Naku parang one year ko pala hindi na update tong blog. Kasi naman, ang boring pala ng life ng online stupident. Wala akong physical na kaklase. Last year na meet ko sila dahil sa isang field work pero hindi na naulit. Tapos yung ibang mga kaklase ko parang mga kalabaw mag reply sa online forums, puro “oo nga, oo nga”. Puro agree agree, for crying out loud mag disagree naman di ba? O kaya wag na lang gumaya sa mga naunang sagot.

Heniwey, nag LOA kasi ako last sem. Wala kasing pang-enroll.  Hindi naman porke’t iskolar ako ng bayan eh mura ang tuition. Ang mahal kaya! Buti na nga lang hindi ako covered ng bagong increase. Kaya hayun patatlo-tatlong units lang ang ineenrol ko.  Kelan pa kaya ako matatapos nito?

Pero ngayon, enrolled na ulit ako. Video production kuning kuning. Paano kaya to wala naman akong video equipment, pwede kaya gamitin ang cellphone o digicam video? Pang youtube lang quality nun eh.

Eto namang Learning Center ko, hindi nilinaw na male-late na pala ako ng registration, nagbayad pa tuloy ako ng delivery fee ng materials eh pwede ko namang pick-apin yun sa learning center. Kelan kaya darating yun?

Sana lang madalas ko pang ma-update ang blog na ito. Let’s just wait and see!

If any person would think that being an online stupident is easier than the conventional way of learning, I will give him a slap on the face, on both cheeks.

My gulay!  It takes an incredible amount of self-discipline to learn through the open and distance learning system. I should know, I’m the king of procrastination in this side of town.

I’ve yet to finish my assignment, I still have to do my activities, and I still have to contribute to the online discussions.  I have to do these things while doing my work, while browsing friendster (hah, go figure) and finishing my limewire downloads. 

But seriously, those who are so used to the conventional way of learning will have the shock of their lives when they go online.  They will even have withdrawal symptoms since they are so used to the traditional way of learning.  I should know, I’m so used to the personal chika chika with classmates.  It’s not easy when you realize you are actually doing this on your own.

It feels weird being an online student. I seriously miss going to an actual classroom, seeing new faces, analyzing who’s going to be friendly, who’s the “maangas”, who’s the nagmamarunong and the like.

In the virtual/online classroom you get to show only your game face, your best, a virtual facade. They will not see if you stutter when you speak, if you have an accent, or if you will actually recite in class. You can prepare your online responses in advance and you can edit and re-edit them until you have a perfect reply. Then they can all be in awe at your infinite wisdom.

Or not.

I am still wondering when my other professor will “show up”. And we are supposed to submit an assignment by June 22. Heck I don’t even know if he’s a breathing, living, human being, or he’s a computer generated professor from the bowels of UPOU’s intricate program servers.

Well, it’s the 2nd day since I have attempted to get a username and password through UPOU’s tech support.

Yesterday I sent an email request. Waited.

Nothing.

Then, I sent the request through the Helpdesk. Waited.

Nothing.

Then I resent the email again. Waited.

Nothing.

Then I sent a text message. Nadah.

Umiinit na ulo ko.

Hello! Welcome to my new blog. I created this because I wanted to have a separate space to share my experiences as a student, or as Ruby fondly calls us, “Stupident”.

I am currently enrolled at the UP Open University and I am taking my Masters of Development Communication.

So how is it so far?

Nothing. I’m getting nothing.

It’s like I walk into the schoolyard and there are no classrooms.

Why?

Because I have yet to get access to the IVLE (Integrated Virtual Learning Environment), since this is the online system used by my subject on Development Communication Concepts and Approaches. I already asked for a username and password through UPOU techsupport and it has been a day and I’ve yet to receive any confirmation that my request was even received. Talk about support right?

I have already created a user account for Moodle (used by my elective on Psychology of Reading) but moodle is undergoing maintenance. Great. I do not have access to my other subject’s virtual classroom, and this one is closed for maintenance. What a great way to start my week as an online stupident.

Hmmm I wonder if I could get a refund?