Distance Tips

Save up to 85% on Textbooks from Chegg.com

Glen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:20:36 +0000

Do you experience sticker shock when you enter the bookstore to purchase books? It is something that I have see time and again when I go to order books from the bookstore of my school. Sometimes I have no choice but to purchase that book, but in these hard economic times I am always looking for an alternative to secure my textbooks.

I heard a long time ago about sources that have a “netflix-like” rental system for books, but every time I looked at them they only had books that were 2-3 editions behind what I needed until I discovered Chegg.com! The process is simple you choose your textbook at a savings up to 85% in some cases, they are shipped to you via UPS, you return them when your done in the free UPS envelope, and Chegg.com will plant a LIVE tree for every book you rent. Pretty simple don’t you think?

In my case the next class I am going to be taking starts September 8th. I found the book, the latest edition, on Chegg and was shocked when I compared it to the school bookstore and my normal favorite spot Amazon.com.

What do you think of these numbers for savings?

Bookstore: $156.94 – New plus shipping
Amazon: $131.99 – Used plus shipping
Chegg: $46.37 – New free shipping

Which deal do you think that I took? I was able to take advantage of the free shipping by using a coupon code that I had which means this experience will give me free shipping coming and going. Lets have a bit of a reality check before I go on about Chegg.com. I do not believe that they will have every book that I need nor do I think that I will quit going to the others all together, but having a resource that I have the choice of keeping a book for 60 days, a quarter, or a semester then returning it is attractive to me. It is better than spending hundreds of dollars on a book that I now own, but has very little resale value.

Additional features on the website include tracking your order, returning books, and selling books. The selling section is broken into two parts. You can receive cash for your books or Chegg.com credit. The only condition is that it not be a teacher or international copy of the book. In cases like that they consider it a donation but still plant a tree for you.

I strongly recommend adding Chegg.com to your list of resources to find text books. According to the tracking system I should receive my book at the latest 9/10/2009. I of course will report about the entire process and be on the lookout for additional savings.

The Journey into Earning a Master’s Degree Online

Glen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:23:34 +0000

I mentioned earlier I would be talking about my journey to get back into school this Fall by detailing some of the steps that I have taken and the results. At this point there really is not much to tell other than being a huge cheerleader for my alma mater Ashford University and distance learning in general. On the subject of scholarship money for grad school I have found out quickly that there is little money from even fewer sources.

Joining Scholarships.com has been more helpful than any other financial aid website thus far. Only seeing a list of scholarships instead of a ton of internships that are not in my area or are based on specific schools is a very good thing. Though I wish they would change the navigation so that all of the selections to get information on schools can be turned off if you know what school you are going to attend.

My guiding angel Rhonda from my undergrad time referred me to Caroline to get the ball rolling as a grad student. I was a bit surprised by a bit of information that was in her initial email to me. “Only 10% of the population that has their bachelor’s has a Masters, so you are entering into an elite group by pursing your degree!” I just knew that this number was a lot higher because it seemed as if everyone that I talked to over the age of 30 has a Master’s degree in something! It is good to know that I will be part of a small but powerful group of individuals once I am done. Now if I can put my 3.90 GPA from my undergrad degree to work for some financial aid that would be the icing on the cake!

Hopefully I will get some help from the 10 scholarships that I have applied for. At this point I do not think that any of them will come in time for me to start class in August, but I can dream. Oh by the way if there are any companies out there that want to sponsor my education in return for star coverage on my blog feel free to contact me. Up next tips in streamlining the scholarship application process.

How a Department of Education Ruling COULD Affect your Distance Learning Experience

Glen — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:11:40 +0000

One of the great things about technology today is the ability to disperse information in a quick fashion. The letter below is in response to a possible ruling by the department of education to what schools can offer for both online and offline courses. You can read more about it here. If you would like to write a letter as well it need to be sent to negreg09@ed.gov the email address the Department Of Education has set up. Comments will be accepted up until June 23, 2009. Below my letter is the formula that your letter should follow. Lastly, contact your school or perspective school to see how this ruling that may not be decided till this Fall could possibly affect you in 2010.

Dear Department of Education,

I am a graduate of Ashford University’s online program and I am submitting my comments in regards to the DOE’s 34 CFR Chapter VI Negotiated Rulemaking. I would like to provide my experience in regards to the online program at Ashford and encourage you to take my email into consideration in your deliberations.

As recent graduate from Ashford my academic journey was fantastic. I transferred 68 credits and completed 52 credits in less than two years to earn a BA in Organizational Management. The cost of attending Ashford is far less than some schools that offer less in terms of education. For this reason now that I have finished my Bachelor’s I will pursue a Master’s starting in the Fall of 2009.

The 5-week schedule was perfect for me, and I would recommend it for anyone that wants to be in and out of school with no hassle. Going from one class to another with no break as well as knowing almost immediately what to expect from each class put my mind at ease allowing me to study.

Each class followed a simple formula. 2 discussion board posts per week, 1 quiz per week, and an 8-page paper due in week five. I graduated summa cum laude by simply following directions and not trying to bend things to my own personal desires.

The most important aspect of my time with Ashford was having the ability to apply the things that I learned directly to my small business. As an older student this was very important to me, because I did not want to waste time learning something that I could not apply immediately. Ashford University and its professors did a fabulous job of preparing me for my career goals.

I learned a lot from my interaction with the other students and professors at Ashford. I highly recommend Ashford University to anyone thinking of continuing their education. I was so impressed by my time at Ashford I started a blog that will not only detail my time with Ashford but will discuss the finer points of pursuing a degree online. http://distancetips.com.

I hope that your rulemaking will allow future students to have the same access, as I had, to an Ashford University education.

Sincerely,

Glen L Johnson

Dear Department of Education,

(This paragraph should be in your own words. Possible things to highlight in “your story”:

- The value of an online education – accessibility/flexibility

- Price/tuition affordability

- Transferability and definition of credits

- Accreditation

- Accelerated schedule

- Overall value of earning an advanced degree

- Quality of education)

Sincerely,

(Your name

Street Address

City/State/Zip)

Hunting for Distance Learning Scholarship Money

Glen — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:16:17 +0000

I have decided that I will be started grad school in pursuit of my MBA with an Entrepreneur specialty at Ashford University in the Fall. The stumbling block that I have encountered is finding some scholarship money. Patting myself on the back for a minute, I graduated with a 3.90 GPA so I think that I should be eligible for a scholarship from somebody. FYI: if there are any award committees out there that are willing to sponsor me in furthering my education that would be great. In return of course I would attend school and promote your program on this blog.

I emailed Ashford and was sent a list of scholarships that I will be going through and reporting on the process. I will report the good, bad, and ugly of the application process to hopefully help others in their financial aid journey. I hope the list helps you guys out. If anyone knows of any other ways to get funding for school please let me know.

www.wiredscholar.com
www.fastweb.com
www.finaid.org

www.srnexpress.com

1) Hispanic College Fund Scholarships www.hispanicfund.org

2) Student Inventors Scholarships http://www.invent.org/collegiate/

3) Student Video Scholarships
http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html

4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships
http://www.coca-colascholars.org/programs.html

5) Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships http://holocaust.hklaw.com/

6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships http://www.aynrand.org/contests/

7) Brand Essay Competition
http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.html

Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)
http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12

9) Xerox Scholarships for Students
http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xerox_detail.jsp

10) Sports Scholarships and Internships
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html

11) National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ)
http://www.nabj.org/html/studentsvcs.html

12) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary)
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr/jobs/stw.html

13) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/sk_v6.cfm

14) FinAid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid scholarships
http://www.finaid.org/

15) Presidential Freedom Scholarships
http://www.nationalservice.org/scholarships/

16) Microsoft Scholarship Program
http://www.microsoft.com/college/scholarships/minority.asp

17) WiredScholar Free Scholarship Search
http://www.wiredscholar.com/paying/scholarship_search/pay_scholarship_search.jsp

18) Hope Scholarships & Lifetime Credits
http://www.ed.gov/inits/hope/

19) William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship for Minority Students
http://www.apsanet.org/PS/grants/aspen3.cfm

20) Multiple List of Minority Scholarships
http://gehon.ir.miami.edu/financial-assistance/Scholarship/black.html

21) Guaranteed Scholarships http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/

22) BOEING scholarships (some HBCU connects)
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/educationrelations/scholarships

23) Easley National Scholarship Program
http://www.naas.org/senior.htm

24) Maryland Artists Scholarships http://www.maef.org/

26) Jacki Tuckfield Memorial Graduate Business Scholarship (for AA students in South Florida) http://www.jackituckfield.org/

27) Historically Black College & University Scholarships
http://www.iesabroad.org/info/hbcu.htm

28) Actuarial Scholarships for Minority Students
http://www.beanactuary.org/minority/scholarships.htm

29) International Students Scholarships & Aid Help
http://www.iefa.org/

30) College Board Scholarship Search
http://cbweb10p.collegeboard.org/fundfinder/html/fundfind01.html

31) Burger King Scholarship Program http://www.bkscholars.csfa.org/

32) Siemens Westinghouse Competition
http://www.siemens-foundation.org/

33) GE and LuLac Scholarship Funds
http://www.lulac.org/Programs/Scholar.html

34) CollegeNet’s Scholarship Database
http://mach25.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/M25/index

35) Union Sponsored Scholarships and Aid
http://www.aflcio.org/scholarships/scholar.htm

36) Federal Scholarships & Aid Gateways 25 Scholarship Gateways from Black Excel http://www.blackexcel.org/25scholarships.htm

37) Scholarship & Financial Aid Help
http://www.blackexcel.org/fin-sch.htm

38) Scholarship Links (Ed Finance Group)
http://www.efg.net/link_scholarship.htm

39) FAFSA On The Web (Your Key Aid Form & Info)
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

40) Aid & Resources For Re-Entry Students
http://www.back2college.com/

41) Scholarships and Fellowships
http://www.osc.cuny.edu/sep/links.html

42) Scholarships for Study in Paralegal Studies
http://www.paralegals.org/Choice/2000west.htm

43) HBCU Packard Sit Abroad Scholarships (for study around the world)
http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/packard_nomination.html

44) Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
http://ccmi.uchicago.edu/schl1.html

45) INROADS internships http://www.inroads.org/

46) ACT-SO bEURoe “Olympics of the Mind” B Scholarships
http://www.naacp.org/work/actso/act-so.shtml

47) Black Alliance for Educational Options Scholarships
http://www.baeo.org/options/privatelyfinanced.jsp

48) ScienceNet Scholarship Listing
http://www.sciencenet.emory.edu/undergrad/scholarships.html

49) Graduate Fellowships for Minorities Nationwide
http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/GRFN/list.phtml?category=MINORITIES

50) RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS AT OXFORD
http://www.rhodesscholar.org/info.html

51) The Roothbert Scholarship Fund http://www.roothbertfund.org

52) Undergraduate Summer Research Programs in Biology at Harvard, MIT and Washington University http://www.genetics.wustl.edu/rmlab/

53) BELL LABS FELLOWSHIPS FOR UNDER REPRESENTED MINORITIES
http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html

Also, here are links for student aid information, and also the link to the California Student Aid Commission.

http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html

http://www.csac.ca.gov/

US Army Chooses Ashford University as a Letter-of-Instruction School – Press Release

Glen — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:11:01 +0000

As an Ashford Alumni I couldn’t be more proud of my school and everything it will do to help out the men and women of the United States Army.

Ashford University has been selected by the U.S. Army for participation as a Letter-of-Instruction (LOI) school. As an LOI school, Ashford University will be listed on the GoArmyEd Web site (www.goarmyed.com) as a preferred learning institution for active-duty soldiers.

“Ashford University continues to focus on enhancing its military-friendly programs, raising the bar whenever possible,” said K.C. Haight, associate vice president of military and corporate development. “Becoming a GoArmyEd LOI school helps us to do that.”

GoArmyEd is a dynamic online portal designed for active-duty Army personnel who are interested in pursuing their college degrees. Labeled “a virtual gateway to education” by GoArmyEd, the site allows soldiers to manage their education via an easy-to-use and readily available Web site, immediately connecting them to things such as tuition assistance, distance learning options and course content.

Haight added, “The GoArmyEd system is automated, so a number of previously paper-based forms are now located online. Before that, everything had to be done through a soldier’s Army education counselor.”

While the focus of GoArmyEd’s site is on active-duty Army personnel, Ashford University also provides education benefits to all qualified military personnel including active-duty members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves. Additionally, Ashford University provides these same benefits to active-duty spouses, veterans or retirees who are utilizing VA benefits, vocational rehabilitation students, college-age spouses or dependents who are utilizing survivor benefits, and Department of Defense employees.

Ashford University’s low military enrollment fees were set up to match the tuition assistance that is available to all military personnel through the GI Bill. Qualifying students can receive up to $4,500 per year, which covers the cost of six online AU courses. Ashford University also waives the application and technology fees, and pays for all military students’ books and applicable shipping costs.

“An education is the greatest weapon we can offer our men and women in uniform, and we owe them the opportunity. I believe we should do everything in our power to provide them and their support system with a promising academic future,” Haight said.

About Ashford University
Founded in 1918, Ashford University is a coeducational higher education institution regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, with programs in education, business, accounting, criminal and social justice, computer animation and graphic design, and other areas. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a range of student activities and athletics, at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. Online degree programs are available in education, organizational management, business administration, and psychology. The University offers high quality yet highly affordable on-campus and online programs, with tuition fees among the lowest in the U.S. compared with other private institutions. Its tagline is: “Higher Education Made Affordable”SM. For more information, please contact Shari Rodriguez, director of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513 or visit www.ashford.edu.

Graduation is the Culmination of a Long Distance Learning Journey

Glen — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:11:33 +0000

This past weekend I attended the graduation ceremony in order to receive recognition of finishing my degree online from Ashford University. Even though I received my actual diploma in the mail weeks ago attending the ceremony was more about the accomplishment than the piece of paper signifying that I complete my BA in Organizational Management.

The drive from Arkansas to Iowa was hard but all the weariness left me when I stepped foot onto the campus and received my first honor which was the maroon and gold cord that showed my membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda the academic national honor society. Most of the rest of the first day was spent taping an interview for the schools recruiting drive and shopping in the campus bookstore. While I was telling my story I got pretty choked up talking about how my Ashford advisor Rhonda and my wife helped me out. Those that are taking classes online know that without a large support group then it makes it hard to focus on your classwork.

Talking to the other students who were part of the largest graduating class in school history was great. Our class represented 40 states and 6 countries. I thought me driving over 600 miles was tough but to know that people flew from as far away as Brazil I was floored. If that doesn’t let you know that no matter where you are from or what you are doing you can get your degree I don’t know what will.

Graduation day I was full of nerves. Getting to the school to check in was a breeze. I gave them my name and was given a card that showed that I graduated Summa Cum Laude and was given a second purple and gold cord to wear to show that honor. When I crossed that stage and turned the tassel from right to left letting everyone know that I was an official graduate I almost jumped for joy. The ceremony went by very fast for which I am eternally grateful and ended with all the graduates being given a alumni license plate frame and an Ashford lapel pin.

If it sounds like I am a walking advertisement for the school, you are correct. I worked hard and sacrificed alot to reach my goal of finishing my bachelors degree and will be starting my MBA journey in the Fall. To anyone that doubts that taking classes online is legit the proof is in the pudding. If I can do it anyone and everyone should do it too!

Research Papers & Distance Learning, Part Three

Glen — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:26:04 +0000

In Part One and Part Two of this three part series citations and parts of the overall paper were discussed. In this final section I will cover the one area that some returning students may have the most difficulty with. That part being the “voice” that they use while writing a college level research or term paper in a distance learning enviornment.

One thing that has not changed about writing papers in school is that you will need to eliminate all first person references. For example I, me, my, and mine are not to be used when writing an APA style paper unless permission is given by your instructor to do so. Considering the casual nature of blogging this was the biggest hurdle for me to jump when I first got started. Though the audience in most cases will just be your instructor writing your paper as if it is going to be printed in an academic journal and read by niche individuals should be your goal when you sit down to write.

If you just have to inject yourself into your paper using terms like, “this author” or “in this author’s opinion” are acceptable. The goal of writing papers on the undergraduate level is to show that you have an understanding of the topic that you are writing about not that you are an expert on the subject matter. This is the biggest area of seperation between traditional and distance learning. Regurgitation of facts is not the same as putting those facts into your own words to show that you fully understand the topic and know how to translate it to document form to present to your professor.

The tone of your “voice” should be that of educating your reader about the topic without preaching or assuming they know what you are talking about. Abstract subjects need a clear path and focused voice to get your points across. Concrete topics need to be structured in such a way to convey a new way of thinking about a familiar subject without duplicating facts already known.

Overall, the voice that you use for your papers should be your own. Most distance learning institutions advertise upfront that they use anti-plagirism software. Personally I have no knowledge of students being caught using someone elses work as a result of this tool, but it is just better all the way around if you make sure what you write is is in your own words, period.

Research Papers & Distance Learning, Part Two

Glen — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:52:34 +0000

Yesterday I talked about how different research papers on a college level can be. Today I am going to go over the different elements that will make up and APA style paper. Why APA? The majority of papers turned in to distance learning institutions will follow the APA style. Occasionally, on the graduate level MLA or Chicago will come into play.

If you include each of these elements in your paper and pay close attention to grammar, punctuation, and message there is a high chance that you will receive full credit for your work.

Format Sytle of and APA Research Paper

Software of choice for just about every college is Microsoft Word. The open source equivalent Open Office can also be used if you make sure that it is compatible with the format used by your school.
Margins are 1″ on the top, bottom, and right. 1 1/2″ on the left in case your paper will later be binded.
Double spacing is used throughout the paper. Indentations are typical for all paragraphs except for the paragraph on the abstract page.
Numbering begins on the title page with the number one in the upper right corner of the paper.
On the title page you will include the paper title, your full name, the title of the class, the instructors name, and the date.
On the Abstract page using at a maximum of 120 words introduce your subject, research method, findings and conclusion.
Beginning on the Body page restate your title. In this area the Thesis Statement or Method is introduced which basically informs the reader what they can expect in the body of the paper. This is also the area that cite quotations and block quotes go.
Typically you will have no need to include photos, tables, graphs, charts, etc. but if you do begin each on a separate page and number them consecutively.
The paper should conclude with a summary of the topic and give a glimpse into the future in regards to your subject.
The reference page is the last element of the paper showing all the works that you cited.

Typically research papers on the college level will be eight-pages of double spaced text. I have found in my experience using 12-point Arial type that 8 pages equals about 3000 words if you include all of the elements that I mentioned above. Sometimes you will write shorter or longer papers depending on the instructor, but you will always use these elements to create your paper.

These tips and more are fully explained in The Little Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises (MyCompLab Series) a book that should be at your side for every course that you take during your time in school.

Research Papers and Distance Learning, Part One

Glen — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:45:27 +0000

Do you remember footnotes, index cards and bibliographies? If you do chances are the last time that you wrote a research paper was in the late 80’s or early 90’s. During the time that most of us including me decided to work instead of going to school things changed in the way of writing term papers. Something called APA, MLA, and Chicago style came into being confusing the daylights out of most returning students.

In case your wondering what the alphabet of letters and the new style are be prepared to have most of what you knew about writing papers turned inside out in addition to how the paper is turned in.

APA

APA (American Psychological Association) is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. offers examples for the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page. For the most part this will be the format that you will most likely use in your distance learning environment.

Example:

APA Offers Tips on Managing Anxiety About Swine Flu. (27 April). PR Newswire,***[insert pages]***. Retrieved April 30, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Dateline database. (Document ID: 1688980841)

MLA

MLA style has been widely adopted by schools, academic departments, and instructors for over half a century. The association’s guidelines are also used by over 1,100 scholarly and literary journals, newsletters, and magazines and by many university and commercial presses.

Example:

“APA Offers Tips on Managing Anxiety About Swine Flu. ” PR Newswire 27 April 2009 ***[insert pages]*** ABI/INFORM Dateline. ProQuest. ***INSERT Library name or system, City, State***. 30 Apr. 2009

Chicago

The Chicago Manual of Style presents two basic documentation systems, the humanities style (notes and bibliography) and the author-date system. Choosing between the two often depends on subject matter and nature of sources cited, as each system is favored by different groups of scholars.

The humanities style is preferred by many in literature, history, and the arts. This style presents bibliographic information in notes and, often, a bibliography. It accommodates a variety of sources, including esoteric ones less appropriate to the author-date system.

Example:

APA Offers Tips on Managing Anxiety About Swine Flu. 2009. PR Newswire April 27 ***[insert pages]*** http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 30, 2009). (Author Date)

“APA Offers Tips on Managing Anxiety About Swine Flu.” PR Newswire 27 April2009 ***[insert pages]*** http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed April 30, 2009). (Humanities)

As you can see there is little difference between the three styles. This can get confusing which means that you will need a good reference tool by your side to get you through your classes. The Little Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises (MyCompLab Series) became my best friend very fast becasue it gave detailed informtion on all three styles and the elements needed to successfully write a paper on a college level.

In part two of this three part series I will cover the specific components of a research paper on the college level.

10 Tools Distance Learners Should Know About

Glen — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:09:14 +0000

When it comes to distance learning there are many tools that can help but there are a few essential tools that even if you have a fundamental knowledge of you are virtually guaranteed success. Just being aware that such things exist gives you a leg up.

Message boards – Think of Yahoo Groups on steroids. Message boards allow users to post topics and members to reply to the topic. Being familiar with the message board format will get you ready to tackle Blackboard.
Blogs - The fact that you are reading this post says that you are aware of what a blog is. If you want to take it a step further you can start a blog of your own at either Blogger.com or Wordpress.com (I am partial to Wordpress myself).
RSS Feeds – I am sure that you have seen the little orange or blue icon that signal newsfeed subscriptions. But did you know that you can read those feeds in a news reader or in your email? Subscribing to the Distance Tips feed and reading it in readers like Google Reader will allow you to keep up with your favorite blogs and news sites.
Social Networking – More school officials are learning to go where the students are by making a presence on social networking sites like Twitter. Capella University has a large following on Twitter. My school Ashford has a good following on Facebook.
Youtube – Lectures from professors can be uploaded to sites like this to allow students and instructors to connect.
Instant Messaging – Though I am not as into Im’ing as I was years ago there is still a use for it in today’s distance learning environment. Yahoo, AOL and Google all have great instant messaging programs.
Podcasts – Lots of students young and old have Ipod’s or Mp3 players. In the distance learning environment assignments can be downloaded to your favorite player and listened to accordingly.
Web Based Collaboration – Tools found in Google Accounts like documents, presentation, maps, etc. allow students to work together regardless of location.
Smart phones – Classroom access via cell phones is a reality with the success of the Blackboard app for the Iphone. Expect to see more distance learning available this way.
Web Browsers – Internet Explorer is the most popular browser but there are others Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome. Knowing about at least two of these browsers will help you out in case you cannot access the classroom for some reason in the regular browser you always use. I personally used Firefox and Google Chrome but most classrooms are built to work best with IE, thank goodness that is changing.

Not one item listed above is required, but if you want to have a smooth successful journey into distance education it will help you out to be somewhat familiar with these tools.