In many regions of the world, it is the last month of summer vacation before children and youth head back to school. Others have been in school all summer and are not familiar with the beloved summer vacation. Back-to-school may have different meanings to different people. There are many types of students including homeschoolers, college and graduate students, ESL students, adult and continuing education students, and more. Consider the ways in which life can be enriched through lifelong learning. This month’s newsletter is full of resources for all types of students!
New resources that will be added to the ipl2 are noted NEW! All other resources are already listed in the ipl2 collection.
The Year-Round School Debate
Summer break is as American as apple pie and the flag, but some people are suggesting that it might be time to end American schoolchildren’s summer vacation. Officials at a few school systems are advocating for American schools to adopt year-round schedules. Some schools are already trying it; others say it will cost too much money. It is an issue that shows no sign of going away – especially as year-round school advocates argue that summer vacation has negative effects on children’s education.
Research Spotlight on Year-Round Schools (find it on ipl2)
http://www.nea.org/tools/17057.htm
This article contains an introduction to the topic from the respected education group National Education Association. The article includes several links to research about year-round school.
Year-round school gains ground around us. (find it on ipl2: Reference – News and Current Events)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39748458/ns/us_news-life/t/year-round-school-gains-ground-around-us/
This news article takes a look at the year-round school debate from a news perspective. It includes a video of President Barack Obama speaking in favor of extending the school calendar.
School’s out, but should it be? (find it on ipl2: Education – Education News)
http://www.educationnews.org/ednews_today/91927.html
Education News looks at the issue of summer vacation and year-round school. The news article also discusses the possibility of adding summer enrichment to children’s schedules. Local officials discuss the effect that year-round school would have on budgets that are already stretched thin.
Higher Education
College can be a big adjustment for students, but that does not mean it has to be stressful. The resources below will help take the stress out of financial and study woes no matter what part of the world students choose as their classroom.
Learning APA Style (find it on ipl2: Reference – Style and Writing Guides – APA)
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/
Find free tutorials, FAQs, and learning resources on American Psychological Association style, straight from the official homepage of the APA.
Howtostudy.org (find it on ipl2: Education – Higher Education)
http://howtostudy.org/
Howtostudy.org provides students with comprehensive advice for developing successful study habits. From organizing study time to stopping procrastination and developing good note taking skills, HowToStudy has all the tools students need.
Student Financial Assistance: Financial Aid from the U.S. Department of Education (find it on ipl2: Education – Higher Education – Financial Aid, Scholarships and Fellowships)
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp
The U.S. Department of Education provides information on grants, loans, and work-study assistance. Students can apply for a loan, sign a promissory note, and even find information on interest rates and repaying loans.
English As a Second Language (ESL)
Many people learn English as adults or outside of U.S. grade schools. The resources below are for self-study online and to aid ESL students in finding classes in their communities.
VOA Learning English (find it on ipl2: Reference – News and Current Events)
http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/
VOA Learning English is a resource for learning American English produced by The Voice of America, the United States’ government’s news agency for the international community. This resource offers Special English programming with transcripts and a wide variety of multimedia educational resources. Also included are resources for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers.
America’s Literacy Directory (find it on ipl2)
http://literacydirectory.org/
America’s Literacy Directory is a directory of literacy programs in the United States and its territories that was created by the National Institute for Literacy. It is searchable by zip code and can be narrowed by limiting to help with reading and writing, study for GED or other high school program, official GED test center, Learning English (as a second language), help with math, and citizenship.
Adult and Continuing Education in the United States
Educational opportunities are available for adults whether they are completing a degree, looking to advance their careers, or simply interested in learning. Returning to school as an adult can be challenging for many reasons. The resources below offer a variety of tools and information to help non-traditional students make decisions about which school to attend, how to apply for financial aid, and how to balance life’s competing priorities.
Education Center Online (find it on ipl2: Education – Adult Education)
http://www.educationcenteronline.org/
This resource provides information about online degree programs, distance learning, and continuing education for adults. Search by school location, degree, program, or subject.
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education (find it on ipl2: Education – Adult Education)
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/index.html
This resource advocates for adult education and provides information resources to meet the needs of adults who are returning to or considering returning to school. Information about financial aid, selecting a school, government-sponsored programs and initiatives, current news, and more is available.
Reminder: You can now subscribe to ipl2’s newsletter and weekly blog posts via email as well as RSS. The “Email Subscription” feature appears prominently in the upper left-hand side of the page on the ipl2’s News and Information WordPress blog. Subscription is free and open to all!
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