January 27, 2003
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"You go to school ONLINE?!"
Well, school starts today. I have logged in and introduced myself, like anyone will remember, I know I don't.
My Design Concepts class is going to be FUN...Art History will be...interesting. I like history so that's cool.
It seems that my family thinks that my online education is second rate or something. They couldn't be farther from the truth. I enjoy online classes and actually think that I gain more with them than I would with a traditional clasroom setting and for the classes that I have to take, online is perfect. I guess that it is just hard for some folks to get out of the stone age of traditional institutionalized learning and into the information age of internet classes and cyber quizzes (and I don't mean those that tell you what color you are lol). Sure, it's easier to 'cheat' on the quizzes online, hell no one is there watching you...but your grade doesn't rely on quizzes alone, there is a LOT more to it. Actually, with the classes that I'm taking, quizzes only account for 10% of my final grade..that isn't much. Most of my grade will depend upon, discussions, essays, and midterm projects...you can't cheat in those areas, well maybe you can but I haven't figured out how.
When I called my mother about my 4.00 GPA she just sort of shrugged it off as, "yeah well, how could you NOT make a 4.00 in online classes?"...she never knew the work I did to make sure I got that 4.00 or how I fretted over my final grade in IAD, thinking I had made a B, or worse. Online classes are not second rate courses for the stupid...Trust me, I saw many a stupid student taking them and I'm sure their grades reflect that. I also saw an English Instructor who truly cared about his online classes. He enjoyed his profession as a teacher and it showed. I saw a college that would phone me regularly to make sure that I was enjoying my college education as much as possible. When you aren't on campus all the time, the school checks on you, like you're a real person and not just another number.
And come graduation, I might just drive out (I don't fly, thanks to the government) to San Fran and walk with my fellow classmates, online and on campus.
Comments (10)
Well, I'M proud of you. It must be hard to know that you could easily slacked off but you continued to be motivated AND study. Good for you!
I think you should be proud of your GPA Hell I would be I was proud of my 3.89 Thought I was something special, lol. Keep up the great work!
I am right there with you! I am also doing online and I absolutely love it! I tried explaining to people that even though you do have the books right in front of you, the questions don't come straight from the book. It requires further reading and using your own perceptions! I think it's awesome that you have a 4.0! You go!!!!!
Cool Beans! When you get there make sure to check out Angel Island, Alcatraz,Fisherman's Wharf, egads...too much!
-M
I don't get any gruff for takin all online...Its too bad people are givin ya hell...but dammit, give 'em some hell back! I actually think that online classes are HARDER! You don't have a prof feeding you notes and lectures. You have to read it and understand it yourself...and you just plain hafta do it. That's the kicker. There's no set time you have to show up for class. The only thing I like is the savings in gas money and babysitter money
And the occasional working until 11:59 when papers are due at midnight 
You GO Turtlemama...I support your going to school no matter how you acheive it...and online is the best way! I for one am all for it, the college I am currently enrolled just let us know they now offer classes online and I for one am elated! It will allow more flexibility and I can actually do it at work while answering the phone, this may cause a distraction but it is worth a shot! So you rock on and get that degree!
I'm an hour from San Fran. Its a fun place to hang.
I'm taking 3 online classes so I know what you are going through
Online classes seem to be harder. I've had a few people admit to me that they couldn't do what I do cause they'd end up not studying or whatever. At least in a class environment you have to go to a specific classtime and be there and listen to a teacher tell you what to study that is going to be on a test. With online, it takes extreme self control to make yourself study and not become a procrastinator.
Congrats with the 4.0
Good job there 
Yay for you! In my humble opinion, online learning is MUCH harder than traditional classroom. At least in the classroom, you have a professor standing over you to answer your every questions. With online learning, you have to apply your own brain and retain the material yourself. If only your mom could see the hell my supervisor is going through in an accelerated course. You are definitely doing the right thing. I start April 7. Drawing is my first class - hope stick figures are okay : ) ~Andi
Well, I for one agree with you that taking online classes provides an excellent education. I go to college online also, and I earned a 4.0 last quarter. I am here to say that I worked harder than I ever have in my life to earn that 4.0, including the time I spent in college over 10 years ago in "real" classrooms. One thing that makes online classes more difficult is all of the writing you have to do--since you're not in a face-to-face situation the modus operandi for class discussions is an online discussion board and all of the classes I have taken grade heavily on your participation in online discussions. So kudos to you--I know just how hard it is to earn a 4.0, especially with kids running around while you try to do your work and studying.
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