Reminded why I prefer independent study

[UptonSinclair]

I just had an experience with the local community college that I thought would be fun to share. I signed up for two online class this semester: System Analysis and Computer Science. The Computer Science class looked like it was going to be great, but the System Analysis class made me decided against this college. There were two exams and a quiz in the first two weeks of class. Since I am addicted to testing, this wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't for on small issue. The questions were from different chapters than the assigned reading. We had questions from 3 or 4 chapters ahead of the assigned reading.

I brought this up on the discussion board, and the discussion board was deleted. Next I emailed the college president who quickly responded that he would look into it. The next day I received an email from the department head who gave me a song and dance about how busy the professor is and that the professor had a death in the family. I understand that life happens, but the problems with this course go beyond an emergency funeral. This clown is using test bank questions that are either from an earlier edition or he is clueless on the use of Desire2Learn.

After paying $220 per credit for online classes, I wasn't about to put up with incompetence. I will take my tuition dollars elsewhere.

I am amazed that many colleges reject a system like Aleks where you are basically taught by the textbook publisher, yet they do the same thing; assign reading from the textbook and give exams from the publishers test bank. I really don't see a difference.

It is off to KCTCS for me. At this point I have no idea how I am going to apply the computer credits, but I am going to rack up a bunch "just because". If Excelsior doesn't take them, maybe TESC or COSC will.