This photo is from my archive of photos. I dug it out for the ‘straight lines’ challenge but didn’t use it. Weather is nasty and wet today, and worse expected tomorrow.
I’m embarrassed to report my dismal performance in the Effective Writing Course at Coursera (still in the Grading stage) I know I have failed because I let other things distract me, and I was lazy. I’m owning up here, though no doubt I will have to report it on my online learning blog, too.
Since the course went for five weeks, I thought the ‘big paragraph’ would be due in Week 5, not week 4. Wrong! Also, somehow, I managed to forget I had submitted an assignment for week 3, so didn’t front up to do the required peer assessments, thus losing points. I missed the deadline for completing Quiz 5 by a day.
Yeah, failed and embarrassed. It’s worth repeating.
The writing course repeats in September and I’ll do it again. I kept at the quiz 4 questions until I got a perfect score, despite it not being worth a single point towards my grade. It’s learning. I have a big problem with recognising sentence structure. Yeah, some of you are probably chuckling; you know I have a big problem.
I begin another course tomorrow. It goes for 4 weeks, and requires about 3-4 hours a week. I’m telling myself there is no point signing up for these things unless I intend to make an effort.
Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects
Whether you are an outstanding or a struggling student, “Learning How to Learn” will give you powerful mental tools that will help you learn more effectively in tough-to-master subjects. You will discover practical, immediately useful insights that will help you to more deeply master your studies.
Course Syllabus Learning How to Learn is meant to give you practical insight on how to learn more deeply and with less frustration. The lessons in this course can help you in learning many different subjects and skills. Whether you love language or math, music or physics, psychology or history, you’ll have a lot of fun, and learn a LOT about how to learn virtually any subject! …
More here.
This course might do the trick for the old brain. I am still participating in the “England in the time of King Richard III” over at FutureLearn, and loving it. I’m even up to the right week. I trimmed away some of the courses I had booked at FutureLearn, but added a fiction writing course starting there on 27 th October. It sounds interesting, and goes for 8 weeks, at about 3 hours a week.
Start Writing Fiction
This practical, hands-on course aims to help you to get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters.
You will listen to established writers talk about how they started writing and consider the rituals of writing and the importance of keeping a journal. You’ll learn how to develop your ideas and the importance of reflecting on writing and editing, and you’ll hear other writers talking about their approaches to research and consider ways of turning events into a plot.
Tomorrow, I have to go and clean a bloody oven in a rental unit, and clean out cupboards. I hate that work, but, unfortunately, I like the real estate woman. I think she got the message not to ask me again. I’m too old for crawling around on the floor with my head in an oven.
Oh no, now have the image of you, head in the oven and bum in the air. Glad you are enjoying the courses, never did like school work myself, my brain works weird, unless you ask a question in a specific way it won’t open the right file. Still haven’t got that image out of my head.
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Hi Sue, some of the stuff I read goes in my eyes and out my ears, I’m sure. Sorry. It’s a reasonably big bum too, it will the very last place any weight comes off!
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I had a look at some writing courses today. Couldn’t get excited, though
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They have that time factor, Helen, you have to be excited for it to work. I was, at first. I think I can be better at this type of learning if I get determined. Thanks for dropping by.
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I think you were brave taking on these courses, and am sure you have benefitted. It is a win win, giving it a go! I love the sky in your photograph. 🙂
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I love that sky, too. The way the sun reflects on the cloud layers is beautiful. I’m learning a lot, Barbara. Even with sentence structure, I noticed that I’m looking at sentences different already. I have to keep at it, so I can recognise my mistakes. Thanks for your encouragement. 🙂
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Crikey, you’re a tiger for punishment, Christine ! I forgot how much I dislike on-line learning (enrolled for no less than THREE Masters in Writing – at different uni.s and in different trimesters, I hasten to add) and pulled out of them all. I find the reporting amidst general online chaos alarming – not their fault, mine.
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I’m not into the commenting part of it much. Masters? I wouldn’t try that. 😀
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Nor would I, it seems … 😦
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i applaud your commitment to learning. Learning the rules empowers you to know when you want to break them. I have a passion for the controversial comma. It is used, abused, ignored and omitted, but it is absolutely necessary to understanding the intended meaning of a sentence. There are many amusing examples, none of which I can think of at the moment…it was a fitful night and I have not had my super strong coffee yet. Keep on truckin’…!!! You have such zeal…it is why I follow you.
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Zeal … what a wonderful word, Carol Ann! I think that sums me up pretty well. My intentions are good. 😀
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Christine, I love learning, but as I get older I love learning at my own pace and only like learning what I am interested in. Ha Ha! You have signed up for a slew of classes and unlike the younger group you probably have other things on your plate. If you learn just one thing from these classes I would call it a success. Don’t beat yourself up over it. I admire you! And I love that picture!!!!!
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Thanks for your encouragement, Cady, and all this admiration is going to my head. [blush] 😀
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I’m sure you haven’t failed Christine. You are a really good worker. Good pic too.
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I’ve only failed on paper … er, whatever … but I’ve won on experience, methinks, Kayti. Thanks for your kind words. ❤
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