Has anyone here taken the Online version of SLS? If so, how did you like/ how'd it compare to the real in class version?
Thanks!
PS- I already have Wing/CC permission for this, I'm just curious how others felt!
I have taken it but I haven't done it in person so I can't compare the two. From some of the feedback that I have heard, there is probably more interaction with the online course because everyone is required to participate and you can't just sit in the back of the class.
Quote from: kwe1009 on November 27, 2015, 11:47:45 PM
I have taken it but I haven't done it in person so I can't compare the two. From some of the feedback that I have heard, there is probably more interaction with the online course because everyone is required to participate and you can't just sit in the back of the class.
Nobody just sits in the back of the class in my classroom. Everyone participates, or is offered the door.
Quote from: SarDragon on November 28, 2015, 05:42:54 AM
Quote from: kwe1009 on November 27, 2015, 11:47:45 PM
I have taken it but I haven't done it in person so I can't compare the two. From some of the feedback that I have heard, there is probably more interaction with the online course because everyone is required to participate and you can't just sit in the back of the class.
Nobody just sits in the back of the class in my classroom. Everyone participates, or is offered the door.
That is how I would handle it if I was teaching the class but that depends on the instructor unfortunately.
I wasted a weekend taking in-class SLS that was more of a pilots story session than anything else. I learned NOTHING new.
I took CLC online and learned a lot. Very professionally run course, lots of thought provoking question sessions, etc. Very pleased with the course.
As has already been said, it depends on the instructors.
Quote from: Dad2-4 on November 28, 2015, 10:54:25 PM
I wasted a weekend taking in-class SLS that was more of a pilots story session than anything else. I learned NOTHING new.
I took CLC online and learned a lot. Very professionally run course, lots of thought provoking question sessions, etc. Very pleased with the course.
As has already been said, it depends on the instructors.
I hope you noted that in the course eval you submitted. If they were so bad that they didn't hand out those forms, you should have notified the next higher PD folks of these deficiencies.
I did indeed write a fairly detailed course eval. Of course I don't know if things changed in future courses.
I'm still waiting for the go-ahead on this course. There are a few of us in my area waiting for the online SLS to get started and haven't heard anything. I'm assuming we're waiting on the class to fill up.
I would recommend taking both the online and in person. You will learn something out of both. This is the way the Air Force does a lot of their PD as well. You can take the online version and then you can go do that class in person.
I'm one of the instructors for the NSLS. Are there any questions that I may help with?
I enjoyed the online version more.
Quote from: kcebnaes on November 27, 2015, 09:52:35 PM
Has anyone here taken the Online version of SLS? If so, how did you like/ how'd it compare to the real in class version?
I started the online SLS then dropped it about mid way. It REALLY dragged. Software issues contributed to the slow and painful pace, but mostly it was the online, serial killer format. FWIW, since then I've seen some education research that pretty clearly demonstrates that online courses offer inferior learning environments for most subjects when compared to 'in person' (aka "contact) environments. Especially if the setting is small group. Based on that experience I doubt I'll enroll in another CAP online course UNLESS there is a significant visual/face-to-face aspect with real time interaction. To date I've not seen much in my CAP Region that suggests willingness to adopt video teleconferencing tools that allow multiple hookups with real time multidirectional communication. These tools are common in at least some Courts, and are becoming increasingly common in many businesses. FWIW, my wife is wrapping up an MPA program with a major university. I'd say all of her 'seminars' really amount to directed reading self study. There are a recorded video presentations by some instructors, and by some other experts in the fields of study for her degree. But, as any of us might imagine, death by Powerpoint differs in only small ways from euthanasia by video. My son recently completed several upper division courses online for his degree in Asian Studies. Again it was directed self study with a heavy dose of (recorded) Powerpoints and videos. Frankly, I'm surprised that universities are still stuck in the timewarp from the 1990's?! So here's the punch line: If your intent is to "check the box" so you can get on with it in CAP's professional development schema do the online SLS. If you are fortunate you may have an instructor who can at least use GoToMeeting or it's multimedia, multiparticipant participation encouraging equivalent. Otherwise, invest in the travel necessary to complete the course in a contact setting.
Quote from: kcebnaes on November 27, 2015, 09:52:35 PM
Has anyone here taken the Online version of SLS? If so, how did you like/ how'd it compare to the real in class version?
Thanks!
PS- I already have Wing/CC permission for this, I'm just curious how others felt!
I did the Online SLS via Wyoming Wing and got a lot from it. I chose to do the online version mainly because there was no way I could take the time way from work / home to travel to an SLS.
I wouldn't argue with anything that Live2Learn wrote but, when I was asked by the course director about enforcing 'in person' classes for SLS and CLC my feedback was that it needed to be available in both formats OR both classes had to be offered
regularly as 'in person' in **every** wing; simply telling potential students to get on a plane and fly halfway across the country is a poor option, IMHO.
I've undertaken extensive education via 'the web' and in-person, and a mix of formats gives more people the option to attend.
Quote from: Brit_in_CAP on December 09, 2015, 03:23:00 PM
Quote from: kcebnaes on November 27, 2015, 09:52:35 PM
Has anyone here taken the Online version of SLS? If so, how did you like/ how'd it compare to the real in class version?
Thanks!
PS- I already have Wing/CC permission for this, I'm just curious how others felt!
I did the Online SLS via Wyoming Wing and got a lot from it. I chose to do the online version mainly because there was no way I could take the time way from work / home to travel to an SLS.
I think that's the basis for most people who wish to take something online.
Most people in CAP can't use weekdays to fulfill any CAP training, and many can't use that one weekend for professional development courses. It isn't a military environment where we're mandated to attend a training course and that's all we do. It isn't college where we can build our own schedule based on pre-existing course structures and times.
An in-person course would be much more beneficial, in my opinion, than an online course. But it's very hard for some of us to get to the in-person courses, especially if they're only offered once a year at a time that we just can't make it.
I did the Online SLS via Wyoming Wing and got a lot from it. I chose to do the online version mainly because there was no way I could take the time way from work / home to travel to an SLS.
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I think that's the basis for most people who wish to take something online.
Most people in CAP can't use weekdays to fulfill any CAP training, and many can't use that one weekend for professional development courses. It isn't a military environment where we're mandated to attend a training course and that's all we do. It isn't college where we can build our own schedule based on pre-existing course structures and times.
An in-person course would be much more beneficial, in my opinion, than an online course. But it's very hard for some of us to get to the in-person courses, especially if they're only offered once a year at a time that we just can't make it.
[/quote]
The same could be said about RSC. This has been a major roadblock to attending one. Or, create an online portion with prework and an in-residence part on a weekend.
Or you could do one of the PME equivalents and use the time off for other stuff.
The PMEs that I saw are all in residence courses unless I'm not reading correctly.
Quote from: Toad1168 on December 11, 2015, 09:19:06 PM
The PMEs that I saw are all in residence courses unless I'm not reading correctly.
SOS, ACSC, and AWC can all be done by distance and you'll get credit for them. As well as the equivalent courses through the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, plus all of the enlisted PME.... What are you reading?
And that's what I thought. That those qualified. But when I looked up the info on level 4 all I could find was four in-residence courses
Quote from: Toad1168 on December 11, 2015, 09:42:54 PM
And that's what I thought. That those qualified. But when I looked up the info on level 4 all I could find was four in-residence courses
Take a look at 50-17. It lists all of the CAP PD/PME equivalents.
Awesome. Thanks
QuoteThe same could be said about RSC. This has been a major roadblock to attending one. Or, create an online portion with prework and an in-residence part on a weekend.
I recently completed the distance learning version of squadron officer school, which is a PME equivalent for RSC for this very reason. It was time-intensive and demanding and it took me a year of self-paced work to complete it. I don't recommend it for everyone. Online rarely means easier. In fact it's often the opposite that holds true.
In my case I had to decide if I could take five days off and use that vacation to attend a seminar versus investing a few hours each week over the course of a year and sacrificing some evenings when I'd rather have been Xbox-ing. It was worth it to have the option and to have alternative methods available to me.
FYI, you must be a Captain Or higher AND have completed a Bachelors degree or higher to enroll.
Just an update on myself---
I pulled out of the online course. Regional and Group didn't seem to big on the online course this year, specifically in regard to the teleconferencing activities, which would really eat up my schedule. The online discussion system I thought would be beneficial for my schedule seemed to be usurped by the fact that we would have to spend 2 hours every Tuesday night conducting a video chat with the class. One of the squadrons I regularly attend meets on Tuesday evenings, and I'd rather attend the squadron meeting than the training webinar since that was the whole reason behind this debacle to begin with.
I'll just snatch the in-person session the next time it's offered at Wing PDO weekend. :)
Thanks for the information though, folks. Muchly appreciated.
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on December 22, 2015, 10:00:37 PM
Just an update on myself---
I pulled out of the online course. Regional and Group didn't seem to big on the online course this year, specifically in regard to the teleconferencing activities, which would really eat up my schedule. The online discussion system I thought would be beneficial for my schedule seemed to be usurped by the fact that we would have to spend 2 hours every Tuesday night conducting a video chat with the class. One of the squadrons I regularly attend meets on Tuesday evenings, and I'd rather attend the squadron meeting than the training webinar since that was the whole reason behind this debacle to begin with.
I'll just snatch the in-person session the next time it's offered at Wing PDO weekend. :)
Thanks for the information though, folks. Muchly appreciated.
There is an SLS at Camp Atterbury on the 30-31 of January
Also, the NSLS is getting ready to start classes in January.
Quote from: jjmalott on December 23, 2015, 08:30:38 AM
Also, the NSLS is getting ready to start classes in January.
That's the one I skipped out on.
Quote from: Alaric on December 22, 2015, 11:33:12 PM
There is an SLS at Camp Atterbury on the 30-31 of January
That's a 700-mile round-trip drive. Not gonna happen when it's paid out-of-pocket.