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Five Best-Selling Chemistry Textbooks for College Students

Best-selling chemistry textbooks for college students stand out. There are more than enough reasons why learners and professors prefer those reference materials over all others. Here are five of the most sought-after of those.

Chemistry is an important course in college. Students should not feel intimidated and overwhelmed when taking chemistry subjects. Almost all programs include it in their curriculum. Thus, it is not surprising that many textbooks are now published to target college students who take up any of such courses.

There are best-selling chemistry textbooks that have been helping college students learn more about the subject for many years now. Here are five of the more popularly used and prescribed college textbooks in colleges and universities today.

Chemistry

Author: Raymond Chang

The best-selling textbook is recommended for two-semester courses on general chemistry. It uses traditional approach in teaching and learning the subject. Most notable is the author’s clear and straightforward writing style along with easier-to-understand solutions to given sample problems. It facilitates a strong foundation of chemical concepts along with principles that are presented more concisely. There is a balance between basic theories and application through real examples and visuals.

Chemistry in Context: Applying Chemistry to Society

Author: The American Chemical Society

Non-science college majors could appreciate this book more as they study general chemistry. It is written in an interesting way to enable learners to appreciate chemistry in the context of their daily lives. Students would also learn more about important issues that pose impact not just to science but also to the world. The best-selling textbook presents chemical

principles using ‘need-to-know’ style of writing. Its non-traditional approach integrates current technological issues with basic concepts in chemistry.

Organic Chemistry

Author: Janice Smith

It is interesting how the author gives more life into important and complex concepts of organic chemistry. She used an effective technique in delivering and discussing lessons in a format that modern students will certainly appreciate. The book has less text paragraphs. There are more bulleted lists and well-labeled illustrations and other visual aids. However, most instructors think this book will be better appreciated if students will first read the textbook ‘Organic Chemistry’ from the same author.

Chemistry: Principles and Reactions

Author: William L. Masterton

The author is an expert in his field, more than qualified to write about the subject after accumulating more than five decades of teaching experience. College students will find this book very helpful as it discusses fundamental lessons in general chemistry in a brief and reader-oriented manner. There are even new concept-driven and updated examples that concentrate on molecular understanding and reasoning.

Basic Chemistry

Author: Karen C. Timberlake

This best-selling textbook is outstanding for the way it presents basic chemistry concepts to students. It uses problem-solving techniques and tools to help learners be ready to take more chemistry courses in the future and to use the subject in their future career paths. The author has succeeded in making chemistry highly relevant and engaging as a college course. What’s more? There are transcribed interviews with doctors, engineers, biochemists, and veterinarians who attest to the importance of studying chemistry in their current professions.

News Corp Unveils New Android Tablet for US Classrooms

News Corp has introduced its first tablet PC that specifically targets the growing education technology market in the US. Through its education division, Amplify, the diversified media company has developed the device that is aimed at further improving learning techniques to be used in schools today and in the future.

Many education experts welcome this development. For them, tablet-led education being the norm in schools will be effective. But it is just normal that not everyone thinks this proprietary system will be a good way to move forward.

The new device could ideally replace the use of textbooks. Not only would it be highly fashionable and convenient; it can even facilitate creation and customization of content. The use of the device could provide new opportunities to access free resources that could possibly skip the need to buy costly textbooks.

The new device

Amplify collaborated with other technology and education firms like Apple Inc and Pearson PLC to develop the new tablet. The device is exclusively designed for modern classrooms. Android 4.2 Jelly Bean powers each 10-inch unit, which is equipped with numerous educational tools that include teaching utilities, graphing calculators, and Google Apps for Education. It also features a dictionary, an encyclopedia, and several other references that will certainly be useful to its users.

The Android tablet will be affordable at $299. But another version will be offered with added features like access to 4G network for online connectivity, which be ideal for children who need to use the PC at home. However, this version will be slightly costlier at $349. Preloaded curriculum for a two-year subscription might be added for $99.

Intended users

Interestingly, the device will be useful not just to pupils but also to their teachers and parents, who could access educational data. Educators can put up instant chat rooms to facilitate class discussions. There are features that would enable them to monitor the activities their pupils do when using the tablet. They can give online quizzes for real-time assessment of pupils’ understanding of their subjects.

Parents can easily monitor the learning and school progress of their children. The tablet even comes with a kill switch that would allow teachers and parents to instantly disable non-educational apps that include games. This feature was strategically and intentionally added to make sure that student-users will always remain focused on their lessons. Thus, the device may not serve as a distraction to student learning.

5 Recommended Computer Science College Students

Here are five of the most recommended computer science college textbooks in the market. You should not have any difficulty when finding these books especially because these are sold at about any other book retailer in your area.

There are many college computer science textbooks in the market today. It is important to carefully assess each book to make sure you can get or buy the best for studying. Some experts and educators are recommending at least five in your list of the most popular computer science books these days. What computer science college textbooks should you choose?

C++ How to program (5th Edition) – by Harvey Deitel and Paul Deitel This is the bestselling textbook in the world about introduction to C++ programming. It has so far sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide. As a reference material, it offers breadth and depth in programming concepts as well as intermediate-level subjects for further study. It is logically the most practical and comprehensive introductory book to C++.

Digital Design (3rd Edition) – by M. Morris Mano The material is a modern-day revision of one of the most classical but digitally designed textbook. It teaches students about basic tools for digital circuits designing. The author has successfully managed to describe and discuss in details the techniques in digital designing based on needs and recommendations from the experts.

The Peopleware Papers: Notes on the Human Side of Software – by Larry L. Constantine The range of this textbook is out of the ordinary. It includes group development, project management, tools, models, discipline versus chaos, processes, methods, usability, personalities, and more. There are two distinct new sections in the latest edition: first, the organized culture and second the usability of software objects. The book also includes the author’s breakthrough essays about usage-centered design. This reference material is most recommended to every project team participant, executive, business consumer, IT manager, and of course, computer science students.

Probability and Statistics for Computer Science – by James L. Johnson The book is about the thorough and comprehensive development of statistics and probability for serious computer science students in college. The material makes goal oriented individuals out of just anyone. The content is said to be aiming to present mathematical analysis that underlies probability results.

Probability with R: An Introduction with Computer Science Applications – by Jane Horgan This is a comprehensive introductory resource on probability, emphasizing computer-related situations. There are real examples that show how probability can truly be used in logical or practical solutions. The main principles and goals of the book include simulation of experiment driven methods and relationship between computing and probability.

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American Students’ Top Universities and Colleges in the US

Every year, the Center for College Affordability and Productivity makes a list of top US universities and colleges based on factors that meet students’ wants and needs. Here are the top three educational institutions in the country based on that list.

College is still very expensive in the US. There are elite private universities in the country where a student can spend up to $250,000 for tuition and other fees over a typical four-year degree program. It is just logical that numerous college students look at costs first and foremost when choosing a university or college to attend to.

Forbes annually releases a list of top US universities and colleges based on the report of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. This list does not reflect the reputation of schools or any other measures of academic selectivity. Instead, it focuses on factors that are considered most important by students---quality of education, career prospects for graduates, graduation rates, student satisfaction, and student debt levels.

Here are the top three universities and colleges that meet the factors that are of more importance to students. The ranking is based on the 2012 list released by Forbes.

Princeton University

The private and research university is part of the Ivy League. Located in New Jersey, it has a 500-acre campus situated within a town that has a population of 30,000 people. New York City and the urban areas of Philadelphia are just about an hour away. This university is distinct with a more intimate educational environment compared to all other US universities today. It currently has a total student population of around 7,800. Annual cost of education per student is about $53,900.

Williams College

Situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Williams College has proven that being a small school can be an advantage. It topped the list in 2010 for outstanding reasons. The 2-century old private liberal arts college has a student-to-faculty ratio of just 7:1, giving its students greater chances to actually know their professors and take a more unique education experience. Current student population is just around 2,100 students and annual education cost per student is about $57,100.

Stanford University

This university is among the most selective institutions not just on the west coast but also in the entire US. The Leland Stanford Junior University, as it is called by some, takes pride in being one of the universities in the world where research and teaching efforts are stronger.

Located close to Palo Alto, California, it currently has a student population of around 19,900. Annual cost of education per student is about $57,700. The prevailing warm climate in its location and its attractive Spanish architecture are additional factors that make Stanford University attractive to students.

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Cheap Textbook Alternatives for Students

College textbooks are getting more and more expensive every year. This article will give students suggestions on how to buy cheap textbooks and save money.

Use e-books. Electronic books are becoming the textbooks of the 21st century. Many college textbook titles are already available in digital format, and they can easily be downloaded off the internet. Some online communities allow downloads without any charge, while some will require you to pay a certain amount. While e-books in these sites are not free, the fees you have to pay are still comparatively cheaper than buying brand new books.

Buy second-hand books online. The internet is a wonderful place, especially for students who want to save money on textbooks. There are many websites from where you can buy used, but in good condition, college books. Websites such as half.com, chegg.com, and textbooks.com allows you to search for the books you need, and offer them at a portion of the price of brand new books. Shopping online also gives students a chance to compare book prices and conditions, allowing you to pick the best book with the lowest possible price.

Peer-to-peer help. Students of the same college more or less share the same professors who require the same set of textbooks to be read. One way of obtaining the books you need for specific classes is to ask for them from your fellow students. Utilizing different means such as the campus bulletin board or social network media, you can ask them if they have the books you need. (If you have books that you do not need and wish to sell, you can also let them know about it in this manner.) There might be students who are willing to sell you their old books at lower prices.

Share with a friend. In the case where you were left with no choice but to buy a brand new textbook, there is still good news. You can remain frugal and split the cost of the book in half by sharing it with a friend who is in the same class as yours (or another class that requires the same textbook). In the end of the semester, either you can settle on who is going to keep the book, or you can sell it and split the proceeds equally among the two of you.

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#education #textbooks #cheap textbooks

How Should I Rate my Professor?

Perhaps one of the greatest contributors to having a fruitful and learning-packed college life is having a good professor. For this, you can ask advice from an elder sibling, friends or you can also ask for the credentials of professor if you want. Today, you are lucky we don’t even need to stand up from our desks if we want to check out a professor. How so? Through “rate your professor” sites.

These “rate a professor” sites are online evaluation sites where students can search professors according to the university and the department they are in. A lot of incoming college students regard this as very reliable. This is why, if you are one of those people who have just finished a class/ course/ year level, it might be good to write one or two reliable and accurate reviews about your previous professors. Here are 3 bases you can use:

On Tests: Quality Over Quantity

A lot of students give high professor ratings in “rate my professor” because that professor gave easy tests, has predictable patterns for giving exams and maybe, didn’t go to half of the scheduled classes. At the end of the day, ask yourself: how much did you really learn from this professor? And for the tests/ evaluations, is it really about quality or quantity? There are also other professors who give short and meaningful evaluations that let you really learn about the lessons taught. Always remember that sometimes it’s not about the number of attendance or quizes but the quality of learning that you got and how relevant these lessons can be in your chosen field.

Responsibility Counts Too

You can also say if one is a dedicated professor if s/he goes to class early, dresses well, and, most of all, comes to class prepared (papers checked on time, visual aid prepared, lecture arranged). If he ranks high in those 3 things, then, that’s one prized professor. It shows that he is devoted in his career and he is also invested in your learning.

Teaching Rigor

One of the best determiners of being a good professor is his/ her teaching rigor. How do you rate this? Answer the following questions: does your professor talk like he is really passionate about the subject that he’s teaching? How much effort does he put in making sure that everyone (or, at least, as many students as possible) understands the lesson completely? Does he put extra effort in those who are slower in terms of learning pace, and does he recognize those who excel in his class? If your professor is positive in these things, then that’s a sure 10 in “rate my professor”.

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5 Top-Selling New and Used College Engineering Textbooks

New textbooks are costly. That is why used books are now popular. Here are five of the most purchased college engineering reference materials as new or used books.

New textbooks are logically expensive. Each year, college students spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on buying their reference books alone. That is why when second-hand or used copies of those books were introduced and made available in the market, demand for those materials not surprisingly rose. Used books have become more sought-after especially among students who aim to save on costs.

Are you curious about the specific titles that are considered bestsellers among new and even used textbook buyers? Here are five of the most purchased college engineering textbooks these days.

Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach (Authors: Michael A. Boles and Yunus A Cengel) This global bestseller brings about refinement to an effective approach that emphasizes physical understanding of the basic concepts of thermodynamics. As an engineering textbook, this one directly addresses future engineers about the importance of creative thinking, interest, and enthusiasm about this area of study.

Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook, 8th Edition (Authors: Robert Perry and Don Green) This book was first published in 1934. Thus, it has equipped several generations of chemists and engineers with necessary knowledge and information about chemical engineering. Through the years, this reference material has been undergoing updates that reflect latest technology and effective processes.

Engineers (Author: DK Publishing) This textbook gives a closer perspective about the life and works of more than 80 of the greatest engineers in the world. It describes the ways of early known engineers like Archimedes, Hero of Alexandria, Alessandro Volta, Eli Whitney, Wernher von Braun, and Henry Ford. It is the only reference material to date that features engineers who come from each era of human history as well as from all engineering disciplines.

Microelectronic Circuits (Authors: Adel Sedra and Kenneth Carless Smith) As a market-leading textbook, this one built its standard of excellence and innovation on solid pedagogical foundation expected from the authors. The content is thoroughly updated to reflect corresponding advancements in technology, specifically pertaining to CMOS. It is now considered as the latest resource material used for teaching future engineers about how to design and analyze electronic circuits.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (Author: David J. Griffiths) The book teaches engineering students techniques in doing quantum mechanics. The content features insights about what the subject means. It has two-part coverage that organizes topics under most basic theory and at the same time assembles an arsenal of unique approximation schemes complete with illustrative applications. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics is recommended to engineering and physics students.

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Lowering Students’ Expenses through Electronic Textbook Formats

The US government is seeing the need to help lower students’ expenses by making traditional textbooks obsolete. However, a complete shift from traditional to digital format is not expected in the near future.

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has recently raised the possibility of making physical textbooks ‘obsolete.’ Sec. Duncan said the country’s education system should immediately shift to the use of digital educational resources to significantly lower the costs that are usually shouldered by students when buying reference books each school year.

The proposal is logically welcomed by most students, who spend around $655 each year to buy required course materials. In some cases, a single traditional textbook comes with a $300 sticker price. According to data from the National Association of College Stores, textbook costs have declined in the past years, but only marginally.

Availability of electronic devices

In a study conducted by electronic textbook provider CourseSmart, up to 98% of all college students who own a laptop, tablet PC, smartphone, or any other Internet-capable electronic device use their gadgets for school-related purposes. Of those, 53% frequently access and read electronic textbooks.

CourseSmart, one of the businesses that publish and distribute textbooks in electronic formats, has been reducing textbook costs by up to 60%. The company believes that technological innovation in publishing should go beyond conversion of textbooks into cheaper digital format. It asserts that better data as well as analytics will be important in aiding student retention, improving engagement, bolstering learning outcomes, and monitoring student success.

Another perspective

The Stanford Bookstore, another textbook publisher offering electronic versions, has a somehow different view. The company believes that no single device, platform, or format can cover students’ needs. Only about 10% of the books released by the bookstore this fall were in electronic format, including ‘Principles of Economics,’ which has a $300 tag price for the traditional format.

It is currently offering several alternatives to standard textbook costs. As Standard Bookstore goes into a slow transition to electronic format, its Stanford Intellectual Property Exchange (SIPX) unit is busy coordinating and working on course-pack content with materials that are library-licensed. SIPX is a cloud-based network that identifies copyright access and available resources for users in producing course-packs. So far, this business has been helping college students decrease costs of reference materials by 25% to 78%.

Currently, it seems that there is a mismatch between tools and alternatives available to students. Thus, many experts think it is still unlikely for digital books to replace traditional formats in the near future. CourseSmart and Stanford Bookstore both agree that physical textbooks will not completely disappear from the landscape of higher education.

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#ebooks #electronic textbooks #textbooks #reader

The All-Around Benefits of Open Source Textbooks

The world has really gone expensive; everything we buy, both our needs and wants, are consistently increasing in price. However, we don't always have money on our hands, which is exactly why we look for cheaper things to buy, or as much as possible, we buy lesser things.

From preschool up to college, we all base our knowledge on books. However, buying books could cost you a lot; there are big books which are expensive, and there are those small books that are also expensive, or more, like the bigger ones.

Now, if you think that there's no other way than buying secondhand books just to spend less when you don't have anyone to lend you one, well, think again. Technology has saved our pockets from ripping off over and over again; they have invented a cheaper way of providing us books. "Open Source Textbooks" - your cheaper (but better) and lighter versions of our traditional textbooks.

Cheaper - You could purchase soft copy files online. However, there are open authors who publish their books on the internet for free. Although these books cost lesser, this doesn't mean that the information offered to us have decreased as well. Because there are open source textbooks that has equal contents, and at the same time, they have much more to give. And not only does open source textbooks stitch up our pockets, but also, they set our minds at peace.

Imagine if you’re a part-time worker, plus you’re taking up your master’s degree with the help of your student loans, and you happen to be on your last year at school, but then you haven’t saved enough money to pay off your debts. We shouldn’t let books build walls between students and their wanting to learn, because these students someday could bring great ideas to mankind.

Lighter - As we all have experienced, we have common hatred for carrying many kilo-laden books on our bags. Some students have I-pads and laptops wherein they could use it to project the open source textbooks they got online to guide them in their studies. On the other hand, for those students who couldn’t afford to purchase such gadgets, they would just print some pages from open source textbooks when they need it, and bring it with them at school or to anywhere they need it. Still, access is easy and bringing of very heavy books in school can soon be history.

Books may appear in different forms, but content is really what matters most. However, we have issues in life that sets limits to our actions, especially in decision-making. So in looking for cheaper ways in buying books, always compare the price with its worth...never mind if it’s a hard or soft copy.

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To Give Back, I Will Rate My Professor

So you’re done with college and you are moving on with your life. Perhaps you got a really good gig after graduation and you are thinking of giving back to your university. One good way to give back is to help the incoming college students make better decisions in terms of picking which classes to take. This is to write accurate and meaningful evaluations to those “rate my professor” sites.

You know those websites where you can search your school and run through a menu of professors with respective “reviews” about them? That’s it. All you need to do is to write about your experience with that professor and give a fair professor rate. It isn’t rocket science, right?

This is highly helpful because it aids the student in knowing which professors might be the best for them in terms of teaching style. There are different ways for students to be motivated and learn, so it’s important for a student to know which professors are compatible with their own learning style. Also, it might take a student a while to adjust; so, knowing a professor’s style in advance will be very helpful.

Moreover, if there is only one professor available for a certain subject, the professor ratings will also be helpful in terms of leveling expectations. This way, the student can psyche himself up for the semester to come. That, or he can wait until the next semester and hope for a different professor to be available.

Another good thing that these “rate my professor” sites bring about is to level the playing field between the students and the professor. There are professors that are a tad too abusive and think that students will always do their bidding. Sometimes, they demand unreasonable requirements. Sometimes, they are truants. Some are lazy. Sometimes, they don’t even observe good manners inside the classroom. We don’t say that the online professor rate sites will correct these but they will be good deterrents for better professor performance and behavior.

So if you are thinking of how to “give back” to the university which you believe to have contributed to the success of your career, one great way is to write balanced and truthful evaluations on “rate my professor” sites. This way, your influence can be immortalized since it’s found on the cloud and you also get to encourage the incoming college students to do the same when they leave school altogether.

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#college #rate my professor #education

Top 10 Most Expensive College Textbooks in the US

Books can get very expensive because of various factors. Here are 10 of the most costly college textbooks available in the US today. There are ways to purchase the books at cheaper prices.

In general, college students are spending about $1,000 every school year on textbooks. In many cases, that expenditure can be higher or lower, depending on the price tags of the books to be purchased. New books are logically more expensive than second-hand or used books, which are also gaining popularity among college students these days.

It is not surprising that textbook prices vary. Sometimes, universities and professors overlook the cost factor when requiring books to be used in their classes. Many students are required to buy very costly books in various courses. How expensive can those reference materials get?

A list of most costly textbooks

There are numerous books that are sold across the US today. Different universities and colleges prescribe and recommend the use of various available books to aid and guide student learning. According to Valore Books, a used college textbook rental Website, here are 10 of the popular yet most expensive textbooks in the US.

Ethics in Business and Economics - $550

Advanced Semiconductor and Organic Nano-Technologies - $570

Concepts and Design of Chemical Reactors - $593

Feminism and Politics - $600

Companion Encyclopedia of Psychology - $600

Biostatistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology - $665

History of Early Film - $740

Management Science: An Anthology - $850

Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications - $1,215

Acta Philosophorum: The First Journal of Philosophy - $1,450

Factors that affect price tags

You might be wondering why some textbooks are much pricier than others? Pricier books are usually produced after completing heavy and costly research. The authors and publishers may have no other choice but to assign a hefty price tag to cover the expenses incurred in writing the book.

More often, a book becomes expensive when there are only limited copies that are sold and distributed across the marketplace. The quality of printing can be another factor. Books printed in glossy paper and photographic colors logically command higher tags.

What should you do if you are required to buy any of these expensive books? One effective measure is to purchase online. You may opt to buy used copies for greater savings. Of course, renting such books can also be a reasonable and practical option. You have to get the list of required reference materials to be used in your courses months before the official start of classes so you can have more time finding cheaper versions or copies of the more expensive books.

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Top 5 Things to Check Before Purchasing from an Ebookstore

Check out the top five things you must note before and during making a purchase from an e-book store.

There are a number of important things that you must remember while purchasing books from an ebookstore. Here is a list for the top five things to look out for while purchasing college textbooks from a bookstore online.

Browsing is important. A lot of people make the common mistake of purchasing what they need from the very first site they check out. Plenty of sites offer “never before” prices when putting up products for sale or give discounts which are supposed to be huge. However, it is prudent to check more than two sites at a time for your textbooks. That will help you confirm that the site you are buying from is giving you the best deal for money.

Price check. Thanks to the online market, plenty of stores have come up with the “special price” for the customers. However, often enough, these special prices come with a price, so while purchasing your textbooks, make it a point to check the original price and compare it with the price that has been marked. Also, if the original price is not listed, then performing a quick Google search can effectively find you the details you want to know.

Reliability. Make sure that the reliability of the ebookstore is impeccable. In case you are unsure about handing out your card details, check out if the store allows payments when the product is delivered to your doorstep. There are a number of sites which also have financial gateway ties with top banking groups, so make it a point to see if the procedure is viable or not.

Check what others are saying. There are times, when the after sales service of the company is filled with flaws, or there are some major glitches you must not make while browsing an ebookstore. This is when it is important to know what others are saying about it. If you do not have friends who purchase college textbooks online, do not despair. Check out the forums online which provide detailed reviews of the products and give a detailed description about the good and the bad. Most of these forums are pretty accurate and unbiased, so you would get a good review before you buy the books.

Overall, it is a good thing if you know a bit about an ebookstore before buying your college textbooks from there. It would help reduce the chances of finding a book you cannot read, or one that did not reach you, even though you paid top dollars for it.

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#ebooks #ebookstore #textbook #education

Free Online Courses From Top Universities

You don’t need to shell out thousands of dollars or to get up off your chair just to get the kind of education that you're dreaming of. Many colleges and universities offer free online education or courses in written transcripts, audio lectures, or video podcasts. It is also a great way to pick up more information on a topic in your profession or subject of interest. So better switch on your computer and give your mind some quick tweaks.

You need to have the good grades to get into Harvard University and being admitted there doesn't come cheap. Don't fret cause Open Learning Initiative, a Harvard Extension School program, offers eight free online courses (compare that with the usual $40,000+ tuition and fees). If you are interested to discover what else Harvard Extension School has to offer, take a look at their 600 and more online and evening courses offered for credit at a reasonable tuition fee.

Upholding the vibrant classroom interactions of an MIT education, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has OpenCourseWare, a decade-old free web-based publication of MIT course materials that mirrors virtually all the undergraduate and graduate subjects taught at MIT. Also, MIT launched M.I.T.x, an online learning program which offers the online teaching of M.I.T. courses wherever you are in the world at no charge, letting students who display their competence of subjects to earn certificates awarded by M.I.T.x. Watch for further upcoming courses, which will become available this Fall 2012. Not to compete with OCW in the number of courses that it offers, the new MITX will offer students a greater interactive experience. So get high on STEM (that is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at MIT without going in the red.

Known worldwide for its expertise in cognitive teaching and is affiliated with eighteen Nobel laureates (makes me want to whistle) Carnegie Mellon University established Open Learning Initiative (CMU-OLI) as their answer to MIT’s OpenCourseWare. Take note that CMU-OLI offers two options to use their course materials: the Academic Courses-which charges low per-student maintenance fee and the Open & Free Courses- which is free.

The OpenCourseWare Consortium is a cooperation of around 250 universities and associated organizations around the world. It prides itself in promoting and improving an open and free digital publication of top-class educational materials for universities and colleges.

Imagine yourself not getting up off from your couch still having the best professors and instructors from all over the world in one single lecture hall. Educational materials and lectures from leading universities in Hongkong Japan, and Australia are also included.

Just remember that free online courses are here to provide assistance that cannot be handled by regular schools and not to replace formal degree at a reputable degree-granting college or university.

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#free online coures #free education #education

5 Simple Ways to Find the Best School Textbooks Online

Any student can feel confused when it comes to finding the best and cheapest textbook online, simply because of the many options available. In this article, you can find simple steps to help you find the best textbooks.

More and more websites are offering great deals to students looking for school textbooks. Any student knows that textbooks are important for their academic life. However, how do you know which is the best textbook for your subject or course? With the many different options of school textbooks to buy, students can easily get confused and overwhelmed with the variety of choices available. If you want to find the best textbook online, here are some simple steps you can follow to make it easier to end up with the right one:

Buy the newest book – The newest editions are the best to buy, since they would have the most complete and up-to-date information. Errors in older editions might also be corrected, and information reorganized to make it easier for students to read and use. Check the publication date of the book, or better yet, check which edition is the latest to be sure.

Read about the book – Reviews are now included in online bookstores to help students and professors get an insight on the books they want to buy. This is a very good way to find the book with the best information possible. You can also help by submitting reviews of books you read in school.

Look for the cheapest prices – Most websites will have a feature to compare prices across different online bookstores to help you find the cheapest version and option for you. Usually, eBooks are cheaper but for some students, they prefer having a physical book to read. Whatever your preference is, these sites can help you find the best deal for you.

Ask for suggestions from the Professor – You can also talk to your professor if you want to do additional reading for your course. Professors will gladly share some of the titles that they have read or they recommend students to also use as additional resources. You can also ask for suggestions on where to find these books, or even just authors that write about the topic you are interested in.

Consider the freebies – School textbooks now come with extras – CDs, supplemental materials – that can offer you more for the same price. These materials will be very helpful for students to connect to more information, or simply have exercises to review them on the subject.

The best school textbooks can definitely be found online, and more and more websites are offering great deals on these books for students who are trying to save money on books. By following these simple steps, you can easily find them online and have them delivered right to your doorstep.

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How to Find Discounted Textbooks Online

Fact: Textbooks can be very pricey and are capable of draining your wallet in a wink. Another fact: These textbooks are also available for at least 40 to 85 percent less than the actual retail price. All you ought to do is delve into a thorough research, where else but the internet. There, you can possibly get hold of the textbooks you need at a great deal of reduced prices than the campus bookstore. Here are 5 helpful websites for all your textbook need:

ABEBOOKS.COM - is a substantial online marketplace for new, used, and uncommon books. This website has an active textbook section with new and used books that average 50% off retail and offers a 30-day return policy. In addition, it also features an easy-to-use buy-back program by just entering in the ISBNs of your book, then print off a free mailing label, ship them back in exchange of cash.

ALIBRIS.COM – is an online company where you can buy, rent or sell college textbooks. This website has an easy-to-use interface with an advanced textbook search. By just keying in the book title, author’s name and ISBN number on the textbook search, you can find your book without delay. Selling used textbooks is also a bliss, you need to do is create an account, file in the books and the store will be opened in a quick moment.

BOOKGATOR.COM – provides an out-and-out guide of the advantages of buying, renting, trading and selling textbooks. This social platform allows you and your fellow students and even instructors to work together reduce the cost of textbooks. The website has features that range from student-2-student marketplace, textbook prices comparison engine, online bookshelf you can create and organize, group deals discounts you can score, a smart guided wizard and a whole lot more, guaranteed to help you save up to 90 percent on textbooks.

CHEGG.COM – is initially an online textbook rental website, though students can also purchase textbooks at cut-rate cost and can put it up back for sale in exchange for cash or credit. Another additional advantage that Chegg offers is free shipping when you send back your rented books at the end of the term. This website presents a low rental and purchase fees, useful customer service and on-the-dot delivery.

TEXTBOOKS.COM - pride itself on having a vast inventory of over seven million books, thus, odds are, you can get hold of whatever textbook you need here. In addition, the website also offers free ground shipping for orders over $25 with a generally responsive customer service and books are promptly delivered and in fine condition.

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The Egyptian Building is a Richmond, Virginia landmark. Built in 1845 it is the first medical college in the state and now is now a part of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (MCV). More info here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skynoir/6915952269/ #school #college #education #architecture

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Why Consider Using iBooks in Schools

When Apple released the iBooks, they claimed that it will reinvent the textbook. Many were skeptical saying that paper textbooks were still better. Despite the fact that this application will definitely change how we view textbooks, it is still early to say that our education system is ready to go paperless.

Below are some arguments that this application is meant to complement paper books, not replace them in our educational system:

Current. Compared to paper textbooks being updated annually, books in digital form can be updated in a breeze. Not to mention that it is least costly and doesn’t have to go through a rigorous process.

Advanced multimedia features and study tools. iBooks can surely complement the current advances in classroom technology, such as the LCD projector for example. Now every student can have access to this rich, interactive experience where they can learn at their own pace. In case you miss a class, you can catch up at home using your iPad. You can throw out your bookmarks and highlighters because these tools are already integrated into this application and you can customize them to suit your needs.

Portability. Everyone knows how heavy textbooks are to carry around. Having all your books in a small, handy device is an advantage that is hard to ignore.

Format. It is still a far fetched idea to have all existing educational books converted into digital format. However, it is good to consider this idea so the content of these books will not get lost with time.

Durability. One can argue that you can take care of your paper textbooks against wear and tear. Nonetheless, we can still assume that converting these books into the iBooks format will help maintain them to last for a longer period of time.

Unified hardware and software. There are many tablets coming out of the market so it works for Apple that they came up with a single product line and software. Schools will not have to bother why a student’s textbook displays differently in his Android tablet than in his classmate’s iPad. They were able to keep it simple thus keeping the focus off troubleshooting the hardware, but instead on learning.

You cannot ignore that adding educational textbooks to the iBooks platform makes digital learning more exciting, and some schools have already noticed. But, the issue here is not really to choose between iBooks and paper textbooks. We need to look at how we can make this advancement work to improve the education system, and make the most of using both paper and digital formats to our advantage.

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