This post is for a class as I embark on my next educational journey: a post-masters certificate in digital (information) services at San Jose State. I really like learning-- especially when there is the incentive of a grade and a piece of paper that says I learned something, so I will probably always be a student in some form or another. The topic at hand is how to succeed as an online student.
First, I am glad to report that I passed a skills assessment for online education readiness. Things would have gotten ugly if it had told me I was a poor candidate for learning stuff online. I would have had to bust out my diploma from FSU (if I could find it, as it is rolled up in a box somewhere in my crafty closet) and yell at mu monitor, "See!?!?! Do you see?!"
Seriously, though, online classes are pretty demanding. Another self assessment asked about time management and organizational skills. Time management involves keeping a calendar, a practice at which I am somewhat of a failure. Thankfully, I have many poorly-kept calendars to remind me that I should be keeping one, along with a great many to-do lists that sometimes mention deadlines. In spite of this imperfect system, unfinished work stresses me out and causes sleep loss, so procrastination isn't really a problem. Organizational skill is another realm where I appear insane outwardly, but there is always a method to the madness. My desk may be a mess, but I know where everything is, and I will clean it when the work is finished. As Michael J. Fox will tell you, "A creative mess is better than idle tidiness."
The other elements for success are more obvious fits for me. As mentioned, neuroses lead me to self-motivation. I am comfortable working with technology (and I have an IT husband to yell at if something goes horribly awry), I enjoy a good challenge, and I am a very big fan of independent work that allows me to squirrel away in a room of my own.
In the next breath, online classes require a lot of group work even if the group members don't have to look at each other. Former SLIS director Dr. Haycock, in his presentation on effective teamwork, addressed the fact that many people really aren't fans of team work. I have a lot of respect for his addressing this because, in my previous encounter with online education, no one was willing to face the downsides of group work. Everyone was super-excited to work together with a million exclamation points, even if we couldn't agree on roles and responsibilities and secretly wanted to punch each other in the face.
Dr. Haycock discussed the stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, and performing with emphasis on that fact that many teams never make it past the storming stage where conflict rears its ugly head. This is definitely my biggest area for improvement because I would rather complain about the horrible injustice of it all in private than have to pick a potential fight with someone. Dr. Haycock made a good point that no one has the right to bring up a team issue without being willing to put it on the table for everyone to discuss respectfully. This seems so straightforward, but it is very difficult to follow through on! Along with defining team member roles, establishing and following ground rules, and picking a strong leader to guide the process, the most important lesson here is just to be honest and forthright. It is indeed true that most of us are going to be working on teams, like it or not, for the duration of our careers and lives, so I suppose I must be grateful for the opportunity to practice my teamwork skills at a distance! Also, in case my manager should find himself reading this, just remember how I told you I can be a great mediator and conflict resolver if other people are going nuts! Grin.
