Blog
At National University, we strive to make higher education accessible to all adult learners. View our blog articles below that provide insights and information to help navigate your education path.
-
July 30, 2021
What is Sociological Imagination?
To put it simply, sociological imagination is an ability to connect personal experience with larger social structures, allowing us to link personal challenges to broader social issues. However, a simple definition doesn’t fully capture the scope of this modestly complex idea. What kind of personal challenges or social issues? How do they connect? Exploring a ...
-
July 27, 2021
Sociological Theories of Crime & Deviance
What is crime, exactly? Why does it occur? What are some different types of crime? Why are some offensive behaviors considered crimes, but others are not? And what can we do to influence rates of criminal behavior in society? There are many sociological theories of crime, and each approaches these types of questions in a ...
-
July 22, 2021
Popular Theories of Sociology
As the study of social relationships and systems, sociology has many theories that can help us to better understand and interact with the world around us. That includes competing theories that are attempting to explain the same phenomena, as well as theories that cover an incredibly diverse range of different social systems and issues. Fully ...
-
July 13, 2021
What is School Psychology?
School psychologists work with school-aged children and engage with children, youth, families, and school systems. With that in mind, school psychology could be considered a subset of child psychology. However, unlike child psychologists, school psychologists are not just concerned with individuals, but the systems and environments they are placed in. A school psychologist is, characteristically, ...
-
July 8, 2021
The Importance of Mental Health During a Pandemic
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that over 17 million Americans, or about 7 percent of the population, suffered “at least one major depressive episode” during 2017. Anxiety, which frequently overlaps with depression, is even more prevalent in the United States. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), roughly 40 ...
-
July 6, 2021
Helping Students Overcome Procrastination
Some students struggle to understand algebra. Others have trouble remembering history. Others excel when tasked with group projects but find it a challenge to study consistently. While each student’s skill sets and strengths are unique, there’s one obstacle nearly all of them face: the tendency to procrastinate. In fact, you might be surprised (and dismayed) ...
-
July 1, 2021
Engaging Students in Distance Learning
As part of the ongoing effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, thousands of schools have transitioned toward distance education, replacing conventional classrooms with online courses, websites, and apps. Thanks to innovations in educational technology, or “edtech,” students can take tests, attend lectures, collaborate on group assignments, and participate in class discussions — all while ...
-
June 24, 2021
Sociology vs. Psychology
Though similar in many respects, students who pursue studies in sociology or psychology will develop somewhat differing skills and career prospects. Both fields involve understanding human behavior, and both teach the skills necessary to enter a wide range of career paths. Pending your individual tastes, intellectual curiosity, and career goals, you might find one field ...
-
June 22, 2021
What Can I Do with a Strategic Communication Degree?
An ordinary communications degree teaches students a variety of highly marketable skills; but a BA in Communication with a concentration in Strategic Communication degree further specializes those skills with an even greater emphasis on professional communications theory. From improving internal communications to enhancing marketing campaigns, graduates with a strategic communication degree learn about business communications in ...
-
June 17, 2021
What is Strategic Communications?
Communication is an important aspect of our lives. It affects the way we relate to one another and it’s the backbone of any large company, project, or supply line. Being able to improve communications using data and analysis can be an invaluable skill; one which falls under the purview of strategic communications. While studying communications ...
-
June 15, 2021
Creating Reward Systems for Virtual School
In a recent article we discussed the importance of motivation for successful remote learning, offering teachers a few suggestions on keeping students inspired and engaged. We found that while different students were motivated by different causes, several common threads emerged across varying sources of research. For example, multiple experts point to teacher enthusiasm, personalized feedback, ...
-
June 8, 2021
How to Keep Your Students Motivated to Learn
Motivation has a powerful influence over learning outcomes, with research suggesting that demotivated students are at higher risk of dropping out. Students have a better chance of succeeding when they are driven and engaged, meaning educators should take steps to help students find and maintain motivation. COVID-19 made distance learning inevitable, forcing teachers to innovate. ...
-
June 3, 2021
Providing Effective Feedback to Students in Online Courses
Clear and constructive feedback can propel a student’s growth, providing opportunities for reflection while sharpening critical thinking skills. Feedback can also help motivate students to persevere with difficult material, take creative risks, or explore new angles and perspectives, creating a springboard for learning. Not only is instructor feedback helpful — “for many students,” it’s becoming ...
-
June 1, 2021
Essential Skills Needed for a Child Psychologist
Child psychologists do not have an easy job. They work within school systems, treatment facilities, research labs, social service agencies, and beyond. Working with children can be immensely fulfilling as a career field, and oftentimes soon-to-be-psychologists enter the field because of their love of children. While that is one quality necessary to have for the ...
-
May 20, 2021
What Does It Take to Be a Psychologist?
Understanding the qualities and skills needed to be a psychologist is fundamental to understanding the profession. Some of these will come naturally, others take honing. Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and finding a balance will be a focus for any aspiring psychologist. That is why it is essential to consider the distinctions between skills ...
-
May 18, 2021
What’s the Difference Between Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology?
According to a survey from the National Science Foundation, there were 3.5 million people in the United States in 2017 who held a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Among those individuals, 14 percent pursued graduate degrees in the field. That means approximately 499,000 people have been tasked with the judgment call of joining a clinical psychology ...
-
May 13, 2021
The Negative Effects of Technology on Children
From smartphones and social media to TV and tablet-based toys, today’s kids are constantly relating to technology. While it’s important for children and teens to develop an aptitude for technology, after all, they will use computers their whole lives, too much technology use can have detrimental health and physical effects. The negative effects on children’s ...
-
May 11, 2021
The Importance of Teaching Technology to Children
From checking our emails on the go, to having groceries delivered right to our doorsteps, we constantly use technology to enrich, expand, and simplify our lives. By harnessing high-tech solutions to everyday problems, we’ve brought countless improvements into our homes, our workplaces, and the society we live in — so why should the classroom be ...
Learn More About Our University and Scholarships
Join our email list!