Here’s a thought experiment for you: Imagine that one day, for whatever reason, you decided you never wanted to leave the house again. Maybe you’ve pondered this idea after a long day in front of the computer, in your underwear. We sometimes find that we can go whole days without leaving the house, but what about forever? Running down the list of vital necessities for carrying out such an existence, it’s difficult to find anything that can’t be procured online. Money? 40% of jobs in America could technically be done from home. Food and things? With the rise of Amazon and online grocers, even fresh produce can be delivered to your home everyday. Friends and relationships? Now that we have more online friends than we have in real life, that one’s a no brainer, and millions of Americans pursue online dating everyday. What about school? Online learning is perhaps the newest move from traditional to digital of these categories, but it’s also been one of the most explosive. Degrees from numerous universities – and we’re not just talking Phoenix – can be completed entirely on a computer. Is staying home forever something you’d actually want to do? Probably not. But is it possible? Heck yes. 

In recent years, colleges and universities have made their online presence a true force to be reckoned with.  Currently, there are thousands of degree programs available to suit the needs of any type of potential student.  Whether you want to earn a degree in English, marketing, criminal justice, or get and advanced graduate degree—all of these things are now possible online.  Read on for how to make the most of these online educational opportunities.

Time is on Your Side

Without having to move or make the commute to a college campus, you have far more time to dedicate to your studies than in a traditional college environment.  Set up a schedule for yourself each day and use your time wisely.  If you can harness your true potential by making the most of your time, you will surely be successful in your classes and beyond.

Studying Advantages

Many online colleges and universities offer podcasts and video lectures to supplement the coursework and online classrooms.  Use these technological edges to your advantage; revisiting a lecture whether on video or through your mp3 player on your down time could certainly mean the difference between an A or a B on a test or the entire course.

Communication on your Terms

With email, you can contact professors or classmates for points of clarification and this can help ensure your level of success when it comes to the class.  Professors may send you links to sites and articles that can enhance your knowledge base for an upcoming exam and may even be able to help you with essays and term papers with editing suggestions and tips.  Use electronic communication to your benefit and stay in the loop.

Use Outside Resources

In addition to having a whole wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, the fact that your education takes place online shouldn’t get in the way of seeking out supplemental materials locally.  Visit your local libraries and meet up with other students virtually or in person to discuss reading assignments, locate materials that may not be available online, and use these opportunities to enhance your online educational experiences.

In years past, studying the ancient world meant looking for clues in ancient texts, visiting far-off places to learn from local legend and folklore, and using a combination of intuition and skill to locate long lost artifacts and relics.  While these things are still required in the modern world, the process has been sped up and streamlined by the use of technology. 

While technology isn’t the be-all, end-all in the study of the ancient world, it certainly does help move the process along.  Some of the benefits of using technology to study the ancient world are listed below.

More Certainty Before the Dig

Technology and the use of a wide variety of technology applications have made aimless digging less and less frequent.  From the use of radar and sonar to infrared and other imaging technologies, locating the right spot to look for clues from the ancient world are becoming increasingly easier to locate.

Rendering Capabilities

Once you have located your site and established perimeters, measurements can be easily plugged into certain types of software that allow archaeologists and anthropologists to actually “see” what a dig site may heave looked like in the ancient world.  Rendering capabilities of these programs continue to be developed, ever assisting those hard-working scientists to be able to do their jobs in a more efficient manner.

Network with Others in the Same Field

With the advent of social media and other Web 2.0 innovations, finding others in the same field of interest is easier than ever.  Collaborative tools abound on the web and communication along with the sharing of documents for translations and other collaborative projects are helping scholars in many different fields to work together to come to an answer in record time.

Sophisticated and Specific Measurements and Pinpointing Locations

Using technology to find specific locations and make precise measurements is another perk for people studying the ancient world.  Using global positioning systems (GPS), it is far simpler to find remote locations after doing the appropriate research.  GPS is accurate within a few meters, which means that precision when initiating a search of a wide area is more manageable and can ultimately yield more consistent results.

Advanced Researching Capabilities

Some of the greatest libraries on the planet are working at a fast pace to get all of their collections online for researchers around the world.  No longer will it be necessary to travel halfway around the world to feast your eyes on a particular document—researchers are now able to access crucial material for their studies from wherever they log onto the internet.  This ultimately saves time and resources better put to use in the field.
 

In today’s work environment, how important is education in helping you secure employment that you feel worthy of your talents? Or is it enough that you have relevant work experience? Let’s consider the two scenarios briefly:

When experience trumps education:

If you’ve decided that four years of undergraduate study is enough and you’re ready to face the work scene, then you’re the kind who values experience over education. Among the pros of this situation:

    * You get a head start over those who prefer to continue with their education for two or more years.
    * You start earning immediately and are able to pay back your student loans sooner.
    * You don’t have to spend more towards further education.
    * You don’t have to experience the uncertainty that’s associated with job hunting.
    * You don’t have to worry about the state of the economy in a couple of years’ time when you’ll finish your graduate degree.

 
When education scores over experience:

Although work experience does have its plus points, there are times when it pays to continue your education and wait to enter the working world. This is when:

    * You tend to get a better and higher paying job if you’re qualified enough.
    * You finish your education in one go rather than waiting a few years to go back to school to enhance your career prospects at a later stage.
    * You learn more about the subject and are more knowledgeable as a result.

 
As you can see, both situations have their own pros and cons, so it’s up to you to decide which option best suits your needs and circumstances. There are some employers who allow you to continue your education even as you work for them, so if you’re looking to kill two birds with one stone, this is the best option for you.  

Getting students to play math games in order to increase their abilities is fun and interactive, and helps to sharpen skills necessary to move forward with more difficult mathematical processes.  What follows is a list of some sites where educational mathematical games can be found and played for students of all ages and skill levels.

Funbrain:  Funbrain has games for students in grades K-12 that are fun and challenging.  Students can expect to increase their abilities in basic math with the games available and have fun while honing these much-needed skills.

Aplusmath:  The folks at aplusmath have a variety of games for students of varying ages and abilities.  Java and non-Java versions of these games are available for play, and include games for basic multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction, as well as higher-level games for algebra and geometry.

Coolmath4kids:  This particular website has games for math students of varying ages and includes on-screen flash cards and many other fun and interesting games to increase students’ math skills.

Math Playground:  Math Playground is another fantastic website with many games for students of mathematics.  Percentage games, algebra games, and basic geometry games are available, as well as games that help students with more basic math skills.

Gamequarium:  For many practical mathematical applications, Gamequarium is a go-to website for math students.  From money games and problem-solving games, to more adavanced math games, this site provides learners of all ages with many opportunities to learn while gaming.

Primary Games:  The Primary Games website has fun and interactive games that help introduce younger math students to advanced problem-solving and logic, as well as basic math skills. 

Of course, the use of games in mathematical instruction should be supplemental, and cannot replace the value of classroom instruction.  However, try utilizing some of the games on the sites listed above as a fun way to help students to enjoy the learning process while honing skills and getting in much-needed practice at the same time.