I am so frustrated with Ashford University right now!
For those of you that know, I have been trying to become an online TA for Ashford University. It would be a great set up if I could actually get the job– grade papers from home for a 5 week online course, get paid $1,000! But they have this RIDICULOUS 3 week training course that is more time consuming than the job would actually be. Why? Because they make you sit through these power point presentations, hunting for answers to a weekly test. And their database is incredibly cumbersome. The more “user friendly” they try to make it, the more difficult it becomes.
The FIRST time I tried to under go this training, I’ll admit. I didn’t take it seriously. I vastly underestimated just how frustrating the database would be. Plus, we moved the first week the training started, so I lost internet service. By Week 2 of the training, I had made enough mistakes that they “eliminated” me.
But they did ask if I wanted to try again. And, since I’m a glutton for punishment, I did try again, armed with insider knowledge of what specific things they would be grading on.
I did everything perfect. I mean EVERYTHING. All of my evaluations said, “Great! 100%!” With the exception on one thing. The last night before the training ended, the night that all the papers were due, their system crashed. Simply put, it WOULD NOT OPEN UP. I tried 3 different computers, 3 different web browsers, and, NOTHING.
So, on the last day of training, I was eliminated. Because their system crashed (as they admitted) and I was unable to load my graded papers until the following morning.
But they did ask if I wanted to try again.
Now, after having wasted 5 weeks of my life on this University (not to mention the 3 month long EXTENSIVE interview and selection process), I was very tempted to send a nasty letter and walk away. I sent the letter, but did not walk away. I decided, for the sake of our unborn child, to try again. Working from home is a priceless commodity, one that I could not pass up.
So, here I am, trying once again. Third time’s the charm, right?
WRONG. In the past 3 months, they’ve REDONE the entire system. All of the clunky navigating I learned to do in the old system (which usually caused me to have at least 10 windows open at one time!) is now useless. It’s all different. And, in my opinion, clunkier than ever. Half of the time I spend isn’t even grading things– it’s trying to figure out how to send an “email” to a mock student!
Please pray for me, as I attempt to keep my sanity. I am this close to unleashing my scary pregnant attitude.
Related postsAshford University Employee! |
2 more weeks |
This Week Alone… |
Cloth Diapers |
frigid says
Chelsea and recently completed a course with their new system. Feel free to pick our brains.
Kelly says
Unfortunately, the frustration lies with navigating things like the paper dropbox, downloading things into a zip file, and answering mock students who aren’t appearing as contacts in my email. And when I asked my question of the instructor, she answered a totally different question in a condescending way. I had to respond with a polite, “thanks for the answer, but that even come remotely close to addressing my question!”
Funny though, I had another student email me privately and say that they were just as confused, but too scared to ask. Good grief. Why so difficult?
frigid says
In the Entrepreneurship course we took, the instructor would ask follow-up questions to our discussion posts – usually asking to clarify or elaborate on the points in our post. Without fail, every time she responded to me she asked something I had answered in my original post. Often it was even in the closing sentence of my post. Annoyed me to no end. I had to stop responding to her because I was getting too blunt.
Kathleen Sherbon says
I know that it is frustrating…but once you learn the program and are able to navigate yourself around it will get easier. I am an online instructor for the University of Phoenix and had to go through 2 classes and a total of 7 weeks of precious time spent talking out loud to a computer…. that never responded back. I then had to teach my first class with a mentor in the background watching everything I said and did. Honestly, as I reflect on the process…..they did prepare me for success and I enjoy teaching for them part time. So……….here I go again…..going through the process with Grand Canyon University…..and I begin my first class tomorrow!!!
Power on forward….it will be a great way to provide income and be at home with your precious little one. God speed!!
Kelly says
Mrs. Sherbon! I had no idea you read my blog!
I am glad to hear that you love working for the University of Phoenix. My dream is to one day be able to teach online university classes from home, so that I can be a stay at home mom (not a fan of daycare of babysitters) and make the kind of money we will need.
I don’t remember what subject you are in, or whether you have an MA or PhD. Also, how did you find the job that you did?