Libba Barger Joins Online Staff

Alumna Libba Barger has joined the University of West Alabama Division of Online Programs staff as an advisor. Dr. Martha Hocutt, dean of the Division of Online Programs at UWA, brought Barger on board to begin her new role this week.

A 2008 Summa Cum Laude graduate of the Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, she also earned the Ralph E. Lyon Award for Academic Excellence.

Barger had been teaching 5th grade at Sumter Academy in Livingston, Ala. prior to accepting her new position at UWA. In addition to her teaching duties, Barger was the Accelerated Reading chairperson, yearbook advisor, SACS Committee Chairperson, AISA Blue Ribbon Committee Chairperson and cheerleading coach. She organized the school science fairs and district art shows as well.

Why Choose The University of West Alabama Online?

Convenience

For 175 years the University of West Alabama has been enriching the lives of students and families throughout the Southeast regi0n of the United States. The personal touch that continues to make UWA the special place that it is now reaches worldwide through the UWA Division of Online Programs.

You know best about how, when and where you want to earn your degree. How you earn it is up to you as well through UWA Online.

No residency requirement makes earning your degree very convenient.

There are no residency requirements for UWA Online students, whether they are graduate or undergraduate. You don’t even have to come to campus to take your comprehensive exams for graduate school. However, you are very welcome to come to campus for graduation ceremonies.

You can complete your coursework in the privacy of your home or office at times that are convenient to you. There are no overcrowded classrooms, no lost time commuting or rigid class schedules to contend with. You earn your degree your way.

Certification and Reciprocity

Graduates of UWA’s Online Master’s Degree certificate programs in education are eligible for a reciprocal certificate based on either the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification’s (NASDTEC) Interstate Contract or UWA’s National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accredited programs. The interstate agreement facilitates the licensure of educators from one state to another, although additional requirements may apply in some states.

UWA programs are reciprocal with many states through the National Council of Accreditation of teacher Education (NCATE) and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Contract. Provided you live in one of the reciprocating states, you should be eligible for certification in your state if you complete one of these certification degree programs in Alabama. Students are strongly encouraged to check with their own State Department of Education to ascertain their eligibility.

No real time scheduled online classes

UWA online courses are asynchronous, which means you work at your chosen time of the day.

Programs are set in sessions more compatible to your lifestyle

UWA Online offers five terms per year, as opposed to the traditional three terms offered to on-campus students. Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2 and Summer sessions are accelerated in eight-week blocks.

Students enrolled in online courses utilize a number of technologies to enhance learning and ensure credibility.

Blackboard E-Education is the platform on which courses are housed. Blackboard allows instructors and students the opportunity to connect individually or as a group. Many faculty members employ Tegrity to further enhance the student experience. Tegrity Campus is a highly-scalable, cloud-based lecture capture service that lets institutions automatically capture every class – on and off campus – for later review by every student, anytime, anywhere.

Turnitin.com is also utilized by students and faculty to ensure originality of work submitted. In the spring of 2009, UWA Online implemented the use of the Remote Proctor system to provide an additional method to monitor students and operates biometrically to ensure credibility.

Quality

The University of West Alabama is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and education specialist degrees (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, 404-679-4501).

The Julia Tutwiler College of Education is also NCATE accredited and the UWA College of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

The UWA Online faculty includes six national board certified professors and 90 percent of the Online faculty hold terminal degrees. Course work and lectures are designed and presented by experienced faculty members who are also members of the UWA traditional campus faculty. Online students at UWA are getting the same course work and presentation afforded to traditional classroom students on campus.

The College of Education employs a practical experience model for master’s and education specialist programs where teachers are able to take what they have experienced in class and implement it immediately into their classrooms.  Additionally, all UWA Online faculty and professional staff pride themselves on being supportive, professional, and dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.

Affordability

The University Of West Alabama Division Of Online Studies offers graduate degrees and undergraduate degrees completely online at very competitive prices because we are aware that your education is an investment in your future and your lifestyle.

There is no out-of-state tuition for UWA Online students.

Tuition for online degrees in Accounting, Business Administration or Business Technology from the UWA College of Business is $371 per credit hour, or $1,113 per course.

Tuition for the Master of Education, Master of Arts, Master of Science in Continuing Education or the Education Specialist degrees is $413 per credit hour, or $1,239 per class.

Contact the UWA Financial Aid Office to help determine your eligibility for a wide range of tuition financing options. Federal grants and loans, private loans and scholarships are available depending on your course of study.

The UWA Financial Aid Office can also advise you about the latest requirements and regulations for Veterans’ Benefits. UWA Online is DANTES and VA approved. In addition, be sure to check with your company to see if it provides tuition benefits to employees.

Help is available to assist you in finding a way to pay for your education. It may be more affordable than you think.  Find out more about paying for your online education today!

The ABCs of Online Learning

The ABCs of Online Learning

By Dr. Laurie Fowler, UWA Online Learning

Access--be sure you have GOOD internet access for the duration of the course.

Book--if there is a book that goes with the class, read it! There is probably some pretty good information in it.

Communicate--ask the teacher questions, email other classmates, ask for an alternative way to communicate like the discussion board or a backchannel.

Dedicate--you have to find a time each week to work on your online assignments or it can be easy to get behind.

Explore--the teacher found all those great resources for the class. Go look at them!

Friend--expand your personal and professional learning network outside of class by “friending” classmates on social networking sites.

Go out on a limb--take a stab at something new, or try a new way to do a presentation, or think WAY outside of the box!

Help others--offer advice and assistance to classmates who seem to be struggling. Share resources with class members and the professor.

Interact--email other members of the class and post discussion topics to the discussion board even if it is not required.

Join in the conversation--let your voice be heard even if you are the ONLY math person, or library media specialist, or whatever. You have an opinion--let’s hear it.

Keep to a schedule--This doesn’t always work, but give it a good college try. A planned time to do your online work each week can be a lifesaver!

Log in on a regular basis--lots can happen in a week online so check in to the course and your email a few times per week not just once on the weekend.

Meet others in your class--use the functions of the class management system to meet in chat rooms or on the discussion board or through email.

Network--get to know the people in your online class who teach the same grade or subject as you. There is nothing better than a lot of teacher friends to call upon when you need new ideas.

Organize--Be sure to allow time to organize your online learning. Find a time and place you will do your online work each week. This needs to be a place where you can work uninterrupted and with good internet connections.

Plan--to be a successful online student you really have to have a time PLANNED to work on your assignments including doing background reading, research, writing, and proofreading.

Question--ask questions of the teacher/professor. He is there to help.

Read--yes, really, read the directions, the assignments, the ideas shared by the professor and your classmates.  In an online class, there is no substitute for thorough reading.

Share--Did you find a great resource in doing one of the assignments? Then share it with the class. The professor likes to hear from you, too!

Think--the resources that are selected for the classes are there for a reason. Think about them, digest them, agree or disagree with them, but please give them some serious thought.

Understand--the professor has a “real life” just as you do so be understanding if every assignment isn’t graded one hour after you submit it.

Variety--As an online student, you should expect a variety of activities including readings and papers, but also multimedia and group projects as part of your learning experience.

Write--you will get to know both your classmates and your professor if you write on the discussion board and emails. It is the currency of communication in an online class.

eXamples--Pay attention to the examples the professor gives. There is a reason they are there!

Yearn--Just because you “meet” online and when it is convenient for you doesn’t mean that you can’t yearn to know more or to get excited about the subject being taught.

Zoom--Learn to zoom in and focus on the assignment and its assessment.  If the directions are not clear to you, ask the professor for more information.