Scholars Online Question/Problem?

[Caraway]

I am taking a SO class - beginning Latin. Today was our second chat.

 

I am frustrated, but I don't know if my issues are legitimate. I expected the chats to be more like a class. Sort of like a more informal version of reading a transcript of an actual class.

 

I find the chats to be very slow. I can go upstairs to change a diaper and when I return I have maybe missed one sentence. And I am not that speedy!

 

Also the teacher says things will be covered, but then doesn't get to them. It is a VERY small class, so it is not like a bunch of time is wasted on crowd control. I just feel like I am not getting ANYTHING out of the chats - but I can't decide if it is because it is still close to the beginning, or because I am an adult learner, or because my expectations are too high or wrong.

 

Thoughts please???

[Gwen in VA]

Purely written chat-based online classes are SLOW.

 

My kids have taken many classes through SO. They used to play solitaire or hearts on the computer during class, and I had a fit and said "NO WAY!" in my best parental voice.

 

During the following summer I took a class about preparing for college through SO -- and after about 20 SLOW minutes of class I asked my kids how to play hearts on the computer! (They were VERY amused and I still hear about this occasionally!)

[Caraway]

Why??? Chats online are not slow. So it is not the technology, or the speed of student typing.

 

If I was a teacher for an online chat class I would have my materials prepared. It is not like she doesn't know what she wants to cover. She could just cut and paste for the teaching parts, and type in real time answers to student questions.

[Nissi]

Hmm.. My ds. is taking Latin I class with SO with Ms. Decker. I sat with him for his first class a couple of days ago. She was very organized and had everything accounted for. I like the way she has set up all the drills, quizzes, and other assignments. I feel ds. will not fall through the cracks even if I didn't keep up with him. I wish his Greek I class last year was as organized.

[Caraway]

Hmm.. My ds. is taking Latin I class with SO with Ms. Decker. I sat with him for his first class a couple of days ago. She was very organized and had everything accounted for. I like the way she has set up all the drills, quizzes, and other assignments. I feel ds. will not fall through the cracks even if I didn't keep up with him. I wish his Greek I class last year was as organized.

 

And did you feel like the chat added to the text? Or actually covered material? Did it seem class-like or more like a check in to say what work students should do?

[SusanAR]

Hmm.. My ds. is taking Latin I class with SO with Ms. Decker. I sat with him for his first class a couple of days ago. She was very organized and had everything accounted for. I like the way she has set up all the drills, quizzes, and other assignments. I feel ds. will not fall through the cracks even if I didn't keep up with him. I wish his Greek I class last year was as organized.

 

Of course her classes are organized; she is LaJuana's daughter!! :001_smile:

 

Susan

[Begonia]

And did you feel like the chat added to the text? Or actually covered material? Did it seem class-like or more like a check in to say what work students should do?

My dd's currently in SO Latin II with Ms. Decker. Last year she completed Latin I with the same instructor. According to dd, the main value of the chats lies in the homework review-- the students are divided into small groups and every translated homework sentence due that week is examined and common errors pointed out. There's no chance of hiding in Ms. Decker's class! :) Dd highly recommends Ms. D.

 

I must agree, though, that pacing can sometimes be slow and that it's hard for dd to focus on the screen for one and a half hours twice a week. Dd often uses MS Paint, GIMP, and solitaire during class. :D

[Murphy101]

wellll

this might be, probably, completely off topic

but

 

 

my dh works from home and today I "caught" him surfing through our Netflix queue for 80s movies while on a conference call and working on his laptop.

 

maybe you can consider it real world work experience?:tongue_smilie:

[readwithem]

Purely written chat-based online classes are SLOW.

 

My kids have taken many classes through SO. They used to play solitaire or hearts on the computer during class, and I had a fit and said "NO WAY!" in my best parental voice.

 

During the following summer I took a class about preparing for college through SO -- and after about 20 SLOW minutes of class I asked my kids how to play hearts on the computer! (They were VERY amused and I still hear about this occasionally!)

 

How funny! I sat in on the tutorial last week and cleaned out 1000 emails in my inbox and sent box :) I'm not sure what E. will do going forward - I thought this week would be fairly slow as they all get adjusted. Maybe she can do her needlepoint during class? That may be too disjointed with needing to type every now and then.

[Nissi]

It's too early to comment on the Latin Class. But ds. says that for his Greek class the chat added to the text, simplified concepts, and make ds. think more deeply about what he was learning. I think Dr.McMenomy really gets the student to think more deeply by asking great questions.

[Bev in B'ville]

I am taking a SO class - beginning Latin. Today was our second chat.

 

I am frustrated, but I don't know if my issues are legitimate. I expected the chats to be more like a class. Sort of like a more informal version of reading a transcript of an actual class.

 

I find the chats to be very slow. I can go upstairs to change a diaper and when I return I have maybe missed one sentence. And I am not that speedy!

 

Also the teacher says things will be covered, but then doesn't get to them. It is a VERY small class, so it is not like a bunch of time is wasted on crowd control. I just feel like I am not getting ANYTHING out of the chats - but I can't decide if it is because it is still close to the beginning, or because I am an adult learner, or because my expectations are too high or wrong.

 

Thoughts please???

 

I don't have anything really useful to add to your comments except that my dd is in that class with you. She likes the teacher. This is her 2nd year with SO (she took World History, Western Lit and AP Biology last year and is taking WH-II, Latin I, and English Lit this year) and dd says that so far all of her teachers have been very different personality wise. She also says that if you want a fast paced class, try Western Lit. At first, that class had her in tears last year, but it ended up being her favorite class.

[Merry]

a challenging class with lots of difficult ideas thrown out for the class to ponder and discuss. I think the pace was just right for my ds, if not a bit too fast:)

[Caraway]

I don't have anything really useful to add to your comments except that my dd is in that class with you. She likes the teacher. This is her 2nd year with SO (she took World History' date=' Western Lit and AP Biology last year and is taking WH-II, Latin I, and English Lit this year) and dd says that so far all of her teachers have been very different personality wise. She also says that if you want a fast paced class, try Western Lit. At first, that class had her in tears last year, but it ended up being her favorite class.[/quote']

 

I *like* the teacher - I am just worried that I am not actually going to make any progress learning Latin. ;)