Online College Course Forum

I've just been invoted to get involved with a part online program delivering information systems degrees to Chinese students who are studying some of the time in China, some of the time in America and some of the time in New Zealand.

My first and most profound comment is that it is a very small world.

Hmmm, I've just had some assessments returned for my online program with marks and comments, and I really don't agree with some of the comments that have been given. I suspect that these comments will also reflect in some of the marks allocated, so I need to challenge what has been written.

The problem is that I haven't met this tutor, and although I have had some dialogue by email I really don't have a feel for how this person works. Normally I would make sure that I tackled this kind of situation face to face, but I can't, they are in an office some thousands of miles away.

I've decided to use the telephone, something I don't usually do because of time slips, but I need to be able to enter into a dialogue that is sufficiently immediate for me to react well. Just one of the drawbacks of studying an online program

During the week, I always study my online programme later at night. I finish work, arrive at home and cook and eat a meal, do any household tasks and usually take a bath.

I then settle down to work - usually, during the week, reading as I can break up chapters etc, read, take notes and then work out if I can realistically do effective study for more than a couple of hours. I work in my study, which has a large window looking over the sea. This means that I have a large slice of sky to look at, and as this part of the world has clear, non-polluted skies, I see a vast panorama of stars.

I've found this very conducive to thought. I feel serene, and I find that my mind clears of everyday topics and allows me to think clearly and concisively. Maybe we could deliver this panorama online?

I heard a really great story over the weekend, about a woman who was the head of a one parent family. She had three children, and when her marriage broke up she had to keep all of them. She worked part time and looked after the children, but she was determined to educate herself - she had married at 18 and only worked on a casual basis after this.

She started by studying an online program that was an introduction to computing. She did this at home, borrowing her brother's computer. She then went on to study a two year information technology degree online, and got herself a job with a PC support company part time. She carried on studying and has just finally got her four year degree. Her company is delighted with her work, and has promoted her to supervisor with almost full-time duties, but she can do this as they also contribute to child-care. Her ambition is to get into the senior management of her present company, and they are encouraging her to do this.