Carlos Lopez PERSONAL DETAILS Full name: Carlos Lopez Age: 29 Current occupation: Human Resources Specialist, Mars Spain Where you live: Madrid Your program: Program A — Introduction to Philosophy Start date: Nov-07 1. CHOOSING PATHWAYS How did you find out about us? was it by accident? were you searching for a philosophy course? I was searching for distance learning Philosophy degrees What alternatives were you considering at the time? My objective was to study a Distance Learning Certificate, Diploma, or BA in Philosophy. I was considering three alternatives: - BA at the UNED (National Distance Learning University of Spain) - Diploma in Philosophy at the University of London's External System - Certificate in Philosophy at a US university ( I had not identified by that time) What considerations were uppermost in your mind when you decided to apply to Pathways? If you are looking for Philosophy studies and you are a non-native speaker of English with a full agenda, you will find two fundamental reasons to choose Pathways: - Flexibility: six pathways to choose depending on your previous knowledge, possibility of enrolling to just a few units just to try your abilities, no fixed time period for written feedback to each unit; - Mentorship: the possibility of having support, being able to interact, is crucial in a such comprehensive field as Philosophy Overall, Pathways is the best way to first test your commitment to distance learning studies if you are planning to apply to a university degree in the future. How do you feel about that decision now? Very enthusiastic and energized. At last I am filling that gap. At last I am on the path. 2. STUDY MATERIALS Did you take any of the six Pathways written programs? which one(s)? I just began with Unit 1 of Programme A — Introduction to Philosophy a few months ago How did you find the Pathways study materials? were they too easy, too difficult or just about right? Enough challenging How do the Pathways materials rate in comparison with text books that you have seen or studied? Never studied Philosophy in English before. Regarding my old school text books they were good for conveying data. Pathways materials are suitable for thinking. Do you feel that you made the right choice of program, or given the chance would you like to try a different Pathway? why? I definitely chose the right programme, given my background. 3. PATHWAYS WEB SITE How useful have you found the information provided on the Pathways web pages? Extremely useful. The web site is the first contact for prospective students. It gives a comprehensive view of what a programme is, how it works, support by the mentor and all steps need to be taken. I should not forget the extremely useful list of introductory books. For a prospective student, seeing such a helpful web site gives a lot of confidence to enroll in the programme. I do not find a way to improve it. How might the content or layout of the Pathways pages be improved? See previous answer. In your view, does the Pathways web site convey an accurate impression of what it is like to study with Pathways? It definitely does. 4. INTERACTION WITH YOUR MENTOR Who is/ was your Pathways mentor? Geoffrey Klempner Are you generally happy with the interaction and feedback that you have have received from your mentor? I just received feedback for my introductory letter when I enrolled. I am satisfied with this welcome to the programme. I sent written feedback of unit 1 yesterday, so I do not have enough information yet to answer this question. How well, in your view, does the current system of providing mentor interaction work? how would you like to see it improved? See previous answer. How does the tuition you received compare with other philosophy courses you have taken, whether online or face-to-face? Never took philosophy courses before. 5. INTERACTION WITH OTHER STUDENTS Have you ever participated in the Pathways online conferences? No If you did participate, how would you rate the quality of the philosophical discussion? Not applicable If you did not participate, what kind of conference provision would tempt you to join the conference? It is not a matter of the conference itself, it is a matter of my restriction of time, and a matter of my inexperience. Would you like to see further opportunities provided for Pathways students to engage in dialogue? do you have any ideas? Dialoguing is not a priority for me now, but I think it will be a very important part of mu studies in the future. 6. IMPACT OF STUDYING WITH PATHWAYS What effect, if any, has studying Philosophy with Pathways had on your life? Although I only read one unit, it is NOT too early to answer this question. It gives focus on my reading. It gives focus on the questions I should begin trying to answer myself. Have you been motivated to continue studying Philosophy after you complete your course? Not applicable Have you taken another Philosophy course? or do you plan to? No. In the future, I am planning to enroll in the Diploma in Philosophy at the University of London's External System. What other benefits or consequences have you noticed from studying Philosophy with Pathways? It has supposed a flexible but serious way to concentrate on a field of study I have always wanted to explore. I have a deep feeling of satisfaction. I finally found a way to begin walking the path of philosophy without being too "untouchable" to embrace. I feel like building the foundations of a very comforting future. 7. FUTURE PROJECTS Do you have any thoughts about future projects which we might undertake? No yet. Some students have expressed an interest in a conference where Pathways students could meet face-to-face. How do you feel about that idea? That would definitely be of great interest to me in the future. Would you be prepared to travel to Sheffield to attend a Pathways conference? Yes, as I sometimes travel to the UK for work-related reasons. Currently, there are two free Pathways e-journals, Philosophy Pathways and Philosophy for Business. What are your thoughts about a third journal dedicated to publishing the best examples of course work by Pathways students? Students would benefit from what best work looks like, and it would be very rewarding for those students whose work is published. As long as it does not introduce a negative competitive atmosphere but a didactic interaction, it could be a great forum for best practices. 8. CONTRIBUTING TO PATHWAYS Do you have any thoughts about possible articles for Philosophy Pathways or Philosophy for Business? Or have you already written a piece that you could send us? I would like to contribute in the future. Have you have successfully completed the ISFP Associate or Fellowship Awards, or the first year of the University of London Diploma or BA in Philosophy? If so, would you like to join the panel of Ask a Philosopher? Not applicable If you have successfully completed a BA degree in Philosophy, would you like to become a Pathways mentor? Not applicable 9. GENERAL ASSESSMENT In the most general terms, how would you rate your experience with Pathways: Strongly positive? More positive than negative? About equal? More negative than positive? Strongly negative? Strongly positive How would you summarize the reasons for your assessment? Flexible, mentored, comprehensive and at the same time understandable: the "user-friendly" first step in the journey of Philosophy. 10. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE YOUR COMMENTS Are you prepared to allow us to reproduce any of your comments above, under your name, on the Pathways web site? yes Or, is there something in particular you would be prepared to say for publication? As a non-native speaker of English with a full work agenda, I found two fundamental reasons to choose Pathways: - Flexibility: six pathways to choose depending on your previous knowledge, possibility of enrolling to just a few units just to try your abilities, no fixed time period for written feedback to each unit. - Mentorship: having support from a mentor, being able to interact, is crucial in a such comprehensive field as Philosophy. Overall, Pathways meant for me the best way to test my commitment to distance learning studies before applying to a university degree. **END OF QUESTIONNAIRE** Email info@philosophypathways.com if you would like to comment on this page.