May 2008 Archives
Just because you plan on having a fun summer away from classes, doesn't mean that it can't be a productive one. One of the best ways to have fun and still learn a lot is to learn a new language while traveling abroad.
The easiest (and cheapest) way for college students from the U.S. to do this is to learn Spanish in Central or South America. The flights aren't too expensive and there are Spanish schools in most of the towns that tourists would go to. And the schools are very inexpensive compared to taking classes in the U.S. Most schools charge $100 or less for a week of one-on-one training. Many of these schools also have families that you can stay with for very little money. Staying with one of these families will also give you an opportunity to really get to know what it is like to live in these countries. You can even bounce from town to town spending a week in each place at a different school. A quick Google search can get you on the way to finding a place where you can learn another language and another culture.
The easiest (and cheapest) way for college students from the U.S. to do this is to learn Spanish in Central or South America. The flights aren't too expensive and there are Spanish schools in most of the towns that tourists would go to. And the schools are very inexpensive compared to taking classes in the U.S. Most schools charge $100 or less for a week of one-on-one training. Many of these schools also have families that you can stay with for very little money. Staying with one of these families will also give you an opportunity to really get to know what it is like to live in these countries. You can even bounce from town to town spending a week in each place at a different school. A quick Google search can get you on the way to finding a place where you can learn another language and another culture.
Most people in academia tell students that they should avoid Wikipedia because its content can't be trusted. This is obviously sound advice given the fact that anyone can make edits to Wikipedia. However, many of these people take a view that I consider is a bit too hardline.
While no student should ever reference Wikipedia in a paper or take its entries as gospel, it can be a very helpful tool in getting an overview on a subject. Also, since Wikipedia entries usually have a great deal of references, it can direct the student to these other sites very quickly. (Something that is not always as easy when just doing a Google search.) Finally, reading a quick overview of a subject in Wikipedia can help students when they are not sure what direction to go with a paper, so they spend less time thinking and more time writing.
Obviously, the bulk of the research will need to be done in other places, but Wikipedia can be a good first step to writing a better paper.
While no student should ever reference Wikipedia in a paper or take its entries as gospel, it can be a very helpful tool in getting an overview on a subject. Also, since Wikipedia entries usually have a great deal of references, it can direct the student to these other sites very quickly. (Something that is not always as easy when just doing a Google search.) Finally, reading a quick overview of a subject in Wikipedia can help students when they are not sure what direction to go with a paper, so they spend less time thinking and more time writing.
Obviously, the bulk of the research will need to be done in other places, but Wikipedia can be a good first step to writing a better paper.
About
Allen Ceinture is a leading education expert for CompleteSchools.com where he provides extensive knowledge of both traditional college and online degree programs.