Internet and Technology

As advancement in technology makes a vast amount of improvement each year, it’s hard not to wonder whether society is starting to become controlled by technology. The vast majority of people believe that society is slowly being controlled by technology, although there are some who may beg to differ as they believe that humans have full control over technology, and that technology is a tool used for our convenience. But the fact remains that as long as we are reliant on technology, no matter how much control we seem to have over it, we are slowly being controlled by it as it ebbs its way into our daily lives.

From the home appliances we use, to the cars we drive, and computers we use for our work, all the way to the manufacturing of baby prams and the food we eat, there is hardly a device that we own and use that does not have technology in it or has been made without using technology. Though in this sense, technology has not literally taken control over society, but rather we have come to place technology as a central role in our lives and we have become reliant on it.

Consider this: when a pilot is navigating a plane, he has equipment that aids in his piloting of the plane to his destination, and the equipment no doubt relies on technology. When that equipment is faulty or malfunctions, although the pilot is in control of all the equipment, his control and having the equipment as tools does not determine what happens next. It is the technology which has malfunctioned that has an upper hand rather than the pilot.

Nowadays we are bombarded by the technology in the forms of the latest HD/plasma televisions, to the latest operating such or gadgets for computers. Even the rate at which new models of digital camcorders, cameras, mobile phones and mp3 players, are released into the market is at an incredibly fast rate. Jobs in areas such as engineering, accounting, teaching, and media, all rely on technology in the form of software programs and gadgets to make the job easier. As such, it can be said that technology is making its presence known in our daily lives and society is slowly but surely being controlled by technology.

People have become “lazy” when it comes to doing certain things and are starting to become so reliant on technology that it is frightening to think how life would be without it. Technology is like a double-edged sword, it can be useful and helps us in over daily lives, but there is also a cost to it. If we were to use it correctly, the consciences would not be so dire. It is after all an undeniable fact that technology has become an intricate part of our lives.

The internet has become a certifiable cash cow. Many people are embracing the internet lifestyle. Basically, they work from the comfort of their home, (or with a satellite internet hookup they can work from anywhere in the world), they put in few hours and they make loads of cash (the beach front view is optional). It’s a great way to live for those who want to escape the grind of 9 to 5 and become a 12 month internet millionaire.The best part of the (satellite) internet lifestyle is the freedom. Internet entrepreneurs are their own bosses. They make their own hours. They control how their business works. They aren’t shilling for anyone else. They don’t work for the man. So just how do they do it?Well, if you’ve got a high speed internet connection, there are an infinite number of ways to make money.One of the most popular ways to earn money online is through affiliate marketing. Basically, you allow an advertisement for a product or service to be placed on your site or blog and the cash comes rolling in. Every time a sale is made via a click from your site, you get a percentage of the sale. One of the more popular affiliate services out there today is Clickbank.12 Month Internet MillionaireA lot of people make some extra cash by selling merchandise online. You can easily auction off your collection of vintage toys or first edition books on eBay and make a killing. If you’re the crafty type, you can hawk your wares on Etsy, a site dedicated to handmade artifacts. You can also sell your stuff on Amazon.Or you can build your own online store. For those who don’t have any programming skills, Yahoo! Merchant Solutions is a great way to get started. They provide the infrastructure for handling payments and displaying your products. You just do the selling and watch as the cash rolls in.Advertising is another way to go and it’s basically an effortless stream of revenue. For instance, with Google Adsense, you get contextual ads slapped on your blog or website and each time someone clicks on the ad, you get money. Adbrite is another similar ad network.If you’ve got some writing skills you can write articles for PaidContent or DemandStudios. You can also offer your services on freelance job sites like Elance and ClicknWork.Or start a blog. Come up with excellent posts on a consistent basis, build up a loyal audience, and the traffic, and thus the money will follow. With good ad placement you’ll be able to make a fine living.If you’re a graphic designer or filmmaker there are tons of sites out there that offer money for your work. Eefoof, for example, will pay video makers, based on their traffic stats. Cafepress allows designers to submit T-shirt ideas for free. They collect any profits made from shirts sold with their design.Know someone who’d be perfect for a job? Refer them and collect the rewards. Many job sites pay people for making referrals.These are just a few ideas for making money on the web. Remember with a high speed satellite internet connection, the possibilities to becomming a 12 month internet millionaire are endless.Learn How To Become A 12 Month Internet Millionaire

Electronics Engineering Technology distance learning courses are flourishing, making use of the low entry-level requirement of a 2-year Associate Degree to become an Engineering Technician, and the further career advancement to an Engineering Technologist (or Applied Engineer) possible in the field by pursuing a 4-year Bachelors Degree. Among all Technicians and Technologists working in USA, Electrical and Electronics Engineering professionals make up more than one-third, which is a clear indication for their demand. And this demand is nowadays driven more by the high-tech industry’s need for Electronics Engineering Technicians, rather than the conventional industries’ need for Electrical Engineering Technicians.

Why Electronics Engineering Technology?

All of today’s booming industrial sectors like telecommunications, medical equipment, control systems, automotive systems, navigational systems, and of course, the consumer appliances sector are bringing out everything from mobile phones to home theatres, and require expertise in Electronics Engineering more than anything else, which explains the demand for Electronics Engineering professionals.

However, to attempt the field through an Engineering Degree can be taxing to those students who are not interested in taking advanced level mathematics (calculus) courses that an Engineering Degree requires, or to endure its long 4-year time frame. For such students, Electronics Engineering Technology is a great option, with its stress on applied or hands-on Electronics Engineering rather than the mathematics-dense and research-oriented Electronics Engineering. The time frame also is much shorter, with an Electronics Engineering Technician requiring only a 2-year Associate Degree to enter the field.

The job opportunities too are tilted in favor of Electronics Engineering Technicians when compared with Electronics Engineers; there are 182,000 Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians working in USA, compared with only 143,000 Electronics Engineers. The only drawbacks – a lower level in the hierarchy and the lower starting salaries than Electronics Engineers – can be overcome in the long run, since interested Electronics Engineering Technicians can study further for a 4-year Bachelors Degree, thus qualifying for the senior position of Electronics Engineering Technologist, who enjoys a position and salary comparable to Electronics Engineers. Average salary for Electronics Engineering Senior Technicians / Technologists is US $46,000, very comparable to salaries for Electronics Engineers at US $52,000.

Why Electronics Engineering Technology Distance Learning?

It is estimated that job opportunities for Electronics Engineering Technicians and Technologists would grow at up to 17% every year, for nearly the next 10 years. The requirement of an Associate Degree for entering the field is a relatively recent phenomenon, and a significant percentage of working Electronics Engineering Technicians doesn’t have such a formal degree. The industry preference to degree holders is encouraging such working professionals to get an Associate Degree, and electronics engineering technology distance learning becomes the natural choice. Also, due to the boom in the sector, those already having an Associate Degree will go for a Bachelors Degree so that they can work as a Technologist. And, of course, the growth prospects in the sector are attracting working professionals from other fields to Electronics Engineering Technology. These three factors are driving the huge demand for electronics engineering technology distance learning courses.

Earlier, there were technological hindrances to deliver such a hands-on course through a distance or online model. However, with the development of state-of-the-art systems like National Instruments’ LabVIEW/ELVIS (Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite), which can be used by remote students through a web browser, to virtually perform any electronics experiment, the demand for Electronics Engineering Distance Learning courses are at an all-time high.

Universities and Colleges Offering Electronics Engineering Technology Distance Learning

Electronics engineering technology distance learning courses offer both 2-year Associate and 4-year Bachelors Degrees. While Community Colleges and Institutes dominate the Associate Degree scene, Universities and Polytechnics are the primary sources for Bachelors Degrees. While searching for electronics engineering technology distance learning courses, it should be kept in mind that many US institutions still call the subject Electrical Engineering Technology.

Associate Degrees

Many Community Colleges and Institutes offer 2-year Associate Degrees for electronics engineering technology distance learning, but fully accredited courses are fewer. Whether for employment as an Electronics Engineering Technician or for further pursuance of a Bachelors Degree, it is always better to go for an accredited course. Cleveland Institute of Electronics (CIE), Penn Foster Career School, and Grantham University are three institutions that offer accredited Associate Degrees in the subject.

CIE’s Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Electronics Engineering Technology boasts of many unique features. Designed from the ground up as a distance learning course, rather than an online adaptation of a regular course, the CIE A.A.S. provides everything that an electronics engineering technology distance learning student might require, in a packaged fashion – complete with printed courseware for over 250 self-paced lessons, videos, and detailed instructions for the over 300 hands-on lab experiments. The only thing missing will be access to an Oscilloscope, and the CIE Bookstore even sells Oscilloscopes at discounted prices to its students! One-to-one instructor support is always available for students. Even the exams can be taken online. A really unique feature of the course is that interested and capable students can complete the course in half or even quarter time, and need only pay for that!

Penn Foster Career School offers an Associate in Specialized Technology (AST) in Electronics Technology, that can be completed fully online, with access to an internet-connected computer being the only requirement. Tuition includes well-written and amply-illustrated printed courseware, tools and equipment for experiments, and unlimited instructor support through website, phone, email, and regular mail. Online open-book exams and end-of-semester proctored exams are other features of this course. The course is self-paced, with longer than 2-year durations allowed.

Grantham University offers an Associate of Science (AS) in Electronics Engineering Technology through the distance mode. The tuition package for the course includes textbooks, lesson guides, grading of all tests, mailing of materials and graded tests from the college, consultation with instructors, and required software. Proctored exams are conducted at the end of every semester, which lend more credibility to this course. Consultation with instructors is available through phone, fax, email, and regular mail. To better facilitate the distance mode of the course, Grantham University even provides a discounted option for its students to buy computers from Dell. However, the main advantage of this course is that full credit transfer is possible to Grantham’s Bachelors Degree in the subject. Grantham is especially popular with military students.

Bachelors Degrees

When it comes to Bachelors Degrees for electronics engineering technology distance learning, even courses with accreditation from the Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) are available.

Old Dominion University offers its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Engineering Technology, with Electrical Engineering Technology as Major, and Electrical Systems Technology as optional. The course name follows the earlier US convention of naming Electronics Engineering courses as Electrical Engineering courses. This B.S. indeed has significant stress on Electronics Engineering Technology. In-depth coverage of Electronics includes Linear Electronics, Digital Controls, Microprocessors, Communications, Control Systems etc. High-tech delivery methods like virtual laboratory, streaming video, and satellite broadcast for 1-way video and 2-way audio, are fully utilized. The course is accredited by TAC of ABET.

World College, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cleveland Institute of Electronics (CIE), offers a Bachelor of Electronics Engineering Technology (BEET) through the distance mode. Features include over 300 lab experiments, online exams, and toll free phones and email for consultation with instructors. Subjects covered include Electronics, Computer Technology, Telecommunications, Electrical Power, and Control Systems. Access to a computer and an oscilloscope are necessary.

Grantham University (described above, under Associate Degrees) also offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electronics Engineering Technology.

The only current limiting factor for electronics engineering technology distance learning seems to be the high costs for implementing virtual labs that can be simultaneously accessed by a large number of students, and once this is solved by better and economical hardware and software, electronics engineering technology distance learning will be provided by more and more Universities, Colleges, and Polytechnic Institutes.