My Norwich University Experience : Research

A Second Masters Degree

WheelCipher — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:56:00 GMT

I have indeed enjoyed my week off between classes. As some of you might know, one of my favorite hobbies is photography. Last night I was in Katy, Texas (near Houston) to see The Flying Fish Sailors, a band that a friend of mine founded many years ago. They play Celtic music for the most part. It was a really good show. I took some photos.

I have also been thinking about that next degree I want to get. Something becoming more prevalent in my mind is why I need to get a doctorate degree. My main reasons were (1) to further my knowledge and (2) have the opportunity to teach. But then it hit me. Why do I need a doctorate? If I really want to get another degree, a second Masters degree will suffice. I only want to teach at the community college and perhaps online. This might do the trick.

So looking for Masters degrees online, I see that there are a lot more options than there were just a couple of years ago. Texas A&M-Commerce has several options to pick from. Texas A&M (the main campus) also is expanding their offerings with a M.Ed in Educational Technology as well as other subjects.

The reason I am trying to focus my attention on Texas schools is the cost. I did check into the MBA programs in Texas before I started at Norwich and found that since I was considered an in-state student, the cost was roughly half that of Norwich. Why I picked Norwich is clear now. It did cost more, but I am satisfied that I got what I paid for and the school is very reputable.

Anyway … I am going to continue looking into the option for a second Masters degree.

Here are some of the photos I took at The Angel and The Ox Pub in Katy, Texas.

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The Search for a Doctoral Program

WheelCipher — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT

My search for a doctoral program continues.

I did confer with the nice folks at the University of Maryland. They provided me with all the info I needed on their only doctoral program. They offer a Doctor of Management that takes three years and runs about $50,000.

The UMUC program seems very structured. I have found through my research that a PhD is much more research-based and the Doctor of Management or a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) is more hands-on. It’s like a MBA on steroids. I like the idea of the MBA on steroids, but the PhD seems like more of a challenge.

With an emphasis on the practical application of concepts, research, and knowledge to real world management issues, students are prepared in areas such as: leadership, management theory and practice, strategy formulation and execution, operational planning, technology acquisition, organizational and behavioral processes, assessment, and global operations.

Yep … sounds like my MBA. I have learned so much through the MBA program. I can’t imagine the depths one would go in this program. One difference in the UMUC program and others is the first class that is required. It is the foundations of doctoral studies.

Topics include the purpose and context of the doctoral degree program; the role and value of research and statistical analysis in the practice of management; and key concepts in management, leadership, change, and organizational theory. Degree requirements and the dissertation process are explored. Exercises, including the development of an individual journal, are used to evaluate skills in critical thinking, argumentation, and writing expression.

I think that making students take this class first is a great idea. Some people (perhaps including me) might have some level of delusion about a doctoral program. Giving the student a small taste of what is to come has to be beneficial.

I’ll post more on programs I am looking into. The more information I can share the better. If you have experiences to share, please email me.

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The Walden PhD

WheelCipher — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT

I took the huge step the next stage of my quest for educational enrichment yesterday by calling Walden University to inquire about their PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Some might not consider calling and asking for information as a big step, but I believe it to be a huge step. The fact that I did it tells me that deep down inside I really want to follow through with it. I have been on the fence for so long and could not make up my mind. Actually making contact was a big step for me.

From what I can tell thus far is that the program is usually about 4 years in length. Some people do it a little quicker and some take longer. The good thing is that some of my credits from Norwich University will transfer in and eliminate the need to take some of the core courses in the program. This will knock off a year from the original schedule. That brings it down to three years. This is more manageable for me. It’s twice as long as my MBA and does put some things into a time/space perspective.

If I had no transfer credits, the program would cost over $70,000 when it’s all over. That’s about as much as my undergrad and MBA combined. Ouch! My tuition will be somewhat less if I am able to transfer some credits into the program. That’s a lot of money. But I hope I can get a teaching position somewhere to help cover those costs. I think that’s what I ultimately want to do.

The next class (after my MBA graduation) starts September 7. I will have about three month off between degree programs. Perhaps the reality and gravity of what I am facing will kick in during those three months. Maybe not. We shall see what happens.

I will process some thoughts and share at a later time. If anyone has a PhD, I would appreciate some feedback on this potential journey. I like to go into situations like this with as much information as I can get my hands on.

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Emotional Intelligence

WheelCipher — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:00:00 GMT

For anyone who has spent any time on this site trying to see if online education is a good idea, you will know that those of us who have been doing this for a while probably have several characteristics in common. Those are tenacity, determination, the ability to balance all of life’s challenges, and all the things that make us good students. I have frequently mentioned that if a person cannot commit to getting a degree (either on-campus or on-line) it’s probably not a good idea to start.

Before a person jumps into this world of distance education, they need to have all their ducks in a row, so speak. Maturity, stability at home, and other things that could potentially go sideways need to be on a level playing field need to be under control or managed. Distance education is not easy. Disregard the marketing hype about it being easy. Disregard the hype about it being convenient. Sometimes it is convenient, but that does not translate to “easy” or a reduced workload.

I have found a very interesting and complex study that shows how emotional intelligence can be a predictor of success in distance education. Emotional Intelligence (EI) describes ability, capacity, skill or a self-perceived ability, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups.

The research paper starts like this:

As students increasingly opt for online classes, it becomes more important for administrators to predict levels of potential academic success. This study examined several factors to characterize successful online college students, including emotional intelligence (EI), persistence, personality, age, gender and previous online experience among students attending community college. Factor analysis revealed two profiles labeled ‘EI’ and ‘Persuasive’. EI was positively correlated with GPA and resilience. Males had significantly higher EI than females. EI was unrelated to age, personality, number of semesters completed, program of study and previous online experience. Conclusions were that there may be a profile of the successful online student that could be used in marketing, advisement, quality assessment and retention efforts.

To download the whole paper, click here.

Do you have any questions about distance education
or anything in this post? Feel free to contact Scott anytime!

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My Next Project: Writing a Book

WheelCipher — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:58:00 GMT

I’ve been thinking about a new “project” to work on. After much thought, I’ve decided to try writing a book about my distance education experience.

When I am done with my MBA, I will have been in school online for six years with no break. I will have experienced almost 50 different professors, dealt with student loans, family issues, and all the challenges that come with being an online student. I think my experiences qualify me to speak intelligently on this topic.

I already have the forward written and I will soon begin writing the first chapters. I intend to start out with “my story” which will outline my background and how everything that has happened to me since 1990 has led to a semi-career in distance education. I have much of the book written in my head, but putting it on paper is a different story. Organizing all the thoughts that I have will be time consuming. In the end, I believe it will be worth it. If I can shed some light for anyone looking to start school again, I will have done my job.

I have found an online publisher and will more than likely make the book available in a PDF file that anyone can buy and download as well as a normal 6” x 9” book that people can order. It will be very affordable. I am not looking to get rich from this. It’s more of a project for me where I hope I can educate people.

I am hoping I can write a chapter every week or two. I am doing this in addition to my MBA classes, work, and everything else. I just love a challenge.

So I will post more as things happen. If you would like to contribute to the book in the form of an interview, let me know. When I get to that point, I will want to talk to different people so I have input from as many angles as possible.

If everything comes together like I want it to, it will be a best seller. But we all know how that goes.

Do you have any questions about distance education
or anything in this post? Feel free to contact Scott anytime!

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