College On Line

[Chrl]

Just signed up for online courses to get my Degree. Pre-Sci I wanted a career change, so I started attending college in the evenings after work. I started taking classes for BA in Nursing, now four years and a sci injury later I have to rethink the nursing aspect. I am still going into the healthcare field though.

Are there any other online college students? If so what are the pros and cons and challengers, if you don't mind sharing.

[CurlieQCarrie]

In my experience, online classes are convenient but not easier than taking classes on campus. If anything, they're harder because they require more self-discipline. But I'm a big procrastinator which isn't a good thing. I push back the reading (which there usually is a lot of in most online classes) and then I have to play catch up. Honestly, I like campus classes better. There's more discussion about topics in class, hands-on stuff, and it's not the same routine over and over again.

Good luck. Which classes did you enroll in?

[Chrl]

I'm going into Healthcare Management. my classes start next week so I find out how it is. I gathered there is alot of discipline involved, I guess the key is to stay motivated. I going to give it my best.

[lynnifer]

I've taken online courses before and it seems like a heck of a lot of work - but you get out what you put in.

[SCI-Nurse]

Do your homework to be sure that whomever is offering the on-line courses has proper accreditation and that their degrees are honored by the industry you plan to enter. Those that a require at least some on-campus time or local group work are generally more credible. There is a lot of value in group projects, learning group dynamics, etc. that you cannot do alone on a computer.

There are a lot of scams and totally worthless degrees out there that make all sorts of promised, but that no one will recognize.

(KLD)

[dan_nc]

For undergraduate degree, make sure that the school is regionally accredited.

http://distancelearn.about.com/od/accreditationinfo/a/regional.htm

[Sue Pendleton]

Just signed up for online courses to get my Degree. Pre-Sci I wanted a career change, so I started attending college in the evenings after work. I started taking classes for BA in Nursing, now four years and a sci injury later I have to rethink the nursing aspect. I am still going into the healthcare field though.

Are there any other online college students? If so what are the pros and cons and challengers, if you don't mind sharing.

I'm a slow starter but once I get going... Anyways, when the SCI hit I had all my upper level requirements, my minor done and the general basic first year stuff for a degree in Eastern European Studies with a minor in the Czech language. Courses were mainly from UMUC (University of Maryland University College) and the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center. I spoke with a counselor at UMUC (they are all around military and government places and accredited) a couple months ago and decided to go back to school mainly through online courses. Problem is my upper level classes no longer exist nor does the Soviet Union. UMUC accepts the credits as they were then and will accept my Czech language work once my transcripts show up there. Thing is now Eastern European Studies is a campus only major and only at College Park. I don't drive. Add on that the only two currently accepted languages for the degree is Polish or Hebrew! No way, no how am I going back to torture myself to a 3/3 in either of those languages. So my counselor says how about a dual major in Political Science (sounds great) and International Politics and Global Affairs (meaning to use the courses on the Soviet Union era). Add on a 3 credit course where I write up what I learned from Maryland Walks/Quest For the Cure and helping get the Maryland State Board of Spinal Cord Injury Research signed into law. Once the portfolio is done, 10 to 15 hours of reading and writing a week for a semester, then a group of experts evaluates how many credits, from 12 to 30, my experiential learning is worth. Problems! Experiential learning credits cannot count as upper level major credits. And the counselor needs to read her catalog again because it's International Business (not Politics) and Global Affairs. An entirely new major requiring a lot of business management and economics courses. The biggie about the Eastern European Studies was the Russian political stuff for me. I wrote a ton of papers on the Kurile Islands (Russo-Japanese non-treaty), the pre-revolution revolutionaries and gender wars during a political transition. In other words Soviet Political History. Notice the word politics showing up a lot? :(

I'm not sure it's even posible but is settling for a History major and Poli Sci minor as sucky as it seems? How about Homeland Security as a major and Poli Sci as a minor? How disgusting can HS be? I mean I know a lot of the US Code on most stuff just need updated but then have to learn an entire new set of terrorist, disaster preparedness, etc., issues. At least with HS I have a ride to the few campus courses cause they're in a building next door to where the spousal unit works.

Ideas here? Anyone? At one time, way before SCI there was this vague idea of state politics way down the road. I settled on the State Department for in between. But they don't hire gimps for FSO slots. Just cowards as we heard recently with refusing Iraq as an assignment. It had everything I liked: travel, different expertise needed quickly depending on assignments, lots of outside work. Settle for a General Studies degree from Excelsior College? I was really counting on using my prior life experience in their EXCEPT program for Poli Sci.

BTW, Max if you're still around The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union is now worth all of 3 credits. LOL

[sjean423]

Sue, does it really matter what the title on the degree is? I guess that depends on what you want to use it for. I would think just go for whatever program can tie this up in a reasonable amount of time. Then when applying for a job, you bring up what your concentration actually involved. If it is to go on to graduate work, figure out what specifically is the undergrad pre req for the program you want. ANd of course do this before any more contries change names!

[Sue Pendleton]

You're probably right Sjean. The funny thing is most those Soviet courses were either/or. For an extra paper plus one longer one they could also apply to the graduate level. UMUC in Maryland has some tough professors! I just see any major like Homeland Security as I will never work outside the US (come on cure!) again. With a Poli Sci major and that language I am sure to be able to get an interim security clearence if I want to go to State as an office weenie. ARGH!

[Sue Pendleton]

New update, (and it's the EXCEL not EXCEPT Program) they will accept any prior learning through the EXCEL Program for a Poli Sci Major! Bad point is having to wait for the Fall term because it takes about 6 weeks just to be evaluated to enter the program. So, since I have my minor done, I think, and just about all my required courses I'm just going to try one web course this term. I'm going to need to learn PowerPoint, Excel and get better at Word (I was a Lotus user until recently) so I'm going to take a computer class in Applications Software. I have more credits than I thought when I checked on my transcript status. And they are the ones I need too. Now I just have to figure out this webtyke thingy.

[sjean423]

fantastic!

[Sue Pendleton]

fantastic!

Thanks. :) Make that two classes. They require LIBS (library science) 150 for all students and you can't transfer it in. Probably just a way to raise non-taxpayer funds for the uni system IMHO. But yea, it is nice to have a goal again. Besides getting out of this freaking chair!

[lynnifer]

I'm currently taking a course online through the University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada). What I find funny is that the Prof wrote a book with another gentleman and is now teaching a class with this (8e mind you) textbook! The next class I want to take - same deal.

Talk about making cash! Teach, sell everyone your textbook at over $100 per shot plus your salary!

[november]

I'm going to need to learn PowerPoint, Excel and get better at Word .All very easy to learn!

[Sue Pendleton]

All very easy to learn!

Word isn't too bad but the others I find so different from Lotus that the course will help me. That and the UMUC has fondation courses needed and this is one of the choices so you can later take a 300 level in web design and incorporating all the applications into a real world profession. I both hate and like the idea. I normally pick up what I need as I need it and this will translate better on a resume. I do plan on using things I'll need for the Fall term and EXCEL and inserting them into any examples I have to create in Powerpoint, Excel and Access. :D

[sjean423]

I don;t know if it is still part of the programming, but

Years ago when they were trying to get people to convert from lotus123 to excel, excel accepted lotus commands. You could set it to either just accept the lotus command, or to prompt you with the appropriate excel format. I had used lotus before that. Today I only use excel, and can;t remember any lotus123 commands to even see if it still happens.

I'd had forgotten all about that until you posted this. :)

(ps ..... typing lotus into the help box of excel 2003 (yea, i'm not up to date here) brought up a lot of choices ..... not sure it still takes the commands, but it certainly provides a quick place to look up the right one)

[Sue Pendleton]

Thanks SJ. And office 2003 is the latest I think. I got a DELL Inspiron 9300 under the friends and family program so I have the Professional Education version. The friends and family being the spouse's goverment school. I'll let you know if the 1-2-3 commands work when I get there.

[sjean423]

Thanks SJ. And office 2003 is the latest I think. I got a DELL Inspiron 9300 under the friends and family program so I have the Professional Education version. The friends and family being the spouse's goverment school. I'll let you know if the 1-2-3 commands work when I get there.

I found it rather easy to switch from lotus 132 to excel. (Damn .... had to be almost 20 years ago!) A lot of using excel is the ability to work with a spreadsheet.

[november]

Microsoft Office 2007 now.

[Sue Pendleton]

Microsoft Office 2007 now.

I just saw this in a class question on Vista. I'm hoping there are not a lot of changes if I learn all this stuff on 2003.

SJ, Spreadsheets I get. I mean it's just well formatted information. It's when you need to create a formula for a specific use that gets me. Like creating even a simple 15 or 30 year spreadsheet on mortgage rates and cost per $1K. :zombie:

[ala]

I just saw this in a class question on Vista. I'm hoping there are not a lot of changes if I learn all this stuff on 2003.

I have Office 2007. I don't use the other office apps but Word looks really different. I can't find things half the time. No one here is used to it yet either and we have had it for several months now.

[Sue Pendleton]

I have Office 2007. I don't use the other office apps but Word looks really different. I can't find things half the time. No one here is used to it yet either and we have had it for several months now.

Maybe that's why it appears Powerpoint isn't mentioned in the syllabus. I wish they'd skip Access instead though. Well, off to the library to answer some quiz questions....

[sjean423]

My daughter had vista, and office 2007 on her computer at school. SHe says she really likes it. I don;t think she has had any problems getting up to speed witht the differences betw 2003 and 2007. (other problems with vista, but they don;t appy here.) SHe is pretty computer literate (like most teens today) but certainly no expert.

[Sue Pendleton]

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one who has passed all their upper levels should be made to take a library science class for first semester freshman. It's obviously a way to collect money for the school but still. Geez, one corrupt file NOT downloaded and 2 "projects" done. Off to computer class...

[sjean423]

Is it one of those "Welcome to college, how to be a student" courses?

[Sue Pendleton]

Is it one of those "Welcome to college, how to be a student" courses?

No, they have that one under "study skills". This one is how to find your way around their particular online library system. So far it's just like their physical main library worked in 1991. Except none of the students can spell and spell check is disabled within the classroom as is copy and paste. Copy and paste I can understand for other courses but the "learning activities" are often questions that you cannot do anything but copy the names of things she wants. Oh well, it has helped my ego immensely since I'm the second oldest there. How do people who can't write a complete sentence pass the placement test to take WRG101 along with this course? Best thing about this course is it ends at Spring Break!