Five Questions to Ask When Choosing an Online Insurance Continuing Education Provider

Making sure that you comply with your state's insurance licensing regulations is one of the most important issues you have to deal with as an insurance professional. Your career depends on it. Getting the required insurance continuing education (or "CE") is a big part of that, and thanks to current technology, you have more insurance CE options than ever.

A recent study from Agent Media indicated that 67 percent of respondents now get at least some of their insurance CE credits online. It really is the most efficient option, saving the travel costs and time away from the office associated with classroom training. Because of its increasing popularity, there are a lot of web-based businesses now offering online insurance continuing education. How do you narrow down all these options to find best insurance CE provider for you?

Before you sign up for your next course, consider these questions:

Does the provider offer high quality, compelling course material?

Online insurance CE courses should take advantage of the multimedia (audio, video, animation) capacity of the web to maximize the effectiveness of the learning experience. The courses should be written by recognized industry experts, should follow the required format, and should be approved in all 50 states. Ask for a no-charge sample course to make sure the provider meets these requirements. Also, review the provider's course catalog to make sure they offer a wide enough variety of courses so that you can get all the training you need from one source.

Does the provider track and report training results for you and your employees?

For you to remain compliant, the results of your insurance continuing education courses must get into the right hands in a timely manner. Look for an insurance CE provider who will handle that for you without additional paperwork on your part. The whole idea of getting your required credits online is to make the process faster and more efficient, so make sure your provider will track all your courses automatically, inform you of the courses you still need to take, and report your results to state within two to three business days (as allowed by your state's licensing board). You should also immediately receive a Certificate of Completion when you pass a course, so you'll have proof in-hand when needed. These services should be available to you at no additional charge.

Are the courses flexible enough to fit your schedule?

Online learning has made it possible to take your insurance CE courses anywhere and anytime you have a web connection, but sometimes it's still difficult to find the time to sit down and complete a course in one sitting. Look for an online insurance CE provider that allows you to save your sessions and pick up where you left off, so you can truly work at your own pace.

Can you re-take courses without additional charges?

Once you have paid for a course, you should be able to review it as many times as you want without being charged again. You should also be allowed to re-take the exams as often as you need to pass the course and earn the credits.

If you are going to be away from your computer, can you take the course material with you?

Just because you are taking a web-based course, you need not be tied to the computer the entire time. Look for a provider that will allow you to print out pages from the course material for later review. Also, your provider should allow you to download the audio from multimedia courses. These audio downloads can be saved like a podcast to your MP3 player for even more flexibility. You can review the information while on the road, exercising, doing housework -- anywhere you can use you iPod.

The point of insurance continuing education is to make sure you stay up-to-date on all the latest developments in insurance services and regulations. When you receive the best possible training, both you and your clients will reap the rewards. Finding a high quality, accredited online continuing education partner is the first step in maximizing the benefit to your business, and it's worth the effort to do your homework.

Bruce MacMillian is the President and CEO of CEU.com. CEU offers multimedia-rich online insurance continuing education courses to licensed insurance professionals.

Concepts in Linear Regression You Need to Know Before Learning Multilevel Models

It seems very many researchers are needing to learn multilevel and mixed models, and I have to say, it's not so easy on your own. I too went to graduate school before it was taught in classes--we did learn mixed models as in Split Plot designs, but things have progressed a bit since then. So I too have had to learn them without benefit of a class, or teacher. So I feel your pain. But I've struggled through and learned a lot, although I had the advantage of seeing very, very many examples as I've worked with clients over the years, and of having knowledgeable colleagues to ponder and learn with. So if reading Singer makes you feel stupid, you're not alone.

I've also had the advantage of having really good training in the general linear model. This came not only from numerous classes in graduate school, but once again, from seeing so many examples in consulting, and having to explain it so many times. (Teaching is when you learn best).

Why is this important? Because multilevel models are just general linear models with extra sources of variation. It's much harder to learn multilevel models if you're still unsure about some of the concepts in linear regression. You want to focus on figuring out what a random slope really means, not a centered predictor.

So here are 4 concepts in linear regression that you really, really should get clear about before you attempt to read the Singer article. It won't make it easy, but it will make it easier.

1. What centering does to your variables. Intercepts are pretty important in multilevel models, so centering is often required to make intercepts meaningful.

2. Working with categorical and continuous predictors. You will want to use both dummy and effect coding in different situations. Likewise, you want to be able to understand what it means if you make a variable continuous or categorical. What different information to you get from it and what does it mean? Even if you're a regular ANOVA user, it may make sense to treat time as continuous, not categorical.

3. Interactions. I know you know that you have to leave in lower order terms for each interaction (right?). Make sure you can interpret interactions, regardless of how many categorical and continuous variables they contain. And make sure you understand.

4. Polynomial terms. Random slopes can be hard enough to grasp (and keep straight from random intercepts). Random curvature is worse. Know thy Polynomials.

And finally, understand how they all fit together. These 4 concepts really come down to understanding what the estimates in your model mean. How to interpret them. And that will come largely from practice, asking questions, and relearning the basics in the context of your data.

The advantage is that understanding these concepts will behoove you in learning any advanced modeling--nonlinear models, logistic regression, Cox regression, and so on.

I'd like to invite you to learn more about linear regression analysis, including interpreting interactions, centered predictors, polynomials, and more in one of my FREE monthly Analysis Factor Teleseminars: "Interpreting Linear Regression Parameters: A Walk Through Output." Visit Teletraining 4 to get started today.

© 2008 Karen Grace-Martin -- Statistical Consultant and founder of The Analysis Factor

4 Tips to Avoid Being Scammed by Diploma Mills

Online education has been introduced for decodes and it is now receiving increased respect from top employers. Students who are interested to earn their degree online generally do not need to worry about the acceptance of their online degree as long as they earn their degree from a legitimate online college. However, diploma mills who offer valueless degree limit the prestige of a legitimate online degree. You as an online student need to ensure the degree you pursue online is from $a properly accredited college, else you will have problem to use the degree to start your career later. Here are a few tips to avoid being scammed by diploma mills.

Tip #1: Understand the college's past performance

The college past performance is useful to identify legitimate online colleges. Online colleges that won yearly award or participating themselves to be reviewed for ranking position such as The Best College of Year 2009 should be cleared enough to identify as legitimate online colleges.

Tip #2: Find out which accrediting agency that performs accreditation

Accreditation is an important indicator for quality assurance of the online degree programs offered by any college. However, it is not enough to know that your selected online college is accredited, but you need to know which organization is accrediting the college and whether that accrediting agency is a body recognized by the Department of Education of your country. The reason is diploma mills do claim accreditation, which they are accredited by a "fake" accrediting agency. Hence, you should find out which accrediting agency that performs the accreditation process of your selected online college and ensure the accrediting agency is in the list of CHEA.org, an official online database that keeps information about accreditation.

Tip #3: Join the forums that discuss about online colleges

What other people talk about the online college that you are interested to may give some hints about how good the college is and whether the college is a diploma mill that cheats money without providing legitimate degrees. In the forums, people will talk about the good things and the bad things about the colleges and their degree programs. You should be able to get a lot of information about the online colleges that offer the degree program you are interested in. Avoid those online colleges that have bad comments and suspicious to be diploma mills.

Tip #4: Avoid online colleges that offer deals that look too good

When you see something is too good to be true, then it better trigger your alert sensor on any potential scam activities by diploma mill. When you see that the requirements to earn a degree is too easy until you don't need to put in any effort, then the degree you are going to earn is most probably be a fake degree then a legitimate one. Hence, keep in mind that earning a degree online has no different than the campus-based degree except there are some advantages that will benefit you. Other than that, you still need to put in efforts for coursework, attending online classes and complete the total credits required for graduation. Avoid totally any offer from online colleges that look to good to be true.

Summary

Don't let yourself have chances to be scammed by diploma mills. Use the above 4 tips to distinguish a legitimate online college before you sign up any of it online degree program.

Julie Harvard would like to invite you to explore more information on online education at http://www.studykiosk.com which will help in making your education decision and select a legitimate online college that best fit your goals.

University Online - Education Easier Than Ever

We live in a peculiar world these days. Some would even say that it's pretty amazing. You see we live in a world where you can go to a University Online and earn an online degree from the comfort of your own home. That's a pretty amazing thing if you consider that just a decade ago that wasn't possible.

Sure there were mail programs, but a) hardly any of those were accredited or looked at as legitimate, and b) it took forever to even get through one of those courses...and again, it got you basically nowhere.

But things are different now. There are tons of online universities that have the same exact accreditation that offline college campuses have, and these degrees are now highly accepted world wide.

If you've been wondering where to start your search for a University Online, then you'll be happy to know that it's a pretty simple process nowadays. There are a number of legitimate directories to help you, and then there are of course always the well known schools like Phoenix University Online, or Kaplan...and tons of others.

Perhaps the easiest way is to go through a directory that helps you find one such as E-Learners, that way most of the heavy lifting is done for you.

Site like these will go through and check through the various universities online following the criteria that you set, or simply just show you the best overall that's been rated by other users.

This saves you much of your valuable time on searching out a university on your own.

Go start your journey to an online education now at the University Online that's right for you!

College Student Success Strategies

Succeeding in college is not all that difficult. Freshmen enter the "Halls of Ivy" with optimism and trepidation. They soon learn that it isn't always the smartest students who do the best.

The keys to success in college can be categorized into a few principles:

PERSISTENCE

Often it is the "last ones standing" that walk down the aisle to receive their diploma. Life happens along the way. Health problems, financial difficulties, family problems, etc., are common. Most students are trying to balance work and school, and many are raising a family, too. And, a large number of students today are single parents. It's easy to get discouraged when so many stressors are competing for our time and attention. The simplest solution may appear to be to drop out. However, it seldom is.

So, hang in there and realize that endurance is the most important factor in getting your degree.

PATIENCE

Be patient with yourself and your instructors. Patience will help avoid the escalation of trivial matters into major problems. Most of all, be gentle with yourself. Take matters in stride and you will not experience the degree of stress that leads to impulsivity and poor decisions.

FLEXIBILITY

In college, as the rest of life, things happen. Schedules change, instructors change, rooms change, curricula change, grading standards change, textbooks change, classmates change, etc. Don't let these changes "throw" you.

Many students get frustrated or upset at frequent changes. Yet, their education is intended to help them successfully navigate an unpredictable world full of frequent and profound change.

One of the major difficulties for many students is adapting to the different teaching styles, personalities and manner of the faculty. All students have their "favorites." They expect faculty to adapt to them, instead of them adapting to their instructor. Just as in the workplace they will have to adjust to, and satisfy the expectations of their superiors (bosses); in the classroom they will have to adjust to the style and expectations of their teacher. In the business world if they fail to meet the standards for performance set by their employer, they will receive poor evaluations. In the classroom these evaluations are called GRADES.

SCHOLARSHIP

I would be negligent if I didn't refer to scholarship. As a student you have an obligation to go to class, be attentive, participate, and complete your homework. If you have difficulty meeting these obligations, examine yourself and your study habits. College should be a top priority. After all, your education should assist you throughout your life in making a living and progressing professionally. So take it seriously, and try to garner all of the knowledge and networking contacts you can.

While being the "class clown" may sound like fun, it's temporary and generally unappealing. Your classmates may regard you as a fool, or resent your intrusion on their learning experience.

INVOLVEMENT

Become involved with the school and the opportunities it affords. Frequently there are various Clubs, organizations, interest groups, community involvement opportunities, etc. These represent another dimension of your learning and provide opportunities for leadership and participation. Besides looking good on your resume, they contribute to your education. These entities may also provide professional and employment avenues.

COMMUNICATION

Get to know your instructors. It is important that you share with them your circumstances as they pertain to the course. If you have to be tardy or absent because of work requirements, child care, or emergencies, let the instructor know. Otherwise your instructor may think you are not interested, serious or disciplined. If you need to be absent, or miss an assignment ask if it will impact your grade. Try to arrange for homework/make-up/extra-credit assignments to offset this. Most instructors want to be kept informed concerning their students' issues, challenges and conflicts, and are more than willing to work with you.

If you have trouble keeping up, or understanding the material ask for help. Many schools offer tutoring or special study groups to address these matters.

RESOURCES

Use the other resources available. Everything from Admissions, to Financial Aid, Business Office, Registrar's Office, Student Services, Career Services, etc., is there to support you and facilitate your education. Familiarize yourself with these offices and their functions. For example, you may need to re-write your student loan, or you may need help with transportation, or a scholarship, or a job, etc. Ask!

FRIENDS

We all need a support group. Try to align yourself with those who will help you succeed. Study partners, car pool buddies, those with similar majors or interests are all of value, and so are the good listeners, the motivators, etc. A large part of the college experience is making personal and professional contacts. Just as in the business world it's often "who you know," and not "what you know" that makes the difference.

FOCUS

Stay focused on the "prize." Students drop out when they get discouraged, feel overwhelmed, or lose focus. The more you see yourself as successfully completing your education, the greater the likelihood of you graduating. Almost every college grad comments on how quickly the time flew in college, and before they knew it they were done. Focusing on the end result will help you through the tough times and give you the motivation and courage to succeed.

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From years in academia I have seen many students complete their education, and a surprisingly large number who don't. Paying attention to these simple, yet important, tips should help you successfully complete your educational journey.

Ben A. Carlsen, Ed.D, MBA, is an experienced CEO and manager. Dr. Carlsen has over 30 years experience in management, consulting, and teaching. Currently the Head of the Business Department at Everest Institute, Hialeah, FL., he was Chairman of the Los Angeles County Productivity Managers Network and President of the Association for Systems Management (So. Calif. Chapter). Additional information can be obtained at http://drben.info

Making the Correct Medical Transcription Training Decision

A few words should be written about the state of the medical transcription industry today. The industry has gone from one offering virtually no training options a couple of decades ago, to one that has attracted an increasing number of participants - not all of which are reputable. To be fair, many of these training programs are well meaning. However, some are simply ill prepared to deliver a training experience that will yield a positive career outcome.

Remember - you can spend just as much time and money (and in many cases much, much more) on a second or third rate program as you can on a first rate program. In my experience, I have found that most people who select one of these lesser options do so for one or more of the following reasons:

1. Effectiveness of their marketing messages
2. Perceived low price of the program
3. Lack of available information regarding alternative training options

When evaluating any MT training program, consider what your ultimate goals are. Many people who express an interest in the MT career field have two primary goals:

1. To get a good job upon graduation
2. To work from home as a medical transcriptionist upon graduation

Both of these goals depend on the ability of the training program you choose to deliver a marketable education and to facilitate a number of positive post-graduation employment opportunities.

So when you consider the cost of a program that is fundamentally incapable of delivering on either of your goals, then what initially seemed like a great value can quickly turn out to be one of the most expensive and frustrating options imaginable.

Ultimately you should do your homework and ask the hard questions. Look at the evidence of how existing transcription employers view the training program you are considering. Look at whether the program is approved by AHDI. In the end, there are few decisions you will make that will ultimately prove to be more important to the success of your career.

Christopher L. Dunn has been active in operating and training aspects of the medical transcription industry for the past 17 years. For more information on a home based career in medical transcription please visit more of the authors websites:

http://www.medical-transcription-job.com

http://www.medical-transcription-school.com

Your College Choices

School selection can be an overwhelming task for college-bound high school juniors. There are literally thousands of colleges and universities to choose from in the United States.

Although every educational institution is unique, it is possible to place most colleges and universities into one of several broad categories. A helpful first choice in school selection is to understand what these types of institution are and how good a fit they are for your personal preferences and learning style.

Liberal Arts Colleges - Liberal arts colleges are 4-year institutions committed to providing a broad undergraduate education. Students are required to take a range of courses in the arts, humanities, and sciences outside of their major. Liberal arts colleges tend to be small, with total enrollment of 1,500 to 8,000. A close community is a key element of their educational model and they will cut back on enrollment if they feel the campus population is getting too large. In addition, many liberal arts colleges are located in rural areas, small towns, or suburbs. Carleton, Hamilton, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, Amherst, Haverford, Mount Holyoke, Claremont McKenna, Swarthmore, Williams, Smith, Bowdoin, Bates, Reed, Colby, and Middlebury are just a few of the many excellent liberal arts colleges in the U.S.

Pluses: Excellent teaching standards. Close contact with faculty who can serve as mentors and/or recommenders for graduate study. Small, close-knit communities.

Minuses: Location may be remote. Limited range of classes and/or majors. Libraries and other resources may be limited. Limited dining and residence choices. Can be expensive.

The Ivy League - Believe it or not, this term is said to have originally been coined to designate a college sports league. Since then, of course, it has passed into popular use as shorthand for a group of some of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in the U.S. The 8 Ivy League member schools are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Columbia University, and Cornell. Each of the Ivy League schools is a unique institution with its own institutional culture and distinctive educational experience. Prospective applicants should take care to research each school separately.

Pluses: Excellent education. Prestige. Outstanding facilities and educational support.

Minuses: Highly competitive admissions. Expensive.

Residential Colleges - A residential college is much more than just a university with campus housing. It's a college where students' day-to-day living is part of their educational experience. The colleges where students reside organize lectures and other learning experiences in addition to social events. This style of living is meant to provide students with a strong sense of community, a chance to interact with a wide range of other students, and the opportunity to develop close relationships with faculty. Only a small number of U.S. colleges offer a true residential option. They include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury, the University of Virginia, Rice University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Northwestern University.

Pluses: A close community that leads to life-long friendships. A stimulating and integrated learning and living environment.

Minuses: Communities may be too close-knit for some tastes. Limited living, dining, and entertainment choices. May be expensive.

Honors Programs - Many large colleges and universities give high-achieving students the option of enrolling in an honors program. Honors students take small, seminar-style classes that are more challenging than regular classes on the same topics are and that give them close contact with faculty. They may be asked to complete a senior thesis or project. At some schools, honors students live in designated housing and have access to special scholarships and internships.

Pluses: Excellent academics. Close contact with professors who can serve as mentors and/or recommenders for graduate study. A chance to produce a thesis or other capstone project. Honors programs at public universities often represent an excellent value for in-state residents.

Minuses: Not really a substitute for a liberal arts college experience, if that's what you have your heart set on.

Research Universities - These are comprehensive universities where faculty and graduate students focus on original research. The top U.S. research universities draw talent from across the country and around the world. A partial list of top U.S. research universities includes Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke, MIT, Johns Hopkins, the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Pennsylvania State University, UCLA, UC - Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology, the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and the University of Michigan.

Pluses: Excellent academics. Entrée to top graduate programs. Exposure to cutting-edge research. Outstanding libraries, laboratories, and other facilities.

Minuses: Highly competitive admissions. Undergraduates may have more contact with teaching assistants than they do with faculty.

Flagship Universities - A flagship university is the main campus of a state university system. Flagships are comprehensive universities and usually include graduate or professional schools in addition to undergraduate colleges. Flagship universities have competitive admissions and are often listed among the best universities in the country. They include 'public Ivies' such as the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Virginia, the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and Pennsylvania State University.

Pluses: Excellent academics. Entrée to top graduate programs. Lively social and sports scenes. A wide range of class choices. Relatively low tuition for state residents.

Minuses: Huge campuses and vast student populations can be easy to get lost in. Main campuses may be located in isolated rural areas. Undergraduates are likely to have more contact with teaching assistants than with faculty. Classes may involve several hundred students and provide little opportunity for discussion or feedback.

Land-Grant Universities - These are large public universities that were originally built on federal land in exchange for a commitment to educate the public. The primary mission of these universities continues to be public education. Undergraduate programs will often be balanced by active graduate, continuing education, outreach, and professional programs.

Pluses: Less competitive admissions and relatively low tuition for state residents.

Minuses: Large campuses and classes. Quality of programs and departments varies.

Music Conservatories and Art Schools - These are specialized academies that train students in the visual and performing arts. Some schools (especially those affiliated with a university or a college consortium) provide the option of a broader liberal arts education in addition to arts training. Others focus exclusively on developing their students' artistic talents. Most of these schools require an audition or portfolio as part of the admissions process. Top schools include the Julliard School, the Eastman School of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Pratt Institute, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Yale Art School.

Pluses: Outstanding training. Prestige. Specialized career placement and networking opportunities.

Minuses: Highly competitive admissions. Training and/or academic credit may be hard to transfer to other schools or fields.

Community Colleges and Junior Colleges - These are two-year institutions that offer Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees. Most are non-residential 'commuter' schools. Community colleges typically practice open admissions, meaning that anyone who meets their minimum standards is guaranteed enrollment. Many offer smaller classes and a more supportive learning environment than large 4-year institutions do. A growing number of college-bound high school graduates opt to save money by completing 2 years of degree study at a community college and then transferring to a 4-year institution for their junior and senior years.

Pluses: Low-stress admissions. Inexpensive. Teaching and academic support can be very good.

Minuses: Class options and library and lab resources may be limited. Transfers to 4-year institutions may become more difficult as more people choose this option. May not be able to transfer all degree credits to a 4-year institution. Social life and extracurricular activities may be limited.

David Petersam

President and Founder of AdmissionsConsultants

http://www.admissionsconsultants.com