MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Oct. 31, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Education directors at associations and companies now have an easy way to find expert lecturers for their online education programs when they use WebinarGuestFinder.com, a free service.

"Many companies and associations that have educational programs need to find qualified experts to teach classes in distance education settings, such as webinars, teleseminars and podcasts," said Dan Janal, president of WebinarGuestFinder.com. "This new service is totally free for education directors."

To find guest lecturers, education directors simply sign up for the service and describe the kinds of lecturers and subject topics they are looking for. A personal, client service representative will be assigned to find experts who can teach the classes. There is no limit to the number of experts or topics. Seminar can be scheduled at any time for any time in the future.

Guest lecturers are not paid to present their classes. They do this to get exposure inside the organization.

"Lecturers want to do free seminars for associations and companies so they can 'audition' for possible paid speaking engagements or consulting or coaching," said Janal. "Other experts want to present information to spread their ideas and build influence. It's a win-win for everyone."

For information, go to http://www.WebinarGuestFinder.com.

About WebinarGuestFinder.com

WebinarGuestFinder.com was founded in 2012 by Internet entrepreneur Dan Janal, considered one of the Founding Fathers of Internet Marketing and Publicity. His PR LEADS services has helped thousands of authors, experts, speakers, coaches, consultants and small businesses get publicity in thousands of media outlets in the U.S. and across the world.

This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/10/prweb10071148.htm

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Education Directors Can Find Guest Lecturers With New WebinarGuestFinder.com Service

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --K12 Inc., the nation's leading provider of proprietary curricula and online education programs for students in pre-kindergarten through high school, today announced the winners of its 2012 Transformation Award, which recognizes schools, districts, and organizations that partner with K12 and have transformed education for their students through innovative online programs. Each winner was selected for a unique practice that resulted in improving the overall effectiveness, efficiency and success of online learning, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110113/PH29436LOGO )

The winners were honored last week at the Virtual School Symposium, a conference hosted by the International Association of K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), in New Orleans, Louisiana. The awards were presented by John Olsen, Executive Vice President of Operations for K12, who said, "This year's Transformation Award winners are true stand-outs, as they are making their visions of individualized learning for their students a reality. We are very proud of what each winner has been able to accomplish through online learning." The following are K12's 2012 Transformation Award recipients:

A.B. Graham Academy (Ohio) Award Winner for Combining Blended Learning with Hands-on Support to Raise District Performance

Located in the nation's heartland, A.B. Graham Academy is a full-time, blended middle and high school with a state-wide charter. Since 2009, the school has provided the Aventa Learning by K12 online curriculum, along with access to five computer labs, to approximately 140 students each year. The school uniquely combines face-to-face instruction by district teachers within the school lab and classroom environments, allowing students to go at their own pace and still get hands-on help when needed. This model enables both teachers and students to focus on education by minimizing the day-to-day distractions that middle and high school students usually battle. Since implementing Aventa three years ago, the school has raised its District Performance Index, a measure of academic performance determined by the Ohio Board of Education.

Alexandria City Public Schools (Virginia) Award Winner for Increasing Learning Options and Graduation Rates by Further Extending Learning Opportunities

In 2010, the Virginia Department of Education designated T.C. Williams High School of Alexandria a persistently lowest achieving (PLA) school. With more than 3,000 students in grades 9-12, T.C. Williams has a vastly diverse student population including more than 50 percent of students eligible for free or reduced meals and more than 20 percent requiring English Language Learner (ELL) services. Further, the schools' population has grown steadily annually as a result of the school division's nearly 25 percent increase in enrollment over the past five years. As part of its transformation plan to address PLA issues, the school implemented a full program of online courses that include Advanced Placement (AP), core, electives, world languages, online tutoring, and health and life skills using the K12 family of curricula.In addition, Alexandria City Public Schools launched the T.C. Satellite Campus, the first comprehensive, non-traditional satellite high school campus in the metropolitan area. The satellite program provides an online curriculum, flexible scheduling, internships, and one-on-one interaction with content-specific learning coaches, all designed to help students that need to balance family or work obligations, or who want to accelerate their learning. Last year, the school's dropout rate fell, and 84 percent of graduates went on to college. This year, AP enrollment is at an all-time high.

Provo City School District (Utah) Award Winner for Leveraging Online Learning Success to Give Local Students a Global Outlook

Providing online learning for just three years, the Provo City School District has already been recognized by the state of Utah for the Provo eSchool, the district's highly successful full-time online and blended school for grades K-12. However, determined to arm its students with the skills they need to be competitive in a 21st Century global marketplace, the district was challenged to offer its students world languages. With limited resources, and its geographic location between two larger school districts, the district found that attracting and retaining qualified world language teachers was not easy, and not cost-effective for those languages that garner lower enrollment. Last year, the school decided to launch the Elite Language Academy, which offers students throughout the state multiple dual immersion and online programs spanning seven languages. The Elite Language Academy is based on curriculum from Middlebury Interactive Languages, a K12 subsidiary. Today, more than 400 students are taking world languages through the Elite Language Academy and Provo eSchool.

Salinas Union High School District (California) Award Winner for Flexible Time and Place Learning Options Raise District-Wide Credit Completion among At-Risk Students

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K12 Inc. Names the 2012 Transformation Award Winners for Innovative Use of Online Learning

Following pilot programs, Antioch University students will be able to take Coursera-provided courses for credit.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs), such as those provided by Coursera, Udacity, and edX, have risen in popularity in the past year by offering thousands of students courses from top-ranked colleges and universities at no cost to the user. The selling point for students had been an increased knowledge base and a certificate of completion.

Now, due to a licensing deal between Coursera, a for-profit online education provider, and Antioch University, Antioch students will be able to take certain Coursera offerings for college credit, at a cost less than a traditional, per-credit-hour course.

"Through this new partnership, Antioch University and the Antioch UniversityLos Angeles campus can reduce student costs to complete a four-year degree and expand course offerings through free online courses offered by the highly respected universities that have partnered with Coursera," noted an Antioch press release announcing the deal.

[See options for free online education programs.]

Coursera, which has partnered with 33 universities thus far to provide free courses on its platform, enters new territory in this deal with Antiochwhich becomes the first partner institution to provide Coursera courses for college credit. In this licensing deal, Antioch will pay Coursera an unspecified sum in return for the ability to use several courses delivered through the platform.

"Our hope is that this is a usage model that Antioch was the first to embrace, but that we're going to see at other academic institutions over the course of the coming year," says Daphne Koller, cofounder of Coursera. "This is a very high-quality curriculum that our partner universities have put together, and it offers up opportunities for academic institutions to provide a much better education to their own students."

In early October, Antioch UniversityLos Angeles launched a pilot program where students could enroll in one of two Coursera courses for creditModern and Contemporary American Poetry and Greek and Roman Mythologydeveloped by the University of Pennsylvania. In this pilot, Antioch is testing a course where a faculty member enrolls with his or her students and oversees progress and also interacts with students in a Coursera-created discussion group.

"I think there is a lot of value to be gained if you have the opportunity to have your interactions facilitated by an instructor who is an expert in the field and capable of answering questions," Koller adds.

[Learn why interest in online courses could be peaking.]

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Antioch University to Offer Online Coursera Courses for Credit

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --An increasing number of college students choose online education and the flexibility it offers them for scheduling as the method for earning degrees and certifications.

To better serve those interested in online learning, U.S. News University Directory now offers a Guide to Online Education that is available as a free download on the U.S. News University Directory website.

The need for a Guide to Online Education became clear as technological advances have improved online delivery platforms, making education possible for millions of students around the globe. In addition, more top-tier colleges and universities are offering online courses and degree programs, so students have greater access to high-quality education no matter where they live.

According to a study published by Babson Survey Research Group in 2010, nearly 30% of higher education students take at least one course online. An estimated 6 million students are enrolled in online courses.

However, as online education grows, the choices of programs and schools can be overwhelming.

"It can be confusing to navigate through the storm of information out there about online education and make the choice that is best for you," said Matthew Speer, Director of Sales and Marketing for U.S. News University Connection. "We're excited to offer our free Guide to Online Education to help people understand their options and give them the information they need to make informed decisions."

The U.S. News University Directory Guide to Online Education provides valuable information for future students, including:

The Guide to Online Education also provides links and toll-free telephone numbers students can access for assistance in finding the right online school. Interested students may visit U.S. News University Directory to download the free guide and begin the search for online opportunities.

About U.S. News University Directory

U.S. News University Directory provides comprehensive and unbiased information on more than 1,900 academic institutions directly from U.S. News & World Report, the most trusted source for college and university rankings since 1983. Prospective students can search America's best colleges and America's best graduate schools offering associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's and MBA degrees, doctoral and PhD degrees, and certificate programs. And because U.S. News is the leading ranking resource for anyone seeking an on-campus or online degree, students who use the directory can be confident that they are getting the best education advice and information available.

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Free Guide to Online Education Available from U.S. News University Directory

The US state of Minnesota has backed away from a policy that would have banned providers of free web-based higher education from offering courses to its residents.

Last week, El Reg reported that online education startup Coursera was forced to add a clause to its terms of service forbidding Minnesotans from taking its courses, after that state's Office of Higher Education warned it that Coursera's activities violated Minnesota's consumer protection laws.

The only way to continue to offer its courses to Minnesota residents, Coursera was reportedly told, was for each of its 33 university partners to register to offer educational services within the state, at a cost of $1,200 per year plus an initial fee.

On Monday, however, Larry Pogemiller, director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, was in full spin-control mode.

"Obviously, our office encourages lifelong learning and wants Minnesotans to take advantage of educational materials available on the Internet, particularly if they're free," Pogemiller said in a statement emailed to The Register.

Previously, Minnesota officials had made the case that the state's registration law applied equally to online and brick-and-mortar institutions, regardless of whether they charged for their courses.

The idea of the law is to protect Minnesotans from wasting their money or even their time on low-quality degree programs. But although Coursera offers high-quality course materials developed by top universities worldwide, it neither charges for its courses nor offers credits toward degrees.

In his statement, Pogemiller acknowledged that the company's innovative model made it a new kind of educational resource not envisioned by Minnesota's decades-old law. As such, he said, the Office of Higher Education had no plans to take action against either Coursera or its users.

"No Minnesotan should hesitate to take advantage of free, online offerings from Coursera," Pogemiller wrote.

As far as we know, only Coursera has butted heads with Minnesota over its registration law thus far. Other online-learning startups, such as edX and Udacity, have not reported similar troubles. But the issue may soon be moot, as Pogemiller says the law is due for a refresh.

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Minnesota backpedals from online education ban

The Global Autism Project offers convenient continuing education online lessons to behavior analysts in the U.S. and abroad. Access them at globalautismproject.org.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 24, 2012

ABA remains the only evidence-based treatment for autism spectrum disorder. It is often recommended that these services be delivered by professionals with board certification in behavior analysis. This certification requires coursework and supervision, along with continuing education after certification is given.

Given these factors, the demand for behavior analysis is increasing. With the rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder, along with changes in insurance law, finding the time to attend conferences can be a challenge. "I know that as a working mom, it was nearly impossible for me," says Global Autism Project Clinical Director Ann Beirne, "Even when we do find the time, finding new and exciting continuing education courses can be difficult."

The Global Autism Project would like to announce that the benefit of their experience is now available to anyone seeking to maintain board certification in behavior analysis as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA). These courses are available completely online and can be taken anytime after purchase, allowing professionals the flexibility to fulfill their continuing education requirements without taking time from their work. The first of their course offerings, Cultural Sensitivity and Evidence Based Practice has been well received and is now required of our global volunteer program (SkillCorps) team members.

Whether you are seeking to maintain certification, expand your skills, or simply learn more about services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder around the world, these courses offer a unique perspective. To access them, simply go to the courses page.

Molly Pinney Molly Ola Pinney (718) 764-8226 Email Information

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Global Autism Projects Announces Online Continuing Education Units

While Minnesota Office of Higher Education banned its residents from using Coursera, a free online college course provider, Boston University students said online education adds a new dimension to learning that is possible with current technology.

The online environment can be very good for more thoughtful communications, more reflecting and interactive communications, said School of Education professor David Whittier.

Coursera offers about 200 courses in topics including business, humanities, medicine, biology and computer science, all online and free of charge. However, taking these online courses does not result in a degree from a university.

Coursera was banned in Minnesota because it never had permission to operate there from the state government, according to Courseras website.

Although online learning adds to the educational experience, Whittier said it is no replacement for classroom learning.

When you meet together in a classroom with people, there is an exchange of energy between people, he said. By having a hybrid learning experience, you can try to capture the advantages of both forms.

Online forums provide information exchange and document repository for reflective discussions, Whittier said. The classroom allows students and teachers to build social intelligence and interpersonal interactions.

Some students said they support online courses and learning for its valuable flexibility and accessibility.

A lot of adults in higher education, if they work, need some alternate to day classes in classrooms, said Erin Robinson, a School of Social Work graduate student.

Some members of the BU community also said taking online courses, such as those offered by Coursera, is helpful for students who want to academically branch out.

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Minn. ruling highlights online classes

Free online education platform Coursera says they are education for everyone. But after a decision by one U.S. state, they may have to throw an almost into that motto.

In a truly baffling display of governmental ignorance, the state of Minnesota has outlawed Coursera. Yes, the state of Minnesota has outlawed free, online education. As The Chronicle of Higher Education reports it, the ban cites a decades-old law that forces educational institutions to get permission from the state before they begin operating there.

A spokesperson for Minnesotas Office of Higher Education defended the declaration by saying,

This has been a longtime requirement in Minnesota (at least 20 years) and applies to online and brick-and-mortar postsecondary institutions that offer instruction to Minnesota residents as part of our overall responsibility to provide consumer protection for students.

From Courseras standpoint, the Minnesota law focuses on degree-granting programs which Coursera is not. Of course, a decades-old law would not have been able to foresee free, online education providers but it begs the questions: Why would the state expand the scope of the law to include them?

Adding to the odd nature of the decision, its entirely unclear how the state plans to enforce the new law. And its also unclear whether the state has included other similar online education services like edX and Udacity in its ban.

Either way, Coursera has done their part to inform Minnesota residents of the decree. Theyve posted this in their terms:

Coursera has been informed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education that under Minnesota Statutes (136A.61 to 136A.71), a university cannot offer online courses to Minnesota residents unless the university has received authorization from the State of Minnesota to do so. If you are a resident of Minnesota, you agree that either (1) you will not take courses on Coursera, or (2) for each class that you take, the majority of work you do for the class will be done from outside the State of Minnesota.

Sorry, Minnesotans who wish to expand their knowledge. Im sure you can find everything you need to know on Facebook.

Coursera was launched earlier this year by computer science professors from Stanford University. As of today, knowledge-seekers can access 198 different courses in 18 different categories ranging from biology to business & management, from economics to engineering. Coursera currently boasts 33 University partners.

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Minnesota Gets Tough on the Enemy That Is Free, Online Education

After three semesters debating hot-button issues like smoking policy, the Reserve Officers Training Corps, and public course evaluations, the University Senate continued its quiet semester Friday with a plenary largely consumed by updates on online education and the new data sciences institute.

Sree Sreenivasan, Columbias newly appointed chief digital officer, told senators about Columbias efforts to establish a presence in the growing world of online education. Several Columbia schoolsincluding the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Continuing Education, and Teachers Collegehave offered online courses for years, and next semester the University is offering its first two massive open online courses, or MOOCs, through Coursera.

This is part of whats a growing movement in higher education, Sreenivasan said. We want whatever we do to be thoughtful, strategic, sustainable, without locking into the current technology and keeping with Columbias brands and strengths.

Still, some concerns remain about Columbias impending entry into the online marketplace. University Senator Paige West, an anthropology professor, asked Sreenivasan how online courses might affect intellectual property rights, cultural hostility towards higher education, grading, and Columbias brand.

Im thinking of the people in the courses taking the intellectual property that belongs to Columbia and the faculties and reproducing it in ways that we would not be particularly happy with, West said.

Sreenivasan didnt address Wests question about intellectual property, although he assured her that neither professors nor teaching assistants would be responsible for grading the work of the up to 30,000 students who might be enrolled in a MOOC. Instead, he said, grading will largely be done by computer, even for written work, such as essays.

Sharyn OHalloran, the chair of the senates executive committee, said that she didnt want to get into a conversation about intellectual property rights for online courses. O'Halloran is the chair of a senate task force examining online education.

Thats very much an emerging field, and I think we are going to talk about best practices for individuals and for the University in relation to this, she said.

Sreenivasan added that MOOCs are only part of what he envisions as the future of online education at Columbia. He said that administrators are looking into expanding online components for a wide variety of traditional courses, as well as utilizing the flipped classroom model, in which students learn the material at home through the Internet and then participate in hands-on activities during class time.

Also at the plenary, Assistant Vice President of Benefits Fiona McLennan described professors and administrators health care options. McLennan reviewed the changes to this years policies, which include expanded access to child care subsidies and increased reimbursement for out-of-network services.

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University Senate plenary focuses on online education

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Charles Schwab is expanding its education program for active traders by providing live online access to the next Schwab Trader Day. For the first time, active traders will be able to participate in this in-person event by streaming live workshops on essential trading topics and visiting the virtual exhibit hall directly from their home computers.

To navigate todays markets, our active trader clients tell us they want to expand their knowledge of trading strategies and deepen their understanding of the trading tools that are available to them, said Brian McDonald, Senior Vice President of Active Trader at Charles Schwab. Schwab Trader Day is just one element of our robust education offering, and by bringing this event to a virtual online environment, well be able to offer valuable insights and information to more participants than ever before.

Schwab Trader Day will take place on Saturday, October 20, 2012, in Santa Clara, California. Those interested in attending the free virtual event can visit http://www.schwab.com/traderday to sign up. The selection of workshops and demonstrations available online from the in-person event include:

Between workshops, online participants can download event materials from the Resource Library and visit the virtual Exhibit Hall to chat with Schwab reps. Online platform demos of Schwabs flagship active trading platform, StreetSmart Edge, will also be available.

McDonald noted that Schwabs educational events are continuing to increase in popularity among traders, with more than 3,000 active traders already registered for this virtual event.

Schwabs virtual Trader Day event is the latest enhancement to the educational resources available to Schwab clients, all free of charge. In addition to periodic Trader Days that are hosted around the country each year to help educate active traders and improve their skills with a variety of educational workshops and exhibits, Schwab also offers live in-branch educational workshops, live online workshops and on-demand online webinars. TheSchwab Learning Center provides clients with access to a broad range of educational contentat various skill levels and delivery methods, all in an easy-to-navigate, central location whereclients canfind articles, prerecorded seminars, live events and online webcasts. Within the Learning Center, clients can access an Active Tradercatalog that provides clients with educational resources on a range of trading topics tailored to traders.

For more information, or to register online for the Schwab Trader Day, please visit http://www.schwab.com/traderday. For more information about Schwabs active trader education offering, visit http://www.schwabat.com/education.

About Charles Schwab

The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) is a leading provider of financial services, with more than 300 offices and 8.7 million active brokerage accounts, 1.5 million corporate retirement plan participants, 844,000 banking accounts, and $1.89 trillion in client assets. The company was ranked Highest in Investor Satisfaction With Self-Directed Services in the 2012 US Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction StudySM from J.D Power and Associates. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, http://www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; compliance and trade monitoring solutions; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through its Advisor Services division. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender), provides trust and custody services, banking and mortgage services and products. Investment products offered by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or obligations of Charles Schwab Bank, and are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of principal invested. More information is available at http://www.schwab.com and http://www.aboutschwab.com.

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Schwab to Take Trader Education Virtual with Live Online Streaming of “Schwab Trader Day”