The Joy of Online Learning

For the last course in my Master's program at GSE, I am actually taking an online class on Digital Literacies.  Let me say that it's exciting to take a fully-online course for credit.  The course is very cool, discussing a topic that I'm passionate about.  

The Wonder that is Online Learning

What's interesting is that I have been doing research on online learning and xMOOCs for my Master's Paper.  I recently presented at the Eastern Sociological Society meetings and will be talking about the subject a bit more in the weeks to come.  One of the big things I drew from the literature on these topics is the TIME factor.  How do you make sure to set aside enough time to successfully participate in online courses?

Right now, I'm trying to figure out the best balance between life and participating in the online course. This is a new and interesting challenge for me.  The thing I realize I need to do is not approach this class in the exact same way I've approached face-to-face classes.  Online courses are their own entities and require a slightly different kind of attention.  So instead, I'll spend some time reflecting on what this course will need from me for successful participation, and then structure my life so that I can make it happen.

So for those of you future Penn GSE students, if more online courses are offered and you take them, I recommend that you spend the beginning of the course really considering what the course will need from you, and then manage your time, organize, and prioritize accordingly.  

So that's my lesson for today.  I have an online course I have to get back to!


Image from: http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=is-online-learning-you_2

Philly - Winter Wonderland!

For those of you who are thinking of coming to Penn, an extra bonus of coming to the city of Philadelphia is the weather.  Now I know normally people think about the consistent sun of, say, Miami, and think that's the way to go.  But then you miss out on some of the goodness of certain things like a nice snowfall.  

Part of the snowy scene at Penn

Snow really is a beautiful sight.  Yes you have to be careful in it, but sometimes snow seems like a gift from Mother Nature!  You can do so much with it - have snowball fights, sled down the Art Museum steps, make a snowman.  It's great for photos and even television - one of the best NFL games this year was the Eagles/Lions played here at Lincoln Financial Field, which was played in a lot of snow and was a treat to watch.  I envy those who were actually at the game!

Nonetheless, for those of you who have never seen snow, it's a sight to behold.  When I was young, I loved it.  As I got a little older (post-undergrad days), I think I started to take it for granted.  But these days, I (and I know others) stare in awe at such a wonder and realize how beautiful it really is.  And if you join us at Penn, I'm excited that you'll be able to witness such wonder as well.

Photo from UPenn Twitter: https://twitter.com/Penn/status/426101977378865152/photo/1

Giving Grad School Your All

When you're a graduate student, success is measured a little differently than when you're in undergrad.  It's not just about completing the work and showing up in class.  As a grad student you have to really focus on developing your professional life, networking intensively, and finding ways to make a name for yourself.  Furthermore, an assignment is no longer just an assignment, and class is no longer just a class.  They are all experiences that you should try hard to get the most out of.  Sure, you can get an "A" in a course, but did you try your best to really get something valuable out of the class?

Are you giving it your all in class?

This has probably been one of the biggest realizations I've had since joining Penn GSE.  Each class, assignment, paper, meeting, conference, and the like is one part of a larger body of work toward success.  Everything should work together as I continue to develop myself as a scholar, academic, and professional.  Thankfully, the faculty in GSE have been very supportive in helping me along the way.

As I get closer to the end of my journey to the Master's Degree, I can't help but stop and think about how much I've grown over the years.  Penn GSE has truly empowered me to take the knowledge I have gained and use it productively, towards a larger body of work and personal development. 

I still have a few more months left before graduation, so let's see how much further I can go.

Photo from: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/why-do-state-school-parents-want-to-go-private-20110916-1kdth.html

The Joy of... the Master's Paper?!

One of our requirements as we head to graduation is our capstone Master's Paper.  This paper is not a dissertation or anything like that, but it's still quite a large task that requires a lot of reading, research, writing and rewriting.  Currently, we take a course that helps us along the way, at least to the point of getting a first draft completed.  But until this paper is handed in this Spring, we will be working on it nonstop.  The library, Google Scholar, and probably coffee will be our best friends.

Thankfully, the Master's Paper doesn't have to be this long.

This is the first time I've had to complete an academic paper of this magnitude.  The thought of working on this for months on end is sometimes a bit scary, to say the least.  But thankfully, the course we are in is helping to make sure that we have the tools necessary to make this a fulfilling writing experience.  We've gotten chances to work with our classmates (future colleagues!), we've been given great insight from our instruction team, and for me personally, I've already learned a lot about myself as a researcher and writer.

So as I said in my last post about "stopping to smell the roses," I am doing my best to make sure that I actually enjoy the day-to-day process of writing this Master's Paper.  Completing this paper will not be easy (of course!), but in the end it will all be worth it.


*Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Stopping to Smell the Roses

My first post for GSE admissions last year was "Plight of the Part-Time Student."  Now that I'm in my final year at GSE a a part-timer, I'm hoping to take in more of what Penn has to offer. It's really easy to get caught up in work-school-go home mode.  So now I'm trying to stop and smell the roses a little!

Ahhhhh....

One of the ways I'm trying to do this is to slow down and get to know people at Penn a little more.  Which leads me to give a shout out right now to my LST's, the students in the Learning Science and Technologies program. As the old-timer in the program (I can't believe I'm saying that) I feel a sense of duty to try to share as much from my experiences as an LST student as I can. I have been taking the time to STOP and chat with them so far this semester and they are all very motivated to do some great things this year. Our LST program is small, but powerful. 

So that's my goal this year.  Besides the whole finish my Master's Paper, get a Degree, and all that life-changing stuff, I want to smell the roses.   Even as the part-time student, full-time employee, and all-the-time husband, I think I'll be able to pull it off.


Photo from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Small_Red_Rose.JPG

In Memory

I'd like to use my first post in this academic year to honor one of our own who passed away on August 19th. 

Wendy Shung was a student here at GSE who was studying for a Master of Philosophy in education, with a major in professional counseling.  As I've come to found out, she was incredibly involved, including serving as the president of GSE's student government organization and a graduate assistant at Hill College House.

I only knew Wendy Shung for one semester.  But one encounter, let alone one semester, is enough time for someone to have an impact in another person’s life.

Wendy and I sat next to each other in the Developmental Theories and Applications with Young Adults course in Summer Session 2.  This, unfortunately, turned out to be her last course.  It saddens me to hear of her passing.  She was, as has been described by many, a very intelligent, genuine soul.  Most of all, she was kind.  My biggest memory of her will be how we gave encouraging words to one another, not about the course, but rather about life in general.  She was that genuine, to even connect in such a way with a relative stranger within a short period of time.

To her parents and family, I especially give them my prayers. To everyone who knew her, even for a short amount of time like myself, let us take this time to continue to remember her for the bright spirit she brought to this world.  

Wendy will truly be missed.

Interview with Penn GSE Dean, Andrew Porter

In August 2007, Dr. Andrew Porter became Dean of Penn's Graduate School of Education, bringing in over 40 years of experience working in higher education.  As Dean and the George & Diane Weiss Professor of Education, Dr. Porter continues to serve not just as a pillar of GSE, but also as a beacon in the field of education. 

I recently had a chance to catch up with the Dean to ask him about his time at GSE, the growth and future of the school, and some of his thoughts on the current state of education:


MTW: You are finishing up your sixth year as dean. How has GSE grown since you first came on board? 

AP: During my five and a half years as dean, we have seen the biggest growth in our Master’s student programs. The quantity, quality, and diversity of our Master’s student body have increased. In terms of numbers, the growth is roughly 50%. In terms of quality, one indicator is GREs, and the average GRE score of Master’s students at GSE is up by more than 100 points. In terms of diversity, GSE has always been strong, but today roughly a third of our students are international. Of our domestic students, roughly a third are persons of color.


MTW: What are the biggest changes in education you’ve seen during this time? 

AP: Tough question. One thing that comes immediately to mind is the increased emphasis on online learning at both the higher education and the K-12 levels. Another challenge is the growing focus on teacher accountability—in other words, making teachers accountable for their students’ achievement as measured on state tests. Yet a third area concerns the Common Core State Standards in Reading and Mathematics. Until now, each state has had its own content standards for K-12 education. Now, well over half of the states have signed on to the new standards. At the same time, the government has funded two multi-state consortia to build tests that are aligned to the standards. At least in theory, this should create much greater efficiencies and much better standards and tests. Of course, implementing the standards will be a huge challenge.


MTW: What are the strengths of GSE now, and what do you foresee as the strengths going forward?

AP: The greatest strength of GSE is that it has a great faculty and a fabulous student body. The students at GSE at all levels are bright, articulate, passionate, and deeply engaged in their studies. GSE is part of a truly world class university. Not only that, but the University of Pennsylvania values the practical, just as its founding father, Benjamin Franklin, did. Other adjectives that come to mind in thinking about GSE’s strengths are nimble, entrepreneurial, urban, and international.

We have moved up consistently in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of education graduate schools, a sign of the increasing strength of our programs. Generally, when you’re on your way up, rankings trail behind by a couple of years, so we hope to continue to our ascent.


MTW: GSE is helping to groom the educational leaders of tomorrow. What challenges do future educators and educational leaders face? 

AP: There’s always an under-supply of quality leaders. GSE strives to be the place that produces the leaders of leaders in education. At the same time, GSE strives to be the place that people around the world look to for innovative solutions to our most pressing educational problems.


MTW: A major current discussion in education is how open learning, with innovations like MOOCs, will affect education. What should future educators and educational leaders keep in mind as open learning continues to gain prominence? 

AP: Through the leadership of Provost Vince Price, Penn is rapidly positioning itself as the leader among institutions of higher education in open learning and distance education. Provost Price has asked GSE to play a leadership role in research and development to identify the characteristics of excellence in teaching of MOOCs. We have enthusiastically accepted that challenge.

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