TESU Cornerstone Info

[nataliedujour]

hey everyone, looks like the Cornerstone class for TESU is finally on OSS for registration in the July term:


Cornerstone: Lifelong Learning

Course Section Number: TES-100-SD100

Description
Cornerstone: Lifelong Learning Strategies is a one-credit, self-directed course focusing on the learning process, University policies, and academic strategies needed to guide you along the path of obtaining a degree from Thomas Edison State University. This self-directed course provides a core foundation of the institution's procedures and resources to help you navigate not only the online learning environment, but the process toward earning a degree. This course imparts practical tips and strategies for lifelong learning, helping you succeed regardless of where you are in your educational journey.

Credits: 1.00

Start Date: 05 July 2016
End Date: 25 September 2016

Academic Level: U - Undergraduate

Meeting Information: 07/05/2016-09/25/2016

(actually a little surprised that it's a full-term course, was kind of expecting it to be shorter like the PLA courses.)

[alzee]

I'm sure everyone will be eager to hear how the course actually is, if/when you decide to take it.

(actually a little surprised that it's a full-term course, was kind of expecting it to be shorter like the PLA courses.)

The PLA courses are designed to be taken sequentially for most people, and they are a full term when taken that way; 4 weeks for the first one, 8 weeks for the second. Combined they are a normal 3 month 3cr single course. What's "odd" is that it's split up the way it is to begin with, but I'm grateful it is.

[nataliedujour]

I'm sure everyone will be eager to hear how the course actually is, if/when you decide to take it.

The PLA courses are designed to be taken sequentially for most people, and they are a full term when taken that way; 4 weeks for the first one, 8 weeks for the second. Combined they are a normal 3 month 3cr single course. What's "odd" is that it's split up the way it is to begin with, but I'm grateful it is.

i actually won't be taking the course this term; when i saw it was a full-term course, i opted to go with the first part of the PLA series since it's only 4 weeks. i only need it for GPA purposes (poor choices early on in my TESU enrollment have saddled me with a 1.92...), and i should still be able to make the July 1st deadline for September graduation this way. if it doesn't end up working the way i intend, i'll almost certainly be taking the Cornerstone next term, since i wouldn't be able to make the deadline at that point anyway.

[jsd]

What a complete waste of time and money. I'm glad they aren't charging full per-credit price for this, but it's still an absurd amount of money for an orientation course that you can probably finish in a day.

Condolences for those who have to take it.

[nataliedujour]

What a complete waste of time and money. I'm glad they aren't charging full per-credit price for this, but it's still an absurd amount of money for an orientation course that you can probably finish in a day.

Condolences for those who have to take it.

my main gripe is the course length... like you said, seems like the kind of thing that can be completed in a day, why make it a 3-month course?

[alzee]

i actually won't be taking the course this term; when i saw it was a full-term course, i opted to go with the first part of the PLA series since it's only 4 weeks. i only need it for GPA purposes (poor choices early on in my TESU enrollment have saddled me with a 1.92...), and i should still be able to make the July 1st deadline for September graduation this way. if it doesn't end up working the way i intend, i'll almost certainly be taking the Cornerstone next term, since i wouldn't be able to make the deadline at that point anyway.

Ahh. I'm in Dr. Drew's (hah) PLA100 course now myself, last week of it. I don't recognize your name so I suppose you're in the other one. Took the course for the same reason (gain GPA, avoid unknown cornerstone) but have ended up learning a bit in spite of myself.

[davewill]

The description does rather sound like something a video tutorial for Moodle and the student portal, and a good FAQ should be enough for. I suspect there MUST be more than that to it.

[jsd]

The course is up on the course listing page, but no syllabus yet. It's a "self-study" course, so no mentor apparently, which I imagine means no course work. Just time consumption.

I don't recall ever seeing this "self-study" description at TESU before, pretty sure it is new and just for the cornerstone

Self-Directed Courses
Self-Directed online courses provide an opportunity for students to learn independently. Like our e-Pack courses, students have the freedom to move through the course independently at a pace they control. Students are given all of the tools needed to complete the course without supervision. Therefore, Self-Directed courses foster a self-reliant learning experience where students work through the content provided in the course completely autonomously.

[jsd]

You know, considering there's possibly no coursework in this class, and given it's simplicity, and the fact that they have compared it to their epack courses, I wonder if this, like an ePack, is a Pass/Fail course with no letter grade awarded. If it turns out TESU is changing the GPA policy, this might put a damper on some folks' plans.

[alzee]

It does stink of a simple money grab, but given the GPA requirement, it's hard to complain. This otherwise useless course will fulfill it and is cheap. I'm still glad I went for the PLA instead, because this could have easily gone the other way, but anyone who does have to take this cornerstone should have an easy time of it.

Too bad the Capstone isn't such a cakewalk.