Allama Iqbal Open University

It's not in my system. I have better things to bother with - 4 grandkids, 5,000 books, four guitars, two accordions, a concertina, harmonicas, two computers ... full set of woodworking tools... But since you took up my offer, here are ten additional examples of your playing the US-centric card. In fairness (not my customary mode, I'll admit) I should add that once (or no more than twice) you wrote "but things are changing..." or words to that effect.

https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/ms-cybersecurity-programs.34808/page-3#post-354290
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/which-college-is-better-for-ms-in-cybersecurity-information-assurance.48402/#post-479194
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/malaysia-wants-you.47712/#post-473627
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/stay-away-from-mediu-in-malaysia.43287/#post-440145
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/which-is-the-best-dl-mba-from-sa-regent-regenesys-mancosa-or-milpark.43211/#post-439522
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/south-african-finance-degrees.43205/#post-439448
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/phd-islamic-finance-and-banking-distance-learning-mode-mediu-al-madinah-int-uni.42342/#post-430787
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/degreeinfo-supports-online-phd-students.41879/#post-425959
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/240-ects-from-top-european-university-need-a-ba.41486/#post-422539
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/ba-honours-history-at-the-open-university-uk.36205/#post-369271

And please - no weak sarcasm like "do you feel better now?" I respond to exquisite torture only.

 

Okay, I sentence you to a week of listening to college students being profound.

 

Nice research. I like this one,

"I am one Moderator who has said that this is a US-centric board. I find this to be beyond argument because most of our members are from the USA and most of the schools that are discussed are in the USA. That is my definition of US-centric. It does not imply prejudice or bias against schools in other countries. I have long been an advocate for many non-US schools."

But what's your point? This is, in actuality, a US-centric board. It's a fact. Now stating that fact does not mean that it is exclusively US oriented or that there are no persons from other places or no topics discussed of non-US matters. But the vast majority of schools, programs and degrees that are discussed are from the USA. That's simply a fact. And that is what US-centric means. So what are you trying to imply?

 

This thread for me has been inspirational. - Africa
https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/african-counsil-of-distance-education.49766/
USA
The other one that I like is about the University of the Cumberlands started by either Steve or Matt can’t remember.

 

Well just to add my 2 cents to the history of AIOU since my mom was a school teacher and she earned her masters from AIOU and then she used to work as their tutor in mid-end of 90s. Our house was famous since the postman used to come on daily basis to drop those bundle of assignments. People here may miss my point since in Pakistan, post offices are empty and we don't send letters/mails anymore, arriving postman means a utility bill or a bank letter otherwise.
Since I used to help my mom in those assignments, I read letters written as a part of assignments from those poor girls from those areas where there is virtually no school (school means 10th grade), i really cried a few times after reading those letters, they wanted to study in schools but there wasn't any school or they weren't allowed. AIOU did a great job, spreading education to children of a lesser God , who literally had no other option and after the wave of terrorism post 9-11, even those schools were destroyed in northern areas.
The other areas AIOU targeted in 80s and 90s were vocational, poly technical sort of short courses/certificates, targeting farmers how to fix their tractors or how to use pesticides etc, people who don't have any skill nor school education, then comes those plumbing or welding courses, refrigerator mechanic etc,that people undertake and open small shops or apply to the middle eastern market.
The third (and last tier) was the school teachers, getting their B.Ed and M.Ed diplomas since they were normally complementary diplomas rather than a full fledged bachelor or masters degrees, typically one has a bachelors degree, he/she started teaching in schools and then get enrolled to take a Bachelors of education degree (one couldn't enroll directly in B.Ed without a bachelors in those times, same goes for M.Ed).
So it is a big achievement for them and it is really nice to see them growing so nicely and rapidly in other areas/courses.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Steve Foerster said he wished you'd stop saying this (US-centric) because "it's an insult to our non-North American participants, and besides, a few of the rest of us know a thing or two about international education."
I agreed with his statement and said (to you) he had a point. You then attempted to justify one isolated use, so I offered to compile a list of all incidences. You said go ahead, so I did - found ten others. That's it. Nothing more.

 

That's wrong. I apologize for inadvertently twisting the order of events. Unintentional.

(1) You got after me a little at one point for saying "we," asserting that DI has "International, multiracial and cross-cultural membership."
(2) I said that's true, it does. But in this case, "we" - North American members, would likely find ourselves excluded, due to Allama Iqbal's own good reasons for not opening its doors world-wide.
(3) I noted also you use US-centric with some frequency and cited the latest example.
(4) Steve said he wished you'd stop saying it etc.
(5) You replied to Steve and defended your use of US-centric in that one instance.
(6) I said Steve had a point - and offered a list of all instances. You said go ahead. Ten others found. Done.

 

OK, I get it. Then I guess I'd say that I disagree that it's an insult to anyone. As I said above, I simply believe that it's a fact. Most of the members, most of the schools/degrees discussed, etc. are from/in the US. That makes it US centric by definition. There is no geographical restriction on membership and no restriction of which schools get discussed but even our non-US members are frequently interested in discussing US schools/degrees. I think that people who have been around this board for a number of years will agree that DegreeInfo is less US-centric than it used to be and I personally think that's a good thing. I also think that I played a big role in that shift as I have actively promoted non-US schools such as ULondon, OU(UK), UNISA, other ZA and African schools, Australian schools, etc. I'm sorry that you and Steve are unhappy with me for saying that it's a US-centric board. I'm not sure what implications you see inside that label but it's not my intention to insult anyone by saying it. If you, Steve or anyone else can help me to understand why you see it as an insult then I'll consider dropping the phrase from my personal lexicon on this board. but until then it just feels like a difference of opinion, not unlike many others that occur here.

 

Steve can speak for himself. For me - perhaps "insult" is strong, but it is a discouragement - a repeated turning-away of enquiry from foreign members about non-US situations. Here's a hypothetical:

Q: "I'm thinking of getting my degree from this school - XYZ University in Gurgaon (India). What do you think of it?
A. Sorry, this is pretty well a US-centric board and I doubt anyone here has the expertise to help you . . .

Well, someone here (Msganti?) just might know a LOT. Or someone else here might at least look it up and see whether XYZ University is UGC-approved or has any raging controversies.
Same with "I'm hoping to take my (German) XXX exam next year. Can anyone tell me the requirements?" If Mintaru isn't around, maybe someone (e.g. me) could do a Google search and at least point the poster toward the right info.

My take - we don't need to do anything that actively discourages people from asking. And yes - some would view that discouragement as an insult. If someone did that to me somewhere - it would irk me. I'd be put off and not come back.

 

Johann - we don't need to do anything that actively discourages people from asking.
Me - I agree.

Johann - some would view that discouragement as an insult.
Me - there are lot's of things that get said on this board that might be considered an insult. if I say that a degree from xuniversity is better than one from yuniversity then all those yuniversity grads might be insulted. There are many other examples, both real and hypothetical. I don't find this part of your argument compelling.

Overall you've given me something to consider and I will do so. I don't need to use the phrase in question and it costs me nothing to modify my behavior. At the same time, the factual nature of the phrase is undeniable and there may be times in the future where it's use is appropriate.

 

As long as we're on pet peeves, mine is when people assume that the best universities are the ones from which they graduated, Which of the big three, for example, is the best? The one from which I graduated, of course.

And which graduate degree should you pursue? Obviously, the one I pursued. At the school at which I pursued/am pursuing it. (Yes, you can be a shill for non-degree mills. Look at all the shills we have here for U. Cumberlands, for example.)

And when someone is specifically seeking a doctorate in criminal justice (with the goal of teaching) and someone asks, "Have you considered a J.D.?" it indicates how much of a jackass the responder is.

And this is why I laugh at you. Yes, all of you. Each and every one of you. (Well, maybe not Kizmet or Johann.)

 

What's with the alt-right avatar?

 

I love your sarcasm . You do grumpy pretty good. You do have a little bit of work yet to do to improve on your anger.

 

Decimon, I'm surprised at you . . . I had never thought of you as culturally illiterate, but here you've just proven yourself to be illiterate in general. As anyone who is culturally literate knows, the avatar has nothing to do with the alt-right or with white supremacy whatsoever (based on the traditional definition of the term alt-right).

So, kiddies, if you don't recognize the avatar, get thee to YouTube and do a search on the pictured character, Michigan J. Frog. You can also search the most well-known title of Michigan's body of work, "One Froggy Evening."

Alt-right? Decimon, you're pathetic. If you want to be biting, at least be funny.

 

"In online discussion media, satisfied consumers or "innocent" parties may express specific opinions in order to further the interests of an organization in which they have an interest, such as a commercial vendor or special interest group. In academia, this is called opinion spamming.[4] Web sites can also be set up for the same purpose. For example, an employee of a company that produces a specific product might praise the product anonymously in a discussion forum or group in order to generate interest in that product, service, or group. In addition, some shills use "sock puppetry", where they sign on as one user soliciting recommendations for a specific product or service. They then sign on as a different user pretending to be a satisfied customer of a specific company"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shill

There may be some form of compensation to being a shill but it's not clear that it's always money. We've had many shills on this board. I don't think Steve is one of them.

 

Thanks. Makes complete sense to me. I couldn't ask for more than that.

 

I have had an additional thought about this issue, in general. I have long suspected that there are other sites like DegreeInfo except that these are non-US/non-English sites. I have spent bits of time looking for DL discussion boards in/about other countries and in other languages but, unlike many of our members, my non-English language skills are pretty limited. So if any of our members know of such a site(s) then please let us know. Post a link and maybe we can make some connections.

 

Here's one from Germany, to start off: https://www.fernstudium-infos.de/forum/2-fernstudium-forum/

One from Peru - changes the subject a lot. https://www.forosperu.net/temas/la-educacion-a-distancia.32336/