I really should post here more often. On my last post I stated I was going to stay off FB for like 5 days and I think I made it 4. I also ended up flunking the statistics test. I walked in to the test and seriously had no idea how to answer any of it. I left 90% of the test blank. I knew from the beginning an online math class would be a challenge for me but I thought I could do it. I also knew that even though I was getting the correct answers on most of the problems at least at first I didn't know how I was getting the correct answers and that it may catch up with me eventually. Yes, it did.
Did I put my absolute best effort into the class? Probably not but the class was not a great set up for learning. The teacher essentially did not teach. We had an e-textbook and class material that was put together by the publishers of the e-textbook. The book had audio examples throughout that "explained" how to do the problems. Most of those explanations included "use technology to figure out this problem, we'll use statkey." Statkey was an online program where they had the data already listed in and it would compute stuff automatically. Problem was we couldn't use statkey in the exams. We had a calculator that had a 319 page instruction manual. For the most part the book never did show or teach the formulas or equations for figuring out the answers so there was no way to really figure out how to do the problems manually. Then the tests looked nothing like the homework assignments.
So overall I'm hugely unimpressed with this class and it's made me look a bit more at the program as a whole. The RN to BSN program I chose was the cheapest and required the least amount of extra class work. Right now it feels a bit like the saying you get what you pay for is very true. I've talked to others who are doing online programs and they have a lot more direction than what I've had so far with mine. Down side is that they are also paying considerably more money than I am. I'm not in a position where I can take out further student loans right now and I'm not sure I want to. I hate the idea of going into debt and paying close to $20,000 for a bachelors degree that for the most part isn't going to affect my current job at all. My biggest reason for deciding to get my bachelors degree was that I figured at some point down the road I would need it. I still think that is possibly true although I know that I have no intention of going into management and really don't have any desire to become a nurse practitioner either. I know though that there is a big push for all RN's to have a bachelors degree although its a long ways from requiring it.
So I don't really know what I'm going to do. Right now I'm trying to get registered for a statistics class here in Fresno at a community college where I have an actual class to go to. I've been told that it might be a slim chance I will actually get into a class. I've looked at a few of the other programs and probably need to request more info. I also still have the option of finishing with the current program and just having my statistics grade transferred in when it's done. Either way it's all frustrating.
Did I put my absolute best effort into the class? Probably not but the class was not a great set up for learning. The teacher essentially did not teach. We had an e-textbook and class material that was put together by the publishers of the e-textbook. The book had audio examples throughout that "explained" how to do the problems. Most of those explanations included "use technology to figure out this problem, we'll use statkey." Statkey was an online program where they had the data already listed in and it would compute stuff automatically. Problem was we couldn't use statkey in the exams. We had a calculator that had a 319 page instruction manual. For the most part the book never did show or teach the formulas or equations for figuring out the answers so there was no way to really figure out how to do the problems manually. Then the tests looked nothing like the homework assignments.
So overall I'm hugely unimpressed with this class and it's made me look a bit more at the program as a whole. The RN to BSN program I chose was the cheapest and required the least amount of extra class work. Right now it feels a bit like the saying you get what you pay for is very true. I've talked to others who are doing online programs and they have a lot more direction than what I've had so far with mine. Down side is that they are also paying considerably more money than I am. I'm not in a position where I can take out further student loans right now and I'm not sure I want to. I hate the idea of going into debt and paying close to $20,000 for a bachelors degree that for the most part isn't going to affect my current job at all. My biggest reason for deciding to get my bachelors degree was that I figured at some point down the road I would need it. I still think that is possibly true although I know that I have no intention of going into management and really don't have any desire to become a nurse practitioner either. I know though that there is a big push for all RN's to have a bachelors degree although its a long ways from requiring it.
So I don't really know what I'm going to do. Right now I'm trying to get registered for a statistics class here in Fresno at a community college where I have an actual class to go to. I've been told that it might be a slim chance I will actually get into a class. I've looked at a few of the other programs and probably need to request more info. I also still have the option of finishing with the current program and just having my statistics grade transferred in when it's done. Either way it's all frustrating.
3 comments:
I think it is idiotic of them to have you do all the practice in a non-manual manner and then force you to be examined with all manual questions. I took state in my undergrad for a year and you really have to have practice to be able to get the answers. I am happy with my current online program, and stats in not requires. It is a hefty cost- $17K for me, and I only require nursing BS classes plus a biblical lit and 1 credit religion class. It would be more if I didn't have my BA classes from my first degree. I do have a very, very nice tuition reimbursement of $5250/year, so work will pay 50% of the cost.I would probably just continue with the BSN classes and then get that stats class in locally while you can.
What's sucking up too much time w/me recently is Twitter...why on earth I accepted a friend's invite, now she's not even tweeting! as I follow various rabbit-holes.
I'm afraid I have nothing to offer as an opinion on online classes other than yeah, I believe you get what you pay for! As to whether the investment is justified for your career path, I have insufficient data to respond ;-)
(Vulcan enough for ya?)
Good luck with the statistics class! Math TERRIFIES me. I can do nearly anything else with little struggle, but I can barely pass basic math no matter now hard I study. So, I avoided statistics like the plague. ((hugs))
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