Technology is the Integrating Link

Week in Review: A Reflection of August 27 – September 2

In my accounting class we’re learning how financial statements are integrated. The net income (or net loss) on the income statement also appears on the statement of retained earnings. I’ve realized this week that my classes are also integrated. Concepts I’ve learned and topics we’ve discussed in my IT-Web Designer/Developer classes also appear in my Office Assistant classes.

Having finished quite a few of my web design classes, I’ve got a pretty solid foundation in web-related concepts. This semester I’m taking classes for my other program, which focus on business concepts. I can see now that the two programs are interrelated because web design companies are businesses and every business needs a website.

In my Customer Service Essentials class we talked about the role of technology in customer service. The Internet plays such an important part in customer service. A well designed website equals good customer service, because customers can find the information they need, such as hours of operation or answers to questions they have, easily. Businesses are using e-commerce, mobile apps, and online chat to assist customers.

I’m “Accounting” on a Few Bumps in the Road

I’m not going to lie. I was a little scared when I signed up to take Principles of Accounting this semester as part of my requirement for the Office Assistant program. I’ve always considered myself the creative type, and I was worried this class would put me out of my comfort zone.

I felt pretty apprehensive the first day when I took my seat among the other students I had never met before. We sat at round tables in groups of four and introduced ourselves and talked about our career goals. Our instructor started off with the basics like assets and liabilities, and we discussed how these terms could be applied to things in our lives.

At the end of class we took a sort of progress test to see what we understood so far. I didn’t do so well. Fortunately, our instructor offered us extra help if we were struggling with any of the concepts. A few of us showed up early for class the following week and the instructor cleared up any confusion we had. I retook the progress test and got all the questions right this time.

Later, during class, we delved in a little deeper into some accounting concepts. When it came time to test what we knew, I got everything correct! I could not believe that I actually understood how to use the equation we learned that day.

Thinking About Fall in April

Week in Review: A Reflection of March 26 – April 1

It’s not an April Fool’s joke, it really is time to start choosing classes for the Fall 2012 semester. My registration date is next week. Like this semester, I will be focusing on my required classes for the Office Assistant program. I spent some time this past week looking over the class schedule.

When I choose classes I ask myself a few questions before I register:

• Is this class offered in the fall, spring, and/or summer if I don’t take it now?

• Do I need to take a certain class as a prerequisite for another class? It’s best to take those classes as soon as possible.

• What campus is this class held at? I stick to the West Bend campus, IVC, or online classes.

• Are there any scheduling conflicts?

I haven’t completely decided on a schedule yet, but it looks like I will have the option to take all evening classes and maybe an online class. I’m not sure if I have a preference for what time of the day I have class.

Which do you prefer: Morning, afternoon, evening, or online classes? What are the pros and cons to these options?

More to Do for School than Homework

Week in Review: A Reflection of February 13 – February 19

When you go to college you generally expect to spend several hours every week doing homework. Well, this week I spent a lot of time doing school-related activities but none were actually considered “homework.” I had homework to do, of course, but I had a few other things to keep me busy (and away from the beautiful glow of the TV set).

For my scholarship application I need to write a statement about what I will take with me when I leave Moraine Park Technical College. It took longer than I expected to figure out how to state my answer, to write it, revise it, and then revise it again. It’s nearly complete, but I want to check it over again. I’ll need to get it done soon, though, because the application is due at the beginning of March.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m looking into the Individualized Technical Studies associate degree. I want to create my own individualized degree that encompasses a few of the programs offered at MPTC such as the IT-Web Designer/Developer and Office Assistant technical diplomas. I’ve been researching the course catalog to see what classes will fit my career needs. There is no deadline for this, but I would like to get things in order before I sign up for fall 2012 classes. Believe it or not, that’ll be coming up soon, too.

One activity I haven’t worked on much lately is my Futuremaker Video Competition entry. I can’t believe the deadline is at the end of this month! This coming weekend I’m going to devote all my time to this project. It’s a great opportunity to represent Moraine Park at the state level and win some money if my video is chosen. If I win, I’d like to get one of those sleek-looking Mac Book Pros that the Interactive Media students are walking around with. I’m not going to lie, I’ve got computer envy. If I take some Interactive Media classes for my ITS degree, I’m probably going to need one. Yay!

Exploring the Idea of an Individualized Technical Studies Degree

Week in Review: A Reflection of January 30 – February 5

It has been a very rough week. On top of being sick, catching up on in-class work, and finishing assignments, I also accidently cut my finger pretty badly. The beginning of the semester has been unexpectedly stressful. However, I’m very thankful my classes post activities and assignment requirements on our online class portal so I have access to anything I might have missed. My classmates have been helpful as well in getting me up to speed with everything. Thank you, guys!

Although I didn’t have extra time to do much of anything outside of class work, I did manage to contact the Dean of General and International Education to ask for information about the Individualized Technical Studies degree (ITS). I’ve been thinking about creating my own tailored degree, which is something you can do here at Moraine Park Technical College.

There are a lot of great programs I am interested in that interrelate. It would be impractical and time consuming to complete three or four entire programs. But, with the ITS degree, I could combine classes from different programs to make one that suits my career goals.

In my case, I’m interested in classes from the IT-Web Designer/Developer, Office Assistant, and Interactive Media Design programs. All these academic programs teach a wide variety of software that is used to communicate ideas in a digital format. It looks like there’s a lot of paperwork to complete and I would have to find a mentor, but it’s a great opportunity to pursue a very specific career path.

Week in Review: A Reflection of October 9 – 15, 2011

It feels like the end of the semester for me at Moraine Park Technical College. I have three classes ending, and I’ll be starting two new classes. One of the new classes is completely online, which is a first for me, and the other is a self-paced class.

Speaking of new classes, it’s time to start choosing classes for the spring semester of 2012. I’ll be focusing on my second program, which is the Office Assistant program, next semester. That will definitely be a change for me. I’ve got a feeling it’ll be like starting all over again at MPTC. It’ll be a new set of instructors, new classmates, and new things to learn outside of web design.

Something I’m looking forward to for the second half of the fall semester is a more flexible schedule. Only one of my classes has a specific meeting day and time each week. While I’ll still be on campus for the self-paced class, I get to choose when I work on the homework. I use the designated self-paced lab and the computer lab near the library quite often for that purpose.

Wish me luck and endurance as I begin my new classes!