NIU View Points http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints Information, tips and tricks for the NIU distance education student. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:16:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 ©NIU View Points niuview@niu.edu (NIU View Points) niuview@niu.edu Higher Education 1440 distance students, distance education resources, online students, NIU View, NIU Viewpoints, Northern Illinois university, NIU, Northern We are here to lead you through. Podcasts for off-campus and online students at Northern Illinois University. NIU View Points NIU View Points niuview@niu.edu No no http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/Viewlogo_itunes_sm.png NIU View Points http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints 144 144 The Community College Partnership Program http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=50 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=50#comments Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:19:58 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=50 Over 45% of NIU students started their education at a community college!   That’s an impressive number.  We’re very proud of these students, because they come from some of the best community colleges in the U.S.  Even better, they do extremely well at NIU.  With 20 community college districts, our region provides tremendous opportunities for people who want to begin a college education or train for a new career close to home.

With your needs in mind, we are expanding access to NIU’s bachelor’s degree-completion programs.  Our goal is to increase the locations where you can begin and complete an undergraduate degree close to home.

Our partnerships with community colleges help develop local support for students and employees who want more education.  Historically, students lived and studied at college for four years.  Times have changed!  People now complete undergraduate education at times and places that complement their lives, their family, and their work schedules.  We’re doing our part to give you new options.

I invite you to check out our Community College Partnerships webpage or to give me a call for more information.  I can be reached at 815-753-9677 or at pcrawford@niu.edu.

Find out what we’re offering, and where it’s being offered!

Thanks,

Paul Crawford

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=50 Universities across the state join a homeland security partnership http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=49 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=49#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:16:51 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=49 Universities across Illinois formed an alliance offering homeland security courses for students enrolled in any participating university. If you’re enrolled at one of these Alliance universities, you now have the opportunity to gain homeland security skills and disaster preparedness training from expert faculty members across Illinois.

Here’s a list of participating universities:

If you are admitted to any of these schools you can take approved IDEA courses from any of the other institutions. Check out the list of classes by visiting www.illinoisideahs.org.

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=49 What is My NIU? http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=48 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=48#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:05:07 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=48 My NIU is a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that integrates all of the “business” processes and functions that NIU requires of students.  Sound confusing?  Well, all you really need to know is that you can do the following things through My NIU:

  • Apply for Admissions
  • View Application Status
  • Review Financial Aid status
  • Accept/Decline Financial Aid
  • Register for classes (Add, Drop, Swap)
  • View account summary
  • Monitor degree progress
  • View grades

My NIU is a handy system that you should get to know once you decide to apply.  For more information, visit the help page at http://www.niu.edu/myniutraining/training/student_training.shtml.
Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=48 Fall open house dates http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=47 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=47#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:03:24 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=47 In an effort to be organized and plan ahead, we’ve already set up our fall open houses.  Prospective students will have the opportunity to visit our off-campus locations (the same buildings where  classes are taught) and meet with program advisors about the degrees and certificates we offer in each location.

  • NIU Naperville:  October 14, 2008 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
  • NIU Hoffman Estates:  October 16, 2008 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
  • NIU Rockford:  October 21, 2008 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

If you’re interested in discovering what degrees we offer and where, visit our locations and degrees pages:

Undergraduates:  http://www.niu.edu/offcampusacademics/undergrad.shtml
Graduates:  http://www.niu.edu/offcampusacademics/graduate.shtml

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=47 Masters in Elementary Education in Rockford http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=46 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=46#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:01:42 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=46 Masters in Elementary Education—coming soon to Rockford!!

NIU’s Department of Teaching and Learning now offers a Masters in Elementary Education in the Rockford area.  This program will begin spring of 2009.  It is likely that courses will be held at NIU Rockford, though all the logistics are still being ironed out.

Courses will be offered on Wednesday evenings. 

If you’d like more information, let me know.  Or, you can attend the information session scheduled on September 24th at NIU Rockford from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Apply by November 2008.
Start classes Spring of 2009.

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=46 RN to BS in Nursing cohort dates http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=45 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=45#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:59:25 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=45 The Department of Nursing just announced new cohorts popping up in locations near you.  In a cohort, you’ll attend class with the same people throughout all the courses, and you will know your entire schedule from the beginning.  The nice part about this is that you’ll get to know your classmates and come to rely on them in many ways.  Another benefit – we have found that students in cohorts are more likely to complete their degrees.

New Cohorts:

  • Elgin Community College: Spring 2010 and Spring 2012
  • Harper College:  Fall 2008 and Fall 2010
  • Waubonsee Community College: Fall 2009 and Fall 2011

Visit www.niu.edu/offcampusacademics/nursing/ to see program requirements and discover how much a bachelor’s degree in nursing can advance your career as an RN.

In the past, many of our nursing cohorts were located in hospitals.  Moving forward, you’ll notice that most cohorts will reside inside community colleges all across Northern Illinois.  NIU believes that learning is best conducted in educational environments—and lucky for you—NIU doesn’t make you come to DeKalb.

Check back often to see if new cohorts are available in your area!

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=45 Farewell to Elena http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=44 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=44#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:55:44 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=44 If you haven’t already noticed, you’ll soon catch on to another change here at the NIU View.  My partner in crime, Elena, has moved on to a new position in New York City.  Elena is now working for Games for Change.  G4C offers support to organizations interested in using games to evoke social change.  I bet Elena already gained a new perspective into the world of education and digital gaming—especially how the two complement each other.  I am working on getting her to check in with us every now and then—just to keep us posted on what is happening in her world.
You’ll notice she picked up where she left off on the blogging front—you can check her new blog out at http://www.gamesforchange.org/g4cblog. 

We wish her the best!!

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=44 We’re Back! http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=43 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=43#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:52:30 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=43 You may have noticed a VERY long absence here at NIU View.  I am happy to announce the good news—WE’RE BACK!!  I am thrilled to be blogging, posting, and podcasting—focusing my attention on the information relevant to NIU’s off-campus and online students.  During the upcoming months, we’ll spend our time adding new content, changing our landing page slightly, adding an html site to the View, and driving traffic to this fabulous site so that we may start some great conversations regarding NIU and adult and online students.

Welcome back!! Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=43 New Room Coming Soon http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=40 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=40#comments Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:40:19 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=40 I just dropped by Scott’s (our fabulous designer) office and he is almost done with a new room inside of the house.  He is developing a study and embedding links to all kinds of interesting places.  You’ll be able to access each of our off-campus program pages as well as get to the university libraries through “the study.”

 As always, he has a few more surprises in store for you as well.  Elena or I will let you know when it is up and running and you can check it out.

 Reminder–let us know what you would like to see in the house or read about in one of our blogs.  We need to hear from you!!

Talk to you later,

Amanda

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=40 Chat Session and Open House Dates http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=38 http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=38#comments Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:48:36 +0000 Amanda http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?p=38 I am so excited to announce that NIU is hosting chat sessions for our adults and prospective students who don’t have time to get attend an open house at one of our Outreach Centers. 

Chat sessions will work just like the open houses–only during chats, you’ll have the opportunity to speak with current students as well. 

Registration begins in early September, but I wanted to let you all know that we have chosen the dates:

Open house at NIU Rockford: October 4, 5:30-8:00

Nursing for RNs: October 10, 12:00 noon

Computer Science: October 17, 12:00 noon

Industrial Technology and Management: October 23, 12:00 noon

Elementary Education: October 24, 12:00 noon

 

Transfer Center Coordinator (general information about transferring to NIU): October 25, 12:00 noonI hope to see (or hear) you all at one of these events, AC

]]> http://blog.niu.edu/niuviewpoints/?feed=rss2&p=38