Posted: 11/28/2009 10:00:31 AM EDT
| Thought I post this question directly to the Iowa HTF, last year I stumbled upon an UIU brochure outside our command career counselors office, I took it back to my office and looked it over and decided to inquire for more info. After they evaluated my transcripts I took a few of their online courses and had to deploy shortly thereafter. I'm about to start classes again, my current plan is to complete a degree in Public Administration, do any of you have any experience with this university? They are really helpful and being military, I find it very easy to work with them. |
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And why go to class, when someone in Chechnya can mail you a diploma?!  And this relates to 8 vs 16 weeks courses in which way again? 
He is probably speaking to a perception that many accelerated courses can end up being popcorn versions of their longer counterparts. While I have heard good things about UIU, I tend to hold this perception as well. |
| Right, I'm saying it's a slippery slope. I realize I didn't need 100% of the class time I was in school, but why do 16 weeks, when you can do 8? And why do 8 when you can do 4? And why do 4 when you can have an angry slovakian mail you a diploma from Kinko's crab shack? |
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Right, I'm saying it's a slippery slope. I realize I didn't need 100% of the class time I was in school, but why do 16 weeks, when you can do 8? And why do 8 when you can do 4? And why do 4 when you can have an angry slovakian mail you a diploma from Kinko's crab shack? Why, because UIU or any other school would be in jeopardy of losing its regional accreditation if for some far-fetched notion that a college course would evolve from 16 weeks to 8, to 4, to 2 weeks, or for the sake of this odd assumption, 2 days. I would encourage you two to take a look around; do some researching online, google is your friend, I have no doubt you will find that many institutions of higher learning are adopting 12 and 8 week courses. Oh, and yes, they are even offering them, oh no, yes, I must report: online! 
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<––- Took online courses while at ISU.
^–––––– Still thinks it's a slippery slope. I wasn't trying to insult you or downtrod your efforts, I just thought it was an odd statement. Hell, I took a course online from SWICC that was 2 weeks. Saved me some coin and got me some credits, but I didn't learn a fuckin' thing. If you're taking courses for the sake of a diploma, do what you wish. I think online courses completely distort the purpose of college. Branching out, meeting new people, living new places, adapting, learning, etc. I learned more OUTSIDE of the classroom than any specific knowledge gained from an online course; not to mention interpersonal interaction, working in teams, scheduling meetings, etc, etc. There is only so much you can get out of an online course. There is only so much you can get out of a short course. Combine the two and you're only kidding yourself if you don't think what you're doing is any different than having Schlemel from Slovakia send you a diploma through the mail, except yours will say 'UIU' |
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<––- Took online courses while at ISU. ^–––––– Still thinks it's a slippery slope. I wasn't trying to insult you or downtrod your efforts, I just thought it was an odd statement. Hell, I took a course online from SWICC that was 2 weeks. Saved me some coin and got me some credits, but I didn't learn a fuckin' thing. If you're taking courses for the sake of a diploma, do what you wish. I think online courses completely distort the purpose of college. Branching out, meeting new people, living new places, adapting, learning, etc. I learned more OUTSIDE of the classroom than any specific knowledge gained from an online course; not to mention interpersonal interaction, working in teams, scheduling meetings, etc, etc. There is only so much you can get out of an online course. There is only so much you can get out of a short course. Combine the two and you're only kidding yourself if you don't think what you're doing is any different than having Schlemel from Slovakia send you a diploma through the mail, except yours will say 'UIU' Sam I hear where you are coming from, but you are missing the point that the qualities you stated are great for a head in his/her ass wet behind the ears College freshmen, however they are almost worthless for people such as working professionals/stay at home moms/deployed military etc. etc. who already have those skills and been there done that. You know what I get out of my online courses? Closer to my degree from a major University. you:Squiggz you got your degree! Congratulations where did you graduate from? me:Slovakia University you:Where the fuck is that, is that a bullshit degree
you:Squiggz you got your degree! Congratulations where did you graduate from? me:Southern New Hampshire University/Upper Iowa/Old Dominion/ Texas/ SDSU <––––––––All offer excellent online courses. you:Awesome me: Fuck off Sam
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Right, I'm saying it's a slippery slope. I realize I didn't need 100% of the class time I was in school, but why do 16 weeks, when you can do 8? And why do 8 when you can do 4? And why do 4 when you can have an angry slovakian mail you a diploma from Kinko's crab shack? Why, because UIU or any other school would be in jeopardy of losing its regional accreditation if for some far-fetched notion that a college course would evolve from 16 weeks to 8, to 4, to 2 weeks, or for the sake of this odd assumption, 2 days. I would encourage you two to take a look around; do some researching online, google is your friend, I have no doubt you will find that many institutions of higher learning are adopting 12 and 8 week courses. Oh, and yes, they are even offering them, oh no, yes, I must report: online! Hey firecontrolman lighten up francis 
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I would encourage you two to take a look around; do some researching online, google is your friend, I have no doubt you will find that many institutions of higher learning are adopting 12 and 8 week courses. Sorry that it appears Sam and I have offended you. In your original post it seemed as if you had a genuine question regarding online classes at UIU, as opposed to wanting someone to blow a little smoke up your ass and mindlessly wag a head at what a good decision you are making. To those ends, I do agree that it is wonderful you are pursuing further education. Congratulations! Go get 'em tiger! While google is often my friend, I skipped it on this one since I've spent time tutoring and as an adjunct at a community college. I have witnessed a variety of corners cut. My perceptions have been somewhat solidified by the fact that students who have failed my high school classes have often been given an option to take a two week course at a community college to "make up" for it. Guess what, they would still fail my summative assessments of course content if they were to take them after passing the community college two week version with flying colors. I will repeat, I have heard good things about UIU. It is still my perception that accelerating a class can often have a negative influence on educational goals. I will add the following: The simple fact is that shorter classes sell better. Money drives postsecondary education offerings to an incredible extent. If you think that learning something and getting a good grade is always the same thing in today's environment, you are sadly mistaken. Your argument on accreditation might hold water if just three years ago1/5 of college grads weren't still getting a diploma while unable to do "fundamental computations." (I did have to google to find this article that I ran across a few years ago) http://www.air.org/news/documents/Release200601pew.htm I am not telling you to skip college. I think that what you are doing is a great thing. If you approach classes wanting to learn, with an open mind, you will. By the way, Merry Christmas. |
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Sorry that it appears Sam and I have offended you. In your original post it seemed as if you had a genuine question regarding online classes at UIU, as opposed to wanting someone to blow a little smoke up your ass and mindlessly wag a head at what a good decision you are making. To those ends, I do agree that it is wonderful you are pursuing further education. Congratulations! Go get 'em tiger! Reading is fundamental, I asked about the university, I did not pose a question regarding the strengths or weaknesses of online classes. Here we go again. This debate has been done to death, and it's settled: Online Education is the future of all higher education, and that future is now. Do Villanova, Rutgers, MIT, Harvard, Stanford, George Mason University, SUNY, Cal Poly, etc. have a weaker understanding of educating than you? I have learned in both online and legacy classroom venues, and in either venue, it is the deliverables that I was required to submit, including projects, exams, research papers, and discussion groups, that indicated whether I was "learning" or not from the course. Fortunately, education has moved beyond the idea that classroom attendance = learning. How many times did I sit in a class hoping the professor would wrap up his speech, I would leave class only to realize I learned nothing; I learned from reading the texts! The idea that "contact hours" is a measure of educational quality no longer holds water. Why is it that graduates of fully online programs are getting into grad schools and performing just as well as their brick and mortar counterparts? As for me, I'm 33, married, 3 children, active-duty military, a homeowner in Los Angeles county, own a corporation etc. I do not require coddling nor do I need to learn how to network, how to use metrics, work on projects as a team, nor do I have a desire to party it up on mom & dads dime, I'm a professional and I am very grateful for the opportunity these fine institutions offer. I am pursuing higher education for both personal and professional advancement in life. BTW: Neither you or Sam offended me in any way. We are discussing a subject, that is all, I'm a sailor, our way of doing business provides no means for being polite with each other. No worries mate. |
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Reading is fundamental, I asked about the university, I did not pose a question regarding the strengths or weaknesses of online classes. You are right, it is. If you return to the thread you will notice that all of my comments have related to the following statement, which did not have anything to do with online versions of classes, but rather, the length of them: And this relates to 8 vs 16 weeks courses in which way again?
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I just like to push people's buttons. The fact that I got someone other than the OP to tell me to fuck off is quite possibly the most awesome accomplishment ever. In fact, I'm going to go see if UIU has a 2-week online course in button pushing... A+! Aww Sam, I was kidding man! I'm sorry if you took it genuinely, I was'nt trying to be a dickface. |