Student overachiever

I tend to impose a lot on myself; I always know that there is more that can be done, and I can think of ways to move things to a higher level.

It is no surprise that I am doing this with school. Naturally, I think my ways of being extra make perfect sense and are quite wise.

It really comes down to three things in general (though as I make decisions on prepping for my first proctored examination, there may be some extra-ness there too).

The first thing to know that may help all of this make sense is that my degree plan consists of twelve classes, taken consecutively. (I have passed the first class, and have scheduled the final assessment for the second class for Thursday). 

My goals are basically focused around those twelve classes. Obviously I want (and need) to pass each class. In addition, for each class I am thinking of three things.

Interview one person connected with the industry (Education and Instructional Design).

Almost as soon as I announced that I was pursuing this degree, friends were letting me know contacts they had that did training. I also know many teachers, whom I believe will  have good insight.

I have interviewed one person. She was previously unknown to me, and is probably a good contact to have.

Now, is the more important part of this goal getting insights from other people or making new contacts so that I will have a network in place by the time I am a recent college graduate?

I don't know. I mean, I suppose I could add some contacts without interviewing them.

Either way, I need to make my second contact soon.

Read additional material.

From my undergraduate work, I can think of at least three textbooks where we were only assigned some of the chapters but I read all of them.

I am not saying I will do that with everything we read a portion of; that would be completely impractical. However, sometimes there are books that are referenced that seem like they could be valuable. Reading books comes very naturally to me.

For Learning Technology, it was Metaphors We Live By, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. It was a bit repetitive (as philosophical works of language tend to be) but the ideas were pretty interesting.

Now, for Assessment and Learning Analytics, I have requested Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice, by Anne Meyer.

It seems like a safe bet that each class will mention at least one title that I will think is interesting. Of course, that will tend to put me further behind on my other intended reading, but I want to know that I am really getting this material, and not just scraping by.

Building a portfolio.

This was a suggestion from my first interview, so that I have a body of work demonstrating that I can do things. 

In this case, I am not planning on one per class, which I suspect will not be practical. Well, if some of the position papers will count, then maybe I will have twelve, but this is the area where my ideas are the least solid. Some of the coming classes will have projects that lend themselves very well. I will need to see as I go.

Right now my main project is cleaning my room. For the proctored exam, there is an extent to which it needs to be clear you are not trying to cheat by leaving notes and reminders around. I am almost certainly taking it to neurotic extremes.

Plus, there is this other area. I will get to that next Tuesday.