Ye, and distance learning can be a brilliant way to get a degree.

Sorry these classes and everything else got me completely full to brain explosion levels

Yes, when I graduated high school in 1986 I did go into college then - Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I was there for a year before I dropped out, got married, and had a son.

Since then I've always regretted not having a degree but there was never a "reason" to get one - my job and salary have always been equal if not better to degreed people.

Now that I have these websites I run, I kept running into situations that I had no experience in. Situations involving people from different cultures, or how to communicate well with people, or so on. I realized that there was a large skill set I was lacking and it was effecting the people around me.

So I looked around for an online degree I could get that would teach me how to be better in these areas. It had to be online because I am SO busy that it would be incredibly impossible for me to drive somewhere to take classes. Going back and forth for classes would kill me. I am often awake at night and asleep in the day. So I had to be able to take the classes at home in my own time.

Two schools had leadership degrees that looked perfect - Penn State and Northeastern. Between the two I liked Northeastern's class schedule better. The classes themselves are GREAT. Most of the students are managers in their 30s-40s who have been around and have great background. So when I ask them questions, they have great answers. Compared with, say, a local community college of 18 year olds, where the questions I need answered, they wouldn't know about.

So it's like having a talented board of directors online 24/7 to help me with my questions. Plus the teachers are generally great, and the course material is great. Really though for me the best part are the forums where we can talk about ethics and communication and challenges and figure out solutions.

Lisa

Jilly -

It's not that I wanted a degree really, because a degree doesn't change anything in my life. It's that I needed a support structure to teach me a skill set, and this is a wonderful way to get everything all together. I've been reading books for years, but it's much different to have that team of experienced managers to discuss the topics with. And a teacher who has specialized in the topic to guide the conversation.

PDM -

I'm sure that part of it is because I am so incredibly overwhelmed with work right now - but the idea of sitting in a hall listening to a lecture is incredibly unappealing to me. One of my classes made me watch a 1 hour long lecture for one of their weeks and it drove me insane. I think I folded 30 cranes while I watched it. I would much rather read the material - I can read quickly - and absorb it. To me "wasting" an hour absorbing the material makes no sense. Yes I absolutely want to learn - and I also want to learn efficiently

I panicked on Wednesday because I realized that I had material due - I had to race to get it done. Again today I had to race to get my schoolwork done for tonight's deadline.

I wish the workload would ease up just a little in my life in just one area But it looks like that won't happen for at least this coming month. So I have to at least make sure I am doing each area as efficiently as I can.

I have papers due in all three classes on Sunday. My goal is to not be in that racing situation again.

I love the class material, and the discussion, so I really want to get my other tasks ordered so I can spend proper amounts of time on the college work.

you can move at your own pace tho with online classes so why do you do that to yourself...???

Illusive -

The way online classes work at Northeastern (and at Penn State) is that they are scheduled classes just like in-person classes. The class runs for 6 or 12 weeks. A teacher is there running the class, and other students are in the class forum. We have a syllabus and assignments every week. We have to make posts on certain topics by certain dates, and respond to other students' work by other dates. We have papers due and tests to take. Everything is dated and the tests are timed. Some teachers run online chats that you have to attend.

So yes I can read the chapter any time I want up until the first required Wednesday post, and then I can do my homework any time up until the Friday deadline, but I can't just ignore those deadlines. If I do they start deducting points.

Lisa, i understand what illusive is saying. You do take on a lot without unburdening your plate. You are kind of an invovaholic. And I know about involvaholism - my first blog was Involvaholic.com. Personally I feel i am in recovery from this, thank gods.



My thought is that if one is taking on a huge life activity, such as school, then one gives up something else that is equally time consuming. Like maybe Mused for a while, except as in an advisory role. Or some of your gaming topics on BellaOnline. Or not publishing your books until you graduate. These are just examples - it is not my intention for you to defend your time in all these activities. The point is that, as Illusive said, you willingly take on a lot.

I hope you can take this critique for what it is worth, as meant in love, from one involvaholic to another.

im familar Lisa with how they work...my daughter has many times done online classes. But, that being said even tho they are geared much as your own she still has her own time ..its not as if she doesnt do other things as well were this would be so consuming for her...she realizes that other things in life are important and takes time for self and her family...those come first and she doesnt let one thing swallow her or set up several things where this is the feeling she gets and life is no longer on her level of control.

Sorry Lisa, I missed your reply to me.

I know that different people learn differently, and I actually read and study a lot ~ by myself

But I really love to attend lectures, in person ~ unless the lecturer is dreadfully boring, of course ~ so I do miss being at university, even after all these years.