This term, I am taking the Intermediate Algebra class along with American History and Web Development. History and Web Dev are online. Algebra is classroom lecture.
It took a little getting used to stepping back into a classroom last term. Fortunately, I’ve had two good math instructors – one a perpetual student who realizes only half the class gets algebra, the other a high school teacher who seems relieved his final class of the day is teaching adults.
Online, however, is a completely new experience for me. For American History Before 1860, it’s almost all reading. My goal is to read so far ahead, all I have to do is post essays, do my two term papers, and take the midterm and final. Doesn’t hurt that I’m a history buff. I may even get a master’s in history so I can retire to a warmer client teaching history. You think I want to do IT the rest of my life? Are you frakkin’ kidding me?!
The first topic of discussion was on Columbus. Was Chris a hero or a villain? There were some who said he was a hero, just not a good one. The rest of the class fell squarely in the villain camp. Everyone agreed Columbus was, hero or not, pretty much a bungling douchebag.
Web Development… Um…
It’s hard. I’m one of four or five IT students in my class. I’m one of two or three who’ve built web sites. We have to eschew Dreamweaver for Notepad on Windows and TextEdit on OS X. But again, I’m trying to work as far ahead as I can so all that’s left are the exams and quizzes.
Because Web Development is a technical class, and BigHugeCo is footing the tuition bill, I can do this class at work, taking little breaks here and there to work on the assignments.
The advantage to doing this online is I can work at my own pace. Which is surprisingly fast. Once up0n a time, I was a chronic procrastinating student. Idowannadomyhomework! Now? I want it all done as soon as possible. I’ve got a lot of other things to do.
Although it’s funny now to watch AJ, a freshman in high school, panic on Sunday nights when he realizes he has a book report or a German assignment due Monday. No, he does not appreciate his stepdad pointing out that getting it done early works better. Nita and I discussed how we might instill this concept into him. One of the interns at BigHugeCo said, “He’ll have to go to college to learn it.”
True enough.
Especially online.
