Online Education Strategies (UNIV 1001) at UoPeople

I think Online Education Strategies (UNIV 1001) is one of the most amazing courses the UoPeople has in its curriculum. I went to one of the top schools in North America, but they didn’t really invest in teaching critical thinking, time management skills, how to study and make good notes, netiquettes, types of learning and learners, how to motivate yourself, learning strategies, stress management, goal setting, organizing tasks, and studying for the final exam, etc. The course is also focused on the ins and outs of UoPeople like where to find specific information, how to access the campus or the university portal to check grades, etc., and where to find information in the university’s catalog, and so on. To be honest, I felt like I was ignorant before taking this course. I learned so much in the class that I started doubting my degree from brick and mortar university. 

You get a book assigned to you in this course from which you’ve to read a chapter or two each week. Besides the book, you also have to read articles. This course strengthens your APA citations too, which English Composition 1 laid a foundation for you if you took that class. Bear in mind that this course does require some research, so to do well and answer all the questions in discussion/written/learning journals, you must write well-articulated assignments with proper APA citations. 

The Graded Quizzes are a combination of what you read in the book, articles and university’s policies, and the questions in non-Graded Quizzes, etc. So, make sure you read all the assigned chapters and articles and do your non-Graded Quizzes. I had the coolest and super active instructor for this course. She commented on every students’ Discussion Post and asked questions to allow students to use critical thinking gingerly while answering them. The instructor and I became so friendly that in the Final Exam, she used my last name in some of the questions (I’ve got an unusual last name). She was the type of instructor you'll remember for the rest of your life.

The Final Exam wasn’t difficult at all. It was a combination of whatever you learned in the course. The main focus was APA citations, the university's policies, and other things you have learned in the course. Be sure to take good legible notes and prepare well before the Final Exam. Go through all the Graded, non-Graded, and Final Exam Review Quizzes before the exam. I guarantee you’ll get an excellent grade if you do so. I ended up getting an A, and it was all due to the hard work and great notes I made.

Update 2022: One of the primary aspects the course is focused on is Peer Assessment. However, it's not all rosy and merry as the class portrays it. Students grade other students unfairly, in my experience. Peer assessment is the weakest aspect of the UoPeople. But that's what you get at a school where the instructors are volunteers, and the cost of studying is very economical. Sure, some instructors go the extra mile to make sure that peer assessment remains fair, but those are rare ones in my experience. I'm about to complete my Bachelor's soon, and I have had instructors who were on top of their profession and understood unfair assessments very well. But then, some blatantly refused to look at my work even when I was graded unfairly.