Jen Zeman's Archive
Posted by Jen Zeman on February 20th, 2009
The online classroom at UMUC was managed by faculty via WebTycho (see my previous entry “WebTycho Technology from UMUC”). I found the instructors in each of my classes responded quickly to any questions I had, whether posted in the Class Announcements section or via email. By quickly, I mean most were answered within a 24-hour time period. Books had to be ordered for each class – they were not available via a virtual mode (e.g. my husband is currently attending the University of Phoenix online and his reading materials are all online), but any additional reading materials were available via a link on the course homepage.
The management of the UMUC classrooms was very effective for me because the layout was user-friendly. It was easy to find any additional required material and was easy to communicate with other students. The setup of the classroom made my educational experience a positive one by helping me to maintain a sense of organization. I never had to go on a wild chase to find pertinent documents or deadlines. Posting assignments was straightforward, as was looking up my grades.
The course materials and readings greatly assisted me in learning the many facets of the law. Each of my law classes provided ample opportunity to put my new knowledge to use by analyzing case studies. Non-law classes such as the philosophy and religion courses I had required research papers which helped me absorb the new material I was learning.
My advice to new online students is regardless of where you plan to attend, try to “test drive” the online technology to get comfortable. Once you are enrolled and experience difficulty in contacting an instructor (i.e. they are unresponsive), be sure to contact an advisor to make them aware of the problem.
Posted by Jen Zeman on February 11th, 2009
The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) utilizes a technology called WebTycho for their online courses. One of the things I found to be an asset with UMUC and WebTycho was every class was set up the same way (i.e. instructors didn’t create individualized layouts for each of their classes) so it made it easy to find course information in each class. WebTycho is also easy to navigate with each course set up in the following manner:
- Once you log in and click on the particular class you are registered for, on the left side of the screen is a list of options. The top left corner lists your instructor, their bio, and a link to class announcements.
- Below this is a list of course-related links: Syllabus, Course Content (links to specific assignments), Conferences (discussion area for students on weekly discussion topics), Assignments Folder (where you submit your assignments), Portfolio (where all your graded work will appear), and Class Members (links to individual students’ email).
- The top right of the first screen gives you access to your account preferences, your biography, an online orientation, as well as a link to library services. It also offers a direct link to tech support if it is needed.
UMUC offers the opportunity for potential students to “test drive” a UMUC online course. It’s free of charge and I believe beneficial in order for first time online students to become acquainted with the online format. For more information, go to http://www.umuc.edu/spotlight/411.html. UMUC’s tech support for WebTycho is outstanding. I have found representatives manning the help desk were always quick to respond and very helpful in resolving any issues you may encounter. When I was registered almost four years ago, I never experienced any downtime with WebTcho which was reassuring.
So go ahead! Take a test drive at UMUC and enjoy the ride!
Posted by Jen Zeman on February 4th, 2009
As someone who is interested in researching facts and finding answers, I felt becoming a paralegal would be the perfect career path to follow. The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies completely online, so this is the program I chose to complete. I had no previous experience in a law firm nor did I possess an associate’s degree in legal studies (I have an Associate of Arts in General Studies). Neither is required for this program. Your studies will begin with an Introduction to Law course and it builds from there. I completed courses such as Legal Writing, Techniques of Legal Research, Intellectual Property, Torts, and Advanced Legal Writing. You can select upper-level legal courses based on the area of law you would like to end up working in such as family law or contract law. A complete listing of the legal courses can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/courses/lgstcat.shtml#lgst101
Program requirements for UMUC’s Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies can be found here: http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/lgst/
I found the courses to be challenging, but interesting. The curriculum overall involves a lot of research (naturally), and a lot of writing. The law is complex in any area, so a keen eye for detail and the ability to be thorough when conducting research is essential. Equally as important is the ability to write well since major functions of a paralegal’s job duties are writing legal memorandums and court documents. These documents need to be concise, clearly detailing the legal issue at hand and clearly explaining the client’s position. If you don’t like to write, legal studies may not be for you!
I also completed a minor in humanities which complemented my legal studies courses. The humanities minor delved mainly into philosophy courses. These courses assist in expanding critical thinking skills and enabled me to look at legal case studies from a different perspective and allowed me to see “the big picture”.
If your desire is to eventually enroll in law school, the B.S. in Legal Studies is a perfect foundation.
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!
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 Jen Zeman on January 20th, 2009
The entire enrollment process for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) was approximately 6-8 weeks in length and was easy to complete. The application was completed and submitted online, which only consumed about 15 minutes of my time. The longest part in the enrollment process was requesting my official transcript from Harford Community College be mailed to UMUC and for that transcript to be evaluated. Before I received my transcript evaluation I had already downloaded my program requirements (Legal Studies with a minor in Humanities); therefore, I knew the core courses that had to be completed regardless of what my transcript evaluation contained. In doing this, I was able to register for the upcoming fall semester before receiving my evaluation. I was fortunate with my evaluation because UMUC transferred nearly all my credits from Harford Community College, so I only had two electives to complete that were not within the core requirements of my program. I also had an advisor at UMUC that helped me with my transcript evaluation and selecting the right courses for electives in my program. An advisor can prove to be an invaluable asset!
A perspective online student should plan well ahead of their anticipated start of their online program. If you have already decided upon an online school and if you want to start classes in the fall, get the application process underway in the spring. Give yourself enough time to apply, have a transcript evaluation, and then have plenty of time to select your desired classes. If you still haven’t decided upon the school and/or program you want to attend, I would allow an additional three months to conduct this search. By allowing yourself enough time (i.e. “wiggle room”) to enroll will alleviate the stress of doing everything at once and then jumping head first into an intense new schedule of school work.
Posted by Jen Zeman on January 7th, 2009
The application process for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) was simple. The three steps involved included:
- Completing and submitting the application online.
- Payment for the application fee was online as well.
- After submission of the application, I requested official transcripts to be mailed directly to UMUC from previous schools.
Then, it was a matter of waiting for a letter indicating my acceptance. I received an additional letter detailing my transcript evaluation (i.e. what credits UMUC would accept). For me, the process from start to finish was approximately six weeks.
My recommendations to prospective students:
- Know where you really want to attend! Nearly all, if not ALL, colleges and universities charge an application fee (UMUC’s fee is currently $50), so unless you have an unlimited budget, it can be quite expensive to submit multiple applications. Most online colleges and universities have a lenient admissions process and acceptance procedures which means if you apply, you will be accepted (the one exception would be for graduate programs).
- Plan ahead. If you want to start classes in the fall, get the application process underway in the spring. Give yourself enough time to apply, have a transcript evaluation, and have plenty of time to select your desired classes.
- For submission of official transcripts, do not hoard a stash of official transcripts sent to your home address only to send them on to prospective schools. Many institutions will not accept these types of submissions as official (i.e. the official transcripts need to be mailed directly from the home institution). The reason is transcripts mailed to a student first renders the possibility the transcript could be altered.
Once you complete the application process, you will find it is most likely the easiest part of your online college experience!
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 30th, 2008
Having an online school close to home was not a driving factor on where I would attend; however, I did consider in-state schools before considering out-of-state schools. For me, it was more of a comfort factor. I was working at a local community college when I was looking at schools to transfer my associate’s degree credits to. While at the community college, I had a great deal of information available to me about local universities and the programs they offered, so I felt a great deal of familiarity with local universities. With this information, I found UMUC and the perfect online degree program. Knowing I could easily transfer almost all my credits to UMUC was reassuring – I wouldn’t have to spend time and money on a bunch of additional classes. Plus, the tuition wasn’t too far out of reach for me. Because I found the ideal online school within my home state I had no need to look out-of-state.
My advice to others:
- Start your search with local colleges and universities to see what online programs they have to offer and if they coincide with your desired program. But don’t settle if they don’t! If local institutions are not offering an online program in the discipline you want to study, broaden your search to out-of-state institutions. A complete online program will not require you to attend or even visit the physical campus. I have even found that some online schools do not charge a higher tuition for out-of-state students attending online programs (i.e. you pay what in-state students pay).
- If you are currently attending a community college and need help searching, enlist the assistance of an academic advisor with your search. Most have a good grasp on what’s being offered at various institutions and can offer advice on your search.
- Make a list of important criteria for an online school before starting your search will also make the process easier. This way, you won’t settle for an institution that may not fulfill all your needs.
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 22nd, 2008
When I started my search for an online degree program, I requested information from about three different schools, all within my home state of Maryland. I wanted to start my search local before considering out-of-state institutions, primarily because I knew in-state colleges and universities would accept more transfer credits and in-state tuition would be less expensive. The information I received included full admissions packets and I did find the information helpful since it helped me determine if the school offered online degree programs AND in the discipline I wanted to study (i.e. legal studies). As I have mentioned before, I was fortunate to find the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offered an online legal studies bachelor’s degree.
I am very satisfied still to this day with the quality of education and the online experience with UMUC, so I do not have any regrets in not requesting information from additional schools for my bachelor’s degree. When I started a search for master’s degrees online, I broadened my search to include more out-of-state institutions and requested information from about three schools. I did this because I found most colleges and universities offer online graduate degrees mainly in business or education fields; I was looking for a liberal arts graduate degree. I found a few schools that offered an online graduate liberal arts degree and found a good program at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The best advice is to know what you want to study and keep searching. A larger variety of online programs become available each year, so you are bound to find what you are looking for. Requesting information is not a commitment to any particular school, so gather as much information as possible and then develop a pros and cons list for each. This will help you narrow your search to the eventual ideal institution. Happy hunting!
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 16th, 2008
When I started my search for an online degree, my number one requirement was my desired program. I wanted to study law and I initially searched colleges and universities within the state where I live (Maryland). I was fortunate because the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers a legal studies program that is completely online. Fortunately, having a degree program completely online was my second requirement! There are hybrid programs available at many institutions (where you attend some on-campus classes and take other classes online), but this wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to commute to a single class because it would have been too much of a hassle for me (too far from work and home). UMUC actually offers several programs completely online for those who would be interested: www.umuc.edu. The tuition and fees I paid for in-state were reasonable, which was my third requirement for an online degree. Some institutions will drain your wallet dry with various “technical” fees for online courses on top of the regular tuition, so this is something to research before signing on!
Another requirement for me was the availability of classes. UMUC offers a wide selection of courses to choose from each semester, including the summer session. This was important for me since I had set up a tight deadline to complete my degree and taking summer courses accelerated the schedule. A final requirement was the ability to retain nearly all my credits earned from my associate’s degree. I was fortunate to transfer from an in-state community college to UMUC and was able to retain nearly all my credits. I know not everyone is so lucky, especially when transferring to an out-of-state college or university. I recommend once you are fairly close to deciding where you want to attend, have the university complete a transcript evaluation as soon as possible. This way, you’ll know whether you will have to take more classes than you originally planned, which may make you decide to find another institution who will accept more of your hard-earned credits.
