On-line collaboration

Recently, Dr. J asked us to consider our experiences with this eLearning/Distance Education course. I thought about it.....this quarter has been more strenuous than almost any other quarter and I am only taking one course. I find it appropriate that I feel what I feel and note that my experience is my experinece. It goes with the eLearning/Distance Ed. dynamic. Some of my classmates have more flexibility in their schedule to focus directly on school work; some of my classmates have time to access the computer abroad multiple times per day; some of my classmates were well on their way to becoming eLearning experts before taking this course. I do not see myself in any of those categories. I have access to computers at home or at my office. However, my work schedule comes first...it has to. I have employees and a demanding case load that requires 14hours on some days. I have not even mentioned my emotional and mental well-being here. I am re-learning to acknowledge my feeling and deal with them, I am adjusting to life without my Dad, who was also my boss, I am adjusting to being the boss (not the employee - whoa), I like someone and I have a life outside of work and school. Sometimes not meeting face-to-face has benefited me because I could take another assignment or take time to walk with my employee through a difficult task, or I could gel with my roommates (whom I hardly get to see). I also liked the freedom to work on assignments at my own pace, but that is only with solo-assignments. The collaborative assignments are a different creature all together in Distance Ed. I have been so frustrated with it. I hate it. It is hard enough in a face-to-face classroom to collaborate with people on a project, but try meeting with people in cyberspace! Of course, there are always schedule conflicts whether in person or on-line, and that has to be considered and I have to accept it as fact. On the other hand, I have felt alone because the contact is minimal and the meeting point is inconsistent. Where are we meeting? Is that in a chat room, webct, the wiki? I don't know what I could do differently or what I need to do to make it work for me and for a group. I know I would like direct contact and admittedly....I like email. I know someone is talking to me. hp