Hello everyone, and welcome to Adventures in Academia, the podcast for older-than-average university students. I'm your host, Kristie Bradfield.

Well, after eight very long years, I've officially finished my Bachelor's degree. It hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm feeling a little lost, to tell you the truth. Over the last few years, I've developed a strict routine and structure for my days, so now that everything is done, my days are a bit emptier. I know this feeling won't last long, and I have a bunch of projects that I can start working on. It's just a weird feeling knowing that this thing I've spent so many years working towards is finally finished. Of course, I'm happy and proud, but I'm also unsure what the next few years will hold. I know my next step is Psychology Honours and then a PhD, but a few things are up in the air. The exciting news is I have three conditional offers for Psychology Honours next year. It's taken some of the pressure off because now I know for sure that Honours will be happening. It's just a question of where. And it's still early days in terms of Honours offers, with most of the universities on my list sending them out in late November or early December. I find the uncertainty of not having a clear plan really uncomfortable, but I'm trying to remind myself that now is the time to rest and regroup before a busy year next year. I guess all I can do is take it one day at a time. 

For now, though, I'm reflecting on my time as an online student. And that's what today's podcast is about. I'll be sharing some of the benefits of online study and some things to consider before embarking on this mode of study. I'll share some of the most frequently asked questions I get about online study.

Before I begin, the following information is based on my experience at my university. Every student is different. Every university is different, and there may be differences in how content is delivered for online students, so keep this in mind.

So, let's talk about the benefits of online study.

One of the greatest benefits of online learning is its flexibility. You don't have to be on campus to attend lectures and labs at specific times. You don't have to go on campus to do your research - you can do everything from home. If you're working, you can fit lectures around your work schedule; you can do them in the early morning or on the weekends - whenever you have time. I worked as a freelance writer at the beginning of my university study, and I found it reasonably easy to manage what I needed to do. Of course, I had flexibility with my work, which made things easier. If you have a job with regular hours, you'll know what kind of downtime you have; you'll have an idea of where you can fit a chunk of study time. I don't have kids, so I can't comment on what studying as a parent is like. But I know a few parents who have studied and completed their degrees. From an outsider's perspective, I think success depends on your family's support and how well everyone can adapt to the boundaries you'll need to create so you can get things done on time. Success also depends on your time management skills and how well you can carve out the necessary time to study.

Another benefit to online study is that it gives people who may not feel comfortable heading onto campus an opportunity to study at university; it's an excellent option for people with mental or physical health considerations or for those who are older and hesitant about going on campus. For me, this was the biggest benefit of online study. When I began my degree, there was no way that I could have gone to campus and sat in a lecture room multiple times a week. Back then, my social anxiety was at a point where leaving the house was incredibly challenging, but online learning gave me a way to complete my degree. The online study environment isn't intimidating. I access everything through a web browser. I use Word to complete assignments. I access research through web pages. There was no special software that I needed to use, so there was no extra learning curve. Everything about the online platform was familiar. Familiarity is important because it eliminates obstacles to learning.

When you have mental and physical health challenges, your world can feel very small. I know that mine certainly did. Online study broadened my perspective. I think that's one of the beautiful things about education. When you are learning, learning anything, you're presented with different perspectives and different ways of looking at the world. And when you look at the world differently, your world gets bigger by default. Having the ability to study, the option to study online - to engage my mind...I can't tell you how important this was to my growth as a person. The familiarity of the tools used and the flexibility that online study offered made it the best choice for me at that time in my life.

So, let's move on to things to think about if you're considering online study. 

Firstly, you need to know how much time you can allocate to your study. You need to be very realistic about this. University study is really challenging; it isn't easy. It's about more than just listening to lectures; you need to develop skills you may never have considered before. Things like critical reading, academic writing and referencing skills. These things take time and a lot of effort to master. So, if you're time-poor now, you will be even more so if you decide to take on a unit or two. It's important to really consider if now is the right time for you to begin. You may have a burning desire to study, which is awesome, but that desire often fizzles out by week three or four when the realities of studying and trying to juggle everything else in your life become apparent. Really think about how much time you actually have.

While we're on the topic of time, let's talk briefly about the time commitment needed to study something like a Bachelor of Psychology. The Bachelor of Psychology was a three-year course at the university I studied. Some universities have the Honours year attached; mine didn't. Over those three years, I studied eight units a year for a total of 24 units. At my university, the suggested time commitment is about 10 hours per unit per week. So, if you're studying a full load of four units a semester, your commitment is 40 hours a week. Some weeks, you'll do more, especially when assignments are due; some weeks, you'll do less. Lectures can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 or 3 hours long. If you have recorded tutorials or workshops, they can be an extra hour. But your lectures and workshops are only two components. You'll likely have weekly reading, too, and reading a chapter or two per unit can really add up - especially if you're dealing with dry content. Your weekly time commitment can increase substantially when researching, writing assignments, and preparing for exams. 

You'll need to decide if you will go full-time or part-time, and this will depend on your circumstances and your goals. If your goal is to be a Psychologist, you'll also need to do Honours and Masters at a minimum, which means getting grades that will get you into an Honours program. You can also do a GDPA if you don't get the grades for Honours, but Masters is super competitive, so the higher your grades, the better. Sometimes, dropping down to a part-time load might be best to keep your grades high. It might take you longer to finish your degree, but it will be worth it if you can get into the Honours program you want. At a few points during my degree, I heard the phrase, "C's get degrees." And while that is absolutely true, if your goal is to go to Psychology Honours, you need to aim high. Aiming high means putting in a lot of work. The time commitment is no joke. So, this is something to really think about.

The second thing to consider is your learning style. Online learning can be really lonely. For the first few years of my degree, it was something I struggled with. Sometimes, it feels like you are teaching yourself, and in some ways, you are. No one is keeping you on track except for yourself. Your lecturers won't email you to check-in. It can be hard to know if you're on the right track or if you're understanding the content. I found that difficult at times, especially in subjects like advanced research methods. To overcome these challenges, you've got to supplement your learning when things are unclear, and you need to do this proactively. You can absolutely ask your lecturer or unit coordinator for extra information, but you can also read books, watch YouTube videos or find webpages that can explain the concepts in different ways. In the online mode, you are responsible for your learning. If something is unclear, you need to work to make it clear.

Finally, the third thing to consider is your motivation. Why do you want to study? What are you hoping to achieve? Knowing why you're studying helps when times get tough, and they will get tough. Your motivations may change as you work through your degree, but if you have a clear idea of what you're hoping to achieve in the end, it can help. I am a big fan of visualisation, and one of the things I did when I was bogged down in assignments and feeling really overwhelmed was I thought about how good it would feel to walk across the stage at graduation. How good it would feel to be in my cap and gown and to be at the end. It motivated me to keep going. Know your reason for doing the degree and remind yourself of this reason often.

As a peer mentor at my uni, I've been asked a lot of questions about online study. So, I put together a list of the most common ones. 

1. If I study online, do I have to go on campus for exams? Yes, you may. If you have invigilated exams, you will need to go on campus. Different universities have different policies for people living remotely, but at my university, if you live more than 80 kilometres from campus, you can nominate someone to supervise your exams. If you have a test during the semester, you should be able to do that online from home.
2. If I am an online student with an on-campus, invigilated exam, can I do my exam at a different time if I have to work? No, you can't. You can't pick and choose when you sit an invigilated exam. If your exam time is 11 am on a Tuesday, that's the time you're stuck with, and you'll need to take time off work to attend.
3. How flexible are lecturers with extensions if I have a busy work week? Each lecturer is different, and each uni has policies around getting assignment extensions. I would suggest that if you are worried about an assignment deadline, contact your lecturer sooner rather than later. Many lecturers know that people have a lot of commitments, and some are willing to be more lenient regarding due dates, particularly if you're unwell or have carer commitments. But remember that you're generally given a lot of lead time to work on assignments. The earlier you start, the better.
4. Where can I go for support with my studies? Being an online student is hard; occasionally, you may need extra help with your studies. Every university has resources to help you succeed. If you're having issues, reach out to your uni's student success team, and they'll be able to point you in the right direction.
5. What kind of technology do I need as an online student? You'll need a computer and an internet connection at a bare minimum. Your computer will need to be able to run a word processing program like Word. You'll need to have a web browser to access your lecture files. I use a PDF reader, a reference manager like Zotero, and Notion for all my notes. I also added an iPad Pro to read journal articles away from my computer, but this is not a necessity. 
6. How will I know where to go to find my study materials? The first few weeks of an online degree can be really confusing when you don't know where to find things. Generally, universities will deliver content via a Learning Management System. At my university, this is called Canvas. Other Universities may use something different. Your Learning Management System will have all the information about the units you are studying. If you're ever unsure where things are, just reach out to your uni, and they will be able to help. Don't waste time trying to find the answers yourself, especially at this early stage.
7. How do I talk to my lecturer, unit coordinator or other students? Lecturers and unit coordinators generally release a unit overview at the beginning of the semester, detailing how they would like to be contacted. Usually, email is fine, but if you have a general course-related question, they usually suggest posting it on the unit discussion board. You can use the discussion board to chat with other students, too. Facebook is a great place to keep in contact with other students - lots of courses and units have dedicated Facebook pages where you can connect - just be mindful that these pages are not the place to ask questions about content. I've also seen people using Microsoft Teams for specific unit chats too. 

If you have any questions about studying online, feel free to send an email or voice note to memos@adventuresinacademia.com. I'm happy to help answer any questions you may have.

So, wrapping up. Any kind of uni study is hard. It's hard if you go straight from high school. It's hard if you go to uni as an older person. It's hard if you study on campus or online. Each pathway has its challenges, and you'll experience different challenges based on the unique circumstances of your life. But it is achievable. For me, online study was the perfect choice for where I was in my life, and I am so grateful that I had the opporunity to experience it.

Book review

Today's book review is, well, it's a cheat because I finished this book last year, but it's a fascinating read about a woman who is an idol of mine. It's called '18 Tiny Deaths - The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics" by Bruce Goldfarb. 

Frances Glessner Lee was born into a world of privilege in 1870s Chicago. Her family had a lot of wealth and connections, but societal expectations limited Lee's opportunities. Her dream was to study medicine at Harvard, but the university didn't admit women into their program at the time. Instead of being discouraged by this, Lee educated herself and built connections with scholars and professionals, and through these connections, she discovered a passion for medicine and death investigation. While Lee's hopes of studying at Harvard never eventuated, she did go on to create the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard. I've left a link to an article she wrote about this experience in the show notes.

Lee's fascination with legal medicine drove her to advocate for the reform of the coroner system in the United States and revolutionise the way crimes were investigated by law enforcement. Her contribution wasn't limited to advocacy; she developed and conducted seminars that trained police investigators in best practices for crime scene investigation. These seminars were complemented by her 'Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Deaths,' which were a collection of meticulously crafted miniature crime scenes that Lee made herself. The Nutshell studies are essentially death dollhouses, and the details in each are incredible. Police departments used the Nutshell studies to train investigators in the best ways to work crime scenes so that they didn't destroy evidence, improving the outcome of these cases in court. 

In an era where gender roles were strictly defined, Lee shattered barriers and left an indelible mark on the fields of forensic science and law enforcement. Her Nutshell Studies, her unwavering commitment to reforming the medico-legal system, and her relentless pursuit of knowledge have earned her the rightful title of the 'mother of forensic science.'

'18 Tiny Deaths' by Bruce Goldfarb is not only a brilliant book about a woman who gave so much to forensic science and crime investigation. It's also a reminder of how one driven and dedicated person can change the world.

Thank you so much for joining me for this month's podcast. As always, check out the show notes for links to Bruce Goldfarb's book and the journal article by Frances Glessner Lee. You can find the show notes at adventuresinacademia.com

I would love to hear from you if you're an older-than-average student. You can send a voice memo about anything to do with university study to memos@adventuresinacademia.com. And while you're at it, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. 

In the next episode of Adventures in Academia, I'll share everything I wish I knew before starting my degree. And believe me, the list is long. I hope you consider listening in. Until then, happy studying!

Links

Goldfarb, B. (2020). 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Invented Modern Forensics. Sourcebooks. https://www.amazon.com.au/18-Tiny-Deaths-Invented-Forensics/dp/1728217547

Lee, F. G. (1952). Legal medicine and harvard university. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 42(5), 674–678.