Twitter offers a real-world education, right at your fingertips. It is a wonderful tool for collecting information, much of it educational. You can find educators, librarians, museums, and more on Twitter. Read on, and you’ll find 100 of the most educational feeds on Twitter.

Educators

Here are Twitter’s professors, teachers, and other educators.

1. @therefore: Read @therefore’s tweets to learn about emergent communications and new media.
2. @mweller: @martinweller is an Open University professor.
3. @drkent: Check out @drkent to learn about classical composition.
4. @ProfCarol: Carol Dickson-Carr is a part time economics professor.
5. @levarburton: LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow is an actor, director, and educator.
6. @lessig: @lessig offers a look into the posts of a Canadian law professor.
7. @hermida: You can learn about integrated journalism and new narrative styles from Alfred Hermida.
8. @vargasl: Learn about marketing communications from Lauren Vargas.
9. @coolcatteacher: Vicki Davis is a classroom pioneer.
10. @jonbecker: Jonathan Becker discusses technology and educational leadership.
11. @hmason: Hilary Mason can teach you about computer science and new media.
12. @BarbaraNixon: From @BarbaraNixon, you’ll learn about public relations.
13. @tp_da: Thomas Pliel is a public relations educator at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.
14. @paulawhite: Paula White tweets about gifted resources, Apple, STAR, and more.
15. @Justale: Alessandra Tussi twitters about teleworking, marketing, and productivity.
16. @metromediaqueen: Tricia Thomas’ Twitter feed is all about Photoshop, arts, graphic design, and video production.
17. @patrickstrother: You’ll learn about advertising and public relations from Patrick Strother.
18. @paulbradshaw: Paul Bradshaw tweets about web design and online journalism.
19. @courosa: Alex Couros teaches educational technology at University of Regina.
20. @stevekatz: Check out Steve Katz to learn about educational technology.
21. @elemitrt: Tina Coffey discusses resources for instructional technology.
22. @berniedodge: Bernie Dodge offers information about educational technology.
23. @jmilles: James Milles is a professor of law at SUNY University at Buffalo Law School.
24. @doctorious: From Matthew Gilbert, you’ll learn about English, IT, and business communication.
25. @billgx: Check out Bill Genereux to learn about digital media and computers.
26. @jayrosen_nyu: Jay Rosen is a journalism educator at NYU.
27. @lauranicosia: Laura Nicoia’ is the Director of English Education at Montclair State University.

Libraries & Librarians

These Twitter streams represent librarians and important libraries.

28. @librarycongress: Find out what’s going on at the Library of Congress from @librarycongress.
29. @jessamyn: Jessamyn West is a rural librarian geek.
30. @yalsa: From @yalsa, you’ll learn what’s happening with the Young Adult Library Services Association.
31. @pfanderson: P.F. Anderson is an emerging technologies librarian.
32. @Librarian: Check out @Librarian to look at libraries in a different way.
33. @sljournal: The School Library Journal will tell you about news and book reviews for children’s and young adult reading material.
34. @heyjudeonline: Check out Judy O’Connell to learn about library and information services.
35. @glambert: Greg Lambert is a law librarian in Houston.
36. @LibraryJournal: @LibraryJournal offers library news, book reviews, and more.
37. @LJBookReview: From @LJBookReview, you’ll find book news and book reviews from Library Journal.
38. @kenleyneufield: You can learn about the social web from this community college librarian.

News

You can learn a lot from current events-stay on top of everything with these Twitter feeds.

39. @BreakingNewsOn: Follow BNO News on Twitter, and you’ll learn about news as soon as it happens.
40. @educationweek: Follow @educationweek to get American education news.
41. @cnnbrk: By following @cnnbrk, you’ll get the latest in breaking news.
42. @CNETNews: Check out CNETNews for a steady stream of tech updates.
43. @giraffes: @giraffes offers updates on anything and everything to do with giraffes.
44. @nprnews: On @nprnews, you’ll find the top news stories from NPR.
45. @weather: Check out @weather to get the latest weather news.
46. @CDCemergency: Learn about emergency preparedness from @CDCemergency.
47. @SkyNews: Find breaking global news out of London from @SkyNews.
48. @EcoInteractive: The Eco Preservation Society will help you learn about wildlife conservation and reforestation.
49. @BBCeducation: On @BBCeducation, you’ll get details about news and education in the UK.
50. @space: You’ll find space and science news from @space.
51. @EducationInfo: Education Info offers what’s new in the education and job sectors.
52. @bbcbreaking: BBC Breaking news offers the latest developments from the UK.
53. @edu_tweets: @edu_tweets finds and posts interesting educational links.
54. @nytimes: Get loads of the latest news from @nytimes.
55. @whonews: You can learn about new developments from the World Health Organization from WHO News.
56. @science: Follow @science to get the latest in science news.
57. @foxnews: On Fox News, you’ll get a direct line to the latest happenings around the world.
58. @EarthquakeNews: This Twitter feed from the USGS Earthquake Center will keep you up to date on earthquake happenings around the world.
59. @googlenews: You can find breaking news stories and updates from Google news on @googlenews.

Museums & Facilities

Museums are great educational sources, even when they are on Twitter.

60. @Smithsonian: The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum complex.
61. @lifeandscience: The Museum Life+Science encourages followers to be curious and ask questions about the world.
62. @NASA: Check out @NASA to get news from NASA.
63. @StarEcoStation: The STAR EcoStation is an award winning non-profit environmental education and exotic wildlife rescue center.
64. @mysticseaport: Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum.
65. @jodrellbank: Jodrell Bank is home of the world’s third-largest steerable radio telescope and the MERLIN National Facility.
66. @sciencemuseum: The Science Museum brings science to life and life to science.
67. @DesignMuseum: If you’re into contemporary design, be sure to check out @DesignMuseum.
68. @philamuseum: The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest art museums in the United States.
69. @whitneymuseum: The Whitney Museum has one of the world’s foremost collections of contemporary American art.
70. @asianartmuseum: The Asian Art Museum is the largest museum in the western world devoted to Asian art.
71. @TheMuseum: The Childrens Museum of Ontario shares fun facts and imagination tweets.
72. @BigCatRescue: Through @BigCatRescue, you can learn about ending the breeding, trade, use, and abuse of big cats.
73. @V_and_A: This museum in London is one of the world’s greatest museums of art and design.
74. @houstonzoo: Find out what’s happening at the Houston Zoo from @houstonzoo.
75. @mediamuseum: The National Media Museum is devoted to film, photography, TV, radio, and the web.
76. @Exploratorium: The Exploratorium museum will fulfill your curiosity.
77. @TheWomensMuseum: The Women’s Museum offers history of heroines and stories from 1500 to present day.
78. @cincyartmuseum: The Cincinatti Art Museum has a huge and diverse collection of art.
79. @brooklynmuseum: The Brooklyn Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums in the country.
80. @hmns: The Houston Museum of Natural Science offers tweets that focus on science news and more.
81. @henryartgallery: The Henry Art Gallery is Seattle’s oldest art museum with the newest ideas.
82. @cmhouston: The Children’s Museum of Houston is a Playground for Your Mind.

Learning Resources

Follow these Twitter users to learn about medicine, marketing, and more.

83. @AllergyNotes: Ves Dimov, MD offers information about allergies on this Twitter feed.
84. @BJMendelson: Brandon Mendelson shares information about cancer.
85. @DrJennifer: Dr. Jennifer Howard is a licensed psychotherapist.
86. @dannynic: Read Danny Nicholson’s tweets to learn about Whiteboard.
87. @SwampSchool: Marc Seelinger shares information about wetlands, environment, real estate, and green issues.
88. @dianadell: Diana Dell shares learning games and more on her Twitter feed.
89. @GrammarBlog: Learn about grammar with a dash of humor from @GrammarBlog.
90. @designmeme: Check out @designmeme to learn about media studies.
91. @chrisbrogan: Follow Chris Brogan to learn about social media, new marketing, and education.
92. @SlideMagnet: From @SlideMagnet, you can learn about public speaking and presentation.
93. @BernardHarris: Dr. Bernard Harris is a former astronaut working to change US education.
94. @eduguru: @eduguru will teach you about web development and marketing for education.
95. @TEDTalks: @TEDTalks shares ideas worth spreading.
96. pbsteachers: You can find grade school learning and teaching resources from @pbsteachers.
97. @_enlightenment: Enlightenment Media is an online degree enlightenment education blog.
98. @LearnHub: @LearnHub shares lots of great links for education.
99. @MarketingProfs: Read Ann Hadley’s Twitter feed to get updated about marketing education.
100. @GrammarGirl: Mignon Fogarty wrote a NYT bestseller about grammar.
101. @donorschoose: Through Donors Choose, you can help provide public school funding.

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There are many different ways that you can earn college credit, some of which may not require that you ever step foot on campus. Online college courses are popular with students because they give them the ability to complete course work on their own time. If you are having trouble finding a way to fit in a British Literature course in your already packed schedule, you might want to consider taking it online. But before you enroll, you should make sure that the course is legitimate, accessible, and has resourceful materials.

A good online course is above all legitimate. Make sure that you are legitimately able to earn college credit through completing the course. This best way to do this is take the course from an accredited university that meets the educational standards of an accrediting association. If you decided to take a course from an unaccredited college, chances are you are probably wasting your money because it will not be recognized by other institutions. There are many accredited private and public colleges that offer distance learning courses, so you have many choices when it comes to finding the right institution to take the course through.

A good online course is accessible. Since you will not be able to go to class or visit your professor during office hours if you have a question, you need to make sure you are conveniently able to access course instruction and materials. One of the advantages of online classes is that coursework can be completed at any time, which also means that you should be able to easily get in touch with the professor through e-mail, instant message, or phone. Online courses also typically consist of a significant amount of virtual interaction, which means that you need to be able to easily access discussion boards and live chats. Take a thorough look at the online system through which the course is conducted, make sure it is well designed, easy to understand, and available 24/7.

A good online course has resourceful materials. Usually before you enroll in a course you can see what type of course materials are used in it. Get an idea of if you will be able to easily learn from materials by looking up textbooks online or seeing if you can find them in a bookstore. Since you will not be attending classes or listening to lectures, you will need to be able to understand the material without much help, so it is important that they are adequate and provide you the information you will need to learn.

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Business is a popular area of study for college students, which is no surprise when you think about how large the world of business is. But this professional environment is more than long meetings and cutthroat deals, and it is not easy to survive in it. The value of earning a business degree lies not only in what one learns, but what one can do with that knowledge.

Business majors learn what it takes to successfully create, develop, and manage a business. Earning a degree in business will give you a solid understanding of how the business world functions and how to apply your knowledge in such a way that you can be successful in it. Students learn about the economic environment businesses function in, the organization of people and products, the process of financial loss and gain, strategy development, and consumer marketing. Since business is such a broad area of study, most colleges usually require students to choose a concentration within in. Specific areas of business typically include accounting and finance, business management and administration, and sales and marketing.

If you are a good leader, who has strong organizational skills and enjoys working in a team environment, then chances are you would excel in business. As a business major, you will receive a broad education in calculus, communications, economics, and statistics. Business courses typically cover finance, management, marketing, and business policies and ethics. Depending on your concentration, you will take advanced courses in accounting, sales, administration, or management. Business students work a lot in small groups, solving problems and working on projects. Education often involves a hands-on approach, as students are often given case studies where they have to analyze problems, develop solutions, and present their strategies to their class. By analyzing real-life business problems, they develop valuable critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They also learn how to sell their ideas to others, defend their solutions, and convince others to invest in them.

One of the best things about earning a degree in business is the flexibility one will have in career choices. From government to nonprofits, you can pursue a career in practically anything. Business students can go on the become managers, human resources specialists, accountants, market researchers, and systems analysts. It is important that you give a good deal of thought to your what specific skills and interests are and how they relate to the world of business. Knowing how your talents can be applied to this broad area of study will help you develop an idea of what direction you want to go in with it.

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Many different factors can influence a high school graduate’s decision on whether or not they should enroll in college. Some of these factors can be the result of their socioeconomic status, which is the status level a family or individual may fall into based on financial, social, and educational attainments. In a 2007 study "Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society" College Board examined some of these factors. The study found that for high school students enrollment in college within a year of graduating is influenced by socioeconomic factors such as family income level and parent education level.

Whether or not a high school graduate chooses to enroll in college directly after high school is influenced by the income-level of their family. Those from affluent families are more likely than those with families with lower-incomes to enroll in college. Separated into four quintiles based on household income, the study reported that around 80 percent of high school graduates from the highest income quintile, $80,662 annually, enrolled in college 12 months after graduating, compared to 50 percent of those from the lowest quintile, $16,799 annually. The college enrollment rates of high school graduates from the middle income group, $50,380 annually, were almost 20 percent lower than the highest income group. The good news is that even though enrollment rates are lowest among the lower income group, they have experienced the most growth in college enrollment in the past 10 years.

But income level is not the only thing that influences a high school graduate’s decision to enroll in college, the education levels of their parents is also significant. The study found that within families with similar income levels, high school students whose parents went to college were significantly more likely to go to college than those whose parents did not. Even among high school students with similar academic achievements, both family income and education level had an impact on college enrollment. Students from families with lower education and income levels were still much less likely to enroll in college than those from well-off ones, even though they had the same academic potential. For instance, among the students with high test scores who graduated high school in 1992, those from high socioeconomic backgrounds were about 32 percent more likely to enroll in college than those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Although among the graduates that did choose to enroll in college, students from low-income families were highly represented in two-year public colleges while those from high-income families are more likely to attend private four-year colleges and universities.

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Blogs offer an excellent way for communities to come together over a common interest despite physical location. Educators can take advantage of this shared pool of knowledge to find inspiration, enhance their teaching, and help students learn more. The following blog posts come from a variety of bloggers sharing their passion and insight.

On Teaching

These posts take a look at what makes a good teacher and will inspire you to appreciate what you do or maybe even improve your style as an educator.

1. What Makes a Good Teacher. This post from The Reading Workshop includes six important elements of effective teachers.
2. Top 5 Character Traits of Great Teachers. This list is actually a compilation from a reader survey and includes many great traits of quality teachers.
3. "Steal". This teacher considers use of the word "steal" when discussing teaching ideas and urges teachers to embrace collaboration as a means to better teaching.
4. Reminders to teachers: Don’t get sick. This post highlights what can happen with a poor-quality substitute teacher and offers suggestions for the next time you must be absent.
5. Are you trained or educated?. This thought-provoking post asks you to consider whether you are trained or educated as an educator.
6. Short Story: On Mercy Killing in the First Grade (or, how I stopped worrying and learned to appreciate punch lines). Read how this educator learned an important life lesson in the first grade.
7. Training. This post compares how teachers-in-training are taught to the education of students and wonders at the differing standards held for each.
8. Do Leaders Wear Jeans? Does What You Wear Show Who You Are?. This article offers a great approach to fitting in fashion-wise–even in jeans.
9. On being a passionate beginner. Learn why it is important to welcome failure and embrace the newness of situations to become a better teacher.
10. 5 Altruistic Values of Teaching. This post offers a great reminder of why many educators entered into the field of teaching.

Working with Students

Learning about how students learn, perceive, and grow and discovering how you can help students succeed are the focus of these blogs.

11. Paul Potts, Susan Boyle, and the problem of undiscovered talent in schools. This brief post urges educators to help recognized untapped potential in students.
12. How Much is a Field Trip Worth?. Examine the educational value of taking learning–and students–out of the classroom.
13. Home Ec Returns. Learn what Michael Mazenko says about the importance of teaching practical skills to high school students in this post.
14. Tutoring is like a GPS. This thoughtful post explores how teachers and tutors can work best to help students truly learn.
15. Why A Financial Education Should Not Be Postponed. Directed more specifically at parents, but an important reminder for educators as well, this post shares why children should learn about finances from an early age.
16. How DO We Learn Math?. This post explores the ways in which students learn math and how to incorporate these styles into effective learning.
17. The Library of Congress Pushes Primary Sources. Find out about this initiative at the Library of Congress and why teachers should support primary sources for students.
18. Ways of the Teacher-Feminist: Text, schema, and stereotypes, oh my!. This post looks at why it is important to teach diversity in the classroom.
19. When Parents do the Homework. This blog post offers a gentle reminder that the best way to get a student to do their own homework is by assigning child-appropriate tasks.
20. Knowledge is the Key. This teacher looks at the connection between knowledge and learning and shares some reading material that helped shape his approach as a teacher.
21. What do General Education Teachers Need To Know about Special Education. Learn about the importance of IEPs and how you can better serve your students by understanding what is written in them.
22. 52 Teachers, 52 Lessons: Week 14. See what this teacher has to say about picking your battles in the classroom in this blog post that is part of an ongoing series intended to offer helpful information for teachers.

Ideas, Tips, and Resources for the Classroom

Find great suggestions and resources you can use in the classroom with these posts.

23. The Best Places To Find Theatrical Movies On Science, Math, & History. Everyone loves movies, so learn how you can incorporate movies in your science, math, and history classes here.
24. Expressive Social Studies. Find a handful of methods for bringing history and social studies lessons to life.
25. Writing Tip #3: Pictures aren’t Just for Babies. Use this tip to encourage students to write more descriptively.
26. Essential Gardening Books for Kids. This list not only names some great gardening books to use in school, each is accompanied by an age level and what is special about the book.
27. More Classroom Ideas for Old Fashioned Index Cards. Get some creative and inexpensive ideas for using index cards in the classroom.
28. Serial Success: 6 Strategies for School. These six tips offer suggestions for making the most of the students’ time in class. These tips are geared toward older students.
29. Teaching Students to Ask the Right Kinds of Questions. Learn ways to encourage students to ask questions and ask well-thought out questions at that.
30. Finding Their Voices. This blogger attempts to define the tricky term of "voice" in a way that may help you share that knowledge with your students.
31. Look to Learn Launched. Discover this new resource that strives to help teachers promote media-rich learning opportunities in the classroom.
32. Teaching Antigone. This teacher shares an effective way to teaching Antigone to high school sophomores.
33. Reflections on Student Blogging. Get great tips and suggestions from this teacher on how to start blogging with your middle and high school students.
34. Educational Videos. This post introduces the PBS library of American History in Videos as well as tips on integrating videos in your lessons.

The Economy and Education

The recent economic downturn has affected education in many ways. Read these posts to see what others are saying about education and the economy.

35. Will There Be "Urban" Poverty in the Future? From the Inner-City to the Doughnut. This post takes a look at the connection between education, funding, and the spread of poverty out of inner cities.
36. The Impact of Market Norms on Education…. Bill Ferriter shares his thoughts on an educational system that has moved from one based on social norms to one based on market norms.
37. The Need for Breakfast Clubs. This call for a Canadian breakfast program emphasizes the need for a healthy breakfast each day to ensure the best start for students.
38. Part 1: What is happening with teaching jobs?. This is the first in a five-part series examining teaching jobs in America and what is happening to help prevent teacher layoffs.
39. A Dozen Ways to Save Dough. These twelve tips offer suggestions for administrators to consider when feeling the financial pinch.
40. The Union President’s Dilemma. Take a look at how the current financial crisis is impacting school districts and some of the tough choices that are being forced on educators.
41. Poverty and Education - The Challenge of Improving Schools. This post explores the issue of educating students faced with the challenges of living in poverty.
42. Education is harder to steal (and therefore also harder to tax) than physical wealth. Here’s one man’s perspective on why spending on education is a smart move.
43. Work-Study Will Get a Boost. Referencing a recent article in the New York Times, this post illustrates the importance of work-study programs for students.
44. Education Publisher’s Perspectives on the Economic Downturn - Panel on Education Technology. Read this post that encapsulates a panel Q&A of four learning publishers’ perspectives on the economy and education technology.

Educational Issues and the Future of Education

Many feel that the educational system is in need of reform. Others may not see that need so much, but recognize changes that are coming. Find out what people are saying about the current and future issues central to education.

45. Let’s just put them all in jail 24/7. This post offers a thoughtful counter-position to Arne Duncan’s statements that schools should be open 6 days a week for 11 or 12 months of the year.
46. Newton lectured to empty rooms. Not only does this post warn against the dangers of boring lectures, it also theorizes on why some lecturers prefer this manner of teaching.
47. International Tests of Mystery. Nancy Flanagan writes an intelligent post examining the differences behind various tests and what they measure and argues for investing in education of all students, regardless of their scores.
48. Jacks of All Topics, Masters of None. Based on a recent study that shows high school students who study a topic deeply perform better than those who do not, this post explores the downfalls of teaching to the test.
49. Curricula: a short essay about education. This post advocates restructuring education so that it is a more natural form of learning and teaching–with better results and less work to make it happen.
50. The Retention Myth. This post reflects on current thinking about retaining science and math teachers.
51. John Rawls is Twisting in His Grave. Read about the voucher system in connection with providing appropriate education for children with disabilities who cannot afford private education here.
52. Education Reform and the Freedom to Mod. Andy Carvin explores what education reform looks like to many teachers and parents.
53. Innovation And It’s Discontents. This post provides links to several other posts discussing innovation, teacher satisfaction, private capital in education reform, and more.
54. Schools Taking a Bite Out of Lunch Time. Find out why some schools are changing the way lunch time looks at the elementary level.

Classroom Management

Every teacher knows that behavioral issues can disrupt class. Read these posts to learn effective classroom management techniques to enhance what you already know.

55. Catch them Doing the Right Thing. This veteran teacher explains why this method of positive reinforcement works well to encourage effective learning and better classroom behavior.
56. Where Does Hard Work Come From?. Mr. McGuire ponders from where student motivation derives and opens the comments up to hear from readers.
57. My classroom management plan on Scribd. Check out the suggestions shared by this elementary teacher with her revised classroom management plan.
58. Losing It (In the Classroom). This post focuses on managing teacher anger in the classroom.
59. A Time for Timeout?. Specifically for those teaching younger students, this post explores time-outs and effective use of them.
60. Do It Now or Else. This post shows just why spending extra time for students with behavior problems is necessary.
61. America’s Next Top Student. This teacher talks about appropriate dress for students.
62. Lost My Cool. This teacher shares her frustration and how both she and her classroom came through the incident successfully.
63. Self Esteem: Part 1. Exploring the connection between low self-esteem and behavior issues, this post proposes that relying on teachers to raise self-esteem through feel-good tactics is not an effective method of dealing with these situations.
64. Que? - A Funny Experience I Had as a First-Year. This story will not only give you a chuckle, but may help put your classroom difficulties in perspective.

Using Technology

Technology is the topic among these blog posts–from blogging to Internet safety to making the most of your technology funds.

65. Chatting Up Internet Safety. This teacher explains how she used Chatzy with a 7th grade class to work on Internet safety and technology.
66. Keeping students cybersafe!. This blog post offers suggestions on how you can protect your students while enjoying blogs in the classroom.
67. Responsible blogging. Based on a collaborative effort between a teacher and his 10th grade students, this is the list of rules they developed for safe blogging.
68. Managing Comments and Posts On Student Blogs Using Google Reader. Sue Waters provides an easy way to keep up with student posts and includes a helpful tutorial on how to set it up with Google Reader.
69. Around the World with 80 Schools. Read this post for an inspirational way to use Skype in the classroom to connect your students with others around the world.
70. TECH & TE(A)CH. Explore how technology has become an important element in education and think about ways in which it can best be used.
71. Re-Visioning the Writing Classroom. This teacher used a computer lab opportunity to improve writing skills in a 5th grade class.
72. Project This! Technology Purchasing Priorities. Learn what pieces of technology should be purchased prior to others so that you can build your resources efficiently.
73. 50 Awesome Semantic Apps for Educators. Educators who are looking for ways to take advantage of the semantic web will appreciate these tools to help get the job done.
74. The future of e-learning is social learning. Find out what Jane Hart has to share about e-learning and social learning.
75. Taking It Global with TIGed. This program allows students to connect globally with others. Learn how you can incorporate the same technology and learning in your classroom.
76. Your Digital Dossier. Learn about digital portfolios and why they matter to you as an educator.
77. Copyright for Educators. This blog post includes an hour-long presentation on copyright issues specifically for teachers.

Preparing Students for Life after High School

Whether you are a high school teacher or counselor, if you are in a position to help students make the transition to life after high school, then you should check out these posts.

78. who says you have to go to college?. Advocating preparing students for life and successful careers doesn’t have to depend on college, this blogger explores the possibility of students who are not college material still succeeding.
79. Don’t Go to College. This article proposes an alternative method for those who choose not to go to college to showcase their skills and talents without the negative connotation of not having a degree.
80. Tech Education Opens Career Doors for Working Adults. This post describes how many adults can opt for tech education rather than college to succeed in having a promising career.
81. Book Review: 411 SAT Prep Series. Find out why this book is recommended as a great SAT prep for high school students.
82. 100 Terrific Tools and Resources to Find Your Perfect College. This blog post offers tons of resources for students looking for a college, including how to select, financial aid, and more.
83. Rejection tweeting. Take a glimpse at some students Tweets in reference to their college application rejections.
84. Why Earn an MBA? An MBA degree pays off!. If you have students who are the business school type, share this blog post with them when considering their future.
85. 23 Warning Signs of Scholarship Scams. Scholarships offer promise to those who may not be able to afford college, but help ensure your students are applying for legitimate scholarships with the help of this article.
86. Stanley Tate says; “Don’t Raise Tuition. Raise Hell!”. Think about the perspective presented here that institutes of higher learning are taking advantage of students when they raise tuition.
87. SCAMPER Your Way to Success. Learn this technique to help students prepare for college life.
88. How to Get off the College Wait List. This article offers suggestions to help students get off the wait list and accepted into a college of their choice.

Links to Resources

The following blog posts provide lists and links that offer plenty of additional resources on everything from online lectures to tools for using Twitter.

91. 100 Free Online Lectures that Will Make You a Better Teacher. This blog post shares online lectures that can inspire you as a teacher.
92. 50 Online Reference Sites for Teachers. This listing is a great resource for teachers looking for quality online resources for students and educators.
93. 122 For You: Cool Cat Teacher’s Favorite Apps, Software, and Sites. In order to give back to a community that has taught this teacher so much, she has compiled a list of all the apps, software, and sites that she finds helpful both professionally and personally.
94. Friday Five - Finding Ada (Role Models of Women in Tech). Get several sites that present women as role models in the field of technology from this blog post.
95. Get Smart: Receive Daily Learning Inspiration. This blog post tells you how to sign up to receive daily updates with information about learning resources, books, and more.
96. 100 Tips, Apps, and Resources for Teachers on Twitter. Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced Twitter user, these resources will offer something for you.
97. Top 100 Tools for the Twittering Teacher. Get 100 great tools to enhance your Twitter experience at school.
98. Digital Image Resources on the Deep Web. This blog post offers tons of links to resources offering quality digital images.
99. 100+ Open Courseware Resources for Teachers. Teachers using open courseware material to enhance their personal knowledge or to use in the classroom will find useful information here.
100. Student Tools - Let them fly!. This teacher has compiled a good list of web 2.0 tools students can use in the classroom to enhance their learning.

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When it comes to college you can’t do it on your own, and thankfully you don’t have to. Colleges have advisors that are there to guide you throughout your educational experience, and planning out your education is a collaborative effort between both you and them. Ever tried to read through your college catalog only to end up frustrated and confused? Lucky for you, it is an advisor’s job to know everything about that book and how it applies to you as a student. While it is your responsibility to follow the rules and procedures outlined in it, your advisor can help you understand and apply them. Depending on your university, you may be required to see your advisor every semester or just one a year, but it is important that you see yours often. Don’t be afraid to make an appointment because when it comes to your schedule and degree plan you need to be advised.

You need to be advised about your schedule. Planning out your class schedule each semester can be overwhelming, and you want to make sure that you are not overlooking a class that you need or a requirement you must meet. With only a few class times offered for each course and limited spaces in each one, it can be difficult to find a way to arrange your schedule so that you can fit everything in. An advisor can help you with your academic progress and carefully plan out your schedule each semester to make sure that you keep moving forward in your education. When that one class that you need to take in the Fall has been full since registration began in the Spring, an advisor might be able to find a way to squeeze you into it or suggest an alternative.

You need to be advised about your degree plan. If you are confused about what courses you need to take or are not sure about whether or not a course fulfils a certain requirement, an advisor can help. It is their job to know everything about your degree plan and help you to understand it. They can let you know the expectations of your program and help you to set goals in order to meet those expectations. Whether it is noticing that you are missing that extra elective or applying that class you took over to summer to your degree audit, advisors are there to help you keep track of your progress and graduate on time.

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We learn and process information through using our senses like touching, hearing, and seeing. The sense you utilize most during the learning process can determine if your learning style is visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Some people use a combination of these styles while others may find that they prefer one over another.

Learning the auditory way. This type of person learns best by listening and stores information that they hear said out loud. As students they will notice audible signals and take notice of not just what their professors say but how they say it. If you are an auditory learner you will best learn by talking about ideas, discussing concepts, and listening to what other people are saying. You will also recall information best by remembering how it sounded when you first heard it. In class you will notice that you listen to the tone, pitch, and speed of your professor’s voice to interpret underlying meanings. Auditory learners should study by recording and playing back lectures, reading aloud to themselves, and talking through information with classmates.

Learning the visual way. This type of person learns through seeing, and organizes information using pictures, images, and colors. As students they will be drawn to visual displays, such as diagrams, presentations, and videos. If you are a visual learner you will best process information by writing detailed notes and highlighting important concepts as you read through your textbook. In class you will notice that you best understand the professor’s lecture when you take note of his facial expressions and body language. Being able to associate information with an image of the professor teaching it will help you to recall it later. Visual learners should study by actively associating important information with images, replacing words with pictures, or by creating diagrams to visualize the connections between concepts and ideas.

Learning the kinesthetic way. This type of person learns best through experience and recalls information best when associating it with an action. As students they don’t like to sit in class for long periods of time and get bored if they are not actively working on something. They are also very expressive and communicate through body language and facial expressions. If you are a kinesthetic learner you will most effectively learn through hands-on activities, moving through spaces, and physically touching objects. Kinesthetic learners study best by acting out the steps of a process, or by using physical objects, such as flashcards, to recall information.

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In a 2007 study "Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society", the College Board found that when it comes to college students there are significant differences in age, gender, and race.

There is no set age one has to be to go to college, and while traditionally one goes to college right after graduating high school it is not always the case. According to the study, the enrollment rate among traditional-age college students has steadily increased with almost 50 percent of college students being between the ages of 18 and 21. Also, since 2000 the enrollment rates of all age groups under 30 have been higher than they have even been. A little less than 30 percent of students are within the ages of 22 to 24, and a little more than 10 percent are between the ages of 25 to 29. When it comes to getting an education sometimes it is better late than never, still the highest age range of college students, 30 to 34, has the lowest enrollment rate at less than 10 percent.

The study reported that in 1967 the college enrollment rate for men, 58 percent, exceeded that for women, 47 percent, by more than 10 percentage points. Still, the idea that higher education is only something that men should pursue is certainly a thing of the past. In 2005 of the high school graduates who directly enrolled in college 70 percent were female and 67 percent were male. Among the traditional-age college students, those 18 to 24 years old, 49 percent were females compared to 45 percent of males. This is not surprising considering that the proportion of female high school graduates enrolling in college directly after high school has exceeded that of males since 1988.

The college enrollment rates among whites are higher than those among African Americans and Hispanics. According to the study, in 2005 of the high school graduates who directly enrolled in college 71 percent were white, 59 percent were African American, and 58 percent were Hispanic. Unfortunately, when it comes to the gaps between races in immediate college enrollment rates, they are increasing rather than decreasing. The study found that the gap between white and African American high school graduates has increased to 12 percentage points in 2005, compared to eight in the late 1990s. The gap between white and Hispanic high school graduates has increased from six to nine percentage points in the early 1990s to 10 to 13 percentage points in 2005.

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By Caitlin Smith

Open courseware classes offer a great opportunity for educators to expand their knowledge base while working at their own pace–and without spending any money. The following classes provide an opportunity for you to learn creative approaches to teaching various disciplines, reach special populations among students, bring technology in the classroom, and strengthen your abilities as an administrator or teacher.

Creative Approaches to Teaching Core Curriculum

These classes let teachers go back to school in order to bring fun ways of teaching the standards. From chemistry in the kitchen to using visualization to teach math, these classes will help you learn new ways to present old material.

1. Kitchen Chemistry. Practice cooking experiments while learning basic chemistry principles that you can share with your students in this course. [MIT]
2. Advanced Kitchen Chemistry. A follow-up to Kitchen Chemistry, this class examines topics such as cheese making, joys of tofu, and the science of spice. [MIT]
3. Lego Robotics. Design, build, and program functioning robots using Lego robotics, then take your knowledge back to share with your students. [MIT]
4. Introduction to Robotics. Find out what the class at MIT built, then learn to design and build your own robotic system in this class. [MIT]
5. Toy Product Design. Learn to design and prototype toys in the mechanical engineering class. Modify what you learn to create hands-on projects in your classroom. [MIT]
6. How to Make (Almost) Anything. Using several types of CAD/CAM machines, learn how to make almost anything in this design class. [MIT]
7. Practical Electronics. Learn to create practical electronic devices in this class that teaches how to create such items as remote controls, timers and clocks, and light or sound activated devices. [MIT]
8. Expository Writing - Food for Thought: Writing and Reading about Food and Culture. Studying the impact of food on culture in this class, then share your knowledge with your English or social studies classes. [MIT]
9. Concept-Centered Teaching. Find new ways to engage your science students by helping students to better understand key concepts and eliminate student misconceptions of science education when you take this class. [MIT]
10. Using visualisation in maths teaching. Learn the basics of visualization, how it affects learning in mathematics, and strategies to implement visualization in the classroom. [The Open University]

Incorporating the Arts

Take these art classes that will allow you to bring something special and creative to your classroom.

11. Furniture Making. Study the history of furniture making, then learn how to design and build a functional piece of furniture of your own creation. Take what you learn back to your classes for a great hands-on project. [MIT]
12. Introduction to Sculpture. Using a variety of mediums, you will learn about sculpture while you create a piece of your own. Share this knowledge with students to expand your history, social studies, or English classes. [MIT]
13. Creating musical sound. This class makes a scientific exploration of the many ways sound is made on musical instruments. Incorporate what you learn in science, history, and social studies. [The Open University]
14. Documentary Photography and Photo Journalism: Still Images of A World In Motion. Gain an introduction to documentary photographers and photojournalists while also creating your own photo documentary in this class. This is great for sharing with students who may be working on family history or community projects. [MIT]
15. Picturing the family. A good class to help learn about history and culture, this course provides an in depth analysis of historical family photos including technical details as well as several cultural aspects captured in the photos. [The Open University]
16. Introduction to Video. Learn about video recording and editing and about telling a story through videography in this course. [MIT]
17. Producing Films for Social Change. Here you will learn how to create a film promoting positive social change and also gain production and editorial skills in the class. [Tufts University]
18. Using film music in the classroom. Use familiar film music as a tool to teach various aspects of music to students or to open up discussion on art and culture. [The Open University]

Reaching Special Populations

From early childhood to bilingual students to those in special education, learn how to connect with students in a new way.

19. Infant and Early Childhood Cognition. Learn how infants and young children’s minds perceive the world while also learning about research within this field. [MIT]
20. Understanding dyslexia. Learn about dyslexia as well as treatment and management techniques in this course. [The Open University]
21. Language as a medium for teaching and learning. This course examines the affect languages have on the second-language learner in the classroom. [The Open University]
22. The Linguistic Study of Bilingualism. Learn about the roots of bilingualism, various implications of bilingualism, and educational repercussions of bilingualism in this class. [MIT]
23. What children’s perspectives tell us about inclusion. Meet children learning in inclusion classrooms and learn their perspectives on such issues as play and learning, gender, and mixed-abilities within the classroom. [The Open University]
24. Inclusive education: knowing what we mean. This course explores the definition of inclusion, the various models, and several inclusion topics–including determining which students should be involved in inclusion and the potential implications of inclusion. [The Open University]
25. Autism Theory and Technology. Learn about autism, working with autistic students, and current technology that works to improve opportunities for autistic students in this course. [MIT]
26. Accessibility and eLearning. Study accessibility, assistive technology, and how it enhances the educational experience of student with disabilities. [The Open University]

Technology in the Classroom

These classes will help you bring technology into your classroom to enhance your students’ learning experience.

27. Art and Technology. Find out about the relationship between art and technology both throughout history and as it presents itself today. [Capilano University]
28. Blogs, Wikis, New Media for Learning. Learn the basics for many different web 2.0 technologies that you can implement in your classroom such as blogging and using wikis. [Utah State University]
29. Understanding Online Interaction. Explore how people communicate online as well as learn how to design environments on the web that are conducive to learning. This is a great course for teachers who enjoy incorporating blogs or web sites in their classes. [Utah State University]
30. Feeling and Imagination in Art, Science, and Technology. Study philosophy, psychology, and literature to learn how emotion and imagination play into the creative process of science and technology. [MIT]
31. Writing and Experience: Culture Shock! Writing, Editing, and Publishing in Cyberspace. Practice writing for an online audience through an exploration of American pop culture. This is another great class for teachers who blog. [MIT]

Effective Administration

Take these courses to help strengthen your abilities as an administrator. Both your students and teachers are sure to benefit from your new knowledge.

32. Economics of Education. This course studies the implications of various educational issues on economics and explores such issues as the effectiveness of mid-career training for teachers and the implications of college financial aid. [MIT]
33. School business manager: developing the role. This British course explores the reasons that managing the school as a business has become necessary as well as effective ways do so. Much of this class can also apply to American school systems. [The Open University]
34. Technological Tools for School Reform. By looking at progressive charter schools, examine a case study of school reform using technology as the basis of change, look at the state of school reform, and think about ways to positively shape school reform. [MIT]
35. School governors: planning for improvement. This course offers suggestions for ways to plan for improvement in your school while taking into consideration the needs of all those involved from teachers to students and beyond. [The Open University]
36. School governors: organisation and practice. This model from the UK offers an overview and roles of each player in the school governance body and provides tips on effectively using each to the best of their ability. American teachers don’t have to worry about the British content as much of the information carries over. [The Open University]
37. Communicating Across Cultures. As globalization has become a reality, learn its effects on society and find out how you can become more culturally sensitive to those around you, including students and teachers at your schools. [MIT]

The Art of Teaching

Teaching is an art form in itself, so take these classes to continue learning and shaping the talent you already share with your students.

38. The Nature of Constructionist Learning. Learn about education and learning within a constructionist framework in this course. [MIT]
39. Gender Issues in Academics and Academia. Gender differences in learning and how it impacts the classroom experience is the focus of this class, as well as how gender issues affect those in academia. [MIT]
40. Thinking about how I work with other professionals. This course allows self-exploration as you examine the ways you work with other teachers and administrators. It also allows for self-reflection on how to improve your working relationships while maintaining your values and beliefs. [The Open University]
41. Introduction to Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science. This course takes the student through the experience of teaching and offers hands-on opportunities to learn about both teaching and the students’ learning in the classroom. This may be a good refresher course for teachers who have been out of school for a while. [MIT]
42. Working with young people: roles and responsibilities. Learn about the different roles adults play in the life of young people, discover the role you play as a teacher, and learn to develop the role model you wish to be for your students. [The Open University]
43. Teaching for good behaviour. This course explores the ways you can set up your lessons to engage students while minimizing problem behavior. Learn to adjust lesson format, delivery, and content for great results. [The Open University]
44. Evaluating school classroom discussion. Discussion is an important part of the classroom experience. Find out how to successfully implement discussion in your classroom to better facilitate the learning process for your students. [The Open University]
45. Enhancing pupil learning on museum visits. It’s no big news that students learn in different ways. This class helps you embrace these differing learning styles while on museum field trips. [The Open University]
46. Teach Global. Learn about the Teach Global program in this course where you can also find resources about the program and learn about other similar courses. [The Open University]
47. Introducing observational approaches in research with children and young people. Observation and research are the focus of this class where you will learn about observation as a research tool, the differences between quantitative and qualitative research, and learn the difference between describing and explaining in a research study. [The Open University]
48. Exploring K-12 Classroom Teaching. This course takes a look at methods of teaching student-centered classrooms while examining various student needs within those classrooms. [MIT]
49. How to Learn (Almost) Anything. This class looks at learning as a process through hands-on activities. You will participate in a variety of learning situations as a part of the class. [MIT]
50. The Creative Spark. This course teaches about the creative process–what it is, how it’s valued, and how it grows. Students will create journal writings and study artists of various media to explore creativity. [MIT]

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Summer is upon us, and you may be thinking about what you’d like to do while college is on hold. Work, travel, and relaxation are probably on the menu, but have you thought about volunteering? Summer is ripe with possibilities for college volunteers, and there are plenty of benefits for those who participate.

If you’re set on world travel, consider a volunteer vacation. It’s a great way to see the world while at the same time giving back. You can build schools in remote villages, save sea turtles on the beach, or spend your time helping out on a countryside farm. Gather a group and work together on a mission in a faraway location. These experiences not only offer you travel, but also a great way to experience the country you visit from a different perspective than tourists. You may even make lifelong friends around the world!

You don’t have to travel around the world to make a difference, though. Volunteer opportunities can be found right at home. There are many people that could benefit from your volunteering time in your area. Look for non-profit organizations that need your help. You can spend your time working at an animal shelter, serving food to the needy, or visiting with the elderly. Many volunteering opportunities can be arranged on a full time, part time, or limited schedule, so you can do what you can when you have time. You can even make an impact on a smaller level by participating in one day events like walk-a-thons.

Volunteering is a great idea for so many reasons. You’ll feel good about what you’re doing-volunteering’s reward is the knowledge that you’ve done something selfless and generous for others. It’s a great way to connect with the world, or your local community. You can meet people, make friends, and learn more about the world around you. Volunteering is also excellent for your resume. It shows what you care about and that you’re willing to work to make a difference. And who knows, you just might have a great time doing it!

This summer, think about donating your time, whether it’s a little or a lot, to an organization that needs your help. Volunteering can provide you with rewards that extend beyond the summer and can follow you for a lifetime.

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