For many, the fall is a transitional time- September goes by too quickly and with October, the Autumn weather sets in fast, reminding us winter is around the corner and summer is officially over. While as an adult we don’t follow a traditional school calendar, I still find that this is a time where I slow down, and start making a plan for the year to come. I am taking this time to remind you of the benefits of online learning, because maybe enrolling in an online degree program should be part of your plan this year.

A few years back we wrote the post Online Education, A Cheaters Paradise? where we examined what it meant to “earn a degree” despite the fact that many undergrads admit to cheating on online-based tests. New technologies, according to a recent USNEWS article may limit student’s online cheating.

In this month’s issue, the featured article is the upcoming $10,000 Scholarship drawing from ScholarshipPoints.com.

Paying for school is not easy task. Whether you attend an online school or traditional university, funding your education can be tough. While there seems to be a plethora of scholarships for traditional students, what about the non-traditional ones? Luckily, many online colleges offer their own scholarships. Plus, there are even outside scholarships for online students, you just have to do a little research.

This sub-headline from the recent U.S. News blog post, Online Education May Change Higher Ed., sheds light on the growing maturity in online education programs.

The article asks experts, “Can online education be the rock that disturbs the placid waters of American higher education?” Interestingly it seems the feedback is both positive and negative to the increased enrollment at top online schools such as Kaplan University and the University of Phoenix. One expert, Louis Soares, director of postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, says: “Much in the way cell phones disrupted the traditional landline-based model or discount retailers like Wal-Mart revolutionized the nation’s retail market, the for-profit sector—though a subject of intense scrutiny in recent years—has driven changes that could greatly affect the world of higher education.”

For students interested in child development, Rasmussen College offers a couple of great associate’s degree programs online, and it is a great time to start studying. It’s projected that there will be 86,700 new jobs for teachers in this field in the coming years. Not that a degree guarantees employment in this field, or any field for that matter, but education is the best place to start.

If you’re interested in more information on online early childhood education programs at any degree or certificate level, find programs on Edvisors.com.

Are you in the process of getting financial aid but don’t know where to turn next? Then check out this month’s financial aid newsletter for some great tips and tricks to pay for school!

As Americans we get an understanding of what college “is” by reading articles, watching movies, talking to counselors and friends. If you were asked to think of top colleges, would Capella University or Walden University make your list? More than likely they wouldn’t. When we think of getting a college degree we think of top private and public colleges like Harvard University, or UCLA. When we think of college students we think 18-21 year old’s in a four year school, partying it up and cramming for tests at a school with a larger sprawling campus.

As early as mid-July, U.S.News & World Report will begin a first-ever effort to collect in depth data from all online bachelor’s and five master’s degree level education programs in the United States.

The following infographic displays some really intriguing statistics about online education today in relation to technology. It’s interesting to see how college faculty utilize (or don’t utilize) certain social media sites in the classroom. Social media is growing in leaps and bounds, and as the infographic shows, more and more teachers are getting in on the action and see at least some value in many social sites.