Ponderings of a Geriatric College Student
I keep telling everyone - I’m too darn old for this stuff! My brain agrees, my bod agrees … my poor tired memory agrees … but my kids and my friends are completely without sympathy, and keep telling me: “Aw Moofie, you can do it!”
Sometimes, I’m not so sure …
I just finished a course that taught me more about computers than I ever wanted to know … and it was so complicated for my poor little brain that I’m starting it over from scratch now that it’s over, with my in house expert, Dougie, as my professor. I got a decent grade in the course, and won’t need to repeat it as far as school is concerned - but I know how much I’ve actually retained of what I was taught. Liquids - I retain … computer trivia - I don’t! I need to figure out a way to do that in reverse! ;o)
Seriously though, that last course was like something out of a bad dream. The online “autograders” would mark our quizzes wrong, even when we cut/pasted the information directly from our notes. There was a problem with the course design, and because of the hue and cry we raised in the classroom, DeVry is going to revamp the course before they give it again. It was hard enough already without marking our right answers wrong!
About half way through the 3 1/2 hour final, I knew I wasn’t going to get the high score I’d gotten on all of other courses up until then. I had that sinking feeling … there were things on there I know I’d never seen before …
Our professor, good hearted as he is, knowing that the course had some serious issues, graded the final on a curve. I came out of the course with a decent grade, and to my amazement, would have even if he hadn’t graded on a curve. The reason –> I take really good notes!
This session, we’re having Logic and Design. Much easier … as you can see, since I have more time to blog. It’s a pre-programming course, intended to teach us to design pretty, accurate flow charts, and write nice, clean, logical computer code. Each week, the course includes two live lectures, completing and passing in a multi-sectioned lab, reading and studying the assignments in our text book, reading and studying a written “lecture,” posting to our two classroom subject threads at least three times during the week, and taking a quiz on the material we’ve learned before the week is over. I don’t expect a lot of trouble from this course. It’s actually leaving me time to catch my breath. The last course didn’t leave me enough hours in a week to do much besides study … even though I was using voice recognition software to help with my notes.
So, what’s next? Maybe my grandsons and I will get to sit side by side, and do our homework together? I’ve seen stranger! The son I homeschooled is now homeschooling me! Today we reviewed SATA drives, various types of cables and ports, and the raison d’être behind all of those prickly pin connectors sticking out of a nice new motherboard … and put a Grub bootloader onto my Linux machine. I was a grateful, if somewhat slow, student …
Maybe it’s like a second childhood … I’m getting the chance to actually go to school all over again as I regress back into my infancy. You’d think I might have been able to skip that part, eh? Dig right into the candy bowl, grab a jump rope, and run outside to play! Nope, not for me! I’m going to go from Connectivity with Lab to Dick and Jane … and from there into diapers …
Tomorrow morning, I meet with my Red Hat ladies. I’ve only seen them once since last June, so it will be a happy get together for me. We’ll sit and dine together, laugh and be silly like a bunch of little girls on a school outing. We’ll all pretend that none of us see the extra white hair, the deeper wrinkles … the hand that shakes just a bit more than it did last time. We’ll mention those who are absent due to illness in hushed tones, never daring to wonder aloud if they’ll ever grace our meetings again …
… And then I’ll come home, pull out my lap top, and go to my class room. I’ll read about IF statements and WHILE loops, do my homework and study for my quizzes, and I’ll discuss the concerns of youth with my classmates.
What different worlds! Is it truly possible to belong to both? I wonder if I’ll ever find out …
Defend your blog from theft!
March 13th, 2007 at 1:38 am
Let me get this straight: an online computer course, presumably designed by computer profs, was buggy? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry; I suppose, since computer problems are much less serious than many of the other things that happen in the world, I’d better laugh…
I’m not exactly a novice user, and you’ve learned more about computers than I know. Much as I detest Windows, I wouldn’t dare stick my neck out so far as to run a Linux machine. At least I’ve learned to tweak the Windows Registry, get around many of the annoyances, etc. Still, if I were in your shoes, I’d be proud.
March 13th, 2007 at 2:20 am
ha i bet your grade was way better then your letting on. this comming from the woman who has regularly made 98% in classes;) I feel your pain. While my class was not nearly as difficult as yours I was still in the swamp and sinking fast. I wish they’d at least let us see our finals so we could argue the grades a bit!! ahh well. You did good moof you really did!!! and you’ll do better with this next class as I think that is what you are giving me lessons on? by the by I am working on that just working a bit slow as things are still really hectic and my brain can only actually retain so much and I do really want to learn what you are teaching me. Thank you so much for helping me as much as you have!! Enjoy the breather!!
hugs
March 13th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Good to see you coming up for air, Moof.
Of course the first outing of a computer course that was being delivered and assessed on computers was buggy. That was in your first lecture, yes? The iterative design and delivery cycle (it’s not supposed to have that second part - but hey!), you have to love it.
Regards - Shinga
March 13th, 2007 at 5:30 am
My father likes to say that his first childhood has blended seamlessly into his second. Then again, although he uses a computer to print things out, he still uses scissors to cut and paste them into his “little red book” (calendar he keeps track of stuff in. Tried giving him a PDA. Still in the box.)
March 13th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Moof, you are an inspiration ! I could learn at thing or two about being young from you.
March 13th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Which course was this? It sounds like one that Classmate X has already taken. I remember him having trouble with the autograder marking correct answers wrong…
Anyway, better you than me. It sounds like you have a better understanding of Linux than I do, though - I’m still struggling with PCLinuxOS. I wanted to upgrade to the newest test release but my machine was having none of it. And I don’t know enough about Linux to start trying to figure out WHY. I looked into your ex-major, and decided IF I was going to go back to school that’s where I’d start, however, me going back to school after watching you and Classmate X jump through hoops is about as likely as me joining the Polar Bear Club.
As for Red Hats and younger classmates, you have no problem fitting into either world as far as I can see, which makes you one versatile lady, which we all already knew!
Love ya
Shel
March 13th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Hi Moof,
Congratulations, good for you.
When I retired at 63 I enrolled in a third year university level Italian course (studied Italian for years so the level was no problem) with a bunch of 21 year olds. There were only 16 or so in class and it was funny how they treated me. Half of them were great and the other half pretended I was invisible. There were lots of times when you had to team up for a class exercise and this sometimes caused a few moments of dismay. Fortunately I got a very good grade, but then I only had the one course, not five like the others.
Good luck with the next course. We have to keep the old neurons firing else they give up.
Regards
jmb
March 13th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Moof,
Congratulations! I felt the same way taking some o-chem tests during my post-bacc pre-med courses. but you didn’t even need the curve, rockstar that you are.
My philosophy is that you’re never too old to learn until you’re dead.
Cheers,
girlMD
March 14th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
This reminds me when my youngest was still in primary. He answered grammar questions online and were marked wrong. He cried, calling me. I advised him to answer another time as computer needs to rest. Good he listened to my dumb explanation. :)
Yes, Moof. It’s possible to belong to both worlds. I remember when I was still teaching part-time in university. I had the pleasure of having determined women in my class. They juggle between career, motherhood and school. I just love witnessing the maturity of this group compared to the youthful majority. It was fun having them. Other students think they’re cool. :)
March 15th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Moofie,
Sure it is possible to live in both worlds! Hey, you with your blue nail polish and love of Grateful Deads could teach those youngins’ a thing or two *LOL*
My Mom went back to college in her 50’s, and she is now working in a profession she loves. You’ll get through it. Heck, half the time when I come around here visiting I don’t understand the computer lingo you write about. You certainly could teach me a thing or two.
;-)
In fact, I nominated you for a “Thinking Blogger” Award. Go over to my place and check it out.
I hope you are staying warm up there….(HUG)
March 15th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
A bit of advice from one who’s been there; don’t let your guard down with Logic and Design…
Not to scare you or anything, it’s not rocket science (okay, bad analogy) but it’s the courses that you start off thinking are going to be a breeze. I thought I was going to waltz through programming the same way. Between me and your in-house help you shouldn’t have any trouble though-
March 16th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
It certainly is an interesting life…
Going to class with young kids is very entertaining for me.
Especially during open discussions!
later…