Sophia Public Speaking

[Tlm]

I heard back from TESU and they are accepted everything I wanted to take but warned that I had to complete public speaking by June 30th. The reviews say that the grading of each assignment is slow. Has anybody taken this?  Do you really need the feedback or can you work through it blindly? Any tips to share.  They have 7 business days to mark each submission so that won't happen.

[ctcarl]

I heard back from TESU and they are accepted everything I wanted to take but warned that I had to complete public speaking by June 30th. The reviews say that the grading of each assignment is slow. Has anybody taken this?  Do you really need the feedback or can you work through it blindly? Any tips to share.  They have 7 business days to mark each submission so that won't happen.

I have. 

They took fifteen business days to grade my last touchstone,  and that was after my phoning and asking about it, leaving me the impression that it would have taken longer had I not called.  I doubt it would be possible to complete the first assignment, wait for it to be graded, submit a second touchstone incorporating the suggested revisions, and expect it to be graded by June 30.

I didn't find the Public Speaking touchstones particularly challenging.  Although I didn't do this, I don't think there is anything to stop you from completing the first touchstone, improving it, and submitting the second one the same day.  In fact, I suspect this is the only way you'll get this completed by June 30, if it's possible at all.

Just make sure your second effort is more polished and careful than the second.  The submissions don't exactly need to be Hollywood quality.  Vary the tone and cadence of your speech, make eye contact, gesture occasionally for emphasis, and use a simple visual aid...I used a single 8.5 x 11" monochrome chart, printed on ordinary copy paper and placed in a clear sheet protector...and you should be fine.

[dfrecore]

I heard back from TESU and they are accepted everything I wanted to take but warned that I had to complete public speaking by June 30th. The reviews say that the grading of each assignment is slow. Has anybody taken this?  Do you really need the feedback or can you work through it blindly? Any tips to share.  They have 7 business days to mark each submission so that won't happen.

The reason they said to do it by June 30th is because it expires then (on ACE).  BUT, I'm guessing it's in the process of ACE renewal, in which case the date is likely to be extended (either for a couple of months, or 3 years).

I would just contact Sophia and ask about it.

[harrypotter]

My friend who’s taking public speaking right now reached out to them yesterday. They said that it has already been approved to renew its recommendation. I’m not seeing it updated on the ACE website though...

[dfrecore]

My friend who’s taking public speaking right now reached out to them yesterday. They said that it has already been approved to renew its recommendation. I’m not seeing it updated on the ACE website though...

It does take a while for ACE to update stuff, so after June 30, you might see that it's expired...and then a few weeks later, it will show as extended for 3 years.  So I would not worry about it too much.

[Djwhiteman]

My friend who’s taking public speaking right now reached out to them yesterday. They said that it has already been approved to renew its recommendation. I’m not seeing it updated on the ACE website though...

It does take a while for ACE to update stuff, so after June 30, you might see that it's expired...and then a few weeks later, it will show as extended for 3 years.  So I would not worry about it too much.

Just checked and it is now updated for 2023

[graduatesoon]

Although I didn't do this, I don't think there is anything to stop you from completing the first touchstone, improving it, and submitting the second one the same day.  In fact, I suspect this is the only way you'll get this completed by June 30, if it's possible at all.

Just make sure your second effort is more polished and careful than the second.  The submissions don't exactly need to be Hollywood quality.  Vary the tone and cadence of your speech, make eye contact, gesture occasionally for emphasis, and use a simple visual aid...I used a single 8.5 x 11" monochrome chart, printed on ordinary copy paper and placed in a clear sheet protector...and you should be fine.

It does stop you from submitting at the same time. I tried several times since my deadline was approaching. Once the first touchstone is graded it unlocks the next touchstone.  

I recorded both and wore different color shirt and used different props and ad libbed a bit more and stopped saying ummmm.

So I guess I did learn something (don't say ummm).
Nice course and absorbed more than I expected.

[ctcarl]

Although I didn't do this, I don't think there is anything to stop you from completing the first touchstone, improving it, and submitting the second one the same day.  In fact, I suspect this is the only way you'll get this completed by June 30, if it's possible at all.

Just make sure your second effort is more polished and careful than the second.  The submissions don't exactly need to be Hollywood quality.  Vary the tone and cadence of your speech, make eye contact, gesture occasionally for emphasis, and use a simple visual aid...I used a single 8.5 x 11" monochrome chart, printed on ordinary copy paper and placed in a clear sheet protector...and you should be fine.

It does stop you from submitting at the same time. I tried several times since my deadline was approaching. Once the first touchstone is graded it unlocks the next touchstone.  

I recorded both and wore different color shirt and used different props and ad libbed a bit more and stopped saying ummmm.

So I guess I did learn something (don't say ummm).
Nice course and absorbed more than I expected.

Interesting!  Thanks for sharing your experience.  As a practical matter, if the deadline is close, I suspect you can ask via email, chat, or phone to have the next Touchstone unlocked so you can submit it.  Even if you can't, they'd likely extend the deadline if waiting for grading is the problem.

[monchevy]

OK, so I have to take this thing even though I truly don't want to. I'm an extreme introvert and suffer from social anxiety, and I literally fall apart if I'm the center of attention or I know I'm being watched/judged. Are there multiple videos to upload and get critiqued on? How many people are watching and judging?

I know I sound like a complete idiot right now, but can someone please talk me like I'm five, and give me an idea of how painful this will be for someone like me?? :-(

[ctcarl]

OK, so I have to take this thing even though I truly don't want to. I'm an extreme introvert and suffer from social anxiety, and I literally fall apart if I'm the center of attention or I know I'm being watched/judged. Are there multiple videos to upload and get critiqued on? How many people are watching and judging?

I know I sound like a complete idiot right now, but can someone please talk me like I'm five, and give me an idea of how painful this will be for someone like me?? :-(

I think you'll find it a non-issue.

You're only talking to your laptop (or smartphone, or camera).  Literally no one is watching.

While it's true that there are two five-minute videos to upload, at this stage of the pandemic and their free promotion, I suspect there's one overloaded, underpaid Sophia staffer, working from home in their pajamas, eating chili with their fingers, burping over a Bud and "watching" several videos at once while grading papers and Lord knows what else, paying just enough attention to select a template with the appropriate grading metric, "You are passionate about your subject, but you need to look at the camera and gesture once in a while".

If you literally collided with that worker in a grocery store the next day and spilled a gallon on milk on them, I sincerely doubt that they'd remember you.

Go get the three credits and be done with it.