how to figure out the potential for my subject for a course

by Muriel Mraz 6 min read

How do I choose a subject matter expert?

Verify Their Credentials It's perfectly acceptable to verify a Subject Matter Expert's references and credentials before making your final decision. Check out their website to see if they've posted an eLearning portfolio or at least examples of their past work.

How do you know what subjects to choose for University?

Draw up a list of subjects you’re good at If you have one or two subjects you really stand out in, the chances are you’ll be able to get on to a fairly good university course in that same subject (and hopefully go on to find a good career in a related field).

How do I find the right course for me?

And finally, an excellent way to find the right course for you is to use our course matching tool.

How do I find a course of study I enjoy?

One of the keys to finding a course of study you enjoy is to make sure you’re going into it for yourself. If you’re attending college or a specific training program for the first time, think about why. Is it because it’s the same career your parents or some of your friends went into?

How do you find out what course is right for you?

How to Find a Course of Study You Really LoveTake a gap year. ... Take a free online course. ... Take a short course or evening classes. ... Read up on your course of study. ... Attend open days/university fairs. ... Find a flexible university system. ... Try out our new course matching tool.

How do I calculate my course load?

To find your course load percentage for each term:Divide the number of units you're enrolled in by the 100% course load for one term.Example: enrolled in 9 units, 100% is 15 units: 9/15 = . 6 or 60% course load.

What is 60 percent of a full course load?

For example, if a full course load for your program is 5 courses and you're taking 3 courses, that's 60% of a full course load. Your school determines the number of courses or credits that make up a 100% course load.

Is 4 courses a full course load?

Three to five courses is usually considered full-time. If you drop below the minimum course load for full-time studies, you'll become a part-time student. This will affect your eligibility and Student Aid will reassess your account.

1. Take a gap year

Sometimes, just taking some time out can really clarify things (#agonyauntcorner). It’s likely to be particularly difficult to make a decision about the future when you’re in the midst of juggling exams, coursework, applications and so on. You could also use the time afforded by your gap year to find out more about a different course of study.

2. Take a free online course

One way of sampling different subjects is to take a free online course. Many universities are now using online software like iTunes U to upload recorded talks and lectures, which can be downloaded free of charge.

3. Take a short course or evening classes

If you’re able to, try taking a shorter course in the subject – perhaps an evening class, part-time course or summer school. This could be especially useful if you’re interested in a course of study you haven’t had the opportunity to study before. (More on summer courses here .)

4. Read up on your course of study

Get hold of some books on the subject, and see whether you’re gripped by them or not! You could even check out the reading lists of courses you’re considering – many departments will publish these online (or may send you one if you ask).

6. Find a flexible university system

If you’re still not sure, the best suggestion I can make is to choose a university with a flexible system, that will allow you to explore more than one subject area, and if necessary to change your mind.

7. Try out our new course matching tool

And finally, an excellent way to find the right course for you is to use our course matching tool.

How to find a course of study you enjoy?

One of the keys to finding a course of study you enjoy is to make sure you’re going into it for yourself. If you’re attending college or a specific training program for the first time, think about why. Is it because it’s the same career your parents or some of your friends went into? Have you heard good things about it from people you trust?

When looking at different career options, should you consider the earning potential for each one?

When you’re looking at different career options, you should consider the earning potential for each one. You can weigh things like salary and benefits against your passion for that particular career path.

What to consider before choosing a course of study?

One key thing to consider before choosing your course of study is how much it will cost. What are you willing to pay, and what can you afford? The cost will be dependent upon the school, location, and of course, how long it takes to complete the coursework.

What to think about when entering a school?

Whether you’re entering a school or training program for the first time, or you’re looking for a career change, think about what you value most. Have you started a family yet? Would you like to someday? Are you more career-driven and salary-driven? Does the particular field you’re interested in line up with personal beliefs, morals, etc.?

What is general education requirements?

Some areas of study have a rigorous schedule that requires you to complete certain ‘core’ courses. Sometimes these are called general education requirements. Unfortunately, these requirements don’t often leave a lot of room for electives. You’re fairly limited in which courses you can take. For some people who are set on a particular area of study, that isn’t a problem. For others who want a bit more freedom, it can feel constraining.

What to do if you have already taken a course?

If you’ve already taken any courses, look back on them. Or, think about what you excelled in throughout high school, etc. The courses you did well in were probably classes you enjoyed, too. Consider these successes when you think about the future of your coursework. However, the classes we excel in don’t always line up with the field of study we’re considering, or we don’t give them enough thought.

How long does it take to get a degree in a field?

If you choose a field that might cause you to relocate, you also need to factor in that cost. Some areas of study can take longer than four years, while some can be completed with training programs in less than a year.

How to choose the right course?

To choose the right course, do a Google search on your possible career path to learn what education you will need and what the average salary is. Consider which courses you will enjoy as well as which courses will provide you with applicable skills in the job field. Before making a selection, review the course content online to learn how many ...

What is the most important aspect to consider when deciding on a college course?

Affordability is another aspect you need to consider while deciding on your course, as well as the additional costs that occur, such as text books, field trips etc. However, do not let cost hamper your career choice, as there are a number of financial assistance options available to complete the course.

How to decide what interests you?

Decide what interests you. List the fields of study that interest you, and come up with a list of courses you would consider studying based on these interests. Add the topics that you were most interested in during school as well as jobs that you envied others for.

How to decide what major to get?

If you go to college to get a Bachelor's degree, you should have plenty of time to take different classes and explore different subjects - you can basically spend your first year or two doing this, and then decide what you want to major in . If you're asked to declare a major right away, you can pick any one and then change it later if you want to (and you can still take a bunch of classes in different subjects). Also, consider not only what you like doing but also what the career prospects are for different subject areas (what kinds of jobs are available, if it's easy or hard to get a job in the field, what kind of pay you can expect). That can help you narrow things down further.

How to find out what your future career is?

Do your research. The internet, newspapers, television and people around you are the best sources of information. Check online about the courses you are interested in and find out about the career prospects and the other information. Speak to people who are in your interested profession and find out what it is to choose your future career. People who have completed university courses can give you an insight from a student’s perspective - they can tell you the pros and cons.

How to choose a university?

If you are set on going to a particular university, don’t let this completely dictate your course selection. Compare course outlines and studying facilities between universities to make sure you make the right choice for your educational needs and preferences. If possible, visit the university and attend some of the lectures to get a feeling of what some of the subjects will be like.

What to do if your preferred course is not available?

If your preferred course is not available in your preferred university, look for alternatives. Never give up your dream career just because you cannot find a suitable university.

What happens if you have two subjects?

If you have one or two subjects you really stand out in, the chances are you’ll be able to get on to a fairly good university course in that same subject (and hopefully go on to find a good career in a related field).

What is the most important thing to consider when choosing a university degree?

One of the most important things when choosing a university degree is that you pick a subject you enjoy, or at least thinkyou’ll enjoy. Obviously whatever you pick is still going to involve some hard work and stress, but if you can choose a subject that you get at least some enjoyment from, you’re sure to get a lot more out of your degree than if you pick something you find dull or uninspiring.

How to start a career in college?

To try and make things a bit simpler, we’ve given you three different starting points: 1 You have no idea what you want to do 2 You’re picking between a few different courses at university 3 You have a specific job in mind

What is the first key component of gifted land?

Dr. Yvette Jackson: The first key component is what I call the high operational practices. And those are practices that I called from research, again, a lot from gifted land that said what are the kinds of things that move intelligence? The first is identifying and activating student strengths. Right. We know that we do that in gifted land, but we don’t do that anywhere else.

How does culture affect learning?

Culture impacts the learning process and is a fundamental building block for students; however, it also can hold children back, even in school. If the school culture doesn’t represent the culture of the students, then you’re going to get all kinds of dysfunction.

What is the last part of confidence?

And the last part of the pedagogy of confidence is making every learning experience an opportunity for assessing a learning growth, and giving students the feedback on that learning growth so they’ll go to the next level.

Can you test students without introducing them to the cognitive tools?

And he came up with a learning potential assessment device that actually said that you cannot test students without actually introducing them to the cognitive tools or the content that would allow you to assess how they’re taking this information in and being able to apply it. So his whole work was around what he used to call a test learning test situation.

What are the three types of knowledge that teachers need?

Lee Shulman (6) has identified three general kinds of knowledge required by teachers. The first is “content knowledge,” an obvious and necessary ingredient. The second is “pedagogical content knowledge,” or understanding of pedagogy, teaching and learning, and its application to the discipline. Finally is “curricular knowledge,” an enhanced version of the latter where the teacher has a repertoire of strategies, materials, approaches, and alternatives that are called on to help students learn. Master teachers, by Shulman’s definition, also possess the ability to take the principal concepts of the discipline and translate them into language, demonstrations, or activities that students can understand. In other words (and particularly in introductory courses where students most frequently have to learn terms, definitions, classifications, etc.), the teacher provides both the organizational structure and the appropriate level of complexity for the students. Quite simply, this makes learning easier, promotes success and enhanced efficacy (7), and creates a positive motivational cycle in which students become more and more willing to work and reap both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as a result. However, structuring and organizing information and activities does not mean exercising complete control over all aspects of the course. Making a course “learner centered” (8) can help you to get your students more deeply engaged in the content, and it can promote the kind of “deep learning” (9) that characterizes academic success.

What is the objective of basic understanding?

This objective, “Gaining a basic understanding of the subject…,” deals with acquisition of basic information upon which more complex learning relies. While traditional teaching methods, especially lecture and readings, are quite efficient at “delivering” this kind of information, the question is whether “delivery” is enough. Simply having the information at hand does not guarantee that students will understand it or know how to learn it. Are there ways to help students learn the material more effectively and also be able to use the information as they move into more complex cognitive tasks?

Why is comprehension important in application level learning?

Application level learning strengthens the students’ ability to recall the previously learned knowledge. Applications are potentially more meaningful and motivating to students, especially if they have a manipulative and or emotional component, because they reinforce the conceptual understanding associated with comprehension. Comprehension of fundamental principles, generalizations and theories can be an exciting and motivating part of learning, and it facilitates the students’ future application of knowledge. Because of this, it is worth the time and effort to teach it.

What are the dimensions of student achievement?

In fact, the dimensions of teaching that are the strongest correlates of student achievement are: 1) preparation and organization; 2) clarity of communication; 3) perceived outcome of the instruction; and 4) stimulating student interest in the course content. The first two concern the organization of information and its effective presentation and have traditionally been part of a teacher’s preparation. The second two deal with motivation and engaging students in their learning.

1. Look For Subject Matter Experts Who Take A Hands-On Approach

A Subject Matter Expert should be fully prepared to dive into the topic with you in order to create the highly informative and engaging eLearning content . Instead of simply sitting back and delegating all of the tasks to their eLearning team, they take a hands-on approach and offering their guidance every step of the way.

2. Determine The Quantity AND Quality Of Their Experience

You should always consider the length of their experience, but the breadth of that experience is of the utmost importance. Both the quantity and quality must factor into your decision-making process, as it gives you a good indication of whether the Subject Matter Expert has relevant expertise.

3. Ask About Their Work Process

Truly experienced and knowledgeable Subject Matter Experts should be able to outline every step of their work process, such as how they conduct their research and how they choose the key takeaways. Remember that the Subject Matter Expert will work closely with your eLearning development team.

4. Verify Their Credentials

It's perfectly acceptable to verify a Subject Matter Expert's references and credentials before making your final decision. Check out their website to see if they've posted an eLearning portfolio or at least examples of their past work. Read articles, reports, or books that they've written to get a feel for their expertise and writing style.

5. Test Their Communication Skills

You should have an open line of communication with your Subject Matter Expert. Ask them about their preferred contact method and how quickly they typically reply to messages. Send them a few questions before the interview and pay attention not only to how they respond but also their timeline.

6. Invite Them To A Team Meeting

Interviewing your Subject Matter Expert candidate and asking them questions via email can give you a general idea of their experience level and knowledge base. However, inviting them to a team meeting will reveal important details about their character and collaboration abilities.

7. Assess Their Ability To Articulate The Subject Matter

Knowing the information is one thing, but being able to convey it clearly is quite another. When all is said and done, your Subject Matter Expert must articulate all of the core concepts and ideas so that you can pass them onto your audience.

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