This sign up form is ONLY for U3A Online Inc. -- where all the courses are done online. Please DO NOT sign up here for U3As where you go and meet people.
I enjoyed the course with Mardi. She worked very hard to make it interesting and inclusive against quite some odds. Unfortunately the commitment level of students did not rise to that enthusiasm. If one signs up for such interactive courses then the idea is surely that everyone participates for the good of all participants ? To push oneself beyond the comfort zone is surely what education is about at whatever age ?
I have done this course twice and can see how I would benefit from doing it again as my autobiography is a work in progress. I have considerable demands on my time (family commitments, long stints of around the clock babysitting), plus I travel a fair bit. I’m grateful for the flexibility Mardi and the class have allowed me to participate when I am able and to not be judgemental when I’m unable to complete assigned tasks.
Although it is a topic that I know a lot about, I still found new things I didn’t know (like the film of Conan Doyle)and I really appreciated the links to such a variety of interesting topics, both modern and historic.
The course is both entertaining and educational.
Course name:
Property to Partner - A history of women's struggle for equality
Autobiography & Journaling -
enjoyed this course more so when I realised no deadlines to meet, so stress free, yet took me out of my comfort zone though – really great! Just right, got the old grey matter working that’s for sure. Having the notes provides the opportunity to virtually go through the whole course again at own leisure. Excellent.
Only a small group, but over the course we enjoyed the diversity of each other’s writing and being able to comment on one another’s work. Lots of encouragement from the course leader Mardi Sands - other participants very supportive, friendly and encouraging.
Autobiography & Journaling with Leader -
I found this course to be an amazing way to interact with such a diverse group of people from across Australia and internationally. We all shared the common interest in writing, had wildly varying levels of skill and experience, but were all encouraged equally to “keep writing”.
The tutor gave exceptional support – extra information, suggestions, resources, ideas – encourages participants to share their own helpful resources
Being involved in forum discussions with fellow students was a hugely positive experience. I usually felt rushed to complete discussion submissions before I had really given the subject the attention it deserved. Some of the areas covered are very challenging in terms of personal beliefs etc. and more time to think and reflect and explore new ideas could only be good.
Forum discussions certainly were helpful. I was fortunate enough to do the course with two others who were very good at sharing their thoughts, as well as new sources of information. Their contributions were always eagerly awaited and so often contained lines of thoughts that I had not considered. The course would have been much more challenging without them.
Thoroughly enjoyed the journey this course took me through. I would suggest that you could add a few links to relevant videos (eg suffragettes, Greenham Common, women in ancient history etc). Also in final unit, and as you are offering courses to a worldwide audience, suggest amending the questions to a more global perspective.
It can be difficult to make time to follow a solo study course -
This course would work really well as if studied as a group meeting regularly to share research and debate the topics raised.
Course name:
Property to Partner - A history of women's struggle for equality
Climate Change
I enjoyed the general information about climate change and how the planet works to bring itself into equilibrium and the climate systems. The units involving scientific and mathematical formulas were a bit beyond my comprehension.
I wanted information on what is happening in climate change, what we can do locally and what we should be doing globally. This was all covered plus information about the planet and climate systems.
A few years ago, I did the Autobiography and Journalling Course under Mardi’s guidance. I’m a slow learner and so, I participated as a student three times. At the time I had two dreams; one was to write my late husband’s story, the other was to compile my family story as it was told to me by my grandfather in 1983.
Mardi’s course gave me a structure to work with and the confidence to do it and to stop thinking my writing wasn’t good enough. I wrote both books and Splinters (the family story) is available on Amazon now. In honesty, neither are writing marvels, but it’s the truths they contain that I still believe worthy of the telling.
During Covid, I was presented with the time necessary to write a third book; “10.55 to Cranbourne” the story of my son’s train vs semi-trailer level crossing crash in outer Melbourne in 2012. This too is now available on Amazon. For those interested, the back cover says …
One Saturday morning in outer Melbourne, a semi-trailer is en route from the Melbourne wholesale markets to Dandenong, laden with vegetables and flowers. The driver is tired and losing concentration. A Metro train is on the 10.55 run from Flinders Street to Cranbourne. The driver, 30 year old Trevor King, is on his last run for the day and for his working week. They are both approaching the Abbotts Road level crossing. The warning bells sound, the lights flash and the boom gates come down but the truck driver doesn’t notice. The train driver blasts his whistle, and still the truck doesn’t slow down… A life is lost, several are injured and the train driver is critically injured.
Originally intended as a comprehensive record of the events for the train driver, who has no recall; this is the story of the events that follow and the train driver's journey along the jagged line that divides life and death. It is told by his mother using her journal entries, messages to friends, media reports, photographs and memories shared by the driver’s wife and others who were there.
So, I’m writing to acknowledge the value of the lessons I learned with Mardi at U3a Online and to say, if you have a story in you, write it and don’t let your own worst enemy (yourself) tell you that you can’t. I may never write a best seller, but I know I have written three stories that would otherwise be lost in the fullness of time. I’m very grateful for what I learned.
Thank you,
Susan Warburton
Mardi’s Autobiography and Journalling Classes of 2014, 2015 and 2016
Comments
btapper
Sat, 28/03/2015 - 08:46
Permalink
Excellent tutor. I learned
Excellent tutor. I learned how to do Journaling and to write about my life in a meaningful and a organised way.
btapper
Sat, 28/03/2015 - 08:50
Permalink
I enjoyed the course
I enjoyed the course with Mardi. She worked very hard to make it interesting and inclusive against quite some odds. Unfortunately the commitment level of students did not rise to that enthusiasm. If one signs up for such interactive courses then the idea is surely that everyone participates for the good of all participants ? To push oneself beyond the comfort zone is surely what education is about at whatever age ?
btapper
Sat, 28/03/2015 - 08:53
Permalink
Confirmed a number of
Confirmed a number of previous assumptions and provided me with food for thought moving forward.
btapper
Sun, 12/04/2015 - 11:28
Permalink
It helped me in becoming
It helped me in becoming creative again after a lapse, gave me focus and ideas and the other course participants were also very inspiring
btapper
Mon, 13/04/2015 - 13:02
Permalink
I have done this course twice
I have done this course twice and can see how I would benefit from doing it again as my autobiography is a work in progress. I have considerable demands on my time (family commitments, long stints of around the clock babysitting), plus I travel a fair bit. I’m grateful for the flexibility Mardi and the class have allowed me to participate when I am able and to not be judgemental when I’m unable to complete assigned tasks.
btapper
Mon, 07/03/2016 - 15:51
Permalink
I was able to trace ancestors
I was able to trace ancestors that I thought I would never be able to find.
btapper
Tue, 10/10/2017 - 22:44
Permalink
Property to Partner
Although it is a topic that I know a lot about, I still found new things I didn’t know (like the film of Conan Doyle)and I really appreciated the links to such a variety of interesting topics, both modern and historic.
The course is both entertaining and educational.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 16:48
Permalink
Autobiography & Journaling -
Autobiography & Journaling -
enjoyed this course more so when I realised no deadlines to meet, so stress free, yet took me out of my comfort zone though – really great!
Just right, got the old grey matter working that’s for sure. Having the notes provides the opportunity to virtually go through the whole course again at own leisure. Excellent.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 16:54
Permalink
A & J with leader
A & J with leader
Only a small group, but over the course we enjoyed the diversity of each other’s writing and being able to comment on one another’s work.
Lots of encouragement from the course leader Mardi Sands - other participants very supportive, friendly and encouraging.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:03
Permalink
Autobiography & Journaling
Autobiography & Journaling with Leader -
I found this course to be an amazing way to interact with such a diverse group of people from across Australia and internationally. We all shared the common interest in writing, had wildly varying levels of skill and experience, but were all encouraged equally to “keep writing”.
The tutor gave exceptional support – extra information, suggestions, resources, ideas – encourages participants to share their own helpful resources
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:06
Permalink
Introduction to Western
Introduction to Western Philosophy
I loved it + found the whole thing very stimulating and it made me hungry for more
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:10
Permalink
Introduction to Western
Introduction to Western Philosophy
Being involved in forum discussions with fellow students was a hugely positive experience. I usually felt rushed to complete discussion submissions before I had really given the subject the attention it deserved. Some of the areas covered are very challenging in terms of personal beliefs etc. and more time to think and reflect and explore new ideas could only be good.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:15
Permalink
Introduction to Western
Introduction to Western Philosophy
Forum discussions certainly were helpful. I was fortunate enough to do the course with two others who were very good at sharing their thoughts, as well as new sources of information. Their contributions were always eagerly awaited and so often contained lines of thoughts that I had not considered. The course would have been much more challenging without them.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:17
Permalink
Property to Partner
Property to Partner
Thoroughly enjoyed the journey this course took me through. I would suggest that you could add a few links to relevant videos (eg suffragettes, Greenham Common, women in ancient history etc). Also in final unit, and as you are offering courses to a worldwide audience, suggest amending the questions to a more global perspective.
It can be difficult to make time to follow a solo study course -
This course would work really well as if studied as a group meeting regularly to share research and debate the topics raised.
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:18
Permalink
Unleashing Your Creative
Unleashing Your Creative Spirit
really enjoyed the informal approach and the many links offered
btapper
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 17:22
Permalink
Climate Change
Climate Change
I enjoyed the general information about climate change and how the planet works to bring itself into equilibrium and the climate systems. The units involving scientific and mathematical formulas were a bit beyond my comprehension.
I wanted information on what is happening in climate change, what we can do locally and what we should be doing globally. This was all covered plus information about the planet and climate systems.
susyw
Sun, 03/01/2021 - 15:03
Permalink
A few years ago, I did the
A few years ago, I did the Autobiography and Journalling Course under Mardi’s guidance. I’m a slow learner and so, I participated as a student three times. At the time I had two dreams; one was to write my late husband’s story, the other was to compile my family story as it was told to me by my grandfather in 1983.
Mardi’s course gave me a structure to work with and the confidence to do it and to stop thinking my writing wasn’t good enough. I wrote both books and Splinters (the family story) is available on Amazon now. In honesty, neither are writing marvels, but it’s the truths they contain that I still believe worthy of the telling.
During Covid, I was presented with the time necessary to write a third book; “10.55 to Cranbourne” the story of my son’s train vs semi-trailer level crossing crash in outer Melbourne in 2012. This too is now available on Amazon. For those interested, the back cover says …
One Saturday morning in outer Melbourne, a semi-trailer is en route from the Melbourne wholesale markets to Dandenong, laden with vegetables and flowers. The driver is tired and losing concentration. A Metro train is on the 10.55 run from Flinders Street to Cranbourne. The driver, 30 year old Trevor King, is on his last run for the day and for his working week. They are both approaching the Abbotts Road level crossing. The warning bells sound, the lights flash and the boom gates come down but the truck driver doesn’t notice. The train driver blasts his whistle, and still the truck doesn’t slow down… A life is lost, several are injured and the train driver is critically injured.
Originally intended as a comprehensive record of the events for the train driver, who has no recall; this is the story of the events that follow and the train driver's journey along the jagged line that divides life and death. It is told by his mother using her journal entries, messages to friends, media reports, photographs and memories shared by the driver’s wife and others who were there.
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08MQ3766G
So, I’m writing to acknowledge the value of the lessons I learned with Mardi at U3a Online and to say, if you have a story in you, write it and don’t let your own worst enemy (yourself) tell you that you can’t. I may never write a best seller, but I know I have written three stories that would otherwise be lost in the fullness of time. I’m very grateful for what I learned.
Thank you,
Susan Warburton
Mardi’s Autobiography and Journalling Classes of 2014, 2015 and 2016
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