Learning Profile

Overall, the book is giving suggestions on how to deal with all possible situations that may occur when moving to college. The first part of the book begins by helping you adjust to the culture of college. It recommends setting goals and finding out what you’re passionate for. It helps you get settled and gives tips on how to manage your money along with how to prioritize. The second part of the book helps you figure out your learning style. It gives to tips on how to read material required, how to use your dominant intelligence, and how to sharpen your listening skills. It also gives tips on how to develop successful test taking skills. The final part of the book gives tips on how to prosper and explains the importance of loving what you do for a living.

As a learner my strengths consist of being very organized, having a good memory, being a very hard worker, and handling being put in charge very well. I have always been very organized. I have a place for everything. I always have a planner and write down anything, and everything, especially assignments. Some people have told me that I’m more than organized, that I’m a little obsessive compulsive. I have a very good memory. If I ever forget to study, I can study the night before and memorize the information for the time being. I can remember random facts and can usually remember information once I’ve heard it a couple of times. I am a very hard worker. If given a task I am determined to do it and do it well. I am also very good at being put in charge. If I’m ever given a group task, I automatically take charge. Because I’m so organized I can delegate jobs and be the person in charge.

As a learner my weaknesses consist of being a frequent procrastinator, having troubles when reading material given to me, and being creative. I often tend to procrastinate. Since I have come to college I have gotten better about it, but there are still occasions when I procrastinate. Also, I have a way of procrastinating in that I do a little here and a little there and then say I’ll work on it but always find something else to do instead of homework. Another weakness I have is reading information from a text book. I very seldom read books for pleasure and I think that is part of my problem. If I have to read out of a text book I have to take notes or I will read a page and then not know what I just read. Also, I have troubles being creative. I sometimes think that because I’m so organized it hinders me from being creative. I have a free side but it takes a lot of warming up to get it to come out.

When I first enrolled in the class I thought it was about things such as living in the dorms, and getting used to your classes, but I soon found out that it’s about much more than that. One of the major things that I have learned in this class is all about the resources that Butler has. Before this class I did not know anything about all of the ways that the library could help you. This is very important information to know because it could be very helpful when doing research of any kind. The people in there are very helpful and can most likely find you anything you need. Also it was good to find out the resources that are available on campus and in town for specific situations. Another thing I learned was some of the different traits that I have when it comes to my specific learning style. I also have found out a couple of study methods that work well for me.

Out of all of the assignments that we did in this class, the one that I enjoyed the most, by far, was the community service research. I think that I enjoyed it so much because I really have a passion for helping people in need. I spent an entire year working with Grains for Hope and I absolutely loved it. I miss working on a project like that because it gave me a sense of fulfillment. Not only did I enjoy helping people in need, but it also was like a job to me. I was able to be in charge of different projects and work with a lot of people that were very interesting. The other assignment that I enjoyed most was writing out my academic plan. I have my plan in my head and I know what I want to do, but it was very helpful to put it into writing and really have to evaluate what I want to do. The topic that was least helpful to me was the academic honesty paper. I already knew all of the information I put into my paper and I really didn’t learn anything new.
The topics in this class that I think should be kept are community service, academic plan, and Butler Resources. These were all very helpful to me and I think that they could be helpful to any student who is new to the college life. The topic that I think should be dropped is academic honesty. It was not that helpful to me and I don’t think it would be that helpful to most students. A topic that I think should be added is life on campus. This topic would be especially good for students in the first eight weeks of class. Of the methods used in class, the one I enjoyed least was group discussion. The people in the class did not take it seriously and it didn’t seem like much ever got accomplished. The method that I enjoyed most was working on the computers.

When it comes to surviving this course my suggestions are stay ahead of yourself, pay attention to discussion, and don’t be afraid to ask for help and suggestions. My biggest suggestion is to stay ahead of yourself. This is important because eight weeks is a very short time period. If you don’t stay ahead and do your blogs when they are assigned you are going to be stuck with all kinds of stuff to do at the very last minute. My second suggestion is to pay attention to discussion. In the discussion there is occasionally some good information that can be used when writing your blogs. Also if you don’t pay attention you won’t know what is assigned, when it’s due, and what is needed for the assignment. My final suggestion for surviving Student Connect is to not be afraid to ask for help. It is often hard to talk about yourself and evaluate yourself and that is a big part of what you do in this class. It can generally make it easier if you discuss everything with someone else and they can give you suggestions and tell you what they think.

I have taken a lot from this class. Because of it, I know how I learn best. I can use this not only in my classes but also in my career life. There is always something new to learn so now that I know how I learn best I can take advantage of that at any time. Also this will help me in my relationships. I know how I work best and I can find out easier now how other people work. Because I know more about myself I can have better relationships. Also I will no longer procrastinate as much because I know how I work best.

Butler Resources

Case Study #3 – Online Sexual Harassment

When a person is in danger and feels like they are being sexually harassed online the first thing they should do is tell someone about it. If they feel like the person could identify them in real life then they should create a new email address and only let people who they want to email them have it. If you feel like the stalker could identify you then you should talk with someone who can tell you whether or not to respond. Sometimes you can send a short email asking them to please leave you alone. This does not work in all situations though. Another thing to do is to keep the emails instead of deleting them so that you can show them to someone of authority. Find someone who knows a lot about computers and the internet and see if they can trace the emails to a sender. Also if you feel like you could be found in real life there is always security on campus, so use it. Even if you only have them walk you to your car after class, every little bit can help. Overall, there are many things a person can do if they are feeling alarmed. The most important thing though is to let someone know what is going on and do not keep it to yourself and think it will pass.

Websites
http://www.tinhat.com/harassment/cyberstalking_2.html
http://www.butlercc.edu/safety/index.cfm

Academic Honesty

By definition plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. Most people who plagiarize create many excuses as for why they do it. They try to justify their actions. No matter what there excuse is though, it cannot be justified. People use excuses such as “I didn’t have time to write my own,” or “I’m not creative enough.” One issue that is caused by cheating and plagiarism is the students who cheat create a curve in the grading scale which causes people who actually work hard to get lower grades. Another issue is that people who cheat are not getting a real education. They leave college not knowing anything because they did not do any of their own work. These people have a degree but are not fit to be in the work force. Another issue is that college prepares you for the rest of your life in many ways and if a person doesn’t get the full experience then they will not be prepared for the many situations to come in life. They will constantly have to look to someone else to show them what to do.

A couple of suggestions for stopping all of the cheating are practicing good study habits, having effect time and stress management skills, and by using your available resources. A good thing to do is to have a counselor help you enroll so that they can inform you of the approximate work load you will have. Another positive thing to do is to work, but not work to many hours. Do not make work more important than your education, and be sure to leave enough time to do your studies. And a final way is to start punishing people who are caught cheating. It is illegal so action needs to be taken.

Websites
http://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm#suggestions
http://web.grinnell.edu/writinglab/CitationGuides/achondiscuss.html
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html
http://www.sfu.ca/policies/teaching/t10-02.htmhttp://www.sfu.ca/policies/teaching/t10-02.htm

Academic Plan

As I have grown up I have changed my mind about what I want to be about a million times. I went through stages of wanting to be an actress, a real estate agent, an accountant, and of course a superstar. Through most of high school I planned on being a pediatrician. I have always loved kids so I thought a doctor would be a good option. Then I realized that I don’t like science, therefore being a doctor went out the window. For as long as I can remember I have said there is no way I’d be a teacher. It just didn’t sound appealing to me. But the more I started to think about it, the more I started to think it was a good idea. That is why my major now is elementary education.

I chose Butler for their vocal program. I auditioned and received a vocal scholarship which pays for books and tuition. That sounded like a pretty good deal to me. Another reason I chose Butler was because of their close ties with Emporia State. My original plan was to go to Emporia but once I found out how much I could get paid for by coming to Butler my mind was made up. I plan on graduating from Butler with an Associates Degree. I then plan to transfer to Emporia State to further my education and receive a degree.

Websites:
http://www.butlercc.edu/educationdiv/index.cfm
http://www.emporia.edu/teach/
http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/academics/education.asp
http://www.education.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education

Community Service

Three specific issues that bother me the most are child abuse, homelessness, and starving people. One issue that I have put a lot of time and effort into helping is starving people in Mozambique. In the past couple of years they have gone through a civil war where most of their male population was wiped out. The women and children have continued to suffer in the years that have followed. The women are working in the community along with running the homes. Children are working and have no schools to attend. Disease is spreading at alarming rates. One of their biggest issues is their diet. They lack nutrition of any kind in their diets.

My high school is attempting to make a difference to these people. We have started a non-for-profit organization called Grains For Hope. Grains For Hope’s goal is to build a factory in Mozambique to produce fortified rice for the people of Mozambique to have at all times. Right now we are at the point where we are getting ingredients donated by local businesses, having the rice extruded at K-State, and having it shipped over by freight. At this point we are only able to provide for one small community instead of all of Mozambique. It is a very slow process but every little bit helps. The people of Mozambique said that before they received this rice, they had no food to give their children. We are in need of anything that is offered to us. We have many contacts who donate ingredients and money. We even have some people working to get a factory built. But we will never be satisfied until all of Mozambique is being fed.

The information on Mozambique was taken from www.wikipedia.com. Information on Grains For Hope can be found at www.grainsforhope.org.

Coping with Change

There have been a lot of changes recently in my life and in my opinion I have coped very well. For 18 years I lived under my parents’ roof and have had to live according to their rules. Also, I was able to see my family friends every day, and now the people closest to me are three hours away. I am here all alone to cope. I have managed by talking on the phone, making extra trips home and opening up to my roommate. I have to make an extra effort to talk to people I don’t know because I’ve always talked to the same people. I find when I do open up, people are very nice and are wiling to be my friends. Basically, I just remind myself to be more outgoing and know that I can handle the distance because of the friends I can make here.

Even though I sometimes don’t like this change it is obvious that it had to occur. I never would’ve wanted to stay living with my parents, but this change has made me realize how much I like my hometown. For as long as I can remember I was dying to get out of Sabetha and now that I am out, I've found I wouldn’t mind going back. High school was a lot easier than college because the classes were easier. In high school I wasn't to worried about my education and now that I’m in college and am paying for my education, I take it more seriously. The biggest change though was going out on my own. It is fun for the most part, but when a girl who's mom took very good care of her is shopping for groceries, toilet paper and the necessities she realizes a change has occurred.

Time Management

When I was in high school my time consisted of school, my two jobs, my family, my boyfriend, and all of my other friends. Now that I am in college my time consists mainly of school and work because my family and friends are three hours away. I think I have gotten better at prioritizing as I’ve started college. In my senior year my classes were not the most difficult. I was basically just “hanging out” until it was time to graduate. Because of this, my focus went mainly to my job and my boyfriend. I was a dental assistant for three years and I loved my job so I devoted a lot of time to it. Also I was in a new relationship so I devoted a lot of time to that as well. Once I turned 18, my parents and I began to argue a lot. I think it was because I was ready to go out on my own and they were trying to hold on. It caused some pressure between us so I spent even more time with my boyfriend. With time, and as I live further away I am learning how to prioritize. When I go home I now try to spend equal time with my family and with my friends. I also try to combine time and let them hang out together because they are all very important to me. I have also learned to manage my time better with my studies because these classes mean a lot to me, as compared to my high school classes. I am no longer just “hanging out.” Now I am getting an education so that I can do something I enjoy for the rest of my life. I feel like college has helped me a lot with my time management because I am realizing what’s truly important to me.

Some time management tips that I found on the internet on www.about.com are realize that time management is a myth, find out where you're wasting time, create time management goals, implement a time management plan, use time management tools, prioritize ruthlessly, learn to delegate and/or outsource, establish routines and stick to them as much as possible, get in the habit of setting time limits for tasks, be sure your systems are organized, and don't waste time waiting.