Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

In the scheme of life and things that truly are "tough", school and studies is not even in the top 10..

It is not correct to say that there is some system that could make new information taught in a way that "no one struggles". Some folks will struggle forever with certain subjects and concepts. This is not reflective of intelligence rather how we each are wired, different context, different bias from culture, a thousand reasons why people struggle with learning new things that has nothing to do with "how" we deliver education.

 

Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

Well, PhiloScholar, I kind of wonder whether the now-standardized quantitative requirements (120 sem hrs/ 180 qtr hrs for the bachelor's, 30 sem hrs/45 qtr hrs for the master's, and 60 sem hrs/ 90 qtr hrs for the doctorate) might have been contrived for the protection of the student. Here's why. I imagine that the must have been a time in the history of education when, if you decided that you wanted to be a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, you might ask me, "Magister Diodorus! Meister van Huygen! I vish to study business under Sie!" And, if I consent to be your professor and guide, I would retain the right to decide when you have mastered (and, before that, bachelored) the subject. The problem, in the early days, was that, without precise quantitative measures, if I wanted to be a real b*st*rd about things, I could keep stringing you along in order to keep dragging more tuition out of you and perhaps never confer the degree upon you. So, I imagine situations like these led to meetings between the students' guilds and the professors' guilds in which things were made more quantitatively precise. Now, yeah, it really sucks when a bachelor's student runs out of steam or money or whatever at 117 sem hrs/175 qtr hrs or when as master's student runs out of money or steam at 27 sem hrs/40 qtr hrs or when the doctoral student sees seven years of school down the bleepin' drain when the dissertation is rejected without the right to revise/re-defend. But the quantitative measures are there for your protection. Remember, Reverend, you've got to run for the prize! And get that second-hand wind!

 

..I was also always perplexed by the "general election" courses one has to take.. I'm pursuing a B.S. in Information Networking and Telecommunications - why oh why do I have to take Human Biology?! .. because it's a mandatory course as I am, after all, pursuing a Science degree.

I wish they would focus on the degree itself - this is a completely useless course for the degree I am pursuing.... I won't get into other courses as there are plenty that make up the "core requirements"...

*shrug* if its needed, its needed - gotta do it - might not like it, but hey.. such is life, eh?

 

I understand your feelings regarding the non-programme specific courses. For adult learners the need for a general education is questionable yet as you say it is a requirement so we must take some courses we would otherwise avoid.

But as an adult learner you have an advantage over other students - life experience that allows you to put the material in the general education courses into context.

You work in an organinzation with a long and noble history. I have a copy of an old recruiting poster for the NorthWest Mounted Police that sums it up nicely: Wanted: Persons of good character. You have the good character already and will find the inner strength to achieve the goal you have set for yourself.

 

Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

Good points all, and it was not my intention to whine...I was simply challenging the staus quo. I get to do that as a person going through this process of education as do all of you. Getting a degree is what I want, but I've never felt it practical to do some of the courses that have nothing to do with your major - unless the student themself is interested in the particular course(s).

The process of getting a degree is filled with hurdles, some imposed by the school, some imposed by the nature of academics as a discipline. All I have been trying to say on this point in the context of my being so tired from school at this juncture of my life...is that there is no reason why so many obstacles HAVE TO BE THERE.

As I understand it the education of mathematics in our schools, for example, is taught with far more difficulty than the subject is taught in countries like England. This is one example - its the method by which we teach that drives me insane. I took the first of two basic algebra courses 4 times before I even passed the first course to move on to the second. It was a requirement for my AS degree. I might have passed with faster proficiency had I been taught under a different educational system. I don't know...I've heard it is taught much more effectively in other countries. It was grueling, and I've never used the algebra style math in my life yet. I've even forgotten most it by now.

So, my point in this sub-topic is this: We need to discover what works, what does not work, how we teach what works, and apply it to what does not work in the way of courses which cause so much struggle. A part of my 6 1/2 year journey has been becuase of courses that I failed and had to repeat. A part of this (dare I say a large part) lies with the competency of the professor/instructor who teaches the material. It does me or any other student no good to learn from someone who has little clue how to convey the material in an effective learning environment where the information is clear, understandable, and capable of aiding students in comprehending the reasoning of WHY we use things like the algebraic formula - NOT JUST HOW we use it!

Please offer feedback if you have something to share, but for those who are offering "tough love" in their responses...be kinder. LOL! I am not new to the game of academia. I am simply tired of doing it right now.

Thanks for the feedback.

- S.

 

Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

Soory if I was too harsh. Have you looked at getting a degree in Liberal Arts or General Studies. It would be easier because oyu would have a wider range of elective choices.

When all else fails...take a semester off. Between my MS and the start of my PhD, I took a few months off to regroup. If I woul dhave had many more classes to finish the MS, I would have taken a break. Either take some time off or slow your pace.

good luck and don't let it get you down.

 

Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

PhiloScholar:

I just have a question. Please know I ask out of curiosity and sincere interest. I noticed you are a second degree Mason. Are the degrees similar to ranks? In other words, the higher the degree, the higher the status, wisdom, etc. ? I have interest in many different cultures, and religions. Please advise.

Thanks,

Abner

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

Hello,

Very, very briefly...here is your answer (Moderators, I'll try not to detract):

Masonry is an international men's fraternity, going back to the period of the stonemasons of biblical times. It is not a religious order, but it does subscribe to a belief or acknowledgement of a Supreme Creater. Members are permitted to come to their own reasoning on this point, but no member can be an Atheist.

The degrees of masonry are explain in brief. The 3 main degress in what is known as Blue Lodge, and they are the foundation of living a masonic life. Blue Lodges, are the common lodges you see in most towns where you live. The degrees themselves teach through special rituals various lessons meant to impart good civic conduct, charity, and other important values. The first three degrees are higher than each other. The first degree is called "Entered Apprentice", the second is called "FellowCraft", and the third is called "Mastor Mason". Each one imparts specific lessons with specific oaths that must be taken. And, yes, a vow of secrecy is taken for the degrees...so I can't really explain them in detail unless you are already a mason of that degree.

There are two separate apendent groups - York Rite and Scottish Rite, which carry an additional set of degrees in subsequent ranking order, and each with their name for each degree depending on the rite used (representing "higher" degrees after the first 3 degrees from Blue Lodge (i.e. 4...5...6...7...etc.). Both of these rites have a different final or top degree level, HOWEVER, neither appendent group nor its degree structure is actually higher or superior over Blue Lodge system. So degree 4 from the Scottish or York Rite is not higher other than in numerical value to the Blue Lodge system. The easiest way to understand this, is you have "company X" (Blue Lodge), but it also has subsidiaries ("Y" and "Z"). We as a fraternity have an educational program for young students, and other social service programs. Shriners Hospitals (the children burn centers) is what we are very often known for to the public).

There is a website which may further help you. It is "www.masonicinfo.com". There you can find more details on masonry, and it may even ansers more questions about who we are.

Thanks for your interest. Please privately Email me if you have further questions.

- S.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

We also have DeMolay (a young men's group)...and three groups for girls (Rainbow Girls, Eastern Star, and Job's Daughters). These are affiflited groups to the masons, but are not linked in the same fashion as the appendent orders mentioned earlier.

- S.

P.S.: Sorry about the typos, its been a long day.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

very interesting!


Thanks for sharing!


Abner

 

Re: Re: Re: Losing my "umpfh" and desire....

You know, you do have a point there. And the answer probably has something to do with an old mediaeval formula of mastering the seven liberal arts (though, I suspect, the number of liberal arts and what exactly is considered a liberal art has, without a doubt, changed many times). I'm not sure how the American system of education evolved to become so different from the British system of education, as we Americans were part of the British Empire for 176 years. But you do have a point about general education requirements in that, when the Brits say, "I read history at Oxford" to mean what an American would express by saying, "I earned my BA in History at Oxford," quite literally, the Brit is conveying that, for three years, about all he/she did was read, read, read HISTORY!!! HISTORY!!! HISTORY!!!

 

Philo,

Well, I am 47 and am still working at my Associates Degree in Business (Excelsior) which I originally began in 1997, so as you see you have several years advantage over me...

I just reached a point when not getting a degree was not an option anymore, so, in spite of all the difficulties and expenses, since I consider that there is no better choice, I just keep on going.

Perhaps luckily i may be able to get my Associate´s in the next 2-3 months.

Will I go on for a BA? Not for the moment. I will need some time to rest and recover.

To continue studying, there are 2 resources I need: 1) Time 2) Money.

The only way I can get time is taking time off work, as I just am unable to study at all when working full time. And of course there's age.

Money goes fast without working, so you can see my dilemma...

I think you should never give up. Even if you'd have to take 1-2 or whatever amount of months or years off to rest, you can then go back. For me there just isn't any choice but to continue.