Self Paced classes...Good idea? Bad Idea?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

I'm a slacker, a procrastinator. Is a self paced class good for me, or will I be taking on way too much? I'm looking for advice from people who have been here and can lend me their experience. Thanks.
Duckie

[GOPisEvil]

1. I took one once. It was hard for me.

I need to have some milestones set for me, otherwise I can lose discipline. If you are a slacker, like me, a truly self-paced class will be difficult. I need a little structure to keep me focused.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. I agree...

I'm going to try it for a little while...I'm going to buy one of those big marker board calenders to put my assignments and stuff on...And if it doesn't work, I can always go to my teacher and flip out. He's a dude. I'm a chick. I can probably manipulate the situation with a few tears. Just kidding, ladies. I'm not going to degrade our name by doing that kind of thing. LOL
Duckie

[afraid_of_the_dark]

3. As someone who was homeschooled

during high school, and took a self-paced class in undergrad, I guess I'd say it wasn't so bad. Although I started out with really good intentions to move through the material quickly so I could be done early, that's not quite how it happened. I'm a procrastinator as well, so I ended up taking a couple of the tests right up against the deadline. Once I could see the end though, I raced through the last few units.

Bottom line - if you're a procrastinator like me, it's going to take some self-discipline. On the other hand, it's nice if you're also taking other classes, because you can get the work for the self-paced class done in advance so you can concentrate on your other classes. Generally I hear that the self-paced classes are easier than taking the regular class, but I suppose that will depend on what class it is.

[aquart]

4. It really depends on the system.

My computer software skills were learned on a Plato-based system. With Plato, you go at your pace but there is a teacher present for problems and questions. Each learning unit is broken down into very small chunks. It's damn hard not to learn with Plato. I recommend it highly.

BUT they will tell you themselves that it works best in a structured environment in the presence of a teacher. By structure I mean that you sit in a classroom at specific times and you do have to finish one unit to progress to the next and pick up your text books and material for the next unit. And take exams at the end of each unit. I loved it.

PS: I belong to the royal line of procrastinators.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

5. Yeah, the teacher handed me a self paced "helper" and ...

Told me to buy his merchandise from the overpriced bookstore, and to have fun. I see this as a money grubbing ploy and laziness on his part. They should warn us in the Schedule about this yahoo.
Duckie

[GAspnes]

11. PLATO ruled

P-Notes. G-Notes. First real-time chat. First multi-player online games.

Oh, and a damn fine computer-based learning system, too. Or, as a Bell Labs researcher put it once:

"PLATO is the finest gaming system ever invented by the mind of man."

For more on PLATO, check http://www.thinkofit.com/plato/dwplato.htm

[NicoleM]

6. Do you like the class?

I took a self-paced psychology class. I wasn't really into the class and I had a lot of work for my other classes. I ended up dropping the psych class because I couldn't make myself do the work. I think it would have worked better if I had been more interested in the subject matter.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

7. World History.

I love history...but I learn more when lectured...I don't think I'm going to be able to switch classes or whatnot. They don't offer any others at the same time.
Duckie

[NicoleM]

10. How is the class set up?

For the one I was in, you read the chapter and then you took the test. But the tests were really hard, so you really really had to know the chapter. It was more effort than I cared to invest.

[Sir_Shrek]

8. I have a friend who earned a minor in college this way...

...in addition to her degree, and I remember her doing a lot of work with it, but she enjoyed it. I think when you do self-directed classes, you have to make it a subject you really THOROUGHLY enjoy. It can be hard to motivate yourself to do something you're not really into doing.

[foreigncorrespondent]

9. I love them.

I am currently doing an IT course through correspondence and I absolutely love it.

I love being able to work at my own pace and not having anyone looking over my shoulder.

I also love the fact that I can contact my "teacher" at any time through email if I get stuck with something, or want something evaluated. :)

If you don't like sitting in rooms full of other students then this is the way to go.

Most colleges world wide run correspondence courses now as well. And on top of that, you always have access to a teacher when the situation is desperate through the Internet.

[cally]

12. I've tried several times and

I just can't do it. I took my second year of Latin in HS (I know I should have taken Spanish) and I have no idea why they passed me. I did not have the discipline to do any of the work. Then in College I took Calculus self paced. There were tutors available and I understood the material, I just couldn't force myself to complete the work. I ended up with 3 units, instead of the four I needed to move on. I had to switch to the non-science Calculus to complete the series because the college allowed me into that in a non-self paced course. I then couldn't take the Chemistry I needed. I had a lot of making up to do after that fiasco.

I'm actually thinking of trying again. I hope I'm a little more disciplined now. Maybe.

[seaglass]

13. It could be good or bad, depending on how you approach it.

If you use it as an opportunity to overcome your slacking and procrastinating tendencies by organizing yourself at the beginning of the semester and sticking with a plan, then it will be a two-fold accomplishment for you - you learn self-motivation and a new subject.

If you revel in your slacking, then I'd say it's not a good idea, it will put too much pressure on you.

I haven't take self-paced classes but I have taken online classes so I do believe that there are various methods to learning that are effective. They are not for everyone though and not every class is suited for self-paced or online instruction.

[jpgray]

14. Now, *that's* where my willpower might fail me

I'd have to be very interested in the subject to pass muster.

[omshanti]

15. Bad idea, if you have a tendency to procrastinate.

I speak from experience. If you are like me (a slacker and procrastinator), and do better when there are deadlines involved, it's better not to do it.
:-)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. When I taught Japanese

the people who were just taking a year for their requirements were holding back the people who were really into it, because they were neither interested in nor willing to devote the time to learning the writing system.

I decided to put the writing lessons on a self-paced basis for the second semester. Students would be graded on the number of units they passed at 90% or better, with two retakes allowed. (I had three versions of each chapter test.) Writing would count for 25% of their grade.

It worked extremely well for the students who were already motivated. They zoomed through the second-semester materials and got into second-year materials.

For the non-motivated students, it was terrible. One doofus had done NO chapter tests by the last day of classes, so he came in and tried to take all of them at once. Since it is simply impossible to memorize kanji instantly, he flunked all three versions of the first test, something no one else had done, and had no opportunity to make it up. He ended up with 25% of his grade as an F. Others did only two or three out of the ten chapters.

(And to those of you who say I should have been "merciful," this guy had had ten weeks' warning and I gave frequent warnings in class--"three weeks left." I followed the slogan seen on the desk of one of the clerks in the printing and mailing department: "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.")

[Interrobang]

17. I like them, but I need to be motivated.

I have to like the subject matter, or at least be getting paid to learn it.

All the jobs I've ever had so far have required me to get really, really familiar with something I knew nothing about, really, really fast. It helps to do self-paced learning on the company dime, that's for sure. :)

Right now I'm doing the first few lessons of the Pimsleur Hebrew course, and I'm really enjoying it, except I don't think they do enough examples, at least in the early going. I think I need to find out if the local shul (the Conservative one is closest) has a weekend Hebrew school for adults, and if they'll admit me. Self-directed learning is fine for languages to a point, but after a certain level, you need structured teaching. (After you pass that stage, immersion is best. *Then* I'll do an Ulpan!)