Archive for January, 2009
Posted by Jen Zeman on January 30th, 2009
Time management is not as difficult as many people believe it to be. I admit not having children made prioritizing and managing time a little easier for me; however, those readers who have children can hopefully take some of this advice and tweak it to their specific needs.
When I attended UMUC for my online degree, I also worked full-time while taking three classes a semester. I knew I had a lunch hour, some evenings, a full weekend, and vacation days I could leverage in completing my school work. My employer offered flex time, so I also had off every other Friday which helped tremendously. If your employer doesn’t currently offer flex time, perhaps now would be the ideal time to propose it your boss. Before the start of each semester I would map out the major projects that were due and scheduled off accordingly. For example, if in mid-October a major paper was due, I would schedule a couple of days off a few weeks prior to allow me time to complete the paper, without stressing out. The less stress, the more successful you will be!
Before starting my classes I decided to come up with a game plan in order to quash my fears and guarantee my success. The game plan was simple: organized time management. Being organized is by far the number one way to guarantee success with an online college and to effectively manage your time. It is essential to devise a plan of how you will study and complete assignments. Here are the five tactics I used:
- Plan your semester prior to the start of the semester. If you work full-time, schedule days off strategically so you can give yourself enough time to complete major class assignments/projects without scrambling at the last minute. This will alleviate a ton of stress.
- Assign a separate binder for each class you take a semester. Print the syllabus and put it in the front of the binder. This eliminates confusion and a constant search for important documents. Even though all your required documents will be available to you online, having them at your fingertips makes life less stressful.
- Assign a designated room in your home as your “school zone”. Make it a place where you can close a door and have privacy for studying and completing assignments.
- In this room, hang a large white board on the wall. Use this to write down assignments and major projects for each class, along with corresponding due dates. It is a great feeling erasing completed projects off the board! This was a lifesaver for me.
- Stick to your allotted school hours. If you plan on using Saturday morning for studying and school assignments, let everyone know not to bother you – you will be unavailable. Sit down and complete school work first before anything else! The laundry can wait! In fact, while in school, to make the most of time management, reschedule your household chores to make the most of your off time. For example, if you always do the laundry and grocery shopping Saturday morning, start doing one load of clothes a night Monday through Thursday and do the grocery shopping Friday evening.
Time management is crucial for success in an online college situation. Master it now for a stress-free college experience now through graduation!
One of my favorite pieces of playground equipment was the teeter-totter. I used to spend hours going up and down with my siblings or friends. Occasionally we would stop moving by sitting in such away that the long board of the teeter-totter was balanced, and we could relax and talk. Relaxing was good but the ride was better.
I thrive on activity. The more the teeter-totter goes up and down the happier I am. There is a down side to this love of activity. I am the queen of overcommitting. One day someone from church called and asked me to be on another committee. My husband answered this call and I heard him say, “If she signs up for one more thing I will have to put her in a psychiatric hospital. “ He didn’t pass the phone to me and pretended I wasn’t home.
There were two things that really worked for me in regards to the time management of my over committed life, early mornings and weekends. I scheduled my assignments and preparation for my own students so that I did the bulk of this commitment leisurely on weekends. I bounced out of bed every day an hour or two before my two children to check my online classes and to respond to emails or posts from other class members. I didn’t always need all this time, but it established a routine. I worked ahead in the class if I finished before I needed to get my children going and me to my job. I saved my work in Microsoft Word to post later on. At the beginning of each online class I entered due dates into Yahoo calendar. I scheduled the calendar to send me an email two days before the assignment was due, and then another email reminder the day it was due.
Evenings were reserved for my children. I wasn’t going to entrust them to others all day and leave them with babysitters at night, although they were in school full time before I took online classes. My eldest was a night owl and it was difficult to get him to calm down and even more difficult to get him up the next morning. I would often fall asleep on the couch before he was quiet for the night. There was no way I was going to do online class work at this time. Even if I did outlast my son’s ride on his teeter-totter, I was too exhausted to keep playing on mine.
Parenting means that you have to put your own needs on hold. I didn’t play bridge or have much of a social life. My children quickly morphed into productive and happy adults. I am glad they were my priority during their formative years. I can’t get those years back. The online classes are still there.
The teeter-totter of my life now involves a full time teaching job and private tutoring at night to pay for my daughter’s college tuition. Because of a predisposition to high cholesterol and my body’s rejection of statin drugs, my morning computer time has been replaced by 45 minutes to an hour of working out on an elliptical machine in my basement. I watch the morning news and after my old muscles have warmed up I actually enjoy this new routine. Now I work on any classes I take, for an hour or two in the late evening or early evening on the days I don’t tutor. I usually don’t work in the summer so it is prime time for me to schedule online classes. Without my children the teeter-totter has slowed and I still enjoy the ride.
Posted by Jeff Davis on January 28th, 2009
Time management is probably the biggest challenge you will ever face while learning online. Trying to balance school, work, and family along with whatever else is occurring in your daily life takes a lot of dedication, self-motivation, and prioritizing.
Often it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to fulfill all of our personal and work-related obligations. Many times it seems that we are too busy to even analyze how we are really managing our time. It can also take way too long to develop a plan of action, especially when this time could be better spent on finishing assignments, studying, or even catching up on lost sleep.
In my opinion, an online course requires even more work than a traditional course and therefore, managing one’s time should probably be considered as the most important skill needed for success in this online learning environment. Often times, many deadlines for school work will occur at the same time, and unless you plan ahead carefully, you will find yourself in a bad situation.
For me, prioritizing my tasks was the first step I knew that I had to take in order to manage my time more effectively. Believe it or not, this was not easy for me, as I am the world’s greatest procrastinator! In my first few weeks of online classes, I did find it a little tricky to manage my time, but through trial and error, I managed to find a nice balance.
I believe that learning time management skills is one of the most important things that you can do in order to improve yourself both personally and professionally and is also necessary in reaching all of your goals and being successful not only in school, but in life. In turn, effective time management will free up your quality time so that you can spend it with family and friends. After all, isn’t it activities such as these that make us the happiest?
Time management is an oxymoron. We don’t manage our time, we manage our tasks to fit the time available. In doing so, we often are trying to fit more tasks into that finite amount of time.
When I started school, I convinced myself that it was the perfect timing. I was young(er), single, no kids, settled in a job, etc. My plan was that I would start and finish my PhD by the time I was 30 (in 2003).
I was determined not to let school get in the way of my life - I didn’t want to change any habits. I still wanted to work full time (plus overtime), hang out with my friends, date, spend time with family, etc. I actually didn’t talk much about being in school, keeping it quiet meant that it wasn’t intruding into anything.
I found that I was able to plan ahead for my classes. I often spent lunch hours doing reading or participating in online class discussions. That way I was able to enjoy my free time.
As time went on, school took up more time. I found that when the end of the term came, I needed to take 1-2 days off work to finish the final projects for the term. That process actually worked well for a while.
I really needed (and appreciated) the structure of the coursework. I needed deadlines.
As time went on and I progressed, the work became less structured and required more self-discipline. That’s where I’ve fallen short. It is now 2009. I finished my comprehensive exam in 2006 and officially became a PhD candidate. For the last 2-3 years, I’ve been working on TDD (That Damn Dissertation). The self-paced nature of this work has been a real challenge for me, and I hope to make significant progress with this throughout this year.
I would encourage everyone to become aware of how you best accomplish tasks and try to make the most of your time.
Posted by Sharon Cece on January 26th, 2009
Most of us who are into classic rock remember the Eagles’ song “Life in the Fast Lane” (surely make you lose your mind). Well, that pretty much describes my fusion of an online course load with husband, kids, work and life. Some days, I really thought I would lose my mind. Blame it on that two-word teaser: Time Management. It’s a misnomer anyway; no one really manages time, time manages you.
So there I was with a household to run, two kids to care for full-time and now two course loads per semester. At that time I was also doing editing and custom baking projects. How did I manage?
Well, I managed pretty much as well as everyone else. I implemented the “WIN” philosophy, which Lou Holtz championed (W-I-N: What’s Important Now). Family is very important and I always put my husband and kids first BUT…. going back to school was also very important to me and for once I wanted to give something to myself, just for me. So, there were times when I said to the kids, mom’s closing the door, fend for yourself. The bare minimum got done. The bills got paid, the kids and cat and husband usually had meals even though sometimes it was peanut butter and jelly (suuure, cats love peanut butter and jelly). My work projects got finished on time. The rest–clothes, cleaning, extracurricular, social life, hair and makeup, sometimes my own dinner–was put on the backburner when I had to complete a test or quiz or do a school project. And that also meant that the rest of the family had to pitch in and do some of my work for a while.
I remember one panicked middle-of-the-night moment when my then online course load whizzed through my head like Seattle Slew down the homestretch. This particular course, Methods of Social Research, was my most excruciatingly difficult online course ever and, naturally, my final course prior to graduating. Each week we had, count with me: a quiz, an individual project, a report, a test, a threaded discussion and a group collaboration. Each week. We also had mid-term projects and a final 40-page project replete with graphs, computations and a questionnaire with statistical analysis and summations. Oh yes, it was the nightmare course; I‘m sweating just writing about it. So anyway, there I was at 2 AM…staring at the ceiling, wide-eyed, heart hammering and for first time in my academic life, convinced there was no way I would get it all done.
Well, obviously I did get it done. You just do. You order pizza or husband makes dinner (always cereal, but it is a food product after all). You study while they’re in the fast food play area, or work on homework at your child’s doctors office while he’s waiting to be called. You wake up early before anyone else gets up and with a steaming cup of coffee in the quiet, early morning light, you get a few pages done. Or you stay up late when everyone else has gone to bed. You email your professor, your TA, every other student on the roster if you have to and plead, what do I need to do to get this finished. You work it, because you know as tough as it is and as crazy as life gets, you see the finish line. And crossing that line, no matter how much hassle it takes, is worth the tassel you get.
The first two online courses I took were the first steps to being certified as a Microsoft network administrator. It was a topic that was somewhat foreign to me, and fortunately it was a highly programmed approach to learning. There were modules of information presented followed by a quiz. You could take the quiz to see how much you remembered and if you didn’t like the results you could restudy the module and take it over again.
At first I found this refreshing because I could work until mastery. It was refreshing not to have to think at a higher level and synthesis information into papers that only my instructor would read. I even dreamed that these types of modules would be created to provide the necessary repetition to students who were struggling to learn to read.
The downside to this approach was there was very little interaction between other members taking the class. I did enjoy being in my own home and working at my own pace. Eventually I tired of the highly programmed approach and felt very isolated. I also found out I didn’t want to be a network administrator.
The next online courses were centered around teaching and there was a lot of interaction among the members of the class. The email was overwhelming but I dealt with it by creating folders in Outlook Express for each member of the class. I also noticed a pattern of responses among the class members. The first person who emailed or posted their responses to the other members of the class, usually received the most feedback. I tried to be near the front of the responding pack and also vowed to respond to every person in the class. One of the classes used an online platform and I didn’t have to download the email to my computer. I could just go to the class site and I liked this a lot better. Since this was 2001 in the infancy of online education this will probably not be a problem. I like how platforms like Moodle allow a student to post responses, but also offer the option of private email.
Online classes are different from onsite classes. No sponges are allowed. You can’t sit in the back of the classroom and soak up information, and choose not to participate in the discussion. You are expected to participate and your participation is measured. The instructor can store and count your number of responses to assignments and to other members You can’t hide. You have to be an effective sponge, you soak up the information and then squeeze your brain of the information and your reaction for all to hear and see.
Online instructors from the University of Milwaukee Nursing school have told me that online classes are more work for the instructor. This was in response to my question of why the University of Milwaukee charged more for online classes. They brought up my point about responding to all class members and not just the few who volunteer to talk in class.
My advice to prospective students is to remember you can’t be a sponge when you are in a online class. Your lack of responding and lateness are highly visible to the instructor. The tradeoff is a high degree of flexibility for a higher amount of accountability. No sponges allowed.
Capella does a great job getting their students started with the online degree program. There was a course for professional development that really helped me plan out my strategy for degree completion. The class really delved deep into getting the students ready for the intensity of an online PhD program.
First, we developed a Degree Completion Plan. We looked at all the requirements for the degree program including the coursework, residencies, and other requirements. Then we considered our lives and work schedules and came up with an anticipated timeline for completion. This created a master plan that we could work from.
Then we figured out the support we’d need to be successful. This was our chance to look at the personal, professional, and academic support network that existed and to identify any gaps. This process also encouraged dialogue with those resources to help “rally the troops” when it was necessary.
Finally, we worked with an advisor/instructor who has been through the coursework and who could provide relevant insight into the demands of the program. We were encouraged to become committed and dedicated to the process to ensure we were able to complete it successfully.
In my experience, many schools have some such “getting started” first course. It’s more intense than an orientation, but more personal than traditional coursework.
The steps we took in this course were helpful, essential really to any new student to work through. Identify a plan. Set realistic goals. Evaluate the support network. Be open to help. Identify study strategies and techniques that will work best for your learning style and available time. Create a disciplined approach to your studies. Getting off on the right track from the beginning is essential to long term success.
Posted by Jen Zeman on January 23rd, 2009
It would be less than honest if I did not say that being a freshman online student was a little scary. I knew that the course requirements at the bachelor level would be more stringent than at the community college level, but I wasn’t sure just how much. It was a lot more. However, I had prepped myself enough before classes so that it wasn’t overwhelming. In fact, it was quite exciting!
Some words of encouragement to those “freshmen” just starting out:
- Take the time to get organized. Being organized reduces the chances of missing course requirements and helps you to stay on top of assignments.
- Don’t overload your schedule. If you work full-time I would recommend taking no more than two courses a semester. I was taking three and while it worked for me, it meant that my life was work and school – nothing more. I would also recommend reducing the number of extra-curricular activities you participate in. If you start to have too many things competing for your attention, your school work will suffer. Make school your priority!
- Check in with the online classroom at least once a day. Most programs require participation in weekly discussion questions. There is also usually a place to post online questions to the instructor so it’s good to check that out regularly (if you have a question on something, most likely someone else will have the same question).
- Allot plenty of time to get the course required assignments and readings completed on time. Remember that even though you are not physically sitting in a classroom three hours a week, the required readings will more than make up for it (i.e. the readings take the place of the lecture).
- If you work full-time, schedule strategic days off during the semester. Use these days to complete term papers or additional assignments. This will reduce the stress of trying to beat a deadline at the eleventh hour.
- Schedule time for yourself! Even if it’s just an hour a week, use it doing something fun and refocus your mind.
Above all else, stay positive and focus on your end goal – a college degree. By maintaining a positive focus, all things are possible.
Posted by Sharon Cece on January 22nd, 2009
The advent of online educating was, to me, what the invention of the remote control was to couch potatoes– the answer to a prayer. For the longest time I wanted to go back to school but I could not find the time or the energy to physically work it out. So, I stared at college catalogs and brochures and thought about it but never took the next step to get to the front step.
Fortunately, I never had to take that step. Leg-wise, that is.
It was a brilliant notion to have college “come to me”; everything I needed to partake in the cup of higher learning right from my bedroom office. Thus, the beginning of my online education was convenient, time-saving and close-at-hand. It also was at times frustrating, overwhelming and confusing. I’ll elaborate.
I had never participated in online study before. I just assumed to go to college you had to drive your car to university, sit in class, drive home. Do your homework, drive back, take your test. Ok, so now here I am and I can do everything from my computer. Wow. First, login. Oh wait, I need a student password. Which I didn’t have. So I have to contact a rep at the college, leave a message, someone calls back in a day or two. They refer me to someone else to whom I leave a message. That person is on vacation, so I contacted the next person on the list. This went on a little while.
Here you have a perfect introduction to online learning. Never expect an immediate reply; sometimes it’s a day, sometimes two, sometimes even a week. Often you are corresponding by email and emails have issues just like any other electronic medium; as well, computers hiccup, servers burp and e-programs take coffee breaks . As with any process, expect the unexpected.
Ok, now you have all your logins, student id numbers, passwords and sites. Next, you have to navigate. For me, this was the most confusing as a “freshman online”. At FSU, you had to find your online college site, then your specific course site, and then any other site that was an extension of your course site. There’s also the student information sites and main FSU webpage, the bookstore sites, financial information site, all the necessary emails and contact information, etc. and so on. I consider myself pretty adept at site navigation but I did feel overwhelmingly inept until I had all the sites bookmarked for easy retrieval.
Moreover, since you rarely if ever speak to your professor, TA or even advisor face-to-face, as referenced above, communication is seldom immediate. This can be a tad frustrating when you are stuck on an issue. Therefore, as a freshman, gather all the relevant contact info right away and keep it in a handy spot for reference. Also include as many students as you can; become friendly with seniors or veteran online students who have been in the program awhile as they will give you great advice. This is no time to be shy; in fact, online students need to be more bold than traditional students due to the lack of physical interaction. Be sure to contact your advisor or professors with any questions or concerns, and try not to get too frustrated if you don’t receive an answer to your question right away. Sometimes it takes a little while, but you will get an answer.
Finally, give yourself a break. As with any new adventure, time is the best teacher. Sooner than you think, you will be navigating the course sites and course work like you’ve been doing it all your life. You’ll understand how to operate Blackboard, Java, virtual classrooms, threaded discussions (don’t worry, I didn’t know what any of that was either). You’ll even know it so well that you’ll be helping other confused freshman coming in asking you for help. And you’ll do it all from the privacy of your home, office or the great outdoors, even from a friend’s house or beach house. You’ll go to college without ever having to “go” to college. You know, online educating might even be better than the remote control.
Well, unless you happen to be a very cultured couch potato–then it’s a toss up.
Posted by Jeff Davis on January 21st, 2009
Since I was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, I truly enjoyed beginning my online education. Overall, it was a great experience. In my career field, there could have been nothing better or that would have made me happier than to take classes online versus the more traditional method. There was a slight learning curve however, just as there is with learning almost anything. It took some time to familiarize myself with the online process and procedures. What I have noticed most about using the internet to attend class is that it teaches us skills in using technologies such as researching information and communicating with other students. These skills are critical as we become more and more of a global community where our coworkers can be located just about anywhere worldwide and across many different time zones.
Being able to attend class at anytime and from anywhere is simply an incredible feeling. It allows you total flexibility to help you juggle between family, work, and school. I like the fact that course materials are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have the ability to read and re-read lectures, discussions, comments, etc. and without any of the normal distractions that you might encounter in a regular classroom setting. To me, this is a great advantage over a brick-and-mortar school.
Even though all you really need to get your online education started is a computer with Internet access and the determination to follow through and complete your goal, my best advice for incoming “online freshmen” is to use your time wisely in order to maintain a healthy balance in your life.
