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Strategies for Success in Graduate Study Jennifer Ton HCS 504 October 24, 2011 Elwanda Whitaker Strategies for Success in Graduate Study Online learning system at University of Phoenix (UOPX) designed for working adult who wants to earn degree while working. Students can obtain the degree and maintain full function at their jobs. UOPX online program has multiple online resources available to assist student access research materials, tutorials, mathematics, statistic, and writing resources (UOPX, 2006-2011). The university resources have the purpose to assist students to develop writing skills according university APA format.
RiverPoint writer tool can automatically adjust spacing, grammar correction, and develop citation reference. According to university code of conduct, using unauthorized works or copy someone else’s ideas are violated and considered plagiarism (UOPX, 2011). Plagiarism checker is a safe tool provided by university library to check plagiarism before student submits the paper. Tutorial and guides resources are helpful in writing APA paper. In research study, university library has thousands of articles in EBscohort, ProQuest, and Gale Powersearch.
UOPX library offers built-in support and rigorous education with technical support team stay online to support for any software issues with easy follow instructions (UOPX, 2011). Graduate study is an advanced program that deepens into one’s professional knowledge. The program is guidance for research study, leadership, and management skills in a specific area of study. Graduate study instructed people to expand their expertise into research and build in the ability to solve complex problems. According to Delmonte (2011) “Graduate education focuses on quality management principles and aimed to create the best management in quality principles. (p. 30). Graduate students will maintain ability in management and research to become a strong leader with extensive ability to change and prepare for a quality management of an organization. Graduate study is an advance degree; it is in depth of research study. It enhances the ability of communication skills. A good leader develops strong communication in writing and verbal (Brian, 1994). A strong manager knows how to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing who has become a success in the career. As a critical care nurse for many years, I have challenged everyday to save lives.
I feel like to need to step forward to advance my knowledge to do a better job in nursing. I decide to pursue graduate study with the purpose of career advancement. Acquiring master’s degree, I have more opportunity to take a role in leadership, management, and education. The challenges in health care take an encouragement to acquire higher education. During the long journey in graduate study, my short term goal is to strive for successful of each semester with a high GPA. My long term goal would be a completion of MSN program within 24-month period.
Afterward, I like to work with nursing students whom I can share my knowledge, skills, and experience. Making a decision to go back to school after many years of working, I know that I will have to face some of challenges during my study. Financial is the first come in my mind when I decide to go back to school. I have responsibility day-to-day living such as payments, debts, mortgage, and loans while paying for graduate study at the same time. I would need support from my family emotionally and financially. In addition, I will make a plan to minimize debts as possible; avoid unnecessary expenses, and budget cut.
I take advantage of employee tuition reimbursement program from my job to pay for the class. Because of the chaotic from job, responsibilities, and school, ineffective time management will be a big challenge that I have to overcome. I have responsible to maintain my full time job, raise children, and study at the same time. The entire scheduled load with responsible as a parent, spouse, and an employee and a student, I know that I would need to learn to manage time wisely. I have to make a well plan for school, work, and family activities in an organized manner.
According to Dr Sergey Dudiy, “with the good time management skills, you are in control of your time and your life; you are able to maintain balance between your work, personal, and family lives” (2002). Life is full of hassles, frustrations, deadlines, and demands. Stress overload will become a big obstacle to success. To overcome this challenge, I have to manage my life according to my needs and preference. I need to learn to avoid procrastination and become flexible facing changes. Stress happened to everyone in every day live. I need to take a positive way to reduce stress.
To overcome the challenges to achieve goals, I know that I have to commit myself to work and study. I have to devote as much time as I need to achieve the goals. I need to make a practical plan to implement action. I will continue to review my goals and keep me motivate and focus on the goals, and more aware of ideas and opportunities. In graduate study, communication is one of the key for success. Efficient communication makes interaction with people more effective (Higginbothan, Kim, Scally, 2007). My strength in communication skill is that I am straight-forward with every situation.
When issue arises, I like to discuss and solve it. I like to keep thing as simple as possible. I speak in a sincere voice tone. I respect others point of view and I am a good listener. I can maintain calm attitude and I can talk to assist others from becoming aggravate. However, sometimes I am weak in delivering messages with others. The tension from the crowd distracts me during speaking in front large group of people. The ideas and thoughts that I have stated do not reflect what I think. I am easily forgotten what my main point is during the conversation.
I am weak when the conversation starts and leads the discussion. In some occasion, I am also weak in the area that I choose to listen more than participation. Online learning system is convenience for adult working learner; however, it creates some problems between students and faculty regarding communication quality, lack of involvement in the class, and unmet educational needs. To improve student learning productivity in online classes, faculty may facilitate effective communication methods aim to increase the productivity of online learning (Meyer, McNeal, 2011).
In online learning, faculty may need to organize course effectively and make course syllabus easy to understand. Students and faculty develop a communication method through chat room, e-mail, or personal phone. Faculty encourages students to ask questions and respond in a timely manner with feedback on the assignment or projects. Students are responsible to communicate regularly with the faculty and being flexible for any unexpected changes. Faculty may increase interaction with students by develop a better access to students by posting date and time available for questions 24 hours before assignment due.
Graduate study is an advanced program that guides students into a leadership role and research study. It strengthens one’s career and creates best skills in management to bring successful into the organization. However, there are challenges that a student has to face to overcome during the journey to success: financial, effective time management, and stress. A student can find the strategies to overcome these challenges, and students will strive hard to overcome the difficulties to meet their goals. References Delmonte, A. J. (2011, April). Quality Management Education in Graduate Degrees. (p. 30) Dudiy, S. (2002). Time Management Skills and Techniques. Retrieved from http://www. Time- Management-Guide. com Higginbotham, J. D. , Kim, K. , & Scally, C. (June 2007). The Effect of the Communication Output Method on Augmented Interaction. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23(2), 140-153. Meyer, K. A. , & McNeal, L. (August 1, 2011). Journal of Asynchronous Learning Network. How Online Faculty Improve Student Learning Productivity, 15(3), 37-39. University of Phoenix (2011). Retrieved from http://www. phoenix. edu. /students/how-it-works/how-learning-formats. html