Interesting Classes

I started looking into the community college for next semester. I want to take an internet class. It won't be for my degree. I am going to take it so that I feel like I have something in my life besides being a mom. I am not having much luck thinking of a hobby, so I thought this might help me get interested in things again. Plus, I have awhile to decide what looks interesting. There are so many options out there.

I was just wondering what classes you guys have taken that were interesting/fun to you. Why did you like it?

I teach Environmental Science, which at the introductory level engages in a discussion of not only how the natural environment works, but also how our actions at a variety of levels impact the environment.  In my class, I stress tools that we can use personally, as well as on local, state, and regional scales to reduce our impact.  No science background for a course like this is required.  I get great feedback from my students, so you might want to look into a similar course!  I always learn something every quarter and I am the instructor!

good luck!

If I were to take a class, I would probably take a horticulture course.

cheree,

what kind of background do you have to teach environmental science courses?  I have a BA in environmental studies and political science...and to be honest I've been having a lot of trouble coming up with environmental jobs I am qualified for that aren't grassroots campaigning (not that its not a noble job...I just need money as well haha)

The past few months since I've graduated I have thought about looking into what had to be done to teach at a community college or university level...what kind of experience, training do I need etc?

So I'm jsut curious as to what path got you to where you are!

i majored in history and lovedddd history classes.  but i wish i had more time to take more classes - if i could i would have taken some psychology, economics (not for fun but because i'm ignorant in the subject), gender studies, art history maybe, more french classes.  maybe taking a language class would be fun?

lulu, are you looking for an academic course or something more practical?

many of my all-time favourite courses (and i've taken about a million of them) did not go toward either of my degrees, except as electives.  i try not to read too much into that ;)

i loved The Rise of North American Architecture, which was an upper-level undergrad Art History class. 

The Health of Indigenous People (graduate, in the Community Health program) was amazing: challenging, but it really changed my perspective on Indigenous issues.

Literature of the Bible was invaluable in adding to my appreciation of literature in general.

and my upper-level Shakespeare class was something i wouldn't exchange for anything.  we had to form groups and perform scenes from the plays, and that's how i met my best friend.

(okay, those last two were part of my BA).

but i agree with cheree: horticulture or environmental studies would be great.  i'd also love to take a course in furniture making or cabinetry.  or welding.  but those are not so good for on-line ;)

edit: i forgot Social Psychology.  sooo enlightening.

I did some college while in high school and didn't go the traditional college route after graduation.  I'll eventually try and get a degree in something, but until then I've just taken random classes for things I want/like to do.  For example I'm taking a rock climbing class, so I'll get credits doing something I already LOVE doing, meet new climbing buddies AND get credit for it!

But I guess you were wanting something online, so if that were the case for me I'd take an art appreciation class or some kind of history class :)

I have a PhD in Environmental Science.  My bachelors was in Env. Engineering.  To teach at the community college level you need a Master's degree.  You might look for a 1 year masters degree program in Environmental Education.  This also qualifies you to teach at small private colleges - especially vocational colleges, which almost always have general education courses including environmental science.  Where I live, a community college gig is great - the pay is good, benefits are great and work schedule is very flexible.

I'm with pg.... my favorite classes had nothing to do with my major. I like international affairs courses, history courses and photo classes. My foreign language classes were a lot of fun for me as well.

I would just take something you're interested in if you're just doing it for fun.

Oh! and Lulu,

I reccomend an environmental science class as well...I love it.  I got into it by taking a geology class, which seemed a bit pointless for my life but interesting nonetheless.

Also, I find sociology classes very interesting...teaches you about how people interact etc.

a design class would be cool, and something that could be delivered effectively on-line.  i'd look for something general that could be applied to different contexts and media: interior, landscape, photo, etc.

edit: i feel like i have to clarify my statement about delivery.  i've only taken two web-based courses (registered in three, dropped one because it was IMPOSSIBLE), and they've been horrid.  they were graduate courses (social work ethics and quantitative research).  i got A+ in both, but they were poorly organized, poorly delivered, and totally inappropriate for that kind of learning.  so...choose carefully.

i feel like i have to clarify my statement about delivery.  i've only taken two web-based courses (registered in three, dropped one because it was IMPOSSIBLE), and they've been horrid.  they were graduate courses (social work ethics and quantitative research).  i got A+ in both, but they were poorly organized, poorly delivered, and totally inappropriate for that kind of learning.  so...choose carefully.

 

This is what I am kind of afraid of. I have visions of myself signing up for a class just for something interesting to do and having it turn into this nightmare class that demands crazy amounts of work and time (which I just don't have with 3 little kids and a baby). I guess I could always drop it if I have to.

Right now (because of post partum depression issues...which is being treated) I don't have alot of things that interest me. Thats why I am asking what interests you guys so that I can see what is out there. I like what I am hearing so far. I never even thought of enviornmental science. And I seem to remember liking history. I like digital photography, too, but I need to be careful what class I sign up for, because some of these classes require crazy amounts of work. I am not scared of hard work, but I am also not looking to be a full time student. Just one class!

I know each class is different, but approx. how much time do you think one class takes, with homework and all? A few hours a day five days a week? Its been a long time since I've been in school! And the one interenet course I did take was ethics (had to take it) and it was alot of essays.

My favorite class ever was photography... but you can't take that on-line, but it would or could lead to a GREAT hobby.

one thing to consider, lulu: i know you said you're not looking for something to go toward a degree, but if you ever do decide to pursue a degree, all credited post-secondary courses will be considered when you apply for admission.  so if you're worried that you might have to withdraw, you probably should look for a non-credit course.

that way - meh.  you're just in it to learn what you can learn, and if it's not working for you, you've only lost the fee.

as far as the on-line delivery, look for a school that specializes in that and has been doing it for a long time (my school is shifting in that direction, because a big part of its mandate is to make higher education accessible to those in remote northern communities.  they're just not very good at it yet).

Wanted to add my own experience with an online class, which is along the lines of what pgeorgian is talking about.

I have always enjoyed writing, and thought that a writing class would be a fun way to maybe learn some new skills and hone my talents a little.  My schedule would not allow for a "real" class, so I signed up for an online one through my local community college.

I learned some valuable lessons.  First, one of the biggest benefits of any type of "art" class (be it drawing, writing, painting, etc.) is being able to get feedback from others.  The course I found said it used discussion forums and whatnot, so I thought it would be a suitable substitute.

Wrong.  There were (as far as I could tell) over 200 people registered for this one class.  There is no way you can have any sort of meaningful feedback/discussion when there are that many people.  Not to mention, there was only one "teacher," and with that many "students," she simply didn't have the time to write more than a few sentences to any one person.

I also found out, when it was too late to ask for a refund, that the course description had grossly overstated the level of the class.  They said that the course would be helpful for "beginning writers ready to move to the next level."  They should have just said "Beginning writers."  About 95% of the course material was stuff that I could find for free online with a Google search...and I'd paid $85.00. 

I guess my point is, be sure to do some research into exactly what you'll get from the course.  Call the college and ask questions about the number of students who will be allowed to register, especially if it's a course that would be greatly enriched by discussion, and see if you can find a detailed syllabus or course description that'll tell you what you can expect to learn each week.  And also, fire up Google and see if you can find some free forums online, like maybe some online reading groups.  Or maybe even some things like that in your local area that you could work into your schedule and go to in person.

I'm sure that in some areas, an online class is just as good as the real thing.  But for others, not so much. 

hey lulu - why on-line?  because considering what you've told us, maybe an excuse to get out of the house and meet new people is closer to what you need.  you know?

justlaura, thats some great advice. Thank you so much! I noticed I am posting ALOT on cc forums, and thats why I thought a class might be a good idea. I figure it would give me something productive to do (not that all you cc'ers aren't great:)  )

pgeorgian,  I thought online woulde be a great option because I am limited to working on it at night and when I have a babysitter. I can't be guaranteed when my husband will be home (alot of times he works late) and I don't always have a babysitter. The kids are at my moms one day a week, so I guess a one day class would be an option at a campus, if they have one on the day I need. I should look into it. Although, I am not that close to any campus so I thought on-line would be a great option.

When I was in uni, I took "North American Popular Music" even though I was a science major. It was pretty neat and an easy A grade course. Unfortunately, there was a two-week teacher's strike that semester so we only got up to the 1960's. It was neat to view music in a different way though and to learn about its history.

Recently, I took my first online course in modern nutrition and wellness. I hated doing it online. My textbook never arrived in the mail, barely anyone posted on the message board and the powerpoint slides the instructor provided as notes were not the best resource. I feel like I wasted my money. I didn't learn very much that I couldn't learn on CC!

I've taken a lot of online courses.

My favorites have been anything involving theology. tons of fun

I had a class last semester that I got to develop my own utopian society as a semester long project for a sociology couse, those are fun online.

Criminalogy was fun online as well.

Think about things that inspire discussion and debate and those are the best classes.

Creative Writing and English classes are fun too.

Most of your grade, or at least a lot are based on the forum discussions, so you want something that is going to inspire you to come back and talk about it!

A practical class:  I just recently finished a great sewing class.  It was a super fun time and now I can make my own suits for work!

No prob, I'm happy to help! :)

I did want to add that the class I ended up taking was not actually done by the college.  It was from an outside company that provided this kind of service to community colleges.  So I signed up through my local college, paid them...but the class was taught by another entity altogether.

It's possible that if the college is actually offering the course themselves and not using an outside provider, the course would be much more fulfilling and less like being in a herd of virtual cattle.  :)

 

I had a class last semester that I got to develop my own utopian society as a semester long project for a sociology couse

 

Wow! That sounds almost like a computer game. Interesting.

Being "in a herd of virtual cattle" doesn't sound that great!

Thanks guys. I am actually getting excited about my options. What a great feeling.