I will give you my Top Ten things to think about before enrolling an online course. These are based on my experience as a middle-aged mother. I enrolled at Open Colleges.
1.There are various ways to pay.
There are options like paying in full or monthly payments. I chose to pay the full amount because, in the long run, it will be cheaper.
2. Starting to study is the hard part.
Studying all over again made my head hurt literally. Imagine, reading, writing and submitting assessments again! The good news was my middle-aged working mind gained momentum after a month.
3.It takes discipline to make time to study.
The family is watching television or enjoying a movie marathon. There I was sitting in the lounge desperately telling myself to stand up and go to your laptop. Submit the tasks!
The temptation to procrastinate is great. Sometimes, I gave in to the temptation and had a marvelous bonding time with family. Other times, I suffered the consequences of sleep deprivation. Your choice.
4.I felt isolated.
There is a study buddy online where I could connect with other students near my area. I didn’t choose that. I rather surf the internet than connecting to someone whose profile picture is blank.
It took a heavy toll on me. I grew up in a traditional classroom where I could talk to real people. I missed that. I studied in front of a laptop while my boys were at school and my husband was at work. I had to leave the house just to relax and talk to people.
5. Sometimes, staying in front of the computer for hours is necessary.
In the real world of mothers, everything changes when a child gets sick or the husband had to stay longer at work. The only option was to do all the tasks for submission in one weekend. That means sitting all day in front of the computer. Managing time is essential.
6. I learned a lot.
Submitting assessments made me read books and surf the internet for reliable information. What made it difficult was to find the right answer to the question which means skimming and scanning websites. Through it all, it opened my mind to issues I didn’t know existed. It broadened my understanding.
7. It pushed me to my limits and let me out of my comfort zone.
There were times I wanted to give up. What made me held on was I already paid the tuition fee in full haha! On the serious side, I have a strong belief in this When I start something, I want to finish it. No excuses.
8. Feedbacks from instructors during the last assessment were nail-biting.
I had a lovely opportunity chatting with the instructors for questions and comments during my study. All of them were kind and accommodating. However, the last assessments caused me sleepless nights. Were they good enough?
9. It gave a feeling of accomplishment.
When I read the word PASS with my final assessments, I jumped for joy! Yes! I finally finished my course! After all the hard work and dedication to do it, I finally made it. It was an achievement itself taking care of a family and studying online at the same time.
10. Finish your course as soon as you can because sometimes the curriculum changes.
At the middle of my studies, the curriculum suddenly changed. If you do not want to have more assessments or retake exams, better finish it in one year.
