Isaac Velazquez, Staff Writer
Moraine Valley offered accelerated online courses which began December 21 , and conclude January 15 of 2021. These 4-week courses are ideal for any student looking to remain productive throughout winter break.
“I think winter classes are good because they allow students to lighten their load during the academic year, if they know they will be busy during the spring term with schoolwork, social commitments, or work. Students will also shorten the time to graduation by taking extra courses in the winter” – Emmanuel Esperanza, Assistant dean of registration.
Chairman Thomas Dow of the Communications Department States that additional courses were added to this year’s session, due to the overall turn out of previous summer sessions. The determination of hardworking students has enabled Moraine to confidently provide a variety of immersive courses directly targeting others with the desire to accelerate their path to a degree and/or certificate completion. Since some of the courses are transferable, the courses are also beneficial for university students that are home for winter break. Professor Dow also mentioned the sensitivity of having students work through the holidays and ensures that his course is conscious of various religious practices, so as not to conflict with traditional winter values.
“Winter classes are significant because it allows students, especially students who are returning from universities/colleges to take classes while they are home on their semester break. This also allows Moraine Valley students to take classes during the semester break to get ahead of the Spring term,” stated Esperanza.
Professor Nickolas Shizas of the Behavioral sciences department informs The Glacier that his 4-week courses do not spare any content, ensuring the pedagogy of the course is identical to that of a 16-week course. The workload is efficiently compressed into the 4 weeks, allowing students to effectively navigate coursework. Mr. Shizas elected to be a part of this year’s winter session, stating he is “fortunate” to work with such determined students.
Michelle Melgarejo, an extremely active MVCC student, has just experienced online accelerated learning for the first time this past fall. She enrolled in a Psychology 101 course with Professor Shizas. Malgarejo found the work somewhat “heavy” at first, but stated that as the coursework progressed, she began to understand the structural rhythm. She claims she began to appreciate the style of the class, saying it was “very straight forward”. Melgarejo was able to turn her assignments in early, passing the course with “flying colors” in her words. A self-described outgoing student, she always had the ability to push herself beyond her limits. She is associated with organizations like Phi Theta Kappa, student government, the Children’s Learning Center, and is a mentor for an international student. Students like Melgarejo fuel Moraine Valley, and enable the college to provide great programs like the winter 4-week accelerated courses. These accelerated course fill quickly.
If you are looking to excel and accelerate your progress toward your degree or certificate program during semester breaks, be sure to inquire about accelerated learning this upcoming spring as well. These courses are a great way to foster academic success, allowing you to develop techniques and adapt in an ever-changing world.