What do you feel this course (UN100) should focus on? What do you need help in, specifically?
First let me state that I like UN100 and the Professor. I think the course is probably needed by alot of the younger people going to college, and the professor really does care about her charges.
I believe that UN100 should focus more on the networking of students.
There seems to be a lot of students who resent what they consider to be a disproportionate work load for 2 credits in UN100 vs the work loads for a 4 credit chemistry class and a 3 credit anatomy class or even 4 credit math classes. It seems that UN100 takes precious time away from studying anatomy or chemistry or math, so that...... we can learn how to study. I think most would rather have that precious time to focus on the other classes.
UN100 was (I am told) designed to help students acquire skills needed for a successful college career. The student advisers called it a college level study hall ( the advisors were rather disingenuous). I believe making it more like a STRUCTURED study hall would greatly improve it. (i know, college doesn't have study hall right? but then by the same token people should already know how to study by the time they get into college. It isn't rocket science).
What if instead of having a separate course load for UN100, it Incorporated the work loads of the block into its curriculum? I mean why not use the anatomy book or the chemistry book for reading assignments? (just follow the other courses syllabi) What if we got together in UN100 class, in little study groups and studied for or went over the the things that were meaningful to our careers?
I believe this would work. What this would do is add a lot less extra work and still actually help us learn to study, but we would be learning to study (and network) on material that was actually needed for our degrees.
My greatest need is time. I know how to study. I know how to manage my time, I'm pretty good at it, but I hate busy work, or throwing my effort, sweat and precious time into something that I'm not real convinced is going to make a big difference down the road. In other words I would much rather focus my energies in those areas that are absolutely necessary.
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I wish I could give you some "time" ;) It is very difficult to work, go to school, and raise children all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteFFN might not prove useful but hopefully the other assignments will - without directly lecturing on techniques, I'm actually having you all engage in assignments that teach the techniques (hopefully). We do need to engage in more discussions with classmates which we will definitely do in the near future.
There's always a rift between the traditional 18 y/o college freshman and the Non-traditional student and it's tough for me to teach to both at the same time, so hang in there.
10/10