BAKERSFIELD, CA - Each morning, students head to classrooms to learn the day's lessons, but one school is providing children with the same education in a different environment. California Virtual Academies, or CAVA, allows students to learn through online classrooms, in the comfort of their own homes.

Second grade student Dinhora Ogutu is learning the same things as other kids her age, but her classroom is a little different. CAVA provides students with the same K-12 curriculum they'd have in a public school - but they access it online.

Ogutu said, "I like to learn everything at home, like I could learn everything."

"It is really school at home. We are a free and public education. So, we're transferring that public education into a home environment where you still have a credentialed teacher, you have lesson plans, we lay out the curriculum for you, it's not pick or choose," said CAVA teacher Erin Reyes.

Students must complete daily assignments and meet in a virtual classroom multiple times a week.

Reyes said parent involvement in the process is the key to the student's success. Luana Ogutu said she wanted to be able to spend more time with her daughter and know what she was learning in school.

Ogutu said, "When I was growing up I didn't have the support and when I would bring my homework home my parents didn't understand it. I just didn't want my daughter to go through that. I wanted to be part of it, I wanted to be able to explain to her, give her all the answers."

Through CAVA, she has the opportunity to facilitate the learning process at home.

CAVA provides education from kindergarten through high school. The Ogutu family says they plan to continue the program through 12th grade.

Originally posted here:
Local students take part in online education

NEW YORK, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- China Education International, Inc. (CEII) (the "Company"), with the goal of managing and operating private schools and educational organizations worldwide, today announced that it has entereda letter of intent to acquire Edu Cloud, Inc. ("EDUX"), a New York based corporation.

EDUX is a multi-functional online education provider and is in active process of building up online education platform by providing access and technique support to users of the online education platform, including both students subscribers and individuals and schools who offer online education and classes. EDUX's mission is to an open education platform to provide one-stop education service, a combination of e-commerce, online education and operating management, to provide high quality online courses and learning services to anyone who wants to learn, and to provide online teaching system for anyone who wants to teach.

China Education's President and Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Liu, commented on the letter of intent, "We are particularly pleased to have this opportunity to acquire EDUX. Over the last several years, the founders of EDUX have created a unique business model to develop an open online education platform. We believe such platform will be in high market demand with promising potential market development. We believe such acquisition will elevate our company to the next level and create substantial shareholder value for years to come."

Disclosure Notice: This press release contains forward looking statements which identify important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical facts and that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, indicated through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "believes" and "projects") may be forward-looking and may involve estimates and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. This press release is qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factor disclosures contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

CONTACT: Lisa Liu CEO INFO@CHINAEDUCATIONINTL.COM TELEPHONE: +1.212.682.6607

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China Education International Enters a Letter of Intent to Acquire Edu Cloud, Inc.

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Australia's leader in online education, Open Universities Australia (OUA), today unveils its new, free online education venture, Open2Study.

Demonstrating a high quality free online education experience, Open2Study is a new dimension in online learning, unlike anything else currently available worldwide.

"Open2Study isn't a me-too MOOC; its objective is not merely attracting massive enrolments. It's the next evolution in online learning, centred on student success," says Paul Wappett, OUA CEO.

Open2Study provides an engaging and compelling education based on a comprehensive pedagogical model that recognises online learners behave differently, and have different needs from on-campus learners.

"With over 20 years in the industry, we're confident we know the online student. Open2Study offers the best possible digital environment and techniques to help students understand what's being taught," says Mr Wappett.

A mixture of six to ten minute videos, animations, simulations and quizzes, designed using high production values, set a high standard for the online education experience.

"Subjects are based on our research into demand, so we're offering what people want to study. They range from Financial Planning to Strategic Management and are completed in just four weeks," says Mr Wappett.

"What's more, our subjects avoid overly technical subject matter traditionally associated with some MOOCs. They are designed for everyone, irrespective of educational background and are taught by leading academics from universities, vocational providers and industry experts.

"Anyone can enrol online today it takes less than 30 seconds. The subjects are relevant to students worldwide.

"Students won't pay a cent there are no hidden costs for textbooks, student admin or exams. Everything required to pass will be provided at no cost," says Mr Wappett.

Continued here:
Australia sets the scene for free online education

Democratic senator Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento, California has introduced Senate Bill 520, which is designed to help advance the viability of online higher education as a whole due to ongoing research that shows online courses can significantly lower failure rates of students enrolled in entry-level courses as well as prevent bottleneck conditions that may inhibit the ability of students to take certain classes that are necessary for obtaining a degree.

(PRWEB) March 26, 2013

According to OnlineSchool.com, the bill proposes that providers of online courses have the ability to propose selected courses to a specialized committee where these courses can be approved for submission to a clearinghouse at the state level. There, students who need these courses but previously experienced problems getting into the courses can enroll in them and receive college credit from UC, CSU or California Community Colleges. With passage of this bill, Steinberg hopes to remedy California's skyrocketing demand for higher education and remove obstacles that threaten to devastate the state's ability to provide higher education in a timely manner to all who desire it.

Key points of the bill include:

1. Providing a list of lower-division classes that are considered over-subscribed and difficult to access

2. Allowing students to enroll online in these courses when such courses are unavailable from a traditional college or university

3. Offering students access to a state-level pool of approved courses that would provide full academic credit at CCC, UC or CSU

OnlineSchool.com also reports that the passage of Senator Steinberg's Senate Bill 520 in California may pave the way for other states to take a deeper interest in the burgeoning popularity of traditional and online universities that offer two, four and six-year degree programs. Implementation of SB 520 will also help create standards for other states to follow regarding the use of an elected council comprised of education professionals who are familiar with academic and student-oriented problems commonly affecting distance learning programs. Additional goals of such a council would be to initiate a statewide framework of policies and resolutions designed to eliminate inconsistencies existing among campus systems.

Additionally, SB 520 would also demand that the council consider a wide variety of issues relevant to the online education experience, such as the depth of student/faculty interaction involved in suggested online courses and ways to reduce the possibility of compromised examinations given online. SB 520 further recommends that student completion rates, retention rates and enrollment figures are tracked for each school that offers online courses in order to facilitate continuous assessment of the bill in regards to the success of students seeking higher education degrees.

By following this council-managed, structured process of creating and acknowledging in-demand, online courses provided by public universities and colleges, California represents the exemplar for other states to begin taking proactive approaches to regulating online education in order to avert low-quality, unaccredited diploma mill-type schools from cheapening the rapid increase in the number of online colleges and universities. For more information about earning a degree online, visit Onlineschool.com for articles, resources, degree descriptions and helpful suggestions concerning the distance learning experience.

Continued here:
Online Higher Education Receives Support from Senate Bill 520, as reported by OnlineSchool.com

ATLANTA, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --As many American workers look for less-costly alternatives to traditional education, online education, considered a game-changing trend for 2013,i isbecoming a viable option. When offered by their employers through an employee purchase program as a voluntary benefit, online education gives employees an affordable way to attain first-year and catch-up college degree programs for themselves, and a variety of tutoring and SAT/ACT preparation courses for their family members.

According to a nationwide survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Purchasing Power from January 23-25, 2013, among 2,160 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, of whom 1,151 are employed full-time and/or whose spouse is employed full-time, 53 percent of these workers/spouses of workers reported they would be at least somewhat likely to pursue educational services for themselves or their family if those educational services were available through an employee purchase program.

A new white paper released today by Purchasing Power, "Knowledge is Power: Using Voluntary Benefits that Empower Employees with Education," uses proprietary and industry research to explore educational services as a new, much-needed voluntary benefit. The paper examines the financial crisis that traditional education is undergoing, the resulting surge in popularity of online education programs, the ability to access educational services through voluntary benefits such as employee purchase programs, and the advantages of doing so for both employees and employers.

"Empowering employees with education benefits can be a valuable addition to the benefits package," says Richard Carrano, President and CEO, Purchasing Power. "Many employers currently provide some form of tuition assistance, but now they can offer a variety of learning options for employees and their families as a voluntary benefit, without further burdening their benefits budget. Non-traditional voluntary benefits like these are becoming increasingly popular with employees because they address employees' real-world lifestyles and financial needs," he adds.

A survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 2012 and 2013 found adults who are employed full-time and/or whose spouse is employed full-time indicate that educational services are important to them and that they would consider using a voluntary benefit an employee purchase program to access those educational services.ii

The cost of obtaining a college education is escalating and because the out-of-pocket burden of such an expense is too much for most individuals to afford, alternative sources of capital are often sought to fund educational endeavors. Ninety-four percent of students use student loans to earn a bachelor's degree. The total value of student loan debt has passed $1 trillion.iii This is higher than the $692 billion of combined credit card and auto loan debt.

"Offered as part of an employee purchase program, educational services, such as Purchasing Power's Learning Solutions, are a more affordable alternative for employees to fund education for themselves and their family members," Carrano explains. "Employees pay for these services through convenient payroll deductions over 12 months, providing a responsible way to budget and the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Thus, employees can invest in their future and advance their career," he concludes.

The complete white paper "Knowledge is Power: Using Voluntary Benefits that Empower Employees with Education" is available in the Employer Resources section on the Purchasing Power website.

About Purchasing Power, LLC Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Purchasing Power is one of the fastest-growing specialty e-retailers in the market offering a leading voluntary benefit program. Purchasing Power differentiates itself from traditional e-commerce retailers through its unique payment plan value proposition, strategic benefit broker partnerships, internal marketing expertise and superior customer service. Purchasing Power is a Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC Company. Over 6 million people have access to Purchasing Power, and since it was founded in 2001, the company has fulfilled over $950 million in customer orders from employees and members of leading companies and organizations across the U.S., including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.PurchasingPower.com

iInc., "Seven Things You Need to Know about 2013," Adam Bluestein. ii Online Harris Interactive survey on behalf of Purchasing Power, Jan. 25-27, 2012, among 2,099 U.S. adults, of whom 700 are employed full-time and/or whose spouse is employed full-time and Jan. 23-25, 2013, among 2,160 U.S adults, of whom 1,151 are employed full-time and/or whose spouse is employed full-time. iii Reuters.com, "Counterparties: America's Trillion-Dollar Student Debt Burden," Ben Walsh, May 14, 2012.

Link:
Online Education Services Added to Employee Benefits Packages Pay Off for Employees and Employers

For the first time, state legislators in the United States may require their public universities to grant students credit for online courses given by outside providers.

A bill introduced in the California Senate would extend this concession only when a required class is full and not offered online at the college. The legislation, which is expected to be adopted in some form, has been hailed nationally as a leap for massive open online courses MOOCs, for short.

Advocates pitch MOOCs as classes for the masses, enabling a resident of, say, the Gobi Desert to study nuclear physics. Those who oppose the spread of such an idealistic movement are dismissed as Luddites who wish to restrict higher education to a privileged few. But if altruism is the driver, why were two major purveyors of MOOCs, Coursera Inc. and Udacity Inc., established as for-profit companies? (A third new venture, edX, is a not-for-profit consortium.)

One cant blame public officials for looking for cheaper modes of instruction. The ventures can also generate revenue for colleges that market their content to the online vendors.

But the U.S. university system is a national crown jewel, one of few remaining advantages we have over our economic competitors. We should carefully consider the quality of the MOOCs before eviscerating this sector for some shortsighted gain. Rather than giving more young Americans a quicker path to a college degree, we might end up dumbing down the value of that piece of paper.

Even a cursory look at typical Web-based courses shows them to be just that cursory. They tend to teach mere outlines of the subject, lacking the thought-provoking nature of a curriculum delivered in person. In exams, MOOCs often replace probing essays or mathematical analysis with simple multiple-choice questions.

In fairness, the MOOC companies offer a number of interesting specialty courses, valuable for nonstudents wishing to acquire an overview of the subject matter. Yet caution is required as MOOC leaders seek full university credit for many of their courses.

Consider the University of Pennsylvania calculus course offered through Coursera, one of the first MOOCs approved for college credit by the American Council on Education. The material is attractively presented, but there is a total of only 15 hours of lecture for the entire course compared with about 45 hours for the regular Penn calculus course. Are the MOOC advocates really claiming the same quality is achieved? And though the homework problems are good, there are far fewer of them than in a traditional class.

Also disturbing are the grade distributions in the Penn MOOC calculus exams: Instead of the usual bell-shaped curve, the grades are skewed far to the right, with the most common scores being perfect or almost so. Although Coursera might interpret this as validating the effectiveness of the MOOC approach, the more likely explanation is that it reflects the lighter demands placed on the students.

Some proponents of online instruction have claimed that it could act as a leveler for the poor, whose high schools have few or no Advanced Placement courses. This may ease liberal guilt, but its a cruel hoax. Lacking the academic street smarts of the more privileged students, disadvantaged young people need the face-to-face educational experience even more. For this population, the chances of passing the Advanced Placement calculus exam based on a MOOC are probably very slim.

The rest is here:
Online education : college lite by the byte

Training Excercise Leads To Police Response Posted by Ivetta Babadjanian on Mar 25, 2013 - 1:10:36 PM

SANTA MONICAA fake suspicious package was left on a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus from a security training exercise that took place over the weekend which led to a police response on Monday, March 25.

Photo courtesy of Big Blue Bus.

The weekend training exercise involved buses from Santa Monica, Torrance, Culver City and Montebello as a part of a Roadeo competition. The event was to assess bus drivers' skills such as diligence in performing a pre-trip inspection of their bus and identifying suspicious items.

A total of four Big Blue Buses were involved in the Roadeo and two of the fake packages, described as black duffle bags, were not removed before the buses continued their normal routes on Monday.

The area was temporarily closed to traffic, but has since been reopened.

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Canyon News - Bus Training Excercise Leads To Police Response

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQnweTuvunU

Sexy Carl #39;s Jr Ad Featuring Heidi Klum #39;s Cleavage And See Through Yoga Pants
On today #39;s Daily Brief, Chloe checks out the Carl #39;s Jr ad that has Heidi Klum eating a Jim Beam Bourbon burger whilst cleavaging, why Lululemon is recalling ...

By: AskMenVIDEO

Originally posted here:
Sexy Carl's Jr Ad Featuring Heidi Klum's Cleavage And See Through Yoga Pants - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWEcDqmk8so

#39;Hot Yoga #39; Founder Bikram Choudhury Accused of Sexual Harassment
Former student of Bikram Choudhury has filed a lawsuit against the world-famous yoga instructor.

By: ABCNews

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'Hot Yoga' Founder Bikram Choudhury Accused of Sexual Harassment - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TlKcCt_Tkk

Justin Bieber In Yoga Hot Pant ; Snaps At Paparazzi In London

By: Facebook2910

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Justin Bieber In Yoga Hot Pant ; Snaps At Paparazzi In London - Video