Because my Professor Judy Fightmaster took the time

There would be no Perpetual Andragogy were it not for CSN Professor Judy Fightmaster's patient instruction in her CIT 198 (Now CIT 154) Dynamic Web Applications class. Basic Googling and websurfing did not give me the technical skills of linking to a source, uploading photos, creating and embedding 'How To' videos, or embellishing my blog and site with the rich multimedia I wanted and needed to showcase my nontraditional adventures.  In retrospect, I wish I would have taken the class much sooner than my fifth semester.

The class is entirely online. This was a new experience for me also. Mastering CSN's Web Campus was, initially, a bit daunting. Could clicking a wrong button tumble me down some techno rabbit hole? Would I be forever lost in EduTron Land?

Thankfully, CSN has a tutorial on how to navigate Web Campus. This pre-class gave me the confidence and know how I needed to download and upload assignments and more. Even though I had not fulfilled the prerequisite class of IS 101, I was familiar enough with computers and the internet to request, via email, admission into the class.

The seven week class entailed an introduction and final analysis of Web 2.0 and its real world applications. Five hands on projects taught the use of Google Docs, Blogs, RSS (Really Simple Syndication), YouTube, Social Networking, Social Bookmarking, Wikis, and Screen Capture Casting. The final project, a class Showcase Portfolio, moderated by Professor Fightmaster, encouraged collaborative feedback and edit amongst the students.

Student collaboration and teamwork was not only the overarching theme of the class, it was required. At first I was a tad ruffled by being 'required' to interact with my classmates. I was here to learn to advance my goals, not other people's. Besides, I didn't want to look like That Person who always asked all the dumb questions.

Leave it to Facebook to force my hand. You wouldn't know it by looking at my Facebook Profile today, but the pre 2010 me was afraid of the privacy disregarding Evil Facebook. But, social networking was one of the required class components, so I decided to chance it.

Imagine my surprise when I went to sign up for  Facebook and could only get to the French landing page. At least my first dumb question "I can't find the English facebook page! Je ne parle pas français ce bien!" didn't sound quite so dumb punctuated with a foreign language. Fellow classmate Elaine came to my rescue with a reassuring "Don't worry, little things get us all stuck now and then. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for language choices." This first peer comment foreshadowed the beneficial interactive discussions I would have in this class and many more classes in the future.

Of the five Spring 2010 semester classes; Financial Accounting, Stars and Galaxies, Dynamic Web Applications, Intro to Interpersonal Communications and Intro to Criminal Justice, I would have to say I spent the most time in and on this class. The class was not more difficult than the others I was taking, but it was the most interesting.

"If we know why we are learning and if the reason fits our needs as we perceive them, we will learn quickly and deeply.” —Malcolm Knowles, Educator.

This was not to say that Dynamic Web Applications did not require detailed attention and considerable time. It did! Reading and commenting on other people's blogs and participating in required discussions was time consuming. Professor Fightmaster, led by example. She always commented on every post and answered every question. 

Because my Professor Judy Fightmaster took the time, I can today boast a considerable toolbox of skills which I am able to bring you via two websites with social platform integration, Google tools and YouTube interaction. I can Facebook, Tweet and Pinterest. And I can catalog, curate and archive it all via Flickr and Diigo.

Professor Fightmaster has other classes besides CIT 154. I know because I took the Access Database precertification course from her. It was challenging, to say the least.

For more information and the classes Professor Judy Fightmaster has coming, please visit the College of Southern Nevada's

Department of Computing & Information Technology-Faculty

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Because my Professor took the time: A Compendium of Gratitude

Image Credits: What the Bleep!?Down the Rabbit Hole; Facebook Profile Cover; Facebook; Judy Fightmaster