Grand Finale!

© J. Francois Barnard - 29 October 2020

Today, I completed the courses Introduction to Health Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, and Programming Fundamentals, which were the last three I needed to fulfil the required 120 credits for my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree.

UoPeople – Other Online Aids Available

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

When studying online, Google is your best friend. You ask, and many answers appear. But not all search results are equal. If you really want authoritative answers, try Google Scholar, which provides more academic sources to work from.

UoPeople's MBA - The Fairness of Group Work

© J. Francois Barnard – January 5, 2022

If you read what universities say about group work, you would see phrases like it being "an effective and powerful way to learn," being "highly relevant to the workplace," being "more efficient and fun," and "enables you to pool your ideas and see problems from different perspectives." But is it true? Do we, as students, really benefit from it?

The Program Advisor

© J. Francois Barnard - 21 October 2020

As you embark on your educational journey at the University of the People, the university assigns a program advisor to you to journey alongside you. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask this advisor.

The People of UoPeople

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

When studying online, be prepared to meet people from all over the globe. I mean, really, from St Kitts and Nevis, from Russia, Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal…

UoPeople's MBA - Keep On Keeping On

© J. Francois Barnard – 1 January 2022

This week, I finally put the finishing touches on my seventh course of the MBA! That final assignment in Operations Management was particularly fitting—it was all about maintaining academic excellence. Because, let me tell you, this term has probably been the most difficult run I’ve had so far.

Finishing Strong

© J. Francois Barnard – August 16, 2020

I have just completed Term 5 of 2020. And it went well in the exams, thank you for asking! In September 2020, the first term of the 2020/21 academic year will begin, marking my last term at UoPeople. With the end in sight, I can now reflect on the previous three years and celebrate many more highlights than low points.

UoPeople - Help! I’ve lost my assignment!

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

In this day and age of working and studying online, no one should lose any data. A few years ago, I lost data — and a part of my life — through photos! I undertook that this tragedy would never be repeated.

UoPeople's MBA - what it teaches about branding, marketing, and advertising

© J. Francois Barnard – November 10, 2021

My son is a branding strategist, and we had several discussions about this topic. He completed a four-year degree at the Vega School of Brand Leadership in Pretoria, South Africa. He is currently applying his academic knowledge in the marketplace and has shown me the numerous conflicting views that exist about branding, as well as how some people perceive marketing and advertising.

Studying during Lockdown

© J. Francois Barnard – 13 April 2020

In South Africa, the lockdown commenced at midnight on Friday, 27 March 2020. I wrote two exams on Thursday and one on Friday. For me, that was the end of term 3, and I could take a little more than a week off from my studies.

UoPeople – What should my study look like?

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

Gone are the days when you have a study surrounded with shelves to the rafters to host your numerous books. Although I love the look of it and love to crack open a book, the requirements of modern-day study are somewhat different.

My Recent UoPeople Live Event

© J. Francois Barnard – August 22, 2021

This afternoon, I participated in a live event with Jessica Levin of the University of the People. Below is a copy of the video. I appreciate that Jessica and the University of the People go out of their way to promote this institution to South Africans. Not many people can study, but the online platform makes it more accessible to a wider audience.

Environment Protection

© J. Francois Barnard – 14 November 2019

(This is an essay submitted to the Discussion Forum for ENVS 1301, Introduction to Environmental Sciences, for Week 1 of term 2, 2019 – 2020.)

I live in Africa, and for thirty years, our family owned a private nature reserve in the Limpopo Valley on the border with Zimbabwe. Protecting the environment is a topic close to my heart, and I despair when I see how we, as Africans, mostly in ignorance, damage our beautiful continent.

UoPeople – What is a typical week like?

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

I guess studying online can be quite daunting for people who aren't very computer-literate. But if you have already familiarised yourself with filling out online forms, banking online, and buying from Amazon, you should get along quite well with UoPeople's Moodle system.

Formatting an Assignment in Moodle

© J. Francois Barnard – August 9, 2021

How you present your academic work is just as important as the quality of the content itself. Proper formatting demonstrates professionalism and respect for academic standards, ensuring that your ideas are communicated clearly and effectively.

UoPeople and the ProctorU Exam

© J. Francois Barnard – 31 October 2019

I have just completed my three exams for term 1 of the 2019/20 academic year, and one of them was a "proctored" exam. If you are new to this terminology, a proctored exam is basically an exam you write under the supervision of a neutral person (the proctor) who ensures the identity of the test taker and the integrity of the test-taking environment.

UoPeople – How does it all work?

© J. Francois Barnard – 20 October 2019

The University of the People, or UoPeople as we call it, is an online university that calls itself the “Education Revolution.” And revolutionary it is!

Here are a few facts about UoPeople:

UoPeople's MBA

© J. Francois Barnard - April 29, 2021

My MBA is in full swing now, and I am having fun! I enjoy the weekly routine and, yes, even the pressure. Having a full-time job and doing an MBA full-time is challenging, to say the least. But that is what I signed up for. My strong commitment to completing my BSBA has been extended into this MBA program.

UoPeople – How does the grading work?

© J. Francois Barnard - 31 October 2019

Every student should know how the grading system works. UoPeople uses peer and instructor assessments, and it is essential to understand how they work.

Thoughts in the Breeze

A Five-Year Journey with UoPeople

My morning walk in a late winter breeze is my time for thanksgiving, reminiscing, and contemplating: five years, two degrees, a regular job and a small business. And add to that what I loved most: liaising with my Class of '82 to have an absolute blast when we meet every five years for a reunion.

Progressing from BSBA to MBA

With my BSBA (Bachelor in Science, Business Administration) behind me, I gave myself a three-semester break and registered at UoPeople for my MBA (Masters in Business Administration). This news triggered an array of reactions.

UoPeople – Coping with exam stress

Exam time can be extremely stressful. Writing the exam online in a country where the internet and power grid are unstable is even more stressful. But if you are studying at UoPeople, one of the things you have least to worry about is the Moodle server.

Ignore the Man in Despair

Studying for an MBA can be challenging. Studying at the age of 58 is even more so. Studying at the age of 58 in South Africa in 2022, amidst electricity blackouts and internet failure while your body screams for tender loving care as it ages - you get the picture - it causes despair.

Order Restored

I’ve reached my goal! Specifically, the part I set out to achieve back in 2017. I graduated from the University of the People at the end of October 2020, and now it’s time to reflect and formally wrap up this chapter.

UoPeople – Money and Payments

The University of the People offers tuition-free education. The full-time staff contingent for a university with more than 20,000 students is tiny. (Editor's note in 2021: 75,000 students by now!) All the academic staff members (instructors) are volunteers.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Servant of the People

In this paper, we consider Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, a nation under siege since February 24, 2022. His diverse cultural background surprised me, and his strong leadership in the depths of an international crisis is impressive.

Why did I start studying at 53?

You read this question above, and before you could even understand what my response to it was, your brain already gave you a few reasons why you would do something like that. The reasons are numerous and will align with your own ideas. But let me give you the picture of what went on between my left and right ear:

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