Advice I would give to students just starting the program is to ‘take a deep breath and hold on!’ The application of knowledge learned in this course of study will immediately take your, reflective practices, teaching and approach to teaching to a new dimension.

Read, re-read, and go ahead and read it one more time, any notes or comments given to you for lectures or on assignments. Taking your critiques seriously only make you a better writer and educator, be prepared to positively grow as a collaborator, researcher, student, and teacher.   Know that some classes and elements of the class like discussions push everyone’s comfort zone.

Don't procrastinate. Make sure to follow through on all your assignments and don’t get out of rotation of classes.  Be ready to dedicate your time to it for the 2+ years.  It is a completely tangible goal of you follow that advice.

Read and write every day! I didn’t really start doing this until later in my degree work but I have found that each task is essential to the development of a great music educator and researcher. I could have created and provoked more worthwhile conversation through discussion post if I continuous drew in different sources to the ongoing dialogue at the core of this program.  

Stay on top of the coursework and if you have the opportunity to meet the professors and/or fellow classmates, do it! 

Reach out to your peers outside of the classroom - it is difficult since the classes don't meet face-to-face so it is nice to have relationships to call upon if you have questions or need some peer review.

Have a good computer. And enjoy your time - it goes so fast!

I would advise students that proper writing is critical, keep track of the texts and topics after a course for comprehensive exam referral (I moved in January this year so my texts were everywhere!), and pay attention to the details of assignments and discussions.

I would tell students to manage their time wisely. Without discipline and time management, online courses are extremely difficult.

Learn the APA format. Follow all directions and be thorough.

Review APA format as soon as possible because it is required immediately.  Dr. Johnson has wonderful resources for APA writing, but if her class is the 3rd or 4th one that a student takes then they may be well behind the curve for correct formatting and language usage.  Perhaps a requirement of the program could be the APA writing mechanics workshop (used in Research I?) in conjunction with the first course.  

Bookmark the Purdue Owl APA page in your web browser; 90% of all APA formatting questions can be answered there. Bookmark Dr. Johnson's APA writing pages as well; they cover the same information but in a more user friendly manner. Do not get frustrated with the process. Find one or two other people in the program and begin exchanging ideas as well as helping each by proof-reading assignments. Do not be afraid to ask questions as needed to further your understanding. Above all else, challenge all asumptions.

My advice to someone just starting the program would be to make sure they are prepared to manage their time. It can get easy to forget about assignments or due dates. Check classes often and emails just in case a professor communicates to you or to the class. Don't be afraid to ask for help! The professors, most of them, were very helpful and responded to me quickly.

Read everything, research everything, and then do it some more. Be as thorough and as clear as possible.

Study hard and take advantage of every learning opportunity possible. Don't be afraid to try something new in your classroom, either.

I would recommend that they take detailed notes on the readings (and highlight in the books), print and keep all assignments and notes, and take an online typing course because writing a comprehensive exam at 36 wpm was difficult (especially under timed circumstances).

I would tell a future student entering the program that if they want to continue to grow, to learn, to be more proficient in their teaching strategies or abilities to lead students to learn and love music - that Tarleton State University is the place to be. There are lots of resources that are available from alumni and the faculty in the program are there to help guide you along your journey every step of the way.

SAVE EVERYTHING!!! I did not fully appreciate this until my third class. I felt that it was fine because I could access all of my past work on Canvas. Luckily I had saved enough that when it came time to prepare for the comprehensive exam, I had enough to look back on to give me a head start.

Ask lots of questions and make notes on the get to know you projects.  Your classmates can be a source of information for your classroom use, not just the masters program.

Stay on top of the assignments.  It is better to get a little bit done everyday than try to do everything last minute.  Take it from a procrastinator!  Meet the deadlines, do not post late in the discussion forums, it is possible to work a full time job and maintain good grades, just stay on top of the assignments.

Get in and get it done as quickly as possible! If you miss a semester it can really mess the rhythm of the program up. 

Be ready to READ and WRITE!!

Print out and organize all notes by course.  All courses use some of the same elements and will make writing or research easier for the future. 

Save all the lectures on your desktop from ALL classes! It will be very valuable for the comprehensive exam. Save all readings, lectures, assignments, and at times, discussions on a flash drive for future use.

The best advice I would give someone who is just starting out in this program is to always plan ahead. Always making sure to keep an eye at the end of the syllabus will help a student to plan properly for the entire course instead of just a week at a time. Also, to make sure a student keeps ALL of their work and assignments in a folder on their computer or print it out if it helps. This will help when the comprehension exam comes around and they will find it easier to refer back to anything they need. 

A student should approach this program if they are a structured learner with the appropriate level of time outside of work to devote to the program.

Come in prepared to learn a lot, be open to criticism from your peers and instructors, keep an open mind, be ready to learn, enjoy the process, and spend time getting to know your classmates.

My advice would be to stay ahead of the game and do not procrastinate. I would advise that the reading material is vital in understanding the courses.

Learn as much as you can from the professors while you can.

Ask lots of questions.

Be prepared to work long hours on weekends (at times) in order to stay on top of the class assignments.

I think I would advise them to be attentive to schedules.  The courses move quickly, and you have to stay on task.  Yet, I think they should also know that the professors are readily available when you have questions.

Keep all the notes, lectures and books from every class.  Do the extra readings and study!

Pace yourself! Do NOT wait until the last minute for anything especially if you are working full time.  Make time to go by the table at TMEA to meet the professors! They are wonderful!

I would tell them to expect life to sometimes conflict with the program but to stick with it because the professors at Tarleton are so positive and helpful that you won't regret being part of the program.

Be prepared to work long hours on weekends (at times) in order to stay on top of the class assignments.

I would tell students to manage their time wisely. Without discipline and time management, online courses are extremely difficult.

Print out and organize all notes by course. All courses use some of the same elements and will make writing or research easier for the future.

Have a good computer. And enjoy your time - it goes so fast!

I would advise students that proper writing is critical, keep track of the texts and topics after a course for comprehensive exam referral (I moved in January this year so my texts were everywhere!), and pay attention to the details of assignments and discussions.

My biggest piece of advice would be to start with the research classes.  They are great for preparing students for APA and defining research.  For many of us, research meant "google" when we first started the program.  I looked back at one of my very first papers and saw how poorly researched and unsubstantiated my arguments were.  Taking research first would help many get on the right track earlier in the process.  Also, taking research first might reveal to some students early on that this is the wrong program for them. 

Start your work as soon as you receive your assignment and complete a little every day. Whether it is reading 5-7 pages or making an outline every day, do something each day and every time you get a chance.

PLAN AHEAD. Look at the 2 year schedule that is posted and determine what you want to take and when. Make sure that you will graduate when you want to by planning your course load early.

Do everything Dr. Johnson suggests. (And all the other professors). Compartmentalize your time for study. Guard it and use it well.

Take only the load of classes that you feel you can successfully handle. Life happens.

I would advise them to only take one class at a time, and to strive to not get behind in their coursework, as it can be difficult to catch up. I would also advise them that they should not compare their experience to the experiences of their classmates, as we all face different challenges both in and out of the program while we are enrolled, and that it's alright to move at a slower pace. 

I would say that a prerequisite for any online course would be having good writing skills. It is different than sitting in a physical classroom where you have time to speak about your answers. It is important to be able to articulate your knowledge through writing. I would also say to reference the MMFAQ page often. I had bookmarked it. It was extremely helpful at every stage of my course work.

Just because it is online does not make it easy. This program is well-designed and allows for you to make mistakes while at the same time, teaching you to delve deeper into your teaching and learning scenarios. The professors may be miles away from your computer but are very open to help in any way should you need it.