Personal Perspective

Personal Perspective Paper

Personal Perspective Paper

Many aspects of our daily activities increasingly complicate our lives. The number of stressors one experiences through ever-increasing demands of trying to combine work and maintain a stable happy family takes practice, practice, and more practice. With the introduction of school to the matrix, it further disrupts the already delicate balance. One now has to find time for studying, research, class time and meetings. Skills in the time management arena would help to alleviate some of the feelings of being totally and completely overwhelmed. For help during the education journey, the University of Phoenix employs Learning Teams and Problem-based Learning techniques to educate their students. I will discuss the value of these 2 techniques as well as the value of having electronic resources available throughout the program.

Libraries are an excellent source of information. Small libraries, like the one at Aviano AB in Italy, can only keep so much information on-hand. They just do not have the space. When trying to do research on a deadline, such is the case with the Master's program with the University of Phoenix, ordering and waiting for material to arrive stifles the whole process. One simply does not have time to waste. Electronic resources (E-resources) make research and information gathering infinitely easier. While nothing replaces the good ole fashion manual searches at a library, E-resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The information is at one's fingertips just a few clicks away. The E-resources at the University of Phoenix allows detailed searches on virtually thousands of documents, books, magazine articles, periodicals, and encyclopedias in numerous databases. Key word searches narrow the selection. The software supporting these resources will even format the reference should the information be retrieved. E-resources are relatively inexpensive in comparison to time lost and money spent on driving back and forth to any decent library. The costs are as little as an Internet connection, common to almost every home. Convenience prevails over all other advantages. The typical student who is also a spouse, parent, and full-time employee, will find the additional stress and expense of having to run back and forth to the library to obtain materials they need is both unnecessary and counter productive. One just logs onto the Internet late at night after everyone is sleeping. The atmosphere is peaceful and quiet. One is able to accomplish more, in less time, all while enjoying the comforts of home. Think of the savings for a team of individuals working on a single project if most of the research work could be done from the home.

Learning teams offer considerable advantages over individuals trying to obtain the same goals. According to a research article published in The International Journal of Value-Based Management in 2000 (pp. 229-253), "Business schools are using teams as a means of teaching the new integrated curriculum." Among the reasons stated were "team members can see problems or situations from a variety of perspectives, moving beyond the constraints of one individual's perspectiveÐ'... a team offers the potential for greater productivity." Solutions generated from the efforts of teamwork stand a better chance of exposing the true root of a problem or situation. Learning teams allow individuals to capitalize from the experience of others. When working projects, each individual brings certain skill sets to the group. No one individual needs to have expertise in all areas. Most of all, teams prepare individuals for types of situations they might face in the real world. They teach communication, how to productively manage conflict, and how to work together. In the end, team members gain a wealth of knowledge and experience from each other while working toward a common goal.

Problem-based learning is another technique the University employs to instruct students about business practices and problem solving. White paper reading retrieved from the University of Phoenix student web site states that "problem-based learning presents learners with