Friends Graduate From WGU!

I apologize that I have been away from the blog for some time. I have been taking term breaks from my studies to care for a family member in need. The flexability of WGU is fantastic when emergencies happen and I have been able to attend school when I need to and care for my family when I need to. But I have great news for all of you. My friends wife graduated from the university with one of WGU's teaching degrees and I'm pleased to say that she has been hired and working with children which she is very excited about. And in other news my friend also recently graduated with a degree in IT and has also found employment. Congratulations and I wish them both the best with their new careers.

Getting Back On Track

Last term was tough, and sadly, I didn't pass a couple courses. Working on a new term to tackle the two I missed and am down a bit on motivation. I have had a couple mentor changes. My first mentor whom I really liked accepted a promotion within WGU, then I got a new mentor that I also liked that accepted a position in his hometown, and now I have another mentor that I also like very much. She answers e-mails and calls very promptly, is very understanding, and is doing a great job motivating me to accomplish my goals.

Doing online schooling is tough. Not just because of the academics but how easy it is to slack during the hot summer months. Procrastination will KILL you so it is extremely important to make a schedule and keep it. Do not let your friends, your significant other, TV shows, or anything else (with the exception of emergencies with children, etc.) keep you from studying.

I am still in good standing with the university of course, but I have fallen slightly. My friend, also enrolled in the university, has had his bad terms as well so I just get back on the horse and keep moving forward. I am determined to get back on track and will keep all of you posted on my progress.

A New Term

I apologize for being missing in action for a few months but things have been crazy. I passed LAT1 and LUT1 last term with my video presentation being accepted merely days before the term ended. I thank Taskstream for their prompt grading of my materials.

December marked the start of a new term and after spending some time with lower division courses I am happy to be back into some IT courses and the opportunity to go for a couple new certifications; CIW Javascript Specialist and Windows 7 which will give me my Microsoft MCTS.

I just tested for my CIW Javascript yesterday and failed by 3 questions. Yes, 3 questions. The CIW practice exams were considerably more difficult than the test and I spent alot of time on syntax when most of the questions were more general in nature. What upsets me is I think this was my "easy" test and the next one I take is going to be syntax heavy with much more difficult questions.

But what can I do? I was close, and that's a good thing. Next time...

Stay tuned.

LAT1 - The Long Road

It has been awhile since I've blogged on here, and that has been due to being tied up with LAT1, a 10-15 page research paper. I did pass SSC1, Social Sciences by the way, and spent around a month just getting started on LAT1. We choose our own topics for LAT1, and the greatest challenge is finding enough sources for that topic as you're going to need at least 10 of them.

Anyone remember "choose your own adventure" books where you turn the page only to find out you just got eaten by an alligator or fell into a ravine? Well, LAT1 can be like this:

- Choose your topic only to find out there are hardly any sources for it. The end.

- Choose your topic, it has plenty of sources, but the sources aren't reputable enough. The end.

- Choose your topic only to find out it isn't researchable. The end.

And then there are delays. You must select a paragraph and highlight it for a paraphrasing assignment but you need Adobe Acrobat or some other software you don't have to be able to highlight sections of a pdf file. Fortunately, the wise people on the message boards have all kinds of workarounds.

LAT1 is slow going if you haven't done a research paper before. Learning APA formatting, how to cite correctly, thesis statements, main points, and evidence, etc. But this course has given me a great chance to truly assess the value of WGU support and I must say everything has been impressive.

I am using the message boards all the time asking questions, e-mailing instructors, chatting with instructors, and I always get a response in at least a couple hours if there are no instructors available to chat.

To chat - you look at the mentor contact button and it will say "available" and you simply click and enter your info. You wait about 10 seconds and an instructor will say "Hi" and you can ask your questions live. Easy.

If no one is available in chat it will say "click to e-mail" and someone will respond after a short while. If it's the middle of the night you'll have to wait until the next day. Or you can ask a question in the message board and a student may answer.

Taskstream is where you submit your work and while there were some criticisms when I began my enrollment they have been great for me. Grading is fast and I even had something graded on Halloween which would never happen at a brick and mortar school.

I am not done with LAT1 and still need to finish LUT1 within a couple weeks before the term ends but am confident I can do it.

With that being said, The Annotated Bibliography be damned. What a pain.

SSC1 - Social Sciences

My last course INC1 was, as I have stated, a pain in the butt. I needed to read each chapter in full as shown in the course of study because I had no competency with the material. But what happens when you are reading through a chapter and feel you already know some of the material and feel you're losing some time to redundancy? This has started to happen with my social sciences course.

Now mind you, I don't know too much of the material already, but there is a chapter here and there that I feel I may be already competent. And since these chapters are fairly long I could save quite a bit of time if I could somehow "skip" these areas. So I am going to offer a tip on how to do this for those of you enrolled at the university.

Take the pre-assessment and view the coaching report. If you see an area where you scored 100% or even in the 90% range, skip that area and move on. There are also section/chapter quizzes you can use to gauge competency; if I score high on a chapter quiz, I move on to the next chapter. And If you scored really high on the pre-assessment itself, you can probably just schedule your exam and get the course completed quickly.

I take my exam next week.

INC1 - A Nightmare In Science

I took my exam for Integrated Natural Sciences (INC1) today and passed, although not by much. Do I care? No. Just glad to have it out of the way.

For those of you enrolled at WGU who haven't yet taken INC1 let me explain roughly what it is: Physics, Nuclear Physics, Chemistry, Genetics, Earth Sciences, Biology, Evolution, Ecosystems, and Astronomy all rolled into one gigantic science course. The information was well presented and I have no problems with the course itself; I learned a great deal and got a kick out of knowing that while kissing someone our atoms aren't actually touching.

The problem I had was the test was very specific for so much information. Usually a test for a course that covers alot of ground asks more general questions such as "what is an igneous rock?" instead of "(insert chemical equation here) what element is this?" There were also a great deal of multiple answer questions so you MUST know your stuff.

While difficult, you will learn much about the world around us and within us and I rather enjoyed some sections such as ecosystems. But chemistry and genetics be damned...

This exam sucked - I'm not going to lie. 76 questions of pure hell.

Term 3 Update

The first course of term 3 went well - Reasoning & Problem Solving. I scored high on the pre-assessment so I just went ahead and scheduled the exam. I passed with a high score. With the exception of the college hotties in the testing room distracting me (yes, even online students spend some time on campus), the test went smoothly.

So I have been working on my first science course, Integrated Natural science. I am not a left brained person and so math and science aren't my most anticipated courses to tackle. And the Integrated Natural Science course covers a lot of ground with everything from biology to physics to astronomy. It is a lot to take on.

The learning resources are great as usual, and there are short videos available with a professor that is quite entertaining. I don't think he dates much, but he is a great science professor. My only gripe is the Biology ebook - it looks great but since it is picture heavy it has a slight lag in scrolling pages. Giving it a few seconds to "catch up" usually does the trick. The other main ebook is fantastic; easy to navigate and read, good illustrations, but not overdone.

Needless to say I am behind schedule right now as I was ill for a couple weeks along with horrible allergies but am working hard to get back on track. I still have enough time in the term, but would like to be farther along than I am.

Term 3 Begins

One of the things I have appreciated most about the university is the ability to arrange courses to meet students needs. My first goal was to change employment and get into an entry level IT position - the reason being a degree should also need experience and getting a few years in before graduation will help accomplish that.

So instead of starting off with lower division courses at WGU my mentor had me go through my A+, Network+, Security+, CIW Associates, and Project+ certifications first so I could gain an entry level position. This has worked out well and employers have been satisfied with these certs as many people seeking similar employment are either 100% self taught with no credentials or only have A+.

Now the plan is to work in the industry as a tech to keep my skills sharp and work on the lower division courses for my degree for a term or two. Then I will go back to the remaining IT courses with some experience.

Since I have done well so far my mentor wanted to push me this term and so I have a pretty full load of courses to take. I am keeping to a strict study schedule and am still using the formula of Pre-assessment + course of study + learning resources.

For example, I first take the pre-assessment to see how well I know the subject. If I score really high on the pre-assessment the chances of me passing the actual test are very good and I can knock out that course with minimal or even no additional study. My first course, Reasoning & Problem Solving, had a pre-assessment score 0f over 90% so I went ahead and scheduled the exam. I will study the one area I was a little weak in but other than this I know I will pass and saved myself at least a few weeks.

The course of study is another important resource. If you have 1100 pages in a particular text but only 500 of those pages will be relevant to the exam, the course of study will tell you this and save you a lot of time. Follow the course of study and do exactly what it tells you to do.

You can also work on multiple subjects at a time but I only do one. The reason being that I like to stay focused and it is easier to remember the subject matter when you are focused on one course at a time. Besides, it is easier to track your progress. Start a course, go through the course of study, schedule the exam, pass, then go on to the next course.

Let Term 3 begin...

Term 2 Comes To A Close

After passing and receiving my Security+ certification I had everything I needed to maintain full time status so I took a quick breather and reviewed the Project Management learning resources to make the decision that a) I would relax until the end of the term, or b) sneak in one more course in the last couple months. For the sake of acceleration I chose the latter.

Upon thumbing through the primary text for my Project+ certification I noticed it was considerably smaller than the other texts I had received which gives the impression it is going to be easy. So I informed my mentor I wanted to knock it out before the end of the term and started reading.

What I found was project management is a broad subject that really requires you to know the material. I read the primary text more than once and also visited the community threads to gather tips from other students who had taken the test.

As my test date approached I got nervous after hearing reports that the test was quite difficult and also knowing I was nearing the end of the term with a maximum of two chances to pass. And indeed, it was a difficult test. But I passed.

And so concludes another successful term and another certification to add to my ever expanding resume.

Progress Report

I have been an active student at WGU for nearly a year now and would like to share my thoughts on what it has been like and some of the pros/cons and how to deal with them:

1) Online schooling takes a great deal of discipline. You MUST be a self starter or you won't make it. I was coming up on an exam and had tickets to an NBA game; I gave them to a family member and because I needed to study. I miss my favorite show (Burn Notice) and end up watching new episodes on re-runs. I take a laptop to work with me and spend lunch breaks studying. And I study every day according to a strict schedule I have created rain or shine. My car hasn't been washed for weeks. These are the kinds of sacrifices that need to be made.

2) Faculty support is top notch. You can call course instructors, instant message them, e-mail them, and they will get back to you. They also know the material. Mentors are similar to counselors; they motivate you and help you with non academic matters.

3) The learning resources are excellent. Videos are fun to watch, texts are detailed and accurate, websites are easy to navigate, and you don't pay extra for books. There are some recommended additional texts once in a while but are not required.

4) Traditional universities have the advantage when it comes to labs. While online universities do give access to multiple operating systems and give you the materials needed, if you want a true lab experience you will need to purchase the parts to build multiple computers and do the labs in your home. I have such means, but others may only have a single laptop or PC.

5) Online universities have the edge when it comes to time and money. You have the opportunity to graduate sooner and the schedule can be adjusted to your own schedule. Many adults who have children or full time jobs CAN'T go to a traditional college (without it taking years) because certain classes are taken at various times of day or on various days of the week.

6) Administration matters such as Financial Aid go much smoother with an online U. No lines, and someone always answers the phone.

7) If you like meeting people in person a traditional college is for you. If you like message boards, e-mails, and IM, online U's work great. People are quite friendly here and there are students who put together study groups for those within driving distance.

8) No walking and no driving to class ='s you get more work done. This saves money.

So far I think this has been a great investment. I have gotten a lot for my money and haven't paid a cent for supplies including books. The only thing I notice is a traditional college has computer rooms, science labs, art rooms, etc. but so far I have been able to do everything I need.

Passed Security+

Second attempt for the Security+ exam was a success. I am glad to get this one out of the way and am on to a Project Management course which I would like to finish by the end of the term. Another certification is in the mail and I have earned the right to play some Fallout3 - awesome game for those of you who are into gaming.

An Unexpected Boost

I have been preparing to take my second shot at the Security+ exam and like all Wednesdays I was awaiting a call from my WGU mentor, but today a different voice was on the other end of the line; my "course" mentor. This is an actual instructor for this particular course and was calling to offer any assistance she might have. Today she answered some specific questions I had about the content I was reviewing and even created a new study plan for me which I am rather excited about.

The best part about this is I didn't even have to contact her which I am certainly able to do through the student portal. You can instant message or e-mail the course mentors at any time to set up a phone call or otherwise get the help you need.

I am very pleased to know that at WGU the faculty will make every effort to make sure you are succeeding. Not only was my course mentor helpful and knowledgeable, but she was very friendly and patient. I didn't encounter this with teachers at the community college.

Failed Exam

I sat for my Security+ exam today and wasn't surprised when I saw the "you did not pass the Security+ 2008 exam"... It was a tough test and I was simply in too much of a hurry to get it out of the way.

The most accurate learning resources I have used for preparing for CompTIA exams are the practice exam software that has questions worded in the same manner as the actual exam. Coincidentally, I only used this software in my last couple days before my exam and scored around 75%. As a result I failed.

One thing I found that I didn't pay too much attention to before was the exam resource has pdf's containg its own chapters on the subject matter and it is helping tremendously. Currently I would read the primary text based resource, kick back with the Learnkey videos, spend a couple days on the exams and test. Now I will pay much more attention to the exam software and its subsequent chapters.

I don't think my failure was related to a lack of knowlege as much as insufficient practice with the wording of exam questions. So I am going to tweak the learning resources and try again. My advice to WGU students is to make use of the community and learn what is working for others; they'll state the learning resources they used and which ones they felt were the most beneficial. If multiple students who passed all used one particular resource, you can be confident it will help you.

I'll be glad to get Security+ out of the way.

Networks I - Term 2

It seems I underestimated my networking course which will give me my Network+ certification by about 30 days. I was going to get a head start reading the texts and test a few days after term 2 started on December 1st. However, my test for Network+ is scheduled for early January and I am just now done with the primary text and refreshing with videos which will be followed by test and lab simulations.

There are some tough areas in networking although I have touched up on some of these areas already for CIW Associates and A+. The key is to read slower with comprehension; if you get to the chapter summary questions and can't answer them, go back and read that section again. Also, make sure you keep to a set schedule so there are no gaps in your reading for even one day.

For those who might be wondering what the quality of the texts are these are indeed high quality college texts with labs where professors have you walk through what you've learned. The only difference is you are responsible for performing the lab activities instead of sitting in a classroom and following the instructors instructions.

The next concern you might have is that in a brick and mortar universities computer room, they have all the operating systems and software programs you need. Surely we can't be expected to go buy a copy of Server 2008 to do some lab exercises, right? Well, you don't have to. IT students at WGU get access to dozens of operating systems and applications to perform any tasks they need to.

I have 60 days to complete both Network+ and Security+ (each) which technically leaves me with two extra months in this second term although if I pass Network+ on my scheduled date and complete Security+ in the same amount of time, I'll be ahead by four months.

I understand that the day might come where I fail one of my certification exams first attempts and will need some extra time to study and re-test. As you become a student you will have access to your course of study for any course, even ones you haven't enrolled in yet. This is so valuable because it allows you to get a preview of what that course entails so you can accurately gauge how much time you'll need to complete it.

Remember that once you and your mentor approve courses during your term setup (called AAV) you will need to complete all those courses by terms end (or a certain percentage) in order to remain in good standing with the university.

Networks I and Security I are both worth 6 credits which gives me the 12 I need to be a fulltime student, and I am absolutely confident I will pass them both long before the six month term end. But I am still only enrolled in the two for right now so I am not "under pressure" to complete more in the event one of these two courses becomes a snag (I've heard Security+ exam is difficult).

Once I pass these two courses and if I have, say, three months left in the term, I can then call up my mentor and add another couple courses. I can look at the course of study's for any course I want to add to determine if I have enough time to complete it, or add another course that seems easier.

All thing's I've picked up along the way.

Update:

I passed the Network+ exam today using the same primary texts and video instruction I used for A+.

Term 2

Started my second term on the 1st of this month and am working on my Network+ and Security+ certifications. Now that I know my way around the university and don't have any introductory courses such as EWB, I think this will be a great term.

Networking gets tough in places but this is why I like Western Governors multiple learning resources. What seems overwhelming in the texts gets cleared up in labs and videos. Mike Meyers is doing the videos for Network+ and he is one of my favorites for clearing up confusing sections.

This past week I have been in Florida enjoying air boating, the Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, and Disneyworld among other places. I have read my textbooks on the plane, in the airport, and at my hotel desk after a day of fun. Not too much of course, but just enough so I can continue working.

But I actually enjoy learning these subjects, and I know that every chapter I read brings me one step closer to a better career.

Ahead Of The Game

I finished my Language And Communications course with just over a month left in this term and had a choice:

Take a month break or keep working.

So I had my mentor add one more course in the Language And Communications domain for two more credits this term. I passed a week ago. For those who are wondering how Taskstream works - my assignments were graded within 3 days, no revisions were necessary, and everything went smoothly. Scored a 4.0 which is "highly competent.

The following day I ordered the learning resources for two of the IT courses I am taking this next term...

Even though I won't be officially adding the new courses until next term, I am already reading the textbooks for one of them and will be ready to take the objective assessment within days of my next terms start date.

Tis so much better to be ahead than behind.

First Term Comes To A Close

I have one course left in my first term at Western Governors University, a Language and Communications course. Like the other courses I have taken this term, the learning resources are top notch and even the lower division courses have videos, pre-assessments, and faculty support. With a click of the mouse I can chat with one of the instructors, or call/e-mail my mentor if I need anything.

Update 1:

This Language and Communications course is my first lower division course at WGU and is slightly different than the IT courses I have taken this first term. There are three e-texts to read, labs, and videos so at first it might seem a tad overwhelming knowing where to start, what to read, and how to gain competency...IF you are in too much of a hurry.

This is why reading the COS or course of study (the syllabus) is so important before beginning any course. The COS will literally tell you line-by-line how to get started, what learning resources you need, what chapters and pages to read and in what order, which labs to do, etc.

Following the course of study I am having absolutely no trouble at all navigating these resources and am learning a great deal. The course mentors are also really helpful and frequently post messages and tutorials on how to excel in these courses.

One of the e-texts features I was impressed with were the imbedded videos. As I was reading a certain section that I didn't fully understand, I noticed a video link that illustrated the concepts for me.

During my first term I have amassed a short stack of "real" books that were 100% included with my tuition, several hours of video training, hundreds of practice test questions regarding my CIW and CompTIA A+ certs, a community message board with nearly endless information, and I just found out I have access to tons of free software and operating systems through the university. This machine is currently running a copy of Windows 7 Professional, and I have XP Professional 64 ready to install on my other desktop along with a fresh copy of Vista to be installed on one of my notebooks. Cost? Absolutely nothing.

There have been no hidden charges whatsoever at WGU. My costs have been a flat rate tuition and a $45 library fee. The books cost nothing. The software cost nothing. The numerous e-mails and phone calls with my mentor have cost nothing, nor have the chat sessions or e-mails I've sent to course instructors.

On to my second term...

Update 2:

I completed my last course for this term and still have a little time left before the next term starts, so I decided to knock out a couple more credits to accelerate my progress.

Something else we can do here at Western Governors is request the learning resources for upcoming courses at any time. My next term doesn't start until December but I have already ordered my (included) textbooks for my Networks I and Security I courses. So not only am I finishing a couple more credits, I can also get a head start on two of next terms courses.

CompTIA A+

I just tested for my A+ certification and passed on my first attempt. I had bought a single A+ guide prior to enrolling at WGU and while I liked it, the primary learning resources available through WGU much better prepared me for the questions I encountered in the exams today.

The key to WGU is multiple learning resources. Mike Meyer's videos were excellent for "most" of the information but CompTIA often words questions in deliberately confusing ways. The primary texts were technically descriptive and helped fill in any blanks Mike's materials left out. I used practice tests from one resource that was more straightforward, and another that more closely matched the difficult wording/structure of CompTIA's.

The result is I passed.

IT Fundamentals II & III

After passing IT Fundamentals I and receiving my CIW Associates certification it is now time to begin working on IT Fundamentals II and III which will award me my CompTIA A+ IT Technician certification, likely the most common certification to get that coveted first computer related job.

Just as I did with IT Fundamentals I the process is to first read the course of study which will tell me which learning resources are available and a detailed week by week guide to gaining competency. The timeline is very generous and most computer savvy people should have no trouble passing early. I don't know, you'll find out since this is a real time account of my experience.

Then like I did with IT Fundamentals I, I'll take the pre-assessment to see how much I already know and where I should focus my attention. Remember, WGU is competency based so if you already know enough to prove competency (i.e. you are already a tech or have industry experience) they won't waste your money making you take courses you already have the knowledge to pass.

But for now I am going to go into the WGU communities and see what tips and techniques my fellow students have for me.

Update:

Just took a first look at the learning resources and am extremely pleased. The primary text based learning resource is a set of two texts and another is a good sized workbook with fill in the blank questions, short answers, etc. While there are multiple choice sections of the workbook as well, having to "know" the material by providing answers that aren't in front of you will help you pass the certification exams which contain questions worded in ways you're not familiar with, etc.

There are also 36 hours of interactive training videos covering all the material that I recognize from Mike Meyer's Sixth Edition A+ guide which is regarded as one of the best on the subject. I bought Meyer's book a few months before enrolling at WGU and remember the agony of lugging that 1100 page hard cover monster around. Sure, there is a pdf version (a nice touch) but staring at an online book for hours on end can strain the eyes.

Note: Meyer's monstrous book is listed as an optional resource that you can purchase, but from experience I can say the learning resources included from WGU are more than enough.

I had just gotten started into the videos when I had the strong desire to blog about my satisfaction with the materials. There were certain things in Meyer's book I had trouble retaining (due to its print format) that I am certain will become clear as I watch and learn.

Update 2:

I am currently set up to take my exams for the entry level A+ certification after which I will take one more course to complete this term.

For those of you who have enrolled at WGU I wanted to share a few pointers that will help you accelerate your progress:

- Enroll in the learning resources at least a week before you start a course as texts arrive by mail. This also includes signing up for any exam databases you'll need.

Let's say you are set to begin IT Fundamentals I on the 1st of the month and have a required completion date of the 30th. So on the 1st you sign up for all the learning resources and find out the primary texts will arrive by mail and in one week they get to your house. You just lost an entire week of study time. Then a few days before your exam you're ready to begin taking practice tests but, whoops, you forgot to sign up for those. So you submit your request which can take between 2-7 business days. You're pacing the floor knowing you have an exam coming up with fewer practice exams at your fingertips. Sure, you can re-schedule the exam, but then you've lost another week.

So to make life easier and accelerate your progress, read the course of study and make sure you have everything you need BEFORE you start a course. You don't want to be waiting around for learning resources or exam databases which is the equivalent of forgetting to go to the student bookstore to get your textbooks.

Taking IT Fundamentals I

EWB was relatively simple, and much of it I did on a vacation to Disneyland via hotel rooms and airports. Could I have done this at a brick and mortar school? No.

So upon arriving home I spoke with my mentor to setup the initial courses for my degree program. I was initially setup with some lower division courses to start off with before getting into the Information Technology courses but after informing my mentor I had been studying for my A+ certification using Mike Meyers 1100 page book, he switched my courses around that within the next few months I would have my CIW Associates and A+ IT Technician certs.

When you start a course at WGU the first thing you do is refer to the Course Of Study which is the course syllabus. The texts, videos, practice tests, and other materials are called Learning Resources. The Course Of Study will tell you exactly which learning resources you need to sign up for as well as give a detailed outline for your progress.

The primary learning resource for my first course (IT Fundamentals I) is four textbooks with an included disk with labs and other tools. You will perform a variety of tasks such as web design, working with servers, databases, and some introductory programming (PHP, Javascript, Perl, etc.) They were also mailed to me without any extra cost, something I never experienced at community college.

Another resource is an extremely detailed video training course that covers the textbook material. I prefer to read the material first, and use the video training to clarify what I have read.

You will also be given access to practice tests that can be taken in a variety of different modes and will show you the specific areas that you are weak and/or strong. For instance, having done html in the past I scored well for that portion of the test, but was weaker with databases and programming. So instead of reading the whole book(s) again I could just view my test scores and review the specific sections I was lacking in.

It is really nice to have different learning resources with different formats. If I don't want to sit at my desk in front of the computer I can grab a textbook and read lying down on the couch. If textbook study gets boring and/or confusing I can tilt my chair back, put my feet up, and watch detailed and professional videos.