South University

Discussion in 'Online & DL Teaching' started by chaser2010, Jul 7, 2010.

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  1. chaser2010

    chaser2010 New Member

    Has anyone taken the Socrates Candidate Assessment Course for teaching online at South University? Is it focused around the actual course you are going to teach? What has your experience been with South University?
     
  2. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    I don't remember doing that course. I started teaching at South last year and have enjoyed it very much. 5 1/2 week courses and they tend to move me around so that I am not always teaching the same thing. I have taught 4 different courses so far. Sometimes two per term, usually one. Classes are fairly small. Never more than 19 students (in my department, anyway), usually closer to 15. Several student usually drop and I have had some terms with only 5 or 6 completing the course.

    I have had no complaints really.
     
  3. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I have been teaching there since mid 2006. cdhale sums it up pretty well. They are good to work for and I have gotten classes from them steadly since.
     
  4. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    I would add that one term I was assigned one class to teach and it did not make. They found me another course where the faculty member failed to complete the training and inserted me into the course. So even when I was in danger of not having a course, they found me one. That was the only time that I have been close to not having a course in any term since I started.

    They also let you know fairly early if you are getting a course for the following term. We are currently in the first couple of days of week 2 in this current session and they already offered me a course for the next one, which starts in August.
     
  5. chaser2010

    chaser2010 New Member

    Thanks for your response. Im glad you had a positive experience at South. Currently, I have only been approved to teach a few courses. I have over 20 years in technology but have just recently started teaching online. I am not clear on what the process is to get your list of approved classes expanded.
     
  6. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    Talk to the your faculty manager and get the scoop on that from them. I was qualified to teach certain courses when I was hired, based upon my transcripts.
     
  7. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I only teach a few different classes but I am okay with that. I get to know the class really well and have an excellent "stock" of extras to posts. I have been getting an average of 3 classes per semester for the past several years.
     
  8. skicheryl

    skicheryl New Member

    More questions about South

    Hello,

    New to the forum.

    Is 3 classes per semester considered full-time? Are semesters 5.5 week courses?

    I've been approved to send transcripts and start the interview process with South. I haven't heard about the Socrates class yet but I'm hoping the training is not as intense as UOP, which was very time consuming for 4 weeks then a 5 week mentorship was also pretty intense. Anyone work for South and UOP that could speak to this? I am currently teaching full-time at a nursing school ground campus and teach adjunct online at UOP, usually have 2 classes going at once. I'm not sure yet but the South position may be full-time. Anyone know the salary for full-time at South? I read that if you teach for them full-time you cannot teach anywhere else. Is this right? I have a contract through March 2011 so if it's a conflict of interest I would have to wait until then for full-time.

    Cheryl
     
  9. streetsmart

    streetsmart New Member

    I took the Socrates course in February. It was in no way related to what you would teach, it's just about learning the course format and the requirements of being an instructor. Obviously, people tailored their responses to their teaching area, which is to be expected I suppose.

    I never heard from them when the course finished and have given up on them. :mad:
     
  10. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    It was odd - I finsihed the training and hey contacted me almost a year later to start teaching. Big delay but steady work since.
     
  11. scaredrain

    scaredrain Member


    I work for their sister school, The Arts Institute of Pittsburgh Online. After I finished the Socrates course I was scheduled immediately and have had 1 course every term steadily since I started with them, February 2010. Contact your faculty scheduler or the division chair about opportunities.
     
  12. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Now that you meantion that, I appied for South and Argosy at the same time. An email address was created for Argosy (that I did not know about) and offers to teach were being sent to that email address. I called and asked why I all of a sudden stopped getting classes for 3 months. Problem solved and that was it. I have gotten steady classes since July 2006 (with that one exception). Call and ask-
     
  13. skicheryl

    skicheryl New Member

    What is considered full-time?

    I'm new to the forum. Tried one post but it never showed up so here is my second attempt! I have a few questions. I just started the interview process with South, applied about 5 months ago and just received the email to send transcripts. I believe it was a full-time online position but not positive.

    Does anyone know what is considered full-time with South? Starting pay for full-time faculty with masters degree? I read where adjunct pay is $1500/class for 5.5 week course and you can have 3 classes per semester but not sure I understand how this works with semesters and 5.5 week classes. Clarification would be appreciated.

    Does anyone know how many classes are considered full-time? Is there a break week between semesters for full-time faculty?

    I teach at UOP but would be willing to give it up if required for full-time online after my current contract with local nursing school is up in the spring. As noted on the board UOP pay isn't the best for the approx 10-15 hrs each week/class. Sometimes I have 2 classes at once but cancellations are common.

    Thanks in advance for your help!
    Cheryl
     
  14. Dacre

    Dacre New Member

    Hi cdhale and Randell, Cdhale...when you said that you teach 1-2 per term (usually 1)...do you mean per quarter or 1-2 classes per 5 1/2 week session since there are 2 chances to teach each quarter? Does that make sense? I completed the training for South end of May and have not heard yet. Only that I passed the trainning and to wait to be contacted. Looking forward to a class sometime soon, but heard it can take up to 9 months? Also, the first class that I will teach, is there a mentor involved or will I be on my own? Thanks for any information. Dominique
     
  15. Dacre

    Dacre New Member

    QUestion for Randall and cdhale,

    Cdhale, you mentioned that you teach 1-2 (usually 1) class per term. Do you mean 1-2 per quarter or 1-2 per 5 1/2 week session since there are 2 chances each quarter to teach? I finished my traiing in May and have not heard except that I passed the training. Do you think I should check in or just wait it out, is it really 9 months to get a class? Also, is the 1st class with a mentor or am I on my own? Thanks for any information. Dominique
     
  16. Dacre

    Dacre New Member

    Yikes...sorry about the spelling errors

    I have a newborn at home so I posted very fast! :)Dominique
     
  17. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    I usually get one or two courses per 5.5 week term. So for the full quarter, 2 or 3 classes. It just depends. There were about 5 terms in a row where I had 2 courses. Then there were 3 or 4 with only one. Last term (ended in June), I had two. This time I have one. Next term, I am scheduled for one.

    I had a class as soon as training was over. I didn't have a wait.

    You have a fulltime faculty member as a contact/mentor every term, no matter how many quarters you have taught (at least in our department - I teach English). They check on you every week, making sure you are doing what you are required to do. I speak with my faculty contact every week.

    It isn't as draconian as it sounds, as they pretty much leave you alone, if you are doing your job. But they do check.

    clint
     

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