Tag Archives: Worldwide Campus

Schedule Shifts & WW Classes

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Happy (almost) April everyone! I’m currently blogging from sunny Daytona Beach, Florida with temperatures recently around mid to upper 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather is turning absolutely beautiful, sunny, and warm and there is only one month of the spring semester left before finals and graduation!

I am so excited to graduate and I am hoping April flies by! My schedule has been shifting a lot lately as I am finishing up some of my obligations and will hopefully have more time to spend working out and putting more energy towards my senior design class. More free time means more gym days, ROTC events, and study time! Major shifts in my schedule have been due to my ERAU Worldwide (WW) class finishing up! Not many people are aware, but you are able to take both in-person and Worldwide classes at the same time. This past semester was my first experience both learning about this opportunity, and taking a solely online course through ERAU-WW. Experiencing an intentional online course, voice my limited experience with courses that transitioned to online and hybrid versions during the pandemic, went very well! Be sure to check with your advisor if you choose to take WW courses.

Some recent Air Force ROTC patches I picked up!

WW classes typically require the same amount of coursework as normal classes, and have a greater emphasis on various papers, essays, and Discussion Posts via Canvas, the online platform all classes at ERAU use to facilitate syllabi and assignment deadlines. My first WW class was a 3-credit hour course I opted to take as an upper level humanities elective, SOCI-300 Marriage and Family. I was surprised how well the course was facilitated virtually and the communication with the professor was more accessible, clear, and frequent than some of my experiences with in-person teachers! A ‘pro’ or general positive aspect of WW classes is that the semester length varies slightly from the regular in-person semester schedule. Thus, my WW class has officially concluded and my grade is finalized and ready for my end of semester grade report!

In my free time you will usually find me on the StairMaster machine at the gym, it’s my current favorite and I’m looking forward to the NEW fitness center being built as well!

Another aspect of my schedule changing mid-semester, that is enabling me to have more free time, is my Peer Mentor workload in University 101 winding down! Typically the busiest time of the year for both UNIV 101 students and Peer Mentors is during the preparation of Academic Study Plans. However, since those assignments have been turned-in, my Office Hours time commitment has greatly decreased and the entire UNIV 101 class will be finishing up completely in one week! I am so grateful my schedule is opening up just in time for final projects and lab reports to pick up their pace. I am eagerly awaiting the end of the semester! Keep on keeping on folks, will report back soon!

Have you Thought About Taking Online Classes During the Summer?

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Have you ever thought of taking online classes during the summer to increase your chances of graduating early? It is not too late to register for this summer! That’s the path I took for the past two summers while also doing an internship. I have talked about Online vs. Regular Classes previously, but now I have gathered two stories of students who took online classes while also doing an internship or working a full-time position. Overall, they were great and recommended experiences:

“I took International Business during Summer 2016 while on internship with Alaska Airlines. My professor was great, and he posted video lectures online each week, so I would watch his chapter lecture, read the chapter, and do discussion posts. We could do the posts on our own time, as long as they were done by the end of the week. Additionally, we had a group project to do, which was challenging because one of my group members went on vacation and didn’t do her part. I believe we had also two exams, which were obviously open book. Lastly, we had a final paper, in which we had to write a business plan for how we would expand our American company into international markets.

I probably spent 30 min to 1 hour each night doing homework or reading the textbook (3 to 4 hours per week). Towards the end of the class I spent more time on the class, since I had a final paper to write. It was pretty easy to take a class during my internship. I started the online class a week before my internship, so I had a feel for it before I jumped into working full time. I worked 40 hours per week (typically 8am to 5pm) with an additional hour of commute each way. Once I got home I would do some homework for my online class. I spaced out my homework throughout the week so that I wouldn’t have to spend my weekends doing homework (since I had flight benefits and wanted to travel!).

I really liked combining an online class with my internship. I felt like I was being very productive over the summer. My manager at my internship was very impressed that I was able to take classes along with working full time.” – Lindsey Hanbidge, ERAU Daytona 2017 Graduating Senior

“During the summer of 2016, I took a Leadership online class as an elective while working full-time at an airport for a ground handling company. The class was straightforward and included weekly discussions and assignments. We also had a term paper and a final exam. I would say that I spent on average 3-4 hours per week on that class. It was crucial to set a side a time during the week to sit down with no distractions and knock out my class work. If you put it off until Sunday night each week, you will definitely regret it. With all that said, working full-time and taking an online class at the same time is totally feasible and totally recommended!” – Jake Neville, ERAU Daytona Class of 2016

Editor’s note: Current residential campus students must submit appropriate paperwork before enrolling in online courses through the Worldwide Campus. Consult with the Record’s Office, your advisor or program coordinator before deciding whether online courses are right for you. 

It’s Over!

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I can’t believe the fall 2016 semester is already over. I feel like it was not a long time ago that I ended my summer internship. I’m very happy that finals are now over and that we have a bit less than a month of vacation.

I had my last final on Tuesday evening. This semester, only has two finals during the four days that are considered “finals week.” In most of my classes, the professors gave the final during regular class time on the last day of classes. Instead of being a big comprehensive exam with the material we saw from the beginning of the semester, it was just a normal exam with the material covered in the last few weeks. To make it even easier, one of my finals was open book and we were allowed to reference our textbook, our computer (with no internet access), PowerPoint slides and notes. It was definitely my easiest exam!

I am now at the airport waiting for my flight to go home for the holidays! Before I left Daytona Beach, I made sure my schedule was set for next semester. I was on the waitlist for one of my classes that only had one section. Fortunately, the Department of Physical Sciences decided to add a second section of Biology because many students were on the waiting list for the class. If you are currently on a waitlist for one of your classes, you have a few options. First, you can wait until the first week of classes in January where the class might open since many students drop classes. Second, you can try to force entry in a class, but this process is more complicated since you have to talk with your Program Coordinator, the Department of your class and the professor teaching the course. Finally, you might be able to take the class online* through Worldwide. You can read my blog to see if an online class is a good option for you.

I will be home with my family until January 1. On the first day of 2017, I will head with my family to London for a week!

Happy holidays and see you in 2017!

Nicolas

*Current residential campus students must submit appropriate paperwork before enrolling in online courses through the Worldwide Campus. Consult with the Record’s Office, your advisor or admissions counselor before deciding whether online courses are right for you.

First Class of the Semester Completed

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This Wednesday, I completed my first class of the semester. You might be thinking that this is impossible since we are only in November and the fall semester ends in mid-December. The professor let me take the final exam in advance. Just kidding!

The Business Statistics class (MATH 222) I took was an online class through Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus. It was the first time I took a Mathematics online course. Even though I was pleased overall with the class, I would not recommend it to students who are studying at the Daytona Beach or Prescott campuses. The main reason is that an online Math class is quite different from the other classes students have to take.

As you know, a Math class is more about solving problems than writing essays. It happened a couple times over the semester that I did not understand how to do a problem. Professors don’t really teach you anything in online classes; you are on your own. You learn by reading the textbook and by looking at the slides. I found that my best friend during that class was the Internet. I watched videos that explained how to do certain problems. Sometimes, I thought the videos explained better than the textbook did.

Three Weeks Remaining
Only a few weeks separate today from the end of the fall semester! This also means that end of semester projects, essays and finals are arriving at the same time. I have my final analytical report due on Monday in my Tech Report class (COM 221). A presentation about this report is also required as part of the final grade. In Comparative Religions (HU 345), I have an essay due right after the Thanksgiving break. In my Supply Chain class (BA 363), I have a group project to do due on the last day of classes. Finally, I have a few tests left in some classes before the final exam.

Long Weekend
On Veterans Day (today), I am going to see my friend in Baltimore, MD. He works for a  ground handling company at the airport so I hope to learn a few things during my short visit! Before every flight I board, I try to sit by the window at the gate area to look at all the activities going around the aircraft. Today, I’ll have the chance to be walking on the airport ramp!

Until next time!

Nicolas

Editor’s note: Current residential campus students must submit appropriate paperwork before enrolling in online courses through the Worldwide Campus. Consult with the Record’s Office, your advisor or admissions counselor before deciding whether online courses are right for you. 

Online vs. Regular Classes

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The fall semester is just around the corner and many of you are finalizing your class schedule before the start of the semester. Have you ever thought of taking an online class through our Worldwide Campus instead of a regular one in the classroom? In my two years of college so far, I have taken three online classes. I took one class during the summer of 2015 and one this summer while doing an internship. The other class I took was during last spring semester. Classes taken from your computer can both have benefits and drawbacks.

I think the biggest advantage of an online is that you can work on it whenever you want. There is no lecture by the professor like a regular class. You don’t need to leave your home and drive to school. You can simply stay home and study. If your schedule is busy, then an online class could be your answer.

Online classes are usually cheaper than classes taught in a classroom. Students might save money but won’t have the same learning experience than in a traditional classroom.

I feel like instructors in online classes give more feedback to the students on their assignment. They have to complete a rubric evaluation for every assignments. Students can see where they lost points and see the instructor’s comments.

One of the disadvantages of online classes is that you are basically on your own. If you need help because you don’t understand something, you can’t just go ask the professor after class. You can message the instructor, but he or she might reply back a few days later. During an online class, you don’t really have classmates and you have to learn by yourself. You have to teach yourself the weekly material.

Format of an online class at ERAU

  • Review Questions
  • Discussion
  • Group Project
  • Research Paper
  • Final Assessment

All the online classes I took were business classes and their format was quite similar. Online classes at ERAU have a duration of nine weeks. Every week, students will have to submit various assignments on a date set by the instructor at the beginning of the semester. These assignments can include review questions, essays, and discussions. The review questions are pretty straight-forward. You will have to answer questions from a chapter in the textbook. Depending on the class you take, you might have to submit a weekly essay on the topic of the week. Finally, you will have to interact with different students in you class by posting and replying to a discussion thread.

Your class might include a group project. I really had a bad experience with the group project in my Business Information Systems class (MGMT 320). The instructor will assign you in a team (typically four students) and you will have to submit an essay/report. In my group, only one of the three colleagues I had participated in the project. The two of us did the whole work for our team. We tried to get the participation of the two other members by sending emails but it did not work. After we submitted the project, one member sent us an email saying that she was not able to participate since she was at a wedding. The last member seemed to have disappeared from the class. He wouldn’t be active in the weekly discussion threads.

At the end of the nine weeks, you will be required to submit a term paper that can range between 6 to 12 pages. The final assessment is due on the last day and can consist of multiple choice questions, true or false, matching, and/or short essay questions.

I hope that you learned more about online classes and that you will choose the best option for your needs. They both have their pros and cons.

Until next time!

Nicolas

Editor’s note: Current residential campus students must submit appropriate paperwork before enrolling in online courses through the Worldwide Campus. Consult with the Record’s Office, your advisor or admissions counselor before deciding whether online courses are right for you. 

End of Class, Research Paper, Interviews, Exams

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Next Sunday, during Spring Break, I will finish my first class of the spring semester. I am taking Organizational Behavior (MGMT 317) online. I have a lot of work to do before I can finally rest for a week.

First, for my online class, I have to write a final report of 15 pages on an aviation company and discuss the topics in the modules we saw over the nine-week course. I also have to complete a weekly discussion with my classmates. Finally, there is an open book final exam consisting of multiple choice, true or false, short answer, and essay questions. This is all due on Sunday at 11:59PM, yay!

I also have two interviews this week for internship positions for the summer. I hope to get answers back quickly so I can plan my summer accordingly. One of the companies that I applied to is based in Montreal, so I won’t need to find a place to live since I will live with my family at home. The other organization I am interviewing with is not located close to home so I will have to temporary housing for three months. Most of the companies proceed like this. They will help you to find housing close to the headquarters, but you are on your own to pay your living expenses.

Finally, I have to prepare for tests if I do not want to study a lot over the break. I have a Managerial Accounting and a Corporate Finance midterm on the week right after vacation.

A few weeks ago, my professor in my Airport Management class told us that we would not have an in class final exam. He does things differently then my other professors. We do take home assignments throughout the semester and will have a large final group project that will account for most of our grade. We will also have a take home final exam. I like to explore different ways to learn. In this class, we don’t have to memorize material to do well on the exams since there are none. Our assignments work with real life aviation examples. For the final project, we will play the role of the manager of San Diego International Airport (SAN). We will have to prepare a SWOT analysis to determine if we can keep the airport in its current location or take action to develop a brand new airport. I didn’t know that the airport operates with a single runway and welcomes more than 20 million passengers every year.

Well, I have to go back to work on my final report!

Until next time!

Nicolas

 

Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu

 

A New Semester Is Taking Off

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Hello readers!

We have just started the spring semester and it’s almost February. The first few days of classes are never too busy. The professors usually go over the course syllabus, schedule, exams (oh no!), and other important things relevant to the class. For most of us, after the first week, we start to learn new material and get our first assignments. Winter break is now over and the work load starts to kick-in!

This semester, I am taking 6 classes including an online class. My schedule is very even; I am taking two classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and three classes on the other days.

I start the beginning of each week with International Aviation Management (BA 426). I already had the professor before so I know what to expect in the class and how she teaches. We started to learn some history on aviation worldwide, such as the first airmail routes, aviation during wars, and different international policies.

After my morning class, I go home for a short period of time, and then head back to campus for my last class of the day, Corporate Finance  (BA 332). As I get closer to school, I usually see an American Eagle CRJ 900 land! Like my BA 426 class, I already took the professor for this class. I took Dr. J’s Macroeconomics class during my first semester of college. He is one of my favorite professors I have taken at Embry-Riddle.

The next day is a busier day as I attend three classes in a row. I start with Airport Management (BA 310). During our last class, we took a short field trip to the AMS building close to the flight line. The building offers a great view of the Daytona International Airport. Our assignment consisted of finding different objects on the field. It was an easy assignment!

After that, I have an elective class, Airline-Airport Operations (BA 327). This class is a mix of Airline Management and Airport Management classes. We learn how airlines and airports work with each other in the industry.

My last class on campus is Managerial Accounting (BA 312). It is usually the class students take after Financial Accounting. It is not my favorite class at this time, but maybe it’ll change by the end of the semester, we never know.

The online class I am taking is Organizational Behavior (MGMT 317). There were no more seats available on the class offered on campus, so I decided to take it through the Worldwide campus. I took an online class last summer and it’s pretty much the same format than the class I’m currently taking. During this semester, I’ll write a story to describe the differences between online and regular classes. They both have their ups and downs.

On my next blog, I will go over some interesting events I attended during the winter break. Hope everyone has a great week!

Nicolas

Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu