Diary 01/30

I hesitated about writing this but, today I received the most disturbing email from an instructor.

The instructor felt that there may have been elements of plagiarism in an assignment I had recently submitted.

I was appalled and frankly hurt that they would think that.

After reviewing what I submitted and the syllabus I saw that I had misunderstood the assignment and instead of assessing what was requested I had done more of a description. I wrote the instructor to straighten out the error but as of this entry the person is unwilling to allow me to redo the project for credit.

I am crushed!! I worked hard on that assignment and thought I was doing a great piece of research. Obviously not :o(

I am going to go to bed. I pray that the instructor has a change of heart. I may complain and moan about school and the load of work but I do it and it is always my own.

I am working very hard for this degree and paying outrageous sums of money to attend this school. I would never place myself in jeopardy by being dishonest.

Diary 01/28

I can't do it tonight. "It" being any U of Pitt work.

I responded to a few YA book discussion comments on the DB. Now I am whooped!

It has been a long, hard day. I want it to be over. I'm going to bed.

Diary 01/27

This YA class is still challenging.

We now must Twitter. WTF?!?!?! I don't send "tweets" but for my grade I soldier on.

Thus far I am keeping up and pretty much on track. Last nights group meeting wasn't bad. I am sleepy this morning but I'm going to have to get used to that feeling during this semester with the late group meetings that both of my classes have required.

Today I went to the DB and found a new thread for a scenario. Is there no rest for the sainted? I am currently thumbing through the PURPLE book trying to made sense of what is required. The thread is very vague. One person responded but I cannot figure out to what!

Whatever! I'll stress about this later. I have to get back to my kids/students and their education.

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Diary 01/24

I must pull some energy from somewhere. All day I have been procrastinating. Doing everything but LIS work.

Sunday is usually my big day to at least outline the weeks work. Not this Sunday. I cannot even make myself lean forward to grab my purple book.

I was able to input my book discussion questions for the YA class and I did try to enter Dspace for my DL class but my main focus really needs to be getting started on this author thing. I have zero interest.

I am going to try to sike myself up again on Monday.

I'm going to find a good book to read before bed. Good night.

Diary 01/22

I'm trying to stay ahead.

I've just finished my portion of the discussion questions for the YA book discussion Tuesday, PHEW!

Off to the YA author info assignment.

Bless Tomer for not having a DB this week :o)

I might get some work done at my real job.

Diary 01/21

I have found a positive for me with this weeks YA assignment. For class we had to survey a YA for about an hour about a number of issues.

All 33 of my kids were "required" to take the survey Tuesday in class. They grumbled and they fidgeted but they did those surveys. I made it a class assignment where each read a portion. I then read to them the final portion for analysis. It was fairly painless (for me - smile). This means that today I was able to submit that project so I can move on to the next.

This amount of work and stress is still too painful for week two though.

12 weeks to go and an on campus weekend - I'm trying not to dwell on it!

Diary 01/18

I am so tired. My fingers. My eyes. Even my hair is tired.

I used the entire day attempting to get ahead in my DL class. I must get ahead because the YA class is virtually ridiculous with all of the back to back work they keep piling on.

Tuesday I am going to work and interviewing a few of my students (thank god they are the right age) for a some study or paper, my mind just went blank.

During my lunch I'm going to attempt to "respond" to some research we did on adolescent development. Who needs to eat? I suppose missing a meal or a whole semesters worth won't kill me :o(

Gotta go. I've got too much work to do to be lollygagging on this blog. Arg!!!!!

Diary 01/17

Courses have started and already the assignments are flowing fast and furious.

For my YA class I have already read 12 books, had an online book discussion, watched a two hour lecture, posted an introduction and responses to other introductions onto Blackboard, DB'd about the book the affected me the most and why and I am now conducting research on adolescent development in order to write a 400 word summary due tommorrow. This is all in ONE WEEK!!!!

Before I left town last week I received an encyclopedia sized book with assignment descriptions for the course. I'm feeling intimidated. I wonder if this is the type class you take by itself. Thus far it requires quite a bit of concentration. I go back to work Tuesday after the holiday. I hope I can keep up.

For my Digital Libraries (DL) class I've started on a 1000 word paper due next week, watched a two hour lecture, posted an introduction and am researching a DB scenario that must be responded to mid week.

DL I think I can handle-knock on wood-I hope that Tomer doesn't require too many papers.

This semester is already challenging. Sigh...

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Diary 01/12

I must share my shock... Yesterday a professor, that I did not think was overly fond of me, asked me if I would not mind helping a new(?) student to the program navigate through the system by answering any questions she might have. I had to re-read the email a few times to make sure I was clear-LOL! Anyway, I was really happy that the professor thought enough of me to want me to help. I hope I am able to give the student some valuable insight.

Okay, that is all. I just wanted to share. I have to get back to my Digital Libraries paper.

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Diary 01/08

Spring semester has begun.

I've just finished watching the first lecture for my Digital Libraries class. So far the class sounds like it may be enjoyable.

We have an assignment due in two weeks assessing a digital library (dl) of our choice.

I've located potential DL's that I'll review over the weekend.

That's all for now. TTYL!

Diary 01/01

H a p p y N e w Y e a r !

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