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.
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August 13, 2021
Essential Skills Needed to be a Forensic Psychologist
Set aside what you think you know about forensic psychology from popular media. The deep and dramatic analysis of criminal suspects and the profile-making process found in TV shows might have their place in some roles, but the application of forensic psychology in the real world is much broader and entirely more complicated. It’s also ...
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August 10, 2021Helping Students Overcome Social Anxiety in School
Anxiety disorders are among some of the most common mental health disorders in the United States — and it isn’t just adults who are affected. In addition to an estimated 40 million U.S. adults, anxiety has also been diagnosed in more than 7 percent of U.S. children and teenagers aged 3 to 17, according to ...
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August 5, 2021
Pros and Cons of Teaching Cyber School
COVID-19 has led to a surge in online learning, with record numbers of students attending school virtually in order to maintain social distancing. This unprecedented shift toward distance learning has presented a new and unique set of challenges to educators, demanding creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. If you are planning on becoming an educator, it is ...
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August 3, 2021
ABA Psychology and Autism
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more common than most people realize, affecting approximately 1 in 54 children throughout the United States. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), places that number even higher, estimating a figure closer to 1 in 40, or ...
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July 30, 2021
What is Sociological Imagination?
To put it simply, sociological imagination is an ability to connect personal challenges to larger social issues. However, a simple definition is not enough to explain a modestly complex idea like sociological imagination. What kind of personal challenges or social issues? How do they connect? Exploring a brief summary of sociological imagination can help introduce ...
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July 27, 2021Sociological 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 ...
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July 22, 2021Popular 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 ...
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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, ...
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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 ...
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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) ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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June 22, 2021
What Can I Do with a Strategic Communications Degree?
An ordinary communications degree teaches students a variety of highly marketable skills; but a BA in strategic communications 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 communications degree learn about business communications in a greater level of depth. ...
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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 ...
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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, ...
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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 has made this task more challenging, with the ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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