Studying Online

New post for IE Business School blog – Studying online at http://online-masters.blogs.ie.edu/2009/12/21/studying_online/

In case the link does not work anymore, please see the original post posted below:

“Well, folks, I know that it has been a while since the last blog post. Truth be told, the last few weeks were extremely busy at the Master in Digital Marketing 2010 with wrapping up individual and group projects, finishing the Digital Communication & Awareness course, posting for the forums, and last but not least working on yet another section for the business plan for Entrepreneurship.

It is not easy. I am working on this Masters’s with an average pace of 12 hours/day every day. And it is frustrating… I can only imagine how my colleagues that have day jobs feel and moreover how they manage to be prepared for the forums and participate. I must say that everyone is stretching it to the limit and manages to come up with great content and ideas. But to understand that, you probably need to know how online studying is structure.

Each and every week, we have 2 or 3 courses
We shall prepare for, come up with either an individual or a group assignment report
Then we go into discussing it from Monday to Friday posting answers to professors’ questions, expressing views, or simply giving insights based on personal experiences.
Usually, every class session is wrapped up by the prof and served as a summary of key points for the topic discussed.

It might all seem too much for many of you, but to tell you the truth it is not much different from working in a high paced working environment. However, great discipline, focus, and prioritization are required for succeeding in following it all. At first, this might seem impossible, but soon after the start, things get to the point that one realizes that it is possible. After all, your colleagues are just as much as you are aware that this is a team. they show readiness to help, motivate, and support when you find it difficult. And I should know.. I have been blessed with great team players in my group.

That’s all for the Year 2009. I will you all Happy Holidays and all the best in 2010!”