Personal Perspective Paper - the Value of Resource

Personal Perspective Paper

Shameika Love-King

University of Phoenix

June 12, 2006

Personal Perspective Paper

The University of Phoenix’s masters of business administration program provides the students with knowledge and practice on solving business problems. The school has designed a system for their students to develop the necessary skills to become today’s successful business managers. They provide valuable tools and methods that will assist in the learning process. These tools and methods includes: rEsouce, Learning Teams, and the Problem-Solving Method.

The Value of rEsource

rEsource is an online system that provides online course materials for every student attending University of Phoenix. Instead of purchasing books, every student has to pay for access to rEsource, which is one set fee of $80 per class for graduate students, no matter how many books or reading materials are provided. The student will have access to ebooks, the library, news articles, journals, web links, and simulations.

The eBooks, news articles, journals, web links, and simulations are categorized into specific topics. The student is able to see the learning objectives and reading materials for that week, which gives the student knowledge of what to expect for that week. The students can download most of the materials onto their desktop computers, laptop, PDA, or another portable device. This provides convince when traveling because the students can carry all their reading materials on their laptops instead of lugging around books.

Another benefit of rEsource is the access to web links such as the University Library, Center for Writing Excellence, and the Learning Team Toolkit. These tools are essential in the MBA program. Every tool that is provided on rEsource is in comparison to how it will be in the real-world. For example, the University Library consists of reliable periodicals, newspapers, and books for the students. The students will need the University Library to conduct research for their writing assignments. In the real-world, reading periodicals and newspaper articles will keep leaders abreast on the changes in their industries. The leaders can take this information and present a presentation to their company.

For this reason, the University of Phoenix makes sure that their students will graduate with excellent communication skills. Displaying proper grammar usage is essential in the work environment. Employers are looking for those who can communicate effectively. This is the reason to behind the Center of Excellence link on the rEsource website. Within the Center of Excellence, the student will have access to writing tutorials and paper review tools. The students will have to write papers individually as well as with his or her learning team, similar to working alone and with others at work.

To assist the students, rEsource has provided a link to the Learning Team Toolkit. The toolkit provides tools such as the Learning Team Charter and the Learning Team Handbook.

The Value of Learning Teams

University of Phoenix realized the importance of their students learning how to work as a team. Working as teams effectively is critical in an organizations success. The Learning Team Toolkit explains the purpose of learning teams and provides tools to assist the learning teams. University of Phoenix wants the students to become efficient team members and leaders. By working in teams, the students will learn how to manage team conflicts in class and in their future teams at work. After attending many teams online, I have learned that accountability is very important for each team. Also, the team members must turn their assignment in on time and ask for help if they need help. This is also similar to the teams that I have been involved with at work.

In a successful team, everybody must depend on each other to complete his or her tasks accurately and on time. After working with a few successful teams at work and in my online classes, I have decided that I would rather work with a team than work alone. A proper functioning team can