This is the part where I reveal my secret identity. Ready? By day I’m Mitch, a not exactly mild mannered business consultant and financial analyst working with a fortune 100 company, by night a Western Governor's University Student, a hobbyist, and an aspiring hero.
I've always loved learning, and hated school. To me learning is the acquisition and application of knowledge; It is pure. I love it. School is partially about knowledge, but more about putting knowledge into the context of a system. The system puts learning on a clock. This week we cover topic A, next week topic B, and so on. Nevermind if a student only needs 2 days on topic A but 12 days on topic B, or could finish both in one week. Also because the system puts all students on the same clock students who learn more quickly are often board and frustrated while students who learn more slowly often feel left behind or shamed. The traditional system does not work.
This is why I was so glad to discover WGU's competency based approach. It is still a system and a framework but it is the most open approach to schooling I've ever encountered. Competency based education removes the clock. Students can progress at their own pace (as long as they maintain a very low minimum amount of progress). This allows people to accelerate their progress completing their degree in less time, saving on tuition. As a WGU student I can work on my courses consecutively, focusing on one at a time and moving on when done, or concurrently jumping back and forth between all of the courses I'm currently registered for.
So registering made me a student, but does that make me a hero? I’ve always aimed toward heroism; I’ve always been
fascinated by myths and legends and heroic tales. Particularly by our modern myths:
comic books. I believe that it is a
man’s duty (and a women’s too) to lift others up, to make them strong, and to
shield them from harm. In short, as I
pledged years ago in the Boy Scout oath “to help other people at all
times.”
But still, does that make me a hero? I’m not more powerful than a
locomotive. I don’t have a power ring that makes my will manifest as glowing
green energy constructs. I lack a healing factor. I’ve no super robot armor. I cannot
cling to walls, or move objects with my mind, or read thoughts. I’m not a mutant, just a man. In the ordinary
sense of a man not in the crazy billionaire orphan way that people say Bruce
Wayne is just a man. What I am is pretty
smart, a quick learner, with a drive to help others succeed along with me.
This blog has two purposes:
- Thrilling Heroics: the little tips and tricks, and summations of my experience at WGU that I feel may be helpful to others
- And Secret Identity Stuff, details to keep family and friends who care about me and may follow this blog apprised of my progress towards my degree and how school is fitting into my life.
Posts will take two forms, daily short form content I’m
calling “The Daily 10” where I spend 10 minutes each day before beginning my
studies to write a few sentences about what I accomplished the previous day,
what I’m working on today, and what my goals are, and weekly long form posts on
topics that I hope will improve other’s experiences as WGU Students.
Happy Reading,
~Mitch
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