On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 10:54:04 -0500, "Richard" <richard_s633@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
>Taking engineering courses without doing lab work produces engineers who
>don't know which end of a soldering iron gets hot or which end of the
>adjustable wrench should be used to pound the ICs into their sockets.
That
>is probably the one that said, "Spectrum analyzer? Yeah, I saw a picture
of
>one of those in one of my books, I think."
That may be true, but not everyone takes cl***** for the same reason.
In my case, I am an experienced technical writer, and recently
licensed patent agent, looking to get a stronger background for my
work. (Check out www.OpComm.com for more info....)
I don't doubt that, with distance-learning only, I may not be
qualified to invent the next generation of computer, or holographic
TV, or whatever. But, I don't need to be, I just need a good strong
vocabulary for working with the engineers who do invent this stuff.
Many others -- software guys who want to understand the hardware
better, hi-tech business managers, hi-tech investors, etc. -- may have
their own valid motives for wanting to delve deep into theory, without
having the need (or time) to do lab work. Not to mention, there is
always the simple pleasure of learning for the sake of learning. My
point is, there are plenty of valid reasons for offering EE courses
without labs, since not everyone plans to be a design engineer.
>One last suggestion: For the cost issue, check out scholar****ps, grants,
and
>financial aid. You can't get any of those if you don't apply. They may
make
That's a whole nother discussion. Those are great for young people
making no money at all. If you have an income like I do, even if the
budget is tight, forget about scholar****ps. Someone should fund some
kind of "second chance" grants for adults who are returning to pursue
things they were not ready to do when younger. (I actually seached on
the Web for "second chance", and found a scholar****p, but it's for
women only, and I think it was, something like, only women in
California. So if I just move cross country, and finally get that
operation done.....)
Steve O.
>"Steven O." <null@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>news:pe1bm1tt9q0elp1c7lmlr1hr1sqsgmdmrn@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> This is a repost, because I am having an unbelievably difficult time
>> tracking down a community college which offers the EE class I want on
>> a distance learning basis. I'm hoping maybe someone -- someone who
>> can point me in the right direction -- might catch the post this time,
>> if they missed it the first time.....
>>
>> I am seeking information on any community colleges, anywhere in the
>> USA, that provide distance-learning (that is, Web-based, CD-based,
>> self-paced textbook study, etc.), for-credit programs of study in
>> electronic engineering. I really need community college based
>> cl*****, because costs are an issue. (The community colleges in
>> Maryland, where I am based, do NOT offer such cl*****, and UMUC does
>> not either. The nearest community college in Virginia does offer such
>> cl*****, but I have run through their distance learning course
>> offerings.)
>>
>> I have already completed studies in basics of circuits and digital
>> design, but now need cl***** in transistor theory, basic analog
>> circuits (amplifiers, op-amps, oscillators, etc.) Please reply in the
>> newsgroups, or to the somewhat munged e-mail address below.
>>
>> I've searched the Web extensively, and it's becoming clear that many
>> colleges -- even technically oriented community colleges, and ones
>> which have many other programs of study online -- are not offering EE
>> programs. I've love to know why. (I thought, maybe, it's because EE
>> cl***** often have labs. But in fact, you can have theory only EE
>> cl*****; and besides, many of these same schools offer
>> freshman/sophomore distance learning cl***** in chemistry, biology,
>> and physics -- fields which traditionally also have labs as well.)
>
>Taking engineering courses without doing lab work produces engineers who
>don't know which end of a soldering iron gets hot or which end of the
>adjustable wrench should be used to pound the ICs into their sockets.
That
>is probably the one that said, "Spectrum analyzer? Yeah, I saw a picture
of
>one of those in one of my books, I think."
>
>>
>> I have found, so far, exactly one college offering what I'm seeking,
>> Sinclair Community College in Ohio -- but for various reasons, too
>> detailed to go into here, their course is probably less than ideal for
>> my needs. So, I'm searching for other community colleges offering the
>> class that I'm seeking, distance learning style. Direct leads from
>> people in the know -- students and engineers -- would be really
>> helpful.
>
>Okay, it looks like you have been unable to meet your criteria through
>online searches. You may never meet all your requirements (for credit,
>distance learning, ee courses, low cost). One avenue you may want to
explore
>is to talk with the professors at the colleges/universities that meet
your
>course offering and cost criteria. You may be able to work out a modified
>schedule with them (some have more leeway to make the attendance decision
>than others), so you can do the majority of your work outside of the
>classroom (you will still have to show up for tests and labs). Assuming
they
>have the authority, if you can prove to them that you have the capability
to
>work independently and have a very good (legitimate) reason to not attend
>all cl*****, they may be willing to work with you.. I have taken many
>courses this way (I was also in my 40's and 50's and had a job that
required
>me to travel). Of course, many colleges have official policies limiting
the
>number of days a student can miss and some do not allow their professors
to
>waive this. Others are more flexible.
>
>If you want to attend NO cl*****, you may, as you have discovered, be out
of
>luck.
>
>One last suggestion: For the cost issue, check out scholar****ps, grants,
and
>financial aid. You can't get any of those if you don't apply. They may
make
>the difference that will allow you to take available university courses
at
>nearly the same out-of-pocket costs as the (non-existent) community
college
>courses.
>
>Richard
>
"Spying On The College Of Your Choice" -- How to pick the college that is
the Best Match for a high school student's needs.
www.SpyingOnTheCollegeOfYourChoice.com
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