resource Center is at your fingertips, providing you access to not only interactive content, but also to resources and information that can help you hone your studying skills and better prepare you to earn credit by examination.

Research The College Network and learn how you can get access to the higher education total package.

A recent article in Education News discussed some upcoming increases to college tuition across the country. "At the University of California, for example, tuition was raised 32 percent in 2010 and 8 percent in 2011. The next increase could be as high as 20 percent in early 2013."

It's time to separate yourself from the trend too many students and working adults fall into - going to whatever post secondary school, no matter the price, because they believe college is a necessity, making the false assumption that you can't put a price on a necessity. But the truth is that you can put a price on a necessity when there are other suitable, more cost effective options available. 

The College Network has been at the forefront of providing quality higher education since 1992. After twenty years in business, the product has gone from a binder to a course in our online Resource Center, which houses all of our Comprehensive Learning Modules. Get what you need at a fraction of the cost, and earn your degree with the help of The College Network. 

I am really thrilled to see that Indiana State University's (one of the best schools in the Mid-West according to the U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review) online LVN to BS in Nursing program is now recognized in the state of Texas. This completely distance-based program allows an LVN to work full time and earn his/her BSN RN without ever having to return to the college classroom and without ever having to visit the campus in Terre Haute, Indiana. Indiana State University is accredited by the North Central States Association of Colleges & Schools (the same association that accredits such schools at the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of Chicago and the University of Illinois). It's recognized by the National League for Nursing and the Texas Board of Nursing.

This program has three phases. The first is the general education phase. Indiana State University allows nurses to transfer previous college credits into the program as long as the course 1) was taken within 30 years, 2) is from a regionally accredited school and 3) has a grade of C or higher. Any required subject the nurse hasn't taken, can be fulfilled by testing out via The College Network's Comprehensive Learning Modules in our online Resource Center. There is one learning module per subject. When the nurse passes the one exam, she/he receives the same credits from Indiana State University as if she/he sat in a classroom for an entire semester. Almost all of the general education examinations are taken from home via a webcam on the computer.

Phase Two are four nursing transition courses that essentially work the same way as Phase One except the exams are taken outside of the home but locally.

Phase Three are the online nursing classes taken directly with Indiana State University. Also, it's in this phase where the clinical hours are performed. This is one of the best parts of the program! The clinicals are performed locally one-on-one with a preceptor.

This program can be completed in the same amount of time or less time than if the nurse were to quit his/her job and go to school full time at a local university. One nurse told me recently what she liked about this program is that she can fit her education around her life instead of her life around her education.

For more information, please contact The College Network at 1-800-395-1014.

Very best regards,

Joel Kimzey

Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, the race to create the most versatile mobile device has spawned countless products with a myriad of capabilities and functions. We've seen 3G fall to the wayside of 4G, smartphones get bigger, tablets get smaller, and PCs get left in the technological scrap yard. We see schools like Garin College in New Zealand implementing a bring your own technology model (BYOT) that will make it mandatory for students to possess and bring to class some form of mobile  device. There are also school systems in the United States, such as Indiana, that are in the initial phases of creating classes that eliminate the necessity for printed textbooks and provide students with tablet devices that have digital copies of their study material. 

The writing on the wall is becoming quite clear - the classroom as we know it is taking a drastic turn to incorporate the products of the digital age. As Augustus "found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble," so mobile technology is transforming the classroom by putting limitless information in the hands of every student. 

Having long been a promoter of putting education and information in the hands of every learner, The College Network has developed and has been providing online learning material to its customers for several years. With the advent of the digital/mobile age, TCN has worked diligently to provide the most up-to-date and advanced course content in the realm of higher education. Several projects are in the works to  expand TCN's library of products and increase their availability across multiple platforms, so if you are interested in earning advanced degree, there hasn't been a better time than now to research The College Network and find out how they can change your life.

I recently read an old Aesop fable that reminded me of eLearning. A crow, dying of thirst, suddenly saw a flask under a tree. He hoped to find water, and happily flew down. However, there was only a little water in the bottom of the flask. The crow tried very hard to reach the water, but he could not. At last he had an idea. The crow collected stones one by one with his beak. Then he dropped the stones one by one into the flask. Soon the water came up to the top of the flask where he could drink it.

Up until a few years ago, higher education was a distant dream for most people who were stuck with a high school diploma and unable to further their career because of a lack of education. As time has progressed, more and more people have been able to fulfill their dreams of an advanced degree, but at the ever-increasing cost of obtaining a diploma from a traditional institution. The cost was something that you had to accept until The College Network was established in 1992 to circumvent much of the cost of many college courses by providing comprehensive learning modules to those interested in earning college credit without having to pay the university's price for the course. With TCN's implementation of the online Resource Center, studying and earning college credit has never been more efficient or convenient. If you're like the crow and you need some help getting to something that you desire and need, research The College Network to find your solution.

In a recent article by Micahel MacDowell for Education News.org, a helpful list of suggestions for controlling the expense of pursuing higher education is provided.  A few pieces of the advice include graduate on time, don't change majors, don't change schools, and try to pay off some debt while you are still in school. They probably seem obvious, but it's the simple places that are easiest to cut corners on expenses. If you don't change your major or your school, you can focus on the courses you need to take to earn your diploma and graduate on time, possibly saving thousands of dollars compared to those who choose to change majors or schools. 

Another great way to save money is to earn college credit by taking accredited examinations provided by The College Network. Our comprehensive learning modules, online quizzes, and practice examinations are the best way to prepare to earn college credit without having to go through a traditional university, thus significantly cutting the cost of earning your degree. If cutting costs and earning an advanced degree as efficiently as possible is something that you're interested in, research The College Network to learn how. 

Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books once said, "Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful." I think for someone debating whether to go back to school and earn an advanced degree there isn't a more encouraging quote.

The decision to go back to school is a life-changing one. It takes a great deal of time, energy, and effort, but as you know, the benefits are well worth the investment. A greater potential for finding a career, higher pay, maintaining a higher quality of life, and increasing the possibility for promotions. You can't put a price on education, and with The College Network, you'll be getting the most out of your investment. With online degrees from top universities, the courses you take through TCN may be transferred to degree programs with some of TCN's partners in education. To learn more, visit TCN's web site.

The New York Times revealed in a recent article the increasing number of hospitals requiring nurses with associate degrees to earn a bachelor's degree/RN. "The need [for nurses] is so great that nurses without bachelor's degrees are still in demand. But experts say that may change in years to come, particularly at hospitals, the largest segment of the profession and one of the best paid."

The article went on to say, "Surveys show that most hospitals prefer to hire nurses with bachelor's degrees, though they often cannot find enough. Lawmakers in several states, including New York, have introduced bills that would require at least some hospital staff nurses to have bachelor's degrees within 10 years, though none have become law."

It's obvious that change in the field of Nursing is on the way, so shouldn't you take it upon yourself to stay ahead of the eventual education requirements and being earning your way to a higher degree? If you're already an LPN or a nurse with an associate's degree looking to earn your RN, The College Network can help you earn your degree fast and efficiently, without having to give up your current work schedule. With the Comprehensive Learning Modules and the online Resource Center, you can learn at your own pace and at the fraction of the cost of a traditional four year university. 

It's important to recognize change, and the upcoming changes in the field of nursing are going to effect current associate degree nurses for years to come. Stay ahead and be prepared with the help of The College Network.

In 333 B.C. Alexander the Great, at the age of 23, had invaded Asia Minor and arrived in the central mountains at the town of Gordium. In the town there was an ox cart, which had been put there by the King of Phrygia over 100 years before. The staves of the cart were tied together in a complex, rumored untieable, knot with the ends tucked away inside.

Having arrived at Gordium it was inconceivable that the young, impetuous King would not tackle the legendary Gordian Knot. Alexander climbed the hill and approached the cart as a crowd of people gathered around. They watched intently as Alexander struggled with the knot and became frustrated.
Alexander, stepping back, called out, "What does it matter how I loose it?" With that, he drew his sword, and in one powerful stroke severed the knot.

Does higher education seem like a Gordian Knot to you? With the myriad programs, degrees, courses, etc...how is one supposed to make a sound, informed decision independently? How do you untie the Gordian Knot of higher education? Take a lesson from Alexander the Great and don't fall into convention and tradition because you'll end up the same place as everyone else. Dare to be different and take the initiative to cut through all of the unnecessary burdens of the traditional classroom. The College Network provides online degrees from top universities and can help you conquer the courses and earn the credit you need to help you on your path to becoming a college graduate.