Meet Jeffry
How did You Hear About CCU:
I knew about CCU through our son, Branden, who attends the university as an undergraduate.
What Inspired You to Complete Your Degree:
Becoming empty-nesters and the changing nature of online education inspired me to complete my degree.
What Are Your Degree Plans:
I plan to design curriculum, write curriculum, fix curriculum, and teach.
Valuable Assets:
Support from my family, computer skills, and reading skills.
Class Format:
Online
Why Did You Choose CCU:
There are a plethora of online programs. CCU had Christian teachers, a good reputation, and I could talk with real people if I had a question. For example, I met personally with Dr. Bush White, the director of Graduate Education Programs, before joining the program.
What Was Your Work/Life Balance Experience:
You have to be very organized with your time to manage a full-time job, do 30 hours of study each week, and participate in family life. This is almost impossible without ungrudging support and active partnership by your family.
How Did CCU Make It Possible:
CCU made it possible by providing quality courses that are specific to my degree program.
What Was Your Most Memorable Experience:
Two things, graduating with my son, Branden, and doing course work with both my sons. Our oldest son is working on a business degree online through CCU.
How Was Faith Integrated:
This is an area of challenge for all online classes. The integration of character development in an environment with reduced in-person interaction is very difficult. Discipleship, for example, works best in a face-to-face learning experience where the student sees the teacher demonstrating the subject and the teacher observes the student. If you remove the face-to-face encounter the learning is diminished or shallow. As an example, the Holy Spirit works on a personal basis and not a remote one. Having said this, CCU does a fine job providing the spiritual integration (where appropriate) and the opportunity of student growth, should they desire to pursue it.
How Did You Overcome Obstacles:
At 61, I do not remember things as quickly as when I was 21, so I have to work harder to put new information into long-term memory. Also, family issues always come up and they (rightly so) can push homework onto the back burner.
Advice for Prospects:
Come to CCU because of the professors. I cannot speak to the quality of instruction of other online programs (I have not taken any), but I can speak of the quality of CCU's instructors.
Keep moving forward on the classes but don't be afraid to skip a five-week session when family issues come up. It really takes 20-30 hours each week to complete course work. Have someone review your writing.
How Affordable Was CCU:
I believe the costs are comparable to competing programs, but prospective students need to do their own comparisons. Things change on the internet very quickly.
Value of Your Education:
I am satisfied with the value of my educational experience, but I have not done an exhaustive search and comparison with other programs.
How Was Your Format Experience:
Excellent. CCU has a very good online program, at least in Curriculum Design.
Online Community:
I very much enjoyed the varied background of the other students and reading their comments. They have years of expertise in fields that I do not.