Grade Posting Day

I can breathe again.
Today was the day when my proffessor posted the final paper grade and total grade for the course.

My paper grade was  A+ with a 33.5/35.  Actually one of the best grades I have received in this Masters program. The class grade was a little lower at 94.75 %, an A- but I am happy with that.

Going into the second quarter of classes in April I will be maintaining my A grade overall.

It is always a relief to receive the final grade. It always seems to take forever to get that last part of the puzzle. Normally the week from Sunday to Thursday flies but when final grade week comes. Time drags.

Support Your Knowledge: Talk

A good way to strengthen and support your knowledge is to talk about your subject with either fellow students or a Tutor.

Forming a class discussion group can help you find support from your fellow students. Talking about your last class, a topic in your paper or examining readings from your textbook will help you understand your subject better.

Talking to a fellow student also helps you find where others have been having problems. You can help each other overcome common problems and also if several of you have the same problem in understanding, you can more confidently raise the question woth your teacher.

Speaking to a tutor also helps. Tutors, particularly peer tutors have probably taken the same class as you. Your school or College often employs "A" Grade Students to act as peer tutors. So you know they know the subject and possibly the teacher too.

You can always seek advice from an outside tutoring source.  For instance I am available, my number is posted to the right of this post through Ether.com.

Talking about what you know and what you think you don't know is a wonderful form of study. It is social and you often learn more by relating to other people. You are able to pick up on their ideas, some of which will reinforce your own ideas others may contradict those ideas. As you analyse each others understanding of the subject you will gain in knowledge and confidence.

Time to Rest and Prepare

Well last Sunday saw the end of another four week class.

That was Seminar in US History II (Reconstruction to the End of the Cold War). Now of course is the worrying time. Teachers have two weeks to post final grades, and, Yes even at fifty years old, I still worry about my final paper grade.

This last paper was also a difficult one because it was very modern. Most of the history for my choice of topic was only written in the last seventeen years.

My topic was US Highway 66, or more popularly known as Route 66. It ran from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California in the years between 1926 and 1976, those are the official dates but some parts of the route are still in use as alternates to the long Interstates that replaced old Route 66.

Anyway, my paper as a draft only raised a "B+" from the instructor as a draft.  I took her comments to heart, but still if as a final paper it comes in at anything lower than 88% it will be my lowest grade on a paper ever!

Nrmally, I have excelled at papers. I put it down to my British education, there in the 1970's when I went to school the emphasis was upon essay writing in examinations. We did not do multiple choice very much in those days, and I still hate those tricky little blighters even today. Give me the meat of an essay and I will always do well.

So here I am poised, waiting, I need 26 out of 35 to get an "A" I only dropped one point in all my other work that counted in this class. But still I tremble and worry. Still I want that "A" again.

Decideing Upon My Master's Thesis.

When I began my MA classes I knew I had to come up with a Master's Thesis paper. The paper would have to be a detailed piece of work which "expanded the depth of knowledge of the academic community." As I quipped to a former Under graduate friend who is also studying for her MA in History, "The only thing so far that I have expanded is my waistline!"

Anyway. All this sounded impressive and I first thought to look at the origins of the American Revolution as a dispute over differing views of the English Constitution. Having contacted the school a a professor informed me that such a paper had been published in only April 2011 and was far better than a graduate student could ever produce. So with that idea shot down there was not much to interest me I thought.

But recently I began researching a class paper for US History from the Reconstruction until the End of the Cold War. My class paper is about the role of US Route 66 in the Depression migrations and World War II.

Going over some of the resources, which includes John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, I learned of the Farm Securities Administration and labor camps created in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Then ideas started to come together. Living in the San Joaquin Valley I live right on top of this history, sources are relatively close and I think that I can pick out something new on the subject.

I then had to approach the head of the school again with my idea and he passed me on to a professor who would be my advisor if the paper looks like working out.

At this stage I am just doing basic research. Finding out possible sources.

I will consider looking to local library archives in the county libraries.

State legislature archives.

Newspapers.

Books as secondary sources.

There may also be Federal resources too which I can turn too.

I am also finding by mining book bibliographies other books on the subject.

There are also resources available such as local history groups and also academic collections, I have found the Library at Berkely has a collection of documents from members of Federal sponsored reporting groups and also Oakland Public  Library shares part of that same collection.

This project does not have to be completed until November 2013. But already I am building up some data to help on this great journey of detection.

It also shows if your first idea does not work out, stick to your desire to gain the prize of an MA. You just need to shift your gaze a little and a new idea will come to you.

Thesis Paper

One part of completing any degree wheter a BA or MA is a final Thesis Paper.

Choosing your Thesis paper topic is vital to your success.

Choose the wrong topic and all your hard work could be for nothing.

What topics are worng topics?

First of all any topic which you are not interested in is a wrong topic. You will need to work on a Thesis paper for at least two months and at a MA level up to one year.

Maintaining an interest in a subject for that long is hard even if you are interested in the subject. Choosing an idea in which you have little interest leads to at best boredom and swapping mid paper, at worst submitting a paper which does not show your work at its best.

Choose an advisor who can work with you and whom you can work with. If you don't like an advisor and can't discuss a matter with them then accept any criticism without feeling personally insulted then you will not produce good work. An advisor is there to keep you focused, to help hold your hand as you prepare your thesis. They are not there to write your paper for you, nor are they trying to sink your thesis at every turn.

An area of research where there is not enough information makes a bad thesis paper. If you cannot find previous research it may be a signal to look elsewhere, unless you are writing a thesis paper at the cutting edge of scientific discovery. Then you may just be on your way to a Nobel Prize for a new discovery.

Choose a topic in which you feel some passion. That will drive your interest, choose some area where you really want to know more. Proving you have discovered something new can be a vital part of a thesis paper. Find an advisor you can work with, but don't expect them to do your work for you.  Finally as with all study plan, write, edit, pan and edit again.

Keep the Prize in Mind

As you progress on your course it can become easy to get so involved in the day to day business of study.

This blinkered view can lead you into just going through the motions of studying. You read, take notes, write papers, over and over again week after week.

Now and again set yourself the goal of reminding yourself that you are studying for a reason.

Whatever your personal reason is. Remind yourself,

Your personal reason maybe for self-satisfaction, to encourage your children or to help gain a promotion or change career. This is your own personal prize.

Reminding yourself occasionally what your prize is will help you to do better.

You will be happier in your studies if you can see the prize getting closer. Planning your education will help you to break up your classes into areas where you can see rapid progress.

Seeing progress will help you maintain a positive outlook towards your courses.

In my time studying online I have noticed a few common factors. Most students begin a course in a blaze of enthusiasm. By the end of the second week I see the students fall into two groups, the early posters, and the wait till moments before the midnight deadline posters.

Which of those are you?

But guess which group always do better?  Yes. The early posters. I can almost guarantee by the end of the course it is the last minute poster who is no longer in class. Whether dropped or just not posting.

They seem to have lost the view of their own prize. By the time that final paper in the last week is due. They have gone. What a waste.

Weeks of work gone for nothing.  A waste of their time and money.

So take time to stop and remind yourself of the prize. It is your prize.  You are getting closer to it each day.

Office Hours

One of the great things about  taking classes online with National University is their class live program.

Class live is an interactive portion of the class. You can take part using a headset and microphone to talk to your instructor and any class mates or you can type in items rather like an instant message.

The real beauty of the system is that you can get to talk with your instructor in real time and if you don't understand something in the course you can clarify the matter. If you are very lucky you can get a whole session for yourself.

Imagine finding yourself in a bank, the safe wide open and all the cash to hand. You know you can take all the treasure you want and it's free of consequences.  Well if you use your instructors office hour properly, this is the very situation that you are in.

Like all situations with regard to your education, it is up to you to put some effort and prepare for office hours or class live sessions.

Your instructor will be pleased to offer help and talk over matters. Matters to do with the course that is. Did you see something in a text which you thought significant, then ask your instructor. It shows you are questioning and trying to learn. Share an insight into a portion of the class. Again it shows you are working.

Learning is not a passive occupation, you are not some water jug which the instructor needs to fill in order for you to pass the class.  The more you work and the more you show that you are working, the more you will encourage your instructor to teach you.

If your instructor doesn't find you prepared to work, why should they bother to try to help you? And no just because you pay for the class is not a good answer!

Showing up for an office hour is just part of your strategy. Yes the instructor will notice you, but it is not a session to talk about the weather, save that for after or before class. Prepare questions or share an insight. You might find that your insight was the key which your instructor had hoped you would see. If not, you may also pick-up on that extra clue as to what your instructor expected. Maybe you also show your genius by discovering a piece of information or insight which the instructor hadn't considered, then you can see the "a" grade registering in the instructor's mind.

Congratulations. You just passed the class with honors.

Second Class Almost Over

Well here I am again, facing yet another final week.

Since joining National University in November 2011 I have taken two classes.

That is a lot of work for just eight weeks study time.

One thing which will be new to me is that this present class, A Seminar in Modern China, finishes on Saturday and my next class, Seminar in American History II, starts next Monday.

That only gives me time to watch the Superbowl on Sunday and I am off again.

It was this regime that convinced me to add a break month every third class. Conveniently every third session coincided with not many choices of class for me. Funny how that works.

So I get a break in March.

In my previous college we had two weeks between our eight week sessions to recover a little.  It will be interesting to see how I feel when I do a full twelve weeks and three classes, April-June.

Mid- Class Blues

There is a time in all students careers where they come to a point of collapse.

You see nothing but classes trailing behind you, like the chains dragged by Marley's ghost, and a long and winding road of classes ahead of you and your heart sinks into the pit of your stomach.

You are coming to the Mid-Class Blues. Believe me they can hit you hard. It is at this time you need your inner strength to take you forward and the help of fellow students is one of the best morale boosters you can get.

Your fellow students know what it is like to go through these struggles.

You have lost the initial enthusiasm of your Freshman days, and graduation can seem further away than ever and you have to take more classes. Why?

Many students hit the blues and throw in the towel and quit. It can be that serious, but then like Marley's ghost you drag around that chain of wasted classes forever, you may mention that you have college credits on a resume or in an interview, but then what reason do you give to show your not finishing? Almost anything you say will come out badly for you. Even if you don't talk about them you know they are there, you will question everyday why you gave up.

Talking to others will help you through the mid-class blues. If only to realize that you are not on your own.

And if someone approaches you and talks about bad times with classes. Don't mock them, don't give advice.

Sit down, listen, share time and listen. Maybe share that you have felt the same in the past or that you can see they are bothered. If you haven't known what the mid-class blues are like you are not really in a position to give advice. If you have had the mid-class blues you know you don't need advice, just someone to listen.

Getting through the mid-class blues is a new lease on life. You feel the enthusiasm for classes again and that long chain of old classes no longer clainks and rattles but is as light as a feather. Better still you can see the cap and gown already in your closet.

The reward for all the work you put in is knowing you earned your degree. Any employer now can see you will not quit.

What Smart Students Know

When I returned to school four years ago I was at a loss, new country, new education system. I knew nothing of the US way of teaching. I knew though that I needed to learn and to do so fast.

This book saved me a lot of time and effort. It showed me what teachers expected and how to structure my work and study time. 

It has been an invaluable help to me and I refer to it still.

The book is easy to read, pick it up open a page and find the very question you are asking. Ansers are written in a matter of fact way with good examples of real world problems that every student finds in their life, whether you are in a traditional college or sat hunched over a computer at home taking online classes, this book can help.

Did it make me a 4.0 GPA graduate? Maybe, it certainly helped me to get good grades because it taught me how to cope with school.

Busy Time

Well, here we are at January 7, 2012. Classes begin again Monday next week.

If you are like me this time is met with all sorts of feelings, some excitement, some concern. What will the teacher be like? What will my classmates be like? Hoping you don't make a fool of yourself with your first post, maybe worried that everything will work ok if this is your first online class.

First, a few words. DON'T PANIC! If this is your first online class, something always goes wrong somewhere along the line, hopefully it is minor, an internet outage for an hour or two, not something serious like the teacher disappearing for six weeks and no real instruction. That did happen to me once. No explanation the instructor vanished, no reply to e-mails, no grading, the class meandered on as the students pulled together to try and help each other. At one time a positive experience and a very frustrating time. In the end grades were good, but I never did hear from the instructor herself.

For the most part all of your fellow students will be like you. Nervous and eager. Don't worry about making mistakes, no one will see your blushes, no-one will recognize you in the street as the person who made a gaff in class. But remember to read your posts aloud, or be like me and use a screen reader to check that they make sense when read aloud. People use their inner voice to read their own work and sometimes their inner voice doesn't read exactly what is written, but what it thinks was written. Meanings can become confused very easily when you are writing on a computer screen.

Remember to use the apostrophe when shortening words. People like me, the blind, who use screen readers, can get easily irritated and so will your teacher when they read Ill instead of I'll or well instead of we'll for the twentieth time in a day.
By now you should be prepared to begin your classes. All your books neatly ordered, paper at the ready for notes and a supply of pens for writing those notes. Most of your preliminary reading should be done and you might even have ideas for your final papers. Given that you have one day to relax and have fun before the  headlong rush towards your class ends. Take time for yourself. Go see a movie, go shopping, go to the ocean, mountains, fishing, cycling. Spoil yourself. You will need the rest.

Improve Memory by Building Links

When you study, it helps to add to your existing knowledge by building links between new ideas and what you already know.

Ideas and knowledge do not occur in a vacuum. All ideas can be linked in some way or another to each other.

At college many years ago I endured a series of classes telling me how to create "mind-maps." It was the latest thing in the late 70's and for me it was totally useless. Why? Because I am not a visual learner. I was always an auditory learner. I could listen to instructions and follow them. Seeing a jumble of colored lines and speech bubbles on a page meant nothing to me, even when I created it.

What rocked my boat was actually making up lyrics to songs.

Think about songs for a moment. They began as a means to help story tellers and ancient poets memorize the story. Sing a favorite song to yourself, I'd bet you have a catalogue of several thousand songs in your brain right now. You have learned them through a lifetime of just living, maybe some you have learned for special occassions. But I'd also bet every song will give you a picture, even bring back memories of feelings, emotions and memories of a particular time.

This is the same thing as creating mental links. Read or watch something to do with your course and try to link it to a particular series of thoughts.

If you are like me, make up a song, compose your own tune or go for lyrics to a favorite song. It's up to you.

You can create a story, put in a favorite actor or actress, make yourself the leading role, make it memorable. But build in the ideas you most want to remember.

As your knowledge in a class expands you can add to your favorite song or story.  By constant reviewing of your favorite method you can build stronger links. Then suddenly ome day you will sit in the exam room and you can replay your method in your mind. The story will be so familiar that you will recall most of your knowledge with ease and there it will be on your answer paper.

A Key Strategy: Planning

One of the things we forget to do as students is to plan.

We meander through classes, wait until due dates to produce an essay which may scrape us a "C" if we are lucky.

All this builds stress and causes us frustration. The best stress reliever available is to create a plan.

Planning ones classes has been shown to increase overall grade performance. Students who have a planned series of courses are more focused on studying because they can see a route of study and can see an end. Students who move from class to class without a plan get lost in the system and spend more time stressing about where their school career is going and are unable to focus on an end point.

In essence it is like going on a journey with no real idea of a destination. How can you know how to get somewhere and how would you know that you have arrived.

As soon as you can, talk to someone who can help you create a learning plan. This will save you time and stress in the long run.

With individual classes, prepare as much as you can before classes start. Read through the text books, not in detail perhaps just skim chapter introductions and summaries. Look for links in ideas from other classes. Get hold of a copy of the syllabus and read it for course objectives and see if you can link those to your knowledge. Also look for an interesting feature in your class that may be expanded into a final paper. The earlier you choose a paper topic the better, all your study can be aimed at creating a paper which will knock your teacher out of the ball park for a class capping "A".

Planning for the class and the course is vital. Don't struggle and stress along with everyone else. Create various plans and stick to them best as you can.
A plan is not set in stone and need not be rigidly followed, but it does help you see where you are going and lets you know when you get there.