What is dual enrollment through distance learning really like? Will it be too hard for your high school student? How will he interact with his professors? Hear a student’s perspective on the distance learning experience, today on Home School Heartbeat with HSLDA President Mike Smith.
Mike Smith:
Benjamin Garber, a homeschool graduate, joins us again today to discuss another aspect of his experience with dual enrollment. Benjamin, did you discover that taking community college classes presented you with any unexpected challenges? How did you respond to them?
Benjamin Garber:
Well, actually, there were a few challenges. With my first Spanish course, there were some deadlines that were somewhat difficult to meet. And I hadn’t been used to having such strict deadlines when I was in high school. But I got up earlier in the mornings and worked hard, and I was able to complete my assignments on time, and the course went really well.
Mike:
Did you find the classroom experience was difficult for you?
Benjamin:
There actually wasn’t all that much of a classroom experience, because it was all distance learning. It was a very good experience, I think.
Mike:
How about the course material? Was it harder, easier, different, what?
Benjamin:
Well, it was quite different. You might think it was somewhat difficult to take a distance learning Spanish course, but it was actually quite doable. Any language has basically four parts: reading, writing, listening, speaking. So for the reading portion, obviously there was the textbook. For the listening portion, we had audio CDs that I could listen to, for the writing portion, I would send emails to my professor, and for the speaking, I would leave messages on my professor’s voice mail.
Mike:
Benjamin, thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure it will be helpful to many families listening as they make decisions for their high schoolers. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.
