In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

One of the better experiences of my service as missionary was the opportunity to serve in the Church Employment Resource Center in Colorado Springs. While there, I worked with the director to get my resume together for my entering the real world again (I had only a few weeks left before going home.)

As I was putting my resume together, both the director and I decided that placing “missionary” on my resume probably wasn’t the best route to go, but since I had prior experience before the mission I should find a way to fill the gap of time. We came up with “Teacher and Service Worker”. Lame, but it served it’s purpose.

The other day, I was in a meeting with the director of athletics for Virginia Wesleyan College discussing a partnership between athletic teams and the students at my elementary school, and she asked me what I did before what I’m doing now. I answered that I was a missionary out in Colorado and Kansas. I got the same kind of look I usually get when I say that, but I knew it was futile to try to explain the whole situation.

So, as I was reworking my resume last night, I knew I needed a change. I realized that what I did as a missionary was little more than marketing for the church, very similar to what I did for a local contractor prior to serving as a missionary. So, my resume officially says, “Field Marketing Representative: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

…now when I’m asked what I did prior to what I’m doing now, I can say I was into marketing for a multi-national non-profit…or something like that.

Anyone run into the resume/employment record dilemma? How did you handle it?  Thoughts otherwise?

My assignment for my Intro to Philosophy class this weekend was to create two campaign ads for two fictitious parties; one party that has a traditional moral or political philosophy as a major part of its platform, and the other having a modern moral or political philosophy as a major part of its platform. The posters above was what I came up with.

I’m interested in your impressions of the ads. Which party is traditional, and which is modern. What do you think the ads symbolize? I’ll post my interpretation soon!

What are your thoughts?

After almost two years of being a student with Axia College of the University of Phoenix Online, wrapping up my Associate’s (AA) degree in Information Technology, I wanted to share some thoughts concerning this private for-profit school.

If you are considering taking classes from Axia, or even from the University of Phoenix itself, please think twice before attending this school. Here’s a brief rundown that may help in your thinking.

1. Enrollment advisors (sales people) are very quick to guide you through the process of applying for the school and getting started. I have read some postings online referring to quotas being the driving force behind the enrollment process. For these advisors, it’s not about getting the student set out on the correct educational path, it’s about making the sale. In my experience, my enrollment advisor was the best prepared, most helpful, and most friendly contact I’ve had at the school, but this is not surprising. Ever met a sales person who didn’t attempt to charm you?
2. Classes are a sink or swim proposition. With extremely little one-on-one instruction, student must rely on instruction materials, usually little more than text books in PDF format, to complete their assignments on time. Instuctors for classes are not given any additional materials or guidance other than what is available to the student. Today, my Java Programming instructor wrote , “I have access to the same material you get, and nothing more. I get the same syllabus and download chapters. I also get them at the same time as you, not earlier. In fact, other than the ability to grade, I get the same Axia experience as the student.“
3. Continuing from the last point, instructors do not really instruct; they facilitate. I had a facilitator for distance learning courses in high school. All she did was teach a face-to-face class and occasionally look over our shoulders to make sure we weren’t just surfing the internet. Honestly, Axia instructors have done little more than this. I have on occasion seen snide responses to public student questions, outright refusals to help, and chastisement for attempts to pull together as class to figure out an assignment.
4. Financial and Academic advisors aren’t very helpful at all, and they often change (a signal to me of unprofessionalism and possible high attrition rate in the school office). Often my questions are not answered, and I’ve had to push issues to higher management to get something done. In short, student financial and academic situations are poorly managed.
5. Courses requiring detailed, precise, mathematic or technical application are poorly designed. Financial Management was a nightmare. Currently, Java Programming is proving very trying. With lack of instruction, poor texts, a very little feedback, it’s very easy to fall behind and not know where to look for help. For the price of the course, a student should be able to rely on the instructor for direction and assistance. This is not the case at Axia.
6. Transferring from Axia to another school is futile. Extremely little actually transfers, signally that the education received at Axia is not on par with other institutions.

I’m not sure what my conclusion about Axia should be. If I completely denounce the school and attempt to take action, it would be an admission that the last two years and the time spent working on my degree was pointless, and my degree would be worthless. However, can I be satisfied with a degree that may not be as valuable as one earned from another institution?

All this only adds to be distaste for higher education, with all their inefficiencies, and lack of consistency from school to school.

Your thoughts are welcomed.