University of Phoenix Tracking Order Status

The overall experience is great. Some classes had assignments that were more busy work. The discussion question format needs a huge overhaul because that also is something that is more busy work than anything to fulfill participation aspects of the class. It would be great to implement more visual interactions like Flipgrid or something.

What was worrisome to me is the fact that I turned work in five days late. I was in touch with my instructor and literally wrote my last paper explaining exactly what was going onat work. Again I understand late work less points but to turn in all the work and get zero credit for it was a liter kick in the no no square!! Funny part was I received a post note for the work I turned in yet no credit for the work I did.

The experience is great because I am currently looking for work and being able to balance the work like with online is going really well. The resources help me out a great deal in self learning and when I need to reach out it's always available.

Online learning requires lots of support. Here are my grievances: 1) Counseling office says the instructors are not our professors, not teachers, only facilitators. A standard of continuity is lacking among the Drs' own performance and expectations. Some of the Drs have gone above and beyond, posting short video mini-lectures relevant to this week's assignments. Others don't even give feedback before the next assignment is due. Professors who actually teach should not be too much to ask, for the amount of student debt the experience is generating. 2) Textbooks may be outdated. If it's a 6th ed, let it be retired. Videos are more appropriate for online learning, in combination with our own empirical research. 3) The quizzes include trick questions and mistakes. Even having read the material twice, I tend to loose points. That's discouraging. 4) Team projects (PowerPoint or Microsoft Team videos) do not grant enough consideration for extra time and support needed. For example, the PDF explanation of Teams only showed how to create a link, not an actual video to download for submission. Some cohorts have been failed on assignments for only attaching the link to the Teams/Zoom, not the video. Knowing this, I waited 2 hours on hold (hearing an annoying sound loop) to ask Technical Support for help downloading a Teams video to attach to a submission, only to get confirmation of what I'd suspected, that the person hosting the Teams would have to do it. And that teammate wasn't responding. The solution would be to let each student create their own meeting to host their own video. This should have been in the assignment instructions. Such technical issues on team projects cause far too much stress in addition to study, work and parenting. In conclusion, considering the amount of money we pay to learn, we should be met with a better product.

The faculty I have interacted with have been fantastic and have met every need I've had. I do have some concerns with the long-term direction of my degree though. I have taken on much debt in order to take these courses, and I worry that I will not be able to realize that value even after completing my degree. If I'm being realistic about the job market, the way an online degree is viewed by perspective employers, and what skills I will develop while in school, I think it possible that I'll be unable to increase my chances of success with this degree in a way that will meaningfully offset the cost. Not all of these concerns lie with the University or degree itself. I think my personal background and history may be a barrier that a degree will not help me cross, and I wonder if continuing to take out loans will be a positive route for me in the long-term. I can't help but thank the University for helping me get to this point, though I worry about the realistic outcome.