Everyone has experienced at one time or another going to something they were thrilled about or having to completed it because it has to be done. Well, that was mostly how I felt about taking my first advanced leadership class for my master's. I was already knee deep in another class and when starting a new one, I thought I would have enough free time to get two classes done at once.
I browsed the course materials on the day before the first day of class, and saw a lot of assignments and thought this is a lot. Then after reading the course content I thought to myself, “lot of stuff due on the first week”, “what am I doing”, and “the professor seems strict”. Then upon viewing the professors videos my perception changed to“Well, if I just take one step at a time” and “the professor seems sincere”. I had to take a day to think about dropping the class and decided to stick with it.
Throughout the course, something I might have done differently would be to explore future reading suggestions from each module. I have a desire to read more and going to my local library but time seems very short when life happens around you. When you want to do something you will make time for it, and during this class I had to chose to give enough time to the assignments.
The instructor provided additional support through comments and general discussion feedback. I see why some people major in English, for one writing is power. I would struggle with auto-correct all the time, and occasionally turned to pen and paper. I greatly appreciated the instructor's encouragement and his substantial feedback to me each week to improve. I revised some of my work because after reviewing the comments and my work I saw my errors and wanted to clarify in case I would need to reference in the future.
One topic I thought was very relevant was the SEE-I. There were no irrelevant topics because they all connected at the end. One thing I didn’t like doing was the annotated bibliography at first, and kept messing up the format. It was by coincidence during the overlap of the two classes, I was ask for annotated bibliography in the same week, and received two completely different versions as an example. After learning this technique for the first time, I still don’t know what the correct format is but I’m glad to know about it.
I could use more clarity in all aspects of my life because I’m always thinking (and in my head) I don’t expect to explain myself. One thing I do a lot at work is explaining myself, sometimes too much, and I think it boils down to work ethic. Some people just clock in and clock out, and don’t see the value in looking closer into things that do not impact their job (or some may say the Bigger Picture). Similar to reason of why some people don’t vote in local elections, they don’t see the direct impact on themselves. I'm currently enrolled in a voluntary class on aviation accidents, and they discussed the swiss cheese model of accident crashes and showed the image below. Is a good image what I think of when I say people don’t often go beyond the surface.
This class goes beyond the surface. It’s not about the grades or just finishing the class, you spend time on concepts to be a fair-minded thinker. It's okay to see the Bigger Picture but first focusing on how you see the picture and expand from there. If you don't focus on growing your knowledge base, all I have to say is "Where is Waldo?". Some excitement or frustration you have when finding "Waldo", will be what you mentally battle lacking critical thinking techniques.
I do believe the hardest part of this class is the beginning. I tell you I couldn’t get past the first chapter I had to read the first 5 pages 3 times to understand what I was readings. I thought its downhill from here I still have a chance to drop, but it was more up hill for me.
I do believe the hardest part of this class is the beginning. I tell you I couldn’t get past the first chapter I had to read the first 5 pages 3 times to understand what I was readings. I thought its downhill from here I still have a chance to drop, but it was more up hill for me.
I looked to some of my leaders to embrace some of these concepts in my presents, and sometimes I was putting them to the test and they didn’t pass. I thought why not I embrace them and apply. I started using some critical thinking traits and virtues in my conservations, and developed two presentations after learning about good presentation design. I got feedback from one that it was a great presentation, which was merely a review of what most already know.
Vincenzi, D. A. (2016, May 19). The Basics of MOOCs[Webinar]. Emery
Riddle Webinar Series. Retrieved from
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