Learning: It's More Than the Courses You Take

Remember this?

And this: "So, does all this added information benefit me? I'll let you know after my first "A."" (FYI the "Y" denotes a retake.)

Was this class easier this time around? Well, sort of. I did a few things that I would recommend to anyone that is in a similar situation. First, don't just drop the class. Your school may or may not have this option, but I was able to "Audit" Astronomy the first time around.

It was after the official withdrawal date, and I did not want an "F" on my transcript; it seemed far too ominous and would seriously harm my GPA. I audited the class and continued to attend the class to learn and absorb as much as possible.

What I did next was and is very important to ANY college career. I researched my Professors. Having the right one can make all the difference. If the Professor does not explain the information to you in a way that you can make sense of, find another.

There are a few ways you can go about this. Rate My Professors is a good start, but don't stop there. Remember to take what is said about each Professor with a grain of salt. You should be able to get a good feel though.

You've found a Professor or two that you think you might like? Good, now go to his or her home page in the College Directory. This may take a little bit of digging and not every Professor will have a home page. You can search the college website by the his or her name, area or school of study, or department. Some will even come up in a Google search of their name.

Want to know more? Send an email. Keep in mind, Professors have hundreds of students, and believe it or not lives too. Ask pointed questions such as "I'm an audio-visual learner. Do you use media to help explain your concepts." Instead of "Hey Prof, what's your teaching style?" Don't be disappointed if you do not receive a reply right away, or at all, but do continue your research. Which brings me to my next suggestion.

Ask around! There are other students that you have come to know, like and whose opinions you trust. Most will be glad to tell you their experiences. Some good questions to ask: "How much time did you devote to this class?" "How many papers and tests?" And "Did you enjoy and/or "get" the information presented?"

The Professor is just one component. You, of course, are the most important one. How do you approach a class or subject? With fear and loathing or with eagerness and curiosity? Your attitude  makes a difference. Very important: Don't get discouraged! If you are having a problem with a particular course, make the time to speak with the Professor.

Included in your tuition you have a certain amount of office hours with each of your Professors and free or discounted tutoring. Take advantage of these valuable resources. A little bit of extra effort on your part can mean the difference between a so-so B or a fabulous A.

Lastly, know your limitations. Do you honestly think you can take six courses, in which you have to devote 2 to 3 hours of study per each course credit hour, hold down a full or part time job, contribute to your community or civic responsibilities, attend to familial obligations, run here and do that? Your brain needs downtime to process what you are inputing. Don't overextend.

Will your Degree be worth it? According to  JF Stewar at CNC.edu "On average, from age 19 to age 65, college graduates earn $16,426 PER YEAR more than high school graduates..." And according to the Wall Street Journal "College graduates in general earn at least 60% more than high-school grads on average, both annually and over their lifetimes..."

Hmm, make more money AND do something I love and was born to do? Sounds like a win/win to me. 

Google Docs Spreadsheets

What a fun class this has been! With this assignment: Google Docs Spreadsheet, I finish CIT 198B, Web 2.0 This Dynamic Web. I have learned much, had fun collaborating with my classmates, and made some new friends and valuable contacts along the way. The end of this class does not mean the end of this Blog. After all, it does say "Perpetual." : D

I will be post my ongoing adventures about once or month or so. My next post will most likely be a semester summary so that you can know a bit of what I know; which classes and Professors to choose, and transfer preparations amongst other things.

For this assignment I have set up the fictitious company of ABC Marketing. I have 6 positions available, and a TBD (To Be Determined) position also. Do you see a niche at ABC Marketing that you can fill? If the answer is "yes" please do so.

Visit the spreadsheet, choose your position, and fill in what you think you might be worth for a week of Holiday Pay at the end of July. Please try not to exceed my budget and remember that you must have your job description wiki finished before you can collect your Holiday pay. [Of course you don't have to furnish a job description - just substitute your name for contributor at the top and enter a $ amount next to the color that corresponds with your position.]
 

Deadlines and Drop Boxes - The Drop Box Side

Well Hello There!

I've missed you! With assignments pending and Finals looming, I've been pretty busy. A few posts ago I told you about Video Podcasting. Since then, I've found a nifty podcasting program that goes with my Cannon camera.  More on that later.


Screencasting is a kind of video podcasting as well.  For my next assignment in my Web 2.0 class, Professor Fightmaster introduced us to Jing. What a neat little tool this is!  I've created a screencast for you below on Online Campus Courses. Here I'll show you around the online campus. Below my screencast is a link, produced by the fine staff of CSN, that shows how to actually use the dropbox, 


There are limitations on what Jing will let me do; one of them is switching from 'microphone in' to another input channel. Please see below for links to any programs you may need to do your own screencasting and captures. So, without further ado: I present my first screencast. (For a Larger view go HERE)

For a Larger view go HERE

Here is the Tutorial on how to do a Drop Box, courtesy of the fine Staff of CSN

Useful Links



Jing



Soundflower 



Audacity