New study shows how much value adult learners are getting from online discussion boards

We continue to find that high engagement among online learners and their instructors is crucial to improving student outcomes. That's one reason why our online programs are rooted in online discussion boards, where students can interact with their peers and instructors anytime, anywhere on the subject matter at hand, sharing new ideas and feedback in an asynchronous learning format.

With online discussions so vital to our online education program, we've been studying how students -- and instructors -- can get the greatest value from them. As a result, we're continuing to identify ways to improve our online discussion approach.

I led the latest study we conducted in this regard. It was an outgrowth of the MBA discussion board guideline study I ran in 2011, in which I examined Post University's approach for balancing education quality and student workload in online discussion forums.

US early childhood education issues might reach further than you think

CENTER STAGE: The 3rd International Congress on Early Childhood
Education kicks off

Myriad studies have demonstrated that the first five years of a child's life are crucial for fostering physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and creative development. That's one of the main reasons why U.S. leaders at all levels have been pushing for greater investments in early childhood education -- President Obama, Congress, state governments, public school districts, school boards, and local non-profits.

Other crucial supporters have been, naturally, higher education institutions, including Post University. Our child studies degree program prepares students to meet many of the challenges facing early care and educational professionals in the classroom today.

Despite these advancements, early childhood education (ECE) continues to be under-appreciated in the U.S. But we're not alone. Many Americans might not realize that some of the biggest issues the U.S. is facing in ECE are global concerns.

New job opportunities are knocking on Facebook!

LIKE: Find your next job on Facebook   

Facebook has always been for friends and fun. But now, it's for jobs too. We've created a new job board, "POST*ential Jobs," on Post University's Career Services Facebook page to help students search for internships, part- and full-time jobs, and seasonal employment opportunities. Just a few of the best features are:

• Search for jobs by a variety of factors, including keyword, location, contract type, and job category.
• Read detailed job descriptions and apply for openings right on Facebook. 
• Apply to join the Post University talent pool.
• Find jobs matching your Facebook profile.
• Get referred by your Facebook network.
• Post job opportunities if you're hiring for your organization.

Now that we're using our new Facebook job board, Post University Career Services will no longer be emailing job opportunities to students as we have done in the past. All internship and job opportunities will be posted on Facebook for students to search there.

Fast FAFSA help for high school students and parents

INFORMED: Get all your questions answered
for stress-free FAFSA filing

The FAFSA can be a confusing document for high school students and their parents to fill out. But completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid can be the difference between affording college, and not. Fortunately, there is ample help available to students and parents to guide them through the FAFSA filing process. Some of the most important things to know are:

1. Get your PIN early. If you are filing your FAFSA electronically, the first thing students and parents each need is their own four-digit Federal Student Aid PIN. You'll use it to sign the FAFSA once you're done filling it out. You can apply for your PIN on the FAFSA website. You’ll also need your same PIN each year you're in college, so keep it in a safe place.

Summer interns need apply now

GET AHEAD: Line up your summer internship early

Applying for a summer internship should be top of mind for college students. Many employers are beginning their summer intern search in the winter and setting application deadlines for the spring. Now is the time when college students typically have the greatest availability and selection of opportunities.

What's more, college students are facing intense competition from not only other students who are seeking summer internships, but also among the unemployed looking to get their foot in the door through an internship, and those wanting to change fields by starting as an intern.

Top 5 reasons we love our students

Call us biased, but the faculty and staff here at Post University are sure that OUR students are the best around! Each and every one of our nearly 16,000 students holds a special place in our hearts.

They never cease to amaze us with their unwavering determination, profound wisdom, and even their humble adulation. They praise their advisors for their support. They applaud their coaches for their leadership. They take their hats off to their professors for helping them master that seemingly insurmountable math problem or writing technique.

We thought Valentine's Day was the perfect opportunity to even the scales and let our students know ... the feelings are mutual! Whether you are a student on our Main Campus or taking classes through the Online Education Institute; undergraduate or graduate; newly enrolled or approaching graduation; here's what our faculty and staff members have to say about why WE love our students!

Ex Post Facto

Post University cartoon by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://blog.post.edu.

When big goals are a master's degree away

ON THE SCENE: Post University MPA student
Christy Girard with Olivia from the Greenwich
Boys and Girls Club

If you've been living out your passion your entire professional life, you probably feel satisfied in what you do. But you never know when an opportunity might come along that lets you take your passion to a new level, and bring you even greater fulfillment.

Christy Girard, for instance, has long had a passion for law enforcement. The Greenwich Police Department Detective and mother of two has been working in the field since earning her undergraduate degree in 1994. Christy specializes in sexual assault investigations as a member of the special victims unit.

But Christy discovered a new side to her passion when her administration asked her to teach hundreds of her fellow officers about conducting sexual assault investigations. Christy realized how much she enjoys teaching -- so much so, that she started thinking about what more she could do with teaching and law enforcement.