IT'S OK IF YOU'RE CLUELESS

Last week, as I was searching for a book in the stacks, I gravitated toward the most wonderful book. It is a must read for parents and students. Terry McMillan is hilarious with 23 commonsense tips for the college bound. If you are interested in reading something with humor along with gaining some insight about college life, I ask you to read this book. It is only 64 pages. Some of the little chapters that I enjoyed are the following:

Chapter 4: Read Anything and Everything

Chapter 6: Let The Insides Match Your Outsides

Chapter 9: Success Should Not Be Based On Fame or How Much Money You Make

BACK TO SCHOOL

I started my online classes this week through the University of Wisconsin and the syllabus looks overwhelming. I am only taking two classes but wish I had the time to take another one. I need 12 classes to have a Masters in Library and Information Science and I am anticipating it very much. I just want to finish as quickly as possible. I have been in school for so long. It is time for me to become a professional librarian and it will happen soon. For this semester, I am taking Foundation of Library & Information Science and Organization of Information. I have learned so much in just two weeks by just participating in the discussion board with my classmates. Many have years of library experience which makes the discussion so much more interesting. So, I am excited to be learning all of this information. Yet, nervous about some aspects of the assignments because I have no knowledge of Metadata. However, I expect to be well-prepared when I am done with school.

For now, I will not be writing as much in this blog due to my courseload. However, I will keep you posted on my life which will be mostly doing homework and a good read when I get an opportunity.

A NEW ERA OF LEARNING: DISTANCE LEARNING

I am a strong supporter of distance learning. I took some classes at NWCC for two years and the remaining classes online through Phoenix. It was a success for me and many others. In fact, it has become the new era of learning for colleges including NW CC. According to NWCC, they are proud of this year's enrollment in the Elearning Division. This year there are a total of 1,860 students taking at least one online course. Of those students 439 are taking classes entirely online.

Distance learning allowed me to go to school and finish otherwise I would still be attending classes. For many adults, this might be the only option to attend school and WORK. I am also aware of the many negative comments that people have made about online classes. But, I challenge some of YOU to take a class and see how easy it really is especially through Phoenix.

Some students do not take online classes seriously because of the false belief that it is easy. Some people assume that you are not doing your own homework but I can assure you that no one wanted to do my assignments through Phoenix. You had to do the research and much reading to complete the projects. And, it does not matter whether you are in the traditional classroom setting or not...people will find a way to be cheaters if they want to. But, on a positive side, everyday there are thousands of students successfully taking online classes and earning their degrees.

Check out this link http://oll.temple.edu/students/interview.htm about a visually impaired student who earned a degree because of this new era of learning. Basically, this new era of learning creates OPPORTUNITIES for many and it should be encouraged if this will allow others to achieve their dreams. Below are some books for students who are considering taking some online classes and books for educators who need some techniques on how to manage an online environment with success.

E-LEARNING BOOKS FOR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS