Ncu - Scarey Experience

Wow, this thread is burning like a dry tinderbox on a hot sunny day.

Before stampeding barrows to death, he should be given an opportunity to elaborate on his disgust with NCU. I was hoping that he would have elaborated a little bit by now, but apparently not. I would speculate that he is disgusted that that particular class is too easy and that it is indicative of all online classes and, consequently, he may feel that NCU is a glorified RA diploma mill.

It has been my experience that occasionally, the student will be placed into a ridiculously easy course. Enjoy it while it lasts because harder ones are on the way!!!

As an example, we are almost done with a masters program and we incorrectly believed that it would all be down hill from here. Wrong!!! This current instructor has us reading 45 of the great "classics" in our major, all in a seven week period. There is no way that we can read 45 of the classics in that short time span. And the final examination will require us to write a narrative on each and every one of those "classics."

The mid-term covered 15 classics, but the final will cover 30 classics. Using teamwork, we have divided up the 30 "classics" amongst ourselves. Each student has been assigned a couple of the classics and it is his job to read them and write a short narrative with the key points, to be shared with the rest of the students. Thus, we don't have to read all 30 of the classics. That is what we did for the mid-term and it worked exceptionally well. What else do you expect from a class where every student is a sworn officer? Teamwork!!!

Anyways, enjoy the easy classes when they come because you will be sweating bullets in the hard classes!!!

 

"See Jane Run," "See Dick and Jane Run," etc. Can't be too hard to read 45 of 'em.

 

Ted,

I certainly do not have a horse in the NCU debate but I appreciate your post with some personal experience. I suspect that your experience makes sense in light of the fact that NCU is on track for full accreditation.

Mr. Barrow should provide proof or forget it around here. We are a bunch of somewhat skeptical folks who although born at night were not born last night. I suppose that as some have suggested, it is possible that Mr. Barrow did not do well on his first NCU academic experience and is lashing out. If that is the case I urge him to learn from the experience and do not loose sight of his goals.

North

 

I would like to nominate North's above statement as the January 2003 Quote of the Month. He has well documented the DegreeInfo Gang!

 

Haven't we been a little harsh on Mr Barrows accusing him of slander? Isn't he merely informing us that NCU intends to offer law degrees in future? (Sorry, could not resist ).

.. a bunch of somewhat skeptical (and occasionally sarcastic) folks...

tokyomike

 

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If I were teaching that class and the goal were that every grad student be responsible for the reading of the more important classics him/herself and responsible as well to acquire the deeper grasp gained by personal interation with the original sources, not just another's summary, then I'd test in a way to minimize such collaberation.

I'm sure summaries and critiques of the "classics" already have been published so really no student need even glance at the originals under this exam format were the goal only a superficial understanding of general content without direct interaction with these classics.

Instead of the final exam being a short narrative on each classic, I would announce rather that the test will be a probing ,exhaustive exam on one..but not say which one. Or the prof might announce ahead of time several possible themes that the exam will require the student to relate the classics to, ..but not say which theme until test time.

Of course were these 30 classics not covered over a semester in class discussions or otherwise, [then an unusual final it seems to me ] this might be too much material . But it shouldn't be too much for grad credit if this were a semester course and if these classics were examined along the way .

Sorry for my interjections but after 34 years of teaching secondary school I've developed a hunger which is only satiated by making others "sweat bullets."