February 23, 2014

Online class blues....

My Sis used to have just these plastic chickens, but now they have real ones!  That lay actual eggs!

In reference to the above photo, I have no idea why my Sis and her husband would put plastic chickens in their yard.  They do live in the country....and have cows......but plastic chickens?  The logic escapes me ~ but there is an ironic humor here that I do appreciate!

If you read yesterdays blog post, you know that I didn't do well on my stats test.  However, I've been doing swimmingly in my forensic anthropology class.  We've had 3 quizzes and I've made A's on all of those.  But, there's a little trouble in paradise.  It appears that our instructor is missing.
I've read no less than 5 posts by classmates that mention they have sent an e-mail or two and even after 4 to 5 days haven't heard anything from her.   Yesterday I decided to send an e-mail as well, because I have been unable to view the quizzes.  Which means that in the future when we have our mid-term, I won't have those to help me study.
I've taken a lot of online classes.  They are convenient, I can work on the classwork when it suits me, I don't have to drive to a class (I actually miss the UNM campus, which is really nice, but there weren't any classes that fit my schedule).  In the past classes, we were always allowed to view the quiz ~ at least for awhile, and I take exception to the fact that she says we can "view" the quiz and then when I attempt it, I can't.  Hence the e-mail.  Only I decided to send them to the "teacher assistant".
Now, that was a shocker, because there are no less than 3!  For an online class?  One of my friends is a history teacher at CNM, and when we discussed online classes, she complained bitterly that they were much more work than an actual classroom, which makes no sense to me.  The computer automatically grades the quizzes.  The powerpoint's and pdf's must be set up in advance.  I'm not even sure they need to formulate new questions for the quizzes every semester, although perhaps they would on the mid-term and final.  Really, except for answering e-mail questions, or checking on discussion questions, the entire course could conceivably run without an instructor.

~I recently sent an e-mail to the Dean of Students, letting them know that firstly I'm really not happy paying a higher price per credit hour simply because I'm a part time student, and that CNM discontinued the practice of charging extra $ just because you're taking an online class, but UNM is still doing so.   A few days later I received an e-mail encouraging me to apply for financial aid.  Coincidence?  I think not.
~Why am I paying more for an instructor that isn't available to answer questions?  Maybe those teacher's assistant's are really expensive....(not!)

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I did get started on painting the bathroom, a really lovely light blue.  Unfortunately, the spot I painted is probably 1' by 1'.  So, not much of a start, but I plan to do more tomorrow on my day off.  
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I'm having key lime pie for breakfast.
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Love, 365


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