Final Class – And Thank God

Tonight is my final class at UOP. While I am sure that the counselors would love for me to return to get my masters (although my academic counselor might be ready to be rid of me), I have no intention of doing that just yet, and almost assuredly not at the University of Phoenix.

I have been reflecting back on my UOP experience this last week, in large part to a number of comments earlier posts have gotten in recent days, and I think I believe the following things.

1. The general public is buying into the idea that everyone should go to college. The realization is that at some point in the education process (just like the regular workforce) you have to start separating the able from the rest. Not everyone is capable of completing the highest level of academic work. Instead of providing institutions that have lower requirements than others, we need to standardize the education and exclude more people. Imagine if each public high-school was able to establish it’s own graduation criteria. How much faith would people have in the education from certain high schools?

2. UOP does a good job of providing the basic education services to the adult learner. The bottom line is that I was wanting a college experience similar to what I received the first time. I originally attended Westminster College in Fulton, MO. For people who want a rich history, and a tough academic curriculum, combined with some good college fun, I can’t think of a better place to go. Small town, good school, and the best instructors you can find. UOP is not trading on it’s academic rigor like Westminster is. UOP is trading on volume, and the basics. I should have done a better job of realizing that earlier in my curriculum and gone somewhere else.

3. The team concept can go to far. In work environments, companies are increasingly going to a team environment for work assignments. This works in most cases because in private industry you have accountability for your contributions. (I work for the government which mutates this idea in a bad way, but that is a different concept). At UOP, students do not have really have accountability for their work because the consequences are not routinely enforced. I would be surprised to see someone actually flunk out of UOP. One instructor talked about how a person could do only the team assignments, and participation points, and still graduate from UOP. Beings you don’t normally put a GPA on a resume (unless it is followed by **** cum laude) then why work hard?

4. Professional people are not always good teachers. Not everyone can teach. If you don’t believe me then you need to try it yourself. Some people just do not have the ability or the patience for it. UOP needs todo a better job of making sure it’s instructors are actually doing their job, and of monitoring their classes. I have received comments that the online courses are monitored fairly well, but their on-ground courses (especially in Kansas City) are not. 2 years, and I have yet to see someone audit a class.

5. Most UOP students are not looking for a education, they are looking for a degree. They want the piece of paper that they see as the key to the corporate ladder. If they really wanted an education, then more of them would be writing blogs like this one.

I don’t know if I will keep posting to this after today. If comments appear and others have questions I will be sure to respond. My profile should now list my real name, and this post pretty much gives away anything you need to know about me. If UOP staffers find this and want to talk to me, e-mail me, you have my address in your files.

Thanks

Josh